21, the step into adulthood...

Oh well, finally it's my turn to step into adulthood, bye bye to any relavance to the 'teenage category'. Anyway, was fortunate to have a good bunch of friends to celebrate with me, really appreciate what they did for me... well, we had a dinner at this Thai restaurant, I really like to rate it really good as it is my birthday, but the food was really only slightly above average due to a few reasons. But anyway, let's not mention the lame things, and focus on the good stuff! A memorable birthday to remember!

The whole gang! Thanks heaps to the waiter, birthdays are good excuses to gathering and reunions! HAHA!

What so special with dish? Hmm it was burning in flame that day, but obviously it turned out that the flames are not there... I wonder why...

Later on back at John's place, cutting the cake! >.<>

Okok, cutting and distributing the cakes, everyone gets one...Haha! Don't blame me for the pictures, it's the photographer's fault...sorry John... lolz

Last note! This is a late post, today is not my birthday...lolz

White Mushrooms in Thick Oyster Gravy

Ingredients:
100g white mushrooms
6 petals chinese cabbage
1/4 red onion
1/2 carrot
1/2 green capsicum
1pc wholemeal bread
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp ligth soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp corn starch
2 tsp dried basil leaf
2 clove garlic
2 slice ginger



Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok, add in fine chopped ginger and garlic, followed by red coarsely sliced red onions. Add sugar to caramelized the ingredients.
2. Stir in cabbage stems, followed by capsicum, then the mushrooms, and lastly fine chopped carrot.
3. Add in all the seasonings except corn starch, continue to stir-fry for another 3-5 minutes. Add some water if too dry.
4. Meanwhile, toast the bread and cut into desired shape and sizes.
5, When the ingredients start to boil, mix some water with the corn starch and add into the wok of mixture, done. Serve hot. the bread is to compliment the thick gravy. (use man tou if desired)

Stwed Ages Pork

Ingredients:

1kg pork belly

250g tofu puffs

250g tofu sticks

2 star-anise

1 cinammon stick

1 whole garlic

10pc lump sugar

8pc black pepper corn

6 tbsp light soy sauce

5 tbsp dark soy sauce

2-3 cups water (depending on pot)

Method:

1. Soak the tofu sticks in hot or lukewarm water until soft and tender, cut into desired length and sizes.

2. Cut the pork belly into desired sizes, place in a pot (claypot for best results)

3. Add in garlic, lum sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cracked black pepper corn, cinnamon stick and star-anise.

4. Add water to cover pork and other ingredients by an extra of about 2 cm. Cover with lid, turn on heat to high and bring to boil.

5. Add in tofu puffs and tofu sticks, add water, give the ingredients in the pot a good mix, cover with lid and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

6. Check the water level in the pot, make sure there is constantly certain amount of water inside. Check the taste as well, only add light and dark soy sauce if taste is too mild; close lid and continue to braise for another 30-45 minutes. Done, serve hot. ( I did mine for 1 1/2 hours).

Aubergine and Anchovies in Sweet and Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:
2 aubergine (about 750g)
100g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
1 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp tom yam paste
3 tbsp soy bean paste
1 tbsp pepper powder
2 tsp brown sugar
Light soy sauce and salt to taste
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 slice ginger
1/2 bowl water

Method:
1. Place anchovy in microwave, set it to high and toast for about two minutes; take out, turn sides of the anchovies and toast again for another two minutes.
2. Coarsely chop the aubergine, sprinkle with some salt, steam for no more than 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add in finely chopped ginger and garlic when oil is hot enough, stir fry for 2 minutes, add in plum sauce, tom yam paste and soy bean paste; stir-fry for another 2 minutes before adding water, bring to boil.
4. Stir in the aubergine, add sugar and pepper, cover with lid, bring to boil, done.
5. Sprinkle over with toasted anchovies, serve hot.

Stir fried Chicken with Ginger & Spring Onion

Ingredients:
1kg chicken drumsticks (coarsely chopped)
100g ginger (thinly sliced)
1/2 bunch spring onion (coarsely chopped)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp black pepper powder

3 tbsp salt
3 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp light soy sauce
5 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (preferably yellow rice wine)

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken meat with vegetable oil, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp pepper for about 15 minutes.
2. Toast the ginger in a heated wok (without oil) for about 3 minutes, add in sesame oil, fry for another 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken meat, followed by the remaining seasonings, leaving the wine for the last. Sir-fry for another 3 minutes before closing lid. Bring to boil.
4. Remove the lid, stir-fry for 1 minute, close lid again. repeat this step until the gravy starts to thicken up, add in the wine then, stir fry for a while and cover with lid again for another 2 minutes.
5. Remove lid, add in spring onions, stir fry for another 2 minutes, done, serve hot.

Banana Fish Fillet

I had heaps of banana in over-riping in the fridge and was wondering what I could do with them, until one nice sunny morning when this idea suddenly hit me when I woke up in the morning. Check it out, hope you like it!

Ingredients:

Fish Fillet
1 pc basa fillet (or other white meat fish fillets)
1/2 pc ripe banana (mashed)
3 slice gingers (finely chopped)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp corn starch/ plain flour
2 tbsp butter

Banana Bread Sticks
1/2 pc ripe banana (mashed)
1 pc wholemeal bread

Salad
1/2 pc banana (diced)
1/2 apple (diced)
1/4 red onion (coarsely chopped)
1/2 green capsicum (coarsely chopped)
3 petals lettuce (fine chop)
2 tbsp vanilla yogurt (or own choice)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder













Method:

Fish Fillet
1. Cut the fish fillet into two, marinade with lemon juice, ginger, sea salt and black pepper.
2. In a mixing bowl, bring together the mashed banana, oil, cinnamon powder, and flour; add some water to get a thick and creamy consistency. Soak the fish fillets in the mixture for about 15 minutes.
3. Melt the butter, sauté the fish fillets over low heat until the meat colour changes, or for about 10 minutes.

Bread Sticks
1. Cut bread into 4 strips, spread over with mashed banana.
2. Bake in oven at 200°C for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are hard and crunchy.

Salad
1. Heat oil in a pan, stir in onion, capsicum, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
2. Add in diced apples and bananas, stir-fry for another 2 minutes before adding cinnamon powder.
3. Turn off heat, stir in yogurt, done. Top over fish fillets to serve. The lettuce is to set the base for the fish fillets.

Fruit Salad with Apple & Honey Sauce

This is a simple salad to make, no secrets to it, enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 kiwi fruit
1 apple
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp custard powder/ corn starch
1/8 cup water

Method:
1. Slice the banana diagonally, spread it across a plate.
2. Slice the kiwi into large pieces, and half an apple, dice the other half of it.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add in the diced apples, saute for a minute before adding cinnamon powder. Stir in the honey.
4. Add in the water, followed by the sugar, bring to boil. Add in custard powder, premixed with 2 tbsp of water. Done, serve with a scoop of yogurt or favourite ice-cream.