SACHET COOKING RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Snap or pinch off any remaining stems of the dried shiitake mushroom caps and discard. Process mushroom caps to a fine powder in a food processor; you should have 1 1/2 cups of mushroom powder. Set aside.
• Tie the peppercorns and bay leaves in a sachet made of loose cheesecloth and set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add oil and sauté the onion, garlic, tomatoes and long pepper. After the onions have softened and the tomatoes have started to release their juices, reduce heat to medium and stir in the mushroom powder and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add pork ribs to the pot and stir to combine with aromatics. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add 9 cups water and the sachet containing the peppercorns and bay leaves.
• Put tamarind pulp in a fine mesh sieve and submerge sieve in pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the pot has reached a boil, break up the tamarind pulp with a wooden spoon. It should have softened considerably. As you’re breaking it up, take care to keep it contained in the sieve.
• Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook ribs for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until the meat is soft and pulls easily off the bone. Meanwhile, keep the pot covered, removing cover only to skim foam off the top, as necessary, and to periodically stir the tamarind pulp in the sieve to help release its tartness. To increase the tartness of the broth even more, force pulp through the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. Once broth has reached the desired level of tartness, remove the sieve from the pot and discard the tamarind solids. (Depending on the taste of the cook, the tamarind pulp may be removed well before the ribs are tender.) Season broth with salt to taste.
• Add eggplant and okra; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add long beans and radishes; cover and simmer for 3 more minutes. Check the seasoning of the broth and adjust, if necessary.
• Turn off heat and discard the sachet. Ladle into bowls, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice. Put fish sauce in a small bowl on the table for people to add to their soup, as desired.

Steps:

• Sieve the strong white flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt and pepper.
• Add the water, yeast, sugar and olive oil into a jug and leave for 3 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
• Slowly pour the wet mixture into the mixing bowl while stirring using a wooden spoon until everything is roughly mixed. Then, using your hands, further mix and knead the dough until it is elastic and slightly tacky but not over sticky. Place the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and leave for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
• Take the dough and knead it for a few minutes to take some of the air out. Split it into two equal parts. If you are only wishing to make 1 pizza then you can freeze the extra dough.
• For the sauce, put all sauce ingredients into a blender for 30 seconds until you are left with a thick, light red sauce.
• Flour a work surface and using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is roughly the size of the pizza tray you are using. Place the rolled out dough onto the tray and using your fingers, work the dough until it fills the tray.
• Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil and then add enough sauce mix to cover the base spreading evenly. Sprinkle on the grated cheese followed by your topping choice.
• Cook the pizza in preheated oven at 200C for 20 minutes and then serve.