Pork with Ginger & Spring Onion

This is another regular dish my mum make for me to eat growing up - ginger and spring onion is always a staple in the fridge.  So when my mum make this, she either ran out of ideas, or just want to make something quick to feed me & my sister. Again me & sister would be very happy to drown our rice with sauce and think my mum is the best cook ever! When talking to some of my chinese friends, it seems this is a very popular home-cook dish.  

My mum would normally cook this with pork chops, but i'm too lazy with all the cutting whilst eating, so use pork loin steaks and chop it in small pieces - why waste time when i'm hungry haha. 


















Ingredients:

2 Pork loin steak, sliced into strips
1 Onion ,sliced lengthways (optional)
2 Spring Onion,  sliced lengthways
1 clove of garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped
1 thumbsized piece of root ginger, peeled, crushed, and coarsely chopped
1 Tbspn dark soy sauce
1 Tbspn light soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
100ml water
1 tspn corn starch, mixed with 30ml water to make slurry
1 Tbspn oil

Marinade for pork:
1 tspn light soy sauce
1 tspn oyster sauce
Sprinkle of sesame oil
Dash of grounded white pepper
1 Tbspn Cornflour




Method:
1)  Cut the pork into thin strips, then in a bowl marinade with the listed seasoning, for at least 10 minutes.
2) Heat wok with oil over high heat. Add garlic and ginger and let it fry a little
3) Add pork into work and stir fry for 1 minute. Add in also onions. Drizzle water and reduce heat to medium low heat. Cover wok with lid and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.
4) Remove lid and increase heat again to stir fry for few seconds. Add in light soy sauce and dark sauce and give it a good stir. Sprinkle sugar and continue stir fry for few more seconds.
5) Reduce heat to medium low heat, add spring onion. Give it a good stir and let all ingredients simmer for 1 - 2 minutes, or till water slightly evaporated.
6) Pour cornflour slurry to thicken gravy in one circular motion, and stir fry for few seconds, then ready to serve. Taste really good with some fragant white rice.


Happy Cooking!

Chicken in Tomato sauce

This is another of my childhood favourite. Whenever i'm not feeling the appetite my mum always make this, and somehow the sweet and sour taste make your stomach open and be happy to continue to eat. I cook this when i was studying at university and even now, the ingredients are simple and could be prepared within 30mins. As time have gone on, i also combine another dish, scrambled egg in tomato sauce, where instead of just chicken, I also add the scramble egg in as well. I know its a bit greedy, but its good to make yourself happy when eating something yummy, especially something reminds me of home. :)



















Ingredients:

1 Chicken Breast Fillet, sliced/diced (personal preference)
2 Eggs (optional)
2 Tomato, washed and quartered
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 Spring Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbspn Tomato Ketchup
1Tbspn Veg Oil
1.5cup Chicken Stock/Boiling water

Marinade for chicken:
1/4tspn White Pepper
1/2tspn Sugar
1/2tspn Salt
1/2tspn Sesame oil
2tspn White wine
1tspn Light soy sauce
1tspn Veg oil
1.5tspn cornflour

Method:

1) In a bowl, place the sliced chicken and marinade it. 
2)Then crack the eggs and whisk well. Then heat a non-stick pan over a high heat with a little oil and scramble the egg. Place it on a plate and leave aside for later.
3) Over a high heat, heat the wok with oil, fry the garlic, then using the chopstick put the chicken in without the mixture, and give it a good stir until lightly browned. Add the tomato, and give it a stir.
4) Add most of the stock, bring it to boil and then cover to let it simmer for approx 5mins.
5) Stir in the remaining marinade, stock, ketchup and let it further simmer until sauce thickens.
6) Add the scrambled egg and spring onions and let it simmer for another 2mins and ready to serve.

Happy Cooking!

Making Fresh Garlic Bread

Now that i could make fresh bread, today i decided to make fresh garlic bread.  It was a great late night snack.
Taking this recipe for the garlic butter.

2lb Fresh White Bread nearly ready

Fresh baked bread

Garlic Bread ready to go in the oven

Fresh Garlic Bread

Happy Cooking!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Last night, busily in the kitchen to bake some sweet treats for work to say bon voyage to a colleague who is leaving temporary for her travelling. Lemon cupcake and with meringue icing was my contribution to my department.Yummy buttery cakes with gooey lemon in the centre and the sugary white meringue icing to even out the tangy-ness...takes even better with a cup a tea.
It was a good feeling bring treats from home.  Might re-think and let my colleagues be my guinea pigs for anything sweet ;p

This is actually a easier recipe than i used last time at New Year 's Eve, taken from 'Cupcakes' by Susannah Blake.

Makes 12
Ingredients:

Cupcake:
115g Butter/Magarine
100g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
115g Self Raising Flour
1/2 tspn Vanilla Extract
Grated zest and juice of 1 Lemon
3Tbspn Good quality Lemon curd

Frosting:

150g Caster Sugar
2 Egg Whites

1) Preheat Oven to 180C, then line the fairy-cake tin with paper cases
2) Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in, then stir in the lemon zest and juice.
3) Spoon a good dollop of the mixture into each paper case and make an indentation in the centre with the back of a teaspoon. Drop a dollop of lemon curd, then top with the remaining cake mixture.
4)Bake for about 17minutes until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a  wire rack to cool.
5)To decorate, put the sugar and egg whites in a bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly for about 5mins until the mixture is thick and glossy and stands in peaks. Use a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle to pipe a whirl onto the top of each cake or swirl the meringue over the cakes using a spoon. The frosting will firm up as the cakes sit, so for a soft meringue, leave to set for a least 3 hours.

Happy Baking!

My First Loaf of White Bread.

Today, i am very pleased with myself.   I finally plugged in my breadmaker which have been sitting in the corner of my kitchen since santa  rewarded me :) and learnt how to turn it on,  and baked my first white loaf.

The breadmaker came with a little recipe book, so it was a case of pick the type of bread, 5mins to get the ingredients together, and turn the button, on left it for 3hrs or till it bleeped. Hmm the smell of fresh baked bread, just make the kitchen feel soo much more homey.

Think with food prices going sky rocket, think this breadmaker will come in very handy and i'm sure there be many more fresh bread coming! ;)

Soy-glazed Salmon with Pak Choi & Sweet Red Peppers

For my main course of our valentine dinner, i decided to make something simple, and salmon is very easy to cook and complimented with pak choi and sweet red peppers.

Ingredients:

50ml Light Soy sauce
2Tbspn soft brown sugar
1 Garlic clove, crushed, and roughly chopped
1/2 tspn Sesame oil
a dash of white wine

2 Salmon Fillets, descaled if not so
2 Pak Choi, halved
1/2 Sweet Red Pepper
1 Lemon (optional)
2 Spring onions, finely chopped
1Tbspn Sesame seeds, toasted

White rice (i use fragrant rice)

Method:

1) Put the soy sauce and brown sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir well until the sugar dissolves. Add the garlic and sesame oil, remove from the heat and cool. Cover the Salmon fillet with the marinade for at least 30mins- 1hr at best
2)On a griddle pan, medium-high heat grill the salmon fillet skin down for 2 or 3 mins, then turnover for another 2mins. Dash it with a little white wine.  Keep basting constantly with the marinade, until charred and sticky on the outside. Once cooked as desired, serve on plate
3)Grill the pak choi on cut-side down for 2/3mins, throw in the sweet red peppers then add a little water so can make a thin sauce.Serve on plate, and scatter with some spring onion and sesame seeds.
4) Serve with some white rice.

Happy Cooking!

Prawns & Mixed Vegetables in Little Gem Lettuce Wrap

Happy Valentines Day! Hope everyone feel a little bit more special by your loved ones. I was very spoilt, Mr C made me think all week that i'm getting is some garage flowers... so when 9am... my colleague gave a huge box - opened up to a bunch of red roses.... i was pleasantly surprised :)

Anyway, we decided long ago that we will stay in and i think of something special to cook to celebrate in the comforts of our home.

So for starters i had a look at Ching-He Huang 'China Modern'... and saw this recipe and decided to take on the concept but adapted to ingredients we both like to eat. It is fairly easy to cook, but do involve time to prepare, like chopping the ingredients very finely.  But it was all worth it  :)

Ingredients:

1Tbspn Groundnut/Veg Oil
100g small cooked & peeled prawns
2 Garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1 Tbspn of grated fresh ginger
1 Red Chilli - deseeded & finely chopped
Half of Carrot - peeled & finely chopped
2 Shittake Mushroom - soaked in hot water , then finely chopped
2 Baby Corn - finely chopped
1 small Shallot, finely chopped
1 spring onion, washed and finely chopped
25g finely chopped nuts
sprinkle of dried coriander
2Tbspn Light Soy sauce
sprinkle of white pepper
drizzle of sesame oil
dash of white wine

2 Little Gem Lettuce, leaves separated and washed
1 mandarin (peeled and white membrane removed for the mandarin segments)


Method:

1) Heat a wok over a high heat and add the oil
2)Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, red chilli for less than a minute. Add the prawns and stirfry for 2mins. Throw in the shitake mushrooms, carrot, babycorn, shallots and stirfry for a further 2 mins.
3) Season with white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce and a dash of white wine, and stir well. Throw in the spring onion & coriander.
4)Arrange the lettuce leaves on a palte and divide the mixture among the leaves.
5)Sprinkle some chopped nuts and  some mandarin segment on each parcel and ready to serve.

Happy Cooking! Happy Valentines Day!

FiloTartlet with Smoked Salmon, Cracked Pepper and Lime

Had some special guest coming round our house for afternoon tea today. Like always, i love making treats for my guest so decided to make these very easy filo tartlets, together with scones and the ask them to sample my first ever strawberry and champagne cupcakes.
 This is a great canape recipe - and a good addition for any parties or get together. 

Makes approx 20

Ingredients:

Filo Tartlets:
75g Filo pastry
2Tbspn Melted butter

Filling:
150g Smoked Salmon slices
1 Lime, peeled and segmented
125ml creme fraiche
1 juice of Lime
1/2tsp cracked peppercorn (can use normal grounded black pepper)
15g chives - fined chopped (can use freeze-dried)


 Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180C. Brush one sheet of filo pastry with melted butter.
2)With a sharp knife cut into 5cm x 5cm squares. Butter the 12-cup cake tin and line each one with 3 buttered filo pastry squares placed at slightly different angles. Repeat until all filo pastry has been used.
3)Bake to a deep golden brown for 6-8mins. Carefully remove tartlets from the caketin and leave it cool on a wire rack.
4)Cut the salmon slices into thin strips, approx 0.5cm wide.
5)Cut the lime segments into 1cm pieces.
6) Place 1 teaspoon in base of each tartlet.
7)Top with smoked salmon strip.
8)Spoon over a few drops of lime juice and sprinkle with black pepper/cracked peppercorns.
9) Garnish with lime segments and chives.

Happy Baking!

Strawberry & Champagne Cupcake with Plain & White Chocolate frosting

Wow, its February, and Valentines Day is nearly coming. This is a perfect cupcake for the loved one. 
I thought long and hard and adapted a spongecake recipe and bake a trial batch to see if it work. I am very happy to say it did and definitely will bake more in future.

I would especially  like to dedicate this special cupcake to my lovely hunny Mr C, now fiance -  for making me the happiest girl in the world.  The ingredients of this cupcake makes me remember sweetly of a very special day that mark the next stage of our lives together :)

Hope this cake will bring you love & happiness too.

Ingredients:

Spongecake:

A)
5 Egg Yolks
40g Caster Sugar
80g Vegetable Oil
70g Champagne
1tspn Vanilla Extract
Splash of Milk

B)
5 Egg White
40g Caster Sugar
1/4 tspn Cream of Tartar Powder

C)
100g Plain Flour
20g Corn Flour

D)
50g Melted Butter
 200grams Fresh Strawberries, blended

Frosting:

100g White Chocolate
100g Plain Chocolate
150ml Double Cream
Strawberries to decorate as topping


Method:
1) Wash & dry strawberries. For the topping, i cut a strawberry in quarters, then repeat for a few so have enough, then set aside or place in fridge for later use. For the spongecake - take strawberries into a mini chopper or a blender and mash it up. Set aside for later use.
2) With an electric handmixer, beat egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar powder (B) for approx 5mins until very stiff or 3 times its original volume.
3) In a separate bowl, mix and fold all ingredients A for approx 2mins to form a smooth batter
4) Pour A into the B container and fold evenly & quickly for approx 2mins
5) Sieve Plain flour and corn flour (C) into the cake mixture
6)Add the Strawberry puree into cake mixture and mix well.
7) Melt the butter (D) in the microwave. Then pour into the cake mixture from around the edge and fold quickly for approx 2mins
8) Transfer mixture to the cup cases lined with grease-proof paper.
9) Preheat oven at 180C and bake for approx 25mins. Once bake, let it cool on rack to set.
10) In a glass bowl, break up the plain chocolate, and melt it in the microwave approx 1mins. (keep you eyes).
11) Repeat above step(10)... but with white chocolate.
12) Over a high heat in a saucepan bring the double cream to boiling point.  Then pour over the plain chocolate. Stir in small circle until smooth and shiny.
13)Put the plain chocolate mixture in a piping bag and pipe on to cover the cupcake.
14) Drizzle on a small amount of white chocolate.
15) Finish off with a chopped strawberry.
16) For good result, let cake set in fridge for 30mins.

Happy Baking!

Kung Hey Fat Choi! Happy Chinese New Year 2011

Would like to wish everyone a very Happy Chinese New Year in 2011. Hope the white rabbit will hop around and give us all lots of love, happiness, good health and prosperity!

Chinese New Year Eve -

Yay! Chinese New Year is nearly here, and like perfect Chinese way, its a good excuse to stuff your bellies full with wonderful food, especially with the family to reflect the old year and keeping our bellies full for the new.