Chinese savoury beef

Serves 4

1 tblsp oil
500g beef, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tblsp brown sugar
pinch of black pepper
2 1/2 cups water

Method:
Quick-fry beef in oil until brown, then add and quickly fry the onion, and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours, adding extra water if needed. Serve over rice.

If you have a crockpot/slow-cooker, just put all the ingedients inside (doubling or tripling if necessary, so the crockpot is at least half full), then cook on High for a couple of hours, followed by 8-10 hours on low (or 5-6 on high if you don't have all day).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you have a bit of leftover wine in the fridge, you can add it with the water. You can also add in some sliced red or green bell pepper with the onion, if you wish. The amounts used are approximate - and I usually leave out the black pepper. Do remember to check the pan frequently while it's cooking, and top up with extra water when needed. It can cook for more than three hours if you wish.

We eat this with brown basmati rice, and stir-fried vegetables. If there's a vegetarian in the house, I serve something else oriental that can be eaten with the rice and vegetables.

Teriyaki chicken

(serves 3-4)

500g/1lb chicken breast or fillet
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tblsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger

Mix all sauce ingredients to make marinade. About 6 hours before cooking, coat the chicken (cut into appropriate sized pieces) with the marinade and refrigerate, turning and re-coating occasionally. Half an hour before cooking, remove from the fridge. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes in a hottish (350C/Gas 6) oven, then uncover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This is a Westernised version of a Japanese recipe. Teriyaki refers to a sweet, soy-based sauce which looks shiny when it's cooked. Turkey breast can be used in place of chicken, if wished.

I tend to add a little water during the final cooking, which probably makes it even less authentic, but I like a little sauce remaining - sometimes it can all get absorbed into the meat. We usually serve with baked jacket potatoes or potato wedges, and a couple of veggies, although it should probably be served with rice and a variety of other Japanese food.

Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup

Carrot and Ginger Soup

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5cm ginger root, peeled and grated
    OR 1-2 tsp ginger powder 
1 tbsp curry powder
900g  carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1.6 litres stock or water
200g cooked chickpeas (optional)

Method:
Gently cook the onion and garlic in the oil in a large pan, stirring, until softened. Stir in the ginger and curry powder, and cook for another minute. 

Add the carrots and a little of the stock, and cook for another minute or two. Add the rest of the stock, and the chickpeas, if used. Bring to the boil, and simmer for about 45 minutes. 

Cool slightly, then blend in a liquidiser (or with a stick blender) until it turns into a thick soup. Taste, and add a little salt or pepper if necessary. 

Return the soup to the heat and cook gently, stirring, until piping hot. Alternatively use a slow-cooker/crockpot to reheat gently for at least two hours, until gently bubbling.

 

-----

This is a tasty soup which is quite spicy. If you don't like hot tastes, reduce the amount of the ginger and curry powder, or even leave the curry powder out. The ginger does give a pleasant tang to what would otherwise be quite a bland soup.

I have a mini-processor that came with my stick blender, which I use to chop onions and also to chop the carrots, after peeling. I can't add them all at once, but it takes the tears out of the onion-chopping, and makes the carrots small enough that there are no pieces that remain unblended, as can happen with larger pieces. 

The chickpeas were not part of the original recipe, but I like to add something to give soup a bit of protein.  There's no discernible taste or texture to them after liquidising. 

Any kind of stock can be used, meat or vegetable, or with a stock cube; sometimes I just use water. If you have leftover wine that could be added too. And if you're serving to someone who hates garlic, just leave it out. You can always experiment with other herbs or spices.  

After the simmering, this looks most unappetising, with bits of vegetable floating in a sea of dark-coloured liquid. Don't worry. The blending turns it into a lovely orange soup that is excellent for a cold day, eaten with fresh bread. Using a stick blender, if you have one, is much easier (and less messy) than decanting into a goblet liquidiser, but avoid using a non-stick pan if you're going to use a stick blender. 

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

(makes 1 35cmx25cm tin full)

Ingredients:

450g plain flour (or substitute 100g for wholemeal flour)
4 level tsp ginger
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda (US: baking soda)
1 level tsp salt
100g sultanas or raisins
200g soft brown sugar
150g butter or spread
175g molasses or treacle
175g golden syrup
300ml milk (dairy or otherwise)
2 eggs

Method:

Line a 35cm x 125cm dish such as a roasting pan with greased greaseproof paper, or grease very well with butter or coconut oil. Mix the flour with the ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the sultanas. 

Put the brown sugar, fat, treacle and syrup in a heavy-based saucepan, and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon a few times, until they are melted together.

Warm the milk in another pan (or a jug in the microwave) and beat in the eggs. Mix the sugar and fat mixture into the flour, stirring well, then gradually add the milk and egg, stirring after each addition.

Pour the gingerbread into the prepared pan. Bake at 170C for about 30-40 minutes or until cooked. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully turn out and cool on a wire rack.

------

This is a cake I have traditionally made before Christmas, as an alternative to Christmas cake for teatime. It's not particularly gingery, so if you prefer stronger tastes, add a bit more ginger. It will keep for several days in a sealed container in a cool kitchen, or in the fridge. It also freezes exceptionally well, and is useful as a standby for unexpected guests. It thaws quite quickly after being taken out of the freezer.

I use Flora dairy-free spread and whatever dairy-free milk we are currently using; it works well with any that I have tried. I haven't tried making this without eggs, so it's not vegan, but it could theoretically be made with chia eggs or other substitutes. However you might need to add a bit of baking powder, as the eggs contribute somewhat to the rising. Don't try adding extra bicarbonate of soda as it can affect the taste. 

If your family hates raisins, you could leave those out, or add different dried fruit such as chopped dates or apricots.