Mentaiko Pasta

Mentaiko Pasta

(Serves 3)
250g pasta
2 sacs of mentaiko
4 gloves of garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
50g butter

Salt & peper to taste
Shredded nori to garnish

1) Boil up some salted water in which to cook your pasta till al dente. Once the pasta is ready, either strain it in a colander or using a pasta spoon and set it aside.

2) Using a knife, slit open the sacs of mentaiko and scrape out the roe, dropping the red fish eggs into a bowl.
3) Add the Japanese mayonnaise, light soy sauce, salt and pepper, and gently stir until all ingredients mix well. Do not whip the mixture vigorously as you might cause the tiny eggs to burst.
4) Melt the butter in a saucepan or frying pan, and add the minced garlic. Lightly fry till the garlic is golden and shimmering, but not browned.
5) Taking the saucepan off the heat, pour in the bowl of mentaiko sauce mixture, and the residual heat of the butter/garlic will cook it without curdling the eggs. Mix or toss the pasta in the pan to ensure that all the noodle strands are evenly coated.
6) Plate up, garnish with shredded nori, and enjoy immediately.

For variations, add bacon bits, onions or mushrooms when frying the garlic. As mentaiko is spicy, I use 2 sacs for mild taste which caters to children. If you like spicier pasta, can use more sacs. Usually mentaiko is sold as 4 sacs per packet. So you can make mentaiko pasta twice, or all at once for spicer taste.

Coca-cola chicken wings

This is a wonderful and easy to cook oriental dish. Perfect dish to serve with rice.

Coca-cola Chicken Wings

Ingredients :

1 kg mid-joint chicken wings

2 medium carrot (cut into chunks)

5 slices old ginger

4 cloves garlic (remove skin & smashed)

2 tbsp cooking oil

½ cup Coca-cola

Seasoning :

3 tbsp light soy sauce

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinese rice wine

Dash of pepper

Method :

Wash and blanch the chicken wings in boiling water for approximately 2-5 minutes to remove blood. Drain well and set aside.

Heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a fry pan/wok to sauté garlic & ginger till aromatic.

Add in chicken wings and carrots continue to sauté till light brown in color.

Add in seasonings and Coca-cola.

Using medium fire, cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure chicken wings are evenly coated with sauce. Leave pan/wok uncovered.

Ready when sauce thickens or when chicken wings caramelized.

If you like more sauce, add some water & salt to taste.

Serve hot.

Notes :

Coca-cola serve as meat tenderizer & it give the chicken wings a nice glossy look.

Is you prefer less sweet, reduce portion of Coco-cola.

You will not be able to find any trace of Coca-cola when you eat the chicken wings. It tastes like Soy sauce braised chicken wings, but with richer fuller taste.

Maltesers Traybake

I love Maltesers. So when I came across this recipe online, I tried it out immediately. It's so easy to make and my whole family enjoyed so much. It's a great recipe to try with kids.

Maltesers Traybake

Ingredients :

100g butter

200g milk chocolate

3 tablespoon golden syrup

225g finely crushed digestive biscuits

225g maltesers

Method :

1) Line a baking tin with cling wrap.

2) Boil some water in a saucepan.

3) Place butter, golden syrup and milk chocolate in a metal mixing bowl.

4) Place the bowl over hot water and allow the butter and milk chocolate to melt. Do not cover. Do not let water dip into mixture.

5) Once butter and milk chocolate melted completely, add the crushed biscuits and mix together quickly.

4) Then pour the mixture into the square tin, smoothing out to make it an even thickness.

5) Place the maltesers allover the top and press gently into the mixture. Do it fast as the warm mixture will melt the chocolate coating of maltesers.

6) Leave to cool before chilling till it set.

7) Cut into bit size squares before serving.

8) The next time I will experiment with white chocolate, marshmallows and nuts.

Italian Tiramisu for Dummies

Italian Dessert Recipe - Tiramisu

Tiramisu is my utmost favorite Italian dessert ... It's an aphrodisiacs. The Italian name Tiramisu means "pick-me-up" (metaphorically, "make me happy", although it could have a more sexual meaning), referring to the two caffeine-containing ingredients, espresso and cocoa. It's chocolaty taste contains both a sedative which relaxes and lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to increase activity and the desire for physical contact. Here's an easy Tiramisu recipe that is sure to please your taste buds.

Ingredients :

1 package of lady fingers (Italian sponge finger biscuits)

4 egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar

1 lb of Marscapone cheese

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of freshly brewed espresso coffee

1/4 cup of cocoa powder

Method :

1. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolk and sugar until the mixture is thicken and light yellow in color.

2) Mix in the Marscapone cheese till thoroughly mixed.

3) In a medium bowl, whipped the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and fold in the cheese mixture.

4) Dip the lady fingers in espresso and line the bottom of a baking dish or large serving plate with half of them.

5) Pour in half of the cheese mixture & smooth surface.

6) Add another layer of lady fingers dipped in espresso.

7) Pour in the remaining cheese mixture on top & smooth surface.

8) Chill for 2 hours and dust with cocoa powder before serving.

note : Tiramisu should be served chilled, not frozen.

Homemade Banana Nut Muffins

Banana Nut Muffin

I am not much of a baker. My repertoire of baking is limited to the cake mixes and simple recipe which we are taught in secondary school. I can make a decent cake with the boxed mixes, but choices are limited. I have no incentive to expand my culinary skills in that direction.
I have a friend who is a avid baker has shared with me her homemade banana nut muffins for DUMMIES. The muffins came out perfect! No one would have guessed that this is by an amateur. It was just as moist and fluffy as the ones you get in bakery.

Ingredients:
3 large bananas (ripe)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnut

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
2. Line muffin tray with muffin paper cups.
3. Mash bananas well.
4. Add sugar and slightly beaten egg.
5. Add melted butter and chopped walnuts.
6. Add all dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir to mix. Please ensure no lumps or else you will be bitting into lumps of uncooked flour - not a pleasant taste.
7. Fill muffin cups to about 3/4 top the top and bake for 20 mins.

note : for variation, you may substitute walnut for pecan nut, almond or hazelnut.