Showing posts with label Asian Stir-Fry Veggies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asian Stir-Fry Veggies. Show all posts

Wednesday 12 November 2014

[30 Minutes Meal] 7 Express Cooking Recipes

Quick meal in 30 minutes
Hi everyone, time flies and it’s mid-week again! If you are short on time to prepare weekday dinner after a hectic day at work, here are 7 express cooking recipe ideas for your reference. To speed up the cooking time you could even prepare some of the ingredients beforehand so in way you could save at least a good 10 minutes on cutting and preparation. Between our ideas of express cooking are still within the topic of preparing proper one-dish meal which includes meat and vegetables that is done in 30 minutes or less.

Wednesday 21 May 2014

[2 recipes] Chinese Spinach With 3 Eggs + Yin Choy Fishaball Soup

Chinese Spinach with 3 Eggs - 上汤苋菜
Chinese Spinach which is also called Yin Choi in local dialect is one of our family favourite. This veggie has a smooth texture when cooked and you can either use it for stir-fry or soup. Here I would like to share a soupy version which is commonly found in most Chinese restaurants or cze char stalls in Singapore.

This Chinese Spinach With Triple Eggs (consists of century, salted and regular eggs) is consider as a hearty dish with it's flavoursome broth that goes well with steamed rice. And for the preparation part you can either poached or stir-fry the Chinese Spinach according to personal preference.

Friday 16 May 2014

[2 Recipes] Stir-fry Okra With Anchovies Or Prawn

Stir-fry Okra with Anchovies
Frankly speaking before this I hardly eat or cook okra at home because I don't really like its sticky texture. But my view towards this edible green pod changed after Grace taught me how she prepares her signature Sambal Okra during one of her visit. And in this post, I would be sharing a few way to prepare this "super" vegetable which is high in fiber, rich in various minerals plus consuming Okra regularly can also helps to loose weight too.

Monday 10 March 2014

[Weekly Meal Planner] 5 Recipes On Our Weekday Meals #2

After planning and cooking for weeks, months and even years it sometimes make SAHM (Stay At Home Mum) feels that all these routines seems to be a "hectic chore" which are never ending. Often we just wanted to create some decent and healthy meals that are less time consuming and "hopefully" they suits everyone's preference in the family too.

So after much thoughts and suggestions from readers, I decided to start a new column on this blog known as "Weekly Meal Planner" from 01st March 2014 onwards featuring our weekday dinner menus hopefully on Mondays base on a bi-weekly timeline. The featured dishes might vary from Asian, Western or even just 5 recipes on soup or dessert for the week which I hope it would help to inject some new ideas into your weekly menu planning.

Monday 6 August 2012

Cook For Family - Our 3 Generations Cooking Together for the #CookForFamily Initiative

I am so thrilled to be among one of hundred bloggers who had being invited by Daniel, from Daniel's Food Diary to take part in this #CookForFamily initiative started by him. As we know, his main objective is to get more bloggers, and hopefully their fans and followers, to start cooking and having family bonding with their families.

As for myself, I always tried to cook at least 2 meals per days during weekdays and hopefully one on weekend, especially Sunday.  And to support this #CookForFamily initiative, even my 8 years old boy who often helps up in the kitchen (washing and cutting) also volunteer to cook simple dish for us.  Below you can see some of the shots and dishes that he had cooked under our supervision. Overall we had fun and laughter in the kitchen sharing our family bonding and cooking skill together which makes meal time a fun time too.


#CookForFamily


I love to have soup during my meals and I brew soup almost everyday. Out of all the different kinds of soup we usually had, herbal soup is one of our family favourite. Here I specially made this "Herbal Black Chicken Soup" for mum with added Dang Shen, Ginseng and Dried Longan to regulate blood chemistry, strengthen the body as well as circulate the Qi in the body.


(Serves: 4      | Preparation: 10 minutes        | Cooking: 60 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 Black Chicken (乌鸡) / Half Portion of Chicken (600g)
2 Pieces of Dried Ginseng(人渗)
5 Pieces of Dang Shen(党参), cut into halves
8 - 10 Pieces of Big Red Dates(红枣)
20g Dried Longan (龙眼干)
10g Wolfberries (枸杞)
1.8 Litres Boiling Water

Method:-
1. Rinse the dry herbs and set aside. Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the prepared black chicken which had being trimmed and cleaned.

2. Meanwhile using a soup pot (i used a big claypot), bring 1.8 litres of water to boil and add in all the ingredients including the blanched black chicken.

3. When the mixture comes to boil again, lower the heat and simmer over the lowest heat for at least an hour (careful of the heat and don't let the soup dried up). Alternatively,

4. You can transfer the soup to a slow-cooker and cook it on AUTO mode for about 2 hours.

5. Serve warm before meal or at night before sleep. This soup has a natural sweetness due to the herbs used so usually I won't add in extra seasoning or salt.

Stir-fry Celery With Sea Cucumber is one of my favourite vegetable dish which mum always cooked for us. And here for the #CookForFamily post, she prepared this dish especially for me while I take care of the herbal soup section.


(Serves: 4        | Preparation: 10 minutes         | Cooking: 6 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Sticks of Celery
1 Small Red Capsicum, sliced
5 Fresh Shiitake Mushroom, sliced
1 Packet of Sweet Peas
2 Pieces of Sea Cucumber, sliced
2 - 3 Slices of Ginger
Some Chicken Stock Powder for seasoning

Method:-
1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer skin of the celery and cut it into thick slices. Set aside.

2. Saute ginger with 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil till fragrant, add in celery and mushrooms, toss for a 30 seconds in the Happy Call Pan (HCP).

3. Next add in the remaining ingredients such as red capsicum, sweet peas and sea cucumber.

4. Add in the seasonings and give it a quick stir, cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 3 minutes.

5. Drizzle some cooking wine, stir to mix well and dish up to serve.


My little boy on the other hand also volunteer to join us with the #CookForFamily task where he marinated the chicken wings using Wokkingmum's "Grilled Chicken Wings with Fermented Beancurd" recipe. He choose this recipe because he knows that both grandma and I love fermented beancurd which we always had it with our porridge.

Recipe adapted from Wokkingmum website HERE.

(Make: 12 Chicken Wings    | Preparation: 5 minutes   | Cooking: 25 - 30 minutes)

Ingredients:
12 Chicken Wings, halved
2 Tablespoons of sauce from Fermented Beancurd
1.5 Pieced of Fermented Beancurd
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cooking Wine


Method:-
1. Using the back of the spoon mashed fermented beancurd and mix it with the sauce.

2. Next stir in sugar till well mixed.

3. Marinate chicken wings with the mixture together with some cooking wine for at least an hour before cooking.

4. Arrange marinated chicken wings on baking tray which is lined with baking paper, grill in the preheated 220 Degree Celsius oven for about 25 - 30 minutes or chicken is cooked.


As mum love fish compared to meat, I always tried to incorporate at least 1 dish with fish whenever she comes over for dinner. Here we have a simple steamed fish dish using Threadfin fish head and ready pack Portuguese sauce. To success remember to get fresh fish head, steamed it to just done (do not over cooked), drizzle with some Portuguese sauce and steamed for another 1 minutes.


SOME OF THE MEALS WE COOKED IN JULY


All these photos (except the one with my boy doing cooking) are taken from my daily Instagram shots which I have shared online.






Any simple dish will bring a smile on your loved ones face. In fact it can be just a bowl of instant noodle with an egg or even simple ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. For me it is more of the thoughts, loves and bonding time together that counts rather than the expensive ingredients or time spent on preparing the meals.

Photo credited to Daniel from Daniel Food Diary

So from today onwards, let's start to prepare something simple for your family as as head start and don't use the excuse that you can't cook or u are too busy. I am sure frying an sunny egg or boiling a hard boiled egg that served with bread and beverages won't even take up more than 15 minutes of your time a day.

Wednesday 30 May 2012

{With Recipe} Eat With Your Family Day!


As most of us has read from newspapers or online media(s), the Singapore government has designated last Friday, May 25, as Eat With Your Family Day. This is to urge people to strengthen family ties through the "simple act of sitting down and taking a meal together" more frequently despite of each other busy schedules.

The annual "Eat With Your Family Day", is always falls on a Friday before the start of the mid-year school break for students. And this event is not only about food and eating but it also about relationship building and enjoying relationship as 'a family that eats together stays together’. In order to show supports to this annual event, some of the participated companies also allows their employees to leave work at 5pm on the last Friday on school term in May to have dinner with their family in order to promote strong family ties.


STEAMED EGG WITH HUAI SHAN AND LOTUS ROOT


Although our family often eats together during most of the mealtime, but in order to support and promote this event, I have made a new "Steamed Egg" dish using Huai Shan And Lotus Root instead of the usual minced meat, seafood or century egg.


(Serves: 2-3        | Preparation: 5 minutes       | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
100g of Fresh Huai Shan, grated/jubilee
50g Fresh Lotus Roots, thinly sliced
2 Egg(55g) Each,
50ml Drinking Water
1/2 Tablespoon Wolfberries
Dash of Sesame Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Method:-
1. Remove the outer skin of the huai shan, rinse and pat dry. Using a grater to either grate or shred it like what shown on the above picture. (squeeze off any liquid from the grated huai shan and set aside)

2. Next repeat the same procedure using a slice grater to cut thin slices off from the lotus root. (If you don't have any slice grater, you can use knife to cut thin slices from the lotus root too)

3. First arrange half the amount of huai shan in the steaming bowl, cover it with a layer of lotus root then top with the remaining huai shan before arrange the rest of the louts root on it.

4.Whisk the egg in another bowl together with dash of sesame oil and salt plus 50ml of water till combined.

5. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve gently over the prepared steaming bowl with huai shan and lotus roots.

6. Arrange the wolfberries on the lotus root, cover the dish with cling wrap or aluminum foil. Steam the egg custard over medium high heat for about 15 minutes.

7. To test if the egg mixture is cooked, insert a chopstick or skewer into the mixture, if clear liquid flows out means it is cooked. Remove and serve with steamed rice.

This is how my "Steamed Egg With Huai Shan and Lotus Root" look when scoop out from the dish. It has a combination of soft custard like egg plus a bit of crunch from the lotus root and huai shan. Perhaps if you prefer a more thicker egg like dish, you can increase the number of egg to 3 and water to 70ml to have a firm steamed egg dish.

This is one of our family favourite vegetable dish, "Stir-fry Broccoli And Cauliflower with Walnuts". As each of us have our own preference, I decided to combine both broccoli and cauliflower together so that we could pick up what we like. Adding of either walnuts of pine nuts for this dish gives it a nutty flavour and as well as enhance the texture of the dish with some crunchy bites.

Hope you would like my quick and simple homecook dishes. Remember even a simple dish makes a happy family when everyone gets to sit and eat together at least once or twice a week. If proper mealtime is impossible, try to start off with breakfast, tea-break or even supper.

Saturday 19 May 2012

Homecook Dinner To Support Food Revolution Day, 19 May 2012


Today, 19 May 2012 marks Food Revolution Day where the main objective of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution is to connect with as many people and businesses as possible around the world to educate them about food habits, sources and a healthier lifestyle. So as food lover and mother of one I hope to do my part to support this event by preparing some homecook dishes that are made with "real food" (which means no boxed or processed foods are allowed).

Although not everyone can be a chef but it is always possible to cook up something easy and yet healthy for the family as long as you are willing to spend some extra time in the kitchen. Below are two simple recipes of our homecook dishes shown above which you might be interested to try it out.


STEAMED RED GROUPER


We love steamed fish and it is always one of the repeated dishes in our weekly menu planning list. Fish contains protein with fewer calories than other meat sources and with different species of fish, you can either steam, bake, fry or poach fish accordingly to your preference.


(Serves: 2-3 |          Preparation: 5 minutes |     Cooking: 12 - 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 Piece Fresh Red Grouper, tail portion(about 350 - 400g)
4 - 5 Slices of Ginger, julienned
2 Stall Spring Onion, cut into sections
1 Small Tomato, cut into wedges
2 - 3 Salted Plum(咸水梅粒)
1 Teaspoon of Cooking Wine(花雕酒)
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
Shallot Oil, optional

Method:-
1. Rinse and pat dry the fish fillet, season it with 1 teaspoon of cooking wine and cornflour. Set aside.

2. Arrange half of the julienned ginger and spring onion on the base of the steaming plate, place the seasoned fish on top.

3. Arrange the rest of the rest of the ingredients around the fish, drizzle some sesame oil and place it in the steamer rack when the water boils.

4. Steam the fish for about 12 - 15 minutes depend on the thickness. Remove drizzle some shallot oil and served hot with steamed rice.



SAMBAL LALA
(Clams or Seashells)


Friendly speaking I am not a fan of shellfish but recently I have eaten some really good "Stir-fried Bamboo Clam and Lala" from the Seafood Galore buffet at Plaza Brasserie which makes crave for some. So today I decided to adapt a recipe from Wokkingmum website which is known as "Grilled Sambal Squid" and instead of using Squid I have recipe is with Lala(clams).


Recipe adapted from Wokkingmum's Grilled Sambal Squid.

(Serves: 2 |         Preparation: 30 minutes |              Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
300g Clams, cleaned
2 - 3 Tablespoons of Sambal Chilli
2 Stalks Lemon Grass, lightly pound
4 Clove Garlic, chopped
1 Small Brown Onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method:-
1. Soak clams in salted water for about 20 minutes to let it spit out the dirt/sands. Rinse, drain and set aside.

2. Remove the outer layer of the lemongrass, cut into about 8cm sections. Lightly pound it and set aside.

3. Heat oil in Happy Call Pan(HCP) or frying pan, saute garlic, onion and lemon grass for about 1 minute till fragrant.

4. Add in the sambal chilli according to your preference and give the mixture a quick stir to evenly coat it with the chilli.

5. Add in clams, cover pan for 30 seconds and give the pan a good shake pan.

6. Open the pan, check the clams and give it a stir before cover the pan and continue to cook till all the clams are opened.

7. Discard those that did not open. Dish up and served hot with steamed rice.

Lastly, hope you would like these dishes that I have shared with you and I hope you could also join us and support Food Revolution Day and eat healthy with food that is prepared using fresh ingredients. For more information on Food Revolution Day you can refer to the links below:-

1. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
~ Official Website
~ Facebook Page
~ Twitter - @FoodRev

2. Food Revolution Singapore
~ Facebook Page
~ Twitter - @FoodRevSg


Wednesday 25 January 2012

Stir-fry Fu Gui Cai and Stuffed Mushrooms with Black Moss, Glutinous Rice Wine Chicken

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Time flies, today is the 3rd day of Chinese Lunar New Year and I am sure most of you have being busying with the house to house visiting plus feasting on the delicious New Year goodies and food. Even though nowadays we could easily ordered or enjoy a hassle free reunion dinner in restaurants but I believe there are still many housewives, mothers, grandparents and etc busying with the preparation of their signature dishes for reunion dinner.

I remember when I was a kid, I always look forward to Chinese New Year to feast on those "special" dishes that my dad would only cook during New Year. And although I am not a very good cook like my dad, every Chinese New Year I would still try to cook up one or two of my self concoct dishes for my family.


STIR-FRY FU GUI CAI AND STUFFED MUSHROOM WITH BLACK MOSS
富贵花开


For this year reunion dinner, I have prepared this quick and easy stuffed mushrooms with minced meat and black moss dish to serve together the auspicious greens known as Fu Gui Cai(富贵菜). To make it more colourful and appetising, I have also added gingko nuts and wolfberries to enhance the presentation.

I would be submitting this Stir-fry Fu Gui Cai and Stuffed Mushrooms with Black Moss dish to this month Aspiring Baker #15 - Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) that is hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight.


(serves: 3-4 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
6 - 8 Dried Medium Chinese Mushrooms, soaked in hot water till soften
150g Minced Meat
10g Black Moss(发菜), pre-soaked in water
10 Gingko Nuts
1 Floret of Fu Gui Cai(富贵菜)
Some Wolfberries
1 Red Chilli, sliced
3 Slices Ginger
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Teaspoon Cooking Wine
1 Teaspoon Cornflour + 1 Tablespoon Water, mixed well

Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 Teaspoon Cornflour
1/2 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 Cooking Wine
Dash of Pepper

Sauce:
100ml Water
3 tablespoons Oyster Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar


Method:-
1. Mix minced meat, black moss and seasonings together and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes if time permit.

2. Stuff about 1 tablespoon of the minced meat mixture into the pre-soaked mushrooms.

3. Preheat Happy Call pan with about 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the stuffed mushrooms for about 1 minutes each side or until cooked. (HCP close but don't lock) Remove and set aside.

4. Add in another 1 tablespoon of oil to saute ginger and garlic till fragrant before adding in the Fu Gui Cai (remove the leaves from the floret, reserved 1/4 of the last portion to act as flower), chilli and gingko nuts. Close the pan and let it cook for another 1 minute before giving it a quick stir and close the pan for another 30 seconds.

5. Next add in the cooked stuffed mushrooms together with the sauce mixture and give the mixture a quick sit-fry and simmer on low heat for another 30 seconds before removing the vegetables.(arrange the vegetables in the middle of the plate)

6. Lastly with the mushrooms and gingko nuts still remains in the pan, add in corn star mixture and cooking wine and wolfberries, mix well with all the ingredients.

7. Remove and arrange mushrooms on serving plate around the fu gui cai. You can also decorate the mushroom with the wolfberries shown above.


Note:-
~ If you prefer you could replaced the dried mushroom with fresh shiitake mushrooms.

~ Pick up other greens such as broccoli, xiao ba cai or etc according to your preference if fu gui cai is not available.

~ For more varieties you could also add in fish or prawn paste to the minced meat mixture.



GLUTINOUS RICE WINE CHICKEN
黄酒鸡


This Glutinous Rice Wine Chicken(黄酒鸡) is one of the traditional Hakka dish eaten during confinement or Chinese New Year. To cook this dish usually they would buy kampong chicken instead of the normal chicken and simmer it together with their homemade Glutinous Rice Wine. According to the Hakka this dish is good to replenish lack of blood due to fatigue, malnutrition, cold chills, irregular menstruation, anemia, postpartum weakness and etc.


(serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
1/2 Chicken(about 600g), cut into bite sizes
1 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil
6 Slices of Ginger, cut into thin strips
200ml - 250ml of Glutinous Rice Wine
6 Red Dates, cut into thick slices
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Marinade:
1 Teaspoon Cornflour
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 Teaspoon Light Soy sauce
1 Teaspoon Cooking Wine

Method:-
1. Marinate the chicken with cornflour, sesame oil, light soya sauce and cooking wine for at least 10 minutes.

2. Preheat Happy Call Pan on low heat with sesame oil and saute gingers till fragrance(close but don't lock).

3. Add in marinated chicken and cook on low heat for 1 minute (closed and locked), flip the pan over and cook for another 1 minute.

4. Next flip the pan back, add in rice wine and red dates, locked the pan and simmer over low heat for about 8 - 10 minutes till the chicken is tender and cooked through.

5. Lastly add in salt to taste and serve hot.


Emmm perhaps you could also share with us which is your favourite Chinese New Year dish too :)

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