Chicken and vegetable Sar Hor Fun (scrambled egg sauce rice noodles)

Sar Hor Fun, or scrambled egg noodles, is a meal I often make my family.  The sauce really makes this dish... trust me!  Some restaurants you go to have so much sauce it's like a soup but I feel it doesn't need to be that excessive to make this dish tasty.  Plus my version has a lot more vegetables that really compliment the flavour!  I hope you enjoy these noodles as much as we do.

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Ingredients

- 1kg fresh rice noodles^

- 300 g chicken thigh (cut into slices and marinated with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper)

- 2 sticks celery (sliced) 

- 1/2 red capsicum ( sliced)

- 1 carrot (sliced )

- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tbs oil x 2

- 1 tbs of Karamal Masakan*
- Coriander and spring onions, chopped (optional)
^ Fresh noodles are the best (i.e. brought into the shop that day.  They are usually sitting in the box outside the fridge) because they are nice and soft.  If you happen to find them in the fridge hard,  you will need to put it in the microwave for 3 minutes in the unopened bag, then separate the noodles before frying. I buy the noodles below

*the bottle looks like this - with list of ingredients, and is available at any Asian shop

Sauce ingredients
- 1 tbs oyster sauce#

- 1 tsp of chicken powder

- 1/2 tsp sugar 

- 1 tsp of salt

- 1 cup of water 

- 1 tsp of corn flour

- 1 egg

 #you can get gluten free versions of oyster sauce like Ayam's sauce here 

Method
- Mix sauce ingredients together in a bowl then set aside

- Pour 1 tbs of oil in a hot wok then add the noodles
- Add the Karamel Masakan sauce and mix well with the noodles, carefully tossing them through the sauce.  I use chopsticks but a wok spatula works fine.  Empty noodles out into a serving dish

- Add the other 1 tbs of oil into the empty wok.  Sauté the garlic then add the chicken, moving it around the wok for about 2-3 minutes or until cooked.
- Add vegetables and pour sauce over.  The hot work and cornflour will thicken the sauce (you will see the edges of the sauce bubble).
- Add the beaten egg   Mix well with the wok spatula or chopsticks
- Pour the mixture sauce over the noodles in the serving dish
- Garnish with coriander and/or spring onions...

...and enjoy!

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Wonton soup

Melbourne weather is unpredictable.  One morning could be beautiful and sunny day then in the afternoon, it could be crisp and raining!  The past week has been a bit like that with today a bit cooler than the weekend and to me, nothing warms me up better than some wonton soup!

Sometimes when I make wontons for a party, gathering or just for my family, I make too many and so end up freezing the remainder.  Wontons can be frozen for up to 5-6 weeks - you just need to freeze them on a baking paper-lined tray then once frozen, pack them into a resealable freeze bag or container.   When you want to cook them (either in a soup or deep fried), you do not thaw them before cooking.  But who says you need to use frozen wontons for this delicious soup?  Either way - fresh or frozen, this is a delicious meal that you will make again and again.

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Makes 4-6 bowls of wonton soup (depending on your servings!)

Thermomix recipe

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 tablespoon of chicken stock paste

- 1 1/2 litre of hot water

- Wontons (recipe found here - just follow it without cooking the wontons)

- Spring onion and coriander, chopped

- Sliced chilli (optional)

- Fried shallots (optional)

Method

- Place wontons onto an oiled Varoma dish and tray.

- Pour hot water into the TM bowl then add chicken stock paste and cook for 10-12 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3

- Divide the wontons evenly into bowls then pour the chicken soup over

- Garnish with spring onion, coriander, fried shallots and chilli

- Serve immediately.

Traditional recipe

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 litres of chicken or pork stock

- 2 litres of hot water

- Wontons (recipe found here - just follow it without cooking the wontons)

- Spring onion and coriander, chopped

- Sliced chilli (optional)

- Fried shallots (optional)

Method

- Put the wontons to the hot water and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they float

- Cook/warm up the chicken or pork stock on the stove top

- Divide the wontons evenly into bowls then pour the chicken/pork soup over

- Garnish with spring onion, coriander,fried shallots and chilli

- Serve immediately.

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Lemongrass pork chops with vermicelli noodles and a Vietnamese dipping sauce

I absolutely love this salad, especially when the weather warms up.  The lemongrass pork chops on their own are delicious - a great recipe for a barbeque.  But, when added on top of vermicelli noodles, lettuce cucumber and my Vietnamese dipping sauce, it becomes a refreshing but filling meal.  It's very similar to the spring roll salad (found here) but the lemongrass pork chops make it a very different dish!

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Serves 4-6

Pork chop marinade ingredients

- 2 lemongrass sticks, finely chopped (white part only)

- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

- 2 tbs fish sauce

- 1 tsp pepper 

- 2 tsp sugar

- 2 tbs rice brain oil

- 1kg pork chop, about 1 inch thick

Other ingredients

- Lettuce (chopped)

- Cucumber (chopped)

- Herbs such as fresh mint, Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, etc. (leaves only)

- One packet of rice vermicelli noodles (450-500g packet)

- Chopped peanuts and chilli (optional but gives the dish a delicious crunch)

Method

- Place pork chops in a bowl and add all the marinade ingredients.  Mix well then refrigerate over night or at least 2 hours before grilling.
- Grill or barbeque the marinated pork chops. Let the meat stand for 10 minutes before serving.

- Prepare the Vietnamese dipping sauce found here

- Cook the rice noodles as per packet instructions
- Add lettuce, cucumber and cut pork chops to the noodles as well as the different types of herbs.  Add a generous amount of the Vietnamese dipping sauce then garnish with herbs, peanuts and chillies (if using)

Note: This dish can be served in individual bowl or can be arranged beautifully on a large serving platter.  Guests can then help themselves to the already served salad.

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Sweet and sour pork

Sweet and sour pork has to be one of the most popular dishes ordered from a Chinese restaurant.  Often though, you'll receive a dish filled with fluorescent red meat pieces, sprinkled with a few pieces of pineapple.  If you want a much healthier version, then try mine!  Mine has no msg with lots of vegetables that compliment the pork.  And the sauce?  Well, you'll have to trust me that it is absolutely delicious!

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Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients
- 400g Scotch fillet pork (pork neck) cut into cubes

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp light soya sauce

- 1 tsp grated ginger

- 100g cornflour 

- 1 egg white
- oil for deep frying

- 1/2 red capsicum, cut into 2 cm squares

- 1/2 green capsicum, cut into 2 cm squares

- 1 carrot, sliced

- 100 g fresh or can pineapple, cut into chunks

- 1 onion, cut into chunks

Sweet and sour sauce ingredients

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp tomato sauce

2 Tbsp vinegar 

1 Tbsp cornflour 

150 g water

Method
- Mix sauce ingredients together.  Set aside.

- Marinate the pork in the salt, sugar, light soya sauce and grated ginger
- Add the pork into the egg white with 70g of cornflour then dust the pork into the rest of the cornflour individually

- Deep fry the pork and drain.  Set aside.

- Heat 2 tbs of oil in the wok and stir in the onion and carrot for about 2 minutes
- Add in the sauce and wait until it boils, then add in the capsicums and pineapple.  Mix well 
- Pour the sauce and vegetables over the fried pork before serving with rice...

... and enjoy!

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Stir fried Hokkien noodles with vegetables (Hokkien char mee)

This is a great dish if your family is a bit tired of the simple stir fried meat, vegetables and rice combo.   Hokkien noodles are a soft, chewy noodle and is so tasty with the sauce and vegetables in this dish!  I find this a great family meal - it's easy, quick (once all the vegetables are chopped!) and so healthy with the abundance of vegetables.  You can even omit the meat for a vegetarian version and I promise this dish is just as tasty.  This is also a recipe I am often asked to share... so here it is!  

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Ingredients
- 500g fresh Hokkien noodles (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets and all Asian grocery stores)
- 1.5 litre of boiling water

- 300g chicken or pork cut thin strips (seasoned with 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp of oyster sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar and pepper)

- 300g chopped vegetables of your choice (e.g. broccoli, carrot, capsicum, snow peas, mushroom, etc.)

- 1 clove of garlic, chopped

- 3 tbs rice brain oil 

- 1 tbs of caramel sauce (I use this brand)

- 1 tbs light soy sauce

- 1 tbs oyster sauce

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1/2 cup water

- Pepper to taste
- 2 spring onion, thinly sliced
- A hand full of bean sprouts (optional)

- Extra spring onions, chillies and/or coriander to garnish

Method

- Pour the boiling water onto the Hokkien noodles until they separate.  Drain in a colander and set aside

- Heat oil in the wok then fry the garlic until light brown
- Add in the meat and stir fry for 1/2 minute then add vegetables and stir fry for 1-2 minutes (the short cooking time ensures cooked, crunchy vegetables - just the way I like it).  Place meat and vegetables in a bowl then set aside

- Add the noodles in the empty wok then season with the sauces, sugar, salt and water.
- Stir fry the noodle mix evenly then add in the cooked meat and vegetables
- Lastly, add the spring onion and bean sprouts and stir well using a wok spatula (I also use chopsticks to assist me in this step)
- Remove contents onto a serving plate then garnish with chillies and some green herbs...

... and enjoy!!

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Simple fried rice

 

I know everyone has their own version of fried rice but I thought I would share mine.  Traditionally, fried rice is a leftover dish, using rice and meat from a previous meal to make it into a new one.  You will often find cut up steak, roast or even chicken schnitzel whenever I make fried rice for my family!  It's also the perfect meal if you have no idea what to cook.  Use any meat you have in the fridge (or leave out if you would prefer a vegetarian option but I would add a bit more fish sauce) and most freezers have frozen corn and peas!  My version also doesn't use soy sauce, only fish sauce.  When using ham, I find its saltiness sufficient and thus no soy sauce is added.  But if you prefer soy sauce, just use that instead!  

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Ingredients

- 400g uncooked rice cooked in a rice cooker or thermomix prior to making the dish

- 300g ham cut into small cubes

- 3 eggs

- 100g frozen/fresh peas

- 100g frozen/fresh corn

- 2 tbs rice brain oil

- 1 tbs gluten free fish sauce

- pepper to taste

Method

- Heat oil in the wok then add the 3 eggs.  Move them around the base of the wok for about 10 seconds
- Add the rice and stir it for a few minutes, ensuring the egg is mixed in well with the rice
- Add the ham, peas, corn and fish sauce then mix well for a few minutes.

And that's it!   Enjoy!

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Steamed tofu with prawns, chicken, pak choy and soup

This is a delicious meal that is traditionally pan fried then steamed.  In my version, I don't bother to pan fry my tofu or vegetables, so it is healthier, saves you time yet it still tastes amazing.  I have split the recipe into four parts but have included photos to make things easier.  It is an incredibly hearty meal when served with rice and although most kids (and even teenagers...!) might not like the sound of steamed tofu, this dish is always a hit with my family and I believe they can be very fussy eaters! 

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 Ingredients

Prawn and chicken mince Ingredients (A)

 - 10g ginger

- 200g prawn meat

- 300g chicken thigh (semi frozen) in cubes

- pepper to taste

- pinch of sugar

- 1/2 tsp of sesame oil

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 piece of spring onion, chopped

Other Ingredients (B)

- 660g tofu (I use Yensons silken tofu)
Note: I can only fit 2/3 of the cut tofu onto the varoma tray so keep the remainder for Method C

- Half red and half green capsicum 

- Two small tomatoes

Soup Ingredients (C)

- 1 bunch of baby Pak choy, chopped
- Remainder of tofu (about 1/3 of packet), cubed

- 1 litre of hot water (i.e. already boiled to speed up the process)

- 1/2 tsp salt 

- 1/2 tsp of stock powder

Sauce Ingredients (D)

- 20g gluten free oyster sauce 

- 150g water

- 2tsp corn flour

- 1/2 tsp stock powder

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1tsp soy sauce/tamari

- 1/4 tsp of sugar

Method
Prawn and chicken mince Method (A)

- Place ginger in TM bowl and chop on speed 5 for 5 seconds
- Add in chicken and turbo 3 times
- Add in prawn meat and the seasoning (pepper, sugar, sesame oil and salt) and mix on speed 7 for 5 seconds
- Mix in the spring onion on reserve, speed 4 for 5 seconds
- Set aside contents in another bowl but do not wash the TM bowl

Tofu and Vegetables Assembly Method (B)

- Cut each half of the capsicums into 6 pieces
- Cut the tomatoes into half and take out the seed and dry well

- Cut the bean curd/tofu very carefully as it is very soft (I only cut 2/3 of my packet)

- Place the bean curd on to the Varoma tray, adding the paste on to the top
- Fill the vegetables with the paste and place on the bottom Varoma tray

 

Soup and steaming Method (C)

- Put all soup ingredients in the TM bowl (unwashed from Method A)
- Add the Varoma tray with tofu and vegetables on top then steam it on Varoma temperature for 10 minutes on speed 4
- While cooking, place the baby Pak choy and remaining cubed tofu in the thermoserver

 - Pour the cooked soup in the it and cover it until you plate up the vegetables and bean curd.

Sauce Method (D)
- Add all sauce ingredients to TM bowl (no need to be cleaned) and cook it on 100 degrees on speed 3 for 3 minutes

To serve, place the cooked vegetables and bean curd on a serving plate and pour the sauce over it.  Eat with steamed rice and soup and enjoy!

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Gravy beef soup with vegetables

Now that Winter is fast approaching, hot, hearty soups are on most dinner menus.  This is a soup I often make and it really tasty and filling.  I have written two methods - one for pressure cookers which will cook this soup in half an hour and also for slow cookers, so you can easily prepare it in the morning and come home to a delicious dinner.  The recipe below could easily feed 10 or more people and can easily be halved so you can adjust it depending on the number in your household (and slow cooker/pressure cooker pot!). 

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Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

- 1 chopped onion
- 900g gravy beef cut into cubes

- 2 tbs tomato paste

- 2 tbs vegetable stock concentrate or 2 tbs of vegetable stock powder

- 2 stars aniseed

- 2 cans of tomato soup

- 5 + 3 cups of water

- 2 tbs oil

- 4 carrots chopped into cubes

- 4 potatoes chopped into cubes

- 4 sticks of celery chopped into cubes

Pressure Cooker Method
- Heat the pressure cooker with oil and sauté the onions for about 2 minutes
- Add in the gravy beef and brown it for about 2-3 minutes
- Add in the tomato paste, stock, star aniseed and 5 cups water.
Note: I put all my vegetables in the steaming basket that comes with my pressure cooker at this step. That way, it will steam my vegetables at the same time as it cooks the gravy beef
- When the pressure is reached, turn the heat down to low and cook for 15 minutes then let the pressure go down and allow the soup continue to cook
- Remove the lid and turn the heat to high then pour the cooked vegetables into the soup
- Add the other 3 cups of water and two cans of the tomato soup, bring it to the boil and serve hot.

Slow Cooker Method
Note: depending on the size of your slow cooker, you may want to half the recipe which will work fine.

- Sauté the onions in the oil for about 2 minutes on the stove
- Add in the gravy beef and brown it for about 2-3 minutes
- Add in the tomato paste, stock, star aniseed, vegetables and 5 cups water
- Put the pot into your slow cooker and cook for at least 8 hours
- Right before serving, take the pot back to the stove and add the other 3 cups of water plus two cans of the tomato soup, bring it to the boil and serve hot.

Serve with fresh bread, garlic bread or rice... and enjoy!

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Singapore noodles

Here is an incredibly tasty noodle dish that is dairy and gluten free.  It is so quick to cook so if you are pressed for time, prepare and cut the vegetables the day before so once dinner time approaches, you can have dinner on your family table in less than 10 minutes!  You can substitute any meat with these noodles, or eliminate them completely for a vegetarian version (just skip the third step).  You can add any vegetables you want too although I love the celery and carrots here as it provides some nice crunch.

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Feeds 4-6 people

Ingredients
- 300g rice vermicelli noodles (soaked and drained in cold water about 20 minutes or until the noodle separate.  If you are pressed for time, follow the instructions and soak in hot water although I find this makes the noodles soggy)

- 300g chicken thighs, thinly sliced

- 1/2 red capsicum (thinly sliced) or some bean sprouts

- 1 carrot medium size (cut julienne)

- 2 sticks of celery (sliced)

- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)

- 1 small onion (sliced)

- 1 tbs curry powder

- 1 tbs gluten free oyster sauce

- 1 tbs fish sauce

- 1 tsp of chicken powder

- 1 tsp sugar

- 2 tsp soy sauce/tamari

- Pepper to taste

- 3 tbs rice bran oil (1 tbs and 2 tbs for two separate steps)

- 1/2 cup of water
- Spring onions and chilli (chopped) to garnish (optional)

Method 

- Marinate chicken with soy sauce/tamari, pepper and sugar in a bowl.  Set aside

- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok then sauté onions and garlic till fragrant
- Stir in chicken and fry for about 2-3 minutes or until cooked.  Remove and set aside in a bowl

- Using the same wok, add in 2 tbs of oil and stir in the rice vermicelli noodles

 - Add in curry powder, oyster sauce, fish sauce, water and vegetables.  Stir fry ingredients for about 3-4 minutes (I use a wok spatula and chopsticks) then add in the cooked meat.  Mix well.

- Pour noodles into a serving dish, garnish with spring onions and chilli and enjoy!

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Crispy wontons

If you ever want to cook a particular finger food that will be a hit at your party, look no further.  These crispy wontons always go down a treat and I promise you there will be no leftovers!   Wontons can be fried (like the recipe below) but if you are looking for a more healthy option, you can make some chicken or vegetable soup and pop these in too.  It makes a delicious and hearty dinner, especially on a cold night!

Please note that you can half the quantity and just buy a smaller packet of wonton wrappers since the recipe below produces a good amount for party finger food.  If you have any filling left over, just freeze it for another day.  Or, you can roll it up into little balls and place in some chicken or even vegetable stock for a lovely soup.

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Filling Ingredients

 - 600g of chicken or pork mince (or half chicken half pork)

- 300g uncooked prawns (chopped into small pieces)

- 2 tbs light soy sauce

- 1.5 tbs oyster sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp chicken powder

- pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp of salt

- 2 spring onions (chopped)

- Coriander (chopped)

Other Ingredients

- vegetable oil to deep fry the wontons in

- 500g wonton wrappers

- Sweet chilli sauce for dipping

TM Method - Filling

- If using chicken and pork pieces, mince the partially frozen meat (cubed) and prawns into TM bowl and turbo it a few times until desired consistency is achieved
- Add remaining filling ingredients and mix it on speed 4 on reserve for 5 seconds

Non TM Method - Filling
Note: please buy minced meat not pieces
- Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl very well.  This may take a few minutes until the right consistency is achieved.  The filling should be sticky once combined well.

Folding Method
- Place a teaspoon of the filling into the middle of the wonton wrapper

 - Fold the wrapper in half along the diagonal

 - Pinch once corner to the middle

 - Pinch the remaining corner to the middle

 Note: the wonton should just stick together once folded and pressed firmly together

Cooking method

- Pour enough oil for your wok or a saucepan to cover the wontons then place over medium heat
- Test if your oil is hot enough by using a wooden chopstick.  If your oil is hot enough, you will see bubbles start coming up onto the chopstick
- Deep fry the wontons until golden brown then drain onto the paper towel

Serve with sweet chilli sauce and enjoy!

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Spring rolls and my Vietnamese dipping sauce

I love spring rolls.  My family loves spring rolls.  In fact, I don't think I know anyone who doesn't love spring rolls!  They are so versatile - they are the perfect finger food at parties (I remember preparing 1,000 spring rolls for my oldest daughter's engagement party.  Even though there 130 guests, I did not get to eat even one spring roll as they just flew off the plate!) but they also make a delicious and hearty meal.  These spring rolls freeze extremely well too.  When you want to eat them, fry them while frozen as thawing them might cause you to break the skin and thus expose the meat.

I know it looks like a long recipe but I have included step by step photos to show you how to fold the spring rolls but remember, practice makes perfect!  Plus I am sure your family and friends will still eat a 'funny looking' spring roll!

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Makes approximately 50 spring rolls

Filling Ingredients

- 50g vermicelli (bean thread) or glass noodles

- 500g chicken mince or pork mince (or a mix of both!)
TM version: Turbo chicken or/and pork pieces in TM bowl until desired consistency

- 10g dry black ear fungus (optional but gives the filling a little crunch)

- 2 spring onions, chopped

- Coriander, roughly chopped

- 2 tbs light soy sauce

- 2 tbs oyster sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp chicken powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

- Pepper to taste

Filling Method

- Soak the glass noodles in cold water for 20 minutes then using scissors, cut the noodles into small pieces.  Drain and set aside.
- Soak the dry black ear fungus (chopped into small pieces with the ends chopped off) in hot water for 20 minutes and clean it thoroughly.

TM version:  Place soaked fungus in the TM bowl and chop for 3 second on speed 5

- Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl thoroughly

TM version: Mix all the filling ingredients in the TM bowl on reverse on speed 4 for 5 seconds

Other Ingredients

- Vegetable oil to deep fry spring rolls in

- 1 packet of spring roll skin (50 pieces - the brand I use is in the photo and is available at any Chinese store)

Spring roll sealing paste Ingredients and Method

- 1 tbs plain flour

- 1 tbs cold water

- Mix the two ingredients together

Assembly method

- Peel the spring roll wrappers apart and cover them with a damp tea towel so that it won't dry out
- Place the wrapper on the table with the pointed end facing you then add 1 1/2 heaped tsp of the filling in the bottom corner

- Roll the wrapper over the filling very tightly

 - Fold the two sides in then continue to roll it up

 - Seal the spring roll with a bit of the flour paste

Cooking Method

- Pour enough oil for your wok or a saucepan to cover the spring rolls then place over medium heat
- Test if your oil is hot enough by using a wooden chopstick.  If your oil is hot enough, you will see bubbles start coming up onto the chopstick
- Deep fry the spring rolls until golden brown then drain onto the paper towel

Vietnamese dipping sauce Ingredients

- 1/2 cup sugar
- Juice of 2 limes (or 1 lemon)
- 2 tbs vinegar
- 1/2 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water.

- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 small radish grated (optional)
- Chilies (optional but gives it a bit of a kick!)

Vietnamese dipping sauce Method

- Dissolve sugar in hot water
- Add remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well

If you want to eat the spring rolls as a meal, cook some vermicelli noodles and assemble with some spring onions mixed in hot oil from your deep frying saucepan (this helps to separate the noodles), then place some chopped lettuce, cucumber and herbs of choice (such as Thai basil or Vietnamese mint) on top.  Add your spring rolls (I cut mine with kitchen scissors in bite sized pieces) then pour the dipping sauce over your meal... and enjoy!

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Rice noodles with scallop and sugar peas

This dish really is so easy.  It's delicious, healthy and always looks impressive.  There are three steps to this dish - the noodles, scallops then sauce and peas.  There is no need to wash the wok between the steps.  As mentioned in the ingredient section, you can substitute the scallops with any meat of your choice and you can add any vegetables you have in the fridge. 

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Ingredients

- 1kg fresh rice noodles^

- 10 big scallops ( I use the Costco brand, Kirkland, which comes frozen but you can use any meat of your choice) marinated in 1tbs of corn flour, pepper and salt

- 50g bean sprouts

- 200g sugar peas

- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tbs oil x 2
- 1 beaten egg

- 1 tbs of Karamal Masakan*
- Coriander and spring onions, chopped (optional)
^ Fresh noodles are the best (i.e. brought into the shop that day.  They are usually sitting in the box outside the fridge) because they are nice and soft.  If you happen to find them in the fridge hard,  you will need to put it in the microwave for 3-5 minutes in the unopened bag, then separate the noodles before frying. I buy the noodles below

*the bottle looks like this - with list of ingredients, and is available at any Asian shop

Sauce ingredients
- 1 tbs oyster sauce#

- 1 tsp of chicken powder

- 1/2 tsp sugar 

- 1 tsp of salt

- 1 cup of water 

- 1 tsp of corn flour

 #you can get gluten free versions of oyster sauce like Ayam's sauce here

Method
- Mix sauce ingredients together in a bowl

- Pour 1 tbs of oil in a hot wok then add the noodles
- Add the Karamel Masakan sauce and mix well with the noodles, carefully tossing them through the sauce.  I use chopsticks but a wok spatula works fine.  Empty noodles out into a serving dish

- Add the other 1 tbs of oil into the empty wok.  Sauté the garlic then add the scallops, moving it around the wok for about 2-3 minutes or until cooked.  Remove contents into another bowl.
- Add sugar peas to the empty wok and pour sauce over it.  The hot work and cornflour will thicken the sauce (you will see the edges of the sauce bubble).
- Add cooked scallops to sauce and sugar peas and mix well.  Add beaten egg then the bean sprouts.  Mix well with the wok spatula or chopsticks
- Pour sauce, scallops and sugar peas mixture over the noodles in the serving dish
- Garnish with coriander and/or spring onions...

...and enjoy!

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Pan fried dumplings

Whenever I go out for a meal, I am always surprised that people are willing to pay $2 or even more for a single pan fried dumpling.  Yes, it takes time to roll out the dough and fold each dumpling but I'm sure my children agree that home cooked dumplings are much tastier (and healthier!) than bought ones.  So here is my recipe for pan fried dumplings.  Don't be afraid of the long post - I added photos to assist with the ease of this recipe and describing how to fold the dumplings required a little explaining!  You can actually add whatever you want in your dumpling filling to suit your liking.  And the dough?  Only two ingredients!  How simple is that!

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Dumpling dough ingredients

- 400g plain flour

- 230g water

Dough method

- Place ingredients into TM bowl and mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds

- Knead for one minute with the dial set to closed lid position on interval speed 

- Let the dough rest for half an hour while covered

The dough will be a little wet so use extra flour to make it more manageable. It is better wet that too dry.

Filling ingredients

- 200g cabbage roughly chopped

- 300g mince meat (e.g.chicken thigh, pork or a combination). If not minced, have the meat semi frozen and turbo it in the TM bowl until desired consistency

- handful of coriander roughly chopped

- 3-4 spring onions roughly chopped

- knob of ginger, peeled

- 1 tbs oyster sauce

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

- 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp chicken stock or powder

- pepper and salt to taste

Filling method

- Place ginger to the bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5

- Add cabbage and chop for 1 second on speed 5 

- Add meat, remaining ingredients and mix reverse 10 seconds on speed 2 or until combined

Note you can add unchopped spring onions and coriander in this step but I prefer to chop by hand as the TM sometimes bruises the herbs

Assembly method
- Roll out the dough and cut into approximately 2cm x 4cm portions then roll into circles (about 8cm in diameter)

- Place a small amount in the middle of each circle and fold in half,  ensuring there isn't too much filling that it will spill out but not too little so the dumping is plump.  Pinch the top half of the semi circle to seal.
- Identify the mid point between the top of the semi circle and the edge and fold it to the top, pinching it to seal.  Fold the outer corner to the top and again, pinch to seal.  Repeat on the other side.  You should have four folds in your dumpling while sealed nicely.

 - Shape the dumping in a crescent shape and ensure it can stand by itself
- Add some oil to a pan then heat it up.  Arrange the dumplings inside

 - Cook for about 5 minutes on a medium heat then add about 20 ml of water and cover the pan so the entire dumpling is cooked.  After another 5 minutes, remove dumplings from pan and repeat with remainder of the dumplings
- Eat while hot, served with Chinese vinegar sauce (I buy this version) ... and enjoy!

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