Cinnamon Yule Log (Buche de Noel) with Besan Chocolate Paste Filling

Ingredients:

Chickpeas Chocolate Paste Filling:

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup besan/gram/chickpeas flour
1 cup ghee or butter

1/2 cup whipping cream
80 g bittersweet chocolate
25 g butter
20 ml milk
1 egg, separated
1 tbsp sugar

Genoise Cake:

2 eggs and 4 egg yolks (or use 3 eggs in total)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup (55 g) butter
1 ½ cups icing sugar
4 tbsp milk

Method:

To prepare the chickpeas chocolate paste filling:

In a deep bowl, whisk whip cream until stiff; set aside.

Over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter.

Remove from heat, pour-in milk, stir to incorporate.

Add-in egg yolk to the chocolate mixture one at a time, beat to mix.

In another deep bowl over a double boiler, whisk egg white with sugar till stiff, set aside.

Gently stir-in one-third of whipped cream to the chocolate mixture, fold-in half of egg white, stir to just incorporate, fold-in the remaining white then whipped cream and stir to incorporate well, leave in refrigerator for at least 3o minutes.

In a nonstick pan, boil sugar in water till becomes a thick syrup.

Gradually, stir-in chickpeas flour.

Add-in 1/2 cup ghee, keep stirring the mixture till thicken and dry.

Scramble the paste into powder form.

Add-in the remaining ghee, continue toasting till fragrant and golden brown.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Stir-in this fragrant chickpeas powder into the chocolate paste to incorporate fully; set aside in refrigerator if not use shortly.

To prepare the chocolate buttercream frosting:

In a large bowl, cream cocoa and butter over double boiler.

Add-in sugar and continue whisking till fully incorporated.

Add-in milk, whisk till frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 200 °C.

Line a 10 x 10 inch pan (or also 10 x 15 inch for thinner cake) with parchment paper and grease the paper surface with butter; set aside.

In a bowl, mix together flours; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and cinnamon powder, whisk the mixture over double boiler till pale, creamy and glossy (about 5 minutes).

Remove from double boiler and continue whisking till cool completely (about another 2 minutes).

Gradually, fold-in flours mixture and stir well till homogeneous batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with spoon or spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean (do the check by 1o minutes).

Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack together with parchment paper.

Run a spatula or knife all around the edges and bottom of the cake.

Inverse cake on to a large plastic wrapper (upside down) and peel off the parchment paper.

Spread-on chickpeas chocolate paste and roll cake up by the help of the plastic support into tight cylinder.

Wrap up properly with the plastic support and keep in refrigerator till set (several hours).

Carefully, unwrap the cake.

Trim both ends and cut one end out diagonally with the size about 2 inches as the branch.

Join two pieces of cakes together on a cake plate to form yule log and frost the prepared chocolate buttercream all over the surface.

Streak the surface with fork to resemble bark and decorate accordingly with meringue mushrooms.

DONE !

Teochew Braised Pork Knuckle (Pak Lou/Pak Lo)

Ingredients:

500 g pork knuckle (note: this recipe is best cook with duck meat)
3 cups water
3 tbsp black rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tbsp 5 spice powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 clove garlic, pounded
1 (3 inch ) galangal, crushed
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp sugar or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
6 cups hot boiling water

Dipping Sauce:

1 clove garlic, pounded
2 tsp sugar or to taste
2 tbsp white rice vinegar

Method:

Clean pork knuckles by plucking-off hair and scraping the surface of rind to remove dirt; set-aside.

In a pot, boil 3 cups of water with 3 tbsp vinegar, blanch pork knuckle thoroughly for few minutes, drain and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together 1/2 tsp salt and five spice powder, rub the mixture all over the pork knuckle and allow to marinade for at least few hours.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or non-stick deep pan over medium high heat, saute garlic till fragrant.

Add-in galangal and saute till aroma.

Add-in dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar, continue stirring till fully incorporated.

Add-in pork knuckle, turn to evenly coat with gravy and shrunk slightly.

Add-in hot water, allow to simmer for 3 hours or till pork knuckle is tender and cook thoroughly and the gravy is thicken (turn the pork knuckle occasionally).

Add-in salt and adjust the taste accordingly.

Dish-up, best serve with dipping sauce and accompany with rice.

To prepare the dipping sauce, mix all ingredients together, bring to boil and it is now ready to apply.

Spiral Curry Puffs with Sweet Potato Curry Filling

Ingredients:

Curry Sweet Potato Filling:

1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 onion, diced
2 ½ tbsp curry powder
1/2 tbsp sambal omelek chili paste
1/4 tsp sugar or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp white pepper or to taste
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp oil

Pastry:

Outer/Water Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1/6 tsp salt
15 g butter
1/2 cup water

Inner/Oil Dough
1 cup all purpose flour
70 g butter

oil for deep-frying

Method:

Filling:

Heat oil in wok or non-stick pan, stir-fry onion till fragrant and golden brown.

Add-in sweet potatoes cubes, stir-fry for another 2 minutes.

Add-in curry powder and chili paste, stir-fry still fragrant (about 1 minute).

Pour-in water, stir for short while to incorporate.

Add-in salt and pepper, continue stir fry till sweet potato is soften, cooked thoroughly and the gravy is thicken (almost dry).

Remove from heat and leave aside to cool.

Pastry:

Water Dough:

Mix flour, salt and butter in a large bowl, knead thoroughly.

Add-in water and continue the kneading process till form a smooth dough; set aside covered to rest for 30 minutes.

Oil Dough:

Mix flour and butter, knead till dough is smooth and soft, leave to rest covered for 30 minutes.

Assembly:

Roll out both water dough and oil dough into long sausage shape and divide each dough into 6 portions.

Roll out a piece of water dough, fill-in a piece of oil dough and wrap up to form dough ball.

Flatten, roll out flat and roll up into a swiss roll.

Repeat the rolling and flattening process for three times.

For the last roll up into a swiss roll, cut dough roll into two pieces with a sharp knife.

Face the cut side down, flatten and roll out to form a circular pastry.

Place enough filling in the center and fold pastry over to make a half circle, pleat the edges to seal.

Repeat the assembly process for the rest of doughs' pieces.

Deep-fry over high heat until golden brown.

Drain on absorbent paper and best serve warm.

Yield 12 pieces of spiral curry puffs.

Pandolce Genovese (Genoese Sweet Christmas Bread)

Pandolce Genovese is a Genoese sweet bread, very similar to Panettone Milanese but heavier, denser, not as risen and circular in shape while Panettone is very well-known of it fluffy lightness texture and tall dome in shape, in which it dough raised three times over a twenty-hours period or more. Like Panettone, Pandolce is a traditional Christmas dessert.



















Thanks to Diego and Moreno for this cute Christmas reindeer soft toy that bought from Finland. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp dry instant yeast or 15 g fresh yeast
60 g butter
1 egg (additional 3 egg yolks will soften the bread texture and reduce the dryness)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon zest
2 cups all purpose flour (tipo o)
1/4 cup cake flour
8 tbsp raisin, soaked
4 tbsp diced dried mango (original recipe calls for citron and candied orange)
4 tbsp diced dried plums
20 g pine nuts

Method:

Grease a cake pan (18 cm in diameter) with butter; set aside (for hemisphere shape Pandolce, simply use smaller cake pan or double up the recipe).

Dissolve yeast in warm milk, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar, salt and lemon zest till pale, thick and glossy.

Add-in egg and whisk till completely incorporated.

In another large bowl, mix together flours, make a hole in the center of flours mixture, pour-in slowly the yeast solution, gradually add-in the butter mixture.

Knead the mixture for 10 minutes to form a homogeneous dough.

Add-in raisins, dried mango, dried plums and nuts, gently knead the dough to well-spread the fillers.

Transfer dough to the prepared pan, form dough into circular shape and leave dough at warm corner covered to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 200 °C.

With a knife, make a triangle cut on top of dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven, and set aside to cool completely.

Meringue Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 110 °C.

Line a big baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg white with cream of tartar till very foamy.

Gradually, add-in sugar and continue whisk till stiff peak form.

Spoon the meringue into a cone shape plastic bag with 1/2 inch round tip.

By holding the bag perpendicularly 1/2 inch about the surface of parchment paper, alternatively pipe the mushroom caps by squeeze out a half sphere meringue (diameter about 1.25 inch) and pipe the mushroom stems by squeeze out a 0.75 inch base and pull bag upward for tapering off to a point at the top with 1 inch tall.

With a damp fingertip, gently smooth the pointy tips of mushroom caps.

Dust mushroom caps with cocoa powder.

Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until dry and firm to handle.

Remove from oven, carefully make a small hole in the flat side of each caps with the tip of bamboo skewer.

Brush the flat side of each caps with chocolate paste.

Dip stem tip into chocolate paste and insert the tip into the hole of mushroom cap to join.

Set complete mushrooms aside to cool completely and firm.

Yield 14 pieces of mushrooms.

Tang Yuan (Tong Yun/汤圆) in Mung Bean-Sago Dessert Soup

Tang Yuan is a dish of glutinous rice balls served in a sweet broth. In Southeast Asia Chinese culture, it is traditionally served on Dong Zhi or known as winter solstice. We welcome the winter by eating Tang Yuan and become one year older.



















Ingredients:

Mung Bean and Sago Dessert Soup:

1/2 cup mung bean
5 ½ cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar or to taste
1 ½ tbsp sago

Tang Yuan:

5 cups water
3/4 cup glutinous rice flour
1 ½ tbsp sugar
2 tbsp hot boiling water
1/3 cup water
dust of pink food coloring

Method:

Boil mung bean in water covered for about 40 minutes or till softened and cooked thoroughly (I use rice cooker).

Add-in sugar, stir to dissolve (adjust the taste accordingly).

Spread-in Sago and stir continuously for another 15 minutes or till sago is transparent.

Turn off the heat and set aside covered till cool completely.

To prepare the Tang Yuan, line a big tray with kitchen towel; set aside.

Bring 5 cups of water to boil (I use rice cooker again).

Dissolve sugar in 2 tbsp hot boiling water.

In a large bowl, mix flour with the prepared sugar syrup.

Gradually, pour-in 1/3 cup water while kneading till achieve soft and smooth dough (add more water if the dough become too dry to handle or continue the kneading process if the dough appears to be too wet).

Divide dough into two portions.

Dust-on food coloring powder to one portion, knead till the color is fully incorporated but remain it soft and smooth texture (sprinkle-on little bit water to ease the color spreading process).

With both hand palms, roll each dough to long strip shape (diameter about 1 ½ cm).

Divide strips into small cubes (length about 1 ½ cm).

With both clean hand palms, shape the cubes into Tang Yuan balls and drop on to the prepared tray (avoid balls from touching each other).

Drop all the Tang Yuan balls into boiling water.

Once Tang Yuan balls float up, drain well and run with cool water (best with ice cooling water) till completely cool down.

Add the drained Tang Yuan into mung bean-sago dessert soup and it is ready to serve.

Quick and Easy Lemon Yogurt Cake with Cherry Jam Filling

Ingredients:

100 g butter
1 ½ cup sugar (reduce to 1 cup sugar if using sweetened yogurt)
2 egg
125 g plain yogurt
2 tsp zest of lemon

1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1 ½ tbsp cherry jam

Syrup:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp zest of lemon

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

Lightly grease a springform cake pan (18 cm in diameter) or 11 x 25 cm loaf tin, dust bottom and side of pan with bread crumbs and tapping out excess; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk all the cake ingredients together till yield homogeneous batter.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, fill-in a layer of cherry jam in middle and pour-in the remaining batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile to prepare the syrup, mix all the syrup ingredients in a pan, cook till sugar dissolves; set aside.

Remove cake from oven, let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Run a thin flexible knife or spatula around the pan to loosen the cake, transfer cake onto a plate and pour the prepared syrup all over the warm cake; set aside to allows it to soak till cool completely.

Serve chill or at room temperature.

Dry Curry Mussels

Ingredients:

1 kg Mussels with shell
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 thumb (1 inch) fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 ½ tbsp soy bean paste or to taste
1/3 tbsp sambal omelek chili paste or to taste
2 tbsp curry powder or fish curry powder
125 g low fat plain yogurt
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Method:

Rinse mussels with running water and steam the mussels until open (about 2 or 3 minutes).

Remove the opened mussels from heat and let cool.

Pull mussels out from shell, clean and set aside.

Add cornstarch into yogurt; set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or non-stick deep pan over medium high heat.

Stir-fry garlic and ginger until fragrant and starting to be golden brown (about 2 minutes).

Add-in onion, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till aroma.

Add-in mussels, stir-fry for a short while.

Add-in the seasonings, for instead soy bean paste, chili and curry powder, stir well to mix evenly.

Pour-in cornstarch-yogurt mixture, stir continuously to thicken the gravy and for homogeneous coating.

Dish-up and best serve hot immediately with rice, roti, bread or bun.

Crystal Skin Chives Dumplings (Koo Cai Kuih/韭菜粿)

Ingredients:

Chives Filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used shallot oil but garlic oil, sesame oil or other cooking oil work fine too)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dried shrimp, soaked and drained
3 cups diced Chinese chives (about 1 cm length)

Crystal Skin Pastry:

1 ½ cup wheat starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 salt
300 mL boiling water
3 tsp shallot oil/lard/garlic oil/sesame oil

Method:

To prepare the filling:

Heat oil in a wok or pan over moderate high heat, stir-fry garlic till fragrant and golden yellow.

Remove from heat and let to cool to room temperature.

Reserve 2 tbsp garlic oil for dumplings surface brushing and mix the remaining garlic oil with the rest of the filling ingredients, stir-well to incorporate; set aside.

To prepare the pastry:

In a large bowl, mix wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt.

Pour-in boiling water and immediately stir to mix by the help of chopstick to form dough, set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Knead dough till smooth and homogeneous texture.

Add-in fragrant oil and knead to incorporate homogeneously.

Divide dough into 18 equal portions and shape to dough balls.

Cover dough balls with moist towel before start to assembly dumplings.

Dumplings assembly:

Lightly grease a surface of large plastic wrapper.

Plate-on a dough ball, flatten with oily hand palm and press outward evenly from center of the pastry to about 3 mm thickness by oily fingers.

Alternatively, cover dough ball with another piece of greased plastic wrapper, rolling out dough ball thin via rolling pin.

Lift up carefully the pastry by the help of greased thin spatula or knife and place-on oily hand palm.

Put-on enough chives filling in the middle of the pastry, fold-up pastry in half, press well all edges to seal and pleat accordingly to shape.

Place the filled dumplings on parchment paper and steam over high heat for about 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately brush-on the reserved garlic oil.

Best serve hot immediately with chili sauce.

Singapore Fried Rice Vermicelli Noodles (星洲炒米粉)

Ingredients:

150 g rice vermicelli (mee hoon)
1 egg, seasoned with 1 tsp light soy sauce and 1/8 tsp pepper, beat and scrambled with 2 tsp oil
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion/shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup diced chicken/pork meat
3 prawn, removed shell
2 chinese dried mushroom, soaked and thinly sliced (reserved the mushroom water)
1 fresh red chili, removed seeds and thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 stalk spring onion, sliced long
1/4 cup reserved mushroom water

Seasoning:

1/2 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp shao xing wine or any rice cooking wine
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper or to taste

Method:

Soak noodles in cold water bath until soften (at least 30 minutes) and drain well; set aside.

In a bowl, mix together all the seasoning ingredients; set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or deep non-stick pan over high heat, stir-fry garlic, onion and ginger until fragrant and starting to be golden brown.

Add-in meat slices and/or prawn, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till almost cooked.

Add-in rice noodles and seasoning mixture, stir-fry to well-mix the ingredients and seasoning spread out evenly.

Add-in bean sprouts, red chili and spring onion, sprinkle-on mushroom water, stir-fry for another 3 minutes or till bean sprouts just right cooked thoroughly (meantime, adjust the taste accordingly with salt and pepper if desired).

Dish-up and best serve immediately.

Orange Cookies

Ingredients:

70 g butter
3/4 cup (75 g) caster sugar
2 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 egg

Method:

Preheat oven to 165 °C.

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar till pale and crumbly.

Add-in orange zest and orange juice, stir to incorporate fully.

Stir-in flour, stir quick to mix.

Add-in egg and stir again till reach homogeneous dough.

Place dough into a plastic wrapper.

Wrap-up well and leave in fridge to cool for at least 30 minutes or up to few days till use.

Remove solid dough from fridge.

Place dough in between two large pieces of lightly greased plastic wrapper.

With rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/4 inches thickness.

Remove the top layer of plastic wrapper and cut dough according with cookie cutter to the preference shape (if dough turn out to be too soft for shaping after sometime of preparing, return the dough to fridge for another 30 minutes or till set again).

Place cookies onto the prepared tray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or till golden brown and aroma.

Yields 80 cookies.

Hainanese Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole or half chicken, cleaned and pat dry

Marinade:

2 tsp garlic powder
1 thumb (3 cm) fresh ginger, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp sweetened soy sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Dipping Sauce:

2 fresh red chili, chopped
2 clove garlic, chopped
3 slices fresh ginger, chopped
1 tbsp chicken stock
1 lime juice or 1 ½ tbsp white rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.

Rub the marinade mixture all over the dried chicken, internally and externally; set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 220 °C.

Place chicken in roasting pan or rotatable roasting rod and roast for 20 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 180 °C and continue the roasting till the chicken is brown and crisp (for about another 20 minutes).

Alternatively, pan-fry each side of chicken for 15 minutes or till the skin is golden brown, reduce heat and cooked covered for another 10 minutes or till cooked thoroughly.

Remove from heat, rest chicken for about 15 minutes and slices to bite sizes if desired.

Serve as appetizer or with rice along with dipping sauce.

To prepare the dipping sauce, just blend all the dipping sauce ingredients to a homogeneous paste and ready to serve.

Spicy Fragrant Crostini with Cheese Topping

Ingredients:

2 Italian bread, sliced to 1/4 inch thickness
45 g butter, melted
1 ½ tbsp tomato puree
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/3 tsp salt
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese for topping

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 °C.

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together butter, tomato puree, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper powder and salt.

Stir well to incorporate the ingredients to give a homogeneous batter.

With a spatula, spoon or knife, spread enough batter onto a side of each bread slices.

Line stuffed bread slices onto the prepared tray.

Sprinkle-on cheese and broil in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or till fragrant and toasted.

Remove from oven and ready to serve alone or along with porridge or soup.

Schweinshaxe (German Crispy Skin Pork Knuckle/Hock/Shank)

Ingredients:

1 (600 g) pork knuckle
3 cups water

1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, roughly cut
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp black peppercorn, cracked
5 cups water
1 tbsp salt
enough oil for deep-frying

Method:

Clean pork knuckle by plucking-off hair and scraping the surface of rind to remove dirt.

In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil.

Add-in pork knuckle to scald for 1o minutes.

Drain well and again, clean the pork knuckles by plucking-off any leftover hair and scrape the rind; set-aside.

In a pot, add-in pork knuckle, onion, carrot, black peppercorns, garlic and water, cooked covered for 2 hours or till the pork knuckle is soften and tender.

Remove the pork knuckle from the pot (reserves the stock) and drain well with the help of running fan for about 30 minutes or till dried.

In another pot, heat oil over high heat.

Deep-fry the pork knuckle till golden brown and crispy (about 20 minutes).

Remove from oil and drain well on paper napkins.

Transfer the pork knuckle onto a serving plate.

Add-in enough the reserved stock and serve warm with cooked vegetables salad, vegetable balls or mashed potatoes.

Quick and Easy Swiss Chard Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

300 g swiss chard (bietole) or any dark green vegetable
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp chicken/meat slices or shrimp/dried shrimp (optional)
2 tbsp water (add bit more if preferred)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
deep-fried crispy shallot for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

Clean vegetable under running water and drained well.

Start from the stem, cut vegetable into 1 inch length.

Keep the stem and dark green leaf separated; set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or non-stick pan over medium high heat.

Stir-fry garlic until fragrant and starting to be golden brown (about 1 minutes).

Add-in meat slices or shrimp, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till cooked.

Add-in the stem, stir-fry for a short while (about 1 minute).

Add-in the remaining vegetable and stir-fry for another short while (about half minute).

Reduce heat to low, sprinkle-on water and salt, stir-fry till the vegetable is homogeneously cooked thoroughly (about half minute).

Dish-up and sprinkle on fried shallot.

Serve hot immediately with rice.

Sweet and Spicy Ginger-Garlic Gravy Fish

Ingredients:

1 fish, (I used European sea bass or branzino)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 thumb (1 inch) fresh ginger, thinly sliced

Gravy:

6 tbsp vegetable oil
3 inches fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 bulb garlic, finely chopped
1 fresh red chili, finely chopped
3 tbsp water (add bit more water if necessary)
4 ½ tsp sugar or to taste
1 ½ tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Clean fish, rub fish well with salt and pepper and set aside to marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Line base of a heat resistance plate with half of sliced ginger.

Place fish on top of the prepared plate and line the remaining ginger on top of the fish.

Steam covered over high heat for about 10 minutes or till the fish is just right cooked-thorough.

Dish-up and plate on a serving plate; Set aside.

To prepare the gravy, heat oil in a pan over medium high heat, stir-fry garlic and fragrant and golden (about 5 minutes).

Add-in chili, stir-fry for another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle-on water, salt and sugar.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and pour the gravy onto the cooked fish.

Serve hot immediately with rice.

Spicy Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red chili, chopped
2 tomato, peeled, cut in half and grated
1 ½ cup rice, best use with long-grain or parboiled type, washed and drained well
1/2 tsp ground turmeric powder or 1/4 tsp saffron with 300 mL white wine
1 ½ cup chicken/fish stock
400 g seafood mix
1/2 cup canned/frozen birds eyes peas
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 lemon, finely grated the rind
1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste

Method:

Dissolved turmeric powder in stock (if using turmeric powder) or alternatively toast saffron gently in a small pan till aroma, pour-in wine and bring to boil, remove from heat (if using saffron); set aside.

Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat, stir-fry garlic and onion till fragrant (about 2 minutes).

Add-in rice and chili, stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

Add-in grated tomato, stir for short while, remove from heat and transfer the rice mixture into rice cooker.

Pour-in stock and saffron solution (if using saffron), let simmer covered for about 10 minutes.

Stir-in seafood mix, peas, parley, lemon rind, salt and pepper.

Continue to simmer covered till rice is cooked (another 5-10 minutes), adjust the taste with salt and pepper when the rice still warm.

Serve warm.

Basic Thin Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup warm water

1 cup all-purpose flour (Tipo O)
2/3 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
cornmeal for dusting

Basic Toppings (A Must):

1/2 cup tomato puree
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2/3 tsp salt
150 g mozzarella cheese (best serve: hot/warm) or stracchino cheese (can be served at room temperature), shredded

Choice of Toppings:

cheese: mozzarella, stracchino, fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan and/or grana
vegetable/herb: onion, garlic, spinach, mushroom, artichokes, asparagus, eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, corn, peas, olive, rucola, zuccini, capers, oregano and/or chili
poultry: egg and/or cooked chicken
meat: bacon, sausage, ham, salami and/or bresaola
fish: tuna and/or anchovies

Method:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oil, and salt.

Make a hole in the center of flour mixture, pour-in slowly the yeast solution, gradually add-in the remaining water alternate cover-in with the surrounding dry flour.

Knead the mixture from outside-in to form smooth and elastic dough.

Leave dough at warm corner covered to rise for 1 1/2 hours or till double in size.

Grease a pan (28 cm in diameter) with extra virgin olive oil ; set aside.

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

In a bowl, combine tomato puree, oil and salt; set aside.

Punch down the risen dough, form into dough ball, turn the dough out onto a large working surface dusted with plenty of cornmeal.

Flatten the dough, hold it vertically at one edge and rotate, allowing gravity to stretch it, lay the stretched pizza base onto the prepared pan, press the dough outward very thin from the center to form large pizza base circle, sprinkle-on cornmeal all the way around the edge (if desired, fold-in about 1/2 inch of all side dough and pinch it up to yield a raised or rim before sprinkling-on cornmeal).

Alternatively, use a floured rolling pin and roll out the dough into thin crust circle (if the dough springs back, let it rest a minute or two, or chill it in the fridge, and continue to work it out again) before laying onto the prepared pan.

Pour the tomato puree mixture onto the center of the prepared pizza crust, spread-out the liquid mixture evenly via spoon (limit the liquid mixture spreading for about 1 inch apart from outer edge).

Arrange-on the favorite toppings (normally up to 4 choices).

Bake pizza on the lowest oven rack in a preheated hot oven.

Occasionally, check the underneath of pizza by lifting up the crust, rotate it during halfway baking for an even cooking (If the bottom is still pale while the top seems almost done, turn the oven temperature down and leave the pizza in longer).

Once the crust is lightly browned (about 8 minutes), sprinkle-on cheeses, continue bake the pizza for an additional 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and start to be bubbly.

Remove pizza from oven, and slide out onto wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato-Coconut Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown cane sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3 tbsp corn flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato (about 1 medium)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup thick coconut milk

Whipped Cream Frosting:

200mL whip cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Method:

Grease a cake pan (18 cm in diameter), dust bottom and side of pan with bread crumbs and tapping out the excess; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder and cinnamon; set aside

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff peaks; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk yolk and sugars till pale and fluffy.

Add-in oil and milk, beat till well blended.

Stir-in sweet potato.

Gradually, fold-in the dry mixture.

Gently, fold-in the stiffed egg whites.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool thoroughly.

To Make Whipped Cream Frosting:

Begin with thoroughly chilled cream and beater.

Whip the cream on medium speed until slightly thickens.

Add-in sugar and vanilla extract or any flavoring and continue whipping the cream until soft peaks formed (The peak should bend over at the top of the whisk).

Prepare in advance, keep in refrigerator and frost the cooled cake later.

Coconut/Thengai Burfi

Ingredients:

1 cup dessicated/freshly grated coconut
1 cup sugar
1/3 water
4 tsp besan/gram/chickpeas flour
6 tbsp ghee

Method:

Greases a vessel with size about 5 x 4 x 1 1/2 inches; set aside.

In a nonstick pan, boil sugar in water till becomes a thick syrup (soft ball consistency).

Add-in coconut and keep-stirring.

Once mixture starts to thicken, add-in flour, stir-constantly till incorporated well.

Add-in ghee, continue stirring for another 1 minute or till well-mix (not to overcooked as it will lead to dry coconut and sugar flakes).

Remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared vessel; set aside to lightly cool down for 10 minutes.

Cut into desired size and shape while still warm with sharp knife.

Set aside to completely cool down before storing into airtight container.

Drunken Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 (600 g ) chicken, cleaned

Marinade A:

1/2 tsp salt
3 thumbs (1 inch) fresh ginger, sliced
1 stalk spring onions, crushed and roundly cut
1 1/2 tbsp Shao Hsing wine

Marinade B:

1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 cup Shao Hsing wine

Dressing:

3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken stock
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

Garnish:

spring onion, or
coriander leaves

Method:

Rub chicken with marinade A, leave in fridge covered for at least 1 hour.

On a heat resistance plate, line half of the ginger slices and spring onion of marinade A on bottom, place-on chicken, then the remaining ginger and spring onion on top of the chicken.

Steam the prepared chicken over high heat for 30 minutes or till cooked-thoroughly.

Retain the chicken stock and cut the cooked chicken into serving sizes (commonly at the joints)

Rub hot chicken with pepper and salt of marinade B, plate into a container (not to oversize).

Mix together chicken stock (remove as much oil as possible from the surface of stock) with wine, pour on the chicken and leave the chicken to immerse under wine solution covered in fridge for at least 12 hours or preferentially 24 hours (turn the chicken occasionally for proper soaking).

To serve, remove chicken from fridge, set aside to achieve room temperature, further chop the chicken into bite sizes if desire, arrange on a serving plate, mix-well all the dressing ingredients and drizzle-on the chicken, sprinkle-on garnish, ready to serve (commonly serves cold) alone or with rice.

Chocolate-Pistachio Semifreddo with Espresso Sauce

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp whisky
1 cup whipping cream
40 g pistachio, coarsely crushed
60 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Espresso Sauce:

3/4 cup espresso coffee
3/4 cup sugar
40 g bittersweet chocolate
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

Line a container (size about 7 x 10 x > 1 inches ) with food plastic wrap by covering the bottom, all side walls and also some extension for top surface; set aside.

In a large bowl, fill with cold water or ice water; set aside.

In a heat resistance bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and whisky over simmering water for about 1o minutes or till pale, thick and glossy.

Remove from heat and transfer to the prepared cold water bath, continue whisking the mixture till cold.

In another large bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff peaks; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk cream till soft peaks (it can be prepared a day or few in advance and keep in fridge covered till use); set aside.

Gradually, fold-in the stiff egg whites into yolks mixture.

Gently, fold-in stiff cream and mix carefully to incorporate.

Add-in chopped chocolate and pistachio crush, stir-well to mix (reserves some choclate and/or pistachio to base the container if desire).

Spoon into the prepared container, cover the filling all over with the extended plastic wrap, keep in freeze till firm (at least 2 hours).

To prepare the espresso sauce, cooks together hot brewed espresso with sugar and chocolate over low heat, stir constantly till the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is smoothed, remove from heat, stir-in lemon juice and mix well (the sauce can be prepared in advance and keep in fridge covered till serve).

To serve, unwrap the firmed semifreddo, invert on a plate with bottom side up, cut into serving size with sharp knife, plate on individual serving plates, let to stand for few minutes while at the same time, warm the espresso sauce, drizzle a tablespoon or more if desired of the warm/room temperature espresso sauce onto the semifreddo, ready to serve.

Serves 8 persons.

Coconut-Peanut Crisps

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup roasted peanut powder
1 egg
1 cup castor sugar
100 g butter

Garnish:

1 egg yolk, beat lightly
chopped raisin
dessicated coconut

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine together flours, baking powder, dessicated coconut and peanut powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar till pale, thick and glossy.

Gradually, fold-in the flours mixture into the egg mixture (it will be like breadcrumb).

Add-in butter, knead till forms smooth dough, cover dough in a container.

Take out enough dough and place between two plastic paper, roll out to about 1/2 cm thick.

Cut the dough with cookies cutter into the desired shapes and line on the prepared baking tray.

Brush surface with egg yolk, press-in a piece of chopped raisin and sprinkles with dessicated coconut (repeat steps till dough is finished or refrigerates the dough for a break).

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden color.

Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack before storing.

Yields 152 cookies.

Mysore Pak

Ingredients:

1 cup ghee
1 cup besan/gram/chickpeas flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 water


Method:

Greases a vessel with size about 5 x 4 x 1 1/2 inches (deepness at least 1 1/2 inches); set aside.

In a nonstick pan, melt 1 tsp ghee.

Add-in besan flour and roast for 2-3 minutes by continuous stirring.

Remove from heat and set aside.

In a wok or pot, heat the remaining ghee till very hot, keep hot on flame.

In another nonstick pan, boil sugar in water till becomes a thick syrup (arrange the hot ghee near to the sugar syrup).

Add 1/4 cup of hot ghee into sugar syrup.

Gradually, stir-in the flour.

Occasionally, pour-in the hot ghee into the flour-sugar mixture while keep stirring the flour-sugar mixture.

Once the ghee separates from dough and mixture thickens, remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared vessel; set aside to lightly cool down for 15 minutes.

Cut into desired size and shape while still warm with sharp knife.

Homemade Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Ingredients:

450 g butter

Method:

In a nonstick pan, melt butter over moderate heat, bring to boil with stirring till foamy.

Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or till the solution changes color from cloudy yellow ti clear golden color, develops pop-corm aroma, stops foaming with crackling noises, a thin light tan layer with crusts on nearly motionless surface appeared and milk solids at bottom changes color from white to tan.

Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Drain the ghee via cheesecloth into a jar.

Yield 2 cups ghee.

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

250 g paneer/hariali mava/khoya or ricotta cheese
6 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
oil for deep-frying

Sugar Syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Method:

To prepare sugar syrup, boil sugar in water via stirring till the sugar is fully dissolved and sticky (not to over boiling), set aside and keep warm.

In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda.

Add-in cheese, mash and knead the mixture to make a medium-hard dough.

Pick-up enough dough and gently roll with hand palms into bite-size smooth balls; set aside covered with wet kitchen towel.

In a deep pan or wok, heat oil over medium-low heat.

Slip-in balls one by one into the hot oil from the side of pan (dough balls will sink to the bottom of the pan and not to overlap each other).

Not to stir as the dough balls are very soft but shake the pan gently for even frying for the first 10-15 minutes (balls will expand and rise to surface after 5 minutes).

Once balls start to change color (after 10-15 minutes), agitate the pan gently and constantly to ensure even browning till to the desired color of golden brown (another 15 minutes).

Drain on paper napkin then transfer immediately into hot syrup; leave gulab jamun immerse in syrup for at least 2 hours or better overnight for best result.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Zhu Jiao Chu (Black Vinegar Pork Knuckle)

Ingredients:

1 or 2 (500-1000 g) pork knuckles
3 cups water
3 tbsp black rice vinegar

4 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 bulb garlic, crushed or chopped
350 g (3 x 3 inches thumbs) fresh ginger, crushed or sliced to thin strips
2 dried chili
5 - 6 cups water (it will be evaporated for simmering the pork knuckles till tender)
2 cups black rice vinegar
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 hard boiled eggs, gently broke the shell (shell-on for extra calcium; add more if desired)
2 dried chinese mushroom, soaked
1/2 - 1 cup sugar (brown sugar/rock sugar/sugar) or to taste
1 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Clean pork knuckles by plucking-off hair and scraping the surface of rind to remove dirt.

In a pot, boil 3 cups of water with 3 tbsp vinegar.

Add-in pork knuckle to scald for 1o minutes.

Drain well and again, clean the pork knuckles by plucking-off any leftover hair and scrape the rind; cut to 4 pieces; set-aside.

Heat oil in a deep wok or pot, fry ginger and garlic till fragrant and start to golden brown (about 2 minutes).

Add-in the remaining ingredients and lastly pork knuckle, bring to boil covered/uncovered for 30 minutes

Reduce heat and let to simmer covered/uncovered for at least 2 hours or till the pork knuckle is soften and tender (stir occasionally).

Finally, adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt .

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Mua Chi

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp think coconut milk
120 mL water
1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tbsp shallot oil

Coating:

4 1/2 tbsp toasted coarse grounded peanut
2 tbsp sugar

Method:

In a microwable bowl, mix together flour, sugar, coconut milk, water, peanut butter and 1/2 tbsp oil.

Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave and stir-well then return to microwave on high for another minute again (repeat the last two steps till the dough is cooked thorough).

Remove from microwave and stir-well.

Add-in the remaining oil; set aside to cool completely.

Sprinkle-on peanut and sugar to dough.

With greased scissor, cut dough into bite sizes and stir to coat well with the peanut and sugar.

Ready for snacking.

Pistachio-Peanut Sandesh

Ingredients:

250 g paneer or ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
10 toasted pistachio, coarsely grounded
1 tbsp toasted coarse grounded peanut

Method:

Place coarse pistachio and peanut in bowls, respectively; set aside.

In a nonstick pan, mix cheese with sugar over moderate heat till sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is solidified (about 15 minutes, stir constantly).

Remove the pan from heat and stir the soft dough for another half minute.

Pick up enough dough and forms into bite size balls.

Dip each balls, first into peanut bowl to coat-up all the side surface and secondly into pistachio bowl to coat-up the upper surface.

Serve cold.

Banana Chiffon Cake I

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tbsp (18 g) butter
20 mL milk
1/2 cup banana puree (from 1 banana)
1/3 cup cake flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 °C.

In a bowl, combine together flours and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar till frothy; gradually add-in sugar and continue whisking till stiff peaks form (I always whisk egg whites first because I use the same whisk for egg yolks mixture later without washing); set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar till pale, thick and glossy.

Add-in butter and milk, continue whisking till butter is fully incorporated.

Add-in banana puree and whisk well to mix evenly.

Fold-in flours mixtures, stir-well to form homogeneous batter.

Gradually and gently, fold the egg whites mixture into the egg yolks batter.

Pour batter into ungreased chiffon pan (6 inches) and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and immediately invert the chiffon pan on a lifted wire rack.

Leave to stand for 10 minutes or till the cake shrinks all over from pan walls.

With a flexible thin knife or spatula, loose cake from pan and transfer it from pan onto wire rack; let cool completely before cut into serving size.

Curry Fish

Ingredients:

1 fish (I used gilthead seabream or orata)
2 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup curry leaves
tamarind juice (1 tbsp tamarind paste in 2 cups water)
5 tbsp fish curry powder
1 stalk lemon grass, gently crushed
1 tomato, cut into 4 pieces
5 okra (lady finger)
3 green chili
1 cup thick coconut milk
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar or to taste
1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Clean fish and cut into 3 pieces.

Heat oil in a wok or pot.

Stir-fry garlic and onion until fragrant and starting to be golden brown (about 5 minutes).

Add-in curry leaves, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till fragrant.

Add-in tamarind juice and curry powder, stir to incorporate for another 1 minute.

Add-in the remaining ingredients and lastly fish, reduce heat and let to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or till fish is cooked-thorough meanwhile adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt.

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice, roti, bread or bun.

Murukku (Chakli)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup gram/besan/chickpeas flour
1/2 tbsp ajwain/carom seeds
1/2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
27 g (1 3/4 tbsp) melted butter
50 mL lukewarm water
enough oil for deep-frying

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together flours, ajwain seed, sesame seed, red chili powder, garlic powder and salt.

Add-in butter and mix well.

Gradually pour-in water and knead well till soft-wet dough.

Take enough dough and fill into murukku mold (I use thick dry cotton clothes with small hole...God...really hard-works while waiting for my murukku mold to arrive from India :P) .

Press the murukku presser and shape the murukku dough circularly onto individual parchment papers/banana leaves/paper napkins.

Heat oil in a wok or deep pan, carefully slide murukku doughs into hot oil.

Fry both sides on medium high heat till crisp and golden brown (turns the murukku doughs occasionally for even frying).

Filter up murukku from oil and drain on paper towel.

Let cool completely before store into air-tight container.

Chocolate Sweet Buns with Feta Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
30 mL warm water

2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup (7 tbsp) sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk powder (optional if using milk)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp bread improver (optional)

80 mL milk/water
45 g (3 tbsp) butter

8 slices feta cheese, crushed individually
extra butter for surface brushing

Method:

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, egg, salt, milk powder, cocoa powder and bread improver.

Pour yeast solution into the flours mixture.

Gradually pour-in milk and knead to form smooth and soft dough.

Knead-in butter till soft and elastic dough.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces.

On floured hands, flatten dough ball with two palms, fill-in a crushed feta cheese in center, twist all edges together to completely seal and roll this filled dough into smooth ball.

Place the filled buns on parchment paper and leave to rise till double in size covered for about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the proved filled buns together with parchment paper onto a baking tray and bake buns in preheated oven at 180 °C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove buns from oven, brush buns' exposure surface immediately with melted butter.

Brutti Ma Buoni

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup toasted coarse grounded hazelnuts (skinless)
1/4 cup toasted coarse grounded peanuts (skinless)

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

For smooth and pale color version:

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk occasionally egg whites and sugar over gently simmering water for 10 minutes or till hot and opaque.

Remove from heat, continue whisking for another 8 minutes or till thick and glossy.

Stir-in nuts.

Drop heap teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking tray (2 inches apart).

Bake cookies for 15 minutes or till lightly browned.

For rough and darker color version:

Preheat oven to 150 °C.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff.

Add-in sugar and nuts.

Continue whisking and cook over moderate heat till dough detach from side walls and bottom of the bowl (not to overcook, else it will turns to hard cookies).

Remove from heat and drop dollop of doughs on the prepared baking tray.

Bake cookies for 40 minutes or till golden brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to let cool completely.

Yield 26 cookies.

Chinese Steamed Fish

Ingredients:

1 fish (I used gilthead seabream or orata)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

Seasoning:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (2 inches) thumb fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup chinese parsley/coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

Method:

Clean fish, make some gashed on both sides and rub fish well with salt and pepper; set aside to marinade for 30 minutes.

Line base of a heat resistance plate with some ginger strips.

Place fish on top of the prepared plate and line garlic and the remaining ginger on top of the fish.

Drizzle-on soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper.

Sprinkle-on chopped coriander leaves and steam covered over high heat for about 10 minutes or till the fish is just right cooked-thorough.

Dish-up and serve hot immediately with rice.

Ban Jian Kuih (Peanut Pancake)

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp potassium carbonate & sodium bicarbonate solution
2 tsp oil
1 cup milk/water

Filling:

2 tbsp toasted peanut coarse
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter

Method:

In a large bowl, combine together the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add-in potassium carbonate & sodium bicarbonate solution and oil.

Mix well to a smooth batter; set aside covered for at least 2 hours.

Lightly grease a nonstick pan (22 cm in diameter).

Heat the pan over medium heat.

Pour-in all batter, evenly spread the batter via pan swirling or by using ladle.

Once batter turns to translucent (about 5 minutes), sprinkle-on peanut, sugar and butter.

Cook covered for even heating for 15 minutes or till bottom surface become golden brown.

Remove cover, release all sides of pancakes with spatula.

Remove pancake and fold immediately into half; set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut into triangle shape and serve hot.

Crystal Fruits Jelly

Ingredients:

2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp konnyaku jelly powder

Choices of Fruits:

kiwi
grapes
strawberry or any berries
longan
mango
peaches
orange, etc.

Method:

Dice the selected fruits and put into jelly mould.

Bring water to boil, add-in sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add-in jelly powder, keep stirring for 10 minutes or till jelly powder is fully dissolved.

Remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared mould; set aside to cool to room temperature.

Chill covered in fridge for at least 1 hour or till set.

Serve cold.

Yield 14 pieces jelly (size 5 cm).

Penang Asam Laksa (Sour Spicy Tangy Fish Gravy Soup Noodles)

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh or dried thick round rice noodle (laksa noodles)
600 g spanish mackerel fish, cleaned
1500 mL water

250 g shallot, blended
2 tbsp freshly blended chili paste (from 50 dried chili, soaked, drained and blended)
tamarind juice (filtrate of 2 tbsp tamarind paste (asam jawa paste) in 800 mL water)
2 (2 inches) thumbs galangal (lengkuas), crushed
3 stalk lemon grass, crushed
2 wild ginger buds (bunga kantan), crushed
10 sprigs laksa leaves (d/polygonum odoratum/daun kesom), bunched
10 slices dried tamarind skin (asam gelugor/asam keping)
3 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
1 tsp sugar or to taste
3 tsp salt or to taste

Garnish:

wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), finely chopped
lettuce, thinly cut
cucumber, cut into thin strips
red onion, thinly sliced
fresh sprigs mint leaves (daun pudina), stems discarded
pineapple, cut into thin strips
fresh red chili, sliced
sticky prawn paste (haeko/harkou/otak udang), diluted with enough hot water
crispy prawn crackers

Method:

In a large pot, boil fish in water for at least 15 minutes or till cooked.

Remove fish from fish stock and set aside to cool to handlable temperature.

Flake the fish meat and discard bones; set aside.

Filter the reserved fish stock to remove any leftover fish bones.

Return fish stock to flame, bring to boil.

Add-in flaked fish meat and all the remaining ingredients, reduce to moderate heat, left to simmer uncovered for at least 2 hours or till to the desire concentration.

Remove and discard laksa leaves.

Adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt.

Keep gravy hot on low flame till serving.

To prepare the dried noodles; bring enough water to boil, parboil noodles till just right cooked-thorough, remove noodles from boilling water and immediately run under cold water; drain well.

To prepare the fresh noodles, blanch noodles in hot water briefly via the help of sieve.

To serve; assemble individual serving bowls with a handful of noodles in each, add-in a little of each preference garnishs, ladle piping hot gravy over the noodles and garnishs, drain gravy back to stockpot and again ladle piping enough hot gravy over the noodles and garnishs.

Serve hot immediately with a dollop of prawn paste (adjust the amount of prawn paste accordingly to the personal preference) and a crispy prawn crackers on top.

Banana Shortcakes with Peanut Cream Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (2 3/4 cups if not using extra egg yolk)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup mashed banana (2 ripe banana)
1 egg
1 egg yolk (optional)

Peanut Cream Filling:

1 part homemade peanut butter
1 part icing sugar
1/2 part butter

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In another large bowl, beat sugar and butter till pale and creamy.

Add-in banana and egg, beat till fully incorporated.

Add-in flour mixture, mix-well to give soft dough.

By the help of two teaspoons, scoop-up a teaspoonful dough and drop onto the prepared baking tray.

Bake shortcakes for 15 minutes or till lightly browned.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.

To prepare the peanut cream filling: mix-well all the filling ingredients till creamy and fully incorporated; sandwich in between two cooled shortcakes.

Yield 75 pieces peanut cream filled banana shortcakes.