Thursday, February 28, 2013

Grilled Pork on Rice Vermicelli

Love this food - Bun Cha (Hanoi grilled pork)


Bun Cha is one of the popular vietnamese street food in Hanoi

To make Bun Cha dipping sauce :

1. Combine the sugar, fish sauce and rice vinegar in a saucepan, stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, allow to cool.

2. Add sliced red chilli, finely diced garlic, julienned carrot, lime juice and water into the fish sauce mixture

When Eating :

Place rice vermicelli on a lettuce leaf, top it with grilled pork, fresh herbs and roll into a log, dip the lettuce log into the sauce and eat....the flavour is dancing in your mouth

I am not a meat person therefore I always cannot resist food that is heaped with mountain of fresh vegetables, herbs and a little meat...I am happy.

My old man comments : the grilled pork needs more caramelisation and it should look like the "京都排骨". Next time I will put the pork on a barbie to get the grilled effect.


My 2nd attempt to cook Bun Cha

Sunday, February 24, 2013

农历正月十五

一晃就是今日二月廾四日,农历正月十五即元宵节. 正月为元月,古人称夜为宵,而十五日又是一年中第一个月圆之夜,故称正月十五为元宵节. 过完今日这个春节也正式落幕了. 然而对我们来说从初一至十五都是无两样,红毛boss与红毛work mates 连一句新年快乐亦无提及,只会问我"Meei, can you make fortune cookies for the kids? can we use the red packets for the chocolate money?"还好Alice和我互道恭贺新禧!

好好吃的京都排骨


I garnish the dish with home grown spring onion and bird eye chilli


Serve京都排骨with cucumber salad, pickled vegetables and steamed rice

To make the marinade sauce : oyster sauce, brown sugar, salt, sesame oil, pepper, salt, one egg, corn flour and water

To make the 京都 sauce : tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice wine, five spice powder, water, salt and pepper to taste

Method of cooking : seal the meat in hot oil in order to give a nice caramelised colour and put aside, meanwhile bring the sauce to the boil, throw in the meat and cook till the sauce has thickened.

祝元宵节快乐

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Dried Cranberry and Walnut Bread Loaf

I love today's weather - 31 deg C, a blue sky, clear day. It's a good day to make bread and also an ideal temperature for fermenting and proofing bread doughs. 

Note : Yeast dies at 60 deg C and stops producing carbon dioxide.

Dried Cranberry and Walnut Bread Loaf



 The dough is ready for the oven


The result .....


It's ready to eat with butter and a good cup of Lavazza coffee

Lean Dough Recipe : 530g high protein flour, 3 tsp dried yeast, 30g caster sugar, 1 tsp salt, 20g butter, approx. 400g fresh milk

I add 70g ground coconut, dried cranberries and walnuts

Straight Dough Method

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

If you are tired of eating sweet muffins.......

Savoury muffins are another good option for breakfast, afternoon tea, snack or supper. If you are tired of eating sweet muffins I think this savoury muffin recipe is a good try.

Fuss free recipe : Ham and corn muffins


Muffins that are put on green, blue and pink plates are for kids on special diet such as vegetarian, dairy free cooking and who are only allowed to eat small amount of cheese. Kids require special diet in Melbourne are common nowadays. I know of a kid at my work place who is restricted from eating apple, onion and tomato. Strange as it sounds that's the reality in Australia.


Ingredients used in this recipe : 2 1/2 cups self raising flour plus pinch of salt and pepper, 300g honey glazed ham, 250g corn kernels, 2 cups grated tasty cheese, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 4 eggs

Method : Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle some cheese and shredded ham on top of the mixture. Bake at 180 deg C for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

You could omit ham if you are a vegan.

Monday, February 18, 2013

My Great Summer dish - Zucchini slice

Zucchini/Vegetables slice

Aussie, either adults or kids love zucchini slices; they are delicious, simple to make, healthy and easy eating; especially on hot summer days.



Great hot, warm or cold, it can also be frozen.....you just need to reheat in the oven



Ideal for the lunch box too......

Ingredients used in this recipe : 1 small red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 slices middle rind bacon, 1 medium size zucchini. 4 or more cherry tomatoes, 5 eggs, 1 1/2 cup cheese (parmesan, mozzarella and tasty cheese) 90g self raising flour, cooking oil, salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

Method : 

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C
2. Saute onion, garlic and bacon
3. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well
4. Pour mixture in a greased or lined shallow tin, place cherry tomatoes (cut side up) on the mixture and bake for approx. 30 mins

Serve zucchini slice with fresh salad and tomato sauce. For me I use rocket leaves as I love it's peppery taste.

ENJOY & BON APPETIT!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

恋恋椰子面包

Coconut buns


 记忆满满的椰子面包.....不同的是它的甜度,大小,份量等等全由我来控制

 My old man 一口气吃了四个,我吃了三个,刚巧Ling Chew来访她亦吃了四个同时还外带两个回家. 本想带六个给我八十六岁高龄的fil又怕太后不高兴,算了吧!


身份尊贵的Asian vanilla essence - Pandan leaves


fresh pandan leaves which i paid A$3.00 for - 物以稀为贵.

To make the filling : Put the gula Melaka, caster sugar, pandan leaf and water in a sauce pan, cook till  sugar dissolve, add in the grated coconut and corn flour and continue to cook for a few minutes. done. 
This coconut filling can also use for kuih dadar, pulut inti, kuih koci and so on.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Pickled vege

醒神开胃小菜 Pickled vege - cucumber, carrot, radish, shallot, chili, rice wine vinegar and sugar


 sweet and sour + crunchy texture

served as a great accompaniment for hot and spicy dishes 

Monday, February 11, 2013

2013 的大年初一

大年初一的晚餐 



Silky smooth pumpkin soup with crusty bread

每逢大年初一向二老拜年时, 曾家老大总是摆出一张臭脸甚至还狗嘴长不出象牙, 此时此刻我和曾家大姐则会对眼相望, 会心微笑, 继续细细的话说从头(不允许高谈阔论), 姐夫就会摇摇头, my old man 呢? 由于他是 儿子中排行最小, 没说话的份儿. 嘻嘻! 曾家的新年, 套老外的一句感叹语 oh my god!!!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Dinner for two - Pacific Salmon Rice

两人的晚餐 - Pacific Salmon Rice


Lite and easy dinner, simple to cook and fast to eat ( 红毛和新新人类只会吃无头无尾无骨的鱼和鸡,中国人对吃的文化恐怕也会渐行渐远)

This year is my 7th Chinese New Year in Melbourne, new year ends when reunion dinner is done, 饭后拍拍屁股,各就各位. 但愿今年胜去年.

刚来墨尔本时对华人新年也有几许的期待但经过这几年的时间洗礼后这份心情亦默默的随之淡化了, 还好的是对我的"马来"亲朋戚友倒是特别的想念 .... 佳节思故乡. 我思故我在.



寒辞去冬雪,暖带入春风。共欢新故岁,迎送一宵中。

各有所好, 对我来说新年也不过如此倒特别想念我妈煮的年夜饭菜.
    

贺新年,祝新年 - 新年烘焙乐



杏仁瓦片酥

 脆而不硬,口感佳

凤梨酥


Pineapple tart is one of my favourite Chinese New Year cookies. I buy the pineapples from Victoria Market, and this year I am lucky to have bought four small pineapples at A$5.00. I made the jam a week ago and froze it in the freezer.

Tomorrow 9-2-2013 is Chinese New Year Eve, happy new year to you all ........ May the Golden Snake bring joy, good health and prosperity.


温暖曲奇 for my FIL and friends ( Mil blames me for making such an "unhealthy sweet things" for her family members 呵呵!吃力不讨好)

Sunday, February 3, 2013

贺新年, 祝新年 - Slice and bake cookies for Chinese New Year.

Lemon, Dried Cranberries and Pistachio Cookies



The basic recipe is taken from The Australian Women's Weekly.

250g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
300g plain flour
75g rice flour
50g corn flour
2 tablespoons milk

This is a very versatile recipe, you just have to use the basic ingredients and make any variation of flavour as you like

For me, I add:-

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
120g chopped dried cranberries
120g chopped pistachio 

Method of cooking:-

1. Beat the butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well
3. Roll the mixture into a log, wrap in baking paper and refrigerate until firm
4. Preheat oven to 150 deg C fan-forced
5. Cut the log into 1cm slices and place them about 2 cm apart on lined oven trays. Bake for 20     minutes.

I am satisfied with the result. The cookies are crunchy, buttery yet not heavy. I hope you like it.




Almond Cookies 杏仁酥



Besides pineapple tarts I think almond cookies is another representative and traditional Chinese new year cookie. It is quite easy to make and you could shape and decorate them in whatever way you like. This recipe is given by my good friend Mary Sze Toh who is a Vietnamese Australian residing in Melbourne. We met in Tafe College when we were pursuing our commercial cookery and patisserie course.


 one stone kills two birds, I make these cookies in one sitting


蛇年七宝:热情的柴,事业的米,健康的油,开心的盐,亲情的姜,爱情的醋,友谊的茶。柴米油盐姜醋茶,生活平凡也精彩。祝开心愉快!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Afternoon tea

The kids, regardless their ages at my work place, love to ask me three questions as soon as they see me in their rooms :

1. what's for morning tea?
2. what's for lunch? and
3. what's for afternoon tea?

They do that every day!

Quite unbelievable, but true.

This week I am making apple and cinnamon muffins and plain scones for their sweet afternoon tea.

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins


There are 145 muffins. You can count them if you like.

Plain Scones


These scones are light, fluffy and not greasy...... the secret ingredient is thickened cream, I love to use cream instead of butter or margarine to make scones. I learn this recipe from master chef Australia series. They taste awesome when you eat them warm with fruit jam and a dollop of whipped cream; and coffee, of course!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...