San Choy Bow

Now this would have to be one of my family's all time favourites.

San Choy Bow is normally served as an entree but can quite easily become a main meal and a morish one at that. As an entree you could easily dish up individually but as a main I put all the dishes in the middle of the table as I like to watch everyone create their own "lettuce cup", roll them up and try to delicately eat them... evil of me I know!!

The best thing about San Choy Bow (besides eating with your fingers!) is that you can use any meat but our choice is always pork. The crunchy yet soft texture of this dish is complemented with extra beanshoots, sliced spring onions and if you choose, sliced birdseye chilli.

As mentioned this is a favourite and we do tend to order it when we try dining at different asian restaurants just to see what their flavours are and whilst I have experimented with many different recipes, some successful, but this is my version.....

San Choy Bow

Serves: 8 as entree or 4 as main
Points per entree serve: 2.5

Points per main serve: 4.5
8 iceberg lettuce leaves
500g lean pork mince
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
150g button mushrooms, finely chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 x 225g can water chestnuts, rinsed and finely chopped
200grams bean sprouts, finely chopped
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
50 grams bean sprouts, for garnish
1 spring onion, diagonally sliced, for garnish
2 birdseye chillies, sliced, for garnish (optional)
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, for garnish

Carefully remove lettuce leaves so they remain intact. Cut into a round dish-like shape. Place in a fridge, covered, until required. (This is the hardest part of the recipe!!)

In a small jug combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and dry sherry.

Spray a wok with cooking spray. Over a high heat cook pork mince, garlic and ginger until pork is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and drain to remove excess fat.

To the same wok add drained pork, mushrooms, spring onions, water chestnuts and bean sprouts until mixed through and somewhat sizzling. Add sauce mixture, stirring until completely combined with pork mixture.

If individually serving up, place lettuce cup on a plate. Top with pork mixture and sprinkle with bean sprouts, spring onions and birdseye chillies if using. Serve immediately with additional hoisin sauce.

Otherwise place pork mixture into a serving bowl and serve with lettuce cups, other condiments
and additional hoisin sauce and watch as others make their own meal, just like we do.....

Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)

This is something I just had to try making especially with it being Shrove Tuesday yesterday but the idea of having normal pancakes for dinner didn't really inspire me although the kids would have approved without a doubt.
.
I have read many recipes for Okonomyaki and like most recipes, there are so many different variations out there. Some with bacon, chicken or shrimps. Others with either grated potatoes or noodles. Ultimately I ended up making my own version of Okonomyaki or Japanese Pancake which I thought wasn't too bad and it got the thumbs up from Noel.

.

Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)
.
Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7
.
1 cup plain flour
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 wombok, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 large red capsicum, sliced
1 onion, sliced
150g bean sprouts
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce

.

In a large bowl mix flour, eggs, garlic, ginger and skim milk together into a batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir through wombok, carrots, capsicum, onion and bean sprouts until all coated with the batter and well combined.
.
Heat oil a small frying pan and add 1/4 of the mixture. Cook over a medium heat until firm and golden brown on the underside. Flip over and cook the other side. Once cooked, remove to plate and keep in a warm oven and continue with the remaining mixture.
.
To serve, place Okonomyaki on individual plates and drizzle with both the barbecue sauce and the mayonnaise.
.

Honestly the potential of ingedients and toppings that can be used in this dish is literally endless and can be left up to your imagination. I cannot believe that this was as easy as it was to not only prepare but to cook. Go on - give it a go!

Quick Spicy Beef with Steamed Rice

As you have probably gathered our children are not eating with us in the evenings. In fact they are staying at their grandparents due to the school holidays and us working, so it gives us a chance to indulge in our favourite food -spicy hot food.

I must say however that both of our children are actually fantastic eaters and have been since they were born. I never once not gave them what we were eating to try and thankfully they do enjoy curries, mexican food and other exotic flavours but their taste buds are still coping with milder versions of each dish.

Tonights dinner could be as tame or as fiery as you like but it is a quick dish, one well suited to a midweek or busy weekend dinner. Also another dish that having all the ingredients ready to use is a must.

Quick Spicy Beef with Steamed Rice

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 6.5

cooking spray

500g extra lean minced beef

1 red onion sliced

2 teaspoons grated/crushed ginger

250g snow peas trimmed and cut diagonally in half

2 teaspoons chilli paste (or to taste)

8 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup bean sprouts

3 cups cooked rice

chopped coriander to garnish

birdseye chilli, sliced, to garnish (optional)

Spray a non stick wok or frying pan with cooking spray. Add mince, onion and ginger tossing over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until brown and cooked through.

Add snow peas, soy sauce and chilli paste, mix thouroughly. After 1 - 2 minutes toss through the bean sprouts until combined and heated through.

Serve with steamed rice.

HINT: To make this dish milder substitute the chilli paste with sweet chilli sauce and do not use the birdseye chilli.

Nasi Goreng

Nasi Goreng
Source: Weight Watchers Australia Magazine July/Aug 2006

Serves 6

Points per serve: 4

(Note you will need to cook ¾ cup long grain rice for this recipe.)

1 brown onion thinly sliced

1 (140g) single chicken breast (without skin) thinly sliced

1 carrot finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

100g cabbage shredded

140g medium uncooked prawns, peeled

1 red birdseye chilli, sliced (optional)

2 tsp sambal oelek (chilli paste)

2 tsp kecap manis

100g bean sprouts

2 ½ cups COLD cooked long grain rice

6 eggs

3 green shallots, trimmed and thinly sliced

Heat wok over a medium-high heat. Spray with oil. Add onion and stir fry for 2 minutes or until brown. Add chicken, carrot and garlic. Stir-fry for 4 minutes.

Add cabbage and prawns. Stir fry for 1 minute or until prawns change colour.

Add sambal oelek, kecap manis, chilli if using and sprouts. Gently toss until combined.

Stir in rice and gently toss until hot.

Meanwhile spray a large non stick frypan with oil. Crack eggs into pan and cook for 2 minutes or until set with egg yolk still soft. Remove from heat.

Serve rice with eggs on top and sprinkle with shallots. You can serve into individual bowls but I platter mine up - however way it's yummy and really easy to make!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.