Stir-fried Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce

 

INGREDIENTS

500 g spare ribs, cut into pieces

3 cups oil for deep-frying

2 tbsp fermented black beans, washed and drained

1 green capsicum, seeded and cut into pieces

2 red chillies,seeded and cut into pieces

1 onion, peeled and cut into pieces

For Marinade:

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp light soya sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

For Seasoning:

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soya sauce

2 tbsp water

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine spare ribs with marinade and marinate for 1 hour.

2. Heat up oil for deep-frying, deep-fry spare ribs until golden brown. Dish and drain.

3. Leave 2 tbsp oil in wok, stir-fry onion and fermented black beans until aromatic. Add in the remaining ingredients, spare ribs, seasoning and stir-fry over high heat until the sauce is almost dry. Dish up and ready to serve.

 

ENJOY

Singapore SANDS SKYPARK

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Captured some of the breath-taking view of Singapore’s City skyline in Marina Bay Sands Hotel 57th floor.

Location: Sands Skypark Observation Deck

Ticket price:

S$23 for adults

S$17 for children (aged between 2 – 12 years*)

Address: 1 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018971

Phone Number: 6688 8888

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Awesome place!

Mango Float

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INGREDIENTS

thinly sliced ripe mangoes

Graham crackers

all purpose nestle cream

condensed milk

 

DIRECTION

1. In a rectangular glass baking dish arrange graham crackers then set aside.

2. Mix the all purpose nestle cream and condensed milk.

3. Spread the cream and milk mixture on top of the graham crackers.

4. Spread out the thin sliced mangoes evenly on top of the cream.

5. Make another layer of graham crackers ; spread the cream and mango slices.  You can do as many layers as you want.

6. Garnish top layer with mango and design it as you want.

7. Chill the mango float for 3-4 hours before serving.

 

ENJOY!

Chinese Braised Pork Belly

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INGREDIENTS

pork belly

corn oil

1.5 inch piece of ginger

spring onions

cup of water

light soy sauce

dark soy sauce

shaoxing wine

rock sugar/brown sugar

star anise

cinnamon stick

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut pork belly into 1 inch pieces and place in a large pot with enough water to cover.

2. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.

3. Once the water comes to a boil, dump the pot out and wash the pork belly pieces thoroughly to remove any residue. Reserve the meat in a bowl.

4. Cut the ginger into 1/4 inch slices. Cut the green onions into 3 inch long pieces.

5. Heat up wok on medium fire, brush some oil on the bottom. Sautee the pork belly until it becomes slightly brown. Set aside.

6. Place a large clay pot or stock pot over high heat and add oil enough to saute the ginger and green onions until fragrant.

7. Add water, light sauce, dark sauce and shaoxing wine.

8. Drop in the reserved pork belly and bring to boil over high heat.

9. Once at a boil, add the sugar, star anise, and cinnamon stick and lower the heat to medium low to maintain a simmer.

10. Braise for 2-3 hours stirring occassionally.

Ready to serve.

ENJOY!

 

 

Chocolatey Cake

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Recipe for this is available upon request. Please leave a message in contact section. Thank you!

 

Fried Pork with Garlic

 

INGREDIENTS

pork tenderloin

tapioca flour

ground white pepper

coriander

chopped garlic

thin soy sauce

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice the pork into 1/4 inch thick pieces, then pound with a mallet to tenderize. Chop the garlic finely and reserve half for the pork marinade.

2. Put the reserved garlic in a bowl with tapioca flour, ground white pepper, and ground coriander.

3. Add the sliced pork, soy sauce, and fish sauce and marinate for 30 minutes.

4. While the pork is marinating, fry the other half of the garlic in canola oil over medium heat. Remove as soon as it turns golden brown.

5. Then turn the heat up to high and fry the pork until it is cooked. It should be very soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Top the pork with the garlic and eat while still hot.

 

ENJOY!

 

Coconut Macaroons

 

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Recipe for this is available upon request… Please leave a message in the contact section.

 

Crispy PATA

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INGREDIENTS

1 cleaned pig’s leg ( 3 to 4 lbs)

6 pieces dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons whole peppercorn

3 to 5 pieces star anise (optional)

6 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

12 to 15 cups water

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour water in a cooking pot then let boil.

2. Put-in dried bay leaves, whole peppercorn, star anise, and 4 teaspoons of salt.

3. Add the whole pig’s legs in the cooking pot then simmer until the leg becomes tender (about to 60 minutes ).

4. Remove the tender leg from the cooking pot and set aside until the temperature goes down.

5. Keep the leg uncovered overnight in the refrigerator. (making sure the leg is totally dry)

6.  Score the leg using a sharp knife.

7.  Brush the leg with oil so that the salt will stick to the skin.

8.  Rub the leg with salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.

9. Preheat oven and bake the leg 475 F for 30-45 minutes (20 minutes each side) then lower the temperature to 375 F and bake for another 20 minutes or until done.

Ready to serve.

ENJOY!`

 

Teriyaki Salmon

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I recreated Laura’s Teriyaki Salmon and it tasted so delicious.

 

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup of Soy Sauce

1/3 cup of Water

1 Clove of Garlic, minced

1 Tsp of Grated Ginger

2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp of Mirin

1/4 tsp of Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp of Cornstarch

1 Tbsp of Water

Salmon Fillet

 

DIRECTIONS

1) In a saucepan, add the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of water, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic, and simmer until the brown sugar dissolves.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the 1 Tbsp of water and cornstarch and add it to the simmering sauce. Allow it to thicken, turn the heat off and let it come to room temperature.

3) Place the salmon fillet in a shallow dish or a large resealable bag and pour the sauce right over, make sure to flip the salmon around a couple times to coat the salmon.

4) Cover and allow the salmon to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.

5) When ready to cook, preheat a non stick skillet over medium high heat, get the salmon out of the marinade but make sure to shake off excess marinade (reserve the marinade) and place the salmon in the hot skillet.

6) Allow the salmon to cook for about 1 minute on medium high, then turn the heat down to medium low, cover the skillet with a lid and allow the salmon to cook for a few minutes on each side or until the salmon is almost fully cooked.

7) At the last couple minutes of the salmon cooking, pour the reserved marinade in the skillet and let it cook for the last couple minutes.

8) Serve along side some steamed rice and veggies and pour the sauce over salmon.

ENJOY!

 

Recipe By: Laura V.

 

Cooking Terms

 

AL DENTE:

Italian term used to describe pasta that is cooked until it offers a slight resistance to the bite.

BAKE:
To cook by dry heat, usually in the oven.

BARBECUE:
Usually used generally to refer to grilling done outdoors or over an open charcoal or wood fire. More specifically, barbecue refers to long, slow direct- heat cooking, including liberal basting with a barbecue sauce.

BASTE:
To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or special sauce to add flavor and prevent drying.

BATTER:
A mixture containing flour and liquid, thin enough to pour.

BEAT:
To mix rapidly in order to make a mixture smooth and light by incorporating as much air as possible.

BLANCH:
To immerse in rapidly boiling water and allow to cook slightly.

BLEND:
To incorporate two or more ingredients thoroughly.

BOIL:
To heat a liquid until bubbles break continually on the surface.

BROIL:
To cook on a grill under strong, direct heat.

CARAMELIZE:
To heat sugar in order to turn it brown and give it a special taste.

CHOP:
To cut solids into pieces with a sharp knife or other chopping device.

CLARIFY:
To separate and remove solids from a liquid, thus making it clear.

CREAM:
To soften a fat, especially butter, by beating it at room temperature. Butter and sugar are often creamed together, making a smooth, soft paste.

CURE:
To preserve meats by drying and salting and/or smoking.

DEGLAZE:
To dissolve the thin glaze of juices and brown bits on the surface of a pan in which food has been fried, sauteed or roasted. To do this, add liquid and stir and scrape over high heat, thereby adding flavor to the liquid for use as a sauce.

DEGREASE:
To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups, or stock. Usually cooled in the refrigerator so that fat hardens and is easily removed.

DICE:
To cut food in small cubes of uniform size and shape.

DISSOLVE:
To cause a dry substance to pass into solution in a liquid.

DREDGE:
To sprinkle or coat with flour or other fine substance.

DRIZZLE:
To sprinkle drops of liquid lightly over food in a casual manner.

DUST:
To sprinkle food with dry ingredients. Use a strainer or a jar with a perforated cover, or try the good, old-fashioned way of shaking things together in a paper bag.

FILLET:
As a verb, to remove the bones from meat or fish. A fillet (or filet) is the piece of flesh after it has been boned.

FLAKE:
To break lightly into small pieces.

FLAMBE’:
To flame foods by dousing in some form of potable alcohol and setting alight.

FOLD:
To incorporate a delicate substance, such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites, into another substance without releasing air bubbles. Cut down through mixture with spoon, whisk, or fork; go across bottom of bowl, up and over, close to surface. The process is repeated, while slowing rotating the bowl, until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

FRICASSEE:
To cook by braising; usually applied to fowl or rabbit.

FRY:
To cook in hot fat. To cook in a fat is called pan-frying or sauteing; to cook in a one-to-two inch layer of hot fat is called shallow-fat frying; to cook in a deep layer of hot fat is called deep-fat frying.

GARNISH:
To decorate a dish both to enhance its appearance and to provide a flavorful foil. Parsley, lemon slices, raw vegetables, chopped chives, and other herbs are all forms of garnishes.

GLAZE:
To cook with a thin sugar syrup cooked to crack stage; mixture may be thickened slightly. Also, to cover with a thin, glossy icing.

GRATE:
To rub on a grater that separates the food in various sizes of bits or shreds.

GRATIN:
From the French word for “crust.” Term used to describe any oven-baked dish–usually cooked in a shallow oval gratin dish–on which a golden brown crust of bread crumbs, cheese or creamy sauce is form.

GRILL:
To cook on a grill over intense heat.

GRIND:
To process solids by hand or mechanically to reduce them to tiny particles.

JULIENNE:
To cut vegetables, fruits, or cheeses into thin strips.

KNEAD:
To work and press dough with the palms of the hands or mechanically, to develop the gluten in the flour.

LUKEWARM:
Neither cool nor warm; approximately body temperature.

MARINATE:
To flavor and moisturize pieces of meat, poultry, seafood or vegetable by soaking them in or brushing them with a liquid mixture of seasonings known as a marinade. Dry marinade mixtures composed of salt, pepper, herbs or spices may also be rubbed into meat, poultry or seafood.

MEUNIERE:
Dredged with flour and sauteed in butter.

MINCE:
To cut or chop food into extremely small pieces.

MIX:
To combine ingredients usually by stirring.

PAN-BROIL:
To cook uncovered in a hot fry pan, pouring off fat as it accumulates.

PAN-FRY:
To cook in small amounts of fat.

PARBOIL:
To boil until partially cooked; to blanch. Usually this procedure is followed by final cooking in a seasoned sauce.

PARE:
To remove the outermost skin of a fruit or vegetable.

PEEL:
To remove the peels from vegetables or fruits.

PICKLE:
To preserve meats, vegetables, and fruits in brine.

PINCH:
A pinch is the trifling amount you can hold between your thumb and forefinger.

PIT:
To remove pits from fruits.

PLANKED:
Cooked on a thick hardwood plank.

PLUMP:
To soak dried fruits in liquid until they swell.

POACH:
To cook very gently in hot liquid kept just below the boiling point.

PUREE:
To mash foods until perfectly smooth by hand, by rubbing through a sieve or food mill, or by whirling in a blender or food processor.

REDUCE:
To boil down to reduce the volume.

REFRESH:
To run cold water over food that has been parboiled, to stop the cooking process quickly.

RENDER:
To make solid fat into liquid by melting it slowly.

ROAST:
To cook by dry heat in an oven.

SAUTE:
To cook and/or brown food in a small amount of hot fat.

SCALD:
To bring to a temperature just below the boiling point.

SCALLOP:
To bake a food, usually in a casserole, with sauce or other liquid. Crumbs often are sprinkled over.

SCORE:
To cut narrow grooves or gashes partway through the outer surface of food.

SEAR:
To brown very quickly by intense heat. This method increases shrinkage but develops flavor and improves appearance.

SHRED:
To cut or tear in small, long, narrow pieces.

SIFT:
To put one or more dry ingredients through a sieve or sifter.

SIMMER:
To cook slowly in liquid over low heat at a temperature of about 180°. The surface of the liquid should be barely moving, broken from time to time by slowly rising bubbles.

SKIM:
To remove impurities, whether scum or fat, from the surface of a liquid during cooking, thereby resulting in a clear, cleaner-tasting final produce.

STEAM:
To cook in steam in a pressure cooker, deep well cooker, double boiler, or a steamer made by fitting a rack in a kettle with a tight cover. A small amount of boiling water is used, more water being added during steaming process, if necessary.

STEEP:
To extract color, flavor, or other qualities from a substance by leaving it in water just below the boiling point.

STERILIZE:
To destroy micro organisms by boiling, dry heat, or steam.

STEW:
To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid for a long time.

STIR:
To mix ingredients with a circular motion until well blended or of uniform consistency.

TOSS:
To combine ingredients with a lifting motion.

TRUSS:
To secure poultry with string or skewers, to hold its shape while cooking.

WHIP:
To beat rapidly to incorporate air and produce expansion, as in heavy cream or egg whites.

 

Source:  www.d.umn.edu/~alphanu/cookery/glossary_cooking.html