Monday 8 August 2011

Mickey Bento Sets - From Breakfast to Dinner

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A few weeks back I received an email from Bee together with invitation to do a Bento related guest post at Rasa Malaysia. I was so surprise after reading her email because for so many years I have being one of her silent readers whom always drool over her mouthwatering photos and recipes which our family enjoys. And today I am so honor to be one of the invited guests to share my bento post with all her readers.

For this post, instead of Angry Birds I will be sharing two Mickey Bento which I have discussed with Bee. First bento set can be used for either Lunch/Dinner as it comes with soup, rice, veggie, prawn and fresh fruit. While the second set will be more suitable for breakfast, tea-snack or field trip outing.

Different Mickey shapes cutout from pumpkin, carrot, Chinese yam(huai shan) and assorted colour of capsicums for making the soup and stir-fry.


MICKEY LUNCH OR DINNER SET



Ingredients For Soup:
300g Spare Ribs
1 Medium Carrot, cut into thick chunks
200g Chinese Yam, cut into thick chunks
200g Pumpkin, cut into 3 portions
1 Sweetcorn, cut into 4 sections and halves
1.2 Litres of Water

Method:-
1. Blanched spare ribs in boiling water for 1 minute remove rinse and set aside.

2. Before cutting the root vegetables into chunk, reserve a small portion and use small assorted Mickey food cutters to cutout mickey face shaped from Chinese yam, carrot and pumpkin. (about 5 pieces from each item)

3. Bring 1.2 litres of water to boil, add in all ingredients except the reserved “Mickey” shaped cutouts.

4. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, next place the mickey cutouts on a metal soup ladler lower into the simmering soup and cook for 15 seconds. Remove and set aside in serving bowl.

5. Ladle warm soup into the bowl before serving.

Ingredients For Onigiri And Veggies:
3 Tablespoons Cooked Rice
1 Slice of Sandwich Cheese
1 Thin Slice of Carrot
Nori Sheet
1/4 Bunch of Baby Choy Sum
1 Teaspoon Wolfberries
1/4 Teaspoon Minced Garlic, optional

Method:-
1. Place a sheet of cling wrap on one hand and scoop about 2 tablespoons of cooked rice on it. Shape the rice into a ball.

2. Remove the cling wrap and place it on a paper cup liner while working on the two ears on the side.

3. Using the same cling wrap scoop 1 teaspoon of cooked rice on it and shaped into semi-circle. Open the cling wrap and cover the rice ball with a 4cm diameter round nori sheet to form the ear.

4. Repeat step 3 again. Next place the 1st round rice ball onto a cling wrap, using 2cm long thin spaghetti to attach the ears on the side of rice ball.

5. Shaped these three parts of the mickey features tightly using the cling wrap and your hands.

6. When done remove the wrapper and place it on the paper cup liner into the assigned box and start adding the facial expression using mickey shape cutter, cheese and carrot shown above.

7. To make the eye balls and nose, use a craft puncher on a nori sheet to get small oval shapes and paste it on the cutout cheese.

8. For the vegetables; preheat a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon of cooking oil sauté the garlic till fragrant before adding vegetable. Give a quick stir and cook for 30 second, toss in wolfberries and cook for another 5 seconds. Remove and arrange in another paper cup liner at the side of the Mickey onigiri.

Ingredients For Tomato Prawn:
1/4 Red, Yellow And Green Capsicum
5 Slices of Carrot
5 Medium Shrimps, shells removed
3/4 Tablespoon Ketchup
1/4 Teaspoon Minced Garlic, optional
1/4 Brown Onion, optional

Method:-
1. Using small assorted Mickey food cutters to cutout mickey shaped from the assorted capsicum and carrot. (about 3 cutouts from each items, remaining cut into long strips )

2. Next preheat saucepan with drizzle of oil, sauté garlic till fragrant add in assorted capsicum and onion cook for 30 seconds before adding in the shrimps.

3. Give the mixture a quick stir, add in ketchup mix well cook until prawn changed colour.

4. Turn off the heat, dish up and assemble it on bento container.

Ingredients For Fruit Platter:
3 Slices of Dragon Fruits/Melons
4 Lychee/Cherry, seeds removed

Method:-
1. Using a big Mickey food cutter, cutout mickey head shaped from the dragon fruit and set aside

2. Arrange the serving bento with mickey head dragon fruits and some seedless fresh lychee of any fruits of your choice.


MICKEY BREAKFAST SET



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Apart from the full set of Mickey Dinner Bento shown above, I have also made another Quick and Easy Mickey Breakfast Set using some of the "Bamboo Charcoal Bread" that comes in just in time to shape the face of Mickey. But if you cannot find any Black Charcoal Bread you can always replace it with chocolate bread too.


ARRAY OF MICKEY SHAPES FOOD CUTTER



These are the Mickey Shapes Food Cutter that I used used in making these two bento shown above. If you are interested to get hold of these cutters, you can either purchase them from online bento shop or for those living in Singapore, you can get it from Kai Kai Gift at level 2 of Chinatown Point. Lastly, I hope you would like these two set of Mickey Bento which perhaps could bring back some of your Disneyland trip or childhood memories.

For the FULL Recipes of these Mickey Bento, you can refer to my Guest Post @ Rasa Malaysia HERE.


{New!} Tasty Breakfast Choices @ Burger King

Recently Burger King(BK) launched a new Breakfast Platter which is specially made for those who wants a healthy start for the day. This set consists of freshly cooked omelet folded around a filling of Turkey Ham and American cheese, smoked chicken frankfurter (made with 100% chicken breast, sage and mace) together with tangy taste of freshly grilled juicy tomato. Beside those mentioned there is also fluffy croissan'wich bun and generous portion of bite-size round hash browns to make this a hearty and wholesome breakfast platter.
Meal Price: S$7.45* (includes a cup of Seattle’s Best Coffee/Tea)
*price varies at selected restaurants


But if you prefer something light and flavorful for breakfast, perhaps you can consider any of these bite size BK SHOTS Egg Benny or Tomato Benny. These breakfast sets come with either slices of ripe red tomato and buttery egg omelet or a delightful combination of Turkey ham and fluffy egg omelet patty both nestled in the soft seedless bun with premium creamy Hollandaise sauce.
Meal Price: S$3.50 (includes a cup of Seattle’s Best Coffee/Tea)


Or you still prefer this all-time classic in BK’s breakfast menu which is made with buttery fluffy CROISSAN’WICH bun, American Cheese, slices of thinly shaved Turkey Ham together with soft and buttery egg omelet.
Meal Price: S$5.45* (includes a cup of Seattle’s Best Coffee/Tea)
*price varies at selected restaurants

For your information, these 4 sets of breakfast treat are complemented by a cup of piping hot Seattle's Best Coffee to brighten up your day. You can read more about these Seattle's Best Coffee in another post HERE.


Friday 5 August 2011

Crystal Jade Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Culinary Carnival

In celebration of Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding's 20th Anniversary, the home-grown restaurant chain is holding it's very first 3 Days Culinary Carnival at the atrium of NEX shopping mall. This carnival starts from 05 - 07 August 2011 and will feature a wide range of Crystal Jade dishes, cooking demonstrations, quizzes and competitions. Most importantly the profits will be donated to World Vision, an international aid organization.

As part of Crystal Jade's focus on corporate social responsibility, the restaurant chain will donate the event's profits to World Vision whereby 80% of the anticipated 100,000 dollars raised will go to the One Life Fund bursary scheme while the rest will go to World Vision development projects in rural Vietnam.

The Carnival coupon is available for sales at all Crystal Jade outlets, Carnival Hotline @ 6512 0800 and Ticket Booths located at atrium of NEX shopping mall at a value of S$30.00 per booklet including 1 FREE bottle of 500ml Sunbeam Oil while stock last.  Please note coupons purchased are for one "specified" day only and you will get another Extra S$5.00 coupon by using Citibank Credit Card to make payment for the S$30.00 coupon booklets too. More details of the Culinary Carnival, please refer to Crystal Jade website HERE.

The Carnival will have 12 food booths offering a wide range of cuisines, each representing a different Crystal Jade concept. This is also the first time members of the public will be able to sample such a wide range of Crystal Jade dishes all in one location - with selections from its fine-dining outlets to its casual and family restaurants and bakeries.

La Mian Demonstration by Crystal Jade Chef on 3 different types of La Mian, including the fine Dragon Beard Noodles(longxu mian)that can thread those needle. After some impressive demonstration by chef, there is also a La Mian Competition whereby audiences would get a chance to hands-on.

So remember to hop down to the Crystal Jade Culinary Carnival from today onwards till 07 August 2011 to savour a spread of Crystal Jade favourites, and as well contribute your share to the society by purchasing some carnival coupons and be part of the profits given to World Vision to help those who are in needs.


Savory Steamed Tofu with Unsweetened Soy Milk

Weekend is approaching and for those who is on leave next Monday, you will get to enjoy a long weekend due to Singapore National Day on Tuesday, 09 August 2011. So if you thinking of what to cook for the family during this weekend perhaps you could read up more on today's homemade "Savory Steamed Tofu with unsweetened Soy Milk", guest post by HL(Tigerfish), writer of "Teczcape - An Escape To Food" food blog and author of "The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook". (sample of the recipes can be found HERE)

I love to read up HL's blog posts where she always shared quick and easy recipes which most of us could easily follow and whipped up a hearty meal within a short time frame. And most important she always try to create healthy dishes that are nutritious and healthy for her family. So now let's welcome HL and her homemade Savory Tofu dish.


Savory Steamed Tofu with Unsweetened Soy Milk



I have been following Cuisine Paradise by Ellena for some time. Ellena is one super creative cook, baker and food blogger; consistently churning out homey delicious recipes that inspire. It is indeed my privilege to guest post at her award-winning blog. Thank you for your kind invite, Ellena.

Savory steamed tofu pudding/savory steamed tofu custard is a dish that I have cooked many times because it is extremely easy to prepare (no more than 15 minutes including prep. and cooking time!), nutritious, and within minutes, a comforting flavorsome dish.

Additionally, it is a dish that easily encourages you to play up your creativity with flavors and textures. Go little extra miles each time e.g. extra umami by adding mushrooms and tomatoes, extra "soy" by adding (unsweetened) soy milk or extra flavor depth by adding miso.

Super easy to make, super delicious and super healthy too!

See that? They belong to the same world. A soy milk "bath" for tofu (soy beancurd): Savory Steamed Tofu with Unsweetened Soy Milk. Here are some details and tips to make your very own.

Savory Steamed Tofu in Unsweetened Soymilk
(1) Soy Milk "Bath: Add unsweetened soy milk to about half the brim of tofu (tofu already laid out and gently mashed in a serving bowl). More soymilk if you like - about 3/4 brim of the tofu. Of course, you can also substitute soy milk with water or any broth you like. Whole milk also works.

(2) Tofu: Use soft or silken for smooth velvety texture. If you have medium-firm tofu - you could gently mash it down further with a spoon or if you have both varieties on hand - use a mixture (half soft, silken + half medium-firm). Play with textures if you wish. It can be as smooth as silky as you want.

(3) Ingredients: Add diced tomatoes and fresh mushrooms (Note: beech/bunashimeiji mushrooms or any delicate-textured mushrooms work better as the entire dish would just be gently steamed and within that short time of 5-8 minutes of steaming, the mushrooms can be easily cooked through). You can also add sweet corn kernels, shelled edamame beans, or sweet green peas.


(4) Garnishes: Generously garnish with finely chopped cilantro, fried shallots and nori seaweed, add 2-3 drops of sesame oil and dashes of white pepper over the dish before steaming. All these garnishing add flavor, depth and aroma!

(5) Finishing Touches: Set wok to do steaming and turn down the heat to medium to reduce the boil for steaming. Steam for about 5 minutes. After steaming, just another 1-2 drops of sesame oil to bring out the aroma. Salt and more pepper to taste.

Enjoy, and create your own tomorrow!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again, thanks HL(Tigerfish) for her wonderful guest post on this Savory Steamed Tofu With Unsweetened Soy Milk dish. For more recipes on HL's blog, you could refer to the link HERE.


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