Mayo's breakfast #7

Do you ever have a sudden irrational craving for bread from time to time? Well I do! :p I just love the fragrant smell of freshly made bread all toasty & yummy. In my private tribute to bread, I decided to make two mini bread breakfast sets. The first was my take on an old Italian classic combination, ham & cheese with tangy mayo (feel free to experiment with your own favorite choice of meat eg. bacon, shredded chicken, sliced sausages etc) on a lightly toasted slice of french baguette topped with a dash of black pepper. With everything in place, pop it back into the oven for added crunch & deliciously melted cheese.

Overall view of my toasty breakfast meal. Cream of mushroom soup optional. Hehe..

Ham & cheese baguette


For my second set of breakfast, I opted to make some Bruschetta. Not only is the dish healthy, it's tasty too. First chop some fresh tomatoes & dried basil pre-mixed in a separate bowl in luscious extra virgin olive oil, a dash of salt & pepper. When ready, just pour the yummy mixture onto a slice of hot toasted baguette. The confusing but nice combination of cold firm tomatoes drenched in olive oil on a hot crisp baguette is heavenly. Try it in your home today.

Bruschetta

Egg Mayo Baguette

Everybody has their very own favorite bread & filling that they swear by. Share with me what's yours? Now here is one of mine, my home-made, hand mixed wasabi egg mayo served with a generous portion on top of some fresh baked baguette. But what's so special about it you may ask? Well, here's a little Mayo tip. Before piling on the delicious moist wasabi egg mayo, cut a piece of fresh garlic into half and within 10 seconds, rub the raw exposed part of the garlic evenly & strongly onto the surface of the bread. This is an interesting & healthy way to taste the garlic for this meal yet without it overpowering and leaving you with anti vampire breath. Try it!

Another simple tip is that this meal will taste great if the baguette is nice & crisp. For it to get that nice crunchy effect, just simply leave the cut pieces of baguette on the surface of a dry heated pan for a minute or so & flip occasionally to avoid it from being toast. :)

Wasabi Egg Mayo Baguette

~Ingredients~
Baguette
Eggs
Mayonaise
Wasabi
Black pepper
Bonito flakes


~Method~
1. Mix wasabi mayonaise with hard boiled eggs well with black pepper.
2. Toast the baguette.
3. Sprinkle some bonito flakes and ready to serve.

Mayo's Jap Curry Rice

Now who doesn't have cravings for Japanese Curry rice every now and then? Well I had one today & decided to go for a no frills home-made version. Firstly, lazy me whipped out the ready mixed & packed Japanese Curry cubes from any decent supermarket. Note the proportion of water to the cubes as you wouldn't want the curry to be too watery. I chopped some fresh carrots & nagaimo (Japanese Yam) in odd sizes & threw them into a pot of hot water before adding in the curry cubes. Leave in pot to simmer, stir occasionally for around 20-25 minutes to get them nice & soft.

While letting the curry simmer, I took some tomatoes, sliced them & pan fried them burning the edges of the skin. Season with a dash of salt & pepper for taste. I took out thick sliced chicken meat that I pre-cut from my fridge and mixed them in light egg batter & coated them in Japanese bread crumbs before letting them pan fry over a some hot oil in a pre-heated large pan.

Mayo needs her daily intake of veggies hence I finely sliced some cabbage & mixed it up with a dash of olive oil, Mayo's home made wasabi mayonnaise & topped it off with some Jap bonito flakes. Neutralizes the overpowering curry gravy & lends a refreshing aftertaste.

Tip: Mayo prefers her curry slightly spicy & if you noticed, Jap Curry is usually more sweet than spicy, so take some time & read the variations available, know your preference & your meal will taste so much better. I want it fast but I won't settle for sub standard food being served. :)

Fried chicken with bread crumbs

Sliced cabbage with wasabi mayo & bonito flakes.

Mayo's Mui Fun

Now I'm about to introduce an Asian dish that will be very strange & foreign to many of you. We call it 'Mui Fan' which is loosely translated from the Cantonese words 'Mixed Soupy Rice'. It's a light dish that will fill your stomach without being oily & overpowering. The subtle sweetened chicken broth stirred together with corn starch for that thickened texture mixed with eggs & beancurd form the base of this dish while the hot white rice is the main staple that absorbs the tasty broth into them. To top things up, I added some savory salted fish bits for a contrasting flavor & to whet the appetite. Not too much though. Every spoonful is such a satisfying sensation as the hot soup & the semi melted rice dissolves into your mouth.

PS: If you prefer something heavier, you can either add in seafood or meat of your choice.

The simplistic 'Mui Fan' ready for serving.

A fulfilling gastronomic symphony of sweet & salty goodness minus the guilt.

I had extra servings of the broth and decided to make full use of it by wrapping some fresh whole shrimps with chopped water chestnuts in wanton skin wraps. A 5-10 minute preparation for thawing and wrapping & you have the best complimenting side dish for my 'Mui Fan' dish. Enjoy!

Mayo's dinner #7

I've been so caught up with work recently that I decided to take a break from everything & just travel. Here I'm writing about one of my simple & easy to prepare dinners for your family & you. Might not be a meat lovers type of menu but try it & I'm sure you'll love it. Healthy, delicious & a myriad of sensations for your tastebuds. Read on.

French long beans with spicy shrimp paste & red onions.

Lady's finger with sambal chilli mixed with minced chicken topping.

Minced chicken stir fried with dried shrimps, chopped garlic & spring onions.

Shitake mushroom stuffed with steamed minced pork topped with salty egg yolk & pepper.


Chopped french long beans with egg omelette.

Mayo's Cold Soba with Bonito Sauce

The weather is always kind of erratic over here. Can you imagine a hot day of 30-34 degrees with high humidity as well? For times like these, I would recommend a nice cold home styled Soba meal. It is nutritious, fulfilling & delicious. It's nice to stay in for a bit & create this dish to reward yourself. Here's how...

Cold Buckwheat Soba with Bonito sauce

~Ingredients~
Buckwheat soba/Green tea soba
Fried egg (sliced)
Ham (sliced)
Bonito/seaweed flakes
Bonito sauce
Sesame oil
Wasabi
Salt (optional)
Spring onions (chopped)

~Method~
1. Boil a small pot of water with a little bit of salt added and add in the soba & leave to boil for 5-7mins.
2. Get ready a bowl of ice cold water with ice cubes when the soba is ready & transfer it to the cold water.
3. Prepare sliced ham and fried egg slices and put them aside first.
4.Mix the soba with bonito sauce, sesame oil, wasabi & a dash of salt.
5.Add in sliced ham & egg slices.
6.Add bonito/seaweed flakes and chopped spring onions for topping to finish dish.
7. Mix well & eat for instant happiness. :)

Tips: If you don't like soba you can replace it with pasta or a noodle of your choice.





Buckwheat soba version


Green tea soba version

Mayo's dinner #6

Recently I've been dragging myself to work everyday and facing a boring job with some people that live in their own dream world yet they want to control people's creativity & direction! Everyone keep telling me what they want but no one is asking what I want! Mr K has been asking me what happened to my designs lately? It's below par & not my style at all. Well, my answer is that I'm creating whatever they want instead. I guess my passion is gone for my job but I've move my new passion into food, trying to learn how to cook food in a creative way, experimenting in all sorts of food & styles, trying to read as much as I can about food, nutrition & facts about the combination of ingredients, trying to learn how to style the food in a tastier way, the lighting, the color, little info about the chef... Basically everything about food. I have never really gone through any cooking classes at all but what I cook comes from the heart & I listen to the comments before I cook therefore creating something that satisfies the stomach & warms the heart. I'm wondering if my new found passion is a experimental phase or is it because of the unhappiness of my job? But cooking & creating new food for people really makes me happy as I can control everything according to what I want. Although so far only a handful of people get to taste my cooking but hopefully someday everyone can get to sample it too!

Here is a random creation of mine which is sauteed brinjal cooked with dried shrimp & garlic. The added taste that I have used here is a dash of Thai fish sauce which can be easily bought from any supermarket.

Japanese white beech mushroom (Bunapi-shimeji)

Soba with Bonito broth

Stay tuned for more home cooked soul food from Mayo...

Mayo's breakfast #6

It so happens that Mayo loves Egg Mayo bigtime. But what could be done to make the dish the same yet slightly different? Use a different bread for a change in bite & taste was what I did. Now I've tried having egg mayo on sliced french loaf before but I wanted some added crunch to my soft yummy filling. I purchased some crunchy bread rolls & let them toast slightly in a oven first before stuffing them with my wicked wasabi egg mayo filling. But wait a minute, I also wanted some vegetable in my diet remember? I took out a fresh ice cold tomato & cut it into thick slices & topped it with slices of cheese & wedge it right into the middle of the filling. For best results, put the now ready to eat buns into the oven for a while before serving piping hot with a crisp shell & the softest tastiest egg mayo with cheesy tomato filling erupt. Enjoy!

While making the egg mayo buns, I also made a quick nice small pot of vegetable soup by throwing in various chopped up carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, celery & onions into premium chicken broth. Add in small portions of pepper & let everything simmer till nice & soft before serving.

Mayo's breakast #5

Now what happens when Mayo has a pasta craving yet my kitchen ran out of the Italian stringed goodness!? Never fear, the queen of improvisation is here! Haha.. :p I ransacked my shelves & decided to make do with some Korean instant noodles as a replacement. They were chosen over my Japanese instant noodles as the Korean ones tend to be thicker & firmer in texture. After boiling the noodles to a slightly softer stage, I transferred it into a pan & stirred it together with some garlic oil & bonito flakes till the noodles get a little firmer & ready for serving. I added pieces of sliced ham & made soft Japanese egg rolls that I cut into sushi bite sized pieces. Sprinkle some dried seaweed on top & it's time to dig in.

Looks messy but it sure tasted yummy!

Mayo's dinner #5

Hi guys, I know it's been quite a while since I've updated my blog but I've been really busy with work & stuff. I've accumulated quite a bit of pictures in the meanwhile so please stay tuned for more yummy delights & insights from Mayo ok? : )

I've recently made it a point to have some sort of green vegetables into my meals. So for my dinner, I made thick oyster sauce diced chicken with shitake mushrooms (I love mushrooms!) with a side of freshly sliced lettuce on a bed of white fluffy rice. The finishing touch was what else but a beautifully done sunny side up egg (Mr K has a habit of breaking the soft egg yolk center & letting it drip all over his food/rice :p). The fresh cold lettuce slices gave the dish an added crunch & somehow managed to balance out the saltiness from the oyster sauce making it a healthy & tasty meal.

Oyster sauce diced chicken with mushrooms & lettuce with egg



Another quick meal I would strongly recommend you all to try out is the home made version of a Korean all time favourite. Mix some minced pork in dark soya sauce & oyster sauce with corn flour, add some salt, sesame oil, cooking wine & pepper for taste, stir fry them in a wok/flat pan, maintain a steady flame while adding in some sliced onions & dried chilli towards the end & stop when everything comes nicely soft & moist.

Wash several pieces of fresh lettuce which serves as the 'wrap'. Just simply add in your yummy sauced pork bits in, wrap it tightly into a ball & eat it in one swift mouthful.

Dark sauced minced pork wrapped in fresh lettuce. Eat it wrapped up into a ball in one mouthful. *Bliss*

Next up, is a simply vegetable dish of stir fried broccoli with dried shrimp, coarsely chopped garlic bits & topped off with a sprinkle of deep fried onion. Flavorsome & delicious.

Mayo's Breakfast #4

Mayo always loves a good hearty breakfast anyday! Wanted something sinfully guilty to brighten up my day & what better than stacks of french toast with melted cheese, garlic spread, sweet chilli sauce & slices of ham in between! Eat it anyway you like but I just press them down & bite in. So unlady-like but how else can you enjoy it? :p

This is just one serving... for me!:p

Mayo's Penang Jawa Mee

Have any of you heard of 'Jawa Mee' before? It's origins seem to derive from Pulau Jawa (Java Island) of Indonesia but I'm not very sure myself but I will be doing the version from Penang! The sauce base is made from a mixture of small dried shrimps, sweet potatoes & tomatoes boiled over & left to simmer till it breaks down to becomes a soft textured sauce with a sweet & sour taste. I topped the dish off with some pieces of fresh crisp lettuce, deep fried beancurd skin (usually it's some form of crispy crackers), sliced tomatoes, cut hard boiled eggs, diced fried beancurd & a piece of lime. My resident food taster Mr K commented that the taste is similar to the Singapore Malay delicacy Mee Rebus but with a more complex taste.

Mayo's Char Siew Rice

Now if you have been to most parts of Asia while traveling, you would know that Asians love their roasted meats. There's roasted suckling pig, roasted chicken/duck/goose/pigeon etc, you get the idea. Recently my friend had just returned from a trip to Hong Kong & I was inspired to create my very own version of the very popular roasted pork (Char Siew) but in a very home-styled version.

I bought a piece of tender pork shoulder meat and marinated it for half a day with honey, hoi sin sauce, fermented bean paste, salt & pepper for taste. Instead of sweating over a ceramic oven while turning the piece of pork for it to be cooked, I pan fried the meat on all sides evenly before applying an extra layer of sauce for the edges & sides & turning up the heat to deliberately 'burn' to get that smoked taste.

I boiled some stalks of bak choi vegetables in some hot water with a dash of salt to retain their natural nutrients & goodness. I also added a piece of deep fried seafood wanton (dumpling) for some saltiness on the side to balance up the sweetness of the meat. :) Finished up with a fried egg on top of some hot fluffy white rice for a complete meal.

Looks simple but quite tasty.

Hungry yet? :p

Mayo's Egg Pancake

Mayo's Homemade Street-side Snack
If you've been to most parts of Asia, one of the trademark foodie's 'must do' is to sample the local authentic street fare. I remember one of my personal favorites was always the simple deep fried pancakes. They come in an assorted variations with a million different ingredients but here's my attempt at creating a tribute to this all time favorite.

Mayo's Egg Pancakes
Firstly I created the main batter using flour, water & mixing it with eggs (amount depending on how many pancakes you intend to serve) till it forms into a nice sticky texture. I then throw in coarsely chopped sausage slices & sliced spring onions before ending with a dash of salt & pepper for taste. I further mix the batter till they are nicely uniformed. Prepare a non stick pan & let it heat up, pour in some oil to ensure that the pancakes do not end up sticking to the pan and losing their shape. Pour in the batter in moderation then pressing the centre down firmly onto the pan & let the pancakes brown. Flip every now & then.

Best eaten when piping hot with some spicy sauces as a dip.



Chewy, meaty & a guaranteed mouthful of gastronomic happiness. :)

Mayo's Choco Frozen Banana

Mayo's Snacks

Now what should you do if you have an ice cream craving late at night but do not have the icy sinful snack in the fridge? Frozen bananas with warm chocolate to the rescue! I took out a frozen banana and covered it with thick warm Hershey's chocolate sauce. Simple, savory & satisfying!

Tip: Did you know that freezing your fruits in your freezer prolongs it's shelf life to close to a month? Try this easy frozen banana snack & there's no going back. :)

The grin was the same on my face while eating this. :p

Mayo's Penang Lor Mee

Here is a dish that I have been wanting to do for the longest time. I did the Penang version which is basically having a less thick & starchy sauce base. For those that are not familiar with this dish, it is a traditional recipe where by either yellow egg noodles or vermicelli is the main staple cooked together in a flavorful black sauce made from a mixture of pig bone broth, five spice powder, corn starch & some eggs (& that's just for the sauce!) served with an assortment of tasty toppings to your own preference.

Toppings (Clockwise from top): Chopped spring onions, fried shallots, tau kua (dried toufu), chopped red chillies, 'cai por' (chopped fermented vegetables) & 'wu xiang' (middle: five spice meat rolls)

After preparing the sauce overnight, heat up & prepare the additional toppings & noodle of choice. I added in half a braised egg & a table spoon of spicy sambal paste for extra taste & fire! Serve hot. :)

Now just mix everything into the sauce & dig in or you can slowly savor the toppings while scooping up a mouthful of noodles underneath. The sauce will have you craving for extra servings guaranteed. Yum. :p

Glico Tako Pretz

Japanese snack recommendation #7
Glico takoyaki Pretz

Mayo's travel tip is that when you are in Japan, always look out for their limited edition snacks or tidbits. Famous brands like Glico have strategically made their Pretz sticks to be of a certain particular famous food or flavor reflective of the state that they are in. Here is an example of the famous Takoyaki snack in Osaka but now available in Pretz form. You may dismiss it as clever marketing but I can assure you, it's oishii (delicious)!

Mayo's Wasabi Flakes Aglio Olio Pasta

I am a huge fan of aglio olio pasta but most times I feel that I need an extra dimension of spiciness to the dish. Along with chopped red dried chilli, I have also mixed in a generous amount of wasabi flakes & chopped garlic topped off with olive oil. Add in some sliced bacon & diced mushrooms & voila, a healthy meal with added bite!

For the side dish, I gathered some assorted vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, garlic & red chilli & stir fried them together with some oyster sauce as it's gravy. Must not neglect your greens!

Mayo's Brunch #7

Wanted to whip up a chicken dish today for brunch but wasn't exactly sure what to create. With 'eating healthy' as my new motivation, I chose to cook a piece of skinless & boneless chicken steak with slices of french toast & lots of veggies as the side dishes. Now who says you can't have delicious healthy food? hehe..

(Clockwise from left) Soya chicken with bonito flakes, french toast, stir fried brussel sprouts with melted cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes

Overview of my lovely brunch.

I wrapped a piece of the chicken steak with my french toast for the final part.
The sauce from the chicken was oozing out. Juicy!

Now I know brussel sprouts can be a little bitter, I usually boil them first with a dash of salt then stir fry the brussel sprouts till they get a little softer on the outer layer before laying cut slices of cheese over them & letting it melt all over. Kids will love it! Try it at your next family dinner. :)