Thursday 27 November 2014

Rice Cooker Fried Rice

Preparation : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 55 minutes
Yield : Serving for 1 adult and 1 toddler
Freezer Friendly : No



Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 carrot
2 oz chicken breast meat, minced
Water as needed

Steps:

1) Steamed cut carrots for 20 minutes
2) Turn Rice Cooker onto Boiling function.
3) Pour oil, garlic and shallot, stir fry until fragrant.
4) Add rice, stir fry a while. Add water.
5) Add chicken and carrot.
6) Switch to 'Rice' function.
7) Serve when the rice is done.

My girl does not like the rice cooker fried rice during lunch as we went for outing where weather is hot. I turn it into real fried rice as follows:

Ingredients:
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
Leftover rice cooker fried rice
1 egg
Steps:
1) Pour oil on non-stick pan. 
2) Under high heat, put the rice cooker fried rice onto the pan, stir fry a while, add egg, stir fry for about 1 minute.
3) Put into thermos for dinner outing.

My girl had her portion happily :)

Original Recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/rice-cooker-fried-rice-183349

Raisin Bun with Red Bean Filling

Preparation Time : 15 min (bun) + 8 hours 15 min (filling)


Cooking Time: 2 hours (bun) + 3 hours (filling)
Yield : 7 mini buns (Diameter about 3 inches)
Freezer Friendly : Yes

[Tips : Prepare the filling in big batch on weekends and freeze it or simply replace the filling with cream cheese, peanut butter and so on]




Bun Ingredients:

2tbsp grapeseed oil
1 egg
150ml fresh milk
3tbsp brown sugar
1/4tsp salt
350g bread flour
2tsp instant dry yeast
5tbsp raisins
Bun Steps:
1) Knead using breadmaker for 10 minutes (Function 6 for Donlin Breadmaker).
2) Set the dough aside for 50 minutes
3) Flatten the dough and divide the dough into 7 portions.
4) Roll in round, flatten it (looks like mini pizza dough), put about 1 tbsp filling in centre, wrap it up by pulling edges to join from upper, lower, left and right side of the flat dough, Use finger to slightly twist the meeting point of the 4 sides to close the gap/hole.
5) Bake it under 170 degree for 20 minutes.

Filling Ingredients:-
200g red bean
Water as needed
100g brown sugar (Original calls for 200g)
Pinch of salt

Filling Steps:

1) Soak the red bean overnight or at least 8 hours.
2) Rinse and drain the red bean.
3) Put red bean and water and bring to boil in a pot. Water should be 1-2 inches above the red bean.
4) Turn off the heat after boiling, cover with lid for 5 minutes.
5) Drain the red bean.
6) Put red bean and water and bring to boil in a pot. Water should be just enough to cover the beans. (I read on the internet that the water level is important to ensure that the bean does not split)
7) Turn heat to medium low after boiling, simmer for 1 hour plus (I did it in 1 1/2 hour) until the bean can be mashed easily with your finger. Keep adding water to cover the beans as water will evaporate.
8) Turn heat to high and add sugar in 3 portions. Stir continuously until you can draw a line on the bottom of the pot using the ladle and you can see the surface of the pot for more than 2 seconds.
9) Add salt and turn off heat.
10) Put the red beans on a flat wide tray, mash with fork/potato masher and let it cool.
11) If you plan to use it soon, cover with cling wrap and fridge. You can also divide into small portion (150g-200g for this bun recipe) and freeze it for future use.




Original recipes:
http://17chipmunks.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/spiral-cream-cheese-peanut-butter-bun/
http://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to/how-to-make-anko-red-bean-paste/

Donlim breadmaker manual Recipe3

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Prep Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time : 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Freezer Friendly: No


Ingredients:
50g grapeseed oil
50ml fresh milk
100g steamed pumpkin, mashed
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
100g all purpose flour
60g brown sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Steps: 
1) Preheat oven at 180 degrees. Line 9" cake tin with parchment paper.
2) Mix all ingredients except egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar.
3) Whisk egg whites, brown sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peak.
4) Fold egg whites into 2) in 3 batches using spatula.
5) Pour into cake tin, bake for 25 minutes.

Original recipe:
I love tasty & healthy treats by Alan Kok


Steamed Shredded Chicken

Preparation Time : 5 minutes
Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Yield : 2-3 servings for toddler
Freezer Friendly : No


Ingredients:
1/2 chicken breast
Few drops of Liquid Amino
Dash of pepper

Steps:
1) Wash the chicken breast.
2) Put everything in a bowl, steam for 20 minutes.
3) Let cool and shred into small pieces by hand.

Dried Scallop Congee

Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Cooking Time : 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield : 3 servings for toddler
Freezer Friendly : No


It has been a hard week for me that I need to work on weekend but I know I still would love to prepare food for my baby (she is a toddler now but I still call her baby...). Saw this dried scallop porridge recipe on the book 'Cooking for Kids' by Ben Yeo and Anna Phua and decided to try it out as congee as the recipe is quick, easy, hassle free and still tasty!


Ingredients:
3 pieces of dried scallop (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes)
1/2 cup of uncooked rice
4 cups of water


Steps:
1) Put everything into the rice cooker.
2) Press 'boiling' function.
3) When the mixture is boiling (about 15 minutes), stop the 'boiling' function and press 'congee' function. This should take 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Original Recipe:
Cooking for Kids by Ben Yeo and Anna Phua

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Lunch Platter


Menu:
B) 3 sticks of Mitsuya Tasty biscuit stick
C) 1 bowl macaroni
D) 1 jar of vegetarian mushroom seasoning soup
E) 1 mini container raisins

Recipe D:
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot, add in vegetarian seaaoning powder, boil for a minute, serve with pasta.



Cauliflower Pork and Egg Pancake

Prep Time :  10 minutes
Cook Time : 40 minutes
Yield : 2 servings
Freezer Friendly : No


Ingredients:
2 eggs
4 florets of cauliflower
2 oz of lean pork
Few drops of Liquid Amino
Dash of pepper
Pinch of salt and sugar
Water as needed

Steps:
1) Bring 3 cups of water, pinch of salt and sugar to boil in a pot.
2) Cut cauliflower into florets, wash and blanch in the pot of boiling water for 1 minute.
3) Wash and mince the pork, marinate with few drops of Liquid Amino and dash of pepper. 
3) Steam cauliflower for 20 min, cut into tiny pieces.
5) Put steamed cauliflower, pork and egg into blender, blend until smooth.
6) On medium low heat, heat oil on non-stick wok. Turn heat to low, pour mixture into wok.
7) When 1 side is firm (about 3-4 minutes), turn to the other side. Continue turning until cooked and surface turn golden brown ( about 15 minutes)

Pasta soup with corn and egg

Prep Time : 1 minute
Cook Time : 20 minutes
Yield : 1 serving
Freezer Friendly : No



Dinner with grain, vege and protein. I will add Korea Pear for fruit, a balanced meal :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pasta
1 egg
1/3 cup frozen corn
1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
Pinch of salt 
Water

Steps:
1) Bring 4 cups of water with pinch of salt to boil. Add pasta. Boil for 13 minutes. Set aside. Note that all pasta has different cooking time, always refer to package instruction.
2) Put frozen corn into steamer, time 15 minutes.
3) Beat eggs and add cheese, mix well.
4) Pour oil onto non-stick pan. Add egg mixture, when 1 side turns solid about 30 seconds, turn to the other, continue turning until no liquid is seen. Serve with steamed corn.
5) Boil 2 cups of water in a pot, add in vegetarian seaaoning powder, boil for a minute, serve with pasta.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Cauliflower Potato Stir-fry

Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Yield : 1 serving
Freezer Friendly : No


First I must apology for the poor image as I forgot to take the photo until I was in the car. Basically this is my last minute recipe but the taste is pretty good, with the mash potato like texture.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 potato
5 florets of cauliflower
1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
Pinch of salt and sugar (for blanching)
1 tbsp Vegetarian mushroom seasoning 
powder
Few drops of Liquid Amino
Dash of pepper
Water

Steps:
1) Wash potato, diced. 
2) Blanch cauliflower in boiling water with pinch of salt and sugar added for 1 minute.
3) Pour oil onto non stick pan. Add potato and cauliflower, stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4) Add 3 cups of water, add vegetarian seasoning, few drops of Liquid Amino and dash of pepper.
5) Cover with lid and wait for 8-10 minutes.
6) Open lid, wait until little water left, add cheese. Stir until even, serve.

Milo Cupcake

Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Yield : 3 small cupcakes
Freezer Friendly : No


(Update) Running out of ideas for breakfast/snack time since my pre-schooler started school Jan 2016. So made this Milo cupcake again as it is less heaty compared to oven-baked cake.


(Update) This has been my toddler favorite school lunch recently, don't you think they are equally good when steamed in a big bowl? Well, yes, I admit, lazy mama style.
        

This recipe is easy and I am truly in love with the yummy taste! My girl and I did not eat the cupcake the day I made it, I put in the fridge overnight. The next day I pop it into the steamer for 5 minutes to warm it and the texture somehow resembles chocolate moist cake. I think it would be great to add in chocolate chips for adult.

Important Tips: Ensure eggs are beaten to trap air, otherwise it would not rise that much or worse, not at all. After adding the beaten egg into Step1, just mix well, there is no need to "beat".

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 tbsp Milo powder
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp baking powder

Steps:
1) Mix everything except eggs in a bowl. Remove lumps by mashing action with fork.
2) Beat eggs and add to 1). Mix well using by mashing action with a fork.
3) Pour into cupcake liner and steam under high heat for 15 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Tips:
1) Ensure eggs are thoroughly beaten. I found that using chopsticks is the best, yes, it yields better than a whisk.
2) Ensure the batter is steamed right after mixing. Waiting will make the baking powder lost its power, the cake will not rise as much.


Original Recipe:
Amando Ho at Healthy Food for Baby (FB page)


Sunday 16 November 2014

Rice Cooker Fried Rice

Prep Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time : 45 minutes
Yield : Serving for 2 adult and 1 toddler
Freezer Friendly : No


Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked rice
1 carrot
5 florets of cauliflower
2 oz of lean pork
Liquid Amino as needed
Dash of pepper
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
Vegetarian natural seasoning powder
1 1/2 cup water
Pinch of salt and sugar ( for blanching)

Steps:
1) Wash rice, set aside. 
2) Wash lean pork, mince the pork. Marinate with liquid amino and dash of pepper.
3) Wash and cut carrot into small cubes.
4) Cut cauliflower into small florets, wash clean, blanch in hot water with pinch of salt and sugar for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove cauliflower into a bowl of clean water before off fire.
5) Steam under high heat carrot and cauliflower for 15 minutes. Roughly chop cauliflower into size almost equal to rice.
6) Set rice cooker to "boiling" function. Put oil and stir fry pork until you did not see pink colour about 3 minutes. Add carrot, cauliflower, rice, seasoning, stir fry for 2 minutes. 
7) Add water, cancel " boiling" function, press " rice" function.



Wednesday 5 November 2014

Hard-boiled Egg

Preparation Time : -
Cooking Time : 22 minutes
Yield : 1 hard-boiled egg
Freezer-friendly : No


This is my all time favorite easy peasy breakfast and my girl too! You might wonder why the cooking time is 22 minutes, much longer than the usual 3 minutes hard-boiled egg. I must say, the result is too much difference!

The egg cooked this way is 1) much tender/softer that it is easily mashed with fork and suitable for baby's chewing.
2) nicer looking, look closer at the first picture, you cannot see the greenish layer on the outer surface of egg yolk that you get using the traditional method.

The actual cooking time is actually 2 minutes, the rest is waiting time, so no waste of gas.

Ingredients:
1 egg
Water as needed

Steps:
1) Put egg in a pot and fill with water so that water covers the egg.
2) Bring the water to boil under high heat. When the water comes to boil, set timer for 1 minute. 
3) Keep the water boiling under high heat. Off heat when timer goes off.
4) Cover the pot with lid and set timer for 20 minutes.
5) Remove the egg from water when timer goes off, remove shell and mash with fork.




Sunday 2 November 2014

Vegetable Stock

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield : About 1 ltr stock
Freezer Friendly : Yes


Ingredients:
2 medium carrots
2 stalks of Choy Sum
3 stalks of leeks
4 stalks of celery
1 big onion
1++ litre water
2 tbsp grapeseed oil

Steps:
1) Wash all ingredients and cut into pieces.
2) Heat oil in a pot. Add all vegetables and stir fry until fragrant for about 2 minutes.
3) Add water and boil.
4) Once boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
5) Add water as needed if water evaporates fast.
6) Let cool and store in breastmilk bag in freezer.


Chicken Stock

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 4 hours 15minutes
Yield : About 1 ltr stock
Freezer Friendly : Yes



Ingredients:
1 medium carrots
1 stalk of Choy Sum
1 stalk of leeks
1 stalk of celery
1 big onion
1++ litre water
3 chicken carsass

Steps:
1) Wash all ingredients and cut into pieces.
2) Put all ingredients into rice cooker, select boiling function.
3) Once boil, cancel boiling function, select soup function with 4 hours timer.
4) Sieve oil on surface using a oil siever.
5) Let cool and store in breastmilk bag in freezer.

Original Recipe:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/easy-chicken-stock/