Stardew Valley #78: Poi

Ingredients: Taro Root

Item Description: A traditional food with a delicate, sweet flavor when eaten fresh.

I have no idea where to get a reasonably priced fresh taro root (or powder) in the uk but GUESS WHAT i did find in some grocery store?? YES BOI its some taro flavoured jelly. I've never had anything like this before and its taro flavoured, so I think it will have to do.

All we needs to do is simply follow the instructions on the back.

The powder looked off-white at first, but as soon as it hits the hot water that distinctive purpleish colour appears!

We just gotta stir and stir until all the lumps are dissolved, which is hard to see because its opaque.

Then its going in bowls, cooling at room temperature and then going in the fridge overnight. 

*****

I love it! I know this isn't real Poi, but if it's anything like this I get the appeal. It's got this playful, cookie-ish flavour with a sort of medicinal aftertaste like a root beer. I'm that one british freak who actually likes root beer. It's also smooth, creamy and sweet.

Stardew Valley #77: Mango Sticky Rice

Ingredients: Mango, Coconut, Rice

Item Description: Sweet mango and coconut transforms this rice into something very special.

We've got em all, mango, coconut 2 ways (cream and dried) and rice.

I should probably be using some sort of thai sticky rice, but I already have all this leftover pudding rice from the rice pudding WHICH I DIDNT EVEN LIKE but its basically just short grain rice, and might not be nice if cooked normal style and not in milk for 2 hours. On that note, i'm cooking it for 30mins in water and with the desiccated coconut.

Obviously the coconut creates a weird layer on the top that we can just mix back into the rice. If you don't like extra textures don't bother with the dried coconut i guess, but i like it just fine.

Oh! I just realised if this is meant to be a dessert, we haven't really added extra sweetness yet. I probably should have added that earlier, but whatever. Just adding a couple tablespoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt too. We don't want it sweeter than the mango, probably.

Now adding the coconut cream! It's so goopy and glossy. And just gently mix that all together.

Once its mixed and looking nice and sticky, im shoving it in a plastic tub so I can make a little tidy dome of rice. Well, a cylinder.

Pat that with the back of the spoon to compact it.

Now, to prepare the mango!

I feel like this is the impression the sprite gives me, but.. im gonna have to take it back off to separate the bits from the skin later.

Let's see how our cylinder game out... yeah nice!

****

Well, you can't really see the rice now... but anyway! Yes this tastes way way better than rice pudding. It's sweet and refreshing, and very filling too. I can only eat half of this for now... i need to stop eating rice-based desserts after a regular dinner.

Stardew Valley #76: Banana Pudding

Ingredients: Banana, Milk, Sugar

Item Description: A creamy dessert with a wonderful tropical flavor.

I guess there's so many ways you can go with this, but I guess a simple pudding that involves milk and sugar could be another of those steamed egg type puddings. Nice and simple so i'll do that. I wouldn't have though something made of bananas would need extra sugar, but since its on the ingredients im gonna add some coconut sugar, since thats... tropical.

I'll use the blender to get the banana as creamed as possible, and mixed with a bit of milk and sugar.

How much should I even make? Since im just making this up i guess as much as I've want. I ended up using 2 bananas, 1 tbsp sugar and like.. i dunno a bunch of milk. And finally we gotta thoroughly mix in 1 egg to make it set. I didn't want to shove a raw egg in my blender, I dunno why, i put all sorts of dumb stuff in there all the time.

Straining out any lumps and banana seeds and i dunno.. egg clumps..? I hope I havent strained out all the egg. Its very thick.

Now its all ready to pop a silicone lid on and go in my steamer!  

The proof that it has set, is infact... in the pudding. That's why they say that.

***

It's not really creamy its more... like jelly porridge, i guess... kinda mealy. But I don't mind, its very hearty and it tastes like hot banana. I guess if I wanted smooth banana pudding id just buy some banana flavoured mousse or something, but then it probably wouldn't have much real banana in it. Maybe next time I should just try making it raw with like some bananas and cream, since nowhere does it insist it has to be a solid pudding.

Stardew Valley #75: Ginger Ale

  Ingredients: Ginger, Sugar

Item Description: A zesty soda known for its soothing effect on the stomach.

Got some fresh ginger, some sugar, and fizzy water. And that right there is my juicer attachment for my blender.

Peeling the ginger so we just get to the juicy bits.

blending it and then infusing it with a bit of the water. Looks like plenty of ginger is coming through based on how cloudy it looks.

Now we just have to keep adding sugar until it tastes sweet, and mix it well.

Then we can top it up with some ice and more water! Is this how you make ginger ale? I didn't look it up.

**

It's not bad, but... it's not great. Somehow its fiery, woody and acidic... but not as refreshing as I expected. I'm quite fond of ginger ale/beer even the cheap store brand ones so I guess its just harder than it seems. I can really taste the carbon bubbles of the spring water for some reason. I wish i had bought some cheap lemonade and mixed it with that instead. Or maybe its not a great drinking ginger. I dunno.

Stardew Valley #74: Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients: Tomato, Shrimp, Wild Horseradish

Item Description: A sumptuous appetizer made with freshly-caught shrimp.

Fun fact! UK and America have different types of prawn cocktails. We're doing the american one though. Because its red like the graphic, and they call them shrimps.

Look at these beast sized prawns I got. Hope they don't shrink too much once the ice is melted. You can fry or bake them or whatever, but im gonna steam them. Theyll be all juicy and stuff. Im also popping some salt and pepper on them. 

Now for the sauce! Ketchup, hot sauce (im using sriracha), horseradish, a couple drops of worcestershire sauce and squeeze of lemon.

Mix it all up, its a bit light because I used a lot of horseradish but i bought it specially for this.

Tipping it into a wine glass to serve. It should really be a shallower glass like a martini glass or a pudding glass or something..? but i dont have one of these so im just gonna have to max out my dexterity when dipping!

The prawns look kinda waterlogged because I put them in the steamer bucket, but I was aware of this and it makes cleaning the steamer easier... so they're wet and juicy, what of it? They're not rubbery and still full of flavour and seasoning. I think you're supposed to chill the prawns and make them salad temperature, but i like hot food and im HUNGORY

***

Yeah its nice. Massive fuckin prawns, and pretty nice ones. The sauce is nice and tangy. Maybe this is my own fault for eating a starter as a whole dinner, but I don't really care for this 1970s looking presentation and eating cold (or warm-ish) prawns with no carbs or vegetables. Like its just prawns with dip made extra awkward.

Stardew Valley #73: Crab Cakes

Ingredients: Crab, Wheat Flour, Egg, Oil

Item Description: Crab, bread crumbs, and egg formed into patties then fried to a golden brown.

Got some tinned lump crab. Apparantly that's the good stuff. It's not a lot though...? It never is... time to fill it out with a lot of other stuff. We've got breadcrumbs, spring onion, coriander, eggs and a chilli.

I want these flavourful vegetables chopped nice and fine, so im gonna use my blender. Will I turn it into sauce? Time to find out. Also just using half a chilli, because i don't trust ill have a lot of mince overall.

We've already got the nice colourful crumbly appearance we want! And we haven't even added the main ingredients!

In goes the crabmeat, an egg, and PLENTY of breadcrumbs to pad this out.

Why not some spices too? I'm feeling celery salt and paprika for this.

Oh! and maybe some lemon juice? adding that in as we mix it all up gently and then shape it into patties with my hands. My poor cold hands. No summer weather here this week either.

OK so far this has been a total breeze, and these are looking good as well! Frying them up with a good puddle of oil. Thought about using my deep fryer, but if this is gonna work then lets just do it.

Oops these are looking quite toasty on one side already. I hope they are cooking through OK.

*****

Well well well, don't these look good! They taste great as well, but especially because I had them with a swedish dill and mustard sauce. I'm not one to get excited about fish cakes or fritters, but there's something about making them yourself that makes em that much more appealing. It was such a quick and easy recipe as well! You could lure Elliott to your farm with these no problem.