I got my first taste of Amaretto in Bali 2 years ago. It was served in a shot glass together with tiramisu...and I never forgot that "first time". Thereafter, I spent many comings and goings in DFS looking for Amaretto - its not very common. I finally got my hands on one; its great just drizzled on desserts/ice-cream, yum! Then I found out you could make Amaretto at home! Something I could totally make as gifts during Christmas!
1.5 cup granulated sugar
1.5 cup pack brown sugar (whoa nellie! that's alotta sugar)
2 cups water
4 cups vodka
1/3 cup almond extract
5 tsp vanilla extract
1. Dissolve both sugars in water ovee medium heat. Cook until boiling and all sugar dissolved.
2. After mixture has cooled, add vodka, almond extract and vanilla.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Har Cheong Kai
I went on a har cheong kai frenzy a few months back...it was an entire week of trying to make the perfect har cheong kai. End of story - they did not turn out as nice as those you get in the restaurants, but its still worth a try, just for some variety in your chicken :) Its actually quite easy, chucking everything together to marinate. It only gets abit messy with the deep frying.
5tbs chopped ginger
3.5 Chinese Rose wine (or cooking wine)
2tbs shrimp sauce
1tbs corn starch
1tbs sugar or honey
Half tbs sesame oil
Pinch of white pepper
150gm Tapioca flour
1. Pound ginger to extract 2 tbs of juice. Stir well with wine, shrimp paste, cornstarch, sugar, pepper and sesame oil.
2. Marinate chicken, refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
3. Heat oil - medium high heat. Roll chicken pieces in tapioca flour, ensure they are evenly coated.
4. Fry chicken for 5-6 minutes - pale brown. Drain.
5. Reheat oil until very hot, and fry chicken again for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.
5tbs chopped ginger
3.5 Chinese Rose wine (or cooking wine)
2tbs shrimp sauce
1tbs corn starch
1tbs sugar or honey
Half tbs sesame oil
Pinch of white pepper
150gm Tapioca flour
1. Pound ginger to extract 2 tbs of juice. Stir well with wine, shrimp paste, cornstarch, sugar, pepper and sesame oil.
2. Marinate chicken, refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
3. Heat oil - medium high heat. Roll chicken pieces in tapioca flour, ensure they are evenly coated.
4. Fry chicken for 5-6 minutes - pale brown. Drain.
5. Reheat oil until very hot, and fry chicken again for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Dabu Dabu from Manado
Learnt this on my first dive trip to Lembeh. It was quite sad actually; the resort we stayed at was as budget as you could get, and there was always not enough food at mealtimes. In comes dabu dabu, which is a tomato, chilli and onion salsa, and it totally saved our meals - just eating it with plain rice was yummy :). That said, it was the only dive trip where I lost 2 kgs!
Onions (quite abit, as its the main ingredient)
Tomatoes, with the slimy core removed (or just dice up cherry tomatoes)
Chilli padi (remove the seeds, if I were you)
Calamansi
Oil (about 2 tbs)
Salt
Sorry I can't give measurements, its one of those things I have to see then I know! You can also add in diced cucumber to bulk it up. The salsa is abit more watery in texture (compared to the salsa that they use in brushetta). Not too much calamansi as it will end up too sour, so its down to the oil that will give it its smooth texture.
Onions (quite abit, as its the main ingredient)
Tomatoes, with the slimy core removed (or just dice up cherry tomatoes)
Chilli padi (remove the seeds, if I were you)
Calamansi
Oil (about 2 tbs)
Salt
Sorry I can't give measurements, its one of those things I have to see then I know! You can also add in diced cucumber to bulk it up. The salsa is abit more watery in texture (compared to the salsa that they use in brushetta). Not too much calamansi as it will end up too sour, so its down to the oil that will give it its smooth texture.
Jeannette's Dad's Wonderful Sauces
So far, I have only eaten this; Uncle gave me the recipe verbally, with no measurements.
Cantonese-style light soya sauce for fish
Heat oil until smokin'.
Throw in light soya sauce mixture with ginger, spring onions and chilli. (Be careful not to mortally wound yourself in the process)
My guess is 2 parts soya sauce, 1 part oil.
Yummy sweetish sauce (goes well with sliced pork)
Just tomato ketchup and Worchestershire sauce (quite a bit of it I think).
Cantonese-style light soya sauce for fish
Heat oil until smokin'.
Throw in light soya sauce mixture with ginger, spring onions and chilli. (Be careful not to mortally wound yourself in the process)
My guess is 2 parts soya sauce, 1 part oil.
Yummy sweetish sauce (goes well with sliced pork)
Just tomato ketchup and Worchestershire sauce (quite a bit of it I think).
Basic Beef Stew
300gm beef cubes
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Potatoes, peeled and cut into bit-sized pieces
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worchestershire sauce
1 cup beef stock
Half tbs thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste
1. Season beef with salt and pepper for an hour. Fry beef ove rhigh heat til brown.
2. Add onion, carrot and celery, fry to 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and mix well. Stir in tomato paste and Worchestershire sauce.
3. Pour in beef stock and stir well, bring to boil, add thyme. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours, or transfer to a slow cooker.
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Potatoes, peeled and cut into bit-sized pieces
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worchestershire sauce
1 cup beef stock
Half tbs thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste
1. Season beef with salt and pepper for an hour. Fry beef ove rhigh heat til brown.
2. Add onion, carrot and celery, fry to 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and mix well. Stir in tomato paste and Worchestershire sauce.
3. Pour in beef stock and stir well, bring to boil, add thyme. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours, or transfer to a slow cooker.
Priscilla's Mother's Pandan Chiffon Cake
This cake is a killer. I haven't attempted it after learning from the shifu herself because I haven't gotten round to squeezing the pandan leaf for its juice. I tried, and I mortally wounded my thumb. No pandan essence maam!
9 eggs, yolk (don't break the yolks) and whites separated
1 small chinese bowl caster sugar
1 small chinese bowl plain flour (I wonder how it'll turn out if I use cake flour) + half tsp baking powder
1 small chinese bowl coconut milk (freshly squeezed from 1.5 coconuts)
3 tbs cooking/vegetable oil
1 tbs green colouring
3 tbs pandan juice
Half tsp cream of tartar
1. Beat 8 yolks for 5 minutes, then add half bowl sugar. Beat until creamy and light. Add in flour and baking powder and beat another 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Beat the 9 whites intil risen, slowly mix in rest of the sugar (half bowl). Add in half tsp cream of tartar and beat until very dense, more than 10 minutes.
3. Mix oil, pandan juice and colour into coconut milk, and split this into 3 parts, mix with egg yolk mixture.
4. Mix yolk and white mixture, and pour into a chiffon cake tin (the one with the chimney in the middle). Bake at 180C til it turns light brown.
5. Once done, collapse the tin over a wine bottled, and let it cool completely before removing it from tin.
9 eggs, yolk (don't break the yolks) and whites separated
1 small chinese bowl caster sugar
1 small chinese bowl plain flour (I wonder how it'll turn out if I use cake flour) + half tsp baking powder
1 small chinese bowl coconut milk (freshly squeezed from 1.5 coconuts)
3 tbs cooking/vegetable oil
1 tbs green colouring
3 tbs pandan juice
Half tsp cream of tartar
1. Beat 8 yolks for 5 minutes, then add half bowl sugar. Beat until creamy and light. Add in flour and baking powder and beat another 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Beat the 9 whites intil risen, slowly mix in rest of the sugar (half bowl). Add in half tsp cream of tartar and beat until very dense, more than 10 minutes.
3. Mix oil, pandan juice and colour into coconut milk, and split this into 3 parts, mix with egg yolk mixture.
4. Mix yolk and white mixture, and pour into a chiffon cake tin (the one with the chimney in the middle). Bake at 180C til it turns light brown.
5. Once done, collapse the tin over a wine bottled, and let it cool completely before removing it from tin.
Martha Stewart's Glazed Lemon Pound Cake
This turned out quite a yummy, polite little cake :) Good for teas.
Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (this is the secret ingredient!)
Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from the 2 lemons you grated)
1.5 tsp salt
Half tsp baking powder
Half tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar (I use less)
5 large eggs
Lemon glaze
2 cups icing sugar
3-4 tbs fresh lemon juice
1. Pre-hear oven 350F, butter and flour 2 loaf tins.
2. Combine buttermilk, lemon zest and juice.
3. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
4. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just smooth. Do not overbeat.
6. Divide batter evenly into two pans, bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean -50-60 minutes.
7. Cool completely before glazing. Let dry 30 minutes after glazing.
Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (this is the secret ingredient!)
Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from the 2 lemons you grated)
1.5 tsp salt
Half tsp baking powder
Half tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar (I use less)
5 large eggs
Lemon glaze
2 cups icing sugar
3-4 tbs fresh lemon juice
1. Pre-hear oven 350F, butter and flour 2 loaf tins.
2. Combine buttermilk, lemon zest and juice.
3. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
4. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just smooth. Do not overbeat.
6. Divide batter evenly into two pans, bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean -50-60 minutes.
7. Cool completely before glazing. Let dry 30 minutes after glazing.
Violet Oon's Pineapple Tarts
I was once Violet Oon's cooking demo assistant. In Ikea Alexandra. It was fun, but quite tiring for the arms, especially when stirring the pineapple mixture to avoid it burning. It was a good experience, it quelled whatever fear I had in making my own pineapple tarts. And because of this, I've become quite a pineapple tart snob. The only tarts I would pay money to buy are the golf balls from Le Cafe. Alterntively, the other World's Best Pineapple Tarts are from my Godma's maid Beth. Beth's tarts are lovingly shaped like durians, and the paste is spicier (cinnamon/cloves).
Filling
1 sour pineapple, grated
(I don't know how you choose a sour pineapple, and no, I did not ask Aunty Violet)
5-8 tbs sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Pastry
2 egg yolks
200gm plain flour
3 tsp brandy (my favourite ingredient)
3/4 tsp vanilla essense
100-140gm butter, softened (the more butter, the harder to handle the pastry - you might need to work it in an air-con room, if the weather is too hot)
1/2 tsp salt
1. Boil grated pineapple with sugar and cinammon in a non-stick saucepan for 20-40 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously to prevent mixture sticking to pan. Cook til moisture dries up, mixture is thick. Cool and store.
2. Mix one yolk with vanilla and brandy and add in butter. Add sifted flour and salt and mix to a dough. Put in fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
3. Assembly time! Cut out equal portions of dough, and roll out equal portions of filling and start stuffing the filling into the pastry. I make my tarts ball shaped, but smaller than golf balls.
4. Brush balls with yolk and bake in pre-heated oven (175C/350F) for 20-30 minutes, of until light brown, or when your nose smells the delicious waft of buttery goodness.
Filling
1 sour pineapple, grated
(I don't know how you choose a sour pineapple, and no, I did not ask Aunty Violet)
5-8 tbs sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Pastry
2 egg yolks
200gm plain flour
3 tsp brandy (my favourite ingredient)
3/4 tsp vanilla essense
100-140gm butter, softened (the more butter, the harder to handle the pastry - you might need to work it in an air-con room, if the weather is too hot)
1/2 tsp salt
1. Boil grated pineapple with sugar and cinammon in a non-stick saucepan for 20-40 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously to prevent mixture sticking to pan. Cook til moisture dries up, mixture is thick. Cool and store.
2. Mix one yolk with vanilla and brandy and add in butter. Add sifted flour and salt and mix to a dough. Put in fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
3. Assembly time! Cut out equal portions of dough, and roll out equal portions of filling and start stuffing the filling into the pastry. I make my tarts ball shaped, but smaller than golf balls.
4. Brush balls with yolk and bake in pre-heated oven (175C/350F) for 20-30 minutes, of until light brown, or when your nose smells the delicious waft of buttery goodness.
Gwen's Famous Terror-Misu
This is not my recipe. It was from a friend's aunty, who is married to an Italian, which would mean this recipe is totally credible. The term "terror-misu" was coined up by my cousin, coincidentally also called Gwen, cos, well, they all look forward to it at Christmas :). I've kept this recipe secret for years, for I used it as my "party ticket". But many years and a declining rate of making it, I might lose it (its all in my head). So here's it:
500gm Mascapone cheese
5 eggs - yolks and whites separated
5 tbs caster sugar
2 cups of strong coffee
Generous lashings of rum
A large pack of lady fingers
1. Cream yolks and sugar together till creamy and pale yellow. Add in all the mascapone and beat until well mixed and no more lumps.
2. Beat whites till they form stiff peaks. Carefully fold the whites into the cheese/egg mixture.
3. Assemble first layer of lady fingers, pour about 1 tbs of coffee per finger, and generous lashings of rum over the layer. Pour out cream mixture and spread evenly. Repeat process. (2 layers in all). Refrigerate.
4. Dust cocoa powder on top just before serving.
500gm Mascapone cheese
5 eggs - yolks and whites separated
5 tbs caster sugar
2 cups of strong coffee
Generous lashings of rum
A large pack of lady fingers
1. Cream yolks and sugar together till creamy and pale yellow. Add in all the mascapone and beat until well mixed and no more lumps.
2. Beat whites till they form stiff peaks. Carefully fold the whites into the cheese/egg mixture.
3. Assemble first layer of lady fingers, pour about 1 tbs of coffee per finger, and generous lashings of rum over the layer. Pour out cream mixture and spread evenly. Repeat process. (2 layers in all). Refrigerate.
4. Dust cocoa powder on top just before serving.
Mark's Artery Clogging Chocolate Tart
Mark is an ex-colleague of mine. He's a costume designer, but his other talent is his cooking!
80 oz digestives, crushed
1 tub pure cream
80 oz chocolate (sweetened or unsweetened)
Half cup dried fruits
1.5 cup dried fruits + mixed nuts
1/4 block of butter
1. Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. When completely melted, remove from heat.
2. Add cream and butter (the artery clogging part). Mix well.
3. Add digestives and mixed fruit/nut. Mix well.
4. Press mixture tightly in a baking tray and refrigerate for 4 hours.
80 oz digestives, crushed
1 tub pure cream
80 oz chocolate (sweetened or unsweetened)
Half cup dried fruits
1.5 cup dried fruits + mixed nuts
1/4 block of butter
1. Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. When completely melted, remove from heat.
2. Add cream and butter (the artery clogging part). Mix well.
3. Add digestives and mixed fruit/nut. Mix well.
4. Press mixture tightly in a baking tray and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Ikea Swedish Meatballs (Kottbullar)
This recipe is just for the meatball. It doesn't come with the recipe for the cream sauce and ligonberry, which is what really makes the meatball the CHAMPION of all meatballs. I guess you'll still have to give Ikea some money to get their powdered cream sauce and ligonberry sauce.
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup water
200gm / 7 oz ground beef
200gm / 7 oz lean pork
1.5 tsp ground all spice
2 tbs grated onion
1 egg, beated
3 tbs butter for frying
1. Mix breadcrumbs, cream and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Mix beff, pork, salt, all spice and onion, gradually adding in the breadcrumbs, then the egg.
3. Shape the balls, and fry it up (til its a beautiful brown)!
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup water
200gm / 7 oz ground beef
200gm / 7 oz lean pork
1.5 tsp ground all spice
2 tbs grated onion
1 egg, beated
3 tbs butter for frying
1. Mix breadcrumbs, cream and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Mix beff, pork, salt, all spice and onion, gradually adding in the breadcrumbs, then the egg.
3. Shape the balls, and fry it up (til its a beautiful brown)!
My Friend's Mother's Chinese Roast Chicken
This always tastes better when my friend's mum makes it; but beggars can't be choosers, if I want this more often than just at Chinese New Year, this will have to make do.
1 whole chicken or 8 drumsticks
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs Chinese cooking wine (I use Hua Tiao)
1 block or 1.5 tbs preserved red bean curd
1 tbs dark soya sauce
1 tbs honey
1. Mash the beancurd and mix all the seasoning together, marinate chicken.
2. Roast in 400F oven for 20-30 minutes, turning over the meat halfway.
1 whole chicken or 8 drumsticks
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs Chinese cooking wine (I use Hua Tiao)
1 block or 1.5 tbs preserved red bean curd
1 tbs dark soya sauce
1 tbs honey
1. Mash the beancurd and mix all the seasoning together, marinate chicken.
2. Roast in 400F oven for 20-30 minutes, turning over the meat halfway.
Cheesecake Brownies
Some prefer the unadulterated chocolate brownies...which leads me to think that perhaps I should use the plain brownie recipe, and just use the recipe for the cheese and combine them both to make it a killer!
The Brownie part
6 tbs / 85gm unsalted butter, chopped
4oz / 115gm bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup / 130gm sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup / 70gm flour
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 / 80gm cup chocolate chips
The Cheesecake part
8 oz / 200gm cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
5 tbs / 75gm sugar
1/8 tsp Vanilla extract
1. Preheat over to 180C / 350F. Oil and line an 8-9 inch pan with baking paper that extends past the sides of the pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and beat in 2/3 cup sugar, then the eggs.
3. Mix in flour, cocoa powder and salt, the the vanilla essence and chocolate chips. Spread evenly into pan.
4. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese, yolk, 5 tbs sugar and vanilla until smooth.
5. Pour dollops of cheese mixture over chocolate mixture, even it out, then have fun making swirls using a fork or chopsticks.
6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the centre of the pan is set = not that wet. A bit of fudgeyness is good.
The Brownie part
6 tbs / 85gm unsalted butter, chopped
4oz / 115gm bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup / 130gm sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup / 70gm flour
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 / 80gm cup chocolate chips
The Cheesecake part
8 oz / 200gm cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
5 tbs / 75gm sugar
1/8 tsp Vanilla extract
1. Preheat over to 180C / 350F. Oil and line an 8-9 inch pan with baking paper that extends past the sides of the pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and beat in 2/3 cup sugar, then the eggs.
3. Mix in flour, cocoa powder and salt, the the vanilla essence and chocolate chips. Spread evenly into pan.
4. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese, yolk, 5 tbs sugar and vanilla until smooth.
5. Pour dollops of cheese mixture over chocolate mixture, even it out, then have fun making swirls using a fork or chopsticks.
6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the centre of the pan is set = not that wet. A bit of fudgeyness is good.
5-Step Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are a winner! Don't over-bake and you'll end up with nice chocolatey fudge pieces with oozy insides :) waaaaay better than any brownie you can buy outside
150gm / 5oz butter, chopped
125gm / 4oz dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups / 375gm caster sugar
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 cup / 125gm plain flour
1/4 cup / 30gm cocoa powder
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease an 8 inch square baking tin, line base with baking paper that extends over both sides (to help lift brownies out).
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water. Mix well and set aside to cool.
3. Sift flour and cocoa power.
4. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture. Stir in combined sifted flour and cocoa. Do not overbeat.
5. Pour into tin and bake about 40 minutes. Or until the wonderful smell of chocolate hits your nose and you need all your strength to NOT eat the brownies immediately. The tricky part is that the outer sides of this brownie will cook first, and the middle will be still gooey. So sometimes I cut out the sides when they are done, and put the rest to bake somemore. Warning - it can be quite a messy affair.
150gm / 5oz butter, chopped
125gm / 4oz dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups / 375gm caster sugar
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 cup / 125gm plain flour
1/4 cup / 30gm cocoa powder
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease an 8 inch square baking tin, line base with baking paper that extends over both sides (to help lift brownies out).
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water. Mix well and set aside to cool.
3. Sift flour and cocoa power.
4. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture. Stir in combined sifted flour and cocoa. Do not overbeat.
5. Pour into tin and bake about 40 minutes. Or until the wonderful smell of chocolate hits your nose and you need all your strength to NOT eat the brownies immediately. The tricky part is that the outer sides of this brownie will cook first, and the middle will be still gooey. So sometimes I cut out the sides when they are done, and put the rest to bake somemore. Warning - it can be quite a messy affair.
For fear of my recipe folder going to dust...or just getting it lost...
I keep many of my recipes in this black folder. Many of its pages are grimy from regular use/touch from grimy fingers. So this is an effort on my part to not lose my favourite recipes, but its also a way to keep these recipes accesible, from wherever I am. A willing cook is welcomed many parts of the world :).
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