Jolly Kitchen

Bruschetta al Pomodoro (Bruschetta with tomato and basil)

2009-08-18T12:58:00.001-07:00

This is a simple recipe and can be served as a great healthy appetiser. To prevent the bread slices from becoming soggy, I would recommend using Roma or Plum tomatoes as they are firmer in texture. Try to choose those tomatoes which are not too ripe. Enjoy the dish! Buon Appetito!

Ingredients:

8 slices Baguette (French loaf) or Italian crusty bread
4 Roma (Plum) tomato, seeded and diced
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (can substitute with dried basil leaves)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (to drizzle)
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes and chopped garlic together. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add 2/3 of chopped basil and 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
On a baking sheet, drizzle both sides of bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. Lightly brown them in the oven.
Remove the bread slices from the oven. Rub the bread slices with cut half of garlic clove.
Spread the tomato mixture on each slice.
Garnish with remaining 1/3 chopped basil. Ready to serve.

Cream of Corn Soup

2009-07-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is a very simple recipe for a quick lunch. You may serve it with plain biscuit or toast. I'm sure kids will like it too. ^_^

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) cream style corn (I used Del Monte brand)
1/3 can (15 oz) sweet corn kernels
1.5 cups water
1/3 can cream of chicken (can substitute with 1/3 cup chicken stock and 1/4 cup milk)
1/4 onion, minced
1.5 Tbsp butter (about 20 gram)
2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
a pinch of salt or to taste

Preparation:

In a saucepan, fry onions and butter on low heat, stirring constantly till onions are soft but not brown.
Add flour and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add water and cream of chicken. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes, stir occasionally.
Add milk, cream style corn and sweet corn kernels. Continue to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or till soup is thicker.
Turn off the heat. Ready to serve.

Potato Croquettes

2009-07-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for leftover mashed potato. The trick to prevent it from falling apart is to chill the patties in refrigerator for an hour before cooking.

I used to order this dish whenever I visited Japanese restaurant. I like potato croquettes because it has crispy outer skin but soft filling. You may use pumpkin as filling instead of potato too. I will try it when the pumpkin is in season next time. : )

Ingredients:

2 cups mashed potato
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper to season
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup panko (breadcrumb) for coating
1/4 cup green peas or corn kernels (optional)
1/4 cup ham, chopped (optional)

Preparation:

To make Mashed Potato: Peel and cut 2 to 3 potatoes into medium chunks. Boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until soften. Drain and use fork to mash the potatoes. Set aside.
Saute onion, ham, green peas and corn kernels in a skillet or pan for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, mix mashed potatoes, onion, ham, green peas and corn kernels together. Season with salt and pepper and let it cool.
Make mixture into flat and oval-shaped patties. Coat each piece with flour. Dip in beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs.
Heat oil in the skillet or pan over medium high heat. Fry patties on both sides until golden brown.
Ready to serve with mayonnaise and or barbecue sauce.

Oreo Cheesecake

2009-05-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

To bake a perfect cheesecake, first thing is to get good cream cheese. Although reduced fat cream cheese is healthier, its favor still can't compare to the original cream cheese which is more creamy and full of milky fragrant. So that's why it is called "sinful temptation". ^_^

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 20 to 25 Oreo cookies), finely chopped
3 Tbsp melted butter

Filling:

3 packets of 8oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
5 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (for the batter)
8 to 10 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (for the topping)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Make sure all ingredients stay at room temperature.
Prepare a 9 inch spring form pan. Line the pan with aluminium foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Lightly grease the bottom and the sides.
To do the crust: mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press onto the bottom of the pan.
In a big mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with low speed until fluffy. Slowly add sugar and mix well. All about 2 minutes.
Add vanilla, salt, flour and cornstarch, beat until smooth and add sour cream.
Add eggs one at a time. About 15 second after each addition.
Stir in the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies.
Pour mixture into the pan and place the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies on top.
Wrap the bottom of the pan with extra layer of aluminium foil and place it in a larger pan with hot water, about 1 inch depth . (This is an extra step called water bath method which can allow cheesecake to cook evenly)
Bake on the top rack of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is set.
After that, keep oven door open for a few inches and let the cheesecake stay in the oven for about 1 hour.
Remove from oven and cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

2009-05-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed by how easy this recipe can be and the taste which is as delicious as you get in restaurant or better than that! The meat is tender and fall off the bones easily. The most important ingredient is a bottle of nice hickory barbecue sauce with smoky flavor. Alternatively, you can prepare your own barbecue sauce by using tomato sauce, cider vinegar, sugar and starch.

One thing good about using aluminium foil for this recipe is that I won't have to wash and scrub the baking tray after the cooking! It really save my time from cleaning. : )

Ingredients:

2 to 2.5 lb (1 kg) pork baby back ribs
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce (about 9 oz or 250 gm)

Preparation:

Cut the ribs into 2 portion. Remove the membrane at the back or just use a fork or skewer to poke some holes in between the membrane.
Prepare 2 pieces of aluminum foil which is big enough to wrap each portion of ribs. Spray each piece of foil with vegetable cooking spray. Place the ribs on the foil individually and brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Bring out the ribs from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
Preheat oven to 300 degree F (150 degree C).
Place extra piece of foil underneath and bake the ribs wrapped tightly in the foil for 2 1/2 hours.
Open up the foil and brush more barbecue sauce on the ribs. Continue to bake with the foil open up or set to broil for additional 10 minutes.
Ready to serve with mashed potato and or steamed vegetable.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

2009-01-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

Pandan chiffon cake is one of my comfort food from Malaysia and Singapore. It is so yummy ! The fragrance of pandan and softness of the cake will encourage you to savor every bite.

I have only learnt that pandan leaves are also known as screwpine leaves when I am in US. You can normally find them in Asian grocery stores. I managed to find them from a Vietnamese store near Argyle, Chicago.

I must admit that it is quite challenging to bake a chiffon cake. My first attempt resulted in a partial failure as I was not aware of the tricks in baking a chiffon cake. After doing some research on the recipes, I managed to find out what were the causes. The egg white was underbeat as I did not have a mixer and only used a whisk. You can imaging how tiring it would be to beat the egg white continuously for 10 minutes merely by hand. Besides, I also found out that cake flour is more suitable for chiffon cake. If you also cannot find cake flour, the substitution will be 1 cup of cake flour equal to 1 cup minus 2 Tablespoon of all purpose flour plus 2 Tablespoon of corn starch.

After getting a hand mixer and an improved recipe, my second attempt was considered successful except the colour was not green enough as I only use the pure pandan leaves juice without any artificial colouring.

Finally, I'm quite happy with the pandan chiffon cake from the third attempt. I managed to get the cake flour from a Japanese supermarket as well as green colouring from a nearby supermarket. The texture of the cake was really soft by using the cake flour.

I guess baking a chiffon cake is a trial and error process. You have to find the best combination of ingredients, right temperature and timing which suit your oven. Good luck! : )

Ingredients:

(A)

2 cup of cake flour (can substitute with 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup corn starch)
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 tsp of salt

(B)

7 egg white
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 tsp of cream of tartar

(C)

7 egg yolks
1/2 cup of flavorless vegetable oil
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp pandan juice or 1 tsp pandan essence

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
For (A): Sift flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add in sugar and salt. Mix until well combined.
For (B): Place egg whites in a large, clean stainless or glass mixing bowl. Use mixer to whip egg whites until foamy (about 30 seconds) and add cream of tartar. Continue to whip the egg whites until opague, about 3 minutes. Add sugar gradually to the egg whites. Continue to whip until stiff and glossy. (e.g. it should not fall out when you turn the mixing bowl upside down quickly)
For (C): Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until well blended.
Make a well in the center of (A) dry ingredients. Add (C) yolk mixture and mix until batter is smooth.
Fold 1/3 of the (B) egg whites mixture into the batter by using a spatula. Gently fold the remaining one third at a time.
Gently pour batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan and bake for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.
Invert the cake immediately onto the wire rack (or by using a bottle) and let the cake cool completely in the pan upside down.
Loosen the outer and tube edge of the pan with a knife. Use a skewer to loosen the cake from the center tube. Remove cake from pan.

Gingerbread Man Cookies

2009-01-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

Nothing says Christmas like a Gingerbread Man Cookie! It is fragrant with ground ginger, cinnamon, molasses and nutmeg. It is also fun to do your own decoration on the cookies by using the icing sugar.

Ingredients: Make 15 to 20 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves1 large egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Royal Icing

1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 cup confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. Mix in egg, molasses and vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat until a smooth dough forms.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
Heat oven to 350 degree F. Place the dough in between two plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Use either a floured cookie cutter or a knife to cut into desired shapes.
Transfer to ungreased baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown. Remove from oven. Wait for 1 minute and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with royal icing.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-11-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

This oatmeal raisin cookies is my all-time favourite. It can be served as breakfast or afternoon tea. I find that baking cookies is easier than baking a cake. What I mean is that you will normally have about 80 to 90% confidence level that the cookies can turn out successful. However, you might have 30 to 40% chance that the cake will turn out to have crack or too damp in the center. It can be quite frustrating for an exciting baker who has a long wait beside the oven. I am glad that my cookies never disappointed me. : )

Ingredients: Make 3 to 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients A:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredients B:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients C:

3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup raisin
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C).
Combine ingredients A in a small bowl, reserve.
For ingredients B: in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix and beat until well blended.
Gradually add ingredients A (flour mixture) into ingredients B (butter mixture) in 3 additions. Beat until well blended.
Add oats in 3 additions. Beat and mix well. Stir in raisin and chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Remove from sheet and cool on wire rack.

Bak Kut Teh / Pork Ribs Soup 肉骨茶

2008-11-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

When I stayed in Malaysia, one of my local favourite Chinese food is "Bak Kut Teh" (肉骨茶). "Bak Kut Teh" literally means "meat bone tea" or "pork ribs tea". Interestingly you won't be able to find any tea in this dish. It is a type of pork ribs soup which can be complemented with Chinese tea. It comes with two types of soup base. The herbal soup with dark soy sauce type is well fragrant and more popular in Malaysia. Klang in Malaysia is famous for this type of herbal soup base. In Singapore, the peppery clear soup base is more popular. Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House (黄亚细肉骨茶餐室) at Rangoon Road is pretty famous for its strong peppery clear soup.

Personally, I prefer the herbal soup base with dark soy sauce type. It has unique aroma of herbs and spices. The meat of the pork ribs is tender and soft after simmer for long time. This dish can be served with white rice, fried dough fritter (you tiao), pork liver soup, braised bean curd skin and salted vegetable. It is a hearty warm comfort food for me. I used to visit Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh (顺发肉骨茶) and 木清肉骨茶 in Johor Bahru (southern Malaysia) which serve Bak Kut Teh with tasty herbal soup.

Ingredients:

1 lb (500 gm) Pork ribs
5 cloves of garlic (with skin)
3 dried codonopsis pilosula root / “Dang Shen” （党参）
5 slices Chinese angelica root /"Dong Quai" （当归）
0.6 oz (20gm) polygonatum odoratum / "Yu Zhu" （玉竹）
4 slices ligusticum rhizone / "Chuan Xiong" （川芎）

Seasonings:

salt
light soy sauce
dark soy sauce

Dipping:

minced garlic
dark soy sauce

Preparation:

Place pork ribs into a pot with boiling water. Drain after 1 minute and discard the water.
Rinse the herbs and drain. Fill the pot with water enough to cover the pork ribs. Bring it to a boil and add all ingredients into the pot.
Cover and slow cook over medium low heat for at least 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Add the seasonings according to taste. Ready to serve with white rice.

Note: If you like flavor of spices, you may add 1 cinnamon stick and 4 to 5 star anise during the cooking.

Braised brinjal in spicy soy bean paste sauce 鱼香茄子

2008-11-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

There are many popular Chinese dishes other than just Peking Duck and Ma Po Doufu. Braised brinjal in spicy bean paste sauce (鱼香茄子) is one of them. This Szechuan cuisine (Chinese: 四川菜 or 川菜) has a different way of cooking method. The unique taste also make it a perfect match for white rice. The original recipe use deep frying method but I used salt water to soak it and pan-frying instead to reduce the oil absorption.

Ingredients:

2 brinjal or eggplant
0.3 lbs (150g) minced pork
2 stalks spring onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp young ginger, minced
1 Tbsp shallot, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili pepper, diced or shredded
1/2 cup water
1 to 2 tsp corn starch, dilute with water

Seasonings:

1 Tbsp Salted soy bean, minced
1 tsp ShaoHsing wine (can substitute with Dry Sherry wine)
1/2 tsp Light soy sauce
1 tsp Dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Chili garlic sauce
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Preparation:

Peel the brinjal and prick the outer layer with a fork. Quarter and cut into 2 inches long pieces. Soak in salt water for about half an hour, drain and pat dry with paper towel.
Add 3 Tbsp cooking oil into a frying pan or wok over medium high heat.
Add brinjal into the frying pan and pan-fry for about 2 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Remove brinjal and place it on paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in frying pan over medium heat.
Add minced ginger, shallot and garlic into frying pan. Stir and add minced pork. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds and add all seasonings. Keep stir-frying until the meat is fully cook or turn light brown.
Place brinjal back to frying pan. Stir gently.
Add half cup of water into frying pan. Turn to high heat and bring it to boil. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the cover.Add spring onion and chili pepper. Stir gently and add corn starch to thicken the sauce.
Turn off the heat and ready to serve with white rice.

Chinese Barbecued Pork / Char Siew 叉烧

2008-11-22T17:24:00.000-08:00

"Char Siew" (叉烧), which is also know as Chinese barbecued or roasted pork. It was called "Char Siew" in Cantonese which literally means "fork roast" because of its traditional cooking method. The boneless pork is normally skewered with long fork and placed in covered oven for roasting. The meat is usually well seasoned and has mild sweet and smoky flavor with slightly charred and crispy outer layer. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is normally served with white rice, cucumber and doused with gravy. Besides the rice, it can also be served with wanton noodle and green vegetable.

Ingredients:

1 lbs Pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp Maltose (can substitute with honey), dilute with 4 Tbsp water

Seasonings:

3 Tbsp Light soy sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster sauce
1/2 Tbsp ShaoHsing wine
1/2 Tbsp Sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp Red fermented beancurd, about half cube (optional)
1 Tbsp Maltose (can substitute with honey), dilute with 2 Tbsp water

Preparation:

Cut the pork into 2 long strips (about 2" wide and 9" long). Marinate it with seasonings for at least 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degree F (220 degree C).
Place the pork on a rack with drip pan underneath.
Bake for 15 minutes on one side.
Flip it over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Glaze with maltose and broil each side for 3 to 5 minutes or until caramelized.
Remove from Oven. Let it cool down before thinly slice.
Ready to serve with white rice or noodle.

Note: The marinated sauce can be used as gravy by boiling it in a saucepan, add sugar according to taste and thicken it with some corn starch.

Shrimp Paste Chicken Wings 虾酱鸡

2008-11-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

Shrimp Paste Chicken Wings （虾酱鸡) is a kind of fried chicken with shrimp paste seasoning. Its unique fragrant and crispness make it a popular local Chinese dish in Singapore. Another name in Cantonese is Har Cheong Kai, which is being used by local people there. Instead of deep-frying, I tried baking it and it turned out perfectly! Yummy! It is healthier to use baking than deep-frying and they taste equally heavenly!

Ingredients:

10 to 12 chicken wings
1/3 cup corn starch
3 Tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings:

1 Tbsp fine shrimp paste
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp ShaoHsing Wine
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp (1/2 cube) red fermented bean curd, minced
1/2 Tbsp ginger juice or 1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Preparation:

Marinate chicken wings with the seasonings for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C).
Heat oil in a fry pan or wok over medium heat.
Coat the chicken wings with a thin layer of corn starch, shake off the excess.
Pan-fry the both side of chicken wings for 5 minutes each or until turn light brown.
Transfer the chicken wings to oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and ready to serve.

Fried Rice with Prawn and Chinese Sausages

2008-10-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hawker center is a collection of food stalls in an open-air arrangement. It is very common in South-east Asia like Malaysia and Singapore. One of my local favorite is Chinese fried rice from Amoy Street hawker center in Singapore. It is the best fried rice I ever tasted because it is very fragrant and also not oily at all. Although just the simple ingredients like rice, egg, prawn, Chinese sausages and Char Siew (Chinese barbecued pork) are being used, the seller can turn it out to become a delicious dish in less than 5 minutes time.

The key to made a delicious Chinese fried rice is the heat of the wok. Of course the cold cooked rice is an important ingredient. One of my friend who is also a Chinese restaurant chef, told me that the secret to cook Chinese fried rice is to put the rice after the egg so that the rice won't get burnt and every grain of rice is wrapped in golden and shiny colour. I remember it by heart. : )

Ingredients:

2 cups of cold cooked rice
1/2 cup of cooked prawn, peeled and cut in small cube
1/2 cup of Chinese sausage, lightly boiled, peeled and cut in small cube
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks of spring onion (scallion), sliced
1 Tbsp shallot, sliced
1 Tbsp light soy sauce or to taste
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce or to taste
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Preparation:

In a fry pan or wok, heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil over medium heat.
Add in shallot, stir and add chinese sausage and prawn. Stir for about 30 seconds.
Move them to the side of the fry pan. Put 1 tsp cooking oil on the other half of the fry pan to fry the beaten egg.
Before the egg form into omelette, add rice onto the egg. Stir well.
Stir together all ingredients in the fry pan.
Add soy sauce and ground white pepper, stir and adjust according to taste.
Turn the heat to high and stir-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add green onion and toss well. Ready to serve.

How to make a pie crust

2008-10-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

For convenience, you can always buy ready made pie crust from the supermarket. I do use it sometimes. However, I find that some ready made pie crusts are too thin to hold the filling. Hence, I will try to make my own pie crust. Normally, I will double the portion to make extra pie crust, wrap it with plastic wrap and keep in freezer. It is advisable to use it within one week.

Ingredients for a 9 inch pie crust:

1 1/4 cup of all-purpose/ plain flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 to 3 Tbsp ice water

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt with a spatula.
Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
Slowly add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough can hold together.
On a clean surface, knead the dough to form a ball shape.
Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface when ready to use.

Peach Crumble Pie

2008-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

Apple crumble pie is alway my favorite dessert. Since peaches is in season now, I thought of baking a peach crumble pie. Of course, you can use pie crust or lattice top to be the top crust. But I personally find crumble top crust is easier for baking the pie. I also added walnut to the top crust which added extra crunchiness and fragrance to the pie. Yummy! : )

Ingredients: Serve 8

1 pie crust (9 inch size)
5 cups of fresh ripe sliced peaches
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp butter

Fillings:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour/plain flour
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter

Crumble topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour/plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 Tbsp (2 ounces) butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)
Line the pie dish with the pie crust. Brush with a layer of beaten egg to prevent sogginess.
Place peaches in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix all fillings in a bowl and pour onto peaches. Mix gently.
Arrange peaches on the pie crust. Dot with butter.
To do the crumble topping, mix flour with sugar, cut in butter until crumbly. Add walnut. Stir well.
Spoon mixture over peaches.
Bake pie on lower shelf of preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown .

Yam Rice with Mushroom and Chicken 芋头飯

2008-10-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

Rice with yam? Yes! In South East Asia countries like Malaysia and Singapore, Chinese stew duck is normally serve with yam rice when you visit the hawker stall or coffee shop. It also can be serve as main dish. Interestingly, sweet potato has traditionally been referred to as a yam in North America. In fact, the real yam is not orange in colour but in white or purple. The real yam is hard to find in US supermarket. I used a substitute which is smaller and they called it Taro roots. I must say the real yam is more fragrant in cooking. Last but not least, I happened to find the real yam in Chinatown food mart lately.

Ingredients: Serve 3 to 4
1 cup of taro roots (yam)
2 cups of rice, washed and drained
5 dried mushroom, soaked and finely chopped
1/2 pound (200g) of chicken, cut in small cubes
1 Tbsp dried shrimp, soaked and finely chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp garlic (1 clove), sliced
1 Tbsp shallot (1 clove), sliced
4 slices young ginger
3 cups of water (can use soaking water from mushroom)
1 Tbsp of cooking oil

Seasoning:
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Garnish (optional) : shallot crisps, chopped spring onion or parsley

Preparation:

Heat oil in a fry pan over medium heat.
Add taro roots (yam) into fry pan and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
Add ginger into saucepan and stir for 30 seconds before adding shallot, garlic and dried shrimp.
Add mushroom and chicken, stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until just about cooked.
Add seasoning. Stir and add water. Bring it to boil.
Pour all ingredients onto rice in rice cooker. Stir well and let it cook fully.

Tips: If you do not have a rice cooker, you can cook the rice by simmer it in a covered fry pan with slow heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Braised Beancurd with Spicy Bean Paste Sauce (MaPo DouFu) 麻婆豆腐

2008-09-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

MaPo Doufu (麻婆豆腐）is a popular Chinese dish originally from Sichuan China. MaPo means an old lady whose face was pocked-marked and Doufu is beancurd in Chinese. Click here to find out more about its legend.

The original recipe uses Sichuan peppercorn and spicy chili oil. To tone down its hot spiciness and greasiness, I substituted them with ground pepper and Vietnamese extra hot chili garlic sauce. You may use any chili sauce which you can find. However, you may exclude sugar in cooking if you use sweet chili sauce.

Prep Time : 18 minutes
Cook Time : 10 minutes

Ingredients: Serve 2 to 3

1/2 box (250g) of soft silken beancurd (19oz box) - dice into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 lb (200g) ground pork (can substitute with ground beef)
2 stalks of spring onions or scallion - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 to red bell pepper - dice into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 Tbsp minced young ginger
1 Tbsp minced shallot (about 1 to 2 cloves)
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp Tapioca or corn starch (dilute the powder with 2 Tsp water)
1 Cup (240ml) water

Seasonings A:

1/4 tsp light soy sauce
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Seasonings B:

1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp salted soya beans, minced
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 to 1 tsp chili sauce
1/2 tsp Shao Hsing wine (can substitute with Dry Sherry wine)
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Preparation:

Marinate ground pork with seasonings A for at least 15 minutes.
Mix seasonings B in a bowl. Keep 1/2 Tsp of spring onions and 1/2 Tsp of bell pepper for garnishing later.
Heat the fry pan with oil over low heat. Add minced ginger, shallot and garlic. Stir for 20 seconds.
Add ground pork and stir. Cook until almost fully cooked.
Add seasonings into the fry pan. Stir well. Add bell pepper and beancurd. Stir gently.
Add water and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Cover the fry pan with lid and simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Uncover and add corn starch to thicken the sauce. Stir for about 30 seconds. Turn off the fire. Add spring onion to mix well.
Garnish with green onion and bell pepper. Ready to serve with white rice.

Rendang Chicken (Dry Curry Chicken)

2008-09-19T13:18:00.001-07:00

Looking for simple and delicious Asian food recipes? This is a quick and shortcut version for Rendang Chicken (Dry Curry Chicken). It is suitable for those who are not staying in Asia countries and have difficulty to get Asian seasoning. Traditional Rendang Chicken will require a lot more ingredients and spices which might deter people like me to cook the dish. So I come out with my own simplified version. Try to get Indian curry powder which contains turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and all spices.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: serve 2 to 3

4 chicken thighs/ drumsticks; or half chicken, cut into pieces
2 potatoes (optional)
2 shallots, minced
1 onion, peeled and quartered
Fresh ginger, skinned and sliced 5 to 6 pieces
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1/2 can coconut milk

Seasoning A:

1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 Tbsp chili powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

Seasoning B:

3 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp chili sauce (to substitute 2 red chili)
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Pad Thai sauce (can substitute with 2 Tbsp. tamarind juice and 1/2 Tbsp palm sugar)
1/8 tsp salt

Preparation:

Rub seasoning A on chicken and marinate for 15 minutes. (you can marinate it in advance and keep in fridge overnight)
Put oil into the fry pan over low heat. Add onion, shallots and ginger. Cooked till slightly brown.
Add seasoning B into fry pan. Stir for 30 seconds and add chicken and potatoes.
Stir continually for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour coconut milk into saucepan and stir well.
Turn the heat to medium fire and stir occasionally until it boils. Then lower the heat and simmer (stir occasionally) until the gravy turns thick and meat is tender.
Serve with white rice or coconut rice.