Food and Drink
Easy egg-fried rice
I often get asked to list my top tips for stir-frying. Really, it’s about understanding heat or what we Cantonese like to call “wok hei” (woks’ air), and how to manoeuvre the heat around the wok in a certain way and at the right time.
If you can control your heat through flicking and tossing your wok or folding and turning your ingredients at the best time, you will soon be able to sear the outer edges of your food on an incredibly high heat, without burning it, and impart a slight smokiness into your stir-fries. Making a fried rice is the perfect example of this and I liken it to learning how to make an omelette as the first task you should learn in a classic French kitchen.
Ingredients
For the rice
2 free-range eggs, beaten
dash sesame oil
pinch salt
handful lettuce or cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
handful green beans, sugar-snap peas or mangetout, finely chopped
50g/1¾oz frozen petit pois, thawed
150g/5½oz cooked jasmine rice, cooled in the fridge, grains separated
2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
2½ tbsp vegetable oil
1–2 tsp Chiu Chow chilli oil
For the sauce
1–2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Recipe tips
Method
Combine the beaten eggs, sesame oil and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
To make the sauce, mix the light soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.
Put the lettuce or cabbage in a bowl of ice cold water. This will help to crisp up the leaves and provide a crunch to the finished dish.
Make sure you have all your ingredients prepared and ready. You can set them all up clockwise on a large plate in this order – eggs, carrot, beans, petit pois, rice, sauce and spring onions. This makes it easy to remember what order to add things to the work. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat. Once smoking hot, pour the eggs into the wok and allow them to bubble up. Turn the heat down to medium-high, then gradually fold the egg into the hot oil to form a ‘rippled omelette’.
Push the egg to one side of the wok. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil and, once smoking hot, add the carrot, followed by the rest of the vegetables, stirring and leaving 30 seconds in between each addition. Add the rice, turn the heat back up to high and mix well, trying to separate the grains with a spatula or ladle to remove any large clumps. Add the sauce and stir-fry for a further 2–3 minutes until all the sauce has absorbed into the rice. Stir the egg through the rice and veg.
Pile the rice high in a bowl or keep warm in the wok, scattered with the remaining spring onion. Shake the excess water off the lettuce or cabbage, clump it in the palm of your hand and arrange it on the top of the rice. Drizzle over the Chiu Chow chilli oil and serve.
Source: BBC
Roast chicken noodle soup recipe. Have dinner on the table in a flash with this 5-ingredient chicken and noodle soup.
Ingredients (6)
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 1kg Soup Starter Pack, cut into 2cm pieces
– 2 Massel 7’s Stock Cubes Chicken Style
– 250g Coles Australian Spaghetti No.1, broken into 5cm pieces
– 1/2 (about 500g) Hot Roast Chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded
– 6 cups (1.5L) water
Method
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook for 2-3 mins until lightly browned.
Step 2
Add stock cubes and 6 cups (1.5L) water. Stir in pasta. Bring to the boil.
Step 3
Simmer for 10 mins or until vegetables are tender and pasta is al dente. Add the chicken. Simmer until the chicken is heated through. Season.
source – BBC
20-minute healthy bolognese recipe. Lentils, cherry tomatoes and basil provide a rich colour and flavour for this bright, modern take on beef bolognese that the family will love. The best part is that it’ll be ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients (12)
– 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 500g beef mince
– 1/3 cup (95g) tomato paste
– 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
– 1/4 cup (75g) caramelised onion jam
– 2 tbsp soy sauce
– 400g can lentils, rinsed, drained
– 375g instant lasagne sheets
– 500g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
– Pinch of Oregano Leaves
– Basil leaves, to serve
– Grated parmesan, to serve
Method
Step 1
Heat the 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Cook 500g beef mince, stirring, for 3 minutes or until browned. Add 1/3 cup (95g) tomato paste and 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, and cook for 2 minutes, then add 1/4 cup (75g) caramelised onion jam, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 400g can lentils, rinsed, drained and 1 cup (250ml) water. Reduce heat to medium. Season with black pepper. Cook for 12 minutes or until slightly reduced. Remove from heat.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook 375g instant lasagne sheets in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain.
Step 3
Top lasagne sheets with bolognese, 500g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved, Pinch of Oregano Leaves, Basil leaves, to serve and Grated parmesan, to serve to serve.
source – tastecom
Lemon meringue scones recipe. Swap your regular scones for something a bit different: this easy, retro recipe inspired by lemon meringue pie.
Ingredients (10)
– 400g (2 2/3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra, to dust
– 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
– 60g butter, chilled, chopped
– 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
– 250ml (1 cup) lemonade
– 80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice
– 25g bought mini meringues, finely crushed
– 160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream, whipped
– 130g (1/2 cup) bought lemon curd
– Icing sugar, to dust
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Sift the 400g (2 2/3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra, to dust into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar. Use your fingertips to rub the 60g butter, chilled, chopped into the mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind. Make a well in the centre.
Step 2
Pour the 250ml (1 cup) lemonade into the well. Use a flat-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture just begins to hold together. Knead on a lightly floured surface until just smooth. Shape dough into a 2cm-thick disc. Use a round 6cm-diameter pastry cutter dipped in extra flour to cut 12 rounds from the dough, re-shaping offcuts as needed. Place the scones, slightly apart, on the prepared tray. Bake for 17 minutes or until golden and scones sound hollow when tapped on top.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place the 80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice and remaining sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
Step 4
Use a serrated knife to slice the warm scones in half horizontally. Brush the tops of the scones with the syrup then sprinkle with 25g bought mini meringues, finely crushed. Top the scone bases with 160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream, whipped and 130g (1/2 cup) bought lemon curd then sandwich with the scone tops. Serve dusted with Icing sugar, to dust.
source – tastecom