Mint Chocolate Iced Tea

I invented something!
And it's amazing!
And it actually tastes like mint chocolate!

Enrique and I visited our dear friends Harry and Rufina who were also hosting George and Julie. These get togethers are few and far between, so being something special I wanted to make something deserving. My pasta was rushed and not as good as it usually is (though Enrique was kind and said it was still okay) and I ran out of time and omitted the olives and Parmesan. But the iced tea was spot on. And with early prep, it wasn't difficult at all.

The taste starts with a chocolate aroma, the initial sweet tea on the tongue, turning minty, and once again, a chocolate finish. Delicious. The recipe below gives 2L - great for a summer BBQ.

Rooibos Teas are becoming more and more common, and I believe chocolate is the most common of all flavours. In Toronto you can find it an the tea shops in First Canadian Place (as my wonderful husband treats me to now and again) and also at Luba's tea shop in St Lawrence Market, who is wonderfully effervescent and helpful. If you ever go to St Jacobs Market in Waterloo, there is a stall (aptly named The St Jacobs Tea Shop) with a variety of teas. I just bought a coconut rooibos from her and can't wait to try it!

The mint leaves can be bought in any grocery store, but if you have mint growing in your yard, that is best because it will make the shortest journey from picked to pot. I made they syrup at my mother's after picking, (thoroughly) washing, and drying the leaves, they went straight into the pot for the maximum flavour and fragrance.

I almost always would recommend vanilla pods, yet I used extract because I get mine from local markets in Mexico and it always lasts me until my parents decide they want to take another vacation there. If you can't get the best quality extract, please do yourself a favour and use the pod!


Mint Chocolate Iced Tea

Chocolate Rooibos Tea Mint Leaves Sugar Cardamom Pods (whole) Vanilla (pod or extract) Water

5 tbsp 1 large bunch 1.5 cups 7 pods 1/2 pod (not seeds) or 1 tbsp 2.5L (approx)

MINT SYRUP

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot, dissolve sugar in approx 1.25L of water.
2. Turn heat up to High and reduce to form a light syrup, to about 2/3 of original volume.
3. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low and add washed and clean mint leaves. Stir to saturate every leaf.
4. Bruise and add cardamom pods.
5. When syrup coats back of spoon and can hold the line drawn across with your finger, turn off heat and cool (be careful with the spoon - it's a cooking sugar and can burn).
6. Strain leaves and pods and set syrup aside to cool.
   

ROOIBOS TEA

1. Boil the rest of the water and in a teapot, brew the chocolate rooibos tea. I use a coffee filter in addition to the mesh strainer since the needle-like leaves have a tendency to get out into the liquid. You want a clear tea for this application.
2. When tea has cooled to warm from hot, add the vanilla.
3. Let tea cool completely while steeping (no tannins = no bitterness!).
4. Remove filter with leaves shortly before chilling.
   

TO SERVE

1. Let both the syrup and the tea cool completely.
2. Chill in the fridge to bring down the temperature.
   
3. Combine both the cooled syrup and the tea to your serving jug.
4. CIN CIN!

TO SPIKE OR NOT TO SPIKE:
If you want to spike it, I would recommend Frangelico and/or Mint Schnapps, but that would ruin all the wonderful nuances of the tea. Yup, I'm actually recommending we go alcohol free on this one!

Islamic Noodles

Many people I know are addicted to Salad King's Islamic Noodles - an offering not on the menu, but available to those in the know. Hell, I'm addicted to half their menu. But I stopped working in that area years ago, and then there was the fire that shut them down for a good while, but now they are back. It's still difficult for me to get down there, so last night, I said screw it, I'm making Islamic Noodles.

You will not find this recipe online. I investigated, checked out links for Panang Curry, Muslim style Thai food, and they all provided hints, but nothing definitive. So understanding my ingredients, I set out to recreate this elusive delicacy. Granted, my version is extremely un-Islamic, with pork AND shellfish that my Muslim friends would cringe, but to Halaal it up, I would just sub in some other items. I'm not sure how I would replace the Crab Paste.


Without further ado, here is my recipe. It makes 1 massive pot - good for family style (6-8) or leftovers.

ISLAMIC NOODLES COMME SALAD KING
_________________________________

Rice Noodles		1/2 package
Coconut Milk		1 can
Pork Tenderloin		2
Tofu (semihard)		2 cups
Shrimp		750 g
Carrot		2
Snow Peas		250 g
Bamboo Shoot		1 cup
Straw Mushrooms		1 can
Bird Chilli		7 chillis
Green Onion		5 stalks
Tamarind Paste		4 tbsp
Lemongrass		1 stalk
Khafir Lime Leaves		7 leaves
Fish Sauce		1/4 cup
Lime Juice		1 can
Brown Sugar (optional)		2 tbsp
Canola Oil		to coat pot

_________________________________

CURRY PASTE
Onion		1 large
Garlic		1/2 head
Crab Paste		6 tbsp
Tomato Paste		3 tbsp
Galangal/Ginger		3 tbsp (grated)
Lime Zest		1 lime
Cumin		1 tsp (whole)
Coriander		2 tsp (whole)
Chilli Powder		1/2 tsp
Lemongrass		top 1/3 of stalk
Water		bring to 1/2 cm high in mixer

_________________________________

GARNISH
Cilantro		chopped
Lime		wedge
Bean Sprouts		(optional, I don't b/c I'm preggers)

Curry Paste:

1. In a small pan, toast the Cumin, Coriander, and Chilli Powder.
   In a mortar and pestle, grind spice mix into a powder.
   
2. In a food processor, combine Onion, Garlic, Crab Paste, Tomato Paste, Galangal, Spice mix, Lime zest, and the (tough but pliable) top third of the lemongrass stalk that has been chopped into smaller nibs.
   
3. Add enough water to mix and process until you have a paste.

Ingredient Prep:

1. Pork: soak in water/cider vinegar/salt solution, trim of silver skin and fat, and wash. Cut into 3" strips.
2. Shrimp: wash in lemon water, trim and devain.
3. Tofu: I get the plastic sealed, fish-flavoured cubes from the freezer section. Cut them down further into 1/2" cubes.
4. Tamarind Paste: soak tamarind in boiling water (equal parts) and mix to dissolve pulp. Press through strainer.
5. Carrots: trim and cut into 2" sticks on the bias.
   
6. Lemongrass: remove outer husk and cut on the diagonal into 1" pieces.
7. Snow peas: Wash, top and tail. Leave whole.
8. Straw Mushrooms: I can only find these in the can. Strain, rinse, and cut lengthwise into halves.
9. Bamboo shoots: I hate the smell. I strain and rinse thoroughly. Get as much of the smell out as you can. These will likely come in match width sticks.
10. Chillis: Mince.
11. Khafir Lime Leaves: rinse and bruise with the back of a knife.

Cooking:

1. In a wide heavy bottom pot, add oil on medium high heat.
2. When hot, add curry paste. Cook until most moisture has evaporated and the mixture begins to brown on bottom of the pan. Watch carefully - you cannot let this mixture burn. Push paste to the side.
   
3. Add pork evenly and let caramelize. Then mix in quickly with the paste until evenly coated. Reduce heat to medium and let all the juices cook out until pork mixture is once again frying. The key is to letting this fry as long as possible without letting the meat burn. Towards the end, turn the heat back up to medium high.
   
4. You have had a kettle of water boiling on the side. Add enough water to cover the meat mixture completely. Do not add more than this amount, else you will water-log the dish.
5. Reduce heat to medium low. Add Tamarind paste, minced Chilli, Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, Lemongrass, and Khafir Lime Leaves. Stir and allow this mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered.
6. In a separate bowl, cover rice noodles with very cold water. Let sit for 20-25 minutes (no longer than 30 minutes).
7. In the pot, add coconut milk. Stir and let simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add Bamboo shoots, Straw Mushrooms, Carrots, Snow Peas and Green Onion. Stir.
9. Layer shrimp on top. Cover pot for 5 minutes.
10. Stir pot.
    
11. Pull noodles from bowl (should be firm, but mildly pliable) and add place on top. Cover pot for 10 minutes.
12. Uncover pot. Noodles should be soft and pliable enough to fold into entire mixture. Completely incorporate noodles throughout mixture. Reduce heat to minimum for 5-10 minutes.
13. MANGE!
    

Tomatoes & Sea Salt

Sometimes this is all I need...