Updates: 338 recipes added!


Broccoli and cauliflower gratin

Ingredients:
1 small cauliflower (about 250g)
1 small head broccoli (about 250g)
1/2 cup plain low fat yoghurt
75g grated low fat cheddar cheese
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp wholemeal breadcrumbs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Break the cauliflower and broccoli into florets and cook in lightly salted, boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until just tender.
2. Drain well and transfer to a flameproof dish.
3. Mix together the yoghurt, grated cheese and mustard, then season the mixture with pepper.
4. Spoon over the cauliflower and broccoli.
5. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.
6. Place under a grill until golden brown.
7. Serve hot with rice or pasta.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Seafood casserole

Perfect dish for Christmas.

Ingredients (serves 2 to 3):
200g Prantalay Seafood Mix (from NTUC, to thaw, follow instructions on the packet)
125g parmesan or cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
500ml milk
4 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Fry onions until lightly browned. Add celery and carrots and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add seafood mix and fry for 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the flour and butter with a whisk until well blended. Gradually blend the cheese into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place celery, carrots and seafood into a medium baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce into the dish and toss with the rest of the seafood mixture. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over.
4. Without covering the dish, bake it in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or grill under medium heat until the surface is brown. Serve hot with bread.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Blueberry-buttermilk pancakes with orange sauce

Ingredients (makes 4 to 5 servings, 2 pancakes and 2 tbsp of sauce per serving):
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 slightly beaten egg white
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Orange wedges and/or fresh blueberries (optional)

Method:
Pancakes:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In another mixing bowl, stir together the egg white, buttermilk, cooking oil and vanilla. Add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined but still slightly lumpy. Gently add the blueberries.
3. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto a non-stick griddle or pan. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden brown, turning to cook second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and slightly dry edges.
4. Serve with orange sauce. If desired, garnish with orange wedges and/or additional blueberries. Cover and chill any remaining orange sauce.

Orange sauce:
In a small saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Add 1 cup water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir sauce for 2 minutes more. Serve warm.

Recipe source: Health magazine

Cheesy vegetable pie

An eggless recipe.

Ingredients (makes 12.5cm pie):
Filling:
60g butter
40g plain flour
500ml milk
800g mixed vegetables, diced and steamed
180g frozen peas
100g grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Pie crust:
300g plain flour
1.5 tsp ground cumin (阿拉伯茴香)
1/2 tsp ground chilli
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
160g butter
Enough cold water to knead dough

Method:
Filling:
1. Heat butter. Add flour. Stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat and add the milk gradually.
2. Return to heat and boil until the mixture thickens. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pie crust:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Rub in butter till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough water to make the ingredients cling together.
2. Wrap pastry in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Divide dough into portions. Roll out 1 portion on floured surface to fit the greased pie dish. Prick all over with a fork and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Spoon in the prepared filling. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie dish. Trim and seal the edges. Bake until golden brown.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Finger buns

An eggless recipe.

Ingredients (makes 14 to 16):
600g plain flour
4 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vanilla essence
100g sultanas or raisins
80g mixed peel
50g shredded coconut or mixed nuts
400ml milk or water
80g butter
50ml extra milk, for glazing
Icing sugar for dusting

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200 deg C. Put all ingredients, except the extra milk and icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix and knead to form a smooth pliable dough. Cover bowl and leave aside for about 45 minutes, or until dough doubles in size. Knead dough for about 5 minutes. Divide into 14 to 16 portions. Roll and shape each portion into a 12cm long piece.
3. Place the buns on prepared baking trays, leaving space for the dough to rise. Leave aside for 10 minutes or until the dough has risen. Bake buns in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Brush with milk immediately and leave to cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with icing sugar when cool.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Strawberry tart

An eggless recipe.

Ingredients (26cm flan tin):
250g butter
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
125g caster sugar
60g rice flour
140g self-raising flour
190g plain flour
250g strawberries, halved
125g strawberry jam

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Beat butter, lemond rind and juice and sugar until creamy. Sift rice, self-raising and plain flours together. Stir into lemon mixture in 2 batches.
2. Press together gently and knead lightly until smooth. Press evenly into greased tin.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in the tin. Turn the shortcake onto a serving plate. Arrange strawberries. Warm jam in a pan, strain and brush over strawberries.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Sweet potato dumplings

Ingredients (serves 8):
600g sweet potato
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1-2 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp palm sugar
5 pandan leaves, knotted
1 coconut, grated

Method:
1. Skin and cut sweet potatoes into pieces. Add enough water to just cover the sweet potatoes. Boil until soft. Mash hot sweet potatoes until smooth.
2. Mix a half portion of mashed sweet potato with glutinous rice flour. Mix slowly to form a smooth dough. Pinch dough and roll in between palms to form small balls. Drop dumplings into boiling water. Remove dumplings when they float and leave in a bowl of water.
3. Squeeze grated coconut for first milk. Add a pinch of salt and simmer until almost thickened. Set aside.
4. Add about 3 cups of water to grated coconut and squeeze for second milk.
5. In a pot, combine both sugars, knotted pandan leaves, coconut milk and remaining half portion of mashed sweet potato. Bring to simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cooked dumplings. Turn off heat when it boils again. Serve sweet potato dumplings, either hot or warm, with the coconut cream.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Gingered papaya with ice cream

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 firm-ripe papaya slices, peeled and seeded (about 170g each slice)
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp slivered crystallized ginger
2 tsp brown sugar
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Method:
1. Cut papaya into 2-3cm pieces.
2. Melt butter in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, slivered crystallized ginger and papaya. Toss gently for about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in lime juice. Serve hot or cool over ice cream.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Papaya soya milk shake

Ingredients (serves 4 x 200ml each):
2 ripe papaya slices, peeled and seeded (about 170g each slice)
2 packets x 250ml each soya bean milk
16 ice cubes

Method:
1. Cut papaya into 2cm cubes and put into a blender. Add 1 packet of soya milk and puree papaya.
2. Mix in the other packet of soya milk and ice cubes.
3. Stir and pour into 4 serving glasses. Serve chilled.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

8-treasure fragrant tea

Ingredients (serves 10):
80g rock sugar
15 dried longans, rinse
15 dried red dates, soak for 10 minutes
20 rose buds
15 dried chrysanthemums
1 tbsp dried lily stigma (金银花)
1 tbsp wolfberries (枸杞)
1 tbsp jasmine tea leaves

Method:
1. Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add rock sugar, rinsed dried longans, red dates, chrysanthemums and dried lily stigmas. Reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add rose buds and wolfberries. Turn off heat when water boils again.
3. Add jasmine tea leaves. Stir mixture, cover pot and leave to steep for 3-5 minutes.
4. Divide into 10 serving cups. Serve hot.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Cultured milk with watermelon

Ingredients (serves 10):
5 x 125ml Vitagen Less Sugar cultured milk drink, original flavour
2 or 3 slices watermelon
45 standard-sized ice cubes

Method:
1. Cut watermelon into 0.5cm thick slices and then into squares or chop coarsely to make about 2 1/2 cups.
2. Pour Vitagen into a large pitcher or fruit punch bowl.
3. Add ice cubes and chopped watermelon. Serve chilled.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Fragrant apple mix

Ingredients (serves 10):
1 Marigold Peel Fresh Apple & Aloe Vera juice
3 stalks x 12cm long lemongrass, crushed
50g rock sugar or 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
10 stalks lemongrass stalks as "stirrers", must be 5-6cm taller than serving glass
30 standard-sized ice cubes

Method:
1. Boil crushed lemongrass and rock sugar or sugar in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes.
2. Strain lemongrass and leave to cool or keep chilled in refrigerator.
3 Pour Marigold Peel Fresh Apple & Aloe Vera juice into a fruit punch bowl.
4. Add lemongrass water and ice cubes. Serve chilled.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Iced green tea milk and jelly

Ingredients (serves 4 to 5):
40g sugar
2 tsp agar-agar powder
6 tbsp condensed milk
2 1/4 tbsp good quality green tea powder

Method:
1. In a pot, add 2 cups water and sugar. Sprinkle agar-agar powder over water. Stir until it's dissolved.
2. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat. Allow mixture to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp green tea powder over agar-agar. Stir to mix thoroughly. Pour into an 18cm x 13.5cm tray. Leave to cool and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
4. Mix condensed milk with 4 cups of freshly boiled water. Stir in the remaining green tea powder and mix thoroughly. Cool and chill the green tea-milk drink in a covered container or bottle for at least 1 hour.
5. Shred set green tea agar-agar. Shake bottle or container and divide green tea-milk drink into 4 or 5 serving glasses or bowls. Serve garnished with the shredded green tea agar-agar.

Tips:
For easy drinking, serve with the fat straw used for bubble tea.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Traditional longan red date tea

Ingredients (serves 10):
50g seeded red dates, soak in water for 10 minutes
75g dried longan, rinse before use
30g fresh ginger, crushed
80g rock sugar or more to taste
3 pandan leaves, knotted

Method:
1. Bring 8 cups water to a rolling boil.
2. Add knotted pandan leaves, softened red dates, rinsed dried longan, crushed fresh ginger and rock sugar. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on moderate heat.
3. Adjust sweetness according to taste. Can be served hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Rich chocolate drink

Ingredients (makes 2 cups x 250ml each):
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (Cadbury's or Van Houten)
1/4 cup Milo
2 tbsp or slightly less condensed milk
Garnishes:
marshmallow
thinly sliced biscotti or almond wafers

Method:
1. Mix and stir cocoa powder into 1/2 cup freshly boiled water until smooth.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups of freshly boiled water, condensed milk and Milo. Stir and mix thoroughly until mixture is smooth.
3. Either whip chocolate drink with a whisk for 2 minutes until frothy or pour into a blender to whip for 30 seconds. Divide into 2 cups.
4. Serve drink topped with a marshmallow and either a piece of biscotti or almond wafer on the saucer.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Dried scallop & winter melon soup


The combination of winter melon and water chestnut makes this high in fibre, good for cleaning out the intestines and also in soothing sore throats.

Ingredients (serves 4):
600g winter melon
20g dried scallop
150g chicken meat
4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in water until soft
50g carrot
4 water chestnuts
3 tbsp green peas
6 bowls stock

Method:
1. Soak dried scallop in half a bowl of water until soft.
2. Cut chicken meat into small cubes and season with 1/2 tsp cornflour.
3. Cut winter melon into cubes.
4. Pour stock into a pot. Add dried scallop, winter melon, water chestnut and mushrooms, and boil over low heat for about 45 minutes.
5. Add chicken and carrots and parboil for another 10 minutes. Add the peas and salt to taste.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Aug 2006)

Papaya and snow fungus sweet soup

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 almost ripe papaya, about 1kg
2 tbsp sweet almond kernel
1/2 tsp bitter almond kernel
1 palm size dried snow fungus, about 40g
100g rock sugar

Method:
1. Soak dried snow fungus in water for 30 minutes until soft. Trim the thick yellowish base and tear softened snow fungus into little florets. Rinse again to remove grit. Drain in colander.
2. Rinse both sweet and bitter almond kernels. Put in a medium crock pot. Add snow fungus and 9 cups of boiling water. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
3. Skin and discard seeds of papaya. Cut into 2cm cubes. Add rock sugar and cubed papaya to simmering snow fungus.
4. Cook for another hour. Taste, adding more rock sugar if desired.
5. Serve either hot or chilled.

Tips:
For stove cooking: Bring water to boil in a medium sized deep pot. Add snow fungus and both sweet and bitter almond kernels and simmer, over moderate heat, for 1 hour. Add rock sugar and papaya cubes and continue to cook for 1/2 hour.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Kampong chicken soup

Ingredients:
1 lean chicken (or kampong chicken if you can get it)
100g Yunnan ham, or salted pork shoulder
1 packet dried lotus seeds
1 small piece ginger

Method:
1. Cut the chicken into 4 large pieces. Remove all fat and skin.
2. Cut up the Yunnan ham into large pieces. If you are using salted pork shoulder, chop it up into large pieces.
3. Place lotus seeds in a microwaveable container and cover with water. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Let cool.
4. Remove all the bitter green shoots inside the lotus seeds and discard any bad nuts.
5. Bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a large pot and add the chicken pieces, ham or salted pork shoulder. Add lotus seeds and ginger.
6. Bring soup to a rolling boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook at least 1 hour for flavours to develop. Serve hot. (There is no need to add salt because the ham is savoury enough to season the soup.)

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Peanut soup with chicken feet

Ingredients:
10 to 12 chicken feet, claws trimmed
2 large pork bones, fat trimmed
10 Chinese red dates or jujubes
100g large peanuts with skin
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat up a large pot of water and when it's boiling, blanch the pork bones in it to remove the blood and scum. Rinse and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot, heat up 2 litres of water. When water boils, add chicken feet, pork bones, peanuts and red dates. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
3. Let soup simmer for at least 1 hour; longer if you have the time. Salt the soup to taste only before you are ready to serve.
4. Serve soup and the chicken legs separately if you like to chew on the bones and peanuts. Otherwise, discard the meat.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Har Cheong Kai (虾酱鸡)

Har Cheong Kai is chicken marinated in shrimp sauce and other aromatic seasonings and fried to a beautiful golden-red hue.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
5 tbsp chopped ginger
3 1/2 tbsp Chinese rose wine (玫瑰露酒)
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Fine Shrimp Sauce (幼滑虾酱)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar or honey
A pinch of white pepper
1 chicken, cleaned and chopped into small pieces
150g tapioca flour
Oil for deep-frying
Cut calamansi limes, sliced cucumber and tomato, chilli sauce as garnish

Method:
1. Pound ginger to extract about 2 tablespoons of ginger juice. Stir well with rose wine, shrimp paste, cornstarch, sugar and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add chicken, mix well. Cover, refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Roll chicken pieces in tapioca flour to coat, shaking off the excess to leave a thin, but even, coat.
4. Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time for about 5 to 6 minutes until they turn pale golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
5. Reheat oil until very hot, then fry chicken again for 1 to 2 minutes, till they turn a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with garnishes.

Tips:
For convenience and good results, mix the meat with the marinade in the morning and fry it for dinner the same night.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Sweet garlic prawns

Ingredients (serves 3 to 4):
10 large fresh prawns
3 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce (Chinese barbecue sauce)
125ml water
1 tsp rice wine
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp oil
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 thin slices ginger
chopped spring onion, for garnish

Method:
1. Remove prawn shells, heads and veins, leaving tails intact. Wash prawns and pat dry.
2. Add in 2 teaspoons of Char Siu Sauce and mix well. Set aside, covered and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Mix remaining Char Siu Sauce with water, wine, sugar and cornstarch, and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry gently for 3 to 4 minutes until garlic is pale golden brown. Scoop on to a plate, leaving oil in wok.
5. Increase heat to high. When oil is very hot, put prawns in and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add in sauce mixture, stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more until prawns are cooked and sauce has thickened to a sticky glaze.
6. Stir in garlic, then dish up. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

Tips:
Instead of prawns, you could use chunks of chicken meat or thin slices of beef tenderloin, both of which should be left to marinate a little longer.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Prawn and seaweed spaghetti

Ingredients (serves 4):
400g spaghetti
1 tsp salt
300g medium prawns, shelled
24 snow peas, tops and tails removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp bottled sweet garlic chilli sauce
2 sheets nori (roasted seaweed)
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add spaghetti and salt. Stir to loosen the strands of pasta.
2. Put the prawns in a wire ladle and lower it into the boiling pasta water. Remove when their colour changes. Put aside in a large bowl.
3. Put the snow peas in the wire ladle and lower it into the boiling water. Remove after a minute when their colour turns a bright green. Put into the bowl of prawns.
4. When pasta is al dente, drain off water and add to the same bowl.
5. Add olive oil and chilli sauce to pasta and toss well.
6. Crumble nori over the pasta, toss lightly and serve hot with freshly ground black pepper.

Tips:
To make this recipe suitable for a strict vegetarian, simply omit the prawns and use a vegetarian chilli sauce. Increase the amount of nori and smow peas.

Recipe source: Streats newspaper

Cheesy corn cakes

Ingredients (makes 12):
175g plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
125ml fresh milk
200g sweet corn kernel
5 slices of cheese, cut into small pieces
2 tsp canola oil
2 tbsp chopped spring onion (optional)

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, add eggs and milk to flour. Mix well until smooth.
2. Stir in corn, cheese and spring onions.
3. Heat half the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add 6 spoonfuls of the mixture in 6 dollops to the pan. Flatten each out slightly with the back of a spoon, keeping them separate. Cook over medium heat until golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes each side).
4. Remove from the pan and repeat the same process with the rest of the mixture.

Tips:
Goes well with tomato ketchup.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Low-fat chicken and mushroom pie

Ingredients (serves 4):
Filling:
340g chicken breast, without skin
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
115g white button mushroom
115g white Japanese mushroon (optional)
55g green peas
1 tbsp chopped pasley (香芹)
1 tbsp plain flour
15g butter
300ml skimmed milk

Pie crust:
185g self-raising flour
20g butter
80ml skimmed milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:
Filling:
1. Melt butter in a pot and put in 1 tablespoon of plain flour. Mix well. Add milk bit by bit, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth.
2. Put in chicken breast, mushrooms, onion, carrot, green peas and parsley and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a deep baking dish.

Pie crust:
1. In a large mixing bowl, rub butter into self-raising flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add milk bit by bit until it forms a soft dough.
2. Roll out to fit the top of the baking dish, seal edges, and brush on beaten egg. Set oven to 180 deg C with upper/lower function.
3. Bake on lower shelf for 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Brown rice paradise

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 cups brown rice, washed and soaked
50g almonds, blanched and sliced
50g raisins
3 cardamom pods (豆蔻), 1 cinnamon stick (桂皮)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Method:
1. Brown the cardamom pods and cinnamon in a lightly-oiled pan. Add brown rice and stir fry.
2. Add flavoured stock to rice and spices and start in a rice cooker. Allow to cool slightly.
3. While rice cooks, toast almond slices.
4. Serve cooked brown rice in a platter and top with toasted almonds and raisins.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Chicken flavoured rice

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 small chicken, skinned and cut into bite-sizes
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 water chestnut, peeled and sliced
6 dried mushrooms, soaked and sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fragrant rice

Method:
1. Mix chopped chicken pieces with all ingredients except the rice. Leave to marinate.
2. Wash rice until water runs clear and drain. Add 2 cups water and start the rice cooker.
3. When the water has reduced to rice level, carefully add chicken pieces on top of rice.
4. Finish cooking the rice and leave covered for at least 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Healthy bread pudding

Ingredients:
4 slices plain or wholemeal bread
1 cup low fat milk
1 egg, beaten
50g raisins or dried cranberries
2 tbsp soft brown sugar

Method:
1. Cut bread slices into cubes, keeping crusts on. Butter or oil a square sandwich tin lightly.
2. Slowly stir beaten egg into low fat milk and whisk gently to combine. Add one tablespoon soft brown sugar and stir till dissolved.
3. Combine milk and egg mixture and bread cubes in a large mixing bowl and leave to soak until bread has soaked up the mixture completely.
4. Mix in raisins or dried cranberries into the bread mixture. Stir lightly to combine but without breaking bread cubes up.
5. Sprinkle remaining spoonful of sugar over bread cubes. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Sugarcane prawn kebabs



Ingredients (serves 6):
12 sticks of sugarcane, each 15cm long
750g prawns, peeled
1 clove of garlic
1 1/2cm piece of ginger, peeled
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg white
1 tbsp cornflour
oil for basting

Method:
1. Pare away the skin of the sugarcane.
2. Trim the middle section a little thinner.
3. Place prawns, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, sugar and pepper into the food processor and pulse into a smooth paste.
4. Add egg white and cornflour to paste. Mix well.
5. With wet hands, mould the prawn paste around the thin section of each sugarcane skewer and smooth into a sausage shape.
6 Brush with oil and grill in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for 20 minutes until prawn mixture turns pink.

Tips:
No sugarcane? Just pat the prawn mixture into round or sausage-shaped patties, grill and serve wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)

Chocolate chips and walnut cookies

Ingredients (makes 18):
110g unsalted butter, softened
70g soft brown sugar
70g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
140g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
120g chopped walnut
180g chocolate chips

Method:
1. Beat butter with both types of sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Then add vanilla essence and mix thoroughly.
2. Add flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda to the mixture, a little at a time, and stir everything together well.
3. Stir in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
4. Spoon small mounds of cookie mixture onto greased baking trays, leaving wide spaces between the mounds.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 deg C for 10-12 minutes, until they are evenly brown.
6. Remove cookies with a palette knife and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Pineapple & almond mini cupcakes


Ingredients (serves 12 to 15):
60g butter, softened
75g sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp milk
100g self raising flour, sifted
2 rings canned pineapple, finely chopped
1 tbsp almonds, broken into small bits

Method:
1. Combine butter and sugar and blend with a mixer until it's creamy and light.
2. Add egg, vanilla essence and milk, and blend again briefly.
3. Put in the flour and combine well with the mixture. Then stir in the pineapples and almonds.
4. Line the cupcake moulds with muffin liners and fill half with the mixture.
5. Bake at 180 deg C for 20 minutes.

Tips:
To make a large cake, pour the batter in a round 21cm cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)