CHINESE BEEF IN SOY

We will be preparing this dish in 'Country 'cooking class this week . When making this dish at home I use kangaroo steak , sliced into good sized cubes . Using a non metallic dish prepare a marinade of 1/3 cup of soy sauce , 2 tbs of honey ,1 tbs of wine vinegar , mix to combine . Place the beef or kangaroo cubes into the marinade mixture. Cover and set aside for 1 hour . Place 1/4 cup of canola / rice bran oil in your pot , over a medium heat . Add 2 tbs of minced garlic , 8 spring onions finely chopped ( green and white parts) , 1 tbs of minced ginger , 2 star anise , 1/2 tsp of ground cloves , now continue to fry until fragrant ( about 2 minutes ) . Now add the beef and marinade to the pot along with 1 and 1/2 cups of water mixed with 1 tbs of basalmic vinegar and 1/2 cup of red wine . Bring this mixture to the boil . Place the mixture into your slow cooker and place the temperature setting on high and cook for 4-5 hours or until the sauce is syrupy and the meat is tender . If using your dutch oven , place the covered pot in the preheated oven on 180 deg C and continue to cook for 1 and 1/4 hours , then remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes uncovered until the sauce is syrupy and the meat is tender . Serve with steamed rice .

EGGS A LA` (MOCK) TRIPE

Peel 3 onions and slice into quarters . Place the onions in a pot with a cup of salted water , when the onions are soft drain off the water . Hard boil 3 eggs , shell and slice , set aside Mix 1 tbs of flour to a smooth paste in a small bowl with 1 cup of milk add 2 tbs of softened butter/ marg and cracked black pepper to taste . Add this mixture to the onions and allow to boil until it thickens , stirring constantly Carefully lift the onions with the sauce into a warmed serving bowl and place sliced eggs on top . Serve over rice or noodles .

JUST A SAYING

Life is mostly froth and bubble ; Two things stand like stone : Kindness in another's trouble , Courage in your own .

RICE MUFFINS

An 'oldie but a goodie'. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Add 1 cup of boiled rice to a bowl and stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of S.R flour ,a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl mix together 2 well beaten eggs and 1 cup of sweet milk (sweetened condensed milk ) with 5 tbs of melted butter/ marg and 1 tbs of castor sugar , beat well then add to the flour and rice mixture and stir well to combine . Pour into lined muffin pans , bake until risen and golden . Test with a skewer inserted comes out clean .

CURRIED EGGS WITH RICE DISH

Hard boil 4 eggs and then set aside . Place 1 tbs of rice bran / canola oil in a pan . Peel and cut 1 onion and 1 small apple very finely and fry them until they are lightly coloured over a medium heat . Add curry powder to taste ( 1tsp throught to 1 dsp )with a pinch of salt , 1 tsp / 1 dsp of shredded coconut , 1 dsp of flour and 1 tbs of chutney . Continue to cook / fry until light brown . Add 1 and 1/2 cups of milk over the medium heat until boiling . Now add 1 cup of mixed grain / rice ( your choice ), reduce heat . Simmer for 1/2 hour . Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice into rounds , add to the mixture and stir through until heated . This will be on the menu again .

HOTCH POTCH (A ONE POT MEAL )

Peel and slice 3 onions , chop 3 carrots , 1 whole cabbage finely sliced , chop 1 turnip and add these to your soup pot , along with 1 cup of peas and 8 florets of cauliflower . To the chopped veggies 1 placed a ham hock in the soup pot and added enough water to cover the vegetables and ham hock . I simmered the mix for 4 hours over a low heat adding more water as needed . The vegetables are now tender , I removed the pot from the heat , let it cool then place in the refrigerator overnight covered with the lid . This morning I removed the rind and bone/s from the ham hock , shredded the meat and it placed back in the pot . Now I added 4 tbs of basalmic vinegar to the pot and stirred through , along with 1 dsp of salt , 2 tbs of soft brown sugar , about 240gm of drained canned lentils , 8 whole peppercorns , 1/4 cup of dried and diced dates and finally 1 added a thick triangle of kent pumpkin cubed with skin on (optional)and enough water to just cover the contents . I now placed the now completed pot of hotch potch over a medium heat and simmered till the pumpkin was tender and giving and the flavours had developed . OMG ,this is wholesome and delicious .

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP .

Mulligatawny soup , which litterally means 'water pepper' . Mulligatawny was introduced to Englandin the late 18th century by members of the colonial services returning home from India . Melt 6 tbs of butter /marg in your soup pot . Add 1 peeled and chopped onion along with 1 tbs of minced garlic . When the onion is tender add 350 gm of chicken strips and seal both sides , add 1 chopped carrot and 1 chopped turnip . Continue to stir until lightly coloured . In a separate bowl mix together 1 tbs of bush curry ( or to taste ) with 1 dsp of cloves ( or to taste )and 1 tsp of cracked pepper . Stir the powdered mixture into the vegetables and chicken and cook for 2 minutes . Add 1/4 cup of canned brown lentils ( drained ), along with 1 litre of chicken stock and 2 tbs of tomato paste . Continue to stir and bring to a gentle boil , finally add 1 cup of sultanas . cover and simmer for 1 hour . Serve this wonderous meal with crusty bread , it's up there with my best ... Enjoy .