Onigiri (Japanes Rice Balls)

Western people eat sandwich for their lunch, while Japanese eat onigiri. Onigiri is always found in the lunch box of Japanese kids and adults because for the Japanese, a lunch is not complete without onigiri.

Ingredients:

• 350 g uncooked Japanese rice or short grain rice
• 1 ao nori (seaweed) sheet
• 3 sachets (30g) of furikake (Japanese rice seasonings)

Method:

1. Wash the rice and cook it in a saucepan with 400 ml water, cover and bring to the boil before reducing the heat to low and cooking for 10-15 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat and leave without taking off the lid for a further 10 minutes.
3. Cut the ao nori into 8 small squares with scissors.
4. Mix the rice and the furikake together and shape into four small onigiri rice balls by hand, while the rice is still warm.
5. Stick the ao nori square to the both front and back sides of the onigiri.
6. Serve warm with soy sauce.

Note:
* A rice cooker can be used for cooking the onigiri rice. When the rice cooker is used, skip the step 1&2 and cook the rice normally in the rice cooker.
* Furikake can be substituted by cooked minced meat, cooked minced chicken, or cooked fish flakes. You just need to be creative with the mixture of onigiri. ;)

Nachos

When hubby and I feel so hungry and need to eat the food that is quick to make, we always opt for nachos. :) It's so simple, quick and tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack corn tortilla chips (500 g)
• 350 g chunky salsa (home-made or ready made in a jar)
• 400 g minced beef
• 250 ml sour cream
• 1 onion
• 1 can of sweet whole kernel corn (250g)
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
  
• 250 g grated cheese (cheddar, mozarella or emental).

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180'C.
2. Peel, wash and chop the onion finely.
3. Heat a frying pan in a medium heat, pour the cooking oil and fry the onion until soft and slightly brown.
4. Put the minced beef into the frying pan and fry it together with the chopped onion until brown and cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside.
5. Combine the chunky salsa, 100 ml sour cream, kernel corns and 150g of grated cheese in a mixing bowl.
   
6. Grease the baking dish/pyrex with a little oil or butter. Put the tortilla chips to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer it with meat mixture and salsa mixture. Then, top with the tortilla chips. Repeat this step until all meat mixture, salsa mixture and tortilla chips are used.
7. Sprinkle the top surface with the rest of the cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and golden brown.
8. Serve warm with the rest of sour cream.
   

Cheesecake with Glazed Strawberries

This cheesecake is my favourite cheesecake. :) I made this cake to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. Definitely, one slice a day is never enough for hubby. :p

Ingredients:
For the crust:
§ 200g digestive biscuits, crumbed
§ 50g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
· 2 packages cream cheese (@ 250g each)
· 100 ml castor sugar
· 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
· 2 eggs
· ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the topping:
Ø 250 g strawberries, hulled and sliced
Ø 2 tsp gelatin powder
Ø 250 ml water
Ø ½ tsp icing/dusting sugar

Tools and preparation:

- Preheat oven to 180’C,
- Grease the cheesecake pan or the pyrex/glass pie mould (diameter 23 cm) with a little butter or oil.

Methods:

1) Crust: In a bowl, combine digestive cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of pie mold or cheesecake pan and freeze.
2) Filling: In a big bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until very smooth for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla sugar.
3) Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan. Baked in preheated oven (180'C) until top is light brown and centre has a slight jiggle to it, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in a pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. The cake will sink slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before decorating with the topping.
4) Topping: Heat the water in a milk pan over a low heat. When the water is almost boiling, turn off the heat and take the pan out of the stove. Sprinkle the gelatin powder and the icing sugar onto the water and mix well until there’s no lump. Pour the mixture over the chilled cheesecake slowly and top with sliced strawberries. Refrigerate the cheesecake again for 2 hours or until the gelatin is set.

Tips:

- Make sure that the filling ingredients are well beaten. Otherwise, the egg whites and yolks will be separated during baking process.
- Don't let cool the baked cheesecake in the oven to avoid burning or overcooked. Instead, take the baked cheesecake away from the oven immediately and let it cool on a wire rack on the counter.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese is easy to make, yet delicious. :) Who can resist this food, anyway, unless you're a vegetarian or vegan? :p

Ingredients:

· 150g mushrooms (in a can), drain the liquid and diced into tiny cubes
· 1 carrot, diced into tiny cubes
· 1 onion, diced into tiny cubes
· 1 clove of garlic, crushed
· 400g minced beef
· 2 tbsp tomato puree
· 200g crushed tomatoes (in a can or in a carton)
· 125 ml beef stock
· 125 ml red wine
· 1 tsp dried thyme
· 1 tsp dried oregano
· 125 ml single cream
· 3 tbsp butter
· 400g dried spaghetti, boil until al dente and drained
· Salt and pepper

Methods:

1) Heat the frying pan in a medium heat. Melt the butter into the frying pan.
2) Fry the diced onion, diced carrot, crushed garlic and diced mushrooms until tender.
3) Add minced beef into the frying pan and fry until the meat cooked through.
4) Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, meat stock and red wine. Stir until well-blended.
5) Season with dried thyme, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
6) Pour the single cream and mix well. Let the mixture boil without stirring for 15 minutes on a medium heat or until the mixture is thickened.
7) Serve the boiled and drained spaghetti into four plates. Pour the meat sauce on the top of the spaghetti.
8) Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese on the top of each dish.

Yield 4 serving.

Nabeyaki Udon

Nabeyaki udon is a Japanese noodle soup made of thick buckwheat noodle called Udon. Nabeyaki udon is usually cooked individually in earthenware pots. Since I don't have the that pots, I just cooked it in a dutch oven (soup pan). This noodle soup makes a good accompany when the weather outside is chily.

Ingrediets:

115 g boneless chicken thigh
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sake or dry white wine
½ tsp soy sauce
1 leek
300 g dried udon noodles, boiled and drained

For the soup:

· 1.5 L stock made of instant dashi stock
· 4 ½ tsp soy sauce
· 1 ¼ tsp salt
· 1 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet cooking rice wine)

Methods:

1) Cut the chicken into small chunks and sprinkle with the salt, sake and soy sauce. Set aside.
2) Cut the leek diagonally into 2 cm slices.
3) Bring the ingredients for the soup to the boil in a saucepan and add the chicken and leek. Skim the broth and then cook for 5 minutes.
4) Divide the boiled and drained udon noodles into four bowls. Pour the soup with chicken and leek into each bowls.
5) Sprinkle each bowl of the noodle soup with shicimi togarashi (Japanese seven flavor spice) before serving. Serve immediately.

Yield 4 serving.

Kimchi Bokkeum Bap (Kimchi Fried Rice)

Kimchi fried rice is the best way to use the left over kimchi. Some people love to eat kimchi with pork, but I love to eat kimchi with chicken. ;) For those who doesn't know what is kimchi, well..kimchi is one of the famous korean dish made of spicy pickled chinese cabbage.

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 150 g chicken fillet, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 plates cooked rice (left over is the best for this dish)
- 2 spring onion, chopped
- 250 g kimchi, coarsely chopped, with its liquid
- Salt to taste

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the onion and chicken, cook until the onion is browned and the chicken is cooked through.
2) Lower the heat to medium heat, add the sesame oil.

3) Add gochujang and stir until well blended.
4) Add the rice and stir-fry until the whole ingredients are mixed well.
5) Add kimchi with its liquid and the spring onion. Cook for 3 minutes.
6) Add salt to taste.
7) Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

Yakisoba (Japanese stir-fried noodle)

Yakisoba is so easy to make and also delicious. :) When there's nothing much ingredients left in our fridge, Yakisoba is always the best option to make. ;)


Ingredients:

- 300 g dried soba noodles, boiled and drained.
- 200 g chicken/beef/pork fillet, thinly sliced. à I used chicken fillet
- 1 ½ tbsp oil
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ head cabbage, roughly chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
- Salt and white pepper powder to taste

For the seasoning: Combine in a small bowl:
· 4 tbsp Worchester sauce
· 1 tbsp soy sauce
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 tsp sugar
· ½ tsp salt

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the chicken fillet until just cooked.
2) Add the grated ginger, garlic and cabbage. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
3) Add the carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4) Add the noodle, stir in all the seasoning ingredients.
5) Season with white pepper and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
6) Serve immediately.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Japanese Curry Rice

Japanese curry rice is yummy, yet simple to make. I always make this food when I feel like eating curry but don't want to do the hard work of making the curry paste. :p

Ingredients:

- 2 chicken breast fillet (@100g-150g)
- 1 large onion, peeled
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 block/cube Japanese instant curry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 500 ml water
- Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1) Cut chicken fillet into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2) Cut onion into wedges, then cut potatoes and carrots into chunks.
3) Heat the oil in a wok; brown the onion and garlic but don’t burn them.
4) Add chicken pieces and stir fry until light brown.
5) Add potatoes and carrots and stir fry until a little bit tender.
6) Add water to the wok and cook until the water boils.
7) Add the Japanese instant curry cube and stir well over low heat until the gravy is thickened.
8) Serve the chicken curry with steamed rice.

Yield: 2 servings.

Mae-un dak (Korean Spicy Chili Chicken)

I love spicy food and so does my hubby. :) This time I was feeling like cooking korean food. So, I decided to cook this spicy korean chili chicken. :)

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp oil
- 300 g chicken fillet, cut into bite size
- 1 small onion, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 zucchini, cut into small cubes
- ¼ head Chinese cabbage, cut into bite size
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 spring onion, cut into 1 cm length
- 2 tbsp gochu jang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.
2) Add the chicken, onion, zucchini, cabbage and garlic. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables begin to brown.
3) Add the spring onion, gochujang, soy sauce and sugar. Cook for three minutes.
4) Serve immediately with warm, steamed rice.

Yield: 2-3 servings.

Stir-fried Kway Teow

Stir-fried Kway Teow is a famous stir-fried rice noodle dish in Indonesia and Singapore. The singaporean call this dish as Char Kway Teow, while indonesian call it as Kway Teow Goreng (Stir-fried Kway Teow). Singaporean Char Kway Teow normally use bean sprouts and lap cheong (chinese pork sausage) and seafood (eg.:shrimps). On the other hand, indonesian kway teow use more chicken or beef and choy sum. Here I made the indonesian kway teow.

Ingredients:

- 250 g fresh rice noodles (or 100g dried rice noodles, boiled)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300 g chicken fillet or beef, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce)
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 300 g choy sum or gai larn, cut into bite size
- ¼ tsp white pepper powder
- Lemon wedges to serve (optional)

Method:

1) Put fresh rice noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then drain the water. Set aside.
2) Heat a wok over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil and swirl to coat the base and side. Add the egg and cook into scramble egg.
3) Add the remaining oil, add the sliced chicken fillet or sliced beef and stir-fry until brown.
4) Combine the kecap manis, soy sauce and oyster sauce in one small bowl, then add to the wok.
5) Add choy sum or gai larn and the rice noodles to the wok. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the choy sum becomes slightly tender but not very soft.
6) Add white pepper powder and stir well.Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Curry Mee or Laksa Noodle

This Nonya dish is known as Curry Mee in Malaysia and in Singapore. However, the malaysian and singaporean immigrants in Australia call this dish Laksa. First time I ate Laksa noodle was when I studied in Sydney. In the uni where I was studying, there was an asian food counter where students can buy and enjoy asian food served there. Once I tried that food, I really fell in love with Laksa noodle since the taste was so yummy! ^_^ Now since I live in Finland, it's so hard to find Indonesian or Malaysian resto that serves Laksa. So, I decided to make Laksa for our dinner and yeah..it turned really good, spicy and my hubby loves that, too. ^_^

Ingredients:

- 150 g boiled/cooked rice vermicelli noodles (glass noodles)
- 150 g boiled/cooked egg noodles
- 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp laksa paste (see recipe below)
- 2 L water
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 tsp brown sugar or grated palm sugar
- 250 ml coconut milk
- 4 tbsp laksa paste
- 100 g bean sprouts, cleaned and rinsed in the running water.
- 100 g choy sum, chopped
- 200 g meat/beef ball
- 150 g chicken fillet, sliced thinly
- 2 cubes fried tofu, sliced --> I don't put tofu here, since hubby doesn't like it.
- sliced boiled eggs, mint leaves and fried onion to garnish

Laksa Paste:

- 2 medium onion or 10 purple shallots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and chop the white part finely
- 3 cm piece of galangal, peeled and chopped
- 6 candle nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp dried shrimp paste (belacan or terasi bakar)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp chili powder or 6 deseeded bird's eye red chili
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

Methods:

To make the Laksa paste: Process all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until well combined. Store the paste in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.

1. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the laksa paste over a low heat until fragrant. Make sure to stir it occasionaly to prevent stickness.

2. Add the water and bring to the boil. Then, add chicken stock cube, sliced chicken fillet and meatballs. Simmer until the stock cube is dissolved.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring the gravy to boil. When it's boiled, turn off the heat.

4. Put the boiled/cooked noodles into four bowls.

5. Add the chopped choy sum and bean sprouts.

6. Ladle the gravy to the bowls. Make sure to take the chicken fillet and meatballs when you ladle the gravy. ^_^

7. Garnish each bowls that has been filled with gravy and meat, with sliced boiled eggs, sliced fried tofu, sprig of mint leaves and fried onion. Serve warm.

Make 4 serving

Borscht Soup

This russian beet root soup that called borscht (боршт) is such a hearty soup to eat during cold days or warm days. In Russia, people eat cold borscht during summer time and warm borscht during winter. FYI, this soup is originally from Ukraine, though many people know it as a part of Russian cuisine. ^_^

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots, sliced julienne (match stick)


• 2 large potatoes, sliced julienne


• 3 medium beetroots, sliced julienne


• 100 g cabbage, sliced julienne or finely shreded


• 1.5 l water


• 1 beef or chicken stock cube


• 150 g beef brisket or chicken or pork, chopped --> I don't use any meat, since I want it more healthy


• 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice


• 1 medium onion, finely chopped


• 2 garlic cloves, crushed


• 1 tbsp dried dill or 1 bunch of fresh dill


• 2 tbsp cooking oil or butter for frying


• salt and pepper


• sour cream for garnish

Methods:

1. Fry the onion until tender, then put garlic into the frying pan. Fry them until soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.


2. Pour 1.5 l of water to to the pot. Add the fried onion and garlic into the water. Cook until the water boils.


3. Then, add the chopped meat (if you use one), the beef or chicken stock cube and the beetroot. Cook until the cube stock is dissolved and the beetroot is slightly tender. When the beetroot is tender, its color is turning lighter (more pinky than red).


4. Add the potatoes and cabbage. Cook until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.


5. Finally, add the carrots. Then, add the vinegar or lemon juice. Cook until all vegetables and meat are tender. Season with salt and pepper.


6. Sprinkle with the dill and mixed well.


7. Serve warm or cold with sour cream.

Makes 4 serving

Risoles

This yummy Indonesian fried pastry can be served as a snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, beat lightly with a fork
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 cup bread crumb
• oil for frying

For the filling

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 250 g minced beef or minced chicken
• 150 g carrot, chopped into small cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder or 1/2 chicken stock cube (dissolved it in the milk)
• 100 g flour
• 200 ml milk
• 2 tbsp butter for frying

For the wrap:

• 300 g all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 600 ml milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Melt the butter in the frying pan, then fry the chopped onion until soft.
2. Put minced chicken/beef and chopped carrot into the frying pan. Fry till almost done.
3. Put the flour into the pan and mix well.
4. Pour the milk and mix well until no lumps appear, then set aside
5. In a big bowl, beat all the wrap ingredients with electric mixer until smooth.
6. Melt the butter in the frying pan and swirl around the pan until all surface is covered with melted butter.
7. Pour one scoop (I use a soup ladle) of the batter to the frying pan and spread it thinly on the pan surface, just the way of making thin omelete. Repeat this way until there's no batter left.
8. Put 2 tsp of the filling on each wrap and wrap it like making an envelop.
9. Dip the risoles into the lightly beaten egg, then roll it on the breadcrumb until all surface is covered by the crumbs.
10. Fry the risoles in the hot, plenty of oil until golden brown. Serve with chili sauce.

Chili Con Carne

Hubby and I love to eat Tex-Mex food. One of them is Chili con carne. It tastes so yummy, especially when it is hot (both of us are spicy food lovers!). :) One day I decided to cook chili con carne. Since it was my first time to cook it, I had to look up on the recipe. So, I tried to cook chili con carne from Gordon Ramsay cookbook and modified the recipes slightly and yeah..it turned really good. ;)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli or red paprika deseeded
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil, for frying
500g minced beef
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
3 fresh tomatoes or 1 beef tomato, roughly chopped
400g chopped tomatoes
100-200ml chicken or beef stock
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 birds eye chili (red), chopped
1 bay leaf
400g kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
Boiled rice, to serve

Method:

1. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and thyme in 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan until fragrant. Then put the minced beef and fry it until brown.
2. Add the dried spices to the mixture, mix well and cook until they release their aroma. Add the fresh and tinned tomatoes and leave to cook down a little for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the chicken or beef stock and stir in tomato puree to taste. Drop bay leaf in then bring to the boil and leave to simmer.
4. Once the sauce is beginning to thicken add the kidney beans and leave to cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the beans to soak up the flavours. Check for seasoning.
5. To serve, spoon the chilli con carne into the centre of a mound of rice.