Sunday, 31 March 2019

OYSTER SAUCE CHICKEN


Oyster Sauce Chicken

A simple but satisfying dish

Oyster Sauce Chicken
1/2 chicken, cut into bite size
6-8 slices old ginger
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
sugar, salt & pepper to taste

1. heat up cooking oil in a frying pan
2. add ginger slices & fry until fragrant
3. add chicken pieces & stir fry 
4. add sesame seed oil & continue frying until chicken meat shrinks
5. add sufficient water, cover & allow to cook until chicken is tender
6. If gravy dries up, add more water. 
7. Add sugar, salt & pepper to taste
8. serve when done

ORANGE OGURA CAKE


Ogura Cake
相思蛋糕


This Ogura Cake is soft and fluffy.
It wobbles when I remove it from the pan and place on the cooling rack.

This fluffy jiggling cake is so flexible
that you can twist and turn a slice of it without breaking it.

Thank you Jeannie Tay
for sharing her Pandan Ogura recipe.

I have replaced the pandan juice with orange juice.

If you are interested, this is her recipe:

Ogura Cake
Pan size: 7" square or 8" round
line bottom & slightly grease the sides of pan

Ingredient A
30g coconut oil
30g corn oil
5 egg yolks
1 whole egg (65g eggs)
70g cake flour/superfine
70g pandan juice/orange juice
1/4 tsp salt

Ingredient B
5 egg white
80g castor sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Method:
For ingredients A
1. In a bowl, hand whisk together eggs, oil, orange juice & salt until well combined
2. sift the the flour & mix until smooth, set aside

For ingredients B
3. In another bowl, using an electric whisk to whisk the egg white until foamy before adding cream        of tartar
4. continue whisking until thick foams, slowly adding sugar  & whisk to stiff peaks
5. fold meringue into egg yolks batter gently, 1/3 portion at a time until you get a nice creamy batter        that can be poured into your cake pan easily.
6. gently shake the pan from side to side to even out the batter before baking in a water bath for              90min at 160'C. Tent with foil if the top gets too brown.

REFRESHING SOURSOP JUICE



SOURSOP

紅毛榴槤

福州話:”破布榴槤”


My late grandmother had a soursop tree in her backyard.
Every time when she came from Sitiawan to visit us,
she would bring along some soursop for us.

She called it,"puay wo liu lian" in Hockchiew.
I do not know why it is called "durian in rags"
Do enlighten me if you know the reason.

Soursop has been found to be a superfruit!
It is great for the eyes,
 can treat infections
and
is a potential cancer fighting food,

These recent findings
 has contributed to the soaring price of this once humble fruit
commonly found in most homes.

Grandma just cut the fruits into slices to eat,
now I prefer it juiced instead.

How about you?

Soursop Juice
100g soursop pulp, seeds removed
250g cold water
sugar to taste, optional

1. blend all 3 together and you will have a refreshing drink

Thursday, 28 March 2019

MINCED PORK WITH POTATO


Minced Pork with Potato

Soft and 'powdery' potato 
and tender minced pork 
in thick gravy is a common dish on our dining table.

It is easy to cook and satisfying.

If you look carefully
there are few slices of ginger among the potato,
making it more flavourful.

Seasoning includes salt, pepper, soya sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.

Dark soya sauce is optional.

Monday, 25 March 2019

QUICK AND EASY NO KNEAD PIZZA CRUST


Quick & Easy No Knead Pizza Crust
comes handy 
when we need a crust within the shortest possible time.

Thanks to Shiokman Eddie's sharing

This recipe produces a 12" hand pulled pizza crust.

No knead, 
you have not heard me wrongly!


Quick And Easy No Knead Pizza Crust
170g lukewarm water
7g sugar
5g instant yeast
270g bread flour (I used 1/2 BF and 1/2 AP flour)
5g salt
20g olive oil

1. add sugar and yeast to warm water, leave aside for 10min until frothy
2. In another bowl, mix together salt  and flour
3. pour oil into the yeast mixture and mix well
4. add yeast mixture to flour mix, mix until everything comes together in a ball
5. cover, and leave aside for at least 10min to proof


6. place dough in between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll flat until 12" wide
7. place the dough sheet onto a 12" oiled pizza pan
8. pull the sides to the edges. If it shrinks, rest awhile & pull again.
9. spread a layer of pasta sauce onto the spread dough


10. add shredded cheese all over & add your favourite toppings
11. add shredded cheese again for final topping
12. bake in preheated oven 180'C until the pizza turns golden brown, about 30min


Notes:
1. if you do not have a pizza pan, you can leave the dough on the parchment paper to bake
2. dough can be made advance and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavour to develop
3. dough flour, can use all purpose flour for softer crust or bread flour for more chew, or mix!

Sunday, 24 March 2019

LONG BEANS FRIED EGGs


Long Beans Fried Eggs
is a dish that I grow up with.

Those days, long beans were cheap, some were also home grown.
 Eggs from own chicken! 

If you know how to fry onions and eggs,
you will know how to cook this.


Long Beans Fried Eggs
4-5 lengths long beans
1/2 onions
2 eggs
salt & pepper to taste



1. clean & cut long beans into short lengths
2. shred onions thinly
3. lightly beat the eggs
4. heat up 1-2 Tbsp oil in the pan
5. add onions to fry until fragrant
6. add long beans and fry until soft
7. add salt & pepper to taste and spread evenly in the pan
8. pour egg over the vegetables
9. turn over to cook the other side when the eggs start to set
10. dish out when slightly brown on both sides
11. enjoy

DATE CAKE OR KEK KURMA


Dates are nothing new to you and me.

If you ask google,
you will have a long list of its benefits!

Dates are rich in many of the vital nutrients for the body
to function effectively and well.

It is commonly known to promote digestive health
because of its high fibre content.
Other write out includes boosting heart health
and reduce blood pressure.

Recently I came across this recipe shared by Panasonic.
I have made some adjustments
and
would like to share with you here:

Date Cake or Kek Kurma


Date Cake or Kek Kurma

Dry Ingredients: (sifted together)
   225g self raising flour
   1 tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients:
   120g butter   
   125g dark brown sugar
   2 eggs large
   10 dates
   30-40g milk
   1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
1. remove seeds & stems from dates, chopped into small pieces
2. cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy
3. add vanilla essence
4. beat in eggs, one at a time
5. add chopped dates and mix until dates are evenly distributed
6. using the spatula, fold in the dry ingredients
7. while doing so, mix in the milk
8. pour batter into a line loaf tin, level
9. bake in preheated oven 170'C for 40-45min

Friday, 22 March 2019

AGAR AGAR SANTAN BLUE PEA

 Agar Agar Santan Blue Pea

Love the colour,
so refreshing!

Love this familiar fragrant Agar agar Santan
now in blue !

If you like to try...

Agar Agar Santan Blue Pea
10g agar agar powder
700g water
200g hot water 
100g fresh santan
200g sugar
30-50 dried blue pea flowers
3 pandan leaves, knotted

1. pour hot water over blue pea flowers to soak for 15min, strain & discard the flowers
2. combine both blue and clear water, sugar, agar agar powder and pandan leaves & bring to a boil.
3. lower the heat & let simmer until sugar and agar agar powder is dissolved
4. remove pandan leaves, and stir in the santan, remove from heat
5. pour into molds or cooling plate
6. chill before serving

Sunday, 17 March 2019

PAN SEARED HONEY CHICKEN

Pan Seared Honey Chicken


Love these sticky honey chicken?
Love it juicy and sweet?

Try this easy honey chicken.
It is done over the stove.

Pan Seared Honey Chicken
1 chicken thigh, de-boned and seasoned with 
    salt & pepper &
    1/2 tsp garlic, crushed.
1-2 Tbsp cooking oil

For sauce, mixed together
1 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
sugar to taste
dark soy sauce for colour, optional

Method:
1. heat up oil in a pan, sear chicken thigh on both sides until golden & cooked through
2. remove, cut into bite size & arrange in original shape
3. heat up the same pan again & pour in the sauce to cook
4. when it starts to sizzle, slowly slide in the chicken pieces to absorb the sauce
5. increase heat to reduce the sauce as it thickens
6. dish up the chicken carefully, and drizzle the sticky sauce over it
7. garnish and serve

EASY GUACAMOLE

Guacamole
is a traditional Mexican snack enjoyed by many.

I was overwhelmed with its unique taste and texture
when I was first introduced to it!

Its main ingredient is 
Avocado.

Avocado has often been referred to as a Superfood,
because it is loaded with healthy fats, fibre and various nutrients!
It is therefore popular among the health conscious individuals.

This creamy Avocado Dip
is easy to prepare 
and 
nice to eat with tortilla chips and crackers

I have 2 variant here:
One with chopped fresh cilantro 



and another without!

Enjoy it with crackers if you like!
Easy Guacamole

2 ripe avocado
2 lime, juiced
1 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro/coriander/parsley, optional
salt to taste

Method:
1. pit and take out the pulp from avocados
2. place the pulp avocado in a bowl and mash with the lime juice
3. add salt to taste (if you are serving with savoury crackers, you may omit the salt)
4. fold in tomatoes, onions and chopped cilantro if using
5. chill before serving

Note:
Guacamole can be served within 2 days

Tuesday, 12 March 2019

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

If you want a simple chocolate cake
in the shortest possible time
and 
with minimum washing and cleaning up,
I will recommend you this cake.

This is in fact a Traditional Butter Cake
with Cocoa powder added.

After getting ready the ingredients,
Just follow these normal cake making steps:



One Bowl Chocolate Cake

250g butter
180-200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
220g self raising flour
30g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp double action baking powder
125ml milk

Method:
1) cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy
2) while machine is still running, add eggs one at a time
3) off the machine once the last egg goes in
4) using a spatula, fold in the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions
5) while doing so,  slowly mix in the milk to combine
6) DO NOT OVER MIX as by doing so you will get a cake with doomed or cracked top.
7) scrape batter into a lined cake tin
7) bake in preheated oven 175’C for 45-60min depending on the size of pan used.

Friday, 1 March 2019

DARk SOYA FISH


Dark Soya Fish
is familiar to many of us.

I like the mixture of sweetness from the onions
 and sour from added vinegar,
not forgetting the cut chillis and scallions.

Dark Soya Fish
1 pc cut fish, fried to cook
1 large onion, sliced
few slices of old ginger
1 chilli, sliced
1 scallion, sliced

Seasoning:
1-2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp soya auce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup water
salt & pepper to taste

Thickener:
1/2 Tbsp corn flour mixed in
2 Tbsp water

1) heat a little oil in the pan, fry onions and ginger pieces until fragrant
2) add fish & water & seasoning to cook
3) stir in chillis & scallion
4) add thickener to the required consistency & dish up