Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mushroom Soup is one of the popular (western) soup in this part of the world. Unfortunately, to many of the young generation, the instant powder/canned form or those found in the fast-food restaurant is their version of mushroom soup. Therefore, a few couldn't accept our freshly cooked original recipe... Of course, most of us enjoyed and asked for more...

To me, the most important is be able to introduce this homemade version... and I have made many mums became the best Cook in the eyes of their children when they used my recipe! It is very encouraging and joyous moment to see the satisfied faces.

Ingredients:

• 500 g *Mushrooms (sliced)


• 90 g Butter or Olive oil


• 2 nos Onion - medium (chopped)


• 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)


• 2-3 Tbsp Plain Flour


• 1.5 lit Chicken Stock


• 2 Bay Leaf (medium)


• To taste Black pepper (freshly ground)


• To taste Salt


• Parsley - garnish (chopped)

Methods:

1. Heat up butter and add in garlic and onions. Cook until soft but not brown. ~ 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add sliced mushrooms, cook over a high heat for 3 minutes, stir constantly.

3. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms, mix well to combine.

4. Pour in the hot chicken stock and bring to boil. Add bay leaf and leave the soup to cool for a few minutes.

5. Place soup in food processor. Blend well till smooth.

6. Return the soup into saucepan. Season with salt and peper and reheat until boiling.

7. Stir in the cream (optional). Garnished with chopped parsley.

Points I followed*:

- Used fresh white button mushroom, swiss brown mushroom (both large & small), fresh shiitake mushroom and canned button mushroom.

- If lighter color preferred, used more white button mushroom.- For those don't like the woody mushroom smell, reduced amount of shiitake mushroom.

White Stock

We carefully prepared our white stock, as we know it is essential to any quality sauce (for our roasted chicken) or soup (mushroom soup).

Points that we followed:
- cooked slowly/simmer
- should not be covered
- scum and fat were removed as they accumulate

Ingredients:

• 2 kgs Chicken Bone


• 5 lit Water


• 1 no Onion (large)


• 1 stick Celery


• 1 tsp Thyme


• 1 tsp Parsley


• 1 Bay leaf


• 5-7 Cloves


• 10 Peppercorns

Methods:
1. Wash bones in cold water.
2. Place bones in stockpot and cover with cold water. Heat to the boiling point (blanch).
3. Drain.
4. Cover bones with fresh water. Add vegetables and spices.

5. Simmer for ~ 3 hours. Remove scum as it accumulates.
6. Skim and strain.

Notes:If stock is not going to be used immediately, to prevent spoilage, it should be cooled as quickly as possible by placing the container in cold running water. It should then be refrigerated.

Food Production Practical

I have opportunity to impart my knowledge on food preparation to younger generation who are keen to learn how western style of cooking is being done. Most of them knows the name of the western menu but does not know how it was prepared. It was a pleasure to be able to share with them the western method of cooking for stock, soup, salad, meat, and dessert. Of course, one of the highlights that make the session more interesting is the vegetable cutting, especially onion chopping...

Melon Seed Cookies 瓜子饼

This is the second year we bake Mooncake. My sincere gratitude goes to my best friend at “yong-hobby.blogspot.com” for sharing her recipe and provide invaluable guide.

The very first two items that I baked last August, two months after delivered my second child, were Mooncake and Melon Seed Cookies. She is 15months old this month and loved my homemade mooncake and cookies… I have my sister helping me this time around and it makes my baking tasks much easier and smooth.

Ingredients:
750g Low protein flour
450g Golden syrup
250g Peanut oil
1 Tbsp Alkaline water
¼ tsp Salt
250g Lotus paste
150g Melon seed (lightly roasted)
25g White sesame seed (lightly roasted)
25g Black sesame seed (lightly roasted)
150g Meat floss 鸡丝 (optional)

Methods:
1. Mixed 200g flour, golden syrup, peanut oil, alkaline water, and salt evenly and leave it overnight or at least 6 hours.

2. Then use finger tips to rub lotus paste into fine particles and mixed well with the balance flour (550g).
3. Add in roasted melon seed, white and black sesame seed and meat floss (optional). Mixed well.
4. Lastly pour in “Step 1” mixture. Mixed all ingredients into dough.
5. Weight dough into 25g/piece. Roll and lightly press.
6. Brush eggwash on surface before baking.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes or the desired color (lightly brown) at 160ºC.
8. Best to eat 5-7 days after baking. Do not store in the airtight container, as humidity in the air is needed to moisten the cookies.

Nacho with Cheese and Meat Sauce

“Nacho” is one of my husband’s favorite, be it plain (the chips itself), with cheese sauce, meat sauce, guacamole, avocado cream or sour cream. For gathering this evening, he wanted to share with his buddies.
… decided to prepare Meat and Cheese Sauce this round.
Ingredient:
Meat Sauce
500g Minced Meat
1pkt (~28g) Taco seasoning mixed
125ml Water

Cheese Sauce
50g Butter
2Tbsp Multi-purpose flour
250ml Milk
200g Cheddar Cheese

Others
2 Ripe Tomato (cut into cubes)
1pkt Nacho Chips

Methods:
(Meat Sauce)
1. Pan fried minced meat until lightly brown.
2. Add Taco seasoning mixed. Mixed well.
3. Then add in water and simmer until minced meat is flavored with seasoning.

(Cheese Sauce)
1. In a source pan, melt butter.
2. Then stir in flour. Mixed well.
3. Gradually pour in milk and bring to boil.
4. Lastly add in cheese and cook until all cheese melted.

In a bowl, place a layer of Nacho chips follow by meat sauce, then cheese sauce. Sprinkle cube tomatoes on top. Best to eat when the cheese sauce is still warm.

Kerabu Mango / Mango Salad

A few big and muscular young mangoes were given by my babysitter few days ago and without further thought – Kerabu Mango is the answer!
This is my popular dish during the Chinese New Year gathering at my parents’ dinner table. It is appetizing, stimulate the gastric juice and it really balance up the other much more heavy food served during the festival.

Ingredients:

(Cut into Julienne)
Young mangoes (skin removed)
Cucumber (skin removed)
Red chilies
Pineapple

(Thinly sliced)
Shallot
Bunga kantan / Ginger flower

Dried shrimp (lightly toast till fragrance)
Peppermint leaves
Toasted ground peanuts (optional)

Seasoning (to taste):
Fish sauce
Lime juice
Sugar

Methods:
Mixed all ingredients together with seasoning just before serve.

Sweet Peanut Soup Served with "youtiao" 油条

Simple & authentic! This is one of the popular hot sweet soup to serve for breakfast in local homes. Serve with “youtiao” 油条 (deep fried dough) is a perfect match!...“youtiao” 油条 makes the soup riches in taste, but my mum loves it plain…

It is so simple to prepare, especially if cooked in the slow cooker. I would wake-up by the aroma if cooked overnight. The most enjoyable breakfast time for me is to be able to drink a bowl of hot sweet peanut soup when raining as it keeps me warm.


Ingredients:

150 – 200g Peanut (skin removed)
2 – 2½ liters Water
2 (large) Pandan leaves
¾ - 1 cup Sugar (or to taste)
Salt (trace, optional)
“youtiao” 油条

Methods:

1. Wash the peanut and transfer into slow cooker.
2. Add pandan leaves.
3. Then, pour hot water into slow cooker. Switch to “Auto” mode.
4. Let it cook for 6 – 8 hours in the slow cooker or until peanut is soft.
5. Add sugar. Taste the peanut before sugar is added.
6. Serve it hot with “youtiao” 油条.

Tips:
* Taste the texture of peanut before sugar is added. As once sugar is added, the texture of peanut would be remained.
* Some loves it with trace of salt added to the soup.