RECIPE: SILKEN TOFU WITH SOY, CHILLI AND SPRING ONIONS

Ingredients
1 block silken firm tofu
1 tsp mushroom soy sauce*
1 tbsp light soy sauce*
1 tbsp chinese cooking wine*
½ tsp caster sugar*
2 small red chillies – thinly sliced on an angle
2 spring onions – thinly sliced on an angle
1 small coriander plant – thickly chopped
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp sesame oil

Method
Remove excess water from the tofu packaging and carefully tip the tofu onto a plate ined with paper towels. Cover the top with paper towels as well and let drain for 30 mins. You may need to change the towels at the halfway mark.

Mix all * ingredients in a bowl.

Place a pair of chopsticks to form a cross at the base of a large wok (to act as a rack) and bring to boil about 7 cm of water in it. Cut the drained tofu into 8 to 10 square pieces, place onto a heatproof plate and place onto the makeshift rack in the wok. Pour in the sauce mix and steam for 10 mins.

Carefully remove the plate and sprinkle the chillies, spring onions and coriander. Heat the peanut oil and sesame oil until smoking and pour over the tofu. Serve immediately with rice.

RECIPE: QUICK AND EASY STIR FRIED PAK CHOY

2 bunches pak choy – cut to desired size
3 cloves garlic – minced
1 tsp chicken stock (optional)
Water (if required)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp veg oil
Sesame oil

Method
Heat oil in work and fry garlic until cooked. Add in pak choy and mix through the garlic.

Add in salt and stock powder. Moisten with water if desired. Cook until veg is done. Add in a few drops of sesame oil. Serve hot with rice.

RECIPE: ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH ROSEMARY

Mr G made roast lamb tonight. Recipe as follows.

Ingredients
1 leg of lamb
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
4 to 5 cloves garlic – sliced in wedges
Dried mixed herbs – enough to cover meat
Sprinkling of garlic salt
1 tbsp oil
Extra oil (2 cm oil – to cook roast vegetables)
Vegetables of choice – Mr G used onions, carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes

Method
Pierce meat randomly with paring knife. Rub with oil and insert garlic wedges and rosemary.

Sprinkle with dried herbs and garlic salt.

Put on a roasting rack positioned in the middle of a roasting tray, add 2 cm oil and 1 cup water and place in the middle rack of the oven.

Cook at 180°C for ½ an hour, turn down to 160°C and cover with foil. Add in carrots and onions into the pan (not rack). Cook for ½ hour, turning the vegetables once during that time.

Remove carrots and onions and add in potatoes. Cook until meat is cooked (when juices run clear if pierced with a cooking fork). Remove meat and let stand for 10 minutes. During this time, turn up heat to 180°C and turn potatoes. Cook until brown and crispy. Serve with GRAVY and other vegetables such as cauliflower and peas if desired.

RECIPE: BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I was going to make some Bran Muffins in response to yesterday’s natter but I didn’t think people might get the irony of it ;)

Anyway, two of my little (well not so little) munchkins are ill at the moment (the joys of winter and school holidays, I guess; and Mr G is not impressed) and had requested for blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins must be one of the most popular of muffins and I am pretty sure that there are plenty of recipes floating around.

The recipe that I use is from the Le Cordon Bleu Home Collection series. I like the recipe cos it’s crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside (I hope this makes sense).

Without further ado, here’s the recipe.

Ingredients (makes 12 medium muffins)
375 g self raising flour
75 g plain flour
115 g soft brown sugar
150 g fresh or frozen blueberries
2 eggs
250 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
125 g unsalted butter – melted
Icing sugar to dust – optional

Method
Preheat oven to 210°C. Brush muffin tin with melted butter.

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in a jug.

Sift the flours into a mixing bowl, stir in sugar and blueberries and make a well in the centre. Add in the milk mixture and the melted butter and stir with a METAL spoon until just combined. Do not over mix – the mixture should be lumpy.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin, filling about ¾ of the tin. Bake for around 20 to 25 mins or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the muffin.

Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins before lifting onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired.

TIP: If using frozen blueberries, use them straight from the freezer. Do not allow them to thaw or they will discolour the mixture.