Memories in the Cooking

I have fond memories of certain canteen food I had during my schooling days. One of them is the satay pork I had during my junior college years. Ingredients: - 1 kg of pork collar meat - 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce  - 1 teaspoon of corn flour  - store-bought satay sauce  - 1 onion, sliced  - 3 cloves of garlic, minced  Procedures: 1) Marinate pork with light soya sauce and corn flour for a few hours.  2) In a frying pan, add some vegetable oil and fry garlic and onions until fragrant. 3) Add pork and fry until it turns brown.  4) Add satay sauce. Add a little water and simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked. Serve. 

My youngest boy loves this dish and asks me to promise him that I will cook it again for him. The dish is smoky with paprika and creamy at the same time. Ingredients: - 500g of beef steak, sliced - 500g of pasta (e.g. penne) - 400g of portobello mushrooms, sliced - 1 large onion, diced - 3 cloves of garlic, minced - 2 tablespoon of paprika - 1 tablespoon of flour - 2 glasses of milk - 1 can of Nestle all purpose cream - 1 teaspoon of salt - pepper - butter Procedures: 1) Cook the pasta in boiling water until soft. 2) Marinate the sliced beef in salt, pepper and paprika. 3) In a frying pan, fry the beef steak until just cooked. Set it aside. 4) Add onions, mushrooms and garlic to the frying pan. Add a knob of butter and fry until soft. 5) Add a tablespoon of flour. Fry it until brown. 6) Add milk and cream until a thick sauce is made. 7) Add the cooked pasta and beef. Adjust the taste with some salt. Serve. Beef Stroganoff goes well in a wrap too. Add so...

I used to buy ready-made Teriyaki sauce at around $5 dollars a bottle (250 ml) from supermarket until I found that Teriyaki sauce is essentially just light soya sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and ginger juice. Not only is it more economical to make your own Teriyaki sauce, it also produces tastier teriyaki dishes. Reason? Home-made Teriyaki sauce produces a shiny and sticky coat on the meat or fish, which is achieved through slowly reducing the mixture of seasoning. By making your Teriyaki sauce from scratch, you could easily produce enough quantity at a faction of the price for a big batch of meat (i.e. chicken wings, chicken cutlets, salmon etc), ideal for a party. This post, I am going to show you how to whip up a Teriyaki Fish Burrito Bowl. Ingredients: - 2 fish fillets  - 20 ml of sake - 20 ml of mirin - 10 ml of Japanese soya sauce - 20 ml of water - 2 tablespoons of sugar  - 50g ginger, grated Procedures: 1) Combine all seasoning and ginger....

Fish with sauteed onions - very rarely do I like the accompanying ingredients on the fish more than the fish itself. This is one dish which I could eat a bowl of rice with just the sauteed onions. This is my Mummy's recipe and it is definitely going to stay for at least my generation. Ingredients: - 1 grouper - 2 large yellow onions, sliced - 1 thumb-size ginger, shredded - parsley for garnishing - 3 tablespoons of black vinegar - 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce - salt, pepper - corn flour - 2 tablespoons of sugar Procedures: 1) Pat dry grouper. Season it with a little salt and pepper. Coat it with corn flour. 2) To a pan of hot vegetable oil, add grouper and pan-fry it until brown over medium fire (around 5 minutes on each side). When the fish is cooked, set it aside on a serving plate. 3) Pan-fry sliced onions until soft. Add shredded ginger and fry until fragrant. Add vinegar, light soya sauce, pepper and sugar. 4) Add the onions on the grouper. Garnish wi...

I have a pot of prawn and chicken broth. I realise that cooking also has a domino effect. This pot of broth came from the cooking Samsui Chicken, Spanish Garlic Prawns and Hokkien Mee. Besides these 3 dishes, the pot of broth will continue to make this Seafood Porridge, San Lao Hor Fun and Prawn Bisque. Wow, that is a 6 dishes bundle! Ingredients:  - 500g of prawns  - 500g of squid rings  - 150g of pork belly - 1 can of razer clams - 4 eggs  - 1 cup of rice  - fried shallots - parsley Procedures:  1) The broth is made from the chicken broth from Samsui Chicken and prawn shells from 2kg of prawns. Refer to the step in the Hokkien Mee recipe.  2) Cook the prawns and squid rings in the broth for about 1 minute. Set it aside.  3) Cook 1 cup of rice with 3 cups of water using rice cooker.  4) In another pot, dry fry the pork belly until brown.  5) Add the thick porridge and 2 large bowls of broth. Add raze...

Hokkien Mee is my husband's favourite hawker dish and I have been wanting to cook it at home with the freshest and best ingredients. So, I finally did it today and he loved it! Now, he is lamenting that he has one less dish to eat outside as I have raised his expectation on Hokkien Mee. Hilarious! Ingredients: - 500g fresh prawns, peeled (set aside the heads and shells) - 500g squid rings - 250g of pork belly - 400g of yellow noodles - 400g of thick mee hoon - 2 tablespoons of sugar - 1 chicken cube - a lot of spring onions, cut into a few inches long - 1 bulb of garlic, crushed - 6 shallots, chopped - 1 tablespoon of pepper corns - 2 tablespoons of fish sauce - 1 teaspoon of dark soya sauce - pepper Procedures: 1) In a pot, add a little vegetable oil. Fry half the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add prawn heads and shells and fry until pink. Add chicken cube, white pepper corns, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 4 bowls of water. Boil for at least 30 minut...

I am cooking an anyhow soup to go with my anyhow stir-fried maggi mee (yes, my family demand, the recipe is in this blog). This fuss-free Cucumber Ikan Bilis Chicken Soup is cooked by my slow-cooker. Ingredients: - chicken bones or chicken feet  - 2 cucumbers, sliced  - 1 handful of ikan bilis - 1 ikan bilis cube  Procedures: 1) Place chicken bones/feet, cucumber and ikan bilis in slow cooker.  2) Add enough water to just cover it.  3) Let it cook for 2 hours on high setting. Serve. 

As part of our family drama day, we also recreated the scene of Mr Beaver's Dinner from CS Lewis' novel - "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe". Here is our version of the marvelous fish!  Ingredients: - huge seabass (about 1.2kg)  - 2 lemons cut into half slices  - 1 box of cherry tomatoes  - 1.5 tablespoons of sea salt  - 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs  - 3 bulbs of garlic, remove the skin  - 1 box of dill (about 90g)  - 3 tablespoons of olive oil  Procedures:  1) Rub 1 tablespoon of seasalt to both sides of the fish and the fish stomach.  2) Cut slits into both sides of the fish. Insert a slice of lemon into each of the slits. Insert a few slices of lemon and  a few stalks of dill into the stomach of the fish.  3) Place a few slices of lemon on a baking tray and lay the fish on it. 4) In a mixing bowl, mix together olive oil, mixed herbs, the rest of the dill, sea salt and some crushed gar...

Here is a not-so-pretty but super delicious Victoria Sponge Cake. This recipe is for a small cake. Feel free to scale it up. Ingredients: - 2 large eggs - 100g of plain flour - 100g of sugar - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon of baking powder - 50g of whipping cream - strawberry jam - icing sugar Procedures: 1) Whip sugar, eggs, plain flour, baking powder and vanilla extract until it gives a smooth batter. 2) Pour into a cake tin. Bake at 190 degree celsius for 30 minutes. 3) Cool the cake on a rack. Cut it into half through the cross-section. 4) Whip cream until firm peaks. 5) Spread whipping cream and jam between the 2 layers of cake. 6) Sprinkle with icing sugar.

For family activity today, we recreated the scene of Mr Tumnus' tea from the CS Lewis novel "The lion, the witch and the wardrobe". Amongst the many yummy goodies, the tea also comprises the " brown eggs", lightly boiled. Isn't that our Singaporean soft boil eggs?  Ingredients:  - 4 fresh eggs  - a kettle of boiling water  Procedures:  1) Transfer the boiling water from the kettle to a pot. Let the water reboils. 2) Slowly lower the fresh eggs into the boiling water. Switch off the fire.  3) Let the eggs stay submerged for 7 minutes. Cool them in cool water. Serve. 

The best dishes come from the freshest ingredients. The problem is I am not very resourceful in sourcing fresh ingredients. However, recently I chanced upon Ah Hua Kelong and got an assortment of seafood. For lunch today, we are having Chinese Stir-fried Clams.  Ingredients: - 1kg of clams (lala), submerged in water  - 1 thumb-size ginger, minced  - 6 cloves of garlic, minced  - few stalks of spring onions, chopped  - 1 chili padi, chopped  - 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce  - half a cup of hua tiao wine  - 2 teaspoons of sugar  Procedures: 1) In a frying pan, add vegetable oil and fry ginger, garlic and chili until fragrant.  2) Add clams and mix well.  3) Add light soya sauce, hua tiao wine and sugar.  4) Add chopped spring onions. Mix well and serve. 

One of my maternal aunties specialty dish is Coconut Konnyaku Jelly. It is basically Konnyaku jellies made with coconut water and coconut fresh. Her dish is always a crowd-pleaser. However, I decided to modify a bit to include fruits of various colours since my sons are mad about fruits. So, here we are - a colourful Rainbow Fruit Jelly. Ingredients: - 1 packet of Konnyaku Jelly powder  - 1 litre of coconut water  - 200g of sugar - Fruits of different colours - strawberries, mandarin oranges, mangos, green kiwis and black grapes Procedures: 1) Cut fruits into small sizes. 2) Boil coconut water. Add jelly powder and sugar to the boiling coconut water. Stir until all dissolves.  3) Add a thin layer of jelly solution in a round mould. On top of it, arrange fruits into concentric circles of different colours.  4) Add more jelly solution until the fruits are covered.  5) Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Serve. 

I grew up with steamed egg that was conveniently cooked together in the rice-cooker with the rice. However, there is another a 'pro' way to cook steamed egg custard. The type that is soft, jiggling and silky. Ingredients: - 4 eggs - water (1 part egg and 1.5 part water) - salt - 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce - 2 tablespoon of warm water - 1 teaspoon of sugar - 3 shallots, sliced thinly - 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly - 1 stalk of spring onion, chopped Procedures: 1) Measure 4 eggs in a measuring jug before pouring into a mixing bowl. 2) Measure water that is 1.5 times the volume of eggs. Pour into the mixing bowl. 3) Add a pinch of salt. Beat well. 4) Pass the egg mixture through a sieve into a steaming plate. 5) Steam for 10-15 minutes. 6) In a frying pan, fry the shallots and garlic until brown in some vegetable oil. Place the fried shallots and garlic on the egg custard. 7) Mix the soya sauce, hot water and sugar. Pour it on the egg custard. Spri...

Before the Circuit Breaker, my family had frequent the Korean BBQ joint near my place quite often. Not so much for the usual fare but the Coconut Ice-Cream! so, during this May School Holiday, we are going to make some at home! Ingredients: - 400ml of whipping cream - 400ml of fresh coconut milk - 3/4 can of condensed milk - coconut fresh - crushed peanuts or roasted dessicated coconut (optional) Procedures: 1) Whip cream until soft peaks. 2) Add condensed milk to the cream. Mix well. 3) Add coconut milk. Mix well. 4) Add coconut fresh and mix well. 5) Let the mixture freeze overnight. Serve with crushed peanuts or dessicated coconut.

This is my 300th recipe! As part of our Greek Holiday at home, we made Fried Feta Cheese. It is so easy! Ingredients: - 1 block of Feta Cheese - 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour - 1 tablespoon of jam or honey Procedures: 1) Coat Feta Cheese with flour. 2) Heat up oil in a frying pan. Fry the Feta Cheese until there is a crispy brown crust. 3) Serve with jam or honey.

This is the first school holiday that we cannot go anywhere. Since we cannot take the planes, we let our imagination takes flight and have a Greece Holiday at home. We enjoyed Greek food such as Souvlaki. Ingredients: - 250g of pork belly, cut into bite-sizes - juice of half a lemon - 1 teaspoon of salt - 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs - pepper - 1 teaspoon of cumin - 1 teaspoon of paprika  - 4 cloves of garlic, minced - 1 onion, chopped - 2 tablespoons of olive oil Procedures: 1) In a mixing bowl, add lemon juice, salt, mixed herbs, pepper, cumin, paprika, minced garlic, chopped onions and olive oil. Mix well. 2) Add pork belly. Marinate for a few hours. 3) Skewer the meat. Place it on a baking tray and cover it with aluminum foil. Roast it at 180 degree celsius for 45 mins. 4) Roast it at 230 degree celsius uncovered for 5 minutes on each side. Watch this step to prevent charring. Serve.

My husband and I went Greece for our honeymoon more than a decade ago. Besides the beautiful sceneries, we were also blown away by the dish - Moussaka. Since we cannot travel this school holiday, we shall imagine that we are in Greece and eating Moussaka! Ingredients: - 3 brinjals, sliced lengthwise - salt, pepper, sugar (meat sauce) - 1 onion, diced - 500 g of minced beef - 1 can of pastata - 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs - 1 teaspoon of paprika - 1 beef stock cube (cheese sauce) - 1 bulb of garlic, crushed - 1 knob of butter - 3 tablespoons of flour - 3 cups of milk - 500g of mozzarella cheese Procedures: 1) Bake brinjal slices drizzled with olive oil in the oven at 200 degree celsius for 30 minutes. 2)Add a little oil to a sauce pan. Stir fry the onions and garlic until fragrant. Add minced beef and fry until brown. Add beef stock cube, pastata, paprika and spices. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt, sugar and pepper to taste. 2) Add a knob of butter to ano...

This dish is super easy and the kids love anything that is creamy and cheesy. Ingredients:  - 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise  - 2 tablespoons of honey mustard  - 4 cloves of garlic, minced  - mozzarella cheese  - salmon steaks  Procedures: 1) Mix mayonnaise, honey mustard and garlic in a bowl.  2) Lay the salmon steaks on a oven tray.  3) Spread the mayonnaise-mustard mix on each piece of salmon.  4) Top it up with mozzarella cheese.  5) Cover the salmon steaks with aluminium foil. Bake it at 180 degree celsius for 15 minutes.  6) Remove the aluminium foil. Grill it at 225 degree celsius for another 5 minutes until the cheese turns brown. 

My husband loves to order this cold dish at the Chinese restaurants. This dish is so simple and yet so delicious. As a starter, it will help to work out an appetite. Ingredients: - 500g of pork belly shabu shabu, roll in lengthwise and fix them in long bamboo skewers - 10 slices of ginger - 3 tablespoons of light soya sauce - 1 bulb of garlic, peeled - quarter cup of water - parsley as garnish - 3 tablespoons of huatiao wine - 1.5 tablespoons of sugar Procedures: 1) Boil a pot of water. Add half the ginger slices and huatiao wine to it. 2) When the water boils, add pork belly rolls and poach for 10 minutes. 3) Drain the pork belly rolls from the boiling water. Chill them in a fridge. 4) Arrange them on a serving plate. 5) Blend the rest of the ginger, garlic, light soya sauce, huatiao wine, water and sugar into a paste. 6) Drizzle the sauce on the pork belly and garnish with parsley.

Whenever my family thanks me for cooking a delicious slow-cooked dish, I always respond 'I did not cook the dish, the slow-cooker did.' It is really just so easy. It is the same with this Old Cucumber Pork Rib Soup. Ingredients: - 1 old cucumber, cut into 6 pieces  - 500g of prime pork ribs  - 1 handful of red dates - 1 handful of wolfberries - 1 chicken cube  - salt  Procedures: 1) In a slow cooker, place the pork ribs, old cucumber, red dates and wolfberries.  2) Add enough water to just cover the ingredients. Cook at high setting for 3 hours. 3) Season with chicken cube and salt. Serve. 

My husband is a Hakka. So, he grew up with Yong Tau Foo which he got to eat every weekend at his grandmother's place. Por Por's version not only has stuffed tau kua but also stuffed chilis, stuffed brinjals, stuffed chilis and stuffed bitter gourds. My version is simplified for a family of four. Ingredients: - 2 pieces of firm tau kua, each cut into 3 pieces lengthwise - 10 pieces of tau pok - 250g of minced pork - 150g of prawn paste  - 100g of fish paste  - flounder fish powder (30g) - 3 garlic, crushed - oyster sauce - pepper - light soya sauce - sugar - sesame oil - corn flour Procedures: 1) Dig out some tau kua from the tau kua blocks to create a well. 2) Place the tau kua pieces in  a mixing bowl. Mince it. Add minced pork, minced prawns, minced fish, fish powder,  2 tablespoon of light soya sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, pepper and corn flour. Mix well. 3) Stuff minced pork mix to the tau kua and tau pok. 4) Add vegetable oil to a pan...

I first ate this dish at a stall specialised in Yong Tau Foo. Since I am cooking Yong Tau Foo today, I decided to try making this Stir-fry Spinach with Fermented Beancurd Sauce. Ingredients: - 1 packet of sharp spinach - 2 cloves of garlic, sliced - 1 cube of fermented beancurd - 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce - 3 tablespoons of water Procedures: 1) In a frying pan, fry some sliced garlic until fragrant with vegetable oil. 2) Add spinach and stir-fry it until soft. 3) Add fermented beancurd, oyster sauce and water. Mix well. Serve.

I have a pot of braised sauce leftover from Teochew Braised Duck. I have gone off to make many spin-off dishes from this pot. This is another dish - the short-cut lor mee. Ingredients: - a pot of braised sauce (see recipe from Teochew Braised Duck)  - a pack of Hokkien Mee (I like to use spaghetti)  - 1 pack of beanspouts, washed - 1 pack of parsley, chopped  - store-bought Ngoh Hiang  - 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved  - 1 pack of meatballs - 1 can of braised pork belly  - fried dough fritters - minced garlic  - salt  - sugar - vinegar  - sambal chili  Procedures: 1) Bleach noodles and beanspouts. Set aside in serving bowls.  2) Toast Ngoh Hiang and dough fritters until crispy.  3) In the braised sauce, heat up meatballs, parsleys and braised pork belly.  4) Assemble the Ngoh Hiang, hard-boil egg, meatballs, braised pork belly, dough fritter on top of the bed of noodles and beansp...