Soy Sauce Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 chicken thighs (boneless with skin on)
2 servings of noodles
4 pcs. small bok choy (washed, cut and blanched)
1 tsp. sesame oil (to drizzle onto noodles after platting)
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 slices ginger
3 cloves garlic (smashed, with skin)
2 sprigs spring onion (roughly sliced, light green part only)
1 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
Mushroom soaking liquid
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
3 cups water
Salt (to taste)
1 tbsp. cooking oil

Methods:

1. Soak mushrooms in hot water, drain, cut off the hard stalk, strain the soaking liquid and set aside.
2. Mix shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add ginger, garlic and spring onions, stir-fry for 1 minute.  Then add star anise, cinnamon, mushrooms and soaking liquid, and the mix sauces in (2) and 3 cups water.  Bring it to a simmer, then add chicken and simmer another 10 minutes.  Turn heat off, cover and allow chicken to steep in the hot liquid for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, lift out chicken and mushrooms.  Strain out the sauce, and bring it back to simmer.  In the meantime taste for correct seasoning, season with salt if needed.
5. Place 4 tablespoons of sauce into 2 shallow serving bowls.  Add cooked noodles, top with blanched vegetables, sliced chicken and 1 mushroom.  Drizzle each bowls with a little sesame oil.
6. Serve with sliced chilies, light soy sauce and lime juice.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight amendments to suit my cooking preferences.

Nasi Goreng Kampung

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
3 sprigs Kangkong (water spinach) - pluck/cut into smaller sections, both leaves and young stems.
2 pieces long beans (slice diagonally) 
1 handful ikan bilis (I buy the ones without head and gill and halved)
1/3 cup chicken breast meat (diced)
2 eggs
2 portions cooked rice
Cooking oil

Paste: (blended)
4 cloves garlic (peeled)
4 shallots (peeled)

1 tbsp. fried anchovies

10g. belacan
1 big chili + 2 bird's eye chili (add more if you want real spicy)

Seasoning:
2 tbsp. kicap manis (sweet soy sauce)
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Methods:

1. Rinse the anchovies, drain and dry on kitchen paper.  Fill the wok with enough oil for deep frying the dried anchovies until crispy.  Remove from heat and put on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.  Set aside for later use.
2. Remove excess oil from deep frying the anchovies, leave about 2 tbsp., saute the paste ingredients using medium heat until fragrant.
3. Add the diced chicken and long beans, stir-fry until chicken is cooked.  Remove from wok.
4. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. cooking oil into the same wok, stir-fry the cooled rice over low to medium heat for one minute.  Push the rice to the side of the wok, add 2 eggs, scrambled the eggs until it is nearly cooked.  Then push the rice back to the center and combine with the eggs.
5. Return the chili paste and chicken to the wok.
6. Add the kangkung, stir to mix into the rice.
7. Add in the seasonings, then turn to medium high heat and stir-fry for half a minute until well combined.
8. Remove the rice from wok into serving plates.  
9. Garnish according to your preference and serve.

This recipe is adapted from 'tasteasianfood.com' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Rustic Oatmeal Scones

I have been baking different types of scones, however, this Oatmeal ones are more solid but not hard, instead chewy.  This scones are more filling as it contains Oatmeal.  The original recipe calls for sprinkling the top with coarse sugar, but I leave it out as I prefer it less sweet and furthermore, the raisins are sweet enough for the scones.

Ingredients:
2 cup plain flour (sifted)
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda (sifted)
3/4 tsp. salt
2 oz. (1/4 cup) cold butter (cubed)
2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp. milk, divided

Methods:

1. In a large bowl whisk together plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in oats and raisins.
2. In another bowl, whisk yogurt and 1 tbsp. milk until blended; then stir into crumb mixture until just moistened.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface, knead gently 10 times.  Divide dough in half; pat each into circle.  Cut each into 6 wedges.  Place wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Brush tops with remaining milk.
4. Bake in a preheated oven of 200 degree Celsius for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

This recipe is adapted from 'Taste of Home' by Gail D'Urso, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with slight amendments to suit my cooking preferences.

Claypot Chicken Rice in Rice Cooker

If you are a fan of Claypot Chicken Rice, but find it hard to cook as you either don't have claypot or you do have but it's not of suitable size (like my case); or if you are cooking for the whole family, then it's too troublesome to cook them in individual servings.  Why not try out this yummylicious recipe as it's as good as the ones we used to eat outside.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
200g. boneless chicken thighs (remove extra fat and cut into bite-size pieces)
3 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
4 slices peeled ginger (shredded)
1 piece Chinese Sausage (sliced diagonally)
15g. salted fish (cut into small pieces)
2 shiitake mushrooms (soaked and sliced)

1 1/2 rice cups rice 
Dark soy sauce (amount as required)

Seasonings/Marinade:
1/4 tbsp. ginger juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. light soya sauce
1/4 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/4 tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 tbsp. shaoxing wine
1/4 tbsp. cornflour
Dashes of grounded white pepper

Methods:

1. In a bowl add chicken with all the seasonings/marinade ingredients and mix to coat evenly.  Set aside for at least 1 hour or longer.
2. Heat wok with 1 tbsp. cooking oil, fry sausages for 1-2 minutes, dish out onto a plate.  Add salted fish and fry till lightly brown, dish out into a separate plate.  In the same wok add a bit more cooking oil, saute garlic and ginger until aromatic.  Pour in chicken meat and stir fry until semi-cooked, dish out into a bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse rice, add water (amount based on the usual way of cooking rice) and cook in the rice cooker about 10 minutes or just about to dry up (the time depends on how much rice you are cooking, lesser rice will come up with lesser time needed).  Then place chicken meat and sausages on top and close the lid and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until the rice cooker switch to 'Keep Warm' or finished cooking.  Open the lid, mix the cooked rice and meat together, then add in salted fish, and mix well with spatula.  Lastly, drizzle in dark soya sauce, little by little at a time while stirring to mix with the spatula, until you get the desired colour of your preference, and mix thoroughly well.
4. Close the lid of the rice cooker for another 10-15 minutes at 'Keep Warm' to ensure chicken are fully cooked.
5. Serve with finely chopped spring onion.

This recipe is adapted from 'Anncoojournal.com' with slight amendments to suit my cooking preference.

Chinese Radish Cake a.k.a. Chai Tao Kuih

Chai Tao Kuih has been the favorite of many, and those ready made and sold in hawker centres or food stalls are normally just plain, but once fried it also taste delicious.  Those made from home kitchen are totally different.  This recipe which I've tried quite a while ago are extra tender and flavorful, and are loaded with extra ingredients.  It takes a little more effort but it's worth it.

Ingredients:
6 shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup dried shrimp
900g. radish (450g. after grating)
2 Chinese sausages (diced)
4 sprigs spring onions (chopped) - I leave this out as I can't get hold of it
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
150g. rice flour

Methods:

1. Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately with water and gently rub them to remove any dirt.  Place each ingredient into a different bowl.  Add hot water, cover and soak until soft.  Drain and dice into small pieces.  Set each aside.
2. Peel radish and grate into thin strips.
3. Add the Chinese sausage into a large non-stick wok and heat it over medium heat.  Cook until the sausage is lightly browned and some oil is rendered off.
4. Add the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp.  Cook and stir for 1 minute, add spring onions (if using) and stir to release the fragrance.  Transfer everything to a plate.
5. In the same wok, add the radish and 1 cup of water, cover and cook over medium heat until translucent and soft but not browned.  Taste the radish to make sure it's fully cooked through and turned very soft.  Transfer the cooked radish into a big bowl using a pair of tongs.  Squeeze out as much juice as you can, back into the pan.  Once done, transfer all the juice from the pan to a measuring cup.  Then add more water until it reaches 1 cup (no need to add extra water if you end up with a full cup).  Rest the liquid until it's slightly cooled.
6. Add rice flour and the cooled radish cooking liquid (1 cup) into the bowl with the cooked radish.  Add sugar, salt and white pepper.  Stir to mix well.  It will form a very runny batter.
7. Pour the batter back into the pan you used to cook the radish.  Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly, until the mixture has thickened just enough to draw a line on the bottom of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Prepare 1 or 2 baking dishes that can fit into your steamer.  If you need to cook in two batches, cover the uncooked batter with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.  I cook mine in one 8" x 8" baking pan.
9. Grease the pan with oil, so the radish cake will come off easily later.  Transfer the mixture into the pan.
10. Set up your steamer and bring it to boil.  Add the steaming rack with the radish cake baking pan.  Cook, covered, over medium-high heat, for 1 hour, until the turnip cake is cooked through.  You can test the doneness by inserting a knife into the cake and it should come out clean.  If your batter is slightly thicker or thinner you might need to adjust the cooking time by adding or subtracting 10 minutes.
11. Once done, remove the baking pan from the steamer and set it aside to cool.  Once the pan is no longer hot, transfer it to the fridge.  Let the radish cake set until it has cooled completely.  It is highly recommended to rest it overnight before serving, to ensure easy cutting.
12. To remove the fully chilled radish cake, use a knife to loosen the edges from the container, then turn the container upside down.  The radish cake should come out in one piece.
13. To serve, cut the turnip cakes into your preferred sizes or shapes.  Brown both sides in a heated wok coated with a thin layer of oil until heated through and the surface turns golden.
14. To store, transfer the steamed radish cakes (without pan-frying) into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.  To reheat, thaw the frozen radish cakes first, and pan fry them before serving.

I adapted this recipe from Maggie Zhu of 'omnivorescookbook.com'.

Banana Caramel Crumble

Ingredients:  (Serves : 2)
(A)  Crumble toping
40g. plain flour (sifted)
40g. ground almond
25g. brown sugar
40g. butter (soft but cold; cubed)

(B)  Caramel
40g. sugar
2 tbsp. water
30g. butter

(C)  
4 medium bananas
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Methods:

1. Crumble Toping - in a bowl, add flour, ground almond and brown sugar together, mix well with a spoon.  Add in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips to crumble.  Chill in the refrigerator for later use.
2. Caramel - in a small pot, cook the sugar over medium heat until it melts and starting to turn brown.  Lower heat and gradually add water from the side of the pot, stir well.  Lastly add in butter and stir well again and set aside.
3. Peel skin and slice banana to 1 cm. thick.  Drop all the sliced banana and vanilla extract into the caramel, then gently mix well until combined.
4. Turn the banana caramel into a baking dish (I do not have 2 small baking dish, so I just put it in 1 slightly bigger dish), then sprinkle on the crumble topping.
5. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree Celsius for 30 minutes and serve hot.

This recipe is adapted from Anncoo Journal with very slight amendment to suit my taste buds.

Singapore Noodles

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 portions Beehoon (Vermicelli noodles) - cooked according to package instructions)
2 eggs (lightly whisked)
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 onion (finely diced)
1/2 carrot (julienne) 
3 bunch of Chye Sim (washed and cut)
10 prawns (peeled, deveined)
BBQ pork/Cha Seo
3 tbsp. cooking oil (part)
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine

Seasonings:
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. sugar (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil, add the whisked egg, swirl the wok, and once the egg is about to set, I use a spatula to break it into chunk pieces, remove the egg into a plate, and set aside.
2. Using the same wok, add 2 tbsp. cooking oil, when wok is hot, add in garlic and onions, then add in the prawns and stir to fry until prawns turn opaque, add in red carrot, chye sim, stir to combine, then drizzle in Shaoxing Wine, toss to mix for 1 minute.  Then add in the beehoon, pork, egg and all the seasonings.  Then toss until all is combined.  This is not a saucy noodle dish, but just have enough liquid/sauce to coat the noodles but not soaking in sauce.

I adapted this recipe from Marion Grasby with slight amendment.