Aloo Matar, Potatoes Pea Curry

I am not really into Chinese New Year cooking this year, so it is regular posting of everyday cooking for me.

This is a dish I have been wanting to cook at home after seeing it a few times over the Internet. Knowing the main ingredients: Potato (Aloo) and Peas (Matar), and armed with the spices I typically used for Aloo Gobi, I made my own version of Aloo Matar without following any particular recipe.If you have cooked this dish before, let me know if I got it right. It tastes rightfully delicious to me.Yummy!

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Tomato Beef Pasta + Clear Daikon Soup

This pasta sauce looks much better than the previous Tomato-Chicken Curry Sauce. Like how Chef Michael Symon judges a winning burger by its form factor: bun to patty ratio, I guess it also applies to a decent pasta: pasta to sauce ratio.

Previously, there is just too little sauce. I usually don't use canned tomatoes of any sorts when I cook my pasta sauce. I start it off with fresh tomatoes. Evidently, such a sauce may not be as rich as that served in pasta cafes/restaurants, but I do enjoy the wholesome-ness of homemade sauce with solely fresh tomatoes. Personal preference, really. How about you?

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YIFON Bottled Mushrooms

Nutritional goodness. Instant. Bottled. YIFON bottled mushrooms; - means healthy, fuss-free and convenient.

Nah nah, but bottled? Not that I am into convenience foods of "canned" and "bottled" - in fact, I am eating less of those now, to avoid the lurking preservatives, artificial colorings typically inherent in canned/bottled products. And so I mentioned "bottled". I would choose glass-bottled over metal-canned as the packaging for the same product due to the BPA (Bisphenol A) present in certain grades of plastics - such plastic is used to line the metal cans in canned food. Especially for high-acidic food in the can, you would want to avoid that due to reaction of acid with BPA. If you have already changed your drinking bottle to BPA-free, you should gradually minimize your canned food intake.  That makes glass-bottled packaging another plus point for me. What did I do with these bottled mushrooms?

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Steamed Egg - Home-style, Chinese-style

This is family- or home-style steamed egg dish in which everyone shares, "scoops" and "dishes out" from the same bowl - not the typical Chawanmushi-style served in individual "cups". I find the latter too troublesome at times though I agree it looks much prettier and elegant. Steamed egg sounds easy. Does smooth and velvety steamed egg sound easy? They can be, with these few tips I live by. Make them more nutritional in the same dish by adding more ingredients such as mushrooms, carrots, broccoli. (refer to the cooking Notes below). Generally, I also find that you can flavor up the dish (without adding stock) more easily as there are more of ingredients (quantity) in the steamed egg.

Note: After whisking the egg, you have to strain the egg mixture to remove strands of foam resulting from whisking the egg. If you do not have a strainer or can't be bothered to strain, use a fork and remove the "foam scum" that usually appear on the whisked egg mixture after whisking.

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Napa Cabbage with Minced Meat - 烂糊肉丝

This is definitely not one of the most appealing dish in terms of "appearance" but when my friend cooked it, I felt it was one of the most homey comfy dishes one can get at home. Moreover, it imparts authentic Shanghai flavors and according to her (from Shanghai), is really quite Shanghai-nese. Its Chinese name is 烂糊肉丝 (pronounced Lan Hu Rou Shi) - literally meaning "mushy mixture of meat shreds". Well, even the name does not sound attractive, after my unprofessional translation, that is.


Yes indeed it is a popular homey dish in Shanghai (上海) and Zhejiang (浙江) province (partially bordering Shanghai), making use of Napa Cabbage - one of the few vegetables available during winter in this region. During the harsh winter and limited fresh produce, families often use Napa Cabbage to cook dishes that can be enjoyed by the entire family including the young and old. Due to the soft and moist texture, this dish is favored among the young and old, good with a bowl of steamed rice or congee. Very comforting and warms the stomach.

My friend also told me this mixture of Napa Cabbage and Meat is filling to Spring Rolls - Shanghai style! w00t! Am I in for a treat? My friend made these spring rolls for me. I tried it, and could only say two words - 好吃 ! (Hao Chi meaning Delicious). Because of the moist mixture, it made the spring rolls extra juicy inside while maintaining the external crisp on the spring roll skin. It's like melting cheese oozing out from some kind of crisp pastry (if I could closely associate it for my Western counterparts and friends).

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Fried Potato Cutlets, Potato Balls

The last time I made some fried potato cutlets were those delicious Begedils. How about some fried potato balls now?


Made from potatoes (mixture of Purple Passion and Sunrise Medley of purple, red, yellow potatoes), carrots, peas and onions - seasoned with House Foods Curry.


Can be made into potato cutlets too!

Whatever shape or size, these are made from the same mashed potatoes. Remember? Some of you commented that mashed purple potatoes look strange and weird - in these words which I seek interest.

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Rice Cooker Fish, Corn and Shrimps for Appetizers, Snacks, Starters

In the past, I have used a Basic (Cook/Warm) rice cooker. The recipes in the The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (Everything Series) are mostly created using this basic/conventional rice cooker. Basic and serves me very well.

Currently, I am using the TATUNG TAC-6G(SF) White 6-Cup Rice Cooker Steamer which uses a stainless steel inner pot. I have decided to do without non-stick cooking surfaces, even in my rice cooker! It is a good change for me.

When the post on Braised Fragrant Pork was up, most of you were more excited over the kind of desserts I will be featuring next. What desserts will Tigerfish be featuring in the rice cooker? She can't bake! What desserts can she bring us? Well, before going to that, I did say Dim Sum? And prior to that, I wanted to make it complete by following up on Haw Mok Pla...(Chapter 3: Sensational Starters - Spicy Fish Custard, Pg. 37)...and some others.

If you have bought the book - Paperback /Kindle (thanks for the support!), here are some pictorials for you. Sorry, photos were not required in the book. Nevertheless, I do have some photos taken and to the benefit of those who have the book, you have my blog to refer to. When in doubt, select tag "rice cooker" under Search Ingredients at the column to the right. I have selectively covered a few rice cooker topics, with photos to the recipes in the book. Hope this helps.

Spicy Fish Custard

Further, remember that post on Hot Shot Sweet Corn (Chapter 3: Sensational Starters, Pg. 31) that sets some of you guessing the spices I have used?

I'll SHOW you the answer! :)

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Baked Zucchini with Spicy Wheat Germ Crumbs

Some readers commented about the texture of wheat germ. Yes I do agree - Wheat Germ is not a substitute for panko or bread crumbs; but a healthier alternative. I use Wheat Germ as breading for fish to make these Cod Fish Sticks. I also sprinkle them on top of these Squash Cakes to crumb up the top; and atop some sliced zucchini when I roast the zucchini in the oven. Super-easy way to make some Baked Zucchini with Spicy Wheat Germ Crumbs.


First, cut the zucchini to medium- thin slices. Set aside on a baking dish. Mix some Japanese spice powder: Togarashi into the wheat germ crumbs. Set aside. Note: To spice it up further, add some red chili flakes into the wheat germ mixture.


Bake the sliced zucchini 375F for 15-20 mins.

At the halfway mark, sprinkle the wheat germ -Togarashi mixture over the zucchini and continue roasting till cooked.

This is certainly easy prep. (as short as 5 minutes) for a tasty appetizer or side. The rest? Leave it to the oven.






Tag: wheat germ, oven baked zucchini

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Silkie (Black) Chicken Soup

The Chinese believe in drinking more tonic soups (补汤) during winter to balance the "yin" (cold) in the body, and for nourishment. 冬天要进补 - 来个乌鸡汤! Some of you might not be familiar with Silkie (Black) Chicken but it is quite common in some parts of Asia.

Silkie (Black) Chicken Herbal Soup is often considered "tonic" soup because of the medicinal-cure tag that the Silkie (Black) Chicken carries. Silkie (Black) Chicken is nutritional (contains proteins - more than 10 types of amino acids, Vitamin Bs, and tonnes of trace minerals - iron, phosphorus, potasssium etc.); and considered much more nutritional than the common chicken breed. As it has MORE amino acids and iron, it is also believed to nourish our body (esp. the lungs and blood), enable us to fight fatigue, enhance our bones density, and especially beneficial for women. Here in California, we can sometimes get Silkie (Black) Chicken in the Asian supermarkets (they are imported from Canada), fresh or frozen.

I do not have any Chinese herbs on hand, so I cook this Silkie (Black) Chicken Soup simply basic, with the ingredients I have.

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Black, Red, Cream Quinoa for Congee, Salads, Soups

I have been eating quinoa for a while now, but since I've been eating them supposedly the boring way - there is nothing fanciful I can tell you about. I do promise myself I will do more with quinoa such as Buttered Black Peppered Mushrooms with Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad in time to come.

So, what about quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)? It is an ancient grain that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America, and full of vitamins and minerals. If you are a true-blue vegetarian, quinoa is one of the few plant foods that provides complete protein: balanced protein, with a high level of the amino acid - lycine.

This "gold of the Incas" has found its way to the modern kitchen. Other than the standard cream-coloured quinoa typically seen being sold, I have also tried the black and red quinoa and enjoy them all. Other than the texture differences in the many quinoa varieties (e.g. red/black quinoa is more "crunchy" when cooked), the nutrition profile is almost similar.


I usually buy these three varieties from the bulk section in WholeFoods Market. When it comes to cooking, I mix them with rice, and cook them like how I prepare rice or congee. There is really a depth of textures in my rice or congee when I mix those grains and seeds. Red quinoa seeds stay firmer and crunchier after cooking - better suited for salad recipes.

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Stir-Fry Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

These days, I am able to whip up a one-dish noodle quite easily. I tend to use more Indian spices such as cumin, fennel and turmeric; than Chinese seasonings such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce in my noodle dishes. It works for me.

Nothing goes wrong with cabbage and carrot in a noodle dish. They add natural sweetness. Be it rice vermicelli (bee hoon) , Chinese noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti featured here, these noodles absorb the flavors of the spices and vegetables.

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Cod Fish Sticks, Fish-Fingers - Homemade good!

Happy New Year, all of you out there! I have stopped making new year resolutions, so maybe you can tell me yours.

I "bookmarked" this idea some time ago since frozen fish-fingers (or they call it fish-sticks over here?) spells childhood. Yes. When I was schooling kid, that was what I sometimes ate for breakfast -- Bird's Eye fish-finger sandwiched in bread.

I basically don't deep fry. Hear me right. I enjoy deep-fried food but doing that at home - No no! But, Lisa is Cooking's Halibut Fish Sticks: those shallow-fried fish-fingers look so darn crispy and CUTE! They look and sound really easy to make too. So...I AM MAKING THAT. I will make Cod Fish Sticks!

Kept to the very basics, I did not make any sauce PLUS made some adjustments (for the sake of experimenting a new product** I bought recently)

(1) Pacific Cod was chosen as that was the only fillet I have in my freezer.

(2) No panko bread crumbs - so I used Wheat Germ** (read more at end of post).

(3) No sauce. Instead, sprinkled some Japanese spice powder: Togarashi over the fish sticks for added flavor and spice.

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