Char Siu
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork) is probably the one thing I think of when someone says “Chinese food”. I never knew that the red colour comes from food dye – I always assumed there was an ingredient that gave it that red colour. Still, I opted to use the dye as it looks so much more appealing!
Best cooked over an open flame but if you’re roasting it in the oven, try to char the outside a little if you can – it really adds to the flavour.
Sichuan-style Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is easy to make. Its quick, simple, and you can add almost anything to make awesome comfort food.
Mongolian Lamb
I adapted this marinade from Yángròuchuà n, Mongolian lamb skewers. The intense cumin and chilli aromas work perfectly with lamb. The taste is intense; aromatic and spicy, similar to Padang Sate. This marinade can be used on any kind of lamb – shoulder, cut into strips for stir-frying, lamb skewers, lamb chops or cutlets or even rack. It’s fucking delicious.
Mapo Tofu
Mapo Tofu (Má pó dòu fÇ”) actually translates to “Pock-marked old-lady tofu” … Trufax! I have only had this at a few (albeit, Japanese) restaurants in Australia. Obviously they cater for the Western palate, but I know that the original Chinese dish should be spicy. So spicy, in fact, that my Chinese friends tell me my lips should be numb!! (I was told to use “Doubanjiang ” fermented chili paste)
Kacang Panjang Kecap
Kacang Panjang Kecap (Beans in Sweet Soy) is an easy dish to prepare, and a great way to prepare beans. The Kecap Manis blends well with the garlic to create a soft, sweet taste that is great in contrast to spicy curry dishes.
Gai Pad Krapow
Gai Pad Krapow (Thai Basil Chicken) is a delicious spicy dish with ground chicken meat infused with the fragrant flavour of basil. This is a pretty quick meal to dish up and is commonly served as a lunch dish in Thailand, but can accompany any main meal.
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Spicy Turmeric Beef
Turmeric is a great spice. Not only does it taste great and give everything a great yellow colour, but it has many health benefits. From detoxifying your liver, to acting as a natural antibacterial and antiseptic for wounds, to promising new studies concerning cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s. Likewise, chillies help lower the body’s need for insulin by up to 60% after a meal! These two flavours go well with almost any meat, vegetable or fish. This is a great dish which is pretty easy to make, but absolutely packed with flavour.
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Gulai Ayam
Gulai Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Curry / Ayam = Chicken) is one of three types of Indonesian curry types. The first is the one with runny and soupy consistency, made from diluted coconut milk. Called “Gulai“, any kind of meat can be used; white meat, red meat, gizzard, liver. The second one is “Kariâ€, with slightly grainier texture and less water. The third one is “Rendangâ€, the driest of all – also my favourite!
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Spanakopita
A Greek-style Spinach and feta pie. Easy to make and super delicious! Can easily reheat in the oven or panfry leftovers.
Rosemary & Garlic Oven Baked Chips
I had a craving for something snacky today, and so I decided to make me some chippies! With a fresh harvest of homegrown potatoes, it was a good excuse to use some of them up. Chips are really simple to make, and with the freedom to make whatever flavour you want, you sometimes have to wonder why you bother buying them.
Serundeng (Fried Coconut Garnish)
Serundeng is an easy to make, but absolutely delicious fried coconut garnish with peanuts. I love this so much, I use it on basically anything. Plain rice, stir fries, meat dishes – anything. If you have a peanut allergy, you can simply take them out or substitute them for anything else, like cashews. read more…
Slada Timun
Slada Timun (Cucumber Salad)Â is a simple but yummy cucumber salad with peanut butter and eggs. Sounds questionable, but it’s honestly a winner! read more…
Gluten & Yeast Free Pizza Base
Everyone loves pizza – except candida sufferers. It contains all the stuff you can’t eat; yeast, gluten, cheese, olives, mushrooms – but you can improvise! Pumpkin, zucchini, pine nuts.. it’s easy. Here’s a yeast and gluten free pizza base that’s easy to make. Turns out thin and crispy, great done on the barbecue grill too!
Sugar-free Apple pie
This recipe comes from my good friend Marta from Budapest. Marta and I are both candida sufferers, so finding and sharing candida-friendly recipes is pretty important! A different spin on a classic, it didn’t last a day in my house.
Sugar-free Chocolate Cake
This is the best experiment I have ever done! I had a wicked craving for cake, and flung this together adapting from a bunch of recipes. While not a great fan of prunes, I have been told they add moisture to cakes, so I thought I’d try using some. While this recipe is labeled “sugar free“, prunes do contain a bit of sugar, however this is not processed or refined sugar. This recipe can be easily veganised as well [bracketed ingredients]. Sweetened only with Stevia, this cake is delicious, moist and soft.
Irish Stew
This is a recipe for a humble Irish Stew. If you let it stew for a long time, you’ll be rewarded with an amazingly aromatic and flavourful dish, perfect for cold nights. It can be hard finding a butcher that offers lamb middle necks, but if you can find them, buy them! The meat is delicious and the bones will make you an amazing stock.
Apple Muffins
These apple muffins are best served fresh and warm, or warmed up in the microwave. They are dense, but full of great stuff. Better to be eaten within 3 days, as they tend to dry out and become a little hard.
Sichuan-style Chicken with Cashew Nuts
This recipe comes from the Nintendo DS title: “Cooking Guide: Can’t Decide What to Eat?”. While it looks like a lot of steps, don’t be overwhelmed – this dish is easy enough to prepare, and the reward is one damn tasty meal. Can’t wait to make this one again and again!
Soy & Chilli Chicken Stew
This was a quick made-up dish when there was pretty much nothing left in the house. I grabbed what I had, banged it into a pot and it turned out pretty good, if not a little spicy! The sauce was great drizzled over rice.
Almond-Coconut Macaroons
While sugar-free treats are never quite as good as their sugary counterparts, these will satisfy a sweet craving… if you can control yourself!