Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (Jan 12) ~ Roundup

Finally, the CNY celebration has finally come to an end, so have you been enjoying the celebrations and non stop feasting...Well just hope that all of you have a fabulous CNY 2012 that give you a good start at the beginning of the Year of Dragon. It's also time to do a round up for Aspiring Bakers #15 - Jan 12.

As we believe many of you were tied up with activities during the festive period so we had extended the closing date till yesterday (06/02/12). Glad that with the extension, entries started coming in though responses were not as good as baking theme but still not too bad. A total of 95 entries were received! Thanks Small Small Baker for giving me this opportunity to host and all the participants who make this event a successful one. I enjoyed it tremendously and been drooling at all the dishes every night when I checked my emails....lol!

The CNY menu looks really sumptuous! Don't you think so… we have received a good selection of recipes for starters/appetisers, soups, main dishes, vegetable dishes, rice/noodles and desserts. Do come back again if you need ideas for preparing a homecooked feast!

CNY 2012 - Day 1

On first day of CNY, is always a stay home day for me. As usual we prepared lunch for our visiting relatives. With Aunt around, everything were whipped up quickly. Yeah... thanks Aunt!     

A simple lunch with some left over from reunion dinner.

CNY 2012 - Reunion Dinner

On the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, every family would gather together to have a wonderful meal at home or in restaurants. This is known as the reunion dinner and is the most important family meal for the Chinese. This year we had steamboat at home for our reunion dinner.

The preparation of the dinner started early in the morning. While aunt was busying in the kitchen, I was decorating the house for CNY. All ready to welcome the Year of Dragon by noon, then I joined my aunt in the dinner preparation.

Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012)

Happy 2012 to all Aspiring Bakers family members and members-to-be! I'm the host for this month theme - Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012). I feel so honor to be the first host for 2012 and many thanks to Small Small Baker for giving me this opportunity to be the host.

For once Aspiring Bakers is doing a cooking instead of baking theme! As we had done a CNY cookies theme before back in February 2011 so after much discussion with SSB, we decided to have a cooking theme instead. It can be any kind of dishes (vegetables, noodles, rice, meat & seafood) or desserts (eg. Agar agar, Nian gao, Tang sui etcs) that are prepared for reunion dinner or CNY 2012. Please note that steamboat is not accepted, we decided to exclude it because it's difficult to write up a recipe. The followings are the event's details:

Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012)

Who can join?

Everyone! (if you do not have a blog, just send me a photo and recipe of your bake/dish)

How to join?

Step 1 :

Cook/Prepare a dish/dessert for Reunion Dinner or during CNY 2012 in the month of January 2012. Any dish/dessert except steamboat and CNY cookies/cakes are not accepted.

Step 2 :

Post it on your blog between 01 January 2012 and 31 January 2012. (Extended to 6th Feb 2012) Your post must include the recipe or link to the original recipe. If you are using a recipe from a book, please include the title of the book too.

*Any entries that are posted outside the date range will not be accepted.

*Any entries that do not include a recipe or link to the original recipe will not be accepted too.

Step 3 :

Please mention that you are submitting your post to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight and provide a link back to this post HERE. Entries will not be accepted if the above is not included.

Step 4 :

Email to wendyhel@singnet.com.sg in the following format:

- Your name or nickname:

- Your blog name: (omit this if you do not have a blog)

- Name of your bake/dish:

- URL of your post:

- URL of your photo (one photo for each entry):

(alternatively, you can attach your photo in your email, preferably less than 500kb).

Please use "Aspiring Bakers #15" as your email subject. You may submit more than 1 entry. The roundup will be posted on 1st February 2012. (Reschedule to 7th February 2012)

To show my appreciation for your active participation, I have prepared 3 little gifts as token. 3 participants will be picked by Random Org and the winners will be annouced after the round up is done. Good luck and I'm looking forward to all your delicious dishes!  

Giveaways - 3 sets of Sweet tasting luggage tags & donuts pens

*********

If you are interested to find out what's on the previous Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) entries, hosted by Hankerie, see the roundup here.

*********

Updates!
Aspiring Bakers Exclusive Class (January 2012)

Cooking Demo Class:
1) HK Koi Fish Nian Gao
2) Fatt Choy Treasure Chest
3) Tangy Melon with Gingko Nut

Class Size: 15-20 people
Date: 4 January 2012
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
Fee: $40
Click here for more details.

*Bloggers who are attending the classes are not allowed to share the recipes learnt in class in their blogs.

*Bloggers also cannot submit the recipes to Aspiring Bakers event. However, you are allowed to take photos and write about your learning experience in class and submit to Aspiring Bakers. They will be added to another section in our roundup.

Weekend Breakfast VIII - Gardenia Wraps

Gardenia Wraps were launched few months ago, come in original and wholemeal. The wraps provide quick and nutritious meal solutions, a great alternative to bread. It can be used as a pizza base too. Available in most local leading supermarkets. Have any of you tried before? 

I tried and loving it ever since... Each pack contains five pieces of soft wraps in a resealable bags. Convenient and handy. 

Weekend Cooking VI - Korean Spicy Seafood Noodles (Jiamppong)

Enjoy a pipping hot and spicy Korean style seafood noodles hotpot in the comfort of your home in this cooling weather was really enjoyable. I got the idea for this dish from my recent Korea trip where they always served this noodles in Korean Chinese restaurant. Quite simple and fuss free to whip up.

Since is a hotpot, we can add anything we like. Rich and spicy... very shiok!

Weekend Cooking II - Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

It has been awhile since I last cooked a meal on weekend. Been craving for some nicely roasted chicken so decided to roast one for dinner...

Recipe refers to here.

Weekend Breakfast V - Fried Soon Kueh & Peng Kueh

My buddy bought us a box of soon kueh (Steamed turnip dumplings) and peng kueh (glutinous rice cake) from Alexandra (not sure where). Instead of warming up by re-steaming, we pan fried it. Any of you like to eat it this way too? It was really very good, I think is nicer than the steamed ones though it may be a bit oily.

Peng Kueh

Yum...

Weekend Breakfast IV - Bacon & Scramble Egg w/Toast

With a pack of back bacon sitting in the fridge in danger of expiring, I decided not to waste it and fried it all up and served it with creamy scamble egg and toast for breakfast... should be brunch!

Our big and hearty kind of breakfast!

Weekend Breakfast I - French Toast with Kaya

Only weekend I have the opportunity to enjoy breakfast at home. Usually will prepare simple fare. French toast is one of them whenever there are bread going to expiry soon at home.

Instead of serving it with honey or sugar, kaya works as well.

Seah's Seafood Hotpot Soup

13 Mar 2011

An impromptu hotpot dinner at home on Sunday. Usually Sunday is a dine out day with my uncle's family but there's a Sunday my Aunt Peggy was not feeling well so the routine dinner appointment was cancelled. I was more than happy as we can whip up something simple at home instead...I always like homecooking.


Seah's Seafood Hotpot Soup Dinner!

Post CNY celebration at home

20 Feb 2011

Invited my buddies over to my place for lunch, a post CNY celebration. My friends love our cooking and always look forward to the meals we prepared. Let's take a look at what we served for lunch...some prepared by me and some by Aunt.

Abalone Chicken Porridge

A mixture of calrose rice and Thai fragrant rice, give a thick and smooth texture porridge. Aunt used a whole chicken, dried scallops & abalone broth to boil the porridge to give a very rich and flavourful porridge. She also added pacific clam in. Very delicious! Most of us took at least 2 bowls.


Paper Wrapped Chicken

Used to be a popular dim sum item in the earlier days. Now is not so commonly seen. My aunt has a very good recipe and I had made quite a few times in the past. My friends love it too so I decided to make some. Will share the recipe in my next post.


The marinated chicken with spring onion and shredded ginger were wrapped in the paper (specially for frying) and deep fried. The chicken was flavourful and juicy. Yummy!


Puffy Prawn Fritters

Made this again as my uncle love it very much. Kept singing praises since he had it on reunion dinner.


See recipe here.


Fried Bee Hoon with Canned Stewed Pork Ribs

See recipe here.


Valerie's Durian Rolls

CNY - 1st day of Rabbit Year 2011

3rd Feb 2011

This year was a very quiet CNY for me. Most of time I was at home. Didn't do much visiting and not much festive mood too. Only on the 1st day of CNY we did some cooking for the visiting relatives. It's a norm for us to cook lunch on the 1st day of CNY. This was what we prepared ...

Kimbap, Pepper & Salt Chicken, Prawn Fritters, Balachan Beehoon, Fish Ball & Mini Abalone Soup.


A simple Korean fare for my uncle's family who's dropping by for dinner.

Spicy Korean Rice Cake, Saba Fish, Hot Bean Paste Pork & Clam Soup, Escargot.

Reunion Dinner CNY 2011 - Part II

2nd Feb 2011

Beside the 'Pen Cai' from TungLok, we had fish head steamboat, broccoli with scallops and fried puffy prawns too. Though rather easy to cook up but we were still very busy on the eve, actually was Aunt more busy...lol! I only helped to set up the table and fried the prawns. We managed to get the dinner ready before everyone arrived.

Yusheng @ TungLok

The dinner kicked off with the Lo Hei. I bought additional salmon sashimi for the yusheng. It's really appetizing to start off with this.


Crispy Puffy Prawns

This was a crowd pleaser. Everyone give thumb up for this. I will post up the recipe later.


Broccoli with Fresh Scallops

Fish Head Steamboat

Aunt is very good at Fishhead steamboat. Simple and delicious. Red Grouper Fish was unbelievably expensive during the festive. We bought it at S$60/kg and the plate of fish fillet cost me S$120! I think was my first time paying so much for fish from the market. However it was worth as the fish was very fresh and tender.


Dessert - Fresh Durian

What's an indulgence...lol! My brother contributed the durian for dessert but most of us were to full to eat after all the food.


CNY 2011 Reunion Dinner @ Home

Turkey & Ham Porridge for Christmas Day's Lunch

25 Dec 2010

Aunt whipped up a wonderful pot of porridge using leftover turkey and ham the next day. We didn't left with much turkey, mostly was the bones and a small chunk of honey baked ham. She boiled the bone till it's almost dissolved in the porridge and added some dried oyster to enhance the richness. No wonder the porridge was so sweet and rich tasting! She strained out the bones and served the porridge with chopped ham & turkey meat. So delicious!

Christmas Eve Dinner at home

My Christmas Eve dinner at home. This has become my family annual affair to have a turkey feast at home on Christmas since I learnt how to bake one from Chef Eric Low 3 years ago. We invited some family friends over for dinner this year so my food has to be enough to serve 12 persons. Though it looked pretty simple but still lots of marketing and planning to be done days before. On the eve, I woke up early to do the preparation. Started by baking a batch of fruit cakes for the guest to bring home after dinner... my door gift for them lol! Then my dear cousin came over to my place in the afternoon to learn how to glaze the Honey Baked Ham and cooked the bean stew for her potluck party. After she left, I started cooking and baking till the guest arrived. By 7.30 pm the dinner was ready to serve!

Watermelon and Feta Cheese Salad

Freshly Crushed Garlic & Parsley Bread

Herb Roasted Turkey

Chicken & Cheese Sausage Stuffing

Honey Glazed Champagne Ham

Side dishes: Bean Stew, Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Baked Vegetables & Mushroom red wine sauce

Tiramisu

Balance with a slice of sponge cake, used it to whip this up with some ready ladyfingers.

Grapes, jelly and snow jelly dessert brought over by family friends. Something light and refreshing to round up the dinner.

I think age is definitely catching up on me, I was so tired and worn out after a day of cooking! Anyway it's worth the effort when they seem to enjoy my food.

Counting down to 2011... 2 more days left in 2010! Still have tons of backlogs...

Delicious Kimbap!

5th Nov 2010

Craving for Korean rice roll and made some for lunch during the Deepavali holiday. It's quite amazing how all these simple ingredients when combined together, create such a wonderful flavour!

Recipe refers to here

Spam lite, crabstick, egg, Jap cucumber, pickles, carrot & Jap mayo...

My Cooking - Oct 2010

Some of my simple cooking...

03/10/2010

Garlic Thick Toast

Served with Sunny Side Up & Bratwurst

08/10/2010

Vongole

Bratwurst & Penne in Tomato Sauce

12/10/2010

Mushroom Aglio Olio