Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

It was definitely BBQ weather tonight so we had our first official House of Murray Summer 2015/2016.

On the menu was Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs and I decided to team these with a nice healthy serve of Sesame and Soy Stir Fried Vegetable Noodles.

Kebabs can be so much fun. To be honest anything you can eat fork free is fun, right? When I say kebabs can be fun I mean that it just starts as a plain bamboo skewer and you can put anything on it, marinate it, pop them on the BBQ  and voila you have an instant meal on a stick!!

Noel was in charge of the marinating of these bad boy kebabs and they were, as always, delish.  The marinade itself was Asian inspired hence why I felt the need to serve with some noodles.  A Char Siu Sauce base with undertones of garlic, ginger and chilli made the beef and vegetables dance on my tastebuds with every mouthful.

Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Serves: 4

8 bamboo skewers

1/2 cup Char Siu Sauce

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

800 grams beef, cut into 2 cm cubes

1 red capsicum, cut into 2 cm pieces

1 green capsicum, cut into 2 cm pieces

1 onion, cut into 2 cm pieces

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.  Remove skewers from water.

In a medium jug mix together the Char Siu Sauce, wine, garlic, ginger, and sambal oelek.

Starting with a piece of capsicum, thread one piece onto a skewer, then a piece of onion, followed by the beef.  Repeat process 3 times or until skewer is full.  Continue with all 8 skewers.

Place in a shallow baking dish.  Pour over marinade, turning to ensure that the skewers are coated.  Allow to marinade for 2 - 3 hours or overnight if time permits.

Heat a BBQ plate or grill plate and cook skewers, turning occasionally, for 5 - 10 minutes or until beef is cooked to your liking.

Serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Char Siu and Orange Beef Ribs

Ribs are by far an indulgent food - so rich and so satisfying with meat that tender it falls of the bones and melts in your mouth.... mmmm drools!!

These Asian inspired ribs were magnificent - the delicate taste of Chinese Five Spice masked in a citrus Char Siu juice that had a hint of chilli were a feast for us on a Sunday Evening.  We are normally at the football club on Sunday evenings with awards and dinner service (both Noel and I cook dinner for approx 100 people each Sunday to raise money for the Club) so being at home mid football season is such a pleasant change.

I found this recipe in The Women's Weekly The Cooker Cookbook - a cookbook specifically for using Rice Cookers, Pressure Cookers and Slow Cookers.  I love my Slow Cooker everyone knows that and I am experimenting with both the Rice Cooker and the Pressure cooking.  I also used the large thick cut beef ribs, which are obviously meatier than the short cut but also tend to have less fat on them.

This recipe is actually one for the Pressure Cooker but I have adjusted it a little for the Slow Cooker.  I haven't cooked it in the Pressure Cooker but either way I have to say that the flavour was fantastic, the aroma that filled the house was vibrant enough to set off the taste bud sensors when opening the front door and there was an argument as to who was taking the left overs for lunch at work the next day.

  

Char Siu and Orange Beef Ribs

(recipe adapted from Women's Weekly The Cooker Cookbook)

Serves: 8

ProPoints per serve: 10

2 teaspoons five spice powder

2 kilograms beef spare ribs

cooking spray

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 fresh long chilli, chopped finely

4 cm piece fresh ginger

1/3 cup char siu sauce

¾ cup orange juice

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 spring onions, sliced thinly

Rub five spice all over beef.

Coat a large frying pan with cooking spray over a medium heat. Cook beef in batches, until browned. Remove and place in the slow cooker dish.

Place garlic, chilli, ginger, sauce, juice and sugar in a jug and stir to combine. Pour evenly over beef ribs in the slow cooker dish. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours stirring once to ensure all ribs are coated.

Remove beef from cooker, cover and keep warm. Skim excess fat from sauce mixture. Season to taste.

Serve beef drizzled with sauce mixture and sprinkle with sliced spring onion. Partner with steamed rice (add 3 ProPoints per ½ cup) if desired

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Char Sui Roast Pork Fillets

Tonight we had rice paper rolls again as a quick yet refreshingly tasty dinner, and to my thanks, after all the chopping of the salad everyone can make their own rolls filled with what they want. We enjoy hands on dinners especially me!!

Normally we would cook Chinese Roast Pork as a meat for rice paper rolls but we fancied something different so decided to try a Char Siu Sauce marinade. Char Siu is a traditional chinese barbecue sauce and goes well with all barbecued meats especially pork and pork ribs.

I reccommend allowing this to marinade overnight as the flavour penetrated the pork but that would be dependent on your time frame but well worth the foward planning. Ensure you baste with the reserved marinade during cooking to get an extra glossy coating on the fillets.

Char Sui Roast Pork Fillets

Serves: 8
Points per serve: 4

4 x 400g pork fillets, visible fat and sinew removed
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup Char Siu Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger, crushed

Place pork fillets in a shallow non metallic dish. Combine all marinade ingredients in a small jug and pour over pork fillets. Toss to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Line a shallow baking tray with foil. Place a rack over the tray. Remove pork fillets from marinade and reserve marinade. Place foil on rack and cook in oven for 30 minutes, turning and basting with reserved marinade frequently.

Remove from oven, place on a plate and cover with a foil tent. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice diagonally in 1 - 2 cms thick slices and serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)