Okonomiyaki Again

 

 

A Not so Successful Okonomiyaki

I attempted to make okonomiyaki, a popular Japanese snack consists mainly of vegetables and seafood/ meat of your chioce.....

 

and....ended up pouring too much batter in with the vegetables and got a pancake-like snack instead. Well, it still tasted good, though I'm pretty sure it would have tasted better if the vegetables had been covered in less batter. Will definitely try making this again. Oh I gotta add that this is a very versatile dish, and a good way to clear leftover vegetables in your fridge. I just threw in whatever vegetables I have in my fridge!

Ingredients

Cabbage, shredded

Red bell pepper, cut into strips

Yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

Brinjal, cut into strips

Carrot, shredded

or, whatever you have in your fridge, just don't miss out the cabbage

pork, beef, squid or prawns - optional and based on your own preference

Pancake batter

1/2 cup plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup water

1 tsp dashi powder - I omitted this as I do not know where to get this

1 egg

Method

1. Prepare batter. If you're using dashi powder, add the powder to warm water and mix till dissolve. Let it cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder together. Add the water slowly to the bowl, mixing thoroughly. Let the batter sit for at least 2 hours.
3. Add the vegetables (and pork, beef, prawns or squid) to the batter. Toss the mix lightly.
4. Heat a frying pan and add a teaspoon of cooking oil.
5. Scope the batter mix to the pan and let it cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 5min or till its cooked on one side.
6. Flip the okonomiyaki and cook the other side for another 5min or till its cooked through. Dish up.
7. Add mayonnaise and chili sauce to the okonomiyaki and add bonito flakes on top.

Steamed Carrot Cake II

Prepared a steamed carrot cake again and am quite happy with the results this time. The carrot cake "unmoulded" smoothly without breaking (I had a hard time unmoulding the carrot cake the first time) and the ingredients are more evenly distributed this time.

Happy to see that the ingredients are evenly distributed =)

This time round I simply pan-fried it and ate it with sauce, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! Simple and quick!

Or Chien Style Fried Omelette

Just add oysters and you'll have your hawker style oyster omelette!

Ingredients

2 tbsp tapioca starch)
1 tbsp rice flour       )  mix into a thin batter

8 tbsp water            )
2 eggs, beaten (I used 2 white and 1 yolk)
Chinese cooking wine
Light soya sauce
2 cloves of garlic, diced
pepper to taste
spring onions, diced
Oil for frying


Method

1. Heat oil in frying pan. Pour in flour batter and cook till batter is half set before adding eggs.
2. When eggs are almost set, push eggs aside, add some oil and fry garlic for a few seconds.
3. Add seasoning and fry with omelette and cook till eggs are ready.
4. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve hot.

Baked Potato Samosa

Plate of samosa ready to be baked / freeze (to consume later). Surprising the wrapping did not take very long. Once you get the hang of it its actually very fast.

Freshly baked samosa, look and taste as good as the fried ones, only healthier!

Ingredients

Ready made popiah skin
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup mixed vegetables
Cumin powder
Curry powder
Chili flakes
Salt & Pepper
Juice from half a lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch of ginger, minced

Method

1. Steam diced potatoes till its cooked. Mash half of the potatoes while hot and combined with the balance half.
2. Heat oil in frying pan. Fry garlic and ginger till fragrant. Add in curry and cumin  powder and fry till fragrant.
3. Add in mixed vegetables and potatoes, season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Dish up when potato filing is ready.
4. Divide popiah skin into 3 rectangular strips. Wrap potato filings into popiah skin and seal with water / egg wash.
5. Brush some oil onto the samosa and baked at 200C for 15-20min till crispy and golden brown.
6. Serve hot.

Baked Spring Rolls and Spin-Off

Spring rolls or poh piahs are my favourite childhood snacks. I like the crunchy exterior and the savory vegetables wrapped inside, but of course, not very healthy as it is usually deep fried. I decided to try to have it baked rather than frying it since its more healthy. And the result is quite good. The poh piah is crunchy as well. A good alternative to the fried ones =)

A spin-off from poh piah -- paratha wrap. Delicious and filing, good as a meal with soup or on its own.

Turnip with Carrot and Mushroom

Simple stir-fry, good eaten on its own with rice or wrapped into poh-piah.

Its basically turnip, carrot and mushroom, stir-fry with garlic and seasoned with salt, pepper and vegetarian oyster sauce.

Simple Spaghetti Lunch with Roasted Vegetables