Sunday 5 January 2020

Japanese Potato Salad ( Modified)


6 Jan 2020
Blessed New Year 2020 to all!
It's been a while since I last post here. Have been very busy last year, an eventful and fruitful 2019.

A friend shared a youtube Japanese Potato Salad recipe by #Ochikeron Create Eat Happy :) sometime ago. Today decided to give it a try. Went to nearby supermarket to grab a bottle of mayonnaise. Unfortunatedly the Japanese mayonnaise comes in 400g. My family doesn't use mayo often. To prevent wastage, I bought the normal mayo instead.

I have forgotten to buy corn kernel, so I have omitted this ingredient in my recipe. 

I am not a potato salad person, but this recipe is really good and easy to make. Thank you #Ochikeron for sharing her recipe.

This is a modified recipe from the original.

Ingredients :
1 big russet potato (appro. 200g)
1/4 carrot (appro. 40g)
1/8 big yellow onion (appro. 20g)
1/4 cucumber (appro. 40g)
1 small thin slice of honey baked ham
2 tablespoon of mayonnaise 
Dash of white pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of rice vinegar
Some green spring onion(green part only)
Water for boiling potato and carrot

Extra pinch of salt for drainning the cucumber and onion

Method:
1.Remove skin of potato. Cut into small pieces or 12 pieces. Put them into a pot and add water that covers the potatoes. Put to boil until it is cooked, check using a skewer. When it is soft, remove pot from heat and drain well. Transfer potatoes into a plate. Use a fork to mash them into chunky potatoes. Season the potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a dash of white pepper and 2 tablespoon of mayonnaise while it is still warm. Set a side.

2.Cut carrot into small size (5mm),  boil in water for 3min. Drain well and set aside.

3.Cut cucumber into half and remove the seed. Slice into thin slices. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and leave for 5min or until it become soft where you can't break it. Wash and drain well. Place it into kitchen paper towel to squeeze out excess water. Set aside. *This "sprinkling of salt" is to drain the excess water in the cucmber to keep the salad from becoming wet and also keep the crunchy texture. 

4.Slice onion into thin slices. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and leave it for abt 5min or until it become soft where you can't break it. Wash and drain well. Place it into kitchen paper towel to squeeze out excess water. Set aside. * This "sprinkling of salt & drain" is to get rid of the strong & bitter taste of onion.

5.Cut ham into size of 5mm. Set aside.

6.Combine all the items from  1 to 5. Sprinkle some cut spring onion. You may add more salt if you find it is not salty to you taste buds. Serve. Enjoy.

I would be encouraged when you drop me a comment after you have tried the recipe. Do send me comment. Thank you

Wednesday 5 June 2019

Seafood Aglio Olio


06 June 2019 - "一个人吃饭"

Today's special. Cooked this simple aglio olio specially for a VIP 😊 I have used my existing mushroom aglio olio recipe and add on seafood.

I have replaced swiss mushroom with shitake mushroom and added some fresh herbs from my garden

Detail method of cooking spaghetti is found in my recipe for Bolognese Spaghetti.



Ingredients:
3 large prawns
3 fresh scallops
1 shitake mushroom -sliced
4 cloves of garlic - chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 leaves sweet basil
1 stalk spring onion - chopped
1 chilli padi - remove seeds, chopped(optional)

100g -125g  spaghetti
Water for cooking spaghetti
1 tablespoon of oil
2 tsp salt

Method:
1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted  water(added oil) according to packet instructions and drain  thoroughly. Set aside. Note : keep 1/2 cup of water after boiling the spaghetti.

2. Clean and deshell prawns. Washed scallop. Seasoned prawns and scallop with a pinch of salt and some pepper. Set aside.

3.In a clean wok/frying pan , pan sear both prawns and scallops until they are cooked and lightly brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

4.Fry garlic in olive oil until fragrance and golden brown.  Remove fried garlic into a bowl, leave  the oil in the wok. Add mushrooms in the wok to fry for 30sec then add cooked spaghetti. If it is too dry, add a little water from boiling the pasta. Add a pinch of salt or 1 tsp of fish sauce to adjust to your taste. Add chopped onion and chopped basil. Add the fried garlic. Add chopped chilli if you like spicy pasta. Stir well. Remove from heat. 
Serve with pan seared prawns and scallop.













Wednesday 17 April 2019

Curry Chicken


18Apr2019
We had curry chicken for dinner last evening, then I remember I had yet update my blog with this recipe. It is a long overdue recipe...
I have been very busy so you will see less of me here. I hope all are well for you. Do drop me acomments if you find the recipes are helpful for you. This will motivate me to continue update my blog with new recipes😁. Actually they are not new, they are all stored in my walking computer... The "computer" above the shoulder.😜 . To me to cook the dish is easier than to write the recipe.

This is a very simple dish which is nice to eat and can be use in all occasions. I like cooking this is when there is left over (usually will) , it will become our breakfast too. We will dip bread or prata in curry for breakfast. And if there is still leftover, I will add cabbage into the curry sauce and it will turn into another dish - curry chap chye for next day dinner..haha.




Ingredients:
1 chicken (1 - 1.2kg) - chopped into 10pcs

To season the chicken:
1/2 thumb size ginger - chopped
1.5 tsp sea salt
1 tsp curry powder
Dash of pepper

Rest of ingredients and seasoning:
250g thick coconut milk
3 big potatoes - each cut into pcs
2 TBSP Olive oil/cooking oil
10 small onions - chopped
3 cloves garlic - chopped
1 big onion - chopped
2 stalk lemon grass - cut into 2-3cm length
Some curry leaves(optional)
3 TBSP curry powder add some water to make paste
1 TBSP Demerara sugar/any type of sugar
3 tsp of sea salt 
Water 

Method :
1.Wash and chop chicken into pieces. Season it with salt, curry powder, pepper and ginger. Set aside.

2.In a work add olive oil, onion and garlic and fry them to light brown, add lemon grass, curry leaves and fry another few seconds, add curry powder paste and continue to fry until fragrance. Be watchful at this point: Lower the heat if necessary to prevent burnt.


3.Add the seasoned chicken into wok and stir fry few sec , then add half the amount of coconut milk and continue fry for 30sec then add water that is enough to cover the chicken , add sugar and salt. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste. How much to add or reduce depend on your tastebuds and also how much water you have added.

4.When curry is about to boil, add potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes are 3/4 cooked.  Add the remaining coconut milk. Continue to cook until curry is boiled and potatoes are cooked. That is potatoes are slightly soft and you are able to cut it through using a spoon. Curry is done. Remove from heat.

Note : Do not over cooked curry at item4 to prevent potatoes and chicken meat overly soft and ended up no meat and no potatoes as they melt into curry. I usually add potatoes only when the curry is about to boil to prevent potato too soft and meat too tough. 

Enjoy!








Saturday 16 February 2019

Toaster Oven Meatball

17Feb2019


Ingredients:
800g Fresh Shoulder Meat 五花肉 - minced
1 egg
5-8 water chestnut - chopped
1cup of chopped raw yam
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp light sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp potatoes flour/cornflour
Spring onion - chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic - minced

oil for deep frying or toaster oven 250°C

Method:
1. Combined all ingredients in a large bowl.
2.Heat up a wok. Pour in the oil enough for deep frying. With 2 spoons or gloved hand shape the meat into 2cm balls. When the oil is hot enough, put in the meat balls by batch to deep fry until golden brown. Remove from wok and place them into a plate lay with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. Continue to deep fry the rest of the meat balls until all completed. 
3. Transfer into another place, serve.

Toaster Oven baked:
At item2, roll meat into small balls. Bake in a pre-heated oven.  Roast until it is golden colour. App 30min



Friday 1 February 2019

Dried Shrimp Cookies



2Feb2019
Finally today I baked something savory which i had wanted to bake several years ago😁. It tastes very yummy yummy..成功!
As i was putting them into container, there were another 2 hands (husband and daughter's hands) taking and packing into their stomach.. Both daughter and husband said "once started can't stop..." "will finish before CNY" . It left half the quantity one hour after baking. I am delighted. Finishing fast😁. This really crunchy and taste very good. Can't stop eating...

Read a recipe "dried shrimp cookies" in dailydelicious.blog several years ago. Since then had wanted to bake this cookies as I also like savory stuffs😁

I have made some modification on the ingredients. I have replaced some plain flour with top flour just to finish the stock that I have. I have also increased the amount of flour to make it possible to roll by hands rather piping. 
Though i had reduced the sugar and replaced with icing sugar, still I find it is too sweet for my taste. Next time I will increase the salt and reduce sugar by further 10g.
The original recipe owner has caution that if the dried shrimps that you are using is very salty, then will have reduce or omit salt. For mine dried shrimps was not so salty so I need to add more salt. I have a preference of saltier taste and less sweet stuff. So, i will reduce sweetness and add more salt. 


Ingredients ( 85pcs)
75g dried shrimp
165 plain flour (I used top flour)
45 plain flour (extra flour added)
75g  sugar (I used 70g icing , will reduce to 60g)
115g unsalted butter (I used 125g)
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 egg
A dash of salt(will increase to 1 tsp salt next time)
A dash of pepper(not in orig recipe)

Oven Temp 170°c with fan, or 180°c without fan

Method:
1.Place flour and shrimp in food processor and blend them till fine.
2.Add butter and sugar and vanilla and salt blend them well.

3.Remove into a large bowl. Add egg and combine them well.
4.Roll them into small balls and use a fork to press in it to make pattern.

5.Bake in pre heat oven with fan function 170°c for 12-15min or 180°c without fan for 12-15min



Happy Baking.

Thursday 6 December 2018

Steam Yam Cake (Orh Kueh)




6Dec2018
Bought a yam sometime ago wanted to make "Orh Ni", however, was too busy and left the yam in the fridge. To prevent yam spoiled, today I made it into steam yam cake, chinese called it Orh Kueh. 


Ingredients:
2 1/2 bowl of rice flour
4 1/2 bowls of water
1/2 Medium size Yam(shredded)
1/2 carrot (shredded)
1tbsp dried shrimp ( minced)
5 shitake mushrooms (diced)
1/2 cup tbsp minced meat (optional)
4-5 small red onion/shallots (minced)
Some oil for frying
2-3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chicken powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp five spice powder
2 tsp sugar
1Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp light sauce

Note: bowl refer to rice bowl. 1 rice bowl appr equivalent to 1 cup

Method
1. Mix rice flour with water. Add salt, sugar, pepper, five spice powder & chicken powder. Stir well. Set a side

2. In a wok, put about 2 tbsp oil fry the onion n shitake mushrooms & shrimp till fragrance or slightly brown. Then add minced meat. Add yam n carrot n stir for a while. Add fish sauce n light sauce. Stir well. Remove from fire and set a side.


3. In the same wok pour in the rice flour mixture, stir until the liquid mixture thicken. Add 2.


4. Transfer into a round cake pan or steaming pan.

5. Boil a wok of water. When water is boiled, place the container of yam mixture into the wok, then put on the wok lid n steam for 40-50min.



6. After 40min. The steam cake is done

Note: seasoning is all estimation. You may adjust to your desire


Monday 26 November 2018

ONE POT PASTA





27Nov2018
Today is a very rush day!
Wanted iron son’s clothing for his performance.  Unfortunately the iron decided to retired after serving us for 15years. What to do now? He needs to wear that shirt and that trousers. SOS!  Tried calling a few neighbours. They were not at home. May be year end go for holidays. Finally I found an old neighbour who lives few blocks away. Whew!
I had planned to cook bolognese sauce pasta. After I got the iron and finished ironing, I did not have much time left to cook the proper bolognese sauce pasta. So, have to change cooking plan. ONE POT PASTA came to mind. Yes, this is an easy and nice meal. Can get done in 30min including preparation. 
No need to do much cleaning after cooking and it is delicious!

You may find this in my facebook Catherine's Cooking Journal

Ingredients :
250g Linguine /Fusilli / any pasta
200gm minced beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic , sliced it
½ carrot , chopped
1 big tomatoes, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes
3 cup of water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp light sauce
3 tbsp pasta sauce
Pepper
Dash of dried basil and oregano
2 or 3 leaves of fresh basil, optional
1 tspn olive oil

Seasoning for minced meat : 1 tbsp light sauce, some pepper, 1 tsp corn flour

Method:
1. Season the meat with the seasoning.  Mix well. 
2. In a large pot, put in olive oil,  water, pasta , tomatoes, sliced garlic, chopped onion, chopped carrots, herbs, salt , pasta sauce and bring the mixture to boil.


3. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent the base got burnt. Cook until the meat is cooked and pasta is tender. Approximately 15min.



4. Adjust the taste to your desire. You may add more salt or light sauce. Remove one pot pasta from fire and serve while it is hot.

5. Enjoy