No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

These succulent pork ribs are meaty and tender and they go very well with white rice.  They are delicious and finger licking good!


Vietnamese Braised Pork Ribs ~ 越南排骨
Ingredients
1 kg pork ribs2 lemon grass, lightly smashed and finely chopped, about 2 Tbsp1.1/2 Tbsp soy sauce1/2 Tbsp fish sauce1 tsp salt1 Tbsp brown sugar1/2 Tbsp garlic, chopped or grated1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder1 Tbsp finely chopped gingerMethod Marinate the pork ribs overnight with all the above ingredients.Reserve the marinade. Cook the ribs in a non-stick pan, add in 2 cups water and continue to cook till the ribs are tender and the sauce has been reduced.Fine tune to taste. Dish out.Cook the marinade with a bit of cornflour to thicken.Pour the marinade over the ribs before serving.

A gluten free cake using only almond meal instead of flour.  Texture is moist, soft, dense but not heavy.  You can serve this with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, fresh berries or a light dusting of icing sugar.  Be patient, let the cake sit overnight and it tastes much better the next day.   A moreish treat and a keeper recipe for sure!







Flourless Orange Almond Cake/Torte  ~  没有面粉橙子杏仁蛋糕
Ingredients



450 gm orange (about 2) big ones6 large eggs1 tsp vanilla220 gm caster sugar1 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt250 gm almond meal
Method Grease and line the base of a 9 inch springform pan.  Grease and dust the sides with flour.Cover the oranges with cold water, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours till very soft.  Drain off the water.Once the oranges are cooled,  cut into small pieces, remove seeds.  Put in a food processor to blend.Add in eggs one @ a time and continue to blend till smooth.Whisk sugar, baking powder, salt and almond meal till well combined.Add mixture to the dr…

This is an easy peasy recipe where no mixer is required.  Method is more or less like making muffins.  The texture of this banana loaf is soft, moist and there is a perfect blend between the aromatic bananas and chocolate chips.








Chocolate chip banana bread   ~    香蕉巧克力蛋糕
Ingredients
1/4 cup oil100 gm caster sugar1 tsp lemon/orange zest2 large eggs, lightly beaten1/2 cup choc chips188 gm plain flour1 tsp bicarbonate of soda1/2 tsp salt1 cup (about 300 gm) over-ripe bananas, mashed (about 3)1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)Extra choc chips to sprinkleMethod Grease and flour a 8.1/2" x 4.1/2" loaf pan.Whisk flour, bicarbonate soda, salt and sugar.  Set aside.Mash the bananas and mix in oil and beaten eggs.Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.Stir in choc chips.  Do not overmix.Spoon batter into the loaf pan.  Level the surface and sprinkle on some choc chips.Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for about 45 to 50 mins. Test with a skewer till it comes out cle…

This is a quick and easy recipe made with store bought puff pastry.   Delicious with fresh apples and sheets of puff pastry.  Serve them for dessert with a scoop of ice cream or just drizzle on some cream.


Apple Puff Pastries  ~   简易苹果派          

Ingredients

1.1/2 sheets of 8 inch sq rough puff pastry (store-bought)2 crunchy red apples2 tsp cinnamon3 tsp sugar1 egg lightly beatenicing sugar for dustingMethod Thaw the pastry and cut into 6 pieces.Cut apples into half, remove the core and slice into 4 mm thick slices.Arrange the pastries on a parchment lined baking tray.Prick the pastry with a fork and brush with beaten egg.Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the pastry.Arrange apple slices on top and sprinkle more cinnamon sugar.  Bake in a preheated oven @ 200 deg.C for 20 to 25 mins.Let cool and dust with icing sugar.Yield :  6 puff pastries.

The Blue Pea flower is highly valued in Ayurvedic medicine as a memory enhancer, antistress and tranquilizing agent.  In Malay it is called 'Bunga Telang' and its petals are very versatile as it's a great source of natural blue colour food dye.  Initially when I boiled the blue pea petals the colour was a dark blue but after baking, the colour changed to a slightly aquamarine bluish green.  Nonetheless this is a soft and moist chiffon and it's best served with a cup of Blue pea flower tea.



Blue Pea Flower Marble Chiffon Cake ~蓝花戚风蛋糕 Ingredients (A)
6 large egg yolks75 ml canola oil75 ml milk (I used soy milk)50 gm caster sugar90 gm plain flour15 gm cornflour30 petals of blue pea flower + 100 ml water(B) 6 large egg whites45 gm caster sugarMethod Boil the blue pea flower in 100 ml of hot water, strain out 30 ml juice, set aside to cool.Sift the plain flour, set aside.Whisk egg yolks with sugar, add in oil and milk to combine well.Sift in the flour again and fold into the yo…

The scientific name for Peach resin is Prunus Persica which is resin secreted from the Peach tree and form like crystals which are stuck to the tree.  Originated from China, the composition of peach resin is collagen, amino acids.  The rich collagen helps to improve the complexion, nourishes and helps to prevent dryness of the skin.  It also helps to improve bowel movement.  In short, this is an inexpensive substitute to the highly expensive birds nest.



Peach Resin Snow Fungus Dessert  ~    桃胶雪耳糖水

Ingredients 50 gm Peach resin20 gm snow fungus30 gm dried longan30 gm seedless red dates2 lt water100 gm rock sugar(I used 150 gm organic cane sugar) or to taste6 Pandan leaves, knottedMethod Soak the peach resin in a lot of water for 12 hours or preferably overnight.  The peach resin will expand to about 8 to 10 times after soaking.   Remove the impurities and rinse the jelly like peach resin, let drain on a sieve, set aside.Soak the snow fungus for a few hours and remove the hard stem, snip i…

I've tasted vanilla slice before but not Kaya Slice.  My first taste of Kaya Slice was at a fusion cafe in Perth and the combination was truly wonderful.  So when I returned from my vacation, I just had to give it a try with my homemade kaya and believe me, it's real yummy especially if you are a kaya fan.  Serve this as a dessert to jazz up your reunion dinner during this coming Chinese New Year!





Kaya Slice ~   咖椰片 Ingredients 2 pieces of 8 inch sq frozen puff pastryHomemade kaya/coconut egg jamIcing sugar to dustMethod Defrost the frozen pastries.Place a puff pastry onto a parchment lined pan.  Prick holes with a fork to prevent it from blowing up.Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 15 to 20 mins. till brown.Remove from oven and place a pan on top and gently press down to give a flat surface.Repeat with the other pastry.Cut pastry into 2 halves to make 4 halves.Spread a  generous amount of kaya on one half of the pastry and place another half sheet on top.  Repeat.Dust wit…