Chocolate Chip & Nut Cookies

How you like your chocolate chip cookies to taste like? chewy? crunchy? I'm glad that I tested out this old-fashioned chocolate chip & nut cookies! They are crunchy at the edges and at the same time chewy in the middle! Love the bits of nuts in very bite and of course the large amount of chocolate chips embedded in the cookie. Just could not stop at just one cookie!! 

Ingredient

• 115gm unsalted butter
• 50gm white sugar
• 100gm brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp hot water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 190gm plain flour
• 170gm semi sweet chocolate chips
• 60gm chopped walnuts

Method

1. Cream butter and all sugar together until light & fluffy.
2. Beat in egg until well blended. Stir in vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add into batter along with the salt. Beat briefly.
3. Sift in flour and fold till batter formed. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts until well mixed.
4. Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto lined baking sheets. (I use an ice-cream scoop)
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 12-15mins until the edges are lightly brown.
6. Cool on baking sheets for 5 mins before transferring on wire rack to cool completely  before storing.

Curry Pork Patties

My almost 3.5" tall Curry Pork Burger! Buttered homemade buns , layer with butterhead lettuce, tomato, cheese, curry pork patties with dollop of homemade tomato ketchup!!...Arn't this looks inviting to you??!!

Curry Pork Patties
Ingredient

• 300gm minced pork
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 50gm fresh wholemeal bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Combine all ingredients together and knead till mixture is sticky. Cover and chill for 30mins.
2. Divide mixture into 6 patties and flatten slightly.
3. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a non stick pan, pan fry on high heat for 1 min on both sides, lower heat and pan fry another 5 mins on each side until cooked through.

Potato & Carrot Soup

Ingredient

• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 leek, approx 250gm, chopped
• 3.5 - 4 cups water
• 1 fish stock cube
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in pot, add carrots and leek and stirring fry for 5mins.
2. Add in potato and fry for another 1 min.
3. Add in water, stock cube and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30-40 mins until all vege are tender
4. Add in seasoning to taste. Cool down slightly.
5. Place vegetable in a food blender and process in batches until smooth. Return mixture to pot and heat through. Further add another 1/2 cup water or stock if you find the consistency too thick. Serve.

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

Never thought tomato sauce or ketchup is so easy to make! It is very flavourful, tangy and sweet to taste :D Not much a hassle on the process except maybe on the sieving part :D Initially I uses a smaller hole siever and had a problem trying to separate the pulp. Luckily I have another siever which has a slightly wider hole and the process becomes easier.

After sieving through, this is the amount of pulp left, less than 1/2 a cup.

a bowl of smooth tomato ketchup after sieving :D

Ingredient (approx 700ml)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 thumb size fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 800gm ripen tomatoes, chopped
• 100gm light brown sugar
• 100ml red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a deep saucepan, add onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander seeds and fry for 10 mins.
2. Add in tomatoes and rest of seasoning and bring to boil. Cook on medium low heat for 30mins until mixture is thickened and sticky, stirring occasionally.
3. Cool mixture. Process in a food blender until smooth. Sieve the mixture (use a medium hole siever if not you will have a hard time trying to separate the paste and pulp)  and bring to boil again. Turn off heat and spoon into sterilized bottle immediately. Seal and keep in room temperature for up to 6 month. Chill in fridge upon opening, for up to a month.

Hamburger Buns

I've realised I did not bake any breads for 1 month! I've planned to make some pork patties for lunch the next day, then thinking why not try baking some burgers to go with it! Guess what I only cooked the water roux dough at 9pm!! So by the time I settled down the kids to bed and the water roux is well cool down, is already 10pm >.< hahahaha so from the beginning of kneading to the end of baking is already past 1am! Zzzzzzz This is one of those crazy days when trying bread making in the middle of the night....But I really loves the result of the buns, all are evenly brown with golden hue!! so lovely :D

Ingredient (yields 5 buns)

• 105gm bread flour
• 50gm cake flour
• 10gm milk powder
• 20gm sugar
• 3gm salt
• 3gm instant yeast
• 35gm beaten eggs
• 35gm iced water
• 45gm water roux dough
• 25gm unsalted butter
• extra eggs for glazing
• white sesame seeds for coating

Method

1. Combine all ingredients, except butter, and knead into a rough dough.
2. Add in butter and knead for 10mins until a smooth and elastic dough is formed.  Cover and proof for 60mins until double in bulk.
3. Punch down dough and knead lightly. Divide dough into 60gm each and rest for 15mins.
4. Knead dough lightly and shape into rounds. Brush surface with beaten eggs and coat with sesame seeds. Proof for another 60mins until double in size.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15-18 mins until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack before storing.

Recipes Coming Up!!! Homemade Curry Pork Burgers & Homemade Tomato Ketchup!! 

Savoury Fried Glutinous Rice

Ingredient

• 300gm glutinous rice, soaked for 4 hours
• 8 dried shitake mushroom, softened and finely diced
• 50gm dried shrimps, softened and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp preserved radish, soaked and rinsed
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• fried shallots, roasted peanuts & spring onion for garnish

Method

1. Drain soaked glutinous rice thoroughly and add 200 - 220ml water (I added in reserved liquid from soaked mushroom and shrimps) , steam over preheated steamer for 20mins until cook through. 
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute shallots, garlic, preserved radish, shrimps & mushroom for 3 mins until fragrant and lightly brown.
3. Add in salt and mix evenly.
4. Add in steamed rice and the rest of the seasoning and mix well. Remove from heat. Garnish and serve.

Lovely cuppa of Rose Green Tea (1 sachet green tea bag + 200ml hot water + 5 dried rose buds) to serve with the savoury glutinous rice!

Gotgamssam

Can you figure out what is this by looking at the pictures? It is made up with only 2 ingredients, dried persimmons & toasted walnuts! It is Walnuts Wrapped in Persimmons...how does a whole piece of dried persimmons being wrapped around the walnuts?? Thanks to Maangchi's video of making this dainty sweet dessert, if not I'm really clueless on how to trim and cut up the dried persimmons! Though mine does not look as pretty as Maangchi's, is still taste as good! 

Walnuts wrapped in persimmons 곶감쌈

Recipe Source : Maangchi

Ingredient

• 2 dried persimmons, stalk removed
• 6 roasted walnut halves

Method  : Check out video here :)

Chicken & Rice Porridge

Chicken and rice porridge / 닭죽 / Dakjuk

Mung bean sprout side dish / 숙주나물 / Sukjunamul

Eversince I discovered Maangchi cooking web page, I'm hooked with Korean food again! I only patronize an authentic Korean restaurant located at Upper Bukit Timah once, other than that I only get to savour Korean food in food court which does not taste that fantastic to me. So far the recipes I've tested from Maangchi tasted good and are simple to prepare as her instruction on the preparation is very detailed.  But for this chicken rice porridge, I find the consistency is too thick and the salt indicated is too salty for my liking, therefore I adjusted the water and salt ratio. Overall this porridge is smooth and awesome and deeply infused with garlic flavours!

Chicken Rice Porridge

Recipe source : Maangchi

Ingredient

• 1 whole chicken, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 1/2 cups garlic cloves, skinned
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 2 eggs
• 3 stalk green onions, chopped
• salt to taste (I used abt 1 1/2 tsp)

Method

1. Wash rice and soak for 1 hour.
2. Place chicken and garlic in a large pot filled with 18 cups of water. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30mins, covered.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20mins.
4. Add soaked rice and cook for another 15-20 mins until rice is soften.
5. Carefully remove chicken from the pot, add salt to taste. Add in beaten egg and cook for 1 min without stirring it. Stir in spring onion and turn off heat.
6. Shred chicken into pieces and serve with rice porridge. Drizzle with some sesame oil.

Mung Bean Sprout Side Dish

Ingredient

• 250gm mung bean sprout
• 1 small japanese cucumber
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Rinse bean sprout several times and remove wilted ones. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in sprout and cook for 1 min. Drain and rinse with cold water. 
2. Shred cucumber coarsely and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Set aside for 15mins. Squeeze away excess liquid and place in a clean mixing bowl.
3. Squeeze excess liquid from the sprout and add into the shredded cucumber.
4. Add in garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt. Gently toss by using bare hands.
5. Best served chill.

韩国辣炒鱿鱼

This is another spicy dish which is excellent with a bowl of hot rice! Hubby commented too spicy, so in the end I'm the one whom completely wiped off this spicy squid! >.< 

Stir-fried Spicy Squid, 오징어 볶음 , Ohjinguh bokkeum

Ingredient

• 1 large squid, approx 200gm after cleaning and trimming
• 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 large onion, 1/2 diced and the other sliced
• 3 tbsp korean chilli paste
• 3 tbsp wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 stalk spring onion
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Method

1. Slice squid into rings and marinate with minced garlic, ginger, diced onions, chilli paste, wine, salt & sugar for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan, saute sliced onion until fragrant & soften. 
3. Add in marinated squid and stir fry on high fire for 3 mins until cook through. Add in a couple of tbsp water if mixture is too dry.  Stir in spring onion and mix evenly. Remove from fire. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken : Specially prepared for the kids since the squid is too spicy for their palate!! :D

Ingredient

• 800gm chicken pieces (I used mixture of wings &vdrumsticks)
• 8 tbsp thick teriyaki sauce
• 3 tsp curry powder

Method

1. Marinate chicken pieces with all seasoning overnight.
2. Drain chicken pieces and place on baking sheet. 
3. Pour reserve marinate in a sauce pan and add 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat for 10 mins until thickens. Set aside.
4. Bake marinated chicken in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 30-40mins, basting with sauce for 3 times in between baking time. 
5. Serve chicken with white rice together with balanced teriyaki sauce.

Sambal Tumis Ikan Tongkol

First of all must thanks Wendy for providing and translating this recipe for me :D After cooking gulai ikan tongkol, I've left with half a portion of the fish in the freezer as I've planned to cook this sambal version ^.^ This dish really have to goes with the Nasi Lemak!! It is so appetizing when drenching the rice with the sour & spicy gravy!  

Recipe adapted from Bila Chah Ke Dapur

Ingredient

• 4 pieces ikan tongkol
• 8 pcs asam gelugor
• 6 heap tbsp chilli boh
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 shallots
• 1/2 onion
• 2 tbsp palm sugar, or to taste
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 2.5 cup fish broth

Method

1. Boil fish with asam with pinch of salt on low heat for about 10mins.
2. Meanwhile, process garlic, shallots & onion till smooth.
3. Reserve fish broth. Heat some oil in wok, pan fry tuna till golden brown.
4. With remaining oil in wok, saute chilli paste and onion paste until glossy and oil separates.
5. Add in palm sugar, salt & fish broth and bring to boil.
6. Add in tuna and sliced onions and simmer until onions is softened and gravy thickens to your preference. Serve with Nasi Lemak.

 I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest, Terengganu Month hosted by Lena of frozen wings

Peach Bread Pudding

Recipe Source : Food.com

Ingredient

• 2 eggs
• 80gm sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 400gm evaporated milk
• 1 cup water
• 5 slices bread, approx 150gm
• 1 1/2 cup canned peache, cubed

Method

1. Beat eggs, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, almond extract and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Stir in milk and water.
3. Cut bread into 3cm cubes. Lightly grease a casserole, layer bread, milk mixture and peaches until all ingredients are used. Press down lightly and rest for 15mins.
4. Place casserole in a pan of hot water and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel 40-50mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool slightly and serve

I'm submitting your post to Aspiring Bakers #24 (October 2012) : Jellies & Puddings hosted by Charmaine of MiMi Bakery House

Strawberry Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

I'm pretty excited today as I've finally accomplished one of my to-do list which is the Italian Meringue Buttercream!! I've actually attended a workshop last year which involved demonstration of making the meringue. So this is the first hands on for me and I'm glad that it turns out well. No hiccups in between whatsoever!!

Prior with the making of the buttercream, I've test bake a strawberry cake which uses strawberry flavour jello!!  I was curious how will the cake turns out!? 'Cos of the high content of sugar in the cake, the crust is quite brown compare to normal sponge cake, but overall the crumbs is very moist and not over coyly. I seldom frost a whole cake except on occasion for my kids' birthday, so pardon my ugly frosted cake ^.^

so light & fluffy!! As I got this Italian Meringue Buttercream from a workshop, so due to copyright issue is not convenient for me to post the recipe here. But I've found a link quite similar to the one I'm using, and is very detailed with steps by steps instruction!! click here on How to make Italian Meringue Buttercream

unfrosted Strawberry Cake

crumb coating the cake : a thin layer of buttercream to seal the crumbs before frosting the whole cake.

using wilton nozzle #18 for piping around the edge

think am too generous with the layer buttercream hehehe..

Recipe Source : Sweetapolita

Strawberry Cake

Ingredient

• 120gm sugar
• 45gm strawberry gelatin
• 125gm butter
• 2 eggs
• 170gm cake flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 125ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

Method

1. Cream butter, sugar & strawberry gelatin until light & fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. 
3. Mix vanilla and milk together.
4. Sift in flour and baking powder over creamed butter, alternating with milk until just combined.
5. Fold in strawberry puree.
6. Pour batter in a lined 6" cake pan and bake over preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 40 mins for until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10mins before unmoulding and cool completely on wire rack.

What to do with the extra crumbs after trimming the cake? wrap up and freeze! maybe can make some cake pops with it! :D

 Balanced IMB I've also wrapped it up and freeze for next use :D

红糟排骨 - Revisited

This is a improved version of what I last did in 2008! Ingredients are the same except I've added more wine for this time round. This dish is great for mother after birth! So when my hubby saw me simmering the pot of ribs this morning, he suggested to give it to his best friend whom his wife is still under confinement! Off it goes a pot of flavourful fermented rice residue pork ribs :) Hopefully the mother will enjoy this dish! :D

line spring onion on the base of a pot, place in pork ribs

 add in water & wine just enough to submerge the meat

This is a lovely bottle of Chinese Wine called '汾酒', a gift from my hubby' client when he went on business trip few weeks ago! It is a pure white distilled hard liquor with alcohol content of 53%!! Smell it also can get drunk hahahaha....No we do not intend to consume this directly >.< so my hubby has passed this to me for use in cooking instead!!

lovely cravings on the bottle...

Ingredient

• 500gm prime ribs, 软骨
• 5 tbsp fermented rice residue，红糟
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 200ml water
• 500ml fermented rice wine, 红糟酒
• 3 stalks spring onion, section
• 2 tsp 汾酒, optional

Method

1. Place sectioned spring onion on base of a pot. Add in pork ribs in a single layer.
2. Add in water and fermented rice wine and bring to boil. Cover and lower heat, simmer for 20mins.
3. Add in fermented rice residue, sugar & soy sauce and stir to blend. Cover and simmer for another 40mins until pork is tender and gravy reduce.
4. Add in 汾酒 and simmer for another 1 min. Turn off heat.
5. Scoop pork ribs onto a serving plate, remove spring onions and drizzle gravy over the dish. Serve.

Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Looks good? My kids do not fancy the sourish balsamic chicken & vege but the mashed is well received them :D 

Recipe adapted from Masterchef

Ingredient

• 2 whole chicken leg
• 1 small red capsicum
• 1 small yellow capsicum
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 200 cherry tomatoes, halved

Marinade :

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp brown sugar

Champ Mash

• 400gm russet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream (I used plain yoghurt)
• 30gm butter
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Method

1. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Arrange chicken, capsicum, onion, garlic and thyme in a large roasting pan.
3. Pour in half of the marinade over the chicken and vegetables. Reserve the balance marinade.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 15mins. Add in cherry tomatoes and stir to mix and bake for another 25mins until the chicken is cooked through. 
5. Combine the pan juices and reserved marinade. Stir over low heat until thickened.
6. To cook mash : steam or boiled potato until tender. Mash while it still hot. Add in sour cream, butter, spring onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
7. To serve, arrange vegetables on a serving plate and place chicken over. Drizzle sauce over and serve with champ mash with extra sauce.

Baked Cajun Chicken with Salad

Here is another of cooking with Cajun, baked cajun chicken. A quick fix when craves for bake chicken! 

Baked Cajun Chicken
Ingredient

• 2 whole chicken leg
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Rub cajun seasoning and olive oil evenly over chicken leg. Set aside for 30mins.
2. Place chicken on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 25mins until golden brown and cook through.

Tomato, Corn & Avocado Salad
Ingredient

• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 150gm cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 stalk spring onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Place all ingredient in a mixing bowl and toss lightly to mix. Serve immediately.