[Wordless Wednesday] Santa Claus Sushi Art Workshop

[Sushi Art Workshop] Santa Claus Sushi Art

[Sushi Art Workshop] Necessary Ingredients

Jolly Holly Christmas CG Party With PrimaDéli Truffle Log Cake

This festive season PrimaDéli’s has added two new items such as Salted Caramel Log Cake and their mouth-watering Chef’s Supreme Pie to their Christmas collection. And with their range of sweet and savoury treats you can pick your all-time favourite log cakes in any shapes and sizes from either standard design to Santa’s or Winter Wonderland Santa’s Cottage that made from chocolate or vanilla sponge.

Here I would like to thank PrimaDéli’s for the complimentary Truffle Log Cake (SG$36.90 (standard) / SG$47.90 per kg) and Chef’s Supreme Pie (SG$11.90; 16cm) which brings joy and festive atmosphere to our early Christmas cell group party last week.

Above shows their new Salted Caramel Log Cake (SG$36.90 (standard) / SG$47.90 per kg) which is an exquisite creation of layers fluffy vanilla sponge that covered with salted caramel cream and made perfect with an almond spread dotted with crunchy chocolate pearls. Although we didn't managed to sample this but I going to get it for our own Christmas gathering because I am a caramel fans and I am sure it will taste great with the combination ingredients too.

Tim Ho Wan (添好運) @ Hong Kong Station Podium Level 1

Before visiting Hong Kong I have heard so much about their local food as well as one of their well-known dim sum restaurant; Tim Ho Wan which launched their first outlet in Singapore (Plaza Singaura) last year as well as a second branch at Tao Payoh lately. So when we happened to see their outlet at Hong Kong MTR Station (initially we intended to go to their branch at Sham Shui Po (深水埗) but it's too far out from our schedule as we only have limited time before departure), we decided to take the opportunity to try out some of their items since the queue there is definitely shorter than Singapore.

Our Thanksgiving Feast - Roast Chicken With Cranberry And Macadamia Stuffing plus Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is a time of the year where everyone in the family to get together to have meal and give grateful for things like family, friends, food and etc. To be frank this is my first year preparing Thanksgiving feast for the family and instead of the usual baked “turkey” I decided to swap with something smaller. So for this year, I prepared Roast Chicken with Cranberry and Macadamia Stuffing together with medley of colourful vegetables. And I also made our all-time favourite Pumpkin Pie with buttery crust for dessert.

I am thankful that this feast was able to complete and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner as planned. It was because during the preparation (if you have read about the mishap (here) on my Instagram (@cuisineparadise)) my old build-in oven (12 years) actually fused off while I was preheating it for the bakes. But thanks God with my Samsung microwave convection oven I am still able to prepare the dishes with slight changes or else I won't be able to know what to do. 

3 Recipes On Quinoa Salad - Part II

Morning! It's Monday and here is Part II of my quinoa dishes which I would like to share with you. And if you have missed out Part I, here is the link. These super-grains can be used to make different food like salad, pancake, bread, cakes, porridge and etc which makes a healthy replace for our usual flours or grains.

In this post, I will be sharing how to use cooked quinoa and turn them into salad, fritters and risotto to create a hearty meal for the family. But if  you have any easy recipes on quinoa do feel free to share with us your post link or ideas on the comment box below too.

MUSHROOM AND BACON QUINOA SALAD

This Mushroom And Bacon Quinoa Salad was inspired by one of my friend, AiYen when we were chatting about Quinoa on skype last week. She told me she would like to try out her first quinoa dish with bacon and mushrooms so on that afternoon I loot back some bacon from the supermarket to test out her suggestion.

To our surprise this combination taste quite good with hint of bacon flavour and it's crispy texture hidden within the quinoa salad which blends well with the overall taste. But perhaps for next round I might add in a splash of extra virgin olive oil or lemon juice to lift up the taste.

Tim Ho Wan (添好運) @ Toa Payoh Central

Ever since Tim Ho Wan (添好運) opens it's first outlet in Singapore (Plaza Singapura) earlier this year in April. It has definitely captured the heart of dim sum lovers in Singapore who don't mind queuing up for at least 60 - 90 minutes just to savor their signature items such as Baked BBQ Pork Bun, Steamed Egg Cake, Carrot Cake and etc.

And now with it's second outlet opens at Toa Payoh Central (ERA Centre) and a third one coming up soon in Bedok (by end of this year), hopefully the queue will be shorter when more outlets are easily access across the island.

As the queue over at Plaza Singapura is always snake long, I decided to try my luck at their new Toa Payoh outlet since it is nearer to my area. And thanks God, when mum and I arrived at around 10.35am (opens at 11.00am) the queue was not as bad as what we thought and we managed to get our seats by 11.05am.

*so the secret tips are: avoid lunch/dinner time or try to be early before it opens.*

[Recipe] Roasted Lemon And Herbs Chicken with Wine

I always love comfort food like this during "cold" weather; especially winter. It is so easy to prepare by just assembling all the ingredients together on baking dish, pop them into the oven and by an hour or so everything will be ready. So all you need to do, is prepare some salad, couscous or coleslaw to go with it for a hearty weekday meal.

[Wordless Wednesday] Parents World Junior Chef 2013

[Wordless Wednesday] Chocolate And Mint Chiffon Cake Recipe

[Recipe] Lime And Chilli Roasted Snapper

Although I do enjoy both baking and cooking as a hobby as well as a way to express my love for my family through food. But there are also days where I am on my down-side with no inspirations or mood to do anything. Moreover I just don't feel like spending more than an hour to prepare a meal with 2 dishes and a soup with lot of washing to be done, so the easier way is to settle for a quick one dish meal.

LIME AND CHILLI ROASTED SNAPPER

Last two weeks due to long weekend holidays (Hari Raya and Singapore National Day) plus I was busying with some bakes (durian hokkaido chiffon and durian butter cakes),  I decided to make good use of the oven since it had already being warm up after the bakes. So instead of using the usual steaming  method to prepare the fish, what I did was,  place the prepared fish into the oven and baked till it was cooked. Surprisingly the baked fish taste so juicy and yummy just like using steaming method too. 

(Serves: 2   | Preparation: 10 minutes  | Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:

• *1 Whole Snapper (800g - 1kg), clean
• 5g Fresh Ginger, sliced thinly
• 2 Cloves Garlic, sliced thinly
• 4 - 6 fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, shredded
• 2 Stalks Lemongrass, lightly pound and cut into sections
• 8 Cherry Tomato, halves
• *1 Long Red Chilli, sliced thinly
• 1/2 Cup loosely packed Coriander Leaves
• Some Peanut / Cooking Oil

Lime And Chilli Dressing
• 2 Tablespoons Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 1.5 Tablespoons Thai Fish Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Peanut Oil

Note:-
* Instead use 2 x 500g Plate Size Snapper
* For spicy version use 2 bird eye chillies instead

Method:-
1. Preheat oven to 220°C (Degrees Celsius) and layer baking tray with foil and baking paper.

2. Rinse the fish thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen paper towel. Stuff a mixture of ginger, garlic, lime leave, lemongrass and chilli in the fish cavity.

3. Rub fish all over with oil and place it in oiled and lined baking tray, scatter reminding ginger, chilli, lemongrass, garlic, lime leaves and cherry tomato over it.

4. Roast, uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through. Meanwhile, prepare lime and chilli dressing by mixing the ingredients together.

5. When the fish is done, drizzle dressing over it, sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Have a great Monday everyone!!!!

[Day 5] Bangkok International Airport (Suvarnabhumi)

After enjoying four days in Bangkok, it's time for us to go back to Singapore. Although this trip might be short as compared to our initial plan of 7 days but everyone of us are satisfy with the itinerary. And I really miss all the delicious Thai cuisines and street snacks that we have tried, and not to forget my favourite Mango Sticky Rice (photo above) which I have it every day during our trip.

Honestly revisiting Bangkok after 5 years does bought back many memories from our first trip. Like the Siam Ocean World, Chatuchak Weekend Market and Mahboonkrong (MBK), they are still looking good with some familial shops and eateries when we last visited them..

[Day 4] Lunch At Secret Garden, Thai Cuisine And Bakery

Day four was rather a shopping spree where we do last minute shopping before catching our flight back to Singapore on the next morning.  So after our morning breakfast at hotel, we decided to go Central and Platinum Mall via the BTS before setting our lunch at Secret Garden Thai Cuisine which is located at Sathorn Road.

Cuisine Unplugged and Executive Lounge @ Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel

During our stay at Pullman Bangkok last year, we have enjoyable breakfast at their Cuisine Unplugged which is an all-day dining concept restaurant featuring an open kitchen with pizza, pasta, rotisserie, soup and noodle hot-pot, sushi counter, wide selection of salad and fresh fruits. On top of it, there is also a unique bakery situated within the dining area that producing home-made fresh breads and croissants.

[Wordless Wednesday] Cuisine Paradise Breakfast Ideas #1

Braised Seafood Noodles

Hi, it's a brand new week again and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and not having any Monday blues today. By the time you read on this "scheduled" post, we were away for June school holidays vacation. And since it's Monday, I prepared this "one-pot dish" recipe which could be done in 10 minutes with some pre-preparation of the ingredients.

Braised Seafood Noodles is always one of my favourite noodles dish which sometime I would also cook a similar version using different type of noodles such as rice vermicelli, thick yellow noodles or Macaroni.

BRAISED SEAFOOD NOODLES

(Serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
500g Flat Yellow Noodles
8-10 Medium Prawn, trimmed
150g Lean Meat, sliced
2 Fishcake, sliced
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Red Onion, sliced
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Small Carrot, sliced
1/4 Portion of Chinese Cabbage, sliced
250ml Swanson Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Of Oyster Sauce, optional

Method:-
1. Heat up frying pan with 1 teaspoon of oil (swirling around the pan). Slowly pour in beaten egg, swirl the pan and evenly spread out the egg mixture to fry the omelette.

2. When done, remove and set aside to cool before slicing it into thin strips. Using the pan and 1 teaspoon of oil, lightly fry both side of the fishcake till slightly brown. Remove and set aside.

3. Place flat yellow noodles in a big mixing bowl, pour boiling water to cover the noodles and at the same time use the chopstick to loosen up the noodles. (this is to get ride of the oil and yeast smell of the noodles)

4. Stand the noodles in hot water for about 2 minutes. Pour away the water and rinse it 2 - 3 times. Drain well and set aside.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan, saute onion, garlic, spring onion and carrot till fragrance. Add in marinated lean pork and give it a quick toss till almost cooked through.

6. Stir in Chinese Cabbage and continue to fry for another minute, pour in chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce.

7. Next add in prawns and cook till it changed colour, stir in the blanched flat yellow noodles, fish cake and let it braised for another minute or two.

8. Remove from heat, garnish noodles with fried shallot, cut chilli and some spring onion and coriander. Serve immediately.

Hope you like this quick and easy "one-pot dish" which would help to cut down some cooking time on busy weekdays dinner. And just a quick tip, prepare necessary ingredients the night before so that you would have ample time preparing this dish when you reached home. This dish is quite dry like those sold at Cze Char Stall, so if you prefer something soupy increase the chicken broth to 1 Litre plus another 500ml of hot water.

Father's Day Breakfast Bento With Lee Kum Kee Ketchup

With Father's Day just a few days around the corner, I would like to wish all Fathers out there a happy and blessed day with your family and loved ones. Although it's not quite popular for people in Asia to celebrate Father's Day instead of Mother's Day but I am sure the newest generations are more willing to whip up something for their dad.

Since we will be away for holidays during Father's Day, my boy and I managed to put up a quick and easy Father's Day Breakfast using tomato sauce as one of the main ingredients which we would like to share with you.

LEE KUM KEE NEW PRODUCTS

Before we start off with the recipe, just to share that this June, Lee Kum Kee has launched three new products in major supermarkets like Cold Storage and Giant and they are such as:-

Tomato Ketchup (S$1.25) which made from high quality tomatoes with no added preservatives or colouring.

Pure Sesame Oil (S$3.30) which is carefully processed to retain strong flavour of sesame seeds. This condiment is my great helper in my kitchen that enhance the flavour of our dishes with just a few dashes.

Chu Hou Paste (S$3.50) is made from soybeans, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds which is a convenient cooking sauce for braising, marinating or cooking meats and vegetables.

On top of the new products, Lee Kum Kee also printed some recipe cards which enable shoppers to pick up from the supermarkets to try out with the new range of products launched. Would share with you my favourite recipe using Chu Hou Paste (柱侯酱) to make the "Stewed Chicken" in upcoming post soon.

FATHER'S DAY BREAKFAST BENTO
(using Lee Kum Kee Ketchup)

With the launched of the new products, Lee Kum Kee also come up with a "Share And Love Lee Kum Kee Ketchup 14-day Bloggers Challenge". In this challenge participating bloggers need to complete a few tasks in order to earn points which accumulated from the "Likes" and "Shares" through their Facebook and Instagram. So if you like my Bento recipe(s), do help to support my #LKKKetuchup Bento Photos with Like(s) and Share(s) over at my Facbook Page and Instagram too!  

(Serves: 1 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Slices of Sandwich Bread
2 - 3 Fresh Shittake Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese
4 Tablespoons Lee Kum Kee Ketchup
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Fresh Milk / Pouring Cream
1 Small Tomato, diced
2 Mini Japanese Sausage
1 Slice of Sandwich Cheese
Some Steamed Corn Kernels
Some Cherry Tomato
Seasonal Fresh Fruit

Tools Needed:
Bento Box
Side Dishes Food Casing
Alphabet and Heart-shape Food Cutters
Food Tweezer
Bento Food Pick (optional)

Method:-
1. Using a 8cm wide heart-shaped food cutter, cutout two heart shapes from bread and lightly toast it in the oven toaster for 1 minute each side. Set aside.

2. Spread a layer of Lee Kum Kee Ketchup on the toasted bread, top it with some Mozzarella cheese and mushrooms.

3. Pop them back into the oven toaster and bake for 1 minute or till cheese melt.

4. While the bread is in the oven toaster, prepare the scramble egg by heating up a small frying pan with 1 teaspoon of oil/butter.

5. On low heat, add in the diced tomato and quick it a quick stir for 10 seconds before swirling in the egg mixture (beat egg with 1 milk/pouring cream) and cook till almost done.

6. Next adding in 1 tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee Ketchup and stir till the mixture is well-mixed. Remove and set aside.

7. Assemble the scramble egg and sausage into the bento box then start decorating the heart-shaped pizza toast with some lettering cutout from the sandwich cheese.

"I Love Dad" Pizza Toast

8. When done, arrange them nicely back into the prepared bento box and serve.

Actually there are many ways which you could incorporate Ketchup into your cooking instead of using it only as a dipping sauce. And I am sure you have many good ideas which you might like to share with us too, so do drop me a comment on your "secret ketchup recipe" too! Till then have a great week ahead. Cheers!