Sweet and Sour Pork

Serves: 4

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Marinate

• 400g pork scotch filet, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 3/8 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

Frying

• 5 tbsp cornstarch - for mixing
• 1/2 cup cornstarch - for coating
• frying oil

Sauce

• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 3 tbsp pineapple juice ( from 225g can of pineapple pieces in juice)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 4 tsp corn stach
• 1/2 cup water

Stir Fry

• oil
• 1 garlic glove, minced
• 2 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 onion, cut into cubes
• 1.5 red & green capsicum, cut into cubes
• 1 cup pineapple pieces

Instructions:

1. Marinate Pork with marinate ingredients for 18 to 24 hours.

2. Place all sauce ingredients except water into a small bowl, mix until combined, then mix in water.

3. Have all ingredients prepped and ready.

4. Mix 5 tablespoons cornflour into the pork and leave for 5 minutes. 

5. Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.

6. Reserve cornflour for if pork is not half white when frying.

7. Pour enough oil into a small pot till 2.5 cm. Pork will start sizzling when you dip it in.

8. Cook pork in batches, do not crowd the pot, for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack.

9. Turn heat higher and refry the pork. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pork is deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to rack and repeat with remaining pork.

10. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.

11. Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.

12. Add sauce and pineapple, then let it come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens.

13. Add pork and toss quickly to coat.

14. Serve!

Recipe from: https://www.recipetineats.com/sweet-and-sour-pork/

Spicy Miso Pasta

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, diced
• 1/2 green capsicum, diced
• 1/2 cup mushroom, sliced
• 3 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 2 tbsp light miso
• 3 eggs
• 1 pack spaghetti (4 serves)
• 1 1/4 cups Parmesan
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• green onions

Method

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Heat oil over medium heat in a pan, then add bacon and cook until crisp. Add in capsicum and mushroom until the mushroom is wilted. Remove from heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the chilli garlic sauce, miso, and 2 tbsp of hot water from the boiling pot until smooth, then beat in the eggs. Cook the pasta according to instruction until al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
3. Add the pasta to the pan with the bacon and toss to combine. Heat over medium heat until everything's warmed up. Add the egg mixture, reducing heat to low, and quickly toss until the eggs coat the pasta, but aren't scrambled. Add the cheese, pepper and pasta water as desired until the sauce reaches desired flavour and consistency. Add green onions and parmesan on top to serve.

Recipe from: https://cravingsbychrissyteigen.com/cravings/spicy-miso-spaghetti/

Lo Bak Go

Time: 2hrs

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

3 (80g) Lap Cheung, diced

1 cup chicken stock

750g daikon (pre-peeled weight)

 130g rice flour

1Tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

2 Tbsp oil

Method:

1. Peel daikon and shred using the food processor

2. In a large pan, add Lap Cheung and cook over medium-low heat to render out fat. Keep cooking until the sausage pieces are browned slightly. Remove from wok.

3. Add daikon to the pan and toss it over medium high heat until wilted slightly. Add chicken stock and toss around until wilted. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until fully cooked and soft. Turn heat off.

4. Drain cooked daikon through a mesh sieve, pushing out as much liquid as possible, saving the liquid. Put drained daikon back into the pan, off heat.

5. Measure 1 cup of daikon liquid and let cool until warm.

6. Add Lap Cheung into the daikon, along with sugar, salt, pepper, and oil. Toss to mix well.

7. Once daikon liquid is warm, whisk in rice flour and corn starch until there are no more lumps. Add flour slurry into the daikon mixture and toss to mix well.

8. Turn heat on medium heat and keep tossing, scraping the bottom until mixture is thickened into a paste. Remove from heat.

9. Grease your dishpan with oil, add daikon mixture to the pan and even out the surface

10. Steam the cake for 1 hour over boiling water, making sure there is enough water in the steamer to last the hour. Cover the dishpan with an aluminium foil to stop condensation from dripping into the cake. 

11. If a toothpick comes out translucent, it is done. 

12. Let cool for 30 minutes before taking it out. Fry to serve.

Recipe from: https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/turnip-cake/

Japanese Cheesecake

Time: 2 hours

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 125g cream cheese
• 40ml canola oil
• 25g white sugar
• 60ml milk
• 3 eggs (separated yolk and whites)
• 30g sifted corn flour/starch
• 20ml lemon juice
• 50g white sugar

Method

1. Add hot water into a pot on low heat. Put a bowl on top as a double boiler. Melt and whisk the cream cheese along with oil and sugar in the bowl. When it is almost combined, remove the bowl from heat. 
2. Add milk and continue mixing until smooth. 
3. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time. 
4. Add corn starch and whisk until combined. Then add lemon juice.
5. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed. When it is very foamy, add 50g white sugar and whisk until firm peaks. 
6. Preheat oven to 150C. 
7. Add 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the cheese mixture. Gently folding until combine. Repeat until there is no meringue mix left.
8. Line 18cm circle baking tin with aluminium foil, then line it again with baking paper. Making sure there are as little creases as possible.
9. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.
10. Using a water bath method, add a small layer of water into a bigger pan, place the cake tine into the pan and carefully fill up the outer pan with water until it is around up to 3/4 of the cake tin. 
11. Carefully place the pan into the oven and bake for 80 minutes.
12. Serve with icing sugar or strawberries or just as! 

Note: Next time try to find a way so it does not deflate, could be the water getting into the pan this time. 

Recipe from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xxM3xWp-uQ&list=PLXxeZ9tDx0sDgteMoXsmAySF2XSh7GeZC&index=19&t=0s

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Time: 20 mins (+ at least 2 hours for marinating)

Serves: 2 (as a main) - 4 (as a side)

Ingredients

Marinate:

• 1 small cube fermented bean curd
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs, bite size cubes

Frying:

• Frying oil, at least a 750ml bottle
• 3/4 cup sweet potato flour
• 1 punnet thai basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sichuan pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper

Method

1. Smoosh fermented bean curd in a large mixing bowl with a spoon/spatula. Add oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, white pepper and garlic, and mix together. Add the chicken and mix well. Cover and marinate for 2 hours to overnight.
2. Heat frying oil to 180C.
3. Add sweet potato flour and coat the marinated chicken evenly.
4. Drop chicken one by one in the oil in batches so it doesn't overcrowd. Fry for 4 minutes. When it is done cooking, remove from oil and place on a baking pan lined with cooling rack. Repeat with remaining chickens. 
5. Increase oil temperature to 190C.
6. Mix salt, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, and paprika/cayenne in a small mixing bowl. 
7. Add half batch of fried chicken and fry for 30 seconds. Have a lid in one hand and basil in the other, add it into the oil and immediately close the lid. Remove lid after 5 seconds and remove chicken and basil. Repeat with the remaining batch. 
8. Sprinkle the salt mixture on top and serve immediately.

Recipe from: https://seonkyounglongest.com/taiwanese-fried-chicken/

update: made this with chicken breast and it was just too dry, stick to chicken thigh!

IKEA meatballs & gravy

Serves 6

Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 500g beef mince
• 250g pork mince
• 1 onion finely chopped (chop in the chopped thing)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced/chopped
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Salt & Pepper

Gravy:

• 40g butter
• 40g plain flour
• 300ml stock (beef/chicken/veggie)
• 150ml thick double cream 
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard

Mashed Potato:

• Potatoes, peeled (2 for each person)
• butter
• milk
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Put peeled potato in a pot of boiled water. Let it boil on low heat.
2. Combine beef and pork mince and mix with your fingers to break up any lumps. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, and salt and pepper and mix. 
3. Shape mixture into small, round balls, around the size of ping pong - golf ball. Place on a clean plate and cover. Leave it in the fridge for 2 hours so it holds it's shape, if time allows.
4. Preheat oven to 180C degrees.
5. Heat oil on medium heat in a frying pan. Gently add meatballs until it is browned on all sides.
6. Place the browned meatballs in an oven save dish and cover with aluminium foil. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Along with other veggies you want roasted on the side.
7. Melt 40g butter in a pan. Whisk in the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the stock and continue to stir. Add cream, soy sauce, and dijon, stirring until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken.
8. Test potatoes with a fork to see if it's tender. If it is, start mashing, adding in butter, milk, and salt & pepper to taste. Tasting as you keep mashing until smooth.
9. Serve altogether!

recipe from: https://twitter.com/IKEAUK/status/1252269467515617280

Rabokki

Serves 3

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Base:

• 3 cups reduced salt chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp gochujang 
• 1 Tbsp gochugaru
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 pack (2g) stevia (or 1 tbsp sugar)

Main:

• 1 pack instant ramen 
• 16 pieces Korean rice cake, separated, soak in warm water for 10 minutes
• 2 sheets Korean fish cakes, rinsed under hot running water for 1 minute, chopped into small rectangular pieces
• 3 wombok leaves, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 frozen Korean dumplings
• 2 hard boiled eggs, halved

Garnish

• 1 stalk green onion
• 1 slice of cheese

Method

1. In a shallow pot, put stock and water, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce and stevia into it. Bring it to a boil. 
2. Once the broth is boiling, reduce heat to medium low and add the rest of the ingredients in, stirring occaisionally.
3. Garnish and serve! 

Recipe taken from https://mykoreankitchen.com/rabokki/ & https://seonkyounglongest.com/rabokki/

Japchae

Serves: 3

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g Sweet potato noodles
• 250g bulgogi marinated beef

Vegetables:

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 medium size onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper, julienne
• 1/2 carrot, julienne
• half a bag (250g?) of spinach
• salt and vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 cup sugar 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• black pepper

Method

1. Heat a large pan over medium-low heat. Add oil, swirl to coat. Add beaten eggs so that it covers the surface in a thin layer. Cook until it's just set, about 2-3 minutes, then flip over and cook for another minute. Slip omelet onto a plate and let cool.
2. Heat the same pan over medium-high leat. Add oil and then the onion, capsicum and carrots. Season with salt and sauté until softened. Remove it from pan onto a plate/bowl where you will mix the whole japchae in.
3. Add more oil and cook the marinated beef until it is cooked through and all moisture has evaporated. Add it to the japchae bowl. 
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil, adding generous amount of salt. Add the spinach, and cook for about 10 seconds. Move it to ice water immediately, squeezing out the water and setting aside with the other veggies.
5. In the same water, cook the noodles according to package directions, around 6-10 minutes.
6. While the noodles are cooking, whisk the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Slice cooled egg into thin ribbons and set aside too.
7. Drain the cooked noodles and cut them if needed.
8. Pour 2/3 of the sauce into the noodles and gently mix until the sauce is mixed in. Add the noodles to the japchae bowl and toss to combine everything. Taste to see if the other 1/3 of the sauce should be mixed in.
9. Serve!

Recipe from https://seonkyounglongest.com/japchae/

Sushi Rice

Time: 2 hours
Serves: 2.5? 

Ingredients

• 360ml Japanese Rice (2 rice cooker cups)

Vinegar:

• 3.5 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Method

1. Wash the rice until the water is no longer white
2. Fill up the pot with water until just under the 2 cups, leave for 30-60mins, then put in rice cooker to cook.
3. To make sushi vinegar, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, until the sugars have dissolved. Set aside to let cool.
4. When the rice is cooked, moisten a big bowl with water so the rice doesn't stick. Transfer the rice to the bowl and spread evenly so the rice can cool faster.
5. While it's hot, pour sushi vinegar over the rice.
6. With a rice paddle, slice the rice at 45 degree angle, to seperate rice grains instead of mixing. Do it near a fan so the rice will cool and not get mushy. 
7. Gently flip the rice in between slices until the rice is cooled.
8. Put a damp towel over the bowl until ready to use. 

Recipe from: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sushi-rice/

Honey Balsamic Chicken

Serves 2

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g Chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 1/4 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• chopped parsley for garnishing

Method

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Heat skillet on medium heat and slowly pan fry chicken, skin side down, until both sides of the chicken become nicely browned and crispy. Remove the chicken and discard the chicken fat.
3. Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet, sauté the garlic until slightly browned, follow by honey, balsamic vinegar and water.
4. Add chicken back to the pan, lowering heat to simmer to reduce the sauce until slightly thickened, completing the cook of chicken (~2 mins). Flip chicken to coat both sides.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.

Recipe from https://rasamalaysia.com/honey-balsamic-chicken/

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 5
Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
Mushroom:

• 400g mushrooms, sliced
• 150g mushrooms, quartered/ 1/8th
• 35g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt & pepper

Risotto:

• 10g butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup (65ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) arborio rice, uncooked
• 5 cups (1.25L) low sodium chicken broth

Finishes:

• 1/2 cups (125ml) cream
• 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

Methods

Mushrooms:

1. Add 1/3 of oil and 1/3 of butter in large pot over high heat. Once melted, add 1/3 mushroom and cook until almost golden brown (~4 mins). adjust heat, don't let too much liquid out.
2. Add 1/3 garlic, salt and pepper, then continue to cook until golden brown (~1.5mins). Then remove into bowl.
3. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.

Risotto:

1. Turn heat down to medium, In the same pot, melt butter then add garlic and onion.
2. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent but not golden.
3. Add wine and allow to simmer rapidly for 2 minutes, scarping the base of the pot, until mostly evaporated.
4. Add rice and stir for 1 minutes until semi translucent.
5. Add about 1.5 cups of stock. Stir then leave for 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until mostly absorbed (~3 mins). Repeat once.
6. Repeat step 5 with 1 cup, twice. Left it for 10 minutes at the end. Until rice is just cooked but risotto is still creamy and sloppy.

Finishes:

1. Add cream and stir vigorously to make creamy.
2. Stir in parmesan, taste, then salt and pepper if need.
3. Stir through 3/4 of mushrooms. Consistency should be creamy, not stodgy.
4. Spoon risotto into bowls and top with remaining mushrooms. 

Recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/mushroom-risotto/

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf
Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yoghurt (or sour cream or mascarpone)
• 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3-4 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped chocolate (or choc chips) (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°. Lightly coat loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. Sift flour, add baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, whisked.
3. In mixing bowl on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, yoghurt, and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition.
4. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture bits at time, mix until just combined. 
5. Add bananas and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate if using. 
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top.
7. Bake bread for 45 minutes, put aluminium foil on top if it is already brown enough, then bake for another 15 minutes, until centre is no longer gooey. 
8. Let bread cool and then eat. 

Comments: This banana bread tasted pretty good but it was a bit spongey so a bit hard to slice. But the top is nice and crisp. 

Recipe from https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/banana-bread

Beef and Veggies Stir Fry

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 450g beef flank, cut into strips
• 1 tbsp plain flour (or cornstarch)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1.5 bok choy, quartered
• cooked rice/noodle for serving

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup light soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (or honey)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp plain flour (or cornstarch)

Methods

1. In a bowl, combine flour, water, and cooking wine until smooth. Add the beef and mix until fully coated. Set aside while chopping the vegetables.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef and stir fry for 3-5 minutes, or until its mostly not pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, stir fry the vegetables, from the ones that takes longest to soften first. Add more oil if needed. Fry for 3-5 minutes. Return beef to pan.
4. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the sauce and pour into the edges of the pan. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until everything is fully combined and the mixture is simmered.
5. Serve with rice or noodles. 

I used leftover Japanese rice and it went incredibly well with this. Will try it with flat rice noodle next time so I'll update and see how that goes. 

update: Tried it with flat rice noodle, boiled the noodle until almost al dente, poured the water out and added the left overs and put back on low hit, combine the noodle and sauce, take it out when the beef and veggies are warm. It was just as good as with the Japanese rice. going to save half as leftovers to let the sauce soak in the noodles, see if it tastes better! :) 

Recipe from https://gimmedelicious.com/quick-15-minute-beef-and-broccoli-tiryaki-stir-fry/

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

serves 6

time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15g) butter (or olive oil)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 4 cups (1L) reduced salt chicken broth/stock (or veggie stock)
• 1.5 cups (325ml) water
• 700 g broccoli florets (around 2 broccolis), peel and dice stem
• 2 potatoes, peeled & diced
• salt & pepper
• 1.5 cups (150g) cheddar, shredded (or other cheeses)
• 3/4 cup (165ml) cream or milk

Method

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until onion is softened.
2. Add broth & water, broccoli, potato, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, then place the lid on, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the broccoli is soft.
3. Turn the stove off (but leave on stove). Puree using a stick blender until smooth.
4. Stir in cream, then add cheese a handful at a time, stirring in between to melt.
5. Taste and add more salt if needed.
6. Serve with drizzle of cream.

Recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-broccoli-cheese-soup/