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.

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!

Although wasabi is green and looks nothing like a chilli pepper, but don’t underestimate it.  It is fiery enough to clear a blocked nose and I am not exaggerating.  Haha.

This dish, which I learnt from a local chef, will surprise you with a pleasant tinge of spicy wasabi.  There are two parts to this recipe, one for the wasabi mayonnaise and the other for the prawns.

Ingredients (to make a small tub of about 200 g of wasabi mayonnaise):

• 200 g mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons wasabi

To make wasabi mayonnaise:

Step 1:  Scoop about 200 g of mayonnaise into a mixing bowl.  Add in the evaporated milk.  Blend with a whisk.

Step 2:  Add in the lemon juice and wasabi.  Mix well.  If you like it spicier, you can add in more wasabi.  Cover and store in the fridge.

I used tubed wasabi and my wasabi mayonnaise turned out not looking very green, but it tasted quite spicy already.  I will try powdered wasabi next time and see if it looks greener.

And also, I used only a few tablespoons from this tub of wasabi mayonnaise to coat the prawns in the recipe below.  So if you are the type who just like to make enough for this meal, you can modify the recipe above to make a smaller portion.

As for me, I kept the excess wasabi mayonnaise in the fridge for another week where I also used them as a dip for finger food like nuggets and also as dressing for my salad or coleslaw.

Ingredients (Serves 4 adults):

• 15-20 tiger prawns (medium to large size)
• Cornflour (100 to 200 g or enough to coat the prawns)
• Cooking oil (enough for deep-frying)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:  De-shell and de-vein all the prawns.  If they are frozen, allow them to thaw before processing.

Step 2:  Wash and pat dry the prawns with a kitchen paper towel.

Step 3:  Pour some cornflour onto a flat plate.  Place prawns, one at a time, on the cornflour and coat them evenly.

Step 4:  Heat up the cooking oil.  Deep-fry all the prawns.

Step 5:  After they are cooked, set them aside on a plate with a kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil.  These were how they looked just before I coated them.

Step 6:  Add a few tablespoons of wasabi mayonnaise to a bowl.  Coat each prawn on both sides evenly.  Serve.

Hubby had this for his dinner, together with sambal ladies’ finger and rice.

If you dare to eat wasabi, you should try this!

I will be posting another Japanese recipe “Tempura Don” next!  Do stay around…

It is one of my favourite comfort foods.  What is yours?

Well, the ingredients for this recipe should be quite easy to find.  You can get wonton skin wrappers at most Asian supermarkets.  I usually get the square ones.  Buy freshly made ones if possible.  If you can only find frozen types, remember to thaw the number that you need, to room temperature before making the wontons.

When thawing, it’s best to place them on a bowl or plate and cover them with a damp towel.  This prevents the wonton skin wrappers from drying up when exposed to air.  You will then find it very difficult to wrap the wontons as the wrappers crack easily.

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 adults):

• 200 g minced pork
• 1 tablespoon carrot, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons scallion (spring onion), finely chopped
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornflour + 4 tablespoons water to make the cornflour sealant
• 200 g wonton skin wrappers (this varies with the amount of meat you put in your wonton)
• 10 g chicken stock cube
• 4 cups of water (for chicken broth)
• Water for cooking wontons

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:  To make the wonton filling, combine the minced pork with salt, sugar, light soy sauce, ground pepper and sesame oil in a mixing bowl.  Add in 1 tablespoon chopped scallions and carrots and mix well.  Allow half an hour to marinate.

Step 2:  Put a small amount of this minced pork filling in the middle of a wonton skin wrapper.  With your fingertips, dab a bit of the cornflour sealant along the edges and bring all the edges together upwards.  It should stick and end up looking like a little draw-string pouch.

If you are lazy, you can just fold the opposite ends into a triangle, as long as the filling is wrapped inside.

Step 3:  Repeat Step 2 until all the minced pork filling is used up.  Remember to place the wontons in a single layer on a plate covered in plastic wrap  (to avoid drying).  If you think you cannot finish all the wontons for this meal, store the remaining in a container and put them in the fridge for another day.

Step 4:  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Put the wontons individually into the water.  When the wontons float to the surface of the water, they are cooked.  Take the wontons out and set them aside.  The reason why we don’t cook the wontons in the chicken broth is because wonton wrappers are covered with flour and if they are cooked directly in the broth, it will affect the flavour of the soup.

Step 5:  To cook the broth, add the cups of water to another pot and bring the water to a boil.  Put in the chicken stock cube and make sure it dissolves well after some stirring.  Add in the remaining scallions.

Step 6: Return the cooked wontons gently into the boiling broth, but don’t cook them too long.  Add a dash of pepper before serving.

Isn’t it lovely?

You can also add in some bok choy while cooking the broth.  I didn’t add them in this batch of wonton soup as we had the vegetables separately with oyster sauce.

This wonton soup is best stored in a thermos food jar where the soup can be kept warm till your lunch time.

For a twist, you can do away with the soup and deep-fry the wontons after Step 3.  It’s a tasty snack for your kid’s lunch box as well!

This baked fish fillet recipe is suitable for any type of white fish, although I would prefer boneless ones like these sutchi fillet that I have used.  Dory fish fillet is a great choice as well.

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:  Marinate fish fillet with salt and ground white pepper.  Set it aside for half an hour before cooking.

Step 2:  Place fish fillet in an oven-proof dish lined with aluminium foil.

Step 3:  Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over fish fillet.

Step 4:  Spread minced garlic on the surface.  Sprinkle mixed herbs and black pepper evenly over fish fillet.

Step 5:  Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius or 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 6:  Bake the fish for about 15 minutes or until the minced garlic turns brown.  Check if the fish is cooked with a fork.  If it flakes easily, it is ready.

Note:  Do pay attention while the fish is being baked as the baking time may differ slightly for your oven.  The thickness of the fish will also determine how long it takes to be cooked.

This recipe is simple, healthy, tasty and easy to make.  Boneless fish fillets are a good choice if you are preparing for your kid’s lunch box too.

Initially, I created categories according to cuisine types, like asian, french, korean, etc, for my first WordPress theme.  But after settling for this theme, I don’t think it will fit nicely in the category tab I have at my header if I were to expand my ever-growing list of cuisines in the long run.

Thus, I have now classified them according to meal types.  I hope to explain a bit more in this post on what they will usually include so that you will find it easier to navigate.

Light Meals:  Most probably I will include recipes for meals like sandwiches, bread, toasts, crepes, pancakes, pitas, muffins, etc.  Anything that looks light enough.

All-In-One Meals:  The recipes I will add here will be those like fried rice, fried noodles, spaghetti, etc.  These are mainly cooked with their ingredients together and served all on the same dish.  So if you are a lazy cook, I will recommend you checking out this category more often.  Haha.

Main Course:  This category will feature recipes of different cuisines that can be taken as a single main course.  These dishes are usually served on their own with another staple, like rice.

Soup:  This is for all soup recipes, from Chinese double boiled soups, to creamy tomato soups.  Somtimes, these soups can also serve as all-in-one dishes, where all you need is just bread or rice to go along with it.

Food Containers:  Every now and then, I may share about different food containers you can use for your lunch box.  There may also be interesting product showcases from time to time.

Chit Chat:  This is where I talk about anything under the sun.  Basically a place to rant and chit-chat with you!

These are the categories I will be adding at the moment.  I am trying to keep them at a maximum of eight so that my header will not look so cluttered.

I hope this change makes it easier for you to read my blog.  If you have problems finding anything, just let me know and I will work on your feedback if possible.

Thank you.  Feel free to subscribe to my feeds for easy updates!