Pizza on a Plank

There's this place at Avenue K which we sometimes go if:

1 - we have time

2 - we are feeling rich

3 - we do not feel like eating other stuff

It's called Roma Pizza and the food is quite nice. 'Cept price-wise a bit expensive for us poor church mice that we'll only eat once a month. (Even then we go few months once lor)

Still had a yummy, leisurely lunch yesterday.

Pork Ball Noodles with Roast Sausages

I love pork ball noodles with roast sausages. It all began from the fact that i never really liked fish ball noodles, hahahhahaha. So i used to choose pork balls instead. And i only like it kon-lou (dry) with lou-shee-fun (mouse-tail noodles). That is the one of the only noodles you can eat in the morning, on the streets - with one hand, the other holding a book. (hahhahahahh, now you see why i like it)

Strange thing is, i've always taken it for granted. Two days back, unexpectedly we were in Kuchai Lama and had breakfast in some kopi-tiam. The pork ball noodles was ... not nice!

So now i know the old uncle that sells it at Petaling Street, that Tang place and the other fat uncle who sells it at Taman Desa Food Court - ada skill.

YUM!

Chocolate & Orange Cake

Ok, there is a tiny problem of how long it takes to bake. I don't know if it is my oven or something else. If it isn't cooked by in the time it says it should, just put it in for another 5 - 10 minutes, then use a skewer to check. It usually take me about 35 to 40mins.

175gm Caster sugar
175gm Butter
3 Eggs, beaten
175gm Self raising flour, sieved
2 Tbsp cocoa powder, sieved
2 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp orange juice
grated rind of 1/2 orange

Icing (optional, cos some people say it's too sweet)
175gm icing sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice

Steps

1. Lightly grease 20cm round cake tin, line if you like. Preheat oven (190C/375F/Gasmark 5).
2. Beat together sugar & butter until light & fluffy. Gradually add eggs (about 3 times), beating well after each addition. Carefully fold in the flour.
3. Divide mixture in half. Add cocoa powder and milk into one half, stirring till well-combined. Do the same with the other half, with the orange juice and rind.
4. Place spoonfuls of each mixture into cake tin and swirl with skewer or butter kniffe for marbled effect.
5. Bake in oven for 25 mins or till springy to touch.
6. Leave to cool in tin before transfering to wire rack.
7. For icing, sift icing in mixing bowl and mix orange juice to form smooth icing. Spread icing over the top of the cake and leave to set before serving.

Variation:
2 Tbsp of rum/brandy to chocolate instead of milk if you like to be a little drunk. Lemon also works well instead of orange. (this is what the book says, but i still prefer the choc, milk and orange)

Beef noodle

coming soon.

Bitter Gourd Soup

Ingredients:

1 Bitter gourd
500g pork ribs (you may get the type for soup)
2 slices of ginger
Salt and sugar

Steps

1. Rinse ribs, blanch in boiling water for about 3 mins.
2. remove bitter gourd seeds and cut it into big cubes.
3. Boil 5 cups of water.
4. Put all the ingredients into a port and the boiled water and steamed it for about 1 hours.
5. season it with salt and sugar.

Tips: You may replace bitter gourd with Chinese radish.

Note to Miss Iren

You still owe me Bitter Gourd Soup recipe.

Kyuri pickle no.1 (with Miso)

Again, got it from a book. Forgot which one. The Japanese love to have small servings and side dishes of various 'temperatures' and flavours. This dish can be served in a bento, too. AND can be kept for a couple of days.

Kyuri 600gm (Japanese cucumber, which is definitely very useful to have in your pantry)
Miso 400gm (any kind)
Sugar 190gm
Wine 80ml
Mirin 20ml
Shoyu/Soya sauce 1/2 Tbsp

Step 1
Wash and dry kyuri thoroughly.
Step 2
Mix all the other ingredients together.
Step 3
Put half of the mixture into a clean, dry container as a bed of sorts. Add in the kyuri, then top with the rest of the mixture. Make sure that the kyuri is completely covered.
Step 4
Refridgerate for 1 day, at least.
Step 5
Before serving, wash off the miso mixture and pat dry. Slice and serve.

Chrysanthemum and Wolfberry Tea

Got this from a Terry Tan book, i think. But i just made the text easier to understand (for me).

Water 1l (cooked)
Rock sugar 20gm
Wolfberries or Kei-zi 10gm
Chrysanthemum 10gm (the best are those wild, small flowers)

Step 1
Combine water and rock sugar, heat until sugar dissolves.
Step 2
When all sugar has been dissolved, remove from heat and put in the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3
Steep for 15 minutes, then strain.

SERVE WARM

Carrot Bites

Recipe for a simple side dish that can be served warm or cold or in bento. (got it out of a cookbook, but i translated) Nah!

Carrot 100gm
Water 200ml
Sugar 7g (about 1 tsp)
Light shoyu/soya sauce 3ml (though Japanese soya sauce, light ones are really light coloured)
Mirin 7 ml

Step 1
Slice carrots (and cut as flowers, if you like). Thickness about 2-3 mm.
Step 2
Put the rest of the ingredients into a pot and bring to boil. Then add carrots. Simmer till carrots are softer. (use a fork-lah)