Pita Pizza

Instead of normal pizza base, I used a wholemeal pita bread as the base :) Spread with BBQ sauce and top with mozzarella cheese, spread a layer of sauteed onion, teriyaki chicken & basil leaves. Baked in oven at 200 deg cel for 12 mins.

Yoghurt IceCream

Mangoe is one of my favourite fruit! I love the mango taste of this ice-cream but I do not like the texture...is too icy, not smooth & creamy :(

Recipe adapted from Aunt Yochana

Mango Yoghurt Ice Cream
Ingredient

• 300gm mangoes, puree
• 200gm non-dairy whipping cream
• 1 tsp mango essence
• 120gm mango flavoured yoghurt

Method

1. Whisk non diary whip cream until thick. (do not whisk till stiff)
2. Mix yoghurt and essence with mango puree and then fold in whipped cream.
3. Pour into a container and freeze overnight until firm.

Yam Rice

Lemon Barley

Weather is so hot!! boil some barley water to cool down :) added honey & lemon juice to taste...refreshing!!!

Threadfin with Wood Ears

Ingredient

• 250gm threadfin, sliced
• 3/4 cup softened wood ears
• 3 slices ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp chinese wine
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 1 tbsp cornstarch water
  

Method

1. Marinate fish with seasoning.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Add ginger & garlic, fry till fragrant.
3. Add fish, stir-fry on high heat for 2 mins. Add wood ear & 2 tbsp water. Stir to mix.
   
4. Add cornstarch water & spring onion. Mix evenly. Serve.
   

Roast Meat Salad

Main Ingredient : Mixed salads, yellow capsicum, shallots, roast pork, char siew...

Salad Dressing : 3 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp ginger oil, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tbsp light soya sauce, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp minced ginger, 1/4 tsp black peppercorn, pinch of salt...

Sweet Corn Chiffon

Usually I baked my chiffon for 35mins, but this time round the baking duration does not apply for this chiffon! Almost have a hard time trying to remove the cake from the centre tube. , now then realise the surface is not as brown enough, should have extend the baking time for another 5mins.

Sit nicely at the brim after cooling down!

Soft & fluffy...

balanced batter baked in papercups!

Ingredient
* 6 egg yolks
* 250gm creamy sweet corn
* 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
* 60ml corn oil
* 100gm castor sugar
* 120gm plain flour, sifted
* 50gm coconut powder
* 6 egg whites
* 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Whisk egg yolks with 30gm sugar till smooth. Stir in sweet corn, vanilla essence & corn oil. Fold in flour & coconut powder till batter forms.
2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar till foamy. Gradually beat in 70gm sugar on high speed in 3 additions till stiff peak formed.
3. Fold in 1/3 of the egg white foam into sweet corn batter. Mix evenly. Pour the batter into the balance egg white foam and fold in gently till combined.
4. Pour into ungreased 9 inch tube pan. Tap the pan on hard surface to release excess trap air bubbles and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 35 -40 mins. Invert immediately to cool completely before removing from pan.

Croquettes

I love this croquettes which got a crispy crust & moist filling :) To make it less messier when moulding the patties, I wear a plastic gloves to handle the mixture! It is important to shape the croquettes firmly and chill them well after coating with breadcrumbs. This is to ensure it does not burst during the frying process.

Cod & Potatoes Croquettes
Ingredient
* 300gm cod fillet
* 400gm potatoes
* 1 large onion
* 4 tbsp mayonnaise
* 1 egg, beaten
* 100gm breadcrumbs
* plain flour
* salt & pepper

Method

1. Place cod fillet on a plate, sprinkle 1/3 of the sliced onion, salt & pepper on top. Steam for 10mins. Cool. Remove onion, skins and bones from fish. Put fish in a plastic bag and pound till finely flaked.
2. Peel & boil potatoes. Mash coarsely while is still hot. Add balanced chopped onion, mayonnaise, salt & pepper. Mix well and leave to cool.
3. Mix cod with mashed potatoes. Shape the mixture into 8 round flat cakes. Press & mould the cakes firmly to press out any air. Dust evenly with flour, dip in beaten eggs and coat evenly with breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 30mins.
   
4. Pan fry slowly in oil till crispy and golden. Drain well.
   

Egg "In" Toast

This morning experiment by cooking an egg in the middle of a piece of bread :P. First slice failed cos the cut area is too small to fill the whole egg & heat control is not correct...subsequently slices got it perfectly done after rectify the mistakes :). Make sure to use room temperature eggs to ensure the eggs is easily cooked through without an overburnt base.

Ingredient

• wholemeal bread
• 1 egg yolk & 1/2 egg white for each bread (is fine to use whole egg if cut area is enough to fill in)
  
• butter

Method

1. Melt some butter in pan. Sear both side of bread with butter. Add in egg & cook on low heat. Cover pan till yolk is set.
   

Round Cookie Cutter

Heart Cookie Cutter

Stewed Seabass with Carrots

All in one dish rich in protein & fibre. Pan-fried fish gives a milky soup base to this dish. Though only a little salt is added, the soup is sweet because of the carrots added. I used the soup base to cook mee sua for my boy's dinner.

Ingredient

• 1 seabass
• 200gm radish, shred finely
• 1 carrot, shred finely
• 3 slice ginger
• 2 cups water
• dash of pepper
  

Method

1. Sprinkle a little salt over the fish, coat lightly with some corn flour.
2. Heat 3 tbsp spoon oil in wok, pan fry fish on both sides till lightly brown.
3. Add ginger, carrots & water. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 45mins till carrots are tender.
   

馄饨 Wuntun

Besides having the usual boring porridge, I prepare some 馄饨 soup which my son can have it too. Save me the hassle of preparing food separately :) As I do not want him to consume too salty food, I have added minimal seasoning to the fillings. He manage to finish a bowl of 10 wuntuns ^-^

Ingredient (makes approx. 50 pcs)

• 250gm minced pork
• 5 waterchestnut, peel & chop
• 1/4 cup wood ear
  
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 pkt Wuntun skin
  

Method

1. Mix all ingredient thoroughly till sticker paste form. Set aside for at least 30mins.
2. Place 1/2 tsp of fillings onto middle of a wuntun skin. Spread some water at the sides of the skin, seal the wuntun tightly.
   
3. Cook wuntun in a pot of boiling water with salt added. This will prevent the the wuntun from bursting during the cooking process.
4. Drain and serve in prepared stock.
5. Balance of uncooked wuntun can be freezed. To freeze, place wuntun in a single layer on a pan, freeze till hard before keeping them in a plastic bag. Seal & store in freezer till use.

Today's Lunch...

苋菜银鱼羹 Amaranth Leaves & Silver Fish Soup

Ingredient

• 400gm Amaranth Leaves
• 140gm fresh silver fish
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 3 cups water
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cornstarch water
  
• 1 tsp sesame oil
  

Method

1. Trim off roots and wash the leaves thoroughly. Tear into bite sizes.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute garlic till lightly brown, add leaves. Stir-fry on high heat for 2 mins.
3. Add silver fish and water. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer till leaves are tender.
4. Add cornstarch water to thicken the soup. Add salt to taste. Drizzle over sesame oil. Serve hot.
   

Tuna Fried Rice

Guess fried rice is one of the most versatile dish to prepare as you can add anything to like! But the most essential ingredients for fried rice are eggs & garlic which cannot be omitted :)

Crêpes

A thin pancake origin from French. Not as difficult as it seems to make :) just ensure that the fire is low and of course a non-stick pan is required. Besides having it for breakfast, think is great idea to make savoury Crêpe wraps for lunch too! My boy manage to finish 1 1/2 pieces for breakfast! :) I personally prefer this than the normal American Pancakes.

Using a 10" non-stick pan, 2 scoop of batter for each pancakes, I manage to get 6 pieces of Crêpes using the recipe below.

French Crêpes
Ingredient
* 125gm plain flour
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 250ml milk
* 1 tbsp sugar
* unsalted butter

Method

1. Put the flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle. Pour the eggs into the hollow. Use a wire whisk, gradually stir the eggs in the flour. Stir well to ensure minimal lumps. (stir until is soft dough almost form)
2. Add in milk slowly, stirring constantly, add in sugar. Stir well till a smooth batter is formed. Set aside for 1 hour.
   
3. Heat a non-stick pan, melt some unsalted butter to coat the pan. Add appropriate amount of batter in the pan, swirl to cover the pan. Cook on medium low heat. When the sides start to brown slightly, use a wooden spoon to loosen the sides. Gently flip over to cook the other side for 1-2 mins.
4. Continue with the balance batter, add butter as necessary to coat the pan.
5. Serve warm with honey, mixed berries....
   

Black & White

After couple of ice-cream making using simple method like folding whipped cream into fruits puree, I have taken a further step by trying custard cooking method :) It involves only 3 main steps. Firstly beat the eggs & sugar till thick, secondly double-boiled the egg mixture with milk & flavours, lastly fold in whipped cream! Pop the mixture into freezer till set, no need to beat the mixture again during the freezing process. Sounds simple enough right :P

Only special care is needed during the custard cooking process. Cook the mixture over a simmering pot of water and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Though double boiling takes much longer time, it is much safer than cooking on direct heat as this reduce the risk of over cooking the custard which may result in cooked eggs instead. When the mixture thickens and coats the back of the wooden spoon, it is done!

Though I am using non-dairy cream, just to share my past experience on whipping cream :) I realise that dairy cream is more tricky to handle than non-dairy cream. I always take special care not to over whip the cream. If whip too long, the cream can curdle and separate and will turn into butter!. This is because prolonged beating has warmed the cream. To prevent this from happening, chill the mixing bowl & whisk in the fridge till very cold. If the weather is very hot I will also place the mixing bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice cubes before whipping up the cream.

Very satisfied with my ice-cream making, smooth & creamy texture. Taste simply divine!! I especially love the nutty flavour of the black sesame ice-cream! ^-^

Coconut Gelato extracted from Aunt Yochana

Black Sesame Ice-Cream
Ingredient

• 3 egg yolks
• 80gm sugar
• 75gm black sesame, toast & grind
• 250ml full cream milk
• 250gm non dairy whipping cream

Method

1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar till white and creamy.
2. Double boil the egg yolk mixture over a pot of simmering water and stir constantly. Pour in milk and sesame paste, continue stirring until mixture is thick. (takes abt 15mins)
3. Remove sesame custard mixture from heat and set aside to cool. (place in a bowl of ice cubes to speed up the process)
4. Whisk non dairy whipping cream till soft peak and fold into the cooled custard.
5. Pour into container and freeze overnight or until firm.

Savoury Yam Cake

I found this recipe on My Kitchen. Taste good! I double the recipe as I wanted to use up the balance of my flour and I also make some modifications on some ingredient :P...

Pan-fried for a crispy outer layer...

Ingredient

• 340g fine rice flour
• 80g tapioca flour
• 1000ml water
• 1 cube ikan bilis stock
• 1 tsp sesame oil
  
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
• 900g yam, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 50g dried shrimp, soaked & chopped coarsely (reserve liquid)
• 12 small chinese mushroom, soaked & diced finely (reserve liquid)
• 10 shallots, sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 no. red chili, seeded and sliced
• 1 stalk spring onion , chopped

Method

1. Dissolve stock cube in 1000ml water. Add reserved dried prawns & mushroom liquid. Add sesame oil, salt, pepper & five-spice powder. Cool completely.
   
2. Add flour to stock and stir till batter form.
3. Heat oil in wok, add yam and stir fry until lightly browned. Remove yam from wok and set aside.
4. Stir in shallot to the the same wok, fry until golden brown. Remove from shallot from wok and set aside.
5. Add some more oil in the wok. Add garlic, dried shrimp and mushroom, fry until fragrant. Add yams & fried shallot. Pour the batter in the wok, stir until the batter is thickened.
6. Transfer batter into a lightly greased 8" deep pan, steam for 40-50 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before slicing.
7. Slice and garnish with red chili, fried shallot and spring onion.

Avocado Ice Cream

A simple way to make ice cream without using an ice-cream maker or complicated steps! just blend 2 ripen avocados with 1/2 cup milk & 4 tbsp honey till smooth. Transferred to freeze proof container & freeze till set. Usually store bought avocado are not ripen, how to know it has ripen? Place avocado in room temperature till the skin turns dark and soft to feel.

There is a technique in cutting an avocado :) Use a sharp knife, cut vertically along the fruit and give a gentle twist to split the fruit. Here is a short video demonstrating cutting an avocado...

Smooth & creamy texture, served with toasted pistochio nuts & strawberries...

Fruit Cake

Happen to 'discover' a bottle of cognac in the cupboard, quickly embarked on my fruit cake baking... been wanting to bake a fruit cake for very long :) I went ahead to soak a pack of dried fruit in the liquor since 5 days ago and store in the fridge until I search for a recipe I like. After comparing several fruit cake recipes on web-sites & recipe book, finally come out with this recipe of my 'own' ^-^.

It is a fuss free recipe with simple stirring & mixing without using a electrical mixer! Only point to note is that I covered the cake lightly after baking for 35mins to prevent it from browning too fast*. During the baking process, the aroma of the cake is simply irresistible, with the sweet fragrant of fruits & alcohol filling the whole house!

I store the cake in air-tight container for 1 day before serving.....texture of the cake? is so light & moist! and the sweetness is just right for my taste.

Ingredient
* 200gm dried mixed fruits (soaked in alcohol for at least 1 day)
* 250gm dried dates, chopped
* 125gm butter
* 100gm light brown sugar
* 1 tsp mixed spice
* 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/2 cup cognac
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 250gm plain flour
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda

Method

1. Drain mixed fruits from liquor. Reserve liquor and top up to 1/2 cup for use later.
   
2. Place mixed fruits, dates, butter, sugar, mixed spice & orange juice in a deep saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stir till butter melts. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins uncover. Cool completely.
3. Stir in 1/2 cup liquor & eggs into fruit mixture. Sift in flour, baking powder & baking soda and fold in lightly till well combined.
   
4. Greased & double lined a 7 in cake pan. Baked in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 1 hr 15mins . *(Note : cover surface lightly with a parchment paper after 35mins to prevent the top from burning)
5. Cool in pan for 10min before removing the cake onto wire rack to cool completely. Store in air-tight container and best serve 1 day later.
   

Green Tea Chiffon

Think I fell in love with chiffon cake!! hahaha...This is the 2nd time I've done a Green Tea Chiffon. Compare to the latter, I prefer this as it is more fluffy & soft :) The recipe is exactly what I've have made for the Coffee Chiffon, I just subsitute the coffee with 1 tbsp matcha powder. I love the aftertaste of this chiffon, with green tea flavour lingering in the mouth....

Ingredient

• 4 egg yolks
• 50ml milk
  
• 60ml corn oil
• 100gm castor sugar
• 100gm plain flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp green tea powder, sifted
  
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• mini choco chips (optional)
  

Method

1. Whisk egg yolks with 50gm sugar till smooth. Stir in milk& corn oil. Fold in flour & green tea powder till batter forms.
2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar till foamy. Gradually beat in 50gm sugar on high speed in 3 additions till stiff peak formed.
3. Fold in 1/3 of the egg white foam into green tea batter. Mix evenly. Pour the batter into the balance egg white foam and fold in gently till combined.
4. Pour in 1/3 of the batter into a ungreased 8 inch tube pan. Sprinkle some choco chips on top. Pour in some more batter and sprinkle some more choco chips over. Pour in remaining batter and spread evenly. Tap the pan on hard surface to release excess trap air bubbles and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 30-35 mins. Invert immediately to cool completely before removing from pan.
   

Coffee Chiffon

So far most of my chiffon recipe are adapted from Kevin Chai recipe book which I like it very much :) For this coffee chiffon I have made some modification on the original recipe, eg. reducing the sugar content, increasing the liquid and dry ingredient...the chiffon turns out great! light & soft texture with a subtle coffee flavour and the sweetness is just right.

Ingredient
* 2 tbsp instant coffee (i used expresso dark roast granules)
* 50ml warm milk
* 4 egg yolks
* 50ml corn oil
* 100gm castor sugar
* 100gm plain flour, sifted
* 4 egg whites
* 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Dissolve coffee granules in warm milk. Whisk egg yolks with 50gm sugar till smooth. Stir in coffee mixture & corn oil. Fold in flour till batter forms.
2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar till foamy. Gradually beat in 50gm sugar on high speed in 3 additions till stiff peak formed.
3. Fold in 1/3 of the egg white foam into coffee batter. Mix evenly. Pour the batter into the balance egg white foam and fold in gently till combined.
4. Pour into ungreased 8 inch tube pan. Tap the pan on hard surface to release excess trap air bubbles and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 30-35 mins. Invert immediately to cool completely before removing from pan.