Procrasti-dating Procrasti-baking

What better way to procrastinate study than some procrastibaking for a new date!

Deciding on, but a little nervous about cooking, Thai curry (which always seem much more pernickety than other teaspoon-of-this, tablespoon-of-that curry varieties), plus the pressure of the meal having to be delicious enough to woo the guest of honour (and as it inevitably turned out, several pop-in-er-ers/ romantic gatecrashers), meant several hours of thumbing through cookbooks and magazines, scrap books and previous dinner party menus. The following menu was chosen:

Entrée: Prawn Wontons with 2 dipping sauces
Main: Chicken and Eggplant laksa
Dessert: Chocolate Fondants

While a mussel broth had been Plan A, the absence of a trusted fishmonger as well as wanting avoid a possible ingredient-sourcing challenge and subsequent last minute menu panic, a dish was decided upon that was based on the more reliable ingredients of chicken and eggplant. Dessert was a toss up between a pear and raspberry crumble, and chocolaty self-saucing delights. After something fresh like laksa, something rich and delicious to accompany a deep glass of red and really seal the deal was definitely in order (these turned out to be equally as delicious for breakfast the next morning with a fresh hot coffee).

Prawn Wontons

Wonton wrappers (square or round)
1/2kg prawns
1 tbsp grated Ginger
3 Spring onion, chopped finely
½ tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tsp sesame oil
Salt & pepper
1 egg

1. Peel prawns and place 2/3 into a food processor with all other ingredients, process until just combined.
2. Chop the remaining prawns roughly and place in a bowl; add other prawn mixture and slightly beaten egg. Mix until combined.
3. Place a teaspoon of the mixture into the centre of the wonton wrappers. Fold in half and press together. You can pinch then in half again or leave them as is depending on the aesthetic you are going for.
4. When it comes to cooking them, you can either fry them, or steam them.

If you find, as many do, the texture of steamed wontons freaks you out (skin coloured and slimey), you can fry them. Opting to fry them, but being beaten by a 30 year-old electric hob that has two settings, ‘off’ and ‘burnt’, the wontons I fried turned out looking like they had a fight with a chimney sweep.

In a bid to redeem myself, and woo my fancy man with something other than charcol, I put my phobia aside and steamed the remain wontons- and despite the slimeyness, they were quite delicious.5. So to fry: (using a functioning stove) add some oil to the pan and add wontons, cook until crisp and golden on both sides (usually about 7-10mins) depending on heat/amount of prawn inside the wrapper.

To steam/boil: bring a pot of water to the boil, and wontons and cook for about 5 mins.

Asian dipping sauces 
1: Lime juice + coriander + fish sauce + a teaspoon of sugar (to balance acidity)
2: Soy sauce + fresh chilli

Chicken and Eggplant Laska
Taken from June issue of Delicious p 94

Chicken breast love

Chocolate Fondants
Taken from April 2008 issue of Delicious

Notes:
***You need to start this 3 hours before you want to eat them
* Handle-less coffee mugs were used instead of souflee cups and they worked a treat. These weren’t lined but it didn’t matter, we just ate them straight out of the mug whilst piping hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream mmm