Steamed Sweet Milky Custard Egg (Instant Pot version) ｜鮮奶燉蛋 (壓力煲版)

First snow today!  It is only the second week of November.  It seems like the winter just suddenly arrived.  My son was so excited jumping up and down in the bed.

It was -10 outside and I just found out in this particularly cold morning that my son didn't have his winter garments.  I've been putting jackets, gloves, and hats on my son and he's been forgetting to bring those things home.  He didn't realize how important it was to take care of his things until he found himself with nothing extra to put on to keep him warm.

He was crying because his ears ached in the bitter cold while he waited for the school bus.  We then needed to bring him back home and find him a small old hat under the drawer to wear.  Eventually, he missed the school bus and he got to wear that toddler hat to go to school today.

What a bustling morning!  Sometimes I wonder if most of the parents share the similar experience.

Sweet milky custard egg is a common dessert in Hong Kong many people will choose to to make at home.  My husband and I adore the silky texture of the egg.  You can substitute milk for coconut milk, or use only egg white instead of whole eggs.  If you don't have an instant pot, you can steam it over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Steamed Sweet Milky Custard Egg (Instant Pot version)

鮮奶燉蛋 (壓力煲版)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Eggs, large

1 cup Milk, homogenized

4 tablespoons Sugar

DIRECTION:

1. In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar.

2. Whisk until it is well combined.

3. Add milk and whisk well.

4. Pour the milk mixture slowly in a heat-proof container through a tea infuser.  This step is to get rid off the egg membrane.

5. Cover the container with foil tightly.

6. In the instant pot.  Pour in 2 cups of water and place in a low rack.  Carefully put the container on top.

7. Close the venting knob.  Press the "Manual" button once, and then press "Pressure" to adjust the pressure to low.  Press the "-" or "+" button to set the time to 6 minutes.

8. When the cooking process is done, allow the pressure to release naturally until the floating valve goes down.  Remove the container from the instant pot right away.  Serve it immediately.

In Hong Kong, we serve this custard egg both cold or hot.  It depends on the individual's preference.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Red Bean Sweet Soup with Lotus Seeds and Lily Bulb | 蓮子百合陳皮紅豆沙

Red Bean Sweet Soup with Lotus Seeds and Lily Bulb

蓮子百合陳皮紅豆沙 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Red Beans

10 cups Water

15 gram Dried Tangerine Peel

30 gram Dried Lily Bulb

35 gram Dried Lotus Seeds

1 cup Brown Sugar

材料：

1 杯   紅豆

10 杯   水

15 克   陳皮

30 克   乾百合

35 克   乾蓮子 

1 杯   黑糖

DIRECTION:

Easy Glazed Carrot | 蜜甘筍

Ingredients:

2 Carrot, medium size

30 gram Sugar

20 gram Butter

1/3 cup Water (adjust it amount if needed)

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Ground Nutmeg, to taste (you will need only a hint of the flavour and not overpower the flavour of the carrots)

Roasted Almond, roughly chopped (optional)

材料：

2 條   甘筍

30 克   糖

20 克   牛油

1/3 杯   水 (調較合適份量)

1/8 茶匙   鹽

荳蔻   調味 (切忌用太多)

焗杏仁，切碎 (隨意)

DIRECTION:

Roasted Lemon and lavender Chicken Wings | 烤檸檬薰衣草雞翼

Roasted Lemon and lavender Chicken Wings

烤檸檬薰衣草雞翼  

Ingredients:

2 pounds Whole Chicken Wings

1/2 pc Lemon of Juice, freshly squeezed

2 tablespoons Honey

Marinade:

1 tablespoon Dried Lavender

2 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce

3 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine

To taste Ground Black Pepper

To taste Kosher Salt

材料：

2 磅   雞全翼

1/2 個   檸檬, 榨汁

2 湯匙   蜜糖

醃料：

1 湯匙   乾薰衣草

2 湯匙   老抽

3 湯匙   紹興酒

調味   黑胡椒碎

調味   鹽

DIRECTION:

Blackberry Crumble | 黑草莓奶酥

Blackberry Crumble

黑草莓奶酥  

Ingredients:

1 cup Blackberries, fresh

4 tablespoons Brown Sugar

Topping:

1/3 cup All Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

20 gram Melted Butter, unsalted

材料：

1 杯   黑草梅

4 湯匙   黑糖

奶酥層：

1/3 杯   麵粉

1/3 杯   黑糖

20 克   溶牛油, 無鹽

DIRECTION:

Honey Garlic Pork Chop | 蜜糖蒜香豬扒

Honey Garlic Ginger Pork Chop

蜜糖蒜香豬扒  

Ingredients:

5 Pork Chops

3 tablespoons Honey

1 head Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon Sugar

2 tablespoons Rice Wine

1.5 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce

1.5 tablespoons Corn Starch

1/4 teaspoon Salt

材料：

5 塊   豬扒

3 湯匙   蜜糖

1 整棵   蒜頭

1/4 杯   薑粒

1 湯匙   白砂糖

2 湯匙   米酒

1.5 湯匙   老抽

1.5 湯匙   栗粉

1/4 茶匙 鹽

DIRECTION:

Roasted Root Vegetables (Fall recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Yellow Beets

2 Red Beets

1/2 Celery Root

1/2 Rutabaga

1 Onion

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 sprigs Fresh Thyme

Black Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

材料：

2 個   紅菜頭

2 個   黃菜頭

1/2 個   蠟蘿蔔 (黃蘿蔔)

1/2 個   芹菜根

1 個   洋蔥

2 束   百里香

3 湯匙   橄欖油

黑胡椒   調味

鹽   調味

DIRECTION:

How to make Ramen Egg | 超易溏心蛋做法

INGREDIENTS:

2 Eggs

Marinade:

2 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon  Chinese Rice Wine

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/3 cup Water

材料：

2 隻   雞蛋

醃料:

2 湯匙   豉油

1/2 茶匙   米酒

1/2 茶匙   糖

1/3 杯   水

DIRECTION:

Crispy Ginger Snaps | 香脆薑餅

Christmas can't be without ginger snaps!  Can you imagine sitting around the table, nibbling on a plate of these gingery cookies with a cup of hot tea.  It is awesome!

You may find the dough is a bit soft after mixing.  Some people prefer refrigerating it for a while until it is firm enough to cut out a perfect shape with a cookie cutter.  If you are like me and prefer the rustic look, you can work on the dough directly.

Crispy Ginger Snaps | 香脆薑餅

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Butter, room temperature

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg, large

1/2 cup Dark Molasses

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1.5 tablespoons Ground Ginger (adjust the amount according to your preference)

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly ground 

Pinch of Black Pepper, freshly ground

Pinch of Sea Salt

DIRECTION:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar.  Whisk it with a folk until it is fluffy and the colour turns pale.

2. Add egg and molasses.  Whisk until it is well incorporated.

3. Add flour, baking powder, nutmeg, ground ginger, black pepper, salt.  Gently mix it together and form it into dough with a hand. 

4. The dough should be very soft at this point.

5. Spoon out a portion of dough and roll it into a ball.  Press it down on a piece of parchment paper into a 1/2 cm piece.  Keep about 1 cm distance between each piece.

6. Decorate the cookies by sprinkling a pinch of sugar on each cookie dough if desire.

7. Bake them in the pre-heat oven at 360 F for 12 minutes.  Allow them to cool on the rack before transferring them into an air-tight container.

If you want the cookies to be firmer and harder, increase the baking time to 15 minutes instead of 12 minutes.  Keep in mind that the cookies will harden a lot more as they cool.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Basil Flavoured Oil | 九層塔油

Basil Flavoured Oil

九層塔油

Ingredients:

2 cups Basil Leaves

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Grape Seed Oil

材料：

2 杯   九層塔葉

1 杯   初榨橄欖油

1 杯   葡萄籽油

DIRECTION:

Pumpkin Almond Granola | 南瓜果仁燕麥片

Pumpkin Almond Granola | 南瓜果仁燕麥片

Ingredients:

Mashed Pumpkin:

2/3 cup Fresh Pumpkin

1 cup Water

Granola:

4 cups Old fashioned Oat

1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup Cranberries

1/3 cup Mashed Pumpkin

1/2 cup Sweetened Coconut

1/2 cup Sliced Almond

150 gram Honey

1 teaspoon Pumpkin Spices

1/3 cup Canola Oil

2 tablespoons Water

DIRECTION:

Baked Coconut Cake | 焗椰子年糕

This coconut cake is actually a popular dessert in Hawaii, but somehow it also became a hit for the Chinese New Year in Toronto here.  Racks of racks of freshly baked cake were laying on the isles waiting for people to buy.  The glutinous flour gives a soft and chewy texture to the cake, with the very flaky topping.  It has the mix of custard and coconut flavour that you will find it is hard to stop eating.

Baked Coconut Cake | 焗椰子年糕

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Glutinous Flour

1/4 cup Butter, melted

400 ml Coconut Milk

1/2 cup Milk, homogenized

2 Eggs, beaten

1 cup Sugar

1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

材料：
2 杯  糯米粉
1/4 杯  牛油，熱溶
400 毫升  椰奶
1/2 杯 牛奶，全脂
2 隻  雞蛋，攪拌
1 杯  糖
1 湯匙  雲呢拿油
1 茶匙  泡打粉

DIRECTION 做法:

1 In a mixing bowl, combine coconut milk and milk.

1. 在一只碗內，加入椰奶和牛奶。

2. Add beaten eggs, butter, and vanilla extract; whisk it together.

2. 拌入雞蛋、牛油和雲呢拿油。

3. Add glutinous flour, baking powder, and sugar.

3. 加入糯米粉、泡打粉和糖。

4. Continuously mix until the mixture is well incorporated.

4. 繼續攪拌直至其完全均勻。

5. Pour the mixture in a container lined with parchment paper; about 1.5 cm deep.

5. 把混合物倒入已舖好焗紙的盤內；若1.5厘米深。

6. Bake it at a pre-heated oven at 360 F for 45-60 minutes, depends on the depth of the container.

6. 放入已預熱至360F 的焗爐內焗若45-60分鐘，似乎焗盤的深度而定。

7. Insert a toothpick into the cake and the cake is ready if the toothpick comes out clean.

7. 把一支牙簽插入取出，如牙簽沒糯米漿黏著便是焗好。

8. Allow the cake to cool slightly before slicing it.  It is totally normal if the cake collapses a little after cooling.

8. 待糕放涼便可切件；糕放涼後會稍為下陷。

Keep the remaining cake in an air-tight container and store it in the fridge.  Before serving it, reheat the cake in microwave for about 20 seconds.

把糕存放至密封盒內，再放到雪櫃。放到微波爐翻熱若20秒便可食用。

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy this coconut treat.

謝謝收看，希望您會喜歡這個食譜。

Lemony Barley with Sautéed Swiss Chard and Roasted Golden Beet ｜ 檸檬大麥配瑞士甜菜和金菜頭

This time of the year is the best time to hang around farmer's markets because there are always so many colourful root vegetables sitting on the shelves accompanying the seasonal greens.

At St. Lawrence farmer's market

Today I went to look for golden beets.  Golden beets taste much less earthy than the common red beets, but they have the similar sweetness and jewelry looking beauty.  I just love them.  At the market, I also found some prime seasonal Swiss chard.  A whole bundle of Swiss chard sold only $1.99 and it looked amazingly fresh.  So it was how I pulled my healthy vegan dinner together tonight.

Lemony Barley with Sautéed Swiss Chard and Roasted Golden Beet

檸檬大麥配瑞士甜菜和金菜頭

(Ingredients for roasted beet):

3 Golden Beets (red beets are fine too)

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

(Ingredients for sautéed Swiss Chard):

1 bundle Swiss Chard

5-7 Garlic Cloves

5 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 tablespoons Chinese Rice Wine (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Ingredients for barley:

2 cups Barley

1.5 teaspoons Salt (for boiling barley)

1/3 cup Pine Nut

1/3 cup pumpkin Seeds

1/3 cup Cranberry, dried

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/3 Lemon of juice

 How to make it:

Roasting beets takes the longest time, so we can prepare them first.

I enjoy eating the beet greens so I bought the ones with a top.  I would sauté it with the Swiss chard later.  If you just want to use the beet roots, it is totally fine.

1. Remove the green tops from the beets and rinse off the dirt.

2. Place a beet on a piece of foil, and drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on it.  Repeat the process until you finish the beets.

3. Wrap the beets individually with the foil, and place them on a roasting pan.

4. Roast the beets in the oven at 400F for about 30 minutes.  (Cooking time may vary according to the size of the beets).

5. Remove the beets from the foil and allow to cool slightly.  Remove the skins and cut the beets until chunk size.  Set the beets aside for later use.

6. Rinse the beet greens thoroughly.  Tear the leaves into bite sizes.  Snap the stems into about 3 cm sticks and also peel off the hard fibre along the stems.  

7. Separate the stems and leaves for even cooking later.

8. If you use Swiss chard, repeat the process as you would do for the beet greens.

9. Heat up about 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat.  Add garlic; fry until it is fragrant and slightly brown.

10. Add the beet greens and Swiss chard stems.  Sauté until the stems slightly give in; about 2 minutes.

11. Add the leaves, and sauté for another 2 minutes.

12. Add rice wine and sugar.

(Wine is optional and you can skip it if you don't have it on hand.  The sugar is to mellow the bitterness of the dark greens; the amount of the sugar should not be tasted in the dish.)

13. Continuously sauté for another 30 seconds.  Remove it from the heat and set it aside until later use.

14. To cook barley, first rinse it in a few changes of water until the water is slightly clean; drain it.

15. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and barley.

16. Cook the barley over medium-high heat until it is softened; drain it well.

17. Squeeze lemon juice and add olive oil.  Season it with salt if needed.

18. Add pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries; mix well.

19. Place the food on a serving plate.  Then, the dinner is ready.

I hope you will like this recipe.  See you next time.