Soy Chicken

- 1 large (heavy lidded preferably) pot
- 1 whole chicken - I used a 1.2kg chicken
- 1.5 cup Dark Soy Sauce (eg Pearl River Bridge)
- 1/2 cup Light Soy Sauce (eg. Pearl River Bridge)
- 1/3 cup of Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp of Sesame Oil
- 6 whole pieces of Star Anise
- 1 thumb size piece of ginger
- 2 large whole pieces of spring onions


Preparation

- Wash the whole chicken and rinse the insides well.
- Allow to sit and dry.
- Prepare one large pot of water (measured to ensure that there is enough water to fully submerge the chicken when it is added)
- Add these ingredients: soy sauce, sugar, star anise, ginger, spring onion and bring to a boil.
- When the water is boiled turn the heat to LOW then slowly lower the chicken inside, make sure the chicken is entirely submerged (add more water if this is not the case)
- Turn the heat to medium and boil for 20 mins - no lid
- Turn the heat off and cover lid firmly (pile an upturned bowl on the lid to ensure that no steam escapes if u don't have a heavy lid)
- Let chicken sit in the covered pot for 1hr.
- Take out the Chicken and drain the liquid from the chicken, save the stock for now
- Take out the ginger and spring onion and allow to dry.
- Combine a sauce made of 2tblsp sesame oil and 2tblsp soy sauce - brush this all over the chicken and let the chicken it.


The Dipping sauce!

- Dice up the ginger and mash it up with a spoon
- Slice up the spring onion. Slice up a few stalks of fresh spring onion
- In a bowl add 1/2 cup of stock and 1 tbspn sesame oil, mix in above ingredients

VOILA~!

this recipe is an adaption from my brother allen who apparently will kill me if i share it outside the family. GOOD FOOD IS A RIGHT to all peoples is say. and this is some GOOOOD chicken. usually i wouldn't eat chicken skin that isn't fried to a crisp, but the skin is infused with flavour and has that melt-in-the mouth silky texture that comes from fat that's been cooked with patience and care. this home made version stomps all over the store-bought soy chicken you see hanging along roast duck and pork at your local chinese restaurant.

This is the shizzle. Chicken is so tender and succulent. We ended up devouring everything on the table as pictured between two people. Side dish pictured is a simple stir fry with bok choi, carrot and fried tofu.

Spring Onion Pancakes (doughy)

2 cup plain flour
3-4 spring onions
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup of cold water
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of salt
cooking oil

Cut up the spring onions whole
Put the flour into a bowl
Add the boiling water to the mixture
Add half of the cold water
Mix while adding the rest of the cold water until the mixture is of a doughy consistency
Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix
Shape the mixture into little pancakes
Put a pan on the stove and coat with cooking oil
Cook the pancakes into the pan until both sides are golden.

best breakfast in the world, although i really would argue it's a snack. but apparently Peoples of R.O.C eat these for brekky. i managed to down 3 of these heavy-set pancakes before noon, then went for a nap. i think maybe with this recipe they need to be rolled out into coils then flattened, to give them more of a layered effect, and hence will be lighter. but still they're very moreish.

Had to add a bit more flour for the mixture to get a doughy consistency so it's able to be shaped. Although the pannies turned out to be quite enjoyable they did end up a bit heavy. There wasn't a rolling pin available, so it didn't help that I wasn't able to roll them out a bit more flat. I remember the original spring onion pancake to be lighter and were poured onto a pan rather than made out into a dough. Had no luck in locating this recipe online, but I'll keep looking.

Beef Stroganoff

0.5kg beef in strips
1 cup of beef stock
1 cup of white wine
1 cup of mushroom
1 cup of thick cream
3 cloves of glaric
1 onion

Cut the meat into strips 1/2 inch x 2 inches or 1cm x 5cm.
Trim off any fat or gristle.
Place the butter in a saucepan over a fierce heat, add beef strips, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook rapidly for a few seconds.
The beef should be brown but underdone.
Remove beef from pan
Add crushed garlic and onion to pan and allow to cook gently until tender.
Add wine and shallots and reduce to one third, then add the cream and reduce by a quarter.
Add beef, stir, but only simmer.
Serve with rice

Turned out really awesome. Beef was tender; the sauce creamy and flavoursome. Very enjoyable. May want to do some steamed veggies on the side to make it a more balanced meal.

Yes forgot about the vegies... mushrooms sort of count, but they're not green. you should actually use sour cream not regular cream, and you probably would want to if you weren't going to use wine, just for that little piquancy. since there's wine in this recipe, no real loss there, and the sauce is delicious with the creamyness balanced with a fruity depth that only the addition of wine can bring.

French Toast

2 x eggs
1 x cup of milk
4-6 x slices of bread. Thicker, fluffier bread works best (eg. Helga's grain bread)
cooking oil
a pinch of salt

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk with a fork
Add the milk and a pinch of salt and continue mixing
Pour the contents into a shallow plate without overflowing
Get a fry pan ready with cooking oil on medium heat
Place one side of a piece of bread into the plate with the egg mixture for a few seconds
Place the bread into the fry pan, mixture face down
Cook until golden and repeat for the second side
Serve with maple/golden syrup

Serves 2

This is the pwnage bitches. So quick and simple, yet a really satisfying weekend breakfast. I've tried a few different times and the ratios in the above recipe is just right. For a little more eggiess (I think that's a word), let the bread soak for a wee bit longer or double dip.

eggy-ness maybe mike? anyways, i can't think of a better way to wake up then to these babies. (i've never witnessed the making process, one day i will. like say u served them at supper time...) awesome with your syrup of choice, kinda need a nap after though. that's what happens with carbo-loaded brekkies. i haven't had FT since i was a kid and mum made them, these are better than what i remember.