Pork Jerky (Bakkwa / 肉干）

Ingredients:

600g minced pork/chicken
135g sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp Shao Hsing wine
1 tsp Mei Kuei Lu Chiew (rose wine)
1/8 tsp liquorice powder
1 tbsp oil


Method:

• Marinate minced pork with all the above ingredients. Leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
  
• Place marinated meat on a piece of baking paper and cover with clingwrap. Using a rolling pin, roll the meat to a thickness of about 2mm.
• Remove the clingwrap and place the baking paper with the meat on a tray.
• Bake the meat in the preheated oven for about 20 mins. Turn it over and bake for a further 15 minutes. Take it out from the oven.
  
• Cut the meat with scissors into smaller squares and grill the meat on both sides until you achieve the desired colouring.

Buttermilk Hotcakes

This recipe was adapted from MasterChef Australia

 
Ingredients:

125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, lightly whisked
250ml buttermilk
80g butter, melted
4 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt 
1tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp ricotta cheese or natural yogurt


Method:

• Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
• Combine buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and butter.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture. Using a hand-held mixer, beat until smooth. Fold in ricotta cheese.
• Pour the batter into a jug and let it rest for 30 minutes.  If it is too thick, a little milk can be added. 
  
• Lightly grease a frying pan over low heat.
• Pour about ½ cup of batter into the pan and cook until small bubbles appear on the surface. Turn over the hotcake and cook for another minute or until golden and cooked through.
• Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Place the hotcakes on serving plates. Top with a scoop of ice-cream and some fresh strawberries. Serve immediately.

Tomato Fish

Ingredients:

550g firm white boneless fish fillets, cut into pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced thickly
5 cherry tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 stalk spring onion, sliced diagonally
plain flour, for dusting
olive oil

Sauce: Combine together -

2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
3 tbsp tomato sauce
4 tbsp water
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp sugar


Method:


Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Sprinkle pepper and salt and dust fish with flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat oil in a pan. Pan fry the fish on both sides until cook. Remove from pan and drain on kitchen paper towel. Transfer on to a plate.
Using one tablespoon of oil in the pan, saute onions, garlic and ginger until aromatic.
Add tomatoes and pour in the sauce. Bring to the boil.
Pour over fish and garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately.