Recipes: beef dish

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.

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. 

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.

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. 

Fry up a 1 tsp of this prepared kofta mix and taste for flavour and seasoning. Make any necessary adjustments then refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up. 

Divide mix into 12 portions and shape onto skewers. 

Refrigerate for at least one hour to set. 

Cook koftas on the bbq for maximum flavour, or on the stovetop/grill.

*dried herbs can be used a replacement if you don't have fresh herbs 

1. (Pickled carrots) Use the julienne peeler to shred the carrot. In a medium bowl, add sugar, salt, rice vinegar and water. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved and add carrot into the dressing bowl. Let it sit for at least one hour before serving. 

2.(Fish sauce) In a medium bowl, add sugar, boiled water and fish sauce. Mix well until the sugar is dissovled, let it cool down before adding the lemon juice in (otherwise it will taste bitter). Then add chilli and minced garlic. Set aside.

3. Peel the dried leaves and layers of lemongrass and  cut off the root and discard them. Then chop the stalk finely and put in food processor to be grated. Finely chop one eschalot and one clove garlic. Thinly slice shallots and place it into a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.                        
4. Thinly slice the beef. Marinate beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, pepper, chicken powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon garlic, lemongrass for at least 1 hour.                        

5. Prepare all the herbs: Washing all the veggies and slice the cucumber into 4cm long and thin pieces. Set aside for later.  

6. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once water is boiled, add noodles into the pot and cover with lid. Turn the heat off and let the noodles cook for about 8 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water (this will help the noodle not stick together). Set aside.

7. (Fried eschalot) In a small pan on medium low heat, add oil and when it is hot, add eschalot and fry until fragrant and golden brown, then remove the fried eschalot into a small bowl. Set aside.

8. (Shallot oil) Add the already hot eschalot oil into the small shallot bowl (prepared before) and mix well.

9. In medium pan on medium high heat. Add garlic and fry until fragrant, then add beef (dividing the beef in small batches for a more even stirfry) and stir fry beef for about 1 minute. Add brown onion and continue to stir fry for 30 seconds or until just cooked through.

10. Divide the noodles into 4 bowls. Add bean sprouts, salad, pickled carrot and beef and top with fried shallot, shallot oil and roasted peanuts. (add fried spring rolls)

11. Serve with fish sauce.

1. Slice off the bottom root of the lemongrass stalk and peel off any dried-out leaves and layers. Then cut 4 of the lemongrass into 12cm batons, smashing it under the side of a cleaver or knife to release the flavour. For easy removal from a pot of hot liquid, tie the stalks into a knot and set aside.  

2. Peel and cut carrots and white radish into 2cm chunks. Thinly slice onions. Slice shallot and coriander for garnish and set aside.

3. Cut beef into large 3cm chunks

4. In a large bowl, combine the beef with 2 tsp of garlic, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp eschalot, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 teapoon salt and white or raw sugar until each piece is evenly coated. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

5. In a large pot on medium high heat, add oil and remaining garlic, eschalot, ginger. Fry until fragrant then add tomato paste, beef spices to pot.

6. Add marinated beef to the pot and then stir fry. Add water, coconut juice, remaining fish sauce and rock sugar. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover pot with a lid and simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt and beef or chicken seasoning powder.

7. Add carrots, white radish and simmer for another 30-40 minutes until beef is tender. 

8. Mix lime, salt and pepper together for the dipping sauce.

9. Place beef stew into a bowl and sprinkle the top with shallots, coriander, sliced onion and some pepper.

10. Serve with bread.