Jasmyne Tea

Holy Basil, Canley Heights

"Wow, it's so easy to find parking in Canley Heights!" said no one ever. It's seriously abysmal. 8 o'clock on a Tuesday night, and we had to park a massive distance from the restaurant in a residential area. However, if you bring your walking shoes you can enjoy an amazing dinner at Holy Basil.

You really have to be lucky to turn up without a booking and not have to line up, and lucky we were; we got in with no fuss and sat inside to avoid the smoking area outside. We were furnished with menus and left to order.

Pineapple & Lychee Mocktails - $5.50 each

Ok, so these drinks are not so much mocktails as fruit-shakes - they're pretty one dimensional as far as drinks go. However, they're cool and refreshing, they're strong in flavour and come in pretty funky glasses.

Marinated Dried Beef - $10.90

I imagine this dish to be something similar to jerky - the beef was sliced super-thinly, marinated in a sweet sauce, then dried until crispy and slightly chewy. Apparently it's a traditional dish, which is why I ordered it; even if it's not though, it's pretty damned tasty.

Gang Masaman - $16.90

We ordered a couple of classic Thai dishes - after all, what better way is there to ascertain how good a restaurant is than by seeing how they interpret the basics?

The Massaman Curry had a complexity of flavour that's pretty rare - clearly there's more at play here than the usual bland, stodgy offerings; the beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Pad Thai with Chicken - $12.90

Yesssss, gimme them bean sprouts. There's no such thing as too many bean sprouts in my book. The rest of the dish was excellent as well - the noodles were pliable but still had a slight bite, and the chicken was simply saturated with the sweet, sticky combination of tamarind paste and palm sugar.

Holy Basil Fried Ice Cream - $13.90

This dish is so famous I almost asked for a photo with it! It's a unique take on the usual soggy ball of ice cream and batter; a triangular brick of vanilla ice cream wrapped in a flaky, buttery pastry and then deep fried and served with toasted coconut was served to us after a short wait. We only ordered the one, and trust me, one is enough for two people after the scrumptious meal we had.

Holy Basil

233A Canley Vale Rd
Canley Heights
NSW, 2166

Phone: 9727 7585

http://www.holybasil.com.au

Massaman Beef Curry

The month of July seems determined to be a difficult and busy one. So many birthdays, bills and so many problems with our attempts at home improvement; these have all coelesced to make me incapable of even posting regularly. Thus I offer this quick post, just before I go to bed after a typically busy day - a particular favourite of mine, the Massaman Curry.

Massaman Beef Curry
*Adapted from the Taste.com website

INGREDIENTS

Paste
8 dried long red chillies, deseeded
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 stem lemon grass, white part chopped
3cm piece galangal, peeled, chopped

 Curry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
700g beef, trimmed
1 cup coconut cream
2 tablespoons massaman curry paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon fish sauce

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

    1. For the paste, place chillies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand for 20 minutes, until soft, then drain and chop roughly. Wrap shrimp paste in foil. Heat in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes each side.

    2. Blend or process chillies, roasted shrimp paste, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, white pepper and 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and blending well after each addition. (The paste can be stored in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.)

 

    3. For the curry, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly, until evenly browned. Transfer to a plate, then add 2 tablespoons coconut cream to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 20 seconds or until hot. Add curry paste. Cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.

    4. Return beef and juices to pan. Add coconut milk, stock, peanuts, potatoes, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods, sugar, tamarind concentrate, fish sauce and remaining coconut cream. Stir to combine, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender. Serves 4.

The House of Thai, Bankstown

Finding places to eat with some of my friends from work can be pretty difficult, as they can only eat Halal food. There are so many different cuisines that I want to introduce them to, but so very few restaurants stock Halal meat. So when my friend Sabrina went to America for a month, finding a place to eat for her farewell dinner that wasn't Lebanese or Turkish was a bit of a trial.

 

Enter The House of Thai. Located in the heart of Bankstown, it's a popular local hangout for families and couples, and their private rooms cater for small functions as well. We turned up on a Friday night, and even though it was quite busy, they had room for the 6 of us. We were given menus and table water, and then left for a few minutes to decide what to eat. 

Chicken Satay - $2.00 each

This was not our dish! Another waitress plonked it down on our table without ceremony 2 minutes after we made our order, and then rushed away before we could object. It took a bit of hand-waving for us to be able to notify someone, so meanwhile I decided to take a photo. I was hard put not to take a bite!

Curry Puffs - $1.50 each

The curry puffs were filled with a softened mixture of mildy spiced vegetables, and the pastry was thin, flaky and golden.

Salt and Pepper Squid - $8.00

The squid was just a tad chewy, but I quite liked the resistance as I crunched my way through the salt-and-peppered batter. The spanish onion was a nice accompaniment, as it was dressed in some sort of vinagar and gave a whole new dimension of flavour to the dish.

Hokkien Noodles with Chicken - $11.50

My hokkien noodles were quite firm, which was a pleasant change from the soft, mushy incarnation that I normally receive at Thai restaurants. The greens were tender, the carrots crunchy and it was chock full of juicy chicken, and the sauce was mild in flavour and easy to eat.

Chicken in Spicy Sauce on Hot Plate - $12.00

This dish was the most impressive as it came out from the kitchen sizzling away on the hot plate. The chicken and vegetables were cooked well, but the sauce was so hot that I couldn't really taste anything except  chilli.

Spicy Fried Rice with Chicken - $11.50

This dish we specifically asked for as an entree, but it didn't come out until our mains had been set down, so we treated it as a side dish. The grains of rice were beautifully seperated, yet still fluffy and moist. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, and the chicken was again very tender and juicy. There was a LOT of chilli, so I could only eat a small amount.

Panang Curry with Chicken Breast Fillet - $12.00

The curry was thick and creamy, with obvious notes of chilli, cumin, garlic and lemongrass in it. Lime freshened it up a bit, and chicken added the body. Although it's not normally filled with veggies, the greens were a welcome addition.

Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce - $12.00

This particular dish was forgotten, and it took another 15 minutes before it was ready, which meant that our food was pretty cool by the time it came. The dish itself was composed of stir fried vegetables and chicken and covered in a light, tangy sauce, but I'm not sure it was worth waiting so long for.

Except for a couple of breakdowns in communication, our experience here was a good one, and we left with our bellies full and our wallets only a little lighter.

The House of Thai

Shop 2, 465-469 Chapel Rd
Bankstown, NSW
2200

Phone: 02 8764 0319
http://www.thehouseofthai.com.au

Sitney Thai Restaurant, Parramatta

I will swear right now that every Thai restaurant has the exact same CD playing. Acoustic, female-perspective covers of contemporary songs serenade me EVERY time I sit down for some Pad See Ew or Panang Curry.

An acoustic, half-speed version of that "Single Ladies" song washed over our party of four as we walked into Sitney Thai Restaurant, making us giggle as we imagined dancers doing that weird hand movement that they do in the film clip in slow motion. It was a quiet night, and all of the tables were perfectly set and elegantly surrounded by richly coloured cushions, which contrasted with the chocolate brown walls and tables. Strategically placed mirrors made the most of a somewhat small, enclosed space.

The first thing we ordered were drinks, and we all got table water or apple juice, except for James:

Lychee Juice - $4.50

For us, this was a disappointing start. It was like they'd opened a can of lychees, mixed the liquid in the can with water and then poured it all into a glass, along with heaps of ice and the same canned lychees; it had a very weak flavour.

Spring Rolls - $6.90

These spring rolls were pretty standard as far as spring rolls go. They were cooked well, and came out crunchy and golden, but the inside was a pretty bland mix of vegetables.


Duck Herbs - $7.90

Normally I love these little parcels of goodness, but this one was so full of chilli I breathed fire! Luckily, we had our friend Hitesha with us, who can eat chillis like no tomorrow. Whereas I couldn't taste anything else, Hitesha said that under the fiery heat there were elements of lime, red onion and mint. The shredded duck meat was tender, and roasted rice was in the mixture as well.

Pla Muck Tod - $14.90

Squid was deep fried in a batter with garlic and pepper, then lightly salted and served to us on a bed of salad. The squid was beautifully cooked, not tough or rubbery at all, and perfectly seasoned.

Kai Satay - $7.90

This is a very common dish in Thai restaurants, but it was executed with skill. The peanut sauce had a bit more complexity of flavour as it was served with a cucumber relish, and the skewers had a light coating of crushed, roasted peanuts. The chicken was also very juicy and soft.

Chicken Stir Fry with Hokkien Noodles - $15.90

Hitesha had asked for this dish with their spaghetti option, but since they had run out she opted for the hokkien noodles. They worked well in this dish, being al dente and slippery with sweet soy sauce. The chicken was wonderfully cooked, still retaining its juices, and the vegetables were tender, yet still had a bit of crunch.

Massaman Curry with Chicken - $15.90

The massaman curry was very sweet and morish, but was pretty one-dimensional. All you could really taste was the peanut (the base of the sauce) and the coconut milk. However, the presentation was very modern and interesting, which I think is a hard thing to achieve with a dish like a curry, and I couldn't find fault with the chicken, potato, or sweet potato.

Roti - $3.50

This roti was recommended for the massamun curry, and I could've had a double order. It was fluffy, warm, deliciously chewy and slightly sweet. It went well with the dish.

Panang Curry with Duck - $17.90

Both Stephen and James ordered the panang curry with duck, and both were extremely pleased with it. The duck was succulent, and surprisingly lean in this dish. The chilli in this dish had a slow burn, and the balance between this element and the freshness of the kaffir lime leaves was perfect.

 

Sitney Thai Restaurant

277B Church St
Parramatta, NSW
2150

Phone: 02 9633 3226

http://sitneyrestaurant.com

Thai In A Box, Parramatta

Normally I'll avoid restaurants that use the word "Thai" as part of a not-so-clever pun for the name of the establishment. Example are 'Thai-tanic', 'Thai-namite' and 'Thai-riffic', and it irritates me to no end. However, some friends and I went to a thai restaurant in Parramatta for a catch up dinner, and so I had to brave the name.

Thai In A Box are well known for having a 4 step menu, in which you select rice or noodles, stir fry or soup, herbs and spices, and then meat and vegetables.

When we arrived we were shown to a table waaaaaaaaaaaaay in the back near the toilets, and the waitress was quite apologetic about it. Fair enough we thought, it was the only table available and we hadn't booked. The waitress handed us our menus and left us to make our decisions.

Fresh Coconut Juice - $3.00

Mary and Sonia ordered cokes, and I ordered the fresh coconut juice, which came fetchingly served in a drinking coconut. The juice was cool and refreshing, with a nutty flavour coming through from the shell.

Fish Cakes - $6.90
Marinated Chicken Wings - $6.00
Prawn Get Dressed - $6.90

The fish cakes were a little dry, but the flavours of coriander, curry powder and fish were perfectly balanced and a pleasure to eat. I couldn't taste the marinade in the chicken wings, but the coating was beautifully crispy and a tiny bit oily, and the chicken was tender and succulent. The 'Prawn Get Dressed' dish featured prawns with the heads removed, wrapped in crispy pastry and deep fried. The prawn was juicy, succulent and tasty, and the pastry, while a little thick, was surprisingly oil-free for something that had been deep fried.

Stir Fried Rice, Chinese Stir Fry, Crushed Garlic and Sweet Basil, Chicken and Vegetables - $13.90

This was a pretty good fried rice, with soy sauce, tender chicken breast, carrot, choy sum and egg. The rice was nice and fluffy, and not at all starchy or sticky. The sauce was light, not overpowering or too salty, and the entire dish really worked together.

Wheat Noodles, Clear Soup, Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves with Beef (no vegetables) - $13.90

The wheat noodles were deliciously silky and supple, and the soup was slightly salty and flavoured with the aromatic lemongrass and the freshness of the kaffir lime. The beef was very finely sliced, and just cooked, rendering it tender and with the ability to melt in the mouth.

Tom Yum Soup with Seafood - $15.90

This is a traditional thai hot and sour soup, and the potent blend of ingredients such as coriander, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce and chili really enhanced the freshness of the prawns. The baby corn added some textural contrast.

Hokkien Noodles, Malay Stir-Fry, Crushed Garlic and Sweet Basil, Chicken and Vegetables - $13.90

These hokkien noodles were very soft, and not in a horrible, soggy way. The broccolini, carrot and capsicum were very crisp, which contrasted with the noodles. The chicken was very tender and juicy, and the sauce was peanut satay, very sweet and nutty, delicious!

This restaurant didn't end up being as bad as I thought it would be. The service was fast and efficient, although nothing stellar, and the food was very well executed. Maybe I'll rethink my policy on restaurants with silly names...

 

Thai In A Box

318 Church St
Parramatta, NSW
2150

Phone: 9633 3681

Red Spoon Thai, Top Ryde - A Social Experiment

Ah, coupons. Since high school it's been ingrained in me that people who use coupons or vouchers to save money on goods and services are, in fact, cheap. This attitude often carries on to adulthood, and lately I've been wondering why - not everyone is made of money, and if a business is willing to offer their product at a discounted price to bring in customers, then why not take advantage of it?

I've been seeing offers for some pretty well-known restaurants on Spreets.com.au and Cudo.com.au, and I thought it would be an interesting experiment to see if the attitude of looking down on people who make use of coupons existed on the other side of the service - I know when I worked in fast-food, my work mates definitely didn't appreciate those customers. When an offer was sent to me for Red Spoon Thai at Top Ryde, I decided to see if the quality of the food, the portion sizes and the service was up to scratch.

Offer: $59 for a 4-course meal for two, a bottle of wine and two Event Cinema movie tickets (Value: $157)

The restaurant is situated in La Piazza at the Top Ryde Shopping Centre. When we enter the restaurant we take note of the dark, intimate and edgy decor and the laid-back music. We were a little late for our booking, but we were graciously told not to worry, asked for our voucher and then shown to a table. We asked for table water, and not long after we received it we were given our first course.

Mini-Stick Rolls

Prawn Betel Leaf

The mini stick rolls were so tiny I could have used them as toothpicks, but I guess that's why they're "mini". A tiny amount of cabbage and carrot made up the filling, and the sweet chili sauce overpowered what little flavour there was.

The prawn betel leafs were a first for us. The heart shaped vine leaves were slightly bitter, and the prawns were plump and juicy. There were herbs (pretty sure I tasted coriander), and it was accompanied with something described as the chef's "special sauce" and crispy fried onion.

Chicken Pad Thai

The second course started with chicken pad thai, and it was done quite well. The noodles were firm yet pliable, the capsicum was tender and juicy, and the chicken was flavoursome. The only let down was that there wasn't much chicken, probably 4 or 5 small pieces all together. The presentation was good though, very vibrant.

Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Papaya Salad

The crab was soft and moist, and the batter thin and crispy. The papaya salad was far too spicy for me, with strips of papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans and peanuts covered in chili (with even the seeds!), but I think I would have liked it if it were more mild.

Eight Hour Braised Massaman Lamb Shank

Third course is heralded by the arrival of the lamb shank, and it was magnificent. The meat fell off the bone, leaving no need for knives, and was so juicy and had a wonderful mouthfeel. The curry sauce was made up of coconut milk, cinnamon, cardamom and, I'm pretty sure, palm sugar, and it was flavoured with star anise and what I think is tamarind sauce. It was served with a bowl of steamed rice, which I was grateful for because that meant I could make good use of all the sauce.

Cinnamon Spiced Duck Breast with Plum Sauce

The duck breast was depressing - the meat was tough, the skin was cold and rubbery. The flavour of the spicy cinnamon and sweet plum sauce was there, but the duck meat let it down. The bok choy was probably more enjoyable.

This finished our three courses, and let it be known that we never received our wine. Whilst the staff were friendly, and took the time to explain our dishes to us, they didn't really listen to us when we tried to request something. I wouldn't say that it was because they didn't think we were worth it, rather that they just had a routine for all their Spreets customers that they were used to.

“Carp’s Thai style” Baked Custard with Pandan and Coconut Ice Cream, and Black Sticky Rice with Jack Fruit Sorbet

This was our dessert. For two people, it didn't seem like much, and it wasn't. The ice cream was amazing, light and creamy, and the baked custard solid and comforting. The black sticky rice pudding wasn't sticky at all, it just seemed like someone had put a spoonful of rice on the plate. I didn't get what the white stuff on it was meant to be either, until I saw the menu - jack fruit sorbet. It was tangy, but otherwise lacked flavour and had melted before it got to our table.

Our experience here was mixed, and if I come back here it probably won't be as a Spreets customer. While the value was very good for what we paid, the service, quality and portion sizes did seem to be diminished in comparison to the experiences that other diners were having around us. Also, I do prefer being able to choose my own dishes. I would say that buying a voucher would be a good way to go if you're not sure about a restaurant, and don't want to pay a large amount just to end up disappointed.

Our tickets!

So are all diners created equal? Well, obviously I'd have to try a lot more places to find out, but in the case of Red Spoon Thai, it seems you get what you pay for.

Chefs firing up the wok when they see me taking a photo, the cheeky buggers :)

 

Red Spoon Thai

Shop GL3002 La Piazza
Top Ryde Shopping Centre
109-129 Blaxland Rd
Top Ryde
NSW 2112

Phone: (02) 9808 3998

Valley Thai, Green Valley

Green Valley is a suburb affectionately nicknamed by some (*cough* me *cough*) as "The Ghetto". Now, it's not as bad as all that, in fact, I went to school nearby and it's quite pleasant, but it's not exactly known for its fine dining scene.

Thus we were pleasantly suprised when Valley Thai opened up a couple of years ago. Nestled within The Valley Plaza on Wilson Rd, it's always been our emergency take-away option, but last saturday Mary Quite Contrary, Paulie and I decided to pay them a visit.

 

 

We enter and are shown to a table -  the place is pretty quiet, but has a nice decor. We're quickly given our menus, but apparently they're rationing, because we only receive two for three people. We browse the lunch specials before giving our orders.

 Lao Sausages - $8.50

 Chicken Satay - $8.50

The entrees come out after a short wait, and we eagerly dig in.

The sausage is great, a blend of herbs and really tender pork. Coriander really elevates the pork, making me want to savor every bite. I wasn't game enough to try the sweet chili sauce!

The chicken satay sticks are a favourite of ours, really tender and juicy with a great peanut flavour. It's got just enough chili to give it a bit of a kick. Paulie loves it so much he eats two, even though he's allergic to peanuts!

 Thai Styled Fried Rice with Pork - $11.00

 Hokkien Noodles with Beef - $12.50

 Pad Thai with Chicken - $12.50 (Lunch Special - $9.00)

Paulie's Thai Fried Rice was delicious, stir fried with vegetables, egg and succulent pork. It was very fresh and flavoursome, and was gone in about 5 minutes.

My Hokkien Noodles were great - stir fried broccoli, carrot, button mushroom, basil and spinach with thin, tender slices of beef in an oyster sauce with garlic, thai chili and egg. The noodles are also cooked perfectly, and the portion size is so big that I ask to take the rest home for Stephen.

Mary's dish, Pad Thai, was full of delicate, flat noodles, stir fried with chicken, tofu, egg, and bean sprouts. The sauce was redolent with peanut, and topped with crushed peanut topping.

After trying to finish our meals, and having to concede to the massiveness of the dishes, we waited for dessert. And waited. And waited. Turns out it was forgotten, and 15 minutes later we had to ask for it again. But when it came out, all was forgiven.

 
While we were waiting...

 
Black Sticky Rice Pudding - $7.50

We were intrigued with the Black Sticky Rice Pudding as we'd never had black rice before. It was great, sweet and served with strawberries, lychees and a good vanilla ice cream. We were almost full to bursting though, so we only had one between us.

Valley Thai might not be the greatest Thai restaurant in Sydney, but it's very good, and in my opinion, the best restaurant in Green Valley (well, there are only 5 or 6...). With good food, friendly (if slightly forgetful) service, and decent prices, it can only get better.

Valley Thai

19A The Valley Plaza
187 Wilson Rd
Green Valley, NSW
2168

Phone: 9607 8999
Fax: 9607 8977

Homemade Pad See Ew

Stephen here.

Have you ever ordered Pad See Ew at a Thai restaurant? Tried to replicate a recipe at home and it doesn't work out?

Well I have been attempting to get a working recipe and technique of Pad See Ew for quite some time. Now I'm happy to bring you both a recipe and technique which is both easy, quick and according to Jasmyne "better then the shops". I will also explain a few things that I have picked up from both people I know and the net.

Firstly, a significant factor the will determine the success of this dish is the heat of your wok. In a thai restaurant a high end BTU gas burner is generally used. What I'm talking about is all about generating the "wok smell" which is transferred into the food and gives that smoky and nutty flavour. In most instances, a normal gas stove top can be used at the highest possible heat and most people will say that an electric stove top is the worst way to go for Pad See Ew. Also, some people claim that a non-stick wok will also not bring this flavour. However, this recipe I have developed has been designed using both a non-stick wok and an electric stove top.

By all means, if you have a high end gas burner, a normal stove top or a traditional wok, try this recipe out. At the end of the day, if you have tried a Pad See Ew recipe and it hasn't worked out, then it is most likely not you nor the recipe, but the technique that has been applied. You will need a lot of heat, so turn your stove top right up to the max, you won't break your wok, and if you do develop that brown burning stuff on the bottom of your wok its a good thing, just scrub it off and enjoy.

Pad See Ew

INGREDIENTS

150g of sliced chicken breast or beef rump steak (per serve)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Soy sauce to coat

150g of rice noodles (per serve)

About 1/3 of a cup of Peanut Oil

1 egg (per serve)

2 tablespoons of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

Sauce mixture containing 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, about 15g of grated palm sugar, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar and 2 clove of garlic (minced) (for each serve)

Choice of vegetables (total to about 2 cups per serve)

Firstly marinate your meat. I used chicken for this recipe, but I'm yet to try beef, perhaps in the next few weeks. Marinate the meat in the baking soda and soy sauce to coat the meat. The meat was allowed to marinate for about 2 hours.

So once marinated, heat up some water to a simmer and half cook the meat in the water. Drain the meat and throw in the rice noodles until cooked, then drain. Whilst your blanching the meat heat your wok up to the highest heat possible (if using your basic home stove top). To test the heat of your wok, throw some water onto the wok and it should boil immediately.

Pour peanut oil into the wok once its properly heated. Crack the egg directly into the oil and scramble. The egg should cook within about 30 seconds. Then throw in the noodles, meat and kecap manis. Make sure you are constantly stirring the contents of the wok around. Add the sauce mixture. Stir everything well and then add your vegetables. For the recipe in this post I have used some baby bok choy, carrot and broccolini, but you can throw in anything you like, I was hoping to have some baby corn but my shop didn't have any in.

And once the veggies are greened and wilted your done, so serve and eat.

So what you need to take home from this post is to use as much heat as you can and that oil is your friend for this dish. I have used peanut oil rather then vegetable oil, which is what seems to be used for most recipes I have looked at, but the peanut oil will add to that nutty taste to the dish. Also have everything prepared before you start, this dish is extremely quick to cook usually only taking me about 5 minutes once I've started cooking on the wok. Also you should try not to cook more then 3 serves at a time, it will reduce the heat of your wok, its hard to stir and will make the noodles soggy and they will fall apart. And please do be careful, its extremely hot and did make one hell of a mess the first time I made it, with a hot noodle falling out of the wok onto Jasmyne's foot, so wear metal capped boots while you cook this dish.

I may as well also say that I have used a circulon wok, if your in the Sydney area you can pick one up for a reasonable price from Victoria's Basement.

Stephen out.