Monday, October 19, 2015

Carrot Salad


Carrot Salad


Ingredients
Carrots, julienned or grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1cm ginger, minced
a pinch of cumin seeds
a pinch of turmeric powder
a squeeze of lemon
1 bunch of parsley, chopped finely
salt, to taste
sugar, to taste

Method :-
1) In a pan, toast the cumin seeds, then add in some oil. Once oil has been heated a little, add in the minced ginger and garlic. Fry until fragrant.
2) Add in sugar to caramelise. Then turmeric, stir a little.  Put in the carrots, a little water and cook until just crunchy. Season with salt and garnish wit finely chopped parley. Eat warm or cold.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Sticky Rice with poached chicken

A play on Hainanese Chicken Rice. Instead of plain rice, I've switched to sticky/glutinous rice. Since sticky/glutinous rice is heavier than plain rice, you don't need too much. In this pic., I've served with green chilli+parsley sauce. The spiciness of this Hungarian green chilli is almost rival to the Asian's bird's eye chilli.

Sticky Rice with Poached Chicken
serves : 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup glutinous rice, cleaned and soaked over night
4pcs of chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 knob of ginger, bashed
2 cloves of garlic, bashed
1 spring onion

cooking oil, for sauté

Chilli sauce
2 chillies, finely chopped
1cm pc of ginger, minced
1 shallot. minced
3 cloves garlic, mince
soy sauce, to taste
cooking oil, for sauté

Method :-
1) Clean and soak rice with enough water to cover rice, overnight.
2) In a pot, stir fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. When fragrant, pour in 1.5 cups of water. Bring it to boil.
3) When water is boiling, put in chicken thighs and only boil it for 1 min. When the chicken thighs have gone white, quickly remove from chicken pieces from the pot, give it a cold water bath. This is to tighten the skin. After bath, return chicken thighs back to the pot , add some salt and cook for another 15 mins.
4) After 15 mins. switch off heat and leave chicken in pot for another 30 mins. 
5) After 30 mins. give chicken thighs another cold bath. Then leave chicken thighs on wire mesh to dry.
6) Cook down the chicken stock for 15 mins. 
7) Meanwhile, get the steamer ready, drain glutinous rice and place rice in steaming dish. Once the chicken stock has been cook down a little. pour it over glutinous rice, just enough to cover rice. Be careful you don't want to drown the rice. You can always add more stock if needed.
8) Steam glutinous rice in high heat for about 15 mins. check for doneness. If needed cook longer r add more stock if too dry. After than check every 5  mins. until rice is done.
9) While waiting for rice to cook, cook the chilli sauce. Heat some in sauce pan, put in minced shallot, garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, add in chilli, cook down the chilli and it is ready. Remove onto serving dish , with oil, season with soy sauce.
10) Serve immediately.






Friday, October 16, 2015

Bone broth


Bone Broth

Ingredients

3 pcs beef bones
1 large onion, peeled left whole
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 knob of ginger, bashed
1 stick of cinnamon, optional
2 carrots, peeled left whole
2 parsnip, peeled left whole
1 celery root, peeled , halved
1 bay leaf
6 pcs black pepper corns
salt, to taste
garnish
1 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1 spring onion green part, chopped

Method

1) Bring 1 litre of water to a boil. Put in the bones, boil it for about 20 mins. After 20 mins. pour away the water, clean the bone a little under cold water.
2)  In a clean pot,put in all the ingredients except for salt, parsley, and spring onion. Pour in enough water to cover all the ingredients in the pot. Bring it boil and then simmer for 2 hours. Remove carrots, onion and parsnip, set aside in fridge until 30 mins. before serving. Continue to simmer soup for another 5hours. After that season with salt and simmer for 1 hour.
3) Finally , use a strainer , strain the soup to get a clear broth. Serve with chopped up carrots, onions, parsnip, parsley and spring onion.

You can serve with vermicelli pasta,rice noodles as well as protein of your choice.



Thursday, October 15, 2015

Dried curry leaves

Dried  herbs and spices obviously can not compare to fresh ones. However, to have dried ones available is better than having none at all :p
I am happy that on our last trip to the capital , I managed to find dried curry leaves. Frankly I haven't cooked with curry leaves before but I do like dishes that use it . For this time, I have just fried them in a little oil and add in the pre-fried onion and use this as topping for dhal. It was delicious!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Crispy Oven-baked chicken


Before the opening of KFC in our town, whenever we crave the famous fried chicken, I make my version of it. Not with 11 herbs and spices, just with 5-spices including salt and pepper.

Crispy oven-baked chicken

Ingredients
chicken pieces

Marinate:-
salt, to taste
white pepper, sprinkle all over
ground cumin, sprinkle all over
smoked paprika, sprinkle all over
garlic powder, sprinkle all over
flour, sprinkle all over
an egg

To coat
bread crumbs

Method
1) Marinate chicken pieces in fridge for at least an hour.
2) After an hour, take out marinated chicken pieces from the fridge, pre-heat oven at 200°c/400°F/Gas 6 for min. of 20 min.
3) When 20 mins. is up, start coating marinated chicken pieces in bread crumbs. Place chicken pieces skin side down on baking dish.
4) Bake for 25 mins. Take out the chicken, turn over and bake for another 15-20 mins. until fully cooked and golden brown.
5) Serve immediately.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Steamed bean curd (tofu) with minced meat

When come to bean curd / tofu, I only a make them a few ways. My all time favourite is this simple ingredients tossed together. You can of course make it meatless.

Steamed bean curd (tofu) with minced meat

300gm white bean curd, cubed
1 purple onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
white pepper, to taste
soy sauce, to taste
toasted sesame seeds
spring onion, to garnish
150-200gm minced pork, Optional

Method
1)  In a steamer, put cubed  bean curd on heat proof serving dish. Steamed for about 10 mins.

2) Meanwhile, In a pan, heat some vegetable oil, sauté sliced onion until golden brown, add in the garlic and continue to sauté a little. Remove from heat and season with soy sauce and white pepper to taste. Pour this seasoned oil over the steamed bean curd. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds spring onions. serve immediately.

3) If serving with minced meat, just sauté and season mince meat. set it aside and just sprinkle over bean curd.




Friday, October 09, 2015

Rough-Puff Pastry


This could not get any easier. It's light and takes only a few folding as compared to real puff pastry. A real keeper.


Notes :-
1) I've adjusted the quantities of ingredients to based on 100gm of butter ; which yielded 12 mini horn shape.
2) I've mix, rolled and folded 3x and left dough in fridge for at least 1/2 hour , following one of the reviews.


Rough-Puff Pastry
via BBC Good Food

Ingredients
250g strong plain flour (changed to 150g regular plain flour)
1 tsp fine sea salt (a pinch)
250g butter, at room temperature, but not soft (100g butter, frozen and cubed.)
about 150ml cold water (about 60ml very cold water)

Method

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Roughly break the butter in small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.
  2. Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.
  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don’t overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.
  4. Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length. Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.


Monday, October 19, 2015

Carrot Salad


Carrot Salad


Ingredients
Carrots, julienned or grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1cm ginger, minced
a pinch of cumin seeds
a pinch of turmeric powder
a squeeze of lemon
1 bunch of parsley, chopped finely
salt, to taste
sugar, to taste

Method :-
1) In a pan, toast the cumin seeds, then add in some oil. Once oil has been heated a little, add in the minced ginger and garlic. Fry until fragrant.
2) Add in sugar to caramelise. Then turmeric, stir a little.  Put in the carrots, a little water and cook until just crunchy. Season with salt and garnish wit finely chopped parley. Eat warm or cold.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Sticky Rice with poached chicken

A play on Hainanese Chicken Rice. Instead of plain rice, I've switched to sticky/glutinous rice. Since sticky/glutinous rice is heavier than plain rice, you don't need too much. In this pic., I've served with green chilli+parsley sauce. The spiciness of this Hungarian green chilli is almost rival to the Asian's bird's eye chilli.

Sticky Rice with Poached Chicken
serves : 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup glutinous rice, cleaned and soaked over night
4pcs of chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 knob of ginger, bashed
2 cloves of garlic, bashed
1 spring onion

cooking oil, for sauté

Chilli sauce
2 chillies, finely chopped
1cm pc of ginger, minced
1 shallot. minced
3 cloves garlic, mince
soy sauce, to taste
cooking oil, for sauté

Method :-
1) Clean and soak rice with enough water to cover rice, overnight.
2) In a pot, stir fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. When fragrant, pour in 1.5 cups of water. Bring it to boil.
3) When water is boiling, put in chicken thighs and only boil it for 1 min. When the chicken thighs have gone white, quickly remove from chicken pieces from the pot, give it a cold water bath. This is to tighten the skin. After bath, return chicken thighs back to the pot , add some salt and cook for another 15 mins.
4) After 15 mins. switch off heat and leave chicken in pot for another 30 mins. 
5) After 30 mins. give chicken thighs another cold bath. Then leave chicken thighs on wire mesh to dry.
6) Cook down the chicken stock for 15 mins. 
7) Meanwhile, get the steamer ready, drain glutinous rice and place rice in steaming dish. Once the chicken stock has been cook down a little. pour it over glutinous rice, just enough to cover rice. Be careful you don't want to drown the rice. You can always add more stock if needed.
8) Steam glutinous rice in high heat for about 15 mins. check for doneness. If needed cook longer r add more stock if too dry. After than check every 5  mins. until rice is done.
9) While waiting for rice to cook, cook the chilli sauce. Heat some in sauce pan, put in minced shallot, garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, add in chilli, cook down the chilli and it is ready. Remove onto serving dish , with oil, season with soy sauce.
10) Serve immediately.






Friday, October 16, 2015

Bone broth


Bone Broth

Ingredients

3 pcs beef bones
1 large onion, peeled left whole
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 knob of ginger, bashed
1 stick of cinnamon, optional
2 carrots, peeled left whole
2 parsnip, peeled left whole
1 celery root, peeled , halved
1 bay leaf
6 pcs black pepper corns
salt, to taste
garnish
1 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1 spring onion green part, chopped

Method

1) Bring 1 litre of water to a boil. Put in the bones, boil it for about 20 mins. After 20 mins. pour away the water, clean the bone a little under cold water.
2)  In a clean pot,put in all the ingredients except for salt, parsley, and spring onion. Pour in enough water to cover all the ingredients in the pot. Bring it boil and then simmer for 2 hours. Remove carrots, onion and parsnip, set aside in fridge until 30 mins. before serving. Continue to simmer soup for another 5hours. After that season with salt and simmer for 1 hour.
3) Finally , use a strainer , strain the soup to get a clear broth. Serve with chopped up carrots, onions, parsnip, parsley and spring onion.

You can serve with vermicelli pasta,rice noodles as well as protein of your choice.



Thursday, October 15, 2015

Dried curry leaves

Dried  herbs and spices obviously can not compare to fresh ones. However, to have dried ones available is better than having none at all :p
I am happy that on our last trip to the capital , I managed to find dried curry leaves. Frankly I haven't cooked with curry leaves before but I do like dishes that use it . For this time, I have just fried them in a little oil and add in the pre-fried onion and use this as topping for dhal. It was delicious!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Crispy Oven-baked chicken


Before the opening of KFC in our town, whenever we crave the famous fried chicken, I make my version of it. Not with 11 herbs and spices, just with 5-spices including salt and pepper.

Crispy oven-baked chicken

Ingredients
chicken pieces

Marinate:-
salt, to taste
white pepper, sprinkle all over
ground cumin, sprinkle all over
smoked paprika, sprinkle all over
garlic powder, sprinkle all over
flour, sprinkle all over
an egg

To coat
bread crumbs

Method
1) Marinate chicken pieces in fridge for at least an hour.
2) After an hour, take out marinated chicken pieces from the fridge, pre-heat oven at 200°c/400°F/Gas 6 for min. of 20 min.
3) When 20 mins. is up, start coating marinated chicken pieces in bread crumbs. Place chicken pieces skin side down on baking dish.
4) Bake for 25 mins. Take out the chicken, turn over and bake for another 15-20 mins. until fully cooked and golden brown.
5) Serve immediately.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Steamed bean curd (tofu) with minced meat

When come to bean curd / tofu, I only a make them a few ways. My all time favourite is this simple ingredients tossed together. You can of course make it meatless.

Steamed bean curd (tofu) with minced meat

300gm white bean curd, cubed
1 purple onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
white pepper, to taste
soy sauce, to taste
toasted sesame seeds
spring onion, to garnish
150-200gm minced pork, Optional

Method
1)  In a steamer, put cubed  bean curd on heat proof serving dish. Steamed for about 10 mins.

2) Meanwhile, In a pan, heat some vegetable oil, sauté sliced onion until golden brown, add in the garlic and continue to sauté a little. Remove from heat and season with soy sauce and white pepper to taste. Pour this seasoned oil over the steamed bean curd. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds spring onions. serve immediately.

3) If serving with minced meat, just sauté and season mince meat. set it aside and just sprinkle over bean curd.




Friday, October 09, 2015

Rough-Puff Pastry


This could not get any easier. It's light and takes only a few folding as compared to real puff pastry. A real keeper.


Notes :-
1) I've adjusted the quantities of ingredients to based on 100gm of butter ; which yielded 12 mini horn shape.
2) I've mix, rolled and folded 3x and left dough in fridge for at least 1/2 hour , following one of the reviews.


Rough-Puff Pastry
via BBC Good Food

Ingredients
250g strong plain flour (changed to 150g regular plain flour)
1 tsp fine sea salt (a pinch)
250g butter, at room temperature, but not soft (100g butter, frozen and cubed.)
about 150ml cold water (about 60ml very cold water)

Method

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Roughly break the butter in small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.
  2. Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.
  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don’t overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.
  4. Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length. Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.