Bibimbap

Ingredients: (serves 3)


cooked rice
150g soy bean sprouts
1 zucchini, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
100g oyster mushroom, sliced
1 piece fried firm tofu
100g enoki mushroom
minced garlic
salt, sugar & pepper to taste
sesame oil
cooking oil
3 eggs
2 chicken thighs - marinade with light and dark soy sauce with sesame oil and pepper


Sauce: (mix everything together)

4 tbsp Korean red chili paste (kochujang)
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, finely shredded
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp warm water to dilute

• Pan fry the marinated chicken and leave it aside.
• Cook bean sprouts in a cup of water with a little salt for about 20 minutes.  Drain.  
• Sprinkle zucchini with a pinch of salt.  
• Heat up a little oil in a wok and saute zucchini, carrot and bean sprouts separately with some garlic, sesame oil and salt. 
• Saute the oyster and enoki mushrooms separately with a dash of soy sauce, sugar and salt.  Add a little sesame oil.  Dish them out.
• With a little oil, fry the tofu.
• Then fry eggs, sunny side up.
• To serve, put the cooked rice in a bowl and placed all the vegetables, mushrooms  and meat over the rice.  Then place the egg in the centre and drizzle bibimbap sauce over it and mix.
• ENJOY! 

Lemon Yellow Butter Cake

After baking a batch of friands which used only egg whites, I decided to make this lemon butter cake using the remaining egg yolks. Recipe adapted from Joyofbaking.

Ingredients: (all at room temperature)

6 egg yolks
180 ml milk
60ml lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
300g self-raising flour
200g caster sugar
170g butter
zest of 1 lemon
icing sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
• Grease molds with butter.  (You can also use a bundt pan or any other pans)
• In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, vanilla and 1/4 cup milk.
• Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix on low speed.
• Add butter and remaining milk and lemon juice and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Increase to medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake's structure.  
• Gradually add in egg mixture in three additions; beating about half a minute after each addition.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 - 45 minutes or until cooked when tested.
• Cool the cakes in the pans for about 5 minutes before removing.
• Dust the cakes with icing sugar before serving.

Dark Chocolate Mini Friands

Ingredients:

220g icing sugar, sift
75g plain flour
185g butter, melted
6 egg whites, whisked until foamy
100g almond meal
20g dessicated coconut (optional)
zest of 1 orange (optional)
dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.  Grease two 12-holes mini muffin pan.
• Combine flour, almond meal, dessicated coconut and icing sugar in a bowl.  
• Add melted butter and egg whites into the flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
• Divide mixture among the muffin holes then spoon some chopped chocolate into the centre of each friand. 
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until browned and cooked when tested.
• Allow friands to stand in the pans for about 5 minutes, then run a small rubber spatula around the outside of each friand to loosen before turning them onto a wire rack to cool.
• Dust friands with cocoa powder and icing sugar when served (optional).

Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

0.5 kg minced beef (or combination of minced beef and veal or pork)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red capsicum
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp barbeque sauce (or steak sauce)
5 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup almond meal (optional)
1 tbsp oil

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
• Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
• Heat oil and fry garlic and onions until softened. Add in carrots and capsicum.  Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
• Combine everything together in a big bowl.  
• Transfer meat mixture into the prepared pan. 
• Bake for about 1 hour or until cooked.

Zucchini Slice

Ingredients:

350g zucchini
150g carrots
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
100g bacon, finely chopped
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup cream
50g plain flour
50g self-raising flour
90g tasty cheese, grated
2 tbsp oil
cherry tomatoes, halved 
chinese parsley, chopped
salt
pepper

Method:

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celcius.  
• Line a baking dish with baking paper.
• Fry bacon and onion until onion has softened.  Set aside to cool.
• Grate zucchini and carrots.  Squeeze out excess liquid.
• In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream and oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine grated zucchini, carrots, onion, bacon, cheese, parsley and flours. Then add in the eggs and cream mixture.
• Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. 
• Place cherry tomatos on the zucchini mixture.
• Bake for about 45 mins or until golden brown or set.
• Let it cool for about 10 minutes before cutting.
• Serve with salad or mashed potatoes.

Wholemeal Banana Date Loaf

 Ingredients:

1 1/2  cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1 cup oats (blended in food processor)
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 cup dates, chopped
125g butter, melted
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed banana
zest of an orange

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
• Grease a loaf pan, line base with paper.
• Sift flour into a large mixing bowl, mix in oats, sugar and dates.
• Stir in butter, milk, eggs, orange zest and mashed banana.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for about 1 1/4 hour or until cooked.
• Stand 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Beef Rendang

Ingredients:

1 kg chuck steak - cut into cubes
1 cup shallots
1/2 cup garlic
1/4 cup candlenuts
2 slices ginger
2 slices galangal
2 stalks lemon grass
1 pc cinnamon stick
3 pcs cloves
3 star anise
3 tbsp chilli powder
sugar/palm sugar to taste
salt to taste
1 tsp tamarind paste (optional)
1 tbsp soy sauce
cooking oil
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
200ml  coconut cream
1 cup water
kaffir lime leaves (about 3 - 4)

• Pound the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger, galangal and lemon grass into a fine paste.
• Fry dessicated coconut in a pan without oil over a low flame until light brown.  Remove and pound until fine.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium flame and fry the pounded ingredients, cinnamon stick, cloves , star anise and chilli powder until fragrant.
• Add meat and fry for about 1 minute. Season with sugar, salt, soy sauce, tamarind paste and dessicated coconut.  Add in water and kaffir lime leaves and simmer until meat is almost tender. Stir occasionally.
• Lastly, add in coconut cream and cook until meat is tender and gravy has almost dried up.
• Serve hot with rice. 

Mixed Vegetables Curry

Ingredients: (approximately)


200g cabbage, cut into pieces
100g okras, ends trimmed
3 sticks bean curd sticks (soaked until softened, cut into pieces)
1 carrot, sliced
100g eggplant, cut into chunks
100g tofu puffs
200g cauliflower
150g button mushrooms
3 tomatoes
20 fishballs (optional)
400ml coconut cream + 1 cup water (or stock)
salt, fish sauce & sugar to taste

Pounded Ingredients:  

3 tbsp chilli paste
150g shallots
50g garlic
40g tumeric
40g galangal
3 stalks lemongrass
6 candlenuts
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp dried shrimps, washed and soaked to soften

• Heat oil in a deep saucepan; fry the grounded ingredients until fragrant. Add water and bring to the boil.
• Add cabbage, carrot, beancurd sticks, tofu puffs and mushrooms. Cover pan and cook until carrot pieces are tender. Add in coconut cream and the rest of the ingredients.

Fried Glass Noodles

Ingredients:

200g glass noodles (also known as bean thread or cellophane noodles) - soaked till softened
250g minced pork
60g dried shrimps (washed and chopped coarsely)
50g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until softened - shredded
3 shallots-sliced finely
5 cloves garlic - minced
500g bean sprouts
spring onions - garnishing
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
5 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce: (mixed all together)

2 cups water
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken stock granules (optional)

Seasoning - to marinate minced pork:

1/2 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tbsp cooking wine
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
dash of pepper

• Heat sesame oil with 2 tbsp cooking oil in a wok.  Add in shallots and garlic and stir fry until fragrant.  Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• With about 2 tbsp of oil, stir fry dried shrimps and then mushrooms.  Set aside.
• Heat about 1 tbsp oil in the wok, stir fry the marinated minced pork with half the fried shallots/garlic until it changes colour.  Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• Pour sauce into the work and bring to the boil.  Add in noodles and put in the cooked meat, dried shrimps, mushrooms and the rest of the shallots/garlic. 
• Toss and fry and noodles until the sauce dries up.  Add in bean sprouts and toss until well combined.
• Dish out the noodles and garnish with spring onions.

Pandan-Kaya Swiss Roll

I must admit that I am hopeless in making swiss rolls.  This is my third attempt and I am still not satisfied with the results. Is my cake too thin?  Maybe I should use a 4-eggs recipe so that I can get a bigger roll?  

Ingredients:
(A) 
3 egg yolks
45g caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

(B)
3 egg whiltes
45g caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut milk
pandan extract
50g self-raising flour
10g corn flour

Filling:  Home-made kaya
            1/2 cup fresh cream + 2 tbsp sifted icing sugar

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.  Line a 31.5 x 23 cm swiss roll pan with baking paper.
• (A) Beat egg yolks, sugar and cream of tartar until smooth and creamy.  Then beat in vanilla extract and oil, followed by coconut milk.
• Sift flours into a mixing bowl.  Gradually whisk in the egg yolk mixture.
• (B) In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, then add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff.
• Fold the beaten egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture.
• Pour batter into pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn the cake onto a piece of baking paper.
• Meanwhile, whip fresh cream with icing sugar until stiff.  Keep in the fridge.
• Once the cake is cool, spread coconut jam on the cake, then spread the whipped cream.  Roll it up.
• Chill in the fridge before serving.

Vietnamese Prawns & Glass Noodles Salad

Dressing:


1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
50ml lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 chilli, finely minced
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic

• To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients together.  Extra dressing can be stored in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for about a week.

Salad:

200g glass noodles (also known as bean thread or cellophane noodles)
2 tomatoes, cut into cubes
400g cooked prawns, shelled and deveined
1 cucumber, cut into cubes
coriander leaves, chopped
3 tbsp dried shrimps, washed and soaked
roasted peanuts (chopped)

• Marinate the prawns in the dressing.
• Meanwhile soak the glass noodles until soft.  Then quickly boil for a few minutes.  Plunge the noodles into cold water and drain before use. Cut the noodles into shorter lengths if desired.
• In a frying pan without oil, lightly toast the dried shrimps. 
• In a large mixing bowl, toss all the ingredients together with the dressing.  Sprinkle some chopped peanuts over the salad before serving.

Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

125g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
150g self-raising flour
40g almond meal
3 eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to moderate (about 160 degrees C).  Grease a loaf pan; line base with baking paper.
• Sift flour and almond meal together.  Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add in eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Then add in orange zest and vanilla extract.
• Fold in flour and almond meal mixture alternately with the lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for about 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
• Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Note:

Meyer lemon is believed to be an orange/lemon hybrid, which has rounded, thin-skinned yellow/orange fruit, with sweeter and less acidic juice than most other varieties of lemon.

Spaghetti With Creamy Garlic Prawns

Ingredients:

400g spaghetti
1kg prawns, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
20g butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup thickened cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Cook spaghetti according the instructions on the packet.
• While spaghetti is cooking, heat oil and butter in a saucepan.  Add garlic and stir over low heat for about 1 minute.  Add in prawns and cook until prawns changed colour.  Remove prawns and set aside.
• Add white wine to the saucepan and bring to the boil.  Then add in cream and bring back to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until sauce begins to thicken.
• Return prawns to saucepan and add salt and pepper. Simmer for a minute.  Add in cooked spaghetti and basil leaves. 
• Serve warm.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust:

150g shredded wheatmeal biscuits
90g butter, melted

• Process biscuits in a food processor; add the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a lined loaf pan (21 x 10 cm) and press crumbs over  the base of pan  to form a crust. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.

Filling:

250g cream cheese, softened
250g strawberries, washed and cut into halves
6 extra strawberries, halved
180g sugar
15g gelatin
250ml thickened cream

• Place strawberries and sugar in a saucepan.  Cook under low heat until strawberries softened.  Blend and then strain.  This will yield about 500ml strawberry puree. 
• Dissolve gelatin in the strawberry puree.  
• Place chilled cream in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  
• Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add strawberry puree into the cheese, beating well to combine.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan.  Place some cut strawberries on the mixture and then pour the rest of the cream cheese mixture over the strawberries.
• Chill the cheesecake overnight.
• Serve with some fresh strawberries.

Nasi Lemak

 

 Ingredients:

4 cups rice, rinsed and drained
200ml coconut cream +  water  (adjust the amount of water accordingly)
4 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves)
1 lemongrass, crushed
salt, to taste

Method:

• Cook rice together with coconut cream, water, salt, crushed lemongrass and knotted screwpine  leaves in an electric rice cooker.
• Fluff the rice with a pair of chopsticks. Keep warm in the rice cooker.

Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies)


Ingredients: (approximately ...)

Blend together into paste -
200g shallots
30g garlic
20g turmeric
40g galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
40g candlenuts
20g dried chillies (washed and soaked in hot water until softened)
2 tbsp chopped ginger flower (Bunga Kantan)
sugar, salt and fish sauce to taste


400g ikan bilis, washed and drained
1 onion, sliced
200ml coconut cream
2 tbsp tamarind paste (or to taste)

Method:

• Without oil, fry ikan bilis until dry.  Then add in oil and and fry until lightly crispy.  Set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok and stir fry blended chili paste until fragrant and oil separated.  Add sliced onions and fry until softened.
• Add in fried ikan bilis and stir to combine.  Then add in tamarind paste, coconut cream and fish sauce.
• Season with salt and sugar.

Sambal Egg

• Cook the eggs for about 10 minutes (hard boiled).  Remove the shells.
• Deep fry the eggs until brown.  Remove.
• Cook the fried eggs in the chilli sambal with coconut cream (optional) and serve with nasi lemak.

Apricot Sour Cream Bread

Ingredients:

185g butter, softened
180g castor sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped dried apricot
3/4 cup sour cream
160g self-raising flour
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp grated mandarin rind

• Grease a bundt pan, sprinkle with flour and shake out the excess flour.
• Sift flours with bicarbonate of soda.  Leave aside.
• Cream butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time. Beat until well combined.
• Fold in flours and apricot alternately with sour cream. 
• Pour into prepared pan, bake for about 1 hour or until cooked.
• Stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the cake on to a wire rack to cool.
• When cold, dust with sifted icing sugar.
• (Optional) Serve with sour cream.

Wholemeal Coconut-Pandan Muffin

(Makes 12)

(A)
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup rice bran oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pandan extract

(B)
260g wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
50g almond flakes
2 tbsp dessicated coconut
100g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
 

• Preheat oven at 170 degrees C.  Line muffin pan with paper cups.
• (A)  Whisk everything together in a bowl.
• (B)  Sift everything into a  separate bowl.  
• Fill the muffin cups to 2/3 full.  
• Bake for about 18- 20 minutes.

Tuna Mornay

A quick and simple dish for weekend lunch ...

Ingredients:

425g canned tuna in brine
1 small brown onion, sliced
2 cups milk
1 cup thickened cream
60g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese + 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
300g elbow macaroni

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Cook macaroni in a pan of rapidly boiling water until just tender.  Drain.
• Saute onions until softened.  Remove from saucepan.  
• Melt butter over medium-low heat.  Add flour and cook, stirring until foaming.  Gradually add in the milk and cream and stir continuously to get a smooth consistency.  Cook until the mixture thickens.  Reduce heat and cook for a further 2 minutes.  
• Then add in half of the cheese, tuna, onion and macaroni. Season well.   Stir until well combined.  
• Transfer the macaroni into an ovenproof dish.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the pasta mixture.  
• Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until golden.  Serve hot.

Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignon)

One of my favourite comfort food for winter is this rich and hearty beef stew.  There is nothing more pleasing than to tuck into this tasty and flavoursome stew to keep you warm during the cold winter. 

The secret to the 'melt-in-your mouth' tender beef is in using the right cut of meat. This is my version of  the French classic Boeuf Bourguignon / Beef Burgundy / Beef Stew ...

Ingredients:

600g chuck steak, cut into chunks
100g bacon, diced
2 medium brown onions, diced
350g portobello mushrooms, quartered
3 medium carrots, cut diagonally
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 can diced tomato (400g)
3 bay leaves
zest of 1 orange
2 cups red wine (Merlot)
2 cups beef stock
basil leaves
2 tsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water
salt
freshly ground black pepper
oil
about 1 tbsp butter (enough to cook the mushrooms)

• In a large frying pan, sear meat until browned on all sides.  Transfer meat into a heavy based saucepan. 
• In the same frying pan, caramelise onions, carrots and garlic on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add in bacon and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until bacon is brown. Transfer into the pot together with the meat.   Then add in bay leaves and the red wine. Bring to the boil.  Pour in the can of diced tomato.  Cover and turn down the heat.  Let simmer for at least 2 hours or until meat is tender.
• Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms in the butter until soft and add to the stew after one hour of cooking. 
• Stir in cornflour mixture to thicken the stew. 
• Sprinkle chopped basil leaves before serving.

*  Serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes.

Crispy Stuffed Tofu Puffs

This crispy and delicious dish makes an excellent appetizer or finger food during parties. I came across this recipe in one of the food blogs.  You can use your favourite stuffing like fish paste, minced pork, minced prawns or a mixture of seafood; the list goes on ....  

Ingredients:

300g prawns, shelled, deveined

1 tsp cornstarch

1 egg white, beaten

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp finely chopped chinese parsley or coriander

salt &  pepper to taste

tofu puffs (blanched with boiling water to get rid of the oil) 

• To prepare filling:  minced prawns and combined with all the ingredients.  
• Squeeze the tofu puffs dry and make a slit in each of the puff.  Turn the puff inside out to make a small cavity.  Stuff the puffs with the prawn paste.  
• Deep fry under medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Drain well.
• Serve with chilli  sauce or mayonnaise or your favourite dipping sauce. 

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

250g carrot (2 medium size) - grated coarsely

1 large Granny Smith apple (about 170g) - grated coarsely

200g caster sugar

3 eggs 

¾  cup oil

150ml milk

260g plain flour 

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice

½ cup dessicated coconut

50g toasted brazil nuts (or walnuts) - chopped coarsely

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice 

• Whisk eggs and sugar until creamy (takes about 5 mins).
• Whisk in oil  and vanilla extract until blended.  Then add in milk.
• Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mixed spice into the egg mixture and  whisk until well combined.
• Fold in grated carrots and apple together with lemon juice,  nuts and dessicated coconut.
• Pour into a loaf pan or muffin pan and bake until golden brown or cooked.

Icing:

150g cream cheese

60g butter

5 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

zest of half a lemon

• Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  
• Gradually add in icing sugar and then lemon juice. 

Walnut & Black Sesame Chiffon Cake

Ingredients:

(A)

6 egg yolks

50g caster sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

(B)

6 egg whites

100g caster sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

6 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

160ml milk
100g walnut & black sesame powder
pinch of salt

135g self-raising flour

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
• Stir walnut & black sesame powder into the milk until combined.
• (A):  Beat egg yolks for 1 minute.   Gradually add sugar and cream of tartar and beat for about 5 minutes.  Then beat in vanilla extract and oil.  Then add  in walnut & black sesame mixture.  Beat until well combined. 
• Sift flour and salt into  a mixing bowl.  Gradually whisk in the egg mixture in a slow and steady stream.
• (B):  In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff.  This will take about 10 minutes.
• Fold the beaten egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture.  Fold until well combined.
• Pour the batter into an ungreased tube cake pan and bake for about 45 - 50 minutes.
• Once the cake is out from the oven, invert the pan onto a cooling rack. Do not remove the cake until it is completely cooled. 

Poppy Seed Cake

One day, my dear friend Mee Lan wrote and asked me "Can tumpang a place in Minty's Kitchen? I can refer to it without taking out my trusty old recipe book then".  

I am very glad indeed to do that;  so here it is - Mee Lan's favourite poppy seed cake's recipe:

 

1/3 cup poppy seeds ( soak in 3/4 cup milk for an hour)
185 g butter
vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 cup sugar (reduced to 200g)
2 cups self-raising flour  (310g)


Beat in medium speed for 3 mins. Fold in self raising flour.

Bake in 180 for 1 hour.

Keeping time :- 2 days.

Siamese Laksa

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

200g Angel Hair Spaghetti - cooked until al dente
1 litre water
400ml coconut cream
1 can (425g) sardine - mashed  (or fresh fish - steamed and flaked)
80g preserved chopped radish ('choy poh')
1½ tbsp tamarind paste
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste 

Pounded Ingredients: 
10 dried chillies, soaked to softened
100g shallots
18g garlic
7g tumeric
18g galangal
2 stalk lemongrass
15g candlenut
1 bunga kantan (Torch Ginger Bud)
3 kaffir lime leaves

Garnishing:
1 cucumber, julienned
100g mint leaves
100g bean sprouts, blanched
1 small onion, sliced thinly
bunga kantan, sliced finely

• Heat oil in a saucepan and fry pounded ingredients until fragrant.
• Add in water, preserved radish and tamarind paste.  Add in coconut cream and bring to the boil.  Add in sardine and kaffir lime leaves.
• Season with fish sauce, salt and sugar.
• To serve, put spaghetti in serving bowls and garnish with blanched beansprouts, cucumber, onions, finely sliced bunga kantan and mint leaves.  Pour hot laksa soup over.  

Steamed Minced Pork With Dried Squid

A humble home-cooked dish ...

Ingredients:

230g minced pork
1 dried squid (about 30g), washed and soaked until softened and cut finely
1 tbsp cornflour
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp sesame oil
¾ tsp sugar
½ tsp cooking wine (optional)
4 tbsp water
pepper

• Combine everything in a heat-proof plate and steam over high heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked.
• Served hot with rice.

French Crepe

Recipe from  MasterChef.

These thin and delicate crepes can be served with a variety of fillings  - sweet or savoury.  I  had tweaked this  recipe a little to suit my taste ...

   As the afternoon was warm, the ice-cream was melting while I was taking  pictures ....  

... instead of an orange sauce  I made a raspberry sauce to go with the vanilla ice-cream. 

Ingredients:

150g plain flour
2 eggs
310 ml milk
25g butter
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
olive oil for cooking

• Sift flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add eggs.  Whisk, starting in the centre and drawing in the flour. Add the milk a little at a time, whisking until batter is the consistency of thick cream.

• Melt the butter until foamy and a little nutty then pour into the batter with a pinch of salt.

• Heat a crepe pan (or frying pan) over medium heat, add a little oil to coat the base then ladle in crepe mixture, turning to coat the base completely. Cook 1-2 minutes until light golden.  Flip over and cook for 10-15 seconds. Remove to plate and keep warm. Repeat using the remaining crepe batter.

Note:  Leftover crepes can be frozen. Just layer some waxed or baking  paper between each crepe, then put in a zip-loc bag and freeze. 

Bubur Cha-Cha

Ingredients:

150g yam
150g purple sweet potato
150g orange sweet potato
40g sago
400ml coconut milk
1000ml water
sugar to taste
salt to taste
pandan leaves

• Peel and cut sweet potatoes and yam into cubes.  Steam separately until soft (about 5 - 7 minutes). 
• Wash sago and rinse under cold water.  Cook until translucent and rinse under cold water again.  
• Fill a saucepan with water and coconut milk.  Bring to the boil.  Add in pandan leaves and all the other ingredients.  Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Add sugar and salt.
• Serve hot or cold as desire.

Orange Marmalade

Last week I bought 3kg of  Navel oranges from Coles which advertised  as SWEET & JUICY.  Much to my disappointment, they turned out to be so sour that no one in my family wanted anything to do with them. I was contemplating juicing them but then I would have to add a lot of sugar or honey to sweeten.  Finally, I decided to make marmalade instead - for the first time.  This is my version of Orange Marmalade -

4 cups of chopped orange flesh (with the pith removed and guess what, not a seed to be found!)
¼ cup of orange peel - finely shredded  (I should have put in ½ cup)
2 cups orange juice
juice of 2 lemon
3½ cups organic raw sugar

• Put everything except the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil.  Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 1 - 1½ hour or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir occasionally.
• Then add in sugar and stir until set *.
• Pour hot marmalade into sterilised jars and close tightly. You will hear a popping sound as a vacuum seal is created.  

 * To test if the marmalade is set, put a  little onto a chilled saucer and let it cool in the freezer for a  little while. When you push it with a spoon or finger tip, it should 'wrinkle up' and feel firm.

Black Pepper Soy Sauce Chicken

Ingredients:

500g chicken thigh, cut into biteable size
2 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce
½ tbsp Mirin
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ cup water
a small knob ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp ground black pepper (adjust to your own taste)

• Pound ginger, garlic and shallots together.
• Marinate chicken pieces with light soy sauce, Mirin, sesame oil , black pepper and pounded ginger, garlic and shallots for at least a couple of hours or overnight.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until cooked.  Remove the chicken and add water, dark soy sauce and sugar into the pan and bring to the boil.  Return the chicken into the pan to coat evenly. 
• Serve hot.

Bittergourd & Salted Egg Omelette

Inspired from here ....


Ingredients:

1 small bittergourd (about 250g) - cut into half and remove seeds
3 chicken eggs
1 salted duck egg
1 small bird's eye chili, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
oil
salt
pepper

• Place the salted egg in a small saucepan filled with water and cook for about  8 - 10 minutes.  When it is cooked, cut the egg into half and scoop out the egg yolk.  Mash the yolk and the white separately.  Set aside.
• Sliced the bittergourd thinly at an angle.
• Crack the 3 eggs into a large bowl and whisk lightly.  Season with salt and pepper.  Then add in the mashed salted egg white.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan/wok, saute garlic until fragrant;  add in  mashed salted egg yolk and chili.  Fry until foamy.  Transfer to a plate.  
• Add enough oil into the frying pan to stir fry the bittergourd until soft.  Transfer bittergourd into the egg mixture and stir to combine.
• To make small omelette patties, place spoonfuls of bittergourd and egg mixture into a hot frying pan and sprinkle the salted egg yolk over the top of the omelette.  Cook until the base of the omelette is light golden.  Flip over and cook.