ANZAC Biscuits

Sustaining, moreish, chewy and a sweet hit when your sugar levels are depleting. I remember these biscuits being brought out in reused ice cream containers on day hikes around the plateau of Mt Ruapehu. These succulent oaty delights are claimed to have been made originally by the wives of soldiers fighting in World War I and this is where their name derives from , the 'ANZACs', the Australian, New Zealand Army Corp. The biscuits have been filling the lunch boxes of New Zealand children ever since and are particularly popular around ANZAC day, on the 25th of April every year, a day which commemorates and memorialises all past NZ war veterans.

This recipe is from the Edmonds Cookbook.

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups oats
125 grams butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
3 tablespoons boiling water

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line two baking trays with non stick baking paper. Place the flour, caster sugar, coconut and oats in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.

Place the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan to melt, or microwave to melt. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water. Add the melted ingredients and dissolved baking soda to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Roll spoonfuls into balls and press onto baking trays (a light press with a fork, but don't flatten!), allowing for the biscuits to spread while cooking.
Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Tom Yum Gai Soup

The Thai trilogy of flavours- spicy (chili), salty (fish sauce) and sour (lime juice).

This recipe is from Mickey's cooking class at the Apple Guesthouse near the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand 2007. Mickey, who taught me and my fellow students, two smiley Roman architects on their honeymoon, about the vital trilogy of flavours in this soup: SPICY (chilli) + SALTY (fish sauce) + SOUR (fresh lime juice). Equals balances of each but to personal taste, Mickey was reluctant to give exact measurements.

Can be made with any meat, chicken/beef/pork/fish and with any vegetables, mushrooms/red pepper/French beans/broccoli.

For 2 servings.

Limes, Galangal, Shallots and Lemon Grass from Tawana Oriental Supermarket, Westbourne Grove

Ingredients for the soup stock
3 cups of cold water
2 knubs of Galangal (similar in look to Ginger but unfortunately cannot be used as a substitute, cut into 1 cm chunks)
2 sticks of Lemon Grass (cut lengthways and on the diagonal)
1 Kaffir Lime Leaf (whole)
6 Shallots (peeled and left whole)

Ingredients for the body of the soup
1/2 teaspoon of chopped medium Red Chilli
1 tablespoon of Tom Yum paste (check the ingredients list - should contain shallots, dried chilli and tamarind paste)
200 grams of Chicken thigh or breast (cut into 1 cm pieces)
5 Mushrooms, quartered. Or 2/3 of cup of any other vegetables; red pepper, beans, broccoli.
2 generous handfuls of freshly chopped Coriander
1 swirl of Fish Sauce per serving or to taste
1 Lime (half a Lime per serving)

Method
First make the soup stock, by placing the cold water in a saucepan on a medium to high heat and adding all of the stock ingredients. Bring to the boil so that the water reduces by 1 cup.

Reducing the soup stock

Next add the chili and the Tom Yum paste to the broth. And lastly on a high heat add the chicken and vegetables and cook for 2- 3 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the heat. Ladle into small bowls (straining out Galanga, Lemon Grass and Kaffir Lime leaf) and add the chopped coriander and finally season with the fish sauce and fresh lime juice in equal balance. Taste and add greater quantities of either if you prefer a more salty or sour soup.

Basic Pancake/Crêpe recipe

Based on a Delia Smith recipe.

For 1- 2 people (ingredients easily doubled or tripled for more batter)
Reminds me of discovering the delicious-ness of savoury crêpe fillings, like ham and Emmental cheese, from a Crêperie window on Rue Mouffetard in Paris and of eating lemon and sugar pancakes on Shrove Tuesday growing up

Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon melted butter
Slices of ham and Emmental cheese (or any sweet nutty cheese), salt and pepper.

Method
In a large mixing bowl break in the egg, lightly whisk and then gradually add the sifted flour a little at a time, whisking in between until smooth and there are no lumps.

Whisk in the milk and the water.

Melt the butter in the frying pan you'll use later to cook the crêpes in and then add that to the mixture. Allow pancake batter to sit for at least an hour, covered in the fridge.

In a non-stick fry pan heat a small amount of butter at medium heat. Transfer the batter into a pouring jug or have a ladle handy to add 2/3 full of a ladle to the centre of the pan, swirl the pan so the batter touches the sides.

Then wait for bubbles to form and burst. Run a spatula around the outside of the crêpe, lifting gently. Gradually move the spatula further and further under the crêpe and then flip over. Cook for a further few minutes on the other side. And during this time you may place slices of Emmental cheese and ham on one half, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, fold in half and cook until the cheese has melted.