The Year of the Golden Rabbit 2011- Chinese New Year Banquet

This year for Chinese New Year my family and I decided to celebrate the 'Year of the Golden Rabbit' by eating the typical chinese dishes that you would order at the Chinese/ Vietnamese Restarants. Typically, in Sodarak style my sister and I cooked dinner for our Mother and Father and of course significant others.

We ventured out on the 5th of Feb 2011, coincidently on my birthday to Canely Vale to purchase seafood delights on the hottest day of my life, well it did feel like it. My need to have siao yuk for dinner was high on the agenda. Tonight's menu will be chinese style, if i had my way and yes i did.

Banquet style.
1. Steamed Oysters with Black Bean Sauce with a touch of chilli, ginger and green scallions
2. Steamed Silver Perch with Ginger and Scallions in Soy Sauce
3. Stir fry vegetables with prawns and cashews in Oyster Sauce with decorated with a perfect moon shaped of siao yuk.

My mother did comment afterwards that she was happy to have shared chinese new year + my sister's and I birthday in one day. I think my mother misses her mum, yes my grandmother Ama. It would have the eve of her funeral. The 1 year anniversary of when we all said goodbye to her.

RIP AMA

Pork and Egg Stew

Thai Pad Kee Mao

The literal translation of Pad kee Mao is Stir fry Drunken Noodles. Thai Pad Kee Mao is a combination of holy basil, fresh chillis and rice Noodles. Orient Zing's version adds additional beef, prawns and baby corn for a a variety of flavours.

Singaporian Chilli Mud Crab

My mum claims there is a secret to cooking singaporian crab. This dish is easy to make but needs the right fresh herbs and spices. Lemon grass, fresh chilli, tomato sauce and fresh green onion.

Traditional Lao Beef Larb

My second attempt at making traditional Beef Larb. I have to say that it is gets easy to cook this dish. I love the smell of fresh herbs, lime and grounded rice. It really does take you back to your roots.

Larb reminds me of Lao New Year, family sitting on the Lao 'Saet' eating Larb with Sticky Rice and fresh vegetables. Grandpa always said 'Dont play with your food', but how could you now when you have rice stuck in between your fingers.

10 things i love about laos food
1. Sticky Rice
2. Fried Egg Omelette with Fresh Dill and Chilli
3. Spicy Beef + Pork Sausages
4. Fried Chicken Wings
5. Larb, yes Chicken and Beef
6. Dried Beef or Sien Savan
7. Fresh Papaya Salad
8. Mok Kaay
9. Okk Bon
10. Okk Larm

Ingredients

1.5 kg of Beef Rump Steak
1 piece of honeycomb tripe
1 fresh minced galangal
3 tbsp fresh chilli powder (or to taste) finely chopped
4tbsp of rice powder
1 stalk of lemon grass, chopped into fine slices
3 bunches of chopped spikey coriander chopped
2 bunch of chopped coriander
3 green of chopped shallots
2 bunches of chopped fresh Vietnamese mint leaves
2tbsp of fish sauce
1tspn of sugar
3 fresh limes

Instructions

1. Fill water with pot and bring to boil. Place tripe into the water for 5-8 minutes. Leave to cool. Once the tripe is cool, thinly slice the tripe length wise.
2. Grill beef until cook or leave pink in the middle for a more tender taste. Set the beef aside once cooked to seal natural juices. Once the beef is cooled, cut the beef into small pieces.
3. Add the beef and tripe to a mixing bowl. Add rice power, galangal and lemon grass, chill, sugar, fish sauce and lemon.
4. Add fresh vegetables to the flavoured beef.
5. Taste the beef larb. The larb should be spicy and zesty. Add Additional ingredients to taste.
6. Serve with sticky rice and fresh vegetables like cucumber and salad.

Coriander and Chilli King Prawns

My mother was so impressed with my future brother in law's recipe that she asked for half of mine. Need i say more. This recipe is simple and suited for a summers bbq.

200g of Devined King Prawns
4 cloves of minced garlic
6 springs of fresh chopped coriander
1tbsp of fish sauce
1 chopped fresh chilli or to taste
Soaked Bamboo sticks

Recipe
1. Place prawns in a mixing bowl and mix with fresh ingredients
2. One by one place the prawn onto the bamboo skewers
3. Turn the grill on and place the prawns into the grill for about 10 mins or when it cooks.
4. Place cooked prawns onto a plate and garnish with frsih coriander. You can serve with sweet chilli sauce for extra flavour.

Beef marinate….with a hint of coffee

From memory this is my father’s favourite beef marinate recipe and to be honest it is very popular with my guest when served with aromatic jasmine rice and my father’s soya bean sauce with lime juice, chillies and coriander.

Ingredients
Beef (any cut with a little fat)
Oyster sauce (2-3 tbsp)
Salt (½ a teaspoon)
Sugar (¾ of a teaspoon)
Black pepper (½ teaspoon)
Chillies (1 finely chopped)
Asian Herb x 3 leaf
Coffee (1 teaspoon)

Sauce
Fermented soya beans (can be bought at any Asian stores)
Lime (1 lime)
Sugar (add to take)
Chillies
Asian Herb x 1 leaf
Coriander

Steps
1. Wash beef in cold water and pat dry
2. Cut the beef into BBQ-able size and place in a large bowl
3. Add 2 -3 tablespoon of oyster sauce depending on amount of beef, ½ tsp of salt and ¾ tsp of sugar, ½ tsp of black pepper, 1 finely chopped chilli, 1 tsp of coffee and the finely chopped Asian herb ( 3 leaf ). Massage this into the beef and leave for 1 hr or overnight
4. Grill the beef and cook depending on how you like your beef


Sauce
1. Add 3 tbsp into a blender then add 1 tbsp of sugar and chillies
2. Add ½ a lime to taste; ensure the salty sweet and sour is balanced
3. Take out the mixture and finely chop the Asian Herb and add it to the sauce
4. Finally chop some coriander and add it to the sauce. Stir through the herb into the sauce.

Serve sauce on the side of the beef and some rice