Pasta in Alfredo Sauce

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ Fancy some pasta but too lazy to leave home? Here's something for you, Pasta in Mushroom Alfredo Sauce. A simple, creamy dish with mushroom, lovely for a cold evening on the couch.

Pasta in Mushroom Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients: Serves 4
375 grams Pasta
250 grams Mushroom (sliced)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
2 Tsp Garlic (finely chopped)
2-3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
150ml Cream
Basil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:
1. Cook your Pasta in a pot of boiling water that has been added with a tsp of salt for flavour according to your pasta instructions. Once they're cooked, keep them warm aside for later. Don't forget to toss them well in some Olive Oil so that they don't stick to each other.

2. In a heated pan of Cooking Oil, throw in the Garlic and Onion and sweat them slightly before adding in the Mushroom.

3. The trick to get evenly browned Mushrooms are you need to have enough surface area in your pan because you want to have the Mushrooms spread out on the pan instead of piling them up. This also quickens the cooking process. This should take around 3-5 minutes or more depending on your flame control.

4. Proceed to turning your flame to a medium before adding in the Cream and then bringing it up to a slow boil. If you prefer your sauce to be more runny, you can opt to add and 1/2 cup of cold water mixed with 1-2 tsp of flour. This is make the sauce more liquid. You can also use this method if you find your sauce becoming to too thick.

5. Season it well with some Fresh Basil if not dried basil works well too. Not forgetting Salt & Pepper to taste.

6. Dish out the Mushroom Sauce onto the Paste and add a fresh Basil leaf for garnish. Serve hot.


And there you have it, simple great flavours. Enjoy~



Yours truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Chocolate Ganache with Strawberry Tart

Dear Readers,

Christmas is coming! and i'm all in the baking mood this month! I started developing interest in baking early this year, I've tried baking chocolate chip cookies, lemon curdy pud and of course this delicious deliriously chocolate ganache with strawberry tart! I know investing in desserts are pain in the ass, you gotta buy lots of stuff for baking, things like spatula, measuring cups, mixer, plain flour, double cream, caster sugar and all sorts of other things. But trust me! you will never regret it ! Let's get the party started!

Ingredients:

Pastry:
1 Sheet of Shortcrust Pastry (thawed)

Chocolate Ganache:
160ml Thickened Cream
30 grms Butter
90 grms dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

Cream:
300ml Thickened Cream
1 tbs Caster Sugar
1 Box of strawberries (Flavor and Garnish)

Directions:

1. Lay the sheet on a oven proof dish or quiche pan, prick the base with a fork, then line the pastry with a piece baking paper with rice (raw) or beans. Pop it into the oven for 8-10 minutes at 180 Degrees, then remove the baking paper with rice, go back to the oven again for another 5 minutes until just golden.

2. For the chocolate ganache, heat the cream and butter in a pot and stir over in a medium heat until the butter has melted. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour over the warm cream then stir till the chocolate has melted.

3. For the cream, use a mixer, pour in the cream and caster sugar, whipped till it turn fluffy, then slice some strawberries and stir it through with a spatula. ( if you don't have a mixer, you can use a whisker, but it takes a long time!! and it's a lot of hard work, it'll take you about 10-15minutes non-stop)

4. Finally, pour the chocolate on to the tart, spread it evenly with the back of the spoon or a spatula, top tarts with the cream and lastly garnish with fresh strawberries!

Enjoy this christmas season with your families and friends. With you a merry christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yours Sincerely,

The Whimsical Buddies

Bacon and Onion Quiche

Dear Readers,

I have never done this before in my whole life, but it's pretty easy really! And by the end of the day I can guarantee you will never regret baking this for your dinner or lunch! Your partner will love you even more for this!

Ingredients: 

Pastry:

1 Sheet of Shortcrust Pastry (thawed)

Filling:

4 Rashers of Bacon (middle or long bacon)

1 Yellow Onion (slice them thinly)

30 grms of Cheddar Cheese (grated)

185ml of Thickened Cream

125ml of Milk

4 Eggs

Directions:

1. Place pastry on a quiche pan, line baking paper on top of the pastry cover raw rice or beans on top of the baking paper, then pop into the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 mins. After it's done, remove the baking paper with the rice/beans and go into the oven again for 5 mins at 160 degree Celsius.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, fry onion till soft, and together fry bacon till crisp or towards your liking, (personally I like it tender and juicy) remove from pan and set aside. Grate your cheese if you have not started yet!

3. Add 4 eggs, cream and milk into a mixing bowl, whisk them nice and smooth. 

4. By now your pastry should be ready in the oven, take it out. First lay your bacon first, then onion, cheese and pour all the mix over the filling. Bake them for another 30 mins at 180 degree Celsius. 

You can serve this quiche with mashed potato and mixed salad. 

Bon Appétit! 

Sincerely Yours, 

The Whimsical Buddies ! 

Much Love! 

Bak Choy with Fried Dace

Bak Choy with Fried Dace

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ So how many of you have like having a nice meal but just couldn't be bothered to stand in the kitchen toiling away over your meal which will be gone within 15 minutes of munching, chewing and swallowing..You? You too? And yes you too in the back, well I thought so, because I can be like that too. Sometimes you think, why bother? Since its going to look like mush when it reaches my stomach anyway. Oh Ho Ho, that's where you're mistaken. Did you know you can eat with obviously your mouth, nose and also eyes?

Yes, your mouth taste the food with your tongue, your nose smells and your eyes see the food, sending signals within micro-seconds telling your brain "YUMM! Drool*" or "IEW! I'm SO not having that" and even "Sigh* This again" So I think it is important to a certain extend how our food looks like, that's why I always try to make my food as presentable and pleasing to the eye as my skills take me.

Dont's fret, its not difficult to make your food look good even if it is just a simple dish like this dish I am going to share with you, which is Bak Choy with Fried Dace. Bak Choy is easy enough to cook as well as it is to over cook. Fried Dace has never looked good when I open the can but that does not mean I can't work with it. The rule of thumb is keeping your plate keep clean and not let it be dripping with sauce and drops of oil on the side of the plate. (check back next week for more detailed tips and tricks)

Ingredients: Serves 4
Bak Choy
1 can Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans (shred fried dace)
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:
1. Boil some water in a Pan/ Wok, adding in a pinch of Salt and 1 Tbsp of Sesame Oil.
2. In another heated Pan of medium flame, add in 1 Tbsp of oil from the can of Fried Dace and let it heat up before adding in the shredded Fried Dace and Salted Beans. Lightly fry them for 3 minutes until the Fried Dace becomes a nice dark brown. Turn off flame. Keep Fried Dace aside warm.
3. Once the water has come to a boil, put in the Bak Choy neatly in and blanch it for 1-2 minutes. They should turn into vibrant green.
4. Drain water and place Bak Choy neatly on a plate. Place Fried Dace and Salted Black Beans on top. Pour the remaining oil from the Pan and Sesame Oil over the Bak Choy.

That should not take more that 10 minutes to make and the results would be what you see above. the Bak Choy has a fresh and vibrant colour with the dark, rich brown from the Fried Dace. If you like more taste on your vegetable, dish out the Fried Dace, leaving the oil in and toss the Bak Choy in the same Pan. Enjoy!


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Fried Sauce Noodle 炸醬麵 (Zha Jiang Mian)

Dear Whimsical Readers,

Hello! Thank you for dropping by to read on our homemade recipes website of ours. I would like to share something special today, and this dish is one of my favorites ~ "炸醬麵"! It's originality is from my hometown, TAIWAN! My mom is a Taiwanese, thus she always cooks the best taiwanese food for my family back home in Malaysia. Although, she said the noddle and the flavor of the pork does play a big role in her cooking. The ingredients we purchase from the local market stores, will at least I can say deliver a decent taste for this dish. Without further ado, here are the fabulous ingridients for the dish! It's simple:

Serves 4

500 grms of minced pork (season with salt and pepper)
50 grms of Mushroom (soak them in a bowl of water for 10mins at least)
1 spoon of Hoisin Sauce
1 spoon of Black Bean Sauce
1 packet of tofu/fried tofu (chopped)
3 cloves of Garlic (diced)
3 Tbs of Vegetable Oil
4 Sticks of Chinese Noodle (preferably oil)
1 Carrot (Slice them thinly, and leave it in the refrigerator)
1 Cucumber/Zuchinni (Slice them thinly, and leave it in the refrigerator)
Sesame oil and White Vinegar to Serve.
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a flat pan while you heat up another bowl of water till boil and chuck the noodle in for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Saute the garlic till fragrant and fry the mushroom till it turns soft and tender.
3. Chuck the meat in, the sauces then the tofu. Stir fry them in medium heat, add salt and pepper to your likings.
4. Serve in a warm bowl/plate, first the noodle, the meat, and finally top them up with cucumber and carrots. To my taste, I would prefer to add a little of sesame oil and vinegar to my noodle. It's just like adding a little bit of magic in the dish.

There you go, simple and easy isn't it? Enjoy!

Yours Sincerely,
the Whimsical Buddies

New Year, New Food! (2011)

Hello Whimsical Readers,

THANK YOU! We would like to thank our family, friends and of course not forgetting out readers and the support they have given us and we are excited to tell you that we're hipped up for the many many recipes to come.

F~ So how are we all today? I was lucky enough not to suffer and hangover although I do remember myself being quite happy at one point before dozing off and 10 minutes because of the long day I've had and then rushing to the bathroom to..erm nevermind..hahaha.

Since we're on the topic of hangover, I'd like to share some tips to ensure a Hangover-Free Post-Party-Morning. It does not matter really what alcohol you drink, because as long as you ingest alcohol, your body will be dehydrated. So a good tip would be to drink plenty of water the next day or even better the night itself before you knock out in bed. Do however much you crave it, try to avoid caffeine as it merely dehydrates you instead. If you must, then just have a weak cup of coffee.

The easiest way to get drunk very fast is when you have not had a proper meal before, and by meal I do not mean heavy lunch-skipped dinner nor do I mean salad for dinner. Something with some meat or starch, I find that cheesy food like pizza and burgers the best even though they may not be the healthiest food to have because the cheese and oil help by absorbing the alcohol content in your stomach.

For those of you who can't drink water (like me) as it would only result in more rushed-trips to the bathroom, Tomato juice is your best friend. Ok ok, some of you would say yuck, but it really helps because tomatoes are rich in vitamins that your body has lost from the night's drinking. If however, you absolutely detest tomato juice, orange juice should do the trick as well.

What we do back home is to have something to eat before going to bed. You may think that it's going to make you fat but believe me, when you're loaded with alcohol, food is the best thing on earth. I would recommend something on the savoury, salty or bland side instead, like a slice of pizza, maggi mee, a plain bun. Also we would always have a hot glass of lemonade, the sourness help to wake to back to soberness.

Speaking of sour, I recently learnt a trick while having Schnapps with some Ukrainians. They would have little pickles in between drinks to avoid getting drunk too fast. This also helps if you like to take it the day after, basically something sour when you wake up.

So a summary of it all;
- have a proper meal before drinking
- drink plenty of water to replenish your body's fluids
- try to avoid caffeine in the morning
- tomato juice (recommended) or fruit juice for Hangover-Free morning
- have something (light) to eat or lemon juice before bed
- munch on pickles in between drinks or the morning after

I hope these tips helps you with you morning after's.

By the way, here are some photos found of the fireworks happening near J~ and F~, can you guess where are we?

Have fun, stay safe and NEVER drink and drive.


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

New Year's Eve Party Special

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ OMG!! A year come has and go, just like that! Time flies and waits for no man, so don't be left behind. Enjoy life while you can or you might start regretting it in the future. I never think it is too early for us to enjoy and appreciate what we have in life, I may be young now, but sooner or later I will grow older and I have a wish to grow old with grace and not a grunge of bitterness in my soul because I am regretting what I did not but could have done in my youth.

Even though most people would make a "New Year's Resolution" instead, I unfortunately find that I would not follow it, especially once I have written it down and made it sort of "official". Therefore I thought it's high time I made myself a Bucket List. It is a list of things you want to do before you die or as they say "kick the bucket". I have always wanted to make one and I finally got around to do it. A tip for those of you who like to try it, find a friend to do it with you, its more fun when you have a "witness". Haha. You can always change and or add more to your list as you go.

Most of the things on my list at the moment has something to do with outdoor sports as I'm quite an outdoor junkie. So I have things like Bungee jumping, which I've done at the Diga Verzasca or James Bond Damp in Switzerland (which was totally exhilarating!!) Sky diving, climb Mount Everest Base Camp, get a kayaking instructorship etc. So don't wait til you're in your late 30's, 40's or 50's start now and enjoy life to the fullest.

Write us a comment of 3 things what you absolutely want to do before you die, we're looking forward to see what you've got.

But for now, let us welcome the new year of 2011!!! I've got to run again, got to go catch me some fireworks and party!! Wohoo!


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Merry Christmas Special

Hello Whimsical Readers, 

F~ First off, MERRY CHRISTMAS from us to you!!! It's that time of year where presents, holidays, parties and of course more food! I hope you are having a great time enjoying yourself, don't think about your work that's piling up in your work tray when you return (ok, bad..that doesn't' really help, does it..haha) ANYWAY, even though I'm suppose to be getting ready in a bit for my christmas dinner party, I'd thought I'd  best give you a recipe now since I'm probably going to be waking up with a hangover from too much fun..Haha! So here's something short, easy that doesn't require too much time even if you are planning to do it on Christmas Day itself. Christmas Butter Cookies!!

Ingredients: Makes 80-90 pieces

6 Egg Yolk

250 grams Butter (room temperature, cubed)

375 grams Flour

125 grams Sugar

1 packet Vanilla Sugar

Cookie Cutters

Rolling Pin

Baking Paper

Method:

1. Have the required amount of Flour and Sugar & Vanilla Sugar ready separately on the side beforehand as your hands will be covered in Butter when you need them. On a clean and dry surface, knit with your hands the Butter until you do not feel anymore knobs but a smooth texture.

2. Add the Flour in 3 parts, this makes the process of knitting the Butter and Flour together easier and allows you to see if you have enough Flour and can stop adding before it is too late. (when the Dough starts breaking up easily instead of stinking together, means it is too dry and has to much Flour)

3. Followed by the Sugar and again knit them well before adding in the Egg Yolks.

4. Once the Dough is knitted, roll it into a ball and wrap them in a plastic kitchen wrap and place them in the fridge for at least an hour. This is so the dough can settle. Not doing so can cause the cookie to deform in the oven.

5. After an hour, preheat the oven to 190° celsius, take out the Dough and ready the oven tray with Baking Paper. Sprinkle some Flour on a dry and clean surface and also on your Rolling Pin. Roll the Dough til it is flat, do not make it too thin about 8 mm should be fine.

6. Taking the Cookie Cutter, cut the Dough and take out the shaped Dough and place it onto the oven tray.

7. Put the Cookies into the oven for about 10-11 minutes.

8. Once the are done, let them cool down before putting them into a jar.

Enjoy!! p.s freshly baked cookies when they're still hot are the best! just be sure not to burn your tongue. =D

Note:

You can also get creative by adding by Lemon Juice (Lemon Butter Cookies), Raisins, Chocolate Rice/ Sprinkles. 

Alright so no more guilty conscience hanging on me, now I really must dash, Merry Christmas again and see you next week!

Yours Truly,

The Whimsical Buddies

Tarte Flambée "Flammkuchen"

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ Christmas is within the week!! I'm so excited, I have my christmas tree all decorated but somehow I still canoot get them to look like the ones you see in the movies. (oh well, i tried) Moving into the kitchen, I am busying myself with sweets and christmas biscuits since I am on holiday so I have the time. =D

Today's recipe will be something very simple because I am somewhat tied up with the holidays, so I will show you how to make a Tarte Flambée. I learnt the german name "Flammkuchen" before I did the english name so from what I understand from a Tarte Flambée is that it is not a tart and definitely not a flambée-ed with fire. Haha! It is actually something very similar to a pizza, you could say it is a healthier version (at least to me) because it uses quark or yogurt and sour cream instead of a tomato base and cheese toppings.

A Tarte Flambée is a Alsatian (located in Northeast France in the Region Alsace) dish. The most traditional recipe consist of onions and cubes of port fat with only sour cream as a base. However today, you can more of less create any combination you like. So I have 2 recipes; the traditional recipe #1 and my recipe #2. Unfortunately, I have only one picture to show you.

My Tarte Flambée/ Flammkuchen (german name)

Dough Ingredients: Or buy the ready-to-bake dough
380 grams Flour
150 ml Water
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Salt
Pepper (to taste)
Rolling Pin

Method:
1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the Dough. Be sure to mix it well.

2. Then, divide the Dough into smaller portion (you can choose to already portion them out into the number of  servings).

3. Taking the Rolling Pin, roll and flatten the Dough until it is quite thin. And Carefully place the Dough onto the Baking Tray and leave it aside.

#1 Traditional Recipe
Ingredients: Serves 6
1 1/2 Onion (halved and thinely sliced)
300 grams Bacon cubes
150 ml Sour Cream
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Putting the Dough aside, preheat the oven to 230° Celsius (446 F).

2. In a heated Pan/ Wok, stir-fry the Onions followed by Bacon cubes. Once they are cooked, leave them aside.

3. Spread the Sour Cream onto the Dough using a spoon. Sprinkle some Salt & Pepper and herbs of your choice. (e.g Oregano, Basil) Then, spread a generous amount of the ingredients onto the Dough

4. Put the Dough into the oven for 12-15 minutes.

5. Take out and slice into smaller pieces if preferred (a pizza cuter is very handy here) and serve!

#2 F~'s Recipe
Ingredients: Serves 6
1 Onion (halved and thinely sliced)
200-250 grams Bacon cubes
1 medium to large Pepperoni/ Bell Pepper (small cubes)
100 grams Mushroom (preferably fresh, not canned. small cubes)
130 grams Quark/ 1 Plain Yogurt
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
Paprika Powder (to taste)
Oregano (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Putting the Dough aside, preheat the oven to 230° Celsius (446 F).

2. In a heated Pan/ Wok, stir-fry the Onions and Mushroom, followed by Pepperoni and lastly Bacon cubes.

3. Once they are cooked, leave them aside.

4. In a bowl, mix the Quark/ Plain Yogurt and the Sour Cream, before adding in the Salt & Pepper, Paprika powder and Oregano. (Tip: 2:1 Quark/ Plain Yogurt to Sour Cream, I find it slightly too sour for my liking otherwise)

5. Spread the Quark Mixture onto the Dough before adding the ingredients.

6. 4. Put the Dough into the oven for 12-15 minutes.

7. Take out and slice into smaller pieces if preferred (a pizza cuter is very handy here) and serve!

This recipe also makes a very good party food! Its easy and they don't cost a bomb, plus they're healthier than Pizzas so no Calorie-Worries! Enjoy!!

Yours Truly,

The Whimsical Buddies

Roast Chicken

Greetings Whimsical Readers,

Have you ever asked yourself when you make your way into a house and wonder "Hmm where's that smell coming from?" Well it happens to me all the time! Especially during Chinese New Year or any special occasions where I am invited as a guest. I grew up in a typical chinese family, so the food I always eat is obviously chinese food. I love chinese food, no doubt about it! I am very versatile, I am open to any style of food. Don't be surprise, I didn't know how roasted chicken smells like till I met my boyfriend's mom! Every time I enter her kitchen, it's always the distinct smell that makes my nose go WOW. It's her signature dish. Roast Chicken! Well this is how it goes~

Ingredients:
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
3 Tbs Oyster Sauce (always more than the soy sauce)
2 Tsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper
5 Chicken Drumsticks

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken! (at least 1 day before)
2. Rub the sauces all over the chicken with your Clean hands!
3. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top.
4. Put them into the chiller (at least 1 night)
5. Place them in a nice flat pot, roast the chicken at about 200°C, for 1 Hour (turn over the chicken after half an hour)

Hope you enjoy the recipe.


Sincerely,
The Whimsical Buddies

2in1 Beef and Bamboo in Oyster Sauce

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ So its that time again, when bare trees and the streets are covered in white, the heaters are turned up, warm clothes, hot chocolate and of course presents!! Yes, its winter and christmas is just around the corner (unless you're in Aussie) I love winter! It can be terribly cold compared to where I'm from but nevertheless I absolutely love it! You see, I'm a jacket, scarf and boots person. I'm totally crazy about jacket; winter, spring, summer, autumn jackets one for every season! The same goes for scarfs and boots are especially gorgeous and even more so when you don't the opportunity to wear them. As the saying goes, people always want what they cannot have.

OK, so that's about winter, now about food! I don't know about you but when it's cold, I tend to be a little lazier so I sometimes prefer to cook a bit more so all I have to do for my next meal is to just pop it in the microwave..TING* and its done! So here's a 2in1 recipe for you lazy-bums ;P A warm dish perfect for giving you that warm feeling inside like after taking a hot bath; my Beef and Bamboo in Oyster Sauce dish. You can either eat it like that with a side of steamed white rice or you can make it into a dish on it's own if you're cooking for one. However instead of adding rice, I find that egg-based Noodles are a good match for this dish.

#1 Beef & Bamboo in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients: Serves 2
300 grams Beef (sliced, marinate with 1 Tsp oil, 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce 15 minutes before cooking)
65 grams Bamboo (thinly sliced)
2 Tsp Ginger (thinly sliced)
1 Tsp Garlic (thinly sliced)
70 grams Carrot (thinly sliced; for colour)
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
3-4 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper

#2 Beef & Bamboo Noodles in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients: Serve 2
85 grams Egg-based Noodle
220 grams Beef (sliced, marinate with 1 Tsp oil, 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce 15 minutes before cooking)
55 grams Bamboo (thinly sliced)
2 Tsp Ginger (thinly sliced)
1 Tsp Garlic (thinly sliced)
70 grams Carrot (thinly sliced; for colour)
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
3-4 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper

Egg-based Noodle 

Method:
1. If you're making this dish with the noodles, cook the noodles accordingly and set aside in a bowl, keeping it warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a heated Pan/ Wok of Cooking Oil, add in the Garlic, Ginger and Carrots and stir-fry for a couple minutes.
3. Then, adding in the Bamboo sliced and cook them well for about 5 minutes. (Bamboo gives off a rather pungent smell, ginger helps soften the smell, so add more ginger if you want to)
4. Followed by the beef for another 3-5 minutes, be sure not to over cook your meat.
5. Now, add in the Oyster Sauce, Soy Sauce, Salt & Pepper according to your taste, add about 80ml of Water if you don't like your dish so dry. Let the dish simmer for 2 minutes before dishing out.
6. For this dish to be combined with the Noodles, make sure you add about 1 Tsp of Oil to your Noodles so they do not stick whilst you are cooking the Beef & Bamboo. Also be sure to make your dish slightly saltier so that when you mix the Beef with your Noodles the taste would be just right. Dish out your Beef and mix well with your Noodles in the bowl and serve hot.

I hope you like this recipe I made, Enjoy!

Note:
I find that if you use noodles that are already portioned-out, the chances of you cooking too much of noodles and over-eating are lower. ;)


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Eggs with Tomatoes

Dear Whimsical Readers,

Hello again dear readers! This is the most simple Chinese dish you can ever imagine, and yet very yummy, tasty and delicious!! It goes really well with white rice! Do you believe it will only take you less than 7 minutes to cook! Just crack the eggs, chop the tomatoes and let's get started !

Ingredient: Serves 2
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
1 Tomatoes (chop them into cubes or quartered)
Salt and Pepper

Method:
1. Break 2 eggs into a bowl, and beat them lightly.
2. Add salt and pepper into the bowl
3. Add oil into the frying pan in medium heat
4. Fry the tomatoes, season with a pinch of salt
5. Add the eggs, fry them till it forms like a scramble eggs.

Enjoy!


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Udon Noodles in Miso Sauce

Udon Noodles in Miso Sauce

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ Let us travel today (mentally of course*) to Japan, a world of kimono, geisha, sushi, cherry blossom and not forgetting Miso Soup. I would usually have a bowl of Miso Soup when I have sushi, it just completes the whole japanese food experience. But what if you're not a fan of soup noodles and prefer dried noodle dishes instead? Here's the solution I would like to share with you today a totally japanese dish but with an interesting twist, it's Udon Noodles in Miso Sauce, not soup. Curious? Let's get to it then!

Ingredients: Serves 2
200 grams Udon Noodles
100 grams Bak Choy (halfed)
60 grams Baby Corn (diagonally sliced)
60 grams Snow Pea (diagonally halfed)
1/2 block Dried Tofu (cubed)
1 Tsp Ginger (thinly sliced)
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
1 Packet Miso Soup Paste
50ml Water
Seaweed flakes (garnish)

dried Tofu

Method:
1. Before beginning, mix the Miso Soup Paste with 25ml of Water. Then once your Pan/ Wok is heated with the Cooking Oil, add in the Ginger, Baby Corn, Snow Pea and Bak Choy all together for 5 minutes before tossing the Tofu in for another 3 minutes.
2. Turn down the Flame to a medium before adding in the Udon Noodles, heating it for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the Miso Soup Paste and mix well for 5 minutes, adding the remaining Water if needed or if you prefer some sauce in your Noodles. (Taste as you add the water otherwise the taste will be too diluted)
4. Dish out and serve hot. You can decide your Noodles with some Seaweed Flakes to give it a more Japanese taste.

Enjoy! or as they say in Japan いただきます "itadakimasu"

Yours Truly,

the Whimsical Buddies

Rösti

Dear Whimsical Readers,

How are you today whimsical readers? The dish I am about to share its one of the swiss national dish! It's call ROSTI! This is a famous Swiss breakfast for people like farmers back in the 50's. It is termed as "poor man's food" because it's mainly made out of potatoes only! It's just as simple as that! Well, nowadays it is not really considered a poor man's dish anymore.

Rösti

There are many ways you can "spice" up your Rösti, for example, you can add a variety of meat on top with it to suit your taste. As for me, I like to stick to as old school as possible. I like the authentic taste to it. Which is add "nothing". Don't worry, I will recommend which meat would be most suitable to add on to your version of the Rösti. I would highly suggest Streaky Bacon. Smokey Salmon and German/Brititsh Sausages goes really well too!

Ingredients: Serves 2
2 Tbsp of Salted Butter (1 tsbp for each Rösti)
2 Russet Potatoes
2 Eggs
100gm Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Sour Cream

Method:
1. Grate the potatoes when it's raw! That's if you got time. I would prefer to slice it (even though it takes a lot of time) I dislike the texture of grated potatoes, I prefer them sliced thinly.
2. Beat the Eggs and mix it into the grated/sliced potatoes, add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Fry the rosti right after the butter melts, throw in 1 handful of cheese and fry till it turns golden brown and crisp on both side. *careful when you turnover the rosti*
5. Serve the Rösti, top up with 1 table spoon of sour cream!

YUMMY! Enjoy!

Note: if 1 Russet potato makes the Rösti too big to handle in your pan, you can spilt them in half so you would end up with 2 smaller Röstis per person.

Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Readers

Spicy Fried Noodles

Spicy Fried Noodles

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ I hope you liked last week's Potato Salad, I know I can't wait for my next session of Potato Fun with my bestie. In the meantime, let me show you another type of "starch" from the Asian region. It's not really from anywhere because I sorta created it with a good friend of mine while she was crashing at my place. The thing about fried noodles is you can more or less put whatever you want in it, as long as they go well with each other, the rule goes more or less the same way for fried rice. It's just sometimes you find similar ingredients inside because #1 it's cheaper, #2 easily available throughout the year, #3 it's kinda what people already expect. But that does not mean you can't break free from the norm and experiment yourself. That's what we did and it turned out great so here it is!

Ingredients: Serves 4
300 grams Bee Hoon Noodles (soak according to instructions)
180 grams grams Long Bean (2 inch long) or Chinese Cabbage (thinly chopped)
12-16 Prawns
8 pieces Crab Stick (sliced 1cm)
1 medium Onion (thinly chopped)
2-4 Tbsp Laoganma Chilli Bean Sauce (see Mapo Tofu recipe for reference* 12/9/10)
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:
1. As usual in a heated Pan/ Wok of Cooking Oil, lightly stir-fry the Onions for a few minutes.
2. Followed by the Prawns (be careful not to over cook them) for a couple minutes before adding in the Long Beans or Chinese Cabbage. Adjusting the flame to a medium-high, close the lid for 5 minutes.
3. To maintain the bright colours of the vegetables and prawns, what you can do is either dish it out and keep it aside or if using a flat pan, you can move the ingredients around the pan so you can cook you Bee Hoon Noodles simultaneously.
4. Adding in the Been Hoon Noodles and fry them for 5 minutes, adding some Cooking or Sesame Oil if needed to avoid them sticking to the Pan/ Wok.
5. Add in the Laoganma Chilli Bean Sauce, according to your spice tolerance level and mix it well. (if you dished out the other ingredients earlier, you might want to add 1/2-1 Tbsp more of the Laoganma Chilli Bean Sauce so there is sufficient flavour to mix around.
6. Mixing in all the ingredients well for another 2 minutes and serve hot.

Enjoy!
Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Potato Salad

Dearest Whimsical Readers,

Need a quick munch and yet gives you a full and happy stomach? Potato Salad never disappoints me. You can either treat this as an entree for your dinner, or a simple meal for your lunch. Here's how it goes:

Ingredients:
2 Russet Potato (US) (preferably medium sized)
1 Green Apple (I like the sour taste to it)
2 Shallots
10 Cherry Tomato (slide into half)
2 Eggs (boiled)
4 Rashers of Streaky Bacon
Salt and Pepper
Mayonnaise (preferably KRAFT)

Method:
(Preparation)
1. Chop the potatoes into cubes and boil them (takes about 15-20 minutes)
2. Boiled the eggs (takes about 10-15 minutes)
3. While your potatoes and eggs are boiling it's way, slice your cherry tomatoes into half, put them into the chiller.
4. I prefer not to remove apple's skin, I love the skin! Chop them into cubes and place them into the chiller
5. Slice the shallots into thin slices.
6. Fry the Bacon till crispy, chop them into chunks.
7. When the potatoes and eggs are ready, drain them, leave it to cool *slice the eggs into quarters*
8. Add all of the ingredients into a nice salad serving bowl, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Eggs, Apple, Bacon, Shallots and finally the Mayonnaise. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Note: This dish you will get to taste, salty, sour and sweet. Enjoy!


Your truly,
Whimsical Buddies

Fried Rice #2 with Fried Dace

Fried Rice with Fried Dace

Dear Whimsical Readers,

F~ This is another version of chinese fried rice, as we all know, fried rice is very simple and can be made with all sorts of ingredients depending on your creativity. This version is from my dear mommy and I love it! So I'd like to share it with everyone, the special ingredient here is Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans, its not the prettiest thing in a can if you're not familiar with Chinese Cuisine. But I assure you, it taste really good. It can also easily go with plain white rice as a dish itself. I've also heard you can cook it with Bak Choy or Bitter Gourd, interesting even for me. Be sure you will see these recipes as soon as I try them! But now, I will show you Fried Rice with Fried Dace, here we go!

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 Cups Overnight Rice

1/2 Can Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans (thinly shredded)

1 Small Chinese Cabbage (thinly sliced)

1 Egg

1 Clove Garlic (finely chopped)

1 Medium Yellow Onion (thinly chopped)

1 Tbsp Ginger (finely sliced)

1 Tbsp Cooking Oil

2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Fried Dace with Salted Black Bean

Method:

1. In a heated Pan/ Wok, add in 1-2 Tbsp Oil from the can of Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans. Fry the Fried Dace, to give it a crunchy texture for the fried rice. Dish out and keep aside.
2. In the same Pan/ Wok, now with Cooking Oil, lightly brown the Garlic, Ginger and Onion. Followed by the Chinese Cabbage and let it cook for 2 minutes.

3. Next, add in the Rice to the mix and continue to cook the mix for another 5 minutes.

4. Then, crack the Egg and mix it well as you cook it. (the Egg binds everything together, so a good mix is crucial) 

5. At this point, add in both Soy Sauce for colour and again mix well.

6. Bringing back the Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans and mixing it well and adding Oil from the can if needed at any point. Taste and adjust to your preference.

7. Dish out and serve hot.

Note:

To enhance the fragrance and flavour of the Fried Rice, use the Oil from the can of Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans instead.

Enjoy!

Your Truly,

The Whimsical Buddies

Tofu with Woodear "Mu Er"

Tofu with "Mu Er"

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ A couple weeks ago, you had some Cold Tofu from my partner in crime J~ and this week I thought of sharing with you another one of my Tofu recipe. It is a hot dish cooked with chicken and a type of mushroom that is very commonly used in many Asian cuisine called Cloud Ear Fungus always more commonly known as Wood Ear from the direct Chinese translation "木耳" pronounced as mù ěr.

I like this mushroom because even after it is cooked, it still retains its crunchy texture. It might look somewhat unappealing because of it's brown and slight translucent appearance but I assure it is really tasty when you get it right. Sometimes this fungus comes in a dried form and has to be soaked in water for awhile before you can cook but the fresh ones should also be easily available if you know where to look. ;)

For those who are skeptical of Tofu as well as strange Asian fungus, worry not, this recipe should change open your mind about it. Still not convinced? Try it with a friend or a loved one, make an "Experiment Night" and if you really don't like it, I guess there's always McD's or Pizza. But you have to try it before you can hate it so here it goes!

Ingredients: Serves 2-3
2 tubes Egg Tofu (1 inch slices) Be very gently as the Tofu can be very delicate*
60 grams Wood Ear (2x2 slices or thinly sliced)
60 grams Chicken (small pieces)
3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
2 Tsp Sesame Oil (optional)
3-5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:
1. In a heated pan/ wok, add 1 Tbsp of Cooking Oil, fry the Egg Tofu until the surface is slightly browned or when the smoothness because somewhat rough (approx 2 minutes). Then, take it out and leave it aside.
2. With the same pan/ wok, add the remaining Cooking Oil to cook the Wood Ear for 2-3 minutes, followed by the Chicken for another 5 minutes.
3. At this point, bring the Egg Tofu back into the pan/ wok as well as adding in the Soy Sauce, Salt and Pepper. Then under a medium flame, close the lid for 2 minutes.
4. Just before dishing out to serve, add some Sesame Oil to enhance the fragrance if you like.

Enjoy!


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Aubergine Belacan (Spicy)

Hello Whimsical Readers,

F~ Hello, hello, did you notice the date today (10/10/10) is supposedly a very auspicious date? Not sure whether about where you're from, but where I'm from, it's for sure that there will be many couples getting married on this day. However we're not here to talk about people getting married, we're here for something more important which is FOOD. Haha. So let's get cracking..

However, let me first introduce to you a crucial ingredients that is very popular is the Southeast Asian regions from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines. It is called Sambal Belacan. Sambal itself is a Malaysian/ Indonesian word for chili based sauce. Belacan is grounded shrimp that has been fermented, sun-dried after which cut into small blocks prior to cooking. Sambal belacan together means the shrimp paste is mixed and cooked with grounded chili, making this ingredient very spicy.

So now that you know one of the secret to spicy curries, let me show you another way to use Sambal Belacan. Without further ado, I present to you Aubergine Sambal Belacan. It is a mixture from the Malay and Chinese cuisine of Malaysia.

Aubergine Sambal Belacan

Ingredients: Serve 4
1 medium-sized Aubergine (sliced)
3 small Shallots (finely chopped)
70 grams Chicken (thinly sliced)
30 grams Dried Shrimp
2-4 Tsp Sambal Belacan (depending on your Spice Tolerance Level)
3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
1-2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
250 ml Water
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method:
1. After heating up your Cooking Oil in a pan/wok, add the Shallots and fry them for about 2 minutes.
2. Then add the Dried Shrimp and let it cook for a minute or so before adding the Chicken and again letting it cook for 2 minutes.
3. Next, add in the Aubergine and pour in 150 ml Water and close the lid for 3-5 minutes. (stirring it occasionally)
4. Turn the flame to a medium high before adding the Sambal Belacan, Salt & Pepper, Soy Sauce and the remaining Water to the mix.
5. Let it simmer for 2 minutes before serving.

Enjoy, and don't burn your tongue. =P


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies

Beef Stragonoff

Dear Whimsical Readers,

F~ So today is my birthday!! Yeah! Happy Birthday to me! I'm not really a big-party person, I just don't like the idea of having a big party and not being able to interact with everyone, I prefer a something smaller where everyone one has the opportunity to talk to each other. Although come to think about it, I haven't had a party for myself since I was 12. Every other party for me is either small with my various groups of friends and big ones I host are usually for someone else.

Turning 22, its not so significant as 21 but I was on an island waiting for the storm to pass with a group of campers so we can kayak our way back to the mainland, plus the fact I was camping the whole month so basically means I was cut off from the world, doesn't really make it a typical 21st birthday. Nonetheless, it is memorable for me because I was doing what I love, out in the "wilderness"! Some of you would think I'm crazy but I absolutely love the outdoors and camping. And since this year I am within civilization, I decided to have a small dinner party of 8.

This is actually the first time I've made dinner for 8 people all by myself and  have to say, I'm really proud of my accomplishment, next step Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner for 25! Wow..haha. Back to my birthday dinner, I made Beef Stroganoff with a side of pasta. It is easy enough to make and you can cook it a little earlier in advance and let it simmer to perfection as you entertain your guest. And making a larger portion is no a problem either.

Beef Stroganoff is originally a Russian dish which included sour cream in the recipe and instead of pasta, rice was served with it. The recipe varied as it travelled to Europe, North America, Australia, South Africa, Brazil etc. This version of beef stroganoff is more towards the european styled cuisine with cream sauce.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients: Serves 4
600 grams Beef Tenderloin (pounded flat, sliced, lightly coated with Flour)
375 grams Fettucini Pasta
300 grams Mushroom (preferably fresh, thinly sliced)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
300 grams Cream
60 grams Butter
30 grams Flour
60 ml Red Wine
1 Tbsp Tomato Pureè
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Basil Leaves (garnish, optional)

Method:
1. In a boiling Pot of water, add some Oil (so the Pasta doesn't stick to each other) and Salt (for minimal flavour) before adding in the Pasta. Cook it accordingly and drain it, then keeping it warm, aside
2. Meanwhile, in another heated Pan/ Wok, melt 40 grams of Butter before putting in the Onion and letting it glaze for about 2 minutes.
3. Followed by the Beef, letting it cook for 5 minutes. Dish out the Beef and Onion and put it aside, keeping it warm.
4. Add the remainder Butter into the same heated Pan/ Wok, then toss in the Mushroom for about 3 minutes. Cook them until they start to turn into a nice brown.
5. Once the Mushroom starts to brown, add in Tomato Pureè and Red Wine and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or until the liquid begins to thicken.
6. Now bringing back the Beef and Onion into the Pan/ Wok, then mix in the Cream under a low to medium flame, thickening the Cream. (approx 1-2 minutes). Also not forgetting the Salt and Pepper to taste.
7. Dish out a generous portion of both beef and pasta and serve hot. Garnish with a couple Basil leaves.

Note:
- A good tip how to properly cook your mushroom (which I learnt from movie: Julie & Julia) is not to crowd your mushrooms. fanning them out thus giving them enough space to cook and brown nicely.
- For those of you who prefer more sauce like me, what you can do, it add a little more Cream (100 grams) as well as Water (65 ml). However keep note that once the cream sauce cools down, the tendency of the sauce to reduce is very likely.

Enjoy!


Yours Truly,
The Whimsical Buddies