Archive for February, 2007

Lotus Root, Carrot Braised Chicken

February 14, 2007 · Filed under Japanese Recipes

Lotus Root, Carrot Braised Chicken

Ingredients:
300g boneless chicken thigh or chicken fillet or chicken breast, removed skin
8 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked, removed stems and squeezed to remove liquid (Keep the soaked fluid)
1 small lotus root, peeled
1 medium carrot,peeled
some snow peas, removed tops and tails
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoon sake
1.5 teaspoons dashi powder dissolved in a bowl of water
2 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoon soy sauce

Method:
1. Cut the lotus into slices of about 0.5cm and soak them in water and vinegar to cover all of them and soak for about 10 to 15 minutes and drain.

2. Cut the carrot into slices and if you are more creative into flower shaped.

3. Heat oil over high heat and add chicken to cook until slightly brown on each side. And drain off and discard the oil.

4. Add the mushroom, lotus root, carrot and sake and combine evenly. Then add the dashi mixture and bring it to boil. Then add the mirin and half the soy sauce. Cover with a lid and let it boil for 5 minutes and reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.

5. Add in the snow peas and the rest of the soy sauce and let it simmer for another 10minutes and turn off the heat and let it stand for a while before serving.

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Shiitake Mushroom, Carrot and Xiao Bai Cai

February 13, 2007 · Filed under Chinese Oriental Recipes, Vegetarian Dishes

Shiitake Mushroom, Carrot and Xiao Bai Cai

Ingredients:
1 tsp canola oil
1 clove of garlic, sliced
some onion, chopped
8 fresh shiitake mushroon, halved or sliced
Half a carrot, cut into thin strips
500g of Xiao Bai Xiao
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
half tsp golden sugar
30ml chicken stock
1 tsp cornstarch to 1 tbsp water

Methods:
1. Half the Xiao Bai Cai and dig into boiling water and remove and arrange on plate.
2. Heat up the oil and stir fry the garlic and onion till golden brown. Add in the carrot and mushroom and stir fry for a minute.
3. Mixed the sauces, sweet with chicken stock and add into the frying pan.
4. Allow it to boil before adding the cornstarch. When the sauce thicken, scoop onto the centre of the arranged xiao bai cai.
2. Heat up the

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Chicken Sheperd’s Pie

February 13, 2007 · Filed under Western Recipes

Chicken Sheperd’s Pie

Ingredients:
1 tsp canola oil/olive oil/ vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
500g minced chicken
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
250ml chicken stock (Can get the can one or homemade)
2 cups mixed vegetables
1 quarter cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 pinch dried sage
6 potatoes
1 egg
1 third cup light cottage cheese
Salt and pepper for taste

Method:
1. Heat oil over medium heat and stir-fry onion until fragnant (about 3 minutes).
2. Add in the chicken and stir the chicken to break it up for about 7minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Sprinkle with flour, cook stirring for another 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock, cook, stirring, until thickening.
4. Stir in vegetables, parlsey, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and sage, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Peeled boiled tender potato and mash until smooth. Beat in the egg and cottage cheese, add some salt and pepper to taste.
6. Transfer chicken mixture into baking pan and spread the potatoes over the chicken mixture.
7. Place baking pan in bottom third of oven and broil for 7-8 minutes or until potatoes are golden.

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Skillet Sheperd’s Pie (Beef)

February 13, 2007 · Filed under Western Recipes

Sheperd’s Pie (Beef)

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil/olive oil/vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
500g lean minced beef
150ml beef stock (made from beef bones)
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 tsp chili powder
half tsp dried oregano
half tsp ground cumin
1 can kernel corn (I used mixed vegetables.)
1 cup coarsely diced roasted red peppers
3 cups of mashed potato (I make from fresh potatoes)
50ml milk
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil over medium fire and cook onion until fragnant (about 3 minutes). Add in the beef and cook until browned or not longer pink and by stirring to separate them. Drain off any fat

2. Stir in the beef stock, tomato pasta, chili powder, oregano, cumin and corn; cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. And spread out evenly on a baking tray; sprinkle with roasted red peppers.

3. Beat the potatoes with milk and egg; spoon over the meat mixture. Place in the bottom third of the oven and broil for 7 to 8 minutes ot until potatoes are heated thougha and golden brown.

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Love Letters

February 12, 2007 · Filed under Desserts and Pastries

Love Letter

Ingredients:
125g rice flour
35g plain flour
125g granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (from 1 coconut)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

Method:
1. Sift rice and plain flour into a mixing bowl. Add in sugar and slowly add the coconut milk. Stir until smooth then add the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk until well blended. Strain the batter.

2. Lightly grease love letter moulds with a piece of muslin cloth dipped in oil. Heat mould over charcoal fire.

3. When heated, place the moulds open over a bowl of batter and pour a ladelful of batter onto the mould. Close the mould tightly and bake over charcoal fire for about half a minute on each side.

4. When golden in colour, remove and immediately roll into a perfect circle (see picture). Press lightly with a tin cover to level the surface.

5. Cool and store in an air-tight container or tin.

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Kueh Bangkit

February 12, 2007 · Filed under Desserts and Pastries

Kueh Bangkit

Before baking,
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After baking,
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Ingredients:
400g tapioca flour
4 pandan leaves, cut into 5cm–6cm lengths
2 egg yolks
175g castor sugar
150ml thick coconut milk
1 tbsp butter
1 pinch of salt

Method:
1. Pan fry tapioca flour together with the pandan leaves over a medium heat till light and dry, then sift and leave aside to cool thoroughly.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Sift in tapioca flour and mix.

3. Add thick coconut milk a little at a time. Knead well into a firm dough. Add in the butter and continue to knead until the dough is pliable.

4. Use a wooden mould to press out desired shapes or roll out dough to a thickness of 3/4cm on a lightly-floured tabletop. Stamp out desired shapes with cookie or kuih bangkit cutters.

5. Place on a baking tray (lightly floured with tapioca flour). Bake in a preheated oven at 170°c for 20 – 25 minutes or until the kuih bangkit turns dry. Cool before storing.

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