Pork Ribs with Orange Sauce

Ingredients

720g pork spare ribs, chopped
2 large oranges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
⅓ cup rice or tapioca flour
Oil

Marinade:

2 tablespoon light soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
a pinch of pepper

Orange Sauce:


200ml fresh orange juice
50ml orange liqueur (e.g. Cointreau)
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Zest the oranges and squeeze the juice
2. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish, add the pork ribs and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat some cooking oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Dust the marinated pork ribs with the flour. Fry the pork ribs until they become golden. Drain on paper lined plates to remove excess oil. Drain the oil and wipe pan clean.
4. Combine the orange sauce ingredients together in a jug and set aside
5. Put 2 tsp oil into another pan and sauté garlic until fragrant. Pour in orange sauce and bring it to the boil. Return the pork ribs back into fry pan and pour the orange sauce over the pork ribs, stir well to combine. Cover pan and cook on medium heat for a few minutes or until pork is cooked through.  Serve with orange slices and rice.

Apple Crumble

Apple crumble- it's a delicious, fruity and an old-style dessert that is real comfort food on a cold Winter's night. Apart from using apples, other fruit (or canned fillings) can be used such as rhubarb, cherry or peaches to make this crumble.

Ingredients

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges or 800g tinned apples
¼ cup, white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup plain flour
½ cup, firmly packed brown sugar
100g chilled butter, chopped into small cubes
¼ cup rolled oats
Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place the apples into a lightly greased 1.5L (6-cup) capacity oven-proof dish. Combine the white sugar and cinnamon powder in a bowl and mix until well blended. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apple slices in the baking dish and combine well.

Combine the flour, brown sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse briefly, or rub with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles very coarse breadcrumbs. Put this mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes, or if making ahead, in the fridge until you're ready to bake (this step improves the texture of the crumble topping, feel free to omit this step if you're pressed for time).

Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the apples. Sprinkle with oats if using.

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until apples are tender when poked and the topping is golden brown. Spoon the apple crumble into serving bowls. Serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Notes & Tips

Have fun experimenting with different ingredients in your Apple Crumble. Try these ideas:

Add frozen blueberries or raspberries to the apple.
Replace the apple with fresh in-season fruits or drained canned fruits.
Use 800g can baker's apple if fresh apples unavailable
Try adding nuts such as pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts, in the crumble.
Try adding dessicated coconut

Steamboat/Hot Pot

Why hotpot/steamboat is an ideal meal for social gatherings:

• It is so easy to prepare! It involves more of logistics (gathering ingredients) rather than any expertise in cooking. Hence anyone can host a fail-proof, yummy meal.
• You get to sit around the table for a long time as you cook your own food, hence promoting interaction and bonding
• You can choose almost any ingredients for your hotpot based on your preference and budget. It can be really lavish (with lobster, abalone etc) or really simple. Either way is totally delicious.

Ingredients for a Sumptuous Hot Pot (Steamboat) Feast

1) Equipment

A) Hot Pot

A gas powered hot pot

The basic equipment is of course a hot pot. I use one with a gas canister and my hotpot actually has a divider in case I want to have two different soup bases- one plain and one spicy.

B) Cutlery

Each person should have his/her own soup ladles as well as a slotted ladle to cook foods. Do provide an extra pair of chopsticks specifically for cooking raw meats. The other usual utensils include chopsticks, plates, bowls and soup spoons.

2) Soup base

I personally like to use instant chicken stock liquid with some finely chopped shallots to make a fuss free soup base. I don't think that it is necessary to brew a special soup base since the soup will become really sweet by the end of the meal due to all the ingredients that are cooked in it. If you cook sweet corn and carrots as part of your hotpot meal, at the end of the meal, the soup will be really sweet and you can also eat the sweet corn which will become very juicy.

Main Ingredients

A) Sliced Meats

Thinly sliced lamb and beef

Thinly Sliced Pork and Chicken

Due to the extremely thin slices (which are cut by machines), the meat will be cooked within seconds of dipping in hot broth. Because they are usually sold frozen (and vacuum sealed), you can buy them in advance and store in the freezer.

B) Seafood

Mussels (cleaned, scrubbed and debearded)

Fresh Prawns

Popular seafood for hot pot includes firm white fish fillets (e.g. Ling, Ocean Perch), prawns (either with shells on or heads, tails and veins removed, leaving only a bit of shell and a part of the tail intact), mussels, oysters, scallops, abalone (thinly sliced), squid, octopus and fish maw. 

C) Vegetables

"Tong Oh"

One of the most popular vegetables for hotpot is "tong oh". Other vegetables you can also add include Chinese cabbage, baby bok choy, baby choy sum and moon bok.

Chinese Cabbage

D) Mushrooms

You can use an assortment of mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and enoki mushrooms in your hotpot. 

E) Non Meats

Non meat choices include tofu (buy firm tofu which is recommended for steamboat/soup, cut to cubes), corn, carrots and daikon (cut to large chunks), tomato (cut to large wedges), and eggs. If you are adding eggs to your hotpot, add them at the very end because it will cause the soup to be murky. Eggs are also good to add into your bowl and to coat your other cooked ingredients.

F) Carbohydrates

Besides rice, you can also prepare long strand noodles which is a symbol of longevity (hence do not cut them to shorter strands). Popular hotpot noodles include udon and cellophane noodles. To prepare, soak the noodles in hot water for a few minutes than drain.

Wontons and dumplings are also common additions to steamboat/hotpot.

G) Meatballs

Lobster Balls

Beef Balls & Fish Balls

Stir Fried Beef Rice Noodles

If you've ever wondered how to achieve that soft, tender meat that you get from your local Chinese restaurant at home, then wonder no more. The Chinese method of tenderising meat is to marinate thinly sliced meat with baking soda! I've used fillet steak for the following recipe, however you can use a cheaper cut of meat when using this form of marinating since it will tenderise the meat so much, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference! Great tip for home cooks especially when watching the budget :)

Ingredients

600g beef eye fillet, thinly sliced
2 tsp baking soda
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced
1kg flat rice noodles, strands loosened
100g bean sprouts
2 shallots, cut into 2.5cm lengths
Sesame seeds, as garnish

Seasoning

2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (Shao Hsing wine)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Sauce

3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoon light soy sauce


Method

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 rest of the seasoning ingredients for at least 2 hours.

Heat the wok over high heat and add 2 tbsp oil. Stir fry the beef in several batches for 20 seconds then set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in the wok then add the onions and stir fry until they are lightly browned.

Toss noodles in and stir gently until heated through. Add combined soy sauces and stir fry until well mixed.

Return beef slices to the noodles, add bean sprouts and shallots then stir fry until heated through and all ingredients are mixed together well. Dish out and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top as a garnish, if desired.

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

4 eggs, at room temperature
4 English muffins, split
20g baby spinach leaves
100g smoked salmon

Hollandaise Sauce

1 tablespoon water
3 egg yolks
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Method

To make hollandaise sauce: process water and egg yolks in a food processor until creamy. With motor running, slowly add butter in a thin stream. This should take 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover surface with cling film.

To make poached eggs (the way professionals do it): Tear a square of cling film. Drizzle with oil, and spread with your fingers to evenly grease. Lay into a small cup or bowl, overhanging the sides. Break the egg into the cling film and pull the plastic up to gather it around the egg.

Expel all the air around the egg, and twist the cling film to shape the egg. Tie the plastic, sliding the knot down close to the egg to preserve the shape. Place into a pan of simmering water and poach for 5 minutes, until the white has set but the yolk is still runny.

Meanwhile, toast muffins. Top muffin base with spinach leaves and smoked salmon.

Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, place on top of the smoked salmon and using scissors, carefully cut the cling film below the knot. Gently peel away the cling film.

Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and season well. Serve.

Notes & Tips

Hollandaise sauce is a simple emulsion of butter, egg yolks and lemon juice. It is made easily in a blender or food processor and can be kept warm in a bowl sitting over warm water, the surface covered with cling film to stop a skin forming.

Musashi Japanese Restaurant

Hubby and I went to see Mary Poppins in Capitol Theatre and just before watching the show we thought we'd have dinner at a nearby restaurant. So I had a look at the Capitol Theatre website to see what restaurants were suggested and noticed Musashi Japanese Restaurant which is conveniently located next door to Capitol Theatre. Great!

When we arrived we noticed immediately that it was a popular place to eat. The restaurant was packed and looked very busy so we had to wait outside the restaurant (they apparantly don't take bookings). 15 minutes later we got a table inside the restaurant and immediately upon walking in, all the wait staff and sushi chefs greeted us in Japanese (I think they were saying welcome or hello??)

We kicked off with an entrée of soft shell crab- one of my favourite dishes. This soft shell crab was nice and crispy with just the right hint of spiciness. Presentation of this dish is beautiful and vibrant looking.

Mushashi Bento $24.80

Whilst waiting to order our food, I could see what some of the other tables had ordered and the nice displays of sushi and sashimi on their plates/platters. Since hubby and I didn't have a lot of time to sit down to a three course meal we decided to order a Mushashi bento box each so that we could get to try a bit of everything- sashimi, sushi, teriyaki chicken, tempura etc.

When our bento boxes arrived it looked so well presented and appetizing. The sashimi was very fresh and well prepared and the sushi delicately moulded. The tempura had a nice and crispy batter and did not taste oily and the teriyaki chicken was tender and not overly sweet.
Overall, the bento box contained good quality food with lots of variety and tasted absolutely delicious. The only disappointment with the bento box is that it didn't come with miso soup or rice. I had to pay extra for my miso soup ($2.80) but I'm just nit picking here.

Overall I had an enjoyable experience at Musashi. The food was delicious and was at a reasonable price. The service was polite despite the dinner rush and the waiters and waitresses rushed off their feet the entire time we were there.
Walking out, I hear the wait staff and sushi chefs shout out something in Japanese to us, maybe they're saying thank you for coming???

I must come back to try their desserts and their mocktails- I saw on their dessert menu they had tofu pannacotta and green tea creme brulee. Yum!

Pasta with Tuna, Chilli, Lemon and Thai Basil

Ingredients

300g dried ribbon pasta
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
425g can of tuna in brine, drained
3 eschalots, finely chopped
2 long red chillies, halved lengthwise, seeded, finely chopped
1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked

Method

1. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. 
2. To make lemon oil: place oil in a large frying pan. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly peel rind from lemons over the pan. Place pan over low heat and wait for the mixture to sizzle. Cook for a further minute, then remove from the heat. Remove lemon rind from oil and chop finely.
3. Meanwhile reheat the lemon oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook eschalots for 5 minutes or until soft. 
4. Add the lemon rind, pasta, tuna, chillies, basil and the juice of 1 lemon to the pan. Toss gently to combine and warm through. Serve.

Mock Vegetarian Meat Stir Fry in Bean Sauce

This recipe is keeping in the tradition of strict (Buddhist) vegetarians of not using onion, shallots, garlic or ginger, however if you're not strict with your food practices, feel free to add it into the recipe.

Ingredients

300g mock vegetarian meat pieces
1 small green capsicum, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 small red capsicum, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 long red chilli, chopped
1 small eggplant
100g mushroom, sliced
Thai basil a few sprigs
2 tsp lemongrass
4 tbsp of oil
2 tsp sesame oil
100ml of water
1 tsp of corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp of water
vegetable oil

For the stir-fry seasoning sauce:

2 tbsp crushed/ground yellow bean sauce
2 tsp of light soy sauce
1 tsp of dark soy sauce
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of Shaoxing wine/Chinese rice wine

Method

1. Mix together all the stir fry seasoning sauce ingredients in a small jug and set aside.
2. Heat up some oil in a wok over medium heat and pan fry eggplant, set aside on paper lined plates.
3. Heat up some more oil in a wok and stir-fry lemon grass and chilli at low heat until fragrant and aromatic.
4. Add in mock meat pieces, capsicum, eggplant, mushroom and stir-fry at high heat for 30 seconds.
5. Add in water and cover wok with tight lid for 30 seconds at high heat.
6. Add in stir fry seasoning sauce and Thai basil leaves. Stir fry for a further 30 seconds then serve with rice

Mushroom & Tomato Frittata

Frittatas are great. They're easy to make and with your own imagination, can be packed full of most staples or leftovers in your pantry and fridge. You can substitute the ingredients in this recipe with whatever you have on hand, use garlic butter instead of butter, substitute parsley with baby spinach or other herbs, add parmesan instead of cheddar etc. Whatever suits you and your family!

Ingredients

30g unsalted butter
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
2-3 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 eggs
50g cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat the grill to high.  
2. Melt 20g of the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and tomato wedges, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until tomato is just softened. 
3. Lightly beat eggs with 1½ tablespoon water in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Melt remaining butter in the frypan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, stir briefly, then cook for 5-6 minutes until golden underneath and nearly set. Place pan under hot grill for 3-4 minutes or until just set and top is golden. Slide onto a board, cut in half.

Notes & Tips

Serve frittata with salad leaves

Hazelnut & Espresso Macarons

I'm not a big fan of macarons. I'm not a big fan of meringues either but somehow I don't mind pavlova...
Feeling inspired after watching Adriano Zumbo make macarons on his TV show the other day, I decided to give it a go.

Not bad for a first attempt I must say! Would I ever make them again? Probably not. It was way too time consuming- probably took me a few hours to make and prepare and not even a minute to eat!

Recipe from The Dairy Kitchen Cookbook, page 19

Makes 16
Ingredients

1¼ cups pure icing sugar
125g hazelnut meal
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup thickened cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground coffee beans
1 teaspoon coffee essence (optional)
200g good quality white chocolate

Method

For the macarons, process icing sugar and nut meal in a food processor until very finely ground. Sift the mixture, discarding any leftovers.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, beating well between additions until sugar has dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Gently fold in nut mixture in batches. The mixture should run slowly down the sides of the bowl when tilted. If the mixture is too firm, add a little more runny egg white.

Using a piping bag with a small plain nozzle, pipe 4cm circles of the mixture onto baking paper lined trays. Stand trays at room temperature for at least 2 hours or until a dry glossy crust forms. Bake at 140°C for 15-17 minutes, until just firm but not coloured. Cool completely before using a metal spatula to carefully remove from trays.

For the ganache filling, heat the cream and coffee in a small saucepan until just simmering, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth and glossy. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thick. Sandwhich macaron shells together with piped ganache.

Notes & Tips

Assembled macarons will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container.

For dark chocolate espresso macarons, substitute dark chocolate in the ganache and lightly dust ground coffee over macaron shells before baking.