Pumpkin and Lentil Curry

Jon's not here this month, which means I have to cook for myself. And do the dishes. Which is a serious pain in our apartment because we don't have a kitchen sink. Instead, we wash dishes w/ the faucet and drain on our balcony, with a bucket.

All of this means I am too lazy to cook and clean every night. So I cook a few times a week, and eat leftovers every other night. I've found that curries work great for that, and are simple and easy to make with the rice cooker. Basically just throw everything in the rice cooker and go.

I've tried a few recipes, but I like this one the best - Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentils, adapted from this recipe in the Vegetarian Times. It's delicious and filling, and that recipe, along w/ rice, makes enough for three meals for one person. Plus, pumpkin is easy to get around here, and so are lentils.

(Oops, sorry, forgot to take photos of the finished product!) 

Pumpkin and Lentil Curry
Three to four servings
1 medium yellow onion
2 small red chilli peppers
2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup red lentils
2 lbs of pumpkin (about 3 cups), cubed
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 C water
1 small can tomato puree
4 tomatoes, chopped

1. Cook three or four servings of rice in the rice cooker. Meanwhile, chop one onion, two small red chilli peppers.

2. When the rice is finished, clean out the rice cooker, then add oil, onion and peppers to the rice cooker. Turn the cooker on, keeping the lid open, and saute the onion and pepper until the onion is translucent.  

rice cooker tip: If your rice cooker won't turn on to saute the onion, try putting something  heavy, like a pan, over the bowl. The weight should allow the cooker to turn on.

3. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the rice cooker and close the lid. In about 20 minutes, check the curry to see if it is done. The pumpkin should be soft, and the lentils should be soft and/or disintegrated into the curry. Keep cooking until as thick as desired.



   

Baked Ziti, and Too Much Cooking Wine

When we moved in a few weeks ago, Jon and I bought some basic kitchen ingredients to stock up - vinegar, soy sauce, the usual.  Somehow in our frenzy of moving in, buying kitchen stuff, and buying apartment necessities like sheets and trash bags, we convinced ourselves that a 5L glass jug of wine was a 'basic kitchen ingredient.'

The idea, of course, was that we would cook with the wine. Wine in Thailand is not very good and comparatively very expensive, so it's not like we could just buy a bottle to cook with and drink at the same time - no way its worth it to pour any wine in what you're cooking when you've splurged on a bottle to drink.

So the theory made sense, especially since we figured we would be cooking with wine all the time in the rice cooker ... pasta, stews, etc.  Three weeks later, we've only used it about three times, so maybe it wasn't the best investment.  We tried to drink some the first night - you get desperate for wine in Thailand and even stoop to drinking the cooking wine - but it was not worth it.

So, then, a question for the readers - any ideas of what, besides pasta and the rare pot roast - red wine is good in?

Nice, steaming pot of pasta

But whether or not you have wine, you can make the pasta I made in the rice cooker. It turned out a lot like baked ziti. No melty, crispy cheese on top - cheese is another rare/expensive commodity here - but we did have a little Parmesan to throw on the finished product.

Baked Ziti (in a rice cooker)
makes 3-4 servings

8 oz uncooked pasta (any shape, preferably thicker so it will hold up to the baking - we used ziti)
2 C liquid (we used 1C water and 1C wine, you could use any combination of water, wine, broth, etc)
1 small can tomato paste
6-8 plum tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 an onion, diced
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon (trust me)
sausage or ground meat (optional)
salt to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Throw everything in the rice cooker.

2. Turn the rice cooker on. Depending on the rice cooker, it will turn off when the pasta is done, or you might have to check it once in awhile. Our (very no-frills) rice cooker, which just has an on/off switch, timed it perfectly.
 3. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

Finished product

Back with a Vengeance ... and a Rice Cooker

Welcome to the Floating Coconut version 2.0 ... or maybe really it's just the original Floating Coconut getting back to its roots. Either way. Jon and I started this blog to chronicle the challenges of cooking abroad, without all your familiar ingredients and big, Western kitchens. We started this in the hopes that it would be useful to fellow expats in Thailand and all over Asia and the world (though some ingredients are region-specific) cooking in cramped kitchen.

We started out with just an electric induction burner - it came with the apartment - but already that put our kitchen ahead of most people we knew in town. Then we bought a blender, and an oven, and found out that you could find most ingredients you might want or need in town, and started buying them.  Soon, it became any old cooking blog, theme-less and, to be honest, not very interesting to write on.

But NOW. Now we have moved to a new city - much bigger, with way more food variety, but our kitchen has down-sized and we have a renewed determination to bring you recipes and food stories in the following categories - 1) cooking in a rice cooker; and 2) seasonal ingredients.  That's right, we have embarked on an epic journey and ditched our burner (ok, we moved and didn't get to bring it) for a rice cooker. We still have an oven, and a blender, but plan to focus here on recipes you can make with just a rice cooker.

Our new kitchen ... aka a desk with food on it and a rice cooker in the corner.

I've also started getting used to the whole seasonal-eating thing.  Since we buy almost all our produce from the markets, I've really enjoying seeing what produce is in season, and finding new ways to use it.  So we'll put in those recipes, too.  For instance, here it's strawberry season (but they're still a little expensive...) and, more importantly, its the beginning of MANGO SEASON! Which means the long-awaited mango with sticky rice, but also that I get to do tons of experimenting with mangos.

So, for the first recipe of Floating Coconut 2.0, I bring you - Mango Oatmeal in a Rice Cooker! 

It's super simple, and a great way to use fresh fruit, and to make a relatively hands-off healthy, filling breakfast.  One of the things I like best about rice cooker cooking is you just prep everything, throw it in, and press the button. Then you get to go about your normal routine (in my case, making coffee) and, in about 10 minutes, your breakfast is ready! Voila, hot coffee and delicious oatmeal.

Ingredients 
Servings: 2 
oil to grease the rice cooker
1/2 C rolled oats (you can use steel-cut oats but the proportions of water are different)
1 C water
1 medium yellow mango (or 1/2 C of any fruit), chopped into small cubes
1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional)
pinch cinnamon (optional)

1. Rub a little cooking oil on the bottom and sides of the rice cooker to prevent burning of the bottom layer.

2. Put all the ingredients in a rice cooker, and start the cooker. It may look a bit watery when the cycle is finished, but if you mix it all up it should be the right texture, since the oatmeal on the bottom will be drier.   

3. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste, if desired. I recommend the cinnamon, even though cinnamon an mango may sound strange. It adds a good cozy flavor. 

If you really want to go all-out, chop up another mango, a frozen banana (or fresh, but also add a few ice cubes), and a small pack of yogurt and blend for a delicious smoothie to complement the oatmeal... or, like I did, for a snack later.

Tis the season

Even here in Thailand, where the residents are predominately Buddhist, Christmas is in the air. While we won't get a white one, or even a cold one, we are getting into the spirit by stringing some lights across our walls, drinking hot cocoa, watching Christmas movies, and briefly (just once really) listening to carolers.

But this is a food blog, so where is the food???? Well, this is where we need some help. We are having a cookie swap and we need some ideas. 

Next week I will share what ever recipe I us and the degree of its success. Please share your ideas, thoughts and links!!!!

** So, just spent 2 hours filtering through 4,550ish photos and not one of them were Christmas cookies... this needs to be corrected!

Pumpkin: If You Can't Carve It, Eat It

Fall is in full-swing back home, and Halloween is coming up. Here in Thailand, the cool season is starting, though its only cool at night.  Days are still hot, but breezy and manageable. The one thing both places have in common right now, though, is pumpkins.

Thai pumpkin

Pumpkins are in season here in Thailand, and have been popping up in market stalls, roadside vendors and folding tables outside houses for about a month now.  Jon's already written on this blog about pumpkin soup, but in keeping with the season I've started experimenting with pumpkin myself. (The Thai pumpkin is a bit more like butternut squash than some pumpkins, but still pretty pumpkin-like - see: http://www.realthairecipes.com/category/glossary/vegetables/)

My first recipe was based on Karen pumpkin curry that I learned how to make in a super-awesome Burmese cooking class at a local restaurant. (The Karen - pronounced ka-REN, not KARE-en like the girl's name - are a major ethnic group in Burma, mostly living along the Thai border near me).  Last weekend, I was in Chiang Mai and stocked up on some 'luxury items' at a supermarket stocked with imported goods.  One of the items I picked up was couscous - a good substitute for rice, which I eat for lunch every day, and bread, which is pretty rare in these parts.  And it cooks quickly, perfect for when I get home around 7 from teaching English after work.  So, I asked myself, how can I incorporate cous-cous into the Karen pumpkin curry? 

All of this - pumpkin, sweet potato, lemongrass and two tiny pineapples - for less than a dollar!

On my way home from work, I stopped at my customary post-work source of veggies to get some pumpkin and lemongrass, a key ingredient in Karen pumpkin curry. I also saw a huge bin of purple sweet potatoes that I had been meaning to experiment with, so I picked up some of those as well. 

The result? A delicious pumpkin-sweet potato couscous.  The pumpkin mostly melts into the couscous, making it rich and creamy, and the beautiful purple chunks of sweet potato add substance and depth. A little lemongrass and cinnamon work surprisingly well together for a slightly citrusy-sweet aftertaste.

Its super easy and quick. You could even make it in your rice cooker. 

Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Couscous ready to cook!

Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Couscous
makes 2 servings

1 cup Thai pumpkin, peeled and chopped into approximately 1-inch cubes (if you don't have Thai pumpkin, use another cooking pumpkin or butternut squash)
1 cup purple (or normal) sweet potatoes, cut into cubes.
2 stalks of lemongrass
1/2 a medium white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 C oil (I used soybean, but vegetable or other similar cooking oil is okay)
2 1/2 C water
1/2 C  couscous

Pound the lemongrass with a rolling pin (or empty wine bottle), especially around the root, to release the flavor, then tie it in a knot and place in a saucepan or your rice cooker, along with all other ingredients except 1/2 C of the water and the couscous.  Put on medium-high and cover, cooking until the sweet potatoes and pumpkin are very soft. 

Reserve 1/2 C of the cooking water, if there is that much left.  If not, top up until you have 1/2 C of liquid in a new saucepan. Keep the vegetables in the other saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn off the heat and add the couscous, stirring, then cover and leave for three minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork, then add it to the vegetables.  Return to low heat and stir, squishing the pumpkin with a fork until some of it is blended into the couscous. Add salt, cinnamon and/or pepper as needed, then serve.

Of course, did I stop there? Of course not! Since I have been complaining about all the fall foods I miss lately, I decided to take this opportunity - when I had both extra pumpkin and extra energy - and try my hand at pumpkin bread.  I had always made pumpkin bread from a can, but it turns out you can substitute the canned variety for fresh, just cook the pumpkin first and mash it up.  I peeled, cubed and boiled mine, but you can also roast it in the oven or microwave it. 

I used this recipe, but without the extra water (my pumpkin mash was fairly watery) or the cloves and allspice (don't have them), but I guess any recipe would work.

The result? Pretty good. It could definitely use the other spices I didn't have, and tastes a bit like a mix between pumpkin and zucchini bread, but since I like both of those, its all good!

Cooking up a Bit of Fall

My apartment smells like fall right now.  If I close my eyes, I can almost pretend I'm back in New England.  When I open my eyes, of course, the palm trees and lush vegetation kind of give it away, plus its a bit warmer here than Vermont right now. 

This is not Vermont.

But, the seasons are changing, and the nights are pleasantly cool.  If I had to guess, I'd say during the day in the shade it might get down to the low 80s, which is progress as far as I'm concerned. Plus, there's a fairly constant breeze (and sometimes its just downright windy) which helps a lot. So, I think its the closest to the beginning of fall as we're going to get.

The little 'sweaters' the apples come in is kinda cute. But wasteful. This apple is from China, not Vermont. Clearly not as delicious.

Being a good Vermonter, when I sense fall, I immediately look for the nearest apple.  And commence cooking every form of apple dish possible.  Right now, my possibilities are rather limited by lack of oven (which will hopefully be rectified soon), but I can make at least one thing - applesauce!

Growing up, my mom would make homemade applesauce in huge vats and freeze it in empty Cool Whip containers so we could eat it all winter.  Sometimes I would help press out the seeds and cores by working a wooden paddle around a mesh funnel over a bowl. This time, I am cooking in a deep frying pan over an electric burner, and since I have nothing to strain with, I had to leave out the cores, cutting back on valuable apple material.  But, it still tastes - and smells - great!

Look at those little bubbles of yumminess releasing yummy smell into the air!

So, all you expats out there who need a bit of fall in their lives, go ahead and make yourself some super-simple stovetop applesauce!

Basic Stovetop Applesauce 

Equipment: just a burner, electric or gas
'Splurge'/hard to find Ingredients: None, really, if you are addicted to cinnamon like me and feel its a staple. But its not strictly necessary in this anyway.


6 apples (I used Gala, but that was what looked best in the store. I've used other kinds before.)
1/8-1/4 C white sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
cinnamon to taste (optional)
nutmeg to taste (optional)
1-2 C water

1. Chop up the apples into about 1-inch pieces.  You can leave the cores if you have a way to strain it, and you don't have to peel the apples unless you want super-smooth applesauce.
2. Put the apple pieces, sugar, about 1/4 C of the water, and cinnamon and nutmeg (if using) in a pan on the stove, and simmer on medium-low.  Add water if needed to keep the apples from burning before they've released all their own water.
3. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the texture is right.  Make sure not to simmer too long, or it'll keep reducing into something like apple pie filling (which is also delicious and could be used to top ice cream, etc... so, do let simmer too long if you want).
4. Enjoy!

pumpkin soup

The cold season is now upon us in Thailand. In this region, the nights can get chilly and the only cure for this is soup. In the past I have been limited to stews or chunky hearty soups. Recently, however, we have a new addition to our meager kitchen (which still consists of one true cooking tool - an induction hot plate cooker). While a toaster oven is the next item on our wish list, we splurged on a really nice blender.

With this wonderful new tool, we can make smoothies, shakes, pesto, and smooth tasty soups!  We discovered pumpkin grows well in this area - well pumpkin like things.  They have the flavor of butternut squash, but look more like pumpkin. So I'm sure this recipe could be used for both. If you can identify this mystery veggie, let us know.

You will notice that I hardly use amounts in my recipes. The reason is because I never actually measure anything when I cook and I'm a believer in experimentation.    If you are making this in Asia, all milk products are strangely sweet, even the heavy cream we used. So, this may turn the savory soup into a sweet side soup. Just sayin'.










Ingredients:

• water
• pumpkin or squash
• basil

• parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 spring onion

• salt
• pepper
• heavy cream
• butter

Cut the pumpkin into cubes and remove the skin. Place into a pot and add enough water to cover.
Bring to a boil.
Add a few leaves of basil and cover until the pumpkin is soft.


In a blender:
Cut the spring onion in half and set aside. (Half will be used for garnish)
add parsley, garlic, onion, and half of the spring onion to a blender.
Transfer the pumpkin to the blender and reserve 1 to 2 cups of broth, set aside.

Blend the contents until smooth and creamy. Pour the soup back into the pan and add the broth. Stir at a low or medium temperature.
Add heavy cream stirring constantly
Add the salt & pepper to taste.

When serving, place a cube of butter in the middle of the soup and garnish with the remainder of spring onion.