BERRIES

Berries are in season and with shelves line with packets of berries and at reasonable price, my shopping cart was soon filled with boxes of blueberries, strawberries, cherries and blackberries.   In the meantime I had no idea what I am going to do with all the berries I have bought, besides eating them fresh.  Anyway there is always room for fruits pastries.

Open fruit tarts and lattices pies for a light afternoon tea

Bursting blackberries and blueberries under the cover of lattices

Open tarts filled with luscious and glittering berries

A cup of light Yuzu tea to go with the tarts

CUCUMBER

When young my family sustained on cheap simple meal, with plain stir-fried vegetables and rice.  Beansprots was considered the poor man's meal and was a regular dish on our table.  It only cost 5 cents for 1 big bag and provided for 2-3 meals.  I was given the task to pluck the roots of the beansprouts which I dreaded most.

I normally stir-fry the greens with a dash of oyster sauce.  As for this cucumber dish, an addition of other ingredients enhance the flavor.

Soak dried shrimps, cut fresh mushrooms, spring onions and chop garlics
Peel 2 cucumbers and scoop out the seeds.  Slice cucumbers into thin slices and set aside
Squeeze out water from shrimps and cut into small pieces.  Retain the water
Heat oil and fry shrimps over small fire till fragrant and add in garlic.
Increase heat, add in cucumber and stir fry for 2 mins
Add 1/4 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Continue frying and throw in mushroom and shrimp water
Cover wok and lower fire.  Leave cover on for 3 mins

Add in 1 tbsp of oyster sauce.  Switch off fire and toss in spring onions.

GINSENG HERBAL SOUP

The weather is so tempermental nowadays, 1 day wet with 2 days dryness that can make one falls sick easily.   Food in the form of liquid should be consumed more to counteract the weather effect on health, especially soup.   Ginseng herbal soup is one soup that helps to boost immunity and strengthen resistant of the body to avoid sickness. 

I did not use any meat in the soup as the chinese herbs give a natural sweetness to the soup after hours of boiling.   Combine ginseng, 當歸, 玉竹, 北芹, 紅棗, 枸子, 肉圓 和 甜棗 to add into boiling water and boil for 3 hours over low fire.

TCC

Dinner at new TCC in Airport Terminal 3.  A bit quiet during weekday but comes weekend waiting time is long, especially late into the night.  A nice place for supper.

Beef Soup - thick broth full of beef flavor.  Accompany with crisp garlic toast

Pumpkin Soup - Spicy and full of kick

Smoke Salmon Salad - Come with baguette filled with fresh tomatoes and cheese, and orange sorbet which I like most, tangy and refreshing

Asparagus Puff - Flaky puff with creamy tender asparagus.  Sides of whole fresh tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes topped with salsa sauce and creamy mushrooms

Mushroom Pasta - light dish

Salmon Burger with avocado cream and cheese

Tuna Pasta

Herbal Mint Tea

Nutella Float - very chocolaty

Volcanic Chocolate Cake - The flow of thick chocolate lava is sensation combined with raspberry sauce

STRAWBERRY PANNA COTTA

Sweets and desserts are friends of ladies.  The satisfaction that you derive from making it for your family who also enjoys the pleasure of eating it.  Compliments that I get from my daughters and DH  motivate my interest.

Macerate the strawberries in sugar for half an hour.  Seldom can we get sweet strawberries as most imported are pluck unripe.

Place sliced strawberries on top of panna-cotta after being set.  Recipes for panna cotta can be found

For jelly layer, use jelly powder and follow instructions at back of box.  Taste and add sugar to own's preferance.  Pour jelly mixture on top of panna cotta when cold and set in fridge. 

SZECHUAN TOFU

Tofu is a common dish in the family.  I cook it different ways to give different taste to the dish.  Prior to Vesak Day my DH will go on vegetarian diet for 1 month and tofu was cooked with mocked meat and szechuan cilly sauce. 

ASPARAGUS WITH MUSHROOM, CARROTS...

Asparagus is a low-calorie source of folate and potassium.   Its stalks are high in antioxidants.  Asparagus provides essential nutrients and particularly green asparagus is a good source of vitamin C. 

For stir-frying is best to buy young and small asparagus as they are more tender and less fibrous.  As asparagus is high in sugar simply fry with mushroom, onions, carrots and tomatoes provides delicate flavor to the dish.

CHOCOLATE CHEESE BROWNIE

I know I know this is the photo taken in 2008 and was forgotten by, but came in useful as I forgot to take photos of the chocolate cheese brownie I made for our tea indulgence this afternoon.   Although DH has no liking for chocolate but once a while give in to a piece or two.

It is a big tray for two of us but once the children come home it will be gone in a minute.  We enjoyed the company of each other on a quite Sunday afternoon enjoying a cup of tea and some home-baked food.

Recipe from Doree Greenspan "Baking From My Home To Yours"

SWEET POTATO SOUP

Orange flesh sweet potatoes are hard to come by and I usually end up getting the yellow flesh.  Anyway whatever color till it ended up as a sweet soup, maybe the orange flesh perks up our visual and appetite.

The potatoes should be cooked to a desired texture which should not be too soft as they will disintegrate easily and become mushy.

Adding more gingers spice up the soup and warm the stomach.  But the amount of ginger must not be overwhelming that it overrides the sweetness of the potatoes.

MING KEE

Eldest girl is so happy she passed the 1st part of the Royal College of Physician Edinburgh that she offered to treat us to dinner at Ming Kee.

Refreshment for everybody - Soursop drinks

This place is popular for its seafood - stir-fry clams with wine and chillie.  Some clams had to be pried open by hands. 

Baby cabbage fried with 3 varieties of eggs

Guiness pork ribs, very well seasoned although not very tender

Winner of the night - spicy sauce with firm flesh gives a good bite.  Definitely with deep fried bun to lick up the sauce

Coconut agar agar - Appetizing to the eyes and refreshing to the palate.  Should serve thicker slices

TONKICHI

DH has been craving for tonkatsu and ended up in Tonkichi for dinner in Orchard Central.

A big sign  -  Hard to miss

Eye-catching pillar signboard

Display of beautiful porcelains

Drink to your heart content

Open work station

Night view to enjoy while eating

Start meal with silky smooth appetizer

Light meal for light eater

A clever choice - combination of seafood and meat

Pork to satisfy his craving

A balance meal