To Cook
Heat half the vegetable oil in a small deep saucepan. Add garlic, stir-fry for 20 secs, then add beef strips. Brown the beef, in several batches, over high heat. Remove and set aside.
Heat remaining oil in the pan, then add ginger, roasted shrimp paste and turmeric. Stir-fry for 1 min, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 mins.
Add in tamarind puree, hot curry sauce and coconut cream. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer. Return beef strips and green beans to saucepan.
Simmer for 4 mins, add coriander, season and serve.
Stir-Fry
San Choy Bow with Rice Vermicelli
To Cook
Deep-fry vermicelli according to instructions.
Trim edges of each lettuce leaf to form a bowl shape.
Combine pork, oyster sauce and corn flour.
Heat wok, add oil. Add sausage and mushroom; stir-fry for 30 secs. Add pork mixture and hoisin sauce; stir-fry for 5 mins.
Add spring onion, combine well.
Fill lettuce cups with stir-fried mixture. Garnish with extra spring onion and deep-fried vermicelli. Serve.
To eat, fold over bottom edge of lettuce to cover filling, fold in the sides; roll up to make a parcel.
Hint: For the filling, minced chicken or quail can be substituted for pork. For a completely vegetarian version, minced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and Chinese mushrooms make a delicious substitute for meat.
Indonesian Tofu Kecap
To Cook
In a wok, deep-fry the tofu in 180ml of the oil at high heat for 2-3 mins or until golden brown, set aside and allow oil to drain.
In a wok, fry the garlic and shallots in the remaining 15ml of cooking oil for 3 mins or until light brown and fragrant.
Add red and green capsicums and stir-fry for a further 2-3 mins. Add the ginger, bay leaves, sweet soy sauce, sugar, pepper, water and tofu and simmer for 10-15 mins. Serve hot with rice.
Korean Rice Cake Mandu Soup
To Cook
In a heated pot, add scotch fillet and minced garlic. Cook meat until just cooked, add 1 tsp soy sauce to the meat.
Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Skim off the impurities and simmer for about 15 mins.
Add the rice cakes and kimchi dumplings, cook until rice cakes are soft and dumplings are cooked. Season the soup with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add in beaten eggs in ribbons into the hot soup, then the chopped spring onions. Ladle soup to individual bowls, top with nori, spring onions and sesame seeds. Sprinkle extra ground black pepper and serve.
Chicken Lettuce Cups
To Cook
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant. Toss in chicken and stir fry until cooked through.
Add in carrots and asparagus, stir frying until heated through.
Mix in oyster sauce and plum sauce until well combined.
Stir in roasted pine nuts and remove from heat. Leave to cool slightly.
Wrap chicken filling with lettuce leaves and serve immediately.
Thai Fried Broccoli with Salted Fish (Pad Khana Pla Kem)
To Cook
Mix the crushed chilli peppers in a bowl with the Chinese kale, sugar and oyster sauce.
Now, heat the pan and put in vegetable oil. Put in the salted fish when the pan has heated up. Fry the salted fish until it has turned yellow, ensuring that it does not turn into a sauce.
Cut the fried salted fish into medium pieces and increase the heat.
Add garlic and stir it quickly to avoid burning.
Add the Chinese kale when the garlic yellows slightly.
Stir until cooked, make sure that the vegetable does not overcook.
Take off the heat and serve.
Chinese Shaoxing Goji Chicken
To Prep
Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the chicken with the all the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
To Cook
Heat up 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add the garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant.
Add the chicken and cook until they brown. Mix in the water, soy sauce, rock sugar and Shaoxing wine.
Cover the wok and let the chicken cook until they are done (15-20 minutes).
Check if the sauce has reached your desired consistency; otherwise allow the sauce to reduce further.
Stir in the spring onions and goji berries and remove from the heat.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with some cooked white rice. You can stir in some more wine if you’d like a stronger wine aroma.
Thai Crab Fried Rice (Kao Pad Bpu)
To Cook
In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat and saute garlic until golden. Add the egg and break the yolk. Let it fry a little then gently scramble.
Add in the rice and press to break the lumps. Add in the crabmeat then toss fast to mix.
Add the seasonings and continue to stir until well-mixed and rice is heated through. Add spring onions and toss to mix.
Remove from heat and serve with slice of lime, chilli flakes and Thai dipping sauce. Garnish with coriander.
Braised Chicken with Radish
To Prep
Wash the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Then chop into bite-sized pieces and mix with all the marinade ingredients and set aside to marinate for half an hour.
To Cook
Heat some vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. When the oil begins to smoke add the ginger, garlic and shiitake mushrooms and sauté until fragrant.
Next add the radish and carrots and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
Push the vegetables to the side of the wok and add more vegetable oil. When the oil heats up, add the chicken and brown on all sides.
When browned, mix the chicken with the vegetables and mix in ¾ cup of water and cover the wok with a lid.
Let the chicken cook covered until it is done, and the sauce has reduced by half. Season with salt to taste.
Make a simple corn starch slurry by mixing the corn starch with 2 tbsp water making sure there are no lumps. Then pour the slurry into the wok and mix well.
The slurry will thicken the sauce after a while, so keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t become too thick.
Stir in the spring onions and serve with cooked white rice.
Shanghai Fried Noodles (Cu Chao Mian)
To Prep
Combine pork and marinade ingredients, set aside for 5-10 mins.
To Cook
In a wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat. Stir-fry the pork until browned. Lower the heat, remove and set aside.
Add 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat, saute the mushrooms for about 2 mins.
Add the noodles and seasonings. Stir-fry until the noodles are in deep brown colour. Add a little dark soy sauce for darker colour if desired.
Mix in the vegetables until wilted. Serve hot. Add a few drops of black vinegar on top (optional).
Sweet and Sour Fish
To Prep
Mix fish with marinade ingredients and sit aside for 10 mins.
To Cook
Coat the fish with cornflour and deep-fry in hot oil. Remove when fish are cooked and crispy.
In a pan, heat a little oil and sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and capsicums and stir-fry briefly. Add the sauce ingredients and bring to boil.
Add the cornflour solution to thicken, then mix in the fried fish. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with rice.
Stir Fried Bean Sprouts with Anchovies
To Cook
Heat cooking oil in a wok on medium. When hot, add in dried anchovies and stir-fry until crispy and browned.
Add garlic and spring onions, stir well. Add bean sprouts, chicken powder and water. Taste test and add salt and pepper if needed. Let it simmer for 10 secs.
Stir well and dish out. Garnish with spring onions and sliced chilli, serve.