Button 'Shrooms'

Mushrooms.
I have never personally been a fan of these fungus looking delicacies. *Mom and dad would probably be shocked to spot mushrooms popping up on my blog entries!* I used to try to evade every mushroom-eating occasion at dinner; and being in a Chinese family made it almost impossible! I sometimes wonder how human beings began harvesting mushrooms as food.
Cave Man (1): *Grunt* Look! Icky looking Moss on rock.
Cave Man (2): YUM!
Haha...I bet it didn't happen that way, but *shrug* Its funnier to think that!
Both my housemates Pinky and Amrit love mushrooms; and when I saw these extremely LArge button mushrooms for sale at bargain price, I couldn't resist! I was convinced it was fated for me to bring "shrooms" into my kitchen for the first time.
Spicy Herb Mushrooms

10 large button mushrooms diced roughly
2 red chilies sliced
2 cloves garlic diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 sprig lemon thyme; diced
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
feta cheese - crumbled

Heat olive oil in a shallow pan and saute chilies, herbs and garlic till fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and chilli sauce. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes and add in all other ingredients. Mix well to combine and dish out into serving platters/ramekins. Prepare toasted slices of sour bread / baguette slices / wholemeal lebanese bread to serve. Add a handful of crumbled feta cheese on top.

Intrigued by how delicious it looked, I had myself a scoop....I was impressed. It didn't make me feel like I was about to 'gag'! The curse of the evil Mushroom is broken!
Cheer's to many more mushroom days!! *laughs*

Tired, Battered and still smiling :)

I apologize for the late entry today. It's been a very long day for me...a fun one at least.
It was a Paint-Balling/Skirmish day! Despite telling everyone it was my first time, I was given no pity. My battlemates on the opposing team fired away their painful bullets like there was no tomorrow! *laughs*
Although it's been awhile since I've evolved from my "Computer-game geek" phase; I didn't think my aim and strategies with a rifle could have deteriorated so much! I was being "PWWNeed"- gamer's term for "getting-your-ass-kicked". The day's events have led me to think of digging up my old stash of Counter Strike and Call of Duty. *sigh* the good-ol-geeking-days...computer games which I used to obsess about seem like ancient forgotten history since I discovered baking and the kitchen. I guess the change of interest was for the better; at least my hobbies now involve a useful skill and sharing delicious goodies with friends. I grew out of my boy-ish perception of life and decided to embrace the girl in me...considering the fact that I don't have a say in determining my sexuality. *grin* I'd still pick to be a boy if I was given a chance! Haha. I don't really know why..but part of my personality has always made me felt I didn't fit in with the girls. It may have been my physical size...or the food portions I ate...or it may have been the clothes or the company of friends. A good example would be; today when I was at paintball. We had approximately 20 people; which 6 of them being female (including me). I was teammates with 3 girls who were absolutely USELESS!... to the extent that it was actually annoying! Our team was very much weaker with obvious reasons; we didn't have an equal number of participants. Half of my team (the girls) hid behind rocks/trees 90% of the time! It was retarded. Out of frustration; I rolled over and asked them "Why are you guys hiding behind this tree together? the enemies aren't anywhere near! Come! Let's go!"
and I got several replies which dropped my jaw;

"...but I don't want to get shot! It HUrtttssss!! *whine*" -(then don't play paintball!)
"I'm scared! You want to join us? We can fit one more." -(I said no thanks and crawled away)

One of the girls yelled at me "Don't be StuPID! You're going to get bruises and scars and stuff!"......at that point..I was convinced that I wasn't one of 'the-girls'. I returned home with a bruise on every body part, sore limbs and dirt all over me! It was all worth it, the feeling of taking out enemies with painful squirts was exhilarating! I'm proud of my battle scars; I think they're 'hot', in an army-tough girl sorta way! *laughs*Before I retire to bed to have a good nights sleep; I'll share with everyone a very special family recipe which reminds me so much of home and my childhood. They may be unattractive to look at, but don't judge them by their appearance, they taste absolutely fantastic!
Although my mom has a different name for them...
I call them "Peanut butter+orange" cookies.

100gm peanut butter
Grated rind 1 orange
100gm castor sugar
50gm crushed walnuts
1 egg
75gm sultanas
100gm self raising flour

1. Cream the peanut butter with orange rind and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg . Add the sultanas, nuts and stir in. Fold in the flour gently.
3. Mix thoroughly and roll into small balls the size of walnuts and and place on a lighty greased baking tray
4. Dip a fork in flour press down lightly
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 170 degrees in a preheated oven.
6. Remove from tray and cool on wire cooling rack.

Battered Asparagus

Deepfried __"anything"___ is good. Seriously.....has anyone had a Deep-fried food they didn't like? ......in this short couple of minutes; I personally can't think of any.
Despite health issues and calories, I still sometimes succumb to the thought of deepfrying vegetables. OH GOD, THey're the BEST!....think Japanese tempura, beer batter fries, wedges, calamari rings, potato chips, buttermilk chicken drumsticks...donuts! THink OF DONUTS!! mMmMMmmm fried bread....*floats into Krispy Kreme heaven*
Before I go off in search of the next best thing to satisfy my cravings...I'll quickly post up my recipe for Battered Asparagus I served as a side dish to grilled chicken recently.

12 stick of asparagus - washed

Microwave in a heat proof bowl for 5 minutes on High.

1 egg
5 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 cup cold water

Mix the batter ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Set aside
Heat 5 tbsps of oil (I use Rice Bran oil for deepfrying) in a deep wok. Dunk asparagus sticks into batter and turn to coat. Fry 3 sticks at a time in the oil until brown and crisp. Soak up excess oil on a kitchen towel. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.

Hundreds and Thousands

For the past 19 years of my life; I've called these candy toppers "dot-dot thing-ies"!
My ignorance gave my ex-housemate; Kylie a good giggle.
in 2004, She exclaimed with an eyebrow raised; "You don't know what 100's and 1000's are?!" It's what everyone calls them!" *everyone but me I guess...*Haha!
Kylie loved making fairy-bread sandwiches sliced neatly and stacked away in a tupperware to bring to parties and gatherings she often had with her girly friends. It was my first introduction to the famous fairy-bread; hard to believe...but true! As I watched her spread butter on white bread and shake colourful dots on top; I was anxious to steal a slice! too PRETTY!! so TEmptiNG! It was similar to eating buttered white bread sprinkled with crunchy bits of sugar- in a less boring and colourful manner of course :). For old time sake...I'll make myself a fairy-sandwich; as I reminiscence sweet thoughts of Kylie and my memories from the old apartment.Chocolate truffles and slices

200g good quality milk/dark/white chocolate melted
200ml Cream
1 tbsp butter
100's and 1000's / cocoa powder to coat

Melt chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl till smooth and glossy. Stir in cream till well combined and pour mixture into a wax-paper lined cake tin/ tupperware. Leave to set in the refrigerator for approximately 12 hours overnight. Remove gently and slice into squares/ roll soft mixture into balls. Coat generously in 100's and 1000's or cocoa powder. Store refrigerated.

Exchanging my Work for $$

Yeap!...after many encouraging suggestions from family, friends and blog readers; I've finally made my first sale! WooOHOOo~ *pops the champagne bottle*! Haha. I do not intend to open a cake sculpting studio or any other bizarre ambitious idea as such in the near future as Uni work comes first. I'll just be playing it small in the comforts of my own cozy kitchen.
For those who are interested in being "the-guest-who-brought-the-most-awesome-cake" to their next party; please feel free to request for a quote by dropping me an email *wink* ;)
(suyin.cookingismypassion@gmail.com)-with the title of the email "Cake Order".
I'm happy to have a go at astonishing you with what I can do with some cake and icing!
It would be helpful if you could list a couple of details such as; size, budget, cake flavour, icing type and design ideas.
Here's pictures of my progress through a "Toadstool Fairy Princess" cake I designed, sculpted and stacked for a little girl's 5th birthday. The boy who made orders for it will be collecting it on Saturday; as he intends for it to be a surprise on the weekend! I really hope she likes it!Here's several different angles after I was done. Everything but the the fairy's wand is edible...The cake on the inside was a chocolate sponge cake layered with buttercream and shaped with marshmallows. Tiny details, elf girl and castle wall's were made from Fondant.A satisfied customer with very kind words!*sigh* makes me feel warm inside...LOL

A Greek-y Entry

I've always been oblivious about all things Greek as a child. Back home, I doubt I've ever spotted an authentic Greek restaurant/food store amongst the array of different "food-cultures" we're exposed to in Malaysia. Having the chance to experiment with new ingredients and recipes from Greek cuisine in my own Sydney kitchen has made it less of a mystery the past couple of years. I've acquainted myself and our happy household with a few "Greek-ish" dishes which I painlessly scouted around for. I personally feel my obsession with Greek food began with my girlfriends and I eye-ing too many hot Greeks in Sydney! *laughs*- I shall stop there . . . .. *grin* LOL
Here's an afternoon of Greek Food at our very "Malaysian" home;
Greek Pie

2 Lebanese zucchinis sliced and salted 30 minutes in advance (Rinse in cold water and drain well before using) 1 leek; finely chopped and pan fried till soft in some olive oil
180g Greek Feta cheese
180g ricotta cheese
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup thyme leaves chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves chopped
4 eggs beaten

Add everything in a bowl and toss with salt and pepper to season.

8 slices prosciutto

Grease a cake tin and line the base and sides with prosciutto allow 1-2 cm of overhang around the edges. Pour mixture into the center and fold over prosciutto over the top. Bake for 30-45 minutes until firm in preheated 180 degree oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Pastitso- A Greek version of lasagne made with a meat sauce flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg.
*the recipe is EXTREMELY long....and I'm in a hurry; so I'll just slot in a quick photo. (And NO; it isn't because I'm being lazy! LOL)

Here's a shorter recipe for Greek salad instead *wink*.

Toss chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and lettuce leaves in a large bowl.
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic chopped
fresh chopped oregano
salt and pepper

*I don't have a photo of the salad; didn't make vege's that afternoon *guilty* Haha!
I'm sure those who love Greek food are wondering why "Lamb" isn't on my Greek-y menu! *laughs*....erm...*shrug?*

Strawberries + Tia Maria

Tia Maria...sounds sweet and delicate; almost like a name for a beautiful petite girl.
Well..to be completely honest, if the shape of the girl looks anything like the "Tia Maria" bottle; she wouldn't be too petite would she? - I apologize for the rude joke*laughs* . From this angle, its shape reminds me more of a man's built chest. I often get influenced to purchase liquor from their attractive packaging....*sigh* marketing is the devil! - A bargain of 2 bottles for $50 at Woolworths this week can sometimes be just as convincing.

TIA MARIA: A dark, medium-bodied coffee liqueur made from a fine blend of cane spirit, jamaican coffee, vanilla and sugar.

I displayed my 18 plus ID to the liquor department cashier, handed him a $50 note and left with a bottle of creme caramel baileys in one arm and tia maria in the other.
In the past; i've seen many recipes with tia maria as an added ingredient, often in sweet desserts such as cakes and puddings. I couldn't wait to try it in one of my own concoctions! I poured myself a tiny shot of the liquor into a shooter glass to have an idea of what it tasted like and how it should be combined other ingredients. I was not very impressed at my first sip, but as I had a little more...the flavours began to sink in. It seemed a little stronger than other coffee liquors I'm used too (Kahlua) as it didn't have that milky-creamy effect.
I decided to go with flaky-buttery pastry and custard cream topped with strawberries to add some tangy-ness to the tart.

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry (cut into rings with and egg ring/round cookie cutter)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup almond meal
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberries
1/4 cup tia maria

For the custard,Whisk egg yolks+sugar until pale and creamy. Add flour + almond meal. Stir well. Heat milk and vanilla in the microwave (until it just begins to boil) should take 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally. Pour milk in a thin stream into egg mixture while beating constantly. Return to microwave and zap for another 90 seconds on high. Remove and whisk. Pour custard into a bowl and cover surface with cling wrap and pop it into the fridge till needed.
Place pastry rings into a greased muffin tray; pushing them right to the base. Spoon custard mixture into the pastry cups (3/4 full) and bake in preheated 180 degree oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and custard tops are golden. Remove from the oven and gently lift cups from the muffin tray. Spoon teaspoons of Tia maria into individual custard cups and top with chopped strawberries. Serve immediately.I added a couple drizzles of melted chocolate at the end but they disappeared into our tummies before I could snap a picture! If you like chocolate with strawberries; feel free to do the same.

Guest Chef: Priyanka a.k.a Pinky

I shall be introducing a couple of guest chefs and their personal recipes in the coming months. Anyone interested in putting on my apron?My very first "Guest Chef" entry shall be my dear housemate Priyanka; remaking her Mom's delicious South Indian Style fish Curry.Pinky was presented a priceless old recipe journal neatly handwritten and compiled through the years by her Mom;Dr Siriander Devi to help encourage her to learn to cook. The recipe book is filled to the brim with bound pages of family-oriented recipes and almost spilling out with leaflets and written copies of cakes, cookies and puddings alike!
Pinky hardly cooks much at home; but when she does her mom's curries....MmMMm yummm...*licks lips*
Don't be put off by the long list of ingrdients...it's definitely worth the trouble!

• 5 tomatoes diced
  6-18 pieces fish marinated in garlic+ginger juice
  2 small lebanese brinjals cut into lengths and prefried in hot oil
• 6 small onions (red)+ 3 pips garlic diced
  2 green chillies cut into half
  curry leaves washed
• 1 lime ball of tamarind made into paste with 1/2 cup hot water
  3 tbsps full fish curry powder
  2 tbsp chilli powder
  1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  (add curry powder, chilli powder and cumin seeds together and mix into a paste with 1/4 cup water)
  1 lvl tsp mustard seeds
  1 lvl tsp fenugreek
  1 lvl tsp cumin seeds and fennel seeds

Heat oil in pan and add garlic+onions+chilli+spices till brown. Add curry paste and stir to combine. Add in tamarind paste+salt (to taste) and allow to simmer for awhile. Add in diced tomatoes and wait for the mixture to boil. (Add extra water if necessary). When aromatic, add fish and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in brinjals and simmer till flavours are incorporated. Be careful not to stir the curry too vigorously as not to break up the pieces of fish/ mash the tomatoe pieces.Best eaten a day after its cooked...with roti canai! YUM!!
*this one's for you lara :)

Would You Eat something which shoots out of a Squids ASS?

...and it's BlACK too!!
*grin*Well...Squid ink isn't really harvested with the chef scaring the shit out of a squid to get it to squirt its ink *laughs* but merely slicing a really fresh squid open and removing the ink from its sacks. For a short scientific explanation to why squids need sacks of black liquid;

Squids use the ink as a means to escape predators, emitting this dark cloudy substance as danger approaches in hopes of intimidating the oncoming danger.

So need not worry...nothing about animal "wastes" are related to why it has such a dark colour.

The ink from Squid or cuttlefish is used as a food coloring and flavoring, providing a very dark black color and a salty tasting flavor to foods such as pasta or rice. It is also served as a condiment, first being dried in an oven, crumbled into tiny particles, seasoned with salt and then used on a variety of foods. (recipetips.com)

I purchased a bag of Squid Ink Spaghetti (al nero di seppia- no idea what this means...I'm guessing it means "Squid Ink Spaghetti"-DUH, but if anyone could transalate it to me in its language of origin; it would very much be appreciated) at the Sydney Good Food and Wine Show as I was intrigued by its dark mysterious colour. It was displayed amongst a huge range of different pasta's of orange, green and yellow. It looked exceptionally glamorous and I decided to take it home with me.
While I was cooking it, I received several oOOOs, eEeerggHhs, and wahhHhs from my fellow diners. To be very honest; I was "Oo, erGh and ahh" -ing in my own head as well! Haha. It looked strangely like long dark worms cooking in a pot! *shiver* I picked a lucky one out of the pot and took a good slurp! YEAp! Worms definitely don't taste like that! LOL....Not to say I've tasted any *sneaky eyes*
I dressed the pasta up with a garlic+chicken tomato base sauce and threw in a couple of cheeses at the end. Everyone dug in; and the ewws and Erghs were over. The Squid Ink adds both a sea tang and a deep black glow to the pasta.Sauce Recipe:

2 cloves garlic diced
1 can tomato puree
1 yellow chili sliced
2 sprigs fresh oregano chopped
1 fresh tomato cubed
1 chicken breast cubed
2 tsp seasalt
good dash of cracked black pepper
1 tsp of tabasco (leave out if you like)

Saute garlic in olive oil till fragrant and slightly brown, add in chicken and cook for another 2minutes on medium flame. Add in all other ingredients and allow to simmer till chicken is tender. *taste the sauce* - Add more of whatever else you think might improve it.
Cook the black spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water until cooked through; Should take about 10-12 minutes. Drain and dunk it into the pasta sauce and give it a good stir. Add in Boccocini Cheeses/ grated mozzarella/ Parmesan into hot pasta before serving.

Cooking with fellow food blogger

Swee San -> Link
It was a fairly busy night for me yesterday; as I tried hard to juggle entertaining my guests, making dinner and baking tarts all in a couple of hours. But with the help of fellow food blogger; Swee, all went well in the kitchen. I suggested a small dinner get-together as Swee had some leftover shortcrust pasrty from her passiterie course at cooking school. She didn't have tart/ pie dishes at home and wondered if I wanted some....I exclaimed; Sure why Not!
For dinner; I made "a non-deepfried" version of Chicken Kiev with roast vegetables and mash potatoes. I made the mash potatoes in the afternoon and marinated the chicken a couple of hours before with some salt and lemon thyme.
Contrary to popular believe; "Chicken Kiev" isn't of Russian/Ukrainian origin but actually of French cuisine. Here's more from Wikepedia

This famous method of preparing chicken or pheasant is not of Ukrainian origin as the name Kiev, the national capital, would imply. It was invented by the Frenchman, Nicolas François Appert (1749-1841), brewer, pickler, confectioner, and chef who discovered the principles of canning and preserving of food. Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1741–1762) of Russia preferred French foods and fashions, and by the late 18th century wealthy Russian households were hiring French chefs, or sending their cooks to train in France. Because of this, French dishes were widely imitated.

6 chicken thigh pieces marinated in salt + herb of choice ( I suggest tarragon/thyme)
Handful of mozzarella
6 round boccocini cheese pieces
6 (1cm) cubes of cold unsalted butter
1 sprig oregano diced fine
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 large pinch of sea salt

Mix breadcrumbs, sea salt and oregano in a bowl and set aside. Open up the chicken thigh fillets and places cheeses and butter in the center. Roll up the pieces of meat to form a "sausage" with the cheeses enclosed in the center. Secure the opening with one hand and dunk the meat into the bowl of breadcrumbs and turn to coat. Place open side down onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and grill in 190 degree oven for approximately 30-40 minutes. ( add in your vegetables into the pan as well). Reserve the liquids for a sauce if you like. Mine went well without it; so I didn't really botherAfter dinner; we had a short tart making session with the pastry swee had brought over. We decided on a large chocolate pie (still in the fridge) and a couple of smaller strawberry and lychee tartlets.
I had a small ball of pastry left and decided to use my muffin tray to make as many messy blueberry tarts I could instead of wasting it. It turned out yum as well! Didn't look too good straight out of the oven, but I gave them a good "makeover" with some cream and strawberry wings...TAadAH!! pretty ButterFlieS!Our friend Ling couldn't stop pigging out on the whipped cream...

Happy Birthday MAtt-y!

Another Birthday?!? Yeap...2 days in a row...It's been a cake-making escapade for me! There's actually another 21st party tonight; for Chris, which I won't be able to attend. I hope he has a wonderful birthday bash. Happy 21st to You too Chris!- I'll see ya at Uni next week!

Matty= Matthew Luke Jameson...turned 24 last night! (oldie-moldie) *laughs*
One of the happiest guys in Uni! He's got the looks, got the brains, got the muscle, got the beautiful girlfriend; he's got it all!Matt organized a casual get together at The Australian ( The Rocks, Sydney) after work to celebrate. I woke up really late that morning and wondered if I still had time to make him a birthday cake. The party was at 6pm; and I was up at 11am....It didn't give me much time to bake, cool, ice and design! You'll be surprised how time consuming making cakes like these can be and I didn't want to turn up with a rushed 1/4 effort job. I decided to compromise with a smaller cake made with a single 9 inch round springform and the cake cut to shape. I popped the sculpted cake in the freezer with some cling wrap and glazed it with Bailey's Irish Cream to help adhere the icing made from red sugar paste. The details were hand molded and stickers were painted with a paint brush and some food colouring. I was contented by the time the clock struck 3. I thought it looked amazing.....except for that damn tail wing which kept flopping over!!! *argh* I replaced it with a piece of cardboard; and my day was smooth sailing from there.
I packed the tiny race car in my trusty cake tin and maneuvered my way to The Rocks by bus. Passer-bys and passengers on the bus were all intrigued. Here is a couple of my favorites;

"Is it a toy, why is it in a tray?!"- (bus driver)
"Oh, thanks for making me a birthday cake!...*goes on to sing himself happy birthday*"
"Can it move??"

I finally got there; Matt's eyes lit up when he saw what I was holding! Everyone at the table oOoO-ed and aHhh-ed. I lifted the lid and Matt exclaimed "AWesomE!". He was excited and overjoyed like a little boy with his new toy. We got him to light the candle; had a birthday song singing session and he cut up the cake for everyone to share. I'm glad I chose to make a dark chocolate whiskey cake; it had to be a somewhat "man-ly" flavour just in case the cake looked a little childish for a 24 year old! Everyone thought it was delicious and I was all smiles.Unfortunately I had to leave early as I was meeting a couple of friends from Adelaide for dinner, but I had a great time anyway. Matt's friends and sisters were fun, friendly and generous with compliments. I left having an awkward feeling of self pride. I never expected or imagined a reaction as such from everyone and felt a little stupid for having doubts if Matt would be happy with the cake on the way there. I guess my many cake making+decorating practice sessions have finally began to pay off.

'Safari Night' with Alison's 21st

A Happy Happy Birthday to ALison, who's turning 21 in a couple of days. It was an awesome party at the White Horse at Surry Hills. Food was fabulous, guests were beautiful and friendly, drinks flowed well and the chocolate fountain was to-DIe-For!! I wish I had a good picture of it. Everytime I went closer to snap a photo, I end up forgetting what I was doing and reaching for a stick to poke at a strawberry/ marshmallow! *blush* LOL. The Greeed for Chocolate!! It's sinful!!
I hope she likes this little cake I made for her. It's not much compared to her huge amazing safari-key cake! My teeny weeny cake probably wont be much too eat; but at least it's pretty to look at! *shrug*. I always believe in making gifts more than buying them.
The party room was decorated in the "Safari" theme with balloons, stuffed toys! and table decor to match. The balloons were tied down by Ali's own personal stuffed animals and they were absolutely ADORABLE! Here's my favourite...I had a good laugh!
Most guests came in dressed safari-ish; animal print frocks, safari gaming costumes, hats, scarves, tiger print kitten heels, binoculars, fishing hats?! LOL and even one with a monkey hanging around his neck! It was heaps of fun; CHeers to Ali and her fellow organizers who did an amazing job!I wonder what I should do for my 21st.....hmm.....*goes into deep thought* Ideas anyone??
The cake was orange and chocolate chip covered in royal icing and sugar paste for the fiddly bits. I used a mini cake tin and had scraps of extra cake batter. My housemates were overjoyed....yummy little blueberry and orange cupcakes for everyone!
I covered the cakes with spoonfuls of blueberry jam and stuck fresh fruits on top with a squeeze of royal icing. They dissapeared within the hour!