Recipes

Prepare the Dough and Oil

1. Add yeast, sugar and 250mL water to bowl and mix to combine. Leave for 10 mins until bubbles form.

2. Meanwhile, add the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on the lowest speed for 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside for 2 hours.

3. Meanwhile, make the oil filling. Add the spring onions, Chinese five spice and salt into a heat proof bowl. Heat oil in a small pot/pan until smoking then pour into the bowl. Carefully mix to distribute flavours and set aside to cool completely.

4. After 2 hours, turn your dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out to approx. 2cm thickness. Dissolve baking powder and 2 tsp water in a small bowl then pour into the centre of the dough. Fold in the sides and knead through for about 2 mins or until smooth.

Shape the Dough

5. Roll dough into a large 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Brush on the seasoned oil mix (you may not need all of it. Gently mark the dough to divide it into three long strips. Fold the end pieces of the dough into the centre along the marked lines. You should end up with 3 layers of dough, stacked/folded on top of each other. Cut into 12 slices.  

6. Take one strip. Using a chopstick, press down along the length/centre of the strip. Stretch the strip to double in length. Drape the strip of dough over the chopstick. Pinch the enda closed with one hand while twisting the dough with the chopstick in the other. Place the twisted dough over the punched ends to cover. Lightly press down with your chopstick and slide it out. Repeat to shape the remaining buns

Cook the Buns

7. Heat 1-2T oil into a large 12” cast iron/non-stick skillet. Place in rolls. When the rolls start to brown, add in 200mL water. Cover with a lid and allow buns to steam on med heat until all the water has almost evaporated. Uncover and allow the water to fully evaporate and the buns to take on more colour for another minute or so.

Serve warm.

1. Soak noodles in warm water for 30 mins.

2. Cut chicken into smaller pieces, leaving in the bone.

3. Cut potatoes into large chunks and soak in water until needed.

4. Cut carrot into large even pieces. Cut onion into large chunks. Slice mushrooms in half.

5. Put chicken pieces in a large pot. Add in water and braising liquid and bring to the boil, then allow to boil for 10 mins whilst removing all surface scum.

6. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 mins.

7. Add the potatoes (drained), carrots, mushrooms, onion, dried chillies, garlic and ginger. Cover and cook for 15 mins.

8. Drain noodles and add into the pot. Cook for 3 mins.

9. Add in sesame oil and spring onions and stir through. Turn off the heat and garnish with sesame seeds.

1. Season prawns with salt and oil. Mix until well combined and set aside.
2. Add sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Set aside.
3. Place frozen bundles of udon noodles in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water to cover then use a pair of chopsticks to gently loosen the noodles. Drain and rinse noodles with cold tap water after 30 secs. Set aside.
4. Heat wok over high heat. Throw in prawns and let them cook in one layer until they curl and start to colour on the underside. Toss them in the heat to colour all sides and remove when almost cooked through.
5. Add 2T oil to the wok then add carrots and cook for 30 secs on high heat. Add cabbage and mushrooms and cook for 30 secs. Add snow peas and spring onions and cook for 30 secs.
6. Add prawns back in the wok. Toss quickly to mix through.
7. Add noodles and pour the prepared sauce on top. Gently toss the noodles to allow the sauce to evenly coat. Toss everything in the wok to mix and heat through. When the sauce has almost evaporated, turn off the heat and divide between two serving bowls/plates.

1. Add flour and salt into a large bowl. Add in milk and whisk to combine. Add in whisked eggs and butter and mix together to arrive at a smooth batter. If there are lumps in your batter, it is better to strain it through a sieve rather than over working your batter to try and remove them. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a non-stick pan and add 1 tsp butter. Swirl the butter around the pan to coat then wipe off with kitchen paper.
3. Pour enough batter into the pan to lightly coat the bottom. Allow the crepe to cook on low heat until the batter turns completely opaque and is cooked through. There’s no need to flip it. Once the crepe is cooked, it will slide around the pan and release. Slide the crepe onto a plate and continue making your crepes until all the batter is used up. There is no need to butter your pan after the first crepe. Stack crepes flat on top of each other as you are cooking them.
4. Allow crepes to cool before filling/assembling.

Part A. Make the Filling

200g frozen taro, thawed & cut into 2cm chunks
70g caster sugar
2T cornflour
2T coconut milk
1T cornflour

1. Steam taro for 30mins or until fully cooked through.

2. Place cooked taro in a med bowl and mash. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Push through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.

3. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to chill and set.


Part B. Make the Snow Skin

40g glutinous rice flour
40g rice flour
20g wheat starch
20g caster sugar
150g full cream milk
 

20g canola oil
A drop of ube/purple food colouring

4. Add flours, wheat statch, sugar and milk into a heatproof bowl. Whisk until smooth then cover the bowl with cling film. Steam for 20mins or until the centre is fully set.

5. Remove bowl from the steamer and discard the cling film. Add in oil and carefully work it into the mix.

6. Break off 1/3 of the dough and add food colouring. Knead the colour through then divide into 10 even portions. Divide the white dough into 10 even portions.

7. Pair one portion of purple dough with one portion of white dough. Continue until you have 10 pairs of purple and white dough. Cover with cling film and allow to cool completely.


Part C. Make the Snow Skin Mooncakes

8. Divide the prepared taro filling into 10 equal portions and form into balls.

9. Grab one blue and white dough combo. Form into a ball and roll into a disc. Wrap the disc around a taro ball and seal completely. Shape using the mooncake mould. You can use a little cornflour if you’re finding the dough a little sticky.

These mooncakes are best enjoyed on the day they are made.

PS: If you don’t have mooncake moulds, you can just present these sweet treats as taro and coconut filled mochi balls! Go one step further if you want to unleash you inner creative skills … shape the mochi balls into cute figurines like bunnies, kittens, hedgehogs etc by using a small pair of pointed sharp scissors to snip in ears and spines.

Prepare the beef

1. Add beef, baking soda and water into a bowl. Using a gloved hand, massage the beef until all the liquid has been absorbed, then set aside for 1 hour* if using rump. If using chuck** set aside for 2 hours

2. After an hour, rinse the beef under running water until the water runs clear. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Add beef into a new bowl, together with the rest of the ingredients. Leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Prepare the sauce

3. Add all ingredients into a bowl. Mix then set aside.

Time for the Stir Fry

4. Heat a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add 1T oil then half of the beef. Separate the beef and cook in one layer. When both sides are seared, remove and set aside. Continue to cook the second batch and set aside.

6. Reduce the heat to med-high. Add oil then onions and red capsicum. Stir fry quickly then add Shaoxing wine. Add in the prepared sauce and bring it to a simmer.

7. Return the beef to the wok then add snow peas. Stir then bring back to a simmer. Taste for seasoning then add cornflour slurry (mix cornflour and water together in a small bowl), stirring as you go. Serve up once your sauce has thickened.

1. Add all meatball ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for 30mins.
2. Form 25 meatballs from your marinated mince (I used a ¼cup ice cream scoop do this quickly). Place meatballs on heatproof plates then steam for 10 minutes. Make sure you keep the juices collected at the bottom of your plates.
3. To make the sauce, heat 3T oil in a deep large skillet or wok. Add annatto seeds and stir to release their colour. This will only take a minute or two. Be careful not to burn your seeds. Turn off the heat, remove the seeds and discard.
4. Heat the vibrantly coloured oil in the wok and add the onions. Sweat down the onions on medium heat then add garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, add tomato paste and saute for 30 secs. Add tomato sauce and fish sauce and saute for 30 secs. Add chopped tomatoes and mix through before adding back the steamed meatballs into the sauce. Pour in all of the steaming liquid. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 mins.
5. Season to taste, garnish with spring onion and coriander, then enjoy!

1. Heat oil in a medium pot. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.

2. Add in 2/3 of the spring onions and saute to release aroma, about 1 minute.

3. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a bowl and set aside.

5. Make cornflour slurry by adding cornflour and water in a small bowl and mixing. Pour slurry into the soup and stir to thicken. If you like your soup thicker, you can add in more cornflour slurry to adjust to your liking.

6. Remove pot from the heat. Pour whisked eggs into the soup at a height, gently stirring the soup to create egg ribbons in the soup. This will only take a few seconds.

7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

8. Garnish with remaining spring onion and serve hot.

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a medium-large pot.
2. In a small bowl, add all the 'Seasonings' ingredients together and mix to dissolve the sugar and salt.
3. Rinse the dehydrated ingredients and squeeze out any excess water. Now slice them into thin strips. We cut the ends off the lily flowers and slice them vertically down the centre.
4. Crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly whisk. Set aside.
5. When the stock comes to the boil, add in char siu and rehydrated small prawns.
6. Let the stock return to the boil.
7. Add the seasoning sauce mix. Stir to combine.
8. Add the lily flowers, shitake mushrooms, black fungus mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
9. Bring the soup back to the boil.
10. Add five spice tofu, firm tofu and vinegar. Stir and bring back to the boil.
11. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
12. Mix the cornflour slurry in a small bowl. When the soup is boiling, swirl your ladle around inside the pot and slowly drizzle in the slurry.
13. Bring the soup back to the boil. Once again, swirl your ladle around inside the pot and slowly drizzle in the beaten egg.
14. Turn off the heat. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish.

1. If you have a high powered food processor, add in chunks of lemongrass, garlic and coriander roots and blitz until the mix resembles fine straw. Alternatively, finely slice and dice. Add all ingredients together and mix until well combined. Chill for 30mins.

2. Form 4 patties out of the burger mix. They will shrink on cooking so make your patties bigger than the size of your buns.

3. Prepare onion oil by placing sliced onion in a heat proof bowl. Heat oil in a dry pan until smoking. Carefully pour hot oil over spring onions. Stir through and set aside.

4. Panfry, grill or bbq your patties until cooked through. Smear spring onion oil on your cooked patty and assemble your burger.

(Make your pickled veggies the night before) Simply julienne your carrot and radish. Lightly salt and toss through to distribute. Leave in a colander and set aside for a few hours in the fridge. Make your pickling liquid by adding equal parts white sugar and white vinegar in a pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar then leave to cool completely. Squeeze out any moisture from the salted veggies and place in a sterilised jar. Add in sliced garlic and fill the jar with pickling liquid. Lid and store in the fridge overnight before serving).

To make the Pepper Sauce

1. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper and water into a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

2. Heat oil on medium heat in a small-medium sized fry pan. Add garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant.

3. Add in pepper mix. Turn heat up to high and let it bubble and reduce to thicken slightly. This will take less than a minute.

4. Add in butter and stir through. Turn off the heat when the butter has melted and is incorporated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

To make the Sweet Potato Mash

1. Peel the sweet potato and cut into 3mm slices. Add into a medium sized pot.

2. Add milk into the pot (enough to cover the potatoes).

3. Heat mix on high. When the milk reaches boiling point, reduce the heat to medium-low so that the potatoes simmer gently in the milk to cook (this takes about 25mins from a cold start).

4. When the potatoes are fully cooked through, drain the milk, leaving some behind in the pot. Add butter and mash. Season with salt to taste.

To make the Steak

1. Choose your favourite cut and cook it to your liking. (We prefer ours seasoned with salt and cooked medium rare) 

To make the Prawns 

1. Into a medium sized bowl, add prawns, salt & olive. Mix well until combined

2. Heat skillet and add in prawns (do not overcrowd)

3. Once the prawns start to colour, flip over to colour the other side). Set aside. 

Makes 20 Fritters

Prep Time: 5mins plus 30mins waiting time

Cook Time: 30mins

Total Time: 50mins plus 35mins waiting time

1. Add AP flour, rice flour, sesame seeds, coconut, baking powder and sugar to a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Add water and mix to form a batter. Set aside for 30mins.

2. Peel bananas and split in half, lengthways. Sit each piece of banana flat side down, then flatten the curved side with the blade of a cleaver or large knife.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large pot on medium heat. The oil is ready when a bamboo chopstick/wooden spoon starts bubbling when placed in the hot oil.

4. Prepare and cook fritters in batches. Dip bananas, one at a time, into the batter to coat then carefully slide into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the oil. Cook until lightly golden, turning occasionally when needed. Drain on a wire rack and repeat with remaining bananas.

5. Turn up the heat on the oil and re-fry the fritters. You can crowd the oil in the second fry. Fry until golden and crunchy. Rest on a wire rack.

6. Serve fritters on their own, with a side of ice cream, coconut butterscotch sauce, or all of the above!

Serves 12

1. Rinse then soak the beans in cold tap water overnight.

Prepare the Sago

2. Add water to a large, deep pot and bring to the boil. Add in sago and give it a stir. Immediately reduce the heat to low when it comes to the boil. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 15mins (stirring every 5mins). Turn off the heat and keep the lid on. Let sit for 25mins.

3. Drain cooked sago through a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold tap water to remove the excess starch. Place cooked sago in a large bowl filled with iced water and set aside.

For the Soup

4.Rinse the beans then add to a large pot. Add sugar, tangerine peel and fresh water, then bring to the boil.

5. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 90mins or until beans are cooked to your liking. Remove the tangerine peel.

6. I like to give this mix a light blitz so that the soup has a mix of whole cooked beans and mashed beans. Blitz or don’t blitz. Blitz as much or as little as you desire.

7. Add in the orange zest, stir and heat through.

8. Drain prepared sago and add into the soup. Stir to mix through then taste for sweetness. Adjust as needed. Serve hot or warm.

1. Place all dry crepe ingredients into a med sized bowl. Whisk. Add in water and whisk to form a batter. A few lumps are ok. Add in oil and whisk to just combine.

2. Heat a non-stick pan and spoon in a ladle of batter, or just enough to coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Keep the heat on low.

3. When the batter just turns opaque, crack an egg onto the crepe. Using a spoon, spread the egg to cover the crepe.

4. Sprinkle on spring onions and sesame seeds.

5. Flip the crepe over. Dollop on <1T hoisin sauce and <1T sambal oelek. Smear to cover the crepe with this sauce mix.

6. Place 2 slices of ham of choice down the centre of the crepe, leaving a gap in the middle to allow for a fold.

7. Place a crispy wonton wrapper on each piece of ham.

8. Fold one edge of the crepe in to cover. Fold the opposite parallel edge of the crepe in to cover. Now fold the crepe in half, along the gap you created between your ham/wonton wrappers.

9. Remove the crepe from the pan and slice in half. Enjoy 

Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal

1. Whisk eggs in a jug. Add water, fish sauce and chicken bouillon and whisk just enough to combine. Pass the mixture through a sieve into your steaming bowl for a silky smooth result. Use a spoon to remove any air bubbles on the surface of your egg mix.

2. Cover bowl with cling wrap and place inside steamer filled with water. Place the lid on the steamer and bring the water to the boil. Immediately drop the heat to low once the water starts to boil and let steam for 12-15mins. Times will vary depending on the size of your bowl. Deep bowls with thick walls will take longer. The centre should have a slight wobble and will further set upon cooling.

3. Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer. Discard the cling film and top with soy sauce, sesame oil and sliced spring onions. Enjoy immediately.

Serves: 2-3

Scramble the Eggs:

1. Whisk eggs in a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok on low heat. Add in a knob of butter.

3. Once the butter has almost melted, pour in the whisked egg. Scramble the eggs by allowing them to slightly set against the surface of the pan before using a spoon or spatula to gently pull the eggs from the edges of the pan back into the centre. Tilt your pan to allow the runny part of the eggs to make contact with the pan and set. Be gently to create long soft ribbons/chunks of egg. Switch off the heat before all the egg has set. (The eggs will continue to cook) Do not overcook your eggs. You want them to be soft. 

4. Carefully transfer your eggs to a plate.

Assembling the rest: 

1. Wipe your pan clean with a kitchen paper towel. Add oil and heat your pan to high.

2. Add garlic and white parts of the spring onions. Saute until fragrant.

3. Add diced tomatoes and break down in the pan to create a thick sauce.

4 Add in sugar and soy sauce.

5. Add in chunks of tomato and stir to mix.

6. Taste for seasoning.

7. Add in the rest of the spring onions and take your pan off the heat.

8. Add the scrambled eggs into your tomato mix. Roughly fold through, taking care not to break up the egg too much in the stir fry.

Enjoy! 

Have a big mixing bowl ready.

You will make each component of your jap chae separately and then transfer it into the mixing bowl. 

A. Marinate the beef and mushrooms:

Into a small bowl, add:

• marinated beef bulgogi
• mushrooms

Mix together until well combined, then cover and refrigerate. 

B. Make the egg garnish:

1. Beat the egg yolks with a pinch of salt.

2. Add 1 tsp oil to a heated non-stick pan.

3. Turn off the heat and pour the egg mixture into the pan.

4. Tilt your pan so that the egg spreads thinly. Let the egg cook using the residual heat in the pan.

5. Flip over the egg and let it sit in the pan for another minute.

6. Once cool, slice the egg into very thin strips and set aside.

C. Prepare the Spinach:

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.

2. Add spinach and blanch for 30-60 seconds.

3. Remove spinach into a colander and rinse in cold water to stop it from further cooking.

4. Squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove any excess water.

5. Cut the spinach into smaller pieces, then place in a corner of your large mixing bowl

6. Season your pile of spinach with:

• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil

D. Prepare the noodles:

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the noodles, and cook for 7 minutes (make sure to stir the noodles so thye don't stick together)  

2. Strain noodles and cut with scissors so that the strands are not too long.

3. Place noodles in a pile in the mixing bowl next to the spinach.

4. Add to your noodles and mix:

• 4 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar

E. Prepare the vegetables

1. Heat up a skillet over med-high heat with 2 tsp of oil 

2. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Stir fry for about 2 mins until the onion looks translucent and transfer into the mixing bowl 

3. Reheat the same skillet and add oil.

4. Add carrots and capsicum and stir fry for 1 minute (or too your liking. Some people prefer softer vegetables) 

5. Transfer mix to the mixing bowl.

F. Cook the beef and mushrooms

1. Reheat the skillet and add oil.

2. Add the beef and mushroom mix and stir fry for a few minutes until the beef is cooked through.

3. Transfer mix to the mixing bowl.

G. Final assembly of the dish

Now that all you have prepared and placed all the different components of this dish into your mixing bowl, add the final seasoning and mix:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2T soy sauce
• 2T sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Garnish your jap chae with the egg strips and toasted sesame seeds.

This dish is best served at room temperature.

Make the Filling

1. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil.

2. Add the sweet potato noodles to the boiling water and cook for 7 mins. Drain and rinse through with cold tap water.

3. Using scissors, cut up noodles into manageable lengths.

4. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the prepared noodles and all the other filling ingredients and mix through with a gloved hand.

5. Fill each dumpling wrapper with a small amount of filling. Fold the round wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Press in the edges to seal (the more experienced you are, the more you can fill your wrapper to make a more plump dumpling).

6. Smear a small amount of water around the edges of half of the wrapper to help seal the dumpling.

7. Place dumplings on in steamer baskets lined with parchment paper. Make sure you space them apart and that they are not touching each other.

8. Steam for 8-15 minutes (depending on much you fill each dumpling).

Pan fried method

1. Heat some oil in a small pan over medium arrange 

2. Arrange 8 dumplings until the bottom turns light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

3. Add 50 ml water to the pan and turn the heat to high. 

4. Cover the pan with its lid and let it steam. 

5. Turn the heat back to medium as soon as the water has completely evaporated. 

Make the Dipping Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add spring onions, sesame seeds to chilli to taste.

Serve steamed/pan fried dumplings with dipping sauce.

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Grease and line a 13cm x 33cm baking tray with baking paper.
3. Using electric beaters or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and beat through.
5. Sift in flour and salt. Fold through with a spatula.
6. Add almond meal and mix until well combined.
7. Spoon mix into prepared pan and spread evenly. Stud with sliced nectarine and ¾ of the blueberries. Evenly scatter flaked almonds on top.
8. Bake for 30-35mins until golden.
9. Meanwhile, dissolve 2T caster sugar in 2T boiling water and set aside. When the slice comes out of the oven, brush the top of the slice and fruit with this sugar syrup for a glossy finish.
10. Garnish with remaining fresh blueberries and lightly dust with icing sugar (optional).

Allow the slice to cool in the pan before cutting.

Serves 4

To make the Thai milk tea

1. Add the tea mix to a large pot. Pour in just boiled water and steep for 5mins. Strain tea leaves through a fine sieve (I recommend using a tea sock).
2. Add condensed milk and stir to dissolve. Chill until ready to use.

To make the Egg Custard Pudding:

1. Add 65mL of milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatine powder on top and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add egg yolks, sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine.
3. In a medium sized pot, heat remaining 185mL milk until it just comes to the boil. Pour this warmed milk into the egg mix and whisk to incorporate. Pour this egg and milk mix back into the pot and simmer for 2mins, stirring continuously.
4. Add gelatine mix into the pot and stir on med-low heat until the gelatine has completely dissolved.
5. Strain mix through a sieve into a small, clean container and chill to set (at least 4 hours, best overnight). Once set, cut pudding into cubes.

Other components:

1. Prepare brown sugar pearls according to the packet instructions.
2. Drain the grass jelly and cut it into cubes.

Tips:

1. we like to dissolve caster sugar in some drinking water and store the cubes in this mix.
2. Make you drink by layering the toppings any which way you like and enjoy.