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

This is a two-layer chiffon cake, one plain while the other is of matcha or green tea flavour.  I like the flavour of matcha and this chiffon cake is soft, light and subtly sweet.  You can indulge in this cake for a Sunday afternoon treat or bring it to a gathering to enjoy with  your friends or relatives. Honey Matcha Chiffon Cake  ~  蜜香抹茶蛋糕 (adapted from  'here'     with adjustments)  Ingredients (A) 6 egg yolks 70 gm caster sugar 1.1/2 Tbsp honey 45 ml milk 53 ml vegetable oil 75 gm plain flour 30 gm rice flour 2 tsp matcha powder (B) 6 egg whites 75 gm caster sugar Method Sift the plain flour with the rice flour, mix well and set aside. Combine egg yolks, sugar, honey, milk and oil, blend well. Mix in the flour mixture. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites till foamy, gradually add in the caster sugar and beat till stiff peaks. Fold in 1/3 meringue into the egg yolk mixture, mix well. Pour this mixture into the balanc

Mui Choy is preserved mustard greens and there are two types, one is salty while the other is sweet.  There are many ways of cooking mui choy with pork belly.  Instead of braising, you can steam it with minced pork but here I am using only the sweet mui choy and I braised the pork belly with it.  This is a flavourful dish and you can serve it with plain rice or plain porridge. Braised Pork Belly with Mui Choy   ~    梅菜焖五花肉 Ingredients  400 gm pork belly cut into bite size 100 gm  preserved sweet mui choy 3 cloves of garlic 2 slices ginger Seasoning for the pork belly 1 Tbsp dark soya sauce 1/4 Tbsp sugar 1/4 Tbsp sesame oil 1/4 Tbsp oyster sauce 1/2 tsp pepper 1/8 tsp light soya sauce Method Season the pork belly for about an hour or more.  Set aside. Soak the mui choy for 45 mins., rinse and squeeze dry.  Cut into slices Heat some oil in the wok, fry the mui choy.  Add in the ginger slices.  Stir-fry. Add in the pork  belly, fry for a while and

A very appetising dish with tangy and robust flavour of tamarind juice, red and green chillies added more oomph to the dish.  This dish will surely whet your appetite and you'll go for second helping of rice to soak up the tangy gravy.  This is a Peranakan dish but as always, there are many varieties to this delicacy.  I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit what I have in my pantry and the end result is a very yummy dish that I will not hesitate to whip up again and again. Tamarind Pork Belly (Babi Assam)  ~   亚参 五花肉 Ingredients 450 gm pork belly, cut into bite size 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 3 shallots, finely chopped 30 gm tamarind pulp (Assam paste)  + 250 ml water 3 green chillies 2 red chillies 2 tsp tau cheong (preserved bean paste) 2 tsp dark soya sauce 1 Tbsp brown sugar or to taste 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fish sauce 1 onion, sliced Method Mix the tamarind pulp with a cup of  warm water, squeezed out the ju

This is a yummy moist bread loaded with raisins with a tinge of cinnamon.   Great to have it plain, or toasted and laced with a light smear of butter.  I freezed some and had it after a few days.  It tasted just as fresh, eaten at room temperature.  Definitely a keeper recipe! Pumpkin Cinnamon Raisin Bread Roll ~  南瓜肉桂葡萄干面包 Ingredients 350 gm high protein flour (or plain flour) 40 gm wholemeal flour 1 Tbsp dried yeast 1/4 cup warm milk 50 gm brown sugar 1.1/4 tsp salt 1 'L' egg 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 1 Tbsp vegetable oil Additional oil to brush on the dough Cinnamon swirl 50 gm brown sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 40 gm raisins Method In a measuring cup, sprinkle yeast over warm milk, stir, set aside for about 5 to 10 mins. till bubbly. In a mixer, with paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, salt.  Add the milk/yeast mixture, egg, pumpkin, oil and mix just the dough comes together. Change to a dough hook and knead on low around 5 mins, till do

Have you ever tried to cook with peanut butter?  I was clearing my refridgerator and found some peanut butter which was due to expire soon and since there wasn't much left, might as well use it up. So I came up with this recipe for pork ribs to be cooked with some peanut butter and chilli sauce and surprisingly I wasn't disappointed as the dish turned out finger licking good! Braised Pork Ribs with Peanut Butter and Chilli sauce ~  花生酱 和 辣椒 炖排骨 Ingredients 600 gm pork ribs 1 tsp brown sugar 1.1/2 Tbsp chilli sauce 2 Tbsp peanut butter (mixed with 3 Tbsp gravy) 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp light soya sauce 1/4 tsp dark soya sauce 2 cups water salt to taste Method Blanch the pork ribs in hot water to remove any impurities.  Rinse with water, set aside. Mix the chopped garlic and chilli sauce. Place the  pork ribs in a pot, add in the chopped garlic and chilli sauce, light and dark soya sauce, brown sugar and salt. Add in water to cover the ribs, l

My whole house was smelling so good when these muffins were baking away in the oven.  These muffins stay moist and soft the next day and whatever balance I had, I kept in the fridge and serve at room temperature the next day, but if you prefer them a bit warm, just heat up for 20 seconds in the microwave.  The nutella does blend well with the pumpkin and they were yummy with a cup of hot plain tea or coffee! Nutella Pumpkin Muffins  ~   榛子酱南瓜玛芬 Ingredients 230 gm plain flour 2 large eggs 70 gm caster sugar 70 gm brown sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1.1/4 tsp cinnamon 120 ml vegetable oil (1/2 cup) 60 ml milk (1/4 cup) 1.1/4 cup mashed pumpkin (285 gm) 1 tsp vanilla a pinch of salt 40 to 50 gm Nutella Method Sieve flour, cinnamon, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.  Mix in the sugar thoroughly. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk till well incorporated. Mix in the mashed pumpkin. Pour the pumpkin mixture in