Kai Choy and Roast Duck Stew

Back at home, mom and other relatives would always make this dish whenever we have leftovers of roast meat, particularly duck meat, roast pork etc. This 'leftover' situation occurs more often than not around some celebrations like Chinese New Years, Birthdays and so on. So what they usually do is that they just throw in all the leftover meats into a pot, add in Kai Choy and some other spices and make a delicious stew out of it for the next day. Having said that, this dish is not at all 'rugged' or 'low-class' so to speak. As the matter of fact, everybody likes the dish, and one might most probably find this stew in some chicken, duck, or some roast meat specialty shops.

Now, since I am here in Australia, the luxury of eating roast duck and other meats does not occur that often, and many thanks to Ham who shout us a roast duck one night after he won some cash from Star City, that we had some leftovers of various parts of a duck. From there, I suggested to make this dish. Hopefully everyone who tries this dish likes it...

Ingredients: (serves 5-6 person)

Leftovers from a Roast Duck (about 300g)

3 bunch Kai Choy

1/2 cup Dried Chili (soaked and seeded)

3 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

3 tbsp Tamarind paste (or 3pc Tamarind slices)

Water

The ingredients for this dish is actually fairly subjective according to people, you could use juicy and succulent duck meat or roast pork, or if you feel like it, just mix up any roasted meat you have. The amount of the meat is also not fixed, add more if you like more meat in the stew. The actual recipe used tamarind slices, I used the paste form as I could not find it around the area, but it's as good I reckon.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pot and add chopped garlic and dried chili to stir-fry until aromatic. Beware of the spiciness of the dried chili at this moment.

2. Add in pre-soaked Kai Choy, stir fry for about 5 minutes before adding the duck meat. Cover with water slightly over the ingredients level.

3. Add in the tamarind paste, turn to low heat, cover with lid and stew for about 20-40 minutes. Add seasoning according to taste if necessary. Done. Serve hot.

Honey & Peanut Sauce Chicken

Ingredients: (serves 1)

Chicken Thigh Fillet
1pc Chicken Thigh Fillet
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Chinese ShaoXing Wine
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 stem of Rosemarry (take the leafs only)

Asparagus
6 sticks Asparagus
1 tbsp Chinese ShaoXing Wine
1 tbsp Butter
Pinch of Salt, Sugar and Pepper

Method:
1. Marinade the chicken thigh fillet with all the ingredients, leaving the butter.
2. In a pan (preferably non-stick), melt the butter and slowly saute the fillet over medium-low heat, this should take about 10-15 minutes.
3. In a flat pan, melt butter and saute the asparagus over low heat, tossing occasionally. Add the leftovers of the marinate if available, season to taste.
4. Add the wine at last before removing from heat, toss a few times. Done

Rosemarry Bacon Wraps

I once saw Jamie Oliver made this recipe in one of his many cookery series, and wanted to try it out for a long time, and I finally did. It is probably not as good as the one by Jamie, as I could remember bits and pieces of it. Having said that, this recipe probably is not 100% similar to that of Jamie's as well, I made it depending on some rough ideas on the one I saw before.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 stick of Asparagus
4 stem of Rosemarry
4 pc Bacon Strip
2 tbsp Olive Oil
5 tbsp Red Wine
Pinch of Pepper and Sugar

Method:
1. Hold the asparagus and rosemarry together, wrap around with bacon. Hold bacon in place with toothpick if necessary. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
2. On a baking tray, place the wrap lying flat, add seasoning to taste and sprinkle with olive oil and wine.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes at about 200 degrees Celcius. Done.

Suggestion: Should only eat one at one time, as it is quite high in Cholestrol, given the bacon used. If possible, opt for untreated bacon and add Italian Achovies Fillet for the saltiness. Serve with a simple salad to compliment the strong flavour of the wraps.

First Day of Uni...Scones Day!

It's was first day of the new session and I was in the mood of making something different...and easy! HaHa... well considering the ingredients I had in the kitchen and the tight budget that I am living on for the coming week (thanks to the fact that I spent a lot on the holiday trips), I decided to make some all time favourites - scones!

Well, there are plenty of scone recipes around, mine is nothing too special to brag about, but I'll jot it down anyway. But what I was happy with was the aromatic smell that filled the house when I was baking, it's the best scent a house can ever smell. People should quit buying synthetic air fresheners and just bake everyday so that their house smell good. That way, we can kill two birds with one stone, namely, having a house which smells good, and most importantly, have a gastronomic feast everyday! What else could be better! HaHa....

Anyway, check out the recipe, I refered to a few recipes together to make this, it's simple after a few times making it, I reckon I do not need to refer to a recipe the next time I bake them again... XD

Ingredients: (makes 9 uneven pieces)

2 cups Self-raising Flour

2/3 cup Brown Sugar (adjust to suit own preference)

2 tsp Cinnamon Powder

1/2 cup Butter or margarine

2/3 cup Milk

1 beaten Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Raisins or Sultanas (add more if you want!)

Extra Milk and Brown Sugar for crust

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. Sieve and combine self-raising flour, brown sugar and cinnamon powder.

3. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you feel that it is too much a hassle, just melt the butter, add in the flour mixture, then mix well.

4. In another bowl, combine milk, egg and vanilla essence. Add to flour mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in raisins (Slightly rinse them a while beforehand, drain water before use).

5. With floured hands, shape dough into about 5cm portions (should be able to make 9 piece) on greased baking plate or pan. Brush each scone top with milk and sprinkle a bit of sugar prior to baking (for a nice crusted glaze)

6. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm (I like to eat with some fruit conserve and yogurt).

There you go! It is not too hard I reckon, simple and sweet. Enjoy!

Mushrooms and Celery Salad

I made this salad the night before I went to Snowy Mountains, despite running low on supplies, I forked out this dish with available ingredients in the fridge. Thank God. HaHa...



Ingredients: (serves 1)
4 sticks Celery (seperate the leafs and the stem, chop coarsely)
100g White Button Mushroom (thinly sliced)
25g Black Woody Fungus (finely chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Light Sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Chinese Shao Xing Wine

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix the celery with 1 tsp salt, leave aside.
2. In a heated pan or wok, stir-fry the sliced mushrooms and fungus without oil, add brown sugar to caramalize, now add oil and chopped garlic, stir-fry for a couple minutes before adding the rest of seasoning. Done.
3. Mix well with the celery. Serve hot or cold.

Basil Chicken with CharSiew & Orange Sauce

I actually learnt this dish from Derrick and improvised it a bit to suit my own taste. If you are looking for the original recipe, simply visit Lee Kum Kee's official website. They offer a lot of recipes there, but mostly using their own sauces. But anyway, back to my own version, I added some spiciness to it, particularly to suit my own preference and to add another taste to the flavour of the whole, check it out...

Ingredient: (serves 1)

2 pc Chicken Thigh Fillet

1 orange (peel and teared not cut, zested)

2 bunch Sweet Basil (rinsed and cleaned)

2 tbsp Hot Paprika Powder

2 tbsp Char Siew Sauce

5 tbsp Orange Juice

1 tsp Orange Zest

6 petals Chinese Cabbage

2 cloves Garlic

1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method:

1. Marinade the chicken fillets for at least 1 hour with the hot paprika, char siew sauce and orange juice.

2. On a plate, spread the chicken thigh fillet, place on top 1 bunch of basil leafs, 1/2 tsp of orange zest and 2 pieces of orange, wrap the chicken around the ingredients, tie with kitchen string. Repeat the same steps for another piece of fillet.

3. Place the wrapped chicken thigh fillets in preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Take out, turn the fillets to another side and roast for another 20 minutes. Remember to include all the marinate sauce and the remaining oranges when roasting.

4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan, crush the garlic, add in and stir fry with the Chinese cabbage, add light soy sauce, just to give it some taste.

5. On a plate, place the Chinese cabbages, place the roasted chicken thigh fillets on top and pour on top the remaining sauce. Done. Serve hot.

Back From Trip, Derrick Rushing for the Lotus Roots

Hello everyone! I just came back from a couple of days trip in a few places, namely Wollonggong, Snowy Mountains and Blue Mountains and all of them was fantastic, went to heaps of places and ate some really good food as well. However, just as much as I would like to write about the trips, Derrick has been pushing me to write about a dish I made over dinner a few days before I took off for the trips. So, here you are, Derrick, hopefully you find it useful this Thursday...

Ingredients

375g Prepacked Lotus Root Slices

100g Fried Gluten (soaked in water until soft)

1/2 Carrot (Finely sliced) [use 1pc if using small carrots]

25g Black Woody Fungus (fienly chopped)

1/2 Red Spanish Onion (finely chopped)

2pc Kaffir Lime Leafs (finely chopped)

2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)

2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 tbsp Soy Paste

1 tbsp Spicy Soy Paste

250g Minced Pork

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Black Pepper

Method

1. Rinse the lotus root slices and fried gluten, place on plate and steam until soft.

2. Heat oil, stir in chopped garlic and onion, fry until aromatic, followed by black woddy fungus and then the minced pork.

3. Stir in all the seasonings and stir fry until the meat are cooked thoroughly before adding the kaffir lime leafs, continue to stir the ingredients for a couple more minutes. Done.

4. Place on top of the steamed gluten and lotus root slices. Serve hot.

I actually improvised the usual way of frying minced pork to that of a more Thai-style one. This dish was in fact inspired by a dish that I had back in the Monastery at Boondanoon. I reckon those Winter Retreat participants must have tried the fry mince pork that the monastery's kitchen served us at our arrival day. Hence, if you try this dish, you might find certain relavance to Thai dishes, and I would not hesitate to tell you that Yes, it is imporvised from a Thai style dish. To end, let us pray for the happiness of mankind... Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu...