Riso Venere Pudding with Coconut Milk (Pulut Hitam 2)

Riso Venere Pudding with Coconut Milk

We make Bubur/Pulut Hitam with black glutinous rice. I said last week that I would try making it with the riso venere that we find here in Italy (it has Chinese origins though), and so I did.

As the (250g of) black rice is pre-cooked, I made a caramel with 4 tablespoons of sugar and then stirred in the rice. Followed by enough hot water to cover the rice, a pinch of salt and a pandan leaf.

Then I let it simmer till the rice becomes soft (more than an hour) and has given out its starch. Needless to say, one has to stir quite often and adjust the water. Served it with some cold coconut milk.

Verdict : Texture-wise the riso venere is chewier and nuttier than the black glutinous rice that we use back home. Now I am sure that it is not glutinous. When you eat it, the husk stays behind after the grain has been eaten, making you chew more to finish everything. But it's better than no Pulut hitam at all, the Babies and the Hub ate up whatever there was to eat.

This morning the kids walked in Montale with the rest of the school for a good cause : Haiti. It was organised by the Student Council and the kids walked around with signs and were individually sponsored by their families and whoever else wanted to sponsor them. I asked the Hub nicely if he wouldn't want to bring the sponsor forms to the office. He freaked out, asking me if I thought that he had nothing better to do than to stand in the office corridor asking for donations. Shouldn't the kids be doing that themselves? Sigh, we don't have relatives here and we only frequent the school community. Who else could we ask? As usual, he was uncooperative and lacked altruism and not nice.

Couscous de Soles (à la Meunière)

Couscous de Soles

I get bored easily. Many people I know love the comfort of driving on the same roads to reach a well-visited destination. I sometimes take a new road when I'm not in a hurry, and get myself horribly lost - until I put on the GPS again. This way I discover new parts of Modena, I am reminded that like in our lives, there are many parallel itineraries, many different ways to reach the same or similar places. This morning, at one point, I reached a crossroad and had absolutely no idea whether I should turn right or left. But I didn't hesitate, I turned right and then put on my GPS. Surprisingly, it didn't ask me to make a U-Turn.

Coming back from my weekly grocery shopping, I decided to prepare dinner in advance. This evening, we will have a Couscous de Soles. A simple couscous in vegetable and fish broth served with pan-fried lightly-floured Sole fish filets (à la meunière). Catholics eat fish on Fridays. We eat fish on Tuesdays.

Couscous de Soles :

The Soles :

500g Sole Fish filets

Flour

Salt

Fennel seeds (optional)

Lemon wedges

The Couscous broth :

Olive oil

1 Onion

5 Garlic cloves

1 piece Ginger

1 Celery stalk

1 Fennel bulb

5 Carrots

1 Turnip

2 Zucchinis

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

2-3 fresh green or red Chillies

1 small tin of Chickpeas

7-8 Cherry Tomatoes

1 small tin chopped Tomatoes or 3 Tbsp concentrated Tomato paste

1 Cinnamon bark

2 Tsp ground Cumin

6 whole Cloves

1 Tbsp Ras al Hanout

Fish broth

Harissa to taste

Fresh Coriander leaves

Couscous grains

Butter

Add salt (and eventually fennel seeds) to the flour and lightly flour the cleaned and dried sole filets. Heat up some olive oil or butter in a non-stick frying pan and fry the filets on both sides. Be gentle so as not to break them. Drain on kitchen towels and set aside.

Prick the onion with the whole cloves. Heat up some olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and fry the garlic, ginger, cinnamon bark, cumin and ras al hanout till aromatic. Add the onion, celery, fresh chillies, fennel bulb and raw vegetables chopped into large pieces.

Stir in the tins of chickpeas and tomatoes. Pour in the hot fish broth - enough to cover the vegetables in the pot.

Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Prepare the couscous grains by putting them in a bowl together with some salt. Add hot water and let the grains soak in it. I use one cup of hot water for one cup of couscous. Then just before serving, microwave the grains for 2 minutes, take out, add butter and fluff the grains immediately.

Serve together with the vegetable and fish broth and pan-fried sole filets. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and add harissa to the broth if desired. You could also simply cook your sole fish in the broth instead of frying it, but trust me, the crispy and tender sole fish filets à la meunière provide a nice contrast to the broth and couscous.

Petite Fleur's Banana Cake Recipe

Petite Fleur's Banana Cake

Hjalmar, one of Baby Boy's best friends is coming for a playdate. This calls for a cake. I have decided to try Petite Fleur's Banana Cake recipe that she posted quite a while ago. Have not forgotten it as you can see. I have a few banana cake recipes of my own, but we all know that there are lots of different banana cakes out there and they are all waiting for us to try them out.

Petite Fleur's Banana Cake :

250g Butter (watch out for the arteries)

300g Sugar

4 Eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla extract

4 Tbsp Milk

4-5 ripe Bananas (mashed)

300g Flour

1 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 Tsp Baking powder

Dark Chocolate

You will see that this is the kind of recipe that I like - easy and good. Minimum effort.

You start by creaming the butter and sugar together. Then you beat in the eggs, vanilla and milk.

Add the mashed bananas. Fold in the flour that has been sifted with the bicarb and baking powder. I also added dark chocolate pieces because I like it that way.

1st 25 minutes in the oven

Bake for 1-1.5 hours in a hot 160°C oven or till a toothpick comes out clean.

Hub will be upset. Because he just told me this morning that we have to seriously go on a diet. And I baked this moist banana cake which he wouldn't be able to resist.

Claypot (-like) Chicken Rice

Claypot Chicken Rice

I have started my morning angry. Because that idiotic son of mine has once again forgotten his pencil box - just minutes after I've reminded him not to forget it. Did he do it on purpose? There's his USB key in it and he has his homework saved inside.

Then the cleaning lady came and I gave her her 48th birthday present. She has told me before that she loved leather (so do I). I got her a lovely full-length leather jacket from Germany a few months back that I've had to hide (she goes through my things freely). It's a little too small as I had been a little too optimistic about her size, but otherwise it looked great on her. Long leather jackets always look better on those blond Slavic types that were born to the cold. She was really excited about it and started kissing me and phoning her partner to tell him about it etc. I told her to calm down and concentrate on the spider webs and dust. It has set me back a few hundred euros, but at least I've made somebody's day.

To finish her birthday treat, I made her Claypot Chicken Rice for lunch. Without the claypot. Because I haven't had the time to soak my new claypot (mom gave it to me) with rice water first. And I didn't have the heart to dig through my things to find the small old one. If I still have it, that is.

But I managed to get the crispy, slightly burnt rice at the bottom. By combining stir-frying and steaming methods. Anyway, without a charcoal stove, the claypot loses its allure.

Claypot Chicken Rice (for 2 persons) :

200g Chicken filet (sliced) or skinless chicken upper thighs (chopped into large pieces)

2 Tsp Light soy sauce

2 Tsp Dark Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Oyster sauce

1 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine

1 Tsp concentrated Tomato paste

2 Tsp minced Ginger

1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 Tsp ground 5-spice

1 Tsp Cornstarch

Half an onion (sliced)

1 Garlic clove (minced)

1 Chinese sausage (sliced)

Small piece of Salted Fish

1 cup cooked Jasmine rice

1 cup cooked Chicken rice (or use another cup of white rice with some chicken stock)

2 Eggs

Dark soy sauce and Pepper to taste

Scallions and coriander leaves (optional)

Marinate the chicken pieces overnight with the sauces, wine, ginger, sesame oil, tomato paste, sugar, 5-spice powder and cornstarch.

I had leftover white rice and chicken rice and so combined them for this dish. Didn't use Chinese mushrooms as I've run out of them.

Used a large frying pan. Heated up a little peanut oil to fry the onion and garlic, at the same time I also fried the marinated chicken pieces, salted fish and the chinese sausage.

Add the rice and mix well with the ingredients. Pour the leftover marinade (if necessary add some hot water to clean out the bowl) onto the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes.

Break the eggs onto the rice, dribble dark soy sauce and pepper over the rice, cover the frying pan and let the eggs cook in the steam. At the same time, the rice will start to burn a little at the bottom. When the eggs are cooked, turn off the heat, serve hot.

Ikan Pepes

Ikan Pepes

I still have banana leaves. This calls for an Ikan Pepes, don't you think so? Ikan means fish in Malay and this fish is marinated in spices and chillies and then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over a fire or in the oven. The banana leaves impart their aroma to the fish upon contact with the heat and the fish is also cooked in its own steam wrapped in the leaves. Even though it's still very cold, I set up my outdoor gas BBQ for the fish (shared it with the cleaning lady). With only the pigeons to admire me at work.

Ikan Pepes (for 1 person) :

1 Thick Codfish filet steak

1/2 Tsp ground Turmeric

Salt to taste

2 Fresh red chillies

1 Shallot

1 Garlic

1 small piece fresh Ginger

2-3 Candlenuts (I didn't have any)

1 small Tomato or 2 Tbsp concentrated Tomato paste

1/2 Tsp toasted shrimp paste

1 Tsp Palm sugar

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Lemongrass stalk (bashed)

1 Kaffir lime leaf (shredded)

Basil leaves (optional)

Banana leaves

Toothpicks or stapler

Rub the fish all over with the turmeric and salt.

Ground the chillies, shallot, garlic, ginger, tomato, shrimp paste, sugar and lemon juice into a paste. Spread it all over the fish. Marinate overnight.

Place the bashed lemongrass on a piece of banana leaf, put the marinated fish on top of it and cover with kaffir lime and basil leaves. Fold the banana leaf into a neat parcel and secure it with a few toothpicks or stapler pins.

Before being grilled

OK, I made a bit of a mess of my banana leaves. Normally, we blanch the leaves to soften them and wrap the fish along the veins so as not to tear them. I had the cleaning lady working in the kitchen (and I didn't want to get in the way) so I had to take a few shortcuts. I used aluminium foil to line my banana leaf and grilled the fish like that.

Grilled Ikan Pepes

Grill over a hot fire till the fish is cooked (around 15-20 minutes for a thick filet). Best if your BBQ has a cover, it encourages the fish to cook in its own steam better. You can smell the banana leaf and it gives you an idea as to whether the fish is cooked or not. This is best eaten with freshly steamed white rice.

Carnevale di Castelnovo di Sotto (RE)

Carnevale di Castelnovo di Sotto (RE)

I wasn't there so I can't tell you about it. But apparently it's one of the better ones in the region. Hub took a few pictures with my camera and the Babies seemed to enjoy it (especially the bit where they got to throw confetti and spray foam on other people). Pity we didn't think to dress them up in costumes - especially when we have a rack full of them.

This evening we made our own pasta again and ate it in a broth. In brodo. The Teenager only managed to finish his homework (including French extra-scolaire) after dinner, but at least it was done. And at least one more month to Spring...

Teenage Crisis

Black Rice Seafood (clams, prawns, mussles, squids, octopus...) Risotto

Hub and the Babies have gone off to Castelnovo di Sotto to catch the Carnevale while I stay home to keep an eye on the Teenager who has lots of homework to do. This period is difficult as those who have sons this age will understand. Lately, I have been receiving notes from his various teachers complaining that he had not been handing in his work, that he lied about having done them (when he hadn't), that he's often on another planet.

I want him to work now when there is still natural light. I'm sure it'll help to motivate him. Sometimes it's a question of getting started and it's true that coming home from school during winter and having the sky turn dark an hour later doesn't help. Also, most of his work is done on the computer, and how often have I myself been distracted with other things when I actually went in search of something specific on the Net?

Finally, not everyone is academically-inclined. I have come to accept that, though in our friend's case, I am worried as he doesn't seem to have other talents either. Unless you consider doing an acceptable moonwalk as one. I am often told that he's good-looking. So I am thinking, quite seriously thinking, that maybe I should send him to a modelling agency (but he's short for his age) and see whether he couldn't do a few shoots for supermarket publicity or something. Just to earn enough so that later on we could send him to some University where he could buy his degree. Just not to end up sweeping the roads. That's me, 2-time Scholar speaking. I've sat for an IQ test for the first scholarship and they must have liked my practical nature.

Sweet and Sour Tempura Chicken

For lunch today I have made Sweet and Sour Tempura Chicken for the children and a Black Rice Seafood Risotto for Hub and myself. I think Hub has reached saturation point for black rice. It's too healthy for him. It's after all wholegrain and nutty and takes getting used to. Since I'm Asian, I've grown up on it and I just love it. In fact, I suspect that it will probably do to make Pulut Hitam with this black rice. I will try this out this week.

The coming week will be another busy one. Playdates, lunches and one very early morning. The Teenager will be going to Venice for the day on Thursday. And then it'll be the Chinese New Year!

Tandoori Prawns

Tandoori Prawns

Hub is all excited when you make him Tandoori Prawns. And best to make them yourself as they do tend to charge you alot for them in the restaurants.

I have both the ground tandoori masala spices and a ready-made paste. This time I used the latter and just added yoghurt to marinate the prawns (shells-on) overnight. It is best to remove the whiskers and legs before though.

Before being grilled

Heat up oven the next day to 220°C. Then turn on the grill as well as the prawns go into the oven to be grilled. I've also added bits of butter and aniseeds on the marinated prawns.

Just grilled

Turn the prawns to the other side halfway through the grilling. And reserve the cooked yoghurt juices to be served with the Tandoori prawns.

Rosewater Doughnuts with Sweet Yoghurt

Rosewater Doughnuts

Just got news that the cookery class tomorrow is cancelled. Power problem. Welcome to Italy.

Since I do not have to plan for my class, I decided to make a few Rosewater Doughnuts for the family's afternoon tea break. Mom gave me an old cookbook of hers titled "Easy Curry Cookery" and I've only started to read it yesterday. Found an easy recipe for this doughnut that I thought I could try out. I have as usual made a few changes.

Rosewater Doughnuts (20 small ones) :

250g Self-raising Flour

50g ground Almonds

45g Ghee (melted - I used butter)

40ml plain Yoghurt

40ml warm Water

1 Tsp Rosewater

ghee or strutto (for deepfrying)

Castor Sugar

Sweet yoghurt (optional) :

1/2 cup plain Yoghurt

1/2 Tsp rosewater

2 Tsp Icing Sugar

Combine sifted flour and almonds in a large bowl and rub in the melted ghee.

Stir in combined yoghurt, water and rosewater and mix to a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's smooth.

Roll out the dough and cut with a doughnut cutter. Deep-fry the doughnuts in hot ghee or strutto, a few at a time, till golden brown.

Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen towels.

Toss the hot doughnuts in castor sugar and serve with the sweet yoghurt (optional).

I should have made more (I halved the original recipe) as they consumed faster than I could supply.

Baby Talk

Baby Girl : Mummy, I want a baby sister.

Me : Do you really? How about you, Baby Boy?

Baby Boy : I don't like babies. They pull your hair. And I'm the only baby here. Besides, you're too old to make babies now.

Me : Too old?

BB : Yes. You will die and the baby will still be little. It'll be very sad.

Ristorante Montana, Spezzano (MO)

Alonso and Rossella (he looked really happy in his Ferrari jumpsuit)

We have been here nearly 3 years and I have never been to the famous Ristorante Montana in our part of the world. No, it's not a Michelin restaurant with a few stars, it's not even chic. But it's not cheap and you usually need to reserve at least a day or 2 in advance.

The restaurant has been around for more than 30 years and we were told by regulars that the current owners Maurizio and Rossella have been managing it for 20 of them. This place serves very good home-made Modenese cuisine (cucina casalinga) and more importantly, generations of Ferrari F1 pilots have eaten there, Ferrari Managers and Directors (including Hub) regularly entertain there and everywhere in the restaurant you can see the close association between the establishment and the company.

Massa

Maurizio knows everyone who is worth knowing within the company and out of it. We were seated in a small room often reserved for Ferrari personnel. There you have signatures, F1 driver jumpsuits, photos of F1 pilots plastered all over the walls. Alonso has already eaten there and has had a photo taken with Rossella in the kitchen.

Salami, egg rolls etc on the table when you arrive

The owner took our orders himself and gossiped with the Hub. We had classic dishes to start e.g. tortellini in brodo, tagliolini al pomodoro...followed by grilled beef with salad and balsamic vinegar. The food was very good, but it's Modenese cuisine. Always the same.

Looked messy but the pasta was very fine and delicious

The beef was under the salad

For dessert, Hub and the Teenager had Tiramisu which I must say was very good. One of the best I've ever eaten, very light. The red wine we had (a Sangiovese) was good too and I found myself drinking 2 glasses which I don't often do.

Tiramisu

I am happy to have tried this restaurant. It's an institution for Ferrari fans and visitors, part of the few things you have to do and see in Maranello. Car-loads of tourists often land there for lunch and enjoy Rossella's very thin and fine tagliolini. The thinnest I've ever eaten.

Ristorante Montana
Via XX Settembre, 3
41040 Spezzano di Fiorano (MO)
Tel : 0536 843910

Crisp Fried Okra

Crisp Fried Okra

It is just as well that the kids didn't go to school this morning. Today is Open Day and attendance is optional. We came home late last evening and for some reason the Babies took turns to wake us up in the night (they had nightmares) and we were all quite exhausted this morning. I even had to leave my bed at dawn to sleep in the children's room. 4 in the bed were 2 too many.

I bought some fresh okra yesterday and decided to make some Crisp Fried Okra to go with the Beef Vindaloo. Hub kept going "you're cutting them too thinly!" when I was preparing the dish and I had to shoo him away. He always has something to say when you're cooking and it's rarely positive.

Crisp Fried Okra :

Fresh Okra

Salt

Ground Garam Masala

Oil for frying

Wash and dry the fresh okra.

Slice them thinly.

Heat up enough oil to cover a layer of sliced okra in a large non-stick frying pan.

Fry the okra in batches. Each batch should cover the bottom of the frying pan.

Fry till they turn a light brown. Remove and drain on kitchen towels.

Sprinkle salt and garam masala to taste and mix well. Hub loved it. Now he understands why I was slicing them thinly.

Beef Vindaloo

Beef Vindaloo

While shopping with LS, I came across fresh banana leaves! That gave me the desire to prepare an Indian lunch for my dear Hub, for we do so love eating on banana leaves.

Tandoori Prawns, Crisp Fried Okra & Beef Vindaloo on Banana leaf on Thali

The first dish I started preparing the night before was a Portuguese-inspired Goan Beef Vindaloo. This curry is famous for its fiery, aromatic taste and Hub often complains that I don't make it often enough. It is true that I am very fond of S. E Asian curries and make them more often than Indian curries.

I have adapted my recipe from a chicken vindaloo recipe in "The Best of Indian Cookery".

Beef Vindaloo :

700g Piemontese Beef for braising

2 Tsp ground Coriander

2 Tsp ground Cumin

1 Tsp ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp ground Cloves

1/2 Tsp ground Turmeric

2 Tsp ground Chilli

2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp ground Black Pepper

150ml White or red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1 Onion

1/4 Tsp Onion seeds

1/4 Tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/4 Tsp Mustard seeds

1 Tsp Aniseeds

1 Tsp Cumin seeds

12 Curry leaves

1 Bay leaf

1 Green chilli or 2 Thai chillis (if you like it even hotter)

4 Tbsp concentrated Tomato paste

500ml Water or Stock

1-2 Tbsp Sugar

2 Potatoes

Coriander leaves

Marinate the beef pieces overnight with the ground spices, ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, salt and pepper.

In a heavy-bottom pot, brown the chopped onions in some vegetable oil or ghee and fry the seeds, curry leaves and bay leaf till fragrant.

Add the marinated beef and brown them in the aromatic oil. Followed by the cubed potatoes.

Pour the marinade and tomato paste onto the beef and stir well. Pour in the hot water or stock and the sugar.

Cover and simmer for 2 hours or till the meat is tender.

Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Orange Chocolate Soufflé

Orange Chocolate Soufflé

Went shopping with LS this morning. I will be giving a cookery demonstration (with some hands-on) at her newly-restructured home on Sunday and we had to work out the logistics. Some of you may remember that she had won the bidding for my cookery class 3 Christmas Fairs ago and of course, we've never managed to do it before now.

I had a few oranges waiting to be consumed. Bought them for Hub as he was eating them by the dozen for the vitamin C, but all of a sudden, he couldn't peel them anymore. Because of that operation to remove one mole on his left wrist. And don't count too much on me, I never peel my oranges, I slice them.

I am in a soufflé mood lately. Have therefore decided to make a few Orange Chocolate Soufflés. In my porcelain ramequins.

Orange Chocolate Soufflé (5 ramequins) :

3 large Eggs (2 yolks + 3 whites)

60g Flour

20g Cornstarch

100g Sugar (70g + 30g)

1 Tsp Baking powder or Bicarbonate of Soda

1/4 Tsp Salt

50ml Corn Oil

Juice from 1 small Orange

Zest from the orange

Bits of Dark Chocolate

1/4 Tsp Cream of Tartar

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

When the eggs are still cold, separate the yolks from the whites and leave them to warm to room temperate. The whites will still be thick and therefore make it easier to separate from the yolks. For better results, it's ok to use older eggs for this cake as they are usually easier to beat till stiff.

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Add 70g of the sugar and the salt and mix well.

Make a well in the middle and beat in the yolks one at a time. Add the oil, followed by the orange juice, zest and vanilla extract, beating the mixture till it's smooth. Add the chocolate bits and mix well.

Before being baked

Before you start to beat the egg whites, make sure that the container (preferably metal) and whisk are dry, with no trace of yolk, water or oil. When the whites are at room temperature, start to beat them. When they are white and foamy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating till the whites form stiff peaks. Do not add sugar before that or it'll take double the time to do the job. The sugar normally helps to keep the peaks stiff. Add the 30g of the remaining sugar and beat the egg whites till stiff.

After being cooled. It was a little burnt as I've forgotten to put it on the lower shelf.

Fold the whites gently into the batter and pour it into ungreased ramequins. Bake in the oven on the lower shelf for 30-40 minutes. Leave it to cool before unmoulding it. Serve with some fruit, fruit sauce or cream.

Soy Bean Milk Jelly

Soy Bean Milk Jelly

I love soy bean milk. Especially when it's freshly made. 2 weeks ago, I saw the little Chinese shop here selling Yeo's sweetened soy bean milk in 1-litre packets for the first time. This gave me the courage to do something with the soy bean milk other than just drink it. When it's not easily available, you tend to hoard it.

I don't think one'll get fantastic results for soy bean flower curd (touhua) with packet soy milk, but there's no reason why it wouldn't do well with agar agar. So I compromised (is life not full of them) with some Soy Bean Milk Jelly for dessert. Very nice - after a dinner of Turmeric Roast Chicken (didn't take any pictures as we ate it up quickly, they couldn't wait).

Soy Bean Milk Jelly :

1 litre Yeo's sweetened Soy Bean Milk

6 Tbsp Sugar

7-10g powdered Agar agar (depending on how firm you like it)

1-2 Pandan leaves (knotted)

Combine everything (except the agar agar) into a pot and heat it on low-medium heat till the sugar dissolves. When the soy bean milk starts to smell of the pandan leaves, add the agar agar and stir well to dissolve it.

Bring the milk to a boil and once it starts to bubble, turn off the heat. Pour into moulds and leave them aside to cool. Chill them in the fridge for a few hours.

They taste like the soy bean milk - in jellified form. It's refreshing and will probably go well with fresh fruit. But give me touhua anytime.

Country Pineapple Tarts

Compote d'Ananas sur Sablés

What was I emptying a few cans of pineapple for yesterday? Why, for making Pineapple Tarts, of course! If you have been following this blog, you will know by now that Lotus doesn't like hard work and if she does anything, it'll more often than not require minimum effort. She doesn't believe in spending hours cooking something that will be gobbled up in a few minutes.

I have been thinking about pineapple tarts and once I started thinking about them, I realised that actually it need not be a labour-intensive operation. The pastry is made by just combining simple ingredients using the rubbing-in method and that I have learnt when I was 13. The pineapple filling is a pineapple compote and God knows that I've made fruit compotes of all colours daily when the children were still babies. So we're off.

However, do not expect pretty, artistically-designed tarts as I'm a minimum effort kind of gal. Besides, we live in the country, and the tarts were baked in a country kitchen. They will look rustic. Maybe I should call them Compote d'Ananas sur Sablés.

Pineapple Tarts (makes 60) :

The Pineapple Jam :

700g Pineapple slices (I used canned Indonesian pineapples)
180g Sugar

1 small Cinnamon bark

4-5 whole Cloves

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

Juice of half a Lemon

2-3 Pandan leaves

The Pastry Base :

400g Flour (sifted)

250g Butter (cold, cubed)

Pinch of Salt

4 Tbsp Sugar

3 Egg yolks (one for glazing - optional - I didn't bother)

Less than 1/4 cup Cold Water

I removed the pineapple slices from the can and pulped them in a food processor. However, I made sure that there were still bits of pineapple as I do not like it too fine. In fact, I don't like jam. Drain any liquid.

Before being cooked

Combine the pineapple, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, lemon and pandan leaves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer till the pineapple jam is dry. Stir from time to time. If you want a more caramelised jam, make a caramel first or cook it longer. I do not like dry pineapple jam. Set aside and let it cool. It can be kept up to a month in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cooked Pineapple jam (still a little wet)

Heat the oven to 165°C.

In a big bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt and sugar. Rub in the small, cold cubed butter with your finger tips till they resemble breadcrumbs. You need a cold environment for this.

Add the egg yolks and cold water into the flour mixture and lightly bind the pastry. It doesn't have to be kneaded.

I used a silicon mat and a wooden roller I use to roll out pasta. Take a bit of the dough and roll it out to desired thickness. Using a pastry cutter, cut out circles and fill them with the pineapple jam. You could decorate, glaze etc the pastry - but I didn't bother.

Bake them in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes.

Yesterday I met the mom of a Spanish mom here and got to visit this new building near the school which had always intrigued me. Lady's lovely, I ended up staying more than an hour (when I planned on staying for 20 minutes - kids ended up missing tennis) trying to chat her up in my now-broken Spanish. They live between Jaén and Granada and that made me feel close to her because I have lived nearly 2 years in Jaén. I probably also have a thing for older women, a reflex from my years volunteering with the elderly. But she's not at all old, of course. Doesn't look old, anyway.

And why did I meet her? Folks, I have found someone to cash my El Gordo ticket.

Thai-style Pineapple Pork Rib Stew

Pineapple Pork Rib Stew

I have just emptied 4 cans of the pineapple and am left with a big bowl of light pineapple-flavoured syrup. Was toying with the idea of making pineapple jelly and then I remembered that I had fresh pork ribs that I was keeping for making Bak Kut Teh this evening. Divided the lot and used one portion to make a Thai-style Pineapple Pork Rib Stew.

I am haphazard and find myself too often in situations whereby I have too much of this or that and have to find ways to liquidate them. But I actually enjoy this very much - I feel like my favourite composer Bach working on his variations. It forces me to think of how I could use an ingredient, how I could marry it to something else. Sometimes I have to dig in my muddy memory to remember something that I've eaten or seen, something that could feature the ingredient that I am trying to use. Often fellow bloggers provide some inspiration, and on a few occasions I may have to invent a dish.

Thai-style Pineapple Pork Rib Stew :

500g Pork Ribs

300g Pineapple (in rings or in cubes)

1 Lemongrass stalk

1 Garlic clove

1 Tbsp Light Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

3 Tbsp White wine

1 Tbsp concentrated Tomato paste

500ml Light Syrup from canned pineapples (or 2-3 Tbsp sugar and 600ml water)

100ml Water

1 large Carrot

In a large and deep frying pan, brown the garlic and lemongrass in some oil. Add the ribs to be browned, followed by the pineapple slices and carrots.

Mix the sauces, tomato paste , wine, syrup and water and pour it into the pan.

Simmer for an hour or more - till the meat is melt-in-the-mouth tender and drops off the bone.

Lunch at MB was lovely. We were 10 ladies altogether and had a great time chatting. She's a great hostess and made us salads and a variety of quiches to eat them with. There was even Maultaschen, surely imported directly from Germany. GA made us a Swissroll, I had 2 slices of it - with loads of whipped cream. I'd better not weigh myself this evening.

Beancurd Sheet Pearl Barley and Ginko Nut Soup

Beancurd Sheet Pearl Barley and Ginko Nut Soup

I have been invited to lunch at MB's at noon so I won't be making myself lunch today. Devoted the morning to making a nourishing Cantonese tangshui par excellence instead : Beancurd Sheet Pearl Barley and Ginko Nut Soup. Bakgo yimai fuchok.

This is the kind of sweet soups that my mom and late aunt used to make - that I detested. But with age and distance, one looks at things differently and I actually had a craving for it. Having leftover dried beancurd sheets is also a contributing factor.

We drink this soup on hot days, but I found it just as nice on a sunny but very cold day. It brightened up my busy morning, yes, busy cooking dinner.

Beancurd Sheet Pearl Barley and Ginko Nut Soup :

Organic Pearl Barley

Dried Beancurd Sheets (cut into small strips)

Ginko Nuts

Pandan leaves

Rock Sugar

Egg/egg white

Soak the pearl barley and beancurd sheets in cold water. It will make it faster to cook the barley and remove the oil that comes with the dried beancurd sheets. Drain and set aside.

Put the pearl barley and pandan leaves in some water and bring it to a boil. Add the ginko nuts and beancurd sheets and simmer for 30 minutes or till the pearl barley is cooked. I do not like mushy food (unless it's mashed potatoes) so I eat my pearl barley al dente.

Add the rock sugar to taste. As I like it really sweet, for 500ml of soup I added 2 fistfulls of the rock sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the soup then bring it to a boil.

Turn off the heat and crack an egg into it. Usually we only use the egg white but I do not see any point in wasting the yolk so I used the whole egg. Stir gently with a pair of chopsticks to create an egg flower in the soup.

Eat this soup hot or chilled for dessert.