Spaghetti melon or sharksfin squash

Abandon any thoughts of ever eating sharksfin soup to save the mindless killing of sharks.

This vegetarin soup is a superior alternative. Tasty and nutritious.

Cut melons into large slices. Put into boiling tasty stock (beans, fish, chicken, as you wish). Try to mash the melon as it cooks to produce a stringy consistency. Add thickener if you wish. Season with pepper, salt, ginger slices and fried shallots.

Kangkong / Water Spinach / Ong Choy Stir Fry with Sambal Belachan (Malay spicy shrimp paste)



Kangkong has long been considered a humble food for the poor because it can be found growing wild in water logged swampy areas and does not need much attention.

However, if you try to plant this in your garden with the base stems, you must take care to water it everyday. They only grow in summer and withers away during the cold months.

Nowadays, the status of kangkong has been raised to an exotic and popular dish on the menus of many Asian restaurants.

If you can get young and tender water spinach, not much work is needed. Just a rinse. However, if the vegetable is quick big and leafy, cut off the thicker base stems.

To stir fry, one must ensure that the washed vegetables are drained. Water will slow down cooking and hinders the vegetable from getting a fresh sheen from quick frying.

- You could fry a clove of garlic in heated oil to start off.

- Add toasted belachan and pounded fresh chilli followed by the vegetable quickly.

As belachan is salty, do not add salt or soy sauce until you have tasted it.

Lotus Root with stuffed minced meat and crunchy meatballs

Jiangnan (south of the river) Chinese cuisine

Stories in history and folklore are replete with details of scenic landscape, beautiful women and delicious cuisine South of the Yangzi river which even Chinese emperors could not resist disguising as commoner to visit these places.

A recent visit to provinces in the Jiangnan region (south of the river) has been fruitful. This stuffed lotus root recipe is an adaptation of two dishes. Alternatively, you could make two different dishes with the same ingredients.

This is to ensure that the pork is properly cooked. Unlike beef, pork has to be well done for it to be safe for eating, never to be cooked medium or medium rare! (unless it is cured with lots of salt and vinegar or some special procedures).

In Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and other central regions where lakes are common due to surrounding mountains and sufficient rainfall, lotus plants (lilies family) thrive. Local people have made two types of dishes from lotus root. It is known to the health conscious that lotus root is a rich source of iron.

The first dish I am introducing is the slow cooked steamed lotus root stuffed with minced pork (glutinous rice and beans are optional ingredients for the stuffing). The result is a floury and delicious dish. Drizzled with a typically central Chinese sweet and savoury sauce, it has a melt in the mouth texture and burst of flavours.  The picture shows a dish from a famous franchise restaurant chain. Usually, visitors will be able to find street stalls or humble eateries selling lotus root in huge steamers similar to those for warming up BBQ pork buns and prawn dumplings.

Lotus root meatballs is another wholesome dish that locals cook for themselves at home (the best food are reserved for home dinner tables). In the Southern part of China, waterchestnuts are used in wanton dumplings and meatballs to give a crunch and freshness. In Jiangnan, lotus root does the trick too but produces a more mellow flavour. The seasoning sauce is made of ginger, garlic, shallot with soy sauce and steamed vegetable line the base.

Here, I have improvised a two-in-one recipe that combines the two methods of cooking and you get the tastes that embodies layered flavours and textures.

1. Preferably, get fresh lotus root from Asian grocery supermarket. These have to be cleaned thoroughly and lightly peeled to remove any traces of mud. Then, cut into 2 cm thick slices. If fresh lotus root is not available, frozen ready sliced lotus can be substituted, though taste will be compromised somewhat.

2. Prepare minced pork (beef does not taste as good for this dish) and chopped spring onion. Season with soy sauce, pepper and oyster sauce. You may add a dash of shaoxing wine or white wine to enhance the aroma.

3. Stuff the lotus root with the meat stuffing ensuring the holes are filled and no gaps are left in the middle.

4. Steam the lotus root slices in medium heat for about 10 minutes. It should be cooked but not too tough.

5. Prepare to fry by heating a thin layer of vegetable oil in a heavy pan. Lightly fry it till slightly golden brown and crunchy.

6. Double cooking will ensure that the pork is properly cooked and frying produces a more fragrant outcome. Remainder mince can be made into meat balls.

Enjoy!

Oyster Mushroom : Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry

Humid and rainy weather is conducive to mushroom and fungi growth in the bush or farms.

Over the past month, oyster mushrooms were abundant in NSW.

This is a simple stir fry that everyone in the family would love to eat with noodles, rice or wraps.

1. Dice and marinate 350g chicken breast or thigh meat.
Wipe oyster mushroom (or wash and drain well) and cut roughly into bite size.
2. Marinate with light soy sauce and pepper for at least 20 mins.
3. Meanwhile, cut a clove of garlic and a knob of ginger into thin slices. Cut spring green onion stalk with a sharp knife into thin strips or slices and set aside.
4. Heat up heavy frying pan with vegetable oil and fry garlic briefly till yellow and fragrant (before turning brown).
5. Turn up the heat and add chicken. Stir fry quickly. Add oyster mushroom. Add a dash of oyster sauce.
6. Garnish with spring onion and serve.

Satay - Grill Meat Skewer

The word "satay" has an Indonesian-Malayan origin. As a significant population comprises Muslim, chicken has become the most common meat use in making Southeast Asian skewer. Chicken is also acceptable to the Hindu Indians and Balinese in this region who are prohibited to eat beef. This recipe is quite similar to the southern Thai "sate".

For a serving of 5 to 6, use 300 - 500 g of chicken fillet, preferably thigh meat (which has more bite and is juicier and doesn't dry out easily compared to breast meat). Cut into rectangular bite size. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Marinade
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tsp ready made from the bottle or make from soaking 2 cm of tamarind & strain
* Tip : must have, to tenderise and infuse a complex tangy taste to the meat before cooking
Tumeric powder 1/4 tsp (* Tip : go easy on this spice - it can overwhelm the whole dish)
Lemongrass (1 piece from the white portion - pound finely)
Galangal (1/2 cm slice, pound finely)
Garlic (1 clove, pounded finely)
Salt 3/4 tsp
Dark soy sauce (runny type)

Peanut Sauce
Thick caramel dark soy sauce (ketchup manis)  2 TBS
Peanut (roughly pounded)  1 cup

Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Garlic clove (1 pound with chilli and shallot)
Shallot bulb (1 small onion)
Dried chilli - 2 pieces (soaked, cut, deseed and grind into paste with the above shallot and garlic)
Shrimp paste (toasted Malaysian type or soft Thai version straight from the tub) - only 1/2 tsp is needed
Coconut milk (thick) 400 g or dilute 300 g of cream - from experience, only Ayam and Kara made the cut

Method
1. Soak bamboo sticks in water to reduce burning
2. Skewer the meat in an elongated fashion to ensure easy grilling.
3. Only a little oil goes a long way because the meat has some fat (peanut, palm or rice) or any with high boiling point. Enough oil just to prevent the meat from becoming dark and burnt.
4. Grill over open fire on the BBQ or in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the skewer and ensure that the meat is cooked evenly on both sides.
6. Meanwhile, boil all the ingredients for peanut sauce.

Traditional satay is served with another dipping sauce. Another secret to give away.

Relish / Sauce : Mix pineapple cube and Spanish onion with a bit of salt, sugar and rice vinegar.

When the satay is cooked, arrange on a large dish.

Serve with cut cucumber and all the sauces mentioned.

Rice cubes (compressed rice traditionally wrapped in leaves "basket" is good to have. This is as authentic as it can get.

Ways with Daikon/White Radish #1 Winter Beef Mushroom Ginger Daikon Soup

White carrot or daikon is an inexpensive and versatile ingredient that can add many twists and flavours to otherwise bland home cooked meals. 

This recipe is a winter soup using a good beef stock, ginger and peppercorns as the base. As white radish is considered cooling, it is essential to match it with some warming elements such as red meat, herb and spice.  Red wine enhances the aroma but it's optional. Coriander is recommended as a garnish for the soup as it has properties to soothe cough and sore throat caused by the cold. To avoid over heating and spiciness, reduce the amount of ginger and peppercorns. It's easy! 

Bring the beef stock to the boil. Add soaked shitake mushrooms and let it boil lightly. Then add in sliced daikon, peppercorn and ginger. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add a little salt and red wine according to preference. Top with coriander leaves. It's ready to be served. 

At the time of writing this, the weather is transiting from winter to spring. Do not be deceived by the apparent sunny feeling. The air is still cool and chilly. 

Easy and snappy Vol au vent - mushroom filling - tasty canape

For quick party canape, I used vol au vent cases bought from gourmet deli or health food store.  Alternatively, cut puff pastry and place in small cup cake moulds. Bake for 15 - 20 mins at 180 C.

This is a vegetarian filling : chopped button mushroom, garlic, white wine and butter.

Melt butter, fry garlic and mushroom slices. Add white wine and mix well. When slightly cooled, fill the cases and serve.

Olive Rice - Chaozhou and Shanghai styles

There are many versions of Chinese olive fried rice.

In the southernmost Chinese provinces, especially in Chaozhou (Shantou), the popular olive rice dish is fried with pork mince and olives and pickled vegetables. Sometimes, an egg is added when the dish is almost ready to be served. But that is optional.  Note that Chinese olives are salty and dry, unlike moist Mediterranean style olives that are pickled in acid and brine.

The Techiu people brought along their traditional recipes when they migrated to Thailand. Hence, olive rice has become a staple, popularised by the ethnic Chinese cooks.

http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/chinese-olive-fried-rice

Sometimes, olive vegetables are added for saltier flavours.

For the Shanghai folks, olive vegetable preserved and soaked in oil is the preferred seasoning.  Unlike dried olive, the bottled olive vegetable comprise mainly vegetables and only a little bit of olive. Do not add more oil and seasoning before tasting because the olive vegetables is oily and salty.

After frying the rice, it is steamed and topped with fried dried scallop and spring onion.

Mediterranean (Italian, Greek) Pasta - Very Delicious Vegetarian Noodles in Garlic Aioli

Mediterranean  Marinated Vegetables


100 g each of : marinated Italian antipasto (more of whatever you favour) :
- Stuffed or pitted olives (green or black or both if you love olives and prefer variations and colour)
- Sundried Tomato
- Marinated Mushrooms

Fresh Herbs and Vegetables


Spinach, Rocket, Parsley, Lemon Basil for Garnishing 
(any one of the selection or combination of all)

For Roasting (Aioli)


Garlic Cloves (2 to 3)

Chilli slices from 1/2 long variety
(alternative : dried chilli powder or chilli flakes)

Optional : Pinenuts (separately in oven till dark yellow but not brown)

* For non-vegetarian option : add marinated octopus

STEPS

Warm up marinated vegetables to at least 80 degrees C so that the temperature difference will not cause shock and bring down the level of the aioli and pasta later.

Boil pasta in salt and vegetable oil till al dante or below (if leaving in water before sauce is ready)

Fry garlic till fragrant. Add chilli but do not leave it to cook for more than a minute (discard if you prefer a less spicy sauce).

Stir in noodles and toss with marinated Italian vegetables until well combined but don't overdo it.

To serve, garnish with fresh herbs, vegetables and pinenuts.

* Viola : a complete meal within 10 minutes!

Egg Plant Omelette - Spanish Filipino Dish / Tapa

This is an urban Filipino dish heavily influenced by its Spanish colonial past and mestizo community.

Choose a medium size eggplant for easier cooking. Use a fork to prick the skin of the eggplant. Make slits lengthwise without cutting through the eggplant. Since the inside of the vegetable is not exposed, you don't have to soak it in salt water as you would normally do.

Steam or microwave whole eggplant till the skin and pulp are soft and tender. Use a masher to flatten the eggplant. Season with a light sprinkle of salt. Coat with either cornstarch or rice flour.

Beat three eggs lightly. Season with pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce and paprika (optional).

Heat up heavy frying pan and coat with a layer of oil and spread to the sides as well.

Pour a thin layer of egg into the frying pan. Quickly spread mashed eggplant and mix with the uncooked flowing egg.

Let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Then add the rest of the egg. Ensure that the heat is set at medium so that the omelette is neither too soft nor burnt.

When you could smell the omelette is cooked on one side, flip over and cook the other side briefly. Turn off the heat. This will ensure that that the omelette is not too dry.

Refreshing Seafood Gumbo Revisited

Okra is the essential ingredient for the world famous gumbo soup. It helps to thicken the soup and goes well with the spicy seafood stock. We are fortunate that okra is available fresh from the markets and need not resort to frozen types which gives less kick and easily disintegrate when cooked.

This recipe is a tad lighter and tastier than the original New Orleans version which my spouse used to rave about enroute to official business in USA. Skip the roux as the medley of vegetables will sufficiently thicken the soup and leaves a clean taste.

Ready - here we go.

Firstly, fry a couple of chopped brown onions and garlic cloves with 2 TBS of vegetable oil.

Sear fish slices (use a firm fish such as dory or perch) and prawn till 3/4 cooked. Carefully remove from the pan with the onions and garlic.

Put chicken stock to the boil. Add canned tomato concentrate.

Add a few sprigs of thyme, oregano, chopped parsley (preferably freshly plucked from the herb garden) and 2 bay leaves.

Add sliced vegetables : celery, carrot, red chilli, okra, tomatoes and button mushroom (optional). Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.

Raise the temperature to medium and add in seared seafood. Bring to a light boil and turn off the heat.

Shanxi Vinegar Stew Meat - healthy and aromatic

This dish is very similar to Philippine Adobo chicken which had Chinese origins. (Please refer to : http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/2009/12/philippine-adobo-chicken-and-pork.html for ingredients and preparation.)

The main tip is adding a tablespoon of Shanxi dark and sweet matured vinegar during cooking (not as marinade). Shanxi vinegar is tart and pungent when taken straight from the bottle. However, added to a stew, it is heavenly, and healthy. Try it if you don't believe me.

This cooking style is suitable for different types of meat especially :

(1) chicken drumstick or fillet or

(2) pork knuckles or loin.

Firstly, marinate meat with soy sauce, pepper, shaoxing wine.

Saute garlic and onions in a heavy pan with a little oil for about 2 minutes under medium low heat.

Sizzle meat till outer layer changes colour and fragrant.

Add a vinegar by using a spoon to distribute evenly on all the meat.

Throw in vegetables as desired : carrot, potato, tomato, chilli peppers.

Cover the pan with an airtight lid. Lower the heat to low and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Easy, convenient, delicious and nutritious.

Luffa / Angled Squash / SilkGourd fried with prawn and scrambled eggs

Luffa / Angled Squash / Silk Gourd - 1 or 2
Eggs - 3 large or 4 medium
Prawn - devined and shell removed
Garlic - 2 cloves chopped lightly
Seasoning : soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, rice wine

Preparation

1. Cut all the sharp angled edges of luffa first. Then peel the skin. Ensure that the knife is sharp and steady. Remove the large seeds from the core. Leave the smaller seeds attached to the softer portions. Cut into 2 cm slices.

2. Beat the eggs and add seasoning sauces except rice wine.

3. Wash and drain prawn. Add a dash of cooking rice wine (Shaoxing)

Cooking Method

1. Fry garlic in a TBS of cooking oil till fragrant but before turning brown.

2. Stir fry prawn quickly till it just turns pink.

3. Add luffa slices and cook for a minute when it looks slightly soft.

4. Add beaten egg and keep stirring till well mixed. The water from the vegetables should help to form a saucy consistency.

5. The delicious dish is ready to be served as it is now.

6. If you like to make a soup, add chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Optional : steamed pumpkin wedges can be added to make the soup.

TCM Food for Toothaches - Treating the root causes of gum inflammation

After trying every possible remedy short of extraction of good teeth that are neither infected nor decayed, the most sensible and effective way of relieving toothache is through TCM, actually just a matter of selecting the appropriate natural and safe foods that we eat all the time.

I found this useful. When in doubt, consult a dentist.

QUOTE :

Changing to a diet that dispels "pathogenic heat" can ease some inflammation that is not caused by bacteria and tooth decay.
Acupressure and external applications of garlic, ginger, ginseng and salt water also help.

"Reinforcing kidney energy while the gum is still inflamed is useless; on the contrary, reinforcing foods usually accelerate blood circulation and may aggravate the inflammation and gum bleeding," Li says.
For inflammation, Dr Li recommends "cold" (yin energy) food that dispels pathogenic heat. This includes chrysanthemum tea, cucumber and celery. After the inflammation and pain are gone, eat kidney-reinforcing foods like gouqi (wolfberries), pigeon and walnuts.

Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water and soaking the sore gum in the salt water can help relieve inflammation and pain. Putting thin slice of American ginseng on the inflammation can also help.
Pressing acupressure points can help relieve the pain. The points are he gu on the hand, jia che on the jaw, and nei ting and tai xi on the feet.

http://www.china.org.cn/health/2009-03/10/content_17412694.htm

Yee Mee - Grilled Noodles in Superior Stock Stew with Vegetables

Yee Mee is said to have originated in Southern province of Guangzhou where the most delectable of all Chinese cuisines could be found. This is a popular one-dish food that is suitable for casual and formal occasions. Every well known restaurant worth its salt will have this on its menu.

Ingredients :

Fresh Egg Noodles
Yellow Chives (tender & longer than green Chinese chives & more expensive too)
Carrot - julienne
Shitake Mushrooms (use fresh or soak dried ones, then cut into slices)
Garlic : chopped
Egg : 2 - 3
Onion : slice thinly
Optional : either diced chicken, shredded roast duck or fish slices

Superior stock made from chicken bones, anchovy or dried scallops and celery. (A tsp of starch either tapioca or sweet potato, to be added just before adding the noodles at the end.)

Seasoning : soy sauce, pepper, shaoxing wine

Steps :

1. Put egg noodles in a colander and wash under running water, carefully stirring and disentangling the strands.

2. Grill noodles in pre-heated oven between 170 - 200 degrees C for 30 minutes. This is a healthier and less greasy option. (The classic method is to deep fry the noodles in cooking oil).

3. Turn off the oven and leave the noodles inside to keep warm but don't leave it for more than 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, fry garlic and onions with a little oil in a heavy pan or wok till fragrant. Then add meat, seafood, vegetables (except yellow chives) as you wish.

5. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Add starch and seasoning to chicken stock in a large pot and bring it to a light boil.

7. Put in noodles and top with previously fried ingredients. Add yellow chives last.

8. Cover with lid and stew for 10 minutes at medium low heat. Cook for shorter time (less than 5 mins) if you prefer the noodles to be crisy.

9. Add beaten eggs just before serving. It's supposed to be a bit runny.

10. Serve on a large platter or individual pasta bowls.  : )

Food Brighter Vision - halt macular degeneration - Greens, Fish, Nuts, Goji, Flowers

Macular degeneration (MD) affects one in seven persons over the age of 50 in Australia. While the reduction of vision is gradual, it can lead to blindness if not arrested in time.

Younger mypoic teens and adults are not spared. Macular endema which has simlar symptoms to MD can cause vision impairment if they persist to ignore or put up with the symptoms.

The good news is : the risk of developing MD and losing vision can be reduced if one follows a diet that is rich in certain classes of foods.

1. Fish oil
2. Green leafy vegetables
3. Nuts
4. Fresh fruits
5. Lucetin, zeaxanthin and carocarotenoids

Refrain from taking food laden with saturated fats (that includes margarine).

And most importantly, abandon smoking and sedantary lifestyle.
Ensure adequate protection of the eyes and face from sunlight and glare.

What the eye medical specialist and researchers recommend

* The views of opthamologists and consultants whom I've consulted.

* Information as shown on Australian TV Channel 7 two months ago featuring research findings and interviews with medical experts and patients.

Rather than dictate what and how much to eat, it is much easier to make slight modifications to our habits to improve eye health.

INCREASE INTAKE :

Spinach and silver beet are rich sources of lutein. It is important to diversify types of vegetable intake and include some green leafy vegetables at least twice a week.

Steam sweet corn is especially good for protection against M.D. It is a much better substitute to instant noodles or snacking on cookies.

Eat more : multigrains, muesli, oat bran, wheat germ and nuts.
Brazil nuts are said to be most beneficial for macular health. Almonds and cashew are good too.

Traditional herbal and Chinese remedies

Goji berries (枸杞子 Chinese wolfberries or Fructus Lycii) contains antioxidant compounds including zeaxanthin. Cone cells that affect the clarity of central vision, have a high concentration of zeaxanthin.

In TCM, goji is considered a tonic for the kidney which is believed to have a direct impact on eye conditions.

RECIPE

1. Put dried chrystanthemum flowers into a stainless steel tea ball.

2. Wash under running tap water for a few seconds. Tilt and drain the water away but do not open the teaball. Place gently into a tea pot.

3. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons washed goji berries into the bottom of the teapot.

4. Bring distilled water to the boil in a kettle.

5. Pour boiled water into the teapot and let the flowers steep for at least five minutes. The hot water will plump the goji berries which will exude a light fragrance that blends harmoniously with the flower scent.

6. When slightly cooled, pour into tea cup and enjoy.

Honeysuckle flowers are said to be good too but I have yet to research on this remedy.

I followed this chrysanthemum goji tea regimen for two weeks on a daily basis (in addition to adhering strictly to the above five classes of foods and the dos and don'ts). Without any active medical treatment safe for moisturising eyedrops, I had to rely on whatever dietary remedies at my disposal. Fortunately, I was certified to have recovered completely after six weeks by a renowned opthamologist. Of course, this is only a personal experience and may not work for everyone.

If you have symptoms of centre vision blurring, please consult a medical practioner or optometrist as soon as possible and seek more specialised expertise if necessary. Patients with positive prognosis normally take 3 to 4 weeks for complete recovery. Others may take longer or conditions may even deteriorate.

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Different types of wanton, dumplings, wrappers - Shanghai wanton huntun recipe

Cooking dumpling soup for the family is fun, easy and economical.

Small dumplings called "wan ton" in Cantonese and "hun dun" in Shanghai and Beijing may look and sound similar these delicious morsels are quite different, each vying for the top spot.

Larger dumplings are called "gow gee" (in Cantonese) or "jiaozi" (Mandarin) with more filling enveloped in slightly larger round shaped wrappers.

The first main difference between the northern and southern dumplings is in the wrappers (skin, crepe). Cantonese wrappers typically contain egg and alkaline (hence appear yellow in colour). Northern Chinese use plain wheat flour wrappers which do not have any strong taste.

Filling for Wanton
Minced pork
Chopped prawns (deshell and devein)
Waterchestnut (alternatively, use yam bean)
Chinese parsley (coriander)
Seasoning : salt, soy sauce, pepper, oyster sauce (reduce the amount of sauces if deep frying to avoid burning easily)

Filling for Huntun
Pork mince
Chopped prawn

"River Door" small white green vegetable (Kong Moon Pak Choy)OR
Long yellow Chinese cabbage

(Vegetables have to be chopped finely, dry fried with garlic and drained)

[ Proportion of pork, prawn and vegetable should be 3 : 1 : 2 ]

Green shallot (chop finely)
Ginger : slice thinly
Egg
Sesame oil
Seasoning : soy sauce, salt, pepper.

Mix the meat and prawn well, then add vegetables and continue stirring. Add the egg and combine well.

* The same huntun filling can be used for wrapping Fuzhou "yanpi" - a dry paper like skin made from flour and minced pork.

Wrapping : there are basically two methods
Put a little filling (should not cover more than 1/5 of the wrapper).
(1) either bundle and press to seal.
(2) or fold, roll and tuck in towards the back.

To Cook

1. Boil good quality chicken stock.

2. Add a few drops of vegetable or sesame oil so that dumplings do not stick.

3. Gently place prepared dumplings into the soup. Once the dumplings float to the top of the soup and turns transluscent, lower the heat and simmer for another 2 minutes. Be sure to cook the meat well.

* Note : Hundun can be panfried but rarely deep fried. This is different from "guotie" or pot stickers which is made from a floured dough with different types of filling.

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Special Potato Salad with generous helping of greens

Ingredients for Potato Salad

4 medium sized potatoes
1 brown onion : peeled and chopped finely
Green Shallots (1 or 2 stalks) - sliced finely
Mustard powder : ½ tsp
Mayonnaise : 2 TBS
Vinegar or lemon juice (2 tsp)
Chives (English) - cut into 2 mm length
Parsley – chopped finely (can be substituted with dried parsley flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional : 2 pieces of ham or bacon



1. Bring potatoes to the boil gradually in a saucepan of water. Do not overcook the spuds. Drain, cool slightly, peel and cut into cubes.
2. Fry onion in olive oil till fragrant.
3. If using ham and bacon, fry till cooked and lightly brown.
4. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and pepper.
5. Add potato to fried onion, then mix with the creamed salad dressing.
6. Sprinkle ham/bacon, parsley, green shallots. Toss and mix well.

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Winter Warmer : Russian Borscht Soup

It is winter Down Under and a good way to warm the family's heart and gut is a warm bowl of Borscht. Beetroot is an essential ingredient of this Russian staple. This is a vegetarian recipe that serves four.

Bring plump tomatoes (skin and seeds removed or use canned) and 3 1/2 cups of water to the boil.

Add julienned carrot, beetroot, cabbage and parsnip (optional). When the vegetables are almost cooked, add sliced celery and onion.

Then add a teaspoon of herbal stock granules. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Mix 1 teaspoon of flour with sour cream or use directly into the soup, adding a little at a time and combine well.

Serve with warmed or toasted bread.

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Brussel Sprouts - delicious ways of cooking wholesome foods

Most children (and adults too) do not fancy eating brussel sprouts despite coaxing and convincing evidence that the vegetable is packed with nutrients and antioxidants.

Discard old, stale, conventional and boring ways of blanching brussels sprouts. There is no need to precook the brussel sprouts. Here are some easy and novel ways of whipping up delicious brussels sprouts dishes.

Stir Fry B.S. with Carrots, Garlic and XO sauce

Wash and cut brussels sprouts into halves (quarter for larger ones) and remove tarnished leaves.

Peel and cut carrots into cube or thin slices.

Fry garlic lightly in vegetable oil. Increase the heat and stiry fry vegetables quickly.

Put two to three teaspoons of spicy XO sauce * and mix well with the vegetables. Put in XO sauce last as it is already cooked. Turn off heat. Dish up and serve with noodles or warm steamed rice.

* XO sauces can can be bought from Asian grocers and the speciality food aisles of supermarkets. I prefer Lee Kum Kee brand which contains visible and tasty dried scallop and shrimp compared to some other brands that use fish or squid as some of the ingredients. Once open, the bottled sauces is best kept refrigerated.

Stir Fry Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Sizzle thinly sliced bacon in a frying pan. The meat cooks in its own oil and there is no real necessity to add more oil.

Fry diced garlic in the oil and add brussels sprouts. Increase heat and give it a quick stir.

(My family in the USA provided this recipe,)

Brussels Sprouts Soup

Finally, treat brussels sprouts as you would with cabbage. They make delicious soups when combined with vegetables and beans. Enhance the flavours by adding celery and some julienned ginger.

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