I’m Back!!

I’m BACCCCKKKKK!!!!!

Wow! What a 3 weeks. I can’t believe it has been THAT long since I posted a post. AR and I spent 10 days in KL/SG last week and it was a blast. Wedding planning + good food + Chinese New Year celebrations = Happy Daphne.

It has also been at least 2 years since I last celebrated CNY at home. Sitting at our round table, enjoying our steamboat dinner, laughing, joking…and then my customary walk with grandma to the flower markets. Life is simple but oh so good.

Meeting up with my girlfriends was so much fun. How I miss their company and our girly chats.

This trip back, AR and I were reminded that we have 3 more months till we say our vows.

I will be back with more food posts soon! =)

Sun Dried Tomato Salmon Pasta

There are some ingredients that you try and you wonder “wow, why haven’t I tasted this before.” And changes are if I recall correctly, if semi sundried tomatoes were introduced to me 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.

Funny enough, it’s the semi sundried that I enjoy having not the sundried version. There is something about the juicyness of semi sundried that stands itself apart from sundried part. Not that I know what is the exact difference of course.

My favourite way of having them is in my pasta. Certainly it adds the sweetness and tangyness to a “boring” simple pasta dish. This time round, I had a small amount of smoked salmon in the fridge and decided to use them up as well.

This is probably one of the most no-fuss recipes I have! It’s amazing what you can conjour up after a tired day!!!!

Sundried Tomato Salmon Pasta
250 grams dried pasta
20 grams of smoked salmon
100 grams of semi sun dried tomatoes
1 cup of frozen peans
1 cup of frozen corn

1) Cook pasta in boiling water. Drain and keep aside.

2) In a hot pan, heat up some olive oil. Toss sundried tomatoes with pasta till warm throughout. Add peas and corns. Toss salmon through.

3) Serve it with cracked pepper!

Sharing this with the gang from Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Kopiaste and founded by Ruth from Once Upon a Feast!

Christmas Dinner- The Australian Classic Pavlova!

Oops.. this post is way overdue but I have no idea why time passes sooo quickly as one gets older. Darn!

on Christmas day, we were invited to a lovely family potluck dinner. It’s quite a mix and match-with people bringing all kinds of food (i.e. steamed yam cake, sticky date pudding muffins, prawns, bee hoon, fried rice, glutinous rice, sausages…etc). Not forgetting the classic….Baked Ham with a Chinese twist (honey 5 spiced baked ham!)

What I enjoyed most? Looking at the children’s faces as they open their presents.

My contribution? Classic Australian Pavlova of course. In all honesty, this was the first time I made a pav so I was really nervous about it. Especially after seeing the great pav of Have your cake and eat it too and Lyrical Lemongrass. Still, I wouldn’t say my first attempt is an absolute failure…

Pav was sitting sooooo pretty in the oven when I removed it the next morning. And the itcy hands of mine decided to assemble it 1 hr BEFORE the the dinner.

First lesson learnt– Having abit of patience and cutting fruits into smaller pieces AND placing less fruits on pav reduces the chance of it being smashed..

Second lesson learnt– There is a reason why it is best to assemble the pav just before serving!

Third lesson learnt– *knock daphne’s head*- pav, cream and heat doesnt go together. The fridge is your best friend at that point.

Forth Lesson learnt– Thou shall not transport pav with toppings. Keep them seperate. Be prepared for a destructed pav if you do so.

Well well, at least the pav was crisp on the outside and mashmellowy on the inside.

Apperance doesnt matter as much right?

:p

Pavlova
4 Egg whites
3/4 cup of caster sugar
1 tsp of white vinegar
3 tsps of corn flour

1) Preheat oven to 150C. Line baking tray and draw a 7inch circle on it.

2) Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat will till glossy and stiff. Sift cornflour and fold through vinegar.

3) Spoon meringue mixture onto baking paper. Place in oven and reduce temperature to 120C. Cook for 1 hr. Turn oven off and leave it to cool overnight in the oven.

4) To serve topped with freshly whipped cream and fruits. Serve immediately.

Happy New Year!!- Thai Red Curry Chicken

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The year of 2009-what will that bring you? This year is full of excitment for us and a first for many things. Our up coming wedding is certainly on our mind, my REAL graduation celebration and of course travel travel!

Food wise, it is going to be another year of discovery. Certainly new recipes to try, lazy days to battle with and lovely adventures in the tiny kitchen.

I keep a tub of either Thai red or green curry paste in the fridge for emergency meal ideas. You can’t go wrong with coconut milk, curry paste and a whole bunch of veges/meat can you? Check out my Thai Red Seafood Curry. Certainly I have toyed with the idea of using the curry paste in fish cakes as well-I just need a food processor!


Thai Red Curry Chicken (serves 4)
300-400 grams of chicken thighs
2 tablespoon of Thai Red Curry Paste
1 can of lite coconut cream
4-5 cups of mixed veges of your choice (I used fresh beans, onions, carrot, red capsicum, baby corn)

1) Heat wok. Saute red curry paste. Add onions and fry till nearly done. Add chicken and cook for around 4-5 minutes. Add coconut cream and simmer with veges. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.

2) Serve with rice!