Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka (Serves 4)

The guanciale is purely optional - I only added it in because it was expiring soon.

Ingredients:

300g penne pasta

2 tsp minced garlic

1 white onion, diced

300g tomato paste

3 tsp chilli flakes

100ml vodka

300ml cooking cream

3 tbsp unsalted butter

100g grated parmesan

Chopped parsley

Instructions:

1) Boil the pasta, but stop at least 1 minute before the full cooking time. Set aside around 0.25 cup of pasta water.

2) Add the diced onion into a skillet over medium heat. After a minute or two, add the minced garlic in continue to cook for another minute or so.

3) Add in the tomato paste and chilli flakes, then mix well for another 3 minutes.

4) Add the vodka. Let it sizzle and evaporate, which should take around 1 minute.

5) Pour the cooking cream in and mix until smooth. 

6) Add the pasta water and grated cheese, and mix well. Add some salt to taste.

7) Now add the pasta in, together with the unsalted butter. Mix well. 

8) Garnish with some parsley, and serve.

Bak Chor Dry Mee Sua

Bak chor dry mee sua (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

50g dried shiitake mushrooms

20g rock sugar

200g minced pork

2 bunches of mee sua

Chilli paste

Light soya sauce

Dark soya sauce

Black vinegar

Oyster sauce

White pepper

Corn flour

Sesame oil

Pork broth

Spring onion (optional)

Ikan bilis (optional)

Instructions:

1) Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms to get rid of any dirt, then soak them in some water for an hour or so. 

2) Pour the mushroom water into a slow cooker, and slice the mushrooms into thin strips.

3) Add the rock sugar, 3 tbsp light soya sauce, 2 tbsp dark soya sauce, 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp black vinegar, 2 tbsp sesame oil into the slow cooker together with the sliced mushrooms. Set it to high for at least an hour.

4) Marinate the minced pork with 1 tbsp light soya sauce, 0.5 tsp corn flour, 1 tsp sesame oil, and some white pepper.

5) Boil the pork broth, then cook the minced pork in it. Try to break it up as much as possible so it doesn't clump together. The minced pork should be cooked in a minute or so.

6) Add 2 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp black vinegar, 1 tsp chilli paste, 3 tbsp of the mushroom liquid to a bowl. 

7) Cook the mee sua, drain, and place it in the bowl. Mix well with the sauces. 

8) Add the sliced mushrooms and some minced pork, then garnish with spring onions and ikan bilis. 

9) Serve the pork broth with any remaining minced pork, and add some spring onion.

Crispy ikan bilis #2

Crispy ikan bilis

I had a previous blog entry on this, which involved using the microwave. It does turn out well, but one downside is that it takes multiple batches since the microwave can only make so many at one go. 

This time, I tried using the oven. While it wasn't as crispy - it was at least much more scaleable.

Ingredients:

Ikan bilis
Oil

Instructions:

1) Wash the ikan bilis (I usually wash them for two rounds), then let them dry as much as possible.

2) Spread out the ikan bilis on a tray. They should be in a thin layer.

3) Drizzle some oil over the ikan bilis.

4) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius, then put the tray in for 10 minutes. At the 5-minute mark, toss the ikan bilis a bit just to make sure it is cooked evenly.

5) Increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celcius for another 5 minutes.

6) Serve immediately, or let it cool first before keeping it in an airtight container.

Rigatoni Amatriciana

Rigatoni Amatriciana (serves 2)

Ingredients:

150g guanciale

200g rigatoni

1 can of peeled tomatoes (around 400g)

Parmigiano reggiano or pecorina romano cheese, grated (around 1 cup)

Chilli flakes

Salt

Black pepper

Instructions:

1) Boil some rigatoni pasta, but don't cook it fully (maybe 1-2 minutes below the recommended time).

2) Chop the guanciale into small cubes, then add it to a cold pan. Set the heat to low-medium and let the fat to render slowly. It should take around 10 minutes. 

3) Remove the guanciale and leave the oil in the pan. Now add the can of peeled tomatoes in together with some chilli flakes, and mix well with the guanciale fat. Add some salt and black pepper to taste, and let it simmer for around 10 minutes. 

4) Add the rigatoni back into the pan, together with some pasta water. Mix well, then add half the guanciale and cheese and mix again.

5) Plate the pasta, add the remaining guanciale and cheese, garnish with more black pepper, and serve.

Scallion Oil Chicken

Scallion Oil Chicken (serves 3)

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs

4 slices of ginger

4 stalks of spring onion

5 tsps minced ginger

6 tsps minced garlic

5 tsps minced red shallots

One large handful of chopped spring onion

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp sugar

2 tbsps light soya sauce

1.5 tbsp sesame oil

Cooking oil

Instructions:

1) Place the chicken legs into a pot. Fill it with water until the chicken is just covered, then add the sliced ginger and spring onion stalks.

2) Boil under high heat for 20 minutes.

3) Immerse the chicken legs in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. 

4) Shred and pull the chicken into bite size pieces, then place in a bowl.

5) In a bowl, add the minced ginger, minced garlic, minced red shallots and chopped spring onion. Add the salt, sugar, light soya sauce and sesame oil in too.

6) Heat up around 3 to 4 tbsps of cooking oil until hot, then drizzle it over the mixture and mix well.

7) Pour the mixture over the chicken, mix well, and serve.

Salmon with Creamy White Wine Sauce

Salmon with Creamy White Wine Sauce (serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets

1 tsp minced garlic

50ml white wine

75ml chicken stock

150ml cooking cream

0.5 tsp salt

3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

0.25 lemon

Black pepper

Parsley (optional)

Baby spinach and/or rocket leaves (optional)

Instructions:

1) Heat up some oil in a frying pan, then add the salmon fillets, skin-side down. Let it sear for 3 minutes.

2) Flip the salmon and cook it for another 3 minutes. 

3) Flip it again, then turn the heat down to medium. Add the garlic for a few seconds, then pour the white wine in.

4) After it boils, add the chicken stock and let it come to a boil again.

5) Add the cooking cream, salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Mix well, then let it simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes.

6) Squeeze the lemon juice in, then add some parsley on top as a garnish. 

7) Plate the baby spinach or rocket leaves in a serving bowl, then add the salmon fillet in. Pour the cream sauce over the vegetables and salmon, and serve.

Oven-baked Pork Collar

Oven-baked Pork Collar (Serves 3)

Ingredients:

4 pork collar steaks, around 700g

2 tbsp olive oil

⅔ tbsp whole grain mustard

⅔ tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

Italian herbs

Instructions:

1) Marinate the pork collar with the ingredients above except for the Italian herbs. Leave it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius, then put the pork collar in for 25 minutes.

3) Let the pork collar rest for 5 minutes or so, then serve.

Smoked Duck Carbonara Pasta

Smoked Duck Carbonara Pasta (serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 smoked duck breasts (around 300g), cut into thick strips

160g of pasta

125g of parmesan cheese or pecorino romano cheese, finely grated

2 egg yolks

Black pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1) Prepare the pasta according to the instructions in the packet. Once it is done, set aside and keep some of the pasta water.

2) Add the cheese, egg yolks and lemon juice into a mixing bowl and whisk it well. Add some pasta water to get it into a paste, around 5 tbsp. 

3) Heat up a skillet, add just a little bit of oil, and fry the duck breast. It should take around 2 minutes, and some of the duck fat should have been rendered.

4) Add some black pepper generously and fry for a few more seconds.

5) Now turn down (not off) the heat, and add the mixture from Step 2 in. Mix it until it is uniform and thick; add more pasta water if necessary.

6) Serve with extra black pepper and cheese (optional).

Basil Pork Rice

Basil Pork Rice (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 packet of minced pork

4 cups of basil leaves

1 cup green beans, cut into small pieces

4 red chillies, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely

4 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tsp light sauce

2 tsp dark sweet soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

Water

2 eggs

Instructions:

1) Fry the 2 eggs and set aside.

2) Fry the garlic and chillies for around 30 seconds.

3) Add the minced pork in, and fry for around 2 minutes.

4) Add the oyster sauce and light soy sauce in, and mix it well for around 30 seconds.

5) Add the sugar and green beans and continue sautéing for around 30 seconds.

6) Add the dark sweet soy sauce, let it mix well for another 30 seconds.

7) Add some water to deglaze the wok, and fry until it is reduced.

8) Now add the basil in for just a few seconds, enough for it to start wilting. Serve.

Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Herb Sauce

Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet

Salt

Italian herbs

Clarified butter

4 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp parsley

Instructions:

1) After cleaning the salmon, dry it as much as possible.

2) Cut some slits, length-wise, across the salmon skin. This will prevent the salmon from curling up during cooking. Don't slice too deep though, or the salmon may get overcooked.

3) Season both sides of the salmon with salt and Italian herb seasoning. 

4) Ensure that the salmon is near room temperature, then heat up a frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add some clarified butter in.

5) Add the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. Use a spatula and press the salmon down gently to ensure that the skin is flat.

6) Let the salmon continue to cook for around 6 to 7 minutes. Scoop some of the butter and oil and drizzle it on top of the salmon just to cook the flesh a bit more.

7) Flip the salmon over to cook the flesh side for a short while, then remove from the pan.

8) Add the garlic and lemon juice into the pan and let it cook for a while. Then add the parsley and normal butter in and mix until the butter melts.

9) Drizzle the sauce over the salmon and serve.

Stir-Fried Bittergourd with Eggs

Stir-fried bittergourd with eggs (for 2 pax)

Ingredients:

1 bittergourd

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp concentrated chicken stock

1 tsp sugar

3 eggs

Salt

White pepper

Oil

Instructions:

1) Cut the bittergourd to half length-wise, then scrape out the insides and seeds. Slice it thinly.

2) Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly. Add the light soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil and a bit of white pepper, then mix well.

3) Heat up some oil in a skillet, then add the minced garlic. Once fragrant (should take only around 10 to 15 seconds), add the bittergourd slices and stir fry for around 2 to 3 minutes.

4) Mix the concentrated chicken stock with a bit of water, then add the sugar and mix well. Add the mixture into the skillet and stir fry until it is uniform.

5) Add the egg mixture slowly into the skillet, stirring as you pour it in. Once they are scrambled (should still be a bit moist), it is done. Serve immediately.

Japanese Salmon

Japanese Salmon

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets (around 250g each)

1.5 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp sake

Instructions:

1) Mix the soy sauce, mirin and sake well in a bowl. Then use the mixture to marinate the salmon overnight, or for 4 hours.

2) Heat some oil on a pan at medium heat, then add the salmon fillets in (skin-side down). Leave it for around 1.5 minutes at low heat, since the skin will burn easily due to the marinade. 

3) Pour any remaining marinade on the salmon fillets, then flip them around. Cook for around 8 to 9 more minutes, then serve.

Chicken Tenders with Garlic and Spices

Chicken Tenders with Garlic and Spices

Ingredients:

350g chicken tenders

1 tsp smoked paprika

0.5 tsp cayenne powder

4 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Italian herbs

Salt

1 tsp dried parsley

Instructions:

1) Season the chicken tenders with the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and 0.5 tsp salt. 

2) Heat up a skillet on high heat, and add 3 tbsp butter in. Once the butter melts, add the chicken tenders in and cook for 2 minutes before flipping them over.

3) Push the chicken tenders to one side of the skillet, then add the minced garlic and 1 tbsp butter to the empty space. Once the garlic starts to brown, mix it well with the chicken tenders.

4) Add a bit more salt to the chicken, together with the Italian herbs. Mix well again, and serve.

Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach

Taken from Wolfgang Puck's Masterclass.

Ingredients:

900g spinach

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups bechamel sauce

1 tsp salt

0.5 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1) Heat up some olive oil on a pan on medium heat. 

2) Add the spinach in, bit by bit, and cook until wilted (but not soggy). It should take around 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little bit of water if required.

3) Chop the spinach as finely as possible, and place it in a pot.

4) Warm the bechamel sauce, and gradually add it into the spinach while mixing. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a little bit of milk.

5) Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese

For this recipe, feel free to substitute the cheeses with other types of cheese such as parmesan cheese or aged cheddar.

Ingredients:

150g macaroni

1 cup of bechamel sauce

1 cup cheddar cheese

0.25 cup mozzarella cheese

0.25 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Salt

Black pepper

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celcius.

2) Cook the macaroni, then let it dry it as much as possible.

3) Add the bechamel sauce slowly into the macaroni and mix it well.

4) Now add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese in and mix it well. 

5) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6) Spread out the macaroni mixture in an oven-proof pot or skillet, and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. 

7) Put the skillet into the oven until the top is golden brown. It should take around 8 to 12 minutes.

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce is commonly known as a mother sauce, and is one of the fundamental blocks of French cuisine. It serves as the base sauce for lasagna, croque monsieur, mac and cheese, and many other dishes.

It can also be used to make other sauces, such as cream sauce, mornay sauce, soubise sauce, and so on.

Ingredients:

0.25 cup flour

5 tbsp unsalted butter

3.6 cups milk

2 egg yolks

0.5 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1) Heat the milk in a pot until it is just about to boil. Keep an eye on it - once it boils, it will overflow very quickly, messing up your stove and kitchen. Set the whole pot aside.

2) Warm the unsalted butter over medium heat until it is melted. 

3) Lower the heat and add the flour slowly, stirring it continuously with a metal whisk until is smooth. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. If the mixture starts to get brown too quickly, take the pot off the fire occasionally. 

4) Add the milk to the butter mixture, ladle by ladle while stirring. Cook it for around 12 minutes. Again, if your fire is too strong, take the pot off the fire occasionally to prevent it from overcooking.

5) Turn off the fire. Add in the egg yolks, one at a time, and quickly whisk it into the mixture.

6)) Add the salt and nutmeg, mix it well, and the sauce is ready.

Pan-Fried Pork Ribeye

Pan-fried Pork Ribeye

Ingredients:

2 pork ribeyes

⅓ tsp salt

0.25 tsp black pepper

0.25 tsp dried oregano

Instructions:

1) Mix the salt, dried oregano and black pepper. Use it to season all sides of the pork.

2) Heat up some oil with a skillet. Once the oil is hot, put the pork ribeyes in and fry it for around 5 minutes each side. Avoid moving the pork to give it a better sear.

3) Use a meat thermometer to check its doneness - once it reaches 58 degrees Celcius, you can remove it from the pan, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes. During this time it will continue to cook and reach its optimal internal temperature of around 63 degrees Celcius.

Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce

Homemade pesto sauce tastes worlds apart from store-bought ones. And it is not difficult to make as well, though it requires some tasting and adjustments. 

For the basil leaves, you can try getting them from NTUC Fairprice Finest, which sells 30g for only $1.55.  So far this is the cheapest I could find (other than growing it yourself); other places, including NTUC Fairprice Xtra, were selling it for up to $3.55 or so for 30g.

If you find pine nuts too expensive (which they really are!), almonds can serve as a good substitute as well.

Ingredients:

90g basil leaves

⅓ cup of pine nuts or almonds

0.25 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

0.5 tsp salt

0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1) This step is optional - you can toast the nuts for a short while, maybe around 2 to 3 minutes. 

2) Now add everything into a blender, except for the olive oil. Add just half of it. 

3) Blend it while adding in the rest of the olive oil slowly, until mixture is smooth. 

4) This step is very important - taste. Then adjust it accordingly, with either more parmesan cheese, salt or olive oil.

Mediterranean-Style Sole

Mediterranean-Style Sole

Taken from Massimo Bottura's Masterclass. I love this dish; it is simple, healthy and delicious. The fish can be turbot, sea bass, or snapper as well.

(Picture taken before cooking)

Ingredients:

2 white fish fillets

10 slices of lemon, sliced very thinly and with seeds removed

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

100g black Italian olives, pitted

10g capers

2 tbsp parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten

Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius, and season the fillets with salt.

2) Place the fillets on a piece of baking paper, and arrange the lemon slices evenly on top of the fillets. Place the tomatoes, olives, capers and parsley uniformly across the fish, then drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

3) Brush the edge of the baking paper with the egg, then place another piece of baking paper over the fish, lining it up with the first sheet. Fold the edge of both pieces of baking paper up and over a few times, covering the fish entirely.

4) Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

5) Use a pair of scissors to cut a slit on top of the packet, and transfer the contents to a plate and serve.

Steamed Pork Ribs

Steamed Pork Ribs

Most recipes for steamed pork ribs involve using black bean sauce, but after it induced a gout attack for me I stopped using it. 

For steamed pork ribs, the freshness and type of pork really matters. I would recommend using Indonesian pork for this; it really makes a big difference.

Ingredients:

500g of pork spare ribs

4 tsp light soy sauce

4 tsp cooking wine

0.5 tsp salt

0.5 tsp sugar

1.5 tsp corn flour

3 tsp minced garlic

1-2 bunches of spring onion

Instructions:

1) Add the soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, garlic, sugar and corn flour into the pork ribs and mix well. Let it marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

2) Let the pork ribs rest at room temperature for 20 minutes or so, then steam it for 20 to 25 minutes.

3) Sprinkle with spring onion and serve.