Thai cookery classes at The Cooking Academy in Rickmansworth

Thai Cookery classes in Hertfordshire

Flavours of the East from beautiful Bangkok are summed up in this highly original and authentic Thai cooking class, here at The Cooking Academy in Rickmansworth.  

Thai cuisine is made up of lightly prepared dishes packed with spicy, fresh and well-balanced flavours.  As with Asian cooking it is based on the five taste senses of  heat through chilli,  sour flavours with the use of tamarind,  salty flavours typically using fish sauce, sweet flavours using jaggery, pure sugar, from cane juice and and unami flavours, bitter from lime.

We cover some of the classic Thai dishes that appear in menus throughout Thailand, highly original recipes that hit the note with all our customers and will leave your guests wanting to come back for more.   Our cookery classes are entirely hands on with all the recipes being cooked by attendees – No demonstrations, we want you to actually learn by making the cookery journey yourself and experiencing first hand to ensure you remember and can re create the dishes at home in your own kitchen. 

To book on one of our Thai cookery classes here email Cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk

Saturday 17th March, Thursday 29th March, or Saturday 12th May2012, or for further information call us on 01923 778880.

Corporate Cookery events - Teambuilding at The Cooking Academy

Cookery team building at Hunton Park Hotel – Watford

At the Cooking Academy we’ve teamed up Hunton Park hotel one of the De vere’s flag ship properties to offer fabulous team building events in a wonderful rural setting. 

Take your team out of the office enviroment and get them to really work with their colleagues and get to know each other.  Cooking is a great way to break down barriers and something that can appeal to most people whether they cook regularly or not.  Our corporate cookery events are recommended by our clients who have enjoyed such as BMW, Barclay, Astra Zeneca, Oracle, RBS and Roche to name but a few. 

To find out more information about our cookery team building email cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk  or call us 01923 778880.

Watercress - The Cooking Academy cookery school

What’s in Season this month -  January 2012

Acorn Squash

Baby Plum tomatoes & Beef tomatoes

Sage

Basil

Beetroot

Brussels sprouts

Celeriac

Chantenay Carrots

Cara Potatoes

Cauliflower

Chanterelle Mushrooms

Chesnut Mushroom

Globe Artichoke

Galangal & Ginger -

Mustard cress – great for sandwiches

Leeks

 Parsley 

Peppers

Purple sprouting broccoli – Broccoli has been shown to improve memory function as well as slow the aging process. This means a broccoli-rich diet will keep you young and sharp. 

Red Onion

Red Cabbage

Swede

Thyme

Spring onions

Shitake mushrooms

Savoy cabbage

 Watercress

Turkey Somosas's - great for left over turkey or chicken

Turkey Somosas – A great recipe for left over turkey

If you always have the problem ‘What to  do with left over turkey’ then here’s a great alternative to the usual curry pot. 

Have a go at making our tried, tested and much loved recipe for Turkey Somosas and turn leftovers into scrummy canapes  for your guests over Christmas.  It is easy to make and there are lots of ingredients that can be used as substitutes to use up all your left over vegetables from the fridge.  For example if you can’t find somosas pastry then use filo pastry, or even puff pastry and instead of frying them just bake them in the oven brushed with a little egg. 

Turkey Somosas

 Ingredients:

Section 1 – somosa filling

300g cooked turkey meat – shredded of the joint

5 stems salad onions finely chopped

2 finely chopped Thai chillies (these are much less hotter so provide volume and texture)

100g garden peas

60g sugar snap peas finely shredded (substitute with Red pepper if necessary)

30g bean sprouts

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp grated ginger

Salt to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 large handful chopped coriander

30 g or a handful of fresh coriander

4 tbsp chilli & fennel spice blend – see our web site for the recipe

 Section 2

Somosas pastry or Filo pastry

50g Plain flour

Cold water

Vegetable Oil to fry

Cooking Instruction:

To make the somosas filling:

 In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients in section 1 and mix well.  Taste to season accordingly with salt and additional chillies if required. 

 Filling the somosas:

1. Start by making a flour paste (edible glue) to bind the somosas together. Mix flour and water in a bowl until it is pancake consistency. 
2.  Now separate the somosa pastry one slice at a time covering the pastry you are not using with a slightly damp cloth. Create pocket as shown in the class and fill. Be careful to seal all the edges to prevent leaking whilst frying.
3. Heat oil to deep fry and slowly slide the somosas into the oil at the sides, cook for 1.5 minutes on either side or until golden brown.
4. Remove from oil onto absorbent paper to drain any oil and serve. 

 Cooks Hint 1: Don’t be afraid to be generous with the ‘edible glue’ as it will dry out like the pastry and stop the somosa from opening in the cooking process

Cooks Hint 2: Be careful the oil is not too hot as it will brown the somosas without heating the filling sufficiently. 

Cooks Hint 3: The somosas can be frozen flat on a tray once made but before frying

 Serving Tip: Allow somosas to cool for a moment or two before serving as they are too hot to eat straight away.

 Recipe by Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy- Cookery School

Cookery vouchers for Christmas presents

Swift Solutions for Christmas – The gift that just keeps giving

Take the stress out of christmas shopping and make an investment in someones culinary skills.  This is the one christmas present where you will benefit from enjoying a homecooked meal by the recipient of ‘A cookery Gift Voucher’. Buy your family and friends a cookery gift, we have a number of offers to make the decision an easy one.  If you have attended one of our classes before, we’ll give you £10 off any voucher you buy.  We are also offering a free voucher for every 5 you purchase.  The vouchers are valid for 12 months. 

call us on 0845 0 68 58 48 to arrange a voucher. or email cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk

The all new funky social networking web site!  

I am delighted to launch our new all singing and dancing, fully e-commerce web site for The Cooking Academy, just in time for the Christmas sales period. 

It’s been a long time in coming, but with so many exciting new additions to The Cooking Academy we’ve finally managed to get it out there.  Our spice range is increasing all the time, and so too are lots of other frequently requested cooking utensils that are used in The cookery school.  If there’s anything there that you can’t find, then drop me an email.

Our ranges of cookery classes has also expanded so take a look and see what other culinary delights could be in store for you and your family in the new year….  with the gift of a cookery class.  The latest addition is the Middle Eastern cookery class - here’s the link for it  http://www.thecookingacademy.co.uk/Middle-Eastern-Cookery-Classes.php

The new site is enabled for direct booking of classes allowing you to check availability on line and book directly and pay.  There is also a facility to send the page you like to a friend to share your activity or invite a friend to join you on a class. 

Cookery Gift Vouchers for Christmas

Don’t leave it to the last minute.  We have some swift solutions for your Christmas gifts this year.  We are now also offering gift vouchers starting from £50 now – so customers can add to the cost of a class or buy from our merchandising store – The Spice Shop.

For further information or for group bookings and christmas parties call us on 0845 0 68 58 48.  

If you would like to comment on our new web site please doo send an email to Kumud@thecookingacademy.co.uk, we welcome any feedback and suggestions to improve on the site.

Red & Gold themed decor - St Johns Wood

Food of Asia serves London Party goers tonight From The Saffron House

Something is in the air tonight, as we are busy catering for a host of parties in London this evening starting with a late Diwali Party catering in Begravia, a Rakshabunden Dinner for the brothers in Kensington and a Labanese Party celebration catering in St John’s Wood.   Whatever the occaasion, it seems that Stylish Asian catering from The Saffron House will be serving the guests tonight. 

What a feast they have in store from Monkfish for starters, Venison for main course and some pretty scrumptious puddings for dessert dinner will be fit for a king.  

If you are looking for very sophisticated but authentic Asian party catering  then you should speak to us here at The Saffron House.  WWW.thesaffronhouse.co.uk

Thai cookery classes at The Academy

A Thai cookery class

We’ve got a Thai cookery class here at the academy.  A collection of fabulous Thai recipes to share with Thai cookery enthusiasts.  We’ll start with the ‘Spice Trail’ and take you on a journey of all the herbs and spices used in Thai cookery, this is a great start to the day, a demystication of the myths that cooking is complicated; as it begins to put all in the ingredients into simple English and help you find suitable swaps if necessary. 

The class is entirely hands on – so make the most of cooking to your hearts content, without having to do the washing up.  This cookery class will give you the menu for a dinner party; so look forward to entertaining your friends and family effortlessly.  We’ll also give you lots of practical hints and tips to make cooking easy, even for the beginner. 

With only 6 people per class you’ll feel right at home and in very friendly environment that is a simple pleasure for the day.

Classes run from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.  You’ll be taking lots of food home so be prepared for a take away.  The cost of the 1/2 day class starts at £130 and the full day class is £199, all inclusive. 

To book contact Sonia or Cara at The Cooking Academy. tel 01923 77 8880. www.thecookingacademy.co.uk.

Indian cookery classes at The Cooking Academy

Cookery Classes in Rickmansworth

 So today we’ve got the ever popular 1/2 day Indian cookery classes.  We could run these everyday and fill them….  this class is a fabulous starting place.  Whether you’re an accomplished cook or a beginner the beauty of this class is you’ll still learn so much. 

This 1/2 day Indian cookery class starts with a spice trail, a detailed look at all the herbs and spices in cooking, whether its Indian or European; you’ll be amazed at just how much cross over there actually is.  you will learn lots of little known facts about the health benefits of the herbs and spices and why they should be used.  This part of the class is usually the element that surprises most people, and the part they enjoy so much because it is outside of the usual learning opportunity;  all the things you should have been taught in your late teens, which could possibly have influeneced your food choices.    There is lots of hands on cooking,  spice blending and making tasty marinades…  fantastic to stock up your fridge for quick suppers and mid week dinners.  The biggest bonus is,  it’s tasty real Indian food that you can learn to cook YOURSELF! 

To find out more about our range of classes or to book a class contact Cara at The Cooking Academy on 01923 77 8880. or email her at cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk.

Cookery school in Rickmansworth

Asian & Indian Cookery Classes In Hertfordshire

If you’re looking to extend your knowledge of Asian cookery then you’ll find a dedicated cookery school on your doorstep, here in Rickmansworth. 

The Cooking Academy Cookery School is the home of Authentic Asian cookery, with 3 dedicated chef’s and foodie’s teaching you the fundamentals to tasting great and original Asian cookery.  The Cookery school ethos is all about healthy tasty real food, how to get the best flavours out of natural ingredients and cooking tasty dishes easily. 

Whether you’re already an expert or want to learn from scratch there is something for everyone as our teaching is based on the skills and techniques we ourselves have honed over the years in a traditional Asian cookery environment.  Most importantly there is no jargon and our love for real food food oozes in our passion to share this with others.  

You’ll pick up lots of useful cookery tips in across the board which can be used in all types of cookery.   The cookery classes make great and unusual gifts for Birthdays and Christmas  for those loved ones that already have everything. 

To find out more call us on 01923 778880, or email Cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk