Cheese n mixed vegetables muffins

Cheese is one of the best foods - it is tasty n gives us calcium.

I wanted to prepare some food for our church tea break and there are some elderly folks who prefer less sweet foods.

Since I have a block of Kraft cheddar cheese at home I decided to search for cheese muffins to make.

I came across this recipe from Juie Goodwin - wow! She is Australia's first Master Chef!

Looking at her recipe it was simple to do and I decided to adapt it.

I am not really a vegetable lover so I decided to reduce the vegetables and I used frozen mixed vegetables since I have that in my freezer. I will probably add in bacon too next time if I have them.

Please check her link for the full recipe and method http://www.juliegoodwin.com.au/recipe-cheesy-muffins.html

Her recipe ingredients are 

2 cups self raising flour

3 cups veg which can be grated carrot, corn, zucchini, corn kernels, chopped spinach, chopped shallot and fresh herbs. 

1 and 1/3 cup grated tasty cheese

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs and 60 gm melted butter

My recipe ingredients are

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup mixed frozen vegetables which I used Fairprice brand - carrots, corn, peas

1/2 a small onion diced 

1 teaspoon of mixed spice from The Gourmet Collection

130 gm of grated Kraft cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

60 gm unsalted butter melted n cooled

Method 

I prepared small baking cases (hard type) n put on a baking tray

I boiled the frozen vegetables in a microwave bowl for about 2 mins and drained the water

Put the self raising flour in a large mixing bowl

Add in the cooked vegetables and diced onion and grated cheese and the spice mix and mix well with a spoon 

The ingredients become coated in flour

Mix the eggs and milk together 

Pour it into the flour with melted butter and stir together 

After stirring it becomes paste like and thick

Preheat the oven to 180 deg Celsius 

Use n ice cream scoop to scoop into the muffin cases evenly

Bake on middle tray for 25 minutes

The top will be lightly golden but the bottom will be browned nicely

Remove the muffins n cool on a wire rack 

To keep them for next day 

I kept inside airtight container and kept inside the fridge 

Let them come to room temp about 30 mins and warm them in oven at 110 deg Celsius for about 10 minutes 

Happy baking!!

I used 130 gm of the cheddar cheese

Before mixing

After coating with flour

My spiced mix

Before baking

After baking

Cross section of the muffin

Enjoy them with your coffee!

Steamed cupcakes

These are steamed cupcakes using my electric steamer. If you have tried steamed cakes, they are denser than baked cakes. I kept them overnight in a covered case and they still taste good the next day. 

My friend told me steamed cakes may be less heaty than baked ones as Chinese believe baked or fried foods cause our bodies to heat up internally and may cause sickness.

The original recipe came from SandeeA's blog 

http://www.larecetadelafelicidad.com/en/2012/10/steam-cupcakes-apam-dot-dot.html

My Malay friend says Apam means Kueh.

I followed her recipe and she has made it without using ovalette.

However, I used artificial colours n flavorings. Please follow her link for natural strawberry flavour.

Before steaming - place the paper cupcakes inside my metal chicken pie molds 

After steaming 10 minutes in my electric steamer

For the filling I used chocolate rice and also some blueberry jam

I also tried orange flavoring.

 Orange flavored

Chocolate rice 

Original with pink coloured cross 

Blueberry jam

Potato and green peas samosa

This is my first try at making samosa and I just lightly seasoned my filling. I am not able to take really spicy foods so I made according to my liking.

I am glad they turned out well all the fillings are intact I managed to seal the samosas properly. :)

This is the plate of filling

Filling recipe

2 russet potatoes skin removed n boiled 

Frozen green peas 3/4 cup

Some water

1 small onion diced 

Ground cumin 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

Some oil

Method 

Boil the potatoes till cooked

Drain water 

Remove and cut into small cubes ( my photo shows cubes a bit too large please dice smaller)

Microwave the green peas with some water enough to cover the peas

Cook for 3 minutes. Drain away the water 

Heat some oil in a large pan and fry onions for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally 

Add in the potatoes and cumin, salt and turmeric powder

Stir fry so that the colours evenly coated the potatoes

Add in green peas and mix well

Set aside and cool about half an hour

Making samosa 

Popiah skin large size cut into thirds 

1 egg beaten to seal the samosa

Oil for frying 

Wrap the fillings in the popiah skin and seal so that the fillings won't drop out

Use the same large saucepan and fill enough oil so that the samosas can be covered 

Lower the temperature when a lot of bubbles form on base of pan

Put in samosas about 7 pcs and fry till one side is brownish

Turn over and fry till other side is brownish 

Drain oil on paper towels 

When samosas are cooler n can be handled 

Serve 

Eat on their own or make a chillie dip if desired

I used this popiah skin

Ingredients 

Frying onions

Potatoes are yellowish colored - add peas

Before frying 

In the oil

Turn golden brown 

Golden brown and ready to eat - crunchy!!

Fried another batch today 

Enjoy them warm!

I folded them this way

Fold one corner up to form triangle

Fold 1st triangle over so that you have a pouch 

Use the spoon and stuff filling inside 

Seal properly with beaten egg 

Prawn Fritters

I feel I I should share this as the prawn fritters are awesome! No need to buy flour mix anymore!

Please refer to Hedy Khoo's recipe 

The link is here

http://www.soshiok.com/recipe/prawn-fritters

I did with about 170 gm of Large prawns bought from Ntuc Fairprice supermarket (weight after heads n shells removed) which was about 19 prawns.

Bought this type of prawns didn't use all

The batter was half her recipe

For consistency of batter I used 100 ml water plus 2 tablespoon water

You have to experiment your own my batter is a bit thick and clings to the prawns so it doesn't drop while transferring to the wok

Frying in the oil 

The fritters were tasty on thier own but I also added a side dish of Thousand Island Sauce dressing 

Puffed up 

Cross section

Enjoy!!

Pork patties burger

This is a surprise hit with the adults in my family especially my hubby who says :"have standard". This means in Singapore lingo that the burger tastes good.

I was searching for recipes that uses cumin as I bought a bottle not long ago. I only used it once. It has a pungent smell and unlikely that the children will enjoy if I made curry with it. So while checking I came across chicken patties using roasted chicken and cumin by Jennifer Perillo. I think I will also explore her other recipes next round http://www.injennieskitchen.com/category/recipes/

The recipe I referred to, the link is below

http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/cumin-cilantro-chicken-patties/13320/

Instead of using roasted chicken which i don't have, I used fresh minced pork. I also changed the recipe a little.

Recipe

Minced pork bought from Fairprice supermarket about 270 grams

Some white pepper

Sprinkle of ground cumin

Sprinkle of salt

Bread or Panko crumbs 1/4 cup

Chinese parsley a small sprig chopped finely

One quarter of a yellow onion chopped finely

One egg beaten lightly

1 heaped teaspoon corn flour

Use a large plate or bowl n place minced pork in it

Loosen the pork a little

Add in all the dry ingredients. Mix a little 

Then add in the beaten egg

Mix everything ( I used my hand) in one direction 

Then divide n shape into 4 patties 

Do make them slightly rounded and thick, not flat n thin because they may break while frying

Heat some oil in a large frying pan

Fry the patties at medium low fire.

The meat patties have fat in them.

Be careful oil may splatter out.

Place the four patties n fry till one side browns

Flip over n fry the other side 

I also made them stand at sides of pan so the edges can get browned too

I follow the link above and place a rack over a few paper towels 

After frying, place the patties on the rack.

The excess oil will drip onto the paper towels. 

To test if cooked, I used my butter knife and poke the blade in.

The patties are cooked as the meat inside turned white.

Leave to cool a while 

For the burger buns, I used my small grill pan n heat up a small piece of butter n grill the buns both sides 

Place some slices of Japanese cucumber  on the bottom half of bun

Top with a piece of cheese 

Add the pork patty

Pipe the Japanese mayonaise on it

Then tomato ketchup

Before adding egg

Form 4 patties 

In the pan

One side browned

Let the excess oil drip

I used Kewpie mayonnaise 

Yummy burger!!

Cross section

Happy cooking!!

Lean pork n scallop porridge

Today I did a lean sliced pork porridge with fresh scallop porridge for my hubby and me to eat.  He isn't well n needed soft foods.

To make it tastier Fb friends told me to marinate pork with salt I took their advice .

Thanks very much friends!

Today I also used for the first time chicken Borvil stock to enhance the taste.

Recipe 

Ingredients

Cut some thin pcs of pork loin boneless 

( bought from Ntuc fairprice supermarket)

Fine salt 

1 tray of fresh scallop - 6 pcs

Some Chinese parsley 

1 teaspoon Chicken Borvil stock mix with 250 ml hot water

500 ml cool water

About 1 teaspoon corn flour

Rice 1.5 cups ( can reduce because I can't finish)

Extra a rice bowl of hot water

Method

Cut the pork loin about 1.5 to 2 inches of the pork

Then slice off the fatty part n discard

Cut the pork into very thin slices 

Then I use my knife to chop the pork to tenderize every piece

Put in a bowl n sprinkle salt to marinate for about 1.5 hrs 

Keep in the fridge covered

After 1.5 hours.

Prepare the stock 

In a cup use about 250 ml of hot water n mix in a teaspoon of the chicken Borvil.

Stir to make a soup.

Pour into a soup pot and add in 2 more cups of water.

Boil the soup.

Then add in rinsed rice slowly into the soup.

Kept stirring with a long wooden spoon so that the porridge can cook n rice will not stick to bottom of pot for about 15 minutes 

Marinate the scallops shortly with salt now 

When water lowers n porridge start to thicken add a bowl of hot water in n stir again.

When rice grains look much softer 

Add in scallops n stir a while about 30 seconds?

Then mix the pork with a bit of corn flour

Add into porridge 

Make sure pork is cooked then serve the porridge with Chinese parsley 

Borvil chicken stock 

Marinate with salt 

Scallops

Add in scallops when rice grains are soft 

Pork added n cooked 

Serve warm