WELSH

MKMW (My Kitchen My World) 

This week, Megan of "mybaking adventure" take us to ENGLAND for our culinary adventure!

Cig Edion Brwsiedig Gyda Llysiu (Braise Beef With Vegetables)

Recipe from: Welsh Heritage Food And Cooking, Annette Yates

I have been to England, mainly stayed in  London (love London very much, with all those cool boutiques) for more then couple of time, but never really had a chance to visit other area. I would love one day to visit Scotland and  Welsh! 

Why Welsh?

1. My friend originally from Wales, and he is so witty, cool and have a very heavy Welsh accents when he talk....

2. Beside English, they have their own language that sounded so totally cool, don't believe me? try to read the title of this dish. You see? Sounded very cool......doesn't it?

3. I think the region is very beautiful and the food, I must admit is simple and  good. I don't know why people always have the perception that English food is bad? I haven't had this experience at all when I was there. 

Ingredients:

1 kg Stewing steak, cut into 5 cm cubes

3 tbs flour

2 tbs oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, thickly sliced (I've  substituted it with  1 red bell pepper)

2 celery sticks, finely choped (I've substituted it  with green beans cut into 2" long, about 1 cup) 

1/2 pint beef stock

2 tbs tomato paste

1 tsp dried mixed herb

1 tbs dark muscovado sugar

225 g baby potatoes (I didn't use any)

2 leeks, thinly sliced

salt and ground black pepper

• Preheat oven to 300F
• Season the meat with flour, fry them until brown in all side with little bit of oil in a dutch oven pan in two or three batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside
• Add onion and the vegetable to the pan and cook until soft and fragrants. Return the meat to the pan, add the stock, tomato paste, herb and the sugar.
• Stir and scrapping up any tids and bits that has stuck in the bottom of the pan. 
• Cover with a tight fitting lid and put in the oven for 2 - 2  1/2 hours until the meat is very tender
• Gently stir in the leeks and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the leeks is soft.

Summer Pudding

Recipe from Traditional British Cooking, Hilaire Walden

So easy to make, taste so fresh and super delicious. The use of  brioce bread instead of regular white bread give this pudding more buttery taste. You can substitute it with regular white bread if you like. 

Ingredients:

8 thin slices brioce bread, crust removed

1  1/4 lb mixed summer berries

2 tbs sugar

2 tbs water

• Cut around from one slice of the brioce/bread to fit in the base of 2 pints pudding basin, over lapping them slightly so there are no gaps.
• Gently heat the fruits, sugar and water in a large heavy sauce pan, shaking the pan occasionally until the juices begin to run.
• Reserve about 3 tablespoon fruit juice, then spoon the fruit and the remaining juice into the basin.
• Cut the remaining brioce/bread to fit entirely over the fruit. 
• Stand the basin on  a plate and cover it with a sauces that will just fit inside the top of the basin. Place a heavy weight on top. Chill the pudding and the reserve fruit juice overnight.
• Run the knife carefully around the inside of the basin rim, then invert the pudding onto a cold serving plate. Pour over the reserve juice and serve. 

Som Tam (Green papaya Salad), Mild Version and Not So Authentic!

Sometimes the weather can be unbearably hot, I need something fast, easy and refreshing salad to serve for my family. Something that you can eat a lot without suffer from  abdominal bloating. 

The recipe here is not an authentic Som Tam, because I didn't add dried shrimp and sugar. I also simplified the technique, which require pounding the ingredients lightly in a mortar and pestle, and also use a lot more fresh Thai chiles.  

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded  green papaya,

1 cup yard long beans or green beans, cut into 1 inch long

3 tomatoes, cut into chunk

Thai basil, for garnish

1/4 head cabbage, cut into wedge

dressing:

1 garlic, minced

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sambal oelek (or any other chili paste)

juice from 2 limes

• Put shredded papaya, yard long beans or green beans and tomatoes in a salad bowl. Make the dressing by combining minced garlic, fish sauce, sambal oelek, and lime juice in a small bowl. Add the dressing  to salad bowl, toss  well. Transfer to a 3  individual plates, serve with wedge cabbage and garnish with Thai basil, if using.

Serve 3

I'm Back

Yes, I am still having my jet-leg and tired. Happy to be home!


My home sweet home!

My Kitchen My World ( CHINA )

To honor China as the host for the 2008 Olympic, all of us at the "MKMW"  will be cooking chinese cuisines. I am very excited to see what other member contribute  for this event. As usual, I choose recipe that is simple, easy and make sure that my family will enjoy as well. Most importantly, both of my sisters will be able to make it in their own kitchen.

 

Henry Hugh's Cantonese Stuffed Tofu

Recipe from "The Breath Of  Wok" by Grace Young & Alan Richardson

Serve 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried shrimps

4 squares firm tofu (14 ounces)

4 ounces ground pork (I've substitute pork for chicken)

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon sugar 

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup minced scallions

2 tablespoon canola oil

1 garlic clove, thinly slice

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon black soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Cilantro sprigs, optional

• Boil shrimps for 2 minutes, drain and mince. Set aside
  
• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of chicken broth, soy sauce, black soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and oyster sauce. Set aside
• In a medium bowl, combine the pork or chicken , 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, sugar, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, scallions and minced shrimps.
• Cut each tofu square diagonally into 2 triangles. Hollow a long the cut edge, removing some of the bean curd. Stuff each triangle with 1 tablespoon of the filling. Packing it to extend beyond the pocket.
• Heat a wok over high heat. Swirl in the canola oil and add each tofu triangle pork/chicken side down.
• Reduce the heat to medium and pan fry about 2 minutes. Scatter the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and bring to boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth - soy sauce mixture, bring back to a gentle boil. In the meantime combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Pour this mixture into the the wok, gently stir for 30 seconds until the sauce is slightly thickened and the pork or chicken cooked through.
• Garnish with cilantro if desired.

*The original recipe doesn't have any dried chilies, I've added some for my own taste. I think it adds some flavor to it.

Braised  Halibut With Ginger And Scallions

Recipe adapted from "Taste of China" by Deh-Ta Hsiung 

Serve 2 - 4

Ingredients:

2 halibut fillets, or any other white fish, weigh about 1  1/2 pounds

1 bunch of scallions (about 8)

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

4 tablespoons Shao Hsing sauce

2 slices ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil

• Arrange all ingredients in a clay pot, cook over medium heat until the fish is thoroughly cook, about 10 - 15 minutes. Serve immediately with plain steam rice.

I hope you like it! 

I (with my husband, my son and his friend) will be leaving for Bali on Sunday to visit my family and also to celebrate Balinese Hindu Festival "Galungan". we'll be back home in the U.S on the 26th of August. It's a short visit, but we'll meet every single of my family in the village. So we are excited!