Jasmyne Tea

Caramel Chicken

Yes sirree bob, you read that right:

Caramel. Chicken.

This dish is the bomb.com. The bees knees. The cat's meow. It's awesome, it's radical, groovy, neat and hip.

It's simply splendid.

But don't take my word for it. Try it out yourself! It's quick and easy, the ingredients are cheap, and the recipe results in choice morsels of chicken smothered in a thick, syrupy sauce that's balanced perfectly between sweet and savoury.

Caramel Chicken
*Adapted from Bill Granger's Best of Bill

INGREDIENTS

8 chicken thigh fillets, skinless, quartered
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 brown onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cm piece of ginger, finely grated
freshly ground black pepper
60 mL (1/4 cup) dark soy sauce
115 g (1/2 cup) soft brown sugar   
60 mL (1/7 cup) fish sauce

to serve
steamed rice
steamed snow peas, asparagus, or chinese broccoli

1. Combine the oil and chicken together in a bowl and toss. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat, then cook the chicken in batches - 2 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from the pan.

2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Return the chicken to the pan, sprinkle liberally with pepper, add the soy sauce and stir to combine.

3. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to high, add the sugar and stir. Cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes until sauce is dark and syrupy and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

4. Add the fish sauce and stir to combine. Take off the heat, and serve with steamed rice and veggies.

Raw Food at Au Lac, Fountain Valley, California, USA

When Stephen and I were in the States, the phrase "Oh god, we're going to die!!!" passed my lips more than once. Now, there was no bomb threat or massive fire, and we weren't victims of a mugging - it was just that Stephen was driving on the opposite side of the road.

Don't get me wrong, Stephen's an excellent and skillful driver in Australia, but I was incredibly nervous when he drove us to Au Lac in Fountain Valley, about half an hour from where we were staying in Irvine. He had to navigate his way down the 405 highway, a highway that was at times about 10 lanes wide, with practically invisible lines marked and no "lane ends" signs. It was a nightmare. Add the fact that Stephen's brain kept trying to compensate for the reversed driver's seat position by making him veer dangerously to the right, and I was a mess by the time we pulled in to the parking lot at Au Lac.

Opening hours: The number 33 is a master number in the practise of Numerology, representing universal and unconditional love.

The ride from hell was swept from my mind, however, by the soothing and calming atmosphere of the restaurant. The staff were welcoming and seemed genuinely happy to see us (and even happier to have overseas guests), and the soothing, meditative music was interspersed by laughing tracks that just made us smile.

We looked at drinks to order, but we had some questions (there were a lot of elixers, and we wanted to know how they were supposed to benefit us). The waitress told us what she could, but then when we went more in depth (Stephen knows a fair bit about the human body due to his studies), she brought out Chef Ito to explain. Now, this was quite the experience, because Chef Ito is in the midst of a 6 year vow of silence; he was incredibly expressive though, and using his facial expressions and hand gestures, was able to communicate with us effectively.


Noni Kombucha - US$5.00
 
We ordered the Kombucha tea, which we were told is good for digestion. It's a bubbly tea drink that's fermented with yeast and bacteria, and flavoured with Noni (also known as "cheese fruit" or "vomit fruit", lol), a hawaiian fruit known for its bitter flavour and strong odour.

Brazil NutMilk - US$7.00

The Brazil NutMilk was thick and filling, and the subtle nutty flavour was a treat.

There are two seperate kitchens here, one for their cooked, vegetarian menu, and one for their raw or "living" food. The food in the second kitchen is vegan, and nothing in the kitchen had been heated above 40 degrees Celsius, in the belief that food cooked above this temperature can be harmful to the body.

Chimichurri - US$5.00

This bread is made with sprouted flax, and is dehydrated, resulting in a loaf of dense, moist, chewy, and completely raw bread. It's served with a garlic and herb oil, and is filling and delicious.

Fried Chicks - US$14.00

Of course, if you've ever had chicken before, you know straight away that this isn't chicken, but I think it's an excellent substitute. The cauliflower was dehydrated until it was super crunchy, and drizzled with oil, ginger and spring onion. The "rice" wasn't actually rice; I'm pretty sure our server said it was jicama or Mexican turnip.


Jino's Pizza - US$12.00

The pizza base was made much like the chimichurri bread, spread with sundried tomato, and covered in raw tomato, basil and "melted mozzarella"- not quite sure what the substitution was, but it was creamy and tasted much like cream cheese.

Donut Holes - US$7.00

I couldn't believe this was raw. The donut holes were made with spirulina, a type of salt water algae known for its health benefits. They came out warm, and were firm on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside. The taste wasn't familiar, but it was earthy and slightly sweet, a great way to finish our meal.

Au Lac was one of my favourite experiences of my time in California. The food was something special (and good for me!), the people were amazingly friendly and lovely, and the atmosphere left me feeling energised and awesome, and definitely helped me unwind after our frazzled journey there. The chef even came out to say goodbye to us! If you're ever in the area, I really suggest a visit - unless you're a hardcore carnivore, you won't regret it.

Au Lac Restaurant

16563 Brookhurst St

Fountain Valley, CA

92708

USA

http://www.aulac.com

Cabramatta's Signature Dishes: Bau Truong

There's an event being held for Crave Sydney International Food Festival this year, a self-guided tour of sorts. On Sunday Elain, Katie and I went on a quest to find and experience a signature dish of Cabramatta; all we had to do was find a restaurant with a sign in their window stating what their particular dish was. There were quite a few pictures of Pho lining John Street, but Bau Truong had a particularly appetising sign featuring a prawn, pork and green paw-paw salad that beckoned to us.

Elain had never had Vietnamese before, so she let me order (and I do so love to choose what to eat). When the lady at the front of the restaurant pointed us to a table and gave us menus, I tried to think of things to order that would be a good introduction to this cuisine, and I think I did a fairly good  job.

Pork and Taro Spring Rolls - $8.50

The pork in these spring rolls was cut in chunks that came out soft and tender. The taro lent its unique, earthy flavour to the pork, and the wrapper crunched loudly when bitten in to.

Crispy Sticky Rice - $10.00

The crispy sticky rice was flavourless, but had a great crunch to it. It was served with glazed pork (from the rib I think) which was sweet and pull-apart soft, and which gave the dish some added depth.

These prawn crisps were complimentary and were excellent, all crispy and crunchy and giving my sister hours of entertainment.

Signature Dish: Green Paw-Paw with Prawn and Pork Salad - $15.00

The signature dish was a beautiful and fresh salad consisting of thin strips of raw green paw-paw and carrot, tender diced pork and cold prawn halves. The dish was served cold, but with so much chilli that my mouth was on fire. It was topped with crunchy peanuts, and all in all was a great salad, and a dish suited to the hot day.

Raw Salmon Salad - $18.00

Elain was tempted by the raw salmon salad, another fresh concoction of beautiful ingredients. The salmon, while raw, was marinated in lemon, lime and chilli, and was accompanied by strips of raw green apple, carrot, and peanuts.

Beef Noodle Soup (Pho) - $10.00

The quintessential Vietnamese dish is a big bowl of Pho, which is why I ordered it. The broth was more fragrant with herbs than what I've had before, but it still had that solid, meaty flavour to it that I love so much. The beef was very thinly sliced, and just barely cooked, leaving it soft and easy to tear apart with my chop sticks. The noodles were silky and smooth, and a squeeze of lemon lifted the whole dish.

Fried Beef Noodles with Dark Soy - $13.00

This was Katie's choice, but of course I snatched a bit. The thin slices of beef practically melted in my mouth, and the rice noodles were a lot of fun to eat. The onion was just cooked so that the pieces were still crunchy, and everything was cooked in a dark soy sauce that was wonderfully salty.

My sister with upside down chopsticks :)

Bau Truong provided an excellent experience for people who'd never tried Vietnamese, and I happen to know that Elain will definitely be back. I, however, look forward to trying more signature dishes of Cabramatta, and think it's an excellent event for the Crave Sydney International Food Festival.

Bau Truong

42 John St
Cabramatta, NSW
2166

Phone: 9727 4492

Pho Pasteur, Bankstown

I'll be honest, I don't know much about Vietnamese food. I was just never exposed to it, and, knowing nothing about it, I was too nervous to spend money on something that I didn't know I'd like. I mean, what if I couldn't find anything to order and I was stuck at the table, staring at the menu until I was asked to leave?

Recently my friend Mary took me to a Vietnamese restaurant in Canley Heights for my first bowl of Pho, practically holding my hand as I observed the menu with caution, and from then I was in love (with Pho, not Mary, lol). 

Mary was leaving for the Phillipines, so we met up for Vietnamese again, this time in Bankstown. After a lot of internet research, the Pho Pasteur here (as opposed to Parramatta or Blacktown) won out.

Stepping into the restaurant, we were struck by how - well, crappy -  the interior was. There were tables full of dirty dishes, the floors were dirty, and the decor was incredibly drab. However, the table we found was clean, as were the utensils put out for our use, so we stuck to our guns and ordered.

Large Special Beef Pho - $11.00

Darling Sonia was brave enough to order the Special Beef Pho, which in addition to silky, slippery rice noodles and tender beef, also includes meatballs, tripe, and tendons. The broth was light yet meaty in flavour, and fragrant with spices. A mountain of bean sprouts and basil added to an already amazing dish.

Small Chicken Pho - $9.00

I ordered a small, because I was planning on trying some other dishes (of course!). The chicken was perfectly poached, and the broth had a lighter flavour than the beef version.

The accompanying sauces and foliage was a bit confusing, because it came before all of the dishes, and they were unceremoniously plonked on the table with no explaination.

Prawn and Pork Rice Paper Rolls (price unknown)

The rice paper rolls were lovely and fresh, with chilled, juicy prawns and succulent pieces of pork complimented by the uplifting mixture of vietnamese basil, mint and coriander and vermicelli noodles.

Grilled Pork Chop with Vermicelli - $10.00

Paul ordered the Grilled Pork Chop, being famished and coming straight from a football game. The pork was a bit tough and chewy, but that's the way he likes it - dead. It came with a refreshing cucumber salad, fried vermicelli noodles and a fried egg that was runny in the yolk and crispy 'round the edges.

Spring Roll with Vermicelli - $9.00

I was a bit puzzled by this dish; I thought that I'd be presented with spring rolls with vermicelli inside them, but they were just plain spring rolls - quite good by the way, wonderfully crispy - on a bed of the noodles. What the hell was I meant to do with those noodles? I asked one of the staff, but they just told me to eat it (plain vermicelli is definitely NOT my cup of tea).

Crispy Chicken with Tomato Rice - $9.50

Mary predictably ordered the Crispy Chicken with Tomato Rice, and she loved it. The skin shattered on impact, revealing juicy chicken, and the tomato rice was tender and full of flavour.

Pho Pasteur in Bankstown was a look-beyond-the-surface kind of restaurant  - if you can brave the ugly interior and make it to a table, the food, and the prices, make it worthwhile. Bon Voyage Mary!

Pho Pasteur

295 Chapel Rd
Bankstown, NSW
2200

Phone: (02) 9790 2900

Bau Truong, Canley Heights

I was inspired to try a restaurant at Canley Heights by Phuoc'n Delicious' Twelve Spices review; here is a suburb that I live 10 minutes away from, has a plethora of asian restaurants, but which I've never even set foot in. In a bid to remedy this travesty, the next time Mary and her little lamb Paul asked me out for lunch, I immediately suggested a trip along Canley Vale Rd. Imagine my dismay when I realised I'd forgotten my camera! Luckily, Paul graciously allowed me to used his.

Mary and Paul :)

When we entered the restaurant, we immediately noticed the modern decor: the colours adorning the walls were bold red and contrasting white, the furniture was a dark wood, and the crockery was plain, white and large.

Bit blurry, but you get the picture.

Fishies!

We were shown to our seats by a smiling waitress, and given menus. The menu is very extensive, and it took about 10 - 15 minutes for us to decide what to order. While we were perusing, we were given jasmine tea:

We ordered, and our drinks came first. Paul and Mary got coke and fanta ($3 each), and I asked for something I'd never seen before, a Custard Apple Fruit Shake.

Custard Apple Fruit Shake, $4.00

The fruit shake was brought out, and it was perfectly white. The liquid was thick and light, and the flavour was a very subtle sweetness with a hint of custard apple. Very refreshing!

The accoutrements to our meals

Crispy Skin Chicken with Tomato Rice - $10.00

This was the dish that Mary ordered, and we knew straight away that she liked it (our Mary is a very fussy eater). The chicken was tender, and the skin of it was practically crackling, the way it crunched in the mouth. The tomato rice was fragrant with coriander, and rich with fresh tomato flavour.

Beef Pho - $10.00

The beef pho was flavoursome and rich. There wasn't much beef in the soup, about 5 or 6 very thin slices, but they were incredibly tender and melted in the mouth. The noodles were thin, and cooked so that they were very soft. The broth itself was a simple clear beef broth, but it was elevated by the freshness of the spring onion, and bean sprouts gave the dish a bit of a crunchy texture.

Special Steak - $12.00

Paul, the ever adventurous, decided to try the dish mysteriously labelled 'Special Steak', and he was actually pretty lucky! Out came a dish with an assortment of things he liked to eat. Particularly noteworthy was the actual steak, which was served well done but still tender, and the fried egg, crispy on the edges and gooey in the middle.

Bau Truong was pretty good in terms of food and service, and the decor made it a pleasant place to be. With a massive range of dishes at pretty low prices, it's a place I can go back to over and over and never have a repeated experience.

Bau Truong

Shop 250, Canley Vale Rd
Canley Heights, NSW
2166

Phone: (02) 9755 7099