Chawanmushi

Chef Monad Says...

Chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し,Chawanmushi, literally "tea cup steam" or "steamed in a tea bowl") is an egg custard dish found in Japan that uses the seeds of ginkgo. Unlike many other custards, it is usually eaten as an appetizer. The recipe for the dish is similar to that of Chinese steamed eggs, but the toppings may often differ. Chawanmushi can be served either hot and cool. When udon is added as an ingredient, it is called odamaki mushi or odamaki udon.

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
2 cups of soup stock (miso/dashi)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp premium soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

Optional: 1 tsp sake

4 shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced,

1/4 enoki mushrooms, chopped

8 ginkgo nuts, whole

1 oz. preserved radish (chai por)

Optional: 1 oz. mitsuba leaves (trefoil)

Additional ingredients: (a) 1 chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces (c) 8 slices kamaboko or narutomaki fish cakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the soup stock (miso). Heat 2 1/4 cups of water in pot. Put in 1-2 tsp of miso paste, 1 oz. mushroom sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. 
   
   
2. Lightly beat eggs in a bowl. Try not to bubble the eggs. 

3. Add cool soup stock, soy sauce, salt, sake, and sugar in the egg.
   
   
4.  Strain the egg mixture.
   

5. Put the ingredients (shitake & enoki mushrooms, ginko nuts, preserved radish in 4 chawanmushi cups, or tea cups.
   
   
6. Fill each cup to 3/4 full with the egg mixture.
   
   
7. Place mitsuba leaves on top of the egg mixture.
   
   
8. Cover the cups. Pre-heat a steamer on high heat. 
   
   
9. Turn down the heat to low and carefully place cups in the steamer.
   
   
10. Steam for about 15 minutes. Poke the custard with a bamboo stick.
    
    
11. If clear soup comes out, it's cooked
    
    
12. Serve the Chawanmushi warm. 

Upcoming ~ New Year Eve 2007 Menu

New Year Eve 2007 Dinner @ Home

Pork Chop with Orange Sauce

Potatoes with Mixed Vegetables

Baked Button Mushrooms

Chef Salad

Tiramisu

Image Credit: Internet

Chef Monad Says...

Tiramisù (or Tiramesù) is the most popular Italian cake item. It is a dessert "al cucchiaio" (literally means "on the spoon") made of biscuits dipped in coffee and mascarpone cream.

For many years, different sources provide evidence that Tiramisù was born in Treviso at "Le Beccherie" restaurant in the hands of the confectioner Roberto Linguanotto, also known as Loli. Different stories report the creation of the cake to have been born in the city of Siena. Some confectioners were said to have created it in honour of Cosimo III on the occasion of his visit to the city. These days, the cake is characterised by a delicate and intense taste.

In order to prepare it, according to the original recipe, the following ingredients are needed: Savoiardi biscuits, eggs, sugar, coffee and cocoa. In the original recipe, there was no liquor as the cake was originally aimed at children and the elderly and the original shape was round.

The modern version contains a mixture of liquour and other ingredients, sometimes Tiramisu is served as ice-cream (gelato).

(Source: Wikipedia)

With Compliments...
This recipe is contributed by my dear sis, Shuping.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
½ cup sweet Marsala wine
6 egg yolks
1 pound Mascarpone cheese (room temperature*)
1 – ½ cups hot water
5 teaspoon coffee powder
½ cup coffee-flavoured liqueur
Approximately 12 oz. ladyfingers (Savoiardi)
Unsweetened cocoa for dusting cake
1 oz semi sweet chocolate, grate (optional)

* Room temperature: 20-24°C

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk sugar, wine, and egg yolks in a metal bowl.

2. Set the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.

3. Whisk constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Remove bowl and whisk in cheese until smooth.

5. Combine 1-1/2 cups hot water with instant coffee. Stir to dissolve powder.

6. Add liqueur.

7. Dip 1 ladyfinger into the coffee mixture, turn to coat, and quickly remove.

8. Place the cookie, rounded side down in the bottom of a 8-inch square dish.

9. Repeat with additional ladyfingers to cover the bottom of the pan.

10. Pour 1/2 of cheese mixture over.

11. Repeat procedure with another layer of ladyfingers and another layer of cheese.

12. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours

13. Before serving, dust top with cocoa.

14. Garnish with grated chocolate, if desired.

15. Cut into squares to serve.

Tip 1: Be healthy, add fruits such as cherries, strawberries, blueberries.

Tip 2: Be creative, add gelato and toppings to your liking.

Simply Sandwich!

Chef Monad Says...

Sandwich is one of the most common food item that's easy to prepare, typically made of one or two slices of leavened bread between which are laid one or more layers of ingredients such as vegetable, meat, cheese or jam. The bread can be used in original form or flavoured in butter, oil, or other traditionally provided condiments or sauces to enhance taste and texture. Sandwiches are commonly carried to work or school in lunchboxes or paper bags to be eaten during lunchtime, taken on picnics or other outings. In some parts of the world, they are also served in many restaurants as entrées, and are sometimes eaten at home as a fast meal.

INGREDIENTS

Leavened Bread (thick slices)
Cheese Slices (Cheddar)
Soya-based vege patties
Vegetables* (Tomato, Olives, Cucumber, Cabbage, etc)
Seasoning* (Mayo, Butter, Salt, Pepper, etc)

* Optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the vege patties (grill/microwave/bake).

2. Toast the leavened bread slices to crisp.

3. Add the cheese slices onto the toasted bread while it is still hot.

4. Add the vege patties with other seasoning as preferred.

5. Slice the sandwich into smaller portions and serve it warm.

Tip 1: This is a easy-to-prepare entree. You can have many choices for the ingredients, such as the choice of bread, main fillings, seasoning, etc. It is up to you to design you own sandwich!

Tip 2: Try making club sandwich style with at least three layers or more!

Multi-Grain Fried Rice

Chef Monad Says...

Fried rice is one of the most common dishes in Asian cooking. In fact, fried rice is not just one single dish. It is more of a way of combining leftover rice with leftover anything else and turning it into a one-dish meal. This "leftover" philosophy of fried rice also means that there are an infinite range of ingredients and flavours that can be combined to create new and interesting versions of fried rice. This multi-grain fried rice uses no soy sauce and done in the Yangzhou fried rice style.

INGREDIENTS

Jasmine Rice
Red Yeast Rice (红曲米)
Pine Nuts
Sweet Corn Kernels*
Dried Radish (Chai Poh)
Fresh Shitake Mushrooms
Spring Onions
Ginger
Garlic Cloves
Eggs
Light Sesame Oil
Mushroom Sauce
Organic Salt
Canola Oil

*Optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Place a pan over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the Canola oil.

2. Add the minced ginger and garlic and stir-fry until lightly carmelized.

3. Add the finely-diced shitake mushrooms, dried radish and stir-fry.

4. Add the eggs (beaten and added salt), scrambled and stir-fry the eggs into fine bits.

5. Add the cooked jasmine rice and red yeast rice and stir-fry.

6. Add the pine nuts, spring onions and sweet corn kernels*.

7. At this point, add the spices, sesame oil, mushroom sauce and salt, then stir constantly until completely heated (5-7 mins), separating the rice as fine as possible.

8. Stir-fry the ingredients consistently and remember not to leave the rice stick to the sides of the pan.

9. Serve immediately.

Tip 1: This is a vege dish, you can try adding other types of ingredients as you like.

Green Tea Gelato

Chef Monad Says...

Green tea gelato is a Japanese ice cream flavour extremely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. Green in colour, the name in Japanese is matcha ice cream, where matcha is a specific type of green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony. Green tea ice cream is also sold in monaka form.

INGREDIENTS

Green Tea Ice Cream (Haagen Dazs)
Red Bean
Sago
Fresh Longans
Pandan Leaves
Sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the red bean soup (red bean, pandan leaves and sugar).

2. Cook the sago and run it over cold water (will take some time).

3. Peel the fresh longans and remove the seeds.

4. Drain the cooked red beans and mash it (add sugar).

5. Store the prepared ingredients in fridge (~60 mins).

6. Add green tea ice cream and serve cold.

Tip 1: Use glutinous rice balls (or "tang yuen") in place of sago.

Japanese Miso Ramen

Chef Monad Says...

Ramen is a popular traditional Japanese dish with different styles ~ Shio ("salt"), Tonkotsu ("pork-bone"), Shoyu ("soy sauce") and Miso ("fermented soya bean paste"). There are many variations of Ramen that differs according to regions. Miso Ramen originates from Hokkaido, Japan and features a broth that combines chicken stock with miso. It is often topped with sweet corn and butter.

INGREDIENTS

Miso (For Soup Use)
Ramen Noodles

Fresh Shitake Mushrooms
Beancurd
Seaweed (Wakame)
Sweet Corn Bits

Spring Onions

Vege Dumplings*

* Optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the ingredients (soak mushrooms, slice beancurd, etc).

2. Boil the ramen (~3 mins) and then run it under cold water.

3. Boil a pot of water and put in the ingredients to prepare the soup.

4. Add miso and seaweed and boil it (~3 mins) (Test for flavour).

5. Add vege dumplings* (~2 mins).

6: Put in the ramen last (when it is time to be served).

7. Top with spring onions and serve hot.

Tip 1: Add on the Japanese chili powder if you like it more spicy.

Gelato Fruit Platter

Chef Monad Says...

This is a simple and easy-to-prepare dessert fare.

INGREDIENTS

Gelato (French Vanilla & Tiramisu)

Fresh Strawberries

Fresh Mangoes

Fresh Bananas

Fresh Rock Melon

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice the strawberries evenly around its tip.

2. Slice the mangoes into 3 horizontal portions with mesh cuts each.

3. Slice the bananas and rock melon into cubes.

4. Put the fruit platter into the freezer for 15 mins.

5. Serve the Gelato scoops on the mango core (bottom).

6: Put some toppings if you like.

Tip 1: Present the fruits in a fancy style.

Tip 2: Add a chocolate fondue dip for the strawberries and bananas.