{san choy bao in hermie}

Oh no, I've been neglecting this blog for so long that guilt is creeping in. I have been inspired in the last few months by lots of different things but finding the time to write up my latest experiments in the kitchen has been lacking. But, now I think I have my mojo back. Why? Well, in case you haven't heard, here in Australia the launch of the new TM5 has occurred just over a week ago. Having Hermie 2.0 in the kitchen is very exciting as there are some great new features... but this is not what this post is about. That will be in a separate one in the near future.

Isn't this supposed  to be how to make san choy bao using Hermie? Yes it is and I think it fits in very well with all the different ways that people are eating these days. What I'm referring to is the latest diet craze or food allergy/intolerance. Although I have never been on any dieting bandwagon, I have experienced food intolerance and allergies myself and within my little family. These include lactose intolerance, dairy allergies, nut allergies, following the FAILSAFE diet and FODMAP. I think we've pretty much got all bases covered.

So, san choy bao is one of those dishes which is Asian flavour based (which is my favourite) and ticks lots of categories including:

- gluten free

- wheat free (check the sauces you're using)

- dairy free

- grain free

- carb free

- high protein

- and most importantly delicious.

It is easily made from the staple ingredients from an Asian Pantry as well as some fresh food items. A bonus is that it is very quick to make and the kids have fun 'making' their own little lettuce cups. Enjoy!

3-4 dried shitake mushrooms

15 grams ginger, peeled, roughly chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small-medium carrot, peeled, roughly chopped 3-4cm

450-500 grams pork mince

20 grams vegetable oil (canola, rice bran, peanut etc)

12 baby cos lettuce leaves (your cups)

big handful of beansprouts (or to taste)

1-2 spring onions, chopped to 1cm lengths

20 grams Shao XsIng wine

10 gram light soy sauce

15 grams dark soy sauce

10 grams oyster sauce

40 grams hoisin sauce

1. Place mushrooms into bowl and pour over hot water to cover and soften mushrooms

2. Place ginger, garlic & carrot into TM bowl and chop 5secs/ speed5. Scrape down sides of bowl.

3. Add pork mince and oil to TM bowl and saute 6mins/ varoma (TM5=110C)/ speed1/ reverse. 

4. Meanwhile, drain water from mushrooms and dice (using a knife) into 0.5cm pieces and wash the 12 lettuce leaves and beansprouts and set aside for later.

5. Scrape down sides of bowl and with spatula, stir the bottom around.

6. Add wine, soy sauce, reserved mushrooms and spring onions into TM bowl and cook 4mins/ varoma (TM5=110C)/ stir speed/ reverse. 

7. Scrape down sides and add in dark soy, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. Cook 2mins/ 100C/ stir speed/ reverse.

8. Once complete, pour into thermoserver and serve by scooping into reserved lettuce cups and topped with bean sprouts.

Bon Appetit xx

Serves 2-3 depending on appetite

Note: Great for finger food. Just need to use the tiny baby cos lettuce leaves and a teaspoon of filling.

{'claypot' chicken, mushroom & fu chuk in hermie}

Whenever I go overseas, I like to look in local book shops for recipe books from that country. This recipe is from one of those such books that I acquired when in Singapore from the famous Kinokuniya book shop. The book is full of claypot dishes that are overflowing with delicious, saucy dishes that are perfect served with a bowl of steamed rice. However, until now, I had only tried one of these dishes because I never got around to buying an actual claypot! 

Now with Hermie, I've decided to give a few more a go and this time round I have been really happy with the results... I'm not sure that I really need a claypot anymore. The original recipe is for a chicken and liver claypot however, I'd rather eat fu chuk (beancurd) and therefore replaced the liver.

fu chuk (beancurd) & dried chinese mushrooms

4 dried chinese mushrooms
4 fu chuk sticks (or as many as you want to taste)
good thumb of ginger, peeled
2 spring onions cut in 10 cm lengths
400-500 grams chicken thighs (5-6), cubed in 4cm

seasoning A:
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornflour

seasoning B:
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1. Soak mushrooms & fu chook sticks in Thermoserver with hot water.
2. Place ginger & spring onions in TM bowl. Chop 3 sec/ speed 6
3. Marinate chicken in seasoning A in a spare bowl.

4. Remove mushrooms from server, chop off stems and cut in half. Remove fu chuk from server and cut into about 8cm pieces (or however long you would like to eat them). Set aside.
5. Saute spring onion & ginger 2min/ varoma/ stir speed/ reverse. Add mushroom. Cook a further 2 mins / varoma / stir speed / reverse.
6. Add chicken & seasoning B. Cook 17min/ 100C/ stir speed/ reverse. Add fu chuk and stir through with spatula. Stand 5 minutes and then pour into thermoserver to keep warm until serving.
7. Serve with steamed white rice and asian greens for a complete meal.

Serves 4-5 as part of a shared meal.

Bon Appetit xx

Tips: Fu Chuk and dried chinese mushrooms can be found in all good Asian Grocery Stores.