Aussie Beef Pies

Makes 12

1.2 kg beef mince
1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons minced, crushed
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
400g can chopped tomatoes
½ Cup beef stock
3 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust quiche pastry, just thawed
1 egg, lightly whisked
4 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, just thawed
Tomato sauce, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until browned.

Stir in the tomato and stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a baking tray on the middle shelf. Cut the shortcrust pastry sheet into quarters. Line pie tins with shortcrust pastry, allowing the sides to overhang. Brush the edges with egg. Divide the beef mixture evenly among the pastry cases.

Cut each puff pastry sheet in half diagonally. Top the pies with puff pastry and trim excess. Press the edges to seal.

Brush the pies with egg. Cut a small cross in the centre of each pie.
Place the pies on the baking tray and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve with tomato sauce.

Notes & tips
To freeze ahead
Wrap each cooled pie in 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, preheat oven to 200°C. Bake the frozen pies for 20-25 minutes.

Potato Wedges with Rosemary

1kg potatoes
1 Tablespooon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary, chopped, to taste
Crushed garlic, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200C. Wash and dry the potatoes, but don't peel them. Cut the potatoes into large wedges and place into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Tip the potatoes onto a baking tray. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake until golden-brown and cooked all the way through (about 30 minutes). Serve the potatoes hot from the oven.

Chilli Cream
300ml sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon sambal oelek

Combine all ingredients in bowl; mix well.

McDonalds-style Sweet and Sour Sauce for Nuggets

1 Cup Apricot Jam
3 Tablespoons Heinz Sauce
3 Tablespoons Italian Dressing
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Makes about 2 cups. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Oven-Fried Chicken Nuggets

1 kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 ½ Cups crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon onion salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon chicken salt
4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Cut chicken breasts into 36 nuggets. Cover a cookie tray with aluminum foil; spray with vegetable cooking spray.

In medium bowl, mix together crushed cereal, onion salt, pepper, paprika and chicken salt. Pour mixture onto waxed paper. Roll each chicken nugget in melted margarine and then in crumb mixture, turning to coat. Arrange nuggets in single layer on prepared baking pan and bake in 170 C oven about 25 minutes or until brown.

Big Mac-style Burger

Makes 1

1 sesame-seed hamburger bun
2 frozen hamburgers
Salt
1 Tablespoon Big Mac Sauce
1 white onion, finely diced
Shredded iceberg lettuce
1 slice American cheese
3 dill pickle slices

Cut bun horizontally into three even layers.

Place the top and bottom of the bun on a hot pan or griddle, face down, and toast them to a light brown. Set aside, but keep the pan hot.

Cook the patties in the hot pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Salt lightly.

Build the burger in the following stacking order from the bottom up: bottom bun half of dressing half of onion half of lettuce American cheese beef patty middle bun remainder of dressing remainder of onion remainder of lettuce pickle slices beef patty top bun

Mcdonald's Big Mac Sauce

1 Cup Miracle whip
1/2 Cup sweet pickle relish
1/3 Cup creamy French dressing
1/4 Teaspoon Black pepper
1 Teaspoon minced onion

Stir together and chill.

KFC-style Twister

Makes 10

5 Tablespoons plain flour
2 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
20 chicken breast tenders, or chicken breasts cut into 20
Olive oil spray
5 egg whites
5 teaspoons milk
1 ½ Cups plus 5 tablespoon bread crumbs
10 burritos
KFC Twister Sauce (recipe follows)
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Slices tomato (cut 1/8 inch thick)

In a resealable plastic bag, combine flour, pepper, salt and onion powder. Shake to mix well. Add chicken. Shake to completely coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 240 C. Lightly mist a nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

In a small bowl, combine egg white and milk. Beat with a fork until smooth. Place breadcrumbs on a small sheet of baking paper next to the bowl.

Dip one of the chicken tenders into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg white mixture to drip off. Dip into the breadcrumb to coat completely. Repeat dipping a second time into the egg white mixture and the breadcrumbs. Place on the reserved baking sheet. Continue with the second piece of chicken. Place, not touching, on the baking sheet. Lightly mist both sides with oil spray. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken. Bake 4 to 6 minutes, or until the breading starts to crisp, and the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the tortilla in the skillet. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until warm.

Starting at the 9 o'clock position on the tortilla, spread the sauce in an even strip (about 3 inches wide) running across the tortilla, leaving about 1 inch bare at the end of the strip.

Top the sauce-covered area evenly with the lettuce, tomato and chicken. Fold the bare end over the filling ingredients. Roll the tortilla tightly, finishing it seam-side down on the plate. One end of the wrap will remain open.

KFC TWISTER SAUCE

3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon light mayonnaise
3 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar and pepper. Stir to blend well. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to one month.

KFC-style Coleslaw

8 Cups finely chopped cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/3 Cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 Cup milk
1/2 Cup mayonnaise
1/4 Cup buttermilk
1 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped into very fine pieces. Combine sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Add the carrots and the cabbage. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to develop.

Mexican Vegetable Soup with Cornbread Muffins

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
400g canned chick peas, rinsed, drained
400g can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
700 ml passata
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 litre chicken stock

Cornbread Muffins
1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup polenta
¼ cup caster sugar
260g can corn kernels, rinsed, drained
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 eggs, lightly beaten
60g butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Heat oil in pan, add onion, garlic and spices, cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in chick peas, beans, undrained crushed tomatoes, paste, celery, carrot and stock, simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Serve with cornbread muffins.

Muffins: Grease 12-hole muffin pan. Sift flour into bowl. Add the remaining ingredients.Mix until just combined. Spoon mixture into pan.Bake at 180 C for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Serves 6 - 8.

Cream of Chicken Soup

1.25kg chicken boneless thighs
2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock
2 large onions
4 sticks celery
90g butter
1 medium potato
1/3 cup plain flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 chicken stock cubes
½ cup cream

Melt butter, add peeled and finely-chopped onion, finely-chopped celery and peeled and finely-chopped potato, cook gently until onion is tender. Add flour, stir until combined, cook 1 minute, remove pan from heat. Add chicken stock to pan all at once, stir until combined. Return pan to heat, stir until soup boils and thickens, reduce heat, simmer gently for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add crumbled stock cubes. Cover pan, simmer gently 10 minutes.

Brown chicken in a separate pan. Cut meat into very small pieces. Just before serving, add chicken and cream to pan, heat through gently. Serve.

Curried Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 ½ cups dried red lentils
1.75kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
Natural yoghurt, to serve

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock. Stir until well-combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly until pumpkin is just tender.

Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt if desired.

Pea, Bacon and Zucchini Soup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g bacon, rind removed, finely chopped
3 (about 500g) green zucchini, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
500g peas
2 liters vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and half the bacon, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until bacon is light brown. Add zucchini and peas and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until heated through. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in mint.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add remaining bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

Place half the pea mixture in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan. Repeat with the remaining pea mixture. Place over low heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with crisp bacon and serve.

NOTE: We didn't blend our version of this soup

Vegetable, Bacon and Risoni Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
125g bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
1 potato, peeled, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
6 cups beef stock
400g can diced roma tomatoes
1/3 cup dried risoni pasta
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bacon and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add carrot, potato, celery and zucchini. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Stir in risoni. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes or until risoni is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through parsley. Serve.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

475 ml heavy whipping cream
115 g butter
150 g Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan combine cream, butter and cheese. Cook over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken upon standing.

PS: This was so good the only photo that could be taken was an "after" shot

Boscaiola

350 g mushrooms
2 shallots
350 g canned tomatoes, drained
A small bunch of parsley
A clove of garlic
The leaves of a sprig of rosemary
A few leaves of sage
Olive oil
Chicken stock
Salt & pepper
Freshly grated parmesan

Clean the mushrooms, brushing the dirt away from the stems, and separate the caps from the stems; dice the stems and cube the caps, keeping them separate. Mince the shallots and the herbs and sauté them for a few minutes in 4 tablespoons of oil in a casserole. Add the diced stems, cook another minute, and then add a half cup of chicken stock and the tomatoes. Season with a little pepper and simmer the mixture for a half hour. Add a little more stock and a drop of water, and the cubed caps.

Beef Ragu

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
100g bacon, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
700g beef mince
1 cup beef stock
700ml bottle Italian tomato pasta sauce

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, bacon and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 7 to 8 minutes or until soft.

Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mince begins to brown. Add stock. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce and 1/2 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Quick Tomato Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, peeled, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons tomato paste
410g can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat until the onion is softened. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, herbs and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 25 minutes until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Carbonara Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil
200g sliced bacon, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup thickened cream
75g parmesan cheese, finely grated

Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Whisk egg yolks, eggs, cream and three-quarters of the parmesan together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Add egg mixture and bacon mixture to pasta.Season with salt and pepper. Toss over low heat until well combined. Serve with remaining parmesan.

Minestrone

440 g can chickpeas or kidney beans, drained
2 Tablespoons oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ C chopped bacon pieces
4 egg (Roma) tomatoes, peeled and chopped
¼ C fresh parsley
9 ½ C beef or vegetable stock
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
¼ C tomato paste
2 zucchini, sliced
½ C green peas
½ C small macaroni
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese and pesto, to serve, optional

Heat the oil in a large fry pan and cook the onion, garlic and bacon pieces, stirring, until the onion is soft and the bacon golden.

Add the tomato, parsley, beans and stock. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the carrot, swede, potato and tomato paste, cover and simmer for a further 15 – 20 minutes.

When you are nearly ready to serve, add the zucchini, peas and pasta. Cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until vegetables and macaroni are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated parmesan and a little pesto.

Wonton Soup

4 mushrooms, very finely sliced
4 spring onions, very finely sliced, to garnish
125 g pork mince
Salt, to taste
3 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 spring onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 T finely chopped water chestnuts
24 wonton wrappers
5 C chicken stock

In a bowl mix together the mushrooms, mince, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, spring onion, ginger and water chestnuts.

Working with only one wonton wrapper at a time (cover the other wrappers with a clean, damp tea towel) place a level teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little water and bring the sides up to form a pouch. As you fill the wontons set the aside on a plate dusted with flour while making the others.

Cook the wontons in batches in a large pan of rapidly boiling water. Bring the stock to the boil in another pan. Place the wontons in small bowls, garnish with the curls of spring onion and pour into hot stock.

Creamy Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

2 chicken breasts, cut into very fine strips
1 onion, finely diced
5 C chicken stock
2 Tablespoons cornflour
1/3 C water
440 g can creamed corn
440 g can corn
8 spring onions, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the stock in a medium heavy bottom saucepan and add the onion and chicken. Reduce the heat and leave the stock to simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Blend the cornflour and water together until smooth. Add to the pan, stirring continuously, and stir over medium heat until the soup boils and thickens slightly. Reduce the heat, add the creamed corn, spring onion and cream and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and leave to simmer for a further 2 minutes before serving immediately.

Pie Crust Mushroom Soup

400 g large field mushrooms
2 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ C plain flour
3 C chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian recipe)
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 C cream
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to moderately hot 200 C. Roughly chop the mushrooms, including the stems. Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan and add the onions, cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute further. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Sprinkle the flour over them and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the stock, add the thyme and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before processing in batches. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the cream and pour into 4 ovenproof bowls.

Cut rounds of pastry slightly larger than the bowl tops and cover each bowl with pastry (use small deep bowls rather than wide shallow ones or the pastry may sag into the soup).

Seal the edges of the pastry and brush lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.

Double Potato Soup

Serves 6

1 Tablespoon butter
2 large potatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 ½ C water
½ large chicken stock cube, crumbled
¼ C cream
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Sweet Potato Soup
1 Tablespoon butter
1 large kumara (chopped
1 ¾ C water
½ large chicken cube, crumbled
2 T cream

Potato soup: Melt butter in medium saucepan, add potatoes, onion and bay leaf, cover and cook over medium heat for about two minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in water, stock cube and cream and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cover, simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf, blend or process mixture, in several batches until smooth. Stir in chives.

Sweet Potato Soup: Melt butter in medium saucepan, add kumara, cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in water, stock cube and cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until kumara is soft. Blend or process mixture in several batches until smooth.

Place each soup in separate jugs, pour simultaneously into serving bowls. Pull skewer through the soup for a marbled effect.

Kung Pao Chicken

1/3 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 Tablespoon egg white, lightly beaten

For the sauce:
1 Tablespoon thick soy sauce
1 – 2 Tablespoons chilli sauce
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
6 Tablespoons water

Cut the chicken into 1 cm cubes. Put in a bowl.

Prepare the marinade: add the salt, soy sauce, chicken stock cornflour and egg to the dish. Mix well and leave to marinate for 15 – 30 minutes.

Prepare the sauce: mix together the soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornflour and water.

Heat a wok over a high heat. Add the oil and swirl it around. Add the dried chilli, stir, then add the garlic and ginger and stir to release their aroma. Add the chicken. Sliding the spatula to the bottom of the wok, turn and toss for about 60 seconds, Splash in the chicken stock around the side of the wok, stirring and tossing continuously. Add the spring onion and stir for another 30 – 45 seconds, the chicken should be almost cooked by now.

Add the well-stirred sauce to the wok. Continue to stir while it thickens.

Add the peanuts, stir to mix a few times, then remove to a warm serving plate. Serve immediately.

Rustic Steamed Beef

350 g beef, trimmed
1 packet Chinese mushrooms, reconstituted
1 ½ teaspoons thick soy sauce
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
3 – 4 spring onions, cut into 5 cm sections, shredded lengthwise

For the marinade:
1 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoons thick soy sauce
6 turns pepper mill
2 teaspoons chicken stock
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon peanut oil

Slice the beef into pieces about 2.5 cm x 4 cm and 6 mm thick. Put into a bowl.

Prepare the marinade: add the ginger, salt, sugar, soy sauce, pepper, chicken stock and cornflour to the beef. Add the water 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir in the same direction to coat the meat. Leave to marinate for 20 – 30 minutes, Blend in the oil just before ready to steam.

Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out excess water but leave the mushrooms damp. Slice into thin strips. Mix in the soy sauce and 1 Tablespoon oil. Mix the mushrooms into the beef. Spread out on a heatproof dish with sloping edges.

Steam the beef in a wok or steamer over high heat for 10 minutes for medium-done beef or 13 – 15 minutes for well done, remove from heat. Add the spring onion on top of the dish.

Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in small saucepan until just smoking, Pour over the spring onion to cook partially.

Remove the dish from the wok or steamer and serve immediately.

Orange Chicken With Red Chiles

Marinade:
1 Tablespoon cornflour
2 Tablespoon chicken stock
500 g boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Sauce:
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 green onion, minced
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
2 Tablespoon chicken stock
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hot bean sauce
2 Tablespoons orange peel, shredded
4 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the Stir-fry :
4 Tablespoons peanut oil
12 small dried hot red chiles

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, stir well, and add the chicken. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and set aside.

Heat the wok over high heat.

Add the peanut oil and when it is very hot, add the chillies and marinated chicken. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sauce and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds. Remove the chillies before serving.

Note: We used 1 chilli for the stir-fry and left it in. Adjust the heat content to suit your taste-buds.

Hot and Spicy Szechuan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)

1/2 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
1 1/2 Tablespoon peanut oil plus extra 1 teaspoon
250 g pork mince
2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
500 g udon noodles or fresh wheat noodles
4 spring onions, finely sliced, for garnish

Heat a wok over low heat and dry-fry the Szechuan peppercorns for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the peanut oil and cook over low heat for 10 minutes to infuse it with the flavour of the peppercorns.

Cool, then strain the oil into a saucepan, discarding the peppercorns.
Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, chili oil and white pepper to the peppercorn oil in the saucepan.

Keep warm over medium heat.

Meanwhile, either soak udon noodles for a few minutes in hot water, drain and add to stock mixture, or cook wheat noodles for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to mixture.

Heat the extra oil in wok over high heat and stir fry the pork til brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes.

Serves in a large bowl and top with the pork and garnish with spring onion.

Note: We left the pork out for a fine vegetarian side dish

Szechuan Pork Tenderloin

100 g pork tenderloins, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon steak sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons minced fresh onions
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 Cups cauliflower florets
2 medium any color sweet bell peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
Hot cooked rice

Stir together pork tenderloin slices, soy sauce, steak sauce, garlic, onion and red pepper in a large ziplock bag. Marinate 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat wok & add oil. Stir fry pork tenderloin mixture on high heat 4 - 5 minutes.Stir in cauliflower and pepper squares & continue stir frying until vegetables are barely cooked. Top with peanuts and serve with rice.

Tossed Noodles with Ginger and Spring Onions

250 g fresh egg noodles
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
5 cm fresh ginger, cut into silken threads
8 spring onions, cut into 5 cm sections and then into silken threads
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

Plunge the noodles into boiling water in a large saucepan, bring back to the boil and continue to boil uncovered until al dente (about 1 – 2 minutes). Separate the noodles with a fork while boiling.

Drain in a colander and then remove to a warm dish.

Heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around. Add the ginger, stir for a few seconds, then add the spring onions and stir thoroughly until hot. Season with the salt. Remove from the heat.

Return the noodles to the wok and toss them with a pair of chopsticks or a fork. Add the oyster sauce and toss again. Remove to a warm serving dish and serve.