Deep Fried Aubergine with Sweet Miso

November 30th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a classic Japanese dish.

The combination of sweet & savoury miso sauce and silky textured aubergine is just so delicious.

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— Deep Fried Aubergine with Sweet Miso (serves 2) —

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 aubergine

Oil for deep frying

3 tablespoons miso paste (mideum-coloured)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1&1/2 tablespoon sake (rice wine)

Some chives, finely chopped

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Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying-pan over medium-low heat until golden. Grind the roasted sesame seeds roughly in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Place the sake in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the miso paste and sugar , stirring occasionally until the sauce is smooth and thickened.

Cut the aubergine into 1 inch thick slices.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 340F/170C, deep-fry the sliced aubergine for about 2 minutes each side until the aubergine becomes tender. Drain the excess oil on kitchen papers.

Spread the sweet miso sauce on the top of aubergine, sprinkle with the grounded sesame seeds and garnish with the chopped chives.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes

November 25th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes.

As sweet as my cat.

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— Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes (12 large cupcakes) —

100g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

80g white chocolate, melted

50ml milk

150g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

24 fresh raspberries

*****

— for the raspberry buttercream —

100g butter, softened

150g icing sugar

40g fresh raspberry

*****

Some raspberries for decoration

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Preheat the oven 340F/170C.

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl, beat together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.

Add the melted white chocolate and milk, mix everything.

Sift together the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold into the mixture.

Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases. Place 2 fresh raspberries into each cup. Spoon the mixture into the paper case.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make raspberry butter cream, Place the raspberry in a small sauce pan with 1 tablespoon of water and cook over medium heat and mush with a fork. Pour the raspberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer to take out the seeds.

Place the butter in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat together, add the raspberry sauce and mix well.

Place the buttercream in a piping bag and pipe the buttercream on to of the cupcakes and decorate as you like.

Prosciutto & Rocket Pizza

November 17th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Kitchen.

I’ve been busy for a couple of weeks and didn’t have enough time to be in the kitchen.

I decided to make a homemade pizza this afternoon, in my kitchen.

Knead the dough, cut the tomatoes and bake it in the oven.

Relaxing and soothing.

Kitchen is my favourite place.

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— Prosciutto & Rocket Pizza (2 x 10 inch round pizzas) —

— ingredients for pizza dough —

200g plain flour

1/2 tablespoon dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

*****

— ingredients for the topping —

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 slices prosciutto

200g cherry tomatoes, halves

100g grated mozzarella cheese

60g wild rocket leaves

2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

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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 garlic oil, place the minced garlic and olive oil in a small bowl and mix until well combined.

Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls and roll out on a floured surface board to 10 inch rounds.

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

Spread the garlic oil and top with grated mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto.

Bake in a preheated 220C/425F oven for about 15-20 minutes until topping is golden and the base is crispy.

Top the pizza with the wild rocket leaves and spoon over the Balsamic vinegar to serve.

Wasabi Mayonnaise Chicken Skewers

November 5th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Huge flowers in the night sky.

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— Wasabi Mayonnaise Chicken Skewers (8-10 skewers) —

2 teaspoons wasabi paste

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

400g chicken thigh

Salt and papper

Some chives, finely chopped

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Mix the wasabi paste and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Set aside.

Trim the excess skin and fat from the chicken thigh, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers, lightly season with salt and pepper.

Grill for 4-5 minutes each side until cooked through. Coat the wasabi mayonnaise mixture on top side of the chicken skewers, and then grill for another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with the finely chopped chives.

Sesame Cookies

November 1st, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is my favourite sesame cookie.

Light & crunchy texture and the subtle nutty flavoure are so addictive.

I feel like a happy bunny.

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— Sesame Cookies —

50g sesame seeds

140g plane flour

40g ground almonds

70g sugar

110g butter, softened

1 egg york

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Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying-pan over medium-low heat until golden.

Grind the roasted sesame seeds roughly in a mortar and pestle.

Combine the flour, ground almond and ground sesame seeds in a bowl. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in another bowl and beat together until smooth, add the egg york and mix well.

Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix to form a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 340F/170C.

Roll the dough out on a floured work surface to about 0.3 inch. Cut out your favourite shapes and place on the baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Mushroom Rice

October 28th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Mushroom season.

This is a popular Japanese seasonal dish made of rice cooked with a variety of wild mushrooms and dashi stock.

Enjoy the aroma and flavour of autumn.

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— Mushroom Rice (serves 4) —

450g Japanese rice

250g mixed mushrooms (shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, oyster mushrooms)

450ml dashi stock (see how to make dashi stock)

3 tablespoons rice wine (sake)

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon butter

Some chives, finely chopped

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Wash the rice in a strainer under running water. Set aside.

Trim off the bottom of the mushroom stems. Broil the mushrooms until lightly browned. Make the mushrooms into bite sized pieces (slice the shiitake mushrooms, separate the shimeji mushrooms and tear the oyster mushrooms).

Place the rice wine and light soy sauce in a bowl and toss with the bite sized mushrooms.

Place the washed rice and dashi stock in a heavy sauce pan.

Pour the mushrooms and sauce in a bowl in a pan and put the butter on the top. Cover with tight-fitting lid.

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

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

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

Open the rid, mix gently with a wooden spoon. Garnish with finely chopped chives.

Fried Fish Salad with Soy Sauce Dressing

October 24th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This crispy deep-fried cod warm salad has the perfect combination of flavour and texture.

Also the refreshing soy sauce dressing adds brightness to the dish.

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— Fried Fish Salad with Soy Sauce Dressing (serves 2)—

200g cod fillets

3 tablespoons corn flour

Salt and pepper

Oil for deep-frying

100g mooli (daikon) radish

1 carrot

1/4 red onion

40g wild rocket

*****

— for Soy Sauce Dressing —

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 tablespoons virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

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To make the dressing: combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Julienne the mooli and carrot. Slice the red onion very thinly.

Cut the cod fillets into bite sized pieces, season with salt and pepper. Coat them with the corn flour.

Heat the deep-fried oil to 350F/180C, and deep fry the cod until light golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.

Place the rocket, mooli, carrot and red onion on a plate, arrange the deep-fried cod on the top and pour the dressing over the cod and salad.

Thai Banana Fritters

October 19th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I had a bad news today and I felt blue.

But, sometimes you realise some very important things when you are having a problem.

I had a nice coffee,

I heard a very funny Santa Claus story (maybe he does exist),

walked in the refreshing clean & crisp autumn air,

I’ve got some lovely sweets.

I’m fine now. A big hug.

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— Thai Banana Fritters —

3-4 unripe bananas

40g rice flour

30g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

40g sugar

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

200ml coconut milk

Oil for deep-frying

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Sift the rice flour, plain flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

Add the sugar, salt, sesame seeds and coconut milk into the bowl and mix everything well.

Cut the banana half, and slice lengthwise into 4 slices.

Heat deep-frying oil.

Dip the banana slices in the batter, fry until golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on kitchen paper.

Crispy Noodle Wrapped Scallops

October 14th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

The weather is getting cold. Scallops need scarves.

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— Crispy Noodle Wrapped Scallops (6 fried scallops) —

6 scallops

50g cooked thin egg noodles

1 egg york

Salt and pepper

Oil for deep-frying

Some parsley leaves, finely chopped

*****

— for the Sweet Chille Dipping Sauce —

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

A pinch of salt

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

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To make the sweet chilli sauce, Place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, heat gently and stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Beat the egg york in a shallow plate, mix with the cooked noodles.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper, wrap some noodles around them.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 320F/160C. Deep-fry the scallops until the noodles became just golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve the sweet chilli sauce in a dipping bowl on the side.

Sichuan Fried Aubergine

October 8th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a popular Sichuan vegetable dish (suitable for vegan).

The spicy and bold flavour makes me feel vibrant.

Serve with plain boiled rice or noodles.

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— Sichuan Fried Aubergine (serves 2) —

400g aubergines

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon chilli bean sauce (available at oriental grocery store)

100ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon corn flour blended with 1 tablespoon water

Oil for deep-frying

Some spring onion for garnish, finely chopped

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Cut the aubergine lengthways into 2/3 inch wide by 2 inch long strips.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 375F/180C. Deep fry the aubergine for about 3 minutes until slightly golden. Drain excess oil on kitchen papers.

Heat the sesame oil in a frying-pan, add the garlic, ginger, chilli bean sauce and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the deep-fried aubergine and vegetable stock and then simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar, then add the blended corn flour and stir to thicken the sauce.

Garnish with the spring onion.

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