Thai Grilled Pork (Mu Ping หมูปิ้ง) with Coconut Rice

I adore Thai cuisine. The dishes often have very in-depth flavour and very versatile, which can be adapted with different type of meat or vegetables to suit individual's taste. The scent of lemongrass, Thai basil, kaffir leaves, fish sauce and tamarind are so distinctively Thai that they cannot be easily confused with another cuisine.  

Since most of Thai dishes have a very pungent flavour, I find chicken, pork or white fish are best to absorb all the flavours than red meat.

In this recipe, the marinade would also goes very nicely with chicken or turkey.

Serves 4

600g pork shoulder steaks, diced 

For the marinade

3 stalks of lemongrass (thinly sliced 1 stalk)

2 gloves of garlic

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp palm sugar

1 tsp sesame oil 

A thumb of fresh ginger

A bunch of fresh coriander

1 lime juice

For the coconut rice

1 can of coconut milk

2 cup of Thai Jasmine rice

Splash of water

1. Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a mini food chopper. 

2. Marinade the diced pork shoulder steaks with the mixture overnight. 

3. For the rice, rinse the rice under tap water a couple of times to get rid of the starch. Drain well.

4. If you are using a rice cooker, pour in a can of coconut milk, add a splash of water, mix well and cook the rice as per rice cooker's instruction; if you are cooking the rice in a saucepan on the hob, cook the rice gently on a low heat for 3 minutes, pour in a can of coconut milk, turn the heat up and bring it to simmer. Bring the heat to the lowest setting and cover with lid. Leave it to cook until all the liquid has evaporated. 

5. Meanwhile, heat the griddle pan on a high heat. 

6. Once the griddle pan is hot enough, put the pork on it and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through. 

7. Serve with coconut rice!

Mongolian Lamb Fondue

A lot of people are off work throughout February not only for half term, some are off to hit the mountains. This time last year I was overly excited with preparing my snowboarding trip to Austria. Because of work commitment (as well as I already had a holiday over Christmas in the Middle East), I am not gracing the Alps this winter. Snow holiday is the best combination of all - you get the sun, the night life, the adrenaline of racing down the mountain and of course the food. With some luck I am hoping to spend a season in the Alps comes next winter.

Yes, I am reminiscing the sun and snow in Austria and am slightly jealous of those who are off snowboarding/ skiing. An acquitance of mine showed me a picture of his meat fondue on Friday, and that's all I could think of all weekend - FONDUE. Let's make it into reality!

Instead of beef, I am having lamb, with a slightly oriental flavoured dipping sauce and broth.

Serves 2

400g lamb fillet (partially freeze for ease of slicing to paper thin)
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1 thumb of ginger, sliced
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp dry cherry
1 tbsp fish sauce
Steamed rice
250g baby leaf spinach

For the dipping sauce:

4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp chilli sauce
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 thumb of ginger, crushed

1. Wrap the lamb fillet with cling film and freeze for just over an hour.

2. Sharpen the knife, unwrap the lamb and slice the meat to paper thin.

3. In a saucepan, bring the stock, dry cherry, fish sauce, ginger and garlic to boiling point.

4. Set up the fondue set.

5. Transfer the stock into the fondue pot.

6. Cook the lamb fillet in the stock to suit your taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

7. The stock contains the essence of the meat, don't just pour it down the sink. Wilt the spinach in the stock.

8. Serve up a bowl of steam rice each and pour in the stock. Get tuck in!

Beef Shank Stew with Mustard Suet Dumplings

Beef stew is one of my favourite winter dish. Boeuf Bourguignon, Guinesse beef stew, Cantonese style braised beef etc. They are effortless to make and rather wholesome. I have cooked lamb shank and pork shank before, but it was not until last weekend I came across beef shank at the Waitrose meat section. I am sure it has always been available at a butcher, but it was the first time I see it available as pre-packed. My immediately thought was 'bone marrow + beef = tasty stew!'. It do love Waitrose's meat section. It offers an excellent variety of cuts of meat that is comparable with the butcher, which other supermarkets cannot compete with. 

Beef shank meat is actually the shin. It has to be slow cooked to perfection. Once the meat is cooked through and falls off the bone, I then cut them into pieces. 

Serves 3

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into thick pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut to 3 pieces

6 shallots, peeled

2 bay leaves 

1 tbsp of tomato puree

500ml beef stock

700g beef shank

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

70g suet

125g self-raising flour

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp of plain flour

Salt & pepper

Some warm water

1. Season the plain flour with salt and pepper. Rub the meat with the mixture. 

2. Preheat the oven to gas 2.

3. Heat a dollop of oil in the cast-iron casserole dish. Once the oil is hot enough, seal the meat all around.

4. Leave the meat aside to rest. In the same casserole dish, cook the shallots, stalks, carrots and bay leaves until they soften. 

5. Put the meat back into the casserole dish, pour in the stock and tomato puree. Bring it to boil then lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Place the casserole dish into the oven and leave it to cook for 2 1/2 hour. Check the liquid level periodically and add more stock if necessary. 

7. Meanwhile, place the plain flour, suet and wholegrain mustard in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 

8. Make a dwell in the middle and pour in some warm water. Careful not to put too much. If the mixture is too dry, more warm water can be added later.

9. Bine the suet and flour mixture together to form a soft dough. It is ready when the dough doesn't stick to the hands. 

10. Roll the dough into 8 small balls (or bigger ones, depending on preference).

11. Take the casserole dish out of the oven. Turn the heat up to gas 6. Cut the meat into small pieces and put back into the dish. Remove the bone marrow. 

12. Place the dumplings into the casserole, return it to the oven and cook for another 25 minutes. 

Chorizo, Lentils & Potato Hotpot

Following on with the chorizo theme, this is another great winter one-pot recipe. So warming and comforting in those dark, winter nights. Chorizo could be replaced by pancetta if you so wish. 

Serves 2

150g chorizo, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

2 clove of garlic, crushed

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

250g puy lentils

2 bay leaves

1 small bunch of thymes

1tsp paprika 

1L chicken stock

1 red chilli, finely chopped

250g baby leaf spinach

1 potato, diced

1. Panfry the chorizo slices until the aroma releases and fills the kitchen. 

2. Set the chorizo aside. In the same saucepan, sauté the garlic, onion, chilli and celery for 10 minutes or until soften.

3. Add in the lentils, bay leaves, thymes, paprika and potatoes. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Gradually pour in the chicken stock. Bring to boil and bring the heat down to simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Check occasionally, sir and add more stock if necessary.

5. Add in the chorizo and spinach and cook until spinach starts to wilt. 

6. Season with freshly milled salt and pepper.

Baked Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto

Butternut squash has a deliciously clean and sweet taste. It is especially popular in winter dishes as it is a winter squash. My favourite way to cook this beauty is roasting. Because of its naturally sweet flavour, it is an excellent companion to salty chorizo.

Serves 2

1 small butternut squash, roughly chopped
250g chorizo, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
160g arborio rice
300ml chicken stock
1 small glass of white wine
100ml creme fraiche

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree. Place the chopped butternut squash in a roasting tin, add a splash of rapeseed oil and seasoned with salt and better. Ensure the butternut squash is smothered with oil. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and soft.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the chorizo for 8 minutes. It should be looking crispy and the aroma starting to fill the kitchen.

3. Spoon up the chorizo and leave them to rest on a plate. In the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until its soften.

4. Now, add in the arborio rice and the chorizo, stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook on a medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated.

5. Turn the heat down and gradually pour in the stock one ladleful at a time. Be sure to stir the mixture regularly and pour in more stock when it is absorbed by the rice. Cook for approximately 25 minutes.

6. For the butternut squash, once it is cooked, take it out of the oven to cool. Keep a dozen or so aside and blitz the rest to a smooth texture in a food processor or use a handheld blender.

7. Mix the smooth and diced butternut squash into the rice mixture.

8. Stir in the creme fraiche just before serving.

Panang Curry (พะแนง)

My partner and I visited a local Thai restaurant last weekend, and it was there we first sampledd Phanaeng curry. We love trying out different dishes, so if it was on the menu of the other Thai restaurants we have visited before, I am not entirely sure why we've never had Phanaeng until last Friday. Mind you most restaurants only offer Thai Red or Thai Green curry!

The Phanaeng we sampled was excellent. Like most Thai dishes, there are a variety of meat option and we went for chicken. The curry was creamy and nutty with a hint of sweetness. It also has a subtle heat. The key ingredient for this dish is founded peanut, which is not used in other Thai curry dishes. As soon as we got home we were researching for ingredients and made plan to reinvent this delectable dish at home!

Serves 2

4 boneless & skinless free-range chicken thighs, sliced 

1 can of coconut milk

1 tsp of palm sugar

2 tbsp of fish sauce

3 kafir lime leaves

For the curry paste:

2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted

1 large red chilli, chopped

A tumble of fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks 

2 lemongrass, brused and sliced

A handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp shrimp paste

4 tablespoon of ground roasted peanuts

1. Grind the toasted cumin coriander seeds in a mortar & pestle until powdered. 

2. Put all the curry paste ingredients into a food processor (including the seeds powder) and blitz it until it is of a smooth, paste texture.

3. Heat up a frying pan on medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes. Keepstirring so it doesn't stick and burns. 

4. Pour in 1/2 of coconut milk and cook for further 5 minutes. 

4. Add the chicken, kafir lime leaves, fish sauce and Palm sugar. Keep on cooking for another 10 minutes until the meat is cooked through.

5. If the consistency is too dry and you prefer a wetter curry, add more coconut milk in to the frying pan. I made mine quite dry this time.

Well, that's it! Here is a delicious curry, best serves with plain steamed rice! Enjoy!

Where would I be without Philips Visapure?

Our life is surrounded by personal electrical: electric toothbrush, electric hair remover, hair driver, hair straightener.... and the list goes on. Where would we be if electrical transmission were never invented and electricity became widely available to the masses? Would we all have rotten teeth and hairy legs instead? What I know is we the annual budget personal grooming would be much less, and so would the annual electricity bill. Oh and mother nature would be much happier, of course. 

Anyway, the reality is we are becoming increasingly reliant on electrical items, as generally they are more efficient and convenient than anything manual (perhaps except driving). The latest hot potato is facial brush. As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie who are obsessed with lotions and potions, I was fascinated by this latest beauty gadget and couldn't wait to get my hands on one. The question is, which one? 

RiO, Clinique, Philips, Avon, Olay, Clarisonic.... even Lidl sells one called Sanitas! I was overwhelmed by all these different settings, rotations, speed, shapes etc it took me a long while do shop for the right product that suits my needs. It needs to be waterproof, has a self-timer, not bulky and having a slick design would be a desirable. Yes, it really does help to narrow the gene pool if there is a list of criteria to work with. I spent some time in various shops touching and feeling a variety of (brush) heads and handle the appliance this way and other, just to ensure I find The One.  There is nothing more irritating than purchasing something that 'isn't quite right, wish I've gone for the other one'.

After some research, I've finally settled on Philips Visapure.

Its shape is totally different to any other facial brush, and I find Philips Visapure much easier to clean the T-Zone area properly an to handle.

A full charge allows 30 treatments and I have yet had to recharge it. It also comes with a clear cap which is handy for when staying away from home.

After each use, I would rise, pat dry and leave it to air dry in its silver charging case in the bathroom. It just sits neatly on the windowsill.

Having used it every evening with a foam base cleanser for a month, I can really see and feel the difference. My skin seems to absorb product better and my T-Zone is less shiny during the day. Moreover, my skin tone also looks brighter! I used the normal brush and the bristles were not abrasive or caused any skin irritation. More importantly, I didn't feel the need to visit a beautician for a regular facial since the purchase, as it probably does a better job at deep cleansing than a pair of hands.

For those who have yet tried out an electrical brush and are tempted to purchase one, I would highly recommend this. It is at a mid-range price, more affordable than Clarisonic and better quality than Clinique. By registering the product online Philips will send you a complimentary replacement head (needs to be changed every 3 months for hygiene reason), saving yourself £12.