Pasta in Tomato Sauce

This dish always reminds me of the scene from the movie No Reservations. The scene where Aaron Eckhart "cons" Abigail Breslin to start eating a bowl of pasta which got me wanting to eat this dish after watching the movie. I think it has do to with the way Abigail Breslin hungrily wolfs down the pasta.

Tagliatelle with Tomato Sauce and fresh basil

The basic pasta dish that and most likely the first pasta dish that most people here in Singapore encounter as a kid. This is more of a walk-through on the technique of making a quick pasta dish, rather than a full recipe.

This post will take you trough on whipping up this pasta dish in 15 minutes or less, with sauce that you pre-made yourself.

Ingredients to serve 2
160 - 180 grams store bought pasta (Or about 100 grams per person for a big eater)
2-3 cups tomato sauce (link here for recipe)
A splash of dry red wine (optional)
Handful of fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Steps:
1. Cook Pasta according to package instructions in salted boiling water. Remove strain the pasta. Dress with a little olive oil to prevent them sticking together. Set aside. (Note: Cook for 3/4 of the time stated on the package for Al Dente)

2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, pour all the sauce (and wine if using) onto the pan and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Allowing to reduce slightly.

3. Add in the cooked pasta and mix well. Allow the pasta to cook in the sauce for at least a minute or 2.

4. Portion into pasta bowls. Garnish and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

The Basic Onion Tomato Sauce

The emphasis of this recipe is the basic tomato sauce that I like to use in alot of the dishes I cook at home. On its own, it makes a great pasta dish!. It keeps quite well in the fridge and can be used as a base for many variations for several different of dishes. If you look through some of the other recipes in this site, you'll probably come across a variation of this sauce in use. So I thought I would create an entry for this sauce so that I can just refer readers back to this page when I use this sauce. Saves me the typing.

Cauldron of Onion Tomato Sauce bubbling away

This sauce uses canned tomatoes and bottled Passata, both of which can be easily found in most Cold Storage or and at Fairprice.

Here is what you'll need for the sauce. Makes about 1 litre of sauce.

2 cans diced tomatoes. (I like to use the ones that say Plum or Romano. You can get whole canned ones and dice them yourself as well)
1 700g Jar of Passata.
2 yellow onions - diced
4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
few teaspoons of sugar to taste

Steps:
1. Prep the diced/chopped tomatoes. Remove from the can and strain them. discard the liquids. Set aside

2. Over medium heat, heat about 2-4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large saucepan or large deep sided saute pan. When oil is heated up (Rolls around easily in the pan) add in the onions and fry for 1 minute, then add in the garlic. Fry for a few more minutes until the onions become soft and translucent (Not brown).

3. Add in the tomatoes and fry for another 3-4 minutes. Then add in the passata. Mix well and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.

4. Add in the thyme and rosemary. You can tie the herbs together so that they are easier to fish out later. Allow to simmer over low heat for at least 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally, to prevent the bottom of the sauce from burning.

5. After the sauce is allowed to simmer and cook down, allow to cool and store. Use as needed.

Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes.

This is one of my favourite ways to cook potatoes at home. Its really easy and you get crispy tasty potatoes at the same time. My personal preference, is to cut them in to smaller chunks. About 1.5 cm across, this gives more of that wonderfully crispy surface area.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients to serve 2

2-3 large Russet potatoes - washed and cleaned
2 sprig of thyme (leaves only)
2 sprig of rosemary (leaves only)
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced or grated.
1/4 - 1/3 cup Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:
1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

2. Cut the potatoes into small chunks, about 1.5 cm wide.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the herb leaves, garlic and olive oil. Mix well. Then add in the potatoes into the mixing bowl. Season assertively with salt and pepper as well at this point. Mix well.

4. On the largest baking/roasting tray that will fit in your oven, lay out the potatoes in a single layer, together with the herbs and garlic. Try to ensure that none of the potato chunks are not sticking together.

5. Roast in the oven for about 35- 45 minutes. Until nicely browned and crisp.

6. Serve with your favourite protein.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Braising is a great way to expand your options in the kitchen. Its also a way to keep costs lower as cheaper cuts of meat tend to be better for braising. Cuts like pork shoulder, belly, short ribs, brisket are all good cuts for braising. As opposed to the really expensive cuts like tenderloin and so on.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

This recipe takes you through a simple braising recipe for beef short ribs.

Ingredients to serve 4:
1 - 1.2 Kg meaty beef short ribs
2-3 cups red wine
1 litre / 4 cups beef stock (Chicken stock would work too)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 sprigs of thyme
1 whole head of garlic - cut in half horizontally
1 large yellow onion - roughly chopped
3-4 carrots - cut into large chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped Chives for garnish

Steps
1. Season the beef well with salt and pepper. Place a deepsided roasting tray on the stove and heat about 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When oil is heated, cook the beef, browning all sides well. should take about 10-15 minutes.

2. Next add the garlic (cut side down) and tomato paste in the pan together with the beef. Cook out the tomato paste by pressing it down on the pan a little. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add in the wine and stock. Using a wooden spoon or similar tool, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and mix well with the liquid.

3. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover with foil and then cook in the oven for about 3-4 hours.
(If you do not have a roasting tray that you can use on a stove, you can use a large deepsided sautee pan, and then transfer the beef to a deepsided baking/casserole dish just before going into the oven.)

4. Take the roasting tray out of the oven and remove the beef short ribs and carrots, set them aside. Strain the braising liquid and reserve the liquid. This will become the sauce. Scoop and discard the excess oil/fat from the sauce. Squeeze the garlic out of the skin and press through a strainer into the sauce and mix well. Optional Step: Reduce the sauce further in a saucepan over the stove if you want it thicker.

5. Divide the ribs and carrots equally onto dinner plates and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with chives and serve with crusty bread.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms

Gnocchi with Mushrooms

This is the recipe for the 2nd gnocchi dish I made from same batch of gnocchi that I made with the earlier recipe here. Its a great savoury dish with flavours that are awesome with gnocchi.

Serves 2
Ingredients for the gnocchi:
2 large baked russet potatoes (or 3 smaller ones)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup plain flour - plus extra for dusting
salt and pepper
1 egg - beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Rest of the stuff:
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
4 shallots - sliced or 1/2 purple onion - diced
150-200 grams Swiss brown or white button mushrooms - cleaned and halved/quartered (depending on their size)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock (use vegetable broth if you want a vegetarian version)
1 tablespoon butter
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped chives for garnish

Steps: (1-5 are copied from the earlier gnocchi dish)
1. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the potatoes. Set the flesh aside in the bowl, discard the skins. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or mash them.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the egg, thyme leaves, Parmesan and about 3/4 of the cup of flour. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands. Add in more flour from the remaining 1/4 cup, if the mixture remains very wet. When the mixture begins to come together, transfer to the well floured board and knead gently for about 4-5 minutes until the ball of dough is relatively dry to the touch.

3. Roll into a ball and cut into 2 halves. Roll each half into a long cigar. Then cut of individual pieces from the cigar. About 2-3 cm for each piece. Using a floured finger, make a small indentation in each gnocchi.

4. Place the gnocchi gently into a pot of boiling water. When the gnocchi start to float, take them all out of the water and drain.

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is heated, add in the gnocchi and saute them about 2-4 minutes per side. (depending on how brown you want them). Remove and set aside on a dish lined with paper towels.

6. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium, add in shallots and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until shallots soften then add in the mushrooms and fry for another 5 minutes or so, until the mushrooms start to brown and the released moisture from the mushrooms dry up. De-glaze the pan with the white wine, and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the chicken stock and allow to simmer for another minute or so. At the same time, gently scrape the lovely brown bits off the base of the pan, mixing them together with liquid.

7 Add in the butter and mix well. Add in the thyme leaves and gnocchi. Mix well and fry for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and dish onto 2 dinner plates. Garnish with chives and generously with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Hope you'll like this. Enjoy!

Spicy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

Great simple dish to do at home. Nice savoury flavours with the corriander cutting through. Light and fresh tasting. This meal for 2 can be done in 30-40 minutes. Adding lime juice at the end can help lift up the dish, make it fresher tasting.

Spicy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

Ingredients for 2
180 grams Angel Hair Pasta
200 grams grey/tiger prawns - shelled and de-viened (reserve the heads)
4 cloves garlic - chopped/sliced
2 large chillies - sliced
2 stalks spring onion - sliced
handful of corriander - roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime (optional)
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, place the prawn heads with 1 tablespoon of butter and cook until the prawn heads turn fully pink. Then add the chicken stock and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat and reduced by about 1/2. Strain and reserve the liquid. (You can cook the pasta or prep the herbs/chillies during this time)

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Angel hair usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Strain and set aside. Add a little olive oil to prevent from sticking together. 

3. In a large saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in the spring onion, chillies and garlic. Fry for 2 mins.

4. Add in the prawns and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Until prawns are almost cooked fully. Add in the stock and white wine. Allow to simmer for 1 minute and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix well and allow the butter to thicken the liquid to form a sauce. Then add in the pasta mix well with all the stuff in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Turn off the heat, toss with corriander and lime juice (if using). Dish on to 2 dinner plates or deep sided pasta dishes and serve immediately.

Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

Gnocchi with Zucchini and Sweetcorn

Got inspired to make gnocchi recently. This is the first of two gnocchi dishes that I did from the same batch of gnocchi.

Gnocchi with Zucchini and Sweetcorn

A vegetarian dish that the wife really likes. Its light with delicate flavours. Browning the gnocchi gives it another dimension of flavour and texture, giving a crisp exterior and fluffy interior. The gnocchi's texture is then accompanied with the crunch from the corn and zucchini. Really enjoyable. Wife especially likes that the sweetness from the corn comes through the dish.

Serves 2
Ingredients the gnocchi:
2 large baked russet potatoes (or 3 smaller ones)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup plain flour - plus extra for dusting
salt and pepper
1 egg - beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Rest of the stuff:
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1/2 purple onion - diced1/3 cup diced zucchini
1/3 cup sweet corn kernels
1/4 cup dry white wine (Or cooking white wine)
1/4 cup vegetable stock (If non-vegetarian, chicken stock works better!)
1 tablespoon butter
handful of pea shoots for garnish (optional)
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan for garnish

Steps:
1. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the potatoes. Set the flesh aside in the bowl, discard the skins. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or mash them.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the egg, thyme leaves, Parmesan and about 3/4 of the cup of flour. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands. Add in more flour from the remaining 1/4 cup, if the mixture remains very wet. When the mixture begins to come together, transfer to the well floured board and knead gently for about 4-5 minutes until the ball of dough is relatively dry to the touch.

3. Roll into a ball and cut into 2 halves. Roll each half into a long cigar. Then cut of individual pieces from the cigar. About 2-3 cm for each piece. Using a floured finger, make a small indentation in each gnocchi.

4. Place the gnocchi gently into a pot of boiling water. When the gnocchi start to float, take them all out of the water and drain.

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is heated, add in the gnocchi and saute them about 2-4 minutes per side. (depending on how brown you want them). Remove and set aside on a dish lined with paper towels.

6. With the same saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in the garlic and onion. Fry for about 2 minutes. Then add in the zucchini and corn. Fry for another 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown slightly. De-glaze the pan with the white wine and stock. Cook for another 2 minutes then add butter cook for another minute. When the butter starts to thicken the sauce, add in the gnocchi and saute for another minute or so.

7. Dish onto 2 dinner plate and garnish with pea shoots (if using), a generous shaving of Parmesan cheese and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Hope you'll enjoy this as much as we did!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

This is one of those dishes that you'll get "oohs" and "ahhs" when you bring it out at a dinner gathering. And the fragrance that fills your kitchen when the bacon is cooking in the oven is just awesome.

Porkfection!

Wrapping the tenderloin can be a little bit tricky the first time, but you'll get the hang of it. Especially if you are one of those who do Swiss-rolls a lot.

Ingredients: (serves 2-4)
1 whole uncut pork tenderloin, about 300 - 350 grams  - cleaned and trimmed
About 300 grams streaky bacon (should get about 12 slices or so)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves only
4-5 sage leaves - finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic - minced
Salt and back pepper
Cooking oil for frying
Maple Syrup (optional)

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cover the prep surface with plastic wrap before starting this recipe to make it easier to wrap the pork in bacon and for an easier cleanup. I recommend at least 2 layers of cling wrap as this makes the cling wrap easier to handle.

2. Rub the thyme, sage and garlic all over the tenderloin. A little salt and generous amount of pepper. Place the tenderloin horizontally on the end plastic wrap that is closer to you.

3. Then in front of the tenderloin, on the plastic wrap, place the bacon vertically. Slightly overlap each slice until you cover the length of the tenderloin. Forming like a bacon blanket in front of the tenderloin.

4. Roll the tenderloin over the bacon, using the plastic wrap guide the tenderloin over the bacon first. Once you get a tight firm roll, discard the plastic wrap.

5. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil gets really hot, place the bacon-wrapped tenderloin, seam-side down, in the pan and sear until the bacon is browned, about 2 minutes per side. You should probably have to brown 4 sides.

6. Transfer the bacon-wrapped tenderloin to a roasting tray. Brush generously with maple syrup (if using) and cook the tenderloin in the oven until the internal temp reads about 62 degrees C. Probably about 10 minutes or so. Then let is rest outside the oven for about 5-10 mins before cutting.

Serve with mash and side salad.

Enjoy!

Pan seared Shrimp and Scallops with shrimp bisque

This is an amped up version of another dish I posted on this site. Tried to spruce it up a little since it was for our anniversary. The sauce was rich and flavourful. Not overcooking the seafood is key. The truffles took the flavours and aroma to another level. We really enjoyed this one, hope you will too!

Shrimp, scallops and breaded slipper lobster in a shrimp bisque and black summer truffles

Ingredients for 2
6 king tiger prawns - shelled and deveined (reserve the shells and heads)
6 scallops - with shells removed

For the sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion - roughly chopped
1 carrot - roughly chopped
1 stalk of celery - roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic - sliced/roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Pinch of cyanne pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs Italian parsley
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup cognac
1/4 cup single/whipping cream
2 cups chicken or fish stock

For garnish
Few stalks of chives for garnish
Few slices of black summer truffles (optional)
Drizzle of black truffle oil (optional)

To make the sauce:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the prawn shells and heads with the butter. Stirring occasionally. Cook until all the shells and heads turn pink and give off a nice fragrance. Then deglaze the sauce pan with the white wine and cognac.

2. Allow the liquids to simmer for 2-3 minutes and then add all other sauce ingredients in the list except the cream. Allow the liquids to simmer over a low heat until reduced by half. About 20 mins.

3. Strain the mixture and discard all the solids and reserve the liquid. This will form the sauce. In a small saucepan, continue simmer the sauce and add the cream. Mix well and allow to gently simmer for another 3-5 minutes then turn off the heat.

Cooking the Seafood:

1. Season the scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper. In a heavy based sauté pan over high heat heat some cooking oil. When oil is almost smoking, cook the shrimp and scallops. Sear them about 1-2 minutes per side then remove from the pan and set aside. Leave the pan on the stove, turn down the heat to medium low.

2. Deglaze the pan with the sauce. About 1 cup worth. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape off all the lovely brown bits from the base of the pan. Maxing imp them into the sauce.

3. Arrange the seafood in 2 shallow soup bowls or deep sided dinner plates however you prefer. Ladle half the simmered sauce over each plate of seafood. Garnish with chives and sliced truffles(if using). Serve immediately.

Note: The picture you see above has a slipper lobster (aka bug). To prep that, remove the tail flesh from the shell, clean it. Season with salt and pepper then coat it with flour and pan fry for about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towels.

Pumpkin Salad with Crackling Pork Belly

Made this for our anniversary dinner. The plating style is not something I'm used to but I decided to try something fancy since it was a special occasion. The wife likes it, so I must be doing something right.

Pumpkin Salad with Crackling Pork Belly

Pumpkin and macadamia were born to be best friends. They go together superbly. The pumpkin discs went well with the pork. The slight bitterness of the rocket with salty pork was awesome. Asparagus was great with the macadamias and puree.
Did I mention there was Pork belly with crackling, I mean do we really need anything else other than that?

Ingredients for 2
About 300 grams pork belly with skin on
About 1/2 of whole butternut squash
10 stalks of asparagus - bases trimmed
1 cup of rocket leaves - washed
1/2 cup of macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup Italian Parsley
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Prepare the pumpkin/squash
1. Peel the pumpkin and cut them into slices about 1.5 cm thick. (just estmate, does not have to be exact). An average sized squash should give you about 6 slices from the fleshy part of the fruit. (The upper part without the seeds)

2. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out discs from the slices. Set these discs aside.

3. Roughly cut up the rest of the pumpkin. Wrap them all in a large piece of foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degress for about 45 mins.

4. Place the baked pumkin pieces in a food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop out and set aside. You can pass the puree trough a find mesh seive for a even smoother puree. Mix in the butter and season with a pinch of salt. Reserve and set aside

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over a medium heat. When oil is heated, cook the pumpkin discs till they brown on the outside and soft in the middle. About 6 minutes per-side. (depending on the thickness) Set aside when done.

Roasting the pork
1. With a very sharp knife, score the skin of the pork with parallel lines about 1/2 a centimeter apart. (A stanley knife works great for this). The cuts you make should also get into some of the fat under the skin, but do not cut all the way to the lean meat under the skin. Salt the skin generously, making sure to rub the salt in the cuts. Pepper the sides as well.

2. Place pork on a baking dish and cook in the oven set to "grill" mode for 45 minutes. Until the skin
"crackles" fully. When done remove from heat. Cut into 2 and set aside.

While the pork is in the oven, prepare the rest of the stuff
1. To make the Vinaigrette, put all Vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor and blitz till smooth. Add a small splash of water if its too dry or too hard to blend. season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve and set aside

2. Toast the macadamias in a pan over medium heat until they brown. No oil needed. Reserve and set aside

3. Blanch the aspargus for 1 minute in salted boiling water. Then shock them in cold water. dress lightly with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

To plate, if you wanna try your hand and fancy plating, you can try "pulling" the puree across the plate. Dress the plate how ever you like. I found that plating in this general order helps.

Pumpkin Puree, Pork, Pumpkin discs, macadamias, asparagus, rocket and lastly the vinaigrette.

Enjoy.

Chocolate and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

My second dessert post finally. Had our anniversary dinner at home recently and wifey insisted to make at least one dish. I urged her to make dessert since she's the one with the sweet tooth.

Chocolate and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis topped with Vanilla Ice Cream

Resulting dessert is what you see here. Creamy and rich Panna Cotta, with the acidity of the coulis to cut through the richness. The crushed almonds give a nice crunch and nutty flavour. Topped with Ice Cream, need I say more?

This is a great dessert to serve at house parties. Can be made up to 2 days in advance. 

Here are the ingredients for 2-3 (depending on the size of your remekins)
Chocloate Panna Cotta
125ml - Whipping cream
125ml - full cream milk
20 grams sugar
5 grams cocoa powder
20 grams dark chocolate
1.5 teaspoon gelatine powder
1/2 cup roasted almonds  - (blitzed in a food processor to desired consistency)
Some store bought good quality vanilla ice-cream

Vanilla Panna Cotta
125ml - Whipping cream
125ml - full cream milk
20 grams sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoon gelatine powder

Raspberry Coulis
1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen will do fine, just thaw them first)
juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon sugar

Steps:
1. Place milk, cream, cocoa powder, dark chocolate and sugar into a small pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Heat until the all the chocolate has melted. Stir gently, mixing well.
Add gelatine powder in a small cup or bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of milk(room temperature) and mix well. The gelatine will probably not dissolve but stir to prevent the powder from forming clumps.

2. Add the gelatine mixture into the pot. Remove from heat and stir until the gelatine is fully dissolved.

3. Divide the mixture among ramekins and leave to cool. Pouring the mixture into a small pitcher first will help make the distribution a lot easier. (Much easier than pouring straight from the pot)

4. Place the chocolate panna cotta into the fridge for a 2 hours at least, until set before starting on the vanilla panna cotta.

Moving on to Vanilla Panna Cotta

Follow the exact same steps as the chocolate panna cotta above but replacing cocoa powder and dark chocolate with the vanilla extract. Wait until the vanilla panna cotta has cooled. (Pouring the hot vanilla mixture will melt your chocolate panna cotta) Pour the vanilla mixture into the ramekins,  covering the chocolate panna cotta. Place into the fridge for a 2-3 hours at least, for them set.

Raspberry Coulis:
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing down on the solids. Discard the seeds. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve:
1. Turn out the panna cotta in a shallow bowl. Placing the ramekins in the warm water bath for 10-20 seconds can make turning out the panna cotta a little easier.

2. Pour the coulis around the panna cotta and place some fresh raspberries around. Top it off with crushed almonds and vanilla ice-cream. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Sitrfry with Corriander and Chillies

Eggplant Sitrfry with Corriander and Chillies

Got inspired to do this dish while watching masterchef Australia one evening. Think it was Kylie Kwong during a masterclass episode. Can't remember the exact recipe so I went with what felt right. Results were awesome.

Great savoury dish to go with any Asian Meal. Especially if you like corriander and garlic. Its dish with bold flavours and it packs a punch too. As a meat lover, I'd say this is a great way to get your veg intake.

Ingredients to serve 2-4:
1 large egg plant
1 handful corriander - roughly chopped (I usually just use the whole pack from NTUC or Cold Storage)
2 stalks spring onion - sliced
2-3 large chillies - sliced
5-7 cloves garlic - finely chopped/minced
1 knob of ginger - finely chopped/minced
soya sauce
salt
sesame oil

Steps:
1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise in to 2. The slice each half into 1cm pieces.
(Optional step:- lightly salt all the eggplant pieces and leave on the tray/dish for about 1 hour. The salt will draw out the moisture from the eggplant. After, drain the liquid and rinse the eggplant pieces thoroughly and dry with paper towels just before step 2)

2. In a wok or large saute pan, heat about 3-4 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is really hot, add in the cut eggplant and stirfry until they are lightly browned on all sides. Remove and set aside on a dish with paper towels to soak up some of the oil from frying.

3. With the same wok, there should be a little oil. If not, add about 1 tablespoon. Lower heat to medium and add in garlic, ginger and chillies. Fry for about 3-4 minutes but do not let the garlic burn. Drizzle the with a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil.

4. Add in the eggplant and stir fry for another 2 minutes or so. Drizzle with soya sauce to taste. Turn off the heat and add the corriander and spring onions. Mix well in the wok and dish onto a serving plate. Serve immediately. Best served with steamed rice.