Rosemary & Lemon Salt

May 12th, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

This rosemary & lemon salt brightens up the flavour of ingredients. It goes especially well with roast potatoes, grilled white fish or roast chicken.

Fresh citrus scent and lively yellow colour are perfect for early-summer.

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— Rosemary & Lemon Salt —

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

1 tablespoon sea salt flakes, crashed

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Mix the chopped rosemary, grated lemon rind, crashed sea salt flakes together.

*****

— Roast Potatos —

Ingredients: potatoes, olive oil, salt

Cut the potatoes and cook in slightly salted boiled water until tender. Drain well and toss with olive oil. Roast in a preheated 200C/400F oven for about 20 minutes until golden.

Basil Tempura Squid

May 9th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is not a traditional, but tasty and refreshing basil flavoured tempura.

It’s not difficult to make light and crispy  tempura at home, if you know some tips;

1. Use ice-cold water for the butter.

2. Don’t over mix the butter.

3. Right oil temperature (170C/340F).

By the way, I like deep-fried basil leaves. Light though the leaves and it’s pretty.

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— Basil Tempura Squid (Serves 3-4) —

300g squid tube, cleaned

100g plain flour

1 small egg

150ml ice-cold water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

20 basil leaves (10 leaves for the butter and the other 10 for garnish)

Lemon wedges for serving

Vegetable oil for deep frying

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Wash the squid tubes and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the squid tubes into bite size and lightly dust with some flour.

Heat the deep frying oil to 170C/340F.

Wash the 10 basil leaves and pat dry with paper towels, deep-fry the basil until crispy.

Finely chopped the other 10 basil leaves, set aside.

Beat the egg in a bowl and mix with chilled water.

Place the flour, salt, baking soda and finely chopped basil leaves in another bowl, mix well.

Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture bowl, and very lightly fold in with just 5-6 strokes (the butter should be loosely mixed, but lumpy).

Dip the squid pieces one by one into the butter and deep-fry in the 170C/340F oil until golden.

Garnish with deep-fired basil leaves, serve with the lemon wedges and sprinkle salt if you wish.

Spicy Miso & Cheese Pizza Bread

May 5th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink

This is a crisp savoury snack.

the combination of spicy miso oil and mozzarella cheese is absolutely delicious and addictive.

Easy to make and eat. I found a perfect snack for beer!

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— Spicy miso & cheese pizza bread (makes 10 : 16cm x 8cm each size )—

2 tablespoons miso paste (light brown coloured miso is preferred)

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

1/2 – 1 teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to you taste)

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced

100g grated mozzarella cheese

Some parsley, chopped

*****

— for pizza dough —

200g plain flour

1/2 tablespoon dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

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Place the dry yeast and sugar in a bowl, mix in 120ml lukewarm water. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface.

Place the flour, salt and olive oil in a different bowl, add the yeast mixture and mix together.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface board and knead for about 5 minutes.

Make the dough into a ball, place on a floured tray under a clean, dump cloth and set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes.

To make the spicy miso oil, place the miso, oil, honey, minced garlic and chili flakes in a bowl and mix until well combined.

Divide the pizza dough into 10 balls and roll out on a floured surface board to ovals.

Brush the baking tray with olive oil and lay the oval bases on the tray.

Spread the spicy miso oil and top with grated mozzarella.

Bake in a preheated 220C/425F oven for about 8 minutes until topping is golden and the base is crispy.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Pasta Salad with Avocado & Wasabi

May 2nd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a chilled pasta with very rich and creamy wasabi-hinted avocado sauce.

If you enjoy a little kick of wasabi, then this appetizer is for you.

I love the unique flavor and hotness of Wasabi. But I hated it when I was a child. I don’t remember how and when I started liking it. The same thing happened to black coffee, beer and Marmite.

I want to know where is the ‘hate’ to ‘love’ switch and how to operate it.

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— Pasta Salad with Avocado & Wasabi (Appetizer: serves 4) —

200g pasta

2 medium ripe avocados

1 teaspoon (adjust to you taste) wasabi paste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 table spoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon walnut oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

A pinch of black pepper

Some chives, finely chopped

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Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water until cooked (follow the package directions). Drain and rinse well under cold water.

Peel the avocados, remove the stones and mash with a fork fairly smooth in a bowl. Add the wasabi, minced garlic, lemon juice, mayonnaise, walnut oil, salt and pepper, mix together well.

Drain the cold pasta, toss with the avocado sauce.

Sprinkle with the chopped chives.

Classic Scones with Cream and Jam

April 28th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

London gets ready for the Royal Wedding and The Union Jack flags are hanging everywhere in town.

I think, that’s the reason why I wanted to make a very British dish today.

Cream tea.

This is such a lovely afternoon treat : )

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— Classic Scones with Cream and Jam (makes 10 scones) —

220g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

50g butter

150g plain yogurt

1 egg york, beaten

Some icing sugar (option)

Clotted cream

Strawberry jam

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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well and lightly rub in the butter.

Add the yogurt into the flour mixture to make the dough soft and easy to knead.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface board, put the dough out to thickness of about 2cm/3/4inch, cut out the scones with 5cm/2inch round cutter and place on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the scones with the beaten egg.

Bake for about 15 minutes until well risen and golden.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with the icing sugar, serve with some clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Chorizo & Chive Broa Bread

April 24th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink

Broa is a Portuguese style corn bread. Thick and crackly crusts with a soft and dense interior.

I love this rustic loaf, and I added chorizo and chives in the dough this time. The chorizo gives a nice spicy kick, this savory bread is the perfect dish for a picnic.

I’m not a morning person, but I feel great to wake up a couple of hours earlier and make a fresh loaf in the morning if the weather is beautiful and sunny like today.

Happy Easter!

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— Chorizo & Chive Broa Bread —

400g plain flour

200g cornmeal

2 teaspoons easy dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

200g chorizo

10g chives

Some flour for dusting work surface

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Place the flour, cornmeal, easy dry yeast and salt in a large bowl and stir together, mix in 350ml lukewarm water.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface board and knead for about 10 minutes, cover the dough with cling film and let rise for 40 minutes in a warm place.

Punch down and knead the dough on a flour surface board about 10 minuets.

Chop the chorizo and chives into small pieces, add to the dough.

Shape the dough to a round loaf and place on a floured baking sheet, and dust the top of the loaf with flour as well.

Cover the loaf and let rise for a further 40 minutes.

Hear the oven to 220C/425F.

Place on oven-proof dish of boiling water in the oven (take the dish of the boiling water out after 15 minutes), bake the loaf for about 30-40 minutes until golden.

Pan-fried Apple Ginger Pork

April 19th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Pork and ginger go well together, “Ginger pork (pan-fried pork with ginger sauce)” is Japan’s national favourite home cooking dish.

This recipe is slightly different from the traditional ginger pork recipe, but I think I prefer this version more.

Apple adds fruity flavour to the ginger sauce and makes the pork tender.

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— Pan-fried Apple Ginger Pork (serves 2) —

300g pork loin or shoulder steak

1 apple (small), grated

2 tablespoon soya sauce

2 tablespoon white wine

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

Some corn flour

Salt and pepper

Some vegetable oil for frying

Some chopped parsley for garnish

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Place the grated apple, soya sauce, white wine and honey in a bowl and mix. Set aside.

Cut the pork steak into bite sized pieces and sprinkle with salt and peper.

Lightly dust the pork with some corn flour.

Heat some oil in a frying-pan, fry the pork over medium heat until lightly browned.

Pour the apple mixture into a frying-pan, stir and cook for 1 minutes.

Add the grated ginger and mix everything.

Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.

Green Tea Pudding

April 18th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink

Green tea powder – also known as Matcha – is traditionally used in the Japanese tea ceremony and a popular sweets ingredient in Japan now.

This is a chilled dessert custard that has rich and mildly bitter green tea flavour and creamy in texture.

The beautiful natural green colour and the scent of Matcha make me calm.

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— Green Tea Crème (serves 4-5)—

1&1/2 tablespoon green tea powder

100ml milk

150ml single cream

50g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 egg york

whipped cream, to serve (optional)

green tea powder, to serve (optional)

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Preheat the oven 160C/320F.

Mix the green tea powder with 3 tablespoons of warm water until dissolved. Set aside.

Place the milk, single cream in a small saucepan oven medium heat until just comes to the boil. Add the dissolved green tea and mix.

Place the eggs, egg york and sugar in a bowl and mix until well combined. Gradually add the milk mixture, mix to combine.

Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer and pour into the cups.

Place in a deep baking dish and pour in enough hot water.

Bake for about 30 minutes until set.

Remove from the baking dish and refrigerate until cool.

Serve topped with the whipped cream and green tea powder if desired.

Cherry Blossom and Green Olive Rice

April 14th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.10

One of the main reasons why I like spring is cherry blossoms.

Cherry blossoms have special meanings in Japanese culture, these are seen as a metaphor for life. A noble, beautiful blooming followed by the inevitable fall.

At this time of the year in Japan, we have a lot of ‘cherry blossom viewing party’. Drinking, eating and singing under the cherry blossom trees, appreciate and celebrate the beauty of cherry blossoms.

Japanese people are still having a very sad and hard time, but I believe that cherry blossoms lift their spirits.

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— Cherry Blossom and Green Olive Rice (Serves 2) —

8-10 salt-preserved cherry blossoms

8-10 green olives

300g rice (Japanese short grain white rice, or sushi rice)

420ml water

*****

— for salt-preserved cherry blossoms—

100g double-flowered cherry blossoms

50g sea salt

50g sea salt for preserve

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— Salt-preserved cherry blossoms —

Cut the flowers (with the short stems), wash them gently in cold water and drain.

Toss the blossoms with the salt, place the salted flowers in a plate, cover with cling film and place a weight on the top of it to force out excess water, then leave it for 2 days.

Drain the water, and pat dry the flowers with kitchen papers.

Place the flowers in a small bowl, sprinkle them with the vinegar, cover with cling film and place a weight on the top of it again, and leave it for 2 more days.

Drain the vinegar, pat dry the flower with kitchen papers, toss the flowers with the sea salt (for preserve) and store them in a small, clean jar.

*****

— Cherry Blossoms and Green Olive Rice —

Place 8-10 salt-preserved cherry blossoms in a bowl with 420ml water, leave the flowers for 10 minutes.

Take out the cherry blossoms from the water, wring water out of the flowers (keep the water in a bowl for cooking rice*).

Rinse the rice in a clod water, changing the water several times until the water runs almost clear.

Drain the washed rice in a sieve and place in a saucepan.

Pour the water in a bowl* in the pan and cover with tight-fitting rid.

Bring to the boil over high heat and let cook for 2 minute. Reduce the heat to the lowest and simmer (always cover the pan with a rid) 15 minute. Remove from the heat, still covered, and leave the pan for another 10 minutes.

Finely cut the cherry blossoms and green olives.

Mix the cooked rice, cherry blossoms and green olives together.

Salad Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

April 11th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.9

Spring has come and it’s a good idea to eat fresh Spring rolls and be refresh and enjoy Spring.

This is a great way to eat a lot of vegetables and herbs.

The creamy rich peanut dipping sauce is my favourite and I can eat too many spring rolls with it.

Suitable for vegans too.

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— Salad Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce (makes 6 rolls) —

6 medium size sheets dried rice paper

6 leaves lettuce

1 avocado

1 carrot

Handful of coriander leaves

Handful of mint leaves

*****

— For the peanut sauce —

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2/3 tablespoon miso paste

1/2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons soya milk

1/2 vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 small chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)

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— Peanut sauce —

Heat the oil in a saucepan and lightly cook the garlic and chili.

Add the peanut butter, miso paste, honey and soya milk and mix together thoroughly, cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts.

*****

— Salad Spring Rolls —

Tear the lettuce leaves into large pieces, cut the carrot into thin strips, cut the avocado into wedges.

Fill a large bowl with hot water, dip one wrapper into the hot water for 3 seconds to soften and flexible.

Lay the wrapper flat, place some coriander and mint leaves in a line about 1 inch from the edge of the wrapper, add some thin stripped carrot, avocado wedges, and lettuce leaves, then tightly roll the wrapper. Cut the rolls into quarters. Repeat with all the sheets.

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