Teriyaki Beef with Asian Mushrooms and Soba Noodles

If you are short on time, but want a meal that is big on flavour, then a stir fry is the perfect option!

I am going to make this post short and sweet, just like this recipe!!!

Teriyaki Beef with Asian Mushrooms and Soba Noodles
Adapted from Good Taste Magazine March Edition

Serves 4

2 tbs dark soy sauce
2tbs Shaoxing cooking wine
2 tsp honey
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3cm piece ginger, finely chopped
500h rump steak, trimmed of fat, thinly sliced
rice bran oil
150g oyster mushrooms, halved
100g shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
100g enoki mushrooms, trimmed, separated
270g soba noodles

steamed greens to serve

Combine the soy, cooking wine, honey, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.  Add the beef.  Combine well.  Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Heat a wok over high heat, adding a splash of oil.  Using tongs, drain the sauce from the meat, then add to the hot wok.  Tossing quickly, sear the meat, until just browned.  Place meat in a bowl, cover to keep warm.  Repeat until all meat is cooked.

Cook the soba noodles according to packet directions.

Heat  small amount of oil in the wok over medium high heat.  Stir fry the oyster mushrooms for 2 minutes, adding a small amount of the marinade to keep from sticking to the wok.  Transfer to the bowl of meat.

Repeat - cooking the shitake mushrooms.

Heat the wok again, adding a little oil, then quickly stir fry the enoki mushrooms for 30 seconds.

Add the beef and mushroom mixture back into the wok.  Add any remaining marinade, and toss quickly to heat through.

Place the soba noodles in a bowl, then top with the beef and mushroom mixture.

Very, quick, very easy!!  Better than take away too!

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

I recently read an article that Matt Preston wrote talking about flawed recipes.   I was surprised that they openly admit that some of the recipes that are printed in recipes books are wrong, he says flawed - but let's call a spade a spade and call it as it is - the recipes are wrong!!  Finally I feel better, perhaps it's not me, perhaps there is actually something that hasn't been transcribed as it should be.

The case in point was last night's recipe - I read the whole recipe - even the tip at the bottom.  The only thing I did was double the amount of meat - really, 600g of chicken for 5 people - 4 of them growing boys!!  So I bought 2 double breasts - which gave me approximately 1.2kg of meat.  So one would tend to believe that if you have double the meat, then double the sauce ingredients - right??  Well that's what I did.  The flavour was good - but it was too runny.  Perhaps I failed in the "tip" section?

 The "Tip" said - and I quote ** "It's important to cook the caramel until it is a deep amber colour.  If it's removed from the heat too soon, it will be runny and won't coat the chicken well."

Well I thought I left it there long enough - any longer and I could see me having a pan full of burnt toffee!!  Dear Readers I will leave it up to you - do try this as it is easy, and the flavours are great (even if the sauce is a little runny). You never know you may get perfect results!!

I will give you the recipe exactly as it is written in the current issue of Good Food

Traditional Caramel Chicken


Serves 4


2tbs fish sauce
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
600g chicken breast fillet, cut into 2.5cm pieces
200g snow peas, trimmed, halved diagonally
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 birdseye chilli, sliced, to serve
3 cups steamed rice (from 1 cup raw), to serve


Mix the fish sauce and 1/2 cup of water in a bowl.


Place sugar and 1/3 cup water in a frying pan on medium heat.  Cook, swirling occasionally, until sugar dissolves.  Bring to the boil and cook, swirling occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until a deep amber colour (remember the tip!! **).  Remove from the heat.  Slowly add fish sauce mixture.  Swirl pan to combine.


Add garlic and chicken.  Season well with freshly ground black pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken is almost cooked through.  Add the snow peas and onion and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.


Serve with rice and sliced chilli.




You may notice in the picture small little flecks of brown stuff - I didn't use sliced garlic - just the crushed stuff from the bottle - hence the flecks!!

I am sorry to say Dear Readers that there may not be many baking recipes coming forth from here for a while.  My oven is out of action.  Has anyone ever had the glass come away from their oven door?  Well mine did!  So now it's off to the workshop - I have the carcass of the oven - but no door!  They tell me it could take 2 weeks or more to get it back!!!  What is a girl to do?  It's like having your right (or left for me) arm amputated!!  Luckily I got that pork belly cooked the other night!!!!  I will now have to rethink the menu for the rest of the week and plan accordingly.  Perhaps the oven just wanted a break - its has been working hard lately!!  I guess we can all sympathise with that can't we??