300 g winged bean
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons mirin
1 teaspoon sesame seed

Directions

Cut the tops of the beans – only use young ones that have not hardened.Cook beans until just tender in salted water.Mix sesame oil, mirin, and sesame seed.Drain beans and toss them in dressing immediately.Serve cold.

5 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
2 red chilies, seeded and halved
8 slices ginger or galangal
3 tablespoons lemon juice or lime juice (use the big lime)
3 stalks lemon grass
2 sprigs coriander
1 Chinese barbecued duck, deboned and chopped
4 shallot, chopped
150 g dried ramen noodles
bean sprout, to garnish
red chili, to garnish
coriander, to garnish (cilentro)
3 bunches bok choy (optional)
salt
white pepper

Directions

Combine stock and water into saucepan and heat till liquid is simmering.Add, galangal, chillies and lime juice to saucepan.Bruise lemon grass and coriander (to release flavor), and add to saucepan.Simmer liquid for 20 minutes.Strain liquid, and return to saucepan.Heat liquid with duck and shallots.Boil Ramen noodles in separate saucepan for 3-5 minutes or till tender.Drain noodles.

Add noodles and bak choy (optional the bak choy) to soup stock and simmer for 5 minutes.Ladle soup to serving bowls, garnishing with bean sprouts, chili strips and coriander.Add salt and pepper to taste.

2 large eggplant or 4 small eggplant, halved
5 tablespoons coconut oil
4 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cm ginger or galangal, chopped
4 red chilies
400 g tomato, chopped or 1 can of peeled tomato
2 lime, juice of
salt

Directions

Halve the eggplants and brush them with 3 tablespoons of oil.Place them on a tray and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40 minutes or until they soften.Grind the shallots, garlic, ginger and/or galangal and chillies into a paste with a mortar and pestle.Heat the remaining oil in a wok, and the paste along with the tomatoes and salt and stir until heated through.Stir in the lime juice.Place the eggplant in a bowl and pour over the sauce.Serve with rice or cut the eggplants and serve as part of a banquet.

1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
1 dash garlic salt (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl.Cover and chill for 20-30 minutes.

400 g fresh birds eye chili, blend
200 g shallot, blend
100 g garlic, blend
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste, blend (fish sauce sub)
50 ml lime juice
50 g sugar
salt and pepper (to taste)
soy sauce (optional)

Directions

Remove seed from chili to tone down the spiciness. Blend all ingredient.Add salt and pepper to taste. Do add additional sugar and lime juice before serving if you like it less spicy.Keep in bottle- chill if possible.

Chicken and Marinade

* 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
* 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 pinch pepper
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce

* 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1 star anise
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 green bell pepper, sliced
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced
* 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
* 1 large shallot, chopped
* 2 large mango, peeled,pitted,thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves
* 2 sprigs cilantro

Directions

Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl.Put the raw chicken in and let it sit for half an hour.Mix the sauce ingredients in another bowl and put aside.Break off the star arms of the anise and throw away the middle.Carefully press between your fingers until you hear a crack.In a non-stick frying pan or a wok, heat the oil and the star anise on high heat.Put in the chicken and stir-fry for about 4 or 5 minutes, until the chicken is opaque.Put in the pepper slices, ginger, garlic and shallots and stir-fry for another minute.Put in the sauce ingredients and stir to mix until it thickens a bit.It should take about another minute.Add the mango slices and mix gently until they’re warmed through.Garnish with the pecans and cilantro and serve immediately.

1 English cucumber
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons beet sugar (or granulated sugar)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot chili oil
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

Directions

Peel the cucumber and halve lengthwise; scrape out the seeds and cut into thick chunks.Place chunks into a bowl and toss with the salt.Allow to rest for 30 minutes.Mix together the sugar, rice vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil in a small dish.Add mixture to cucumbers, and stir until cucumbers are evenly coated.Served

3 small eggplant
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 stalks chopped spring onion
1 red chili, sliced

To marinate together

* 200 g minced chicken
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons light soya sauce
* 3 dashes white pepper powder
* cornflour

Directions

3 small eggplants or 1 large eggplant, cut in chunks, place on the steamer, add vinegar sauce(sugar to add into vinegar).Steam the eggplant till soft (about 20 minutes).Stir fry the marinated minced chicken, once cooked, pour over onto the steamed eggplant.Steamed another 10 minutes to have the juices from the chicken to dissolve into the eggplant.When ready, sprinkle spring onion and sliced chili.Serve with other dishes.Serve with steamed rice.

2 tablespoons chopped raw cashews
2 tablespoons chopped blanched almond
4-5 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
3 inches piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns
350 g toor dal
150 g channa dal (Bengal gram dal, chana dal)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3-4 tablespoons peanut oil or ghee
1 medium cinnamon stick
6 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
6 whole clove
5 ounces red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ounce fresh mint, chopped
1 large aubergine, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
10 ounces potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
8 ounces coconut milk
1-2 teaspoon salt
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
2-3 tablespoons thick tamarind paste
1-3 fresh hot green chili pepper, cut into diagonal slices (and seeded if preferred)
1-2 tablespoon ghee (optional, to garnish)

Directions

Soak the cashews and almonds in 4 oz water overnight or for at least four hours. Blend the nuts and liquid in an electric blender until smooth, remove to a bowl and set aside.Rinse the blender container with water before blending the garlic and ginger with two tablespoons water until smooth. Set aside.

Using an electric spice or coffee grinder, grind the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds as finely as possible, then set aside.

Combine the two dals in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. Drain and place in a large lidded pan with 7 cups water and bring to the boil. With a slotted spoon skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then add the turmeric and stir. Partially cover the pan with its lid, then reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until the dal is tender, then remove from heat and set aside. This should take around 30 to 40 minutes, although if using Australian yellow split peas it may take up to 1 1/4 hours.

Heat the oil or ghee in a large, preferably non-stick, lidded pan. When hot add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves. Stir once then add the sliced onion, and saute and stir for 4 - 5 minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown.

Add the chopped mint and stir once before adding the aubergine and potato. Stir for 2 minutes.Next add the garlic-ginger paste and cook, stirring, for a minute.Add the cooked dal, coconut milk, 2 cups water, the ground spices and salt, and simmer very gently, partially covered with the lid, for 30 minutes.

Finally, stir in the nut paste, tomato, tamarind paste and chillies and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes. The consistency should be quite thick - add a little water if you feel it is too thick.For a special treat, you can melt extra ghee and pour over the top of the curry before serving.

350 g baby kai lan or broccoli, washed and drained
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
oyster sauce, to drizzle

Directions

Heat oil in a wok.Add garlic, salt and stir fry, until it is just beginning to turn light brown.Add vegetables, stir, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times.Take out in a serving dish and dot a few drops of Oyster sauce on top.Serve hot, with other main meal dishes and rice.