Saturday, August 04, 2007

Prawn, Mango, Pineapple Salad



Ingredients:-

3 - 4 prawns
1 mango, peeled & cubed
1 small canned pineapples, diced
1 small japanese cucumber, diced

Lettuce leaves for garnish
Mango Puree


Method:-

1) Blanch prawns in a pot of boiling water. Remove from heat. Cool prawns before removing shell and slice prawn into 1/2 length-wise.
2) In a bowl, add mango, pineapple and cucumber. Toss them to mix them well.
3) Place lettuce leaves on serving plate. Scope a few spoonful of salad onto the leaves. Place prawns on top of the salad.
4) Drizzle some mango puree sauce over salad.


Note:-
1) For mango puree, I've used ready made ones bought from Phoon Huat.


[adapted recipe from Food & Travel Magazine July 2007 issue]

Baked Chicken Fillet w Cream Herb Sauce



Ingredient:-
(serve 2)

250g chicken breast fillet
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
200ml of thicken cream
1 tsp dried coriander


Method:-

1) Marinate chicken fillet with oyster sauce, salt, pepper for at least 15 minutes.
2) Heat up a non-stick pan and spray some cooking oil (or butter) in it. Place chicken fillet in pan and sear each side till browned.
3) Remove from pan and placed on a baking dish.
4) Heat cream and coriander for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over chicken fillet and bake for 20 minutes at 180C.
5) Serve with desired sides or see below for Prawn, Mango, Pineapple Salad.


[adapted recipe from Food & Travel Magazine May 2007 issue]

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Chilled Mango Cheesecake




Ingredients:-

Sponge
110g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
70g corn oil
5 egg yolks
85g water
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
5 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
110g sugar


Mango Filling
200g cream cheese
1/2 tbsp mango essence
1/2 tbsp vanilla essences
55g sugar
200g mango puree
1 tbsp gelatin
3 tbsp boiling water
200ml whipping cream
2 tbsp icing sugar

200 - 300g fresh mango (cubed)

Mango Puree Topping
100g mango puree
2 tsp gelatin
3 tbsp boiling water


Method:-

To make sponge.
1)Preheat oven to 180C. Lined base of a 8-inch square cake tray.
2) Beat egg yolk till foamy then add in oil, water and vanilla essence. Sift cake flour and baking powder before adding into egg yolk mixture. Mix well till batter is smooth.
3) Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar at until formy. Add sugar slowly and continue to whisk on until stiff peaks.
4) Take some of the egg white mixed into the egg yolk batter. Fold well, then pour everything into the egg white. Fold mixture well.
5) Bake at 180C for about 25 - 30 mins.
6) When done, run a knife along side of the tray to loosen the side then remove cake from tray immediately onto a baking paper.
7) Allow to cool for awhile before turning it over and remove the baking paper. Cool completely before slicing the sponge into 3 layers horizontally.

To make mango filling.
1) Whip whipping cream with 2 tbsp icing sugar till about 70% stiff or mousse state, keep chilled.
2) Dissolve gelatine powder in 3 tbsp boiling water. Keep warm but not hot for use later. Heat it up in the microwave for about 8 - 10 sec if it cools off.
3) Cream cheese, sugar, and essence together till smooth and creamy.
4) Add the warm gelatin solution to mango puree and blend well.
5) Stir mango puree mixture into cheese mixture and combine till well mixed. Blend in the whipped cream. Stir in the cube mango pieces.

To assemble cake.
1) Place a 7 - inch cake ring over a cake board. Place a layer of sponge at the bottom (trim the sides so that sponge is slightly smaller than the ring).
2) Pour 1/3 the cheese mixture onto sponge. Spread out evenly.
3) Place 2nd layer of sponge and pour another 1/3 of cheese mixture over. Spread out evenly.
4) Place the last layer and pour the remainder cheese mixture in. Spread evenly. Run a knife along the side to even out mixture along the side. Chill for at least an hour before doing the topping.

Add on mango puree topping.
1) Dissolve gelatin powder with 2 tbsp boiling water and stir this into mango puree. Pour topping gently onto chilled cheesecake. Spread evenly and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.


Note:-

1) You can add on thin slices of mango on top of the cake before pouring the topping to give more mango to chew on.
2) To remove the cake ring, place a thin knife in a cup of hot water. Dap dry the knife and slice along the edges. Keep repeating till all sides are 'cut'.
3) For mango puree, I've used ready made ones bought from Phoon Huat.

Hainanese Pork Chop



Ingredients:-

500g pork loin
Breadcrumbes for coating
Potato flour, mixed with a little water
2 tomatoes, cut into small wedges


Marinate for pork loin:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
A dash of pepper
A dash of 5-spice powder
A few drops of sesame oil
1 tbsp cornflour
1 egg


Sauce mix:
1/2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
6 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp vinegar
Frozen mix vegetables
A few drops of sesame oil


Method:-

1) Tenderise pork loin by using a tenderiser or the back of a chopper.
2) Mix pork with marinade and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
3) Coat pork with breadcrumbs and deep fry till golden brown.
4) In a non-stick pan, give the mix vegetables a quick stir. Add in tomatoes.
5) Add in sauce ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Thicken with potato starch.
6) Pour sauce over the crispy pork and serve immediately.


[adapted recipe from Food & Travel Magazine April 2007 issue]