Easy Thai Beef Stirfry

I decided the other day to do something a bit different from the usual beef & black bean or oyster sauce.

So I popped into Internet land a looked at Thai recipes. This is a compilation of several recipes.

The beef was super tender because I decided to stir fry it till it was just changing color and removed while still a little pink then returned it right at the end while I thickened the sauce slightly.

I served it with steamed rice and fresh mint and coriander from my new little coriander plant. I also added some of my vietnamese mint.

The freshness of the herbs really lightened the dish. You could also top with fresh chilli.

 

Thai Beef Stirfry

750gm piece rump steak, 1/2 red onion cut into slices, 1 large or 2 medium carrots peeled cut in half lengthwise then on the angle, 1 stalk celery cut into 1/2cm slices on the angle, 1 red capsicum seeds removed sliced into lengths, 1 pak Choy/bok Choy cut in 1/2 width wise slice leaves 2cm slices then cut of end wash stems if necessary slice on angle into 1 cm slices, 1bunch brocollini cut width wise into 4 pieces, 2cm piece ginger peeled and grated, 2 cloves garlic peeled and grated, 1 cup of each fresh mint leaves & coriander leaves. 1/2 water

Marinade - 2 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tsps cornflour, 2 tsps oyster sauce, 2 tbsps Shaoxing wine.

Mix together in a small bowl add beef stir.

Sauce - 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 1/2 tbsps oyster sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy, 2 tsps sweet chilli sauce ,2 tsps fish sauce, 3 tsps cornflour

Mix together in a small bowl.

Now the best way to get the beef cut into very thin strips is to cut it while it's a bit frozen. I cut mine after it had been out of the freezer for about an hour. If your meat is fresh put it into the freezer for about 1/2 - 3/4 hour to freeze it slightly.

Cut away all the fat and slice into very thin strips about 5 cms long. Add to marinade, stir leave while chopping the vegetables.

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a wok till very hot. Add 1/3 of beef draining off marinade. Stirfry 1 minute until meat is starting to loose it's pinkness, remove to a plate. Continue in the same way with remaining meat. Add any leftover marinade to the sauce mixture. You may need to add extra oil while cooking the beef.

If the base of your wok is covered in cooked on marinade add some water let boil 2-3 minutes while scrapping the bottom, tip out. Add 2 tbsps oil heat till hot.

When the oil is hot add all the vegetables, stirfry 2-3 minutes add water, garlic & ginger. Stir, cover cook 2-3 minutes remove lid add beef & sauce. Stirfry 1 minute or until sauce starts to thicken. Add most of herbs, save some for the top.

Serve with steamed rice.

 

Hainanese Chicken with Chicken Rice

Now this is a recipe that I have wanted to cook for a while. On Wednesday while she was reclining on the lounge Miss Fish, still home from work with a cold , and I were watching the Singapore Edition of Food Safari, after watching this dish being made Miss Fish turned to me and said "yum, can you make this " .

As we were going to have to do food shopping the next day and it was fairly easy to make the chicken cooks itself, I thought why not.

I also teamed mine with some some stir fried vegetables in oyster sauce.

I served mine on long platters with the sauce in little dipping bowls that I had bought from several Asian shops over the years. I didn't make the chilli sauce I just used my " hot" sweet chilli sauce.

Mr CLI took one look at the platter of food and wanted to know why I had cooked such a special tea, I think he thought that I had a alterior motive to making him this meal. When I assured him that Miss Fish had been watching Food Safari and requested it and it was something fairly easy to cook till the end, when I had to co-ordinate cooking the vegetables and dishing up he was appeased.

After the first mouthful, well actually while eating it he commented that it was absolutely beautiful and if I wanted to I could make it again !

The paste that goes inside the chicken.

I used the recipe off the Food Safari site, the only things I changed was I used less ginger & garlic in the rice, but I did save the fat from the chicken and cooked it in that, also by mistake I put 2 tsps of lime juice in the rice. You couldnt taste it so I don't think that boo boo made any difference.

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/foodsafarirecipe/index/id/127/n/Hainanese_chicken_rice

Also an added bonus was that I have half a large pot of beautiful chicken stock.

The chicken at the start.

The chicken when it is cooked.

 

Sweet, Spicy, Smoky Beef Stir Fry

You will ask why this is sweet, spicy and smoky well the beef is marinated in a sauce that has some sugar the sauce has some "hot" sweet chilli sauce - bought by mistake and the smoky part if because I cooked the strips up the side of the wok till the had begun to brown and crisp.

 

Mr CLI was making comments from the lounge while I was cooking this that is smelt good. After the first mouthful he commented that it was wonderful and to make it again.

 

Beef Stir Fry

Marinade - 2 tbsps oyster sauce, 2 tbsps shaoxing wine, 1 tbsps cornflour, 2 tsps fish sauce, 2 tbsps hoisin sauce, 2 tsps sugar

Slice the rump into very thin strips add to marinade, stir leave while preparing vegetables.

750gm piece rump steak, 2 - 3 cups mixed vegetables sliced finely so they can cook quickly, I used red capsicum, carrots, celery, bean. I also used a small tin of water chestnuts, 1/2 red onion cut into 1 cm wedges, 2 cloves garlic either grated or chopped finely , 1 1/2 cups boiling water, 3 tbsps peanut or olive oil

 

Sauce - 2 tbsps oyster sauce, 1 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsps light soy sauce , 1/4 cup water, 2 tsps sweet chilli sauce - as mine was hot only see a small amount, if you have the mild sauce you could use up to 1 tbsp of sauce

I mixed it in the bowl that had the meat marinating in, so that you can get all the marinade into the sauce as well.

Heat the oil in the wok til nearly smoking, add 1/3 of the meat spread over the base and sides. After 30 - 40 seconds turn over then shift to one side add another 1/3 of the meat repeat the cooking process, then add the last third. The beef should be slightly charred, but not dry or burnt. When you turn the last third of beef add the onion and garlic, toss together . Leave 30 seconds.

Add the vegetables, toss for 1 minute then add the water, cover and let steam/ cook 3 - 5 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked but still crisp.

Stir in the sauce it should thicken within 30 - 40 seconds.

Serve on a bed of steamed rice.

Thai Fish Cakes

Now this is my version of Thai fish cakes, a lot of recipes put red curry paste in, but as I didn't have any I " created" this recipe.

 

Very tasty they were. Mr CLI wolfed his down and commented that they were beautiful and he would eat them again.

 

I also made a dipping which was quite easy and very tasty. I even poured it over my rice so I could eat every drop.

This recipe is enough for 10 cakes 4 - 5 cm wide

Thai Fish Cakes

Fish cakes

500 gms salmon fillets, 10 green beans cut into 1/2 cm slices, 1 egg, 1 kaffir lime leaf finely sliced, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp coriander powder or 1 tbsp fresh coriander, 1 tsp sambal oelek, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp brown or palm sugar

Dipping Sauce

50 mls rice wine vinegar ( if you don't have it replace it with white vinegar) 100 gms white sugar, 2 tbsps water, 2 tsps each very finely chopped carrot and cucumber, 2 tsps fish sauce, 2 tsps sweet chilli sauce or to taste

Dipping Sauce

In a small saucepan place the water, vinegar & sugar. Bring to the boil, simmer 1 minute remove from the heat and let cool.

Once cool add remaining ingredients, taste it may need more chilli or fish sauce.

Fish Cakes

Place all ingredients except beans in a food processor. Process until just combined. Stir in beans.

Heat 4 tbsps oil in a frypan. Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into the pan, flatten with the back of the spoon.

 

Cook until you see the edges turn white 2 - 3 minutes. Turn cook a further 1 - 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel serve with the dipping sauce and steamed rice. I also served it with salad.

 

Cardamom Rice Pilaf and Other News

Question - What do you get when you combine a pregnant daughter and a sewing machine.

Answer - No blog no emails read and lots of sewing.

As shown in this photo Miss Le Coiffure and I are making a lot of things for her not here yet baby.

The happy event will be in September and she just found out last week she is expecting a

GIRL




So there has been lots of sewing going on, we have made enough bibs to last till Christmas and now we are onto what is called "New Modern Cloth Nappies" which are like little pants that you slip a folded insert into to absorb all the moisture. 


Now these are made with special microfibre fleece on the inside very soft for the little bottom and the insert is from cotton/bamboo fabric which is all the rage at the moment.


After a quick search on the Internet there are plenty of online shops selling all the items required to make them.


So yesterday was spent cutting out all the various pieces. Also a trip to Spotlight and Lincraft was on the cards and by happy chance last Friday both shops got in new orders of polar fleece perfect for a girl. so there are more blanket making on the horizon.


Cardamom Rice Pilaf


This is my all time easy pilaf that is cooked in the oven and always comes out lovely and fluffy.


300 gms jasmine rice, 800 mls boiling water, 5 cardamom pods using a rolling pin or pestle break pods, 2 cloves , 1 cinnamon stick


Preheat oven 180.c


Heat 2 tbsps of oil in an ovenproof dish approx 25 cm wide and 5 cm deep with a lid. Add spices cook until 30 seconds.




Add water the stir in the rice. Bring to the boil, cover with tin foil or baking paper then put on the lid.

Cook for 25 minutes. Remove lid and paper/foil and check rice should be cooked and fluffy.

Asian Chicken Burgers

Now I am still trying, without much success I might add, in uploading photos from my iPad into this blog, so no photos for this post.

Now these patties can be altered to suit your tastes, you don't like hot food leave out the chillies or you like really hot food add more chillies.

The recipe is enough for 4 burgers. You can use several things for your buns, normal rolls, Turkish bread, ciabatta or French stick to name a few ideas. Also you can toast it under the griller or leave it plain, the choice is yours.

Asian Chicken Burgers
500 grams chicken mince, 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 1/2 chilli finely diced with the seeds removed or 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander powder, 1 stalk lemon grass with outer leaves removed and the white part very finely diced

To Serve - lettuce, slices of tomato and sweet or hot chilli sauce

In a large bowl using your hands mix together all the burger ingredients. Form into 4 patties.

Heat 2 - 3 tbsps of oil in a frypan over high heat. Place in patties, cook 2 - 3 minutes or until the pattie has browned. Reduce heat to medium turn over the pattie and continue to cook till the pattie has browned and cooked through, 3 - 5 minutes.

If your patties are very thick you might need to flatten them after you have turned them.

Place your roll/ bread base of choice on your plate top with lettuce and tomato place cooked pattie on top then drizzle with chilli sauce, top with bun lid.

Eat and enjoy.

Beef Chow Mein

Now on the weekends our meals are dictated by what we are doing during the day.

As was the case last weekend Mr CLI was busy getting an old car ready for someone to pick up and Miss Fish was helping him !

Now Miss Fish is not a person who can "go with the flow" as far as meals are concerned as soon as she is up on Saturday mornings she wants to know what we are having for lunch and dinner on not only Saturday but Sunday.

Now I actually knew what we were having for lunch on Saturday, because the sausage lover in the house Mr CLI had bought rolls the night before to put BBQ'd sausages in for lunch.

Also Miss Fish was going into respite on Sunday morning so we only had to organise Saturdays tea.

So while eating her breakfast Saturday morning Miss Fish started to list off certain meals,  now most we had eaten in the past week or so, so they were discounted. Then she suggested stir fry, now we hadn't had stirfry for a while so why not.

This made Miss Fish happy because her meals were organised and they were food she likes, well she actually likes nearly everything except mushrooms - Mr CLI doesn't like them - and nuts she finds them to hard to chew.

When Mr CLI had returned from getting his um haircut, think kiwi fruit short and fuzzy, Miss Fish told him what we were having for tea,"fine he said, but could it be beef", "fine" I said.

So into the depths of the freezer I went and out I came with a piece of rump. Next what to cook, we had had beef and black beans not long ago, chicken with oyster sauce also.

So I put my thinking cap on I didn't want rice, but I do want those fine egg noodles that come in tight little bundles and cook in under 5 minutes. What was the best dish to serve with them well beef chow mein of course.

So that is how we come to today's recipe.

Beef Chow Mein

Dry egg noodles - I used 6 bundles.

500 - 750 gm piece of rump sliced very finely with all sinew and fat removed. I cut it while it is still part frozen that way you get very thin slices that cook quickly.

Meat marinade - 2 tbsps light soy sauce, 1 tbsp satay sauce, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Mix together the marinade and add the beef slices. Marinate the meat up to 1 hour

3 cups of chopped vegetables - I used 1 yellow capsicum, broccoli, 1 medium carrot & 1 stalk celery, 1 onion cut into wedges

Sauce - 3/4 cup water, 2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled, 2 tbsps dark soy sauce, 3 tsps cornflour, 2 tbsps oyster sauce

Whisk all ingredients together in a small jug. Set aside.

Bring enough water to boil in a large saucepan for the noodles.

Heat a large heavy based fypan or wok to hot add 3 tbsps oil. Add onion stirfry 1 minute then add vegetables stirfry 2- 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add 1/4 cup water then cover let the vegetables steam 3- 4 minutes or until nearly cooked. 

Add the noodles to the boiling water, these will cook while you finish you stirfry.

Add the meat and marinade stirfry 2 -3 minutes until the meat changes color.

Pour over sauce stir until thickened.

Drain the noodles, place some in the bottom of your serving bowl then top with chow mein.

Eat and enjoy.

Fried Rice

Now this recipe was originally a Kylie Kwong recipe that I have fiddled with and altered over the years.

This is a very versatile recipe you can add anything you like, char siu pork, cooked chicken, steamed vegetables, whatever happens to be handy.

In this one I used 1/2 a red capsicum finely chopped, 1 small carrot grated & 3/4 cup peas.

I always put egg in. This can be added two ways if you wish large pieces of egg, before cooking the fried rice

Egg 1- Heat 2 tbsps of oil in the bottom of the work or frypan add the egg and cook like an omelette, drain on paper towel.

If you wish small pieces all through the rice
Egg 2- After you have added the rice and sauces and the rice has separated and started to heat through, push it to the edges and pour the eggs into the centre, let the eggs to start to cook on the bottom then move them about allowing the remainder of the egg to cook then stir into the rice. This will give you little flecks of egg all through the fried rice.

Also included in this recipe is a tablespoon of finely chopped pickled vegetables. Now these are from another Kylie Kwong recipe Goong Goong's pickles. I made a batch of these pickles many years ago, even though the vegetables colors have faded in the vinegar they stir are sweet and vinegary. I always add these to my fried rice.

http://www.abc.net.au/kyliekwong/recipes/s952107.htm

Fried rice is always best made with cold steamed rice, if you use freshly cooked rice all you will get is a gluggy mess.

Fried Rice
4 cups cooked rice, 3 - 4 eggs beaten together with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 - 2 cups chopped vegetables, 1/2 red onion finely chopped, cooked meat of your choice, 1 tbsp chopped pickled vegetables, 3 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tbsps oyster sauce, 2 tbsps shao hsing wine

Cook Egg 1 recipe now.

Heat 2 tbsps peanut oil in a wok or large frypan. Add the onion, stir 1 minute, add the remaining vegetables and meat if using. Stirfry fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Then pour the wine around the edges, let sizzle until partially evaporated, add  the rice. Carefully stir the rice, as it heats it will separate, ensure that you keep stirring otherwise the rice will burn.

Cook Egg 2 recipe now.

Once the rice has separated add the soy and oyster sauces and egg if cooked earlier. Stir fry till hot and the egg  has been broken into smaller pieces.

Serve up and enjoy.

Stirfry Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables

First of all I must say

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MISS FISH

She will be 23 years young today, and is very excited about it.

So yesterday and today I am in Birthday mode, she busily went to our friends last night and invited them for tea tonight.

Luckily I am making pizzas so I should be able to stretch to 2 extra people.

This slightly blurry photo, I don't know what I did, is of the stir fried noodles with chicken and vegetables.

Now I used fine dried egg noodles, but you could use any noodle you like, and you can add anything, prawns, no meat more vegetables the choice is yours.

Stir Fried Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables

1 chicken breast cut into thin bite size pieces, 2 cup of chopped vegetables, make sure they are small enough to cook quickly, noodles I used 5 bundles of dried egg noodles, 2 tbsps oyster sauce, 2 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tbsps shao hsing wine

Marinade
2 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tbsps hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp shao hsing wine

Mix together in a bowl and add meat. Leave to marinate while you chop the vegetables.

Preparing the noodles - if all ready cooked, place into a large bowl and cover with boiling water, leave for 2 minutes, the drain and rinse under cold water. If the noodles are dry cook in boiling water for 3 minutes for fine egg noodles or 4 minutes for hokkien noodles. Then  drain and rinse under cold water.

In a hot wok or frypan heat 2 tbsps peanut oil, Add the vegetables and strifry for 2 -3 minutes.

Push the vegetables to the edge then add the chicken draining off the marinade BUT keep it to add as part of the sauce. Stir fry chicken till it changes color the stir together with the vegetables.

Add the noodles marinade , soy sauce, shao shing wine and oyster sauce, stirfry till the noodles are heated through and coated with the sauce. Serve and enjoy.

Kung Pao Chicken

Well I am finally back in the kitchen I am able to chew and I have an appetite again.

This is a recipe that I altered slightly from the one in Feast - Issue 5.

I added vegetables I love vegetables in my stirfries, so in they went. It was thoroughly enjoyable the only problem was I slipped when I went to put the dried chilli flakes in and instead of putting in 1/2 teaspoon I put in a whole teaspoon, so the dish had some parts that really warmed your mouth.

szechuan peppercorns

Now the recipe might look complicated it really isn't I have just broken down each step so it is easier to follow.

Kung Pao Chicken

Marinate - 3 tsp rice wine (shaoxing), 2 tsps sesame oil, 1 tbsp light soy sauce & 2 tsps cornflour

2 large chicken breasts cut into 2 cm cubes.

Mix all marinade ingredients together added the chicken , stir then leave 30 minutes.

Chicken waiting in its marinade.

Vegetables

1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables cut into a 1cm dice - I used yellow capsicum, broccoli florets and stalk, celery and carrot.

Blanch the vegetables in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.

Vegetables.

Remaining Ingredients

75 gm (1/2) cup unsalted peanuts, 1 finely sliced fresh chilli or 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes, 2 tsps szechuan peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 2 spring onions sliced on the diagonal into 2.5 cm pieces

Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tsps sugar, 60 ml (1/4) cup chicken stock, 1 tbsps chinese black vinegar,

To Serve - steamed rice

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a wok or large fypan, using a slotted spoon drain chicken and add to frypan. KEEP remainder of marinade you will use it to make the sauce.

Stirfry the chicken 2 - 3 minutes or until white and cooked through. Add vegetables , peanuts, spring onions, garlic, chilli and peppercorns. Strifry another 2 minutes.

Add sauce ingredients to remainder of the marinade, mix well, Pour over the chicken stir quickly until the sauce has thicken, this will only take about 30 seconds.

Serve with steamed rice.

Thai Jelly Desserts & Pandan Custard

Now on one of our trips to Adelaide I bought up on packets of Thai jelly's and custards. Into the back of the cupboard they went to be used for a special occasion.

When I had my Chinese banquet the other week I thought why not try to make some of the layered desserts you can get in restaurants.

So Miss Fish and set about making layered jelly and pandan custard.

Pandan custard packet

Now for those of you that have never heard of or tasted pandan it has the most divine flavour, a flavour that isn't strong it is very hard to describe. It is refreshing without being overpowering.

Now these are very easy to make all the jellies it is just a matter of bring the jelly powder and water to the boil, whisking to make sure that the powdered has dissolved. As they have agar agar in them by the time I had poured the first jelly into the bottom of my different moulds the first mould had set.

Thai fruit flavoured jelly

It was just a matter of making the jellies one at a time then layering them. I made coconut, fruit and almond. They unmoulded quite easyily, but for some reason some of them the layers separated, but I just slid them back together.

For the pandan custard it was just a matter of mixing the powder from the packet with water and stirring for 30 seconds and I had custard.

Almond flavoured jelly

Now would I bothered with little moulds next time probably not, I would do as you see in the restaurants pour them into a large baking tray and make several thin layers then cut into shapes.

So next time you are in an Asian grocers look for the different jellies and custards they are not very expensive and are quite easy to make, especially look out for the pandan custard it is divine. I have actually got some pandan essence that I have never used I now have to think of ways of using this flavour in other desserts Yum !!