Healthy Food Paradise

LATTARA'S PORK GYOZAS

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sun, 9 Feb 2025 04:08:00 -0800

Lattara's Pork Gyozas

Ingredients : -

10 oz minced pork

Marinade Ingredients for minced pork : -

2 tsps light soya sauce

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Five spice powder

5 stalks of green onion - chopped finely

1 tsp black sesame oil

1 packet Gyoza wrappers

1 tbsp corn flour + 1/3 cup water - cornstarch

Method : -

First marinade the minced pork and leave it aside for 30 minutes , preferably overnight in the fridge . Then take out the gyoza wrappers from the fridge and then make the cornstarch mixture in a small bowl for the ' glue" to seal the dumpling wrappers.

Use a small spoon to scoop the minced pork mixture and then put it in the middle of the gyoza wrapper . Use the cornstarch to seal the edges and spread it lightly on the edges . Crimp the edges and seal it . Use your finger to seal it as per photo attached below .

LATTARA'S PORK GYOZAS

FUDGY CHOCOLATE SULTANAS BROWNIES

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 21:16:00 -0800

I have always been happy with my chocolate brownies but these fudgy chocolate brownies are to die for from one famous British chef which is one of my idol chef since a few years back. His cooking is easy, no fuss and versatile which I like to follow as I have a busy lifestyle being a working mum ...so his recipes are great to have around. I have changed and tweaked his recipe a bit as to adjust to my tastebud as I do not like too sweet desserts.

Fudgy Chocolate Sultanas Brownies

Ingredients : -

9 oz soft butter

10 oz brown sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Belgian cocoa powder plus 2 tbsps unsweetened Belgian cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 large eggs

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup dried yellow sultanas

Method : -

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C for 10 minutes.

Sift all the flour , cocoa powder and add salt into a large bowl.

Use the electric mixer to cream the butter with the brown sugar till soft . Add the eggs and beat till incorporated well. Add the flour mixture & dried sultanas into the mixture & stir gently till mixed well.

Then line a 9 " x 9 " baking tin with some parchment paper for the brownies. Pour it into the baking tin and bake for about 20 minutes . Do not overbake and take it out from the oven to cool on a rack. Remove the brownie from the pan immediately and put it on the cookie rack to cool. Cut the brownies into small squares after it is cool.

LATTARA'S HAKKA YONG TAUFU

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 20:47:00 -0800

Lattara's Hakka Yong Tau Fu

Ingredients : -

1 large mackerel fish - cut into half - scrape all the fish flesh & put into a large bowl

Add the seasonings to the fish paste and set aside to marinade for 30 minutes :-

{1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper + 1 tsp soya sauce }

4 pieces white hard tofu - cut into two triangles each

4 big red chillies - slit the centre & deseeded

1 bitter gourd - cut into 1/2 inches

4 medium sized dried Shitake mushrooms - soaked - cut the stems

4 shallots - minced

2 cloves of garlic -minced

4 tbsps fermented soya bean

1 tbsps sugar

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup water + 2 tsp corn flour

4 sprigs spring onions - chopped

Method : -

Use a butter knife to stuff up all the vegetables with the fish paste - including the chillies , bittergourd , mushrooms & hard tofu as in the photos below .

Heat up the wok with some cooking oil and pan fry all the vegetables and tofu till light brown & fragrant.

Heat the same wok with some cooking oil and fry the minced shallots & garlic till light brown & add the fermented soya beans . Fry till fragrant and then add all the vegetables with tofu . Stir fry for a few minutes and then add the cornstarch slurry to the wok . Turn up the heat to medium and then stir fry for another 5 minutes till the sauce thickens. Add the chopped spring onions into the wok.

Serve it immediately with some steamed rice. Enjoy !!!

LATTARA'S HAKKA YONG TAUFU

LATTARA'S HAKKA YONG TAUFU - PAN FRY

LATTARA'S HAKKA YONG TAUFU

HOMEMADE MUAH CHEE

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 20:22:00 -0800

I remembered when I was still a little girl , my Teochew grandma's sister would make some muah chee for the eve of Chinese New Year and offer us some to eat after the reunion dinner at my grandparents house. Since they had passed on , we missed her muah chee and I am glad to be able to make the muah chee at home to remember her and pay tribute to her cooking. We missed our grandma a lot and her cooking.

Muah Chee

Ingredients : -

1 cup glutinous rice flour

1 tsp sugar

pinch of salt

4 tbsps corn oil + 2 minced shallots - fried & take the shallot oil {2 tbsps}

3/4 cup water

Ingredients for toppings for muah chee :-

1 cup toasted grounded peanuts

1/2 cup icing sugar

5 tbsps toasted sesame seeds

Method : -

First chopped the shallots and then fry the shallots in the heated wok till fragrant . Set aside the shallot oil. Then measure the glutinous rice flour , add the pinch of salt . Add the water gradually and stir till mixed well . Then add the 2 tbsps of shallot oil into the mixture & stir well with a spoon.

Heat up the water in a steamer on high heat . Put the mixture in a oiled plate and steam on medium high heat for about 20 minutes. When it is done , use a chopstick to stir the muah chee dough gently at one direction to get a nice texture.

Use a pair of scissors to cut the dough into small pieces and dip it in the bowl of toasted grounded peanuts, icing sugar & toasted sesame seeds.

HOMEMADE MUAH CHEE

LATTARA'S CRAISINS COOKIES

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 20:16:00 -0800

Lattara's Craisins Cookies

Ingredients : -

12 oz plain flour

4 oz corn starch

6 oz dried black raisins

6 oz dried sultanas

6 oz dried cranberries

8 oz soft butter

1/4 tsp salt

8 oz icing sugar

1 egg

Method : -

Preheat the oven at 350 F { 180 C) for about 10 minutes .

Then measure all the flour and cornstarch and salt , put it in a large bowl to set aside.

First take out the butter from the fridge so that it becomes soft and cream the butter by using the electric mixer with the icing sugar. Then add the egg . Add the flour mixture slowly and then stir till mixed well . Add the dried raisins , sultanas & dried cranberries into the cookie dough. Use a spatula to mix till incorporated well. Use your hand to knead it into a dough.

Use a small teaspoon to measure each cookie and roll it into a ball using your hands. Then arrange them on a lined baking pan to bake it in the middle rack of the preheated oven for about 20 -25 minutes.

The baking time varies depending on your oven.

LATTARA'S CRAISINS COOKIES

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHOC CHIPS BISCOTTI

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 1 Oct 2021 03:11:00 -0700

Double Chocolate Choc Chips Biscotti

Ingredients : -

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

4 oz Dutch cocoa powder

4 oz unsalted butter , softened

2 eggs

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method : -

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift the flour , baking powder , cocoa powder into a large bowl and set aside. In a mixer bowl, cream the butter with castor sugar till smooth. Add the eggs , vanilla extract and dark chocolate chips and then fold in the flour mixture with the cocoa powder and baking powder. Blend well and then spread the dough into two medium logs on a prepared baking sheet.

Bake until set and biscotti logs are firm to the touch and golden , about 30 minutes. Remove biscotti from oven and let it cool for 15 to 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 335 F. After the logs are cooled, use a long serrated knife , slice the logs on the diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices.

Arrange them on the baking sheet pan and bake the biscotti a second time to dry and crisp them about 30 minutes , turning them once for ensure even baking on both sides at 15 minutes.

Let them cool on the baking sheets before storing them in air tight containers.

Double Chocolate Choc Chips Biscotti

Christmas Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken With Roasted Lemon Potatoes & Carrots

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 20:11:00 -0800

Christmas Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken With Roasted Lemon Potatoes & Carrots

Ingredients : -

One 2 kg whole chicken

1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley

2 large lemons - cut into quarters

5 medium sized potatoes - cut into small cubes about 1 inch

4 medium sized carrots - cut into small cubes about 1 inch
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO)
2 large red onions - sliced thinly
1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried parsley ( to sprinkle on top of the potatoes)

Method : -

Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F for about 15 minutes.

Clean the chicken and season it with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley. Leave it to marinade for overnight or at least 8 hours in the fridge.
Wash and peeled the potatoes and cut them into small 1 inch cubes. Slice the red onions thinly and cut 1 lemon into quarters. Arrange the potatoes, lemon quarters, carrots and sliced onions on a large baking sheet and season with EVOO , salt ,black pepper and dried garlic powder . Cut a lemon into quarters and insert it into the cavity of the bird.

Put the chicken on the rack and put the baking sheet at the bottom of it. Bake at 200 C / 400 F for about 1 hour and 20 mins till fully cooked and golden brown depending on your oven.

Leave it to rest for 10 -15 minutes before carving.

Sprinkle some dried parsley on top of the roasted potatoes and carrots before serving.

AIR FRYER ROASTED CHICKEN

CHRISTMAS ROASTED CHICKEN, SMOKED PAPRIKA & HONEY SAUCE & ROASTED POTATOES & CARROTS

ROASTED POTATOES & CARROTS

Lattara's Fabulous Vanilla Custard Cream Puffs

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 21:42:00 -0800

Lattara's Fabulous Vanilla Custard Cream Puffs

Ingredients : -

16 fl oz (500 ml) Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 tsps butter

2 oz ( 57 gms) corn starch

5 oz ( 142 gms) castor sugar

2 medium size eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method : -

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a small pot,then add the evaporated milk , butter and corn starch and mix till combined. Put the small pot on to the stove over medium heat and whisk constantly till the mixture heats up slowly. Then change to a wooden spoon and stir constantly over medium heat till the custard thickens for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and stir well . Pour the custard on to a bowl and cover the custard with cling wrap to prevent a skin from developing on top of it. Leave to cool on the table slightly before you put into the fridge to chill.

Ingredients For Choux Pastry

1 cup (8 oz) unbleached plain flour

8 fl oz ( 250 ml) water

4 tbsps butter

5 medium size eggs

Method : -

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Heat the butter and water in a medium size pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the flour when the mixture is boiling and stir with a wooden spoon to combine and form into a ball. Stir for about 2 minutes and remove from the stove. Put aside and add the egg one at a time and stir well to combine.

Line the baking tray with some parchment or baking paper. Use 2 tablespoon to scoop the batter about 1 tbsp each onto the lined baking tray about 1 inch apart. Bake the puffs for about 45 minutes till they are light brown and then turn off the oven and leave them to dry out in the oven for about 10 minutes. Set them aside to cool slightly before cutting a slit and put the custard cream into them to serve.

Serve them at room temperature with some vanilla ice-cream.

Simple Homemade Wantan Mee

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 1 May 2020 19:49:00 -0700

I had some craving to eat some good wantan mee at home , so here is a recipe from me that I had collected from my aunt and it is a special recipe as it uses some sesame oil with fried shallots and light soya sauce for the dressing.

Simple Homemade Wantan Mee

Ingredients :-

400 gms fresh wonton noodles

1/2 bunch choy sum - washed and cut into 2 inch lengths

some sesame oil

300 gms char siew ( BBQ pork)

2 tbsps light soya sauce

some black pepper

Garnishings : - Fried Shallots
4 shallots- chopped

Fry the chopped shallots with some cooking oil in a wok till fragrant and lightly brown.

Method:-

Firstly set a huge pot with some water to a boil and cook the wonton noodles till cooked. Then put the noodles in a pot of cold water. Cook for about 5 minutes and then scoop it out and put it into a bowl of cold water to get rid of the starch and stop the cooking process. Put it on a clean plate and add 1 tsp light soya sauce , fried shallots, and 1 tsp sesame oil and toss the noodles with a pair of chopsticks.
Add the choy sum and blanch it for 2 minutes till it is wilted and cooked.
Garnish with some sliced char siew and choy sum. Serve immediately.

SIMPLE HOMEMADE WANTAN MEE

YAM CAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 22:15:00 -0700

My mum used to make yam cake for our family from scratch and she had taught me to make since I was 12 years old. Here is the recipe from her which I had altered and changed over the years...

Yam Cake
Ingredients : -

600 gms yam, cleaned and diced
100 gms dried prawns, soaked & pounded
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 shallots - minced
2 tbsps cooking oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Batter : (mixed and strained)
300 gms rice flour
75 gms tapioca flour
1200 ml of water

Garnishings:-
2 stalks cilantro
2 stalks green onions - chopped

Method : -
Heat up a large wok with some cooking oil and fry the minced garlic, shallots, and dried prawns till fragrant. Add the yam and stir fry till aromatic. Add the batter , seasonings, and stir until the batter is half-cooked. Taste and pour the mixture into a steel plate about 22 cm.
Prepare a steamer on high heat to steam it on high heat for 45 minutes till cooked.
Remove from heat and then leave to cool completely.

Frying The Yam Cake (White Version)
Ingredients : -

4 shallots - minced
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 eggs - beaten and 1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
300 gms steamed yam cake -cut into thin slices
4 stalks green onions - chopped finely
2 tbsps cooking oil

Method : -

Firstly cut the steamed yam cake into thin slices and heat up a large frying pan on medium heat. Add some cooking oil and fry the yam cake slices till lightly browned and slightly crispy. Set them aside. Add some cooking oil into the pan and then fry the garlic and shallots till fragrant. Put the radish cake into the pan and then pour the beaten eggs over it. Allow the eggs to set slightly before flipping over in sections. It is ok if it starts breaking up when you flip it over, you don't need it to be perfect. Add some chopped green onions and dish it out to serve immediately.

Frying The Yam Cake (Black Version)
Method:-

Drizzle some dark sweet soya sauce ( 2 tbsp) over the yam cake after the eggs had set slightly and stir fry to mix well, sprinkle with some chopped green onions.
Garnish with some coriander leaves/cilantro.

Serve immediately.

YAM CAKE - WHITE VERSION

YAM CAKE - BLACK VERSION

Greek Lemon Roasted Chicken With Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:21:00 -0700

Greek Lemon Roasted Chicken With Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions

Ingredients : -

One 1.8 kg whole chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
4 medium sized sweet potatoes - cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 red onions - sliced thinly
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley

Method : -
Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F.

Clean the chicken and cut it into half (butterfly cut) and season it with the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried oregano and dried parsley. Leave it to marinade for overnight or at least 8 hours.
Wash and peeled he sweet potatoes and cut them into small 1 inch cubes. Slice the red onions thinly. Arrange the sweet potatoes and red onions on a large baking sheet and season with EVOO , salt , dried oregano and dried parsley.
Put the chicken on the top rack and put the baking sheet at the bottom of it. Bake at 200 C / 400 F for 1 1/2 hours till fully cooked and golden brown.
Leave it to rest for 10 -15 minutes before carving.

Radish Cake (Chai Tow Kway)

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 00:53:00 -0700

I am a big fan of Teochew cuisine as my late granny who was a Teochew lady, who had influenced me a lot of her cooking and all the Teochew delicacies. I had learned a couple of Teochew homey dishes from her and one of it is this recipe with radish.
I would make this once a month for my family and as we are confined in our homes now during this Covid -19 pandemic, this is a tribute to her as I missed her cooking and special desserts that she makes for us on festive occasions.
This is for you , Ah Ma 😀 !!!

Radish Cake ( Chai Tow Kway)
Ingredients : -

600 gms radish - grated
300 gms rice flour
350 ml water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp light soya sauce
5 shallots - chopped finely
4 cloves garlic - chopped finely
200 gms minced pork
200 gms dried shrimps - washed, soaked and chopped finely
2 stalks green onion - chopped
2 tbsps cooking oil

Method : -

Wash the radish and peeled and grate it using a box grater. Set the radish on a sieve and get rid of the excess water. Set aside and prepare the shallots, garlic and dried shrimp, green onions and marinate the minced pork. Put the rice flour into a large bowl and add the water to combine it together.
Heat up a large wok on medium heat and add some cooking oil. Saute the shallots and garlic till fragrant about 5 minutes. Then add the dried shrimps and minced pork and fry till light brown and fragrant. Add the grated radish and fry for about 8 minutes, add the seasonings - salt, sugar, light soya sauce, and black pepper. Pour the rice flour mixture and stir well to combine and lastly add the chopped green onions. Stir the mixture for about 2 minutes.
Put some water in the steamer on high heat and bring it to a boil.
Put the radish mixture into a large steel plate to steam in a steamer for about 45 minutes on medium high heat.

There are 2 versions of the chai tow kway - the white and the black . I am going to post for both of the recipes here in my blog.

Frying The Radish Cake (White Version)
Ingredients : -

4 shallots - minced
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 eggs - beaten & 1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
300 gms steamed radish cake -cut into thin slices
4 stalks green onions - chopped finely
2 tbsps cooking oil

Method : -

Firstly cut the steamed radish cake into thin slices and heat up a large frying pan on medium heat. Add some cooking oil and fry the radish cake slices till lightly browned and slightly crispy. Set them aside. Add some cooking oil into the pan and then fry the garlic and shallots till fragrant. Put the radish cake into the pan and then pour the beaten eggs over it. Allow the eggs to set slightly before flipping over in sections. It is ok if it starts breaking up when you flip it over , you don't need it to be perfect. Add some chopped green onions and dish it out to serve immediately.

Frying The Radish Cake (Black Version)
Method :-

Drizzle some dark sweet soya sauce ( 2 tbsps) over the radish cake after the eggs had set slightly and stir fry to mix well , sprinkle with some chopped green onions.
Garnish with some coriander leaves / cilantro.
Serve immediately.

THE WHITE VERSION - RADISH CAKE

THE BLACK VERSION- RADISH CAKE

Lattara's Simple Nasi Lemak

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 19:26:00 -0700

Lattara's Simple Nasi Lemak
Ingredients : -

Ingredients for the coconut rice : -

1 cup Basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
4 pandan leaves - tied into a knot
1/2 cup fresh coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt

Method : -

Wash the rice and put it in a pot together with the water , coconut milk , pandan leaves and salt . Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to medium and cook the rice uncovered till cooked.

Ingredients for the anchovies sambal : -

200 gms dried anchovies
5 shallots - chopped finely
4 cloves garlic - chopped finely
4 red chillies - pounded finely
4 dried chillies - pounded finely
1 cup fresh coconut milk
2 large red onions - sliced thinly

Condiments : -
1 large Japanese cucumber - sliced thinly diagonally
200 gms fresh toasted peanuts

Method : -
First heat up a large wok on medium heat and then add some cooking oil into it. Saute the shallots and garlic till fragrant for about 5 minutes. Then add the pounded chillies and fry for till fragrant about 5 minutes, add the dried anchovies to saute till light brown. Then add the sliced red onions to the wok and saute for a few minutes before adding the coconut milk. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Then serve it hot with the coconut rice , cucumber slices and toasted peanuts.
If you like, you can add a fried egg as a condiment . 😋

LATTARA'S SIMPLE NASI LEMAK

Nyonya Pork Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 19:14:00 -0700

Well, I love all kinds of curries but I have not tried cooking pork curry for a long long time since I left Canada. So as it was a rainy day today , I cooked some pork curry for my family. I bought some coconut milk from the market for this recipe , you can substitute it with some milk if you do not have it.

Nyonya Pork Curry
Ingredients : -

500 gms lean pork - cut into cubes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsps meat curry powder ( Babas brand)
2 tbsps meat curry powder (Adabi brand)
6 shallots -chopped finely
6 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1 inch galangal - blended finely
5 stalks lemon grass
4 red potatoes - peeled & cut into small quarters
1 litre water
200 ml fresh coconut milk

Method:-
Heat up a large wok on medium heat and then add some cooking oil into it . Add the chopped shallots and garlic to fry till fragrant. Add in the galangal , lemon grass and curry powder to fry till fragrant. Add the pork and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes into the wok and stir well. Then add some water and coconut milk to the wok. Increase the heat to high till the curry is boiling, then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Dish it out onto a large platter and serve hot with plain Basmati rice or french baguette.

NYONYA PORK CURRY

Nasi Goreng Kampung Ala Lattara Style

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 01:32:00 -0700

My family loves fried rice and we usually like to eat Yang Chow fried rice at home , but lately we are kind of bored of the same style. So I came up with a M'sian village fusion and Chinese style of fried rice which is the recipe as follows with a twist. Do hope that you will like it after you try it out. 😀

Nasi Goreng Kampung Ala Lattara Style
Ingredients : -

300 gms roasted char siew - cut into small cubes
300 gms frozen mixed vegetables
4 stalks green onions - chopped finely
500 gms leftover plain rice
4 shallots - chopped finely
3 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps light soya sauce
2 tbsps dark soya sauce

Method :-

First heat up the wok on medium heat till hot . Then add some olive oil into it and fry the chopped shallots & garlic till fragrant. Then add the roasted char siew and fry till fragrant. Add the leftover rice and mixed vegetables into the wok. Toss and fry it for a few minutes . Add the salt, light soya sauce and dark soya sauce to the rice mixture. Stir fry the rice mixture for about 5 minutes till combined and lastly sprinkle the chopped green onions on top of the rice and stir well .
Serve hot immediately.

Tempeh Chicken Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 01:05:00 -0700

Well , when I knew that raw tempeh is a super food for keeping our guts healthy.
Tempeh is a good source of protein, iron, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. It is also low in carbs and sodium. I had to introduce it to all of my colleagues as a cheap source of probiotics and some of my colleagues did try it out. So I came up with this special recipe for a salad to incorporate tempeh in it. Try it out and enjoy everyone ! 😉

Tempeh Chicken Salad
Ingredients : -

2 pcs ( 200 gms) raw tempeh -cut into cubes
200 gms leftover roasted chicken -shredded
6 large romaine lettuce leaves - tear into smaller pcs
8 -10 red cherry tomatoes - cut into halves
1 red bell pepper - cut into small cubes
10 black pitted olives
1 lemon juice
50 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey

Method : -

Prepare the raw tempeh and shredded roasted chicken and put it into a large salad bowl. Tear the romaine lettuce leaves into small pieces and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.
Cut the red bell peppers into small cubes and add into the bowl too. Add the black olives into salad mixture too. Put the salad bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl , combine the lemon juice , extra virgin olive oil , salt & honey together and stir well.
Drizzle the lemon dressing into the salad mixture and toss it gently till combined before serving . Serve the salad with some toasted french baguette slices.

TEMPEH CHICKEN SALAD

Crispy Baked Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 23:27:00 -0700

We love to eat fried chicken but it is not so healthy for us to eat it all the time , so I went to research online to find alternative recipes to make healthy baked chicken for my family. I had found one which uses crushed cornflakes ..I added some fine grinded oat flakes to the recipe to make these delish "bad boys" . They tastes like the fried ones too...

Crispy Baked Chicken
Ingredients : -

1 whole (1.8 kg) free range chicken - cut into 10 pieces
2 tsps salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsps olive oil
2 large eggs - beaten
400 gms cornflakes - crushed
200 gms fine grinded oat flakes

Method : -
Season the chicken pieces with the salt , black pepper , onion powder , garlic powder amd smoked paprika. Leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C . Coat the chicken pieces with the beaten eggs and then coat them into the crushed cornflakes and fine oat flakes . Arrange them on a large baking tray about 1 cm apart.
Bake them in the oven at 200 C / 400 F for about 50 minutes till cooked thru , crispy and golden brown.

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN

Smashed Pork Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 23:03:00 -0700

Smashed Pork Burgers
Ingredients :-

500 gms minced pork
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp olive oil
some lettuce leaves
2 large tomatoes - sliced thinly
4 red onions - sliced thinly
condiments - mayonnaise & dill pickles

Method : -
Marinate the minced pork with the spices and leave it overnight . Take it out from the fridge 1 hour before cooking time.
First heat up a large non stick frying pan on medium heat . Add the olive oil and heat up for a few minutes. Then put the pork patties into the pan , use a spatula and press on the patties to flatten them. Cook them for 5 minutes on each side.
Add 2 tbsps olive oil into the non stick pan and add the sliced onions to fry till light brown and caramelized . Set aside.
Build your burger with the homemade brioche buns and enjoy your burgers with your whole family.
Bon Appetit !!!

SMASHED PORK BURGERS

BRIOCHE BURGER BUNS

CARAMELISED ONIONS & SLICED TOMATOES

Homemade Brioche Burger Buns

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:57:00 -0700

Homemade Brioche Burger Buns
Ingredients : -

1 cup milk
2 tbsps water
2 tbsps dry active yeast
2 tbsps sugar
2 eggs - beaten
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt

For the top : -
1 egg yolk - beaten
3 tbsps toasted sesame seeds

Method : -

In a small pot , scald the milk (Scalding means heating until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan and steam rises from the surface m but never boiling).
Remove the milk from the heat and then add the water. Stir and let it sit for a while ( 2 minutes) and then add the sugar and yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. It should be foamy on the surface. Then add the butter and eggs. Add the salt to the flour mixture and then incorporate the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
Knead the dough for 8- 10 minutes and the dough will be sticky. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with a plastic wrap loosely and set it aside to proof for 2 hours until doubled.
Punch the dough down very well and gather into a ball. Divide the dough into 8 small equal portions.
Shape the balls by hand into perfect balls and arrange them on the baking tray about 1 inch apart . Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it proof for another 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
After 30 minutes , brush all the buns with some egg wash and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top of each bun before baking. Bake the buns at 200 C for 25 minutes till golden brown.

Stir Fry Baby Kailan With Roasted Pork Belly

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 19:29:00 -0700

Well as spring had begun and April is the time where showers are frequently happening , all the spring vegetables are available in abundance . I usually like to buy some baby kalian and cook a stir fry with some roasted pork belly for my family. Here is a recipe for you to try at home which I had created specially for my family to share it with all of you.

Stir Fry Baby Kailan With Roasted Pork Belly
Ingredients : -

200 gms roasted pork belly - sliced into 1 cm pieces
300 gms baby kalian - washed & trimmed
4 cloves garlic - minced
4 shallots - chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp Hua Tiao Chinese Wine
1 tbsp light soya sauce

Method: -

First heat up a large wok on medium heat till it is hot. Add some cooking oil (olive oil) and saute the chopped shallots & garlic till fragrant and light brown. Add the roasted pork belly and fry till light brown and fragrant. Add the baby kalian and stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes and then the light soya sauce and Hua Tiao Chinese wine. Serve warm immediately with plain rice.

Stir Fry Baby Kailan With Roasted Pork Belly

Pork , Apples And Bell Peppers Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 22:34:00 -0700

Well , this year's Easter celebrations was a little different as we are in a middle of a pandemic by Covid-19 virus , and we are staying at home for another 2 more weeks due to MCO so that we can curb the spread of the virus in the community. So I decided to make a special bread pudding from the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.

Ingredients : -

500 gms minced pork
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 red shallots- minced
4 cloves garlic -minced
2 large Gala apples - cored & cut into cubes
1 red bell pepper - cut into cubes
1 green bell pepper - cut into cubes
1 yellow bell pepper - cut into cubes
1 tsp dried oregano
10 slices day-old wholewheat bread - toasted & cut into cubes
600 ml fresh milk
6 large eggs
400 gms Cheddar cheese - grated
1 tsp dried parsley

Method : -
First heat up a large wok on medium heat. Then add 1 tbsp olive oil into the wok and fry the shallots & garlic till fragrant.Add the minced pork and stir fry till light brown. Then proceed to add the gala apples and all the bell peppers . Stir fry for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C.

Arrange the bread cubes in the large casserole and add the pork- apple & bell peppers mixture. Toss the mixture together in the casserole and make sure that they are well incorporated. Whisk together the eggs & milk and 1/4 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp black pepper in a large bowl. Transfer the milk-mixture into the casserole and sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the bread pudding. Lastly , sprinkle the dried parsley on top of it.
Bake the bread pudding at 400 F / 200 C for 45 minutes till the top is golden brown.
Serve immediately with a mixed salad . Bon Appetit !!

Morrocan Spiced Chicken Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Sun, 5 Apr 2020 01:34:00 -0700

Well , during the summer months in New Westminster , Canada I would always find ways to make sandwiches to go along with salads as the summer days are warmer.

Here I did a rendition of the family's favourite Morrocan chicken stew dish to a simple morrocan spiced chicken sandwich. This recipe can be used to make a salad if you don't want to eat the sandwich. Just arrange the chicken on top of the salad and it is a morrocan spiced chicken salad. 😋 Bon Appetit !!

Morrocan Spiced Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients :-

2 pcs chicken breasts - cut into cubes

3 shallots- chopped

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Whole wheat bread slices

some mayonnaise (add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 cumin powder + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice)

some green lettuce leaves

Method : -

Firstly heat a pan on medium heat and then add some olive oil. Fry the chicken breasts till slighty brown. Add the salt & black pepper to taste.

To serve them , please spread the spiced mayonnaise on to the bread . Arrange the lettuce leaves on top and arrange some chicken cubes on the top. Serve immediately with the mixed salad. Enjoy !!

Morrocan spiced chicken with mixed green salad

Bak Kut Teh (Pork Ribs Tea)

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Fri, 3 Apr 2020 04:59:00 -0700

When I was still living in Canada , during the cold winter months I would boil a pot of this pork ribs stew for my family. Bak Kut Teh in Hokkien or Fujian dialect means pork ribs tea and it is usually cooked with some Chinese herbs such as yu zhu , dang shen , star anise , cinnamon stick , chuan xiong and goji berries.
One of my best friend had gone to eat Bak Kut Teh with me recently and I was inspired by the restaurant to cook some at home using some Chinese herbs from my pantry.
As it was kind of a rainy day today , so I made some homemade Bak Kut Teh for my family to keep them warm and ward of any cold or flu as the pandemic of Covid 19 is spreading around the world.

Bak Kut Teh (Pork Ribs Tea)
Ingredients : -

600 gms pork ribs - cut into 1 inch pieces - marinate with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper
4 pcs Dang Shen - cut into 2 inch pieces
6 pcs Yu zhu
6 pcs star anise
2 cinnamon sticks - 1 inch in length

5 pcs Chuan Xiong
100 gms Goji berries
5 pcs dried Chinejise mushrooms - soaked in warm water
2 bulbs of garlic - separated into small cloves
12 pieces tofu puffs - cut into halves
5 stalks green onions
2 tbsps dark soya sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp salt
1 pc rock sugar

Method : -
Bring water in a large pot to boil , then add all the Chinese herbs , garlic cloves , cinnamon sticks, star anise, mushrooms and pork ribs . Add all the seasonings including dark soya sauce , light soya sauce , black pepper, rock sugar and salt to taste. When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to low and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours .
Add the tofu puffs when it is 1/2 hour before the stew is ready and stir well.
Serve it hot with some chopped green onions on top of it with some cooked brown rice.

Baked Bowtie Pasta With Brinjal ,Cherry Tomatoes & Celery With Basil Tomato Sauce And Cheddar Cheese Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Thu, 2 Apr 2020 06:15:00 -0700

Baked Bowtie Pasta With Brinjal ,Cherry Tomatoes & Celery With Basil Tomato Sauce And Cheddar Cheese Topping
Ingredients : -

300 gms Bowtie pasta
2 medium chicken breasts - cubed and marinated with 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp black pepper
2 medium brinjal - washed and cut into cubes
1 box red cherry tomatoes
1 box yellow cherry tomatoes
6 stalks celery - cut into 1 cm
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 red onion - chopped
2 shallots - chopped
1 jar ( 300 ml) basil tomato sauce
1 block ( 200 gms) cheddar cheese - grated
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 fresh red chilli - chopped finely

Method : -
Firstly heat a large pot of water with 1 tsp salt and bring it to boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook for 8 mins for al dente. Scoop out the pasta and set aside. Keep a bowl of pasta water for the sauce.
Prepare all the vegetables and heat up a wok to medium heat. Heat a frying pan and add some olive oil to brown the cubed brinjals. Set aside. Add some olive oil and saute the shallots , onions and garlic till fragrant.Add the cubed chicken breasts to saute till light brown. Then add the cooked brinjals , cherry tomatoes and celery. Stir fry for a 2 minutes before adding the basil tomato sauce.
Add the dried basil and add the bowtie pasta into the wok.
Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C .
Then pour the pasta in the large glass casserole and sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the dried parsley and chopped chilli over the pasta dish. Put the dish in the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 30 minutes till the cheese had melted and bubbly.
Serve immediately. Bon Appetit !!

Lattara's Mixed Lettuce Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lattara Soon) — Wed, 1 Apr 2020 00:06:00 -0700

Lattara's Mixed Lettuce Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients : - Salad For 3- 4 persons

1 pc lettuce or romaine lettuce - washed, dried & torn into small pieces
10 pcs red cherry tomatoes
10 pcs yellow cherry tomatoes
4 stalks celery - cut into 2 cm long
2 red apples - cored & cut into cubes
2 carrots - peeled and peeled into thin slices

Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients : -
3 cloves garlic - minced
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp good honey

Method : -
Firstly prepare all the vegetables and put all of the vegetables in a large glass deep salad bowl with the lettuce , carrots, celery , cherry tomatoes and apples and put it in the fridge.
Minced the garlic and prepare the lemon juice to put into a mini mason jar. Add the extra virgin olive oil and salt and black pepper. Add the honey and put the lid on the mason jar . Shake it well to mix the lemon vinaigrette.
Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss it . Serve immediately. Bon Appetit !!