Char Siew

 

I used the Tefal Multicooker (CY601) to bake this char siew, and I love the results!

Cook it with Tefal multicooker (Join me at https://www.facebook.com/groups/616391872225193/)

Ingredients:

500g pork (五花肉)

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp shao xing wine

2 tbsp char siew sauce

2 tbsp honey

½ tsp five spice powder

1 knob ginger (minced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

Method:

1. Mixed all the above together and marinate overnight (or at least for 4 hours).

2. Choose Bake mode on CY601 and increase to 150 degree, and bake it for 15 to 20 mins. Flip it midway.

Recently, I was introduced a premix Char Siew sauce, and I tried using it. Wow!! It is so yummy that it can pass off as store bought!

Method:

1. Mix 800g pork (I used 五花肉) with 1 packet of Cravins Char Siew sauce & leave it overnight (or at least for 4 hours).

2. Choose Bake mode on CY601 and increase to 150 degree, and bake it for 15 to 20mins. Flip it midway.

If you are using a wok/pan, the instructions are on the back of the premix.

Blueberry Muffins

One of my favourite blueberry muffins recipe is from: http://www.bearnakedfood.com/2015/09/11/best-blueberry-muffins/

I am following exactly from her recipe, with no modifications. I did a few rounds of it and it is always good :) Thanks Rachelle!

Ingredients:

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

2 large eggs (approx. 55 – 60 g each)

2 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup (140 g) caster sugar – (original recipe calls for 200 g)

1 stick (115 g) unsalted butter – soften at room temperature

½ cup (120 ml) milk

2¼ cups (225 g) fresh blueberries

Topping:

2 tbsp raw sugar – sprinkle on top

Makes 12 muffins

Method: 

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F.

2. Lightly grease your muffin pan and line with 12 muffin liners. Grease the inside of your muffin liners as well.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for 2 mins, until pale and fluffy.

5. Add in one egg at a time and beat until well incorporated. Scrap down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined. The batter will look grainy at this point so don't be alarmed.

6. Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture and beat a low speed, follow by ⅓ of the milk. Alternate the flour and milk until both are well incorporate into the batter. Mix until just combined and do not over mix.

7. Add in the blueberries and use a spatula to fold into the batter gently.

8. Scoop a big dollop of the batter into each muffin liner, filling them to almost the top.

9. Sprinkle generous the raw sugar on top of each muffin and bake for 25 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

10. Let them cool in the pan for 10 mins before removing.

Mini Hasselback Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

Abt 10 pcs of small potatoes (can be more!)

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic (minced)

Pinch of salt & black pepper

1 tbsp shredded mozzarella

Some finely chopped parsley

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 190 degree.

2. Make small slits in each potato.

3. Mix the butter, olive oil, and garlic. Brush them on the potatoes.

4. Sprinkle a pinch of salt & black pepper on each potato.

5. Bake for 20 mins, and brush more butter mixture and place the mozzarella on top.

6. Bake for another 20 mins, or more (if your potatoes are not so mini.)

7. Garnish with parsley. (which I hv forgotten to do it in this photo.)

Mrs SK Ng Butter Cake

I followed exactly from this link: https://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2012/05/mrs-ngsks-butter-cake-butter-cake-3.html

But somehow I can't share the link on facebook, so I will copy her recipe here:

Ingredients:

230gm butter (salted), softened (cool at 18-20C, not glossy)

200gm eggs, no shell (4 grade B eggs)

50gm + 150gm sugar

200gm self raising flour, sifted.

60ml milk

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180C (conventional). (I only use 170C). Prepare a 8 inch square pan. Line the base and grease the sides (greasing helps the cake’s sides to rise well)

2. Separate the eggs, and place the whites into a medium sized bowl (6 cup capacity)Beat egg whites until soft peaks, gradually add 50gm sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and 150gm sugar until pale and fluffy (KA speed 2-4 ). Put in vanilla seeds and and beat for a while. Put in egg yolks one by one and beat well after each addition.

4. Put in half the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Put in milk in 2 additions and mix until well incorporated. Mix in balance of flour.

5. Put half the egg whites in and mix on low speed. Pour the balance of egg whites in and FOLD.

6. Pour batter into pan and level.

7. Bake for 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. (I reduced to 150C for the last 15 minutes because the top seems to be getting dark)

*Note: I did step 2 and 3 simultaneously. Butter in the stand mixer and egg whites with the hand mixer.

Banana Sponge Cake

I followed this recipe (http://wensdelight.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-favorite-banana-cake-recipe.html) because the usual one that I followed is made private now.

However, I had made some slight adjustments:

Ingredients:
2.5-3 Eggs (Room temp - Approx 150g)
120g Sugar or Brown Sugar
200g Banana (Ripe & cut into small pcs)
150g Cake Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
100g oil (I used 20g melted butter with 80g rice bran oil)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 degree C.
2. Grease & line a 8" round tin with paper.
3. Sieve flour, baking powder & soda together.
4. Whisk eggs, sugar & banana at max. speed. (I used KA mixer at speed 4 for abt 10 to 12 mins.)
5. Fold in flour & mix well. (I used a egg beater whisk to mix.) Add 1/3 of the flour each time.
6. Pour half the batter into another pot, and mix the oil with it gradually (pour the oil from the side)
7. Mix all the batter together.
8. Bake for 40 - 45 mins.

* I used a 8 inch pan.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Ingredients:
250g cream cheese (room temperature)
60g sugar
130g whipping/cooking/heavy cream - abt 30% to 35% of milk fat
2 eggs (I used abt 62g - but I dun think size of eggs matters for this cake)
10g cake flour (sift)

Method:
1. Preheat oven at 200 degree. (I used top & bottom heat.)
2. Using a mixer, mix cream cheese & sugar till creamy. (Also can be mixed by hand.)
3. While mixing, add in cream, then add in beaten eggs, and cake flour last. Make sure the batter is smooth.
4. Place a piece of baking paper over a 6 inch cake pan, and pour the batter in.
(Make sure the baking paper will not touch the heating element)
5. Bake it at 200 degree for 30mins. (I used the lowest rack).
(If u like it darker, u can increase to 220 degree for the last few mins.)

After baking, it will rise higher than the cake pan, and the middle is still jiggly. It will fall when it is cooled down. You can serve the cake at room temperature, or chill it in the fridge before you serve it.

When you eat it warm, the egg taste is quite prominent. If it is chilled, it is less prominent. So if you like, perhaps you can reduce it to 1.5 eggs.

Airfried Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

A dozen mid joint wings (cut into half)

Half a packet Kentucky flour (scroll down for picture)

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken wings with the Kentucky flour and leave it for 30 mins.

2. Heat up the Air-fryer at 180 degree (for 5 mins).

3. Spray the grill pan with oil.

4. Place the wings, and spray with oil.

5. Air-fry them for 10 mins at 180 degree.

6. Turn the wings.

7. Air-fry them for another 8 mins at 200 degree.

This flour can be bought from most supermarkets, and wet markets.

If u prefer, u can always deep fry it.

Thai Candid Tapioca dessert

Ingredients:
1 tapioca (mine abt 700g after remove skin)
700ml water
250g sugar (note to self: a bit too sweet, next round 200g)
Pandan leaves

Method (using Tefal Multicooker CY601):

1. Fill the pot with tapioca, water, sugar, & pandan leaves.
2. Select Soup mode and increase timer to 59mins.
3. After step 2 is done, choose Sauce Thickening until it becomes sticky. (Increase timer if necessary.)

Note:

If you are not using the Multicooker, you can simmer over the stove for abt 2 hours, until the tapioca is soft and the liquid become sticky. (& you may need to add water if it becomes too dry.) If you didn't boil it long enough, it will not be "chewy".

If you cut it smaller, you may be able to achieve it in under 1 hr.

Boil the coconut milk with a pinch of salt & drizzle over the tapioca (before serve).

I bought this Mung Bean from Bangkok and I sprinkle that over the tapioca.

Simple Luncheon Meat Fried Rice

Step 1: Fry some luncheon meat.

Step 2: Add some garlic (add more, tat really makes the fried nice taste nice!)

Step 3: Push them aside, & fry 2 eggs.

Step 4: Add some corn, or other vegetables.

Step 5: Add cooked rice & salt/light soya sauce.

Step 6: Add green onions.

Steak

 

A good piece of steak needs only salt & pepper.

Before cooking, leave the chilled (not frozen) steak in room temperature for 30 mins. Season it with salt & freshly grounded black pepper.

I used a cast iron pan.

Heat up the pan.

Rub the sides (fats) of the steak on the pan. (Or I will slice them & render them on the pan.)

Then.... 

For a one inch thick steak, 4 mins on each side.

For a 1.5 cm thick steak, 1 min 30 sec on each side.

I like them medium.

You can also add some butter, garlic, & rosemary in the midst of cooking.

Rest for 10 mins before serving.

Pulut Hitam

Cook it with Tefal multicooker (Join me: https://www.facebook.com/groups/616391872225193/)

Ingredients:

2 cups black glutinous rice (washed)
Water
100g gula melaka (can be more if u like it sweet)
Pandan Leaves
½ tbsp corn starch

Method:
1. Add the rice into the pot. Fill water up to 6 cup (marking on pot).
2. Choose Porridge mode & select Delay start (min 4 hrs so can soak the rice).
3. After the porridge mode is completed, open lid & choose Sauce thickening mode.
4. Add the gula melaka and pandan leaves.
5. Mix corn starch with some water & add the mixture in.
6. Add the coconut milk only if u want to eat it.
This recipe is good for about 6 to 7 rice bowl.

If u prefer it more sticky, the sauce thickening time to 15mins.

.
Cook it over the stove:
1. Soak 1 cup of pulut hitam for at least 4 hrs (overnight also ok)
2. Boil it with at least 5 cups of water. Add pandan leaves (optional)
3. Boil it over medium fire for about an hour, depends on how soft/chewy u like it to be. Stir often to make sure the rice dun stick to the pot.
4. Add sugar (up to ur own sweet tooth).
5. Add coconut milk only when u wanna eat the pulut hitam.

.
Cook it with rice cooker:
Basically, I washed 1 cup of pulut hitam & my rice cooker has an option for porridge. So I filled the water up to the marking for 1 cup porridge on my rice pot., which is  about the same level as 3 cups rice.
I set a timer last night for it to get cooked by 7am this morning.

Added sugar & coconut milk when I wanna eat it.

Fried Seafood Bee Hoon

Ingredients:
1 pack Bee Hoon (soak till soft)
1 kg Sotong (clean & slice)
10 pcs Prawn (clean)
2 - 3 Eggs
Some veg
Some fish cake (slice)
250 to 500 ml chicken stock (depends u want it more dry or wet)
Some minced garlic
Oil

Method:
1. Heat up pan & add 1 tbsp oil.
2. Fry the egg & scoop aside.
3. Stirfry the garlic till fragrant. Add prawn & sotong. Cook till 70% cook & scoop aside.
4. Add 1 tbsp oil & fry the bee hoon for a min. Add chicken stock, & cover with lid for a min.
5. Add fish cake, eggs, prawns, sotong, & veg back to the pan.
6. Stirfry for a min & it's done!

Best with sambal chilli (store bought) & some calamansi!

Creamy Potato Chowder

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
2 celery (chopped)
4 potatoes (chopped)
1 L chicken stock
1 can Marigold King of Kings Evaporated Milk
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp oil
Parsley

Method:
1. Heat oil in pot.
2. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and stirfry it.
3. Add potatoes and chicken stock, and mix them well.
4. Boil it for 10 to 15 mins.
5. Add Marigold King of Kings Evaporated Milk and simmer for 5 mins.
6. Scoop half the content and blend them well.
7. Pour the blended items back to the pot and mix well.
8. Add salt to taste.
9. Garnish with some parsley.

Huiji Kidney Mee Sua Soup

Ingredients (for 1 pax):
1 fresh pig kidney (cleaned & sliced)
1 pc of mee sua (or 1 bundle of somen)
1 knob of ginger (peeled & thinly sliced)
1/2 cup rice wine
2 cups water (or stock)
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soya sauce
Some veg
1 hardboiled egg
1/2 cup Huiji Waist Tonic (Huiji's own cup)

Method:
1. Heat the wok with sesame oil.
2. Fry the ginger till brown. Remove it, and leave the oil inside the wok.
3. Add the kidney & rice wine, and quickly stirfry. Remove the kidney.
4. Add 2 cups of water (or stock) in the same wok.
5. When the water is boiling, add the mee sua & light soya sauce. After a min or so, add the vegetables & kidney, and quickly off the fire.
6. Top it with the egg, and the fried ginger, and 1/2 cup of Huiji Waist Tonic.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (washed)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water (or chicken stock)
2 cloves garlic (minced it)
1/2 tsp McCormick garlic powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
1. Heat pan with cooking oil.
2. Stirfry the garlic and add the rice.
3. Add the tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, and chilli powder. Mix well.
4. Reduce to low fire when it starts to boil. Cover with a lid, and simmer for around 15 mins.
(Timing may varies because of different stove & pot used.)
5. Turn off the fire, fluff the rice, and let it sit (covered) for another 5 to 10 mins.

Mexican Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
1 can corn (drain it)
1 tomato (abt 120g - diced it)
1 lime (the zest & the juice)
3 stalks green onions (chopped finely)
1 small bunch coriander (chopped finely)
1 onion (diced it) - optional
1/2 tsp McCormick black peppercorn
A pinch of salt

Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients and keep in fridge for at least 30 mins before serving it.

Note:
It is quite sour because I squeezed the juice from the whole lime, but I like it. If you don't like it so sour, squeeze half first to taste. You may want to add 1/2 tsp sugar to mix with the lime juice if you wish to.

Egg Tofu with minced meat

Ingredients:
1 Fortune Egg Tofu (slice it into 8 to 10 pieces)
250 g minced meat (can be pork or chicken)
A clove of garlic (minced)
2 tsp black bean sauce
2 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 cup chicken stock (can be homemade or store bought)
Mix 1/2 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water

Method:
1. Heat up the pan with 1 tbsp cooking oil.
2. Pan fry the egg tofu until both sides are brown. Set aside.
3. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil and fry the garlic.
4. Push the garlic aside and add the minced meat.
5. Fry them to about 80% cooked and add the black bean sauce, light soya sauce & sesame oil. Mix them well.
6. Add the chicken stock and the egg tofu. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 1-2 mins.
7. Add the cornstarch mixture, stir well and garnish with green onions.
8. Ready to be served.

Red Curry Popcorn

Ingredients:

20g to 30g raw popcorn

1 tbsp Dancing Chef Red Curry paste

1 tsp oil

1/4 tsp fine salt

Method:

1. Wash the raw popcorn.

2. Heat up the airfryer at 200 degree.

3. Spray some oil on the popcorn & place them in the airfryer basket. Please cover it or else your popcorn will be flying in the airfryer.

4. Airfry them at 200degree for 6mins.

5. Mix the curry paste with oil, and use a brush to brush it over the popcorn. Sprinkle the salt over the popcorn. Airfry them for another 2 mins and it will be done.

They will be crunchy after cooling down (about 2 mins later), but turn soft pretty soon. So don't airfry a lot of it if you do not intend to eat them all up.

Huiji Ginseng & Osmanthus Konnyaku Jelly

Ingredients:
5 sachets Huiji Canadian Ginseng Revitalising Tea
1 tsp Osmanthus flower
250g Konnyaku jelly powder premix 
1250ml of water

Method:
1) Boil water in a large pot over high heat. When boiled, off the fire and add the tea bags into the hot water. Then cover the pot and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes to release the ginseng flavour.
2)  Heat up the pot on low fire and add Konnyaku jelly powder gradually. Keep stirring the mixture while simmering for about 5 minutes.
3) Lastly, add the osmanthus flower and pour the mixture into moulds and leave them at room temperature for a while before you chill them in the fridge.

Yuzu Daikon Pickles

Ingredients:
1 800g to 1kg daikon (I used Japanese daikon, can be bought from Finest, Donki, Isetan, etc)
Finely julienned peel from 1 yuzu (I bought from Japan)
160g sugar
40g salt
60 to 100cc Japanese rice vinegar (I bought from Donki)

Method:
1. Peel & cut the daikon.
2. Mix the sugar, salt & vinegar well until the sugar & salt are dissolved.
3. Taste the mixture & add more sugar/salt/vinegar if need to.
4. Add the yuzu peel & daikon into the mixture.
5. Store them in a glass container & keep in the fridge. They will taste good after 1 day in the fridge.

Note: 
1. You may want to use lemon if you cannot find yuzu.
2. Japanese daikon are not bitter. If you use other daikon, I am not sure if they would taste the same.
3. I also squeezed the yuzu juice into the rice vinegar.