"总觉得用心准备的食物不只是味蕾的触动,也是一个记忆,一个我想留给身边心爱的人的记忆。这也就是我用心做菜,细心专研的原因和推动力。"

Monday, February 8, 2010

Five-Spice Meat Roll 五香春卷

这是去年过年期间学做的五香春卷(简称“五香”)。五香春卷是每年过年家里必备的年菜,妈妈会做多一些收在冰箱里,要吃时拿出来炸就行了。

妈妈做的五香春卷是真材实料(妈妈会加入很多虾肉或鱼肉,有时也会加芋头,加入芋头的五香别有一番风味),但是所有材料都是agak-agak(大概估计)的,没有所谓的食谱,那我也自己agak-agak,不过我尽量记录下每样材料的份量,那么下次再做时就能有个根据。

对第一做的成果感到相当满意,五香的口感很好,咸度也刚刚好。唯一我想改善的地方是肉可以再松软点(我不喜欢包得太实的五香),下次做我会减少面粉的分量看看。

材料:
猪绞肉 500g
虾肉 250g (剁碎)
马蹄 8 - 9 粒(切小颗粒,约1碗)(我不喜欢切得太碎)
小葱 3粒(约50g,切碎)
鸡蛋 1粒 (略打散)
面包糠 100g (或用打碎的梳打饼)
五香粉 2茶匙
胡椒粉 1茶匙
糖 1茶匙
酱油(酱青) 1茶匙
盐 1 ½ 茶匙
面粉 3汤匙
腐皮 1张(减小片)

做法:
1)混合以上所有材料,搅拌均匀。
2)腐皮用干净的湿布来回抹几次,加入陷料卷起。
3)大火蒸约15分钟(如果比较大卷要蒸多5分钟),要吃时再煎炸。

小小心得/建议:
1)用湿布抹腐皮是要去除咸味,这个动作一定要记得,不然咸死你。还有,腐皮是很脆弱的,擦时要温柔点,避免擦破。
2)以上材料可以做13条小卷的五香。个人比较喜欢吃小卷的五香,因为喜欢吃多点腐皮,腐皮炸好后脆脆的很好吃。

Friday, February 5, 2010

BB's Ultrasound Scan on 36 Weeks 宝宝36周扫描

29th Jan 2010

上次的产检在两个星期内我胖了2公斤,吓了我一跳。这次量体重我也吓了一跳,不过是又惊又喜,因为我只重了100克。

每次护士除了帮我量体重外,还会量我的血压。很庆幸的是至今我的血压都在正常水平内。

今天医生扫描时一直把仪器往下移,可是怎么还看不到BB的头? 原来BB的头已经fully engaged了!!两个星期前的产检我们还看得到BB的头部,那时只是partially engaged而已。

今天我们也看到了BB的侧脸,BB的嘴巴还在动呢!他的小嘴开开关关,很像在喝水,又很像在玩,很逗趣。这可是我们第一次看到BB的嘴巴动哦!

上次扫描BB的体重约2.3 - 2.4公斤,比平均重了一两百克。医生说36周BB的平均体重是2.6公斤。我们的BB正好也是2.6公斤,呵呵,BB恢复到标准体重了。

BB's weight on 36 weeks: 2.6kg (according to gynea this is the average weight)

今天BB的心跳是133bpm,属于正常范围。

BB's heartbeat: 133bpm

今天医生做了两样平时产检不会做的事 – 第一就是抽取分泌物拿去检验,如果有细菌感染的话,就得赶紧在生产前医治好,不然BB出世时会被感染。第二就是check for dilation。医生说虽然她不认为我会在这时dilate,但是她还是“顺便”检查,目的是让我感受一下那种感觉。

医生打趣的说通常通过这个检查就可以估计产妇生产时需不需要打epidural(生产时打在脊椎部位的止痛针)。医生说有三类产妇,第一种是在她的手指还没有进入时就已经怕得叫出来,通常这类产妇阵痛开始不久就需要打epidural了。第二种是可以忍受但是脸上会出现痛苦的表情。这类产妇通常可以顶到dilate到4 -5公分时才打止痛针。最后一种属于少数,就是医生检查完毕后还好像没那回事,这类产妇通常不需要打止痛针。

而我是属于哪一类别呢?医生只放了两根手指进去,我已经觉得很痛,但是我没有喊出来。结果,正如医生估计我还没有dilate。医生说我的忍痛度是normal,也就是说我是属于第二种产妇。其实,我已经做好心理准备到时应该会打epidural,我对自己没信心,不信自己可以忍得住。


下次的产检也是安排在两周后,很期待和BB再次见面but who knows 可能还没等到下次的产检BB就迫不及待出来我们见面。 一切顺其自然吧!

后记:
产检后的第三天我走路时鼠蹊部痛得很厉害,可以用寸步难移来形容。我问了医生她说是BB的头顶到了我的pelvic bone我才会那么痛。接下来几天断断续续都会痛,肚子也觉得特别紧。我的心情好紧张哦!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Another Reason To Be Happy - Happy 101 Award

Thanks to tracieMoo and DG for passing this lovely award to me.

This is the third time tracieMoo passing me an award. Thank you very much for your support to my blog, tracieMoo. I really appreciate.

DG is a new friend I know from this blog and that's how I discover her yummy food blog - Tested and Tasted.

Here are some rules of this award:
- Having the picture of the award posted onto your blog
- Sharing the 10 things in life that make you happy with your readers
- Passing on the award to 10 other bloggers who brighten up your day. Sharing the links to the 10 bloggers', as mentioned above, on your blog
- Getting the 10 bloggers informed about the award
- Asking the 10 award recipients to relink their blogs to yours.

I will be sharing the 10 things that make me happy and delicate this award to all my fellow blog pals. I think all of you deserve it. :-) Please feel free to pick it up from here.

10 things that make me happy......

1) Thinking of my little prince though I have yet to meet him.
2) Spending quality time with D, my hubby.
3) Having my mum's home-cooked food.
4) Baking (of course).
5) Reading your comments on my blog, be it good or bad (though so far there isn't any bad one). :P
6) Meeting my good old friends and having a good chat with them.
7) Lots of sweet stuff, cakes, tarts, cookies, pastries......
8) Manage to squeeze into my size 26 skinny jeans again (if there is this day to come!)
9) A good body massage.
10) Looking good!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Stewed Chicken with Carrot 红萝卜焖鸡(超简单懒人食谱)- Repost with English Recipe


I almost forget I have promised my blog friend, Claire, to translate the recipe in English for her. I have short term memory ever since I am pregnant (is it an excuse? Haha). Here we go. Scroll down for the English recipe.

这是我两年前开始下厨时“研发”的,我把这道菜叫懒人食谱。

菜的主角是鸡和红萝卜,其他的配料就看当时家里有什么。通常我也会加香菇,除此以外,我也试过加baby corn,蚝干,莲子和栗子。味道都很好,尤其是加入了蚝干后,味道更为鲜美。

调味方面只有简单的蚝油和黑酱油,所以我觉得选用的调味料品质也很重要。调味料的份量很随性,视材料和水的份量而定。



材料:
鸡全翼 6只(加入少许栗粉拌均)(用鸡块也行)
红萝卜 2条(切大块)
香菇 4朵(泡软,切半)(加入少许栗粉拌均)(optional)
蚝干 6粒(洗净泡软,保留浸泡的水)(optional)
莲子 1把(预先泡水,去芯)(optional)
姜 2片(拍烂)

调味料:
蚝油 1汤匙
黑酱油 1汤匙
酱油 适量 (optional)

做法:
1)煮滚适量水(可使用浸泡蚝干的水)(以上份量大约是1杯半),加入蚝油和黑酱油拌均(水的份量大约和材料一样高)。
2)加入所有材料煮滚,转小火,焖煮约1小时或至水减半。试味道,如果不够咸,加入适量酱油,即可上桌。

小小心得/建议:
1)这道菜因为要长时间焖煮所以鸡不宜切得太小块。

2)喜欢的话,也可加入少许花雕酒调味(最后才加入)。

Ingredients:
6 chicken wings (coated with some cornflour)(can also use other part of chicken)
2 carrots (cut into big chunk)
2 slices ginger (pounded)
(Chicken and carrots are the main ingredients, other than that, you may add in any other ingredients you like such as mushroom, dried oyster, chestnut etc)

Seasonings:
1 tbsp oyster sauce (use premium quality one)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Some light soy sauce to taste (optional)
Some Chinese cooking wine (optional)

Method:
1) Bring adequate amount of water (about 1 ½ cups for the above ingredients) to boil, add oyster sauce and dark soy sauce, mix well. (The amount of water should be about the same height as the ingredients).
2) Add in all the ingredients, bring to a boil. Lower heat, simmer for about 1 hour or till water reduced by half. Taste and add in some light soy sauce if the gravy is not salty enough. Add some Chinese cooking wine at last (optional). Served hot.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

2009 Pineapple Tarts

No, there is no typo error in the title. These are some pineapple tarts I made last year, my first attempt actually.

Last year was my first time making pineapple tarts, my favorite. In total I made 4 batches to experiment different recipes. At the end, the very first batch that I made was the most preferred one by my family members.

I intended to bake pineapple tarts this year also and I have actually prepared all the ingredients a few weeks ago but I just delayed my plan week by week.

Thanks to the last stage of pregnancy, I feel really lazy to do almost anything. I still cook sometimes but only very simple dishes. That's the reason why the frequency of my blog post is getting lesser.

I will be due soon......officially in 3 weeks time but who knows baby may want to come out to see the world earlier.

Here I wish everyone an early "HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 恭贺新禧!"

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

BB's Ultrasound Scan on 34 Weeks 宝宝34周扫描

15th Jan 2010

距离上次的产检只有两个星期,可是在短短的两个星期内我竟然胖了2公斤。我一度怀疑护士小姐看错了记录,一再证实后我真的胖了两公斤。

这两个星期来我的确是吃了不少,因为肚子很容易饿,所以吃得也特别多。我问医生原因,医生看了看我的肚子说宝宝已经往下移了,不像之前顶着我的胃,所以我的胃口也变好了。

从怀孕两个月到现在我已经足足胖了15公斤,所以医生希望下次的产检我最多胖1公斤。

以前医生只要把仪器放在我的肚子上就能看到BB的头了,但今天医生要一直往下移才看到BB的头,原来BB的头已经engaged了(i.e baby's head has dropped below the pelvic bone)!!

医生说通常BB的头在36周时才会engaged,所以我有可能会早两周生,D和我听了又惊又喜。医生叫我要多休息,不要走动太多了。

可能是BB头enggaged的缘故,最近我走多了会感觉特别累,不像前两三个星期shopping一整天都没问题。晚上我也更难以入眠了,不管是向上,向左还是向右睡都不舒服。之前晚上频尿的现象已有所改善,最近又要频频起身上厕所了。

上次BB的头部背向我们,今天开始扫描时BB也是背向着我们,当我们以为看不到BB的脸时,BB转头了。我们看到了BB的侧脸!:) 回家后D跟我说他觉得BB的鼻子像他,我开玩笑跟D说像我的比较美,哇哈哈!

上次扫描BB的体重约2公斤,医生说这时BB的平均体重是2.2公斤。我们的BB大约是2.3-2.4公斤。

BB's weight on 34 weeks: 2.3 - 2.4kg

今天医生也测量BB的头部,BB的头部周长约32mm,相等于一般初生婴儿的头部大小。所以,医生估计我们的BB出生时的头部周长应该会是34mm左右。

BB's head circumstance on 34 weeks: 32mm

今天BB的心跳是146bpm,属于正常范围。

BB's heartbeat: 146bpm

下次的产检也是安排在两周后,很快又能和BB见面了!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Pumpkin Kaya (Coconut Jam) 金瓜咖椰

Something different from the traditional Hanainese Kaya (the brown colour one) and Nyonya Kaya (the green colour) one. And, it is eggless, i.e. vegetarian can also has it.

I came across this recipe quite some times ago and it always stayed top of my to-do list. Only until last Sunday I managed to get all the ingredients (except fresh coconut milk, so at the end I used the box type) and made it at night after a long day out.

Though I was tired I still proceeded with my plan. It paid off - the outcome was good. The kaya was very fine and smooth. I was also glad that I decided to cut down the sugar from 200g to 150g; the sweetness was just nice for me to eat with bread.

Just in case you think that it's a difficult task to make kaya at home, I can assure you that this is very easy and generally I don't think it requires any kitchen skill.


Ingredients 材料:
(A)
500g pumpkin 金瓜 (net weight)(净重)
(B)
300g pure coconut milk 纯椰浆
½ tsp salt 盐
200g brown sugar 黄糖 (I reduced to 150g)(我减至150g)
2 tbsp custard powder 蛋黄粉
(C)
4pcs pandan leaves 香兰叶 (I used 10pcs)(我用10片)

Method 方法:
1) Peel pumpkin skin, cut into thin slices, steam till cooked and soften (about 8 mins), remove, mashed while hot. 把金瓜去皮, 切成薄块, 送入蒸笼蒸熟(约8分钟), 取出, 乘热压烂成泥。
2) Add B, mix well, strain into a wok. 加入材料B搅至糖溶, 过沥在锅内。
3) Add C, over low flame, stir cooked till thicken (about 15 mins). 加入C, 以小火不停搅煮至浓稠。(约15分钟)。

(Recipe reference: 我的厨房笔记)