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Showing posts from February, 2009

Calamari With Butter, Lemon & Garlic

Well, you can't go wrong with butter, lemon and garlic combination for this grilled calamari. They were simply delicious and I would definitely make them again. You can either have them with some baguette or steam rice. Lovely! Recipe adapted from Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros Calamari With Butter, Lemon & Garlic Ingredients 1 Kg (2 lb 4 oz) Calamari (preferably baby calamari) 100 g ( 3 1/2 oz) Butter Juice of 1 1/2 Lemons 3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley Lemon Wedges, to serve Method To clean the calamari, pull the tentacles away from the body. Remove the transparent bone from inside the body and rinse the body well under cold running water. Holding the tentacles firmly with one hand, squeeze out the little beak and cut it away, leaving the tentacles whole. Rinse the tentacles. Cut the body into rings about 3 cm (about an inch) thick, leaving the tentacles whole (if they seem particularly large, cut them in half). Pat dry. Heat the butter in a sauce...

Cauliflower With Cumin And Asafetida

I love this simple side dish. They are lovely with some steamed rice and curry too. Well, the original method for the recipe is to cook on a stovetop. Since, I am cooking the curry and to save time, I decided to bake it in the oven instead. Guess what? The result was fantastic! Recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking Cauliflower With Cumin And Asafetida Ingredients 600 g Cauliflower, break into smaller florets 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil Generous pinch of ground Asafetida 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 85 g (3 oz) Red Onions, peeled and cut into very fine half-rings 1 Fresh Green Chili, finely chopped 1 tsp Ground Cumin 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander 1/4 tsp Ground turmeric 1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper 3/4 tsp Sea Salt 2 tsp Lemon Juice Method Preheat the oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Toss all the ingredients together, except the lemon juice. Pour into an ovenproof dish and bake for about 25 minutes or until all the cauliflowers are cooked. Mix in the lemon juice before serving.

Jam Shortbread

How did I miss posting this lovely shortbread that I made during the recent Valentine's Day? They were for my son to bring to school, to share with his friends. This shortbread was so tedious to make, and they kept breaking up. However, they turned out great. Well, on the next Valentine's Day, I ought to choose something that's easier to bake, especially for a novice Baker like me:) Recipe adapted from Apples for Jams cookbook by Tessa Kiros Jam Shortbread Ingredients 100 g (3 1/2 oz) Butter, softened 100 g (3 1/2 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar 200 g (7 oz/ 1 2/3 cups) Plain (All-Purpose) Flour 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1 Egg, Lightly beaten A few drops of Vanilla Extract About 200 g (7 oz/ 2/3 cup) of your favorite Jam Method Preheat the oven to 170˚C (325˚F/Gas 3). Have a 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inch) baking tray ready - you can line it if you like, to help you lift out the shortbread when it's cooked, but it's not absolutely necessary. Put the butt...

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Here is the reason why I baked this lemon bread (or cake). It all started when I brought my son and his two friends to Starbucks for breakfast about two months ago. All they wanted was the "signature" (yeah, my son must mention the word "signature") hot chocolate and lemon poppy seed loaf. So, I got each of them a hot chocolate drink and a slice of lemon loaf! Before I knew it, they wanted more and more of the lemon loaf... I think I must have ended up buying an entire whole loaf that day! So, I told my son, since he adores the lemon loaf so much, I shall attempt to bake it for him one day. He innocently asked if I have the recipe for it, and I replied of course! Well, I did not have it then! LOL! Two months later, he still remembered my offer and asked if I was still going to bake the loaf for him. So, as a good mother, I had to quickly search for the recipe and fulfill my offer to him. I found a simple version of the recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum in Joy Of Baking....

Chicken Wings With Orange Tomato Glaze

Okay, as promised here is the recipe for the baked chicken wings and enjoy :) Recipe adapted from Apples For Jam by Tessa Kiros Chicken Wings With Orange Tomato Glaze Ingredients 12 Chicken Wings 110 g (3 1/4 oz) Light Brown Sugar 375 ml (13 Fl oz/1 1/2 cups) Fresh Orange Juice 185 ml (6 Fl oz/3/4 cup) Tomato Passata (Pureed Tomatoes) 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce * 1 tsp Sweet Smoked Paprika Method Preheat the oven to 160˚C (315˚F/Gas 2-3). Put the sugar, orange juice, passata, soy sauce, paprika and Worcestershire sauce in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spread the chicken wings in a baking dish just large enough to fit them in a single layer and pour the sauce over the top. Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours, basting and turning the pieces over every now and then, until the chicken is crispy and sticky and the sauce is a thick glaze. Serve warm, or even at room temperature.

Eggplant Dip

I made this yummy and luscious eggplant dip yesterday morning, so that I can have it with some flat bread while watching the Academy Awards' Oscar Red Carpet show. It's so nice to watch all the stars dolled up for this prestigious event. Most of them look pretty outstanding! Looks like the one shoulder strap outfit is making a come back this year! I have a couple of the one shoulder tops and a dresses too. I'm so excited, I'll definitely get them out and wear them soon:) Oops! Looks like I am getting distracted here. Anyway, I have also baked some chicken wings and I'll get around to post them tomorrow morning. Well, have a good week ahead! Eggplant Dip Ingredients 6 Medium-Sized (700-750 g) Eggplants (Aubergines) 5 Cloves of Garlic 3/4 to 1 Lemon, juiced 1 tsp Cumin 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper 2 Tbsp Tahini (Sesame Paste) 2 Tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped 1/4 of Red Onion, finely chopped 1 1/2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Sea Salt to taste Method Preheat the oven to 205˚...

Macarons

Hey, I guess I'm joining the French Macarons frenzy too! Almost every food related website have pictures and recipes for them! They look so cute and adorable. This lovely tiny cookie is for all the sweet tooth lover out there. It was fun for me to make them, not perfect but I find them way too sweet for my liking. Anyway, at least all of us at home did try a couple of home-made macarons. As for me, after having one macaron, I had to drink my black coffee, 2 cups of them! LOL! Btw, there are many basic macaron recipes and I'm not sure which one is the best. I got my recipe from Seriouseats.com Recipe adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme by Dorie Greenspan Bittersweet Chocolate Cream Ganache 8 oz (230 g) Bittersweet Chocolate, preferably Valrhona Guanaja, finely chopped 1 Cup (250 g) Heavy Cream 4 Tbsp (2 oz/60 g) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature Method Place the chocolate in a bowl that's large enough to hold the ingredients and keep it close at hand. Bring...

Maxfrut

Why am I posting about popsicles at this time of the year, you are probably asking? Well, this is no ordinary popsicles that you get from your local grocers fridge which I would like to share with you. These are gourmet fruitcicles by Maxfrut . All their products are made from 100% whole, real fruit and NO artificial coloring or flavoring. Best of all, they are only 70 calories per bar. Now, I think you might be wondering how good are these fruitcicles then? The child in me had me bravely indulging on 7 varieties of Maxfrut's fruitcicles, namely pineapple, mango, lime, melon, raspberry, bumbleberry, and watermelon. The verdict? Simply delicious and the whole experience did not leave me feeling too guilty afterwards! So, if you're around the North Shore, why not go check out their Flavor Lab for some fruitcicles. At the moment they are selling their products right at their lab, which is located on 127 Garden Ave, North Vancouver. You can also browse their website for more deta...

Cucumber Salad

This is a Thai cucumber salad recipe. They are a great accompaniment for deep-fried fish or prawn cakes. The salad is sweet, sour and spicy. Recipe adapted from Thai's Fabulous by Karnjana Leder Cucumber Salad (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Dressing 1/2 Cup Vinegar 1/2 Cup Sugar 1 tsp Sea Salt 1 Cucumber, halved and thinly sliced 4 Shallots, thinly sliced 5 Thai Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped Method Mix the dressing ingredients and bring it to a boil. Set aside to room temperature. Place sliced cucumber, shallots and chilies in a mixing bowl. Mix the dressing over the cucumber mixture. Marinate briefly and serve with deep fried fish cakes, prawns or even fried chicken.

Fried Glass Noodles

Well, I must admit sometimes I like to fry a big wok of noodles for the weekend. So, my family can have them the next day and I can really "sleep" in and I mean it! LOL! To be honest, I rarely have leftover food because I simply don't enjoy eating them again, but a few types of fried noodles or even fried rice is still good the next day. Anyway, if you like dried shrimps then you can soak about 3 Tbsp of it and make sure to drain them well. (If not, those shrimps would pop all over you!) Fry them separately in a moderate heat with 2 Tbsp of Oil and mix into the noodles together with the prawns and bean sprouts. Do try my recipe:) Fried Glass Noodles Ingredients 350 g Dried Glass Noodles, soaked and drained 300 g Peeled Prawns, deveined 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped 3 Medium-Sized Leeks, sliced 4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of sea salt and a dash of white pepper 600 - 650 g Bean Sprouts, washed and drained 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce 3 - 4 Tbsp Peanut Oil...

Banana Bread

I'm just wondering, how many versions of banana cakes or breads can one have?? I guess, the more the merrier? The banana bread is so soft, full of flavors and simply delicious. This is one of my favorite recipe and they are so easy to make. Enjoy! Recipe adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros Banana Bread Ingredients 125 g (4 1/2 oz) Butter 180 g (6 1/2 oz) Dark Brown Sugar (I used 150 g) 350 g (12 oz/ 3 Or 4 Medium) Ripe Bananas, Mashed 2 Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 250 g (9 oz/2 Cups) Plain Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 3/4 tsp Baking Soda 3 Tbsp Warm Milk A Pinch Of Salt Method Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) and butter a 30 x 11 cm (12 x 4 inch) loaf pan. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and then whisk in the mashed bananas. Add the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and whisk in well. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and beat until smooth. Mix the baking soda into the milk and stir into the batter. Scrape the mixture into the tin and ...

Strawberry And Rhubarb Tart

First of all, I would like to thank Hani for taking your time to write to me. I appreciated your kind words and I'm more than happy to share this lovely Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart recipe with you. Well, you can fill the tart with a bigger pastry shell and you can find the pastry shell recipe over here . So Hani, I hope you'll try to bake them and enjoy:) Strawberry And Rhubarb Tart Ingredients 1 (9 1/2 inches) bake blind 3 1/2 cups Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb, cut into smaller chunks 120 g Sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp Corn Flour A pinch of Sea Salt Glazing 100 g of your preferred Jelly/Jam (I used Grape Jam) Method Combine the rhubarb, sugar, salt and corn flour and cook in a moderate heat for about 10 minutes. Leave it to cool. In a small saucepan, bring the jam to a boil, then lower the heat and keep stirring until melted and leave it to cool. Scrape all the rhubarb mixture into the cooked and cooled pastry shell with a spatula. Arrange the strawberry slices on top and brush with the coole...

Spaghetti With Meatballs

Okay, you can't go wrong with Spaghetti with Meatballs for sleepovers! I knew they would love them. This is yet, another good recipe from Tessa Kiros, Apple for Jams cookbook. They were brilliant! Spaghetti With Meatballs Ingredients 40-50 g (1 1/2-2 oz) Soft Crustless White Bread, Torn into Chunks 4 Tbsp Milk 400 g (14 oz) Minced (Ground) Pork And Beef 2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin 1/2 Small Red Onion About 4 Tbsp Light Olive Oil, For Frying Sauce: 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 2 Garlic Cloves, Peeled And Squashed A Bit 400 g (14 oz) Tinned Diced Tomatoes 3 or 4 Basil Leaves, torn 350 g (12 oz) Spaghetti 30 g (1 oz) Butter Grated Parmesan Cheese, to serve Method For the meatballs, soak the bread in the milk in a small bowl, squishing it through your fingers so that it breaks up completely. Put the mince in a large bowl with parsley, cinnamon, cumin, the bread mixture and 1/2 tsp of salt. Grate in the onion (it is easier to do this holding the whole onion a...

Pancakes

Okay, these are not the typical thick and fluffy pancakes. I wanted to make something different for the kids; the pancake recipe is from Tessa Kiros, Apple For Jams and guess what, it was a HIT! They all loved the thin and soft pancakes with maple syrup, cinnamon sugar and best of all "WHIPPED CREAM". As for me, I have the pancakes with some maple syrup and top with some lovely pomegranates seeds. Delicious! Pancakes Ingredients 2 Eggs 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp Caster (Superfine) Sugar 100 g (3 1/2oz) Plain (All-Purpose) Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 250 ml ( 9 Fl oz/1 cup) Milk Butter, For Frying To serve: Freshly Whipped Cream Caster (Superfine) Sugar Lemon Wedges Maple Syrup Ground Cinnamon Method Whip together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Add the flour and baking powder alternately with the milk, whisking well until it's smooth. Cover and leave to stand at room temperature for at least half an hour. Melt a little butter in a non-stick frying pan - just enough to coat...

Açaí Energy Bowl

Okay, as promised earlier, here is my Açaí bowl recipe. I'm sure many of you must be wondering what is Açaí, right? In fact, I have received a few emails regarding the product. Well, you can learn more about Açaí from Sambazon . They have all the information, a few recipes and a blog too! Go check them out! Açaí Energy Bowl Ingredients 2 Packets (100 g) Original Açaí 1 Banana 2 Tbsp Natural Yogurt 2 or 3 Splash of Soy Milk Extra 1/2 a Banana, sliced A handful of your favorite Granola Method Blend the frozen Acai, banana, yogurt and soy milk. To serve, top with slices of bananas and granola.

Brownies

Well, I have made the brownies for my kids and their friends. Since, today is a holiday for their school, my son has invited a couple of his friends for a sleepover. So, I have decided to bake some goodies for them. This one is a simple brownie recipe from Tessa Kiros, Apples For Jam cookbook. I have only used 300 g of sugar because the recipe calls for Semi-sweet chocolate, and to me, they should be sweet enough. Guess what? I was correct! Brownies Ingredients 350 g (12 oz) Butter 300 g (10 1/2 oz) Dark (Semi-Sweet) Chocolate, broken up 60 g (2 1/4 oz) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, sifted 6 Eggs, separated 350 g (12 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 200 g (7 oz) Plain (All-Purpose) Flour Method Preheat the oven t 180˚C (350˚F/Gas 4). Butter and flour a 29 x 39 cm (11 1/2 x 15 1/2 inch) baking tray that is at least 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) deep. Put the butter in a medium-sized pan over low heat. When it begins to melt a little, add the chocolate. Stir frequently with a woode...

Super Açaí Smoothies

I have heard so much good things about Açaí berry supplement, especially as a source of antioxidants and energy boosters, but I never thought much about it. So, recently I was invited by Ben and Suanne of Chowtimes to check out a new and fancy frozen yoghurt place called Qoola at Denman St, Vancouver. (They were invited for a soft opening at Qoola) The frozen yoghurt was good until the name "Açaí" was mentioned and Qoola açaí bowl was fantastic! Okay, when I saw packets of frozen Açaí at Wholefoods, immediately I knew I have to try them. Today, I'm posting smoothies with blueberry recipe. I had one glass of it for lunch and they really fill me up! Btw, I'll be posting my Açaí Bowl recipe during the weekend. Super Açaí Smoothies (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 Packet (100 g) Pure Açaí 1 Cup Organic Unsweetened Soy Milk 1 Cup Frozen Blueberries 1 Banana 1 Tbsp Honey Some Fresh or Frozen Blueberries for garnish Method Mix all the ingredients and blend until smooth. Se...

Deep-Fried Red Fermented Bean Curd Chicken Wings

Wow! What a long name for a simple fried chicken! LOL! I just don't know how to simplify the name. I guess, the name or the title is not important, as long as they taste good, right? And of course, the chicken wings are tasty, juicy in the inside and crunchy on the outside. Hmm, that sounded like a commercial for fried chicken! :P Deep-Fried Red Fermented Bean Curd Chicken Wings Ingredients 1 dozen Chicken Wings 3 pieces Red Bean Curd 3 Tbsp Red Bean Curd Sauce 3 Tbsp Corn Flour 2 tsp Garlic Paste 1 Tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce 2 tsp Sugar Oil for deep-frying Method Marinate the chicken wings with all the ingredients for about 4 hours. Heat the oil on a high heat and fry the chicken wings in batches until golden brown and slightly red in color. Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately.

Lemon And Almond Cake

I simply love this cake. So, light, lemony and nutty! I baked the cake with prepared paper cases instead of the spring-form tin. This is a great recipe and it is adapted from the Tessa Kiros cookbook, Twelve. I'm a huge fan of hers and you'll see many recipes from her books throughout these couple of months or maybe years? Lemon And Almond Cake Ingredients 125 g (4 1/2 oz) Butter, slightly softened 125 g (4 1/2 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar 3 Eggs, separated 125 g (4 1/2 oz) Almonds, finely ground 60 g (2 1/4 oz) Plain (All-Purpose) Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder Juice of 2 Small Lemons Grated (Yellow) Zest Of 2 Small Lemons Icing (Confectioners') Sugar, to serve Method Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Whip the butter in a bowl with the sugar until it is creamy. Add the egg yolks, one by one, and mix well between each addition. Whisk in the almonds, the sifted flour and the baking powder. Add the lemon juice, the grated zest and whisk together. In a separate bowl whip the egg w...

Salted Vegetable Soup

Okay, this is another simple soup recipe to prepare at home. The soup is prefect for a cold weather and sometimes I would add an extra block of tofu just to soak up the saltiness of the salted vegetable. They can be a meal by itself or have them with some steamed rice. Salted Vegetable Soup (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 Packet (250 g) Salted Vegetable 1 Block (500 g) Medium Firm Tofu, cut into cubes 4 Slices Ginger 2 Tomatoes, quartered 2 Pickle Plums 6 Cups Chicken Stock Sea Salt to taste Method Soak the salted vegetables for about 15 minutes. Drain and cut into smaller pieces. In a large pot, add the chicken stock, salted vegetables, ginger, tofu, pickle plums and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Season the soup with sea salt if necessary. Serve immediately.