Stuffed Bitter Gourd with minced meat

Today I decided to do minced meat stuffed bitter gourd rings. When I was young I avoided all sorts of vegetables n eating bitter gourd - no way!

I was introduced to eating bitter gourd through my hubby who loves bitter gourd soup.

Anyway today I am trying out a recipe from this link

https://denisefoodblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/my-favorite-bitter-melon-recipe-bitter-melon-stuffed-with-ground-pork-garlic-and-bean-sauce/

I don't know if my bean sauce is the same as the author's. 

Recipe 

One bitter gourd washed n cut into 8 sections (about 400gm) I discarded the ends 

Minced pork about 200gm 

Pork marinade 

Kikkoman soy sauce 1 & 1/2 tsp

Fine sugar 1/2 tsp

Pepper sprinkle

Corn starch 2 tbsp

Gravy 

A little oil

2 pcs garlic crushed 

1 tbsp black bean sauce

1/3 cup water ( I increased to 1/2 cup)

Sprinkle of sugar

Method

Heat some  oil in a pan

Place the bitter gourd on pan n fry at high heat

Then turn down to medium heat n fry till bitter gourd colour turn a bit brown

Flip over n cook the same way 

Remove onto plate 

Add more oil n fry garlic n the bean paste together. Stir quickly.

Add in the bitter gourd again, add the water n sprinkle some sugar n let the water boil.

Cover the pan and cook further. 

This will help the bitter gourd to soften n ensure the minced meat is cooked .

Dish up n plate n pour the gravy over the bitter gourds.

I'm quite pleased with minced meat taste. 

The gravy wasn't salty as I was quite scared when using the bean paste.

The bitter gourds was still not as soft as I wanted them so I think I can let them cook longer when covered the next round. 

The bitter gourd n minced meat

Cut n use a small spoon to remove the seeds 

Put the minced meat in

I used this brand of bean paste 

Cooking with bean paste 

Cross section 

Enjoy them with rice! Happy cooking!

Long Beans Egg omelette

This is a simple homecooked dish. I cooked this recently to eat with my plain porridge. Seriously the weather so hot nowadays, our appetite is somewhat affected. 

Back to my dish - simple ingredients anyone can do.

My hubby says can fry with French Beans too.

Ingredients 

3 eggs beaten with some white pepper n soy sauce

About 4-5 strands of long beans diced 

2 pcs of garlic skin removed n chopped finely

Some cooking oil

Method

Cut away the ends of the long beans 

Diced into 1/2 cm or 1 cm lengths

Heat some oil in a large frying pan 

Fry the garlic for about 30 seconds

Add in the beans n fry together stirring often 

The beans turn a bit bright green then add in eggs

Swirl the eggs to cover the entire surface of pan

Let eggs sit for a while n edges start to be cooked

Try n flip the whole piece of egg over to brown the other side 

When cooked, use the spatula n cut the egg into smaller pieces and serve on dish 

Can be eaten with rice or porridge 

Some ingredients

Fry until slightly bright green 

Let eggs cover entire surface

Flip over n fry till done

Happy cooking!

No bake Oreo Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Tadah!!! Isn't this lovely to look at? If I own a cafe I will definitely make these to sell!

This recipe is modified using fruit loops as decoration

The original recipe you can view on YouTube from Eugienie Kitchen

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5cZ50aZ6AZs

You have to let it set overnight before decoration 

Recipe 

Ingredients

A

57 gm Mcvities biscuits crushed to fine 

30 gm unsalted butter melted 

B

4 pcs of Oreo cookies crushed roughly

C

155 gm Philadelphia cream cheese softened

50 gm icing sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

D

120 ml whipping cream whipped till soft peaks I used Emborg whipping cream

E for decoration 

Either use Oreo cookies remove cream n crush

Or use fruit loops crushed

Method

A

Line a six hole cupcake tray with cupcake liners

Crush the Mcvities in a zip lock bag till fine

Melt the butter

Mix together in a bowl

Spoon evenly into each cupcake hole n press to form a firm base with a back of a spoon. Set aside 

B

Crush the Oreo in ziplock bag n set aside

C

Use a spatula n mix all together

Then add in the crushed Oreos 

Mix in

D

Whip the whipping cream with electric beater to obtain soft peaks

Fold the whipping cream into the Oreo mixture

Use a icecream scoop n scoop into the prepared cupcake tray

Mcvities base

Whipped cream beaten

Smooth the tops n chill overnight

Crush the fruit loops

Decorate the outside of heart with green fruit loops n the inside with red fruit loops

Done!

Cross section

Decorated with fruit loops non crush

Happy eating!!

Jemput Jemput Pisang Mashed Banana Balls

After watching a certain episode of ch5 TV show - Throwback: Balik Kampong which showed 3 families trying to sell kampong food, I decided to try fry banana balls too

As there wasn't a measurement of ingredients mentioned in the show I googled YouTube n followed one recipe but slightly modified 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U_YK2Hy0k6I

It is best to use really ripe bananas so that they will taste sweeter. I was eager to make these and I didn't wait for the bananas to turn really ripe. However if you prefer less sweet than these are good enough.

Recipe

I used 5 pcs of these bananas

Into a large bowl peel n cut the bananas into small slices - to help easier mashing later

Add in 2 tablespoon caster sugar

Add in 3 tablespoon brown sugar

Mash the bananas and set aside

After mashing

Prepare your flour

Mix 2 cups of plain flour with 1/4 pack of yeast which is about 3 gms - youncan get this brand from Fairprice supermarket 

1 sachet is 11 gm

Mix well n add in about 80% into the bananas

Use a spatula n mix in 

Now add the rest of the flour n add about 1/3 cup of water to mix until this consistency 

Then keep the bowl covered n rest for 30 minutes

After resting 30 minutes n ready to fry

Heat a wok with oil deep enough for frying. Note there must be bubbles forming on the base of wok.

Turn the heat lower n drop in small balls of batter to fry.

After a few seconds use your frying spatula to move the balls around so they won't stick together.

Fry until golden brown. Remove n drain on paper towels.

Wet your hand with a bowl of water before you scoop the batter for frying

Frying

Some halfway

Flip over for even frying

All done 2 plates of banana balls

Depending on your preference - if you fry for longer time the skin will be crispier but can turn slightly darker 

Enjoy!

Scandinavian white bread

According to the author of this recipe scalded flour is used traditionally in Scandinavian breads

Scalded flour is flour mixed with hot boiling water n kneaded with the main bread dough

The bread was soft but however the next day I find that it wasn't as soft. I used hand kneading this time following the recipe.

Also I followed the way of rolling the dough so it resulted in difficulty of cutting the bread towards the ends when some part of the bread may fall apart.

http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/scandinavian-white-bread/

Do give it a try and judge for yourself.

Out of the tin

Top view

Eating it with Planta margarine 

A piece of the bread

Lemon Butter Cake

The cake is soft n the top has lemony taste.

You can try this recipe from this link

http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.sg/2010/03/lemon-butter-cake.html?m=1

I used my silicon cake pan but I still lined it and lifted it up easily to cool after baking.

Recipe

cake 

100 gm SCS unsalted butter softened

25 gm Planta margarine

100 gm caster sugar

1/8 tsp salt 

2 eggs

4 tbsp milk

175 gm self raising flour

1 lemon rind grated finely

Syrup

1 lemon juice

3 tbsp caster sugar

1 lemon rind grated finely

Method

Beat the butter, margarine and sugar till fluffy

Add the eggs in one at a time n beat well 

Add in the lemon rind n beat in

Mix the flour and salt together 

Fold in the flour n milk

Line a loaf tin and put batter in

Preheat oven to 180 C

Bake for 40 minutes

I tented with a piece of aluminium foil at about 30 minutes and continued baking 

While cake is baking, boil the lemon juice n 3 tbsp caster sugar till sugar melts.

Then stir in the lemon rind n set aside.

Poke holes into the cake after baking.

Pour the lemon syrup over the cake. 

Give it 5 minutes to let the syrup absorb into cake 

Lift up the cake and cool on the rack

Beaten butter n sugar with lemon rind

Before bake

Cake looks like this after baking n syrup applied- easily lifted up from the pan 

Cool before cutting 

Note

You will have balance 1 lemon without rind.

I sliced it and made honey lemon drink with it

Enjoy!!

Pan of Brownies

This is a wonderfully tasty brownie recipe which comes from Linda Stephen's the convection oven bible.

I do hope I have time to try out other recipes inside. I did not use the cup measurements inside her recipe but used in grams.

The recipe as follows

250 gm unsalted SCS butter cut into pcs

250 gm semisweet chocolate - I used baking chocolate n dark couverture chocolate 

250 gm plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp instant coffee powder - optional - I omitted

250 gm walnuts chopped ( I used only about 150gm)

4 eggs

250 gm caster sugar

125 gm packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

375 gm semisweet or white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips

I just sprinkled peanut butter chips and didn't measure

Method

1. In a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter n chocolate and stir together. Cool slightly.

2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, coffee(optional) n nuts 

3. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, sugars n vanilla. I used an electric beater. 

Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour. I used a spatula.

4. Pour batter into a greased n lined 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the peanut butter chips.

Preheat oven to 160c or 325f. Bake for 25 to 30 mins. I used 40 mins. Bake until a tester or toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Note

Please line the pan with the two ends of paper sticking out so you can lift up the brownie gently n cut it

Yummy Brownies!

I used these

Before n after baked 

Enjoy!!