Easy Mince Pasta sauce

TWO ONION =)

BROWNING ONION AND MINCE

ADDING MIXED VEG

ADD THICKENER

SERVE HOT

COLD WINTER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE! ESPECIALLY IN CAPE TOWN. WET AND COLD.

QUICK AND EASY. ONE POT. (WELL, TWO IF YOU COUNTING THE PASTA POT)

INGREDIENTS:

MINCE...................................500G

FROZEN VEG........................1 BAG

ONION...................................2

SAUCE:

TOMATO PASTE..................2 SMALL CANS

TOMATO SAUCE.................2 TABLE SPOONS

BLACK PEPPER...................A GOOD PINCH

WHITE PEPPER....................2 SHAKES, DEPENDS ON THE HEAT LEVEL YOU PREFER

CHICKEN STOCK...............500ML

THICKENER:

CORN STARCH...................1 TABLE SPOON

WATER..................................1 TABLE SPOON

METHOD:

1. DICE ONION, HEAT PAN WITH 2 TABLE SPOON OF OLIVE OIL.

2. BROWN ONION IN DEEP PAN, ONCE ONION SOFTEN, MOVE TO ONE SIDE THEN ADD MINCE.

3. ONCE LIQUID FROM MINCE DRIED OUT, MIX ONION AND MINCE THEN ADD THE FROZEN VEG.

4. COOK ON HIGH HEAT FOR 5MINS.

5. MIX SAUCE IN THE PAN, STIR FOR A MIN BEFORE ADDING CHICKEN STOCKS.

6. COVER AND SIMMER FOR 5MINS, THICKEN WITH THE THICKENER TO PREFERRED THICKNESS.

7. SERVER OF BED OF HOT JASMINE RICE OR PASTA.

TIPS:

1. MAKE SURE THE TOMATO PASTE AND TOMATO SAUCE TOUCHES THE PAN BY STIRRING IT BEFORE ADDING STOCKS, THIS HELPS TO BRING THE TOMATOES FLAVOUR OUT.

2. YOU CAN ADD PARMESAN  CHEESE WHEN SERVING TO ADD EXTRA THICKNESS AND FLAVOUR.

Winter treat - Chinese Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot (direct translation) is something that comes to my head every winter. You got to have hot pot in winter, it is like a rule for me.

What is hot pot? If you are asking:

Hot pot is Chinese styled fondue with a pot of boiling soup in the middle of the table and the dishes are around the pot. The dishes are mostly raw and ready to be cook in the pot. You can throw in whatever you have prepared. When you eat it, you should mix your own dipping sauce.

Depending on your style, the dipping sauce can be a mixture any peanut sauce, chilli oil, soy sauce, chopped spring onion, chopped garlic, sesame oil.. it is a personal preference.

I was invited to this hot pot dinner and it was like the luxury version of hot pot! I have never had oysters in hot pot and generally I am scared of the rawness of oysters. But if you cook the oyster in the water for roughly 10~15 seconds, it is really yummy! Remember not to cook it in the spicy soup as you won't be able to taste the pure flavor.

Here is my list of my best hot pot dishes:
- Thinly sliced lamb or pork
- Oysters
- Glass noodle (unfortunately we did not have udon noodle)
- Mushrooms (long ones, white enokitake mushrooms)
- Calamari
- Chinese cabbage
- Fish cake (a type of tempura)
- Oily tofu
- Pork meatballs

I have family over later this month, we shall have at least one hot pot dinner! If you are interested to have hot pot in Cape Town, you can go to the following:

Xiang Yuan
254 Main Road, Sea Point
021 434 4987

Royo Kloof
1st Floor, 115 Kloof Street
Gardens
021 422 1888

Dynasty
Shop 10 Nedbank Centre, Kloof Road
Sea Point
021 434 0065

Pork dices in Sweetcorn - Super quick easy cooking @Home

MARINATING

SWEETCORN CREAM STYLE (RECOMMENDING KOO IF YOU LIVE IN SA)

BROWNING DICED PORK

TOP OF PASTA OR JASMINE RICE

 WARM HEARTY QUICK MEAL

COLD WINTER, YOU NEED PLENTY OF ENERGY TO KEEP YOU WARM.

IN THE MEANTIME YOU DO NOT WANT TO MOVE TOO MUCH.

THIS IS THE PERFECT DISH TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WARM AND SWEET

INGREDIENTS:

PORK FILLET...............................500G

SWEETCORN CREAM STYLE.............1 CAN

THIN SPRING ONION......................1 BUNCH

BEATEN EGGS.............................2 LARGE

MARINATE:

RICE WINE (OR ANY CLEAR SPIRIT)....1 TBSP

SOY SAUCE ...............................1 TBSP

SUGAR.....................................1 TBSP

WHITE PEPPER...........................A LITTLE
CORN STARCH............................2 TSP

THICKENER:

CORN STARCH............................2 TBSP

WATER....................................2 TBSP

MIX WELL

METHOD:

1) DICE PORK TO 1.5CM CUBES, AND MARINATE FOR 15MINS IN FRIDGE.

2) BROWN DICED PORK IN A FRYING PAN WITH A TBSP OF OLIVE OIL.

3) POUR IN THE CAN OF SWEETCORN, COOK ON HIGH FOR 30S.

4) POUR 500ML OF WATER IN AND STIR WHILE BRINGING UP TO BOIL.

5) SEASON TO TASTE WITH SALT, PEPPER AND CHICKEN POWDER, THEN ADD THE BEATEN EGGS.

6) THICKEN IT WITH THICKENER, (WHILE IT'S BOILING)

7) PUT ON TOP OF A BED OF RICE OR PASTA, SPRINKLE WITH SMALL SPRING ONION.

TIPS: 

1) ADD THICKENING BIT BY BIT TO YOUR PREFERRED THICKNESS.

2) IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO FEEL SOME EGG BITS, WAIT 30S BEFORE YOU STIR.

3) BEAT THE EGG LIGHTLY, TRY AVOID BUBBLES.

4) USE THE CHINESE SMALL SPRING ONION, THEY GIVES BETTER FLAVOUR.
5) ADD RICE WINE TO MARINATE TO GET RID OF THE FUNNY SMELL AND TASTE OF PORK.
6) ADD THE CORN STARCH IN THE MARINATE LAST AFTER YOU MIXED IT WELL, IT HELP SEALS THE FLAVOUR IN THE MEAT.