Miso Veggie soup

Miso soup is quick, easy and tasty, here is a version based roughly on the base recipe my Japanese friend Satsuki taught me years ago when I visited her in Japan. She often cooked for me and I was amazed at how simple and tasty the food she prepared for me were.

Ingredients;

-1.2L of water

- 2 tbsp of miso paste ( available in Japanese supermarket)

- 2 tsp of Dashi powder ( available in Japanese supermarket)

- 2 tbsp of dried wakame seaweed ( available in Japanese supermarket)

Veggies

- chopped up 2 spring onions ( I find this adds to the flavour, leave out is ok)

- Firm Japanese tofu chopped up, again this is often done but optional if you dont fancy it

- frozen vegetables such as corn, peas, carrots or chopped up greens are fine. Add what you like! Obviously try to cut veggies in the size that will ensure they will be cooked at the same time.

time: 10 mins cooking time ( based on using frozen vegetables)

serve 6 as small soup at the side

1. Add Dashi powder,spring onion(if used) and water in the pot on medium heat

2. When the water starts boiling add all the veggies

3. After 5 mins scoop one ladleful in a small bowl, add the miso paste and mix until the paste dissolve completely and add it back to the soup mixture and simmer for 3 more minutes then serve.

Chinese Beef and vegie stir frys

Ingredients;
Beef - (marinate the beef with the ingredients for 10 mins)
- 300g sirloin steak cut up in strips
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsbp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine
Vegies
- 100g mangetout chopped up in small 1cm pieces
- 100g carrots/small corns ( or any other crunchy green veg ) chopped up in small 1cm pieces
- 1 tbsp of chopped up ginger
- 1 spring onion
- 3 tbsp stock
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- oil for frying

time: 5 mins cooking time
serve 2 with jasmine rice

1. Heat up frying pan and add oil, stir fry the steak strips for 1 min then remove onto a plate
2. With the same frying pan wipe off the sauce, fry the ginger and spring onion for 1 min
3. Add the two vegies and fry for a further 1 min
4. Add the stock, salt and sugar and fry for a further 1 min
5. Toss in the beef and serve immediately with rice

Chicken with spring onion dipping sauce

This is largely based on the Hainan Chicken recipe, there are many variations but I am going with a simplified version that you can do it as a mid week dinner rather than a weekend meal. Note that if you get some greens as well you can get a marvellous soup out of it with the cooking liquid( i.e. really it is the chicken stock)

Ingredients 1 ( for the chicken)

- 4 chicken thighs/legs - keep the skin and bone for this recipe

- 2 spring onions chopped

- 4 slices of ginger

- 1/2 bunch coriander, washed and slightly torn 

- 1/2 teasp salt

- 1/2 teasp pepper

Ingredients 2 ( for the soup)

- 1 bunch of leafy greens

Dipping sauce

- 2 spring onion sliced

- 1 tbsp of grated ginger 

- 3 tbsp soy sauce

- 3 tbsp oil for frying

- 1 tsp salt

time: 40 mins cooking time

serve 4 as one of the main dishes with rice

1. Add all the ingredients 1 together, cover the chicken with water and simmer for 30 mins then turn off the pot and let the chicken to continue to cook for another 10mins, without lifting the lid.

2. Heat up the oil until it is hot and smoky, turn off the heat then let it rest for a minute before adding to the spring onion, ginger and salt in a heatproof/metal dish.  There will be some splattering so Handle this step with care as oil burn could be nasty! Then add soy sauce.

3. When the chicken is ready take them out, heat up the stock again until boiling and add the leafy greens and spring onion and cook for a further 3 minutes.

4. Now you can serve the chicken with the dipping sauce, as well as a bowl of vegie soup in the chicken stock, enjoy!

Chinese Stir fry vegetables

This is an excellent basic recipe that is applicale to a range of green leafy vegetables. It s simple, tasty and healthy and could be done very easily.

Ingredients;
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped up ginger
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped up garlic
- 400g of greens ( chinese cabbage, pak choy or a mixture of these green leafy vegies)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp stock
- oil for frying

time: 4 mins cooking time
serve 4 as one of the main dishes



1. Heat up frying pan until hot and add oil, stir fry the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds
2. Add the green and fry for a further 2 mins
3. Mix the sugar in the stock and add to the frying pan and vegies for a further 1 min
4. season with salt and add sesame oil if desired

Minced Beef with garlic

Ingredients 1

*marinate the night before is best, if not, at least for 10 mins

- 500g minced lean beef

- 2 tbsp corn flour

- 2 tbsp water

- 1 tsbp light soy sauce

- 1 tbsp garlic ( minced)

- 1 1/2 tsbp sesame oil

- 1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine

- 1 tsp sugar

Ingredients 2 ( for garnish and cooking)

- 1/2 small bunch of coriander finely chopped

- 1/2 cup of stock for cooking

time: 5 mins cooking time

serve 2 with jasmine rice

1. Mix all ingredients 1 together and marinate for at least 10 mins ( overnight is better)

2. Heat up frying pan and add 1/2 cup of stock with beef stir fry in simmering heat for 6 mins, stir well

3. Add coriander and cook for further 2 minutes

4. Ready to serve with rice

Chinese Cooking ingredients

I have a Chinese background and I like my Chinese food. I am planning to experiemnt with Chinese cooking for a while and simplify some of the menus with and share some that i grew up with.

When you start cooking Chinese food it may seem daunting to look at the long list of ingredients but when it comes to cooking it could be quite simple. All the bits are really quite basic and most people have some of these at home, but if you don't, here is a list of ingredients that are handy to have.





Cupboard

• sugar
• corn flour (for thickening sauces)
• slight soy sauce
• dark soy sauce
• Chinese cooking wine  (called Shaoxing OR Shaohsing)
• stock ( if not fresh stock cube will do, we usually cook meat with bones and save the liquid as stock)
• pepper
• salt
• sesame oil ( I recommend the Japanese brand Kadoya with yellow cap that smells amazing and is very good quality)

Fresh

• ginger ( usually used chopped up or grated)
• spring onion
• garlic ( usually used chopped up or minced)
• Coriander is quite a useful herb as well and it is handy to have it as a plant to get asome levaes now and again

Thai curry with Chicken and Savoy cabbage

Simple and Easy, tasty and perfect autumn night dinner.

Ingredients;
- 8 Savoy Cabbage leaves chopped up in strips
- 500g chicken thigh fillet cut into chunks
- 500g sweet potatoes peeled and diced
-  2 x 400ml coconut milk
- 2 tbs Fish sauce
- 2 tbs brown sugar
- 2 tbs green or red Thai curry paste

time: 20mins cooking time
serve 6 with thai jasmine rice





1. Simmer coconut milk, chicken and sweet potatoes with 2 tbs of thai curry paste for 15 mins
2. Add brown sugar and fish sauce and simmer for a further 2 mins
3. Add cabbage and simmer for another 3 mins
4. serve with rice