Thai Chicken Risotto

I got really excited cooking this dish, and I must admit that after months of being uninspired in the kitchen, it was exciting trying out a new dish again, and I planned this ahead with grocery shopping list and all. When I announced at work that I would be cooking this that night, I got strange looks from the... traditional kitchen purists among us. I always enjoy combining different elements and flavours, but as Nick pointed out over dinner, eating rice soaked in curry isn't much different from this dish. The spice is also perfect for a cold winter's night!

1 tbs peanut oil
500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 2cm pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, finely shredded
1 1/2 cups (330g) arborio rice
1/4 cup (75g) Thai red curry paste
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1 cup (250ml) coconut cream
2 tbs fish sauce
200g green beans, trimmed, chopped
Coriander sprigs, fried Asian shallots and lime halves (optional), to serve

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. In batches, add the chicken and cook, turning, for 2-3 minutes, until browned. Remove the chicken from the casserole and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, chilli, garlic and half the kaffir lime leaves. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft, then add the rice and curry paste and cook, stirring to coat the grains, for a further 1 minute.

Return the chicken to the casserole with the stock and 1/2 cup (125ml) water. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 25 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven and stir in the coconut cream, fish sauce and beans, then cover and stand for 10 minutes.

Top risotto with coriander, fried Asian shallots and remaining kaffir lime leaves and serve with lime halves, if using.

Banana Batter Cake with Coconut Caramel Sauce

Even though I've never had this when I was growing up in Singapore, it does remind me a little bit of my childhood. It could be the softness of the sweet bananas, or the coconut milk. This was the second time I've done this, and it's turned out much better, and I really like how the consistency of the pudding turned out. Very lovely on a cold winter's night with friends around the dinner table.

150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
115g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
pinch sea salt
3 bananas, 1 mashed, 2 halved lengthways
1 egg
250ml (1 cup) milk
100g butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
140g (3/4 cup lightly packed) light brown sugar
coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and lightly grease a 1.5litre (6 cup) 20cm square baking tray

Put the flour, caster sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Whisk together the mashed banana, egg, milk, butter and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth and combined. Pour into the prepared tray and decorate with lines of banana. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top and pour over 125ml (1/2 cup) water.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool slightly. Serve with coconut milk.

Serves 4.

Banana Loaf

I've lost count of the number of times I've made this banana loaf. I now get overripe bananas left on my desk at work, and many of my workmates have learned to grab a piece of cake to save for later, because they run out pretty quickly! Maybe it's the balance of the ginger and cinnamon. Or maybe it's the fact that it's made without cream (or so I was told by someone who never ever has sweets). I've made this so often, I prepared the batter and had it in the oven within 20 minutes after I got home from work! I also highly recommend cooling your loaf overnight if possible, just so it's allowed to cool its own time and fluff up inside.

270g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
200g peeled bananas, mashed
280g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
140g unsalted butter, melted

a 23 x 13-cm loaf tin, greased and dusted with flour

Makes 8-10 slices

Preheat the oven to 170 deg C (325 deg F) Gas 3.

Put the sugar and eggs in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a hand held electric whisk) and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the mashed bananas.

Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger to the sugar mixture. Mix it thoroughly until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the egg mixture. Pour in the melted butter and beat until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.