Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Prep time: 10 mins 

Cook time: 4 hours 

Total time: 4 hours 10 mins

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 pounds Flank Steak
1⁄4 cups cornstarch
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1⁄2 teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves 3⁄4 cups Soy Sauce
3⁄4 cups Water
3⁄4 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup grated Carrots green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat. 
2. Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and carrots to slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce. 
3. Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Mushroom Florentine Pasta

Yield: 4

Prep Time:10 Minutes
Cook Time:15 Minutes
Total Time:25 Minutes

Ingredients:
8 ounces linguine pasta, uncooked (same amount of other pasta may be substituted)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth (vegetable broth may be substituted)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces Gruyere cheese (or Gouda), shredded
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Method:
Begin cooking pasta according to package instructions.
Whisk together flour, chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside.
While pasta cooks, in a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil begins to ripple add sliced mushrooms, sauté for 6 minutes. Add minced garlic, sauté for 2 more minutes until garlic just begins to brown.
Whisk flour, chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper mixture into mushrooms and garlic, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add shredded cheese, stir until cheese has melted.
Mix in spinach, allow to wilt.
Add drained pasta to skillet, toss to coat.

Fish & chips with tartare sauce & pea purée

from Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub food

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hr

Ingredients
For the tartare sauce
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tsp white wine vinegar
- 500ml/18fl oz vegetable oil
- 3 free-range eggs, hard boiled and grated
- 4 banana shallots, finely chopped
- 75g/2½oz gherkins, chopped
- 100g/3½oz capers, drained
- 50g/1¾oz flatleaf parsley

For the pea purée
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 25g/1oz butter
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 400g/14oz frozen peas (defrosted)
- 3 tsp sugar
- 100ml/3½fl oz chicken stock, boiling hot
- 10 fresh mint leaves

For the chips
- 8 large potatoes
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- salt

For the battered fish
- 2 free-range egg whites
- 350g/12oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- large pinch bicarbonate of soda
- 340ml/12fl oz sparkling water (or, if you prefer, beer)
- 1 whole brill (alternatively use turbot or flounder), filleted, skinned and cut into portions

Method

1. For the tartare sauce, make a mayonnaise by mixing the egg yolks, Dijon and vinegar to a paste. Slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream, whisking all the time. When emulsified, mix in the rest of the ingredients. Set aside.
2. For the pea purée, gently fry the shallot in the butter and salt in a pan. Add the peas and sugar, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and cook until the peas are tender. Strain, reserving the cooking liquor in a jug. Transfer the peas and shallots to a blender, add the mint and a few tablespoons of the cooking liquor. Blend to a purée, adding more cooking liquor as required. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
3. For the chips, top and tail the potatoes and cut into chips using an apple corer (alternatively cut into chunky wedges).
4. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the chips until soft, but still holding their shape.
5. Remove the chips with a slotted spoon and drain them on a perforated tray (alternatively use plates lined with kitchen paper).
6. Fill a deep-fat fryer with vegetable oil and preheat to 140C/284F (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
7. Cook the chips for approximately 8–10 minutes, or until the oil stops bubbling (which means that the moisture has been removed). You will need to do this in batches unless you have a large fryer. Remove the chips using a slotted spoon and drain the chips on a perforated tray or plates lined with kitchen paper.
8. For the battered fish, beat the egg whites until very soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. 
9. In a separate bowl mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and sparkling water together. Stir in the egg white mixture. Mix to just combine, but don’t over work (a few lumps are fine). Set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
10. Preheat the deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F. Deep fry the chips for a second time until crisp and golden-brown. 
11. Meanwhile, sprinkle some flour onto a shallow plate. Dust the fish pieces with the flour, dip in the batter and deep fry until the batter is golden-brown and crisp (you may need to do this in batches). 
12. Season the chips, to taste, with salt and serve immediately with the fish, pea purée and tartare sauce.

Top recipe tip
The recipe makes more tartare sauce than you're likely to need, but any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for another time.

Crispy Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk

For the salted egg yolks:
1 cup sea salt
4 cups water
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
1 star anise (optional)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
12 eggs

Method:

1. Add the salt and water to a small saucepan and add the star anise and peppercorns, if using. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Once cool, stir in the Shaoxing.
2. Rinse and dry the eggs, then place them carefully in a jar with a lid. 
3. Pour the cool solution over the eggs, making sure it covers them completely. In order to prevent the eggs from floating, you'll want to weigh them down. Linda at Malaysian Chinese Kitchen suggests using a ziptop bag filled halfway with water. You'll squish this baggie between the jar opening and the lid so that the eggs stay submerged.
4. Seal the jar, then put it in a room temperature spot for 4 to 5 weeks. After 4 weeks, crack open an egg and let the whites (which will be cloudy) fall away. If the yolk is bright yellow-orange and firm to the touch, your eggs yolks are ready to use. You can rinse and dry the eggs and keep them in the fridge for 1 month.

For the fried pumpkin:
250 grams sugar pumpkin, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for frying
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Thai bird's eye chile, minced
2 sprigs curry leaves (about 10)
5 salted egg yolks (from above), mashed with a fork

Method:

1. Toss the sliced pumpkin with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the beaten egg and stir so that the pumpkin slices are coated. 
2. Pour the cornstarch into a shallow bowl or onto a plate. Working with a couple of pieces of pumpkin at a time, transfer them to the plate and evenly coat in a thin layer of cornstarch. Repeat until all of the pumpkin is coated. 
3. Heat an inch or two of cooking oil in a frying pan with high sides. Working in batches so that you don't crowd the pan, fry the cornstarch-coated pumpkin until crisp and golden brown. Set on paper towels to drain. 
4. When you've finished making the pumpkin, start the salted egg yolk sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat, then add the garlic, chile, and curry leaves and stir until fragrant, a few minutes. Add the mashed salted egg yolks and the 3 remaining tablespoons of cooking oil. When the egg yolks start to sizzle and foam, reduce the heat to low, add the fried pumpkin, and stir to coat evenly. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Fried Tofu with Salted Egg

PREPARATION TIME: 15 Minutes

COOK TIME: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

1 pack of soft tofu

2-3 salted eggs.
3 Tbsp corn starch flour
1 Tbsp custard powder
Salt, pepper, cooking oil
Small spring onion

Method:

1. Cut tofu into small square pieces
2. Clean spring onion and slice into small short pieces
3. Boil salted eggs, peel away its outer layer and take the egg yolks
4. Grind egg yolks thoroughly
5. Mix corn starch flour and custard powder together. Roll tofu pieces with this mixture and then fry them until they become crispy and golden brown.
6. Pick up fried tofu pieces into a plate
7. Pour some cooking oil into the pan, put ground egg yolks in and stir regularly, then season with salt.
8. Put fried tofu in and stir so that egg yolks can stick to each tofu piece. Pick up tofu pieces into a plate
9. Put sliced spring onion into the pan, stir until it smells. Put onion on tofu, sprinkle with pepper. Serve.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

INGREDIENTS

1 kampong chicken head and feet removed, cavity emptied and cleaned
4 cloves garlic slightly bruised
2 slices ginger
just enough water to cover chicken in a tight-fitting pot (approximatly 2-3 litres up)
1 stalk of spring onion
3 lettuce leaves thinly shredded
Chicken Rice
100 grams chicken skin* patted dry with paper towel
1 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cup chicken broth

* Suggestion: Buy a few chicken thighs, remove the skin for making chicken rice, and freeze the skinless drumsticks to make Chinese chicken soup.
(A) Aromatics for chicken rice
3 pandan leaves tied in a knot
4 cloves peeled garlic
2 slices ginger
1 - 2 tbsp chicken seasoning powder optional
(B) Chilli Sauce

5 finger-length red chilli de-seeded
2 chilli padi no need to de-seed, for the heat; to taste
8 cloves garlic peeled
3 slices ginger peeled
2 tbsp chicken broth
2 tsp chicken seasoning powder optional
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar to taste
juice from 2 lime
(C) Ginger Sauce

50 grams peeled young ginger cut to small chunks for even blending
3 shallots peeled
2 tbsp high-quality sesame oil
1 tbsp peanut oil or chicken oil
2 tbsp chicken broth
2 tsp chicken seasoning powder optional; to taste
2 tsp sugar to taste
1/8 tsp salt to taste
(D) Drizzling Sauce
50ml chicken broth
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soy sauce
(E) Garnishes
sliced cucumber
sliced tomato
coriander and/or chopped spring onions

DIRECTIONS

Hainanese Chicken

Clean the chicken by rubbing coarse or kosher salt all over the skin and inside the cavity. Rinse the salt thoroughly with water.
Stuff chicken cavity loosely with 2 garlic, 2 ginger and 1 stalk of spring onion. If you are using a small chicken, use less stuffing to allow space and ventilation within the cavity.
In a good-fitting pot, add just enough water that will cover your chicken completely. Bring the water to a rapid boil.
When water is boiling, add chicken gently using a sturdy spider strainer into the pot and cover with lid. Turn off the heat. Let the chicken seep in the hot water. After 15 minutes, carefully take out the chicken, while emptying the liquid deposited inside the cavity. Submerge the chicken in a large bowl of ice water for a few minutes to cool it down. Bring the stock in the pot back to a rapid boil, and repeat process for another 3 more times. To test if chicken is cooked, insert a chopstick or fork into the thigh; if the liquid is clear, the chicken is cooked.
Carve and debone the cooked chicken to serving slices. Reserve chicken broth.
Chicken Rice
Heat a dry wok and add chicken skin. Fry until most of the fat is rendered from the chicken skin, and the wok is greasy. Add garlic and ginger; fry until aromatic. Add rice and stir fry until everything is well combined.
Transfer contents to rice cooker, measure 1 1/4 cup of chicken stock, and add (A). Set rice cooker to "COOK" and "KEEP WARM" until serving.
Chilli Sauce

Blend (B) to a smooth paste. Season to taste. Click here for more photos and detailed tips.
Ginger Sauce

Blend (C) to a smooth paste. Season to taste. Click here for more photos and detailed tips.
Chicken Soup

Just before serving, re-heat chicken broth. Transfer to serving bowls and top with shredded lettuce.
Drizzling Sauce

Combine (D) in a small bowl.
Serving

Serve each plate with one serving of chicken rice, one portion of chicken meat, along with side condiments of ginger & chilli sauce. Garnish with cucumber, tomato and coriander/spring onion. Spoon some drizzling sauce over the chicken. You can also serve the chicken and rice separately, if preferred.

Chilli Sauce for Chicken Rice

Ingredients:
5 finger-length red chilli de-seeded
2 chilli padi (bird's eye chili) no need to de-seed, for the heat; omit or adjust to taste
8 cloves garlic peeled
3 slices ginger
2 Tbsp chicken stock
1-2 tsp chicken seasoning powder optional; handy when the chicken stock is not rich enough; to taste
1/8 tsp salt to taste
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar to taste
juice from 2 limes

Method:

1. In a food processor, blend everything to a smooth paste. Season to taste with sugar, salt or chicken seasoning powder, if needed. 

Keeps for about a week in the fridge.

Ice Kacang (ABC)

Ingredients:

2 cups ice cubes or crushed ice

Syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup water
3 drops red coloring, optional

Toppings
2 Tbsp condensed milk or evaporated milk
2 Tbsp canned red beans, in kernels
2 Tbsp canned sweet corn, cream-style
2 Tbsp grass jelly pieces

2 Tbsp cendol
Attap chee (palm nuts), optional

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients in the Syrup in a small sauce pan. Heat it up over medium heat. As soon as the sugar melts and the syrup starts to bubble, turn off the heat. Set aside and let cool.
2. Prepare the shaved ice by using a blender. Make sure the ice is completely shaved.
3. Transfer the shaved ice to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons syrup, follow by all the ingredients in the toppings. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:
The syrup is enough for two servings of ice kacang.