Halloween Rich Fruit loaf

Celabration of the Halloween isn't something we do here but it's good excuse for me to have a small fruity treat! :D .. Rich Fruit loaf.. Not as sweet as cake but sweeter than bread.. I use both black tea and brandy for the fruits but you can use tea only if desired. I also use less flour and more fruits, my personal preference to bite into flavoursome fruits and less floury taste. You may also add clean items eg. coin, ring, stick, or piece of rag into the loaf for traditional Halloween theme, but I add only coins!

Ingredients

300g raisins

100g sultanas

60g mixed peel

150ml warm, black strong tea

150ml brandy

200g demerara sugar

200g self raising flour

1/4 teaspoon mixed spice

1 egg

Method

Mix the dried fruit, mixed peel, warm tea / brandy liquid in a bowl. Cover and set aside overnight.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

Add the sugar, self-raising flour, mixed spice and egg to the dried fruit-tea mixture; stir well until mixed.

For the traditional Halloween theme, you may add some clean coin, ring, etc.. I only added coins! 

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until it feels firm to touch. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Be patient, if you can and store in an airtight container for a day or two. It really does taste better this way.

Cheesy Potato balls

One of those rainy night, I came home without any plan for tea.. Just dug out whatever in the kitchen.. I felt like hot chips with gravy and some cheese.. Yup, I was thinking of Poutine but there is no cheese curd and hot chips right here.. Righto!.. What can I make instead?.. Got potatoes, got leftover gravy, got cheese, got some seasonings.. Hmmmm Cheesy potato balls with gravy! That will do me :D

Cheese Balls

1 1/2 cup mozzarella, finely grated

1 large potato ( for 1/3 cup mashed potatoes)

2/3 cup plain flour

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp chicken salt

1/2 ground black pepper

1 cup bread crumbs

vegetable oil

Methods

In a small pot, add potato, cover with water and bring to a boil. Check for doneness after about 5 minutes by inserting a knife. It should come out easily. Drain and set aside to cool down.

Peel the skin off the potatoes and pass through a ricer to get finely mashed potatoes. If you don’t have a ricer, use a sieve and a spoon, it takes longer but the result is ultra smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed potatoes (1/3 cup), cheese, flour, egg, garlic powder, nutmeg, curry powder, chicken salt and pepper. Using your hand, mix all ingredients until well combined. It should be slightly sticky but hold its shape well.

Using about 2 tbsp of the cheese potato mixture, gently press and roll in your hand to form balls. Coat in bread crumbs.

Heat vegetable oil in a pot (enough to cover the balls). When it is hot enough to fry but not too hot or it will burn.  add cheese balls, few at a time, and fry until golden for about 2-3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.

Serve with hot gravy.

Cherry scones

One of an easy and quick baking stuff that you can whip it up on Sunday afternoon.. Cherry scones with whipping cream and jam.. and a cuppa to go with it!.. Not bad for a lazy afternoon tea :)

Ingredients

250g self raising flour

2tsp baking powder

2tbs caster sugar

60g butter

1 egg, beaten

100ml, milk 

150g glazed cherry

Preheat oven at 220 c 

Sift flour into a bowl, add baking powder, caster sugar, then rub in the butter

Add egg and milk then combine into soft dough, add cherry.

Lightly knead the dough on the lighty floured working bench, cut the dough into 7-8 small portions then roll them into ball shape and then flatten them a bit into round circle shape ~ 1 inch thick.

Line the scones onto grased baking paper on a baking tray, leave a bit of space between them.

Bake for 15 mins or golden outside.

Leave them until cool, serve with whipping cream, jam and a cuppa.

Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara

I needed an excuse to open a bottle of Chardonnay tonight.. After few glasses, I need something quick, simple and easy.. Creamy Carbonara with a touch of Chardonnay and Spaghetti .. I didn't defrost bacon, so used diced ham instead.. Still remember many years ago I made Carbonara sauce for the first time,  it looked like scrambled eggs with pasta!  .. Epic failed :) 

Ingredients

200g spaghetti 

100g diced ham or bacon 

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)

1/4 cup sliced mushroom

2 tsp olive oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup double cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Methods

In a pan over medium heat, add oil and ham, cook the ham until crunchy , then pour over white wine, let it bubble until a little amount of juice left, remove from heat.

Boil the water, cook spaghetti until al dente.

While spaghetti are cooking, in a bowl, beat together eggs, cheese, cream, salt and pepper.

Once the spaghetti is ready, drain and put them in the ham pan, add the mushroom. On the medium heat, toss them together until all coats with juice..

Remove from heat, stir in the cream mixture into the pan, tossing everything to mix.. Sprinkle more salt and pepper if needed.. Serve immediately.

Gozleme flowers

Credit this recipe to my lovely friend, Rosalie :) Her original recipe use vegan feta cheese but I couldn't find it in my local supermarket today..so I use normal feta cheese.. and also I didn't roll the dough into larger thin circles and close them up, then fry them in the pan but made smaller circles, folded them into flowers and baked them in the oven instead.. It took longer in the oven tho.. My appetite was increasing by mins. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup plain flour

3 tsp baking power

2 tbs olive oil

A pinch of salt

150 ml water

100 g feta cheese, chopped 

50 g spinach, chopped

Methods

Preheat the oven 170 c

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Add water and oil. 

Knead it but not too 

Divide the dough into small balls around ping pong size (will make 8-10 balls).

Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the working space, flatten the ball into flat round circle (using rooting pin to make it as thin as possible)..

Cut the circle in four places diagnose but leave the center for the filling (see pic)

Then fold one size at the time opposite one another to form petals (see pic)

Place them on the baking tray lined with baking paper. 

Bake them in the oven for 20 mins or until they're golden brown..do not over cooked them as they can be too dry..

Simple sweet breakfast crepe with banana, raspberry and ice cream

Trying to eat more fresh fruits for breakfast.. This one is very easy to make and great with fresh fruits.. The weather is getting warmer here.. Adding a scoop of ice cream is perfect for this weather.. Breakfast for champions I reckon :) 

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain flour

A pinch of salt

1 egg

150 ml of milk

10 g butter, melted

Sugar, Sliced banana, raspberry and ice cream to serve

Sifted flour and salt in a large bowl, make well in centre. 

In another bowl, Use balloon whisk mix together egg, milk and butter

Pour the egg mixture into flour and whisk until smooth and well combined.

Cover and put in the fridge for 30 mins

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, grease the pan with butter. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan and swirl to coat the base. Cook for 2 mins or until golden brown, turn it over and cook further for 1 min. Put on the plate and wrap the crepe cover sliced banana and raspberries.. serve with sprinkle sugar and ice cream.

San Choy Bow

Still some minced pork leftover from making wonton soup yesterday.. I decided to use up the rest of minced pork for dinner tonight.. Looking at whatever I have in the kitchen and came up with an easy and simple dish.. San Choy Bow.. Just loving aroma of sesame oil, garlic, onion and ginger in it..a great appetiser or a light meal :) 

Ingredients

300 g of lean minced pork

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp  grated fresh ginger 

1 1/2 tbs spring onions finely sliced

2 tbs grated carrot

2 tbs water chestnuts, finely chopped 

2 tbs mushroom, chopped

A handful of fresh bean sprouts

Few leaves of lettuce 

1 1/2 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs hoisin sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

Methods

In a wok over medium heat, heat the sesame oil, add onion, garlic, ginger into the hot oil, cook until soften.

Add pork and stir well and cook until brown.

Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and hoisin sauce into the pork, stir well

Add carrot, mushroom and water chestnut, cook for further 1 mins

Just before turn the heat off, quickly stir in 1tbs spring onions and half of bean sprouts.

Remove from heat and serve on each fresh lettuce leaves.

Decorate with the rest of spring onions and bean sprouts.

Serve immediately.

Easy Peanut butter and Dark chocolate fudge

One of those days that I craved for something sickening rich and sweet but too lazy for any big fuss baking.. Fudge came into my mind.. Decision, decision, decision!.. Peanut butter or Chocolate.. Couldn't make up my mind.. So I made ... Double layer Peanut butter and Datk chocolate fudge!..

Ingredients

For Peanut butter fudge

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1tsp vanilla extract

50g butter

For Chocolate fudge

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup dark baking chocolate (70% cocoa), roughly chopped

50g butter

Methods

First layer...peanut butter fudge

Heat condensed milk, peanut butter and butter over low heat in a saucepan, stir constantly to avoid sticking to bottom until it melts and bubbling, stir in vanilla extract to combine and remove from heat.

Pour it onto baking tray lained with baking paper along bottom and all sides, half way up the tray (if baking trays are small, you might need more than one or two baking trays) let it cool and put in the fridge for few hours or more until it turned solid.

Second layer..chocolate fudge

Heat condensed milk, chocolate and butter over low heat in a saucepan, stir constantly until melted and mixed throughly. 

Pour onto the solid peanut butter fudge and put inthe fridge for few hours or more until turned solid.

Cut into small squares, serve cold.. keep fudges in the fridge.

Italian Meat Balls and Spaghetti

Just like my mama used to make it!!?. Nah, just kidding..my mum doesn't cook Italian food :) ..Most of us living in western country are having pasta at least once a week, this is one of my favourite midweek dinner.. I always make this in big batch and freezed the left over for later day..

Ingredients

For meat balls

300g lean minced veal

300g lean minced pork

500g lean minced beef 

3/4 cup warm water

1cup fresh breadcrumbs made from sliced white bread

1/4cup dry breadcrumbs

2tbs chopped parsley

1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese

2tsp salt

1/2tsp ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten

Vegetable oil

Olive oil

For sauce

1tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2tsp crushed garlic

1/2cup red wine

700g canned crushed tomato

1tbs chopped parsley

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Methods

In a large bowl, add all minced meats, both breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, egg and water, combine lightly .. and use your hands form the mixture into ping pong size balls. This will make 14-16 balls.

 Pour vegetable oil and olive oil in the large pan equally amount to a death of ~ 1/4 inch. Heat the oil to medium to low heat, place the meat balls in batches in the oil, brown them and turn them carefully. It will take approx 10-15 mins each batch. Don't cook too many balls in one batch. Remove the balls onto a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.

Draine oil off the pan, just leave enough to coat the pan, add onion and cook until soften, then add garlic and cook for further 1 min. Add wine and cook for 2-3 mins on high heat. Stir in crushed tomato, parsley, salt and pepper. Return meat balls into the sauce, cover and simmer for 30mins or until meat balls are cooked.

Serve hot with spaghetti and loads of grated Parmesan cheese! 

Butter chicken and Saffron rice

I often made the Butter chicken and saffron rice in a big batch for midweek dinner and freezed left over for lunch later in the week.. I love the smell of Indian spices cooking :) the best is to leave the chicken marinated overnight, so the marinating gravy is properly soaking into chicken.. This is alternative from using tandoori chicken to cook this dish.. I usually use microwave rice cooker to cook my rice, if you don't have one you can use stove top method to cook the rice as well but need to stir it often or it could burn underneath and not cook in the middle.. 

Ingredients

For butter chicken

1kg chicken tight fillets, cut into chunk 

125g natural yoghurt

1 tsp tumaric powder

1 tbs lime juice

2 tsp sweet paprika powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves peeled garlic, crushed

2 tsp garam masala

50g butter

1 tbs cooking oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 bay leaf

420g canned tomato purée

150ml chicken stock 

250ml thickened cream

For saffron rice

2 cup Basmati rice

1 tsp saffron powder

2 tbs butter

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp salt

Method

Combine yoghurt, lime juice, cumin, tumaric, garam masala, sweet paprika,ginger and garlic in a bowl, add chicken and stir well, cover and put I the fridge for few hours.

In the rice cooker or microwave rice cooker, combine rice, saffron powder, butter, chicken stock and salt..cook for 20 mins of high or until rice is soft and fluffy.

Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat, place onion, cardamom and bay leaf in the pan, cook few mins until onions soften. Reduce heat to low. Add chicken and marinated gravy, tomato puree and stock, simmer for 15 mins. Stir in cream and simmer for another 15 mins until chicken is cooked. Remove from heat.  serve hot with saffron rice.

Wonton soup

Another lighter weeknight dinner option and takes less than 10 mins to prepare and cook..Wonton soup or they called it Short soup here, can be eaten as an entree or a main meal depending on serving size. I have it as a main meal tonight.. you can use prawn meats, minced chicken or whatever you like as the filling..traditionally Chinese use minced pork in their wonton.

Ingredients

150g lean minced pork

12-15 sheets wonton pastry depend on how big your wontons

5 cloves peeled garlic, crushed, finely chopped

1 1/2 tbs spring onions, finely chopped

1/2 tbs oyster sauce

2 cup chicken stock

3tbs soy sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 medium onion, finely sliced

1/4 cup peeled carrot, thinly sliced

1/4 cup broccoli, cut into bite size

A handful of fresh bean sprouts 

Methods

In a small bowl, mix minced pork, garlic, 1 tbs spring onions & oyster sauce, mix well until combined.

Peel wonton pastry one by one, put it on the palm of your hand, place a teaspoon of the pork mixture in the middle.

Fold the pastry into rectangle shape, touch a bit of water on the edge to close the pastry.

 Hold two end at the base of rectangle then twist the end to overlap, touch a bit of water at the tip to hold it in place..put it aside.

Add chicken stock, soy sauce, onion, carrot, broccoli, salt and pepper in a sauce pan ore medium to high heat. Leave it to boil.

In another saucepan, boil the water until it's fullly boil, plunge the wontons in boiling water, cook until they floated. Remove from the boiling water into the stock soup saucepan. Cook for 1-2 mins then add fresh bean sprouts. Turn the heat off.

Serve hot with sprinkle of 1/2 tsp spring onions on top..

Mixed berries custard tarts

There're many times when I don't feel like doing big fuss baking but wanting some decent creamy treat.. these ... mixed berried custard tarts .. come in handy and specially when you have guests coming over for some arvo tea or even for simple and quick dessert after weeknight dinner.. No leftover custard tho, I spooned it straight into my mouth :) 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup full cream milk 

2 tsp vanilla extract

5 egg yokes

1/2 cup caster sugar

2tbs corn flour

12 sweet shortcut pastry cases

120g mixed berries

Methods

Add milk and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat, stir for 10 mins or until simmering but not boil.

In a bowl, add egg yokes, sugar and corn flour, beat it with electric mixer until creamy.

Slowly pour milk mixture into egg mixture, whisk until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan over medium heat, stir until the mixture comes to boil, stir for a bit longer until thickened. Remove from heat, cover with food wrap, let it cool.

When totally cool, divide custard between pastry cases, top with berries.

Afghan biscuits

Despite the fact that the all blacks keeps winning the games, I still love these kiwi little snacks...Afghan biscuits.. the colour of my Afghan biscuit is darker than normal because I added more chocolate into it and sprinkle some almond flake on top as well.. A lovely friend, Kathy from Brissie introduced these biscuits to me many years ago.. 

Ingredients

For biscuits

200g butter, softened at room temp

1 1/4 cup plain flour

4 tbs cocoa powder 

1 1/4 cup cornflakes

For chocolate icing

1 cup icing sugar

4 tbs cocoa powder

2tbs water

1/2 cup of flake almond to decor

Methods

Heat oven to 180c, line baking tray with baking paper.

In a bowl, put butter and sugar, then beat until lighter colour and creamy.

Sift flour and cocoa powder over the creamy mixture, stir to combine, then stir in cornflakes.

Place tablespoons of mixture on prepared baking tray about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 20 mins or until firm, let it cool on wire rack.

Mix icing sugar, cocoa powder and water in a small bowl, stir well until sugar dissolved and the icon thicken up.

Spread chocolate icing on top of biscuits and sprinkle flake almond to decorate.

Profiteroles with cream filling and rich chocolate sauce

I cannot speak French nor can pronounce the name correctly but that doesn't stop this dessert becoming one of my favourite. I used to buy them from local bakery but never really had enough filling plus chocolate topping not very rich.. Not their faults tho, it's  just me who love rich chocolate taste and loads of cream filling :) .. So I make them myself to suit my taste buds.. Remember taking them to share with some friends and one of my friend, Timothy really do love them, he ate three in one go!.. good on ya, mate!..

Ingredients

For Choux pastry

1 cup plain flour, sifted

1 cup water

80g butter

2 tsp sugar

A pinch of salt

4 eggs

For whipping cream filling

250ml thicken cream (double cream)

2 tsp caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract 

For chocolate sauce

120g dark baking chocolate

2tbs sugar

2tbs butter

80ml thicken cream (double cream)

Methods

Preheat oven at 220 c

Combine water and butter in a saucepan, bring to just boil. Remove from heat.

In another bowl, mix together.. flour, salt and sugar..then add the dry mixture into the butter mixture.

Over medium heat, stir until the mixture forms a dough and not sticking on the sides of saucepan. Remove from heat & let it cool for 5 mins.

Beat one egg at the time, stir in each egg until dough mixture is smooth, after all the eggs, the dough should be smooth and shiny.

Spray 12 holes non stick muffin tray with cooking spray, spoon the dough into 12 holes evenly..I use muffin tray but you can use lined baking tray with baking paper. 

Place in the oven and lower the heat to 190 c and cook for 30 mins until become puffing and golden brown.. Each ball should feel light & hollow.

Remove the tray from the oven, let it cool down.

If the doughs are still not dried enough, slit a small hole go each ball to release steam and return it to the oven for few minutes (oven is still warm) to dry out the pastry.

In another bowl, whisk the cream until stiff peaks, beat in the vanilla extract and sugar until peak form. Don't over beat the cream or it will become lumpy butter like.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together, then mix the cream and sugar in, stir until the sauce is thick and smooth.

Cut pastry balls in half horizontal, fill each of them with whipping cream, them close them back together into ball shape. Top each filled pastry ball with chocolate sauce..serve immediately.

My infamous Christmas pudding

It's always over 30 c here on Christmas Day but I always make this Christmas pudding anyway :) it was so yummy,, specially when it's swimming in brandy custard with ice cream and whipping cream!.. It's worth 2 days of preparation.. This pudding has travelled to many places already eg.. Melbourne & Auckland :) .. one of my infamous recipes :)

Ingredients

100g blanched almond

200g raisins 

350g mixed dried fruits

60g mixed peeled

100g glazed cherry, halved 

Zest of 1 lemon

6 eggs

300ml of brandy

250g butter

250g plain flour

1tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp grounded ginger

250g brown sugar

250g stale breadcrumb 

Methods

In the large bowl, mix all dried fruits, mixed peeled and lemon zest. Pour in the brandy, mix well and let it soak overnight.

Next day.. Sift flour into the fruit bowl, then add sugar, mixed spice, grounded ginger, nutmeg, almond and eggs (one at the time while mixing the mixture together), then cut the butter into small dices and rub them into the mixture, mix well. Then add breadcrumb and mix well again.. The ready mixture will be sticky like a thick mud..

Grease pudding steamer with butter.

Add the mixture into the steamer, leave about 1 1/2 inches from the edge. Close the lid.

Boil the water in a big pot.. Plunge the steamer into boiling water then reduce heat to medium and steam for 6 hours.. add more water if needed so it won't burn the pot.

Serve warm with lots of brandy custard, ice cream and whipping cream..

Thai / Spanish Sling (modified version of Singapore Sling)

It was one of steaming hot day and a glass of icy cold drink by the pool was a must!.. I wouldn't call this a traditional Singapore Sling because I didn't have all mixtures and modified it a bit :).. I shall call this ... Thai / Spanish Sling as dual nationalility of the accidentally bartender on the day ... Cheers! 

Ingredients 

1/5 cup Gordon's gin

5 tbs Lime juice

1/3 cup Pineapple juice

1 tbs Grenadine

1/5 cup Tonic water

1 tbs Benedictine

A splash or two or three of Brandy

1/5 cup Blood orange drink

Mix everything together with crushed ice, shake well

Served in icy cold tall glass with decoration of a slice of lime and cherry..

Agedashi tofu

One of my favourite Japanese soup.. Agedashi Tofu.. The silky soft tofu inside and more firmer texture on the outside is yummy swimming in very tasty strong flavour soup.. Oishi desu! 

Ingredients

1 block soft tofu

3 tbs corn starch

Oil for frying

1 cup dashi stock soup

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs mirin

1/2 tbs sugar

1/2 tbs finely chopped spring onions

1tsp shredded nori

Methods

Cut tofu into small bite size pieces, coat them in corn starch in the paper towel, set aside

In a small sauce pan. Add dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sugar until sugar dissolved and the soup is hot but not fully boil.

Heat oil in the wok, deep fried tofu until golden brown, the corn starch coating will not go brown.

Remove tofu into a bowl, pour the hot soup on top of tofu.

Sprinkle with nori & spring onions, serve hot.

Cullen Skink

I wasn't a big fan of fish soup and feel a bit skeptical making this .. Cullen Skink.. A very lovely and funny friend who was visiting me from overseas sent me a cook book of his cultural cuisines.. so I give it a go!.. Couldn't find smoked haddock anywhere here, I used smoked cod. Half way through the cooking, I felt like..hmmm should I order a pizza!?  But when it's done.. It tasted surprisingly very yummy.. Never judge the food by its looks!.. Thanks to Dr. Mervyn :) 

Ingredients 

900 g of smoked cod ( I can't find haddock here)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

900ml of full cream milk

250g cooked potatoes, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

Salt & Pepper to taste 

3 tbs butter

Methods

Place the fish in shallow pan cover with water, skin side down, bring to boil, simmer for 5 mins.

Take the fish out, remove skin & bones.

Flake the fish and return to pan. 

Add onion, bay leaf, salt & pepper, simmer for another 10 mins.

Strain off the stock, remove the leaf, and place the fish aside.

Return the strained stock to the pan, add milk, bring to boil.

Add potatoes and the fish, check on the taste, add more salt & pepper if needed.

Serve hot in a bowl with dots of butter which will melt into the soup.

Easy Sushi

One of those evenings that I don't feel like hot meals.. These sushi were made with a spur moment with whatever I have in the kitchen..by the time I prepared all ingredients.. My hunger level has increased rapidly, as you can see the filling wasn't even in the middle! .. tasted good and satisfied my hunger anyway :)

Ingredients

3 cups cooked sushi rice or short grain rice (cooked by rice cooker or microwave rice cooker)

3 tbs  rice vinegar

3 tbs of caster sugar

11/2 tsp salt

5 sheets of nori (dried seaweed sheets for sushi)

10 crab sticks or seafood (surimi) sticks

1/2 cucumber peeled, cut into small stripes

1 small avocado, cut into small stripes

A bamboo sushi mat

Soy sauce

Wasabi 

In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Blend the mixture into the cooked rice.

Centre one sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Wet your hands, spread a thin layer of rice on the sheet of nori, and press into a thin layer. 

Arrange 1/4 of the cucumber,  avocado and crab stick in a line down the centre of the rice. Lift the end of the mat, and gently roll it over the ingredients, pressing gently. Roll it forward to make a complete roll. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut each roll into 4 to 6 slices using a wet, sharp knife. Serve immediately with soy sauce and wasabi.

Beef Basil

I

Few years ago, my dear friend, Kathy from Melbourne asked me for this recipe.. Beef Basil .. which she wanted to cook for her lovely husband on his birthday.. The crispy basil added a bit extra taste to the dish.. The secret of every stir fried dish is quickly cook meats and vegies in very hot wok, meats are still tender and vegies are crispy.. This dish goes very well with a bowl of hot steamed Thai jasmine rice.. Aroy mak mak ka :)

Ingredients

200 g beef stir fried stripes (rump or topside)
1 bunch of basil, picked only leaves
1 tbs fresh peeled crushed garlic
1 tsp fresh crushed red chilli
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1/2 tbs sugar
1 tbs corn flour
2 tbs water
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup of canned sliced bambooshoots
1/2 cup of other vegies eg, zucchini, capsicums, cut into bite size
Cooking oil

Methods

In a wok, add about 1 cup of oil, heat the oil until smoky.. Quickly add half of basil leaves in the hot oil.. The leaves will turn dark green and quickly crispy.. Take them out quickly from the oil. Set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium, add beef into the oil, cook quickly until turn brown, take it out. Set aside.

Add vegies (onions, green beans, bamboo shoots, zucchini, capsicums into the oil, quickly cook for 1 mins until it a little soften, take them out. Set aside.

Drain the oil out of the wok, just leave a little bit to coat the wok. Add garlic, chilli, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water and corn flour into the wok, stir well until getting thicken, then add cooked beef & vegies, quickly stir them together. Just before take it out, add fresh basil, quickly tossed them together.

Put it on the plate, sprinkle with crispy basil on the top.

Spicy warm Thai seafood and glass noodles salad

This is one of the popular spicy Thai salad when you get together with your mates with few cold beers and snacking on this salad.. Spicy Thai seafood and glass noodles salad.. Ok, you just can have it as a meal not only with cold beer!.. Glass noodles is bean vermicelli cooked in boiling hot water on stove and quickly remove and let it cool down a bit in the bowl.. You can also add this noodles in many dishes eg..soup or stir fried or Pad Thai!.. and if you don't like spicy food, just simply leave the chilli out.. Sap mak ka

Ingredients

5-6 fresh green prawn cutlets

1 fresh calamari tube, cut into rings or bite size

4-5 mussel meats

1 cup bean vermicelli, quickly cooked in boiling water until soften, drained, cut into smaller length 

3 tbs unsalted roasted peanuts

3 tbs dried shrimp, shallow fried with a bit of oil in the frying pan until crispy but not burn

3 tbs Spanish onion, finely sliced

2 tbs corrainder, finely chopped

2 tbs mints, finely chopped

Dressing

3 tbs lime juice

2 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs sweet chilli paste

1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh red chilli

In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, sweet chilli paste, lime juice and chilli together until all blended well and sweet chilli paste not lumpy.

Boil water in a saucepan, add all seafood into boiling water, quickly cooked just until prawns turned pink, drained.

In a large salad bowl, add seafood, noodle, onions, corrainder, mints, peanuts and dried shrimp, tossed them together.

Add the dressing and mix well just before serving (don't add the dressing too long before serving)

Serve warm with fresh vegies.

Thai fish cakes

A popular entree or appetiser dish from Thailand.. Thai fish cakes..Not difficult to make for a party weekend.. and you can also use sweet chili sauce for dipping sauce instead of cucumber dipping but I prefer cucumber dipping sauce which compliments the fish cakes very well..which is traditional and commonly serving in Thailand..Aroy ka

Ingredients

For fish cakes

400 g of white fish fillets ( John Dory or Nile Pearch)

1 egg

1 tbs tapioca flour or potato starch 

2 tbs of Thai red curry paste

3-4 kiffir lime leaves, finely shredded 

3 tbs finely sliced green beans

1 tbs fish sauce

1/2 tsp palm sugar 

Cooking oil

For cucumber dipping sauce

3 tbs rice wine vinegar

2 tbs palm sugar

A pinch of salt

1 tbs finely chopped cucumber

1/2 tsp finely chopped red chilli (or leave it out if don't want spicy)

1 tbs crushed peanuts

1/2 tbs finely chopped corrainder

Methods

Cut fish into small pieces and blend them in food processor until smooth texture.

In a mixing bowl, add fish meat, red curry paste, egg, flour, green beans, kiffir lime leaves, fish sauce and palm sugar, mix well by hand.

With wet hand, form the mixture into flat round cakes (like cookie shape). Put them on tray (sprinkle the tray with a bit of flour).

Make the dipping sauce, in a small bowl.. Add vinegar, salt and sugar, mix well until slat and sugar dissolved (or warm it in microwave for 30 sec) then add chilli, corrainder, chopped cucumber and crushed peanuts.

Heat the oil up in the wok (medium to high), fry the fish cakes few mins each side until golden brown & floating.. But not burn.

When fish cakes are cooked, place them on paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with cucumber dipping sauce.

Tri colour balls

For white chocolate and apricot balls

250g plain sweet biscuits, crushed

1 cup dried apricot 

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/4 cup white choc melted

80g butter

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Place crushed biscuit and apricot in a bowl

Combine condensed milk, white chocolate and butter in a small saucepan, stir over very low heat until choc is melted. Add it to crumbed mixture, mix well.

Take. large teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls using hands, then roll balls in coconut to coat.

Store in airtight container in the fridge.

For strawberry coconut balls

250g plain sweet biscuits, crushed

1 cup dried strawberry, chopped 

1/2 tsp queen strawberry essence

2 drops red food colouring

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/4 cup white choc melted

80g butter

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Place crushed biscuit and chopped strawberry, food colouring and strawberry essence in a bowl

Combine condensed milk, white chocolate and butter in a small saucepan, stir over very low heat until choc is melted. Add it to crumbed mixture, mix well.

Take. large teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls using hands, then roll balls in coconut to coat.

Store in airtight container in the fridge.

For rum balls 

250g plain sweet biscuits, crushed

3 tbs cocoa powder

1 can sweeten condensed milk

1 cup desiccated coconut

2-3 tbs of rum (Bundaberg) 

80g butter

1 cup extra desiccated coconut

Place crushed biscuit in a bowl

Add cocoa powder, condensed milk, 1/4 cup coconut, rum and butter in the bowl. Combine the mixture well.. The mixture should be a stiff mixture at the end.

Take. large teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls using hands, then roll balls in coconut to coat.

Store in airtight container in the fridge.

For strawberry coconut balls

Chicken Cashew nuts

One of the most popular dish that customer ordered when dinning out at Thai restaurants.. Chicken Cashew nuts .. the way they cooked in restaurant may be different depending on how the chef modified recipes.. This is the traditional home coking style with deep fried crispy dried chilli etc.. this dish is a dried stir fried dish, not a lots of gravy.. The flavour should soaking into the meats while cooking.. Of course it goes perfectly well with steamed Thai jasmine rice.. Kin kao ka 

Ingredients

200 g chicken meat (breast or thigh), cut into bite size

1 handful of roasted cashew nuts 

1/4 cup of onions, cut into small squares

1/2 cup of red or green capsicum, cut into small squares 

1/4 cup of sliced canned water chestnut, drained

1/4 cup whole babycorn

A handful of spring onions cut into 1 inch pieces

2-3 tbs self raising flour

Cooking oil

1 - 2 tbs Sweet chilli paste

3 pods of dried chilli, seeded, chopped into small pieces

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce

1/2 tbs palm sugar

1 tbs corn flour for thickening 

3-4 tbs water

Methods

Add a bit of oil in the wok at low to medium heat, add chopped dried chilli, quickly fry them for few seconds until changing colour but not burn. Take it out and set aside.

Coat chicken pieces lightly with self raising flour.

In the wok with plenty of oil (medium heat), fry chicken until cooked then take them out, set aside.

In the same wok, quickly cook vegies (except spring onions) in the hot oil, just to change colour ~ 1-2 mins, take the vegies out, set aside.

Drain the oil out, there will be just enough to coat the surface, medium heat, add sweet chilli paste, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water & flour. Quickly mix them well together until sauce getting thicken. 

Add the chicken, vegies, spring onions, dried chilli and cashew nuts, stir them into the sauce quickly. 

Put on plate, serve with steamed rice.

Shepherd's pie

Some calls it Cottage pie, some call it Shepherd's pie.. whatever you prefer to call it.. originally I think they used minced lamb not beef but I have bad allergy to lamb, so I used lean minced beef instead.. to make pattern on the top, just using fork making pattern cross both way.. Something easy for weeknight tea.

Ingredients

600 g brushed potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 cloves of garlic, halved

500 g lean minced beef 

2 tbs plain flour

1/2 cup beef stock

3 tbs tomato sauce

3 cups of mixed frozen vegies

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

Method

Put potatoes & garlic in the pot with a bit of water to cover, boil over high heat then reduce to simmer until tender approx 20 mins.

Preheat over 190 c

Brown minced beef over medium heat in a sauce pan then add flour, beef stock, tomato sauce and vegies, stir to combine, cook for 5 mins

Transfer beef mixture into casserole dish

Drain potatoes and mashed them a bit before add 1/4 cup cheese and sour cream.. Mashed together until smooth.

Spoon potatoes onto the centre of beef mixture, with fork spread potatoes from the centre to the edge to form top layer.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese

Bake for 30 mins or until cheese is melted and golden.

Let cool for 10 mins before serving.

Slow cooked lamb shanks

when having a busy day ahead, this type of slow cooked is perfect when you have guests coming over for tea...Slow cooked lamb shanks.. I have to admit that I don't know what it tasted like.. I don't eat lamb! But my guests almost licked their their plate clean! .. I served this dish with mashed potato and some vegies.. of course, the mashed was nice! 

Ingredients

6-8 French trimmed lamb shanks 
Plain flour, for browning 
Olive oil 
1 cup red wine 
3 cups beef stock 
4 spring onions, halved and a bit extra cut into small cubes
4 cloves garlic, peeled 
6 bay leaves 
2 sprigs rosemary 
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Methods

1. Dust shanks in flour.
2. Heat olive oil in large pan and brown shanks.
3. Place shanks and remaining ingredients into slow cooker.
4. Cook on low for 6 hours or until shanks are tender and meat about to fall off bone.
5. To thicken remove cooked shanks and add extra onions & corn four to desired thickness.
6. Serve warm with creamy mashed potato.

Chocolate summer berries pavlova

Who said chocolate and pavlova don't mix?.. Here we are.. Chocolate summer berries pavlova.. Crispy on the outside with soft rich chocolate taste inside, and the freshly whipping cream.. Hmmm yummy! Not for conservative traditional pavlova lovers tho.. But guess what .. I like it! 

Ingredients

For the chocolate meringue base

6 large egg whites

300 grams caster sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sieved)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 

50 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)

For the topping

500 ml thicken cream

500 grams mixed berries

3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. 

Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C and cook for about one to one and 15 mins. 

When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

When ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the berries. Coarsely grate the chocolate & sprinkle haphazardly over the top.

Hummingbird cake

I usually prefer chocolate cake than other cakes but this... Hummingbird cake...cake is so yummy plus I have no chocolate left in the pantry.. gonna have to make with whatever was there.. Unlike most cafe which served this cake with thin layer of icing, I slapped loads of thick icing on top!.. I could never had enough good icing or topping on cake at the shop.. also I added more fruits and coconut with less flour, that gives extra texture and you really can taste what!/ in the cake!

Ingredients 

250g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground coriander

270g brown sugar

440g can crushed pineapple, drained

50g desiccated coconut

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 eggs, lightly beaten

250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil

Cream cheese icing

100g cream cheese

50g unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Step 2

Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake pan. Sift flour and spices into a large bowl. Add sugar, pineapple, coconut, banana, walnuts, eggs and oil. Stir to combine.

Step 3

Spread into lined pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Place on a rack and set aside to cool.

Step 4

To make icing, place cheese, butter, vanilla and icing sugar in an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake

Eccles cakes

I made this because of currents, sultans, raisins discussion!.. have no ideas what the word ... Eccles cakes ... coming from?.. It should really be called currents pies! :) .. The filling was very yummy with real buttery taste.. but please be careful, the filling is very hot when just come out of the oven.. Let it cool down a bit longer before bite into it, or you could burn your tongue!.. 

Ingredients

makes 8 cakes

 2 tablespoons butter

 1 cup dried currants

 A pinch of grounded nutmeg 

 3/4 cup demerara sugar

 1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed

 1 egg white, beaten

 1/4 cup white sugar for decoration

Method

Preheat oven to 220 c Sprinkle a baking sheet with water.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in currants, demerara sugar and nutmeg.

Stir until sugar is dissolved and fruit is well coated. Remove from heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 8 (5 inch) circles, using a saucer as a guide. 

Divide the fruit mixture evenly between the circles. Moisten the edges of the pastry, pull the edges to the center and pinch to seal. Invert filled cakes on the floured surface and roll out gently to make a wider, flatter circle, but do not break the dough.

Brush each cake with egg white and sprinkle generously with white sugar. Make three parallel cuts across the top of each cake, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, until golden.

Bread and Butter pudding with marmalade glaze

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  I used to go to a restaurant to just have this dessert!.. The bread and butter pudding.. I used fruits loaf instead of just normal white bread to give a bit more fruity taste and texture ans a little tangy with Marmalade glaze.. Something a bit extra than traditional  bread and butter pudding. 
  
  
  Ingredients
  
  
  100 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 large pinch ground cinnamon
• zest of 1 orange
• 8 x 1 cm slices good-quality fruit or raisin bread
• 9 large free-range eggs
• 140 g caster sugar
• 500 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 565 ml single cream
• 1 vanilla pod, scored lengthways and seeds removed
• 4 tablespoons good-quality fine-cut marmalade
  
  
  Method
  
  Preheat the oven to 180ºC. 
  Make the butter mixture by mixing the butter with the nutmeg, cinnamon and orange zest. Use a little of it to butter a medium-sized shallow, ovenproof dish.
  
  Butter the bread using the butter mixture, then cut each slice in half diagonally. Put the slices in your buttered dish. 
  
  
  Separate the eggs, reserving all 9 yolks but just 1 egg white. Whisk together the egg yolks and egg white with the sugar, then gently heat the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla extract.
  
  
  Pour into the eggs, stirring all the time, then pour the mixture over the bread and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes. 
  
  
  Put the dish in a roasting tray and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the dish. Then put it in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until the custard has just set. 
  
  
  Meanwhile, gently warm the marmalade in a saucepan, then remove the dish from the oven and brush the marmalade over the top of the bread. Pop the dish back into the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Allow it to cool and firm up slightly before serving.