Cooking with Tefal: Experimenting with Korean Pancake Recipes

If you’re a fan of Korean pancakes, here’s a basic recipe that you can easily replicate at home and customise to suit your own taste. Adapted from Sarang Korean Bistro’s pancake recipe, I’ve experimented with three variations that I all enjoyed to the last bit. If you’re just like me, who enjoy a modest amount of starchiness with a crisp crust without excessive greasiness, you won’t be disappointed with the outcome.

I’m using a Tefal non-stick Comfort Touch Frypan for this pancake recipe, which I find yields much better results with little effort as compared to regular pans. I don’t have to worry about the batter sticking to the pan, and having problems flipping the pancake. It slides off the pan with ease without breaking apart. This recipe requires just enough batter to fill up the 28cm-diameter pan. You may adjust accordingly to the size of your pan. You don’t want the pancake to be too thick or too thin.

You can experiment with lots of other ingredients, such as Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, caramelised onion, smoked salmon, scallions and kimchi. Continue reading

Sarang Korean Bistro (2 recipes included!)

Hear the word ‘Gangnam’, and most of us would immediately relate it to the legendary Korean pop-song ‘Gangnam Style’ by the talented Psy, which unquestionably amused hordes and inevitably annoyed some.

In case anyone doesn’t know, Gangnam is the name of one of the 25 districts in Seoul, South Korea. It is the third largest district in Seoul; it is a trendy cosmopolitan city with no short of contemporary bistros.

Sarang, a Korean bistro located at Orchard Central in Singapore, offers the latest food trends from Gangnam, making it available to us within our easy reach. Steering away from the usual Korean dining scene of smoky BBQ houses, Sarang presents a new dining experience –a fusion of classic Korean favourites and contemporary creations.


Folded Egg ($6.50)

What once used to serve up conventional Korean fare has now reinvented itself with a radical makeover, introducing a first-of-its-kind Korean Tapas menu. Continue reading

Express your love this Mother’s Day by cooking a meal (2+1 Recipes included!)

Expressing your love on Mother’s Day need not involve spending copious amount of money on sophisticated gifts. Surprise your mum with a simple home-cooked heart-healthy meal to show how much you care.

Here are two simple dishes I made, adapting from the recipes I learnt at the Tefal cooking workshop at Onaka Restaurant.

Recipe 1: Garlic Prawns on Toast
Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 20 nos. peeled prawns
- 4 slices of bread
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp of broccoli florets
- 1 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp soya sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste

In this recipe, I substituted lime leaves with curry leaves, white wine with sake, and added onion and broccoli while omitting chilli and dressings. I tend to make do with what I have available in the pantry, to reduce wastage and the chances of throwing away ingredients after a solitary teaspoonful.

I snipped off tiny florets from a broccoli for this recipe, which I can later use the remaining broccoli to cook up a comforting pot of creamy soup (check out my recipe here).

I still haven’t mastered the art of baking bread, so I made do with regular store-bought white bread, and used a heart-shaped cookie cutter to remove the centre of 4 slices of bread. Press the cookie cutter all the way down for neatly cut pieces. (It was only after my third attempt that I got it right, since I’ve never used a cookie cutter before! My first two unsuccessful pieces had jagged edges. Still edible.) The remaining borders need not go to waste (scroll down to see what I did with them).

For a healthy meal that everyone in the family can enjoy, choose the right ingredients (olive oil, fresh herbs) and the right cooking method (opt for techniques such as stir-frying as opposed to deep-frying).

Using a good quality pan is also vital for optimal results. I’m using the Tefal Comfort Touch pans in this post, which I highly recommend for its effective non-stick surface and reliable long-lasting quality.

Method:

1. Heat up Tefal Comfort Touch Frypan, add olive oil, sauté the onion till translucent.
2. Add in rosemary, curry leaves and garlic and sauté till aromatic.

3. Add in prawns and sauté. You can add in soya sauce at this point.
4. Add sake and let it evaporate.
5. Season with a pinch of salt to taste, and preferably freshly ground coarse black pepper for the finishing touch.

6. Lightly toast the heart-shaped bread on a pan, lightly greased if you’d prefer more crisp.
7. Plate prawns on toasts and spoon over with the aromatic sautéed particles in the pan.

Recipe 2: Flat Udon with Sautéed Mushrooms
Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 1 packet Shimeji mushrooms
- 1 packet Shitake mushrooms
- 1 packet flat Udon (approx. 360g)
- 20ml mirin
- 250ml chicken stock
- 1 garlic, finely chopped
- 1-2 onions, coarsely chopped
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A drizzle of truffle oil
- Nori for garnishing

In this recipe, I used flat udon noodles instead of the intended soba. It was negligence on my part that I did not double-check my ingredients before starting to cook. I panicked at the very last minute when I couldn’t find the packet of soba that I thought I had. It was a beautiful blunder nevertheless. Udon has a more starchy nature as compared to soba, absorbing a lot of that flavourful stock. If you prefer a more al dente bite, soba would be the recommended option. Both the Udon and Mirin are bought from Daiso, at an affordable price of just $2 each!

I like the aroma of sautéed onion and garlic, so in this recipe, I sautéed the mushrooms with the aromatics. Also, to make things less complicated, I used chicken stock instead of dashi. Continue reading

World Gourmet Summit 2013; Culinary Experience at Miele featuring Bo Lindegaard & Lasse Askov (Recipes included)

23rd April 2013 – I had the most eye-opening experience at a World Gourmet Summit 2013 event, in a Miele kitchen at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, the official venue for this workshop, featuring Masterchefs Bo Lindegaard & Lasse Askov from Denmark.

Background information:

Lasse Askov completed his culinary education in Funen, Denmark over a decade ago, and worked his way up to Head Chef at Restaurant Extra, a modern tapas restaurant. His first Michelin-star was awarded while he was at Restaurant Kokkeriet.

Bo Lindegaard completed cooking school in 2003, and worked at Restaurant Jacobsen, Restaurant Kokkeriet and Restaurant Den Gule Cottage, where he achieved the title of Head Chef. In 2006, he became Creative Director at Madeleine’s Madteater, a free form and experimental food theatre, which served up various performances that all revolve around food. Bo is also a passionate artist, and brings with him the techniques and skills from his handicraft background to the culinary scene.

Together, Lasse and Bo joined forces and formed I’M A KOMBO, hosting The Social Act, in Copenhagen.

More about I’M A KOMBO here: http://www.imakombo.com/information

The Social Act is a highly interactive and hands-on dining experience, which creates anticipation and builds expectations. Diners not only interact with each other at the table, but also with the chefs and the food. In a way diners get to ‘play’ with their food, which creates a sense of ownership.

More about The Social Act here: http://thesocialact.dk/wp/?page_id=12

Steering away from the conventional, innovation is their driving force.

World Gourmet Summit 2013 brings Masterchefs Bo Lindegaard & Lasse Askov to Singapore for the very first time. Their unorthodox views and creative display in culinary breakthroughs were intriguing and impressive. Continue reading

Perfect Italiano Masterclass with Chef Lino Sauro

Baked rice, mac ‘n’ cheese, lasagna, potato gratin, risotto, cheese bread, grilled cheese sandwich and cheese soufflé are just some of the many things you can do with the versatile range of Perfect Italiano cheeses.

There are three types of Perfect Italiano cheese available in Singapore: Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese, Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese and Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese.

Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese is stretchy (really stretchy) in nature, with a mild flavour. It is low in fat (35% less fat than regular mozzarella). Perfect for pizza toppings and ideal for lasagna. It is suitable for vegetarians too.

Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese is aged for up to 18 months to guarantee a rich and bold flavour. It is ideal for pastas, salads, risottos and soups. I usually buy it in the traditional block form to grate over pastas whenever needed. You can also sprinkle some over potato wedges with some freshly ground pepper and herbs and bake till crisp. That sounds like comfort food to me!

Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese is a unique blend of three cheeses –Mozzarella (for stretch), Cheddar (for bold flavour) and Parmesan (for bite). It is ideal for pizza toppings, sauces and hot snacks.

These simple and easy to use Perfect Italiano cooking cheeses can easily be adapted in your everyday cooking.

Couple weeks ago, I attended a Perfect Italiano Masterclass with Italian Chef Lino Sauro at Palate Sensastions. Here are three inventive dishes that Chef Lino has come up with, using Perfect Italiano cheeses –wonton with cheese fondue, cheesy maki sushi roll and deep fried potato with oozy gooey cheese within. Continue reading

Hands-on Pizza Making Session at ToTT with Chef Theo Kalogeracos

ToTT, short for Tools of The Trade, is my favourite shopping destination when it comes to cooking and baking tools. Spanning across 36,000 square feet, its premises consist of cooking studios and a bistro, aside from the well-stocked shopping haven.

You can find an extensive range of almost 10,000 cooking, baking and hosting products sourced from all over the world to suit your needs, at the 25,000 square feet retail store. Shop in sheer comfort in the spacious air-conditioned store, with trolleys provided.

If you have a great passion in cooking and baking, you should consider signing up for ToTT membership, where members get to enjoy 10% cash rebate off selected goods at the ToTT Retail Store and Cooking Studio. I’m a proud owner of one!

My most recent trip there was to attend a pizza-making session with Chef Theo Kalogeracos in the well-equipped cooking studio. Chef Theo is a two-time winner of the World Pizza Championship title. During the session, he demonstrates the use of his prized creation, the Pizza Perfector, and shares tips on making a great pizza.

The Pizza Perfector by Theo & Co. is sleek and comes in two colours. Perfect for any modern day kitchen. Continue reading

Chocolate Masterclass with a Michelin Touch at Regent Singapore

Things are getting sweetened up at Regent Hotel, with Executive Pastry Chef Domenico Di Clemente from Michelin-starred Il Palagio at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze presenting sweet creations at Dolcetto by Basilico from 16 January 2013.

I had the privilege of attending Chef Domenico’s first-ever chocolate showcase in Singapore. The Chocolate Masterclass was held at Basilico Restaurant’s well-equipped private cooking studio, where cooking demos and classes are held upon request or booking.

We learnt how to make one of Chef Domenico’s signature creations, the Warm Chocolate Tart with Coffee Zabaglione. Continue reading

Catch Episode 9 of The Big Break on the Asian Food Channel –Italiano challenge

Have you been following The Big Break religiously on the Asian Food Channel (AFC)? I look forward to watching it every week!

The Big Break is an original reality television series produced by the Asian Food CHannel (AFC), in partnership with Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), offering the chance of a lifetime to 12 underprivileged youths from six countries across Asia to fulfil their culinary dreams.

More information here: http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/thebigbreak/

I enjoy every episode so much I almost wish the series would not come to an end so soon, but on the other hand, contradictorily, I can’t wait to find out who triumphs in the grand finale!

In the upcoming 9th episode, contestants’ multi-tasking skills are put to the test in the Ultimate Italiano Challenge.

Making pizza from scratch can be relatively easy when you’re following a reliable recipe, step by step, with no time constraint. However, during this challenge, contestants must knead, assemble and bake their own pizzas within the stipulated time. With time proving a major obstacle, will all the pizzas make it to the judging table in time?

Find out tonight (9 January 2013) at 10pm!

The show is an inspiration to budding cooks. After this episode, if you have drawn motivation and have ideas floating endlessly in your head, here is a basic pizza recipe from the AFC Studio to get you started.
Continue reading

Fresh Flavours with Anna Olson at the AFC Studio

Anna Olson is an acclaimed Canadian chef and baking extraordinaire, recognised internationally as the face of hit programmes such as ‘Sugar’ and ‘Fresh with Anna Olson’, which both air on AFC, StarHub Channel 435. The canny TV star charms our local foodies with her impressive skills in all things sweet and savoury, sharing tasty and approachable recipes.

Did you know? Before realising cooking and baking was her true calling, Anna Olson earned a degree in political studies and sociology. She spent a few years in banking before deciding it was not her life long dream. She is now a professionally trained chef with over fifteen years of experience in the culinary field.

In November, the Asian Food Channel organised a series of dining events with Chef Olson, and I had the privilege of attending an exclusive lunchtime press demo with her. ‘Fresh Flavours with Anna Olson’ is a Canadian Culinary Adventure tour across five countries in Asia, exclusively presented by the Asian Food Channel. Baking aficionados were in for a treat.

Here are three recipes that she shared with us:
Continue reading

Vote for your favourite blogger to win the Tefal Blendforce Glass worth $79.90!

The month-long Tefal campaign is slowly coming to a close, but this is only the very beginning of my cooking and experimentation with Tefal appliances. For someone who once relied heavily on convenience products for quick fix meals, I’ve learnt so much from this experience and I never knew I could create so many dishes from scratch.

Here are some of the beverages and dishes I made using the Tefal Blendforce Glass.

Strawberry ‘Cheesecake’ Milkshake

Click here for the recipe: https://melicacy.com/?p=4681

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Click here for the recipe: https://melicacy.com/?p=4689

Carrot Purée

Click here for the recipe: https://melicacy.com/?p=4742

Mooncake Milkshake

Click here for the recipe: https://melicacy.com/?p=4719

Non-bake Fusion Mooncake

Click here for the recipe: https://melicacy.com/?p=4719

Would you like to own the Tefal Blendforce Glass too? Here’s how you can win it!

Simple vote for your favourite blogger at http://blog.omy.sg/tefal-triplax-challenge/vote-and-win-phase2/

You are allowed to vote ONCE a day. Vote daily for a higher chance of winning!

The Tefal Blendforce Glass comes with a mini chopper too! You can use it to blend nuts into fine powder, or make chilli pastes with it.

The top blogger (determined by number of votes and judges’ scoring) gets to win Tefal appliances worth $350! I would really love to win the products and churn out more delicious recipes to share with you! If you enjoy my posts, do cast your vote for me, Melissa. :)

Best of luck to my fellow participating blogger friends! I like Moonberry’s Sambal Sauce recipe and would try making that one day! :)

Thank you omy.sg for this wonderful opportunity.

The Versatility of Carrot Purée

Carrots are used widely in the kitchens for its sweetness and vivid colour. Apart from aesthetics and taste, they provide a lot of nutrition to the body.

Carrots are good for the eyesight; carrots are good for the complexion; carrots are anti-aging; carrots help lower the risk of cancer; carrots prevent heart disease; carrots reduce the risk of stroke; carrots help to kill germs in the mouth that cause tooth damage.

Carrots can be eaten raw, consumed as juice or cooked. Here’s a simple and delicious recipe to include carrots in your diet.

Carrot Purée
Continue reading

Cold Storage presents Canada Food Fair 2012

Established in 1903, Cold Storage Supermarket is a popular household name trusted by consumers in Singapore.

From 28 September to 21 October 2012, the annual three-week Canadian Food Fair takes place at all 49 Cold Storage stores, showcasing a wide selection of almost 70 fresh Canadian produce and products.

Working closely with the High Commission of Canada to organise this three-week fair, Cold Storage aims to stock its shelves with Canadian food and beverage products even after the fair concludes.

Shop & Win a Holiday to Toronto Canada

One lucky Cold Storage shopper will walk away with a holiday worth $6,000 to Toronto Canada during the Canada Food Fair 2012. To qualify for the draw, shoppers simply need to spend a minimum of $35 in a single receipt (inclusive of TWO Canadian products). Ten consolation hampers worth $200 will also be given away during the draw.

During the Canada Food Fair, booths will be set up for your sampling pleasures.
Continue reading

An unconventional Mid-Autumn Festival treat made using Tefal appliances

What does Mid-Autumn Festival mean to you? To many, this festival is generally associated with mooncake, tea, moon gazing, ‘dragon dance’, poetry and a dazzling array of lanterns.

This festive celebration is gradually adapting to our modernising lifestyles –battery-operated lanterns of varying shapes and sizes, buzzing with familiar melodies, are triumphing over the conventional paper lanterns illuminated with candles, and mooncakes are now available in every possible flavour you can think of, over and above the traditionally baked mooncakes.

For me, this year has to be the most rewarding Mid-Autumn Festival thus far, as I’ve tasted more mooncakes than I’ve had in the span of my 24 years of living –thanks to PR companies and independent establishments who recognise my efforts in manifesting their products the best that I can through my blog.

My preferences sway towards snowskin mooncakes, but I have to say some of the traditionally baked mooncakes that I’ve tasted are undoubtedly delightful.

For those who do not fancy traditional mooncakes, here is one very special ‘mooncake’ that metamorphoses traditional mooncakes into something funky –without losing that festive spirit.

Mooncake Milkshake Recipe

Here’s a drinkable version of mooncake that kids will enjoy!
Continue reading

Creamy Vegetable Soup using Tefal Blendforce Glass

I love soups, all kinds of soups.

Soups are highly versatile; they can be served as a starter, an appetiser, as a side dish, or as a one-pot meal.

Soup is the epitome of comfort food for me. A warm bowl of soup can lift one’s mood instantly –it not only warms your tummy, but it warms your soul too.

A good blender is a necessary tool for avid soup makers; transferring sautéed ingredients from pan to the blender is a regular affair.

Thanks to my new best friend, Tefal’s Blendforce Glass (which I have been using religiously ever since I got it), I can finally make my own creamy soup!

This soup contains no preservatives and artificial flavours. You can even tweak the recipe for a low-sodium and low-fat option!

Continue reading