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Well, to continue where I have left off, I will be sharing a very nutritious soup recipe made from burdock root.  You may have seen burdock root at the grocer’s but never know it can actually be cooked into such a delicious soup.

But appearances are deceptive and beneath it, the goodness of burdock can be plentiful.  See this article if you are keen to find out more information about Burdock.

Ingredients (Serves about 4-5 adults)

• 1 Burdock root (about 30 cm long), peeled, washed and cut into small pieces
• 200 g boneless pork loin, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons wolfberries
• 8 dried honey red dates
• 6-8 cloves of garlic with skin intact
• 3 litres of water

Instructions:

Step 1:  First bring the water in the stockpot to a boil.

Step 2:  Place the pork loin pieces in a separate bowl.  When the water has boiled, scoop some water over to scald the pork loin.  This is an important step as scalding will remove the remaining traces of blood on the pork.  You will notice a layer of “scum” floating on the surface and will be glad that you have skimmed it off before putting these pork in the actual soup!  Yikes. 

Step 3:  Drain the pork pieces before transferring it back into the stockpot.  Put in the rest of the ingredients.  Aren’t the colors beautiful?

Step 4:  Bring the water to a boil again at high heat.  When it has boiled, lower to small heat and allow the soup to simmer for 2.5 hours.

Step 5:  After 2.5 hours, the soup should have turned a really nice flavorful reddish orange color and the water level should have dropped to about 2/3 of its original level.

Step 6: Add salt (about 1 teaspoon) and a dash of pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Turn off the heat.

Step 7:  Serve soup hot and ladle them straight into the lunch jar if you intend to bring them out to keep them as warm as possible.

How does this look?

For those who have not eaten burdock before, I would say it taste somewhat like potato, but less starchy.  In fact, the first time my mom cooked it, she tricked me into thinking that it was potato and I didn’t suspect a thing.  Haha.  So much so for my ignorance then!

This soup recipe can also be an all-in-one meal if you are not fussy.  Just bring some cooked rice to go along with it for a simple, yet satisfying lunch.

I had put this on hold for the longest time, thinking that it was going to be quite a hassle just like my other blogs (it was a nightmare when I upgraded them from WP 2.5 to WP 2.7). In actual fact, all it took was a couple of clicks and it’s done!

If you are still procrastinating like me, don’t worry about upgrading as long as you have at least WP 2.8 installed. I did it in a breeze and am glad that I have finally got rid of the yellow irritating reminder. Haha.

This is what you would probably see:

Step 1: Click the yellow reminder at the top of your dashboard.

Step 2:  Click Upgrade Automatically.  You can backup your database and files first beforehand as a good practice.  But I was too lazy to do so. 

Step 3:  In just a few seconds, it is done and you can now update your plugins too.

How much time did that take me?  ONE minute.

Yes, unbelievable huh?  I love WP 2.8!

Well, I hope to make it up with this interesting recipe today.  It is really simple and there is no baking involved for these cakes!  No oven, no-preheating, only steaming required and I bet you should have all the ingredients already in your well-stocked kitchen.  LOL.

Ingredients (Makes about 20 small cupcakes):

• 4 eggs
• 160 g sugar
• 175 ml soda
• 200 g plain flour

Yes, that’s all the ingredients needed.  For soda, you can get ice-cream soda or 7-up.  If you wish to add a citrus taste, Fanta orange would be great.  I used Kickapoo, a local lime-flavored soda drink which taste somehow like Mountain Dew, for the fun of it.  Maybe next time I might try making them with sparkling Ribena for a grapey taste, or even Coca-Cola?  Haha.  As long as it is a sweet carbonated drink, I think it will still work the same.

Hey, doesn’t this sound fun already before we even start?  Get your kids to help in the measurements and blending.  I bet they will love it!

Instructions:

Step 1:   Crack all the eggs and put the sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2:  If you are using a mixer, blend the mixture till it turns frothy and cream in color.  I used a whisk instead to beat the eggs and sugar manually.  It took me about 20 minutes.  Just a rough guide in case you do it by hand too.

Step 3:  Add your preferred soda to the mixture and mix well. Lastly, add in the flour bit by bit and mix well too.

Step 4:  Lay muffin paper cups on a muffin tray or in my case, I used individual muffin tins.  Fill the cup each to its brim with the mixture.

Step 5:  Heat up a steamer.  Place these cups to steam for about 6-7 minutes.

Step 6:  To check if the cup cakes are ready, prick one with a toothpick.  If the toothpick comes out not sticky, the cup cakes are cooked and ready to be eaten.

Step 7:  Place each cup cake aside to cool.  Repeat Step 3 again until mixture runs out.

Well, I hope this steamed cup cake recipe gives you another light meal idea of what you can pack for your kid’s lunch box.  Top it up with some cheese & ham or steamed vegetables for a balanced and healthy meal.

You can also pack these as an afternoon snack for Hubby or make them for picnic meals.

Hope you like it! 

Yeah, although it’s only a teeny-weeny PR1,  LOL,  but it’s a big mile-stone for my dear blog after a few months’ of writing.

I would like to apologize for the lapse in posts recently though.  It’s because I have not been able to spend as much time blogging like before when I first started out as I am currently very busy with a course.  I don’t cook as often right now, but yesterday, I made steamed egg cakes and they tasted great!  Will be posting the recipe right after this.  Stay tuned.

It makes quite a well-balanced dish for children as well as there is chicken, potato and carrot, an all-in-one solution if mummy feels lazy!

Ingredients (Serves 4 adults):

• 200 g boneless chicken fillet, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• Half a cup of water
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• Cooking oil
• Dash of ground pepper

For chicken marinade, you will need:

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• Dash of ground pepper

Instructions:

Step 1:   Mix ingredients for chicken marinade in a mixing bowl.  Put in the diced chicken fillet and mix well.  Allow it to marinate for 1 – 2 hours.  This is how it should look.

You can leave it to marinate overnight too.  Remember to cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the chiller.

Step 2:  Heat up a wok or pan with cooking oil.  Fry the potato and carrot cubes till they are cooked.  Remove and set aside.

Step 3:  Remove the excess cooking oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the wok for the next step.

Step 4:  Put in chopped garlic and when it starts to brown, add in the marinated chicken fillet cubes.  Stir-fry till cooked.

Step 5:  Transfer back the potato and carrot cubes, add in water and light soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute.

Step 6:  Turn down the heat a little and let the stew simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Add in a dash of pepper, mix the combo well for the last time and serve.

Just a few steps and you are done, isn’t it easy?

Of course, not forgetting to set aside some for my lunch box too.

Well, if you don’t eat sardines, just substitute them with tuna, it will work just fine.

I use microwave cooking for the sardine filling, so it’s really easy and something you can slap on if you are rushing for time.

Ingredients (Serves 2 adults):

• 230 g canned sardines or tuna
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli sauce (optional if you don’t like it spicy)
• Ground pepper

Instructions:

Step 1:  I usually debone the sardines (although the bones can be eaten) and shred them with a fork into smaller pieces.  Set aside in a bowl.  If you hate the thought of it, just use canned tuna.  No bones to fret about.  LOL.

Step 2:  To cook the chopped onion, I place them in a microwave-safe bowl.  Add in a teaspoon of cooking oil and mix well with the onion bits.  Put it in the microwave oven and set it on HIGH cooking for 2 minutes.

Step 3:   Combine the sardine with the onion bits.  Add tomato sauce, chilli sauce, sugar and a dash of pepper.  Mix well.  Put it back in the microwave oven and cook it on HIGH setting for another 2 minutes.  Now the sardine filling is ready!

And look at this bread we just baked with a bread maker, doesn’t it look soft and fluffy?

If you are keen on the bread recipe, just let me know and I will post it separately.  For this sardine filling recipe, any type of bread will do.  I recommend wholemeal or wholegrain ones for their goodness.  You can also use croissants, pitas, baguettes, ciabattas, etc.

Step 4:  Now spread the sardine filling between two slices of bread.  This is how it looks when cut.  See the onion bits?

The reasons why I add onion to this recipe is to remove the “fishy” smell of sardines and to add some crunch to the filling.  Don’t worry about it tasting raw because after cooking in the microwave, it should be soft like you just saute-d it, but in a “lazy” way.  LOL.

Besides these sardine sandwiches, do add a side dish to your lunch box as well for a balanced meal.  A salad or slices of fruits will be a good choice.  And yes, this goes well with yogurt too!

Besides prawn fritters, prawn omelette, you can also make a prawn stir-fry for your lunchbox!  This is cooked in a blend of Asian sauces, and it has a slightly sweet taste which goes really well with the onions.

Ingredients (Serves 3 adults):

• 10 medium prawns
• 1 red onion, sliced
• Cooking oil

Ingredients for Asian dark sauce:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Step 1:  Wash the prawns, trim off the feelers and legs, but keep the shell intact.  Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Step 2:  Put all the ingredients for the Asian dark sauce in a separate bowl.  Blend well.  It is easier to prepare this in advance.

Step 3:  Heat up a wok or pan with oil to fry the prawns.  When cooked, remove them and set aside on another paper towel to drain the oil.

Step 4:  Leave about 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok or pan for the stir-fry.  Add in onion slices.  Saute them till they are soft.

Step 5:  Transfer the prawns back in the wok or pan and add in the blended Asian dark sauce.  Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes till the sauces are absorbed and coated evenly on each prawn.  If you think the sauce is too thick, add in 1-2 tablespoons of water.  It’s now ready to serve.

I kept a portion for Hubby’s lunchbox.  How does it look?  Try it if you have the time!

Actually, it is like a fruit salad too if you notice!

Ingredients of our Fruit Yu Sheng (Serves about 10-12 adults):

• 1/4 honeydew
• 1/4 rockmelon
• 2 chinese pears
• 8-10 strawberries
• 1 mango
• 1/4 pomelo (or 1 orange)

Ingredients for sauce marinade and garnishing:

• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• A pack of Chinese shrimp crackers (or 1 cup of plain cornflakes)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, preferably toasted
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped finely

Preparations:

Step 1:  Peel and cut the fruits into thin strips about 3 inches long.  For pomelo (or orange), peel and divide them into smaller sacs.  Place each type of shredded fruit on a round shallow plate side by side to make a nice colorful platter.

Step 2:  Sprinkle the crackers, chopped peanuts and toasted sesame seeds on the fruits.

Step 3:  Mix lemon sauce, lemon juice and honey in a small bowl.  Taste.  If you like it sweeter, add more honey.

Step 4:  Drizzle this sauce marinade from Step 3 evenly over the platter.  This is how it should look (or close enough).

Before eating, just toss the ingredients evenly.

Basically this Yu Sheng recipe is made up of fruits, so you can add any type of fruits to the list, but I will advise choosing fruits that are not too soft yet sweet to make the dish taste better.

I hope you like it!

You know why?  I have been eating non-stop for the past three days.

On Friday, we had a buffet dinner at our holiday chalet.  I think it was 8 courses, including drinks.

On Saturday, we had a BBQ feast at the chalet too.  We had crabs, satay, kebabs, fish, sotong, prawns, sausages, etc.  BURP…Can you imagine how much I ate?  Haha.

On Sunday, my cousin hosted a buffet lunch at her house.  Another 8 course meal to stomach.

I think it’s time I detox a bit this week.  Perhaps I will think of some light meals to make.  But before that, I have a prawn recipe to share.  It’s really late now though, maybe tomorrow!