Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS:-

2kg beef, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
6 potatoes, cut into chunks
1 - 2 cups beef stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp flour

Canned button mushrooms (optional)


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Heat oil in a pan. Add beef in to brown it. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Give it a quick stir to brown all sides. Set aside together with the juice.
2) Heat oil in a pan before adding carrots and potatoes. Stir fry for a few minutes. Add in flour to coat and continue to stir fry til flour is cooked.
3) Add in browned beef and juices. Mix well.
4) Transfer everything into a pot, add tomato paste and beef stock. Add enough stock to cover the ingredients. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer till meat is soft. Stir once in awhile.
5) Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Lastly add in button mushrooms, stir well and serve.


NOTES:-

1) I used 1/2 portion of beef and adjusted the carrots and potatoes accordingly. Gravy remained the same as I prefer to have more sauce.


[adapted recipe from the Internet which I'd forgotten the link]

Tomato Fish

INGREDIENTS:-

150g white fish (boneless)

1 tbsp rice wine
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornflour
Dash of salt and pepper

1 tomato, cut into wedges

Water
Oil for frying


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Cut the fish into thick slices. Marinate with seasoning for 20 mins.
2) Heat some oil in a pan and pan fry fish till slightly browned.
3) Leave about 1 tbsp of oil in pan and remove excess. Add tomato and cook over high heat for 3 mins or till tomato softens. Add fish to tomato. Stir to coat fish and add a little water, enough to moisten the fish.


NOTES:-

1) Alternative way to make tomato gravy. My boys prefer tomato sauce made this way. Heat oil in pan, then add tomato and cook over high heat till tomato softens. Add tomato sauce and dilute slighty with water. Add fried fish into sauce. Stir around to coat fish.

[adapted recipe from 爱心便当 (Assorted Lunch Boxes)]

Banana Chiffon Cake (2)

INGREDIENTS:-
20cm chiffon pan

7 egg yolk
90ml corn oil
40ml milk
140g banana, mashed
140g cake flour, sifted

7 egg white
120g Castor sugar


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Preheat oven to 180C.
2) Combine the egg yolks and oil in a bowl and whisk it till mixed.
3) Add in milk, whisk to combine then followed by mashed banana. Add in cake flour, whisk lightly to combine.
4) In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites. When it is at foamy stage, gradually add in the sugar, whip till stiff peaks to form.
5) Take 1/3 of egg white, add to egg yolk mixture. Fold in till combine evenly.
6) Pour mixture into the remaining egg white and fold the mixture gently till well combined.
7) Pour into 20" chiffon pan and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
8) Remove from oven. Invert immediately and leave to cool completely before removing from mold.


[recipe from 初學者也OK！自己作職人配方的戚風蛋糕]

Pasta n Cheese Gratin

INGREDIENTS:-
1 portion

60g pasta
50g ham
1-2tbsp parmesan cheese

Sauce
15g butter
100ml cooking cream
120ml water
1 tbsp flour
40g cheddar cheese
20g regular cheese


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Cook pasta in salted water according to the package or till just done. Pour them in a oven proof dish and set aside.
2) Melt butter in a pan on low heat. Gradually add in the flour and whisk till smooth.
3) Turn up the heat to medium low and gradually add in the cooking cream and water while whisking.
4) Next, add in the ham and cheese. Stir till cheese all blended in.
5) Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni. Mix them if you like.
6) Top it with Parmesan Cheese. Baked in a preheated oven at 220c for 10 mins.


[recipe from Let's Get Wokking!]

Choya Chiffon Cake

INGREDIENTS:-
20cm chiffon pan

7 egg yolk
90ml corn oil
120ml honey choya
120g cake flour, sifted

7 egg white
120g Castor sugar

90g soaked ume


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Preheat oven to 180C.
2) Combine the egg yolks and oil in a bowl and whisk it till mixed.
3) Add in choya, whisk to combine then add in cake flour. Whisk to combine.
4) In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites. When it is at foamy stage, gradually add in the sugar, whip till stiff peaks to form.
5) Take 1/3 of egg white, add to egg yolk mixture. Fold in till combine evenly.
6) Pour mixture into the remaining egg white and fold the mixture gently till well combined.
7) Pour into 20" chiffon pan and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
8) Remove from oven. Invert immediately and leave to cool completely before removing from mold.


NOTES:-

1) Soaked golden raisin in choya to replace ume.


[adapted recipe from 初學者也OK！自己作職人配方的戚風蛋糕]

Oreo Brownies

INGREDIENTS:-

165g unsalted butter
200g good quality chocolate
4 eggs
145 light brown sugar
45g plain flour
10g cocoa powder

A pinch of salt
16 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces
16 mini Oreo cookies


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Preheat your oven to 180C. Line an 8x8-inch pan with baking paper with the paper overlapping the sides.
2) Melt your butter in a pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, stir until smooth and well combined.
3) Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until they triple in volume. Add half the brown sugar around the outer edge of the eggs in the bowl and whisk until incorporated. Add the remaining sugar again around the edge, and whisk again for a few minutes until the mix is smooth. Whisk the melted chocolate into the eggs quickly to incorporate it.
4) Add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, salt and Oreos) around the edge of the bowl and fold in until combined, taking care not to knock the air out. Pour the mix into the paper-lined baking pan. Place mini Oreos on the surface, pressing into the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the middle is only slightly gooey.
5) Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, lift the baking paper and brownies out of the pan and set on a cutting board. Cut into 2×2-inch squares. Makes 16 Oreo brownies.


NOTE:-

1) I've use 70% dark chocolate which result in a very rich tasting brownie. Perfect for chocolate lover =).


[recipe from Sugar & Snapshots]

Chinese Roast Chicken (烤手扒鸡)

INGREDIENTS:-

1 chicken (about 1.3 - 1.5kg)
1 lemon

Seasoning:
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp light soya sauce
3 tbsp rice wine
3 slice ginger, shredded
1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

White pepper
Black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Clean chicken thoroughly. Rub chicken and cavity with salt then wash off salt thoroughly. Dry chicken, including cavity, with kitchen towel, till completely dry. Give chicken a light massage. [Drying chicken ensure better absorption of seasoning. Light massage tenderise the meat.]
2) Combine all seasoning ingredients and mix well.
3) Place chicken and seasoning in a large ziplock bag. Place in fridge and marinate for 1 day. Rotate the bag around to ensure chicken is marinated thoroughly.
4) Just before roasting the chicken, place the lemon into the cavity and use toothpick to seal the opening. Tie the legs up with a cotton string before placing on roasting rack, breast downwards. [Add water into roasting pan to keep meat moist.]
5) Roast chicken in a preheated oven at 180C for 30 mins. Remove from oven, brush on marinating seasoning, flip chicken over and brush on more marinate. Roast chicken for another 30 mins. [If water lessen, dried up, can add HOT water.]
6) Remove and repeat step 5, roast for another 20 - 30 mins.
7) When done, rest chicken for about 15 mins before cutting.


Recommended roasting time:-

0.9 ~ 1kg : 50 mins
1.2 ~ 1.5kg : 85 mins
1.5 ~ 2kg : 105 mins
2 ~ 2.5kg : 125 mins
2.5kg ~ 3kg : 145 mins


[adapted recipe from 238个料理的为什麽？]

Drunken Chicken 2 (绍兴醉鸡)

INGREDIENTS:-

3 - 4 chicken thigh, debone


Marinate
2 - 3 slice ginger
1 tbsp shao xing wine (绍兴酒)
1/2 tsp salt

Sauce A
1 pc angelica root (当归)
3 red dates (红枣)
1 tbsp wolf berries (枸杞子)
150ml water
150ml chicken stock

Sauce B
150ml shao xing wine (绍兴酒)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Bring all ingredients in Sauce A to a boil and simmer for 15 mins. Cool the mixture before adding Sauce B in. Keep chill in fridge for use later.
2) Clean chicken thigh and pat dry using kitchen towel. Season with marinate ingredients for 30 mins.
3) Place individual thigh on a piece of alumimum foil, roll up the mean and wrap the foil around it. Tighten the sides like sweet wrapper ends. Make sure the meat is wrapped tightly.
4) Steam over medium fire for 20 mins. Once done, unwrap the foil, place chicken in a deep dish. Pour sauce prepared in Step 1 over chicken. Pour enough to let chicken soak in sauce.
5) Leave it outside for 2 - 3 hours before place it in the fridge for a day for chicken to absorb the flavours.
6) Cut and serve chilled.


[adapted recipe from 238个料理的为什麽？]

Oreo Cupcake

INGREDIENTS:-

115g butter, room temperature
280g sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg white

240ml milk

270g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Oreo cookies, broken in to pieces


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Cream butter and sugar till fluffy.
2) Add vanilla extract to egg white and slowly add into butter mixture. Mix well after each addition.
3) Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add 1/3 flour mix into butter mixture. Mix using lowest speed on mixer. Add 1/2 of the milk and continue to mix a low speed. Alternate flour and milk and mix till even.
4) Add in Oreo bits.
5) Place a piece of Oreo at the bottom of the cupcake case and top with batter. Bake at 180C for 20 mins.