Kapsalon

 On BBC tv recently they showed a recipe for a Dutch dish called "Kapsalon" - totally new to me, but looked really tasty. I understand that it originated in Rotterdam, - and is often seen in  fast food restaurants -- and that Kapsalon translates to Hairdresessers ----
Anyway, when I cook stuff I like to do things from scratch, so it wasn't fast, but was fun, and very tasty

That's what it looked like, --

Well it's Dutch isn't it

Start with chips/fries - I don't like deep frying. so these got baked in the oven

Seasoned with salt and paprika

Chicken breast with spice mix. I ground the whole spices where possible, - I had most in the cupboard

2 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Cardamon powder

2 tsp Cinnamon powder

2 tsp Sweet paprika

1 tsp Nutmeg powder

1/2 tsp Ground cloves

1 tsp Cayenne or hot paprika powder

1 tsp Allspice powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsp Black pepper powder

2 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp Ginger powder - 1 tsp

Fried & sliced the chicken breasts

Piled on top of the chips 

salad with freshly cooked beetroot & mild pickled chillies

Great Grated Gouda

The dips /sauces (with the ground spices)

Chilli sauce is tomato puree and chilli powder, but of salt & honey. 
Garlic sauce is yoghurt and finely minced garlic

and here we are again. Pile on the salad -

 Just melted the cheese a bit under the frill, and added the sauces.

Friend round for dinner, beer, wine and movie --

Recently-

 Bit of a refresh, so some random stuff from the archive, might be repeated elsewhere

Nylon Dhokla with Tarka garlic and spices

October 2020 Chinese (for Three)

Pizza - on the Pizza Stone

Roasting Pork 

Veggies

Macaroni/Pasta Cheese

Chicken -

It's a Broccoli Floor-ette (it blew off the side. It was a Cala-breezy day)

 

Quesadillas

In case you thought I'd forgotten about "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" Mexican inspired food, Wrong! -  this time it's Pseudo-quesadillas. Now that may sound like something that'll respond well to antibiotics, but they're very tasty

Flour (Not Corn "Masa Harina") Tortillas, with Spicy Pork and Cheese

Ice cream and Fresh Raspberries

The Book

Tamales

More food inspired by Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

While I discover the secrets of -

Tamales

Not  a how to guide or recipe, but the steps involved to get from ingredients to Tamales. It's not difficult, but there's lots of time consuming steps

The  pork  shoulder joint cubed and slow cooked overnight 

--then shredded (it's really soft, so just needs mashing with a fork) 

Stalk and de-seed the chillies

Boil 'em up for 15 mins or so to soften, add garlic and spices etc

Blitz and sieve the puree

add to the meat

Put the Masa Harina (flour) in a bowl , add  a bit of the chilli paste for colour and flavour, add lots of melted lard, and mix with some of the  "Broth/liquor" from cooking  the pork, and mix to a sticky batter like dough

Most recipes I've seen call for dried corn husks, I used fresh ones, soaked .

Spread a layer of batter in the corn husk, add the meat mix

Fold or fold/tie the husks around the mix

Stack them in a steamer, cover and steam for 90 mins or so

 --and miraculously, you have savoury, spicy little parcels, and,

Ari, (or maybe Benjamin) is right, they do heat up well in an oven

Thanks to Benjamin Alire Saenz, for the book, and the various recipes 

combined here to make these