Beef Bulgogi (Korean)

Ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion ~ sliced
3-5 green onions/scallion ~ cut 2" length
500g thinly sliced beef (I used Sukuyaki or rib eye)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp white sesame seeds ~ roasted/toasted (topping)

Marinade
1/2 cup Korean soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
8 cloves garlic ~ chopped
1/2 Asian pear ~ grated
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a large bowl/dish, mixed all the marinade sauces.
2. Add the sliced/cut onion & scallion in the marinade sauce together.
3. Then add the meat in the marinade, separating each slices.  Mix all together to coat well.  Set aside for atleast 30 mins or best overnight.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil over medium high heat.  Cook the marinated meat through, about 5 mins.  Transfer the meat to the hotplate & sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

(Note:  If have a single serving cast iron plate, can use it to keep the meat warm for a longer time.)

Homemade Dried Mandarin Peels

Ingredients:
Imperial Mandarins

Directions:

1. Clean mandarin thoroughly & pat dry.  Use a knife to run around from top almost to the bottom & then peel open.
2. Place the peels under the direct sun for about 3 days or more, until dried thoroughly & become shatteringly crisp.  Turn to another side once in a while during the sun-drying process or place the peels in a low oven to dehydrate them.
3. Store them in an air-tight jar or container.  Place in a cool place.  After 1 or 2 years, the peel will turn dark.  Can make any dish with these dried peels.  The longer the mandarin peel is kept, the more fragrant it will develop.

Note:

• The flesh of the Imperial mandarin is very sweet.  You might test try with any kind of mandarin that comes in handy from your local produce in order to find your own favorite.
• When it comes to using any citrus peels, try to go for organic as you don't like the pesticide or fungicide residues.  Or you can wash them thoroughly in warm water with a bit of detergent, or soak in salted water for a while.  That said brushing a bit of baking soda on the skin before cleansing will work.
• The white inner skin tastes slightly bitter.  Scrape off the white layer after soaking it to be softened, then cook it with other ingredients.

Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken

Ingredients:
500g-750g chicken drumettes
20 cloves garlic ~ whole
4 shallots ~ sliced
1 thumb size ~ sliced
Fresh Thai/Sweet Basil

Sauces
1/3 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
1/3 cup rice wine
1/3 cup sesame oil
3 tbsp cane sugar
1/2 tbsp dried chili flakes or more
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Rinse & pat dry; set aside.
2. Heat up a claypot/wok on high heat & add 2 tbsp sesame oil.  Add slice ginger, shallot & garlic; stir-fry until aromatic.
3. Add chicken & brown the chicken for a few minutes first before adding the sauce mixture.
4. Add the sauces & continue to stir-fry the chicken for about 15-20 min on low heat.
5. Then add basil leaves & stir; cover with a lid for 1 min.  Transfer to a serving bowl & serve with steamed white rice.

Durian Ogura Cake

Ingredients:
5 egg yolk
1 whole egg
45g canola oil
200g Durian meat
60g fresh milk
90g AP flour

5 egg white
100g castor sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Use hand electrical mixer to whisk egg white till foamy, add in cream of tartar & gradually add sugar in 3 portions till firm peak.
2. In another bowl, beat egg yolk, milk & oil till light & fluffy.  Then add in the avocado puree & beat to combine.
3. Sieve the flour into the egg yolk mixture; beat to well combine.
4. Mix in 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter, fold gently till all the meringue finish.
5. Pour into 7" square pan lined with baking paper & put into a larger pan filled with hot water (water bath).
6. Bake into a preheated oven @ 160 deg. C for about 50-55 mins or cake is cook with a cake tester.
7. Remove from the pan immediately, inverted on a rack & let it cool.  (Note: if the bottom is still slightly wet, invert the cake on a Silpat & bake @ 120 deg C. for 10 mins to dry it out.)

Soy Sauce Chicken

Ingredients:
900g-1kg whole chicken

Stuffing
1 thumb size ginger ~ smashed
2 stalks of spring onion ~ tied
4-5 cloves garlic ~ smashed

Marinate
3-4 tbsp dark soy sauce (less sodium) ~ Chicken rice soy sauce brand

Gravy/Braise
2 cinnamon bark
20g rock sugar
1 dried honey date
6 cloves
1 star anise
1/2 cups dark soy sauce ~ Chicken rice soy sauce brand
4 tbsp Chinese rice wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
8 cup water

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and pat dry.  Stuff all the ingredients in cavity of chicken.  Then marinate the chicken with dark soy sauce & set aside for 20 mins.
2. In a large deep pot, heat oil & saute cinnamon bark, cloves & star anise till fragrant.  Add the rock sugar & continue saute till rock sugar dissolve.
3. Add the dark soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, light soy sauce & water.  Bring to boil.
4. Add the marinated chicken into the pot & boil over high heat for about 15 mins or more.  Lower the heat to simmer for about 45 mins.
5. Turn off heat & let the chicken steeped in the soy sauce mixture for a few hours to soak in the flavor.
6. Dish out the chicken, chop into pieces & serve with chicken rice.

I used Chicken Rice Soya Sauce instead of normal dark soya sauce

After 15 mins on high heat, simmer for 45 mins; off the heat &
let the chicken steeped in the soy sauce mixture for a few hours to soak in the flavor

Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
300g macaroni
Salt
300g evaporated milk
300g cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Place macaroni in a medium saucepan or skillet & add just enough cold water to cover.  Add a pinch of salt & bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.  Continue to cook until moisture has been almost wholly absorbed & macaroni is just al dente.
2. Immediately add evaporated milk & bring to a boil.  Add cheese.  Reduce heat to low & cook, stirring continuously until the cheese is melted & liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce.  Season to taste with more salt & serve immediately.

Chicken Rendang

Ingredients:
4 chicken drumsticks & thighs
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 cup toasted grated coconut ~ pounded (kerisik)
1 cup thick coconut
60g gula melaka ~ coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cooking oil
Salt to taste

Spices
5 red chilies
10 dried redchilies ~ soaked in hot water until soft
5 candlenuts (buah keras)
15 shallots
5 cloves garlic
1" ginger
1" tumeric
1" galangal
4 stalk lemongrass

Directions:

1. Blend all the spices ingredient into a coarse paste.
2. Add cooking oil to a heated wok over medium low heat & saute the blended spice ingredients until fragrant and when the spices darkens considerably, starts to glisten as the oil begins to separate from the paste.
3. Add chicken chunks & saute with the spices until the skin begins to brown slightly & well coated.
4. Add thick coconut milk, crushed kaffir lime leaves & gula melaka.  Bring the ingredients to a boil & lower heat & simmer uncovered for 30 mins.  Gently stir the chicken periodically to make sure that everything is cooked evenly & does not stick to the bottom of the wok.
5. Add pounded roasted coconut (kerisik) & stir well to incorporate into rendang gravy.  Taste & adjust with salt accordingly.
6. Continue to heat for another 10-20 mins until the chicken is nicely tender & the gravy is thicken & reduced.

Mini Durian Muffins

Ingredients:
100ml fresh milk
300g durian flesh + 1 tbsp castor sugar
80ml veg. oil
1 large egg
160g self-raising flour
70g castor sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190 deg C.  Blend durian flesh with 1 tbsp castor sugar till smooth paste.  Line small cupcake liners in small muffin pan.
2. Combine milk & 100g durian puree together with a hand whisk.  Add in oil & egg, stir well.  Pour in self-raising flour & sugar.  Roughly mix the mixture to just combined.  Do not overmix
3. Spoon a scoop of batter into each pan hole, followed by a spoonful of durian puree.  Then cover the top with batter to almost full.
4. Place muffin pan in the preheated oven & bake for about 22-25 mins or until the top have puffed up.
5. Remove muffin pan from the oven & leave to cool.  Lastly dust some icing over muffins before serving.

Baked Fish with Lemon Creamy Sauce

Ingredients:
5 fish fillets
50g unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard ~ Optional
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper
1-1/2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
Fresh parsley & lemon slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
2. Place fish in a baking dish ~ ensure the fish isn't crammed in too snugly.  Sprinkle both sides with salt & pepper.
3. Place butter, cream, minced garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a microwave proof jug or bowl.  Microwave & stir in between until melted & smooth.
4. Sprinkle fish with chopped shallots, then pour over sauce.
5. Bake for 10-12 mins or until fish is just cooked.  Remove from oven & transfer fish to serving plates.  Spoon over sauce & garnish with parsley & lemon wedges if using.

Spaghetti Cheesy Meatballs

Ingredients:
500g minced beef
1 egg ~ lightly beaten
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 yellow onion ~ chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 jar Prego Spaghetti Bolognese
400g spaghetti

Directions:

1. Combine mince, egg, cheese, chopped onion & basil.  Season & roll into balls
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan.  Cook half the meatballs for about 4-5 mins.  Remove & repeat.
3. Return the meatballs to the pan & pour over sauce.  Cover; cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins until cooked through
4. Cook spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water as per packet directions.  Drain & place in bowl.  Spoon over meatballs & sauce.  Serve with basil leaves.

Japanese Beef Fried Rice

Ingredients:
250g Sliced beef
250g minced beef
1/2 yellow onion ~ chopped
1/4 spring onion ~ chopped
1/2oz pickled ginger (minced) - Optional

Sauces
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp fish sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil on wok, saute sliced and minced beef for 30 sec over medium heat.
2. Add onion & spring onion & cook for 2 mins
3. Add beaten egg, then rice & ginger.  Cook for another 2 mins
4. Add the sauces & stir to combine together then add salt & pepper.

Prawn Noodle Soup - Slow Cooker

Ingredients
24 medium/large prawns ~ do not discard prawn heads/shells
1 chicken bones
50g dried anchovies (aka ikan bilis)

3 cloves garlic ~ crushed/coarsely chopped
2 star anise
8 cloves
12-20 black peppercorns

1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of ground white pepper
4 tbsp cooking oil
6 cups of water or more

Yellow noodles / rice vermicelli
Kangkong vegetables
Bean sprout

Garnish
Fried shallot
Fresh chilies ~ julienne

Directions:

1. Wash & shell prawns with tail remained intact.  Cut a deep slit at the back of the prawns to devein; keep them refrigerated to reserve for later.  Then trim prawn heads.  Set aside the heads & shells for use in boiling soup base.
2. Blanch the chicken bone in a large sieve/strainer & pour hot water over it slowly.  Reserve for later.
3. Heat wok with 2 tbsp of oil over high fire.  Place & stir fry prawn heads & shells for abt 5 mins or until turn deep orange & strong fragrant.
4. Reduce heat to medium before adding dried anchovies & brown sugar to the shells, continue to stir fry for 3 mins.  Add garlic & stir fry for another 3 mins.
5. Add water to the mixture & return to high heat to bring to a boil.  When boiling add in star anise, cloves & black peppercorns.  Let it boil for 2 mins before adding dark soy sauce & pepper.  Mix all ingredients well, before heat off.  Transfer the broth to a slow cooker.  Add in the blanched chicken bone too.
6. Set slow cooker to auto/low shift.  Let the prawn soup & chicken bone simmer in slow cooker for as long as desired, till ready to serve.
7. About 10 mins before serving, stir in salt.  Scope out & discard the shells, anchovies & any surface scum.
8. Return prawn meat from refrigerator & blanch the prawn meat with boiling water till pinked.  Removed & set aside.  Discard & change to another pot of boiling water, blanch noodles, kangkong & bean sprout for about 2 mins.  Remove noodles & vegetables with a sieve/strainer & plunge into a large pot of cold/iced water for 5 sec.  Then return to the hot water again for another 5 sec.  This is to let the noodles remain springy & a little chewy.  Drain & divide into bowls.
9. Add cooked prawns & ladle broth into each bowl of noodles.  Garnish with shallots & hot chili.  Serve hot.

Banana Fritters with Cheese

Ingredients:
4 ripped bananas (any type will do)

1 egg
1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
1-2 tbsp fine sugar

100ml milk
1-1/2 cup plain flour (more or less adhered to the dough)
1/2-1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Peeled bananas, mashed with eggs, sugar, salt, baking powder & soda bicarbonate until crushed.
2. Then add the milk and flour, bit by bit, and mix well. Then add the shredded cheddar cheese and mix the mixture well. Set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil at moderate heat. Scoop a spoonful of the batter and fry until golden yellow on all sides.
4. Drain on the paper towel & serve immediately.

Banana Cheese Fritters

Fried Macaroni

Ingredients:
3-4 cup macaroni
250g meat (stirfried beef)
1 large onion ~ chopped/diced
3 cloves garlic ~ chopped
1 carrot ~ cut 1" thin stick size
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp chili sauce (maggie)
3 tbsp chili boh/paste ~ can added more if want spicy
1 cube beef knorr
Salt to taste ~ if needed

Directions:

1. In a large wok, heat 2 tbsp oil on medium heat.  Saute the chopped/diced onions & garlic till the fragrant.
2. Add the chili sauce & paste; stir continuously till the oil surface.
3. Then add the carrot stick & cook for about 5 mins or till turn soft. 
4. Add the oyster sauce & beef cube & cook for another 5 mins then add the beef.  Continue to stir till the beef is cook.
5. Slowly stir in the cooked macaroni & mixed well till all incorporate together.  (If there is less salt, can add).  Remove from heat & serve immediately.

Homemade Evaporated Milk

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cup full cream milk

Directions:
Pour the milk in the saucepan & simmer down until it becomes 1 cup.

Roti Jala aka Net Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Vegetable oil to grease the pan

Directions:

1. Sift flour & ground turmeric into a large bowl.  Add stir, stir in beaten egg, milk & water until a smooth batter forms.  Strain batter to remove any lumps.
2. Brush a little oil onto a non-stick pan on medium heat.  Pour a little batter into the roti jala cup until about half full.  Move the cup in a circular motion over the pan to form a lacy/net pattern.  Cook until set, takes about 2 mins.  Slide the crepe out of the pan onto a plate.  Repeat until all batter is used up.
3. When cool enough to handle, fold in half & half till it forms a triangle shape.
4. Serve with your favorite curry.

Jala Cup

Kalbi Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients:
2 lb/1kg beef short ribs ~ rinse & pat dry

Pre-Marinade
1/2 cup grated onion
2 tbsp honey or 1 can 7-Up

• Pour grated onion over the beef & add honey.  Turn each of the ribs to coat.  Let sit for 2-3 hours to tenderize the beef.  Drain the pre-marinated liquid.

Marinade

5 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp Chinese Rice Wine

2 tsp sesame oil

2 stalks green onion ~ chopped

4 tsp chopped garlic

2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

2 tbsp water

1 tsp grated ginger

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then pour over the pre-marinade beef for overnight.
• Pre-heat the grill/broil to 550 Fahrenheit / 280 deg. C.  Grill for 2 min per side.

          

           

 

Orange Sponge Cupcake

Ingredients:
25g corn oil
35g fresh-squeezed orange juices
3 large eggs (60g) ~ cold from the fridge
95 caster sugar
100g Top/cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 orange rind/zest

Method

1. Mix corn oil & orange juice together; set aside
2. Mix flour & salt, sieve twice and set aside
3. Remove eggs from the fridge, add into the mixing bowl together with caster sugar.  Immediately beat till pale, thick & fluffy (Note: Use KA mixer with balloon whisk: 3 mins @ speed 8-9, 10 mins @ speed 4-5 & 2 mins @ speed 1-2)
4. While mixer running @ speed 1-2, add in orange rind/zest & flour spoon by spoon.  Then add in corn oil/orange juice mixture. (Do not over mix)
5. Remove mixing bowl, use a spatula to fold in the batter till well combined.
6. Pour batter in a lined 12 holes muffin pan until 90% full.  Lightly tap on countertop to remove air bubbles.
7. Bake @ pre-heated oven 170 deg C for 25 mins in the middle rack

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients:
170g butter
350g brown sugar
3 eggs
135g cake flour
35g coco powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
3 ripe bananas ~ pureed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.  Line cupcake/muffin pan & set aside.
2. Place butter in the mixing bowl, with paddle attachment beat the butter slowly until smooth & creamy.  Add brown sugar, cream the mixture at moderate speed until the mixture light & fluffy about 8-10 mins.
3. Add eggs one at a time after each addition, beat until the eggs are incorporated before add more for about 5 mins.  Scrape down the side of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together then add 1/4 of the shifted dry ingredients into batter mixture alternately with wet ingredients (milk+bananas pureed) and ends in dry ingredients.
5. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liner (55g ea) and bake for 28 mins.  Cool the cupcake completely.
6. Frost the cupcake with chocolate buttercream.

Chocolate Buttercream

2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cup butter (500g)

• In medium saucepan, melt chips & butter over medium low heat, whisk frequently.
• Once melted, cool completely & chill until solid.
• Remove from fridge & allow to room temperature.  Put the chocolate in a mixing bowl & beat on medium for 2 mins until light in color & fluffy.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:
2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cup butter (500g)

• In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate chips & butter over medium-low heat, whisking frequently.
• When melted, cool completely & chill until solid
• Remove from fridge & allow to come to room temperature.
• Put all the chocolate in a mixing bowl & beat on medium for 2 mins until light in color & fluffy.

Note:

Makes enough frosting to filling & frost 8" layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

Store refrigerated but allow to come back to room temperature before serving.