2 tsp onion powder or garlic powder OR 1 tsp of each
1 tsp salt and pepper , each
Beef
1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
3 lb / 1.5kg beef chuck or brisket (or gravy or any other slow cooking beef) cut into 4 pieces
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion , diced (yellow, brown or white)
3/4 cup (185 ml) orange juice
2 tbsp lime juice
14 oz / 400g can crushed tomatoes
2 cups (500 ml) beef or chicken broth/stock
1/2 cup (125ml) water
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Combine the Spice Mix ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons over the beef and pat so it sticks.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the beef (in batches if necessary) and brown well on all sides. Remove onto a plate.
Turn the stove down to medium. If the pot looks dry, add more olive oil.
Add the garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
Add the orange juice and lime juice, and scrape the bottom of the pot so the brown bits mix into the liquid.
Add tomato, beef stock, water and remaining spice mix. Mix, then return beef into pot.
Put the lid on, bring to a simmer then turn the stove down so it is bubbling gently, not rapidly.
Cook for 2 hours, then remove lid and simmer for another 30 minutes until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 2 other cook methods).
Remove the beef from sauce, shred with 2 forks.
Leave the sauce to simmer with the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce and thicken to your taste. Adjust salt to taste. Optional: puree with stick blender to make it smooth (I do this for company)
Toss beef back into the sauce (can reserve some Sauce for drizzling on tacos if you want, there’s plenty).
Transfer beef into large dish and serve. See notes for suggestions.
Tacos
To make tacos, serve the beef with warmed small tortillas, avocado slices, Pico de Gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges and extra cilantro/coriander leaves.
1/2 cup (75g) preserved black beans (salted black beans, fermented black beans, Note 1)
400g/14 oz beef rump steak (US: top sirloin) , thinly sliced 3mm / 0.1″ (Note 2)
1 brown onion , medium size, cut into 2.5cm/1″ squares
1 green capsicum (bell pepper), medium size, cut into 2.5cm/1″ squares
1 tbsp garlic , finely minced with a knife ~ 4 cloves (Note 3)
1/2 cup peanut oil (or vegetable, canola) (Note 4)
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing wine) (Note 5)
Tenderising beef marinade:
1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 6)
1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate) (Note 7)
1 tbsp sesame oil (toasted ie brown, not untoasted which is yellow)
Sauce:
1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 6)
2 tsp white sugar
2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch (20g)
1 cup water
Serving:
White rice
Instructions
Abbreviated recipe:
Marinade beef 1 hour, soak beans, mix sauce. Shallow fry beef 30 seconds, remove. Discard all but 3 tbsp oil. Add and cook in this order: black beans 20 seconds, garlic 10 seconds, onion + capsicum 1 minute, beef 1 minute, cooking wine 30 seconds, sauce 1 minute or until thickened. Serve!
Marinade beef:
Mix the marinade ingredients EXCEPT sesame oil in a bowl. Add beef, mix to coat. Add sesame oil, mix again.
Marinade – Refrigerate to marinade for 1 hour.
Preparation:
Soak beans – Put the salted black beans in a medium bowl and cover with water. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to soak, then drain.
Mix sauce – Put the cornflour, soy sauce and sugar in a jug or small bowl. Mix until lump free then mix in the water. Set aside.
Cooking:
Cook beef – Heat the oil in a wok (or non stick pan) over high heat. Add the beef and cook, tossing, for 30 seconds until it changes from red to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
Discard most of the oil in the wok, keep just 3 tablespoons.
Aromatics – Return the wok to high heat. Add the black beans and stir for 20 seconds, then add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add the capsicum and onion, cook for 1 minute.
Beef – Add beef and any juices pooled on the plate, toss for 1 minute. Pour the Chinese cooking wine around the sides of the wok so it runs down into the beef then toss for 30 seconds (Note 8)
Sauce – Pour the sauce in, then stir and let it bubble for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens, is shiny and coats the beef beautifully.
Serve – Pour into a serving bowl and serve with rice!
2 lb/ 1 kg chuck steak, or other slow cooking beef, cut into 4cm / 1.6″ cubes (Note 4)
1 tbsp oil (vegetable, peanut, canola)
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp clove powder
3 star anise
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
1 lemongrass stick, bottom half of the stick only and smashed (Note 5)
400ml / 14 oz coconut milk (1 standard can)
2 tsp tamarind puree / paste, or tamarind pulp soaked in 1 tbsp of hot water, seeds removed (Note 6)
4 large kaffir lime leaves (or 6 small) , very finely sliced (Note 7)
1/3 cup desiccated coconut (finely shredded coconut)
1 tbsp brown sugar or grated palm sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Place Spice Paste ingredients in a small food processor and whizz until fine. NOTE: If using dried chilli and you know your food processor is not that powerful, chop the chilli first.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add half the beef and brown, then remove onto plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
Lower heat to medium low. Add Spice Paste and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until the wetness has reduced and the spice paste darkens (don’t breathe in too much, the chilli will make you cough!).
Add remaining Curry ingredients and beef. Stir to combine.
Bring to simmer, then immediately turn down the heat to low or medium low so the sauce is bubbling very gently.
Put the lid on the pot and leave it to simmer for 1 hr 15 minutes.
Remove lid and check the beef to see how tender it is. You don’t want it to be “fall apart at a touch” at this stage, but it should be quite tender. If it is fall apart already, remove the beef from the pot before proceeding.
Turn up heat to medium and reduce sauce for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring every now and then at first, then frequently towards the end until the beef browns and the sauce reduces to a paste that coats the beef. (Note 9)
The beef should now be very tender, fall apart at a touch. If not, add a splash of water and keep cooking. Remove from heat and serve with plain or Restaurant Style Coconut Rice.
1 tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes (adjust to your taste)
3 tbsp water
Firecracker sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all-purpose (Note 2)
2 tbsp rice vinegar (Note 3)
4 tbsp sriracha sauce (Note 4)
4 tbsp brown sugar (tightly packed)
To serve (optional!):
Rice, soba or vermicelli noodles
1 green onion , finely sliced
1 tsp sesame seeds
Diced cucumber, julienned carrot, finely sliced red radish
Extra sriracha sauce , if you dare!
Instructions
Sauce: Mix Firecracker sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Cook beef: Heat oil in a large frypan over high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you can no longer see raw meat (2½ minutes). Add garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
Caramelise beef: Add Firecracker sauce ingredients, stir to coat the beef. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring only every minute or so initially, then more towards the end, until the sauce reduces and you can see the beef caramelising. Caramelise well for good flavour!
Water: Add the water and cook for 1 minute (the water makes the beef saucier!)
Serve over rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds, green onion and a squirt of extra sriracha if you’re feeling brave! Add a pile of vegetables of choice on the side. Dive in!
Mix Marinade in a bowl. Add beef. Marinate for 1 – 24 hours, minimum 20 minutes.
Cut capsicum and onion into 3.25cm / 1.3″ wide squares.
Thread beef (reserve Marinade), vegetables and mushrooms on each skewer. I use 2 pieces of vegetables between each piece of beef. Thread loosely – don’t smush together tightly (helps even cooking).
Brush kebabs lightly with Reserved Marinade (including vegetables), then drizzle with olive oil.
Heat BBQ or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, then when smoking, cook kebabs in batches for 2 minutes on each side until slightly charred (4 sides = 8 minutes in total), basting with Reserved Marinade as you go.
Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 3 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired. See note for pictured Pink Dipping Sauce.
1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (Note 1)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (no pepper!)
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.
Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
Flour coating – Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate (I use my fingertips). Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken – Dip the chicken in the egg, allow excess to drip off, then put into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until golden. Flip, lower heat to medium, then cook for 4 minutes until the chicken is golden (internal temp 68°C/155°F). Remove onto a plate.
Lemon – Add the lemon slices to the pan. Cook for a minute or until the lemons go soft / brown, then turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Remove onto a plate. (Note 2)
Wipe the pan clean using paper towels.
White wine sauce – Still on medium heat, melt the butter in the pan. Add flour and stir for 1 minute using a wooden spoon. While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. Once the flour is dissolved into the liquid, stir in remaining stock, then the wine and salt. (See Note 3 for lumps tip)
Thicken sauce – Turn the heat up slightly then simmer for 3 – 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency.
Sauce it! Return the chicken and lemon slices to the pan, then spoon the sauce all over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley then serve the chicken with the sauce (use it ALL!).
2 red capsicum , sliced 8 mm thick (medium, not giant)
1/3 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup pinot noir or other dry red wine (Note 3)
2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
400g/14 oz canned crushed tomato
16 whole kalamata olives , pitted, drained
1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
Chicken:
Season – Spread the chicken out on a tray. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper.
Brown skin – Heat the oil over high heat in a large, deep, heavy based pan, preferably one with a lid (Note 4). Place the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown, around 6 minutes. Turn and cook the flesh side for just 1 minute, then remove the chicken onto the same tray. Then add the drumsticks and brown each side as best you can, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side (the shape makes it awkward). Remove onto the tray.
Cacciatore:
Onion – Pour off and discard all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Turn the heat down to medium and let the pan cool slightly. Add the onion, rosemary leaves, bay leaves and dried oregano. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is starting to soften.
Garlic and anchovies – Clear a space in the middle of the pan. Add the anchovies and garlic, cooking, mashing up the anchovies, until the garlic is light golden, then stir it into the onion.
Vegetables & tomato paste – Turn the heat back up to high. Add the mushroom and capsicum. Stir until softened – about 5 minutes (the mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate). Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to cook out the sour flavour – do not shortcut this.
Sauce – Add the wine. Stir, bring to simmer then allow to reduce by around 75%. Add the stock, canned tomato, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer.
Simmer – Then carefully place the chicken into the sauce (skin side up) and pour any juices on the tray in as well. When the liquid returns to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to medium then simmer energetically for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add olives, simmer for a further 10 minutes (no lid). This will reduce and thicken the sauce.
Serve – Serve the chicken with plenty of sauce over mashed potato or polenta, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
1 tbsp lemongrass paste or finely chopped fresh (Note 3)
Thai Red Curry
3 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut)
1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth/stock , low sodium
400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk (full fat!)
6 kaffir lime leaves (Note 4)
1 tbsp sugar (white, brown or palm)
2 tsp fish sauce , plus more to taste
350g / 12 oz chicken thighs (boneless and skinless), cut into 0.75 / 1/3″ thick slices (Note 5)
150g / 5 oz pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1.5cm / 3/5″ cubes (~1 heaped cup)
120g / 4oz green beans , trimmed and cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
12 Thai basil leaves (Note 6)
Garnishes (optional) & serving:
Fresh red chilli slices (small chilli – spicy, large = less spicy)
Fresh coriander / cilantro leaves
Steamed jasmine rice
Instructions
Heat oil in a large heavy based skillet over medium high heat.
Add curry paste and Extras (if using jar paste) and cook for about 2 minutes so it “dries out” (See video)
Add chicken broth and stir to dissolve paste. Simmer rapidly for 3 minutes or until liquid reduces by half.
Add coconut milk, lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then add chicken.
Spread chicken out, bring to simmer, then turn heat down to medium. Simmer for about 8- 10 minutes or until Sauce reduces, the chicken is cooked and the sauce is almost at the thickness you want.
Do a taste test. Add more fish sauce (or even shrimp paste) to add more saltiness, sugar for sweetness.
Add pumpkin and beans, stir. Cook for 3 minutes or until pumpkin is just cooked through and Sauce is thickened – see video for Sauce thickness.
Remove from heat. Stir through a handful of Thai basil leaves.
Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with fresh red chilli slices and fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, if desired.
1/2 tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper powder (Note 2)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lb / 750 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces
Curry
2 tbsp (30 g) ghee or butter, OR 1 tbsp vegetable oil (Note 3)
1 cup tomato passata (aka tomato puree) (Note 4)
1 cup heavy / thickened cream (Note 5)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
To serve – choose
Basmati rice
White rice
Coriander/cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Optional blitz: for an extra smooth sauce, combine the Marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a food processor and blend until smooth. (I do not do this)
Marinade: Combine the Marinade ingredients with the chicken in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours (minimum 3 hrs).
Cook chicken: Heat the ghee (butter or oil) over high heat in a large fry pan. Take the chicken out of the Marinade but do not wipe or shake off the marinade from the chicken (but don’t pour the Marinade left in the bowl into the fry pan).
Place chicken in the fry pan and cook for around 3 minutes, or until the chicken is white all over (it doesn’t really brown because of the Marinade).
Sauce: Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar and salt. Also add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do a taste test to see if it needs more salt.
Garnish with coriander/cilantro leaves if using. Serve with basmati rice.
The Butter Chicken is pictured with my very easy No Yeast Flatbread and no-fry papadums (Note 5).
