Braised Beef with Oats & Flax Seeds

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup rolled oats ground

2. 1/4 cup flax seeds ground (Hørfrø)

3. 4 pieces of Osso Bucco beef shanks cut into chunks

4. 4 TBS dark soy sauce

5. 2 cups homemade tomato soup or 1/4 cup store-bought tomato sauce

6. 1/2 cup frozen green peas

7. 1/2 cup frozen sweet corns

8. A handful of mushrooms

9. 2 cloves garlic minced

10. Salt & pepper to taste

11. 2 TBS cooking oil

12. 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Grind rolled oats and flax seeds separately in a blender or food processor into flour and set aside.

2. On a plate, add 1/4 cup of oats flour, 1/4 cup of flax seeds flour, 1 tsp salt and a sprinkle of pepper and mix well.

3. Lightly coat meat (without the bone marrow) with the flour mixture.

4. Heat pan with cooking oil on high heat, add meat and lightly fry until golden (may have to reduce the heat a little so that it would not be burnt).

5. Transfer the meat to a pot, add the bone marrow and add one cup of boiling water.

6. Cover with lid and simmer the beef shanks.

7. After one hour or so, you will notice a thick layer of fat that is floating on top. Skim it off and discard.

8. Add tomato soup/sauce, dark soy sauce, frozen peas and corns, mix well and simmer for another hour until meat is tender.

9. Serve with rice :-)

Additional Information:

Traditionally, corn starch is used to coat the meat for frying to tenderize the meat. I am using oats and flax seeds instead because it is healthier and much more nutritious, but also flavorful. I find that using a mixture of oats and flax seeds give the best effect, as these two ingredients complement each other. Flax seeds have a low smoke point, and thus it is not suited for frying directly. Mixing it with oat flour helps to blend it into the flour and at the same time, bringing out its flavor. 

The oat flour also helps to thicken the liquid for simmering into a nice sauce, but be careful not to overcoat the meat with too much ground oats, as it will make the sauce too thick.

On a plate, lightly coat beef shanks with ground oats and ground flax seeds

Heat pan with cooking oil on high heat, add coated meat and fry until golden (may have to reduce heat a little so that it would not be burnt).

Transfer to a pot

Add boiling water to keep the temperature hot

Add back the bone marrows

Cover with lid and simmer the beef for 2 hours...

after one hour...

skim off the layer of fat floating on top and discard it.

Add homemade tomato soup (or store-bought tomato sauce), dark soy sauce, mushrooms, frozen peas and corns, mix well and simmer until tender.

Serve with rice :-)

J Summary (6Y6M10D) - J's First Full Cooking Class with Mommy - Stewed Osso Bucco

Serves 3

Ingredients:

1. 2 large beef shanks cut into 1 inch cube.

2. 2 large potatoes cut into 1 inch cube.

3. 1 clove garlic chopped

4. 3 cherry tomatoes cut into 4 each (optional)

5. 1 large carrot chopped into bite size.

6. 1/2 cup water

7. 1 TBS cooking oil

8. Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat pan with oil.

2. Fry garlic until golden.

3. Add beef and fry for 1 minute or until golden on high heat. Flip over and do the same.

4. Add 1/2 cup water

5. Reduce heat to low (no. 2.5 on my stove), cover and simmer for 2 hours.

6. While the beef is cooking, chop tomatoes, potatoes and carrots.

7. Add tomatoes, cover and simmer.

8. Half hour before removing from fire, add in the potatoes and carrots and continue to simmer until potatoes are cooked.

9. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes :-)

Additional Information:

I mentioned that my greatest regret is not learning practical life skills from my mum. So I am determined that Joshua should learn it during his childhood. I am fortunate that J loves to cook (though he is not too keen with the house chores :-( ) If you need to motivate your child to cook, here are some tips from How we Montessori :-)

Joshua has started to help a little here and there with making dinner. It is the school holidays, and we had a little more time. So I decided to try out teaching him to make the full dish. 

He chose to make stewed osso bucco. He pretty much prepared the ingredients and cook the whole dish himself, with my supervision. I forgot to take a picture of him peeling and chopping the garlic. We were so eager to eat after he has cooked that I also forgot to make a picture of the completed dish.

Children cooking classes are very popular in Denmark, but I guess he would learn the most having individual attention from me, and also I enjoy doing it myself.

For the Asian readers, you may ask, what is the academic benefit of learning how to cook in this modern age? Hawker takeaways are much more convenient and may even be cheaper, and every family nowadays in Singapore has a lived-in domestic helper anyway, why waste time? It looks like I am regressing to dinosaur's age :-) Well, apart from the practical life skills which I find important, the cutting and chopping during cooking is a fun way and a very good opportunity to develop fine motor skills, which will in turn help in strengthening pencil-holding skills. Your child will also learn sequencing skills and how to follow a recipe. So time spent in the kitchen will not be wasted. I believe that it will actually complement academic development :-)

J chopping garlic

J cutting the beef shanks...

Washing up after that...

J heating cooking oil on pan...

J frying garlic until golden...

J adding the beef shanks...

and frying them until golden...

J flipping them over and fry them...

J adding salt...

J adding water...

J covering and simmeringthe beef shanks...

J peeling the potatoes...

J cutting the carrots...

and cherry tomatoes...

J adding the cherry tomatoes into the pan, cover and simmer...

30 minutes before completing, J adding the potatoes and carrots, cover and simmer...

J washing up after dinner...

Chinese Fish Congee Made with Quinoa

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1. 1 can tuna fish in oil
2. 1 cup quinoa
3. 1 stalk spring onions chopped for garnish
4. A handful of lettuce sliced thin
5. 1-1.5 litre water
6. Salt & Pepper to taste
7. Garlic oil (optional)
8. 1 egg (optional)

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water and quinoa to boil.

2. Add salt to taste and simmer under medium-low heat (no. 2.5 on my stove) for 45 minutes or until it is cooked and reaches the consistency that you desire. If you wish it to be softer, cook longer.

3. Add tuna fish, stir and mix well and cook for a minute.

4. Dish, garnish with spring onion, lettuce and garlic oil and serve

Tips:
1. You can crack an egg into the porridge.

2. You can also substitute tuna fish with chicken, prawns, pork, etc.

3. For adults, you can also add a bit of garlic oil as garnish for more fragrance and flavour.

4. For babies, you can blend the chicken in the baby blender, if baby is too young to eat bite size chicken pieces.

5. When you are making the Chinese Ginger Chicken Soup, why not use some of the soup and make Quinoa Congee Porridge :-)

Nutritional Value:
Quinoa is a highly nutritious food. Quinoa has been rated by the WHO as possessing protein of a quality similar to milk. It has been classified as a supercrop by the United Nations on account of its nutritional value and high protein content. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. The protein quality and quantity in quinoa seed is often superior to those of more common cereal grains. Quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa is higher in lysine than wheat. Quinoa grain has a lower sodium content and is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Quinoa is a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two minerals that serve as cofactors for the superoxide dismutase enzyme. Superoxide dismutase is an antioxidant that helps to protect the mitochondria from oxidative damage created during energy production as well as guard other cells, such as red blood cells, from injury caused by free radicals.

Quinoa also contains vitamins B6, Niacin and Thiamin. Quinoa is lower in carbohydrates than most other grains, but an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and cooks in about half the time of regular rice. Quinoa is low in fat.

Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It has the highest protein level of any cereal and is also excellent for potassium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium.

The seeds are also rich in phytochemicals, including Phytic acid, which is believed to lower cholesterol, and Phytate, which is associated with reduced cancer risk.

Millet is gluten-free and is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates.

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Additional Comments:
Using can tuna fish is a quick, easy and yet nutritious way to prepare porridge. Quinoa is a much more nutritious grain than rice, and it tastes great as congee.

Japanese-Inspired Beef Stew

Serves 4

Preparation Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
1. 4 beef shanks
2. 4 TBS flour to coat the beef shanks
3. 100-400ml water
4. 1-2 cloves garlic chopped
5. 1 large onion chopped
6. 2 large carrots chopped
7. 2 potatoes chopped into bite size (optional)
8. 2 TBS cooking oil
9. 4 TBS wine or mirin (optional)
10. 4 TBS soya sauce (optional)
11. 1 TBS sugar (optional)
12. 1/2 tsp dashi powder
13. 8 frozen green beans or green peas
14. Salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the beef shanks and coat them lightly with flour.

2. Heat pan with 1 TBS oil, fry the beef shanks for 2.5 minutes on each side until brown.

3. Transfer to another pot with a little water (100ml), cover and simmer low heat for 3 hours (no. 2.5 on my stove.) (Do not worry about the lack of water, as more liquid will come out, as it cooks. Just monitor that it has enough water, so that it does not get burned.)

4. While the shanks are cooking, wash, rinse and chop vegetables.

5. Add potatoes into the pot with beef shanks.

6. Heat oil on a separate pan with 1 TBS of cooking oil, fry garlic until golden.

7. Add onion and fry until coated with oil.

8. Add carrots and fry until coated with oil.

9. Sizzle with mirin or wine (optional). Add to the pot with beef shanks and simmer for 3 hours.

10. Add green bean and serve. You can also cut up the beef shanks into bite size before serving.

Tips:
1. In order to include a green vegetable, I sometimes throw in a cup of green peas just 5 minutes before serving and let it simmer for last 5 minutes.

Nutritional Value:
Beef shank is a good source of phorsphorus, zinc, selenium, iron and vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B12, but it is high in cholesterol and calories.

Additional Information:

This way of cooking is similar to the Japanese dish Nikujaga, but beef shanks are used and the simmering time is longer.

Black Bean Noodle Soup Broth

Soup made from vegetable stock from beetroot Rainbow juicing pulp and black bean noodles.

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Duration: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1. 4 chicken drumsticks
2. Handful of black bean noodles
3. 3 leaves of Chinese cabbage chopped
4. 6-8 stalks of oyster mushrooms or shitake mushrooms
5. 4 florets of broccoli (optional)
6. 1 tsp of garlic oil
7. 1 litre vegetable stock or water
8. Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bring to boil 250 ml of vegetable stock or water.
2. Add chicken drumsticks, mushroom, Chinese cabbage and salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes under low-medium heat (no. 2.5 on my stove)
4. Add black bean noodles and the remaining vegetable stock or water cook for 5 minutes until done. Meanwhile, de-bone the chicken.
5. Add in broccoli and blanch until cooked.
6. Add garlic oil.
7. Dish noodles into individual soup bowl, apportion chicken pieces into each bowl, pour in the soup broth and garnish with broccoli.

Additional Information:
We made the Rainbow juice yesterday and I used the pulp to make into vegetable stock. This evening, I made a soup broth for dinner from the vegetable stock. J finished the soup and asked for more. He wasn't too keen with the black bean noodles, but he likes it enough to finish a decent portion.

The Mixed Grain Chinese Chicken Congee Porridge/Kinesisk kylling grød/藜谷小米粥鸡粥 [lí gǔ xiǎo mǐ jī zhōu]

Serves 2

Preparation & Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1. 300-400g boneless chicken or 1-2 pieces of thigh
2. Rice (1/2 cup)
3. Quinoa (3 TBS)
4. Millet (3 TBS)
5. 1 egg (optional)
6. Ginger (1/2 to 1 inch, optional)
7. Leek (1 stalk - white portion only)
8. Spring onions (1 stalk, optional)
9. Salt & Pepper to taste (optional, skip this for babies)
10. 1-1.5 litre water
11. Garlic oil (optional)

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into small pieces

2. Cut ginger into cut slices

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add chicken and ginger and cook under medium-low heat until chicken is tender and cooked

4. Add rice, quinoa and millet and stir under low fire until cooked

5. Dish, garnish with garlic oil, sprinkle on some chopped spring onions and serve

Tips:
1. You can crack an egg into the porridge.

2. You can also substitute chicken with pork, prawns to create variety.

3. For adults, you can also add a bit of garlic oil as garnish for more fragrance and flavour.

4. For babies, you can blend the chicken in the baby blender, if baby is too young to eat bite size chicken pieces.

5. When you are making the Chinese Ginger Chicken Soup, why not use some of the soup and make Quinoa Congee Porridge :-)

Nutritional Value:
Quinoa is a highly nutritious food. Quinoa has been rated by the WHO as possessing protein of a quality similar to milk. It has been classified as a supercrop by the United Nations on account of its nutritional value and high protein content. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. The protein quality and quantity in quinoa seed is often superior to those of more common cereal grains. Quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa is higher in lysine than wheat. Quinoa grain has a lower sodium content and is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Quinoa is a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two minerals that serve as cofactors for the superoxide dismutase enzyme. Superoxide dismutase is an antioxidant that helps to protect the mitochondria from oxidative damage created during energy production as well as guard other cells, such as red blood cells, from injury caused by free radicals.

Quinoa also contains vitamins B6, Niacin and Thiamin. Quinoa is lower in carbohydrates than most other grains, but an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and cooks in about half the time of regular rice. Quinoa is low in fat.

Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It has the highest protein level of any cereal and is also excellent for potassium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium.

The seeds are also rich in phytochemicals, including Phytic acid, which is believed to lower cholesterol, and Phytate, which is associated with reduced cancer risk.

Millet is gluten-free and is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates.

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Additional Comments:
I have experimented with different grain to find the right recipe that could make more nutritious porridge whilte tasting like the delicious traditional Chinese congee porridge made with rice. And I think I have found it. Cooking porridge with quinoa or millet actually provides the same results and taste, since the texture and feel of cooked quinoa and millet is very much like rice. And you can adjust the desired consistency of the porridge with water or chicken stock.

I am documenting it down to remember it. Sorry, the photo doesn't look so good. I didn't have time to garnish it up. Too hungry then!

You can use this to serve to a sick child, just thin the porridge to the desired consistency that is acceptable to your child. If your child does not have appetite, then you can give him just pure chicken soup.

You can chopped some vegetables such as florets of broccoli into it as well.

Here is a pic of one I made the other day

French Hollandaise Sauce/Hollandaisesovs

Recipe adapted from www.retnemt.dk

Ingredients:
1. 2 shallots
2. 250ml milk
3. 2 egg yolks
4. 4 tsp flour
5. 4 tsp lemon juice
6. 20g butter (optional)
7. Salt & pepper to taste
8. 1 tsp cooking oil

Directions:
1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and fry shallots until fragrant.
2. Mix milk and flour and add them into the pot and stir and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, peber and butter.
4. Turn down heat and stir for another 2-3 minutes.

Additional Information:
This is a simplier version of Hollandaise sauce. I made it for the first time today, and Florian liked it. According to wikipedia, hollandaise is one of the five sauces in the French haute cuisine mother sauce repertoire. It is so named because it was believed to have mimicked a Dutch sauce for the state visit to France of the King of the Netherlands. Hollandaise sauce is well known as a key ingredient of eggs Benedict, and is often paired with vegetables such as steamed asparagus and as sauce for fish dish.

While waiting for Florian and Joshua to come down for dinner, the sauce thickened a little too much. I should have adjusted it with a little more milk.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollandaise_sauce

French Onion Soup

Recipe adapted from Working Class Foodies

Serves 8

Preparation & Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
1. 1.5kg of red or yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2. 4-6 cloves garlic chopped
4. 3 TBS butter
5. 2 TBS olive oil
6. 1 cup red or white wine or beer
7. 2 litres beef or vegetable stock (traditionaly this dish is made of beef stock)
8. A couple of strigs of thyme
9. 5-8 bay leave
10. 4 slices of french baguette
11. A handful of grated cheese (gouda, parmesan, pecorino, gruyere) for each bowl
12. Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil and butter in a pot, and fry garlic until lightly golden.

2. Add onions and stir occasionally. 

3. Add salt and pepper.

4. Add strigs of thyme and bay leaves and stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.

5. Add wine and bring to rapid boil for 10 - 15 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.

6. Add stock and simmer for 1 hours.

7. Toast the bread.

8. In a individual crock pot or coffee mug, add onion soup.

9. Add a slice of bread on top and  top with grated cheese.

10. Put the soup bowl on a pan (to catch any soup that may drip out on the side) and put them into the oven.

11. Bake 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Additional Information:
I didn't have little soup crockpots, so I used mugs. Sorry for the messy looking pictures. I wasn't so good at keeping it neat. Hopefully i would  be better at my next attempt :-) I made this for my Chinese neighbour, Yang Li, who came over this evening, and we had a mug each. She is interested to learn European cooking.

References:
http://www.squidoo.com/soup-recipe-onion
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/french_onion_soup/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_onion_soup

Creamy Sweet Corn Soup

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1. 1 onion
2. 2 cloves garlic chopped
3. 1 TBS cooking oil
4. 1 TBS graham flour
5. 1 TBS corn flour (to thicken the soup)
6. 2 cups milk
7. 2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
8. 2 cans whole kernel corn (340g each can)
9. 1 slice cheese (optional)
10. Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Puree 1 can of corn and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large pot, fry garlic and onion until golden.

3. Add the flour, stirring well, to make a pasty mixture.

4. Whisk in the milk and water or vegetable stock.

5. Mix the corn starch with some water or milk.

6. Add the corn, corn starch solution and heat through.

7. Add cheese, salt and pepper and stir well. Then serve.

Additional Information:
I amde this today, and Florian and Joshua like it. It tasted good and not much difference without the cream and cheese. Next time, I will skip the cream and cheese. I used water from blanch broccoli as vegetable stock.

References:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-corn-soup/

Thai Clear Vermicelli Soup with Meat Balls

Recipe adpated from my Thai friend Lan

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
- 400g minced pork
- 125g oyster mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup glass vermicelli, soaked and shortened
- 4-5 stalks of coriander
- 2 cloves garlic
- Peppter
- 2 carrots cut into slices
- 4-5 leaves of Chinese cabbage, sliced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 3 spring onions chopped
- 1 TBS crispy fried garlic (optional)

Directions:
1. Grind coriander and garlic in a baby blender.

2. In a mixing bowl, add minced pork, glass vermicelli, ground coriander and garlic, fish sauce, salt and pepper and mix well, then make into round balls.

3. Bring the water or stock to a boil.

4. Add carrots and port until cooked. Then add Chinese cabbage, soy sauce, salt and add spring onions, remove from heat and sprinkle with crisp-fried garlic and serve :-)

Chinese Corn & Pork Ribs Soup/Kinesiskesuppe med Majs og Svineribben/中式玉米排骨汤

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
° 2 corn cobs chopped into 3 pieces each
° 2 carrots cut into chunks
° 650g pork spare ribs (2 slabs)
° 2-3 litre water or vegetable stock
° 5-8 oyster mushrooms cut into slices (østershatte/牡蛎蘑菇) (Optional)
° ½ cup dried soy beans (Optional)
° A sprinkle of chives chopped (purløg/韭菜) (Optional)
° Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bring water and soy beans to boil on high.

2. Add corns and carrots, cover and simmer on low heat (no. 2.5 – 3 on my stove) for 1 hour, keeping it boiling gently.

3. Half way through cooking, add pork ribs and mushrooms and continue simmering with gentle boil. In this way, you won't overcook the pork ribs, and it retains its sweetness. And the sweetness will disperse into the soup.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

5. Garnish with chives and serve

Pressure cooking method:
Add all ingredients, cover lid and once pressure cooker reaches pressure according to your cooker, let it cook for 5-7 minutes (for me: no. 2 setting on pressure cooker and no. 2 on stove) .

Tips:
1. Sprinkle goji berries on top (Joshua loves it this way).

Nutritional Value:
Corn contains Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Folate (Vitamin B9), Vitamin C and Magnesium. It is low in fat, but high in dietary fibers.

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Additional Information:
It's summer time in Denmark, and the season for corns. Growing up in Singapore, my mum sometimes made this soup for us. After boycotting almost all food, lately Joshua seems to be loving clear Chinse soup again. I was a bit stressed trying to make this soup for dinner this evening (20.6.2011) following this recipe just before leaving for business trip to Stockholm, as my Superstar would be home alone to take care of Joshua. Fortunately, it turned out great. I could leave for the airport in peace :-)

I didn't have to saute any onions. I used 3 litre of water and vegetable stock (water saved from cooking corns yesterday). I added the whole packet of oyster mushroom (125g) into the soup. It costed 20 DKK in Føtex. I will follow this recipe again. The soy beans are used as vegetable stock in the soup. We usually don't eat the beans.

References:
http://youcookieat.blogspot.com/2007/12/corn-and-pork-ribs-soup.html

http://yflcsandi.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/old-fashioned-asian-corn-soup-with-pork-ribs-and-carrots/

http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/corn-pumpkin-and-carrots-in-pork-broth/

Nonya Chinese Black Glutinous Rice Dessert/Nonya Kinesisk Sort Klæbrig Ris Dessert/黑糯米甜点 [hēi nuò mǐ tián diǎn]

From my mum, May Loh’s recipe

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Ingredients:
- 1 cup black glutinous rice
- 1 litre or 4 cups water
- 2-4 pandan leaves tied to a knot (also called screwpine leaves) (optional)
- 3 TBS brown sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons low fat milk or thick coconut milk

Directions:
1. Wash the black glutinous rice and place in a bowl with enough water to cover.

2. Place the black glutinous rice, water and pandan leaves in a pot.

3. Bring to a boil and lower heat (no. 4 on my stove) to simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the glutinous rice is soften.

4. Discard pandan leaves, add brown sugar and stir well.

5. Ladle into a bowl and serve with 1 or 2 tablespoons low-fat milk (traditionally it is topped with coconut milk, but low fat cow milk is healthier).

Nutritional Value:
Black glutinous rice, also known as forbidden rice, is an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese, and a good source of the minerals selenium and magnesium. The black color is due to its outer coating of black bran. This also gives the rice a rich nutty flavor when it is cooked, and adds to its nutrition, as the bran provides important dietary fiber. Forbidden rice provides other nutrients, including the amino acids common to most rice varietals. It is rich in antioxidants just like blueberries. It contains phytonutrients, or phytochemicals, which provide antioxidants and other health benefits. In addition, this rice provides many minerals important for human health, including iron. But because of its glutinous nature, it is a very starchy food and thus very high in calories. It should be eaten once in a while as a sweet treat. If you wish for an even healthier version, go for black rice, which is a long-grain rice whereas black glutinous rice is short-grain. Black rice or black glutinous rice completes the nutritional rainbow.

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Additional Information:
Forbidden rice may have gotten its name because only emperors in ancient China were allowed to eat it, due to its rarity and high nutritional value. In Chinese herbal medicine, black rice is often recommended as a tonic. It is believed to strengthen health and promote longevity, which explained its other alias: “longevity rice,” and “tribute rice” and it was reserved exclusively for emperors.

I was walking in Lyngby Stor Center yesterday to get some groceries after picking J up from the childcare, and suddenly, it stroke me again that I am very far away from my other home, Singapore, very far away from my mother, father, siblings and friends. A feeling of being very unfilial came over me. I reminded myself, why I am here in Denmark, because I married my Significant Other. This is my second home which I have come to love, although I still love and miss Singapore, and especially with all my loved ones there. Being in a cross-cultural marriage means that one of the parties will always be torn apart separated by the distance from loved ones. Singapore has changed a lot since I left 10 years ago, but it is where all my loved ones reside. It is not that I am unhappy with my life here or living among Danes. I am very happy with the home we have set up in Denmark. The Danes are very nice people, and I am most happy living among them. I just also wish that my loved ones are also living among me too. When feelings of home-sickness strikes, I am always comforted by God who oversees all things, also my original homeland and loved ones in Singapore. His still small voice never fails to make me snap out of it, and carry on with my life here.

I know my parents probably feel the same. They are very happy for me, though I imagine that once in a while, the realization of their daughter being far away must have also hit them. Whenever a sudden bulge of home-sickness strikes, I will begin to crave comfort food. My mother hardly makes dessert, but if she does so, this is one of those desserts that she makes. This morning, I phoned her to get the original recipe and I start making it now. I am now adding one more recipe to the records of my heritage for J, and also as a tool to hold on to my sense of self, having transplanted myself out of Singapore to Denmark.

I am so pleased to learn from my friend Jannie that I can get pandan leaves from the Chinatown in Copenhagen. I am so blessed to live in this modern age, where (almost) everything is available anywhere in the world, enabling me to indulge in my comfort food.

My Significant Other tried this dessert for the first time this morning, and I am so pleased that he liked it. He is now taking his third bowl :-) Over the years, we have come closer and closer in terms of food, and we have grown more and more to like each other's food. It meant a lot to me to be able to enjoy my childhood food with my Significant Other.

References:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-forbidden-rice.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Magic-of-Black-Rice-New-Superfood
http://www.bewellbuzz.com/nutrition/black-rice-antioxidants/
http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=2856894
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_rice

This is how you tie a knot with pandan leaves

Chinese Minced Pork Noodle Soup/Kinesisk Hakket Svinekød Nudelsuppe/猪肉汤面 [zhū ròu tāng miàn]

Adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Serves 2

Preparation & Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

- A handful of Chinese noodles (200g fresh noodles or dried rice noodles)
- 100-150g of minced chicken or pork (traditionally this dish is made with minced pork, and I use the lowest 3-7% fat content type)
- A handful of frozen vegetables e.g. broccoli florets, carrots, etc. (traditionally this is not part of the dish, but I have added this to enhance the nutritional value of the dish)
- A handful of frozen shrimps

- A handful of mung bean sprouts (optional)
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1000ml water (or you can use the water from steaming vegetables or chicken for baby as stock)
- Dash of salt and pepper

Garnish:

- 1 clove garlic chopped and 2 TBS cooking oil
- Chopped spring onions
- Chopped fresh chilli for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In 2 separate pots, boil some water for the noodles (about 300ml) and some water for the soup (about 1000ml).

2. Meanwhile, chop garlic, spring onions and chilli.

3. When the water for the noodles boil, throw in noodles and let it boil for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water (to prevent it from sticking) and set aside in a soup bowl.

4. Meanwhile, to make the garlic oil, in a separate small pot, heat oil and fry garlic until fragrant.

5. When the water for the soup boils, add in the minced meat and boil until it is almost cooked (about 3-5 minutes depending on the type of meat you use). Then add in the frozen vegetables and frozen shrimps. These cook really fast - probably 1-2 minute. Then add the bean sprouts.

6. Add salt, fish sauce and pepper and turn off heat.

7. Scope the noodles into 2 soup bowls, add the soup and top it with 1 tsp of garlic oil each.

8. Garnish with some spring onions and fresh chilli (optional) and serve immediately.

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Additional Information:

This is the famous Singaporean/Malaysian Chinese “Bak Chor Mee” and this modern version is quick and easy to make, because I use frozen vegetables and frozen shrimps. It is also healthier than those served in the food courts in Singapore. It can be served in soup or dry (noodle and soup separately).

You can use any kind of Chinese noodles to your liking. But unless you use home-made noodles, it is healthier to use dried rice noodles. Today, I use a combination of the dried rice noodles and vermicelli and J loves it!

I usually save the water from the vegetables I blanch, steam or cook, when I prepare baby food for J. This water is full of nutrients and I call it the "vegetable stock" water. I will "re-cycle" the "vegetable stock" water when I make soup the next day, etc. In this way, I save water and get the maximum water from vegetables. If you have a baby or a toddler and are making your own baby food like I do, you may like to do the same :-)

If you are not using stock, you can add prawns or frozen shrimps to make it sweet and savoury. You can’t do without the garlic oil. It is the ingredient (and the minced pork) that gives the character (a nice flavour and frangrance) to this dish. To save time, you can make the garlic oil in advance in bulk easily by frying garlic with oil in a small sauce pot as shown below:

Garlic Oil

I made this for dinner this evening and J loves it (even with the chopped chilli on it!) That’s my boy, I am on my way of training him to eat spicy food… ha ha… J ate everything – the rice noodles, the meat, the broccoli (except the carrots).

I must say, I am impressed with this, it is really delicious, thanks to Rasa Malaysia, who brings me "back" to Singapore, right here from Copenhagen, so that I can indulge in this dish and introduce it to J. You can find the link to the original recipe from below reference.

References:

http://rasamalaysia.com/rice-noodle-soup-bee-thai-bak/

Not-too-sweet Japanese Azuki Paste/Japansk Røde Bønner Mos/红豆酱[hóng dòu jiàng]

Ingredients:
- 2 cups rinsed red beans
- 1⁄4 cup sugar
- Water
- Pinch salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak red beans overnight and rinse.

2. Boil under low heat with water just covering the beans for 1.5 - 2 hours until beans are cooked and tender and the water fully absorbed (however, make sure you check that the water doesn’t dry out before the beans are cooked and burn the pot. If so, adjust by adding more water)

3. Puree with blender. If you like it chunky, puree half of it in a blender and mix it together with the rest.

4. Mix in the sugar. Adjust accordingly. When making for diabetic people or babies, take a portion out and reduce the sugar even further. But if you prefer it sweeter, add more sugar as desired.

5. Serve it hot or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it to make red bean ice-cream. I like to leave mine overnight in the fridge for the sugar to be absorbed thoroughly, but you don’t have to.

Nutritional Value:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3995362&id=705043347&saved#!/photo.php?pid=2520935&id=705043347
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Additional Information:

Azuki is the Japanese name given to red beans. Red bean is used widely in Japanese, Chinese and Korean desserts. And many of the red bean desserts (ice-cream, cakes, etc.) call for red bean paste (tsubushi-an) as an ingredient. Making red bean paste is like making puree baby food (shhh, don’t tell the Japanese that!) That’s how I learned to make red bean paste – by making puree food for J when he was a baby :-)

Commercial azuki bean paste can be tooth-achingly sweet and contains preservatives. Making your own unsweetened bean paste gives you the flexibility to adjust the sugar amount depending on taste preference. Here is a very simple recipe to make red bean paste. It can be enjoyed on its own though with a splash of milk or cream and a cup of green tea.

References:

http://www.applepiepatispate.com/japanese/sweet-azuki-red-bean-paste/

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/japanesedessertsweet/r/greenteaice.htm

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/japanesedessertsweet/ss/makinggreenice.htm

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Azuki-Bean-Ice-Cream

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-adzuki-beans.htm

http://www.justhungry.com/2006/06/notsosweet_tsub.html

Applesauce/Æblemos/苹果酱[píng guǒ jiàng]

You can make your own healthy natural sweetener for use in place of processed sugar in some of the normal cakes’ and desserts’ recipes. Here is one method how using apples:

Ingredients:
- 4-5 medium apples*, peeled and cored
- 50ml water
- Pinch nutmeg or cinnamon (optional)

* use naturally sweet varieties such as Gala, Golden or Red, Delicious, Fuji, Pink Lady, Red Rome

Directions:
1. Peel, core and chop the apples into slices/chunks and place in a saucepan.

2. Pour in water, as little as possible that can still cook the apples.

3. Bring the apples to a boil, then reduce the heat.

4. Cover and simmer slowly until the apple chunks are tender (about 10-15 mins).

DON'T cook the apples to the point where the mixture actually looks like applesauce! Cooking it this long will cause it to be watery and tasteless.

5. Instead, remove the apple chunks from the pan and either puree them or mash them well. Thin with a little cooking water if necessary.

6. The applesauce is ready to be used in cakes or desserts recipe which call for sugar :-)

Tips:
1. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg and serve warm on its own (or as a soothing treat for teething babies - nice and cold).

Storage:
Freeze well for 8 weeks. TIP: If you are going to freeze your baby's applesauce, DON'T add the spices before you freeze it, because they will lose their flavour.

Note:
Avoid applesauce altogether is your baby is constipated or prone to constipation, because it is very binding and will make the problem worse.

Nutritional Value:
Apples are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. Apples contain a long list of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants and support our heart health. Included in this list are quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. Apples also contain flavonoids, which have repeatedly been shown to help lower risk of heart disease, and also to improve problems with heart disease once it has occurred.

Apples may help maintain good healthy by promoting cardiovascular health by lowering LDL cholesterol and inhibiting LDL oxidation, and reducing the risk of certain types of stroke; maintaining a healthy weight, as part of a low-fat, fiber-rich diet; promoting lung health, by countering the effects of oxidative damage; promoting prostate, liver and colon health, by inhibiting the growth of related cancer tumors; and promoting bone health, by providing a good source of the dietary mineral boron.

References:
http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/fruit-baby-food-recipes.html

Carrot Soup/Gulerod Suppe/胡萝卜汤[hú luó bo tāng]

Recipe from Anni Airaksinen

Preparation & Cook Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Ingredients:
- 680g carrots
- 680g potatoes
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1-2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 TBS fresh ginger, chopped
- 2 TBS chopped leeks (optional)
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 500g minced beef (optional to give more flavour for adults)
- 4½ cups or 1125ml of water
- 1 tsp salt
- A spoonful of yogurt or fromage frais and some chopped chives as garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Peel carrots and potatoes and cut into chunks (and small cubes for baby)

2. Meanwhile saute garlic, ginger, onion, leek and beef with cooking oil on medium heat in a heavy bottom pot.

3. Add the carrots and potatoes, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are cooked and tender.

4. Puree with a stick blender directly in the pot (if you wish, you could just puree half of them and leave the rest as small cubes for baby to chew).

5. Add lime juice, salt and pepper.

6. Garnish with yogurt or fromage frais and chives and serve.

Tips:
If I am making steaming or cooking some chicken the day before, I will make carrot soup the day after and use the stock from making the chicken the day before.

Mussel Soup/Muslingesuppe/贻贝汤 [yí bèi tāng]

Adapted from Tue Mantoni's Recipe

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
- 1kg mussels
- 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
- 3-4 onions chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 250ml or 1 cup coffee cream (kaffe fløde)
- Sprinkling of dried oregano or Herbs de Provence
- 250ml or 1 cup low fat milk
- 250ml or 1 cup water
- 1/2 squeezed lime or lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash and scrub mussels clean.

2. Fry 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic until golden brown

3. Add 3-4 chopped onions and continue frying until golden brown

4. Sprinkle in oregano or Herbs de Provence and continue frying until golden brown

5. Add 1kg mussels (pre-clean and brush the shells of the mussels) and fry for 2 mins or so (it should not be fully cooked)

6. Add 1 cup of white wine

7. Add 250ml coffee cream (kaffe fløde)

8. Add 1/2 - 1 cup milk or 1 cup water or both, depending on preference

9. Add 1/2 squeezed lime or lemon

10. Add salt to taste

11. Medium heat for 3 mins until it starts to boil

12. Immediately turn to low heat (so as not to overcook the mussels)

13. Simmer and serve with sprinkled basil leaves (optional)