I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Sunday 24 January 2016

Pineapple Glazed Ham.



Pineapple Glazed Ham.

Serves 6-8.

In a large stock pot, put in,

-2kg ham joint,
-3 litres water,
-2 carrots, cut into chunks,
-2 stalks celery, cut into chunks,
-1tsp black peppercorns,
-1 stick cinnamon,
-2 star anise,
-10-15 cloves,
-bay leaves.
Leave to simmer for around 2 hrs. Leave the ham to cool in the pot.

                For the glaze.
In a saucepan, put in
-425g tinned chunks pineapple, 
-2tbsp brown sugar,
Dissolve 
-1tsp of cornflour with
-1 tbsp water.
Add to the pineapple,
Cook, stirring until the sauce has thickened. Leave aside until needed.

When the ham is cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and score the fat.
Rub the glaze all over the ham, put in an ovenproof tray.
Bake 180c fan forced oven for around 1 hr. Basting every 15 minutes.

Note: in the last 10 minutes of cooking, turn the oven up to 200c fan forced. 
This will give the ham a nice shine.

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