Showing posts with label homemade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homemade. Show all posts

Monday, June 28, 2021

STAYING HOME TO COOK UP A TRUE AUSSIE LAMB EXPERIENCE

 

Making charaben or character bento is no child’s play. Learning to prepare it was fun though after I was persuaded to join Meat Livestock Australia’s (MLA) True Beef Up Contest. 


Prior to making the charaben, I reviewed the useful tips gleaned from the Beef Up webinar hosted by MLA. Some of the key takeaways I recall from Mary Easaw, senior lecturer at the International Medical University and consultant dietician at CVSKL Hospital Kuala Lumpur include:

  •    Eating lean red meat three to four times a week is recommended for a healthy balanced diet
  •        Beef, especially True Aussie Beef, is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and other essential nutrients. Australian grass-fed beef is naturally low in fat and cholesterol, while offering a higher level of Omega 3 fatty acids.
  •        Moderation is key to a healthy diet. The basic guideline for a healthy plate is ½ plate colourful, non-starchy vegetables, ¼ plate carbohydrates (potato, pasta, rice) and ¼ plate protein (meat, fish, chicken or tofu)
  •           1 serving of meat = the size of the palm of your hand with the thickness of a deck of cards (65-100g) 1-2 x per week.

Air-fried Aussie beef Salad Nicoise-style shown by Chef Victor Chow

From the Beef Up webinar, we got some practical tips and inspiration from Chef Victor Chow who showed us 3 simple and delicious recipes on how to cook beef. More recipe ideas and information are found in the comprehensive media kit provided to us.

Since I opted for lamb, I decided the True Aussie Lamb Shabu Shabu slices would work well in a lunch box. To ensure it remains in the ‘lamb’ light, a charaben would be a cute and attention-grabbing way to showcase the meat.

It was the pack of Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce that gave me the charaben inspiration. 😄

TRUE AUSSIE LAMB CHARABEN


 

100g Aussie lamb slices

1 pack (25g) Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce

1 small pc nori sheet

200g cooked rice

2 tsp vinegar

1 tsp mirin

Pinch of salt

½ tsp mayonnaise

1 pc baby romaine lettuce (chopped)

2 eggs (beaten)

½ tomato (diced)

 

Marinate Aussie lamb slices with Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce for 15 minutes.

Heat pan and sauté lamb slices quickly. Set aside.

Cut nori sheet into two round discs and long “sheep ear” shapes.

Mix cooked rice with vinegar, mirin and salt. Shape and mould into rice balls.

Place each nori disc onto the rice balls with the “sheep ears” on the side. Dot some mayonnaise on top of the nori discs for the “eyes”.

(Tip: Use cupcake or muffin liner to hold rice balls)

Fry beaten egg into omelette, roll it up tightly and slice.

Fill lunch box with chopped baby romaine lettuce.

Place rice balls on top. Fill one quarter of lunch box with sautéed lamb slices. Decorate with diced tomato.

Fill remaining quarter of lunch box with sliced omelette rolls.

# # #



The whole experience was easier than I had anticipated. Not only the lamb slices cooked within minutes, everyone also enjoyed the delicious and meltingly tender meat. For us busy working mothers, #TrueAussieLamb is quick and easy to cook and that’s a godsend!

Bear in mind, lean red meat has lower fat content than chicken too. Trimmed of separable fat, lean beef has average 2.7g fat per 100g raw weight while skinless chicken has 3.5g.

Nutrient-wise, red meat is a great source of Iron (important for brain function), Zinc (for healthy bone development, fertility and immunity) and Omega-3. Other essential nutrients to be found include magnesium, selenium, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, Vitamins B5, B6 and B12 - vital for brain function, muscle development and function, immunity and energy.

During the Beef Up webinar, Sanjay Boothalingam, Australian Agriculture Counsellor from the Australian High Commission, highlighted Australian beef, lamb and goats are renowned for their quality, safety and halal compliance.

“Malaysia is the 3rd largest market for Australian mutton,” said Sanjay. “Australian meat are known for safety, quality, sustainability, reliability and traceability.” 

He also spoke at length on the stringent Halal compliance and legislature framework implemented by the Australian government, covering everything from animal welfare and husbandry, slaughter, on-field and plant audits by JAKIM, to import permits. 

Saturday, March 28, 2015

HOT & STEAMY AFFAIRS AT YE ZI


Coconut water broth and fresh ingredients are the headliners at Ye Zi, a new premium steamboat restaurant that's inspired by a famous Chinese restaurant in Shenzhen.
 
Dax Lee, CEO of The Group F&B and director of The Roof in Bandar Utama says that Ye Zi advocates clean and healthy eating hence the signature coconut water broth is supplemented by a wide repertoire of organic and semi organic dishes, fresh from the farm
to your table.
 
You can also add in organic chicken (RM20-1/2, RM30-whole) to boost the soup's sweetness further. Bamboo pith and waterchestnuts are the other ingredients found in the base.
"The Original Ye Zi broth (RM38) using coconut water emphasises the quality of the food. All base stocks are prepared daily. Key ingredients are brought in daily to ensure freshness while vegetables used are mostly organic or washed thoroughly," Lee explains.
 
Situated on the Sky Level of The Roof, Ye Zi boasts panoramic view of Bandar Utama from its ceiling-to-floor picture windows. The opulent Oriental themed decor features rows of amber-hued swirly shaped pendant lanterns as the key focal point here. There's also a section with semi-partitioned banquette seats along a feature wall adorned with Chinese ink paintings.
It was the most civilised steamboat affair I had encountered as the waitstaff on duty took great pains to explain each ingredient to us before dunking the item into the bubbling broth. Everything was cooked in an orderly manner, enabling us to savour and enjoy every morsel.
A tent card taught us how to concoct two special sauces - Ye Zi's Original Homemade Dip and A Local Alternative Dip. We really like the kick-ass homemade chilli dip which helps to ramp up the heat quotient. The other broth choices available sound equally intriguing: Imperial Canton Broth (RM88) with cabbage and bacon, Aromatic Taiwanese Beef Spice Broth (RM58), Fragrant Shao Xing Wine Seafood Broth (RM58) and Wild Forest Truffle Mushroom Broth (RM78).
Can't wait for the broth to boil? You can nibble on hot appetisers like Fried Chicken Cartilage (RM8) and Szechuan Fried Century Egg (RM15) - two tempting offerings that should keep hunger pangs at bay temporarily.
 
The noticeable difference between premium and normal steamboat is the quality of the ingredients served. The latter usually consists of mass produced, factory-made fish balls but the latter takes pride in housemade meat or fish balls. At Ye Zi, you get Black Truffle Balls (RM24),  Pepper Cheese Balls (RM16), Wagyu Beef Tendon Balls (RM18), Tung Choy Pork Balls (RM12), Mui Choy Pork Balls (RM12), Chicken Balls with Mushroom (RM12) and Squid Balls (RM16). Each variety is cooked separately so the distinct flavour stands out.
Homemade paste on the menu includes Fish & Tobiko Paste Noodle (RM18) which comes in a giant syringe to squeeze strands of the paste into the hot broth. Other options range from Prawn Paste (RM20) or Fish Paste (RM18) to Seaweed Fish Noodles (RM12).
We recommend the delectable Coconut Chicken Dumplings (RM12) and Imperial Seafood Dumplings (RM28) for their generous fillings. For that super-luxe dining experience, Ye Zi has live seafood available; a veritable treasure trove that covers deep-sea garoupa to clams and tiger prawns.
 
You'd have to dunk the finely sliced Pork Neck Meat (RM16) and Special Beef Slices (RM25) to avoid overcooking them. These paper-thin strips of meat cook easily so keep a close watch on them. Mindful of today's health-conscious clientele, Ye Zi has a whole line-up of organic and root vegetables (RM6-RM10) to ensure your steamboat turns out well-balanced.
 Those who crave for carbs can opt for imported Taiwanese Ramen (RM9) or Vermicelli (RM7) in addition to side orders of assorted Mushroom (RM8-RM12), Quail Eggs (RM4) and Beancurd Skin (Fu Chuk, RM8).
 


The languid pace makes the meal worthwhile as we get to discern the different nuances and delicate accents of each ingredient. For dessert, the Homemade Fragrant Coconut Ice Cream (RM10) is worth sampling.


For reservations, please call Ye Zi hotline: 012-3235841. Address: Sky Level, The Roof, 1 First Avenue, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

MS IVY - Congratulations! You have won 1 dining voucher worth RM300 from Ye Zi. Please email: alice12134@gmail.com with your full name, email address and contact number.

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