East Meets West Recipes: #2. Pasta Pork Soup with Shimeji Mushrooms

 Ingredients

• 200 g. Penne Pasta (you can also use other types of pasta i.e. Macaroni, Fusilli, Farfalle)
• 200 g. minced pork
• 100 g. Shimeji Mushrooms
• 1 pan of water (about 1000 ml) for cooking soup
• 1 pan of water with a pinch of salt to cook the pasta
• 3 tablespoons of fish sauce or Salt
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce

How to cook

• Pasta
• Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt into the boiling water. This will stop the pasta from sticking together.

 

• Add the pasta to the pot of water. Boil the pasta for 10 mins, over medium at high heat. 

 

• Stir regularly to avoid having the pasta stick together. Drain the pasta and set aside.

 

• Soup
• Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.

• Season the pork with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and put the pork in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over it.

 

• Mix gently and pour back to the pot. This technique will help to make a delicious soup stock. 

 

• Bring it all to a boil and let it all sit for about 5 minutes before turning the heat back down. For a clear broth, be sure to remove the bubbles that floats on top of the soup.

• Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to add some extra flavor.

 

• Add the Shimeji Mushrooms into the pot and let it all simmer for another 5 minutes.

 

 

• Add the cooked pasta into the pork soup pot. Mix well, and take off the heat.

 

SERVE HOT RIGHT AWAY!

Western Wonder Recipes: #2. Stuffed Pork Fillet with Apple and Cheese

 

 Ingredients

• 1 pork fillet
• 1/4 red apple, peeled, cored and diced  (Amount of apple is adjustable, depending on the size of your pork fillet)
• 2 slices cheese (i.e. Cheddar, Gruyere, Edam, Gouda)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional side dish: Freshly baked cheese croissant and mayonnaise.

How to cook

• Cut the pork fillet length-ways, Cutting nearly to the opposite side but not all the way through. Open it so it forms two flaps, attached at the center.

  

• Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

• Stuff pork fillet with the diced apple and cheese.

  

• Use toothpicks to close opening.

  

• Coat with flour, dip in egg and roll in the bread crumbs.

   

  

• Heat 1/2-inch of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.

• Add pork and fry for 10 minutes, turning frequently until cooked through and golden browned on all sides. Drain well.

  

 

• Remove toothpicks before serving.  

Best served with freshly baked cheese croissant and mayonnaise!

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Western Wonder Recipes: #1. Baked Eggplant with Mozzarella Cheese

(Total Cooking Time: Approx. 1 Hour)

Ingredients:

• For the Eggplants:
• 2 eggplants
• salt
• corn flour
• olive oil for frying
• 8 ounces of fresh Mozzarella cheese

• For the Tomato Sauce:
• 300 grams of ground pork
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of chopped or sliced red tomatoes
• 2 tea-spoons of salt
• 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
• 1 table-spoon of dried oregano leaves
• 2 tea-spoons  of olive oil
• 1 cup of tomato paste

• For the White Sauce Ingredients:
• 3 table-spoons of salted butter
• 3 table-spoons of corn flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tea-spoons of salt
• 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
• 1 tea-spoon of nutmeg

How to cook:

• Eggplants:
• Wash the eggplants thoroughly and cut them into half-an-inch thick slices without peeling them.
• Place the eggplants in cold water with salt, and rinse them quickly.
• Dry the eggplant slices, and cover them with flour or dip them in beaten eggs (optional)
• Deep fry the slices in olive oil until they are golden brown.
• Place the eggplant slices on paper towels, in order for the excess oil to be absorbed
• Sprinkle some salt over the slices and let them rest for a while.

• Tomato Sauce:
• Heat the pan on medium-high heat before adding the olive oil. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until they caramelize.
• Add ground pork and stir until the pork is well done.
• Add chopped tomatoes and tomato past and stir well.
• Add salt, ground black pepper, and oregano.
• Cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
• Remove from heat, and then start with the white sauce.

• White Sauce:
• Warm the milk in a pan, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
• Melt 3 table-spoons of the butter in the pan on low-heat.
• Add 3 table-spoons of corn flour. Stir constantly until it thickens.
• Add warm milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
• Mix the tomato sauce and white sauce together and add salt and pepper up to your personal taste.

• Last steps before baking:
• Place the fried eggplant slices in a bowl and spinkle them with salt.
• Spread tomato sauce and white sauce over the eggplants, and top them of with the Mozzarella.
• Add more layers as above.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

This is what your bowl should look like now:

• Put in the oven  at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes or until your cheese turns golden brown.

Serve your Rich & Thick Baked Eggplant with Cheese as soon as ready! 



 HAVE A NICE MEAL!!!

Easy Asian Recipes: #4.Thai Spicy Fried Egg Salad

For the Veggie Lovers!

(Total Cooking Time: Approx. 30 Minutes)

Ingredients

• 3 Large eggs
• 100g cooked ground pork
• 50g finely chopped parsley or spring onion (optional)
• 1 onion (Cut into thin slices)
• 2 medium size tomatoes (Cut into thin slices)
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped red chilies
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• 5 lettuce leaves
• ½ cup of vegetable oil

How to cook

• Heat up ½ cup of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
• Gently crack eggs into the hot oil.
• Wait until the bottoms of eggs are golden brown and starting to get crispy.
• Flip the eggs over to crisp up the tops (this makes it easier to slice).
• Place the fried eggs on a chopping board, and cut them into 1 inch square pieces.
• Mix the chilies, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice in a mixing bowl. Taste the dressing.and adjust the flavors as necessary.
• Add fried eggs, cooked ground pork, onion, tomato, sliced cucumber in a mixing bowl, and mix all ingredients well.
• Put the fried egg salad together by placing the lettuce leaves on a plate.
• Decorate the top with parsley leaves.

Best served right away!

Easy Asian Recipes: #3. Thai Stir-Fried Minced Beef with Basil Leaves (Non-Spicy Version)

Ingredients 

• 250 g. minced beef
• 2 cups of basil leaves 
• 3 cloves of minced garlic 
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (or salt)                                     
• 3 tablespoons Cooking oil

* Optional side dish: Fried egg & Steamed rice 

   

How to cook

• Peel and crush the garlic or chop it finely 

• Wash basil leaves and set aside

• Heat a pan or wok on a high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil

• Add garlic and stir until light golden brown

• Add the minced beef, and keep stirring until browned

• Add fish sauce, stir for 1 minute, taste the food, if not flavorful enough, add some more sauce.

• Add about half of the basil leaves. Let everything simmer for 2 minutes longer, stirring often. 

• Remove from heat, place on a serving plate and set aside. 

• Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high. Add the other half of the basil leaves to the hot oil and quickly stir them around until they stop bubbling and are crispy. Then turn off the heat.

• Place the crispy basil leaves on top of the Stir-Fried Minced Beef with Basil Leaves as garnish. 

Best served with fried egg and steamed rice!