Zhajiangmian

Went to Bin's place to 'tou shi' from his mum - To learn from auntie her famous 'Zha Jiang Mian'. It is really yummy and good. No wonder Chioh loves and raves about it is even better than 'qun zhong'.
These family secret recipes are always agah agah one... I can also agah something similar

INGREDIENT
- Meat (chicken / pork / beef)
Seasoning:
- Oyster sauce
- abit of ginger juice
- Super High grade soy sauce
- some bean paste
- seasame oil
- Star anise powder
- Five spice powder
(Best to season meat overnight)

When frying add some light soy sauce & pepper to taste

- cucumber
- spring onion
- fried shallot

YUM YUM!!

So it's called "Abuk Abuk Sagu"

Mummy was sharing her success in cooking the sago in the green bean soup and recalled this sago dessert which i made during my secondary school days after my home economics class. All of us recalled that it was really yummy but i simply couldn't find the recipe anywhere.
Today, with my super googling skill i think i found the recipe! So it's called Abuk Abuk Sago. =)

Ingredients:
150g sago pearls
80g - 90g freshly grated coconut + salt to taste
1 tbsp water
80g gula melaka (chopped up)

alternative: (1/2 tsp pandan paste) - divide sago into 2 portion / wrap in banana leaves

Method:
1. Wash sago pearls, soak for 10-15 minutes then strain.
2. Add grated coconut, salt and water to the sago pearls, mix well.
3. Spoon 1.5 tablespoon of sago mixture into mould, add in 1 teaspoonful of gula melaka, top it up with 1 tablespoon of sago mixture.
4. Steam on high heat for 20 minutes or till cooked.

Cotton soft japanese cheesecake

Serves 12
Equipment: 8 inch springform

INGREDIENTS:
140g fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g butter
250g cream cheese
100ml fresh milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
60g cake flour
20g cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt

METHOD:

1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, cornflour, egg yolks, lemon juice and mix well.

2. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

3. Fold in the cheese mixture to the egg white mixture. Pour into a 8-inch round cake pan (lightly grease and line the bottom and side of the pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper)

4. Bake cheesecake in waterbath for 1hr 10mins or until set and golden brown at 160 degC

Variation: replace 30g of flour with green tea powder

Smoothie

Avocado and apple smoothie

serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and quartered
½ ripe avocado
½ cup apple juice
½ cup ice
3 mint leaves juice
½ lime juice
Combine all ingredients together in a blender and process until smooth

Strawberry smoothie
serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
100g low-fat frozen strawberry yogurt
250 strawberries
500ml no-fat milk

Soften yogurt slightly, cut into into pieces. Cut strawberries into half. Blend until smooth

Peach smoothie
serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
500ml no-fat soy milk
1 medium banana (400g)
2 peaches (600g)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Blend ingredients until smooth

Carrot and banana cake

cooking time: 2hrs
serves: 12

1 1/4cup (185g) plain flour
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (80g) coarsely chopped walnuts
3 eggs, beaten lightly
2 cups coarsely grated carrot (abt 4 medium carrots)
1 cup mashed banana (abt 2 overripe large bananas)
1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil

Cream cheese frosting
90g cream cheese
90g butter
1 cup (160g icing sugar)

Equipment: 24cm springform tin

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 170 degreeC/150 force-fan. Grease base and side of 24cm springform tin, line base with baking paper

2. Sift flour, soda, spices and sugar into a large bowl. Stir in walnuts, egg, carrot, banana and oil; pour mixture into prepared tin

3. Bake for 1hr 15mins. (make sure center comes out clean) Cool cake tin.

4. Meanwhile, make cream cheese frosting
Cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible; gradually beat in icing sugar

Caramel and Chocolate slice

cooking time: 25mins
serves: 16

1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
3/4 cup (120g) firmly packed brown sugar
120g butter, melted
125g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup (55g) walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup (35g) plain flour, extra
1/2 cup (125ml) thick caramel-flavoured ice-cream

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰c. Grease 19cm x 29cm slice pan, line base with baking pan, extending pan 2cm above edges

2. Combine flours, oats and sugar in medium bowl, stir in butter. Press half the mixture into pan. Bake 10mins. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chocolate and walnuts

3. Blend extra flour with caramel topping in a small bowl. Drizzle evenly over chocolate and walnut, then sprinkle remaining oat mixture

4. Bake further 15mins. Cool in pan; cut into squares before serving

Frozen mocha mousse

cooking time: 1hr
serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

Dark Chocolate Layer
100g dark chocolate, melted
2 tsp coffee liqueur
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup (125ml) thicken cream

Milk Chocolate Layer
100g milk chocolate, melted
2 tsp coffee liqueur
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream

White Chocolate Layer
100g white chocolate, melted
30g butter
2 tsp coffee liqueur
3 eggs, separated
2/3 cup (160ml) thicken cream

Nutty Chocolate sauce
1/2 cup (165g) hazelnut spread
3/4 cup (180ml) thickened cream
1 tbsp coffee-liqueur

equipment: 14cm x 21cm loaf pan with plastic wrap

METHOD

1. Combine chocolate, liqueur and egg yolks in large bowl, stir until smooth

2. Whip cream in small bowl until soft peaks form, fold in chocolate mixture

3. Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form, fold into chocolate mixture

4. Pour mixture into prepared dish, cover with foil, freeze until firm

5. Top with milk chocolate layer, cover; freeze until firm

6. Top with white chocolate layer, cover; freeze until firm

7. Meanwhile, Place hazelnut spread into heatproof bowl, stir over hot water until pourable, gradually stir in cream and liqueur; refrigerate until cool
Serve: Turn moussee onto serving plate, remove plastic wrap. Slice mousse, serve with nutty chocolate sauce

(Alternative: 1.5-litre (6-cup) airtight container or minicups)

Salad dressings

Creamy sesame salad dressing
serving: 2

INGREDIENT
2 tbsp ground white sesame seeds
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated onion
1 or 2 tsps mayonnaise


Wasabi salad dressing

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp wasabi paste
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil

METHOD
Mix soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste and wisk well.


Miso salad dressing

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp Miso paste
1 1/2 tbsp Japanese mayo
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame seeds
few drops of sesame oil

Grilling the Steak

Grilling the Steak

Preheat a frying pan or grill—it should be very hot when you add the meat. It is not necessary to grease the pan. Add the steak, and leave to cook without moving the meat around. A medium-rare, medium-thick steak will take 3 minutes per side. Only flip the meat once—steak should be handled as little as possible.

When the steak is cooked, leave to rest on the serving plate for a minute or two. This raises the internal temperature of the meat and increases its juiciness. Pour the sauce over the steak and/or mashed potatoes and serve. Bon appetit!

Black forest cheesecake

cooking time: 10mins
serves: 8


INGREDIENTS
250g plain chocolate biscuits
125g butter, melted
2 tsp gelatine
1/2 cup (125ml) water
250g cream cheese, softened
3/4 caster sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
300ml thick cream
425g pitted black cherries

topping:
3/4 cup of can cherries syrup
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp dark rum


METHOD

1. Process biscuits into fine crumbs. combine with butter and press biscuit mixture evenly over base and side of 20cm springform. Refrigerate for 30mins

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatine over water in small heatproof jug, stand jug in small sauce pan of simmering water. Stir until gelatine dissolve cool for 5mins

3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and juice in a small bowl will electric mixer until smooth.

4. Whip cream until soft peak form, fold into cheese mixture. in two batches; fold in gelatine mixture. Drain cherries and reserve 3/4 cup syrup for topping.

5. Spon 1/3 of cheese mixture into crumb crust, top with half of the cherries, repeat layering. ending with cheese mixture. Refrigerate until just firm.

6. Meanwhile make topping. Blend cornflour and sugar with cherry syrup in saucepan. stir over gentle heat until mixture boils and thicken, stir in rum and cool for 10mins.

7. Spread topping over cheesecake, swirl gently into cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight.

Lemon Cheesecake (no-bake)

cooking time: 30mins
serving: 8

INGREDIENTS

250g plain sweet biscuits
125g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, softened
395g can condensed milk
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice
1 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp water

Glaze: 2 eggs
3/4 Cup sugar 1
tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 Cup lemon juice
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. butter


METHOD

1. Crush biscuits into fine crumbs and combine with butter. Press biscuit mixture over base and side of 20cm springform tin. Refrigerate for 30mins or until firm.

2. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. beat in condensed milk, rind and juice; beat until smooth.

3. Sprinkle gelatine over the water in a small heatproof jug; stang jug in small sauce pan of simmering water until gelatine dissolves; cool for 5mins

4. stir gelatine mixture into lemon mixture. Pour mixture into crust and refrigerate for 3hrs.

Glaze:
whisk eggs in a small saucepan until foamy. Combine with sugar, rind, juices & butter in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth & thickened. Cool. Pour over cheesecake and chill.

Sweet soy beef on rice

cooking time: 15mins
serving: 6

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of Japanese rice
200g cellophane noodles
1/2 cup (125ml) Japanese soy sauce
1 tbsp white sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) mirin or sweet white wine
300g beef eye fillet, sliced paper thin
2 green onion, sliced diagonally into 2cm lengths
1cm piece fresh ginger, grated finely

METHOD

1. Cook rice.

2. Meanwhile, place noodles in medium saucepan of boiling water and cook for 1min. Cut into 10cm length

3. Bring sauce, sugar, mirin to a boil. Add beef and cook; return sauce to same pan.

4. Add onion and noodles to pan, simmer for 3mins until onion softens. Return beef to pan, add ginger.

5. Top rice with beef mixture

Glazed Meatloaf

cooking time: 1hr 15mins
serves: 6

INGREDIENT
750g beef mince
1 cup (70g) breadcrumbs
1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped finely
1 egg
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
185g can evaporated milk
2 tsp mustard powder

1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp mustard powder, extra
1/4 cup (60ml) tomato sauce, extra


METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 160 fan-forced. Grease 14 x 21cm loaf pan

2. Combine beef, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, sauces, milk and mustard in medium bowl; press mixture into pan. Turn pan upside down onto a foil-lined oven tray. Leave pan in place. Cook for 15mins

3. Meanwhile, combine sugar, extra mustard and extra sauce in a small bowl

4. Remove loaf from oven; remove pan. Brush loaf well with glaze, return loaf to oven; cook for 1 hour or until well browned and cooked through.

Sticky pork with kaffir lime leaves

cooking time: 20mins
serving: 6

INGREDIENTS

Pork 2 tablespoons peanut oil
300g minced pork
¾ cup grated palm sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded thinly
½ cup deep fried shallots
½ cup deep fried garlic
½ cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1½ cups coriander leaves
4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded thinly
1 fresh long red chilli, sliced thinly
600g spinach, trimmed (or 200g baby spinach)
1 lime, cut into wedges

Coriander paste
4 coriander roots
5 cloves garlic
12 white peppercorns

METHOD

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add pork; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until browned lightly. Drain on absorbent paper; cool.

Meanwhile make coriander paste
Coriander paste:
2. Wash coriander roots and chop coarsely. Using a mortar and pestle or food mill, crush the coriander roots, garlic and peppercorns to form a smooth paste.

3. Heat remaining oil in large frying pan; cook paste about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add sugar, sauce and lime leaves. Simmer, uncovered, about 7 minutes or until mixture thickens.

4. Return pork to pan with half the shallots, half the garlic and half the peanuts; cook, uncovered for about 5 minutes or until mixture is sticky.

5. Add remaining shallots, garlic and peanuts to mixture. Stir in one cup of the coriander and extra lime leaves.

Top pork mix with chilli and remaining coriander, serve with spinach leaves and lime wedges.

Speedy Minestrone

INGREDIENTS
serving: 8
30g butter
1 medium brown onion, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 strips of bacon, chopped coarsely
1 celery stalk, chopped coarsely
1 medium carrot, chopped coarsely
400g can chopped tomatoes
310g red kidney beans
3 cups (750ml) fat free chicken stock
1/3 cup spiral pasta or alphabet pasta
(some recipes call for 2tbsp of Worcestershire sauce)

toppings:
1/4 cup flaked parmesan
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

1. Heat butte in a large saucepan, add onion, garlic and bacon; stir over medium heat until onion is soft. Add celery and carrot; stir over heat for 2 mins
2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, beans, stock and pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30mins
3. Serve topped with cheese and parsley

Cheese and Ham fritters

re-created this from gorgonzola fritters recipe

Cheese and Ham fritters
serving: 48

INGREDIENTS
2 cup fine, dry bread crumbs, divided (to replace with plain flour?)
2 cup ground cooked ham
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

METHOD
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs with next 5 ingredients, mixing well; shape into 1 inch balls
2. Roll balls in remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Chill 30 minutes
3. Deep fry ham and cheese balls in hot oil (375 degrees) for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels
Serve immediately with prepared mustard or sweet and sour sauce.

Salmon herbed pikelets / Smoked salmon tarlets

1) Salmon herbed pikelets
cooking time: 15 mins
servings: 16

INGREDIENTS
Pikelets
1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
15g butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Salmon Topping
185g packaged cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
220g can red salmon, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

METHOD

1. Sift flour and soda into bowl, stir in combined buttermilk, egg, butter, parsley and chives, mix to a smooth batter (or process until smooth).
2. Drop dessertspoons of batter into hot, greased frying pan. Cook one side until light golden brown, turn, cook other side. Cool on wire rack.
3. Topping - Blend or process cheese, lemon juice and salmon until smooth
4. Pipe topping onto pikelets, sprinkle with chives.

2) Creamy smoked salmon tartlets
cooking time: 30mins
servings: 24

INGREDIENTS
3 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
100g smoked salmon, chopped finely
2 gherkins, chopped finely
2 green onions, chopped finely
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
1 tbsp milk
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp hot paprika

METHOD
1. Preheat oven at 180°c/160°c fan forced. Lightly grease 12-hole shallow patty pan 2. Cut 24 x 6.5cm rounds from pastry; place into patty pan holes 3. Sprinkle salmon, gherkin and onion into pastry cases; pour in combined sour cream, milk, egg, dill and paprika
4. Bake for 30mins. Serve hot.