Kirin said the flat white from Patisserie G is so far the best he had had.

Left with the last 2 cups of homemade chicken stock in the freezer, I cooked a pot for the dinners to come.

Dinner tonight:

I tried stir-frying with honey pineapple slices (one of Kirin's favourite fruit) and tomato sauce, for a change from the usual Kung pao sliced fish. And it was... buay pai. Personally, I still prefer the Kung pao version though. 

I thought 18 wolfberries would suffice (sounds a lot) but when the asparagus dish was ready for a camera shot, I realized I had been a little stingy. Diced the garlic instead of slicing it, an inspiration from dinner at my mom's place. It did smell more fragrant when I stir-fried the diced garlic, but the visual difference in the finished dish was more obvious.

Hmm... perhaps I should add julienned old ginger someday, which would really help spruce up a dish.

Here's the recipes!

Sweet & Sour Sliced Fish (Batang)

Makes 2+1 toddler servings

About 200g of batang sliced fish, velveted
3 stalks of green onions, white part only, sliced
1 big clove of garlic, sliced
1/8 tsp of kosher salt
Honey pineapple, 10 small slices
12 cashew nuts, roasted
1 tsp canola oil

Sweet & sour sauce:
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
1+1/2 tsp sugar, dissolved in 1 tsp water
1/2 tsp black vinegar
1 tsp tomato sauce
1/8 cup of homemade chicken stock
1/2 tsp Shao Hsing rice wine

In a separate bowl:
1/2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1+1/2 tsp water

1. Stir together the sweet & sour sauce mixture in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water.
2. Heat the canola oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat for a minute, swirling wok to coat.
3. Add the garlic with salt and stir-fry for 30 secs.
4. Toss in the spring onions and stir-fry for 30 secs to a min, then add the pineapple slices and stir fry another 30 secs.
5. Add the velveted fish, the cashew nuts, then pour in the sauce mixture.
6. Reduce heat and stir around for another 2 mins to coat well.
7. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir and pour it in. Do a final stir.
8. Remove from heat and serve!
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Asparagus with Wolfberries Stir-fry

Makes 2+1 toddler servings

120g asparagus, blanched and sliced diagonally
30 wolfberries, rinsed
1 clove of garlic, diced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp canola oil

Broth mixture:
1/4 cup homemade chicken stock
1 tsp Shao Hsing rice wine
1+1/2 tsp oyster sauce

1. Heat the canola oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat for a minute, swirling wok to coat.
2. Add the garlic with salt and stir-fry for 30 secs.
3. Toss in the wolfberries and stir-fry for a min (taste one, it should soften).
4. Add the blanched asparagus and stir-fry for another min.
5. Add the broth mixture, reduce heat, stir around for 2 mins and serve!

Notes:

i. I tried with 30 wolfberries in a subsequent dish of broccoli & shiitake mushroom with wolfberries stir-fry and it was a good quantity.
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Today, I added more lemon grass in smaller pieces but still didn't achieve much zesty flavour in the rice. Shall give the lemon grass a few pounds next round, and perhaps add a slice of old ginger. 

I wonder what was the secret ingredient in that plate of rice I had from the Thai cuisine stall at a food court the other day. I had never tasted rice so good that I couldn't resist but finish it even though I had no more side dishes to go along with. Yep that was why I had added lemon grass to my rice cooker recently.

Hmm... perhaps I could casually ask over the counter when I'm there for a meal again. Hahaa...

I didn't have much plan of the art to piece in my yoghurt tonight, and this was what came out with some honey pineapple slices. Looks like 3 small "yellow" carrots to me? Heee

I decided to bring a Sumikko gurashi diary and pencil (haven't gotten them) around with me. So I could sometimes pen down my thoughts, rather than relying on my iPhone 24/7. Especially when I'm holding 小雨 who sleeps longer than usual when in mama's cuddle. You don't get radiation from a book and pencil. Alright, an excuse to get yet another Sumikko gurashi possession. Two I mean. Hahaa...

小雨 likes to hold mama's or papa's hand, and says "Let Go!", (from Disney's Frozen theme song "Let it Go") rather than "Let's Go!", as she brings us for a tour around the house. A little conflicting as we aren't "letting go" of her hand. Oh well, I guess it takes a while more to pronounce the "s".

Someone did a little prank and pasted a black swallow sticker on the main door to our house, at the top left corner. So small and inconspicuous that it takes someone as meticulous and bored as me (probably a lefty as well) to look up and notice it.

You know what? Both 小雨 and I love cute owls. But I'm not one. 

*I don't give a hoot.*

Yes, I said it. Owls are cute.

Had a satisfying all-day-breakfast meal at Coffee Bean, The Rail Mall today. I thought my roasted almond slices were nuttier and crispier. Lol.

小雨 said "wait" as she waited outside our house for mama to wear her shoes. Yes, be patient my girl. She simply enjoys chillaxing in cafes (we were at Paris Baguette for afternoon tea). Whether it's classical or pop music, she moved to the groove.

Yo yo! What's sup??

The skinny monkey from her old exersaucer was her outdoor companion these days.

"... Next time won't you sing along with me". She sang the ABC song through to the last line! Good job Kirin!

She's up on my back and around the house again, whenever she comes to me, nods her head as she says "背... 背...".

Yoghurt art tonight:

Then Yang added more to it...

Hmm... which is nicer leh?

"You know What? I don't care..." I heard and saw Kirin (in my mind) with his classic, nonchalant look. Lol.

So how loving were 小雨 and her 2nd BFF in school?

The teacher told me they hugged each other when they woke up from their afternoon naps, giggled away at their own secret games or jokes. And when 小雨 was brought away for a diaper change, her BFF cried. Ooo... that's too sweet. They would make great mates for a play date.

I had seen this blackie moth fluttering around inside the mall and within the train station several times.

Dragonfly decided to hibernate outside today. It flew out from behind the washing machine and settled at the kitchen cabinet just above the cooker hood. Glad I'm gonna stay out of the kitchen today.

Back from gym and it was gone...

My deAr friend was feeling unwell so our dinner date was called off. Feeling a little gloomy this evening but still had Kirin to dine with me and 小雨, before joining his friends. Thanks Kirin.

Tonight's yoghurt art looking a little gray and dull with dragon fruit and no strawberries. But the bigger slice of 78% Frey extra dark bittersweet chocolate should give me an extra boost of endorphins, I hope?

T.g.i.f.

Kirin said he had a butter gipfel (Croissant) from Swissbake for breakfast... interesting.

I grabbed a cup of lite sour cream, almost half the fats content in a cup of premium sour cream and got another clear glass container for my roasted almond slices from yesterday. Just as every Boomers generation housewife has a "gong" of homemade deep-fried ikan bilis or shallots in her kitchen, perhaps I could have bottles of homemade roasted cashew nuts/almonds/hazelnuts? New trend for Generation Y housewives? Hahaa... so funny.

Today, I have a companion in my green kitchen - a big dragonfly, watching over me from behind the washing machine as I prepared and cooked dinner.

It doesn't look that big from this picture but it was! Its wings stretched out as long as the width of my two open palms. 

Please just watch over me from that corner. I'll scream if you fly any nearer.

I tasted the soup after adding all the sour cream in.. A tad too sour! "How many times must I remind you to taste your own food?!" I heard a judge scolding the MasterChef contestants.

Nevertheless, 食神 was with me. The sour cream-mushroom sauce turned out great, surprisingly. I realised whenever it tasted a little intense before it went into the slow cooker, it's gonna turn out right when done. I had one red potato peeled, the other with skin on. Kirin preferred the latter one with skin on. Me too.

And I'm quietly proud of my little innovation to add a sprinkle of roasted almond slices. The nutty, crispy flakes added a light crunch to the dish of saucy pork. Yes, they were still crispy despite being out for quite a while as I pieced up the Hello Kitty face yesterday.

Eh where are my pork loin slices? Opps... they have submerged in the sour cream-mushroom sauce.

Dragonfly hasn't gone away. Still accompanying me from that same old spot, while I washed the dishes (Kirin had been our dishwasher but he looked tired tonight so I got him to rest). Hmm not winter yet, but it seemed to be hibernating?

Read about The Difference Between Braising and Stewing from the kitchn. 

So I actually braised the pork loin just now, since they were 5 larger slices partially submerged in the sour cream-mushroom sauce, unlike the small pork cubes totally immersed in the cream of chicken soup for my Cabbage & pork stew. And this would be my 3rd braised dish. My previous two braised dishes were Apple-balsamic chicken & Chicken in broccoli-mushroom sauce. Cool!

My pork loin slices were a little tough and dry though. Guess I shouldn't have cooked on high for the 1st half hour. Just low and slow cooking to give tender, moist, flavourful meats. That's the secret to great braising, according to chef Dave Zino.

Here's sharing the recipe:

Braised Pork Loin in Sour Cream-Mushroom Sauce 

(Adapted from recipe by Taste of Home)

Makes 2+1 toddler servings

About 250g boneless pork loin, 5 slices 

1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp paprika (to season the pork)
3 tsp of cornstarch (to dredge the pork slices)
1+1/2 tsp canola oil (to brown the pork slices)
1/4 cup dry white wine (to deglaze pan)
2 small red potatoes, cut into wedges
55g buna-shimeiji mushrooms, sliced into halves
1/8 tsp kosher salt (to season the potato and mushroom layers)
1/4 cup of light sour cream 

Homemade cream of mushroom soup:

(Adapted fromrecipe by Simply Scratch)

2 +1/2 tsp butter, softened
1/4 of a yellow onion, finely chopped
1 mini portobello mushroom, gills removed & stemmed, finely chopped
2 + 1/2 tsp of flour
1/2 cup of homemade chicken stock
1/4 cup of low fat milk
Close to 1/8 tsp of kosher salt
Sprinkles of garlic powder p& ground black pepper

1. Heat the homemade chicken stock on low heat. Add the milk and seasonings and stir around. Continue to heat for say 2 mins then off heat.
2. Season the pork slices with kosher salt, black pepper, paprika. Lay a big plate with a thin layer of cornstarch (use a small metal spoon to tap and spread evenly), place the seasoned meats on 1 side, pat lightly, then flip over to the other side, patting lightly again.
3. Heat the canola oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and brown the pork well (you'll know it's ready when it released easily from the wok). Transfer browned pork to plate.
4. Deglaze the wok with dry white wine. Pour the almost evaporated liquid into the prepared chicken and milk mixture.
5. Melt butter in the wok on moderate heat.
6. Add the onions and saute till just about soft, 2 to 3 mins.
7. Add the chopped Portobello mushrooms and saute for about 2 mins.
8. Sprinkle in flour a bit at a time, stirring around to mix well.
9. Ladle in the chicken and milk mixture.
10. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir the mixture until it thickens, about 3 to 5 mins. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
11. Layer the potato wedges and buna-shimeiji mushrooms, seasoning each layer with kosher salt.
12. Pour about half of the soup over the layers in the slow cooker.
13. Lay the browned pork in a single layer and pour the remaining soup over.
14. Cover and cook on low for about 3.5 hours.
15. Sprinkle with roasted almond slices!

Notes:
i. I swapped the chicken breast with pork loin and added potato wedges for my two potato fans - Kirin and 小雨.
ii. I cooked on high for the 1st half hour and I thought the pork turned a little tough and dry. So just 3.5 hours totally on low k! (As adviced by chef Daze Zino, see above).
iii. My sour cream-mushroom sauce seemed a little too much (the pork slices couldn't stay afloat for the shot *Frowned*). You may wish to use less than 1/2 cup of homemade chicken stock and adjust the remaining ingredients accordingly. Otherwise, you really could just use lesser from a can of cream of mushroom soup.

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Thursday's yoghurt art:

And I took another shot of it on a lovely dishcloth I bought this morning. Hahaa

As I lay in bed, I got more curious of the big dragonfly which I bet is still there, behind the washing machine now. Anything about a dragonfly totem? I chanced upon an interesting read: Dragonfly Spirit Animal & Totem by Elena Harris. A symbol of metamorphosis and transformation, adaptability, lightness in feelings and thoughts,,, I know, I know, Yang's thinking too much. Lol.

O by the way, I added lemon grass to soak and cook the grains today but they didn't lend much of a zesty flavor I was hoping for. Guess I need to do some research on how to add flavor to rice using lemon grass.

It's rest day, not cooking.

Decided I need to use up some more mini portobello mushrooms (got a pack of 6 on Monday, the smallest pack I could find at the Supermart) for tomorrow's dinner. So I'll cook pork with potato wedges, in mushroom sauce... For a difference, I shall add some sour cream. Good chance to practise dredging and buerre manie.

At the pork section in the Hypermart. I looked at a pack of pork chop: a little bloody, with some slimy fats at the fringe. Then I took a pack of pork loin: chunky thick slab, with the smallest pack weighing 288g. Too much for the 3 of us. So happily, I chose a pack of boneless, sliced pork loin and chucked that into my basket. Just a thin neat layer of fat at the edge of each slice which I could easily remove with my Sekimagoroku knife. To be honest, I know you know I knew Yang already decided to get a pack of sliced pork loin way before stepping into the Hypermart.

Less the broccoIi, add the sour cream, swap chicken breast with pork loin.. it's still rather similar to dinner on Monday. So I better have a little innovation.

Kirin likes nuts. I could tell that from how much cashew nuts he took from the dish of Kung pao sliced fish last night. Hmm how about adding some toasted almond flakes instead?
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So I chopped up some ingredients for tomorrow. And Yes I'm crazy but I need to repeat this: I really love the feeling of slicing a portobello mushroom. Lol.

And of course, I bought a pack of unroasted sliced almonds, then roasted a tray of it. The same way I roasted my cashew nuts, less the canola oil.

Snapped a plain picture of my plate of golden brown almond flakes. Before I toss these beautifully roasted almond flakes into a glass container, perhaps I could piece a little art?

And perfectionist Yang took a-g-e-s.. I hope the almond flakes stay crispy (luckily they did. Phew!). There you go: Hello Kitty says hello!!

Bought a bottle of Italian white Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio 2012. A dry, crisp white wine which doesn't add sweetness to your dish and could be kept for 6 months from opening. Great for Lefty Yang who doesn't cook everyday.

Tonight's yoghurt art...

... to be indulged using my new Sumikko gurashi spoon.

Was velveting fish slices when I realised 2 eggs in the carton had cracked. I always checked that none of the eggs is broken before that carton goes into my grocery basket. It can't be due to hatching (hahaa of course not!) at a temperature as low as 4 degree celcius inside the fridge. If I didn't recall wrongly, the same happened with a few eggs in my previous carton. But it didn't quite bother me then coz I usually couldn't cook all the eggs before they expire. Kirin and 小雨 aren't fans of eggs.

Could it be due to expansion of egg yolk and white under too low a temperature? Probably. The egg I used for velveting just now had rather icey egg white, which I took longer than usual to separate from the egg yolk. Turned the fridge temperature a notch up. Let's see.

Simple stir-fry dishes for dinner tonight:
1. Kung pao sliced fish (batang) re-visited. Only difference was I replaced the sliced spring onions with yellow onion strips.

2. Baby bok choy stir-fry. Almost like my nai bai stir-fry, just that I blanched the baby bok choy and added 1+1/2 tsp of abalone sauce to the broth mixture. 

Hmm rather boring hor... but 小雨 seemed to enjoy it. Heee

Well, highlights of the day is not going to be dinner but new Sumikko gurashi possessions!! A pair of fork and spoon, a cup and a notepad. I used to write my baking recipe notes in these cutesy notepads and tuck them in between pages of my recipe book. Sounds old school yea? That was before I own an iPhone. O they were also used to record my inventory of plain, all purpose flour, Top flour, caster superfine sugar, icing sugar etc. Yes I was that meticulous. Lol. Those were the days when Yang was lost in a baking craze.

Maybe I should start writing notes again and hang/stick them somewhere in the kitchen where I could take a quick read as I cook? I know I need to replicate the notes in my overused iPhone somewhere, before it gets misplaced by careless Yang or perishes from an overload of information.

Hmm I think I need a Sumikko gurashi pencil.. Hahaa

Ok I need to end off my day with a little creativity again.

So here you go: A 2nd bowl of YY for "Yang's Yoghurt". Ran out of sheep for Yang, so I made do with a duckie. Hahaa...  Today I was more cautious and I thought this is way too neat. Could have been a little messier for a greater sense of art.

Well... **Nothing is perfect in this world**

New culinary terms Yang learnt today...

1. dredging - coating moist foods with a dry ingredient before cooking.
Just a light coating for greater color and flavour. Aside from plain flour, you could use breadcrumbs or cornstarch as well.
2. Buerre manie - a dough consisting of equal parts of butter and flour, used to thicken soups and sauces.

Now I know I had already tried buerre manie when I prepared the sauce (Step 10 of the recipe) for my apple balsamic chicken the other day.

So I cut my 1st portobello mushroom, potatoes into wedges (i.e. halves into halves, into halves), and did both dredging and buerre manie.

The colors (brownish cap, cream-coloured flesh, blackie gills), smell and flavour of a Portobello mushroom simply exude a rustic 60s charm, to Yang. Am I crazy to say I really love the feeling of slicing it. It's like slicing some supple meat that's totally seamless and homogeneous (unlike the flesh of chicken or pork which have layers).  A little like slicing zucchini, but without the crunch. It's just unique. O do scrape out the blackie gills before you slice it.

I thought I did an ok job in dredging the chicken breast halves today - nice tinge of brown on lightly-floured surfaces, with some browned bits or "fond" in the wok to be deglazed. I used the broccoli blanching liquid for deglazing today.

But I had thickened and reduced the cream of mushroom soup a little and it doesn't seem enough to cook the 3 bottom layers of broccoli, potato wedges and buna-shimeiji mushrooms in the slow cooker. Oh no! How? Will they be undercooked?

I think I gotta remove the chicken later, add 2 tbsp of milk, stir the broccoli, potatoes and mushrooms around, then flip and return the chicken to the cooker for another 15 mins of cooking on high?

Just as I thought hard about saving the dish later, my worries were unfounded!

I peeped into the cooker and saw the veggies cooking well in the mushroom soup. Phew! Still cooked them on high for the last 15 mins to 4 hours of cooking and I got a dish of chicken breast in mushroom-broccoli sauce. Pretty unexpected that the broccoli broke down, but it was a blissful combination of green florets and brown mushroom bits.

Couldn't resist and I licked up the caramelised bits that got adhered to the insides of the slow cooker, after a satisfying dinner. Hahaa... you know enough Maillard reactions took place in there.

Slow cooker chicken in mushroom-broccoli sauce

(Adapted from recipe by Taste of Home)

Makes 2+1 toddler servings

2 Chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp kosher salt & close to 1/4 tsp black pepper (to season the chicken)
3 tsp plain, all purpose flour (to dredge the chicken)
1+1/2 tsp canola oil (to brown the chicken)
1/4 cup of broccoli blanching liquid (to deglaze pan)

Homemade cream of mushroom soup*

About 120g of broccoli florets, blanched
50g of buna-shimeiji mushrooms, sliced into halves
2 small red potatoes, cut into wedges
1/8 tsp kosher salt (to season the broccoli, potatoes & mushroom layers)

* Homemade cream of mushroom soup:

(Adapted from recipe by Simply Scratch)

2 +1/2 tsp butter, softened
1/4 of a yellow onion, finely chopped
1 mini portobello mushroom, gills removed & stemmed, finely chopped
2 + 1/2 tsp of flour
1/2 cup of homemade chicken stock
1/4 cup of low fat milk
Close to 1/8 tsp of kosher salt
Sprinkles of garlic powder & ground black pepper

1. Heat the homemade chicken stock on low heat. Add the milk and seasonings and stir around. Continue to heat for say 2 mins then off heat.
2. Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. Lay a big plate with a thin layer of plain flour (use a small metal spoon to tap and spread evenly), place the seasoned meats on 1 side, pat lightly, then flip over to the other side, patting lightly again.
3. Heat the canola oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken well (you'll know it's ready when it released easily from the wok). Transfer browned chicken to plate.
4. Deglaze the wok with the blanching liquid for broccoli. Pour the almost evaporated liquid into the prepared chicken and milk mixture.
5. Melt butter in the wok on moderate heat.
6. Add the onions and saute till just about soft, 2 to 3 mins.
7. Add the chopped Portobello mushrooms and saute for about 2 mins.
8. Sprinkle in flour a bit at a time, stirring around to mix well.
9. Ladle in the chicken and milk mixture.
10. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir the mixture until it thickens, about 3 to 5 mins. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
11. Layer the potato wedges, buna-shimeiji mushrooms, then blanched broccoli, seasoning each layer with kosher salt.
12. Pour about half of the soup over the layers in the slow cooker.
13. Lay the browned chicken in a single layer and pour the remaining soup over chicken.
14. Cover and cook on low for about 3.5  to 4 hours.

Notes:
i. I skipped the carrots, green chillies in the recipe from Taste of Home and added broccoli. Also replaced the cream of onion soup with cream of mushroom soup.
ii. I had laid the blanched broccoli, potato wedges, then the mushrooms (as can be seen from the picture in slideshow below). However, I thought it might be safer to lay the potato wedges, mushrooms at the bottom, since the broccoli had already been cooked.
iii. I removed the chicken, stir around the potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli, flipped and returned the chicken, then cooked on high for the last 15 mins. But I guess 4 hours of low and moist cooking is good to give tender chicken.

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K this is a messy 1st attempt at a bowl of YY for "Yang's Yoghurt". Of strawberries, seedless grapes, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, half a square of 78% Frey extra dark bittersweet chocolate...

... and a sheep stolen from 小雨's Leibniz zoo biscuits bought by papa Kirin.

And Kirin bought me Twelve cupcakes!!

After I'm done with YY, I sunk my teeth into one with brown cream cheese frosting. It was chocolate banana, a flavour that's usually available but I never thought of getting for myself. I would have bought it for Kirin though, he likes bananas and chocolate.

Eh Ok now I know why it's here... Sorry Kirin! I took yours... Hahaaa