Cuisine Paradise Kitchen's Tips

Pickled Cherry Blossom and Saukura Leave Powder

2013-04-19T10:55:00.000+08:00

I am always fascinated with the Japanese Cherry Blossoms (樱花) which is also known as Sakura which blooms during the season in from late March till early May but peak in April. Since centuries ago, Cherry blossoms are pickled to preserve them for occasions whereby the fresh cherry blossoms are soaked in Ume plum vinegar to preserve it's pink color and then pickled in salt.

This pickled method has been developed over the generations to make the unique flavor of cherry blossoms throughout the whole year. Most Japanese used Salt Pickled Cherry Blossoms (盐渍樱花) to make Sakura tea which is served on special occasions such as weddings. Or add them into rice and cooked together to create a beautiful and aromatic cherry blossom rice .

Soak the pickled cherry blossom in water for about 10 - 15 minutes to remove the salty taste before using.

Other than the Cherry Blossom flowers, their leaf could be used to make into powder too. This Sakura Leaf Powder (樱花叶粉) can be use in many ways similar to matcha/cocoa powder such as:- add it in cookie' dough, cakes batter or use as decoration on cakes and other desserts to enhance the taste and fragrance.

Going to explore more recipes using these two items soon. So do stay tune over at our recipe site for more update on sweet/savoury dishes using Cherry Blossom.

MELODY by NESCAFE Dolce Gusto

2013-04-12T12:51:00.001+08:00

Recently NESCAFE Dolce Gusto has launched anther new Automatic Beverage system known as MELODY. This sexy smart multo-beverage system is able to churn gourmet artisan beverage such as Black and White Coffee, teas to even hot chocolate. On top of it, it is also the only beverage system that offers cold beverage options such as iced peach tea and iced cappuccino.

Overview of NESCAFE Dolce Gusto MELODY

To make a cup of cafe style beverage, just filled the water tank with water. Switch on the machine and it's exclusive Thermoblock technology will heat-up the water in less than one minute (the powder light will be in green colour which indicate ready for use). Next place your desire flavour capsule on the magnetic capsule holder which ease capsule entry with a soft push.

Pull down the Locking handler to secure the Capsule holder then select from the dosage scroll wheel according to your preferred dosage or intensity of the beverage taste. This unique patented Custom Control Lever help to put you in control to customize your coffee's strength and mixture (for multi-capsule drinks).

MELODY is also the only system available now that makes both Hot an Cold beverage such as Cappuccino Ice and Peach Tea within a touch button and convenience capsule variants.

Furthermore with it's All-in-One function, even without a separate milk frother, by using the milk capsules also allows anyone to easily produce frothy foam on varieties like Green Tea Latte and Vanilla Latte Macchiato with the convenience of a single machine.

On top of the existing capsule variants, recently NESCAFE Dolce Gusto has launched another THREE new flavour such as:-

1. Espresso Intenso produce a 50ml short black coffee with an extra strong intensity which similar to 8 on the strength scale of Espresso range to give you that perk-me-up effect.

2. Cafe Au Lait which is the first and only capsule product that offers coffee with frothy milk in one single capsule in less than 1 minute.

3. Whereas for Grande Intenso, it has an intense and bold flavour that makes a 180ml long black coffee for a slow slips enjoyment.

NESCAFE Dolce Gusto MELODY (SG$279) Automatic System and the range of Beverage Capsules are available in all electrical chain stores, selected departmental stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets too. So if you are thinking of getting a small and home use Automatic Beverage machine, perhaps you could consider getting one which makes cafe-style beverage in less than a minute.

*Photos taken using Canon EOS M, M18-55 lens on Manual mode

Organic Products

2013-02-28T09:22:00.001+08:00

NATUREL Organic Brown Rice

There are a few types of Organic Brown Rice available in the supermarkets for you to pick up. Above is what we usually have at home as my kid only prefers this brand. It is easy to cook with an hour of pre-soaked before cooking it using rice cooker (without adding extra amount of water). The texture of the cooked rice is fluffy, slight chewy and most important it does not have an unpleasant or rough taste when consumed.

If you are not use to eat brown rice on it's own. You could mix it using 1:1 ratio (1 cup white rice + 1 cup brown rice) or 1: 0.5 (1 cup white rice + 1/2 brown rice).

Above are a few types of the Organic Soybeans which I use to make our Homemade Soymilk (recipe #1 using Joyoung Soymilk Maker and recipe #2 using Pebblio Home Appliance). But you could always use any brand of soybean despite of whether they are organic or not. Just for your information, soybeans can be easily found in any local supermarkets or grocery stores under the dried beans sections.

Other than making soymilk beverages, you could use these soybean to make Soup, Tofu, Beancurd and etc to.

Pebblio Tofu And Soymilk Maker

2013-02-20T16:57:00.000+08:00

Recently I have a chance to test out this new Tofu And Soymilk Maker from Pebblio which is a new Home Appliance designed in Singapore. Beside its simple, easy and no mess operations in making Tofu, Soymilk/ Pudding and etc you could also use it to great many others nutritious, healthy soup and beverages for your family members or loved ones too.

Pebblio Tofu and Soymilk Maker comes in 3 different body parts such as the Control Panel, Stainless Steel Contain (with filter in it) and the Tofu Box Container for collecting the soymilk/beverage and making Tofu.

Above shows the Control Panel of the Tofu and Soymilk Maker which is quite straight forward to use with basic functions preset to make "Tofu, Soymilk and Curd". On top of it you could also reheat the existing beverage or boil soup using the "Boil" button.

~ TIMER helps to preset time to operate the appliance.

~ POUR helps to release the contents into the tofu box container. But for "Curd Function" the appliance will automatically release contents to the box after the preset program is completed.

~ BLEND helps to either blend the soup or bean mixture if there is a need to blend again after the preset program.

~ STOP/START allows the machine operate automatically after 30 seconds if you do not press the START functions. Whereas to STOP appliance completely, just press the STOP button and hold for a few seconds until it turns off.

This is the Stainless Steel Container with removable Cloth Filter (easily removed and washable) which helps to filter out the bean residues before flushing the soymilk/beverage into the Tofu Box Container.

There are a total of 5 pieces Filter Cloth given in the box which you could rotate and use it for soymilk, juice, soup or etc for hygienic purpose or personal preference. For your information, each piece of filter cloth is washable and could be re-used (on daily basis) up to 6 months depending on the wear and tear and usage.

The inner view of the Stainless Steel Container where the Cloth Filter is attached. This appliance can make up to 2.2 litres of soymilk with 2 cups (measuring cup included with the appliances) of soybeans which is about 180g.

Lastly, the machine also comes with a Tofu Box Cover, a piece of "cheese/tofu cloth" together with the Tofu Box which is use for collecting the ready soymilk or beverage. If you have the ingredient to make Tofu, this Tofu Box can also be used using the Tofu Preset Program too.

Currently Pebblio is the sole distributor for this Tofu And Soymilk Home Appliance and they are going to channel out the products to retail shops soon but meanwhile you could purchase it online via their website here or thru their sales enquire email @ sales@pebblio.com. Retail price of this appliance is of Singapore Dollar S$250.00 (without GST) excluding delivery charges.

* All related Photos and Recipes of Pebblio Tofu And Soymilk Maker are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved. Product merchants or anyone related are "Prohibited" from using my work (photographs, content and recipes) for commercial purposes without my written consent.

Do stay tune for more related recipes (updated on 07 Mar 13:- recipes HERE) using this new Pebblio Tofu And Soymilk Home Appliance soon.

PEBBLIO
Tofu And Soymilk Home Appliance
161 Kallang Way
#05-11
Singapore 349247
Telephone: (65)3152 5957

Website: http://pebblio.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pebblio

Chia Seeds - 奇异籽

2013-02-16T22:12:00.001+08:00

Recently I get to know a new "superfood" ingredient from one of my friend, Alice (she is someone who always shared information on amazing healthy food products with me whenever she tried) as well as some read up from food magazines. For this post, I am sharing my new love which is known as "Chia Seeds (奇异籽)" which offers amazing wholefood nutritional benefits.

Chia seeds are small round ivory to charcoal coloured seeds that form a gel when mixed together with liquid. They are two type of chia seeds available in the supermarkets or some organic shops (Supernature) which are either Black (shown above) or White Chia Seeds (available in150g/500g pouch. I bought mine from The Chia Co (S$15.00 / 150g pouch, orange colour packing) from NTUC Fairprice under the organic products section.

[Benefits] Chia is a wholegrain that tastes great and easy to include in our daily diet to improve our health. Beside with it loaded with essential fatty acids, Chia seeds help to improve skin from inside out which also makes it a complete beauty food that benefits hair and nails too. Furthermore Chia is the richest combined plant source of:-

~ Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acid;
~ Dietary Fibre;
~ Protein;
~ Antioxidants;
~ Essential Vitamins and Minerals

[How To Use Chia Seeds] Chia has a delicious light nutty flavour which can be use to sprinkle on salad; add to soup; blended into smoothies; baked into breads, cakes, cookies or even added to cereal or oats porridge. Below some some of the recipes which I have included Chia Seeds in it.

Apple, Oat And Walnut Crumble	Pumpkin Granola Bar	Longan And Cranberry Yogurt Cake


Orange Chiffon Cake	Lemon Butter Cake

Osmanthus Flower - 桂花

2013-01-31T13:23:00.000+08:00

Osmanthus Flower (桂花) has fragrance that resembles peach or apricots that is light and refreshing. Other than its refreshing fragrance, in the Chinese Medical terms, it is also used to reduce phlegm if you have a bad cough. Or it could also be use for abdominal discomfort, toothaches, and bad breath from indigestion (Osmanthus stimulates normal digestive processes).

Osmanthus Flower can be purchased from local Chinese Medical Hall like Hock Hua (福华), Bees Brand (蜂标) or etc. It come in either small or big packet from S$4.00 - S$6.50 depending on the size.

OSMANTHUS HONEY TEA

Below is a quick recipe for Osmanthus Honey Tea which is beneficial for detoxification and beauty maintenance as well as relieves bad breath. For your interest there are also a few Osmanthus related recipes shown below in my recipe site for your reading too.

(Serve: 1 | Preparation: 2 minutes )

Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Dried Osmanthus Flowers (桂花)
1 Green or Black Tea Tea Bag
2 - 3 Teaspoons Honey

Method:-
1. Place Osmanthus flowers and tea bag into a teapot / mug that has just been rinsed with boiling water.

2. Add boiling water to brew the tea, cover and allow it to steep for a minute or two.

3. Pour tea into serving cup if using teapot, add honey to taste. Enjoy!

Steam Osmanthus Cod Fish	Glutinous Red Date With Osmanthus Syrup	Osmanthus Chestnut Cake


Huiji Steamed Pomfret With Osmanthus	Osmanthus Chestnut Koi Jelly	Chrysanthemums Honey Tea

Shiokoji （塩麹）

2013-01-12T10:40:00.001+08:00

Shiokoji (salted rice malt - 塩麹) is a traditional Japanese condiment made from fermented malted rice, salt and water. And it has been used as condiment in varies way with fish, meat and vegetable. Recently Shiokoji started to gain attention from more people when enzyme diets became popular.

Thanks to Derrick from sgfoodonfoot who shared with me some of his Japanese Condiments which he think would be useful for me to explore new recipes with. I am not sure where we could get this Shiokoji in Singapore but perhaps MEIDI-YA or Isetan might have. Or if you come across this in Singapore, do drop me comment or email too.

From some read up, it states that Shiokoji is good for both health and cooking as there is an enzyme in koji which breaks down carbs and protein in meat and fish and at the same time helps to tender the meat. On top of those mentioned, Shiokoji also contains enzymes which help digestion, speed up metabolism and excretion which is good for diet, constipation, detox, skin, stress and etc.

To me, Shiokoji is something like our Chinese red wine lees (made with rice/glutinous rice and wine yeast) which we used to cook confinement food. But the two are different in terms of colour and taste where Shiokoji is more towards savory as compared to wine lees which are slightly sweet with alcohol taste and fragrance.

SNAPWARE Eco One-Touch - Rectangle Container Set

2012-11-12T10:22:00.000+08:00

For air-tight container lovers, recently there is a new brand known as SNAPWARE which are available at major department stores such as METRO, OG, TANGS and etc. These SNAPWARE products are microwave, dishwasher, oven and freezer safe and are completely free of Bisphenol-A (BPA). SNAPWARE products are made from Korea and it provides 100% airtight storage system with maximum leak proof security so that food can be kept fresher for an extended period and safely transported too.

SNAPWARE Pyrex oven-safe glass containers are made from natural, tempered, borosilicate glass that allows the products to withstand a wide temperature range. The stain-proof, shatter-resistant and tempered glass is also guaranteed safe for the use in pre-heated ovens, microwaves, freezers and dishwashers. Below are some of the features and benefits of this Eco One-Touch Container.

Features And Benefits
~ Natural stain-resistant tempered glass material which is safe and does not absorb food stains or odors;
~ Comes with 100% airtight and leakproof containers with lids that keeps food fresh;
~ Easy one-touch airtight seal system which ensures the lid is securely lock in place with a one button touch;
~ The glass container is both Oven and Microwave Safe; and
~ The containers also comes with space-saving nestable design which enables convenient storing when not in use.

This experiment is not done intentionally. It just caught me by surprised as I bought a punnet of raspberry for baking and because the plastic container that comes with it was damaged due to transport. I decided to transfer it to another similar size container (which I just happened to grab the 550ml, Eco One Touch Container) and keep it in the fridge.

To my surprised, after one weeks or 9 days (as I totally forgotten the berries in the fridge) the raspberries still look as good with fruit and juicy fruits like a week ago. And from the comparison photo above you could see that there were no bruised or changes in the colour of the berries which really amazed me.

Now these SNAPWARE Eco One-Touch Containers are one of my precious which I used to store my bakes (it really makes the cake taste moist and fresh even after 2 - 3 days) and especially fresh berries to keep them look and taste fresh even for a week. So why not start your day fresh and healthy day with some of these SNAPWARE containers which are available at the following retailer shown below:

~ Metro (City Square, Sengkang and Woodlands);
~ Mustafa Centre;
~ OG Albert, OG Orchard Point And OG People’s Park; and
~ TANGS Orchard

Meanwhile from their promotional booklet which I picked up from Metro, I am eying on the Christmas Themed design cookie box which would be available on sale in December. If you are looking for some gift box ideas for Christmas Bake perhaps this might be a good deal for you too.

Cuisinart Hot And Cold Blender

2012-10-22T16:28:00.000+08:00

Recently I have added a new loot into my kitchen gadgets collection. This SSB - 1 Cuisinart Hot and Cold Blender (S$550.00) is not just like a standard blender which we used to blend juice, crashed ice and etc but instead it is a combination of cooker and blender in one.

Cuisinart Hot and Cold Blender is an innovative blender can make sauces, soup, porridge, dessert and etc in it from start to finish including sauteing onions and vegetables, grind and chop nuts, crush ice, make smoothie and even baby food to a smooth desired consistency with a touch of a button!

Basically the blender is divided into 3 main parts which are the base (cooking control), glass jug and a tight-fit press-on lid with a removable 90ml measuring cup attached. The Thermal shock-resistant blender jar can also holds up to maximum of 1400ml (48 oz) of HOT liquids and 1750ml (56 oz) of COLD liquids depending on your recipe(s).

From the above, you can see that the blender base featured the blending control knob with "four" blending speeds with pulse, and handy "stir" button to cook the ingredients evenly without trapping underneath the blades. When blending hot ingredients, LEVEL 1 or 2 is all that is required to get a silky smooth mixture. Whereas for blending cold ingredients or crushing ice, LEVEL 3 and 4 will gives you best result.

Other than the blending control, there is also timer where you can adjust/set the cooking time and choose between High, Low or Simmer according to your recipe(s). The 3 Temperature settings are:-

~ LOW: Suitable for all browning, frying, sauteing and cooking most foods.

~ HIGH: Suitable for bringing liquids to boil or for cooking with a very high heat.

~ SIMMER: Simmering soups an sauce until the vegetables are tender and ready for blending.

As for glass jug there powerful blades and nonstick cooking surface at the bottom of the jug. The built in nonstick heater plate provides the perfect surface to sauté ingredients such as onion, garlic and etc as well as simmer or boil soups within the blender itself.

The base of the glass jug(right) have an unique connector that plugs into the blender shown on the left side.

To fix the glass jug into the blender, you have to align the white arrows on each items (shown above) and the two will fit together perfectly without any push or twist.

To remove the glass jug from the blender base, hold on to the handle with one hand and the other on the cover, lift the jug with a light pull.

For your information, there is also a self-clean feature, lid's built-in measuring cup (removable 90ml (3-oz) measuring cup for adding ingredients at any time) and a little scrub brush. To clean the blender, half filled it with some warm water and a drop of dish detergent (optional, depending on what you cook), pulse several times and rinse and rinse it thoroughly be careful not to wet the heating elements.

For those of you who is interested in this product you could find it at ToTT, Tangs or major department stores.

Below are some upcoming recipes that I have tried using Cuisinart Hot And Cold Blender. Do stay tune if you are interested to read more about it.

RECIPES FOR CUISINART HOT AND COLD BLENDER

Broccoli And Spinach Soup	Apple And Banana Smoothie	Pumpkin And Meat Porridge


Black Sesame Paste With Almonds

Fresh Cactus - 仙人掌

2012-10-04T09:30:00.001+08:00

Fresh Cactus is known for its fleshy oval leaves which is also known as "pads or paddles". It has a soft and yet crunchy texture that becomes a bit sticky when cooked which makes it taste similar to aloe vera. These days, you could get fresh cactus from some of the supermarket such as NTUC fairprice, Sheng Shiong Supermarket and some Chinese medical shop such as Hock Hua(福华).

From a given leaflet and website of Kin Yan Aagrotech where these local fresh cactus is grown, it shows that eating Cactus helps to promote good digestive system, improve immunity, strengthen bones and joints, detoxification of the body system and etc.

Some research also claimed that eating cactus helps to improve lost weight due to its rich supply of Amino acids that balances up the body system and increases metabolism. Moreover Cactus pads contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins, and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium which is needed for our body.

Recently I bought some fresh cactus to try out this Cactus Chicken Soup(recipe) which was served as sample in the supermarket to create awareness and at the same time promote ways of eating fresh cactus. Other than using cactus for soup, you could also add it into salad, stir-fry as well as juice it together with other fruits.

Home Grown Oyster Mushroom

2012-09-25T23:50:00.000+08:00

Oyster Mushroom (平菇) is named after its flat shape which resembling an oyster shell. These large mushrooms are cream in colour is frequently used in Asian cuisine for adding into soup or stir-fry with meat and other accompany vegetables. These mushrooms are a good source of niacin and it also supply folate and dietary fibre.

About one and half month ago, I was introduced to join a home grown mushrooms group in facebook known as "Myceliapolis - Mushroom City" (more details; website and facebook) where we could purchased mushroom logs and grow our own mushrooms at home. Andy (the group owner) and most of the group members are very helpful as everyone always upload photos of their mushrooms growing stages to share with the rest of the new members, while Andy on the other hand would try his best to answer all our questions and queries regarding the mushroom logs.

STEPS ON OUR HOMEGROWN OYSTER MUSHROOMS

You would see cotton-like material which is known as "mycelia" which is the primary structure of the fungi.

As you can see from the photo above, it takes a few days for the "pinheads" to develop from the mycelia.

A close-up view of the "pinheads". Once the pinheads develop, it's best to water them at least 4 - 5 times a day.

At this stage, the pinhead would need cooler environment with good air circulation for them to grow.

After a day or two, the pinheads grew bigger into petal shapes and at this stage they would grow very fast within the next 24 hours. So in order to ensure the growing of the mushroom, mist or spray water droplets on it at least one or every two hours.

Our "full-grown" Oyster Mushrooms which takes about 5 days to develop from the pinheads.

The total weight of the oyster mushrooms that we harvested was around 150g and I have used them to cook some simple dishes which are shown below.

RECIPES USING HOMEGROWN MUSHROOMS

For a quick dish you could stir-fry garlic, ginger, beef/chicken strips together with oyster mushrooms then season with salt or a dash of soy sauce. Or you can add them into Asian soups at the end of cooking and served. Below are some simple dishes that I have tried using our home grown Oyster Mushrooms.

* All related Photos and Recipes of Home Grown Oyster Mushrooms are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved. Product merchants or anyone related are "Prohibited" from using my work (photographs, content and recipes) for commercial purposes without my written consent.

RECIPES!!!! (Coming Soon)

Baked Oyster Mushrooms With Olive Oil	Sauteed Oyster Mushroom With Garlic Butter	Stir-fry Mushroom With Chinese Cabbage

Related photos on the "Home Grown Mushrooms" album could be found at Cuisine Paradise Facebook Page.

Huiji Waist Tonic - 汇集补腰精

2012-09-25T12:33:00.000+08:00

Huiji Waist Tonic (汇集补腰精) helps alleviate common health problems by ensuring we get our full daily nutritional requirements in an easy and affordable way. With regular consuming of Huiji Waist Tonic it actually helps to improve our blood circulation, nourish and darken hair, strengthen our body as well as enhancing the flavour of our dishes.

There are a few types of marvelous Chinese Herbs used in this Waist Tonic such as Cordyceps (冬蟲草) which helps to tonify the lungs and kidneys, arrest bleeding and dissolve phlegm. Du Zhong (杜仲) helps to tonify the liver and kidney, strengthen the tendons and bones as well as prevent miscarriage. There are also Shou Wu (首乌), Dang Gui (当归), Ginseng (人参) and Da Zao also known as Red Date (红枣).

Huiji Waist Tonic is the essence from many nutritious Chinese herbs which makes it an extremely powerful and effective health supplement. Unlike other similar products, Huiji Waist Tonic is 100% Vegetarian, with no added alcohol and cane sugar. As such almost everyone in the family including breastfeeding mums, children above 7 years old and even those who are allergic to alcohol can safely enjoy this tonic without worry.

The tonic can be taking daily to improve blood circulation, strengthen the body and waist, relieve body-aches and numbness, as well as stimulate the mind. Below are some of the benefits of Huiji Waist Tonic:-

~ Waist strengthening
~ Gentle on the stomach
~ Nourishes and darkens hair
~ Strengthens the body and the waist
~ Relieves muscle stiffness
~ Relieves aches in the waist and knees
~ Assists circulation
~ Nourishes vital energy

You can easily spot this product at local retailers such as Bee Brand, Cold Storage, NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong, ZTP, selected Guardian Pharmacy And Watsons and etc. Just for your information Huiji Waist Tonic is also HALAL certified which is suitable for Muslim consumers.

Depending on the promotional price; Huiji Waist Tonic is sold at a retail price S$20.50(250ml) or S$42.80 (700ml)

RECIPES USING HUIJI WAIST TONIC

With modern busy and hectic lifestyle, I am sure it's always quiet difficult for working mothers or individuals to prepare delicious and nutritious meal. So in order to strengthen and replenish our body nutrition intake, I would be sharing some quick and easy homecook dishes and soup which incorporate Huiji Waist Tonic to enhance the flavour as as well increase the nutritional value of the dishes.

* All related Photos and Recipes of Huiji Waist Tonic are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved. Product merchants or anyone related are "Prohibited" from using my work (photographs, content and recipes) for commercial purposes without my written consent.

RECIPES !!!!

Steamed Drunken Prawns	Huiji Double-boiled Chicken Essence

Okara - 豆渣

2012-09-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

Okara (豆渣) or Soy Pulp is a white or yellowish residue that is left over after the production of soymilk or tofu through the filtering process. And the word Okara is a Japanese word which pronounced as "oh-KAR-uh" whereas in Chinese it is widely known as "douzha - 豆渣 (soy lees)".

Okara is low in fat, high in fiber and also contains protein, calcium, iron, and riboflavin. As I have mentioned before in another post, when using Joyoung soymilk maker, the "Dry Bean" mode would produce a much finer Okara as compared to the "Soaked Bean" mode. So if you are adding Okara to porridge or cake, I would suggest you obtain it from the Dry Bean mode instead.

Soymilk would taste smooth and better when "Okara (豆渣)" is being filtered from it. But do you know instead of throwing them away, you could actually incorporate this rich dietary fiber into your daily cooking or baking. Below are some recipes that I have shared using Okara.

Okara Omelette	Okara Mantou	Okara Butter Cake (coming soon)

Joyoung Soymilk Maker - 九阳豆浆机

2012-08-27T17:54:00.001+08:00

There are many types of soymilk maker available in Singapore which different from brands and prices. Recently Joyoung Soymilk Maker (九阳豆浆机) has set foot in Singapore with it's latest model DJ13C-D08D(S) after 12 rounds of product improvements.

The two models shown above are, on the left DJ13C-D08D(S) and on the right is DJ12C-A11D(S) both with ultra fine grinding, 360 degree heating and Intelligent Temperature Control.

As you can see from the above, Joyoung Soymilk Maker (九阳豆浆机) comes with a stunning, elegant design and its inner jug and grinder is also made of stainless steel (refer to the photo below) compared to some other similar products. It is so easy to use, just simply pop in the soybeans, add water and with a button away you can enjoy a cup of delicious fresh homemade soy milk ready in less than 25 minutes.

Upon purchase the soymilk maker comes with a plastic jar, metal strainer, scrap pad, measuring cup (1 cup = 90g soybean) and a small brush for washing the blades.

Available Functions: Grains, Dry Bean, Soaked bean, Jam, Juice, Rice paste plus Easy washing which helps quick cleaning and maintenance of the machine.

The new model DJ13C-D08D(S) comes with an Ultra-Fine grinding (超微原磨技术) that ensures the beans are grinded in the small compartment at high speed which release the full nutrition and aroma.

Stainless steel inner layer jar with PP outer layer, double insulation, anti-hot (the outside of the machine remains slightly warm to touch) and it is more secure and durable compared to their previous models.

This soymilk maker will only works with at least 900ml of water and hold up to maximum amount of 1300ml. Just a note, do not over heat the machine with more than 3 continuous run.

Currently Happiness (Pte) Ltd is the sole distributor for Joyoung Soymilk Maker (九阳豆浆机) and they have channel out the products to retail at Audio House, Best Denki, Gain City, Harvey Norman, Isetan, Mustafa, Courts and NTUC xtra major electrical stores.

Retail price for the two available models are; DJ13C-D080D(S) (this is the one I am using for the recipes) at S$268.00 and DJ12C-A11D(S) at S$218.00.

RECIPES USING JOYOUNG SOYMILK MAKER

There are quite a number of readers and friends asking me whether is it worth getting one of this Joyoung Soymilk Maker (九阳豆浆机) and my reply is, it all depend on individual needs and usages. Like what you have read from the above plus the launching post (HERE), I am sure you already have a rough ideas of what this machine can do.

Other than a basic soymilk maker, it can also help to cook rice gruel for babies, prepare cream soup for western food or even make some fruit jam or kaya with just a button away.

* All related Photos and Recipes of Joyoung Soymilk Maker are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved. Product merchants or anyone related are "Prohibited" from using my work (photographs, content and recipes) for commercial purposes without my written consent.

RECIPES !!!!

Joyoung Soymilk	Black Soybean Soymilk	Snow Fungus With Red Date Soup (coming soon)


Okara Omelette	Okara Mantou	Okara Butter Cake

Pandan Kaya

Durian - 榴莲

2012-07-24T11:07:00.000+08:00

Since early June you can notice the "harvesting" season of Durian is flooding into Singapore where you can easily see these "spiky" green thorns fruit everywhere in the HDB market area or some local supermarkets fruit section (fruits remove from shells and tightly sealed). And for most of us, it is either you love or hate this fruit due to it's strong odour where some said it is fragrant while others might find it distinguishing.

From the photo(s) you can see that Durian's shape ranges from oblong to round and the colour of its husk is either green to brown with its flesh pale to darker yellow depending on the species. There are many species around and the most common and popular few in Singapore are "D24", "XO", "Mao Shan Wang", "Red Prawn" and etc (which is on the higher price range that goes by weight). Or you can choose those "Kampong Durian (甘榜榴莲)" which price as low as "S$0.50 - S$1.00" (smaller in size) each Durian.

Other than eating Durian on it's own, it can also be used to make dessert, cake, pastry and even as one of the ingredient for cooking. Below are some of my Durian recipes which I would like to share with you.

DURIAN RECIPES

Durian Butter Cake	Durian Pan Cake	Durian Steamed Cake


Steamed Durian Egg Custard	Durian Sago	Eggless Durian Tiramisu

Durian Fried Rice	Durian Chicken Soup	Durian Sticky Rice

Durian Chiffon Cake	Durian On Baguette	Green Bean Durian Soup

LunchPunch Sandwich Cutters

2012-06-21T13:24:00.000+08:00

LunchPunch has a few themed design (more details HERE) sandwich cutters which comes in a set of 4 different patterns in each box. And what I have here is the "Sand*wishes*" themed which consists of cute "fairy princess" with a cut out star and "frog prince" with the removable crown and etc.

One plus point about these cutters is they work well with any size bread but are especially great for regular to large size bread so that the side won't be cut off.

To work with the cutters, these are some of the points that you might want to take note of:-

1. USE FRESH BREAD:- Soft, fresh bread works best as old bread tends to be a bit difficult to handle.

2. USING A CUTTING BOARD:- Make is easier for the cutter to work through the bread on flat surface.

3. PRESS DOWN FIRMLY:- Place BOTH hands on top of cutter and press straight down, hard into the sandwich.

4. TWIST IT BACK AND FORTH:- Once you have pressed down as hard as you can, twist the cutter back and forth a few times to get the cutout of the bread.

Other than bread, you can also use the cutter to cut out details of the design from cheese, ham or even omelette skin to make your sandwich look more interesting.

This Froggy Sandwich Set is what I have come out with for my boy's breakfast using one of the "Frog Prince" cutter from the "Sand*wishes*" theme that I have. If you are interested you to know more about these cutter, you can refer to their official website (HERE) and even order your set through there. Or visit ToTT where they are having Great Singapore Sales(GSS) to get a discount price of S$16.20 (usual price S$18.00) for any of the LunchPunch Cutter Set.

Kueh Tutu (嘟嘟糕) And Kueh Tutu Mould

2012-06-21T11:12:00.000+08:00

Kueh Tutu also known as "嘟嘟糕" in Mandarin is a traditional Singaporean delicacy which is made using rice flour. These steamed rice cakes are made using a special kueh tutu mould (refer to the photo shown below) where the prepared rice flour together with filling is steamed for a minute or two before removing it and place on a piece of pandan leave and served.

This is the special circular Kueh Tutu Mould which is used to shaped the kueh into flower shaped. To make Kueh Tutu, the mould is first filled with some cooked rice flour, follow by spoonful of coconut/peanut fillings then another layer of cooked rice flour on top. Next a small piece of pandan or banana leaf is place on top before it is turned upside down on a small cheesecloth and place on the steamer rack (you can refer to the photo below) and steamed until cook through.

What To Get:-

1. Ailin @ 845 Geylang Road, #01-48, Tanjong Katong Complex, Telephone: 6743-2693;
2. SunLik @ 33 Seah Street, Telephone: 6338 0980. Price: S$18.00/mould

There are two type of fillings for Kueh Tutu such as grated coconut (which has either brown sugar or palm sugar(gula melaka) in it) or ground peanut which sold in either 3 for $1.00 or 5 for $2.50 depending on the stalls.

As these cakes will turn hard and dry after sometime, it is always prefer to be eaten immediate while it is still hot and freshly made from the stall. Although nowadays they have new flavour for this traditional steamed cakes but for me I would still prefer those with grated coconut filling.

I would be sharing a post on how to make these yummy Kueh Tutu in upcoming post soon. Stay tune!

Cordyceps Militaris aka 虫草子实体

2012-05-30T22:10:00.001+08:00

Cordyceps Militaris (虫草子实体) is a parasitic ascomycetous mushroom that has long been used in Chinese medicine to treat Numerous illnesses, Promote longevity and Relieve exhaustion. As opposed to the wild ones, cordyceps militaris are artificially grown and yet they are similar to wild Chinese Cordyceps in terms of medicinal value. They are also rich in protein, zinc, vitamins A and E and microelements that are essential to human body.

Functions: It protects the Lungs, benefits the Kidney and also defy aging.

Helps: To relieve cough due to Lung-Asthenia; strengthen Yang and body essence.

Where To Buy: You can purchase this Cordyceps Militaris from local Chinese Medical Shop such as ZTP, Hock Hua Tonic(福華), and etc. It cost about S$6.00 - S$10.00 per packet which could be used for about 5 - 6 times serving 4 person each recipe.

RECIPES USING CORDYCEPS FLOWER

Cordyceps Militaris Chicken Soup	Chicken, Mushroom And Cordyceps Militaris

Waffle Maker

2012-05-23T09:42:00.000+08:00

Recently I have seen quiet a number of people in my facebook timeline sharing photos of either the Taiyaki(Japanese fish pancake) or Waffles that they have made for breakfast or tea snack. Without hesitate, I also Google to read more on the related recipes and I have found one which I think is pretty easy to follow. If you are interested to find out more on making your own Waffle, you can refer to the recipe post HERE.

Below are the two different types of Waffle Maker that I own.

WAFFLE MAKERS

There are many different design of stove top waffle makers (also known as waffle iron) which are ideal for creating deep-holed Belgian waffles for a special dessert. And recently I have bought a "four hearts" Clover Shaped Waffle Iron from one of the online spree which is quiet similar to my Taiyaki Pan as both can be used over at the stove top.
Price: S$35.00 each

For those who don't like to stand by the side of the stove and keep watching the heat of the pan like a hawk to prevent burning of your waffle, perhaps a modern electric waffle maker is a good investment for you. There are quiet a number of brands and size available in the department store depending on your budget. I bought the above from Carrefour a few years back which cost around S$19.90 at that time. But recently I saw another design(rectangle) available at Harvey Norman selling at a price of S$29.90.

WAFFLE RECIPES

Homemade Pandan Waffle

IKEA Kitchenwares - 365+ Pot Plus Stabil Accessories

2012-05-22T11:02:00.000+08:00

IKEA always has a wide range of kitchen products such as cookwares, ovenwares, utensils, food storage and etc. And recently I have just got a set of this 365+ Pot(5 litre), boiling insert as well as steamer insert to replace my old soup pot in order to help me reduce the time in preparing quick and healthier meals within 30 minutes to an hour.

IKEA 365+ POT AND STABIL BOILING INSERT

There are many different type of pots, saucepan and casserole available at the IKEA cookware section where you can take a look from their on-line category (HERE) before heading down to one of their outlets. This 365+ Pot comes in two different size such as 3 or 5 Litre both with lid cover.

The stainless steel lid on the 365+ Pot helps to reflect heat into the cookware which therefore brings the contents to the boil more quickly. Furthermore the steam vent on the lid cover also helps to reduce pressure so that food does not easily boil over.

Prices of the items are:-

~ 3 Litre 365+ Pot with Lid @ S$35.00
~ 5 Litre 365+ Pot with Lid @ S$39.00
~ Stabil Boiling Insert @ S$8.00

As for the "boiling insert" it helps to save time by separating two different type of vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower where you can put one of those into the boiling and the other inside the pot. In this way, you get to boil two items without mixing them together due to the difference in cooking time. And also the detachable handle which still remains cool while cooking, makes it easy to move the insert half way through cooking.
Price: S$8.00 each

I personally dote this "Stabil Steamer Insert" which helps to save energy where I could use the same pot for both steam and boil food at the same time. For example you could refer to my recent post here on how I managed to simmer soup(below) and steamed egg(on top) using this steamer insert. For your information, this steamer insert can be used with most of the 4 - 5-litre pots and up to "three" inserts can be placed on top of one other in the same pot.
Price: S$13.90 each

RELATED RECIPES USING 365+ POT AND STEAMER

Steamed Egg with Minced Meat	Steamed Egg Cakes	Steamed Red Grouper


Huai Shan Lotus Root Soup

Taiyaki (たい焼き) Pan Plus Recipe

2012-05-15T15:28:00.000+08:00

Taiyaki (たい焼き) is a Japanese fish shaped pancake which is commonly filled with red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. But in these day, there have other fillings such as custard, chocolate, cream cheese or even sausage in it.

Taiyaki is made using regular pancake or waffle batter which is poured into a fish-shaped pan on each side, top with desire filling before closing the pan. The batter is then cooked on both sides on medium heat until golden brown.

MORINAGA PANCAKE PREMIX

Morinaga pancake premix is one of my favourite brand when comes to premix choice. It has a few packaging from 2 - 4 individual sachet per pack or in box form. I love those that are individually packed as to prevent wastage and freshness of the premix. Each sachet can make about 4 pieces of standard size pancake or 5 - 6 Taiyaki with fillings.

WHERE TO FIND:-
~ Taiyaki (たい焼き) Pan: Some leading department stores (such as Giant, Carrefour, Isetan or Gmarket). Price range from S$19.90 onwards.

~ Pancake Premix: Can be easily found in major supermarkets (such as Fairprice Xtra, Carefour, Cold Storage) depending on the brand. Here I am using Morinaga Pancake Premix. Price range from S$6.80 onwards.

TAIYAKI (たい焼き)

Above are some of the Taiyaki (たい焼き) that I have made using the Taiyaki Pan and Morinaga Pancake Premix. You can read more on it with the step-by-step recipe HERE.

Madagascar Vanilla Beans And Pure Vanilla Extract

2012-05-12T06:21:00.000+08:00

Nothing beats a premium quality of vanilla beans when it comes to baking "Creme Brulee" or churning some delicious "Vanilla Ice-Cream". In this case choosing some top quality Bourbon vanilla beans would be a great ingredients to invest on.

A few months back I have received a pack of this precious "Madagascar Vanilla Beans" plus some other baking goodies from one of my blog friends, Gertrude from My Kitchen Snippets. All the while I have the intention make my very own "vanilla extract" and bakes using some good grade vanilla beans so this useful gift from Gertrude do comes in handy for my pantry.

In Singapore you can purchase vanilla beans or extract from some of the local baking stores such as Phoon Huat, SunLik, Bake King and etc. A good vanilla beans should be soft, oily and have an intense vanilla aroma.

Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans are long and slender with a very rich taste and fragrant. The bean is cover with a thick and oily outer skin which contain lot of tiny seeds and strong vanilla aroma. In order to maximize the bean:-

~ you can cut the pod in halve, length wise with a paring knife.

~ scrape out all of the oily seeds from the pod to use for the recipe.

~ throw the leftover pod into dish which infuse with vanilla aroma or wash and dried it before storing with caster sugar to make vanilla sugar.

Other than vanilla beans this "Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract" is also another most commonly used vanilla among bakers and a small bottle like this cost 5 - 6 times the price of the normal vanilla essence. But I think it's worth investing a bottle of this to make a perfect Vanilla fragrant cake or pastry. I bought this from Shermay's Cooking School but you can get it in some other baking stores too.

RECIPES USING VANILLA BEANS AND EXTRACT

Orange Vanilla Loaf Cake

Korean Cooking Ingredients

2012-04-10T10:55:00.000+08:00

Recently I am into watching Korean drama craze whereby it makes it curious and keen to learn some of their basic homecook dishes shown in the drama such as Kimchi Stew(김치 찌개), Spicy Korean Instant Ramen, and Japchae(잡채) and etc. So without hesitate, I loot back quite a number of Korean ingredients home and start off with my Korean Cooking Project(recipes HERE).

Some of these Korean Ingredients can be easily purchased at local supermarkets such as Cold Storage, Fairprice, Fairprice Extra/Finest as well as Seoul Mart(location HERE).

KIMCHI

김치

Kimchi(김치)also known as gimchi or kimchee is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It was originally developed as a way to preserve the vitamins and minerals in vegetables over the long winter.

Kimchi is the most common banchan(or side dish) in Korean cuisine and it can also be used a main ingredient for many popular Korean dishes such as Kimchi Stew(kimchi jjigae - 김치찌개), Kimchi Soup (kimchiguk - 김칫국) and Kimchi Fried Rice(kimchi bokkeumbap - 김치볶음밥).

Kimchi Tofu Soup (김치순두부찌개)

GOCHUJANG

고추장

Gochujang(고추장) is a savory and pungent fermented Korean condiment made from red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt.Gochujang is widely used in all kinds of Korean food to give them their signature taste. It also act as important ingredient in bibimbap, tteokbokki (rice cakes in hot sauce), gochujang stew, and bibimguksu (noodles with vegetables and gochujang) which makes the dishes spicier but some how or rather it also sweeten the final product.

Korean Spicy Chicken (매운 닭 날개)	Gochujang Chicken Stew 닭도리탕

KOREAN RICE CAKE

Tteok (떡)

Tteok(떡)or also commonly known as "ddeock" is a classic Korean rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour and steaming method. There are many different ways and ingredients used when it coming to this traditional Korean dish. And in Korea it is customary to eat tteok guk(tteok soup) on New Year's Day and sweet tteok at weddings and on birthdays.

For your information, you can find two different types of Korean Rice Cakes which is either oblong in shaped or slices for different type of cooking purpose.

TOPOKKI HOT SAUCE

떡볶이

With this quick and easy Topokki Hot Sauce(serve 2 - 3) you can easily make authentic Korean Sweet and Spicy Rice Cakes with some side ingredients such as Beef/Chicken/Seafood, Instant Ramen, Fishcake, Napa Cabbage, Hard-boiled Eggs.

Korean Rice Cakes with Ramen Noodles (Rabokki - 라볶이)

KOREAN RAMEN NOODLES

라면

Assorted flavour Korean Instant Ramen/Ramyeon(라면)is a popular instant meal. Korean ramyeon is often known to be hot and spicy as its soup base is usually flavored with chili peppers. You can find different varieties of Korean ramyeon in the supermarkets such as kimchi-flavored, seafood-flavored and beef-flavored. If you want to make your ramyeon more appetising you can add extra ingredients such as dumplings, napa cabbage(大白菜), fishcake, egg and etc too.

Korean Clay Pot Ramyun 韩式泡菜拉面

KOREAN GLASS NOODLE

(Japchae - 잡채)

Japchae(잡채) is a Korean dish made from sweet potato noodles(dangmyeon). The name "japchae" comes from the combination of two Chinese characters, "jap" (which means stirred or mixed) whereas "chae" (means vegetables). So Japchae literally means a mixture of vegetables and it is often stir fried in sesame oil with various vegetables such as thinly sliced carrots, onion, spinach, and mushrooms or sometimes served with beef too. Japchae is most commonly served as a side dish even though it can be a main dish by itself too.

Japchae - 잡채 韩式拌杂菜

Peanut Powder - 花生粉

2012-02-27T11:24:00.000+08:00

In Singapore this ready-made Peanut Powder can be easily found in major supermarkets at their flour and baking sections. But whereas in certain countries you might have to make your own peanut powder in order to use it for baking, cooking or serving as extra toppings in dishes, beverage or etc.

During your visit to there supermarkets you might find a few different brands of peanut powder available for your selection. Here I have two different brands of peanut powder which contain either with or without sugar added which might comes in handy depending on how you would want to use it for.

This SingLong brand Peanut Powder is one of those that I always have stock in my fridge so that I could make our favourite Muah Chee or Oneh Oneh anytime of the day. But if you are using the same peanut powder for both sweet and savoury dish(kueh paiti, pad Thai noodles) perhaps you can consider the other one below which is just 100% Peanut Powder without any sugar added.

100% Peanut Powder which is great and healthier because you can to control the amount sweet to mix with the powder for sweet treat.

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT POWDER

Below is a simple recipe on how to make your own Peanut Powder if you could not find it in your local supermarkets.

(Make: about 200g | Preparation: 3 minutes | Cooking: 10 - 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
200g Raw Peanuts, with skins on
1 Teaspoon of oil, optional

Method:-
1. Rub very little amount of oil to peanuts and roast them in a non-stick pan over medium low heat or in the preheated oven at 180° until light brown and aromatic.

2. Remove, place roasted peanuts on clean kitchen towel and rub them between the towel using your palms to remove the outer skins.

3. Next using either a pestle or food processor, grind the roasted peanuts into coarse or fine powder according to the recipe requirements.

Tip:-
~ Unused peanut powder can be stored in air-tight container, kept in fridge for a month or two.

Some recipes which use Peanut Powder:-

Muah Chee(麻糍)	Oneh Oneh	Pad Thai Noodles

BOSCH MCM 4100 Food Processor

2012-01-18T13:12:00.000+08:00

From my posts you would notice that I love to experiment with new Kitchen Gadget, tools, products and etc such as Happy Call Pan, Tupperware, MasterFood Spices. In this post I would be share with you my new toy which is this - BOSCH MCM4100 Food Processor. This food processor comes with multiple functions such as; juice blender, meat grinder, dough maker and other usage like making meringue, sorbet, mayonnaise and etc.

As you can see from the photo above, they also have a handy accessories drawer where you could keep those unused blades and slicing discs in order to prevent them from being misplaced.

In order to maintain good condition for the blender, do not process deep-frozen ingredients except ice cubes. And to attach/remove the blender always rotate the blender in a clockwise/anti-clockwise direction, and do not remove it by force.

Features of this food processor such as:-

~ 800W Motor
~ 2 Speed settings and pulse setting
~ Stainless steel chopping blade and plastic whisking disc
~ Plastic liquidiser attachment 1.25L
~ Plastic mixing bowl 500g
~ Stainless steel cutting disc inserts (thick and thin)
~ Stainless steel shredding disc inserts (coarse and fine)
~ Plastic carrier disc for inserts
~ Dough tool
~ Citrus press

The "Bowl" works well as a food processor, dough maker or whipping of egg whites and etc. It comes with a transparent bowl, lid, funnel and changeable blades and discs and slicing attachments.

These are some handy Slicing Attachments ranging from Coarse - Fine (left to right, shown above). The 1st and 2nd on the left can be used to slice cucumber, fries and carrots while the 3rd and 4th on the right can be use to grate apples, carrot, cheese and cabbages.

Above the Whipping disc, Carrier Disc for disc inserts, Citrus Press from left to right. All these would come in handy depending on what recipe you are working with. For me I find the Whipping disc is quite interesting and I would like to try using it to whip some egg whites/cream instead of my usual electric beater.

This food processor can also act as a Citrus Press for pressing the juice out of citrus fruits such as Oranges, Grapefruits, lemons and etc. In order to do it:-

1. Attach the bowl(arrow on bowl on dot on the appliance) and rotate as far as possible in clockwise direction.

2. Insert drive shaft into the bowl and attach the citrus press to the drive shaft and rotate in a clockwise direction. (The lug on the filter basket must be located fully in the slot in the bowl handle)

3. To extract the juice, set the rotary switch to low speed and press the fruit onto the pressing cone.

RECIPES USING BOSCH MCM 4100

ABC Detox Juice	Lemon Berry Tarts	Baked Lemon Cheesecake


Brioche	Apple, Oat & Walnut Crumble Slice	Kiwifruit Tart

If you are interested to get one of this BOSCH MCM 4100 you could go to their “live” kitchen at Harvey Norman’s newly revamped Millenia Walk Flagship Store. (detail HERE). Indeed this machine is a great helper in modern kitchen.