Mother Day special

This year mother's day, i bought a cake to celebrate not for myself though..
main intention was to support a reason to smile project..
wishing all mothers in the world a very blessed mother day.





image taken Samsung Galaxy S

Shepherd's Pie

Was watching Masterchef Australia, two contestants were making shepherd's pie..
eaten one many years back..
one of our comfort food, yum!

recipe: www.foodnetworkasia.com/recipes/shepherds-pie.html
by Alton Brown

I had a few missing ingredients: carrots, green peas, cream and rosemary.

i replaced minced lamb with beef.



after oven bake 205 degree cel at 20mins..

image taken iphone

lamb rack with mashed potatoes and asparagus

Finally, i got myself a le creuset grill pan.

'seasoned' it a few times with beef dishes..
now in the mood for exploring..

Meat the butcher has quite a good range of meats,
you can choose the marinated or without.

i bought 4 racks house marinated,

decided to play with plating..err..

taste was good, lamb not overcook,

i seared both side and finished them off in oven..

cant remem.the temperature go by feeling..constant checking.

wrong choice of potatoes for mashed, should have gotten russet instead.

seasoning: pitch of salt and pepper for asparagus.

image taken by iphone

Dad's 60th Birthday celeb. Nov 2010 in JB

We had a small family gathering last year. Usual JB resturant that serve reasonable food and taste quite good.

Sis preorder the dishes to avoid long waiting.

Cold platters (especially select)

Longetivity noodles usually for birthday celebration.

Steam fish, cant recall what fish: red snapper/ red grouper?

Images taken by Sony Nex 5

Missing dishes: Pig Trotter, Yam Ring, Pi Pa roasted duck and roasted chicken and Oatmeal squids.

Fruitful living

Missed cooking new dishes, just finished watching julie&julia..nice show,

however, cnt help feeling a little sad towards the end.

I'm so busy with studies and almost wanting to give up..

Cant wait to finish so i can get back to my cooking and enjoying my life..

dont get me wrong,i've been cooking, when i'm not having evening lesson,i usually cook,

just that i didnt manage to try new dishes.

Guess what i'm really going to be real good at is to cook and bake, feel really accomplished when my girlfriends love my baking and my husband eating healthily.

Nothing is more precious than family sitting down together and had a gd meal.

Family that eat together stays together (apply to friends too) ^-^

Tonite's dinner: Shredded (leftover KFC) chicken pasta (1/2bowl), Dessert: Tom and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk. Super: Yogurt with Banana Crunch Cereal

lol..can tell im quite stress from my last multimedia public affair reporting assignment and long polling day meeting.

image from iphone

Dream: To visit olive farm, winery and to learn cooking from chef..learn how to make sauerkaut, attend octobeer fest!

After my exam,i'll cook at least 5 -10dishes from my Nigella's recipe book by end of june!

Fresh Ingredients are always the best!

Hubby went for his company's prawning outing in Oct 2010,

Brought back some live prawns, both of us decided to freeze the live prawns so i can handle them.

the prawns were big, even the smallest one was 3/4 of my palm size.

Among biggest prawns with roes..

lay them out neatly after 1/2hr freezing and cleaned.

Seasoned with only sea salt..

Oven baked for around 10mins at 170 Degree C.

image taken by Sony Nex 5

Delicious! Brush aside the excess salt, the prawns taste very very sweet and the roes were 'crispy' and sweet..superb!

Sauce (Optional): Squeeze a small Lime with salt / Small lime with soy sauce.

Verdict: Natural fresh ingredients do no need fancy seasoning or excessive marination..

Battered Finger Food

Deep fry for my stressful days. i'll crave for sinful food during my busy and stressful days

Ingredients:
Bread Crumb
Flour
3 Eggs
8 pcs Fresh Scallop
2 pcs of Fish fillet

Season: a little soy sauce / salt


Method:
1.Cover scallops/ fillet both side with flour.
2. Dip the floured scallops/ fillets into the egg
3. Covered the scallops/ fillet with bread crumbs
4. Deep fried until golden brown.

Image taken by iphone

Seasoned Zucchini/ yellow peppers and tomatoes with olive oil, a little salt and pepper.

Roast in oven 5-10mins at 150 degree C / until cooked.

CNY 2011

Been so busy, finally had a chance to upload CNY cuisines.
Always look forward to Chinese new year eve,
Mum-in-law always cook up the best meal,
one thing i learned from them: Never save on good food, they are so generous with food and often purchase good quality ingredients.
Nevertheless,I find gathering together and share family times are priceless ^-^




My all-time favourite: Yam and roasted pork
Very flavourful. Can go with quite a few bowls of rice..
Still trying to figure the secret recipe of this dish.


Jezz's recipe on this cold dish from a recipe book:
Top shells, oninions, chillies paddies, garlic,lime, Soy sauce and a little sugar..
GArnish with Japanese Cucumbers.


Fa Choy (a kind hairliked veges/fungus) with mushroom and chestnut.
Mum-in-laws's secret recipe (her mix sauce) again, stew for hours.


Another must have stew dish, Sea Cucumber with Pig Trotters
Sea Cucumbers (specially handled,soaked and cleaned),Pig trotters..Stew for hours.
I must confess this dish seemingly sinfully fatty..but we get natural collagen!
Once a year, who bother to calculate the calories..simply cant resist these sinful food.


Image taken by Samsung Omnia

Dishes not uploaded: Abalone, Fish Maw soup(Replace Shark Fin),Stir Fry bamboo shoots and Sweet Pea, Tiger Prawns, Sea Bass with roasted sauce, Chicken with onion sauce dip (Mum-in-law's specialty).

No wonder my husband is so fat, he's really well-fed.
I cant be choosy with food, as these food are cooked with love and so much effort.

Green Curry Chicken

Decided to cook something simple for the lazy P.H


Ingredients:
6 small chicken drumsticks,
50g green curry paste,
240ml evaporated milk,
120ml water,
1 can of straw mushroom,
3 pieces of potatoes,
a few pieces of baby tomatoes (own preference)


1/2 Cabbage/ 1 egg plant/ 5 ladyfingers (own preference& depend on serving)
Can replace chicken with seafood.

Methods:


1. Stir fry 50g of green curry paste in 1 tbsp soybean oil, then add 1 cup (240ml) of coconut/ evaporated milk.


2. Add 200 g of fresh meat and continue cooking.

3. Add another 1/2 cup(120ml) of coconut /evaporated milk and 1/2cup of water, heat until boiling.


4. Add 100g of vegetables and cook until the vegestable soften.


5. Add 1 1/2 tsp of sugar. Taste and season as required.




Suggestion: for milder flavour, 1/2 portion of the curry paste should be used.



Image taken by iphone