Dear Readers

Though I haven't posted up many of my own recipes, I like to think I still have a productive role in this blog by editing the recipe posts, as well as the personal ones. Editing is much like eating. The cook produces the dish, and the eater consumes it before critiquing it and offering up their opinion on what could be improved.

Similarly, the editor reads over work that's already been produced by the writers, before polishing it up and offering up their opinion on what could be improved on. The editor would be out of a job without the writers though. Jeff, Linda, and Saba have all provided this blog with their own favourite recipes, and even their own recipes. And with a team like the one I have, I can say that  I'm proud to be this blog's resident editor in chief :D

Image taken from here

Family Favourite

Hi Everyone,

A family favourite of mine is this  traditional Vietnamese dish called cuộn (cold rolls). What I love about this dish is it can be very versatile in terms of what you want in the cold roll.

For my family we enjoy making this particular beef cold rolls. For this you need the following:

Ingredients

• 1kg sliced up beef marinated (family of 4-5)
• Butter
• 2 large onions sliced up 
• Lettuce
• 1 bag bean sprouts
•  Rice Paper
• Dipping sauce.
• 1 Large cucumber cut long ways 
• Rice vermicelli follow packet instructions on cooking directions

Method:

1. Prepare a deep bowl filled up with hot water. Place one side of the rice paper in the bowl and move in clockwise direction until rice paper is soft and place on a flat plate.
2. Place a teaspoon of butter on the hot grill plate add onions to cook them off and then add the beef. Cook to ones desire. With the cooked meat keep the lid on if not being used yet to keep it moist. 
3. Place lettuce leaf horizontally on the edge of rice paper closest to you. Place Rice vermicelli onto of the lettuce with cucumber, couple of beef pieces, onion and handful of bean sprout.
4. Don't over stuff or the rice paper will rip.
5. Fold in the two side flaps, starting at the end closest to you bring the rice paper over to the opposite side and roll up. 
6. Repeat the process for the amount you want.   

Fish Sauce

1. 60 ml fish sauce
2. 60ml rice vinegar
3. 2 tbsp white sugar
4. 125ml water
5. 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
6. 1 chili (optional)finely chopped
7. 2 tsp lime juice

I don't know about you, but you can never go wrong with making sandwiches.

And for those poor unfortunate souls who are not allowed to venture forth into the kitchen, there's always an online alternative to everything. And in this case, you can play one of my favourite games as one of my favourite characters. Happy sandwich stacking!

Tabouleh

Taken from here

Tabouleh is a diced parsley salad, and is a popular lebanese side dish. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 
• 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped 
• 3/4 cup burghul (cracked wheat), rinsed
• 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice

Method

1. Place burghul in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Stand for 20 minutes or until softened. 
2. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain again, pressing out water with a metal spoon.
3. Place burghul, parsley, mint, tomato and onion in a bowl. Stir to combine
4. Place oil and lemon juice in a screw-top jar. Secure lid. Shake to combine. 
5. Drizzle over tabouleh.Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve.

Lobster with Ginger and Scallion

Taken from here

Ingredients

• A fresh lobster (shelled diced)
• 4 green onions(cut into 7.5 cm scallion around)
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
•  1 / 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 10 fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 113 grams of chicken soup
• 1 teaspoon sugar
•  1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• Corn starch(enough to block wrapped lobster)
• Vegetable oil (1.5 cups ( 355 ml ) for quick blanching ; another 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for stir-fried preparation)
• Cornstarch mixture (1 teaspoon cornstarch , 0.5 teaspoons of sugar , 0.5 teaspoons soy sauce , add 1 tablespoon water)

Method

1. Cut lobster head , discard lobster legs, and remove the organs. Break shrimp claws, with a knife blade hit the claws, shrimp break apart . Vertical incision lobster tail , then cut into chunks.
2. Place lobster pieces into a large mixing bowl .
3. Sprinkle cornstarch in the lobster pieces , you cannot cover them with it .
4. Place the lobster pieces into the filter bowl , shake off excess corn starch.
5. Heating vegetable oil in a wok until hot steam to take the half lobster fry quickly in hot oil for 1 minute, turn it over , and then deep-fried for 1 minute, remove dry control . Repeat for the remaining lobster operation .
6. To remove all excess oil , then add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok with fresh . Add ginger and scallions , hot stir fry 15 seconds .
7. Add the lobster pieces in a wok , stir fry, spilled wine, add chicken broth, then stamped , simmer for 1 minute.
8. Open the lid , and check to see if cooked lobster is bright orange.
9. Add the soy sauce , oyster sauce, white pepper and sugar , then stir fry 10 seconds .
10. Finally, add the corn starch mixture and lush , fry mix thoroughly , 'til shiny.
11.  Immediately transfer to a plate meal .

Recipe taken from here.

Steamed abalone

Taken from here

Ingredients

• 6 fresh abalones
• A handful of ginger, thinly sliced
• Some Green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 3-4 tablespoons of oil

Method

1. Wash and scrub the abalones. With an unused toothbrush, scrub the sides of the abalones until it is no longer slippery and clean. Set aside.
2. Thinly slice gingers and chop green onions.
3. Place the abalones in the serving plate and top with ginger. Pour over the Chinese cooking wine. Prepare for steaming.
4. In a wok, full up with some water and place a steaming rack in the center. Place the abalones inside the wok when the water is boiling. Steam for 8-10 minutes.
5. Heat up the oil on high heat in a separate frying pan.
6. When the abalones are finished steaming, sprinkle with green onions. Pour over hot oil and drizzle with light soy sauce. Ready to serve.

Taken from here

Sheer pera

Not everyone can make afghan sweet sheer pera, sometimes it will go soft or sometimes it's so hard that you can break your teeth (like the way I make it) but in my family my sister is the expert. She loves making sweets, and she makes the best sheer pera, and everytime you ask for it, she will make it for you because she thinks she is too nice to say no :).Today we visited her house and  after a nice swim we started cooking and it was really fun, so I am going to share her recipe with you guys today.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of walnut
• 1tbs of pistachios
• 1tbs of cardamom
• 3 cup of white sugar
• 3tbs of Oliver spread
• 3 cup full-cream milk powder  

Direction

1. Mix milk powder with Oliver spread, walnut and cardamom very well 
2. Place a pot on stove in medium heat boil water and sugar until it becomes caramelized 
3. Move the pot from stove to a cooler space put the mix powder in the caramelized sugar while its still hot and mix it till it gets smooth.
4. Once it is ready place it in a tray with foil and oil spray the foil.
5. Spread the pistachios on the top of it,and  let it cool down in room temperature (do not put in the fridge to get cool down)  once its cold you can cut it the way you want it and its ready to eat.

Qabli pulao

Taken from here

Qabli Pulao: It is one of the most popular dishes of Afghanistan. It consists of steamed rice with chopped raisins and carrot. It often served with Beef Lamb or Chicken and  can be cooked in a variety of ways but this is the way I like it and I want share it with you.

Ingredients  

• 1kg of lamb
• Sea salt (to taste) 
• 1/8 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup dark raisin
• 1 1/2 pints hot water
• 1 large onion (sliced) 
• 1 table spoon Gram masala
• 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
• 1/4 cup blanched sliver almond
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1/3 kg white or brown basmati rice
• 1 large carrot (cut into match sticks)\
• Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 5-10 tablespoon cooking oil (its totally up to you)

Directions

1. Wash and soak the rice
2. Fry the onion and get it to a brownish color. When onion is browned,  add the meat and try mix it for at least 2 minutes. Add some salt and water and cook it till the meat is tender, remove meat and reserve stock.(discard cooked onions)
3. Boil a large amount of water with sea salt and cook the rice in it for 10 or more minutes. Set aside in a pot until ready to assemble.
4. Using the stock from the 2nd step, add some more salt if needed, black pepper, gram masala and create a stock sauce.
5. Combine cooked rice, stock sauce as needed and meat to gather and place it in a little oiled casserole dish. Cover it let it cook in a very low heat for 15min
6.  Fry carrot matchsticks in 1/2tbs oil and add the raisins at the very end, as well as the pistachios, almonds, a little sugar and cardamom.
7. By then the rice should be ready place the rice and meat in a dish and put the carrot and all other from step 6 on the top of it and its ready to serve.

Falafel

Taken from here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Method

1. Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans. 
2. Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
3. Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour. 
4. Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes. 
5. Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.
6. Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste. 
7. Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
8. Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes). 
9. Serve hot. 

Falafel can be served as an appetizer with hummus and tahini, or as a main course. It's usually served at our house with mint leaves, and lebanese bread. It's a tasty and easy to make lebanese dish, and is also suitable for vegetarians. 

Recipe taken from here. 

Mexican style beef tacos

Taken from here

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1/2 head small green cabbage, shredded
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in beef, parsley, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Fill each tortilla with the meat mixture, cabbage, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve with the hot sauce, if desired.

Tacos are one of my favourite savoury dishes. They're easy to make and incredibly versatile in terms of fillings. The meat doesn't have to be beef, chicken is also acceptable and even vegetarian options like mexican beans can also serve as a delicious filling. There's also a choice between hard and soft tortillas. Personally I prefer hard tortilla shells because I enjoy the crunch. Tacos are a great accompaniment to any evening.

Recipe taken from here

Shrimp and Avocado Summer Salad Roll

Taken from here

Ingredients
For the rolls:

• 12-15 medium shrimp (about 1/2 pound), peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 2 teaspoons grapeseed or other flavorless oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 rice paper wrappers (or more, if needed)
• 1 avocado, halved, pit removed and cut into 12 slices
• 8 sprigs cilantro
• 4 cups shredded romaine (about 1 head)

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons yellow miso paste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sambal oelek, or more to taste (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Toss the shrimp with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay the shrimp on a baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove from baking sheet and let cool.
4. Mix the tahini and miso in a small bowl to make the dressing. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice and water until a smooth dressing forms. Add sambal oelek for some spiciness, if desired.
5. To assemble rolls, fill a large pie plate or other shallow dish large enough to fit the rice paper wrappers with warm water. Arrange the shrimp, avocado, cilantro and lettuce in bowls or plates around a damp cutting board, with the rice paper wrappers and soaking water nearby. 
6. Submerge a wrapper in the water and let sit until it is no longer stiff, but not so soft that it immediately folds onto itself, about 20 to 30 seconds. Place the softened wrapper on the cutting board. Arrange 3 shrimp in a row in the middle of the wrapper, followed by 3 pieces of avocado, 2 sprigs of cilantro and about 1 cup of lettuce. 
7. Fold in the two sides of the wrapper, then roll the wrapper around the filling, trying to compress the lettuce as much as possible, similar to wrapping a burrito. (Remove some lettuce if you are finding it difficult to roll.) The rice paper will stick to itself, sealing the roll closed. Transfer roll to a plate and repeat with remaining ingredients.
8. Cut rolls in half and serve immediately with the dressing on the side for dipping.

Recipe taken from here

Collaboration!

Hi Everyone, 

So yesterday on Friday the group decided to get together to make our video which is another component to this assignment. We decided to make a video that related to food so we could post it onto our blog. We ended up making macaroons!!! 

It was interesting to see how each and everyone of our skills varied in the kitchen  =D. If you have time give this recipe a go, it's not too difficult as long as you follow the instructions you'll be fine, don't be afraid, have faith and have a go!

This was our results, don't they look yummy!

To make the macaroons, you need the following:

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites (or 5 small) 140g 
•  70g  caster sugar 
•  230g pure icing sugar  OR  230g  icing mixture
•  120g almond meal
• 2g salt (tiny pinch)
• gel food colouring (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C
2. Place egg whites and caster sugar in a bowl and mix with electric mixer until stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down without it falling our, continue to whip for 1-2 minutes (depends on your mixer).
3. Add gel or powdered food colouring and continue to mix for 20 seconds.
4. Sift the almond meal and icing sugar and salt twice, discarding any lumps to pass through the sieve. Fold into the egg white mixture (30- 50 folds) using a rubber spatula. The mixture should be smooth and viscous, but not runny.  

Note
over-mix = flat macaroons with no foot
under mix= will not have a smooth top

1. Pipe onto trays lined with baking paper (NON-stick), rap (bang down) trays on a bench firmly 4 times rotating the tray as you go.
2. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. 
3. If one comes off the tray fairly cleanly, it's ready, if not bake for a little longer.

Ganache Recipe

• 100g chocolate melts
• 30ml thicken cream
• Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate and let it stand for a minute and then stir.
• If it's not melted adequately melt in the microwaver for 20 seconds and then stir- repeat until smooth.
• Let the ganache cool before piping onto macaroons. 

Recipe taken from Ann. http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/easy-macaron-macaroon-recipe/

Our group's attempt of making macaroons!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuIBdLRhXLM&feature=youtu.be

Signing off xoxo. 

Chicken Paella

Taken from here

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 200g chorizo sausages, sliced
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1.4kg chicken pieces, trimmed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 cup frozen peas

Method

1. Place saffron in a small bowl. Add boiling water and set aside.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a paella pan or a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
3. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, onion and garlic to pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until soft. Add chicken. Cook, turning often, for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden. 
4. Add wine and 1/2 cup stock. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, turning occasionally, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until almost all liquid has evaporated.
5. Add rice, saffron mixture, tomatoes, paprika and 1 1/2 cups stock. Return to simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent mixture from catching on bottom of pan, for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed.
6. Add peas, chorizo and remaining 1/2 cup stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes or until stock is just absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve paella at the table from the pan.

My mom's experimented a few times with this dish, using chicken quarters at one point and breast cuts at another whilst also changing up the spices used. I can personally say that this dish tastes fantastic with either cut of chicken, and is a fan favourite at family get togethers. 

Recipe taken from here

Garlic Ribs (Chinese Cooking Style)

Taken from here


Garlic Ribs gives an essential taste of the exquisiteness of the richness of the Garlic and the tender and delicious aspects of the Rib.  

Main ingredients:

•  pork short ribs (pork ribs) 800 grams 

Accessories: 

• white garlic 100 grams
• 75 grams of glutinous rice flour, 

Spices: 

• 25 grams of starch
• meat tenderizer powder 10 grams
• 10 grams of MSG
• 4 grams of salt
• white sugar 10 grams 
• 10 grams milk rot
•  peanut oil 100 g

Method

1.  Wash the pork ribs and cut them into 8 cm long pieces, with loose meat (meat tenderizer) and marinate for 1 hour, flush and drain. Add garlic, grind garlic with small amount of water in blender.
2.  Put garlic into the ribs, and mix until absorbed into it, add seasoning sticky rice flour, starch and mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Light pot, and heat oil 'til hot, add ribs, deep fry it until the color fades into golden brown and it is finished. 

I like this very much is because my dad taught me how to cook this as we both like eating it very much.

Recipe taken from here

Butter chicken

Indian food is one of my favorites, I really love and enjoy eating this dish 

Ingredients to be serve 6 people 

Taken from here

• 50g butter
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 later coconut milk
• 150g tomato paste  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Little chopped coriander
• 10 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder 
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons tandoori masala 
• 1 tablespoon Indian curry paste
• 4 tablespoon full cream
• 1 cup plain yoghurt and a small pinch salt to taste
• 3 large skinless or 2kg, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size 

Cooking Directions

1. Melt the butter and vegetable oil in a large fry-pan over medium heat. 
2. Stir in the chicken, onion and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent 
3. About 15 minutes. Stir in the curry chilli powder, curry paste, tandoori masala, garam masala and tomato paste until no lumps of tomato paste remain. 
4. Pour into a cooking pan, and stir in the cardamom pods, coconut milk and yoghurt. Season to taste with salt.
5. Cook for an 1/2 hrs or so until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency, remove the cardamom pods before serving.
6. Serve the chicken with rice or Indian bread naan 

   

        \

My Point of View

Hi Everyone,

As Saba has stated this blog is part of our assignment where we had to in cooperate a common interest of all group members, which happen to be baking and cooking from different cultures.  

I personally have always enjoyed baking sweets over making savory foods. There is something about combining different ingredients together to create something which may not looks nice but taste delicious!!

I started getting into baking about 1.5 years ago, making sweets for my family who have been and still are my guinea pigs, in particular my 2 brothers =D.

I now have more confidence in my abilities to bake for family functions such as my nephew's birthday party through my creations of 3 different types of cupcakes to making chocolate balls as presents for friends. 

I hope this has given a little insight to who I am and hope through this blog you will see the growth of me being a baker. 

Signing off xoxo

Image obtained from  Kent St. John
http://blogs.gonomad.com/beourguest/2008/11/food-glorious-food-eating-in-walloon-belgium.html

Kolcha khataie

This recipe is for an Afghan-Cookie (Kolcha khataie) which can be served with tea or coffee.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sugar

• 2 cups of plan flour

• 200 grams of butter
• 1/3 cup of pistachio



Method

1. Blend the pistachio in a blender
2. 
In a food processor place the flour, sugar and butter blend it them till you get crumbling gouge

3. Put the crumbling into a big bowl
4. 
Roll the crumbling into small balls, hold the ball and press it with your palms you should get a round or a disk shaped cookie, with your thumb press the middle of cookie to make a small hole to place the pistachio

5. Place all the rounded cookies in a try palace baking paper in try and spray it with a little oil
 
6. Turn the oven on in 150c degrees make sure it’s hot enough
7. 
Put a little pistachio where you make a space before in the middle
8. 
Bake the cookies for 10 min till it’s a little brown at the top let it cool down a little and service it with tea or coffee.

                                           

    Image from: http://www.afghancookbook.com

Storyboard

Cooking and eating, it's all just the same really.

We have produced this blog so as to fulfill the conditions of our assessment for ISYS100. In order to take as much enjoyment as possible from this assessment we decided to go with a theme that will guarantee to give us an enjoyable experience. 

The theme of the blog is cooking as we are all enthusiastic cooks(and eaters) and would like to share some of our favorite dishes with you. From decadent desserts to savoury dinners, we'd like to introduce you to a variety of dishes that are easy to make and serve in your very own home. 

We are hoping that this blog will be able to grow to become a large collection of recipes from various cultures that will serve to provide people, who enjoy cooking, with a wealth
of information and culturally influenced cuisine. 

The moderators and posters for this site are myself, Saba, as well as my colleagues; Nadia, Linda, and Yuan. Feel free to submit your own recipes through our submit option so as to expand the variety our blog has to offer you. 

Try your own hand at our dishes, because after all, cooking is good for the soul

Image from: http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-12-2012/foods-that-help-prevent-cancer.html