Punjabi Chicken Curry with Raita

Transcription

1 Punjabi Chicken Curry with Raita Just when I think there couldn t be another curry to cook, as I have cooked hundreds of them, along comes this deliciously authentic, Punjabi Chicken Curry that I found online. It is an SBS recipe and I have probably changed its authenticity somewhat, as I just love to mix things up a bit. I really have no idea if they would serve it with cumin spiced rice, a cooling raita, slices of cucumber or roti bread. I do know, that I really don t care as it tasted fantastic and that is all that matters in my book. Whatev s! This Punjabi Chicken Curry was particularly spicy (which I

2 love), so if you like it less spicy just leave out either the chilli powder or whole chillies (or both). While this may look like a long list of ingredients, if you have cooked my curries before you should have most of the spices in your pantry so try not to be put off. The Sides are also optional as you could just use plain rice and yoghurt but I will say, for minimal extra effort, you will get maximum flavour and results and adulation from your fellow diners. Prep time: 20 Minutes Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours $$ Medium Budget Serves 4 1 tbs of ghee 8 Chicken thigh cutlets, skin on and bone in (best for flavour) 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced 5cm piece of ginger, finely minced (use a mini food processor or chopper for the garlic and ginger to save time just add a tbs of water) 1 large brown onion, peeled, halved and sliced top to bottom

3 1-2 green chillies, pierced with the tip of your knife (optional) 2 tbs of ground coriander 1 tbs of ground cumin 1 tsp of ground turmeric 1/2-1 tsp of chilli powder 1 cinnamon stick 3 brown cardamom pods* 4 green cardamom pods 4 cloves 3 fresh bay leaves A big pinch of sea salt 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

4 4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped 1/2 a cup of chicken stock 2 tsp of garam masala 1/2 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped 1 lebanese cucumber, finely sliced (I use a mandolin) Coriander sprigs for garnish Roti bread or Poppadoms to serve For the Raita: 1 lebanese cucumber, finely grated 1 cup of greek yoghurt 1 tbs of finely chopped coriander 1/2 tsp of ground cumin

5 Juice of 1/2 a lemon Sea salt and pepper For the Cumin Rice: 1/2 tbs of ghee 1/2 a small brown onion 1 tbs of cumin seeds 1 cup of basmati rice 11/2 cups of chicken stock Sea salt and pepper Heat a large heavy based pot (with a lid) and add the ghee. Once melted add the cardamom (black & green), cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaves. Fry for a minute, until aromatic and then add the onion and cook until golden. Add the minced garlic and ginger and stir continuously for approximately 1 minute before adding the chopped tomatoes, ground spices

6 (except the garam masala) and green chillies along with the chicken stock. Stir to combine the pop a lid on and allow the tomatoes to break down, simmering for 5 minutes. Once the tomatoes have broken down a little, add the chicken thighs and garam masala and spoon the sauce over them and then top the pot up with about 11/2 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper and bring the pot up to a simmer, pop a a lid on and cook for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed. After 45 minutes, remove the lid and give the curry a nice gentle stir. Allow the curry to simmer with the lid off for a good minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick. Stir through the chopped coriander just before serving While the chicken is cooking make the raita. Use a few good layers of paper towel of a new chux super wipe to squeeze all of the water out of the grated cucumber. Place it in a bowl with the yoghurt, cumin, coriander and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Place in a serving bowl, ready for the table. To cook the rice, melt the ghee in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the onion and lightly fry until translucent before adding the cumin seeds and rice. Stir for a minute or so to toast the rice and then pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the rice to the boil and once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer, place a lid on and allow

7 to cook for 12 minutes. At the 12 minute mark, turn the heat off and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes, with the lid on. Once rested, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. To serve the Punjabi Chicken Curry, divide the rice between four serving bowls and top with one or two thigh cutlets. Spoon over the curry sauce and top with a good dollop of raita, fresh cucumber slices and garnish with fresh coriander sprigs. Serve with a side of warmed roti bread or poppadoms. *Black cardamom pods can be found at Indian grocers or online at om-pods-brown-indian-20g/ Pork, Pumpkin & Bean Laksa

8 Phwoar..this was good. So good that my Husband declared it the best meal I have ever cooked. I m not sure I would go quite that far but the aromatic, spicy, homemade paste with slow cooked pork, sweet pumpkin and fresh crunchy beans did raise the bar somewhat. Let us not forget those delicious crunchy toppings that go so well with the tender meat, slippery noodles and creamy broth of a good Laksa. My mouth is watering and this is killing me.i have got to make this again and soon. Prep time: 30 Minutes Cooking time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Serves 4

9 Peanut oil for frying 1 large brown onion, peeled and halved and sliced top to bottom 2 cinnamon sticks 4 star anise 6 Kaffir lime leaves 4 Tbs of Malaysian Curry Paste (See link below) 2 cups of chicken stock 2 x 400ml tins of coconut milk 600gm of Pork Scotch Fillet cut into good chunks 400 gm of Japan or Kent pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks 300gm of green beans, ends removed and sliced diagonally 3 tbs of fish sauce

10 Juice of 1 lime (2 if the limes are not very juicy) 1 heaped tbs of brown sugar 1 cup of coriander leaves 250gm of Rice Stick noodles (cooked according to packet instructions) For the Topping: 1/2 cup of toasted coconut flakes 4 handfuls of bean shoots* 1 lebanese cucumber, very finely sliced with a mandolin or food processor* 2 Kaffir lime leaves, middle vein removed, rolled and very thinly sliced 1 red chilli, finely sliced diagonally Coriander sprigs for garnish

11 Lime wedges to serve Preheat the oven to 180 C. Place the pumpkin pieces in a lined baking tray, drizzle with a little oil and toss with 1 tablespoon of the curry paste. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove and set aside for later. Heat a large pot and add a little peanut oil. Fry the onion until soft and then add the pork and fry until it gets a nice bit of colour on it and then ad the remaining curry paste. Stir continuously to prevent sticking for about a minute or until the aromas of the paste are really strong. Pour in the stock and coconut milk and add the cinnamon sticks, star anise and Kaffir lime leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, pop a lid on and allow the to simmer gently for about one hour or until the pork is meltingly tender. Remove the lid and continue to simmer. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar. Stir to combine and allow the sugar to dissolve before having a taste. Adjust any seasoning if you think it is necessary before adding the pumpkin to the pot and stirring to combine. Simmer for a further 5 minutes until the pumpkin is warmed through and then stir the beans through, allowing them to blanch in the sauce for a few minutes or until lovely and bright green in colour. Stir the

12 coriander leaves through just before serving. To assemble the Laksa, divide your cooked noodles between four bowls and ladle over the pork, pumpkin, beans and sauce (discard the cinnamon sticks, lime leaves and star anise). Place a nice pile of bean shoots on top and garnish with cucumber slices. Sprinkle over the toasted coconut flakes, chilli slices and shredded kaffir lime leaves and top with coriander sprigs. Serve with fresh lime wedges. *I always soak my bean shoots and cucumber in a bowl of ice cold water that I pop in the fridge for half an hour or so. This ensures that they will be deliciously cold and crunchy and this contrasts beautifully with the creamy sauce and richness of the pork. If you don t have a mandolin, you can always dice your cucumber but it did look really pretty in wafer thin slices. Leftover Kaffir Lime Leaves? This could be the perfect dish.. t-ginger-and-snow-pea-rice/

13 Green Curry Sausage Rolls What a sensational surprise these babies were! So easy to make, deliciously moist (very important in Sausage Roll territory) and they made a great snack the next day. You could make these without the salad and do party size for a crowd, guaranteed hit. They were easy on the wallet and pretty healthy. The kids will love these..what s not to love? If you would like to make for a crowd, double the recipe

14 Prep time: 25 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Cooking time: 30 Minutes Makes 6 large sausage rolls 500gm of chicken mince 2 tbs of green curry paste 2 tbs of granulated peanuts (optional) 3 spring onions, finely sliced 4 kaffir lime leaves, centre vein removed and very finely chopped 1/2 a cup of coriander leaves and stalks, rinsed thoroughly and finely chopped 1 tbs of fish sauce 1 cup of panko bread crumbs 2 eggs

15 3 sheets of just thawed frozen puff pastry Sweet chilli sauce for basting Sesame seeds for sprinkling (I used black and white) For the Salad: 1 Baby cos lettuce, finely shredded 1 lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced 3-4 radishes, thinly sliced 1/2 cup of coriander leaves 1/2 cup of Thai basil leaves 1/2 cup of mint 2 spring onions, finely sliced diagonally 1 long red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced diagonally

16 2 tbs of olive oil 1/4 cup of light soy 2 tbs of rice wine vinegar 1 tbs of fish sauce 1 tbs of caster sugar Preheat the oven to 200 C In a large mixing bowl combine the mince, curry paste, peanuts, spring onions, lime leaves, coriander, fish sauce, breadcrumbs and egg until well combined. Lay the slightly thawed puff pastry sheets on the bench with their lining still intact. Divide the mince mixture into thirds and place it across the pastry about a third of the way into the pastry. Lift the pastry up and over the mince mixture and then peel the lining. Once you peel the lining you can use it to assist you roll the pastry. When there is about a 1 inch overlay on the bottom of the sausage roll, use a sharp knife to trim any excess pastry. Cut the rolls in half and lay them on a lined baking tray. Heat a couple of tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then baste the sausage rolls with it. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and place in the oven for about minutes or until golden on the outside and cooked through. You can always cut one in

17 half to check but that amount of time should be perfect. Use a bowl combine the cucumber, radish, herbs, chilli and spring onion and toss to combine. You may like to add some iced water if you think the salad needs crisping up a bit, just drain it well before serving. To serve, place a pile of shredded cos on each plate and top with the cucumber salad. Place the sausage rolls on the plates and drizzle the dressing over the salad. Serve the sausage rolls with extra sweet chilli sauce if you wish. Crispy Pork Belly Bahn Mi

18 While travelling through Vietnam last year, we took it upon ourselves to try the traditional, Vietnamese street food Bahn Mi, pretty much every chance we got. The difference between each region was quite astonishing and I realised that there really are no hard and fast rules, you just need the classic French style pate, sharp pickled carrot, cucumber and aromatic herbs along with a fresh, Vietnamese style, long roll to call it a Bahn Mi. In various regions the meat differed greatly but my favourite was the pork belly with crackling. After much deliberation I decided to try my version on some friends of ours who are somewhat Bahn Mi experts. Not only in Vietnam but also at home they are on a constant quest to find the best so I was a tad nervous about the result and the critiquing that would undoubtedly be voiced and I spent quite a long time researching how to get the crispiest pork etc. I was in a bit of a flap with all of the pressure I had put myself under so after taking a deep breath and a big slug of wine, I set about doing what I do best. Cooking. They loved it.

19 Prep time: 30 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Cooking time: 2.5 Hours Serves 4 1kg of boneless pork belly, scored at 0.5cm intervals (get your butcher to do this if you like) 1 tsp of Chinese 5 Spice 2 tsp of sea salt 2 tbs of olive oil 4 Vietnamese long rolls or baguettes 4 tbs of store bought chicken liver pate 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced 2 large carrots, finely julienned or shredded using a julienne peeler 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar 1 tbs of caster sugar 2 red chillies, finely sliced 1 cup of coriander leaves 1/2 cup of mint leaves 1/4 cup of Vietnamese mint leaves (optional) 1/4 cup of Thai basil (optional) 2 spring onions, green part only, thinly sliced diagonally

20 Kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha Chilli sauce to serve (optional but darn good) I have a combined oven and grill which works really well for this recipe. If your grill and oven are seperate, after grilling the pork skin, give the pork a little longer in the oven to ensure that the meat has cooked for long enough and keep a really good eye on the crackling to ensure it doesn t burn. Preheat the oven & grill to 220 C. For really good crackling, pat the pork skin with paper towel to dry it off and then pop it in the fridge for an hour or so, uncovered. This will really dry the skin out but it is not essential. Once you have dried the pork, place it on a rack over an oven tray and drizzle over the oil. Combine the Chinese 5 Spice and sea salt and rub it between your fingers to break down any large clumps of salt. Use your hands to sprinkle it over the pork and then really massage it in to the skin. Bake the pork in the oven, on a lower shelf for minutes or until golden and crispy. Keep an eye on it as you don t want it to burn. Once crispy, pour enough water in to cover the base of the pan and reduce the heat to 170 C and turn it to fan forced with the grill off, cooking for a further 2 hours. Check periodically that there is still water in the tray and keep it topped up. This will ensure melt in your mouth pork belly. After 2 hours, remove from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered (so the skin stays crispy) for approximately 10

21 minutes. While the pork is cooking, in a small bowl combine the rice wine vinegar and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and then add the shredded carrot. Give it a little toss and then place in the fridge until you assemble the Bahn Mi. In another small bowl, combine the herbs and spring onion. Cover with ice cold water and toss to combine. Drain just before serving. Remove the crackling from the pork and use kitchen shears (or scissors) to cut the crackling. Slice the pork meat at about 1cm intervals. To assemble, slice the rolls along the top and spread apart. Spread a good amount of pate on one side and line the other side with cucumber slices. Divide the pork meat among the rolls and top with the carrot pickle and a nice pile of the fresh herbs. Garnish with chilli slices, slivers of pork crackling and a drizzle of Kewpie mayo and sriracha sauce. If you have leftover Vietnamese mint, you may want to try this delicious recipe!: Vietnamese Shaking Beef

22 Turmeric Chicken Roti Wraps with Cucumber Salsa 2017 has been a huge year of travel for me, which means a huge year of eating. Not that I am complaining as I adore travelling and as you know, I adore food. It also gives me inspiration to eat a little on the lighter side when I get home as it is not just my travel bags that need unpacking. I

23 had been thinking of this dish for a while and it evolved into a simple meal that is perfect for busy week nights. The marinade takes minutes so it would be a good one to do on a Sunday as you can marinate over night. Then all you have to do is come home after work on Monday and just whip up a few salad items and grill the chicken on the BBQ. You could also return from work, marinate for an hour and help the kids with their homework etc. Did I mention that it was a taste sensation too? Prep time: 25 Minutes Cooking time: 25 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Serves thigh fillets 1/4 cup of olive oil 1 tbs of ground turmeric 1/2 tsp of chilli powder (optional) 1 tbs of grated ginger Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 tbs of honey Sea salt and pepper 1 large carrot, peeled and finely julienned or grated* 1 small bag of rocket 1 cup of greek yoghurt

24 8 Roti wraps For the Cucumber Salsa: 1-2 cucumbers, halved, deseeded and finely chopped 1/2 a red onion, finely diced 1/2 cup of mint leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped Juice of 1/2 a lemon Sea salt and pepper Place the thigh fillets between 2 large sheets of cling wrap and bash lightly with a rolling pin to even out the thickness. Cut each fillet into 2-3 pieces (depending on their size) so that they will fit nicely, single file in a wrap. Place them in a shallow dish to marinate. In a bowl combine the oil, turmeric, ginger, chilli, lemon and honey and season with salt and pepper. Use a whisk to combine and if the honey is a little stiff, just give it seconds in the microwave to dissolve. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and use tongs or a spoon to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 1 hour. To make the salsa, place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to combine.

25 Preheat the oven to 180 C. Heat a BBQ grill or a frypan to nice and hot. Sear the chicken on both sides and then turn the heat down a little and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a lined baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm for 10 minutes. I often do this with chicken, just to ensure that it is cooked all the way through. Prepare the roti bread as per packet instructions. I like to do the lightly oiled pan method as it makes the roti nice and chewy. This is the perfect dish to set up on an island bench or in the middle of the table so everyone can make their own. To assemble, spread a dollop of yoghurt down the middle of a roti. Top with rocket, shredded carrot, chicken and salsa and tuck in! *I have a sensational tool for shredding carrot that looks just like a potato peeler but has little serrated edges on it. You can buy them for under $10 in most kitchen ware shops. Leftover mint or coriander? Perhaps you should consider this for tomorrow nights dinner.. Chicken, Preserved Lemon & Green Olive Meatballs with Fetta, Mint & Pistachio Crumble

26 Asian Style Osso Bucco I have a few favourite chefs that inspire me but none more so than Valli Little of Delicious fame. I have all of her cookbooks and they are a constant source of inspiration to me. I like to think of myself as a bit of a Valli Little because our cooking styles are so similar, however, Delicious magazine is yet to knock on my door (there is always hope). Whenever I cook one of Valli s dishes, I try to tweak them slightly, not because hers aren t good enough but because I feel I should attempt to make them differ slightly as I am posting them on my own website. This dish was a stand out. An old Italian classic given an Asian make over and a darn good one at that! You could do this in the slow cooker. Brown the meat first,

27 cover with a piece of baking paper (this helps to keep the moisture in) and cook on low for 6 hours. Prep time: 25 Minutes Cooking time: 2.5 Hours $$ Medium Budget Serves 4 Oil for frying (peanut, rice bran, sunflower) 4 large Osso Buco 1/4 cup of plain flour 1tsp of Chinese 5 Spice 1/2 tsp of salt 1 large brown onion, halved and sliced top to bottom 3cm piece of ginger, grated 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 long red chilli, finely sliced (seeds removed for less heat) 3 strips of orange rind, finely julienned 3 star anise 1 cinnamon quill 1 tbs of brown sugar 1/2 cup of soy sauce 1 tbs of char sui sauce

28 1 tbs of tomato paste 750ml of beef stock Juice of 1/2 a lime Steamed rice to serve For the Topper: 1 lebanese cucumber, peeled into thin strips, seeds discarded 2 spring onions, sliced into 4cm batons and finely julienned 1 cup of coriander leaves 1/2 cup of mint leaves 1/2 cup of Thai basil (optional but yum) Juice of 1/2 a lime Pre heat the oven to 170 C. Combine the flour, salt and Chinese 5 spice on a flat plate and coat the beef on both sides (and the edges), shaking off any excess and reserving the leftover flour. Heat a large casserole and add the oil. Fry the beef on both sides until golden and set aside. In the same pan, add a little more oil if necessary and lightly fry the onion until soft. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for a minute or two until aromatic. Add the orange rind, star anise,

29 cinnamon stick, sugar, soy, char sui sauce, tomato paste, stock and reserved flour to the pan and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pan and spoon over the sauce, making sure the meat is covered. Bring to a simmer and tear off a sheet of baking paper and lay it over the mixture, tucking the sides in so it is nice and snug. This helps to keep the moisture in. Bake it in the oven for approximately 2 hours, turning the meat periodically until it is falling off the bone. In a bowl, combine the cucumber strips, spring onion, chilli and herbs and cover with cold water and place in the fridge so the mixture is nice and crunchy. Drain the water just before serving and squeeze over the lime juice. To serve, divide rice between serving bowls and top with the Osso Bucco. Spoon over the sauce and top with a generous pile of the salad topper. Left over Thai Basil? You may want to cook this. Thai Basil, Beef & Cashew Stir Fry

30 Chargrilled Beef & Crunchy Noodle Salad with Hot & Sour Dressing So we are in the heart of Winter and you may have noticed that I have been cooking a fair bit of Winter stodge as that is what I tend to crave in the cooler months. I did feel however, that I needed to break that up a tad and not only eat something a little less stodgy but to mix it up on the website a little for those in the Northern Hemisphere who are currently in the throws of a heat wave (pfffft). I think this Asian crunchy noodle salad will appeal to those from all corners of the Globe, Summer or Winter. Fresh, super crunchy and with those ever-present, gloriously aromatic flavours of

31 Asia, this salad was yum! If you would like a little less crunch in the salad (as it is pretty crunchy), this would be really nice with soft, flat rice or glass noodles. Prep time: 20 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Cooking time: 15 Minutes Serves 4 Oil for deep frying (peanut, rice bran, canola) 4 x 150gm Scotch fillet steaks (rump, fillet or sirloin will also be fine and you could even stretch 3) 200gm of Asian egg noodles (or 4 portions), 1 cucumber, halved, deseeded and sliced (you can deseed by running a teaspoon right down the middle) 2 cups of bean sprouts 1 cup of mint leaves 1 cup of coriander leaves 3 kaffir lime leaves, spine removed, rolled and very finely shredded 1 small red onion, halved and finely sliced top to bottom For the Hot and Sour Dressing

32 Juice of 2-3 limes (depending on juiciness) 2 tbs of fish sauce 1.5 tbs of brown sugar 1 lemon grass, white part only and very finely sliced 1 small clove of garlic, finely minced 1 long or 2 small red chillies, finely sliced (deseeded if you like less heat) Place the cucumber, bean sprouts, mint leaves, coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaves and red onion in a large bowl and toss with your fingers to combine. Set aside. In small bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, lemon grass, garlic and chilli until the sugar has dissolved. Heat a wok and place enough oil to cover about 1.5 inches of the base of the wok. When the oil is nice and hot (you can test this by putting a small piece of dried noodle in and if it bubbles immediately, it is hot enough), roughly break the noodles into smaller pieces and fry, in batches until puffed and golden. Drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Heat a griddle pan to smoking hot. Rub a little oil over the steaks and season with salt and pepper. Chargrill for approximately 4 minutes each side for medium rare. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing and tossing through the salad mixture. Spoon over about half of the dressing and toss again to coat.

33 Divide the crunchy noodles between four serving bowls and top with a generous mound of the salad. Spoon over the remaining dressing and serve. Sweet & Sour Pork Spare Ribs with Cucumber & Mint Salsa I reckon these babies, Pork Spare Ribs, are the unsung hero

34 of the meat department. Luckily the restaurants don t seem to have cottoned on so they are still well within budget (unlike pork belly and lamb shanks) and are really easy to cook with. I m calling this Sweet & Sour instead of Char Sui pork as I really wanted to sharpen up the dish, not only in the marinade but with the cooling and zesty cucumber and mint salsa that I paired it with. A fragrant spring onion and ginger rice gave this meal another depth of flavour that took it from standard yum to super yum! To save time if you have to go to work, marinate the spare ribs in the morning or even the night before. The longer they marinate, the better the flavour. Prep time: 25 Minutes least 1 Hour marinating time Cooking time: 1 Hour + at $$ Medium Budget Serves pork spare ribs (depending on size and look for nice lean ones) 3 tbs of char sui sauce 2 tbs of soy 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar 2 tbs of Sriracha chilli sauce (found in the Asian section of the supermarket) Juice of 1 lime 1 tbs of palm or brown sugar

35 1 spring onion, finely sliced diagonally and lime wedges for garnish For the Cucumber Salsa: 2 lebanese cucumbers, deseeded and finely chopped 1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1/2 cup of mint leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 tbs of rice wine vinegar 1 tbs of caster sugar For the Rice: 11/2 cups of Jasmine rice 21/2 cups of water Sea salt 1 tbs of finely grated ginger 1 tsp of sesame oil 2 spring onions, finely sliced In a bowl, with a whisk combine the char sui sauce, soy, vinegar, lime juice, sugar and chilli sauce. Place the ribs

36 in a shallow baking dish and pour over the marinade. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 200 C. Use a pair of tongs and lift the spare ribs out of the marinade and place them in a baking dish lined with baking paper. Pop them in the oven and baste them with the marinade every 10 or so minutes, turning them each time you baste, for 1 hour until the ribs are golden and sticky. While the ribs are cooking, place the cucumber, chilli, mint, coriander, vinegar and sugar in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside. Place the spring onion garnish in a bowl of iced water for maximum crispiness and a lovely curly effect. Place the rice and water in a saucepan with a generous sprinkling of salt and the ginger. Bring the rice to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, remove the lid very briefly and add the spring onion. Don t worry about stirring it through at this stage as you don t want the steam to escape. After five minutes, add the sesame oil and fluff the rice with a fork, stirring through the spring onion at the same time. To plate the dish, use a ramekin to spoon the rice into and then invert it onto the serving plates. Arrange the spare ribs around the rice and spoon over the cucumber mixture.

37 Drizzle over any remaining pan juices, top with the spring onion and serve with the lime wedges (sorry forgot to put those on the plate when photographing the dish, but it gave it a nice citrus lift!) Beef Rendang Roti Wraps with Cucumber Pickle & Coconut Salad So I accepted a little challenge. To create a traditional

38 dish and put my own Em s Food spin on it. It had to be Malaysian, it was better if it was made from scratch and it had to be my own. This is what I came up with. Homemade Roti bread (which was a triumph, I might add) filled with a gorgeous, melt in your mouth Beef Rendang. Now Rendang can be pretty rich so I thought it would be really nice served with a quick cucumber pickle, just to cut through all of that richness and a textured, toasted coconut, Asian inspired topper. I thought the Street Food angle might work and fingers crossed, it will! For the time poor, store bought Roti is absolutely fine but if you like a wee challenge then why not go the whole hog? It was well worth it. How do I know this? A little Malaysian Birdie told me it was fabulous! To make it easier I will split this recipe into parts, Roti bread and Rendang, Pickle, Topper. That way you will know what time frame you will need. This looks like a big recipe (and it is) but the process is fairly simple. I actually believe even the most basic of cooks could make a success of this dish. Go on, challenge yourself.. Living in Newcastle, I was unable to source some or the ingredients in a traditional Rending so this is totally my take. Rendang, Pickle, Topper: Prep time: 40 Minutes Cooking time: 3 Hours $$ Medium Budget Serves 8

39 2 tbs of vegetable oil 1.2kg of gravy beef, cut into bite sized pieces 3 Stalks of lemon grass, white part only, bruised with the blent edge of your knife 2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped 6 Kaffir lime leaves, rolled and finely sliced 6 dried red chillies, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes and seeds removed for less heat 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tsp of sea salt 3 tbs of Malaysian curry powder* 1 tbs of coconut sugar (1.5 tsp of brown will do) 400ml of coconut cream 1 cup of water 11/2 cups of shredded coconut, toasted in a dry pan, reserve half a cup for the topper Lime Wedges to serve For the Cucumber Pickle: 2 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled into ribbons, seeds discarded

40 2 cups of bean shoots 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar 1 tbs of caster sugar For the Coconut Topper: 1/2 cup of toasted coconut 2 spring onions, cut into 4cm batons and then finely julienned 2 long red chillies, halved & deseeded and finely julienned 2 cups of coriander leaves, roughly chopped 3 kaffir lime leaves, spine removed and rolled and sliced very finely Place the red onion, garlic, ginger, drained red chillies and sea salt in a small food processor and blitz until you have a nice fine paste. Heat a large, heavy based pot and add the oil. When it is nice and warm, add the paste and fry for approximately 5 minutes or until it is beginning to darken and it is lovely and aromatic. Add the lemon grass, beef, curry powder and kaffir lime leaves and stir well over a fairly high heat until the beef is starting to brown. Add the sugar, coconut cream and water and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer, pop on a lid and allow to simmer, stirring periodically for approximately 2 hours or until the beef is meltingly tender. Don t be alarmed if your curry looks like it has split, it

41 will come together again when you add the coconut paste. Place 1 cup of toasted coconut in a mortar and pestle and pound until you have a nice paste like consistency. This will release the oil in the coconut. Remove the lid from the curry and add the coconut paste. Stir to combine and allow the curry to reduce for 30 minutes or until it is nice and dry. Have a taste of the curry and adjust any seasoning if necessary and pull the lemongrass out just before serving. To make the pickle place the cucumber and bean shoots in a large bowl. Whisk the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and pour over the cucumber mixture. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Place the spring onions, chillies, coriander and kaffir lime leaves in a small bowl and use your fingers to toss. Pour in enough water to cover and add a few ice cubes. This will really crisp and freshen everything up. Drain and add the remaining toasted coconut just before serving. *Malaysian Curry Powder is found in Asian Supermarkets or on line To make the Roti Bread:

42 Prep time: 30 Minutes Cooking time: 30 Minutes $ Low Budget Makes 8 21/2 cups of Bread flour + extra for dusting 1/2 tsp of sea salt 1 cup of chilled water 50gm of butter, melted 1/4 cup of vegetable oil Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the water and using your hand, bring the dough together in the bowl. It is quite a sticky dough so make sure your work surface is lightly floured. Turn the dough out onto a lightly flour surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes, adding more flour to the surface if need be. When the dough is nice and smooth, roll the dough into a 20cm log. Cut into 8 equal portions and then roll each portion into a nice ball. Place on a tray and cover with a piece of cling wrap to stop the dough doing out. Taking one portion of dough, use a rolling pin to roll into a flat disc, 20cm in diameter. Brush with butter and then roll the dough into a cylinder to enclose the butter. Grab the

43 ends and coil the dough into a scroll shape and then roll out again to a thin disc about 20cm in diameter. The dough should be really quite pliable so the thinner the better. Heat a large frypan and brush the base with a little oil. Fry the bread on each side for 1-2 minutes or until golden and starting to bubble up. Try not to be impatient at this point because the bread is so nice and chewy if cooked correctly. Place on a sheet of baking paper and repeat with the remaining dough. I rolled a few out and then started the cooking process. Once they started cooking I would roll out another one. It was actually a thoroughly enjoyable experience. To serve the dish, place a nice amount of cucumber pickle across the bottom of the roti and top with an equally generous portion of Rending. Don t forget to toss the toasted coconut through the salad topper, sprinkle over the Rendang and add a squeeze of lime. Use your hands to roll up like a wrap and tuck in!

44 Peking Duck Breast with Shiitake & Brown Fried Rice Woah. This was an Em s Food creation that I thought about incessantly for about a week. I started off thinking noodle salad, moved to pancake, contemplated omelette and ended up with fried rice. What better marriage than Duck and shiitake mushrooms? Who doesn t love the classic flavours of peking duck with that amazing cucumber and shallot topper? I was pretty chuffed with this result. It was gold! Prep time: 30 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Cooking time: 1 Hour

45 Serves 4 4 x Duck breasts, skin lightly scored on the diagonal about 1/2cm apart 1 tsp of Chinese 5 spice 1 tsp of salt 2 tbs of shoaxing wine 2 tbs of char sui sauce 2 tbs of hoi sin sauce 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar 1 tbs of honey Juice of 1 orange 1 cinnamon stick 2 lebanese cucumbers, peeled with a potato peeler, discard the seeds 1 green onion, very finely sliced diagonally (almost julienned) 1 tbs of rice wine vinegar 1/2 tsp of caster sugar For the Fried Rice:

46 1 cup of Brown rice (I used medium grain but whatever you have will do), cooked according to packet instructions 2 cups of water 3 green onions sliced into 2.5cm batons 1 punnet of shiitake mushrooms, sliced 2cm piece of ginger, grated 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced 2 tbs of soy sauce 1 cup of coriander leaves Preheat the oven to 125 Place the shoaxing wine, char sui sauce, hoi sin sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, orange juice & cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to reduce for approximately 5 minutes or until nice and syrupy. Remove from the heat while the duck is cooking but reheat just before serving. Once you have scored the duck breasts, pat them dry with paper towel. Place the 5 spice and salt in a mortar and pestle and grind until the salt is nice and fine. Sprinkle each duck breast liberally, on the skin side with the spice mix. Heat a large, heavy based pan until almost smoking and place the breasts in skin side down. Cook for 4 minutes until nice and crispy and the fat has rendered out. Turn and cook them on the other side for approximately 1 minute, baste the skin side

47 with the sauce and then transfer to the oven. Cook for 50 minutes and baste the skin side with the Peking sauce every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Place the cucumber and green onion in a bowl of iced water. This will really crisp it all up. Just before serving drain and add the vinegar and sugar, tossing lightly to help the sugar dissolve. Heat a wok and add a little oil. When it is nice and hot add the mushrooms, ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, add the green onion and rice and toss with a couple of spatulas on a nice high heat so that all ingredients are nice and hot. Add the soy sauce and coriander, tossing to combine. To serve, place a nice pile of fried rice on 4 serving plates. Place the duck breasts on a board and slice on the diagonal along the score marks. Use your knife blade to slide under the breasts and lay the duck across the rice. Drizzle some of the remaining peking sauce over the breast and around the plate (just cause it looks good). Place a nice pile of the fresh cucumber salad on top and serve!

48 Soy Chilli Chicken with Cucumber Salad I will admit when I posted a photo of this on Instagram as it was cooking, I entitled it Sticky Soy & Chilli Chicken. Didn t quite go as planned but hey! I m only human. The result was not that sticky but I can tell you it still tasted fantastic and the juices from the marinade were so good poured over the chicken and absorbed through the rice. The fresh, crunchy salad on top completed this winning combo and this was deemed the new family favourite! You can marinate the chicken all day if you prefer as it will be a lot more moist but this step is optional.

49 Prep time: 20 Minutes $ Low Budget Cooking time: 25 Minutes Serves 4 4 x chicken breast fillets, lightly scored diagonally on top about 1.5cm apart 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced 1 tbs of freshly grated ginger 1-2 long red chilli, sliced diagonally (seeds removed if you prefer) 2/3 cup of soy sauce 2 tbs of brown sugar 2 tbs of rice wine vinegar 1 tsp of sesame oil Steamed Jasmine rice to serve For the Cucumber Salad: 2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced with a potato peeler, rotating the cucumber (discard the seeds once you get to them on all sides) 2 handfuls of bean shoots 1 cup of coriander leaves

50 1 cup of mint leaves 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely shredded 1/2 a small red onion, finely sliced top to bottom 2 tbs of toasted sesame seeds Preheat the oven to 200 C Combine the soy, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, chilli, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a jug and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Place the breast fillets in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate if you have time for the best results. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, basting the chicken every 10 minutes. While the chicken is in the oven, peel your cucumber into a bowl and add the bean shoots, coriander and mint leaves, onion and chilli. Toss well with your hands to combine. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice each breast on the diagonal (where the score marks are) and place it in a fan like fashion around some steamed rice. Spoon the marinade from the chicken over the chicken and the rice reserving a little for the salad (1-2 tablespoons). Por the remaining marinade over the salad and toss gently before placing a generous helping on top of the chicken. Scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and serve.