Weekend Food Tour: Dried Cuttle Fish

My food tour for this week is just plain dried cuttlefish I had along the harbour in Hong Kong.

The taste is sort of sweet (Cantonese taste) and chewy

It's iron grilled, then shredded in this red machine

A famous snack for tourists

Luscious Saturday

Yummy Sunday

Weekend Food Tour

Chicken and Egg Loaf

I was busy the whole week as usual, I only had this Japanese Style Chicken and Egg Loaf that I remember how to prepare it long time ago. I have 300g ground chicken, 5 boiled eggs, seasonings - mirin, sake, soy sauce, and pepper, plus cornstarch (I only used potato starch).

Saute the chicken with seasonings until cooked. Separate the eggyolks from whites, mashed both and add salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Mix well.

In a baking dish, spread the white eggs at bottom, then the chicken, and last the egg yolks. Steam for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Food Trip Friday

Food Friday

Note: I'm in HongKong this Friday and Saturday, I'll visit your blog when I get back, cheers!

Sauteed Mushroom

For the busy day, I always prepare food in an easy way. Here's sauteed mushroom in butter. Just heat 2 tablespoon butter (or olive oil), sauteed fresh mushroom 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

MM Meatless Monday

My Meatless Monday

Just Another Meatless Monday

Weekend Food Tour: Beef Rice @ Judy's Wok

I was waiting for taxi right after checking out and I saw this place, Judy's Wok. I wanted to have noodles since I had heavy dinner at House of Tang, but all of their noodles have pork. The owner suggested the beef rice. I'm glad I had it, not much but it's delicious!

Cold soya milk for free, love it, not that sweet!

This reminds me of student meal :)

Look how soft the beef, and the sauce was really tasty...

Yes, that's all I paid compared to House of Tang ($...00 :)

See you next week Hongkong!
I'll be there November 26 -27

Luscious Saturday

Yummy Sunday

Our Weekend Memoirs
Weekend Food Tour

Japanese Style Grilled Chicken

I was busy the whole week and I don't have much time to prepare food in the kitchen. I thawed the chicken and just marinated it with Japanese seasonings overnight, almost the same procedure with Japanese Fried Chicken . Place it in the oven  the following day.

2 skinless chicken breast

5 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine garlic, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Blend well. Add marinade to the chicken. Chill for 30 minutes or overnight. Preheat the oven, grill the chicken for  10 minutes in 200°C (about 400°C). Add the marinade sauce, and grill for another 5 minutes.

 Drizzle the chicken with the sauce, serve with fresh salad.  

Foodie Friday

Saturday Swap Recipe

Saturday's Party

Cookbook Sundays

Menu Guide: Thai Food for Dinner

I invited friends to have dinner at home and I prepared Simple Thai Dishes for six persons. The soup (Tom Yung) was really spicy. I added too much Tom Yung paste so it's not a hit on that day, but the rest of the food were fine. My friends like them :) We had Papaya Salad, Lemon Scallops and Shrimps, Steamed Fillet Fish, Brown Rice, and Thai Style Coconut Cake.

Here they are to share:

Green Papaya Salad

Lemon Scallops and Shrimps in Coconut Cream

Thai Steam Organic Brown Rice

Thai Style Coconut Cup Cake

Menu Guide

Food Trip Friday

Food Friday
Potluck Friday
Fat Camp Friday

Simple Baked Cheese Potato

“My idea of heaven

is a great big baked potato

and someone to share it with.”

- Oprah Winfrey

It's mid-term exam week at this point, so I'm just preparing simple dishes. Today is just a simple baked small red potato adapted from cooks.com .

In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoon melted butter, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cut six small potatoes in wedges, coat the potatoes with mixture. Place the potatoes in baking sheet, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover the potatoes and bake for 30 minutes in 200°C (about 400°F).  Remove the cover and bake again for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

What's Cooking Wednesday

Real Food Wednesday

Food Quote

Apple More Crumble Pie

I don't know how will I call this, seems it has more crumbs than the pie itself! I thought I can use four apples, just to find out two were rotten. I'm not an apple person, just to give it a try I baked this using graham cracker as base. Anyways, here's what I did:

For the Crumble:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)

50g cold butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

walnut or pecan (optional), chopped

In a blender, mix brown sugar, oatmeal, flour and cold butter. Break the mixture up, add vanilla walnut (pecan). Set aside. 

For the Fillings:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

2 apples or more (peeled and sliced)

2 teaspoon lemon juice

In a bowl, add all the ingredients for fillings. Mix together.

For the base:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker (finely ground)

50g butter (cubed)

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter until well blended. Press mixture into pie molder. Transfer the fillings into the pie crust. Sprinkle the crumble mixture. Bake the apple pie for one hour in 200°C (about 400°F).

Here's the outcome! More crumbs than the apple :)

I'll do better next time, and I'll use the real pie shell.

Mouth Watery Mondays

Tasty Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesday Parade
Tuesdays at the Table
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Simple Sauteed Asparagus

For a change, I sauteed asparagus instead of blanching or pan grilling. I adapted the recipe from Sauteed Garlic Asparagus. I used olive oil in replace of butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Just prepare the following:

1 bundle aspagarus

2 tablespooon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil, saute the garlic then add the asparagus. Cover for 5 minutes or until done. Season with salt and pepper. Keep sauteeing until the asparagus is tender.

If you like the asparagus well done, let it cook for another 5 minutes. More Asparagus Recipe

Meatleass Monday #7

My Meatless Monday

Weekend Food Tour: House of Tang

House of Tang Restaurant @ Metropark Hotel

Have you ever tried eating alone in a fancy restaurant? Well, eating in an ordinary restaurant, I tried a lot and here in Taipei, people don't care. I was so tired the whole day of Saturday when I was in Hong Kong last month. I made  reservation in the hotel, since guests had less HK$50 for the bills. I'm alone, and I deserved to eat real Chinese Food (Cantonese Style).

People were looking at me, as if my date didn't come to see me :) I don't care! I felt like I was a queen, treated nicely with the servants :)

First, I was given hot tea. I love this tea, very refreshing!

I had simple egg and corn soup, but it's good!

I tried this Shrimps cooked in Tea, I finished all :)

Chicken with Cashew Nuts.

I didn't finish the chicken, but I munched all the cashew and veges

Especial request, all their fried rice have pork...
 the Chef was so nice to me!

Okay, that's it! I'm stuffed, but wait...
the Chef sent me a deep fried shrimp covered with bread
 for tasting(not in photo), it was good but too much oil

Here's more....

and another one...

What a great experience, I think I would like to do this kind again :) After eating, I went to the room and fell asleep. Mister woke me when he made long distance call around 1am.

Luscious Saturday
Yummy Sunday

Our Memoirs Weekend

Penne with Balognese Sauce

Nothing fancy today, just an ordinary Penne with Balognese but nothing beats the simple home-made one isn't it? I cooked the penne as per directed in the package then prepared the sauce without adding pork, tomato paste, and carrots.

500g ground beef

2-3 large fresh tomatoes, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 glass red wine

olive oil

parsley

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, Saute onions, garlic, and celery until cook. Add the ground beef, continue sauteing until cook. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and fresh tomatoes, and continue cooking over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. Add the parsley and stir well.

Place the penne on a plate, put the sauce on top. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Food Trip Friday

Food Friday

Friday Potluck

Saturday Swap Recipe

Bite Size Pepper Steak

"The only time to eat diet food
is while you're waiting for the steak to cook."
 - Julia Child

A simple way to prepare Japanese Style Steak. Originally, the steak should be cook first before slicing the meat into bite size cube. I bought the cubed size, and I think that's better so the meat will absorb the sauce. The pepper should be coarse-ground, but I only used ordinary black pepper.

500g beef cube

1 tablespoon black pepper (or 2 tablespoon coarse)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoon mirin

3 tablespoon light soysauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Coat the beef with pepper. In a small bowl, mix mirin, soysauce, and sugar. In a pan, add oil and saute garlic. Add the beef and cook until tender. Add the sauce mixture, and cook until the sauce thickens. Arrange the steak on a serving dish and garnish any vegetables of your choice.

Here's mine, I blanched some broccoli as my side dish. Enjoy!

Food Quote

Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Wheat Cheese Scones

My first time to make scones, and I think I'll make some more! It's easier to make than cakes and cookies :) I adapted the recipe from podcast Cheddar Cheese Scones. I didn't use sharp cheddar cheese, the only available I have is grated Parmesan. I like the way the cheese came out, little burnt and chewy.

2 cups wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

40g butter

2 tablespoon mustard

2/3 cup milk

1 cup grated cheese

In a bowl, mix well all the dry ingredients - flour, salt, paprika, and baking powder. Add the cubed butter and blend until crumbs form. Slowly add the milk and  mustard, mix to make soft, light dough, taking care not to over process the dough. Place the dough onto a lightly floured counter, with your hands form a small ball size. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet,  brush the tops with milk and place some cheese. Baked in the pre-heated 200°C (400°F) for 18 - 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

I eat this kind of scones with soup, or simply with coffee :)

Hearts and Soul

Tasty Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesday Parade
Tuesdays at the Table
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Coconut Cupcake

After Vietnamese Coconut Tarts,  this time it's Thai Style  Coconut Cake adapted from Your Favorite International Cuisine Cookbook by Noel Young. I like it better when it's bake in cupcakes the way I did on top photo. It's easier to bake! I used wheat flour and brown sugar.

5 eggs, yolk and white separated

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

100g butter (1 stick), melted

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 cup wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)

2 tablespoon baking powder

 For toppings:

thick coconut cream

toasted dessicated coconut (or coconut flakes

In a bowl, beat the egg whites thoroughly; set aside. In another bowl, mix the sugar, salt and egg yolks, beat well. Add flour and baking powder to the egg mixture. Fold in egg whites, and beat thoroughly. Place in a pan and bake in pre-heated oven for 175°C (350°F) until the top is golden brown. Remove from the heat, prick some holes then top with coconut cream and sprinkle with dessicated coconut.

Have a great week everyone!

Cookbook Sundays

Meatless Monday #6

My Meatless Monday - Coconut Tartlets (featured)

Just Another Meatless Monday

Mouth Watering Monday

Weekend Food Tour: Best Berry Frozen Yogurt

Last week, I was in Hong Kong. The weather was just fine, so I decided to walk around Tsim Sha Tsui before heading to Airport (back to Taipei). I went o iSquare for window shopping. There are lots of places to eat (fine dining and restaurants) that I would like to try. Unfortunately, I'm not hungry! My eyes couldn't resist the temptation of having my favorite frozen yogurt.

So here it is, located at 7th Floor.

I had the ordinary yougurt...

Plus strawberry, blueberry, and mango as toppings.
Next time, I'll for grass jelly, nata de coco, and longan (oriental type)

Light and creamy, yummy!

Yummy Sunday
Our Weekend Memoirs