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Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Fried Koko Noodles


My elder son has NAFTA test today and had to take a light lunch. So I decided to cook some noodles for all since the little one has been asking non-stop for noodles. This is a dish which I have not cooked for a long time. It is a very easy dish using koko noodles (可口面) or better known as maggie mee. Ingredients are easy as well, the ones I used are generally ingredients that my children like.

You can also use vegetables like bean sprout, long beans and meat like minced pork, ham, diced chicken etc. The options are endless. So basically this is a very versatile dish, ever-ready to adapt to your palate and yet still taste fantastic!


A wonderful dish to whip up on a busy day and yet still wanting to do some cooking or a simple lunch for the family.

Here's the recipe...



Fried Koko Noodles(Serves 3 - 4)

3 pieces of instant koko noodles (maggie mee)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
5 hotdogs, cut into small chunks
1 1/2 carrots, cut into thin strips
4 imitation crab sticks, cut into small chunks
10 fresh shitake mushroom, sliced
3 eggs
2 tbsp oyster sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup hot water


Directions

In a pot of boiling water, add the instant noodles in and cook for a min or less. Do not cook too thorough as you are frying the noodles later. Dish out and set aside.


Heat the frying wok and add some cooking oil. Scrambled the eggs and set aside. 


In the same wok, add some oil and when hot, saute the garlic and onion until fragrant.

Add in the carrots and stir-fry for a min or two. Add the hotdogs and shitake mushrooms and stir evenly. Add  the crab stick and mix evenly the ingredients.

Add the instant noodles, oyster sauce, salt and pepper (to taste) and  water. Stir evenly ensuring the noodles dun stick to the wok. Add more water as and when needed.


Cook the noodles for another 7 mins, stir constantly to prevent the noodles from sticking to wok.

Add the eggs and mix evenly.


Serve with belacan chili.


Tuesday 13 May 2014

Honey Mustard Chicken Burger with Caramelized Onions and Creamy Mushroom


The hub is going overseas for a couple weeks due to work and the elder kid is studying hard for his Science examination, so I wanted to make something special for them to give them some encouragement.

Both of them like a little heat in their burgers and sandwiches. In fact whenever we are in Subway for a meal, the two of them never fail to order their subs with honey mustard sauce and sweet onion sauce. So I decided to bring the flavors to them at home - Honey Mustard Chicken Burger with Caramelized Onions. Then I become greedy and decided, why not also add in creamy mushrooms for the vegetable intake! Haha...

Here's the recipe...


Honey Mustard Chicken Burger with Caramelized Onions (Makes 5-6 burger patties )

To make the patties:

500g minced chicken
1 egg
4 tbsp honey mustard sauce
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp dried parsley (can also use fresh finely chopped parsley)
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

For the burger bun:

5-6 burger buns
Caramelized onions
Creamy mushroom
5-6 slices cheddar cheese
Butter to spread
Butter-head lettuce (optional)


Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the patties. Using hands or a spoon, mix until well combined.



Take a small portion of the mixture and shape into a patty and set aside. Continue the same until all used up.

In a heated frying pan, add some cooking oil. When the oil is heated, add the patties into the pan. Cook each side approx. 5-7 mins, making sure it is browned before flipping.


Dish up the patties and drain off the oil using a kitchen towel.

Take a buttered burger bun and place one slice of cheese and the creamy mushroom.

Put a patty on top of the bun. Top with caramelized onions and lettuce (if desired).


The hub and son loved the burger. The hub even complained that the caramelized onions not enough! A sinful and filling meal that is simple to do and great in taste!

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Shepherd's Pork Pie



I am a big big fan for Shepherd's Pie, I simply cannot resist the comfort feeling of eating this dish especially if it's on a cold day. You don't get to find this dish easily here in Singapore as not many restaurants do this. I remember there used to be a café that has this dish on it's menu and it's a die-also-must-order for me whenever I visit the café. When the café ceased operation, I was devastated, I lost my source of Shepherd's Pie.

Have been wanting to try making this dish but keep putting off due to my laziness. Recently the urge to give it a try came back and I started researching for recipes. Found a few that looks delicious, mostly beef and lamb and a couple chicken ones. Decided to be a little different and make it into a pork pie instead!



As always, I started doing my own variation by combining some ingredients used in one recipe and some from another. I had also replaced some ingredients with something I have at home (so that I won't have to buy more things to store in my overflowing fridge!). In the end, I came up with a recipe and I am so so glad it turned out fabulous!

The recipe below will make one medium-sized casserole and one small casserole as can be seen in my picture. It was more than enough to feed the 3 of us (my hubby, son & I) For small eaters or if you have a side dish to go with it, it should be sufficient for 4 people.



Here's the recipe...


Shepherd's Pork Pie - Serves 3 - 4

For the filling:

300g minced pork
1/3 yellow onion, chopped finely
10 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp. mixed herbs
2 tsp. all-purpose seasoning powder ( I used Master food brand)
2 bay leaves
5 tbsp. pasta sauce (any which is tomato-based will do)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp. cooking oil
pepper ( to taste)


For the topping:

3 medium potatoes
1/2 cup full-cream milk
25g butter, unsalted
pepper and salt (to taste)
1 egg, beaten lightly (for egg wash)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese


Directions

Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender. (approx. 20 mins)

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan.

Sauté the onion garlic until tender and fragrant. Add carrots and sauté well.

Add minced pork. Sauté well, making sure the minced pork do not lump into big pieces.

Add corn and mushroom

Add the mixed herbs, pepper and all-purpose seasoning powder and mix well.

Add the pasta sauce, bay leaves and water to simmer over low heat until cook thoroughly. (approx. 10 mins) You might need to add a little more water as necessary to keep it moist.

Turn heat off and dish up the minced pork into the casserole dishes, filling up approx. 3/4 of the dish.

Pre-heat oven to 200 Degree Celsius.

In a large bowl, put the cooked potatoes and mash it thoroughly.

Add butter, milk, salt and pepper to the mash potatoes and mix well. Your mash potatoes will turned out nice and creamy.

Heap the mash potato onto of the minced pork and spread evenly to cover completely.

Brush the beaten egg over the mash potato generously.

Using a fork, rough up the mash potatoes so that there are peaks that will brown nicely.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and bake for 20 mins or until golden brown.

Serve hot.




Hope you enjoy the dish as much as me. Bon appetite!

Friday 4 April 2014

Korean Rice Cakes



I had never tried making any Korean dishes but my sister who loves Korean food had made this dish for me once. It was delicious but not really to my son's palate as the ingredients used were not what he likes to eat (my fussy eater....sigh!). So I did not try replicating the dish myself.

However, was grocery shopping the other day and saw the shop selling the rice cakes and the ready-made sauce. So I begin thinking maybe I should try doing the dish and change it to fit my son's preferences.

End results, he was rather happy with the dish but he commented that the rice cakes are quite chewy. (Which is typical of this dish). Well, at least the fussy king ate the whole plate so I am satisfied! Now I have another dish to keep the variety in the menu!

The picture below shows the sauce that I had used. I'm sure there are many other brands out there, but I'm just sharing the one I used.



Here's the recipe...


Korean Rice Cakes Serves 3 - 4

1 packet of Korean Rice Cakes
1 packet Topokki sauce (spicy & sweet sauce)
8 - 10 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 carrot, sliced thinly
4 hotdogs, sliced diagonally
5 imitation crab stick, cut into small pieces
1 - 2 cups water
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 egg
1 tbsp. cooking oil


Directions

In a large wok or frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic until fragrant.

Add carrots and stir-fry for a min.

Add 1 cup of water and the Topokki sauce. Bring to boil.

Add in the Korean Rice Cakes and simmer on low heat until the rice cakes softens. (approx. 10 mins)

Add in the hotdogs, mushrooms and crab sticks. Stir and continue cooking on low heat for another 10 - 15 mins. Add some more water if necessary.

Add egg and turn heat off. Stir the egg in well and let the remaining heat cook the egg.

Serve while hot.



A very easy and fast dish that is so delicious. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Monday 17 March 2014

Ham & Vegetables Frittata


My son loves ham, mushroom and eggs. In my effort in trying to incorporate more vegetables in his diets (He dislikes vegetables in general!), I am always on a lookout for interesting ways to cook the vegetables. One way which I found online is doing frittatas, improvising it to fit my son's palate.

So what is a frittata?

It is basically like an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche, enriched with an additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables and/or pasta.

Here's the recipe...


Ham and Vegetables Frittata - Serves 2 - 4

4 large eggs
2 slices of ham, sliced
3 - 4 shitake mushrooms or fresh button mushroom, sliced
1/4 red onion (can also use yellow onion), chopped finely
1/2 carrot, sliced finely
1/2 cup buttermilk or full cream milk
Cheese of your choice, grated
1 tbsp. butter
2 handful of pasta (of your choice)
4 tbsp. of pasta sauce (tomato-based)
Pepper and salt to taste


Directions

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water with a little salt. When cooked, drain the water and wash the pasta with cold water. Drain and set aside.

Heat up frying pan (I'm using the Happycall pan, so must heat both side. Please adjust heat according to your pan) using small to medium heat. When heated up, add butter and onion and fry until fragrant. The onion should look slightly translucent.

Add in the carrots and fry about 2 mins. You can close the pan to sauté for a while so that the carrot can soften. Add in the mushroom and ham. Stir fry for a min.

Add in the pasta and the pasta sauce. Fry for a while, close the pan to simmer.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, salt and pepper (according to personal taste preference) and beat the eggs to a frothy mixture.

Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it evenly. Close pan to cook the omelete for about 2 – 3 mins, flip the pan and cook the other side for another 1 – 2 mins till brown on both side.

Serve hot with mayo or sour cream (if desired).



Tuesday 5 November 2013

Hearty Chicken Stew

It was raining for the past few days so the morning was a little cool. Had a sudden urge to cook something hearty and since I had some chicken that I put out to thaw, I decided to do a chicken stew to go with the rice.




Here's the recipe...





Ingredients - Serves 4 - 5

2 boneless chicken thighs, cut into slightly larger than bite-sized
1 medium size carrots, cut into approx. 1" thick chunks
1 large potato, cut into chunks about the same size as the carrots
1 large onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
7-8 slices of ginger
2 tsp. wolfberries
2 tbsp. premium thick dark soy sauce
2 cups of water
1 tbsp. Shao Hsing wine
2 tsp. sesame oil
black ground pepper to taste (can use white pepper)
coriander for garnish (optional) 


Directions

Heat work with medium heat and add oil. Lightly fry the ginger to bring out its flavour. Dish out and set aside.

Using the same oil, add the chicken to the wok and brown the chicken on both sides, approx. 7 - 8 mins each side. Dish out and set aside. If there are some liquid in the wok from the chicken, dish that out together to add in later for more flavour.

Add a little oil and fry the garlic and onion until fragrant. Add in the carrots and potato. Fry about 5 mins and add in the chicken and ginger. Stir-fry another 3 mins.

Add the soy sauce, wine, pepper, wolfberries and water. Stir well. When water start boiling, turn the heat to low and cover to simmer. Occasionally stir to let the food cook evenly.

Simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked. Vegetables by this time should be soft as well. The gravy will be nice and thick. If you like it more salty, you can add some light soy sauce at this point. I prefer it less salty so I leave it as it is.

Garnish with coriander. (optional)

Serve while hot with white rice.


Enjoy! :)