One of Anjie's Favorite Recipes:
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
SERVES: 4

Ingredients

500g (1 lb) chicken thigh fillets, cut into roughly 3cm (1.2 inch) cubes
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and white part finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup coconut water
steamed rice, to serve
1/4 cup roughly chopped coriander (cilantro), to serve (optional)

Method

1. Combine the chicken, fish sauce, sugar, cornflour and half the lemongrass in a large bowl. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in wok over high heat. Add remaining lemongrass, garlic, chilli and onion and stir-fry for a minute. Push all the ingredients to the side to make a space for the chicken. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the chicken. Spread the chicken out and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until starting to brown. Then stir-fry and toss everything together. Add the coconut water and simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
3. Serve the chicken with steamed rice and top with coriander leaves if using.

Anjie's White Sesame Chocolate Cookie

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Dough:

120g butter, room temperature
60g white sugar
60g brown sugar
90g AP flour
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
½ egg

White Sesame Cookie Dough

70g butter, room temperature
120g white sugar
75g AP flour
80g tahini paste
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
½ egg

Method

Preheat the oven at 180C / 355F

In a medium sized bowl, add room temperature butter and sugar. Whisk until smooth and slightly fluffy.

Add the egg mixture. Whisk until combined.

Sift in flour, baking powder, cacao and salt.

Mix until there are no dry spots.

Repeat the process for the white sesame cookie dough, but add the tahini paste after the butter and sugar have been whipped along with the egg.

The dough should feel slightly wetter than normal cookie dough. This allows the cookies to be slightly crispy on the outside but ooey-gooey on the inside.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop ½ tbsp of the white sesame dough in first on one side.

Fill with a small dollop of chocolate cookie dough. Repeat the process until the ice cream scoop is full. Scrape with an offset spatula to make the bottom even.

Dollop the cookie mixture into a parchment-lined baking tray. Make sure to have ample space in between the cookies!!

Bake at 180C / 355F for 15 minutes. You'll get the perfect crackling on top.