[2-In-1 Dishes] Recipes Using IKEA 365+ Pot plus Stabil Steamer

Preparing meals in the kitchen can be one of the most "headache" household chores for modern working mothers/ladies. The thoughts of having to clean up the greasy kitchen top, cooking utensils, floor and etc always make it a "OFF MODE" no matter how enthusiastic or simple the meal(s) can be.

For me, even though I might love to experiment different dishes or bakes in the kitchen, still I would always go for simple and easy to prepare recipes with either steamed or oven baked method if I am not using my reliable Happy Call Pan.

IKEA always has a wide range of kitchen products such as cookwares, ovenwares, utensils, food storage and etc. And recently I have just got a set of this 365+ Pot,  boiling insert as well as steamer insert to replace my old soup pot in order to help me reduce the time in preparing quick and healthier meals within 30 minutes to an hour.

For more information and prices of the above-mentioned, please refer to the review HERE.

HUAI SHAN, LOTU ROOTS AND SWEETCORN CHICKEN SOUP

As you can see from the photo above, I have use the IKEA 365+ pot to boil soup and stack up the Stabil steamer insert half way through in order to steam the egg dish while I could continue to boil the soup at the same time. And by the end of 30 - 35 minutes,  we able to enjoy simple and yet delicious homecook food without any hassle or greasy kitchen floor. (less washing to be done too)

(Serves: 2-3             | Preparation: 10 minutes            | Cooking: 30 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Drumsticks, skin removed
150g Huai Shan, skin removed
150g Lotus Root, skin removed, sliced
1 Sweet Corn, Cut into section, halved
100g Pumpkin(optional), skin removed cut into thick wedges
6 Big Red Dates
Some Fresh Gingko Nuts, Optional

Method:-

1. Fill the IKEA 365+ pot with water to about 1.5 litre mark and bring it to boil.  At the meantime blanched chicken in another saucepan for about 2 - 3 minutes, remove and rinse well. Set aside.

2. When the water comes to boil in the soup pot, add in all ingredients except pumpkin(add only at the last 10 - 15 minutes of cooking time), put the lid(don't worry it would not overflow due to the steam vent ventilation) on and let it boil on medium heat for about 3 minutes, lower the heat and simmer the soup mixture for 30 minutes and season to taste with salt before serving.

OR

3. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes, remove the lid, drop in the pumpkin and stack up the STABIL Steamer insert on top, place the prepared steamed egg mixture and steamed on medium low heat for 13 - 15 minutes till done.

STEAMED EGG WITH MINCED MEAT

There are quiet a few ways which you can prepared this steamed egg dish using different ingredients which you prefer. Example:- you can do a seafood steamed egg using fish fillet or flower crab(recipe), firm tofu(recipe), ginseng(recipe), salted and century egg plus many other combinations.  For this recipe, I am preparing my mum's version of  "Steamed Egg with Minced Meat and Century Egg" which she always prepared for us.

(Make: 5" x 5" Square          | Preparation: 5 minutes |           Cooking: 13 - 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 (55g) Egg
1 Century Egg, cut into small cubes
1.5 Tablespoon Marinated Minced Meat, optional
100ml Drinking Water
1/2 Tablespoon Of Wolfberries
Some Chopped Spring Onion, Chilli and Shallot Oil

Method:-

1. If you are using minced meat, spread the mixture evenly at the base of the steaming bowl/plate.

2. Lightly whisk/beat the eggs in a bowl, add in 100ml of drinking water and continue to beat till combined.

3. Using a strainer, strain the egg mixture into the prepared steaming bowl. Scatter wolfberries on top, using heatproof cling wrap cover the top of the bowl leaving a small gap at one of the corner to prevent water droplets during steaming.

4. Place the bowl on the steamer rack, cover the lid and steam on medium low heat together with the soup(below) for about 13 - 15(with meat) minutes.

5. Remove the steamed egg together with the steamer and garnish egg dish with some extra chopped spring onion, shallot oil and chilli. Serve together with soup and steamed rice.

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Note:-

~ If you are not using marinated minced meat, add about 1/2 teaspoon of chicken stock powder into your egg mixture at step 2 to season your dish.

STEAMED EGG CAKE

(Ji Dan Gao - 鸡蛋糕)

Steamed Egg Cake can be consider as one of the easiest and yet tricky traditional steamed cake which requires a few simple ingredients such as Eggs, Flour, Sugar and carbonated Beverage like Cream Soda or 7-Up that act as a leavening agent for the cake.

(Makes: 14 cupcake size      | Preparation: 15 minutes     | Cooking Time: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:
3 (55g) Eggs
160g Caster Sugar
170g Cake Flour Or All Purpose Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
60ml 7-Up or Cream Soda
1/2 - 3/4 Teaspoon of Pandan Paste, optional

Method:-

1. Please refer to my previous Steamed Egg Cake post for the step-by-step preparation method HERE.

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Tips:-
~ Adding extra pandan leaves in the boiling water will enhance the aroma and flavour of the steamed cake.

~ By adding 1/2 - 3/4 Teaspoon of Pandan Paste to the cake batter will help to enhance the colour as well as get ride of the strong "egg" smell/taste from the steamed egg cake, leaving in jade green in colour with fragrant pandan(also known as screwpine) aroma.

Lastly I hope you would find this post useful if you do own a stock pot with steamer rack so that at least you can have an idea on how to prepare more than 1 dish at the same time to maximum the usage of time and the cookware. Till then, cya on the next post.

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

{Photo Friday} Mother's Day Special

Although there are different dates reserved for Mother's Day in many parts of the world which most commonly seen in March, April or May but the majority of the countries do celebrate this special day on every second Sunday of May each year. And since today is Friday, Mother's Day will be just two days around the corner on Sunday, 13 May 2012. I am sure most of you have either celebrated Mother's Day early to avoid the crowds or you have already planned something interesting ahead for your mum or wife.

In this post, I have pick some quick and easy recipe links for your reference if you prefer to cook or bake some warm and hearty for your mum or loved ones during this weekend. No matter you are a newbie in the kitchen or someone who can cooks well, I am sure some of these links below will be able to give you some ideas on how to surprised "Mum" with your new skills and creation in the kitchen.

My boy with his genius thoughts and funny act(s) always makes me feel warm and blessed no matter how difficult motherhood is through his growing years. 

SET MENU FOR MUM

Thai Dishes with Appetizer	Chicken Cutlet with Apple Salad and Soup	Garlic Spaghetti with Pistachio Chicken and Avocado Milkshake
Avocado Chicken Parmigiana	Watercress Soup and Hainanese Pork Chop Rice	Kimchi Tofu Soup And Japchae

SOUP FOR MUM

Samgyetang	Five Nuts Soup	Leek and Potato Soup
Cream Of Mushroom Soup	Cordyceps Herbal Soup	Pork Muscle with Burdock

DISHES FOR MUM

Hong Zao Ji(红槽鸡)	Sizzling Tofu (using Happy Call Pan)	Bitter Gourd and Chicken In Casserole
Salmon with Spicy Sweetcorn Salsa	Stir-Fry Leek with Firm Beancurd	Thai Green Curry

BAKES FOR MUM

Lemon Yogurt Butter Cake	Double Chocolate Madeleine	Chocolate Chiffon with Multigrains
Kiwifruit and Lime Cupcakes	Apple Upside-down Cake (using Happy Call Pan)	Pandan Chiffon Cake (using Happy Call Pan)

DESSERT FOR MUM

Soy Milk Beancurd Pudding	Durian Pancake	Sweet Potato Soup
Bubur Terigu(大麦)	Tau Suan(豆爽)	Steamed Milk with Egg Whites

For more recipe ideas, you can refer to my recipes link HERE.

Lastly I would like to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day! Remember to love and pamper your mum in anyway that you can. Because "being a mom is the hardest job in the world", they don't get to rest and they work 24hr a week for 365 days. So during this coming Mother's Day, do give your mum a warm hug and a pat on her back to show your love and appreciation for her contribution to the family.