Indian Style Green Bean with Potato 🌶 🇮🇳

Green beans are often served as a side, sometimes like an afterthought or an obligatory portion of 'veg' on the plate. Quickly boiled or steamed, beans are fairly easy to prepare, but not terribly exciting on their own perhaps.  Let them enjoy the limelight in this recipe with potatoes, cooked the Indian way with herbs, spices and fresh tomatoes.  This vegetarian curry is tasty, saucy and a meal in itself.  I just love this style of stovetop cooking, layering the ingredients and flavours, taking in the sensuous aroma as you gently mix and stir, watching deliciousness unfolding in the pot.  The potatoes and beans are tossed into the simmering 'masala' sauce towards the end and cooked until just tender but not mushy. 

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 300g / 10½oz green beans, trimmed and sectioned
• 350g / 12oz potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large tomatoes (about 300g / 10½oz), chopped
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons Indian curry powder
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chilli powder*
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• a handful of coriander leaves, for garnishing

*Chilli powder can be substituted with some paprika if you don't like the heat.

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or a balti dish over medium heat.  Add turmeric powder and the potatoes.  Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown.  Remove potatoes from the pan and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix curry powder, chilli powder and ¼ cup water to form a spice paste.  
3. To the remaining oil in the pan over low heat, add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.  Add the spice paste and grated ginger, stirring gently until fragrant.
4. Stir in chopped tomatoes.  Cover and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are softened up and a masala sauce is formed.
5. Add potatoes and beans.  Season with salt and sugar.  Stir over medium high heat for 1 minute until combined.  Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes and beans are just tender.  Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is drying up too quickly.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander.  Serve with rice or roti.

Bibimbap (Korean Rice with Meat & Mixed Vegetables) 🌶 🇰🇷

For rice lovers, the Korean Bibimbap is a gem.  The warm bowl of rice comes with a colourful arrangement of meat and vegetables flavoured by a mildly spicy Bibimbap sauce, topped with a fried egg side up.  It is not difficult to make in the home kitchen using leftovers in the fridge, if you like. In this recipe, I use beef mince, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots and mushrooms.  Like many Korean recipes, garlic, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds feature prominently as seasoning ingredients.  In restaurants, bibimbap is often served in a sizzling hot stone/clay/ceramic bowl.  If you have one of these that can be used on the (gas) stove top, a layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl can be achieved.  Otherwise, serving Bibimbap in an ordinary bowl is fine.  Mix everything up before digging in for a nutritiously balanced and satisfying meal.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 200g / 7oz beef mince
• 1 bunch spinach (about 250g)
• 200g / 70z bean sprouts
• sea salt
• sesame oil
• cooking oil
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 200g / 7oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion, for garnishing

For marinating the beef:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

Bibimbap sauce:

• 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

METHOD

1. Cook rice according to instructions here.
2. Place sesame seeds in a medium frying pan.  Toast over low heat for 1-2 minutes until the seeds are fragrant and golden, swirling them in the pan with a spoon to avoid burning.  Remove toasted seeds immediately to a plate to cool.
3. In a bowl, marinate beef mince with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and garlic for 30 minutes or so while you get on to the other steps.
4. Make the Bibimbap sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
5. Spinach: Trim off roots and wash thoroughly to remove any grits. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ½ teaspoon salt.  Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds or until just wilted.  Drain in a colander and rinse under the cold tap for 1 minute to cool.  Squeeze out any excess water with your hands.  Roughly chopped the cooked spinach.  In a bowl, mix it with 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds with your hands.
6. Bean sprouts:  Rinse in cold water.  Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ½ teaspoon salt.  Blanch the bean spouts for 1 minute until slightly softened.  Drain in a colander and rinse under the cold tap for 1 minute to cool.  Squeeze out any excess water with your hands.  In a bowl, mix it with 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds with your hands.
7. Carrots: In a medium frying pan or a wok, stir fry carrots in 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until softened slightly but still crunchy.  Remove and set aside.
8. Mushrooms: In the same pan, stir fry mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat until just softened, about 1 minute.  Remove and set aside. 
9. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the same pan over medium high heat.  Add the beef and spread them out with a spatula.  Let the beef sizzle undisturbed for 30 seconds to caramelise before tossing them about to cook through.  Remove to a bowl. 
10. Clean the pan.  Fry the eggs in 1-2 teaspoons oil until the whites have set and the yolks are still a little runny, or to your liking. 

To assemble:

Place 2-3 cups of cooked rice into a 18cm /7" bowl.  Arrange the meat and vegetables on top of the rice.  Pour in the Bibimbap sauce.  Top with the fried eggs.  Garnish with spring onions and the remaining sesame seeds.  Mix well with a spoon just before eating.  

*If you are using a suitable stone/clay/ceramic bowl, place it in a preheated 180°C/350°F for 10 minutes.  Take it out carefully with oven gloves.  Brush 1 tablespoon of sesame oil all over the inside of the bowl, then assemble your Bibimbap ingredients as above.  Transfer the hot bowl onto the gas stove and cook it for 5 minutes over low heat.  When you hear the rice crackling in the bottom of the bowl, remove from heat and serve.

Sweet Red Bean Soup

It's what you order after a tantalising dim sum lunch at the Chinese tea house, something mildly sweet to finish off the meal.  Made of Adzuki beans or Asian red beans, it is nutritious and satisfying as a dessert as well as something to enjoy as a snack anytime in the day.  The traditional recipe uses rock sugar as sweetener and dried tangerine peels for a hint of citrusy aroma.  I use brown sugar and fresh orange zest.  The addition of a small amount of sago gives the soup a creamy and interesting mouthfeel.  Serve it warm or at room temperature.  Stir in a little coconut milk for extra flavour.  The soup thickens when it cools.  To thin it, add a little hot water and mix well.  Stored in airtight containers, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Adzuki beans
• 6 cups water
• zest of an orange
• 3 tablespoons sago 
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup coconut milk (optional)

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, place adzuki beans and cover with plenty of cold water.  Soak overnight.  (The beans will double in size.)
2. Drain off the soaking water.  Place the beans and orange zest in a large saucepan.  Add 6 cups of fresh water.
3. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.  Cover with a lid and let simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender (to a point they can be easily mashed with your fingertips.)
4. Use a stick blender to process the beans into a thick soup.  Leave some beans unprocessed for texture.
5. Add the sago to the soup.  Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the sago from sticking to the pan.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until the sago becomes transparent.
6. Stir in the sugar and salt.  Mix well to combine.  Have a taste and adjust sweetness as preferred.    
7. Serve each bowl of soup with a drizzle of coconut milk on top (optional).

Pasta al Forno 🇮🇹

Tucked away at the bottom of my drawer is a recipe written on a yellowing index card for 'pasta al forno'.  I remember my aunt Patsy showing me how to make this and other American family favourites when I visited her home in Princeton, New Jersey.  Newly arrived in the United States as a teenaged student from Hong Kong, I was fascinated with these unfamiliar dishes and unusual ingredients such as the stretchy Italian Mozzarella cheese in this instance.  Aunt Patsy is now in her 90's and still cooking, while this recipe has happily evolved in my kitchen over the years.  Start with a batch of my Bolognaise sauce. The rest is easy.  For the pasta, I use the tubular 'rigatoni' which holds the sauce and the melted cheese well for every tasty bite.  A hearty meal it is, for a night in.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Bolognaise sauce
• 200g / 7oz rigatoni pasta
• 1 cup sliced Mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

METHOD

1. Prepare the Bolognaise sauce following instructions here.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil with a good pinch of salt.  Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until they are al dente (tender but firm with a little bite).  Drain and return to the pan with 3 tablespoons of the pasta water.
3. Stir 2 cups of the Bolognaise sauce into the pasta in the pan.
4. Transfer pasta with sauce to a medium-size oven dish.  Arrange a layer of Mozzarella cheese on top.
5. Scatter chopped parsley over and bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven until the cheese has melted and the top starts to crisp, about 20 minutes.

 

Roast Vegetable Frittata 🇮🇹

A friend of mine recently asked me what to do with kohlrabis, a purple coloured root vegetable growing beautifully at the local farm as I write, so here's a recipe for you Mary.  I roast the kohlrabi with carrots in the oven until tender, which brings out their natural sweetness, then turn them into a delicious eggy frittata.  Similar to an omelette or a crustless quiche, the Italian frittata is a clever way of using up leftover roast vegetables lying around.  Cook the egg mixture in a frying pan until it begins to set, then bake in the oven until golden brown.  Perfect for brunch with a green salad, lunch boxes and picnics.  You can use any roast vegetables or add cheeses such as feta or parmesan.  Cream or ricotta cheese can be used instead of the milk.  How versatile is that!

Serve 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups mixed roasted vegetables, sliced into smallish pieces
• 6 large eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• a pinch of sea salt
• a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Follow my recipe here for roast vegetables.  If you are using a kohlrabi, slice off and discard the tough bottom end.  Peel off the skin and cut into bite-size pieces before roasting with the other vegetables.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. 
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs with milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in ¾ cup of cheese, cooled vegetables and parsley.
4. Heat oil in a 25cm/10" ovenproof frying pan over medium heat until hot.  Add chopped garlic and let it fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Pour in the egg mixture.  Let it cook on the stovetop for 5 minutes or until the edges begin to set.  Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheese on top.
5. Place pan in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the frittata is just set and golden brown.  Avoid overcooking, bear in mind that the frittata will continue to cook in the pan with the residual heat after it is taken out of the oven.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven using thick mittens to protect your hands from heat.  Let it cool slightly before slicing up to serve.

 

Chicken Adobo 🇵🇭

People who might not be familiar with Filipino cuisine have probably eaten Chicken Adobo, a popular dish cooked with soy sauce ubiquitous in Asian stews plus a few signature ingredients being vinegar, bay leaves and whole black peppercorns.  The result is tender, juicy chicken coated in a savoury sauce with a hint of tanginess.  It is one of the easiest and satisfying meal you can make.  Dig deeper and you'll find many variations of Chicken Adobo so this is my take.  Don't be alarmed by the amount of peppercorns the recipe calls for.  They do mellow in the cooking process and infuse the dish with a subtle peppery aroma.  If you are worried about biting into them, coarsely cracked peppercorns can be substituted.  Serve with steamed rice and a salad.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg / 2lb 4oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 dried bay leaves
• ½ cup light soy sauce
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1½ cups water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• sea salt, to taste
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, for garnishing

METHOD

1. In a bowl or container, combine chicken with garlic, bay leaves soy sauce and vinegar.  Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or longer.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan on high heat.  Remove chicken from the marinade and place in the pan, in batches, to brown on both sides (about 1 minute on each side).  There is no need to fully cook the chicken at this stage.  Reserve the marinade.
3. Transfer the chicken, once browned, to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute or until softened.
5. Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper.  Scrape the pan with a spatula to incorporate the brown bits.  Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
6. Return the chicken to the pan.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tender, turning the chicken over half way through, but do not stir.
7. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.  Turn the heat up to medium-high and reduce the sauce for a few minutes, uncovered, until it is thick and syrupy.
8. Return the chicken to the pan and coat it in the sauce.  Season with salt to taste.  Garnish with green onions.  Serve over steamed rice.

Fennel, Artichokes, Broad Beans & Green Peas Salad

A very hot and dry summer in Perth is followed by an unusually mild and wet winter.  It's not September yet but flowers are already in full bloom.  I made this glorious Greek style salad to welcome the early arrival of spring.  Fennels are in season at the moment with their crunchy, mild anise-flavour white bulbs.  I go for ready to eat artichoke hearts from a jar, but if you have fresh artichokes and know what to do with them, enjoy the clean, earthy taste of their innermost part to the fullest in this recipe.  Fresh broad beans are delightful but need to be double podded unless they are very young, and not always available.  I find the frozen ones just as good, which is what I use.  Green peas add natural sweetness and a splash of colour. The salad is dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and flavoured with fresh herbs.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 300g / 10½oz frozen broad beans
• ½ fennel bulb, or 2 baby fennel bulbs (about 280g / 10oz)
• 200g / 7oz whole artichoke hearts packed in water or brine, drained and halved
• 250g / 9oz frozen green peas
• 60g / 2oz red onions, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• sea salt, to taste
• a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

METHOD

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.  Add the broad beans and cook for 4 minutes, or until tender.  Drain in a colander and rinse under cold tap water to cool.  Remove the tender, bright green beans from their pods.
2. Remove the stalks and trim the base(s) of the fennel bulb(s).  Reserve some of the green inner fronds.  Core and thinly slice the bulb(s).  Place slices in a bowl of ice water until ready to use.
3. Blanch frozen green peas in boiling water.  Drain in a colander and rinse under cold tap water to cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine the broad beans, fennel, artichoke, peas and red onion.
5. Pour in olive oil and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss well.  
6. Top with fennel fronds, parsley and mint.  Transfer to a large dish and serve.

 

 

Mee Goreng (Indonesian/Malaysian Style Fried Egg Noodles)

 

Instant noodles, sold as dried blocks in packages with little sachets of seasoning, have a reputation of being high in sodium with limited nutritional value and therefore not so good for you.  Yet they are convenient, reminding me of student days in college dormitories where many were consumed to satiate hunger at odd hours.  In hawker stalls throughout southeast Asia you will find these noodles (minus the seasoning packages) made into delectable Mee Goreng in hot woks with prawns, meat, vegetables and a signature sauce featuring Kecap Manis which is a thick sweet Indonesian soy sauce and tomato ketchup among all things.  You can use any thin egg/wheat noodles in this recipe, but I rather like the crinkly appearance of instant noodles.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 instant noodle cakes, about 150g / 5⅓oz* 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 100g / 3½oz chicken breast, sliced into bite size pieces
• 100g / 3½oz raw prawns (small to medium size), shelled and deveined
• 100g / 3½oz cabbage, shredded
• 100g / 3½oz bean sprouts
• 1 spring onion, sliced into 4cm / 1½" lengths

* I use the Indomie brand instant noodles, available from most supermarkets and Asian grocers.  The flavouring sachets that come with the noodles are not used in this recipe.

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (Indonesian chilli sauce) 

METHOD

1. Prepare noodles following package instructions.  (Usually, cook them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until 70% cooked.  Remove noodles from water and drain in a colander.  Rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process.)  Set aside.
2. In a bowl, place Kecap Manis, light soy sauce, ketchup, sesame oil and Sambal Oelek.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat until hot.  Pour in egg and swirl it around to make a thin omelette.  When the egg is almost set, roll it up gently with the spatula.  Remove to a cutting board to cool slightly, then slice up thinly into ribbons.
4. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in the wok over high heat until hot.  Add garlic and chicken.  Sauté for 1 minute or until they are almost cooked through.  Push them to one side of the wok and add the prawns.  Continue to sauté until the prawns change colour and curl up and the chicken is completely cooked.
5. Add cabbage and bean sprouts.  Toss for 1 minute or until they begin to wilt.
6. Add noddles and sauce.  Toss for 1 minute or until combined with all the ingredients.
7. Toss through spring onions and egg ribbons.  Serve immediately.

 

Mushroom & Fennel Ragu with Pappardelle

This pasta dish is going to make my vegetarian friends very happy.  More and more people I know are giving up meat in their diet for health, sustainability and other reasons.  Now then, when a Mushroom and Fennel Ragu with Pappardelle tastes so good,  no one will be missing anything from the animals.  Fennel and mushrooms which go brilliantly together are the main ingredients for this recipe.  The addition of dried porcini mushrooms brings an intensity of flavour to the sauce.  As for the pasta use the long, thick and very broad Pappardelle which holds all the tasty bits perfectly for your every mouthful.  (Fettuccine also works.)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 20g / ¾oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (reserve some small inner fronds for garnishing)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g / 7oz white button mushrooms, sliced
• 200g / 7oz Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine or vegetable stock
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 700g / 1½lb passata
• ½ cup thick cream
• 250g / 9oz Pappardelle or Fettuccine
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Place dried mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water and set aside for 30 minutes to rehydrate.
2. Heat oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat.  Add the fennel and sauté for 8 minutes or until softened.  Add garlic and sauté for a further minute.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until just tender.  Add the wine or stock and bring to the boil.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
4. Add rosemary and passata.  Bring it to the boil, then reduce heat to low.  Add the dried mushrooms and soaking water. 
5. Partially cover the pan with lid and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. 
6. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to boil with a good pinch of salt.  Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until they are al dente (tender but firm with a little bite).  Drain and return to the pan with 3 tablespoons of the pasta water.
7. When the ragu is ready, stir in cream and cook for a further 2 minutes or until heated through.  Season to taste.
8. Fold the pasta into the ragu mixture.  Top with grated parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

  

Chicken & Dumplings Soup

Chicken soup is cherished for its comforting and nourishing qualities, especially for a loved one convalescing from illness like a nasty bout of the flu.  While nothing beats a homemade stock made by stewing a whole chicken, this recipe using a quality shop-bought variety holds its own.  The soup is hearty and delicious with fluffy dumplings made of self raising flour, milk and butter.  When spoonfuls of the batter are dropped into the simmering stock, they become luscious sponge balls that soak up all the good flavours and enrich the soup with creaminess.  Why settle for an ordinary chicken soup when you can have it with dumplings as well?

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, sliced into small cubes
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 230g / 8oz skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, for garnishing

For dumplings:

• 1¼ cup self raising flour
• ¾ cup full fat milk
• 30g / 1oz butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, add self raising flour, milk, butter, salt and pepper.  Mix with a spatula until a smooth batter is formed.  Stir in the chopped parsley.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Sauté onion, carrot and celery for 3 minutes or until softened. 
3. Add chicken stock and bring it to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and add chicken pieces.  Let the chicken simmer in the stock for 3 minutes or until just cooked through.
4. While the soup is simmering, use a spoon to scoop up golf ball sized portions of the batter and drop them in.  They will look crowded floating on top of the soup, which is fine.  There would be enough batter to make about 12 dumplings.  (I suggest using an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, if you have one, for this action.)
5. Cover with a lid and let the dumplings simmer gently over low heat for about 5 minutes or until they are firming up on the underside.  Then, carefully turn each one over with a spoon to allow the other side to cook.
6. Cover the pot again and simmer for about 8 minutes over low heat or until the dumplings have cooked through.  Cut one open to check that the centre is not doughy.  Season to taste.  Garnish with chopped parsley.  Serve hot.