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Sunday 17 May 2015

Cheese n mixed vegetables muffins

Cheese is one of the best foods - it is tasty n gives us calcium.

I wanted to prepare some food for our church tea break and there are some elderly folks who prefer less sweet foods.

Since I have a block of Kraft cheddar cheese at home I decided to search for cheese muffins to make.

I came across this recipe from Juie Goodwin - wow! She is Australia's first Master Chef!

Looking at her recipe it was simple to do and I decided to adapt it.

I am not really a vegetable lover so I decided to reduce the vegetables and I used frozen mixed vegetables since I have that in my freezer. I will probably add in bacon too next time if I have them.

Please check her link for the full recipe and method http://www.juliegoodwin.com.au/recipe-cheesy-muffins.html

Her recipe ingredients are 
2 cups self raising flour
3 cups veg which can be grated carrot, corn, zucchini, corn kernels, chopped spinach, chopped shallot and fresh herbs. 
1 and 1/3 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs and 60 gm melted butter

My recipe ingredients are
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup mixed frozen vegetables which I used Fairprice brand - carrots, corn, peas
1/2 a small onion diced 
1 teaspoon of mixed spice from The Gourmet Collection
130 gm of grated Kraft cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
60 gm unsalted butter melted n cooled

Method 
I prepared small baking cases (hard type) n put on a baking tray
I boiled the frozen vegetables in a microwave bowl for about 2 mins and drained the water
Put the self raising flour in a large mixing bowl
Add in the cooked vegetables and diced onion and grated cheese and the spice mix and mix well with a spoon 
The ingredients become coated in flour
Mix the eggs and milk together 
Pour it into the flour with melted butter and stir together 
After stirring it becomes paste like and thick
Preheat the oven to 180 deg Celsius 
Use n ice cream scoop to scoop into the muffin cases evenly
Bake on middle tray for 25 minutes
The top will be lightly golden but the bottom will be browned nicely
Remove the muffins n cool on a wire rack 
To keep them for next day 
I kept inside airtight container and kept inside the fridge 
Let them come to room temp about 30 mins and warm them in oven at 110 deg Celsius for about 10 minutes 
Happy baking!!


I used 130 gm of the cheddar cheese

Before mixing

After coating with flour

My spiced mix

Before baking

After baking

Cross section of the muffin

Enjoy them with your coffee!





Saturday 16 May 2015

Steamed cupcakes


These are steamed cupcakes using my electric steamer. If you have tried steamed cakes, they are denser than baked cakes. I kept them overnight in a covered case and they still taste good the next day. 

My friend told me steamed cakes may be less heaty than baked ones as Chinese believe baked or fried foods cause our bodies to heat up internally and may cause sickness.

The original recipe came from SandeeA's blog 

My Malay friend says Apam means Kueh.

I followed her recipe and she has made it without using ovalette.

However, I used artificial colours n flavorings. Please follow her link for natural strawberry flavour.

Before steaming - place the paper cupcakes inside my metal chicken pie molds 

After steaming 10 minutes in my electric steamer

For the filling I used chocolate rice and also some blueberry jam

I also tried orange flavoring.

 Orange flavored


Chocolate rice 

Original with pink coloured cross 

Blueberry jam

Friday 15 May 2015

Potato and green peas samosa


This is my first try at making samosa and I just lightly seasoned my filling. I am not able to take really spicy foods so I made according to my liking.

I am glad they turned out well all the fillings are intact I managed to seal the samosas properly. :)

This is the plate of filling

Filling recipe
2 russet potatoes skin removed n boiled 
Frozen green peas 3/4 cup
Some water
1 small onion diced 
Ground cumin 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Some oil

Method 
Boil the potatoes till cooked
Drain water 
Remove and cut into small cubes ( my photo shows cubes a bit too large please dice smaller)

Microwave the green peas with some water enough to cover the peas
Cook for 3 minutes. Drain away the water 

Heat some oil in a large pan and fry onions for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally 
Add in the potatoes and cumin, salt and turmeric powder
Stir fry so that the colours evenly coated the potatoes
Add in green peas and mix well
Set aside and cool about half an hour

Making samosa 
Popiah skin large size cut into thirds 
1 egg beaten to seal the samosa
Oil for frying 

Wrap the fillings in the popiah skin and seal so that the fillings won't drop out

Use the same large saucepan and fill enough oil so that the samosas can be covered 
Lower the temperature when a lot of bubbles form on base of pan
Put in samosas about 7 pcs and fry till one side is brownish
Turn over and fry till other side is brownish 
Drain oil on paper towels 
When samosas are cooler n can be handled 
Serve 
Eat on their own or make a chillie dip if desired

I used this popiah skin

Ingredients 

Frying onions

Potatoes are yellowish colored - add peas


Before frying 

In the oil

Turn golden brown 

Golden brown and ready to eat - crunchy!!

Fried another batch today 



Enjoy them warm!

I folded them this way
Fold one corner up to form triangle

Fold 1st triangle over so that you have a pouch 


Use the spoon and stuff filling inside 


Seal properly with beaten egg 



Tuesday 12 May 2015

Prawn Fritters

I feel I I should share this as the prawn fritters are awesome! No need to buy flour mix anymore!

Please refer to Hedy Khoo's recipe 
The link is here

I did with about 170 gm of Large prawns bought from Ntuc Fairprice supermarket (weight after heads n shells removed) which was about 19 prawns.

Bought this type of prawns didn't use all

The batter was half her recipe
For consistency of batter I used 100 ml water plus 2 tablespoon water
You have to experiment your own my batter is a bit thick and clings to the prawns so it doesn't drop while transferring to the wok



Frying in the oil 

The fritters were tasty on thier own but I also added a side dish of Thousand Island Sauce dressing 

Puffed up 

Cross section

Enjoy!!

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Pork patties burger

This is a surprise hit with the adults in my family especially my hubby who says :"have standard". This means in Singapore lingo that the burger tastes good.

I was searching for recipes that uses cumin as I bought a bottle not long ago. I only used it once. It has a pungent smell and unlikely that the children will enjoy if I made curry with it. So while checking I came across chicken patties using roasted chicken and cumin by Jennifer Perillo. I think I will also explore her other recipes next round http://www.injennieskitchen.com/category/recipes/

The recipe I referred to, the link is below

Instead of using roasted chicken which i don't have, I used fresh minced pork. I also changed the recipe a little.

Recipe
Minced pork bought from Fairprice supermarket about 270 grams
Some white pepper
Sprinkle of ground cumin
Sprinkle of salt
Bread or Panko crumbs 1/4 cup
Chinese parsley a small sprig chopped finely
One quarter of a yellow onion chopped finely
One egg beaten lightly
1 heaped teaspoon corn flour


Use a large plate or bowl n place minced pork in it
Loosen the pork a little
Add in all the dry ingredients. Mix a little 
Then add in the beaten egg
Mix everything ( I used my hand) in one direction 
Then divide n shape into 4 patties 
Do make them slightly rounded and thick, not flat n thin because they may break while frying
Heat some oil in a large frying pan
Fry the patties at medium low fire.
The meat patties have fat in them.
Be careful oil may splatter out.
Place the four patties n fry till one side browns
Flip over n fry the other side 
I also made them stand at sides of pan so the edges can get browned too
I follow the link above and place a rack over a few paper towels 
After frying, place the patties on the rack.
The excess oil will drip onto the paper towels. 
To test if cooked, I used my butter knife and poke the blade in.
The patties are cooked as the meat inside turned white.
Leave to cool a while 
For the burger buns, I used my small grill pan n heat up a small piece of butter n grill the buns both sides 
Place some slices of Japanese cucumber  on the bottom half of bun
Top with a piece of cheese 
Add the pork patty
Pipe the Japanese mayonaise on it
Then tomato ketchup

Before adding egg

Form 4 patties 

In the pan

One side browned

Let the excess oil drip

I used Kewpie mayonnaise 

Yummy burger!!

Cross section

Happy cooking!!

Friday 1 May 2015

Lean pork n scallop porridge


Today I did a lean sliced pork porridge with fresh scallop porridge for my hubby and me to eat.  He isn't well n needed soft foods.

To make it tastier Fb friends told me to marinate pork with salt I took their advice .
Thanks very much friends!

Today I also used for the first time chicken Borvil stock to enhance the taste.

Recipe 
Ingredients
Cut some thin pcs of pork loin boneless 
( bought from Ntuc fairprice supermarket)
Fine salt 
1 tray of fresh scallop - 6 pcs
Some Chinese parsley 
1 teaspoon Chicken Borvil stock mix with 250 ml hot water
500 ml cool water
About 1 teaspoon corn flour
Rice 1.5 cups ( can reduce because I can't finish)
Extra a rice bowl of hot water

Method
Cut the pork loin about 1.5 to 2 inches of the pork
Then slice off the fatty part n discard
Cut the pork into very thin slices 
Then I use my knife to chop the pork to tenderize every piece
Put in a bowl n sprinkle salt to marinate for about 1.5 hrs 
Keep in the fridge covered

After 1.5 hours.
Prepare the stock 
In a cup use about 250 ml of hot water n mix in a teaspoon of the chicken Borvil.
Stir to make a soup.
Pour into a soup pot and add in 2 more cups of water.
Boil the soup.

Then add in rinsed rice slowly into the soup.
Kept stirring with a long wooden spoon so that the porridge can cook n rice will not stick to bottom of pot for about 15 minutes 

Marinate the scallops shortly with salt now 

When water lowers n porridge start to thicken add a bowl of hot water in n stir again.
When rice grains look much softer 
Add in scallops n stir a while about 30 seconds?
Then mix the pork with a bit of corn flour
Add into porridge 
Make sure pork is cooked then serve the porridge with Chinese parsley 

Borvil chicken stock 

Marinate with salt 

Scallops

Add in scallops when rice grains are soft 

Pork added n cooked 

Serve warm