Pineapple Shrimps/ Prawns

Fresh whole shrimps/prawns (heads and shells on) are most flavorful when cooked in a dish; but when time is not on our side, peeled deveined frozen version brings the convenience one would wish for without much sacrifice to the flavors.

Bring in another convenient ingredient - a good quality free-of-preservatives store-bought sauce, and a delicious shrimps/prawns stir-fry is less than 30 minutes away.


Certain fruits (and its natural juices) bring tangy-sweet acid brightness to a dish. Not all fruits are created equal. For example, stone fruits e.g. peaches and nectarines tend to be on the sweet-side while kiwi on the tangy-side. Pineapple, to my preference, is one of those tangy-sweet candidates that makes a dish more mouthwatering, and tantalizing such as Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Curry, Tofu, Pineapple, Bell Peppers Stir-Fry and Sweet and Tangy Tofu.

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Kale with Pineapple and Cranberries

The tangy-sweet pineapple and tart-sweet cranberries balance the bitter-sweet kale in the most perfect way, not only in flavors and texture but also scientifically.

Studies have shown that a teeny weeny bit of citrus or Vitamin C helps our bodies better absorb the non-heme iron (vs heme iron present in meat, seafood) in leafy greens such as spinach and kale.  For example, you can squeeze some lemon over these greens or like what I have done today - toss some thinly shaved pineapple with kale.


And do you know that the hard core of pineapple which we often find hard to chew or bite (then discard), actually contains much of the nutrition present in the pineapple? Preparation tip: If you thinly sliced/shaved the pineapple with its flesh and core, the "fiber" in the core is being further "broken down" somehow, so you will not find it hard and fibrous to chew anymore, so much so that you can enjoy the core with the flesh.

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Summer Pineapple Salsa

This Pesto Salmon is surely delicious but would a salsa condiment be too much with the salmon entree? Well, not when it is a simple and easy four-ingredient Pineapple Salsa that adds instant zest and freshness to the roasted salmon. The sweet-tangy pineapple's subtle acidity puts the entire fish entree in perfect balance just like this Salmon Cake with Mango Salsa.


The key is to portion the salsa in small quantity to the entree (in business analogy, this is termed "hunger marketing") and I am pretty sure there will be demands for second or third servings of the salsa!

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Pineapple, Tofu, Bell Peppers Stir-Fry 凤梨炒豆腐,灯笼椒

Pineapple is a good source of Vitamin C and aids digestion. We consume them as fruits most of the time.

In Chinese food therapy, pineapples are considered "cooling" for the body. When consumed, they can alleviate inner body heat and reduce dehydration. With that, we can almost say that pineapples should be consumed in hot summer months and avoided in the cold winter days/nights. However, rather a complete abstinence, a reduced intake of "cooling" food especially for those with "cold" internal body system is more appropriate; as pineapples still do offer benefits of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial when it comes to building up our natural immunity against colds.

We are almost into spring with warmer temperatures than winter, so having more "cooling" pineapples should be fine.


So yes, I bought two whole pineapples in the peak of winter, past two months ago. And yes, I had to think of how to make some dishes out of them instead of consuming them as fruits which in the cold winter days/nights might subject the inner "cold" body to even colder "yin" elements. Then yes, naively, I thought a light stir-fry with spice will introduce some (more) heat factor "yang" elements and balance it all.


Put logic aside, the pineapple does add sweetness to this otherwise spicy savory dish. So the pineapples have done great. Not me. What I did good was to get all the ingredients ready (mise en place) before cooking. Well, I made my own "job" easier.

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Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Curry

This mixed vegetables and pineapple curry may seen very ordinary to you but it was the first time I ever bought a fresh whole pineapple (I usually use canned pineapples) and use it in my cooking.

I wanted color, a rainbow diet and that was obvious. Green, orange, red, yellow. I have that.  As it was vegetarian, I used fried shallots as the flavor element to tune up the entire dish, despite it being a curry (already spiced), I wanted another savory balance to it.

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Pineapple Fried Rice, 菠萝炒饭, 黄梨炒饭

I am not going to detail another recipe of fried rice for my fried rice here is as simple as some leftover (overnight) rice, fried with frozen peas, pineapple cubes, 1-2tsps of dark soy sauce, with a dash of curry powder, turmeric, pinch of salt, black and white pepper to taste; finally and MAGICALLY garnished with pomelo sacs, vegetarian floss and fried egg strips.

It sounds like pineapple rice (黄梨饭), may not be the exact Thai recipe though many many times better than the USD10.00 Pineapple Fried Rice in Singapore Old Town Cafe, Dublin, California. That sucks big time!


The pomelo added extra hint of bitter-citrus to the sweet-citrus pineapples in the rice, and I love having the lil' pomelo sacs burst in my mouth while I chew the rest.

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Spicy Meat Sandwich with Cheese and Pineapples - "Roti John" makeover!

I commented at Noobcook's Pita Pizza post that the way she pans out her pizza reminded me of the dog gone days (it was in 2007, my god!) of me making Pita Pizza. Pita bread as the base, slather with tomato pasta sauce, then top with choice of favorite ingredients. Voila!

Pita Pizza, made 2007, topped with Spicy Italian Sausage, cheese, pineapples

Then, I have to revive an old draft of mine - hiding among others...awaiting 1tbsp of inspiration, and one bowl of writing efforts (time). Unveiling the New Age Roti John Pizza Sandwich. Saving you from the argument to be classified as Pizza (open dough) or more appropriately, Calzone (turnover, enclosed dough), it depends on how you want to eat it.

What (or who) is Roti John? You may not be familiar with this name "Roti John" which appeared to be a name derived during the British Colony when sandwiches were prepared for the Englishman whom people like to address as "John". Roti (meaning Bread) John means "Sandwich for John". Roti John as I have tasted before has spiced minced meat (lamb) filling, served on baguette (French bread) usually like a Pizza: open-face (sometime partially egg-dipped) toasted baguette topped with curried minced meat.

With the Turkish Pide Bread, slice it open-face and ...toppings...fillings!

The "makeover": The New Age Mr. Roti John I have created, harps new notes from some of my favorite pizza toppings - cheese and pineapples. And I swear the combination of cheese and pineapples is perfect on the fried curried minced meat.

Curried Minced Meat Sandwich with Mozarella Cheese and Pineapples ...(poooof...mouthful)
Ingredients: Minced meat; tomato, cut into bite-size; garlic, minced, onion; minced; egg, whisked; pinch of cumin and fennel powder; pinch of turmeric, 1tsp curry powder; salt and black pepper to taste; mozarella cheese to sprinkle; pineapples cubes

Directions: Heat oil (or butter) in pan. Add cumin, fennel, turmeric and curry powder, garlic and onions and fry till fragrant. Then add the minced meat and fry briskly on medium heat. Add the tomatoes and continue frying. Add the whisked egg gently into the minced meat mixture and continue frying till the meat mixture is  cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste and more curry powder if you prefer more curry flavor. Set the meat mixture aside.

With the Turkish Pide Bread (note: substitute for Baguette), slice it open-face and sprinkle cheese on it. Then top with fried meat filling, then sprinkle more cheese, top with pineapples, then more cheese. Toast it till the cheese melts.

Pack your lunch: And because I always enjoy more filling, and the convenience of take-along, I sandwiched the filling with another layer of bread (THAT...can enclose and wrap more filling and easier to eat like a sandwich!). If you wish to prepare more portions to bring along for next day's lunch, you can repeat the above "decorations" without toasting it. Wrap the prepared sandwich with aluminum foil (See? I told you a sandwich is easier to wrap since the fillings are now protected...inside!) and before you want to eat, toast the sandwich (already in the foil) in a toaster oven. Voila! Unwrap and eat!


Have you tried something similar? Maybe Sloppy Joe is the wetter American version of the above similar ?

An Escape to Food on Facebook

Tag: sandwich, pizza, roti

Pineapple cookies, tarts and rolls

28 Feb marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. There are many cookies, tarts and rolls that are left which are mostly "gifts" from my parents (they received these gifts from friends and pass them on to me) - and...so... I decided it was still tartelicious!


Pineapple tarts and rolls must be one of the most popular and widely variate "cookies" during Chinese New Year. It comes in opened rolls like this and this; opened tarts like this and closed tarts like this. I am amazed!

I prefer the open tart because visually, it seems to have more filling than pastry crust and I love more filling, filling, filling! Is that just a visual illusion or you bakers out there can tell me, if the ratio of pineaple filling to the pastry crust is really different in the bake process for a open vs closed tart/roll?

What's your favorite? Opened, closed, tart, roll? ^0^

Tag: pineapple, pineapple tarts, pineapple rolls

Taiwan pineapple cake - 台湾凤梨酥

Do you like this ?


Taiwan pineapple cake - the pineapple filling is typically inside the pastry



Bye bye Taiwan, I will soon be back in Singapore! Yes! Durians!

Tag: pineapple cake, Taiwan eating