Hello 2011! Hello everyone! What’s your New Year resolution? One of mine is to make more bread using tangzhong / water roux method (汤种法). It’s a bread making method that I never know its existence until I read about it from Grace’s blog (Kitchen Corner). [Please be prepared when you hop over to her blog as you may be drown by her mouth-watering bakes especially her homemade ice-cream.  Grace,...

The Christmas spirit is in the air! Can you feel it? I certainly do. I always enjoy the joyful atmosphere of Christmas even though I don’t celebrate the occasion. Seeing Christmas decorations, listening to Christmas songs and eating Christmas cookies really put me in a jolly holiday mood. With this festive vibe cheering everywhere, it makes me (ie this home chef) feel like cooking less and join in the...

“All I want for Christmas is my gingerbread man cookies!!” That’s my son’s wish for each Christmas. In the past, I would buy it from the bakery shop to save the hassle. But this year, I decided to make them by myself as I find it easy to do. Most importantly, mother and son had a whole load of fun making them together!! Originally I planned to make gingerbread much earlier. Unfortunately, both my...

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...

  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...

  Whether you are looking for a simple breakfast, a grab-n-go lunch or a light dinner, sandwich is a quick and easy solution. However, not all sandwiches are equally nutritious. Some are healthy but unappealing while some can be sinfully lip-smacking. Given the versatility in making sandwiches, parents can easily jazz them up with creative presentation and nutritious filings for their child. Here are...

Have you ever heard or tried Danish butter cookies before? During my childhood days, they are regarded as the most premium cookies (at least to me) as not all households could afford this luxury product. Occasionally, we would receive a tin of assorted Danish butter cookies from visitors as gift. For me, the arrival of this “extra-ordinary” treat brought lots of joys and excitement. Out of politeness, I had...

  “Didn’t you post a blueberry muffin recipe before?” asked my hubby when he saw me editing the photos for this post. I replied “They are not the same, my dear. Both use different ingredients and different methods. I know it’s not the blueberry season now but I just can’t wait till the next season to share this recipe with my readers. Isn’t it your favourite? ”. “Yes, in fact, it’s...

Sesame seeds are my favourite kitchen condiment, be it white or black. I love to use them in both my cooking and baking for their flavourful aroma. Besides, their tiny size and contrasting colours give an elegant touch to any simple dish. So, for sure, any recipe with sesame seeds as an ingredient would catch my attention, just like this popular Japanese home-style dish that I learnt from Ju of Little...

Oat is among the most nutritious grain that one can introduce to a child’s diet. As it’s easily digestable, it’s good to get your child to start enjoying oats at an early age. What’s more when this grain is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, B-vitamins (thiamin), vitamin E, calcium, protein, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc and phosphorus. Having a regular helping of oats can...