Minestrone pasta soup

A tasty, wholesome recipe that's a cinch to prepare.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 can Italian tomatoes
25g butter
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stick, diced
100g potatoes, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
50g French beans, diced
1 litre beef stock
100g cabbage, shredded
200g shell pasta, cooked
20g grated parmesan cheese

Method:
1. In a food processor, blend tomatoes with the juice.
2. Take a large pot, melt butter and fry onions until soft.
3. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini and French beans. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add beef stock and blended tomatoes and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes.
5. Add cabbage and simmer for another 15 minutes.
6. Stir in cooked pasta and parmesan cheese.

Tips:
Make a larger batch of soup and store it in the fridge overnight. Then heat, and add pasta and cheese before serving.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Nov 2007)

Chicken penne pasta

Flavourful Asian condiments lend a nice twist to a traditionally Italian dish.

Ingredients (serves 4):
3 pieces chicken thigh, skinned
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
200g penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp brown sugar
8 fresh basil leaves
3 tsp parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken with oyster sauce, dark soya sauce and ground black pepper for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Heat olive oil in a grill pan, add in the chicken and grill until golden brown. Remove and cut into strips.
3. Add the onions to the same pan and saute.
4. Pour in the pasta sauce and stir to mix. Add the red wine, chicken stock and brown sugar.
5. Stir in the cooked pasta.
6. Add fresh basil and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve on a plate and top with chicken strips and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Tips:
Save the sachets of parmesan cheese from your next pizza delivery and use it for this dish.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Nov 2007)

Claypot rice with crispy fish

Whip up this family favourite with pre-cooked rice.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small ginger, sliced thinly
3 bowls cooked rice
3 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
6 tbsp plain flour
1 egg
1/2 cup tonic water
6 fish fillets
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 strips spring onion, cut into 4cm lengths

Method:
1. In a claypot, heat the sesame oil and 1 tbsp of sunflower oil and saute the onions, garlic and ginger until fragrant.
2. Add the cooked rice, oyster sauce and dark soya sauce. Fry for 10 minutes and set aside.
3. Mix the flour with the egg and tonic water to make a thick batter. Dip the fish into the batter and deep-fry in the remaining sunflower oil until golden brown and crispy.
4. To serve, place the crispy fish over the claypot rice, and garnish with cherry tomatoes and spring onions.

Tips:
If you like your rice crust burnt, cook the claypot over medium heat for an extra 5 minutes.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Feb 2008)

Grilled vegetable lasagne

A week of packed lunches - Wednesday.

Ingredients (serves 2):
6 strips dried lasagne pasta
1 medium eggplant
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, sliced
8 fresh button mushrooms, halved
2 cups canned tomato pasta sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried coriander

Cream sauce:
1 cup thick cream
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Method:
1. Cook the lasagne according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Turn the gas hob to a medium flame and place a wire rack over it. Put the eggplant and all the bell peppers on the wire rack and char both sides. Once the skin is blackened, remove from the fire and place in a bowl. Seal the bowl with cling wrap for 20 minutes. Uncover and remove the charred skin with your fingers. Slice the vegetables.
3. In a pan, heat up the butter and saute the onions and mushrooms.
4. In another pan, prepare the cream sauce: add the cream, then stir in the nutmeg powder and evaporated milk.
5. To assemble the lasagne, place a strip of cooked lasagne pasta at the bottom of an oiled oven-proof pan. Layer the ingredients in this order: onions and mushrooms, grilled vegetables, tomato pasta sauce, cream sauce and cheese. Top with another strip of pasta and repeat. Finish with a layer of cheese.
6. If you are assembling the lasagne the night before, cover the uncooked portion with cling wrap and keep it in the refrigerator. Just before baking, drizzle with oilve oil and dried coriander. Bake in an oven at 175 deg C for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Tips:
You can also grill the veggies for 20 minutes in a 175 deg C oven.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Jan 2008)

Basmati rice with minced beef

A week of packed lunches - Tuesday.

Ingredients (serves 2):
Rice:
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 cardamom pods
2 tsp coriander powder
2 cups Basmati rice, washed and rinsed
2 tsp turmeric powder
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp sultanas

Minced beef:
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp ready-made rendang paste
3 tbsp curry powder
200g minced beef
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water

Raita:
3 tbsp mango yogurt
1 medium cucumber, skinned and chopped

Method:
1. Heat butter and olive oil, and add garlic, onions, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and coriander powder. Fry until fragrant.
2. Add the Basmati rice, turmeric powder and vegetable stock, cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with sultanas once rice is cooked.
3. In another pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil and add in the rendang paste and curry powder and fry until fragrant. Add the minced beef and cook for 2 minutes, then add the peas, salt, pepper, coconut milk and water, and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened.
4. To make the side serving of raita, mix the yogurt and cucumber together.

Tips:
Cut calories by using low-fat evaporated milk instead of coconut milk.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Jan 2008)

Rainbow rice

Ingredients:
3 squares tofu for frying, cubed
2 tbsp light soya sauce
White pepper
1 tbsp peanut oil
400g jasmine rice
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 red capsicum, diced
3 sheets nori (seaweed)
1 small tub (200g) plain yoghurt
1 cup mint leaves, tightly packed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
8 whole green chillies

Method:
1. Mix tofu cubes with soya sauce and pepper.
2. Wash rice, place in rice cooker, add water to a level just 2cm above rice, cook.
3. When rice cooker switches to "warm", add in peas, corn and capsicum mixing them through the rice using a pair of chopsticks. Cover cooker, continue warming and steaming while doing following steps.
4. To make sauce, blend mint leaves and half the yoghurt with salt and sugar.
5. Add mixture to rest of yoghurt, mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
6. One at a time, roast nori sheets over a flame, crumble into a large bowl.
7. Heat peanut oil in a non-stick frying pan, fry tofu cubes lightly.
8. Transfer fried tofu cubes into bowl of crumbled nori. Toss to coat tofu cubes with nori.
9. To serve, spoon rice on plates, place tofu cubes over rice. Spoon sauce over, then add chillies.

Recipe source: Streats newspaper

Spicy fried bee hoon with ikan bilis

Ingredients (serves 4):
200g rice vermicelli (bee hoon)
Oil for deep-frying
1 cup ikan bilis
3 to 4 tbsp oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 shallots, sliced
1 chilli, shredded
2 tsp sambal belachan
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
200g prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Soak rice vermicelli in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil for deep-frying over medium high heat and fry ikan bilis until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
3. To make omelette, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Pour beaten eggs into the pan and tilt it so that the eggs cover the bottom of the pan. After 2 to 3 minutes, or when the underside of the egg is cooked, flip the omelette over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, roll up the omelette and slice it thinly. Set aside.
4. In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat and fry shallots and chilli for 1 minute. Add sambal belachan and fry another minute. Add carrots and fry for 2 minutes, then add prawns.
5. When the prawns are pink, add rice vermicelli and toss well. Add another 1 tbsp oil if necessary. Season bee hoon with light soy sauce, fish sauce and pepper.
6. Top with omelette and crispy ikan bilis and serve hot with chilli sauce on the side.

Tips:
Soak the dried bee hoon in hot water to soften it (it takes about 15 to 30 minutes). After that, drain it in a colander or sieve. Before stir-frying, break the bee hoon into shorter strands.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Seafood pasta and carrot noodles

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 large whole squids
24 medium tiger prawns
1 bulb garlic, peeled and minced
2 large red chilli, de-seeded, chopped
5 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
1 large carrot, peeled
500g pasta of your choice

Method:
1. Wash and clean squid and prawns. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and quickly blanch seafood for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and cool.
2. Peel cooled prawns, and slice the squid. Set aside. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add chopped chilli and garlic, then stir fry over gentle heat. (The garlic should not brown. Low heat will preserve the natural flavours of the olive oil.)
4. Once the fragrance of the garlic rises, add prawns and squid to the pan, and drizzle the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil.
5. Stir well and add the cooked pasta to the pan. Add salt to taste, and toss the pasta to coat with seasoning and oil.
6. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off long strips of carrot "noodles". Mix carrot strips into pasta in pan, and plate with a garnish of chopped coriander.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Creamy pasta with salmon and mushrooms

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
200g white button mushrooms, washed and sliced
125ml white wine
250ml cream
250g salmon fillet, cut into cubes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 litres water
450g fusilli pasta

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Fry onion and garlic till lightly browned.
2. Add mushrooms and saute for 1 minute. Add white wine and bring to a boil. Pour in the cream.
3. Add salmon and cook for 2 minutes. Season with thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, bring water and remaining 1 tsp salt to a boil. Add pasta, and give it a swirl to prevent it from sticking together. Cook for 7 minutes or till al dente.
5. Drain pasta and toss with sauce immediately. The drained cooking water can be added to the sauce if it is too thick.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Two mushroom pasta with pine nuts

Ingredients (serves 4):
400g angel hair pasta (or any other dried pasta)
2 tsp salt (for water to boil pasta)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 fresh Swiss brown mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 packs fresh enoki mushrooms, cleaned and husky base removed
1 red tomato, halved and sliced thinly
100g roasted pine nuts
Salt to taste
Chilli flakes

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt.
2. Add pasta and stir so that the strands do not stick together.
3. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, till pasta is al dente. Drain out the water.
4. To the pan of hot pasta, add olive oil, both mushrooms, tomato, nuts and salt to taste. Toss to mix.
5. Divide among 4 serving dishes.
6. Sprinkle chilli flakes over. If preferred, serve with a green side salad.

Recipe source: Streats newspaper

Cold soba noodles with ginger chicken

Ingredients (serves 4):
400g soba noodles
250g sliced chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
2 tbsp ginger juice
1/2 nori sheet (about 10cm square, finely cut)
1 tsp wasabi paste
30g kezuri-bushi (shaved dried fish)
200ml shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
200ml mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 egg (made into an omelette and finely sliced)
1 Japanese cucumber, sliced finely

Method:
1. Cook soba noodles in a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don't stick together. Cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. Steam chicken breast with ginger juice for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Mix shoyu, mirin and wasabi paste together and dress cold soba noodles with the mixture.
4. Assemble dish by putting cold soba noodles on a serving palte. Put the chicken, cucumber and egg omelette on top. Then, sprinkle on kezuri-bushi and nori. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Barbecued pork fried rice

Ingredients (serves 10):
10 pcs Sarawak pineapple
50g butter, cut into cubes
50g coriander leaves, chopped
10 pcs river scampi, deveined
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp salt
50ml olive oil
50g onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3 pcs shallots, chopped
300g steamed white rice
200g barbequed pork (bak kwa)
200g green peas
200g long beans, diced
200g carrots, diced
4 eggs, beaten
100g Chinese celery, chopped
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 pinch ground white pepper
10 leaves butterhead lettuce

Method:
1. Brush pineapple with butter and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and place on the grill (medium heat) until the pineapple slices are grilled on all sides.
2. Season river scampi with paprika and salt, and grill over medium heat until cooked.
3. In a pan, heat olive oil and saute onions, garlic and shallots for 2 minutes.
4. Add cooked rice, barbequed pork, peas, long beans and carrots and continue to fry for 3 minutes over medium heat.
5. Add beaten egg over the rice and keep stirring until it becomes loose.
6. Add Chinese celery and season with Thai fish sauce and pepper.
7. To assemble, place the prawns and pineapple on the plate. Serve fried rice and lettuce separately.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Laksa

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 tbsp oil
1 packet ready-made laksa chilli
200g dried shrimps, soaked in water for 20 mins and pounded until fine
2 cups coconut milk
3-4 cups water
300ml fresh milk
Salt and sugar, to taste
600g rice noodles, blanched
200g prawns, cooked and shelled
3 pieces fish cake, fried and sliced
4 pieces tau pok
200g cockles
Beansprouts, blanched
Basil or laksa leaves

Method:
1. Heat oil over a medium fire and stir-fry laksa chilli till fragrant. Add dried shrimps and fry till fragrant. Add coconut milk and stir. Add water and stir. Add fresh milk. Season with salt and sugar. Once it comes to a gentle boil and thickens slightly, the gravy is ready.
2. Place noodles in bowls and garnish with prawns, fish cake, tau pok, beansprouts and cockles. Pour gravy over and garnish with basil.

Recipe source: Women's Weekly magazine

Prawn porridge

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 cups rice
1 litre chicken stock
1 tub silken tofu, diced
3 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp preserved soya beans, mashed
1 kg medium-sized prawns, shelled and diced
coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:
1. For porridge, boil rice in chicken stock.
2. While porridge is cooking, fry diced tofu in vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon.
3. Use the same oil, fry garlic with mashed soya beans until fragrant.
4. Add diced prawns and stir-fry until pink and cooked. Mix in fried tofu.
5. Serve porridge in individual bowls topped with prawns and tofu. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tips:
For added spice, stir in a teaspoonful of chopped fresh chillies into each bowl of porridge.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine

Organic lotus leaf brown rice

A vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 tbsp organic black eye peas
4 tbsp organic dark red kidney beans
4 tbsp lotus seeds
4 tbsp Chinese chestnuts
500g organic brown rice
1 medium organic carrot (diced into cubes)
10 pieces dry shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp organic olive oil
1 small root ginger (smashed)
1 tbsp organic soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp organic pepper
1 piece lotus leaf

Method:
1. Soak the black-eye peas, kidney beans, lotus seeds and chestnuts for 5 hours.
2. Put rice, salt, olive oil and ginger in an electric rice cooker and cook the rice.
3. On a medium fire, stir-fry the remaining ingredients (including the soaked beans and seeds) with the seasonings for 10 minutes.
4. Mix the cooked rice with the contents of the frying pan and stir-fry for 10 minutes.
5. Place the contents onto the clean lotus leaf which has been soaked in warm water, wrap it up and steam for 20 minutes.
6. Add garnish (optional). Serve.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Mushroom spaghetti

A vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients:
500g spaghetti
30g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
30g button mushrooms, sliced
30g straw mushrooms, sliced
200g carrots, sliced
150g vegetarian mutton, chopped
1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tbsp black soy sauce
A pinch of salt, sugar to taste
5ml oil
5g tapioca flour
500ml water
20g mozzarella cheese
Oregano and lettuce to garnish

Method:
1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water with a pinch of salt and a little oil till it is done.
2. Place the mushrooms, carrot, vegetarian mutton and water in a pot. Bring to boil and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetarian oyster sauce, black soy sauce, salt and sugar.
4. In a separate container, mix the tapioca flour with 20ml of water. Pour the mixture into the pot and stir.
5. Spread some grated mozzarella cheese on top, ladle on the mushroom sauce and sprinkle the garnish. Serve.

Recipe source: Today newspaper