Steak in Frying Pan/Coconut Shrimp/Classic Tom Yum Soup.etc.

Steak in Frying Pan

Ingredients:
Steaks or chops about 1″ thick
Salt, pepper, herbs
Cooking oil (such as canola or light olive oil)

Preparation:
Rinse steaks with cold water, and pat dry. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking,( take it out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before it hits the pan).
Season the steak once it’s at room temperature. Liberally sprinkle salt (preferably sea salt) and pepper over one side and rub in well, using either your fingertips or the back of a spoon. Turn over and repeat on the other side.
Pour oil into frying pan, preferably stainless steel or cast iron. Use a larger amount than you think is necessary, because it can always be drained off later. Heat up to medium/medium high heat. When the oil is just about smoking, put the meat into pan, you should hear an audible sizzle. Oil facilitates heat transfer necessary to develop a flavorful crust.
Do not crowd the steak – if you do, the steaks will steam, not sear.
Check the sear. After a few minutes, check the underside of the steak to see how the sear is developing. You are looking for a deep, brown/mahogany crust.
Adjust the heat as necessary to avoid charring or overcooking the meat — you do not want to heat it too long or it will become dry.
Cook through. When the cut is well seared, flip it and wait a few more minutes, depending on the thickness of your cut and how long the sear took to develop.
Add more flavours. Remove the pan from the heat, drain off the oil and add a good chunk of unsalted butter and (optionally) some sprigs of thyme and rosemary.
Another great way to add flavor is to make a brush out of the twiggy herbs and use it to slowly ‘paint’ the meat a few times with the butter and the pan juices.
Remove the steak just before it’s done. Let the meat “rest” for 5 to 10 minutes. The residual heat of the steak will cook it to medium-rare perfection.

                         Coconut Shrimp

      

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup beer
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
24 shrimp
3 cups oil for frying Methods:
In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/beer batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer.
Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

   

There are various soup recipes that can be tried at home from Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisines.  Here are a few collection of recipes from these cuisines.

Classic Tom Yum Soup
Ingredients
900 ml chicken broth
400 ml coconut milk
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce
2 to 3 kaffir-lime leaves
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin bite-sized strips
227 gm sliced mushrooms
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 454 g pkg medium shrimp, peeled
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Method:
Pour broth and coconut milk into a large saucepan and set over medium. Whisk in sugar and chili-garlic sauce. Add lime leaves. Cover and bring to a boil.
Add chicken, mushrooms, tomato and shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 min.
Stir lime juice, fish sauce and cilantro into soup. Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 day.

Clear Soup with baby corn, Mushrooms and Carrots

Ingredients:
12 baby corn
2 spring onions
4 tbsp chopped French beans
1 carrot, sliced
3 tbsp canned slice mushrooms
4 1/2 cups clear vegetable stock
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Slice the baby corn into big pieces.
Slice the spring onions with a few leaves.
Heat the oil in a wok on a high flame. Add the baby corn, spring onions, green beans, carrot, mushrooms and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the hot boiling stock and salt and boil for 1/2 minute.
Serve hot with chilies in vinegar, soya sauce and chili sauce