Mr Chen’s Pork Bao Buns

Mr Chen’s Pork Bao Buns

Recipe by Louis Tikaram

Dietaries – Vegetarian, dairy-free
Serves – 2
Prep Time – 15 mins

Ingredients

• 6 Mr Chen’s bao buns

  1 bunch coriander

  200 g kimchi

  Roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed

  Fresh chili, finely chopped

  For the pork

  500 g pork belly

  1 tbsp Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  1 knob of ginger

  2 star anise

  2 small pieces of cinnamon

  1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns

  1 tsp fennel seeds

  6 small dried chilies

  1 tsp sugar

  1 tbsp Mr. Chen’s light soy sauce

  1 tbsp Mr. Chen’s dark soy sauce

Method

• Cut the pork belly into 8 rectangular pieces, roughly the size of the bao buns.

  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Fry the pork belly until both sides turn golden.

  Add ginger, spices, sugar, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the meat.

  Turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 1 hour until the meat becomes very tender.

  Remove the pork from the warm liquid just before serving.

  Steam the buns

  Place a bamboo steaming basket onto a pot or wok filled with hot water and turn the heat to high.

  Once the water is boiling, add the bao buns and steam for 5 minutes.

  Assemble the dish

  Take the buns out of the steamer and open them carefully.

  Place coriander in each bun, followed by a piece of pork belly.

  Top with kimchi, crushed peanuts, and fresh chili.

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Strawberry Blondies

Strawberry Blondies

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves – 4
Prep Time – 10-15 mins
Cook Time – 30-40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 block Coles unsalted butter (250g)

  180 g white chocolate

  1 cup caster sugar

  2 eggs

  2 ½ cups plain flour

  ½ tsp baking powder

  Juice of 1 lemon

  Pinch of salt

  1 punnet of diced strawberries

Method

• Line a brownie tin with baking paper.

  Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy in a stand mixer. Add in the eggs one at a time until fully combined. Add in the lemon juice.

  Mix the dry ingredients together, then fold into the wet mixture. Add the strawberries to the batter. Pour and press the batter into the brownie tin.

  Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the blondies are cooked to your liking.

  Allow to cool, then serve, maybe with more berries and some vanilla ice cream.

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Tomato, Anchovy, and Caper Salad

Tomato, Anchovy, and Caper Salad

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves - 4
Prep Time - 10 mins

Ingredients

• 4 large truss tomatoes, sliced

  1 punnet assorted coloured cherry tomatoes, halved

  2 shallots, thinly shaved

  1 bunch of chives, thinly sliced

  1-2 tins of anchovies

  Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Coles Black pepper

Method

• Arrange the tomato slices flat on a plate or platter. Season them with sea salt and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out the moisture.

  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with cracked black pepper.

  Lay the anchovies across the tomato slices and then place the shaved shallots on top. Finish by laying whole anchovies across the tomatoes. Sprinkle the capers and chives over the salad.

  Serve this salad with a steak or as desired.

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Balsamic Glazed Pork Skewer with BBQ Montague Tree Plums

Balsamic Glazed Pork Skewer with BBQ Montague Tree Plums

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves – 4
Prep Time – 15 mins
Cook Time – 15 mins

Ingredients

• Balsamic glaze

  ½ cup balsamic vinegar

  ½ cup sugar

  1tbs whole grain mustard

  Pinch of salt

  Pinch of black pepper

  4 pork scotch fillet, diced

  1 red onion, cut into chunks

  4 Montague Tree Plums cut on half and stone removed

  Olive oil

  Salt

Method

• In a saucepan heat up the glaze ingredients with a ½ cup of water. Cook until the glaze thickens to a syrup.

  Thread pork onto the skewer and then a piece of onion alternating so you have 5 pieces of pork and 3 pieces on onion on the skewers.

  Season the skewers and brush with oil. Cook on a smoking hot grill or in a pan. Turn once the caramelized and brush glaze over the pork every time you turn it.

  Whilst the pork is cooking place the plums onto the grill cook until charred then flip and brush with the glaze.

  Once the skewers and plums are cooked serve with a crisp green salad.

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Spicy Beef Tartare

Spicy Beef Tartare

Recipe by Louis Tikaram

Ingredients

• 300 lean beef

  2 tbsp cornichons

  2 tbsp capper

  2 tbsp diced shallots

  1 tsp Coles Dijon mustard

  1 tsp Paprika

  Juice of lime

  1 tbsp Lao Gan Ma crispy chili oil

  Sea salt

  1 tbsp panko bread crumbs

  1 Tsp sesame seed

  1 tsp Japanese mayo

Method

• Begin by finely mincing the lean beef and placing it in a mixing bowl.

  Add the cornichons, capers, diced shallots, Dijon mustard, paprika, lime juice, and Lao Gan Ma crispy chili oil to the bowl with the minced beef.

  Season the mixture with salt to taste. Remember to start with a small amount of salt and adjust according to your preference.

  Stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Make sure the flavours are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

  In a separate pan, toast the panko breadcrumbs over medium heat until they turn golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

  In a small dry skillet, lightly toast the sesame seeds over low heat until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

  To serve, shape the beef tartare mixture into a mound or desired shape on a plate.

  Drizzle the Japanese mayo over the top of the beef tartare.

  Sprinkle the toasted panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds over the beef tartare as a garnish.

  You can serve the spicy beef tartare immediately with toasted bread or baguette slices on the side.

  Remember to handle raw beef with care and ensure it is fresh and of high quality.

  Enjoy your Spicy Beef Tartare!

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BBQ Vegetables with Beetroot Tahini

BBQ Vegetables with Beetroot Tahini

Recipe by Courtney Roulston

Dietaries – Vegan, vegetarian, meat-free, gluten-free
Serves – 4
Prep Time – 10 mins
Cooking Time – 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 bunches baby broccoli, trimmed

  4 medium yellow squash, halved

  2 green zucchini, sliced

  4 green spring onions, trimmed

  2 baby gem or cos lettuce, quartered

  1/3 cup (80ml) Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Sea salt

  1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped

  Beetroot tahini dressing

  1 x 250 g pack Coles pre-cooked beetroot

  2 heaped tbsp tahini paste

  1 small clove garlic, peeled

  1/3 cup lemon juice

  1 tbsp Coles Finest maple syrup

  1/4 cup water

Method

• Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place all of the vegetables onto a large flat tray and drizzle with 40ml of the oil. Season with sea salt.

  Place all of the vegetables onto the grill and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the lettuce and spring onions once they are tender and place them onto a large serving platter. Cook the baby broccoli, squash, and zucchini for a further 2-3 minutes, or until tender.

  Arrange the remaining vegetables onto the serving platter with the lettuce and spring onions.

  To make the beetroot tahini dressing, place the beetroot, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, remaining oil, salt, and water into the jug of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth and bright pink, adding a little extra water if the mixture needs to be loosened. Drizzle some of the tahini dressing over the vegetables and scatter with almonds before serving.

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Cumin-Spiced Chinese Lamb Skewers

Cumin-Spiced Chinese Lamb Skewers

Recipe by Louis Tikaram

Ingredients

• 700g lamb

  1 onion, sliced

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 tablespoon chili powder

  1 tablespoon ground cumin

Method

• Cut the lamb into 1cm cubes and place them into a mixing bowl.

  Add the sliced onion and salt to the lamb. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

  Preheat your grill or BBQ.

  Skewer the lamb cubes onto bamboo or metal skewers, evenly distributing the lean pieces and fatty pieces to ensure even cooking.

  Once the grill is hot, place the skewers on it and flip them frequently to sear the meat evenly.

  When the meat turns pale, sprinkle chili powder and ground cumin all over the skewers. Continue cooking until the meat is evenly browned. The inside should still be slightly pink for medium-rare doneness.

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Olive Oil & Lemon Marinade

Olive Oil & Lemon Marinade

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves – 4
Prep Time – 10 mins
Cook Time – Depends on what you marinate

Ingredients

• 1 cup Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  2 lemons, juice and zest

  4 garlic cloves, grated

  2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

  2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked

  1 tsp dried oregano

  1 tomato, juice and seeds squeezed

  1 tsp salt

  1 tsp black pepper

  1 chicken, butterflied

Method

• In a bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. This marinade works great with chicken, pork, or even lamb.

  Marinate the chicken in the olive oil mixture overnight in the fridge.

  Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.

  Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat or heat the flat plate of the BBQ. Season the chicken with sea salt and place it skin side down in the pan or on the BBQ. Cook until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until it is cooked through.

  Serve the marinated chicken with your favorited salad.

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Wattleseed Lokma with Strawberry Gum Syrup

Wattleseed Lokma with Strawberry Gum Syrup

Recipe by Nornie Bero

Ingredients

• 1 tsp instant dry yeast

  3.5 cups all purpose flour

  1 tbs sugar

  2 cups luke warm water

  Pinch salt

  2tsp wattleseeds

  Macadamia ½ cup

  Pistachio ¼ cup

  Strawberry gum Syrup

  2 tbs strawberry gum

  2 cups water

  2.5 caster sugar

  1 tbs lemon juice

  1 lemon peel

  ½ peppperberries

  500ml veggie oil

Method

• On a mid to high heat, place water, sugar and strawberry gum in a small pot bring to boil until sugar is dissolved. Then add lemon juice, lemon peel and pepperberry bring to boil until lightly syrup.

  Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt and wattleseed together add luke warm water slowly until you have a sticky dough set aside to proof for 1hour.

  Heat oil for frying. Stir proofed dough with a spatula to help release the air in the dough. Oil; hands grab some dough in the palm of your hand and squeeze small ball shaped dough ball between your thumb and forefinger and pop balls into the frying oil until golden brown.

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Spiced Lamb & Yoghurt Pasties

Spiced Lamb & Yoghurt Pasties

Recipe by Courtney Roulston

Serves – Makes 12
Prep Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time- 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  ½ brown onion, diced

  2 cloves garlic, crushed

  1 tbsp ginger, grated

  350 g lamb mince

  1 large potato, diced

  3/4 cup carrot, grated

  Coles sea salt

  Coles Black pepper

  1 tbsp curry powder

  ½ cup frozen peas

  1 cup Jalna Greek yoghurt

  1 cup mint leaves, chopped

  3 sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry

  1 egg for brushing

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add in the lamb mince and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Add in the potato, carrot, salt, pepper, and curry powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add in the peas and stir to warm through. Remove from the heat then stir through half the yoghurt and half the mint leaves.

  Cut 4 circles out of the shortcrust pastry and place them onto a clean work surface. Spoon ½ a cup of the lamb mixture into pastry and fold over to form a semi-circle. Press the edges to seal then place onto a baking tray and brush with egg wash.

  Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and the pastry is crispy on the bottom.

  Meanwhile, mix the remaining yoghurt with mint leaves and a pinch of salt.

  Place the pasties onto a serving plate and serve with mint yoghurt on the side.

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Pesto Potato Salad

Pesto Potato Salad

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves - 4
Prep Time - 10 mins
Cook Time -  20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 kg potatoes, cut into quarters

  1 bunch of basil

  1 bunch of parsley

  2 garlic cloves

  2 tbsp roasted pine nuts

  1 green chili

  2 tbsp grated parmesan

  ½ cup Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Salt

Method

• Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold water and add a good pinch of salt. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

  In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a pinch of salt into a paste. Add the green chili and pound until smooth. Add the pine nuts. Add the basil leaves and pound until a paste forms. Add the Parmesan and mix through. Add the oil and season with salt. Mix into a loose paste.

  Once the potatoes are boiled, strain them and place them into a large bowl. Pour in the pesto and toss to coat the salad in the dressing. For best results, do this while the potatoes are still hot.

  Serve the potatoes on a large tray or platter. Top with extra basil leaves and some grated Parmesan.

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Mr Chen’s Thin Egg Noodle Salad

Mr Chen’s Thin Egg Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 200g Mr Chen’s thin egg noodles

  1 telegraph cucumber seeded and sliced thin.

  1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

  1 cup picked mint leaves.

  1 cup picked coriander leaves.

  1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped.

  Thai dressing

  1 stalk lemongrass finely chopped.

  2 small red chillies finely chopped.

  1/4 cup fish sauce

  1/4 cup lime juice

  2 tbsp sugar

Method

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add noodles and boil for 4 minutes till noodles are tender, strain and plunge in ice water to cool the noodles down.

  While the noodles are cooling whisk together lemongrass, chilli, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together.

  Stain noodles and place in a large mixing bowl.

  Pour over the dressing and add cucumber, tomato, mint and coriander.

  Toss to combine, serve up and Sprinkle with nuts over the top.

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Tomato & Garlic Sauce

Tomato & Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

  3 or 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

  salt, to taste

  1 kg tomatoes (or 3 tins of whole tomatoes), roughly chopped

  ½ tsp sugar

  freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• Prepare all of the ingredients based on the instructions in the ingredients list.

  Heat the oil in the frying pan and add garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for30 seconds.

  Add tomatoes, sugar and pepper.

  Cook for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. The final cooking timedepends on the time you have available and the type of flavour you want thesauce to have: less cooking results in a fresher flavour, while longer cookingresults in a deeper, more intense flavour.

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Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns

Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns

Recipe by Courtney Roulston

Serves – 4
Prep Time – 10 Minutes
Cooking Time- 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 8 Mr Chen's bao buns

  4 free-range chicken thighs, cut into 1cm strips

  Sea salt

  Black pepper

  ½ cup corn flour

  ½ cup plain flour

  Oil for frying

  1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted

  1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced

  1 carrot, peeled, julienned

  Sticky Sauce

  ¼ cup Mr Chen’s soy sauce

  1 tbsp honey

  1 tbsp Mr Chan’s rice wine vinegar

  1 tbsp gochujang

  1 clove garlic, minced

  1 tbsp tomato ketchup

Method

• Bring a wok of water up to the boil then place a steamer basket on top.

  Place the flours into a mixing bowl then season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil to 180 degrees in a small pot and fry the chicken in batches for 5 minutes, or until cooked through and golden. Drain on paper towel and repeat with all the chicken.

  Place the bao buns into the steamer for 8-10 minutes, or until soft and fluffy. Meanwhile, place the sticky sauce ingredients into a small pot with 1/3 cup of water and bring up to a simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until thickened and sticky.

  Place the fried chicken, cucumber, and carrot into the warm bao buns. Spoon over a little of the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

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Sticky Chicken Wings

Sticky Chicken Wings

Recipe by Louis Tikaram

Ingredients

• 12 Coles chicken wings

  2L vegetable oil

  3 tbsp sea salt

  Sticky Sauce

  1/3 cup hoisin sauce

  1/3 cup Sriracha sauce

  1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

  2 tbsp oyster sauce

  2 tbsp black bean sauce

  2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Method

• Place the chicken wings and salt in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer rapidly for 15 minutes until the wings are fully cooked. Drain, cool, and refrigerate overnight to allow the skin to dry.

  For the sticky sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

  Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 180°C. Deep-fry the wings until they are super crispy and golden brown (around 10 minutes). Season with salt, then toss the wings in the sticky sauce and serve hot.

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Crushed Cucumber Salad

Crushed Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 telegraph cucumber

  ¼ teaspoon Coles Sea salt

  2 cloves garlic - minced

  1 tablespoon Coles light soy sauce

  ½ tablespoon black Chinkiang vinegar

  1 teaspoon Coles sesame oil

  1 pinch Coles sugar

  1 tsp chilli oil

  1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds.

Method

• Wash the cucumbers under cold water, then use the side of a knife/rolling pin or mallet to crush then flat on a chopping board, once it is nice and flat cut it into bite-sized pieces and chop off the stem.

  Transfer the cut cucumber to a medium mixing bowl and sprinkle evenly with salt.

  Leave to marinate for 10 minutes then drain the water.

  Add light soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic and chilli oil.

  Toss well and season with sesame seeds.

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Spiced Plum Jam

Spiced Plum Jam

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Prep Time – 10 mins
Cook Time – 30 mins

Ingredients

• 600g Montague Tree Plums, diced

  200g caster sugar

  1 cinnamon quill

  2 star anise

  2 pieces of orange peel

  ¼ cup coconut rum

  Pinch of salt

  1 piece of cheese cloth

  1/2 lemon cut into wedges

Method

• In a large saucepan combine the plums, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, orange, rum and a pinch of salt. Tie the lemon wedges into a parcel. Add that to the mixture. Place over a low heat and cool stirring occasional until the jam thickens and everything is cooked together.

  Pour jam into a sterilised jar. Allow to cool and serve with toast or scones.

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Charred Lettuce with Nam Prik

Charred Lettuce with Nam Prik

Recipe by Courtney Roulston

Dietaries – gluten-free, meat-free
Serves – 4
Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cooking Time – 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 thick wedges

  1 tbsp Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Sea salt

  2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

  1/3 cup coriander, sprigs picked

  Nam Prik

  1 clove garlic

  1 tbsp ginger, peeled, chopped

  1 long red chilli, roughly chopped

  1 tbsp fish sauce

  2 tsp brown sugar

  Juice of 1 lime

  1/2 vine tomato, peeled, chopped

Method

• To make the Nam Prik, place everything into a small food processor and blitz until it is well combined. Taste for balance and set aside.

  Heat a griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the oil and a pinch of salt over the lettuce and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the lettuce is charred and smoky on the outside.

  Arrange the lettuce onto a serving platter, then spoon over the Nam Prik while the lettuce is still warm. Garnish with peanuts and coriander before serving.

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Radicchio with Yogurt Ranch

Radicchio with Yogurt Ranch

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves - 4
Prep Time - 5 minutes
Cook Time - 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 radicchio, cut into quarters lengthwise to get 8 wedges

  2 baby cos lettuce, cut into quarters lengthwise to get 8 wedges

  Yogurt Ranch

  2 cups Jalna Greek Yoghurt

  1 tsp Coles onion powder

  1 tsp Coles garlic powder

  1 bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped

  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  1 tbsp Coles Dijon mustard

  Pinch of salt

  Pinch of black pepper

  Garnish

  Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Chopped smoked almonds

  Pickled red onions

  Chopped chives

Method

• In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the yogurt ranch dressing. Mix them together well.

  To serve, arrange the radicchio and lettuce wedges side by side, alternating them. Drizzle the yogurt ranch dressing generously over the wedges. Sprinkle with chopped smoked almonds, pickled red onions, and chopped chives.

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Crispy Fried Eggplant with Black Vinegar Caramel

Crispy Fried Eggplant with Black Vinegar Caramel

Recipe by Michael Weldon

Serves – 4
Prep Time – 15 mins
Cook Time – 25-30 mins

Ingredients

• 4 eggplants, cut into thick batons

  1 cup Coles plain flour, plus extra for dusting

  1 tsp baking powder

  1 tsp sea salt

  1 bottle of ice-cold soda water

  Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil

  Black Vinegar Caramel

  1 onion, finely diced

  2 garlic cloves, grated

  1 small piece of ginger, grated

  1 tsp Coles chili flakes

  ½ cup black vinegar

  ¼ cup brown sugar

  1 tbs Coles soy sauce

  Garnish

  Thinly sliced spring onion

Method

• In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the ice-cold soda water while gently whisking to create a light batter texture. Place the batter in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

  In a saucepan, fry the diced onion until softened. Add the grated garlic, ginger, and chili flakes, and cook for another minute. Then, add the black vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and keep warm.

  Heat Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 180 degrees Celsius.

  Dust the eggplant batons with flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the eggplant into the batter, ensuring it is evenly coated, and carefully place it into the hot oil. Fry the eggplant until it becomes crispy and lightly golden. Repeat this process until all the eggplant is cooked.

  Season the fried eggplant with sea salt immediately after removing it from the oil.

  Arrange the crispy fried eggplant on a platter and drizzle the black vinegar caramel sauce over it. Garnish with thinly sliced spring onions.

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