Fruit Tart

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and sliced

Filling

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• or
• can also use vanilla pudding and pie mix with 1/4 tsp of lemon zest, whipped with 1 3/4 cup of cold milk

Topping any kind of fruit you prefer

• Fresh strawberries, kiwi slices, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, orange slices, banana

Glaze:

• 1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: In a food processor, combine the confectioners' sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

For the filling and topping: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. Cut the strawberries into 1/4-inch slices and arrange around the edge of the crust. For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Add another circle of strawberries, filling in any spaces with blueberries. Cluster the raspberries in the center of the tart.

For the glaze: Combine the limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze.

Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about 15 minutes before serving. Slice into 8 wedges and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Noodle Soup

Most of my cooking ingredients are usually eyeballed. I just play around with the flavor and consistency except if its for baking. Today I made noodle soup with rice vermicelli, fried tofu, fish balls, shrimp and fish cake with a simple basic broth made with the peeled shell from shrimp.

Ingredients

1 pkt of thin rice vermicelli
8 cups of water or more depending how much of soup
10 shrimp, peeled (keep the shells for broth)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, diced
1 chicken whole leg (optional)
couple of fishballs
1 fish cake, sliced thinly
couple of fried tofu
Yu Choy or napa cabbage
2 cube chicken bouillion
White pepper, salt
Fried Onion for garnishing

Method

In a big pot, boil water. Once water is boiling slow the heat, add the noodles and cook till slightly soft. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to prevent it from sticking together. Leave it aside. Boil water once again and season with salt.  When water comes to boil, cook the fish cake, fish ball, fried tofu and vegetable just for couple of minutes. Dish it out.

Meanwhile in another pot, add little oil and saute the garlic and onion.  Once it gets slightly browned, add the chicken cube, shrimp shells, chicken thigh and water. Let it come to a boil, add salt. Once chicken is cooked, remove and let soup boil in a low heat.

Shred the cooled chicken and the rest of the other cooked seafood in a dish. Remove and discard the shrimp shells and taste the soup for seasoning. Lastly add some white pepper. Remove from heat.

To Serve

Put some noodles, the cooked ingredients and pour some soup.  Garnish with fried onion.

I hope this helps.  I never actually measured my ingredients. The amount above is eyeballed. Every person has different taste bud and likings.  If you do not want to use seafood and just substitute for chicken, beef or pork, go ahead.  You can do this noodles in many ways.  Play around with the ingredients and I am sure you will whip up something great.

Chicken Curry

Chicken curry for dinner....thats what we had today. A very simple dish with little spice. Even my 2 year old picky son, had seconds today.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 green chili, seeded and cut in half
3 shallot, sliced thinly
1 sprig curry leaf
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tomato,cut into wedges
4 potato, skinned and halved
4 tbsp meat curry powder
2 tsp chili powder
enough water to cover chicken

Method

Heat oil in a pot.  Saute the spices, onion, green chili and curry leaf. Cook till onion is tender but not burnt. Add in tomato. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken, ginger garlic paste and stir for a while.  Mix in the curry powder, coriander, cumin and chili powder. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Put in some salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add in the potato and taste for seasoning. If it needs more spice, add more.  Test if potato is done with a fork.
Once the potato is cooked, turn of the heat.

Hummingbird Cupcake

When I first heard of this name, I was wondering what on earth is that ! Hummingbird for a name of a cake. But then I really wanted to give it a try after seeing that most of the ingredients are those that I have on hand. Besides who can resist when the recipe calls for banana, coconut and pineapple. Those are my absolute favorite ingredients in a cake. You can make them as a cake and decorate with pecans or even pineapple flowers. I did not go so elaborate since I just wanted to try out the cake.So here it goes....

Ingredients ( Makes 24 cupcakes)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.with rack in center. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together banana, pineapple, walnuts, and coconut. Add to egg mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with dried pineapple flowers, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 stick butter

2/3 cup pineapple puree

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Using a hand held whisk, beat till fluffy and smooth. If the frosting is little soft, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and then pipe it. Garnish with either pineapple flowers, pecan, or I just simply added some cherries.

Mini Fruit Tart

This little cuties are a perfect end to any meal. The crust is made with graham cracker crumbs and can be topped with either instant vanilla pudding mix, cream cheese or whipped topping. Today I just used cream cheese and heavy cream whipped together till smooth and fluffy.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crumb 

5 - 6 tablespoons (70 - 85 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups (125 grams) graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar

Cream Filling

8 oz ( 227 gm) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream/whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp sugar

Method

Mix the butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar together.  Evenly divide the mixture in 8 (4in) tart pans by pressing bottom and the sides. Each tart shell will use about 2-3 tablespoons of crumbs. Leave it in the refrigerator while you make the topping.

In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla and sugar till soft peaks form. Evenly divide the mixture between the tart shells smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

Serve with fresh berries or cut up fruit.

Instead of individual tarts, you can make one large 9in  tart.

Chai Tea Cupcake

Chai tea cupcake......I was little skeptical with it but went on to do it anyway because I just love to indulge in a cup of tea in the afternoon. This is wonderful cupcake which has all the elements of a chai tea and also the frosting is made with condensed milk which is really smooth and tasty.

Ingredients

(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamon

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 egg 

1/2 cup whole milk

1 chai tea bag

Method:

• Place 1/2 cup whole milk in a small saucepan with 1 chai tea bag. Brew, stirring occasionally, until just before it starts to simmer. Remove from heat, let cool completely to room temperature, and remove tea bag before using in the recipe.
• Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the all the spice mixture.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and creamy.
• Add in egg one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to combine before adding the next.
• Add in the flour mixture and chai milk mixture on three alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just to combine each addition before adding the next. 
• With an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool before decorating.

Condensed-Milk Icing

(from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Book)

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (7 ounces)

Pinch of coarse salt

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together butter, condensed milk, and salt until smooth. Whisk in confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until combined, then whisk on high speed until thick and smooth. Use immediately.

Satay

Dinner was a hit in my family today since I decided to make chicken satay again.  Recepi can be seen here.

Claypot Chicken Rice (without claypot)

Just had a craving to eat claypot chicken rice but I did not have any claypot so I opted for the easy way out.  Made this dish using my rice cooker without giving up the taste.

INGREDIENTS

2 cup rice plus 3 cup water

1 skinless chicken breast & 2 chicken thigh

1 stalk scallion (chopped)
3 inches ginger (peel the skin and chop into thin strips)
6 shitake mushrooms (soak in hot water for 30 minutes and cut into halves)
1 small piece salted fish (cut into small pieces)
2 Chinese sausage (sliced) – optional

SEASONING FOR CHICKEN

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon chicken boullion powder
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
5 dashes white pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (or rice wine)

SEASONING FOR RICE

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 pinch of salt

METHOD

• Chop the chicken breast and chicken thighs into pieces.
• Add the chicken seasoning and mix well. Marinate for an hour in the fridge.
• Rinse and clean the rice in a rice cooker.
• Add the rice seasoning and cooking oil into the rice and start cooking the rice.
• At the same time, heat up a wok with some cooking oil. Add in the chicken and shitake mushrooms.
• Quickly stir-fry the chicken. Add in the chopped scallions. Dish out and set aside.
• Deep fry the salted fish and set aside.
• Add the chicken into the rice cooker when the rice is almost dry (about 7-8 minutes) and continue to cook till rice is completely cooked.
• Leave the rice cooker on “Stay Warm” for 15 – 20 minutes before serving.
• Top the chicken rice with fried salted fish and serve immediately.

Mini Tuna Pastry

Simple yet tasty snack made with canned tuna, can also be replaced with canned chicken meat topped with flaky shortcrust pastry or if you would just prefer using the store bought pastry crust, works fine too.

Ingredients for Pastry

2 cup flour

10 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp salt

6 tbsp ice water

Filling

6oz can tuna

1 shallot, chopped

1 red chili, minced

2 spring onion

2 tbsp mayonaise

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp ketchup

Salt and pepper

Method

• In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter several times till it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add ice water. 
• Turn the pastry onto a clean work surface and bring the dough together but do not knead.
• Shape into a flatten ball, wrap in a cling film and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. At this point the dough can be kept for 2-3 days if not using immediately.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge, roll it out with a floured rolling pin and using a round cutter cut circles.
• Put filling in the middle and top with another pastry circle on top. Seal the edges with a fork. Brush on top with egg wash and bake 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes till slightly brown.

Snow Peas with Beef

The beauty of this dish is that it is both simple and adaptable Pork, chicken can be replaced instead of beef paired up with any other green vegetable such as brocolli or tofu.

Ingredients

10 oz beef tenderloin (thinly sliced)

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 cup of snow peas

9 oz tofu ( cubed and fried slightly)

1 shallot ( thinly sliced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tsp minced ginger

1/2 tsp rice wine

1 tbsp oyster sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Cut the meat and marinate in a bowl with rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch for about 15 minutes.
• Heat a  wok in a high heat with 2 tbsp of oil, sear the meat till brown and remove from wok. Wipe clean the wok and add another 2 tbsp of oil. saute shallot, garlic and minced ginger. Add the snow peas and tofu. Add oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Stir fry for about 2 minutes, just till the snow peas turns dark green, add the beef back into the pan. Stir for another minute to corporate everything together and taste for seasoning again. Dish out and serve hot.