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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My mother's almond biscuits

My mother is an incredible cook.  Her precision and attention to detail has earned her a high reputation, especially in Asian baking.  You will often find her perfect mooncakes, coconut macaroons or even these almond biscuits in a few Asian restaurants around Melbourne.  Her almond biscuits are especially popular as they are not only addictive, they look like a professional had baked them when you take them out of the oven so you will often find me giving these away as gifts in cute little jars when Christmas time approaches.  But this is a recipe I promise you won't be making just near Christmas time... and your friends will ask for the recipe after tasting your batch!

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Makes approximately 50 biscuits

Ingredients
- 200g almonds
- 120g raw sugar
- 350g Self Raising Flour (you can use gluten free self raising flour too)
- 100g nuttelex
- 100g rice bran oil
- 1 egg yoke
- Handful of Almonds for decoration

Method

- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

- Place almonds and raw sugar into TM bowl for 10 seconds on speed 9 

- Add the self raising flour, nuttelex and rice bran oil into the TM bowl and mix ingedients for 10 seconds on speed 7.  Scrape sides of bowl.

- Set dial to closed lid position and mix for one minute on interval speed - sometimes this takes a little longer.  You can take it out of the bowl and mix it by hand into a big ball.

- Mould the biscuits using a bottle cap from a 2-3 litre juice bottle.  Use glad wrap to lace the cap so it is easier to press and remove the mixture into little circles.  Ensure that you press the mixture into the cap firmly

 - Decorate each biscuit with an almond then mix the egg yoke and brush into the biscuits

- Place the biscuits into the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown
- Allow to cool then 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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Tina's chilli sauce

Now that it is chilli season,  my tree is bursting at the seams plus my mother and daughter often give me some of their chillies.  That's where my chilli sauce has come in handy.  I love my chilli and so I often eat my meals with Sambal's delicious sauce but when I have my sauce in the fridge, I much prefer my one!  The apple in this sauce provides a natural sweetness and thus only a little sugar is needed.  Also, there is no vinegar in my version, something I don't like in chilli sauces.  Don't be afraid of the entire garlic bulb... I promise you won't taste it!  This sauce is a little hot (depending on what type of chillies you use) so be prepared for your house smelling like chillies when you do make this!

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Ingredients
- 300g chillies (I use bird's eye chillies but any type will do)

- 1 whole garlic bulb

- 1 green apple

- 50g sugar 

- 30g gluten free fish sauce

Method
- Blend all the ingredients on speed 8 for 8 seconds
- Cook sauce for 20 minutes, 100 degrees speed 1.5
- Pour into a 600g sterilized jar.  Allow to cool before storing in the fridge.

Note: The sauce will last up to a month in a sterilized jar if a clean spoon is used when added to dishes.

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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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Chinese broccoli / Gai Lan served with garlic and oyster sauce

I love Chinese broccoli.  Whenever the yum cha cart comes around and Gai Lan is on it, I always order it.  The crunchy stalks coupled with the salty oyster sauce really is the perfect combination.  But if you're not up to paying up to $8 for this delicious dish, buy a bunch from your local supermarket (Coles currently have Gai Lan on special for $1 a bunch! They usually cost $1.49-$2 a bunch) and I promise you, this recipe will rival the one you'd buy at yum cha!

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Ingredients
- 1 bunch of Chinese broccoli (about 300-350g) cut into 3 sections i.e. leaves and stems cut into separate pieces

- Approx 2L of water (or enough water to cover your Chinese broccoli in the wok)
- 2 tbs rice brain oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

- 2 tbs oyster sauce (there are gluten free versions available)

Method

- Pour the water into a hot wok and heat until it reaches boiling point
- Add the stems first then the leaves and bring the water to the boil again.  Once boiling point has been reached for the second time, drain the broccoli and put it onto your serving plate

- Heat oil in wok, then add garlic and saute until golden brown

- Pour hot oil over the Chinese broccoli and then pour the oyster sauce on top.

Serve immediately with steamed rice, steamed fish... or eat it by itself!

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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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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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Hainanese Rice (Poached chicken rice)

When my second daughter moved out of home last year, the first recipe she requested was for Hainanese rice.  It's a dish I often cooked for my children as they grew up so when I got my Thermomix, I was immediately impressed by how quickly and easily the Thermomix could produce this family favourite.  My recipe doesn't include the traditional chicken soup that many restaurants serve with their Hainanese rice, but I always found it to be too oily.  Plus I don't think you really need it but that's just my opinion. Don't be fooled by the long recipe - it really is simple and delicious!

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Rice Ingredients 

- 400 g jasmine rice
- 1 clove of garlic
- 20 g oil (I use rice bran oil)
- Salt to taste

Rice Preparation Method

- Chop garlic for 2-3 seconds on speed 7 
- Add oil and sauté for two minutes at varoma temperature on speed 1 
- Add rice and salt then sauté for one minute at 100 degrees on Reverse on speed 1 
- Remove ingredients from TM bowl and place into rice basket and set aside 

Chicken Ingredients

 - 1.2 kg whole free range/organic chicken (or chicken drumsticks)
- 50 g Chinese cooking wine (Shao Xing wine)*
- 20 g ginger cut into thin slices

- 1 spring onion

- 1 red chilli (optional)
- 1500g boiled water, + some extra
*Shao Xing wine can be purchased at any Chinese shop

Chicken & Chicken rice Method

 - place ginger and whole spring onion (just fold in half) Into the chicken cavity. 

- Pour Chinese cooking wine over the Chicken to marinate it 
- Place marinated chicken onto the Varoma and water into TM bowl
- Steam chicken for 30 minutes on Varoma temperature on speed 4
- Insert basket with rice and cook for 13 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4
- Check the chicken to ensure it is cooked (as every chicken is different) before serving

Ginger Sauce Ingredients

- 30g ginger
- 1 lime or lemon, juiced
-  50g sugar or 1/2 tsp salt 
Optional: fresh chilli finely chopped and 1 tsp sesame oil

Ginger Sauce Method
- Place ginger in TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Remove ginger into small bowl for serving
- Add lemon juice, sugar, chilli and oil and mix together

- Serve the sauce with the chicken and rice (Serve sliced cucumber with the meal as a side dish). Garnish with spring onions.

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Char Siew marinade (traditional Chinese barbeque pork)

Two batches of delicious Char Siew!

I know many people who go to their local Chinese restaurant and buy pieces of Char Siew for dinner. They go to the shops or restaurants with ducks, pork and chicken hanging in their display window, pop in to buy char Siew then go home to cook some rice and whip up some Chinese Greens for a quick, no fuss, delicious dinner.  For those unfamiliar with Char Siew, it is pork neck or pork scotch fillet in a sweet, sticky marinade.  If you go to your local Chinese butcher, you should be able to purchase pork neck for about $12/kg. Other large supermarkets or butchers can charge up to $16/kg so look around.

So, here is my recipe for Char Siew marinade.  There is a bit of sugar but it is needed to counter the natural saltiness of the pork.  If you are a family of four and are eating the Char Siew with steamed rice and other Asian greens or even on top of some crispy egg noodles, I would suggest freezing two pieces for another meal.  It is so simple that once you try it, you will never buy it from your local Chinese restaurant again!

Note: You would also reocgnise Char Siew as the meat filling for pork buns or Char Siew baos.  You can find my recipe for the dough and assembly method here.

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Serves 8 when served with rice and Asian greens

Meat preparation method 

1) Buy one pork neck (pork scotch fillet) roughly a kilo in weight.

2) Cut in half and then half again lengthwise so you have four pieces

 

Marinade ingredients
- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 2 tbs light soy sauce#

- 1 tsp mushroom soy sauce*

- 1 tsp dark soy sauce

- 1 tbs Chinese rice wine

- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped

- 1/2 cup water 

- 2 tbs honey

#for a gluten free version, see here for which soy sauce brands are gluten free
*if you don't have mushroom soy sauce then just add an extra tablespoon of dark soy sauce

Method

1) Add all ingredients (except water and honey) into a bowl and mix well.

2) Add the pieces of pork and pour marinade over. Mix well.

3) Cover and leave overnight in the fridge or at least 2-3 hours

Cooking method
1) When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2) Place meat on roast rack then onto a roasting dish. Add water and leftover marinade into dish then cook in oven for half an hour.

3) Take meat out and brush meat with 1 tbs of honey. Turn pieces over and brush with remaining honey as well as the marinade fallen in the roasting pan. Place back into oven and cook for a further 15 minutes (or longer depending on your oven).

4) Take out of oven and brush both sides of meat with marinade in dish. 

5) Slice into small pieces and serve with rice and Asian greens (such as these 'stir fry' green beans here) and enjoy!

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Steamed taro cakes / Yam cakes

Many of you may eat your steamed taro cakes pan fried with a bit of oil so this version is a lot healthier for you without taking away from the flavour.  You need to eat these cakes with the topping as it gives it the beautiful savoury taste these cakes are famous for.  Taro is a vegetable that can be found in some supermarkets and all Asian shops.  I like to eat mine with chopped chilli (the hotter the better!) in soy sauce for my dipping sauce.  It looks like a long recipe but it really is simple... trust me!

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Makes about 16 cakes

Taro Cake Ingredients

- 325g cold water
- 250g rice flour
- 2 tbs corn flour
- 2 tbs Tapioca flour 
- 1 tsp salt
-1 tsp chicken powder
- pepper to taste
- 300g fresh taro roughly chopped 
- 2 cloves of garlic 

- 50g rice brain oil

- 450g water (doesn't matter the temperature)
- 1.5L of hot water (to steam)

Tara Cake Method

- Mix cold water, rice flour, corn flour, tapioca flour, salt, chicken powder and pepper together in a bowl (not TM bowl) and set a side

- Chop taro in the TM bowl on speed 5 for 2 seconds and set aside

- Chop garlic on speed 5 for 2 seconds then add oil to saute on Varoma temperature, speed 2 for 3 minutes with the MC off

- Add chopped taro and cooked for an additional 2 mins on 100 degrees on speed 2 

- Pour 450g water and cook on 100 degrees for 5 minutes, speed 2

- Pour the flour mixture (from the first step which should be in a separate bowl) into TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4
- Pour mixture into the mini foil baking pans and arrange in Varoma
- Pour 1.5 litres of hot water into a clean TM bowl and steam cakes for 30 mins on Varoma temperature, speed 4, or until cooked
- Remove taro cakes from the Varoma and allow it to cool (approx 15 minutes) while you cook the topping.

Topping Ingredients

- 4 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked in hot water for 10 mins with stalks removed)

- 30g dried shrimp (soaked in the hot water for 10 mins)

- 1 garlic clove 
- 30g of oil 

- 1 Tbsp soy sauce/tamari

-1/2 tsp chicken stock

-1/4 tsp  sugar

- 1 Chinese sausage (omit for a gluten free option)

- Coriander, spring-onions and chili to garnish

Topping Method

- Chop soaked mushrooms and shrimp for 4 seconds on speed 4 then set aside

- Chop garlic for 1-2 seconds on speed 5 then add oil to saute on Varoma temperature, 2 minutes on speed 2 with the MC off

- Add in the chopped mushrooms and shrimps (and chinese sausage if using) as well as the seasoning ingredients (soy sauce/tamari, chicken stock and sugar) and cook on Varoma temperature for another 5 mins on speed 2, MC off.

- Put topping on the steamed taro cakes garnish with coriander, spring onions and chili

And enjoy!

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