My family loves homemade pizza for several reasons. One of them is that I can easily cater to all kind of requests such as:
“More cheeses, please? Wait, why not have a mixture of Mozallera, Parmesan and Cheddar? That will be ideal.”
“Pineapples, more and more! Mummy!”
“Don’t forget to put in Pepperoni, the one without black pepper please”
“Yes, thin crust only. Remember to add semolina flour this time!”
Even though we had never ordered such a custom-made pizza in any restaurant, I am sure it won’t be cheap to do so.

My initial attempts in making pizza dough were done by hands. It was fun but can be quite tiring especially for someone like me who don’t have strong arms. But now, I discover another pizza dough recipe which I can happily assign all the kneading jobs to my reliable helper, aka my standing kitchen mixer (with a dough hook). It saves me lots of time and energy and at the same time allows me to multi-task other chores. I strongly recommend you to invest in a kitchen mixer if you’re serious about baking.

I had been using this pizza dough recipe to make pizzas for my family for some time as it worked very well with my kitchen mixer. More importantly, the result had been up to expectation so far. Given my family’s preference for thin crust pizza, I modified the flour combination slightly to achieve the required texture. The recipe can yield two 11” thin crust pizzas which is perfect for serving two to three persons. I added a small amount of finely grounded semolina flour to enhance the flavour and give it a bit of golden coloured crust. The crispy crust, when balanced off with a handful of toppings and melted cheeses, was so delicious and addictive when it’s served warm!! We couldn’t resist the temptation of gulping down one after another and my son broke his eating speed record. Guess what’s the rating given by my son to my pizza? 10 little fingers plus 10 little toes!! I was so touched with his generous rating even though it’s a bit over-exaggerating. This is also his usual way of hinting to his mommy that he likes to have another pizza treat soon.

The pizza sauce recipe should only be used as a reference as I didn’t measure every single ingredient. It was just my “guestimation”. However, you can still adjust the seasonings to your liking towards the end of the cooking process.

Why not mark down a date on your calendar to make pizza during this school holiday with your kids? Kids always love playing with dough. Get your dough ready and let them have fun decorating it with their favourite toppings. It’s definitely a great fun-filled dayfor the family!!

>>> Click on PAGE 2 BELOW for thin-crust pizza recipe (dough, tomato sauce and toppings) with step by step photos …..

Congee or porridge (粥) is not only a staple food among the Chinese community but also one of the first few baby foods recommended for weaning. It is a versatile dish which can be easily prepared and served with added ingredients like fish, chicken, pork or veggies to enhance the flavour and increase its nutritional value. The texture and consistency of the congee is determined by three main factors which are the type of rice used, the rice-water ratio and the time spent in cooking.

My family prefers Cantonese-style porridge which has a smooth and silky texture. It normally requires 1 to 2 hours cooking time to achieve this consistency regardless of what cooking utensil is used. Therefore, I will never cook congee if I need to whip up a quick-fix meal. However, that was before I discovered a new method on how to produce congee with smooth and silky texture in just half an hour. In fact, the rice will turn into congee in merely 15 minutes!! There are no complicated steps involved in my recipe. It’s simple enough for everyone to replicate at home. All you need is to take note of the important pointers that I had listed in my recipe at PAGE 2 to ensure a bowl of silky smooth congee in a short time. Below are a few of them:

• Soak the rice and blend it into fine grain so it will cut down the cooking time by 2-3 times.
• Maintain the same boiling level throughout the entire cooking process to speed up the breaking up process for the rice .
• Use only short grain rice such as Japanese sushi rice as this variety will produce more starch to thicken the congee. Long grain rice such as Thai fragrant rice and Basmathi rice are less starchy and may not yield the same result.

This superfast congee recipe is just my quick version to whip up a Cantonese-style congee. Thus, it may not meet the expectation of those who are looking for a perfect Hong Kong style congee recipe that is served in five-star Chinese restaurant. But, if you have a sudden craving for congee or urgently need to feed your kid’s empty stomach in a very short time (where no other alternative is available), then this recipe is definitely the right solution for you. The suggested servings for this congee are chicken balls with shredded shitake mushrooms. You can find the recipe for chicken balls at PAGE 3.

Other reading reference:

• Cooking porridge by homemade chinese soup
• 太极米浆粥 (for Chinese readers)

>>> Click on PAGE 2 below for How to make superfast congee recipe with step by step photos…………..

>>> Click on PAGE 3 below for Chicken Balls recipe………………………..

I have a few must-have ingredients in my weekly grocery shopping list. They are mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs and tofu. Given that they are highly versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways, I regard them as my “last minute savers” when circumstances called for whipping up a 30-minutes meal.

For mushrooms, I prefer to use the fresh ones in my cooking. Unlike the dried ones, they need no soaking and are ideal for either steamed or stir-fry dishes. It’s just perfect to a “lazy and absence-minded cook” like me.    I don’t need to worry so much about no having already softened mushrooms in time for my cooking. Of course, I don’t deny the fact that dried mushrooms are still best used for braising and other rice meals (eg claypot rice, pumpkin rice and yam rice). They are more flavourful, and hence not exactly interchangeable with the fresh ones.

Compared to dried mushrooms, fresh mushrooms are always a great choice for toddlers as the texture is softer and easier to digest. It’s ideal for parents who want to introduce mushrooms into their toddlers’ diet. My suggestion is to try starting them off with some simple mushroom dishes such as mushroom soup and kiddy mushroom rice.

Today, I like to share a super-quick stir-fry dish that everyone can replicate at home even if you are a novice in cooking. The sauce used is my own concoction of teriyaki sauce, which can also be used in many other Japanese dishes like  pan-fried salmon with teriyaki sauce, teriyaki chicken skew (yakitori), one-dish meal and mushroom rice.

All it takes is only 15 minutes from preparation to finish cooking up this healthy yet delicious dish. I’m sure it will sound great to those who are short of time, agreed?  Hope you will like it as much as I do!

>>> Click on page 2 below to get the recipe for Shiitake Mushrooms Stir-Fry……….

Mushrooms provide a lot of nature’s hidden treasures. Amongst them are anti-oxidants, B-vitamins, copper, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin D. For further reading, please refer to this link. It is also featured as one of the new superfoods for women in the July 2009 issue of Health Magazine.

Over the past one year, I am finding more and more variety of fresh mushrooms being sold at supermarkets in Singapore. Prices are getting lower while the variety are getting more exotic, making fresh mushrooms an affordable luxury to many families.

I love to incorporate mushrooms in my dishes. One of my family’s all-time favourite is the classic cream of mushroom soup. I grew up consuming mushroom soups in Campbell cans, and had never thought that one can easily make fresh ones at home as well. Campbell has lost one loyal customer ever since I started making my own mushroom soup. As always, anything that is homemade always tastes better with the use of fresh ingredients. More importantly, there is no added preservative to it.

This recipe I am featuring today is slightly different the previous mushroom soup I posted earlier. The latter uses fresh milk, but for this recipe I use pure cream and less broth to give the soup a thicker and creamier texture. Hence, the mushroom flavour is also more concentrated. I recommend Swiss brown mushrooms for making this soup as it is milder in taste, yet more fragrant than button mushrooms. This soup is best served with garlic bread. You can even add some cooked pasta (eg elbows, ribbons, and pennes) and vegetables to turn it into a one-dish meal.

General information:

• Avoid buying mushrooms that have “bruises”. Select those with dry and smooth appearance.
• Do not wash them until you are ready to cook or eat them.
• Do not soak fresh mushrooms as they absorb moisture.
• Mushrooms should be used within 3-5 days of purchase.
• Don’t discard mushroom stems. Trim and freeze them to use in making soups and stocks.
• To maintain its freshness, stored them inside a paper bag in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you could put them in a plastic container with a paper towel both under and on top of them to ensure they remain dry.

Other reading references:

• Mushroom Info
• Mushroom council
• Mushroom – washing and storing
• How to select mushrooms and more mushroom tips

>>>>Click on page 2 below for Cream of Mushroom Soup (2) recipe …………………

This is one of the dishes I loved to cook since I started cooking for my family two years ago. It is because the method is so simple and doesn’t require any special cooking skill or experience. You can prepare everything in advance and easily impress everyone with your hot and steamy meat patties on the dining table. It is most suitable for both newbies and people looking for a simple yet nutritious dish. Both my hubby and son enjoyed it very much. They will definitely double their rice portion whenever I cook this dish. It made me feel very happy looking at these two satisfying customers.

The combination of ingredients used in this recipe is just merely a guideline. Feel free to adjust according to your personal preference as mentioned in the notes below.

You can also turn it into a one-dish meal by adding some green peas in the mixture. Another option will be to steam it with some Japanese egg beancurds. Just be creative and you will be surprised to find out just how many new versions you can create from this simple recipe.

This delicious and wholesome dish is highly recommended for toddlers. The selection of colourful ingredients will also make it  more appealing to them, which in turn help to improve their appetite.

This recipe has been featured in Kwong Wah Yit Poh on last Saturday (11 Jul 2009). If you can read Chinese, then go to this e-newspaper for the Chinese version.

Serve: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:
70g minced pork
50g shrimps (net weight) – de-vein and rinse under a running tap water. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Cut into small cubes.
2 pieces water chestnuts – wash, scrub and rinse. Remove skins and soak in the water to avoid discoloration. Use the side of a chopper to slightly pat the water chestnuts, then chop coarsely.
30g carrots – chopped finely
2 pieces dried shitake mushrooms – wash and soak in water. When the mushrooms turn soft, drain and squeeze dry. Chop finely.
2 tbsp chopped spring onions (only use the green parts)

Seasonings:
1½ tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soya sauce
½ tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp cooked oil
Dash of sesame oil, pepper and cornstarch

Methods:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and seasonings. Use a pair of chopsticks to stir in one direction until well combined.
2. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
3. After chilling, steam under high heat for about 15-20 minutes until cooked.

Notes:

1. You can use fresh mushrooms instead. Just blanch over hot water, drain and squeeze dry.
2. You can use semi-lean pork for better texture. If not, just add some cooked oil to make the mixture tenderer.
3. Shrimps can be substituted by pork.
4. If you are not a pork-eater, you can replace it with chicken.
5. If the mixture is too dry or you prefer to have more gravy, add a little bit of water in step 1.
6. You can use either a stainless steel or ceramic plate for steaming. Make sure the patties only cover 80% of the steaming tray to avoid over-spilling of gravy during the steaming process.
7. Do not over-chop the water chestnuts to maintain its crunchy texture.

I would like to thank my friend EC and Kwong Wah Yit Poh (KWYP) (光华日报) for inviting me to be one of their food panelists in the daily recipe column. Founded in Penang, KWYP is the oldest Chinese newspaper in Malaysia with the largest readership in the northern region. I feel so honoured to receive this invitation as it was my favourite childhood newspaper.

From 13 June onwards until end of August 2009, my recipe column «亲子厨房» will be featured in KWYP on a bi-weekly basis. All the featured recipes will be children-friendly. Below is a copy of my 1st featured recipe and the translated version for your reading pleasure.

Update on 20 July 2010: You can view the soft copy of my featured recipe here: PUMPKIN RICE (chinese version)

< Click on the picture for larger view >

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN RICE

Serve: 4-5 persons

Ingredients:
160g uncooked rice —– rinsed and drained
220g pumpkin –— de-skinned and cut into cubes
130g chicken breast –— cut into cubes
7 nos dried shitake mushrooms –– soaked, drained and cut into cubes
35g dried shrimps –– soaked, drained and pat dried
5 nos shallots –– sliced thinly
350ml water (include the water used for soaking mushrooms and dried shrimps)
Spring onions (for garnishing) — chopped

Seasonings:
1½ tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
½ tsp salt
Dash of sesame oil and pepper

Methods:

1. Marinate chicken breast with light soya sauce, sugar and cornflour for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat up wok, sauté shallots until fragrant and golden brown. Dish up and set aside.
3. Heat up wok, sauté dried shrimps with low heat until fragrant. Add in mushrooms and stir-fry for a while. Add in chicken and stir-fry until half-cooked.
4. Stir in rice and seasonings until well combined. Transfer into rice cooker. Add in water and cook until the rice is 80% cooked. Add in pumpkin and shallots and continue cooking until the rice is cooked thoroughly. Use a spatula to loosen the rice.
5. Dish up and garnish with spring onions. Serve.

Tips:

1. As Australian pumpkin can turn soft faster than local pumpkin, cut it into small size about 1.5-2 cm.
2. You can divide fried shallots into 2 portions. Add in the first ½ portion in step (4) and retain the remaining for garnishing.
3. Chicken breast can be replaced with chicken drumsticks.
4. Different types of rice required different amount of water. As a rule of thumb, add slightly more than the usual amount of water required for cooking.
5. If you are using fresh shitake mushrooms, blanch with boiling water and drain.
6. If you are using a cooking pot, follow step (1) – (3), then put all the ingredients into a cooking pot, add in water and cook under medium high heat. When the water starts boiling, reduce to medium heat. When the water has dried up, reduce to low heat, add in pumpkins and fried shallots and cook until the rice is thoroughly cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the cooking pot.

Have you tried eating brown beehoon (brown rice vermicelli) before? If this is the first time you come across it, don’t be taken aback with the word “brown” and associate it with brown rice or whole wheat noodles. The one that I tried is totally different in term of flavor and texture. It is a product of Thailand (Star Lion brand – see photo below) which I bought from my local supermarket. I stir-fried this beehoon by adapting and modifying recipes from my early post (no-frying noodles) and Hawker’s Fair – Best of all time favourites (Fried meehoon Singapore style). This one-meal noodle dish is not only healthy, it is also fantastically delicious! If you are craving for rice vermicelli next time, give this recipe a try.

Served: 4 – 5

Ingredients:
80g brown rice beehoon (rice vermicelli) – soaked with tap water until soft and drained
20g glass noodles (dong fen) – soaked with tap water until soft and drained
(The ratio for these 2 noodles is varied subject to personal preference.)
3 nos fresh mushrooms (about 50g) – julienne
(* For  fresh ones, blanch over hot water.)
(* For  dried ones, soaked with water, dash of sugar and oil; retain the water for stir-fry.)
30g carrots – julienne
80g cabbage – julienne
1 medium-sized red onion (60g) – sliced thinly
80g chicken breast meat – julienne
(* marinated with light soya sauce, sugar and cornflour for at least half an hour.)
1 egg – beaten, fried and shredded
1 lime (for garnishing) – optional

Seasonings:
2 tbsp tomato sauce/ ketchup
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
½ tsp chili sauce (Add more if you like spicy food)
½ tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
50ml water
Dash of pepper and sesame oil

Methods (AMC method):

1. Heat up wok with oil, sauté onion until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.
2. Heat up wok with oil, stir-fry chicken until fragrant. Set aside.
3. Heat up wok with oil, fry egg and shred thinly. Set aside.
4. Put 1 tbsp oil (preferable fried shallot or garlic oil) on the AMC wok.
5. Spread evenly cabbages, carrots, mushrooms, onion and both types of noodles (beehoon & dong fen)
6. Pour over the seasonings on the ingredients.
7. Cover the lid and cook under medium heat until the AMC timer indicates 1 o’clock.
8. Open the lid and toss the ingredients until it is well-combined.
9. Cover the lid and let it cook until the timer shows 1 o’clock again.
10. Off the heat and wait until the timer returns to 12 o’clock.
11. Add in shredded eggs and squeeze some lime juice over it.

Methods (normal method)

1. Heat up 3 tbsp oil, add in soaked and drained beehoon and pan-fry it until golden brown and aromatic. Blanched (烫一烫) it in hot water for a short while (1-2 seconds). Dish and drain.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp oil,  sauté onion until fragrant and golden brown.
3. Add in all ingredients and stir-fry until fragrant. Add in beehoon, seasonings and stir-fry until it is well mixed. Dish up.
4. Add in shredded eggs and squeeze some lime juice over it.

*Note:  Alternative, beehoon may be soaked with water till soft but the pan-fried beehoon will yield more aromatic flavour.

I am submitting this dish to Presto Pasta Night,  founded by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast, and hosted by Kitchenetta of  Got No Milk this week.

From young, soup has been served regularly in my family’s daily diet. As far as I can recall, my mom has been boiling different types of Chinese soups almost every day. After I got married, I too enjoyed all the home-boiled soups of my mother-in-law. Now, as a “minister of home affair cum head chef”, I continued with our family’s tradition to boil soups for the family as my son is a big fan of soup. The soups I had tried making consist of both Chinese and Western version as shown in the soup categories of this blog.

Ingredients:
150g chicken breast meat
1000ml chicken stocks (I used 3 tbsp of concentrated chicken stock to mix with 1 liter water)
1 packet sweet corn cream style (380g) – De Monte or any other brand
1 packet enoki mushrooms * (cut away the tough part of the stems; if you think it is too long, then cut into halve, rinse with running water)
4 pcs fresh shitake mushrooms * (blanch over hot water and slice them thinly)
4 stocks of baby sweetcorns * (slice thinly)
1-2 eggs (lightly beaten and mix with 2-3 tsp water)
1-2 slices of ginger *
Spring onions for ganishing – chopped
Corn flour mixture (dilute some cornflour with water, adjust the consistency according to your personal preference)
Note: * – my personal add-on. Other recommended ingredients are: tofu and green peas

Seasonings:
Salt (I had omitted it because the chicken stocks is tasty enough on its own)
Pepper

Methods:
1) Rinse and pat dry chicken breast meat. Cut into small & long strips. Marinate with light soya sauce, sugar and cornflour for about 15-30 minutes.
2) Bring the chicken stocks/ water in a pot to boil. Add in chicken concentrated stock if used.
3) Add in ginger slice, baby sweetcorns and mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4) Add in cream corn and stir well.
5) Add in chicken strips and stir well until it is fully cooked.
6) Add in cornflour mixture and stir gently to thicken.
7) Pour the egg mixture slowly into the soup, stir until it forms thin egg shreds on the surface. Turn off the heat.
Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle some spring onions before serving.

One afternoon, my son and I were having our tea break in the kitchen. I was busy reading a cookbook.
Son: “Mommy, what are you looking at?”
Me: “I am reading a recipe called “Braised Buddha’s hand gourd with mushroom”. I will cook it tonight for our dinner. Do you like it?”
I pointed out a photo of the gourd to my son.
Son: “What is this?”
Me: “This is Amitābha (Buddha)’s hand and we are going to eat it.”
My son stared at me for a second and smiled cheekly: “Don’t trick me!”

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Buddha’s hand gourd/ melon (佛手瓜) – (known as Chayote, Sechium edule)

There are many names given to this plant. One of the common names is Buddha’s hand because it resembles the hands of the Buddha.

Origin
“It is originated in the cool mountains of Central America where it was first domesticated by the Aztecs.”

Culinary uses
“Although most people are familiar only with the fruit, the root, stem, seeds, and leaves are all edible. The fruit does not need to be peeled and can be eaten raw in salads. It can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried, or pickled. Both the fruit and the seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C. The tuberous part of the root is starchy and is both eaten by humans and used as cattle fodder.”

Medical uses
The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and to dissolve kidney stones.”

How to select
Select firm, smooth, unwrinkled chayote. Old chayote become very wrinkled and become dry and tough. Chayote will keep refrigerated for many days but it is best to use as quickly as possible.

Other references (Mandarin):
http://baike.baidu.com/view/84259.htm
http://meishi.88838.com/l/27

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Recipe adapted and modified from Special Quick & Delicious Vegetable Cookbook.

Ingredients:
300g Buddha’s hand gourd (peeled, removed core and cut into thick strips)
50g mocked chicken slice (cut into thick strips)
3 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked and cut into thick strips)
50g carrot (cut into thick strips)
2-3 slices of gingers
1 tbsp oil

Seasonings:
1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
½ tsp salt
Dash of sesame oil and pepper
200ml water
1 tsp cornflour (diluted with water) – for thickening

Methods:
1) Heat up oil, saute ginger until fragrant.
2) Add in mocked chicken and stir-fry until fragrant.
3) Add in mushroom and stir-fry for a while.
4) Add in carrot and Buddha’s hand gourd and stir-fry until well mixed.
5) Add in seasonings and bring to boil. Simmer until Buddha’s hand gourds are soft and well-absorded with the gravy. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
6) Thicken with cornflour solution. Dish up and serve.

My weekends are always tied up with the routine “once-a-week” groceries shopping. Last Sunday was even busier. After all the housework and cooking, we have to rush for an appointment. Due to time constraints, I just snapped some quick shots of my chicken rice directly from the claypot. Later on, I only realized that my cooked rice had been fully covered by the ingredients. As we had started eating, I had no choice but to take another shot solely focused on the rice. How silly I am!

By following the measurement from the original recipe, my rice turned out to be slightly hard (as you can see from the photo) because mine is basmathi rice and required more water during cooking.

This recipe is adapted and modified from here.

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:
130g fragrant rice
170g water (Different type required different amount. Eg more water is required for long grain rice)
250g chicken thigh (removed skins, chopped into 5 – 6 pcs)
4-5 pcs shitake mushrooms (fresh or dried) – discarded stem and cut into halves
For fresh ones, blanch over boiling water
For dried ones, soaked to soften
1 Chinese sausage (soaked over hot water for 2-3 mins, removed the outer layer and sliced thinly)
Spring onions (for garnishing)

Seasonings for rice:
1 tsp garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
Dash of salt and pepper
1½ tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings for marinating chicken:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch
Dash of salt and pepper
1 tsp Chinese cooking rice wine (optional)

Seasonings for stir-frying:
2 pcs sliced ginger
½ tbsp garlic
1½ tbsp cooking oil

Methods:

1. Heat up wok with oil. Sautee garlic till fragrant. Add in rice and stir fry till rice turns to little stick and heavy. Add dark soya sauce, salt and pepper.
2. Pour into a claypot and add water. With medium high heat, cook the rice with closed lid for about 8-10 mins until the rice is almost cooked and water is almost dried up.
3. Heat up wok with oil. Lightly pan-fry sliced sausages till fragrant. Dish up and set aside.
4. With the remaining oil, stir-fry ginger until fragrant. Add in garlic and sautee garlic until it turns slightly brown.
5. Add in chicken and stir-fry until fragrant and let it simmer while cooking rice.
6. When the rice is cooked, spread chicken, mushrooms and sausages on top of the rice.
7. Close the lid and cook at medium fire for another 5-7 mins. (You are expected to have burnt bits for claypot rice)
8. Turn off the heat, sprinkle some spring onions and serve.