How to Cook Somen Soup

Somen is a white Japanese noodles made with wheat flour and can be served as salad or soup, either hot or cold. I made I cooked it mee sua style and it's so good. 

Ingredients for 4 servings:
150 grams Somen
1 1/2 litres water
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion (minced)
2 tablespoons sliced spring onion onion
1 can tuna flakes in oil
2 beaten eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and the onion then add the tuna, continue to saute for a minute then add the water and let simmer for 2 minutes.

2. Add the somen and simmer for a minute, add the beaten eggs then give it a good stir, add salt and pepper to taste then turn off the heat. Sprinkle with spring onion.

3. Serve and enjoy :-).

Linguine with Garlic and Bacon

Linguine is a form of pasta originated in Genoa and Liguria region of Italy. It is wider than spaghetti, but not larger than fettuccine.  I like linguine more than spaghetti due to its texture and shape, beautiful in my eyes :-). Here is my simple linguine recipe.

Ingredients for 6-8 servings:
500 grams Linguine
1/2 cup toasted garlic
1 cup diced bacon ( cooked until crispy)
2 tablespoons butter



Procedure:
1. Cook the linguine according to its packaging procedure, drain and set aside.

Linguine

2. In a big wok or pan melt the butter,  put the linguine and stir well until evenly mixed, sprinkle the bacon and garlic then turn off the heat.
3. Put in a serving plate and enjoy.

How To Cook Chicken Teriyaki

Wanna share this simple and easy way of making chicken teriyaki, since I had my teriyaki sauce (the one I posted yesterday). You will be surprised that it is very easy to make.

You can click the link for the teriyaki sauce recipe
How To Make Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 deboned chicken thigh
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
chopped spring onion
oil- just enough for pan frying
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper then heat the oil and pan fry the chicken until fully cooked.

2. Slice to  your desired size, then arrange in a serving platter.

3. Pour the teriyaki sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion, serve with love and enjoy. :-)

How To Make Teriyaki Sauce

This teriyaki sauce is very easy to make and I am sure that you will be happy with the result if you will try this :).

Ingredients for 3-4 kilos meat:

1  cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup rice wine (saque)
1/2 cup sugar or honey
2 tablespoons ginger juice ( grate a ginger to extract the juice)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Grate the ginger to extract the juice

Procedure:
1. Caramelize the sugar then add  the soy sauce, water, rice wine and ginger juice, bring to simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for few minutes to infuse the flavor  then add the dissolved cornstarch and simmer until a little thicken then turn off the heat.

Caramelizing the sugar

2. Once done allow to cool and keep in a jar to use it anytime. You can use this for chicken, pork, fish and beef, try it now.

Ready to use

Chicken Teriyaki

pork Teriyaki

Rice With Broccoli

The nutty flavor of the broccoli ant the aroma of the garlic and spring onion made this simple rice recipe so awesome. Try it.

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 cups cooked rice
1 head broccoli ( cooked and separated)
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic (minced and toasted)
1/2 cup chopped spring onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Heat the butter then stir in the broccoli for a minute then remove and set aside.
2. After removing the broccoli, add the rice and stir for 3 minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste.
3. Add the broccoli and give a good stir, sprinkle the toasted garlic and spring onion then turn off the heat.
4. Serve and enjoy.

How to Prepare a Simple Appetizer

Surprise your loved ones with this simple appetizer that perfectly goes well with any dishes. It will surely boost your appetite.

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1 head broccoli big ( cleaned)
2 ripe mangoes (sliced)
200 grams strawberries (cleaned and sliced)


Procedure:
1. Boil the broccoli for 2 minutes then drain and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients making sure that it is evenly mix.
3. Serve with your favorite salad dressing or just simply sprinkle with  a little salt, olive oil and lime juice. Enjoy!

Giniling with Egg

Giniling or ground meat is one of my favorite ingredients in cooking and this recipe is perfect for hot steamed rice or leftover rice. There is no available carrots when I cooked this, but you can add to the recipe if you want.

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1/2 kilo Ground meat ( either Pork, beef or chicken)
3 cloves garlic
1 onion ( minced)
1 cup green peas
2 big potatoes (diced)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
6 hard boiled eggs (de-shelled)


Procedure:

1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the ground meat 

and simmer until the pinkish color is gone.

2. Add the tomato sauce, bell pepper, soy sauce, salt and

 pepper then give a good stir and simmer until the ground 

meat is almost cook then add the potatoes and simmer for 6

 minutes or until done.

3. Add the green peas and eggs then simmer for a minute 

and turn off the heat.

4. Serve with a smile :-).

How To Make an Easy Dessert

Simple yet delicious and very easy to prepare. Affordable and enough for the whole family.

Ingredients for 15 servings:
500 grams white small sago (cooked and drained)
1 sachet green gelatine powdered (unflavored)
1 sachet red gelatine powder ( unflavored)
2 cans condensed milk or  add according to your taste
2 cups fresh milk or evaporated milk
1 litre All purpose cream(Nestle, Alaska, Magnolia, Etc)

Procedure:
1. Cook each gelatine then set aside and diced.
2. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients then mix well.
3. Refrigerate before serving.

I recooked today (August 1) for a friends birthday and everybody likes it. I used green and orange gelatin

I dropped some raisins to my bowl and it's superb!

How to Cook Sotanghon Perfectly

Sotanghon or cellophane noodles are a type of transparent noodle made from the starch of mung bean, cassava or potato starch. It is one of the noodles that I like, that's why  I cooked this for our breakfast today, tastes so good, mmmmm I want more. In cooking this noodles no need to simmer it for a long period of time or else it will be gooey.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
1 onion (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
150 grams sotanghon
1 small head broccoli ( separated)
6 cups boiling water
4 leaves of cabbage ( sliced)
1 medium size carrot
100 grams de-shelled shrimps
100 grams chicken breast (slice to your desired size)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

sotanghon

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the chicken, stir until the pinkish color is gone then add the shrimps and continue to saute for few seconds then add salt and pepper, soy sauce and the boiling water then simmer for 2 minutes. 
2. Add the carrots and broccoli then simmer for 2 minutes then add the sotanghon and cabbage and simmer for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion then serve. Yummy!

Ginisang Ampalaya

Bitter melon or bitter gourd is known for its medicinal uses, but it can be serve as food too. Although it has a bitter taste there are still lots of people who love it, and I am one of them. One way of neutralizing the bitter taste of it is cook it with egg. It is the most common dish for it and easy to do too.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo bitter melon ( ampalaya) sliced thinly
2 eggs ( beaten)
3 cloves garlic
salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute the garlic then increase the heat and add the bitter melon, mix it well then put some salt
2. Stir in the beaten eggs then stir until done.
4. Serve it hot and with a smile :)

Chinese Cabbage Salad

Chinese cabbage or Napa cabbage is one of the common ingredients in Asian cooking but I want to share my recipe of raw Chinese cabbage salad. Easy to make yet nutritious and delicious.


Ingredients
1 piece Chinese cabbage ( Slice thinly)
2 tomatoes
1 can corn kernel
1 cup frozen green peas
1 medium size onion
1 lemon or according to your taste
salt and pepper to taste

Chinese Cabbage

Procedure:
1. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients then mix well and serve.

When I served it, I  added some parsley for extra aroma and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil will make it extra yummy :)

Butter Roasted Potatoes

Simple yet satisfying. A perfect side dish.

Ingredients for 5 servings:
10 pieces potatoes ( peeled and cut into halves)
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Boil the potatoes until tender( around  10-15 minutes) then set aside
2. Melt the butter and when it is already hot, put the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper then increase the heat to high to give it a nice golden brown color and a crispy texture. Once the one side is roasted flip it to roast evenly.

3. Remove from pan when done then serve together with your main dish. I served mine together with my beef stew.

Cashew Juice

Cashew is a native to Northeastern Brazil and we made this juice when I stayed in Salvador (Bahia State of Brazil).  Amazingly delicious and very refreshing.

Ingredients:
1 litre water
4 cashew apple
honey or sugar to sweetened
ice cubes

Procedure:
1. Slice the cashew apple then put in the blender together with the water, blend well.
2. To remove all the residue, use a strainer then drain the juice, add the sugar and mix well.
3. Put some ice then serve and enjoy.

Corn and Green Peas Appetizer

A simple salad combination that's really delicious.

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1 cup corn
1 cup green peas
1 cup seedless olives
1 cup cherry tomato
2 tablespoons olive oil ( Extra Virgin)
salt to taste

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well then serve.

White Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a crop grain originated in the Andes region of  Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia. It has been called a superfood due to its nutritional value. High in protein, essential amino acids and a good source of other vitamins and minerals. The time when I learned how nutritious Quinoa is, I fell in love with it and made it a part of my nutritious food list, a little expensive but its worth it :-).  Try it.

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/2 cup white Quinoa
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup cherry or grape tomato
1/2 cup green peas
1/2  cup corn 
2 tablespoons olive oil (Extra Virgin)
salt to taste

Procedure:
1. In a pot, put the quinoa and the water then cook the same way as rice over medium heat. When it is done set aside to cool.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine everything then serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Value of uncooked Quinoa

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,539 kJ (368 kcal)
Carbohydrates	64 g
Dietary fibre	7 g
Fat	6 g
Saturated	0.7 g
Monounsaturated	0.1.6 g
Polyunsaturated	3.3 g
Protein	14 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.	(0%) 1 μg
Thiamine (B1)	(31%) 0.36 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(27%) 0.32 mg
Niacin (B3)	(10%) 1.52 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(15%) 0.77 mg
Vitamin B6	(38%) 0.49 mg
Folate (B9)	(46%) 184 μg
Vitamin B12	(0%) 0 μg
Choline	(14%) 70.2 mg
Vitamin C	(0%) 0 mg
Vitamin E	(16%) 2.44 mg
Vitamin K	(0%) 0 μg
Trace metals
Calcium	(5%) 47 mg
Iron	(35%) 4.6 mg
Magnesium	(55%) 197 mg
Phosphorus	(65%) 457 mg
Potassium	(12%) 563 mg
Zinc	(33%) 3.1 mg

Source :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

Quick Buttered Veggies

This vegetable dish is a perfect side dish for your meat or seafood dishes, it is very easy to prepare and tastes really good. So I hope that your next meal you will prepare this to your loved ones :-) .

Ingredients:
5 Potatoes (sliced to your desired size)
3 carrots (sliced to your desired size)
1 head broccoli
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Boil separately the potatoes, carrots and broccoli until tender. ( I did mine for potatoes 12 minutes, for carrots 8 minutes for broccoli 2 minutes) the doneness of the vegetables depend upon your taste.
2. In a pan melt the butter, when it's hot put the vegetables ( if it's a lot you can cook it in 2 batches) increase the heat to attain a nice brown color and toss the veggies every now and then to cook evenly, sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste and continue cooking until done.
3. Now you have a delicious  buttered veggies, serve it and enjoy.

Grilled Smoky Salsa

Recently our Queen Bee bought a new Traeger Grill for our test kitchen - we have been in a grilling frenzy ever since.  If you don't know about Traeger grills, they are a grill and smoker - entirely temperature controlled and they make grilling fun and easy.  They use pellets instead of gas or charcoal.

This recipe is adapted from their website.  If you don't have a Traeger simply add a dash of liquid smoke to the recipe.

ingredients

•            2 large tomatoes, halved

•            2 10 ounce cans original Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

•            1 medium sweet onion(Vidalia or Maui)

•            2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

•            1 or 2 jalapenos (to taste), seeded & halved

•            1 tablespoon Pastamoré Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar

•            2 teaspoons honey

•            1 teaspoons salt

•            1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

•            large handful cilantro

•            juice of 2 limes

•            1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional if not using smoker)

Start your grill.  Set the temperature to High (450°F) and preheat, lid closed (10-15 minutes). 

While your grill is heating up, cut the onion into thick slices. Once preheated, place tomatoes, jalapenos and onion cut side down directly on the grate and grill for 5-10 minutes.

After grilling, put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is the desired consistency. Adjust for seasoning. Serve with chips or over tacos.

Makes one large bowl.