No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

A scattering of walnuts gave an added crunch to these moist and delicious muffins.  Swap the nuts out with chocolate chips if your prefer, as bananas do pair well with cocoa and chocolate too. Banana Nut Muffins  ~   香蕉坚果马芬 Ingredients 1 cup over-ripe mashed bananas  (3 or 4 depending on size) 76 gm butter, melted 190 gm plain flour 110 gm caster sugar 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp vanilla 2 Tbsp strong coffee  a pinch of salt 80 gm lightly toasted walnuts, chopped 20 gm lightly toasted walnuts, chopped, to sprinkle (optional) warm honey to brush the top of the muffins  Method Mash the bananas, stir in the melted butter.  Mix in the sugar, eggs, coffee and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients by whisking the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.  Add in the chopped walnuts.  Mix till just combine, and do not overmix. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into paper lined

This is a delicious recipe that is easy to make and great to serve as a snack or a gathering.  It tastes somewhat like the yam cake except that there are plenty of beans to bite in this steamed cake.  The combination of dried shrimps, Shitake mushrooms and bits of pork made this steamed cake all the more flavourful.   Leftovers can be kept in the fridge and either reheat or pan-fried. St eamed Black-Eyed Bean Cake  ~   五香眉豆糕   (adapated from 'here') Ingredients   (A)  300 gm rice flour         75 gm tapioca flour         1050 to 1070 ml water         1 Tbsp Knorr chicken powder         1 tsp salt or to taste         2 tsp fish sauce         1/4 tsp pepper         1/2 tsp lye water (B)   4 Tbsp oil         1 Tbsp chopped garlic         50 gm dried shrimps, soaked for 10 mins         6 Shitake mushrooms, soaked till soft and cut to small pieces         100 gm pork fillet, diced, seasoned with oyster sauce, salt and sugar         1/2  five spice po

This banana bread baked in a cylindrical tin or a Nut Loaf tin has a soft, steamy texture and I especially like the top part of the bread which rose up like a mushroom.  It is crunchy and chewy with a slightly sticky centre.  Best to serve it warm with a slather of butter and some piping hot tea! Sultana Banana Bread in a Nut Loaf tin ~  葡萄干香蕉面包 Ingredients  115 gm plain flour 50 gm sultana, chopped coarsely 40 gm caster sugar 57 gm butter, melted and cooled 227 gm over-ripe bananas, mashed with a fork. 1 egg slightly beaten 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla Method Grease the tin generously with melted butter and dust it with flour.  Set aside. Combine and whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sultanas.  Leave aside. Combine mashed  bananas, egg and melted butter and vanilla. Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients till just combined.

A very appetising dish full of fragrance which will surely whet your appetite.   Pairs well with either a bowl of piping hot white rice or plain white porridge. Salted fish steamed with chicken  ~  咸鱼蒸鸡       Ingredients 300 gm chicken wings 30 gm salted fish sliced and lightly toasted till brown 10 gm young ginger, julienned Seasoning 1 tsp oyster sauce 1/4 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp cornflour 2-3 Tbsp water a pinch of salt some garlic oil 1 tsp Shaoxing wine to drizzle  Method Season chicken with the seasoning for about half an hour. Mix in the ginger and place on a deep heat proof dish. Sprinkle the toasted salted fish on top. Steam over high hat for about 20 mins, till meat is cooked through. Drizzle on the Shaoxing wine. Serve immediately.          

I baked this Durian Chiffon Cake quite some time back, during the durian season where the King of Fruits as the durian is called, was in full swing.  If you like the taste and strong overpowering smell of the durian, then you'll enjoy this light, soft chiffon.  But on the other hand if you don't, then you better keep your distance for the smell does linger on for quite a while! Durian Chiffon Cake  ~  榴莲戚风蛋糕 Ingredients  (A)  5 egg yolks        125 gm superfine flour, sifted        20 gm caster sugar        58 ml oil        150 ml milk or more  )    Blend together, and strian                   150 gm durian pulp    )    to get 150 ml durian puree       (B)  5 egg whites        70 gm caster sugar        1/2 tsp cream of tartar or 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar Method Whisk egg yolks with the sugar with a ball whisk till light and creamy. Discard the fibres from the durian pulp.  Blend with about 150 ml, then strain the mixture till you get 150

 There are only two primary ingredients which go to make this delicious yet simple omelette dish.  Undoubtedly it's eggs and bak kwa or pork jerky with some salt, pepper and light soya sauce thrown in.  Perfect on its own or as a snack or to serve alongside with bread, rice or plain porridge. Bak Kwa Omelette  ~  猪肉干煎蛋 Ingredients 4 eggs (65 gm each) 100 gm bak kwa, cut into small pieces a dash of pepper 1/2 tsp seasalt and light soya sauce or to taste  Method Beat up the eggs, add in seasalt, light soya sauce and pepper. Heat up some oil in a non-stick pan, lightly fry the bak kwa, dish out. Pour some egg mixture into the pan, add in the bak kwa bits, fold the omelette into half. Dish out and continue with the rest of the egg batter. Serve. Note :  Add in some sliced onions if desired.