Random - uk

Copycat Time - Warm Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted from Orangette, who adapted it from Casa Moro...

For salad:

• 320g Butternut Squash
• 1 Garlic Clove - pressed
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• A pinch of salt
• 1/3 Red Onion - sliced/ diced
• 3/4 cup Chickpeas
• 1 handful of Coriander - chopped

For tahihi dressing:

• 2 tbs Tahini
• 1 Garlic Clove - pressed
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 2 tbs Water (or more)
• Salt
• Sugar

Directions:
For salad:

• Preheat oven to 220°C.
• In a baking sheet/ dish, toss together butternut squash, pressed garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt.
• Roast until soft (about 20 mins).
• Remove and place in a salad bowl.
  

For tahini dressing:

• In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice and pressed garlic.
• Mix in olive oil.
• Whisk in water. Add more water to get the consistency you desire.
• Add salt and sugar to taste.

To assemble:

• Toss together butternut squash, red onion, chickpeas and coriander.
• Mix in some of the tahini dressing (I only added about 3/4 of the dressing and that was enough for me) and serve.

  Linguine in Creamy Chorizo Tomato Sauce with Seared Scallops
  
  Ingredients: serves 3
  

  • Linguine
  For creamy chorizo tomato sauce:
  
• 100g Chorizo - sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic - pressed
• 1 can Canned Plum Tomatoes
• 3 slices Sun-Dried Tomatoes - coarsely chopped
• A bunch of Fresh Thyme - stem discarded, leaves chopped
• A bunch of Fresh Rosemary - stem discarded, leaves chopped
• 2 Dried Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tbs Creme Fraiche
• Brown Sugar
• Chopped Parsley (garnishing)

Directions:

• Brown chorizo in a heated non-stick pan without oil.
• Add garlic and fry until fragrant.
• Add plum tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and paprika.
• Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer.
• Simmer for at least 30 mins.
  
• Add brown sugar to taste.
• Stir in creme fraiche.
• Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling water according to the pasta packaging instructions. Drain.
• Mix linguine and sauce.
• Sprinkle some parsley and serve.

Seared Scallops with Paprika

Ingredients:

• 9 Scallops
• Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Paprika
• 1 tbs Butter
• 1 tbs Olive Oil

Directions:

• Wash scallops and pat dry.
• Season both sides with salt, black pepper and paprika.
• Heat up butter and oil in pan.
• Add scallops once butter and oil starts smoking.
• Sear scallops for about 1 1/2 mins each side.
• Serve!

  Crispy Baked Panko Pork Loin with Spicy Lemongrass & Ginger Sauce
  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 500g Pork Loin Steaks
  • 1 Egg
  • Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Panko
  • Fry Light Sunflower Oil Spray
  For spicy lemongrass & ginger sauce
  
• 1 Cup Onion - diced
  
• 1 Red Chili - sliced
• 3 Garlic Cloves - pressed
  
• 1 Lemon Grass - bashed
• 3 Stem Ginger - coarsely chopped (about 2 tbs)
• 1/3 cup Lemongrass and Ginger Cordial (Bottlegreen brand)
• 1/3 cup Water
• Fish Sauce

Directions:

• Pound meat with a meat mallet or rolling pin until meat is about 1/4 inch thick.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of pork, leave aside for at least 30 mins.
• Switch oven to broil.
• Place beaten eggs in a bowl.
• Spread panko breadcrumbs on a plate.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
• One by one, dip pork in beaten eggs then transfer to the plate with panko and coat thoroughly. Pour more panko on plate if not enough.
• Arrange pork on baking tray.
• Spray the pork with oil spray.
• Broil until browned (about 10 mins each side). Look closely as it will burn within seconds!

For spicy lemongrass & ginger sauce:

• Heat up a bit of oil in pan.
• Add onions and saute until soft.
• Add lemongrass, garlic and chili, fry until fragrant.
• Mix in stem ginger, cordial and water.
• Bring to boil then lower heat and leave to simmer for about 15 mins.
• Add fish sauce to taste.
• Pour onto baked pork loins and serve!

Comments:

• This sauce is on the dry side, so I would suggest using less onions or just add more cordial and water. But I personally prefer more onions as the flavoured onions were delicious with the pork and rice.

  Guinness Beef Stew
  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 900g Beef - cut into cubes
  • 1 large Onion - diced
  • 1 Leek - sliced
  • 1 Carrot - sliced
  • 1 Celery Stalk - sliced
  • 1/2 bulb garlic - peeled and crushed
  • 500ml Guinness
  • 1 tbs Plain Flour
  • 1 tbs Concentrate Tomato Paste
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 250g Closed Cup Mushrooms - halved
  • Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    
  Directions:
  
• Brown beef on all sides. Do this in small batches if necessary. Place beef in a large pot.
• Leave about 1 tbs of oil in pan, add onions, saute until soft.
• Add leeks, carrot and celery, saute until soft.
• Add garlic, fry until fragrant.
• Mix in flour, stir until well combined.
• Pour in 1 cup of Guinness. Slowly scrapping off flour that is stuck on the pan.
• Pour vegetables and Guinness into the pot with beef.
• Add the rest of the Guinness, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves.
• Bring to boil then simmer until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.
• Add in mushrooms, continue cooking until mushrooms are cooked.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

  Seared Tuna Steak with Butternut Squash & Mushroom Risotto

  
  
  
  Chinese New Year celebration starts with the new moon (first day of the new year) and ends with the full moon which is 15 days after the new moon. So it's 15 days of glorious food! Here I present you with more "lucky" foods. We ate more fish which symbolises a wish for excess of fortune every year. And served it with butternut squash risotto - a pool of gold.
  
  
  Seared Tuna Steak with Sesame Crust
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 2 (about 250g each) Tuna Steaks
• Olive oil
  
• Sesame seeds
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Marinade:

• 3 tbs Dark Soy Sauce (老抽) - Pearl River Bridge is a common brand
• 1 tbs Shaoxing Wine
• 2 tbs Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbs Mirin
• 2 tbs Honey

Directions:

• Marinate tuna steaks for at least an hour.
• Discard marinade.
• Wash steaks and pat dry with kitchen towels.
• Coat tuna steaks with olive oil.
• Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the steaks.
• On a plate, lay sesame seeds.
• Place tuna steaks on sesame seeds to coat the surface. Repeat for the other side.
• Sear steaks in a pan over high heat. 1 min each side.

Butternut Squash & Mushroom Risotto



Ingredients: serves 3

• 1 tbs Butter
• 3 tbs Olive oil
• 1 large Onion - diced
• 350g Butternut Squash - cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 200g Arborio Rice
• about 600ml Chicken Stock (low-sodium)
• 140g Mushrooms (I used Sainsbury’s taste the difference exotic mushroom selections which contains Yellow Oyster, Hon Shimeji and Shiitake) - sliced
  
• 1 spoon Knorr Chicken Powder
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
• Salt
• Coriander (for garnishing)

Directions:

• In a pan, heat up 2 tbs of olive oil.
• Add squash and fry until browned. Leave aside for later use.
• In another pan, heat up 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a pan.
• Add onions, saute until soften.
• Mix in rice, fry until rice is translucent at the edges.
• Add chicken stock (1/2 cup at a time), Knorr chicken powder, half of the fried squash and mushrooms.
• Stir every now and then.
• Add more water when liquid is completely absorbed.
• Continue until rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir in the remaining fried squash.
• Mix in grated nutmeg and add salt to taste.
• Garnish with coriander.

  'One Pot' Rice

  I meant to post this a while ago but was distracted. This dish was made with the rest of the leftover meat from my 8-hr braised pork. I love flavoured rice and so I decided to use the remaining leftovers for this.
  
  It was very flavourful and delicious on its own but it was awesome with the belacan chili made by Jade's (our flatmate) mum. Her belacan chili is really delicious and I eat it with almost everything now. I'm glad we still have 4 more packets. THANK YOU AUNTY!!!
  
  

  
  

  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 2 rice cups Rice - washed (1 rice cup=180ml)
  • 1 cup Leftover meat from 8-hr Braised Pork - shredded
  • Leftover sauce from 8-hr Braised Pork
  • 10 Chinese Mushrooms - softened & sliced
  • 5 slices Ginger
  • 1 tbs Garlic - minced
  • 2 tbs Oyster Sauce (or more to taste)
  • 2 tbs Kecap Manis
  • 2 tbs Light Soy Sauce (*edited* I would suggest you add this to taste after rice is cooked to suit your taste)
    
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • Spring Onions (for garnishing)

  
  Directions:
  

  • Place washed rice, leftover sauce from 8-hr braised pork and enough water to cook rice in a rice pot.
  • Mix in other ingredients (except spring onions) and cook rice like normal.
  • When rice is cooked, add more oyster sauce and/ or light soy sauce to taste.
  • Garnish with spring onions.
  • Serve with some homemade belacan chili (if you have any) or chili oil!

  

  Sunday, 1 February 2009

  Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon Croutons

  The butternut squash that I bought was quite a huge one (weighed about 1.5kg I think) and using the whole squash for a dish would be too heavy for just the 3 of us, so I decided to make maybe another dish or 2 with the leftovers after our Seared Tuna Steak with Butternut Squash & Mushroom Risotto meal.
  
  Making butternut squash soup is a good way to finish off most of the leftovers we have. It's very heartwarming and comforting, great for a wintery cold night. I made some cinnamon croutons to go with it, and I have to say that it is a MUST, the croutons went extremely well with the dish. I forgot where I got the idea of pairing cinnamon croutons with butternut squash soup, might be Alton Brown, since I am a fan of his Good Eats. Anyway, the sweet cinnamon croutons made a great accompaniment to this savoury squash soup and I strongly recommend that you make some to go with your butternut squash soup!
  
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 1 cup Shallots - diced
• 1 Large Onion - diced
• 1 Carrot - diced
• 1 Celery Stalk - diced
• 1 tbs Butter
• 750g Butternut Squash - cubed
• Squash seeds
• about 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (low sodium) or Water
• 2 tbs Creme Fraiche/ Heavy Cream

Directions:

• Sauté shallots in butter until translucent and soft.
• Mix in squash seeds and stir fry for awhile.
• Add 1 cup stock/ water, simmer for about 30 mins.
• Drain, keep stock aside for later use.
• Steam the bowl of squash until soft (about 30 mins).
• In another pan, saute onion, carrot and celery until soft.
• Add steamed squash and stock (remaining cup of chicken stock/ water and drained stock from sauteed shallots and squash seeds), simmer for about 30 mins.
• Blend until smooth.
• Add salt to taste.
• Stir in creme fraiche.

Cinnamon Croutons

Ingredients:

• 3 sliced Bread - cut into cubes
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
• 1/2 tbs Brown Sugar
• Oil Spray

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Toss together bread, cinnamon powder and brown sugar.
• Spread on baking sheet, oil croutons with oil spray and bake until browned. Toss croutons around every 5 mins.Seared Tuna Steak with Sesame Crust
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 2 (about 250g each) Tuna Steaks
• Olive oil
  
• Sesame seeds
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Marinade:

• 3 tbs Dark Soy Sauce (老抽) - Pearl River Bridge is a common brand
• 1 tbs Shaoxing Wine
• 2 tbs Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbs Mirin
• 2 tbs Honey

Directions:

• Marinate tuna steaks for at least an hour.
• Discard marinade.
• Wash steaks and pat dry with kitchen towels.
• Coat tuna steaks with olive oil.
• Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the steaks.
• On a plate, lay sesame seeds.
• Place tuna steaks on sesame seeds to coat the surface. Repeat for the other side.
• Sear steaks in a pan over high heat. 1 min each side.

Butternut Squash & Mushroom Risotto



Ingredients: serves 3

• 1 tbs Butter
• 3 tbs Olive oil
• 1 large Onion - diced
• 350g Butternut Squash - cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 200g Arborio Rice
• about 600ml Chicken Stock (low-sodium)
• 140g Mushrooms (I used Sainsbury’s taste the difference exotic mushroom selections which contains Yellow Oyster, Hon Shimeji and Shiitake) - sliced
  
• 1 spoon Knorr Chicken Powder
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
• Salt
• Coriander (for garnishing)

Directions:

• In a pan, heat up 2 tbs of olive oil.
• Add squash and fry until browned. Leave aside for later use.
• In another pan, heat up 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a pan.
• Add onions, saute until soften.
• Mix in rice, fry until rice is translucent at the edges.
• Add chicken stock (1/2 cup at a time), Knorr chicken powder, half of the fried squash and mushrooms.
• Stir every now and then.
• Add more water when liquid is completely absorbed.
• Continue until rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir in the remaining fried squash.
• Mix in grated nutmeg and add salt to taste.
• Garnish with coriander.

  Roast Duck in Lotus Leaf Buns

  Roast Duck in Lotus Leaf Buns
  
  Ingredients:
  3 store-bought lotus leaf buns
  Breast from half a roast duck (store-bought), cut into 3 slices, about 3 X 1.5-inch.
  3 pieces of lettuce leaves, trim to the size of the bun
  Spring onion, chop into long strips
  6 slices of cucumber
  3 stalks of coriander, remove the stems
  
  Sauce
  1 1/2 tablespoon Peking dip sauce (甜面酱)
  1 tablespoon water
  1/2 teaspoon sugar
  
  Method:
  1) Steam the lotus leaf buns until soft.
  2) In a small saucepan, heat up all ingredients for sauce. Remove from heat.
  3) Spread some sauce on the lower half of the bun, place a piece of lettuce on top. Follow by 2 slices of cucumbers, some spring onions, a slice of duck breast, and a sprig of coriander. Serve.

  Tomyam Baked Chicken

  Tomyam Baked Chicken
  
  Ingredients:
  6 chicken drumsticks with thighs
  
  Marinade:
  8 shallots
  5 garlic cloves
  4 kaffir lime leave
  2 tbs store bought tomyam paste
  2 red chillies
  5 chilli padi
  Salt and sugar, to taste
  
  Method:
  1) Grind all marinade ingredients with a blender until fine, remove and set aside.
  2) Rinse the chicken pieces and drain well. Mix with the ground ingredients and marinate for at least 1 hour.
  3) Wrap the chicken pieces with a piece of aluminium foil, bake in the preheated oven at 200 deg C for about 30 minutes, or until cooked. Serve.

  Stir-fried Chilli Squids

  Ingredients:
  500g small squids
  1 stalk lemongrass, shredded
  100g onion, cut into thin wedges
  1 red chilli, chopped
  10 pieces curry leaves
  50ml chicken stock
  4 tablespoons chilli paste
  15g Belachan/ shrimp paste
  1 tablespoon sugar
  1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  
  Method:
  1) Clean the squids and then pat dry with paper towel. Parboil in hot oil for a few seconds. Dish up and drain well.
  2) Leave 4 tablespoons of oil in a preheated wok to saute chilli paste, dried shrimp paste and sugar until fragrant. Add lemongrass, onion, red chilli and curry leaves, continue to saute until aromatic.
  3) Add squids, chicken stock and dark soy sauce, bring to a boil. Stir constantly over high heat until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat, serve.

  Royal Foodie Joust - Cauliflower, Mushrooms & Noodles
  
  Ingredients: serves 4-5
  

  • Linguine
  • 250g Bacon - cut into small pieces
  • 500g Mushrooms - sliced
  • 1 head Cauliflower - coarsely chopped
  • 500ml Stock (low sodium)
  • 2 tbs Creme Fraiche
  • 1 cup Mature Cheddar - grated
  • 1 cup Walnuts - toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  Directions:
  
• Place bacon in a heated pan and fry until browned and crispy.
• Remove half of the bacon. This will be sprinkled on the pasta before serving.
• Add in mushrooms and leave to cook until mushrooms are softened.
• In another pan, heat up a bit of olive oil and butter.
• Toss in cauliflower, stir fry for about 10 mins.
• Pour in stock and bring to boil.

• Lower heat to simmer until cauliflower softened.
• Puree in a blender.
• Transfer to a pan, stir in creme fraiche.
• Slowly mix in cheese.
• Stir in mushrooms and bacon.
• In another pot, cook linguine as instructed on the package. Drain.
• Pour cauliflower sauce in and mix.
• Toss in walnuts.
• Top with some crispy bacon and serve!

  My Perfect Steamed EggsIngredients:
  

  • 3 Eggs (~3/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup Water (boiled then cooled to room temperature)
  • 1 Century Egg
  • 1 tube Japanese Egg Tofu (玉子豆腐)
  • 1/2 spoon Knorr Chicken Powder
  
  Directions:
  
• Place egg tofu and century eggs in a bowl.

• In another bowl, mix yolks and white by gently stirring using a fork. Don't beat. This is to avoid incorporating unnecessary air bubbles.
• Add water and mix.
• Mix in chicken powder.
• Pour egg mixture onto egg tofu and century egg through a sieve. Discard remaining egg white in sieve. The surface should be free of any air bubbles.
  




• Cover with aluminium foil.
• Steam on medium low heat for about 15 mins.
• Check for doneness with a chopstick. It should come out clean.
• Garnish and serve.

  Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs (糖醋排骨)
  
  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 2 kg Pork Ribs
  • 1/3 cup Light Soy Sauce
  • 1/3 cup Vinegar
  • 90g Rock Sugar
  • 2 tbs Cheong Chan Thick Dark Soy Sauce (Thick Caramel Sauce)
  
  
  OR
  
  
• 2kg Pork Ribs
• 1/3 Dark Soy Sauce (老抽) - Pearl River Bridge is a common brand
  
• 1/3 Vinegar
• 90g Rock Sugar

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a pot, add just enough water to cover all the ribs.
• Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until meat is tender and sauce is thick and sticky.

  Steamed Chicken with Salted Fish and Fungus

  Ingredients:
  1/2 chicken
  Ginger, 5-cm knob and cut into thin strips
  2 red chillies, finely chopped
  20g salted fish, diced
  10g black fungus, soaked overnight and cut into strips
  10g white fungus, soaked overnight and cut into strips
  
  Seasoning:
  1 tbs oyster sauce
  1 tsp sugar
  1/2 tsp chicken stock granule
  pepper, to taste
  1/4 tsp sesame oil
  2 tbs Shaoxing wine
  1 tbs fried garlic oil
  5 tbs water
  1 tbs cornstach
  
  Method:
  1) Rinse the chicken pieces, drain well. Mix with remaining ingredients and seasoning, marinate for at least 1 hour.
  2) Steam (in a steamer or a wok half filled with water) the marinated chicken pieces for about 25 minutes, or until fully cooked. Dish out, serve.

  Fried Belachan ChickenIngredients:
  10 pieces of chicken wings and drumsticks
  8 chilli padi
  5 garlic cloves
  30 curry leaves, about 4-5 sprigs
  Belachan/ shrimp paste, about the size of 1-cm cube
  2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  1 teaspoon fish sauce
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  Rice flour
  Oil for frying, it should be enough to fill about 2-inch from the bottom of your deep-frying pot
  
  Method:
  1) Using a blender, chop chilli padi, garlic, curry leaves and belachan until fine.
  2) Place chicken pieces in a big bowl, then mix with chopped ingredients, light soy sauce, fish sauce and salt. Keep the chicken in the fridge and marinate for at least 3 hours.
  3) When the chicken is ready for frying, heat up oil in a pot.
  4) In the mean time, fill a plate with rice flour (I used about 1 cup) and then take the chicken out from the fridge.
  5) When the oil is ready (about 175-190ºC/ 350-370ºF, or, if you do not have a termometer, use a wooden chopstick and dip into the oil, bubbles should form around the chopstick), drop the chicken pieces one by one onto the flour, making sure that the chicken are well coated, then shake the pieces slightly to remove excess flour.
  6) Gently drop the chicken pieces into the hot oil, fry until they turn golden brown all over.
  7) Prepare another plate with a few pieces of paper towel on top, place the fried chicken on the plate. When the excess oil is absorbed, transfer to a serving plate, serve.

  Chicken Drumsticks and Onion in Orange Gravy 洋葱锅烧鸡腿

  Ingredients:
  2 whole chicken drumsticks
  1 stem spring onion
  5 slices ginger
  1/2 no. onion, cut into wedges
  2 star anise
  400ml water
  
  For the gravy
  1/2 no. onion, cut into wedges
  Rind from 1 orange, cut into thin strips (You can also remove the rind using a zester)
  Juice from half orange
  
  Seasoning:
  1 tbs light soy sauce
  1 tbs Shaoxing wine
  Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  Method:
  1) Clean the drumsticks, pat dry with kitchen paper towel, set aside.
  2) Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, pan-fry the drumsticks until both sides turn golden brown, dish out.
  3) In the same wok, saute onion, ginger slices and spring onion until aromatic. Add in chicken drumsticks, water, star anise and seasoning, bring to boil.
  4) Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Dish out chicken drumsticks and place on a plate. Discard onion, ginger, spring onion and star anise, keep the gravy and set aside.
  5) In a separate wok, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil, saute the onion until aromatic. Add gravy and orange juice, cook until slightly thickened. Add orange rind, cook for one more minute. Pour the gravy on the chicken drumsticks. Serve.

  Crayfish Linguine in Bisque Sauce
  
  Ingredients: serves 4-5
  

  • Linguine
  • 1 large Onion - cut into wedges
  • 4 cloves Garlic - crushed
  • 2 cans (400 ml each) Baxters Lobster Bisque
  • 15g Chives - chopped
  • 180g Crayfish Tails
  • 10 Seafood Sticks - cut into cubes
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  
  Directions:
  
• Sweat onions until soft and translucent.
• Add garlic and fry until fragrant.
• Pour in lobster bisque and slowly heat it up. Do not bring to boil (that's what it says on the can).
• Stir in chives, crayfish tails and seafood sticks.
• Leave to cook on low heat for about 10 mins.
• Add salt to taste.
• Cook linguine as instructed on the package. Drain.
• Mix linguine with sauce.
• Sprinkle a bit of ground black pepper, squeeze some lemon juice on linguine and enjoy!
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 2 rice cups Rice - cooked (1 rice cup=180ml)
  
• 4 pieces Pork shoulder steaks - cut into half
• 1 large Onion - cut into wedges
• 3 Bell Peppers (different colours) - cut into strips
• 3 small Tomatoes - diced
  
• Cheese

Marinade:

• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tsp Light Soya Sauce
• 1 tbs Corn Starch

Sauce:

• 2 tbs Shaoxing Wine
• 1 cup Water
• 4 tbs Tomato Sauce
• 2 tbs Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
• 1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp Light Soya Sauce
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• Salt
  
• Corn Starch Slurry
  

Directions:
For pork:

• Mix slices of pork in marinade and leave for at least 30 mins.
• Pan fry pork slices until brown on both sides. Leave aside for later use.

For sauce:

• Stir fry onions until soft.
• Add peppers, stir fry until soft.
• Add tomatoes, water and shaoxing wine.
• Mix in tomato sauce, sweet thai chili sauce, worcestershire sauce, light soya sauce, white pepper and brown sugar.
• Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 10 mins.
• Add salt to taste.
• Thicken with corn starch slurry.

To assemble:

• Spread cooked rice in an oven-proof dish.
• Arrange fried Pork slices on rice.

• Pour sauce on pork slices.

• Sprinkle on some cheese.
• Bake at 200°C for 15-20 mins or until cheese is melted.

• Tada! Enjoy!

  Grilled Prawns

  Ingredients:
  500g large prawns
  1.5 bulbs garlic, peeled
  3 medium size red chillies
  3 stalks flat leaf parsley
  5-6 tablespoons olive oil
  Salt & black pepper, to taste
  Bamboo skewers
  1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges.
  
  Method:
  1) Set the oven to "broil" function and preheat to 380 deg F.
  2) Clean the prawns - rinse and remove the veins.
  3) Thread prawns onto skewers, piercing first through the tail, and then the head.
  4) Chop garlic, chillies and parsley until fine.
  5) Mix the chopped ingredients with olive oil, salt and black pepper, then spread on the prawns evenly. Marinate for about 30 minutes.
  6) Grill the prawns for about 10 minutes, or until cooked.
  7) Serve with lemon wedges.

  Steamed Prawns with Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime LeavesIngredients A:
  500g large prawns
  
  Ingredients B:
  5 garlic cloves
  3 kaffir lime leaves
  3 stems lemongrass
  10 shallots
  2 red chillies
  3 chilli padi
  1 stalk fresh coriander
  
  Seasoning:
  5 tablespoons lime juice
  3 tablespoons sugar
  3 tablespoons fish sauce
  
  Method:
  1) Chop all ingredients B until fine. Set aside.
  2) Rinse the prawns, remove shells on the bodies but leave the shells on the tails intact. Steam in a preheated steamer for about 7 minutes, or until cooked.
  3) Cook seasoning in a saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Add chopped ingredients and juice from steaming the prawns, stir well. Keep tasting and add more seasoning, if necessary.
  4) Place steamed prawns on a plate and pour the cooked ingredients on top. Serve.Chicken Paella
  
  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 300g Paella Rice
  • 100g Chorizo - sliced
  • 1 large Onion - diced
  • A few strands Saffron
  • 3 cloves Garlic - crushed
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper - diced
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes - cut into halves
  • 1 cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables
  • 1/3 cup Dry White Wine
  • 2 1/3 cups Chicken Stock (low sodium)
  • Salt (optional)
    
  
  Directions:
  
• Place chicken pieces under the broiler and broil until browned.
• Flip and continue broiling until browned.
• Drain oil and leave aside for later use.
• Place chorizo slices into a heated large non-stick pan.
• Add onions and fry.
• When onions are soft and translucent, add bell peppers, garlic and saffron. Stir fry for about 2 mins.
• Mix in paella rice and fry until rice is translucent.
• Pour in white wine and cherry tomatoes, leave to cook until all liquid is absorbed.
• Add chicken stock. Stir to mix.
  
• Arrange chicken pieces on rice and pour in frozen mixed vegetables, leave to simmer until liquid is absorbed or until rice is cooked. Add more stock if rice not thoroughly cooked.
  
• Stir occasionally as the sides won't cook as fast as the middle since it's a large pan.
• Optional step: Turn up the heat and continue cooking for about 5-10 mins. This leaves a slightly burnt layer of rice at the bottom which I enjoy eating =)
  
• Add salt to taste. It was tasty enough without extra salt!

Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette)




Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion - diced
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 tbs Butter
• 200g Potatoes - large cubes
• 5 eggs - beaten
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

• Sweat onions until soft and translucent. Place aside for later use.
• Heat up oil and butter in another pan, fry potatoes.
• Mix onions and potatoes in a non-stick pan with a little bit of oil.
• Season beaten eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Pour in beaten eggs. Switch to low heat.
• Do not stir immediately and leave eggs to settle.
• As the eggs begin to settle, use a spatula/ flat wooden spoon, push the eggs towards the center while tilting the pan to distribute runny parts. Continue this until eggs stop flowing.
• Turn over and cook the other side.

Mushrooms with Chorizo


Ingredients:

• 500g Close Cup Mushrooms - sliced
• 90g chorizo
• 4 cloves Garlic - minced
• 1/3 cup Dry White Wine.
• 1 handful Parsley - finely chopped

Directions:

• Place chorizo slices into a heated large non-stick pan.
• When oil is released and chorizos are browned, add in garlic and fry until fragrant.
• Add in mushrooms and white wine. Leave to cook until soft and liquid is absorbed.
• Mix in parsley and serve.

  Turkey Fried Rice

  I used our last batch of leftover turkey for fried rice. 3 days of turkey wasn't too bad as compared to a week. Our last turkey lasted us a week as there were only 2 of us. There are 4 of us now, so it finished off quite quickly...phew...enough of turkey until next Christmas.
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 2 rice cups Rice - cooked, left to cool (1 rice cup=180ml)
• 1 Large Onion - diced
• 1-1 1/2 cup Shredded Turkey Meat
• 1-1 1/2 cup Brussels Sprouts - sliced
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbs Fried Garlic
• 1 tsp Maggi Seasoning
• 1 tsp Knorr Chicken Powder
• 2 Eggs - beaten with 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
• Chili Oil Flakes (optional)

Directions:

• Stir fry onions until soft.
• Add brussels sprouts, sugar and a bit of water. Cook brussels sprouts until soften.
• Mix in turkey meat and leave to cook for about 2 mins to heat up turkey meat.
• Leave aside for later use.
• Loosen cold rice with a fork or rice ladle. A little bit of oil helps to loosen harden cold rice.
• Heat up rice on a hob.
• Add fried garlic, Maggi seasoning, chicken powder and mix.
• Push rice to the sides, leaving a while in the middle and pour beaten eggs into the hole.
• Start mixing the rice and beaten eggs when the eggs start to cook.
• Mix in turkey and brussel sprouts when eggs are cooked.
• Serve with chili oil!

  Turkey Porridge

  Turkey porridge is something I look forward to the day after feasting on turkey and stuffing. It's somewhat light and amazingly tasty.
  
  
  Ingredients: serves 4
  
• Leftover Turkey Joints
• Leftover Roasted Parsnips & Potatoes
• Turkey juice
• 2 rice cups Rice - washed (1 rice cup=180ml)
• 2 Carrots - cubed
• 1 Large Onion - diced
• 1 tsp Knorr Chicken Powder
• White Pepper

Directions:

• Place all ingredients into a pot and add enough water to cover all ingredients.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer.
• Add more water and cook until the consistency of porridge you desire.

  Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon Lardon

  Another must-have Christmas dish - brussels sprouts. I used to hate brussels sprouts because of its bitterness and somewhat weird texture. As I grow older, I learnt how to appreciate it. I cooked this dish with pancetta a few years ago, but this year I couldnt find any, so I used bacon lardon instead. The saltiness of bacon lardon/ pancetta and the sweetness of chestnuts somehow masked the bitterness of the brussels sprouts. It's very flavourful and these 3 ingredients go really well together.
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
• 500g Brussels Sprouts – bottom sliced
• 120g Bacon Lardon/ Pancetta cubes
• 1 pack Roasted & Peeled Chestnuts (about 100g) - break into pieces
• 1 cup Chicken/ vegetable stock (unsalted)
  
• 1 pinch Sugar
• Black pepper

Directions:

• Heat non-stick pan over medium heat.
• Add bacon lardon/ pancetta cubes to the pan and cook until crisp and golden-brown.
• Add chestnuts and stir until chestnuts are warm.
• Add Brussels sprouts and stock.
• Cover with lid and simmer until sprouts are tender (~10-15mins).
• Season with pepper.

  Quails With Grapes

  Ingredients:
  6 quails
  3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  5-6 tablespoons butter
  Salt and pepper, to taste
  3 inches ginger, grated to extract the juice
  3 cloves garlic, crushed
  500-600g seedless grapes, chopped roughly
  
  Method:
  1) Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil and butter in a large skillet.
  2) Put in quails and sautee for about 8 minutes, or until they are browned all over. Add salt, pepper and ginger.
  3) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  4) Heap up a saucepan with the remaining oil.
  5) Put in grapes, sprinkle with some salt, and cook with lid on for about 20 minutes, or until the grapes turn soft, stirring occassionally.
  6) Add the grape sauce into the skillet and cook the quails for another 10 minutes, or until the quails are done. Serve hot.

  Lachmajou (Ground Beef on Bread)Lachmajou Recipe
  Adapted from Tessa Kiros' Falling Cloudberries
  
  Ingredients:
  10g dry yeast
  1/2 tsp sugar
  250g bread flour
  1/2 tsp salt
  10g butter, melted
  150ml water
  
  Topping:
  1 onion, chopped
  400g ground beef
  1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  15g chopped flat-leaf parsley
  120g canned tomatoes, chopped
  Juice of 1 lemon, to serve
  
  Method:
  1) In a medium bowl, add in yeast, sugar, flour and salt. Stir the mixture by hand until combine.
  2) Add in butter and water, knead by hand or mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  3) Cover the dough with clingwrap and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hour, the dough should rise to twice its original size.
  4) In the mean time, heat up olive oil in a saucepan and saute the onion until soften.
  5) Add beef, cinnamon, most of parsley as well as salt and pepper, continue to saute until the moisture is evaporated and the beef is lightly golden in colour.
  6) Remove from heat, stir in canned tomato.
  7) Pre-heat the oven to 220 deg C.
  8) Punch down the dough, divide into 10 smaller pieces. Roll out each piece into a disc with the thickness of 1-2mm.
  9) Arrange on a baking tray, spoon the sauteed beef onto the dough, and then drizzle with some olive oil on the beef.
  10) Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and lemon juice, serve.

  Cuttlefish Salad 凉拌墨鱼花

  
  Cuttlefish salad, as the name suggested, is a dish for appetiser. But I was not in the mood for elaborate cooking yesterday, and so I made a big portion and had it as a main course with hubby.
  
  Cuttlefish Salad Recipe 凉拌墨鱼花
  
  Ingredients:
  3 fresh cuttlefish
  150g chinese bok choy
  2 pcs large black fungus, soaked overnight
  1 chilli, chopped
  1 tbs chopped scallions
  1 tbs chopped ginger
  
  Seasonings:
  2 tbs light soy sauce
  1 tbs shaoxing wine
  2 tbs dark vinegar 镇江醋
  2 tbs sesame oil
  1/3 tsp salt
  1/4 tsp black pepper
  
  Method:
  1) Remove the membranes from the cuttlefish. Score the inside lengthwise and crosswise, then cut it into diamond-shaped pieces of 2.5cm wide.
  2) Cut the chinese bok choy into 2.5cm sections. Clean the fungus and cut into strips.
  3) Add chilli and ginger to the seasoning, bring the mixture to boil. When it starts boiling, remove from heat immediately, and then add in scallions.
  4) Blanch chinese bok choy, black fungus and cuttlefish.
  5) Place bok choy and black fungus on a plate, then mix with half of the seasoning.
  6) Place the cuttlefish pieces on top of the vegetables, then pour the remaining seasoning on it. Serve.

  Cuttlefish Salad 凉拌墨鱼花

  
  Cuttlefish salad, as the name suggested, is a dish for appetiser. But I was not in the mood for elaborate cooking yesterday, and so I made a big portion and had it as a main course with hubby.
  
  Cuttlefish Salad Recipe 凉拌墨鱼花
  
  Ingredients:
  3 fresh cuttlefish
  150g chinese bok choy
  2 pcs large black fungus, soaked overnight
  1 chilli, chopped
  1 tbs chopped scallions
  1 tbs chopped ginger
  
  Seasonings:
  2 tbs light soy sauce
  1 tbs shaoxing wine
  2 tbs dark vinegar 镇江醋
  2 tbs sesame oil
  1/3 tsp salt
  1/4 tsp black pepper
  
  Method:
  1) Remove the membranes from the cuttlefish. Score the inside lengthwise and crosswise, then cut it into diamond-shaped pieces of 2.5cm wide.
  2) Cut the chinese bok choy into 2.5cm sections. Clean the fungus and cut into strips.
  3) Add chilli and ginger to the seasoning, bring the mixture to boil. When it starts boiling, remove from heat immediately, and then add in scallions.
  4) Blanch chinese bok choy, black fungus and cuttlefish.
  5) Place bok choy and black fungus on a plate, then mix with half of the seasoning.
  6) Place the cuttlefish pieces on top of the vegetables, then pour the remaining seasoning on it. Serve.

  Tava (Baked Beef with Potatoes, Cumin & Tomatoes)
  
  Tava (Baked Beef with Potatoes, Cumin & Tomatoes) Recipe
  
  Ingredients:
  2 Onionsn
  1kg potatoes
  1kg beef/ lamb
  Flat leaf parsley
  3 teaspoons cumin seeds
  4 or 5 tomatoes
  125ml olive oil
  125ml water
  50g butter, cut into pieces
  
  Method:
  1. Cut potatoes, tomatoes , onions, beef or lamb into chunks and put it in a casserole dish. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
  2. Chop up parsley, mix it with cumin seeds and olive oil. Drizzle the mixture onto the casserole dish.
  3. Pour water around the dish.
  4. Ramdomly spread the butter on the ingredients.
  5. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 180 C for 2 hours.
  6. After 2 hours, increase the temperature to 200C and bake for another 30 minutes.
  7. Serve.
  
  This is my first attempt in making mee jian kuih, and fortunately it turned out well. And I'm really happy when hubby said that my version tastes like the real deal. :-)
  
  Mee Jian Kuih Recipe 麵煎粿
  
  Ingredients:
  1 egg
  30g caster sugar
  30ml canola or sunflower oil
  125ml water
  125g plain flour
  3g baking powder
  1g baking soda
  1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  
  Filling:
  80g toasted peanuts, grind coarsely
  70g caster sugar
  20g salted butter, cut into small pieces
  
  Method:
  1) Combine egg and sugar in a medium bowl, beat the mixture with a whisk until sugar dissolves.
  2) Add oil to the mixture, stir until combine. Then stir in half of the amount of water.
  3) Sift plain flour, baking powder and baking soda onto the batter, then mix thoroughly.
  4) Then stir in remaining water and vanilla essence into the batter.
  5) Lightly grease a 30cm flat frying pan and put it on medium heat.
  6) Pour the batter into the pan and when the pancake is almost cooked, sprinkle peanuts, sugar and pieces of butter on it.
  7) When the pancake is fully cooked, flip one side over and fold in half. Dish out the pancake and then cut into 4 wedges. Serve.
  Roast Turkey
  
  Ingredients:
  

  • 5kg Whole Turkey
  
  For the brine:
  
• 3 L Apple Juice
• 1 cup Salt
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tbs Cinnamon Powder
• 1 tbs Black Peppercorn
• 1 tbs White Peppercorn
• Ice

Aromatics:

• 1 Onion - sliced
• 1 Cinnamon Stick - break into half
• 1 Apple - quartered
• 1 bunch of Thyme
• 1 cup Water

Directions:

• 2 days before roasting turkey, combine all brine ingredients except ice in a pot and bring to boil.
• Remove from heat once salt and sugar dissolved. Leave to cool then refrigerate.
• The night before roasting, pour brine in a clean large stockpot.
• Place turkey in brine. Add ice, cover and leave in a cool area.
• Before roasting, preheat oven to 250°C.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
• Pat dry with paper towels.
• Microwave aromatics for 2 mins.
• Discard water, and add aromatics into the cavity of the turkey.
• Spread oil all over the turkey.
• Line strips of bacon along the top to cover the turkey.
• Roast at lowest level at 250°C for 30 mins.
• Remove from oven and cover the bird with aluminium foil.
• Return to oven, reduce temperature to 180°C and continue roasting for 1 hr 15 mins.
• Remove foil and roast for further 45 mins.
• Remove bird from oven, loosely cover with foil and leave for about 20 mins before carving.