Lobak/Pork in Crispy Bean Curd Rolls

In Penang we call them Lobak, in the south of Malaysia and Singapore they’re known as Ngoh Hiang. Ngoh Hiang means five fragrance, or five spices, which is the essential ingredient of this dish. You can purchase five-spice powder from Asian grocers or mix it up yourself; the 5 spices are star anise, cinnamon, clove, schezuan pepper and fennel seeds. The rolls are usually served with a sweet and sour sauce. I broke the no deep frying in my kitchen rules today. It was 2 Christmases ago that we last had any deep frying in this house. Anyway, I now regret having to clean up. Thank goodness the reward was worth the effort.

Ingredients

500g pork mince

2 tsp of five spice powder

1 tsp of ground white pepper

3 tbsp of light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 stalk of spring onion finely chopped

200g of water chestnut finely diced
1 egg (60g)

Salt

Bean curd sheets

1 tsp of corn flour mix with 20ml of water

Oil for deep frying

Method

1.          Add all the seasonings and egg to the mince, mix well, marinate for at least 30minutes.

2.          Wet bean curd sheets with a bit of water to make it more pliable.

3.          Cut the sheets into 12x12cm squares.

4.          Wrap mince in the bean curd skin, seal with the corn flour paste. Put seal side down for it to stick while wrapping the rest of the rolls.

5.          Heat vegetable oil/rice bran oil.

6.          Deep fry the rolls until the skin is golden and crisp.

Dry Bean Curd Sheets

Lemon Slice

Well, the lemon tree is fruiting this season, I can’t remember what species it is now, the lemon is rather large but the skin not smooth like a Meyer lemon. Here’s a little afternoon tea treat, a tangy lemon slice from Better Homes and Garden’s special edition of 105 easy basics biscuits, cakes and slices by Ed Halmagyi.

Ingredients

For the base

175g butter, chopped into little cubes

80g icing sugar

1-2 vanilla beans, scrape the seeds out or use 1 tsp vanilla extract

280g plain flour

For the lemon curd

180ml lemon juice

4 eggs

Lemon zests

300g caster sugar

90g plain flour

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 180°C.

2.          Grease a rectangular tin (27cmx18cm).

3.          Process all the ingredients for base in food processor or work with fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4.          Press firmly into tin.

5.          Bake for 20mins.

6.          Whisk all the ingredients for the lemon curd until combined and bubbly.

7.          Pour onto warm base and return to the oven.

8.          Reduce the heat to 160°C and bake for a further 20mins or until the middle of the lemon curd is set.

9.          Cool before slicing.

Soba/Buckwheat Noodle Salad

This is a simple healthy meal perfect for summer, as the dish is often eaten cold. I bought some soba or Japanese buckwheat noodles to try, as I’ve heard of its excellent nutritional value. Have you followed any food fad recently?


Here’s what I learned while researching buckwheat. Buckwheat isn’t actually a grain; it comes from a hardy, weed-like plant related to rhubarb. Its seeds are used for centuries as staple food. Buckwheat is therefore gluten free and can be eaten by people with coeliac disease. It is high in protein, fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, antioxidant flavonoids (especially rutin) and lignans. Diets that contain high intake of buckwheat have been linked to lower risk of developing high cholesterol, gallstones, and diabetes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 bundles of soba noodles

1 capsicum, julienned

1 carrot, julienned

Snow peas

4 dried shitake mushrooms

1 piece of chicken breast

2 cm piece of fresh ginger

2 stalks of spring onions

4 tbsp soba sauce (or use gluten free soy sauce)

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1.          Poach chicken breast in a pot of simmering water.

2.          Add to it sliced ginger and the dried shitake mushrooms.

3.          When the chicken is cooked (about 15 mins), set it aside to rest.

4.          Blanch the snow peas and capsicum for about 2-3 minutes, drain.

5.          Cook the noodles in boiling water for about 10 minutes, drain.

6.          Add the soba sauce and sesame oil to the noodles, toss well to coat.

7.          Slice the chicken and mushrooms.

8.          Toss all ingredients with the noodles.

9.          Top with a sprinkle of chopped spring onions.