Stir-fried Kai Lan with Prawns and Pin Mushrooms

As I am stir-frying kai lan with prawns for dinner I am adding the leftover pin mushrooms which are still sitting in my fridge. 

Ingredients:
1 pkt kai lan
1/2 cup fresh prawns (shelled and deveined)
1 pkt pin mushrooms
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp cooking oil
Chicken stock granules (to taste)
3 tbsp water

Methods:

1. Trim and wash kai lan, cut into your desired sizes, separate the stems from the leaves and leave aside.
2. For the pin mushrooms, remove from packaging, trim off the bottom part, wash and place in a colander to drip off excess water.
3. In a heated wok add cooking oil and saute the chopped garlic until fragrant.
4. Add in kai lan stems, stir-fry for about a minute, then add in the prawns follow by kai lan leaves.
5. Add chicken stock granules and stir to mix.
6. Add in pin mushrooms and water, continue to stir-fry and taste for correct seasoning.
7. Once the leaves have wilted, but still green and the prawns are cooked, off the heat.
8. Dish onto a serving plate and serve.

Abacus Seeds with Minced Meat

Last year I have posted a recipe on this Hakka dish which I've attempted and tasted for the first time in my life (don't laugh, but it's true) with flying colors. Since I am intending to make it again, I've decided to try out another recipe which I came across recently.  The ingredients needed for making the Abacus Seeds are almost similar, except the amount of the ingredients used. This recipe which I am going to share comes out perfectly awesome with a chewy texture!

Ingredients:

600g yam (I use Penang Yam)

300g tapioca flour

150 ml boiling water

Methods:

1. Peeled yam, sliced, steamed until soft and mashed.
2. Put the mashed yam in a large bowl.
3. Add tapioca flour to the yam and mixed using hand.
4. Mix in boiling water a little at a time until dough is formed.
5. Knead dough until smooth and divide into 4 portions.
6. Roll out and cut per portion into 1" pieces.
7. Roll dough into ball and make a dent in the centre.  Repeat until all the dough is used up.
8. Place the rolled dough into a container separated by parchment paper in between the layers and keep in the freezer.  

I've cooked a portion for my lunch with the ingredients as in the picture above. The ingredients and methods of cooking this Abacus Seeds are almost similar to other recipes, except in this case, I use red carrot slices for this round of cooking, while for my previous cooking I used black fungus.  You can change the frying ingredients according to your preferences.  To obtain the full recipe, please refer to my blog article dated 15th March 2016 by clicking here

The recipe for the Abacus Seeds is adapted from "The Meatmen".

Pancake Pops

When I came across this pancake recipe I just couldn't wait to make them for my grandson to enjoy. It came as a surprise for him after he is  home from school. This is also one perfect party snack to be included in a children's party. You can use any types of Sprinkles according to your own preference, with which Chocolate Rice works well too.

Ingredients: (Makes 10)
1 1/2 cup plain flour (sifted)
3 tsp baking powder (sifted)
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
3 tbsp butter (melted)
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg

Toppings:
Butterscotch Syrup
Sprinkles

Methods:

1. In a mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well.
2. In a jug add milk, melted butter, egg and whisk well.
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
4. To make the pancake, heat a non-stick pan, brush with some oil, using a soup ladle scoop the pancake mixture to form a circle and add an ice-cream stick. Cook until bubbles appear, flip it over and continue to cook until light brown.
5. Remove from pan and continue with the rest of the mixture.
6. To serve, spread the Butterscotch Syrup on one side of the pancake and sprinkle the Sprinkles over.

This recipe is adapted from Nidhi Seth Prasad with slight amendments.

Homemade Luncheon Meat

Luncheon Meat is one popular and favorite food of most families.  Anybody disagree with me?? Many home-cooks are now making this meat dish in their own home kitchen to enjoy, as it is more healthy as compared to the canned ones.  Though the texture and flavor differ slightly, I think most people won't mind as we all gets  to eat it more often. What say you all??  hehe...

I've tried out few recipes before this from some website, but as usual each individuals have their own preference and liking. During my recent attempt, I consider it as our family's preference and is adapting this recipe to continue making in my home kitchen and for the whole family to enjoy.

For those who are interested, here's the recipe to share....

Ingredients:
600g minced pork (preferably with fat and get the butcher to grind the meat at least 3 times)

Seasoning:
2 tbsp Tapioca Flour (sifted)
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken stock granules (use pestle and mortar to grind into powder)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 egg white
1/2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp granulated sugar
A dash of Five Spice Powder (do not use a lot or else it would affect the taste)
A few dashes of grounded white pepper
2 tsp Red Yeast Rice (use pestle and mortar to grind into powder) - optional (for the coloring)

Methods:

1. In a bowl, mix together all the seasoning ingredients.
2. Place the minced pork in a large bowl.
3. Add the seasoning mixture into the meat and stir with a pair of chopsticks in one direction (circular movement) until the mixture become sticky and gluey.
4. Prepare a greased baking tin, scoop the minced meat 2 tbsp at a time into the tin and use a spoon to gently press it downwards to avoid trapped air.  Repeat until all is done.
5. Use another baking tin (of same size) to put on top of the meat and press it down gently.
6. Steam for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let it cool down before slicing.

This recipe is adapted from Miki's Food Archives with slight amendments.

Stir-fried longevity noodles with Chinese leek

This is a late post, which I replicate and cook many countless times in my home kitchen but never gets the opportunity to get it published in my blog. 

Sometimes last year, a friend of mine gave me a lunch treat to this delicious, simple yet yummylicious dish nearby to her office at 10th Mile, Kuching.  I fell in love with it immediately and told my friend that I would like to replicate this dish.  My first try out was a success and my whole family enjoyed it too.  From thenceforth I have been cooking it over and over again.

To those who are interested, here's to share....

Ingredients:

• A packet of longevity noodles (boiled until soft and drain)

• 3 Chinese leeks (peeled off hard leaves, washed, soaked and cut into thin strips)
• 4 dried mushrooms (soaked until soft and thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp dried shrimps (washed, soaked and leave whole if small, or rough chop)
• 2 shallots (peeled and sliced)
• 5 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1/2 cup water (add half first, add the rest slowly if needed)

Seasonings:

4 tbsp light soya sauce

Dash of salt (to taste, and if needed)

Methods:

1. Add cooking oil in a medium-low heated wok, add in garlic, stir fry until fragrant and golden, dish out the fried garlic and leave in a bowl for later use.
2. In the same wok with the remaining oil, reheat the wok and stir-fry the dried shrimps until fragrant, either dish them out onto a bowl or use the spatula to push it to the side of the wok, then add the shallots, stir fry until almost light brown, add in mushrooms and continue to fry until shallots are browned.
3. Add in Chinese leeks, dried shrimps and stir fry until the leek has slightly wilted.
4. Add in the longevity noodles, stir to mix with the help of a pair of cooking chopsticks. Add in light soya sauce, stir to combine, then add water and continue to stir fry.  Taste for correct seasoning.  As longevity noodles are slightly salty, do not add salt without tasting or in large amount at one time.
5. If the noodles are slightly dry, add a bit more water and stir to mix.
6. When noodles are cooked, remove from heat, dish into a large serving plate, and sprinkle fried garlic over the top.
7. Serve in separate plates or bowls.

During my second attempt, I add an extra ingredient '3-layer pork' slices. For this, I fry the pork slices after frying the dried shrimps and before adding the shallots in (2).

With or without the meat ingredient, this dish taste awesome!!  I just cooked it for dinner yesterday.  Yum-Yum!

Minced pork porridge with dried cuttlefish and peanuts

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

1 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup minced pork (marinated with light soya sauce and grounded white pepper)

2 small dried cuttlefish (washed, remove the clear plastic-like bone and cut into thin strips)

2 knobs 1" ginger (peeled and cut into very thin strips, fried with oil until crispy and drain on kitchen paper)

1 small can stewed peanuts (drained)

Fried shallots, garlic and oil (for garnish)

Water (for cooking porridge)

Dash of grounded white pepper (to sprinkle during serving)

Seasonings:
2 tsp chicken stock granules
Salt (to taste)

Methods:

1. Wash the rice and place them in a pot filled with 2 bowls of water.
2. Start cooking the rice using medium heat with lid on.
3. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat, add in the dried cuttlefish, give it a stir to ensure that the rice does not stick onto the bottom of the pot, and place the lid back, half closed.
4. If the water evaporates too fast, add boiling water and continue to cook and stir occasionally. 
5. Once the rice grains has broken add in minced pork, which is rolled into small balls, chicken stock granules and salt, then continue to simmer for about 2 minutes. Taste for correct seasonings.
6. Add in half portion of the stewed peanuts, give it a stir and continue to simmer until the desired consistency is achieved. At this time, the porridge must still have water and not too dry as when it is remove from the heat it will continue cooking.
7. Let the porridge sit in the pot for a while before serving.
8. To serve, scoop the porridge into two deep bowls, top with more stewed peanuts, fried shallots, garlic and drizzle a bit of the oil over the porridge, fried ginger strips and sprinkle dash of grounded white pepper.
9. The porridge is ready to be served.

Purple Sweet Potato Mantou

Mantou is my family's favorite, thus as and when I feel like munching them I will make a portion of it.  Recently, due to the humid weather I tend to stock up sweet potatoes of purple, yellow and orange colors as well as yam for making desserts.  This time round the purple sweet potato are so starchy and I just couldn't help making Mantou out of it.  As mentioned in my 3rd September 2015 blog write-up, I am sharing this "Purple Sweet Potato Mantou" with all my readers out there who love Mantou as much as me... hehe!

Yesterday afternoon I make another batch with the leftover purple sweet potato for my grandson Brendan's breakfast and his morning break in School.

As the sweet potato are very starchy,  I add a bit more water and olive oil, and the outcome is softer texture and shiny on the outside.  I also decided to come up with the spiral shape which my grandson called it "snails".

For the full recipe click here.

Honeydew Popsicle

With the days getting hotter, I have been stocking up my kitchen with more thirst quencher and desserts ingredients.  It is this time of the year that we need something cool to quench our thirst and soothe our throat.  Who would say no to this healthy homemade fruit Popsicle!

Ingredients:
1/2 honeydew (cut into chunks)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup sugar (adjust according to your likeness and depending on the sweetness of the honeydew)

Methods:

1. Add honeydew, lemon juice and half of the sugar into a blender. 
2. Blend until smooth, tasting for correct sweetness, adding the balance of the sugar or more if necessary. There will be some small tiny bits of the honeydew which is fine.
3. Pour into Popsicle molds.
4. Freeze for few hours or overnight.

For the remaining fruit mixtures I made them into Ice Lollies....

Anyone interested??  

Orange, Pineapple and Banana Smoothie

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
3 small frozen banana slices
2 oranges (juiced)
1/2 cup cold water

Methods:

1. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend until obtain a smooth consistency.
2. Pour into two glasses.
3. Serve immediately.

A healthy and delicious smoothie to enjoy on a hot day.

Recipe adapted from Charlene of "That Girl Cooks Healthy".