Forksticks

This dish is fantastic with slow cooker (6 hours), and it's even better after 1 or 2 days.

I generally use pork neck as it's economical and less fattening than pork shoulder. However, if you like pork crackling to serve on the side, you can remove the excess skin from pork shoulder and grill the skin separately until it's crispy as you do with roast pork.

What you need:

• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional), I use grounded Thai chilli (a bit of heat)
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 125ml (1/2 cup) lime juice
• 80ml (1/3 cup) orange juice
• 2kg boneless pork neck or pork shoulder (remove excess fat)

1. Combine everything in a bowl and marinate with the pork for at least 3 hours. I generally leave it covered in the fridge over night.

2. Put everything (including the marinate juice) into the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours, till the pork is tender. 

(Alternatively, preheat oven to 160C. Place pork and marinade in a large flameproof casserole dish. Loosely cover surface with foil. Cover with lid. Roast, turning half way through cooking and basting occasionally for 3 hours or until pork is very tender. Set aside, covered, for 30 min to rest)

3.Served the pork in pan juice with Saurkraut or Asian pickles.

Or Shredded pork & serve with tortillas or Chinese bun or rice.

The options are endless. 

What you need:
1/2 Cup Red Split Lentils (masoor dhal)
1/2 Cup Yellow Split Lentils (moong dhal)
1tsp salt to taste
1Tbsp Lemon Juice
2Tbsp Fresh Coriander, chopped
1Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4tsp Black mustard seeds
1/4tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Onion seeds
1/4tsp Fennel seeds
8-10 Fenugreek seeds
6 small Dried Chilli
1/2tsp Tumeric powder
1 small tomato, seeded & cut into strips to garnish (optional)
Fresh chives, to garnish (optional)

1. Wash the mixed dhal thoroughly. Drain.
2. Bring 850 ml water to the boil with the dhal, let it boil for 6 min then reduce the heat to simmer for 20 min.
Add salt & lemon juice. Add some hot water if the dhal is too thick.
Then add the coriander. Turn of the heat.
3. Heat the oil in a small saucepan, make sure the oil is hot but not smokey.
Add the mustard seeds till they pop, reduce the heat and add the rest of the spices in except the tumeric.
Until the chilli start to blacken.
4. Pour the seasoning oil on top of the cooked dhal. Garnish with tomato & chives.

Have it with boiled rice or roti / naan bread.

What you need:
10 Medium size prawn (shelled)
10 Medium size prawn (shelled)
1 piece white fish fillet (in chunks)
1/2 red onion (sliced)
1 stalk Lemongrass (bashed with mortar & pestle)
20g Tamarind paste (mixed with 1 cup water)
Salt & Sugar to taste
200g Patei (stinky bean)
Fresh coriander (optional)

(refer to my other sambal variations in other pages ie. Sambal Kemeri)
Sambal:
240g onion or eschallot
180g Red chilli
15g Tumeric powder
2 Tbsp Belacan Powder
2 TBsp Dried Shrimp (soaked in water & washed)

1. Blend all sambal ingredients. Heat up a fry pan with some cooking oil, pour the sambal mixture in and stir fry till fragrant.
2. Add lemongrass, red onion, tamarind, patei in and simmer. Put the seafood in till fully cooked (only a few minutes).
3. Sprinkle some coriander on top to serve.

Have this fish with the coconut rice or plain white rice. An appetizing dish in all seasons for those who love some spice.

1. Peel the eggplants, cut them in rectangular chunks, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 30 min.
2. Drained the mushroom, finely chopped and set aside.
3. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly and pat dry. Heat the oil in a deep wok over high flame and fry for a few minutes until they are tender with slightly gold tint. Shake off the excess oil and set aside on the paper towels.
4. Drain the oil until only 3 tablespoons remaining. Add the turkey and stir-fry as it separates an loses its water content. Add the chilli paste until the oil is red.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients (ginger, garlic & Shitaki mushroom), pour in the stock, soy sauce and eggplant. Simmer for a few minutes until all flavours have penetrated the eggplants.
Season with salt if needed.
6. Finally turn up the heat to reduce the sauce of you prefer the dish dry. (I generally don't, as I like the sauce). Drizzle the sesame oil and Sprinkle the shallots on top to serve.

Tempeh is a traditions Indonesian staple, suitable for vegan, high in iron & protein.
The famous beef rendang is cooked the same way with more time on the stove to breakdown the beef.

Ingredients:
500g approx. Tempeh (sliced into desirable sized cubes)
1 large sweet potato (cubed)
1 stalk Lemongrass
1 Onion
1 clove Garlic
5 stalks Shallots
2 tsp Ginger
3 Red chilli (personally I love it hot, the more the merrier - 8 for me)
400ml Coconut Milk
1.5 tsp Turmeric powder
1.5 tsp Fennel seeds (ground)
6 cloves (ground)
5 Cardamon
3 Bay leaves
4 Kaffir lime leaves
1/2 cup Dried shredded coconut (baked till brown)
1 small bunch of coriander (chopped)
1 cup Water
Pinch of salt
1/2 Tbsp Sugar

1. Use a pastel & mortar to ground the fennel seeds, cloves
2. Process the following ingredients in a food processor - lemongrass, shallots, onion, garlic, ginger & chilli.
3. Heat up a deep pot with a little oil, pour the paste from #2 and lightly fried till its fragrant. Put the tempeh in.
4. Add the coconut milk and the rest of the dry spices in, along with the leaves.
Mix well. Simmer for a good 20 min. Add some water if it becomes too dry.
5. Put the sweet potato in and a bit more water if needed. Salt and sugar to taste.
6. When the potato is well cooked. Serve with some baked shredded coconut and coriander.

A dear friend is anemic (iron deficiency) and also celiac (allergic to wheat). I start to come up with food that are more friendly to her and maintain the integrity of yumminess.
This is a super healthy, protein & iron packed snack.
Molasses has a metallic taste and my original recipe without honey is too trying for some. 2 versions corrected the acquiring taste of molasses.

Molasses Muesli (Version 1)

320g Black Strap molasses (benefits reference)
60g honey
1 Tbsp peanut butter
250g rolled oats (quinoa / rice bubble / millet / sorghum mixed for Celiac sufferer)
75g shredded coconut
100g dried cranberries
125 mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
125g nuts (almond & walnuts) -blended

1. Preheat oven to 130degree. Oil spray a 23x33x4 cm baking tray
2. Warm the molasses, honey with peanut butter in a pan
3. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients and then add the warm molasses mix, using a spatula to fold & distribute
4. Spread the mixture into the tin and press down firmly & evenly with the spatula, or your hands.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and then after 15 min, cut into 16 chunky bars. Let cool completely.

Molasses Muesli (Version 2)

160g Blackstrap molasse
100g honey
150g canned apricot (blended roughly)
2tsp cinnamon powder
250g rolled oats
75g bran
100g dried cranberries
125 mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
125g nuts (almond & walnuts) -blended

1. Preheat oven to 130degree. Oil spray a 23x33x4 cm baking tray
2. Warm the molasses with honey in a pan
3. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients and then add the warm molasses mix, using a spatula to fold & distribute
4. Spread the mixture into the tin and press down firmly & evenly with the spatula, or your hands.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and then after 15 min, cut into 16 chunky bars. Let cool completely.

Ingredients:
3 Chicken thigh fillets (200g)
400g Button mushroom (sliced)
1 bunch Silverbeet (roughly chopped)
2 onions (sliced)
3 gloves Garlic (finely chopped)
10 slices Swiss cheese
2t Fresh Thyme or dried Thyeme
3 Eggs
300g Cream
3T Olive oil
Pinch of salt & black pepper
3 sheets Puff pastry

Preheat oven to 180 degree
1. Heat up olive oil in a deep sauté pan, add onions and sauté for 5 min till soft. Then add chicken, cook for 2 minutes before adding mushroom and cook for further 1 min.
2. Add silverbeet, thyme & seasonings; mix well and cook till it wilts. Remove from the heat. Drain excess liquid.
3. Whisk eggs, cream. Put aside.
4. Layer puff pastry onto a deep baking tray. Transfer all the chicken mixture into the tray onto the pastry. Pour the cream mixture over it. In between, layer Swiss cheese slices on.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until puffed and golden.

For pickling mango:
3 Green Mangos (skimmed and sliced)
2 Tbs Sea salt
2 Tbs Sugar
2 Tbs Chilli Powder
1 Tbs Fenugreek crushed
1.5 Tbs Yellow Mustard Seeds crushed
2 Tbs Coriander Powder
2 tsb Tumeric Powder
1 Tbs White Vinegar
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Ingredients:
3 Chicken Thighs (skinned and cut into big chunks)
2 Carrots (large chunks)
1/4 Cabbage (sliced)
2 Potato (large chunks)
Approx. 350ml Coconut milk
A bunch of fresh coriander
A bunch of fresh mint
2 long red chilli (julienne)
1 fresh Orange or Red Mango (diced)
----------------------

1. Salt the green mango and leave for 1-2 hrs till its dehydrated and excess water drained.
2. Squeeze the excess water out and massage the rest of the pickling ingredients onto the mango.
3. Jar the green mango for 2 days in the fridge.
4. Marinate the chicken chunks with pickled mango and add more spices if need be. It can be marinated over night or for 30 min.
5. Hot the sauté pan with some vegetable oil on high heat. Put the marinated chicken in and sauté till fragrant, along with potato and carrot.
6. Add the coconut milk and cabbage. Covered and turn down the heat. Cover the pan with a lid and slowly simmer for 25 min. (or till potato is cooked)
7. Stir in the fresh mango and put the lid back on. Then turn the heat off.
8. served with freshly chopped mint & coriander, long red chilli.

Taste along the way, add salt accordingly if it's not enough.

For those of us who are time-poor yet still cave some wholesome home meal, this is probably close to the answer.

What we need:
350g chicken slices (I often get the steam boat grade chicken slices), chicken thigh is ideal
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2-1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
8 stalks green shallots
Pinch of salt

1. Heat a little oil in a fry pan, add fennel, cumin, mustard seeds in low heat for a min till fragrant.
2. Turn up the heat, then add garlic, chicken in. Stir fry till 80% cooked.
3. Put in tumeric powder and chilli in, along with shallots. Stir and mix well, add a pinch of salt for taste.

If it's too dry, add 1/2 Tbs of water between step 2 & 3.