Nutella Buns (Tangzhong Method)

My lovely daughter is a big fan of Nutella. When I spotted the big sale of Nutella at our nearby supermarket, I grabbed three large jars back home, without any plans of what to do with them at that moment. I knew she would simply enjoy spreading Nutella on a white toast for tea time or any time throughout the day. It’s no harm to keep more Nutella at home just in case.

Over the past few days, it’s been raining non-stop and cleared away the scorching heat in our summer time. It reminded me that it’s a good time to make some tangzhong breads again. When these nicely curled Nutella buns were out from our oven, I couldn’t wait to taste. Oh my goodness, it’s so delicious and soft. Then I kept some in an air-tight plastic box, chilled in fridge for my daughter to try. Even though the leftovers, wrapped in foil, reheated in a low-temperature oven after two days, were still good as those straight from the oven. It’s all because of the amazing charm made by tangzhong (aka water roux), that’s cooked certain amount of flour with water, then added into other ingredients. It’s absolutely natural and healthy. The bread will be kept soft for a few days. That’s why I’m a die-hard fan of tangzhong breads.

Read More

Whole Tomato Rice

This one-pot rice dish has been so epic and crazily circulated around on the internet. As I grew up with one-pot rice and often made this kind of rice for my family, like Shiitake mushrooms and chicken rice. Often times, I cook tomato dishes for my family. It shouldn't surprise me at all. What intrigued me is that a whole tomato is going to be placed in a rice cooker (or a pot) to make a meal. Even better, you can make your own creative versions with many extra vegetables or meats you like.

Here's my version, I added some Edamame beans (immature soybeans in the pod) that you might have tasted at sushi bars and found in the Taiwanese and Japanese cuisines. These little beans are flavoursome and rich in protein and plant sterols. That said, Edamame beans can help lower cancer risk too. On top of that, some bacon dices were added to suit the taste buds of the meatlovers in the family. You might like to tweak this recipe with your own preferred meats and vegetables. Or skip the meat and turn it into a vegan dish. What is the final verdict after my trying this whole tomato rice? I’ve already marked it as a high-priority recipe in my family menu just in case for a hectic day.

Read More

Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs

Whether it’s cold or hot, this Korean dish is so versatile to entertain your family’s taste buds. The cooking time looks a bit long, yet it’s downright easy. Once all the ingredients are ready and put into a pot, you can sit back and relax. Or you might like to check it out once in a while to see how much water is left. Don’t let it dry up. That’s all you need to do. I pretty like their clever method of cooking meat in Korean cuisine. By browsing the recipe, you’ll know what’s the secret ingredient that takes the whole dish up a notch. Yes, that’s one pear. The beef ribs will take up its natural sweetness and turn softened more quickly. Beef and radish are good partners, blending their flavours so well. Our family enjoyed this one-pot dish so mush and didn’t want to miss every spoon of the soup. I blanched some rice noodles to go with it. It turned to be a tasty light meal for my family.

Read More

Chinese Almond Dessert

This is my childhood dessert that I often enjoyed with my dad in a little dessert shop in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong version of it yields those almonds for making Chinese soups, sweet almonds (南杏) with a little bit of bitter almond (北杏). The fragrance of the almond is so strong that makes you love it or hate it, similar to the case of celery and coriander. I love it very much. Well, it’s not the cup of tea for my family though.

Almond is recognized as a healthy food. It helps lower LDL-cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. I have been trying to add some almonds in my family menu.

This time I opted for using the large Australian almond kernels. The smell is not as strong as the traditional almond dessert I used to enjoy. I like its mildly sweet taste with a cleansing feel. My family was very pleased and took a large bowl. This dessert is not too sweet with a creamy texture. It’s good for wrapping up your dinner or as a snack throughout the day.

Read More

Spaghetti with Clams

This spaghetti with clams is a classic Italian pasta dish, suitable for any day throughout the year. If you’re too busy to afford any time standing in the kitchen, yet still want good food served on dinner table, this is the one for you. It’s downright easy, only takes 20 minutes or so to make. Oh well, except the soaking time of clams. If using frozen clams, they are often cleaned so thoroughly without any sands inside, just pop them in a pot of boiling water. Then blend the clams with the cooked spaghetti. Its taste is so good than you thought if you haven’t had a chance to try before.

Read More

Stir Fried Beef with Pineapple & Pickled Ginger (紫蘿牛肉)

When I was a young kid in Hong Kong, I tried this dish at a restaurant for dinner. I just fell in love with the first bite of the pineapple and pickled ginger. If you like the classic sweet and sour pork dish, you don’t want to miss to try this one. The savoury juicy beef is so tender, got balanced its taste so well with the two sweet and sour ingredients. A side note, in Hong Kong, we used to make this dish with the pickled ginger bought from markets. It tastes sweet and sour with pale yellow in colour. Here in Australia, I can’t easily get those pickled ginger. So I tried the sushi ginger and found it wonderfully worked for this recipe.

Read More

Sweet Potato Cakes with Banana Fillings

The method of making these sweet potato cakes is quite similar to those traditional Chinese dumplings. Yet, they are really unique in taste and combinations of ingredients used. By a close look at the recipe, you’ll notice it requires pan frying that helps caramelize the tender sweet potato wrappings and intensify the flavour. Upon biting, the fragrance and natural sweetness of banana inside will burst in your mouth and make every taste bud of yours dance. Mind you, the banana filling is quite hot when the cake is just off the pan. Don’t miss the Osmanthus syrup. It takes the whole dessert dish up to a notch and makes you feel enjoying at a high-end restaurant. Well, if you want something new for celebrating the coming New Year, why not give this dish a go and give your family a surprise?

Read More

Classic Mashed Potatoes

This humble side dish, mashed potatoes, can make many main dishes become even more attractive and balanced. Every family has their own version though. Some people like it having more texture of potato bits. I guess most people like it creamy, smooth and fluffy. How to make perfect creamy mashed potatoes? First and utmost we have to use the right type of potatoes that are with high starch content. Next you need a sieve. Keeping these little things in mind, you won’t go wrong in making mashed potatoes. Last but not least, generously season with salt and pepper. The dish will taste heavenly just like those served in high-end restaurants. Christmas is just coming around the corn. Make some mashed potatoes accompany with your superstar main dish.

Read More