EGGPLANT SZECHUAN

Ingredients:

4 pcs medium sized eggplants (cut in wedges of 12)

sesame oil

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp sugar

1/4 k ground pork

1/2 c pork or vegetable stock

salt & pepper

flour dissolved in water

chili garlic paste

Method:

Fry eggplants in sesame oil. Remove from oil when golden brown. Set aside but keep warm. Saute garlic and onion. Add pork and continue stirring until pink color is gone. Add soy sauce, sugar and stock. Simmer for 5 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste. Flour dissolved in water is optional -- do this to thicken sauce. Add fried eggplants and chili garlic sauce. Stir for another 2 mins and serve.

POTATO BROILER

Ingredients:

5 medium sized potatoes (sliced in wedges of 8)

3 tsp cumin

3 tsp brown sugar

3 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

olive oil

water

Method:

Blanch potato in boiling water for 5 mins. Drain and set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix all the spices. Add potatoes and coat evenly. Drizzle with olive oil and coat evenly. Put in broiler and leave on 200* C for 30 mins.

Dip:

Mix 3 tbsp mayo and 1/2 tsp mustard with 1 tsp brown sugar or 1 tsp honey.

CRUNCHY TILAPIA

Ingredients:

2 medium sized tilapia

2 pcs calamansi or juice of half a lemon

salt & pepper

1 egg (slightly beaten)

1 c flour

cooking oil

Method:

Marinate tilapia in calamansi, salt and pepper for 15 minutes. Dip in beaten egg and then in flour before frying in hot oil. Serve with ripe mango salsa (see Ripe Mango Salsa Recipe in this same blog).

FISH AND CHIPS

(1) FISH

Ingredients:

2 pcs large dory

half a lemon juice

salt & pepper

1 beaten egg

bread crumbs

cooking oil

Cooking Instructions:

Marinate dory in lemon juice, salt & pepper for 10 mins. Dip dory in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs and fry.

(2) LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

Ingredients:

half a lemon juice

4 tbsp melted butter

6 tbsp mayo

4 tbsp evaporated milk

salt & pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients and cook in sauce pan. Pour sauce over fish before serving.

(3) CHIPS

Ingredients:

1 k potato

olive oil

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp salt

Cooking Instructions:

Cut each potato into 8 wedges with the skin on. Blanch in boiling water for 5 mins. Drain and set aside to cool. Mix spices in a large bowl, add potatoes and coat evenly. Drizzle with olive oil. Place on oven tray and cook in turbo broiler at 200* for 20 mins.

(If using an oven: preheat oven to 200*C and cook for 45 mins)

CREAM DORY

Ingredients:

1k dory fish (cut into cubes)

5-7 cloves garlic (chopped)

1/2 c butter

1/2 tsp cooking oil

250 ml all purpose cream

2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce

a pinch of pepper

1 tsp dried oregano (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Heat cooking oil in pan and add butter (the oil keeps the butter from burning). Throw in garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add sliced dory and bring to medium heat. When dory turns white, add all purpose cream and chili garlic sauce. Simmer for 2 mins. Add pepper and oregano. Serve with salad or white rice.

JAPANESE MAKI SUSHI ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

nori (seaweed paper)

Crab sticks

cucumber (cut in strips)

mayonaise

ripe mango (cut in strips)

freshly cooked rice (ordinary rice is ok but japanese rice works well)

spicy tuna (shred and put a little mayo, salt and pepper)

rice wine vinegar

kikoman soy sauce

wasabi (optional)

*you also need a sushi rolling mat

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare all ingredients and make sure they are all within reach: crab sticks, cucumber, mango, mayo rice, tuna mix, nori and rice.

2. Mix around 1 table spoon of rice wine vinegar to 1 cup of hot rice. Set aside.

3. Center a sheet of nori on a sushi rolling mat.

4. Spread rice over nori making sure to fill edges as well.

5. Lay filling ingredients across the rice in thin rows about 2/3 from the top (or the portion nearest you).

6. Starting from the top (or, again, the portion nearest you) roll the sushi mat up and over the sushi. Press down to firm the rice. Make sure its compact.

7. Transfer to cutting board and slice sushi into 1-inch pieces. Make sure that the knife is clean and wet in every cut. And try to cut in just one motion to avoid the breakage.

8. Best served with soy sauce for dipping.

I used the following filling combinations:

a. crab stick, mayo, cucumber

b. crab stick, mayo, mango

c. crab stick, mayo, cucumber, mango

d. crab stick, mayo, cucumber, mango, tuna

e. tuna, mayo, cucumber

f. tuna, mayo, mango

g. tuna, mayo, cucumber, mango