To Food with Love

Coffee and Almond Pork Ribs

2013-05-19T16:47:00.002+10:00

Deep-fried pork ribs with coffee sauce is a popular dish in Singapore and Malaysia, and is usually served with steamed white rice. During my recent trip to Singapore, I had the chance to try it at Prosperous Kitchen restaurant and it was really good, especially with the almond flakes on top which helped cut through the richness of the sauce. I attempted to replicate it at home and it was a success (applause from Mr G), though my version was more robust with an intense coffee flavour. These sweet and sticky pork ribs are absolutely delicious and addictive, and are best enjoyed with a generous plate of white rice.

Coffee and Almond Pork Ribs

Ingredients

700g (1 1/2 lbs) pork ribs, chopped into segments
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1/4 cup almond flakes, toasted

Marinade:
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp five-spice powder
1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine

Sauce:
2-3 tsp instant coffee granules (depending on strength of coffee)
1 tbsp Coffee-mate non-dairy creamer
1 tbsp white sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp kecap manis (optional)
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Method

Season pork with marinade ingredients for 2 hours. In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Adjust amount of sugar used if desired.

Just before frying the pork, mix it with eggwhite, cornflour and rice flour. Heat oil in a wok/pan and deep-fry pork ribs on medium heat until golden. Remove and set aside. Heat oil again on high heat and fry pork ribs again until golden brown and cooked. Drain on kitchen paper or wire rack.

In a clean wok, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on medium heat. Stir the sauce ingredients in the bowl and pour into the wok. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened.

Add pork ribs to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with toasted almond flakes. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Vepro-Knedlo-Zelo (Czech Roast Pork with Dumplings and Sauerkraut)

2013-05-15T23:59:00.003+10:00

A few weeks ago, we had a team lunch at Tony Roma's, and naturally at some point, we talked about food, allergies, cooking etc. My boss then posed a question on what was the best meal we've ever had. I couldn't think of a particular "best meal" because eating is not just about the food, but the experience and atmosphere as well. So, my response was more around my most memorable meal, many years ago when I first had deep-fried herb-crusted lamb's brains at Ginger Nuts (what a funky name!) at Port Fairy, a charming fishing village at the end of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. I will never forget that experience, and boy, did they taste good!

I later recalled another favourite food memory at La Boheme, a restaurant in Balmain that serves European cuisine and where I fell in love with the roast pork and dumplings. I have to admit that the dish wasn't much to look at and I was a little sceptical at first. There were some thin slices of pork covered in a pale-coloured sauce, with pieces of dumplings on the side that looked rather dense and unappetising. Well, looks certainly are deceiving. After taking my first bite, I couldn't wipe the goofy smile off my face. It was comfort food. It was happy food. I savoured each and every mouthful after that and polished off every bit of sauce and crumb on my plate. It went down well with a glass of Czech beer (can't remember what it was).

I found some recipes for Czech roast pork with dumplings and finally decided to make it at home. Apparently, it's the national dish of the Czech Republic. It's not that difficult, although it does take time to make the dumplings, and roast the pork. The sauerkraut is easy. You might need some elbow grease in making the dumplings unless you use a stand-mixer to knead the dough. I was really happy at how everything turned out, especially the dumplings which were perfect. Surprisingly, the kids (who are fussy eaters) loved it too! The recipes below have been adapted from various sources. I can't say if they even close to being authentic, but the flavours are wonderful and I loved it.

Roast pork, dumplings and sauerkraut with gravy - comfort food for the soul

Czech Roast Pork

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, crushed

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1.2 kg (2.5 lbs) pork shoulder / leg roast
1 large onion, roughly diced
1/2 cup water (add more if liquids dry out too much)
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

1 tablespoon butter

Method

Form paste with vegetable oil, mustard, caraway seeds, garlic powder, s/p.
Rub on pork roast and set aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C/350F
Place onions in roasting pan. Add water.
Place roast, fat side down, on top of onions.
Cover pan with foil.
Roast 1 hour in the preheated oven. Remove foil, turn roast, score the fat. Continue roasting, fat side up 2 hours uncovered (add more water if pan is drying out). Remove from heat, reserve pan juices. Let sit about 10 mins before cutting into thin slices.

In a saucepan, bring pan juices to boil. Gradually add 1/2 cup water or more to make a sauce. Mix butter and cornstarch solution to thicken slightly, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (or add more water if it's too salty). Serve with sliced pork, dumplings and sauerkraut. Please find the recipes after the jump.

These yeast-based dumplings are simply wonderful! Reminds me of Chinese steamed buns!

Czech Dumplings

Adapted from Just A Pinch Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 sachet dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup milk, cool

1/2 cup milk, warm

1/2 egg

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups plain flour

2 cups cubed stale white bread

Method

Mix the first three ingredients, let stand for 10 minutes. Mix the warm milk, egg, salt, yeast mixture and flour. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add the bread cubes and knead it into the dough. Place in a large bowl, cover with a cloth and let the dough rest in a warm place to rise. It should double in about 2 hours.
Knead again and divide into 2 sections. Roll each section into a log, each about 1 1/2" thick and 7-8" long. Let rise another 1/2 hour. Drop the logs of dough, one at a time, into a large pot of boiling salted water with a tight fitting lid. Boil gently on medium-low heat for about 10-12 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID!! Remove with slotted spoons and place on a wooden chopping board. Immediately use the sharp point of a knife and poke holes in it to release the steam. Keep warm by draping a cloth over them and to prevent it from drying out. When ready to serve, slice 3/4" thick with a sharp knife.

Delicious sauerkraut!

Sauerkraut

Adapted from various sources

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, diced

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water

Method

Pour the sauerkraut into a large bowl. Use hands to squeeze out the "juice" into the bowl. Reserve the juice.

Roughly chop the sauerkraut at 2 inch intervals.

Heat oil in a medium pan and fry bacon and onion for 2 minutes. Add caraway seeds and sauerkraut and fry for 1 minute. Add some of the reserved sauerkraut juice until it almost covers the top of the sauerkraut. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Stir briefly, and then cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm. Serve with pork and dumplings.

I made roast pork loin with crispy crackling instead

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

2013-05-04T09:41:00.001+10:00

Winter is coming.

It will officially be winter next month (in Australia), and yet the weather has been rather erratic of late. We had a few warm almost-summer-like days which came as a nice surprise. It kind of makes you think that winter won't be that bad after all. I suppose I shouldn't be complaining. Winter in Sydney is relatively mild. I remember this one time, in college, I was with a group of International students and we were all waiting at the bus-stop (can't remember where we were going) and it was smack in the middle of winter. For many of us, it was our first winter experience. I had my el cheapo Lowes jacket on (such is the life of a poor student) which wasn't much help in keeping out the cold. One of the students was from Canada, and there we were shivering our butts off while she was looking comfortable (though a bit out of place) in shorts and a tank top, oblivious to the cold. Most of us were probably thinking, is this girl mad? Someone asked if she felt cold, and her cool response was "No, this is like summer back home."

Whether it's winter or summer, you can't go past eating ice-cream and other frozen sweets. I've gotten a lot of use out of the Cuisinart ice-cream maker that I bought last year. One of my favourites is Blueberry Cheesecake ice-cream. Creamy and indulgent. Didn't momma ever tell you that eating cheese helps build strong bones and teeth?

I know it's a little late, but I've just jumped on the froyo bandwagon. The concept of frozen yogurt was introduced a long time ago, but it was only recently that it was rejuvenated. There are now heaps of places selling frozen yogurt in Sydney, and I reckon it's the novelty of adding your own toppings and the variety of exotic flavours available that draws in the crowd. My kids love the strawberry yogurt from Yogurberry, and so I decided to make something similar using my ice-cream machine. As strawberry season had ended, I resorted to using frozen strawberries instead and it turned out really good! Creamy, sweet, fresh-tasting with a bit of tang from the yogurt. The best part is how incredibly easy it is to make compared to a custard-based ice-cream. Try experimenting with different flavours and you might surprise yourself with a new delicious creation.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

500g (1 lb) full-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup fresh/frozen strawberries, pureed

Method

Combine everything in a bowl and mix until sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. Churn in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for a few hours until firm. Serve plain or with your favourite toppings.

Thai Roast Duck Salad

2013-04-27T21:48:00.003+10:00

So, I googled "game meat" and according to Wikipedia, "Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport". I never knew that duck was considered game until someone told me that it is not commonly served or eaten in the United States for that very reason. Well, it makes sense now that I recall seeing duck hunting on TV (specifically the old Looney Tunes cartoons featuring Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck - rings a bell?). Maybe because I've grown up eating a lot of Chinese roast duck (and Peking duck during special occasions), and so I can't say that it tastes gamey at all. Or maybe duck just tastes best when it's roasted until the fat has rendered and the skin's gone all thin and crispy. The only thing I don't like about duck is that it's really boney and fatty. If you buy half a roast duck, you'd end up with half of it being bones and fat. The meat and skin however is very tasty. If you've watched the "roast duck seller" chop up a roast duck before, you might notice how he tips out the juices from the cavity and reserves them, probably to make the duck sauce or gravy. It's so good over steamed white rice.

In my previous post, I wrote about my wine pairing lunch with a Thai-inspired theme, and one of the dishes was a Thai Roast Duck Salad. I bought the roast duck from the Chinese barbecue shop, which made the preparation of this salad really easy. Alternatively, you could buy some duck breast and pan-fry it until the fat's rendered and the skin's all thin and crispy. If after all my raving about duck and you're still not game (pardon the pun) enough for it, you can substitute the duck with beef steak, pan-seared to medium rare and thinly sliced. Or why not try it with stir-fried beef or chicken if you're in the mood for something warm? The proof is in the dressing!

Thai-style Roast Duck Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

One whole Chinese roasted duck (store-bought), meat picked and sliced

200g (7oz) mixed salad leaves (spinach, endive/frisee, rocket)

1 handful fresh coriander (cut off the bottom part of the stem)

1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and roughly torn

1 cucumber, halved lengthways, seeded and diagonally sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

Crispy fried shallots for garnish

Dressing:

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tbsp chopped scallions

3-4 bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced

7-8 tbsp freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice

3 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp grated palm sugar

3-4 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce

Method

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic into a paste. Then add the rest of the dressing ingredients and mix well using the pestle. Taste and adjust until you get the right balance of sweet, sour and salty. Set aside.
Place the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and top with the sliced duck meat. Just before serving, drizzle with the prepared dressing and toss well until evenly mixed. Garnish with crispy fried shallots.

Wining and Thai-ning

2013-04-21T17:02:00.001+10:00

Wine matching with Thai cuisine

Almost everyone we've ever invited over for lunch would have tried Mr G's Hainanese chicken rice, at least once. Mr G being Mr TFWL, but I'll save on the keystrokes. In fact, we serve it so often that people have come to expect it from Mr and Mrs G's House of Chicken Rice. Okay, so there are a couple of reasons why it has become a staple on our "menu". Firstly, everyone eats chicken (unless you're vegetarian of course, which means you'd best be eating rice with cucumbers) and I think the neutral flavours agree with the general palate. I can't think of anyone who doesn't like chicken rice. Secondly, it's pretty much a one dish meal served with rice, and perhaps accompanied by a side dish of stir-fried vegetables, which makes preparation a breeze. Coincidentally (ahem...), it also suits my personal agenda, as it means that Mr G does all the cooking while I sit back and relax. No, of course not. There are still appetizers and dessert to think about. But this post is not about chicken rice.

It's not easy to please everyone when it comes to food, and I usually try to avoid the common food aversions, like lamb for example. Lamb is like the national meat of Australia. I love lamb. In Malaysian cuisine, you'll find that mutton is often used instead of lamb. Mutton is also known as goat, or the meat that comes from older sheep. It has a stronger taste and smell compared to lamb that people may find offensive, and the meat tends to be very tough. Because of this, I prefer my mutton to be slow-cooked in rich spices to cloak the strong gamey taste, and if done well, it can taste quite exotic and delicious. Mutton curry and mutton soup (Malaysian "Sup Kambing") are some of my favourites. On the other hand, lamb is quite different and does not have the overpowering taste of mutton. I digress.

I suggested to Mr G that he got some of his friends together for a wine pairing lunch with a Thai-inspired menu. As I had never met them before, there were no expectations about their food preferences. Therefore, I had no qualms about putting lamb on the menu, although I prepared a contingency dish of Thai barbecue chicken ("Gai Yang") just in case. We seldom have wine with Asian dishes as the highlight of the meal is always the food, not the wine. It can be tricky when choosing the right wine to match especially when the dishes are spicy, which tend to kill the flavours of the wine you're drinking. Wines that are high in alcohol, tannin and oak are best avoided when eating spicy food. A glass (or two) of ice-cold water is probably the first thing I would reach out for.

Anyway, I spent some time planning out the menu and developing the recipes. With some help from the staff at the liquor store, I think we made some good selections with the wine matching, and all within budget. Here's a snapshot of what we served:

The Menu

Oysters with lemongrass, ginger, chilli and lime
Torresella Prosecco - Extra Dry

Thai-style Roast Duck Salad
Emperor's Prize Pinot Noir 2010

Spicy fish mousse
Tolley Musica Pinot Gris 2012

Massaman lamb shanks
2009 d'Arenberg The Custodian Grenache

Oysters with lemongrass, ginger, chilli and lime
Torresella Prosecco - Extra Dry

For starters, we served fresh Sydney rock oysters with a Thai-style dressing made with lime juice, palm sugar, chilli, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass and scallions. I held back on the chilli as I didn't want it to overpower the Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine made from Prosecco grapes. As oysters are naturally salty, a high acid wine (also Champagne, Riesling or Semillon) helps to temper the saltiness as well as stimulate the salivary glands. That probably explains why sparkling wine is usually served at the start of the meal to whet the appetite.

Spicy fish mousse
Tolley Musica Pinot Gris 2012

The fish mousse (or as we call it in Malaysia, "Otak-otak") was actually quite spicy. It's made with fish, red curry paste, coconut cream and eggs, and then steamed over banana leaves. I was afraid that the chilli might clash with the Pinot Gris, which was a light and crisp white wine with a musky pear aroma. Surprisingly, both paired really well, as the Pinot Gris has no oak nor tannins and delivered a nice smooth finish that complemented the silky texture of the fish mousse.

Thai-style Roast Duck Salad
Emperor's Prize Pinot Noir 2010

Next, we opened the bottle of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, described as being full-flavoured with ripe plum, cherry and spice characters. Some of us begged to differ and found the wine to be relatively light and medium-bodied, with a light berry colour that was reminiscent of Ribena (as in the blackcurrant drink). Nevertheless, we gave it a unanimous thumbs-up that it was a perfect match with the Thai-style duck salad. Remember, if you're having duck, you can't go wrong with a Pinot Noir!

Massaman lamb shanks
2009 d'Arenberg The Custodian Grenache

As we got to our fourth and final bottle of wine, some of us started feeling a little too happy and the volume level at the dining table started to elevate by fractions of a decibel with each sip of wine. But really, four bottles of wine (which we didn't finish) were quite reasonable considering there were seven of us, enjoying a slow and long lunch with good company, good food (ahem...) and a wonderful selection of wines.

We had the lamb shanks with our final bottle, a Grenache, which was more full-bodied and earthy with a long finish. It was an excellent pairing with the Massaman lamb, which was mildly flavoured and with hints of sweetness from the palm sugar. I think the fact that the lamb was quite subtle in taste (after hours of slow-cooking which probably infused it with all the spices) made it "palatable" even to those who didn't usually eat lamb. For the recipe, please click here.

Honeydew and sago pearls in coconut milk

We ended our meal on a sweet note with honeydew sago, made with honeydew, sago, coconut milk and sugar syrup. After a busy morning in the kitchen, I figured this would be an easy one to prepare. The sweet and ripe cubes of honeydew immersed in cold sweet coconut milk, interspersed with little sago pearls, made for a delightful bowl of dessert which was light and refreshing. At the thought of coconut, Malibu rum sprang to mind and I brought out the bottle should anyone decide to continue with the booze fest we were indulging in that afternoon. It's no surprise that a splash of Malibu worked really well with this dessert, much like an essence of coconut with an alcohol hit. Adults only, please. And in case you were wondering, no kids were intoxicated in the making of this lunch.

Strawberry Vanilla Cream Cake

2013-04-16T21:31:00.001+10:00

The thing about kids' birthday cakes is that, it's not what's on the inside that counts, but what's on the outside. Always judge a cake by its icing. Well, the icing is always the first thing to go whenever I present cupcakes to my kids anyway, whilst the cake is left behind, still stuck to its cupcake liner. Remember that episode from Seinfeld where Elaine had that idea about selling muffin tops? Now, wouldn't that be a fabulous idea for cupcakes too? *wink*

When it came to deciding what cake to make for Z's birthday, it was simply a choice between vanilla or chocolate, and Z chose vanilla. Vanilla and strawberries. I wished he could have chosen something a little bit fancy so that I had an excuse to bake something different. I did a search on strawberry vanilla cakes and found this recipe which had pretty rave reviews. I usually don't believe in butterless cakes, although this one which uses vegetable oil with a hint of lemon zest tastes pretty amazing. The fact that it uses oil instead of butter probably explains why the cake is so cottony soft, light and melts in your mouth. Each layer is laced with strawberry, lemon and vanilla syrup, and combine that with the vanilla cream and fresh strawberries and there's your slice of heaven. Cheesy as that might sound, but it's truly one of the yummiest strawberry cream sponge cakes I've had in a long time. Go for it!

Note: The recipe below makes 4 layers of cake. I actually used only 3 layers (as you can see from the photos) so that the cake wouldn't be so tall. You could just do 2 large layers if you like. Am I making sense? :)

Strawberry Vanilla Cream Cake
Adapted from GroupRecipes

Ingredients:

For the berries:
2 punnets strawberries, rinsed, hulled and horizontally sliced into 1cm thickness
2 tablespoons granulated/caster sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated/caster sugar

For the filling:
1/2 cup thick vanilla custard (made using 2 tbsp instant custard powder mixed with 1/2 cup water)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp gelatin powder dissolved in 1 1/2 tbsp water

Extra strawberries for decorating

Method

For the berries:

Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat strawberries. Let macerate at room temperature at least 20 minutes before using.
Strain macerated berries and reserve syrup separately.

For the cake:

Heat oven to 180°C (350°F) and arrange rack in the middle. Grease and flour two (8-inch) cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Whisk on medium-high speed, until mixture is airy and light in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute more. Don't worry if the batter turns out really thick. That's how it is!
In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the filling and the frosting.

For the filling:

Combine cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and use a whisk to whip until soft peaks. Add prepared custard and whip again until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the frosting:

Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in a bowl and whip at medium speed until soft peaks form. Whisk in the gelatin solution until firm peaks form.
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour.

To assemble:

Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Slice each cake horizontally in half to make a 4-layer cake. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/4 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round and the repeat with the rest.
Evenly spread some of the cream filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries over the cream and cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.
Place second cake layer over cream and strawberries, pressing gently to secure it. Repeat the layering with the remaining cream and strawberries so that you have 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of strawberries and cream filling in between.
Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.
Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving. Decorate the top with extra strawberries if desired.

Baked Kale Chips

2013-04-04T20:42:00.001+11:00

There's been all this hype over kale chips, and how they taste like potato chips, except that they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. I finally bought some kale from the supermarket last Sunday and was pretty excited to make these. It's really easy. Roughly tear up the kale into pieces, and then wash and dry them thoroughly. Lay them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch salt. Be careful not to put too much oil or salt, because the kale will shrink to a quarter of its size and you don't want to end up with oily salty kale chips (now how did I know that?). Bake them in the oven at 180C (350F) for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. They will be turn translucent and crispy, and they really taste almost like potato chips! And totally guilt-free!

PS: These make a good substitute for crispy seaweed, the Japanese or Korean type that comes in individual packs and taste so umami with flakes of MSG all over. I reckon these kale chips would be great as a topping for noodle soups, or even crumbled over some pasta.

Fried Mee Siam (Vermicelli) with Crispy Shrimp

2013-03-26T00:09:00.000+11:00

It was a bright and sunny Sunday morning. I was riding in the car when this song started playing on the radio:

Whatever I said, whatever I did I didn't mean it,

I just want you back for good,

(Want you back, want you back, want you back for good...)

Does that sound familiar? Well, Take That! Listening to the song evoked memories from my 21st birthday which I celebrated with my college friends. I still have photos from that day, when I had my first go at ice-skating and ended up with cuts and grazes from constantly breaking my fall with my bare hands. A couple of my friends had brought a guitar along and made a notable attempt to serenade me with "Back For Good", which is why hearing the song again made me feel quite nostalgic.

Like music, food can sometimes trigger feelings of nostalgia too. Back in my childhood days, before my cousins and I grew up and went our separate ways, we used to come together during festivities and celebrations, like Chinese New Year, birthday parties or just family get-togethers. The "women" in my family are great cooks, and they each have their "specialty" dishes. One of my aunts makes the most delicious fried mee siam (Malaysian-style spicy fried vermicelli) and I would always look forward to it during these family events. Now, whenever I see this dish, I would look back and reminisce about the wonderful times we had back then, eating together and enjoying good food.

How could I possibly not learn how to cook mee siam, one of my all-time favourite Malaysian dishes (amongst many others)? In fact, it was one of the first few dishes I learnt to cook when I moved into my own apartment and had full unlimited no-holds-barred access to the kitchen. Ah.... Now, that reminds me of the time I was renting a room and my vegetarian landlady kicked up a big fuss when the braised pork belly dish I was cooking simply engulfed her entire apartment in a whirlwind of porky and garlicky smells. Her instant reaction was to run to the balcony where she almost screamed her head off. It was quite a funny sight though, and rather unexpected. That was probably the last time I cooked in her kitchen.

Anyway, this Fried Mee Siam has been my go-to dish whenever I have guests over for lunch, or as my contribution to potluck lunches or dinners. It's simple, yet so tasty especially with the refreshing tang and acidity from the lime/lemon. The crispy shrimps (or school prawns) are lovely too, though you may omit them if you wish to keep it simple. I like to use Wai Wai brand of vermicelli noodles for this, as their superfine and silky texture allows the flavours to be better absorbed. It's quite a popular brand, and should be available at most supermarkets. Please find the recipe after the jump.

Fried Mee Siam (Vermicelli) with Crispy Shrimp

Ingredients

200g school prawns (tiny shrimp) with head and tail on, washed and feelers trimmed

Vegetable oil

2 cups chicken/beef stock

1/2 tbsp chicken stock powder

2 tbsp fish sauce

3-4 tbsp sugar

1-2 tbsp dried tamarind pulp, mixed with 1/4 cup hot water until softened, then strain the pulp

1/4 tsp pepper

500g Wai Wai brand vermicelli noodles, soaked in water for 5 minutes until softened

Blend finely:

5 cloves garlic

3 large onions

20 dried chillies, deseeded and soaked in warm water

1/2 cup dried prawns

2 tbsp Yeo's salted soy beans

1 packet bean sprouts (about 200g / 7oz)

1 bunch garlic chives (about 150g / 5oz), cut into 2 inch lengths

Garnish:

4 eggs, beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper, fried into a thin omelette and finely shredded

2-3 limes or lemon wedges

Crispy fried shallots

Coriander leaves

Crispy fried shrimp

Method

1. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel. Sprinkle with a little salt. Heat up 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a wok and slowly deep-fry the shrimp for 5 minutes until crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Leave the oil in the wok.

2. Heat up the same oil in the wok. Fry the blended ingredients for 4-5 minutes. Add stock, chicken stock powder, fish sauce, sugar, pepper and tamarind liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the vermicelli and mix until well combined. Toss for 2-3 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and noodles are almost dry. Add bean sprouts and chives and mix them into the noodles. Transfer to a serving plate and top with garnish. Squeeze over some lime/lemon juice before serving.

Salmon with Black Bean Sauce

2013-03-17T00:17:00.000+11:00

Have you ever tried salmon with black bean sauce before? Honestly, I never knew salmon could be prepared this way until I found out from some friends that it is a common Chinese dish. I uusally cook salmon with either miso or teriyaki sauce, but with black beans? It actually turned out really good - sweet, salty, smoky (from the beans), with a hit of chilli in there. These flavours are just perfect with a bowl of steamed white rice, and it's all you really need for a satisfying meal. Of course, to make it complete, serve it with a plate of stir-fried asian greens like bok choy or snow pea sprouts.

I used fermented black beans that came in a jar, and not the dried ones that come in a packet. You should be able to find them at the Asian supermarket at the aisle where all the sauces and jars of pastes are. I've never tried the dried version before, so I'm not sure if they are any different. The flavours should be similar though. If salmon with black bean sauce is new to you too, why not try making this at home? It's pretty quick and easy, and most importantly, it's delicious served with white rice. I pan-fried the salmon, but you could easily steam of bake it in the oven for a healthier alternative.

Salmon with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

2x salmon fillets - about 450g / 1 lb
Salt
Vegetable oil

Sauce:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
2 tbsp fermented black beans, chopped
1-2 bird's eye chillies, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp chinese cooking wine
2-3 tsp sugar
Dash of pepper
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Cheong Chan brand thick caramel
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water

Cornflour solution:
1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water

Garnish:
Chopped spring onions
Sliced red chillies

Method

Prepare the sauce first. Heat up a small frying pan with 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add garlic, ginger, black beans and chillies. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add cornflour solution to thicken the sauce. Stir until it comes back to the boil. Turn off heat and keep warm.
Clean the salmon fillets and pat dry with paper towel. Rub a little salt over the fillets. Heat up vegetable oil in a clean non-stick pan and fry for about 3 minutes each side or until just cooked. Transfer onto a serving plate and pour the black bean sauce over it. Garnish with chopped spring onions and chillies if desired. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Note: For the salmon fillets, you can choose to steam or bake them instead. Place the fish in aluminium foil and top with the cooked black bean sauce. Wrap in the foil, then bake in preheated oven at 200C/400F for 12-15 minutes until just cooked.

Exploring China – A Culinary Adventure (DVD REVIEW and GIVEAWAY - CLOSED)

2013-03-13T20:59:00.000+11:00

I'm thrilled to be writing a post (sponsored by Nuffnang) reviewing the newly released DVD, SBS Cooking Titles - "Exploring China - A Culinary Adventure", featuring Ken Hom and Ching-He Huang. SBS is my go-to for all foodie programs, with my favourite being Food Safari. Showcasing the best in local & international cuisines, SBS is home to a who's who of the food scene – along with Luke Nguyen, Peter Kuruvita, Maeve O'Meara, Tetsuya, Matthew Evans, Adriano Zumbo and many more. Ken Hom is just one of the SBS chefs and personalities whose wonderful shows are available on DVD. Click here to watch the trailer.

"Exploring China" is a new series which was aired on SBS early this year, and comprises four episodes where Ken and Ching cook their way across China in a visually rich culinary journey. If you missed the premiere of this new series, don't worry because you can now get them on DVD - all four episodes in one! Read on to find out how to win one of these!

Ken Hom is regarded as the godfather of Chinese cuisine and is also one of the world's leading authorities on Chinese cookery. He is also known as the man who "introduced the wok to the West". A visit to his website will show that he's a prolific producer of cook books and with a slew of TV series, there is no doubt that he makes the perfect gastronomic guide.

Ching is a self-taught cook of Taiwanese descent and is based in the UK. She cooks with a conscience with an ethos for sustainability, and has already starred in three popular TV series. She is also the author of five best-selling cookbooks.

In each of the four episodes (running time of 59 minutes each), Ken and Ching travel across the vast regions of China, covering Beijing, Chengdu, Kashgar and Yunnan, and the Cantonese region of Guangzhou as well as Taiwan. Their epic journey uncovers every aspect of gastronomy and culinary delight you can think of, and gives an insight to how the country's rich historical background has influenced the local culture and cuisine.

Each episode provides a close look at the local food scene (street food and markets), agricultural landscapes, ancient history and family values and traditions. When one thinks of China, dishes like sweet and sour pork and dumplings quickly come to mind. This series will open your eyes to the diverse cuisine that is partially attributable to the myriad of ethnic minorities in China, where they form about ten percent of the local population. I was particularly fascinated by the episode on Kashgar, an ethnically divided city where there is a striking contrast between the modern "new city" and the ancient "old city". Kashgar is home to Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim community, and it was fascinating to see a different side of China, especially when you don't expect to see people making naan bread in a tandoor oven on the street. Ken attempted to make his version of a popular Uyghur dish called pollo, a rice pilaf with raisins and nuts which looked delicious, like a Spanish paella.

It was interesting to see how noodles (of all sorts) were still being made using traditional methods. The local women painstakingly knead the dough, roll, pull, twist and cut these noodles so perfectly like clockwork, I would imagine it took them years of practice to master such a skillful art. It's always funny to watch Ken and Ching try their hand making them, which usually ended up with a less than perfect result, much to everyone's amusement.

We also see Ken and Ching visiting the homes of some of the local families, and it brings us straight to the kitchen where all the action is. From what I observe, Ching is a great cook and pretty handy with the wok (considering how petite she is) and often puts her own spin on the local cuisine. In small villages and towns where the food and cultural heritage is closely guarded, Ching sometimes finds it hard to please the locals, especially when cooking in another woman's kitchen. It was entertaining to watch how she tries to replicate some of the local dishes with a few variations, much to the faint displeasure of the older grannies and aunties who probably think that one should stick to the original recipe instead. However, the people in this show are real, the stories they tell are real, the food is authentic, and what you see is what you get. If you've ever wondered what authentic Mapo Tofu is like (since there are many versions of it nowadays), you'll find it in the "Chengdu" episode, along with other mouth-numbing Szechuan dishes. You will see a lot of "wok hei" (meaning "breath of the wok") happening throughout the programme, which must explain why all these dishes come out looking mouthwateringly delicious.

The series is not just an exciting food odyssey, but it is also an emotional homecoming, a cultural adventure, and an anthropological and historical road trip. I imagine that even a non-foodie would enjoy it for the heart-warming stories, great travel and educational experience. It was both entertaining and an eye-opener for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves food, travel and culture. The DVDs are available at Dymocks & Sanity stores nationwide (RRP A$29.95). If you are a fan of the SBS Food series like me, you can view the entire SBS Food DVD range at www.madman.com.au/sbsfood, and find out how you can enter to win the entire collection.

********************************************

GIVEAWAY

I have 15 copies of "Exploring China - A Culinary Adventure" DVDs to give away!!

For your chance to WIN one of these, simply leave your comment on this post with your answer to the following question:

Why would you love to watch "Exploring China - A Culinary Adventure"?

This giveaway is open to Australian residents only. This giveaway commences 9:00 am AEDST on 14/3/13 and ends 5:00 pm AEDST on 22/3/13. Good luck!

Click here to view Terms and Conditions.

Deep-fried Crumbed Oyster Mushrooms

2013-03-06T00:25:00.002+11:00

A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for Mutter Paneer on my blog, and if you saw the last photo in the post, you would have noticed a plate of unidentified crumbed stuff next to the mutter paneer. Well, I can now reveal that the foreign object that was the subject of curiosity was really crumbed oyster mushrooms! Deep-fried curry-crumbed oyster mushrooms, to be exact. And the things you learn about oyster mushrooms when you're trying to find some inspiration to write about them. Did you know that oyster mushrooms may be considered a medicinal mushroom since it contains statins which work to reduce bad cholesterol? Wow, that puts eating deep-fried oyster mushrooms into perspective. More for me please! The latin name for oyster mushroom is Pleurotus ostreatus, which literally means "sideways oyster", and refers to the oyster-like shape of the mushroom, plus the fact that the stem grows sideways relative to the cap.

These crumbed fan-shaped mushrooms are crispy with a hint of curry flavour, and are just great to snack on. Alternatively, you could use fresh button mushrooms instead, or substitute the curry powder with herbs or other spices (e.g. cajun seasoning would work well too). As the mushrooms don't take long to cook, making this is fairly quick and easy. Preparation is simple - dredge, dip, dunk and deep-fry for a couple of minutes, and you'll know it's ready when you can feel the crunch of the crumb against the spatula. Serve with sweet chilli sauce or mayonnaise if you like.

Crumbed Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 tray (about 125g / 4oz) oyster mushrooms
1/4 cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp water
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping them with a moist kitchen towel.
Place the flour and beaten egg in 2 separate shallow dishes.
Combine breadcrumbs, curry powder, chicken stock powder, salt and pepper and mix well.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or pan on medium-high heat until hot.
Dredge each mushroom in the flour, shake off excess, then into the egg and followed by the breadcrumb mix. Set aside on a plate.
When the oil is hot, fry the coated mushrooms in batches until golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve on its own or with a sweet chilli sauce.

Malaysian Deep-fried Curry Puffs

2013-02-26T00:01:00.002+11:00

I made these deep-fried curry puffs over the weekend when we had friends over for lunch (I figured just serving chicken rice might not be enough). As usual, I posted photos of these on facebook and a friend commented that it was his favourite. Actually, he thought that these were "gujia", which I later found out through Dr Google that it was a type of sweet Indian (Rajasthani, to be specific) deep-fried pastry filled with nuts, dried fruit or coconut. Mmm...this sounds like something right up my alley (and something for me to experiment with next!).

In fact, if you think about it (or do a bit of research), there are many versions of these pastries around the world, like empanadas for example. The name "empanada" comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanadas, which are prevalent in Latin America, are pastry turnovers filled with a variety of savoury (or sometimes sweet) ingredients. The variant of these stuffed pastries in Indonesia are called "pastel". Calzone's another one, though probably a larger version of it. Whether you call them empanadas, hand pies, pocket pies, pasties, puffs or the like, they are the perfect snack food that can be both savoury or sweet. Why, you could even have them all for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and dessert! A round-the-clock empanada party - now that's an idea.

With that said, my all-time favourite has to be these Malaysian-style curry puffs, deep-fried to perfection to attain those light, crisp and flaky layers of pastry, enclosing a spicy and aromatic filling of curried chicken and potatoes. Nobody can resist a good curry puff and whether baked or fried, they are always a hit. These would be great for serving up at parties or picnics. Otherwise, simply have them for morning or afternoon tea, or really, just any time of the day.

Malaysian Deep-fried Curry Puffs
(makes about 15)

Curry puff filling:

1 1/2 cups cubed (1/4 inch) potatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1/2 star anise
1 large onion, finely chopped with a blender
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp Malaysian curry powder, mixed with 3 tbsp water to form a paste
2-3 tsp chilli powder/chilli flakes (add this to the curry powder)
10 oz (300g) chicken, roughly chopped/minced
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup water
Salt, to taste

Pastry:

2 2/3 cup (400g) plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (180g) butter, cut into tiny cubes
1/2 cup cold water (approx)

Method

You will need to prepare the curry puff filling a day ahead.

Curry puff filling:

Place cubed potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with 3 tbsp hot water, and cover loosely with a lid. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until cooked, stirring once in between. When cooked, drain off the excess liquid and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, onions and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent, then add curry powder and chilli paste mixrture. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the oil separates. Add chicken and fry until cooked. Add curry leaves, the cooked potatoes, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and ketchup. Toss to mix evenly. Add 1/4 cup water and mix again. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until potatoes are soft and has absorbed all the flavours. Add salt to taste. Fry until the curry is thick and dry. Dish out and let it cool before refrigerating.

Making the pastry and puffs:

Place flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add cubed butter and rub into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively, use a pastry cutter or food processor to do this. Drizzle water into the mixture and stir around with the round tipped knife until the dough starts to come together. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding a little more water if it's too dry and crumbly. Do not overknead the dough as it may cause the pastry to be "tough/chewy" when fried. Place the ball of dough on a floured surface and roll out into a disc. Use a round cutter and cut out small discs (makes about 15 pieces). Roll out each disc into a flat oval shape (about 1/8 inch thick). Place 2 tbsp of curry filling in the centre, fold in half and pinch the edges to enclose. Use thumb and forefinger to pinch the edges to form fluted edges.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok/pan for deep-frying. Fry the curry puffs in batches on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Move the curry puffs around in the oil so that they brown evenly all over. Remove and drain and kitchen paper. Caution: Filling is hot! Enjoy!

Note: Alternatively, you can bake these in the oven instead of deep-frying. Preheat oven to 200C (400F). Place curry puffs on a lined baking tray and brush the tops with egg wash (beaten egg + 1 tbsp water). Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.

Mutter Paneer (Peas and Cottage Cheese)

2013-02-11T23:28:00.001+11:00

Mutter paneer is a popular North Indian dish consisting of paneer (cottage cheese) and peas (mutter) cooked in a spiced tomato-based gravy, and it tastes fantastic especially when eaten with boiled basmati rice. I enjoy the paneer for its "bitey" texture that can be described as almost "meaty", and all of this combined together makes a delicious meal that can be quite addictive. I must admit I wasn't really a fan of paneer nor vegetarian food right up till middle of last year when I had some friends visiting from India and we frequented a few Indian restaurants. What an eye-opener it was for me. Indian vegetarian cuisine wasn't just all about peas and lentils, but very much about spices, colours, textures and exotic flavours.

I first tried mutter paneer at Curry at the Rocks, and became an instant fan. I put it on my to-cook list immediately, and was thrilled at how my recipe for this turned out. It tasted really authentic (which Mr G concurred with), as it had the perfect balance of flavours and just the right amount of spices. This is a versatile dish in that you can adjust the quantities of spices used according to personal preference. And if peas or paneer aren't your thing, you can omit them or substitute with fresh button mushrooms if you like.

Mutter Paneer (Peas and Cottage Cheese)

Ingredients

200g paneer cheese, cubed

1 tbsp ghee

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp grated ginger

3 cloves

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tbsp chilli powder

400g canned diced tomatoes

1 cup water

1 cup peas

Pinch of asafoetida (optional)

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

Salt, to taste

3 tbsp cream

Method

Heat ghee in a small non-stick pan and fry the paneer cubes until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium pot and add onions, garlic, ginger, cloves, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder. Fry for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
Add diced tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add asafoetida and fenugreek leaves.
Add the fried paneer and peas and bring to a boil again. Simmer for 10 minutes until peas are tender and gravy is slightly reduced. Add salt to taste. Stir in the cream and it's ready! Serve with boiled basmati rice.

Japanese Cheesecake (with cream)

2013-01-30T15:36:00.003+11:00

Less than two weeks to go before Chinese New Year, and I can see many food-bloggers posting recipes for CNY cookies. I haven't started making any yet, though usually I just stick to making pineapple tarts. My sister just came back from Malaysia and brought over a few jars of CNY goodies which I have started snacking on, and at this rate, there might not be any left by the time CNY comes around. Anyway, I plan to make the tarts closer to CNY so that they are still fresh when I serve them to friends and family. In the meantime, instead of twiddling my itching-to-bake fingers, I decided to try out this cheesecake recipe that was posted by Nami a few months ago on Just One Cookbook.

I halved the recipe, knowing that if I made the whole batch, I'd have no trouble finishing it, and then I would in trouble as that would leave me with little room for feasting during CNY (including the days leading up to it). I've made many versions of cheesecakes in the past. So, what's the verdict on this one? Hmm...like a cloud - light, melt-in-your-mouth creamy and fluffy, just the way I like it. Surprisingly, that little bit of rum added a nice hint of sweetness that made the cake taste extra special.

As the cake tends to firm up a bit in the fridge, I find it best to let the cake sit out for a while before serving. We thoroughly enjoyed this cheesecake and I can't wait to bake it for my mum when she comes to visit. Please find the recipe after the jump.

Japanese Cheesecake
Adapted from Just One Cookbook

Ingredients

400 g (14.1 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

60 g (4 tbsp) caster sugar

60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 egg yolks, beaten, at room temperature,

200 ml heavy/thickened cream

10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice

1 tbsp rum

80g (2.8 oz/8 tbsp) plain flour, sifted twice

6 egg whites

100g (7 tbsp) caster sugar for meringue

3 tbsp Apricot jam + 1 tsp water

Method

Preheat oven to 160C (320F). Boil some water for the bain marie or water bath and prepare a roasting pan that is large enough to fit the baking pan.
Grease and line the base and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Prepare 2-3 large sheets of aluminium foil and use them to cover the outside of the pan. This has to be leak-free and waterproof to prevent water (from the bain marie) from seeping into the cake.
Using a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and 60g caster sugar until smooth. Add butter and beat again.
Add yolks to the mixture and beat until well mixed. Then, add the cream and beat again until very smooth. Scrape the bottom of the bowl as the cheese tends to get stuck there.
Add lemon juice and rum and mix until smooth and lump-free.
Sift the flour into the mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated.
In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and gradually add sugar. Continue to whisk until just stiff peaks. Do not overwhisk as it may cause the top of the cake to crack while baking.
Add 1/3 of meringue to the batter and mix well. Then, add the rest of meringue and fold in gently with a large flat spatula until well combined.
Pour the batter in the springform pan and level the top. Lightly tap the tin on the table 2-3 times to get rid of any large air bubbles.
Place the springform pan (covered with foil outside) in the roasting pan and place it in the oven such that the top of the cake is level with the middle of the oven. Before closing the oven door, pour the boiling hot water into the baking pan until it reaches 1 inch high. Moisture from the water will prevent cracks on the surface of the cake.
Bake at 320F (160C) for 60-80 minutes or until lightly golden. Then reduce temperature to 300F (150C) and bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Turn off the oven and let the cake sit in the oven with the door slightly ajar (I wedged an oven mitt in between) until it has cooled completely. Remove the cake from the pan.
In a small bowl, combine apricot jam and water and microwave for a few seconds. Sieve the jam to remove bits of apricot. Spread the jam on the cake and refrigerate briefly for 1-2 hours before serving. If refrigerated overnight, remove the cake from the fridge and let it sit out for 30-40 minutes before serving.

Hokkaido Cupcakes with Cream

2013-01-26T23:08:00.002+11:00

One thing that often plagues me is that I can never get my sponge cakes to be soft and fluffy like the ones from the Chinese bakeries. There has to be some sort of special ingredient that gives the cake that ethereal texture, and for a long time, the answer has eluded me. I am generally not an advocate of instant cake mixes, as I find that they usually produce cakes with an unpleasant chemical aftertaste. This time however, I had to succumb to the fact that I am never going to achieve the perfect sponge unless I use a sponge cake mix of some sort. When I chanced upon this Hokkaido cake mix at a baking supplies store a few weeks ago, my gut (or more like my stomach) told me to grab a packet immediately. I then realised that I didn't have a recipe for the cake. Fortunately, when I approached the shop owner about it, she smiled and said "I'll give you the recipe". She proceeded to pull out a thick folder bursting with recipe printouts of all sorts, and handed me a small cut-out of the Hokkaido cake recipe which I safely tucked into my pocket. I continued eyeing the folder whilst secretly hatching a plan to recipe-nap it and run away. Well, that didn't happen, but I did ask her (nicely) for another recipe.

It appears that Hokkaido cake has been quite the fad since early last year, though I only managed to buy and eat some recently. I'm not exactly sure of the origin of these cakes, and contrary to its namesake, I read somewhere that it originated in Malaysia. Coincidentally, my cousin attended a baking class conducted by a Japanese lady, where she was teaching how to make Hokkaido Chiffon Cake, and it didn't look anything like the ones I made. I guess it's just like Hainanese chicken rice did not originate from Hainan Island, but Singapore/Malaysia.

Anyway, Hokkaido cupcakes are really popular in Malaysia and they are basically chiffon cupcakes with cream or custard centres. Sometimes they come in chocolate and other flavours too. I made plain ones with a fresh vanilla cream and custard filling, and that cake mix is fantastic. The cake was super soft, just like the ones I got from the bakery. The cake does shrink considerably straight out of the oven, but once you pipe the cream into the centre, it comes back to shape again.

The recipe below uses the Hokkaido cake mix (a blend of flours I presume), and if you don't have the cake mix, I suppose you could substitute with cake flour since it looks like a basic chiffon cake recipe.

Hokkaido Cake

Ingredients

5 egg yolks
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp milk
70g Hokkaido cake mix
25g corn oil or canola oil

5 egg whites
4 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Cream filling (mix together):
1 cup thickened cream, whipped
1-2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup prepared instant custard (use instant custard powder mixed with milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Place egg yolks, sugar, milk and cake mix in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on medium speed until light and creamy. Then mix in the oil.

2. In a another bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar until soft peaks (or just stiff), then fold in with the egg yolk mixture above.

3. Spoon the mixture into paper cups about three quarters full. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

4. Pipe the cream into the centre of the cakes, and dust the tops with icing sugar. Refrigerate before serving.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs

2013-01-19T13:40:00.001+11:00

I grew up in a culture where rice is a staple food, and almost every meal (that my mum cooked) would consist of boiled white rice served with a variety of meats, soups and vegetables. Mum's a fantastic cook who takes pride in the food she prepares for us, which is why I always look forward to her cooking whenever I go back to visit. I try to learn as much as I can from her, although in the much earlier years, before my foray into the kitchen, I was merely interested in consuming the end product and not so much how it was prepared. I have, however, picked up many kitchen tips from her since then, which are truly invaluable and have probably saved me from countless pain and heartaches in the kitchen. Thanks Mum!

With my family, I've followed the same tradition of serving rice for dinner (except for the occasional fast food or fish and chips on the weekends - kids, you know, gotta keep them happy). There are endless types of dishes that go with rice, ranging from healthy stir-fries and stews to sinfully indulgent deep-fried foods (which is really okay if you don't eat them too often).

In today's post, I'm featuring these crunchy deep-fried pork ribs slathered with a creamy chilli and tomato sauce (this probably falls under the "sinfully indulgent" category). I've made these three times already, simply because they are sooooo addictive and deliriously good. It's a little like sweet and sour pork, but more spicy than sour (uhh... hence I named it sweet and spicy pork ribs). G enjoyed them so much that he claimed he would drive miles just to eat it. But really, this is a simple and easy dish to pull off, and most of the ingredients should already be stocked in the fridge or pantry. I've specifically used Lingham's chilli sauce in the recipe as it has a sweet garlicky flavour that gives the sauce that "special" taste. It should be available in most good supermarkets, otherwise try substituting with Thai sweet chilli sauce instead.

Sweet and spicy pork ribs

Ingredients

450g (1 lb) pork spare ribs (or substitute with belly pork, skin removed)
3 tbsp cornflour, extra
2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Scallions, chopped, for garnish

Marinade:
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 small egg (or half a large egg)
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
1/3 tsp salt
Dash of pepper

Sauce (combine in a bowl):
2 tbsp Lingham's chilli sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Sriracha chilli sauce (or more to taste)
4 tbsp mayonnaise

Method

Slice the pork into 3/4 inch cubes. Spread a few pieces out on the chopping board, cover with clingwrap and pound with a meat mallet to tenderise the meat. Repeat with the rest of the pork.
Combine pork with the marinade and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok on high heat. Toss the 3 tbsp cornflour onto the pork and toss to coat evenly. When the oil is hot (slowly lower a piece of pork into the oil - if it sizzles, the oil is ready), add the pork piece by piece so that they don't stick together when cooked. Cook in two batches to avoid overcrowding in the pan.
Let the pork fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes before turning over. Fry for another 2 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper or a metal rack.
Heat a medium sized wok or non-stick pan with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. When hot, add the sauce ingredients and stir with a spatula until it starts to simmer a little (you just want to heat it up). Add the deep-fried pork and toss in the sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped scallions. Serve immediately with boiled jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Creamy Japanese Cheesecake with Sponge base

2013-01-10T19:38:00.003+11:00

This cheesecake is kind of a cross between cotton soft Japanese cheesecake and American (NY style) cheesecake. Though it does not have the chiffon cake properties of the former, it is not as dense as its American counterpart. From the photos here, you can sort of tell that the cheese layer is slightly fluffy, and there is a layer of sponge cake on the base as well. This version of cheesecake is quite similar to the Hokkaido cheesecake sold at Breadtop, However, I would have preferred a lighter, smoother and fluffier texture, and less "cheesey". Maybe it's just that I overfolded the egg whites and lost all that air and fluffiness. In my next attempt (not so soon), I might use use less cream cheese, add more fresh cream and toss in some cake flour, and see how that turns out.

Japanese Cheesecake

Adapted from Kuali.com

Ingredients

Sponge base

4 egg yolks
20g sugar
4 egg whites
80g sugar
100g plain flour
50g butter (melted)

Cheese filling:

500g cream cheese
150g icing sugar
5 egg yolks
20g corn flour
150g thickened/whipping cream
5 egg whites
30g sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Sponge base:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celcius.Whip yolks and sugar until light and fluffyFor meringue, whip whites until soft peak and add sugar, continue to whip until stiff peak.
Incorporate the meringue into the yolks mixture.
Sift and fold in flour and lastly stir in melted butter and mix well.
Pour batter into 23cm greased mould and bake at preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes.
Invert the cake directly from the mould once it is baked.

Cheese filling:

Line a thin layer (slice the cake to 1cm thick) of sponge base on to a 23cm (9in) springform cake pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with 2-3 layers of aluminium foil to prevent water seeping in from the water bath. Preheat oven at 160 degrees Celcius.
Whisk cream cheese, icing sugar, corn flour and cream over simmering water until smooth. Remove from heat.Mix in yolks, zest and juice, mix until well incorporated and set aside.
To make meringue, whisk egg whites until foamy.
Add in sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks.
Lightly fold one third of the meringue (egg white mixture) into the cheese mixture, gently fold in the remaining meringue until just combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake in a water bath in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until firm and golden brown.
Transfer to a cooling rack, allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.
Glaze with warm apricot jam before serving and garnish as desired.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

2012-12-25T16:57:00.003+11:00

I wrote a post on Hainanese chicken rice sometime last year, though without the detailed recipe. Before I go on, let me just say that this recipe was provided courtesy of Mr G. If there's one thing he loves to cook and can cook well, it's chicken rice. The only part I play in the whole cooking process is preparing the chilli sauce and supervising the food styling. I'm only too happy to let him hold the reins on this one as he has cooked this umpteen times for the last few years, and has become quite an expert at it.

This style of chicken rice is based on what we used to enjoy back in Singapore, where the chicken rice is served with a ginger chilli sauce and a thick black sauce to drizzle over the rice. If there's one Singapore street food that is better than Malaysia, it's definitely chicken rice. I think the difference lies in the texture and fragrance of the rice and the silky smooth and tender pieces of chicken. I should also mention that it is bursting with "umami" flavours, but that depends on your tolerance level for msg. I did not specifically include msg in this recipe, although I did use chicken stock powder (for extra flavour!).

The recipe looks really long, but I've managed to edit Mr G's version to be more reader-friendly and less "intimidating", I hope! For my relatives and friends who have been asking how to make Hainanese chicken rice, here you go!

Hainanese Chicken Rice (Singapore style)
(mostly by Mr G)

Ingredients

Chicken:

1.6kg (about 4 lbs) whole fresh organic or chemical-free chicken, removed from fridge 40 minutes before cooking
Salt
8 slices ginger
3 stalks scallions (spring onions)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled
8 cups reduced-salt chicken stock to 12 cups water

Sesame-soy rub:
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp superior light soy sauce

Chicken sauce (combine in a bowl):
1 tsp chicken oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1/3 cup warm poaching liquid/stock

Ice bath with water to cover the chicken in another container after cooking
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal
2 scallions/spring onions, chopped/sliced for garnish
Coriander leaves, for garnish

Method

1. Prepare the chicken by removing the fat around cavity. Reserve the fat for later.

2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Rub a generous amount of salt all over the skin. Stuff the chicken cavity with 4 slices of ginger and all the scallions.

3. Tie a loop of string across the 2 legs at the ends of the drumsticks or get a meat hook that you can slip into the cavity of the chicken, as you will need this to dunk the chicken in the poaching liquid (make sure the string or meat hook is secure and can support the weight of the chicken).

4. In a 10 litre stockpot on medium heat, add the vegetable oil and sesame oil and fry the garlic and remaining 4 slices of ginger until fragrant. Add the stock and water, cover the pot, and bring it to the boil on high heat.

5. Once boiling, remove the lid from the pot. Lower the chicken into the boiling stock and lift it up again. Repeat this step twice. This helps the chicken skin achieve a smooth texture. Finally, gently drop the chicken into the stock and let it cook using the 20-20-20 rule as follows:

In the first 20 minutes, let the chicken cook in the simmering stock. Initially, the stock will stop boiling for some time due to the temperature change. Leave the heat on medium and let the liquid come to a boil again. Then, immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

In the next 20 minutes, turn the heat off, leaving the chicken to continue cooking in the pot, covered. Do not exceed this time. In the meantime, prepare the ice bath by filling a large bowl (that will fit the chicken in) with plenty of ice and water.

The last step is to remove the chicken from the pot, emptying the excess liquid from the cavity of the chicken (be very careful as the hot liquid may spill or splash. Then, place the chicken in the ice bath, fully submerged. Leave the chicken to sit for 20 minutes (and no longer).

(Make sure you follow the 20-20-20 timing, especially the last 20 minutes, as it will affect the texture of the chicken)

6. After the chicken has chilled in the ice bath for 20 minutes, remove and then rub the chicken all over with the sesame soy rub. Use a cleaver or large knife to chop up the chicken into pieces. Debone the chicken if desired.

7. On a large serving plate, arrange the sliced cucumbers, and place the chicken pieces on top. When ready to serve, drizzle the chicken sauce over the chicken. Serve with chicken rice, chilli sauce, black drizzling sauce and a steaming hot bowl of soup.

Rice:

4 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
3 eschalots
5 cloves garlic
10 slices ginger
2 pandanus leaves, knotted
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder

Chicken fat, reserved from earlier
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Blend eschalot and garlic into a fine paste and set aside.

2. In a pan on low heat, heat sesame oil and vegetable oil. Add chicken fat and fry slowly to extract the oil. Remove the pieces of fat, leaving the oil in the pan.

3. Add ginger and fry for a minute. Remove 2 tablespoons of the oil and place in a small bowl. Reserve this for later when making black drizzling sauce and chilli sauce.

4. With the remaining oil in the pan, add eschalot and garlic paste, and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the rice, salt and chicken stock powder and fry for a minute until well mixed. Place the rice mixture in the rice cooker and add pandan leaves. Pour the poaching liquid/stock over the rice until it reaches slightly above the 4-cup mark. Start the rice cooker according to manufacturer's instructions. Once cooked, give the rice a stir to fluff up the rice before serving.

Condiments:

Chilli sauce:

1 tbsp chicken oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp chinese white rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsps warm poaching liquid/stock
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
Salt to taste

Blend together finely:
8-10 long chillies (mix with bird's eye chillies if desired)
4 cloves garlic
2 inch ginger, peeled and sliced

Method

Add everything to the blended ingredients, and blend again until well mixed. Add salt to taste, and adjust the amount of sugar and vinegar used if necessary. The chilli sauce should take on an orangey colour.

Black drizzling sauce:

1 tsp chicken oil
2 tbsp Cheong Chan thick caramel
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tbsp warm poaching liquid/stock
1/2 tsp light soy sauce

Method

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm stock. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve as a drizzling sauce over the chicken rice.

Soup:

Remove all the bones and scum from the poaching stock. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary, and add more water if it's too concentrated. I like to add some sliced cabbage for sweetness. Ladle into individual soup bowls and garnish with chopped scallions before serving.

Quick and Easy Pancakes

2012-12-23T23:44:00.000+11:00

I do enjoy having pancakes for breakfast once in a while, though not really as a dessert unless they are thin crepe-like ones filled with cream cheese and served with strawberry sauce (sounds familiar? Pancakes on the Rocks??). On the weekends, while I'm still half asleep in bed in the morning, the kids would come close to me and scream into my ear "Mummy! Wake up! Can you make me some pancakes/french toast/scrambled eggs for breakfast?!!".

I've made pancakes on several occasions using various recipes, and I found that the simplest one is the best. These pancakes don't use fancy ingredients and can be prepared in minutes. You really don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen making breakfast nor cleaning up after that. Moreover, the kids think I can just make food appear on the table at the snap of my fingers, or nod of the head, blink of the eyes....you know. Hungry kids just want their food quickly, because if you make them wait too long, they get distracted and might change their mind about what they want to eat.

I just love how easy these pancakes are, and they have a lovely texture that is not too airy nor too dense. We enjoy them with just butter and maple syrup, though you can use this basic recipe to make them into something a bit fancier.

Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour
1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
Butter

Method

Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda, ugar and salt in a large bowl and mix with a whisk.
In small bowl, beat the egg and combine with the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until you get a smooth batter. Add a little more milk if the batter is too thick.
Heat up a non-stick pan on medium heat and melt a little butter in it, enough to grease the surface.
Use a ladle to pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. Do this in one stroke so that the surface of the pancake browns evenly. I used a large pan, so I made two pancakes at a time.
Let the pancakes cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface and start to look almost dry and set. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook the other side for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Transfer onto a serving plate and repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve the pancakes immediately with butter and maple syrup, or your favourite topping.

Char Kuay Teow, two-ways

2012-12-03T00:02:00.001+11:00

Char Kuay Teow with sweet soy

If you know and love Malaysian food, then Char Kuay Teow needs no introduction. In terms of popularity, I would think that Laksa ranks number one, followed by Hainanese chicken rice, and then Char Kuay Teow. These three dishes are commonly found in most menus of restaurants serving Malaysian-style food in Sydney, but more often than not, the authenticity of the Char Kuay Teow is questionable. Char Kuay Teow (CKT) literally means fried rice noodles, but a plate of greasy fried rice noodles with black soy sauce does not qualify as CKT. I find that the CKT sold here usually omits the eggs, which is a must in every CKT. It coats the rice noodles and gives it flavour and texture. Cockles are another must-have in CKT, but I have omitted them in my dish as I was unable to find any at the shops here.

I made two versions of CKT. One is the savoury Penang-style, and the other is the sweet version, typical of that found in Singapore. The latter uses kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and is relatively more moist, whilst the Penang-style is drier. I personally prefer the sweet version. My recipe below explains how you can easily make both.

Savoury Penang-style Char Kuay Teow

Char Kuay Teow

(1 serving)

Ingredients

3 tbsp lard (or substitute with vegetable oil)*

6 fresh prawns, peeled

1/2 Chinese sausage (lup cheong), thinly sliced on the diagonal

8 slices fried fishcake

1/2 tbsp chopped garlic

250g (1/2 lb) fresh rice noodles, at room temperature (separate the noodles to prevent clumping together)

1 tbsp chilli paste**

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

1 1/2 cups beansprouts

1/2 cup garlic chives, cut into 2 inch lengths

Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp thick caramel (Cheong Chan brand)

2 tbsp ABC kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) - omit if Penang-style char kuay teow is preferred***

2 tbsp water

Method

1. In a large non-stick wok, heat up 1 tbsp lard over high heat and fry the prawns, Chinese sausage and fishcake slices. When the prawns are almost cooked, push the ingredients aside and add 1 tbsp lard in the centre of the wok. Add garlic and fry briefly. Stir and mix well with the other ingredients. (It is important to keep stirring everything with the spatula in quick motion so that everything cooks evenly. Fry only one batch at a time)

2. Toss in the noodles and drizzle the sauce around the side of the wok. Mix in with the noodles and stir-fry quickly, moving the spatula back and forth until noodles are well coated. Do not overcook. Stir in the chilli paste.

3. Turn the heat down to medium. Push the noodles to the side and add 1 tbsp lard. Crack the 2 eggs into the centre of the wok and give it a quick scramble. Fold the noodles over the eggs and mix through again quickly and evenly before the eggs start to set. It should form sort of a slurry eggy coating over the noodles. If the noodles start to look a little dry at this point, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons water around the side of the wok and mix through quickly. Add salt to taste.

4. Toss in the beansprouts and garlic chives and mix through quickly for 20 seconds. The noodles should be fairly moist, and if not, add a few drops of water (or extra lard if desired). Transfer to a plate immediately and serve hot.

Note:

* To make lard, you can buy pork fat from the butcher and dice them into tiny cubes. For 2 servings, use 4 tbsp pork fat and fry in 3 tbsp vegetable oil on medium-high heat slowly until the fat turns brown and crisp. You can use the crispy lard to garnish the char kuay teow before serving.

** Chilli paste: I used dried chillies that have been soaked in water and blended finely, then fried in oil with some chopped garlic, seasoned with salt and sugar. You can substitute with your favourite brand of chilli paste if preferred.

*** Penang-style char kuay teow is more savoury than sweet, and also drier. Adjust the quantity of kecap manis used to your preference.

Penang Assam Laksa

2012-11-27T00:47:00.004+11:00

It took me this long to finally attempt making Assam Laksa, and if mum says it's easy to prepare, she's quite right there. Just steam (or boil) the fish, add the blended ingredients to the stock and simmer before adding the flaked fish. Then serve with noodles and garnishing. Sounds easy doesn't it? In fact, I think I took more time preparing all the ingredients then the actual process of cooking it (man, those shallots sure took forever to peel, and they brought buckets of tears to my eyes).

In Sydney, mention laksa to anyone and his or her eyes will light up. But if you say "Assam Laksa", chances are you'll be met with a quizzical look. It's not a dish commonly found in Malaysian restaurants around Sydney, perhaps because it's an acquired taste for the local palate, with its sour and spicy tamarind-based fish gravy served with a dollop of black prawn paste (used in Chinese rojak). There is no coconut milk in it, and the flavours in the soup come from heaps of shallots, laksa leaves (or Vietnamese mint - see picture below), lemongrass, lots of chillies, turmeric and mackerel. Mackerel is an oily fish with strong flavours, and when added to the rich stock gives it a complex and intense flavour.

Notice the thick, round and white noodles used in this dish? That's what you have to use. Not vermicelli, not kuay teow, not egg noodles. And then, there are the garnishes (just as important as all the other ingredients I mentioned!): cucumber for texture and its cooling properties; chillies for extra heat; mint for its sweet and fresh taste; red onions for sweetness and flavour; juicy pineapple pieces are refreshing; and most importantly, the Malaysian prawn paste ("petis udang") which gives this dish its authenticity.

I invited EL and KL to try out my assam laksa, and KL, being a Penangite, gave it a thumbs up (not literally though since he had a pair of chopsticks in one hand and a spoon in the other). That will do it for me. I've passed the taste-test with flying colours and I'm certainly going to make this again soon, perhaps for our next party? :-)

Assam Laksa
(Serves 6)

Ingredients

1kg (2 pounds) thick round laksa noodles (or substitute with thick round tapioca starch noodles)
1.2kg ( 2 1/2 pounds) mackerel, cleaned
2.5 litres (10 cups) water
1/2 tsp salt

14 stalks Vietnamese mint (a.k.a. polygonum or laksa leaves)
2-3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, smashed
4 pieces dried tamarind skin

5-6 tbsp dried tamarind, soaked in 1 cup hot water and strained
3 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
Salt
Pinch of Ajinomoto

Blended together finely:
20 cloves of shallots
6 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal
1 inch fresh turmeric (or 3/4 tsp ground turmeric)
6 candlenuts
6-8 (large) fresh long red chillies
5-8 dried (long) red chillies, seeded and soaked in warm water to soften (use more if the chillies are small)
4-5 bird's eye chillies (optional, for extra heat)
1 tbsp roasted belacan (shrimp paste)

Garnish:
4 red chillies, sliced
1/2 pineapple, diced
1 cucumber, shredded
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 torch ginger flower bud, thinly sliced (optional)
Mint leaves
5-6 tbsp black prawn paste (hae-ko), to serve

Method

Bring the water to the boil. Add the fish and salt, bring to a boil again and let it simmer for 15 minutes until fish is just cooked. Don't overcook it. Remove the fish and reserve the stock. Flake the fish and set aside.

Add the Vietnamese mint, lemongrass and dried tamarind skin into the stock. Add the blended ingredients. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Add the strained tamarind pulp/juice, sugar, salt and ajinomoto. Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary More tamarind pulp can be added if you prefer it more sour. Put the flaked fish in the into the stock and bring to a gentle simmer on low heat until ready to serve.

Blanch or cook the noodles in boiling water. Drain and place in individual serving bowls. Ladle the hot gravy onto the noodles. Sprinkle with garnishings. Stir in a little prawn paste into the gravy and enjoy!

Mmmm....smells and tastes so good!

Mackerel, ready to be flaked

Pav Bhaji (Bread and vegetables)

2012-11-20T00:31:00.001+11:00

My Indian friends from work threw a little Diwali party at their apartment last Friday, and I must say it was a very enjoyable evening, with good food, great company and lots of dancing. Moreover, it's hard not to fall in love with the phenomenal view from the balcony of the 33rd floor apartment right in the heart of Sydney. Dinner was a wonderful spread of home-cooked vegetarian dishes, including pasta, salad and this delicious dish called pav bhaji. Pav (pronounced "pau" as in char siew pau) is equivalent to bun/bread, and bhaji refers to a vegetable dish. Apparently (or so internet sources say), pav bhaji is a popular Indian streetfood snack that originated in Marathi cuisine. It is basically a dish of mashed vegetables cooked in spices, and served with fried buttered pav. This dish uses loads of butter, which explains why it tastes so good. The bhaji is also topped with chopped onions, coriander and a splash of lemon juice which lifts the flavours in the dish.

Here are ten good reasons to love pav bhaji:
1. It's vegetarian, so it contains loads of veggies which are good for you.
2. It's got potatoes, which I love!
3. Great flavour from the spices, and it doesn't have to be spicy (hot).
4. The dish is cooked with butter.
5. The dish is served with more butter.
6. The pav (bun) is fried with lots of butter.
7. It's almost like an Indian vegetarian version of a Coney dog, sans the dog.
8. It's not too difficult to prepare if you use a food processor to blend the veggies.
9. It tastes sooooo good, even though there's no meat (although that could be an option).
10. Butter. I love butter, don't you?

Here is my version of the recipe for this dish. You can use hamburger or hotdog buns for the pav. As for the vegetables, any combination of capsicum (bell peppers), carrots, peas, cauliflower or eggplant will do. The spice used is pav bhaji masala, which should be available at most Indian grocery stores.

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients

Vegetables, boiled and mashed/pureed:

2 large (or 3 medium) potatoes

1/2 cup green capsicum (bell peppers), chopped

1/4 cup carrots, chopped

2 cups cauliflower, chopped

1/4 cup peas

3 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1 tbsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp pav bhaji masala

1-2 cups water

1/8 tsp hing powder (asafoetida) (optional)

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

Salt and black pepper

Corinder leaves

Lemon juice

To serve:

Pav (burger or hotdog buns will do)

Butter

Chopped coriander leaves

Lemon wedges

1 small onion, chopped

Method

In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Fry until onions are softened, then add tomatoes. Fry until tomatoes are slightly dry, then mix in the mashed vegetables and potatoes. Add tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric and masala. Mix well and add 1 cup water. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Add asafoetida, crushed fenugreek leaves, salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in some chopped coriander leaves and the juice of half a lemon. Simmer, adding more water if necessary and cook until it turns into a thick gravy. Dish out and add a knob of butter on top, garnished with chopped onions and coriander leaves. Serve with fried pav.

For the pav, slice the buns in half horizontally, and fry in butter until lightly browned and crisp. Serve with the prepared vegetables (bhaji) and some lemon wedges.

Note: If you don't have pav bhaji masala, try substituting with garam masala instead.

Sans Rival

2012-11-13T22:03:00.001+11:00

Sans Rival is a rich, buttery and nutty cake (or dessert) made with crisp layers of cashewnut meringue and filled with French buttercream. Sounds decadent enough? It was Al from work who introduced me to this dessert, and as she didn't really know the exact name, she merely referred to it as Sandflower cake, or San something. I totally fell in love with it at first bite. The combination of silky buttercream, the light and crispy meringue and scattering of chopped cashews was just amazing. The next thing I did was to google Philippines, san, cashew and cake, and to my delight and excitement, I discovered the Sans Rival, which literally means "without rival", and it is indeed true to its name.

After sifting through the various recipes available on the internet, I finally settled on this one below that comes from a Filipino cookbook. The original recipe uses rum in the buttercream, though I think I might omit it next time and substitute with vanilla instead. Although the recipe seems fairly simple, it is a multi-step process that involves cooling, chilling and assembly time. The tricky part came down to slicing the actual Sans Rival, as the meringue is so brittle that it takes a bit of patience and skill in cutting it into neat slices without leaving too many crumbs on the plate. After a series of "shattered" meringues, I found that the best way was to cut it straight down in one swift stroke using a serrated knife. I brought this dessert to a party and I think it was quite well received by everyone (sans the kids). Guess I'll have to wait for the next party before I make this again, although I did read somewhere that it freezes well. I'd better start clearing out some space in my freezer then.

Sans Rival
Adapted from Nora Daza

Ingredients

6 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted cashew nuts, chopped finely
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra 1/2 cup chopped cashewnuts set aside for decoration

Method

Grease and flour three 14” x 10” cookie sheets. Set aside. Beat egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until egg whites are very stiff. Fold in the 1 1/2 cups chopped cashew nuts and vanilla. Spread thinly in prepared pans. Bake at 160C/300F for 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Turn off oven and leave the wafers in the oven for 2-3 hours until cool. They will turn crisp by then. Gently loosen and slide wafers to a flat surface. Trim off the uneven edges with a serrated knife.

Prepare filling:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cup / 300g unsalted butter
1-2 tbsp rum (optional)

Method

Boil sugar and water until it reaches the soft ball stage, or it spins a thread. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Pour hot syrup to egg yolks in thin streams while beating on medium speed until the mixture thickens. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge.

Cream the butter with a mixer. Blend in the chilled egg yolk mixture and rum (if used).

Turn the wafers over (smooth-side up). Spread a thin layer of cream over the wafer and place the next wafer on top. Spread the cream and repeat with the next wafer. Cover all over with remaining cream. Sprinkle top with extra chopped cashew nuts. Chill well before slicing and serving.

Grilled Pork Belly with Spicy Sauce

2012-11-07T00:02:00.002+11:00

Hello! It's been a while since I last did a proper post on my blog. Life has just been a little busy lately, and just when I thought things were starting to wind down, my calendar for the next two months is fast filling up with dates for parties, school events, concerts and birthdays. And when you have three kids like me, multiply that by three and you'd wish weekends were a little longer, and perhaps with a free day for cooking and baking. Last weekend, I managed to find time to prepare these grilled pork belly skewers which were inspired by my recent dining experience at Sake restaurant in Sydney. What I found interesting was the spicy antichucho sauce that was served with the grilled pork (kushiyaki). Antichucho is apparently Peruvian grilled marinated beef hearts, served with a tangy and spicy sauce, I believe. As there is a considerable Japanese influence on Peruvian cuisine (one of Peru's presidents was of Japanese descent), that explains the use of the antichucho sauce in this dish.

I recalled seeing a recipe for antichucho sauce in the cookbook "Nobu Now" which I have adapted below by substituting the aji panca (a type of Peruvian chilli paste) with - Korean red pepper paste! I mean, they are both chilli peppers right? Just of different descent. The sauce turned out pretty good actually, spicy and tangy with a hint of cumin, a flavour I immediately picked up when I tasted the one at Sake. I drizzled some of the sauce onto the tender and fatty grilled pork belly (see also Crispy Roast Pork Belly), topped it with chopped scallions and squeezed some lemon juice over it which lifted the flavours altogether. Mr G tried it and gave it two thumbs up! Try out this dish for your next barbecue this summer!

Grilled Pork Belly Skewers

Ingredients

1kg (2 lbs) pork belly

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable oil

To serve:

Sesame oil mixed with a pinch of salt (for brushing)

Chopped scallions/spring onions

Lemon wedges

Spicy sauce (see recipe below)

Method:

Boil some water in a pot with 2-3 teaspoons salt, and place the pork in the boiling water, making sure it is totally submerged. Boil uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Pat dry with a paper towel and leave for about 20 minutes to dry out. Rub about 1/2 tbsp of salt over the meat and skin. Place in the fridge uncovered for 4 hours or overnight.
Score the skin in a criss-cross diamond pattern with a knife, about 1/2 cm apart. Make sure it cuts through to the fat, as this will allow the fat to render. Rub a little salt and vegetable oil over the skin.
Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Place on a wire rack skin side up, and pour about 1-2 cups of water into the roasting pan so that it steams the meat in the oven. Place the pan in the middle rack in the oven and roast for 1 hour. Increase temperature to 220C (450F) and roast for another 15 minutes or until skin starts to brown and sizzle. Turn on the grill/broiler on high to crisp up the skin, which should begin to bubble and blister! When it starts to char, and the skin is evenly crisped all over, remove from oven and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes (you can scrape off the blackened charred bits first using a knife).
Slice the pork into 1 inch cubes. Thread them onto wooden skewers and grill them on the barbecue or non-stick pan until lightly browned on both sides. Arrange on a serving dish. Lightly brush the pork with the sesame oil and salt mixture. Then, drizzle with spicy sauce, garnish with chopped scallions and add a splash of lemon juice.

Spicy Sauce Recipe

3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 1/2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
1 1/2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white rice vinegar)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp dried oregano

Method:

Combine the ingredients above and place in a small pan on medium heat. Fry briefly, then transfer to a small serving dish.

Quick Microwave Chocolate Cake

2012-10-18T21:41:00.000+11:00

Microwave Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

3 tbsp self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp chocolate chips

Method

Combine flour and cocoa in a small microwave-safe container and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and add this to the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter, water and vanilla. Stir well until evenly mixed and smooth. Add chocolate chips on top. Place in the microwave on medium heat (600W) for 3 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool slightly before serving.