Skinless Longganisa (Filipino Sausage)

Processed sausages are commonly used in home cooking as it is convenient to obtain and easy to cook.  Though I've been wanting to try a hand on it but the tedious process of filling the meat into the casings draw me away from my thoughts.  However, as I was browsing through the KusinaMaster.asia website recently I found this interesting recipe which makes me to doubt no more.  Here's to share with all.....

Ingredients:

1 kilo ground pork (10% fat)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp fine salt

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp light soy sauce

drizzle of dark soya sauce 

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp grounded black pepper

Methods:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Roll the pork mixture to fit in a 4 1/2" x 3" wax paper.
3. Repeat till all is done.
4. Store in an air tight container and put in the freezer for 3 hours or until ready to cook.
5. To cook heat oil in a wok or frying pan.
6. Unwrap the sausages and fry in batches in the hot oil till fully cooked.
7. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Notes:  I made slight amendments to the original recipe to fit into my home cooking.  I did not use the oil fried method as in 5, instead another method which my daughter Karen learned when she's in Philippines, which is supposed to be the original method of cooking Longganisa, this Filipino Sausage. Heat a flat pan, in medium-low heat, add some water (not too much) into the pan, when about to simmer unwrap the sausages, lay them in the pan (in batches) and let it simmer slowly.  Turn the sausages over, and as the water starts to dry up the oil from the ground pork will start to appear.  Turn to make sure all the sides are properly cooked through and a golden brown colour is obtained. Dish and serve!  With the remaining leftover sausages in my freezer, I will use the oil-fried method to experience the difference between the two methods of cooking it. 

Vegetarian Chap Chye

This next dish which comprises of few simple ingredients - dried lily bud flower, wood ear fungus, cabbage, dried black mushrooms and glass noodles (commonly known as tanghoon) is a popular vegetarian dish.  On the first day of every Lunar New Year my mum never fails to cook this dish.  This is also a popular Nyonya dish but normally in nyonya cuisine they will add bean paste and fermented red beancurd.  

I will always cook this dish when my daughter Karen is back home as this is her favourite dish. She prefers my mum's style of using black soya sauce, so, here's to share.....

Ingredients:

• 100g dried lily bud flower - wash, soak in water, squeeze dry, remove the hard tip and cut into half

• 100g wood ear fungus (not in picture) - wash, soak in water, trim off the hard part and tear into smaller pieces 

• 3 dried mushrooms - wash, soak and cut into slices

• 400g cabbage - cut into smaller pieces, wash and drain

• 2 bundles glass noodles (tanghoon) - soak, drain and cut into half

• 3 shallots - peeled and sliced
• 4 pip garlic - peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• water - to add during cooking

Seasonings:

Salt (to taste)

MSG (to taste)

Drizzle of dark soya sauce

Methods:

1. In a heated wok add oil, fry the shallots follow by garlic till fragrant.
2. Add in dried mushrooms and fry a further 2 mins., then add in the lily bud flower and give it a mix.
3. Put in the cabbage stir till well combined, add in seasonings and taste.
4. With a spatula move the ingredients to the side of the wok, add the glass noodles into the center and stir for about half a minute, then mix all the ingredients together.
5. Add water and drizzle of dark soya sauce, continue to let it simmer while stirring often till the dish is cooked.
6. Dish into a serving plate.

Notes:  

1. For a non-vegetarian dish meat slices or minced meat (chicken or pork) can be added into the dish.  Stir in one or two lightly beaten eggs and it's another new dish altogether. 
2. I've cooked the Nyonya version before and hope to cook it again soon and share with you all.  
3. The amount of each ingredients used are very flexible, which is based on individual liking.  I prefer more cabbage, thus I am adding more of it for cooking this dish this time round.

"HAPPY COOKING!"

Sea Cucumber Soup

This is what you need:

• 150g chicken breast - sliced into thin strips and pre-seasoned with 1 tsp light soy sauce and half egg white

• 150g pork tenderloin - sliced into thin strips and pre-seasoned with 1 tsp light soy sauce and half egg white

• 200g sea cucumber - sliced into thin strips
• 1 thumb sized ginger - peeled and smashed

• 3 dried mushrooms - wash, soaked and slice into thin strips

• 5 pieces dried scallops - wash, soaked and break into small pieces, retain the soaked water for cooking

• 4 pieces ham - cut into thin strips

• 2 eggs - beaten
• 2 litres of pork broth - boil pork ribs in a pot of water, pour the cooked broth through a sift to get rid of any small bones
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• enough cornflour mix with water for thickening

Seasonings:

Salt (to taste)

Msg (to taste)

To serve:

Black vinegar

Methods:

1. Put the scallops and the soaked water into the pork broth and bring it to a simmer.  Add in seasoning and taste.
2. In a medium heated wok add in sesame oil, fry the smashed ginger, then add in the mushrooms and stir fry till fragrant.  Off the heat, discard ginger and scoop the fried mushroom slices and the leftover sesame oil into the simmering pork broth.
3. Add in the sea cucumber, stir and continue to boil for about 5 minutes, depending on how soft the sea cucumber is.
4. Then, add in the pre-seasoned pork slices, a portion at a time and for each addition, use a chopstick to stir it well to ensure that they are loosen and not stick together in a lump.  Next, add in the chicken slices and stir well and continue to boil till the meat are cooked.
5. Add in the sliced ham and let the soup comes to another boil.
6. Pour in half of the beaten egg slowly while stirring with a pair of chopstick in a circular motion.
7. Add in the cornflour mixture and stir well till the soup becomes slurry as per your liking.
8. Add in the remaining beaten egg, stir well and as soon as the soup comes to another boil, off the heat.
9. Serve hot in individual soup bowl with black vinegar.

Swedish Butter Cookies

This soft and melt-in-the-mouth cookies are delicious.  With only four ingredients, few simple steps and a short baking time of 12 to 17 minutes (depending on the type of oven we are using), this is something which we will bake again and again to enjoy!  This recipe is adapted from Sifu Kenneth Goh @ Food Bloggers and Foodies United.  

Ingredients:

80g butter (softened)

40g icing sugar (sifted)

80g potato starch (sifted)

40g flour (sifted)

Drops of vanilla essence (optional, which I did not use)

Methods:

1. Beat butter and icing sugar until light and pale.  
2. Add in vanilla essence, if used.
3. Add in the potato starch and flour, use the mixer's lowest speed to beat for 30 seconds.  I prefer to use baking spatula to mix the flour into the butter and icing sugar mixture, follow by hand till well combined.
4. Using hand flatten the dough into rectangular shape and wrap in cling film.
5. Chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes until the dough is easy to handle.
6. Pinch some of the dough and roll into a ball, lightly press using your thumb.
7. Put the dough into a greased baking tray and use a fork to create your preferred patterns.
8. If the dough is too sticky to handle, dust your hands with either potato starch or flour.
9. Bake in a pre-heated oven of 150 degree Celsius for about 12 to 17 minutes.
10. Once the cookies are out of the oven let the biscuits rest in the baking tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack for further cooling.
11. Once completely cooled store in an air tight container.

ready for baking

ready to be served

stored in air tight container