Getting Ready for Spring : Egg Fo Young

The shortest day has passed so it means it time to get stuck into the garden.  Last year my corn and a few other crops didn't do so well, so this year I'm going to be more prepared.

11am and still have ice in the garden - still getting used to this!

I'm going to try planting green manure.  You basically sow some nitrogen fixing plants (I'm using lupin) and 6 weeks later you dig the small plants into the soil and let them break down before planting your crops, boosting nitrogen for hungry plants - like corn.  I'm hoping this will lead to nice big ears of corn this summer - I got only 3 or 4 good ones last year.  The rest only got about 15cm long with a few sad looking kernels, only good for chicken feed.

Not sure what this is but can't wait till it blooms.  Love bulbs!

My broad beans - a couple of gaps after the chickens stomped through and snapped them

My boys helped a little today, smashing up ice from this mornings frost and while I was weeding we found some potatoes.  We also had a few visitors, fantails and wax-eyes.  They both love the mandarin tree, either eating the fallen fruit or chasing down the bugs that they attract.

After a couple of hours of hard slog and finally getting my poppy seeds in the groud we had a super quick and tasty Egg Fu Young for lunch.



Egg Fo Young Recipe
Makes one large

6 Eggs
2 Big handfuls of sprouts (we used alfafa and raddish)
Salt to taste
Slug of oil

Sauce
1 Cup Water
½ t Chicken Stock
2 t Soy Sauce
2 t Sugar
2 t Rice Vinegar
1 T Corn Flour
2 T Water

Heat slug of oil over medium heat.  Beat eggs lightly and mix in the sprouts with a pinch of salt.  Pour into pan and stir gently every 3 or 4 mintues.  When it's nearly done you can turn big chunks over with you spatula.  Cook as firm or as runny as you prefer and transfer to plates.

In a small saucepan combine first 5 sauce ingredients.  Mix cornflour and second measure of water to a paste and combine with other ingredients in the pan.  Bring to boil over med-high heat, stirring continuously till thickened slightly and glossy.  Drizzle over egg.