Memories in the Cooking

I first ate this at my younger sister's place. It is a very simple and delicious rice dish.  Ingredients: - 4 cups of Japanese rice  - 250g of corn (can add more)  - soya sauce  - sake - salt  - 100g of butter  - ebiko Procedures:  1) Wash rice in rice cooker. Add 4 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of soya sauce, 2 tablespoons of sake, 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook rice.  2) In a frying pan, melt butter. Add corn, add 2 tablespoons of soya sauce, add 1 teaspoon of salt.  3) When rice is cooked, top the rice with corn and ebiko rolls. Mix well before eating. 

This is the Chinese-style beef stew. It can be eaten with noodles like the Cantonese Beef Stew Noodles.  Ingredients:  - 1kg of beef shinn  - 1-2 white radish  - 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce  - 2 tablespoons of dark soya sauce  - 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce - 2 bay leaves  - 1 tablespoon of five-spice powder  - 1 dried chili  - 2 tablespoons of sugar  - 1 teaspoon of corn flour  Procedures: 1) Place beef shinn and radish in slow cooker.  2) Add light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, oyster sauce, bay leaves, five-spice powder, dried chili and sugar.  3) Add water until it slightly covers the ingredients.  4) Cook at medium setting for 4 hours.  5) Add corn starch until it turns thick. 

I love to have chicken cutlet with creamy coleslaw. Here is one simple recipe for coleslaw.  Ingredients: - Coleslaw mixed vegetables (e.g cabbage, carrots, corn etc)  - 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise - 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt  - juice of 1 lemon  - 1 tablespoon of mustard  - 2 teaspoons of sugar  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - pepper  Procedures:  - Mix mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, sugar, mustard,  and pepper in a mixing bowl.  - Add the coleslaw mixed vegetables. Mix well. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Serve. 

Similar to cumin lamb, I decided to make a grilled mix for this cumin baked chicken wings.  Ingredients: - 1kg of chicken wings  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - 2 teaspoons of sugar  - 1 teaspoon of cumin - 1 teaspoon of chili flakes  - 1 tablespoons of minced garlic  - vegetable oil  Procedures:  1) Marinate the chicken wings with salt, sugar, cumin, chili flakes, minced garlic and vegetable oil.  2) Bake the chicken wings for 1 hour at 180 degree celsius. 

This is a change to the usual butter steak that I regularly cook.  Ingredients: - 1kg of ribeye beef. Cut into cubes. - 3 tablespoons of soya sauce  - 3 bulbs of garlic, sliced - 1 tablespoon of mirin - 1 tablespoon of sake  - 2 tablespoons of sugar - salt (if needed)  Procedures:  1) Marinate beef cubes in soya sauce overnight.  2) Add garlic slices into a oven-proof bowl. Add vegetable oil into the garlic slices are covered. Cook it in oven at 180 degree celsius for 20 mins.  3) In a pan, add the garlic infused oil (without the garlic). Sear the beef until all sides are brown. Set it aside.  4) Add soya sauce marinate, mirin, roasted garlic, sake, sugar and salt to the pan. Cook until the sauce is reduced.  5) Add the beef and coat it in the sauce. Let the beef rest in a serving place. 

This dish tastes exactly like the Chinese Grilled Lamb Skewers. Just simpler to make!  Ingredients:  - 1.5kg of lamb leg (cut into cubes)  - few tablespoons ginger juice  - 3 egg whites  - 2 teaspoon of white pepper (to marinate meat and to make the seasoning) - 1 tablespoon cornstarch  - 1 tablespoon of cumin powder  - 3 tablespoons of white sesame seeds  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - 1 tablespoons of sugar  Procedures:  1) In a large mixing bowl, mix the diced lamb with ginger juice, egg whites, white pepper, cornstarch. Let it stand for a while.  2) In a pan, toast cumin powder, white sesame seeds, salt, sugar and pepper. Set it aside.  3) In a pan, add some cooking oil. Fry the lamb cubes until golden brown. This may take 20 mins. Drain away the excess oil.  4) Mix the cumin seasoning with the lamb cubes. Mix well and serve. 

I prepared a feast with many red meat (beef, lamb, duck) and needed a side dish that can cuts through the oily flavours. Hence, I decided to make this pickled onions dish as a side.  Ingredients:  - 5 large red onions  - 2 cups of water  - 2 cups of white rice vinegar  - 2/3 cup of sugar  - 2 tablespoons of salt  - 2 bay leaves.  Procedures:  1) Slice red onions. Place it in a large container.  2) In a pot, add water, white rice vinegar, sugar, salt and bay leaves. Boil until the sugar dissolves.  3) Pour the liquid mixture into the container until all the red onion slices are submerged.  4) Keep it overnight in a fridge. 

We first had this cheese at a pizza place. The stracciatella cheese came with a flat bread and it was the most memorable dish!  Ingredients: - 3 fresh mozzarella balls (125 each) - 300g of Greek Yogurt  - black pepper  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - basil garlic oil (blend basil, garlic, olive oil and salt) or truffle oil Procedures: 1) In a large bowl, shred mozzarella balls. Add yogurt, salt and black pepper. Mix well.  2) Place the stracciatella into a serving bowl. Drizzle with basil oil or truffle oil. 

This is a fun cake. Especially when everyone pulls a cupcake out at the same time.  Ingredients:  - 200g of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder (sieved) - 150g of unsalted butter  - 150g of sugar  - 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract  - 4 tablespoons of milk  - 2 eggs  - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract  - a pinch of salt  - instant frosting  - fruits  Procedures:  1) In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter until it becomes creamy and light.  2) Add 2 eggs, vanilla extract and milk to the creamed mixture. Mix well.  3) Sieve in flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Mix well.  4) Spoon the cupcake mixture into 12-16 cupcake tins (depending on size)  5) Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 25 minutes. (Untill an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Let the cupcake cool.  6) Spread it with instant frosting. Top it with fruits. 

This is a easy and delicious starter. Goes well with my husband's homemade focaccia bread.   Ingredients:  - 200g of smoked salmon (around 2 packets)  - 200g of cream cheese  - juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a bunch of basil leaves, garlic (blend)  - 2 cucumber, diced  - 2 tablespoons of thick cream or yogurt  - black pepper  Procedures:  1) Chop smoked salmon finely.  2) Add cream cheese to salmon. Mix well.  3) Blended mix of lemon juice, olive oil, basil leaves and garlic. Add to salmon and cream cheese. Mix well.  4) Add diced cucumber. Mix well.  5) Add thick cream/yogurt to the preferred consistency.  6) Add freshly grated black pepper. Enjoy! 

Here is another recipe I got from Xiaohongshu. It is refreshing and delicious.  Ingredients:  - 30 prawns, deshelled  - 1 packet of tang hoon - 1 large red onion, sliced  - 1 cucumber, sliced  - parsley, chopped  - garlic, chopped  - 3 lemons/lime, juiced (save a few slices as garnish)  - 2 tablespoons of fish sauce  - 1 bottle of sprite  - salt, sugar, rice vinegar to adjust taste Procedures: 1) Blanch prawns and tang hoon in boiling water.  2) Add blanched prawns, tang hoon, red onions, cucumber, parsley, garlic, lemon/lime juice, lemon/lime slices, fish sauce, sprite to a mixing bowl. Mix well.  3) Add salt, sugar or rice vinegar to adjust the taste.  4) Chill on fridge for one hour. Serve. 

I saw this recipe on Xiaohongshu. It turned out very delicious and easy.  Ingredients:  - 1kg of chicken mid wings  - cloves of garlic (quantity as desired)  - 1 can of coke  - 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce  - salt and sugar (to adjust the taste)  - white sesame seeds and parsley  Procedures: 1) In a frying pan, brown some garlic cloves.  2)Add chicken wings and brown them.  3) Add a can of coke and oyster sauce. Let it simmer until the sauce is reduced.  4) Add sesame seeds and parsley. Serve. 

Typically, we will cook traditional dishes during Chinese New Year. This year, we had this new dish to our addition.  Ingredients:  - 1kg of abalones with shells. Cleaned, removed the intestines, scored.  - 3 packets of enoki mushrooms - 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic - 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil - 1 teaspoon of salt  - 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese  - 1 teaspoon of sugar - some pepper Procedures: 1) Combine chopped garlic, oil, salt, parmesan cheese, salt, sugar and pepper into a paste.  2) Place the enoki mushrooms on a baking tray. Add 1/3 of the paste. Mix well.  3) Place the abalone shells on top of the enoki mushrooms.  4) Spread the paste on top of every abalone.  5) Baked in the oven at 180 degree celsius for 15 mins. Garnish with parsley. Serve. 

This is the first dish we tasted from Xiang Xiang Hunan Restaurant and it is surprisingly nice!  Ingredients: - 4 century eggs  - 2 brinjals - 3-4 Hunan green peppers - 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce - 1 tablespoon of sesame oil  - 1 tablespoon of black vinegar  - 1 teaspoon of sugar  - 1 teaspoon of minced garlic  Procedures: 1) Dry-fry/grill green peppers and brinjal until the skin is black and the pepper/brinjal is soft.  2) Peel off the skin of the green pepper/brinjal. Place it in the mortar.  3) Cut the century eggs into small pieces. Place it in the mortar.  4) Add sesame oil, black vinegar, sugar, light soya sauce and minced garlic.  5) Use a pestle to grind the mixture into a paste.

This is currently my family's favourite stew. My elder boy even attempted to make his own kimchi so that he can enjoy all kimchi-related dishes, especially this stew.  Ingredients:  - Half a packet of kimchi (around 100g) with the kimchi juice (half a cup)  - Baby cabbage (around 250g)  - 1 tray of shabu shabu pork belly (around 300g)  - 1 large tablespoon of Gochujang  - 2 blocks of soft tofu  - 2 to 3 uncooked eggs  - salt, sugar  Procedures:  1) In a pot, add kimchi, cabbage, kimchi juice and Gochujang. Add enough water to cover the ingredients. Let the ingredients boil until the cabbage is soft.  2) Add pork belly to the stew. When cooked, add water, salt and sugar according to own's preference.  3) Slice the 2 soft tofu and place them on top of the pot. Let it simmer until the tofu is cooked.  4) Crack a few eggs on top of the stew. Let the stew simmer until the eggs are cooked to own's preference. 

This is a new dish that I had learnt for my Korean feast.  Ingredients: - 1kg of pork belly  - 1 tablespoon of instant coffee  - 1 tablespoon of Korean Deonjang  - 1 tablespoon of sugar  - 6 cloves of garlic - 4 slices of ginger - 1 stalk of spring onion  Procedures: 1) Place the washed pork belly in a big pot. Add instant coffee, Deonjang, sugar, garlic, ginger, spring onions.  2) Add water until it just covers the pork belly.  3) Boil the mixture of 1 hour.  4) Slice the pork belly and serve with the reduced sauce. 

We first tried this at Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine Restaurant. I found the chinese peppers at Sheng Siong and decided to buy some back to try.  Ingredients: - about 6 Chinese peppers  - pork collar sliced - 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce - 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce  - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic  - 1 teaspoon of corn starch  Procedures:  1) Cut the Chinese peppers into bite-sizes and remove the seeds.  2) Marinate the pork collar with corn starch and soya sauce.  3) In a fry pan, dry fry the Chinese peppers until fragrant.  4) Add oil, minced garlic and pork slices. Stir fry until cooked.  5) Add oyster sauce to season. 

My elder boy likes to eat kimchi so much that we decided to make our own.  Ingredients: - 1 head of napa cabbage (more than 1.2kg), cut into small pieces  - 2 large carrots, shredded - 1 bunch of spring onions, chopped  - 2 Korean brown pears  - 10-15 cloves of garlic  - 1 piece of ginger  - 1 large onion  - 2 cups of gochugaru  - fish sauce  - 2 large tablespoon of honey  - 1/2 cup of rice flour  - 1 tablespoon of scrimp paste  - salt  Procedures:  1) Place napa cabbage into a large container. Add half a cup of salt and 4 cups of water. Soak the napa cabbage for 30 mins.   2) In a blender, add garlic, onion, ginger, pear. Blend into a paste.  3) Add the paste to a large bowl. Add gochugaru, fish sauce, scrimp paste and honey.  4) In a pan, add 2 cups of water and half a cup of  rice flour. Heat up the mixture until it becomes a sticky paste.  5) Add the rice flour paste to the gochugaru ...

We accidentally bought some apples that my boys described as 'mushy'. The elder boy decided to make them into apple sauce for this Apple Sauce Trifle.  Ingredients: - 5 apples  - 2 tablespoons of honey  - 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder  - instant cereal - yogurt  Procedures: 1) Slice the apples and place them in a pan. Add honey, cinnamon powder and some water. Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens.  2) In tall transparent glasses, assemble the apple sauce, yogurt and cereal in layers. Drizzle some honey on the last layer. 

This is another blanched dish with a yummy sauce. You can choose any vegetables for this dish.  Ingredients: - 1 head of iceberg lettuce  - 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce  - 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce  - 1 tablespoon of sesame oil  - fried shallots  Procedures: 1) Blanched the vegetables. 2) Prepare the sauce with light soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and fried shallots (half).  3) Mix vegetables with sauce. Top up with the other half of the fried shallots.