Easy Hearty and Healthy Beef and Vegetable Soup

this dish is just perfect for those cold winter nights

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Easy Hearty and Healthy Beef and Vegetable Soup

tools: Chopping board, knife, large pot

Ingredients:-
500g Stewing Beef
1 large onion diced
2 carrots diced
2 sticks celery diced
1 cup of frozen peas (optional)
1 400g can of diced tomatoes
1 400g can of cannelli beans or 4 Mixed beans
1/2 cup of pasta (i used macaroni)
2 beef stock cubes
4 cups of Water
25g butter or 2 TBS oil

Method:-

1. Sautee onion in oil/butter in medium heat till soft (almost transparent)
2. Add the beef and stir around till it turns brown (approx 5 mins)
3. Add the carrots and celery, fry for 5 mins
4. Pour in diced tomatoes and water, add in stock cubes
5. cover the pot, turn heat down to Low and let it simmer for 1 hour.
6. Add in the peas, beans and pasta
7. Add more water if desired
8. Cover and Boil for another hour
9. Done!

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Tip:
You can always substitute the stewing beef with oxtail to make a really rich yummy soup (use 1 beef stock cube instead of 2)!

Simple Beetroot Dip with Cashews and Horse-radish

this dip is really really yummy and easy to make! 1 step is all it takes!
it's very much up to you which consistency you prefer as some would like it really chunky, and some smooth.

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Simple Beetroot Dip with Cashews and Horse-radish


Level: Novice
Tools: food processor
Ingredients:-
1 450g can of beetroot (sweet sliced beetroot)
100g unsalted Cashews (does not matter if roasted or not)
1 TBS horse-radish
1 TBS grated parmasean cheese
1 TBS oil
1/2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 TBS vinegar

Method:-
Blend all ingredients together in food processor.
Serve with carrot/celery sticks, crackers or wafer thins!

Sweet and Sour Pork

This is a well-loved and popular dish in many chinese restaurants. It is actually really simple to make.

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Sweet and Sour Pork
Level: Novice
Serves 4



Utensils/Tools Needed

Large frying pan, Chopping board and knife, Kitchen Towels

Ingredients

Pork Marinate:
1 egg
1 Teaspoon Sesame oil
2 Tablespoons light soya sauce
1 Tablespoon Chinese Wine/Sherry
1 Teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Soya Sauce
¼ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Water

Thickening agent:
1 Tablespoon Corn Flour
4 Tablespoons Water

500 grams Pork Cubes
1 Red Capsicum
1 Onion
1 Small Can Pineapple cubes in natural juice
½ Cucumber (optional)
1 Carrot (optional)
1 Cup Corn Flour
3 Cups Oil

Method:

1. Chop the pork into bite-sized cubes and marinate in pork marinate for 1 hour.
2. Mix up the sauce and set aside
3. Mix up the thickening agent mixture and set aside
4. Slice the onion, capsicum and carrots into 1" pieces and set aside
5. Peel cucumber, and chop them into bite-sized pieces and set aside
6. Heat oil in frying pan till hot
7. Coat each marinated pork piece with corn flour and deep fry
8. When pork turns golden-brown, drain, dish out and put on kitchen towel
9. Throw the deep-frying oil away, leave about 2 Tablespoons in the pan
10. Throw in Onions, Capsicum and Carrot, stir-fry for 3 minutes
11. Throw in Cucumber and Pineapple, stir-fry for 2 minutes
12. Pour Sauce mixture into pan, let it boil
13. When sauce mixture is bubbling, pour in the thickening agent mixture and let it boil a further 3 minutes
14. When the sauce thickens, throw in the pork and stir around for 1 minute
15. Dish up and serve with steamed rice

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Tip of the day:

You can always reuse the deep-frying oil if you drain it properly. Lay 2-3 pieces of kitchen towels in a funnel and slowly drain the oil into a jar for later use.

Easy "Steamed" Rice

This is a really quick and easy way of getting almost perfect "steamed" rice.

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Easy "Steamed" Rice
Level: Novice
Serves 2

Utensils/Tools Needed
Measuring Jug, Microwavable Deep Dish/Microwave Rice Cooker, Cling Wrap, Large Plate

Ingredients

1 cup of long grain rice
1 ½ cup of hot water

Method

1. Wash/Rinse the rice till the water runs almost clear (this is to remove the excess starch)
2. Pour it into the rice and stir around
3. Cover the dish with 2 layers of cling wrap
4. Use a fork and poke several holes in the cling wrap
5. Put the dish on a large plate (this is to prevent a huge mess in microwave when the liquid overboils in the microwave)
6. Set microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes.
7. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes after it's done
8. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

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Tip of the day:

Most supermarkets do have clearance sales in their deli section towards time of closing. Be sure to scout around the deli section 15-30mins before the store closes. The supermarket around my place sells the roasted chickens for ½ price just 20mins before closing. And that’s cheaper than buying a raw chicken!

Easy Beef Vindaloo

This is one of my all-time favourite dishes. It’s really easy to prepare and cook and it’s delicious! I made a little modification by adding in some carrots so that this can be a whole meal on its own without any sides. This recipe can be substituted with lamb or chicken too.

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Formula Peckish’s bastardised Beef Vindaloo
Level: Novice
Serves 4

Spice Factor:

A Lil' HOT!

Utensils/Tools Needed

Pot, Food Processor, Large Wooden Spoon, Chopping board and Knife

Ingredients

To be blended together in the food processor:

• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• 1 Tablespoon Tumeric powder
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
• 2 Tablespoons chilli paste (see DIY chilli paste recipe)
• 2 Teaspoons chilli powder
• ½ Teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• ½ Teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 Teaspoon ginger
• 1 Teaspoon cumin powder
• ¼ cup white vinegar

1 kilo stewing beef
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2-3 cups water
3 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
Salt to taste

Method

1. Chop the beef up into bite-size cubes
2. Marinate the beef in the blended spice mixture for 2-4 hours
3. Melt the butter or margarine in the pot (don’t let it burn!)
4. Throw in the beef and let it brown
5. Throw in carrots
6. Add in the water, bring to boil
7. Cover the pot, and lower the heat
8. Cook over low heat till beef is soft and tender (approx 2 hours)
9. Remove cover and let excess water evaporate if the curry is too wet, OR add in some water if curry is too dry
10. Serve hot with some basmati rice

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Tip of the day:

I’m a cheapskate when it comes to buying meats. I would always pick the cheapest cuts when it comes to stews. Well, beggars can’t be choosers. Beef “Fingers” aka brisket (they cost about AUD$5.00/kilo at my local Chinese butcher) are pretty cheap and good for stews or curries.