Beef Stroganoff

Nothing improves the taste of pasta more than a good appetite.
~ Italian Proverb

Ben went with me for grocery shopping two weeks ago and saw Stroganoff sauce in a bottle on the shelves. He asked that I try this out. The instruction on the bottle seems simple and does look like something that the boys would like.

Beef Stroganoff, in its simplest form, is simply tender beef with a mushroom and sour cream sauce served over noodles, or even rice. The current accepted history of this dish dates back to the 1890s when a chef working for Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov, a famous Russian general, invented the recipe for a cooking competition in St. Petersburg.

I used egg white pasta to go with the Beef Stroganoff.

BIG_IMG_3753_edited-1

Ingredients
  • 1 bottle (400ml) of Stroganoff cooking sauce
  • 1 package (340g) of egg white pasta
  • 1 lb sirloin steak
  • 1 can of mushroom pieces
  • cilantro for garnishing

MED_IMG_3730_edited-1

For those who loves beef stroganoff, you will like this Hamburger Stroganoff from scratch too.

(more…)

Continue ReadingBeef Stroganoff

Toasted Sesame Seed Bagel with Kaya Spread

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Bread
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Where there is smoke, there is toast
~ Unknown

Before we had our bread machine, we usually buy bread and bagels from the Buns Master Bakery. Although there are several Buns Master outlets around the city, we normally go to the one on SW Marine Drive just off the Knight Street Bridge.

We love their sesame seed bagel. We have tried the sesame seed bagel from the other Buns Master outlet but they do not taste the same. The owner of this one particular outlet is a very nice Chinese looking man who always were very polite and humble. The shop opens seven days a week!! There was this one time when he told us that he is closing the shop for a week because his daughter was getting married … other than that he had been working seven days a week for a long time. Gosh, what a life!

IMG_3435_edited-1_2

We almost always buy the Sesame Seed Bagel, not Poppy Seed, Plain or others. And we like to toast it — toasting it brings out the full fragrance and crunchiness of the sesame seeds. Being raised as Malaysians we love to use kaya jam as a spread.

IMG_3470_edited-1_1

The bagel (or sometimes beigel) is a bread product traditionally made of yeasted wheat dough in the form of a roughly hand-sized ring which is boiled in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior.

The dough may also be flavored to produce many varieties: salt, onion, garlic, egg, pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, whole wheat, multigrain, cinnamon-raisin, cheese, caraway, blueberry, and muesli among others. Bagels may be topped with seeds such as poppy or sesame, which are baked onto the outer crust. (more…)

Continue ReadingToasted Sesame Seed Bagel with Kaya Spread

Allie’s Bulgogi Lunch

Aim high in your career but stay humble in your heart.
~ Korean Proverb

Allie invited Helen and I to her place for lunch. It’s her way of thanking both of us for helping her move to her new place earlier. Since she is Korean, she showed us how Bulgogi is eaten the right way … using hands. 🙂

IMG_3307_edited-1

Bulgogi is a popular Korean beef dish, a kind of Korean barbecue. It is made from marinated steak that is cut into thin strips before cooking. Bulgogi is a specialty dish served when guests visit or eaten in restaurants. The dish is also often served to non-Koreans as a first taste of Korean cuisine.

IMG_3301_edited-1

Instead of barbequing it, Allie pan fried the sliced beef strips. She pan fried it with lots of slices onions, green onions and garlic. The cooking smelt good.

IMG_3306_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingAllie’s Bulgogi Lunch

Steam Jah Jan Ramen

I have money, you have money; so we are friends.
~ Chinese Proverb

Panos came over to play with Arkensen and Nanzaro the other day. Panos is Norm’s best friend. Since Panos wanted to stay over for dinner and I thought I make instant noodles for the boys.

_MG_2811_edited-1

Unlike most other single serving packets of instant noodles, the Steam Jah Jan Ramen comes in a pack for servings of four. This is just the right size for a quick lunch for our whole family. Opening it up, it’s just like any other noodles with a twin packets of seasonings. The first packet was the oil and other other is the “jah jan”. Jah Jan is basically made of fried pork fats, lean pork and soy bean paste.

_MG_2814_edited-1

We found the instructions on the wrapping funny. It’s common to see broken English used in Made in China products. The instructions reads “After 4 minutes scooped spice of oil to stir. Then you can enjoy the delicious ramen”.

_MG_2815_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingSteam Jah Jan Ramen

Beef Rendang

All is not butter that comes from the cow.
~ Italian Proverb

Rendang is a dish from Malaysia which in some ways resembles a purely meat curry. In Malaysia, it is prepared by the Malay community during festive occasions.

IMG_3253_edited-1

Rendang is often served with a ketupat (a compressed rice cake) and lemang (glutinous rice barbecued in bamboo tubes). However, it goes equally as great with steamed rice, or even bread. It is not very spicy hot but is very heavily flavoured in spices.

Rendang is normally made from beef (or occasionally chicken or mutton) slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices for several hours until almost all the liquid is gone, leaving the meat coated in the spicy condiments. The spices may include ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemon grass and chillies. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and to become tender. That sounds daunting, right?

Things are much more easier these days because we can just buy all the ingredients mixed in a box.

IMG_3247_edited-1

We bought the Claypot brand Beef Rendang Mix (see box above). To prepare this dish, we only need 750g (1.5 lb) of cubed beef. The stuff you see in the two bowls and measuring cup are prepared out from the box. (more…)

Continue ReadingBeef Rendang