Quick and Easy Nutella Cake

Recipe from Agnes Chang's 'I Can Bake' book

Ingredients:
250g butter, softened
200g soft brown sugar.
4 eggs, lightly beaten
300g self raising flour, sifted
5 tbsp milk

6 tbsp nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
60g hazelnuts, chopped coarsely (I use pecan nuts)

Method:
1. Put all ingredients for cake into a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.

2. Pour 2/3 portion of the cake mixture into a greased and lined 22cm/9 inch round baking tin and spread to level. Spoon the nutella into six blobs. Top with the remaining 1/3 portions of the cake mixture, swirl a few times with a skewer, then smooth the top.

3. Sprinkle nuts on top and bake in a preheated oven at 180degC for 45min-1 hour until cooked and golden brown.

4. Remove, leave to cool before cutting into pieces and seves as snack.

Sweet Sour Pork Ribs

Bought some meaty pork ribs before chinese new year and its being laying in the freezer for quiet a while, last week I took a couple of days leave to stay home while my helper was on home leave (she never return...arrrggghh ) as I have more time to do dinner I did this dish with my own version of sauce...

Ingredients:


500g meaty pork ribs

Half capcicum-diced

1 small yellow/brown onion-cut into chunk pieces

1 tomato-seeded and cut into chunks

5 cloves garlic-chopped



Marinade:

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1tbsp sesame oil

Half tsp pepper

Half egg white

Tapioca starch for coating

Sauce:

4tbsp tomato ketcup

Half cup water

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp mirin or any cooking wine

1 tsp vinegar



Method:

1. Rinse ribs, add in marinade and mix well. Place in fridge for a few hours.

2. Remove ribs from fridge, add in egg white and mix well. Heat up wok, coat ribs with tapioca starch and deep fry over low heat for at least 10min or till meat is well cooked. Dish up and set aside.

3. Heat up wok with a 2 tbsp oil. Add in onion and stir fry for a while, push to one side and add in garlic and sauté till garlic is fragrant. Add in the other vegetables, stir fry a while.

4. Pour in the Sauce ingredients and let it simmer for a while, pour in the fried ribs and cook till sauce is thicken. Taste the sauce, if its too sour add more sugar. Dish and serve.