Memories in the Cooking

It seems a little 'extra' to cook ham when it can be eaten cold. However, the addition of cloves and pineapple really elevates the taste of the usual ham.  Ingredients: - ham - cloves  - one can of pineapple - 2 tablespoons of sugar  Procedures: 1) Shave off the 'casing' of the ham.  2) Cut a criss cross pattern on the ham. Insert cloves on the surface of the ham. Place the ham in a baking tray.  3) In a pan, add the can pineapple and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Boil it until it thickens. Pour the sauce on the ham.  4) Bake it at 180 degree celsius for 1 hour. During this time, brush the sauce on the surface of the ham every 15 minutes. Serve. 

Another dish that my elder boy requested for his post-PSLE meal - Foie Gras.  Ingredients: - 4 slices of Foie Gras (pat-dry with kitchen towel) - butter  - balsamic vinegar  - pepper  - salt  - honey  Procedures: 1) In a frying pan, add butter until it is foaming and smoking hot.  2) Add Foie Gras and pan-fry it for 1 mins on each side.  3) Place it on a bed of salad vegetables. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and honey. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. 

I always love Chinese Roasted Duck. My favourite part is the crispy duck skin. I once tried roasting a whole duck and almost set my whole oven on fire and smoked the whole home! Here is my attempt at a smaller scale with some easy steps.  Ingredients: - 2 tablespoons of honey  - 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce  - 1/2 teaspoon of five-spice powder  - 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper powder  - 1 tablespoon of white vinegar  - 2 duck legs (can replace with 2 duck breasts) Procedures: 1) Mix 1 tablespoon of honey, oyster sauce, five-spice powder and white pepper powder to form a paste. 2) Rub it on the meat-side of the duck.  3) Pat dry the skin side of the duck. Place it on a tray, uncovered. Let it marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  4) Roast the duck in oven or air-fryer at 160 degree celsius for 20 minutes.  5) Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.  6) Brush it on the duck skin. 7) Roast it for another ...

My husband is a crab lover. For Father's Day this year, we made him this dish - Crab Bee Hoon Soup.  Ingredients:  - 1 thumb-size ginger, sliced  - a knob of butter  - 3 cloves of garlic, minced  - 1 large crab, chopped into pieces  - 1 pack of thick bee hoon  - 1 pack of leafy vegetables  - half a cup of evaporated milk  - 1 chicken cube - salt and pepper  - 1 tablespoon of sesame oil - 2 tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine  - fried shallots Procedures: 1) In a wok, add butter to melt. Stir-fry ginger and garlic until fragrant.  2) Add crab pieces and fry until pink.  3) Add water and chicken cube (or chicken stock) until it almost covers the crab. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside the crab pieces to prevent overcooking.  4) Add bee hoon and vegetables.  5) Add salt, pepper, sesame oil and Chinese cooking wine to taste.  6) When the ingredients reboils, add crab pieces back. Top up with some fried sha...

This is my favourite Japanese soup that I will order at any Japanese restaurants. This soup has the power to make a cold sushi meal end off on a warm satisfying note. Ingredients: - salmon fishhead - salt - pepper - corn flour - soft tofu, diced - 1 radish, sliced - 1 carrot, sliced - 2 tablespoons of miso paste - ginger, sliced Procedures: 1) Rub some salt, pepper and corn flour to the salmon fishhead. Set it aside. 2) To a pan, add some vegetable oil and fry the ginger slices until fragrant. 3) Place the salmon fish head, skin-side down, on the pan for 2-3 minutes. Flip the fish head to the other side and fry for another 2-3 minutes. (Can choose to grill in the oven too) 4) Add about 3 large bowls of hot water to the pan. 5) Add radish and carrot to the pan and boil it until soft. Add tofu. 6) Add 2 tablespoons of the miso paste to the soup. Stir well until the paste dissolve. Serve.