Stir-fried Pork Belly with Spring Onion

This morning I was very busy.  Today is the first day I start to be a volunteer at Oxfam.  I find people here are very kind-hearted and generous.  There are many bags of items donated by them within 3-4 hours, like books, shoes, clothes, accessories, sports equipment, toys, etc.  Some of them are new and even unpacked.  Some are with famous brand names.  The other volunteers are very helpful and friendly.  I had a very good morning to be there. 

When I finished my work, it was about 2 o’clock.  Then I rushed back home and made a quick and simple lunch – fried pork belly with spring onions and a bowl of egg noodles.  The pork belly is succulent and it is a nice pair to fry with spring onions.  I enjoy cooking for ‘one’ again.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serve: 1

Ingredients:

- 100g pork belly (shredded)

- 3 spring onions (diagonal cut)

- 1 garlic clove (sliced)

- ½ small red chili (sliced and seeded)  

- 1 shallot (sliced)

- 1 tsp oil

Seasoning:

-  ½ tsp sugar

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- ½ tsp white wine

- 1 tsp sesame oil

Sauce:

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- 1.5 tsp oyster sauce

- 1 tsp white wine

Method:

1.	Season the pork belly with sugar, soy sauce, white wine and sesame oil.  Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2.	Divide the spring onion into two small bowls, one bowl is for the white parts and another is for the green parts.
3.	Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and white parts of spring onion in the pan and stir-fry for one minute.  Then put the pork inside the pan and stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes.
4.	In the meantime, add the shallot and green parts of spring onion inside the pan and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
5.	Pour the mixed sauce ingredients and red chili into the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute.
6.	Serve with rice or noodles.

Vietnamese Rice-cake (BÁNH CUỐN)

It is quite cool this morning.  Autumn is here and leaves are falling down.  The sky is so clear.  I go outside and walk around for a while.  It is a perfect day to take a walk in the park.  Some people are jogging, some are running and some walk their dogs with friends.  I feel relaxed and calm.  Then I think of making this healthy, simple and mouth-watering dish for lunch.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serve: 1

Ingredients:

- 4 pieces of rice-paper

-  25g onion (finely chopped)

- 3g pre-shredded black fungus

- 60g minced pork

-1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

-30g carrot (finely chopped)  

-½ shallot (finely chopped)

- 20g rice vermicelli 

- 1 tsp olive oil

-3 tbsp water

-¼ tsp salt

-¼ tsp dried coriander leaves (or fresh minced coriander leaves)

Seasoning:

n  ½ tsp sesame oil

n  1 tsp soy sauce

n  ½ tsp sugar

n  a pinch of ground black pepper

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce):

n  1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

n  2 tbsp sugar

n  3 tbsp drinking water

n  ¾ tbsp lime sauce

n  ⅓ small red Thai chili (minced)

n  ½ garlic clove (minced)

Method:

1.	Season the minced pork with sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and soy sauce.
2.	Soak the black fungus in 100g hot water for 15 minutes until tender.  Discard the water and then finely chopped the black fungus.
3.	To cook the filling, add oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Put the garlic, carrot, black fungus, shallot, onion, salt and 3 tbsp water into the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.  Then add the minced pork and coriander leaves, and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
4.	Mix all the ingredients of Nuoc Cham in a small bowl to prepare the dipping sauce.
5.	Boil 200g water in a small pan and add a pinch of salt.  Put the rice vermicelli into the boiling water over medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes until tender.  Use the chopsticks or a fork to stir occasionally.  Drain well.  Divide the rice vermicelli into four equal portions.
6.	Soak a piece of rice paper in warm drinking water until a bit tender.  Place the rice paper on a board or a big plate.
7.	Wrap the rice cake in square shape: Divide the filling into four equal portions, put one portion in the middle of a rice paper.  Place one portion of rice vermicelli on top of the filling.  Fold the bottom part of the rice paper to cover the rice vermicelli. Then fold the two sides towards the middle.  Turn the upper side to close the rice cake.
8.	Garnish with spring onion and sesame oil.  Ready to serve.

Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

My family members start to be busy this week.  My VIP has started a new page in her life.  Wish her enjoy her university life!  The others are very busy with work.  I feel relaxed and have more time to spend on cooking, reading and gardening.  I start to cook simple,  quick and healthy food for ‘one’ at lunch.  If you are a vegetarian, just skip the ham.  It’s still delicious.  

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serve: 1

Ingredients:

•   1 medium size avocado (pitted and peeled)
•   ½tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp clear honey
• ½tbsp butter or margarine             
• 2 slices of wholemeal bread
• 2 slices white cheese
• 30g ham (optional for vegetarian)
• A pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1.	Mash the avocado with lemon juice and honey.  Chop the ham finely. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to mix it well with the avocado.
2.	Pre-heat the oven at 140°c for 10 minutes.
3.	Spread butter or margarine on one side of each slice of bread.  Then put a piece of cheese on top of the buttered sides.
4.	Spread avocado on the top of the cheese and close the sandwich.
5.	Place a non-grease baking paper on the baking tray.  Then put the sandwich on the tray and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
6.	Slice in half and serve.

Coconut Red Bean Pudding

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

Ø  150g coconut milk

Ø  110g cooked red bean

Ø  50g water

Ø  50g skimmed milk

Ø  10g gelatin powder

Ø  2 tbsp sugar

Method:

1.	Put coconut milk and skimmed milk in a small stove top pot or small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Heat the milk and stir it continuously to avoid solids sticking to the bottom and burning.
2.	Add 5g gelatin and 1 tbsp sugar into the warm milk and stir the mixture well to dissolve the gelatin.
3.	Pour the mixture into the moulds.  Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until it is set.
4.	Place the cooked red bean and boiling water into a small saucepan over low heat.  Add 1tbsp sugar and 5g gelatin powder and stir well. Set aside and let it cool down.
5.	Once the milk mixture has set, pour over half the cooled red bean layer.  Chill for a further 3 hours.
6.	Turn out the pudding onto a plate (you may have to give a little jiggle to dislodge pudding) and serve.  Garnish with a halved strawberry.

Crunchy Honey Oat Biscuits

I was very excited and exhausted after spending three weeks in Asia.  All things are back to normal.  I baked some crunchy honey oat biscuits for afternoon tea.  What I love honey oat biscuits is that they take minutes to prepare. I feel very happy and relaxed to have these with a cup of Camomile.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serve: 3 (2 pieces each, 6 pieces)

Ingredients:

Ø  ½ cup oats

Ø  80g plain flour

Ø  25g brown sugar

Ø  40g margarine / light butter

Ø  1½ tbsp semi-skimmed milk

Ø  1½ tbsp clear honey

Ø  ½ tsp baking powder

METHOD:

1.	Preheat oven to 180°c.  Line a baking tray with a greaseproof baking paper.
2.	Add baking powder into the plain flour. Mix them well and sift the mixture into a mixing bowl.
3.	Melt margarine/butter, honey and milk in a saucepan and stir until heated through.  Add them into the mixing bowl and mix well with the premixed flour.
4.	Divide the mixed ingredients into six portions.  Spoon onto a baking tray and shape into rounds.
5.	Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown.
6.	Leave to cool for 5 minutes before moving from the baking tray.

Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

I just finished moving home.  After spending over three weeks for packing and unpacking, I feel totally exhausted.  I need some easy meals.  This dip is so easy to make.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serve:2

Ingredients:

-  ½ celery (sliced)

-  200g rocket

-   ¼ red pepper (sliced)

- ¼ orange pepper (sliced)

-  3 slices of lettuce (finely sliced)

- 80g radish (sliced)

-  2 tbsp olive oil

- 10g sesame seed

 

Salad Dressing ingredients:

-  5 tbsp plain greek yogurt

- 1 tbsp mustard

- 2 tbsp clear honey

- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

- ¼ tsp garlic powder

- 1/8 tsp low-sodium salt

-  ½ tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1.	In a salad bowl, mix celery, rocket, red pepper, orange pepper, lettuce, radish well with olive oil.  Sprinkle the sesame seed on top of the veggie.
2.	For salad dressing, mix green yogurt, mustard, honey, ground black pepper, garlic powder, salt and lemon juice well in a small bowl.