Summer Break

It's vacation time. Entries to resume after the summer...

Bonnes Vacances!

Nonya Dumpling... Without The Dumpling

I was craving for nonya dumpling but bamboo leaves are not available here. I went ahead to cook the sweet meat filling anyway and serve it with sticky rice.

Thanks to the recipe from Pure Enjoyment: http://images.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii214/kokwaifun/IMG_1172.jpg&imgrefurl=http://pureenjoyment.blogspot.com/2008/06/nonya-dumplings.html&usg=__3beP8yw1WQB6GmlUQGasmexWfm4=&h=375&w=500&sz=60&hl=fr&start=1&um=1&tbnid=xrmOglK_c6xoKM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnonya%2Bdumpling%2Brecipe%26hl%3Dfr%26rlz%3D1T4ADBF_frFR246FR248%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Note that preserved winter melon being unavailable here, I have left it out and replaced it with sugar instead. I also ran out of chinese mushrooms this time, oops. Even then, it turned out not bad at all.

Financier With Liquored Cherries

So I played around with the financier recipe I tried out recently (http://folliesofange.blogspot.com/2009/06/financier.html). I have added liquored cherries to this one... looks so pretty. The recipe goes well with chocolate chips too.

Thai Basil Pork

If you like Thai basil like I do, you will love this dish. I have followed Liane's recipe: http://imbinitchy.blogspot.com/2009/07/pad-kaprao-challenge-for-jules.html with extra chili and lots and lots of basil. Great with steamy hot plain thai rice.

Now I am really out of ideas what to try to cook next, please send me your suggestions!

Lime Pannacotta

Based on Gertrude's recipe ( http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/search?q=pannacotta ), I made some modifications and flavoured the pannacotta with lime instead. An easy-to-do, satisfying and very presentable dessert.

A Healthier Lemon Almond Cake?

I could not resist the idea of using olive olive instead of butter in my almond cake. I suppose it is healthier i.e. if all those articles about the benefits of olive oil is true.

Here's the recipe I followed: http://www.sassyradish.com/archives/2009/02/olive_oil_almond_cake.html

Modifications made: I have used only vanilla extract and glazed it with a simple mixture of lemon juice and sugar.

"Harm-less" Char Kway Teow - Get It?

I am happy I brought back a small bottle of black sweet sauce from Asia and have been saving it for the big day... voila, my first Char Kway Teow (Fried Rice Noodles) in France. I had all the must-have ingredients except for "hahm" ie. cockles, oh... and lard, come to think of it. Oh well, that makes it all a lot less harm-less, doesn't it? Yes, pun intended.