Miso & Soya Milk Pasta with Mushrooms

March 4th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a unique, creamy low-fat pasta dish and it’s suitable for vegans.

Soya milk and miso (fermented soya bean paste) go well together, because they are made from same ingredient. And a spoon of miso paste brings a great savory and richness to the sauce.

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— Miso & Soya Milk Pasta with Mushrooms (serves 2) —

160g shiitake mushroom & shimeji mushrooms (Shiitake mushrooms: sliced. Shimeji mushrooms: base discarded, mushrooms separated. )

1/2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

200g tagliatelle

1 tablespoon miso paste

300 ml soya milk

2 tablespoons white wine

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

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Cook the tagliatelle as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a flying-pan over medium heat, add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the white wine into the flying-pan, bring to a boil over high heat.

Turn the heat to low, pour in the soya milk and heat until piping hot. Add the miso paste and stir until the miso is melted.

Add the cooked tagliatelle and chopped parsley into the flying-pan, tossing everything together.

Folded Chicken with Tomato Sauce

March 1st, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I found a plum tree started to bloom when I opened the window this morning.

Little pink flowers.

I felt a bit spring-like and I decided to use a plate with pink flowers paint on for today’s dish.

This classic combination of basil, cheese, tomato and chicken is certainly delicious, and it goes with the plate : )

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— Folded Chicken with Tomato Sauce (serves 2) —

2 chicken breast fillets

4 slices cheese

12 leaves basil

Some salt and black pepper

Some flour

Some olive oil for flying

*****

— for the tomato sauce —

2 tomatoes

1/4 onion

1 clove garlic

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder or cube

1 tablespoon olive oil

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To make the tomato sauce: finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and chop the tomatoes into small cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan, add the chopped onion, minced garlic and sauté 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add the chopped tomato, the chicken stock and bay leaf and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

*****

Slice the chicken fillets in half widthwise to the other edge.

Lay down the sliced chicken fillets on a cutting board, cover it with plastic wrap and pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness, season with salt and pepper.

Place 3 leaves of basil on top of the chicken and place 1 slice of cheese on top of the basil leaves.

Fold the chicken fillets in half, season both sides with salt and pepper and lightly dust both side with flour. Make the other folded chickens in the same way.

Heat some olive oil in a frying-pan, sauté the chickens over medium-low heat on each side until cooked and golden.

Transfer to serving plates and pour the tomato sauce over the chickens.

Fig and Camembert Tarts

February 25th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Fig is written “無花果” in Japanese which means “fruit without flower”, so I believed that figs have no flowers.

I was delighted when I found out that the figs are actually flowers, inside-out flowers, and an interesting story about ‘fig wasp’ for pollination.

The nature world is amazing and the combinations of figs and honey are amazing too. Thanks wasps and bees, they are hard workers.

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— Fig and Camembert Tarts (4 tarts) —

200g puff pastry

2 figs

60g camembert cheese

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 table spoon honey

Some fresh thyme leaves

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Roll the puff pastry on a light floured work surface into a sheet. Cut out 4 round bases (approximately 2.5 inch diameter) and make a small rim with the remaining pastry.

Place the pastry bases on a baking paper.

Cut the camembert cheese into 4 pieces and place on the pastry.

Cut the figs into quarters, and arrange them on the camembert cheese.

Mix the mustard and the honey in a small bowl and drizzle over the figs.

Bake the tarts in a preheated 200C/400F oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry in crisp and golden.

Garnish with some thyme leaves.

Paper Wrapped Salmon Fillet

February 22nd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is an excellent method of cooking a salmon fillet.

Slowly steam the salmon with sake in a paper is that keeps the salmon soft and very juicy, and all the flavour of ingredients are retained inside a paper package.

Also, it’s easy to clean up!

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— Paper Wrapped Salmon Fillet (serves 1 package) —

1 baking paper sheet (approximately 15 inch x 15 inch)

1 piece (150g) salmon fillet

20g spring onion

40g shimeji mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms (Shimeji mushrooms: base discarded, mushrooms separated. Shiitake mushrooms: sliced)

15g butter

1 tablespoon sake (rice wine)

1/2 garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon salt

A pinch of black pepper

1/2 tablespoon soya sauce

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Slice the garlic very thin, chop the spring onion diagonally.

Season the salmon fillet with the salt and the pepper, and place on a baking paper sheet.

Place the mushrooms, chopped spring onion in the side of the salmon, put the butter and sliced garlic on the top of salmon, sprinkle the sake.

Pull the paper edges together, folding edges tightly to make a paper bag. Make sure that there is space inside the paper for the hot air to steam the salmon.

Preheat oven to 180C/350F, place the paper package in a baking tray and bake in the middle of oven for about 20 minutes.

Cut cross on the top of the wrapped paper to open.

Drizzle the soya sauce and serve.

Shiitake Mushroom Melts

February 19th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Shiitake mushrooms have a delicious rich flavour and remarkably rich in antioxidants.

This mushrooms help cleanse the blood, and are useful in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, also they reduce cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. It’s understandable why they have been used in Chinese medicine for over 6000 years.

This is an easy healthy snack recipe. Enjoy full flavour of shiitake mushrooms and the full health benefits.

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— Cheese-stuffed Shiitake Mushrooms (serves 2) —

8 shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon dill, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Some black pepper

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Remove the shiitake mushroom steams.

Mix the finely chopped dill, the cheddar cheese, the mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Upside down the mushrooms and put the cheese mixture onto the mushroom caps.

Grill under a medium heat about 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and melted.

Sprinkle with some black pepper and serve.

Sushi Salad

February 16th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a super simple sushi dish. All the ingredients are easy to find at a supermarket and just cut them into small pieces and mix with sushi rice.

Smoke salmon and cheddar cheese go very well with sushi rice, actually these ingredients are often used for ‘Western-style sushi’ in Japan.

It doesn’t take time and effort to make.

Simple is the best!

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— Sushi Salad (serves 4) —

80g cucumber

80g smoke salmon

80g cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons capper

*****

— for sushi rice —

400g rice (Japanese short-grained white rice, or sushi rice)

5 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

*****

— for wasabi sauce —

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 teaspoon soya sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

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To make sushi rice, please see the previous post.

Cut the cucumber, the smoke salmon and cheddar cheese into small peaces and mix with the sushi rice.

To make wasabi sauce, mix the wasabi paste, the soya sauce  and the mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the cappers on the sushi rice.

Serves with the wasabi sauce or a dash of soya sauce.

Teriyaki Tofu Steak

February 13th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I had a very busy weekend and had strange dreams all night long. Dream brings me to the different world and it’s fun even if it was a nightmare but I was exhausted when I woke up this morning and my skin looks tired.

I need to eat a quick and easy nutritious dish for my tired body and skin today. So I decided to cook my favorite healthy ingredients ‘tofu’.

This is very easy & tasty tofu steak, and it’s suitable for vegetarians too.

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— Teriyaki Tofu Steak (serves 2) —

350g tofu (firm, 1 standard size block)

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon corn flour

some chives, finely chopped

*****

— for the teriyaki sauce —

1 & 1/2 tablespoon soya sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine (sake)

1 tablespoon sugar

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Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or some layer of kitchen papers, and place a heavy thing (such as a pan) on top of it to force out excess water, then leave it for about 10-15 minutes.

Mix all the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut the drained tofu block into 4-6 thin blocks.

Mix the flour and the corn flour, and then coat the tofu blocks.

Heat the oil in a frying-pan and fry the flour-coated tofu over medium heat on each side until golden.

Add the teriyaki sauce in the frying-pan and shaking the frying-pan gently and cook both side until the sauce has thickened.

Garnish with the finely chopped chives.

Jasmine Tea Pork with Coriander Sauce

February 10th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Slowly simmer a pork block with jasmine tea. It makes the pork meat tender and gives a little bit of jasmine fragrance. Also cooking meat in boiling water helps to reduce excess fat in the meat.

This fresh and slightly tangy coriander sauce brings a bright flavour for winter days.

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— Jasmine Tea Pork with Coriander Sauce (serves 2) —

400g pork shoulder block

1 tablespoon jasmine tea leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1500ml water

*****

— for the coriander sauce —

2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped

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Pour 1500ml water in a deep pan and bring to boil.

Put the salt and jasmine tea leave in the boiling water, put the pork shoulder block and reduce heat to low.

Simmer the pork block about 40 minutes (make sure the pork block is always covered with water throughout simmering. Add water if necessary).

Remove the pork block from pot and cut into bite size pieces.

To make the coriander sauce, mix all ingredients of the sauce in a small bowl.

Serve the pork with the coriander sauce.


Honey Lemon Ginger Slices

February 6th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Hangover…

I went into the kitchen and picked up my ‘magic jar’ in the fridge.

This magic jar takes care of me very well.

When I have a hangover, sore throat or cold, whatever I feel bad, I just mix this syrup with hot water and drink it. It provides instant relief.

Also, mix with sparkling water is really refreshing in the summer.

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— Honey Lemon Ginger Slices —

1 lemon

100g ginger

300ml honey

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

1 star anise

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Wash lemon and ginger well and slice them thinly.

Put the sliced lemon, sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves and anise in a jar and pour the honey.

Cap the jar and let it set at least 8 hours (turn the jar upside down sometimes).

To serve, stir 2 tablespoons of the honey mixture into 250ml hot water or sparkling water.

You can keep the jar of honey mixture about a month in the fridge.

Box Sushi

February 2nd, 2011 § 4 comments § permalink

Sushi is the most famous and popular Japanese dish in the West.

But it’s not popular to cook sushi at home.

Maybe because,

1. Don’t know how to cook sushi rice.

2. A bit scary to deal with raw fish.

3. Can’t be bothered to roll up rice.

OK, here is the solution; Box Sushi. Ta-dah!

You can make this pretty sushi without special technics.

It just needs a box, a chocolate box or a biscuit box or any kind of box. And then place ingredients in the box, press them and cut like mini cakes.

This is a great home party dish.

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— Box Sushi (box size approx. 7 inch x 4.5 inch, hight 1.5 inch, serves 4) —

200g smoked salmon slices

1 avocado, thinly sliced

some cappers

*****

– for sushi rice –

400g rice (Japanese short-grained white rice, or sushi rice)

5 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

*****

– for soya sauce cream sauce –

3 teaspoons soya sauce

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

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To make sushi 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 500ml water in the pan and cover with tight-fitting rid.

Bring to the boil over high heat and let cook for 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to the lowest and simmer (always cover the pan with a rid) 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, still covered, and leave the pan for another 10 minutes.

Transfer the cooked rice into a large bowl.

Mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the rice, mix the vinegar mixture and rice (do not mush when you mix the rice).

*****

To make soya sauce cream sauce, mix the soya sauce and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

*****

Line the box with a large piece of cling film (should overlap the edges)

Lay the smoked salmon slices on the bottom of the box.

Spread half sushi rice on top of the salmon, press the rice with fingers (the rice is sticky, you need to wet you hands).

Lay the thinly sliced avocado on the sushi rice and spread the remaining sushi rice on it, press the rice with fingers.

Cover the top of rice with cling film and place a hard board (cut to fit inside of the box), and put a weight (book or something) on the board and leave it 1-2 hours.

When serving, turn the box and carefully remove the sushi out onto a chopping board and cut into square blocks with a wet knife.

Garnish with the soya sauce cream sauce and cappers.

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