Tomato Chicken Stew

Chicken stew with mini tomatoes gives a fruity and sweet flavor to the dish.  The tomatoes also tenderize the meat.  A great dish to go with rice. 

Season the chicken wings and sprinkle with herbs.  Slash the tomatoes and mix with the chicken.  Wrap foil and bake for 1 hour in the oven at 170C.

Pork Pie

The pork pie that we had for the New Year Dinner :

Shortcrust pastry : 350g flour, 250g butter, cold water, 1 tablespoon icing sugar to make dough.

Refrigerate for half an hour before rolling out.

Fillings : Fry minced pork, carrot, potatoes, mushrooms, minced garlic and. onions.

Seasoning : salt, sugar, mirin, soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and shiaoxin wine

Ngo Hiang （五 香 卷）

This is a festive dish for Chinese New Year which I will make without fail.  There are 2 variations of fillings, one with minced pork and mashed yam and the other only pork fillings.  We prefer the one with yam as we prefer a firmer texture.

Mix minced pork with diced carrots, waterchestnut, onions, garlics, dried shrimps (pounded), light soya sauce, salt, sugar, cornflour, oyster sauce and chinese wine.  Mix well. 

Cut beancurd sheets into rectangle form and place a spoonful of fillings and wrap into rolls.  Seal with water.  Steam the rolls for 1-2 mins and keep in the freezer if not to be eaten yet.  Deep fry till brown.

Serve with chilli & tomatoes sauce or mayonnaise

CLAREMONT

Gone down to Perth to settle 3rd child's admission to University of Western Australia.  She will begin her campus life in a cottage in Claremont for the next 3 years, where she will learn to be independent.

Nice neighborhood with walking distance to the Swan River where she will enjoy cool breeze during summer and freezing cold in winter.

Quiet and tranquil area with 15 minutes bus ride to university

Nice neighboring with rooms for rent at A$170 per week

Very English deco, high ceiling, bright and spacious

Carpeted floor and great book shelves

Spacious and equip kitchen to cook in

Dry clean bathroom to indulge in after a tired day

CRANBERRIES PIE

The subject I liked most was Home Economics during secondary school days and I chose it as one of my 'O' level subjects.  The things taught in Secondary 3 & 4 were more in depth as compared to Secondary 1 & 2, and there were more hands-on and more time allowed to play with.  Pastry making was one of the topics taught and the skill mastered had enabled me to versatile enough to bake delicious pies and tarts, be it sweet or savory. 

With ample fresh and dried cranberries leftover from making jam and biscotti, a cranberry pie was served for dinner after days of indulging in heavy food during the festive season.

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2012

祝大家

新年快乐

万事如意

心想事成

CINNAMON CREME BRULEE

3 cups heavy cream
1 egg + 4 yolks (large)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rum
1-2 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix yolks and sugar on low speed
Heat cream and cinnamon sticks till about to boil
Strain and slowly pour into egg mixture
Bake in water bath for 35-40 mins till set

Sprinkle fine sugar on top of baked brulee

Use a blow torch to caramelize sugar

BISCOTTI

I gave out biscotti as gifts for X'mas and everyone loves it.   It is easy to make and can keep longer.  I adopted the recipe from Donna Hay's magazine Dec/Jan 2012 issue (bought in Sydney by my 2nd daughter).

Mix 300g plain flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder and 165g sugar to combine.  Add in 3 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 100g orange peel, 130 dried cranberries and 140g pistachios.

Use both hands mix ingredients evenly and shape into 2 balls. 

Shape each dough into a long log.  Flatten slightly and place on a baking sheet line with non-stick mat.  Bake for 30 mins in 160C oven till firm.

Set aside to cool completely.  Use a very sharp knife to cut the logs in neat slices.  Make sure the dough is completely cool before cutting or it will break into pieces.

Bake slices for further 8-10 mins or until golden brown and crisp.

Allow to cool on trays.

Full of bite and citrus fragrance.

2012

2012 is here. Time really passes by in a second.  2011 is not a good year for us with death in the family, and tremendous changes that affected our livelihood and my career.  Hope that the coming year things will settle down and improve.

A simple dinner to celebrate and welcome 2012.

Scallops with chorizo and futilli in olive oil.

Pork pie in soft crust pastry

Cinnamon creme brulee

X'MAS DINNER 2011

X'mas was celebrated with dinner cooked by my eldest girl with dessert, a pear tart baked by 2nd daughter. All my DH and me had to do was to sit down and enjoyed the meal.

Beet root apple and spinach salad to start off the meal.

Coq au vin (chicken stew in red wine) adopted from the recipe by Nigel Slater.  The chicken meat was infused with the aroma of wine and paired beautifully with mashed potatoes.



Desserts to satisfy our sweet tooth.

A pear tart with pears stewed in sugar syrup and baked in sweet dough base of frangipani filling.

Plain glutinous balls paired with azuka red beans and matcha ice-cream.