小诗料理 ： Stew Mushroom with Abalone 冬菇焖鲍鱼

Bilingual entry (Chinese & English)

总是觉得要向妈妈学习一些过节的美食料理。

农历新年都是每个华人都会重视的一个节日， 开心的是看到了家家户户贴上了红红春联，挂上了红红灯笼还有装饰呢！今年的农历新年妈妈送了一罐澳洲鲍鱼，也教了冬菇焖鲍鱼做法， 幸亏婚前看到妈妈焖冬菇的做法哦！好让身为媳妇的我可以在今年的团圆饭“搞定” 那罐鲍鱼！

以下是年夜饭的其中一盘美食，做法也记录了一下。好让我也有一个网站可以分享，也提醒自己。

Believe that every home will have the special dishes. At my home, my mom could prepare delicious Chinese dishes for the festive day.  

Lunar New Year is an important festive season for the Chinese. As I seen in my neighborhood and business outlets,  it was nice seeing red couplets affixed and red lanterns being hang up! In Chinese tradition, we will be giving gifts to our friends and relatives. This year, my mother gave us a can of Australian abalone in addition to other items, with it I shall prepare abalone dish with it. Referred to my mom for the recipe and slightly remember the process of stewing the mushrooms too. 

The following is the steps to prepare Stew Mushroom with Abalone.

 

- Stew Mushroom with Abalone 冬菇焖鲍鱼 - 

- 材料 Materials -

主料： 冬菇 与 鲍鱼

装饰 ： 西兰花 （蔬菜可以随意 - 大头菜等等 或无需）

调味料： 

腌制材料I -  鲍鱼汁、蚝油、食酒 （绍兴酒等等）、 糖、 胡椒粉 

其他 - 鸡汤 及 干贝 （或无需）

料理时间 :  一小时十五分

制作方法：

A. 冬菇 ： 

1. 浸开冬菇，去蒂，洗净， 采用腌制材料I （如果想要更入味的话， 早一两天腌制吧！）。

2. 烧热瓦缸，下油。 加入腌制冬菇，浸过的干贝（或无需）还有适量鸡汤 （我准备一大碗，以防焖冬菇过程不会过火干。） 加盖煲着， 等待过程需要翻炒，也在需要的时候加入鸡汤哦！

3. 焖的时间接近45分钟至一小时。如果冬菇软了，切也容易，这代表可以上菜了！

4. 把冬菇摆饰盘上，放置一旁备用。

B.  鲍鱼 ：

1. 开罐取出鲍鱼，切片。

2. 【选择】 

i. 把焖冬菇的汁，加入鲍鱼片，少许鲍鱼水 （或无需），快速翻炒以防失去鲍鱼鲜味。或

ii. 切片后摆在备用的焖冬菇上面。

C. 酱汁 :

烧热冬菇汁， 加入少许鲍鱼汁，（如果想要多些汁那就加入鲍鱼水/鸡汤）拌入适量粉芡。 倒入盘上即可原煲上席。

小贴士：各位朋友在挑选冬菇的时候，要选择蒂粗、菇身厚的，吃起来肉多又鲜美。而选购鲍鱼要从肉质观察，肉质瘦薄，外干内湿，不陷亦不鼓胀为上好鲍鱼。
 
Ingredients: Mushrooms and AbaloneDecoration: broccoli (as preference)Seasoning:Material I - Abalone sauce (widely sold at supermarket), oyster sauce, wine (Shaoxing wine, etc.), sugar & pepperOthers - Chicken Soup & Dried Scallops (option)


Duration: One hour and fifteen minutes

Steps
A. Mushrooms:1. Wash and soak mushrooms, remove the stalks. Adding Seasoning Material I into soaked mushroom and leave for half a day or leave it for 1 or two days inside the fridge before cooking.2. Heat the frying pan and add some oil. Add in seasoned mushrooms, soaked scallops (optional) and suitable amount of chicken soup (I prepared a large bowl of soup in case I needed it while in stewing process.
3. It takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour. Once the mushrooms are soften and easily cut or can be poke through with chopstick, it's DONE.4. Place the mushrooms on the plate and set aside.B. Abalone:1. Open the cans and cut the abalones in to slices.2. Optionsi. Heat the stewed mushroom gravy, add in abalone slices and quickly stir fry the abalone. OR
ii. Abalone slices decorated on top of the stewed mushrooms.C. Sauces:Heat the mushroom sauce and add a little abalone water or chicken soup and add in starch.
Tips: While selecting mushrooms, choose those thicker mushroom so that the it taste better and the texture of the stew mushroom just right.

- Stew Mushroom 焖冬菇 -

- 团圆饭 Reunion Dinner -

晒一晒 - 这是我家的丰盛的团圆饭。华人传统少不了鱼、蒜菜还有鸡。

幸亏老公还会帮忙炒些简单料理。 感恩。

It's my family's scrumptious reunion dinner. In Chinese tradition, we could not avoid from fish, leek and chicken. 

Fortunately, Mr. Hubs assist me by frying some of the easier dishes. :)

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Today's Recipe : Sino Steam Fish (Inspired by Teo Chew Steam Fish) 【小诗私房菜】 西诺蒸鱼 （潮州蒸鱼 ）

It's been a while since the last I have shared my home cook recipe!

This week I have tried something different for a change. As usual, in the end created something different. In fact, I wanted to cook Teo Chew Steam Fish but in the end, lacking of salted plum and add on with a bit of twist, the amateur chef came out with Sino Steam Fish as such I have named.

Sino Steam Fish (inspired by Teo Chew Steam Fish)

看到了咸菜， 我也乘机煮潮州蒸鱼！是我也进化成了西诺蒸鱼, 没鱼露， 没水酸梅。 哈哈！ 

以下有中文版食谱！

- Into the Steamer 蒸炉中 -

- The ingredients 材料 -

- The mixture (Sauce and ingredients) 炒过的材料 -

The original Teo Chew Fish was modified and came out with my own preference. :) Do enjoy! The following recipe is a guide that I have search online and modified according to the portion that I prefer.

Ingredients:
A

- 800g One whole fish (Replaced with Slices Fish)

- 1 stalk spring onion, cut into 3cm length

- 1 Japanese Tofu, cut into pieces OR 1 Cube of Tofu, cut into 4 pieces

B 
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ tbsp. chopped garlic

- 1 tbsp shredded ginger (Sliced thinly)
- 2 stalk mushrooms, soak, stems removed, sliced thinly

- 1-2 medium tomato, cut to 4 wedges (or more)
- 100g salted vegetables, clean and sliced thinly (Adjust with own preference)

- 2 salted plums (Replaced with Plum Sauce)

- 1 red chili sliced (optional) 

Seasoning:
-1 tbsp light soy sauce

- ½ tbsp fish sauce (Replaced with Oyster Sauce)

- 1 tbsp ShaoXing wine/Cooking rice wine
- 2 tsp sugar (Adjust with own preference)
- 8 tbsp water (Adjust with own preference)
- dash of pepper

Directions:

1.       Heat up 1 tbsp oil and sauté chopped garlic until fragrant.

2.       Add in sliced ginger, mushroom and stir well.

3.       Continue adding in remaining B ingredients, seasoning and bring to boil, dish up.

4.       Clean and cut three slits on the fish. Arrange fish on steaming tray, place tofu on the plate.

5.       Pour over with the (3) mixture and spring onion.

6.       Steam at high heat for 8 minutes or until cooked (test with fork)

7.       Remove and serve hot 

潮州蒸鱼

材料A：

鱼，约800g 1条
青葱段/丝 1棵

豆腐 1块

材料B：
油 1大匙
蒜茸 ½ 大匙
冬菇，切丝 2朵
姜丝 1大匙
蕃茄 1粒
咸菜，洗净，浸泡，切丝 
100g 红辣椒，切丝
水酸梅 2粒 （酸梅酱取代）

调味料：

生抽 1大匙

糖 2小匙

水 8大匙

鱼露 ½大匙（蚝油取代）

绍兴酒 1大匙

胡椒粉 少许
 

做法：
1．烧热1大匙油，爆香蒜茸，加入姜丝、冬菇丝炒匀，加入其余的B材料和调味料煮滚，盛起。

2．鱼洗净，用刀在鱼身上斜割3刀，用碟盛起，淋上煮好的(1)料和青葱段。
3．煮滚蒸笼水，放入鱼大火蒸约8分钟或至熟，取出趁热享用。 


贴士：

潮州蒸可用白鲳，斗底鲳，石斑，石甲，马友等等。

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【健康生活】 果汁与冰沙 Recipes - Blending in Juices & Smoothies

所以说， 结婚的生活是有点不一样的啦！ 健康也变了两个人的事。 

慢慢的我也爱上了研究各种果汁与自家冰沙类， 朋友看到了我博得相片的确令人垂涎三尺， 也羡慕先生啦！先生也喝的超快的！ 哈哈哈！ 是值得开心下！

Do I need to explain much on the richness of vegetables and fruits? We are often being reminded to consume greens for healthier living.

Married life somehow made me a little different than before, lately, I am in love with blending all the fruits added with yogurt which we called "SMOOTHIE". Mr. Husband do love the smoothies and he finished them within minutes! With all the benefits from fruits and vegetables, we just have to blend them into one and it is pulp/ fiber-filled. Easy breakfast and detoxing, certainly skin will be radiant in a healthy way.

 - 橙汁 Orange Juices -

橙子。 我们用的果汁机是普通的， 所以它的成果就是我的果汁与冰沙是含有镐钎维的！

Oranges. Vitamin C in a bottle. Bought my individual blender and it was fun using it. It was my first trial and only we knew how many huge size oranges inside our fridge!

- 水果冰沙 Fruits Smoothies -

橙子，柠檬片， 木瓜以及酸奶。也可以加入冰块。

Orange, Slice of skinned lemon, Papaya and Yogurt. With additional iced drink, add in ice cubes!

- 水果冰沙 Smoothies -

番茄， 苹果， 香蕉， 柠檬片， 橙子与酸奶。

以上的都是自家做的哦！ 有什么就加什么！ 很简单！ 很健康！除此之外，蔬菜类也可以加入健康果汁哦！ 试一试， 就可以知道味道是怎么样了！ 如果想有一点的甜味， 那就加入少许蜜糖。

Tomatoes, Apples, Bananas, Lemon slices, Oranges and Yogurt. 

Blending in whatever fruits we love with yogurt and milk. There won't be anyone stopping us to do that! 

Besides fruits, we can add Oats, Chia seeds, green vegetables like spinach, carrots, cucumbers and more for juices and smoothies. There's always a try and error session there, do add sweetener (eg. honey) as an option.

- 我家水果 Fruits -

果汁与冰沙也是一个“消除”冰箱的水果的好方法哦！与家人， 朋友分享这些好料！ 以下是各种水果及蔬菜的健康价值， 多多了解吧！ 你可知道香蕉的营养可让我们精力充沛， 很多运动健将们都会选择的水果。

When your house have lots of fruits and can't finish them, blend them and share with your family and friends!

The following images are the fruits and vegetables benefits that suitable for smoothies and juices. Do read up for your smoothies ideas! Just add in sweetener if you need.

- Pinterest -

- Source -

今天就到此了！ 周末快乐！

That's all for smoothie talk! I'm thinking of doing it today! :) Happy weekend!

For more recipes : Healthy Smoothie Headquaters

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Easy Recipe 123 : My Kind of Mashed Potatoes with Cheese

Hey, it's Chinese New Year Eve people, wish you have a great one! :)

If you have read about my New Year entry previously, you will noticed that I have prepared mashed potatoes for my family and friends and this entry is my first recipe post after so long since Year 2008 (o_o"). Each time when I'm eating mashed potatoes or preparing mashed potatoes, it reminds me of my sweet time while I was pursuing studies in UK, I will prepare the dinner with mashed potatoes and pasta together with my friends assistance to speed up the preparation. :)

Ingredients for 10 person :

Potatoes are essential (8 pieces), two pinches of Salt, 1 tablespoon of oil, Salted Butter, Milk (whichever preferred), a slice of cheese (optional), pepper and a folk to mash the cooked potatoes.

- Potatoes @ 8 pieces -

Personally, I prefer using imported potatoes and Australian Potatoes were the only imported one which I could find when I visited the grocery during the day before. Such a large potatoes I have bought.

I cut it into 4 slices each potatoes to speed up the time of potatoes to became cooked.

- Boiling Potatoes -

Water level that covered the sliced potatoes were perfect to monitor its progress while cooking!

Reminder! Don't forget to add in 2 pinches of SALT and the 1 tablespoon of OIL into the boiling water. Interestingly, the potatoes or the spaghetti being boiled/ cooked that way will make them taste better.

When the boiling water became yellowish, I used a knife to cut the potatoes to make sure it was fully cooked. Once it was cooked, switch off the gas stove and pour away the used water.

- The Cheese, The Butter and the Milk -

Mash the potatoes by using FOLK, added in 1/6 of the SALTED BUTTER and a few pinch of SALT (or added in later/ in the end if the mashed potatoes doesn't suit your taste buds) while the potatoes were still warm/ hot.

Switch on the GAS STOVE and turn it in to slow cooking/ low fire mode, add in MILK (I used half pack of it and added in a little portion for few times) while the pot of mashed potatoes being cooked once again, DO make sure the mashed potatoes won't burned while making it hot again, MILK is important to make the mashed potatoes texture taste better. :) The more you add, the smoother it will be, HOWEVER, too much milk will be overdone.

And... WALLA!!

- My version of MASHED POTATOES -

Freshly cooked mashed potatoes. :) Turn off the gas and sprinkle the pepper (I used Black Pepper here) in to it to give it a less "bored" taste while consume it later, even stirring it before serving the guests will taste good!

Optional : A slice of cheese can be added too to spice up the mashed potatoes, even if we doesn't add in, it won't be a problem which the mashed potatoes still taste perfectly good.

For a healthier cooking method, eliminate the cheese and reduce the amount of butter.

- Serving the Guests -

In facts, the potatoes were huge and I have prepared 2 large of mashed potatoes which in the end, all of us can't managed to finish them at one time while we have various tempting food to eat! No matter what, they agreed that the mashed potatoes taste scrumptious and we finished them after a few days.

- My New Year Eve Dinner I'm Having -

Perfect combination. :)

Last phrase of this entry :

"WHO SAY I CAN'T COOK??"

LOL! My colleagues doesn't believe that I can cook though, which I'm lazy to explain that much too. :P Now you know I can cook besides preparing the instant noodles with egg.

Before I ended this entry, have a great Sunday people! It's CNY EVE!! The Chinese who are having Reunion Dinner, do cherish every moment and talk to each other, we are too busy with all these smartphones, working life and et cetera. :)  

Cheer~

p/s: Domain name bought! http://www.meitzeu.com ;)

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Easy Recipe 123 : Chocolate Cake

Experimenting chocolate cake for the first time.

 

And the first end product of my chocolate cake creation... Put too much chocolate powder, so end up too brown in colour.




Ingredients (A little recipe learned from my mom's helper.)

• Chocolate powder - 40g or more (remember to make it around 200g all together with the flour)
• Self raising flour - 160g
• Butter - 200g
• Sugar - 200g
• Eggs - 5/6 pcs (depend on the egg size)
• "Ideal milk" - a little
• Chocolate paste - 2/3 drops

Steps:

1) Beat butter and sugar until firm and fluffy.

2) Add in eggs and beat again.

3) Add in chocolate paste so that the chocolate smells good.

4) Add in stiffed flour and chocolate powder. Beat again until all ingredients are all well balanced.

5) Add "Ideal milk" a little so that the cake will smell better.

6) Put in case and bake the cake for about 45 minutes at 180/200 Celsius.

7) DONE!

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Easy Recipe 123 : Pumpkin Sago Dessert

Love to have Homemade Pumpkin Sago Dessert. :)

How to make it?

Ingredients:

•  1 quarter (or more) pumpkin that have been sliced into pieces.
• Boiling water that enough to cover all the sliced pumpkin while preparing. (not too much water, because it will make the dessert doesn't taste good.)
• Rock sugar/ ordinary sugar (optional)
• Sago
• "Ideal" milk

Steps:

1. Boiled pumpkin until soft and smash it by using spoon that was hard enough.(smash with the boiling water is fine)

2. Then stir, add rock sugar that enough for own preference. If the pumpkin was mature enough, less sugar can be added.

3. Stir again and let the sugar melt. Add ideal milk for it flavour and milky. (The texture should not be too watery, it was like creamy creamy kind of soup)

4. Stir again. Add sago and boiled for a while until the sago become transparent.

5. YUMMY!!! It's DONE. Serve both cold or hot. Depends on own preference. I love if it served HOT.

For those who love to eat pumpkin, sure will love it...

As far as I remembered, I've tried once in one of the dessert shop. It taste weird and tasteless...watery without any bits.... I still prefer my homemade version.

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Easy Recipe 123 : Raisins, Corn Flakes & Pineapple Cookies

Having some mood to make cookies by following the ingredients and steps from a recipe found in a magazine. There's modification made after the first trial with the actual ingredient.

Ingredient:

• 280g self raising flour
• 120g butter
• 110g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 80g raisins (black or yellowish)
• 2 tablespoon fruit peels
• A pinch of salt

Steps:

1) Beat butter and sugar together until white and fluffy.

2) Add egg and stir, add flour slowly into the bowl of mixture.

3) Use hand to mix above mixture until it become like picture shown below.

4) Add raisins and fruit peels before putting on the pan.

5) Use tablespoon to design the cookies.

6) Bake cookies for 15 to 20 minutes (or monitor the cookies until it's colour turns into brown) with 180 degree temperature.

On the second day, I tried to make another type of biscuit with different flavour and design. My mom's worker told me to add some corn flour (starch), custard flour and wheat flour together in exchange with the self raising flour (280g), so that the biscuit will be crunchy. Besides, one or two drops of vanilla essence into the mixtures of flour can make the biscuit smells better.

The below was made with corn flakes and the pattern with strips on top of the biscuit was done by using a fork.

I've made other patterns of biscuits too... with chocolate chips, almond etc...

Pineapple tart. My mom favorite.

The pineapple can be found in some supermarket, or can be done our own... At first "shave" (or blend using blender - not preferable unless you are lazy) the pineapple into a big bowl to prevent from overflowing. It looks like juice. Then, cook the shaved pineapple until dry and yellowish. And don't forget to add sugar while cooking!!! One pineapple 3 tablespoon sugar (depend on preference).

p/s: Remember to spread some mixture of eggs, sugar and vanilla essence (mixed together) to "brush" the surface of those biscuit, so that it looks yellowish & attractive after its done.... YUMMY!!!

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Easy Recipe 123 : Crocodile Meat with Onions

Ingredients:

Leek, spring onion, large onion, ginger and meat!!!

Before cooking, marinate the meat with pepper, salt, starch and some soy sauce, leave it for few hours (put in refrigerator).

First of all, stir fry all the ingredients except the meat, to make the pan smells good.

Set aside when it is done an fry crocodile meat until it cook and add in the first ingredient which already done.

and ready to serve!!!

Notes: Meat can be various, depend on preference. The wok/pan should be HOT!!!

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Easy Recipe 123 : Spareribs with Alcohol

The recipe below were given by my aunt for my mom to have a try.

Ingredients:

• 600g spareribs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp corn flour with 1 tbsp water

Seasoning (a)

• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp beer or wine of your choice (above)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp corn flour

Sauce ingredients (b)

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 9-10 tbsp beer or wine (of your choice)

Steps:
1. Marinate ribs with Seasoning (a) for 2-3 hours or overnight. Deep fried and keep aside.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a clean wok and pour the sauce ingredients (b). Bring to boil.

3. Return ribs to the wok and mix well. Pour in water and to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 40-45 minutes till soft. Thicken with corn flour mixture.

DONE!!!

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Easy Recipe 123 : Pumpkin with Dried Prawn

Recipe learned from recipe book.

Ingredients :

• Dried prawn
• Young pumpkin (cut into slices)

Steps:

1. Fry garlic and dried prawns until yellowish and smells good. Add some salt to make the flavour more balance when it is done.

2. Add slices pumpkin and cook them with fried garlic and dried prawn.

3. Stir pumpkin a few times while waiting for them to cook (soft, but not too soft).

4. DONE!!

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