Creamy Pumpkin Soup

A simple and delicious soup for dinner tonight.  Main ingredients are pumpkin, potatoes, onion, garlic and cream.  Best served sprinkled with pumpkin seed oil and wholemeal bread.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 medium-size pumpkin
2 big potatoes, to be peeled and coarsely diced
1 big onion, to be peeled and diced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and diced
1 litre vegetable stock
200 g fresh cream
salt, pepper & ground nutmeg to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
Wash and pat dry pumpkin.

Cut pumpkin into half and remove seeds by using a spoon.  Cut into cubes and peel/cut off the skin. Some recipes use the skin which is optional.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté diced onions and garlic for a minute.  Add in pumpkin and potato pieces.  Sauté for about a minute or two before adding the vegetable stock.  Simmer lightly for about 15 to 20 minutes or until pumpkin pieces are tender.

By using a hand mixer, puree the vegetables along with the soup into a thick consistency.  Return pot to stove over medium heat and add fresh cream.  Bring to a light boil and season with salt, pepper and ground nutmeg to taste.

Serve warm or cold sprinkled with pumpkin seed oil and bread!

Bon Appetit!

Flammkuchen

This is an Alsatian speciality called Flammekueche or Tarte Flambèe.  A thin pastry base topped with a mixture of crème fraîche & sour cream, onion slices and bacon strips.  Other toppings such as leek & onions may be used.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
21 g or 1/2 a cube of fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
6 tbsp oil
600 g plain flour, to be sifted
1/2 tsp salt
300 ml warm water (about 37° C)

Topping Ingredients:
200 g turkey bacon, to be cut into strips
300 g big onions, to be peeled and sliced
150g Crème fraîche
250 g sour cream or Schmand
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt and oil.  In a small bowl, crumble the fresh yeast and add sugar.  By using a spoon, mix well until the mixture becomes liquid.

Mix fresh yeast and sugar until mixture becomes liquid

Add to mixing bowl and knead at low speed, at the same time add the warm water a little at a time.

Knead into a smooth dough and cover bowl with cling film.  Leave to rise for about 45 minutes to an hour.

In a bowl, mix Crème Fraîche and sour cream (or Schmand) together until smooth. Season with ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Divide dough into 4 portions.  Roll each portion to a thin oval shape of 38 cm x 28 cm. Spread about 3 tbsp of cream mixture on each portion.  Then, add turkey bacon strips and sliced onions as shown.

Tip:  I suggest that you roll out one portion of dough at a time and keep the rest covered in the bowl.  Make sure that the dough is thinly rolled out.  This thin texture is the main characteristic of the Flammkuchen.

Bake in a preheated conventional oven at a temperature of 250° C (fan oven:  225° C) on the lowest rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Bon Appetit!

Babat Masak Lemak Cili Padi

This is one of my favourite malay dishes.  Literally translated, it is called Beef Tripe in Spicy Coconut Gravy and the taste is rich & spicy.  Best eaten with hot rice and a side vegetable dish or just petai which is known to be healthy.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g babat (beef tripe), to be washed clean and cut into bite pieces
1 stalk of lemon grass, to be crushed
2 pcs kaffir lime leaves (daun limau purut)
1 pce turmeric leaf (daun kunyit)
1 piece of dried tamarind
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (may be added if the gravy colour is too pale) - optional
1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar

Note:  The amount of chilli padi can be adjusted to one's preference.  If cooked babat is used, just blanch in hot water before adding to gravy.

Blended Ingredients:
2 medium-size onions
3 pips garlic
5 red chilli padi
5 green chilli padi
1 cm ginger
1 cm fresh turmeric

Method:
In a pot, add the blended ingredients, crushed lemon grass, dried tamarind and babat pieces.  Bring to a light simmer.  Then, add lime leaves, turmeric leaf and coconut milk.

Cook further over low/medium heat until gravy thickens and babat is tender.  Season with salt & sugar to taste.

Serve hot with rice and other side dishes.

Bon Appetit!

Beef Cannelloni

This is a typical italian dish of cylindrical kind of pasta filled with minced meat and covered with Béchamel sauce. There are various kinds of Cannelloni, i.e. with spinach & meat filling or tomato sauce is used instead Béchamel sauce.

Ingredients (serves 2 to 4 persons):
250 g Cannelloni
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely diced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
250 g minced beef
250 g fresh tomatoes, to be diced
3 tbsp tomato puree
salt & ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

40 g butter
40 g plain flour
500 ml fresh milk
salt & ground white pepper to taste
a little ground nutmeg

100 g grated cheese

Method:
In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced onion and minced garlic.  Sauté until translucent. Then, add minced beef and cook until crumbly.  Season with salt & ground black pepper.  Add tomato puree and mixed well.  Lastly, add dice tomatoes and just heat through.  Do not cook further.  Adjust seasoning and remove from heat. Leave aside to cool down.

Fill the cannelloni with the beef mixture as shown.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and mix well by using a whisk.  Then, add milk little at time and stirring in order that no lumps are formed. Bring to a slight boil.  The consistency of the Béchamel sauce should be not too thick or too thin.  Season with salt, ground white pepper and ground nutmeg to taste.

Spread half of Béchamel sauce into a casserole dish (26 cm x 21 cm) as shown.

Arrange the cannelloni on top as shown.

Spread the balance of Béchamel sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Baked in a preheated fan oven at 200° C (conventional oven:  220° C) for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Serve immediately with a green salad.

Bon Appetit!

Cevapcici

A delicious grilled meat dish which originates from the Balkans.  I added both minced beef and minced lamb together along with spices.  In order that the grilled meat stays soft and juicy, I added bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar to the meat mixture. This dish is best eaten with Djuvec Rice and Ajvar relish.

Ingredients (serves 4):
600 g minced beef
600 g minced lamb
4 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika powder (Paprikapulver - rosen-scharf)

1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp cream of tartar (can be omitted if one does not have it at hand)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda or Natron)

Method:
In a big bowl, add both kinds of minced meat, minced garlic, diced onion, chopped parsley and mix thoroughly, kneading by using your hand.

In a small bowl, mix cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda with hot water.  Stir until dissolved and add to meat mixture.  Then, add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika powder.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

By using your hands, take a portion of mixture and roll into a sausage-like shape about 12 cm long. Repeat until mixture is used up.  You will get about 16 Cevapcicis.

Cover tray with cling film and store in fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

When using a hot grill, they will take about 5 minutes on each side to turn golden brown.

When using a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.  Shallow-fry Cevapcicis portionwise until golden brown on all sides.  Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper. Repeat until all are used up.

Serve hot or cold with Djuvec Rice, Ajvar and sliced onion rings.

Bon Appetit!

Djuvec Rice

A rice dish of Balkan or Serbian origin.  Main ingredients being red bell peppers and rice.  Some recipes even include fresh tomatoes.  This dish complements Cevapcici dish very well.

Ingredients (serves 4):
260 g long-grain rice, to be washed and drained
2 small red bell peppers, to be washed, deseeded and cut into 1 cm cubes
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely diced
50 g tomato puree
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp paprika powder (Paprikapulver - rosen-scharf)
750 ml instant vegetable stock
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
In a pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.  Add riced, diced onion, pepper cubes and tomato puree. Then, add paprika powder and mix well.  Add a little vegetable stock and bring to a light boil.

When the rice mixture is getting drier, keep adding the vegetable stock a little at a time until all are used up.  Once the rice mixture is almost dry, put on lid and reduce heat to the lowest.

Cook for another half an hour or until rice is done.

Serve hot with Cevapcici & Ajvar.

Bon Appetit!

Ajvar

A Balkan relish which is made up of roasted red bell peppers, brinjal, red chillies and garlic.  Its taste can be spicy hot, sweet or piquant according to one's preference. Ajvar complements Cevapcici dish very well.

Ingredients (serves 4):
5 large red bell peppers, to be left whole
3 or 4 fresh red chillies (more can be added if preferred), to be left whole
1 medium-size brinjal, to be left whole

6 pips garlic, unpeeled and packed in a piece of aluminium foil

2 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat conventional oven to 240° C.

Line a baking tray with pergament paper and place the bell pepper, brinjal, chillies and the foil pack of garlic.  Roast the vegetables for about 15 minutes.  Turn over and roast for a further 15 minutes.  This will result the skins of the bell peppers and brinjal turning black and blistered.

Remove from oven and place all vegetables except the foil containing garlic to a bowl. Cover bowl with cling film and leave for about 15 minutes.

Remove garlic from foil.  Peel off the skins and add them to a bowl.  Peel off the skin of the brinjal carefully and cut into two.  By using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and add the flesh to the garlic.  By using a stab mixer, puree the garlic and brinjal until fine.  Remove to another bowl.

Remove the stems and peel off the skins of the bell peppers and red chillies.  Add to a bowl and pulse puree until coarsely chopped - we need a coarse texture.  Add to garlic/brinjal mixture.

Then, add minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.  Mix well then add salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Pour into a serving bowl and store covered in fridge until serving.

Serve with Cevapcici and Djuvec Rice.

Bon Appetit!

Kirsch-Schoko-Quark

This simple dessert was taught to our son in school this morning and he prepared them again this afternoon. He is very proud of his achievement and even insisted that I post up his dessert here.  Main ingredients are curd cheese, cherries, fresh cream and cherries.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g mager Quark (curd cheese)
100 g fresh cream
1 vanilla pod, to be cut into two and seeds scraped
3 tbsp cocoa
chocolate shavings
1 bottle (400 g) seedless cherries

4 dessert bowls

Method:

Pour cherries into a sieve over a bowl.  Throw the juice away and leave aside.

Whisk curd cheese, vanilla seeds and fresh cream together until well mixed.  Remove half of mixture to another bowl. Add cocoa to one bowl and mix well.

To each dessert bowl, add 1 heaped tablespoon of white cheese mixture and spread well.  Then, add 2 heaped tablespoon of cocoa mixture and spread well.  Arrange 4 cherries on top and then, add 1 heaped tablespoon of white cheese mixture and spread well.

Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top before topping it with a cherry.  Store in fridge before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Stir-Fried Beef with Spring Onions & Red Bell Peppers

A simple chinese dish to prepare for a lazy Sunday lunch.  Most ingredients are readily available in any home - one just need to buy the beef and bell peppers.

Ingredients (serves 4):
350 g beef fillet or tender cut of beef, to be thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, to be washed, dried, deseeded and thinly sliced
6 stalks of spring onion, to be washed, dried and cut into 5 cm lengths (one may use big onion instead)
4 slices of fresh ginger, to be shredded
2 pips garlic, to be peeled and crushed
3 tbsp cooking oil

Marinade Ingredients:
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine (optional)
1 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients:
100 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp thick soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine (optional)
1/2 tsp sugar
ground black pepper
1 heaped tsp cornflour

Method:
Marinate beef slices with marinade ingredients for at least one hour.  Before cooking, add 1 tbsp oil and mix well.  Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl.

In a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over high heat until hot.  Add beef slices and stir-fry by using a pair of chopsticks for about 30-40 seconds or until beef changes colour.  Remove to a bowl and leave aside.

Clean wok and reheat 2 tbsp oil over hight heat.  Add shredded ginger and stir-fry for half a minute. Then, add spring onion, crushed garlic and bell pepper.  Stir-fry for about half a minute.  Return beef to wok and mix well.  Then, add sauce ingredients and mix well.  Check seasoning.  Once the sauce starts to boil, dish out and serve hot with rice and sliced green chillies in light soy sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Ossobucco

An italian speciality of beef or veal shanks braised with beef broth, vegetables and white wine (see explanation in recipe).  There are various versions of this dish but our recipe is based on the german version.  Best eaten with baguette and a small green salad.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 thick slices of beef shanks (Rinderbeinscheiben) - total weight:  1.5 kg OR veal shanks (Kalbshaxe - ask your butcher to cut into 4 portions)
salt & ground black pepper
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp plain flour

250 g carrots, to be peeled and cut into thick sticks
250 g celery stalks or celery root, to be cleaned and cut into thick sticks
250 g big onions, to be peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and minced
50 g butter

1/4 litre beef stock (OR 1/4 litre white wine & 1/8 litre beef stock)
1 pce bay leaf
1 stalk fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
a bunch of basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp Soßenbinder (sauce binder) or 1 tsp cornflour to be mixed with 1 tbsp water

oven bag or Bratschlauch (one can use aluminium foil or a baking tray with a tight fitting lid)

Method:
In a pan, heat butter over medium heat and add sliced onion.  Stir-fry until translucent before adding minced garlic.  Then, add carrot and celery sticks.  Stir-fry for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a saucepan, bring beef stock to a slight boil over medium heat.  Add thyme, basil and bay leaf. Simmer for another 5 minutes before removing from heat.  If using white wine:  In a saucepan, boil white wine until reduced to half quantity i.e. 1/8 litre.  Add beef stock, thyme, basil and bay leaf.

Wash beef/veal shanks under running cold water and wipe dry with kitchen towel. Season with salt & ground black pepper and lemon zest.  Coat in flour and remove excess flour.  Preheat fan oven to 180° C (conventional oven:  200° C).

Place 2 beef/veal shanks side by side in an oven bag (Bratschlauch) or all 4 shanks in an oven bag.  Tie up one open end of the oven bag.

Arrange the vegetables on top of the meat shanks and add the beef stock.  Tie up the other open end, making sure that enough air is in the bag.  Place bag on a cold oven wire rack.

Place rack in oven and cook for about 2 hours for beef shanks (1.5 hours for veal shanks).  Once done, remove oven bag to a baking tray.

By using a scissor, cut open the top of oven bag as shown.

Remove to a serving plate and keep warm.  In the meantime, pour gravy into a small saucepan.  Bring to a slight boil.  Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper to taste. Add sauce thickener and whisk well.

Serve Osso Bucco with gravy.  Best eaten with baguette and a small green salad.

Bon Appetit!

Rojak Petis (Chinese Rojak)

Rojak is a popular fruits and vegetables salad dish in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.  There are various versions of rojak i.e. malay, chinese, indian, etc.  The following rojak sauce recipe is based on the malay preparation.  This time, I included yu char kway and century egg to get the chinese version.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, to be washed, dried & cut into bite pieces
1 sengkuang (bangkwang) - I used Kohlrabi (turnip) instead, to be peeled & cut into bite pieces
1 ripe pineapple, to be peeled, trunk removed & cut into bite pieces
1 mango (almost ripe), to be peeled & cut into bite pieces
2 pcs yu char kway, to be cut into bite pieces
1 century egg, to be cut into 4

Note:  One may also add "Granny Smith" apples which are sour!  Whereas, blanched bean sprouts and kangkongs are added in the malay version.

Sauce Ingredients;
2 tbsp skinned peanuts (baked or fried without oil)
1 tsp ground cillis (optional)
1 stalk chili padi (optional)
a few slices of bunga kantan (ginger flower/torch ginger bud) - optional
2 tbsp petis (shrimp paste)
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
a little tamarind juice - mix 1 tbsp fresh tamaraind with 2 tbsp warm water

Method:
Prepare vegetables and set aside.

Clockwise from from left:  pineapple, cucumber, kohlrabi & mango

Yu char kway

Century Egg

Brown sugar & Petis Udang (Shrimp paste)

Cobek

Add both types of chillis and bunga kantan to cobek and grind.  Then, add peanuts and grind coarsely. Add petis (shrimp paste), both types of sugar and about 1 tbsp tamarind juice (you may add more if the sauce is too thick). Mix well before adding the vegetables.

Mix all ingredients (except the century egg) well into the sauce and serve immediately!

Bon Appetit!