« November 2006 | Main | March 2007 »
December 15, 2006
What is XO sauce?
When I was living in Singapore, I subscribed to the only monthly food magazine that was available and it was called "Eat!". Small in terms of volume but packed with page after page of yummy Pernakan, Chinese, Indonesian and local Singaporean fare, the magazine had several recipes that called for "XO Sauce". I used to wonder what it was and how it was used. Then we moved to Sydney and the term was lost in transit. I don't recall coming across that term in the lovely food magazines here. After I saw it stocked in an old glass cabinet at the local Asian grocer, I asked the lady at the counter about it. She had no clue what it was and its purpose in Asian cooking. So I came home and googled it. Don't know why I never thought of googling it before!!
"XO Sauce" is a modern spicy seafood sauce with origins in Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine. It is made of dried seafood, such as scallop, fish and shrimp, mixed with chile, onion, garlic and oil. Once the prestigious concoction only confined to high-class seafood restaurants, it can now be found on store shelves, produced by Asian food companies like Lee Kum Kee and Amoy.
Nicknamed the "Caviar Of The Orient", XO Sauce is essentially a flavour enhancer and a brilliant condiment. It is also known as Kong Kong Sauce and below is a typical recipe to make this sauce at home. It seems like a tedious and time consuming task. [As for me, I am heading out to buy it from the Asian supermarket!]
Basic XO Sauce Recipe
------------------------------
150g fresh red chilis
250g dried scallops (conpoy)
150g garlic clove, minced
150g onion, finely diced
100g tiny dried shrimp (unshelled variety)
50g Jinhua ham
50g salted cured fish
25g large dried shrimp (shelled variety)
1/2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
Wash and remove the seeds and stems from the chilies. Heat wok on low and add oil for stir-frying. When oil is ready, add the chilies. Stir-fry until they are heated through.
Remove the chilies from the heat and drain. Dry in the sun until completely dried (about 2 - 3 days). Reconstitute conpoy (dried scallops) by soaking in water for 2-3 hours, then steaming for 3 hours until soft. Reserve the liquid accumulated as a result of steaming. When cooled, finely shred the conpoy by hand.
Soak the tiny shrimp in water for 3 hours. Drain the shrimp and mince finely.
Finely dice ham into 2mm cubes. Dice fish into 3mm cubes.
Heat wok on high heat and add up to 2 - 4 cups* oil for frying. Add garlic, onion, and tiny shrimp and fry until the mixture stops steaming? At that point add the chilies, ham, and fish, and continue to cook until chilies become translucent. Add the conpoy and shelled dried shrimp and ground black pepper and turn the heat down to low. Continue to cook until only a little steam rises from the mixture. Remove from the heat and cool. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Posted by Gel at 6:12 PM | | Comments (0)
December 13, 2006
Macro Wholefoods Markets come to Hornsby!
I have been recently introduced to the "wholefoods" movement and have happily jumped on the bandwagon, trying to educate myself more about the simplicity and wholesome nature of food. Books and blogs aside, the recent opening of Macro Wholefoods Markets in our local Westfield was one of the most exciting food-related thing that I have experienced. I kid you not, but just stepping into the brightly lit organic market detoxified and cleansed my soul. Now I just wish that was true for my body as well :)
This place is pretty amazing, it has fruits, vegetables, health food, snack bars, pulses, grains, breads, eggs, meat, dairy, coffees, teas, cereals, baby food, organic cleaning supplies, books and heaps more. On my first visit there, I picked up a couple of things for my son [non of which he is keen to try by the way]. I got some gluten-free organic carrot and rice puffs, some banana and apple pudding and kalamatta olive bread [which was just gorgeous all toasted and drizzled with more olive oil]. On my second visit I decided to bring home some organic quinoa and miso paste ... a strange combination I know, but I have been dying to try some Quinoa, South American Style and some good miso soup with tofu bits.
Their website is informative and nicely laid out. Check it out!
Posted by Gel at 4:53 PM | | Comments (1)
December 12, 2006
What makes a Raspberry and Coconut cake Frou Frou?
frou·frou also frou-frou (froo froo)
n.
1. Fussy or showy dress or ornamentation.
2. A rustling sound, as of silk.
The word frou-frou is first recorded in English in the early 1870s. Its original sense was 'a rustling, as of silk on a woman's dress'. An example that the Oxford English Dictionary cites from 1871: "With a frou-frou of soft silk she arose." This sense also appears as a verb--"frou-frouing skirts," for example.
The current sense, 'elaborate or frilly decoration, as on women's clothing', is also found for the first time in the 1870s.
The word frou-frou is a borrowing from French, in which it is first found in the 1730s. It is ultimately of imitative origin--the word is supposed to sound like the rustling of silk.
I like the word, it intrigues me. And I always wonder how it would sound slipping off the tongue and escaping from the dainty lips of a French Madame. Delicate? Romantic? Ethereal? ....ahhhh more words I love!! I actually came across this recipe while browsing "The Australian Women's Weekly CUPCAKES", which is a must have for cupcake fans like myself. The recipe was simply called "Frou-Frou" and that was enough to spark my interest and head for my baking paraphernalia.
The photo was a beautiful shot of 2 little miniature cakes covered in moist, white creamy textured icing and flakes and swirls of dried coconut topped with a little cluster of fresh, plump raspberries. I realised that I was missing one or two key ingredients that the recipe called for, so I improvised.
Instead of the Cream-Cheese Coconut Frosting, I made White Chocolate & Sour Cream Coconut Ganache. The result was not only delicious, but visually stunning. Raspberry and Coconut are another of those "Marriage made in heaven" ingredients.
Raspberry Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate And Sour Cream Ganache
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Makes 10
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
----------------
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup caster sugar
150g frozen raspberries
125g butter, softened
3 eggs
For The Ganache
---------------
1/2 cup white chocolate melts
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp coconut essence
For The Decoration
------------------
1/2 cup dessicated coconut/coconut flakes
1/2 fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 180 deg C [160 deg C fan forced]. Line 10 of the 12 holes of a standard muffin pan with paper cases. Beat butter, sugar, sour cream and eggs in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the sifted flours, coconut and raspberries. Mix gently with a wooden spoon till combined. Divide mixture among cases, smooth surface and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes until cooked through.
Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Remove paper cases when completely cooled.
To make the ganache, melt white chocolate in a shallow dish placed over a boiling pot of water. Remove from heat and beat in the butter, sour cream, icing sugar and essence with an electric beater.
Ice the cupcakes with the ganache in gentle swirling motions. Sprinkle dessicated coconut or dried coconut flakes all over the icing and top with one or few fresh raspberries.
Posted by Gel at 2:34 PM | | Comments (0)
December 11, 2006
5-Star Chicken Congee Singapore Style & East Coast Road Memories
Whenever I think of Singapore, I do so with a fond smile and an ache in my heart to fly back there and relive the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the Lion City. The 5 years that I spent there are as vibrant and fresh in my head as if it were yesterday. I enjoyed numerous gastronomic adventures, discovering wondrous tastes for the first time and savouring every new one.
There was this very popular award-winning place selling the much-loved Hainanese Chicken rice on our street called simply "5-Star Chicken Rice". Needless to say, their chicken rice became our staple for lazy evenings and work emergencies. Never a dull moment at that place, orders were usually taken over the phone. When you did show up to collect your order, the beehive of activity was as interesting to watch as an action-packed blockbuster. I remember burrowing my way into the brightly lit but lacking in space area, my rubber soled shoes going 'slick slick slick' on the greasy [but clean] floor. I would stand in front of this huge polished aluminium preparation and serving area with roasted chickens hanging as if on an assembly line. The chefs with their quick movements and happy smiles chopped up the chickens, topping them over beautifully fragrant rice scooped out of massive red rice pots. The clear chicken soup would be splashed into round plastic containers and everything would be neatly arranged in a plastic bag with two small pre-prepared containers of the famous Singapore 'chilli' and 'sweet soy sauce'. As was the case with the Congee, which was instantly packed ... no waiting time. And then as I would make my way out of the shop, the sweet owner would stop to chat with, her busy eyes never missing a table, watching over her efficient staff of mostly youngsters balancing 12 bowls of soup in a single tray and weaving their way through the army of tables and chairs laid out on the footpath. I would finally wave goodbye to the 'aunty' chopping away at a mountain of red chilli-padi on a nearby table and another pretty girl patiently peeling garlic cloves. They would charge me $3.00 for all the lovely food and send me packing 10 paces away to my home, making me feel like a long-lost cousin who was welcomed and looked after. How can you not miss that?
Here is their Congee recipe which was my breakfast and supper when I was expecting my first-born, I loved it so much .. I had developed a craving for it. The subtle taste of garlic and the sweetness imparted by the slow-cooking of rice floods my senses and takes me back to my fond memories of Singapore in 2004.
5-Star Chicken Congee Singapore Style
______________________________________
Ingredients For The Basic Congee
-----------------------------------------
1 1/2 cups congee/arborio rice; washed
8 cups water
3 garlic cloves, skinned and crushed
1 inch ginger piece, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Ingredients For The Chicken Topping
--------------------------------------------
300g chicken thigh fillets, diced into 1 cm pieces
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup spring onions, finely chopped
Preparation & Presentation
----------------------------------
Combine all the ingredients for the basic congee in a large and deep saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring very frequently. The more you stir, the creamier the congee will become as the rice grains break down down slowly. I like to keep tasting it in order to adjust seasonings to suit my palate.
Heat sesame oil in a pan. Add the chicken and saute on high for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar and sesame seeds. Stir-Fry on high for 6-8 minutes till chicken pieces are thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat.
Ladle some congee into a bowl. Top with chicken pieces and sprinkle chives and spring onions.
Posted by Gel at 4:52 PM | | Comments (1)
December 9, 2006
Stars And Gingerbread Children this year ...
So, I finally got around to clicking pictures for our Christmas card this year. I put up white sheets, plopped a funny red Santa hat on my son's head and snapped off a few photos before he got cranky. That happened soon enough though, so I sent him off to watch "Finding Nemo" while I experimented photographing some stars and cookie cutters. The Christmas Card Layout turned out quite nicely and I am very pleased with the result. The colours are whites and reds with a gently spattering of gray/dusky rose here and there. I made the entire layout in Photoshop CS as opposed to sticking a picture on cardstock and laboriously scrapping all around it, like I did last year. All I need to do now is stick the layouts on store-bought blank cards and send them their merry way!!
Here are some of the abstract pictures I was choosing from for the layout.
Posted by Gel at 7:00 PM | | Comments (1)
December 5, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 8 : Coffee 101
I wish I had read this paper scrap before that fateful evening when I ordered a 'Macchiato' at the local cafe, because it sounded hip and frothy. How wrong I was!! Now before I continue, you must know that I love my coffee, I am a coffee gal right down to the very last drop; but I love mine with milk and a wee bit of sugar. I am all for lattes and cappucinos .... anything without milk gives me a splitting headache. For those of you who know what a 'macchiato' is, well you must be laughing your heads off right about now. For those of you who don't, it is an "espresso marked with milk"; note my use of the word "marked" here. They just dot it with milk froth [not real milk] to trick us coffe with milk drinkers into thinking that it is safe to sip.
Against my better judgement and because I am not 4 years old, I gulped it down; the entire, paltry 1/4 cup of strong, heady, milkless coffee. Later when i complained of a migraine, my hubby couldn't help but say "I told you so". Maybe I should've listened to him after all and not gulped it down. Well, at least now i know what a Macchiato is and I also lived to tell. So there!
Here is the Paper Scrap I couldn't pass up without sharing in the blog ...
ESPRESSO
Often used as the base of all coffees, this strong black coffee is made by forcing steam through dark-roast coffee beans. It is served with golden cream in a short glass or espresso cup.
CAFE LATTE
Commonly referred to as latte, this is 1/3 espresso and 2/3 hot frothed milk [my favourite!!]
LONG BLACK
A mix of 1/3 espresso and 2/3 hot water. Water is added first so that the cream remains.
MACCHIATO
It means "espresso marked with milk". A striped effect is created with a dollop of warm milk froth. the short macchiato is 1/3 espresso with 2/3 warm frothed milk. Long macchiato is 1/3 espresso and 2/3 hot water, with warm frothed milk.
Hey!! wait a minute ... this one here says warm frothed milk?? Then what did the girl at the cafe give me when I asked for Macchiato??
FLAT WHITE
A no-fuss blend of 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk, minus the froth.
CAPPUCINO
Frothy due to 1/3 warm frothed milk and 1/3 foam, backed with 1/3 espresso. Dusted with cocoa powder/
MOCHA
For chocolate lovers, this is made with 1 tsp drinking chocolate, 30ml hot water, 1/3 espresso, 1/3 frothed milk and 1/3 foam. Dusted with cocoa powder.
Posted by Gel at 6:44 PM | | Comments (0)
December 3, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 7: Sherry Baby
no .. not the new movie featuring Maggie Gyllenhaal, but the gorgeous, burgundy drink that seems to perk Dr. Fraiser up in every episode of that funny sitcom.
Sherry, first made by the north African Moors during the 8th century wasn't imported to England until the end of the 15th century. Once regarded as a drink for 'maiden aunts' [no wonder Frasier and Niles are the butt of so many frou-frou jokes!], it is now enjoying a revival and recognised as a delicious wine to have as an aperitif or with a meal. It is also excellent for cooking, ideal to splash in soups, stews and sauces.
Finos are pale sherries with a crisp aroma. They are usually served chilled with tapas, seafood and soups.
Manzanilla is a fino with a delicate aroma and a salty tang.
Amontillado is smooth and full-bodies, a perfect aperitif. It also goes well with white meat, oily fish and mature cheese.
Pale cream and cream sherries are rich and dark, perfect with puddings and desserts.
Posted by Gel at 1:49 PM | | Comments (0)
December 2, 2006
Step-By-Step : Poaching And Flaking A Haddock
1. Place fish in a pan. Cover with milk and seasonings. Agitate the pan a little and then leave to simmer on low heat.
2. Check to see if the fish is flaking in about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and leave to drain.
3. Turn fish over, peel off skin and discard any bones using a tweezer.
Posted by Gel at 1:41 PM | | Comments (0)
December 1, 2006
Things you did'nt know about "Lancashire Hotpot"!
.... and nor did I!!
Lancashire Hotpot was traditionally cooked in a deep earthenware or porcelain casserole. As in many regions of Europe, poorer families would take their 'pot' to the village baker to cook the stew in his ovens, when bread baking was over for the day. [This practice is still prevalent in many developing countries, although the items baked vary widely. When I was younger, I remember tagging along with my Mum to a bread baker's shop in our town. My mum used to prepare these crumbly, melt-in-your mouth sugar cookies and carry them in a box to be baked at the big bakery. Once there, she used to lay them out on their massive metal sheets and in it used to go in temperatures which were hard to achieve at home in our small 1-cake capacity oven. An hour later, we used to trudge back home, with a big box of over 200 hot from the oven golden cookies]
Coming back to the Lancashire Hotpot, it was once a poor man's supper [as most stews normally are]. The main ingredients were scrag end or middle-neck lamb chops, onions and potatoes. Other fresh vegetables were a luxury. It may have contained lamb's kidneys or mushrooms and when they were cheap and plentiful in supply, then oysters.
Here you will find an authentic Lancashire Hotpot recipe.
Posted by Gel at 1:16 PM | | Comments (0)
