Super Nice Ribs

1 side pork ribs
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup light soya sauce
1/4 cup shao hsing rice wine
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Cut the ribs into individual ribs (I use scissors). Bring a pan of water to the boil, add salt and ribs, simmer for 20 mins. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a large, ovenproof dish. Remove ribs from the pan and place in the marinade, mix thoroughly. When cool, cover and refrigerate for a few hours (if you can be bothered, give these a stir during the marinading time). When you're ready to eat, preheat oven to 200 degrees centrigrade, bake ribs for 30 mins or until brown, turning and basting once.



These are definitely the tastiest ribs I've ever made. Usually I just mix the marinade with the raw ribs but I read a few recipes where the ribs were first pre-boiled to tenderise them. This worked wonders and the meat was lovely and tender, falling off the bone. Adding the hot ribs to the marinade helped them soak up the flavours of the marinade. I also tend to use a shop bought marinade such as hoisin, cha sui or oyster sauce. I found that this homemade marinade gave the ribs a much deeper, savoury flavour. Delicious. Definitely making these again.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Noodles (rice, wheat or Miracle)
Some green veg (spinach, lettuce, Chinese leaves, bok choi etc.)
Cooked chicken
Chicken stock
Onions (spring, white or red), coriander, chilli etc. to garnish



Yum yum! Simple and delicious. I often add chilli bean paste to the stock for a spicy soup but didn't have any this time.

Honey Mustard Chicken

1/2 cup light soya sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 portions chicken

Mix soya sauce, honey, lemon juice, mustard and garlic together and pour over prepared chicken. Leave to marinade for at least 30 mins (can leave it overnight in the fridge). Bake chicken at 200 degrees centrigrade for 30 mins or until chicken is cooked through.

Bramborove Knedliky (Czech Potoato Dumplings)

1 cup leftover mashed potato
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl mix the mash, flour and salt, knead it to form a dough. Shape the dough into a log and steam for about 40 minutes. Remove from steamer, cut into slices and serve.

Yields 2 servings.

Some recipes call for boiling the knedliky in water. I have tried this and found that the surface of the knedliky turns a little mushy and slimy. I much prefer to steam it. This recipe produces perfect knedliky every time.



Serve knedlicky with goulash or any other roast meat. I made it with lamb chops in the picture.





Leftover knedliky can be cooled, stored in the fridge then sliced and fried. I prefer fresh knedliky - the fried knedliky tastes a bit like Chinese new year 'jung xi'.

Rosemary Maple Roast Nuts

4 cups cashews
4 tbsp maple syrup
25g butter
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 160 degrees centrigrade. Line a large flat dish or baking tray with foil or silicone baking sheet. Put maple syrup and butter into a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Place cashews on the baking tray, pour over the butter and maple syrup mix, stir to coat. Sprinkle on rosemary and salt. Bake 30 mins, stirring every 10 mins. Leave to cook completely before transferring to an airtight container.

Waldorf Salad

1 Granny Smith apple
2 sticks celery
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 handful raisins
1 handful walnuts, broken into pieces

Core and chop the apple into cubes, sprinkle on lemon juice, add mayonnaise and mix well to coat the apple. Chop the celery, mix into the apple. Sprinkle the raisins and walnuts over the top.



This is one of my favourite salads! I love the sour apple, crunchy celery, sweet raisins and fatty walnuts. Yum yum!

Orange Curd

3 oranges
1 lemon
450g sugar
6 eggs
112g butter

Grate the rind from one orange and the lemon. Juice all the fruit. Place juice, rind, eggs, butter and sugar into a glass bowl. Cook over a pan of simmering water until thick.

Yields 5 jars

I love lemon curd so I was keen to try orange curd. This curd is not as thick as the lemon curd, it's almost sauce-like. The flavour is more subtle. I've eaten it on yoghurt so far and it was tasty. I will get some bread in the morning and try it on toast. I have a feeling I will prefer lemon.