Macadamia Nut Brownie

Serves 8
Preparation Time : 15 mins
Baking Time : 20-25 mins
Cooling Time : 1 hour
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

120 g Baker's unsweetened chocolate (blue box)
1/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp flour
1 pinch salt
1 cup coarsely chopped Macadamia nuts
Raspberry coulis

Preparation

1. Slightly oil a 8x8 square pan and line with parchment paper.

2. Chop chocolate with serrated knife. In a large heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate over simmering water. Remove from heat and beat in the sugar, eggs and vanilla.

3. Using a rubber spatula, slowly incorporate flour, baking powder and salt into chocolate mixture. Stir Macadamia nuts into mixture.

4. Transfer mixture to baking pan and bake for 20-25 mins or until surface is cooked. Use a large toothpick and check if it is cooked through. Let it rest for an hour. Cut brownie into pieces and serve with raspberry coulis.

Boiled Gyoza

Here is something fun that will preoccupy your guest while you're cooking the main dishes. This appetizer is known as gyoza. It is not well known where this dish is originated whether it is from China or Japan. This appetizer is irresistible, so eating one gyoza won't be enough.

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking Time : 20 mins

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground pork

3/4 cup Nappa cabbage, shredded

1 tbsp salt

2 green onion, diced

1 egg

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp minced ginger

1/4 tsp sesame oil

30 gyoza skins

Ginger Sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp minced ginger

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Preparation

1. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil with salt added. Add shredded cabbage until tender but still crisp. Plunge into cold water, then remove and drain.

2. In a medium bowl, combine pork, cabbage, green onion, egg, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil. Mix well with hands.

3. Lay a gyoza skin. Wet all the edges with water.

4. Place a tsp of filling in the middle of the skin. Fold sides up to form a half-circle, and pinch the edges to seal. Continue the same process for the rest of the gyoza skins until filling is gone.

5. Add water to soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the gyoza and let it cook for 5-7 mins. Take one out and see if the inside is well cooked. Serve with ginger sauce.

Bittersweet Chocolate Lava Cake

I always wanted to try a recipe like this. The first time I made it at my friend's place, it turned out to be a brownie. I did a second time, now, at my own place. Success!!! Don't put too much margarine or butter and beat eggs until completely pale, these might be the reason for my first unsuccessful attempt.

Serves 2

Preparation Time : 15 mins + 1 1/2 hour cooling

Baking Time : exactly 8 mins

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

60g Baker's bittersweet chocolate

1/4 cup margaerine or unsalted butter

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 egg yolks
Icing Sugar
Glace Cherry (optional)

Preparation

1. Oil slightly the ramekins.

2. In bowl, mix egg, egg yolk and sugar, until mixture is pale and form ribbons.

3. Chop chocolate with serrated knife. In a heatproof bowl, melt margarine and chocolate over simmering water. Remove from heat and add egg mixture. Incorporate flour by sifting and mix with a rubber spatula.

4. Portion into ramekins. Chill for at least 1 1/2 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 450F. Bake for exactly 8 mins if straight out from fridge. 6 mins if cool at Room Temperature.

6. Let it rest for a 2-3 mins. Use a running knife to remove cake from the edge. Turn upside-down.

Sanbei Chicken (Sanbeiji)

Here is the recipe from my Taiwanese friend. Sanbei means a combination of sesame oil, rice cooking wine and soy sauce.

Serves 4

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking Time : 40 mins

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 green onion

4 slices of ginger about 1/4 inch thick

4 cloves of garlic crushed

8 fresh basil leaves

1 Asian Chili Pepper

8 Chicken pieces

8 tbsp rice cooking wine (saké)

2 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

1. Boil the chicken pieces.

2. Meanwhile, cut green onion into large pieces and for chili pepper, remove seeds and cut into 4 pieces.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, add ginger, sesame oil, garlic, green onion, saké, soy sauce and sugar. Mix well and then add chicken.

4. Turn up to high heat. When the chicken adsorbed most of the sauce. Add basil and serve.

Raspberry Coulis

Need a Valentine idea? Preparing a full course dinner for your love one. Feel that your brownie or plain old ice cream need a little kick. Here's something red for this special day, I think raspberries are red. This is a quick and easy coulis recipe.

About 1 cup
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooling Time : 1 hour
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

350 g fresh raspberries
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

1. Puree all the ingredients in a blender.

2. Using a spoon, push puree through sieve into a bowl, discarding the seeds. Taste and adjust with sugar or juice if needed.

3. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Seafood Rice Noodle Taiwanese Style

As you know, I love exploring new cuisine. One of my Taiwanese friend cook some of his food. A few ingredients might not be found in some regular supermarket. You might have to go to some specialized stores. Here is one of his favorite recipe. It is basically fine rice noodle with seafood and importantly, the key ingredients for this successful dish are the Taiwanese BBQ sauce and nappa cabbage.

Serves 6
Preparation + Cooking Time : 1 hour
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

300g Rice Noodle

2 tbsp Taiwanese BBQ sauce

6 stalks nappa cabbage

750 g mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, squid, octopus, etc... as desired)

Salt

1 green onion

Preparation

1. Soak rice noodle into wok for 10-15 mins.

2. Meanwhile, devein shrimp, cut squid into rings, cut nappa into large pieces.

3. Heat wok over high heat, add nappa, BBQ sauce and salt. Cook until tender.

4. Add seafood and cook for 5-6 mins. Seafood does not take too long to cook.

5. Sprinkle green onions and turn off. Serve.

White Mexican Rice

I don't really know what this dish actually called. So, I just keep it sweet and simple. Here, I present a way that Mexican cooks their rice with flavours added.

Serves 6
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
2 cups white long-grain rice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, cubed
2 tbsp salt

Preparation

1. Heat frying pan over high heat, add oil and garlic, cook until brown not burnt.

2. Add onion, cook until transparent.

3. Add uncooked rice and stir constantly until colour change not burnt.

4. Transfer rice to a rice cooker. Putting your hand on the surface of the rice, pour enough warm water until it covers your hand. Let it cook until ready.

Meatballs à la crème

It has been a while that have not posted anything here. I must have been busy with research for the past week. On Friday, we had a big feast where everyone cook their favorite dish. Finally, I'm gonna post my signature dish. This is simply meatballs with cream sauce along with a touch of white wine.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1 lb ground beef

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp fresh parsley

salt and pepper

1 can cream of mushrooms

2 tbsp water if needed

1/4 cup white wine

Preparation

1. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions until lightly browned.

2. In large bowl, add beef, crumbs, onion, egg, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well with hands. Shape into meatballs.

3. Add meatballs in medium-high heat. Cover and cook until browned on bottom then turn. About 20 minutes. Drain on paper towel and remove grease from pan.

4. Turn heat to low. Pour cream of mushroom into pan and add enough water if needed to make it a thick gravy. Add white wine and stir. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

5. Return meatballs to skillet and stir until coated.

6. Serve it on top of rice.