Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to Songkran (or the Thai New Year) and Passover. This week’s recipes have spring like theme to them they are, Thai Green Chicken Curry, Garlic & Herb Roast Lamb on Boulangere Potatoes, Spiced Roast Leg of Lamb with Fennel & Tomatoes and the herb of the week isSummer Savory.
The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April coinciding with the New Year of many calendars in South and Southeast Asia. The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation, but it is now fixed. If these days fall on a weekend, the missed days off are taken on the weekdays immediately following. If they fall in the middle of the week, many Thai take off from the previous Friday until the following Monday.
Songkran has traditionally been celebrated as the New Year for many centuries, and is believed to have been adapted from an Indian festival. The most famous Songkran celebrations are held in Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days or longer. The most notable part of the celebration is the throwing of water, Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns (sometimes mixed with mentholated talc), or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbours. Besides the throwing of water, people observing Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. Some people make New Year resolutions - to refrain from bad behaviour, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning.
Nowadays, the emphasis is on fun and water-throwing rather than on the festival's spiritual and religious aspects, which sometimes prompts complaints from traditionalists. In recent years there have been calls to moderate the festival to lessen the many alcohol-related road accidents as well as injuries attributed to extreme behaviour such as water being thrown in the faces of travelling motorcyclists. The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner. Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.
Songkran has traditionally been celebrated as the New Year for many centuries, and is believed to have been adapted from an Indian festival. The most famous Songkran celebrations are held in Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days or longer. The most notable part of the celebration is the throwing of water, Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns (sometimes mixed with mentholated talc), or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbours. Besides the throwing of water, people observing Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. Some people make New Year resolutions - to refrain from bad behaviour, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning.
Nowadays, the emphasis is on fun and water-throwing rather than on the festival's spiritual and religious aspects, which sometimes prompts complaints from traditionalists. In recent years there have been calls to moderate the festival to lessen the many alcohol-related road accidents as well as injuries attributed to extreme behaviour such as water being thrown in the faces of travelling motorcyclists. The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner. Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.
Passover is a Jewish holy day and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which is spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and is celebrated for seven or eight days. It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays.
Together with Shavuot ("Pentecost") and Sukkot ("Tabernacles"), Passover is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh Regalim) during which the entire Jewish populace historically made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Samaritans still make this pilgrimage to Mount Gerizim, but only men participate in public worship.
Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar. In accordance with the Hebrew Bible, Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year. Passover is a spring festival, so the 14th day of Nisan begins on the night of a full moon after the vernal equinox.
In Israel, Passover is the seven-day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last days observed as legal holidays and as holy days involving abstention from work, special prayer services, and holiday meals; the intervening days are known as Chol HaMoed ("festival days"). Diaspora Jews historically observed the festival for eight days, and most still do. Reform and Reconstructionist Jews and Israeli Jews, wherever they are, usually observe the holiday over seven days. The reason for this extra day is due to enactment of the Sages. It is thought by many scholars that Jews outside of Israel could not be certain if their local calendars fully conformed to practice of the Temple at Jerusalem, so they added an extra day. But as this practice only attaches to certain (major) holy days, others posit the extra day may have been added to accommodate people who had to travel long distances to participate in communal worship and ritual practices; or the practice may have evolved as a compromise between conflicting interpretations of Jewish Law regarding the calendar; or it may have evolved as a safety measure in areas where Jews were commonly in danger, so that their enemies would not be certain on which day to attack.
Together with Shavuot ("Pentecost") and Sukkot ("Tabernacles"), Passover is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh Regalim) during which the entire Jewish populace historically made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Samaritans still make this pilgrimage to Mount Gerizim, but only men participate in public worship.
Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar. In accordance with the Hebrew Bible, Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year. Passover is a spring festival, so the 14th day of Nisan begins on the night of a full moon after the vernal equinox.
In Israel, Passover is the seven-day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last days observed as legal holidays and as holy days involving abstention from work, special prayer services, and holiday meals; the intervening days are known as Chol HaMoed ("festival days"). Diaspora Jews historically observed the festival for eight days, and most still do. Reform and Reconstructionist Jews and Israeli Jews, wherever they are, usually observe the holiday over seven days. The reason for this extra day is due to enactment of the Sages. It is thought by many scholars that Jews outside of Israel could not be certain if their local calendars fully conformed to practice of the Temple at Jerusalem, so they added an extra day. But as this practice only attaches to certain (major) holy days, others posit the extra day may have been added to accommodate people who had to travel long distances to participate in communal worship and ritual practices; or the practice may have evolved as a compromise between conflicting interpretations of Jewish Law regarding the calendar; or it may have evolved as a safety measure in areas where Jews were commonly in danger, so that their enemies would not be certain on which day to attack.
My first recipe is Thai Green Chicken Curry, courtesy of GoodFood website originally printed in the GoodFood Magazine May 2002.
Serves 6, takes 20mins to prepare, and 20mins to cook.
225g x New Potatoes, cut into chunks
100g x Green Beans, trimmed and halved
1 tbsp x Vegetable or Sunflower Oil
1 x Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Rounded tbsp (or 4 tsp) x Thai Green Curry Paste (you can't fit the tablespoon into some of the jars) or see recipe below to make your own
400ml x Coconut Milk
2 tsp x Thai Fish Sauce
1 tsp x Caster Sugar
450g x Boneless Skinless Chicken (breasts or thighs), cut into bite-size pieces
2 x Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely shredded, (or 3 wide strips lime zest), plus extra to garnish
A Good Handful of Basil Leaves
Boiled Rice, to serve
100g x Green Beans, trimmed and halved
1 tbsp x Vegetable or Sunflower Oil
1 x Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Rounded tbsp (or 4 tsp) x Thai Green Curry Paste (you can't fit the tablespoon into some of the jars) or see recipe below to make your own
400ml x Coconut Milk
2 tsp x Thai Fish Sauce
1 tsp x Caster Sugar
450g x Boneless Skinless Chicken (breasts or thighs), cut into bite-size pieces
2 x Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely shredded, (or 3 wide strips lime zest), plus extra to garnish
A Good Handful of Basil Leaves
Boiled Rice, to serve
Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Throw in the beans and cook for a further 3 minutes, by which time both should be just tender but not too soft. Drain and put to one side. In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil until very hot, then drop in the garlic and cook until golden, this should take only a few seconds. Don't let it go very dark or it will spoil the taste. Spoon in the curry paste and stir it around for a few seconds to begin to cook the spices and release all the flavours. Next, pour in the coconut milk and let it come to a bubble.
Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, then the pieces of chicken. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add a lovely citrusy flavour by stirring in the shredded lime leaves (or lime zest). The basil leaves go in next, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness. Scatter with the lime garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.
Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, then the pieces of chicken. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add a lovely citrusy flavour by stirring in the shredded lime leaves (or lime zest). The basil leaves go in next, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness. Scatter with the lime garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.
Thai Green Curry Paste, recipe by Ching-He Huang, courtesy of GoodFood Channel website.
Takes 15mins to prepare and makes 125ml
5 cloves garlic, chopped
6 green chillies, seeds removed and chopped
2 stalks lemongrass
3 tbsp coriander roots, chopped
2 cm galangal, or ginger
1 large shallots
1 limes, Kaffir, or ordinary lime, grated zest and juice
1 pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 green chillies, seeds removed and chopped
2 stalks lemongrass
3 tbsp coriander roots, chopped
2 cm galangal, or ginger
1 large shallots
1 limes, Kaffir, or ordinary lime, grated zest and juice
1 pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
Tip all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Store the sauce in an airtight jar in the refrigerator - it keeps for up to one week.
My next recipe is Garlic & Herb Roast Lamb on Boulangere Potatoes, recipe by Sara Buenfeld, courtesy of GoodFood Magazine April 2011.
Serves 8, Prep time 30mins, takes 1hr 45mins to cook.
2kg x Leg of Lamb
4 x Garlic Cloves, sliced
A few Rosemary Sprigs
A few Thyme Sprigs
2kg x Large Potatoes, (such as King Edward), peel and thinly slice
2 x Onions, thinly sliced
600ml x Organic Chicken Stock
50g x Butter
4 x Garlic Cloves, sliced
A few Rosemary Sprigs
A few Thyme Sprigs
2kg x Large Potatoes, (such as King Edward), peel and thinly slice
2 x Onions, thinly sliced
600ml x Organic Chicken Stock
50g x Butter
Heat the oven to 190C Gas Mark5. Cut small pockets into the skin and flesh of the lamb by piercing it with the point of a sharp knife. Stuff each pocket with a slice of garlic and a few leaves of rosemary, or scatter with thyme. Put in a roasting tin, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with foil. Pile your thinly sliced potatoes into a roasting tin, along with the onions, remaining slices of garlic and a good scattering of herbs.
Heat the stock and butter together, then pour over the potatoes. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven with the lamb for 1hr. Uncover, put the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast uncovered for 45mins more. Allow the lamb to rest before carving, for about 15mins. leave the potatoes in the oven (covered, if starting to brown too much) until ready to serve.
Heat the stock and butter together, then pour over the potatoes. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven with the lamb for 1hr. Uncover, put the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast uncovered for 45mins more. Allow the lamb to rest before carving, for about 15mins. leave the potatoes in the oven (covered, if starting to brown too much) until ready to serve.
Herb of the week – Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis)
Summer Savory is the better known of the Savory species. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavour to the perennial Winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, as winter savory is thought to have a slightly more bitter flavour. This herb has lilac tubular flowers which bloom from July to September growing to around 30 to 60 cm (0.98 to 2.0 ft) in height and has very slender bronze green leaves.
Summer savory is a traditional popular herb in Atlantic Canada, where it is used in the same way sage is elsewhere. It is the main flavouring in dressing for many fowl, mixed with ground pork and other basic ingredients to create a thick meat dressing known as "cretonade", which is excellent with turkey, goose and duck. It also is used to make stews such as fricot, and in meat pies. Dried, it is usually available year round in local grocery stores and is used in varying proportions, sometimes added to recipes in large generous heaping spoonfuls (such as cretonade), and sometimes more subtlety (as in beans, for which savory has a natural affinity). Summer savory is a characteristic ingredient of Herbes de Provence: a fairly standard mixture of dried herbs sold in most French food stores since the 1970s, and widely used as a seasoning for grilled meats and barbecues, as well as in stews and sauces.
It has also been reported to be a helpful expectorant for lungs and head, a useful digestive aid for flatulence and colic, a general tonic and for the prevention of diarrhoea. Rubbing a sprig of Summer Savory on a bee or wasp sting is said to give instant relief.
Summer Savory is the better known of the Savory species. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavour to the perennial Winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, as winter savory is thought to have a slightly more bitter flavour. This herb has lilac tubular flowers which bloom from July to September growing to around 30 to 60 cm (0.98 to 2.0 ft) in height and has very slender bronze green leaves.
Summer savory is a traditional popular herb in Atlantic Canada, where it is used in the same way sage is elsewhere. It is the main flavouring in dressing for many fowl, mixed with ground pork and other basic ingredients to create a thick meat dressing known as "cretonade", which is excellent with turkey, goose and duck. It also is used to make stews such as fricot, and in meat pies. Dried, it is usually available year round in local grocery stores and is used in varying proportions, sometimes added to recipes in large generous heaping spoonfuls (such as cretonade), and sometimes more subtlety (as in beans, for which savory has a natural affinity). Summer savory is a characteristic ingredient of Herbes de Provence: a fairly standard mixture of dried herbs sold in most French food stores since the 1970s, and widely used as a seasoning for grilled meats and barbecues, as well as in stews and sauces.
It has also been reported to be a helpful expectorant for lungs and head, a useful digestive aid for flatulence and colic, a general tonic and for the prevention of diarrhoea. Rubbing a sprig of Summer Savory on a bee or wasp sting is said to give instant relief.
My final recipe is strong>Spiced Roast Leg of Lamb with Fennel & Tomatoes, recipe by Lizzie Harris, courtesy of Delicious Magazine April 2011.
Serves 6-8, takes 5 to prepare and 1hr 40mins to cook.
2kg x Leg of Lamb
6 x Ripe Tomatoes, halved
2 x Fennel Bulbs, cut into wedges
6 x Ripe Tomatoes, halved
2 x Fennel Bulbs, cut into wedges
For the Marinade
2 x Lemons, zest and juice
6 x Anchovy Fillets in Oil, drained and chopped
1 Heaped tsp x Cumin Seeds
1 Heaped tsp x Fennel Seeds
1 x Mild Red Chilli, de-seeded and chopped
A Small Handful of Fresh Thyme Sprigs
4 tbsp x Olive Oil
2 x Lemons, zest and juice
6 x Anchovy Fillets in Oil, drained and chopped
1 Heaped tsp x Cumin Seeds
1 Heaped tsp x Fennel Seeds
1 x Mild Red Chilli, de-seeded and chopped
A Small Handful of Fresh Thyme Sprigs
4 tbsp x Olive Oil
In a bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients. Make small incisions all over the lamb, season and smother over most of the marinade, reserving 1 tbsp. Preheat the oven to 200C Gas mark6. Put the lamb in a roasting tray and place into the oven. After 10mins turn the oven down to 180C Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 50mins.
Remove from the oven and add the halved tomatoes and fennel. Baste everything with juices and top the tomatoes with the rest of the marinade. Continue cooking for 40mins until the lamb is cooked and the vegetables have softened and are lightly charred (allow 20mins per 500g of lamb, plus 20mins to cook to medium). Cover loosely with foil and rest for 15-20mins. Carve and serve with the vegetables.
Remove from the oven and add the halved tomatoes and fennel. Baste everything with juices and top the tomatoes with the rest of the marinade. Continue cooking for 40mins until the lamb is cooked and the vegetables have softened and are lightly charred (allow 20mins per 500g of lamb, plus 20mins to cook to medium). Cover loosely with foil and rest for 15-20mins. Carve and serve with the vegetables.
If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.
Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D
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