Monday, December 31, 2012

Turkey Shui Mai (dumplings)

I was in the grocery store staring at a packet of ground turkey but I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I had lost all inspiration.  I didn't want to make meatballs or another burger, but I knew I had to incorporate this healthy, light choice of meat into our diet this week or all my hard work in front of Jillian (US Biggest Loser Trainer) and running on that damn treadmill would be for naught.  I came home, read The Age newspaper online and went straight to the Good Food section.  They had a little special on some New Years Eve party ideas and were making chicken dumplings using wonton wrappers. I knew I had some of those in my fridge, as I had bought them ages ago thinking I might not ever find them again.  I got started and combined a few ideas to make this delicious meal.  I actually ate a few as a starter as soon as I steamed them but actually ended up eating them in a miso soup as a full meal.  Despite these being totally uncomplicated and pretty neutral in flavour the girls tried them but didn't really eat them. I'll give them another go as they normally eat dim sims or dumplings without much hassle and they love noodles and Chinese food usually.  

These were so easy to make, the pre-made wonton wrappers cut out most of the prep work and the chestnuts gave it such a delicious crunch, it made them interesting while still maintaining the mild and subtle flavors.  I really enjoyed these.  


Makes approx 30 dumplings

Ingredients:
250g (1/2 lb) ground turkey
1/4 cup tinned water chestnuts, finely diced
2 spring onion
1 tspn ginger, minced
1 tspn garlic, crushed
egg white (I used about half)
1 tspn salt
pinch of white pepper
30 wonton wrappers

Asian Dressing:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup peanut or grapeseed oil
1/3 soy sauce
2 tblpsn ginger
4 spring onions
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tblspn fish sauce
pinch of salt
1/2 tspn sugar
1 tblspn freshly chopped mint or cilantro

Method:
  • Mix all the ingredients for the dumplings together in a bowl using your hand to combine well.
  • Holding a wonton wrapper in your palm, drop a spoonful of mixture into the centre.  Run a little water around the edges of the wrapper before folding it into a triangle and pressing the sides firmly.  I then bring the two corners together at the bottom and pinch the edges together to make it look like a chinese fortune cookie.  (Instructions for this are usually on the back of the wonton wrapper packet).
  • Place the sealed wontons in an oiled bamboo steamer, cover and cook for 5-7mins
  • Serve with the Asian Dressing as an appetizer or in an Asian soup, like miso for a complete meal


Sunday, December 30, 2012

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

I did the unimaginable this past week and bought the massive bag (could it 5lbs?) of baby spinach from Costco and then had to find one hundred and one ways to eat spinach!  Who are those bags for?  Families are seemingly larger here in the mid west but surely not large enough to eat all that spinach before it went off!  Well, I did my best and I am pleased to say after using a good portion to make Palak Paneer for our Annual Curryfest, then layering it between lasagne, and even hiding it under our  Christmas Roast Beef as creamed spinach which the girls didn't seem to notice... it was gone.  For a simple mid week meal, this easy chicken dish was really tasty and absolutely kid friendly - if they aren't scared of 'green'.  It helps to keep the chicken moist and the use of the bacon wrap is just plain delicious. We ate it with a bunch of steamed vegetables but given the oven is on, you could easily do this with my scallop potato dish http://whatsfordinner-mum.blogspot.com/2012/04/scallop-potatoesthe-perfect-side.html or just regular roasted mixed vegetables.



Makes 2

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, butterflied
2 cups spinach, wilted (or defrost a packet of spinach)
50g feta
2 tblpsn ricotta (optional)
a shake of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1/3 cup parmesan
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 rashers bacon to wrap

Method:
  • Heat a large pan or wok and cook the spinach over medium heat, add salt and cook until wilted.  You many need to add a drop or two of water to aid the wilting process. When cooked, remove from heat and drain all excess water on a paper towel.
  • Preheat oven to 400'F
  • Using a hand blender, roughly puree the spinach in a tall cup and allow to cool
  • In a bowl, mix the spinach, feta, ricotta (if using) and parmesan, seasonings and crushed garlic.
  • Slice your chicken breast almost all the way through and open it out.
  • Spoon your spinach mixture into the gap and then wrap the bacon around the chicken keeping it in place.  Use a toothpick to secure.
  • Spray an oven proof dish with a little olive oil spray and place the chicken in the dish.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 12mins, covered with foil.
  • Uncover and let the bacon crisp up, another 3-5mins.
  • Serve with your choice of vegetables or salad

Friday, December 21, 2012

Rumballs

A simple, no bake Christmas treat.  I remember making these almost every year around this time with my Dad and sister. The chain gang of balling and rolling in coconut made it a quick task so I recruited some smaller helpers today as well.... little Georgia was to keen to get her fingers mucky and Lucy tried her hand at it too for a time.



Ingredients:
250g weetabix, crushed
1 400g tin of sweetened condensed milk
3 tspn cocoa powder
1/2 cup sultanas/raisins, chopped (optional but highly recommended)
1 1/2 cup dessicated unsweetened coconut
2 tbspn rum (white, dark, doesnt matter) or more if you want a Merry Christmas.

Method:
  • Combine the crushed weetabix, rum, condensed milk, cocoa powder, sultanas and 1 of the cups of coconut in a large bowl and mix until well combined
  • Roll roughly 1 tablespoon of mixture into a ball and then drop into another bowl of the remaining coconut to coat
Georgia says she might become a real cooker one day! 
  • Place on a tray and continue until all the mixture is used.
  • Place in the refridgerator for 25-30minutes to chill
  • Store in an airtight container, for as long as they last... or up to about 10 days if that's possible.
  • They get even better after a few days as the rum seems to intensify

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Chocolate rolo cookies

My girls' had their School Holiday Sing Concert this week and their 'after party' called for cookies.  In a cookie mad country I had to find something good. I have to admit as a general rule, I don't like cookies. And I totally suck at cooking them. So from my perspective I have perpetuated the belief that they are completely overrated and generally dry and boring. I needed to change my attitude if I was going to fit in at school though so after much searching, I saw this  recipe on pinterest (my new late night hobby) via a website called liluna.com and immediately thought, these have potential. You've probably all seen this recipe a thousand times before but for me, cooking cookies are along the road less travelled. It is a cake mix, so it has body and above all - it has a rolo shoved in the middle.  You can't go wrong with a rolo shoved in anything so I gave it a go. At this time of the year I was also keen not to make it all totally from scratch.  It was more like a brownie than a cookie but with a little surprise.  I liked it.  The girls cleaned the plate of leftovers the next day so I was well pleased.  I didn't want them hanging around our house too long over this crazy festive season, I'll put on enough calories with wine and champagne, I don't need any further temptations.  

So if you have the need this holiday to share a plate of 'cookies'...make a batch of these.  


Makes approx 24

Ingredients:
1 packet chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter
8oz cream cheese
1 tspn vanilla essence
1 egg
powdered sugar
rolo's

Method:
  • Pre heat the oven to 350'F
  • Beat the butter, egg, vanilla and cream cheese together until fluffy
  • Add the dry cake mix and continue to beat until it begins to form a dough
  • Place the mixture in the refridgerator for 30mins to chill
  • Roll about a tablespoon of mixture into a rough ball and then press a rolo into the middle, making sure it is covered with dough.  
  • Drop the ball into a bowl of powdered sugar and dust off excess, then place on a greased baking sheet
  • Allow enough space between each cookie for expansion, you might get about 9 or 10 per tray
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  • Dust a little powdered sugar to the top if you like, as they cool.
  • Eat at least one while they're hot!


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

No Cream Carbonara

Is Carbonara one of those dishes you love but are never too sure when to add the egg?  This is the most simple and tasty dish and it avoids the guilt of a carb-loaded meal made with cream.  It has none!  This should not take more than about 15mins to cook from start to finish.  The girls enjoy the simplicity of this dish, so I often just toss the cooked mushrooms through our portion after I've dished up theirs.  Mushrooms are one vegetable I can understand them not liking, I never did as a kid!

I love my carbonara with mushrooms, not totally traditional but by far the best!

NB. I will update this with a photo the next time we eat it... after a late evening playing out in the snow, we all rushed in to eat too quickly tonight!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
pasta: penne - spaghetti - whatever you like!
salt
cracked black pepper
1 tblspn butter
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
200g streaky bacon, sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1/3-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4-6 portabella mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Method:
  • Bring a pot of salty water to the boil on the stove.  Add pasta when boiling.
  • In a non-stick pan, heat a good knob of butter.  Sauté the sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook until browned.  Set aside.
  • Add the onions and cook until soft and clear, then add the garlic
  • Add bacon/pancetta to the pan and cook until tender and crispy.    
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and combine with the majority of parmesan. 
  • Drain the pasta, keeping aside a little of the pasta water, and add pasta to bacon and stir to mix through.  
  • Remove the pan from the heat entirely and use some pasta cooking water to move the pasta around in the pan, if necessary.
  • Stir in the egg while the pasta is still hot and coat all the strands of pasta with the egg/cheese mixture.
Serve immediately with a shaving of additional parmesan and some cracked pepper.  Freshly chopped parsley if you want to add a touch of green.







Thursday, December 13, 2012

Peachy pops

I was looking for a fun way to use up about 30 tins of sliced peaches... see earlier post on http://whatsfordinner-mum.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-craft-tradition.html which I prepared for my two girls' class.  I searched 'what to do with tinned peaches' and Del Monte, the brand of peaches had this delicious recipe listed on their website.  These are ideal, pureed peaches and vanilla yoghurt - low calorie and delicious. 

I have a few classroom parties coming up over the festive season so this is the perfect solution!

You could of course use peaches, strawberries, mango, banana or any combination you like. The girls helped me pour them into the cups and they were frozen in just a few hours.  These are going to become a regular treat in our house from now on.



Makes 8 serves

Ingredients:
1 15oz (430g) tin of sliced or halved peaches
8 oz low fat vanilla yoghurt
8 (4oz) plastic cups
8 wooden icypole sticks

Method:
  • Pour the entire undrained tin of peaches into a blender and puree
  • Add the yoghurt and blend until well combined and smooth
  • Pour into cups and place in the freezer until partially frozen (about 45min-1hr) and then place a wooden stick in each cup
  • Continue to freeze completely, 3+ hrs or overnight
  • Run a little warm water over the cups and twist them out when you're ready to eat

Simple Pancakes

My eldest daughter Lucy loves pancakes.  I always pretend they take too long to cook and so it's usually something she orders if we ever go out for Breakfast.  Kind of my way of encouraging her to be satisfied with porridge 7 days a week!  Well, I saw this cute little pan in Costco the other week and thought, this is it, this just makes it too easy.  The perfect circular pancake, my OCD about uniformity has been mitigated, no excuses left.

This morning Lucy woke at 4:58am and was up, bed made and dressed by 5:12 ready for school. We had a long morning ahead so I pulled out my new fancy nancy pan and tried this recipe from Food Network. It worked like a charm, I was impressed.  They were light and fluffy and so simple. We started with the simple pancake  I didn't add vanilla but I'm sure as the weeks pass she'll get a little more adventurous and we'll start making them with mashed banana or blueberries or something.  On weekends only... this is not becoming a new habit!



Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose (plain) flour
1 tblspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 tblspn sugar
1 egg
2 tblspn vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 tspn vanilla essence (optional)

Method:

  • In a bowl sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.  
  • Make a well and crack the egg.  Whisk it well with a fork
  • Add the oil and milk and gradually combine until smooth
  • Heat a griddle pan and brush a little oil or butter over the surface
  • If using a molded griddle like mine, pour out approx 2 tblspn of batter into each mold and cook until it bubbles.
  • Turn and cook on the other side
  • Serve immediately with your choice of toppings, maple syrup, butter, fruit or lemon and sugar




Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Blue Cheese Burger

Mid week burgers don't have to be boring and they honestly don't have to take long to prepare.  I decided, made and was eating this one within 30mins.  I had some fresh ground beef in the fridge  and had been eating a little blue cheese on my salads this week so it didn't take me long to put two and two together.   What a hit!  I had given the girls dinner earlier so they didn't eat this but I would definitely try a version of this for them.  Maybe just use a nice aged cheddar and crumble that.  I wouldn't necessary add the hot sauce to theirs but a little dry mustard is an awesome hit of flavor with the worchestire sauce.  


Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
400g ground beef sirloin
1 tspn dry mustard powder
a splash of worchestire sauce
sea salt and cracked pepper
2 tblspn hot sauce
3-4oz blue cheese or gorgonzola roughly crumbled

nice ciabatta rolls, heated
avocado, sliced
arugula
cucumber, sliced
mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing* or aioli 

Method:
  • Preheat the oven to 350'F
  • Finely dice your onion and cook gently over medium heat until translucent (I hate nothing more than raw onion in my burgers!). Allow to cool
  • In a large bowl mix together the raw ground beef and all the other ingredients.  I added the onion while they were still a little warm but I was cooking the burgers straight away.  If you are planning on doing these ahead of time and refridgerating them, then please let the onion cool right down before mixing with your raw meat. 
  • Divide your meat into 4 equal portions and roll into a ball
  • Roll or rub a little oil over your patties and then place on a hot grill or grill plate on the stove. 
  • I have the oven on, for the buns but I also use it cook the patties all the way through.  I like the outside charred and full of flavor but then I like them to give them some time and retaining their moisture by finishing them in the oven.  Get the grill hot, cook for approx 3-4 mins each side and then place them in the oven to continue to cook for another 5-8mins.  It also allows me to prep the other items.  
  • Heat your buns in the oven for the last 4 mins to warm through and to get a little crunch on the outside.
  • Build your burger however you like, but I kept this simple with some arugula, avocado and cucumber.  I could have probably done with some slightly carmelized red onion but it could have made it to sweet.  
  • A little dollop of blue cheese dressing and it was divine!

*A nice low(er) fat Blue Cheese Dressing
50g / about 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup non fat greek yoghurt (or sour cream)
2 tblpsn white wine vinegar
3 tblspn pure orange juice
1 tblspn walnut oil
sea salt and cracked pepper
generous pinch of sugar

mix together in a bowl and refrigerate for up to 7 days


Christmas Craft Tradition

It is popular to share Holiday Traditions with the class at school so while I was thinking what it was that marks this time of year for us, I found myself at a disappointing low... 'how come we don't have any real traditions!'  There are the usual culinary traditions but even those seem to change depending on who's coming, the weather, the time of day, where we live... we don't ALWAYS have prawns or turkey, sometimes it is a beef fillet grilled on the BBQ or this year I'm even thinking a Beef Wellington.  We have trifle when it suits us and christmas pudding at others.  We do hang a stocking, we don't do St Nick, we have an "Elfie", we eat Indian curry on Christmas Eve and call it Curryfest and sometimes are back home to celebrate my sister's birthday with a cheesecake. Our girls have just turned five and six so I went looking for someone else's tradition we could hijack for our family for the rest of time.  Pinterest.  What a time waster that is, but wow - it shares some pretty cool ideas.  Check this out. A new update: I was brand new to Pinterest when I first found this idea and didn't actually 'pin it' to a board so I now can not find where I originally saw it but in doing a new search I think I may have found the original owner... a very talented woman at www.bluecricketdesign.net has something very similar as well as a million and one other creative ideas to do as a family or for special occasions.  Please look her up,  she is amazing!

This is a lovely gesture of gratitude and giving.  We've never seen houses so beautifully decorated than here in Wisconsin.  Obviously it's not limited to the Festive season, all year round they seem to take pride in their houses and adorn them in appropriate wreaths and garland for every season or occasion.  It's a real reminder of the changing land and weather.  We love it.  This idea resonated with me because it's nice to tell people you noticed what they do and appreciate it.   

Drive around your neighborhood and decide on the top  2 or 3 houses with the nicest Holiday decorations.  



Using a tin with a pull top, open the bottom rim with a can opener leaving the ring pull end in tact.
Empty the contents (we now have an enormous amount of peaches as I prepped this exercise for 2 classes 30 kids!) and wash the tin out thoroughly. 



Once dry, fill your tins with candy (leftover from Halloween perhaps) but ensure they are individually wrapped for hygiene purposes.

Seal the end using hot glue and push together to set.


Using any assortment of card paper or even wrapping paper, buttons, ribbons, sparkles or stickers... decorate your tin.  Write or print a little message saying how much you like your neighbors lights and then drop it off on their front door step over this Festive season.  It will bring a smile to their face and you would have fun enjoying their lights and making a small gift of appreciation.


I'd like to update this with some of the results from today's JK and SK class craft project if I can.... I hope the kids enjoy doing this!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Samosa pies & pasties

This is, in principal, a variation of my earlier curry puff recipe I suppose but with a chunkier, spicier filling.  A samosa pie similar to this won the popular vote at my friend's recent Annual Pie Party (more on that in another post) so I wanted to spruce up my curry puff in the same vain. My husband and I like things spicy so I knocked it out of the park with this one, please feel free to taper the heat if you prefer a milder curry.  It is easily done in this recipe, just cut the chili and curry powder by half.  I played around with a few different sizes and presentation methods today but the folded large pasties is a good package if you wish to freeze them for another time. The individual ramekin was perfect for our evening meal and looked adorable on the plate.  Of course you can omit the heavy spice altogether and make a kid friendly version easily enough, the use of the mash potato to help bind all the other ingredients makes it simple to manipulate and it has a wonderful mouth feel.  I love a pot pie of any variety and these are no exception. Have a go and see what you can come up with!




Makes approx 12 large pasties (1/2 sheet) 
or 24 medium (1/4 sheet)

Ingredients:
2 potatoes, diced and mashed
1 sweet potato, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup green beans, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tspn ground coriander
2 tblspn hot Indian curry powder
1 tspn chili powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tblspn brown sugar
3 spring onions, diced

1/2 brown onion, diced
1 fresh red chili, diced (with or without seeds)
2 chicken breasts, poached in chicken stock with 1/2 tspn curry powder
cashew nuts, chopped (optional)
2 tbslpn freshly chopped cilantro
6 puff pastry sheets
1 egg, brushing pastry

These would be lovely without the chicken if you wanted to make a vegetarian option.


Method:
  • Allow puff pastry sheets to defrost to room temperature
  • Boil the potatoes in salted water, mash and allow to cool
  • In a microwave safe bowl, par cook the sweet potato
  • Poach the chicken pieces in chicken stock/broth with 1/2 tspn curry powder, once tender but not overly cooked, drain and set aside.
  • In a pan, fry off the onion in a little vegetable oil.  Once the onion turns clear, add the spring onion and fresh chili.  I added the cooked chicken into this pan to sauté quickly with the chili powder, turmeric, sugar and ground coriander and the remaining curry powder (amount to your liking)
  • Set aside and allow to cool
  • Combine all the cooked vegetables, mash potato, uncooked beans and frozen peas, chicken etc in a large bowl and mix until well combined.  Stir in the fresh cilantro and cashew nuts.
  • Cut pastry sheet in half diagonally (for large pasties) or in square quarters for smaller pasties.
  • Preheat the oven to 425'F 
  • Pierce the sides of the pastry you wish to seal with a fork, run a little egg wash over the pricks.  Place mixture on one side of the triangle fold over and fold and twists the edges to seal.  
  • Brush top of pastry with egg wash and bake for approx 20-25mins or until golden brown
  • Serve with sweet chili sauce or if you're game, Sriarcha hot chili sauce





Friday, December 7, 2012

Festive Season Stuffing

Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day leftovers... however it rolls in your house, you might want to give this stuffing recipe a go next time you are hosting a Holiday Dinner. We thought it was sensational and as far as I'm concerned the best part of my Roast Turkey Dinner this Thanksgiving.  I had never cooked a roast Turkey before moving here let alone tried my hand at stuffing, so this was a surprise to me and the result was incredible.  I had heard rumors of what made a good foundation for stuffing but until I started to pull it together I didn't realize how far I could go with this.  Growing up, Mum used to cook her Turkey for Christmas Day with the stuffing inside the bird and that always gave the meat lovely flavor so I had never contemplated cooking the stuffing outside the bird, as a side dish.  This really appealed to me.   It also cuts down what you need to do at the last minute as so much of this can be prepared the day before.  


Ingredients:
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
1 carrot, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
200g (4 oz) pork sausage or 2 thick pork sausages, meat removed
a good handful of dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
2-3 thick slices stale bread, cut into cubed croutons
handful of roughly chopped walnuts
tblpsn each of freshly chopped sage, thyme and rosemary
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cup diced mushrooms
butter (and more butter)
cracked pepper
sea salt

Method:
  • Preheat the oven to 400'F
  • In a large fry pan, heat a little butter and saute the mushrooms with salt and pepper and garlic. Once cooked through, remove from the pan.
  • Add more butter or oil and fry off the onion, then carrots and celery until soft and tender
  • Add the pork sausage meat and break it up using a spoon and cook until browned
  • Replace the mushrooms and now add the fresh herbs, cranberries and walnuts and toss well with a little of the chicken stock.
  • Season with salt and pepper as needed
  • In an oven proof dish, add the stuffing mixture together with the croutons
  • Pour in the remainder of the chicken stock, tossing through the croutons until moist.
  • Cook in the hot oven until the croutons brown and return to crunchy
  • Then serve alongside your Christmas or Festive roast meat.




Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Quick gnocchi with chili and parmesan

I do like to make gnocchi from scratch, it's a fun and relatively easy process but the title of this recipe was "quick" gnocchi so here's the thing....You can buy some pretty good gnocchi in vacuum packs  from the supermarkets these days. I have some standing by at all times in my cupboard for those days when I really have run out of time.  I throw in as few ingredients as possible to whip up a quick, satisfying and flavorful meal in literally minutes.  Of course you can go to more trouble and fry off some lovely bacon or prosciutto and add peas and basil and whatever else takes your fancy but gnocchi is often just as good if it's left pretty much alone.  My girls like it with butter and parmesan which is a great side dish to any grilled meat and steamed veggie combination but we like it like this... A big bowl of spicy, gooey, cheesey goodness!  



Ingredients:
1 packet of vacuum sealed store bought gnocchi
1 fresh red chili, finely diced
freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese
cracked black pepper
sea salt
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tin of anchovies (optional)

Method:

  • Boil the kettle and then fill a saucepan with boiling water and add salt
  • Add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi floats to the surface
  • Once the gnocchi have boiled on the surface for about 1-2mins (they do need a little time on top to cook through) transfer the cooked gnocchi using a slotted spoon to a waiting fry pan full of butter.  Cook off the gnocchi in the butter and add the fresh chili
  • Add some parmesan cheese to the pan and season.  
  • If the gnocchi begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a dash of chicken stock or broth to loosen
  • Serve with additional parmesan and chili flakes if you like it hot and eat immediately!




Monday, December 3, 2012

Chow Mein

I was after a quick and healthy fix for tonight's dinner so I remembered my friend Vanessa's chow mein. She has a wonderful little food blog too so if you need some more family friendly meal ideas, check out her blog at http://mums-in-the-kitchen.blogspot.com.  I decided to use ground turkey to keep it light and to make the most of this American favorite ground meat.  There is not a lot of choice in Asian noodles here so I made tonight's dish with just regular dried 2 minute ramen noodles.  The girls love them so I always have some in the house for emergencies and I figured by not using the 'sachet of evilness' I can actually make it into a totally acceptable meal.  It worked, this was awesome and super cheap and easy. I added the chili and chili sauce to our portions only, so the girls enjoyed it too.  They did their best to avoid the vegetables but it was proving difficult so they ended up just spooning it up.  I love a quick dish like this and you can mix it up using ground chicken, beef or even strips of flank steak or chicken breast for a chunkier version.  The ground meat works beautifully with kids in the picture as it just becomes a part of the meal not the main feature. Give this one a go for sure, you won't regret it.  


Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
500g or 1lb ground turkey (or chicken) breast meat
1 tblspn sesame oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
1 cup carrots, grated or blitzed
3/4 red pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup green beans, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tblpsn oyster sauce
1 tblspn curry powder
2 tblpsn hoisin sauce
1 tspn sriarcha sauce (hot chili sauce) or to your taste
1 fresh red chili, diced
2 tblspn fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 chinese cabbage, shredded or about 2 cups
170g (6oz) singapore egg noodles (or 2 packets of dry ramen noodles)

Method:
  • Boil the kettle and cook the noodles in a saucepan for approx 2mins until just tender.  (I added some chicken stock powder to the water for added flavor - do not use the sachet included in the noodles....evil!)  Once tender, drain and then pour over some cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • In a large wok or fry pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until clear.
  • Add the ground turkey and fry until fully cooked and browned.
  • Add the garlic and continue to stir until fragrant, then add the fresh chili
  • Add the oyster and hoisin sauces and curry powder. 
  • Add the carrot, beans and red pepper and cook for a few minutes
  • Now add the cabbage and the chicken stock and either put a lid over the wok to help steam or stir continuously until softened.
  • Stir in the noodles and add a little more chicken stock or water if necessary to keep it loose and to create a little sauce.
  • Stir through the cilantro and serve