Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Banana cakes

It's a wonderful way to deal with leftover banana. I like this flavor of banana and walnut mixed with dark chocolate. This cake is not very sweet. Because I try to control the intake of sweet food these days, I didn't use much sugar. You can adjust the amount anyway. This recipe is from La tartingourmande. I changed the steps a little bit since I don't have a mixer yet.  And I also mixed the eggs york and whites seperately to try to get more fluffy taste. However I really don't know what if I didn't do that seperately. I guess it would also be fine. You can try it anyway.

                                                                    Banana cakes recipe
Ingredient,
   • 2 eggs
   • 1/2 cup blond cane sugar

   • 1+ 1/2 cup white rice flour (100 g)

   • 2 oz coarsely chopped dark chocolate (70 % cocoa)

   • 1 teaspoon baking powder

   • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

   • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

   • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

   • 7 tablespoons butter melted and slightly cooled

   • 2 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 350 F and butter a loaf pan or muffin molds. Coat them with flour and tap the excess out; set aside.

• In a bowl, combine the flours with  baking soda, baking powder,ground cinnamon, chocolate and nuts ;set aside.

• In another bowl, mix the egg whites and sugar until it's firm
• Sift the flour into melted butter and combine; combine egg yorks; fold in egg whites carefully

•Pour the batter into the molds you choose and bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes (for a large loaf) or 20 to 25 minutes (for small muffins).
 

The tomato seeds that I just planted 10 days ago. They are too close though, I'm worrying about if the tomato will grow up well. However, I do like this light green colour.


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Chinese Steam Fish

Hello! everyone. Today I finally launched my english blog. I have considered about it for a long time. And just because I'm too lazy to do that. But I'm so happy that I finally got my fantasy done.

I'm a real food fan. To say that, because I like almost all kinds of cuisine in this world. Although I haven't tried all of them till now, but I always like having a try on cooking them. But because I'm a Chinese, and now I live far far away from my home country( I live in the Netherlands now). I really want to write something more about my country here to heal my home sick. Of course, I will also write other cuisine I have tried and other topics not related to food though.

Today I'm gonna show you my first work---steaming fish. Steaming technique is possibly the healthiest one in main Chinese cooking techniques. It's most applied in Southern China. And I guess that's the reason why people there normally have good shape. Although I come from Beijing, I still like steaming food. Because that's the best way to keep original taste of food.

Steaming Fish Recipe
(for 2 persons)


Ingredients:

  • one fish (any kind you like)
  • cooking wine (Chineseyellow wine better, can also subsitute with white wine)
  • seasoned soy sauce for seafood(brand of Lee kum kee)
  • golden label superior light soy sauce
  • olive oil (or sunflower oil)
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 spring onion(or 1 onion)
  • half ginger
Steps:
  • Clean the fish. Slightly cut 3 slits on the fish abdomen using chopping knife. Don't overdo it or you will end with fish pieces.
  • Put the fish one a plate. Message the fish with some salt and black pepper both on the surface and inside of the fish. sprinkle 2 to 3 drops of cooking wine. Set aside and wait for 15 minutes.
  • Cut the ginger into 2 thick pieces and some thin pieces. Place the fish on another plate. put two thick ginger pieces under the fish to make the skin of the fish a bit away from the plate. Fill in other ginger pieces into fish abdomen.
  • Pour some water into the pot to prevent the pot from getting dry while cooking. Place the strainer in the pot.
  • position the plate with fish on the strainer. Making sure that the water doesn't touch the strainer. Put the lid on the pot. Turn heat on and after the water getting boil wait for another 6 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and then get the plate out. Chop the onion into pieces and cover them on the fish.
  • In a cook pan, pour some oil and turn on the heat. When the oil get hot, quickly pour it onto the body of the fish.
  • In a bowl evenly mix the golden label soy sauce with soy sauce for seafood in a portion of 1:2 table spoons. Add some water. Add a pinch of salt.
  • Pour the sauce in the pan. Heat it until warm and pour evenly on the body of the fish.



The picture below shows how steam cooker looks. You can possibly buy it in Chinese food store.