Angel Hair Pasta with creamy garlic prawns

                                           Another delicious quick midweek dinner :)

         Recipe: Goodfood
     Ingredients ( serves 4)
     2 tablespoons olive oil
     16 raw prawns (shrimps), peeled and deveined  ( I had a kilo prawns)
     1 leek, chopped
     6 garlic cloves, crushed
     1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
     1/2 cup ( 125ml)  dry white wine
     200ml whipping cream
     250g angel hair pasta
     3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley  ( I used dried ones)

Main ingredients

Cook through, cover and keep warm...

Cook through, cover and keep warm..

Cook the leek until softened, then add the garlic and chilli flakes and the wine

Add the cream and simmer until just thickened

Last, sauce added to the pasta, stir to coat..

     Method   

     1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, season the prawns with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan, cover and keep warm.

     2.  Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. add the leek and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.  Add the garlic and chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute.  Pour in the wine, reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes, or until reduced.  Add the cream and simmer for 3 minutes, or until just thickened.

    3.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente.  Drain well and return to keep warm.  Stir the parsley into the sauce and season well.  Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to coat.  Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the prawns.

note: I added salt to the pasta ( my own)

Kopitiam milk bun (plain)

Again, it is silky soft, light, moist buns just like the Black sesame kopitiam milk buns.

Spiral Cookies

           You can taste the real spice from the chilli powder, white pepper, five spice powder and fermented red bean curd, so yum.

Water chesnut sweet soup

                         Very simple, refreshing Chinese dessert soup.  Best when it is chilled.




          Recipe: Christine's recipes
      Ingredients
      Peeled mung beans  50g (soaked at least 3 hours / overnight)
      Water  1.1 litre
      Rock sugar  80g  ( or adjust to your own sweetness)
      Peeled chopped chesnut  180g  ( chopped finely)
      One egg  ( whisked and set aside)



      Chestnut mixture

      Chesnut powder  15g
      Water  100ml

       Mix both ingredients well and set aside for later use.

some of the main ingredients
peeled mung beans, chestnut, rock sugar..

not forgetting.....the chesnut powder

       Method
        1.  In a deep pot,  bring water to boil.  When boiled, pour in peeled mung beans, bring it to boil again.  Turn to medium low heat,  continue to boil until beans are cooked, about 20 minutes. Now add in sugar and cook until it is dissolved.

       2. Continue to keep stirring all the way, pour in chesnut,  next the chesnut mixture.  Bring to boil. Turn off heat. Very slowly, add in whisked egg, stir at the same time.

Coconut Nian Gao ( CNY Bakes)

               I should say this is really easy to make, quite a "fusion" type of taste that you get here, we liked it though.  Coconut milk and dark brown sugar brings out such a beautiful fragrance.

               I made several batches, they are good to be Chinese New Year gifts.



           Recipe from: SiuKitchen
       Ingredients:
      Glutinous rice flour  300g
      Rice flour  50g
      Brown sugar /  Dark brown sugar  230g
      Water  280g
      Coconut milk  200g
      Oil  5g

     Method:

     1.   Mix both flours in a mixing bowl, set aside.

     2.   In a pot, mix sugar and water, cook until sugar is dissolved.  Gradually pour into the flour, using a hand whisk, stir and mix.  Next, add in coconut milk and last the oil.  Stir and make sure no lumps appears ( I fine sieved it).

     3.   Pour into your desired mould and steam on high heat for 1 hour ( I wrapped it with aluminium foil).

     4.  When it's done, insert skewer in and if it comes out clean, it is ready to be removed out from the steamer.

Good to keep for many months in the fridge.

Black sesame kopitiam milk buns

Silky soft, nutricious little buns, good to go on its own without any spread.

Birthday Longevity Peach buns

                      These buns go well with my Red eggs,   just perfect for my dad's birthday :)

Chinese red eggs ( birthday)

Recipe: Nasilemaklover

Ingredients:

(10 hard-boiled eggs)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar ( I used normal white vinegar)

1/2 tablespoon rose syrup

you need vinegar and rose syrup

keep twirling around with a spoon
drain excess dye away with the sieve 

Method ( with modification):

1.  Mix vinegar and syrup together in a small bowl.  Set aside for later use.

2.  Boil the eggs in cold water, low heat, with a pinch of salt and dash of vinegar. This is to strip the waxy coating from the eggs.  Simmer the eggs for about 30 to 40 minutes.

3.  When eggs are hard boiled (while it is still warm), start by dropping one egg at a time, in a bowl filled with the prepared red coloring, keep twirling around with a spoon, allow as much dye to drain as possible.

3.  Place eggs in sieve to let the excess dye drip away.

note:  dye your eggs while they are still warm also, dye one egg at a time.

I also made Longevity Peach steamed buns for celebrating my dad's birthday.

Longevity Peach steamed buns click here

Salted egg yolk cookie (CNY Bakes)

                    If you haven't, then I recommend you to bake now.

                    Crunchy.. a little salty.. with aromatic salted egg yolk flavour, just too good.

  
       Recipe from: Messy Witchen ( adapted from Flavours magazine 2009)
    Ingredients:

    250g All purpose flour
    20g Cornflour
    1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    1/8 teaspoon soda
    1 tablespoon milk powder

    3 salted egg yolks
   150g unsalted butter (room temperature)
   20g shortening / use butter
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   80g castor sugar

   1 egg mixed with 1 yolk, beaten for (egg wash)
   5g each of black and white sesame seeds ( for topping)

     Method

     1.  Sift together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, soda and milk powder. Set aside.

     2.  Steam salted egg yolks for 5 minutes. Cool, mash with fork. Set aside.

     3.  Place butter, shortening, salt and sugar in your elextric mixing bowl,  using medium speed, beat til sugar is dissolved.

     4.  Add mashed salted egg yolks and sifted flours. Mix to a soft dough ( I used folding method using rubber spatula). If it is too soft, refrigerater to let it set for about 30 minutes.

     5. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 175C. Line baking paper on baking pan.

     6. Roll dough into 5mm thickness,  cut into your desired shapes using cookie cutter. Place on baking pans, brush with egg wash, sprinkle tops with sesame seeds.

     7. Bake for 20 minutes or, until golden brown.  Remove and cool completely before stroing in air-tight containers.

Happy baking!

CNY Buddhists Delight ( mock meat)

    Good to watch the helpful link below.


       Recipe from: Poh's Kitchen 
    Ingredients
    500g plain flour
    250ml water
    3-4 knob of ginger, julienned
    3 tbsp vegetable oil
    1 litre oil to fry: gluten and soy bean sticks ( Sunflower or Vegetable)
    150g Tofu puffs (fried tofu), sliced
    90g Red Fu Yee (Fermented Bean curd)
    6 leaves Chinese cabbage, chopped into 3cm wide bits
    120g oyster mushrooms, sliced
    150g canned champignons
    100g canned grass mushrooms
    100g fresh pearl mushrooms, separated
    100g large mushrooms, sliced
    35g dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in cold water (cut off stems)
    2 tbsps soy sauce
    7g Fat Choy (Black Moss or hair vegetable( from gobi dessert, quinghai plateau) ( soaked in water)
    115g Gum Chum (Golden needles/ Tigerlily buds / Day Lily buds
    40g fresh enoki mushrooms
    50g glass vermiselli noodles, soaked
    15g cloud ear mushrooms, soaked in warm water and reconstituted

     note: I cooked two batches.





     Method

    1.  For the mock meat:   Knead flour and water into a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap, and rest for an hour. Fill a large bowl full of water and set a colander inside. Wash the dough in the colander until all starch has gone.

   2.  Towel dry the gluten dough.  Break off small amounts and roll into balls-set aside to dry slightly otherwise they will splatter when dropped into the hot oil.

  3.  Deep fry each ball in hot oil until golden brown and puffed, turn occasionally and drain on the kitchen paper. Set aside. Fry soybean sticks quickly for five seconds unti they turn colour. Drain on the kitchen paper.

  4.  In a small saucepan, on low heat with half a cup of water cook the shitake mushrooms with a little soy sauce to taste.

  5.  In a  fry pan, saute ginger until golden.  Add the remaining ingredients including fried gluten balls, except the vermicelli and braise for 20 minutes on medium heat.  Add vermicelli at the last minute. Balance with salt and sugar to taste.




   Mock meat preparation:

this is the fun part.

keep going, wash wash wash..

this is what you get in the end.

next step, deep fry them

Seaweed cookie (CNY bakes)

        According to Lydia,  Mayonnaise is optional here, adding it would certainly delivers extra       flavour. Also, as said, you may add spices or adjust sugar to create your own taste.

        Thanks Lydia for the beautiful cookie :)

Recipe:  My Kitchen (Lydia Teh)
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened
50g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 whole egg beaten
2 tablespoons mayonaise (Japanese brand)
90g cake flour
10g corn flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons seaweed powder

Method

1.  Combine butter, icing sugar and salt in a bowl.  Beat mixture till fluffy and creamy. Stir in mayonnaise and mix well.

2.  Add egg in batches and mix well after each addition.

3.  Add in seaweed ( reserve some for topping), sift in flours and baking powder. Mix till it is just combined.

4.  Transfer soft batter into a pastry bag and squeeze onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

5. Sprinkle some seaweed powder over the surface.

6.  Bake in pre-heated oven at 150C for 15 to 20 minutes.

7.  Let it cool completely, store in air-tight container later.

yummy!

Mini egg cake (CNY Bakes)

     
                         I made it mini sizes, just good for my CNY celebration.

        Recipe: Alex Goh baking craft series / Rasa Malaysia
     Ingredients
    4 large eggs
    200g castor sugar  ( I reduced to 180g)
    Pinch of salt
   1 tsp baking powder
   All purpose flour  180g
   35g oil























  Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F.

  2. Whisk eggs,  castor sugar and salt until light and fluffy ( I used mixer).

  3. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder with rubber spatula, mix until all well combined.

  4. Add oil lastly, well mixed.

  5. Pour into greased and floured 3.75 x 2 inch flora cupcake moulds, or paper lined muffin tin ( I used different mould pans here).

  6. Bake in middle rack for 20 minutes.

  7. Remove cakes from the moulds immediately after baking. Set aside to cool.

Mangoes and cream ice cream

Weather has been really hot these few days, this mango ice cream is so welcomed and it is gone in two days!

not overly sweet, very refreshing.

Recipe from: Not quite Nigella

Ingredients 

1and 1/3 cup mango flesh ( about two small medium sized mangoes 

2/3 cup to 1 cup castor sugar  ( I used 2/3 cup)

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cup thickened cream

I made two batches

Method
1.  Place all ingredients (except the cream) in a blender jug and whizz until smooth.
Stir in cream ( don't have to do too well if you are using ice cream maker as the churning will mix the cream in anyway).

2.  Place in an ice cream maker and churn for about 25 minutes.  Keep in a air-tight container and freeze it up.

Keep in air-tight container, freeze it up.

Bo Luo Bread

Good recipe indeed

Ham Cheese roll

Ham and cheese roll

Pork floss seaweed bread

                                                      Pork floss and seaweed...
                                     

Beer Battered Pizza dough (Dan Lepard)

 I have made pizza many times for the family, this is the first time I've used beer for the batter .    Quite an interesting attempt.