Spicy stir-fried Udon

The urge of having something spicy for my lunch just strike me.  I put on my 'thinking cap', open the fridge door and take a look at the  different compartments, opening and closing them... finally, I decided to use the leftover chilli paste from my Char Kway Teow couple of days ago.  Since I have a packet of Udon, well that settles my lunch then....

Ingredients:
1 pkt. Udon noodles
3 sprigs leafy green (washed, cut and separate the white from the green leaves)
1/2 onion (peeled and cut into thicker slices
Some pork belly (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp. cooking oil
Dash chicken stock granules (to taste)
1 1/2 tbsp. chilli paste (to get the recipe click here)

Methods:

1. Boil water in a medium pot.  Once water is boiling put in the udon noodles.  Use a tong to slowly loosen the noodles, drain and set aside.
2. In a heated wok, add in cooking oil, saute onions for a quick few seconds then add in pork belly and stir-fry for another few seconds. It doesn't take long to cook the pork belly as it is thinly sliced.  Add in the stem of the leafy green and the udon noodles.  Stir to mix, then add the green leaves and and the chilli paste.  Stir until all is combined.  Taste for correct seasoning, add dash of chicken stock granules.  Stir again to mix.
3. Dish onto a plate and lunch is ready!

Portuguese Egg Tart

As I am not fancy into pastry making, I never bake any egg tart, though frankly speaking I love egg tarts.  It is through a Facebook posting that I came across this rather simple tart recipe, which calls for Puff Pastry from the supermarket shelf.  So, I gave this recipe a try out, and I should say the outcome is great, thumbs up!  Though, I couldn't get the 'signature burn' as in the actual Portuguese Egg Tart, but to me, that is secondary.  For now, I can at any time bake egg tart to satisfy my cravings ~ smile ~

Ingredients:
(A)  Custard Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup milk
60 g. caster sugar
1/2 tbsp. cornflour (sifted)

Methods:

1. Flour the work area, and roll the pastry (not too thin).
2. Cut pastry slightly bigger than the muffin tin mold.
3. Put pastry into the mold, press to the sides into even thickness and cut off extra with a knife.
4. Mix all the custard ingredients in a bowl with a hand whisk until well combined.  Sieve the custard through a fine mesh.
5. Pour the custard into the mold.
6. Bake at 200 degree Celsius for 40 minutes.
7. Let it slightly cool down on a wire rack.  Remove the tarts from the mold and place on a plate.
8. Let's have tarts for afternoon tea.

I adapted this recipe from Faridah Ainuddin with a slight amendment.  

Golden Rolled Oats Pancakes

As usual, once a while I will make some pancakes, give some to my mum and keep the balance either for breakfast or as snacks anytime of the day.  To warm up, it is as easy as put them into the toaster oven for just a minute or two and it comes out warm and yummy...  Since I have all the ingredients in my pantry, might as well try it out.  I love the slight chewy texture and the bite of the rolled oats.  It is a great pancake recipe to add to my list.

Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup plain flour (sifted)
4 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
4 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
3 tbsp. corn oil

Methods:

1. In a medium bowl, mix oat and milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt.
3. Stir eggs and oil into oat mixture.  Add to flour mixture and stir until just moistened.
4. Lightly grease a non-stick pan and heat over medium heat.  Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls (or amount of your choice) onto the pan.  Cook until bubbles on top begin to pop and bottoms are golden brown.  Turn, cook until second side is golden brown.  Remove onto a wire rack and continue to cook until all the batter are used up.

Notes: 

1.  I prefers to cook my pancakes in two shades, lighter brown and darker brown.  The simple reason being, some would prefer a much darker color and there are 2 choices for everyone to choose from ~ smile ~
2. This pancakes are not sweet, we can drizzle with maple syrup/honey/butter or have toppings of ice-cream or whipping cream.  However, I still prefers to have it without any topping.  

I adapted this recipe from 'Taste Of Home' by Raymonde Bourgeois of Swastika, Ontario.

Farmer's Omelette

This omelette recipe is one of my family's favorite, once upon a very long time ago.  All these years I've forgotten about it.  It was only until recently that I bought a packet of macaroni, intending to cook a breakfast dish, then memories flash back to this Farmer's Omelette.  If I am not mistaken, I adapt this recipe from a Women's Magazine.  Pasta lovers would love this recipe.  It is indeed my great honor to share this recipe with all my readers out there...

Ingredients: (Serves 1)
2 eggs (cracked into a bowl and beaten) - add dash of ground white pepper
1/2 small onion (peeled and chopped)
1 sprig Chinese chives/spring onions (finely sliced)
1 small tomato (remove seeds and diced)
1 portion cooked macaroni 
2 slices luncheon meat (pan fried and set aside)
1" cubed salted butter
Serve with tomato/chili sauce

Methods:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat, add butter and once melted add the onions until fairly soft.  
2. Pour beaten eggs on to pan and sprinkle with tomatoes, Chinese chives/spring onions and macaroni.  Cook over low heat until the omelette is cooked.  Dish onto a serving plate.
3. Serve with fried luncheon meat and tomato or chili sauce.

Notes:

1. Other ingredients such as longbeans, french beans, yellow/red capsicum can also be used to replace any of the above ingredients.  
2. Bacon and ham can also be used instead of luncheon meat.  It all depends on what is available in your pantry.

Char Kway Teow with Chili Paste

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1 Packet Fresh Kway Teow (rice noodles)
1 handful of beansprouts
2 eggs (lightly whisked)
10 small prawns (peeled and deveined)
1 Chinese sausage (thinly sliced)
4 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 or 2 sprigs spring onions/Chinese chives (cut into 1" length)
2 tbsp. cooking oil, plus 1 extra tablespoon

Chilli Paste:
50 g. dried red chilies (soaked in hot water, drain and roughly cut) - reserve soaking liquid (in case you need it when blending)
3 fresh red chilies (roughly chopped)
3 shallots (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. cooking oil

Stir-fry Sauce: (mix together in a small bowl and set aside for later use)
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. dark sweet soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Methods:

1. Blend all the ingredients for the chilli paste with a hand blender.  Add 1 tablespoon of dried chilies soaking liquid to ease blending.
2. Heat 4 tablespoon cooking oil in a medium heated wok.  Add the chili paste and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.  Transfer the chili paste to a jar.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. cooking oil in a large frying pan.  Add the eggs and use the frying spatula to break the eggs into smaller pieces.  Once cooked, remove the eggs into a bowl and set aside for later use.  I prefer frying the eggs separately.
4. In the same wok, add 2 tbsp. cooking oil, and once the oil is hot, add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Then add the Chinese sausage and stir-fry for another few seconds, then add prawns and stir-fry until almost cooked.  Then add 2 heaped teaspoons (or to taste according to your preference) of the chili paste.  Toss to combine.  
5. Now add the kway teow and the stir-fry sauce.  Stir-fry until well combined.  Then toss through the beansprouts and spring onions/Chinese chives.  Remove from heat and serve.

Notes:  

1. Fish cake is another ingredients normally used for frying kway teow.
2. This chilli paste is more than you need for this recipe.  Store it in the fridge for up to a month.  You can use it for other cooking purposes.

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

Tonkatsu/Pork Cutlets

I bought a piece of fresh pork tenderloin from the market and is intending to try out this pork cutlets recipe.  I've cooked chicken katsu couple of times before, but with pork, I am attempting it for the first time with another recipe source.  However, I am serving it as a meat dish with other dishes as in a Chinese meal.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
4 slices pork tenderloin
Salt and ground black pepper
3 tbsp. plain flour (for dredging)
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Cooking oil (for frying)

Methods:

1. Sprinkle dash of salt and black pepper over both sides of the pork.
2. Dredge each piece in flour, tap to remove any excess flour.  Then dip into beaten eggs and press the cutlet into the breadcrumbs to coat on both sides.  Place on a flat plate.
3. Heat a skillet/pan, add some oil for shallow frying of the cutlets.  Once the oil is hot, fry the cutlets until golden brown on both sides. Turn them once or twice.  Be careful not to burn the breadcrumbs coating, turn down the heat if the oil is too hot.
4. Once it is done, drain the cutlets on paper towels.  Cut the cutlets into strips and serve on a plate.

I adapted this recipe from 'My Kitchen Snippets.'

Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup

When I came across this macaroni recipe online recently, my memories flashes back to our trips in Hong Kong.  It's my Uncle's favorite morning breakfast as it is a delicious light meal ideal for breakfast. This breakfast dish is normally served with milk tea, a piece of bread and a fried egg.  Milk Tea is a popular tea in Hong Kong.  It makes me happy to be able to prepare this light and healthy breakfast in my home kitchen.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 portions of macaroni 
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
Chicken bones
Chicken stock granules (to season chicken broth)
Grounded white pepper (to season chicken broth)
2 sunny side up eggs
2 pieces luncheon meat/ham

Methods:

1. To prepare chicken broth, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, pour some over the chicken bones placed in a bowl to blanch, drain and put back into the pot to continue to boil.  Skim away any scum on the surface.  When done, filter broth through a wire mesh.  Season with chicken stock granules and pepper.
2. Cook macaroni until al dente.  Mix with 2 tsp. of olive oil to prevent from sticking.
3. Pan-fry luncheon meat or ham, cut into strips and set aside in a plate.
4. Place macaroni in a bowl.  Ladle hot soup over it and put the luncheon meat/ham on the top.  Place the fried eggs in 2 separate small plate, and serve at the side with the macaroni soup.
5. Good morning and enjoy this light breakfast....

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