Recipes Articles for the Month of September 2023

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.