I Cook For Sexy Time

Quick & Simple Chicken Curry with Pineapple

2015-05-29T12:50:00.001+10:00

It has really been a while since I've actually posted up a recipe as such - however rest assure with the new kitchen at my new home there will be a steady full of sexy time recipes.

This recipe, although sounds odd actually packs a good punch when the correct flavours and ingredients are combined together. You're probably wondering, why the heck pineapple and curry? Well if you're like me and your roots trace back to the deep food culture of Asia then you would understand spice & tangy are a matched made in heaven! The flavours I'm trying to achieve here in this quick recipe would be similar to those of a spicy & tangy soup and that works wonders not to mention the ladies love pineapple :)

Ingredients:

1kg of roughly chopped up chicken thigh fillets (if you're health conscious, breast will do too)
1 roughly chopped brown onion
3~4 cloves of chopped garlic
1/2 a pineapple (if you don't have fresh then a can will do)
1x package of Indian Curry paste (make sure it's spicy, non of that butter chicken rubbish)
1 teaspoon of salt
Optional chilli flakes

Method:
Chop all that shit up to your liking, no need to make them pretty especially the garlic and onion as they will be cooked up to shit anyway. Heat up a pot or a deep pan with some olive oil and brown up the onion and garlic, reduce heat. Once brown and translucent, add in chicken and brown the crap out of them. Whilst that's sizzling along, mix the curry paste with about 300~400mL of water and whisk it till it looks like Friday night's liquid exiting from your mouth. Bring up the heat and then add in the mixture, it should burn the shit out of your eyes when the liquid is heated up but damn does it smell freaking awesome. Bring it to a strong boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer and crack open a beer or 3 - reward yourself as you've done great. Once the liquid is near thick add in your chopped pineapple and bring it to a boil, the sugary goodness should thicken & sweeten up the curry. Quickly taste your masterpiece and adjust taste with salt & pepper if required and if it's not hot enough add a few teaspoons of chilli flakes (the hotter you make it, the more grog you'll consume with whoever is having dinner with you).

Serve with naan bread OR rotti, the supermarket pre-made shit is pretty good with this meal and make sure you have loads of cold alcohol ready. This meal needs it!

Time: 45 mins
Serves: 4 easily
Cost: $15

Yes I'm still alive & a new Sexy Time Kitchen is on the way too!

2015-05-18T12:13:00.002+10:00

So you're wondering what on earth has happened to the blog? Well for starters, I've moved and work has been draining the shit out of me which unfortunately leads to not enough cooking and resulting in minimal sexy time :(

Don't worry, I'll be coming back hard and strong soon!

Check out this epic as shit kitchen below:

Quick & Easy Lamb Shank Stew

2014-02-01T14:25:00.001+11:00

Lazy, tired and can't be arsed cooking? Here's a lazy recipe that should make cooking quick and easy, allowing for time to catch up on needed sexy time!

(Gosh I nearly called this Lamb Skanks instead of Shanks)

This meal would be best prepared around at lunch time so it's ready to be serve at dinner for your special someone with plenty of time to do other things than cook.

Ingredients:

2x Lamb Shanks (4x if they're smaller ones)
1/2 a bottle of cheap shit red wine
1x 500mL container of beef stock
4x carrots
2x Spanish onions
1x celery
1x can of chopped tomatoes
2x tomatoes
4x cloves of garlic
1x spring of rosemary

Method:
Chop the shit out of the vegetables and drop everything but the carrots into a pot as pictured below, add some olive oil and cook them till there's some colour. This should take about 10 ~ 15 minutes depending how hot your cooker is. Once there's some colour, add the stock, canned tomatoes shanks then cover the lot with red wine - making sure everything is submerged. This point it will look like absolutely shit, don't worry. Reduce the heat all the way down and simmer for about 2 hours, occasionally stirring the contents. After 2 hours, drop in the carrots and continue simmering for about another 1.5 hours. At this point, the meat should be just about falling off the bone. Quickly have a taste test at this point, add salt and/or a touch of sugar if required. If you wish, remove the meat off the bone and discard the bones. I tend to serve it boneless as it's easier to eat.

Serve on a bed of mash or crusty bread with a nice glass of red, not the cheap shit you use before! Hopefully strong brownie points and sexy time lalalala!

Time: 4 hours
Serves: 2 (or 4 depending on the shank size)
Cost: $25

Easy Beef Stew (anyone can make it)

2013-06-06T23:46:00.003+10:00

Dead simple beef stew, honestly no way you can f%#k this one up, unless you're really stupid and unable to follow instructions in engrish :)

The beauty with stews is that you could throw in anything from the fridge and it would taste awesome. Nothing better than beef stewed to the shit house and turning out soft as butter. Did I ever tell you how much I enjoy listening to Kaskade's music?

(Excuse the shit photos, I got lazy and shot them all on AUTO)

Ingredients:

1 kg of lean beef (fatty is more preferable, but we're trying to be healthy)
200 grams of pancetta or bacon
1 slice leek (discard the green, just slice the stem area)
2 chopped whole onions (red or white or both)
4 gloves of smashed garlic
6 carrots (depending on what you like)
Salt & Pepper
500mL of beef stock
1/3 bottle of red wine
Flour

Method:
Cube up the beef, drop into a mixing bowl and cover the shit out of it with red wine. Let it sit for around half a day in the fridge. Remove and drain the meat but do not discard the red wine. Now coat the meat in flour, don't go hard. Heat up a pan, add some oil and fry up the beef till golden. Add in garlic, onions, leek, pancetta and cook up the lot till everything smells awesome. Reduce heat and pour in the red wine from before, add in the beef stock and simmer for about an hour. Drop in carrots and further reduce heat and occasionally stirring. Season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer till mixture is at a nice and think consistency. This took me about 2.5 hours of simmering to get it right. Alternatively if you're strapped for time, just bang the lot into a slow cooker and Bob's your uncle (in hindsight I should have just done that from the start).

Serve with crusty bread and a nice glass of wine.

Time: Too long
Serves: 8
Cost: $30

Seared Garlic Aged Scotch Fillet with Wasabi Mayonnaise

2013-05-09T23:17:00.002+10:00

Since starting my new job I don't have the luxury of leaving on time anymore. This means I need to find new ways to come up with fast and tasty meals for myself and the other half.

This has probably got to be the quickest meal I have knocked back on this blog, yet it's quite tasty and it didn't take too long either. If you're quick in the kitchen, I reckon you should be able to knock back this meal from fridge to plate in under 20 minutes, true story bro!

Ingredients:

Steaks, I had the luxury of using 90 day aged stoch fillet for this
2x garlic cloves
1x pinch of salt
Pepper
2x tablespoons of olive oil
Wasabi
Japanese Mayonnaise
Salad of some sort, left overs, etc.

Method:
Smash up the garlic and chop up into little bits, bang the lot into a mixing bowl along with some salt, cracked pepper and the olive oil. Give the lot a good toss and let it sit. Heat up a pan and drizzle some olive oil on it, make sure it's super hot. Cook the steaks approximately 2 minutes either side, I tend to like my shit raw because I don't like wasting a good piece of meat.

To serve, mix up some wasabi and mayonnaise together on the side to dip the steak in. Serve with some greens and other shit you find in the fridge.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2~3
Cost: $8 for Wasabi & Mayonnaise, $100 for 6.5kg aged Scotch Fillet

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2013-04-02T15:04:00.001+11:00

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Simple and Quick Fried Icecream

2013-03-24T19:35:00.002+11:00

Quick and simple enough for anyone to make, I'm serious! I made this for my partner and a thumbs up and something else :)

Best to make these a day in advance so you can freeze the shit out of them.

This is probably isn't anything healthy, but hey a treat once in a while isn't too bad right? Here goes!

Ingredients:

Filo pastry sheets (3x sheets per fried icecream)
Low fat vanilla icecream (3x scoops per fried icecream)
1x egg
Caramel sauce
Coconut shavings
Icing Sugar

Method:
Thaw out the filo pastry, and separate into sets of three sheets per fried icecream. Scoop approximately 2~3 scoops of icecream for each fried icecream and roll up however you want to, make sure it is icecream tight. Use the egg to seal up the pastry and pop the parcels straight into the freezer, the longer and colder they are the better they will turn out. When ready, heat up enough oil to cover the icecream and make sure it's at decent hot. Pop in the frozen icecream parcels and fry for approximately 30 seconds, remove and place on paper towels. Serve immediately with coconut shavings, caramel sauce, and icing sugar. Serve immediately!

Time: 10 minutes (overnight freezing time, if have a commerical blast freezer then 30mins or so)
Cost: ~ $10
Serves: 4 or more depending on portion sizing

Grilled Cajun Chicken Breast Salad

2012-11-12T16:14:00.001+11:00

Healthy, simple and tasty not to mention cheap is what I always look for in a lunch during the week. This simple recipe should satisfy those requirements. Not to mention, it's quite easy to knock up and doesn't take much time.

Ingredients:

2x Chicken butterflied chicken breasts or as much as you need
2x Tablespoons of Masterfoods Cajun spice (yeah yeah I'm being lazy)
2x Teaspoons of garlic powder OR 2~3 gloves of minced garlic
1/2 cup of olive olive
1/3 Teaspoon of sea salt

Method:
Combine that shit up in a bowl, rub it in well and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour to marinate. Then slap it on the BBQ either cut up or whole and cook till nice and golden brown. This should take about 30 minutes or so depending on your BBQ. Best to serve with some cous cous, mixed leaf salad and some dressing (I used a simple balsamic dressing). Great for packing for lunch like I did!

Time: ~ 1.5 hours
Cost: $20
Serves: About 10 servings

Quick Veal Roast with Garlic & Five Spice Rub

2012-10-15T11:29:00.002+11:00

Realised I needed to cook something for lunch for the week and I only realised this late at night too. It's fortunate and also unfortunate where I work as there are no cheap places to go eat at, but at the same time no healthy places to go eat at. This forces me to cook my own lunches to cater to my dietary requirements.

Ingredients:

A veal log, or whatever cut you desire, scotch fillet might be tastier!
3x teaspoons of garlic powder
2x teaspoons of Chinese five spice powder
sprinkle of mixed herbs
pinch of salt & pepper (more if you like)
several tablespoons of olive oil

Method:
Preheat your oven to about 180 degrees Celsius (or a little less if fan forced, I have an ancient shitty oven). Combine all the ingredients together on a mixing tray and make love to the veal log, by that I mean just coat the meat. Drop it into the oven and roast it for about 50 minutes or less depending on how you like it done. Remove, rest, slice and eat. I recommend serving this with steam veg or even a simple mash.

Time: ~ 1 hour
Cost: $18
Serves: Not sure, I estimate about 4 lunches with left over (I consume loads of protein)

You can always try right? No harm LOL

2012-08-31T13:59:00.001+10:00

FULLY SICK 10000+ Visitors!

2012-07-30T15:35:00.002+10:00

It's a milestone for this crappy blog, but nevertheless it has ticked over that 10000+ mark...

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUARRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Custard & Chocolate Tart Thing

2012-07-22T22:25:00.002+10:00

So I tried to make dessert, I've always sucked in this department. Afterall I am male and it's already a gift I can cook better than most females in my age group (didn't say anything about presentation alright!) so I'm not overly sad this looks like shit.

As expected, I got no sexy time for this.

Failed, will not try ever again.

Simple Sliced 5 Spice & Garlic Rump

2012-06-17T20:53:00.001+10:00

Simple meal, great for when you're getting back into the training (like myself) and needing something healthy to eat. I chose use rump because it's easy to cook and tasty with minimal seasoning. With the portion used, it should easily feed 1x person four times. Please note, this meal is not really that tasty LOL...

Ingredients:

1x clump of rump (approximately 1.1 kgs)
1x teaspoon of garlic powder
2x teaspoons of five spice powder
salt and pepper

Method:
Slice rump however you like it, I prefer little logs because it is heaps faster to cook. Cover the sliced rump with the seasoning and let it sit for about 15~20 minutes. Heat up a pan with some olive oil and cook it for about 10 minutes, constantly tossing it about. Serve on a bed of brown rice (as I did) or some sweet potato.

Time: ~25 minutes
Cost: ~$10 (buy your meat from a butcher, support them)
Serves: 4

Caramelised Bananas with Rum

2012-05-27T12:44:00.001+10:00

Had some left over bananas lying around at home and needed to use them up quick smart! This recipe was inspired by Gabriel Gate's version of flaming bananas or some shit. I saw it on Channel 9's morning show when I home kind of sick many years ago :)

Ingredients:

2~3 Sliced Bananas (length ways would be more preferable)
1x shot of rum (I used cognac because I ran out of rum lol)
1x clump of butter
2~3 tablespoons of brown sugar (any is fine)

Method:
Chop up the bananas and sprinkle it with sugar, covering all sides, let it sit in the fridge for around 30 minutes. Once ready, heat up a pan, and melt the butter. Add in bananas and let them caramelise, noting colour, flip when ready desired colour has been reached. Add in rum/cognac and set alight (CAUTION THIS COULD BURN THE HAIRS OFF YOUR FINGERS) and remove from heat. Let the alcohol burn off completely (this takes around 40~50 seconds).

Serve up with extra fruits, icecream and chocolate sauce.

** Gym for 2 hours the following day.

Super Fast (Lazy Spec) Bolognese Sauce

2012-05-06T23:14:00.001+10:00

Simple, quick to make... I wasn't even going to even blog it, but why not? This can be easily knocked up by anyone short on time. Doesn't involve much as you can see, it's all in pot and walk off. Oh, my new Ikea mat is so cool aye?

Ingredients:

400~500 grams of minced beef (the leaner then better)
Herbs of all sorts (I pretty much just threw in anything I found)
Jar of bolognese sauce
1x tin of chopped tomatoes (not pictured)
2x bay leaves
1x cup of stock
1x cup of red wine (optional)
2x teaspoons of sugar
1x teaspoon of salt (optional and if low salt stock is used)
Pepper to taste

Method:
Heat up a pan/pot and jam all the herbs, spices, with a tablespoon of sugar, immediate add in the meat and briefly. Add in wine to deglaze the pot, then jam everything else in, reduce heat to around 25% and walk off. Occasionally check if kitchen is on fire.

Serve with your favourite pasta, I usually prefer wholemeal penne :)

Cost: $10? (depends what you have at home)
Serves: 8
Time: 30 minutes

Enjoy :)

Lazy Garlic & Paprika Chicken Breast

2012-04-12T23:46:00.000+10:00

Something I knocked up for after the gym, it's quick, simple and healthy. I usually don't bother blogging about simple meals, but this is one I usually make so I might as well share it with others. Eaten with 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice (110 calories) and 200 grams of the breast (220 calories, 45 grams of protein, 2.4 grams of fat) makes a very good post workout meal. This could also be lunch as well!

Ingredients:

Free range chicken breast or standard chicken breast is fine too (has more saturated fat though)
1x tablespoon of garlic powder
1x tablespoon of paprika
2x teaspoons of garlic flakes
1x teaspoon of crushed rock salt
ground pepper
1x juice of a lemon
lemon rind (optional)
2x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Combine all the ingredients together and just mix up the shit. Let it sit for around in the fridge for more flavour, but if you're in a hurry just cook it up straight away. Heat up a pan with some olive oil, and sear both sides on maximum heat. Once golden, reduce heat to around medium low, cover with water and cover with a lid (I used the mixing bowl because I was lazy and didn't want to wash up). Check every 10~15 minutes. Once all water has evapourate, it's ready. This usually takes approximately 25 minutes, depending on how you crank up the heat.

Serves: 4, depends on serving size
Cost: $6
Time: 35 minutes

Basil, Chilli, Garlic & Lemon Salmon with Wholemeal Pasta

2012-03-26T23:09:00.002+11:00

Super nom nom nom... lol

Tasty, healthy, and quick to make... although it took me a bit longer than expected, but whatevahhhs :)
I got inspiration from watching Ready, Steady Cook (the most boring cooking show ever made) watching a chef make chilli basil pasta without anything else in it. Being slightly athletic, I needed something with protein, so in went in the salmon.

Ingredients:

400grams of de-boned salmon fillets
5x chillis
1x teaspoon of chilli flakes
4x cloves of garlic (less if you wish)
1x lemon (rind & juice)
1x bunch of fresh basil
1x bunch of bok choy
2x stalks of shallots (scallions for those yankies)
1x cup of chicken stock
Wholemeal pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil or other is fine

Method:
Chop, cube the ingredients, grate rind, and juice the lemon, marinate the fish with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Heat up a hot pan, drizzle some oil on and add in some garlic, salt and the bok choy. Cook until leaves wilt, place on one side. (Begin to cook pasta, as wholemeal takes longer) Add in chilli, garlic, pinch of salt, fish and fry up, try not to break the fish so flick the pan rather than toss and turn the fish. Add in lemon rind, lemon juice, shredded basil, stock and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer till minimal liquid, turn off heat and throw in chopped shallots. To serve, add in wholemeal pasta to base, bring heat to maximum and toss.

Lobster Tail with Creamy White Wine Sauce

2012-02-12T23:32:00.001+11:00

Yay... got sponsored a couple of lobster tails from the other half. Let's cook up some food brah!

Ingredients:

2x Lobster Tails
100 grams of butter
1x Cup of Thicken Cream
4x Cloves of Garlic (less if you want to get it on afterwards)
2x White/Brown Onions
1x Cup of White Wine
2x Cups of Chicken Stock (fish or vege works too!)
1x Sprig of Fresh Thyme
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
Chop up the garlic, onions and brown them in a pan till translucent, reduce heat and add in 50 grams butter. Deglazed with the wine then follow with the stock. Bring to boil with the thyme, then add in cream and simmer till thick. Salt and Pepper to taste, keep it more on neutral side.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add in lobster tail (notice mine have a split in them so I can bast them) and fry till shell changes colour. Reduce the heat a tad and add in the rest of the butter and continue basting for around 5 minutes. Remove and place into previously made sauce and bring to a quick boil and remove straight away. Serve split in half with crusty bread if needed.

Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes
Cost: ~$30

Home Made Garlic Sauce

2012-01-13T03:01:00.005+11:00

Been pretty bored at home lately because my previous work place went belly up and have been having a strange craving for garlic sauce, don't ask me why, just go with it!

I think anything home made wins over store bought, so here goes!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 cloves of garlic
1.5 cups of olive oil (canola oil will have a nicer colour)
1 juice of a lemon
1 egg white (yes that means no yolk!)
Salt to taste

Method:
Peel and crush the garlic so it is easy to blitz up and add into a food processor (I'm jobless so I used a blender). Set to medium speed and begin to add in the oil DO NOT GO APE SHIT AND POUR IT ALL IN! Using a tablespoon, alternate slowly between the lemon juice and the oil, this takes time rushing it will lead to nothing but a horrible looking sauce. Once a white mixture starts to appear, add in the egg white and keep alternating between the oil and lemon juice, as it thickens up add in salt and stop the process to have a quick taste. Add more salt if required, then continue blitzing it up till the sauce is nice and thick. The entire blitzing process should take around 10 minutes.

Serves: Alot?
Time: 15 minutes
Cost: < $5

Quick & Healthy Pumpkin Soup

2011-12-05T22:47:00.001+11:00

Yes I have been a lazy mofo, started a new job and haven't posted anything in a while LOL....

Easy pumpkin soup that nearly anyone can make. Perfect for a cold night with some crusty sliced bread. Fresh, delicious and healthy, really can't go wrong with this classic!

Ingredients:

Whole Pumpkin, about 1kg will do
1x White Onion
1x Cups of Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup of Dry Cooking Wine
Tablespoon of Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Some cream to serve (optional)

Method:
Roughly cube up the pumpkin and the onions as it will be blitz up later anyways. Add oil to pan, drop in onions and cook till translucent then add in the pumpkin. Add in stock, wine and simmer on low heat till the pumpkin softens up and thickens up. This should take a total of 15~20 minutes depending on the heat setting. I used a gas stove so it is a tad quicker. Once done, remove from heat and blitz it up using a stick bender or a normal bender. Don't over do it or else you will end up having baby food. Just give a quick light whiz and you should be fine. Serve with crusty bread in a deep plate and add a touch of cream for that kick!

Serves: 6~8, depending on serving size
Time: 30 minutes
Cost: < $10

Japan: My Favourite Ramen Place in Akihabara

2011-07-06T10:00:00.000+10:00

My favourite Ramen shop in Japan! I know it's unrelated to my blog, but I was just thinking about it today at work and I had to share it!

Super tasty Ramen, nice and thick and boy the broth is the best I have ever had! I'll try to find photos of it and post it up tonight!

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Spaghetti with Pork & Beef Meatballs

2011-06-05T22:43:00.000+10:00

Cold and windy nights are always great tied in with some hearty food! This dish best served with some wine too! Probably not the healthiest dish ever, but it is not as bad as you think it is!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti or Fettuccine (whatever is in the pantry will do)
5x Fresh Tomatoes
4x Pieces of Sun-dried Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1x Jar of Pasta Sauce (yes I was lazy, I usually would make it from scratch)
1/2 of Red Wine (some cheap stuff will do)
250 grams of Pork Mince
250 grams of Beef Mince
1x Cup of Bread Crumbs (I used whole grain ones)
2x Eggs
1/2 Cup of Chopped Salami (Anything with good flavour will do)
1/4 Cup of Grate Cheese(s) (I just grated anything I found in the fridge, NFI what they were)
1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
1x Tablespoon of Mix Herbs
1x Teaspoon of Parsley (Fresh is better)
1x Teaspoon of Oregano (Fresh is better)
10x Garlic cloves, chopped up finely (Adjust to liking, I like HEAPS!)
1x Pinch of Salt and Pepper
1x Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes
2x Table spoon of Olive Oil

Method:

Combine all the non pasta sauce ingredients, i.e. everything excluding the pasta, pasta sauce, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, wine and save like 5x cloves of chopped garlic for the sauce.

Mix the load with your hands or with a wooden spoon if you fancy. Once ingredients are all mixed thoroughly, roll into gold sized balls. Heat up a decent sized non-stick pan and fried all the meatballs, making sure they do not stick together. There's no need to cook them thoroughly, so remove once brown. Now add in the rest of the garlic, fried with the meatball oil/residue till brown, add in tomatoes, add in wine, pasta sauce and then simmer with the meatballs placed back in. Simmer until thicken to liking, flavour with some pepper and some salt and more herbs.

You guys all know how to cook pasta, no need for instructions :)

Serves: 6?

Time: ~1 hour (rolling up balls are boring)

Cost: $25 (provided you go to a butcher not a supermarket!)

Pho - Vietnamese Beef Soup with Rice Noodles

2011-06-01T23:08:00.000+10:00

A nice and tasty dish best served when it is freezing. I often crave this at least once a week no matter where I am, or what I am doing. This meant I just had to learn how to make it, so with some researching and speaking to my aunty it turned out to be quite easy, although quite time consuming and best made a day before serving.

A quick fact, this dish is Vietnam's most famous which is ironic because the country is blistering hot!

Ingredients:

(Soup)

5kgs of beef bones (I used Ox tails and shoulder bones)
1x piece of tripe (optional, but I like to keep it authentic)
250 grams of tendon (optional, but I like to keep it authentic)
1kgs of Beef Balls
1kg flank (make sure it has nice fatty bits in it)
2x Pho satchels (contains: star anise, cinnamon, coriander seeds, other shit)
2x roasted onions
1x whole ginger root, squashed
1/2 cup of fish sauce
2x table spoons of sugar

(To Serve)

Rice Noodles, preferably fresh, not the dried shit you find in your supermarket, FRESH people!
Hoisin Sauce, a fermented bean sauce used as a dipping sauce
Hot Sriracha Chilli Sauce, a really hot chilli sauce, fantastic mixed with the hoisin
Slice beef scotch fillet
Fresh bean sprouts
Thinly sliced onions
Chopped Corriander
Chopped Shallots, scallions as you Americaaaannns call them :)
Asian basil
Asian sawtooth basil
Lemon or Lime

Method:

Soup: Launch all the bones, onions, ginger, pho satchels into around 8 litres of water and bring to a hard boil for around 15 minutes. Scoop off the layer of fat, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 5 hours to maximise taste. After the simmer period, scoop off the fat once again. Now add in the 1kg flank (whole), beef balls, tripe, and tendon, cook for around 45 minutes with the heat on medium. Once done, remove the tripe, tendon, flank making sure the tripe and tendon are soft. Begin to flavour the soup with fish sauce, and sugar. You will find out that the soup itself it quite tasty after adding the fish sauce, add sugar to balance out the flavour. You might find that adding some salt to it as well will make it taste better along with the fish sauce.

Once the soup is complete, and you're ready to serve. Slice up the flank, around 5mm thick, chop up the tendon into nice bite size chunks, and as for the tripe into strips.

To serve, layer the bowl first with rice noodles (makes sure you nuke them so they're hot), layered with bean sprouts, thinly sliced onions, shallots, basil, sawtooth basil, then the tendons, beef balls, flank and lastly the raw thinly sliced scotch fillet. Bring the soup to a boil and pour on top, this will cook the raw beef. Serve with some lemon squeezed over and with the hoisin and the hot chilli dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

Serves: 10+

Time: ~ 6+ hours

Cost: $60

Spiced Chicken with Prosciutto Skewers

2011-03-23T23:13:00.000+11:00

Quick and easy, especially after work when you're tired and lazy. I came up with this idea when I was strolling through Coles during my lunch break.

Ingredients:

1x Chicken Breast (half it they're huge)
4x Slices of Prosciutto cut into strips
1x Tablespoon of Paprika
1x Tablespoon of Mild Curry Powder
1/4x Teaspoon of Cumin Powder
2x Tablespoons of Dry White Wine
Pinch of Salt & Pepper
Mixed Salad
1x Cucumber
Garlic Flakes
Chilli Flakes
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Chopped Prosciutto
Tzatziki Sauce

Method:

Chicken Skewers: Cube up the chicken breast into nice bite sized chucks. Place into bowl and mix with paprika, curry powder, cumin, wine, oil, salt and pepper and leave it to sit in the fridge for around 1 hour (great time to duck off to the gym). Remove from fridge and place onto skewers with prociutto, i.e. for every piece of chicken there should be one piece of prociutto. Heat up the grill or BBQ and cook until nice and golden/crisp.

Salad: Add into a bowl the mixed salad, chop up prosciutto into small pieces, add some salt & pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic flakes, chilli flakes and mix thoroughly. Once nicely mixed, add in chopped cucumber.

Once chicken skewers are cooked, serve with warm pita bread, tzatziki sauce. Fantastic!

Serves: 2 with Pita Bread and Salad

Time: ~25 minutes

Cost: $15

Rare Sliced Beef Rump with Garlic, Sesame and Dark Soy

2011-03-18T10:31:00.000+11:00

Simple lazy dish I knocked up after work mid week. It's healthy enough once you combine it with some veggies and eaten with whole grain rice!

Ingredients:

500 grams of Beef Rump (the leaner the better for your health)
2x Garlic cloves, chopped up finely (dried garlic is fine too, just use 2 teaspoons)
1x Table spoon of Dark Soy sauce aka Kecap Sauce
1x Pinch of Salt and Pepper
1x Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes
1x Splash of White Wine
1x Table spoon of Olive Oil

Method:

Quite easy and quick, combine all ingredients together and leave to marinate for around 1 hour. Remove, heat up a non-stick pan and fry at maximum heat for around 2~3 minutes each side. Reduce heat to half and cook either side for another 2~3 minutes. Remove from heat, plate it and wrap it up with foil. Leave to sweat.

Plate up rice and chop up some fresh veggies. Slice beef into 4mm strips, layer onto dish and drizzle with sauce.

Serves: 2 with rice

Time: ~20 minutes

Cost: $15 (provided you go to a butcher not a supermarket!)