Meat Paste/Gio

This recipe is inspired by Andrea Nguyen Cookbook - Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. I have changed it to suit my taste by adding sesame oil and ACCORD to keep the meat moist.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Marinate:

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp tapioca starch

1 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp ACCORD - (a picture of and what is ACCORD can be found hereBouncy Beef Balls)

or

2 lbs boneless well-trimmed boneless pork leg

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

3 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch

5 tbsp fish sauce

4 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp ACCORD

Method:

Slice meat into 1/4 inch thick strips. Remove the silvery strip of tendon, cartilage or sinewy bits, keep visible fat for richness.

Mix marinade well and add in to meat. Mix well and cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. The meat will stiffen as it sits.

Working in batches, Grind the meat in a food processor until a smooth, stiff, light pink paste forms.(it will take several minutes. if your food processor is not heavy duty, stop machine after every minute - this is also good for the meat, as the heat in the grinding, if for too long, might cook the meat). The paste is ready when there is no more visible bits of meat and the paste should have a slight sheen.

Remove paste from food processor into the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle, beat the paste on high speed for 1 - 2 minutes.

The paste is ready for making into sausages or meat balls.

For making Meat Balls follow the way they are done from

Meat Balls ala Don

For making Gio Lua(a smooth, light colored sausage)

Bring a 4 or 5 quart pot of water to the boil, lower to a simmer and keep warm.

Put a 12 x 18 inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface, with the short side closest to you.

Center a 5 x 12 inch banana leaf on the foil.

Deposit a chinese rice bowl of packed paste on to the bottom edge of the leaf, roughly shaping it into a fat 5 inch long log. Roll up the leaf to encase the paste, creating a cylinder. Place cylinder at one of the short end of the foil and roll it up, letting the foil naturally over-lap to form a silver tube. Seal the ends close and folding toward the center. The tube has to be tied to ensure the shape and compactness of the paste, make sure the string is taut.

Return the pot of water to a boil. Drop in sausages and boil for 40 minutes.

Let them cool completely before untying and removing the foil.

Keep the banana leaf in place and can be refrigerated until serving.

Serves

Omelette Roll

This is a glorified way to dress up an omelette. The dish is elegant because of it's subtle flavor and beautiful presentation. Serve them as an appetizer, a party food or as part of a meal.


Ingredients:

150g fish paste (how to make fish paste is Yeong Tofu )
150g prawns, minced finely
1 tsp chopped spring onion
1 tsp chopped red chilli
1 tbsp chopped carrot
3 pieces nori sheets
3 pieces omelettes(how to make the omelettes is below)

3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp corn flour

For Omelette:

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons Mirin

1 1/2 teaspoons soya sauce

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Dipping Sauce (Combined)
1 tbsp wasabe
2 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp lime juice

Method:

FOR THE OMELETTE:

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend well.

Heat oil in a heavy nonstick 8-inch-diameter omelette pan over low heat.

Add egg mixture; cook until omelette is beginning to set, about 2 minutes.

Using heat-resistant nylon spatula, turn omelette over and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute.

Slide omelette onto to cutting board; cool.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Combine fish paste, prawns and seasoning in a big bowl. Stir in carrot, spring onion and red chilli to blend.

Spread some filling on a piece of omelette and place a piece of nori sheet on top.

Spread with another thin layer of filling on the nori.

Roll up like a swiss roll and put the rolls to steam for 20 - 30 minutes until cooked.

Leave to cool, before slicing.

Serve with dipping sauce.


Serves

Grilled Pork Slices

These addictive grilled pork are perfumed by lemongrass and the addition of caramel sauce to the marinate, imparts deep color and flavor. Honey is a fine substitute that results in a slightly sweeter finish. Serve these on rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, well trimmed(about 2 lbs after trimming) and cut across the grain into strips about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and a scant 1/2 inch thick.

MARINATE

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 large shallot, pounded(about 1/3 cup)

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp caramel sauce*

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 stalk lemongrass, grate with a microplane to get 6 tbsps.

1/4 tsp black pepper

Method:

Put the sliced pork inbetween plastic wrap, sprinkle some water and pound the meat slices into thinner slices.

Add the marinate to the pork slices and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Thirty minutes before grilling the pork, remove from the refrigerator.

Grill pork slices, turning once, for about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, a little charred and sizzling.

Serve grilled pork with rice or noodles

.

CARAMEL SAUCE

3/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

Use a small, heavy saucepan with a long handle, preferably a stainless steel, so that the changing color can be monitored easier.

Fill the sink with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the saucepan.

Put 1/4 cup of the water and all the sugar in the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. To ensure that the sugar melts evenly, stir with a metal spoon. After about 2 minutes, when the sugar is relatively smooth and opaque, stop stirring and let the mixture cook undisturbed. Small bubbles will form at the edge of the edge of the pan and gradually grow larger and more toward the center. A good 7 minutes into cooking, bubbles will cover the entire surface and the mixture will be a vigorous simmer. As the sugar melts, the mixture will go from opaque to clear.

If a little sugar crystallizes on the sides of the pan, don't worry. After about 15 minutes, the sugar will begin to caramelize and deepen in color. You will be a progression from champagne yellow to light tea to dark tea. When smoke starts rising, around the 20 minutes mark, remove the pan from the heat and slowly swirl it. Watch the sugar closely as it will turn darker by the second, a reddish cast will set in (think the color of a big, bold red wine) as the bubbles became a lovely burnt orange. Pay attention to the color of the caramel underneath the bubbles. When the caramel is the color of black coffee or molasses, place the pan in the sink to stop the cooking. The hot pan bottom will sizzle on contact. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar will seize up but later dissolve. After the bubble ceases, return the pan to the stove over medium heat.

Heat the caramel, stirring until it dissolves into the water.

Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes before pouring into a small heatproof glass jar,

Set aside to cool completely before putting the lid on.

Serves

Meat Purses

What do you keep in your purse? I like to keep mine with meat and shrimp. You steam them first, then deep-fry for crispy texture, then braise them in a flavorful stock. They can be steamed and kept frozen. They are the best appetizers served without the braising.

Ingredients:

1 lb fried tofu/tofu pok
1 - 2 green onions (spring onions, scallions), minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 large egg
1 pound ground pork

1/2 lb peeled shrimp - chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons pale dry sherry
3 tablespoons light soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Black or white pepper, to taste, optional
2 - 3 tablespoons cornstarch



Method:
Mince the ginger and green onion.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork and chopped shrimp, with the green onion, ginger, salt, sugar, dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper if using, and the egg.

Using your fingers to mix together the ingredients thoroughly. Add as much cornstarch as needed to make so that the mixture is not too wet. (I start with 2 tablespoons and then add 1 teaspoon at a time).

Make a slit on the tofu and fill/stuff with the ground paste. Shape to look like a purse by using a toothpick to secure the opened end. Repeat filling the rest of the tofu.

Steam the tofu purses until cooked.

The purses are delicious eaten this way, but they can be lifted up a knotch by deep frying them and then braised in stock.

Serves

Dorayaki

These Dorayaki were made while i was making Flapjacks. The recipe is the same only the way they were served was different.

For the recipe follow the Flapjacks but add in a spoonful of red bean paste before folding the flapjacks in half. Preparation of red bean paste can be found here Mooncakes

Lemon Poppyseed Whipped Cream Pound Cake

This cake is made for my dear sister, Lilian, who is in Sydney and a gracious host to all of us who visit her. She introduced me to Quiche Lorraine, Pablova and many more delectable delights of Downunder including this Lemon Poppyseed Cake.



Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream, chilled

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

grated zest of a lemon or two

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup poppyseeds

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

With an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs for a minute, then slowly add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.

Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Sprinkle half over the beaten eggs and fold it in with a spatula; then fold in the whipped cream and then the remaining flour, along with the poppyseeds.

Spread into an 8″x4″ loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and the top is springy to the touch.

Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish

This dish is simply delicious and such an easy stir-fry. The only difficult part is plucking off the tails and shoots of the beansprouts. How i wish my mother was here as she was the one who will patiently do this prison duty.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb beansprouts - tails and shoots removed

1 small piece salted fish, preferably threadfish - cut into tiny pieces

2 slices ginger

1 clove garlic - chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp cooking oil

2 stalks spring onions - cut into inch length

Method:

Heat oil and fry the salted fish until fragrant. Dish out without the oil and leave aside.

Add in ginger and garlic to the oil and saute until golden brown,

Add in the beansprouts, stir well and add in fish sauce.

Return the salted fish and spring onions. Stir fry until spring onions wilt slightly.

Dish out and serve hot.

Serves