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

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

https://cathteo-john1427.blogspot.com/2015/06/mushrooms-aglio-olio.html?m=1

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

http://cathteo-john1427.blogspot.sg/2015/06/bolognese-spaghetti.html?m=1

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.

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

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.

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

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

Ang Ku Kueh (Red Tortoise Cake)红龟粿 - Yellow Ku Kueh

23Jun2018

Daughter saw a TV program on traditional kueh(chinese cake) and said "mummy , I feel like eating ang ku kueh..."

This motivated me to venture into making this traditional chinese cake which I like eating it when I was a child. This kueh comes in different types of fillings like peanuts , coconut and green bean. 

Personally, I like green bean and coconit fillings. Peanuts fillings is my least choice. 

In order to avoid using artificial colourings, I used pumpkin instead. So, when pumpkin was mixed with flour and coconut milk, it turns into yellow instead of orange. I was expecting orange kueh, but no, it looks more like lemon. Haha...

Yes, this cake is usually red in colour. "Ang" in chinese mean red. Ang ku kueh is also called red tortoise cake as the mold is a shape of tortoise shell. Chinese believe that tortoise has long life and so eating this will bring longevity and good fortune and prosperity. In the past, chinese family like to give this

as a gifts to relatives and friends when their new born baby turns one month old - it is also called full month or 满月。

After several search in google for recipe, I suddenly remembered my aunt 婶婶 is an expert in kueh making. She has been making this kueh for at least 30years. So I rang her up to ask for recipe. This is my aunt recipe but I have made some modification.

Please note the measurement are just an estimation because I did not measure but based on the texture and description given by my aunt.

Ingredients - Fillings:

250g -300g split green beans

Water for soaking

100g sugar

Oil 

2-3 stalks Pandan leaves

Ingredients - ku kueh skin

300g glutinous flour

63g icing sugar

4 oz oil

50g rice flour

3/4 cup water

250g coconut milk

Pumpkin(with skin & seeds is 500g)

water

Pandan leaves

Banana leaves

Method:

Fillings

1. Wash the split green bean until water is clear. Put water cover 1cm above beans for 2hours. Then remove water.  Rinse and discard water. Boil water in wok/steamer Place soaked beans and pandan leaves in a wide tray and place tray into steamer to steam for 30mins or until beans are soft. Stir once in a while.

2. After beans is cooked or soften, transfer into a food processor to blend until it is fine in texture. Like the one in picture.

3. Place the blended into a non-stick wok with medium low heat, add in sugar and gradually add oil bit by bit. Until you can roll the beans fillings into balls. I did not measure oil as I just pour, approximate a quarter of 250mil. You may add more sugar and oil to your desire taste and texture. Once it is done set aside let it cool. Then roll into small balls of your desire size. Mine is approximate 30g.

Method - Kueh Skin

1. Mix rice flour with 3/4 cup water in a saucer and bring it to boil. Keep stiring. The mixture will be thicken and a little translucent. Do not over cooked. It should be soft texture like thick porridge. Off the heat.

2. Rinse and remove pumpkin skin and seeds. Cut into wadges. Put pumpkin wadges into a small pot then add water that is enought to cover them and bring it to boil. Remove from heat once pumpkin is soft. Remove the pumpkin from water and puree pumpkin by going through a seive. Keep the water that was use for boiling pumpkin

Note: in future I will try steaming instead of cooking over fire in water.

3. Put coconut milk and pandan leaves  in a saucer and bring them to boil. Remove from fire when it os boiled.

4. In a large bowl, place glutinous flour , icing sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, thick rice porridge, oil and half the amount of coconut milk into the mixture. Mix them together to form a soft dough. If it is too dry, then slowly add in the rest of coconut milk and the water from cooking pumpkin. 

Note: how much coconut milk and water will depend on how wet the pumpkin puree is? If puree is dry, then more liquid will be required.

5. Roll the dough into 30g balls.

6. Prepare a mould. Dust with glutinous flour. Flatten the 30g dough and wrap with 30g bean fillings. Press it into the mould then knock it out and place it on a piece of cleaned banana leave. Continue to wrap the rest.

7. Steam the kueh in boiling water for 7mins. Serve when it has cool down.