Thursday, May 17, 2012

{EVENT ENDED} Gold Kili Coffee plus Frezfruta Jam Giveaway!


Hi! It's Friday again and it's time to slow down your pace and get ready for the weekend break if you have being work too hard for the week. Here I have some new products review plus giveaways to brighten up your day as well as boost up your energy with a cup of fragrant coffee from Gold Kili.

I am sure most of you who stays in Singapore have either tried or heard of "Gold Kili" products before. Since 1985, Gold Kili has being a local coffee manufacturer and distributor with great selection of Instant Beverages such as their ever popular Instant Honey Ginger and Instant Honey Chrysanthemum. And just recently Lion City Distribution, a joint venture between Gold Kili and Frezfruta has launched a total of 7 products on their improved coffee, tea, cereal and jam which some are shown on the post below.


GOLD KILI
Double Shot Instant White Coffee And Kopi O


Double Shot Instant White Coffee features the strong full-bodied taste of the finest Arabica Beans blended with a rich creamer and as well first instant coffee in the market which has "Inulin(寡糖)" added. Inulin is known to promote the growth of good Bifidus bacteria to help maintain a good digestive systems which worth giving it a Shot!
Retail Price: S$6.50/packet of 15 sachets


Kopi-O 35% Less Sugar is a new and improved from Gold Kili's 2-in-1 Kopi-O (35% Less Sugar) using 100% ground coffee that’s traditionally roasted in Singapore but this new packaging comes with less sugar for the health-conscious. So for those who prefer non-milk coffee this will be a great choice to start your day with.
Retail Price: S$4.30/packet of 20 sachets



FREZFRUTA KAYA AND JAMS


For regular consumer, you will notice they orange-coloured Frezfruta Kaya has actually being replace from "tin-can" to a classy glass bottle like what other competitor brands used. Although this traditional kaya might not be of liking to those who fancy thick, creamy and fragrant kaya such as from Yakun toast but in another view this might be someone else favourite too. So for a chance no harm giving this a try on your toast or baguette.
Retail Price: S$2.25/bottle


Frezefruta Peach as well as Frezefruta Apple Blueberry Jam are new fruits jam in the  market made from IQF(Individually Quick Frozen) fresh fruits, with a high fruit content of 50%  that is natural goodness at its best. Although I do make my own jam from time to time(read more on homemade jam recipes here) but it has never come across my mind to combine apple with blueberry into jam. So upon trying their Apple Blueberry Jam it indeed gives me a light and refreshing berries taste which goes well with a few cream crackers and a cup of tea.
Retail Price: S$3.00/bottle


For more product updates and recipes using Gold Kili and Frezfruta Jam, you can follow Lion City Distribution(the official distributor of Gold Kili Coffee & Beverages products, Frezfruta Jam and Kaya as well as other food items in Singapore)at their facebook page HERE.

EVENT ENDED AS ON 20 May 2012

GIVEAWAYS! - SINGAPORE ONLY


Thanks to the sponsors Frezfruta and Gold Kili. Here we are giving away a set each of the above items(Peach, Apple blueberry Jams and Kaya, Double Shot White Coffee and Kopi-O Less 35% sugar) to 3 Lucky Readers of Cuisine Paradise. To participate, please please refer to our facebook page HERE.

NOTE:-
~ For those who has no facebook account but wish to join in this Giveaway. Please leave a comment on which is your favourite old Kili Beverage or Frezfruta Jam.
Example:- I love Gold Kili Kopi-O 35% Less Sugar

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Bibimbap ( 비빔밥)


Bibimbap(비빔밥) which means "mixed rice" is a healthy and hearty everyday dish that consists of steamed rice, vegetables and meat. And before the rice is placed in the bowl, the bottom of the bowl is coated with sesame oil making the layer of the rice forms a crispy crust at the bottom(a bit similar to our Asian Claypot Rice) while the dish is often serve with a dollop of gochujang.


BIBIMBAP
(비빔밥)


There are a few common of vegetables used in Bibimbap such as julienne cucumber or zucchini, mushrooms, soy bean sprouts, carrots, spinach and etc. And if for health reason or personal preference, beef can often be substituted with chicken or seafood too.


(Serves: 2          | Preparation: 15 minutes          | Cooking: 15 - 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Serving Portions of Cooked White Rice
4 Medium Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms, cut into thin slices
60g Bean Sprout
1 Small Carrot, julienne
1 Small Zucchini, julienne
100g Spinach, blanched
Some Cabbage Kimchi, optional
2 Eggs
3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

Drizzling Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Pinch of Salt

To Serve:
Gochujang/Bibimbap Paste
1 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds
Extra Sesame Oil

Method:-
1. Fill a medium saucepan or pot with water and bring to boil. Blanch the spinach for about 1 minute, drain, rinse with cold water and squeeze out any excess liquid.

2. Roughly cut spinach into section and add in half of the drizzling sauce and mix well. Set aside.

3. Repeat the same produce as above with the bean sprouts.

4. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a small frying pan/saucepan, saute the zucchini with some chopped garlic till zucchini soften. Remove and set aside.

5. Repeat the step with carrot and mushrooms, keeping them separate.


6. Using individual heatproof casserole dish, grease inside lightly with some sesame oil, add 1 portion of the rice and place over high heat for 3 minutes to sear the rice.

7. At the meantime, prepare the pan and fry the sunny-side up egg.

8. To serve, remove casserole from heat, place egg in the center and arrange the prepared vegetables alternatively around the egg. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and sesame oil, serve immediately with some gochujang paste on the side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE:-
~ If you have time, prepared all the side vegetables ahead in the morning and keep them in the fridge so that you would be able to get the dish ready in 10 minutes during lunch or dinner.

Often a raw/fried egg together with sliced meat (usually beef) are the two commonly additions to Bibimbap but for my version, I have adapted most of the common ingredients except meat which I have left out for this recipe. To start the meal, just give the mixture a few stirs to combine the ingredients and enjoy.

An Edible Bouquet for Our Lady in May

The following pictures were submitted by Seth Peters, from CatholicLand! He made these, using ideas from our various May Crowning posts, to take to the May Crowning luncheon at his wife's school. They turned out beautifully!  


"I made the cucumber roses, though I had to hold mine together with toothpicks." 


 "I made the fleur-de-lis out of crescent rolls." 


"I modified the calla lily recipe to be cream cheese and green onion & stems rather than peanut butter and swizzle sticks. Thanks for the inspiration!"


Taiyaki (たい焼き)


Taiyaki (たい焼き) is a Japanese fish shaped pancake which is commonly filled with red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. But in these day, there are many other fillings such as custard, chocolate, cream cheese or even sausage in it.

As usual the creative and wonder members in Munch Ministry facebook group always bring up interesting kitchen gadgets to share with the rest of the members and just recently, there is a rave in making these cute Taiyaki in the group due to some promotion on the Taiyaki Pan shown above.


TAIYAKI
(たい焼き)


All related Photos and Recipes of Taiyaki are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved.

These yummy little treat is actually very easy to make at home if you have a Taiyaki Pan. What you required is to get hold a pack of Pancake Premix plus some Instant Fillings such as Cream Cheese, Nutella, Peanut Butter, Kaya and etc.


(Make: 6 |            Preparation: 3 minutes |             Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
150g (1 sachet) Morinaga Pancake Premix
1 Large Egg, 60g
100ml Fresh Milk
1/2 Tablespoon Cornflour
Some Nutella, Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese or etc
1 Taiyaki Pan


Method:-
1. Whisk egg and milk together in a mixing bowl or jug till combined. Add in 1 sachet of Morinaga pancake premix and stir till the mixture resemble cake batter.

2. Lightly brush oil on both inner sides of the Taiyaki pan. Preheat it 30 seconds before ladle a small amount of batter(refer to the step-by-step photo above) to the preheated pan (on one deeper print side).

3. Add your desire fillings such as 1 tablespoon of nutella/peanut. Next pour a little more batter just enough to cover the paste. Close the pan and cook for 1 minute 20 seconds on medium low heat.

4. Flip the pan over, cook for another 1 minute or more, open the pan slight and check the colour of the fish. Careful not to overcook and burn it as they should be golden brown on each side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE:-
~ To get a nice evenly golden brown colour for your Taiyaki, the "secret" lies on the heat and timing for cooking the Taiyaki.



All related Photos and Recipes of Taiyaki are ©Copyright by Ellena Guan of Cuisine Paradise. All rights reserved.

Above is my first batch of assorted Taiyaki (たい焼き) made using Morinaga Pancake Premix filled with some of our favourite spread such as Cream Cheese and Nutella . And all these are made in less than 30 minutes where you can prepared a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack for your kids. I am sure nobody will be able to resists a piping hot Taiyaki with crispy outsider layer and soft inner texture with oozing filling in their mouth.

Monday, May 14, 2012

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Five


This past week we celebrated the fifth week of the Easter season with The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter and a Good Shepherd's Garden Party based on the theme "The Gardener Plants Paradise."

The Gardener Plants Paradise Menu Suggestions

Maple Leaf Cookies
Lemon Crème Flower Cookies
Fresh Fruit
Owl Cupcakes
Olives and/or Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers
Palm Tree Picks in Cheese Cubes
Lily Sandwiches

Decorating Ideas

Roses, Lilies and/or other Flowers
Palm Tree Decorations (Picks, Napkins, etc.)


Charlotte just posted pictures from their 5th Good Shepherd's Garden Party.  You can click on over to Waltzing Matilda to see all of her pictures, including her darling Owl Cake and these beautiful Roses and Lilies!


This year, I ended up making tea sandwiches for our Roses and Lilies and a fun fruit platter for the Palm Tree!   You can see the rest of our pictures over at Shower of Roses.


Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fifth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.  We'd also love to see any food related posts for Mother's Day or the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the fifth week of Easter and/or Mother's Day.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 6.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Six links from last year 2010 and 2011 for all sorts of great ideas!


Sunday, May 13, 2012

Orange Vanilla Loaf Cake


Made this Orange Vanilla Loaf Cake for tea in order to try out the "Madagascar Vanilla Beans" that I received from one of my friends, Gertrude from My Kitchen Snippets. She is so kind and generous to offer her help to get some vanilla beans for me over at her end after knowing that I am keen in use it to bakes as well as making my own Vanilla Extract.


ORANGE VANILLA LOAF CAKE


This is my first time using vanilla beans in a baking recipe and I must admit it taste really wonderful with it's unique aroma that perfumed the pantry area during preparing and baking process. And when is out of the oven and ready to be served, you just can't help it but keep on picking one slice after another slice. 


Recipe adapted and modify from Food and Travel, Feb 2007 issue, Orange Loaf Cake.

(Make 2: 5.5 x 9.5 x 4.5cm | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:
160g Cake Flour
180g Castor Sugar
Grated Rind from 2 Orange
60g Unsalted Butter, softened
3 Eggs(55g)
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 Vanilla Pod, halved
1/2 Cup Thickened Cream, optional


Method:-
1. In a mixing bowl, rub orange zest and sugar together using a spatula till moist and fragrant before adding butter and whisk using an electric mixer till well combined.

2. Add one egg at a time, beating well in between each addition. Next scrap the vanilla beans from the pod and stir it into the egg mixture.

3. Sift flour mixture(flour, baking powder and salt) together and fold into egg batter in batches alternately with thickened cream (or fresh orange juice) till there is no trace of flour. (do not over mix the batter)

4. Pour cake batter into prepared loaf pans and bake in preheated 175° Celsius oven for about 25 - 30 minutes until the top of cake is cracked and golden or a skewer inserted in the center and comes out clean.

5. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HANDY TIPS:-
~ Thickened Cream can be replaced by 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeeze orange juice

~ You bake this recipe in muffin cups(medium size) or 1 loaf tin (20cm x 11cm x 7cm) instead of 2 mini loaf pan.

~ You can replace 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract instead of using the whole vanilla pod for this recipe.

Sometime a simple old school cake taste even better on it's own without having any fancy ingredients, frosting or toppings. I just simply adore butter cake on it's own, perhaps I should change this recipe further more into an Orange Vanilla Butter/Pound Cake to accompany my favourite Earl Grey Tea.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

{Photo Friday} Mother's Day Special

Although there are different dates reserved for Mother's Day in many parts of the world which most commonly seen in March, April or May but the majority of the countries do celebrate this special day on every second Sunday of May each year. And since today is Friday, Mother's Day will be just two days around the corner on Sunday, 13 May 2012. I am sure most of you have either celebrated Mother's Day early to avoid the crowds or you have already planned something interesting ahead for your mum or wife.

In this post, I have pick some quick and easy recipe links for your reference if you prefer to cook or bake some warm and hearty for your mum or loved ones during this weekend. No matter you are a newbie in the kitchen or someone who can cooks well, I am sure some of these links below will be able to give you some ideas on how to surprised "Mum" with your new skills and creation in the kitchen.

My boy with his genius thoughts and funny act(s) always makes me feel warm and blessed no matter how difficult motherhood is through his growing years. 


SET MENU FOR MUM


Thai Dishes with Appetizer

Chicken Cutlet with Apple Salad and Soup

Garlic Spaghetti with Pistachio Chicken and Avocado Milkshake

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

Watercress Soup and Hainanese Pork Chop Rice

Kimchi Tofu Soup And Japchae



SOUP FOR MUM


Samgyetang

Five Nuts Soup

Leek and Potato Soup

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

Cordyceps Herbal Soup

Pork Muscle with Burdock



DISHES FOR MUM


Hong Zao Ji(红槽鸡)

Sizzling Tofu (using Happy Call Pan)

Bitter Gourd and Chicken In Casserole

Salmon with Spicy Sweetcorn Salsa

Stir-Fry Leek with Firm Beancurd

Thai Green Curry



BAKES FOR MUM


Lemon Yogurt Butter Cake

Double Chocolate Madeleine

Chocolate Chiffon with Multigrains

Kiwifruit and Lime Cupcakes

Apple Upside-down Cake (using Happy Call Pan)

Pandan Chiffon Cake (using Happy Call Pan)



DESSERT FOR MUM


Soy Milk Beancurd Pudding

Durian Pancake

Sweet Potato Soup

Bubur Terigu(大麦)

Tau Suan(豆爽)

Steamed Milk with Egg Whites



For more recipe ideas, you can refer to my recipes link HERE.

Lastly I would like to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day! Remember to love and pamper your mum in anyway that you can. Because "being a mom is the hardest job in the world", they don't get to rest and they work 24hr a week for 365 days. So during this coming Mother's Day, do give your mum a warm hug and a pat on her back to show your love and appreciation for her contribution to the family.