You alway wonder how much you need to by when you cater for a home party? The reason is whatever cut you get, you will loose some of the weight and volume of the meats when cooking them. Keep reading!

Meat and other animal proteins such as poultry and fish do shrink when you cook them. Here's are some tips and tricks for you to work out.

What causes meat to shrink?

When the protein or meat is heated, it releases juices that cause the protein to shrink. The amount the protein-containing food shrinks depends upon how fatty it is and how much moisture it contains. For example, you can pork belly and beef tenderloin, you will loose a lot more for the beef as it is lean especially when you want a welldone piece of meat. It also depends on how long the food is cooked and at what temperature.

How do you keep meat from shrinking? 

Typically, higher cooking temperatures result in greater shrinkage so you can cook the meats at a lower temperature can reduce moisture loss to some extent. You may also use a quick fry method such as 2 minute steak. 

How much does meat shrink when cooked? 

In general, meat, poultry and fish will shrink about 25 percent when cooked. Make sure to take the shrinkage into consideration when purchasing raw meat. If you want to end up with 200g meats per person for example, you’ll need to buy 250g of raw meat.

Does meat shrink in a slow cooker?

Any time an animal protein is heated, it changes form and releases liquid. But since higher heat typically causes more shrinkage, it may shrink less in a slow cooker. What's more, because slow-cooker meats sit in the liquid they release, they may come out tasting juicier. However, lean proteins like chicken breasts are an exception; they could end up drying out in a slow cooker. 

Australian food today is vibrant with many cultures around the world however the food culture of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. We explore other cuisines but we can also learn about Aboriginal culture and cuisine so we can have deep understanding of Australian landscape and its indigenous food. And cook, share and celebrate our native ingredient experience. For the the first people of Australia, food isn’t just about nutrition, it’s a social activity that brings people together.

From Italian and Mexican to Vietnamese and Indian, there are so many different flavours that have made their way into contemporary Australian cuisine. But along the way, we have often forgotten our own indigenous flavours that take inspiration from our diverse landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and cultivates the notion of sharing food with others. For the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, food isn’t just about nutrition – it’s a social activity that brings people together. 

Having a good stock or broth is important in producing the best soups, stews, sauces and other dishes. It’s the foundation, or base layer, where you can begin to build flavour and umami. Obviously making your own is time consuming, but a quality homemade stock far surpasses a store bought one.

The Bones

With the exception of vegetable stock, all stocks are made by simmering bones in water with aromatics, vegetables, herbs and/or spices. The key component in bones which gives a stock its viscosity is cartilage, a connective tissue around the joints, where muscles are attached. Cartilage is high in collagen, which breaks down into gelatine when simmered. This is what gives stock its body and turns it jelly-like when cooled.

When making chicken and other poultry stocks, you would typically use a whole carcass. This means you don’t really need to worry about what type of bones to use. Although, chicken wings and tips are particularly high in collagen, which make for a rich, full-bodied stock.

Brown vs White Stocks

Brown stock is generally made from beef or veal bones that are roasted prior to cooking. Pork or chicken bones can be treated in this manner also, however the flavour which they develop is much milder. Extra colour can also be obtained by adding some sort of tomato product (e.g. tomato paste), roasted or darker coloured vegetables (e.g. onion skins or leek tops). After roasting, the darkened bones are transferred to a stockpot, covered with cold water and simmered for hours along with chosen vegetables. 

White stock is made from bones and vegetables which are not roasted. Often, the bones are blanched and washed before simmering to remove any excess scum, which can cause bitter flavours and cloudy appearance to develop.

The goal of simmering (not boiling) is to extract the collagen from any available connective tissue in the bones. This takes longer with beef, lamb and veal than it does with poultry bones, which is why chicken stock is comparatively quicker to make. Chicken and pork stock should only take 2-3 hours to produce a delicious, golden liquid. However, beef, lamb and veal can take anywhere from 6-12 hours of simmering to extract maximum flavour.

Vegetable & Fish Stock

Fish stock, which is made from fish bones, requires the least amount of simmering. Only 20-30 minutes to be exact. Delicate herbs and vegetables can be used such as dill, fennel and chervil to compliment the delicate flavours in the seafood. We recommend avoiding oily fish types such as salmon or mackerel bones, as they are too heavy and fatty for stock making.

Even without meat, the liquid produced from just simmering vegetables and a few aromatics can be extremely flavourful. Vegetable broth is easy and quick to make and is far preferable to water when making soups, stews and sauces. 30 minutes- 1 hour of gentle simmering will make for a great vegetable stock.

Asian Stocks

To categorise all Asian stock varieties and techniques into a few paragraphs is rather a complex feat. However, here are some points to think about when making an Asian style stock, which are generally different to traditional, European methods.

Vegetables, aromatics and spices will differ greatly when making an Asian stock. The use of vegetables such as daikon (Japanese radish), wombok (Chinese cabbage) and spring onions can add a subtle sweetness to a broth. Aromatics such as ginger, garlic, lemongrass and even galangal or kaffir lime can be added to produce intense flavours and aroma. For savoury notes, dried seafood, shiitake mushrooms or seaweed kelp can be used in the process. Japanese dashi stock is a great example of this. Spices are important too. The use of whole spices such as cassia bark, clove, cardamom, star anise and coriander are what give Vietnamese pho it’s iconic taste.

For the bones, they are generally cleaned thoroughly prior to making Asian stocks. This can be done by rinsing and scrubbing with salt, blanching for a few minutes in boiling water (followed by washing), or soaking in water overnight to remove any impurities. The blanching process can be done directly into boiling water, or from a cold-water start. The cold-water start takes a little longer but produces a cleaner broth.

Tips

Start With Cold Water

Some of the proteins in collagen are soluble in cold water and some in hot. For the richest stock, it's important to start the bones in cold water and bring them to a simmer, very slowly. Never let your stock boil as it makes the liquid unpleasant and cloudy. Cooking your stock for its recommended time, ensures the ingredients don’t start to disintegrate or turn bitter either. Suggested cooking times are mentioned earlier in this article.

Don't Stir

It might be tempting to give the pot a stir as it simmers, but you should try to resist the temptation. Agitating the stock will more than likely cause it to turn out opaque and dull. However, do skim off any of the scum that rises to the surface. Foam and bubbles will naturally float to the top throughout the cooking duration, continue to remove them to keep the stock clean. This is especially important in the first hour or so, when the bulk of impurities are being drawn out.

Don't Season

In general, it's not a great idea to season your stock with salt. In most cases, that stock will be used to prepare another recipe, whether it's a sauce, soup or stew. Whatever that dish is, your stock will most likely reduce to some extent, making the salt concentrated. It means you’ll have less control over the seasoning in the final product. 

Convenience

If you do not have the time to make your own, here are some ready-made stock brands available in Australia that get our tick of approval. Basically, you want something that’s not too high in sodium and free from any artificial colours or flavour enhancers. The more ‘natural’ the better!

• Moredough
• Maggie Beer
• The Stock Merchant
• Simon Johnson
• Campbells ‘Real Stock’

Fresh and dried aromatics, spices and herbs are vital components when cooking authentic Vietnamese food. They are what give the nations cuisine it’s iconic flavour and freshness. Vietnamese dishes use common ingredients such as salt, sugar, pepper, onion and garlic, but use herbs more liberally than any other cuisine. Herbs are used not only as garnishes in Vietnamese cooking, but as the vegetables themselves as bases for soups, stir fries, salads and stews. Here is a list of common aromatics, herbs and spices you might find in Vietnamese recipes.

Fresh Aromatics

• Galangal 
• Coriander root
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Green Peppercorns
• Lemongrass
• Young Ginger
• Shallots
• Spring Onions
• Chilli
• Turmeric
• Kaffir Lime Leaves
• Lalot (Betel leaf)
• Lemon Leaf

Fresh Herbs

• Bitter Herbs
• Chinese Chives (Garlic Chives)
• Coriander 
• Sawtooth Coriander
• Dill
• Fish mint
• Holy Basil
• Lemon Basil
• Thai Basil
• Mint
• Vietnamese Mint (Hot Mint)
• Peppermint - Hung Cay
• Rice Paddy Herb- Ngo Om
• Sorrel
• Spearmint - Hung Lui
• Perilla Leaf - Tia To
• Vietnamese Balm - Kinh Gioi

Dried Spices

• Black Cardamom
• Black Peppercorns
• White Peppercorns
• Cinnamon
• Coriander Seeds
• Casia Bark
• Fennel Seeds
• Cloves
• Cumin
• Dried Chillies
• Star Anise

Vietnamese cuisine is one of the most diverse and vibrant in the world. It uses an enchanting mix of food from colonial visitors, native ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. Many aspects of climate, trade, history and immigration has influenced the food of Vietnam we know today.

When we think about Vietnamese food, we imagine a cuisine that’s fresh, healthy and full of flavour! Vietnamese cooks use a mix of fresh and preserved ingredients varying in colour, texture and flavour. Commonly, not a lot of fat is used during cooking and a generous amount of herbs and vegetables accompany most dishes. The careful balance between select spices, herbs, meats and carbohydrates round out the excellent taste of Vietnamese meals.

Influences

So many nations have had a strong influence on Vietnamese food culture. The impact of Chinese and Khmer dynasties, Indian empire, the Japanese occupation and French colonial rulers can be seen all over the country. A perfect example of a Vietnamese dish that mixes historical cultural influences with the native cuisine is the iconic ‘Banh Mi’, a crusty baguette filled with pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, herbs, chilli, pate, mayonnaise and various proteins. The incredible flavours and textures of this delicious sandwich (combined with its low cost) make this a popular street food dish. Another classic is the adored ‘Pho’ which is found throughout Vietnam and all over the world. The fragrant, rich rice noodle soup typically made with beef or chicken is served with herbs, citrus, bean sprouts and chilli. Although a famous Vietnamese dish, it has Chinese and French influences in its use of spices and cooking methods.

Regional Cuisines

Vietnam is made up of three distinct areas: The North, the Central Highlands and the South. Each has their own climate, culture and food traditions. Generally speaking, the North is more influenced by neighbouring China and the food tends to embrace its colder climate. The South draws inspiration from tropical influences, its hotter climate means a greater emphasis on salads, seafood, fruit, grilled meats & coconut. Central Vietnam tends to have a blend of the two styles. The use of rice and noodles is prevalent through all regions.

Despite being a small country in Southeast Asia, the food from each region in Vietnam carries unique characteristics that reflect the varied geographical and living conditions. The traditional southern Vietnamese meal is composed of fresh ingredients that only the fertile Mekong Delta can provide. The southern Vietnamese style diet is very 'green', with vegetables, fish and tropical fruits as the main ingredients.

Central Vietnam is the region which food is prepared with the strongest, boldest flavours. This region is continuously under extreme weather conditions throughout the year. It doesn’t have the abundance of fresh produce available like in the north and south. Instead, the coastline around the central Vietnam area is known for its salt and fishing industries. Due to the drastic differences in climate and lifestyles throughout the three regions of Vietnam, the foods vary. Northern Vietnamese cooking is the least bold in flavour compared to the ones from central and southern Vietnam.

Ingredients

Vietnamese cooking has a distinct style all of its own and some key ingredients used are fish sauce, sugar and rice. Although very similar to its closest neighbours (Thailand and Cambodia), Vietnamese cuisine tends to be less spicy, lighter and more fragrant. A typical shared meal might include soup, rice, grilled or steamed meats, a vegetable side, fresh fruit and a salad, all placed on the table together.

Nước mắm (fish sauce) is the most commonly used and iconic condiment in Vietnamese cooking. It is made from fermented raw fish and is used in most Vietnamese dishes during cooking process or added afterwards as seasoning. Other basic pantry staples include:

• Shrimp paste
• Soy sauce
• Rice & rice-based flour/noodles
• Fresh herbs- mint, Vietnamese mint, coriander, sawtooth coriander, Thai basil, dill
• Fruit & vegetables
• Aromatics- ginger, chilli, lemongrass, spring onion, shallots, turmeric
• Spices- cassia bark, star anis, clove, pepper

Vegetarian Options

Many Vietnamese enjoy a selection of vegetarian and vegan foods too. Often people are working where there is no refrigeration, so it is safer to keep meat free items such as nuts and seeds. It’s also a more cost-effective way of eating as meats can be much more expensive than vegetables.

Restaurants with the signage “chay” (vegetarian), indicate their dishes are generally served with tofu instead of meat. Nearly every soup, sandwich and street food item has a vegetarian correspondent. Sometimes you may see menu items like "phở chay", "bánh mì chay" (vegetarian lunch) or "cơm chay" (vegetarian rice).

Choosing Pots and Pans to Improve Your Cooking? Rather than having a rack filled with pots and pans of all shapes and sizes, owning a few pieces will give you the flexibility to cook whatever you want and the performance you need to cook it better.

One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powdered blend that typically has five or more dried spices. These can include cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Each culinary region (even household) has a distinctive garam masala blend and individual chefs will also have their own. This spice blend has so many uses.

Chaat Masala is must have in your pantry sprinkled on top of Indian snacks for a real flavour kick!

The Knives We Use? Whether you are new to cooking or experienced in your kitchen, mastering knife skills is not only important for keeping you safe but will make your recipes that much better. Ingredients that are cut uniformly cook at the same rate and result in a dish that is cooked properly throughout. Since each piece of food is cut in the same fashion, the finished dish will have a nice presentation. 

Many of us have overstocked essentials and thus we must learn the art of storing food with an extended shelf life thus minimizing food waste. Here are the tips which can help keep your food fresh for an extended period of time.

 A stocked pantry is the best way to ensure you'll have everything you need to make a healthy and flavorful meal every day. A combination of classic pantry staples such as tin tomatoes, chicken broth and tin beans and flavour-boosting convenience items like herb mixes, soy sauce and jarred pesto are key to keeping your kitchen dinner-ready. 

Plan A Weekly Menu? Are you struggling to manage a busy lifestyle and eat right? Menu planning may be the answer. You’ll find it easier to eat well, save money and get tasty meals to the table faster. Which of these steps can help you to plan better?

Food Hygiene & Safety At Home? Each year millions of people get sick from food born illnesses which can cause you to feel like you have the flu. They can also cause serious health problems and affect the immune-compromised the most. Good personal hygiene can help prevent food poisoning. Bacteria that cause food poisoning can be on everyone, even healthy people. You can spread bacteria from yourself to the food if you touch your nose, mouth, hair or your clothes, and then onto food. Follow these four steps to help keep you and your family safe or you can try out master classes

Otao kitchen has curated a variety of Online Asian Cooking Classes perfect for celebrating home cooking at home with Asian foods beyond Melbourne cooking studio. Guests can choose from a collection of options that allow you to connect with family and friends virtually and find meaningful ways to celebrate the food and people you love from a distance. Regardless of where your friends and families are living, Online Cooking Experiences make it easy to create lasting memories and design a special day just for "cook and connect". 

Have you ever gone to the supermarket to pick up something and you ended up walking out with other things you think you'll need? If so, keep reading. Supermarkets and groceries have secrets to get us to buy items we weren’t planning to buy. Here are the secrets you should know before your next grocery trip.

#1 Spraying Produce with Water

Once fresh produce is picked, they begin to lose its natural moisture so fruits and vegetables dry out. Spraying water on fresh produce helps keep it hydrated so that it maintains moisture and letting it taste fresher for longer. Plump produce also looks fresh and you are more likely to buy food that looks good.

#2 Milk Fridge In The Back of the Store

Few people said that milk needs to be refrigerated otherwise it goes off so when deliveries are made at the back of grocery stores so having milk fridges there would be the best location. However, the real reason is that people come to the supermarket to buy milk, placing the milk fridge in the back forces visitors to walk through the entire store to find it. The result is that you end up seeing interesting products and likely you will buy more than you planned.

#3 Music Encourages You to Linger

Many supermarket play music with a rhythm that’s slower than the average heartbeat, which encourages you to move slower, making you spend more time in the supermarket. 

#4 Supporting Local Causes

Supermarkets often have budgets laid out for supporting local causes. If the organisation is having a fundraiser, asking your local grocery store for a donation is a great place to start. 

#5 Price at the Unit Pricing

When buying everyday items like rice or pasta sauce, it can be tempting to reach for the item that’s $4.50, instead of the one that’s $5.99. If you look closely at the price tag and you’ll notice the price per unit. Usually, it’s the smaller, lighter and cheaper bags that end up costing you more.

#6 Fresh Produce Entrance

Having flowers, fruits and vegetables be the first thing you see when you enter a grocery store, gives your brain the impression that you’re entering a place that’s natural and fresh. Supermarkets know that this zen entry is not only welcoming but it also makes you feel good about shopping at the store.

#7 Almost Expired Produce Used in Prepared Foods

Ever wondered where all that excess meats and produces goes once it's on its last legs? Many stores give it one last appeal in the prepared foods section - marinaded meats, cooked pies, prepared sausages and so on.

You might stress out of finding something to do on Valentine day? Going out or staying at home? For sure, you might find more romantic than going out to eat on Valentine’s Day and that is cooking for someone at home. Whether you cook together or create a culinary masterpiece to surprise your love, step out of your comfort zone and try your hand at these Asian recipes to really set the mood for love.

#1 Vietnamese Spring Rolls 

It's really easy to make restaurant-quality spring rolls at home. This little spring rolls can be frozen and cook straight from frozen in the oven or better at home to shallow fry them!

Check out the recipe here 

#2 Thai Glass Noodle

Glass noodle salad belonged to my favourites. Like in the majority of Thai salads, it is a great mix of flavours like spicy, sweet and sour. You can garnish with peanuts however in the class we may not provide peanut as someone might have an allergy. 

Check out the recipe here 

#3 Green Papaya Salad

If you visit Thailand on the streets of Bangkok, food vendors pound together this combination of green papaya, chillies, fish sauce and lime. Make this salad as tradition dictates with a large mortar and pestle to create the unique flavours of Thailand. More Green Curry and Red Curry Making as a base for your dishes.

Check out the recipe here

#4 Making dumplings 

 It's easy to prepare, budget-friendly and great-tasting, so what's not to love about dumplings! We've got chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian and more dumplings to make. You can use the ready-made wrapper.

Check out the recipe here

#5 Chinese Custard Tart

Egg tart made with Chinese puff pastry is one of the best Chinese desserts among the dim sum spread in Cantonese cuisine

Check out the recipe here

You can make a pizza party at home and pizzas can be as tasty as some of the best on the planet. With little planning and practice, you will become good at it, we are here to help though.

It has been almost 20 years since I finished Chef school in Wellington. I have worked in restaurant kitchen, catering company, my own cafe, luxury hiking lodge and now with Otao Kitchen. Quite often, people invest a lot of time, money and efforts into cooking and then when you taste the food you start to wonder how to make your cooking easier. I have few tips i can share with you:

It doesn’t matter if you are a professional chef or a home cook, we all have bad days in the kitchen where you accidentally put too much salt in your stew or overcook your pasta. In this blogpost, we would like to share some cooking tips that will save your dinner on one of those bad days!

Healthy eating goes beyond just consuming nutritious food. The way you prepare your food is equally important. If you had been eating out lesser and cooking at home more often, kudos to you!! That’s a great start to healthy eating! Now, let’s take a step further by using these tips to cook healthier meals at home!

It's always good to be a little saucy, especially when it comes to food! Sauces play an important role in maximising flavours, adding juiciness and improving the mouth feel of a dish. For instance, if you’re having a BBQ party at home, having a delicious sauce to slather over your BBQ meat will make a world of difference.

There is only couple of weeks to go until Christmas and while you are working you head might be planning for a Christmas lunch or dinner ideas. Whether you are guests or hosting, here are some tips to make things run as smoothly as possible.

Rice is a staple food in many Asian countries. If you’re travelling in Asia, it is common to see the locals having rice at every meal, including breakfast! Different countries have different ways of eating and cooking rice. And yes, it is more than just white rice and dishes! We are thrilled to share some of our favourite rice recipes with you!

If you’re thinking about eating healthy on a budget, beans and lentils are your perfectsolution. Beans and lentils are not just rich in fibre and B vitamins, they are also a greatsource of protein for vegetarians. Visit (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthiest-beans-legumes) to find out what are the healthiest beans and legumes you can introduce toyour diet!

With the huge variety of beef cuts available in the market, it is easy to be overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right cut. For the most of us, we’ll end up purchasing the more popular cuts such as the rib-eye, sirloin, fillet or rump steak. However, it is important to note that each cut has a unique texture and flavour that suits certain cooking methods and recipes. With this infographic from BBC Good Food, you’ll get to know a thing or two about these popular cuts. There are a few tips and tricks on how to cook the perfect steak regardless of which cut you’ve purchased.

“Winner winner, chicken dinner!” A catchphrase that most Australians will be familiar with! In this post, we’ll be sharing three different methods to cook a whole chicken, from the perfect basic chicken roast to Indian, and Malaysian/Singaporean recipes. This chicken recipes will make you feel like a champion after making it, and even more so after eating it!

It is a well-known fact that fruits and vegetables are nutrition-packed food and is a crucial part of a healthy diet. But did you know that the way you prepare and consume them can boost those nutrients further so that your body absorbs the most out of it?

Family life is so busy these days. Between work, school, after school activities, homework, social commitments and more busy stuffs. Putting a healthy freshly made meal on the table can be complex tasks. While most most of us value family meals and understand the benefits of family eating together. There is so much dinner is not just a meal it is an opportunity to connect, cook, eat, share and feel good stories. Here we have tips for you to get you better at getting the family meals and everyone can enjoy!

Quite often after cooking nice dinner we felt overwhelm with cleaning the kitchen! Here we show you some tips to clean the kitchen and get optimised the the use of your kitchen and cut down time to clean your kitchen. 

Having tasted everything Thai cooking in the restaurant would be amazing things for most of us. Imagine the points you’ll rack up if you can make the easy Thai recipes and dishes to shout your friends at home party. If you are looking to explore Thai Cooking then you might start to see limes, fish sauce, peanuts and rice noodles for your path to create your first Thai meal. Over the time you may see Thai cooking is complex. And the good news is we have this great tips and tricks for should know before they get out the wok or a jar of pad thai sauce.

You can make homemade dipping sauce with flavours you like. We have 3 easy sauces for you to pair with potstickers, dumplings, and wontons, regardless of filling.

There’s no question this city loves a good Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich - a weekly staple, it’s on almost everyone’s list of failsafe, on-the-go lunch options. 

Ever wanted to learn how to make your own at home? Join the good folks at OTAO kitchen for a hands-on workshop, where you’ll learn just how to create those crusty, French-inspired baguettes, and get the low-down on exactly how to whip up that tender, BBQ pork filling. 

Making this beautiful salad for the summer. 

Ingredients

• 200g chicken fillets
• 2 cup of (Chinese or Ordinary cabbage) finely shredded
• 1 carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup fresh Vietnamese mint, Thai Basil and Coriander
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese dressing (mix well 1/2 table spoon of fish sauce, 1/2 table spoon of rice vinegar, 1/4 limes and 1 table spoon of sugar, 2 table of hot water, 1 garlic clove -chopped and 1 small chilli chopped)
• 2 table spoons of roasted peanuts, chopped

Methods

1. Make dressing: Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, chilli and sugar together in a jug until sugar has dissolved.
2. Place chicken in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer, turning once, for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pan. Chill. Shred.
3. Place cabbage, carrot, mint, coriander and chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve.

Eating Yu Sheng or Chinese New Year Prosperity Salad during the Chinese New Year is a cultural activity for Chinese residents in Singapore and Malaysia. To make the salad you will need over 20 ingredients and they are shredded white and green radish and carrots, ginger slices, onion slices, crushed peanuts, pomelo, pepper, essence of chicken, oil, salt, vinegar, sugar and more. 

If you’ve wondered how to make homemade ramen noodles, there’s a simple to make ramen noodles from scratch. You will need some plain flour, egg, salt, soda and some water. 

A Christmas lunch with all the trimmings can be a daunting prospect for many home cooks, sending them into panic mode leading up closer to the 25th December lunch for their family. The idea of working over a baking oven might be less than appealing for many, as Australia starts heat up during Summer sun and your thoughts of visiting a pool while refresher. Take the stress out of Christmas Day and opt to make fresher, healthier and simpler affairs. However you choose to celebrate, the most important aspect is spending time with family, loved ones and friends.

Here’s a few ideas on how to have a great Christmas Lunch.

ENTREE

• Selection of Seafood
• Vietnamese Summer Rolls
• Selection of BBQ skewers

MAIN

• Cold Turkey Salad
• Thai Beef Salad
• Glazed Ham and Asian Apple Salad
• Japanese Cold Soba Noodle 

DESSERT

• Mango and Sticky Rice
• Palova, Cream, Berries and Kiwi
• Summer Fruit With Coconut 

Vinh Ky Restaurant 

114 Victoria Street, Richmond

This is my friend's favourite restaurants serving similar Chinese fare on bustling Victoria street Richmond for many years. I always get the prawn wonton soup and it never fails to delight my tastebuds. It’s cheap and cheerful but the flavours are authentic and sensational.

Din Tai Fung

M002/4 Emporium Melbourne 287 Lonsdale Street 

This is Taiwanese type of dumpling restaurant started in Taiwan in 1974 and now having restaurants cross different continents. Their Emporium venue got me with their spicy pork and prawn dumplings special delights in a ginger and Sichuan pepper sauce.

Hu Tong

14–16 Market Ln Melbourne

This Shanghai style soup dumplings, the xiao long bao or shao long bao, with their pork and soup filling deserve their best place on their menu. You will saddle up your spoon with ginger and black vinegar, nibble a hole and slurp away these yummy super hot xiao long bao.

ShanDong MaMa

Mid City Arcade, Shop 7 200 Bourke St Melbourne

This city small restaurant is no secrete to many Melbourne favourite dumpling place. Here I go for the fish dumplings with mince of oily mackerel, ginger, coriander and chives.

If you've mastered classic French tarts to Australia Palova, perhaps it's time to add some new flavours into your dessert. From Vietnam to Japan and Thailand, traditional Asian desserts are as varied as the cultures and peoples from which they come. With the former, a diversity of Japanese and Japanese cultures has yielded a wealth of ingredients used in desserts such as mochi, glutinous rice, and red beans. In the canon of Thai desserts, find a complex array of confectionary building blocks that range from pandan to cassava root and coconut.

It would be overwhelming to try to master such a vast collection of cuisines, but we've rounded out some of our favourites to help you get a taste. From Thailand's khanom chan to a Vietnamese ca phe sua  inspired ice cream and a Japanese mochi, here are some of the best Asian dessert recipes to try this weekend.

 We love beans and lentils as it is versatile ingredients in Asian kitchen. According to Global Pulse Confederation https://iyp2016.org/themes/food-security-nutrition-innovation beans and lentil are healthy balanced diet and play an important role in stopping illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Bean dishes and lentil dishes are low fat and high fibre plus they also give you essential minerals and vitamins.

Freshly made rice paper rolls packed with prawn, rice noodles, carrots, cucumber and herbs, with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS 

For the dipping sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, remove seed if want less spicy
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• juice 1 lime 

For the rolls

• 100g vermicelli rice noodle or bean thread noodles
• 12 x 20cm rice papers
• 1 bunch of mint
• 18 cooked medium prawn cut in half lengthways
• 2-3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 12 pieces
• 1 medium carrot cut into thin batons
• a handful coriander
• a handful Thai basil 
• a handful long chives
• 50g bean sprouts

METHODS 

1. Make the dipping sauce by chopping the garlic, chilli together then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. 

2. Boil a pot of water and add the rice noodle and cook the noodle for 5-7 mins and then drain well. Please check the package for instruction first.

3. When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft about 3 secs then drain on a tea towel or use one of mat to stop them sticking on the the surface.

4. Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then 2 prawn halves.

5. Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don’t overfill or they will be hard to roll.

6. Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.

7. When you’re about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.

8. Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up. 

A special step in becoming a good home cook is to have a good set of kitchen knives and learn to sharpen your kitchen knives at your own home.

You might be curious to know what is included in a basic kitchen knife set. There are four styles of chef’s knives and how we would tell you to determine which kitchen chef’s knife is right for you.  Because out of all of your kitchen knives, your kitchen chef’s knife will be your most used tool in your home. 

Even though the market is filled with various styles of kitchen knives, it all comes down to finding a chef kitchen knife that fits your own hand – for it will be the kitchen knife that will take your cooking to much higher levels.

If you are a home cook or a chef, it can be overwhelming knowing what to look for in a kitchen knife with shapes, handles, blades, knife set, sizes, steels and finishes. Choosing a kitchen knife is not as hard you might think, it just seems like it because of all the choices available. The cost and the fear of getting it wrong can be stressful but don't worry, we're here to help you figure it all out and get you a knife so sharp your onions will cry in fear.

Let's cover one the biggest fears first - a good knife can cost a lot of money and it's sometimes scary hovering over at the kitchen store or online. When you buy a kitchen knife in Australia, you're buying something you should be able to use for the rest of your life if you look after it. When a chef decides to buy knives they look for something to use daily and for his and his cooking career because they learn how they can look after their kitchen knives.

It's not the most efficient way to use your knife on a tomato, capsicum or eggplant.  It's a great demonstration of the sharpness of kitchen knives. If your current knife can't manage this, it might be time for you to think about sharpen your kitchen knives or upgrade to something better.

We often get asked for a recommendation and we nearly always give the same answer if a customer doesn't have a specific style in mind or they're after a general use chef knife and that's to buy something from the range. They have it all - beauty, sharpness, a quality edge and hard wearing carbon steel and an excellent price tag. 

If you're after a little more then we recommend heading to the homepage and browsing all our ranges where we've written about and reviewed each knife and and there's a good selection to choose from to cater to all tastes and budgets. 

It's worth bearing in mind that because nearly all of the knives on the site are handmade in small forges by one or two blacksmiths and as such supply is not guaranteed and when a knife has sold out it can sometimes take months to restock. 

If you're keen on a particular knife don't leave it too long to buy it because it might be gone and in the case of some ranges for several months or more.

Read more here as we will guide 7 steps for you how to choose the best kitchen knife for your home. 

8 Vietnamese sauces for your everyday’s pantry

Banh Xeo is Vietnamese for ‘sizzling cake’ which is the delicious sound when pouring the pancake batter into a hot pan.

Banh Xeo is a favourite dish in Vietnam which is mostly enjoyed as a lunch or dinner meal. Banh Xeo has now become a popular dish in Australian Vietnamese Restaurants.

If you love Banh Xeo as much as we do, or even if you have never tried it before, this recipe is easy and fun to make yourself at home.

Best fish sauces are the umami of Southeast Asian foods. We know the magic it holds, but which brand is the best? Thailand and Vietnam have fish sauce brands sold in Australia, the US or the UK. Is the Vietnamese nuoc mam really superior to Thailand’s nam pla? Here we have some best fish sauces advice for you.

#2 Chef Ha's Handy Hint

How to store spices and how long they will last are most frequent questions being asked in our cooking classes.

Most of our spices are imported, shipped and shelved before we get them. Our recommendation is store them in a cool and dark place. So do not store above your stove as you might think of a perfectly access for your cooking. Heat, humidity and light will cause the spices loose their beautiful oil and flavour.

Be a great cook to use your spices within six months or 12 months. They will loose their flavour over the time but you still can use them. 

Only Asian country that the French brought with them in: the baguette. The Vietnam takes it to a different level depending whether you are in the South or the North. In the north, you will have the basic elements of bread, meat and sauces. In the south you will have colourful combination of cold meets, pickled vegetables, sausage, fried egg, fresh coriander, fresh chilli and hot chilli sauce.

Learn few simple cooking skills of steaming, stewing, frying and rolling... with few great Vietnamese recipes that are fully transferable to your own kitchen. In no time you will have mastered quick and tasty dishes to wow your friends and family. Move over Masterchef – there’s a new culinary star in town!

Traditional and modern Food of Vietnam is admired for its freshest ingredients, minimal use of oil, and accompaniment of herbs and vegetables. With the balance between fresh herbs and meats and a selective use of spices to reach a refined taste, Vietnamese food is considered one of the healthiest cuisines.

Cevich is a dish popular in the coastal countries such as The pacific and America. Nowadays, place like Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam also feature this dish.  we made this dish for friends and they did enjoy the no fishy smell of fish in a salad. The recipes is made from fresh catch raw fish cured in lemon or lime and spiced chili peppers and coconut milk. Additional ingredients can be added are onions, salt, and herbs. 

The fish is not cooked with heat so it must be made from trusted sources of 100% fresh fish. The fish shall be bought from reliable fish shop and chill at all time until eaten as raw fish carry high  risk of food poisoning. 

Here on Paleo diet and Google Trend... but do you know?