Ian @ 21st Week (5 months old)

Here is our precious on the Christmas week.

Weight: 6.48 kg
Height: 63 cm

Baby Ian Rolling Over

Baby Ian learned his roll over skill 3 or 4 weeks ago. I managed to capture his action this afternoon.

When Ian Is Not Happy

香茅焖羊肉 (产后12天)

材料:

300克 羊肉
3枝 香茅(拍扁)
20克 生姜(拍扁)
100克 小葱头
700毫升 水


调味料:

1/2小匙 老抽
1大匙 黄酒/糯米酒
1/2小匙 盐(后加)


做法:

1. 羊肉洗净后切成块状, 然后用沸水汆烫一会, 盛起沥干再以热锅干炒一息间, 取出留用.
2. 将小葱头去衣后, 用热油微煎至呈金黄色, 盛起备用.
3. 烧热一大匙麻油炒香生姜, 加入羊肉, 小葱头和香茅拌炒一会, 注入清水及调味料同煮沸, 改用慢火焖煮约1小时, 或至羊肉松软为止, 最后加入盐调味即可.


原食谱用了热油来炸小葱头, 我改为略煎.


Original Recipe:
养生月子食谱

2010年@冬天 ~ Winter 2010

回看2008年我在洛桑过的第一个下雪天, 今年的雪似乎下得比较早, 而且也下得很凶. 上个星期还太阳高挂, 这个星期却已经是一片白茫茫. 这是振希的第一个冬天, 记录在此让他改天回味回味.

冬天了, 最让我爱死的便是部分瑞士公寓所采用的地板采暖系统(Underfloor heating). 无论室外多冷, 室内总是暖暖的. 我老是骂我老公, 冬天还在家里穿短裤. 哪一天要真是离开这里, 我最怀念的肯定是它的温暖屋, 再来是它的天气,气候, 接着才是它那如画的风景...还有还有... 我的姐妹们.

下雪天吃些什么好呢?? 华人嘛... 就是爱火锅, 不然学瑞士人... 冬天吃芝士火锅(Cheese fondue)或奶酪板烧(Raclette)也行.

振希的第一件冬季外套

第一个下雪夜 - 11月25日2010年, 晚上

跟爸妈出外买菜 - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 早上

在家后阳台, 被雪打到时的无辜表情 - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 下午

被爸爸欺负(1) - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 下午

被爸爸欺负(2) - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 下午

被爸爸欺负(3) - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 下午

全家福 - 11月27日2010年(星期六), 下午

家里前阳台 - 12月01日2010年(星期三), 下午

家里后阳台 - 12月01日2010年(星期三), 下午

家里后阳台的积雪 - 12月01日2010年(星期三), 下午

Express Meatballs - Spaghetti

Ingredients:
(serves 2)

2 fresh sausages (about 250 g)
200 g spaghetti
Fresh basil leaves (leaves - coarsely chopped, stalk - finely chopped)
Fresh oregano leaves
Few cloves garlic (chopped)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 can tinned tomatoes (about 400 g)
About 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


Method:

1. Boil water and cook your spaghetti according to its instructions.
2. Heat up some olive oil in a pan. Cut your sausages into half and remove your sausage meat from its casing by pinching it out using your fingers. A pinch for one meatball and drop it quickly into your pan. Toss your pan in between, until your meatballs are cooked and lightly browned. Add oregano leaves and toss it before turning off the heat.
3. While cooking the meatballs, in another pan, heat up some olive oil. Stir fry your garlic and basil stalk until fragrance. Add half of your basil leaves into the pan, leave the other half for garnishing. Saute your basil leaves for about 20 seconds.
4. Pour in your tinned tomatoes. Add salt and black pepper and bring it to boil. Before you turn off your heat, add balsamic vinegar to the sauce and give it a quick stir.
5. Serve your spaghetti with your freshly cooked tomato sauce and meatballs. Garnish it with some fresh basil leaves.


Original recipe from:
'Jamie at Home'


Additional references:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/meatballs-and-pasta
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spaghetti_and_meatballs/
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/italian-spaghetti-sauce-with-meatballs/Detail.aspx

Little Ian's Babble

Little Ian babbles a lot and this is how my husband treats him... sometimes.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

A
1.5 cups rice, cooked and keep in fridge overnight
Shallots, thinly sliced
Garlic, chopped
1 red chili, sliced
1/2 bowl chicken fillet, cut into cubes, marinate with fish sauce & pepper
Few prawns (optional)
1 bowl pineapple cubes (fresh or canned)
A handful of roasted unsalted cashew nuts
3/4 bowl frozen peas
A handful of raisins
1 egg, add fish sauce & pepper, slightly beaten
Spring onion or coriander

B
5 tablespoons fish sauce (add more if it is not salty enough)
1 teaspoon chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons water


Method:

1. Mix everything in B in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat wok with some oil. Stir fry shallots, garlic and chili till fragrance.
3. Add chicken and prawn and saute until cooked.
4. Pour in your frozen peas and saute for about half a minute.
5. Push your chicken cubes and peas to aside. Add some oil and add the beaten egg to the wok/pan, stir fry quickly to cook (like making scrambled eggs).
6. Stir well B and add to wok.
7. Quickly add the rice to the wok. Stir fry until all the rice has mixed and coated evenly with the sauce. Break up any lumps with your utensil or a fork.
8. Add pineapple cubes, cashew nuts and raisins. Stir fry to mix in.
9. Finally, do a taste test. If not salty enough add more fish sauce. If not spicy enough, add more chopped fresh chili. If too salty for your taste, add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
10. Serve hot with some spring onion or coriander.


Adapted from:
http://thaifood.about.com/od/thairecipesstepbystep/ss/pineapplerice.htm

Ian @ 17th Week

4 more days and little Ian will turn 4 months old. We are so happy to be blessed with this little angel who brings so much happiness in our life. May he continue to stay healthy and cheerful all the time.


Weight: 6.105 kg
Height: 61.5 cm

Steamed Chicken with Chinese Angelica ~ 当归蒸鸡 (产后7天)

我老公说这道当归蒸鸡煮得真好吃. 所以就放上来分享分享.


材料:

A
2 只大鸡腿

B
1/2 大匙盐 (吃饭用的铁汤匙)
2 大匙绍兴酒
1 大匙姜茸

C
1 大把枸杞/杞子
6 大片当归
5 大匙绍兴酒


做法:

1. 鸡腿用材料B腌制好备用.
2. 把材料C混合好, 放置15分钟.
3. 再把A, B和C搅拌均匀, 放在冰箱里腌制2小时.
4. 水滚后, 用大火蒸25-30分钟或直至鸡完全熟透.


Ingredients:

A
2 big chicken thighs

B
1/2 tablespoons salt (metal spoon)
2 tablespoons Shao Xing wine
1 tablespoon grated ginger

C
A handful of medlar seeds
6 big slices Chinese Angelica/"Dang Gui"
5 tablespoons Shao Xing wine


Method:

1. Marinate the chicken thighs with B.
2. Mix C together and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Mix A, B and C together. Put in fridge and let it marinate for 2 hours.
4. Steam your chicken with high heat for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.


把姜块压在刨丝器上面摩擦便可取得姜茸. You can grate your ginger with a shredder/grater.


Adapted from:
养生月子食谱

Sauteed Minced Pork Sauce

This a simple recipe which my husband likes so much. It is actually our Chinese version of meat sauce and it acts just like the ground beef sauce for spaghetti. You can serve it with a bowl of hot noodle soup or a plate of plain noodle. Stir fry some with a block of tofu and it will be another dish on your dining table.


Ingredients:

A
500 g ground pork
Salt
Pepper
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Chinese cooking wine (Shao Xing wine)

B
8 dried Shiitake/Chinese mushrooms (soaked and cut into small cubes)
1/2 bowl frozen peas (mine come with carrots)
6 shallots (halved and sliced) - You may also add onion to increase volume of your meat sauce
5 cloves garlic (chopped)

C
2 tablespoons cornflour (dissolved in some water)
Soaking water of your dried Shiitake mushrooms
Water (enough to cover your meat, peas and mushrooms)
Dark soy sauce
Chicken stock
Salt
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Oyster sauce (optional)


Method:

1. Marinate your meat with salt, pepper, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine and sesame oil.
2. Saute your chopped garlic, shallots and Shiitake mushrooms until fragrance in a hot wok with a bit of oil.
3. Add your minced meat to the wok and stir fry until it is cooked.
4. Add the water from Shiitake mushrooms to your meat. Add more water until it is slightly over the meat.
5. Pour in your frozen peas and bring the whole wok of meat sauce to boil.
6. Meanwhile, season your meat sauce with salt, pepper, dark soy sauce and chicken stock.
7. Keep on stirring the meat sauce while adding your cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
8. Bring it to boil and turn off the heat.


When marinating your meat, you may want to be generous in using your salt, pepper, soy sauce, cooking wine and sesame oil. Surprisingly, it uses quite a big amount of the mentioned ingredients to marinate a large bowl of meat. I added more cooking wine to my meat as I personally like the meat sauce with a stronger taste of wine.

Cook your meat sauce in big batch and store in different containers. Keep them in freezer for further usage.


Additional readings:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/tour/food/chinese-cooking/minced-pork-noodles.htm
http://www.chubbyhubby.net/blog/?p=162

我家@木瓜鱼汤

这道加了楜椒粒的的木瓜鱼汤, 微甜微辣的味道很适合我口味. 我很不爱用青木瓜煮出来的那个版本. 感觉很像黄瓜煮汤, 淡淡没味, 真没劲.

其实我也不知道我这个版本的木瓜鱼汤对催奶有没有效, 只是我老公也很爱喝, 所以我们常煮. 我不时都笑他, 不晓得几时喝出奶来.


材料:

1 粒半生熟木瓜 (小/中型)
5-6 片姜
1 汤匙白楜椒粒 (压碎)
1/2 尾鱼
2 公升水
少许盐


煮法:

1. 把木瓜去皮, 切块.
2. 烧热少许油, 爆一爆姜片和楜椒碎.
3. 再把鱼放进锅, 两面略煎.
4. 加入2公升的水, 把水煮开后, 调至中小火把鱼汤略滚15分钟.
5. 加入木瓜块再煮30分钟.
6. 熄火前加些盐调味即可.

其实, 木瓜催奶汤有很多个煮法, 大家不妨上网找一找. 就好像养生月子食谱里便用了猪尾巴和花生来代替鱼, 也有些食谱是用猪脚的.


Additional readings:
http://baike.baidu.com/view/181351.html?fromTaglist
http://www.zghdjk.com/meal/105890.htm

Tean's Gourmet ~ 田师傅

Cooking paste from Tean's Gourmet could really be a life saver for those who are craving for some real Malaysian cuisine. We especially love the Assam Fish Paste and Stir Fry Sambal Tumis Sauce. Your dish will be ready in minutes and yet it carries the same flavour as the one you get in any local restaurants.

Story Time

Ian @ 14th Week

Weight: 5.84 kg
Height: 59.5 cm

Beef Stew

Yes, another recipe modified from Jamie Oliver's. Hubby has downloaded Jamie Oliver's TV series 'Jamie at Home' and now I am so motivated to try some of the recipes myself. I served this to a small group of friends during dinner and the response was quite encouraging. What is so special about this dish is in the final step where the lemon zest, rosemary and chopped garlic release the fragrance and make a great difference to the original taste.


Ingredients:

Olive oil
A knob of butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 kg stewing steak or beef skirt, cut into 2-inch pieces
Freshly ground sea salt & black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cornflour
4-5 carrots, peeled and into 2-inch pieces
2 large tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 bottle red wine
Water
1/2 cube beef stock
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
A handful of rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Few cloves of garlic, finely chopped


Method:

1. Marinate your meat with salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and cornflour overnight.
2. Heat oil and butter in your pressure cooker. Saute your chopped onion until fragrance.
3. Add your meat to the pot and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Next, add your wine, beef stock, tomato puree and adequate amount of water to cover the meat. Season with black pepper and sea salt, stir to mix well. Leave it to boil for 30 minutes.
5. Now, add in your carrots and cook everything using your pressure cooker for 25 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat after 25 minutes and release the pressure. Now you may add your tomatoes and cover your pot for 10 minutes. Let the hot steam cooks your tomatoes.
7. Finally, mix the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and garlic together and sprinkle over the hot stew before eating.

If you are not using a pressure cooker to cook this dish, you might need 2-3 hours to stew it.


Adapted from:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/jools-s-favourite-beef-stew