A Food Blender - a world of opportunities

[lomuamart]

We recently got one of these. I've never owned one either here or back home. What prompted me was seeing some recipes in online newspapers and then searching on the net. A world of possibilities
I've tried some things and have had failures and successes. Here's a success:
CURRIED CARROT SOUP (my amounts of ingredients but following the recipe, pretty much)

At least a kilo of carrots chopped up pretty small as they should cook until really soft
1.5 pints of chicken broth (I just measured the water and threw in two Knorr cubes)
Quite a bit of onion (or shallots which I used today as we out of the former)
At least 8 cloves of garlic
Fresh ginger
Curry powder (Ugh. So, 1 tsp ground cumin seeds, same with coriander seeds, 5 dried red chillis and a pinch of turmeric). And some ground black pepper.

Chuck it all into a pot and cook until the carrots are soft. Transfer all to the blender and puree (I did ours in a few batches).

Let that cool and then add milk to required consistency.

Done. Spoon over the top some plain yoghurt and a little fresh corianer.

Enjoy

And the blender is excellent for making up spice pastes. Ours came with a fresh mill attachment and cost the princely sum of 1,250 THB.

I'll give the recipe for a fresh coriander chutney soon. If I forget, someone remind me. I'm going to have a beer now.

[Siani]

We recently got one of these. I've never owned one either here or back home. What prompted me was seeing some recipes in online newspapers and then searching on the net. A world of possibilities
I've tried some things and have had failures and successes. Here's a success:
CURRIED CARROT SOUP (my amounts of ingredients but following the recipe, pretty much)

At least a kilo of carrots chopped up pretty small as they should cook until really soft
1.5 pints of chicken broth (I just measured the water and threw in two Knorr cubes)
Quite a bit of onion (or shallots which I used today as we out of the former)
At least 8 cloves of garlic
Fresh ginger
Curry powder (Ugh. So, 1 tsp ground cumin seeds, same with coriander seeds, 5 dried red chillis and a pinch of turmeric). And some ground black pepper.

Chuck it all into a pot and cook until the carrots are soft. Transfer all to the blender and puree (I did ours in a few batches).

Let that cool and then add milk to required consistency.

Done. Spoon over the top some plain yoghurt and a little fresh corianer.

Enjoy

And the blender is excellent for making up spice pastes. Ours came with a fresh mill attachment and cost the princely sum of 1,250 THB.

I'll give the recipe for a fresh coriander chutney soon. If I forget, someone remind me. I'm going to have a beer now.

The receipe sounds lovely will try it when I get home. The mill is great for grinding large quantities of peppercorns to make a sauce..yum!

In a warm climate try Gazpacho soup...a cold soup. It is really delicous!

Serves 4

100g slightly stale crusty white bread, soaked in cold water for 20 mins
1kg very ripe tomatoes, diced
1 ripe red pepper and 1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
150ml extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp sherry vinegar if you cannot get sherry vinegar, use cider or even rice wine
Salt, to taste
Garnishes – see below

1. Mix the diced tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with the crushed garlic and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Squeeze out the bread, tear it roughly into chunks, and add to the mixture.

2. Blend until smooth, then add the salt and vinegar to taste and stir well.

3. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

4. Serve with garnishes of your choice: I liked diced black olives, hard-boiled egg and small pieces of cucumber and pepper; mint or parsley also works well, and many people add spring onion, cubes of Spanish ham and so on.[/color]

[STEVE G]

I used to have one in Indonesia for a less healthy reason, they're great for making pinacoladas from fresh pineapples and coconuts which were very cheap there at that time. Just liquidise the pineapple and add the milk from the coconut with a bit of condensed milk to thicken it up and crushed ice and white rum to taste and serve it in the empty coconuts. I used to do the proportions by eye so don't ask me any more technical questions!
I once made it by the gallon for a barbeque but I had a local lady to peel the pineapples which can be quite time consuming.

[Siani]

I used to have one in Indonesia for a less healthy reason, they're great for making pinacoladas from fresh pineapples and coconuts which were very cheap there at that time. Just liquidise the pineapple and add the milk from the coconut with a bit of condensed milk to thicken it up and crushed ice and white rum to taste and serve it in the empty coconuts. I used to do the proportions by eye so don't ask me any more technical questions!
I once made it by the gallon for a barbeque but I had a local lady to peel the pineapples which can be quite time consuming.

Steve G you are quite right...it really is great for making crushed ice drinks. So many different ones to choose from.

You may have just caught lomuamart in time before he pours himself that beer!

Here is another one

If you enjoy a Frozen Daiquiri or a Pina Colada you will really like this Banana Daiquiri. This is one of the more popular Daiquiri variations, right behind the Strawberry Daiquiri. When blending this or any frozen cocktail begin at a low speed for a few seconds to chop the ice and fruit, then step it up to high speed until the mix is firm. You can also make this without the rum.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

1 Drink

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 oz light rum
•1 Tbsp triple sec
•1 banana
•1 1/2 oz lime juice
•1 tsp sugar
•1 cup crushed ice
•maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

1.Pour the ingredients into a blender.
2.Blend on low speed for a few seconds, then at high
speed until smooth.
3.Pour contents into a chilled glass or something pretty
4.Garnish with the maraschino cherry

Drink and enjoy

[lomuamart]

Siani,
What got me thinking about the blender was a gazpacho recipe and then I found another one (variation) using mangoes and orange juice for the base.
Unfortunately, that was one that we didn't like. Maybe the carton of orange juice was too bitter/sour to go with the mangoes? Whatever, the base with other ingredients just didn't go together.
Alcoholic mixtures. Now then, that sounds interesting. Take my head off.

[Siani]

Siani,
What got me thinking about the blender was a gazpacho recipe and then I found another one (variation) using mangoes and orange juice for the base.
Unfortunately, that was one that we didn't like. Maybe the carton of orange juice was too bitter/sour to go with the mangoes? Whatever, the base with other ingredients just didn't go together.
Alcoholic mixtures. Now then, that sounds interesting. Take my head off.

No not mango and orange It is basic tomato as per the recipie...that is the one I like. Sometimes I put a little extra olive...give it a try, really nice
I have tried mango soup chilled, with cucumber..very refreshing.

I am sure you will have loads of fun with your blender ...Bon Appétit

don't forget all the fabulous curry pastes you can make in the blender...google them...some are so easy

[lomuamart]

I don't know, this recipe just didn't work but I will give it another a go. I'm not the best cook in the world but with all the time in the world on my hands I can try things.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mango-gazp ... ome%20Page
For the carrot one see here:
http://www.greatcoldsoups.com/carrot.html
My Thai wife has now got into making Indian curries. As with Thai ones, the paste is essential and with this blender all I have to do is measure out the spices and suggest the order of cooking. Easy and she's already making them as well or better than me. The vindaloo paste/curry was to die for last night.
I'm redundant.

[STEVE G]

Now you mention Indian curries, I've just thought of another use for a blender. Back in the late eighties I use to own a house that had a garden that backed onto an Indian restaurant and I used to chat quite a lot with the staff. ( Beyond shouting orders over the fence! )
One of the things they taught me was how to make a cheap curry sauce base that you could use to make many different types of curry. Basically you half boil chopped onions and then blend them together with tinned tomatoes. They used to make buckets of the stuff every afternoon for use in the evening as you then just have to bung your meat, or whatever and spices and garlic into a very hot wok with oil and after a couple of minutes put in the sauce base and simmer for a few minutes and serve. That's probably not how it's done in India but it's how they manage to serve a party of twelve with one cook!

[Lung Per]

Welcome to the blender world. I have had one for years and enjoyed lots of various mixed drinks with crushed ice, slushes, fruit punches, soups (cold and warm), etc.
There are numerous receipe books available in Thai as well as English at the big book store on the third floor of MV.
What is a home without a blender?

[Siani]

I don't know, this recipe just didn't work but I will give it another a go. I'm not the best cook in the world but with all the time in the world on my hands I can try things.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mango-gazp ... ome%20Page
For the carrot one see here:
http://www.greatcoldsoups.com/carrot.html
My Thai wife has now got into making Indian curries. As with Thai ones, the paste is essential and with this blender all I have to do is measure out the spices and suggest the order of cooking. Easy and she's already making them as well or better than me. The vindaloo paste/curry was to die for last night.
I'm redundant.

Sounds great No not redundant You can knock up a delicious Cucumber and mint raita while its cooking!

250ml/8fl oz natural yoghurt

½ cucumber, grated or finely chopped

large handful mint leaves, chopped

large pinch salt

½-1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Preparation method
1.Wrap the grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.

2.Mix together all the ingredients and serve chilled as an accompaniment to any curry or as a dip for poppadoms

[Siani]

Now you mention Indian curries, I've just thought of another use for a blender. Back in the late eighties I use to own a house that had a garden that backed onto an Indian restaurant and I used to chat quite a lot with the staff. ( Beyond shouting orders over the fence! )
One of the things they taught me was how to make a cheap curry sauce base that you could use to make many different types of curry. Basically you half boil chopped onions and then blend them together with tinned tomatoes. They used to make buckets of the stuff every afternoon for use in the evening as you then just have to bung your meat, or whatever and spices and garlic into a very hot wok with oil and after a couple of minutes put in the sauce base and simmer for a few minutes and serve. That's probably not how it's done in India but it's how they manage to serve a party of twelve with one cook!

Well it could be done that way, sounds good...rogan josh..I think! No real rules with curries...I always thinks the curry houses have a basic "pot" and add ingredients "to taste". It also freezes well

[lomuamart]

I reckon the basis of a good curry is its paste and with a blender life becomes more easy - ie less preparation time if you're slow with a knife like me. I always reckon that once I start, I might as well do a fair bit and any not used immediately can be frozen.
The onion base would work for many curries. Rogan josh or vindaloo for example. The idea of the onions, combined as a paste with whatever (tomatoes, garlic, ginger) is that it thickens the sauce. Also tastes good.
Thanks for the raita recipe. I make it regularly. If you don't mind my saying, it needs some roasted cumin seeds thrown in as well - just a teaspoon's worth. Makes all the difference. I quite often leave out the chilli especially if other dishes have a lot of it!!
EDIT I'm going to have a go at making my own yoghurt. Seems that all you need is some yoghurt (for the "starter") and milk. and the right temperature once the milk is boiled and the yoghurt is setting. I'd have thought that Thailand's natural temperature is exactly right.

[lomuamart]

Fresh coriander chutney.
I've made this a few times now and it's easy and extremely tasty. Bear in mind that my quantities are for our tastes and they can be changed.

400 gms of fresh coriander (only use the leaves not the stalks or roots)
Fresh chilli to taste (I chuck about 5 green birds eye ones in)
2 tablespoons of lime juice
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of ground roasted cumin seeds
Ground black pepper

Chuck it all into the blender and hey presto!!
Really good for you with plenty of vitamin A, C and chlorophyll.

[hhfarang]

I used to have the king of all food blenders, the Quisinart food processor with every attachment they made costing between two and three hundred USD all in. We (me and the ex-wife) were excited to use it for a while but too soon it was relegated to the back of a cupboard with the bread maker and other appliances that had lost their attraction. One problem with that system as I recall was it took longer to clean it properly than it did to prepare the meal using it. I gladly gave it up in the divorce...

[HHADFan]

I gladly gave it up in the divorce...

Oh hell, I was about to buy the Cuisinart and the bread machine, too!