Chinese Crispy Chilli Beef

This is most definitely going to become one of your favourite Homemade Take-a-way/Restaurant dishes.

For more years than I can remember I've not only ordered this in Chinese Restaurants, but have been making this recipe at home too.

I have been wanting to share this with you all since this blog was launched but there has been a major problem causing the delay.

As good as this Chinese Crispy Chilli Beef may be, it appears to be camera shy!!!!!  It's true, I just cannot obtain a good enough photo.

As a firm believer that recipes should always be accompanied by a photograph I have been unable to deliver this one to you, for now at least.

Well enough's enough, Heaven is waiting and won't delay for a photograph so I've taken the plunge and decided to share one of my favourite all time Chinese Dishes regardless.

Now if you too are familiar with this dish, you then of course need no reminder just how delicious it looks.

Forget "Come Dine with Me" today I say "Come Feast with me".

Fancy a bit of a feast?  Serve Chinese Crispy Chilli Beef with some other Chinese dishes (recipes here) too and feel like you've just created your very own Chinese Reataurant Buffet.

PHOTO TO FOLLOW

ONCE THE DISH GETS OVER BEING CAMERA SHY

Chinese Crispy Chilli Beef - Serves 2-3 as a main meal or more when sharing several dishes

Approx 250g beef fillet (or cut of your choice)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoon corn flour

2 teaspoon 5 spice powder

Oil for deep frying

For the sauce:-

1 Carrot, peeled and cut into fine batons (imagine shredded)

A bunch of spring onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced

1" piece of ginger, grated

2 Red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped (leave seeds in if brave)

4 tablespoons Caster sugar

3 tablespoons Rice vinegar

2 tablespoons Light soy sauce

Corn flour paste (1 tablespoon corn flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water)

Cut the beef into very thin long strips and dust with a little cornflour,  shake off excess.

Make up the batter by placing corn flour in a medium bowl with the salt and five spice powder, make a well in the centre and add the beaten eggs. Mix well to form a smooth, lump free batter than mix in the beef strips and stir well to coat beef.

Get your oil nice and hot to 190 whilst preparing ingredients for sauce.

Using tongs, pick up strips of the beef from the bowl and drop individually into the hot oil, cook in batches for approx 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm whilst making the sauce.

In a wok or saute pan heat 1 tbs of vegetable (or groundnut) oil. Add carrot and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and chillies. Stir fry again for a couple of minutes and add the rest of the ingredients.Once the sauce is quite thick, quickly add the beef and stir well to coat in the sauce. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Once the beef is cooked you can store in refrigerator for 2 days, or freeze. Simply stir fry (defrosted if frozen) beef in a wok for 30 seconds or until re-crisp and heated through.  Set aside and keep warm whilst preparing the sauce.  Once sauce ready,   add beef back and stir well.  Serve immediately.

Dying to Eat!

In a recent post I shared the recipe for Thai Squid Salad (yam pla meuk).  As mentioned this is one of those quick, simple and easy recipes.  Due to progressive health failure, such recipes have become essential for me now.

I also shared with you how amazing Mr. Grumps (my husband) is too. Since my original diagnosis with Cancer in January 2010 he has progressed from my best friend and husband to carer and of late, chief cook and bottle washer too.  All this whilst working when possible so as to provide some income.  He deserves a medal.

2011 1st outing after 3 further ops

2014 a few weeks after terminal diagnosis

The original purpose and reasons behind launching this blog have now turned around.  At that time, despite having already been ill, I wanted to simply log my cooking and recipes.  Now though, the recipes may be mine, but Mr. Grumps has become the cook.

Thereby, turning this little space on the Web into a legacy.  The idea being that he can easily find all his favourite recipes in one easy place.

Mr. Grumps making Curry

Since the Cancer was confirmed to be terminal we have had to make a lot of plans and changes in our lives.  Mr. Grumps now becoming the cook is just a drop in the ocean.  Truth be known he has always been a superb cook, just didn’t do it very often.

We’ve had to sort out finances too (amongst other things) which seems an endless task but it’s getting there.

A friend recently asked me what I think is best.  A sudden death where you have no warning? Or, a terminal illness where you have some idea of the time you have left?

How do you honestly answer that?  Like everything in life, there are pros and cons attached to each question/answer.  However, being terminally ill does give you the opportunity to put your affairs in order.

“Life comes with only one guarantee

 You are born – you will die”

I tell myself this everyday and it’s what I’ve told all my family and friends.  I’ve also told them all “I don’t want sympathy or pity; I just want to be treated like normal”.

They have all taken this on board and do just that.  Disappointingly though, there are two people who have been close friends of ours for many years and actually won’t speak to us since they heard the news!  Can you believe that?

Despite them, my family and friends are a blessing; they are the most amazing part of my life.  My husband, Mr. Grumps, is the most special person one could ever meet and my Mother-in-law too for that matter.  They have gone above and beyond the call of duty.  Thank you, you don’t need reminding just how much I love you.

2014 Mum-in-Law enticing Beaux into the pool

2014 Mum-in-Law enjoying a night out

This is not “good bye”, just an opportunity to record my love for you all.

I still have some fight left and fight I will, TTFN.

Bibs, xx

Thai Squid Salad (Yam Pla Meuk)

Summer's end may be imminent but Salads are great throughout the year,  this Thai Squid Salad (Yam Pla Meuk) is a winner anytime.  An amazing starter, snack or light lunch.  Quick and easy to make, you love to hear that don't you?

Quick and easy is for me these days.  Being terminally ill I can no longer cook like I used to.  Dishes I can prepare in stages over a period of time are just what I need now.  Not all dishes need constant attention from start to finish and this is one of them, lucky me.

Mr.Grumps has been amazing though.  In every way possible from looking after me to cooking and cleaning.  I'll write a post about this amazing man soon so stay tuned.

For now though, fancy Thai Squid Salad?

Thai Squid Salad (Yam Pla Meuk)  Serves 1-2

Ingredients:-

5-10 Baby squids, cleaned

3 small shallots (finely chopped)

1 stalk of lemongrass (very finely chopped (or 1 tsp minced lemongrass from a jar)

2 large kaffir lime leaves (central vein removed and sliced finely

3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves.

Sauce:-

1 tablespoon lime juice

½ teaspoon sugar

½ - 1 tablespoon fish sauce (to taste)

2-3 bird’s eye chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)

First prepare the squid and set aside.

Prepare the sauce by combing all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.  Taste the sauce and adjust if necessary.

Blanch the squid in boiling water until they are opaque.

Drain the squid; add to the sauce together with the remaining salad ingredients.

Give the salad a stir and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from - With a Glass  

Review of Hotel Restaurante Alberdini, Competa, Malaga, Spain

2 Weeks ago Mr. Grumps, myself and two friends, Ken and Siss, enjoyed a special summer evening being wined and dined at Hotel Restaurante Alberdini.

An unusual and interesting Hotel.  Actually, it’s so much more than a Hotel.  There is a bar, a restaurant, yoga classes (amongst others), a swimming pool for guests and some rather unusual accommodation too.

Mr. Grumps and I actually had no clue as to this pre-arranged evening.  We were actually kidnapped and force fed!  Really, we were, read how this came about in my previous post here.

The Alberdini as it is commonly known, is just a few minutes drive from our home and yet not somewhere we have visited often.  Isn’t that just typical?

Upon our arrival we were shown to our reserved table and our waitress quickly took our drinks order.  We were then given the menus to peruse.  Same menu as when Mr. Grumps and I last dined there some two years before.  However, there was one new item we had heard much about named ‘Steak on a Hot Stone’.  I guess this needs no further explanation as “it does what it says on the tin”.

The menu is extremely varied and we were also informed of the Specials available that day.

Whilst I had been tempted to order the steak on a hot stone, I was also a little nervous by the prospect of cooking my own meal.  The intention was to enjoy myself and therefore did not want the bother of worrying about ruining my steak.  Siss however needed no convincing and ordered the Fillet Steak option.

Jabali (Wild Boar) was offered as a special that day so I was keen not to miss this opportunity as it’s rarely an option in most restaurants.

Mr. Grumps chose the fish special of the day being Dorada (Sea Bream) and Ken ordered the Pez Espada (Swordfish).

Nobody ordered starters which suited me because I was in the mood for a dessert that evening and new I could not manage three courses.

We were all given a choice of side dishes to accompany our meals.  Not being a massive fan of chips I requested rice, whilst the others chose roasted new potatoes.

Orders placed we were chatting and drinking when 4 small terracotta pots were placed on our table containing sopa de ajo blanco.  White garlic soup, a common cold soup served in Spain.

Despite being a popular soup, none of us had ever tried it before so this small offering was a good opportunity.  Unfortunately, we were not keen but a nice gesture.

When our Main Meals arrived, all eyes were on the Fillet steak served on a hot stone which Siss had ordered.  No need to explain why, just look at that beauty in the photo.

Served with 3 different sauces on the side with vegetables and  potatoes.

Ken’s Pez Espada looked fabulous with garlic, parsley and olive oil sauce drizzled over the top.

The Dorada too looked delicious accompanied by potatoes and a side salad.

I was a little surprised to discover my Jabali served as a stew.  I had presumed it to be a large cut of roasted meat.  I made this assumption  based on being told Jabali was a special that day, not Estofado de jabalí.

Whilst I did enjoy the Estofado de jabalí I will definitely question how it is prepared in future when an option.  I’ve previously eaten Jabali elsewhere which was roasted and more suited to my palette.

We all enjoyed our meals but I feel Siss made the best choice with the Fillet Steak.  I will definitely order that next time we visit The Alberdini.

Only myself and Siss ordered desserts.  Sorry no photos, Siss was tucking in hers the second it placed in front of her and I was busy pushing aside the dreaded “Squirt Cream” surrounding mine. 

Siss chose the Chocolate Mousse and I could not resist trying the Chocolate Brownie.  Both good choices, but please no more “squirt Cream“.  That stuff should never have been invented.

All in all a fabulous meal.  Great service too, nothing was too much trouble and the prices are reasonable.

Special thanks go to Ken and Siss for kidnapping us and providing a memorable evening.

KIDNAPPED AND FORCE FED

Kidnapped and Force Fed at Hotel Restaurante Alberdini, Competa, Malaga, Spain

One evening last week, Mr. Grumpy and I were kidnapped and taken to the Hotel Alberdini in Competa.

Yes you read that correctly, we actually were kidnapped and taken to the above venue!

Entrance to the driveway

To cut a long story short, our long time friends and neighbours, Ken and Siss kidnapped us in a very friendly and organised manner with the sole intention of providing us with a good time.

Who needs enemies when you have friends like that?

After a brief period in remission I was diagnosed as terminal with the return of Colon Cancer.  Since then we have had many visitors and been quite busy with as many family and friends as possible.

Ken and Siss had told us sometime ago that they were intending to kidnap me before I become too ill.  They both work hard and very long hours so time for social events is rare for them.  However, Siss had a free evening coming up and on that date, we too were free.

So a date and time was set for the Kidnapping.  I had absolutely no clue as to what this would entail.  I was simply told both of us were being taken and to be ready for 7.15pm.

Consequently, we did exactly as we were told!

We were bundled in the car and driven to a surprise venue.  Upon arrival we certainly were surprised too.  The Alberdini is just 5 minutes from our home but we never seem to go there, isn’t that just typical though?

After being shown to a reserved table, the waitress took our drinks order which quickly arrived.

The remainder of the evenings events can be read in my next post Review of Hotel Restaurante Alberdini (here) 

Thanks to Ken and Siss for an amazing evening at the Alberdini

NOTE – Nobody was harmed and no ransom was paid to the culprits.  Residents of Competa are now very aware who the kidnappers are due to their photos being published on facebook.

Halloumi and Strawberry Salad

It's been 4 weeks now since my chemo session.  I was due to have 3 months of treatment, every other Tuesday.

What time I have left I intend to be spending as quality time having fun with my family and friends.  That includes enjoying as many foodie delights as possible.

I've always had a great love for the saltiness and sqweak of a good quality Halloumi Cheese.  Paired with sweet Strawberries and you encounter the most delicious partnership. 

Having already been through several periods of illness over the past 4/half years, the medical team were unsure that I would be strong enough to accept another session of chemo, especially as this was a lot stronger dose than the treatment previously received

It transpires that my body clearly can't cope.  The first session has just about rendered me pretty much useless.  All further sessions have been cancelled under the circumstances.  This a great relief, what's the point in spending 3 months plus in a zombie like state?

Halloumi & Strawberry Salad (Serves 1 – easily doubles)

4 Strawberries, hulled and cut in half or quartered

½  tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Squirt of Lemon juice

½ tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3  x ½" thick slices Halloumi cheese (cut from a block, or more if starving)

1 tbsp Olive oil

Small handful of mint leaves (finely chopped)

2 small Cos lettuce leaves, finely chopped (or a handful of mixed leaves)

Prepare the Strawberries & dressing:-

Place strawberries into a small bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil,. lemon juice and season with sea salt and black pepper.  Stir well to combine and leave to one side.

Prepare the Halloumi:-

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and pan fry the Halloumi slices on both sides until golden brown (about 1-2 minutes per side).

Recipe adapted from scandifoodie

Craving Matcha Ice Cream (Be careful what you wish for)

'Be careful what you wish for'.  A saying I'm sure you've all heard before.  But do you understand it's meaning and relevance?

It seems to have come a regular phrase within my vocabulary, in addition to 'follow your dreams, life is too short to have regrets for the things you never did'.  That one is self explanatory!

Photo courtesy of Daily Cooking Quest

Despite being a trained typist from school days.  This post is taking some time to type due to one of the side affects of  Chemo, causing pins/needles to finger tips in addition to pain.

Back in January 2010 I was diagnosed with Colon Cancer.  A larger tumour was discovered and I was operated on immediately.

After receiving a mild does of Chemo via a portal implanted in my neck, I also received the maximum treatment of Radiotherapy.  The Radiotherapy caused a lot of damage and since 2010 I have spent several long periods in hospital, plus 3 more operations.

Despite being given the all clear just over 12 months ago in 2013.  I was informed last week the Cancer has returned and spread.  This time it is terminal and I was informed on the same day that 19 year old Stephen Sutton died of the same disease and also of Colon Cancer.

Please feel free to read on or skip to Matcha Ice Cream (here) if I'm boring you too much.

'Be careful what you wish for'

Before my original diagnoses, I wished for a flat stomach and a little weight loss , just like many of us do! Well that wish came true from the tragedy of being diagnosed with Colon Cancer and the affects of damage via the radiotherapy!  Important note - However, please do not be afraid of receiving Radiotherapy if you ever face Cancer yourself.  My situation happens to an incredibly low percentage of Cancer patients, it is rare and I just got unlucky.

Last year Mr. Grumps and I decided we would move back to UK.  There were several reasons for this decision and I particularly have been looking forward to it.  One of those reasons was finances and the move would have solved that problem.  Mr. Grumps wished we could remain in Spain, but this was never going to happen unfortunately (or so we thought!).  Due to many factors, his wish has been granted.  Both of us just wished we did not have to do so mainly due to finances.  That wish has also now come true due to the fact I am now terminal........................

Upon arriving in Spain permanently, we decided it was important to arrange Private Health Insurance, write new Wills, have Life Insurance Policies and become Spanish Residents.  The most wise moves and lucky we did!!!!

If you too have already moved to Spain, or plan to, please find yourself a good Ascesoria (Solicitor) and look into the aforementioned and shy, you may be shocked at what you don't know about the Spanish system.

Having taken out Life Insurances Policies has solved any financial stress.  The Policy we chose pays out half the insured amount upon diagnoses of any Terminal illness with balance upon death.  Now we will have no financial stress for the time I have left and Mr. Grumps will be financially secure upon my death.  He will be in a position to do whatever he decides.  So there's another wish come true due to tragic circumstances!!!!!

'Be careful what you wish for'

 'follow your dreams, life is too short to have regrets for the things you never did'.

My Dad died at the young age of 52 due to a massive heart attack.  Mum died at the young age of 62 due to lung cancer.  Neither of them carried out their dreams.  These plans were put on hold for retirement!!!!!!

Matcha Ice Cream and my Craving

Last week on the morning of May 14th I came across and commented on a recipe for a Matcha Ice Cream Recipe, posted by Daily Cooking Quest (here)

That weekend I was supposed to be discharged from hospital and was so looking forward to making this simple recipe as I was craving it so much.  Alas, it was not meant to be.

Saturday morning the Oncologist visited me in Hospital and informed me the Chemo would start on Monday. Three months of treatment, via the portal with a bottle every 2 weeks for 2 days treatment being feed in over the 48 hours.  However, being a strong treatment and not sure how I would react, the first one was to be given whilst in hospital.

I was also informed of side affects.  One of many was not to take cold food/drink from the fridge/freezer.  I must only consume room temperature  items throughout the whole 3 months.  No ice cream for me then for a while.