Beetroot & Gin Cured Salmon Gravlax

 Don't you just love the colour of that beetroot?

Following on from my previous post where Shellie made the incredible Goats Cheese & Roasted Grapes Tart with Parmesan Crust Pastry at the food photography workshop back in April, she also made this seriously amazing Beetroot & Gin Cured Gravlax.

I kid you not, these two dishes really were one of my highlights from the trip (and trust me, there were many). This gravlax was just delicious to eat and because it's such a big piece of fish, it made for the most amazing leftover to eat. I was snacking on it for breakfast the next morning or even after we got back from dinner because I just couldn't resist. Paired with some lovely toasted bagels spread with cream cheese, sliced red onions, dill and capsicum, it really was perfection in a bite.  Plus, I just couldn't get over the sheer vibrance of the beetroot stain on the fish. Just stunning.

I guess that because I grew up in a small town in Borneo, my love for seafood really is undoubtedly inherent in me. So much so that whenever I go out for brunch, I am quite predictable as I almost ALWAYS get the cured fish dish and not even bother reading the rest of the menu. If not, I would at the very least get a side of the cured trout or salmon to go with whatever I'm having.

This is why I was so inspired by what Shellie made for us that day. It wasn't just delicious (even better than a lot of the ones I've had and paid for in cafes), it looked rather simple to do too. Plus, it was a hell of a lot cheaper when you made it yourself because you've got heaps to share. Oh, I made this as well a few months ago to share with my cousins when we all went away to Lake Entrance for a weekend getaway. Again, it made for a great breakfast dish.

A recipe that I would definitely make again!

This was the one we ate at the workshop made by Shellie. Again, too good!! And isn't her styling just gorgeous?

Beetroot & Gin Cured Salmon Gravlax

(adapted from this recipe by Jamie Oliver)

Click here to print the recipe

Ingredients

Beetroot cure:

2 large fresh beetroots (peeled and quartered)

1 orange (zested)

2 lemons (zested)

2 juniper berries (bashed)

5 tbsp rock salt

2 tbsp demarara or brown sugar

50ml gin

800g side of salmon (from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger)

Herb cure:

1 small bunch fresh dill (finely chopped)

1 small bunch fresh tarragon (leaves picked, finely chopped)

5 tbsp freshly grated horseradish (optional but recommended)

50ml gin

To serve:

Brown bread or bagels

Fresh dill

Red onions (finely sliced)

Yellow capsicum (sliced)

Cream cheese dip of choice

Method

1. For the first cure, blitz the beetroots, orange and lemon zest, bashed juniper berries (if using) in a food processor until you get a fairly smooth paste. Transfer into a bowl and stir in the rock salt and sugar. Pour in the gin and give it a good mix.

2. On a large baking tray, place a layer of aluminium foil at the bottom and another layer of cling wrap on top. Lay the side of salmon skin-side down on the cling wrap and slowly pour over the beetroot cure. Use a spatula to spread it all over the salmon flesh. Once it is well covered, wrap the salmon tightly in the cling wrap. You may need a second layer of cling wrap for this if it is not big enough. Place it in the fridge for 24 hours.

3. The next day, take the salmon out of the fridge and carefully unwrap the cling wrap. Using a spatula, push the cure to the sides. Remove the salmon and discard the cling wrap and the beetroot cure. Hold the salmon over another large tray or dish and slowly rinse off the cure with 100ml water or gin. By now, it should have shared its wonderful flavours with the fish and turned it a really vibrant colour.

4. For the second cure, mix together the chopped herbs, grated horseradish and gin in a bowl. Place another layer of cling wrap on top of the aluminium foil on the baking tray. Put the salmon on the cling wrap, skin side down, and pack the herb cure onto the salmon using your hands. Make sure you cover all the flesh, you don't want any air getting to it. Wrap it again in the cling wrap. Use a second layer of cling wrap if required to tighten it. Pop the salmon back in the fridge for another 24 hours.

5. The next day, your salmon will be perfectly cured and ready to eat. You don't need to rinse off that second cure, simply push most of it to the side to discard (leaving some on top for presentation). Remove the skin with a sharp knife and slice the salmon as finely as you can. To finish, pile the sliced gravlax on a plate and serve together with toasted bagels or brown bread, fresh dill, capsicum, red onions and cream cheese dip (I used spring onion from my local deli). Enjoy!

Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki with Sesame & Ginger Dressing

Hello!

So, NOBODY  believed me when I told them that I've decided to go on a diet. 

"Why the hell are you going on a diet, WINSTON?" 
"You don't need to go on a diet!"

See, the main reason why I'm doing this is because I've got a big trip to Malaysia, London and Paris in December/January and I know for a fact that it's going to be one hell of an eating trip. I've sort of started to look after my health and fitness the past year so I don't want to go too out of control. Plus, I really wanted to challenge myself to do something like this seeing as I've never actually been on a diet before.

The thing is, my diet isn't the type where I'm starving myself to lose weight. I'm still eating a fair amount but I'm just substituting everything to clean, healthy, wholesome foods. And because I've got a certain amount of calories and macros (i.e. composition protein, fats and carbs) to take in each day, that just means I pretty much have to eliminate eating out altogether and just stick to my homecooked meal plans each day. As much as I can, anyway. 

It's been 3 weeks out of my 8 week challenge and I'm already starting to feel healthier by the day. Sure, the occasional hunger pangs and cravings are inevitable but I do what I can. It's especially hard on weekends because there's social obligations involving food that I can't get out but I just do what I can. If I'm being honest. I'm really curious about what the effects would be to me physically and mentally after 8 whole weeks of this.

Anyway, my good friends Ashley, Adrian and I had plans to catchup the other night. We do this from time to time where we'd do a potluck and just watch loads of TV at someone's house. I wasn't sure what to do because normally we have the most epic of feasts when we do but I had already started this diet. Being the great friends that they are, they suggested we have a Japanese themed dinner instead because it's healthier and they wanted to accommodate as best as they could -- so nice of them. 

I wanted to make something clean, fresh and healthy so decided to cook up this Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki (or seared tuna). It was delicious. The dressing was especially addictive really and love the smell of toasted sesame seeds. Unreal.

Anyway, this dish is really quick and easy to make. And yeh, if you, like me are looking for something healthy to eat too then this one's for you. Tick, tick, tick. Oh, and if you are as lazy as me you could also make a quick salad out of it. Just shred it all up and toss it with some sliced zucchini, Japanese seaweed, pickled ginger and edamame beans. YUM-MO.

 Fun Japanese salad made with them tuna tataki

Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki

(adapted from this recipe by taste.com.au)

Click here to print the recipe

Ingredients

For the tuna:

200g sashimi grade tuna loin

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

1 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing:

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp fresh ginger or horseradish (finely grated)

1 tsp sesame oil

To garnish (optional):

Finely sliced spring onions

Finely sliced chillies

Edible flowers 

Method

1. Mix the sesame seeds together in a plate. Pat the tuna dry and roll it around in the plate of sesame seeds so it is evenly coated.

2. Heat up a pan and add the olive oil. Sear the tuna for 30 seconds each side on all 4 sides. The tuna is meant to be rare in the middle. Remove onto a chopping board and slice to 1/2cm thick.

3. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl until well combined.

4. To serve, place the tuna on a plate and drizzle generously with the dressing. Garnish with spring onions, chillies and edible flowers, if using.

Chinese Scrambled Egg White with Crab Meat & Dried Scallops

One of the most simple but beautiful Chinese dishes to make. Delicious to eat too!

If I could, I'd spend more time on this blog than I currently do. As you may already know, I am extremely passionate about homecooking and enjoy sharing recipes that I personally love to cook/eat and hope to inspire people to start cooking more often in the kitchen too. Besides that, there's always so many restaurants that I come across that I'm just yearning to tell people about. 

Too much to blog, too little time... #bloggerwoes

Anyhoo, this Chinese Scrambled Egg White with Crab Meat & Dried Scallops is actually a dish that I always enjoy eating but don't often see at restaurants. A few weeks ago, my dear friend Ivy invited me over dinner and made this dish for me and I was reminded once again by how delicious it was to eat. Love this! After that, I really wanted to make this dish at home too and what better opportunity to do that than when my family came over for Chinese New Year dinner (which you can read about: here).

If I'm not mistaken, this dish is of Shanghainese origin and there's a number of variations to it. Some people stir fry it with fish or prawns or what have you. Personally, I like to make it with fresh crab meat (if you can get your hands on some) and dried scallops to make it extra special. Not the cheapest ingredients to buy but as I said, it's good to cook for special occasions because it's definitely something that your friends and family will appreciate. To be honest, you could substitute with whatever you want, really. 

Besides being a fan of the taste, the other reason why I chose to make it for CNY dinner was because I wanted to cook a large number of dishes and so needed ideas for dishes that are really quick and easy to make. This was definitely that. The whole dish took about 10 to 15 minutes to cook and looked absolutely stunning on the plate, if I do say so myself. To me, this is one of those dishes that I find to be not as common for some reason so I do hope people try this one out and share with others. Seriously, too easy and delicious to make.

Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I did. Also feel so happy to be sharing more homecooked Chinese recipes like these because it does seem like it's been awhile (apart from my last post). Feels like I'm reconnecting with my Chinese roots again -- hooray!

Happy cooking!

Chinese Scrambled Egg White with Crab Meat & Dried Scallops

(an original recipe)

Click here to print the recipe

Ingredients:

25g dried scallops *
2 - 3 tbsp oil
3/4 cup fresh crab meat (optional) **
7 egg whites
125ml water
1 tsp fish sauce
Dashes of white pepper

To serve:
Blanched broccoli
Sesame oil
Black vinegar (optional)
1 egg yolk

* Available at Asian grocery stores
** I bought mine from Victoria Market. It was in the freezer section and about AU$35 for 500g. Expensive but delicious to use for special occasions.

Method:

1. Soak the dried scallops for 2 hours in water or until soft. After that, drain the water and dry with paper towel. Break the scallops apart with fingers.

2. Heat up a pan with 1 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the scallops in and fry until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

3. If using crab meat, heat up the same pan with 1 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add in the crab meat and fry until cooked through. Set aside.

4. Whisk the egg whites, water, fish sauce, white pepper together. Heat up the same pan and once hot, add 1 tbsp of oil. Add in the egg white mixture and using a wooden spoon, mix the egg white around continuously until scrambled and cooked through. Stir in the cooked crab meat, if using.

5. To serve, place the blanched broccoli around the plate. Add the scrambled egg white at the centre and drizzle with sesame oil and black vinegar (if using). Scatter the dried scallops around and top with an egg yolk at the centre. Enjoy!

Clearing Out My Backlog 9

Pho Hung Vuong 2, Richmond

You know how sometimes you just need a food fix of some sort? Like, if your body goes without having a certain food for, say, a few weeks, it'll automatically tell you that it's been that long without you even checking. Anyway, I need my pho fix. Has to happen in 5 week periods.

Even though there are so many pho joints in Footscray or Richmond, Pho Hung Vuong tends to be the more popular option for some reason with an instantly recognisable shopfront. Not necessarily the best pho IMO but generally quite standard and almost reliable. That said, our experience that day was not to its usual quality. Both my pho broth and also the grilled pork vermicilli was on the sweet side. Too sweet for our liking. But, I did think that the ingredients in my pho was exceptionally fresh. Very naturally fragrant and did not have any smell in the meat, cooked till just tender. If only the sweetness didn't turn me off that much... 

Pho Nom, CBD

There are so many places that quickly become quite famous around town, thanks to the likes of social media, which is how I first heard about Pho Nom. Seems like it's "the" place to head to for pho in the CBD now.

In short, I think people will enjoy this place if they don't compare it to the pho restaurants (in, say, Footscray, Richmond, St Albans, etc) because it's not the same! It's not meant to be the same so don't expect it to be the same. Here's why: the concept is slightly more modern. Even though you get your classic choices of pho and rice paper rolls, Pho Nom also offers you a slightly more unique alternative like Wagyu Beef Pho (which was what I ordered) or same menu options but with a slightly more refined touch. 

As for my Wagyu Beef Pho, I liked how they intentionally place it in a separate bowl so you can dip each slice of beef into your hot bowl of soup so you can cook it individually to your liking. Avoids the delicate meat from being overcooked if it were to be placed all in a bowl. Also, I really liked the flavour of the broth. It was fragrant and had a strong beef body. 

Sure, Pho Nom wouldn't be as big of portions or cheap as the ones you get in those suburbs mentioned above but you need to remember that this is in the Emporium building and catered for the CBD market as it offers a more refined experience. That said, I think I generally have a slight preference over the food and experience of Footscray/Richmond for pho but if I can't venture out to those suburbs, Pho Nom is a great alternative in the CBD.

Purple Peanuts Japanese Cafe, CBD

Purple Peanuts was also another place that I've heard so many people rave about on social media. I must be honest that I didn't enjoy my first experience with them 3 years ago when I ordered the Chicken Curry Don. Mainly because I couldn't help but find it to be not as juicy, delicious, cheap, or big of a portion as Don Don's Chicken Curry Don. Just no comparison there. Don Don trumps the Chicken Curry Don market. It is for this reason why I haven't been back again until recently.

I realise now that Purple Peanuts' signature dishes are the salmon sashimi rice or the fried onigiris, both of which I got to try on this occasion and must say it was DELICIOUS. Now, I see what all the fuss is about. The salmon dish was great because it had a subtle but flavourful marinade and had a fresh, crunchy bite. The rice was seasoned well to balance. It was a great dish to eat. Besides that, the fried onigiri was great too because it was super crunchy and tasted even better when dipped in the sesame sauce. 

Lesson learnt: Leave the Chicken Curry for Don Don and stick with the salmon rice dishes and fried tuna onigiri.

Red Pepper, CBD

My friend Carmen visited from Perth a couple of months ago for a short trip (only 2 nights) and was really looking forward to squeeze in as many great restaurants as she could. I asked her what cuisine she wanted to eat and she said "Indian". Now, it's not that I'm not a fan of the cuisine, because trust me, I am. But, I was just a little taken aback because I've never had an overseas visitor specifically request for me to take them for Indian food. The usual requests normally include brunch places, Japanese restaurants or funky joints in the Fitzroy area. This was a new request for me.

I decided to take her and some friends to Red Pepper in the CBD because we happened to be in the area. I remember this place from 4 or 5 years ago so it was good to revisit a place that I haven't been to in a while. Overall, I thought the food was SMASHING. The butter chicken was definitely the best one I've ever had because you could not only taste the tandoori marinade but my goodness, you could taste the brilliant charred flavour in it too which lifted the dish to another level. The sauces for all the curries were spot on.

Although, the highlight of the day was definitely the samosa chaat. In fact, it was one of the most exciting things I had eaten in a long time and actually made me thank my friend for suggesting Indian because of it. It had the making of a standard samosa (fried Indian pastry), i.e. the crunch and filling. But, it was different because it was doused with a sweet but spicy chickpea sauce and balanced with fresh herbs and generous dollop of yoghurt. For me, it had INCREDIBLE flavours (spicy, sweet, refreshing) but lots of interesting textures from the soft chickpea to the crunchy samosa pastry too. The samosa chaat was too good and I highly recommend it to people too. Am definitely adding it to my faves.

Rita's Cafeteria, Collingwood

I first came to Rita's for my friend Sarah's birthday a while ago. I've been to Rita's cafeteria a couple of times now and must say that I leave feeling very happy and satisfied each time. It's a quaint little Italian restaurant with a warm and casual setting but bustling with people enjoying a nice meal. The food is great in quality and execution but what I enjoy most about Rita's is that it's very authentic but you get to see lots of interesting dishes that you may not see at your standard or traditional Italian restaurants. Keeps things interesting.

For instance, I go weak in the knees for the crab and prawn risotto. It's got such an immensely strong but not overpowering body that honestly makes your heart sing. Despite that, you can still taste the sweetness of the crab and prawn flesh shine through. The dollop of creme fraiche just helps bind it all together too. Overall, I really enjoy the pizzas here but my favourite has got to be the blue cheese, kale and grape one. Like I said, not traditional but my gosh made to perfection. Everything just worked and I really enjoyed that very much. Most of the dishes here are generally good and there is definitely something for everyone in the menu here. Although, the only thing I would say is that the desserts weren't the best (doughy calzone and doughnuts) so just stick to entrees and mains. It's absolutely delicious and has become my number one place to recommend people for Italian food because it's something different.

Skewer'd, Port Melbourne

I really love that my office has now moved to Port Melbourne. It's not only shortened my travel time immensely but it's great because it's close to Bay St where we have such a great selection of cafes and restaurants. Because I am now closer to where some of my friends live and work, I'm so happy I get to catch up with them over lunch from time to time. One of the places that we enjoy is Skewer'd.

I think that this place is right up there with Jimmy Grants. Except that this place is cheaper (under $10 for the gyros!) and really generous with filling. The meat is delicious and overall delicious to sink your teeth into, especially with the fries. I like Jimmy Grants but do find the portion to be too small and lacking in filling (you need at least 2 to fill you up, which means you end up paying almost double here) but do think that the pita bread is better at Jimmy's. The meat at Jimmy's has slightly better char and juiciness but the one here is pretty darn tasty too.

Overall, Skewer'd is definitely one place to look out for. We haven't been disappointed each time we're here and I think you'll feel the same about it if you try too. Yum.

Super Bowl Pho, Richmond

Ahhh Super Bowl. Another pho place along the Victoria St strip in Richmond. In short, I think the pho is alright. Nothing fantastic, quite ordinary. Soup wasn't especially tasty; ingredients weren't especially fragrant but it's decent. It's okay. Although, the Bon Bo Hue (spicy verimicilli soup) pales in comparison to the one at Dong Ba in Footscray. It was just okay. What I did enjoy when I was here was the Hanoi Spring Rolls, which was basically rice paper rolls that had been deep fried. What's not to like? Yum.

The Atlantic, Crown Casino

"Let's catch up for lunch sometime at Crown. Just pick a place. Ask your sister along too, my shout."
"What? No need lah, why are you shouting?"
"That's okay, we haven't caught up in a while. I insist."

There are some friendships that you really appreciate, and this was one of them for me. I've known my mate Chris for the longest time and just one of the most genuine dudes I know. He's always being really nice to his friends just because he wants to and expects nothing back from people.

Anyway, we ended up going to The Atlantic for some seafood. It's the first time any of us has ever been and I must say that our meal that day was really good. The starters were light and clean on the palate. Although, the highlight for me was definitely my confit salmon. It was anything and everything that a confit salmon should taste like. Soft like butter and almost melts in your mouth, it was great.  Even though I can't fully remember what else was on the place but remember them being really tasty (sorry). The desserts were really good. I enjoyed the warm tart and the chilli chocolate dessert had a nice sugar and spice hit.

Overall, I actually really enjoyed my meal here. Even though most people said that it is quite a hit and miss but based on my experience at the time, I found the food to be good and so was the setting.

Trotters, Carlton

A lot of my friends and I have lots of good memories here at Trotter's over the years. It's a place where my dear friends got engaged and also where my friends and I have had numerous catchup sessions over their sticky date pudding. Even though it's not my favourite place to have dinner as the food is a bit ordinary (pizza was a bit too spicy, calamari was too hard but wagyu burger was juicy and delicious), but I think it's more important to cherish restaurants for the good memories rather than the food. After all, food is just food and the company is always more important. I'd rather build a list of places I have fond memories with friends/family than a list of restaurant recommendations. Anyway, excuse me for being a bit sentimental. Go try their sticky date pudding.

Truman Cafe, Albert Park

Ashley, Adrian and I (aka my #ttvn homies!!) caught up at Truman not too long ago for a lovely Sunday brunch. The weather was sunny and in the mid 20's (so perfect) so we decided to get a table outside. Ashley and I ordered the pea and quinoa fritters but I added a side of smoked salmon. I thought the dish was tasty, hearty and filling. The relish and chutney especially was perfect with the fritters. That said, we had total food envy over Adrian's sweet potato hash -- ugh!! It was crunchy and downright delicious. We ordered some green juices to go with our lunch too which was refreshing in the weather. Overall, Truman is a quaint little cafe near Albert Park which has a good standard of food and coffee. Do recommend it if you're looking for a place to brunch in the area without having to be stuck in the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of South Melbourne in the weekends.

Vincent The Dog, Carlton

I came here with a couple of friends for an afternoon wind down earlier this year (right after my birthday lunch at Koko, actually). We were looking for a place to grab a quick cuppa before catching a movie at Nova Cinemas nearby. First of all, I think my workplace has slowly turned me Italian in so many ways. For instance, my fondness and appreciation towards the cuisine has grown 10 folds and I now almost always have short blacks only. A number of Italians have told me that short blacks are normally served with a small glass of sparkling water in Italy. 

Out of all the cafes I've been to, only Twenty & Six Espresso (my favourite cafe in Melbourne!) and this place serves their short blacks with sparkling water! In fact, this place even goes one step further by having a board specially to serve their short black and sparkling water. I'm impressed! Any cafe that I see doing this immediately gets a big tick in my books. Anyway, coffee here was great. Hope to come back to try their food.

Yami Yami, CBD

I'm sure most people have heard me say this but I do think the Melbourne CBD has got a repertoire for good Korean restaurants. In fact, the number of good Korean restaurants in the city surpasses Japanese restaurants, there's just so many to choose from and the standard is generally good. I tried out Yami Yami not too long ago and thought the food was nice too. Ginseng chicken soup was flavourful and not too strong in ginseng (bitter flavour). The fried chicken was GREAT. Nice, crunchy batter and moist chicken meat. I liked that they separated the sauce too. Finally, the spicy potato noodles with pork is a winner too. You can't tell from the photo but the portions were actually insanely massive, it was a friggin' big plate. So big that we had to takeaway whatever we couldn't finish. The sauce had a good balance of sweet, salty and spicy and the pork was flavourful and tender. Lots of nice fresh vegetables to give it a crunch too. Would definitely come back here, especially for those fried chicky wings. Yum.