Latashas Kitchen

12 June 2010

Dear ,

Hello from all of us at Latasha's. I'm pretty sure most of you are aware that this is the first newsletter we've sent out this year. My sincere apologies. What happened? No excuses. In a nutshell we've been that busy with our new Private Cooking Courses For Two or Couples almost every Saturday with bookings now at a 8 week waiting list. Our longer courses which are run on Monday mornings & Tuesdays evenings have also been booked back to back this year. And the one-off demo classes especially those run on Thursdays (Indian) and Fridays (SE Asian) have all been pretty popular with most of you this year.

Our pastes too seem to be running out too quickly, thanks to a great word-of-mouth ‘campaign' from our loyal customers. So to keep up with the demand, we seem to be producing top-ups for our product range of 15 different pastes every week instead of every month.

Latasha has also been requested for cooking demonstrations at private functions, markets and expos. All these activities on top of preparing and serving daily lunches and dinners haven't left Latasha with much time... Yes, that's all good we know but not so great when we have neglected sending out information.

Kalamunda Farmers Market And so with winter on our doorstep signalling we're midway through 2010 ... we're making it up to each of you by offering lots of new recipes to try at home. So come in to our store to get your hands on some of the ingredients to get you cooking.

And if you happen to be free this weekend please do catch Latasha demonstrating 2 vegetarian dishes at the Kalamunda Markets on Sunday morning 13th June from 9- 9.30am and again from 11- 11.30am.

HERE IS A LIST OF SOME OF OUR UPCOMING CLASSES AND COURSES.

Enjoying the fruits of their labour

Participants enjoying the fruits of their labour

FORTHCOMING CLASSES

Signature Dishes#1 - Combinations
Date: 30 June / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Malaysian Table - Terengganu
Date: 2 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Signature Dishes#3 - Meat Lovers
Date: 14 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
North Indian Table - Madhya Pradesh
Date: 15 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
Malaysian Table - Sabah & Sarawak
Date: 16 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Signature Dishes#4 - Vegan
Date: 21 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
North Indian Table - Punjab
Date: 22 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
Malaysian Table - Singapore
Date: 23 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
North Indian Table - Uttar Pradesh
Date: 29 July / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Festive Celebration Dishes#1
Date: 4 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
South Indian Table - Kerala
Date: 5 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Indonesian Table - Minangkabau (Padang)
Date: 6 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Festive Celebration Dishes#2
Date: 11 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
South Indian Table - Andhra Pradesh
Date: 12 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Vegetarian Lovers
Date: 18 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 3
South Indian Table - Tamil Nadu
Date: 19 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Noodles Galore
Date: 25 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
South Indian Table - Karnataka
Date: 26 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 6
Thai Table - Northern Thai
Date: 27 Aug / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 3
Eastern Indian Table - Bengal
Date: 2 Sept / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 6
Thai Table - Central Thai
Date: 3 Sept / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
Burmese Table
Date: 10 Sept / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Vietnamese Table
Date: 17 Sept / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
Malaysian Table - Johor
Date: 24 Sept / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 5
Malaysian Table - Penang
Date: 1 Oct / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4
North Indian Table - Kashmir
Date: 4 Nov / Cost: $130 / Remaining places: 4

FORTHCOMING COURSES

Advanced Series (2 Wks/8hrs)
Start: Tues 22 & 29 Jun/ Cost: $400 / Remaining places: 1
Start: Tues 14 & 21 Sep / Cost: $400 / Remaining places: 2
Start: Tues 14 & 21 Dec / Cost: $400 / Remaining places: 2

Advanced Series (4 Wks/16hrs)
Start: Tues 13, 20, 27, Wed 28 July / Cost: $720 / Remaining places: 1
Start: Tues 5 - 26 Oct / Cost: $720 / Remaining places: 3

Beginner Series-Level I (6 Wks/24hrs)
Start: 2 Aug - 6 Sept / Cost: $900 / BOOKED OUT
Start: 3 Aug - 7 Sept / Cost: $900 /BOOKED OUT
Start: 1 Nov - 6 Dec / Cost: $900 / Remaining places: 3
Start: 2 Nov - 7 Dec / Cost: $900 / Remaining places: 4
~

Private Classes for Two - Three

Couple Classes - Dinner Party Classes

Couples Classes
Private cooking classes and cooking parties in our kitchen are a great experience. Each private cooking class is customised so you can learn exactly the type of cooking you want. Whether you want to start from scratch and learn cooking basics or simply want to expand your culinary repertoire, you can be sure to have a fun, informative and rewarding cooking experience.

Participants get to learn to cook together exactly what they want! And best of all they get to take everything back home to share with friends or family. There's absolutely nothing to worry or stress about. Bookings generally have an 8 week waiting list; June & July are booked out. August & September are open. Classes are held on Saturdays from 1.30 pm - 5.30 pm. Other days and times are sometimes available upon request. Cost is $500 per couple.

How it works:

You customise the class according to what you would like to learn to cook and eat.
Scan our website www.latashaskitchen.com.au under Classes or ask for our printed brochure and pick your choice of up to 6 dishes.
Next contact Latasha to fix a mutually acceptable date and time and to arrange payment. It would be best to have at least 2-3 optional dates handy.
We then prepare and print out all the recipes.
All the ingredients required for making the dishes are purchased on the day.
We prep up all the ingredients and have all the utensils ready.
Next, we provide all other consumables such as tea towels, aprons, oven mitts.
We clean up and do all the washing.

It will be hands-on style class and will be conducted in the rear commercial kitchen. Latasha will personally teach and assist you in preparing each of the dishes. At the end of the class, we pack all the dishes in containers you have provided and place it in your esky. You will be taking back at least 1 Litre of each dish - enough food to feed approx 6-8 people. Enjoy the dishes the same day as a Dinner Party with family, friends or partners at home. Alternatively keep in the fridge to consume over the week or freeze some for later use. Plenty of tips and advice are given. What you will learn will allow you to apply the techniques in many other dishes and experiment to enhance your cooking skills. Here are some examples of what has been done before

Menu 1 - North Indian

Vegetable Samosas

Butter Chicken

Lamb Rogan Josh

Chickpeas Curry

Aloo Gobi

Naan

Menu 3 - South East Asian

Chicken Curry Puffs

Nyonya Chicken Curry

Beef Rendang

Sambal Prawn

Eggplant Belado

Pilaf Rice

Menu 2 - South Indian

Lamb Kebab

Beef Madras

Keralan Red Fish Curry

Mixed Vegetable Korma

Rotis

Pilaf Rice

Menu 4 - Fusion Medley

Thai Red Fish Cakes

Singapore Mamak Mee Goreng

Prawn Jalfrezi

Indonesian Gado Gado

Goanese Pork Vindaloo

Sri Lankan Fish Curry

WHAT ARE THE MAIN SPICE FLAVOURS?

Spices can be grouped into six basic categories. These are; sweet, sour (tangy), salty, pungent, bitter and astringent and are the 6 tastes to optimal spice nutrition. The way we use these and the amounts we put into cooking are governed by these characteristics. Examples of the different types of spices are:

6 LEVELS OF TASTE

Sweet cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla (soothing, nourishing, energising and satisfying). Also found in fruit, grains, natural sugars, milk

Sour/tangy ginger, tamarind, sumach, kokam, amchur (increases appetite, helps digestion, produces saliva). Also found in sour fruits, yogurt, fermented foods

Salty found in natural salts, sea vegetables - increases water intake, gives skin glow, cures stiffness

Pungent/Spicy cloves, star anise, cardamom, asafoetida (increases blood circulation, kills worm in the upper & lower digestive tracts, purifies the mouth) Also found in chillies, peppers, garlic, herbs and many other spices

Bitter fenugreek, turmeric (blood purifier, firms the skin and is an antidote to poison). Also found in dark leafy greens, herbs and spices

Astringent coriander seed, fennel seed (aids digestion, blood purifier) Also found in legumes, raw fruits and vegetables, herbs

Much of our taste sensations rest on the tip of our tongue. According to Ayurveda, the sense of taste is a natural guide map towards proper nutrition. Our taste buds do much more than simply identify tastes; they unlock the nutritive value of foods and provide the initial spark to the entire digestive process.
Food speaks to us directly through taste. As we tune into the tastes naturally desired by the body, we tap into the body's innate wisdom regarding food and nutrition.
The 6 Tastes identifies which foods can be categorically recognized. While the first four tastes i.e. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter are probably recognizable, and the last two i.e. Pungent and Astringent may not seem familiar. Pungent taste is hot and spicy as found in a chilli pepper, while Astringent taste is dry and light as found in legumes.

Our body naturally desires tastes that balance its natural makeup. Each taste feeds our mind, body, senses, and spirit in its own unique way.

Tastes naturally guide us towards our body's nutritional needs.

Including the 6 tastes in each meal doesn't need to be a daunting task. Adding a squeeze of lemon to cooked dishes, for example, can quickly satisfy the Sour taste, while adding a side salad will fulfil the Bitter and Astringent tastes.

If we simply follow our natural inclinations, we are led to the proper foods. Including all 6 tastes in each meal, while favouring those that bring greater balance is the ultimate goal!

WINTER WARMER RECIPES

LATASHA'S FISH THORAN

Ingredients

500 gms shark/bronze whaler, Spanish mackerel or barramundi (with skin on) thickly cut
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric powder
5 medium onions-chopped
5 cloves garlic-crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
6 green chillies slit and cut into small pieces
¼ to ½ tsp turmeric powder
5 tbsp grated coconut
Salt to taste
1 tsp aniseed
1 tsp urud dhal
2 sprigs curry leaves
1-2 tsp lime juice or more for taste
Bunch of chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

Method

Clean the fish slices, smear with the ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
Steam the fish. Remove from steamer when cooked, then peel off the skin, and remove any bone.
Using a fork, flake fish flesh into tiny fragments.
Work turmeric powder and enough salt to taste into the steamed fish flakes.
Heat a wok, place oil and ghee and as soon as it is smoking hot, add in the urad dhal, and the aniseed. When these splutter, add in order crushed garlic, ginger paste, the chopped onions, sliced green chillies and curry leaves.
Fry till the onions and chillies turn limp. Then add the seasoned shark flakes. Keep frying and turning over very frequently.
Then add in the grated coconut, and keep on tossing over till the coconut turns a little brown here and there and a nutty aroma is released. Do not allow the contents to stick to the wok or burn.
Lower heat, sprinkle lime juice, and give it a final toss. Remove, garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and serve. Fish thoran is very tasty when eaten with plain rice.

CUCUMBER, ONION & CHILLI SPICED RAITA

Ingredients

300 ml homemade natural yoghurt, beaten well
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, cored & diced
2 tomatoes, seeded, cored & diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 small red chilli, seeded & finely diced
2 tbsp chopped English mint
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
½ tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Sweet (unsmoked) paprika & garam masala for garnishing

Method

Place yoghurt and sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.
Put the cucumber and tomato in a colander for 10 minutes to drain off excess liquid.
Next, mix cucumber and tomato with the whisked yoghurt, onion, chilli, mint, coriander and season with salt, and lemon juice to taste.
For the final seasoning, heat oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover and gently shake the pan for 2 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and pour into the yoghurt mixture. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

SIMPLE CHICKEN CURRY KAPITAN

Ingredients

1½ kg free range chicken, skinned & cut into 18 pieces (get your butcher to do this)
½ cup thick coconut milk
1 cup thin coconut milk
1 tbsp finely shredded kaffir lime leaves
Juice from 1 lemon
4 tbsp cooking oil

For curry paste. blend the following ingredients

10 fresh long red chillies
10 dried red chillies, softened in boiling water
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom end, chopped
250 g shallots, roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 cm fresh ginger
2 cm galangal
1 cm fresh turmeric
2 tsp shrimp powder
2 candlenuts

Garnish

2 shallots, thinly sliced and fried
2 fresh garlic, thinly sliced and fried

Method

Marinade chicken in thick coconut milk for an hour.
Heat oil in pot and stir fry blended curry paste for 15 minutes or until oil separates from paste.
Add chicken pieces and coat with curry paste. Fry chicken in this paste for 10 minutes, until the chicken is opaque and no longer pink.
Add thin coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Lower heat and allow cooking for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent from burning. Stir in lemon juice and salt to taste.
garnish with fried shallots and garlic.
Serve hot with rice and accompanied with a vegetable dish.

OXTAIL SOUP

Ingredients

1 kg cut oxtail
3 litres water
2 tbsp oil
1 large onion (sliced thinly)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
5 stalks celery (chopped finely)
Salt to taste
10 shallots (sliced thinly and fried crisp), alternatively 2-3 tbsp ready-made fried shallots

Spice Ingredients, wrapped in a muslin cloth

4 cloves - smashed
5 cm ginger, bruised
1 whole star anise
6 cardamoms
5 cm cinnamon stick, broken up
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
½ tsp crushed black peppercorns
½ tsp crushed white peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cummin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp white pepper powder

Method

In a deep saucepan, heat some oil, add onions, celery and spice powders. When fragrant, add oxtail, and lightly brown the tails. Next, add water and bring to boil. Drop in the spice ingredients bag and soy sauce. Simmer for about 2 hours until the bones are tender. Add more water if needed.

Garnish with fried shallots and coriander leaves.