Cookware - quality and quantity

Cookware arguably carries equal weight as the food ingredients to whip up delicious meals for the dining table.

Most experienced cooks acknowledge that quality is more important than quantity of pots and pans you accumulate. Do you aspire to have a model well-stocked kitchen that you see on brochures or TV complete with a pot rack full of gleaming cookware in every shape and size? It is possible if money is no issue but the question you need to ask is whether all these are necessary. A smart home cook only needs to invest in a few essential high quality cookware. You don't need to buy a whole set unless it is a starter set for a new home or that the discount offered is too tempting to reject. The prices of superior range of branded cookware are usually not slashed by much compared to the normal series. So you need to scrutinise and ensure that you're getting your money's worth.

Skillets are low sided long handled pan for frying while a Saute pan has a higher rim. Choose two sizes (24 cm, 26 cm, 28 cm) of each if your budget permits or one smaller skillet and a larger saute pan would be sufficient for most cooking. Some recipes may require a skillet to be put in the oven, so you may want to purchase at least one pan with handles that can withstand the heat of baking or those with removable handles.

Saucepans usually come in three sizes (1-, 2-, and 3-quart). It would be handy to have a small for warming small quantities of soup and a medium one for family cooking. You won't need to many of them as the handles take up a lot of space.

Dutch oven or Kettle: This is a large heavy stock pot with a tight fitting lid. Dutch ovens are perfect for soups, stews, and braising meats. You could even store surplus in the freezer for subsequent meals.

Stock pot is useful for boiling chicken, beef, fish and vegetable stock for soups, sauces, noodle and rice dishes. It is also useful to get one with a matching strainer for boiling large quantities of pasta, for entertaining, or brewing Asian herbal tea.

A steamer is a perforated basket that holds food over boiling water in a pan in order to steam it rather than boil it. They are available as collapsible units or solid baskets. Great for steaming vegetables for Japanese and Korean cold dishes and Chinese dim sum.

Double boiler comprises two pans stacked up for cooking. Water in the bottom pan simmers gently to cook or melt the contents in the top pan. This is a great piece of cookware for preparing delicate sauces or melting candy to make chocolate ganache. They could serve as substitutes for steamer if you're hard pressed to choose to purchase only one item.

Chinese meat dumplings - jiaozi

To learn how to make authentic Northern Chinese dumplings, please follow this link to my other blog :

http://ausletters.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-dumplings.html

Earlier we have shared with readers how to make simple talin guo tie.

http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/2009/01/easy-northern-chinese-dumplings.html

About Stir Fry and Smooth Egg Gravy

A restaurant dish that is easy to replicate at home.

Ingredients : sliced celery, scallops, carrot, dry roast unsalted macadamia nuts, 3 egg white, 1 egg, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, pepper, ginger, chopped garlic.

Fry garlic, scallop, celery in oil sequentially. Add oyster sauce and seasoning sauces to taste. Throw in macadamia nuts. Stir in the egg white last.

The secret of smooth egg white gravy

Egg gravy will no longer be smooth once it is overcooked.

Remove from heat immediately and serve.

Tip : make use of excess egg white from making creme brulee or Indonesian layered cake.

Other Dishes using the same method :

- Stir fry thinly sliced beef

- Fried prawn

- Fish slices

- Fried loofah gourd

- Tofu hot pot

Fried noodles with egg gravy

The same principle can be applied to frying rice noodles or egg noodles.

- Grill or pan fry noodles with oil on medium high heat till crispy and firm.

Remove from heat.

- Fry the meat and vegetables that would be included in the noodle dish.

- Return noodles to the wok.

- Lightly beat egg white with salt and pepper according to taste. Swirl it around the frying pan or wok quickly and remove from heat

Noodles :

Wat Tan Hor

Cantonese style fried egg noodles

Sung Mee

Garlic and Shallot Crisps - adding a professional touch to your cooking

What a difference condiments make to your favourite home cooked dish. Garlic and shallot crisps are easy to make but one has to be patient. Mix the cut vegetables in vegetable oil that is twice or three times the level in your frying pan before turning on the heat. Always maintain LOW fire. Do not increase the heat as the crisps will get burnt and taste bitter. They are meant to be golden and crispy. They can keep up to a week without refrigeration.

For gourmets who like more sophisticated tastes, add chopped spring onion, coriander leaves and parsley.

These work wonders as toppings to soup, pasta, salad and stew. There's no restriction to the type of cuisine.

Grapefruit Salad with Thai dressing

If pomelo is unavailable or too expensive where you are, grapefruit is a good substitute for this delicious Thai salad.

Cut grapefruit into bite size.

Lightly pan fry washed dried shrimp.

Dressing : mix fish sauce, brown or palm sugar, ground chilli and lime juice.

Sprinkle topping of garlic and shallot crisps, coriander and spring onion sprigs.

Gado Gado - vegetable medley with peanut sauce

Gado-gado : delicious, nutritious, complete one-dish vegetarian meal

Ingredients :

- Vegetables that need to be boiled : sliced cabbage, carrot, potato, french or snake bean.

- Dice fried firm beancurd.

- Cut fresh cucumber.

- Boiled egg.

- Fried prawn crackers (try to use Indonesian brands for more solid bite)

Gravy : Blend with water and coconut milk the following ingredients :

- Roast peanut till fragrant but not brown.Soak thumb sized assam or use directly from ready made bottled tamarind.

- Sugar & salt to taste

- Fresh chillies

- Garlic

- Shallot bulb

Boil the gravy and add dark soy sauce to taste.

* Note : people with peanut allergy should avoid this dish.

Easy Penang Laksa

For those living abroad or have limited time, this is a simple recipe which yields an incredibly delicious end product.

The secrets are using chunky canned tuna instead of boned fish and Malaysian nonya chilli sauce which contains torch ginger and spices.

Spinach Fettucine in marvellous light sauce

Cook spinach fettucine till al dante. This sauce is healthy and tasty. Fry garlic, chopped onions, pinenuts, basil leaves and sundried tomatoes in pure olive oil. A dash of white wine would enhance the flavour. Add salt and pepper according to taste.

- Original recipe. Copyright reserved.

Easy northern Chinese dumplings

If you lack the skill or time to make the dumpling dough from scratch, here's a way to "cheat" by using white floured dumpling skin available from the chilled section of Asian grocery store.

Common ingredients for filling are minced meat, chives, shrimp and mushroom. Add a little salt and pepper and mix well. Instead of the usual way of sealing the sides of the dumpling, simply fold into half and fold again. It's ready to be pan fried.

The two types of dipping sauces are : (1) ginger shreds with dark vinegar or (2) chilli oil, soy sauce and sesame oil sauce

I was told by a northern Chinese the name of this handy dish is "taling" jiaozi or guotie.

Beer Damper Bread

You don't need yeast to proof the bread, just baking soda and beer!

Sprinkle rolled oats or ground linseed for a healthier dough.

Creme Brulee with seasonal fruits

Basic creme brulee recipe :
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of milk
1 cup of 35% whipping cream
1 tbsp vanilla
pinch of salt
8 egg yolks

Blueberries and raspberries are in season. They are delicious and gives a nice tang to rich and smooth creme brulee.

The egg yolk should be whisked till they are dispersed and "melted". Run it through a sieve. Add full cream, pure vanilla paste and a dash of ground Australian native wattle seed for added oumph.

Using a torch is a luxury if you are prepared to invest in one. However, I find that grilling works just as well. It does not compromise the taste even though the presentation is less glamorous.

Spanish Paella - seafood rice

Paella is an exotic Spanish rice dish.

The secret ingredients are clear good quality chicken stock and / or fish stock and saffron water to cook the rice; sizzled chorizo; plump tomatoes; fresh seafood and chicken thigh fillet that has been cleaned, marinated and sliced.

The dish will not turn out well if one uses long grain rice which takes longer to cook. Use arborio rice which is also used in cooking risotto.

It is important to use a heavy pan that does not stick easily. My preference is for scanpan for healthy cooking. The air tight glass lid would help to seal the flavours within the pan and allows easy checking during the cooking process.

Fry onion, garlic, chorizo and seafood that takes longer to cook first and set aside. Then fry the rice, add warmed stock and give it a slow and frequent stir for 2 minutes. If rice is still uncooked, cover for a minute before adding seafood. Return the cover and cook for another 5 minutes or till cooked, infusing the flavoursome juices from all the tasty ingredients. Tomatoes and peas are optional but paprika are essential for this Spanish signature dish.

While ensuring that sufficient heat is pumped in to cook the rice al dante, be careful not to burn the bottom. If slow cooked for a longer time, a base layer that is slightly brown and crispy adds

aroma to the seafood rice.

- Copyright Reserved

Brushetta - great summer delight

Easy brushetta which I have tweaked from a recipe learnt from my stint working as a cook at a Mediterranean restaurant at a well known riverside tourist haunt.

Use the freshest ripened tomatoes you could get hold of. Dice into small bite size. It's optional to deseed the vegetable before adding extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, chopped basil leaves, oregano and soft brown sugar.

Lightly toast sourdough or denser variation of continental baguette. Spoon tomatoes onto bread and serve immediately. A light, refreshing and healthy meal.

Baked Fish Otak-otak (otah)

Malay otah-otah (otak2) is simlar to Indonesian ikan pepes and Thai hor mok. Perhaps my previous lessons in Indonesian and Thai cookery have given me familiarity with the use of spices and having a good feel of the steps required to enhance the flavours of this dish.

My home-made fish otak-otak has received rave reviews and accolades from friends.
No short cuts or cutting corners.

Mackeral meat is scrapped, pressed and whipped into a bouncy texture with very little salt and starch.

No MSG or preservatives are used.

Last but not least, sprinkle finely sliced kaffir lime leaves just before serving.

I find these two recipes worth trying : http://www.asianrecipesonline.com/nyonya/otak-otak.php and http://www.malaysianfood.net/recipes/recipeotakotak.htm

Chocolate sponge cake

Sponge Cake : a simple no-frills or French egg sponge.

Chocolate : use coverture chocolate, temper with cream by double boiling slowly. Ensure that the oil does not separate and avoid getting water into the ganache.