Chocolate Mud Cake

I found this recipe some years ago on a personal web site from Melbourne, Australia. That web site now seems non existent, and I don't remember the owner's name. However, when introducing his recipe he stated: "This is the mud cake recipe that has given me some sort of fame!" This marvellous recipe makes a lovely BIG cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
pinch of salt
300g butter (10 1/2 ounces), melted
300g (10 1/2 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Icing:
200g (7 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup cream

Preparation:
Preheat over to 150 C (300 F). Spray a deep 23 cm round cake tin with non stick cooking spray.

Place sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add sifted flours, cocoa and soda. Make a well in the centre. Using a metal spoon, fold in combined eggs, buttermilk, essence and salt. Combine well.

Add butter and chocolate, mix well. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Leave cake in tin until cold, then turn cake onto a wire rack (cake will crack on top). Using knife with a serrated edge, cut a dome off the top of the cake horizontally. Turn the cake upside down and stand it on a wire rack over a paper lined tray.

Pour icing completely over the cake, smoothing top and sides with a flat bladed knife. Allow to set. Transfer the cake carefully to a serving plate. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.

To make icing:
Combine chocolate and cream in a small pan. Stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

South Sea Noodles

Make a glorious impression with this dish. Be careful not to soak the rice noodles too long. They must not be soft before they are stir fried.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
300g (12 oz) rice noodles
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
4 rashers bacon, cut into matchstick strips
2 tablespoons dried shrimps, soaked for 20 minutes, and drained
1 teaspoon curry powder
100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g (1 pound) uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 spring onions, cut into 1 cm (1 inch) pieces
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or coriander

Preparation:
Soak the noodles in very hot water for 2 minutes until tender (not soft). Refresh under cold water and drain. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wok until almost smoking, add the onion, bacon and dried shrimps. Stir fry for 1 minute, then add the curry powder and fry for another minute. Pour on the stock and bring to the boil. Add the noodles. Toss together until the noodles are coated with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish.
Reheat the wok and add the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and prawns. Stir fry for one minute, then add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wine. Pour the sauce onto the noodles, sprinkle on the spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately.

This is based on a recipe from Kenneth Lo in his book, "The Encyclopaedia of Regional Chinese Cooking", Octopus Books, 1984.

Singapore-Style Rice Noodles

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
225g (8 oz) rice noodles, rice vermicelli or rice sticks
110g (4 oz) leeks
110g (4 oz) carrots
110g (4 oz) red capsicums
4 spring onions
25g ( 1 oz) fresh chillies
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons curry paste
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
300 ml (10 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Garnish:
Fresh coriander leaves

Preparation:
Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for 25 minutes until they are "al dente" rather than soft. Drain in colander or sieve.
Wash and finely shred the white part of the leeks. Finely shred the carrots, capsicums, spring onions and chillies. In a small bowl, combine the eggs with the sesame oil.

Cooking:
Heat wok or large pan over a high heat, add the oil. When almost smoking, add the carrots, leeks, spring onions and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the capsicums and stir fry for about 1 minute. Put in the curry sauce ingredients and the drained noodles. Stir fry the mixture for about 5 minutes until well mixed and heated through. Then add the egg mixture, blending thoroughly. Stir fry for 1 further minute. Serve at once, garnished with fresh coriander.

Based on a recipe in "Ken Hom's Vegetable and Pasta Book".

Melting Moments

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup icing (powdered) sugar
3/4 cup cornflour (cornstarch)
1 cup flour

Preparation:
Mix ingredients and form into small balls. Place your thumb in the middle of each one. Bake at 180 C (350 F) until the bottoms are light brown, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook.

Icing:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preparation:
Beat all ingredients until smooth. Spoon on top of each biscuit (cookie).

Glazed Five Spice Spare Ribs

Make a good impression with this dish.

Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer. The recipe is easily doubled for serving as a main meal.

Ingredients:
750g (1 1/2 pounds) pork spare ribs

Simmer sauce:
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder


1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium clove garlic, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Chop the ribs into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Put them in a small pot and marinate in the simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Add the boiling water and bring the simmer sauce to a boil. Adjust heat to medium low to maintain a strong simmer; then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the meat now and then. Drain the simmer sauce into a bowl and set the ribs aside. (If you want to do this step ahead of time, cover meat and sauce; if you refrigerate them, bring them to room temperature before continuing.)

Measure out 1/4 cup of sauce and combine it with 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice wine.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the oil, swirl and heat. Press and turn the garlic in the oil. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Then add the simmer sauce a little at a time (it will splatter - stand back) and stir until it puffs into thick caramel bubbles. Then pour in the ribs and tumble them vigorously until the sauce coats all of them, with the sauce reduced. Place the ribs onto a platter.

This recipe comes from Irene Kuo's "The Key to Chinese Cooking".

Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (approx 400g/16 oz), drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, using the 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid if necessary to make a smooth spread.

Szechuan-Style Aubergine

This is quite involved but glamorous. It is pictured here with Cold Peking Pork. Chill both dishes, then arrange prettily on a platter together.


Ingredients:
2 aubergines, about 450g (1 pound) each
450 ml (3/4 pint) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic


Sauce:
5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4 teaspoons vinegar
4 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chilli oil (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce

Serves 6.

Preparation:
Slice off and discard the stalk end of the aubergines, but do not peel them. Cut in half lengthways, then into wedges each about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. Cut the wedges into 5 cm (2 inch) thick lengths.

Combine the sauce ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves.

Cooking:
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or frying pan, or use a deep fryer appliance. Fry half the pieces of aubergine at a time on high heat, turning the pieces so that they are evenly browned. Let them cook to a dark golden brown, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. When all the pieces of aubergine have been fried, set them aside to cool. The oil that remains may be strained and used again.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir quickly over medium heat until they turn golden.
Add the sauce mixture, bring to the boil, then return the aubergine and cook over high heat, turning the aubergine pieces over until most of the sauce is absorbed.
Transfer to a serving dish as soon as cooking is completed (don't leave the aubergine in the wok or a metallic taste will develop). Serve warm or cold.

This is based on Charmaine Solomon's recipe in her book,"Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking".

Chinese Roast Chicken

1 roasting chicken, approximately 1 1/2 kg ( approx 3 pounds 5 ounces)
1 clove garlic
2 thick slices fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil

Preparation:
Wash and dry the chicken, inside and out. Crush and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the fresh ginger. Combine the garlic and and ginger with the soy sauce and oil, and blend thoroughly. Rub the chicken all over with this mixture and allow to marinate for 30 mins before cooking.

Cooking:
Roast the chicken for one hour in an oven preheated to 200 C (400 F).

This is based on a recipe from Kenneth Lo.

Chilled Sweet and Sour Onions

This is good prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients:
500g (one pound) red onions (although brown onions will do)
2 tablespoons oil
1 large clove garlic, lightly crushed and peeled

Sauce:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Trim off the root ends of the onions and peel them. Cut each onion into 2 cm (1 inch) wide wedges and separate the layers. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirl, and heat for 30 seconds. Toss in the garlic and press it in the oil. Then stir fry the onions for 30 or 40 seconds, until they are glistening with oil and have slightly transparent look.
Splash in the sauce and, as it sizzles, stir the onions briskly a few times. Then pour immediately into a dish. Let them cool a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Cold Peking Pork

This should be prepared one day in advance and then served cold. The pork is first blanched for a few minutes to rid it of any impurities, and then is slowly simmered in a rich liquid infused with Chinese spices. The cooked meat is removed and then braising liquid is reduced. This is then poured over the pork which is left to marinade overnight.

Serves 4 to 6.


Ingredients:
700g (1 1/2 pounds) pork leg or shoulder, in one piece, boned (ask the butcher to remove the rind but include it with the boned meat)
1 litre of chicken stock
3 slices fresh ginger
2 spring onions, whole
2 star anise
2 tablespoons wine
2 teaspoons five spice powder
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce


Cooking:
Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the rind and the pork in it for about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, discard the liquid and chop the rind into small pieces. Rinse the pot clean and return the pork to the pot. Add all the braising liquid ingredients and the pieces of rind. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down to a very low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 hours.

Remove the cooked pork from the pot with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back to high and reduce the liquid to about half. Put the pork into a bowl or deep dish. Strain the the reduced liquid and pour it over the meat. Allow it to cool and put it into the refrigerator. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving. Then slice it as thinly as possible. If the juice has jelled, arrange it as a garnish around the sliced pork, otherwise simply pour the cooled liquid over the pork slices and serve.

This recipe is from "Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery", British Broadcasting Corporation, 1984.

Mexican Bean Dip

1 x 425 can baked beans in tomato sauce
½ cup grated tasty cheese
1 teaspoon chilli powder (or more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teapoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
dash of cayenne


Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste, and add extra chilli powder as desired. Turn into a bowl and serve as a dip with corn chips, potato chips or biscuits.

Based on Margaret Fulton’s recipe in “Creative Cookery Course: A Step By Step Guide For All Occasions”.