Thursday, June 11, 2015

Coconut-Pineapple Sorbet (without ice-cream maker) by Lily Tan


~ Come chill out with home-made smooth creamy Coconut-Pineapple Sorbet 椰香凤梨冰糕🍍🍨 ... to complement the sweet pineapple, coconut milk is added to enhance a tropical flavour with a subtle tinge of ginger and lime to balance the sweetness. ~

Ingredients: (make approx. 600ml sorbet)- 1 Pineapple (peeled, cored and cut into small chunks)
- 150ml Coconut Milk (fresh or packet)
- Half cup Sugar (or more)
- 4-5 Ginger Slices @3mm-thick (crushed* - see footnote)
- Lime Juice of 1 lime
- 1 Uncooked Egg for testing (wash clean and wipe dry)

Steps (refer to pic below)1. Mix coconut milk, sugar and crushed ginger in a small pan, stir and simmer it till sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool down then strain into a big bowl.

2. Place pineapple chunks in a blender and blend it till smooth. {Remember: do not use the core as its fibre cannot be blended well.}

3. Pour pineapple purée into the coconut milk mixture, add lime juice and mix it well with a whisk. {The mix should taste slightly too sweet as freezing dulls sweet flavour.}

4. Do a "Egg-Test"** (see footnote) to check if the mix contains the right proportion of sugar. {Important test because: 1. if too much sugar, it will never freeze; 2. if too little sugar, it will freeze like a brick.}

5. After done with test, pour the mix onto a shallow metal pan/plate and cover with a lid/aluminum foil. Freeze it for about 5-6 hours or until it is hard on the outside but slushy in the middle. Remove from freezer, use a fork to break and crush the icy chunks into a smooth mash. {If the frozen mix is too hard, let it stand a while before crushing it.}

6. Smoothen the mash evenly for another round of freezing. Repeat the same crushing step 4-5 hours later. This time, after crushing, transfer the mix to a storage container for freezing overnight or until firm.

7. To serve the sorbet in its best texture, settle it down for a few minutes to let it soften a little after removing from the freezer. Enjoy!

Footnote
*How to crush ginger - Cover the sliced ginger with aluminum foil, use the base of a mug/glass or the end of a rolling pin, press down and crush it. (see pic below)

** "Egg Test" ~ A good sorbet should have really, really small ice crystals and taste creamy on its own, without any fat in it. To achieve this texture, the balance of sugar and water must be correct, thus we do the "Egg Test". (see pic below)

- Drop a clean egg gently in the sorbet mix, the egg will start to sink, check how much of the egg is floating on the mix surface:
- A) If you see a spot about the size of a one-dollar coin -> Good, correct sugar proportion
- B) If spot bigger than coin -> Too much sugar, so add a little water.
- C) If spot smaller than coin -> Too little sugar, so add a little sugar syrup.
- Stir and stir, repeat test until the right sugar proportion is achieved.



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Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Apple Cheesecake Slice by Lucinda Lau



Ingredients For Base210g Plain Flour
70g Castor Sugar
130g Salted Butter

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C

2. Mix flour and sugar. Add butter using rub in method. Pressed into a greased 8 inch square tin.

3. Bake for 25 minutes until top slightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients For Apple Filling3 Green Apples (peeled and sliced)
2 tbsps brown sugar
1 tbsp Butter
1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tbsp Corn Flour mixed with 2 tbsp water

Method
1. Cook apples in a saucepan with brown sugar, lemon juice, butter and cinnamon powder until slightly softened.

2. Add corn flour mixture and stir until thickens. Set aside to cool.

3. Spread over base evenly.

Ingredients For Cheesecake Layer
A:
2 Egg Whites
50g Castor Sugar
B:
250g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
20g Castor Sugar
30g Fresh Cream
2 Egg Yolks
25g Corn Flour
1/4 tsp Salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 140°C

2. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Set aside.

3. In a bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add fresh cream, corn flour, salt and egg yolks until everything is fully combined.

4. Fold the egg white into the cream cheese mixture in 3 parts.

5. Pour over the apple filling and use a spoon to spread evenly.

6. Bake for 35-45 minutes. If top is still pale, change to top heat function and increase temp to 150°C for 3-5 minutes, keeping an eye until nicely browned.

7. Let the cheesecake cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


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Crispy Cauliflower Fries/Fritters by Michelle Heng‎


Ingredients (serve 2 pax)300g cauliflower
5 tbsp rice flour
1 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
Water + 1 tsp salt (blanching)
Oil (deep frying)

Steps
1. Cut cauliflowers into florets, wash, blanch till soft and set aside in the blanching water.
2. Mix all the flour, powder and salt thoroughly.
3. Drain the cauliflower florets and place it in big bowl. Sprinkle the flour mixture all over and toss till all the florets are coated.
4. Deep fry the florets till golden and serve immediately.
5. Bon appetit!

Notes
1. Can replace tumeric and curry powder with other spices of your choice.
2. Sprinkle the powder onto the florets and toss not the other way round where the florets are drained then placed into the flour mixture. The latter may render the flour mixture into paste making it not easy to coat onto the florets.
3. Must serve hot as the florets will ooze water and making the dish soggy. Hence only deep fry when ready to eat them shortly.


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Yam Ring by Jeannie Lee


Ingredients for fillings
200gm chicken breast - diced cute
10 fresh prawns - shelled
1/2 carrots - dice cube
1 yellow capsicum - dice cube
few stalks of broccoli
Cashew nuts for toppings
One handful bee hoon

Seasoning

1/4 tsp sugar
1tbsp light sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1tsp chinese wine
1tsp corn flour

In a pan, add some oil. Once oil is very hot, throw in the bee hoon, quickly dish out once bee hoon turned crispy.
Marinate chicken n prawns with the above seasoning.
Blanch broccoli with boiling water till cook n set aside.
With 1tbsp oil in a pan, fry prawns till cook and set aside.
Add chicken cubes and fry till cook and set aside.
With the left over gravy, bring to boil, add in the chicken, prawns, veg & cashew, stir till well combine. Dish out once gravy starts to thicken.

To assembleSpread the crispy bee hoon on a plate. Place the crispy yam ring on top in the centre.
Scoop the above ingredients into the centre of the cooked yam ring
Serve hot.



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Crispy Satay flavored Corn Flakes Snack by Judy Cho


Ingredients
200gm of Plain Corn Flakes (any brand)
Curry leaves
80gm Dried Baby Shrimps
50gm of Ikan Billis
50gm of dried silver fish
30gms of Peanuts or walnuts, cashew nuts.

Seasoning 
Mixed all into a bowl and set aside.
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste (white or brown sugar preferred)
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp curry powder (optional)
1 tbsp chili powder (optional)
1 tsp lemon glass powder (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp five spice powder

Method
1. Wash and drain excess water from curry leaves and deep fry curry leaves set aside.
2. Fried separately Dried Baby Shrimps, Ikan Billis, dried silver fish and roasted peanuts side aside, or mixed them in a bowl set aside.
3. Add corn flakes into your wok (do not add oil) and fry continuously for 5 mins on low heat.
4. Add seasonings to your wok, mixed Corn Flakes continue frying until well coated.
5. Add your fried Dried Baby Shrimps, Ikan Billis, dried silver fish and roasted peanuts side mixed and fried them thoroughly.
6. Turn off the stove, remove to cool and stove in air tight container.



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Monday, June 8, 2015

Chilled 猫山王 Durian Dream Cheesecake by Amiko BelBel Chin



Preparation time 45mins + 6 hrs chilling in fridge; Makes one 23cm cake or 10-12 tarts

Ingredients
Base
Butter - 110g
Digestive biscuits - 200g finely crushed
Brown sugar - 2 Tbsp.firmly packed
Conflakes - 50g crushed

Filling
Milk - 125ml
Castor sugar - 1 Tbsp + extra 120g
Custard powder - 2 Tbsp mixed with 2 Tbsp milk
Powdered gelatine - 2 Tbsp. Dissolved in 100ml water ( if you want the filling to be more q q add 1/2 more Tbsp total 2.5 Tbsp)
Durian flesh -500g mashed ( if you want thicker durian taste can add in more)
Cream cheese - 250g diced. ( if you want less creamy just take out half of it)
Thickened cream - 300ml

Method
Base
- prepared biscuit base
Line the cake tin with baking paper. Process biscuits until crush into fine breadcrumbs. Add melted butter, conflakes , mix till all butter, cornflakes and breadcrumbs combined. Press evenly over the base on the cake tin, refrigerate for 30 mins until firm.

Filling
- stir milk and sugar until sugar dissolved. Bring to the boil and remove from heat. Pour in custard powder mixture whole stirring continuously. Stir mixture in a pan of simmering water until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in gelatine. Stir in durian when mixture has cooled.
- beat cream cheese and extra sugar until smooth. Blend in cream. Mix in durian mixture. Pour filling on biscuit base or tart crusts.
- cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs.



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Slow cooker honey garlic chicken by May Leong


Ingredients
- 600g boneless chicken thigh
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup or more honey
- minced garlic (added alot cos I love garlic)
*Adjust seasoning to taste

Method
- Place chicken in crock pot
- Whisk ketchup, light soy sauce, honey & garlic tog.
- Pour sauce over chicken
- Cook on low for 5 hours.

*u may thicken the sauce with corn starch slurry when the chicken is done. I left the sauce as it is, cos hub prefers a "thinner" sauce.


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Prawn paste chicken by Neo Yu Jiing‎


Marinate chicken mid wings with these seasoning ingredients2 tbsp prawn paste, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp shao hsing wine, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp oyster sauce and mix well.

Coating batter mix ingredients35g All purpose plain flour
30g potato flour,
2.5g baking powder
0.5g baking soda
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Onion with bacon & potato soup by Christine Tan



Ingredients
5 small potatoes..peeled and dice
1 big yellow onion dice
3 tablespoon salted butter
Salt & pepper to taste
2 pcs of cheese (I use cheddar cheese bought from ntuc)
4-5 slices of back bacon (chopped small pcs)
1 cup chicken broth
180ml of whip cream (Emborg brand)
300ml full cream milk (i used Meiji brand.. fyi..Dutch lady is good too)
500ml water

Method
Heat pan.. add 2 tablespoon of oil..stir fry back bacon till golden brown and crispy (set aside)

Use a big pot (i used happycall pot-biggest pot)
Add 2 tablespoon of oil and butter
Stir fry the onion till about 60% cooked

Add in chicken broth..milk .. whip cream and water..then let it cook till boil (keep stirring gently)
Add in potato dice .. let it simmer with medium big fire

When potatoes are cooked soften..add in the cheddar cheese..salt and pepper to taste (Note: add in the salt moderately)

Lastly..off the fire and throw in the golden crispy bacon..stir well and garnish with some shallots and serve hot😁
Enjoy.

P/s tips: i stood right in front of my pot as i cooked this soup..dO nOT totally cover the lid and walk away else u will see the magic cooking pot brewing bubbles out from the pot.. gently and patiently stir it..else open the lid and stir it once in a while to ensure potatoes are cooked evenly).



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Sunday, June 7, 2015

Steamed Tofu with Prawn by Lily Tan


(serves 4)

Ingredients
- 2 Tofu Tubes
- 12 Fresh Prawns (medium)
- 100g-120g Minced Pork
- 5-7 Water Chestnut (peel, mince slightly coarse) - optional
- Spring Onions for garnishing (chopped)

Marinate
- Light Soy Sauce, Sugar, Pepper, Sesame Oil, Corn Flour

Sauce
- Abalone Sauce (I use FORTUNE 财神 brand)
- Egg White of 1 large egg (or 2 small eggs) (slightly whisk with fork)
- Corn Flour, Salt and Sugar

Steps
1. Use scissors to snip off the prawn tail and the segment just before it. Wash, pat dry and set aside. For the remaining part, peel, devein and snip off the head. Wash and pat dry prawn body; cut into small pieces first then mince it.

2. Mix and marinate minced prawn, pork and water chestnut in a bowl. Marinate it for 30 mins or longer.

3. Cut each tube of tofu into 6 slices and arrange them on a big shallow plate suitable for steaming. Scoop a small amount of prawn & pork mixture onto palm and roll it into a ball {wet palm with salt water so that mixture will not stick to palm}.

4. Slightly flatten the ball and stick a prawn tail into it vertically with the telson pointing upwards. Then place it on top of a tofu and repeat step for remaining tofu.

5. Steam the ready tofu in a wok when water is boiled {you may notice some tofu water starts to accumulate in the plate, pour it away before steaming}. Steam for about 7-9 mins or when prawn tails turn red and the mixture is cooked.

6. While steaming, prepare the sauce - mix 3 tbsp abalone sauce with some water and pour it into a small pot. Cook for a few minutes; add more water, abalone sauce, salt and sugar according to your taste.

7. Turn to low heat, pour in egg white slowly and keep stirring to form egg drop (蛋花). Add a little corn flour mixture to thicken the sauce {not thick concentrated, slightly watery is good}.

8. Remove steamed tofu from wok, pour away tofu water if possible. Pour sauce all around the tofu gently. Garnish with spring onions and ready to serve.

{The leftover prawn & pork mixture can be used for shrimp dumpling 水饺, steamed patty with canned pickled lettuce 蒸菜心肉饼 etc.} Enjoy!



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Garlic Soya Roasted Pork by Sutini Goh


Ingredient
1. Pork belly
2. Salty Soya sauce
3. Sweet soya sauce
4. Oyster sauce
5. Garlic

Method
1. Slice the garlic
2. Fried the garlic till fragrant and set aside
3. Blanch the pork belly
4. Then fry the pork belly inside the wok until brownish ( don't use oil, because the pork belly will produce oil by itself).
5. Once it is brownish, pour a bit of salty soya sauce & sweet soya sauce & oyster soya sauce inside the pork.
6. Once it is fragrant, pour the garlic inside and fry until it is fragrant.



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