17 January 2012

{Recipe} Home-made Jalapeno Poppers

Most of the time I find living in South Africa quite easy - the people are generally friendly, the weather's divine, the food is cheap {and I'm talking $7 for fillet mignon cheap}, and there's a nice gym just down the road from my flat.  But there are still some days when I get a case of the ex-pat blues and all I want is to be in the United States where grocery stores are open 24 hours, where service delivery is on par, where people don't constantly hoot at you when you're on the road, and where {most importantly} there is the yummiest mexican food in the whole world {especially in southern California!}.

That's where this recipe comes in.  

Jalapeno Poppers are, quite possibly, my very favorite food.  Whenever I visit California I will find any excuse to go to as many restaurants as possible which have them on their menu so that I can make sure I get my fill before heading back to Johannesburg where they are virtually non-existent (bleh).  I once found one restaurant here that had them, and although they were intolerably spicy, I would go two or three times a week (a week people!) and sit with a glass of water and eat them until my lips were raw.  After awhile they took them off the menu though, probably because I was the only customer who ordered them more than once. ha!  They really were terrible!

Then, one time when we were visiting Jurgen's parents in Cape Town, I told his Mom about how much I loved these dang things and she set out on a mission to try and make them from scratch... and it was a huge success.  Pure deliciousness! 

Now whenever I get an inkling for a taste of home, I know exactly where to turn!

Home-made Jalapeno Poppers
{aka a taste of home}  

  • 1 packet of fresh jalapeno peppers {the bigger the better}
  • 1 tub of low-fat cream cheese
  • 1 - 2 cups of self-raising flour
  • 1 can or bottle of beer
  • 2 Tbs corn flour {maizena for saffers}
  • Oil for frying
TIP: Be sure to wear gloves while making these, or at the very least be sure to wash your hands before touching your face or eyes.  If you don't this recipe could wind up being very painful!


Take each jalapeno and make a thin cut on one side running from top to bottom.


Pry each pepper open slightly and then use a knife to scrape out all the seeds.  Be sure to really get them all, sometimes they hide in the tops and if any seeds are left over the poppers will be inedibly spicy {trust me on this one}.  Once you've removed all of the seeds rinse them under the faucet for good measure.  After this step, they should look something like the above.


Stuff each pepper full of cream-cheesy deliciousness.


Mix the flour and corn starch in a bowl.  Add small amounts of beer until the batter is about the same consistency as pancake batter, not too thick, but also not so thin that it won't stick to your jalapenos.


Bring your oil to medium heat {if it's too cool the batter will just fall off, and if it's too hot the batter will burn}.  Completely coat a few of the peppers with batter and then place into your oil.  If it's the right temperature, the batter should puff up immediately, but not fall off.  Leave them in for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and then transfer to another plate to cool.  Repeat this process until you've used all of your peppers.


And voila!  You have yourself a whole plate of oozy, schmoozy, cheesy, spicy deliciousness.


So dang good I tell ya. 

With the exception of one that I saved for Jurgen, the entire plate had been devoured within an hour of this photo being taken.  You don't think I have a problem do you? ;)

What is your food addiction?

Expat Bloggers: Do you have something similar that reminds you of home?

Linked to Tasty Tuesdays
 

14 comments:

  1. Ohhh these look SO good! I'm going to have to try them! I'm obsessed with anything with creamcheese, it's bad.... home for me is seafood gumbo. Gotta love living in New Orleans :)

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  2. these look so good i also miss mexican food sooo much!

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  3. oooh this looks sooooooooo good. I'm putting this on my pinterest.

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  4. i saw the link on twitter and then when i saw the title i cracked up! it really is the food that takes away the expat blues. i have a HUGE list but yes, mexican is up there with sushi and pancakes and anything breakfasty. my friend recently sent me hot cocoa mix and i drank it all in like, a week. (gross.) but i loved every sip!! :)

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  5. oh my goodness YUM!!! my mouth is watering now!!

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  6. I have yet to try and make breaded jalapeno poppers yet, but you make them look sooo easy!

    Thank you for stopping by my blog ;)

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  7. Oh my word, these look so good! I'll have to give these a try!

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  8. Ah! YUM! Please share and send some this way!! Mmm...so hungry now!!

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  9. Looks so divine! We really don't have great Mexican restaurants here....mmmm....a good opportunity me thinks ;-)

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  10. So next time you decide to make my most favourite meal on earth, invite me! haha

    The other day, with the quiz night, I ordered stuffed jalapeno at the Keg. There were only three on the plate, I nearly died! I was sooo full!

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  11. ok ...that looks delicious with a capital D.

    but unfortunately norway is known for having the dullest taste buds EVER and i can not recreate these because we dont have jalapenos like that here...only the sliced nasty canned ones :( :( please make these in memory of me again!

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Thanks for the love!