Spicy Pork hand-pulled noodles

 

(Recipe adapted from Marion Grasby's recipe)

Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I use peanut oil)
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste) *see note
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns *see note
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cm piece ginger
400g pork mince
Noodles or fresh pappardelle or other wide pasta
Finely sliced spring onion to serve

Seasoning sauce:
4 Tbsp oyster sauce
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vinegar (I love Chinese black vinegar for this)
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce (the sticky one, very much like Indonesian kecap manis)

Method
* In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the seasoning sauce and set aside for a bit.
* Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and stir-fry for 3-4 mins or until they’re blistered and starting to char. Then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 20s. Then stir through the chilli powder, paprika and Sichuan peppercorns.
* Add the pork mince and stir-fry for 2-3 mins or until just cooked. Pour in the seasoning sauce and mix through. Turn the heat down to medium-high and simmer for 2-3 mins or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
* Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add your choice of noodles. If you’re using the homemade Hand Pulled Noodles, follow the instructions for stretching the noodles into the water. Cook until the noodles are tender but still chewy. Use tongs to transfer the noodles directly into the pork sauce (save the noodle cooking liquid in case you need it).
*Turn the heat back on underneath the sauce and noodles and toss them together until well combined (add a couple of Tbsp of noodle cooking water if the sauce is too thick).

Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with spring onion. Enjoy!

Chook's notes: This is a absolutely delish dish with a wonderful flavour profile!  A few notes on substitute you can explore.
For the chilli component I use gochugaru flakes (Korean chili powder or flakes). I have this also in paste form and use that in other dishes but the flakes or powder are simpler to use. In the end, just use whatever chili you have.

Szechuan peppercorns (are not really pepper) are aromatic and a bit citrusy. I put it in a spare pepper/salt grinder and it can be used on lots of things. But if you don't have Szechuan peppercorns use Tasmanian Pepperberry (which I find a bit hot) or  crush 1 tsp black peppercorns with 1 tsp coriander seeds, or use 1 tsp black pepper with 1/2 tsp lemon zest.  We're talking quite subtle differences but a little fragrance goes a long way to happiness.

A word on ginger! I buy a large chunk fresh, grate it and store in little bags (about 1-2 Tbsp ~4cm piece) in freezer. Very convenient to have on hand (goes in the caravan as well).

Pasta/noodles. I had half a packet of fresh (albeit frozen) fettuccine and that was absulutely fine. Took just a couple of mins to cook. I haven't investigated hand-pulled noodles but you might like to buy fresh lasagna sheets and cut them to your preferred width but I like the simple options. 

Japanese Salmon Rice

 This is the simplest dish to make and is delicious

[https://honest-food.net/japanese-salmon-rice/]

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Japanese rice
1/2 cup sake (optional)
1 3/4 cup salmon stock or dashi (or water)
2 green onions, sliced thin
100-50 gm cooked salmon meat
2 Tbsp furikake seasoning (see below)
1 to 2 Tbsp sesame oil

Method
Rinse the rice well before cooking. Follow the directions on the package for the exact amounts of liquid to cook your rice in. 
Put the rice, sake and stock in a pot (adjust the amount of liquid to suit the particular rice you are cooking), cover and cook on high until it boils. Lower the heat to low and cook until the rice is almost done, about 10 mins, then uncover the pot and put in the green onions and salmon. Cover the pot again and wait 5 mins for flavours to infuse.

When you are ready to serve, fluff the rice with the sesame oil and furikake seasoning.

Chook's notes:
If you don't have furikake seasoning, simply toast 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and use that. (See https://thepingingchook.blogspot.com/2025/07/citrus-furikake.html for recipe)
I rarely have Japanese rice so I simply use good old Australian medium grain. And I substitute Chinese cooking wine for sake and use chicken stock (because I usually have some in the freezer and having to prepare salmon stock would take the simplicity out of this dish for me).
Don't use expensive cuts of salmon. I usually make this with smoked salmon cooking pieces but you could use tinned at a pinch.
Last time I added a handful of endemame beans and served the rice with a side of shredded spinach -  they certainly tasted good together and add an extra healthy twist.

Central Asian Herb Paste

 

(This is not specificall Tajik but comes from the region)

Ingredients
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch parsley*
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint leaves
2/3 cup pistachios
A pinch of salt if pistachios are unsalted
Fresh lemon juice - enough for your own taste
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper

Instructions
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor. Puree, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally, until a paste forms. Add more oil and/or juice if needed.

Serve as a garnish with Tajik soup or whatever dish calls for some zing - the smell and taste of the mint is delicious.  Great on toast with fresh tomato. 

Chook's note:
The original recipe called for flat-leaf parsley but I prefer curly leaf it has a better flavour
*Pistachios - I used packet roasted nuts.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or you can freeze small quantities for later.
This paste is very simple but a slightly different flavour profile to my Herb/Green Jam but just as delicious https://thepingingchook.blogspot.com/search?q=herb+jam

Tajik Green Lentil and Rice Soup

 

A simple nourishing soup in progress! 

Ingredients
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp ground allspice
4 med tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup brown rice
1 cup green or brown lentils
1-2 bay leaves
4-5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
* Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then the cumin seeds. Roast gently until they are fragrant, about 1 min but watch they don't burn.
* Add the onions, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and the onions translucent, about 5 mins
* Stir in the garlic and allspice and cook 1-2 mins. Incorporate the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and bring to a brisk simmer. Let simmer and thicken for 5 mins.
* Mix in the bay leaves, rice and lentils.
* Add the stock and bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-30 mins, or until rice and lentils are tender.  The soup tends to be quite thick so if you prefer a thinner soup simply add more stock or hot water and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Crumbled goat cheese or feta 
Central Asian herb paste
Lemon wedges

Chook's note: 
You can take the easy route and use canned tomatoes (1/2 can) and also canned lentils (rinsed well)
Use whatever tice you prefer . Brown would be great but I used Basmati (because it was handy).
If you don't have allspice you could use nutmeg

Citrus furikake

This a Japanese seasoning traditionally sprinkled on rice but I imagine it would go on many things – steamed spinach with a dash of sesame oil, avocado, salads and a plain old hot buttered toast.  I tripped over it when I was trying to find something edible to do with mandarin rind (I also used a little lemon peel left over when making lemon marmalade). It has an amazing flavour profile.

First dry your peel. Remove as much pith as possible and then dry in which ever is your favourite way – oven, dehydrator, air.  I chose the latter. It took a few days but the heavenly aroma of the mandarin oil was preserved.

Ingredients
3 x 20 cm sq sheets of nori
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds or substitute
2 Tbsp dried citrus peel
2 tsp flaky salt
1 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds (from ~20 pods)
1 tsp sugar (optional)

Method
Heat oven to 165°C
* Toast the sheets of nori for about five minutes. Remove, allow to cool, and crumble into tiny flakes. I crushed by hand and then gave them a short blitz (avoid going to powder).
* Arrange the sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast until the white seeds are golden. Alternatively use my quick way, fry them in a dry pan but don't take your eyes off them! Remove from pan, spread out on a plate and allow to cool.
* Blitz the citrus peel until it is course grain – size is a matter of personal choice but don’t reduce it to powder. 
* Remove the little black seeds from each cardamom pod and crush into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle (don’t worry if they’re not black they’ll still taste OK).
|* Combine the nori, sesame seeds, flax seeds, citrus peel, salt, sugar (if using), and cardamom pods in a bowl. Stir well and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Chook’s note:  I didn’t have flax seeds (and don’t particularly like them) so I used nigella seeds instead - good flavour. You can use a single citrus or a mix of citrus peel in this recipe. The origin Japanese version dried fish (like bonito flakes)
My one largish mandarin made a 200gm jar.

Kofta Curry

 

L: Qamar Milak R: her kofta curry

This is a delicious Pakistani curry. which appeared in the Australian Women's Weekly in 1973 (50 years later the page is rather tattered!). This was one a number of dishes prepared by Qamar Milak (wife of the then Trade Commissioner for Pakistan which is quite incidental).  It was part of a two page spread on curries (unfortunately the second page disappeared somewhere along the line) which I suspect was all about promoting true curries into Australian kitchens. This one is a real favourite of mine and Lindsay's and one we have been cooking together for almost 40 years. It is very fragrant and full of delicious, almost delicate flavours. You can make it as hot as you like but we tend to the warm and spicy. Highly recommended!

Ingredients
Meatballs
450 gm minced steak*
1½ Tbsp dry bread crumbs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp finely chopped mint
2 Tbsp yoghurt
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 onion

Sauce
2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
2.5 cm piece of ginger
2 Tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp salt
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
¼ ground cloves
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ cup water
oil for frying

Method
Meatballs:
Grate or blitz onion. Combine all ingredients, mix together well for 5 mins so that mixture is well blended.  If you like it hot, add 1 finely chopped green chili.
Shape into small balls (2-3 cm).

Sauce:
Cut peeled onion into quarters. Put in blender with peeled garlic and peeled sliced ginger. Blend until fine (or grate or chop finely).  Heat oil in pan, add onion mixture, cook until golden.  Add yoghurt, stir well, cook 2 mins.  Add salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, cloves and cinnamon.  Cook over gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is almost dry. 
Add the water and, while water is still cold, add meatballs.  Shake pan gently to splash spices and liquid over the top of meatballs.  Cook, covered, 30 mins or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serves 4.  

Chook’s note: * I use beef or lamb mince.
The sauce can be used with other meats or fish or vegetabese. And the meat balls make yummy snacks on their own. Just forget the sauce and bake in the oven! 

Ancient Grains soup - good health in a bowl!

 This soup is based on one of good old McKenzie’s soup mixes. I can’t recall when I first started using them but the company has been around since 1852. This mix is ancient grains not the bean mix, which I love, but the ingredients in this mix appealed to me – lentils both red and green, buckwheat, barley, split green peas, kibbled spelt. Just reading the ingredients is making me feel healthy already!

The soup has been decanted into freezer containers aleardy

Ingredients

1 cup Ancient Grain soup mix – picked and rinsed

1 Tbsp oil

1 lg onion diced

3-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, sliced (leaves work well here too)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 medium zucchini, sliced (no need to peel)

2 litres vegetable or other stock

Lg handful of baby spinach leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream, pesto, chili flakes to serve (all optional)

Method

Heat the oil and cook onion and garlic until tender

Add carrot and celery and cook for 2 mins then add, tomatoes, washed grain mix, stock and zucchini.

Bring to the boil and cook ~30 mins until grains are to your liking.

Add spinach last to just wilt

This quantity made enough for  9-11 serves.

The Chook's alternatives because there are always alternatives!

This is one of those soups that is ery tolerant of tweaking - just see what you have in the fridge.

Fry a couple of rashers of bacon with the onion mix

Add shredded cabbage in place of spinach (because I had it)

Add herbs – mint and parsley or oregano work well

Throw in a few dried shiitake mushrooms to add depth (remove them once the soup was cooked).

Sprinkled in some chili flakes while the soup was cooking. 

I used up cup of leftover pasta.  

I suspect it would be delish served with small croutons with grilled cheese a la French Onion soup

This quantity made enough for 10-11 serves.

Bon Appetit. Enjoy!