Potato and Ham Cream Soup

I love trying many varieties of soup, beside it's easy to make, i can easily run it down the drain without "amused" my annoying sister, if i'm fail. She always laugh at me whenever i failed in baking my cake or buns(most of times are buns and swiss roll hahaa....) and you see, i don't really care about it.
I failed over and over and i just let her laugh over and over too.
This soup contain a lot of low calorie fiber which is good for diet(actually i'm not into diet anymore) and some vitamin c from celery. I won't talk about the potato since all of u already know about carbohydrate and starch hidden in potatoes. So, i'll just write down the recipe

Ingredients:

1 medium potato
1/2 cup diced ham
2 cups diced celery
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cups milk
3 cups clear broth
1/2 cup all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

-Put potato, onion, celery and ham in a medium pan, add 3 cups broth and bring to boil, cover pan and cook until potato soft. Mix all purpose flour with milk, stir in to the soup and continue stirring until soup thicken. Taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley flake when serving.

Spicy and Yummy Beef

Actually, this is my 2nd time of cooking this delicious and spicy beef. I did not get chance to capture the 1st one coz it gone as soon as it done (it was dinner time and i have some friends around) and thats doesn't matter at all coz i know i would cook it again and again.
It seems, i'm addicted to spicy food more and more. Meal without spicy "stuffs" is tasteless now, but sometimes when you cook pasta and etc, there's no way you going to serve it with something like.....SAMBAL. Right?
Thanks to Mba Retno for the recipe, and here is the English version with slight modification.

Ingredients:

800 g beef (tender part)
1 tbsp ground corriander
1/2 cup tamarind water

Spice to grind:
15 small red chili
4 big red chili
1/2 big red onion
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp sugar

-Slice meat into 1 cm thick, then pound it with meat pounder till they're almost flat. Marinate with ground coriander and tamarind water for 2 hours, then bake at 180° C until color has changed. Deep fry in hot oil till brown and set aside.
Heat a tbsp oil and saute all the spices, add meat and taste with salt. Continue stirring until almost dry. Serve warm with plain rice....yummy.

Quick Spaghetti With Bockwurst

I have either spaghetti or dry noodles for lunch/dinner at least once in a week. I'm a big fan of it. Most of time, i buy it outside since i'm not so good in cooking both spaghetti or noodles.
What about noodle soup? Honestly, i hardly eat it!! In the beginning it's very delicious(especially beef noodle soup) but after 5 minutes passed, it will turn to be something like "worm swam in the water" and it is so yuck.
Back to the spaghetti, here's my quick and easy version recipe.

Ingredients:
250 g spaghetti, cook as directed
2 bockwurst, sliced
3 bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp mixed herbal seasoning
1 tsp chili flake
2 tbsp toasted pine nut
2 tbsp olive oil
salt, as required

- Heat olive oil, saute garlic over low fire till fragrant, add in bacon and sliced bockwurst, stir till bacon dry. Add spaghetti, season with salt, chili flake and mixed herbal, mix well and sprinkle with pine nut. Serve immediately. Best goes with cream soup.

Black Glutinous Rice Cookies

These cookies are modification from my recent cheese cookies i only substitute half of sago flour with black glutinous rice flour, which also very hard to find in Taiwan. So, i attempted to make my own flour, since the rice easily available. Using vitamix high performance blender, it took less than 10 minutes to mill the rice into flour.
I was thinking about milling my own sago flour, but where can i get the sago palm..??? hahaa... kidding.

It's Meme Time

I've been tagged by SSB with this meme yesterday, but only got chance to post it today. I'm about to write this last night, when J come up and we have long conversation till midnight and went to bed afterwards. I never write any meme before and this is the 1st one. Thank you SSB.
Here are the rules:

1. Link to my blog (tagger) on your blog.
2. Write seven facts about yourself.
3. Tag another seven bloggers by leaving a comment on their blogs and letting them know they were tagged and listing them (and their blogs) on your blog.

And here are 7 facts about me:

1. I hate TV since i was small, i would rather read books than sitting boringly in front of the tv, and somehow, i'm addicted to tv series titled "篮球火 / basketball fire" now, starred by "good looking" Jerry Yan

2. I love my mom&dad more than anyone else, i used to cry if they are away for more than a day, back when i was in primary school.

3. Couple years back, as a teenager, i love racing so much and crossing red light is become my bad habit. Once, i race with a friend at 2 a.m. and ended up in hospital with stiff neck and blueblack all over my body

4. I love wearing casual outfit rather than formal one. I've been kicked out of office by my boss, when i wear t-shirt and "supershort" short to work.

5. My both hands are trembling and shaking terribly(which i have no clue why), and thats become the main reason of my blur photography.

6. I hate morning wake up, always active in my free time, but feel super tired or sleepy when its working time.

7. I learn and enjoy cooking/baking so much, though sometimes it ended up out of expectation.

And now, i'm going to pass this meme to the following friends(though i know, some of them maybe not really interested in this):

1. Mba Judith
2. Mba Retno
3. Rita
4. Ponpon
5. Kinta
6. Emma
7. Nolla

Repost if you've got spare time and have fun :)

Cupcakes and Japanese Cheesecake

I bake these cakes few days ago for gathering in a friend house. These are peanut butter cupcake, oreo cupcake and japanese cheesecake. Some of them said, oreo cupcake is my speciality, since i've been bake oreo cupcakes for them couple of times

Layered Cheese Cake

My second attempts of making layered cake. The layers still messy, not much different with my first one.... i need more and more practice.
Like the first layered cake, this recipe also adapted from Aunty Yochana thank you aunty, for sharing such great recipes.

Cakey Pine Nut Brownies

Compared to the fudgy one, i would prefer this cakey type of brownies. I've try the fudgy brownies few times and it always has strong smell of egg, which i hate most. I don't know, whether it should be that way or i do it in the wrong way.

Ingredients:

65 g bittersweet chocolate
115 g butter
170 g fine sugar
40 g cake flour
100 g pine nut
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

- Melt chopped chocolate and butter in microwave and stir until smooth. Beat egg and sugar till a bit creamy(not too creamy) add salt and vanilla essence, stir in melted chocolate and fold in flour. Pour half of the batter into baking pan, sprinkle with half pine nut and pour the rest of the batter and topped with the rest of the nuts.
Bake in preheated oven at 180 for 25-30 mins

Salmon & Tofu in Miso Soup

I'm fighting flu and severe runny nose for past 4 days. Mouth felt so numb and lost appetite for anything except hot water. And i guess everyone felt the same when they are sick, especially this kind of annoying flu.
This warm and light soup is good when you're in the same condition as me.

Ingredients:

1 block tofu, cubed
salmon (as required), cubed
1 tbsp miso
600 ml water/clear stock
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 celery, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

- Dissolve miso with 2 tbsp hot water. Bring water/stock to boil add miso and tofu, cook for 3 minutes, add in salmon, simmer for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, stir in chopped scallion and celery

Baked Enoki Mushroom and Bacon

Another fast and easy yet delicious dish and it can be ready in less than 15 mins. All u need to do is clean the mushroom and discard the bottom cluster, wrap with a piece of bacon and bake for 10 minutes. When it done, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Some people say, washing the mushroom is not necessary. But since i'm sure it had been touch by i don't know what kind and how many hands, i'll wash the mushroom 5-6 hour earlier and drain it in the dry place, so it won't be too watery when cooked.

Rotini and Veggies Carbonara

This is consequence for being such forgetful person like me. Shop for carbonara stuffs, and out without its main ingredients, a pack of SPAGHETTI. Yeahh...i'm physically 26 but brainly, 75 something.
Since i have a pack of rotini, then i don't need to rush to the store again, and here is the result, yummylicious

Ingredients:
1 cup rotini
3/4 cup cream
2 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
4 pieces bacon, chopped
2 tbsp bacon drip

- Cook pasta with salt and olive oil till done, drain and set aside. Blanch broccoli and carrot with boiling water for few minutes.
Fry chopped bacon until dry and crisp, mix egg yolk with grated parmesan cheese, cream and bacon drip. Return pasta and veggies to the pan, toss with egg yolk mixture and fried bacon, stir quickly and turn off the heat. Sprinkle more grated parmesan cheese and serve hot

Chinese Chives Flower with Black Bean

Taiwanese name it chang ying thou chai, mean house fly's head vegetable. Though it sounds terribly disgusting, but it absolutely delicious and most important of all, no "real" fly's head added to it.

Ingredients:

100 g ground pork
80 g chopped chinese chives flower
2 tbsp mashed/minced garlic
6-8 red chili, sliced
1 tbsp fermented black bean
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
salt and sugar to taste

- Marinate ground pork with 2 tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch and few drops oil. Heat 1 tbsp oil, saute garlic till fragrant, add in black bean and red chili, stir for another minute. Add pork and stir quickly. Season with soy sauce, salt and sugar. Stir in chopped chives and continue stirring for few minute. Remove from heat

Chicken With Preserved Green Chili

What can i say about this? It's just... taste heavenly!!

Ingredients:

2 chicken thigh, cut into pieces
2 stalk lemon grass, take the white part
2 lime leaves
2 candle nut
4 cloves shallot
2 cloves garlic
8 red chili
3 preserved green chili, shred
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder
3 tbsp lemon juice

- Grind all the spices except preserved green chili, heat 2 tbsp oil and saute the spices till it become oily, add in chicken, shredded green chili and stir for another minute. Pour 2 cup water and simmer till chicken tender and gravy almost dry. Add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Milky Meat Floss Bun

With my magic wand, hokkaido milk loaf turned to be meat floss bun. I made these buns for a friend who just gave birth to a super cute baby boy. Congratz Vv.
Loaf's recipe adapted from Florence, while the filling, i use mixture of meat floss+chopped dried seaweed+toasted white sesame seed. Vv said, the buns remain soft after 2 days

Yummy Cheese Cookies

I've been dying to bake this cookies since long long ago, and the only problem is the flour. Sago flour is used in this cookies, which i can't get in every corner of baking supply store and supermarkets.
Till last week when i phoned my mom, she told me that hun kwe flour is also made from aren/sago flour. The cookies remind me of my childhood, mom used to buy it for me and brothers and we'll fight over the cookies till the last piece....
Recipe from Stella slightly modified by me

Ingredients:
300 g sago flour/hun kwe
50 cornstarch
50 all purpose flour
225 g butter
125 icing sugar
3 egg yolk
100 g gouda/edam cheese powder
50 g cheddar cheese powder

- Sift sago, cornstarch and all purpose flour together . Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add in egg yolk one by one and beat till well combined. Stir in cheese powder and sifted flour. Beat in low speed until well combined, fill the dough into piping bag and pipe onto lined baking tray (the top picture was dotted with black cherry jam). Bake at 180 for 20-25 mins or till slightly brown.

Indonesian Honeycomb Cake / Bika Ambon

Few days ago, J was talking to me about this cake. Indonesian call it Bika Ambon, originally come from Medan, big city in northern part of Sumatra. I don't know why they call it bika ambon, where Ambon located nowhere in/near Sumatra.
And he challenge me again whether i can make this cake. This time, it's really a "challenge" since i've never eaten bika ambon in my life.
Browse and search the recipe, most people said the process of making this cake is difficult and complicated. Finally i ended up in this site and decide to use their recipe since it's the simplest one compared to others. I substitute the sago flour with hun kwe flour which also made from Aren. Aren is Indonesian name for sago palm.
The cake turned out to be very nice and it has beautiful honeycomb texture, soft and chewy with strong flavor of lime leaves+coconut milk+egg yolk. I couldn't get a nice shot of the cake due to poor lighting in my kitchen (and super cheap digicam too)


Cross cut section

Layered Cake

My 1st attempt of making layered cake which contain lots of egg yolk. The layers are messy and doesn't seem stick to each other properly. I should get layered cake presser perhaps(which i dunno how it looks).
I went to my laptop when baking the second layer and i've forgotten that i have something to watch in my oven, till my fire alarm screaming loudly, telling me that my cake is BURN. Goshh...i almost burn the whole kitchen and the whole apartment.
For instruction and recipe click here. I do skip the crystalized pineapple and pineapple essence since i dunno where to buy it and substitute the red coloring with pandan essence instead.

Steamed Dumpling

Finally, i managed to make a batch of this dim sum today, after a couple of lazy days. I do nothing in those few days except sitting and browsing in front of my pc and searching some cake's recipe. And ohh...i also read the book that i bought around 4 years ago and leave it untouched in the book shelf. The title is Silence Truth written by Susan Lewis.
So here is dumpling's recipe

For skin:
150 g wheat starch
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp corn oil
210 cc boiling water


For filling:
100 g ground chicken
75 g minced shrimp
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup minced cooked bamboo shoot
1/2 cup sliced celery and spring onion
1 small egg
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp white pepper powder
1 tbsp sesame oil
salt as u need
(mix all the filling ingredients together)

- Sift wheat starch and cornstarch together, pour in hot water and corn oil , stir until it become soft dough. Knead lightly and roll it into thin round/square shape (just like wonton wrapper). Wrap the filling and steam for 15 mins. Serve with ginger garlic sauce or dumpling sauce.

Salamz Aidil Fitri and Eid Mubarak

Wishing all the Muslim's friends and visitor a happy Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.
May Lord continue shower His blessing to all of you.

Savoury Garlic and Cheese Scone

Another savoury snack which i love so much. I love scone when it's warm, crispy skin with soft and flaky inside

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour
45 g icing sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
30 g butter
1/2 cup light cream(or as u need)
70 g grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp garlic granules
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 spring onion, thinly slice

- Sift flour with sugar, salt, garlic granules and chili powder together, cut butter into small pieces and rub with flour mixture with your finger. Stir in grated cheddar cheese and spring onion, mix well. Pour in beaten egg and cream, stir till well mixed.
Turn dough to floured working table and knead lightly. Use cookie cutter to cut into small pieces or as u like. Bake at 190 degrees C for 20 mins