Asian Delights with a Hint of Sweet P: Asian Grilled Salmon, Shrimp-Stirfry

Let's all take a deep breath.........

And relax! Another test down. Half a white coat to becoming a M.D.

It's snowing again. I'm gonna curl up with a cup of hot tea and chill (with my Bloo). Let me know if you want recipes!

You Make Me Smile

I smile most when I see the smile on someone's face when they taste my food for the first time.

What makes you smile?

A Twist to the Marsala Chicken

Bored of using the same ol' recipe for Chicken Marsala? This smooth and creamy twist to a classic dish is enhanced by adding mascarpone cheese. Serve over Fettuccine and a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy with a glass (or two) of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir :)

Recipe can be found  here on Food Network with Everyday Italian.

HK Style Beef Chow Fun/Hor Fun (乾炒牛河）

It's my dearest Mommy's birthday today and we all know she's only turning 25. :P How better to celebrate her special day than with a tribute to her favorite dish from Hong Kong --- Stirfry Beef Chow Fun.

This is a quick and easy dish you can whip up at home. The ingredients are simple and easy to find in your local Asian supermarket but the technique to making this dish memorable may take a little practice. Typically, this dish is cooked with a hot, firy wok, preferably with a gas flame stove. I had to make do with my little electric stove and non stick pan. Even so, this dish never fails to remind me of home.

Mom, hope you enjoyed this dish virtually as much as I did.

Simple Stir-fry: Green Beans with Chinese Mushrooms and Garlic

Another simple but delicious Chinese stir-fry dish for the busy students, tired moms and plain lazy bums like me :p. Back from a great reunion in NY for MLK weekend means I have to work doubly hard to catch up on our Cardiology course this week. I will still stay true to my New Year resolution and blog as much as possible!

Ingredients
Green beans with the tips chopped off
4 Chinese Mushrooms, soaked till soft & sliced
3 cloves garlic, mashed and diced
Vegetable oil ~ 2 tbsps
Dash of Rice Vinegar/Chinese Cooking Wine
1tsp of soy sauce
Salt to taste

Directions
Once you've prepared your ingredients, heat up the pan with the oil. Add garlic and fry till fragrant. Throw in the green beans and add a dash of rice vinegar or Chinese Cooking Wine. This brings out the flavor of the dish more. Add salt and soy sauce to taste. Turn heat to medium and add mushrooms. Cover and cook for another 5 min or so, until green beans are slightly soft but still crunchy.

Italian Seafood Stew + Foodie Blogroll!

All chefs have a Muse. I might be an amateur cook but my inspiration comes from the one person who has  bestowed me with the love of cooking and the genes to do so.

My father, the hero.

Whenever I'm at a lost when dinner time rolls around, I think back to the many dishes my dad has improvised over the years. Tonight was no different. My father's latest rendition of an Italian Seafood Stew left many mouths-a-watering at the New Year Eve's potluck dinner. With a little extra help by Giadia from Food Network, I was able to create my own special version. I added Tilapia ( any white fish will do), fresh shrimps and some mussels from the frozen section (which was pretty good surprisingly). Complemented by seafood stock (available from any supermarket), fresh tomatoes, parsley, mushrooms and lots of dried herbs, Jerry and I sopped up the stew with toasted rustic bread from the bakery.

Thank you daddy dear :)

Chicken Rice, Singapore Style (海南雞飯）

I'll be honest. I get home sick a lot. They say home is where the heart is and to me, home has always been where my parents are. Since we were kids, we moved around a lot. From California, to Hong Kong, to Arizona and then back to Hong Kong and later Singapore. If someone asked me where I'm from ( and believe me, I get this a lot in the States), I wouldn't even know where to start!!

Singapore was my "home" for the last 10 years and since my parents have decided to move back permanently to Hong Kong, I have to make a tribute by showcasing one of the most popular dishes offered by this wonderful country ---- Chicken Rice!

For Full article, please visit my article at Triond.

Feeling Lazy? Baked Cream Corn and Chicken Rice （粟米肉粒饭）

 There are always days when we feel too tired and lazy to cook. On these days, a simple dish of comfort food won't hurt us. My idea of comfort food always comes from a chapter of my childhood in HK. I remember when our nanny Aleli (A-Lolli) would cook this for my sister and I when our parents were out on a date. The sweetness of creamed corn against chunks of chicken over rice while my sister and I watched Disney movie after movie never failed to satisfy my appetite.

Recipe for Baked Cream Corn and Chicken over Rice
3 pieces of bonless chicken thighgs (or breasts), cubed
2 cans of cream corn
half a bell pepper (diced)
half an onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
Jasmine Rice ( brown rice)

Marinade for chicken thighs:
3 tbls of soysauce
2 tabls of chinese cooking wine
half a tsp of salt
white pepper, dash
2 tbps of sugar
1 tbsp of corn starch

1. Marinate the cubed chicken in the marinade and leave in the fridge for 20-30 min.
2. Add some oil to the heated pan and add garlic.
3. When garlic is fragrant, add diced onion and fry on medium heat until slightly browned.
4. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 min.
5. Add bell peppers and cook. Taste and adjust with salt.
6. Add the two cans of cream corn and cook on medium-low heat for 5 min until slightly reduced.
7. Serve over white/brown rice.

Enjoy!

Everyday Italian with SweetP

I might not be the next Food Network chef but I sure know how to adapt a good recipe when I see one. I was lazing in front of channel 62 the other day while thinking of a healthy but yummy meal for dinner when Everyday Italian came on with Giada De Laurentiis in her usual cleavage baring top and glistening smile. She had just returned from a spa in AZ and introduced two healthy dishes with a touch of Italian: Pork chops stuffed with sundried tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese as well as an Italian traditional 'bread' salad called Panzanella with artichokes and fresh tomatoes. I hurried to the supermarket and bought all the ingredients home.

Dinner was as scumptious as I imagined it to be. The flavors were new and refreshing, with a hint of Greek with the added olives and basil to the salad. I substituted the goat cheese for a less offending feta cheese and the result of the pork chops were amazing. I just can't get over how good it tastes! Giada proves shes right once again!


Pork Chops w/ SunDried Tomatoes and Spinach Recipe (adapted from Food Network)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme ( I used Italian seasoning)
  
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) feta cheese
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops/pork loin
  
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400F.

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the feta cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.

Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the oven (400F) and bake for 10 more min. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Recipe for the Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella can be found here.

I leave you with a picture of Mr. Binky. He is a true glutton.

 

Happy 2010!

Sorry for being MIA for so long! I just came back on a two week vacation to my second home, Singapore! And no, Singapore is NOT a part of China :) School has started back again on full swing and I promise to blog again soon with food I made over the break :)

I normally don't do New year Resolutions, but I'm going to try really hard this year and besides, if I blog them, you guys will keep me in check, right?!!!! :p

1. Cook something at home at least every other day.
2. Blog at least once every 2-3 days.
3. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week. ( I started yesterday).
4. Keep my HBO movies to a minimum.
5. STop stalking on FB.

Alright, I know the last one is not happening. No point putting myself through torture.

What are your resolutions for the new year?