Sunday 25 June 2006

Meme - 10 Things I Miss of Mum's Cooking

Wow... never thought I had a chance to tag on this MEME game as well. I had read it from a few of the food blogger friends that I knew and I really find it very interesting. And now I am so surpised to be tag by Margaret(jingle26) for participating this.

But when it's my turn to write this Meme, it seems to be a lost. As I don't know how or where to start........ 10 Things... em..... since primary school till I grown up and get married, my mum had being working either morning/afternoon shift work so most of the cooking are done by my dad. So this Meme is sort of a bit hard for me to come out 10 items....lolz....but I will try my best.....


1. Haninese Chicken Rice - Since my mum is a Haninese she this is one of her Super Dish of the family. She used to cook it twice a month and the fragrant of the rice, the taste of the tender chicken and most of all the dipping chilli sauce.....all of these are so much better than those selling outside.

2. Haninese Pork Chop - Other than her Chicken Rice, this is one of her special dish that grandpa passed to her. It's their famous Haninese Pork Chop, it's so crispy outside and yet the meat is so tender and juice. Really miss those crunch, I used to fight those pieces of pork chop with my brother.

3. Salted Fish Meatball With Cabbage- This is another simple and easy soup that my mum used to cook. She will mixed the chopped salted fish with pork minced, marinate and shape it into round shape and cook with cabbage and fishball for soup.

4. Stir-fry Prawn With Oyster Sauce - I love this dish very much, and I often cook this dish when my friend come to my place and they loves the sauce to go with the rice.

5. Ngoh Hiang - Last time my mum only used to make this during Chinese New Year time, and her Ngoh Hiang is always the most popular dishes in the new year feast.

6. Steam Ji Dan Gao - My mum used to steam a few big bamboo basket of these steam egg cake before Chinese new year to pray the ancestors. Her steam egg cake is very fragrant and spongy which is very different from those selling outside.

7. Sweet and Sour Pork - One of the regular dish that my mum used to cook on weekend because my brother loves it so much.

8. Nonya Chicken Curry - My mum used to make her own curry paste instead of those instant pre-pack one that we are using now. I love to eat this with French loaf.

9. Soya Sauce Duck - I love the taste of the sauce and the duck meat is tender, it's so fragrant and not the oily. I always eat this with white porridge because it can actually bring out the taste of this dish.

10. Vegetarian Dishes - Since my mum is a Buddhism, she always prepare a few vegetarian dishes during the 1st day of Chinese New Year or during the 1st and the 15th day of the Luna Month.

Wow... finally I managed to list 10 things that my mum used to cook. Because since my dad had pass a way and we are all grown up and not around by her side. She don't really cook all these wonderful food anymore. :(

Now... I should let Pamy, and Shirley to tell you more about what they had miss on their mum's cooking.

Friday 23 June 2006

Cranberries & Cream Cheese Bread

Since today is Friday and I am preparing a very simple dish for today's dinner. I took so time on and off during my son's afternoon naptime to prepare this Cranberries & Cream Cheese Bread. I used half of the previous dough ingredients that Evan suggested and add some dried cranberry in it. This bread is wonder with the cream cheese filling and some assorted jam spread on top. Although it might look complicated but it is indeed very easy to prepare.


Ingredients: (make 7 buns)
150g Bread Flour
50g Plain Flour
10g Milk Powder
30g Sugar
1 Medium Egg
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Instant Dry Yeast
85ml Ice Water
25g Butter/Margarine
40g Dried Cranberries, finely chopped

Methods:
1. Mix bread flour, plain flour, milk powder, salt, sugar and dry yeast till well blended in a big mixing bowl.
2. Next add in Egg, and use finger to mix it well and slowly add in the cold water while you knead the mixture till combine then add in the butter and knead to form a pliable & elastic dough.
3. This process may take quite a while, about 30 mins or so.
4. The dough will be wet & sticky at first (and kinda messy as well), but keep on kneading (without adding oil or water) until dough no longer sticks to fingers & is glossy on surface.
5. And if you're about to give up just like I did, DON'T!
6. When the dough is done, add in the chopped cranberries slowly and mix till well combine.
7. Place the dough in the mixing bowl, wrap it up and set aside in a warm place to allow dough to fermentate, approx. 45 minutes - 60 minutes,(depend on the weather, or you can place it in the oven with a bowl of hot water beside it) the dough must at least double in size after fermentation.

Nowsday, you can find alot of bread with cranberry as one of the mixture from most bakery. Cranberries are a source of polyphenol antioxidants, chemicals which are known to provide certain health benefits to the cardiovascular system and immune system. By adding these chopped dried cranberries to the bread, it really gives a extra sweetness and crunch when eating.

For The Cream Cheese Filling :
100g Soften Cream Cheese
20g Icing Sugar
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Grated Lemon Rind

Methods:
1. Sift the icing sugar into a small mixing bowl, then add in the lemon juice and stir well.
2. Next add in the soften cream cheese and lemon rind and stir till well combined.
3. Set aside in the fridge for later use.

Theoriginall recipe actually coated the bread withdesiccatee coconut and top with some blueberries jam. But since I do not have any of those items at home. I replace it with some assorted nuts and jams that I found in my fridge. So this is my version of Cranberries Bread With Cream Cheese Filling.

For Decoration:
1 Extra Egg For Glazing
Some Almond Flake/Pumpkin Seeds
Some Assorted Jam

Methods:
1. Divide the fermented dough into 7 lumps of 60g each and leave the lumps to rise for another 20 minutes.
2. Wrap about 1/2 Tablespoon of the cream cheese paste with the lumps and shape into round balls.
3. Use a small rolling pin or your thumb to press an deep indent in the middle of the bun to place the jam filling later.
4. Leave the filled balls to ferment until they have double their original size(about another 20 minutes).
5. Brush the fermented bun evenly with some beaten egg wash and top with some jam fillings in the indent and sprinkle some almond flake or pumpkin seeds on the surrounding.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 200 degree for 10 mins until well risen & golden brown.
7. Glaze buns with margarine while hot.

Notes: You can used any types of jam that you prefer for the top fillings. Posted by Picasa


Pork Chop La Mian-排骨拉面

I always like to eat the 排骨拉面 from Crystal Jade Noodle House. So when I saw this similar recipe from one of the cookbook, I decide to give it a try. I bought the Fresh La Mian(拉面) from NTUC supermarket which can use to serve 3 - 4 person. This dish is very simple, just need to marinate the pork chop then deep-fry it and serve with soup noodle. It cost about $3.00 per bowl base on the ingredients used.


Ingredients: (serves 2)
2 Pieces of Big Pork Chop With Bone
1 Packet of La Mian(拉面)
A Few Stalks Of Xiao Bao Cai/Cai Xin(小白菜/菜薪)
600ml Of Soup Stock
Some Shallot/Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoon Sweet Potato Flour + 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon Cooking Wine
2 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar
3-4 Cloves Crush Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Five-spice Powder

Methods:
1. Wash and chop the pork chop with the back of the knife to make it tenderize.
2. Marinate it with the seasoning for at least 30 minutes or more in the fridge.
3. Before deep-frying, coat it evenly with the flour mixture and set aside for 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Preheat the oil and deep-fry the pork chop in medium heat one at a time until golden brown and crisp.
5. Blanch the noodle in boiling water, then rinse with tap water to remove the starch on the noodles.
6. Then cook the noodles accordingly to the packet instructions.
7. Wash and blanch the vegetables in the boiling soup, remove and set side.
8. Place the cooked noodles in a serving bowl, top with blanch vegetables and deep-fry pork chop.
9. Pour over the soup stock and sprinkle some dried shallot, sesame oil and spring onion then serve.

Notes: You can use any types of noodle that you prefer. Or you can change the pork chop to pork ribs.Posted by Picasa

Thursday 22 June 2006

Pumpkin & Assorted Bean Soup

Remember the Cranberry Bean(click link for more details) that I had used for some of the soup recipes before. Today we are going to have another soup using these beautify peal bean together with some kidney beans and pumpkin to stew a wonderful soup of the day.

Kidney Beans-红腰豆
A dried kidney shape bean that is reddish brown in color, strong flavored and has a slight mealy (powdery) texture. The beans can be cooked as their own dish or can be added into other dishes, such as chili, casseroles, refried beans and salads. They are available dried or in cans, precooked. Kidney beans also provide large amounts of foliate and tryptophan. It also benefits the Spleen and invigorates the Stomach, expels Heat and Dampness. As with all dried beans, they should be sorted and washed before cooking. Soaking ahead of time reduces cooking time.


Ingredients:
1/4 Pumpkin(南瓜), about 300g
20 Pods Cranberry Bean(珍珠豆)
100g Kidney Beans(红腰豆)
300g - 350g Pork Ribs(排骨)
1 Medium Fresh Huai Shan(鲜淮山), about 200g
1/2 Tablespoon Gou Qizi(枸杞子)
1 Piece Of Dried Tangerine Peel, 陈皮

Methods:
1. Wash, trim and blanch the pork ribs in boiling water. Rinse and set aside for later use.
2. Wash, peel and cut the pumpkin into 4 large pieces.
3. Wash and soak the kidney bean for about 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
4. Soak dried tangerine peel till soft, then scrape off the pith.
5. Remove the cranberry bean from the pod, wash and set aside.
6. Bring a pot of 1.2 litre of water to boil, then add in all the ingredients except the cranberry bean, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 1 hrs or until the kidney bean is tender then add in the cranberry bean and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
7. Or you can transfer the boiled soup to a slow-cooker and simmer on LOW heat for 2 hours then add in the cranberry beans and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes season with salt and serve. Posted by Picasa

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