Gula Melaka Poached Pear

There’s nothing quite like comfort food as the colder months approach. Minimal effort and versatile, poached pears are great as a light and elegant dessert, or delicious with quinoa porridge to start the day.

To give the poached pears a deeper depth of flavour, try using Gula Melaka, a sweetener derived from coconut palm instead of caster sugar. It’s readily available in most Asian grocers or large supermarkets in solid or liquid form. Everyone’s palate is different, so have a play with the amount of sweetener until you find the perfect measure for you.

Ingredients

4 medium firm pears, peeled (leave stalks on)

Gula Melaka to taste (shaved from a block or liquid. Replace with coconut sugar if you’re unable to find Gula Melaka)

Star anise (1 large one, or 2 small ones)

Cinnamon stick (whole)

4-6 Cardamom pods

1 inch of fresh ginger (sliced)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a pot and with water, ensuring that the pears are submerged entirely. Taste the poaching liquid and adjust with more Gula Melaka if required.

Bring the poaching liquid to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer (the bubbles should just be popping gently on the surface of the liquid). Poach for 1.5-2 hours, depending on the size of your pears. Pears are cooked once a knife spears through the thickest part easily.

Remove from poaching liquid and continue to reduce the liquid until it’s syrupy. Store the pears in the liquid until you’re ready to use them (they’ll store for up to a week, if you can stop yourself from finishing it in one sitting!).

Spiced Lamb with Longan and Goji Pesto and Kaffir Lime and Aubergine Labneh

This dish marries Middle Eastern and Asian flavours to create different layers that pop on the palate. It sounds unusual, but they do work together.

The kaffir lime and aubergine labneh, and longan and goji pesto are also great as condiments on their own which makes them so versatile but they really do take the lamb to another level when served together. The labneh is best made a day ahead so that there is time for the flavours to develop. 

We'd love to hear from you so don't forget to tell us what you think about this recipe in the comments box below!

Serves 2

Kaffir lime and aubergine labneh

30x30cm cheese cloth (also know as muslin cloth)

150gm natural yoghurt 

2 pinches of salt 

1 medium aubergine

1gm kaffir lime leaf

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lime, juice

1 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp fish sauce

large bunch coriander 

1.5 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

pepper to taste

Spiced lamb

1tsp sumac

2 tsp cumin seeds, ground 

1 tsp fennel seeds, ground

1 tsp green peppercorn, ground

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp pomegranate molasses

1 tbsp mirin

1 tsp light soy sauce

400gm lamb loin (or any kind of cut that's suitable for grilling)

 

Longan and goji pesto

40gm fresh mint leaves

40gm longan

small clove of garlic

15gm goji berries

400gm cashew and macadamia mix, roasted (plain cashews also works well)  

3 tsp fish sauce

1/4 lime, juice

3 tbsp mild vegetable oil

pepper to taste

 

To plate

Dried tangerine peel powder (if available, but not mandatory)

Finger lime or lime zest

Method:

1. Line the middle of a bowl with the cheese cloth to make the labneh. Stir the yoghurt with two pinches of salt in a separate bowl and pour into the middle of the cheese cloth. Grab two opposing sides of the muslin cloth and tie a knot. Repeat with the remaining two sides until you get a ball of yoghurt. Hang the ball of yoghurt over a vessel in the fridge to drain for 12 - 24 hours; ensuring that the bottom of the cloth does not touch the drained liquid. You should have a thick curd at the end of this process. Keep in the curd in the fridge until required.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees celcius. Pierce a few holes in the aubergine with a knife and wrap with tin foil. Place the aubergine on a baking tray and cook the aubergine for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the inside is soft (the skin will be hard, but the aubergine should compress easily when pushed). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Remove the central stalk from the kaffir lime leaves with a sharp knife or scissors and place the leaves in a mortar. Crush with the pestle until you get a fine texture, almost like powder if you're using dried leaves; or a fine paste if you're using fresh leaves. You may also use a coffee or spice grinder to do this. Transfer to a food processor. 

4. Scoop the flesh from the cooled aubergine in to the food processor and discard the skin. Add the labneh, crushed kaffir lime leaves and the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and blitz until you get a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.  The labneh should be a mix of savoury, a little tangy and sweet, with the freshness of the kaffir lime leaves coming through. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until required. The labneh can be made a day ahead and should keep for 2-3 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before you're ready to plate.

5. Next, prepare the marinade for the spiced lamb. Place all the dry spices and wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place the lamb in a non-reactive vessel or plastic container and spread the marinade over the lamb. Massage the meat well and marinade in the fridge for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge an hour before you're ready to cook so that the meat has time to get down to room temperature.

6. While the lamb is marinating, make the pesto. Rinse the mint leaves and set aside to dry. Chop the dried longan in to small pieces and transfer in to the mortar. Skin the clove of garlic and add to the chopped longan pieces. Crush the garlic and longan well, then add the goji berries and crush well. Add the mint leaves to the rest of the ingredients in the mortar and crush until you get a well mixed paste. Add the roasted cashews and macadamias and crush until you have a mix of fine and medium textures.

7. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and vegetable oil, and mix well. Add a few pinches of pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required. You should taste the sweetness of the longan and goji berries initially, then have the saltiness from the fish sauce and a hint of sourness from the lime hit your palate at the end. Set aside until required. This pesto can be made 1-2 days ahead.

8. Heat a griddle or pan well and cook the lamb on a medium - high heat for about 4 - 6 mins on one side, then flip and continue cook for another 4 minutes (the cooking time will differ, depending on the thickness of the meat. My preference is to serve the lamb medium). Transfer the cooked lamb to a plate and rest. 

9. To plate, spoon the aubergine and kaffir lime leaf labneh onto a plate. Slice the rested lamb on a diagonal and arrange the slices on top of the labneh. Sprinkle some dried tangerine powder and lime zest (or squeeze the finger lime if using) over the lamb.  Spoon some pesto to the side of the lamb and serve immediately.

Rose and Coconut Panna Cotta with Longan and Chrysanthemum Granita and Brown Butter Cashew Praline

Everyone loves a panna cotta with the perfect wobble and this rose and coconut panna cotta certainly doesn't disappoint. The praline adds texture, while the granita lightens the creaminess of the panna cotta. Heaven. 

Sheet gelatine is often confusing as they come in different strengths (also known as bloom) and sheet weight (titanium leaves measure 5gm each, gold 2gm each and bronze 1.5gm each).  Unfortunately, there are very little guidelines on how to interpret both.

Gelatine sets on a scale between 0.6% (still runny) – 1.7% (firm) and after several rounds of testing, I've found that panna cotta is best at ~1.3%. To find out how much gelatine to use, simply mutiply the weight of the liquid with desired percentage, e.g. 400gm panna cotta mix  x 0.013 = 5gm of gelatine. I've used titanium grade gelatine in this recipe, but you can easily substitute it with bronze or gold. Just ensure that you use the equivalent in weight e.g. 2.5 sheets of gold in lieu of 1 sheet of titanium. 

If you're time poor, make the components of this dessert a day or two in advance so that all that's left to be done on the day is to plate. We'd love to hear from you so don't forget to tell us what you think about this recipe in the comments box below!

Serves 2

Longan and chrysanthemum granita:

500ml hot water 

20gm dried longan

10gm dried chrysanthemum flowers

100gm coconut sugar (or muscovado sugar)

 

Rose and coconut panna cotta:

125ml coconut cream

125ml thickened cream

60gm caster sugar

5 gm dried rose buds

3/4 sheet of titanium gelatine leaf  

2.5 tbsp rose water

Brown butter cashew and citrus praline:

30 gm cashews

2 tbsp butter

4 tbsp coconut sugar (or muscovado sugar)

1 - 2 tbsp dried citrus powder

1 - 2 tbsp ground coriander

To serve:

dried rose petals

candied citrus peel

Method:

1. 24 hours before serving, mix the dried longan, chrysanthemum flowers and muscovado sugar with the hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the fruit and flowers steep in the warm syrup for a minimum of an hour (a longer steep will impart more flavour). Once steeped, pour the liquid through a sieve and into an airtight container. Place the container in the freezer to set.

2. Make the panna cotta while the granita is setting. Soak the gelatine leaf in cold water and set aside.

3. Mix the coconut cream, thickened cream, caster sugar and rose buds in a small pan over a medium heat. Bring the mix to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and let the rose buds steep for five minutes. 

4. Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the gelatine to the panna cotta mixture and stir until fully dissolved.  Next, add the rose water and mix well. Strain the mix through a fine sieve in to moulds or your desired vessels and let the mix cool before placing vessels in the fridge to set for a minimum of 5 hours. 

5. Next, prepare the praline. Crush the cashews coarsely in a mortar and pestle or simply chop them with a knife. Set aside. In a non-stick pan, gently heat the butter until it starts to turn brown. You should see the milk solids start to appear at the base of the pan. Remove from the heat and drain the brown butter into a bowl with a sieve. Discard the milk solids. Return the brown butter to the pan and add the sugar. Heat the brown butter and sugar over a medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. The liquid should be a dark brown colour when it's ready. The butter may split from the sugar. Stir well to emulsify the butter with the melted sugar.

6. Remove from the heat and carefully mix in the coarsely chopped cashew nuts, ensuring that the nuts are well coated (be careful as the liquid will be very hot). Tip the coated nuts on to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and let the mix cool. Once cooled entirely, break into small pieces. Crush the pieces into coarse grains with a mortar and pestle. Add 1 tbsp of the dried citrus powder and ground coriander and mix well. Taste and add the remaining to your preference. Transfer to an airtight container until you're ready to use. This should keep for a few weeks if stored in a cool, dry place. 

7. To plate, remove the granita mix from the freezer 5 - 10 minutes before you're ready to serve. Loosen the panna cotta by placing the moulds in a warm bain marie (water bath) for 30 seconds and carefully tip on to plates. Scrape the surface of the granita mix with a fork until a pile of ice crystals form. Spoon some granita around the the sides of the panna cotta, and some cashew citrus praline on top of the panna cotta. Decorate with a few dried rose petals and candied citrus peel on top of the praline and serve immediately.

Salmon Ceviche Cups

A simple Asian inspired salmon ceviche by MG Test Kitchen for those lazy summer days or for canapes/starters on Christmas day. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6 people as a starter.

Ceviche marinade

• 2 stalks of lemongrass (only the lower bulbous half of the stalk), sliced and chopped finely

• 2 kaffir lime leaves (available from Asian supermarkets. These leaves may also be frozen for longer storage)

• Small to medium bag of coriander leaves and stalks

• Fish sauce to taste

• Dark brown sugar or palm sugar to taste (palm sugar is available in Asian grocers or in larger supermarkets in a thick liquid format or cylindrical blocks. The latter will need to be grated until you yield the desired amount of sugar)

• Garlic powder and pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• Juice and finely grated rind of 1 - 2 limes (depending on how juicy the fruit is)

Salmon

• 800gm fresh salmon 

• 2 ripe avocados 

• Small bag of fresh coriander leaves

• Small bag of fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

To serve:

• 2 baby gem lettuce

• 20gm short or long grain white rice for the Toasted rice (optional)

• Fried shallots (available at most supermarkets or Asian supermarkets)

• Toasted peanuts, fine chopped 

Method:

1. Separate the baby gem lettuce into individual "cups" and rinse well.  Leave aside to dry

2. Make the toasted rice (if using) by dry frying the rice over a medium heat (no oil required). Remove the rice from the pan once it is a light brown colour and has a nutty aroma. Transfer the toasted rice to a mortar and pestle and crush until the rice grains look like grains of table salt.

3. Make the ceviche marinade by crushing the lemongrass, lime leaves, coriander leaves and stalks, and pepper in a mortar and pestle. You may need to divide this into two portions, depending on the size of your mortar and pestle. You may also use a food processor or a blender if you don't own a mortar and pestle, however you will get a much better flavour and aroma if you use a mortar and pestle as it releases the aromatic oils from the lemongrass and kaffir Iime leaves.

4. Once crushed to a fine paste, add the sesame oil, lime rind and juice. 

5. Add the garlic powder, dark brown sugar OR palm sugar and fish suace, all to taste (note: fish sauce is very salty so add a little at a time).  The marinade should be a balanced mix of savoury, sweet and sour flavours, and have viscous consistency. Set the marinade aside.

6. With a sharp knife, gently cut the salmon into 0.5 - 1cm cubes. 

7. Transfer the raw cubed salmon to a large non-reactive mixing bowl (glass, stainless steel or ceramic) and gently mix in the ceviche marinade. Cover with cling film and leave to marinade in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes (this is longer than a traditional ceviche would call for, but I find that this is necessary for the fish to take on the flavours of this marinade).

8. While the fish is marinating, warm a small pan on a medium heat. Once the pan has warmed, toast the sesame seeds gently (no oil required), ensuring to toss the seeds every few minutes. Toast until fragrant and the seeds turn a light golden colour. Do keep an eye on the seeds as different stove tops will have varying heat. Sesame seeds can burn easily and taste acrid.

9. Clean and remove the remaining coriander leaves from the stalks. Chop finely and set aside. Reserve a small bowl to garnish the dish.

10. Repeat step 9 with the mint. 

11. Separate the avocado flesh from the skin and remove the stone. Gently cut the avocado into 0.5-1cm cubes (same size as the salmon).

12. Gently mix the toasted sesame seeds, chopped coriander, mint and avocado into the bowl of marinated salmon ceviche. Careful not to crush the avocado or salmon whilst mixing. Cover the bowl with cling film and store in the fridge if not serving immediately (it is preferably to serve this within the hour).

13. Arrange the baby gem lettuce cups on a large serving plate or on individual serving plates if serving a la carte. Spoon enough salmon ceviche into each lettuce cup and garnish with chopped mint, coriander, toasted rice (if using), fried shallots and finely chopped toasted peanuts.

Recipe - Miso barley risotto, mushrooms topped with pangrattato by Gloria Chan

Whenever I crave comfort food, my mind often wanders towards carbohydrate-rich dishes such as pasta, bread or risotto immediately.  It's also quickly followed by extreme lethargy once I've overdosed on said carbs because I can never seem to stop myself from having that last mouthful of carb that tips me over the edge despite being full.  Over the years, I've found other healthier substitutes so that I may have my proverbial cake and eat it (and bit more will power!).

Barley is one of those healthier substitutes which can be used in so many different ways – in salad, soups, stews or risotto, to name a few.  An ancient grain that is high dietary fibres, magnesium and selenium, I often use barley as a lighter way to enjoy risotto. The simple recipe below is for a miso mushroom risotto topped with “pangrattato” (a flavoursome Italian breadcrumb topping) to add a little texture to the palate.  For me, miso and mushrooms are a match made in heaven so it made sense to pair them up to create this twist on the traditional Italian version.

Serves 4 (medium sized servings)

Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a white onion, finely diced

4 cloves of garlic, crushed 

250gm mixed mushrooms, cut into bite sized chunks

150gm cups of pearl barley

1L brown miso soup (you may also use white miso if you can't find brown miso)

4-5 tablespoons extra miso paste (as extra flavouring. Do not mix this into the miso soup)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 heaped teaspoon of umami paste (substitute with 2-3 anchovy fillets if you're unable to find umami paste, or replace with additional miso paste for a vegetarian option)

Zest of 1 lemon

Large handful of garlic chives, finely chopped

To Serve

Sautéed mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, crush

250 grams mixed mushrooms, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Pangrattato

80ml olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1 tspn dried chilli flakes (optional)

1 cup of breadcrumbs

Zest of 1 lemon

Large bunch of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped (replace with Italian / flat leaf parsley if wild garlic leaves aren't available)

Method

1.       Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pan and gently fry the onion and garlic on a low-medium heat until they're translucent (don't be tempted to turn up the heat as the garlic and onion will burn easily and leave your risotto with an acrid taste).  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl

2.       Return the pan to the hob and turn up the heat. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms until they're brown (ensure that the pan isn't over-crowded with mushrooms as this will steam the mushrooms.  Split the mushrooms into two portions if your pan isn't large enough. Only add salt at the end of the sauté process as adding salt too early will release any residual moisture from the mushrooms, causing them to steam instead of sauté)

3.       Add the cooked onion and garlic back in to the pan, once the mushrooms have been sautéed

4.       Add the pearl barley and give the contents a good mix to coat the barley well with all the lovely goodness

5.       Add 750ml of miso soup, and bring to the boil before reducing the heat to a gentle simmer

6.       Let the barley simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to help release gluten from the barley.  This will give the barley the same consistency as a risotto (more miso soup might be required if the liquid evaporates quickly.  Add the remaining 250ml of miso soup a little at a time until the barley is cooked.  The consistency of the barley shouldn't be dry and should be similar to a creamy risotto)

7.       While the barley is cooking, prepare the remaining mushrooms and pangrattato, separately

8.       Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium-hot in a pan large enough to hold mushrooms. Add the garlic to the oil and gently cook until it starts to become fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they're brown. Add salt and pepper to taste, and set the mushrooms aside until you're ready to serve

9.       Return the pan back to the hob and heat 80ml of olive oil to medium-hot, but not smoking.  Add breadcrumbs, chilli flakes (if using) and a sprinkle of sea salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden

10.   Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for another minute

11.   Toss in the chopped wild garlic (or parsley) and remove from the heat, then stir through the lemon zest

12.   Season with pepper and a little more sea salt to taste, then remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl until you're ready to serve

13.   Once the barley risotto is cooked, stir in the finely chopped garlic chives and zest of 1 lemon.  Adjust the seasoning of the risotto with salt, pepper and the additional miso paste if required. Everyone's palate will be different so adjust to suit yours

14.   Spoon the barley risotto in to bowls and top with the remaining sautéed mushrooms and pangrattato, and serve immediately.

Autumn series: About Grief and Letting Go & A Sweet Recipe

As the cool crisp air of autumn mornings and warm afternoons begin to be apparent, we will start to shift our diet, and prepare our body and mental state to help us transition into cooler temperature and shorter daylight days.  Adjusting to the ebb and flow of the changing season can be challenging to some as the body and mind find it difficult to cope, or a pleasant welcome for others. 

Autumn in Chinese medicine belongs to the organ of Lungs and Large Intestines.  The Lungs govern our respiratory function and circulate our ‘Wei Qi’ also known as immunity or defence Qi around the body.  Wei Qi helps our body to adjust and protect us from the changes in the external environment.  Those with poor or compromised immune function might be prone to getting cold and flu like symptoms, dry throat and skin, and excessive mucous production and congestion.  Other may start to see an increase in digestive problems especially with bowel movements leaning towards constipation and dry stools. 

The emotion associated with the Lungs is sadness and grief.  We may start to feel a sense of low moods and noticeable mild depression.  The paired organ of the Lung, the Large Intestines, function as an organ of elimination.  This may be a good time to release and let go of emotions, career or baggage that we hold on to that no longer serve our highest good.

As nature slowly contracts and moves inward and downwards, we will begin to introduce warm and pungent spices such as horse radish, cardamom, chili, white pepper and coriander into our diet.  We will also see more white coloured food available such as the onion, garlic, cabbage, leek, radish, daikon turnip, fresh ginger, apple and pear.  These warming and pungent spices, and white coloured food are a great way to boost the function of the Lungs, aid in circulating Wei qi around the body and disperse and eliminate the stuck energy of the organ.  Another way to help strengthen your Lung Qi is to practise deep breathing exercises daily for 5 minutes.  It is also a great way to help reduce stress which can easily compromise our Lung Qi/immune function.

Try this simple autumn recipe by Gloria Chan @mgtestkitchen incorporating seasonal produce to help boost your Lung Qi – Enjoy!