To Cook
Grill rump steak (about 5 mins each side) and allow to rest.
Combine all wet ingredients to make the dressing and add sugar and salt to taste.
Slice beef very thinly, add the dressing, toss well with the remaining herbs and vegetables (optional), refrigerate for 15 mins before serving.
Vegetables
Japanese Seven Herb Rice Congee (Nanakusa Gayu)
To Begin
Drain soaked rice and place in a claypot. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest heat setting on the stove and gently stir to avoid rice sticking to the bottom of the claypot. Cover claypot with lid and allow to simmer the rice for about 30 minutes.
Then turn heat and let it sit with lid on for a further 10 minutes. The rice should be soft and thickened.
Remove lid, add nanakusa and stir gently, then add salt to taste. Serve hot.
Note:
For fresh nanakusa, blanch herbs in boiling water with a pinch of salt for a few seconds. Remove from boiling water and rinse under cool running water. Drain and squeeze water out, finely chop herbs and allow to dry.
Vietnamese Chicken Congee (Chao Ga)
To Cook
In a large stock pot, place the chicken in and fill with enough water to cover the chicken. Add 1 peeled whole onion and 1 tbsp salt to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. And then turn the heat down to medium and let chicken cook for a further 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Remove any froth or foam that appears on the surface.
Retain liquid in the stock pot and remove chicken from the pot and rinse under cold water to cool down and avoid discoloring. Shred the chicken meat and set aside.
Drain soaked rice and glutinous rice, adding them along with the ginger and shallot to the broth in the stock pot. Let it sit for 45 minutes untouched.
After 45 minutes, give the rice a stir and bring to boil over medium high heat for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then season to taste with salt, fish sauce and chicken stock.
Transfer and serve in individual serving bowls. Top with the shredded chicken and. garnish with chopped spring onion, coriander or Vietnamese mint, and fried shallots.
Korean Chicken Congee (Dakjuk)
To Cook
Drain soaked rice. Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Add drained rice and saute for about 2 minutes. Add in chicken stock and bring to boil. Then lower heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid rice sticking to the bottom of the pot.
After 15 minutes, add in the finely chopped carrot and garlic. Allow to cook for a further 15 minutes, continue to stir occasionally.
The rice should soften and thicken up by then. Turn heat off and add in spring onions and Korean chives. Stir evenly and serve onto individual serving bowls, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
To Cook
Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to a heated pan. Add kimchi and cook until kimchi starts to soften, about 5 mins.
Push cooked kimchi to one side of the pan and add meat and cook quickly until meat is cooked, seasoning the meat with salt and pepper, should take about 2 mins. Stir kimchi and meat together to combine.
Add rice to the meat and kimchi mixture and cook quickly over high heat, stirring until rice is well combined with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour some oyster sauce to the fried rice and stir until combined. Season the rice with salt and pepper.
Pour 1 tbsp oil to another heated frying pan and fry eggs sunny side up.
Serve fried eggs on top of kimchi fried rice.
Thai Chilli and Lemongrass Stir Fried Chicken
To Prep
In a bowl, combine the lemongrass, chilli, garlic and fish sauce.
Place chicken into another bowl and add ½ the lemongrass mixture, reserving the rest. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 mins.
To Cook
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, add the reserved lemongrass mixture and stir-fry for about 1 min until fragrant.
Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 4-5 mins, or until the chicken pieces have a nice colour on all sides.
Add the onion, broccoli, carrots and capsicums, stir-fry for 1 min.
Pour the chicken stock into the pan and stir in the sugar. Simmer for a few mins, or until the stock has reduced to a thick sauce. Garnish with coriander and chillies, serve.
ABC Soup
To Cook
First prepare the chicken by adding to vigorously boiling water for 20-30 seconds before discarding the water. Then remove any impurities from the chicken bones.
Add 2lt of water to the pot, the prepared chicken, carrots, potatoes, cut corn, tomatoes, onions and peppercorns to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, season with salt and serve hot.
Winter Melon Soup
To Cook
First prepare the pork by adding to vigorously boiling water for 10 minutes, then discard the boiling water. Then remove any impurities from the pork.
In a large pot, add the blanched pork, winter melon, red dates and dried scallops to 2lt of water. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour.
Add the goji berries to the soup and allow to simmer for another hour.
Season with salt to taste. Turn the heat back up and bring the soup to a boil before turning off the heat. Serve hot.
Cordyceps Ginseng Chicken Herbal Soup
To Cook
Rinse all herbs under running water.
In a large pot, bring 2L of water to boil, add the chicken and all of the herbs.
Turn down heat to low and let simmer for at least 2 hours. Remove all froth on the surface of the soup.
Season with salt to taste, turn the heat back up and bring the soup to a boil before turning off the heat. Serve hot.
If herb ingredients are not easily obtained, there are pre-packed Cordyceps Ginseng Herbal soup mix available at Asian grocery stores.
Pork Ribs Herbal Soup (Ching Bo Leung)
To Cook
First prepare the pork by adding to vigorously boiling water for 10 minutes. Discard the water and remove any impurities from the pork ribs.
In a large pot, bring 2L of water to boil, add the blanched pork and all of the herbs.
Turn down heat to low and let simmer for at least 2 hours.
Season with salt to taste, turn the heat back up and bring the soup to a boil before turning off the heat. Serve hot.
If herb ingredients are not easily obtained, there are pre-packed Ching Bo Leung soup mix available at Asian grocery stores.
Chinese Shark Fin Melon Soup
To Cook
First prepare the pork by adding to vigorously boiling water for 10 minutes, then discard the boiling water. Then remove any impurities from the pork.
In a large pot, add the blanched pork, shark fin melon, red dates, dried scallops and dried mussels to 2L of water. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour.
Add the goji berries to the soup and allow to simmer for at least another hour.
Season with salt to taste. Turn the heat back up and bring the soup to a boil before turning off the heat. Serve hot.
Chinese Radish Soup
To Cook
First prepare the pork by adding to vigorously boiling water for 10 minutes, then discard the boiling water. Then remove any impurities from the pork.
In a large pot, add the blanched pork, cut white radishes, carrots, red dates and dried scallops to 2L of water. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour.
Add the dried cuttlefish to the soup and allow to simmer for another hour.
Season with salt to taste. Turn the heat back up and bring the soup to a boil before turning off the heat. Serve hot.