Australian Lamingtons

It is easier to cut and handle the cake if it is at least 1 day
old.
Any sponge or butter cake can be used.

Cake
6 eggs
2/3 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup corn flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/3 cup self-rising flour
2 cups coconut - approximately

Icing
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
15 grams butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup warm water
2 cups coconut - approximately

Grease a 23cm lamington pan (square slab pan).
Beat eggs until
thick and creamy.
Gradually beat in sugar then fold in well-sifted
flours.
Spread mixture in pan.
Bake in moderate oven until done
— about 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Cut
cake into 16 squares.

Sift confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into a
bowl.
Mix with warm water to make a smooth, runny paste.
Dip cake
into icing, until coated all over; drain, then roll in coconut.

ANZAC Biscuits

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and
these cookies are so named because they were baked and shipped off
to Australian and New Zealander soldiers during World War I.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 1/2 ounces butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup (corn syrup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Brush 2 cookie sheets with melted
butter or oil.

Place flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and
stir until combined.

Combine butter and golden syrup in small pan; stir over high
heat until melted.

Mix baking soda with boiling water; add to melted butter and
syrup.
Add to flour mixture and stir until combined.
Shape level
tablespoons of mixture into balls and flatten slightly.
Place onto
prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes
or until crisp and golden.

Remove from oven; let stand 2 minutes before loosening the
biscuits and moving them to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Aussie Meat Pies

Pastry
2 cups plain flour
4 ounces lard, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water (approximately)
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Sift flour into bowl; rub in lard.
Add eggs and enough water to
make ingredients cling together.
Press dough into a ball; knead
gently on floured surface until smooth, cover, refrigerate 30
minutes.

Divide dough into 8 portions.
Roll each portion on lightly
floured surface large enough to line 4-inch pie tins.
Trim away
excess pastry.
Place tins on oven tray, line pastry with paper,
fill with dried beans or rice.
Bake in moderately hot oven about 8
minutes.
Remove paper and beans, and bake another 8 minutes or
until pastry is lightly browned; cool.

Filling
1 ounce lard
2 onions, chopped
1 pound ground (minced) beef
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons powdered beef bouillon
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons cornstarch (corn flour)
2 tablespoons water, extra

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat lard in pan, add onion, cook, stirring, until soft.
Add
ground beef, stir over heat until browned.
Stir in sauces,
bouillon, water and allspice.
Bring to boil, simmer, covered, 20
minutes.
Stir in the cornstarch mixed with the extra water, stir
over heat until mixture boils and thickens.

Spoon cold filling into pastry cases.
Cut eight 5-inch rounds
from puff pastry, brush edges of pastry with a little egg yolk,
gently press puff pastry tops into place; trim edges.
Brush tops
with a little more egg yolk.
Make 2 small slits in center of pies,
place on oven trays and bake about 15 minutes or until lightly
browned.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Recipe can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the
refrigerator.

Makes 8 pies.

Pumpkin Scones

1 1/2 ounces butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed, cooked pumpkin
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
Pinch of salt
Melted butter (for glaze)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar, then mix in pumpkin.
Stir in egg and
milk.
Sift in flour and salt and add to creamed mixture.
Knead a
few times on a lightly floured surface, then pat out to a rectangle
about 3/4 inch thick.
Cut rounds with floured cutter or into
squares with a sharp knife.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake for 15
minutes until well risen, golden brown on top and cooked through.
Serve hot, split and buttered.

Serves 4 to 6.

Boiled Peanuts (Hawaii)

2 pounds raw peanuts
2 tablespoons Hawaiian rock salt
1 whole bhat gok (star anise)

Soak peanuts in water overnight, weighing down the peanuts with
a dish and a weight, like a large can of pork and beans.

The next day, wash and rub peanuts until the water is clear.
Put
peanuts in a pot with water about 1 1/2 inches above the peanuts.
(Hold peanuts down with your hand.) Add salt and bhat gok.
Cover
and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 30 minutes.

Taste for doneness.
Peanut should be medium to soft, depending
on the taster.
Cook 30 minutes longer for a softer peanut.
Let
peanuts stand in water for 1 hour.

Pour off excess water.
Package and refrigerate.
Boiled peanuts
may be frozen until ready to use or eaten right away.

Chicken Pupus (Hawaiian Appetizer)

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dark rum
1 tablespoon wasabi powder
Juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless, cubed chicken
thighs or breasts

Whisk together all ingredients, except the chicken, in a mixing
bowl.
Place the chicken thighs in the marinade and marinate for 2
to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
After 2 hours, stir the
marinade.

Preheat the grill until the coals are gray to white.
Remove the
chicken from the marinade and drain or shake off the excess
marinade.
Place on a lightly oiled grill and cook for 5 to 7
minutes on each side.

Continue grilling until the chicken is cooked in the center.
Remove the “pupu chicken” to a serving plate and insert wooden
picks in each of the cubes.
Serve immediately as an appetizer.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.