Sesame meatball

This is a variation of chicken nugget, except I made it with pork and season with miso, and roll the meatball in sesame seeds.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground pork
1 teaspoon of dashi miso
1 teaspoon of corn starch
bunch of spinach
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
pinch of sugar
1 egg
1/2 clove of garlic

Sesame seeds


1. Process ground pork, miso, corn starch, spinach, lemon juice, sugar, egg and garlic in a food processor.

2. Roll the mixture in your palm and roll in sesame seeds.

3. Heat oil in pan and pan fry meatball until cook.

4. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Pancake-crepe

I remember my mom and nanny making this pancake-crepe for breakfast when I was growing up in Malaysia. It is not as thick as a pancake and has the appearance of a crepe.

Ingredients
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons of melted butter
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
pinch of salt

1. Mix ingredients together with a hand-held mixer.

2. Melt butter on crepe pan and laddle enough batter to create a thin layer of pancake-crepe.

3. Turn over when the top starts to bubble.

4. When the other side is slightly brown, it is ready.


Note: My daughter likes her pancake crepes in little circle cut out and dotted with chocolate chips.

Vegetarian lasagna

This was a team effort. My husband and I made this while the kids were watching Dora and Diego.

Ingredients

Fillings
Olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 eggplant diced
2 zucchini diced
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 yellow pepper diced
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
Olive oil
1 small onion diced
2 carrots shredded
1 bunch of spinach chopped
4 cloves of garlic
4-5 sprigs of basil
4-5 sprigs of cilantro
1 can of crushed tomato
1/2 cup of white wine
pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of oregano
3 tablespoons of ketchup
1/2 cup of cream
salt and pepper to taste

Lasagna pasta

Cheeses
Mozzarella and Parmesan


1. Heat olive oil in a large pan, saute eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and pepper until the vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Process cilantro, basil and garlic cloves in a mini chopper. Heat olive oil in another pot, sweat onion and saute carrot, spinach, basil and garlic until vegetables are soft. Add the white wine, nutmeg, oregano, ketchup and the can of crushed tomato. Cook for 10 minutes and add the cream. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

3. Cook the lasagna noodle according to the instruction on the package.

4. Assemble the lasagna as follow: sauce, lasagna pasta, vegetables, cheeses, lasagna, sauce, vegetables, lasagna, sauce and cheeses.

5. Bake in 350˚F oven for 30 minutes.

Salmon sashimi

I was inspired to make this dish after reading Nobu's new style sashimi. But I didn't have all the ingredients, so I improvised. The result is not bad.

Ingredients

Salmon sashimi
Vegetable oil
Minced shallots
Minced garlic
Shredded ginger
Tamari
Lemon juice

1. Heat oil in pan, lightly brown sliced shallot and garlic. I put the shallot into the pan first and wait a few minutes before adding the minced garlic.

2. Arrange salmon sashimi on a plate, dot with ginger and drizzle tamari and lemon juice on the salmon

3. Drizzle hot oil together with the shallot and ginger on top of the salmon.

Vegetarian pizza

My husband made this last night and I must say it is good.

Ingredients

Pizza dough
1 1/2 teaspoon of active dry yeast
1 cup warm water, 110° F.
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce
Vegetable oil with minced garlic
1 can of organic tomato sauce

Toppings
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Red peppers
Red onion
Thai red chilli (optional)
Black olives
Capers
Shredded mozzarella and cheddar

Garnish
Chopped cilantro

1. Put all ingredients of the pizza dough in the breadmaker in the order described in the manual and switch on the dough cycle.

2. Divide the dough into 5-6 portions and roll the dough out on a floured surface.

3. Prebake the rolled out dough on a pizza stone in a 375˚F oven for approximately 5 minutes.

4. Brush the pizza surface with garlic infused vegetable oil and tomato sauce.

5. Put the slices vegetables and the toppings on the pizza and cover with shredded cheese.

6. Bake in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

7. Garnish with cilantro.

Smoothies

My son inhales this smoothies everyday.

Ingredients

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 banana
1/4 mango
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup apple juice

Makes 2 servings

Note: I also use orange juice if we ran out of apple juice.

1. Blend all ingredients in blender and serve.

Ginger Sesame Chicken with Rice

Ingredients

Two chicken breasts sliced

Ginger sesame marinade
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 tablespoon of tamari
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons of mirin
1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
juice of half a lemon
pinch of pepper

Chicken stock and splash of mirin to deglaze the pan

Note: I minced the ginger and garlic with a microplane.

1. Marinate chicken overnight in the fridge.

2. Heat oil in pan, lay chicken slices in single layer and sear both side.

3. To create a sauce, deglaze pan with chicken stock and mirin and season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve with hot rice and garnish with cilantro and chilli.

Chicken Nuggets

My children love these homemade chicken nuggets.

Ingredients
1/2 lb minced chicken
1/2 avocado
1/2 medium carrot
handful of spinach leaves
1 egg
1/2 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon minced onion

Panko for coating

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix until a smooth paste is formed.

2. Form a nugget with 1 spoonful of paste and coat the nugget with panko crumb.

3. Heat oil in pan and pan fry the nugget.

Note: if the paste is too moist, use half an egg.

Miso snapper

I made this dish three weeks ago and guess what? my picky husband and daughter both love it.

Ingredients
4 pieces of snapper fillets
Miso paste
Oil for grilling

Miso paste for the snapper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons of dashi miso
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of minced ginger
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
pinch of sugar
pinch of pepper

Mix ingredients together to create a paste and brush on snapper.

Drizzle some vegetable oil on the grill pan and heat the pan.

Grill miso covered snapper both side for one minute each side.

Garnish with cilantro.