Quick Pickled Zucchini Recipe

You've all heard me whine before - as much as I love San Francisco, summer here leaves something to be desired. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong. Just this morning I went for a jog through Golden Gate Park, the fog settled in low, the streets damp, trees and buildings a block ahead tapered off into a misty haze. Everything was reduced to a moody, muted palette accented by an occasional burst of color from, say, a swatch of confetti-colored dahlia blooms. Quintessential San Francisco. Dreamy, but a summer spent in the low 60°s nonetheless. That said, I'm not quite ready to give up on a proper dose of sunshine yet, and I'm preparing to temporarily flee SF for one of my favorite warm weather get-aways - but more on that later.

Today, I thought I'd share a recipe for the zucchini pickles I've been making all summer - at least we get proper summer crops here ;)...These pickles have gone camping with us multiple times, and I've tried to keep a steady supply of them in the refrigerator. I like them on cheese-slathered crostini, big and small - see the photo up above. They're good these veggie burgers, certain tacos, and simple green summer salads. If you come up with other ideas for them, let me know. The only thing that takes much time here is draining some of the liquid from the zucchini, if you plan ahead a bit, the rest of the process only takes a couple minutes.

As far as flavor and seasoning go, this recipe delivers a bit of spicy bite from the mustard seeds and red chile, coupled with a hint of sweet, but not much. If you like a super-sweet pickle, double the sugar, and go from there. Same goes for the spiciness.

Zucchini Pickles

There are quite a number of ways to play around with the personality of these pickles. Sometimes I shave the zucchini paper-thin, resulting in a whispy tangle of pickled zucchini and onions. Other times I want my pickles to have a bit more bite, structure, and definition. In those instances, I slice the zucchini thicker, perhaps 1/8-inch, and let them drain as long as possible, sometimes overnight refrigerated. Also worth noting, when I make them for our personal condiment stash, I used a brown natural cane sugar. It gives the pickle liquid a brownish cast that, quite frankly, weirds people out if they don't know what is causing it. So, if I'm making the pickles to bring to a BBQ or something, I'll make them with regular organic cane sugar - one that is lighter in color.


3 medium zucchini (1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g), thinly sliced


1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons fine grain sea salt

1/4 cup (small handful) fresh dill sprigs
1 small fresh red chile pepper, very thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds


3/4 cup / 180 ml cider vinegar

3/4 cup / 180 ml white wine vinegar

1/3 cup / 1.75 oz / 50g natural cane sugar




Toss the zucchini, onion, shallots, and salt together in a colander and place over a bowl to catch the liquids. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least a couple hours. Toss once or twice along the way. You're aiming to get as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible.

When you're finished draining the zucchini, shake off any water. At this point you want the zucchini as dry as possible. Place in a 1 liter / 1 quart jar along with the dill, chile pepper, and mustard seeds. Alternately, you can cram them into a 3/4 liter Weck jar like I do, but it's always a bit snug in the jar.

Combine the ciders and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, and continue to boil for a few minutes. Pour the liquid over the zucchini and seal the jar. Let cool, then refrigerate. The pickles are good for a week or so.



Makes one large jar.

pla dib @ The Heritage Village, Seri Kembangan

from thenomadGourmand by rebeccasaw

Once in a while, up pops an outlet that doesn’t churn out the dreary copy- cat dishes or fusion disasters.

Naturally, such outlets immediately inspires hope, yet anxiety as well, “could it be a fluke?” , ” can the rest of the menu held up to expectations? “.

Hence in bated breath I await for opportunities for subsequent visits while I tuck away the pictures from my first. And to be happily satiated again & again on my return visits simply inspired today’s blog post.

pla dib @ The Heritage Village, Seri Kembangan is one such place. Apparently a franchise from Thailand, pla dib (meaning raw fish in Thai) does Thai fusion and does it damn well.

With the restaurant named after ‘raw fish’, I was hard pressed not to order the Salmon Labb (RM10), a ceviche wannabe dish.

Raw salmon slices doused with shoyu & lime juice, sprinkled with chilli flakes & crushed peanuts made the perfect starter. The fish was at parts raw (sections that weren’t ‘cooked’ by the lime concoction) & parts cooked slightly. Each slice was delightfully tangy, sweet, spicy and sour, a medley of flavours all on the tongue at the same instant. Hmmmm… yummy!

My choice of main was this intriguing Black Fried Rice (RM20).
It is actually Thai jasmine rice with squid ink, fried with seafood and comes with a raw egg on top. I likey!!

Pour it over the rice & mix, stir & blend it all in.

Truth to be told, you can’t taste the egg since it would have been overpowered by the condiments used to fry the rice. But this dish is seriously very tasty. Somewhat like normal fried rice but chewier in texture, more fragrant as the spices used are different & the BLACK colour just added to the novelty of it all.

Even the fried basil leaves were fragrant, crispy & sweet.

Unka ordered the Set C (RM30+) and I must say their sets are value for the moolah, specially since we ordered the duck confit!

The starter of Crispy Squid with Salt & Pepper on Mixed Salad was as crispy & lightly seasoned as it should be for us to savour the taste of the fresh seafood. The delicate dressing doused on the greens wrapped up this little salad nicely.

Duck Confit with Fettucini. Ohhhh… I really liked this dish. A drumstick (no thigh sorry ), with the texture of the duck succulent within & nice crispy edges on the outer layer.

The fettucini was lightly tossed in some sweetish savoury sauce & I was glad that the Chef took the trouble to create something different from the usual boring pasta sauce.

Certainly one of the better duck confits I have eaten! Not better than Nathalie’s but an improved version of Silver Spoon Trattoria’s in Menjalara Kepong.

Oh, the set lunch came with coffee or tea, both of which we tried (on different occasions ) & concluded that it was pretty bad as it was thin & weak.

The Thab Thim Krob (RM8) came as part the set. To avoid the Thab Thim Krob from diluting once the ice melts, pla dib serves theirs in the form of ice -shaved coconut milk so each spoonful tasted the same as the first, even if the ice has melted.

My order, the Durian Gelato (RM8) is pure frozen creamy durian, with actual durian bits in it! Pungent & sweet, I love this!

During another lunch date, we ordered from the set lunch menu again; SET B (RM23+) which comes with a 3 pcs steamed mussels with Thai Basil, Black spaghetti with wasabi mashed potato & Flamed Crispy Mango with strawberry ice cream.

The mussels were scrumptious + fat & it came in an appetizing garlicky fragrant sauce. The black spaghetti was lightly tossed with oil (of which we hope is olive oil), the seafood fresh & bouncy & the wasabi mashed potatoes has the merest sting of the notorious horseradish yet enough to make it interestingly palatable.

His dessert came as part of his set lunch, while I got mine complimentary cos pla dib is running a promo currently where 1 main course gets a dessert free. Unfortunately, I do not get to choose, so both of us ended up with the same dessert. The mango and STRAWBERRY ice cream (seriously, choc/vanilla would have been a way better choice!), was mediocre. The mango could have been of better quality too.

I ate most of the food off his plate but for my main I had the Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Roasted Rice (RM20).

I actually find the “roasted” rice more interesting that the chicken itself. It was shaped into a little cute triangular cube! Very chewy in texture, the outer “crust” was nicely crunchy while the insides remained pillowy soft. The smoky flavour from the grill added character to it too.

The boneless pieces of chicken though marinated with lemongrass and tumeric lacked much flavour within. Squeezing the lemon over it helps. The chicken came across as very healthy as there was little oil used & in some ways it got me thinking of “ayam percik” . ;p

Seriously I love this place & I can’t wait for my next visit to sample more of its innovative dishes. They installed a smoke fire oven here as well for pizzas but that is only available at night.Yes, it is a bit far off, but for good food I will travel.

Like I said earlier, lip-smacking & fabulous food that are both inventive & original is worth the time & effort. Thankfully too, its prices won’t burn a hole in your wallet!

pla dib Restaurant
G13 & 14, The Heritage Village
Jalan SB Dagang
43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor
(opposite Mines Shopping Fair)
Tel: 03-89381936
Business Hours: 12.00pm to 3.00pm; 6.00pm to 10.00pm
Closed on Tuesdays.

GPS: N 03 10 25′
E 101 39 91′

A little trivia:
pla dib is located at The Heritage Village in the Seri Kembangan, across The Mines Shopping Fair. If you can find your way to The Mines, it is very easy to locate this place.
Its origins is from Bangkok.
Besides KL, pla dib has outlets in Singapore.

Sanuki Udon, Taman Bukit Desa, Kuala Lumpur

Udon noodles have been a single of my a one preferred Japanese noodles. A sort of wheat noodles, udon have been fat, white, unctuous, slippery as good as definitely delicious.

The origin of udon in Japan is credited to two Buddhist priests who travelled to China, Kukai as good as Enni. Sanuki Province claimed to have been a first to adopt udon from Kukai. Sanuki udon is good well known for a clever body as good as smooth texture. Along with Gunma's Mizusawa Udon as good as Akita's Inaniwa Udon, Sanuki Udon is recognised as a single of a three most famous udon noodles in Japan.

In KL, you have a really own Sanuki Udon, a common eatery non-stop as good as run by a single Seiji Fujimoto. The udon is done daily in a shop. The menu is small, with usually 8 udon dishes, though all executed well.

The noodles here have been cooked simply, though there is an ethereal peculiarity about a noodles, producing a tasty as good as full of health play of noodles.
It all lies in a texture, firm as good as slightly chewy.
Additional toppings have been accessible at RM1-2 each, from poached egg to kitsune to prawn tempura. There have been additionally side meals such as edamame (soybeans), karaage (Japanese boiled chicken), mini salad as good as chinmi moriawase (assorted appetizers).

Big mugs of hot green tea (RM1)

This is morality at a best.

The Unc had a House Special with Egg (RM5). ! The egg was poached beautifully. Break it as good as decorate any strand of noodle with a runny yolk. A dash of shichimi (seven-spice pepper) completes this udon dish.

Slurplicious

Mum had a Original Udon Soup (RM5) whilst you had a Wakame Udon (RM6). The usually difference was which cave had wakame (seaweed). The udons were served in a light, easily flavoured soup with a little choy sum.

Original Soup Udon

Wakame Udon

We systematic a little ebi tempura (RM2 each) as good as karaage (RM3 for 3 pcs). Both were not greasy despite being deep fried. We additionally systematic a chinmi moriawase, though there wasn't any accessible which day.


Ebi tempura - uninformed prawns in a light batter

Bite-size karaage - moist meat in crunchy batter

Not calm with only 1 play of noodles, The Unc systematic another, a Dry 'Cha Cheong' style (RM6). The udon noodles were surfaced with yellow bean sauce (very identical tasting to Chinese taucu), open onions as good as julienned cucumber.!

This had a more heated flavour compared to a other 3 which you had here.

Other udon meals accessible here have been kitsune udon, kakiage udon, curry udon as good as tsuke men. There is additionally freshly done udon which you can buy to cook at home (sold in 1kg packs for RM20). We liked a noodles here really much, so you bought a little home.
Japanese steamboat (RM15 per person) as good as yakitori (RM2-3) have been additionally accessible in a evenings.

Verdict: The food here is unpretentious, allowing a noodles to shine on a own merit.

Opening times: 11.30am to 3.00pm & 5.30pm to 9.30pm. Closed on Mondays.
Service: Efficient.

Price: Reasonable.
Location: Sanuki Udon, 9 Jalan Bukit Desa 5, Taman Bukit Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-7980 3704
GPS Coordinates: 3.11074, 101.68479

Malaysian Banana Pancakes with Lemon Coconut Curd

September 27th, 2010 | Eating Light, Malaysian Recipes | No Comments Malaysian Banana Pancake with Lemon Coconut Curd pictures (1 of 4) Next BackI have pronounced it most times. we am all a time vacant by a most talented Malaysian bloggers vital overseas. Thanks to Almost Bourdain, we recently discovered nonetheless an additional pleasing blog authored by Steph, a Malaysian currently vital in SydneyRaspberri Cupcakes. As a name suggests, Raspberri Cupcakes is mostly about baking, cupcakes, as good as desserts, a dialect which we am flattering much useless. Please acquire Raspberri Cupcakes to Rasa Malaysia with a decadent Malaysian Banana Pancakes with Lemon Coconut Curd recipe.
After spending multiform years flourishing up in Malaysia, there have been so most fabulous Malaysian dishes which we associate with happy childhood memories. These days as we am vital in Sydney, as good as am regularly vehement to go behind to Malaysia upon holiday, or have my Mum visit as good as prepare to me my prime Malaysian treats. As we am a complete sweet tooth, we thought we would share a recipe of my Mums which we am incredibly fond of Malaysian Banana Pancakes. Whenever we had overripe bananas in a residence my Mum would mash them up as good as make these deliciously perfumed pancakes for breakfast. we would wait for by a frying vessel impatiently as good as eat them too quickly, burning my tongue. Theyre very different to unchanging pancakes, small, a bit denser as good as a tiny oily interjection to a banana as good as coconut milk. They ambience flattering great upon their own, though my Mum used to offer them with uninformed lemon slices as good as golden syrup. It was really one of my prime breakfasts. The leftover pancakes were regularly warmed up in a x-ray for a delicious afternoon snackSince we regularly similar to to put a fun turn in all of my recipes, we decided to reinstate a uninformed lemon slices with an devotedly attached salsa Lemon & Coconut Curd. This salsa is amazing; its smooth as good as creamy as good as a flavour matches a banana pancakes so perfectly. The tangy flavour of lemon is a initial thing to strike your tongue, though youre left with a beautiful, creamy aftertaste of coconut. we couldnt resist serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice thickk cream as well. As shortly as we tasted these banana pancakes, we was transported right behind to my Mums kitchen in KL. Its packaged full of abounding banana flavour, with lovely frail brown edges. If we wish we can offer a pancakes traditionally though a lemon coconut curd, though we think a salsa adds a tiny something special. Any leftover spread can be stored in a refrigerator for a couple of days as good as served with vanilla ice cream, or spread upon toast.A huge interjection to Bee for letting me share this recipe with all of you, we goal we get a possibility to try these pancakes as good as enjoy them!Malaysian Banana Pancakes with Lemon Coconut Curd
Makes we estimate 7 pancakes Ingredients:For a lemon & coconut curd:
1/4 crater creatively squeezed lemon extract (approximately a extract of 1 lemon)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (approximately a zest of 1 lemon)
1/3 crater (70g) sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 crater (60g) unsalted butter, cubed
4 tbsp coconut milkFor a pancakes:1 egg
30g (approx 1/8 cup) sugar
60g (approx 1/2 cup) self-raising flour
a splash of salt
1/4 crater coconut divert (can be transposed with unchanging divert if unavailable)
2 vast developed bananas, mashed
Butter, for frying
Optional: vanilla ice thickk cream to serveMethod:1.Prepare a lemon as good as coconut spread first; place lemon juice,! zest as good as sugarine in a middle saucepan. Place upon middle feverishness as good as stir until a sugarine dissolves completely.
2.Whisk egg yolks in a middle heatproof play until frothy as good as afterwards progressively supplement a prohibited lemon mixture, whisking continuously to combine. Strain a reduction through a fine filigree sieve.
3.Return to a heatproof play as good as place over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring continuously, until a reduction coats a behind of a wooden spoon. Do not allow a reduction to boil.
4.Remove from a feverishness as good as supplement a butter cubes, one at a time, whisking until fully combined. Finally, supplement a coconut milk, whisk to combine as good as set in reserve to cool.
5.For a pancakes, whisk eggs as good as sugarine until light as good as frothy in a vast blending bowl.
6.Sift flour as good as salt as good as overlay in to beaten eggs, along with a coconut milk. Add in mashed banana as good as mix until combined well.
7.Heat a tiny frying vessel with a tiny pat of butter. Pour in two tablespoons of batter at a time, branch a vessel so which a batter forms a thin covering (or we can spread it out with a behind of a ladle as a reduction is quite thick). Cook until lightly browned upon both sides. You can use a paper towel to dab off any extra douse upon a pancakes. Stack pancakes upon a image to keep them comfortable whilst we have been cooking a rest of a batter.
8.Serve pancakes comfortable with a lemon as good as coconut spread as good as (optionally) a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pancakes can also be served with slices of uninformed banana or lemon.

beef chili + sour cream and cheddar biscuits

Abruptly, as well as expected surprising nobody some-more than my husband, we have decided to be a Good Football Wife this year. Finding it impossible to offer any tangible unrestrained for a diversion though refusing to perform a sitcom wife-clich of grumbling about my husbands Sunday afternoon routines, in a past, Ive often tolerated it. But with months of cold and/or soppy Sundays ahead of us, we finally came to a realization which football season is a perfect excuse to embrace some much-needed Lazy Sundays. A sunrise bagel, park as well as farmers marketplace run slight segues easily in to an afternoon of bumming around, or you know, however a chairman at palm defines it. For Alex, football, with a requisite pre- as well as post-game Sports Shouting episodes. For Jacob, removing books from a bookcases one by one, afterwards attempting to stand upon them to strech aloft shelves, so he can mislay them too. He naps, we replace a books, he wakes up as well as starts again. Ah, Sundays.

I done a giant pot of beef chili which we found from an aged (like, twenty years!) Gourmet magazine, which, like almost all Gourmet recipes we run across, makes me sniffle as well as miss a repository (in its original incarnation, which is, we havent done sense of this app thing yet) even more. Here, they gathered all of a things youd normally dollop upon top of a bowl of chili cheddar, green thickk thickk thickk thickk thickk cream as well as preserved jalapeos as well as formed them in to a biscuit, which they use to offer a chili shortcake-style. we gamble you d! idnt kno w chili could be so cute! we only wish to stand up as well as extol their creativity though instead Im really sad, because Ive been bereft of fresh batches of it for nearly a year. we did not cry in to this chili, however, because it was awesome, so awesome which a member of a family who a) does not know how to use a spoon, b) wants to eat what youre eating though c) refuses to be fed from a ladle essentially respected us with a payoff of letting us feed him. And tucked divided a frightening volume of chili. The chili is which tremendous.

... Read a rest of beef chili + green thickk thickk thickk thickk thickk cream as well as cheddar biscuits upon smittenkitchen.com

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Discover the Origin

To me rather an peculiar multiple of partners though a Discover a Origin promotion unites a wines of Burgundy as well as a Douro Valley, Parma ham as well as Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. As a publicity blurb states "The target of Discover a Origin is to unite a notions of Taste, Time, Tradition. Together - as well as a products within a campaign - in a true culinary experience... The target is to educate upon a benefits of a provenance indicator schemes, a applicable checks, controls as well as traceability systems which have been out in place to ensure ongoing peculiarity as well as to differentiate a products as well as lift their profiles"

A bushel containing 3 bottles of wine, a generous slab of a cheese as well as a pack of ham arrived awhile back. Included was a poetic small hard backed book containing details of a regions as well as their singular provenance as well as various recipes to compare with any of a regions wines. Not certain a book is in all accessible though all a recipes in it have been entirely minute accessible upon a Discover a Origin website. There is copiousness to find upon a site - videos abound, recipes to keep you in a kitchen for an age...

Each recipe has a recommended wine, obviously either a red or white Burgundy or a still or Port booze from a Douro. Extracted from a Discover a Origin bushel a dry white from a Douro to accompany a plate of Parma Ham, Melon as well as Mozzarella Salad with Chilli Mango Dressing; honestly it wouldn't have been my first preference to compare with such a dish. I would perhaps have left with a booze with a little sweetness, a Chenin perhaps or even which abounding Viognier sampled during my new tip tasting. However a wine, full of citrus minerality, was actually fine. Consumed during a fine summer continue we had (remember that?) when a heat decrees lighter d! ishes it is actually designed as a starter.

Not certain what my meditative was during a time (hey, this was back during a commencement of August) though a plate comparison to accompany a bottle of red Burgundy (Domaine Martin Michel, Chorey-les-Beaune, 2005) was not one from a book. I've no correlation right away of where a recipe originated though a plate - Lamb Fillet wrapped in Pama Ham served with haricot beans by a look of a photo, was a stonkingly good match. (There additionally seems to be a covering of seasoned mixture between a lamb as well as a ham). My notes review "delicious".

Less good, although away superb, was a multiple of a LBV Port with basically hot berries served upon a shortcake. While sweet a ports tannins clashed as well as a booze just too full as well as abounding for a more delicate fruits.

While any food as well as booze combinations have been in a future down to personal preference - a referred to matches around Discover a Origin have been a good start - was is indisputable is a peculiarity of a individual stars of this small examination - a wines of Burgundy, a ham as well as cheese from Parma as well as a ports as well as still wines from Portugal's Douro.