DIY sushi dinner

Bit of cold smoked salmon in the fridge, I see cucumber and carrots too…hmm…let’s check out that pantry of ours..

Aha! Yes! We have seaweed!! Sushi for dinner it is.

I’ve made sushi a couple of times at home and always took ages to prepare the different fillings and roll them up. So, I decided to do something different this time, save me some time and it can involve the family a little and have some fun.

After preparing all the ingredients, I called the family for dinner. My way of “There you go, make your own dinner!”

Dinner turned out to be quite an entertaining one, with everyone squeezing oodles of creativity and wasabi onto their little sushi.

Koko being koko, showing off his originality.

Mummy, loving to copy anything that looks nice, cute or fun, namely, what koko makes...

Daddy, boring and down-to-earth, just wanting to fill his stomach, not bothering to make his sushi look pretty.

All in all, it was an enjoyable night, "playing" with our food.

Scrumptiously smelly

Scrumptiously smelly..

Not long ago I flew a wedge of blue cheese all the way back from my overseas trip only for the one and only brother I have. Thing is, living in a tropical country, cheese goes bad probably triple its normal speed.

I don’t normally cook with exact recipes, tossing in a bit of this and that every time I cook, plus, with the resources I have, can only make do with what I’ve got in the pantry and fridge.ed, what better excuse to make pesto wrapped eggplant to go with my roast?. So, I’ve been trying my best to use some of it every time I cook.

I was craving to roast a chicken since I got back and since we had eggplant and a whole bag of basil that needed to be used, what better excuse to make pesto wrapped eggplant to go with my roast?

I don’t normally cook with exact recipes, tossing in a bit of this and that every time I cook, plus, with the resources I have, can only make do with what I’ve got in the pantry and fridge.

So, here’s a vague recollection of how I made the pesto:

PESTO

About 2 handfuls of basil (my hands are not very big)

1 stalk cilantro (I only used because that was all I had)

About 1 tsp mashed salted fish (yes, you did not read wrong!...since anchovies are harder to get here, so I decided to do a little taste trial with this)

½ handful of nuts (I used walnuts because can’t bite things that are too hard)

Bit of olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chop all the ingredients and crumble a little blue cheese into the mix.

I tried using our tiny food processor but it didn't really work out as I expected, so, the good old chopping board it was...

I grilled the eggplants to soften them first, then rolled it with the pesto filling and secured it with a toothpick. I also made a little mock ratatouille for the sauce.

I know it’s not exactly the prettiest looking dish, but it did taste quite nice.

And yes, keep reminding me that I need to get a better quality camera.

So that was the roast, and just a few nights ago I made this apple salad as an accompaniment to our homemade burger.

APPLE, BLUE CHEESE SALAD

¾ apple, sliced into thin wedges

Blue cheese, depending on how much you want

½ handful of walnut pieces

Homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Some lettuce

1 small lemon, cut into wedges

Mix it all together and voila!!

The first bite my dad took and you should have seen his worried, disgusted face going “don’t eat the dressing anymore…the oil’s rancid”. But in my head I was thinking “meh! He discovered the blue cheese!...and he doesn’t like it….”.

Took a bit of convincing my parents that it was the blue cheese not the vinaigrette, I even had to pick out the blue cheese and made them smell it.

Their repulsed faces said it all -- no more blue cheese in salads it is!

Did you think I’d give up that easily??..No way! ...only makes me more determined to find a dish that they’d love and watch them wolf down that smelly yummy-ness.

Funnily enough, though I must say, blue cheese isn’t exactly the yummiest in a warmer climate. But enough said, try out the salad, I still think it’s quite nice.

Interesting facts about oil

I was watching this food myth programme just the other day and realised...hmm....haven't updated this post for a vvveeerrrrryyyyy long time now...so thought I'd do something about it...hehe...

I can't believe I actually made notes while watching a TV programme....I KNOW, right??!!..how much nerdier can I get...haha..anyway, ...so these are the interesting things I've learnt...

FUN FACTS ABOUT OIL

• Did you know that different oils have different smoking points and these would determine how high a temperature they can go up to before they start smoking.

So, oils with higher smoking points (such as canola, rice bran, coconut oil...) would be better for deep frying

• Did you know that refined oils (oils that are treated to 'purify' them) have a higher smoking point.

Eg. soybean oil that has been refined has a smoking point of 268 °C compared to the unrefined smoking point of 160°C *

• Olive oil tend to be less refined and therefore has a lower smoking point, thus it is dangerous to use it for prolong high heating as it may become a fire hazard. (They actually did an experiment and the oil really lit up!!)

Virgin and extra virgin olive oil simply means that the oil was extracted without the use of heat; and extra virgin has less acidity compared to the virgin.

Also, don't be fooled that pure or light olive oil have less calories because light or pure simply means that they are treated and processed and therefore mean that they are more refined

And so, this means pure or light olive oil can be use for higher heating cooking processes (eg. deep frying)

• Olive oil should be eaten as fresh as possible.

So, even though some imported brands of olive oil may be better quality, however, it'll probably be a better idea to get local brands as these would be fresher. And another plus since they'd also be cheaper.

Check on the label for the pressed date of the olive oil and it's best to consume within the year that it was pressed.

• Ever thought about changing your everyday oil to olive oil because you heard that olive oil was a "healthier"oil

Well, studies have shown that canola oil was found to lower heart risk more than olive oil.

So, probably a better idea to switch to canola instead, PLUS it's cheaper!!

• Always store oil in a cool, dark place as they are sensitive to heat and light and exposure to these would make it rancid

Rancid oil has an unpleasant aroma and acrid taste and it's nutrient value would also be reduced

*Wolke, Robert L. (May 16, 2007). "Where There's Smoke, There's a Fryer". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 5, 2011.

Another fun fact..

Did you know...
when product labels say "lite", it doesn't necessarily mean its low fat....of course, it could mean less fat, but not all the time....sometimes its just cos its lighter in colour or texture...or something...so....if you want to choose a product, its more accurate to look at the nutrient information, it tells you everything...well...not EVERYTHING...but at least the things you should watch out for...

Did you know...
when something says "baked not fried" (i'm not deliberately against any product, just stating, in general)...don't be fooled that it is healthier...always look at the nutrient information...cos some baked products have lots of saturated fat added to it when it is baked..

For those of you who are concerned about which nutrient to watch out for, always look out for the saturated/trans fat content, then you can look at the sugar and sodium as well, if you are concerned....

Sorry for the long absence

Sorry for the long absence. Don't worry it's not that the blog has been abandoned... just that ying's been having exams and my computer has died a tragic death. Once it has been resurrected (as a Linux machine of all things) new posts and pictures will be forthcoming. Thanks for the patience!

NEWS of the day

Interesting news
did you know...
...that vitamin B12 is actually not obtained because of the meat you eat (well, of course it is because of it, but it does not originate from the animal...)
the animal you eat actually eats bacterial contaminated food, ie. for cows--it's grass and this causes it to produce vitamin B12 in the rumen....
WELL, that's not all.....
did you know...
...that there was a human trial which gave vitamin B12 supplements to subjects that are derived from feces...eww....!!
so, technically, if you eat the meat of an animal which is super clean, ie. it does not consume any bacteria and is vitamin B12 deficient, you don't get vitaminB12 as well....hmm....
imagine that, that's like indirectly eating poo....hmm.....grilled poo...eww....i think i'll still stick to frankfurters...hehe...
well, that's me for now again....
sorry folks for the disgusting post today...but it was kinda interesting, so i thought i should share it...hehe

"I heard...", BUT is it true?...

Hello, as I have been introduced by our chef a few weeks ago, thought I should make an appearance (finally..haha)
ok, as many of you have heard about the many health claims nowadays and the "you should eat this" or "I heard we shouldn't eat that..", well...let's take a look at how many of these are actually true...hmm....

~Eating too many eggs will raise your cholesterol
egg yolks contain cholesterol but this is dietary cholesterol and only has a small influence on
your blood cholesterol compared to the saturated fat in your diet. eggs are a good source of
protein, Vitamin B12 and monounsaturated fat. eating 4-5 eggs a week is unlikely to harm
you.

~Chocolate is a health food
As much as all you out there would love to hear that the is a truth, well, hehe...actually...
Although cocoa beans used in chocolate contain flavanoids (which has been shown to reduce
LDL["bad"] cholesterol and enhance HDL ["good"] cholesterol. BUT....chocolate still isn't good
for you. it contains 15-20% saturated fat and usually lots of sugar. however, don't worry,
small quantities won't harm you, so as long as you don't scoff down that whole cadbury king
size bar...it's ok.

Alright, I think that's me for now...

Watch out for more food myths from me next time...

Char Wonton (Pan Fried Wontons)

Following on from our wonton recipe, a friend of mine, Stef came round for a light lunch and showed me how to make pan fried wontons. I like this as an alternative to deep-frying them because when you deep-fry something you get grease settling everywhere. Having an "open plan" kitchen which leads right onto your living room is also not a place you want to do any cooking with lasting smells.

The method is simple. Assuming you already have a ready stock of wontons, just heat a pan and put in about a tablespoon of oil. If you have a non-stick pan you can use less oil. Place the wontons down and fry until half-cooked. Watch the colour of the dumplings from the side, when it goes whiteish about halfway up the dumplings, flip them over. Cover and leave on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. They should be perfectly done!

We had ours here with soy sauce and sliced ginger. Yum!

Resident nutritionist reminds: Remember to cook the meat properly especially if it contains pork and seafood!

New World's Tan Slice

I got this tan slice on special today from New World. Doesn't it look pretty? Tasted pretty good too especially the cherry/jelly things. It's a cool decorating idea.

Introducing: Our resident nutritionist

Well we may not have any new recipes up yet (don't worry they're on the way being edited) but we now have a resident nutritionist! Keep an eye on this space folks as she makes her introductions once google decides to let her create an account. It's all very exciting!

[Update: Since our resident nutritionist is a little shy talking about herself, I will do the introductions. *Drum roll*

Please welcome Ying to the crew. Ying brings with her 2 years hard work of study in Human Nutrition. She's just a student so don't be too hard on her! Ying has a passion for food though and will go great efforts when cooking to make everything from scratch for that "authentic mah" flavour.

She's also going to be our International Correspondent this summer - reporting about food all the way from Malaysia! (Well Kuching anyway haha).

Thank you thank you.]

Wanton one-ton of wontons!

Ok so I promised some yummy food content and here it is! The first recipe post from the newly rebranded cookmeameal.blogspot.com!

I'm having a dinner tomorrow (as I do on Sundays) and I decided to make wonton soup. Wontons are these little dumplings, made from minced pork and prawn, then wrapped in a thin flour layer. Usually the layer is bought but you could make your own with just flour, water and a little oil. You will need to roll it out very thin though so a noodle/pasta machine is recommended. Otherwise do what I usually do and buy a pack from your local Asian grocery store. They cost around NZ$3 for a pack of 50 layers - more than enough for one serving. Wontons can be served in a broth, either on its own or with noodles. They can also be deep fried and served as a side dish with ketchup and mayonnaise.

This recipe is a relatively basic one. I'll post more later about actually using the wontons in a dish since there are so many ways you can eat them. My flatmate was helping me make these and we ended up taking lots of instructional pictures which I'll add to the end of the post. Enjoy!

Chinese Wontons

Ingredients

• 500g of pork mince
• 200g of shrimps/prawns (this is optional but adds to the flavour)
• 1 pack, about 50 layers, of wonton "skins"
• 1 tbsp of cornflour
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce, to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Roughly chop up the shrimps/prawns. If you got prawns you may want to devein them to get a smoother texture.
2. Mix the pork mince with your chopped prawns. Add the egg and mix well.
3. Add the soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. It's better to err on the side of being slightly salty as this will balance out with the broth.
4. Add the cornflour. At this point you will probably want to use your hands to mix everything up well. You want to end up with a mixture about the consistency of sausage meat so if it seems too runny add more cornflour.
5. Wrap the meat using about 1 1/2 tsp or 1/2 tbsp with each layer of wonton "skin". For tips see the pictures below.
6. To stop the wontons from sticking together, sprinkle a little cornflour on each and keep them separated. The wontons can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for a few months. I usually make a large batch of these, freeze them then use them whenever I'm running late or too lazy to cook to bulk up my instant noodles.

Cooking

To cook the wontons place them in a pot of boiling water. You can make a broth using chicken or pork bones, vegetables and plain old salt and pepper then stick the wontons in. The wontons are cooked when they start to float in the water. Alternatively if you want to deep fry them, heat up a pan of oil. When the oil's hot (test with a wooden spoon or chopstick) put the wontons in. They will be done when golden brown and floating. Either way, serve and devour with your favoured condiment - soy sauce, tomato sauce, mayonnaise are all very, very good.

Wrapping

To wrap the wontons you will want to use a little bit of water. Just place the meat in the middle of the "skin", wet the edges and fold over. Press the edges firmly but not so hard that the "skin" breaks. One thing you want to watch out for is putting too much meat in at the start - try starting out using about 1/2 tbsp or so, although how much you want to add in the end depends on the size of your piece of "skin" and eating preference.

Here at cookmeameal we bring you an exclusive wonton-wrapping guide. We put a lot of hard work into taking these pictures so read on for different ways to wrap your bit of mince. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Style 1: The "standard" wrap

This style produces a wonton that has three "leaves" at one end. It is simple and very quick once you master the technique. You can use this in making both soup or in deep frying.

1. Put about 1/2 tbsp of mince in the middle of the "skin".
2. Wet the edges and fold in half diagonally, pressing the edges together.
3. To make the pattern, you need to make a fold on one end. Have a look at the picture as it is quite hard to describe. Basically you want to try and fold it in a 'z' pattern by bringing the one half behind. If it seems too complicated, just gather all the edges together in the middle and press together. This will give you more of a money-bag appearance but it taste just as good.
4. Make a similar crease at the other end, this time bringing the half forward. Done.

Style 2: The "chinese gold" wrap

A slightly more complicated style and produces dumplings that are shaped like chinese gold ingots. One could say that this could represent wealth but really it's just pretty to look at. This style is best suited for making soup although you could deep fry it if you prefer.

1. Put about 1/2 tbsp of mince in the middle of the "skin".
2. Wet the edges and fold in half diagonally, pressing the edges together.
3. Bring the two end together, wet and press firmly.
4. Turn the whole thing inside out to get the final shape.

Style 3: The "I'm too lazy let's get on with it" wrap

If you're too lazy/hungry or the pictures are too hard to figure out, just wet the edges of the wonton all around, fold in half and press them firmly.

Customizing done!

Ok there! I've done it! That's all the customisation of stuff I wanted to do on the site... at least for now. I think it looks pretty good and I've only wasted a day on it.

Also I've added a foodie blog that I came across as i was surfing the web. ieatishootipost.sg is one Singaporean doctor's attempt to find good food and places to eat in Singapore. Not hard I'd imagine. ieat has very nice food pictures though.

I promise there will be real content soon.

The About Page

All sorrows are less with bread. ~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote
The purpose of this blog...

This blog is about food.

Not just recipes and how-to guides (although there will be plenty of that) - it's about experiencing food and places to eat and all the other "social additives" that go into food. It's about making food, eating food, taking pictures of food.

Why blog about food?

Partly because it's a hobby for me. Food is just one of those global things - people from all cultures and places know about it and talk about it.

It's also to thank God for food. While man does not live on bread alone (but on every Word from the mouth of God), he can sure enjoy it :)

Are the recipes all yours?
No. To quote some latin, nanos gigantum humeris insidentes (dwarves stand on the shoulders of giants). Some of these recipes are mine, but many will be from people I know and love; my grandparents, friends, parents; the Internet; Jamie Oliver... you get the idea. Like I said, food and cooking is a global phenomenon - it brings people together and you get it by looking at other people.

What's your philosophy with cooking?
Quick, simple and as long as it tastes good. And looks good. And the texture's nice.

Can I add/change your recipes?
By all means. Every cook knows that to make a good dish means changing the flavours at times to suit the taste of your audience.*

*A small caveat: While obviously I would love you to use these recipes for anything you want, if you do end up publishing any of these please give due credit.

Where did you get your awesome blog template?
The template was from BloggerTemplates. I've hacked it a bit to make it look smoother and to get some new features I wanted (like the image in the header). The image in the header is from Creative Commons Flickr by clspeace.

All that said and done, I hope you enjoy what is on offer here and be inspired to cook, eat and enjoy.

Something new this way comes...

As you can tell from the change in template (very frustrating process choosing a new one!) there is going to be a change in The Food Spot. Finally a post after 2 years.

Thai Salad

Working in a Thai restaurant gives you many advantages (even if you are only a kitchenhand/waiter!). I've had many opportunities to talk to the chefs and learn a few traditional Thai meals from them. Here's a great recipe for a Thai noodle salad. Actually the 'salad dressing' (for want of a better expression) is a basic sauce that can be used in making any Thai salad.

Thai Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

• 200g chicken breast, sliced


• Glass noodles (Tang Hoon)


• Celery slices


• Spring onion, sliced


• 1 red onion, sliced


• Coriander


• Red chilli, sliced

Dressing:

• Lime juice


• Chilli sauce (sweet thai chilli or normal)


• 2-3 tbsp of fish sauce

Method:

1. The meat in Thai salads are fried, then boiled. In a pan, heat some oil and toss the sliced chicken breast in. Lightly fry for about 1-2 minutes, then add water until it covers about 2/3 of the meat. Let the meat boil, stirring if necessary and remove once done.


2. In a bowl, combine the dressing ingredients together. Mix in the vegetables and the chicken meat. Serve garnished with sliced spring onions, coriander and celery leaves.

*Note: This recipe is rather brief with the measurements of the ingredients. Just mix up whatever feels right (but you might want to go easy on the onions if you do not like the taste - or have a meeting after!) and taste the dressing before mixing the vegetables in. It's probably best to put less rather than more in at the start as you can't remove ingredients once you start. The salad should be sour-ish and hot!

Mom's Chocolate Coconut Slice

What better way to start a blog then with a good desert recipe. This is one that my mom gave to me (although I don't think she came up with it herself) and one that I've used many times with great success. It's really easy and you should have no trouble making it *cough Mel*. Just bear in mind that it is made of condensed milk so you will probably want to store it in the fridge. Have fun!

Mom's Chocolate Coconut Slice

Ingredients

• 1 packet of malt biscuits


• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk


• 150g butter


• 2 cups of shredded coconut

Icing

• 1 tbsp butter


• 3 tbsp of cocoa powder


• 5 tbsp of hot water


• Icing sugar

1. Crush the malt biscuits as fine as possible. (This can be quite time consuming!). What mom told me was to use a potato masher and to do it in a medium sized pot. That kinda helps but I still prefer to do it with my fingers.


2. Melt the butter and mix it in with the crushed biscuits.


3. In another pot, warm the sweetened condensed milk on low heat. You want to get it so it becomes runny but not to burn it. When it's runny mix the shredded coconut in.


4. Using a greased baking tin, press the crushed biscuit mix firmly (but not too compact) to form a base. Spread the condensed milk and coconut mixture over it.


5. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees (C) for about 20 minutes. The condensed milk mixture should be browned when you remove from the oven.


6. Mix the icing ingredients together, using enough icing sugar to make a thick paste.Ice the slice when it's cool then refrigerate before eating.

Soon

Something might be posted here. Soon maybe. Or maybe this will be deleted. Don't bother checking, I'll get back to you on that.