goodtimes saturday night amboo plants and d r agon pots used telie r ; B amboo plants Sichuan A banquet p 151. S tockist details t spoon fr om C ambodia H ouse. A sensation on tables across the world, is seriously hot, and that’s not just because of the chillies! Luckily you don’t have to head menu to Chinatown for this regional Chinese fare – try our easy banquet at home. crispy salt & pepper chicken wings

sichuan beef with

ay fr om C ama r gue; desse t r ay r W hite H ome; silve chilli & capsicum choy sum & snow peas with peanuts spicy fried eggplant with sesame & chilli

ay and coaste r s fr om Tr ay sichuan-style sweet & sour cucumber “ants climbing a tree” a’s S to r ehouse; Flowe s fr om and bi r dcages fr om B a ba a’s chopsticks bowls, P lacemats,

sesame & rice balls

miranda farr farr miranda serves 6 hintz; wooden alace; C ushions fr om N o hintz; ation r ation Food Pr epa ystal P ystal T he Cr saskia hay S tyling steve brown P hotog r aphy cynthia black Recipes ly B looms; C hinese umb r ella fr om th r oughout fr om B utte rf ly

74 Good Taste May 2010 May 2010 Good Taste 75 goodtimes saturday night

3 Add enough peanut oil to a or large deep saucepan to reach a depth of 8cm. Heat to 190°C over high heat (when the oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden brown in 10 seconds). Add the chicken to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Shake off any excess. Add half the chicken to the oil and cook, turning occasionally, for 4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the oil between batches. 4 Arrange the chicken on a serving platter with reserved seasoning, lemon or lime wedges and coriander sprigs. Per serve 27g protein • 36g fat (8.5g saturated fat) An authentic Sichuan banquet 1.5g carb • 1g dietary fibre • 1830kJ (440 Cals) Cook’s tip You’ll need approx 500ml (2 cups) peanut oil for this recipe. needs the right balance of flavours What to drink Tsingtao. See p 140. – sweet, salty, sour and spicy. sichuan beef with chilli & capsicum

Serves 6 as part of a banquet Prep 20 mins (+ 15 mins marinating time) Cooking 15 mins

700g beef fillet, thinly sliced 1 60ml ( /4 cup) 3 garlic cloves, crushed tockist details p 151. S tockist details la r ge bowl fr om C ambodia H ouse; small ama gue. 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger 2 tbs peanut oil crispy salt & pepper chicken wings 4 shallots, ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths 1 red capsicum, halved, seeded, thinly sliced 1 yellow capsicum, halved, seeded, thinly sliced Serves 6 as a starter Prep 10 mins (+ 20 mins cooling time) 1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced diagonally Cooking 15 mins 1 fresh long green chilli, thinly sliced diagonally 2 tbs hoisin sauce 6 large (about 850g) chicken wings, halved Steamed jasmine rice, to serve 2cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve 1 shallot, ends trimmed, thickly sliced 1 40g ( /4 cup) plain flour 1 Combine the beef, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and Peanut oil, to deep-fry half the garlic and ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside for Lemon or lime wedges, to serve 15 minutes to marinate. Drain the beef, reserving any of Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve the marinade. seasoning 2 Heat a wok over high heat. Add half the oil and heat 1 1 /2 tbs sea salt flakes until just smoking. Swirl to coat. Stir-fry one-third of the 3 tsp Chinese five spice beef for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate. 2 tsp chilli powder Repeat, in 2 more batches, with the remaining beef, 1 1 /2 tsp coarsely ground mixed pepper medley reheating the wok between batches. 3 Heat remaining oil in the wok. Add the shallot, combined 1 Place the chicken, ginger and shallot in a single layer capsicum, combined chilli and remaining garlic and ginger. in a large deep frying pan. Cover with cold water. Bring to Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until capsicum is tender crisp. the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium Add the beef, remaining soy sauce, reserved marinade and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken wings and hoisin sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until heated change colour. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with through. Serve with steamed rice and coriander sprigs. paper towel. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool. Per serve 30g protein • 12g fat (3.5g saturated fat) 2 Meanwhile, to make the seasoning, combine salt flakes, 34g carb • 3g dietary fibre • 1520kJ (365 Cals) Chinese five spice, chilli powder and pepper in a medium Cook’s tip Don’t leave the beef mixture to marinate for longer than sichuan beef with chilli & capsicum (top), bowl. Reserve half the seasoning in a serving bowl. Add 15 minutes or the salt in the soy sauce will start to “cook” the beef. sichuan-style sweet & sour cucumber (left) and

the flour to the remaining seasoning and stir to combine. What to drink Sapporo. See p 140. sum & snow peas with peanuts: sichuan-style sweet & sour cucumber and garlic choy S ichuan beef with chilli & capsicum, garlic choy sum & snow peas with peanuts (front)

76 Good Taste May 2010 May 2010 Good Taste 77 goodtimes saturday night garlic choy sum & snow peas with peanuts sichuan-style sweet & sour cucumber see pic, p 77 see pic, p 77

Serves 6 as part of a banquet Prep 15 mins Cooking 10 mins Serves 6 as part of a banquet Prep 10 mins Get tastebuds tingling with the 1 tbs peanut oil 2 tbs white wine vinegar 1 55g ( /3 cup) raw peanuts 1 tbs caster sugar star ingredients of Sichuan cooking 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed, halved crossways 1 garlic clove, crushed 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 small fresh red chilli, finely chopped – fresh garlic, ginger and chilli. 1 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger /2 tsp salt 1 small fresh red chilli, finely chopped White pepper 350g snow peas, trimmed 3 Lebanese cucumbers, halved lengthways, thinly sliced 1 1 tbs sesame oil /2 red onion, halved, thinly sliced 1 80ml ( /3 cup) chicken stock* 2 tbs chopped fresh coriander 1 60ml ( /4 cup) oyster sauce* *To make this gluten free, use gluten-free stock and oyster sauce. 1 Combine the vinegar, sugar, garlic, chilli and salt in a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Season with white pepper. 1 Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the 2 Add the cucumber, onion and coriander. Toss to combine. peanuts for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Use a slotted Per serve 0.5g protein • 0g fat (0g saturated fat) spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. 4.5g carb • 1g dietary fibre • 90kJ (20 Cals) 2 Cut the choy sum stems from the leaves. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until “ants climbing a tree” aromatic. Add the choy sum stems and snow peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the choy sum leaves, sesame oil, stock and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until Serves 6 as part of a banquet Prep 10 mins vegetables are tender crisp and sauce thickens slightly. (+ 1 hour soaking time) Cooking 15 mins Per serve 7g protein • 11g fat (2g saturated fat) 10g carb • 5g dietary fibre • 700kJ (170 Cals) 6 dried shiitake mushrooms 250g pkt bean thread vermicelli spicy fried eggplant with sesame & chilli 2 tbs peanut oil 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, crushed Serves 6 as part of a banquet Prep 10 mins Cooking 15 mins 2 small fresh red chillies, thinly sliced 5 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced 1 1 /2 tbs malt vinegar 400g pork mince 1 1 /2 tbs sesame oil 2 tbs soy sauce 1 1 /2 tbs brown sugar 2 tbs hoisin sauce 1 1 /2 tbs soy sauce 1 tbs water 1 1 /2 tbs hot chilli sauce 2 tsp cornflour Peanut oil, to shallow-fry 150g firm tofu, cut into 2cm pieces 1 large eggplant, quartered lengthways, thinly sliced 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted 1 Place mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling Thinly sliced fresh green chilli, to serve water. Set aside for 1 hour to soak. Drain, reserving 250ml (1 cup) of liquid. Thinly slice.

1 Stir the vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and chilli 2 Meanwhile, place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with p 151. S tockist details A ust r alia. sauce in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain. 2 Add enough peanut oil to a large deep frying pan to come 3 Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the ginger, garlic, 2cm up the side. Heat over high heat. Cook one-third of the mushroom, half the chilli and three-quarters of the shallot eggplant for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to for 2 minutes. Add the mince and stir-fry for 3 minutes. r fr om M ud platte a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 2 more batches, 4 Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce and reserved liquid. Cook for with remaining eggplant, reheating oil between batches. 2 minutes. Combine water and cornflour in a bowl. Add to 3 Arrange the eggplant on a serving plate. Drizzle over the the sauce and stir until it thickens. Stir in noodles and tofu spicy fried eggplant with sesame & chilli dressing and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and chilli. until heated through. Top with remaining chilli and shallot. (left) and “ants climbing a tree” (right) Team soy-glazed eggplant with “ants climbing a tree”, Per serve 1.5g protein • 25g fat (4.5g saturated fat) Per serve 22g protein • 14g fat (3.5g saturated fat) a Sichuan classic that owes its name to the way the A nts climbing a tree”: 7.5g carb • 2g dietary fibre • 1080kJ (260 Cals) 44g carb • 4g dietary fibre • 1640kJ (390 Cals) “ juicy pork mince clings to the stick-like noodles.

78 Good Taste May 2010 May 2010 Good Taste 79 goodtimes saturday night

sesame & ginger rice balls 1 Combine milk, star anise, cinnamon and orange rind in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Stir in the rice. Bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting Makes 24 Prep 25 mins (+ 10 mins standing lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 18 minutes. Set aside, & 30 mins cooling time) Cooking 20 mins covered, for 10 minutes to stand. 2 Stir in the sugar and coconut cream. Transfer to 500ml (2 cups) reduced-fat milk a medium bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool. 2 whole star anise 3 Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Stir in 1 cinnamon stick the condensed milk. Use wet hands to roll 1 tablespoonful 2 tsp finely grated orange rind of the rice mixture into a ball. Insert a piece of ginger into 215g (1 cup) sushi rice the centre of the ball and roll to enclose. Roll in sesame 1 55g ( /4 cup) caster sugar seeds to coat. Place on the lined tray. Repeat with 1 60ml ( /4 cup) coconut cream remaining rice mixture, ginger and sesame seeds. 2 tbs sweetened condensed milk Per ball: 10g protein • 12g fat (3.5g saturated fat) 1 50g ( /4 cup) glacé ginger, cut into 5mm pieces 53g carb • 2.5g dietary fibre • 1485kJ (355 Cals) 1 80g ( /2 cup) sesame seeds, toasted Storage tip Freeze leftover coconut cream to use in curries.

80 Good Taste May 2010