Garam Masala Chicken

This is my third attempt at cooking masala chicken.  I've always had a liking for Indian curry and am constantly on the lookout for authentic recipes. Ideally, they should taste like what my family has at our favourite Indian restaurant - Shari Maharani in Raffles City. 

The other day I passed by a newly open Indian grocery shop in my neighbourhood. The lady boss strongly introduced and recommend me the House Brand garam masala powder mix. Though still not the standard I want, it's the closest yet and I am quite happy with the end products.

Recipe:

Ingredients A:

1 medium size chicken (about 1.2 kg), cut into about 20 to 22 pieces

80 g garam masala powder

1  large onions, chopped

2 tomatoes, cut into small cubes

4 red chilli, cut into half

50 g ginger paste

50 g garlic paste

500 ml water

100 ml plain yoghurt

50 ml lime juice 

salt to taste

 Ingredients B:

 150 ml ghee or cooking oil

1 stick cinnamon

3 cloves

3 cardamom

2 star anise

1 piece bay leaf

Garnishing:

2 stalks coriander leaves, chopped

4 strands curry leaves, chopped

Method:

1) Heat oil in a wok or large pan, and add  ingredients B for stir-frying.   Fry for 1 minutes.  Add in onion and saute the mixture until onion turns brown.

2) Add tomato, chilli and continue to fry till the tomato is soft.

3)  Add ginger paste follow by garlic paste and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.  Add chicken and stir-fry and mix well. Cover the lid and cook for few minutes. over low heat.

4) Add in the Garam Masala Powder, follow by yoghurt.  Mix well till the spices are blended with the chicken.

5)  Add water, cover and cook over low heat till the meat is tender. Keep stirring occasionally.

6)  Add lime juice, salt, chopped coriander and curry leaves.  Stir the thick garam masala gravy slowly till chicken is well coated with the mixture.  Serve with rice.

Braised Winter Melon with Dried Scallop

I have forgotten to soak the dried scallops earlier and was also in the hurry so did not cook them well... else, you would see them in tiny shreds.

Most of the time I use winter melon to make soup or dessert.  This time I gave it a change. I had a bowl of chicken stock which I collected from my steamed chicken last week. Thinking of how to use it before I go for my long holiday this Friday.

I have seen this recipe before, but I have never tried cooking it... Decided to give it a try today since I have all the ingredients ready.

I liked the final dish because the taste consists of a heavy chicken stock yet with a light hint of winter melon. As it is boiled, this is a really healthy dish and will suit all ages.

Recipe:

Ingredients: 
- 1 big rim of winter melon
- Some dried scallop  (soaked in water, drained)
- Chicken stock (one bowl)
- Salt to taste
- Dash of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of goji berry also known as wolf berry, washed and drained
- Some corn flour for thickening the sauce

Method:
1) Wash winter melon, discard seeds, with skin on, cut into pieces as the picture shown below. Do not slice through completely.
2) In a pot, cook winter melon, chicken stock and dried scallop together (cover lid) over low heat for 10- 15 minutes until melon is soft.
3) Dish up winter melon on a serving plate.
4) Add salt to the sauce to taste. Add corn starch water to thicken. Then throw in wolfberries. Pour the sauce over the winter melon. Serve.

Oops...forget to cook the dried scallop together.

Healthy Spinach Cream Soup - 健康菠菜浓汤

I am trying to perfect the 'drawing' of designs on the surface of cream soups. You should have seen my very noob attempt on the pumpkin soup; this time I think the hearts can be better made out on the spinach cream soup, yes? :)

This is another easy, fast, economic and nutritious soup. I know there are many children who do not like to eat their greens... By converting into a soup, it is a transformation from fresh vegetables. In order to encourage children to eat  more vegetables, you can even design some patterns or cartoons characters on top to attract them.

Recipe:

Ingredients: (serves 4 -5 pax)

225 g spinach,  washed, drained and cut into small pieces
30 g soft butter
1/2 large onion, diced
1 pip garlic, diced
1 small potato,  peeled, cut into small cubes
250 ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
300 ml UHT milk
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind
salt to taste

fresh cream  - optional

Method:

1) Heat up a wok, place butter, saute garlic and onions over medium until fragrant about 5 minutes.
add in potatao cook for 2 minutes.

2)  Pour stock into (1) cook over  medium heat for 10 minutes until potato is cooked.

3)  Then add in milk, 1/2 portion of spinach and lemon rind and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.

4)  Transfer to a blender, add in the remaining spinach and blend till fine.

5)  Transfer blended soup to a clean pot, and reheat over medium heat until it boils. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Shepherd's Pie (2)

This is my improvised version of Shepherd's Pie . I added more grated cheese and crunchy bacon bits on top, I think it is more interesting.

I also used chicken instead of beef. You can see from the pics that the inside is creamy and appetizing. An one-dish meal that is easily prepared by simply heating it up, it is also filling and yummy, I'm sure your kids will like it very much.

Recipe: 

Ingredients:  Makes 4  18cm x 9cm baking dish (bought from Daiso @SGD2 for 6 pcs)
1 kg potato, peeled
30 g soft butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
450 g chicken fillet, diced
200 g  fresh button mushroom, sliced
1 can (300 g)  Campbell's Wild Mushroom cream soup (Premium Selection)
150 g to 200 g mixed shredded Cheddar cheese and Mozzarella Cheese
100 g bacon, diced and fry till crispy.

Method:
1)  Place the potatoes into a small pot, and add enough water to  cover.  Bring to a boil.  Cook until soft, drain and mash.
2)  While the potatoes are cooking,  heat up a frying-pan with some oil, fry the diced chicken over medium heat until fragrant. Stir in the button mushroom and cook for a while, add salt and 1/2 chicken cubes to taste. ( Add some cheese into the mixture to thicken the sauce if the sauce is too wet)
3)  Mash potato with a folk and add in salt, butter and pepper , mix well.
4)  Transfer chicken mixture onto  a light oiled baking dish.  Sprinkle  shredded cheese over the meat.  Spread mashed potato evenly over the top.  Make some patterns as you like.
5) .Bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for 20 - 25 minutes.  Sprinkle shredded cheese and bacon bits.
     Serve and enjoy.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup (2) - 南瓜浓汤

Recipe:

Ingredients: 

1 potato

800 g orange-fleshed pumpkin  (without skin)

100 g large onion, peeled and cut

50 g celery, peeled and cut

150 g carrot , peeled and cut

2 pip garlic

30 g soft butter

1000 ml chicken stock or more, adjust to your liking and preference

Seasoning:

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste

Garnishing:

100 ml fresh cream

Mixed herbs (optional)

Method:

1)  Peeled pumpkin, discard seeds and cut into pieces.  

2)  Melt butter in a large, deep pan over low heat. When hot, saute onion,  garlic until fragrant.  Add pumpkin, celery, carrot, potato cook for 5 to 10 minutes, then add stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat until vegetables are soft.

3)  When soup is done, let it cool  slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2 batches and blend until smooth and fine.

4)  Transfer blended soup to a clean pot and reheat over medium-low heat until  hot (keep stirring while cooking).  Add salt and pepper to taste.

5)  Add fresh cream and mixed herbs, serve.

ENJOY

Fry Tomato With Egg - 番茄炒蛋

I personally like this dish.The ingredients are easy to get and cheap. Not just because of  that, tomato is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium and also high in hycopene to help prevent heart disease and cancer. 

I have cooked this dish quite a number of times before, but I am not very satisfied, either the egg is over cooked or it turns out too dry.  Until yesterday I chanced upon this link and I tried it out today. I am happy with the result and like the consistency, the egg is not over cooked and the taste is just right done, it is not too sour and sweet, is not overly wet but juicy.

Recipe: Adapted from 楊桃美食網-3分鐘學做菜

Ingredients:

5 eggs

3 tomatoes

40 g spring onions

Seasoning:

50 c.c. (ml) stock

3 tablespoon tomato sauce (I put one tablespoon, as I do not want the overpowering tomato taste)

1 tbsp sugar (I used 1 teaspoon only as my tomatoes are sweet)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp corn starch water for thickening 

Method:

1.  Wash and clean the tomatoes, cut into pieces, cut spring onions into 2 cm long.

      Break eggs into a big bowl and add salt beat till mix well.

2.  Heat up wok, pour oil, saute spring onions, tomatoes over slow heat until fragrant.  Add in stock, sugar and 

     cornstarch water to cook for a while until a consistency you get..  Dish up.

3.  Heat up a clean wok, pour some oil, stir-fry the egg evenly and almost cooked (the egg should be a 

     little watery, soft) , add in (2) and toss up and till well combined. 

  楊桃美食網-3分鐘學做菜

材料
雞蛋 5顆
牛番茄 3顆
蔥 40公克

調味料
高湯 50cc
番茄醬 3大匙
細砂糖 1大匙
鹽 1/4茶匙
太白粉水 1大匙

做法:
1. 番茄洗淨切小塊；蔥切小段；雞蛋打入碗中，加入鹽打勻備用。

2. 熱鍋，倒入沙拉油，小火爆香蔥、番茄，再加入番茄醬、高湯、細砂糖煮開，用太白粉水勾­芡後起鍋備用。

3. 另熱鍋，倒入適量油，倒入作法1的蛋液快速炒勻至稍凝固，再加入作法2炒好的番茄拌炒­均勻即可。

EZ Char Siew Buns

Kimmy's EZ Char Siew Buns surprised me because I have never come across this type of bun before. Today I picked up all the ingredients and gave it a go.

The buns turned out soft and moist. However, I thought it could have been better if the serving of char siew is more generous, will try to improve on that during my next attempt.

Recipe – Adapted from Kimmy’s EZ Char Siew Buns

Ingredients: (makes 12 buns)

-         350 gm bread flour (I used 300gm bread flour + 50gm wholemeal flour)

-         50 gm sugar

-         3/4 tsp salt

-         1 3/4 tsp instant yeast

-         210-220 ml ice cold water

-         30 gm butter

-         100 gm char siew - chopped 

-         1 stalk spring onions - washed and chopped

Steps:

- In a mixing bowl, mix and knead all the ingredients except butter, char siew  and spring onions into a soft dough.

- Add in the butter and knead until the dough is smooth, soft and pliable.

- Add in char siew and spring onions and mix well.

- Shape into a dough and cover to rest for 1 hour.

- Divide dough into 2 equal parts.  Round up and divide each portion into 6 equal portions.

- Round up the dough into ball, lightly spray the top with water, then coat with sesame seeds.  Place onto prepared baking tray.

- Rest for 50 minutes or until double in size.

- Bake in preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 12-15 minutes or until cooked.

- Remove and cool on wire rack.