We had an early Christmas gathering on one Saturday because my younger daughter had to leave for Korea on the 15th for a long holiday and also I will be away for awhile and hence will not be able to have any 'makan' at home on Christmas Day.
It was simple fare - kueh pie tie, curry chicken, pasta and fried chicken. I totally forgot to capture the food on print. Anyway it wasn't much to show!
So to all my fellow bloggers, friends and visitors,
MAY YOU HAVE A BLESSED & MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Shepherd's Pie My Way
Shepherd's pie or originally known as Cottage pie uses mutton, lamb or beef as its filling.
I used chicken instead and added some veggies. This can be a one-dish meal!Ingredients: (30cm x 23cm x 6cm overproof dish)
A (Marinate overnight)
500g meat (use mince for beef or lamb) / chicken, cubed (I used 3 chicken breast and 2 thighs)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
some black pepper
mixed herb
a little salt
B
2 large white onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 to 5 carrots, cubed and parboiled
2 cans button mushrooms, sliced
250g frozen corn or 1 can peas
1/2 capsicum, coarsely chopped
1 can Campbell mushroom soup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
mixed herb
salt and black pepper to taste
oil
2 tablespoons flour / cornflour to thicken
1 kg yellow-fleshed potatoes (weight includes skin)
80g butter
about 125ml milk (I used low fat)
salt and pepper to taste (I used salt sparingly)
shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Skin potatoes, cut to size and boil or scrub and boil whole with skin till soft enough for mashing. (I opted for the first method as I found skinning boiled potatoes harder to do. Do make sure not to use too much water.)
2. While potatoes are being cooked, prepare the other ingredients in B.
3. Mash potatoes with a masher while still hot as they are softer and easier to mash. Add butter, salt and pepper as you mash along. Gradually add milk and mix well. (Do not use a blender to mash potatoes as it will cause it to become gluey.)
4. Heat some oil in a frying pan and saute onions and garlic for a couple of minutes.
5. Add chicken and fry for 2 to 3 minutes before adding carrots, mushrooms and corn.
6. Season with black pepper, mixed herb and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
7. Add mushroom soup and taste-test and add salt accordingly. lastly add capsicum and stir fry a couple of times to mix.
8. Spread a thick layer of chicken and veggies in a deep dish.
9. Either pipe out or spread a layer of mashed potato on the chicken. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for 20 to 25 minutes or till top is golden. Sprinkle parmesan cheese if preferred.
* Do not use Russet potatoes for mash as the mash does not hold well and tends to become too mushy.
* Best eaten hot or warm
Snowy
Baked
And now to tuck in!!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Chocolate Custard Buttercream
I attended a bloggers' lunch today.
It was indeed nice and heartwarming to meet acquainted fellow bloggers as well as new ones.
It was kind and generous of E to open her house for the gathering. Thanks a lot E! And sorry for not staying back to help clean up!
It was FOOD GALORE!
We were all clicking away, capturing the delicious sweets and savouries. I had a great time eating and listening to everyone sharing their baking and travelling experiences etc! (Psssst.... I am a good listener, not much of a conversationalist!) I would have enjoyed further if I hadn't got to leave early. Thanks to all the ladies and the gentleman for the wonderful and delicious grub! Yummy! Yum! Yum!
This is the filling I used for the choux pastry that I made for the bloggers' meet today.
I made a chocolate version instead of a plain vanilla custard.
Ingredients:
250ml full cream milk, set aside 2 tablespoons for mixing cornflour
120g sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, mixed with a little hot water to a paste
60g semi-sweet chocolate chips
250g butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. Mix cornflour with 2 tablespoons milk.
2. Beat in eggs lightly to mix well before adding cocoa paste.
3. Bring remaining milk and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and pour in cornflour mixture, stirring all the time to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring till it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and mix well. Cool and then refrigerate.
5. Cream butter till light and fluffly. Add vanilla extract and cooled chocolate custard.
*Chocolate or vanilla custard can be used on its own as a filling.
*To make vanilla custard, omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
It was indeed nice and heartwarming to meet acquainted fellow bloggers as well as new ones.
It was kind and generous of E to open her house for the gathering. Thanks a lot E! And sorry for not staying back to help clean up!
It was FOOD GALORE!
We were all clicking away, capturing the delicious sweets and savouries. I had a great time eating and listening to everyone sharing their baking and travelling experiences etc! (Psssst.... I am a good listener, not much of a conversationalist!) I would have enjoyed further if I hadn't got to leave early. Thanks to all the ladies and the gentleman for the wonderful and delicious grub! Yummy! Yum! Yum!
This is the filling I used for the choux pastry that I made for the bloggers' meet today.
I made a chocolate version instead of a plain vanilla custard.
Ingredients:
250ml full cream milk, set aside 2 tablespoons for mixing cornflour
120g sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, mixed with a little hot water to a paste
60g semi-sweet chocolate chips
250g butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. Mix cornflour with 2 tablespoons milk.
2. Beat in eggs lightly to mix well before adding cocoa paste.
3. Bring remaining milk and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and pour in cornflour mixture, stirring all the time to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring till it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and mix well. Cool and then refrigerate.
5. Cream butter till light and fluffly. Add vanilla extract and cooled chocolate custard.
*Chocolate or vanilla custard can be used on its own as a filling.
*To make vanilla custard, omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
The Custard
Eclairs?
No chocolate coating?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Ondeh Ondeh
This version of ondeh ondeh is minus the sweet potato as I had missed out buying it this morning at the market.
Ingredients:
150ml water
10 pandan leaves, cut into pieces
200g glutinous rice flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/4 tespoon salt
70g gula melaka, cut up to pieces (filling)
100g grated coconut, without skin
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 pandan leaves
Method:
1. Mix grated coconut and salt and steam it with cut pandan leaves for 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Blend pandan leaves and water. Use a muslin cloth and squeeze out pandan juice.(the darker, the better to have a natural green colouring)
3. Mix flour, salt and a little pandan juice at a time to get a pliable dough. Take 40g dough(starter dough) and flatten it. Put into boiling water to cook it. Once it floats, remove and let it cool slightly.
4. Mix starter dough with the rest of the dough and knead well. Dust with a little glutinous flour if dough is sticky.
5. Pinch a small portion of dough, roll into a ball and make a well to put in filling. Seal well to prevent leakage of filling and set aside.
6. Boil a pot of water with some pandan leaves. Remove leaves. Drop the balls of dough with filling into boiling water to cook them. Remove and coat with grated coconut.
Ingredients:
150ml water
10 pandan leaves, cut into pieces
200g glutinous rice flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/4 tespoon salt
70g gula melaka, cut up to pieces (filling)
100g grated coconut, without skin
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 pandan leaves
Method:
1. Mix grated coconut and salt and steam it with cut pandan leaves for 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Blend pandan leaves and water. Use a muslin cloth and squeeze out pandan juice.(the darker, the better to have a natural green colouring)
3. Mix flour, salt and a little pandan juice at a time to get a pliable dough. Take 40g dough(starter dough) and flatten it. Put into boiling water to cook it. Once it floats, remove and let it cool slightly.
4. Mix starter dough with the rest of the dough and knead well. Dust with a little glutinous flour if dough is sticky.
5. Pinch a small portion of dough, roll into a ball and make a well to put in filling. Seal well to prevent leakage of filling and set aside.
6. Boil a pot of water with some pandan leaves. Remove leaves. Drop the balls of dough with filling into boiling water to cook them. Remove and coat with grated coconut.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Chocolate Cupcake Surprise
Bittersweet? You either love it or loathe it!
That's what I did on a whim!
I decided to play around with my recipe. With some tweaking, this was the result!
Ingredients:
A
115 g plain flour
115 g caster sugar ( I used 90 g)
60 g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
B
1 large egg
160 ml milk
50 g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
C
80 ml boiling water
1 teaspoon Nescafe mixed with boiling water
Lindt chocolate balls
Some Jamaican rum
Nutella
Method:
1. Place ingredients in A and mix well. Set aside.
2. Beat egg lightly and mix with ingredients in B.
3. Pour B mixture to A and beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes.
4. Add boiling water mixed with nescafe into mixture and manually mix till combined.
5. Fill cupcake case halfway. Place chocolate ball in the centre.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg.C for 12 to 15 minutes depending on size of cupcake.
7. Cool and drizzle some rum on the top. Spread some nutella on it.
That's what I did on a whim!
I decided to play around with my recipe. With some tweaking, this was the result!
Ingredients:
A
115 g plain flour
115 g caster sugar ( I used 90 g)
60 g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
B
1 large egg
160 ml milk
50 g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
C
80 ml boiling water
1 teaspoon Nescafe mixed with boiling water
Lindt chocolate balls
Some Jamaican rum
Nutella
Method:
1. Place ingredients in A and mix well. Set aside.
2. Beat egg lightly and mix with ingredients in B.
3. Pour B mixture to A and beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes.
4. Add boiling water mixed with nescafe into mixture and manually mix till combined.
5. Fill cupcake case halfway. Place chocolate ball in the centre.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg.C for 12 to 15 minutes depending on size of cupcake.
7. Cool and drizzle some rum on the top. Spread some nutella on it.
Nutella for those who loathe bittersweet!
Lindt dark chocolate balls, all melted in the centre
Friday, October 28, 2011
Steamed Fish with Chai Po
Hello there! I've been MIA for quite a while.
Probably went astray and couldn't find my way back.
Nah! Seriously, I have been procastinating! That's a 'bad' word!
Blame it on K-drama! Blame it on Plants & Zombies!
Okay! Okay! The blame's on me!
A couple of weeks ago, my dear hubby went on another fishing trip. This time he spent 4 days and 3 nights on the high seas off some Indonesian island. The weather was bad, the waves were high, the boat was rocking, getting seasick was inevitable! I was anxious for his safety especially after the recent incident off Pulau Aur.
Thank God! He returned safely with a big load of fish! Though the sea was rough, the catch was good! What price to pay for such rewards!!
As usual,we distributed the fish to relatives, friends and neighbours.
And we kept some favourites and this one ended up on the table the very next day!
The Red Grouper was Number ONE on our table, dressed in
chai po!
Steamed Fish with Chai Po
A packet of sweet chai po (preserved white radish)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 to 4 chilli padi, sliced
Spring onions for garnishing
Oil
1. Saute garlic for a minute, then add in chai po and chilli and fry for 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Prepare steamer. Once water boils, place fish in and steam for about 8 mimutes. Timing to cook fish depends on its size and thickness.
3. Once fish is done, pour chai po over and garnish. Yum!
Probably went astray and couldn't find my way back.
Nah! Seriously, I have been procastinating! That's a 'bad' word!
Blame it on K-drama! Blame it on Plants & Zombies!
Okay! Okay! The blame's on me!
A couple of weeks ago, my dear hubby went on another fishing trip. This time he spent 4 days and 3 nights on the high seas off some Indonesian island. The weather was bad, the waves were high, the boat was rocking, getting seasick was inevitable! I was anxious for his safety especially after the recent incident off Pulau Aur.
Thank God! He returned safely with a big load of fish! Though the sea was rough, the catch was good! What price to pay for such rewards!!
As usual,we distributed the fish to relatives, friends and neighbours.
And we kept some favourites and this one ended up on the table the very next day!
The Red Grouper was Number ONE on our table, dressed in
chai po!
The crew scaling the Snappers, making it easier for me!
More Snappers!
Groupers grouping in a group! (LoL!)
Steamed Fish with Chai Po
A packet of sweet chai po (preserved white radish)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 to 4 chilli padi, sliced
Spring onions for garnishing
Oil
1. Saute garlic for a minute, then add in chai po and chilli and fry for 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Prepare steamer. Once water boils, place fish in and steam for about 8 mimutes. Timing to cook fish depends on its size and thickness.
3. Once fish is done, pour chai po over and garnish. Yum!
Fin up! You're first !
Yummy Yum Yum!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Custard Cream Puffs
I made these for one of the Ladies' meetings some time ago.
I am simply in a state of inertia where blogging is concerned.
K-drama is partly to be blamed - I'm practically hooked!
I used to bake a few hundred puffs daily, usually with durian filling. I recall how I had to wake up at four in the morning just to fill up the puffs so that my hubby could deliver them to the various shops by 7a.m and how I had to rush to work after that. Those were my hectic days - that was the kind of life I had led for over 20 years! Festive seasons were the worst time where a couple of hours' sleep was a luxury! Whenever I reminisce my baking journey, the thought of it just seem to drain my energy away.
Enough of rambling!
Now to post the recipe for the choux pastry.
Choux Pastry:
240 ml water
120g butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon caster sugar
160g plain flour, sifted
4 large eggs
Method:
1. Place water, butter, salt and sugar in a pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Lower heat and pour in flour and immediately stir with a wooden spoon to mix into a soft dough. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time and use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs.
4. Fill up an icing bag with a round nozzle attached. Pipe out circular mounds on a greased tray.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 170 deg C for 15 minutes. ( Puffs must be sufficiently baked so that they will not shrink and flatten after when cooled.)
6. Once cooled, slit side of puff and spoon custard into it or fill icing bag with nozzle and pipe out any filling.
Gleaming, waiting to be baked!
See how they have puffed up!
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