Rice Cubes

Ingredients:-

3/4 cup short grain rice (Japanese rice)

70 - 80g chicken breast meat
1 - 2 tbsp mirin
A dash of salt
A dash of sugar

Assorted vegetables (amount to your liking)
Cooking oil
Chicken stock / Water


Method:-

1) Wash and soak rice for about 20 minutes. Drained and set aside.
2) Minced chicked and season with seasoning.
3) Minced up your choice of vegetables.
4) Heat up cooking oil in a pan then add in vegetables. Add chicken stock (or water) and simmer vegetables till soft.
5) Add in mince chicken and give it a quick fry till chicken is browned. Set aside.
6) Cook rice with recommended amount of water. Add in chicken vegetable mix in to the rice just before it is cooked. Mix well and continue to let rice cook till it is ready.
7) Use moulds to shape up rice while it is still warm.


Notes:-

1) Moulds to shape up the rice are readily available at Daiso. Other bento decoration items are also available. Let your imagination run wild.

2) Made 2 different batch of rice cubes.

1st batch - Chicken + Carrot + Cabbage + Tamago.
2nd batch - Chicken + Cabbage + Brown Mushrooms + Tamago.

For the 2nd batch, since mushrooms are used, I've used butter to cook the ingredients. End result, the rice have a buttery taste.

3) What to add into the rice with chicken is entirely up to you.

Japanese Strawberry Vanilla Cake

INGREDIENTS:-

Sponge Layer
1 egg
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
35g unsalted butter
60g cake flour, sifted twice
60g fresh whole milk
85g castor sugar


Vanilla Cream
300g whipping cream (dairy)
30g castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
8g gelatine sheets, soaked in ice water to soften
20g fresh whole milk


Whipped Cream
200g whipping cream (non dairy)
15g castor sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


300g strawberries, sliced


INSTRUCTIONS:-

To make sponge
1) Preheat oven to 180C. Line base of cake pan (8 x 8 inch square pan) with baking paper.
2) Combine egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract in a small bowl and beat lightly.
3) Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour to melted butter and mix well to form a dough. Transfer to a mixing bowl, cool it for awhile.
4) Add egg mixture a little at a time, using a whisk, mix mixture into a smooth batter. Add milk and mix to incorporate.
5) Whisk egg white in a clean bowl and beat until foamy. Add half the sugar and continue beating for a few minutes. Add the remaining sugar and beat until egg whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.
6) Add 1/2 of egg white into egg batter and fold in lightly. Add the remaining and fold until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Bake at 180C for 20 - 25 mins.
7) When done, remove from pan immediately to cool on a rack.
8) When cooled completely, trim sides off, then slice cake horizontally to make 3 layers.

To make vanilla cream
1) Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Place milk, sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add softened gelatine and mix well. Let mixture cool to about 30C. Add milk mixture to whipped cream and fold until just incorporated.

To make whipped cream
1) Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks.

To assemble cake
1) Place 1st layer of sponge on cake board. Spread a layer of vanilla cream on sponge and then top with sliced strawberries. Spread another layer of vanilla cream over strawberries, just enough to cover.
2) Place 2nd layer of sponge over cream and repeat step 1.
3) Cover the 2nd layer of cream with the 3rd layer of sponge.
4) Cover the cake with whipped cream, using a tablespoon to make slight indents for a pattern. Garnish with assorted fresh fruits on top.


[adapted recipe from Okashi - Sweet Treats Made With Love by Keiko Ishida.]

Banana Chiffon Cake (1)

INGREDIENTS:-

(A)
4 egg yolk
40g castor Sugar
1/8 tsp salt

(B)
24g corn oil
36g water
152g mashed banana
92g cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder (heap), sifted

(C)
168g egg white
40g sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tar tar


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Whisk (A) until pale before adding (B). Add items in (B) according to list and mix well after each addition to give a smooth mixture.
2) Whisk egg white and cream of tar tar till snowy before adding in the sugar. Whisk till stiff peak forms.
3) Fold 1/2 of the egg white gently into cake batter mixture gently with a rubber spatula until just blended. Pour in the remaining 1/2 of the , fold it gently until blended.
4) Pour batter into a 20cm chiffon cake pan, bang the pan on a hard surface to release the bubbles and bake at 160C 40 - 45 minutes or till cooked.
5) When the cake is cooked, remove from oven immediately and give it another bang on a hard surface. Then invert the cake to cool. Remove the cake from the cake pan when it is completely cool.


NOTE:-

1) Please note to use very very ripe bananas for this recipe in order to get the strong flavour and fragrance. Alternative, you can use banana essence but this is highly not recommended. This gives the cake an artificial taste. So, unless you like it, if not just stick to ripe bananas.

Golden Pumpkins (黄金和果子)

Ingredients:-

150g pumpkin flesh, cut into thin slice
300g glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp castor sugar
200ml water
Orange coloring (optional)

240g red bean paste
Wolfberries (枸杞子) / Cranberries


Method:-

1) Steam pumpkin for 10 minutes over high high till soft. Remove and use kitchen paper to absorb excess water. Mash finely then set aside.
2) Mix sugar and glutinous rice flour. Pour in mashed pumpkin and add water slowly. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until it becomes a dough. Add a few drops of coloring and knead dough till color all mixed in. Set aside for 10 minutes in a plastic wrap.
3) Divide red bean paste into 12 portions of 20g each. Divide pumpkin dough into 12 portions.
4) Flatten on the sides of the pumpkin dough, keeping the centre thick. Then wrap up red bean paste. Remove excess dough is required.
5) Use the back of a knife to make cuts on dough such that it resembles a pumpkin. Attach wolfberrie on its tip.
6) Lay pumpkins on a grease proof paper before steaming for 10 minutes over medium heat.


Notes:-

1) I've used Japanese Pumpkin in this recipe as the size is just the right amount.
2) Red bean paste can be replaced with something to your liking.
3) You can cut grease proof paper to size of individual pumpkin for easy management/serving.
4) Also, you probably have extra dough left over due to step 4. In this case, you can either throw it away or prepare more red bean paste to use up the dough.

Lemon Cheesecake with Jam Toppings

INGREDIENTS:-

188g digestive biscuits
113g salted butter, soften

600g cream cheese
120g icing sugar
2tsp vanilla extract
500ml double cream
Juice & zest of 1 whole lemon

Fruit Jam


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Place biscuit and butter in a food processor and blend it until mixture lump together. Scrap down the sides if necessary.
2) Prepare a 7-inch cake ring. Use clear wrap to wrap one end tightly. Place the wrapped side on a cake board.
3) Pour biscuit mix into the cake ring and even it out.
4) Beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest until smooth.
5) Lightly whip the double cream and fold into cream cheese mixture.
6) Pour mixture on top of the biscuit base and smooth the surface.
7) Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
8) To remove cake, dip a knife into a cup of hot water and then run along the sides of the ring.
9) Spread jam generously on top of cake before serving.


NOTES:-

1) More lemon juice and zest can be added according to preference.
2) For jam, use real fruit jam for better taste. Can look out for brands like St Dalfour or Orchard Fresh.
3) Double cream can be found in major Cold Storage supermarket or Meidi Ya (Liang Court). If not, you can subsitute double cream with Bulla Pure Cream or any other cream that contains at least 45% fat. I've tried making this cake with both the cream and my personal preference is still the double cream.


Also can be made in individual dessert cups:-

Pita Pizza

Ingredients:-

Pizza base:

Pitta Bread
Tomato paste or any tomato based pasta sauce


Pizza toppings (choose any):

Canned pineapple rings, cut into bite size
Fresh button mushrooms, sliced
Shaved ham, tear into pieces

Shredded mozzarella cheese
Shredded cheddar cheese


Method:-

1) Prepare all desired toppings and set aside.
2) Spread tomato paste or pasta sauce onto pita bread.
3) Add toppings and sprinkle shredded cheese (mix both mozzarella & cheddar together) generously over the topping ingredients.
4) Place the pizzas on a baking tray and bake for 15 mins at 220 C or until the cheese melts and turns light brown.
5) Remove and serve pipping hot.


Notes:-

1) Pita bread is the best to be used as pizza base. The final product is even much better than using english muffin.

Sweet n Sour Pork

Ingredients:-

250g pork neck meat

Corn flour for coating

Oil for deep frying

Potato starch

100g Sarawak pineapple, diced
50g green capsicum, diced
50g zucchini, diced

Meat seasoning:

Five spice powder (according to taste)

Salt (according to taste)
Sugar (according to taste)

1 egg

3 tbsp corn flour

Sauce seasoning:

30ml tomato ketchup

60ml water

45ml rice vinegar

4 tbsp sugar

1 - 2 preserved plum, mashed and remove seed

Method:-

1) Cut pork into bite size pieces. Marinate with seasoning for 30 - 60 minutes.

2) Coat marinated pork evenly with corn flour before dropping into well heated oil for deep frying. Fry till pork pieces turned golden brown. Set aside.

3) Mix all ingredients for sauce in a bowl. Mix well.

4) Add a little oil to pan and give the vegetables a quick fry. Add in pineapple and pour in the well mixed sauce. Bring it to a boil.

5) Add in all the fried pork pieces. Coat all pork pieces well with gravy.

6) Slowly add in potato starch to thicken the sauce.

Note:-

1) If not sure what meat to get, just head to your regular butcher and ask for pork for this dish. They will know what to get for you.

2) Deep frying can take up quite a bit of time especially if preparing in big portions. Hence, deep frying can be done in advance.

3) When thickening the sauce, note not to add too much starch at one go. Add potato starch pinch by pinch till it reaches a consistency you prefer.

Cheddar Cream Cheese Cake

INGREDIENTS:-

125g cake flour
1 tsp double action baking powder
100g caster sugar
125g salted butter, cold
75g cream cheese, cold
125g eggs, lightly beaten

60g shredded cheddar cheese


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) Sift cake flour into a large bowl. Add in sugar and mix well.
2) Rub cold butter and cheese into the flour mixture until mixture resembles cookie dough.
3) Using a hand whisk, stir in beaten eggs slowly. Adding about 1/3 of the eggs at a time. Mix till batter is smooth.
4) Pour in cheddar cheese and mix well.
5) Divide batter into cupcake cases and bake at 160C for about 30 minutes.


NOTES:-

1) Cupcake cases = 60 x 44 mm. Make 6 - 7 cups with 80g batter in each cups.


[adapted recipe from Anna Chan, Sugar Inc.]

Cream Cheese Cranberry Cake

Ingredients:-

125g cake flour
1 tsp double action baking powder
100g caster sugar
125g salted butter, cold
75g cream cheese, cold
125g eggs, lightly beaten

50g dried cranberries, cut into small pieces


Method:-

1) Soak cranberries with hot water for 2 - 3 minutes. Drained and leave to cool.
2) Sift cake flour into a large bowl. Add in sugar and mix well.
3) Rub cold butter and cheese into the flour mixture until mixture resembles cookie dough.
4) Using a hand whisk, stir in beaten eggs slowly. Adding about 1/3 of the eggs at a time. Mix till batter is smooth.
5) Squeeze dry cranberries before adding to batter. Mix well.
6) Divide batter into cupcake cases and bake at 160C for about 20 - 25 minutes.

Notes:-

1) Cupcake cases = 60 x 44 mm. Make 6 - 7 cups with 80g batter in each cups.





[adapted recipe from Anna Chan, Sugar Inc.]

Cream Cheese Marble Cake

Ingredients:-

125g cake flour
1 tsp double action baking powder
100g caster sugar
125g salted butter, cold
75g cream cheese, cold
125g eggs, lightly beaten

10g unsweeten cocoa powder
15g hot water


Method:-

1) Sift cake flour into a large bowl. Add in sugar and mix well.
2) Over a pot of boiling water (water bath method), dissolve cocoa powder with the hot water. Blend until smooth. Leave to cool.
3) Rub cold butter and cheese into the flour mixture until mixture resembles cookie dough.
4) Using a hand whisk, stir in beaten eggs slowly. Adding about 1/3 of the eggs at a time. Mix till batter is smooth.
5) Mix 1 - 2 tbsp of batter into chocolate mixture and blend well. If mixture is too thick, add 1 tsp water and mix well.
6) Drop small amount of chocolate mixture over the surface of the batter. Swirl the batter for a marbled effect.
7) Divide batter into cupcake cases and bake at 160C for about 20 - 25 minutes.

Notes:-

1) Cupcake cases = 60 x 44 mm. Make 6 - 7 cups with 80g batter in each cups.


[adapted recipe from Anna Chan, Sugar Inc.]

Drunken Chicken 1

Ingredients:-

10 - 12 pieces chicken mid wing
5 slice ginger
4 - 5 pieces black fungus, soaked (depending of size)
10g wolfberries, washed
1 bottle chicken essence


Seasoning:

3 tbsp shao xing wine (more if prefer stronger wine taste)
1 tbsp light soya sauce
3 tbsp water

Salt and pepper to taste


Method:-

1) Marinate mid wings with seasoning together with ginger.
2) Cut black fungus into desirable size. Place together with wolfberries into marinated chicken before steaming
3) Steam for about 20 mins or till cooked.
4) Remove from heat and pour in chicken essence. Serve.

Walnut Cake

Ingredients:-

146g butter
20g castor sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla essence
26g evaporated milk

94g cake flour
2g baking powder

66g walnut, finely chopped
20g chocolate rice

4 egg whites
80g sugar


Method:-

1) Sift cake flour and baking powder together. Set aside.
2) Add about 1 tbsp of sifted flour to walnut and chocolate rice. Mix well.
3) Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Slowly add in egg yolks, evaporated milk and vanilla essence. Set aside.
4) Whip egg whites. Add sugar gradually till soft peak formed.
5) Alternating between flour and egg white, fold it into the creamed butter. Add walnut and chocolate rice last.
6) Pour batter into 2 disposable loaf tins. Bake at 160C for about 45 minutes or till cooked.

Steamed Pumpkin n Yum Cake

Ingredients:-

300g rice flour
50g tapioca flour
400g water, plus 750g hot water
100ml oil
80g dried shrimps, chopped
100g wax sausages, diced
250g yam, diced
400g pumpkin, diced
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp 5-spice powder
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp sesame oil


Toppings:

fried shallots
chopped red chilli
chopped spring onion


Method:-

1) In a mixing bowl, mix both flours and water. Stir till all flour dissolve. Gradually add hot water and stir till u get a smooth paste. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in a wok and fry dried shrimps, wax sausages, yam and pumpkin till fragrant.
3) Add salt, sugar, 5-spice powder, ground pepper and sesame oil. Adjust to taste.
4) Add sauteed ingredients to flour paste. Mix well.
5) Pour mixture into a 25cm round tray and steam over medium fire for about 45 minutes.
6) Sprinkle topping over the steamed cake when done.


Notes:-

1) I usually place all my shrimps in a blander and blend it to fasten the chopping process.
2) If you don't like wax sausage, you can replace it with similar amount of roast pork. If not, just omit it.
3) Pepper can be reduced if you don't like it to be too have too much pepper taste.


[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine April 2007 issue]

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Puff Pastry

Ingredients:-

30g butter
1 tbsp plain flour
100g white button mushrooms (chopped)
100g Swiss mushroom / brown mushrooms (chopped)
1/2 cup stock
40ml fresh cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 egg yolk (beaten)
1 puff pastry sheet


Method:-

1) Melt butter in a pan. Add flour and stir till it turns yellowish then add in chopped mushrooms. Fry till mushrooms softens.
2) Add in stock slowly and allow it to boil before adding fresh cream. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Pour soup into over-proof bowl. Brush the edges with a little egg then cover bowl with puff pastry. Brush the surface with some egg. Poke some holes on the pastry before baking to prevent cracking.
4) Place in preheated oven of 220C and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or till pastry turn brown.


Notes:-

1) To get a smoother soup, you can blend the soup in a blender before pouring into the bowl. Alternative, you can minced up the mushrooms instead.
2) For richer soup, add more cream. Add cream to the consistency of your liking.


[adapted recipe from Cooking for Kids by Pancy Seng]

Red Wine Sorbet

Ingredients:-

1 (750ml) bottle red wine of your choice

1 tbsp gelatin powder

5 - 6 large strawberries

Sugar, for sweetening

Method:-

1) Pour red wine into a pot, place pot over stove and turn on heat.

2) While the wine is heating up, sprinkle gelatin powder into red wine when you see steam surfacing.

3) After a quick stir, add in strawberries and wait for mixture to boil. Boil for about 20 - 25 minutes.

4) Add sugar while mixture is boiling. Sweeten to taste.

5) Cool mixture before pouring into a container and freeze overnight.

6) Place frozen mixture into a blender and give it a good blend.

7) Pour blended mixture back into container or into individual serving cups and freeze it again.

8) You can serve the sorbet once mixture had harden up again.

Kueh Dadar

Ingredients:-

Skin:

150g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 small eggs, beaten
150ml thin coconut milk
100ml pandan juice
65ml water
1 tbsp corn oil

Oil for greasing pan

Filling:

150g palm sugar, roughly chopped
113ml water
2 pandan leaf, knotted
150g grated coconut


Method:-

1) To make filling:- Place palm sugar and water in a pan and cook until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes until liquid starts to thicken and become syrupy.
2) Add pandan leaf and grated coconut. Continue to cook over low heat for 10 - 15 minutes until the coconut filling is thick and glossy. Most of the liquid should have evaporated. Cool and use as desired.
3) To make skin:- Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the eggs, coconut milk and pandan juice using a wooden spoon or balloon whisk making a smooth batter free from lumps.
4) Thin the batter down with the additional 65ml of water and stir in the oil. Mix well. Cover bowl and allow batter to stand for 20 - 30 minutes.
5) Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Grease pan lightly.
6) Stir batter and pour a scope of batter into the pan. Rotate pan immediately so that the batter covers the base in a thin layer. Flip the skin over and allow the other side to cook.
7) Placed cooked skin onto a plate and continue to complete the rest of the batter. The batter tends to thicken as time pass. Thin it down with some water if necessary.
8) Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of the pancake and fold bothe side towards the middle and roll the pancake away from you, neatly enclosing the filling.

Beef Cubes with Red Wine

Ingredients:-

200g beef fillet
100g green and red bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1 - 2 tbsp red wine
Some cornstarch mixed with water

Oil, for frying

A pinch of salt

A pinch of sugar

A pinch of black pepper

Corn flour for dusting

Roasted pine nuts

Method:-

1) Cut beef fillet into cubes. Add some salt, sugar, black pepper and corn flour, mix well.

2) In a wok, heat a little oil and fry the beef cubes till they are almost cooked. Set aside.

3) In the same wok, add bell peppers, fry for 2 - 3 minutes before adding the beef cubes. Fry till well combined.

4) Add soy sauce, red wine, sugar and some cornstarch. Fry and mix well.

5) Toss in pine nuts and serve immediately.

[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine Janurary 2009 issue]

Pineapple n Chicken

Ingredients:-

100g chicken breast meat

50g carrot

50g small cucumber

50g pineapple

1/4 tsp corn starch

A dash of salt

Method:-

1) Dice chicken mean and mash with the back of knife. Mix well with corn starchn salt.

2) Rinse and dice carrot and cucumber.

3) Soak pineapple in salt water and drain the dice.

4) Cook chicken in a pot with enough water to cover chicken.

5) Add all other ingredients and cook well. Cook for about 15 minutes or till carrots are soft.

6) Serve with rice.

Note:-

1) Chicken nourishes the vital energy and strengthens the body and bones. Regular intake boosts baby's immunity.
2) Pineapple contains enzymes, thus it must be soaked in salt water first so that it will not irritates baby's tongue.


[adapted recipe from Nutritious Food for Baby & Toddler]

Mango Strawberry Bruschetta

Ingredients (Serves 4):-

Bread of your choice, sliced

6 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sliced or diced strawberries
1 cup diced mango


Method:-

1) Heat skillet over high heat. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir constantly and cook ingredients until sugar melts and and mixture begins to bubble. Approximate time, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2) Add strawberries and still until juice begins to exude and berries are heated through, roughly about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3) Add mango, give it a quick stir and remove from heat.
4) To serve, toast sliced bread and top with berries and mango. Garnish with mint if desire.


Note:-

1) You can spread mascarpone cheese for the extra flavour.
2) Topping can be served warm or chilled. Personally, I prefer the toppings to be chilled.
3) Topping can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozed for up to 1 month. To rehead, microwave on High for about 1 minute (defrost first, if necessary).


[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine December 2008 issue]

Perfect Roast Beef

Ingredients (Serves 6):-

1 - 1.5 kg beef striploin or ribeye roast
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil


Method:-

1) Remove beef from fridge at least 30 minutes beforehand.
2) Preheat oven to 180 C.
3) Mix salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Rub seasoning into the beef and place it in a roasting tin with an oven-proof meat thermometer inserted into its thickest part.
4) Slip the tray into the oven and start cooking. Cooking time varies from 1 - 1.5 hours depending on how you want your beef.
5) When done, remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.


Note:-

1) Very Rare - 49 C - blood red in the centre and barely warm.
2) Rare - 52 C - red in the centre and warm throughout
3) Medium Rare - 55 C to 57 C - pinkish red in the centre and fairly hot
4) Medium - 60 C to 63 C - pink in the centre, greyish brown surrounding, hot throughout.
5) Medium Well - 66 C to 68 C - greyish brown centre, only a trace of pink.
6) Well Done - 71 C - grey in the centre.
7) Because you are roasting a whole piece of beef, you will get different doneness depending on which part of the beef you cut. The outer pieces will be more cooked compared to those in the middle.


[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine June 2008 issue]