Category Archives: my foodlosophy

All Seasons Chicken Noodle Soup

Having lived in Melbourne all my life, I am used to it being known as the city of ‘four seasons in one day’.

It’s Spring here but the weather has been slipping back and forth between hot to warm to cool. During these temperate moments, I long for something nourishing and consoling, an offering that is full of soothing goodness.

If there is anything that can fulfill my checklist of comforts, a bowl of Soup Noodles are at the top of that list!!

Having been brought up around soup noodles all my life, I have continued to find a place on the table for this one bowl wonder. Whilst my more indulgent moods may seek out the more exotic types from time to time (ala Curry Laksa or Thai Tom Yum), I always come back to my basic Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. It is my ‘go to’ meal when I am reaching for something tonic and wholesomely nourishing… my bowl of soul warming pleasure!

A great bowl of soup noodles is solely reliant on a good brothy stock that is boiled and simmered over time. It is then assembled together with ingredients that balance; not too much of this or that and just enough of everything that is right.

The recipe I share here is what forms the base of my Chicken Soup stock that doesn’t take hours to boil. The soul of the stock utilises a whole chicken or an equivalent lot of chicken ribs to bring about an intensely full-bodied flavoured soup. It is then teamed together with Vermicelli noodles which I find light and refreshing and then balanced out with Asian greens, Mushrooms and some everyday herbs such as Coriander and Spring onions. The finale to this meal is a lightly poached egg that delivers an oozy golden yolk centre into the soup. Divine!

I am convinced that a great hot bowl of soupy noodles can transcend all seasons and has universal appeal…

Watch out for future posts on my exploration in the the world of Noodles Soups but in the meantime…

Try my All Seasons Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

Asian style Grilled Beef

A light smoky haze fills the air and with it are the sounds of something sizzling, something aromatic that holds a fulfilling promise…

The wait might only take a few minutes or more but the taste buds are already dancing at the prospect of something meaty and juicy as the smoky aroma elevates that hunger level even more.

Here with this Grilled Beef recipe, you can savour these aromatic and smoky aromas by marinating a simple cut of steak and infusing it with Asian flavours.

The secret, as with anything to do with meat, is to marinate ahead of time so that the meat can get a real ‘workout’ with the ingredients. Even less expensive cuts of meat can be transformed to something tender and bursting with flavour by following this simple rule.

In this recipe, a dash of Shaoxing Wine is used in the marinade to add that bit of ‘depth’. Shaoxing Wine is a Chinese cooking wine that is made from fermented rice. It can be described as having quite a sharp scent but with sweet undertones and a taste that is mildly unassuming but enhancing.

Once ready to serve, top the beef with crushed Cashews and add a squeeze of Lime for that bit of zing!

Now that the wait is over, dig in!!

Try my Asian style Grilled Beef recipe.

Miso Grilled Chicken with warm Brown Rice Salad

There are two certainties in our household when it comes to food…. rice and MORE rice.

Having been brought up in a culture where the saying to announce dinner ‘chi fan’ also literally translates to ‘EAT RICE’… and you get to understand the significance of this grain in my foodie household.

Whilst the white long grain variety is the normal ‘traditional’ choice that we dish out meal after meal, it was certainly time to venture beyond the white grain…

Here, the Brown Grain will feature as a key ingredient in this recipe.

Not just known for its nutritional value, Brown Rice feels so much more natural to eat, as if the rice was harvested straight from the fields and onto the dining plate. This fibrous little grain is super packed with nutrients due to its less processed self, full of many health benefits and just feels so much more rustic and organic on the palate.

In this recipe, I have matched up a simple dish of Brown Rice with Miso Grilled chicken, roasted Vegetables and some leafy Green Kale. The rice just needs to be tossed and seasoned in a fry pan together with the vegetables, much in a way like cooking fried rice but without the need for a wok to ‘fry’ the rice.

Though Miso may normally be associated with Miso soups, it is wonderful when used as a marinade for meats to capture that something salty, that something nice flavour…

It is best to marinate the chicken overnight to bring out that intensity of taste when cooked. Grill the Chicken to sear in a juicy taste and serve atop this warm Brown Rice salad for a healthy one dish meal.

Try my Miso Grilled Chicken with warm Brown Rice Salad recipe.

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Chilli Prawn Pasta with Asian Herbs

The Tomato has long been revered in the world of Italian cooking whereas in Asian cuisines it takes a rather low profile against other herbs and ingredients.

Whilst this may be so, there is definitely room to get creative with these wonderful gems of flavour.

Here, for this recipe, I use Cherry Tomatoes for their ruby red appeal and roast them together with lots of Garlic to create a natural flavoured inspired sauce. The simplistic combination of tomatoes and garlic in the oven will create a wonderful aroma through the kitchen that is purely sublime in itself!!!

Together with Prawns and a bunch of fresh Asian herbs, this dish takes a bit from both worlds to create a simple and yet elegant meal.

Top the dish off with Garlic Chips to help to give that extra texture and bite.

Is one bowl enough? You decide…..

Try my Chilli Prawn Pasta with Asian Herbs recipe.

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Japanese Garden Salad

A Japanese Garden evokes feelings of tranquility, balance, harmony and a lush serenity.

In this Japanese Garden inspired Salad, the essence is in simplicity….

Each Spring, I eagerly await for our Cherry Blossoms to burst through the winter drab to signal new times, warmer climates and a lighter way of eating. When you are surrounded by the simple beauty as the flowers of spring and the scents of a new season, you can’t help but to feel inspired to emulate this in all that is around you….

Here in this Japanese Garden Salad, I mixed a handful of colourful Salad Leaves and plated this together with some more robust Vegetables.

The beauty of this salad is that you can eat it on its own or as an accompaniment to any meal on the dining table. The sweet roasted flavours of the Butternut Pumpkin really pull this salad together and is great with mouthfuls of light crisp Salad Leaves. The Corn, Beans and Carrots bring colour to the dish as well as texture to the overall bite.

I find this Salad so versatile that it makes a frequent appearance at our meal times during the week.

Try my Japanese Garden Salad recipe.

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