With Australia Day just round the corner, I have been racking my brain trying to create a recipe to serve up to my friends. After all, isn’t Australia Day all about kicking back in the sunshine with a cold beer in hand, barbecue sizzling away?
Then it hit me. How do you match the barbecue and the beer? Beer brined chicken wings, of course!
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I finally popped my Chur Burger cherry!! After being so incredibly tempted by all the instagram photos of people enjoying good burgers, I finally made it down there myself for a bit of that brioche burger bun action.
The first sight that greeted me when I walked in was a table of people, burgers open, picking out the filling!!! But why? Why would you not want to eat a glossy, buttery brioche bun?
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There are some recipes that you pick up, some recipes that you create…and some recipes that have been passed down through your family, from generation to generation. These recipes are often the most comforting, as they evoke warm happy memories, but also the hardest to recreate, as there are generally no hard and fast recipes, and each generation make little changes as they go.
These pork and cabbage dumplings evoke glowing, cozy memories of eating around the table with my family. My mother in the kitchen, cooking away, making hundreds of these tasty morsels, the heat of the kitchen a stark contrast to the cool, air-conditioned dining room. My first dumpling consisted of balls of dough with sticks of ginger stuck through the middle…which my mother patiently cooked and my family actually ate in support of my attempt at ‘cooking’.
Today, I like to think that my attempts are a little more sophisticated than balls of dough, but I am still finding it hard to pin down the exact recipe. This has been passed on to me by my mum, who learnt it from my grandmother, who learnt it from her sister in law, who learnt it from her mother in law, who was from a village in China and learnt it from someone else. I’m pretty sure my version isn’t quite ‘authentic’ or even ‘accurate’, but I’ve been told that it’s pretty tasty, and it brings comfort to me, nonetheless.
So first, we start with the filling.
Pot Stickers (makes about 50):
Filling:
500g Pork Mince
1/2 head of Chinese cabbage (wombok)
1/2 cup finely sliced spring onions
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1/3 cup Chinese rice wine
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
2 tbsp ground white pepper
Salt (lots of it)
First, dice the Chinese cabbage into 1cm pieces, a touch smaller if you want to make dainty dumplings. Place into the largest bowl you have. Liberally salt the cabbage, mixing it with your fingers, till you can feel that each piece has some salt on it. Leave for about 45 minutes, adjusting the time (longer or quicker) depending on the size of the cabbage dice (larger or smaller).
After the cabbage is pickled – you’ll know by washing the salt off a piece and tasting it: it should be nicely salted and still retain some crunch – fill the bowl with water and use your hands to give it a bit of a rinse. Drain the cabbage through a colander and squeeze out the liquid. Repeat this process three or four times, till all the excess salt is washed off.
Squeeze out all the excess water out of the cabbage, and place back into a clean bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix through. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
To wrap:
1kg circle flour (not egg!) wonton wrappers
Now you can make the wrappers yourself, but I really can’t tell you the amounts of flour and water that you need (I do it by feel), and there’s also a technique to rolling that you need to know (the edges should be thinner than the middle). So to make it easier, I’ll just be showing you the wrapping technique.
1. Place your filling (about a teaspoonful) into the centre of the wrapper, packing it down using your spoon. Make sure that there is enough rim in the pastry for the ends to pinch with two fingers.
2. Wet the rim of the wrapper with water, then pinch the wrapper shut in the middle
3. Wet rim of the layer of pastry to the right. To the right of the pinch, make a fold in the layer of pastry closest to you, and seal it over the centre pinch.
4. Repeat the pinching and folding actions twice more. Then repeat on the left. Pinch everything to ensure it’s sealed shut (you don’t want the dumpling opening on you during cooking).
5. Et voila! Your dumpling is made!
I like to lightly flour a tray and sit all the dumplings in rows. If you want to freeze them, do so in the trays before transferring them into zip top bags.
If you’re not up for all the folding fussiness, you can also easily just press the edges shut with a little water.
Fry them till the bottoms are very lightly golden brown. Then fill up the pan till the water goes about 1/2-3/4 way up the dumplings and put the lid on. Turn the heat down to low, and wait till the water evaporates. Once the water completely evaporates, you’ll see the dumplings sizzle. If you try and move them too early, they’ll stick to the pan and break – hence the name, pot stickers. To get a nice crispy bottom, you’ll need to let the dumplings sizzle at the low heat, and you’ll find that the dumplings will ease off with a slight push once they’re done.
And there you go! Crispy bottomed pot stickers to enjoy. If boiled dumplings are more your thing, then you can place them into boiling water as well. They’re done when they float. If you have frozen a few, they can go straight into the boiling water and are also done when they float.
So tell me, what are your favourite family recipes?
Omelette D’Aragosta (Crayfish Omelette), $33
There are plenty of must-eat places in Melbourne when you ask for recommendations, ranging from the trendy (like Golden Fields), to the established (like Flower Drum). And one such establishment that is a favourite amongst the up market crowd is Cafe Di Stasio, known for its attention to detail and modern style of Italian cooking.
So I made a reservation and off we went, to the trendy neighbourhood of St Kilda.
We ordered the Crayfish Omelette (pictured above) to start. Chunks of crayfish were dense in a juicy and light egg mixture, covered in a decadent bisque sauce. Crusty toasted bread was provided to mop up all the errant juices. While thoroughly enjoyable, this particular omelette wasn’t quite what I imagined an omelette to be – I had thought to have creamy egg curds (much like set scrambled eggs) encasing moist crayfish meat. If I were after an omelette, I would’ve thought the eggs in this dish to be overcooked. The bisque sauce, however, more than made up for anything that wasn’t quite perfect in this dish, and left us cleaning the plates using our bread with as much elegance as we can muster.
We ordered the pasta of the day – recommended by our waiter – which was Angel hair pasta with crab meat.
Pasta of the Day – Angelhair pasta with crabmeat, $33
As we had ordered everything to share, the kitchen had thoughtfully split the pasta into two portions for us. Flecks of crab meat peeked out at us through delicate strands of what looked to be fresh house-made pasta, and the deep seafood flavour was set off by a fruity olive oil. Light and delicate, this dish showed finesse in execution, which again challenged my expectations, since I was expecting an explosion of citrus and chilli, for some reason. The flavours in this dish were subtle, and showed off the lovely texture of the pasta. A pinch of sea salt lifted the whole dish, and it proved to be quite satisfying when we had our last mouthful.
Anitra Arrosta Con Gnochetti Di Farina (Roast Duckling with Spatzli), $37
Our share plates were changed between courses and out came the roast duckling with its mound of spatzli. Our waiter poured over the jus with a flourish, and the first pierce of my fork came up promising – the meat fell off the bone. The spatzli – which is a Germanic noodle/dumpling that is first cooked in boiling water, then – in my experience – sautéed with butter and served with a saucy meat dish. This particular spatzli was finished with olive oil, not butter, and so provided a fruity note to accompany the duck.
My first bite into the thigh of the duckling told me that maybe I needed more gravy than was provided. It was tender, but stringy, and needed pieces of the skin and swabs of gravy to provide flavour and moisture. Not as well executed as the previous two dishes, and left us wondering whether maybe we should have stuck to the seafood options.
Tira Mi Su, $16.50
Dessert was ordered to round out the meal and the Tiramisu – which means ‘pick me up – seemed like an appropriate option to finish an Italian lunch. Out came a little square set in the middle of a large plate, and the liquor soaked sponge squished slightly as I pressed my fork in. In that first bite I got the light, creamy texture of the mascarpone cream…and the sharp finish of the Strega and coffee soaked sponge. It got to a point where it felt like all I could taste was booze, and we eventually had to leave the bottom layer of sponge uneaten in order to restore balance to our palate.
In all the food had its high and its lows, but for the price tag I would’ve expected slightly more consistency in execution. The service – executed by waiters in starched white coats that made all the appropriate actions – was slightly intimidating, as they hovered over you with sombre expressions while you made your choices. The atmosphere made sense – a quick look around at the lunch crowd told us that there were no customers under 40 – but it did feel a little bit ‘stiff upper lip’ for trendy and vibrant St Kilda.
We ate at:
Cafe Di Stasio
(03) 9525 3999
31 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182
So we’ve covered mains, and canapés, and sometimes the poor sides get, well, sidelined. There’s always the usual pasta salad and potato salads, but here’s my take, on some of the sides I’ll be making for Christmas.
1. Heston Blumenthal’s Mac and Cheese
All the comfort of mac and cheese, but with the poshness of truffle oil and a white wine cheese sauce. Comforting and impressive at the same time! Recipe here.
2. Tuna, beans and Beetroot Salad
A salad you can make entirely from pantry ingredients, which would free up some space in your over-packed fridge. Practical, and tasty!
3. Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Maybe the most maligned vegetable ever, mostly because many people just boil them to death. Get the recipe for hearty brussel sprouts here!
4. Spicy Cambodian Mushroom Dip
For a spicy Cambodian kick to your meal, try this mushroom dip as a condiment. Great with crudités, or with your barbecued steaks.
5. Peach, Mango and Crispy Prosciutto Salad
A pure celebration of summer, this salad can lighten a rich Christmas lunch. Especially in an Australian summer. Recipe here!
I think the moral of the story is that I should never be in charge of buying prosciutto. I had originally bought prosciutto to make these Peach and Prosciutto canapés, but somehow bought wayyyyy too much. So I also made these Dried Fig and Prosciutto parcels, but there are only so many canapés I can make.
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‘Tis the season…to get your eat on! And if you’re the cook in the house, you’re not just in charge of your own belly, you’re also in charge of feeding everyone else. So if you’re scratching your head of what to make this year, here’s a quick roundup of my favourite recipes to feed a party.
1. Twice Cooked Lamb Ribs with Basil Chimichurri
This recipe for golden brown and delicious lamb ribs takes a bit of effort, but also provides you with lamb stock for risotto, and lamb fat for your roast potatoes. It’s the recipe that keeps on giving. Oh, and did I mention that you can make this up to three days ahead as well? No stress on the day!
2. Pulled Pork Shoulder with Cabbage Slaw
Pork shoulder is the new pork leg! This cheap cut of pork is super easy to cook, and can be left to its own devices for most of the day while you sip on your wine. You can then magically pull it out when everyone is hungry, and voila! Instant lunch. Recipe here.
3. Persian Burgers
Everyone loves a good burger at a family barbecue, so why not make these Persian patties instead of your same old beef patty? Once fried, these patties can keep warm in an oven, ready to be part of the build-your-own-burger section of the table.
4. Korean Fried Chicken
A cross between part of an actual meal and finger food, chicken wings are always a winner at every party. I first learnt this at a Korean cooking class, and it’s been a crowd favourite ever since. If you’re not a chicken wing kind of person, chicken thighs cut into pieces will do too.
Simply marinate your chicken in cooking sake (rice wine), and then drain and dust in a mixture of potato starch and flour. Blanch in hot oil once (150C) till lightly brown, then lay out in a single layer on a tray. Place in the oven at 180C to finish.
For a chilli glaze, sauté 1 tbsp minced garlic with 1/2 tbsp minced ginger till fragrant. Then add 3 tbsp kochujang (korean chilli paste) and tomato sauce (if you prefer it really hot, omit the tomato sauce). Stir till combined, then add 2 tbsp of liquid glucose. Once the glaze is runny, add the crispy chicken in and stir to coat. Serve hot.
5. Slow roasted Lamb Shoulder
Australia has beautiful lamb, and it’s time to take advantage of it. If you like the idea of a whole roast and carving at the table, try this slow roasted lamb recipe. Sure it takes some time, but most of the work is done by just leaving it in the oven.
Street food features dominantly in Asian cuisine. If you ask natives for food recommendations, fine dining rarely ranks higher than a particular stall in the corner of a local market or hawker centre. My Thai friends, for example, are more likely to send me to a place with a name I can’t pronounce, than David Thompson’s Nahm, as nice as the latter might be.
I was very nicely invited to try out the new branch of Wok On Inn at the Rocks by 6dc. Sitting in the ‘fast casual’ classification, Wok On Inn is a chain of eateries that wants to deliver the restaurant quality food of casual dining, but with the convenience of fast food.
The new branch of Wok On Inn is at located at a beautiful courtyard at the rocks. Surrounded by a few other eateries, this gorgeous venue gets plenty of natural light, and a cool breeze coming through every so often.
If you’re not familiar with the concept of Wok On Inn, it’s basically like a choose-your-own with noodles, with a few suggestions made. You get to choose your noodle, sauce, and toppings, with all the flavours inspired by the street food of Asia.
For lunch, I got to try a few of the suggested combinations.
Drunken Noodles (Pad Prik King)
Cashew Noodles
Bangkok Noodles
What surprised me the most was how each dish had its own identity. Many Asian sauce bases have many common base ingredients, and it can’t help that in order to allow for the preferences of the Australian public – chilli levels, for example, have to be dampened ever so slightly. In order to help keep the flavours as authentic as possible – and to retain the core identity of each dish – the owner has developed a relationship with a chef in Thailand, to create these sauces with Asian ingredients local to the region, and then import these sauces to all of the Wok On Inn outlets, to keep consistency up.
In all, it was quick, delicious, and quality that you rely on. I also really like that there are child-size options as well, so I can indulge and try many more varieties!
What’s your favourite?
Note: Tammi from Insatiable Munchies dined at Wok On Inn as a guest of 6dc and Wok On Inn.
I ate at:
Wok On Inn
(02) 9247 8554
17/31 Playfair St, The Rocks Playfair Street, The Rocks NSW 2000
Furikake Crusted New Zealand, All Natural Ora King Salmon on Ochazuke Risotto.
Located inside Macy’s at the Ala Moana Shopping Centre, the Pineapple Room is Alan Wong’s casual dining counterpart to his fine dining restaurant on South King Street. Not having dined at either, I was originally a bit reserved about all the reputation surrounding both restaurants, especially when I read that the Pineapple Room is borne of a chef at Alan Wong’s expressing a wish to run his own restaurant.
I ordered the Tasting Menu – I always find that the best option if you don’t know what to order.
Ho Farms Tomato and Watermelon Salad, with Hawaii Island Dairy Goat Cheese and Li Hing Mui Dressing
Miso Garlic Butter Fish (Black Cod) with Curry Kabocha Potato Salad, Karashi (Japanese Mustard) and Gobo (Burlock Roots)
Braised Beef Short Ribs and “Taegu” Shrimp, with MAO Farms baby vegetables
Walalua Chocolate Candy Bar, with Macadamia Nut Praline Crunch, Hawaiian Salt Caramel, Chocolate Ganache, Triple Chocolate “Brownie” Cookies
The food was excellent – the butter fish was divine and the watermelon salad was amazing in its simplicity and elegance. And did I mention the melt-in-your-mouth short rib? – but what really blew me away was the service. If you don’t know already, I really like asking questions, and the service staff not only answered every question I had about the food, they even brought out the sous chef to talk to me about the menu and its development. I had particular questions about the Sea Asparagus – which taste kind of sea salty and capery – and they even sent out a note at the end of the dinner with alternate names so that I could find out more information if I was interested.
The Pinapple room provided me with not only a great dinner, but a fantastic dining experience. Definitely one worth repeating if I was in Hawaii again. Yes, you can get more affordable food on the islands, but this is a place to treat your family and yourself to a nice dinner out. With a true passion for food clearly evident in every member of the staff, this is a dining destination for eager foodies.
Peking duck was a dish that was developed for royalty in ancient China, and once you know the process that goes into making it, you’ll understand why it was a royal dish. Chef’s used to blow air – yes, mouth to duck – into the duck to separate the skin from the meat, before par cooking it in a master stock, drying it for 24hrs, glazing it, then roasting it in a brick oven. It’s not a recipe I would really attempt at home – I keep wanting to but am still daunted by the task – which is where places like Waitan come in for my Peking Duck fix.
Waitan is decked out in the opulent style of ancient China. One room actually features booths styled like the lazing areas of the rich during opium times. Prints featuring chubby women – chubbiness used to be associated with wealth, and so beauty – smoking opium pipes adorn the walls, transporting you to a romanticised version of old money during a past time.
But as much as I like interior design, we all know that my tummy will always lead me to the food. And lead me it has.
Waitan features open kitchens – for the more voyeuristic of us – and built near the back of the establishment is a hung oven for Peking duck. Flames leap as browning succulent ducks shamelessly parade in front of you, seducing the hungry diner.
But with all these theatrics, how does it taste? On launch night, Waitan served up canapé versions of their best dishes for us to sample. Peking duck pancake was of course one of them, together with fresh offerings from the oyster bar, wagyu beef steamed buns, prawn spring rolls, and prawn skewers with a Singapore chilli crab sauce.
And to finish the night, there was a black sesame cheesecake.
The food was executed in a classy way, but I’m not sure whether it really hit the spot for me. I’m very impressed that they actually built a Peking Duck oven, and am equally impressed with the 10 million dollar fit out. But is it food that you can’t get any where else in Chinatown? Perhaps not, especially with the accompanying price tag. But it’s definitely a place where you would wine and dine someone you’d like to impress, and is offering very decent food with extremely lush surroundings.
If you’re more business minded, then there are also private rooms upstairs from the main restaurant with a huge selection of fine wines.
Note: Tammi of Insatiable Munchies and her dining partner dined as guests of Waitan and Hill+Knowlton Strategies.
We ate at:
Waitan
405 Sussex St, Haymarket New South Wales 2000
(02) 9212 7999
