Beef stir-fry with garlic shoots

Ingredients

500g beef stir fry strips
1 bunch garlic shoots, cut into 4cm pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

Beef Marinade

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons corn flour
pinch of white pepper

Method

1. Marinate beef for at least 30 minutes
2. In the pan, add 1 tablespoon oil on a medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add the beef and cook until halfway.
3. Add the garlic shoots and stir fry until beef is cooked. 
4. Season with salt and pepper. Serve

Green Beans Stir Fried with Oyster Mushroom & Garlic

Recipe by Luke Nguyen

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g green beans, cut into 5cm lengths
100g oyster mushrooms, torn in half
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Coriander sprigs, to garnish

Method

Place a large frying pan or wok over high heat. 
Add the vegetable oil and fry the garlic until fragrant. 
Add the green beans and stir fry for 2 minutes, the add the oyster mushrooms, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and pepper. 
Toss for a further minute, then transfer to a plate. 
Garnish with coriander and serve immediately

Pippies wok-tossed with chilli & Asian basil

Recipe adapted from Luke Nguyen

Ingredients

1 ½ cups water
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised, finely sliced
1kg pippies/vongole
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon finely diced garlic
1 tablespoon finely diced red Asian shallots
1 tablespoon corn flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 long red chillies, finely sliced
1 handful Asian basil leaves
green shallots, to garnish

Method

In a large saucepan, bring water to the boil. Add lemongrass and pippies. Cover and cook until pippies open slightly (roughly 4 minutes).

In a bowl, add sugar, fish sauce & oyster sauce. Mix until sugar dissolves and set aside.

Strain the pippies, reserving its broth.

Heat a wok to high, add oil, garlic and red shallots, followed by the pippies, then wok toss for 1 minute.

Add the sauce and 6 tablespoons of the pippie broth, toss for a further minute, then add the dissolved corn flour.

Add chilli, pepper and Asian broth and toss to combine.

Papaya, Carrot & Sweet Corn Soup

Home style Chinese comfort food. This is great to drink in Summer or Winter for hydration

Ingredients

½ papaya, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1 sweet corn- chopped into large chunks
1 carrot, chopped
750ml-1L water
80g rock sugar
2 honey dates
1 ginger slice
1 white fungus (optional)

Method

1. Add all the ingredients into a pot and boil for 10 minutes
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes
3. Serve warm or cool

Sweet Basil Seed Drink

This is a really cool and refreshing beverage to drink on a hot summer day like today! Sometimes I make it ahead of time in the morning and by the afternoon, it's ready and cold enough to quench my thirst and cool me straight down.

It is a bit of a strange drink though since the basil seeds turn gelatinous once soaked in water. I also sometimes like to add some grass jelly cubes to this drink to make it more like a sweet dessert soup.

Ingredients

3 cups hot water
Approx 50g rock sugar, or to taste
2 teaspoons basil seeds
Mint, to garnish

Method

1. Mix the water, sugar and basil seeds together in a bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved
2. Stand for 5 minutes before cooling in the refrigerator. 
3. Add ice cubes prior to serving

Notes & Tips

I normally leave the drink in the fridge for at least 45 mins so that it has enough time to cool down. 

You can also add honey to this drink if your prefer it sweeter

Stir-fried hoisin pork and beans

Recipe adapted from Feast Magazine, October 2014 issue, page 36

Ingredients

375g green beans
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 spring onions, sliced
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon ginger, finely grated
500g minced pork
chopped chillies, extra to garnish (optional)

Method

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the green beans for about 3 minutes, or until just tender. Using tongs, transfer the green beans to a plate lined with paper towels and cool to room temperature. 
2. Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil in a jug. Set aside
3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the spring onions, chilli, garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute or until softened. 
4. Increase heat to high and add the pork. Cook for 7 minutes or until browned and slightly crisp.
5. Add the hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil and beans, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. Serve with steamed rice.

Peking Style Shredded Pork

Ingredients

350g pork, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon baking soda
green shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pork Marinade 

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1½ teaspoons chicken stock powder
1 teaspoon cornflour
pinch of ground white pepper

Sauce 

2 tablespoons spicy bean paste sauce 
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar

Method

Marinate the pork with the baking soda for 10 minutes and then rinse clean the pork thoroughly of the baking soda. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and then marinate with the Chinese cooking wine, chicken stock powder, corn flour and ground white pepper. Mix well and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

In a sauté pan, heat up 2 tablespoons of oil on high heat. Add pork and stir fry until half cooked, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Using the same sauté pan, reduce to medium heat. Add bean paste sauce, water and sugar. Sauté until sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Add back the pork to sauté until fully cooked. Sprinkle over the sliced green onions. Serve with rice.

Shredded Pork with Carrot & Garlic Shoots

This is a Chinese home-style dish. The pork in this dish is smooth and tender, whilst the garlic shoots & carrot are fresh and crunchy. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

250g-300g lean pork fillet

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 bunch garlic shoots, cut into 5cm long sections

1 carrot, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon cornflour

salt and white pepper powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

Step 1: Marinate the pork with the baking soda for 10 minutes and then rinse the pork thoroughly (make sure the pork is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda). Pat the pork dry with paper towels and then marinate with the soy sauce, sugar and cornflour. Add a pinch of salt and white pepper powder. Mix well and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, swirling to coat sides. Add the pork and stir-fry until the meat turns pale yellow in colour. Remove them from the wok put into a dish, and set aside.

Step 3: Add the remaining vegetable oil into the wok. Add the carrot strips and garlic shoots and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add some salt and pepper powder, and stir-fry for 10 seconds more. Add the stir-fried pork and stir them well. Turn off the heat. Serve with rice

Strawberry Mousse Chocolate Cake

This is a revised recipe of my strawberry mousse cake. I first made this cake for my mum's birthday and have since made it again for a Christmas family gathering. 

Ingredients

A) 1x 20cm chocolate sponge cake, cut into 2 even layers

B) 300g strawberry, cleaned and hulled
     ¼ cup caster sugar
     1 tablespoon water
     1 teaspoon strawberry essence

C)  300ml cream
     3 tablespoons icing sugar
     ½ teaspoon pink food colouring (optional)

D) 1 tablespoon gelatine powder 
     50ml warm water 

E)  Extra strawberries sliced and cubed (I used approx 1/3cup)

F)  100ml thickened cream

     1 tablespoon icing sugar, extra

G)  Sugar syrup glaze (optional)

H)  6 even sized strawberries, halved for garnish 

Method

1. Set aside 6 even sized strawberries for the garnish on top of the cake.
2. Dice approx. 1/3 cup strawberries and set aside.
3. Clean and hull the remaining strawberries. Add ¼ cup caster sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Purée them in a blender together with 1 tablespoon of water and 1 teaspoon strawberry essence then put it through a strainer. You should get about 400ml strawberry purée. Discard the strawberry seeds. Reserve 1½ tablespoons of the purée for the swirl effect on top of the cake.
4. In a chilled bowl, whip 300ml cream with 3 tablespoons icing sugar till mousse state.
5. Dissolve 1 tablespoon gelatine in 50ml warm water, whisk with a fork, let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk the gelatine again then strain it into the strawberry purée. Stir until combined. 
6. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture. Add pink food colouring, if using. Pour into a measuring jug if your bowl doesn't having a pouring lip.
7. Line the inner circumference of a 23cm spring form cake pan with plastic cake tape. Place a slice of the chocolate sponge cake at the base, cut side up and top it with approx. 1 cup of the mousse. Add in the strawberry pieces (leave a 2cm border around the cake). Press the fruits down gently if needed. Top it with some mousse just enough to cover the strawberry pieces.
8. Top it with another layer of chocolate sponge cake and pour the rest of the mousse evenly over on it.
9. Spoon teaspoonfuls of the reserved purée onto the surface of the mousse on desired positions and swirl it with a toothpick to create the swirls. I put a few teaspoons on the middle of the cake and the rest at clock position of 12, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10.
10. Cover the cake pan with cling wrap (twice). Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
11. Make the sugar syrup, then brush the reserved halved strawberries with sugar syrup. Set aside.
12. Use an electric beater to beat 100ml thickened cream and 1 tablespoon icing sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. 
13. Place the cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Arrange some glazed strawberries around the cake between the cream rosettes. 
14. Cut the cake into wedges to serve. 

To make sugar syrup:

50ml (1/4 cup) water

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon unflavoured gelatine powder

1. Pour water, sugar and gelatine powder into a small sauce pan.
2. Stir the ingredients to combine over medium heat until the sugar and gelatine dissolves and the water begins to simmer.
3. Remove the pan from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Brush the glaze over fruit while slightly warm.

Notes & Tips

• I lined the inner circumference of my spring form cake pan with plastic cake tape.
• You can make your own plastic cake tape using clear acetate sheets bought from an arts & craft store. Start by measuring the height of the cake pan (approx 2.5 inches) and cut a long rectangular strip out of the acetate sheet (length of the strip is the circumference of the cake + 2 cm extra).
• You could also decorate this cake with a patterned white chocolate collar if you wish
• If you can't find acetate sheets, you can use baking paper instead
• I placed my cake into a larger spring form cake pan- approx. 23cm. This way the mousse will cover the whole cake and you don’t need to cream the cake. If you don't have a larger spring form cake pan, you can trim your cake smaller.
• If you notice that you have not completely covered the cake with the mousse, you could do a bit of patchwork by using up the left over cream for the rosettes- add  ¼ tsp pink food coloring to the cream and spread/fill in the spaces and smooth it out using a cake scraper. 
• If you don't have strawberry essence, you could use strawberry flavoured gelatine powder instead
• You'll need approx. 2 punnets of strawberries for this recipe.

Salmon with Snow Peas & Soba Noodles

Coles Magazine, July 2013 issue page 19

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g skinless boneless salmon fillets
70ml teriyaki sauce
200g snow peas
270g pkt soba noodles
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
pinch sugar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan, and line an oven tray with baking paper. Brush the salmon with 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to rest.
2. Meanwhile, place the snow peas in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 minutes, then drain and transfer to a bowl of iced water to refresh (this stops them cooking and preserves the colour). Drain, then spread over a clean tea towel and gently pat dry. Trim the tops and thinly slice lengthways.
3. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the soba noodles, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain well. Rinse under cold water. Drain well again. Combine the snow peas, noodles and spring onion in a bowl. Combine the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and remaining teriyaki sauce. Drizzle over the noodle mixture. Toss to combine.
4. Break the salmon into pieces, and serve on the noodle mixture, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Ma Po Tofu with Snake Beans

This is another one of my mum's recipes. She's put her own spin on the home style dish "ma po tofu" by adding snake beans and a few other ingredients. I love how easy it is to prepare this dish and how delicious it tastes.

Ingredients

500g pork mince
1 teaspoon cornflour
4 tablespoons Amoy Ma Po Tofu Sauce
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon oil
100g snake beans, cut into 2cm pieces
300g silken tofu, diced

Method

1. Season the pork with the cornflour and a bit of pepper
2. Mix all the sauces together- ma po tofu, tomato and sweet chilli sauce in a bowl then set aside
3. Add oil to wok over high heat, add the pork, stir fry until browned, then add the beans
4. When the pork and beans are almost cooked, add the sauces and mix well, then add the diced tofu. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot with rice.

Beef and Bean Stir Fry

Recipe adapted from Thai Creative Cooking page 56-57

Ingredients

2 teaspoons baking soda
500g topside or round steak, cut into thin strips
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce 
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
185g snake or green beans, cut into 10cm lengths
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons coriander

Method

1. Marinate the beef with the baking soda for 20 minutes and then rinse the beef thoroughly (make sure that the beef is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda). Pat the beef dry with paper towels and then marinate with the sesame oil, sugar and soy sauce. Mix well, cover and let marinate several hours or overnight, refrigerate.
2. Heat oil and garlic together in a wok over a medium heat, increase heat to high, add beef and stir fry for 3 minutes, or until beef turns colour.
3. Add beans, lime leaves, sugar, soy, fish sauce and stir fry for 2 minutes or until beans turn colour. Stir in coriander and serve immediately.

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Thai Chicken Laksa

Today is day 6 of my Jamie Oliver challenge.

This meal took me about 25 minutes to cook. I think because I took longer, I ended up boiling off some of the liquid and once the noodles went into the pot, it absorbed all the liquid hence my laksa didn't end up "soupy". But, it still tasted fantastic! Bursting with lots of flavours. Whoever thought a tasty laksa could be created in less than half an hour?! The only change I would make next time, would be to increase the amount of chicken since there didn't seem like there was enough to go with the amount of noodles.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 44

Serves 4
656 calories

Ingredients

Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 heaped teaspoon Chinese five-spice
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 fresh red chilli

Laksa
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
½ butternut pumpkin,
2 cloves of garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
1 fresh red chilli
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ a bunch of spring onions
1 heaped teaspoon peanut butter
4 dried kaffir lime leaves
½ a bunch of fresh coriander
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon low salt soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
300g medium rice noodles
2 bunches of asparagus (600g)
1 x 400g tin of light coconut milk
2-3 limes

*Ingredients out *Kettle boiled *Griddle pan, high heat *Large lidded pan, high heat *Food processor (coarse grater & bowl blade)

Method

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five spice. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin. Place on the hot griddle pan, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through. Pour about 800ml of boiling water into the large pan and crumble in the stock cube.

Grate in the food processor, then tip into the boiling stock. Swap to the bowl blade in the processor and add the peeled garlic and ginger, the chilli, turmeric, trimmed spring onions, peanut butter, dried lime leaves, coriander stalks (reserving the leaves), sesame oil, soy and fish sauces. Blitz to a paste, then tip into the stock and add the noodles.

Trim the asparagus and cut in half. Add to the pan, pour in the coconut milk and as soon as it boils, taste, correct the seasoning with soy sauce and lime juice, then turn the heat off. Drizzle the honey over the charred chicken, squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, scatter with the sesame seeds and toss to coat. Serve with the laksa and lime wedges, sprinkling everything with the coriander leaves and slices of fresh chilli.

Avocado and Vegetable Rice Paper Rolls

Recipe adapted from Super Food Ideas, November 2009 issues, page 71

Ingredients

8 rice paper wrappers
½ cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 small carrot, peeled grated
1 medium Lebanese cucumber, cut into strips
1 medium avocado, peeled, cut into strips
Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Method

1. Pour hot water into a heatproof bowl until half full. Dip 1 rice paper wrapper in water. Place on a flat surface. Stand for 20 to 30 seconds or until soft enough to roll without splitting.
2. Place one-eighth of lettuce along 1 edge of 1 wrapper. Top with one-eighth each of carrot, cucumber and avocado. Fold in ends. Roll up firmly to enclose filling. Cover with a damp tea towel to prevent roll drying out. Repeat with remaining wrappers, lettuce, carrot, cucumber and avocado. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Notes & Tips

Replace water if it gets too cold to soften wrappers.

For variation you can add the following:

Smoked salmon, Teriyaki chicken, vermicelli rice noodles, mint, perilla leaves, beansprouts

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Crispy Duck Hoi Sin Lettuce Parcels

Today is day 4 of the Jamie Oliver challenge.

So I thought I had cashew nuts in the pantry, but then as I was getting all my ingredients out, I realised I had none. It turns out that what I thought were cashew nuts were in fact peanuts. I made the mistake of only glancing at my pantry rather than thoroughly looking at the packaging when I was putting my shopping list together. Oh well! I guess there'll be no cashews in my dish then. The recipe also called for silken tofu but I mistakenly bought firm tofu which still worked out okay. I actually felt it was better since they held their shape better once I sliced them up. I also made a few modifications to this recipe to suit our tastebuds- like omitting the radishes and cress and tossing the hoi sin sauce with the duck in the pan rather than drizzling it over the top. I found this dish easy enough to prepare. It was a bit messy to eat, but it was very yummy and tasty, and is a modern twist on san choy bow.

Recipe adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 54

Serves 4
738 calories

Parcels
4 nests of fine egg noodles
1 large iceberg lettuce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons hoi sin sauce
3 limes
1 clove of garlic
300g silken/firm tofu
5 sprigs of fresh coriander
sweet chilli sauce

Duck
2 x 200g duck breasts, skin on
1 heaped teaspoon Chinese five-spice
olive oil
1 fresh red chilli (optional)
2 spring onions
1 handful of cashew nuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon runny honey

*Ingredients out * Kettle boiled * Small lidded pan, medium heat *Large frying pan, medium heat

Method

Put the noodles into the small pan and cover with boiling water and the lid. Cut the duck into 1cm dice, toss with salt, pepper and the five-spice, then put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss regularly. Cut the lettuces in half through the stalk, remove the stalk, then separate the leaves into cups and arrange on a large clean tray or platter.

Drain the noodles and toss with the sesame oil, then divide them between the lettuce cups. Finely slice the chilli and trimmed spring onions. When the duck is nice and golden, pour away any excess fat, then stir in the chilli, spring onions, cashews and sesame seeds, and toss regularly.

Put the hoi sin sauce into a bowl, squeeze in the juice from 3 limes, squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher and mix together. Drizzle the duck with the honey, shake the pan to coat, then tip it evenly over the lettuce cups. Cut the tofu into rough 2cm chunks and sprinkle it in and around the lettuce cups. Scatter over the baby radishes and coriander leaves, then snip over the cress. Drizzle the hoi sin dressing over everything from a height and drizzle each piece of tofu with a little sweet chilli sauce. Serve with lime wedges.

Wok-fried green beans with chilli pork

Ingredients


500g pork, coarsely minced
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornflour
2 tsp caster sugar
Salt and pepper
200g green or snake beans
1 red capsicum (approx 200g)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp chilli bean sauce (toban djan*)

Method

Mix the pork with soy sauce, cornflour, sugar, salt and pepper and set aside.

Trim the beans and cut on the diagonal into 5cm lengths. Cut the red capsicum lengthwise into thin strips, discarding core and seeds. Cook the beans and red capsicum in simmering, salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then pat dry.

Heat half the oil with the garlic in a wok. When hot, stir fry the beans and red capsicum for 4 mins until scorched. Remove to a warm platter. Heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the pork over high heat for 4 mins, tossing well. Add the rice wine, chilli bean sauce, the vegetables and a dash of water to the pork, tossing well for 2 mins, and serve with steamed rice.

* From Chinese food stores.

Thai Red Duck Curry with Pineapple & Lychees

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoons red curry paste
250ml chicken stock
270ml coconut cream
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown or palm sugar
1 small red capsicum, seeded and chopped into 2cm pieces
¾ cup chopped fresh pineapple, cut into 2cm pieces
½ cup fresh or canned lychees, halved
10 cherry or grape tomatoes
2 duck breasts, trimmed
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons whole Thai basil leaves
½ teaspoon finely shredded Kaffir lime leaves
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the curry paste and stir fry for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock, coconut cream, fish sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes then add the pineapple, lychees and tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the duck breasts for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown and cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and drain on paper towel. Cover and keep warm. (Rest the duck)
3. Thickly slice the duck. Stir lime juice through red curry mixture and divide among serving bowls. Top with duck and sprinkle with basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves. Serve with rice.

Notes & Tips

You can substitute duck breasts with ½ Chinese barbecue duck. Remove skin and bones, shred the flesh and place on an oven tray. Place in a 180°C oven and cook for 10 minutes or until duck is warmed through.

To help release the fat from duck breasts, prick skin all over with a fork before adding to the pan.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

I love a good curry- it's sweet, rich, spicy and warming to the belly. Making curry from scratch makes the best tasting curry but if you don't have the time, using a good brand of pre-made curry paste and coconut milk can still taste just as good.
Curry is also great to prepare the night before to allow the flavours to build up and intensify. Just make sure that when you reheat it, do it slowly so that you don't allow the coconut milk to boil or you'll end up curdling it- which is what happened to mine when I made this curry for a family dinner on Xmas day! It doesn't affect the flavour too much but doesn't make your curry look very attractive since you'll have small uneven lumps floating on the surface.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1kg boneless & skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
6 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
400ml coconut milk
250ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown or palm sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 small baby eggplant- halved lengthways, cut into 2cm pieces
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped or 1 large zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 small broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets or 100g beans, topped
50g baby corn- halved lengthways
Sliced red chilli, Thai basil leaves & finely shredded kaffir lime leaves to garnish
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a high heat, add onions and cook for 3 minutes or until golden. Stir in curry paste and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Add chicken, basil, lime leaves, lemongrass, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime juice and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, add all the vegetables and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender and sauce is thick. Serve garnished with chilli, basil and kaffir lime leaves. Serve with steamed rice

Notes & Tips

Depending on the brand of curry paste you use it can vary in heat and flavour intensity. I've used anywhere between 1 tablespoon to half a jar! It depends on how hot you like your curry and how familiar you are with the brand you use. Experiment until you find the right one for you.

I prefer to use the Maesri brand green curry paste but it's very, very hot! So use no more than 1 tablespoon if you like your curry mild.

Make ahead tips:

If making the curry the night before, do not add the lime juice until right at the end when ready to serve

Add the chicken and vegetables during reheating to keep chicken moist and vegetables crisp

Reheat the curry over a low temperature to avoid coconut milk from curdling

Short Soup with Dumplings (Cheat's Version)

Recipe from Coles Magazine, October 2012 issue, page 43

Ingredients

1L chicken stock
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup water
2x 200g pkts Crazy Dragon Dumplings
1 cup shredded wombok
3 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Heat stock, soy and water in a saucepan on high, until boiling. Reduce heat to low. Add dumplings and cook according to packet directions.
2. Remove from heat. Stir through wombok. Ladle into bowls and top with sliced spring onions.

Egg & Onion Stir Fry

Growing up, this was one of my favourite dishes that I would love to eat. It's very home-style and makes a great side dish.

Ingredients

5 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, sliced half moon
spring onions, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Whisk eggs, water, sugar and salt together in a bowl then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and fry until soft and translucent
4. Add egg mixture, cook for a few minutes then turn off the heat to allow residual heat to cook through the eggs. Garnish with spring onions