Strawberry Pudding

It's been so hot since the past few months. Hubby and I decided to go for a short getaway to Cameron Highlands again. The weather there is not cool throughout the day, but it is nice during the night.

I bought 3 packets of strawberry there. Cameron's strawberry is always sour. Instead of consuming the fresh strawberry, I made it into desserts. This strawberry pudding suits the freaking hot weather pretty much. Don't you think so?

I don't have exact measurement for the pudding. Jelly powder, sugar, water, fresh milk and blended strawberry flesh are mixed and match into this refreshing pudding.

Enjoy!

Mugwort Omelette

This has been our family dish since I was a kid. We call it "Hia" in Hokkien. I've always wanted to learn more about this herb, but was unable to find additional info without knowing its English name. My googling research recently was fruitful indeed. The herb is revealed as Mugwort. Surprisingly, it's not only well known in Chinese society, but it's popular in Western countries as well.

Physically, the Mugwort leaves has a unique shape. The top of the leaf is dark green, and the bottom is more towards whitish-green. The surface is hairy, so it's rather rough to touch. It has a pleasant herbal scent. When the leaves are chopped or crushed, it emits a pungent and distinctive aroma. It has a very pleasant bitter taste. :)

Mugwort is rich in chlorophyll and enzyme. It is a natural source of minerals like Calcium and Magnesium. Chinese use it in post maternal treatment as it can dispel "wind" from the womb. Medical wise, Mugwort is also a proven herb to speed up healing for cancer and hepatitis C, and helps in hair growth. Besides, it is also used to treat stomach troubles, high blood pressure, and many more.

Mugwort Omelet

Serves 2

Ingredients:

a handful of mugwort leaves, chopped
3 organic eggs, beaten
100ml water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp of light soy sauce

Steps:

1. Mix the chopped mugwort leaves with beaten egg. Season it with a tbsp of light soy sauce.

2. Heat up oil in a wok, fry the omelet till cooked. Over-turn to fry the other side.

3. When the omelet is cooked, divide it into portions. Add water and bring to a boil. Dish up and serve hot.

Eggplant with Minced Meat (Spicy Version)

After I posted my last recipe on Eggplant with Minced Pork, I felt a little bit down. I was wondering why the skin of the eggplant turned brownish. It doesn't look appealing at all although it is. Apparently soaking the sliced eggplant in salt water doesn't help in retaining its purple skin color. The salted water just help to remove bitterness of its seed.

After googling for tips, i read that some recommend to deep fry the eggplant and some recommend to soak the sliced eggplant in cold water. So, to be at the safe side, I applied all the method at once! I prepared a tab of cold salt water. Then I sliced the eggplant and directly get it soaked in the water. After 15 minutes, I pat it dry and fry it until the flesh turn soft, but not soggy. These additional steps upon cooking proofs to be effective in retaining the nice purple color of brinjal. If you have any other tips, please share it with me.

Eggplant with Minced Meat (Spicy Version)
Serves 2
Ingredients:

1 long slender purple eggplant
100gm of minced pork (marinate with 1tsp of light soy sauce and dash of pepper)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 stalk of spring onion, cut into 2" length
4 Thai bird's eye chilies, diced
Cooking oil

Seasoning:

1tbsp oyster sauce
1tsp of dark soy sauce
1tsp of light soy sauce
1tsp of sesame oil
200ml water

Garnishing:

Chopped spring onion

Steps:

1. Slice the eggplant lengthwise and soak in cold salt water for about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with kitchen towel. Set aside.

2. Heat up 3 tbsp of oil in a wok. Fry the eggplant until its flesh turn soft. Set aside.

3. With the balance oil, saute garlic till fragrant. Add the minced meat to stir fry for a while. Pour in the seasoning and bring to a boil. Stir in the eggplant. Leave it simmering for a while.

4. Add the chili and spring onion to mix well. Dish up, garnish with chopped spring onion and serve with hot rice.

Eggplant with Minced Meat

Everytime when we spot the eggplant in hypermarket, hubby will tell me the same thing over and over again... that is he misses his late grandma's home cooked eggplant in dark soy sauce. I couldn't help much as I didn't get a chance to try the dish. Furthermore, his taste buds are not as sensitive as mine. He can't even tell what's the seasoning used in the eggplant.

Instead of disappointing him, I'm trying to indulge his palate with my version of dark soy sauce eggplant. I make the seasoning sauce based on my estimation. So, here it is - my version of delightful eggplant with minced meat.

Eggplant with Minced Meat

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, sliced
100gm of minced pork (marinate with 1tsp of light soy sauce and dash of pepper)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Cooking oil

Seasoning:

1tbsp oyster sauce
1tsp of dark soy sauce
1tsp of light soy sauce
1tsp of sesame oil
1tbsp of glutinous rice wine
200ml water

Steps:

1. Heat up the wok with some oil. Stir fry the minced pork till aromatic (no need to get it cook thoroughly). Set aside.

2. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil in the same wok. Saute garlic till fragrant. Stir in the eggplant. Saute till the flesh lightly browned.

3. Add the seasoning, except the cooking wine. Leave it simmering for few minutes. Add the minced pork and stir fry till the sauce is thickening. Add rice wine and stir. Off the flame and serve hot with rice.

Roast Chicken With Rosemary

After several attempts in roasting chicken, I started to believe in the secret ingredients - the garlic, the lemon and the herbs. This time, fresh Rosemary is used rather than dried herbs. The result is fantastic! 

I played some art to decorate the food. See the colorful cherry tomatoes, snow peas and capsicum? They are good to accompany the entrée.

Roast Chicken With Rosemary

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 chicken thigh, excess fat discarded
2 sprig of Rosemary
1 tbsp of olive oil
Vegetables of your choice  (raw or blanched)

Chicken Rub:

3/4 tsp of sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, grated
1 tbsp of honey
dash of black pepper powder
zest of one lemon
juice of half lemon

Steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients and seasoning for the chicken rub. Rub it over the chicken thighs, and marinate it for overnight.

2. Arrange the chicken thigh on roast pan. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of olive oil over it and roast it with Rosemary at 200 degree Celsius for 50 minutes or until the chicken is brown. Discard the Rosemary and serve the chicken with vegetables of your choice.