SPRING ROLLS (China)
Ingredients
1 grated carrot
1 cup shredded chinese cabbage
2 sliced green shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
2 tsp vegetable oil
200g chicken mince
1 tbs kecap manis
300g pkt frozen spring roll pastry
1 tsp cornflour

Directions:

Combine 1 grated carrot, 1 cup shredded Chinese cabbage, 2 sliced green shallots, and 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts, in a bowl. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add 200g chicken mince and cook until browned. Stir in vegetable mixture and 1 tbs kecap manis. Cook for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Thaw 300g pkt frozen spring roll pastry following packet instructions. Place a wrapper on a flat surface with one corner pointing towards you. Combine 2 tbs water and 1 tsp cornflour in a bowl. Brush edges of wrapper with cornflour mixture. Place 2 tbs chicken mixture 4cm above corner. Fold corner over filling and roll up, folding in sides as you go. Transfer to a tray and cover with a damp tea towel. Repeat. Deep fry spring rolls in vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with chilli or soy sauce.

BUTTER CHICKEN (India)
Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
50g butter
1.6kg chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground coriander seed
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon chilli powder
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ cups tomato puree
2/3 cup natural yoghurt
1 cup thickened cream
Salt
Coriander leaves and extra yoghurt

Method

In a large non-stick chef’s pan, heat ¼ the oil and a ¼ of the butter over medium-high heat. Brown ¼ of chicken pieces for about 3 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the oil, butter and chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. In the oil left in the pan, saute the ginger and garlic for a minute or two, then add the ground spices and cook for a further minute. Add tomato paste to the mixture and cook for another minute.
Return chicken to the pan, along with tomato puree, yoghurt and cream. Simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken has cooked through. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary.
Serve with basmati rice topped with extra yoghurt and scattered with coriander leaves.

BEEF STIR-FRY (Vietnam)
Ingredients

250 g dried medium egg noodles vegetable oil
350 g quality steak, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1-2 large fresh red chillies, finely sliced
200 g peanut shoots or bean sprouts soy sauce sesame oil juice of ½ lime
1 large red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1 handful snow peas, finely sliced
1 handful baby corn, quartered lengthways
6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped cos lettuce leaves, to serve

Method
Cook the egg noodles in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, place in a bowl and set aside.
Heat a large wok or a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add a splash of vegetable oil, then stir-fry the beef slices with the sliced garlic, ginger and chillies until just cooked. Add the shoots or bean sprouts, a good splash of soy sauce and sesame oil and the lime juice for the last 30 seconds of cooking.
Tip the contents of the wok into a large bowl, including all the lovely juices. Put the wok back on the heat, add a splash more vegetable oil and all the vegetables. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and toss well over the heat.
Divide the fried vegetables and noodles between 4 plates. Return the beef and juices to the wok and stir-fry until heated through. Add the coriander and toss until well mixed with the beef. Arrange on top of the noodles and garnish with a cos lettuce leaf.
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