Asian Pork and Noodle Soup

Autumn is finally here but the weather still thinks that it should be Summer.  Personally I am looking forward to cooler days when you can put a pot of soup on to warm you up, or a delicious slow cooked pull apart Meat dish that scents the whole house with it's seductive aromas.  

In the meantime I have to be content with quick cooking soups that do not heat up the house.  After I photographed this dish I reasoned that the picture looks like something a teenager would concoct after a long day of study with 2 minute noodles.    However, I assure you that this was not the case.

                                                                                                                        To complete the meal we had some freshly picked Dragonfruit (Pitaya) that grows rampantly along one side fence.   Prior to this year our Dragonfruit have always ripened in January, these ones are a bonus.                                            

There were a few ants running on the outside of the uncut fruit, these dispersed when I shook the Pitaya gently, but the small black seeds swam like running ants before my eyes, it was quite disconcerting.

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Asian Pork and Noodle Soup

1 1/2 cup light soy sauce
700ml water
1 green shallot finely sliced
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped ginger (2cm knob)
1 clove chopped garlic
2 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon five spice
700g pork shoulder, loin, scotch fillet or pork belly chopped into 2cm cubes
1 bok choy or 1 bunch gai larn
2 dried whole chillies
Boiled eggs
1 packet thin hokkein noodles

Bring the stock ingredients to a boil then reduce to a simmer and add the chopped pork, cover and cook for 1 hour, testing for tenderness.  Add the bok choy and chillies then simmer for another 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl prepare noodles as per packet instructions.

Place noodles into serving bowls, add 1 or 2 boiled egg halves and pour over the soup.
I had some oven baked pork crackling so added that as well.

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Have you ever eaten Dragonfruit?  Do you like It? 
It seems to be an unknown fruit outside of Asia.

Buon appetito, enjoy Merryn xx

Cucumber with Chilli, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

Whenever I visit family I always learn something new.
Whether it is exciting new dishes, different methods of preparation or presentation. 
Sometimes it is the simplest of dishes that you can adapt to everyday dining that really impress you.

Recreating one of the simplest of dishes is still one of life's pleasures if it is welcomed and embraced by all.   This cucumber dish is one of those that is thrown together at the last minute before being added to a table already filled with antipasto, freshly sliced pecorino, olives, pasta, carne, insalata, other contorno and red wine.




Over time I have realised that some people do not like you to be able to recreate the dish they cooked as well as how they cooked it themselves.  These people will leave out crucial steps or important ingredients which leaves you puzzled when you cook it at home as to why it is different to theirs, which is why it is so important to "watch" a new dish being created.

This cucumber dish with chilli, olive oil, salt and pepper really needs no explanation at all.
Share it with your next meal however and experience the surprise of your guests when they realise how delicious this simple dish tastes.
 

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Cucumber with Chilli, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper.

Cetriolo con Peperoncino, Oloio d'olia, Sale e Pepe

1 cucumber, washed and dried

1 - 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes

fine sea salt - to taste

freshly cracked black pepper - to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Halve the cucumber in the middle.  Slice lengthwise each half into strips about 5mm thick.  Then slice into strips.

Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with the chilli flakes.

Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Serve.

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Do you like simple salad dishes and do you always add chilli to a dish when possible?

Buon appetito, enjoy Merryn xx