Stir-fry mixed veggie with cloud ears 黑木耳炒杂菜

Hi folks!  I'm back.  Had a wonderful and enjoyable holiday with so much good food, good company and laughter.  Today, I'm going to share with you a simple stir-fry veggie dish..... a light and refreshing mixed veggie dish with cloud ears and pine nuts.   Not only is it nutritious it's also very easy to prepare.  I didn't fry this dish too long as I prefer the veggie to be crisp and crunchy.   You can serve this with white rice or can enjoy it on its own!

Recipe for Stir-fry mixed veggie with cloud ears

Ingredients

• 50 gm cloud ears, soaked and stemmed
• 100 gm celery
• 50 gm carrot
• 200 gm cauliflower
• some goji berries
• pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• seasalt to taste
• oil

Method

1. Heat up some oil in a wok and stir-fry the cauliflower.
2. Toss in the celery and carrot, add in the oyster sauce, mix and continue to stir-fry.
3. Add in the cloud ears, goji berries.
4. Sprinkle on some water if the dish is too dry.
5. Fine tune to taste and toss in the pine nuts.
6. Dish out and serve.

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Pumpkin Choc Chip Muffins 南瓜巧克力满芬

Muffins again!  I happened to make these recently and since Pumpkin is the October theme for LTU,  I took the opportunity to join in the fun.   Not only are these muffins moist and delicious with the cranberries and choc chips, I just can't help admiring the golden hue of the pumpkin in these quick tea bread!

Recipe for Pumpkin Choc Chip Muffins  (adapted from 'here' with modification)

Ingredients

• 9 oz plain flour
• 1.1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1.1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz butter
• 6 oz caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 9.1/2 oz pumpkin puree
• 100 gm black choc chips
• 50 gm dried cranberries

Method

1. Peel off the pumpkin and cut it into chunks.  Steam and mash the pumpkin while still warm.  Set aside.
2. Sift flour with salt, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.  Mix well.
3. Beat butter with the sugar till smooth.
4. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mix well.
5. Fold in the sifted flour alternating with the pumpkin puree till just mixed.  Add in the choc chips and cranberries.
6. Using an ice cream spoon, scoop the batter into muffin cups.
7. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg,C for 20 to 25 mins.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Yield :  15 muffins.

I'll be taking a short vacation and will resume posting in November.

I'm linking this post to the Little Thumbs Up event and for October, the theme is Pumpkin

jointly organised by  Zoe of  Bake for Happy Kids and  Mui Mui of  My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by  Eileen of  Eileen's Diary

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Magic Custard Cake 魔术卡士垯蛋糕

This Magic Custard Cake has been very popular in the blogosphere recently and many bloggers have successfully made this 'wonder' cake.  Why is it called magic cake, many people will ask?  The answer is that with only one batter you can get to enjoy three different layers of cake.   It has a soft sponge top, the middle layer is custard while the bottom is a dense layer of cake.  This is my second attempt.  The first attempt, I only managed to get two layers and not to be put off, I persevered and tried again.

I stumbled upon a video by Yellowsaffron which you can watch at the end of this post and I followed Anncoo's version of adding in some orange zest.   I was so happy when, after trimming the sides of the cake, I saw three layers and I was on cloud nine!

Recipe for Magic Custard Cake

Ingredients


• 125 gm butter
• 500 ml milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp caster sugar
• 140 gm icing sugar
• 1 Tbsp water
• 120 gm plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Zest from an orange
• a pinch of salt
• Snow powder or icing sugar for dusting
Method
1. Line an 8 inch square cake pan with parchment paper
2. Melt the butter, set aside.
3. Lightly warm the milk till lukewarm, set aside.
4. Sift flour with the salt.
5. Whisk egg yolks with the icing sugar till light.  Mix in the melted butter and tablespoon of water until evenly incorporated.
6. Whisk in the flour, orange zest till well combined.  Slowly add in the warm milk and vanilla, mix well.  Stir with a ball whisk.
7. Whisk egg whites  till foamy, add in the tablespoon of sugar, whisk till soft peaks form.
8. With a spatula, fold in the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture, a third at a time.  Repeat till all the egg whites are incorporated.  Do not deflate the egg whites.
9. Stir as you pour the batter into the prepared pan.
10. Bake in a preheated oven @ 160 deg.C for 60 mins.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
11. Allow the cake to cool completely.  Cover the cake and chill in the fridge, preferably overnight.
12. Dust the cake with snow powder or icing sugar before serving.

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Honey Maltose BBQ Pork (Char Siew) 蜂蜜麦芽糖叉烧 ~ 2

Recently I tried  another version of making BBQ pork (Char Siew) ....... with honey and maltose.  As it was my first encounter with maltose, I had a hard time measuring it out with a tablespoon as it was indeed very, very sticky.  Then it dawned on me to try dabbing the tablespoon with some oil before measuring out the sticky liquid and it certainly did the trick :)   As for the Char Siew, it was good and fragrant as I drizzled on some Shaoxing wine before slicing it up to serve.

Recipe for Honey Maltose BBQ Pork (Char Siew) ~ 2

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork belly without skin
• 4.1/2 Tbsp honey
• 4.1/2 Tbsp maltose
• 2 Tbsp dark soya sauce
• 3.1/2 Tbsp light soya sauce
• 1.1/4 tsp five spice powder
• A dash of pepper
• 3 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

Method

1. Combine honey, maltose, dark and light soya sauces, five spice powder and pepper in a saucepan.  Keep stirring and heat up lightly.  Let cool.
2. Pour the cooled sauce over the pork belly and let it marinate overnight in the fridge.  Cover with cling wrap.
3. Place the pork belly (thawed at room temperature) in a wok, add 1/2 cup water and cook on medium heat.  Once the meat is tender, dish out some sauce and reserve it to serve with rice or noodles.  Let the meat cook in the remaining sauce till semi-dry.
4. Place the meat on a parchment lined tray and grill for 2 mins. on both sides, remove and drizzle over the Shaoxing wine.
5. Slice up the meat and serve with white rice or noodles.

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Choc Chip Orange Muffins 巧克力香橙满芬

Think I'm hit by the Muffin bug again.  For breakfast I made these Choc Chip Muffins and added in some orange zest for a fruity fragrance.   There were some leftovers for afternoon tea as well and I just heated them up in the oven toaster as I like to have my muffins warm.

Recipe for Choc Chip Orange Muffins

Ingredients

• 9 oz plain flour
• 4 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Canola oil
• 125 to 150 ml plain yoghurt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100 gm choc chips
• 2 tsp orange zest
• a pinch of salt

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a mixing bowl.  Mix in sugar thoroughly.
2. Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and yoghurt till well combined
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Toss in the choc chips and orange zest, mix till just combined.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mixture into the  muffin liners till 3/4 full.
5. Bake in a preheated oven @ 200 deg.C for 20 to 25 mins. till skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

I'm linking this post to Best Recipes.  Theme for September is 'Chocolate Wonderland'

hosted by Fion of   Xuan Hom's Mom Kitchen Diary

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Apple Strudel

Making Apple Strudel from scratch can be a laborious task because it's difficult to make the Filo pastry and obviously I don't know how.  However, making the apple strudel with store bought Filo pastry is quite easy to master.  This flaky pastry with a mildly sweet apple and raisin filling can be served in many ways.  You can simply dust it with icing sugar like what I did, or  serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,  whipped cream or custard.  But if you do not have these at hand, you can always fall back on the good old cup of hot coffee or tea. :D  

Recipe for Apple Strudel

Ingredients

• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
• 12 sheets Filo Pastry, about 1 pound.   (4 sheets for 1 roll of Apple Strudel)
• 1/2 cup melted butter/vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Soak the sliced apples in some salt water to prevent browning,  Drain.
2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon with the sliced apples,   Set aside.
3. On a work top, place 1 sheet of Filo pastry, brush  with oil, then repeat this process up to the fourth sheet.  Brush with oil.   (Keep remaining Filo sheets covered with parchment paper and damp cloth to prevent them from drying up).
4. Spoon apple mixture, leaving 2 inch border along each edge.  Roll up once, tuck in the sides and roll up.  Place the rolls, seams side down onto a parchment lined baking tray.
5. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C, on the lower rack for 25 to 30 mins. 
6. Cut up and dust with icing sugar before serving.  Alternatively serve with whipped cream, custard or vanilla ice cream.

I'm linking this post to the Little Thumbs Up event and the theme for September is 'Apple'

organised by  Zoe of  Bake for Happy Kids and  Doreen  of   My Little Favourite DIY and

hosted by  Kit of  I-lost in Austen

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Carrot Apple Muffins

As the name suggests, these cuppies taste more or less like a carrot cake but in the form of muffins.  They are yummy especially with a hot cup of tea for breakfast or to snack on.

Recipe for Carrot Apple Muffins

Ingredients


• 60 gm lightly roasted chopped walnuts
• 300 gm raw carrot, grated
• 1 small apple, peeled and grated
• 175 gm plain flour
• 230 gm caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
Method
1. Whisk flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon.  Stir in the nuts.
2. Whisk eggs, vanilla and oil.  Mix well.  
3. Fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.  Add in the grated carrot and apple.
4. Mix till just moistened.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the mixture into the paper lined muffin pan.
6. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 20 to 25 mins. till golden brown.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.  Remove the muffins onto a wire rack to cool before serving.
7. Yield :  12 Muffins










I'm linking this post to the Little Thumbs Up event and the theme for September is 'Apple'
jointly organised by
Zoe of   Bake for Happy Kids  and   Doreen of  My Little Favourite DIY
and hosted by
Kit of  I-Lost in Austen

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