What's for desserts tonight?

What about matcha ( green tea ) ice-cream I prepared over the weekend? Many Japanese restaurants do serve this little gem, not too sweet but with the lightness of green tea after taste. My first attempt in making ice-cream, you be the judge.

Matcha Ice-cream
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup thick double cream

1. In a small bow, mix the green tea powder with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
2. n a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks and remaining sugar and whisk.
   
3. Pour the milk into a small pan and gently heat taking care not to let it boil. Remove them from the heat and mix a few spoonfuls of the warm milk with the green tea powder and sugar in a small bowl. When you have a smooth paste, add it to the remaining milk in the pan, then gradually combine with the egg yolk mixture
4. Return mixture to the stove and heat slowly over low heat (taking care to not let the mixture boil), until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine sieve, and allow to cool completely.
5. Lightly whip the cream and then add it to the cold green tea-milk mixture.
6. Transfer the mixture to a large container and [chill for an hour or two in the refrigerator] and then put it in the freezer. As ice crystals start to form, remove, and mix well with a spoon (use a wooden spoon and stir very vigorously) to break them up and return the mixture to the freezer. Repeat this a few times as it freezes to ensure that the ice cream is smooth.
   
7. Alternatively can use ice-cream maker :-)

Ice cream for cold winter nites ;-)

Doraemon's Dorayaki

I used to watch this Japanese cartoon on TV, always find it amusing what Doraemon can do with his magical pouch. I also learnt that one of his favorite food is Dorayaki . I decided to make Ann Dorayaki as dessert since she made me pancakes with nutella spread for breakfast.

Dorayaki with homemade green tea ice-cream

Dorayaki
Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 60gm caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp water
• 100gm flour, sifted
• 1 can of adzuki bean ( red bean ) drained+ 3 tbsp sugar and steamed then mashed
  
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
• some oil for greasing the pan
  

1. Put eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk until fluffy.
   
2. Dissolve baking soda in water. Add the water in the egg mixture. Add honey, vanilla essence, cooking oil as well.
   
3. Add sifted flour in the egg mixture gradually.
   
4. Heat a non stick pan and lightly oil it. Pour a scoop of the batter into the skillet and make a small pancake. (*about 4 inches in diameter).
   
5. Turn over when bubbles appear on the surface. Repeat this process to make 8-10 pancakes. Cool the pancakes. Make pairs of pancakes and put a scoop of mashed adzuki bean.
6. Can serve this dorayaki with a dollop of green tea ice-cream .
   

What says Ann? She has turned into Doraemon after having 3 pairs of the pancakes at one go. Hmnnn ...

Attached is a photo of Ann's pancake.....lovely isn't it?

Stewed shitake mushroom

I like mushroom very much. Shitake is still my favorite with it's thick tender flesh and aroma when stewed is delightful. I said blooming marvellous.

Stewed shitake mushroom
Ingredients

• 15 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked till soft and discard the woody stem)
• 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce (I used Malaysia Cheong Chan brand)
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• pinch of five spice powder
• 1 star anise
  
• 2 cloves garlic (finely hopped)
• A dash of white pepper
• 1 tsp corn starch (add 1 tbsp water)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 tsp shaoxing wine
• pork ribs/pork belly/dried oyster/chicken (optional)
  

1. In a pan brown the garlic with cooking oil and sesame oil. Then add in the mushroom and stir fry until fragrant.
   
2. Add oyster sauce, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, pepper, shaoxing wine and sugar. Add water and five spice powder and stir for a minute or so.
3. Transfer them to a slow cooker and stewed for about 5 hours on low heat or into claypot for 2hours until mushroom really tender.
4. Stir in corn starch to thicken the sauce when you want to serve and garnish with spring onion.
   
5. This dish serves well with egg noodles or rice.
   

M for Muffins and Macaroons

Find the real muffins

Negative : M for Miserable
Positive : M for Muffins & Macaroons

We decided to be positive.....................
so we had sumptious home-baked blueberry muffins on an otherwise dull morning - wet, windy and cold. Of course having Ann back from Paris, she brought back limited amount of macaroons from La duree, my first thought was how stingy she was to bring back so few of them or rather have little thoughts about me. I was shocked to hear how much it cost because I've never heard of La duree. Well, well, I guessed I prefer the French chocolat over macaroons. After all, today is M day for muffins and macaroons.

Love thy green.....Brussel Sprouts

Eat brussel sprouts
Because my folks
Don't know my where abouts
Brussel sprouts, brussel sprouts
Oh boy, how I hate brussel sprouts

Some of you might have the same experience when asked to take the tiny little cabbage when you're young. Luckily my folks don't have to force me to take my brussel sprouts as I love my green ( Brussel sprouts not very common back then in Malaysia ) . It's considered luxury green as it's mainly imported.

When I noticed sprouts in supermarket it reminds me Christmas just around the corner. Brussel sprouts are the main green during this season. My cousin Ann, had not seen brussel sprouts grown on stem as in the pics.

This tiny little green are loaded with goodness especially anti-cancer properties. Don't boil them as the Chinese do as the goodness will be loss into the water you used to boil them but rather steam them and stir fry them eventually.

Stir Fried Brussel Sprouts with dried shrimp(Hay Bee)

Ingredients

• 300 gm brussel sprouts
  
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp (or can use sambal belachan)
  
• 2 small chillis
  
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 3 cloves of garlic
  
• 2 shallots
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil
  

1. Steam the brussel sprouts for 10mins.
   
2. Wash and soak the dried shrimp. Drained. Use food processor, add in chilli, garlic and shallot and blend the mixture into a paste.
   
3. In a pan heat the oil till hot, add the paste and fry till fragant. Then add in brussel sprouts and stir fry for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in salt and sugar to taste.
5. Served hot.
   

To Straford Upon Avon

Me & Ann decided to make a weekend trip to Straford Upon Avon. We're blessed with wonderful clear and sunny winter crisp days. This place is so quaint as I remembered it ten years ago. Row of Tudor style houses dotted the town and not forgetting thatch roof cottages. So quaint indeed. One of the Teddy Bear Shop along Sheep Street with big teddy still there.

Of course a visit to Straford Upon Avon would not be complete without dropping in Shakespeare's home, Anne Hatheway cottage, Nash house, Hall Croft and Mary Arden. Well I still qualified for student concession ticket to get into all these places. Count myself lucky.
Both of us did enjoy ourself very much in Straford Upon Avon.

My early Christmas gift from Malaysia

I was ecstatic when I saw my cousin Ann on Monday. Of course happy to see her, after all haven't seen her for 2 years. Secondly, she brought with her 2 new Malaysian cooking utensils which her mum gave them to me as a gift. So authentic, how would I not be happy. Thanks to my aunt Madeline and of course Ann having traveled with them in Europe[quoted: she complained that's heavy in her big backpack...well, well]. To repay her for her effort, I cooked her decent meal. After all it's reunion of two cousins and great friends.

The first utensil non other than Roti Jala (net bread) mould. Hmnn....I'm excited to make roti jala soon.






The second utensil is pai tee mould ( top hats) used by the nyonyas. Nyonyas are Chinese who have adopted Malay customs in an effort to assimilate into local communities. Been ages since I last tried them....I miss eating them. I know soon enough I'm going to make them. Stay tune of course.....