Broccoli, mushroom

Braised Abalone with Mushrooms

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It’s a nice choice for Chinese New Year.

  1. Prepare abalones, wash them clean and dry with kitchen towel. Soak Chinese shiitake mushrooms in water (the dry type). Then remove the stem. Keep the mushroom water. Except shiitake mushroom, I also use another kind of mushroom. But only shiitake also works.
  2. Heat a pan. Add in 2 tsp oil. Sear 1 small chunk of pork belly. When the pork belly turns a bit golden brown. Add in 2 chopped garlic cloves. Stir fry till aromatic.
  3. Add in all the mushrooms. Fry a bit.
  4. 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, and 1 tbsp oyster sauce. Mix evenly with mushroom.
  5. Pour in mushroom water, about 1/2 1 cup and 1/2 cup stock. bring to boil with high heat.
  6. Transfer everything into pressure cooker. Also add in abalones.
  7. Cook 20 mins under high pressure.
  8. Cut broccoli into small chunks. Blanch in water for 3 mins.
  9. Arrange broccoli in the plate.
  10. Place abalone and mushrooms in the center.
  11. Pour the sauce into a sauce pan. Add in 1 tbsp sugar. heat it and stir.
  12. Add in starch water to thicken the sauce.
  13. Drizzle sauce over the abalones and mushrooms.

Vegetables

Cream Vegetable Stew

  1. Prepare vegetables and chicken. I used 1 chicken leg, remove the bone and cut into 4 pieces. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the chicken. For vegetables, I chose 1 carrot, 1 potato, 1 onion, 3 shiitake mushrooms. And 1/8 head of broccoli.  Cut carrot and potato into small chunks, dice the onion and cut shiitake into quarters.
  2. Heat a pan. Add in a little oil. Fry chicken with skin side down. When the skin side turns golden brown, flip it over to fry the other side. Set chicken aside for later use when both sides turn golden color.
  3. Use the same pan to fry vegetables. Add in onion, carrot, potato and  mushroom. Fry for 2 or 3 mins. Add chicken, vegetables into pressure cooker. Pour in 1/2 1 cups water. Season with salt and black pepper. Also add in bayleaf. Cook under high pressure for 20 mins.
  4. Make roux. Heat a pan. Drop in 2 tbsp butter. Melt butter with low heat. When butter completely melts, add in 2 tbsp flour. Quickly stir with a whisk to let butter and flour mix evenly.
  5. Add in 2 tbsp cream and pour in 1/4 cup milk. whisk to let all ingredients mix throughly.
  6. Add vegetable soup gradually into the roux while stirring. When they are fully and evenly mixed, Add in the cooked vegetables.
  7. Boil broccoli in water and add in as garnishment.
  8. Season with salt if necessary.

baking, chocolate, Cookie, Uncategorized

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

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Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

3 cups quick cooking oats

chocolate chips 1/2 cup

chopped walnut 1/2 cup

1. In a big bowl, cream butter together white sugar, and brown sugar.

2. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, oats, and salt.

4. Add dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture.

5. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

6. It’s better to chill the dough in the fridge for about 1 hour before baking.

7. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.

8. Roll the dough into small balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

9. Bake for 10-12 mins or till the edge becomes golden brown color.

banana, Cake, Uncategorized

Banana Cake

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Ingredients

3 large ripe banana

2 eggs

50g butter

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 180 degree C.

  1. Mash bananas in a big bowl.
  2. Beat in eggs one by one.
  3. Stir in vanilla.
  4. In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
  5. Add dry ingredients into banana mixture. Mix well.
  6. Beat in softened butter. Mix well.
  7. Grease baking pan with butter. Pour batter into baking pan.
  8. Into the oven and bake for 30-40 mins. Test with tooth pick to see whether it comes out clean.

Chicken, mushroom

Creamy Mushroom Sauce Chicken Breast

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  1. Prepare 2 chicken breasts. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over both side.
  2. Heat a pan. Drop in 3 tbsp butter.
  3. When butter melts, add chicken breast in. Fry for about 3 mins or till golden brown color. Then flip over and fry the other side till golden brown.
  4. Turn to low heat. Cover the lid. about 3 mins for each side.
  5. Use a spoon to scoop butter and pour over the chicken for several times.
  6. Set chicken in a plate.

  1. Use the same pan to fry mushroom with the rest butter.
  2. Deglaze with 1/2 cup red wine. Boil for a while to let the alcohol evaporate.
  3. Add in 200g cream, and blend well.
  4. Add the chicken back into the pan. Simmer with low heat to reduce the sauce.
  5. A little mixed herbs will add more flavor.

 

food hunting, Uncategorized

Good Food In Ipoh

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From Monday to Wednesday this week, my husband and I went to Ipoh, a city in Malaysia. Before we went there, The only thing I knew about Ipoh was that it’s famous for food. Actually, I didn’t have high expectation about this trip. Because it’s also easy to find those food in Singapore. How different can it be? The flight from Singapore to Ipoh is about 1 hour. Ipoh’s airport is very small and old. We arrived in the morning, so breakfast was the beginning of our food discovery journey in Ipoh.

  1. Ming Court (Dim Sum)

https://flic.kr/p/2i2gPz6

We chose this Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum. Turns out we made the right choice.

There were so many kinds of dim sum for you to choose.

From ciang fun to wanton to shumai, etc.

This is my personal favorite. Tastes like mochi but more chewy. Filling inside is peanut sugar and outside is peanut powder. Very nice.

This restaurant is very popular. We went there at around 9 am. The place was very crowded. Really hard to find a seat.

2. Nam Heong

On the second day, we had breakfast here in Nam Heong. We went there at around 8 am. Again, it’s full of people already.

Nam Heong is famous for its white coffee and egg tart. My husband said its white coffee’s the best he’s ever had. Egg tarts are freshly baked. Very nice. You have to wait for it.

We also ordered kaya toast, Lo Bak Go and half-cooked egg on the toast.

Price is quite cheap.

3. Restoran Thean Chun

This’s where we had our breakfast on the third day.

Apart from white coffee, Ipoh is also famous for Hor Fun.

Shrimp soup Chicken Hot Fun is the signature dish here. Price is about RM 3. Very cheap. Soup is nice, Hot fun is nice, Everything is perfect.

We also ordered bean sprout as side dish.

Because It takes a while to cook hor fun, we ordered Ciang Fun at the next stall.

Why we humans only have 1 stomach? That’s my biggest question after I came to Ipoh.

4. Old Town White Coffee

There are also Old Town White Coffee in Singapore. There happens to be one cafe near our hotel, so we went there and tried their white coffee.

I never drank coffee before I came to Ipoh. I never expected I would love coffee one day.

5. Lou Wong  (Bean Sprout Chicken)

Another dish you must try in Ipoh.

Tender and juicy chicken. Sweet and crunchy bean sprouts. Flavorful clear soup Hor Fun. I’m so jealous of people live in Ipoh. Why the hor fun here is so nice. I never like hor fun that much before.

6. Pushing (Seafood)

This restaurant is a bit expensive compared to other restaurants. It serves very nice seafood.

We ordered half chicken ( very big portion), fried prawns and char siew pork belly.

7. Lim Ko Pi

My husband ordered curry mee.

I chose Char siew wanton noodles.

8. Tau Fu Fa

This Concubine Lane Tau Fu Fa. It’s Located in Concubine Lane. furniture are made up of wooden stools. Their tau fu fa is served hot and there is a variety for you to choose from. I ordered their Bird Nest Tau Fu Fa. And my husband ordered their signature Teow Chew Tau Fu Fa.

baking, Potato

Oven- roasted Sweet Potato

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I really miss winter in my hometown. Sweet memory of roasted sweet potato and candied fruit on the stick. The traditional kind of roasted sweet potato is done by a simple and crude oven made from a big iron container. The stall owners would separate  the container into 2 parts. One is to be filled with charcoal  and the other one is for the rack to put the sweet potatoes. Freshly-roasted and oil-dripping sweet potatoes are hidden there.

It’s quite easy to make it at home with oven. The thin type is easy to cook and will taste better.

Preheat oven to 230 Degree C.

Put sweet potatoes into the oven and bake for 40-50 mins. Flip in the half way.

Soup, Uncategorized

Luo Han Guo, Winter Melon & Longan Drink

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Ingredients:

Luo Han Guo 2 (Separate the meat and peel)

longan meat 50g

winter melon 1.5 kg (peeled and seed removed, also cut into shreds)

water 3L

rock sugar cubes 50g

  1. Prepare a pot. I used my beloved pressure cooker. Pour the water in and add in the Luo Han Guo peel. Bring to boil and the water will change into dark color. Take all the Luo Han Guo peel out.
  2. Add in the rest ingredients (Luo Han Guo meat, longan, sugar).
  3. Cook under high pressure for 50 mins.

And the drink/ dessert is done. Perfect to have in hot weather. And also good for the people who have coughing problem.

tofu

Luffa & tofu Stew

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  1. Cut tofu into slices. Heat a pan, Add in oil. Fry tofu till both sides golden brown.
  2. Set tofu aside for later use.
  3. Heat the pan, add in 1 tsp oil.
  4. Sautee chopped garlic till aromatic.
  5. Add in luffa (peeled and cut into small chunks). Stir fry for 2 mins.
  6. Season with salt. Add in 3 tbsp water. Also add in some ginger shreds.
  7. Put lid on and simmer for 2 mins.
  8. Add in fried tofu. Toss a bit to mix with luffa and simmer for another 2 mins.
  9. Last step is to pour in starch water and flip a bit.

And it’s done.

Quite east.

Cooking & Food & Recipes & Life