Author: PK

• 

  Bish’s Curry Nuts

  We have a new special guest blogger and this guy know a lot about the web of life and the impact that feeding our population has on it. It is partly because of him that I realise we have a moral duty to ask where our food comes from and how it gets to us. It is important not to waste one iota of the food we grow, so I love any recipe that helps.

  So here is his first post.

  Bish writes:

  

  .
  We have an overactive curry leaf plant (Murraya koenigii) in our garden and we have been struggling to find uses for it apart from our own curries. It’s going so well that it has flowered a few times and has a crop of berries on it at the moment, which I’m trying to work out how to use to propagate some more.

  A Sri Lankan friend told us how he uses them to make a nice snack and so we’ve been giving it a try.

  You’ll need:

  • Two stems of curry leaves, removed from stems
  • Two handfuls of unsalted, raw cashews
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Olive oil (a splash)

  Basically, cut off a couple of stems full of leaves and then take them off the stem so you have the individual leaves separated. Put a splash of olive oil in a small frypan, get it hot and toss in the leaves, you’ll hear them crackle and spit as they crispen up. Chuck in a good whack of salt (how much depends on your own preference) and then add the raw, unsalted cashews. Turn down the heat so that the nuts don’t burn and then just keep them moving about in the pan until they roast up nicely.

  Once you’re happy with the colour of the nuts (watch that they, nor the leaves, burn) then take them off the heat and either start munching on them as soon as they’re cool enough or let them totally cool … who am I kidding, as soon as these are done you’ll be tucking into them. The leaves are great as part of the snack too – salty, curry, crunchy goodness.

  

  Bish

  Related Links:

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 11, 2016

• 

  PK Reviews: Ryobi 36V Outdoor Power Tool Range

  I love outdoor power tools but growing up I didn’t learn to keep anything with a petrol engine running in good order for very long. I was however really into electrical gadgets and for that matter I still am.

  I persevered with petrol whiper-snippers (line trimmers), lawnmowers and leaf blowers however because I found electrical gardening tools, especially the cordless variety, poor alternatives.

  So I was really excited when I heard about Ryobi’s 36v Lithium Battery range. The brushless motor versions especially are comparable in grunt to their petrol cousins but without the noise, maintenance and emissions. Australia has a way to go on the renewable energy front but my gut tells me it is better to use electric engines and hybrids over the oil and petrol models.

  The geek in me loves the fact that with a couple of the 36V lithium batteries I can swap them in and out of the tools as I go around the garden. The long life 36V batteries are the key to the range’s success and grunt. I have two, a 2.6Ah pack and one of the newer 5Ah packs. Both charge exceptionally fast and hold their charge.

  I can go out to the shed and grab a battery that hasn’t been used or charged for months and off I go. They are pleasingly heavy so you know they mean business. Don’t worry about their weight during use though as each tool has them in a balanced position to counteract that. There is also a button on the front that lights up a charge remaining indicator.

  I recommend having two batteries at the very least. Especially if like me you lend your tools out a lot and need to keep using other ones. My friends and I now own most of the range and like to help each other out.

  The full range covers (* means I have and will eventually review):

  • leaf blower *
  • pole pruner
  • hedge trimmer*
  • brushless chainsaw*
  • leaf vacuum
  • lawn mower
  • lawn edger
  • line trimmer*

  Review 2: 36V Brushless Chainsaw

  

  This is my favourite in the 36V range and the first chainsaw I have owned. It is amazing how often it gets used by my mates and I. They laugh at first and don’t believe it is powerful enough until they use it :).

  From the Ryobi website: ‘Its powerful brushless motor produces high torque and chain speeds of 21 m/sec, meaning you can achieve better results, faster. Our chainsaw’s 356-mm cutting capacity also ensures you can perform large cuts with ease’.

  I have used petrol chainsaws before and the 36V brushless chainsaw feels as powerful as a   small petrol model  eg 30cc but without the weight, kickback, fumes and ‘the always on’ characteristics. I love how it starts every time and comes to a stop as soon as you release the trigger.

  Putting it together is a snap:

  1. Put the chain guide onto the main part of the unit.
  2. Put the chain on the guide and around the sprocket. The guide has a picture to help you get the direction of the chain’s teeth right.
  3. Turn the chain tensioner wheel now to remove most of the slack out of the chain. It moves the guide away from the sprocket to achieve this tension.
  4. Put the sprocket cover on and  tighten the knob (inner black ring).
  5. Adjust the tensioner ring (outer grey ring) to get the correct tension on the chain.

  

  

  In this video you can see the chainsaw make short work (full time was around 4 minutes) of a peach tree that I was removing. I like how light and balanced the chainsaw is, allowing you to achieve the cutting angle you want without feeling like you are wrestling the sharp bitey part. I also love how you can hang the unit on a tree branch if you need to clear vegetation away. At the end of the 4 minutes I cut the limbs down further so I could keep them for smoking meat in my Weber. I still had a full battery so I used the 36V Blower to clean the area up and blow down the outer skin of the chainsaw.

  Note: This is not a chainsaw usage tutorial, I am no expert. I keep everyone well away from the area when using this product until the job is done and the battery is removed. I was wearing safety glasses but should also have had long sleeves, gloves and head protection. I urge you to make good use of the chain brake too.

  I don’t use the chainsaw every week so I am a bit pedantic with the strip down and storage of it. I bet you don’t need to be this careful as the product can take a beating.

  Look at the gunk though:

  

  Here is what I do:

  1. Break down the unit.
  2. Rinse the sprocket cover, chain and guide bar.
  3. Re-lubricate them and store them in oily rags.
  4. Use a clean cloth, a small screwdriver and sometimes compressed air to clean the main part of the unit.
  5. Remove any bar oil left for reuse later.

   

  

  Review 1: 36V Blower

  

  When my wife and I moved into our current house we realised that lots of trees means lots of leaves. Even the neighbours’ trees like to get in on the act. So I ditched the broom for my first tool in the 36v lithium range, the leaf blower. Ryobi makes two versions and I have the ‘entry’ level product. I am glad because the more powerful model would probably shift the bricks :).

  From Ryobi’s website, the stats:

  • 250km/h air velocity
  • Variable speed control
  • Lightweight and sturdy design
  • Comfortable one handed grip

  This product really delivers. It is perfectly balanced like they say and easily shifts mounds of wet frangipani and flowering plum leaves, lawn trimmings and sand. The trigger speed control gives you control when you get into the nooks and crannies and when you are making piles of leaves. I got mine from Bunnings and it has never given me one spot of bother. Maintenance is a breeze, I simply brush it down (especially around the air intakes) and hang it on a hook in the shed.

  

  Hope these reviews help,

  PK

  Related Links:

  • See our other product reviews here
  • See more growing, catching and cooking equipment here

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 9, 2016

• 

  Lorelle B’s Stuffed Mushrooms

  This reader submitted mushroom recipe is so good. Lorelle recommends changing the stuffing each time to keep it exciting. I love it and your guests will too. 🙂 – PK

  Ingredients:

  • 4 large portabello mushrooms
  • 8 slices of stale bread
  • 2 Tbsp of plain flour
  • 2 Tbsp of garlic chives
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated cheese
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • pinch of onion salt
  • squirt of lemon juice
  • oil for frying
  • 2 Tbsp of butter
  • milk for the rue

  Steps:

  1. Clean mushroom cups with damp paper towels,  remove stalks, set aside.
  2. Blitz bread crumbs with chives and Parmesan, put in bowl.
  3. Whisk egg with garlic and lemon juice.
  4. Dip mushrooms in egg mix then crumbs.
  5. Deep fry till golden, set aside.
  6. Melt butter in saucepan, then add flour, whisk until a rue has formed.
  7. Add some milk and continue to whisk till desired thickness, add cheese, let cool.
  8. Then fill mushrooms with sauce, add whatever ingredient you want to sauce, eg: prawns or chicken, place mushrooms on baking tray and grill till golden
  9. Serve hot with a crunchy salad or fries, yum.

  Thanks,

  Lorelle B.

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 7, 2016

• 

  PK’s Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

  This was the first time I have made my own stock. Up until this point I had thought it wasn’t worth the time and effort required. I couldn’t have been more wrong :).

  After a quick bit of prep I left it to its own devices overnight. In the morning I recovered the left over ingredients, filtered the stock and froze it in 2 cup batches.

  I got so much joy and reward from making this stock because I:

  • got to be in the kitchen cooking :).
  • gave a second chance to some carrots at the back of the fridge.
  • picked fresh vegetables from the garden with my young son.
  • used parts of chickens that normally go to waste.
  • didn’t add any packaging to landfill.
  • recovered the cooked vegetables for my compost bin.
  • recovered the bones to make my own bone meal for soil improvement (post coming soon).
  • retained some rendered chicken fat for cooking (hey I never said this was a good health blog hehehehe).
  • got an amazingly tasty stock that is salt, sugar and preservative free.

  STEPS:

  1. Get some chicken bones
  2. Gather/harvest and chop your vegetables
  3. Slow cooker time
  4. Straining
  5. Storing
  6. Recovery and resuse (optional)
  7. Defrosting

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 2 onions
    • 4 carrots
    • 2 – 4 celery stalks (leaves on)
    • 1 Tbsp peppercorns
    • 1 handful of basil leaves
    • 2kg of chicken bones and/or carcasses
    • 2.5L of water
  • Equipment
    • a chopping board
    • a long sharp knife
    • a tablespoon
    • a 1 cup measuring cup
    • a strainer (like you would use for pasta)
    • a fine mesh sieve
    • a large pot
    • several deep dishes to hold the leftover vegetables and bones
    • a slow cooker
    • freezer containers or glass jars
    • a butter knife when it comes time to defrost the stock

  Get some chicken bones

  There must be tons of methods for doing this but I went to the butchers and bought 6 chicken carcasses. It cost me $5 AUD and they weighed approximately 2.2kgs. There was a little bit of meat on them too.

  

  Steps:

  1. I took each carcass and wrenched them in the middle to separate them into halves. I only did that to help them fit into the slow cooker though.
  2. Put them aside and turn your slow cooker on its lowest setting.

  Gather/harvest and chop your vegetables

  

  Steps:

  1. Take about 4 stalks of celery (leaves on and hopefully fresh from your garden) and give them a good wash. Tap dry and then rough chop.
  2. Rough chop the 4 carrots (skin on) and 2 onions.
  3. Rough chop a handful of basil leaves (not stems). I used some from my garden that I had previously frozen.
  4. Add all the vegetables to the now warmed up slow cooker along with 1 Tbsp of peppercorns.

  Slow cooker time

  

  Steps:

  1. Place the chicken carcasses on top of the vegetables and pour in enough boiling water to cover everything. In my case this was 2.5L.
  2. Don’t worry if the slow cooker is full to the brim and a bit squishy. By the end everything will have shrunk down and there will be plenty of room to stir everything.
  3. Let it simmer for as long as you can but at least 8 hours on low. I didn’t have to add any water the whole time but keep an eye on the water levels.
  4. As you notice a bit of space developing you can start to give it the odd stir.

  In this picture you can see how everything has reduced down:

  

  Straining

  The last few steps can be a little time consuming if you want to make the best use of the left over ingredients.

  Steps:

  1. Pour everything into a pasta colander (or a strainer that will catch most of the larger ingredients but still let the liquid through easily) over a large saucepan. I was worried that using a fine mesh sieve at this point would end with stock all over the place so I used this two part process.
  2. Now run the stock through the fine mesh sieve over the slow cooker and pour the stock in slowly.
  3. Clean the sieve under the tap and then run the stock through it again but into the original saucepan.
  4. Keep putting the vegetables and bones aside if you intend to recover them.
  5. Let the now filtered stock cool in the fridge slightly to get the skim of fat on the top.
  6. Spoon a tiny bit of the fat skim off but don’t be too fastidious as I have a tip for that later. We don’t want to lose any more of the precious stock than we have too :).

  Storing

  At this stage the stock should be super tasty but it will also be oily. I trialled two methods for dealing with this.

  Steps:

  1. Initially I placed a sheet of paper towel on the surface of the stock and let it slowly draw in the fat beads. I carefully removed the paper towel and disposed of it.
  2. I then used a 1 cup measuring cup to ladle the stock into several freezer containers.
  3. I then turned the containers upside down and froze them. This means that most of the fat beads will rise to the surface.

  In this picture you can see the beads of fat on the top and nice clean stock underneath:

  

  Recovery and Reuse

  I will expand on this in a later post but here are a few tips if you want to reuse the leftover ingredients. I had fun doing it but making the bone meal was a labour of love.

  1. Keep the bones for making your own bone meal.
  2. Chuck the vegetables into the compost bin.

  Defrosting

  I would like to show you now the advantage of freezing them upside down in a slightly concave shaped container.

  Steps:

  1. Pop the lid off the container and let it ever so slightly thaw.
  2. Turn the container upside down again and pop the stock out.
  3. Using a butter knife, scrape the fat off the top of the stock block.

  I got about 1 Tbsp of fat off two cups of stock, enough to fry up some potatoes I bet :).

  I would love to hear from you if you have any tips you want to share about making stock.

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 6, 2016

• 

  KT’s Dippy Eggs and Soldiers

  My toddler loves a soft boiled egg and soldiers and when he wants them for breakfast he asks for ‘dippy eggs’. The name has stuck I am happy to say :).

  The problem was that I had always cooked hard boiled eggs, using this method, growing up. So I had to ask my wife if she knew how to cook a runny egg. Ironically, even though she only eats poached eggs, she remembered a recipe from BabyMac’s blog (see it here).

  I gave it a try and was amazed at the results. Now I cook a couple of eggs for the kids’ brekkie (that is what we call breakfast in Australia) and a sneaky extra one for dad. Add a couple of pieces of toast to make “soldiers” and you are done in under 10 minutes!

  We try and source ethically produced eggs with middling success (we now have a good supplier in Gale Force Farm Organic Free Range Eggs ) but that is a story for another day.

   STEPS:

  1. Gather the ingredients
  2. Boil the eggs and cook the toast
  3. Serving

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • several slices of toast per person
    • one chicken egg per person
    • butter, margarine or butter blend for the “soldiers”
  • Equipment
    • a chopping board
    • a butter knife to cut the top off the eggs, butter the toast and cut them into “soldiers”
    • a small saucepan
    • a toaster
    • a timer
    • a small plate for the toast
    • several egg cups

  Gather the ingredients

  Steps:

  1. Put aside a few slices of bread for each person and pop them in the toaster but don’t start toasting them yet.
  2. Take an egg or two per person out of the fridge and let them start to warm up to room temperature.
  3. Take the butter out of the fridge.
  4. Fill a saucepan with water, enough to cover the eggs (one layer deep). Bring it to a rolling boil.
  5. Set your timer to 5 minutes.

  Boil the eggs and cook the toast

  Steps:

  1. I used a slotted spoon to lower the eggs into the boiling water and pressed start on the timer. Be very careful not to put a crack in the shells.
  2. At 2 minutes left, lower the bread into the toaster. We have our toaster set to make semi-frozen bread into golden brown toast in two minutes.
  3. At 0 minutes take all of the eggs out off the boiling water.
  4. Butter the toast and cut into 1.5cm wide strips.

  Here is a video of what I think a rolling boil looks like:

  Serving

  My wife says commit when it comes to taking the top off an egg. Take a butter knife and slice the top part off. It isn’t so much a chopping motion as it is a slow but forceful movement from one side to the other all the way through. Previously I used a teaspoon to crack it all the way around and then scoop off the top but never again. My wife’s way is so much better as you get less broken shell in the yolk :).

  A very important note: take the tops off all of the eggs. If you don’t they will continue to cook past the runny egg stage that we are trying to achieve.

  

  Thanks to Beth from BabyMac,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 28, 2016

• 

  PK’s NoRecipe Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

  I love hard boiled eggs served warm with a pinch of salt and pepper or cold and sliced in a salad. I want to share a method for making the perfect hard boiled egg that I learnt as a child.

  Take a small saucepan and fill with enough room temperature water to cover the eggs. Gently place the eggs into the water, turn the hob on high heat (use a small burner) and bring to a vigorous boil.

  

  Once the water is boiling like crazy, leave the eggs in for a minute longer and then fish them out with a slotted spoon or the like.

  Let them cool on the counter top for a bit.

  Under gently running cold water, peel the eggs and then pat dry. The older the eggs the easier the shell will come off. Put the shells in your vegetable garden beds to ward of those pesky cabbage moths.

  Pat the eggs dry and eat them how you like.

  I normally steal a few at this point :).

  Look at this free range goodness:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

   

   

   

   

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 28, 2016

• 

  PK’s Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

  I love hard boiled eggs served warm with a pinch of salt and pepper or cold and sliced in a salad. I want to share a method for making the perfect hard boiled egg that I learnt as a child.

  Take a small saucepan and fill with enough room temperature water to cover the eggs. Gently place the eggs into the water, turn the hob on high heat (use a small burner) and bring to a vigorous boil.

  

  Once the water is boiling like crazy, leave the eggs in for a minute longer and then fish them out with a slotted spoon or the like.

  Let them cool on the counter top for a bit.

  Under gently running cold water, peel the eggs and then pat dry. The older the eggs the easier the shell will come off. Put the shells in your vegetable garden beds to ward of those pesky cabbage moths.

  Pat the eggs dry and eat them how you like.

  I normally steal a few at this point :).

  Look at this free range goodness:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Related Links:

  • see more cooking with egg posts here
  • go to all meal ingredients here

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 28, 2016

• 

  Jon’s Swan River Prawn and Mushroom Linguine

  Sending out a massive congratulations to Jonathan Anderson for winning Grow It, Catch It,  Cook It’s first ever competition. The amazing fellas at Life Cykel will be sending him out one of their Home Grown Mushroom Boxes so he can get cracking growing his own Oyster mushrooms.

  ‘Welchy’ chose this recipe entry as the winner because it completely captures everything that I am writing about on the blog. Fresh home grown ingredients harvested just before use, fresh seafood caught personally and locally with little to no transport footprint and supporting a small local operation’s passion. I hadn’t heard of Magpie Ridge Organics before but their Toodyay farm and products sound amazing. There is even a fishing tip buried in there too :).

  Jon writes:

  Ingredients:

  • 20 king prawns freshly caught from the Swan River
  • 3 large button mushrooms
  • 1 spring onion from the garden
  • 2 garlic cloves from the garden
  • 50-100 ml olive oil (highly recommend, our mates fresh made – Magpie Ridge brand)
  • 15 g butter
  • 500 g linguine pasta (even better if home made – ask Davina how)
  • 4 leaves basil from the garden

  Method:

  1. Start boiling a large pot of water for the linguine.  While you wait chop up the garlic, spring onion and mushrooms.
  2. Remove the heads from the prawns but leave the shell on the tails (If you like to fish, keep the prawn heads for your berley mixture).
  3. Once the water has boiled add the linguine and than heat a frying pan on high for the prawn mixture.
  4. Once the frying pan is hot add the olive oil and let it heat up for 1-2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, garlic and spring onion and reduce for about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the prawns and butter and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  6. Turn the heat off the frying pan and remove from hot area.
  7. Drain linguine and mix into the frying prawn sauce mixture.
  8. Add the chopped up fresh basil along with salt and pepper to your liking.  Freshly graded Parmesan is optional.

  Serving:

  Although unorthodox, my wife and I really enjoy Black Chook Shiraz bubbles to make it a bit of a celebration!

  

  Thanks from Life Cykel, ‘Welchy’ and I Jon,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 23, 2016

• 

  Jon Anderson’s Swan River Prawn and Mushroom Linguine

  Sending out a massive congratulations to Jonathan Anderson for winning Grow It, Catch It,  Cook It’s first ever competition. The amazing fellas at Life Cykel will be sending him out one of their Home Grown Mushroom Boxes so he can get cracking growing his own Oyster mushrooms.

  ‘Welchy’ chose this recipe entry as the winner because it completely captures everything that I am writing about on the blog. Fresh home grown ingredients harvested just before use, fresh seafood caught personally and locally with little to no transport footprint and supporting a small local operation’s passion. I hadn’t heard of Magpie Ridge Organics before but their Toodyay farm and products sound amazing. There is even a fishing tip buried in there too :).

  Jon writes:

  Ingredients:

  • 20 king prawns freshly caught from the Swan River
  • 3 large button mushrooms
  • 1 spring onion from the garden
  • 2 garlic cloves from the garden
  • 50-100 ml olive oil (highly recommend our mates fresh made – Magpie Ridge brand)
  • 15 g butter
  • 500 g linguine pasta (even better if home made – ask Davina how)
  • 4 leaves basil from the garden

  Method:

  1. Start boiling a large pot of water for the linguine.  While you wait chop up the garlic, spring onion and mushrooms.
  2. Remove the heads from the prawns but leave the shell on the tails (If you like to fish, keep the prawn heads for your berley mixture).
  3. Once the water has boiled add the linguine and than heat a frying pan on high for the prawn mixture.
  4. Once the frying pan is hot add the olive oil and let it heat up for 1-2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, garlic and spring onion and reduce for about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the prawns and butter and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  6. Turn the heat off the frying pan and remove from hot area.
  7. Drain linguine and mix into the frying prawn sauce mixture.
  8. Add the chopped up fresh basil along with salt and pepper to your liking.  Freshly graded Parmesan is optional.

  Serving:

  Although unorthodox, my wife and I really enjoy Black Chook Shiraz bubbles to make it a bit of a celebration!

  

  Thanks from Life Cykel, ‘Welchy’ and I Jon,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 23, 2016

• 

  Easy Thai Beef Salad

  I love southeast asian salads. They are a feast for your eyes and your taste buds. The range of flavours is so diverse, you will never get bored of them.

  The key to a good beef salad is a great dressing and a good cut of beef that is thinly sliced and not over cooked. I hope you enjoy making the nam jim dressing and building the salad at the table like my family does. 🙂

  Notes: I have shown my timing preferences below for serving the salad with warm beef slices. Of course, if you prefer cold meat in this dish, you can make them in any order and well ahead of time. Oh and don’t forget to bring your steaks out of the fridge a little earlier so they are approaching room temperature as they go in the fry-pan.

  STEPS:

  1. Make the Nam jim dressing
  2. Roast the rice
  3. Gather the salad ingredients
  4. Cook the beef steaks
  5. Serving Suggestions

  You will need:

  • Nam jim Ingredients (repeated here for your shopping list):
    • 1 tsp powdered kashmiri chilli
    • 5 coriander roots (cilantro)
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 2.5cm piece fresh ginger root
    • 3 Tbsp fish sauce
    • 3 Tbsp lime juice
    • 1 Tbsp palm sugar
  • Roasted Rice Ingredients
    • 100g of basmati or jasmine rice
    • 1 Tbsp of rock sea salt
  • Salad Ingredients
    • several large cabbage leaves (1 per person)
    • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
    • 1 handful of coriander leaves and stems
    • 1/2 large red capsicum
    • 1/3 of a burpless cucumber
    • 1 red shallot
    • 1 spring onion
    • 6 cherry tomatoes
    • 1 cup bean sprouts
    • 1 handful of mint leaves
    • 1 medium carrot
    • 1 handful of snow peas
    • your favourite fresh chilis (optional)
    • unsalted peanuts to taste (optional)
  • Steak Ingredients
    • small eye fillet steaks (1 per person)
    • ground black pepper to taste
    • table salt to taste
    • kecap manis or soy sauce (optional)
  • Equipment
    • an oven tray
    • a mortar and pestle
    • a chopping board
    • a small serving bowl for the roasted rice
    • a large salad bowl
    • a large frypan

   Make the Nam jim dressing

  

  Steps:

  1. Make the Nam Jim dressing as per PK’s Favourite Nam Jim Dressing.

  Roast the rice

  Steps:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 200° C.
  2. Spread the rice grains across an oven tray and cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  3. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
  4. Grind 1 Tbsp of rock sea salt in a mortar and pestle.
  5. Add the cooled roasted rice grains to the mortar and pestle and grind to your desired consistency.
  6. Add the finished product into a small serving bowl.

  Gather the salad ingredients

  Steps:

  1. Wash and dry all of the vegetables.
  2. Put the cabbage leaves aside, you won’t need them until serving time.
  3. Keep the 1 cup of bean sprouts aside for the same reason
  4. To a large salad bowl add:
     • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
     • 1 handful of hand torn coriander leaves and stems
     • 1/2 red capsicum fine sliced (deseeded and pith removed)
     • 1/3 of a burpless cucumber sliced and quartered
     • 1 shallot fine sliced
     • 1 spring onion fine sliced
     • 6 halved cherry tomatoes
     • 1 handful of hand torn mint leaves
     • 1 medium carrot fine sliced  (I use a potato peeler to make thin strips)
     • 1 handful of hand torn snow peas (chop the ends off each first.

  Cook the beef steaks

  

  Steps:

  1. Preheat your fry-pan and add a splash of olive oil. You could barbecue them outside of course but I prefer a fry-pan when cooking eye fillet steaks.
  2. Cook the eye fillet steaks to  medium rare and allow them to rest, optionally adding a bit of kecap manis or soy sauce at this point.
  3. Thinly slice the cooked steaks.

  Serving Suggestions

  Steps:

  1. Place a whole cabbage leaf on each plate.
     • Fill to the brim with the salad ingredients.
     • Add the beef slices.
     • Throw some bean sprouts over the top.
  2. Serve along with the roasted rice and Nam jim dressing, sliced fresh chillis and unsalted peanuts.

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are more southeast asian inspired cuisine and salad posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 18, 2016