Do you know that childen’s song can be used as an effective and influential tool in promoting a healthy diet to toddlers? It may sound weird to some people, but it really worked for my son.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor (x4), A-P-P-L-E” - is a song my son learnt from his playgroup that had successfully changed him from one who rejected apple into one who is now an avid apple lover. So calling all parents, try this useful trick if you have kids who refuse to eat healthy food, be it apple or something else.

Ever since he could proudly sing the song, this apple soup has become my son’s favourite soup. I had found this recipe from a Chinese cookbook (方太食谱). Among its ingredients are figs and sweet & bitter almonds that are capable of  treating cough according to Chinese traditional medicine. It is a very nourishing yet tasty soup, and is recommended for the entire family (not just toddlers) in this hot season.

This recipe is also available in Chinese. Please go to Kwong Wah Yit Poh e-newspaper for further reading.

Serve: 4-5

Ingredients:
Red apples (2 large or 3 small) (红萍果）
250g lean pork (瘦肉）
10g sweet almonds (南杏) – also known as sweet apricot kernels or seeds (refer to note 1)
5g bitter almonds（北杏）- also known as bitter apricot kernels or seeds (refer to note 2)
4 candied dates (蜜枣）- I used large candied dates (金丝蜜枣)
3 fig fruits (无花果）
1100 ml water (清水）

Seasoning:
Salt (optional)

Methods:

1. Peel and core the apples, then rinse and chop them into 4 wedges for each one. Set aside
2. Rinse lean pork. Cut it into chunk. Blanch it over boiling water. Dish up and set aside.
3. Rinse candied dates, figs and sweet and bitter almonds. Set aside.
4. Put water in a cooking pot and bring it to a boil. Add in all ingredients in the pot. Use medium heat to bring the water to reboil. Switch to low fire and simmer for another 2 hours.
5. Turn off heat. Add salt to taste. Serve.

Notes: 

1. It is better to peel off the skins as the skins may contain pesticide if the washing is not done properly.
2. You can substitute lean pork with pork ribs.
3. You can use a combination of apples and pears (yellow) to make this soup.
4. If you prefer less sweetness for this soup, you can use 3 candied dates. Remember to rinse and wash thoroughly those sugars coated on the candied dates.

Functions for each ingredient used: (Source: The World of Nourishing and Fine Soups by Kenny Chen)

1. Sweet almonds/sweet apricot kernels or seeds (南杏)- It tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. It is non-toxic and relieves cough.
2. Bitter almonds/ bitter apricot kernels or seeds (北杏)- It heals cough and expels phlegm. [WARNING: As bitter almond carries a slight trace of toxins (cyanide), please use it with extreme caution. There is a concern about the potential health effects associated with large numbers of bitter apricot kernels being consumed on a regular basis, particularly by young children (as mentioned in this link). It is also not advisable for pregnant ladies. If you're not comfortable eating it, then exclude it from the recipe. Other reading reference: Is it safe to eat bitter apricot kernels by David Lebovitz.]
3. Fig fruits (无花果）- It clears heat and phlegm, nourishes the lungs and aids digestion with its high fibre content.
4. Candied dates (蜜枣) – It enhances human immunity and inhibits cancer cells. It is also help to against allergic and enhance appetite.

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 like to thank  Ligia Menezes, a Brazilian journalist for selecting my photo for her recent article featuring masala chai. Her article, written in Portuguese language, was published in VivaMais magazine (N1) at end May 2009 and is about how to lose weight by drinking masala chai. If you are interested to find out more about her article, you can use this Google translate tool for translation.

Ligia was kind enough to email me a soft copy of her article so that I can share it with my readers.  She even sent me a hard copy of the magazine for my record.

If you are interested to make your own chai masala, refer to this post for step-by-step guide.

< Click to view for larger version. I had highlighted my photo and website respectively with red borders for your easy indentification. >

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.

Ever since I was a child, I perceive and express better through pictures instead of words. In scientific term, I am a right brain person. (No wonder I did badly in written essay in my school years. ) Now, whenever I search for recipes online, I am easily sold by impressive-looking photos. They motivate me to try the recipes out as soon as I can lay my hands on the ingredients. If you love to see beautiful photos as much as I do, then you should take a peep at the photo gallery of My Cooking Hut. It is one of those fabulous food blogs I am really hooked on. Every shot taken by Lee Mei, who is a freelance photographer, is awesome and of professional-quality. With excellent food styling skills and perfect propping, she set the right mood and theme for her readers. Every time I visit her blog, I love to admire her photo shots, more as a piece of fine art than just a normal food photo. It gives me lots of inspiration, tips and ideas in food photography. Apart from photography, she is also a very talented cook. You can find a variety of Eastern and Western cuisines featured in her blog that ranges from Asian stir-frying dishes to French delicate dessert. Her blog is my main reference for simple yet delicious recipes.

When Lee Mei wrote to me to ask if I am interested to be her guest writer, I was awe and surprised . I started scratching my head as what to feature on her beautiful blog. After some discussions, we decided on salmon cakes with an Asian twist. Today, I feel so honoured to be the guest writer for My Cooking Hut. Without further delay, let me bring you over to visit Lee Mei’s nicely decorated “hut” and savour my salmon cakes virtually with just a click here.

Two year ago, when I was just starting to cook for my family, a friend of mine made a strong recommendation that I visit Rasa Malaysia’s food blog for its recipes and cooking ideas. When I browsed thru her blog, I was very amazed by her stunning shots and high level of professionalism in food presentation, not to mention her cooking and baking skills. Since then, I had been following her blog closely and even referred it as my “online cookbook”.

Today, I like to thank Bee of Rasa Malaysia for featuring me as her guest writer. I had chosen sui kow (水饺) as my featured recipe because she loves dumplings. Co-incidentally, it is also my childhood favourite. I had never got bored eating it even until now. Hopefully by sharing my hubby’s “self-proclaimed” authentic sui kow recipe, you will love sui kow as much as we do. You can find my write-up and more photos of sui kow at Rasa Malaysia’s blog now. So hop over and see you there!

For my sui kow (水饺) recipe, please click on this LINK.

I was pleasantly delighted when I received the invitation to be the guest chef for one of my favourite “online cookbooks” – Delicious Asian Food (also known as Hochiak) authored by PabloPabla. Thanks to Pablo! I am certainly honoured.

It is the first Asian food blog which was strongly recommended by my good friend when I first started cooking for the family. DAF featured a collection of delicious home-cooked Chinese-style recipes and occasional food reviews. The recipes in this site are suitable for those who are starting out learning how to cook (just like me) or are keen to get some ideas on how to deal with the simplest ingredients that you find in the market.

Hop over to find my featured recipe of one-dish meal and also delight yourself with all the “hochiak” (means delicious in Hokkien dialect) recipes, food reviews and some video clips. See you there!

This is a VERY VERY simple dish and it is my first attempt for finger food (“tapas”).