Beef with Broccoli

Ingredients:

8 oz beef sliced thinly across the grain (I use rib or sirloin)

1 bunch broccoli

1 medium onion

1 stalk green onion

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot

3 slices ginger, minced

2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

salt

2 tbsp broth

Marinade:

Mix light soy sauce, oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp pepper with beef. Use your hands to mix it all in really good. Then add 1/2 tsp corn starch and 1/2 tsp sesame oil and mix that all in. Light soy doesn't add too much colour and it is a bit saltier. Oyster sauce is given considering the ethnicity of the dish and the sugar helps balance the saltiness of the oyster and soy sauces.

Vegetables:

Cut up your broccoli florets in even pieces. Don't forget to use all of the stalks that aren't woody and dry. Make sure they are in even pieces. A 1/2 inch thick is probably good for all of the vegetables. Do the same with the carrots and onions. The green onions can be sliced in either 2 inch pieces or however you like.

Steam the vegetables:

Next, setup a vegetable steamer and add the carrots first. After 2 minutes, then add the broccoli pieces.

Precook the beef:

Add 2 tbsp oil to smoking hot wok and swirl to coat. Add beef and gently stir-fry the beef. The beef is ready when it is medium rare. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.

Sauce:

1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 pinch of pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp broth, 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix well and make sure that the corn starch is completely dissolved to avoid lumps.

Stirfry:

Add green onion, onion, garlic and ginger to very hot wok. Stir fry for about 30 seconds, until you can smell the aroma. Add broccoli and carrots. Add pinch of salt, pinch of sugar, and a bit of oil to help keep the veggies green. Make sure to stir constantly and keep the heat high. Work fast!

Add the beef, but leave the released juices in the bowl. It will affect the dish. The beef will be reheated and cooked in about 1 minute. Add the sauce, and stir until thickened. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve.

Chicken Almond Guy Ding

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts diced
1 onion
2 heads of broccoli
4-5 baby bok choi (use more if really small)
1 cup of skinned almonds
1 stock of celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2-3 tbsp olive oil/or peanut oil (depending on taste)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water
salt/pepper to taste

Method

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roast almonds for 10-15 minutes

Warm wok with oil to high. Add garlic, onion and chicken. Stir fry until chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, bok choi,celery and cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Dissolve cornstarch in warm water. Add water cornstarch mixture to wok and stir until sauce is good and thick. Lastly, add almonds and serve.

Makes 3-4 servings, but is easy to change it up to make more or less. Use your imagination!

Chicken with Chili & Basil

also known as Gai Gra Pow

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 tsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili, sliced
1 1/3 cup chicken, sliced thin
2 tsp Fish Sauce (we use Golden Boy)
2 tsp sugar (palm is the best)
4 tsp soy sauce
2 oz Chicken or Vegetable stock
2 Tbsp Thai sweet basil
garnish fresh basil and chili slices

Directions:

• In a wok or large frying pan, heat oil over high heat
• Sauté garlic and chili until fragrant
• Add chicken, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce and stock. Stir-fry until all ingredients are cooked.
• Stir in fresh basil. Remove from heat
• Garnish with basil and chili slices

Shredded Chicken with Lime and Chili

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, skin on or off
2 oz/60 ml lime juice
4 birds eye chilies (or thai)
6 cloves of galic, crushed
1 oz/30 g palm sugar
2 whole ripe tomatoes, quartered and seeded
1 tsp/5 ml of roasted shrimp paste
3 oz/90 ml vegetable oil
Banana leaf for garnish

Process:
In a skillet, heat over a simmer. Add oil and coat the pan. Slowly add in garlic, shimp paste ginger, and sweat util tender. Add in palm sugar and tomatoes and chilies.
Sweat all until tender, purée and let cool.
Rub chicken with spice mix and roast until cooked. Discard skin and when the chicken has cooled, shred the chicken with our fingers (or a fork). Garnish with limes, tomatoes and chilies. Place on a bed of Jasmine rice placed on a banana leaf square ( or any shape ) and serve slightly warm.

tips:
Marinate chicken overnight (2 days max)
You can peel ginger with a spoon!

Avocado Ice Cream

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
4 oz/120 ml condensed milk (sweetened of course)
2 ripe avocados
2 limes (juice)
2 egg whites
pinch of salt for flavour enhancement

Process:
In a food processor, purée the avocado and lime juice until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and egg whites. Purée further. Slowly add in condensed milk, prurée and pour intu tubs and freeze for at least 3 hours (overnight is best). Scoop out and pour over extra condensed milk and enjoy.

Urab Salad

Makes 4 salads

Ingredients:

Salad:
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1 cucumber, sliced
150 g green beans
1 shredded carrot

Dressing:
3 oz/90 g dessicated coconut (dried unsweetened - if using sweetened, lessen sugar)
2 birds eye chilis (or thai)
1 lime, zest and juice
2 0z/60 g palm sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 pinch roasted shrimp paste (or any shrimp paste in oil)

Process:
This is a dry dressing. It is a different take on an oil-based dressing or vinaigrette. The dressing will stay in an airtight containter for up to 2 weeks.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients and roast in the oven on low heat until dry (if time is on your side put all ingredients and place on a roasting pan, place in the oven with the pilot light (if gas) or for an electric, just use the oven light overnight. Yes, that actually works with the amount of heat generated from the bulb.

For the salad, take all salad ingredients and toss together. Add the dressing to the salad and serve.

The dressing can be dried in a 200 degree F oven for 3-4 hours, but the slow, overnight method is encouraged.