Simple Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Croutons 西式 南瓜羹

Elegant, delicious creamy pumpkin soup to goes with Croutons

There are many variation of pumpkin soups with no boundaries, from Asian version of chunky pumpkin to make the ABC style, or the elegant creamy type. I am sharing with the very basic creamy style of pumpkin soup. Once you have try the basic, maybe you would like to venture into more complicated and add different ingredients to create more flavor to your soup. You will definitely be pleased with the end result. There are many different type pumpkin soup recipes on the internet. You and your entire family will enjoy this simple home made pumpkin soup, as the soup has a wonderful and very special appeal to adults and kids alike. You can either enjoy the soup with croutons (French words, which are small cubed flavored bread) or you may prefer to have garlic bread as dipping, is all up to your preference.

If you have any esquires, please feel free to comment, I would, with my best abilities to share my knowledge with you. Happy cooking!

These home made croutons add more excitement to the soup. Children will definitely loved and enjoy it. Or you can use garlic bread or even crackers as dipping for the soup, to enhance and make the soup more interesting!

Simple and Basic Recipe for creamy pumpkin soup

Ingredients

1 big onion (peeled and quartered)
1 clove garlic (skinned )
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
500 gm pumpkin cubes
1 medium size carrot (skinned and cut in big pieces)
750gm chicken stock ( refer below for some tips)
3 tbsp fresh whipping cream (optional) - I omitted this
Basil to taste (chopped coarsely)
salt to taste (I omitted this)

Method

1. put oil/butter in a pot saute the garlic and big onion, add in carrot and pumpkin for about 2 mins.
2. Add in the chicken stock and bring a boil lower the fire to medium and slow boil for about 30 minutes. Off the fire.
3. Add cream (I did not use the cream) and blend till creamy.
4. Use cream to swirl pattern on top of the soup, and garnish with parley or basil.
5. Serve warm with croutons or garlic bread or ever crackers as dipping.

Making of croutons

1. 3 to 4 slices of preferable over-night bread (I use wholemeal bread) cut into small cubes.
2. Sprinkle and mix with 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder, coat the bread with some soft butter.
3. Baked in the oven till golden brown and crispy. 
4. Store in airtight container.
5. Ideal for creamy soups/ salads and even eat it as snack.
6. Enjoy

Tips on preparing chicken stock

Boil 2 chicken carcass, 2 big quartered onion, 1 carrot (cut into big chucks) with 1.2 litre of water to get the chicken stock.

Taufu Fah 豆腐花

You can see the smoothness of Taufu Fah, it will tremble when you shake the bowl; I am not exaggerating orh! hehehe....
The Tau Foo Fah is ready to be served with white sugar syrup.

I prefer to top with gula melaka ( palm sugar) syrup

 

The Taufu Fah is ready to be served. Before you know it, the pot is empty in no time. 

 This time, I used the ' organice' soy bean. Hmmm..... sometimes wonder how organic is 'organic'.

This dessert is love by all Malaysian and Singaporean, regardless of races, young and old alike. What about other countries, I really not sure, maybe you can tell me? I believed nobody can resist these gorgeous desserts. It is best to eat it warm, top with either brown sugar or white sugar syrup, Mama Mia! "Slurp" with a spoonful of Taufu Fah into mouth and it melt down to the throat, its heavenly delicious yummy. You have to really taste it, and definitely fall in love with the dessert. Taufu Fah is an ideal dessert for party and friends gathering.

Special thanks to my friend Munly Lee for sharing the recipe, and in return I am sharing the recipe with you all here. Happy trying!

Ingredients

300 gms soy bean
11 bowls of water 

3 heap full tablespon cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoon level  Glucono Delta Lactone 豆花果酸
Mix the cornflour and the Glucono Delta Lactone (GDL) with 3/4 bowl of water.

Method

1. Soak beans with water for at least 4 hours or over night, changing water in between
2. Blend beans with 11 bowls of water
3. Sieve with a muslin cloth
4. Boil over medium fire. Once boiled, off the fire. Remove the foamy part
5. Pour the cornflour mixture into pot, then pour the soy beans into the pot. Cover pot.
6. DO NOT open lid for a least 1 hour.
7. Serve with white sugar syrup or brown sugar/gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup.

To make the syrup

4 tablespoon of white sugar or brown sugar/gula melaka(palm sugar), mix with some water and 1 small piece of smashed old ginger, melt and boil over medium fire.

Friendly tips

If you are even more lazy than me, quietly give you some lazy man's tips ~ you can buy the ready soy bean milk without sugar from the hawker and make the Taufu Fah, then you can save the method on 1, 2 and 3. hehehe

This is  for the record on 27th October 2011  I have posted  another unlimited creation of  Tau Fu Fah for you to create your own Tau Fu Fah!

Latest twist of Tau Fu Fah  without lime powder or citric acid.  The chilled Tau Fu Fah using agar agar!

Chinese Herbal Jelly (Guilinggao 龟苓膏)

Today is "Chap Goh May' which means 15th of January in Hokkien and marked as the last day of Chinese new year celebration. As for the Chinese today is Valentine day.
My husband birthday falls on Chinese and Western Valentine Day 14th February and Chinese calender is 15th January. How lucky he is orh!

This year children bought a tub of 'La Cremeria Chocolate Obsession" ice cream for their papa's birthday celebration. But the ice cream all gobbled up by the children!

Happy Valentine n Birthday to my old man and all of you out there!

Today, sharing with you an easy to make desserts. Just follow the instruction from the box, chilled in the fridge, Tada.... here you are a delicious and cooling desserts. Don't forget to add in the brown sugar syrup to enhance the taste.

Chilled in the fridge before serving

Method

1. Put one small packet of the powder (10gm) mix with a little cold water to mix powder in paste.
2. mix the paste with 200ml of boiling water.
3. Chilled in the fridge
4. Add sugar fluid or honey to serve.
5. It is best served chilled.

Walnut chocolate Cheese Slices

I was told this is a Five Star Hotel Cake, worth to give it a try!

These cake suppose to use a 10 X 10 square tin, sliced the cake into square shape

There are two version of the cheese cake, one is call Walnut Chocolate Cheese Slices; the other is Chocolate Cheese marble Squares. one use cooking chocolate the other is the cocoa power.
Both I learn during of the Spastic Center's Charity Cooking Demonstration.

I prefer the Walnut Chocolate Cheese Slices but make some alteration on the method.

Ingredients
A) 250 gm butter
4 tbsp coco powder

B 250 g philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
100 gm caster sugar

C) 1 Grade A egg
D) 150gm caster sugar
3 Grade A eggs
E) 130 gm selfing-raising flour ) Sieved
1 tsp baking powder )
F) 50gm walnut or almond nibs (chopped)

Method

1. Melt the butter with a heavy pot, add in the coco powder to mix well,( add in when the butter still hot) set aside for later use.
2. Beat B, mix well, add in C, pour our the cheese mixture into a piping bag.
3. Beat D and pour in mixture 1 (butter and cocoa powder), mix well combine, fold in E (the flour mixture).
4. pour 1/2 portion (3) into a 10 X 10 baking tin (lined with greased proof paper). Pipe out the cheese mixture, top with the remaining 1/2 portion. Make a marble effect, sprinkle chopped walnut on top
5. Bake in preheated oven at 130 degree for 40 - 50 minutes.

Notes

If follow the above method the cheese mixture is sandwich in between the chocolate mixture. I make some alternation from step no. 4.
4. Pour in 3/4 of the mixture into a well greased tray and baki in over for 10 mins at 130 degree C .
5. Pour cheese filling over the baked layer
6. Pour the remaining batter over the cheese filling and swirl lightly with thin skewer or toothpick to form a design.
7. sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top.
8. Bake in the over for a further 30 minutes.

Double Boiled Bird's Nest With Ginseng 炖燕窝 泡参

Bird's nest Ginseng with egg and without egg, depend on individual liking

Would like to thank Evelyn for the special gift from Kuching, Sarawak and how about making it a habit?! hehehe.....

According to scientific findings, Bird's Nest contain lots of calcium and minerals essential for the general health of the body. It is especially nourishing for the lungs and throat. Maintaining a good complexion with regular consumption, it helps to promote good circulation of the blood system. It is neither too cooking nor heaty, and is suitable for the young and old.

There are many way to prepare Bird nest.

1. Pure bird's Nest: Use a crock pot or double boiler for best results. add rock sugar to taste.
2. Bird's Nest with Chicken: Put Bird.s Nest into chicken. Stew for hours.
3. Bird's Nest with Porridge: Bird's Nest cooked with Porridge provides you with a very nutritious and delicious meal.
4. bird's Nest with Fish Maw: Stew Bird's Nest and Fish Maw in a crock-pot or double boiler. Add rock sugar to taste.
5. Cold Bird's Nest: After Bird's Nest is cooked, let it cool for a while before putting into the refrigerator. Do not add ice-cubes to Bird's Nest.
6. Bird's Nest with Ginseng: Stew Bird's Nest and Ginseng in a crock-pot or double-boiler. Add rock sugar to taste.

I am preparing the nourishing desserts for my whole family as per recipe below, simple and easy.

Super Grade Bird's Nest from Kuching.

Soak in water for about 3 to 4 hours till expand and soft

Ginseng泡参 , rock sugar, red dates and egg

Ingredients

20-30gm Ginsing
4 pcs of bird nest (soaked in water till soft)
Rock sugar to taste
5-6 pcs red dates
1.2 liter hot water
1 egg

Method

1. Put all ingredients except the egg into a slow cooker and cooked for 4 hours, or using double boiled method.
2. Add in 1 egg slightly beaten to the dessert and serve hot.

Potato Crabmeat Patties 马铃薯蟹肉饼

A very interesting and delicious snack.

Recipe adapted from Amy Beh of Cook's Nook, Star paper.
I have made some amendment on the original recipe

Ingredients

250 potatoes
45g cooked crab meat (can be replaced by prawns)
50g shredded carrot
2 white button mushrooms, finely diced
1 tsp oil
40 g diced onion
1 tbsp chopped spring onion
1 tsp chopped red chili
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chicken stock granules ( I omitted and use 1 tbsp of oyster sauce and 1 tsp of fish sauce)
1 tsp cornflour ( I use 1 tbsp to make the patties firmer)

Method

Scrub potatoes clean and place in a saucepan.
cover with water and bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are cooked and tender.
Drain and leave to cool. Peel and mash the potatoes.
Heat oil and saute onion, carrot and mushrooms. Add salt, pepper and chicken stock granules. Dish out the mixture and leave aside to cool then mix with mashed potatoes, crab meat, spring onion and chili. Add cornflour to mix.
Divide potato mixture into equal portions. Shape each into a pattie. Pan fry patties for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and heated through.
Serve with chili sauce and mayonnaise.

Tips

My own version of making the mayonnaise dipping -
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp or to adjust lemon juice.
Mix and combine the above. Tada! The sauce is ready!

1 DISH MEAL - Mustard Cabbage Rice 芥菜香饭

Mustard Cabbage 芥菜, Chinese Mushrooms, Dry prawns and Lap Cheong (I used Kwai Fah Yoke 桂花肉)

Here is the recipe

Ingredients
2 measuring cups of rice - washed and drained ( I used brown rice)
200g long mustard cabbage washed and coarsely chopped
3-4 chinese mushroom, soaked and diced
2 -3 Lap Cheong or Kwai Fah yoke (as shown in photo) - chopped
50 gms of dried, soaked and drained
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 shallots, sliced
500ml fresh chicken stock or water
1 1/2 tbsp of shao shine wine

Seasoning
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in work, fry the dry prawns till the prawns start 'jumping' add in the garlic, shallots and fry till lightly brown and fragrant.
2. Add the mushroom and lap cheong, mix well.
3. Put in rice, long mustard cabbage and seasoning. toss for 2 minutes then remove all the ingredients to a rice cooker.
4. Pour in chicken stock or water. Let the rice cook until done. Add in 1 1/2 tbsp of shao shine wine.
   
5. Allow the rice to stand for 10-15 minutes, mix well before dishing out to serve.

Tips

1. You may substitute the Lap cheong or Kwai fah yoke with any other meat of your choice, marinate the meat with some salt, sugar , pepper, sesame oil, light soy sauce and a bit of cornflour for 1/2 hr.
2. Use the long type of mustard cabbage as shown in the photo

Dim Sum - Siew Mai 燒賣

It has been a long time since I last made Siew Mai for my family. My children commented that because of facebook that inspired me to be enthusiastic again to prepare different type of foods for the family. They thanked facebook for it. How you like that?! hehe......
It is a satisfying bite of each siew mai.
Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

200gm minced pork
150gm prawns -shelled and minced ( I prefer to chopped into pcs)
3 dried mushrooms - soaked, and chopped finely
3 water-chestnuts, chopped finely
2 tbsp of chopped spring onions

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
pepper
1 tesp sesame oil
1tbsp cornflour
1 egg

30-35 pcs wantan skin, trimmed into neat round shape

Topping
1 tbsp finely chopped carrots or 2 steamed salted egg yolks

1. Combine mined port and prawn meat with salt, fish sauce, sugar and pepper, Mix well until mixture turns sticky. Add mushrooms, water-chestnuts and spring onions. stir in sesame oil and cornflour. Mix well. Lastly add the egg and blend well.
2. Chill filling in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
3. Put a pc of wantan skin on top of your thumb and index finger. Add 1 full teaspoon of filling in the center. Bring the edges together with the back of the teaspoon. Press down the filling and smooth the surface. Flatten the bottom so that Siew Mai sits properly.
4. Place the Siew Mai on a greased steaming bamboo basket. sprinkle with a little carrot to garnish.
5. Steam Siew Mai over high heat for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and serve hot with chilli sauce.

Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet

The method is the same as the Sweet and Sour Meat, substitute the meat with fish fillet and the only difference is to shorten the time on deep frying of the fillet, as fish is cooked easily. The taste is as good as the sweet and sour pork. For further details refer to my previous recipe.