Showing posts from September, 2010

Lemon and Herbs Roasted Chicken Drumsticks

September 28, 2010
We had our long weekend ... as yesterday was a Public Holiday ~ Queen's Birthday .. I always wonder why WA celebrated Queen's Birthday in the last week of September ...  Eastern States celebrated Queen's Birthday on different dates and in the UK, it was celebrated the first Saturday of June.... anyone care to highlight??? Miss E was saying... that WA has different ' Queen '... hahaha, she can be funny sometimes .. We planned to do some ' Spring ' cleaning especially the patio... we did nothing instead... just laze around, had BBQ... enjoy the good weather and cooked simple meal... :) 8 pieces chicken drumsticks 1/2 cup green olives potatoes - quartered 2 lemons - 1 quartered and the other for juice 2 cloves garlic - crushed sprigs of lemon thyme olive oil salt and pepper Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Washed and pat dry chicken drumsticks. Arrange in a baking dish.  Mix olive oil, crushed garlic and lemon juice with salt and pepper. Add


Foccacia with Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil

September 25, 2010
This is another of  Peter Reinhart's wonderful Bread story... this time its about   Foccacia ... Since its going to be a Foccacia story ...shall I start with 'Once upon a time'?? Nah!! better skip that... otherwise someone will start to snooze without even reading... :) Peter Reinhart has been mentioned again and again in my posts (bread related)... I have learned a lot about breadmaking and baking from him. His book ~ The Bread Baker Apprentice is like a bread bible to me... Whenever I am in the baking bread mood... I'd refer to his book... and I thought that I could remember all by heart... how wrong can I be!!! there are little pointers and prompters everywhere... Just like this Foccacia... first attempt was a success (2 years ago)... Mr H and kids have been asking for more since... I decided to bake Foccacia again this week (requested by Miss E ... many moons ago )... I was so chuffed with the outcome... It was the tastiest Foccacia I have


Tofu chips, Enoki and Udon soup

September 23, 2010
Tofu Chips  is good for snacking... and it can be use as condiment to this simple yet refreshing Udon Soup. Again inspired by Ms Hay ... but I make do with ingredients from my pantry... like Enoki Mushroom and Udon... This is one 'vegetarian ' meal that my carnivore son wouldn't mind... he asked for more the next day... Tofu Chips 2 liter of water 1/3 cup od light soy sauce 1/4 cup of oyster sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 packet of Enoki mushroom 1 packet og Hakubaku Udon noodle.. Bring to boil water in a big pot. Add the seasonings... and Udon noodles. Cook as per packet instruction.  Bring to boil... Then add Enoki mushroom.and serve immediately... garnish the noodles with tofu chips and spring onion and chilli (if desired)...


Gnocchi with Basil Pesto

September 21, 2010
We had been consuming quite a fair bit of 'meat' lately... and with the recent Eid-ul-Fitr celebration... meat consumption has doubled... the celebration food has always been rich in either meat, coconut milk, ghee or sugar.  How not to pile on kilos... sigh ... we have started our  brisk walking around the suburb yesterday... oh boy !! I was huffing and puffing after 5 minutes of walking... it seems like eternity to reach home... so unfit!!! I have to persevere as not to be laughed at by Mr H Jr ( cheeky person ...) who thinks that my plan to have our evening brisk walking will only be a 'passing fancy'. I take this opportunity to thank my friends ( you know who you are ..) who celebrated with us last Saturday with their delicious and scrumptous  'Buah Tangan' ... Its time to go back to simple food... vegetarain meal once a week. Mr H Jr will not be too happy without his meat!! 500g Gnocchi - cooked as per packet instruction 3 tablespo


Tofu Chips

September 16, 2010
I was browsing through Donna Hay's Autumn magazine ...  it was described as tofu strips~ which of course much thinner than mine :) as part of a dish... but I had different ideas... as my tofu keeps breaking up, if I were to slice any thinner hence I decided to make these wonderful chips instead...  It has that nice crunch with a hint of Chinese Five Spice after taste... everyone just could not stop munching on these wonderful Tofu Chips.. Firm tofu - cut into thick strips (about 1cm) 3/4 cup rice flour 1/2 teaspoon chinese 5 spice 1 teaspoon white pepper salt oil for shallow frying Mix the rice flour, 5 spice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add tofu and gently toss to coat... shake excess and shallow fry until golden... Best serve immediately...  :)


Vouchers Giveaway...

September 16, 2010
I have 2 booklets of Gift Vouchers redeemable at  Coles Express  to give away... in Australia only... Mr H Jr is participating in World Challenge (through his school program) to Nepal in 2011. They are embarking on an exciting yet eye opening life experience... He is raising funds by selling these vouchers (I am giving away 2 booklets.. to my 2 lucky readers .. or if you wish to help him by purchasing one of these vouchers at AUD10 per booklet... do contact me via email... thanks) This is an excerpt from his email to us .... "..... . I am selling gift vouchers (redeemable at any Shell-Coles Express service station) to raise funds for my World Challenge Trip Camp; Community Project. World Challenge involves taking students out of their ‘comfort zone’ i.e. city life for me, and placing them into a new environment where they have to adapt and learn the culture of their new environment. This year World Challenge is taking students to Nepal . Nepal, as you alre


Broccoli Soup

September 14, 2010
I have been sluggish in updating my blog... not that I am not in the mood, there were so many ' happenings ' at the moment... one of those 'happenings ' is my camera~ my 'faithful' Lumix is giving up on me.., I think it is in it's last 'tour' of duty :(... sigh...  sad ... so... sad. While I am thinking of which camera to buy...  that will not burn a big hole in my pocket...  I'll be using Miss E's camera ... (or could be permanently using hers... :) hahaha ... ) Back to our food topic... Brocolli soup ... I first made Brocolli soup... may be 3 years ago before my ' blogging ' life... Mr H and I loved it... Mr H Jr and Miss E would put on their 'very looooong unhappy faces' ... well what can I say... kids and vegetables!!! This could be due to its texture that is not as smooth as other vegetables soup ..(or could be me ~ did not blend long enough to create that 'smooth' ness )... 1 brown on


Green Peas Cookies

September 06, 2010
It is the time of the year again, where Malaysian and Muslim all round the world will be celebrating the end of fasting month. I was told by Mr H who was in Kuala Lumpur last week, that shopping was a nightmare... it was packed and overly crowded ...everywhere he turned... so he didn't get to do what he intended to do on his short stay in Kuala Lumpur  but to attend meeting... :( To mark the auspiscious celebration... which probably be celebrated this Friday...  Miss E and I were busy in the kitchen yesterday... making these traditional cookies ... Kuih Makmur Bahulu  and this Green Peas cookies... I was introduced to Green Peas cookies by Melissa , last Chinese New Year celebration... it tasted so good that I immediately search the net for the recipe and found this ... quickly jotted down in my little red book. It is easy to make ... however the only complain I have is that I have to take out the outer membrane of the green peas... on


Spiral Curry Puff

September 04, 2010
At first... I thought making these swirl or layered curry puffs would be so mind boggling and difficult but I was OK... Few simple steps, wrap this, roll that, slice this and seal that...then off into a hot wok to be deep fried... Nice afternoon delight with Malaysian black coffee ... Filling: mince meat ... beef or chicken potatoes - diced onion - diced curry leaves 2 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds- grounded salt and pepper oil Saute the onion and curry leaves until fragrant. Add in mincemeat. Give it a good stir. Add curry powder and cumin. Stir for few minutes then add in potatoes...and stir fry until slightly on the dry side  (a little bit mushy). Season to taste. Leave it to cool I'll make it easier with my pictorial steps (FIG.1-4) above...going clockwise from top left hand corner.. FIG 1 : Dough A ( yellow ): 240g plain flour 100g margerine 6-7 tablespoon water Mix until a smooth dough and leave it to rest fo


Golden Marinated Hiramasa

September 02, 2010
This is another appetising Japanese dish. It is tasty and easy... serve with steam rice and miso soup for a complete meal. As one could tell ... I love to use Hiramasa in my cooking as I find that it is sweet, firm and quite versatile to use in any Asian or Western cooking. If Hiramasa is not available... then Mackerel is an excellent alternatives... happy yum..yum.. :)  Hiramasa fillets - cut into 1cm thickness salt oil for deep frying corn flour for dusting spring onion for garnishing for the marinate 15g fresh ginger- grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice (about 1 1/2 teaspoon) 3 tablespoon light soy sauce 3 tablespoon sushi vinegar/ mirin/ sake Mix the marinate in a bowl. Arrange Hiramasa in a deep dish. Pour the marinate over the fish and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Slowly heat the oil for deep frying. Dust the fish with cornflour and shake off the excess. Deep fry the hiramasa until golden. Drain on a plate an