Exotic Tuna Salad

Whenever I have a can of tuna in the pantry and I want a simple yet delicious snack, I make a tuna salad. This is one of my favorites and I hope you will like it too!

serves 1

1 can of albacore tuna

4 tablespoons of cucumber, thinly chopped (see image above)

1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of curry powder

1/4 grated parmesan cheese

4-6 saltine crackers (I used Carr's Table Water Crackers), broken into small pieces

a small squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Note: I used these amounts for my salad, but feel free to change the amounts slightly to suit your preference. You can also add other things to the recipe to make it even more exotic, such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chopped pineapple, as well as herbs and seasoning such as tarragon or bay leaves. Just experiment and choose which ingredients you like the best!

Put the tuna and cucumber in a bowl. Drizzle over the lemon (optional) and mix with a spoon. Add the sesame oil, curry powder and parmesan and mix well.

Toss in the saltine crackers. Mix well and enjoy!

Chocolate Fondue with Poached Pears

I made this for my dad on his birthday and he loved it! You need a fondue pot and a small candle to make this delicious dessert.

serves 4

90g black chocolate

about 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 pear, peeled and cut into large chunks (see picture above)

a sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped (you can use dried rosemary)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick) 

1 tablespoon of hot water

5 tablespoons of caramel (recipe below)

1 tablespoon of honey

Breadsticks or biscuits

Note: the caramel should be transparent and brown, not cream-coloured and opaque (like Hershey's caramel sauce)

Caramel:

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 1/3 cups of hot water

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When sticky and bubbling, pour into a cup and leave aside.

Heat the honey, caramel and water in a pan. Place in the pears and sprinkle over the rosemary and cinnamon. Allow to cook for a few minutes, then flip over the pears with a pair of tongs and allow to cook for a few more minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave and put into the fondue bowl. Heat the heavy cream and add 2 tablespoons of it to the chocolate, mixing with a spoon. Add more and more until the taste is just right for you. Mix well and serve with the poached pears and breadsticks. Use long fondue forks to eat. Enjoy! 

Special Sandwich

I made this sandwich for my sister one morning and she thought it it was delicious! I hope you will like it too!

serves 1
2 slices of bread
butter
1 egg
2-3 slices bacon
1/4 a small cucumber, washed
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Fry the bacon until cooked and crispy. While you are waiting, chop the cucumber into thin slices (see picture above) and place into a medium bowl. Drizzle over the sesame oil and mix with a spoon. If there is not enough sesame flavour, add more sesame oil, mix, and leave aside.

When the bacon is done, leave it on a paper towel to drain the oil. Beat the egg and fry in a pan until cooked.

Toast and butter the bread. Place the bacon, egg and cucumber on a piece of toast and top with the other piece. Cut into halves and enjoy!

"Gahm" Flowers

This was what I served my mom when she said she wanted to eat "gahm" ie. mandarin oranges.

I called them Gahm Flowers - they are very precious!

Giant Ginger Cookies

This recipe is taken from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. This is the best gingerbread I've ever eaten, so be sure to try it!

ingredients

• 4-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 4  teaspoons ground ginger
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2  cups shortening
• 2  cups granulated sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1/2  cup molasses
• 3/4  cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar

directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.

3. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup dough. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar. Place about 2-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy.) Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Makes twenty-five (25) 4-inch cookies. Enjoy!

Tuna Croissants

I make these tuna croissants for breakfast sometimes and my family loves it! It it very easy to make but absolutely delicious.

serves 1

2 small croissants

1 can of tuna

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

a generous dollop of mayonnaise

a few crackers, crushed

some fresh parsley, finely chopped

Cut a slit on the top of the croissants (see picture above) and toast them. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl and stuff it inside the slit that you made in the croissant. Sprinkle on a bit more parsley and serve. Enjoy!  

Charming Chocolate Brownies

These can be eaten just as a light snack, but are equally good as a hot dessert topped with chocolate fudge and ice cream!


Makes 16 squares


1/2 a cup of butter or margarine (113 g), melted
90 g semisweet/dark chocolate *
90 g semisweet/dark chocolate chips *
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 a cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/3 cup of cocoa powder (preferably Hershey's)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease 9 inch square baking pan.



Break the dark chocolate in a bowl and add the butter. Melt the chocolate and butter over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.


Stir together sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Add eggs and beat well with a spoon.


Sieve and stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.


Fold the melted chocolate into the beaten egg mixture.


Then fold in the flour mixture. Next, add in chocolate chips and nuts.


Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until brownie begin to pull away from pan from the side. Do not over bake!
Cool completely in pan on wire rack, then cut into 16 even-sized pieces. Enjoy!


* I use Ghana Black Chocolate (90 gram pack) by Lotte.




Chocolate fudge:
Drizzle this over brownies and ice cream for a spectacular dessert!


Makes about 1 cup


90 g dark or black chocolate, melted
about 1/2 cup heavy cream


Put melted chocolate in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix well. Add in more cream, tablespoon by tablespoon, until it is sweet enough for you. Drizzle over and enjoy!


PS If you eat the brownies warm, the chocolate inside will have melted and turn slightly gooey. Simply delicious!

Prawn Salad

I made this salad on my mother's birthday. She really liked it and I think you will too!

serves 4

1 small head of lettuce, washed

500 g of small shelled prawns

2 slices of bacon

for the balsamic dressing:

1 3/4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

5 tablespoons of good-quality extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan in high heat for about 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked. Remove and put on paper towels.

Fry the prawns with the oil from the bacon until cooked.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and set aside.

Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a jam jar and put on the cap tightly. Shake a few times and set aside.

Mix the lettuce, prawns and bacon in a large bowl. Slowly pour over all the sauce and mix. Enjoy!

Caramel Popcorns

These popcorns are great for a movie. The caramel makes it delicious!

serves 3

1 pack microwave popcorn
4 tablespoons of sugar
2 cups of water

Combine the sugar and water together in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce until a thick bubbly mixture forms. This will take about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the popcorn and put it in a large bowl. Drizzle over the caramel and mix with a spatula. Enjoy!

Home-made chips

These chips were very yummy. For the potato chips to be crispy, they need to be sliced extremely thin.

serves 4

4 medium potatoes, sliced extremely thinly

olive oil

Heat some oil in a non-stick saucepan. Place a bunch of the potatoes in and fry for about 5 minutes, or until light brown (see picture above).Flip them over with a pair of tongs and fry for 5 more minutes. Take them out of the pan and put them on a paper towel. Continue with the next bunch of potatoes, until all the pieces are fried on both sides. Enjoy!

Crispy Corn Cakes

These are really great when watching a movie, or just as an afternoon snack. If you want yours extra corny, use 2/3 a can of corn instead of 1/2 a can.

serves 4

2 medium potatoes, peeled
1/2 a can of corn
1 egg
Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire or A1 sauce
corn starch or corn flour
5 cups of oil, for deep-frying
salt and pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes. Remove and mash in a large bowl. Add the corn, 1 egg, a dash of Tabasco sauce and the Worcestershire/A1 sauce. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Shape the mixture into small chunks (see picture above). Put some corn starch in a bowl and coat the chunks in the flour. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Carefully drop the chunks in and fry for a few minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and place on some paper towels. Enjoy!

Aglio Olio

I modified this recipe from Rachel Ray's aglio oglio. It's really good.

serves 2

5 anchovies
olive oil
4 tablespoons of butter
cooked spaghetti
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
parsley, chopped finely

Melt the anchovies in olive oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add the garlic and 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix until the butter has melted, then add the noodles. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter. Mix and serve with a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy!

Crab Meat on Toast

The crab from the next post can also be served on buttered toast with a dollop of garlic mayonnaise.

Garlic Mayonnaise

1 clove of garlic

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Crush the garlic and mix in 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Add 2 more tablespoons and mix. Enjoy!

Curry Crab Noodles

I made these noodles with some leftover crab meat. They were delicious!

Curry Crab Noodles

serves 6-8

boiled meat of 1 snow crab

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of curry powder

salt and pepper

cooked spaghetti

1/4 of a cabbage, chopped

First, prepare the crab. Put the crab meat in a large bowl and mix in the oil. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Fry the cabbage in a saucepan. When it is almost done, throw in the noodles and crab. Sprinkle in a tablespoon of the curry powder and fry for a little while longer. Serve with a sprinkle of curry powder. 

Stir - Fried Noodles invented by ME!

I made these noodles. They were very good! If you're interested, the recipe is below.

Stir - fried noodles

Serves 2

1/2 an onion, sliced

3 pieces of ham, chopped into small pieces

1 clove of garlic, chopped very finely

cooked spaghetti

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons of hot water

Fry the onions and ham in a saucepan for a few minutes. When the onions are light brown, add the noodles and fry a bit longer.

Mix the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water together in a bowl. Before serving, drizzle the sauce over the noodles and mix. Enjoy!