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Photo by @t.r.i.s.m
MasterChef’s Dumpling King
MasterChef’s Brendan Pang wowed the judges with his divine dishes influenced by his Mauritian and Chinese heritage. A former social worker, Brendan’s success and passion for food has seen him launch into an exciting new career as an author of The Art of Dumplings: Everything You Need to Craft Delicious Pot Stickers, Bao, Wontons and More and founder of mobile dumpling kitchen, Bumplings, located in Perth. In preparation for the festive season, Brendan had a backyard makeover, transforming his outdoor area into an alfresco oasis.
Next-level luxe
Pairing the Early Settler Canterbury dining table and Cera chair package with the Bonnie sofa and Livorno armchairs, the dumpling king is all set for Christmas lunch and endless summer barbies. Crafted from teak, the 3-metre dining table was a stylish and spacious choice for outdoor living with plenty of room for guests, while the rattan weave of the Cera chairs lend a laidback air. Exceedingly comfortable, both the Bonnie sofa and Livorno chairs are made from all-weather wicker with plush custom cushioning. Ahh, bliss.
Brendan’s Christmas menu
And what’s on the menu? Get ready for a mouth-watering ensemble of BBQ Prawns with brown butter, tamari and capers; charred squid, fennel and lemon; roasted cherry tomato and cracked freekeh salad; pineapple and maple glazed ham and mixed berry and lemon curd pavlova. Brendan was kind enough to share one of his recipes with us!
Charred prawns, brown butter, tamari & fried capers
By Brendan Pang
Serves 4
Ingredients
16 green king prawns
125g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 tsp tamari*, or to taste
Grapeseed oil, to deep fry
2 tsp capers, drained and dried on paper towels
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
*A darker, stronger soy sauce, available in major supermarkets.
1 Butterfly the prawns by cutting in half lengthways, along the underside, without cutting through the shell. Use the tip of the knife to remove the vein and clean. Set aside until required.
2 Place a small saucepan over medium heat and melt butter until light brown, about 4–6 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add tamari.
3 Place a separate saucepan over high heat and pour in grapeseed oil until it come to 2cm up the pan. Bring to 180°C and fry capers until crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4 Bring a barbecue or griddle pan up to high heat. Brush prawns with olive oil and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with brown butter, fried capers, freshly cracked black pepper.
Want more summer inspiration?
If you want to do your own backyard makeover, check out this season’s range of outdoor furniture online or in-store, and discover some more amazing summer recipes from celebrity New Zealand chef, Alison Lambert.
