Cherry tomato cheese pops!

ingredients:

20 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
20 baby bocconcini, cut into halves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
20 basil leaves, cut into halves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives/ spring onions, chopped

method:
1. Marinate the cheese in salt, pepper, olive oil, parsley and chives. Leave overnight.
2. Assemble using toothpicks. cheese, basil, tomato or in any other sequence u prefer.
SERVE!

from Bay Book's 'finger foods best ever small food recipes' book...

i would add some chopped garlic and paprika to the marinade the next time too...overall a very pleasing appetiser...! Pretty and extremely easy to make.

Money Bags!

don't they look like little fat coin pouches? This picture was taken just before they went into the oven..

I remember my uncles' zi char stalls used to sell something like these...but they were usually deep fried...

So i m really delighted to learn from My Kitchen Snippets' that spring roll pastry can be baked in the oven to the same crispy effect!! (Think of all the calories and hassle u r saving yourself!!)

The filling is a mixture of mashed potato, tuna, peas and black fungus. Basically it can be anything you want...



the main thing is the skin..(which can stay in the freezer for an amazingly long time...i think the ones i used today are at least 9 months old...!!! Just leave it out to thaw under a wet towel for around 20 mins)

here's a pic of the packaging..



Spring Roll pastry with tuna and potato

ingredients:
1 packet spring roll pastry (around 50 pcs)
4 medium size potato
1 onion, minced
1 sheet seaweed (optional- it was something i wanted to use up)
1/2 cup peas
handful dried black fungus, soaked in hot water for 10 mins and then minced
425g can tuna

seasoning:
2 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp wasabi
2 tbs mayonnaise
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce

method:
Saute onions til soft and brown. (if u dun mind the 'spiciness' of raw onions, u can skip this step)
Steam / boil potatoes til soft. Mash and set aside.
Drain tuna and add to potatoes. Add peas, black fungus, onions and seasoning. Adjust to taste.
Put 1 tbsp of filling onto the middle of the pastry and twist. Apply some water if necessary.
Bake in preheated 180 degrees oven for 10-15 mins until light golden.



They make great party snacks and appetisers...especially for Chinese New Year....cos of their prosperous appearance!!!
Good to serve with some sort of a dip too...i made one with tomato sauce, mayonnaise, wasabi, sugar and coriander..Even just sweet chili sauce will be fine! Fillings are really flexible too...chicken with yam, pork with chestnuts, seafood and corn, asparagus riccota...whatever tickles your fancy really! But cook the meat based fillings first...cos the short baking time might not do the job properly... Have fun experimenting!

Artichoke au naturel

We saw an artichoke in Woolies for 99 cents.....i have no idea how to cook it but remember Umami showing a video of her baby eating it..so figured that it can't be that challenging right...

Louisa's response was: "99 cents? Let's buy and try!! It's a vegetable!! Should be healthy!!"

Cos we were away from home and had no other condiments, we decided to eat it plain...and it was surprisely good!!!

method: Cut away the thorny tips of the leaves, wash throughly, wrap in clingwrap and microwave on high for 8 minutes.

What you see in the picture are the leaves....you are supposed to put it into your mouth and using your front teeth, scrap the white edible portion. The leave is not supposed to be eaten. (Had i not researched on the internet, i most probably would have, despite the toughness!!!)

When you come to the middle of the artichoke, the leaves become more tender and those, we ate whole...the sweetest part was the heart..there's some fuzz which you have to scrap off too...

and usually you dip it in butter or mayo or some other creamy dip and can saute/braise the hearts..

I will most probably serve them with a garlic yoghurt dip as an appetiser next time...

The most interesting thing about artichokes is that they leave a lingering sweet plesant taste in your mouth and throat and everything else you eat after that tastes extra sweet!!!

Additional trivia: artichokes were delicacies and thought to have aphrodisiac properties during the 16th century and women were prohibited from eating them...more recently, they are also rumoured to be good for the liver, cleansing the skin and stuff like that...(additional research on Louisa's request...at first bite, the artichoke was quite bland so she was convinced that they must have some medicinal qualities!!!)

Tapenade!!

Got the recipe for this incredibly tasty tapenade from V's blog...

Quick and easy!! My favourite type of recipe!

Reckon it would be great as a pasta stir through as well...and a good gift for olive lovers...Michelle, I will bring you some when I come back to Singapore, ok??

update: I brought the dip back to Singapore..to three different parties and was inundated with requests for the recipe!!!

the following picture was taken at Shalini's place..

Otah (Asian style fish pate!)

ingredients:
500g white fish
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 whole nutmegs
1 small piece balanchan
1 tbs chilli powder
1 inch piece of ginger, (around the size of a thumb), minced
1 inch piece of galangal (blue ginger), minced
1/2 cup of shallots
1 tbs rice flour
1 tbs oil
1 tbs sugar
1 egg

method:
preheat oven to 200 C.
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.
Grease a baking tray and spread otah mixture on it.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Serve as an appetiser or with coconut rice (nasi lemak).

comments: My mom first tried this recipe last year...and I remember my younger sister, coming home late at night and after tasting the otah, said to me, "Ting ah! Donno which restaurant Ma buy this otah from...it's very very good leh!!"

When I told mom about my sister's comment the next morning, she positively glowed with pleasure. I think the recipe my mom used was from a 25 year old newspaper clipping. My version is not as mouth watering as my mom's...perhaps it's due to the substitution of onions for shallots...or maybe, food always tastes better when you don't have to prepare it yourself!

Dukkah

ingredients:
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 tbs coriander powder
2 tbs cumin powder
2 tbs black pepper
1 tsp flaked sea salt / chicken salt

method:
1. In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until light golden brown. Remove from pan as soon as they are done. Cool.
2. Coarsly grind cashews and almonds in food processor til they are around the size of sesame seeds. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Serve with turkish bread and good quality extra-virgin olive oil. (Dip bread first in oil and then dukkah.)

comments: The first time I had dukkah was two years ago at McLaren Vale...initally i thought it was some sort of aboriginal food...cos that shop where i first tasted it carried quite a wide range of bush tucker..and only learnt much later that dukkah had middle-eastern roots. My first batch was birthed only cos i wanted to use up some sesame seeds. I gave most of it away to friends and they were greeted with much enthusiasm. (If bottled prettily, they make excellent gifts.) One lady reported eating the entire box I had given her in ONE sitting with bread and olive oil...she liked it that much. You can also add other spices like curry powder and lemon myrtle...the recipe i have provided above is quite basic..hazelnuts also work very well in lieu of the cashews and almonds. Other uses: coating for fish/ meats, sprinkling over rice and as seasoning in omelettes.

Catalan Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Almonds

i followed the recipe from the traveler's lunchbox...and was blown away by the results!!

You've gotta try it!!! It's extremely flavourful and oh-so-satisfying...!! Mmmmmmmm...

Hummus

ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (liquid reserved)
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chicken salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
dash of chilli powder
dash of pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried chives (optional; doesn't do much)

method:
puree the chickpeas with some of the liquid. (I used a hand blender n slightly less than half of the brine.) Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again. Rest in fridge for at least an hour for flavours to mingle.
Serve with pita bread, vegetable sticks or crackers.

Comments: 'Original' hummus recipes have some tahnini (sesame seed paste/ butter) added too .... but my tahnini is somewhat bitter so i didn't want to add it....you can experiment though...came up with the recipe cos i needed to prepare some munchies for friends who are dropping by tomorrow...it's quite tasty n comparable to store-bought versions....lower in energy too.. :)

Mom's achar!!

Ingredients:
2 cucumber, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
dried chilies 6 pc
tumeric powder 1 tsp
shallot 1 medium
Roasted Sesame seeds 2 tbs
Roasted Ground peanuts 2 tbs
white vinegar 4-6 tbs
Sugar 6-8 tbs
Pineapple, diced, ½ cup

Method:
1. Marinate cucumber with salt for 30 mins. Wash off and dry with paper towels.
2. Fry shallots, chilis and tumeric powder til fragrant.
3. Add cucumber and carrots
4. Add rest of ingredients in order.
5. Chill overnight to allow flavours to fuse.

Comments: yay! I tot i had lost the recipe!! Made this last year....definitely a keeper!!! Serve with Hainan chicken rice....or Coconut rice (nasi lemak)....or rendang...or any spicy dish with rice..... :)

curried carrot soup

from Allrecipes.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
900 g carrots, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water, or as needed

DIRECTIONS
1 Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots, and stir until the carrots are coated. Pour in the vegetable broth, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
2 Transfer the carrots and broth to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.

comments: i omitted the water altogether...and cos the curry powder was extremely spicy, the final concoction tasted like a very fiery curry!!! This is excellent to make in a hurry for Indian food cravings. Serve with nann/ baguettes!! Yum! Oh...and the carrot flavour wasn't that strong, surprisely... :)

Cucumber yogurt dip

ingredients:
1 cucumber, grated and drained of juice
200g greek style yogurt (this is the most important ingredient, pls do not subsitute for any other types of yogurt.)
2 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder
chicken salt/ regular salt to taste

optional:
minced coriander
parprika powder
chilli powder
pepper
thai sweet chilli sauce

method:
mix all together and allow to stand in fridge for an hour for flavours to mingle.

comments: i get asked for this recipe alot...honestly the secret is the greek style yogurt...thick and creamy...not that high in fat too...don't worry.. it's much better than the cheesey dips..
if u r in a rush for time, just combining the greek yogurt and thai chilli sauce is good too...as we discovered at Sik Yin's place the other day!

grilled egg plant with tomato

tomato garnish
extra virgin olive oil
tomato
salt
pepper
dried basil

eggplants

1) cut the eggplants ito 5-6 cm in length and slice them in half.
2) slit individuall egg plant half in a criss-cross manner (to allow olive oil to be better absorbed)
3) preheat oven to 180 degrees, brush oilve oil on the inside half of each egg plant and place them facing down on the grill.
4) grill for 15-20 mins
5) dice the tomato and add olive oil that will just cover half the tomato, add basil (as much or little as u like), salt and pepper to taste.
6) after 20 mins serve the egg plants with the tomato garnish on top. good as an apetizer.

chawamushi!

3 eggs
2 tablespoon of cooking sakae
1 teaspoon of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce
pinch of salt
1/2 cup water

mix the ingredient together and sieve with a strainer until smooth. Steam over very low fire for 15 mins ! Simple right!?

unfortunately i did something wrong tonight, i forgot to turn the fire down and it became fluffy steam egg. -x opps!! but still yummy!

cold dish

spinach with sesame seeds

1 bunch of spinach (uncut)
4 drops of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sayce
1 tablespoon of sugar

boil spinach for 4 mins and drain. run it under cold water. Take bunches of spinach and squeeze it dry. chop into 4 cm pieces and leave it a bowl

mix all the ingredient and poor it onto the prepared spinach. mix and chill it in the fridge. before serving sprinkle some sesame seeds on top

what i think
i love this this. simple and tasty to eat!!

Dim Sum Style Chee Chong Fun!!!

recipe from Imperial Kitchen Forum
http://lovefood.14.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=656

Ingredients :
150g Rice Flour
1 ½ Tbsp Wheat starch flour
2 Tbsp Corn flour
1 Tbsp Oil
2 cups Water
½ tsp Salt

Method :
1. Sift the 3 types of flours together.
2. Slowly add the water, mixing as you add.
3. Add the oil and salt and mix thoroughly. Set batter aside for at least an hour.
4. Prepare your steamer. Grease a swiss roll pan or any aluminium tray with oil
and pour the batter directly on the pan and steam for 5 mins.
5. After steaming, using a plastic scrapper roll the ccf up. If you are using
ingredients like char siew or prawns, you can sprinkle it over the steamed ccf
and then proceed to roll it up.
6. Place in a plate brushed with a little oil. Continue with the rest of the
batter.


Sauce:
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
a few slices of ginger
½ cup water
4 tbsp mushroom flavoured soy sauce or normal light soy sauce
½ to 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

method:

1. Place ginger with oil and sugar in a pot. Cook over small fire until sugar
turns brown.
2. When sugar is brown, add in the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium
fire for about 5 mins. Taste the sauce and adjust taste accordingly. If you
find the sauce too sweet, you can add in a bit of salt.

Modifications: I added sliced chinese shitake mushrooms in the sauce too. (To prep: Soak in hot water with 1 tsp of sugar for 20 mins). For filling, we added crabsticks, the mushrooms, spring onions.

Comments: HEAVEN!!!! It's really the thin and soft type ccf...very yummy!!! Quite time consuming though....Qin and I took nearly 1 hour 15 mins to make 6 rolls....eat and make, eat and make...so by the end of it, we were both very full cos the meal took so long!!! hahaa...

No-crust spinach quiche

ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlice, minced
1 (250g) box of chopped spinach, thawed n drained
5 large eggs, beaten
3 cups (360g) of shredded Muenster/Jack/Tasty cheese (I used Swiss Guyere)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

optional: mixed herbs, parprika, chilli powder

directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to centre position, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Light grease a 9-inch pyrex dish n set in heating oven
2. heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high hit. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, abt 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and continue cooking until all moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat.
3. Combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper (and other spices) in a large bowl. Stir in spinach mixture.
4. Carefully remove glass dish from oven. Pour in spinach mixture and bake until set, abut 25 minutes. Cool slightly, slice and serve.

recipe from allrecipes.com

Comments: I made this for appetiser tonight and the girls thought it was the main course...ha....
it was quite good...very creamy and satisfying...

Mushroom Swiss Omelette

ingredients:
3 egg whites
30 ml milk
6 fresh button mushrooms, sliced
30 g swiss cheese (or any other type if u prefer)
salt n pepper to taste
a knob of butter

method:
1. Melt butter in pan over low fire. Toss in mushrooms with a generous sprinkling of black pepper. (Freshly milled if possible)
2. Stir fry til mushrooms r soft n fragrant. (ard 4-6 mins)
3. Beat egg whites with milk and salt til frothy. Pour into pan.
4. Wait for egg to set before sprinkling cheese on top. Remove from fire once melted. Bon appetit!!

comments:
whipped this up to use up the 3 left over egg whites from making Sik Yin's tiramisu...ha...i dun really like recipes which just use only egg yolks cos i find it a waste to throw the leftovers n a hassle to make something else... Usually if the egg whites are free from any specks of egg yolk, i'd make some meringue cookies (meringues/ pavalovas r fiddly things, the egg whites have to be totally free of any contaminated...oil, water n yolk).
Actually the picture looks like or jian (oyster omelette), doesn't it?? Well...that's on our 'to-make' list...so akan datang!!! :D

anchovy and herb wedges

ingredients:

6 white potatos, peeled and cut into wedges
1 anchovy fillet, mashed
1 tbs olive oil
1 teaspoon of thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of chicken salt (can also use regular salt)
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs

method:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. mix anchovy, oil, herbs and salt together. Toss potatos into the mixture.
3. Coat with breadcrumbs and transfer onto a greased baking tray.
4. Bake on top rack for 45 mins or until crispy.

Comments:
these wedges are actually quite crispy!! And the anchovies add a very nice touch!! Quite pleased with how this recipe turned out...it's actually a combination of Jamie Oliver's stuffed potato with anchovies, thyme n bacon recipe and a very basic baked wedges recipe from my 'Best Finger Foods' book....Happy!!!

Waldorf Salad

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 apples -- peeled, cored, and chopped (to prevent browning: drizzle some lemon juice/soak in salt water)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (I used fresh grapes sliced into two. why? cos the maincourse also had raisins..didn't want to bore my friends..hee..)
cumin powder (optional)
Black pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
2. Stir in the apples, celery, walnuts, and raisins. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 4
recipe from all recipes.com


Comments: First had this salad in Switzerland...it was so good....i think cos my teacher made the mayo from scratch...
it's named 'Waldorf' salad cos it was invented by a chef in Hotel Waldorf Astoria in New York.
To use as a main course, add susuages and toss pasta through the salad. Can also add pineapple/ parsley...this is a very easily modifiable recipe.. :)
Next time, i will use raisins and perhaps a better quality (aka more egg than oil based) mayo n omit the lemon juice.