Crispy Tofu

I have forgotten what's the actual name for this dish, read the recipe in Yum Yum magazine a few weeks ago. I do remember how to do it as it only consist of a few ingredients. Just mix bread crumbs with plain flour about 1:1 portion, cut the soft tofu into about 1 inch cubes, coat each piece of tofu with the breadcrumb mixture and deep fried till golden color.

Coca-Cola Chicken

Came across this recipe while looking for another recipe in kuali, since wanted to do a braised chicken dish, might as well give this recipe a try...

Trenyce's Birthday Cake

I didn't know where I get the courage to attempt a birthday cake for Trenyce's 5th birthday. I did ask her which character she like, and she told me she likes Dora the Explorer. It took me quite a while to hunt all the Dora characters, manage to find 1 board game with almost all the characters in it.
As I didn't attend any cake decorating class before, I just collect some ideas from cakes selling at cake shops and ask my friend S for advise on some cake decorating tips. The cake turn out not so well done as my piping was really lousy and it took me quite a while to apply the layer of cream for the base.

Bak Chang

For the pass few years, I have been helping my mum wrapping the bak chang for dumpling festival, my mum is very hardworking she would do the washing and cooking of the ingredients and leaves all by herself, my contribution was only the wrapping part, and help to watch the fire on the stove...

The ingredients includes, roast pork--this year my mum decide to have a change i.s.o the usual style, chestnut, mushrooms, dried shrimps, chicken breast meat, fried chopped garlic, glutinous rice and leaves (not in picture)...

This pot was give by my eldest aunt many years ago, its just nice to cook 22-24 bak chang at one time. To make sure all the chang are well cooked, we boiled every batch for 2 hours...

The finish product...

Curry Fish Head

Have to use up the balance rempah in the freezer before it expire, so cook curry fish head with help from chef yong and my indian colleague on ingredients and method to cook, turn out to be quite nice except that I didn't add enough assam water also both Kenny and I prefer not to have coconut milk added...

Blueberry Sweet Bread

Use breadmachine to make this bread for breakfast, as I don't have time to do the shaping, I set the machine to sweet bread function. I felt that the crust was abit too brown else it was quite alright. Recipe from Famous cuisine magazine...

Ingredients:
250g bread flour,
50g plain flour
100g blueberry filling (I use blueberry jam)
5g instant yeast
80ml milk
20g caster sugar
¼ tsp bread improver
1/8 tsp salt
40g salt

Method:
1. To make dough, except butter, place all ingredients into mixer, beat with high speed until forms dough.

2. Add in butter, beat with medium speed until a smooth and elastic dough is formed.

3. Divide dough into 50g each, roll into round.

4. Leave to rise until double insize.

5. Bake in preheat oven at 200°C for 10-15min.

Barley, Gingko nut and Beancurd Dessert

There are a few types of dried beancurd sheets in the market, bought a pack of thin dried beancurd with the intention of making this dessert long ago but didn't have chance to cook, finally bring it to my mum's place and cook it...



Ingredients
½ cup pearl barley
1 ½ litres water
½ cup ginko nuts
1 cup(est) thin beancurd (fu chook) - break into small pieces
½ cup brown rock sugar

Method:
1. Rinse barley in several changes of water until runs clear. Place in a pot with water and boil for 30min.

2.Meanwhile, carefully crack the gingko nut shells and remove nuts. Place in a small pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Remove pan from heat, drain water and run cold water over nuts-this makes it easier to peel off the papery skins covering the nuts. There is also a germ within the gingko nuts which needs to be removed as its is bitter. You can do this by either splitting the nut into half and removing it, or by gently pushing pushing it out using a toothpick.

3.Place the prepared ginkgo nuts into the pot of boiling barley. Simmer until tender.

4.When barley and gingko nuts are tender, add the beancurd skin into the soup and cook for another 10-15min. Sweeten to taste. Serve either warm or cold.

--If using canned gingko nuts, add to the soup when the barley has softened.