Peanut cookies

Lately, all I could think about is food!! It doesnt help that there're so many food blogs offering easy recipes. Like this peanut cookies, preparation took me about 30 mins. only.

The first batch was burnt but guess what? I ate the not-too-burnt ones and I'm hooked! So, I baked it again the next day since it's doesnt require too many ingredients and its ready in a jiffy.

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Verdict : One by one they melt in the mouth..oh, very addictive! You should really try it :)

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Note : First trial the cookies weren't sweet enough. So, i've increased to 1/3 cup of sugar following the recipe of the link below

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Peanuts cookies click here for recipe

source : Little corner of mine


(A)
1 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour/ plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
(B)
1/4 cup sugar (or icing sugar for more melt in the mouth texture)
80g ground coarsed roasted/toasted peanuts
(C)
1/3 cup + 2 Tbp. canola oil

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Method:

1. Sift (A) into a bowl.
2. Add (B), mix well.
3. Add (C), stir with a fork, the mixture will be crumbly.
4. Use your hands, scoop up the mixture and press it into balls. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
5. Glaze the peanut cookies with egg wash.
6. Bake at preheated 350'F oven for 20 minutes. 

Banana Lollies

Banana Lollies - the summer must-eat! Normally I don't fancy those colourful candy confetti, its all just to achieve a nicer photograph. But in this case, everything blended so well..will be making again soon.

Banana Lollies
recipe by foodnetwork (i think)

Ingredients :-
Banana
Bittersweet chocolate, choped
Butter, cubed
toasted walnuts, sprinkling
candy confetti, sprinkling

Method :-
1) melt bittersweet chocolate and butter in double boiler.
2) Dip banana into melted chocolate
3) Sprinkle toasted walnuts or any kind of nuts or sweets for extra flavouring
4) Freeze the lollies in the freezer for 15 mins. and its ready

Pasta with Tuna and hot pepper

One of my best discoveries recently is this recipe from SimplyRecipes. It's so simple that I've been cooking it for the past few Mondays..in fact just ate it for lunch again today ...ah very satisfying!

You can check out the original recipe here which uses arugula. Nowadays since preparing it for few occasions, I didn't bother with the quantity as stated and been doing it my own style.

Ingredients
Pasta (any type)
Canned tuna in oil, drained from oil
Chilli flakes, to taste
a clove of garlic, mince
salt and pepper, to taste
olive or canola oil

Mehtod :
1) cook pasta, al dente
2) heat oil in pan on medium heat. Add garlic and chilli flakes, fry til fragrant. Next, add tuna and shred tuna with a fork, continue to cook for a min. or 2.
3) Pour in the pasta, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir-fry a little more and ready to serve.

Roasted Pork Belly (Chinese style)

The recipe is adapted from Lily's Wai Sek Hong. where the pork should be prepared and marinated overnight, which I didn't have time for. To add to my anxiety was the absence of five spice powder , not available at the stores near me. But am not giving up! So, I home-made the 5-spice powder ( DIY recipe) ;) or rather my version of 2-spice powder as I have omitted szechuan peppercorn, fennel seeds, star anise ..hehe

Verdict : Wow! am sure proud of the result despite the skin being a bit rubbery. I think if I have adhered to Lily's recipe 100% the the rubbery skin would not have occured.

Roasted Pork Belly (Chinese style)
adapted from Lily's Wai Sek Hong


Ingredients
600gm Pork belly
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp five spice powder (just used pinch of clove and cinnamon powder)
1 tsp black pepper

Preparation
1) Preheat oven at gas mark 4 (about 180 degrees celcius)
2) Score the skin of pork belly to get a nice crackling effect
3) Dry fry salt, garlic powder, five spice powder and black pepper for few minutes. Add in sugar into mixture.
4) Rub dry ingredients onto meat and marinade overnight or at least 2 hours (i did it in 30 mins :p
5) Place meat on rack of roasting tray with skin side facing up.
6) Roast for about 40 mins.

Note:-
the crackling effect wasn't to my satisfaction, rectify by dry-frying only the skin in a non-stick pan until achieved the desired effect.

Serving :-
Steaming hot rice with chili dipping sauce

Mother's day

Over here mother's day is celebrated on first Sunday of May, meaning last Sunday. I decided on tiramisu for my partner's mom. Added stawberries syrup in between the layers for a little diff. flavour and colour. It is THE easiest and no-fail recipe..and of course everyone loved it :)

Stuffed chilli peppers

That's the recipe I tried for yesterday's lunch. The usual stuffings that I'm familiar with are mince pork+rice or fish paste. I think meat or fish stuffing + pepper helps to balance the spiciness of the pepper. While this vegetarian version that I tested was packed with spices, take a bite and it'll woken up all your senses! This dish is great with a plate of steamed rice... Ooh la la. This is certainly a keeper!

Stuffed chilli peppers
Recipe from Spice Hut

Ingredients:
8 chilli peppers
2 large potatoes
1 small onion
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp MDH Pav Bhaaji Masala (omitted, since not available)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste, oil for saute

Method:
Peel the potatoes, wrap them in paper towels and cook in the microwave for 8-9 min. Remove, crumble them. Keep aside. Place coriander seeds in a ziploc bag& pound roughly with a rolling pin. Finely chop the onion.

Hold the chilli pepper in the palm of your hand and make a long slit along one side, using a small knife. Remove the seeds & white part inside the pepper with your fingers or spoon. Repeat with all the peppers. When done make sure to clean your hands with soap. Preferrably wear gloves.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onion, saute till translucent. Add the Pav Bhaaji Masala, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, salt to taste. Saute for 2 min. Add the crumbled potatoes & adjust salt. Mix well till potatoes are coated well with the masalas. Turn off stove. Cool this stuffing for a bit.

Pack the stuffing in the prepared chilli peppers. In the same non-stick pan, heat more oil. Once oil is hot, reduce heat to medium low &carefully (use tongs) place the stuffed peppers into the oil, slit side up. Let it cook like this for 5 min.

Turn off stove, remove stuffed chillies and place them in a baking dish. Bake for 15-20 min in a preheated 325 degrees oven. Serve hot.

Changing theme again / Being lazy

Can't made up my mind which one I prefer..hopefully this theme will stick around longer. At least a month!

Yeah, I still owe food-cookies a meme (apologies ^-^) Ah, too lazy to compose anything these days :p By next week , for sure!

Ciao