Tsukemen

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
Meat
100g Pork Belly Slices
1 Thumb Ginger Root – Lightly Crushed
Pinch Red Chilli rings (or chilli flakes) – add more if you like it hot.
1 Clove Garlic – Lightly Crushed
1 Jumbo Spring Onion – Green Part

Broth
400ml Chinese Style Chicken Broth (1/2 TBSP granules to 400ml water)
2 TBSP Sake
1 White part Spring Onion (Jumbo, cut diagonally)
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
40g Shiitake Mushrooms
40g Shimeji Mushrooms
1 TSP Vinegar
1/2 TSP Sesame Oil

Toppings
2 Eggs – Soft Boiled
Handful of spring onion leaves
Dollop of Grated Garlic

2 Bags of Ramen Noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir fry the pork slices in a pan until they release some fat and stir in the chillis.

2. After stir frying for a few minutes add in the sake and stock along with the green part of the spring onion, garlic and ginger – bring to the boil. Skim off any foam to clarify the broth.

3. Once boiling lower to a simmer for 10 mintutes.

4. This is good time to boil your egg. I boil mine for 6 minutes if they are room temp to start. I over cooked in this one, oops.

5. Remove the green spring onion leaves, ginger and garlic and add the soy and white part of spring onion, continue to simmer.

6. Once the white spring onion has wilted taste the broth and add pepper to taste.

7. Add in sesame oil and vinegar.

8. Boil your ramen as per instructions, mine only takes 3 minutes, rinse in cold water to remove the goo and squeeze out any water without crushing it. Place on a bamboo mat to drain.

9. Serve the tsukemen in a small bowl next to your ramen noodles and egg.

10. Garnish with chopped spring onion leaves, grated garlic, bonito flakes or chilli oil.

Source: Cooking With Dog.

Tsukemen – Anonymous Cookery 2015

Chilli Con Carne

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
500g Minced Beef
400g Canned Tomatoes
410g Can of Chilli Bean/Kidney Beans
1 Large Onion – Finely chopped
1 Red Pepper – chopped
2 Garlic Cloves – Crushed
1 Chicken Stock Cube
1 TSP Hot Chilli Powder
1 TSP Paprika
1 TSP Ground Cumin
1/2 TSP dry Marjoram
1 TBSP Oil
1 TSP Sugar – Substitute for 1 cube of chocolate if preferred
1 TBSP Tomato Puree

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fry onions at medium heat till soft, approx 5 mins.

2. Add in garlic, red pepper, chilli powder, paprika and cumin. Stir and leave for 5 mins.

3. Turn up heat and add mince to brown.

4. Crumble in stock cube to 300ml hot water and add to pan with the tomatoes, marjoram and sugar/chocolate.

5. Season with salt and pepper and the tomato puree and bring to boil, once boiling, turn down heat and cover with a lid.

6. Simmer for 20mins.

7. Keep an eye on the pan to check for drying, add water if beginning to burn.

8. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot.

9. Bring to boil without the lid for 10 minutes, taste and season again.

10. Turn off heat and leave to sit for at least 10 mins before serving.

NOTES
Chilli is best the next day so try keep some for laters! Great served with steamed rice or with cheesy nachos.

Spices

Ingredients

Chilli Con Carne – By Anonymous Cookery 2014

Laksa Prawn and Chicken Soup

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
Broth
3 TBSP Veg Oil
120g Laksa Paste
2 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Water
2 Stalks Lemon Grass (White part, pounded)
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
1/2 Coconut Milk
1 Pinch Salt – more to taste
2 TBSP Lime Juice
5 Kaffir Leaves (OPTIONAL)

300g Noodles – Yellow or Vermicelli

Toppings
10 Tofu Puffs – Cut into halves
2 Steamed Fish Cakes or Fish Balls – either sliced or cut in half
10 Large Raw Prawns, de-veined and cooked
2 Egg – Soft boiled and quartered
100g Beansprouts

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a pot add the oil and saute the Laska paste until aromatic.

2. Add chicken stock, water, lemon grass, tofu puffs, and the Kaffir leaves if using and bring to a boil.

3. Lower to a simmer and add coconut and evaporated milk, salt and lime juice.

4. Prepare the noodles as per the package instructions.

5. Once noodles are cooked add them to bottom of serving bowl with the beansprouts, top with the prawns, fishcake, and eggs.

6. Ladle over the broth and top with the tofu puffs.