Lately the asian food has been calling me!
It's funny how we go through food phases. For me it's about every week I get cravings for different cuisines and dishes.
This week it started when we went out to a little Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant named thien phu' in Springvale south that started my cravings!
it's almost like a little Asian diner nothing fancy just tables with some assorted condiments on it packed with people and a tv in the background.
We started with the classic rice paper rolls, they were served with this gorgeous satay peanut sauce.
Then a lovely Congee which is a type of rice porridge popular in many Asian countries. additional ingredients, such as meat, fish, and flavorings, are added whilst preparing the congee, it is most often served as a meal on its own.
Despite its many variations, it is always a thick porridge or soup of rice which has usually disintegrated after prolonged cooking in hot water.
There are many different varieties that differ from country to country.
Countries like china, India, korea, Vietnam, Cambodia or even Burma all have variations of congee that makes it traditional to their country.
And then We shared a beautiful pork prawn and beef omelette just as described succulent meats in an omelette with garlic,chilli, Vietnamese mint, bean shoots and lettuce.
Fresh, Simple and Yummy!
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Lebanese and Baklava
Lebanese! When we think of Lebanese food we think of tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush and baklava (mmmm...baklava) but traditionally there is so much more to this amazing cuisine.
Now similar to the Italian antipasto or the Spanish tapas, the Lebanese serve Mezze .
Very rarely is a beverage in lebanon served without a Mezze platter.
It is a selection of hot or cold small dishes with different varieties of colours, tastes, textures and aromas. It is wonderful if you are like me and like a selection or you can never decide what to order.
Mezze may be as simple as some hummus and bread of some pickled vegetables with baba ghanoush. Then there is the Mezze that consists of all of the above with seafood and lamb, raw and cooked vegetables or salad. All these amazing dishes placed in front of you in one sitting, a foodies delight!
Another great thing about Lebanese food is the sweets.....
Baklava as I mentioned is this delicious sweet pastry layered with crushed nuts and sugar syrup or honey.
Then there is Sfouf, an almond semolina cake seasoned with turmeric,sugar and pine nuts.
Ma'amoul, a small shortbread biscuit filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, and my personal favourite Meghli a rice pudding spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon.
Now I bet your thinking where on earth can I get this stuff? Well I have done some research and there is a place right here in the not so sunny melbourne!
It's on north road towards Oakleigh named Oasis Bakery. Not only do they have everything listed above they do cooking classes, coffee equipment, baking ingredients, typical Mezze dishes and oh my gosh the sweets... The baklava is everywhere!!!
There is even a lebanese cafe to sit and enjoy a coffee and lunch.
To sum up or to shut me up this place is brilliant! Great shop, Great Food and Lebanese... Great cuisine!
Oh and thank you whoever invented the Baklava.
Now similar to the Italian antipasto or the Spanish tapas, the Lebanese serve Mezze .
Very rarely is a beverage in lebanon served without a Mezze platter.
It is a selection of hot or cold small dishes with different varieties of colours, tastes, textures and aromas. It is wonderful if you are like me and like a selection or you can never decide what to order.
Mezze may be as simple as some hummus and bread of some pickled vegetables with baba ghanoush. Then there is the Mezze that consists of all of the above with seafood and lamb, raw and cooked vegetables or salad. All these amazing dishes placed in front of you in one sitting, a foodies delight!
Another great thing about Lebanese food is the sweets.....
Baklava as I mentioned is this delicious sweet pastry layered with crushed nuts and sugar syrup or honey.
Then there is Sfouf, an almond semolina cake seasoned with turmeric,sugar and pine nuts.
Ma'amoul, a small shortbread biscuit filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, and my personal favourite Meghli a rice pudding spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon.
Now I bet your thinking where on earth can I get this stuff? Well I have done some research and there is a place right here in the not so sunny melbourne!
It's on north road towards Oakleigh named Oasis Bakery. Not only do they have everything listed above they do cooking classes, coffee equipment, baking ingredients, typical Mezze dishes and oh my gosh the sweets... The baklava is everywhere!!!
There is even a lebanese cafe to sit and enjoy a coffee and lunch.
To sum up or to shut me up this place is brilliant! Great shop, Great Food and Lebanese... Great cuisine!
Oh and thank you whoever invented the Baklava.
Monday, 6 August 2012
Vietnamese in Richmond
So today after a hectic morning Sam and I ventured to Richmond where we decided to have lunch. We found a lovely little Vietnamese cafe and went in there we were greeted by an amazing smell of Vietnamese mint and spice.
It was the kind of place that truly got my mouth salivating! We sat by the window looking out at the everyday hustle and for a moment I felt I wasn't even in Melbourne.
Now on our table we had all the usual condiments traditionally found in Asian restaurants: Chili, Soy, Vinegar, Hoisin and some other goodies and the menu was really great written in English and Vietnamese with pictures of the most popular dishes.
Now after some Ummming and Arghhhing we decided to share a Chicken Congee (which is a traditional soup made from stock and broken rice with coriander, spring onion and dried shallots) and a Vietnamese pancake with pork and prawn.
For those of you that have never had one before it comes out about the length of 2 dinner plates with a crispy outer egg and coconut pancake and filled with freshly cooked meats, bean shoots and onions.
Now incase your meal still isn't satisfying you get a bunch if Vietnamese mint, lettuce, extra bean shoots, chilli, lemon and a sweet chilli type vinegar just to ensure your pancake is extra delish!
We started with the congee which was so yummy with a lovely fragrant broth perfectly cooked rice and juicy tender chicken, and the best bit was the pancake it was so delicious that words cannot explain how good it was the crepe/omlette was so crispy and the meet had been cooked into
The batter before it is flipped then by adding the vinegar and fresh lemon and mint it was like having a party in your mouth ... Unexpected beautiful edible fun!!!
To conclude I have come home super inspired by chefs such as Luke Nguyen and I am pulling out the Vietnamese cookbooks and I'm ready to cook!!!
It was the kind of place that truly got my mouth salivating! We sat by the window looking out at the everyday hustle and for a moment I felt I wasn't even in Melbourne.
Now on our table we had all the usual condiments traditionally found in Asian restaurants: Chili, Soy, Vinegar, Hoisin and some other goodies and the menu was really great written in English and Vietnamese with pictures of the most popular dishes.
Now after some Ummming and Arghhhing we decided to share a Chicken Congee (which is a traditional soup made from stock and broken rice with coriander, spring onion and dried shallots) and a Vietnamese pancake with pork and prawn.
For those of you that have never had one before it comes out about the length of 2 dinner plates with a crispy outer egg and coconut pancake and filled with freshly cooked meats, bean shoots and onions.
Now incase your meal still isn't satisfying you get a bunch if Vietnamese mint, lettuce, extra bean shoots, chilli, lemon and a sweet chilli type vinegar just to ensure your pancake is extra delish!
We started with the congee which was so yummy with a lovely fragrant broth perfectly cooked rice and juicy tender chicken, and the best bit was the pancake it was so delicious that words cannot explain how good it was the crepe/omlette was so crispy and the meet had been cooked into
The batter before it is flipped then by adding the vinegar and fresh lemon and mint it was like having a party in your mouth ... Unexpected beautiful edible fun!!!
To conclude I have come home super inspired by chefs such as Luke Nguyen and I am pulling out the Vietnamese cookbooks and I'm ready to cook!!!
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Apologies to my readers!
To anyone that regularly read my blog I am sorry it has been so long!
So much has happened since my last blog and I have forgotten about things that excite me! Well no more! I am back and going to write again about things that make me happy! I am no longer going to dwell on the past!
So much has happened since my last blog and I have forgotten about things that excite me! Well no more! I am back and going to write again about things that make me happy! I am no longer going to dwell on the past!
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Mushrooms
Mushies! On toast, stuffed, roasted, sautéd, with garlic, in risotto, in a good stroganoff anyway u choose to have them they are a really nutritious meal.
Mushrooms are the fleshy body of a fungus, commonly found above ground on soil.
Many species of mushrooms tend to just shoot up overnight.
There is even a common English saying "to pop up like a mushroom" based purely on how quickly they grow.
Mushrooms are low in calories, fat and carbohydrates and provide a great source of B, essential minerals and potassium.
Most mushrooms you buy from supermarkets have been grown in mushroom farms and they grow different varieties from shiitakes to oyster, enoki to portabella there is always a selection.
However not all mushrooms are good for you there is a variety that are toxic and can even be fatal if consumed.
There is also the mind altering mushrooms that make you hallucinate commonly known as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms" these mushrooms are illegal if sold or grown purely because the effects are unknown and could cause harm.
So for me I play it safe and stick to the every day Mushies that you buy from the grocer.
But I have some weird facts about these little stubby toadstools :
Did you know that More than 85% of Australian households purchase fresh mushrooms regularly and that In the mid 1970’s most of the mushrooms eaten in Australia were sold in cans.
So to ensure you get yourself some top quality mushrooms and keep them tasting great look for the ones that are firm to the touch, have no bruises and have a slightly shiny surface then store in a brown paper bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge this allows the mushrooms to breath and draws the moisture into the bag and not the Mushies and using these tips they should last at least a week.
So they will be right there ready to spice up a dish, use to garnish and wow your family at dinner!
Mushrooms are the fleshy body of a fungus, commonly found above ground on soil.
Many species of mushrooms tend to just shoot up overnight.
There is even a common English saying "to pop up like a mushroom" based purely on how quickly they grow.
Mushrooms are low in calories, fat and carbohydrates and provide a great source of B, essential minerals and potassium.
Most mushrooms you buy from supermarkets have been grown in mushroom farms and they grow different varieties from shiitakes to oyster, enoki to portabella there is always a selection.
However not all mushrooms are good for you there is a variety that are toxic and can even be fatal if consumed.
There is also the mind altering mushrooms that make you hallucinate commonly known as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms" these mushrooms are illegal if sold or grown purely because the effects are unknown and could cause harm.
So for me I play it safe and stick to the every day Mushies that you buy from the grocer.
But I have some weird facts about these little stubby toadstools :
Did you know that More than 85% of Australian households purchase fresh mushrooms regularly and that In the mid 1970’s most of the mushrooms eaten in Australia were sold in cans.
So to ensure you get yourself some top quality mushrooms and keep them tasting great look for the ones that are firm to the touch, have no bruises and have a slightly shiny surface then store in a brown paper bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge this allows the mushrooms to breath and draws the moisture into the bag and not the Mushies and using these tips they should last at least a week.
So they will be right there ready to spice up a dish, use to garnish and wow your family at dinner!
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Liquorice
Yes liquorice! It's a love hate relationship for most when it comes to this.
I think it's sensational ... I grew up with lots of liquorice it was what we would get for my dad every fathers day because he loved it.
we used have to take the Irish moss syrup when we were sick which was a liquorice flavoured cough mixture and my pop used to say would cure anything, which is why I still use it today.
Even the liquorice flavoured sarsaparilla which I was told as a little girl was "pigs blood" so that I wouldn't drink my parents stash, even now my hubby Sam is obsessed with the boiled liquorice blocks and bullets so for most of my life liquorice has made a mark In my existence.
To make liquorice there are a base of ingredients they are liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder.
The binder is typically starch/flour, gum arabic, or gelatin, or a combination of the 3. Then ammonium chloride, and molasses are added to give the end product the familiar black colour.
Some liquorice is flavoured with anise oil instead of or in combination with liquorice root extract.
The process of making is quite straightforward the ingredients are dissolved in water and heated to 135 °C the liquid is poured into molds, to get the desired shape or size. The licorice liquid is then set and when they are they are sprayed with beeswax in order to give them a shiny appearance.
Even Alexander the Great supplied his troops with rations of liquorice root whilst marching, due to its thirst
quenching qualities.
It has been around for centuries
and I hope it stays that way, because it has been a great thing for my family when I can't think of any present ideas.
Try it ! It may surprise you!
I think it's sensational ... I grew up with lots of liquorice it was what we would get for my dad every fathers day because he loved it.
we used have to take the Irish moss syrup when we were sick which was a liquorice flavoured cough mixture and my pop used to say would cure anything, which is why I still use it today.
Even the liquorice flavoured sarsaparilla which I was told as a little girl was "pigs blood" so that I wouldn't drink my parents stash, even now my hubby Sam is obsessed with the boiled liquorice blocks and bullets so for most of my life liquorice has made a mark In my existence.
To make liquorice there are a base of ingredients they are liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder.
The binder is typically starch/flour, gum arabic, or gelatin, or a combination of the 3. Then ammonium chloride, and molasses are added to give the end product the familiar black colour.
Some liquorice is flavoured with anise oil instead of or in combination with liquorice root extract.
The process of making is quite straightforward the ingredients are dissolved in water and heated to 135 °C the liquid is poured into molds, to get the desired shape or size. The licorice liquid is then set and when they are they are sprayed with beeswax in order to give them a shiny appearance.
Even Alexander the Great supplied his troops with rations of liquorice root whilst marching, due to its thirst
quenching qualities.
It has been around for centuries
and I hope it stays that way, because it has been a great thing for my family when I can't think of any present ideas.
Try it ! It may surprise you!
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Quinoa
Quinoa pronounced Kin-wah is one of the latest foodie trends.
High in protein, iron and even fibre it has great health benefits especially of you are a vegetarian.
So after hearing all the hoop-lah about it I thought I had better give it a go.
So I headed on down to Thomas Dux grocer a little gourmet grocer in Black Rock, Melbourne. They had all types...red, white, royal mix, flour even cereal and as it turns out at this stage I had no idea what was the difference. As it turns out you can just get different colours and it in different forms.
Just as I was about to pick it up I realised they sold quinoa bread and salad already made so I got a coconut, roasted almond and coriander quinoa to go.
Now It is a grain grown primarily in a crop for its little seeds, it is generally cooked and is lite and fluffy and has a distinct nutty flavour about it.
To my surprise it was delish! It was crunchy yet light and simple yet flavoursome it would make a great substitute to rice or Couscous.
The bread was gorgeous as well quinoa and soya bean loaf crunchy outside and light in the middle and guess the brand ... Brasserie bread.
For those who follow I did a blog on brasserie not long ago.
After some research quinoa is very versatile it is a gluten and wheat free grain that is basically treated as a rice boiled or cooked in a rice cooker for the same time you would usually cook rice for, then you can then add Vegetables and seasonings to vamp it up.
Chicken stock can be substituted for water during cooking, it can even be transformed into a classic pilaf with a funky new twist.
I actually think that I have been converted I never, well I try to never follow trends however in this case I think I will defiantly be investing time into creating dishes with quinoa.
My only challenge I have ahead of me is to convince "Hubby" that good things DO taste good.
High in protein, iron and even fibre it has great health benefits especially of you are a vegetarian.
So after hearing all the hoop-lah about it I thought I had better give it a go.
So I headed on down to Thomas Dux grocer a little gourmet grocer in Black Rock, Melbourne. They had all types...red, white, royal mix, flour even cereal and as it turns out at this stage I had no idea what was the difference. As it turns out you can just get different colours and it in different forms.
Just as I was about to pick it up I realised they sold quinoa bread and salad already made so I got a coconut, roasted almond and coriander quinoa to go.
Now It is a grain grown primarily in a crop for its little seeds, it is generally cooked and is lite and fluffy and has a distinct nutty flavour about it.
To my surprise it was delish! It was crunchy yet light and simple yet flavoursome it would make a great substitute to rice or Couscous.
The bread was gorgeous as well quinoa and soya bean loaf crunchy outside and light in the middle and guess the brand ... Brasserie bread.
For those who follow I did a blog on brasserie not long ago.
After some research quinoa is very versatile it is a gluten and wheat free grain that is basically treated as a rice boiled or cooked in a rice cooker for the same time you would usually cook rice for, then you can then add Vegetables and seasonings to vamp it up.
Chicken stock can be substituted for water during cooking, it can even be transformed into a classic pilaf with a funky new twist.
I actually think that I have been converted I never, well I try to never follow trends however in this case I think I will defiantly be investing time into creating dishes with quinoa.
My only challenge I have ahead of me is to convince "Hubby" that good things DO taste good.
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