Asian Pickled Cucumber

With the strong heat, I have been buying more cucumbers for our consumption.  Cucumbers have a high water content which helps meet our daily fluid needs and stay cool.  Let me share this Asian Pickled Cucumber with all cucumbers lovers.  It's easy to prepare and doesn't take up much time in the kitchen.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 Japanese cucumber (large)

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar (add more if you prefers slightly sweeter)

3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped) - adjust to your liking

2 birds eye chili (cut into slices) - adjust to your liking

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon salt (for marinating the cucumber)

Methods:

1. Wash and cucumbers.  Cut into half and remove the seeds.  Cut into strips and place in a bowl.
2. Mix the salt with the cucumbers and let them marinate for 1 hour.  Wash the salt off the cucumbers and squeeze out any excess water.  Place the cucumbers in a clean bowl.
3. Mix in sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chili and garlic.
4. The pickled cucumbers are ready to eat.  I prefer to let it chill in the fridge and stir to ensure even marination.

This recipe is adapted from 'cookingwithlei.com' with slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Coffee Bean Cookies

A recipe I have added to my 'To-Bake List' for not sure how long ago, maybe 2 years ago??  Yes, it's definitely years ago hehehe... ~ smile ~

This recipe is adapted online, not able to name the source as it's in Chinese, and thankful that the recipe and instructions have English added, or else I won't be able to bake it.

Ingredients:

150 g. Cake Flour (sifted)

15 g. cocoa powder (unsweetened)

9 g. coffee powder

45 g. caster sugar

75 g. unsalted butter (room temperature)

15 g. milk

1 1/2 g. baking powder (sifted)

Methods:

1. In a small pot, heat milk and coffee powder and stir until dissolved, then set aside to let it cool.
2. In a mixer bowl, add sugar and butter, beat until pale.  Then add flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.  Mix until well combined.  Add coffee milk to form a dough.  I add additional few teaspoons of milk as the dough is quite dry.
3. Divide dough into 10 gram portions, shape into coffee beans, press a line in the center, using the back of a small knife.
4. Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degree Celsius (top heat) and 140 degree Celsius (bottom heat) for 14 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies on a wire rack to let it cool down.  Enjoy!

Ready for baking

Baking in progress