Golden Sesame Prawns

These prawns are quick and easy to cook. You will be guaranteed to get request for an encore.......


Ingredients
15 large raw prawns (remove head/shell, devein)
½ tsp fish curry powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp corn flour
1 tsp Olive oil
¼ tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp roasted white sesame seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves(optional)
coriander leaves for garnishing

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Claypot Chicken Curry

This is what curry is all about - even the 'flies' could tell it was a good curry. They hung around the pot while it was cooking. I made this curry using a lontong paste (recipe from kc) which I made from scratch. It tasted so much more flavoursome, richer and more authentic than those store paste. I like my curry with heaps of gravy and a layer of curry oil on top. The gravy was rich and hot - went very well with rice.

Sweet & Sour Fish

This sweet and sour sauce taste superb. It has just the right balance of sweet and sour and goes very well with fried fish or pork.


Ingredients for sweet sour sauce :
5 Tbsp tomato sauce
4 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp Chinese Rice Vinegar
1 white onion (sliced)
2 red tomatoes (quartered)
2 tsp Cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp of water

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Salt & Pepper Squid

I have experimented with many recipes but have always been disappointed by the result. This is by far the best. The good thing about this recipe is that you are not dealing with messy batters and the squid does not come out with a thick greasy coating but is instead very light and tender.


Ingredients
250 gm squid
¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup cornflour
½ Tbsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper (or a combination of white and black pepper)
¼ tsp caster sugar (superfine)
1 egg lightly beaten

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Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish

A quick and easy stir fry with oyster sauce and a sprinkling of fried salted fish on top. Bean sprouts are full of vitamin C, B complex, protein and is low in calories.

Black Sauce Chicken

The chicken prepared this way was very moist, tender and full of flavour. Goes well with rice and vegetables on the side. Best of all, only one utensil to wash after cooking.


Ingredients:
1 chicken
3 Tbsp Dark Soya sauce
2 Tbsp Light soya sauce
2 Tbsp Sweet Sauce (or you can use Dark Brown Sugar)
400 ml water

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Tomato, Cheese & Onion Bread

My breadmaker produces 750gm and 1 kg loaf but I only use ingredients for 750g which still produces bread that rises over the pan when baked. All the bread produced from this recipe have been consistently light and fluffy, similar to commercial bread.


Ingredients (for 750 g loaf)
320 ml warm water
1 Tbsp lecithin granules
1½ tsp salt
1½ Tbsp+1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp+1 tsp milk powder
2¼ tsp surebake yeast
150 gm wholemeal flour
2 tsp gluten flour
300gm high grade (bread) flour

Add-Ins : (when breadmaker beeps)
1½ Tbsp garlic flakes (break to small pieces)
2 Tbsp dried tomatoes (break to smaller pieces)
¼ tsp dry mixed herbs

Topping :
grated cheese (enough to cover top of bread)
sprinkling of dry mixed herbs
a few slices onion rings (it acts as a dam to stop the cheese from falling to the side)
a few slices fresh tomatoes

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Fried Kway Teow

Fried kway teow is one of my favourite noodle dish. This was cooked with some kway teow I attempted to make. I fried it with some bean sprouts, choy sam, siew yoke(roast pork) , prawns, egg and garnished with fried onions. When I can get the kway teow texture right, this will be one of our regular meals.

This was my first attempt with making kway teow. Not very happy with the texture and will have to do more experiments and testing.

Stir Fry Spinach with Oyster Sauce

Spinach is a vegetable with a very high nutritional value. This stir-fry is very quick and easy to whip up and takes only a few minutes. The oyster sauce gives it an added flavour. I have added prawns and garnished it with fried onions.

Smoked Fish Rolls

This is one of my favorite workday lunches and I try to keep a stock of them in the freezer. They are taken out in the morning and cooked at lunchtime. Healthier than the Kiwi meat pie!

Ingredients
400g smoked fish
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1 cup of milk (will probably require a little more)
Salt & ground black pepper
Approx. 24 slices of white white sandwich bread

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Fried Onions/Onion Oil

Fried onions are a garnish for stir-fried Chinese vegetables and noodle dishes (sprinkle on top just prior to serving), while the leftover oil is used as fragrant oil for frying.

Ingredients

Finely sliced onion
Good quality cooking oil

Method

Slice onions thinly across the grain (as for onion rings) and discard any thick pieces.
Heat oil in wok and fry in batches until golden to medium brown. Remove onions with a holed spatula or flat sieve.
Dry on paper towels and store in an airtight container when cold.
When the oil is cold bottle as required.

Notes

The quantities are not critical. I usually have just under a ½ wok of oil to about 6 large onions, but more can be used – the oil will just get more fragrant. It will take a while to go golden but be careful as it goes from light to dark brown very fast. Alternate tossing and pressing in plenty of paper towels to remove as much oil as possible. Store when completely cold.

More step-by-step photos here.

Fresh Homemade Wanton Mee (noodle)

These noodles are yummy as 'kon loh mee' (noodle without soup). They are silky smooth and once you have tried them you will not want to go back to eating instant noodles.

Serves 2 person

Ingredients :
175gm bread (high grade) flour
1 tsp salt
85ml water

Optional :
1 tsp lye water
1 egg yolk (reduce amount of water accordingly)

Method
1. Add salt and water to flour and mix with a fork to form a ball.

2. Knead lightly (at this stage dough does not have to be too smooth).

3. Cover and rest dough for 20-30 minutes.

4. Knead dough until smooth ( I fold and roll it through the widest setting on the pasta machine a few times until dough is smooth)

5. Divide dough into 2 portions. Dust with tapioca or plain flour.

6. Roll dough through pasta machine to the required thickness and length.

7. Cut noodles through spaghetti cutter to the required size.

8. Hang up the noodles .

9. Boil and use as required example for kon loh char siew meen (bbq pork noodles).

To cook : Add to boiling water. These noodles cooks very quickly - do not overcook or else it will be too soft

Redneck says……
Use lye water (purchased from Asian Stores), sparingly as some people find the smell unpleasant.

Roast Lamb with Sweet Fruit Glaze

This is my favourite way of cooking lamb and lamb chops.



Ingredients
Leg or forequarter of lamb
Soy sauce
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh rosemary tips (from garden)
Chopped garlic
Mixed herbs (dried)
Sweet fruit Chutney
Cornflour

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Salmon Fish Cake

These fish cakes are crusty and crunchy on the outside with a very soft centre. The beauty of this recipe is that you do not have to be accurate with the ingredients but for those who prefer to follow some measurements, I have noted everything down.

I hope you enjoy making, as much as I have always enjoyed eating them !

Makes 12

Ingredients :
430 gm potato
3 tbsp milk
1 can 210g smoked or plain salmon, drained
60 gm onions, finely chopped
2 eggs, well beaten
½ tsp fish sauce (optional)
¼ tsp salt
some grated carrots, chives or spring onions
dash of black pepper
breadcrumbs, preferably fresh for coating

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Loong Yoke {BBQ Dried Pork}

These loong yoke as they are known in cantonese, are very tasty and moreish and are similar in appearance to beef jerky. An expensive food item, they are very popular as gifts especially during the chinese new year. The recipe was passed on to me by my Aunt who I will be forever thankful.


Ingredients :
300 gm lean pork mince
300 gm pun fei sau mince (½ fat ½ lean)
135 gm sugar (if you prefer it sweeter, add 2-3tsp extra)

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Plain Soda Crackers

These crackers are delicious and crisp - goes well with dip or cheese on top. Makes about 100 crackers.


Ingredients
1½ cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately
1 package dry yeast (I use 1 tsp yeast)
¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup hot water
½ teaspoon malt syrup
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons butter, melted

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Spaghetti Bolognese with Homemade Spaghetti

Simple fare but nice. I made some fresh spaghetti to go with the bottle of spaghetti bolognese sauce that has been sitting in the pantry for ages. All I had to do was cook the mince and add the sauce to it.

Fresh Homemade Spaghetti

This spaghetti is velvety smooth. Once you have tried them, you will not want to go back to the store-bought dried spaghetti.


Serves 2 person.

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp oil
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

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Lazy Fish Curry

It was too hot in the kitchen to cook an elaborate meal so just did a lazy all in one cheat curry using fish curry powder. In it were fish, prawns, lady finger (okra) and tau pok. It was very nice and creamy as I used coconut milk as well.

Chewy Pork Dumpling ~ 'Hum Sui Kok'

This dumpling was just wonderful - the skin was very crispy and the inside was very nice, soft, chewy and flavoursome. It is known as Hum Sui Kok in cantonese.


Yield : 26 dumplings.

Dough
320g Glutinous rice flour
120g Wheat Starch (tang meen fun)
120g sugar
280ml water
100g lard

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Soda Cracker Basket

This soda cracker basket is made up of edible soda crackers (see recipe for plain soda crackers). The idea for the basket came from jerseymom, a member at kc. It takes a lot of patience to weave and handle prior to baking.

Redneck says……
Quite fiddly to make (job for the wife), but worth it for a special occasion. The basket will soften when left for some time so freshen in a hot oven prior to eating.

Char Siew Mee ~ BBQ Pork Noodles

This noodle known in chinese as "kon loh meen" is a typical asian style lunch . I have made my own noodles which taste very silky smooth and served it with beef and pork balls, prawns and char siew (bbq pork).

Ingredients
1 tsp oil (I use olive oil, onion oil would be more fragrant)
1 tsp dark sauce (see pic)
1 tsp soy sauce

Noodles (I make my own wantan mee) See here

From my frozen store (premade) :
beef balls
pork balls (recipe here )
char siew (bbq pork)
prawns
sambal
1 bunch of greens (choy sam, pak choy, spinach, brocolli or cauliflower)
1 Tbsp fried onions

Method :
1. Drizzle oil, dark sauce and soy sauce onto your 2 serving plates.
2. Put beef and pork balls and prawns into boiling water.
3. Microwave and slice char siew.
4. Put vegetables into boiling water and boil quickly.
5. Remove the food from the pot and place at the side of the 2 plates
6. Boil your noodles for a few minutes. ( I do not plunge the noodles into cold water and then hot water again as I observed there was not much difference to the texture of the noodle. Plus have to wash another pot and the timing have to be so right because by plunging here and there the noodles tend to get overcook and the other food gets cold).
7. Remove noodles from pot and divide into 2 plates.
8. Toss the noodles with the 'liu' (food) to mix thoroughly with oil and sauce.
9. Place char siew on top of the noodles and sprinkle with fried onions.
10. Serve with sambal on the side

Note
This dark sauce is highly recommended. It gives the chinese noodles and dishes a really authentic asian taste.

Redneck says……
My all-time favorite noodle dish. See fried onion recipe for onion oil.

Blueberry Cupcake

This cupcake is soft and light . Easy to make and not fiddly. Best of all, only 1 bowl to wash (good for lazy people like me ). For health reason, I have substituted butter with lowfat margarine.


Ingredients
120g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
185g self-raising flour
125ml milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2-3/4 cup(est) blueberries
icing sugar, to dust

Method:
1) Preheat oven to moderate 180C. Line the muffin tray with paper cases. Put butter, sugar, flour, milk, vanilla essence and eggs in a bowl and beat with electric beaters on low speed for 2 mins, or until well mixed. Increase the speed and beat for 2 mins or until smooth and pale.

2)Divide mixture evenly among cases, add in a few blueberries on top of the batter and bake 20mins or until cooked and golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely .

3 )Dust cakes with icing sugar before serving.

*To make icing cup cakes - omit the blueberries, mix ½ cup/60g sifted icing sugar, 1 tsp softened unsalted butter, ½ tsp vanilla essence to 3 tsp hot water to form a smooth paste, then spread icing on cooled cakes.

Note : Raisin, sultanas or other types of dried fruits can be used in place of blueberries.

Store in an air-tight bag in the freezer and microwave as required for morning or afternoon tea.

Recipe : jennifer @kitchencaper (adapted)

Peach Sorbet

This was a good way to use up my peaches. The sorbet is so refreshing especially during the hot summer.



Ingredients
1 tbsp gelatine
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh peaches (puree)

Method
1. Sprinkle gelative over 1/2 cup cold water in a pan.
2. Stand for 10 minutes.
3. Add boiling water and stir over low heat until gelatine is dissolved.
4. Add sugar and stir without boiling until sugar is dissolved.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Add remaining cold water and peaches.
7. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
8. Once it sets remove from freezer and blend. Freeze again.

Note : You can substitute peaches with any seasonal fruits. Adjust the sugar according to the sweetness or tartness of your fruit.

Tip : My peaches were very sweet. I found the first lot I made was too sweet so made another lot with no sugar and mix the two together. Just right with 1/2 cup sugar

Redneck says……
Much healthier than ice-cream.

Recipe : kitchen @ kitchencaper.

Siew Yoke ~ 'Chinese Roast Pork'

Having encountered numerous failures, I was ecstatic when I finally managed to achieve the hawker type crackling effect on my siew yoke.


Ingredients
1.5kg pork (sam chan bah)
1/2 tsp salt

(A):
2 tbsp vinegar
1 litre water

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Satay

We love satay and this is the first time I did not have to 'sweat' over the sauce. I have tried various recipes but they just don't measure up, but this is good . Satay will now make a more regular appearance on our table.


Ingredients:
1 pc chicken breast without skin
2 pcs beef sirloin
24 satay sticks(soaked in water overnight)

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