Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:

500g sausage (recipe here)

8-10 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1 bunch green onion ~ chopped

1 tsp dry Mustard

6-8 sliced bread ~ cut the edges off

115g cheddar cheese ~ shredded

115g Swiss cheese ~ shredded

Directions/Instructions:

1. Grease 9x13 casserole dish well.  Place the bread in the bottom of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk, salt, chopped green onion, and dry mustard.  Mix the mixture together to combine.
3. Spread the cooked sausage on top of the bread.  Make sure evenly cover the bread.
4. Then pour over the egg mixture all over the sausage.  Refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C (350F).  Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 mins.
6. Then add swiss cheese on top and bake another 15 mins.  Remove and set for 10-15 mins.  Serve and enjoy!

Apple Pie Pancake (Quick & Easy)

Serving 4-6

Ingredients:

1 apple ~ sliced 1/4" thickness

1 tsp butter

2 tsp sugar

Batter

195g AP flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine salt

295ml milk

1 egg

4 tbsp butter ~ melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Direction/Instructions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Warm milk in the microwave until lukewarm, whisk in egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
3. In a mini saucepan (egg saucepan), melt 1 tsp butter on low heat.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar over the melted butter.
4. Spread/arrange sliced apple over the butter/sugar, and scoop 1 ladle of the pancake batter over the apple slices.
5. Cover the saucepan, and let it cook for 10-12 mins.  Then flip the pancake and cook another 2-3 mins.
6. Place on a serving plate, sprinkle with icing sugar or syrup.  Enjoy!

Red Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

500g chicken thigh ~ bite-size

Red curry paste (recipe here)

3-4 kafir lime leaves

1/2 cup bamboo shoot ~ matchstick

2 cup coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp fish

2-3 tbsp palm sugar

1 cup Thai basil

1/2 bell pepper ~ julienned (Optional to add some color)

Directions/Instructions:

1. Bring 1/2 cup of coconut milk to a boil, add the curry paste and stir to break up lumps.  Continue cooking and reducing over medium-high heat until it is very thick and the coconut oil starts separating from the curry paste.
2. Then add chicken, kafir lime leaves, and toss to mix with the paste for about 3-5 mins or till the chicken is about 80% cooked.
3. Add the remaining coconut milk and chicken stock.  Season with fish sauce, palm sugar.  Stir to mix and simmer for about 8 mins.
4. Add bamboo shoot and simmer for another 6-8 mins or until fully cooked.  Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasoning with the remaining fish sauce and palm sugar as needed.
5. Lastly, stir in Thai basil and bell pepper.  Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Homemade Red Curry Paste

Ingredients:

15 dried chilies

1 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp white peppercorns

2 stalk lemongrass ~ chopped

1" galangal ~ chopped

3-4 cilantro root ~ chopped

1 lime skin ~ chopped

8 shallot

5 cloves garlic

1" fermented shrimp paste (Belacan)

Directions/Instructions:

1. Remove seeds from chilies, cut into chunks and soak in hot water until softened.  Drain and ry off excess water with a paper towel.
2. Add to mortar and pestle along with salt and white peppercorns.  Pound into a fine paste.
3. Add lemongrass, galangal, cilantro roots, lime zest.  Pound into a fine paste.
4. Then add shallots and garlic.  Continue to pound into a fine paste.  Lastly add shrimp paste and pound to mix.

Ingredients:

1 cup long bean ~ cut 2"

5-7 pcs prawn

2 clove garlic ~ chopped

1" ginger ~ julienned

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sambal ~ to taste

1/2 tsp Mirin

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Directions/Instructions:

1. Add oil to a heated wok and saute garlic and ginger a quick toss.
2. Add long bean, continue to stir to combine for about 3-5 mins.
3. Then add prawn and cook for another 2 mins or till the prawn turns pink.
4. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sambal, mirin, and sesame oil.  Stir to mix well.  Enjoy!

Dumpling Wrapped With Chicken Skin

Ingredients:

50 chicken skin

450g ground pork/chicken

450g prawn ~ chopped into a paste

2 stalk spring onion ~ chop

4-5 dried mushroom ~ soaked, chop

1/4 carrot ~ chop

1 egg

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp white pepper

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp salt

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup gochujang

1/4 cup hoisin

1/4 cup Mirin

1 scallion ~ chopped

Sesame seeds

Directions/Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the filling ingredients and mix in one direction until the mixture breaks down and the minced meat and shrimp become a paste.  Set in the fridge for 30 min to rest.
2. On a chopping board layout a piece of chicken skin.  Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of the skin.  Wrap the chicken skin into a roll or rectangular shape.  
3. Then cover with plastic wrap putting pressure on the skin and filling so it sticks together.  Place them in the refrigerator overnight.
4. After resting overnight, pull from the fridge and unwrap the dumplings out of the plastic wrap.  Fry in 300 F oil for 10-12 mins. (Depending on the thickness of the skin it could be 8-10 mins) or golden and crispy.
5. Remove from the oil and drain on a cooling rack or lined with paper towels.
6. While frying the chicken, prepare the dipping sauce.  Plate dumpling, add chopped scallion, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve

Glass Noodle Seafood Salad

Ingredients:

40g glass noodles aka bean vermicelli

2 tsp dried shrimp ~ soaked in hot water

1 red Thai chili

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes ~ halved

3-4 shallots ~ julienned

1-2 stalk Chinese parsley ~ leaves cut into 1/4"

6 or more shrimp/prawn

1 medium squid ~ cut bite size

1/2 cup ground pork/chicken/beef

1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts

Dressing

2 tbsp fish sauce

2-1/2 tbsp lime juice (preferably fresh)

2 tsp sugar

Directions/Instructions:

1. Soak glass noodles in room-temp water to soften.
2. Mix the dressing ingredients together and stir to dissolve.  Set aside.
3. Poundsoaked dried shrimp and red Thai chili in a mortar and pestle until the shrimp is shredded.  Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.  Add the cut shallots, tomatoes, and Chinese parsley.
4. Cook the ground pork/chicken/beef in a small saute pan in a little bit of water.  Transfer the pork/chicken/beef without the liquid to the vegetables.  
5. Then add water into the pot and bring to boil.  Add the shrimp and cook just until done.  Remove from the pot, then add the cut squid.  Once the squid "curl" immediately drain.  Add the cooked shrimp and squid to the mixing bowl.
6. Bring a pot of water to a full boil, cook the glass noodles for 2-3 mins until done.  Taste the noodles to check for doneness.  Drain noodles well, transfer noodles into the mixing bowl, don't mix everything just yet.
7. Pour the dressing directly onto the noodles in the mixing bowl, and then toss everything together.
8. Let it sit for a few minutes to let the noodles absorb the dress and all the flavor mingle.  Serve it

Green Curry Chicken (

Ingredients:

500g chicken boneless thigh ~ cut into 1" pcs

1-3/4 cup coconut milk ~ divided

3 tbsp green curry paste (homemade recipe)

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp palm sugar/granulated sugar

1-1/2 - 2 tbsp fish sauce

3-4 kaffir lime leaves ~ roughly torn

4-5 long bean ~ cut into 2"

1 cup Thai basil

1 red chili ~ sliced

Directions/Instructions:

1. Reduce 3/4 cup coconut milk until thick and oil start to separate from the coconut milk.
2. Add homemade curry paste and saute, stirring constantly over medium heat for about 2 mins until aromatic.
3. Add chicken thigh and stir to mix with the paste till the chicken is separated or 80% cooked.
4. Then add kaffir lime leaves, chicken stock, remaining coconut milk, palm sugar, and 1 tbsp fish sauce.  Bring to a simmer and let simmer gently for 10-15 mins or until the chicken is fork-tender.
5. Once the curry is done simmering, add the cut bean and bring it to a boil again.  Taste and add more fish sauce and/or sugar as needed.
6. Off the heat, add Thai basil and chili.  Serve with steamed rice.  Enjoy

Homemade Green Curry Paste

Paste

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp white peppercorns

15 green Thai chilies (deseeded)

1 tsp salt

15 Thai basil leaves ~ julienned

1 stalk lemongrass ~ thinly sliced

1" galangal ~ finely chopped

2 tsp kaffir lime zest

2-3 cilantro roots ~ finely chopped

3 shallots ~ finely chopped

6 garlic ~ finely chopped

1 tsp fermented shrimp paste

Directions/Instructions:

1. Roasted the dry spiced and grind into a powder.  Set aside.
2. Add chilies and salt to the mortar and pound until smooth/fine paste.
3. Add the Tahi basil and pound until fine.  If at any point the mixture feels too wet, add the dry spices to absorb excess moisture.
4. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, and cilantro roots.  Pound until a fine smooth paste.
5. Then add shrimp paste and pound to mix.

Note:

If using an electric device, a jug blender will be good, and add some coconut milk to blend into smooth paste but only suggest using it right away.

Substitute

Kaffir lime zest = Kaffir lime leaves

fermented shrimp paste = miso paste

Nacho Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 cup whole milk

1-1/2 cup medium cheddar ~ shredded

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions/Instructions:

1. In a small saucepot add the butter and flour.  Heat and whisk the butter and flour together until they become bubbly and foamy.  Continue to cook and whisk the bubbly mixture for about 60 sec.
2. Whisk the milk into the flour and butter mixture.  Turn the heat up slightly and allow the milk to come to a simmer while whisking.  When it reaches a simmer, the mixture will thicken.  Once it is thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat.
3. Stir in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, until melted into the sauce.  If needed, place the pot over a low flame to help the cheese melt.  Do not overheat the cheese sauce.
4. Once all the cheese is melted into the sauce, stir in the salt and chili powder.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.  If the sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in an additional splash of milk.

Chicken Katsu (Tonkatsu)

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken

salt & pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cup Korean/Japanese bread crumbs

3 eggs ~ beaten with a pinch of salt

3 cups cooking oil

Gravy

1 package Ottogi Hash (Hi-rice powder)

2 tbsp butter

2-1/2 cups water

2 tbsp ketchup

Japanese Salad (Recipe here)

Direction/Instructions:

1. Use a meat tenderizer to pound and flatten the boneless chicken into a cutlet.
2. Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.
3. Coat both sides of the cutlets with flour, dip them in the beaten egg and press them into bread crumbs.  Refrigerate for 30 mins or when ready to cook.
4. Heat up the cooking oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 deg. F.
5. Fry the cutlet until both sides are golden brown, turning them over a few times with tongs.  It will take about 12-13 mins.
6. Strain the cutlet and pat off the excess oil with a kitchen towel. 
7. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  When it's melted, add the Ottogi Hash (Hi-rice powder) and stir well with a wooden spoon for about 2 mins until well mixed.
8. Add water and stir well.  Add the ketchup and mix well again.  Keep cooking, stirring occasionally for 8-10 mins until it bubbles and thickens.  Remove from the heat.
9. To assemble, cut the cutlet into strips, put the sliced cutlet on top of the rice.  Drizzle the gravy over top of the cutlet.
10. Place some Japanese salad on the side.  Enjoy

Japanese Salad

Ingredients:

Cabbage ~ shredded/thinly sliced

Sauce

1 cup kewpie mayonnaise

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp mirin seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

pinch of black pepper

Directions/Instructions: 

1. Mix all the ingredients sauce together until creamy.  Serve over salad or shredded cabbage.  Refrigerate any unused dressing.