recipes

Tea Tree Mushrooms Pasta Stir Fry

| San

teatreemushroompasta001 teatreemushroompasta002 teatreemushroompasta003The last time when I stumbled upon fresh tea tree mushrooms (茶树菇) , I cooked this.  Since then, they have not been seen around the market, I’ll even consider myself lucky to be able find the dried versions,  as most of the stores are carrying the more popular dried shitake varieties.

So once I get my hands on a packet, I start to plan on the dishes to make with it.  Once the packaging is opened, it is important to store the dried mushrooms in airtight containers, or even better, in the fridge.  Otherwise they will lose their aroma over time.  Still, there is no reason to cling on to them for too long, leaving them uncooked in the fridge.  After all, I buy them to cook and eat, not for display.  I hope to finish up the 150g packet in 2 weeks, or shorter if possible.

After washing the tea tree mushrooms under a running tap to remove dust /dirt, soak these tea tree mushrooms in water, leaving it overnight in the fridge.  The long thin stalks tend to be the hardest portion, and need a longer soaking time than regular shitake mushrooms.  I usually reserve the liquid used for soaking any dried mushrooms, and use it in stir fries or soups.

TEA TREE MUSHROOM PASTA STIR FRY
SERVES TWO
INGREDIENTS

- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
- 40g tea tree mushrooms, soak to soften
- Cooked pasta of your choice
- Dried herbs
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Liquid reserved from soaking mushrooms

INSTRUCTIONS

01. Squeeze out water from the tea tree mushrooms.  Trim away the ends.  Chop them into roughly 2 cm length.  Set aside.
02. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
03. Fry chopped garlic till fragrant, and add dried herbs.
04. Add chopped mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of mushroom stock reserved from liquid used to soak mushrooms in.  Stir around to cook the mushrooms.
05. Add cooked pasta, stir to mix well with the mushrooms.
06. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
07. Transfer to serving plates.  Drizzle paa with more olive oil.
08. Serve immediately.

Matcha Avocado Banana Mousse

| San

matcha avocado banana mousse 001a

A small opened packet of Matcha powder has been left sitting in my fridge for more than one month.  I am no Matcha connoisseur, but still, it is not good to leave it unused for too long either.  So a Matcha binge it shall be this month, which doesn’t really hurt, given the health benefits I often read about green tea like these.

First up, a mousse recipe inspired by this, recreated with existing ingredients at home.

MATCHA AVOCADO BANANA MOUSSE
INGREDIENTS

1/2 avocado, peeled + stone removed
1 large banana, peeled
1 tablespoon date syrup
1 tablespoon matcha powder
Sprinkle of chia seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

01. Put avocado and banana in a blender and puree.
02. Pour pureed avocado and banana into a serving bowl.
03. Top with the remaining ingredients.
04. Serve immediately.

NOTES TO SELF

// Original recipe calls for 1 medjool date instead of date syrup.
// Chia seeds topping is my own idea.

Black Rice Bibimbap

| San

blackricebibimbap001 blackricebibimbap002 blackricebibimbap003 blackricebibimbap004
I love rice, any rice. Long grain/ Short grain. Polished/ Unpolished. White/Red/Brown/Black. High GI/ Low GI. That how much I like them.

I also substitute rice recipes with a variety of grains, such as this Bibimbap, made with black rice.  It is really tempting to make Bibimbap whenever I see cucumbers and carrots in my fridge.

For a meatless version, I add mushrooms, spinach, and a fried egg.  Otherwise, simply replace one vegetable with a stir fried meat of any kind.

I used to fry the individual vegetables with cooking oil, and then mix with some sesame oil.  Recently, I came across a Korean recipe book that stated cooking the vegetables in sesame oil instead.  I thought that could reduce the total amount of oil used in this dish, and have been using this method since.  I still add a small quantity, about a teaspoon and a half, of sesame oil before serving as I like that distinctive sesame fragrance that tend to get lost after cooking.

BLACK RICE BIBIMBAP
ADAPTED FROM MAANGCHI
SERVES 2 GENEROUS PORTIONS
INGREDIENTS

2 cups black rice, wash and soak overnight
1 bunch of spinach*
1 small cucmber, julienned
1/2 carrot, julienned
5 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 fried eggs
Sesame oil
Korean hot pepper paste
For garnish :sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

01. Cook black rice with 2 cups of water, till they turn soft but remain chewy.

02. On a pan over medium heat, pour enough sesame oil to cook the bunch of spinach till they wilt.  Transfer spinach to a plate, set aside.

03. Repeat step 2 to cook the rest of the vegetables and mushrooms, separately.  Set them all aside on individual plates.

04. To assemble, put rice first in a serving bowl and arrange cooked vegetables/mushrooms neatly on top to cover the rice.  Drizzle a bit of sesame oil.  Place the fried egg,  sprinkle with sesame seeds, and finally a tablespoon of hot pepper paste.

05.  Stir to mix and eat immediately.

NOTES TO SELF

* I prefer leafy spinach variety to make this dish.
* I do not add salt or soy sauce as I derive most of my Bibimbap kick from the hot pepper paste, which to me is salty enough.
* More on black rice here.  Do not be confused with black glutinous rice used in Pulut Hitam.

Tuna Patties

| San

tuna patties 002 tuna patties 001

Canned tuna, are you able to finish a can at one go?

After using about 2 tablespoons of tuna flakes for sandwich, I will use the balance to make these patties that my kids say taste like chicken nuggets.  I have no idea why.

The patties taste better than they look in my photos.  The processed tuna is already seasoned, so I only added bread crumbs, eggs, and olive oil, ingredients that can hold the tuna flakes into patties, plus a dash of black pepper.

You can then shape them into large burger patties or smaller nuggets, depending on preference.  My kids love both versions.

TUNA PATTIES
INGREDIENTS

1 can of tuna
2 slices of bread
1 egg
1 teaspoon olive oil
black pepper, for seasoning
1 tablespoon of cooking oil (for frying)

INSTRUCTIONS

01. Toast bread, pulse to desired crumb size in a food processor.  Set aside.

02. Drain liquid from tuna, add olive oil (can be omitted if already using tuna in oil) and mix well.

03. Add bread crumbs from step one, egg and black pepper, stir to mix well.

04. Shape mixture into desired patty size and set aside.

05. Heat up cooking oil in a preheated skillet.

06. Place the patties in the skillet, and cook till both sides are brown.

07. Serve immediately.

Tomato Ketchup Prawns

| San

tomato ketchup prawn 001 tomato ketchup prawn 003

Prawn dishes are great for quick meals as they get cooked very fast.  I really like the deep fried battered prawns my mom used to make.  But since I am too lazy to clean up a greasy kitchen, I rather order that (& anything else deep fried)  from a restaurant than to cook it at home.

I begin looking up for a tomato prawn recipe after watching a cooking program about dishes that chefs cook at home for their family.  It looks easy enough and doesn’t require any special condiments other than those in my pantry.  Perfect, as it will be Lunar New Year soon, I don’t intend to clutter my kitchen further with bottles and bottles of half used ingredients.

TOMATO KETCHUP PRAWNS
SOURCE
INGREDIENTS

12 large prawns
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 small tomato, chopped
Garnish : spring onions, coriander leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

01. Remove shells from prawn, leaving tails intact and de-vein them.  Wash and pat dry.  Set aside.

02. Heat up cooking oil in a wok or pan.

03. Add chopped garlic and prawns, stir fry till they are almost cooked.

04. Add chopped tomatoes, oyster sauce and ketchup, stir to mix well.

05. Add some hot water tablespoon by tablespoon, till the desired consistency of the tomato sauce is reached.

06.  Turn off heat, transfer onto plate, garnish and serve.

 

Mushroom and Barley Risotto

| San

mushroom and barley risotto001 mushroom barley risotto 0023

These are made with cooked pearl barley that are left over after boiling barley tea.  As the barley are already cooked to al dente (I boil them for 40 minutes before straining), the cooking time here is almost halved, compared to using uncooked risotto rice.  I vaguely followed the recipes from here and here to make my own single serving version.

MUSHROOM AND BARLEY RISOTTO
INGREDIENTS
1 cup cooked pearl barley, cooled
2 stalks of asparagus
1 handful mushrooms of your choice**
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine
1 cup hot water/ stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
Grated parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS

01. Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces and then half them again.

02. Depending on the type of mushroom you have chosen, roughly chop large capped mushrooms, or remove the tougher base for longer stemmed ones.

03. In a pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add mushrooms to cook.  Turn off heat and set aside once mushrooms has turned soft and started to sweat.

04. In a separate pot or large skillet, heat up remaining olive oil, and saute the finely chopped garlic till fragrant.

05. Add cooked barley and mix well for 1 minute.

06. Add wine, and stir till most of the wine evaporates.

07. Add asparagus and 1/2 cup of hot water/stock, and wait for the liquid to be absorbed, before adding the remaining liquid.

08. When the barley has absorbed most of the liquid, pour in the cooked mushrooms plus its gravy, stir to mix well.

09. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, lastly stir in cream and grated parmesan.

10. Transfer onto plate, topped with more pepper and grated parmesan.  Serve immediately.

NOTES TO SELF

* I used shimeji or brown button mushrooms

Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

| San

crockpot mashed potato 001 crockpot mashed potato 002 crockpot mashed potato 003 crockpot mashed potato 004

Mashed potato recipes are turning up everywhere again, now that Thanksgiving is near.  This crock pot recipe comes in handy during the school holiday, when I would try every possible ways to take away those watching-by-the-stove kind of cooking, so that I can just join the kids for some fun.  Or the kids can also help out with the making of this dish, since it is so easy.

CROCKPOT MASHED POTATOES
SOURCE
INGREDIENTS
5 medium size russet potatoes
4 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
1/4 cup half and half*
Seasoning : black pepper and salt
INSTRUCTIONS

01. Peel garlic cloves. Place in crock pot.

02. Wash potatoes, peel and cube them. Add them to the garlic cloves.

03. Add 1/4 cup of very hot water or vegetable broth. **

04. Top with butter.

05. Cook the potatoes on high for 3  hours or till potatoes and garlic are very tender.

06. After the potatoes are cooked, mash the potatoes and then add half and half slowly till desired consistency.

07. Serve with more butter, black pepper and salt for seasoning.

NOTES TO SELF

* DIY “Half and Half” with 4 parts whole milk and 1 part heavy cream
** Or you can add enough stock or water to cover the potatoes, after they are cooked, remove the excess water before mashing them up
///
Picking the right type of potatoes for different dish
How not to make perfect mashed potatoes
The secret in making mashed pototaotes
///

Whole Tomato Rice

| San

whole tomato rice // mono+co whole tomato rice 002 whole tomato rice 003 whole tomato rice 005whole tomato rice 006whole tomato rice 004whole tomato rice 007
As a home cook, I am always on the watch out for fast and simple recipes on the net to make my meal planning and preparation job easier.

There are some really quick recipes that rely on so much processed food as short-cuts,  I will find it ridiculous if they take up longer time to cook in the first place.

What I welcome more are wholesome and convenient recipes that use none of those ingredients born out of a science lab, like this Whole Tomato Rice.

It’s a really convenient way to prepare a one-pot rice meal, basically involves cooking a whole tomato and rice together in the cooker, with olive oil, black pepper and salt as seasoning.  But remember to remove about 1/5 of the water you would normally use to cook your rice, otherwise you’ll end up with soggy rice due to the high water content in the tomato.

I have long kept away the bulky electric rice cooker since I started cooking my rice the stove top way.  But that did not stop me from trying out this latest online sensation.  The concept is to cook the tomato and rice together, the stove top can do that as well.

I added some grated cheddar cheese and a dash of dried sweet basil for additional seasoning.  I have also seen others getting all creative with butter, prawns, and sausages.  It is a great recipe keep, took me only 20 minutes in all to prepare and cook the basic version, but the potential for variation looks limitless.

WHOLE TOMATO RICE
SOURCE
INGREDIENTS :
- 2 cups rice
- 1 and 3/4 cups of water
- 1 big tomato
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
INSTRUCTIONS :

01. Wash and drain rice.

02. In a cooking pot, add rice, water, pepper, salt and olive oil. Stir to mix well.

03. Remove the tomato stem (see photo 2), and cut a cross slit on its base (see photo 3).  Place it in the center of the pot.

04. Cover the pot and let the rice cook over a small-medium fire for about 8 minutes.

05. Turn off the heat when all the water has been absorbed by the rice.  Let the pot of rice sit undisturbed in the covered pot for another 10 minutes.

06. With a spatula, toss and mix the tomato and rice well.  Serve immediately.

 

NOTES TO SELF :

If using rice cooker, the cooking process in step 3 and 4 will be automatically completed by the cooker.  Let the rice sit in the cooker undisturbed for about 10 minutes before mixing the rice with the tomato.  Rice will be less soggy.

Stove Top Basmati Rice (Nasi Biryani)

| San

stovetopnasibiryani001stovetopnasibiryani002stovetopnasibiryani004
The easiest spiced biryani rice recipe I have come across.

For days when the other plain boiling and simmering version just won’t do.

On a side note, I always do the following before cooking most variety of rice:
1. Wash and rinse the basmati rice till water runs relatively clear.  This step removes the unwanted starch coating that could stick the cooked rice together, leading to bleh biryani.
2. Soak rice in water for about 30 minutes before a final drain.  Cook according to instructions on package.

STOVE TOP NASI BIRYANI
SOURCE
INGREDIENTS :
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 small onion, julienned
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 cardamom pods, cracked
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 5.5 cups of water
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS :

01. Get a pot that is big enough to cook 3 cups of rice.  Saute julienned onions, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaf and ghee in the pot for a few minutes, or until the onions turn soft.

02. Add basmati rice, mix evenly with the sauteed spices.  Continue to fry the rice for a few minutes.

03. Stir in water and salt, cover the pot and let the rice cook over a small-medium fire.

04. Turn off the heat when all the water has been absorbed by the rice.  Let the pot of rice sit undisturbed in the covered pot for another 10 minutes before serving.

++ Notes To Self ++
///
Soak basmati rice in water  for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
This will prevent the rice from breaking during the cooking process.
///
Try not to run of ghee, if no choice, substitute with butter.
///
Ratio to make plain basmati rice, 1 cup of rice to 1 & 3/4 cups water.