WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH GREMOLATA

This is a super fast and easy Mediterranean soup with the great taste of the region's vivid flavors. This recipe is by Ivy Manning from Cooking Light Cookbook. This is a very healthy soup that only contains 227 calories per serving. I love this soup especially now in the cold weather and eat with no guilt as the Holidays is coming soon.

INGREDIENTS :

Soup:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta
1 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf


Gremolata:

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaves parsley
2 tsp grated lemon grind
1 tsp minced garlic



METHODS:

1. To prepare Soup, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; saute 2 minutes. Stir in onion, celery and 2 tsp garlic; saute 3 minutes or until almost tender.

2. Stir in the chicken broth, water, black pepper, cannellini beans and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. To prepare the Gremolata, combine parsley, grated lemon and garlic in a small bowl and mix it well.

4. Scoop 1 1/2 cup of the soup in a serving bowl and sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp of gremolata over the soup and serve.

HAPPY 65th BIRTHDAY TO A PHARMACIST

My 1st time making a 3D figurine and sofa with gumpaste and rolled fondant. This is a birthday cake for my brother-in-law who is a Pharmacist in his 65th birthday. He loves to sits in his favorite sofa all the times and all the medicines represent his work at Pharmacy in a hospital.

All these lovely footprints represent his children and grandchildren. The flowers represent his sisters and the love shape in G represent his brother.

Everyone really love the outcomes of my creation on the cakes

BENTO#13

It had been along time I didn't post anything on my blog. My camera was broke down after my son took it to Washington. After been repaired, now I can start posting all my new recipe and ideas to all my blogger friends.

This is just a very simple bento that I make yesterday morning for my son. This is a new vacuum bento that's really keep the food warm by lunchtime at school.



This bento I add a Hot Pocket's Pepperoni Pizza and cut into 3 pieces and 3 pieces of pan-fried chicken dumpling. Together with meal, I also packed him a bag of Caprisun Fruit-Punch juice.

Although is it simple but it really look cute....don't you agree???

CREAM CHEESE CHIFFON CAKE

Yesterday while I was browsing all my favorite blogger, I came across to Beachlover blog with this interesting chiffon cake recipe with cream cheese. I immediately dotted down all the ingredients and methods for today's baking.

These few days it have been very cold in Atlanta, Georgia and I am having the mood of baking to make my house warm. This chiffon cake is so soft and fluffy. It's tastes almost the same like Japanese Cheesecake and I totally love it because it's not so sweet and it goes well with any kind of hot or cold drinks.

INGREDIENTS :

(A)
1/2 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp butter

(B)
1 cup cake flour
6 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

(C)
6 large egg whites
1 cup fine granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream tartar



METHODS :

1. Combine all ingredients (A) in a double-boiler, cook until thicken and incorporated. Then set aside to cool down.

2. Preheat oven at 325 F.

3. Sieve all the dry ingredients (B) in a mixing bowl and stir it with a spatula until well combined. Then add in the eggs and the mixture of the ingredients (A), with a hand mixture (with whisk attachment), whisk until well incorporated and the mixture smooth.

4. In another mixing bowl, beat ingredients (C) in high speed until stiff peak and glossy. Then fold in the egg whites mixture to the cake batter in 3 parts.



5. Pour the cake mixture into ungreased 10" tube cake pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.

6. Invert the cake and let it cool completely in the pan. When it's cool, loosen the edges of the pan with a sharp knife and remove the cake gently. Cut into desired size and served.

HOT & SOUR FISH CURRY (GULAI TUMIS)

My another Nonya Cuisine from my favorite cookbook Nonya Flavours. For anyone who love hot and spicy food, should give this recipe a try....it's the yummiest of all and it tastes much much better than those ready make paste.

INGREDIENTS :

Spice paste (to be ground)
50 g dried chilies, soaked in hot water and drained
50 g fresh red chillies, sliced
80 g lemangrass, sliced
20 g old tumeric, skinned and sliced
200 g shallots
40 g garlic
20 g belachan, toasted
3 tsp sugar


250 ml vegetable oil

750 ml water
50 g tamarind pulp
2 tsp salt, or to taste
5 tbsp sugar, or to taste

600 g white fish (Jenahak or white/black Pomfret)
1 ginger flower, halved lengthwise and finely sliced


METHOD :

1. Heat oil in a wok over a low fire and saute the spice paste until oil breaks the surface and separate from the paste, about 15-20 minutes.

2. Mix the tamarind pulp with the water and strain to get tamarind juice. Add to the spice paste in the wok and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

3. Add in the fish slices and finely sliced ginger flower. Simmer until the fish is cooked, about 2-5 minutes, before turning off the fire.

4. Serve with steamed white rice....and ENJOY!!!



NOTE :
The color of the curry is dependent upon the color of the chillies and tumeric. Adjust the gravy consistency to your own preference by adding more or less water.

FRIED LONG BEAN RICE

This is one of my family favorite when I was small. My mom and my sisters love to cook this dish especially on the weekend. Long bean or the yardlong bean, is also known as the long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, snake bean, or Chinese long bean. They are a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, and a very good source for vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and manganese.




Last Saturday at Chinese school, one of my friend gave some of her home grown long beans and I decided to make a fried long bean rice. I like using this method than my mom older method because I like the texture of the rice. The older method is you cook the ingredients until fragrant and add uncooked rice and stir fry until well blended. Then pour into the rice cooker and cook until done.


I don't have the exact measurement for this recipe but here is the main ingredients I used;

Ingredients;
a pot cooked white rice
longs beans, washed and cut into 1/4-inch length
dried shrimps, soaked
dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced thinly
pork belly, sliced thinly

Seasoning Ingredients;
oyster sauce
light soy sauce
dark soy sauce
some Shoaxing cooking wine
salt and pepper to taste


In the wok, add some vegetable oil and stir fry the dried shrimps, dried shiitake mushrooms, long beans and pork belly until fragrant, about 20 minutes. Then add the seasoning ingredients and the cooked rice. Fried until well blend and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it hot and enjoy!!!

PORTUGUESE EGG TARTS

Portuguese-style egg tarts were evolved from "Pastel de Nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry that consists of custard in a creme brulee-like consistency caramelized fashion in a puff pastry case. It was created more than 200 years ago by Catholic Sisters at Jeronimos Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) at Belem in Lisbon. Casa Pastéis de Belém was the first pastry shop outside of the convent to sell this pastry in 1837, and it is now a popular pastry in every pastry shop around the world owned by Portuguese descendants.

The Portuguese-style egg tarts known in Macau originated from Lord Stow's Café in Coloane, owned by a Briton named Andrew Stow. Stow modified the recipe of pastel de nata using techniques of making English custard tarts. It has since become available at numerous bakeries, as well as Macau-style restaurants and KFC restaurant chains in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. There was an egg tart craze in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan in the late 1990s.

My family and I really love this egg tarts especially with coffee or tea. I hope you'll will love this recipe that I found from Rasa Malaysia website.

This is the egg tart that I used with puff pastry. The crust is more flakier than pie tart.

INGREDIENTS :
( To make 12 pie crusts or 16 puff pastry crusts with 4" cookie cutter )

1 box Pillsbury ready pie crust / 1 box thawed ready Puff Pastry
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup of sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract


METHODS :

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray the muffin cups with non-stick butter flavor spray. On a floured cutting board, place the ready pie crust/ready thawed puff pastry and used a 4" cookie cutter to cut out each tart shape. Press down the cut tart into the muffin pan and set aside.

2. With a electric hand mixer, beat all the remaining ingredients for about 4 minutes in a mixing bowl. Strain the mixture through a strainer.

3. Pour the egg mixture into each crust dough about 80-90% full.

4. Bake for about 25-30 minutes then turn the broiler to Hi. Put the muffin pan on the very top of the oven and broil until a little brown crust appear on top of the egg custard.

5. Let it cool completely on a wire rack and serve!!!

This is the egg tart that I use with ready pie crust from Pillsbury. This crust taste more tartness.

BENTO#12

My another bento lunch for my little boy. I was making this on Sunday afternoon since my son had completed doing all his reading on 4 story books.


And so I told him that I'm going to reward him a special lunch in his favorite bento/lunch boxes.



This bento/lunch box I cooked a fried noodles with peas and carrots topping with 2 little cute hotdog squids.



And this bento/lunch box I created a boiled egg and put it in a bear egg mould with a little penguin bottle of sweet soy sauce, some little but very sweet grapes in the cute food picks and some shrimp crackers with a container of sweet chili sauce.

LAMB CHOPS WITH CHIANTI VINAIGRETTE

This recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis from Everyday Italian at Food Network. This is my second times making it and it always the best meal of all. I love lamb chop especially when they are from New Zealand...well..I don't know why!!! So...all my friends who loves lamb chops, do give it a try of this special recipe from my favorite chef at Food Network.

INGREDIENTS :

4 to 6 lamb chops (I used New Zealand lamb chop)
2 cups Chianti wine
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning



METHODS :

1. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Grill until caramel-colored grill marks appear, and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 125 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

2. Meanwhile, place the wine in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil gently until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the honey until dissolved. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.

3. Serve the lamb chops on a platter with a serving bowl of the Chianti vinaigrette alongside for drizzling over the meat.

STEAMED SILKY EGG CUSTARD WITH GROUND PORK

After browsing for so many websites for this silky steamed egg, finally I have an idea to make it like they served in restaurants. This steamed egg custard is so silky like a silken tofu. I'm also thinking of making some egg custard dessert next time with this idea. My hubby and the boys were thrilled by my individual steamed egg custard with ground pork and nothing was leftover...that's what I like it!!!

INGREDIENTS :

For Egg Custard:

625 ml chicken stock
5 large eggs
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp cornstarch


For Marinated Ground Pork

150 g ground pork
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp shallots oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil


METHODS :

For Marinated Ground Pork:

1. In a bowl combine all ingredients until well mixed and cover with a plastic wrap. Refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.


For Egg Custard:

1. Prepared a steamer with some water to boil. Meanwhile, add the eggs into a mixing bowl with the fish sauce. Beat the egg lightly to prevent any bubbles form.

2. Add in the chicken stock into the egg mixture and stir it well.

3. Strain the egg mixture into another clean bowl and set aside.

4. Add some cornstarch into the marinated ground pork and mix it well. In each individual ramekin, divide the ground pork. Then add a little of egg custard into the ground pork and mix it well with a fork so the pork will be more tender when steamed.

5. Then pour all the remaining egg custard into each ramekin and covered them with a foil paper.

6. Steam the egg custard for 15 minutes in a medium fire.

7. Uncovered the ramekin and add some fried shallots on top and serve it hot with steamed white rice.

PANDAN CREPE WITH COCONUT FILLING (KUIH DADAR/TAYAP)

This is one of my hubby favorite snack back from Malaysia. I was so happy to received this special cookbook from my cousin at Malaysia. I had been trying to get this cookbook from all websites and stores and most of them are sold out.

Now I can try all this cookbook recipe and share it with all my blogger friends who are interested in Nonya cuisine.

INGREDIENTS :

For Pandan Juice:
5 pandan leaves, chopped
3-4 tbsp water

For Crepe Batter:
120 g all-purpose flour
1 large egg
300 ml coconut milk mixed with
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp pandan juice / 1 tsp pandan paste
For Filling:
90 g Gula Melaka / Palm sugar, finely chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1 pandan leaf, knotted
50 ml water
1/2 coconut grated (white part only)
1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour

For Coconut Sauce:
150 ml coconut milk
50 g sugar
2 tsp cornstarch/cornflour



METHODS :

1. Combine the pandan leaf and water in an electric blender and blitz for a minute. Wrap the pulverised pandan in a muslin/cheese cloth and squeeze to extract juice, or strain through a fine sieve. Set aside. (P/S: I omit this method and I used pandan paste)

2. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg. Slowly stir in the salted coconut milk and 3 tbsp thick pandan juice / 1 tsp pandan paste. Leave batter to stand while cooking the filling.

3. To cook the filling, combine the palm sugar with the sugar, pandan leaf and water in a pot. Cook cover in a medium flame until sugar dissolves. Strain the syrup and return it to the pot. Add in the grated coconut and cornflour/cornstarch and continue to cook for a few more minutes, about 15-20 minutes. Dish out into a bowl.

4. Heat up a shallow frying pan over a low flame and greased lightly with oil. Pour 2 tbsp of the crepe batter in the centre and swirl the panto coat it to form a thin crepe of about 13-cm / 5-inches diameter.

5. When the crepe is cooked, turn out onto a board (coarse surface facing down).

6. Place 2 heaped tsp of filling on the crepe abd roll up like spring roll style.

7. To cook the coconut sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small pot and mix well. Cook over a slow fire until mixture thickens and boils.

8. Serve the Kuih Dadar with the Coconut Sauce.....yummy!!!!

SALMON WITH DILL CREME FRAICHE & SPECIAL SMASHED POTATOES

This recipe is courtesy of Tyler Florence from Ultimate with Tyler at Food Network. These recipe is very easy to prepare and sure a WOW to everyone who loves salmon.

INGREDIENTS :

For Dill Creme Fraiche:

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp roughly chopped capers
4 cornichons, finely chopped

METHODS :

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined and set aside.


For Special Smashed Potatoes:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs red bliss potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 (10 oz) box frozen pearl onions, defrosted
Pinch sugar
Splash freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 thinly sliced lemons
2 (10 oz ) boxes frozen peas, defrosted
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch watercress, stems trimmed just above the rubber band

METHODS :

Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. If they are large, cut them in half. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain. Stick a fork into the potatoes, 1 at a time, lift them out of the coriander and peel with a paring knife. Toss the potatoes into a bowl and roughly crush them. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil with the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melt. Add the pearl onions, sugar, and lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned, 5-6 minutes. Add the lemon slices, peas, and lemon zest and continue cooking until the peas are hot. Season with salt and pepper. Dump the vegetables over the potatoes in the bowl, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and add parsley, and taste for salt and pepper. Scatter the watercress over the top, fold it in just until it wilts and call it a day.


For Salt & Pepper Salmon:

1 salmon fillet (about 2 pounds), skin on, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

METHODS :

Run your finger up and down the center of the salmon feeling for any pin bones. Remove any that you find with a needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. With a sharp knife cutting across the width of the salmon, divide it into 4 equal portions. Lightly salt the salmon and let sit a couple minutes; this will help you get crispy skin.

Heat a 2-count, about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking. Season the salmon with pepper, and rub about 1 1/2 tbsp butter on the skin side of each fillet. Add the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. To get super crispy skin, cook the salmon almost to completion, about 6 minutes.

Flip the salmon and cook until flesh side is nicely seared, 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the salmon to a platter and served with the Smashed Potatoes and top with some Dill Creme Fraiche.

BENTO#11

It had been a busy days for me since my nephew came to visit us from Malaysia this week. Anyway...this morning I prepared this bento lunch set for my son and he was trilled when he saw what I had made for him. I got this idea from YouTube check it out...is so easy to prepared!!!


In this bento there are 2 hotdog octopus, 2 small piece of Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken), a container of sweet chili sauce and some organic grapes.


These are onigiri (Sushi Rice) with Katsuo-Mirin Furikake and the other one with Naritamago Furikake.


This last bento contains Spinach Tamagoyaki and Potato Salad.

BENTO#10

I think I have never do bento for my youngest son ever since after the Summer Holiday. Anyway...I decided to make it again after receiving my new Penguin weiner and Happy Face punch from Japan.


This is actually a snack for him to bring to school and it's consist of 2 penguin hotdogs, cut cheeses, a happy face rice with some furikake seasoning in a rabbit container and a bear container of sweet chili sauce.

Happy Bento!!!

TIRAMISU BIRTHDAY CAKE

Yesterday was my hubby's birthday and I decided to make him his favorite Tiramisu cake. This cake is always a WOW for my family because the recipe really taste good and not so sweet. I love the cake texture that's so creamy and tasty from the mascarpone cheese.

This recipe I have double up because I want to make a 9" cake and 12 servings. If you wanna make just 6 servings, just reduced the ingredients to half and arranged it the 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

You'll got to try this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis....is really the best of the best!!!

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis of Everyday Italian at Food Network


INGREDIENTS :

12 egg yolks***
6 tbsp sugar
2 lb mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 cups strong espresso, cooled
4 tsp dark rum
48 packaged ladyfingers
1 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish
some white chocolate shavings, for garnish
some fresh raspberries, for garnish


METHODS :

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 2 tbsp of espresso and mix until throughly combined.

2. In a springform pan, layered a parchment paper on the bottom. In a small shallow dish, add remaining espresso and rum and mix it well. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of the springform pan, breaking them in half if nescessary in order to fit the bottom. Arrange the unsoaked ladyfingers standing on the side of the sringform pan. (If you want the ladyfingers to stand just fit in the pan, cut the ladyfingers in desired lenght).

3. Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with the remaining mascarpone mixture.

4. Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 8 hours. (I keep mine in refrigerator for overnite).

5. Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings and raspberries. Let it comes to a room temperature and served.

***RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens Advisory - suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.