Instant noodles with beef bulgogi and kim chi

Ingredients (serves 2):
150g thinly-sliced beef (sukiyaki beef)
1/4 cup light soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp chilli flakes or chilli powder
2 packets FairPrice Authentic Korean Noodles (Udong flavour)
4 tbsp store-bought kim chi
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:
1. Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, spring onions, sugar, ginger, sesame oil and chilli flakes or chilli powder in a bowl. Whisk well to blend.
2. Place the beef slices in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a frying or grill pan then fry the beef slices until they are lightly cooked. Remove and set aside.
4. To make the instant noodles, follow the instructions on the packet.
5. Top the instant noodles with the kim chi and beef. Serve hot.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Authentic Korean Noodles ($3.41) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (5 Jun 2008)

Cherry crumble cake

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8):
80g soft brown sugar
150g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g QBB Ghee, chilled
100g QBB Ghee, room temperature
60g butter, room temperature
230g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 tsp salt
300g self-raising flour, sifted
200ml light sour cream
400g fresh cherries or 300g fresh raspberries, pitted

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Line the base of a 20cm spring form tin with non-stick paper and grease the sides.
3. Place the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Rub in the ghee until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Keep refrigerated.
4. Cream second portion of ghee, butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the vanilla essence, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Beat very well.
7. Add the flour and the sour cream into the ghee mixture. Begin and end with the flour. Mix well.
8. Place the batter in the prepared tin. Sprinkle with the cherries.
9. Crumble the prepared cinnamon-mix topping on the cherries to cover it.
10. Bake for approximately 60 minutes. Cake will be done when golden brown, sides of cake pull away slightly from edge of pan and toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11. Remove pan from oven and cool thoroughly before cutting.

Tips:
For decorative purposes, dust the cake lightly with sifted icing sugar if desired.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine (Aug 2006)

Spiced pumpkin christmas cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 20 to 24):
200g cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
1. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake holders and pre-heat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Sift cake flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a bigger bowl, whisk the eggs and both sugars until pale.
4. Add the oil, pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla, then mix until blended.
5. Add the flour in 3 parts, mixing until just blended.
6. Stir in the walnuts.
7. Using an ice-cream scoop, portion the batter into the cupcake holders, filling them only to 3/4 of the way up. This will leave space for the cakes to rise as they bake.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
9. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Frost the cupcakes with Spiced cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with decorations.

Recipe source: Today newspaper