Simple Curry Sardine with Brinjal

There are two "simple" in a dish.
If cooking curry sardine only, it seems it would be "too simple" without any potatoes.

So, I added some brinjals as a side dish but I didn't have to cook the brinjal separately.
That's the other "simple" meant.


Recipe :  Simple Curry Sardine and Brinjal
Ingredients:
1 chopped onion ( as big as a golf ball )
5  chopped cloves garlic
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 stalks lemongrass ( pound slightly)
4 small red chilli
1 tbsp curry powder

1 canned of sardine ( 230g)

seasoning:
salt and pepper
sugar

Method:
1. Fry chopped garlic and onion until fragrant.
2. + curry powder + curry leaves + red chilli + lemongrass+
3. + brinjal + 1/2 cup water + sardine.
4. Cook until the brinjal become soft.
5. + seasoning to suit your own taste.

Carrot ,Cucumber and Mango Pickles

This is neighbour's mango tree.

Something I can make from these mangoes is carrot, cucumber and mango pickles.

Simple ingredients but  "bon appetit". 

Ingredients:

1 carrot

1 cucumber

half of an onion , slices

1 raw mango

4 small green chilli

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

4 tbsp vineger 

Vegetarian dinner with pok choy and pickles

Mango leaf

Fern grows on mango tree.

Char Siew Fried Rice

The fastest way to prepare a rice meal is to make fried rice.

Ingredients I have here are :
onion
garlic
char siew ( marinated pork)
carrot
mustard green


2 tbsp oil

Seasoning:
pinch of salt
soy sauce

Method:
1. Heat frying pan with 2 tbsp oil .
2. + onion , stir fry a while + garlic. ( garlic is easier to get burnt, so this got to be in the pan later)
3. + char siew + carrot  + water. Cover the with lid for 1 min in order to let the carrot become softer + mustard green.
4. + rice + salt and soy sauce to taste.

Curry Round Aubergines - Vegetarian Dish

Sometimes I would like to take only vegetable.

It makes me feel that my body will become "cleaner" as I only take vegetable.

These round aubergines were given by my neighbour.

So, I thought of cooking some curry aubergines.

Curry Aubergines :

2 round aubergines

1 tbsp curry powder ( I use Adabi brand )

1 tbsp cili boh ( chili paste bought from supermarket)

2 sprigs curry leaves

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Cut aubergines into pieces.

2. Heat oil in frying pan + curry powder + curry leaves . Fry curry curry to bring out the aroma. 

3. Aubergines + curry leaves + salt + 1/2 cup of water. Simmer until the aubergines become soft.

 

Apple Oat Sesame Cookies

The combination of apple, oat and sesame cookies make soft chewy cookies as apple and honey is added.

The recipe is adapted from cooksrecipe.com which I have made minor changes to suit my own preference of sweetness and in metric too.

Apple Oat Sesame Cookies:

Ingredients：( sieved )

150 g flour

150 g wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder ( omitted)

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda

60 g  quick cooking oat ( I used instant oatmeal )

20 g sesame seeds

70 g castor sugar 

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups chopped apples ( 1 cup approx 90 g)

60 ml honey

60 ml corn oil

60 ml beaten egg ( 1 no.)

* 1/3 cup milk ( I omitted this as I thought that apple and honey would make this cookies soft enough. It is better not to add the milk or the cookie would be too soft  and  I have also got feedback from whom ate this cookies.)

Method:

1. Mix both flour + oat + sesame seeds + sugar + cinnamon powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and apple.

2. + honey + vegetable oil and beaten egg. Stir until everything is combined.

3. Shape like a ball and press with palm.

4. Baking time : 25 mins until golden.

    Temperature : 190 C .

Chocolate Chip Banana Coffee Cake

First time for me to buy chocolate chips (bought only 200 g,  from Tesco ) and  it was stored in the fridge for a while.
It is easy to get banana at the local market here. It is surprised that I love it very much !
Take this coffee cake for breakfast or tea time with a cup of coffee would be perfect enough for the day.

 Banna Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake :（ 1 loaf ）
160 g butter
70 g  sugar  ( * Low sugar as banana and chocolate chip are sweet enough)

3 eggs ( 70 g each)

200 g flour  + 1 tsp baking powder + 1/8 bicarbonate of soda --- sieve all.
150 g mashed banana
100 g chocolate chip

2 tbsp milk
1/8 salt


Method :
1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and pale.
2. + eggs one at a time + salt +  200 g flour , stir well + mashed banana + chocolate chip.
3.  2 tbsp milk .

Oven Temperature : 180 C
Baking time : 40 mins ( + / -  depending on your oven)

Stir Fried Lean Pork with Rosemary

My neighbour had given me a small plate of petai ( bitter bean or stink bean ) with minced pork with belacan. I added aubergine as to make it a bigger portion of vegetables in order to have a balance diet.

Ingredient to be added to enhance the taste for petai :
chopped onion ( half )
belacan
a spoonful of chilli paste
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp sugar

The real cooking was the "Stir Fried Lean Pork with Rosemary".
Ingredients:
150 g lean pork

A.
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic peper ( salt free)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp dark sauce

B. Some chopped garlic, ginger and shallot.

Method:
1. Marinate lean pork with (A) for 15 mins ( or 30 mins).
2. Fry chopped garlic, ginger and shallot until golden in colour.
3. + marinated lean pork . Stir fry for 2 mins with high heat,  + 1/4 cup of water.
4. Fry ( * without covering the wok or frying pan) until the pork become quite dry before serving.

Apricot Banana Bread

The inspiration of making this bread was adapted from Taste of Home. I substitute bran cereal with wheat germ  since I didn't have bran cereal.

Some changes were made from the original recipe.

Also , this is my first time using this savarin cake tin so I couldn't figure out how long does it take to get the cake "burn". 

Apricot Banana Bread:
Ingredient :
100 g butter
80 g castor sugar

2 eggs ( about 70 g each)

100 g mashed banana (suggested using pisang emas (wiki )

50 ml buttermilk ( I substituted it with milk + few drops of lemon)

1/8 salt 

120 g flour  +  1 tsp baking powder + 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda

30 g wheat germ

100 g chopped dry apricot (soak in hot water if it is too hard to cut)
50 chopped walnuts ( baked for 10 minutes before chopping)

Method:
1. Cream butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy.
2. + egg +  mashed banana + buttermilk + salt.  Stir the mixture with spoon.
3. + flour + wheat germ + apricot and walnuts.
4. Pour into a greased 9" savarin cake tin.
5. Temperature : 180 C
6. Baking time : 45 mins. ( I baked 30 mins over lower heat and 15 mins upper heat）
（* But the bread seemed not "burnt"enough after baking for half an hour's time over lower heat. )

Verdict : The banana bread was moist enough with a mild flavor of apricot and yet you still could feel the crunchiness of walnuts.

Lemon Poppy Seeds Cream Cheese Cookies

I have lemons.
I have poppy seeds.
I have cream cheese.
What am I waiting for ?

So, I decided to make this Lemon Poppy Seeds Cream Cheese Cookies ！
And I started to write this recipe based on how I wanted my cookies taste like last night.


Lemon Poppy Seeds Cream Cheese Cookies:
Ingredients:
A. 140 g cream cheese ( room temperature)
      70 g butter
      100 sugar

B. 1/8 tsp salt
      20 ml lemon juice
      1 tbsp lemon zest

C.( sieved). 215 g all purpose flour
     20 g poppy seeds
     1 tsp baking powder
     1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda


Method ：
1. Cream Ingredient A for 10 mins ( until fluffy).
2.  + B + C . Mixed well.
3. Shape into a ball and use a fork to press the dough before baking.
4. Temperature : 180 C.
    Baking  Time ：25 - 30 mins （ Middle  rack)

Luffa with Omelette

Luffa is always my favorite dish due to its softness after cooking.

Chinese always fried luffa with omelette and char siew  ( 叉烧) .

Lunch Menu:

1. Fried Luffa with Omelette and Char Siew.

2. Mustard Green in Water - No oil , no salt.

Apple, Carrot and Coconut Muffins

I always think that it is much easier to make muffins than making cakes although their texture is different.

It is my first time to make this apple, carrot and coconut muffins. The recipe is adapted from the book " Muffin Galore" ( Catherine Atkinson ). 

The combination of these ingredients makes very moist muffins. The actual recipe makes 12 muffins but I only make half of these.

( All dry ingredients - mixed well)

Apple, Carrot and Coconut Muffins :
Dry ingredients:
75 g plain wholemeal flour
75 g white flour
50 g brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
100 g carrot ,finely grated
100 g dried apple, chopped (  I used fresh apple)
30 g raisin, chopped
25 g walnut , chopped
50 g flake coconut

Wet ingredients: ( I have made some changes here as I didn't have buttermilk )
The actual recipe needs 63 ml buttermilk , 63 ml milk  1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract)

I substitued the above ingredients as below :
50 g melted butter
70 ml milk
1 slightly beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla extra

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 C  Gas mark 4. ( I used 190 C as I thought that this muffin is quite moist and it needs higher temperature ) . Grease a 6-cup muffin tin with paper muffin case.
2. Mix dry ingredients + wet ingredients , mix briefly until just combine.
3. Baking time : 25- 30 mins .

Voila ! My tea time : A cup of tea and an apple, carrot and coconut muffin, yummy !

Coconut Tarts

Those coconut tarts selling in the bakery shop are too sweet for me .
So , I have decided to make them myself according to the sweetness that suit me well.

These bloggers made beautiful coconut tarts :
1. My Kitchen Snippets (English )
2. Citarasawan ( Malay )
3. Eupho Cafe 爱在厨房（ Chinese ）
4. The Best Food - vegetarian 甜嫩的椰子塔  （ Chinese ）
5. Eileen 之记事本 ( Chinese)
6. 小小米桶 - 香酥椰子塔 ( Chinese )
7. Food Cooking and Capturing - Vietnamese Coconut Tarts ( English )

My version of coconut tarts were referred to My Kitchen Snippets 's pastry and filling quantity . But I changed the making method to creaming method for the filling and modify some of the quantity of ingredients as well.

Coconut Tarts: ( I used patty pan baking tray instead of single tart moulds, makes about 16 psc ) 

Ingredient of pastry :

300 g flour

160 g butter

70 ml iced cold water

20 g castor sugar

1/4 tsp of salt

To make the pastry:

1. Cut cold butter + flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. + sugar + salt + iced cold water. 

3. Make them a dough and refrigerate for 20 mins . 

4. Press dough into the tart mould with equal part of dough and fill with coconut tart filling.

5. Bake in the oven.

Ingredients of Filling :

200 g grated coconut ( need only the white one).

70 g butter

80 g castor sugar

2 eggs ( 70 g each )

70 g flour  

10 ml water

Method :

1. Beat butter + castor sugar until creamy and fluffy ( electric mixer)

2. + eggs, mixed well ( electric mixer)

3. + flour stir well (with spatula).

4. + grated coconut ( with spatula ).

5. + water.

Baking time : 30 mins ( upper and lower heat ,  middle rack ).

                      Extra 10 mins if neccessary ( only lower heat to make the base of the coconut tart crispy).

Raisin Scones

I have made some raisin scones for breakfast.

But I will still take some for tea break too.

Sometimes I take them with raspberry and sometimes with only butter or sometimes with both.

Raisin Scones:
Ingredients:

225 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
50 g cold butter
1 beaten egg
50 g castor sugar ( I use less sugar because those raisins are quite sweet)
60 ml cold milk

100 g raisin ( slightly cut )

Method:
1. Cut cold butter with (flour + baking powder) with a pastry cutter.
2. + sugar + beaten egg + cold milk.
3. + raisin.
4. Knead into dough lightly.
5. Press to 1 cm thickness and cut with a round cookie cutter.

Oven temperature : 220 C
Baking time : 10 mins ( or golden in colour)

Tea break : Raisin scones and black coffee without sugar.

Raspberry Jam Drops

I made these jam drops from " Essential Baking " cookbook .
I need to place them on a 14" X 10 " tray twice. You can find this from "Delicious Magazine". They have almost the same recipe. ( The quantity of sugar and jam has reduced )
It is better to eat this jam drops within the day of baking.
As I kept this in the container, the moist of the jam has made these cookies very soft and you need to bake it again before eating.
** Do not stack them in the container too.

Raspberry Jam Drops ：
Ingredients ：
80 g unsalted butter ,soften
45 g icing sugar ( original recipe : 90g )
2 tbsp milk
1/2 vanilla extract
125 g self raising flour
40 g custard powder or instant vanilla pudding mix  ( I used Tesco Choice Brand , I guess it has too much yellow colouring and the taste is not what I expected )

100 g raspberry jam

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C ( 350 F)
2. Line baking tray with baking paper. ( I greased the tray with butter )
3. Cream the butter + sugar in a small bowl using electric beaters until light and creamy.
4. + milk + vanilla extract, beat until combined.
5. + sifted flour + custard powder and mix to form a soft dough.
6. Roll heap teaspoons of the mixture into balls and place on the tray.
7.Make an indentation in each ball using the end of a wooden spoon and fill with a little of the jam.
8. Baking time  : 15 mins. , middle rack.

Verdict : I love this jam drops because it is not too oily while eating. The raspberry jam has enhanced the taste of the cookies. Although I have never tried other brand of custard powder, I don't like the colour of the custard powder and the custard powder taste is too strong. I will only use 20 g of custard powder and 20 g of corn flour when I do this next time :)

 Tea Break : Raspberry jam drops with half a cup of black coffee without sugar.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Pork Loin

With only a piece of fried pork loin and some cucumber, I started to prepare "spaghetti carbonara " , without any bacon and wondered if this is still called spaghetti carbonara or " pasta in egg sauce "? 

Spaghetti Carbonara with pork loin :

Ingredients:

1 piece of fried pork loin

80 g chopped onion

30 g chopped garlic

1 beaten egg ( 70 g)

half of the cucumber cubes ( removed inner soft part)

a portion of cooked spaghetti for one.

Seasoning :

salt 

pepper

abalone scallop sauce ( bottled ) - 鲍鱼瑶柱汁

Method:

1. Prepare spaghetti.

2. Fry onion + garlic until fragrant ( not brown).

3. + pork loin stir fried for 2 mins.

4. + cucumber cubes + 100 ml water , seasoning + spaghetti.

5. + beaten egg. Switch off the stove. Stir the beaten egg evenly until it becomes thick.

6. Serve with grated cheddar cheese. ( I have no parmesan cheese )

Voila !