Beef with Black Bean Sauce... So easy and delicious !

Easy and can be addictive if you like the flavours! In our home, we serve with basmati rice instead of the white rice. It can also be served with the thin egg noodles.

If you marinate the meat over night that would be great but you need at least 30 min 

Ok, so here we go....

Ingredients: 

1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper... Remove the seeds and cut into medium irregular shapes

3/4 pound flank steak... Thinly sliced 2-inch strips. Sliced against the grain. 

1/2 small can of bamboo shoots... Slice them if they are not sliced 

1 tablespoon of crushed garlic

3 tablespoons of black bean sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 medium onion ...medium sliced

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon tapioca starch or cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water

1/2 cup water 

1 tablespoon Shao Hsing cooking wine or any other cooking wine

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

The prep:

Marinate the flank steak with soy sauce, sugar, wine, 1/2 the garlic and 1 tablespoon of black bean sauce for at least 30 min.

Now for the actual cooking:

Heat the wok/ frying pan. Add the oil and the remaining garlic and cook for about 15 secs. Add the marinated steak with all the marinate and stir fry for about 3 min. Add bamboo shoots and stir. Add the water and remaining black bean sauce. Cook for a few min. Add cornstarch mixture and let thicken. Add the peppers and onion and let cook for a few secs. 

I don't like cooking peppers that much... This way you get that crunchiness in the peppers with every bite. Check the salt and adjust if necessary.

Cherry shortbread.... just in time for Christmas or any time

This would be my version of the ever so popular 

Shortbread cookie....the Cherry version that gives 

moments of pleasure on the lips. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1 cup soften unsalted butter
2/3 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
30 glazed cherries (finely chopped)

My method:

1. Cream butter, icing sugar, cornstarch and salt with an electric beater until light and fluffy... this will take about 13 to 15 min.
2. Add vanilla essence and cherries and mix until combined. Fold in flour... try not to overmix at this stage. 
3. On lightly floured board shape the dough into two logs..each about one foot long. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour.
4. After the hour... and while your oven is preheating to 350 deg f, slice your dough (1/2 inches)and arrange on a cookie sheet. My cookie sheet has a silicone mat.
5. Bake for about 28 min. Cool on wire rack.. if you can wait that long and enjoy with a cup of chai latte.

Yield is about 2 doz cookies.

They might not be perfectly formed like the ones in the store but they are homemade and made with lots of love.

Oven BBQ Chicken ...... Delicious .....

Ingredients:

4 chicken drumsticks or Thighs or 8 wings

Salt and pepper

BBQ sauce (see below)

BBQ sauce:

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon garlic seasoning ( in dry form)

2 teaspoons of chilli garlic sauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F

2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Lightly season with black pepper and salt.

3. Mix BBQ sauce ingredients then brush the chicken. 

4. Arrange chicken skin side down in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 15 min then turn over and baste with some of the sauce. Continue baking for a total of 45 min or until done. Juices should run clear when a fork is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. The sauce in the baking dish should be fairly thick. 

Makes 2 servings.  Serve with a salad or steam vegetables and please remember portion control.