EGG TARTS

Egg tarts is a kind of custard tart found in Cantonese cuisine deriving from the English custard tart and Portugese pastel de nata. It's one of the best dessert among the dim sum spread.

To have a silky smooth custard, do not overbake the tarts or using too high heat. 

You need tart molds, rolling pin, ring cutter to make the egg tart.

TART SHELL ( make approximate 15 pieces )

150gm plain flour (sift)
100gm butter (chilled)
10gm milk powder
1/2 egg ( beaten )
20gm icing sugar (sift)
10gm custard powder

1. Add flour, milk powder, icing sugar, custard powder together.
2. Cut the chill butter into cube, add to the flour mixture. Use your finger tips to mix until resembles bread crumbs.
3. Add in the egg to form into a dough, do not KNEAD. Mix lightly until the dough leaves the side of the mixing bowl. DO NOT OVER MIX. Over knead may cause the tart shell to shrink.
4. If the dough is too soft, keep chill in the fridge until firm.
5. Roll out the dough in between 2 plastic sheet about 3mm thickness.
6. Cut roll dough with the ring cutter, put the cut dough into the tart mold and press lightly. Remove excess dough.
7. Prick lightly with a fork, bake the tart shell in preheat oven at 180 deg c for 10 mins.
8. Remove from oven, pour the egg custard into the tart shell 3/4 full.
9. Bake at 180 deg c for 15 to 20 mins depend on individual oven. Remove from oven, cool slightly.
10. Remove egg tarts and line with cupcake liners.

Egg Custard
1 1/2 egg
5 tbsp milk
1 tbsp water
40gm sugar
3/4 tsp custard powder + 1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix the custard powder with water, add in egg and beat slightly.
2. Heat the milk, water, sugar until sugar melt. Do not boil.
3. Add the milk to the egg and keep stirring, sieve egg custard, add vanilla extra. 

4. Pour the custard into the prebake tart shell. Bake at 180 deg c for 15 to 20 mins depend on individual oven. 

Egg tarts are essentially a pastry with lots of fats and carbs as butter and flour are the main ingredients that make up most of the calories. Life is short, it's nice to indulge in our favorite food but eat everything in moderation. And don't forget to exercise.

Have a great week ahead.

Laughter is brightest, where food is best.

Egg Foo Yong is a popular omelet dish during the 50's and 60's, it was on almost every Chinese America menu. The name comes from Cantonese language, it's a mainland Chinese recipe from Shanghai closely related to egg foo yong slice.

This omelet dish is actually very versatile and a quickie dish when you run of out idea what to cook. You can change the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge. You can use chicken, turkey, pork, capsicum, coriander, long beans, french beans, tofu, mushroom, ham or any left over vegetables.

Egg Foo Yong ( serve 2 person )

Ingredients:-
2 large eggs
1 stick celery
1 stalk spring onion
1 handful bean sprout
3 to 4 water chestnuts - peel the skin and cut into small cube.
1/4 tsp pepper
Salt to taste
Dash of sesame oil

10 medium size prawns
1 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp Chinese wine
2 tsp light soya sauce

1/ Peel the prawn shell, wash and pat dry. Split the prawns lengthwise.
2/ Season with pepper, sugar, Chinese wine and light soya sauce.
3/ Heat up 1 tbsp of oil, stir fry the chopped garlic until golden brown.
4/ Add the prawn and stir fry for 3 to 4 mins. Keep aside.

1/  Cut the celery and half of the spring onion into chunk. The other half spring onion cut 1 inch lengthwise ( reserve for the gravy). Remove the bean sprout tail, wash and drain dry. Reserve a little bit of celery, bean sprout to cook the egg foo yong gravy.

2/ Beat one egg lightly with dash of pepper, pinch of salt and dash of sesame oil. Heat up the small wok with 1/2 tbsp oil, pour 3/4 of the beaten egg into wok. Reduce the heat to medium.

3/ Sprinkle some celery and spring onion. Add 3 to 4 prawns and some bean sprout. Pour the remaining 1/4 beaten egg on top the vegetable. Cook till the egg puff up and golden brown then flip the omelet and cook the other side till golden brown. You can add more ingredients if you like. I omit the water chestnut cos no fresh chestnut in the market.

The egg foo yong is a delicious dish and sure can get your family out of the egg doldrums.

It's a healthy and perfect omelet for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Serve egg foo yong with gravy, its a great way to mix things up when egg boredom set in.

Or you can serve egg foo yong with my favorite killer dipping sauce for extra kick.

Addictive killer Dipping Sauce (Credit to my crazy buddy )
A handful of bird eye chili
5 shallots - slice thinly
5 cloves garlic - slice thinly

1/ Heat up oil, deep fry the garlic and shallot separately until golden brown. Dish out and keep aside.
2/ Deep fry the bird eyes chili, make sure you cover the wok immediately to prevent oil and chili "explode" all over your kitchen. Fry the bird eyes chili until "explosion sound" stop, about 5 to 8 mins. Drain the chili and keep aside.
3/ Remove some of the oil from the wok. I use about 1 tbsp oil, add 2 tbsp dark caramel sauce, 3 to 4 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp light soya sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, bring to boil. Adjust the sweet and sour taste to your liking. Cool completely.

4/ Mix the sauce to the chili, garlic and shallot and store in sterilize glass bottle with cap. For best result marinate for 1 to 2 days and enjoy this addictive dipping sauce with any dishes.
5/ Do not chill this dipping sauce in the fridge.

For the egg foo yong gravy.......
1/ Heat up 2 tsp of oil, stir fry 1 tsp of chopped garlic.
2/ Add the cooked prawn, celery, spring onion, bean sprout. Give a quick stir, add 1/4 bowl water.
3/ Add salt, oyster sauce, pepper, dash of sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine to taste.
4/ Thicken the gravy with corn starch mixture. (Mix 1/2 tsp corn starch with little bit of water.)

For a change you can also make egg foo yong sandwich. Add dill pickles, salad, slice tomato, chili sauce and enjoy!!

Today's Dessert Pineapple Coconut Tart.

This recipe make about 12 to 15 tart shells.

1/  Sieve the flour, custard powder, icing sugar and milk powder. Cut the butter into small cubes.

2/ Rub the butter with flour using your finger tips to resemble breadcrumbs. Add 1/2 an egg and mix well.

3/ Knead lightly to form a dough. Do not over knead or else the pastry will shrink and taste rubbery.

Aluminium tart mould, you can use it for any mini tart or cupcakes. For cupcake you need to put cupcake liner.

4/  Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut with a 2.5inch round ring cutter.  Gently press the pastry on the aluminum pastry cup, trim off the excess. Use a fork to prick several holes, do not prick thru the pastry.
Below is my round ring cutter.

Bake the pastry casing in pre heat oven at 180 deg c for 10 mins.

1/ Melt the butter, add sugar and stir till sugar melt. Remove from stove. Add the beaten egg and flour, mix till flour is well blend.
2/ Add chop pineapple, coconut and vanilla extract in rum. Mix well.
Note: If you like, you can add extra pineapple.

3/ Scoop the pineapple coconut filling till 3/4 full and bake the tarts at 180 deg c for 20 to 25 mins until the filling set. If you like you can bake it a little longer 30 mins.  Cool slightly and remove the tarts from the aluminum pastry cup.

4/ Toast 2 tbsp of fresh grated coconut in a non stick wok for several minutes. ( optional )

5/ Sprinkle some toasted coconut on top the tarts and enjoy with iced coffee. The toasted coconut add extra flavor to the tart.

This oh la la pineapple coconut tart is another killer dessert. Eat 2 pieces might not split your waistline but no guarantee for 4 pieces.

Bite one mouthful and chew the luscious tart slowly to enjoy aromatic taste.

What's not to love in this amazing pineapple and coconut combo.

A great dessert to please everyone's palate.

Another day, another blessing.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Rice Porridge

Congee is another name for rice porridge or rice soup, it's very popular in Asian countries. Culture also often dictates the way rice porridge is cooked or eaten. For many families in Asia, a typical day begin with a bowl of rice porridge.

Lemon garlic shrimp rice porridge

Although rice porridge come from humble beginning, today it is served with a variety of exotic toppings. A soupy porridge made with rice, water, ingredients of your choice like vegetables, tofu, fish, meat, chicken, seafood and other ingredients is one comfort food you don't have to feel guilty about downing on a regular basis.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Rice Porridge.

Marinate 50gm prawn with 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp pepper.                                        

2 cloves garlic- chopped coarsely

Chopped spring onion for garnishing.

Spring onions were grown in Chinese gardens 5000 years ago! Do you know the onion bulb was worshiped as the symbol of the universe by ancient Egyptians?
Nutritionally, green onions have a combination of the benefits of onions and greens. They are an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C, and a very good source of vitamin A too.

Some the health benefits of spring onion are as follows:-
1/ Lower the blood sugar level.
2/ It is a support against gastrointestinal problem and common flu.
3/ It speed up the level of blood circulation in the body. 

Celery for garnishing.

Celery is rich in Vitamin A,C,D,E,K, B6,B12 and mineral such as calcium, sodium, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, fibre, etc....

Some health benefit of celery are as follow:-
1/ Lower cholesterol
2/ Prevent cancer
3/ Weight loss
4/ Detoxifies the body
5/ Reduce low blood pressure

Carrot - cut julienne

The benefits of carrot can be attributed to their beta carotene, fibre contents and antioxidant agent. Carrots are rich in vitamin A,c,K,B8, pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper and manganese.

Some of the health benefits of carrots are as follow:-
Reduce risk of stroke, boosts immune system, improves eye sight, prevent heart disease, lower risk of degeneration, facilitate digestion, reduce blood pressure, prevent cancer, regulate blood sugar level in body.

Lemon - use approximate 1 tbsp lemon juice for each serving of rice porridge.

As a refreshing drink, lemonade help you to stay calm and cool.
Extract the juice of 3 tomatoes + 1 lemon in the juicer, add 1 to 2 tsp honey and drink immediately 30 mins before breakfast.

Drink this power juice 2 to 3 times a week help in improve the skin and weight loss. It help to bring glow in your complexion internally and prevent aging.

1/  Heat up 1 tbsp of oil, stir fry chopped garlic until golden brown.
2/  Add the prawn and half the carrot, stir fry until prawn is cook. Keep aside.

1/2 cup of Jasmine fragrant rice, wash and rinse 3 times.

1/ Cook half cup of rice with approximate 3 cups of water and 1 cube of chicken stock in a heavy bottom pot.
2/  When boil, remove the lid immediately cos the water will bubble out of the lid or you'll have a hard time cleaning the mess.

There are basically 3 consistency of rice porridge thick, medium, thin and it depend on the rice-water ratio. While the rice porridge is roaring boil, you really can't leave the kitchen or else you will end up seeing something like this>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This is my pot, disaster happen last week while I caramelized the sugar. While cooking I was playing with my tablet and totally forgotten about it until I smell something burning.

OMG....I nearly more end up like this........

3/ Use a ladle to stir occasionally to scrap the bottom of the pot to loosen the rice grains that sticks at the bottom of the pot. Add the balance carrot.
4/  Cook the rice porridge according to the consistency you like, usually it takes about about 25 to 40 mins. Remove from heat, stir in the cook prawn, add pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Garnish rice porridge with spring onion and celery. You can add a dash of chilli flakes to enhance the flavor.

This Lemon garlic shrimp rice porridge is a very appetizing one pot meal. Great for breakfast or light lunch.

Season everything with love.

Another version of rice porridge......

Rice porridge is very versatile, you can add any ingredients according to your preference. Bean sprout with garlic shrimp and lemon juice taste good in rice porridge too. This is one of my favorite.

Bean sprout. Remove the tail, wash and drain dry.

Sprouts have always been in the list of healthy and nutrition foods.They are highly concentrated with enzymes, richest source of proteins, moisture, vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K and minerals.

The health benefit of bean sprouts are as follow:-
Anemia, cardiovascular healthy, constipation, hair & nail fragility, liver health, menopause, skin anti aging effect, stress and tiredness.

Hot rice porridge can be a hearty and comfort meal on a cold day. But no matter how hot and humid, I still love hot rice porridge.

After lunch dessert........my all time favorite.

Cream Puff

Ingredients
125mls milk
125mls water
4 eggs
165gm cake flour - sift
100gm salted butter

1/  Combine milk, water and butter cook over medium low heat until butter is melt and bring to boil.
Remove from heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously until well blend. Preferably use a wooden ladle.
2/ Return to stove using medium heat, continue stirring until flour mixture pull away from side of the pan and form a ball. Let the mixture cool for 5 mins.

3/  Add egg one at a time and beat until incorporated. After each egg is added, the mixture will separate and lumpy.
4/  Beat the mixture with cake mixer until the dough is smooth and shinny.  Let the dough rest for 10 mins.

5/ Line the baking tray with grease proof paper and grease lightly.
You can piped through a pastry bag or dropped with a pair of tablespoons to form into a balls..

Homemade cream puffs, they are not hard to make but hard to stop eating.
I eat way to many at one go.... minimum SIX!!! (>‿◠)✌

6/  Bake at 200 deg c in the preheat oven for 15 mins, Then reduce to 180 deg c for 15 mins or until golden brown. ( Don't open the oven door while the puff are baking.) Remove from oven, make a small slit to allow steam to escape.
7/  Switch off the oven, put back the puff leave the door ajar and leave the puff inside the oven for another 15 mins.
8/ Transfer to wire rack and let the puff cool completely.

9/ Split the puff into half, fill with cream patisserie. Sieve some icing sugar on top the cream puff and serve immediately.

Cream Patisserie

Ingredients
240mls milk
50gm castor sugar
4 egg yolks
25gm salted butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp custard powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/  Beat egg yolk with sugar till sugar dissolved. Add in the custard powder and flour, mix well till no lump.
2/  Boil the milk till simmering boil, pour half the milk to the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs.

3/  Mix the rest of the milk to yolk mixture and bring to boil over low medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent burn at the bottom.
4/  Cook until thick and glossy. Remove from heat.
5/  Stir in the butter till melted and mix well. Cover with cling wrap immediately to prevent skin forming and leave to cool. Chill in fridge till ready to use.

How could anyone turn down a delightful cream puff?  One bite in your mouth, blink your eyes 3 times and you can hear the bird singing ★*˚°。°*。°*。★*˚°。°*。°˚°★*˚°。°*。°*★*˚°。°*。°*★  ✫ ✫ ✫. `⋎´✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫ ..✫¸.•°*”˜ ✫ ✫ ✫. `⋎´✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫ ..✫¸.•°*”˜ (✿◠‿◠) 

A balanced diet always end with desserts.

Have a wonderful week ahead, cheers!
Amelia