Shredded Beef with Chilies Recipe

The essence of this recipe is that the beef is cut into very fine strips. This is easier to do if the meat is placed in the freezer for 30 minutes before it is sliced. You can also substitute the fresh chilies with dried chilies if you prefer. Snap them in half, shake out the seeds, then soak them in hot water for 20-30 minutes. And if you enjoy your food really fiery, don't bother to remove the seeds from the chilies.

Recipe: (Serves 2)

225 g/8 oz rump (round) or fillet (tenderloin) of beef
15 ml/1 tablespoon each light and dark soy sauce
15 ml/1 tablespoon rice wine or medium-dry sherry
5 ml/1 teaspoon dark brown soft sugar
90 ml/6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated (shredded)
1-2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
2-3 fresh chilies, halved, seeded (optional) and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chives, to garnish

Method:

With a sharp knife, slice the beef very thinly, then cut each slice into fine strips or shreds. In a bowl, mix the light and dark soy sauces with the rice wine or sherry and sugar. Add the strips of beef and stir well to ensure that they are evenly coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate in a cool place for 30 minutes.

Heat a wok and add half the oil. When it is hot, stir-fry the onion and ginger for 3-4 minutes, then lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the carrot, stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened, then transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok, then quickly add the beef, with the marinade, followed by the chilies. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Return the fried onion and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook for 30 seconds. Spoon the meat into 2 warmed bowls and add the carrot strips. Garnish with fresh chives and serve.

Coconut Fish Curry Recipe

This is one of the very popular and Simple Asian Cuisines Recipes from South-East Asia - Fish curry in a coconut sauce. Choose a firm-textured fish so that the pieces stay intact during the brief cooking process which uses the dry-frying method. This dry-frying is a feature of Malay cooking that demands the cook's close attention. The coconut must be constantly on the move so that it becomes crisp and uniformly golden in color.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

500 g/1.25 lb firm-textured fish fillets, skinned and cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes
2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon salt
50 g/2 oz desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut
6 shallots or small onions, roughly chopped
6 blanched almonds
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
2 lemon grass stalks, trimmed
10 ml/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
45 ml/3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 x 400 ml/14 fl oz cans coconut milk
1-3 fresh red or green chilies, seeded and sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chives, to garnish
Boiled long grain rice, to serve

Method:

Spread out the pieces of fish in a shallow dish and sprinkle them with the salt. Dry-fry the coconut in a wok over medium to low heat, turning all the time until it is crisp and golden. Tip the dry-fried coconut into a food processor and process until you have an oily paste. Scrape into a bowl and reserve.

Add the shallots or onions, almonds, garlic and ginger to the food processor. Cut off the lower 5 cm/2 in of the lemon grass stalks, chop them roughly and add to the other ingredients in the processor. Process the mixture to a paste. Bruise the remaining lemon grass and set the stalks aside.

Add the ground turmeric to the mixture in the processor and process briefly to mix. Heat the oil in the clean wok. Add the onion mixture and cook for a few minutes without browning. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.

Add the cubes of fish, most of the sliced chilies and the bruised lemon grass stalks. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the coconut paste (moistened with some of the sauce if necessary) and cook for a further 2-3 minutes only. Do not overcook the fish. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Remove the lemon grass stalks. Spoon the fish on to a hot serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining slices of chili. Garnish with chopped and whole chives and serve with boiled long grain rice.

Hope you'd enjoy this Simple Asian Cuisines Recipe.

Chicken with Coconut Recipe

Traditionally, the chicken pieces for this Indonesian dish are part-cooked by frying, but roasting in the oven is just as successful. This dish is rather unusual because it does not contain any chilies or turmeric, but galangal, lemon grass, coriander and lime leaves to add a spicy flavor.

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

1.5 kg/3.5 lb chicken or 4 chicken quarters.
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, sliced
4 macadamia nuts or 8 almonds
15 ml/1 tablespoon coriander seeds, dry-fried, or 5 ml/1 teaspoon ground coriander
45 ml/3 tablespoons oil
2.5 cm/1 inch fresh galangal, peeled and bruised
2 lemon grass stalks, fleshy part bruised
3 lime leaves
2 bay leaves
5 ml/1 teaspoon sugar
600 ml/1 pint/2.5 cups coconut milk
Salt to taste
Boiled rice and deep-fried onions, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Cut the chicken into four or eight pieces. Season with salt. Put in an oiled roasting pan and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Grind the garlic, onion, nuts and coriander to a fine paste in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Heat the oil and fry the paste to bring out the flavor. Do not allow it to brown.

Add the part-cooked chicken pieces to a wok together with the galangal, lemon grass, lime and bay leaves, sugar, coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix well to coat in the sauce. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is tender and the coconut sauce is reduced and thickened. Stir the mixture occasionally during cooking.

Just before serving, remove the bruised galangal and lemon grass. Serve with boiled rice sprinkled with crisp deep-fried onions.

Simple Asian Cuisines Recipes

Vietnamese - Beef Pho Recipe

"Authentic South Vietnamese Style Pho. A comforting richly seasoned beef broth is ladled over rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. Add hot sauce and plum sauce to taste and top with cilantro, basil, lime juice and bean sprouts."

Recipe :

* 5 pounds beef knuckle, with meat
* 2 pounds beef oxtail
* 1 white (daikon) radish, sliced
* 2 onions, chopped
* 2 ounces whole star anise pods
* 1/2 cinnamon stick
* 2 whole cloves
* 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
* 1 slice fresh ginger root
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1 tablespoon fish sauce

* 1 1/2 pounds dried flat rice noodles
* 1/2 pound frozen beef sirloin

TOPPINGS:
* sriracha hot pepper sauce
* hoisin sauce
* thinly sliced onion
* chopped fresh cilantro
* bean sprouts (mung beans)
* sweet Thai basil
* thinly sliced green onion
* limes, quartered

Method:

1. Place the beef knuckle in a very large (9 quart or more) pot. Season with salt, and fill pot with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 hours.

2. Skim fat from the surface of the soup, and add the oxtail, radish and onions. Tie the anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger in a cheesecloth or place in a spice bag; add to the soup. Stir in sugar, salt and fish sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 4 more hours (the longer, the better). At the end of cooking, taste, and add salt as needed. Strain broth, and return to the pot to keep at a simmer. Discard spices and bones. Reserve meat from the beef knuckle for other uses if desired.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes, then cook in boiling water until soft, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Slice the frozen beef paper thin. The meat must be thin enough to cook instantly.

4. Place some noodles into each bowl, and top with a few raw beef slices. Ladle boiling broth over the beef and noodles in the bowl. Serve with hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce on the side. Set onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, basil, green onions, and lime out at the table for individuals to add toppings to their liking.

Malaysia Satay Sauce Recipe

Recipe :

85 g roasted peanuts
1 fresh red chili, cored, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 tbsp red curry paste
375 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp light brown sugar
squeeze lime juice

Method :
Put peanuts, chili and garlic in a blender. Mix together, then add curry paste, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and a squeeze of lime juice. Mix to blend evenly. Pour mixture into a saucepan. Stir in remaining coconut milk and sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring then boil for 2 minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if sauce becomes too thick.

Serves 6