DUMI
NDLOVU'S SALMON WITH CRISP CHILLI SALAD
"I
like simple dishes like fresh salmon fillet topped with home-grown fiery
chillies and drizzled with lemon juice."
4
x 200 g salmon fillets
½
cup (125 ml) fresh basil
½
cup (125 ml) fresh mint
½
cup (125 ml) coriander
2
dried lime leaves, shredded
2
tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, to drizzle
For
the crisp chilli salad:
3
tbsp (45 ml) peanut oil
4
large green chillies, deseeded and shredded
4
large red chillies, deseeded and shredded
3
tbsp (45 ml) shredded ginger
(Serves
4)
To
make the crisp chilli salad, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a
high heat. Add the green and red chillies and ginger, and cook for 4 to
7 minutes, or until the ingredients are crisp. Remove from the pan with
a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Set aside.
To cook the
salmon fillet, use the same frying pan and oil that the chillies and
ginger were cooked in. Reduce the heat to medium add the salmon to the
pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your
liking.
To serve, toss the chillies and ginger with the basil, mint,
coriander and shredded lime leaves. Place the salmon on serving plates,
top with the chilli salad, and drizzle over the lime juice.
PETER
GOFFE-WOOD'S JAPANESE-STYLE PORK BELLY WITH DANCING BONITO
1.2
kg piece fat pork belly
1
x 5 cm chunk ginger
900
g seasonal greens or pak choi
2
tbsp (30 ml) English mustard powder
2
spring onions
2
tbsp (30 ml) bonito flakes
For
the soy master stock:
2
¼ cups (565 ml) good soy sauce (light)
1
¼ cup (315 ml) sake
1
¼ cup (315 ml) mirin
6
star anise
1
x 10 cm chunk ginger
2
cloves garlic
1
large chilli
4
pieces dried tangerine or orange peel
(Serves
4)
To
make the soy master stock (about 2.25 litres): Place
all the ingredients in a pot with 1.1 litres of water and bring to the
boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
To
prepare the pork: Cut the pot into 16 chunks, place in a large pot of
cold water, and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20
minutes. Drain in a colander, discarding the water. Return the pork to
the pan and pour over the prepared master stock. (The meat chunks need
to be covered so you may need to add water.)
Peel and slice the ginger
and add to the pot. Wash the greens and remove the stalks. Bring the
stock to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, by
which time the pork should be moist and tender. (It is important to cook
it as slowly as possible to prevent the meat from becoming dry and
tough.) When ready, carefully transfer the meat to a place and leave to
cool.
As soon as you can handle the meat, remove the skin and any bones.
Return the stock to the boil and skim. Leave it simmering on the hob. To
serve, gently warm the pork in a little stock. While the pork is
cooking, mix the mustard powder with an equal amount of water in a small
bowl and finely slice the spring onions. Blanch the greens in boiling
salted water for 2 minutes and refresh in cold water. Squeeze out any
excess moisture, but do not compress the leaves too much.
Just before
serving, gently reheat the greens in a few spoonfuls of stock in a
separate pan.
To serve,
mound the greens in a warmed serving dish.
Arrange the pork on top and dab with mustard. Scatter with sliced spring
onion, followed by the bonito. Quickly cover and bring immediately to
the table. When you take off the lid, the bonito flakes will have been
moved by the moist heat and will be dancing in the air!
Note:
This delicious, aromatic, easy-to-make soy master stock is used for
Chinese style braising of beef and chicken. Kikkoman soy sauce is best,
but is too expensive for such a quantity. Instead, buy an imported
Chinese brand from and Asian market, where they sell large bottles of
soy sauce very cheaply.
After you have finished using the stock, allow
it to cool then strain it into a suitable container and refrigerate. It
will keep pretty much indefinitely if you sieve it, store in a
clean-lidded container, and remember to boil it up twice a week. You can
use it again and again, with the addition of a fresh piece of ginger
each time.
Easier
still, simply freeze the stock until needed. Boil and strain before
using.
