time for a barbee, Gobi-style

I lived in Wellington for 8 years, more than half of that time in a student flat (2-5-4!!).  What's the single most-important thing to students?  (I can hear parents screaming 'good grades', and you're all wrong)  Food.  And drinks to wash said food down with (or as a stand-alone food-replacement).  Problem is, students typically don't have much money.  Which means that once the essentials are bought - beer, wine, hooch and toilet paper - there ain't much left over for fancy dining.  Enter Genghis Khan - Lord of Four Colours and Five Tongues, Supreme Khan of the Mongols, and Saviour of Wellingtonians' appetites.     

There was (and still is) a Mongolian BBQ restaurant, Genghis Khan's, on Marjoribanks St in Mt Vic, where from $15 you could get a mean feed of fresh, tasty Mongolian BBQ, cooked on the massive hotplates in front of you.  Add that it's BYO, carn- and herbivore-friendly and they give you free unlevened Mongol bread, and you can imagine the haven it was in our student days.  I remember many a birthday celebrated around their big round tables, with Sophie, Millie, Kush, Anna, Louise, Rose, Andy, Rosie, Vinnes Dusty and Tom, to name but a few.  Raise your glasses Wellington! 

Anyhoo, moving on to the point I am (albeit slowly) getting to.  Yesterday morning I got an email from Mindfood, with a few recipes suggestions on it.  One was for a Mongolian-style lamb stirfry.  Hello, I thought, Gengys...  We didn't have any lamb in the freezer, but did have plenty of beef, celery in the garden and (randomly) some Chinese five-spice in the pantry.  So, Mongolian beef stirfry it was.  And it was AMAZING.  I mean, we knew it'd be yum, 'cause you can't really go wrong with stirfry - fresh veges, marinade, herbs and spice.  But this was beyond good, and it was the beef that changed it up.  The beef was marinated for an hour or so in the fridge, but the marinade had (in addition to soy sauce etc) an egg, some cornflour and a little baking soda in it.  So when I fried the beef (in batches - very important, don't overload your pan, or they'll just end up boiling in too much juice, without space to brown), the marinade sort of puffed up and went a bit foamy.  The result with beef fried in and lovely marinade coat.  About a quarter of our meat didn't make it into the stirfry, 'cause we kept eating it off the plate...

So, give this a whirl - it was one of the quickest meals I've made in a long time, other than marinating the meat for an hour or so (but it's not like you have to watch it or anything).  And I reckon I'll be doing the beef again, just as a nibble when friends are around, or as something to put in burritos, pitas...  Yum.  Cheers Genghis! 

500 g beef (I sliced up a large piece of rump nice and thin - try to go against the grain)

1 egg, whisked

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 cm ginger, finely grated

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp cornflour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp black bean sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 red chilli, chopped

1 tsp five-spice powder

1 onion, diced

veges - we used carrot sticks, mushrooms, broccoli florets, a couple of celery sticks and half a capsicum

fresh herbs - we used mint and thyme

coriander, to serve

oil, for frying

rice or egg noodles

1. Slice up meat (place in freezer for 15 minutes, as this wil make it a bit firmer, and easier to cut).  Combine egg, garlic, ginger, soy, brown sugar, cornflour and baking soda in a bowl.  Add slices of beef, toss to combine well, cover and refridgerate for an hour (or until you're ready for it). 
2. Combine black bean sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, chilli and five-spice in a jug with 2 tbsp water.  Set aside - this will be your stir-fry sauce.  If you have some hoi sin sauce, you can use this instead of fish sauce and chilli.  Probably use 1 tbsp of hoi sin. 
3. Heat a little oil in wok, and start stir-frying your veges.  Once veges are on their way, heat oil in another pan and fry beef in batches.  Transfer to a plate until ready to add to veges (pretty much at the last minute, 'cause you don't want it overcooked). 
4. Cook noodles, or rice. 
5. Fold beef and herbs (not coriander) through veges and heat through.  If using noodles, fold these through too, or serve on rice.  Plate up and top with some fresh coriander.     

Ab Fab dahl-ing

It's been a while.  I've been pretty unadventurous lately, cooking-wise.  Old favourites have been making beloved reappearences, which whilst gastronomically satisfying hardly make for good blog-fodder.  I mean, who want to read a blog entry that says "I remade xyz.  It was good.  I used yellow capsicum in place of green, to give it some colour."  Woop.  So, now you know why it's been so quiet on the bloggery front.  Not because nothing's been a-happening nella mia cucina, but because I've been visiting with old friends. 

However, perusing an Indian cookbook I received for Christmas a couple of years back, I was reminded of the fact that I really like lentils.  I never cook lentils, which smacked me in the face as patently ridiculous.  So, lentils were added to our Friday night menu, in the guise of parippu. 

Parippu is a dhal (lentil curry, also spelled dal, daal and dahl) from south-India, flavoured with coconut and a tarka (seasoning) of fried onion and spices.  The one I made used masoor dhal, which are red lentils.  Because they are split they cook faster than other lentils and don't usually require any pre-soaking (other lentils do, so always check your recipe/packet). 

We took the prepared dhal to KB's mum and dad's for dinner, along with rice and garlic roti, and it was tasty.  I think next time I'll add in a little more salt, and perhaps a teaspoon of sugar, but other than that, it was fabulous dahling!!   

225 g masoor dhal
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
400 ml coconut milk
2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander (I used garam masala, as ran out of ground cori)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (I used yellow)
1 onion, finely chopped
fresh coriander leaves
rice + roti, to serve

1. Put lentils into heavy-based saucepan with 500 ml water.  Add roughly-chopped onion, tomato, coconut, chillies and ground spices. 
2. Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are cooked to soft mush (these lentils don't hold their shape when cooked).  This takes about 30 minutes.  If all the liquid has evaporated before your lentils are sufficiently cooked, add boiling water. 
3. For the tarka, heat oil in small saucepan over low heat.  Add the seeds, cover and allow the seeds to pop.  Add finely-chopped onion and fry over low heat until golden brown. 
4. Pour seasoned onions into simmering lentils, season with salt (and maybe stir through a little sugar) and cook for further 5 minutes. 
5. Serve with rice and roti. 

♪ it's pie time, kia ora talofa, it's pie time, a special time of day ♪

You know that feeling when you have a hankering for something, and until you have it no other food will suffice?  Friday morning, sitting at the computer, when I'm struck by a gastronomic lightning bolt from the sky, telling me that it's chicken pie or bust. 

I'd never bothered to make a chicken pie before.  Mince, yep.  Shepherd's (which, let's be honest, it's really just mince), yep.  Bacon and egg, oh yes.  But chicken?  Never.  Which is weird, 'cause chicken pie is always my pick if we're getting pies from the bakery on weekends.  Not having a clue what was required, but knowing what kind of consistency I wanted the filling to have, was helpful.  Just sort of tinkered with it, letting it bubble away, until it seemed right.  And, luck of the irish, it was bang on.  This one will be making an appearance on our table again soon! 

3 sheets flaky puff pastry (I bought pre-rolled, gold)

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 rashers bacon, chopped up

1 onion, diced

couple handfuls mushrooms, chopped into smallish chunks

1 red chilli, seeds removed and chopped

cumin seeds, or other herb/spice as preferred

1 cup white wine (I used more like 2)

200 ml cream

flour, as needed to thicken (I used approx. 5 tbsp)

1 egg, to brush pastry

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (200 if not fan bake) and spray pie dish with a little oil.
2. Brown chicken and bacon in pan.  Remove when cooked and set aside.
3. Saute onion, 'shrooms, chilli and herbs/spices until onion becomes translucent.  Pour in wine and allow to simmer until liquid is reduced. 
4. Pour in cream, stir and allow to heat through before adding flour, and stirring and allowing to thicken.  You may need a little more flour, or less, add bit by bit and see how you go.
5. Arrange pastry in dish so that dish is covered and excess lays over the sides (this will become the pie's top).  Pour filling in and cover with pastry.  If you've some excess you could make something to decorate the top.  Cheesy, but quite satisfying, I assure you.  
6. Brush with egg and bake for about half an hour.   

raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens...

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.  Yep, they were a few of Maria von Trapp's favourite things.  I was reminded of that song the other day, having made a swag of mini pikelets, served with jam and cream.  Pikelets with jam and cream - it had been so long since I'd had that, I had almost forgotten just how soothing it is to eat something so simple, that hasn't changed one iota since we were kids.  Edmonds pikelet recipe.  Berry jam.  Cream.  Sorted. 

We were headed to the 1st Birthday party of friends' daughter, and naturally were taking a plate of nibbles.  I decided mini pikelets would be quick, easy-to-transport and, very likely, equally popular with adults and kids alike.  I mean, who doesn't like pikelets?  So, bring back the humble pikelet - full-sizded, or mini - and enjoy the simplicity.  Happy Birthday, Ara. 

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk

1. I think the recipe book says to beat the egg and sugar separately, then add with milk to dry ingredients.  I didn't bother, largely 'cause I wasn't reading the recipe very carefully.  So all ingredients got whacked in together, and I didn't have any problems.  So there you go - bung it all in and mix. 
2. Heat pan, sprayed with a little cooking spray (if pan not non-stick enough).  Cook until bubbles form, turn, cook other side and remove. 
3. Serve warm, or allow to cool on wire racks before piling with toppings. 

NB: Whilst about half of the pikelets were spread with a little butter, jam and a dollop of cream, I also did some with butter and 100s & 1000s (FAIRY BREAD!!), and some with cream cheese and jam, something a little more sophisticated for the discerning palate ;)

bananarama

Ness, my sister-in-law, posted a link to this recipe - banana choc chip muffins.  You can't go wrong - fruit and chocolate all wrapped up in a neat little muffiny package.  Perfect timing too, thanks Ness, 'cause we had some bananas that were in serious need of use.  I doubled the mixture, figuring to take some to a friend's house this evening, and the rest for the weekend.  If they last that long... 

So, thanks to Ness and to Chelsea sugar, we have lift-off! 

2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (duh, as if you'd leave the skins on)
2 eggs

1/4 cup oil (I used rice bran)

1 cup milk
3/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips (or a little more...)

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray muffin tray with non stick spray.
2. Beat eggs, bananas, oil, milk and brown  sugar together – just lightly. Mix in flour, baking powder and chocolate chips. Don’t over mix – ingredients should be just gently stirred together to combine.
3. Spoon into prepared tins and bake for 15 – 18 minutes, until puffed and golden brown and inserted skewer comes out clean.
4. Cool for 2 minutes in tins, then gently twist and ease onto wire rack

NB: Above ingredients is for one batch.  Ness brushed hers with a little maple syrup before cooking, for an extra glaze. 

 

home James, and don't spare the horseradish!

I was fossicking in the pantry the other day, looking for a particular biscuit recipe, and got sidetracked by the recipe books that lurk in the back.  We've got a fair few recipe books, most of them lovely glossy things which really deserve to be on display but who, in reality, are left to skulk about at the back with those bits of couscous and polenta that inevitably escape their boxes.  On impulse I pulled a couple out which I'd not seen before and discovered one of the golden oldie greats of cookery - an Australian Women's Weekly compendium.  We've since surmised that it must have been given to KB, 'cause he didn't recognise it either, but having flicked through it we both had to admit that, whilst not as cool perhaps as some of the current TV celeb chefs, the Aussie WW knows its stuff when it comes to straight-forward, pleasing to the eye, non-tricky good food. 

There was one dish in particular that caught the eye as one to throw together before the book got put away again (as, sad to say, it now has, until next time I'm looking for inspiration or a biscuit recipe).  Creamy horseradish chicken with garlic sauteed spinach.  Sounds good, right?  It was!  And as we were getting this ready, KB decided some roasted pumpkin, beetroot and spinach couscous (based on a recipe found later in the same book) was in order, as a side.  So, without further ado, dinner... 

For the chicken

4 thin chicken breasts (or cut two fatties in half)

1 tbsp oil

1 spring onion, sliced thin

dash white wine

160 ml cream

2 tbsp prepared horseradish

good squeeze lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon or wholegrain mustard

finely chopped dill

20 g butter

2 cloves crushed garlic

spinach, coarsely chopped, for 4

1. Heat hald oil in pan and cook chicken until cooked through.  Remove from pan.
2. Heat remaining oil in same pan.  Cook onion until soft.  Add wine and cream, bring to the boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes.  Add horseradish, lemon, mustard and dill and stir through.  Return chicken to pan and remove from heat. 
3. Melt butter in second frying pan, add garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add spinach, cook over low heat until wilted (about 2 minutes). 
4. Serve chicken on spinach, drizzled with horseradish sauce, alongside couscous. 

NB: We didn't have any white wine in the house, so left that out. 

For couscous

500 g piece pumpkin, chopped coarsely

1 tbsp oil

4 beetroot, peeled and chopped

1 tsp chicken stock

2 cups boiling water

2 cups couscous

150 g trimmed spinach, shredded coarsely

handful cashews, or other nut

equal parts lemon juice and olive oil

1 tsp honey

ground cumin and cayenne pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 22o degrees celcius and roast pumpkin and beetroot with a little oil for about 30 minutes (turn halfway through).
2. Place couscous in bowl.  Stir through stock powder.  Pour boiling water over, until level of water just a little higher than couscous.  Stir, cover with plate or lid, and leave for 5 minutes or so.  Once cooked, fluff (stir through a little butter, if you like), stir through spinach and set aside.  
3. Combine dressing ingredients (this really is to taste, so sorry for the lack of firm guidance). 
4. Combine roasted ingredients with couscous in serving bowl.  Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with nuts. 

Fahrenheit capers

There's a local restaurant in town, Fahrenheit, who do a tapas menu.  Tasty tasty plates of food, designed for sharing, but equally perfect as an appetiser or light lunch.  I'm usually lured in by the calamari, or breads and dips, before my eyes even get a chance to peruse the rest of the menu, but recently when there a word caught my eye...dill. 

I love dill.  It's quite a strong-flavoured herb, so needs to be used sparingly when coupled with more delicate flavours, but adds depth to dishes with its hint of aniseed.  KB and I recently used some dill in a horseradish and cream sauce (recipe to come, watch this space), but it's the super-simple, super-satisfying tapas that I'm waxing lyrical about at the moment. 

Basically, it was salmon bruschetta, with a creme fraiche base, rather than salsa.  Awesome.  And how did they stop the salmon-creme fraiche combo being too rich - dill and capers baby!  A winning combo, if ever I saw one.  I mean - you could use that for so much - creme fraiche, dill and caper as a sauce for pasta, as a base on pizza, a dollop on top of a steak... But, if you're wanting something nice and easy, but really really smart and tasty for the next time you're doing nibbles, try this...

loaf ciabatta (or sourdough, turkish etc)
olive oil
smoked salmon, sliced thinly
creme fraiche
capers
fresh dill

1. Slice bread quite thinly and brush with oil.  Grill to lightly toast.  I would cut the pieces to bite size. 
2. Mix capers into creme fraiche (I like quite a few, but that's to taste).  You could chop up and stir some dill through here too, if you want a stronger dill flavour. 
3. Lay strips of salmon on crostini (the fancy name for your wee toasts).  Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of dill.  Voila, c'est tout. 

NB: the photo obviously doesn't match - spoons in place of bread - but I'm sure you can fill in the gaps.