Sides – The Occasional Cook

Chicken and Crabstick Wontons

March 28, 2021 7shasha7

I think I’ve perfected in making wontons, my way. The kind where the family cannot stop eating and where everything will be gone in seconds!

I’ve learnt that the secret is really to make the filling moist and flavourful. In the supermarket, they’re selling these small ready cut crab sticks. Yes, I know it’s processed but they add so much flavour and softness contrast to the dense minced chicken. For the chicken, I used tender fillet cute and just blend them. But I think my secret ingredient that the family likes without knowing what it is – carrots! Not traditional Chinese, I know but it adds natural sweetness to the filling.

Seasoning: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, cornstarch.

Method: Deep fry is the only way to go, baby! There is no way you can get crispy juicy wontons by air frying them…

Mix minced or blended chicken tenders, small cubes of crab sticks (use fresh prawns is ok too, I’ve done it before), shredded carrots and then season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper and a tiny teaspoon of cornflour/cornstarch. I don’t add salt but if you want more flavour, you should add. For us, since we eat wontons with a mix of chilli sauce and Indonesian kecap manis, I see no need for salt.

Deep fry and enjoy hot! Warm is also ok. But seriously, who can wait.

Middle Eastern/Turkish, Salads and Vegetables, Sides, Snack

Borek pies

February 25, 2021March 3, 2021 7shasha7

My version of borek pies is so quick to make and delicious too! I usually make them into spring rolls but because I was too impatient with the dough and it broke, I just turned them into pies.

The filling simply consists of Turkish white cheese or just use feta cheese, a package of frozen spinach, Greek yogurt, one egg and spices (I just used smoked paprika, black pepper and salt). Lots of melted butter and nigella seeds on top.

I love the Turkish white cheese compare to feta because these white cheese is creamy!

…And then cover with more phyllo pastry. brush with olive oil and sprinkle nigella seeds.

Remove from pan, let it cool a bit and then cut.

breakfast, Salads and Vegetables, Sides, Snack

Fritata

August 29, 2020November 24, 2020 7shasha7

A simple fritata using the two pan method because I don’t have an oven proof non-stick pan. It’s so delicious I wonder why I don’t make this more often!

The secret for me is to really cook the vegetables well first. Make sure it’s caramelized and smells heavenly. I only used virgin olive oil and butter.

I sliced not too thinly white button mushrooms, one whole red capsicum and fried them in garlic with the olive oil and butter. Then I remembered I had some leftover florets of broccoli and added that too after the capsicum and mushrooms have been fully cooked and slightly charred.

And then I poured in 5 beaten eggs that have been seasoned with salt and pepper. And grated in parmesan cheese.

I cooked low and slow on the stove and then used another pan to flip over and cook on the other side. At this point in time, I wished I had an oven proof non-stick pan!

To serve, I grated more parmesan cheese while still hot and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Delicious!

Obviously, this slice was not enough. Two was just nice. ☺️

Asian Dishes, Poultry, Sides, Singapore

Singapore Hawker Wings

July 19, 2020March 3, 2021 7shasha7

This is a recipe which is so good that you’ve got to make a big batch of it. I only made 1kg and it wasn’t enough so today, I’m marinating the other half so I can have more wings tonight!

If we ever get to travel again, and if you ever visit Singapore, you have to come down and try the food at our Hawker centres at night. Certain Hawker centres have stalls they sell bbq fare at night. Now, this is not US Texas style bbq we are talking about. Singapore style bbq is a plethora of seafood and satay grilled over charcoal. And there’s got to be wings! Marinated and skewered over a rotisserie like apparatus, these wings are flavourful and crispy and juicy all at the same time!

I managed to make these at home using the grill function of the normal oven. The other trick is to skewer the wings till they are straight using wooden skewers (unless you have the metal skewers). And one last thing is to marinade the wings as Long as you can, preferably overnight.

For the marination which I used for 1kg of wings:

1. 2 tbsp oyster sauce

2. 2 tbsp light soy sauce

3. 1 tbsp gochujang sauce (this is my own twist.)

4. 1 tbsp fish sauce

5. 1 tbsp sesame oil

6. 1 tbsp finely minced garlic

7. 1/2 tbsp finely chopped onions

And that’s it. Marinate as long as you can and then skewer the wings and using the grill setting, grill till the wings are nicely browned and crispy. Serve with homemade sambal and calamansi limes.

This is 1kg of wings (about ten wings) which I would leave in the fridge and forget all about it until it’s time to eat!

These are the wings. After they’ve been grilled you can chop them into two pieces. We love the wingtips here – they’re crispy and so yummy!

Bread and Batter, Salads and Vegetables, Sides, Snack

Vegetable Tart

June 27, 2020 7shasha7

This is not a cooking recipe. It’s really a matter of assembling but it works so well! I learnt it from my sister who said she learnt it from Nadia Hussein, the British celebrity Bake Off winner.

It’s too simple but so elegant looking. I used store bought ready rolled puff pastry and scored the edges. Using a fork, poke the base. Spread store bought basil pesto. Sprinkle cheese and later vegetables of choice.

For the vegetables, I used pan fried thinly sliced brinjals. I used up the left over thinly sliced capsicums from the focaccia as well as mushrooms. Once baked, I sprinkled Parmesan cheese and baby salad leaves. Make sure the bottom of the pastry is well cooked. No soggy bottoms!