Ayam Tim (Pickled Mustard Greens & Chicken Soup)

Savoury, sweet, sour with a hint of spice and it’s snowballing flavour makes this soup one of the few tastiest simple soup to make. This dish is a derived version from the traditional nyonya ‘Itik Tim’ made using duck instead of chicken. If you are able to buy duck where you are, I suggest cooking with it as it gives a deeper flavour. Otherwise, the next best option will be chicken. 

This soup has converted someone who does not like soup to now, love it!

Ayam Tim (Pickled Mustard Greens & Chicken Soup)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 800g chicken legs
• 300g salted mustard green
• 4 carrots (peel & cut to wedges)
• 2 onions (cut to wedges)
• 2 dried chilli
• 3 cloves garlic (remove skin & bruise)
• 2 inch ginger (sliced)
• 4 dried salted plums
• 3 tomatoes (halved)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• salt and ground white pepper to taste
• water to cover over the ingredients

Methods:

1.  Soak the salted mustard green in water for about 30 minutes to remove the salt. 

2.  While the salted mustard green is being soaked, prepare the other ingredients.
3.  Place chicken, salted mustard green, carrots, onions, dried chilli, garlic and ginger in a pot.
4.  Pour water into the pot until it covers over the ingredients.
5.  Bring to boil. Then add in the dried salted plums and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

6.  Add in the tomatoes at the last 10 minutes.
7.  Season with toy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
8.  Serve with steamed rice. 

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Crab apple avocado salad stack

Summer in London this year must have been the best we've had for the longest time. So much so that I have not been checking the weather forecast. I just expect the next day to be warm and sunny and continue being like this the day after. I'm getting used to wearing skirts, shorts and no jackets or tights. What a bliss. 

With this weather, comes simple and tasty cool food that does not make you sweat. One that is easy to prepare as well. This recipe is so pretty yet easy to make, it is perfect for a quick summer dinner after work. Even though it is weekday after work in London, having this salad on the balcony just makes it feel like holiday by the beach. Enjoy!

Crab salad served on lettuce gem leaves. This is a good way to serve the salad at a party. It's easy to pop into the mouth.

Crab, Apple and Avocado Salad Stack

serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 120g crab meat (can)
• 1 red chillies (diced)
• 1 granny smith apple (cubed)
• 120g baby plum tomatoes (quartered)
• 1 nectarine (deseeded & cubed)
• 1 large lime
• 1 avocado (cubed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• lettuce gems
• handful of fresh mint leaves
• extra virgin olive oil
• a few drops of balsamic to taste (on tomato)

Methods:

1.  Remove crab meat from can and drain. Place into a bowl then add the diced chillies and apple cubes.

2.  Squeeze the juice of one lime into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix the crab well with some sliced mint leaves. 

3.  On a different bowl, place the quartered plum tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, 2 drops of balsamic vinegar and a little extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.

4.  To assemble, place a food ring on a serving plate. 

5.  Carefully place the avocado in the ring. Top it up with the cubed nectarines followed by the tomatoes.

6.  Gently press downwards with the back of spoon to compress the stack of avocado, nectarines and tomatoes.

7.  Top up with a generous amount of the prepared crab and decorate with mint leaves.

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Sun-dried tomato pesto Spätzle

Someone's crazy over spätzle!! And yes, he's Alsacienne. Even though I've eaten spätzle before, this was my first attempt which turned out surprisingly well. I had an approved stamp from the Alsacienne so this must be a good standard. For those of you not familiar with spätzle, I would say that it is like a thinner version of the Italian gnocchi. The texture is pretty similar.

This is definitely a fusion version or my take to the traditional spätzle that is usually made with some cheesy white sauce. As you can see, my version has sausage meatballs and tomato. It's even slightly spicy which P mentioned, will be slightly too spicy for the Alsaciennes. On my taste buds, it was just the tiniest spice to excite a plate of pasta. So if you do not like spicy pasta, just omit the spicy ingredients.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Spätzle

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250g spatzle (or pasta of your choice if you can't get spatzle)
• 4 sausage (remove casing and roll into balls)
• 1 leek (sliced)
• 1 courgette (cubed)
• 150g baby plum tomatoes (halved)
• 1 tsp sun-dried tomato pesto
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 drops of tabasco (optional)
• 2 triangle of La Vache Qui Rit cheese (30g)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to serve
• chilli flakes to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Boil the pasta in salty water until al dente following the instructions on the pack. This will depend on the type of pasta you use. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil on a pan and cook the sausage meat balls until they are coloured and cooked.

3. Then add the leeks and courgette. Cook for about 3 minutes then toss in the plum tomatoes, followed by the paparika, ketchup, tomato pasta and some water.
4. Let the ingredients simmer and add sun-dried tomato pesto.
5. Season with tabaso, salt and pepper. Then add in the cheese, stir till melt and well combined.
6. Pour in the spatzle and toss until the pasta is covered in the sauce.
7. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some chilli flakes. 

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Mango chocolate cream layer

Crushed digestive biscuits in individual pots

On my way home one friday evening, I decided to treat M and myself to some homemade dessert but was only willing to spend a minimal amount of time making it. So I came up with something really quick and easy during my zoned out journey in the tube. What can be easier than a non-baking dessert? The best thing about this dessert, it is very flexible! Swap the ingredients with anything you fancy. Instead of using fresh mango, swap it with orange or strawberry. If you do not like fresh fruits, use any jam you have. If that is not easy enough for you, you can even top it off with Rice Krispies or Coco Pops instead! Like I said, anything you fancy.

Chopping up the fleshy mango

MANGO CHOCOLATE CREAM LAYER RECIPE

Serves 2

• 150g digestive biscuit (crushed)


• 150g dark chocolate


• 50ml milk


• 300ml double cream


• 2 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 mango (diced)

Methods:

1. Give the digestive biscuits a quick blitz in the food processor or crush them with your hands.


2. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie. Take it off heat when chocolate is almost entirely melted. Stir gently until smooth. Add in the milk and combine well. Set aside to cool.


3. Whip up the double cream with vanilla extract until soft peak and fold in the melted chocolate.


4. Place the crushed digestive biscuits into little individual pots, tumbler glasses or ramekins, depending on how you would like to serve them.


5. Scoop the chocolate cream mixture into the pots that are filled with crushed digestive.


6. Finish off with diced mangos.

Tips:

• To save time, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave. It is a lot quicker.


• Also instead of using fresh fruits, there is always the option of using jam or marmalade.

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