Mouth-watering dishes

Stir-fried prawns with tamarind

50g tamarind paste
2/3 cup boiling water
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs chopped onion
2 tbs palm sugar
2 tbs chicken stock
1 tbs fish sauce
6 dried red chillies, fried
1 lb shelled prawns
1 tbs fried chopped garlic
2 tbs fried sliced shallots
2 spring onions chopped to garnish

Mix tamarind paste and boiling water and stir well to break any lumps. Measure 6 tbs of juice. Heat the oil and add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown. Add the sugar, stock, fish sauce, dried chillies and the tamarind juice, stirring well until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add the prawns, garlic and shallots. Stir-fry until the prawns are cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Garnish with the spring onion.

Approx. cost - Rs. 250

Stir-fried chicken with basil and chillies

3 tbs vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2-4 red chillies, seeded and chopped
1 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
2-3 tbs fish sauce
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
12 basil leaves
2 red chillies, finely sliced, to garnish

Heat the oil. Add the garlic and chillies and stir fry until golden brown. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it changes colour. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Continue to stir fry for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Stir in the basil leaves. Garnish with sliced chillies.

Approx. cost - Rs. 200

Thai fried rice

225g basmati rice
3 tbs vegatable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, seeded and cubed into 2 cm cubes
350g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 cm cubes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbs mild curry paste
1/2 tsp chillie powder
1/2 turmeric
2 tbs fish sauce
2 eggs, beaten
salt and ground black pepper

Boil the rice in 6 1/2 cups boiling water. Spread the grains on a tray and leave to cool. Heat 2 tbs of the oil and add the onion and red pepper and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken cubes, garlic, curry paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the rice, fish sauce and seasoning. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice is very hot. Make a well in the centre of the rice and add the remaining oil. When hot add the beaten eggs, leave to cook for about 2 minutes until lightly set, then stir into the rice.

Approx. cost - Rs. 150

Cabbage salad

2 tbs fish sauce
1 grated lime rind
2 tbs lime juice
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 large red chillies, seeded and
finely cut into strips
6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
6 shallots, finely sliced
1 small cabbage, shredded
2 tbs coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, to serve

Make the dressing by combining the fish sauce, lime rind and juice and coconut milk. Set aside. Heat the oil and stir fry the chillies, garlic and shallots, until the shallots are brown and crisp and remove and set aside. Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water for about 2-3 minutes, drain and put into a bowl. Stir the dressing into the cabbage, toss and mix well. Transfer the salad into a serving dish. Sprinkle with the fried shallot mixture and the chopped roasted peanuts.

Approx. cost - Rs. 150

Fried bananas

115g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbs sugar
1 egg
6 tbs water
2 tbs shredded coconut
4 firm bananas
oil for deep frying
salt

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Stir in the sugar. Whisk in the egg and just enough water to make a thin batter. Then whisk in the shredded coconut.

Peel the bananas. Carefully cut each one in half lengthways, then cut in half crossways. Heat the oil in a preheated wok. Dip the bananas in the batter, then gently drop a few pieces at a time into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown.Remove the bananas from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with honey.

Approx. cost - Rs. 50

Air America - meet the stars

Lorenzo Lamas

Lorenzo Lamas stars as Rio Arnett, an ex-Navy SEAL and CIA veteran now serving as Air America's station chief in Costa Perdida (the Lost Coast). As one of today's most popular television personalities, Lamas is regarded the world over as one of Hollywood's top action heroes. He comes to AIR AMERICA still riding the waves of success from his last syndicated series Renegade, which remains an international hit.

For five seasons, Lamas portrayed Reno Raines, a motorcycle-riding fugitive who rescued victims from injustice. Aside from his acting abilities, Renegade gave Lamas an opportunity to utilize some of his other talents, including martial arts and expert motorcycle riding. Taking his involvement with Renegade one step further, Lamas served as producer and later as director on various episodes of the series.

While Renegade was a tremendous success, viewers around the world best remember Lamas as Lance Cumson, the handsome charmer from the long-running CBS series Falcon Crest, the role that catapulted him into international stardom. Behind the scenes, Lamas has served as director on CIA II Target: Alexa, and as co-producer

on Final Round. Some of his earlier feature film credits include Grease, Bad Blood, Mask of Death, The Rage, Terminal Justice, and Gladiator Cop.

Lamas has studied martial arts for over 15 years, specializing in Ju Jitsu and Taekwondo. He is an avid collector of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. His father, the Argentinean-born Fernando Lamas, was a beloved screen idol of the 1950s and appeared most famously in IOORifles. His mother is film star Arlene Dahl. Lamas lives in Los Angeles with his wife, actress/model Shauna Sand-Lamas and their baby daughter, Alexandra.

Scott Plank

Plank brings to AIR AMERICA an impressive list of credits that run the gamut from feature films to television to the Broadway stage. Prior to AIR AMERICA, he guest-starred in a long story arc on Melrose Place as Desert Storm vet Nick Reardon. Plank's other guest appearances include USA's The Big Easy, ABC's The Marshall, Showtime's Red Shoe Diaries, and CBS' Sons and Daughters.

Plank's versatility as an actor extends beyond the screen to the Broadway stage.

He has starred in such hit musicals as Dream Girls at the Manhattan Theatre Club as well as A Chorus Line at the Shubert Theatre. Off-Broadway he has starred in The Kindness of Women, directed and written by Sean Penn, and Hurly Burly, written and directed by David Rabe.

Plank originally had his sights set on becoming a professional athlete. However, an injury preventing further involvement in sports led to his transition to musical theatre. The physical strength and stamina he developed as an athlete proved to be a major advantage on the Broadway stage, allowing Plank to become an accomplished dancer. He has trained extensively in classical/modern ballet and jazz.

Plank was born in Washington D.C. and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Diana Barton

Prior to Air America Barton portrayed the role of Mari Jo Mason, in The Young and the Restless . She also boasts an impressive list of credits, including a role on the CBS mini-series The Menedez Brothers as well as a number of guest roles on such shows as Dark Justice, Doogie Howser, Bay Watch and 21 Jump Street.

On the big screen, Barton's feature film credits include leading roles in The Other Man, Skin Deep and What I Did for Love.

Barton was born and raised in Palm Springs, California and currently resides in Los Angeles.

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