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Showing posts from March, 2010

Vij Family's Chicken Curry

It was a fabulous Indian food fest weekend at my home. I am excited to share some of these fantastic recipes with you, adapted from Vij’s Elegant And Inspired Indian Cuisine by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala. Starting off today, here is a post for a really delicious creamy Vij Family’s Chicken Curry recipe. Please note that the cookbook had suggested using all chicken thighs; but, I used a mix of chicken breasts and thighs for this curry which ultimately pleased everyone. :-) Recipe adapted from Vij's Elegant And Inspired Indian Cuisine by Vikram Vij & Meeru Dhalwala Vij Family's Chicken Curry (Printable Recipe) Ingredients ½ Cup Canola Oil 2 Cups Finely Chopped Onions (2 Large) 3-inch Stick of Cinnamon 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic 2 Tbsp Chopped Ginger 2 Cups Chopped Tomatoes (2 Large) 1 Tbsp Sea Salt ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper 1 tsp Turmeric 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin 1 Tbsp Ground Coriander 1 Tbsp Garam Masala ½ tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper (I used 1 ½ tsp)

Roasted Pork Belly-Siu Yok

Have you ever considered trying to make Roasted Pork Belly at home? Well, I’d like to encourage you to have a go at it using my simple and easy recipe. Only a few ingredients are required i.e. 5-spice powder, salt, white pepper, and a few cloves of garlic. Bet you will enjoy the succulent meat and crackling pork skin. :-) The crackling pork skin can sometimes be a bit tricky to achieve, as the oven temperature or the thickness of the pork belly skin affects the end result. So, if the crackling did not meet to your satisfaction during roasting, just heat up a wok or a pan on medium to high heat. Then, place the roasted pork belly, skin-side down, and soon, the skin will start crackling. Scrape off any charred bits with a knife and enjoy the meat with some beer or my favorite, some French red wine. Roasted Pork Belly-Siu Yok (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 Pc (about 1.4 kg) Pork Belly, skin on 1 Tbsp Sea Salt ½ tsp Freshly Ground White Pepper 2 tsp 5 Spice Powder 4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

Kaya-Coconut Jam

Kaya or also known as Coconut Jam is a very popular breakfast toast spread, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. This sweet coconut jam is made with just coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and pandan leaves. A bit of patience for the simple fresh ingredients concoction to thicken up and the reward will be a really yummy coconut jam to enjoy with your toast. On this recipe, I had to apply a slight tweak to this age old traditional recipe to suit my taste. The traditional recipe calls for an equal portion of the coconut milk, eggs, and sugar to be used. Too sweet for my taste, so, I halved the amount of sugar called for, added in a bit of Demerara sugar for coloring, and some flour to thicken. Here’s the result. Well, if you are into coconut jam or is curious about it, do give this recipe a go and please let me know how it turned out and what you think of Kaya! Kaya-Coconut Jam (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 250 ml 100 % Coconut Milk (Arroy-D brand, if available) 250 ml Eggs or 4 Large Eggs 110

Orange Chicken

Have a go at making this fantastic tasting Orange Chicken recipe. A cinch to make, marinate it and roast it in the oven. Can’t get any easier, right? Bet you will love the taste of this chicken, slightly tangy, juicy, tender, spicy, and the right amount of sweetness from the orange juice and fragrance from the orange zest. So, do try the recipe and enjoy! Orange Chicken (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 8 Pieces Chicken Drumsticks Marinate Sauce 8 Tbsp Orange Juice (from 1 large-sized orange) 1 ½ tsp Orange Zest (from 1 large-sized orange) 2 tsp Minced Ginger 1 Clove of Garlic, minced 2 Stalks Scallions, finely sliced 1 Tbsp Chili Flakes ¼ tsp Sea Salt 1 Tbsp Sugar 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (Caramel Soy Sauce, if available) ½ tsp Mei Kuei Lu (Chinese Rose wine) 1 tsp Chinese White Rice Vinegar ½ tsp Sesame Oil 2 Tbsp Peanut Oil Method Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry.

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, ginger,

Lemon Bars

This is a very delicious Lemon Bars recipe. It has a perfect balance of tart and sweetness. The tart’s base is made with shortbread crust and the filling has lots of lemon juice and lemon zest. So, if you like lemon then you will probably want to make these easy lemon bars. Recipe adapted from The Joy Of Baking Lemon Bars (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Shortbread Crust ½ Cup (1 Stick) (113 g) Unsalted Butter, room temperature ¼ Cup (25 g) Confectioner’s Sugar 1 Cup (130 g) All Purpose Flour 1/8 tsp Sea Salt Lemon Filling 1 Cup (200 g) Granulated Sugar (I used 180 g) 2 Large Eggs 1/3 Cup (80 ml) Fresh Lemon Juice (approximately 2 large lemons) 1 Tbsp (5 g) Lemon Zest 2 Tbsp (25 g) All Purpose Flour Garnish Confectioner’s Sugar Method Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non-stick vegetable oil, an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan. Shortbread Crust: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter an

Stir-Fry Savoury Clams With Black Bean Sauce

I like Savoury Clams cooked in Chinese style. This is a recipe for Stir-Fry Savoury Clams With Black Bean Sauce. The clams are sweet and a little salty, from the fermented black beans. It’s simply delicious with just some steamed rice. Try it! Stir-Fry Savoury Clams With Black Bean Sauce

 (Printable Recipe) Ingredients

 1 Kg Savoury Clams, soaked and scrubbed 
2 Tbsp Peanut or Cooking Oil
 1/4 inch Ginger, finely chopped
 1 Tbsp Fermented Black Beans, rinsed and coarsely chopped 
3 Scallions, cut into ½-inch segments
 6 to 8 Thai Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped 
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
 1/4 Cup Water mixed with 1 tsp Corn Starch
 Sea Salt to taste

 Method 

Heat the oil in a wok on high heat and cook the garlic and ginger until fragrant.

 Add the fermented black beans, chilies, and give it a quick stir and toss in the clams and oyster sauce. Cook briefly before adding the scallions. Then mix in the water and cover the wok with a lid until all the clams are open. Season the clams wit

Sticky Rice With Mango-Khao Neaw Mamuang

Sticky Rice With Mango or Khao Neaw Mamuang in Thai is arguably the most famous dessert in Thailand. This dessert is rich with coconut infused glutinous rice and the natural sweetness of Thai mangoes. A great dessert to finish with any Thai meal. So, if you are going to try making this dessert, then, I’d recommend you use the “Nam Dawk Mai” mango variety which are in season now. If you are in Vancouver, you can get these mangoes from most local produce grocers in Chinatown. Please find a picture of this mango variety at the bottom of this post. Recipe adapted from Thai’s Fabulous by Karnjana Leder Sticky Rice With Mango-Khao Neaw Mamuang (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 3 Ripe Mangoes (sliced or diced) 250 g Glutinous Rice, soaked overnight and drained 1 ½ Cups Coconut Milk 1 ½ tsp Sea Salt ½ Cup Sugar (I used ¼ Cup) 1 tsp Rice Flour Toasted Mung Beans, optional Method Put the glutinous rice in a steamer lined with a piece of thin linen cloth and steam for 30 minutes

Baked Barbecued Pork Puffs-Char Siu Puffs

With the leftover barbecued pork, I used it as filling for my Baked Barbecued Pork Puffs. I cut up some ready made puff pastry into rectangle pieces and sprinkled some sesame seeds on top just before baking. Besides making the puffs look prettier, the sesame seeds also ensured the puffs will have a lovely fragrance when it’s done! Baked Barbecued Pork Puffs-Char Siu Puffs (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 Packet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed and cut into 4” x 5” pieces
 1 Egg + 1 Tbsp Of Water, lightly beaten Sesame Seeds Filling 300 g Chinese Barbecued Pork, diced 80 g Frozen Green Peas, thawed ½ Red Onion, diced 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
 ¼ Cup Water 2 tsp Sesame Oil 2 tsp Peanut Oil 2 tsp Cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp of Water A few dashes of White Pepper Method Make the filling: In a small saucepan, heat the peanut oil on moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Then mix in the pork, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil,

Chinese Barbecued Pork - Char Siu

Making Chinese Barbecued Pork at home is rather easy. The meat is marinated with lots of sugar, dark caramel sauce (or dark soy sauce), and rose cooking wine. It’s then roasted in the oven and finished with some maltose solution to give the meat a shiny coat. There are several ways to serve the meat. You can enjoy it with some steamed rice/noodles, or use it as filling for steamed or baked buns. Here, I served the barbecued pork with some steamed rice and a sweet sauce, which also has a slight hint of saltiness from the Hoisin sauce.

Thai Style Deep-Fried Bananas

Fancy snacking on some fried bananas? This is Thai style Deep Fried Bananas. The bananas are coated with desiccated coconut and sesame seeds batter. Then, fried until light golden brown in color. The coating gives these fried bananas the crunchy fritters outside, whilst the fruit remains creamy and sweet inside. Here, I am using the natural sweet Burro banana variety. This particular variety of bananas are popular for making fritters and other desserts. If you can’t get hold of them, then do substitute with ripe plantain. I am sure they will taste just as good especially for deep-frying. Thai Style Deep-Fried Bananas (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 12 Ripe Bananas, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 pieces Peanut or Vegetable Oil for deep-frying Batter 120 g All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Sugar ½ tsp Sea Salt 25 g Desiccated Coconut 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds 300 ml Water Method Combine all the ingredients for batter and mix well.

 Pour enough oil into a saucepan or a in de

Stout-Braised Short Ribs

These hearty Irish Stout-Braised Short Ribs are filled with the rich flavors from the famous dark bittersweet beer. They can be cooked in a slow cooker or in an oven. So, I opted to use the oven method. I also added some beef stock to enhance the taste of the sauce. Anyway, do try making these great tasting ribs and the Colcannon , which I posted earlier. It’s a great tasting combination! Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Stout-Braised Short Ribs (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 4 lbs Beef Short Ribs Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste 3 Tbsp Canola Oil 2 Yellow Onions, diced 3 Carrots, peeled and diced 2 Celery Stalks, diced 6 Garlic Cloves, sliced 2 Cups Stout 8 Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley Sprigs (optional) Method Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil until almost smoking. Working in batches (do not overcrowd), brown the ribs on all sides, 5 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. In

Colcannon

Next Wednesday is St Patrick’s Day and I thought it would be a good idea for me to post my two favorites Irish comfort food recipes. They are Stout Braised Short Ribs and Colcannon. Today, I am posting a recipe for Colcannon, which is mashed potatoes mixed with cream, butter, sautéed cabbage, kale, leeks, onions, garlic, and bacon. I like the combination of the creamy mash potatoes, the crunchiness of the bacon, and the tender-crisps vegetables in this recipe. Do try this recipe. The addition of vegetables to the usual mash potatoes does make this unique! Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Colcannon (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 2 ½ lb Russet Potatoes, peeled and quartered Sea Salt and freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste 8 Tbsp (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter ¾ Cup Milk 4 Bacon Slices, cut into ½ inch dice 4 Large Shallots, thinly sliced 1 Large Leek, white and light green portions, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced 1 Bunch Curly Kale, about ¾ lb, stemmed and coars

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This is my first attempt at baking Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and I was extremely pleased with the end result. I had adapted this recipe from Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home” cookbook. The cake turned out nice and soft, moist, and had just the right sweetness. Recipe adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Pan Schmear 8 Tbsp (1 Stick; 4 oz) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 1 ½ Tbsp Honey ½ tsp Dark Rum 1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar ¼ tsp Vanilla Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract Sea Salt 1 Gold (Extra-Sweet) Pineapple Cake 1 1/3 Cups Cake Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 8 Tbsp (1 Stick; 4 oz) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature ½ Cup Plus 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar ½ tsp Vanilla Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract 2 Large Eggs 1 Tbsp Plus 1 tsp Milk Method Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, honey, rum, brown sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth and well blended. Spread

Indonesian Beef Rendang

Rendang is a traditional dish of the Minangkabau ethnic group from West Sumatra, Indonesia. It’s also a popular dish in the neighboring countries, such as, Malaysia and Singapore. It used to be served during special ceremonial occasions to honor guests; but, these days it’s available in the menu of many restaurants and is enjoyed regularly by all. Rendang is usually eaten with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk or just with some steamed rice. Beef Rendang is slowly cooked in spiced coconut milk for several hours until almost all the sauce is absorbed into the beef, giving it the fusion of delicious flavors from all the spices like galangal, garlic, chilies, turmeric lemongrass, and ginger. Besides the delicious dark brown spiced beef, the slow cooking process will also naturally tenderize the meat as well.

Potato Pavé

This is a very versatile potato dish, also known as layered potato or Potato Pavé. Pavé is the French word for cobblestones or also known as paving stones. The potato can be served hot or at room temperature. It tastes great on its own or served as a side dish with any meat main course. Crispy on the outside and creamy inside, tastes great! Here, I had used 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and trimmed according to the width of the baking tin. Then, I called upon my faithful mandoline to thinly slice the potatoes evenly. After baking the potatoes in the oven, let it cool and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. When ready to serve, just cut and pan fry them till golden brown. I find it easier to make this a day ahead and serve them the next day. This recipe was adapted from Thomas Keller’s “ ad hoc at home ” cookbook. For your convenience, I have appended a link to a video guide on making this great tasting Potato Pave from Martha Stewart’s website . I am certain you will definitely find it