Korean Beef Bowl

Being a full time working mam I am always on the look out for really quick but flavoursome meals for week nights.  And to be perfectly honest the least pots and pans used the better - I am sure we will all agree on that.

Tonight's recipe is courtesy of a website I came across while menu planning for this week.  The site, Chew Out Loud, is magic.  Amy is very inspirational and like all of us, very busy with life's commitments. Go over and check it out.... you too will be impressed.

Like all Asian dishes the flavours are clean and the ingredients are fresh.  This dish came together in minutes and was bursting with flavour.  A combination of salty, sweet and spicy made boring old beef mince very enjoyable and made me want to eat a lot more than what my stomach could handle.  

A good tip from Amy is to mix the beef into the rice a little so there is no plain rice is sitting by itself at the bottom - wise words.

For such a simple dish this one ticked a lot of boxes - quick, easy and jam packed with flavour.

Korean Beef Bowl

(Recipe adapted from Chew Out Loud)

Serves: 4

1 1/2 cups rice of your choice

1/4 cup Tamari (GF, reduced sodium soy sauce)

2 tablespoons pure honey

1 tablespoon toasted dark Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon crushed chilli flakes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

500 grams extra lean ground beef 

1 cup fresh bean sprouts, to garnish

1/2 bunch coriander, chopped, to garnish

2 spring onions, thinly sliced, to garnish

toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

extra crushed chilli flakes, to garnish

Cook rice as per packet directions, drain and keep warm.

In a bowl, combine tamari, honey, sesame oil and chilli flakes.  Stir to combine well. Set aside.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat until slightly smoking. 

Add onion and garlic, stirring 2-3 minutes or until aromatic and translucent. 

Add ground beef and stir while breaking the beef up into small bits, about 1-2 minutes or until just browned. 

Add your sauce mixture and stir to combine thoroughly with beef. Continue to cook until beef is  cooked through.

Serve immediately over bowls of warm rice, gently mixing the beef into the rice a bit. Garnish as desired with bean sprouts, coriander, spring onions, sesame seed and crushed chilli flakes.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Sticky Chinese Pork and Vegetables

Fakeaway at it's finest tonight.  Tender pork and crisp vegetables in a sweet yet slightly spicy sauce served on a bed of rice noodles.  Quick, easy and best of all it's nicer on the hip pocket.

The key to making fakeaway Asian meals at home is to ensure that you have all the ingredients ready as once you start cooking the meal comes together very quickly.

No need to marinade the pork fillet as it's a tender meat - also it's one that cooks quickly. So a quick toss in a chinese five spice based sauce while you prep all the other ingredients is all that was needed.  

We used rice noodles as they are gluten free but you can use any noodle you prefer or even rice if desired.  You will need something however to help soak up the delicious sauce.

Not a fan of chilli or love chilli - adjust the quantities to suit yourselves.

A switch I did was use peanuts.  The original recipe called for cashews but I had peanuts - use any nuts you like to be honest.

No doubting that this dish just rose to the top of the pork dish list of favourites.  Even my mother had seconds!  

Sticky Chinese Pork and Vegetables

(Recipe adapted Taste.com.au)

Serves: 4

600 grams pork fillet, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

250 gram packet dried rice stick noodles

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 teaspoon crushed chilli

1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 carrot, halved, sliced diagonally

1 teaspoon gluten free chicken stock powder

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 bunch baby pak choy, roughly chopped

250 grams snow peas, trimmed

1/4 cup gluten free oyster sauce

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

1 long red chilli, sliced diagonally

Combine pork, sugar, soy sauce, five spice and fish sauce in a medium bowl. Toss to coat.

Prepare rice stick noodles, following packet directions until tender. Drain well. Cover to keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry pork, in 2 batches, for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat remaining oil in wok over high heat. Stir-fry onion, ginger, garlic, chilli, capsicum and carrot for 5 minutes or until just tender. 

In a small jug mix stock powder, water and cornflour until combined.  

Add pork, pak choy, snow peas, stock mixture and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until pork is cooked through and snow peas are tender. 

Serve with rice noodles and sprinkle with peanuts and sliced chilli.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

News Flash - I am absolutely in love with Skinnytaste - I won't lie.  It's a web site full of skinny recipes, not to mention skinny tips, that totally makes me drool while I am reading every new recipe that is uploaded.  Gina is amazing.  So if you haven't been to her site, pop on over as I am sure that you will absolutely love it.

This recipe is a Skinnytaste recipe.  One I had actually had my eye on for awhile.  Who am I kidding I want to cook everything from Skinny Taste.

Seriously though what could go wrong to tantalise the taste buds with chicken, noodles and vegetables enveloped in a spicy, crunchy, sweet and salty thick peanut sauce that was absolutely to die for.  Whilst there was a little modification from the recipe trying to make this Gluten Free friendly I don't think I have changed it a great deal.  I did omit one step as I knew my rice noodles wouldn't handle being tossed in the sauce so I just plated them up and layered the rest of the dish on top.  I originally thought I would use Korean Sweet Potato Noodles but I seriously did something wrong with them and they ended up in the bin.  

Overall this dish was enjoyed by all.  Garnished with chopped peanuts and coriander with lime wedges to enable you to add extra flavour it was definitely a winner.

Asian Peanut Chicken with Noodles

(Recipe adapted from Skinny Taste)

Serves: 6

SmartPoints per Serve: 9

For the Peanut Sauce:

1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock

5 tablespoons Mathers peanut butter

1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

For the chicken:

500 grams chicken breast, cut into thin strips

salt
pepper

1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)

juice of 1/2 lime

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

200 grams rice noodles

4 spring onions, chopped

1 -1/4 cups shredded carrots

1- 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw

1 cup bean bean sprouts

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

1 lime, sliced into wedges

coriander for garnish (if desired)

Combine 1 cup chicken stock, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Meanwhile season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat a large frying pan or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain and toss with peanut sauce (add additional chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce).Add chicken to the noodles and toss to combine.

To the same wok add 2 cloves crushed garlic, spring onions, carrots, broccoli slaw, bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don’t push them aside!) and garnish with coriander, peanuts and lime wedges.

OR (as I did):

Drain noodles and spread over serving platter.

Add cooked chicken to the peanut sauce and toss to combine (add additional chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce).

To the same wok add 2 cloves crushed garlic, spring onions, carrots, broccoli slaw, bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken mixture to vegetables and stir well to completely combine.

Once warmed through, place chicken mixture on top of noodles.  Garnish with coriander, chopped peanuts and lime wedges.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Stir Fry Lamb Strips with Carrot, Mushrooms and Broccoli

One thing we don't cook enough with is Lamb.  It's one of those meats here in Australia that you can get a cheap leg or shoulder of lamb but all the other cuts are really expensive. We love lamb, especially a roast, but it's not on the menu very often.  Which is s shame.

I'd recently asked our son what he fancied for dinner and he replied "a lamb stir fry would be really nice Mam - we haven't had one of those for a long time". I thought this was an interesting answer but to be honest it's nothing out of the ordinary for anyone in our family to request something outside the norm.

I came across a new butchers,  Australian Butchers Store, near work (I normally buy all our meat over in Clayton) and I must say I was a little excited about this.   In fact I was pretty impressed with the butchers.  Having only opened recently it was my first chance to go in there and have a look around.  Needless to say the ban on my buying any meat for our freezer went out the window as I came home armed with lots of bargains which included lamb strips.

Using my old friend Google I started looking for a stir fry recipe to cook using the lamb strips.  this was a harder challenge than I thought.  There are actually not that many Asian recipes using lamb.  I finally came across a recipe that sounded really nice.  I hadn't noticed what site it was on but I started reading the recipe and thought to myself this sounds pretty good.  I will cook this and then I read on further only to start laughing at the serving suggestion given.... and couldn't stop laughing. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve with rice or potatoes or fill a pitta bread or tortilla wrap with the stir-fry.

To my surprise the recipe was actually on the Irish Food Board which I guess explains the potatoes??  Please if you are Irish do not take offence to this post - I thought the comment was magic.  I actually cooked this recipes (although I did adapt slightly) but served ours with rice noodles.  It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by everyone.

The meat and vegetables were tender and laced with the sweetness of the hoisin sauce and traces of the Chinese five spice.  It was a simple dish but bold at the same time.  I would defintely suggest you give this Asian number a go.

Stir Fry Lamb Strips with Carrot, Mushrooms and Broccoli

(Recipe adapted from Bord Bia)

Serves: 6

200 grams dry thick rice noodles

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

1/2 teaspoons Five Spice Powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons rice wine

freshly ground black pepper to taste

900 grams lean lamb strips

2 tablespoon oil

2 carrots thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced

200 grams button mushrooms, sliced

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Cook rice noodles as per packet instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Combine the garlic, ginger, five spice, soy sauce, rice wine and pepper together in a medium bowl.  Add in the lamb strips and mix well to combine.  Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes or longer if time permits.  

Heat half the oil in a wok or frying pan. Then add in the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the wok. Stir-fry the lamb in 2 batches.

Return the vegetables to the wok, add back in the cooked lamb and stir in the hoisin sauce. Mix well together.

Place noodles on a a large serving platter and top with lamb stir fry.  Serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe).

Creamy Garlic, Chilli and Coriander Prawns

What's that one meal that you always order when you go to a bistro (or the pub as we like to call it here in Australia)?  While many people always swear by good ol' Chicken Parmigiana (well this meal covers most of my family), a burger if they are on the menu or even a nice piece of juicy steak.  For me however it's creamy garlic prawns served with rice and sometimes if I am feeling naughty I also get some chips - I always asked for extra garlic sauce however.

There is something about the way that the bistro's cook garlic prawns - it's totally different than that of the Asian cuisines.  And while the thought of prawns, garlic and rice does sound like something you would get in a Chinese restaurant this style of dish is totally the opposite. The thought of the thick creamy garlic laced sauce, normally laced with chopped parsley, is making my mouth salivate right now.

Creamy garlic has to be one of my favourite sauces to have with prawns or chicken. While it's normally quite bold in flavour it is subtle enough to compliment seafood and poultry.  I do believe given the chance I could just about eat it on anything.

Tonight we jazzed it up a little, maybe incorporating a few more Asian ingredients, but wanted it still to be thick and creamy.  The prawns were marinated in garlic, chilli, spring onion, salt, pepper and a little oil prior to cooking.

Creamy Garlic, Chilli and Coriander Prawns

Serves: 2

500 grams raw king prawns, cleaned and rinsed

2 - 4 cloves garlic, crush, depending on taste

1 tablespoons chilli flakes, more or less depending on taste

1 spring onion, finely chopped

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

250 grams light thickened cream

1 tablespoon corn flour

1/2 bunch finely chopped coriander

Pat dry prawns and place in a bowl.  Add garlic, chilli, spring onion, salt and pepper to taste, and olive oil.   Mix well.  Allow to stand for 30 minutes or longer if possible.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat.  Add prawns and stir fry for 1 minutes or until prawns start to turn pink in colour.

In a small jug mix cream and cornflour together.  Add to prawns and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.  Mix through coriander.

Serve immediately, with steamed rice if desired.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe).

Lemongrass and Chilli Larb with Mint Salad

Alex and I are currently researching our family tree.  It's been and still is a very interesting activity not only for me but for Alex also.  We are trying to do both sides of her heritage so she has something to pass on when she is older to the future generations.  I had already started my family - the Davies' and the Lewis' - which has taken me back many generations.  

My blood line is definitely British - a combination of Welsh and English with no real surprises except the odd skeleton or ten in the closest.  However my children believe that I must have a hint of Asian, Mexican or Indian somewhere in history due to the food that I always cook.  Apparently "always" cook which was said in an interesting tone LOL!  To be totally honest, if I traced back and found another nationality I would be truly impressed.

When pregnant on both children I didn't really have any weird and wonderful cravings unlike many ladies - however I did eat Beef Vindaloo Curry (and mind you the hotter the better) like it was going out of fashion.  Every week hubby came home armed with a takeaway from our favourite Indian even detouring on his way home if he wasn't in that area.  Strangely my mother also ate lots of curry when she was pregnant on both my sister and I?  Obviously it runs in the family although I don't think my sister did this.  What cravings did you or your partner have?

Anyhow it's no secret that I really enjoy flavoursome foods and cooking with fresh produce, herbs and spices is my passion.  If I can make it rather than using prepacked packet or jar ingredients I am actually in my element.  Plus it's rewarding making things and experiencing all the flavours coming together.  So many countries have cuisines that truly make your taste buds tingle and your tummy just wanting more.  Thai food has that effect on me - I love the zesty sweetness, saltiness and hotness that comes with combining all the ingredients.  It's all wonderfully balanced and gives you so many flavour experiences in one mouthful.

This Lemongrass and Chilli Larb did exactly that.  Jam packed with lemongrass, garlic, chilli, fish sauce, lime and sugar each mouthful was a flavour explosion.  Served with a crunchy mint salad I was definitely reminded of my time spent in Singapore and of course, of when we go to dine in our favourite restaurant in Springvale and Clayton.  The freshness of the salad complimented the flavours of the Larb.  It's no wonder the Asian cuisines incorporate fresh herbs and salads into most of their meals - it's something that I really enjoy and indulge in quite often.

Once again another simple weeknight wonder that will get your family thinking you have been to a cooking school or that you should be on My Kitchen Rules.  Give it a go and let me know what you and your family think.... 

Lemongrass and Chilli Larb with Mint Salad

(Recipe adapted from Taste.com)

Serves: 6

SmartPoints per Serve: 10 

1/2 cup white rice

cooking spray

1 fresh mint leaves

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges

250 grams bean sprouts, trimmed

1 kilogram lean beef mince

2 teaspoons oil 

1 1/2 lemongrass stalk (white part only), finely chopped

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

4 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook rice as per packet instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine mint, onion and bean sprouts in a bowl.   Put in refrigerator until required.

Heat a wok over high heat. Spray with cooking spray.  Add 1/2 the mince. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl, draining excess fat. Repeat with remaining mince.

Add oil to wok. Stir-fry chilli, lemongrass and garlic for 30 seconds. Return mince to wok with fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add coriander. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Serve mince with rice and mint salad.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Asian Beef Salad

The weather has been ridiculous this summer and we are yet to venture into February which is traditionally the hotter of the summer months.  There have already been +40 degree Celsius days which have really knocked most Australian's around not to mention power shortages due to the overloading of the grid.  I have to admit to having our air conditioner on for several days in a row and sometimes I didn't feel I was getting relief at some stages.

Obviously this made cooking in the house a huge non-negotiable topic.  It was cooking outside either on the barbecue (keeping in mind if it is a Total Fire Ban) or in the pizza oven or it was cold foods!  Simple!

I decided that we would have an Asian style Beef Salad - tender warm beef with salad and an Asian infused dressing.  Everyone thought that sounded great and were enthused by the idea.  So I was armed with some nice pieces of rump steak already to make a marinade and then I hit a problem.  What marinade, what dressing, what flavours???  Seriously this just went from super easy to super hard.

Why hard?  Google Beef Salad Recipe and see how many options you get?  I was actually overwhelmed but I knew that I wanted to make it with Asian flavours - chilli, lime, garlic, fish sauce, etc.  So many different versions of recipes depending on the region in the World or cuisine but the more I read the more the same key ingredients kept appearing. Some recipes marinated the meat prior to cooking other's didn't, some did this and some did that!  So after about an hour of googling and two cuppas later I decided that I had read enough recipes and was just going to wing it.  

So here is my version of an Asian Beef Salad - a fusion of Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Oriental, and all the other recipes I read this morning.  Marinated tender rump chargrilled and then sliced served on a bed of mixed salad and herbs.  Of course, then drizzled with a salad dressing made from scratch (also used as the marinade).  It was devoured.......

Asian Beef Salad

Serves: 6

SmartPoints per Serve: 8

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon sesame oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

800 grams rump steak

2 cups mixed lettuce leaves

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion, very finely sliced

1 lebanese cucumber , cut horizontally then cut into slices

1/4 cup coriander leaves , roughly chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves , roughly chopped

In a jug mix together the sambal oelek, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt (don't use too much) and pepper.  Pour half into a large snap lock bag or casserole dish.  Put remainder into the fridge to use as the dressing.  

Ensure that the rump is trimmed of all fat.  Place whole pieces into the snap lock bag or casserole dish.  Ensure that the rump is coated in the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight, if possible.

When ready to cook preheat barbecue grill to high temperature.

Remove rump from marinade and place straight on the grill.  Cook for approximately 2 minutes each side for rare or cook to your liking.  Remove from grill, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile place salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, coriander and mint onto a serving platter or dish.

Cut steak thinly across the grain. Place on top of salad leaves.  Drizzle with remaining dressing, if desired, and serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Sticky Chinese Chicken Tray Bake

Is it me or are the clocks ticking faster then normal already this year?  At the moment I no sooner get up, go to work, come home, cook dinner then go to bed - whammo another day gone. And I already feeling tired and it's only 18 days into the New Year.  I have so many things I need to get done and want to do around the house, with the family, with my studies but my daily/weekly "To Do List" is starting to become my "Wish To Do List - I actually do not feel I am achieving that much at all.  

Needless to say, I have been looking for quick fix dinners and weeknight wonders to at least ensure that we are all still eating well.  It's so easy to say "let's get takeaway" when in reality by the time our family decide what food we are getting, choose items of the menu, make the phone call something can literally be in a pot cooking!   I am sure you can all agree with this?

What's your favourite weeknight wonder?  We have quite a few that frequent our table for a quite dinner including Chicken Taco Bake (which is stupidly easy), Devilled Sausages, Beef Keema with Cumin and Currant Pulao, and Penne Boscaiola just to name a few.

Obviously I am always on the lookout for new quick and easy dishes that I can add to our collection and I recently came across this one which instantly appealed to my taste buds - sometimes I wish I could smell and lick my computer screen!  Don't you?  How good would that be?

I think it took me 5 minutes tops to marinate the chicken (which I did the night before) , 5 minutes to put it in a casserole dish and place in the oven.  Super easy!  Already a winner in my books. While it baked I prepped a Crunchy Asian Salad and steamed some rice - perfect partners for what was an amazing dish.

Melt in your mouth chicken pieces laced with a perfect balance of hoisin sauce, honey and Chinese five-spice was delicious.  The crunchiness of the cashew nuts complimented the chicken and there was also the right amount of sauce once cooked.  I don't like dry chicken and this wasn't.

This one-pan chicken dish makes a cheap and easy midweek family meal and we will be definitely having it again.

Sticky Chinese Chicken Tray Bake

(Recipe adapted from BBC Goodfood)

Serves: 8

SmartPoints per Serve: 7

8 chicken chops or thighs, skin removed

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons clear honey

11/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 bunch spring onions, cut into 3 cm lenghts

50 grams cashew nuts, toasted

Slash the skin 2-3 times on each thigh and place in a large snap lock bag or casserole dish.

Mix together the hoisin, sesame oil, honey, five-spice, ginger, garlic and some seasoning. Pour over the chicken and toss to coat.  Marinate the chicken for 2 hrs, or overnight if you have time.

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Arrange the chicken thighs in a large roasting tin in a single layer.  Cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, basting at least once.

Stir through the cashew nuts and sprinkle the spring onions over the chicken. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and Crunchy Asian Salad, if desired.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Stir Fried Garlic Chilli and Basil Chicken with Rice Noodles

Late in 2017 we, as a family, were faced with a challenge!  Our son's partner was diagnosed with having Coeliac disease therefore meaning we would have to change the way we cook a variety of foods to accommodate this.  It has never been thought of by any of us as a problem or an issue.  As unexciting as having a disease can be we all decided that this would be easy and that with a few changes here and there we can all still enjoy food and cooking without compromising tastes etc.

So just incase you are unawares Coeliac disease is where the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats), causing small bowel damage. People with coeliac disease remain sensitive to gluten throughout their life, so in this sense they are never cured. However, a strict gluten free diet does allow the condition to be managed effectively.  A strict, lifelong gluten free diet is currently the only recognised medical treatment for Coeliac disease. By removing the cause of the disease, a gluten free diet allows the small bowel lining to heal and symptoms to resolve. As long as the gluten free diet is strictly adhered to, problems arising from Coeliac disease should not return. Relapse occurs if gluten is reintroduced into the diet. Coeliac disease affects on average approximately 1 in 70 Australians. However, around 80% of this number remain undiagnosed. This means the vast majority of Australians who have Coeliac disease don’t yet know it.

I remember years ago upon first learning of all these allergies, such as gluten, dairy, fructose, and thinking to myself "oh that poor person - they must miss out on so many things".  The fact of the matter is years ago they did miss out on so many things.  Years ago it was hard to find suitable safe things to eat so they did go without.  Today however the world is far more aware of these allergies and diseases and "special" foods are more readily available.

To be honest I am surprise how easy it is to omit gluten from some meals that we cook - others have been challenging but it's all about learning.  Learning to change, experimenting with other ingredients and ideas whilst trying not to compromise the taste.  I will put my hand up right now though and admit I do not like working with Gluten Free frozen pastry - it sucks big time and my quiche failed completely.  LOL!  I am sure that there will be more interesting adventures with foods....

Anyhow I have to say that a stir fry is always a quick option for dinner especially after a busy working day.  Thankfully rice and rice noodles are Gluten Free along with many other Asian ingredients these days. I substituted the soy sauce in the original recipe for Gluten Free soy sauce but obviously if you are not on a Gluten Free diet you could just normal soy sauce.

When it comes to cooking Asian meals at the House of Murray it's all about finding that flavour - you now the flavours that will be different, tempt the tastebuds from the first mouthful and the dish that you just want to keep eating even though you are full.  Everyone knows this desire.... mmmm.

This recipe does that.  The flavours of the garlic, chilli and fresh basil coupled with the fresh vegetables, tender chicken and the soft rice noodles was magic.  Drizzled with fresh lime juice the taste was so vibrant and the crunchiness of the beanshoots and sesame seeds just made every mouthful enjoyable.  I also did not have Thai basil at the time so substituted this with normal basil and while it wasn't as spicy as the Thai variety it was still very pungent.

Talk about a mouthful of freshness...  I am sure that you will enjoy this as much as we did.

Stir Fried Garlic, Chilli and Basil Chicken with Rice Noodles

(Recipe sourced from Weight Watchers Australia)

Serves: 4

SmartPoints per Serve: 4

500 grams lean chicken breast, fat trimmed, thinly sliced

2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

1 whole fresh red chilli, finely chopped, plus extra to serve

1/4 cup Gluten Free soy sauce

140 grams dry rice noodles

cooking spray

2 medium red onion, sliced

1 medium Capsicum, red, raw, thinly sliced

300 grams snow peas, halved lengthways

70 grams fresh bean sprouts

1 cup fresh Thai basil or basil plus extra to serve

1 medium fresh lime, cut into cheeks

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Combine chicken, garlic, chilli and half the soy sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until just tender, drain. Set aside.

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and lightly spray with oil. Stir-fry onion and capsicum for 2 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.

Reheat wok and stir-fry chicken in 2 batches for 2-3 minutes or until cooked. Return onion, capsicum and chicken to the wok.

Add snow peas, bean sprouts, basil, noodles and remaining soy sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until heated through and cooked.

Serve garnished with extra basil.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chilli Chicken with Cashews

This dish was not on the menu this week but as I (yes me I'm guilty) had forgotten to defrost steak to cook what we had planned so while at the supermarket after work I purchased some chicken fillets - you can do anything with chicken fillets.  Not to mention that most chicken recipes, besides roasts, are quick and easy.
 

Even though we had Chicken Tikka Masala last night which cured my curry craving my taste buds were still fancying something a little spicy and different.  But what?  From the minute I got home there were so many ideas and some suggestions including Nice Chicken, which is a classic back up meal in our household made using hoisin sauce and cayenne pepper.  I did not fancy that.  Time to phone a friend, well not really, I turned my search for something dinner over to google.  I thought I want spicy so let's try chilli chicken recipes.  Next obvious decision was cuisine - did I want Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Southern, Indo Chinese???
 

After reading a few recipes I went along with a combination of Chinese and Indian style of cooking, which is actually refered to as "Hakka Chinese" and commonly called 'Desi Chinese' is the adaptation of using Chinese seasonings and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. See - you can learn something everyday.  I then went on a morphed a few recipes together to come up with my version of Chilli Chicken with Cashews.

An interesting thing I discovered while ready the worldwide web of recipes was that the Asians cook two different versions of Chilli Chicken - one is dry and the other is known as "with Gravy" which means sauce.  Both versions are similar throughout the recipe with the second adding extra sauce prior to serving the dish hence making the gravy.  I'm not really sure about this recipe we cooked as it wasn't dry or wasn't smothered in sauce - the sauce quantity was perfect to be honest.

Hot chilli sauce was the main ingredient in the taste of this recipe so I knew that it should be kickass and not just an Aussie Style Chilli - please welcome Sriracha Sauce to the table..... I can hear some of you saying "Hell Yeah!" and others saying "Oh no too hot!".  To be honest it's a sauce that we really don't use a lot of, no idea as to why, just don't.  This chicken dish just got a little more exciting.

The sweetness of the tomato ketchup, the saltiness of the soy and the heat of the Sriracha - talk about a perfect combination.  Crunchy capsicums and cashews added to the texture and the chicken, well talk about cooked perfectly, tender and moist.  The chicken absorbed the flavours of the marinade and the sauce during cooking and was absolutely scrumptious.

We really enjoyed this dish and hope you do too.

  Chilli Chicken with Cashews

Serves: 4
SmartPoints: 10

500 grams chicken breasts , boneless, cut into pieces

1 egg

5 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce or hot chilli sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

3 teaspoon corn flour
1/2 cup oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon white vinegar

3 tablespoon oil, extra

1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic paste

1 red onion, diced

1 small green capsicum, diced

1/4 cup raw cashews

2 long red chilli, sliced 

1/4 cup water

1 spring onion, sliced, for garnish

In a small mixing bowl, 2 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce, salt, pepper, corn flour and egg. Mix well and add chicken.  Combine well to ensure the chicken is completely coated. Set aside for 1 hour, or longer if time permits.

 

In a wok or frying pan, add 1/2 cup oil and heat it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces in small batches for about 3 minutes or until just cooked. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken.  Remove all oil from wok or pan.  Wipe out with paper towel.  

In a separate bowl, add remaining chilli sauce (3 teaspoons), white vinegar, soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Combine them well and set aside.

In the same pan add 3 tablespoons of oil.  Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot, add ginger, garlic and onions.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent and become slightly brown.

Increase to high heat and add capsicums and cashews. Fry, stirring for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium and add the chillies and the sauce mixture.

Add chicken pieces and mix to combine.  Add the water and cook until the water is absorbed.

Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Well it's definitely been a long time between posts for me and to be honest I have so many recipes backed up it's kind of embarrassing.  We at the House of Murray have been ridiculously busy with life in it's entirety.... work, school, junior and senior football, etc., that by the time we sit down we fall asleep.  Oh well, I guess a busy life is still so much better than no life, correct?

I have been eyeing off carious recipes for sometime as we have been experimenting quite a bit with Chicken Wings over the last few months with one of our favourite recipes being Heston's Barbecue Chicken Wings and of course, the recipe that started our wing obsession off Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing.

This recipe not only lives up to it's name with the stickiness of the sauce but the wings are also mega crunchy.   Baked in the oven makes them a win win in the fat stakes also but they could easily be deep fried if preferred.  I liked the fact that the wings are quickly tossed in the sauce just before serving and that the wings were not cooked in the sauce as then they would not have that crispy crunch.  The sprinkle of crushed peanuts and spring onions over the top added to the texture and the flavour which only made the dish even yummier.

We were lucky enough to buy nice sized wingettes (no wing tip or drumstick) but you could use the full chicken wing if you prefer - that's totally up to you and wouldn't change this recipe at all.

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Serves: 6

SmartPoints per serve: ?

2 kilograms chicken wingettes

1/4 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

cooking spray

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

2 teaspoons crushed ginger

1 tablespoon chilli sauce (such as Maggi)

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

4 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons chopped roasted peanut

2 spring onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Rinse and pat dry chicken wings with paper towel.

In a large snap lock bag combine flour, salt and pepper.  Add chicken, seal and toss until chicken is covered with the flour mixture.

Line an oven tray with non-stick baking paper.  Spray with cooking spray.  Line the chicken wings on the tray in a single layer and spray with cooking spray.  Cook in oven for 20 minutes, turn over and increase oven heat to 220 degrees Celsius.  Continue to cook for a further 20 minutes or until crispy.

In a small sauce pan, combine the garlic, ginger, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, honey, and soy sauce together. Simmer on lower heat until thickened and slightly sticky.

Toss the chicken wings and coat well with the sauce.

Transfer the chicken wings onto a serving platter, top with peanut and spring onions.

Serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Sticky Asian Beef Ribs

Slow cooking means a lot of different things to different people.  I guess their biggest bragging right is that this way of cooking provides busy people with easy meals to feed their family.  Sometimes you just throw anything and everything in to the vessel and pray that it tastes nice when you get home from work.  Other times the recipe is made with precision following a recipe. 

 

This was definitely the later - following a recipe and it's techniques.  Not the easiest of slow cooker dishes, considering it takes several days but well worth the effort.  It pays off and you will not be disappointed.

 

When it comes to cooking with meat I know that slow cooking will produce meat that is generally melt in your mouth or fall apart on the fork.  These Sticky Beef Ribs were exactly that.  Just lifting off the bone and considering the size of the ribs (the thickness of the meat) every mouthful was so tender and mouth watering,

 

Flavour wise - Asian infused with elements of sweet, salty and chilli... OMG!!!  I could have eaten plate after plate.

Sticky Asian Beef Ribs

(Recipe adapted from Not Quite Nigella)

 

Serves: 6 - 8

2 kilos beef short ribs

1 1/2 cups soy sauce

2 cups brown sugar, divided into two

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

3 star anise

2 large red chilli, sliced

2 cups water

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup freshly chopped coriander leaves

2 large red chilli, extra, sliced

1/2 cup chopped raw peanuts

Mix the soy sauce, 1 cup of the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, garlic, ginger, star anise and chilli in a bowl and then marinate the beef ribs in the marinade for 1 hour. Drain the ribs, reserving the marinade for cooking.

Put the ribs straight into the slow cooker vessel. Mix the marinade with the 2 cups of water and add to the ribs. Cook on low setting for 8 hours.

Once cooked allow the slow cooker vessel to cool. Place in fridge overnight.  The next day, skim the fat off the top and reheat and serve with rice if you don't want to make the glaze.

If you are making the glaze, take 500ml of the liquid to make the glaze and place in a saucepan and heat with the extra cup of brown sugar and rice wine vinegar-taste and add salt if needed. Reduce down to a syrupy glaze. Heat the ribs in about 1 cup of the liquid and then brush with the glaze.

 

Serve garnished with sliced chilli, coriander and chopped peanuts. 

If desired also serve with steamed rice.

 

Visit Not Quite Nigella for different slow cooking options.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

 

 

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken ( A Dash of Flavour's 600th recipe)

After the last year or so battling work loads, busy lives and being time poor I cannot believe that I have reached my 600th post.  Finally!!!  At times I have thought to myself I would have to stop blogging - the fear of not keeping up and not being able to regularly post worried me.  It's my nerdy hobby that I kept hidden even from my family but it's something that I find really enjoyable and in all honestly would love to spend more time focusing on it.  Thanks to everyone that still pops in to visit A Dash Of Flavour and a huge thank you to those that try recipes and leave me a comment.  I really appreciate every moment of support and your kind words.

So may I proudly present to you the 600th A Dash of Flavour recipe.....

There is nothing I enjoy more than experimenting with Asian cooking - except for eating it of course.  Actually who am I kidding?  I love experimenting with all foods!!

I think that the whole Asian cuisine is so diverse as it covers many countries, districts, cultures and even religions.  I believe that Caramel Chicken is of Vietnamese origin. It's actually a dish that none of us have ever eaten before - saying this we were all intrigued and excited about trying something this different.  I say this different and when it comes to dinners we often worry that some recipes will be sickly sweet.  We all adore Sweet and Sour Pork but only occasionally, all of us tend to order savoury style dishes in any cuisine.

This is a dish that covers many flavour angles - sweet (but not too sweet), sour, salty, mildly spicy and has the element of sticky!  Not to mention it is one of the easiest Asian dishes I have prepared in a long time.  My tip to ensure that Asian cooking is quick and easy is to ensure that everything is measured out before hand and that all the meat/vegetables are chopped ready to go.  As this wasn't a recipe that had millions of ingredients the preparation time was minimal also.

Served with steamed rice this basic dish was amazing - flavours totally out of this world.  Yes I have been told that I can cook this again.

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

 

Serves: 6

 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 kilogram chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved

2 red onions, sliced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 long red chilli, finely chopped (deseed to reduce heat if desired)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

fresh coriander leaves

2 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

1 long red chilli, sliced

Heat oil in a large wok over a medium to high heat.  Add chicken and cook in two batches.  Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Transfer to a bowl.  Reduce heat to medium.

 

Add onions to the same wok.  Stir fry for 2 -3 minutes or until starting to soften. 

Then add ginger, garlic and chilli.  Stir fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

 

Return chicken and juices to the wok along with the soy sauce.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer, for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

 

Increase heat to high.  Add sugar and stir fry for about  4 to 5 minutes, or until caramelised.  Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.  Remove from heat. 

 

Served garnished with coriander leaves, chopped peanuts and sliced chilli, if desired. 

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Mee Goreng with Chicken (Spicy Fried Noodles with Chicken)

Any noodle dish really hits the spot in the Murray household....  I am not kidding either.  There is always a serious shortage of leftovers (which we take for lunches) when noodles are on the dinner menu.  No complaints I am so glad that everyone enjoys.

We often visit a restaurant, Petling Street (I've probably talked about it before) which is located in Clayton and is definitely our favourite Malaysian restaurants.  Oliver always orders one of two noodle dishes - it's either Mee Goreng or Char Kwai Teow.   Mee Goreng are a spicy fried noodles normally with seafood and a selection of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, mung beans, etc., and are delicious.

 

This is an easy version of Mee Goreng, however I did need to switch some components of the recipe due to the ingredients I had at home but believe that the flavour, which was magnificent, remained true.  This sweet, salty and spicy sauce enveloped the thick noodles (yes we didn't have the thin egg noodles either), chicken and vegetables bringing the dish together as a flavour explosion in your mouth.

 

Served straight from the wok this dish was definitely a winner tonight.

Mee Goreng with Chicken (Spicy Fried Noodles with Chicken)

(recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

Serves: 4

2 220 gram packets hokkein noodles

2 tablespoon Sriracha chilli sauce, or more to taste

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

600 grams chicken breast, fat removed, thinly sliced

1 tsp minced garlic

3 carrots, slice on diagonal

1 brown onion, sliced

1 red capsicum, sliced

1 cup water

2 Tbsp shao hsing wine

2 spring onions, sliced

2 teaspoons fried shallots

Put noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Follow packet directions.  Drain.

In a small bowl combine chili sauce, dark soy, sugar, salt, oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir to combine, and set aside.

Heat a large wok over high heat, add the oil. Add the chicken in small batches and stir fry until browning and just cooked. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining chicken.

To the same wok add the garlic, onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, tossing constantly, or until carrots are softened. Add capsicum and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Return chicken to the pan with the noodles and water. Stir-fry continuously until noodles are cooked, 3-5 minutes (depending on the heat of your wok), making sure to cook the chicken through. Add chili sauce mixture, and keep stirring until well combined. The noodles should begin to get a bit drier (no liquid left in the bottom of the wok). Add shao hsing wine and spring onions, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Garnish with fried shallots.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)