Cherry Vanilla Cupcake

This month we started a challenge, to see if we can acheive by not eating out for at least a month. Actually we already only eat out once a week, which compares to many others is already a record. But we wanted to start saving for our ski trip in September and also our Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong "food journey" in October. Therefore we really want to challenge ourselves to see if we can do this. Ever since we moved to Melbourne and started doing cooking and baking ourselves, we came to realised a lot of "delicacies" we can actually do it on our own (and very very much cheaper actually). And also we do this to eat more healthy and reduce our meaty diet. 

So, last weekend we started baking Cherry Vanilla cupcakes for our one week supply of breakfast and tea break. And needless to say the ingredients don't cost you more than $2 for 12 cupcakes. In Melbourne, you are expected to pay at least $3.50 for one cupcake. So why not start making your own.

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup of self raising flour
2) 1/2 cup of shifted caster sugar
3) 60 grams of butter
4) 2 eggs
5) 1/4 cup of milk (60 ml)
6) 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven from 160c to 180c
2) Beat all ingredients together using an electric mixer for 2 mins
3) Spoon the mix to a muffin tin/cupcake paper cups
4) Bake for 10-15 mins

Finally enjoy one for tea.

Thai Spicy Minced Pork

We loved Thai food and just can't get enough of it. We still kind of miss the streetside stalls' food in Bangkok. So much of their character and so much of their flavours. I found this recipe on Taste.com.au, and anyone who likes spicy and sour dish can give it a try. It is really refreshing and appetizing.

Ingredients:
1) 1 brown onion
2) 2 garlic cloves
3) 2 small fresh red chillies
4) 1 small ripe tomato
5) 1/2 tablespoon of shrimp paste (optional)
6) 2 tablespoon sesame oil
7) 500g lean pork mince
8) 1 tablespoon fish sauce
9) 1 lemon or lime juice
10) 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar or palm sugar
11) 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
12) 3 green shallots, finely chopped
13) 6 iceberg lettuce leaves, washed or steamed Jasmine rice, to serve

Place the onion, garlic, chillies, tomato and shrimp paste in a food processor or blender and process until just roughly chopped.

Heat sesame oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add the onion mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the pork mince and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until mince is cooked and aromatic.

Stir in fish sauce, lime or lemon juice and sugar and mix. Add coriander and shallots just before serving. Serve in lettuce leaves as an entree or with rice as a main course.

Kylie Kwong's Fried Rice Recipe

Yes, Fried rice ... We had some left over cooked rice in the fridge and thought maybe we should do some fried rice with it. Found this Kylie Kwong's fried rice recipe on the internet and thought maybe I should just give this one a shot. 

Ingredients:

1) 1/3 Cup Peanut Oil

2) 4 large free range eggs, beaten

3) 1 tablespoon Peanut Oil 

4) 1 and 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

5) 4 garlic cloves, diced

6) 1 medium-sized brown onion, finely diced

7) 1/2 cup roughly chopped Chinese sausage (I added some 1/2 cup cut shrimps as well)

8) 1 teaspoon white sugar

9) 2 tablespoons Shao Hsing wine

10) 5 cups cooked medium-grain white rice

11) 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

12) 1 cup finely sliced spring onions (scallions)

13) 3 teaspoons Maggi seasoning, I substitute with Dark Soy Sauce instead

14) 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

15) 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced on the diagonal

First we will work on the eggs. Heat up some oil, and pour beaten eggs into wok and cook for about 1 minute, lightly scrambling them. Set aside when cooked.

Clean wok, add in 1 tablespoon of peanut oil, and add in ginger and garlic to stir fried for 1 minute or until fragrance. Add in onion and fried for another 2 minutes or until brown and tender. Now add in chinese sausage and cut shrimps and fry for another 1 minute. Stir in sugar and wine, then stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Finally, add rice, set aside eggs, oyster sauce, spring onions, Maggi seasoning (dark soy sauce for me) and sesame oil. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until rice is heated through.

Divide rice between individual bowls and garnish with extra spring onions. 

Now you can enjoy great home cook fried rice. All Thanks to Kylie's recipe.

Lemon Sour Cream Cake

I always like to make desserts with the lemon theme in it. So happen to saw this Lemon Sour Cream cake recipe on the internet, and though of giving it a try over the weekend. This cake is actually pretty refreshing to taste and you can add some fruits on top for garnish. I actually added the lemons which I used to extract the zest plus some oranges (add in some sweetness for the cake) I bought from Queen Victoria market. Some strawberries to go with is a good match too.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1) 250g of butter

2) 2 tablespoons of lemon zest

3) 2 cups (440g) of caster sugar

4) 6 eggs

5) 2 cups (300g) of plain flour

6) 1/4 cup (35g) of self-raising flour

7) 3/4 cup (180g) sour cream (at room temperature)

8) icing sugar for serving 

9) fruits like lemon, orange or strawberries for serving

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 25cm-round cake pan and line base with baking paper.

Beat the butter, lemon zest and caster sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in half of sifted flour and half of sour cream. Beat in eggs one at a time (maybe 3 eggs for now) . Stir in the remainder half of sifted flour and sour cream, followed by remaining 3 eggs. Keep mixing the mixture until they become creamy.

Then pour mixture into the pan and bake for 90 minutes (depending on how hot is your oven, my took slightly more than 90 minutes). Test the cake with a skewer to make sure it is cook inside. After removing it from the oven, let the cake stand for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan, and let it cool down further before you start garnishing it with fruits and sprinkle with icing sugar. Put cake in fridge for it to rest before you start to serve.

Finally get down to enjoying it ... Here's a slice for you ... What a great moment to enjoy this cake with a cup of tea or espresso on a lazy afternoon.

Prawn Stock Recipe

Finally, I am going to cook my prawn noodles soup tonight. Previously, I freezed one batch of discarded prawn heads and shells just for today - to make my lovely prawn stock.

Ingredients:

1) 1 kg of discarded prawn heads and shells

2) 3-4 Cloves of garlic, chopped

3) 1 Onion, chopped

4) Ginger 2-3 slices

5) Salt and White pepper to taste

6) 2-3 tablespoons of fish sauce

7) 2 tablespoons Oil 

8) Water 4 cups

9) Chinese Wine 1-2 tablespoons

Heat up oil in a pot and pour in garlic and onion to fried till fragrance. Pour in prawn heads and shells. Fry until slightly brown and fragrant. make sure to bash on the heads with a wooden turner to release all the flavours.  Then splash in chinese wine. Pour in water and bring it to boil. Season with fish sauce, sugar (if need be to balance), salt and white pepper. 

Simmer for 2 hours until the flavour deepens. Strain off ingredients and keep stock for cooking or storage. I intend to use my stock for my prawn noodle soup.

Coconut Tart Recipe

I was looking at my fridge and saw I still have some shredded coconut lying around and some left over dough (which I made for my lemon curd tart) in the freezer. So I was thinking I should make something with these ingredients. Coconut Tart comes straight into my mind. I always buy some of these back from Footscray or Richmond, from my usual vietnamese bakeries. So why not I make some of my own.

Pastry:
For the pastry, you can refer to my recipe from Lemon Curd Tart. If you make more dough then you need, you can freeze them. They can last for up to 2 months.

Coconut fillings:
1) 200g of grated coconut
2) 50-60g of melted butter
3) 50-60g caster sugar
4) 1 large egg
5) 3 tablespoon of condensed milk
6) 3 tablespoon water
7) 1 pack of Cherries
8) Small tart tray (my is 11cm in diameter, so I can actually make 5 of these tarts)

In a bowl (I actually mix the ingredient in a warm pot), mix all the ingredients together. Taste them and adjust sugar, butter and milk to you taste liking. When you are happy with it's taste, you may set them aside.

Now we need to work on the pastry. Because I am using a larger tart tray (my is 11cm in diameter), I can actually make 5 tarts from the following ingredients proportions. Lightly grease the tart tray with butter, then press pastry evenly into it. Trim edges to remove excess dough. Fill tarts with coconut fillings to about 90% and a cherry for garnish.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Put tarts into oven to bake for about 15 mins or until pastry is cooked.

Leave tart in tray to cool before taking them out. That's it, you can then start to enjoy your tart.