Recenty Lilly invested all her savings in a timber Dog House and I thought it would look good to have this sign on her house.

I’ve bought from LogoMe before so I contacted them to see if they could make this sign at a reasonable price. They quoted $10 plus shipping – how could I refuse?

The delivered sign –

Due to the sign being smaller than their normal door signs this became a custom job and there were several follow up emails checking on the quality of the artwork, what screw holes and size. I was really impressed with their attention to detail, ‘can do’ attitude and price.

I highly recommend LogoMe for all signs and engraving jobs – they sell bottle openers, pens, glasses, drinkware, coasters, Bags, Flags, Stickers, giftware, Doorsigns and Plaques.
http://www.personalisedgiftware.com.au/

Here’s the sign mounted on the Dog’s Palace

Knowing the internal temperature of meat being cooked avoids the dangers of bacterial illnesses from undercooking as well as preventing overcooking which can cause shrinkage and make the meat tough.

The price of meat thermometers has dropped to a very affordable level

There are several types of Meat Thermometer

• Basic Analogue Probe with dial connected
• Handheld Digital Probe
• Probe connected by wire to digital readout
• Wireless Digital Remote.

Basic Analogue Probe with dial connected
The simplest meat thermometer is a probe connected to an analogue dial.
It can be stuck into the meat at any stage of cooking to check the temperature.
They can be left in the meat in the oven while cooking but over time the glass can become stained with cooking fumes.
It’s difficult to know the EXACT temperature, for instance 63C/145.4 would be a difficult temperature to be exact about.
This one was $3 with free shipping on eBay April 2017

Handheld Digital Probe
Digital thermometers give accurate readings.
They can’t be left in the meat while it’s cooking because the plastic would melt and the internal circuitry damaged.
They are inserted quickly into the meat, temperature noted and then removed.
Usually they are powered by a small circular watch battery.
$6.15 on eBay with free shipping April 2017

Probe connected by wire to digital readout
The Probe is attached by an insulated wire, and can be left in the meat while cooking.
The Digital readout stays outside the Oven or BBQ and displays the internal meat temperature.
The temperature can be monitored without any effort and this is a very good way to check Oven or BBQ cooking meat temperatures
An alarm can be set when a specified temperature is reached
$8.50 on eBay with free shipping April 20179

Wireless Digital Remote.
These are extremely useful meat thermometers.
The probe is connected by heatproof wire to a Wireless sender and the temperature display is separate and can be carried around, even to other rooms.
The display usually has a clip so it can be clipped to a belt or pocket.
An alarm can be set when a specified temperature is reached.
$19.76 on eBay with vree shipping April 2017

Oven Thermometer

Knowing the temperature inside the oven or BBQ is very useful and helps in setting the thermostat at the correct temperature.
Many ovens are either OFF or ON so the internal heat is variable.
For example, when the oven is set to 100C/212F, then it may switch off at 105C/221F and not come back on until the internal oven temperature reads 95C/203F.
$5.10 on eBay April 2017

This post is a companion to the post on how to cook a guaranteed tender Roast, to your exact level of doness – Rare, Medium, Well done.
http://shed.robhealey.com.au/cooking/robs-guaranteed-tender-roast-beeflamb-that-doesnt-shrink/

For me it is the aroma of spices filling up the house, the flavour, the chilli bite, the battle with sweating forehead – it’s a full eating experience.

I enjoy all versions of curry, but Indian Curry is my favourite – nice and hot!

In about 1970  I was introduced to Indian Curries in the UK . My friend Martin Dix could handle the very hot Vindaloo’s while I struggled with Madras.

My Curry Nirvana is to re-create those Uk curries I enjoyed in Ipswich & London between 1970 & 1972. They were swimming in rich, red, oily  gravy, there was something really special about them, a taste I can’t remember yet have never forgotten! and my mouth still tingles thinking about them.

In Cairns in the mid to late 70’s there was an Indian restaurant called ‘Thuggee Bill’s’, run by Brian Cassey. His curries were every bit as excellent as the English curries, and when I asked him why, I discovered that he had learnt to cook curries by working in Indian Restaurants in the UK.

Curry Nirvana for me has always been the taste of  the curries I remember from those earlier days in the UK and I’m constantly searching  for the right ingredients to re-create that amazing taste experience, at home.

I’ve had many Indian curries in many different cities. My favourite restaurant since the early 2000’s has been Marinades Indian Restaurant in Cairns. Their Vindaloo’s are superb.

There is no better way to cook a curry than to use fresh ingredients. I often use ‘Spice Kits’ which contain ground spices and dried fresh ingredients. Some are disappointing, either not fresh or missing ingredients, some are very good.

My favourite spice kit comes from  SpiceZ. www.spicez.com.au They make Beef, Chicken, Seafood and Vegitarian Spice kits –

Of the bottle sauces, Maharajas Choice Vindaloo Curry Paste is by far the best.  http://www.maharajahschoice.com/

For non Vindaloo curries, Passage to India simmer sauces in large sachets are very good.
http://www.passagefoods.com/

I particularly enjoy their Rogan Josh which has a mild bite that suits most people.
For a curry full of spices with very little chilli I use their Butter Chicken sauce.

I’m always experimenting with curry recipes. The main ingredients remain the same but each one has it’s peculiarities; for instance one recipe that unusually used a lot of poppy seeds was by Graham Kerr the famous ‘Galloping Gourmet’ TV chef from the 1960’s.

There is a great indian Chef, Sanjay Thumma, who has hundreds of  recipes and cooking video’s on his website. Sanjay is really emotional about his cooking and even burst into tears in one of his vids because the food had turned out so well.  It showed how much he really cares about his food.

His website is extremely extensive, and who can cook Indian food better than an Indian ? http://vahrehvah.com/

In 2007 I was fortunate to get a cooking lesson from an Indian lady, Lena, and her Chicken leg curry can’t be beat. This recipe always turns out great and by adjusting the chillies it can be very hot or mild. Full recipe here http://shed.robhealey.com.au/cooking/chicken-vindaloo-amazing

My curries are improving as I journey towards those early 1970,  UK Indian Curries – my Curry Nirvana.

UPDATE: 2011 – my latest curries are getting very close to my Curry Nirvana and are now of restaurant standard. I’ve posted here – Madras Curry Recipe including instructions and downloadable recipe.

These posts follow my journey towards Curry Nirvana,

http://shed.robhealey.com.au/cooking/towards-curry-nirvana-part-2-bir/

http://shed.robhealey.com.au/a-curry-nirvana/towards-curry-nirvana-pt-3/

I’ve also posted my Curry History, the curries that lead me on this journey, beginning when I was 17 with those freeze dried UK packets of Vesta Beef curry. My Curry History, from Vesta dried packets and up! Yes, I’ve come a long way!!!

Many home cooked roasts shrink by up to half size by the time they’re cooked.

When I see someone cooking a roast at 150C/300F I cringe, the roast nearly always shrinks, the meat is tough.
The cook complains that they don’t know why it happened.
Roast meat shouldn’t be cooked hard, it’s a recipe for disaster

Stop Roast meat from shrinking

Commercial kitchens can’t afford to have roasts shrink and lose meat. They cook the meat slowly, over a low heat for a longer period.

Most people don’t want to cook for 5-6 hours. I use a simple method that cooks Roast Lamb or Roast beef to perfection in less than 2 ½  hours, with no shrinkage and you can even choose the level of doneness, rare, medium or well done.

The result is a lovely tender and juicy Roast

Cook slow and low
High cooking temperatures cause the Protein to shrink, the muscle fibers contract, the fat is mostly rendered out and the result is a dry shrunken roast.

Monitor the internal temperature of the Roast
Knowing the internal temperature of a Roast lets you decide on the precise moment to stop cooking.  It removes all the guesswork.
The secret is to have an accurate thermometer that shows the temperature of the centre of the Roast.

Cooking time is approx 2hrs 50mins. Resting time 20-30mins.

Roast Beef or Roast Lamb Cooking Method

• Pre heat the oven to 220C/428F
• Coat the Roast Beef or Roast lamb with your favourite marinade or  coating
• Place the roast in casserole Dish that has a lid
• Place an onion cut into quarters beside the roast and optional 2 cloves of crushed garlic on top of the roast.
• Add 15mm/1/2” wine or water.
• Place the casserole dish in the hot oven with the casserole lid off, for 3 minutes
• After 3 mins, turn the oven temperature down to 85C/185F and replace the casserole lid
• Monitor the temps after 1hr, 2hrs, 2hrs 30mins and then every 10-20 mins as you get close to your required internal temperature.
• When the centre of the roast is about 2-3 degreesC/3-4F below the required temperature, remove the lid and turn the oven up to 200C/392F.
  This will caramelize the outside of the roast a little.
• Remove the Casserole dish when the centre is at the required temperature, baste the roast with the juices, put the lid back on and let it rest 20-30 mins, covered in towels to keep it warm. If you watch the thermometer the internal temps continue to rise for the next 10+ mins

Carve and ENJOY!

Required Internal Temperature for Roast Beef

60C/140F – gives a pink centre
64C/147F – PERFECT for me, the centre has just turned from being pink
65C/149F – for medium
67+C/152F for well done.  I would say OVERDONE and expect some shrinkage

Required Internal Temperature for Roast Lamb

63C/145F – gives a pink centre
68C/154F – PERFECT for me, the centre has just turned from being pink
70C/158F – for medium
74C/165F for well done.  I would say OVERDONE and expect some shrinkage

Cooking Times
After –
30 mins: Around 20-25C/68-77F
1 hr:  35-40C/95-104F
90 mins:45-50C/113-122F
120mins: 50-55C/122-131
150mins:60C/140F

Even with an accurate oven thermometer, cooking times vary a little. Many ovens don’t cook at a steady temperature, they are either ON of OFF, and the heat constantly fluctuates up and down. The air temperature and the temperature of the roast can all influence the length of cooking.
The roast should heat up quickly in the first hour because the oven was very hot at the start. After 90 mins the temperature rise should become steady, as per the above times.
Adjust the oven temps accordingly if you don’t get the same results. Get to know your oven.

Thermometer
However accurate a roast meat thermometer is, if it can’t be left in the meat in the oven, you have to keep opening up the oven, take the casserole dish out of the oven and remove the lid to check the internal temperature.
The trickiest part is finding the exact final temperature.
A better solution:
Digital thermometers are available on ebay at a reasonable price, some Under $10 delivered.
On this page http://shed.robhealey.com.au/uncategorized/different-types-meat-thermometers/ I explain the different types and what they cost in April 2017.
You can also use an analogue oven thermometer sitting in the oven. That way you know the true Oven Temps. Under $10 on ebay.

Larger Roasts: This method works for either Roast Beef or Lamb – up to about 2.2kg (4.8lbs). Above that size the center is going to take longer to reach its temp and because of that the outside will be exposed to higher heat for longer. The solution is to cook at lower temperatures, for longer.

Sharp Knife
A sharp knife is one of the joys of cooking.
A steel can maintain an edge but doesn’t sharpen.
I love my knife sharpener, so easy to use and it removes the bare minimum of metal from the blade.
Read the full details on the best kind of knife sharpeners here http://shed.robhealey.com.au/uncategorized/how-to-sharpen-a-knife-the-easy-and-best-way/

Cooking is both art and science. Knowing the internal temperatures accurately means every roast is cooked how you want it. What you marinate the roast with is up to your artistry

Last year a house near us caught fire. It was a frightening experience and soon after we replaced our smoke alarms.

Chubb Fire & Security Pty Ltd sent Free Replacement Quell Smoke Alarms

The existing alarms on the ceiling were Ionisation type alarms. QUELL model 8A502, about 8-9 years old and the Ionisation type.
Research showed that now Photoelectric smoke alarms are considered better. In fact the new Smoke Alarm Laws 1 January 2017 require photoelectric smoke alarms to be fitted to new domestic dwellings, rental properties, and properties that are undergoing substantial renovations.

We bought 4 Quell Photoelectric Smoke Alarms. There were two in each blister pack, model Q301, Q301H.

They were fitted on the ceiling in the exact places of the old alarms. Within a few weeks one of them went off in the middle of the night, with a persistent shriek. Over the next few months they all gave off false alarms. Eventually I removed all the batteries.

We live in the Wet Tropics so the humidity is high here and is a possible cause of the false alarms, but no-one else seems to be having problems with this brand.

I understand that dishwashers, sinks, ovens, cook tops with boiling water, bathrooms etc are all bad places to place a smoke alarm

The alarms were all on the ceiling.
1. Upstairs between kitchen and dining room, approx 4 metres from oven cook top
2. Upstairs hallway
3. Garage
4 An inner downstairs room with no windows.

I contacted Chubb Fire & Security Pty Ltd, who are the distributors of the Quell smoke alarms. I received a quick and helpful reply from the Consumer sales Co-ordinator who suggested the false alarms might be caused by static, and to wipe the alarms with a damp cloth.

I wiped the alarms with a damp cloth and put them on tables around the house, so they’d be easier to get to. Within 4 hours, at about 3pm, one of them went off! Out came the batteries again!

I explained this to the very helpful man at Chubb and his excellent response was to send me 4 new Quell smoke alarms at no charge, as pictured.

It’s great to report such good service.

We’ve had very little problems with the old Quell ionisation smoke alarms that we’ve used for over 20 years. The brand has a good name. I can only assume the new ones I bought had some glitch in manufacture.

I’ll fit the new alarms, which are the same model and report back here in a few months, hopefully with a successful outcome.

There were 3 separate spice packs. One was pre-ground and had a strong dark smell of black cardamom; the other contained various seeds, coriander, cumin, mustard, fennel, cloves etc that required grinding. When ground the mix had a fresh, slightly clove smell, that was interesting and not the usual spice mix aroma. The third sachet was 2 cinnamon/cassia sticks and some dried red chillies.

I used 1.25kg of lamb and after 10 minutes of simmering, I put the pot in the oven on low simmer for 90 minutes. Curry Traders call this their ‘Award Winning’ curry, and it all looked and smelt very promising.

I was pleased with the taste test and surprised that it was more chilli hot than I expected. Most spice mixes err on the side of light chilli heat and I add more chilli, in this case it had a pleasant bite, about the same as you’d experience in an Indian Restaurant. I made the pot airtight and put it in the fridge for 3 days, to mature.

I could still smell the interesting aroma for the next 2 days when I opened the cupboard doors above the cook top. It was tantalizing.

After 3 days in the fridge, I re-heated the curry and served a portion. It was a good curry and definitely one I will have again. This spice mix has a different flavor and aroma compared to some other mixes I’ve tried. It has a distinct signature, which I liked and I’d recognize it anywhere because of that signature. I suspect that black cardamoms are part of that.

It wouldn’t take much to raise this curry into restaurant standard. There was plenty of sauce and enough meat to make 5 portions out of the 1.25kgs of meat. The meat was tender and the sauce excellent with just a tad too much cloves for me. Next time I’ll check how many cloves are in the sachet and remove perhaps a third of them before grinding. It’s a personal thing, I’ve had a couple of meals with too many cloves and now I prefer them to be extremely subtle.

I was pleased with the way I cooked this curry, it was aromatic and well matured. Perhaps the addition of some BIR style gravy would lift it to restaurant standard?

This year as part of building the level of the ‘ Spirit of Christmas’ up to 100% by Christmas Eve, I’m posting a funny video each day of Advent. Some are Naughty, some are Nice.

Day 1: Hugh Jackman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhg7Xm4FXAY

Day 2: Secret life of pets –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYYIOScfkKM

Day 3: The famous Mr Bean and the Turkey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgLrWiNHFc

Day 4: Seinfeld & the Nipple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhIMV3lu6Qg

Day 5: The dog in his Kennel https://www.facebook.com/bewarmers/videos/457548267688953/

Day 6: Billy Connolly, just audio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRZeYHM1GzQ

Day 7: Mommy wrestling santa – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vts1mgceXiQ

Day 8: Christmas Gnome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=570Sj8j-ZXE

Day 9: Animals around the table https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhg7Xm4FXAY

Day10: Mr Bean nativity scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8tSq-fNNyk

Day 11: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015. Song “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” by Celine Dion -Good cartoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2RnVpl2J_c

Day 12: Rick Mayall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy0HGvCa978

Day 13: Singing animals Deck the Halls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-0WVfj76bo

Day 14: Achmed the dead TERRORIST http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/1ddd1362ea/jeff-dunhams-very-special-christmas-special-achmed-from-jeffdunham?_cc=__d___&_ccid=24x20h.nycd3k

Day 15: Snowman and Moose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ3qgIMURgI

Day 16: Richard Pryor – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EgN1hwrRK4

Day 17: Cat sings ‘Dashing through Snow’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfUzpaJ_OsI

Day 18: Bean Salvation Army https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkm-kbx2T4

Day 19: The Grim Reaper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1qb-p05EBM

Day 20: Morecambe and Wise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiNvuxaVtxY

Day 21: Animals sing jingle bells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRzhd3eUyO8

Day 22: Unwanted presents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhCS3ZS50FA

Day 23: MOGS XMAS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRn2S7iPNU&list=PLCxp1cmXyzM3weH2vZJ4FT5dlkOoWjDs8

Day 24: Robin Williams reads The Night Before Christmas  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INzqLES5a3I

Remember the Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine)which became totally extinct?- don’t let that happen to Australia’s own Dingo.

How to Improve Packet Curry Sauce

It was a weekday evening and I wanted some sauce for a two portion stir fry.

I put 300gms diced chicken breast in a wok with some oil and stir fried until just cooked, then added half a packet of Passage to India Chicken Korma curry sauce and simmered for a few minutes. I added two pinches of curry powder, made from the standard ground spices of Cumin, Coriander etc and half a T spoon of Kashmiri chilli powder.

The light, coffee coloured sauce looked a little bland, so I fried up a Tablespoon of Tomato paste with a little oil, constantly stirring. After about 90 seconds added the same amount of water to make a 50/50 mix.

Korma is a yoghurt based curry, but I couldn’t find any yoghurt so I added a Tablespoon of Coconut Powder, stirred it in and allowed to cook for 2 minutes before pouring into the pot and stirring into the curry.

I put the pot in the oven to simmer for 30 mins while I prepared the stir fry ingredients.

After stir frying chopped Capsicum, Snow Peas, Slivers of Carrot and tiny pieces of Broccoli with some oil and 2 large chopped cloves of garlic, I removed them from the Wok and with a little more oil, fried a packet of Noodles that had been soaking in water.

After a minute or two I added half the stir fried vegetables and when all was combined, tipped that into a bowl and ladled half the Chicken Korma on top. I repeated that with another bowl for the 2^nd portion, adding another half teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli, because I like a little more chilli heat with mine.

It was a really excellent meal. Adding the extra ingredients transformed the Sachet Curry Sauce, and I will be making this many more times. It was yummy, the sauce dripped down through the vegetables and noodles, transforming this quick snack into a gourmet meal and the only complaint heard was ‘not enough sauce’- I count that as a win !

Tomato Paste and Water: Mixed 50/50 is the base for most BIR (British Indian Restaurant) curries.

Oil: Transfers the tastes of the ingredients; I use it in Casseroles for the same reason.

Curry Powder/Garam Masala: A pinch or two adds to the aroma and taste. A pinch or two can be added just before the end of cooking if the meal is lacking in aroma but don’t overdo it!

Coconut Powder: I use Ayams Coconut Milk Powder because it tastes like real coconut, 100% better than tinned coconut milk or cream .

Noodles: I use Changs Gluten Free Wok-Ready Noodles. They’re like Udon Noodles, not thin like the dried Ramen Noodles. It’s best to soak them in water to help untangle, they are a bit stiff and soften when fried.

Sachet Sauces: There’s a wide choice available and I’ve tried many. Often the taste of preservatives is too strong, or some other unknown taste is overpowering. I like the Passage to India Korma, Rogan Josh and Butter Chicken sauces best.

Please share this, click the stars at the top to rate it and also comment if you find this helpful!

This works for any knife- kitchen knife, fillet knife, outdoor knife, camping knife, even for serrated knife sharpening, and it’s VERY easy!

All knives are dangerous, but a sharp knife is a pleasure to use while a blunt knife is frustrating and the excess force necessary can be more dangerous if the knife slips.

This is easily my choice of knife sharpener

Lanskey Sharpening Rods

The important points of knife sharpening are

1. The correct edge angle –

• 17º  for fine slicing like filleting
• 20º  for general slicing and cutting in the kitchen
• 25º for Utility, Camping etc

2. Keep exactly to that angle when sharpening

• This is not easy, most people twist the knife as they pass it over a grind stone or sharpening rod which changes the angle being ground.

3. Sharpen the entire length of the blade

• It’s easy to apply more pressure at the midpoint of the blade as it passes over a sharpener and this will wear away more metal so there won’t be a straight line or gentle curve along the edge

4. Remove the minimum amount of metal to get a sharp edge.

• The less excess metal you remove, the longer the life of the blade.

5. Run each side of the blade alternately across the sharpening device.

• If you work on one side for several strokes you are bending the fine edge over and when you begin on the other side you bend the burr back the other way possibly causing more metal to be removed as the burr breaks through metal fatigue.

Knife Sharpening Devices

Whetstone: For years I’ve sharpened knives on a wetstone.

I understand the technique well but sometimes I would spend ages trying to get a brilliant edge – because of failing on points 1 & 2.

Afterwards the the knife would need cleaning because of the oil all over it.

Sharpening all the kitchen knives was a chore and so it wasn’t done very often.

There are also diamond faced whetstones, some people use them dry, some add oil or water.

Grinding Wheel: I bought a mini grinding wheel and used that for about 5 years

Sometimes I’d get a good edge, sometimes not because of failing on points 1 and 2 above. It removed a lot of metal.

Ceramic Rod:  A ceramic rod is a good knife sharpener, very quick but it’s not easy to keep to the same angle through the stroke, and extremely difficult to know what angle you are creating on the edge.

NOT to be confused with a Butchers Steel which DOES NOT SHARPEN.

Many people, including me, have seen famous TV chefs and local butchers using a steel, and are surprised to discover that the steel doesn’t sharpen!

What it does do is to restore the edge by removing the burr which is caused as the fine edge bends over from use.

A Butchers steel removes the burrs but it does very little else.

Fixed Stone: This is a very good system that guarantees the correct angle, where the knife blade is held in a clamp and the stone is held automatically at the correct angle.

This is the Lanskey version –

I’ve seen a few makes of these online and even home made ones. It’s certainly a very good system which fulfills all the important points necessary to get a sharp edge on a knife.

This is my second choice because there’s more setting up to do than my first choice, I expect that I’d use it less often.

CONCLUSION

I’ve had the Lanskey  Professional Crock Stick Sharpener for 3 years and I’m extremely happy with it.

I’ve looked at many ways to sharpen knives and I choose this system because it is so ridiculously easy.

Instead of sharpening kitchen knives once every 6 months, I’m keeping their edge up weekly, I’ll even touch up a knife before using it for an important job.

All it takes is TWELVE STROKES!!!!

Hardly any metal is removed

It takes seconds

Slicing tomatoes, fruit, vegies – anything, is a joy.

By holding the knife vertically, sliding down and drawing back across the rods alternately 12 times as if slicing bread, fulfills all the important factors of knife sharpening.

My knives have never been so sharp

Lanskey now have a new version made of plastic instead of wood

It also takes the triangular rods that sharpen serrated knives.

Most of the knife sharpeners that I haven’t mentioned, especially tungsten carbide types, generally remove too much metal from the blade (#4) and often suffer from the #3 problem.

I don’t have any connection with Lanskeys. I whinge if a product is bad and I praise it when I find something good !

Please comment below if you found this article helpful.