Onion Pickle

Last Month when I got an email from Bee Jugalbandi, who hosted the Click event, asking me whether I would like to take part in judging for this month Click Event, which theme is Allium ( Onion ), I feel so honored. All I can say is I will learn from everybody from this wonderful experience. For this theme, I made onion pickle, honestly, I just made it this morning, my husband asked me, why have to wait until last minute? I do not know either. Everytime I got an assignment, I only have idea when the last minute come. I always tell myself, next time will be better, however I never change...
Here is the simple recipe for this pickle onion.


Ingredients:

2 carrots, julienne cut
20 red schallots
10 red chillies
1 cucumber, julienne cut
1 cup of vinegar
3 tbs of sugar
pinch of salt

Methods:
Combine all ingredients. Keep cool in fridge.


Below is my picture for Click Event

Chinese Ngohiong Meat Roll

It has been almost a month I did not update my blog. I cook, take pictures, just a bit too busy to type. I have been busy helping my husband with his investment house. It is not fun to plan and shop for a total renovation. However, I did my part well. I miss updating my blog. As I mentioned before, I am not a summer person, but the weather has been kind to me this year. It is a wonderful, quite cool summer. Honestly, I enjoy this summer a lot, especially my youngest one is now 10 month old. She starts having some solid food although I still nursing her. Ok, I will stop give excuse why I did not update my blog. Two weeks ago I made this chinese Ngohiong Meat Roll, it has been long time I did not make this dish. It is my husband's favorite. I remember my mom used to make this during certain celebration, such as chinese new year or any special day.


Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork
1 lb prawn ( chopped coarsely ) or fish paste
1 cup cilantro ( chopped coarsely)
2 egg yolks ( keep egg white for sealing the meat rolls)
1 red chilli ( chopped finely, optional )
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
some pepper
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp sesame oil

1 pack of bean curd skin


Methods:
Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside to season to 30 minutes. Sprinkle the bean curd skin with a bit water, just wet a bit. Scoop some pork mixture and put on the bean curd skin. Roll up and seal with egg white. Fold in the 2 ends and keep rolling to the end of the skin. Steam the pork rolls until it cooked. Let it cool. Heat up enough oil to deep fry the meat rolls. When the skin is golden brown and crispy, dish out onto kitchen tissue to get rid of excess oil. Slice to serve with chili sauce.

Simple Fried Shrimp

I saw the clock and it was almost 5 pm, yet I have not cooked my dinner. That point, I felt a bit panic. My husband would be home soon, I prefered the dinner was done by the time he is home. I opened my fridge, first thing I saw, the frozen shrimp. What came to my mind was to cook something quick, simple yet tasty. So, I decided to just made simple fried shrimp, soup and a dish of vegetable. That was our dinner last night.


Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tbs rice flour
salt and pepper
oil to fry

Methods:

Clean the shrimp with cold water, rinse and pad the shrimps dry with paper towel. Sprinkle the shrimp with all the ingredients except rice flour. Heat the oil, shortly before put the shrimp in the frying pan, coat the shrimps with rice flour. Fry it just the color turn golden. Serve with sambal / chili sauce.

Click Event

Every Month Bee and Jai host the Click Event, the theme for this month entry is Bi Color. Honestly, when thinking about the theme, it is quite challenging, hence everything we see usually have more than 2 colors. However, challenge is good to improve our imagination. What I have in my mind only something simple, yet the two colors will tell the story of the picture. For everyone who interested in this event, please join! Today is the last day, I should summit my entry earlier.. Below is my entry for this month.





EXIF INFO
Camera make : Canon
Camera model : Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi
Flash used : No
Focal length : 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 89mm)
Exposure time: 0.025 s (1/40)
Aperture : f/5.6
Focus dist. : Infinite
ISO equiv. : 400
Whitebalance : Manual
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure : aperture priority (semi-auto)

Grilled Corn

This grill corn is very easy to make, the ingredients only:

10 ears of corn
1 stick of butter
pinch of salt
1 can of coconut milk


Methods:

Aplly butter on the corn, sprinkle with salt, and grill on the charcoal, keep basting with coconut milk. Uhmmm, yummy!


While we were grilling the corn, my 2 little ones played on the deck...

BBQ Ribs

Lately, I have been doing alot of bbq, from satay, back ribs, to grill corn. The weather is just so great, as I mentioned before, it is not as humid as usual. We enjoy every dinner on the deck, and watch the kids playing. Enjoy every brisk in the late afternoon. Love it!





Ingredients:


2 lbs of pork ribs
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 c. plus preserves
1/2 c. red wine
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper


Methods:

Melt butter. Add onion and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes. While ribs are cooking on the grill brush on the sauce.

Prawn with salted soy bean / Udang masak Tauco

Ingredients:


1 lb prawn [ unshelled ]
3 cloves garlic [ finely chopped ]
6 shallots, finely chopped
10 green chillies, diagonal sliced
5 red chillies, diagonal sliced
2 salam leaves
1 inch of galangal, bruised
1 big tomato, slices
3 tbs salted soy beans
1/2 cup of water
1 cup string beans, cut about 2 inch long
1 stalk of lemon grass, bruised
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar








Methods:

Heat the oil in the wok, toss in the garlic, shallots, galanggal, chilies, slam leaves, lemon grass, stir till it fragrant. Stir in the prawn, sliced tomatoes, salted soy beans and sting beans, pour in water and let it cooked. Seasoning with salt and sugar. Served hot with rice.

Spekkoek ( thousand layers cake )

According Wikipedia, Spekkoek (also called Spiku in some cities in Indonesia) is a Dutch-Indonesian layered cake. It was developed during colonial times in the Dutch East Indies and may have been based on Dutch cake recipes using local ingredients. The cake may be connected to a type of dutch biscuit called speculaas and the mixture of spices is similar to kek lapis, with the pepper being replaced with mace and anise.






Ingredients:
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground anise
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
12 large eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2tsp confectioners' sugar


Methods:


Preheat the broiler. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan. Line with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, mace, cardamom, ginger and anise. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the flour into the batter with a rubber spatula.

In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff. Fold into egg yolk mixture, being careful not to over mix. Divide the batter between 2 bowls. Add combined spices to 1 bowl and stir well.

Pour about 1/2 cup of the spiced batter into the prepared pan, spreading to form a thin layer. Place the pan under the preheated broiler for 2 minutes, or until the layer is firm and very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and spread about 1/2 cup of the plain batter over the top and broil until firm. Repeat layering spiced and plain batters in the pan and broiling until all the batter is used. Note that the cake typically has between 12 and 15 layers.)

Let the cake cool on a wire rack then turn out from the pan. Place on a cake plate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Thinly slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

source: food.com

Chicken Satay

Marinated and skewered chicken/beef/lamb slow-charred on gently glowing charcoal is one of the most favorable bbq , and satay is the first of choice in all of Southeast Asia. I make this satay with chicken, since it is easier for the kids to eat, otherwise lamb or beef taste very good too.

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken tight[ I find breast meat is too dry ]

Marinade:
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped shallot
1 tbsp palm sugar
1 btsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp fish sauce

bamboo skewers
A little oil or coconut milk
Peanut Sauce
rice cake


Methods:

Cut thin slice of the chicken tights to bite size. Tips: it is easier to cut the chicken when it is half frozen.Place the chicken in a work bowl. Add all the marinating ingredients and gently toss until well mixed. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 24.
When ready to cook the satay, stir chicken in its marinade and then thread each slice onto a skewer. Baste the chicken with oil or coconut milk and grill on charcoal. Cook for not much more than 2 minutes each side, turning fairly often to prevent unnecessary burning, and baste one more time with oil or coconut milk. The satay are done when they have turned golden brown and crispy along the edges.
Served hot with rice cake and peanut sauce




One of my best customer ;))

Cheese-Topped Grilled Tomatoes

Who doesn't love to eat tomato? especially the cherry tomatoes, so sweet and crunchy. I love my tomato in my ways, in my vegetable soup, in my curry, defenitely in my pasta. Endless possiblity ways to make the tomato even more yummy. When doing bbq, we always have lots of meat and sometimes not enough vegetable [that is my opinion], I want to cut back eating too much meat in our daily diet, my eldest loves meat and no vegetable, the 2nd one eats almost everything, except milk, she always throws up after drinking milk shake, she only drinks soy milk everyday. For the sizzlin' sides of the bbq, I made cheese-topped grilled tomatoes, no cheese for my husband, but for the rest of us, we love our cheese. This dish need almost no preparation and the bubly cheese topping make these tomatoes like real gems...

Ingredients:

4 small tomatoes, cut in half
4 tbs of Italian Dressing
1/2 cup of shredded mozarella cheese
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese
chopped fresh basil and chives

Directions:

Heat the grill high heat. greased the pan and place the tomatoes cut sides up. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with cheese. Place pan on the the grill and covered. Grilled till cheese melted and the tomatoes bottoms browned. Sprinkle with herbs just before serving.
Enjoy!

Finest Foodies Friday

Last Friday I got an email, that my blog has been featured on Finest Foodies Friday. I feel so honored, I am still new in blogging. This is very good news for me, small thing counts, my friend told me. Thank you somuch for everyone who give me support. Thank you Foodie Blogroll! Thank you Leftover Queen!

Singaporean Flat Noodle Soup ( kuew tiau thing )

This is one of the dish I like to make for breakfast or when we just come home and we need something hot and quick.

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock
fried ribs
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 fish cake thinly sliced
1 pack fresh kway teow rice noodles, precut or in sheets
2 cups of bean sprout
3 hard boiled eggs ( cooked in dark soy sauce )
2 cups of fishballs
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt, pepper and sesame oil


Bring stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add fishballs and simmer 20 minutes. Keep stock hot.Heat oil in a wok or medium skillet over medium heat and fry fish cake slices until lightly browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and slice it thinly.If using kway teow in sheets, cut into 1⁄4" strips.Put rice noodles, scallions, and cilantro, pour in stock, and stir gently. Season to taste with salt and serve garnished with fish cake slices, fishballs, ribs, bean sprout and hard boiled egg.

Brownies Cheesecake

These days I mostly cook what the kids like. When it comes to bake, I only do it in the early morning, before the weather become too hot. My eldest is not fan of vegetable, still she likes some fruits. She loves everything cheese, the more the better. She loves brownies and cheesecake. Rather than make 2 things, I found this recipe on kraftfood.com, but I modify the recipe a bit, I reduce the sugar, since the brownies is sweet enough, I only use 2 pack of cream cheese instead of 4 pack. It turned out just right taste, and it was finished in 2 days. I dont like to store food too long in fridge. Usually I just cook for what I think will be gone in one day.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
3 eggs
2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate ( I used caramel instead )

Direction:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package. Bake 25 min. or until top of brownie is shiny and center is almost set. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently pour over brownie layer in pan. Drizzle the top with caramel. Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen side of dessert from pan; cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

source: kraft kitchen

Garden Vegetable Salad Stacker

This year summer is not as hot as usual, now is the end of June, the weather is still mild and not that humid. I am not a summer person, althought my husband loves summer. I always losing my apetite during summer, probably I drink too much during the day. However, to keep healthy I try to eat something light, such as lots of fresh fruits and vegetable. Since I am still nursing my baby, I have to think about my baby too. Today, I made salad, it is very simple,light yet very tasty, and apparently it is quite filling too. This salad is inspired by kraft kitchen recipe. It can be served for a special occasion yet it is so simple and effortless to prepare. Most of the ingredients we have in the fridge, just ready to use.

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, each cut in 6 slices
6 slices of low moisture part skim mozarella cheese
1/3 cup Zesty Italian Dressing [ divided ]
6 slices of red onion
12 slices seedless cucumber
12 fresh basil leaves

Direction:

Place 6 tomato slices on platter; top each with a slice of cheese. Drizzle with half of the dressing. top each with an onion slice, 2 cucumber slices and a second tomato slice. Drizzle the stack of salad with remaining dressing. Top with basil.

source: kraftfood.com



Every month Jai and Bee hosted the click event , and the theme for June Click event is STACK


My submission for this event is Garden Vegetable Salad Stacker.

Stir Fried Bean Sprout

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh bean sprouts
3 cloves of garlic [ finely chopped ]
3 tbs oil
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tbs dried shrimp paste [ belacan ]
pepper
4 thai chili pepper [ finely sliced ]
half cup of spring onion


Methods:

Rinse bean sprouts well, and drain; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a work over medium-high heat. Add garlic,bean sprouts and quickly stir fry for a few seconds. Immediately add vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir fry for a few more seconds, then remove from heat, garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately.

Simple Malaysian Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

8 chicken drumsticks
6 cloves of garlic [ finely chopped ]
2 tbs oyster sauce
2 tbs coriander powder
1 tbs curry powder
a pinch of salt and pepper

Methods:

Marinade chicken with all ingredients at least 4 hours, overnight is better.
Fried in vegetable oil till it golden brown.
Serve hot with chili sauce and steam rice.

Penang Asam Laksa

Ingredients:

2 lb udon
3 tbs tamarind paste
10 cups water
2 lb fresh mackerel - cleaned, kept whole
3 tbsp sugar
salt and pepper
14 sprigs laksa leaves [Vietnamese mint or polygonum odoratum]
2 wild ginger buds [bunga kantan] [Substitute: 4 inch fresh ginger]
4 pieces dried tamarind skins [asam gelugor]
3 tbsp prawn paste

To be grounded:
6 cloves of garlic
5 stalks lemon grass, thinly sliced
8 oz shallots
1 inch fresh turmeric root [lengkuas]
3 tbsp or to taste, chili paste
2 tbsp belacan[dried shrimp paste]


Ingredients for Garnishing :

1 large seedless cucumber, skinned and thinly shredded
2 red onions, very finely sliced
1 can pineapple, cut into thin strips
1 cup of sprigs fresh mint leaves
4 red thai chilies, seeded and finely sliced [optional]


Methods:

Boil fish in just enough water. When cooked, remove the fish and strain the stock. Then flake the fish and set the fish aside. Put tamarind juice, ground ingredients, water and fish stock in a pot. Add polygonum leaves, dried tamarind skin and lemon grass. Bring to a low simmering boil for 10 minutes.Add the flaked fish and seasoning to taste. Continue to simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
To serve, put a handful of laksa noodles in a metal strainer and immerse in a pot of boiling water to scald the noodles for half a minute. Drain and put into a bowl.
Pour a ladleful of laksa soup or gravy over the noodles and garnish with a little of each garnish.

Bubur Cha Cha

This is one of nyonya dessert. In Malaysia and Singapore, we can enjoy this desert everywhere in the food court. Or we can make it at home, it is simple and refreshing when we enjoy it in this hot weather. Bubur Cha cha can be served hot or cold, however, we like it cold, hmmm...sweet and yummy

Ingredients:

1 cup of sweet potato, diced
1 cup yam, diced
1 cup cassava, diced
300g sago

1/2 gallon water
5 pandan leaves ( screwpines leaves ), knotted
1 cup sugar
1 can coconut milk


Method:
Boil sweet potato, cassava and yam until tender. Boil sago in water until transparent. Rinse cooked sago with cold water.Boil water, pandan leaves, sugar and santan until sugar dissolved. Bring to boil. Turn off heat and put in the ingredients gravy.
Served hot or cold.

Nyonya Fish Curry

INGREDIENTS :

1 lb of your favorite fresh fish - cut into 3 pieces
2 tbs turmeric powder
1 tbs dried shrimp paste [ belachan ]
5 curry leaves
2 tbsp sambal oelek
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 med onions [1 finely minced and 1 cut into thick slices]
3 tbs tomato paste or one large ripe tomato, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
2 assam gelugor [tamarind skins]
1 cup of string beans or okra
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Methods:

In a wok or pot, heat ghee or vegetable oil on high, stir-fry minced onion until lightly browned, add garlic, turmeric powder, dried shrimp paste, sambal oelek and stir-fry for a few seconds.Add curry leaves, reduce heat to low, stir-fry until quite toasted and oil starts to ooze from paste - do not burn! Add tomato paste or diced tomato, coconut milk, water, sugar, asam gelugor and season with salt , bring to a slow boil
Add string beans or okra, simmer until vegetables cooked.Add fish and sliced onions, cover and simmer gently. When fish is just done, remove promptly from heat, let stand for 15 mins [for flavors to meld]. Garnish with peppermint leaves.
Serve with steamed rice.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
200gr butter
1 1/4 cups of sugar
3 eggs
4 ripe bananas peeled and mashed
3 cups of flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup soy milk

Methods:
Preheat the oven to 375F.Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat well.Add the three eggs and the mashed bananas, beat till well mix. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir half of it into the banana mixture. Add soy milk to the banana mixture, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.Spray the silicone bowl and pour in the soft mixture.Smooth the top and bake for 50 – 60 minutes until light golden brown.( to make sure it’s ready, insert a skewer into the mixture and make sure it comes out clean and dry). Cool on the wire rack.

source: cook.com