Little Thumbs Up: Black Pepper Pork with Golden Mushroom

This is 1 of my favourite dish with my favourite ingredients - Mushrooms! I love all types of mushroom, shiitake, Japanese, Chinese and many more. Today I am using golden mushroom as I saw this big packet selling in Cold Storage and it is so fresh. 

I fry with a little oyster sauce and 1 heap tsp of Lee Kum Kee Black Pepper Sauce. Oh my, the results is so yummy and can go so well with a bowl of rice. Loves!!

I'm linking this post to Little Thumbs Up event, hosted by Joyce, kitchen flavours, organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen for my little favourite D.I.Y.

Black Pepper Pork with Golden Mushroom

1pkt Golden Mushroom

1 Plate of fresh lean pork, cut into slices

1 Cup Water

1tsp Black Pepper Sauce

Oyster Sauce

1) Fry garlic til fragrant, add in pork slices

2) Add in golden mushroom when pork is about 70% cooked, add in oyster sauce and black pepper sauce and water. Simmer

3) Serve Warm

First try on 烫面（Tang Mian) Chiffon

This few days has been quite 'low' for me as a few issues just pop up 1 by 1. Very sian, tired and didn't really have good moods. Been having different mood swings... So after seeing a fellow baker baked her marble chiffon and Angela who tried the Tang Mian method, I decided to combine both versions I saw. Lol~

Impromptu decision and I went to google for a recipe and so I settle for this from Happy Flour and make a marbled version - Strawberry & Orange. I was lazy and I used my microwave to heat up the butter & milk. It was quite fast, and easy just that you need to have an extra steps of warming up the butter & milk. *oh, I replaced the coconut milk for milk as I wasn't making pandan flavour*

This recipe is very soft, moist and nice. I really love this texture. Not as dry as the usual method and I really liked it. Yummy.. The swirls really brighten my day up. And I cooked my fav - Black Pepper Pork with Golden Mushroom!!

Marble Chiffon (adapted from Happy Flour)

5 whites

85g sugar *i use 70g*

1/2tsp cream of tartar *i omit*

5 yolks

1/2 tsp strawberry paste

1/2 tsp orange paste

70ml milk

50g melted butter

90g Cake Flour *i use plain flour*

1) Melt butter in microwave. Then stir in milk and heat up to small bubbles forming

2) Whisk in flour. Then add in yolk.

3) I separate the batter into 2 and added the paste respectively

4) Beat whites into stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 of whites into the 2 batter, giving half to each.

Fold in remaining whites, half to each batter. 

5) Put batter 1 at a time, adding in 2 additions.

6) Bake at 175deg for 40-45mins

Chic Satay II

Having our family BBQ for the long weekend, my sis managed to book a BBQ pit at TPY Safra that is beside the swimming pool for a get-together. Sounds like so much fun cos it has been long since we last gather to have BBQ or even chalets. Missed those times. Now everyone seems so busy, teenagers cousins are so busy with school, work etc. Those times are wonderful memories. MJ-ing, drinking, games, chit chatting, X-boxing and more... 

Anyway, some of us took on some jobs for the BBQ work. I took up the job of Curry Veg & Satay. I have done the satay before with my own variation and this time round I decided to search for a more authentic satay recipe. And so, I settle for this. 

Though it is a bit of work as I super hate working with recipes that asked me to blend cos I so lazy la. But this time, I decided to be hardworking. Halfway thru, I realized I haven gotten a Satay Sauce recipe. Frantically search for one and found a simpler and looks easy to attempt. Hope both turns out well as it is my virgin attempt.

Verdict - Satay a bit bland, need to work on the flavour. Satay sauce was yummy and not too oily. Yeah!!

Chix Satay (adapted from RasaMalaysia)

*i 2x the recipe and did some adjustments as I ran out of some ingredients*

4 Chix Thigh & 8 Chix Breast Fillet (1 big plate selling in Cold Storage)

2tsp Coriander Powder

5 stalk lemongrass, white part

3 shallots

2 clove of garlic

4Tbsp Veg Oil

2tsp Chilli Powder

4tsp turmeric powder

8tsp Light Soy Sauce

2tsp Oyster Sauce

1) Cut the Chix into small cubes

2) Blend all the above ingredients into paste

3) Marinate the Chix cubes with the marinade before putting them on skewers

4) Grill until cooked, serve warm

Satay Sauce (adapted from kitchentigress)
*I x2 all the below ingredients except for peanuts, and I mix the palm sugar and sugar and add while I taste)

60 g assam (tamarind), mashed with ½ cup warm water and drained; seeds discarded

250 g toasted peanuts, skinless, and roughly chopped

250 g toasted peanuts, skinless, and finely ground

50 g shallots (8 pieces), roughly chopped *omit as I ran out of it*

25 g garlic (4 cloves), roughly chopped

2 stalks lemongrass, tender part only, roughly chopped

4 thin slices galangal, roughly chopped

2 tbsp chilli powder, or to taste, mixed with an equal amount of water **i replaced with 8pcs of dried chill*

1) Mix Assam with warm water and leave aside. Drain away seeds and put for later use
2) Blend garlic, lemongrass, galangal, dried Chilli. Leave aside.
3) Put both peanuts in a small pot, add the Assam mixture and top up with water til it cover the peanuts at least 1"/3cm.
4) Fry the paste with oil til fragrant. Add in peanut mixture and stir fry.
Add sugar to taste and a little water of you find it too thick. Serve warm or room temp.

Cupcakes with Famous Pierre Herme Isaphan Confiture

Chanced upon this recipe and the visual is good, so tempting to bake them. But cos I didn't have much time cos busy preparing for the BBQ, I decided to have a try with Pierre Herme Isaphan Confiture. It reminds me of Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream.

Dear Angeline was so nice to edit her post when I asked her about the method of baking them. Thanks a lot for the kind gesture. 

I bring it as desserts for the BBQ, raves good feedback. Moist and nice fragrance from the Confiture and goes very well with the simple cupcakes.

Simple Cupcake with Ispahan Confiture (modified from Angeline's Side of Story)
250g Butter
140g Sugar *reduce to 110g*
250g Self-Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
4 Eggs
60ml Milk

1) Cream butter and sugar til light
2) Add eggs 1 by 1. Fold in flour and milk in 2 batches with mixer.
3) Scoop 2Tbsp of batter into cupcake cases, add 1 tsp of Confiture, top with 1Tbsp of batter.
Use skewer to swirl a little.
4) Bake at 200deg for 15-20mins

Simple 1-Dish Meal

Decided to cook something simple today as whole day was spent on baking the cookies til 4pm.. Had to go to and fro for my gal's extra class. I cook easy Ee-Fu Noodles and Kway Teow Goreng for the kids and adults at home. Really fast and all done in 30-45mins including preparation of ingredients and cooking. 

Ee-Fu Noodles

2Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 1/2Cup Water

Pepper to taste

Beansprouts

Spring Onions

Golden Mushroom

Minced meat

1) Blanch Ee-Fu noodles til cooked, leave aside

2) Fry garlic til fragrant. Add in minced meat, beansprout, golden mushroom and spring onion. 

3) Add in noodles, water and above seasoning and mix well. Taste and add more if needed. Serve warm.

Kway Teow Goreng

5 sachets of Tomato Sauce

3Tbsp Sambal Chilli

1 Cup Water

Spring Onion

Beansprout

Minced Meat

1) Blanched Kway Teow if you using the dry type. Leave aside 

2) Stir fry garlic til fragrant. Add in minced meat, beansprout and spring onion. 

3) Add in noodles, water and above seasoning and mix well. Taste and add more if needed. Serve warm.

Famous Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookie

Yes, I definetely have a lot of to-bake on my list after my week long holiday. And I dunno how to find time to bake all of them. I have bookmarked a lot of cookie recipes but haven decided which to try first as I always can't make up my mind. A huge fan of cookie and hubby likes to have them with his coffee so I try to make them at least every few weeks? 

So why do I choose this to bake today? I saw someone posted in FB after trying is recipe, which happens to be 1 of my 'KIV' cookie recipe and the way she posted the pic about the end product and also her comments after eating... I simp ly can't just sit on the recipe. 

I went to prepare the dough as it needs to be refrigerated at least overnight or 72hours for better results. But looking at the dough, I couldn't resist and convince myself I need to try with and without refrigerating them. So there it goes, 1st tray of cookie into the oven. The smell is heavenly and I couldn't resist and bring out my dough in the fridge, and in goes Tray #2! I need to stop myself from sending more trays or I would have no more left for tml to bake. Hahaha~ 

So my review:
Without fridging the dough overnight - Crispy, sweetness just nice and taste yummy.
With fridging overnight - Crispy, slightly sweeter but have a distinctive aroma that is so fragrance that the first one doesn't have. Thumbs up!! Definitely a keeper for my family... 

Without the kosher salt for this batch, I substitute with normal sea salt. I will definitely spend the $$ to get kosher salt to bake them again... 

Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookie (adapted from Browneyedbaker)

**i convert to grams using the conversion from allrecipe**

256g minus 2Tbsp Cake Flour

226g Bread Flour

11/4tsp Baking Powder

11/2tsp Baking Soda 

11/2tsp Kosher Salt *i use normal sea salt*

283.5g Unsalted Butter

275g Light Brown Sugar

201g plus 2Tbsp Sugar

2 Eggs

2tsp Vanilla Extract 

31/2 Cup Chocolate Chips *I use mini semi-sweet chips though recommended not to cos I couldn't wait any longer

1) Combine flour, salt and baking powder and soda, sift. Cream butter and sugar for about 5mins, til light

2) Add in eggs 1 by 1, followed by vanilla extract

3) Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add in dry ingredients.

4) Fold in chocolate chips (I use big white choc chips and mini semi sweet chips)

5) Refrigerate overnight or 72hours

6) Preheat oven to 190deg, roll balls of 1Tbso and spread the dough. No need flatten.

Bake for 15-20mins til browned.

* 

Char Siew II

I actually marinate this, impromptu decision last Friday, with my own concoction and intend to whip up a fast dinner. But jet lag, holiday mood so I keep in freezer and decided to go out for dinner.. Ha~ Anyway, it doesn't really taste like Char Siew, it is a bit sweet, like honey baked pork. Quite nice to go with a bowl of rice and some other dishes.. This is what I cooked to go along with my version of Char Siew.. 

 

 

Char Siew 'alike'

150g Pork *I use fillet*

1Tbsp Hoi Sin Sauce

1Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1tsp Sesame Oil

Pepper

Cornflour

1) marinate for at least 3-4hours or overnight

2) Bake at 200deg for 15-20mins or til cooked

After a long break - Mini Baked Donuts

Been itching since I was back last Thursday, thinking what I wanna bake and remembered that I need to bake donuts for my gal as she really likes them. She always asked me to get 1 from the bakery near her school everyday when I fetch her from school. Seriously, I didn't really liked that. First, it is deep-fried and you don't know hw many times they will reuse the oil. Secondly, it cost $1+ for a donut, but it is the normal standard size you see from outside. But still, as you bake at home and buy the ingredients, you know very well it is still cheaper and HEALTHIER to make your own.

So I was searching for a few version and today I decided to try this recipe from Angela as it is using pancake batter so it should be quite fail-proof. It is very simple to mix, and you don't even need a mixer. You practically weigh the dry ingredients, mix a little then add the wet ingredients 1 by 1 and you whisk it well. Rest it for 15-30mins and you can preheat the oven and bake them. And yes, I over the 30mins as I was playing games on iPad. I left it for almost 45mins. So my end donuts, it is very chubby!!

I managed to yield 12 mini chubby donuts, and the taste is like mini pancake donuts to me. Soft and not too dry. I gave 4 away and give the kids 1 each for snacks and supper. Hubby had 1 and I am keeping 2 for tml to test how the donut can stay soft and moist. =)

Mini Baked Donuts (adapted from CookBakeLove)

150g Self-Raising

3Tbsp Sugar

90-100ml Milk *I use 100ml*

1tsp Olive/Veg Oil

1/4tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Egg

1) Put dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix.

2) Add wet ingredients & mix well. Rest 15-30mins

3) Bake at 190deg for 8-10min

My trip to the romantic city - Paris

My trip ended so fast in the blinking of eyes. 5D4N at Paris is an eye-opener for me. Though I did had 1-2 meals of 'their' kind of food, I was looking for Jap/Thai/Chinese food most of the times to fill my stomach. 

The weather is slightly cold, though supposed to be summer. According to 1 taxi driver, he told us that in the olden days, the elders will be able to predict the type of summer to expect in June depending on the weather in May. Like if May is hot and warm, summer will be very hot and warm. If its is nice and cooling, then it will be nice and cooling for summer. Amazing huh? But now they don't really trust that myth, cos the weather has been so unpredictable. The winter that ended so late this year. 

This trip, I tried both the Macarons from the famous Pierre Hermes and Laduree. I fell in love with Pierre Hermes Salted Butter Caramel and Laduree Vanilla. Both are so yummy and not overwhelming sweet. Hubby prefer the shells from Pierre Hermes as it is soft and kinda hollow on the inside. Laduree is slightly hollow and chewy. Both have a different texture. But it's worth to try both if you are there. Somehow it still taste better than those I hand carry back as gifts. =) (But the staff did mention stay fresh for 4 days in fridge)

For my stay there, I went to visit the Louvre museum to see the famous Mona Lisa portrait. It is overwhelming with the crowds, all trying to take a pic with the portrait. I couldn't even stand near. For 11euros per pax, u can visit the museum for whole day. 

I went to 1 of the bridge there - Pont des Arts, it is so called that you can 'seal' your love for committed relationship with a padlock on the bridge and throw the keys into the water. And for those who didn't ended up together, will actually return to the bridge to 'cut' away the padlock to unlock the 'seal'!! And there is another bridge - Pont de l'Archeveche which also seal your love with padlocks but it is only for lovers.  You can google for more info if you are keen to visit the bridge when you going Paris. 

Another recommendation is La Vallee Village outlet malls. It is similar to JPO in Johor in terms of the layout. The affordable ones are Long Champ and Coach, Ralph Lauren polo are cheap too. But you won't be able to find the big brands - Prada, Gucci, Chanel or Louis Vuitton here. At the end of the village, you will chance upon a mall, it is so huge. Love the H&M there as the varieties is so big, from infant up to adult. Some of the little dresses are from 4.95euros onwards. U can find shuttle from Paris - Cityrama/Cityvision office. It cost 22euros for a return trip. Google for more info. 

Below are some of the other pics that I took in Paris. =)