Monday, June 28, 2010

Boneless Pata Tim

While browsing over my numerous copies of my favorite Food Magazine, I came across this recipe - Boneless Pata Tim.

While I have already been cooking the regular Pata Tim recipe also from Food Magazine, this boneless version is one that I still have to try in my kitchen. But with the reputation of Food Magazine as one who'll try cooking first any recipe before they feature it, I'm certain that this one would be another excellent one.

Here's the recipe for the BONELESS PATA TIM. This will serve 6.

Ingredients:
1 Pork front leg (pata)
8 cups water
¼ cup Minced garlic, divided
1 medium Onion, sliced, divided
1 tbsp. Peppercorns, divided
1 tsp Salt, divided
¼ cup Soy sauce
¼ cup Cooking oil
3 tbsps sugar
3 tbsps Oyster sauce
1 tbsp. Sesame oil
1 tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in
¼ cup water

For the Vegetable:
1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 medium White onion, sliced
1 medium Carrot, sliced
1 small Bokchoy, sliced

Directions:
1. In a pot, put the pork leg (pata) in water with half of garlic, onions and peppercorns, and salt. Bring to boil. Simmer under low heat for one hour or until pork is tender.
2. Drain pata from the liquid. Set aside liquid.
3. Run a knife inside the pata to loosen the meat from the bone. Discard the bone.
4. Brush pata with soy sauce.
5. In a skillet, heat cooking oil to medium high and fry the pata until golden brown. About 3 minutes on each side.
6. Pour in reserved liquid and add remaining garlic, onions, peppercorns and salt.
7. Stir in sugar, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Simmer over low heat until stock reduces in half. Add dissolved cornstarch in water and bring to boil until sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.
8. Cook the vegetables. In a skillet, heat oil and stir fry onions, carrots and bokchoy about 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.
9. Serve pata tim with vegetables on the side.


Source: Food Magazine, March 2007

Enjoy cooking and eating!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

How To Make Drop Cookies - for kids and first-time bakers

Back when I was still a young mother, I learned how to bake by just following instructions from the cookbook.

Among the first thing that I baked was cookies. Cookies are actually very easy to make and it also brings a lot of satisfaction in me especially when the cookies are appreciated by my little ones ( and the hubby as well!)

Drop cookies are perfect for first-time bakers. Here are some tips on how to make cookies for kids to follow...

1. Have a grown up close by to help.
2. Carefully read the recipe and prepare the necessary baking equipment/utensils and ingredients.
3. Place cookie sheet in the oven one at a time, on the middle oven rack.
4. Check the cookies at the earliest baking time indicated. Remember, cookies get easily overdone when left in the oven even for just a few minutes.
5. Always use potholders or oven mittens to remove cookie sheets from the oven.
6. When using the same cookie sheet, let it cool first before putting the next batch of dough on them.





3 Steps to making the perfect drop cookies

Step 1: In a large mixer bowl, beat brown sugar, sugar, margarine ans shortening until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture. Usually this takes 2 to 3 minutes of beating with an electric mixer, and longer if using wooden spoon. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The flour, baking soda and salt can be mixed in with the electric mixer or stirred in until completely combined. The dough would be quite stiff at this point.

Step 2: Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chopped chocolate and nuts until the pieces are evenly distributed.

Step 3: To bake, drop small amounts of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet by using a regular sized tablespoon to scoop the dough and a spatula to drop the dough into the cookie sheet, in equal sized mounds, about 2 inches apart (note: this is important to give space to the cookies as they spread out during baking).

The above instructions and tips were gathered from my collection of Pillsbury Cookbooks, which until now I still use although they are already worn and tattered ( evidence of their constant use!)

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A Taste of Japan- TEMPURA

Here's a dish that is very common in any Japanese Restaurant- Tempura.

Tempura is actually quite easy to prepare. In fact, it is one of the dishes I first learned when I was still a new wife and was still learning how to cook.

Here goes the recipe of Tempura

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo fresh shrimp
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup water
1 egg slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt

Tempura Sauce:
1/2 cup hot water
1 pc bouillon cube
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. vetsin (optional)
1 tsp. ginger, grated
2 tbsps. radish, grated
cooking oil

Procedure:
1. Shell shrimps. Slit the back and open butterfly fashion. Devein and wash. Dry and set aside.
2. In a bowl prepare the batter. Combine water, egg, flour and salt. Stir about 5 times, but still lumpy.
3. Heat oil in pan.
4. Dip shrimps in batter and deep fry.
5. Prepare Tempura Sauce by combining all the ingredients together.
6. Served Tempura hot with sauce.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Got Any Recipe Request?

Yes, dear friends, if you have any recipe request do let me know. I might have it in my collection. Just drop a comment in my Comment Link below.