I cooked: Spaghetti with Zucchini and King Prawns

Zucchini, also known as courgette and baby marrow is part of the squash family which originated in the Americas. It is low in calories and contains folates (good for pregnant women), potassium (heart and blood pressure) and vitamin A (eyesight).One of my favorite ways of eating is by cooking it with pasta.

When choosing a zucchini at the shops, try to get one that is no longer than eight inches in length and one to two inches in diameter where seeds are soft and immature. Avoid longer or larger zucchini with cuts or blemishes.

********************

The first time I ate this dish was when we were holidaying in Venice, Italy. It was in a little trattoria in Guidecca, located immediately south of Venice - I have no idea what the name of the restaurant is since it was so long ago and I did not have the habit of photographing my food/restaurants at that time. But I did remember this dish - the pasta with zucchini and king prawns which was so delicious that I tried to recreate it as soon as I got back home. I successfully replicated the flavours of the dish (as I remembered it) and it has since graced our dining table countless times.

The view from the trattoria where we first ate this dish

St.Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy

View of Giudecca island from Venice

For this dish, you will need a good extra virgin olive oil since there is no sauce and the olive oil will act as the "sauce" to coat the pasta and is one of the dominating flavours. The zucchini has a delicate flavour which I feel goes very well paired with the king prawns. This pasta dish is a winner with both adults and kids.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and King Prawns
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 - 15 minutes
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
200g spaghetti
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
15 king prawns, deveined with heads intact
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
1 zucchini, thinly sliced (approx. 250g)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
A handful parsley, finely chopped


1. Bring a pot of salted water to b! oil, the n add spaghetti and cook according to pack instructions, to al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Marinate the prawns with Shaoxing wine, salt and pepper for 10 minutes.

3. In a large frying pan over high heat, add the olive oil and garlic and fry for 1 minute until lightly browned. Add the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent.

4. Add the prawns and cook for 1 minute, or until the prawns turn to an orange hue (indicating that it is cooked). Pour the drained pasta in and mix well, then season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped parsley and then serve immediately.

QUITOKEETO: New Items

Hi hi! Just a quick note before the weekend. We're aiming to open QUITOKEETO Monday morning (9:30 PST) with a few new items, and some favorites back in stock. We were able to get another shipment of the churned seashore honey, as well as an allocation of massive, 1-kilo jars of rare, raw, electric yellow springtime honey. And we'll have one of my favorite culinary staples - a beautiful, tick-striped wrapping cloth. I use it to bundle bread, as an apron, to carry potluck items...and on and on. And there are a couple special vintage finds as well.

I know this sounds crazy, but It'll likely be the last time we'll be open before November (we're super excited to put together a special holiday collection!). So, for now, a few pics. And if you'd like to be notified the minute we open on Monday, you can sign up for the QUITOKEETO mailing list:

Continue reading QUITOKEETO: New Items...

New spray coating prevents bananas from turning brown

A solution to save the domestic from going bananas. Picture courtesy of shutterstock.com

PHILADELPHIA, Aug 25 Chinese scientists claim to have found a solution to the age-old nuisance that can drive people bananas: over-ripened, brown mushy fruit.

Its a discovery that could divert the estimated 6.4 billion pounds of mushy, brown but otherwise perfectly good bananas from ending up in the bin in the US, the scientists told participants at a gathering of the worlds largest scientific society in Philadelphia this week.

Their solution? A hydrogel coating made from chitosan, a substance derived from shrimp and crab shells, that has been shown to delay the ripening of bananas by up to 12 days and keep the fruit fresher, longer.

Presented at the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, scientists from the Tianjin University of Science and Technology said the coating they developed could be used by consumers at home, in supermarkets, or during shipment.

Like all fruits and vegetables, bananas respire long after being picked, taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide through their skin. The longer the banana breathes the quicker it ripens. The spray coating helped slow down the process in part by killing the bacteria that causes rotting and lengthening the fruits shelf life by up to two weeks.

Another practical solution to avoid wasting perfectly good but mushy bananas? Theyre the ideal kind for using in banana bread.

Check out the recipe for banana bread of domestic doyenne Martha Stewart. Her recipe calls for one cup of mashed very ripe bananas. AFP/Relaxnews

Another solution from domestic doyenne Martha Stewart. Pictu! re court esy of Martha Stewart

Share it with others

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Health Benefits of Ginger

Are you aware of the health benefits of ginger? Ginger is a root crop that is abundant in Asia. This is usually used as an ingredient for certain dishes, and it also makes a good tea. In fact, salabat is a Filipino tea made from ginger extracts. You might have heard about the common health benefits of ginger but below are the best ones. Youll see how advantageous it is to include ginger in your diets.

Treatment for ovarian cancer

photo credit: RobotSkirts

One of the most popular health benefits of ginger is its treatment for ovarian cancer. There are actually several studies done on this, but the most prominent one is the one made by the University of Michigan. According to this study, ginger promotes the death of cancer cells, giving women who have early ovarian cancer a good chance to survive the sickness.

Prevents colon cancer

Colon cancer, which haunts most of us because of our diets, can also be prevented by including ginger in our regular meals. This study was done by the University of Minnesota, and in this study, it was found that colorectal cancer cells grow slower when ginger is included in ones diet.

Morning and motion sickness remedy

This is probably one of the age-old health benefits of ginger. Even our forefathers knew about this. Ginger is a good remedy for nausea. You can take it if youre feeling motion sickness, and if youre pregnant, its a very good remedy for morning sickness.

Pain and inflammation reduction

If youre feeling any pain or inflammation in your body, you will also love one of these health benefits of ginger. Ginger, when drunk as tea could help to lessen pain and inflammation. Its good for migraines as we! ll as sw elling caused by injuries or allergies. Its also good to take ginger tea if you are experiencing menstrual cramps.

Relief for heartburn

Heartburn can be a real challenge. Some people take medicines for heartburn relief. If you have ginger in your kitchen shelf though, particularly the tea variant, its a good remedy or at least pain reliever for heartburn.

Cold or flu remedy

While theres no sure remedy for the common cold, drinking warm ginger tea can certainly relieve your sore throat and clogged nose. Its a common cure for flu and/or colds. You should have this in your shelf all the time if you want to beat flu and colds the natural way.

Prevention of kidney damage

According to certain studies, those who regularly drink ginger juice or tea are also less prone to kidney damage. These studies have been focused particularly on kidney damage caused by diabetes. Of course, the studies were conducted on diabetic rats, but its still a promising health benefit especially for those who fear complications of diabetes.

Where to find ginger

You can purchase ginger, the root crop, from any grocery store or wet market. You can mix it in with dishes and stews. Most people prefer purchasing the powdered form of ginger though which they can boil and drink as tea.

>>Download the Free eCookbook here<<

Related posts:

Bell Pepper Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Garlic

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Health Benefits of Pineapple

mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes

A few summers ago, I discovered what I consider to be one of the greatest things that has ever been placed over oiled grill grates on a beachy summer evening, preferably while a glass of rose trickles condensation down your hand: grilled haloumi cheese. Maybe youre Greek or better versed in the world of grill-able cheeses than me and are nodding silently right now, lucky enough that this is old news. Or maybe youre confused because I just said grilled cheese and really? There is nothing new about two slices of white bread fried in butter until the gooey orange runs over the crusts and your freak-of-a-toddler wont touch it. But, of course, this is an entirely different kind, no bread, no butter and absolutely better in summer than any other time.

Haloumi, the star of the saganaki show, is like the hardest feta youve ever seen, and quite rubbery when cold. I bet that made you really hungry, right? But the thing is, when heated, it becomes tender in the center but not runny; it doesnt fall apart, just blisters and sighs. The easiest way to eat it is sakanaki-style, with lemon juice, black pepper and pita bread. Bu! t my fav orite way is finely chop a salad of fresh tomatoes, olives or capers, red onion, olive oil and red wine vinegar and spoon it over the grilled haloumi slices. You dig in immediately and wonder where it has been all of your life.

... Read the rest of mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes on smittenkitchen.com

smitten kitchen 2006-2012. |permalink to mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes | 23 comments to date | see more: Appetizer, Photo, Quick, Summer, Tomatoes, Vegetarian

Chicken Vs Fish: Kong Sai & Lan Je

Chicken or fish? Time to investigate two reputable names that specialize in one or the other, starting with Puchong's Kong Sai, where fowl is king of the roost.

Kong Sai's kampung chicken might be the toast of the village, slick and smooth, served with the restaurant's signature ginger-chili soy sauce.

Steamed chicken with salted fish, for something more flavor-packed.

Chicken feet, free of bones, soaked in a tangy-spicy Thai-influenced kerabu sauce.

Kong Sai's chicken rice is unmemorable, but it's still better than plain white rice.

Pork tries to hog the limelight, but pork rib curry with potatoes and pepper pork stomach soup, while both serviceable, might not be stars in their own right.

Stuffed tofu balls, steaming hot and meaty. Kong Sai also has branches in Paramount Garden, Subang's SS15 and Dataran Mentari Sunway.

Lap cheong omelet, filled with sweet-savory sausages that fortify the flavor of the egg.

Yau mak in fermented bean sauce and taugeh with salted fish, all fresh and crunchy.

Next, it's fish's turn: Let's look to Lan Je, which has outlets in Subang (the one we visited), Rawang, Balakong, Kota Damansara, Desa Aman Puri and Taman Lensen.

The "one fish for one person" principle is Lan Je's method of coaxing customers not to share their steamed tilapia, enticing many with the relatively low price of about RM16 per plate.

Garlic and ginger combine with fresh fish and fermented bean sauce for a satisfying treat. Specify whether cili padi should be incorporated or not; we had both the spicy and non-spicy varieties, but ended up scraping away most of the chilies.

More ginger (so much, really!) to partner with prawns (RM20 for a half-kilo).

Cuttlefish with celery, alongside gravy-soaked tofu, both respectable enough to order.

Skip the non-seafood snacks though: the sui kow is OK but unmemorable, while the s! weet-sou r chicken balls are a little too starchy. Lan Je is a no-pork eatery.

Wrapping up this comprehensive look at Lan Je's menu with greens, from kangkung with garlic and sweet potato leaves with bean curd sauce to bitter gourd with eggs and four-angled beans with belacan.

Like Kong Sai, Lan Je gets pretty packed pretty early. They're both winners in our book!

Kong Sai,
Jalan Puteri 5/2, Bandar Puteri Puchong.
Lan Je (closed Tuesdays),

Jalan USJ 1/1B, Regalia Business Center, Subang Jaya.