Rich in greens and proteins, this beef stir-fry is on your table in a flash. Sichuan pepper works beautifully with tender beef and Chinese leafy greens.
Cooking Time :15 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbs extra light olive oil
500g beef stir-fry strips
1 bunch broccolini, cut into 5cm lengths
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp Woolworths Select Sichuan Pepper
1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli), washed, cut into 5cm lengths
60ml (1/4 cup) char siu sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
Steamed rice, to serve
Thai basil leaves, to serve

Method

Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add half the beef and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef, reheating the wok between batches.
Add the broccolini, garlic and Sichuan pepper to wok and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the broccolini is just tender.
Add the beef, gai lan, char siu sauce and soy sauce to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
Spoon the rice among serving dishes and top with the beef mixture. Sprinkle with Thai basil to serve.

Notes

Make it vegetarian: Omit the beef stir-fry strips. In step 1, add 320g firm tofu, drained, cut into thin strips, to the wok and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Add 1 red capsicum, deseeded, thinly sliced, with the gai lan in step 3.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

1 250g pkt dried wheat noodles
2 tbs peanut oil
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
200g pork fillet, very thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1 red capsicum, deseeded, diced
8 green shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
400g small cooked prawns, peeled, chopped
2 tbs kecap manis
1 tbs sambal oelek
75g bean sprouts
Pinch of salt

Method

Place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with plenty of boiling water and set aside, stirring occasionally to separate, for 5 minutes or until soft.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add eggs, tilting wok until they cover base and sides. As omelette begins to set, lift edges so uncooked egg runs underneath. Cook for 1 minute or until set. Slide onto a chopping board and roll into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut crossways into thin slices. Place on a plate and set aside until required.
Add another 2 tsp of the oil to the wok and increase heat to high. Add the pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until required.
Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the carrot, capsicum, half of the shallots, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Drain the noodles and add to the wok with the pork, prawns, kecap manis and sambal oelek, and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the noodles are heated through.
Remove from heat. Add the bean sprouts and toss gently until well combined. Taste and season with salt.
Divide among serving plates and top with the sliced egg and remaining green shallots. Serve immediately.

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Ingredients (serves 6)

1kg beef bones
3L (12 cups) cold water
2 brown onions, chopped
5cm piece ginger, peeled, sliced
5 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
1 tbs coriander seeds
2 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs lime juice
100g thick rice noodles
1 (about 200g) beef fillet steak, thinly sliced
2 cups (110g) bean sprouts
3 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
2 red birdseye chillies, thinly sliced
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves
Lime wedges, to serve

Method

Place the beef bones, water, onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and coriander seeds in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to very low and cook, skimming surface occasionally of any fat with a metal spoon, for 3 hours or until liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Remove and reserve any meat from the bones and discard remaining solids.
Place the soup over high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, fish sauce and lime juice.
Meanwhile, place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl and pour over plenty of boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soak. Drain well. Divide noodles and reserved beef evenly among serving bowls. Top with sliced beef. Pour the hot soup evenly among each serving bowl. Top with bean sprouts, green onion, chilli, mint and coriander. Serve immediately with lime wedges, if desired.

Notes

Pronounced as 'fuh', pho is renowned as Vietnam's most popular dish and is aften enjoyed for breakfast and lunch. Many cooks have their own secret to creating perfect pho. One tip is to char the ginger and onion before adding to the stock for a richer, more complex flavour; another is to use bones with marrow, and to parboil and rinse the bones for a clearer broth.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

1/3 cup (55g) finely chopped palm sugar
1 tbs fish sauce
1 cup (145g) raw cashews
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tbs sesame seeds
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 bunch Chinese water spinach, ends trimmed
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
1 bunch Vietnamese mint, leaves picked
2 purple Asian shallots, thinly sliced
1 (about 500g) Chinese barbecue pork, thinly sliced
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

Combine 1/4 cup (45g) of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until sugar dissolves and begins to caramelise. Add the cashews, five-spice and sesame seeds and cook, tossing, for 1-2 minutes or until cashews are coated in caramel mixture. Remove from heat and spread over a piece of baking paper to cool.
Combine the rice wine vinegar with the remaining sugar and fish sauce in a small jug. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine the water spinach, coriander, mint, shallots and pork in a large bowl and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss to combine. Sprinkle with cashews to serve.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

4 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 small red chillies, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled,
cut into short, thin sticks
100g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
150g snow peas, shredded lengthways
1 barbecued chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded
1/2 Chinese cabbage, finely shredded (see note)
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked

Method

Combine stock, 2 cups water, soy sauce and chillies in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
Add carrots, mushrooms, snow peas and chicken to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cabbage and cook for 1 minute or until cabbage wilts.
Stir half the coriander into soup. Divide soup between bowls. Top with remaining coriander and serve.

Notes

Note: Half a Chinese cabbage will give you 3 cups shredded cabbage.

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