Home-cooked: malabar spinach soup with anchovies and egg

Nothing beats a harvested home-grown crop! So fresh and pesticide free! As I've just started a mini edible garden, the haul is little but just nice for the 2 of us :-)

Home-grown malabar spinach

I've cooked a simple soup with egg and anchovies:

What I've used:

• malabar spinach, pinched, washed and cleaned
• anchovies, washed and cleaned
• 1 egg
• water, depending on how much soup you require
• some oil
• salt and pepper to taste

How:

1. Heat up some oil in wok on medium to low heat. Add anchovies and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add in the spinach and continue to stir-fry a minute or two.
2. Pour in a bowl of water in accordance of how much soup you require. Cover with the hood and bring it to a boil.
3. Break the egg and add it in the boiling soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer until it's cooked and ready to be served.

Home-cooked: Jamie Oliver's tomato and red onion pasta sauce

Cooked this for hub's birthday recently :-)

Easy peasy, non-hassle and completed in less than an hour. The below is for 2 person.

What I've used:

• 1 bottle Jamie Oliver's Tomato and Red Onion Pasta Sauce
• 1/2 packet San Remo spaghetti
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 potato, cubed
• minced pork (you can use other meat, lamb is highly recommended by Jamie)
• some olive oil
• a dash of salt, sugar and tomato sauce to taste

How:

1. Firstly, boil a pot of water to cook spaghetti. Add a dash of salt and olive oil once boiling and then the spaghetti. Remove and drain once the spaghetti is cook. Set aside
2. Blanch the potato in a pot of salted water. Set aside once the texture is soft.
3. Heat up wok with some olive oil. At low heat, stir fry garlic until fragrant and then add the minced pork. At medium heat, stir fry until pork is nearly cooked and then add in the sauce. Add some water to dilute the texture to your liking and continue stirring. After that pour in the blanched potatoes and let it simmer in medium to low heat. Add salt, sugar and tomato sauce to taste. Once done, it is ready to be served.
4. Optional: add some toasted French baguette to dip in the sauce

Happy birthday hubs!

MPOV: First time using Jamie Oliver's tomato and red onion pasta sauce. Very fragrant but need seasoning to taste or else it's bland. Sauce is thick so it can be diluted a bit for more serving. Priced at RM11.90 from Cold Storage Supermarket.

Eggs Benedict

Taken from Open Rice.

Home-cooked: easy peasy blanched eggplant

Ingredient:

• eggplant, peeled and cut in chunks
• shallot, peeled and sliced thinly

Method:

1. Boil a wok of water, add in a dash of salt. Add in the eggplant chunks once boiling. Remove and drain once cooked
2. Heat up wok with 1-2 tbsp oil, depending on eggplant portion. Add in sliced shallots and cook until fragrant. Remove and pour over the blanched eggplants and serve

Home-cooked: fruity cooling water

Ingredients:

• apples, peeled and quartered
• pears, peeled and quartered
• red dates, remove the seed

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water
2. Once boiling, add in all the ingredients and bring it to a boil
3. Lower heat and let it simmer for an hour or two
4. Serve chilled or iced or warm

Fish Head Noodles

Taken from Tumix
Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 kg fish head (cut into pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper)
• 100 gm young ginger (thinly sliced)
• 150 gm thick vermicelli (if it's dry, soak in water until soft before blanching in hot water)
• 100 ml evaporated milk
• a few stalks Chinese celery and spring onions (for garnishing)

(A)

• 3-4 tomatoes (sliced)
• 150 gm salted cabbage (shredded and soaked in hot water for 20 minutes to remove salt content)

(B)

• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 sachet Tumix Ikan Bilis
• 1 litre hot water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt to taste

 Method:
Blanch vermicelli in hot water until soft. Heat oil in a wok. Deep fry fish until golden and crispy. Drain and leave aside. In a clean wok, add 2 tbsp oil. Fry young ginger until it's fragrant. Add (A) and (B). Allow to simmer. Add fried fish head and cooked vermicelli. Cover. When boiling, pour in evaporated milk. Garnish and serve immediately.

Szechuan Fried String Beans

Taken from Tumix
Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooking oil
• 400 gm string beans (remove the ends)
• 150 gm minced chicken
• 1 red chilli (remove the seeds and chop finely)
• 1 sachet Tumix Ikan Bilis

Method:
Heat oil in a wok. Deep fry string beans for a few minutes. Drain. Set aside. Place 2 tbsp of oil in a wok. Stir fry minced chicken with Tumix Ikan Bilis until it is cooked and dry. Add in chopped chilli and string beans. Continue to stir fry for a few minutes. Garnish and serve hot.

Porridge with Spices

Taken from Tumix
Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 300 gm rice
• 250 gm fresh prawns
• 25 gm dried prawns
• 200 gm fish fillet
• 1 whole coconut (for 2 cups thick and 2 cups thin coconut milk)
• 1 big onion
• 20 stalks basil leaves
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1 tbsp Tumix Ikan Bilis
• Salt to taste

To be blended:

• 1 tsp white pepper
• 8 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1.5 cm ginger

Method:
Clean the fresh prawns. Blend dried prawns and fish fillet. Wash the rice. Boil for an hour. Add thin coconut milk, fenugreek, Tumix Ikan Bilis and blended ingredients. Stir for 5 minutes. Add fresh prawns, onions and basil leaves. Leave to boil for 1/2 hour. Add thick coconut milk. Leave to boil before serving.

Stir Fried Seafood with Mangoes

Taken from Tumix
Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 2 mangoes
• 50 gm pine nuts (roasted)
• 200 gm prawns (medium sized and peeled)
• 200 gm fish fillet (sliced)
• 2 dried chillies (diced)
• 1 red chilli (diced)

(A)

• 1 tbsp egg white
• A few dashes pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cornflour

(B)

• 1 sachet Tumix ikan bilis
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• A dash sesame oil
• 2 tbsp water

Method:
Cut mangoes into 2 and scoop the pulp out. Keep the mango cases. Cut the pulp into big cubes. Season prawns and fish fillet with (A) for a few mins. Coat with cornflour before frying. Deep fry in boiling oil. Set aside. In 1 tbsp oil, saute chilli and add in (B). Simmer. Stir in the prawns, fish, pine nuts and mango cubes. Mix well. Spoon mixture into mango cases. Serve.

Steamed Fish in Tom Yam Sauce

Taken from Tumix
Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 600 gm siakap fish
• 5 cm young ginger (sliced)
• 1 cup mixed vegetables

Sauce:

• 1 cube tom yam paste
• 3 limes (for juice)
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Tumix ikan bilis
• 8 bird's eye chillies (bruised or sliced)
• 1/8 cup water

Method:
Clean the fish. Marinade with all ingredients. Put on a plate and steam for 8-10 mins until done.

Mini 'Tatin' Apple Tart by Chef Ricardo Larrivee

Taken from Astroview September 2011

Taken from www.foodnetwork.ca

Ingredients:

• 130 gm puff pastry
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 apples, peeled, seeded and cut in 3/4 inch cubes

Method:

1. Place rack in the center of oven. Preheat oven to 200'C. Butter 6 ramekins or a six-cup muffin tin
2. Roll out the pastry. Then using a cutter of the same diameter as the tin or ramekins, cut out 6 circles. Place on a sheet and refrigerate
3. In a skillet, bring to boil the water and sugar until the sugar starts browning. Add the apples and let it simmer for 10 mins, stirring frequently
4. Put the apples and syrup evenly in the muffin tin or ramekins
5. Next, place the pastry over the apples and bake for 15 to 20 mins until the pastry is golden
6. Let this cool for 2 mins before removing it from the tin or ramekins
7. Serve hot with vanilla ice-cream and caramel if desired 

Note: If tarts are baked in ramekins, remove and place directly in plates

You can also view it here:
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/mini-tatin-apple-tarts-with-caramel/7888/

Black Macaroons by Chef Chuck Hughes

Taken from Astroview September 2011

Taken from www.cookingchanneltv.com

Ingredients for the macaroons:

• 2 cups almond powder
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• black food colouring

Ingredients for the cream of butter:

• half of the syrup from the macaroons recipe
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Method:

1. In a food processor, mix the almond powder and icing sugar until it resembles a very fine powder. Add 2 egg whites and process until smooth. Add the food colouring and mix
2. In a pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil and cook for 15 mins
3. Using a hand mixer, beat the remaining 2 egg whites until soft peaks form. Then slowly add in half the hot syrup and continue beating until firm peaks form and the meringue has cooled
4. With a spatula, gently fold in 1/4 of the meringue into the almond mixture. Continue folding the meringue until completely incorporated
5. Fit a piping bag with a 1 cm round tip and pipe the batter onto baking sheets. Tap the underside of the baking sheet to remove air bubbles. Dry at room temperature for 1 hour to allow skins to form
6. Meanwhile, for the butter cream, bring the water and sugar (from the macaroons recipe) to a boil and cook for about 4 mins
7. Using a hand mixer, tip in the egg yolks and crack in 1 extra egg. Pour the remaining hot syrup on the egg yolks while beating. Beat until cooled, light and fluffy
8. Add the butter and vanilla and continue beating until smooth
9. Bake the macaroons in a 120'C oven for 20 mins. Rotate the baking sheet after 10 mins for even baking
10. Remove macaroons from oven and allow to cool. Then pair macaroons of similar sizes, and sandwich with 1/2 tsp of the filling

You can also view here:
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/chuck-hughes/black-macarons.html

Home-cooked: stir-fry vege with minced pork

What you need:

• minced pork
• a tomato, cubed
• pak choy, cut in edible chunks
• garlic, minced
• ginger, shredded
• some oil for cooking
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Firstly marinade minced pork an hour or two earlier before you start to cook. I have marinated it with some Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce, sesame seed oil and Kikkoman soy sauce
2. Once ready to cook, heat some oil in a wok in a low to medium heat
3. Add in minced garlic and shredded ginger and stir-fry it until fragrant
4. Add in the marinated mince pork and cook until about 80% cooked
5. Add in the vegetables i.e. cubed tomato and pak choy, stir-fry for a minute and then add in some water if you want gravy
6. Cover with hood and let it simmer in low heat for about 2 minutes or until cooked
7. Salt and pepper to taste and it is is ready to be served

Cool crunchy salad

Taken from Maggi. Preparation & cooking time: 20 mins. Serves 4

A)

• 1/2 cup Nestle Natural Set Yogurt
• 1 tsp Maggi Concentrated Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 tsps lime juice
• Sugar and pepper to taste

B)

• 350 gm cucumber, cut into 2cm thickness
• 100 gm sliced carrot 

Method:

1. Blend well ingredients A
2. Add cucumber and carrot, toss well
3. Chill in fridge until ready to serve

Seafood chowder

Taken from Maggi. Preparation & cooking time: 20 mins. Serves 4 - 6

Picture googled

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 180 gm onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 3 potatoes, pared and cubed
• 120 gm celery, diced
• 100 gm carrot, diced
• 1 sachet Maggi Mushroom Soup, mixed with 750ml water
• 100 gm shrimps
• 100 gm squid, diced
• 100 gm crabmeat sticks, diced
• 1 tbsp Maggi 'No Added MSG' Ikan Bilis Stock Granules or to taste
• 1 tsp pepper or to taste
• Paprika powder, optional

Method:

1. Heat oil, then stir-fry onion, garlic, bay leaf and oregano until fragrant
2. Add in potatoes, celery and carrot
3. Stir in Maggi Soup mixture and bring to boil
4. Add in seafood and bring to boil
5. Season with Maggi Stock Granules and pepper to taste
6. When serving, sprinkle paprika (optional) and serve with French load and bread

Cod fish with black pepper sauce

Taken from Maggi. Preparation & cooking time: 30 mins. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 500 gm cod fish steak, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 1 sachet Maggi Black Pepper Mix
• 5 tbsp water
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 3 cm shredded ginger
• 1 stalk coriander leaves

Method:

1. Place cleaned fish on a heatproof plate
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients and sprinkle them over the fish
3. Steam fish in a hot steamer for 10-15 mins or till cooked (depending on the size of fish)
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve

Home-cooked: apples and pears coolers

What you need:

• apples - peeled, removed the seeds and quartered
• pears - peeled, removed the seeds and quartered
• red dates - removed the seeds

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water
2. Once boiling, put all the apples, pears and red dates in
3. Bring to a boil on medium heat
4. Lower it and let it simmer for an hour or 2
5. Ready to be serve with ice cubes or refrigerate it like a chilled fruit tea

Crazy Creature Brownies

Makes 20 brownies. Taken from Astroview January 2010.

Picture googled

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup orange juice, apple juice or fat free milk
• food colouring (optional)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350'F. Line 15x10 inch pan with foil, extending foil over edges. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray
2. Combine sugar, butter and cocoa powder in large saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter is melted
3. Cool sugar mixture for 5 mins and stir in egg substitute
4. Add vanilla, baking soda and baking powder; mix well. Alternately add flour and buttermilk, stirring until well blended after each addition. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean
5. Cool completely. User foil to lift brownie out of pan. Remove foil and place brownie on cutting board
6. Cut in shapes with 2 to 3 inch animal shaped cookie cutters. Place on wire rack over waxed paper
7. Combine powdered sugar and orange juice in small bowl. Tint with food colouring, if desired. Spread over brownies. Decorate as desired. Let stand about 20 mins or until dry

Home-cooked: fried egg with baby bitter gourd

Baby bitter gourds from MIL's garden

Ingredients:

• baby bitter gourd - make sure to remove the seeds and sliced thinly
• eggs
• salt & pepper to taste
• a pinch of corn flour (to hold the bitter gourd and eggs in place)
• some oil for frying

Method:

1. crack some eggs into a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste
2. then add a pinch of corn flour and whisk it
3. heat oil in wok
4. stir-fry sliced baby bitter gourd for a minute
5. pour in the egg batter and fry it
6. remove it once cooked and serve immediately

Home-cooked: steamed pork with salted fish

What you need:

• Pork, sliced thinly
• Salted fish, in small chunks or sliced, depending on your preference
• Onion, sliced
• Chilli, sliced
• Garlic, sliced
• Sesame seed oil

How to cook:

This is totally easy to cook. Arrange all the ingredients on a steaming plate evenly. Dash sesame seed oil evenly. Pre-boil a 1/2 wok of water. Once boiling, place the ready plate on a steaming rack and cover with hood. Steam for about 8 - 12 mins until cook. Especially for pork, you need to ensure it is really cook and not half raw. Serve it immediately.