Simple life...

Ingredients (serves 4): -------------------------- 3 tbsp canola oil 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 6 bowls cooked Japanese (short-grain) rice 1 tsp granulated chicken stock 2 tbsp light soya sauce A handful of dried nori seaweed, sliced A handful of bonito flakes Method: ----------- 1. Heat the wok until smoking hot. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Fry the garlic until fragrant. Then add the rice and stock powder and toss well. 2. Add the soya sauce and mix vigorously until the rice grains are coated evenly. 3. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with seaweed and bonito flakes and serve hot. Tips: --------- Freshly cooked rice becomes sticky when fried. Instead, use leftover rice or three parts uncooked rice to four parts water to cook Japanese rice for frying.

Steamed Cod Fish With Black Bean Sauce 1 medium-size cod fish (or seabass or garoupa) Sauce: 40g black bean 40g spring onions (chopped) 40g garlic (diced) 40g soya sauce 40g thick soya sauce 50g sugar 60g water 10g corn starch 10g sesame oil 10g red chilli (diced) 5g monosodium glutamate Method: Clean the cod fish and cut into pieces. Place on a plate. Mix ingredients for sauce and spread it on the fish. Steam the fish for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Herb-Garlic Bread Ingredients: 1 French loaf 120g butter — softened 3 cloves garlic — pounded 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1/2 tsp mixed herbs 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Method: SLICE French loaf diagonally at about 1cm intervals but do not cut right through so that the loaf is still joined at the base. Combine butter and the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Spread the garlic butter on both sides of the bread slices. Wrap buttered loaf in aluminium tin foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 10 to 15 minutes. Open the foil and heat through for another 2 to 3 minutes and you will get a crisp crust. Serve garlic bread immediately with mushroom soup or a warm stew.    

Honeydew Melon Smoothie 1 cup diced honeydew melon 250 ml/1cup cold milk (low-fat, if you prefer) 2 tbsp sugar cup ice cubes Place all ingredients in the jug of an electric blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.

Special Consideration: Quick & Easy Servings: 2 Description: Uses an Oreo cookie as the crust. - You can use other type of crust / other type of cookies. Chill Time: 2 Hours Ingredients: 1. 2 ounces Cream Cheese, softened 2. 1 tbsp Sugar 3. 1 square Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted 4. 1/2 cup Whipping cream 5. 2 Oreo cookies Method: 1. Beat cream cheese, sugar & chocolate in a medium bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. 2. Add whipped topping; mix well. - If you’re using whipping cream / heavy cream, you’ll need to whip the whipping cream first, unless you buy those whipped cream. Don’t over-whip otherwise it’ll end up as butter. 3. Place 1 cookie on the bottom of each of 2 paper-lined medium muffin cups; fill evenly with cream cheese mixture. 4. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Ingredients 1. ½ Chicken 2. 1 tablespoon Sesame oil 3. ½ tablespoon Soya sauce 4. ½ teaspoon salt 5. ½ tablespoon rice wine (hua tiao 花雕) 6. 5 slices of Dang Gui Tou (当归头) (adjust the amount for stronger or weaker taste) Method 1. Rub with chicken with salt, and wash and drain chicken, this will remove some unpleasant smell of the chicken. Cut into smaller chucks. 2. Rub in with ½ teaspoon salt. Marinate with soya sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. 3. Lay on steaming plate, and evenly insert the dang gui in between the chucks. 4. Steam over high heat for 15 mins. 5. Serve hot with a dash of sesame oil

Ingredients 250g salt fish bones, chopped into chunky pieces 100g chicken meat, cubed 200g semi-soft beancurd, cut into 3 to 4cm cubes 5cm piece mature ginger, sliced thickly 2 stalks spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths 1-1/2 litres water or chicken stock Seasoning 1/2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp chicken stock granules WASH and soak salt fish pieces in clear water for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain well. Deep-fry salt fish in hot oil for 5 to 6 minutes. Dish out and set aside. Marinate chicken with saltand pepper, and leave aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Bring water or chicken stock to a boil. Add deep-fried salt fish pieces and ginger, and bring to a boil. Simmer soup over a gentle heat for 20 minutes until fish is tender. Add chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until chicken is cooked. Stir in beancurd gently and cook over a medium-low heat until soup comes to a boil. Add spring onions and seasoning. Serve soup hot.