Thursday, June 22, 2017

Bowling, Big Pacific

I bowled pretty well on Wednesday but unfortunately not well enough, we only one one of the three games. Mind you, one woman on the other team got 4 strikes in a row in the second game which didn't give us much chance. The third game, we didn't bowl very well - so....

Just watched a great programme on PBS called Big Pacific all about the unusual finds they have made in the Pacific which covers 1/3 of the planet. I never realised how big until my friend bought me a globe at Christmas time. Apparently they really know damn all about the ocean as yet. One thing which took them 16 years to find out, there were patterns in the sand but nobody knew what was causing them and eventually they had to keep an eye out for  a whole year - when they discovered the answer they also discovered a new species.


Tonight was the first in the series and we will certainly be watching again. next week. We both found it absolutely fascinating. Lots of unanswered questions which, of course they hope to answer. Mind you,, one set of exploration showed three guys going down in a diving bell (do they call them that any more, not sure) and descending several hundred feet. I would not want to be in that machine.

Another chicken recipe I like the sound of although for this one I would have to buy coconut milk, I have the oil. I am making myself work here!!!

Kuku Paka (Chicken With Coconut)

This rich dish of chicken in a spiced coconut sauce comes from Kenya's coast, though creative cooks now produce variations of it all over the country. This simple version was adapted from many of them, including Kirti Patel, Agnes Kalyonge and the author Madhur Jaffrey. It requires slowly grilling the marinated chicken, ideally over charcoal — a little extra work that lends the finished kuku paka a wonderful smoky flavor — though in a pinch, you can use a grill pan on the stove. Note: The coconut sauce should be creamy but not flat, so be sure to spike it at the end with enough lemon juice
to give it the edge of sourness that is one of this great dish's defining characteristics.

4 lbs chicken thighs and drumsticks on the bone
3 plum tomatoes
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded (use fewer if you prefer a mild dish)
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbs coconut oil
27 oz (2 cans) coconut milk
Juice of 1 lemon
Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped, for garnish
Rice, chapati or flatbread, for serving

1. Trim any excess skin from the chicken, keeping some skin intact. Score each chicken piece in 2 or 3 places, slicing about a half-inch into the meat. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, chiles, salt, cumin and coriander. Process until a rough paste forms. Rub 1 scant cup of the mixture all over the chicken, into the cuts and under the skin, reserving the rest for the sauce. Set chicken aside in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 5.

2. Prepare and light a charcoal grill. Meanwhile, as the grill heats, prepare the sauce: In a large pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and add the remaining paste, stirring occasionally, until all of the water in mixture evaporates and the oil separates, becoming visible on the surface, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring more frequently so the bottom doesn’t burn, until the paste is thick and dark and the raw smell has lessened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer until the sauce is about as thick as cake batter and has turned a mellow shade of orange, about 20 to 25 minutes, then turn off the heat.

3. Grill the marinated chicken, turning the pieces so the skin is browned and the meat is cooked through, then add to the sauce. If the sauce has become too thick to coat the meat and provide a good gravy, stir in a splash of water. Turn the heat back on to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the flavors have melded. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice, then garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice, chapati or flatbread.

Servings: 6

Source: The New York Times

Have a great day

6 comments:

  1. I DVR'd the Big Pacific last night and finished watching 'Genius', about Einstein. Fascinating story. And you posted another good sounding recipe. You are making me fat through reading, then cooking, lol.

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    1. I think you will enjoy the Big Pacific Denise. Didn't watch Genius. Making me fat too LOL.

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  2. I enjoyed living on the Pacific. I was raised on the Atlantic. I saw that video on FB and I love it.

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    1. It was interesting JoJo. I have visited the Pacific (San Francisco) but never lived there.

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  3. I have the Pacific ocean running through my veins. Isn't it fascinating how the mandala shape pops up in nature so frequently.

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    1. I had to Google that Pinky I was unfamiliar with the Mandala shape. I will start noticing now and see how often it does turn up.

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