Easy Korean Kimchi

 

Ingredients:

1 Chinese cabbage (about 1 kg.)

1/4 cup sea salt 

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup Bidan Red Pepper Powder/Gochugaru

5 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)

1 tbsp. ginger (peeled and chopped)

1 tbsp. white sugar

1 pear (peeled and chopped)

3 sprigs spring onions (sliced into 1 1/2" batons)

Methods:

1. Cut the cabbage into quarters lengthways and then cut each quarter into 2-3cm pieces.  Rinse under room temperature running water.  Drain.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Sprinkle with the salt and use your hands to toss to combine.  Set aside, tossing every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
2. Place the fish sauce, red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, sugar and pear in a food processor and process until smooth.
3. After 2 hours, drain the cabbage mixture.  Rinse thoroughly to ensure all the salt has been rinsed off.  Rinse the bowl and return the cabbage to it.  Add the spring onion.
4. Add the chili mixture and use tong to mix through the cabbage mixture until well combined.  You can wear gloves if desired, and use your hand to mix the chili mixture through the cabbage and spring onion.  Taste and season with more red pepper powder and sugar, if desired.  Use tong to transfer to sterilised jars.  Put the lid on and store at room temperature for 3 days to allow the flavors to develop.  Then store in the fridge for up to 6 months.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Butterfly Pea Sago Agar-Agar Pudding

 

Ingredients:

20 butterfly pea flowers

300 ml. boiling water

50 g. white sago pearls

60 g. castor sugar

2 tsp. agar-agar powder

1 tsp. jelly powder

1 tsp. cornflour

1/4 tsp. salt

200 ml. coconut milk

Methods:

1. In a bowl, add butterfly pea flowers and boiling water, stir and let stand for 20 minutes to soak the colour.
2. Boil water in a medium pot, when water has come to a boil add in white sago pearls.  Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes and stirring often, to prevent the sago pearl from sticking onto the pot.  Cook until translucent, leaving small white spots.  Turn off heat and put the lid on and let it stuff for another 15 minutes.  By then, there is no white spots and the sago becomes completely transparent.  Drain on a colander/wire sieve, wash with water while stirring with a spoon until the sago pearls have cool down, and place in a bowl.
3. Remove the butterfly pea flowers from the soaking liquid.  Pour into the cooked sago and stir to mix and let it soak for 2 hours.
4. In a bowl, add caster sugar, agar-agar powder, jelly powder, cornflour and salt.  Mix well with a spoon and set aside.
5. After 2 hours, the sago pearls have turned blue color.  Strain and keep the pea flower water.
6. Add coconut milk to the pea flower water and stir to combine.  Pour into a pot, add the sugar agar-agar mixture and stir well before cooking.
7. Switch on medium heat, stir constantly and cook until boiled.  Add in the blue sago pearls, stir and cook until slightly boiled (not huge boil), then turn of heat.  Pour into a ceramic square pan.  Scoop out bubbles.  After cooling slightly, put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until fully set.
8. Turn over the pudding onto a large chopping board, cut into squares and serve.

I adapted this recipe from Youtube 'Shadajie Kitchen.'

Eggless Wheat Oat Almond Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1/2 cup icing sugar

57 g. unsalted butter (softened)

3 tbsp. almond nibs or sliced almonds

1 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (sifted)

1/2 pinch of salt

Methods:

1. In a bowl, combine flour, oats, almonds, baking powder and salt.
2. In a mixer bowl, beat butter and icing sugar until light and creamy.
3. Add in flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
4. Divide dough into round balls.
5. Place on a lined baking tray 1 1/2" apart.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree  Celsius for 18 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
8. Remove onto wire rack and to let it cool completely.
9. The cookies will be soft when taken out of the oven but will firm up once it cools down.
10. Store in airtight container.

Baking in progress...

This recipe is adapted from 'blendwithspices.com'.

Caramel Bars

 

Ingredients:

170 g. unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 1/2 egg yolks (large eggs)

102 g. plain flour 

1/2 cup milk powder

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Methods:

1. Line the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl sift together flour and milk powder.
3. In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, just until combined.
4. Add the flour mixture gradually and beat to incorporate, alternately with the condensed milk.  Do not over beat.  Scrap the sides of the bowl down to ensure even mixing.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Level with spatula and sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 176 degree Celsius for 30-35 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and sides are starting to brown.
7. Allow the caramel bar cake to cool completely before slicing.
8. Store leftover caramel bars in airtight container.

This yummylicious sweet Dessert is adapted from 'womanscribbles.net' with a slight adjustment to suit my baking preference.

Spicy Sweet and Sour Prawns

 

Ingredients:

10 prawns (peeled with tails on, and deveined)

2 sprigs spring onion (cut 1 1/2")

3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

2 slices ginger (peeled and chopped)

1 pc. red chili (sliced slightly thick and slant)

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tsp. cornflour + 1 tbsp. water (mix in a small bowl)

Sauce: (mix in a bowl and set aside)

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

3/4 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine

A pinch of salt

3 tbsp. water

Marinade for prawns:

1/2 tbsp. vinegar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

2 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)

1/2 tsp. Paprika powder

2 tsp. cornflour

Methods:

1. In a bowl, marinate prawns with the marinade ingredients and set aside.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a deep heated pan, add oil for frying the prawns using medium heat.  Fry marinated prawns until lightly brown, dish up.  Remove crumbs, turn heat up and fry a second time for a more crispy prawns.  Remove from heat.
4. In a clean heated wok/pan, add 2 tbsp. of butter, add chopped garlic and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant; then add chili, stir-fry for a quick minute, then add in the sauce.  Stir until it comes to a boil, and taste for correct seasonings, based on your preference.  Next,  add in the cornflour water mixture and stir until the sauce slightly thicken, and of the heat.
5. Add in the fried prawns, spring onions, and stir to combine.
6. The prawns are ready to be served with a plate of warm fluffy rice!

I adapted this recipe from 'Hoon & Elen's Today Cuisine' from Youtube, with a slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.