Poached Salmon in Orange Sauce

 

My husband who grew up in Scotland told me how he used to catch a salmon from the river by reaching beneath the surface of the water to 'tickle' or gently rub the fish's underbelly until it goes into a trance.  Once immobilised, the fish is grabbed and thrown onto the bank.  A fascinating tale but here in Australia, we have to settle for the farmed variety from Tasmania.  This is one of my go to recipes for the sought after fish.  Salmon fillets are gently poached in a citrusy sauce made up of fresh orange juice, lemon juice, stock and white wine.  The sauce is then reduced and thickened with a dollop of butter before drizzled over the poached fish.  Garnish with dried dill and thin slices of orange.   Simple and elegant.  I like to serve them with mashed sweet potatoes and steamed greens - all super food for a nutritious meal.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless salmon fillets
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup chicken or fish stock
• ½ cup white wine
• 55g / 2oz (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 thin slices of orange, halved, for garnishing
• 1 teaspoon dried dill, for garnishing

METHOD

1. Season the salmon fillets lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a skillet or frying pan with tall sides, combine orange juice, lemon juice, stock and wine.
3. Place the salmon fillets into the poaching liquid.  Bring it to a simmer.  Poach the fillets in the simmering liquid for 3 minutes, then turn them over to the other side to poach for another 3 minutes or so.  Fish is ready when it firms up and flakes easily with a fork.
4. Gently remove the fillets from the pan without breaking them up and to a warm plate.  Cover to keep warm.
5. Reduce the poaching liquid in the pan over medium heat to about 1 cup.  Strain and return to the pan.  Add orange rind.  Whisk in butter over low heat until it melts and forms a smooth sauce.
6. Serve fillets with the orange sauce.  Garnish with dill and orange slices.

 

Anzac Biscuits 🇦🇺

It is fitting to make Anzac biscuits to commemorate Anzac Day today, being the anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landing at Gallipoli in Turkey where a harrowing battle was fought during the First World War.  Made with ingredients that don't spoil easily, Anzac biscuits have traditionally been associated with supporting soldiers abroad and helping with war effort.  Easy to make using a mixture of flour, rolled oats, golden syrup, desiccated coconut, sugar, butter and bicarbonate of soda, they are often the first biscuits Aussie children learn to bake at home.  Twelve minutes in the oven are all they need, a few minutes more if you like them extra crispy.  You'll enjoy the sweet aroma coming through as they cook in the oven and their irresistible buttery goodness.

Makes 24

 

INGREDIENTS

• 150g / 5¼oz plain flour
• 80g / 2¾ oz desiccated coconut
• 90g / 3oz rolled oats
• 110g / 4oz caster sugar
• 55g /  2oz brown sugar
• 125g / 4½oz butter
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1½ tablespoon boiling water
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

METHOD

1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, coconut, oats, caster sugar and brown sugar.  Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
3. In a small saucepan, place the butter and golden syrup over low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes or until the butter is melted.  Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine the bicarbonate of soda with boiling water.
5. Add the butter mixture and the bicarbonate mixture to the dry ingredients.  Stir until well combined.
6. Divide the biscuit mixture into 24 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a small ball.  
7. Place half the balls on the lined tray, allowing room for spreading whilst baking.  Gently press each ball to flatten slightly.
8. Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 12 minutes if you like them a little chewy, a few minutes more if you like them crispy.  Transfer to a cooling rack.  (Note that biscuits will firm up as they cool.)
9. Repeat Step 7 to 9 with the remaining balls.

 

Kung Pao Chicken & Sichuan Peppercorn Salt 🌶 🇨🇳

Though I grew up in Hong Kong with Cantonese style cooking, the cuisine of Sichuan Province in southwestern China with its bold flavours, pungency and spiciness has always been my penchant.  Kung Pao Chicken is one of those classic dishes that combines the subtle heat of dried chillies with the unique numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns.  Chicken cubes are marinated, then fried in chilli infused oil, which gives you the base note (as in a musical scale). Seasonings are added to create a balance of sweet, sour and savoury taste, with roasted peanuts tossed in for crunch.  And if that's not enough to make your mouth water, Sichuan peppercorn salt is sprinkled on top to finish the dish on a high note.

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 400g / 14oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1cm / ½" cubes
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
• 8 small dried red chillies
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
• ¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• a pinch of Sichuan peppercorn salt

For Sichuan peppercorn salt:

• 4 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine chicken cubes with cornflour and wine.  Marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Place oil and chillies in a cold wok.  Turn heat to low and let the chillies fry gently in the oil for about 1 minute, pushing them around a little with a metal spatula, until they begin to darken in colour and the oil is infused.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a dish.
3. Increase the heat to high.  When the chillies-infused oil in the wok is very hot, add the chicken.   Let them brown on one side for at least 30 seconds undisturbed before tossing the pieces around to cook through.
4. Add the ginger and the reserved chillies and stir fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and peanuts.  Toss to combine as each ingredient is added.
6. Remove from heat.  Sprinkle on top a pinch of Sichuan peppercorn salt.  Serve immediately with rice.

To make Sichuan peppercorn salt:

1. Place salt and peppercorns in a heavy base frying pan.  Toast them over low heat, shaking the pan to move the mixture around until smoke begins to appear and the peppercorns are aromatic, about 8 minutes.  Leave them to cool.
2. Process the mixture in a blender or a mortar and pestle until the peppercorns are crushed.

Note: Though Sichuan peppercorn salt can be purchased from the shops, it is better to make your own.  They can be used to season a variety of dishes to give them a savoury and aromatic kick.  Keep the mixture in a sealed jar in your pantry.  It will last for a few months.

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Mild Lamb Forequarter Chops Curry

This is a curry for those who love its rich taste but don't like it hot.  The big flavour comes from meaty lamb forequarter chops on the bone.  They are browned, then slow-cooked with aromatics, mild curry powder, warm spices, potatoes and a tin of tomatoes until meltingly tender.  All done in one big pot.  A handful of green peas thrown over the top before serving freshen up the dish with a splash of colour.  I understand that the word 'curry' is an anglicised version of the Tamil word 'kari', invented by the British during colonial days to describe dishes from the Indian sub-continent with a sauce or gravy.  This is perhaps a fine example, and a delicious one.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 lamb forequarter chops with excess fat trimmed off, about 1.2kg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh finger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon mild Indian curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garum masala
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 400g / 14oz tinned tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 cup frozen green peas, blanched in hot water and drained

METHOD

1. In a large heavy-based saucepan, heat oil on medium high until hot.  Add chops in 2 batches and brown each side for 1-2 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add onion and sauté on medium heat until soften, about 1 minute.  Add garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in curry powder, garum masala, turmeric and salt.  If necessary, add a teaspoon of water to prevent the spices from burning.   
4. Add the tomatoes, scraping up any brown bits sticking to the pan.
5. Transfer lamb chops to the pan.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes.
6. Cover and continue to simmer for 1 hour or so, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is falling off the bones.  
7. Top the curry with green peas.  Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes until the peas are tender.
8. Serve with plenty of rice.

 

Sautéed Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes

This is my absolute favourite way of cooking zucchini - panfried with cherry tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.  So simple it hardly needs a recipe.  Then again, good taste is about letting quality produces speak for themselves the way they are cooked.  Zucchinis do exceptionally well in summer at the local farm where I volunteer, sometimes growing unnoticed to a gigantic size, well hidden under the leafage.  Ripened by the sun, cherry tomatoes are also at their peak, beckoning to be picked and enjoyed.  To bring out their natural sweetness, gently fry the zucchini slices together with the cherry tomatoes until the former are lightly caramelised and the latter about to burst.  

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large or 2 medium zucchinis, about 350g / 12oz
• 200g / 7oz cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• a sprinkling of sea salt
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil

METHOD

1. Slice zucchini into 1cm / ½" thick rounds.  Leave cherry tomatoes whole.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high until hot.  Add zucchini slices and tomatoes.  Sauté for 1 minute to coat them with oil.
3. Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to sauté for 5-8 minutes until the zucchini slices start to caramelise and the tomatoes start to burst.  Add 1 tablespoon of water if the pan appears to be too dry.
4. Stir in dried basil.  Taste to adjust seasonings if necessary.  Remove from heat and serve as a side dish.

 

Pan-fried Chicken Fillets Seasoned with Australian Saltbush 🇦🇺

 

Old Man Saltbush (Triplex nummularia) is a fast growing Australian native shrub with sturdy greyish blue leaves and seeds that are edible.  I have used the fresh leaves in a rice dish here and with this recipe, I am using them dried and ground up as a seasoning.  If you don't conveniently have a saltbush growing in your garden or access to one, ground saltbush flakes are available from specialty shops.  They have a mild salty, herby taste, rich in protein, antioxidants and minerals, perfect for sprucing up my pan-fried chicken fillets.  After harvesting a bunch of saltbush, I hang them up to dry, then ground the leaves up with a food processor into flakes.  Sprinkle them over fried eggs, dips, mashed potato, soups, vegetables, fish, casseroles, stews, just about anything.  Bring a taste of Australiana to your table.

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 350g / 12oz boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons saltbush flakes
• 1½ tablespoons plain four
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

METHOD

1. Slice each breast horizontally in half or thirds into 1cm / ½" thick fillets.
2. Season chicken with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of saltbush flakes.  Coat them lightly in flour and shake off the excess.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan on medium high until frothing.  Add chicken and fry until lightly brown on each side and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes each side.  Remove from heat.
4. Sprinkle over remaining tablespoon of saltbush flakes.  Serve with mashed potatoes or a side salad. 

To make saltbush flakes:

1. Hang up harvested saltbush branches in a sunny spot of the house for until completely dried.
2. Strip off dried leaves from the branches.  Place leaves in a food processor and ground into flakes.  Keep in an airtight container.

 

Easy Baked Curry Puffs

 

You can't miss them when you walk past a Malaysian hawker stall - golden deep fried curry puffs stacked in a pile.  My less authentic version of this delectable southeast Asian treat is made simply with beef mince, onions, curry powder and shop bought puff pastry sheets.  They are baked in the oven, which is a less greasy and healthier option.  (And you might have noticed on this blog that I never deep fried anything.)  Plenty of these little delights can be made quickly as finger food for a party, a grazing board or taken to a picnic lunch.  Malay curry powder, with key ingredients being dried red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, cloves and black peppercorns, can be purchased from most Asian grocery stores.  They are available in mild or hot varieties. 

Makes 27 curry puffs

INGREDIENTS

• 250g / 9 oz beef mince
• 2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium size potato, cooked, peeled and diced
• 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Malay curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 x 25cm / 10" square frozen puff pastry sheets, slightly thawed
• 1 egg, beaten

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium and sauté onion for 1-2 minutes until softened.  
2. Turn the heat up to medium high.  Add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned all over.  Stir in the curry powder and chilli powder, if using.
3. Add the potato, soy sauce, sugar and salt.  Cook, stirring, for a further 1-2 minutes until ingredients are well combined.  Check the mixture for taste and curry flavour and adjust accordingly.  Remove the mixture from the pan into a bowl to cool completely. 
4. With a pastry cutter, cut 9 equal sized squares out of each pastry sheet.  Place a tablespoon of the mince mixture into the centre of each square and fold over diagonally.  Pinch 2 opposite corners together, then seal the edges by pressing firmly with your fingers to form 2 borders.   Crimp borders with the back of a spoon. 
5. Transfer half the  pastries to a large baking trays.  Brush over the pastries with the beaten egg. (Keep the remaining pastries covered with a tea towel in the fridge to keep them moist and cool.)
6. Bake in a preheated 200°C/400°F oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the curry puffs are golden brown.  
7. Repeat Step 5 & 6 with the remaining pastries.  

Tip:  Use a silicone pastry mat to provide a non-stick work surface.

Crustless Ham & Cheese Quiche

Fancy a quiche but rather not mess with pastry dough, blind baking, etc?  Try this  crustless ham and cheese quiche, also called an 'impossible quiche' for being impossibly easy to make.  A good way to use up pieces of ham lying around in your fridge, it is something you can put together in a flash with just a few ingredients for a cherry breakfast or brunch.  Use a loose-bottom pie pan if you have one or a well greased regular pie pan and the quiche comes out effortlessly without sticking after it's been baked.  Serve with a few rocket leaves, or a side salad.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 5 large eggs (55g / 2oz each)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup cream
• a sprinkling of sea salt
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon butter, for greasing the pie pan
• 100g / 3½oz ham, diced
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1-2 spring onions, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Grease a 23cm / 9" pie pan with butter.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange ham, cheese and spring onion in the pie pan.
4. Pour in egg mixture.
5. Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for about 30 minutes until set and golden on top.
6. Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.  Run a cake slicer or rubber spatula gently around the edge of the pie to loosen.  Cut into wedges and serve.

 

Basic Kimchi Fried Rice 🌶 🇰🇷

 

After facilitating a 'Make your own Kimchi' workshop recently at the North Fremantle Social Farm  I am sharing this basic kimchi fried rice recipe as a follow up for the enthusiastic participants.  There is already a Kimchi & pork mince fried rice recipe on this blog, and there are lots of other ingredients you can use, but this simple vegetarian version really showcases the umami flavour of the fermented cabbage.  I have a small tub of kimchi that has been fermenting quietly in my fridge for a while, which is perfect for the purpose.  The runny fried egg on top is almost like a signature to the dish, dressing it up beautifully while creating a subtle contrast in taste and texture.  Kimchi is available from most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Check out my recipe here  if you would like to make your own batch.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 400g / 14 oz cooked, cold long grain rice*
• 1 cup cabbage kimchi
• 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil, plus extra for frying the eggs
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion, for garnishing (optional)
• nori (roasted seaweed sheet) cut into strips, for garnishing (optional)

METHOD

1. Press kimchi through a sieve to extract as much juice as possible, about 2 tablespoons.  Slice kimchi into bite-size pieces.
2. In a wok, heat oil on medium high until hot.  Add the kimchi.  Sauté for 1 minute, then add the cooked rice.  Use the spatula to gently break up the rice and mix it with the kimchi.  Continue to stir fry for a few minutes until the rice grains are separated and coated with oil.  Add kimchi juice.  Give it a final toss to combine.
3. Fry 2 eggs with a little oil in a separate pan.  Serve fried rice in two individual plates and top each with a fried egg.  Drizzle a little sesame oil over the eggs.  Sprinkle in the sesame seeds.  Garnish with nori strips or chopped spring onions.

*Instructions for cooking plain rice by absorption method is here.  For convenience, you can use packaged cooked rice.

Roast Carrot & Fennel Soup

Carrots and fennels are roasted in the oven together with onion and garlic until lightly caramelised to release their sweetness, then processed with vegetable or chicken stock into a soup to match the colour of autumn leaves.  Not that we see many deciduous trees in and around Perth, but after a long hot summer, we welcome the cooler temperatures and it is time for a homemade, heartwarming soup.  A little lemon juice and butter added to the soup just before serving accentuates its delicate flavour.  Enjoy it with your favourite bread.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz carrots, quartered lengthwise
• 1 large fennel bulb with fronds
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste

METHOD

1. Slice off and discard fennel stalks but reserve 1 tablespoon of chopped feathery fronds for garnishing.  Cut bulbs into 1cm / ¼" slices.
2. In a large baking tray, place sliced fennel, carrots, onion and garlic.  Drizzle over oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and seasoning.  Roast in a preheated 200°C/400°F oven for about 30 minutes, tossing them around midway, until the vegetables are tender and caramelised on the edges.
3. Transfer roasted vegetables into a large saucepan.  Add vegetable/chicken stock and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. With a handheld food processor, blend until very smooth.  Thin to desired consistency with extra warm water if required.
5. Stir in butter and lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

 

Ants Climbing Tree (Bean thread vermicelli with pork mince) 🌶 🇨🇳

A noodle lunch for four doesn't come easier than this Sichuan style bean thread vermicelli dish with spicy pork mince, famously called 'Ants Climbing Tree' because of the way pieces of mince clinging onto the noodles like a pile of ants crawling up a tree.  How's that for an imagery?  Bean thread vermicelli comes in dry packages like rice vermicelli but has a finer texture.  Once rehydrated, they become translucent and hence also known as 'glass noodles' .  In this dish, they quickly soak up the deliciousness of the instant meat broth flavoured by ginger, a little soy, chilli bean sauce (Toban Djan) and water (or chicken stock for a richer taste).  Garnish with chopped spring onion.  Get your wok out and have a play with these fun ingredients.  Your meal will be ready in minutes.  I recommend serving this with my smashed cucumber salad.

Serves 4

 

INGREDIENTS

• 160g / 5½oz dry bean thread vermicelli
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1½ tablespoons chilli bean sauce (Toban Djan)
• 250g / 9oz pork mince
• 2 cups chicken stock or water
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 spring onions, about ¼ cup, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Soak the dry bean thread vermicelli in a large bowl of cold water until soft, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. In a wok over medium high heat, add the oil and chopped ginger.  Sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.  Add the chilli bean sauce.  Cook for another minute, stirring.  Add the pork mince.  Use the spatula to break up the meat, then stir fry until cooked through.
3. Add the stock or water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar.  Bring it to boil.
4. Add the vermicelli.  Reduce heat to medium and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the noodles are tender.  Remove from heat.  Add most of the chopped spring onions and give it a final mix.  Divide the noodles among four bowls, garnish them with the remaining spring onions.

 

Wholemeal French Toast with Yoghurt, Honey & Raspberries

Turn some stale bread lying around in your fridge into French toast topped with fresh berries for a special breakfast treat.  With some deviations from the traditional recipe,  I soak wholemeal bread in a mixture of egg and yoghurt (instead of milk) seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon before frying them off with butter.  Rather than smothering the toasts in maple syrup,  I dress them with locally produced raw honey from my friend Rod who is a beekeeper.  The honey is so naturally and intensely sweet you only need a drizzle of it.  In place of more butter on top, I serve the toasts with extra yoghurt.  A lighter version of the fare but no less inviting and delicious.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup Greek yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 slices thick wholemeal bread
• 4 teaspoons butter
• a handful of fresh raspberries, or mixed berries of your choice, to serve
• 2 tablespoons honey, to serve
• extra Greek yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

1. In a large shallow dish, whisk eggs, yoghurt, vanilla and cinnamon together until combined.
2. Place 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture, one at a time, soaking for about 20 seconds on each side.  Transfer to a plate.
3. In a large frying pan, melt 2 teaspoons butter over medium-low heat.  Fry 2 slices of bread in the pan for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden.  Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.  Slice toasts in half.
4. Wipe the pan clean with paper towels.  Repeat Step 3 and fry the other 2 slices of bread.
5. Top toasts with raspberries.  Drizzle over with honey.  Serve with extra yoghurt.

Edamame, Five Spice Tofu & Pickled Mustard Green Stir Fry

This one is for those who would like a vegetarian stir fry with a difference.  The three main ingredients for this dish are as follows: (1) edamame, which are immature soybeans in the pod, a tasty and nutritious legume available in frozen packages; (2) five spice tofu or 'tofu gan', a firm, pressed block of tofu that has been marinated in soy sauce and the classic Chinese spice mix; (3) pickled mustard green or 'suen choy' preserved in vinegar, salt and sugar, sold in see-through packages.  Look for these at your local Asian grocery store.  The three together make a delicious combo in the wok, complimenting each other in taste, colour and texture.  Serve over steamed rice.

Serves 4

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups frozen edamame
• 200g / 7oz five spice tofu
• 120g / 4¼oz pickled mustard green
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 red cayenne chilli, finely sliced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons water or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with ¼ cup water in a small dish

METHOD

1. Allow edamame to thaw in room temperature.
2. Take tofu out of packaging and slice into 1cm / ½" cubes.
3. Take pickled mustard green out of packaging.  Drain and rinse under cold tap water, then squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands.  Roughly chop.
4. Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat.  Add tofu and stir fry for a minute.  Add mustard green and edamame.  Continue to stir fry for another minute until heated through.
5. Toss in garlic, spring onions and chilli if using.  Stir to combine.
6. Drizzle wine from the side of the wok.  Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and water.  Cook for another minute or so, stirring, until combined.
7. Give the cornflour mixture in the dish a little stir, then stir it into the wok to thicken the sauce.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice.

 

Tomato Pilaf

While many of my recipes are products of meticulous research, testing and adaptations, there are a few that come together rather spontaneously but just as good.  With half a carton of leftover chicken stock in the fridge, a few tomatoes that need using up, an onion, some dried spices and a few pantry staples, I whipped up a tomato pilaf in a casserole dish for dinner the other night.  A simple, tasty rice dish that makes you smile, perfect on its own or served with your choice of meat, fish and vegetables.  Pilaf is best made with basmati rice, which cooks quickly and absorbs all the goodness of the stock and flavours you add with the grains remaining fluffy and separate.  I buy extra long grain aged basmati rice for their fragrant, nutty flavour as well as appetising appearance.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, about 120g / 4¼oz, finely chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods, bruised
• 2 cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 3-4 tomatoes, about 350g / 12oz, chopped
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup currants
• ¼ cup slivered or sliced almond, toasted
• a handful of basil leaves, for garnishing (optional)

METHOD

1. In a shallow casserole dish, heat oil on medium high.  Add onion, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves.  Sauté for 1-2 minutes until onion is browned lightly.  Add ground cumin and coriander.  Continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes.  Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened.
3. Add rice.  Stir to combine with the tomato and onion mixture.
4. Add stock and salt.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Let it cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and little craters appear on the surface of the rice.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. Uncover and top rice with currants and almond.  Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. 
6. Discard the cinnamon stick.  Fluff up the rice with a wooden spoon.  Garnish with basil leaves (optional). 

Seafood Flat Rice Noodles in Egg Gravy (Wat Tan Hor Fun)

Food halls are great places to have a quick meal and sample ethnic cuisine.  There is one near where I live with a Malaysian/Chinese hawker stall serving up dishes like this seafood noodles in egg gravy people queue up for at lunch time.  Use fresh 'Hor Fun', or flat rice noodles available from the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores.  Dried ones also work after they have been rehydrated but not as nice as fresh.  The spongy noodles are slightly charred over high heat  in a wok, then smothered with a silky egg gravy or 'Wat Tan' with your favourite seafood.  An ingenious, delectable combination of ingredients.  Enjoy every bit of it with a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon.  Serve with some pickled green chillies, if like.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz fresh flat rice noodles
• vegetable oil for frying the noodles
• 200g / 7oz seafood such as prawns and squids* 
• 80g / 2¾oz Asian green vegetables such as bok choy or choy sum, sliced into bite size pieces
• 5-6 mushrooms, sliced

*Fish balls available from refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores and cockles if you can find them can also be used.

For the gravy:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
• 400ml / 13½ fl oz chicken stock
• ½ tablespoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
• ½ tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed in 1 tablespoon water in a small dish
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

METHOD

1. Shell and devein prawns.  Cut squids into rings or bite size pieces.
2. Fresh flat rice noodles purchased from Asian grocery stores in packages are usually stiff and brittle after being refrigerated, which is normal but inconveniently stuck together.  Take out the amount required, place them on a plate and soften them up in the microwave on high for 30 seconds per 250g of noodles.  You can then separate the noodles gently by hand ready for frying.  (If dried noodles are being used, rehydrate following package instructions.)
3. Heat a wok over high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons of oil and then add half of the noodles.  With a spatula, spread the noodles out in one layer.  Let them cook undisturbed for about 1 minute or so until slightly charred in places.  Gently flip the noodles over, drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil around the noodles and let them char slightly on the other side.  Remove to a serving platter.
4. Repeat step 3 with the other half of the noodles.  (The noodles are cooked in two batches so the wok is not overcrowded for best results.)
5. In the same wok, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over high heat.  Sauté garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add the chicken stock, wine, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil.
6. Add the bok choy/choy sum, mushrooms and seafood.  Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 1-2 minutes.  The seafood should be just cooked and the vegetables tender but still green.
7. Give the cornflour mixture a little stir in the dish, then gradually add it to the gravy.  Keep stirring until the gravy is thicken, about 30 seconds.
8. Gradually stir in the beaten egg until little ribbons start to form in the gravy.  Turn off the heat.
9. Pour the gravy over the fried noodles and serve hot.