Bubbles n Squeaks

Thai Style Pomelo Salad

2012-02-05T20:42:00.002+11:00

One thing that drives me absolutely insane with supermarkets and markets in Melbourne (and maybe it is everywhere else too!) is the unreliability that when you go there, the food you want will be there! And it's not just with the seasonal exotic produce either. Sometimes, you want scallops in the half shell and they're not there, or coriander, and it's not there. What's wrong with you people!!

Pomelo is one such case, though granted, i doubt it sells much in Melbourne. Before i went to thailand I'd never eaten it before, but now i keep my eye out in south east asia for it whenever i'm there. For the uninitiated, pomelo tastes much like a less intense version of a grapefruit. But it's not about the flavour so much as the texture, to me. Beneath the giant fruit's skin (they're like bowling ball size!) is a grapefruit sized mass of segments, each segment containing little balls of juice!It's truly a delight to eat.

Ingredients (Serves 2 as main)

1 pomelo
20 raw prawns, shelled
50gm roasted peanuts
4 tbsp coconut milk
4 tbsp dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped coriander
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili flakes
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar

Method

Cut the pomelo about 1 inch deep all around then use your thumbs to pry the pomelo into 2 halves; this will help prevent bursting the pods

Remove the skin from the pomelo and then peel open each segment, flicking out the 'beads' of juice in as large chunks as you can get. Set aside.

Finely chop the garlic and onion.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat
Add the garlic, onion and chili flakes and saute until golden and very soft
Pour over the coconut milk, stir through, and set aside.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coconut until just barely golden.

Coarsely crush the peanuts.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil
Add the prawns and poach for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl of iced water, then drain

In a small bowl combine the lime juice with the fish sauce and sugar and stir until dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the coriander, prawns and pomelo.
Add the coconut and peanuts and toss with hands.
Add the onion/coconut milk mixture, and the fish sauce mixture, and continue to toss
Transfer to serving plates and enjoy.

Australia Day Lammies

2012-01-28T12:03:00.002+11:00

I am proud to be an Australian. I think that my county is a beautiful one, with beautiful landscapes, animals, cities, waters, flora, food and people. Some of my favorite things about Australia include:

Our flag. I really like the Aussie flag. I guess the powers that be said that if we're getting a really bad national anthem, we should get a nice flag to compensate.
Australian bluntness. I could not imagine calling my boss 'sir' at work. Or having to hide my opinions and defer to the natural order of seniority. Aussies tell it like it is. Go us!
Multiculturism. Being a closet asianophile (maybe not so closeted) i love that we have such diversity in our city centres. This is something we need to realize and embrace, because at the moment, we're not doing a good job here.
Australian food. Tim tams. Vegemite. Lamingtons. Cherry Ripe bars. Pavlova. Meat pie and sauce. Barbeques. Not only to we have all of these daggy things, but we have amazing examples of every other cuisine, all over the place.

This recipe is what Australia Day would be all about... if it were designed by the gay director of a Rock Eisteddford act.

Ingredients (Makes around 20 lamingtons)

125gm butter
1 cup sugar
Dash of vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
2 cups coconut, dessicated
1 packet of raspberry jelly
1 packet of blueberry jelly
250ml cream
2 tbsp sugar for the filling
1 tsp vanilla for the filling
1/2 jar jam

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Grease and line a 30cm baking tray

Cut the butter into pieces.

Place in the food processor with sugar and blend until well combined.
Blend through the vanilla.
Blend through the eggs, one by one until well combined.
Fold through half of the flour followed by half of the milk

Repeat with the other half of the flour and milk.
Pour the mixture into the baking tray
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to cool completely on a rack
Trim the edges of the cake and cut the cake into 20 or so 'fingers'
Make the 2 batches of jelly at double strength (typically 1 cup water to 1 packet jelly rather than 2 cups)
Refrigerate until the jelly is just beginning to set.

Pour the coconut into a shallow dish for rolling.
Quickly dip all sides of each lamington in either red or blue jelly, then roll in coconut

Repeat for all lamingtons.
Leave to rest for at least an hour.

In a large bowl, combine 2 tbsp sugar with the cream and vanilla.

Whip until quite stiff

Cut the lamingtons in half.

Place 1 tsp of jam on each lamington followed by a dollop of cream

Top with the other half of the lamington.

Rich Tomato & Capsicum Gazpacho with Garlic Croutons

2012-01-21T23:55:00.001+11:00

Some people really don't like the idea of cold soups, but once you try them, you'll love them! The important thing to remember is that seasoning for cold soups is different - your sensitivity to sourness and salt is reduced, so you need to be a bit more heavy handed with these ingredients. It's so refreshing on a summer evening to tuck into a refreshing chilled soup, particularly utilizing the delicious juicy red tomatoes that abound at the moment.

Ingredients (Serves 4 as entree)

1kg ripe tomatoes
1 large red capsicum
3 cloves garlic
Canola oil spray
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 lebanese cucumber
1 red onion
3 scallions
3 slices pane di casa or similar rustic heavy bread

Method

To make the croutons, preheat oven to 160 degrees
Place the bread in the oven, turning occasionally, until dried out and crisp

Remove from the oven and run one of the garlic cloves over each side of the bread pieces.
Cut into 1cm cubes and return to oven for a further 10 minutes.

Set aside
Turn the oven up to 220 degrees
Cut the onion into quarters and place on a baking tray with the capiscum and tomatoes
Spray lightly with the canola oil spray and season with salt

Transfer to oven and bake until well charred (the onion may need to be removed earlier than the others)

Leave to cool then remove the skins and seeds from the capsicum and tomatoes

Transfer to a blender and blend well
Peel and seed the cucumber and dice into 1cm pieces

Add half of the cucumber, the spices, oil and vinegar to the blender and blend through.

Check seasoning and add salt or more vinegar if necessary
Finely slice the scallions into a julienne

Chill for 2 hours then serve with the croutons and remaining cucumber on the side and garnish with the scallions

Finely Chopped Tuna on Rice

2012-01-21T13:59:00.004+11:00

I've been on a slight health kick lately, probably subconsciously linked to new years resolutions! But also, the summery weather has just been calling out to me for fresh produce and evening jogs through Hawthorn. So despite the posting of sweets and other goodies, my diet has been largely composed of veges and unprocessed foods. Like this!

Before cooking this dish i had been going weeks with a craving for tuna sashimi. But how does one make an entire meal out of raw fish? An appetizer alone was not going to satisfy me, and when i tried to get a table at Kenzan@GPO there was no seats available!

Fear not, i found this fantastic recipe from Neil Perry on the Cuisine website. This i believe is the first Neil Perry recipe i've ever cooked (well, adapted), and i am happy to say that i'm not in the least disappointed. This meal was so fresh and zingy, and really luxurious but healthy at the same time. Highly recommended to anyone who likes sashimi and a bit of spice!

Ingredients (per person):

1/2 cup short grain rice
100g raw sashimi-quality tuna
1 scalion cut into rounds
1/3 cup chopped coriander
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp grated daikon
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp hot bean paste
1 pinch caster sugar
1 tsp rice wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 dash sesame oil

Method

Place the sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant then set aside

Rinse and drain the rice then place in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water (not if you're multiplying this recipe just put in the same amount of water as rice, i.e. 1 cup rice and 1 cup water).
Cover and bring to the boil
Reduce heat and simmer until all water has been absorbed
Remove from heat and leave to sit, covered for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the rest of the meal.
Dice the tuna into 1cm pieces

Combine the tuna with the daikon, ginger, scalions and coriander in a large bowl

In a small bowl, combine the rice wine, soy, sesame oil, bean paste and sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour over the tuna and mix will.
To serve, lay the rice as a bed onto the serving plate
Layer the tuna mixture on top
Make a slight well in the centre of the tuna and place the egg yolk there
Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top
Enjoy

Butterscotch Blondie Bars

2012-01-14T23:25:00.001+11:00

Ingredients (Makes about 40 pieces)

Blondie Base

2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Caramel Top

1 1/2 cups pretzels, coarsely crushed
3 cups unsalted peanuts
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup honey
1 heaped tablespoon butter

Method

Blondie Base

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Line a 30cm baking tray, leaving an overhang to help pull the slice out later with

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl

Place the brown sugar in another bowl
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and boil until it begins to darken

Add to the brown sugar and beat well until it's cooled slightly

Add the 2 eggs and vanilla and beat again until well combined
Stir through the flour mixture

Spread the mixture across the lined baking tray

Transfer to oven for 20-25 minutes or until beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan
Leave to cool completely in the tin

Caramel Top

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place the peanuts on a baking tray and transfer to oven

Bake for 10-20 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to become golden
Cool and mix with the pretzels

Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved

Raise the heat and boil the sugar mixture, without stirring, for 12-15 minutes or until a light amber color is reached
Add the honey and cook for a further 2 minutes

Remove from the heat and stir through the butter
Once the butter has dissolved, add the cream
Mix through the peanuts and pretzels

Spread over the top of the cooled blondie base
Refrigerate in the tin for 2-3 hours before slicing. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before you wish to serve them.

Palak Paneer (and how to make paneer)

2012-01-14T20:46:00.002+11:00

I made cheese! Wohoo! I love activities where in cooking where i can make the components that you're so used to buying ready made. It adds another level to the care and control you have over a dish. And in this case, paneer is so cheap and so easy to make, I'm sure it, or other home made cheeses, will appear in other recipes down the line.

Palak Paneer is a vegetarian curry using paneer instead of meat, and with spinach as the basis for the sauce. Paneer has a taste and texture similar to firm ricotta (in fact this whole dish rings of cannelloni filling to me); as such, it acts in this dish as a conveyor of the sauce's flavor rather than as a distinct flavoring element of its own.

Happy cheese making!

Ingredients
Paneer (Per 1 main serve)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 litre full cream milk
Cheesecloth or muslin
Palak Paneer (4 serves)
300gm paneer
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
500gm spinach, pureed
1/2 cup cream
1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
1 heaped teaspoon cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 onion, chopped finely
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp canola oil
Method
Paneer
Place a colander in your sink and line with cheesecloth, muslin,or even a clean tea towel
Combine the lemon juice with 1/4 cup water
Place the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring regularly
Remove from the heat and pour in the lemon juice
The milk should split into white curds (the paneer) and a clearish yellow liquid (whey). If the curds are not defined or the whey is very milky, add more lemon juice.
Return to the heat and cook for a further 2 or so minutes.
Pour the contents of the saucepan into the colander through the cloth; the whey should pass through and the paneer curds remain
Rinse the curds well with warm water
Gather the edges of the cloth and wring out the paneer, to remove as much water as you can
Hang the paneer over the sink and leave for 30 minutes or so for more water to come out.
Finally, place the paneer, still in the cloth, under a heavy weight like a cast iron pot, to press out any remaining liquid.
Knead the paneer on a clean bench (it will be crumbly at first but stick to it).
Form into a brick shape.
Refrigerate or freeze until required.

Palak Paneer
Cut the paneer into cubes
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat
Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes
Add the ginger and garlic and saute until browned
Add the cumin and saute for 1 more minute
Add the tomatoes and saute until they form a paste
Add the spinach, cream, chili and garam masala
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Carefully stir through the cubed paneer and leave to simmer until heated through
Serve with freshly cooked roti.

Cauliflower Steaks with Baked Fennel & Red Pepper Sauce

2012-01-09T21:11:00.003+11:00

My vegetarian recipe for the week! This recipe is a combination and tweaking of a couple of recipes i saw on Bon Appetit. I happen to love cauliflower, red peppers and fennel! So this 'salad' of sorts in a combination of a few of my favorite veges. I guess in the end it's not really a summer salad, but it was still delicious on a crisp Melbourne summer eve.

On a side note I'm totally jealous of the skills of an awesome person i recently met named Kai who is taunting me with photos of batches of macarons he is making seemingly with incredible ease! Whilst these delicious treats are something i still haven't quite mastered, his macarons are shop-worthy perfections, and tonight he sent me images of... salted caramel macarons!

It's not fair. I'm going to see if i can coax a guest post out of him so he can share a few of his secrets.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 head of cauliflower
3 baby fennel
juice and zest of 1 large lemon
1 bunch parsley, chopped
5 tomatoes
1 red pepper
100gm feta
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 scallions, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Cut the tomatoes and peppers into large pieces and place in a baking pot
Transfer to oven and cook for 30 minutes or until very soft

Puree or pass through a fine sieve and set aside.

Clean out the pot and place back over the stove at medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil
Cut the fennel bulbs each into 6 wedges and transfer to the pot

Saute until the fennel begins to turn slightly golden
Combine the shallots, lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, some salt and pepper and half of the parsley in a bowl

Mix through the fennel, cover and transfer to the oven

Bake for 20 minutes or until the shallots are golden.

Transfer to another bowl.
Cut the cauliflower into 4 1/2 inch thick steaks; don't stress if they break up a bit, it happened to me!
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat
Add 2 'steaks' and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden

Transfer to oven and cook for a further 15 minutes or until soft throughout
Repeat for the other 2 steaks.
To plate, spoon some of the sauce onto a plate and top with the cauliflower and some of the fennel.
Then top with some of the remaining parsley and scallions and crumble feta over all.

Pistachio & Cranberry Biscotti Dipped in Dark Chocolate

2012-01-08T21:22:00.000+11:00

I've joined a new team in my company, and the best way to a new team's heart is through their tummies! I've already brought in some of my mini mudcakes topped with mocha icing, and this is my second goodie to bring in.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
100gm unsalted butter
1 cup cranberries
300gm dark chocolate
2/3 cup pistachios
1 pinch ground star anise
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees
Coarsely chop 100gm of chocolate and mix with the cranberries and pistachios.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.

In a mixer or food processor, mix the butter and sugar until well combined.
Add the eggs, blending well after each one.

Blend through the star anise and vanilla.
Pour the blended mixture over the flour and mix until just combined.
Add the cranberries, chocolate and pistachios and stir through

Turn onto a floured surface and knead until just together.
Split into 3 balls.

Roll each ball into a log about 5cm wide and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, 2 inches apart

Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes

Leaving the oven on, remove and rest for 10 minutes
Cut the logs into 1 inch thick pieces with a serrated knife and place on lined baking trays

Return to the oven and bake for 8 minutes on each side
Transfer to racks and leave to cool.
Chop the remaining chocolate and melt over a double boiler

Dip each biscotti into the chocolate, covering half.

Leave for the chocolate to set.
Enjoy with a nice espresso

Spicy Roast Chicken Stuffed with Sticky Rice

2012-01-08T20:52:00.001+11:00

I've been eying this recipe for some time, ever since i saw it on Pig Pig's Corner, which made it look utterly delicious. Despite some westerners (my mum!) not liking the sound of 'glutinous rice' this dish was one of the best i have made in a long time. Tender, spicy morsels of chicken with a sweet sticky rice stuffing, drawing in so many oriental flavors. I had yumcha for lunch today and even then i was still eager to eat this dish for dinner! I think I've found a new Pot Luck staple....

You will need to start this recipe the day before!

Ingredients (Serves 4 as main)

Chicken

1 2 kilo organic chicken
1/4 cup chilli oil
2 tbsp char siu sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp dark soy
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder

Rice

1 cup glutinous rice
2 lap cheong Chinese sausage
1 handful dried Chinese mushrooms
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup shaoxing wine
1 tbsp dark soy
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Pepper

Method

The day before serving, trim the chicken and rub salt generously over the bird.

Leave to sit for 30 minutes.
Mix the ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp soy, 5 spice powder, char siu and brown sugar in a bowl.

Rub the mixture over the chicken.

Wrap in gladwrap and refrigerate overnight.

Also, place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Do likewise with the mushrooms and leave overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 220 degrees.
Slice the mushrooms and the Chinese sausage, keeping the water the mushrooms were in for later.
Place in a pot and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the drained rice and saute for a further minute.
Add the wine, water and 1/3 cup of the mushroom water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.

Stuff the chicken with the rice and then coat the chicken with chilli oil.

Place on a roasting rack in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove, baste with more chilli oil, and return to the oven.
Reduce heat to 180 degrees and cook for 1 more hour or until cooked through.

Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Serve with sliced scallions.

Baked Potatoes with Italian Pork Sausage and Mushrooms

2012-01-07T20:53:00.001+11:00

In my happy new little home, i am lucky enough to be able to walk to my workplace every day. That much is great! What is not so great is the walk home, particularly if i don't have anything exciting planned in my fridge to cook or eat that evening! To get to my house, i have to trudge through the numerous cafes, takeaways and restaurants that line both sides of Glenferrie Road. There's no escaping it! The kebab shops, the Vietnamese, the dumplings, the McDonalds (guilty pleasure), all taunting me with their delicious scents. But the most interesting scent comes from Spud Bar. Every time i walk past and peek in at the slightly hippie looking staff, and the chino'd guys eating in there (gross generalization yes, so sue me) i can smell the scent of baking potatoes and I'm immediately transported to my teens, working in restaurants serving up buckets of baked potatoes and wedges. Its not even a delicious scent to be honest, but it's attached memories to me that i will never forget.

Anyways, here is my rendition of the baked potato.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 large Idaho potatoes
2 Italian pork sausages
6 large button mushrooms
3 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup natural yogurt
1 cup shredded tasty cheese
Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat an oven to 180 degrees.
Wrap the washed potatoes in foil and place in the oven for 1-2 hours.
Test to see if a fork enters the potato easily; if there is much force it needs more cooking
Leave to cool then refrigerate until required (can do this the night before).
Preheat oven to 180 degrees again.
Dice the mushrooms.

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms to the dry pan and saute until dark and tender (5 minutes or so)
In a small frying pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat over medium heat.
Squeeze the sausage meat from the casing into the pan

Saute until browned, mashing the meat to break it up

Add the mushrooms to the frying pan and cook until the sausage meat is well cooked.

Set aside.
Return the small saucepan to the heat with the remaining oil
Add the onions and saute until lightly browned and soft

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until reduced to a sauce.

Season to taste
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out some of the insides with a soup spoon.

Fill the inside of the potato with the sausage and mushroom mix.

Top the mix with some of the tomato sauce.

Cover with the tasty cheese and transfer to the oven.

Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Enjoy with a dollop of natural yogurt on top.

'Streetcart' Chicken & Rice

2012-01-04T19:55:00.002+11:00

So, shame though it may be, I've never actually been to New York. This dish, however, gets its name from the New York street carts that reputedly serve up this delicious dish to hungry fans on NYC sidewalks.

I'm glad to see the Food Truck concept finally making it's way to Melbourne. Melbourne streets have been devoid of food stalls for years now, after the last of the late night hot dog stands was sent packing. But now i believe food trucks creep around, particularly the Collingwood areas. I can only hope they'll come to Hawthorn one day!

Anyways, this recipe which i found from here, is a deliciously fragrant, garlicky and spiced mixture of slightly smokey meat and soft, fluffy rice. The original recipe for the sauce was too sweet for me, so i omitted the sugar.

Ingredients (Makes 4 serves)

Chicken

1kg chicken thigh fillets, skinless
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped oregano
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp canola or olive oil

Rice

2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper

Sauce

1/2 cup natural yogurt
2 tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Finely chop the oregano and garlic

Mix with the 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and coriander

Place the chicken thighs in a zip lock bag and pour in 1/2 marinade and massage well.

Leave for 2-4 hours to marinate, refrigerating the remaining marinade separately
Place the chicken thighs on a paper towel and pat dry.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with the 1 tbsp oil.
Add the chicken thighs and cook without touching for 4-6 minutes on one side, until well browned.

Turn and cook on the other side until cooked through
Place on a board to rest, then chop into bite sized pieces.

Refrigerate until required.
Rinse and drain the rice well.
In a dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat

Add the turmeric and cumin and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add the rice, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until you begin to smell popcorn.

Add the stock and season with salt and pepper
Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cover
Cook for 15 minutes
Leave to rest, off the heat for a further 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff up the rice.

To make the sauce, simply combine the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until required

To serve, toss the chicken with the remaining marinade in a frying pan until heated through.

Serve on the rice with a dollop of the sauce on top.

Boeuf Bourguignon Pies

2011-12-31T13:48:00.000+11:00

And so it's the end of 2011, and the time where we look back on the year that was, and set high expectations on the year ahead. My year in brief:

I finally purchased my first home, and am slowly becoming accustomed to the responsibilities that come with that
I became an uncle to the most gorgeous little girl in the world, Princess Aurora
I went to Singapore and Borneo, got to put up my feet and relax, and see some dear friends that i miss all the time
I felt recognized for my work (my day job) and felt like I'm finally making a difference in my workplace
I got to meet the Iron Chefs! And better still, so did my dad.

There was sadness and disappointment in 2011, as there is every year. But i choose not to dwell on these things, and i look forward to another year of new horizons. I hope everyone who reads this can also see some good that has come out of the past 12 months, and if they cannot, let me know i can help make 2012 a year you'll look back on with a smile.

As to 2012 for me, who knows? I want to achieve many things, and i think that these should be the subject of another recipe, and another post.

For now: Happy New Year, and below is the recipe i made for pot luck NYE dinner.

Ingredients (Makes 20 pies)

500gm chuck steak
100gm bacon, cut into small cubes
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 leek
6 shallots
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
100gm button mushrooms
1 bottle good red wine
5 bay leaves
1/2 bunch thyme
Salt and pepper
4 sheets puff pasty
5 sheets shortcrust pastry
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

Method

Dice the beef into 1cm pieces

Finely dice the celery, mushrooms and carrot and place together

Finely dice the leek and shallots and place in another container

Heat a cast iron pot over medium heat and add 1 tbsp butter
Brown the beef in 3 batches, leaving the oil in the pot

Add another tablespoon of butter and add in in the leek, onion and bacon

Saute for 5 minutes before adding the carrot, mushrooms and celery

Saute for a further 10 minutes
Return the beef to the pot and add the red wine, thyme and bay leaves

Cover and place in a low oven (160 degrees) for 4 hours, stirring occasionally
If there is a lot of liquid (you can't see the meat) cook down on the stove top.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat until bubbling
Add the flour and stir. IT should form a ball
Cook the ball until it is beginning to catch on the bottom of the saucepan
Add the ball to the beef and stir through; this will thicken the sauce.
Place in the fridge until cold.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Grease a 12 hole muffin tin.
Cut out 10 circles of the shortcrust pastry and press into the base and sides of the muffin tins; there should be some overhang, or a lip

Place 1 heaped tablespoon of the beef mixture into each shortcrust 'cup'

Place a smaller circle of puff pastry on top as a lid and press the sides down.
Use a sharp knife to clean the edges of the pies and cut off excess pastry.

Use the knife to poke 1 hole in the top of each pie.
Whisk the egg and milk together and brush the top of each pie with the mixture.
Place into the oven for 20 minutes.
Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer the pies to a cooling rack.

Repeat for the remaining 10 pies.

Dry Beef Hor Fun

2011-12-27T20:59:00.000+11:00

Ahh Singapore, how you now seem like a distant memory. Realizing I'm meant to go back to work tomorrow, this is the first time since high school that I've just feel like doing ANYTHING but going back to work. And so i look fondly upon just a few months ago, relaxing in Borneo and living it up in Singapore.

So i know that hor fun seems to traditionally be served as a wet noodle dish; in fact I've seen variations of a thickened sauce that is pale in colour, but I've also seen variations that have a literal, runny, transparent broth with them! However, this version, which is a bit harder to find, is my favorite: dry beef hor fun! This version here is not quite as good as what i had over in Singapore, which was my favorite meal for the entire trip! But it seems to be hard to find recipes for this dry style on the Internet. Never mind, it's still delicious!

Stay tuned for one last post for 2011 (maybe 2... I'm hungry!) and I'll see you all again next year before the Mayan gods come get us.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

400gm beef porterhouse
1 packet flat hor fun rice noodles, fresh
1 bunch garlic chives, cut into 2 inch batons
2 handfuls bean sprouts
1 onion, cut into eighths
6 scallions, cut into 2 inch batons
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp + 2 tbsp light soy
1 tsp + 2 tbsp dark soy
1 tsp + 2 tbsp rice wine
Peanut oil

Method

Thinly slice the beef and marinate with 1 tsp light soy, 1tsp dark soy, 1 tsp rice wine and 1 tsp sesame oil.

Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in a large wok over high heat
Cook1/4 the marinated beef, stirring, until browned. Set aside.

Repeat 3 more times for remaining beef.
Add the onions and 1/2 the scallions to the wok and cook until softened and lightly charred

Meanwhile, microwave the noodles until softened.
Add the remaining soy and rice wine to the wok and cook until thickened over high heat
Add the beef back to the wok with then noodles, tossing until the noodles begin to stick and are lightly charred in spots.

Add the remaining scallions, garlic chives and bean sprouts to the wok and toss through

Serve with lemon on the side.

Eggnog Cheesecake with Praline

2011-12-25T19:29:00.000+11:00

Merry Christmas world!

My favorite Christmas memories:

When i was young, we did not have Christmas stockings, but rather, Christmas SACKS! Running to the living room and rifling through a great hulking sack of presents from Santa was the best feeling in the Universe to a kid.
Every year, Christmas lunch would be different. One of my favorite memories was playing Celebrity Heads, and the random hints my grandfather would give. For example, 'the block' was his hint for Barbie. How? Well, the 'block' referred to a block of land my Aunt and Uncle own. It has a fence. That fence has barbed wire. Barbed... Barbie.. get it? O_o
Christmas with my strange Uncle the accordion player. Him cracking it out and belting some tunes, and always bringing the most random Christmas presents. Giant fly swats? Transformer bugs? That's only the beginning!
The night before Christmas. Perhaps the thing i miss most now that all of the kids have flown the coop. But sitting together, excited, filled with trepidation, as we watch Christmas movies and listen out for Santa.

Ingredients

1kg cream cheese (4 blocks of Kraft)
250gm Granita biscuits or similar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 large pinch nutmeg
1 cup cream
100gm butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 cups mixed, roasted nuts
Glace cherries

Method

Invert the base of a 22cm spring form cake tin and line. Replace in the tin upside down then grease the sides and base.

Place the biscuits into a food processor and blend until a fine crumb.

Add the butter and blend until combined.
Turn the crumb out into the spring form tin and press evenly over the base.

Transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
Preheat oven to 140 degrees.
Place the cream cheese in a mixer/food processor with the cream and blend until smooth.

Add the nutmeg, and 1 cup of sugar and blend through.
Then add the eggs, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition.

More the mixture into the prepared base and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 1 hour or until the centre is just firm.
Then turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in there, with the door ajar for 2 hours. This will help prevent the cake from cracking.
Refrigerate, covered, overnight
The next day, lay the nuts out on a tray lined with baking paper; ensure there is a small gap between the nuts, and only one layer.

Combine the remaining sugar and water in a small saucepan.

Heat on medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
Turn up the heat to high and cook, not stirring, until the mixture turns lightly golden.

Then pour over the nuts.

Leave to cool and set hard.
Crack the toffee praline into pieces and arrange on top of the cheesecake.

Adorn with the glace cherries, then serve.
Merry Christmas world!

Apple Muffins with Maple Glaze & a Word on Christmas Birthdays

2011-12-24T21:58:00.000+11:00

So, I've probably mentioned this several hundred times already over the course of this blog, but Christmas season is an especially busy season in my family. It begins with my birthday in early December, and ramps up quickly to my Father's birthday on Christmas eve and my sister's birthday on Christmas day. And let's face it, when your born so close to to the biggest Australian holiday of the year, you can tend to feel a lil bit forgotten. So before we get on to our Christmas feasting, let me take a couple of paragraphs to indulge in discussing two members of my family.

My father, Peter, shares as great a passion for food as i do, and recently he's taking more and more leaps in the kitchen and churning out dishes that are absolutely fantastic. His tangy pork curry is the most delicious curry I've ever tasted, bar none. I won't divulge his secret recipe here... yet! In some ways dad is the realist of the family, and we've always made jokes about his notorious thrift. But lets face it, together my parents brought up three kids, all of whom are successful! And when i look back at the mounds of presents i got every year on every occasion, the food we ate, the houses we lived in, i realise that the only thrift my dad ever really showed was personal sacrifices he made for the sake of his children. Thanks Dad!

My sister, Melinda, is the eldest of three siblings, and has blazed the path for my second sister and myself. First to move out of home! First to get married! First to have a baby! And she's done it all so easily, as though it were no trouble at all. With strong convictions, and a flair for some unusual inventions (orange lemon cordial anyone?) my sister is also a great cook; my favorite is her Asian style pork neck (ooh and cold chicken with chili sauce). But she's also a great mum, a great hostess, a great nurse, and has that rare gift of actually listening to you when you need someone there.

So, here's to two members of my family, who although their birthdays may get caught up in the Christmas storm, are never forgotten in my mind or heart.

Ingredients

Muffins

2 large granny smith apples
1 cup oats
12 pecan halves
1 egg
1 1/3 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large pinch nutmeg or cinnamon
2/3 cup sugar

Glaze

1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Grease a 12 hole muffin pan
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon/nutmeg, flour, oats and sugar.

Melt the butter and leave to cool slightly.
In another bowl combine the butter, maple syrup, milk and egg

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.

Peel the apples and dice into 1cm cubes

Stir the apples through the mixture

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin, filling the holes until almost full but not quite

Transfer to oven for 12-18 minutes or until they test done.
Leave in trays for 10 minutes before turning out and leaving to cool.

When the muffins are cool, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan
Heat over low heat until the sugar is dissolved

Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze over the muffins
Leave for 20 minutes for the glaze to thicken slightly
Enjoy

Grilled Chilli Chicken on Mango Salad and Coconut Rice

2011-12-22T19:52:00.000+11:00

Happy holidays everyone! Christmas is only three days away, which means i have to get my fill of non-christmassy foods on my own before I'm drowning in pork, turkey and that general sense of lethargy that a full tummy brings! So here i present: Grilled chilli chicken on mango salad and coconut rice! A winning combination of sweetness, creaminess and spice.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

6 chicken tenderloins
1 mango
3 cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 red capsicum, diced
3 inches cucumber, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup coconut cream
2/3 cup glutinous rice
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/3 cup coriander, chopped
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp sugar

Method

Place the rice in a bowl with 2/3 cup water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, skin the mango and dice.

Add to the mango the other vegetables, coriander and the juice of the lemon and stir well. Set aside.

Place the rice and water in a small saucepan with the coconut milk, sugar and a pinch of salt and put on medium heat, covered.

When the rice comes to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until when you shake the pot you can't feel the rice moving. Set aside to cool.

Mix the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper, the chilli oil and the sesame oil.

Heat a grill over high heat and cook the chicken on either side for 3 minutes or until cooked through.

Fluff the rice with a fork.
Using a tin can with both ends removed to create a stack, lightly press 1/2 the rice into the bottom of the can on top of your serving plate.

Place the mango salad on top.

Remove the tin can and repeat on the other serving plate.
Arrange the chicken on top of the stack.
Don't fret if you're stack crumbles! it looks better

Ben & Jerry's Style Strawberry Ice Cream

2011-12-20T21:08:00.000+11:00

Ben & Jerry's is slowly making an inception across Australia! I noticed the other day that it's now stocked at Caltex service stations, and also at the deli down the road from me!

As the rest of Australia falls in love with the creamy confectionery, i have my own secret weapon - home made ice cream! The reason i say my recipes at Ben & Jerry's style are the way the custards are made. Traditionally, an ice cream custard is make by bringing up egg yolks to a certain temperature and then mixing in the egg whites. With this style, not so! It's much easier. There is no preheating involved in this style of ice cream, and I'm yet to experience any shortfalls in taste or texture as a result.

This particular ice-cream celebrates the deliciousness of summer strawberries, sweet and slightly tart, cutting through the rich creaminess of the ice cream.

Ingredients (Makes approx 1L)

1 cup full cream milk
2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 punnet strawberries
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Quarter the strawberries and mix them in a bowl with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon juice.

Leave to macerate (stew) in the fridge for at least 1 hour
Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl for 2 minutes or until thick and creamy

Add the sugar slowly, beating well after each addition.
Slowly pour in the milk, continuing to beat.
Slowly pour in the vanilla and cream, continuing to beat
Pour into a jug and place the mixture in the fridge to chill fully

Pour into the ice cream machine and churn as per manufacturer instructions. 5 minutes before turning off the ice cream machine, add the strawberries and extracted juice to the ice cream machine.

Place in freezer until fully set.

Grilled Vegetable and Haloumi Salad

2011-12-20T20:15:00.000+11:00

Summertime, and i can feel a theme coming on! With long work hours, late sunlight, and back to cooking for one, salads are becoming an imperative this summer season! To me, a good salad is about fresh ingredients, with one highlight yummy addition. That addition might be cheese, it might be bread, it might be meat. It doesn't matter, but it's the drawcard of the dish to me! In this instance it's haloumi.

For the first few times i tried to make grilled haloumi i was so disappointed. Gone was the melty, salty goodness i'd experienced at Greek restaurants, and in it's place was a squeaky (yes squeaky!!) rubbery mass. The key is in long cooking; really cook your haloumi until it's starting to lose it's shape. If it's still a nice brick, she ain't ready yet!

Ingredients (Serves 2 as main)

1 200gm packet haloumi cheese
2 handfuls rocket
2 small ears corn
1 red capsicum
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion
3 inches cucumber
Salt and pepper
White balsamic vinegar

Method

Heat up a flame grill to high heat and lightly oil the grill
Place the corn, onion and peppers on the grill, turning occasionally until charred on all sides

Set aside to cool
Lightly oil the haloumi and place on the grill
Grilled for 3-4 minutes on each side or until well softened

Set aside to cool
Meanwhile peel the charred capiscum.
Slice the capsicum and onion into strips and cut the corn from the cob.
Toss in a bowl with the rocket, quartered cherry tomatoes, a glug of balsamic and some salt and pepper

Plate the salad and top with the haloumi

Blackberry Frozen Yoghurt

2011-12-13T19:57:00.000+11:00

Summer lovin' is all about getting reacquainted with my icecream machine! But hey, we're (trying to be) on a health kick here so lets bring on the frozen yoghurt! I was really happy to find how well this recipe worked out- it was so creamy and delicious it really wiped the floor of those supermarket frozen yoghurts. My guess is that it comes down to ingredients - using good quality yoghurt as the base is a must!

Ingredients (Adapted from Frozen Yogurt Recipes)

1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp gelatin
1 punnet blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 cups whole yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt

Method

In a saucepan, heat the milk over low heat until just below boiling point

Remove from the heat and add the sugar and gelatin; stir until all combined

Whisk the egg yolks until light and frothy

Return the milk to low heat and add the egg yolks slowly; the mixture should thicken
Leave to cool to room temperature then whisk in the vanilla and yoghurt.

Chill for 1 hour
Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until soft peaks form

Fold the egg whites into the milk mixture
Return to the fridge to chill well then churn in icecream maker as per manufacturer's instructions
Just before fully churned add the blackberries; crush a few before adding to add colour to the yoghurt
Enjoy

Grilled Duck Salad with Goats Cheese & Cranberries

2011-12-13T19:32:00.000+11:00

I'm back! I've finally gotten used to my new kitchen (namely: not burning things) and now it's time for summer fun! First up is a salad that is sure to impress. Duck works so well in a salad as the slightly fatty meat contrasts so well with the tartness of a dressing, the pepperiness of greens, and the rich saltiness of the goats cheese. Don't be phased by cooking duck; by following some simple rules it's very easy to cook. The name of the game is to render out the fat without making the meat tough: your best weapon here is a stove and oven.

Ingredients (Serves 1 as main)

2 handfuls spinach
1 duck breast
1/4 cup goats feta
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp orange juice
1/4 cup cranberries
3 small tomatoes
2 inches cucumber
Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Score the skin of the duck in 1/2 in cross pattern, being careful not to cut into the flesh of the duck

Heat a frying pan over low/medium heat
Place the duck in the pan, skin down, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the fat has rendered out of the skin

Turn over and sear the other side for 1 minute

Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into 1/2cm thick discs

Place the cucumber, crumbled feta, tomatoes and cranberries in a bowl.

In a small container, whisk the olive oil and orange juice with a pinch of salt and pepper

Pour over the salad mix and toss well.
Plate the salad and then top with the slice duck pieces.

An International Hiatus and a Hobbit Hole To Call My Own

2011-10-25T20:03:00.000+11:00

Sorry readers, for my lack of posting lately! I've been caught up in a veritable McFlurry of activity. Namely, i've both finally bought an apartment, and just came back from 10 nights in Singapore and Kota Kinabalu! So i move in to my new above this upcoming weekend and i'll be sure to provide ya'll with a new recipe following that but in the meantime, click below to see a photo feast of the goodies i devoured in Asia.

Kai-Lan at the Albert Centre, Singapore

Congee at the Albert Centre, Singapore

Hawker Stalls at the Albert Centre, Singapore

Cheong Fun at Raffles, Singapore

Pork Ribs at Raffles, Singapore

Crayfish Hor Fun @ Raffles, Singapore

Xiao Long Bao at Raffles, Singapore

Char Siu Pastries

Scallop Dumplings

Xiao Long Bao

Ginger Prawn Dumplings

Siu Mai

Mango & Tapioca Puddings

Watermelon Mojito on Orchard Rd, Singapore

Salt Baked Prawns at Five Flags, Kota Kinabalu

Selection of desserts at Five Flags, Kota Kinabalu

More desserts at Five Flags, Kota Kinabalu

View of the Marina @ Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu

Xiao Long Bao at Pacific Sutera, Kota Kinabalu

Har Gow at Pacific Sutera, Kota Kinabalu

Siu Mai at Pacific Sutera, Kota Kinabalu

Hainanese Chicken Rice at Pacific Sutera, Kota Kinabalu

Fish stalls at Filipino Night Market, Kota Kinabalu

Enormous prawns at Filipino Night Market, Kota Kinabalu

Chilling at the Filipino Night Market, Kota Kinabalu

Fried Rice at Melben, Singapore

Mantou at Melben, Singapore

Sweet & Sour Pork at Melben, Singapore

Prawn Stir Fry at Melben, Singapore

Chili Crab at Melben, Singapore

Claypot Crab at Melben, Singapore

Obligatory Universal Studios shot at Sentosa, Singapore

Dry Beef Hor fun @ Harbourfront, Singapore

Cendol at Harbourfront, Singapore

Crumb Cake with Pineapple & Custard

2011-09-04T20:17:00.000+10:00

This Sunday in Melbourne is of course Father's Day! We had 15 people over for lunch and i was tasked with making two desserts! The first dessert was easy - the always satisfying torta di chocolate but for the second dessert i wanted to try something a bit different. In my daily perusal of Eats on the iPad app Flipboard, i came across the recipe for a Hazelnut Plum Crumb Cake on Smitten Kitchen. Of course plums aren't in season in Australia at the moment so i opted to make a tweaked pineapple version (also happens to be my dad's favorite fruit).

This cake is similar in ways to the crumbles that we're familiar with here in Australia, except with a base that makes it easily slice-able! And the best part is that the custard is baked IN to the cake so there's no need to dollop it on top! Unless you're feeling extra piggy today.

Ingredients

Crumb

1/2 cup almond meal
250gm unsalted butter, cubed
Pinch cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups white flour

Filling

1 1/2 400gm tins pineapple rings
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup cream
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
6 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease and line an 8 inch springform tin

Drain the pineapple rings and place on paper towel to draw out excess moisture.
Place the dry crumb ingredients into a food processor and process until well blended.

Add the butter and process until the mixture forms crumbs and begins to come together.

Turn 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared pan and press on bottom and about 5cm up sides to form base.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once the base is cool, cut the pineapple rings into semi circles and arrange in the base.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, spices and sugar and stir through

add the eggs, cream and milk and stir to make a custard.

Pour over the pineapple rings

Sprinkle over the remaining crumb mixture.

Transfer to the oven for 40-50 minutes or until golden ontop.
Leave to rest for minimum 1 hour before serving hot or cold with a dollop of cream.

Green Mango Salad with Chargrilled Chicken

2011-09-04T16:30:00.001+10:00

Finally! Just over 12 months ago today i arrived back in Melbourne from my first trip to Thailand. I arrived rested, exciting, and... craving! My trip to Thailand consisted of binge consumption of four things: Red pork curry (made...tick!), pad thai (made...tick!), mango and sticky rice (made...tick!), cocktails (made....tick!) and papaya salad (not yet made!). It's soooo hard to find green papayas here in Australia, but this week as i was walking through Coles i noticed green mangos! With no hesitation i piled three into my basket and trundled for the cashier, eager to race home and make this salad.

If you have not had green mango or green papaya before you might feel put off by the thought, but don't. There is no strong sourness or bitterness imparted by the unripe fruit. Instead, it's more about the texture. Crisp and fresh like cucumber but firmer and less watery. With the combination of the refreshing mango sticks and the salty/sour/spicy dressing, this dish is a killer summer salad which i will continue to make so long as i can get my hands on green mangoes and papayas.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Salad

600gm chick thigh fillets
3 green mangoes
2 large handfuls bean sprouts
4 scallions, sliced thinly
1/3 cup coriander, torn
1/3 cup basil, torn
1/3 cup Vietnamese mint, torn
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt

Dressing

4 tbsp fish face
2 tbsp brown sugar
Juice of 3 limes
3 chillis

Method

To make the dressing, finely chop the chillis and then combine all dressing ingredients.

Regularly stir until the sugar has dissolved and set aside whilst you make the salad.
Place the chicken in a bowl and add the salt and canola oil and rub through

Place on a chargrill over high heat and cook well.

Set aside whilst you make the salad.
Place the coconut and peanuts in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until fragrant and just started to go golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

Peel the green mangoes and grate with a large hole grater (or as i did use a Rosti grater)

Place in a large bowl with the bean sprouts and herbs

Add the coconut and peanuts and toss well.
Add the dressing and toss through.

Place a serving of the salad on each plate and top with the chicken, chopped into cubes.

Pizza with Leek, Mushroom & Prosciutto

2011-08-30T20:00:00.000+10:00

Is a pizza really a recipe? I suppose it is, just a really really simple one! I've shown you how to make my pizza dough before, and my pizza sauce so this is really just a collection of toppings that i enjoy! And i hope you will too.

ingredients (Serves 3)
3 pizza dough balls (see recipe here)

1 cup pizza tomato sauce (see recipe here)

2 leeks

250gm button mushrooms

6 slices prosciutto

2 cups mozarella cheese

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Method

Finely slice the leeks

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat
Add the leeks and saute for 15-20 minutes or until well softened and slightly golden
Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat

Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes or until softened and most liquid has left the pan
Roll out your pizza base
Top with 1/3 the tomato sauce

Top with prosciutto, then leeks, then mushrooms, then cheese

Season pizza with salt, pepper, and a swirl of olive oil
Place in pizza maker or on a hot pizza stone in a very hot oven until cooked.
Repeat for remaining pizzas and enjoy

Picadinho de Milho

2011-08-28T15:16:00.000+10:00

Picadinho de Milho or Chopped Beef with Corn is a Brazillian dish traditionally served at botequim or pub restaurants. I've also seen several references to the dish being one traditionally made for festivals and other community occasions.

It is a simple dish with few ingredients, and like so many dishes traditional for festivals and gatherings, it is hearty and moreish. As such, enjoy this dish for what it is rather than expecting some sort of high-brow delight from it. It's soul food, enjoy it with rice and a fried egg.

Ingredients (Serves 4 as main)

500gm blade steak
1 red capsicum
1 onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sweet corn
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

Finely dice the beef, discarding any sinew

Dice the capsicum and onion to be in pieces about the size of the corn

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onions and saute for 3 minutes.

Add 2/3 the capsicums and the garlic and saute for a further 3 minutes.

Turn heat to high then add the beef and cook until well browned

Stir through the tomato paste with about 1 cup water
Cook for 2-3 minutes to form a sauce.
Season to taste and add the corn
Cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Serve with rice and/or bread

Korean Fried Chicken

2011-08-24T20:35:00.001+10:00

Holy frijoles how has nobody ever dragged me out for Korean Fried Chicken before?? This is really a piglet's delight. Succulent pieces of crisp fried chicken tossed in a spicy Korean sauce. The ultimate in finger licking indulgence, i could have polished off the whole lot myself (and almost did!).

Seriously though, this dish is too good not to try. I'm not a big deep frying person as apart from the health considerations there' the hassle with all the oil and the draining and getting it to the right temperature and whatnot. But i can guarantee you that, even if you are a low-use deep fryer like me, these wings will convert you! So long as you don't mind (a lot) of spice!

A note here: traditionally, this recipe calls for gojuchang, which is a Korean chili paste. Unfortunately i couldn't get my hands on any so i substituted with Sichuan Chili Bean Paste and tweaked the sauce to get the right flavour.

Ingredients (Serves 4 with sides)

Chicken Wings

8 large chicken wings (both joints, i.e. not drumettes) with wing tips removed
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped/grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Oil for deep frying (i used Rice Bran Oil, 1L)

Batter

3/4 cup corn flour
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup water, very cold
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spicy Sauce

3 tbsp chili bean paste
1 tbsp chili sauce
2 heaped tsp brown sugar
Juice of 1 small lemon
4 tbsp tomato sauce
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Method

Combine the onion, garlic salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the chicken wings and toss well, coating the chicken.

Set aside for between 1 hour and overnight.
To make the sauce, simply combine all ingredients and mix well.

To make the batter, place the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk in the iced water until just combined.
Set aside.

Bring the oil to 180 degrees Celsius in a 25cm dutch oven (The oil should be about 5cm deep)
Using chopsticks, dip 4 chicken wings in the batter, coating well.
Transfer using the chopsticks into the oil, holding each piece of chicken from a few seconds over the batter to let excess batter slip off.

Cook for 5-7 minutes or until well browned, turning every 2 minutes.
Transfer cooked chicken to paper towel.

Repeat for remaining chicken wings.
Place the cooked chicken wings in a bowl.

Toss through enough sauce to coat the wings but not drown them.
Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with scallions

Sichuan Style Fried Green Beans - Gan Bian Si Ji Dou

2011-08-21T12:05:00.001+10:00

I've been craving Gan Bian Si Ji Dou for so long, ever since my friend Eugene visited from Singapore and arranged a catch-up at a Sichuan restaurant in Swanston Street. We ordered copious amounts of food and yet i kept on piling my dish up from the bowl of chewy fried green beans and pork.

In typical Sichuan style, this dish brings together the harmonious taste/sensations of oil, heat and salt which is what i feel makes it so irresistible! If you discipline yourself you can cut the oil down significantly in the dish and make it, well, somewhat approximate a healthy dish (if you squint REALLY hard).

I may have gone a bit overboard with my hankering for spice and salt this week! I'm doing Mapo on Tuesday for my father and Korean Fried Chicken for myself on Wednesday- stay tuned for that one!

Ingredients (Serve 6-8 as side)

500gm string beans, ends trimmed
200gm pork mince
2 tbsp light soy
1 tbsp shao xing rice wine
2 tsp sichuan pepper, ground
1 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp rice bran oil (good for high smoking point, else use peanut oil)
5 dried chillis
4 large cloves garlic, chopped

Method

Heat a large wok up on high heat until smoking
Reduce heat slightly and add the rice bran oil.
After 20 seconds, add the beans

Stir fry for 6-8 miniutes or until the beans have blistered a bit
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on draining paper, leaving the oil in the wok

Add the pork to the wok and stir fry for 6-8 minutes or until well browned, slightly chewy and no water is in the wok.

Remove and place on draining paper, discarding excess oil from the wok
Add the garlic and chillis to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds

Add the wine, soy and pepper to the wok and cook for 30 seconds
Return the pork to the wok and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed/evaporated.

Return the beans to the wok and toss through with the sesame oil.
Serve immediately.

Condensed Milk & Sweet Potato Cake

2011-08-21T11:38:00.000+10:00

This cake is very Southeast Asian in style. You know those cakes that seem to be a strange combination of custard and cake? This very much fits into that category. Filling and tasty, yet not rich of cloying, it is a perfect cake to share around.

Ingredients

400ml condensed milk
400gm peeled sweet potato
200ml coconut milk
100gm glutinous rice flour (or chuck 100gm glutinous rice into a blender like i did!)
60gm butter
4 large eggs, beaten

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Line a 25cm x 25cm pan with baking paper and spray with oil.
Boil the sweet potatoes until very soft.

Mash well or pass through a sieve and then leave to cool.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and stir briefly.

Pour into the cake tin and transfer to oven.
Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until cake feels springy and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Leave in tin to cool for 15 minutes before turning out and cutting into slices.

Mushroom & Twice Smoked Ham Quiche

2011-08-20T19:30:00.000+10:00

Eggs. We eat them. They are delicious.

Mushrooms. Also delicious.

Smoked Ham. More delicious

The three baked together? Gimme gimme gimme. I think quiche was one of my favorite foods as a child, hovering around the same place as Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup and Spinach Balls (i was nothing if not a strange child). Here you can see my recipe for quiche lorraine with a pre-made base. This recipe below just kicks things up a notch.

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

250gm plain flour
1 egg
1 tbsp water
125gm butter

Filling

300gm button mushrooms, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup chopped parsley
5 large eggs
300ml light cooking cream
1/2 cup shredded tasty cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
200gm spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste
100gm twice smoked ham
2 large onions, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup milk

Method

To make the shortcrust pastry, begin the day before:
Place all ingredients in the fridge/freezer until very cold but not frozen

Place the chopped butter and flour in a food processor and process until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Briefly whisk the water and egg with a fork.

Pour into the running food processor and processor for 10 seconds.

Turn out onto a bench and knead until the mixture just comes together.
Flatten the mixture to a disc, cover in glad wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat an oven to 190 degrees.
Grease a quiche pan
Roll out the pastry quickly on baking paper, enough to cover the base and sides of the pan (you dont want the butter to melt)

Drape the pastry over the pan and tuck in.

Remove excess pastry and use to fix any tears and build up the sides of the quiche.

Line the base with baking paper and then pour in 2 cups of baking rice/beans.
Transfer to oven for 10 minutes then remove and discard baking paper/rice. Leave whilst you prepare other ingredients.

Heat a pan/wok over medium heat with 1 tsp oil and add the mushrooms.

Cook over medium heat until they are shrunken and concentrated and there is no liquid in the pan.

Remove from the pan and add another 1 tbsp oil and the onions.
Cook for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Add the ham and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Remove from the pan and set aside.
Cover the spinach with boiling water for 30 seconds then drain under cold water.

Squeeze the spinach to remove all excess water and then chop coarsley.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, parmesan, cream, milk and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir through the bacon, mushrooms, parsley, spinach and onions.

Pour into the prepared base and sprinkle over the tasty cheese.

Transfer to oven for 45minutes to 1 hour or until just set.

Leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Trusty Zucchini Slice

2011-08-20T17:54:00.000+10:00

What can one turn to when one has an abundance of eggs? The usual culprits come to mind:

omelette
quiche
zuchini slice

And yes, i plan on cooking them all! This zucchini slice is one of the best i've had. There's nothing fancy about it, nothing out of the ordinary. But i've cut down on the oil in the slice, and the level of flour provide a slightly cakey spongelike consistency that i like.

This may be kind of dagsville for a recipe, but its also delish! Maybe i should call it courgette frittata... :P

Ingredients

500gm zucchinis
2 onions
100gm ham or bacon
3/4 cup self raising flour
salt and pepper to taste
4 large eggs
1/3 cup rice bran oil
75gm tasty cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Chop the ham/bacon and onions finely
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat in a frying pan
Add the ham and onion and cook over medium heat until well softened and beginning to brown.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Grate the zucchinis and then squeeze with your hands to remove as much excess liquid from them as possible

Combine the zucchini with the cheese, onions, bacon, flour, salt and pepper

Crack the eggs into the bowl with the remaining oil and fold through well.

Pour into a lined and greased baking tray and spread evenly

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave to cool in tin then slice and serve either warm or at room temperature.

Thyme Infused Baked Beans with Chorizo & Twice Smoked Ham

2011-08-16T20:08:00.000+10:00

I detest baked beans. Well at least, baked beans that come from a can. Yuk! An even worse, canned spaghetti. Slimy, salty and detestable, i will not touch the stuff. And don't be fooled into thinking that this is just some food snobbery! I happily sit down to canned soups and even (gasp) canned Bolognese sauce (which i secretly adore shh!).

However, home made baked beans are a thing of fuzzy, comforting joy. Rich and satisfying, with smoky meats and perfectly tender beans, they are something everyone should make on a cold winter's day. This version is perhaps a little extravagant, but you could replace the meats with just ham or bacon and still have a delicious dinner.

Ingredients (Serve 3)

1 cup dried harricot beans
2 short rashers bacon
1 chorizo
100gm gypsy ham
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley
4 tbsp white wine
pepper to taste

Method

Soak the dried beans overnight in water

Place in a pot with thyme, garlic and the sliced onion. Cover with water and bring to the boil

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Drain and pick out the onion and thyme.

Cut the bacon and ham into strips and slice the chorizo into coins.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the bacon.
Saute for 1 minute.

Add the chorizo and ham and saute for a further 2 minutes.

Add the white wine, beans and tomato paste and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Stir through the butter and parsley and season to taste with pepper.

Serve with crusty bread.

Passionfruit Cheesecake Icecream

2011-08-14T19:41:00.000+10:00

Yum! Don't you love when a bunch of leftover ingredients sitting around lead to an awesome culinary creation: cue: 1 packet of cream cheese, 1 frozen container of passionfruit curd leftover from sponge cake, and an abundance of eggs (48 to be exact). Put them all together and what does that make: passionfruit cheesecake icecream!

Actually, to be honest, credit must go to my mother. I had originally decided to make passionfruit curd icecream, but it was mum who thought of throwing the cream cheese in there. A family of diabolical geniuses or what!

Ingredients (Makes 1.5L)

500ml thickened cream
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup passionfruit curd (see recipe here)
250ml full cream milk
250gm cream cheese
3/4 cup caster sugar

Method

Place the milk and cream cheese in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add the eggs and blend for a further 1 minute
Add the vanilla, sugar and cream and blend for a further 2 minutes
Turn into an airtight container and place in fridge overnight.

The next morning mix in icecream mixer as per mixer instructions.
Just before removing from the mixing machine, stir through the passionfruit curd.

Freeze for 8 hour before eating.

Country Omelette with Gypsy Ham

2011-08-14T15:38:00.000+10:00

I was so excited to be making an omelette this morning, as i haven't made one for years. The lack of a good non-stick pan in the house put the kibosh on that! Thankfully i used some gift vouchers yesterday to go out and get a top notch Anolon one and boy did it work well! The omelette just slid from the pan, so easily, i forgot how much of a boon non-stick coatings can be.

The gypsy ham used for this recipe (and for a couple more coming up) i got from my local deli. Gypsy ham and bacon always intrigued me, with the dark coloring on the outside with the richly pink meat inside. It turns out that gypsy hams are double smoked, enriching the porky flavor of the meat. And it was indeed very delicious.

Now, if you haven't made an omelette before, or need some brushing up on your technique, i recommend that you watch this youtube video of Jacques Pepin. This man is a clear expert in omelette making!

Ingredients (makes 2 omelettes)

6 large eggs
2/3 cup tasty cheese
1/3 cup diced red capsicum
1/2 cup shredded ham
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Crack three eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk well with a fork until the yolks and whites are well combined.
Bring an 8 inch non-stick pan to medium heat.
Add 1/2 tsp melted butter to the pan and wait to melt.

Pour the eggs into the pan and immediately draw the curd of the egg from the outer to the centre with a spatula.

Continue doing this until the egg does not immediately keep running to fill the gap made by the spatula.
Leave to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the top of the omelette is almost set but still 'wet'
Top the omelette with the cheese, then ham, onion, capsicum and parsley.

Flip the omelette onto itself to form a cresent then slide onto the serving plate.
Enjoy with a tall glass of fresh apple juice. Yum

Brodo with Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings

2011-08-09T20:44:00.000+10:00

So a brodo, it turns out, is a lovely rustic sounding Italian name for a broth. I've heard some tell that a true brodo must contain pasta of some sort, but bah! These dumplings are pasta enough for me.

Looks like i've achieved my holy grail of broth clarity: I had originally made a beautifully vivid yellow, but somewhat cloudy broth. I placed it in the fridge overnight to pull it out only to find that it had become a murky muddy brown!! So i went to trusty google to attempt the fabled egg raft method for clarifying broths. And check it out!! That is some super clear broth there if i do say so myself.

This is a great wintry dish that is light yet filling and satisfying at the same time. Feel free to replace the spinach with 1 cup of frozen spinach to save some time.

Ingredients (Serves 4 as main)

Brodo

1 free range chicken, about 1.2kg
2 onions
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 bunch parsley
1 head garlic
10 or so pepper corns
A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Dumplings

450gm ricotta
30gm parmagiano reggiano + extra for garnish
1 cup of parsley
250gm fresh spinach
40gm flour
1 egg
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Brodo

Coarsely chop the onions, celery and carrot and cut the head of garlic in half horizontally.

Rinse the chicken well inside and out.
Place the chicken in a pot with all other ingredients and cover with 3.5 litres of cold water.

Slowly bring to a simmer and leave at a bare simmer for 3 hours, scraping any scum off the surface.
Strain the soup and leave to cool
If you want your soup extra clear:
When the soup is cool remove from the fridge and whisk 3 egg whites into it well.
Place on the stove and bring to a bare simmer.
Leave on a bare simmer for 30 minutes; after this time a scummy egg 'raft' should be floating on the surface.
Strain this soup over some cheesecloth.
The resulting broth should be very clear as the little impurities should have been trapped by the egg raft

Dumplings

Bring a pot of water to the boil.
Place the spinach and parsley in the water for 30 seconds then drain well.

Rinse the greens under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Squeeze the greens to get as much water out of them as you can.

Chop up the greens or place in a food processor.
In a mixing bowl, combine the greens with the eggs, parmigiano, ricotta, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Fold through the flour.
Bring another large pot of water to a simmer.
Pick up a heaped teaspoon of mixture and roll into a football.

Dust in the extra flour and drop into the simmering water.
If dumpling floats to the surface after 1- minutes and keeps its form, roll out the remaining dumplings and place on a floured tray.

Cook in batches of 8 or so. If the dumpling does not keep its shape add a little more flour to the mixture.
Divide the cooked dumplings amongst the serving bowls and ladle over the hot brodo.

Passionfruit Curd Sponge

2011-08-07T20:33:00.000+10:00

When i was a bit younger (and not too much younger mind you) my grandmother had three specialties that would always set my tummy rumbling: Apple pie, 'cheesecakes' and passionfruit sponge. Unfortunately my nan can't really cook anymore, and i miss her treats a lot.

Nan's apple pie was the most delicious apple pie in the world with a buttery, crumby crust that soaked up the yellow tinged Blue Ribbon ice cream she would lavishly ladle into the bowl.

Her 'cheesecakes' were definitely a family favorite, and i hear reknowned in the shop in which she once worked. I'm not sure where the 'cheese' comes in to these cheesecakes. They were like a jam tart in puff pastry, but with a lid that was of a dense cupcake like mixture. Truly special.

And finally, the passionfruit sponge. Light as a feather, filled with whipped cream, and topped with a passionfruit icing. I could have eaten a whole cake in one sitting (and i and worried that i may have on more than one occasion.)

And so it came, that i thought i'd try my hand at a sponge. But rather than ice with passionfruit i thought i'd go with a curd instead. I am extremely happy to find that my cake is also as light as a feather! I followed recipes and instructions much more closely than usual however, remembering to triple sift the flour and bring ingredients to room temperature.

Ingredients (Makes 1 two-layer 20cm sponge cake)

Sponge

8 eggs, at room temperature
240gm plain flour + extra for dusting, triple sifted
220gm caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
80gm butter, melted and left to come back to room temperature

Filling

200ml thickened cream
1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche (optional)
1/2 cup passionfruit pulp
2 eggs
50gm butter
120 gm caster sugar
Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Grease and line the bases of two 20cm cake pans before dusting with flour

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar and vanilla

Beat with an electric mixture for 8 minutes or until tripled in volume

Sift in the flour in three batches, folding in gently after each addition
Fold through the butter
Pour the mixture evenly between the two pans

Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cake is slightly springy to the touch and is beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan.
Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
Turn the cakes onto a cooling rack.

Filling

In a glass bowl, combine the passion fruit, 70gm sugar and eggs and whisk well
Place over a double boiler on low heat and stir for 10-20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
Stir in the chopped butter.

Transfer to refrigerator to cool.
Beat the cream and remaining 50gm sugar until well whipped.
Beat in the creme fraiche.

Spread the cooled curd over the top of one of the cakes.

Top with dollops of the cream mixture.

Place the second cake on top and dust with icing sugar.

Pork with Cider and Apples

2011-08-04T20:04:00.000+10:00

Do any of you out there subscribe to Gourmet Traveller or frequent their website? I'm constantly impressed by their recipe collections, and find them a great resource for the budding amateur chef who wants to make something a little bit special.

This latest dish which came from Gourmet Traveller reminds me of those staple pork dishes that would have been on gastropub menus of yesterday. It seems like these days it's all pork belly and crispy pork bits, but this recipe tramples back over old ground to the reliable pork steak. This is a very rich and hearty winter dish that sticks to your ribs and makes you forget you're desperate for summer...

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 pork neck steaks (approx 200gm each)
2 pink lady apples, each cut into 8 wedges
200ml good quality apple cider
120gm butter
500gm desiree potatoes, peeled
20 sage leaves
1 large onion, cut into small wedges
1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
100ml milk

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Cut the potatoes in half and place in a pot of salted cold water.

Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes.
Pass the potatoes through a fine sieve or ricer into the milk.

Stir through 100gm butter and keep warm whilst preparing the rest of the meal
Season the pork steaks to taste.
Heat a frying pan over high heat with the olive oil
Add the steaks and butter and cook for 3 minutes on each side

Remove from the pan and place on a baking tray in the oven for 15-20 minutes to complete cooking
Add the onions to the pan and saute for 5 minutes or until soft
Add the apples and sage and cook for a further 4 minutes, turning

Remove to a plate.
Deglaze the pan with the cider and simmer until slightly reduced.
Stir through the creme fraiche.

Spoon the potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork and the onions and apples before drizzling over the cider sauce.

Green Masala Lamb Chops on a Fennel, Tomato and White Balsamic Salad

2011-08-02T20:22:00.001+10:00

This recipe is a twisted variation on one that i found from Neil Perry. This is the first time i've used Neil Perry as an influence for a dish because although i've not been to one of his restaurants, his dishes come across to me as very finnicky (this is not a negative reflection - i just dont have the patience to cook them myself, marvelous though they may be).

There are two things that make this dish so good: Firstly, the green masala marinade brings the lamb to life with fresh herbs and tangy spices, and the fennel seed matches so well with the crisp fennel salad. Secondly, the white balsamic makes the salad stand out. Sure, you could use red wine vinegar, or even regular balsamic. But i encourage you to seek out white balsamic for its slightly tarter but more sublte and simpler flavour to traditional balsamic.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Lamb Chops

4 (500gm total) lamb chops
1 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cardommom powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 lemon
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves

Salad

1 medium fennel bulb
4 medium tomatoes, vine ripened
40ml white balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Method

In a saucepan over medium heat, fry the coriander and fennel seeds until fragrant.
Add to a mortar and pestle with 1/2 tsp salt and grind into a powder. Set aside

Add the coriander and mint to the pestle and mortar with the remaining salt and grind into a paste.

Add the remaining spices, juice of the one lemon and yoghurt and mix well

Pour over the lamb chops and rub in well.

Set aside for 2 hours to marinade.
Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add a little olive oil to the bottom.
Add the lamb chops and cook for 5 minutes on one side.

Flip and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes and pour over the white balsamic.

Thinly shave the fennel and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper.

Layer the tomatoes and fennel on two serving plates.

Top with the rested lamb.
Enjoy!

Seared Pork & Ginger Dumplings with Mapo Sauce

2011-07-31T18:46:00.000+10:00

So for a while now I've been toying around with making some chilli oil dumplings. I love that peppery warmth that comes from chilli oil that coats your tongue in a delicious heat. But i also wanted to try something a little bit new, not the stock standard chilli oil dumplings. How to take it up a notch? Add Mapo!

I was surprised how well this dish worked; i would make a very impressive plate at a one of those trendy new small plate bars. The freshness inside the dumpling (with the ginger and water chestnuts) does not get tainted by the mapo and there are two distinct flavours happening here.

Ingredients (Serves 4 as part of a banquet)

Dumplings

32 wanton wrappers
300gm pork mince
1 tin water chestnuts, chopped
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp shao xing rice wine
1/4 tsp salt

Chilli Oil

1 cup peanut oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 handfuls dried chillis

Mapo Sauce

3 tbsp chilli oil
100gm pork mince
1 heaped tsp fermented black beans
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp shao xing rice wine
2 cloves garlic
1 package firm tofu
Scallions, for garnish
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp peanut oil

Method

Chilli Oil

This part is easy: Coarsely chop the chillis and place in a heat proof bowl or cup

Heat the oil in a saucepan until just smoking.
Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Pour over the chillis and stir.

Sit for 1 hour.
Strain and discard the chilli pods.

Stir through the sesame oil.

Mapo Sauce

Chop the tofu into 1-2cm cubes.
In a frying pan over medium heat add the peanut oil
Add the garlic and pork and saute until browned

Add the black beans, chilli bean paste, soy, rice wine and stock and stir until mixed.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tofu and cornflour and stir for a further 3 minutes. If mixture is too thick add water.

Add the chilli oil last and remove from heat.
Set aside.

Dumplings

Bring a large pot of water to the boil
In a bowl, combine the soy, rice wine, pork, ginger, salt, pepper and pork and mix well.

Take a small teaspoon of mixture and put it into the centre of a wanton wrapper
Gather the edges of the wanton over the pork mixture and pinch to seal and form a bag
Repeat for all dumplings

Throw the dumplings into the boiling water, 8 at a time for around 4 minutes

Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a lightly oiled tray.
Heat a large non stick frying pan to medium heat.
Lightly spray the pan with oil then add the dumplings 8 at a time, until lightly seared on one side.

Place on serving platters then top with the warmed mapo sauce and sliced scallions

Eye Fillet with Creamy Sauteed Leeks & Butter Beans

2011-07-23T20:45:00.001+10:00

Okay, so by now, I've had a complete Jamie turnaround. At first I could not stand Jamie Oliver. The dishes i saw him cook on the television always seemed to be excessive. Things utilizing whole blobs of cheese per person and the like. It wasn't the unhealthy aspect of the food so much as, sure it looked presentable, but who would eat all that??

Since then, i've been converted. I've tried a couple of his dishes which have been fantastic, and i've revisted his early shows and built up an appreciation for his style of cooking. Though i still don't know about serving salads on chopping boards...

This beef is just to-die-for. What more can i say? Easily in the top 5 dishes i've ever cooked. If i got this in a chefs hat restaurant i would not bat an eye. It's that good, and so so so simple, so long as you understand the basics of cooking a steak:

resting is king. Rest your meat for 1/2 the time you took to cook it
Oil the meat, not the pan. If you oil the pan, it will just smoke everywhere.
Season!
If the steak is more than 2 inches thick, don't try to get it to medium on a griddle. Put that hunk in the oven!

Ingredients (serves 2)

400gm eye fillet, cut into 2 2 1/2 inch steaks
1 can good quality butter beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek or 2 medium leeks
1 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp thyme
2/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic

Method

Thinly slice the washed leek.

Heat a medium saucepan over low heat.
Add the butter, 1 tbsp oil, the leek, crushed garlic and thyme
Sweat for 20 minutes or until very soft

Add the wine and raise the heat to bring to the boil
Add the beans and enough water to just cover what's in the pot.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the beans are soft and creamy.

Stir in the parsley and sour cream.
Season the steaks and coat with the remaining oil
Bring an oven to about 170 degrees
Bring a oven proof frying pan to very high heat.
Add the steaks and sear for 3 minutes on each side

Transfer the frying pan to the oven for 8 minutes for a medium steak
Remove from the oven and rest for 7 minutes
Slice the steaks into 4 thick slices

Put a pile of the creamed beans onto each plate

Top with the slices of steak
Enjoy

Bun Thit Nuong - Grilled Pork Neck & Noodle Salad

2011-07-19T21:12:00.000+10:00

I think if i went to Vietnam it would be hard to bring me back. The country looks so beautiful, the people are always nice, and the food is one of the most beautiful i've had. And yet, i rarely go to Vietnamese restaurants! In fact, i think i've only been to three or so Vietnamese restaurants in my life. And yet when i cook Vietnamese food, my family obsesses over it.

This dish is very similar to a beef salad i've done in past, with tweaks to the sauce and obviously the meat. I'm definitely in a pork neck craze at the moment; i can't believe i haven't used this cut of meat before! So tender and succulent yet full of pork flavour. It seems to work well for both a quick sear and a long stewing too.

Ingredients (Serves 4 as main)

500g pork neck
200gm rice vermicelli noodles
6 scallions, white part only
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 large handful mint
1 large handful Vietnamese mint
1 large handful coriander
6 tbsp crushed peanuts
3 tbsp fried shallots
1 small cucumber
4 small handfuls bean sprouts

Sauce

2 cloves minced garlic
1 finely chopped chilli
3 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp lime juice

Method

The day before, finely slice the pork neck into 3-4mm slices.

Thread the pork onto bamboo skewers.
To make the marinade, combine the sugar, honey, fish sauce and pepper together and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Finely chop the scallions and garlic and add these to the fish sauce mixture.
Pour over the pork mixture and rub in.

Cover and marinade overnight.
The next day, seed the cucumber and chop into thin batons. Set aside.

Tear the herbs and toss together. Set aside.

Cook the rice noodles by placing in a bowl and pouring over boiling water. Leave for 3-4 minutes then drain and rinse under cold water.
Divide the noodles amongst serving bowls and top with bean sprouts, cucumber and herb mixture.

Pour 3 tbsp of the sauce over each bowl.
Bring a grill to high heat and cook the pork for 8 minutes or until charred and cooked.

Remove from the skewers and top the dishes with the pork.
Garnish with the toasted peanuts and fried shallots.

Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, vinegar and fish sauce.

Bring to a low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Wait for the mixture to cool then stir through the garlic, chilli and lime juice.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

2011-07-16T21:39:00.001+10:00

Call me crass, call me unsophisticated, but don't you ever, ever say i'm not tasty! Nom.

I came across this recipe originally from a great blog with great photography, How Sweet It Is and tweaked it to suit my own tastes, and have also included a buffalo chicken sauce recipe!This pasta bake is the sinfully unholy amalgamation of macaroni cheese and buffalo wings!

There would be only one improvement to this dish and i feel almost as though i should not say it in the interest of public safety! But... if you actually made buffalo wings, plucked the meat from the bones and used THAT instead of the poached chicken i used... you may be in United States-Hyrbrid Heaven.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce

125gm butter
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp worschtershire
1 dash tabasco
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar

Pasta Bake

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
300gm diced poached chicken
500gm small pasta
125gm Kraft cheddar cheese, grated
125gm tasty cheese, grated
1 small knob pecorino, grated
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
3-5 scallions, sliced finely
1 1/2 cups milk

Method

Buffalo Wing Sauce

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar until bubbling
Add the other ingredients and stir well
Taste: if too sweet, add more Worcestershire.

Leave to cool then refridgerate until needed.

Pasta Bake

Preheat oven to 190 degrees
Cook pasta as per packet instructions and drain well.

Meanwhile melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
When the butter is bubbling, add the flour

Stir for 1-2 minutes or until lightly golden

Add the milk and stir until thickened
Add the grated cheeses, reserving a small amount for topping and stir well. Remove from heat

Toss the pasta, sauce and scallions together in a large casserole.
Top with remaining cheese and panko breadcrumbs
Transfer to oven for 25 minutes.
Enjoy

Chicken, Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms with Ginger Sauce, garnished with water chestnut and macadamia

2011-07-11T20:56:00.000+10:00

I've always been a fan of dishes like Hainanese chicken which contain the most simple, mild flavours but allow the devourer to tweak to their tastes with a variety of garnishes.

I've also been a fan of dishes which focus on creating a variety of textures and flavours.

And in this dish, i am attempting to accomplish both! This dish is all about subtle ingredients, from the whisper of ginger in the mild sauce, to the hint of garlicky heat in the stems. The chicken is mild and succulent and the mushrooms provide a hint of earthiness. But when you add the chilli sauce, or soy, it brings the flavours to an even higher level.

This dish is not so much about cooking expertise as combining lots of ingredients i love into one dish

Although i'm not normally an advocate of heating things in cling film due to possible chemical leeching, the method did work as the chicken was both succulent and flavorful.

Ingredients (Serves 3)

450gm chicken breast fillets
1 tsp sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 handful water chestnuts
12 garlic stems
1 thumb ginger
2 cloves garlic
2-3 scallions
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
200gm shiitake mushrooms
1 block tofu
1 tsp arrowroot powder
2/3 cup macadamias, whole
Chilli sauce if desired
1 cup peanut oil for frying.

Method

Combine the ginger, garlic, 1 scallion and stock in a pot.
Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Strain the liquid and add the arrowroot and stir to thicken slightly.
Toast the macadamias in an oven or frying pan until lightly golden and set aside
Cut the water chestnuts into 1-2cm cubes and set aside.
Cut the chicken, if necessary, into 150gm pieces.
Mix the chicken with the sesame oil and a good shake of salt.

Wrap the chicken in cling film, like a bon bon, twisting the sides of the cling film to press out air. Tie the ends together.

Heat a very large pot of water (8L or more) until it boils then turn off the heat.
Add the chicken pieces in the clingfilm to the pot, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the tofu into 'tiles' about 1-2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high.
Press the tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Heat the peanut oil in a frying pan over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the tofu and fry until golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side.

Drain on paper towel.
Add the shiitakes to the pan and fry on each side for 30 seconds.
Also drain on paper towel.
Bring the sauce back up to a bare simmer whilst you plate the food.
Remove the chicken from the pot and cut into thick slices.

Cut the garlic stems into 6 inch lengths and add to the water the chicken was in with the water chestnuts, to blanch both.
Place the garlic stems in parallel rows on the plate.

Top with a line of alternating chicken, tofu and mushrooms
Scatter the macadamias and water chestnuts around the chicken.
Spoon over some of the sauce (which should be quite runny) and garnish with the remaining scallions, chopped

Serve with chilli sauce and soy on the side.

Beef & Pearl Barley Soup

2011-07-11T20:23:00.001+10:00

So here i am, completing the holy trinity of pearl barley soups! I've done the chicken and the lamb shank, and now, i present, the beef and pearl barley soup!

Ingredients (six servings as a main; 10 as entree)

600g gravy beef
2 onions
3 stalks celery
2 carrots
2 litres beef stock
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic
200gm swiss brown mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup barley, washed

Method

Dice the carrots, celery and onions
Remove the stems, and then quarter the swiss brown mushrooms

Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat
Brown the meat well all over and set aside

Add the onions to the casserole and saute until lightly golden

Add the other vegetables, and thyme, and saute for a further 6-7 minutes

Return the beef to the casserole with the wash barley
Cover with 1L stock and bring to the boil
Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 3 hours, topping up with stock as needed
When the meat is soft, remove from the soup and shred with a fork
Return to the soup and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper

Serve with warm crusty bread

Pecan Caramel Sticky Buns

2011-07-10T15:58:00.001+10:00

The title says it all doesn't it! Yum! Well a colleague at work demanded that i bring in a treat as she was yet to try my cooking. So after perusing ideas on the internet i thought that these sticky buns would be an easy solution, also because my mother (yes, i currently like with my parents. yikes) picked up 12 little pie tins, perfect for sticky bun making!

Little did i know the work that goes into sticky buns. If anyone has made puff pastry, croissants or similar puffy pastries before, they will know the angst involved, particularly if you're a first timer like me. But the satisfaction i felt as i pulled the amazingly puffed and soft pastries from the oven was all worth it!

Ingredients (Makes 12 buns)

Dough

700gm bread flour
6 egg yolks
27gm yeast
75gm caster sugar
350gm unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp salt

Toppings

150gm pecans
50gm brown sugar
300gm caster sugar
70gm ground almonds
300ml cream
150gm butter

Method

Begin with the dough the night before.
Combine the yeast, flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and mix well.

Add to a food processor with 75 gm of the butter and process well
Add the egg yolks and 400ml of cool water and process until a dough forms.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight until doubled in size

Meanwhile, place the remaining butter between 2 pieces of baking paper
Bash with a rolling pin until soft
Form the butter into a rough square about 15cm x 15cm

Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, turn the dough onto a floured benchtop
Roll the dough into a roughly 30cm x 30cm square
Place the square of butter onto the dough at a 45 degree angle

Pull the corners of the dough over the butter and press together to seal the butter inside the dough

Roll the dough into a rectangle around 25cm by 45cm.
Fold the dough into thirds similar to how you would fold a letter for an envelope
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Again roll the dough into a rectangle around 25cm by 45cm and repeat these steps 3 more times, remembering to refrigerate after each cycle.
Meanwhile, heat the topping caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and caramelized

Add 100gm of butter and shake through.
Add the cream slowly, shaking the saucepan to mix through the sugar
Remove from the heat and leave to come to room temperature.
Butter or grease twelve 12cm pie tins.
Pour 1 tbsp of the caramel into each of the pie tins

Disperse the pecan halves equally amongst the pie tins

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into a rectangle around 30cm by 40cm.
Mix the remaining butter together with the brown sugar and almond meal to form a paste.
Spread the paste over the dough rectangle.

Roll the dough along it's longest edge to form a cylinder.
Cut the cylinder into 12 'discs' and place 1 disc in each pie tin.

Cover with cling film and leave for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees
Transfer the pie tins into the oven and make for 20 minutes.

Remove the buns from the oven and turn onto baking paper.
Eat at room temperature.

Apologies for the Hiatus

2011-07-06T21:53:00.000+10:00

Sorry for the lack of posting here in the last few months! No excuses really, just the amalgamation of a rushed work life, leaving my camara at work at the rapid depletion of natural lighting (so much for no excuses!)

Here's a photolist of what i've been up to whilst i've been in hiberation :)

Lamb Fesenjan - Persian Lamb Stew with Pomegranate & Walnuts

2011-07-06T21:45:00.000+10:00

Pomegranate molasses. It's certainly having a little dance across the culinary world at the moment isn't it? Amongst a raft of other vinegars and preserves which seem to be de rigeur at the moment. And i'm a sucker for some fads, and pomegranate molasses is one of them!

But rather than go out and spend $20 on a pretty slender jar of the stuff, it's unbelievably easy to make at home. Pomegranate juice, lemon juice, sugar. Boil to a syrup. The end!

But then you're left over with some. And you scratch your head as to what on earth to do with it beyond a delicious salad dressing. Well! That's where the crafty Persians come into the mix. Bring on the Fesenjan!

This beautiful stew is like no other i've ever eaten. The slight acidity of the molasses reminds me of the tartness of tamarind in a thai curry, or of vinegar in a vindaloo. But it's much more delicate than either, and the bitter nuttiness of the walnuts adds another level of dimension.

Ingredients (Serves 3)

600gm diced lean lamb
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1.5 cups walnuts
1.5 cups chicken stock
1tbsp cardammom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp tumeric
3 small onions / 1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup peanut oil

Method

Process the walnuts in a blender until coarsely pureed

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat then add the onions
Sautee until the onions are lightly browned

Add the lamb and brown well

Add the spices and sautee for a further 30 seconds
Add the stock and bring to the boil

Reduce to a simmer, cover and leave for 1 hour
Add the walnuts and polasses and season to taste.

Cover and continue to cook for a further hour.
Serve with saffron rice and garnished with spring onions.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder with Lemon Thyme Roast Vegetables

2011-03-30T20:45:00.000+11:00

It's so difficult for me to decide whether my favorite meat is pork or lamb! Sure, if it was for every day, i would probably pick pork with it's added versatility in small goods but i don't think there is a meat so irresistable to me as the lamb roast! I am always getting into the roast early, trying to wrangle the lank shank from my mother/aunt/grandmother before my dad or cousin does. Something about the roast shank with it's sticky fat and stringy tender meat is just about the best thing in the world to me! And when you get a cut like shoulder and cook it properly, the result is an entire plate full of that succulent fatty meat!

Ingredients (Serves 8)

2kg boned lamb shoulder (forequarter)
1 cup red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 bunch truss tomatoes
4 medium potatoes
1 half butternut pumpkin
4 red onions
1 large handful lemon thyme
6 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
Season the lamb well with salt and pepper

With 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat, brown the lamb on both sides.

Transfer to a roasting tray and pour the stock and red wine into the frying pan to deglaze.

Pour the deglazed pan mixture over the lamb.

Transfer to the oven.
After 20 minutes reduce heat to 160 degrees and cook for a further 4 hours, in the last 30 minutes adding the truss tomatoes.

Meanwhile, chop the potatoes and pumpkin into large chunks and quarter the onions

Toss in a large bowl with the lemon thyme,remaining oil, and salt and pepper to taste
Pour into another baking tray.

Pour over 1 cup of water
Transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Cauliflower Soup

2011-03-27T20:23:00.000+11:00

It seems like such a short time ago that i stopped doing my weekly soup recipes! And now I'm back, but i don't think i'll be making new soups every week like I'm used to: I'm simply running out of recipes!

It's strange that before today i'd never made a cauliflower soup. It was such a staple of my family's dinner table when i was younger, and it's beautifully simple in it's flavor. This one errs away from cheese and into a slight depth of flavor from the addition of the curry. But i make no pretense that this soup is anything of my own invention, the recipes comes very closely adapted from Australian Woman's Weekly!

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
1 litre chicken stock
1 brown onion
2 tbsp butter
200ml sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp madras curry powder
1 bunch chives

Method

Cut the cauliflower into florets and coarsely chop the onion.
Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onions and cauliflower and saute for 10 minutes or until soft and slightly translucent

Add the curry powder and saute for a further 2 minutes

Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Blend with a stick blender.

Add the sour cream and stir through.
Serve with snipped chives.

Ginger Scallion Noodles with Grilled Chicken

2011-03-27T11:14:00.000+11:00

I have great respect for the work of David Chang. I don't really want to write too much about him, lest i become another blogger who rants about the great respect they have for the work of David Chang. Whoops...

Anyway, one of my favorite cookbooks is the Momofuku cookbook. The story it tells, the detail it goes into, is just phenomenal. I really feel that if i go to the effort and obey his directions in the recipe, the dish will definitely turn out amazingly. Unfortunately those directions are often quite laborious and involve difficult-to-find ingredients!

This second dish that i have made from his cookbook is much simpler than the pork belly buns. Really, it's just the sauce for the noodles, and then you layer what you like ontop. My mum normally doesn't like egg noodles like this, but because the sauce does not weigh down the dish, and is quite light, she was converted.

Ingredients

2 large bunches scallions
1 large hand ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 medium carrots
1/2 red capsicum
1 large handful snow peas
500gm chow mien noodles
Hoisin, for serving
3 chicken thigh fillets
2 tbsp peanut oil, extra

Method

Finely chop the scallions

Peel the ginger and then puree.

Combine the scallions, ginger, soy, vinegar and salt together in a bowl and leave sit for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, julienne the carrots, capsicum, and 3 sprigs of spring onions, and slice the snow peas

Coat the chicken thighs in 1 tbsp of oil and grill over high heat until cooked and slightly charred.

Set aside to cool.
Heat a wok with 1 tbsp oil over high heat
Add the carrots and stir fry for 1 minute. Remove carrots and place wok back over heat.

Add capsicum and stir fry for 30 seconds. Remove capsicum and place wok back over heat.
Add snow peas and stir fry for 1 minute or until slightly charred. Remove from wok and set aside.
Cook the noodles as per packet instructions and then drain well.

Toss the noodles in a large bowl with the scallion sauce.

Slice the chicken.

Serve by placing a mound of noodles on each plate and topping with the remaining ingredients.

Mars Bar Steamed Buns

2011-03-26T21:55:00.000+11:00

o I've been dwelling on creating a different type of bao for a while now... trying to make my own twist of the epitome of steamed buns, the char siu bao that is obligatory at any number of yum cha establishments. The fluffy bun with the salty sweet pork, mmm, so delicious! But i was looking for something a little more refined, a little more savory, a little more, complex...

So how did i end up at mars bar steamed buns! I was so set on making bao using a filling i'd normally use in sang choy bao, with complex textures of crisp, crunchy, soft, etc, but then i was looking over a fish and chip shop menu and saw it there, my muse... the deep fried mars bar! Like a lightning bolt to the brain my synapses lit up at once and rather than funneling the energy into some sort of craving-induced coma it exposed itself as an idea - mars bar bao! And so it began.

The result was mixed. The Snickers bao i made first didn't carry that unctuous gooey deliciousness i wanted. But the mars bars, with their cavalier disregard for the nut, had the right texture. The buns themselves were fluffy but not sweet enough, so for the recipe below i've doubled the sugar content in the bun.

Ingredients (8 bao)

2 twin pack mars bars / snickers bars
3 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 cup canola oil

Method

Chop the candy bars into a total of 8 pieces

Combine the yeast with 3/4 cup of lukewarm water in a bowl. Leave for 1 minute
Whisk through the oil then set aside.
Sift the sugar, flour and baking powder into a bowl.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture

Stir the mixture into the flour with a spoon, until a ragged dough forms

Use your hands to form the dough into a ball

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic
Place in a bowl lined with oil and cover with cling film.
Leave in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball

Flatten with your palm until it is around 5 inches in diameter and a bit thicker in the middle
Place a piece of candy in the middle of the dough

Pull the edges of the dough together, overlapping each piece as you pull it over the previous
Twist to seal
Place on a piece of baking paper

Repeat for remaining 7 pieces of dough
Steam in a bamboo steamer over high heat for 15 minutes

Serve immediately