Tofu has always been my favourite food ingredient for cooking. I love how it can miraculously fit into a variety of recipes ranging from salad to dressing to entrée and more. Other than its versatility, tofu is also inexpensive and rich in protein. That’s why it’s a must-have item in my fridge.

Tofu, with its ability to absorb flavour, is best braised turning its seemingly bland taste into a rich-flavoured dish. After learning how to braise tofu, I have addicted to it ever since.

This braised tofu recipe that I learned from Truffle Rose’s (松露玫瑰） blog will produce a “chewy on the outside and soft on the inside” tofu. The tofu is cut into cubes, browned on all four sides and then braised in sauce.

I find that browning the tofu to be quite a challenge. During my first attempt, I didn’t heat up my pan long enough before putting in the tofu. As a result, the tofu was stuck on the pan and hard to be removed. Whew! It’s such a terrible mess! However, after some practices, I managed to perfect the skill. Hehe!

It’s important to choose firm, extra firm or pressed tofu for this recipe so that they won’t fall apart during braising. The braising sauce that I used was a combination of soy sauce, mirin, garlic and star anise. Though simple, it gives the tofu a delightful, lightly spiced flavour. If you like it spicy, throw in some chillies. For a more oriental flavour, you can season the tofu with a pinch of five spice powder.

I use corns and cucumbers to pair with the braised tofu. This adds a bit of sweetness and crunchiness to the dish, and at the same time, brightens up its look. There are endless combinations that you can experiment with this braised tofu recipe. If you need more ideas, check out this fabulous list showcasing different versions of braised tofu dishes cooked by the readers of Truffle Rose.

This dish can be served with rice or congee. If you chill it in the fridge, it will be a perfect cold side dish for this hot weather.

>>> Get the recipe and step by step photos for BRAISED TOFU WITH CORNS AND CUCUMBERS at PAGE 2 BELOW.

Chocolate has long been termed a “bad guy” and is often linked to many health problems such as weight gain, diabetes, tooth decay and hyperactivity. Yes, I do agree if we are talking about the common chocolate treats that most kids are having now such as sweets, candies, cakes and desserts. However, chocolate can also be a “good guy” too. The type of chocolate that is good for our health is dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa. So, get your kids to switch over to this finest, good quality chocolate. And, of course, eat in moderation.

I have always wanted to share a chocolate recipe in this blog but have to KIV this idea till now. The reason is that chocolate causes heatiness to my son. If he eats chocolate or anything that is made with chocolate, he will get a nose bleed thereafter. [According to the Chinese medicine, heaty food is food that will cause or stimulate reactions associated with temper, fever, passion, excess, or true heat.]

My son had just finished his school first term exams two weeks ago. It’s his first time having exams in Malaysia. As the local school curriculum is quite different from the one in Singapore, he has put a lot of efforts in his study especially Malay subject which he needs to learn from scratch. To reward his hard work, I made these steamed chocolate banana cupcakes as a little treat for him. At first, he was quite reluctant to try as he has a phobia towards chocolate. But then, he gathered up his courage to pick up one and walloped it almost instantly. Much to our surprise, he didn’t have a nose bleed!!

These steamed cupcakes contain less sugar, less flour and no milk. Oil is used instead of butter, and only two tablespoons! It’s surely a healthy treat that you can enjoy more without the guilt. Do not underestimate this steaming method in making cupcakes. It yields a texture that is as good as baking – soft and moist, and remains so for hours without having to re-steam. As for taste, it’s seriously good! Rich in chocolate flavour and packed with banana fragrance! I have received rave review from my mother-in-law, hubby and son.

For those mamas, readers and friends who love to make cupcakes but don’t have an oven, this is one recipe that you can try to show off your hidden talents and surprise your family. You can even use it as a “baking with kids” project for this coming school holiday. Have fun!

>> Get the recipe for STEAMED CHOCOLATE BANANA CUPCAKES with step by step photo at PAGE 2 BELOW.

Great British Chefs (GBC) is a cookery website that provides food lovers with inspiring recipes, how-to videos, tips and tricks from some of the best chefs in the UK, most of whom have been awarded a Michelin star.

GBC has recently started running a campaign in association with Tesco, aimed at encouraging parents to bond with their children by cooking healthily as well as to inspire food education in the kitchen. They have also developed a wonderful collection of kid-friendly recipes  not only that feeds kids’ appetite but also feeds their imagination and improves their kitchen skills in the process.

Not too long ago, GBC wrote to me and asked whether I’m interested to do a guest post. I was very delighted and felt truly honoured to have this opportunity. So, I accepted their invitation. In this guest post, I shared how I got my son involved in the kitchen and the skills he has learned. I also shared an Asian inspired braised minced pork, potato and carrot recipe which I enjoyed as a child with step by step photos. You can read more about the post and get the recipe from HERE.

My son’s intake of fluid is primarily milk and water. He doesn’t like soft drinks or any store-bought drinks. He finds their taste “weird”. But when it comes to homemade drinks, he always welcomes them and even asks for more.

Out of all the drinks that I make, herbal drink always gets the most attention. I make them all-year round as they are easy to make, cheap, low in sugar and high in nutrient. Today, I want to share with you another favourite herbal drink of my family – lemongrass pandan drink.

Lemongrass has many healing, detoxifying and therapeutic properties. It is used to treat stomach problems, abdominal cramps, headache, acne, common cold, fever and rheumatic disorders. Pandan leaves(also known as screw pine leaves) have medicinal and health benefits too. It is used to treat fever, headache, cough and stomach cramp. It’s also an effective laxative for children.

The culinary usage of these plants needs no further introduction. But how about their usage in making drinks? Let me tell you ya, it is unbelievable GOOD! Lemongrass has an earthy, lemony and gingery aroma while pandan leaves have a very unique fragrant. When they are combined and simmered, they release a very aromatic smell which can freshen up your entire kitchen. At the end of the simmering, just add rock sugar to give it a touch of sweetness and turn it into a flavourful and soothing drink.

Nothing can be simpler and quicker than preparing this drink. It only requires 3 ingredients and will be ready in 30 minutes. You can serve it warm or chilled. For my family, we like it chilled.

What could be better than enjoying this refreshing, healthy thirst quencher at home to combat the heat?

>> Get the recipe for Lemongrass Pandan Drink at PAGE 2 BELOW.

Hi everyone! I’m back.

Life had been very hectic for the past two months till I had no time to blog. My family and I were busy packing and unpacking. Yup, we had moved house! It’s a cross-country move from Singapore back to our home country, Malaysia – my 2nd major move so far! It’s very tiring and challenging. We had a lot of things to juggle and sort out within a short period of time. But now, we are more or less settled down and things are almost back to normal. The only outstanding thing (and most important to me!) is some minor finishing work for our kitchen which is taking longer than expected. As a result, I still can’t start my intended baking frenzy for this coming Chinese New Year. Hai! *Sigh*.

These taro pumpkin buns were baked before we moved back to Malaysia. It’s prepared using the 17-hour low temperature pre-ferment dough method. This is my favourite bread making method at the moment. It uses pre-ferment dough just like the sponge dough method I used for baking healthy multigrain bread and Italian pesto bread. But, the different is that the pre-ferment dough (called sponge) is stored in a fridge at 0-5°C for 17 hours. This sponge can last well in the fridge for up to 72 hours! So, if something urgent pops up the next day, you have the flexibility to delay making the bread. How nice is that! It suits perfectly busy mommies with an uncertain schedule. Not only that, this method produces breads that have a moist and chewy texture that comes with a yeasty fragrance. They also last longer without turning hard or getting dry even if leaving in the room temperature for more than a day or two.

I had made these buns using this method for a few times and every time it yielded the exact same  texture and fragrance just like what the cookbook had described. I had also received very positive feedback from my reliable “testers” (aka friends and relatives). I used my own creation of taro pumpkin paste as filing. It’s very easy-to-do and tasted superlicious!! Taro and pumpkin are great pairing. But of course, you are free to use other type of paste as you may like. I’m definitely going to bake more breads with this method. If you are a great fan of homemade bread, then you got to try it!

I’m submitting to this post to Yeastspotting.

— Get the recipe for TARO PUMPKIN BUNS and detailed step-by-step photos at PAGE 2 BELOW.

— Get the recipe for HOW TO MAKE TARO PUMPKIN PASTE  and detailed step-by-step photos at PAGE 3 BELOW.

I, being a big fan of Malaysian-style satay, love the peanut sauce more than the satay. Having said that, they still complement each other perfectly.  To have one and not the other, it won’t be a complete meal to me.

A while back, I chanced upon a satay dip recipe in Annabel Karmel’s Family Cookbook Magazine. I truly liked her brilliant idea in using this satay dip as a way to encourage children to eat crunchy vegetables.  As her recipe called for sweet chilli sauce which was considered too spicy for my son back then, I had to shelve the idea.

So, recently, when I noticed that my son could easily adapt himself to more peppery and gingery dishes, I knew it’s just the right timing for me to make my favourite peanut sauce. I followed a peanut sauce recipe from JustasDelish (originated from Amy Beh) with some slight modifications. This recipe is a bit different than the one from Annabel. It includes herbs and spices, and uses red chilli rather than sweet chilli sauce. If you want a kid-friendly version, feel free to adjust the amount of chilli or omit it totally. This recipe makes my life a lot easier as it calls for fresh milk instead of coconut milk which I seldom store in my kitchen. Being innovative, I added some homemade creamy peanut butter to power up its nutty flavour, and another tablespoon of crushed peanuts for a more crunchy sensation. If you don’t have enough time to make peanut butter and roast peanuts, that’s fine. Just substitute them with the ones that are sold in the supermarket.

To my surprise, the sauce turned out to be very delicious even though it may not be as authentic as the one you get at the satay joint. I served it with sticks of carrot, cucumber, capsicum and celery as a side dish to my family. My family had a great time chomping down raw vegetables non-stop. For me, it’s the first time that I had even eaten so many raw capsicums and celeries in my entire life. What an amazing dip!!

This peanut satay sauce is not only good as dips but can be used in a variety of ways such as salad dressing, pasta sauce, stir-frying sauce and marinade. So, if you plan to make this sauce, be prepared to double or even triple the portion. Or else, you may regret.

Note:

Peanut is one of the most common food allergies. Hence, this recipe is not recommended for kids below 3 years old (age as recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics), kid who has a family history of allergies or kid who has had a food allergy in the past. If you want to introduce peanuts to your child, please consult your pediatrician for further advice.

>> Click on PAGE 2 BELOW for Peanut Satay Sauce recipe and step by step photos.

Lately, my family has a new liking. That’s my multigrain congee (rice porridge). Having this tasty yet healthy meal makes our bellies feel so satisfied and great.

This congee is not exactly 100% multigrain. Instead, it’s made up of 50% multigrain, 20% millet and 30% short grain rice. The presence of millet and short grain rice gives the texture a new dimension from toothsome to smooth, as good as the normal congee.

The multigrain brand I use is GreenMax, a product from Taiwan. It consists of 11 types of grains namely brown rice (糙米), pearl rice (珍珠米), wheat (小麦), barley (大麦), pearl barley (薏仁), oat (燕麦), buckwheat (蕎麦), millet(小米), black glutinous rice (黑米), gordon euryale seed (茨实)and sorghum (高粱). If you can’t find this brand, that’s fine. You can use any brand that is available in your supermarket.

There are various ways to flavour this congee. But, using the right mix of ingredients gives a good lift to the flavour. I had done a couple of experiments with different pairings of ingredients, and finally came up with my secret version of “umami”. It’s a combination of chicken carcasses, dried scallops and pumpkin.

To cook this congee, you don’t need strong hand muscle to keep on stirring it on the stove top as what you would for the usual plain congee. The reason is that some grains such as brown rice and black glutinous rice can’t break down easily and hence have fewer tendencies to stick to the bottom of the pot. Furthermore, the chicken carcasses and pumpkin play a role to minimise the rice from sticking too. However, I strongly recommend that you use a large stock pot that has enough depth so you need not worry about spilling over. Alternatively, simmer the congee with the lid partially opened. This congee will take you two hours to cook from start to finish.

Once it’s done, serve it with a topping of chopped spring onions, roasted anchovies and roasted peanuts. These condiments are optional but a hit in my family. The crunchiness and nuttiness of peanuts and crispiness of lightly salted anchovies give this congee an extra boost of its overall texture and taste. This is the main reason that my family got hooked to this congee.

This is an effortless yet hearty one-dish meal that is perfect for your whole family.

Click on PAGE 2 BELOW to get the recipe for Multigrain Congee.

Whenever I made these bite-sized chicken and apple balls, my hubby and son never seems to have enough. As they kept requesting me to cook this dish, I think I had cooked it more often than any other dishes in my family meal. So, what makes these eggless chicken balls taste so good? The secret lies with apple, cheese and a tingle of herbs, making them truly delicious and flavourful on their own even without a dip. I’m so glad to have discovered the use of apple to cut down artificial sugar in cooking. The hidden bits of apple keeps these balls so moist and tender, as well as fills with subtle natural sweetness. We really enjoyed every mouthful of it. My son claimed that they are by far the best chicken balls he had ever tasted!! Yeah!!

Making these chicken balls isn’t difficult but you may find it a bit tricky to get the balls round and smooth. Perhaps you can try out some by the following tips (or tricks?) which I find them quite useful:

• squeeze out the excess juice from the grated apple as much as you can;
• keep the balls in the fridge to firm up.
• wet your cleaned hands a little with either water or oil before shaping the balls
• mince the chicken and onion finely. In this case, food processor or blender will do a better job.

If you don’t like them in balls form, then you can make them into patties which take lesser time to firm up and much easier to pan-fry. Well, this means that you gonna miss the most fun part of it. You know what, my hubby and son volunteered themselves to shape the balls. They even competed with each other to see who gets the nicest and roundest ball! This is the only time I see them having no complaint about their “shared responsibilities”.
These chicken balls make great party food for both kids and adults. Just serve them on plate or thread them on skewer to impress your guests. Don’t forget the barbecue dip. It goes very well with the chicken balls.

>>>>> Get the RECIPE for CHICKEN AND APPLE BALLS WITH BARBECUE DIP at PAGE 2 BELOW.…………

I am a great soup lover, and will always be. Nothing can be more comforting than having my stomach filled with a bowl of hearty and nutritious homemade soup during mealtime. So do my hubby and son. I think it’s already in our “Cantonese” genes.

Lately, the weather in Singapore has been hot. So drinking soup is a great way to replenish the fluid losses in our body. Speaking of which, we prefer to consume light soups over the creamy ones to start our meal with as it is more refreshing. And, this clear and light tasting fish soup has been our favourite choice.

In my previous post, I talked about how to make your own fish stock. With the fish stock on hand, making this fish soup is certainly easy-peasy. It only takes me 15 minutes to prepare a steaming hot bowl of nourishing soup for my family! Hence, this dish is ideal for busy working mothers who are looking for quick and easy home-cooked meal.

I use a combination of fish fillet, silken tofu, tomatoes, wakame (Japanese seaweeds) and spring onions to enhance the flavour as well as the nutritional value of this dish. The shredded ginger is added to get rid of any unpleasant “fishy” smell from the soup. A sprinkle of toasted and lightly ground sesame seeds will also be good to give a nutty flavour to the dish. It will be even more fun to treat the fish stock as a steamboat base and create your own version of fish soup. Some popular ingredients that I love to include in my fish soup are homemade fish balls, prawns, crabsticks (surimi), fresh mushrooms (shitake, shimeji and enoki), Chinese seaweeds, egg, corns (baby corns or corn on the cob), lettuce and cabbage. The secret to a good fish soup recipe lies in the stock and the ingredients used. So, I can’t emphasize more that you should only use fresh ingredients especially for fish and prawns to yield great flavour.

This soup can be served with rice, noodles or even pasta if you like. Besides having it as a starter, you can also tweak the recipe and turn it into a one dish meal that your entire family can enjoy.

-> Get the recipe for quick and easy fish soup at PAGE 2 BELOW.

Homemade fish stock makes a great soup base for soups, congee, rice, braises, stews and sauces. It gives any seafood-based dish an immeasurable flavour even to the simplest recipe. Apart from flavour, it is extremely nutritious too as it’s a rich source of gelatin and minerals that our body requires. This is further mentioned by by Sally Fallon (author of Nourishing Traditions) in her article titled Broth is Beautiful. An excerpt of this article is as follows:

“Fish stock, made from carcasses and heads of the fish, is especially rich in minerals including all-important iodine. Even more important, stock made from the heads, and therefore the thyroid glands of the fish, supplies thyroid hormone and other substances that nourish the thyroid gland.”

Honestly, most people living in urban area find it hard to get fish carcasses due to its limited supply. I consider myself lucky to find a constant (yet still limited) supply of fish bones from my nearby supermarket (NTUC Fairprice) and wet market (Tampines round market) at reasonable prices. Don’t be despair if you aren’t as lucky as me. You can always ask your local fishmonger to save the carcasses for you. That’s what I did whenever I was desperate for a bowl of comfy homemade fish soup. So, start sourcing for your fish bones. If the amount is too little, freeze them first until it’s sufficient to make the stock.

This western style white fish stock I shared here is very simple and easy to make. The inclusion of vegetables adds a great more flavour and nutrients to the stock. As they are cut into small pieces, they can release their maximum flavour in the shortest time. Making this stock doesn’t take you long. A gentle one-hour simmer is all you need to yield a good clear and tasty stock. Avoid using oily fish as highly unsaturated fish oils will become rancid during long cooking process. I use fresh coriander leaves to enhance the flavour but other fresh herbs such as parsley and thyme work just fine. This stock can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and up to 3 months with deep freezing. Having this stock on hand, you can easily whip up many delicious dishes such as my seafood beancurd soup. If you need more ideas, please stay tune for my upcoming quick and easy soup recipe!

-> Get the recipe and step by step tutorial on How To Make Fish Stock at PAGE 2 BELOW.