Stir-fried noodles or pancit is a staple for us back home. Not so much in my house but once in awhile it's nice to have it as part of a meal or have it as a snack with bread.

This noodles are especially perfect for glazed chicken wings which I recently discovered. YUM. So here it goes.

Tip 1: Any meat can be used, prawn, chicken, beef
Tip 2: Adjust the saltiness to your preference.
Tip 3: This amount is for big gatherings, if you're only cooking this for a simple meal, then cut the ingredients in half.

Ingredients:
50 grams rice noodles
1 large size onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
250 grams pork, sliced lengthwise, tossed in 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons soya sauce
2 large carrot, sliced lengthwise
500 grams yellow Chinese Noodles
1 medium size cabbage, shredded
1 litre water

10 generous servings

Directions:
Soak rice noodles in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large wok, saute onion and garlic in oil. Add pork bits. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add soya sauce and all vegetables to the wok. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add water. Bring to a boil for a minute.

Drain the vegetables & meat and set aside while returning the liquid to the pan.

Add both noodles to the pan. Mix well and cover. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Return vegetables and meat to noodles. Toss to mix well.

Photos next time!

FV40-04-1210

I love this cake, that sums up everything!

Tips: Here's a guide of choosing a chiffon pan size.

1 egg recipe : 14 cm mould
2 eggs recipe : 17cm mould
4 eggs recipe : 21cm mould
6 eggs recipe : 23cm mould
8 eggs recipe : 25cm mould

Ingredients for Cake:
4 large egg yolks at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar, divided into 1/2 and 1/4
1/2 cup all purpose flour or 1/2 cup and 1 tbsp cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites at room temperature for at least 30 minutes

Ingredients for Coffee Syrup:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon instant - espresso powder
(Boil together until sugar is fully dissolved. Cool on the side)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter and line bottom with parchment paper, then butter parchment and dust with flour.

Combine yolks, milk, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar well by whisking. Then whisk in flour and salt until smooth. (Batter will be thick)

Beat whites with an electric mixer until just soft peaks are formed. Beat in remaining 1/4 sugar, 1 tbsp at a time until whites hold stiff peaks.

Fold 1/3 of whites into batter just to lighten it up, then fold the remainder, gently but thoroughly.

Spread batter evenly in pan, rapping against the counter to release any air bubbles.

Bake until dry to the touch and pale golden, around 10-12 minutes.

Carefully invert the pan to the cooling rack and let your cake rest in the pan until cold.

Run your knife on sides and tube sides to release the cake.

Take off the parchment and brush with Coffee Syrup before spreading the buttercream icing all over.

Mocha Buttercream Icing

FV38-02-1210

I love coffee and this is the second coffee inspired concoction that I made and tried.

Tip 1: 4 cups of confectioner sugar if you want it thick, 3 cups if you want it thinner

Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (CRISCO can be bought from your Supermarket, next to the Indian Ghee)
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup cocoa powder or 1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 tablespoon instant coffee/ espresso powder / strong brewed coffee (diluted in water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (vanilla from the pods)
4 cups confectioner's sugar or icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Makes about 3 cups 

Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the next three ingredients and mix well. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time by beating at medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

If you want a thinner icing, add one tablespoon of milk at a time to reach the consistency you like.

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing in refrigerator in an airtight container. Can be stored 2 weeks, just re-whip before using.

FV36-01-1210

This marinade got great reviews from my loyal tasters and I couldn't agree with them more! Without blowing my own horn,,, it was really something!

Let's stop the suspense, here it goes:

INGREDIENTS for 1/2 kilo of meat:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup (use banana ketchup if you prefer it)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp hot sauce (add more if you want more kick to it)
1 can sprite
1 head of garlic, crushed
1 small head of onion, minced
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lemon juice

Baste:
1/2 cup banana ketchup
3/4 cup plum sauce

Extra Dip:
1 lemon juice
1/2 cup soya sauce

Procedures:
Mix them all up in a bowl, immerse the meat you intend to BBQ and keep it overnight in the fridge to ensure they suck in all the juices and the flavours.

If you want it sweeter, then add more sugar, if you want more bite to it, add lemon juice or vinegar, if you want more spice, add more hot sauce.

Obviously, if you have a kilo of meat, you just double the amount for each or triple as you increase it to a kilo and half. Math,,, very useful in cooking :)

Weave your thinly sliced meat through the skewer and get cookin'!

Baste the meat every 5-10 minutes.

If you like salty and citrusy dips... then dunk your meat to extra dipping sauce before eating.

Enjoy the weather, enjoy good food and thanks for reading!

FV35-08-1110

Nice weather brings out the urge to be with nature, soak up the sun and breathe that clean and fresh air. Best thing to do? Picnic, swimming, barbecue or anything relaxing.

This marinated shrimp is soooo delish that I must share it!

Tip 1: Ask your fishmonger to thoroughly clean the shrimp, take off shells, veins and heads while leaving the tails intact for presentation purposes.
Tip 2: Buy the shrimps the night before and leave them in the freezer until you're ready to thaw and marinate.
Tip 3: Bear in mind the marinating shrimp must be done 2-3 hours before the cooking time as the acids in the marinate will cook them, it'll be gooey and unsightly for cooking.

This was too easy to even mention the amount of time

Ingredients:
2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 lemons, juiced
2-4 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (more or less depending on how much kick you want)
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 kilos large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached
skewers

Serves 10-12

Mix the first 8 ingredients together. Reserve some to use for basting. 

Place your cleaned shrimp in a resealable bag or bowl and pour the marinate over. Marinate for 2-3 hours. 

Thread shrimp into skewers. Lightly oil grill and start cooking! 

5 minutes to each side until shrimp colour turns opaque. don't overcook so the shrimp remains juicy and tender. 

If you want to add more spices to this basic recipe,,, go ahead!

Enjoy and happy eating!

-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!

FV30-03-1110

This is a good appetizer tray for entertaining. It doesn't need tons of preparing, very ideal if you're already spending a bit of time in your main course

Tip 1: Buy your meat slices the night before
Tip 2: Buy ready sliced or minced onion if it's available but make sure to use these within 2 days
Tip 3: Jam can be made the night before
Tip 4: Have at least couple of baguettes or baby french sticks in your freezer, ready for later use.

Ingredients:
Mushroom and Bacon Jam (recipe on site)
slices of prosciutto
brine-cured green and black olives
cucumber, sliced
sun-dried tomatoes
Garlic Bruschettas (recipe on site)
Mushroom and Spinach Frittata (recipe on site)

Serves 4

This takes a jif to make

On your serving tray, place your brushcetta, slices of prosciutto, brine-cured green and black olives, slices of cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, a serving bowl of mushroom and bacon jam in the middle. You can add ready made green pesto and bread sticks on the serving plate if you wish or have serviette's ready with funky toothpicks.

Appetizing it is!

(photos will follow when I re-do this)

FV29-02-1110

This is a perfect partner to mushroom and bacon jam, pesto, slice meat, almost everything! Also great as an accompaniment to pastas.

INGREDIENTS
baby - french bread sticks or baguette
3 ounce butter
2 clove garlic

Serves 4
309 Calories per Serving

15 minutes, not another minute long

Preheat oven to 150 degrees celcius.

Cut frozen bread to thin slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch width.

Melt butter with crushed garlic over low heat, or microwave. Brush both sides of the bread with butter using a pastry brush.

Place on a baking tray, preferably pizza tray with holes.

Bake for 7-10 minutes until just golden, keep an eye because it burns quickly

FV28-01-1110

This is one easy concoction that is absolutely fantastic with a toasted bread or bread stick or garlic bruschetta. Great for appetizer that doesn't need so much prepping.

Tip 1: If you like pancetta instead of bacon, your choice.
Tip 2: Important part of my Philly Steak Sandwich

Ingredients:
8 good quality streaky bacon, diced
2 punnets of mixed mushroom (i.e. oyster, portabello, button mushroom
3 ounce butter
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Heat 1 ounce butter into the pan and sweat onions and garlic for a few minutes.

Add the bacon and cook for a few more minutes then add the mushrooms together with the remaining butter.

Season, turn the heat right down and cook for 10-15 minutes. If the mixture starts getting dry, add a little lemon juice.

Serves 4
375 Calories per serving

*More photos will be posted when I remember to take pictures of it! Excuse my senile moments

FV23-10-1010

I know nothing about deviled eggs... until an old classmate of mine posted a photo of her deviled eggs in facebook. It got me all curious so here it is.

This is best prepared for gatherings, potluck and what not. I experimented on this on one occasionless day and I ended up eating most of it. It's not that morish-type dish and so thank goodness for appetite, I have a big one. 

Sure my kids think I was possess to finish them all but I seriously hate great tasting food go to waste. Don't worry, it took me quite awhile and some creativity to ensure it's consumed. I said big appetite not "magician". Even elephants will prolly take a rest.

Tip 1: Skip the hot paprika if you don't like spicy food.
Tip 2: This dish is so forgiving that you can play around with the flavours, add as many herbs and spices as you like, this will still end up a fantastic dish.
Tip 3: Since the mashed egg is so flavourful, you can use it as a dipping dish for toasted bread, bread sticks, veggies, etc.

30 minutes, not a minute more :P

8 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 slices of crispy bacon
hot paprika, to taste

Boil eggs and peel off shells.

Fry the bacon on a skillet until it's really, really crispy. Using your chopper, break the bacon until it's the same size of your minced shallots.

Peel the eggs and cut each lengthwise. Scoop out yolks to a mixing bowl. Add everything except the hot paprika and mash them all together.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe it into all cavities. 

To finish off, sprinkle the stuffed eggs with paprika.

Cover it with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.