Chocolate Oreo Truffles

Have some cravings for chocolate? and you are also an Oreo fan. You can try out this simple and easy recipe.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

• 4 tubes of plain Oreo biscuit packs (approx 400g total).
• 250g Cream Cheese
• 250 - 300g Semi-Sweet Cooking Chocolate

Steps:

1. Take the Oreos out of its packaging.  If you bought the ones with cream, just scrap them off.
2. Crush the biscuits finely.  Keep a little aside.

3. Mix the Cream Cheese into the crushed biscuits.

4. Place your Chocolate into a steel bowl.
5. Heat up a pot of boiling water and place your bowl on the boiling water.  Wait till the chocolate completely melts.

6. Pinch a little from the Cream Cheese Oreo and shape them into balls.  You may use a teaspoon as a guide.
7. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate a little at a time and use forks to pick them up and place it on a tray.
8. Sprinkle a little of the crushed biscuits on top of it.
9. Refrigerate the balls for 4 hours.  Best served cold.

Ideas:

• Try chopped almonds to mix in or use it to sprinkle on the top.  Roast it a little first.
• Try using white chocolate / chocolate rice to decorate the balls instead of using Oreos.
• The ball size depends on your choice.

Enjoy ;)

Luo Han Guo Sea Coconut

With this hot weather, its bound to be unhealthy for a lot of us.  I did this simple Traditional Chinese herbal dessert / drink.  Some say this would cool the body and help with coughs.

Luo Han Guo Sea Coconut

Ingredient:

• Fresh Sea Coconut
• 1 pc Luo Han Guo
• 1 small pkt Dried Longan
• 1 small pkt Dried Red Dates
• 1 pc Honey Rock Sugar
• 1 -2 Pandan Leaves

Steps:

1. Skin the Fresh Sea Coconut.  Slice the Sea Coconut horizontally.

2. Fill in 1/2 pot of water.  Crack the Luo Han Guo.  Place the Dried Longan, Dried Red Dates, Honey Rock Sugar, Pandan Leaves, and Cracked Luo Han Guo into the pot.  Boil over low heat.

3. Put in the sliced Fresh Sea Coconut into the pot.

4. Boil it for an hour or so.  Leave it to cool.
5. You can served it chilled.

Have fun :)

Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower

Got this recipe out of a magazine.  This is a massive stuffed soup.

Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower

Ingredients: 

• 1 litre Milk
• 40g Butter
• 40g Plain Flour
• Pepper
• Nutmeg Powder
• Salt
• Pieces of Broccoli
• Pieces of Cauliflower
• 100g Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cube Chicken Stock

Steps:

1. Put the Butter into a pot under low heat.
2. Mix in the Flour until paste like.
3. Pour in the Milk.
4. Stir the Milk until boiling.
5. Add in the Chicken Stock.
6. Add in the Salt, Pepper, and Nutmeg for taste.
7. Put in the pieces of Broccoli and Cauliflower.
8. Stir the pot until the vegetables are soft.
9. Put in the Cream Cheese and stir until it has dissolved into the soup.
10. Serve with Garlic Bread or Croutons.

Enjoy :)

Spaghetti Bolognaise

This is a super late post. I did this 2 weeks ago. I was suppose to post this for Valentine's. As it makes a good main course for a candlelight and wine dinner :)

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Ingredients:

• Pasta or the standard spaghetti pasta. 
• Olive Oil
• 2 Big Carrots
• 2 Big Onions
• 2 Green Peppers / Capsicum
• 4 Big Tomatoes
• Button Mushrooms (Fresh / Canned) *
• Oyster Mushrooms (Optional)*
• 200g Streaky Bacon (Optional)*
• 500g Mince Meat (Chicken / Beef / Pork)
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• 2 - 3 Bay Leaves
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Tomato Puree (Small Can)
• Spaghetti Sauce (1 Mid-Size Bottle Prego Brand)
• Salt
• A serving of Red Wine (Optional)
• Parmesan Cheese
• Mozerella / Cheddar Cheese

* Quantity based on your own preference.

Steps for the Sauce:

1. Diced the Onions, Green Peppers / Capsicums, Streaky Bacon, and Tomatoes.  Shred the Carrots.  Slice the Buttom Mushrooms.  Peel the Oyster Mushrooms into manageable pieces.

2. Take the Mince Meat and place it into a bowl.  Sprinkle few dashes of White Pepper and Black Pepper until its all over the meat, and a dash of salt.  Mix the meat well.  Leave it aside.
3. Heat a big pot with Olive Oil.  Once the oil is heated, put your diced Streaky Bacon.  Stir fry it until it is cooked, then put your diced Onions in and stir it for half a minute.  Put in the diced Green Peppers / Capsicums.  Stir fry it until it is soft.  Put in the Bay Leaves.

4. Put in the Mince Meat mix into the pot.  Stir it until the meat is cooked (Chicken / Pork turns solid white; Beef turns brown).  Add in a little more dashes of White Pepper and Black Pepper.

5. Put in the shredded Carrots, sliced Button Mushrooms, and diced Tomatoes.  Stir it continuously until the diced Tomatoes go soft.
6. Sprinkle the Oregano and Thyme into the pot.  Stir it until the herbs are mixed in.

7. Pour in the Tomato Puree into the pot.  Stir well.
8. Pour in the Spaghetti Sauce.  Add in a mug of water.  Stir well.
9. Put in the peeled Oyster Mushrooms.  Pour a serving of Red Wine into the pot.  Stir well.
10. Sprinkle a few dash of Salt.  Stir and taste the sauce.  If insufficient taste, sprinkle more salt.  Normally, a tablespoon is sufficient.
11. Close the pot and let it boil.  Do stir it in an interval of 10 minutes to avoid burning the bottom.  Let it boil for 30 minutes.

Steps for Serving:

1. Boil quarter pot of water, with a dash of Olive Oil and Salt.
2. Put in the Pasta when the water is boiling.
3. When the Pasta is soft, drain the water and pour a few tablespoons of Olive Oil.
4. Mix the Pasta and Oil well.  So the pasta will not stick together.
5. Take a self-preferred portion of Pasta and put onto a plate.
6. Shred some Mozerella / Cheddar Cheese on the Pasta.
7. Pour a self-preferred portion of the Sauce on the Pasta.
8. Sprinkle some Parmesan Cheese.
9. Serve immediately.

 
This recipe is quite tiring, as it needs a lot of stirring.  Please do take note, Pork and Wine is optional.

Good luck and enjoy :)

Roast Pork

Special posting for the forthcoming CNY celebrations.  Many of us have been always heading over to the markets or restaurants to get a serving of roast pork.  There is also the posibility of not getting your share as by the time it reaches your turn, it is all sold out!

Why not try making your own?

Ingredients:

• Pork - Belly Area (Don't choose a fatty slab, the moderate would do)
• Salt
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Vinegar

Sauce Ingredients - Apple Sauce (Optional - English Style):

• a dozen green apples (Sliced)
• a cinnamon stick
• a few cloves
• sugar (to taste)

Equipment:

• Turbo cooker or Oven
• Brush

Steps:

1. Get your butcher to cut slits into your pork.  Easier for cutting and serving.

2. Wash the meat.
3. Rub salt all over the meat.
4. On the underside, rub a generous amount of white and black pepper.

5. Leave it in the fridge for around an hour. (Optional)
6. Preheat your oven at 250°C for 15 mins.
7. Place the underside facing up in the oven.  Increase the heat to 350°C.
8. Roast it for 45 - 50 mins.  Try piercing the meat with a fork.  If it is done, it should be easy to pierce.

9. Once done, flip it over that the skin faces upwards.
10. "Paint" the skin with vinegar using the brush.  You may be generous as long as you are "painting" and not pouring.
11. Roast it again for around 20mins.  It should look nice and crunchy.

12. Let it cool until warm, as the excess pork fat is being dripped out.
13. Take it out and slice the meat into slices.  If you want to make it Chinese style, chop it up with your cleaver.  You may serve.

Steps for the Apple Sauce (Optional):

1. Sliced your apples into slices.
2. Place them into a pot over a low heat.
3. Throw in the cinnamon and cloves.
4. Stir it continuously until it becomes mush.
5. Test the taste.  If sour, add in a little sugar and mix.
6. Taste it again until desirable.

Have a great Chinese New Year! Loads of Wealth and Health for this Tiger year!

Onde-onde

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I had this liking for 'onde-onde' (on-day on-day) or glutinous rice balls in desiccated coconut. This is a traditional Malaysian dessert or kuih as we would categorize it.

Here's the recipe for you all to try but it is in estimation.

Ingredients:

• 10 stalks/palm-sized bundles Pandan Leaves
• 1 Coconut Sugar Block / Gula Melaka
• Salt
• Desiccated Coconut
• 500g Glutinous Rice Flour

Steps:

1. Wash the Pandan Leaves. Cut them into small pieces. Blend it with a Blender, while blending add in a little water. Sift it and throw away the crushed leaves. Purpose is to extract the juice. It should amount to 1/2 cup diluted.
2. Use a mortar to break the Gula Melaka into small pieces.

3. Sprinkle a little salt. Mix the Pandan Juice into the Glutinous Rice Flour gradually while kneading. Ensure you don't overdo the juice pouring. Knead it into a dough.

4. Boil a pot of hot water over a low heat.
5. Pinch a little dough, enough to make a small ball. Put a piece or 2 of the Gula Melaka into the ball and roll it back into shape.

6. Drop the ball into the boiling water. It will sink but after a minute, it will float. Wait until it floats.

7. Use a strainer to pick the ball up and roll it around in a tray of dessicated coconut.

8. Repeat Step 5 - 7 until you finish the dough.
9. Let it cool and then you may serve.

Remember to keep it in the refrigerator. It cannot be kept for long.
Good luck and enjoy!

Garlic Chicken

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I did this on Sunday morning. Quite simple to do. The most it will occupy around an hour or so in preparation, and 2 hours of cooking.

Ingredients:

• Carrots **
• Cauliflower **
• Potatoes **
• 2-3 Big Red Onions - Cut into 4s
• 1-2 Whole Garlic - Diced **
• Thyme
• Mixed Herbs
• Salt
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• 125g Butter
• Chicken Drumsticks **
  ** quantity up to you

Steps:

1. Clean and chop up the vegetables to sizes you think manageable for the mouths you are feeding.
2. Wash your drumsticks and skin them. If you want the skin, you have leave this step.
3. Put in thyme, salt, white and black pepper to the drumsticks. Rub them together.
4. Put all your vegetables into a pot/corning ware (including the onions), and mix them around. Do not want them stuck together.
5. Place your drumsticks into the pot and arrange them nicely.
6. Sprinkle your diced garlic on top, and a little salt for taste.
7. Cut up your butter into pieces and place them scattered.
8. Sprinkle a little mixed herbs on top.
9. Add a half glass of water.
10. Placed the pot over the stove under a small fire for 2.5 hours.
11. Finally, you can serve.

Good luck and enjoy!