No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

No-bake Cheesecake can be whipped up by anyone, as it doesn’t need the conventional oven to prepare. I just made the cheescake over the weekend. I cannot believe how thorough and easy the recipe was. I bought all the ingredients and follow the instructions. The cake tastes like ice cream, therefore it need to be stored in the freezer to prevent melting. I really like this recipe given by my generous girl friend.... Even my husband that doesn't really like cheesecake ate plenty :)

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base:

15 pieces Oreo cookies (remove fillings)

70g butter (melted)

Cheese Topping:

250g cream cheese

100g castor sugar

2-3 pieces oreo biscuits (remove fillings)

150ml whipping cream

80ml full cream milk

1 1/2 tbsps gelatin powder

Methods:

1. Base: Crush Oreo biscuits with a rolling pin or you can use a food processor to do it. Mix evenly with melted butter. Press firmly over the baking tin. Put in the freezer while preparing the topping.

2. Add gelatin to the full cream milk. Melt them over the boiling water. Let cool.

3. Blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in cooled gelatin + milk mixture, blend. Add in the whipping cream. When it is well mixed, add in crushed biscuits continue blend for 2 minutes.

4. Pour mixture onto the biscuit base and let it set in the freezer for 3-4 hours.

Braised Peanuts

When we eat at a restaurant, we are sometime served with some peanuts to nibble on while waiting for the main dish to come. Those peanuts do not taste salty but are quite aromatic and has a tinge of sweetness from the rock sugar. As the raya breaks is just around the corner, I had in mind I must try this recipe that I adapted from 'KUALI'.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
200g peanuts (use the bigger type), preferably soaked overnight
3g tong kwai
2g liquorice stick (kam chou)
1g mandarin peel
1 star anise
3cm cinnamon stick
3g chuen koong
1 tsp chopped garlic

Seasoning
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Premium oyster sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp thick soy sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
60g cane rock sugar

Method

Rinse soaked peanuts and drain well in a colander. Combine tong kwai, liquorice stick, chuen koong, mandarin peel, star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic and water in a saucepan. Bring to boil for 10 minutes. Add in peanuts and seasoning. Continue to boil for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours or until peanuts are soft and tasty. Serve peanuts as an appetizer before a meal or even as a snack.

Note: The peanuts will cook faster and softer if pressure-cooked for 30 minutes.

Chicken In Hoisin Sauce

The cooking method is the same as my previous post `Pork Leg In Hoisin Sauce', of course the ingredient amount need to be adjusted accordingly. In addition, I added hard boiled eggs. This dish is as good as `pak lor' chicken/pork.

Stewed Pork leg In Hoisin Sauce

My husband and I LOVE these fatty pork. The gravy gives the pork the sweet and slightly spicy flavour. It is a definite appetite wetter! I also bought some chinese steam buns so that we can eat it with either bun or just rice. Whichever way, he said it's nice :) It's a nice change from the usually braised pig's trotter with just soy sauce and mushrooms.

Ingredients:
1 whole pork leg (cut into chunky pieces with skin intact) appx. 1kg RM16
3 cloves garlic (chopped finely)

1 whole head of garlic bulb

5 pieces dried chilli (soaked to soften, say for 2 hours)

10 dried chinese mushroom (soaked and washed)
Large pot of water to boil
1500ml Warm water
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Seasoning (combine into a bowl)
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 pieces salted plum
2 tablespoon dark soya sauce
2 tablespoon shao shing wine

2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Method
1. Bring water in large pot to boil. Add pork and allow it to cook in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pork leg from water and drain.

2. Heat up oil in wok on medium heat, saute garlic till aromatic. Add in pork leg, mushrooms and dried chilli. Turn up heat to high and add in the combined seasoning, stir well to coat the pork leg.

3. Then, add in the whole garlic bulb and fill up water to just cover the pork leg. Let it stew on medium low heat for at least 1 hour. Allow gravy to reduce to your prefered thickness.

Note: You can transfer the pork to the slow cooker to produce meltingly tender pork stew.

Fried Bee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli) with Stewed Pork

One of the convenient meals for the weekends!

Ingredients:

1 packet bee hoon/vermicelli

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 carrot

1 chinese cabbage (small)

4 dried mushrooms

1 can stewed pork

1 cup water

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp chicken powder

3 tbsps light soy sauce

some minced garlic

dash of pepper

Method:
1. Soak bee hoon in cold water for 30 minutes or until it turns soft.

2. Soak mushrooms, peel carrot and rinse cabbage. Cut them into shreds
3. Fry eggs till done. Cut into shreds and set aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok saute garlic. Add shredded mushroom, carrot and cabbage stir fry till soft. Add in stewed pork together with the sauce, stir in salt, soy sauce and 1 cup of water. Bring to boil.
5. Add in drained bee hoon. Toss and stir gently till sauce is fully absorbed by the bee hoon. Serve garnished with egg shreds.

Pigs In A Blanket

Last Sunday, after the church service I brought my mum to the supermarket for grocery shopping. The sausages were on sales, we bought a few packs. I stocked the sausages in the freezer until yesterday when I finally decided what to do with it. Yes, I decided to make some "Pigs In A Blanket".

My first attempt working with yeast and making bread. As I don't have a bread machine...hand kneading was the only choice, it was no fun at all (tiring @_@) but the later part was great watching the dough proving and double its volume. Shaping the bread was fun and easy too.

Does my freshly baked buns look yummy? :p

Baked Crispy BBQ Buns 烧包

I get very excited each time I make something new and this is my first attempt of BBQ Bun \(^_^)/ Successful!!!

Ingredients for oil dough:
120g flour
60g shortening

Ingredients for water dough:
120g flour
30g icing sugar
30g shortening
60ml water

Egg wash:
1 egg yolk-beaten

1. Mix all the ingredients for oil dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mix all the ingredients for water dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Divide both dough into 18-20 equal pieces. Wrap the oil dough into the water dough and flatten it.

4. Roll the dought out into a longish flat pieces. Roll it up like a swiss roll.
5. Turn 90deg, and roll out again and roll it up like a swiss roll.
6. Press dough with palm and lightly roll out into a circle.
7. Spoon filling in the center, wrap and pleat into a bun shape. Place on a greaseproof paper.

8. Brush Bun with egg wash and bake at 200deg for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients for Fillings:
200g BBQ pork meat - cut into small cubes (bought from the stall for RM8)
1/2 tbsp thick black soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 big onion (dice small)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water

For thickening:
1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water

1. Heat about 1 tbsp of oil. Saute onions for 1-2 minutes. Add in BBQ meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add in the thickening and simmer till the gravy has thickened. Dish out and let it cool. Set aside for use later.

Pickled Chili

Whenever we `tapao' (take away order) food, the stall workers always forgot to give us pickled chili. Now, we don't care if they remember or not. We have our own at home _*

Ingredients:
10 chilies (washed and dried thoroughly, diced circular)

1 cup chinese rice vinegar
4 tbsp sugar (variable)
1/2 tsp. salt

Wash chilies, Pat dry or air dry thoroughly. (The most important procedure is the drying process) If not dried properly, the pickle will go bad very soon. Warm the vinegar base, stir till sugar and salt dissolves. Add chillies to be pickled then store in a glass bottle.

Chrysanthemum Tea+Wolfberry Jelly 菊花枸杞果冻

The weather has been hot and humid for the past few weeks until now, it is a perfect time for me to make Chrysanthemum Tea. Chrysanthemum has cooling effect on the body, it also detoxifies the blood; helps with sinus congestion, high blood pressure, and can also calm the nerves.

While planning to make the drink, I came out with an idea of making them into jelly by adding some wolfberries to the tea. So I will have both cooling beverage and refreshing dessert at the same time.

INGREDIENTS:
25-30gms first grade dried chrysanthemum tea flowers
1-2 tbsp wolfberries
100g rock sugar
1.5 litres water
1 packet Jelly Powder (unflavoured)

PREPARATION:
Wash the chrysanthemum and Chinese wolfberries. Bring the water to boil in a pot, when boil pour the hot water over the chrysanthemum tea flowers. Cover the lid and let it soak for 30 minutes. Sieve the flowers, add in wolfberry and boil for 10 minutes. Add in rock sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves. Then, slowly stir in the jelly powder. Now, scoop the jelly mixture into selected jelly moulds and let it cool. Chill immediately when hardened.

Note: You can retain the sieved chrysanthemum tea flowers by adding in hot boiling water as it would be a waste to throw them away.

Stir-Fried Eggplant

Eggplant (also known as brinjal/aubergine) is one of the most easily available and affordable vegetables. Eggplant is very nutritious and is sometimes referred to as poor man’s meat. If you are an Eggplant lover like me, then you will surely enjoy this dish.

Ingredients
4 Eggplants
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic


Directions
1. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Cover the eggplants with water, add the salt, and stir to dissolve the salt. Soak the eggplant for 5 minutes, then drain well.
2. In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce with the sugar and sesame oil and set aside.
Heat a wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil, garlic and eggplant and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and continue stir-frying for 2 more minutes. Add the oyster sauce mixture and stir well to mix. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Breaded Chicken Fingers

I like finger foods because they come in bite-sized pieces. I can have a taste of everything without feeling stuffed and even have seconds of the things I enjoyed most. So what's the ultimate finger food? I'd have to say chicken fingers.

Ingredients:

boneless chicken breast

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup flaky breadcrumbs

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour
oil for frying

Method:

Rinse chicken, pat dry, then cut into strips and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in one shallow plate, the egg in another, and the breadcrumbs in another. One at a time, dredge the chicken in flour to coat them lightly but evenly, then dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Shake off the excess crumbs, place on a baking sheet, and chill uncovered for 15 minutes or up to a day.

Heat the oil in a pan and saute for four to five minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. Cook in batches, if necessary, so that you don’t crowd the pan. Watch carefully, the breadcrumbs should not blacken, but the chicken fingers should be dark brown on each side. Remove from the heat and serve with your family favourite dipping sauce.

Advance preparation: The chicken can be breaded up to a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Mmm...I will include some oat to the mixture and oven-baked the chicken next time instead of pan-fried. I think that will be healthier__*

Eight Treasure Porridge 營養八寶粥

I felt pretty weak recently. So as a chinese girl, the first thought was - I need eight treasure porridge to boost up my energy!! Broom....!!

The Ingredients I Used:
Bario Rice 2 tbsps
Bario Red Glutinous Rice 2 tbsps
Black Bean 2 tbsps
Mung Bean 1 tbsp
Red Bean 1 tbsp
Barley 1 tbsp
Lotus Seed 2 tbsp
Dried Longan 1 tbsp
Peanut 2 tbsp
Oat 3 tbsp

Note: Ingredients used in the eight-treasure porridge are virtually unlimited. The 'Eight' simply means many. So, there can be more than eight ingredients in the porridge. You get the idea, right? Beans, as many kinds as possible.

Method:
1. Soak all the ingredients except oat and dried longan overnight.
2. Rinse all the ingredients except oat and dried longan (reserve these to add later) and place them in the rice cooker add water (roughly 3-4 times of dry ingredients). Cook for 40 minutes, stirring accasionally and add water as needed. Add washed oat and longan 15 minutes before the porridge is ready.
3. You should have loose and soupy porridge. Serve warm, you can add sugar or honey to taste but I like mine as it is ☻

Lady's Finger (okra) 羊角豆

A) Stuffed Lady's Fingers

Ingredients:

250g lady's fingers (pick small ones)

To be mixed together:

150g minced pork

pepper

light soy sauce

Gravy:

1 thin slice of ginger
1 tsp each of chopped garlic and shallots, fried till golden
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsps water

Preparation:

1. Wash the lady’s finger well and dry on a towel until completely dry. Chop the crown off and make slits in each.
2. Stuff the prepared mixture into the lady's fingers and steam for 5 mins.

3. Prepare the gravy, pour on top of the steamed lady's fingers. Serve hot.

B) Simple boiled okra

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger (10 stem)

As much shallots and garlic as you like

kicap pekat

Preparation:

1. Wash and rinse the lady fingers.

2. Add water to a wok and bring it to a boil. Blanch lady fingers until cook. Dish up and cut both ends of each piece and cut into half. Arrange on a serving plate.

3. Sauté shallots and garlic with medium heat until fragrant, add some kicap pekat. Pour the sauce over the lady fingers and serve immediately.

Health benefits as below of lady's fingers:

1) stabilizes blood sugar level

2) binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver.

3) prevents constipation

4) feeds good bacteria (probiotics) residing in our body.

5) good for those feeling weak, exhausted, and suffering from depression.

6) good for healing ulcers and to keep joints limber

7) treats lung inflammation, sore throat, and irritable bowel.

Garlic Bread DIY

Baking garlic bread is really simple. It is basically toasting a bread with garlic butter spread. And the best way to enjoy garlic bread is to eat it with mushroom soup.

Ingredients
1 loaf of French bread

125g butter (NOT margarine), softened

10 gloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 heaping tablespoon of parsley/ Mixed Italian herbs

Method - Toasted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Slice the bread diagonally into thin slices. Mix the butter, garlic, and herbs together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the bread. Place on a baking pan and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

3 Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Serve immediately.

Soy Bean Jelly In Longan Syrup

My husband's friends are coming over for dinner tonight, so I prepared this refreshing dessert ahead of time and have them chilled well in the fridge. The jelly itself are not too sweet, it taste just nice when eaten with the canned longan flesh and it's syrup.

Let me share this simple and nice dessert recipe with you all☻
Ingredients:
25 g/1 packet of jelly powder
1 litre soy bean in packet
2 litres water
4-5 tbsps sugar
knotted pandan leaves
1 canned longan in syrup
some ice cubes
pandan leaves for garnish (optional)

Method:
1. Cook the jelly powder in the soy bean until it is fully dissolved. Mix well then pour into a rectangular glass baking dish or pyrex. Let it cool or refrigerate to harden. When set, cut into cubes.

2. While waiting for the jelly to set. Boil 2 litres water with knotted pandan leaves in a pot, add sugar when it comes to a boil. Switch off the heat and let it cool slightly.

3. Add 1 can of longan to the pandan syrup, gently stir in the soy bean jelly cubes and let it chill inside the fridge. Add ice cubes before serving.

Brazil Longan

I love Longans but I have never seen/heard of `Brazil Longan'. Last evening, we went to a local supermarket and saw it at the fruits section. I don't recognize it as longan it looks totally different from the local mata kucing. It was the item tag 'Brazil Mata Kucing' that caught my eyes, and so I bought 1/2kg to try. Longan can be additive, the more you eat, the more you want! We finished all in minutes☺
VS
Even though the Brazil Longan has rather hard shell, it can be quite easy to open. The longan flesh is thicker (taste exactly like longan, of course lah hahha...) but it is not as juicy as the local longan. I think it can be stored for longer time too because of the thick shell. I am going to buy some later for my family to try.

Pak Lor (Braised)

This dish is best left overnight in the fridge before serving.

Ingredients
½ kg pork belly meat
1 pc 3-layer pork meat
2 pcs chicken thigh
12 eggs
1 tbsps five spice powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 thumbsize galangal, slightly pounded
4 pip garlic, finely sliced
½ Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp sugar
100 ml kicap pekat (camel brand)
1 - 2 cup water
30-40 gm rock sugar



Method
1. Rub 5-spice and salt over the meat and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat up the wok with oil and fry galangal and garlic until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Melt the sugar in the wok. Add kicap pekat and meat. Coat the meat with the mixture. Add the water, galangal and garlic.
4. Bring to the boil. Cover the wok, let it slow cook for half an hour. Turn the meat and let it cook until the gravy is thicken.
5. Dissolve the rock sugar with some of the gravy in a separate bowl. Spoon the rock sugar solution over the meat.
6. Remove, let meat rest for 10 minutes and then cut. Serve with dipping sauce.



Dipping Sauce:
1 pip garlic, chopped
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsps white vinegar
- Bring all ingredients to a boil and serve with the meat.

Nyonya Curry Chicken

I have always wanted to cook a nyonya curry... and here is my first attempt...hehhe...The recipe? Of course my version again : )


Ingredients:
1 ringgit nyonya curry paste
2 chicken thighs cut into pieces
3 peeled pototoes (cut and steamed)
1 large tomato (cut into wedges)
30g tomato paste
2 tbsps sugar
5 garlics (chopped)
10 shallots (chopped)
some curry leaves
1 coconut milk
3 cups water

Method:
1. Heat up wok and add oil. Saute garlics and shallots until aromatic or light brown in color. Add the curry paste into the wok and stir until aromatic. Add the chicken meat, stir for 1 minute before adding the water.

2. Cover the wok and lower the heat to medium. Bring the curry chicken to boil and then lower the heat, add potatoes and tomato wedges and simmer for 5 minutes or so or until the chicken become tender. Add the coconut milk and bring it to boil. Serve hot.

Chili Flower For Ganish: (optional)

1 fresh chili and a deep bowl of ice-cold water

1. Holding the chilli firm on a cutting board, make a cut from the tip of the chili to the base. Turn the chili slightly, and repeat, making another cut down the length of the chilli.
2. Place your cut chilli in the cold water and keep in the refrigerator. The petals will open and curl naturally in an hour or two.

Green Salad With Hard Boiled Egg

Another green salad, this time added with hard-boiled egg wedges.

Simple Fried Rice

He loves to make me supper, we had fried rice, fried noodles and so with various ingredients most of the nights. We never get tired of fried rice aspecially, and last night we just had another one. I love the simple flavors of egg, mix vegetables and luncheon meat. The white pepper gave it a bit of a kick while the soy sauce helped it to be flavorful.