Abacus seed is a traditional Hakka dish made with yam that is usually eaten during festivals because signifies wealth. If you have eaten them before, you will know that it requires ALOT of manual labour and patience.

Finally, I got the chance to learn how to make suan pan zi from my gu ma who prepares them every Chinese New Year. Her ratio is simple 2 portion of yam always go with 1 portion of tapioca flour. If you want your abacus seeds to be more QQ, you can probably increase the tapioca flour by a bit. TBut bear in mind not to add too much because you may not be able to taste the yam anymore. Likewise, if you want more yam flavour, decrease the amount of tapioca flour.

In the past, I have always cut the yam into pieces before putting it into steamer. This may lead to uneven steaming and we had a hard time trying to mash it after steaming. So she gave an amazing tip – that is to shred the yam before steaming so that moisture gets into the yam equally. Once it is steamed, it becomes so soft that you can immediately add it into the tapioca flour without having to mash.

And of course the trick to make the abacus seeds is: DO IT WHILE IT’S HOT. Kneading the abacus dough while it’s hot was really challenging for me then. But now, I think my hands are somehow immune of heat already so I do it pretty fast. Don’t try to do shortcut by putting it into a blender please, this dish must be made by hand.

The post Recipe – Hakka Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Malaysia’s largest white coffee manufacturer OLDTOWN White Coffee has launched a “3 in 1 Less Sugar” coffee for all weight watchers and health conscious coffee lovers.

The OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar has more than 25 per cent less sugar as compared to the OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic, providing consumers with a healthier, reduced sugar option. Despite the reduced sugar content, this high quality OLDTOWN White Coffee brew still maintains the same great taste.

Besides pairing my breakfast with the fragrant coffee, I used the instant coffee mix for my bakes too. It is better to use instant coffee mix rather than fresh coffee because the former is designed to dissolve the release all the flavours. Plus, it is so much easier to use instant coffee rather having to brew fresh ground coffee. Here are 2 simple recipes I did with OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar.

We took very long to master chiffon cake baking. Now that we have successfully done it right, we love adding different flavours into the cake. Coffee chiffon cake is something that we bake very often as coffee has such an irresistible flavour when added to cakes or desserts. Even for non-coffee enthusiasts like my aunty takes a liking to coffee flavoured dessert.

Here’s a basic coffee chiffon cake recipe that we use very often. This coffee chiffon cake is light, moist and fluffy, with just the right intensity of flavour to suit coffee lovers as well as non-coffee enthusiasts. The addition of OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar is good enough for us, not overpowering and the cake retains its moisture. However, if you wish to intensify the coffee fragrance, add a tablespoon of coffee paste. Try it and let me know what you think!

Coffee Chiffon Cake

2016-06-25 12:08:22

This coffee chiffon cake is light, moist and fluffy, with just the right intensity of flavour to suit coffee lovers as well as non-coffee enthusiasts.

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Ingredients

1. 90g cake flour, sifted
2. 70g cooking oil
3. 100g sugar
4. 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
5. 1 tsp tartar powder
6. 1 tsp corn flour
7. ¼ tsp salt
8. 6 eggs, separate egg yolks and egg whites
9. 2 sachets OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a 10-inch tube pan, ungreased.
2. Add hot water into OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar powder to make 150g of coffee
3. Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Beat egg yolks with half the sugar till pale. Pour in cooking oil and OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk batter to combine.
5. Beat egg whites, corn flour and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks. Gradually add in the Gently fold beaten egg white foam into egg yolk batter in 2-3 batches until fully combined. Do not overmix.
6. Pour batter into the tube pan. Tap the pan a few times on table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter. Put the pan in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until cooked.
7. Invert the pan immediately upon removing the cake from the oven. Let it cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. To remove, run the knife around the side of the pan and centre.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

This is a very gentle coffee pudding that non-coffee enthusiasts will love. It’s so quick and simple, just a dash of corn starch and gelatin, we are good to go. You can also add whiskey into the pudding to make it richer. Don’t forget to decorate it with your favourite fruit and some mint.

Coffee Pudding

2016-06-25 12:09:59

This is a very gentle coffee pudding that coffee lovers will love.

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Ingredients

1. 2 tbsp corn starch
2. 2 tbsp sugar
3. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
4. 1 tsp gelatin
5. 2 cups low fat milk
6. 2 tsp OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar
7. ¼ tsp vanilla essence
8. Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add gelatin into hot water to dissolve.
2. Whisk corn starch, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk and gelatin. Boil the mixture over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes or until the mixture turns thick.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the coffee mix and vanilla essence until smooth.
5. Transfer the mixture to cups and chill in the fridge until cold, for at least 2 hours. Serve the pudding chilled and decorate with fruits.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar is priced averagely at SGD 6.80 per pack, and is now available at the nearest hypermarkets and supermarkets such as Cold Storage, FairPrice, Giant, and Sheng Siong as well as the local grocery stores. For more information on OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 products, please visit http://www.oldtown.com.my/index.php/our-coffee/

GIVEAWAY

I will be rewarding 50 readers from MissTamChiak.com with one pack OLDTOWN White Coffee (3 in 1 Less Sugar) plus OLDTOWN (3 in 1 Mocha) each.

All you need to do is:
1. LIKE Miss Tam Chiak’s Facebook

2. SHARE this entry

3. Tell us: OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar has more than how many per cent less sugar than OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic?

Email your answer together with full name, contact number and address to cheryl@misstamchiak.com with the subject “OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar Giveaway”. Only winners will be contacted. Closing date: 2nd July 2016. Good luck!

The post Dessert Recipes Using OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Nothing says “good morning” like a bowl of oatmeal. Whether you cook it slowly or blend it with fruits into a smoothie, oats provide your body with many benefits. Do you know? David Henderson, the longest living man in Britain who lived till 109, attributed his longevity to his daily bowl of oat porridge.

Captain Oats are kilned using their proprietary OatiFresh™ Process, a heat and moisture treatment to prevent oats from going bad while retaining important nutrients. They offer 3 types of oats: Instant Oatmeal, Quick Cook Oatmeal and Rolled Oats.

Instant Oatmeal are cut thinner so that it cooks the moment you pour hot water over it. Quick Cook Oatmeal, however, needs to be cooked for 3 to 5 minutes. Either way, you’re getting a convenient meal packed with goodness in just moments.

Rolled oats are also called regular oats that have thicker flakes of oatmeal. They may take a bit longer to cook on the stovetop but are almost always ready to be served between 5 to 10 minutes.

Regardless of which types of oats you are using, all of them make good breakfast options. There are so many different ways of adding oats into your diet. Here are two breakfast recipes to share with you to kickstart your oats journey!

Easy Homemade Granola

2016-06-30 12:50:19

Serves 10

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Ingredients

1. 4 cups Captain Oats rolled oats
2. 2 cups almonds, sliced
3. 3/4 cup vegetable oil
4. 1/2 cup honey
5. 1 cup dried apricots
6. 1 cup dried raisins
7. 1 cup dried cranberries
8. 1 cup cashews, roasted and unsalted

Instructions

1. Toss oats and almonds together in a large bowl.
2. Mix oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour over oat mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until mixture is coated.
3. Spread onto a baking tin filled with baking sheet. Bake in 180 degree celsius, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove pan from oven. Stir occasionally until granola is completely cool. Stir in remaining ingredients. Store in airtight container.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Oats Mango Milkshake

2016-06-30 12:56:01

Serves 5

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Ingredients

1. 30g Captain Oats instant oats
2. 125ml Water
3. 375ml Low fat milk, chilled
4. 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
5. 250g Sweet mango, cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Soak oats in 125 ml of water until soft.
2. In a blender add the soaked oats, low fat milk & vanilla essence.
3. Blend for 1⁄2 minute. Add the mango cubes. Blend for 1 second.
4. Pour the blended ingredients in the sundaes glasses. Decorate and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

For more information on Caption Oats or to learn more oats recipe, visit http://www.mycaptainoats.com/

The post Healthy Granola and Mango Milkshake with Captain Oats appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When buying cookware, what are some things you look out for? For me, I always go for non-stick pans that is easy to clean. Imagine having to waste all my energy to scrub and scrub after cooking a meal. A big thank you to the kind folks from Corningware®, I was introduced to the new top-of-the-range metal cookware Corningware® Retroflam.

Made in Korea from quality materials in a five thick layers of coating consisting of cast aluminum, black titanium, and sparkling pearl ceramic coating on the interior and exterior of the cookware. Corningware® Retroflam has specially designed radiating grooves on the base to allow for even distribution of heat, hence food is evenly cooked. Aluminum is great for thermal conductivity, ensuring energy efficiency; while titanium is strong and non-toxic. This is especially good when I am cooking my fish, it won’t get burnt on just one side. There is faster and healthier cooking turnaround time which leads to lowers energy consumption.

The ceramic coating is highly resistant to heat. Healthy cooking even at under 400 deg C heat, it won’t discharge any toxic chemical. With superior non-stick ability it means the pans are also very easy to clean. All you have to do is wipe off any residue with paper towel after cooking before cleaning it. No scrubbing needed, yay!

The Corningware® Retroflam cookware range promises effective, healthy, non-chemical emission, and hassle-free nonstick functionalities during cooking. The range—which includes wok, sauce pan, casserole pot, and fry pan in radiant colours of red ruby and green emerald—is visually appealing and is a must-have tool for modern cooking.

I put the Corningware® Retroflam wok pan to test by cooking two local dishes with it – Char Kway Teow and Claypot Chicken Rice.

RECIPE: FRIED KWAY TEOW

Because of its large surface and non-stick functionality, stir frying my fried kway teow was very easy. Heat was distributed equally so my fried kway teow was evenly cooked with no charred wok base.

Fried Kway Teow

2016-07-29 11:10:19

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 2 tbs oil
2. 6 large garlic cloves, minced
3. 2 Chinese sausages, sliced
4. 12 large prawns
5. 1 cups bean sprouts
6. 450g kway teow
7. 100g fish cake, sliced
8. 2 eggs
9. 1 cup Chinese chives, cut into 2″ length
10. Salt, to taste
11. White pepper, to taste

Sauce

1. 2 tbs dark soy sauce
2. 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
3. 1 tsp fish sauce
4. 1 tbs sambal (optional, for spicy version)

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the sauce and mix well.
2. Heat Corningware® Retroflam over medium fire. Add oil and sautéed garlic.
3. When it is turning brown, add fish cakes, sausages and prawns. Stir fry using high heat.
4. Add the bean sprouts, noodles and sauce. Stir fry for a minute.
5. Make a hole in the centre, crack the eggs and fry. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

RECIPE: CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE

One pot meals are great especially when I am so overwhelmed with work and wanted a quick but delicious meal. This is my favourite recipe and we have cooked it twice already using Corningware® Retroflam. Plus it is so easy, all I need to do is to marinade the chicken beforehand. Look at how beautiful the chicken thighs turn out when I sear them in the pan. The chicken browned beautifully and amazingly when I removed them from the pan, there was no residue left at the bottom. Washing up is a breeze!

Claypot Chicken Rice

2016-07-29 11:12:36

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Ingredients

1. 4 chicken thighs
2. 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
3. 5-6 slices of ginger
4. 2 tbs oil
5. 2 Chinese sausages, sliced
6. 6 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked in hot water 15 minutes and cut into slices
7. 1½ cups rice
8. 1½ cups chicken stock
9. 1 cup water
10. 3 tbs sauce from marinade
11. spring onions, for garnish
12. red chillies, for garnish

Marinade

1. 2½ tsp sesame oil
2. 2 tbs oyster sauce
3. 2 tbs light soy sauce
4. 1 tsp brown sugar
5. 1½ tbs sweet soy sauce
6. ½ tsp salt
7. ½ tsp white pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for marinade and marinate chicken thigh overnight.
2. Heat Corningware® Retroflam over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp oil and sear chicken thigh with skin side down for about 1.5 minutes. Flip the chicken and sear for another 1.5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Sauteed garlic and ginger. Add in mushrooms, sausages, rice and marinade. Mix well.
4. Add chicken stock, water and ½ tbs of sweet soy sauce for darker colour. Place chicken thigh on the rice. Cover the pan and using small heat, cook for 20 mins or until the rice is cooked. Garnish and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

So, it is important to have your own set of safe and good cookware that you last you for a good period of time. Corningware® Retroflam is a definitely a good set to own, especially if you wish to prepare one pot meals at home.

Prices start from $109 and they are available at the following stores in BHG, Courts, Metro, OG, Robinsons and Tangs.

If you are a big fan of Corningware®, here’s your chance to win other of their quality products. Big thank you to World Kitchen, I am giving away Corelle® Diningware – Frost design each worth S$110 to 2 lucky readers.

All you have to do is:
1. Like World Kitchen Asia Pacific on Facebook
2. Share this post on Facebook.
3. Answer a simple question here: Name one benefit of using the new Corningware® Retroflam Cookware.

Closing date: 15 August 2016. Collection of gifts from World Kitchen (Asia Pacific). Good Luck!

The post Corningware Retroflam – Char Kway Teow & Claypot Rice Recipes (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Weekend baking is extra rewarding because you don’t have to rush, so you can really take your time getting those bakes just right. I really believe in having the right emotion when baking. When I get too stressed up and rushed for time, my bakes didn’t taste as good.

I spent a Sunday at Chiew Mei’s house to do some baking. It was relaxing – we had a casual lunch before spending the afternoon to bake together. Of course, being a hardcore photographer, I just had to photograph the process before getting my hands dirty. After all the fun in the kitchen, we get the pleasure of sharing our lovingly baked egg tarts while watching the cooking show by Nicholas Tse. Prior to the show, I never even know he can cook as he always had a bad boy image. After watching the show, I see a different side of him.

Anyway, we made egg tarts that afternoon. Chiew Mei is quite an expert in making egg tarts so we got it ready within an hour or so. Using Annielicious‘s recipe, we made a buttery pastry base instead of the flaky kind. One of the tricks I learnt from Chiew Mei was to use the tart cases to flatten the dough first before putting it into the tart case to shape it. I am super happy with the final product!

Egg Tarts

2016-01-04 09:18:57

Serves 12

Freshly baked egg tarts with buttery base and soft egg custard insides.

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Pastry

1. 280g Plain Flour
2. 2 tbsp Icing Sugar
3. 2 Egg Yolk
4. 1 Egg White
5. 150g Salted Butter

Filling

1. 150g Castor Sugar or fine sugar
2. 150g Hot Water
3. 4 Whole Eggs
4. 250ml Fresh Milk
5. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6. a pinch of fine salt

Method (for Pastry)

1. Cream butter with icing sugar, egg yolk and egg white.
2. Add in flour and mix well. Once it is well mixed, using hand, press the mixture together and form a dough. If the dough is too wet or oily, do add some flour. Give it a few knead.
3. Wrap the dough in a clingwrap. Put it into the fridge for 15mins to let it cool.
4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut pastries into 12 equal portion (about 38g each).
5. Roll individual dough into a ball. Using a tart case, press the pastry ball into a flat piece. Line dough in the middle of tart cases, lightly press the dough into the tart cases.
6. Refrigerate the tart cases for 30mins, and it is ready to use.

Method (for Filling)

1. Add castor sugar into hot water, mix until sugar completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool.
2. Beat eggs with milk, vanilla essence and salt. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.
3. Sift egg mixture TWICE to achieve smooth egg mixture.
4. Take tarts out of the refrigerator, carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells.
5. Bake tarts for 25mins at 180 degree, fan ON.

Adapted from Annielicious Food

Adapted from Annielicious Food

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

The post Recipe – Egg Tarts appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

With the trend towards more health-conscious eating, diners are discerning on the health aspects of the food they consume, yet not compromising on the taste. Prima Taste, the award-winning brand synonymous with authentic Singaporean cuisine, has come up with all-new Wholegrain LaMian & Ready Meals. Awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board, these products provide Singapore flavours in convenient packages, without compromising on authenticity and taste.

Imagine having a comforting bowl of Wholegrain Lamian at 3 in the morning. It gets you through so many emotions. The steaminess of the broth, the stickiness of the noodles, the flavor is really powerful… yet healthy!

Made with 51% Superfine Wholegrain Flour, the noodles still remain smooth with an excellent al dente and springy mouthfeel without breaking easily. Much like its predecessor, Prima Taste’s Wholegrain LaMian noodle is steamed and not fried, thus ensuring a taste profile of hand-pulled noodles. The pastes used in these LaMian packets are created with natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring or colouring and no added MSG and preservatives. All products in this range have been awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board.

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Laksa Wholegrain LaMian

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This new addition to Prima Taste’s Wholegrain LaMian range is available in the classic LaMian flavours of Laksa and Curry. We first tried the Laksa Wholegrain LaMian with addition of tau pok, fish cake and prawns that I bought.

The process is very simple. All you need is 7 MINUTES. Yes, you heard it right! Just 7 minutes to prepare your healthy and filling meal. Since you’re the one cooking up a storm, you can choose how simple or how indulgent you’d like to prepare your LaMian! Simply add in the pastes, water and noodles, and you are done!

There is a perception that healthy food does not taste good and that good-tasting food is bad for your health. I beg to differ. As I slurp my bowl of Laksa Wholegrain LaMian, I am surprised at the taste and quality of the product. It tastes just like any other bowl of laksa and I didn’t even realize I was eating wholegrain!

The new product packaging also features QR Codes that link directly to cooking videos. The videos are step-by-step cooking demonstrations of ‘Standard Version’, ‘Enhanced Version’ and ‘Indulgent Version’ options. The “Enhanced Version” offers a slight variation in cooking style to bring about an intensified flavor, while the latter recommends suitable cooking methods and ingredient additions to make a truly hearty and indulgent gourmet meal.

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Curry Wholegrain LaMian

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You might think, what makes wholegrain so great? Well, it helps in your digestion and add bulk to the diet to help you feel full, reducing the risk of overeating. Wholegrain also prevents damage of blood vessels and decreases cholesterol level; hence reduce the risk of heart diseases. It was fun cooking healthy laksa for my family, so I cooked a bowl of curry mee for myself.

Same procedure, all you need is… 7 MINUTES! I added chicken drumstick into my curry mee!

Don’t worry about the noodles having coarse and grainy texture. Prima’s wholegrain LaMian is smooth and curry gravy coats every strand well without breaking it. Due to the high wholegrain content, consuming one serving of Prima Taste Wholegrain LaMian fulfils an adult’s recommended minimum daily wholegrain requirements.

Like we said, besides being a healthy choice, Prima Taste’s Wholemeal LaMian range still remains as tasty as the original range! It is priced at $12.20 for a pack of four and they are now available at all leading supermarkets. For more information on the product as well as the entire range of Prima Taste’s products, please visit http://www.primataste.com.sg.

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Prima Taste Ready Meals

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If you are craving for rice instead of noodles, Prima Taste has also introduced a new quick meal product range – Prima Taste Ready Meals. The first of its kind in Singapore, these ambient meals require no refrigeration and only need to be warmed up for 90 seconds in the microwave before consumption.

Inspired by classic local flavours, you can enjoy 4 different products: Curry Chicken with Rice, Nonya Sambal Chicken Rice, Beef Rendang and Chicken Claypot Rice. The first three stated flavours have been awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board.

I tried the Beef Rendang with Rice. The surprisingly thing is, all the read meals can be stored without refrigeration. Featuring a combination of white basmati rice (75%), wholegrain basmati rice (20%) and multi-grains (5%), the product is a complete meal with rice and diced beef simmered in rich coconut curry gravy. It offers a host of nutritional benefits in one convenient package – it has added dietary fibre, soluble fibre and prebiotics.

TA-DAH! My beef rending is ready! Prima Taste Ready Meals take great care in developing new range to ensure that it meets the HPB Healthier Choice Symbol without compromising on taste or eating experience, providing the choice meal alternative for everyone. It’s so convenient especially for tertiary students, working parents, people who tend to work late and overseas consumers who want an easy option to prepare a good tasting Asian rice dish. Prima Taste Ready Meals retail at $6.50 and are currently available at select NTUC Fairprice outlets. The new product packaging also features QR Codes that link directly to instructional videos which provide demonstrations of two methods of preparation.

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This post is brought to you by Prima Taste. For more information on the product as well as the entire range of Prima Taste’s products, please visit http://www.primataste.com.sg

The post Prima Taste Introduces Healthier, yet Gourmet Wholegrain Lamian & Ready Meals appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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If you’re thinking about buying cheese crisps to snack on, don’t. It’s so easy to make your own! No mess, and it only takes a few minutes using Perfect Italiano cooking cheese! This cheese brand is no stranger to many of you as I have done many easy recipes with it. I like it because it is simple and easy to use, transforming everyday ordinary meals into delicious, extraordinary creations. This time round, I have created two very simple and basic cheese snacks for your movie night at home.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

For compulsive snackers like you and me, you will love this Zucchini Parmesan Crisps! I used zucchinis and Perfect Italiano parmesan to makes these glorious addictive crisps. Definitely cannot stop at one!

What’s the happiest part about this? It is super easy to make! All you need is just flour, egg, panko and the star – Perfect Italiano cheese! I chose Parmesan Cheese because of its sharp and savoury taste. Just coat them together and deep fry till crisp perfection. Of course you can choose to bake it as a healthier alternative. Zucchini is a great source of Vitamins A and E, and the mineral potassium, and this recipe is a great way to include a vegetable in a treat food! Instead of the usual donuts, why not try something a little more healthier?

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

2016-03-05 06:42:04

For compulsive snackers like you and me, you will love this Zucchini Parmesan Crisps! I used zucchinis and Perfect Italiano parmesan to makes these glorious addictive crisps. Definitely cannot stop at one!

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Ingredients

1. 118ml vegetable oil
2. 125g bread crumbs
3. 50g Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated Cheese
4. 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced to 1/4-inch thick rounds
5. 70g all-purpose flour
6. 2 large eggs, beaten

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan and set aside.
2. Dredge zucchini rounds in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add zucchini rounds to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

Toasted Cheesy Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is great with pasta, and it is quick to serve. The secret to garlic bread that’s neither too greasy nor too dry is having the correct proportion of butter to bread. So how do I make it more premium? Add both Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated Cheese and Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated Cheese! Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese is mild in flavour, melts beautifully with a stretchy nature to add that long stretchy cheese strings to your garlic bread.

I just love sitting in front of the oven and watch the bubbly wonderfulness of piping hot garlic cheese bread. When ready, it turns golden brown.

Toasted Cheesy Garlic Bread

2016-03-05 06:43:50

Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese melts beautifully with a stretchy nature to add that long stretchy cheese strings to your garlic bread.

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Ingredients

1. 1 loaf French bread, sliced to about 1 inch thick
2. 113g unsalted Anchor butter, softened
3. 15g (3 teaspoons) olive oil
4. 15g (1 tablespoon) Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated cheese
5. 15g (1 tablespoon) fresh minced garlic
6. 5g (1 teaspoon) parsley leaves
7. 2.5g(1⁄2 teaspoon) salt
8. fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
9. 230g Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated Cheese

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together soft butter with olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley leaves, and salt until well combined. Add in black pepper to taste.
2. Spread the mixture over the bread slices. Place the slices onto a baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes or until slightly brown.
3. Remove then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese onto each slice, return to bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

So cheesy and buttery! Perfect Italiano adds simple Italian flair to our meals and prevent them from being difficult, complex and time-consuming.

Visit www.perfectitaliano.com.sg to get more mealtime inspirations and create your very own! Don’t forget to hashtag your own Perfect Italiano creations with #perfectitalianosg.

The post Perfect Italiano Cheese Snacks – Done in 3 Easy Steps! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

There are so many things I love about this dish: it’s all cooked in one tray; we’re using more robust herbs like thyme and rosemary; the half-roasted fresh tomatoes turn into a lovely rich chunks; and we’re roasting the sausages, which is easier than grilling them (in my opinion). Cooking sausages in the oven saves you the trouble of constant turning and keeps your stovetop clean from grease. The key to baking sausage is either cooking it for a long time at a low temperature, or cover them with foil to prevent them from drying. Bake it with some of your favourite vegetables for a complete meal.

I’ve got the Cumberland pork sausages from Huber’s Butchery! These are made in their shop at Dempsey. You actually watch their butcher through the butcher’s window doing the sausages! They have a huge range of sausages that they make freshly everyday, some raw and some cooked. The one I got is raw. It says above the sausage counter that the raw sausages they make contain only meat, fat, water, salt, herbs and spices. No chemicals, preservatives, added MSG, fillers nor additives! Each one is full of flavour and superb value. I also bought a packet of cocktail potatoes with beautiful red skin and creamy flesh!

The post Easy Oven-Baked Sausages Recipe appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Cranberries are excellent superfoods which contains unique and powerful nutrients which can help to cleanse and purify the body. Cranberries are also a nutritional way to reduce certain infections such as Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and antibiotic use. All you need is an 8-ounce glass (236ml) of cranberry juice daily to keep these infections at bay!

This Mother’s Day, treat your mum to breakfast in bed with quick and easy Ocean Spray’s recipes. Founded in 1930, Ocean Spray is the world’s leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries.

Recipe: Mixed Berry Smoothie

Toast to the most important women in your life with this citrusy cocktail. These drinks are bold in flavour, delightful in taste, and will awaken your senses!

Ingredients (makes 2):
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Light Cranberry Fruit Drink,
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
170 grams low fat berry-flavoured yogurt
1/2 banana, cut into slices

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend for a few seconds on high speed or until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into a large glass.

Pancakes with Cranberry Sauce

Surprise the most important woman in your life with this easy pancake recipe. Add a personalized touch by pouring the batter in a heart shape mould which I am sure your mother will appreciate. The deep red cranberry sauce will not only add vibrancy, but with its naturally bold flavor and extra crunch, it will add texture to the overall dish. Love it!

Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings):
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, separated

Sauce:
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1 cup Ocean Spray® Classic Cranberry Fruit Drink
1 tbsp Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:
1. In a large bowl stir together dry pancake ingredients; mix well.
2. In a small bowl stir together buttermilk and egg yolks; mix well.
3. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; set aside.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry pancake ingredients; mix until blended.
5. Fold whipped egg whites into the buttermilk mixture until ingredients are well blended.
6. Cook the pancake batter for about 5 minutes on low to medium heat.
7. Mix all sauce ingredients together. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit has softened and thickened slightly for about 15 to 18 minutes. To serve: place pancakes on plate and drizzle decoratively with cranberry sauce. Sprinkle some icing sugar (if desired).

Ocean Spray products are available at all supermarkets island-wide. For more great Ocean Spray recipes, please visit http://www.oceanspray.com/Recipes/

Big thank you to Ocean Spray, I am giving away 3 sets hamper which consists of Ocean Spray products (Cranberry Juice and Craisins Dried Cranberries), quick and easy recipe info-cards, and cranberry flavoured products (lip balm, soap and sweets).

All you have to do is:
1. LIKE Miss Tam Chiak and Ocean Spray on Facebook
2. LIKE and SHARE this entry
3. COMMENT below: Tell us how you will use the hamper to make your mum or an important women feel special this mothers’ day!

3 lucky winners will be chosen at random. Closing date: 13 May 2016. Good Luck!

This post is brought to you by Ocean Spray.

The post Mother’s Day Brunch with Ocean Spray (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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I am always finding alternative or shortcut to cooking especially when work gets busy. On some nights, I crave for pizzas but was too tired to make my own dough. So I used puff pastry or quesadilla to replace homemade dough. Adding Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus, the cheese melts, gives it the authentic pizza stretch without going oily. Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus is a superior cheese blend consisting of Mozzarella, Parmesan and Cheddar so you don’t need to go through the hassle of getting three different packs.

Pizza Pinwheels

Pizza pinwheels makes a quick snack. Adding marinara sauce and pepperoni, what you get is crispy pasty skin with melted Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus cheese that is so addictive. I have made it for a party recently and it makes a great supper!

Pizza Pinwheels

2016-05-10 11:20:55

Pizza pinwheels makes a quick snack. Adding marinara sauce and pepperoni, what you get is crispy pasty skin with melted Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus cheese that is so addictive.

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Ingredients

1. 1 pc puff pastry, thawed to room temperature
2. 3 tbsp marinara sauce
3. 120g Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese
4. 50 pcs pepperoni

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200º C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry on a floured surface. Top with marinara sauce, pepperoni and Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese.
3. Starting from one end of the sheet, roll the dough into a tight log, pressing down to seal. Slice into 1-inch pieces and place on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each pinwheel. Sprinkle each pinwheel with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake the pinwheels for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve hot.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

Pizza Quesadillas

When a pizza and a quesadilla meets, you get cheesy and crisp-edged pizza quesadillas. If you find the usual pizza too thick for your liking, why not use quesadilla instead? The thin layer of dough is easy to chew and oozing with golden brown Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus cheese!

Pizza Quesadillas

2016-05-10 11:23:47

When a pizza and a quesadilla meets, you get cheesy and crisp-edged pizza quesadillas. The thin layer of dough is easy to chew and oozing with golden brown Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus cheese!

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Ingredients

1. 4 tortillas
2. 120g Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese
3. 80g minced meat
4. 6 tbs marinara sauce
5. 1 green capsicum, cut into small cubes
6. 1 tomato, cut into small cubes
7. 3 shallots

Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat and fry the shallot, green capsicum, tomatoes and minced meat until fragrant.
2. Brush each tortilla with a thin layer of marinara sauce.
3. Add the minced meat toppings and sprinkle Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese on top.
4. Cover with another tortilla and bake for 15 minutes at 200º C or until cheese is melted. Slice into quarters and serve with a little bowl of pizza dipping sauce.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

Visit www.perfectitaliano.com.sg to get more mealtime inspirations. Don’t forget to hashtag your own Perfect Italiano creations with #perfectitalianosg!

The post Easy Pizzas using Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Abacus seed is a traditional Hakka dish made with yam that is usually eaten during festivals because signifies wealth. If you have eaten them before, you will know that it requires ALOT of manual labour and patience.

Finally, I got the chance to learn how to make suan pan zi from my gu ma who prepares them every Chinese New Year. Her ratio is simple 2 portion of yam always go with 1 portion of tapioca flour. If you want your abacus seeds to be more QQ, you can probably increase the tapioca flour by a bit. TBut bear in mind not to add too much because you may not be able to taste the yam anymore. Likewise, if you want more yam flavour, decrease the amount of tapioca flour.

In the past, I have always cut the yam into pieces before putting it into steamer. This may lead to uneven steaming and we had a hard time trying to mash it after steaming. So she gave an amazing tip – that is to shred the yam before steaming so that moisture gets into the yam equally. Once it is steamed, it becomes so soft that you can immediately add it into the tapioca flour without having to mash.

And of course the trick to make the abacus seeds is: DO IT WHILE IT’S HOT. Kneading the abacus dough while it’s hot was really challenging for me then. But now, I think my hands are somehow immune of heat already so I do it pretty fast. Don’t try to do shortcut by putting it into a blender please, this dish must be made by hand.

The post Recipe – Hakka Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Malaysia’s largest white coffee manufacturer OLDTOWN White Coffee has launched a “3 in 1 Less Sugar” coffee for all weight watchers and health conscious coffee lovers.

The OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar has more than 25 per cent less sugar as compared to the OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic, providing consumers with a healthier, reduced sugar option. Despite the reduced sugar content, this high quality OLDTOWN White Coffee brew still maintains the same great taste.

Besides pairing my breakfast with the fragrant coffee, I used the instant coffee mix for my bakes too. It is better to use instant coffee mix rather than fresh coffee because the former is designed to dissolve the release all the flavours. Plus, it is so much easier to use instant coffee rather having to brew fresh ground coffee. Here are 2 simple recipes I did with OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar.

We took very long to master chiffon cake baking. Now that we have successfully done it right, we love adding different flavours into the cake. Coffee chiffon cake is something that we bake very often as coffee has such an irresistible flavour when added to cakes or desserts. Even for non-coffee enthusiasts like my aunty takes a liking to coffee flavoured dessert.

Here’s a basic coffee chiffon cake recipe that we use very often. This coffee chiffon cake is light, moist and fluffy, with just the right intensity of flavour to suit coffee lovers as well as non-coffee enthusiasts. The addition of OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar is good enough for us, not overpowering and the cake retains its moisture. However, if you wish to intensify the coffee fragrance, add a tablespoon of coffee paste. Try it and let me know what you think!

Coffee Chiffon Cake

2016-06-25 12:08:22

This coffee chiffon cake is light, moist and fluffy, with just the right intensity of flavour to suit coffee lovers as well as non-coffee enthusiasts.

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Ingredients

1. 90g cake flour, sifted
2. 70g cooking oil
3. 100g sugar
4. 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
5. 1 tsp tartar powder
6. 1 tsp corn flour
7. ¼ tsp salt
8. 6 eggs, separate egg yolks and egg whites
9. 2 sachets OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a 10-inch tube pan, ungreased.
2. Add hot water into OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar powder to make 150g of coffee
3. Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Beat egg yolks with half the sugar till pale. Pour in cooking oil and OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk batter to combine.
5. Beat egg whites, corn flour and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks. Gradually add in the Gently fold beaten egg white foam into egg yolk batter in 2-3 batches until fully combined. Do not overmix.
6. Pour batter into the tube pan. Tap the pan a few times on table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter. Put the pan in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until cooked.
7. Invert the pan immediately upon removing the cake from the oven. Let it cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. To remove, run the knife around the side of the pan and centre.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

This is a very gentle coffee pudding that non-coffee enthusiasts will love. It’s so quick and simple, just a dash of corn starch and gelatin, we are good to go. You can also add whiskey into the pudding to make it richer. Don’t forget to decorate it with your favourite fruit and some mint.

Coffee Pudding

2016-06-25 12:09:59

This is a very gentle coffee pudding that coffee lovers will love.

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Ingredients

1. 2 tbsp corn starch
2. 2 tbsp sugar
3. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
4. 1 tsp gelatin
5. 2 cups low fat milk
6. 2 tsp OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar
7. ¼ tsp vanilla essence
8. Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add gelatin into hot water to dissolve.
2. Whisk corn starch, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk and gelatin. Boil the mixture over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes or until the mixture turns thick.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the coffee mix and vanilla essence until smooth.
5. Transfer the mixture to cups and chill in the fridge until cold, for at least 2 hours. Serve the pudding chilled and decorate with fruits.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar is priced averagely at SGD 6.80 per pack, and is now available at the nearest hypermarkets and supermarkets such as Cold Storage, FairPrice, Giant, and Sheng Siong as well as the local grocery stores. For more information on OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 products, please visit http://www.oldtown.com.my/index.php/our-coffee/

GIVEAWAY

I will be rewarding 50 readers from MissTamChiak.com with one pack OLDTOWN White Coffee (3 in 1 Less Sugar) plus OLDTOWN (3 in 1 Mocha) each.

All you need to do is:
1. LIKE Miss Tam Chiak’s Facebook

2. SHARE this entry

3. Tell us: OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar has more than how many per cent less sugar than OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic?

Email your answer together with full name, contact number and address to cheryl@misstamchiak.com with the subject “OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar Giveaway”. Only winners will be contacted. Closing date: 2nd July 2016. Good luck!

This post is brought to you by OLDTOWN White Coffee.

The post Dessert Recipes Using OLDTOWN White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Nothing says “good morning” like a bowl of oatmeal. Whether you cook it slowly or blend it with fruits into a smoothie, oats provide your body with many benefits. Do you know? David Henderson, the longest living man in Britain who lived till 109, attributed his longevity to his daily bowl of oat porridge.

Captain Oats are kilned using their proprietary OatiFresh™ Process, a heat and moisture treatment to prevent oats from going bad while retaining important nutrients. They offer 3 types of oats: Instant Oatmeal, Quick Cook Oatmeal and Rolled Oats.

Instant Oatmeal are cut thinner so that it cooks the moment you pour hot water over it. Quick Cook Oatmeal, however, needs to be cooked for 3 to 5 minutes. Either way, you’re getting a convenient meal packed with goodness in just moments.

Rolled oats are also called regular oats that have thicker flakes of oatmeal. They may take a bit longer to cook on the stovetop but are almost always ready to be served between 5 to 10 minutes.

Regardless of which types of oats you are using, all of them make good breakfast options. There are so many different ways of adding oats into your diet. Here are two breakfast recipes to share with you to kickstart your oats journey!

Easy Homemade Granola

2016-06-30 12:50:19

Serves 10

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Ingredients

1. 4 cups Captain Oats rolled oats
2. 2 cups almonds, sliced
3. 3/4 cup vegetable oil
4. 1/2 cup honey
5. 1 cup dried apricots
6. 1 cup dried raisins
7. 1 cup dried cranberries
8. 1 cup cashews, roasted and unsalted

Instructions

1. Toss oats and almonds together in a large bowl.
2. Mix oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour over oat mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until mixture is coated.
3. Spread onto a baking tin filled with baking sheet. Bake in 180 degree celsius, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove pan from oven. Stir occasionally until granola is completely cool. Stir in remaining ingredients. Store in airtight container.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

Oats Mango Milkshake

2016-06-30 12:56:01

Serves 5

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Ingredients

1. 30g Captain Oats instant oats
2. 125ml Water
3. 375ml Low fat milk, chilled
4. 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
5. 250g Sweet mango, cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Soak oats in 125 ml of water until soft.
2. In a blender add the soaked oats, low fat milk & vanilla essence.
3. Blend for 1⁄2 minute. Add the mango cubes. Blend for 1 second.
4. Pour the blended ingredients in the sundaes glasses. Decorate and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

For more information on Caption Oats or to learn more oats recipe, visit http://www.mycaptainoats.com/

The post Healthy Granola and Mango Milkshake with Captain Oats appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When buying cookware, what are some things you look out for? For me, I always go for non-stick pans that is easy to clean. Imagine having to waste all my energy to scrub and scrub after cooking a meal. A big thank you to the kind folks from Corningware®, I was introduced to the new top-of-the-range metal cookware Corningware® Retroflam.

Made in Korea from quality materials in a five thick layers of coating consisting of cast aluminum, black titanium, and sparkling pearl ceramic coating on the interior and exterior of the cookware. Corningware® Retroflam has specially designed radiating grooves on the base to allow for even distribution of heat, hence food is evenly cooked. Aluminum is great for thermal conductivity, ensuring energy efficiency; while titanium is strong and non-toxic. This is especially good when I am cooking my fish, it won’t get burnt on just one side. There is faster and healthier cooking turnaround time which leads to lowers energy consumption.

The ceramic coating is highly resistant to heat. Healthy cooking even at under 400 deg C heat, it won’t discharge any toxic chemical. With superior non-stick ability it means the pans are also very easy to clean. All you have to do is wipe off any residue with paper towel after cooking before cleaning it. No scrubbing needed, yay!

The Corningware® Retroflam cookware range promises effective, healthy, non-chemical emission, and hassle-free nonstick functionalities during cooking. The range—which includes wok, sauce pan, casserole pot, and fry pan in radiant colours of red ruby and green emerald—is visually appealing and is a must-have tool for modern cooking.

I put the Corningware® Retroflam wok pan to test by cooking two local dishes with it – Char Kway Teow and Claypot Chicken Rice.

RECIPE: FRIED KWAY TEOW

Because of its large surface and non-stick functionality, stir frying my fried kway teow was very easy. Heat was distributed equally so my fried kway teow was evenly cooked with no charred wok base.

Fried Kway Teow

2016-07-29 11:10:19

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 2 tbs oil
2. 6 large garlic cloves, minced
3. 2 Chinese sausages, sliced
4. 12 large prawns
5. 1 cups bean sprouts
6. 450g kway teow
7. 100g fish cake, sliced
8. 2 eggs
9. 1 cup Chinese chives, cut into 2″ length
10. Salt, to taste
11. White pepper, to taste

Sauce

1. 2 tbs dark soy sauce
2. 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
3. 1 tsp fish sauce
4. 1 tbs sambal (optional, for spicy version)

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the sauce and mix well.
2. Heat Corningware® Retroflam over medium fire. Add oil and sautéed garlic.
3. When it is turning brown, add fish cakes, sausages and prawns. Stir fry using high heat.
4. Add the bean sprouts, noodles and sauce. Stir fry for a minute.
5. Make a hole in the centre, crack the eggs and fry. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

RECIPE: CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE

One pot meals are great especially when I am so overwhelmed with work and wanted a quick but delicious meal. This is my favourite recipe and we have cooked it twice already using Corningware® Retroflam. Plus it is so easy, all I need to do is to marinade the chicken beforehand. Look at how beautiful the chicken thighs turn out when I sear them in the pan. The chicken browned beautifully and amazingly when I removed them from the pan, there was no residue left at the bottom. Washing up is a breeze!

Claypot Chicken Rice

2016-07-29 11:12:36

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Ingredients

1. 4 chicken thighs
2. 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
3. 5-6 slices of ginger
4. 2 tbs oil
5. 2 Chinese sausages, sliced
6. 6 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked in hot water 15 minutes and cut into slices
7. 1½ cups rice
8. 1½ cups chicken stock
9. 1 cup water
10. 3 tbs sauce from marinade
11. spring onions, for garnish
12. red chillies, for garnish

Marinade

1. 2½ tsp sesame oil
2. 2 tbs oyster sauce
3. 2 tbs light soy sauce
4. 1 tsp brown sugar
5. 1½ tbs sweet soy sauce
6. ½ tsp salt
7. ½ tsp white pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for marinade and marinate chicken thigh overnight.
2. Heat Corningware® Retroflam over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp oil and sear chicken thigh with skin side down for about 1.5 minutes. Flip the chicken and sear for another 1.5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Sauteed garlic and ginger. Add in mushrooms, sausages, rice and marinade. Mix well.
4. Add chicken stock, water and ½ tbs of sweet soy sauce for darker colour. Place chicken thigh on the rice. Cover the pan and using small heat, cook for 20 mins or until the rice is cooked. Garnish and serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

So, it is important to have your own set of safe and good cookware that you last you for a good period of time. Corningware® Retroflam is a definitely a good set to own, especially if you wish to prepare one pot meals at home.

Prices start from $109 and they are available at the following stores in BHG, Courts, Metro, OG, Robinsons and Tangs.

If you are a big fan of Corningware®, here’s your chance to win other of their quality products. Big thank you to World Kitchen, I am giving away Corelle® Diningware – Frost design each worth S$110 to 2 lucky readers.

All you have to do is:
1. Like World Kitchen Asia Pacific on Facebook
2. Share this post on Facebook.
3. Answer a simple question here: Name one benefit of using the new Corningware® Retroflam Cookware.

Closing date: 15 August 2016. Collection of gifts from World Kitchen (Asia Pacific). Good Luck!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Congratulations to Noorsyahidah Jumat and Ng Li Min Jocelyn!

This post is brought to you by World Kitchen Asia Pacific.

The post Corningware Retroflam – Char Kway Teow & Claypot Rice Recipes (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I am counting down to Christmas already, what about you? It’s my favourite festival of the year because there are beautiful Christmas lightings, fun gatherings and good food! But it’s always a big deal to prepare Christmas meals. In this post, I will be sharing two simple recipes which I cooked using Tefal Character Wok Pan and Pro Induction Rice Cooker. Hope it will help you to ease some preparations!

Seafood Paella

I have already gotten a Tefal Pro Induction Rice Cooker for my new house and have been using it for a few months. Still loving it really, because there are so many cooking functions you can play with! As you look through pictures of the cooking methods below, you will see the beautiful spherical pot that is exclusive to Tefal. Angled at 62 degree, it encourages heat circulation resulting in evenly cooked delicious, fluffy rice. Using 3D induction heating, it heats up faster for more efficient cooking.

Especially for newbies in the kitchen, the automatic function will determine the ideal cooking time so you don’t have to worry about the cooking time and water-rice ratio. The rice cooker features 48 programmes, allowing you to cook up a myriad of dishes like starters, main courses and desserts in one simple pot.

Priced at $499, the Pro Induction Rice Cooker (1.8L) is available in leading departmental stores and electrical chain stores. Christmas promotion from NOW to 31 Dec 2016, only for Spherical Pot Rice cooker range, receive a FREE TEFAL BBQ Plancha Plate worth $139.

So, I decided to share with you a one pot meal which I always cook – SEAFOOD PAELLA! Paella is traditionally made in a large pan with short- or medium-grain rice. It’s yellow colour because of the saffron threads. But… I hate to slave over the hot stove so I decided to use an easier method – rice cooker! Yes, you heard me right! Just add all the ingredients into Pro Induction Rice Cooker and let it work its magic. I didn’t use Spanish rice and just replace it with Japanese rice, it tastes great as well. Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes!

Seafood Paella

2016-12-23 07:01:11

Easy Recipe cooked using Tefal Pro Induction Rice Cooker

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Ingredients

1. 8 large prawns, peeled
2. 400g clams
3. 1/2 cup frozen peas
4. 2 cups short grain rice, soaked in water for 15 minutes and then drained
5. 2 cups chicken stock or fish stock
6. 1/2 can diced tomato, drained
7. 4 cloves garlic, minced
8. 1/2 onion, sliced
9. 1/2 red pepper, diced
10. 2 tsp dried oregano
11. 1 tbsp turmeric powder
12. 1 tbsp paprika
13. 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
14. salt and pepper to taste
15. 5-6 wedges of lemon
16. 3 tbsp olive oil
17. 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in rice cooker on “DIY” mode. Set temperature to 80 degree Celsius for 10 minutes.
2. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and saute till soft.
3. Add in seasonings, diced tomatoes, peas, rice, seafood and broth. Stir to combine.
4. Close lid and set to “Japanese Rice” and “Normal” rice texture.
5. When cooked, taste with additional salt and pepper and serve with parsley.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Lemon

I have already cooked a few dishes using Tefal Character Wok Pan include seafood army stew and it’s hassle-free because the wok can cook crustaceans such as clams, mussels and crabs well. Of course, I have also done simple one pot meal like Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Lemon and my husband loves it. It requires less oil and you can flip the chicken easily.

The new Character Wok Pan uses Titanium coating for intensive cooking. The signature Thermo-Spot now comes with a new design that turns red completely once the pan is heated to the optimal temperature. You can now see the right moment to start searing or frying for the best texture, color and flavor. It’s so easy to clean – simply wipe off oil and food residue with towel to continue cooking the next dish.

Price of the Character Wok Pan (28cm) is S$79.90 and is available in leading departmental stores and electrical chain stores.

Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Lemon

2016-12-23 07:03:15

Slow cooked chicken using Tefal Character Wok Pan.

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Ingredients

1. 4 chicken thighs
2. some salt to marinade
3. 1 tablespoon olive oil
4. 250ml chicken broth
5. 4 small potatoes, halved
6. 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
7. 1 small lemon, cut into slices
8. 4 sprigs rosemary

Instructions

1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on all sides; set aside.
2. Place the Tefal Character Wok Pan on the stove and heat till the Thermo spot turns red completely. Add the olive oil and garlic.
3. Add chicken skin side down and cook until browned for about 10 minutes.
4. Flip chicken and add chicken broth, potatoes, lemon and rosemary. Cook until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve with rice or pasta or salad.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

This post was brought to you by Tefal Singapore. For more information, please visit http://tefal.com.sg/

The post Prepare Easy Christmas Meals with Tefal Cookware appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Previously, I have shared my aunty’s hakka abacus seed recipe. Today, it’s another hakka recipe which I learnt from her – Yi Zi Ban (忆子粄). This traditional kueh was made by a mother during the olden days to remember her son when he went on an expedition overseas. This is a dish that signifies reunion, so try making it at home with your family!

Typically the rice cake is only made with glutinous rice flour, but we added some yam to the to give it a light fragrance. It is wrapped with a filling of meat, beancurd, dried shrimp, black fungus and mushroom. If you have eaten them before, you will know that it requires alot of manual labour and patience. ENJOY!

The post Recipe – Hakka Yi Zi Ban (忆子粄) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The weather has been crazy recently. One moment, it gets really humid. Then it starts pouring in the afternoon… AIYO! Now that I have my own home, I started to cook more regularly. While cooking for our family one weekend, we also boiled Chrysanthemum drink for everyone. It only requires a few ingredients and 10 minutes to make. Not only does it help to quench your thirst, it also has cooling properties so it’s really good for tropical weather like Singapore. If you don’t have wolfberries and red dates, you can skip it but they are healthy additions. Enjoy!

The post Recipe – Chrysanthemum Drink with Red Dates and Wolfberries appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ever since I moved into the new house, I started to cook more. It’s honestly more expensive to cook as compared to eating out, especially when there are only two people in the house. But sometimes, we just crave for homecooked meals.

The first soup I made at home was Old Cucumber Soup（老黄瓜汤）. I have made it more than three times on different pots. The first time was cooked in a glass pot over fire but we couldn’t cook too long because our stove fire is too big (even when I turned the knob to the smallest). The second time was over a slow cooker but it was undercook because I only prepared on the day itself so it turned out bland. Last week, I tried it again using the new pressure cooker we bought. It was not too bad, at least I don’t need too long to get my soup ready!

The husband has started to complain about me cooking too much old cucumber soup. But I just wanted to find the best way to cook it so that it’s efficient and tasty. Plus, old cucumber is good for the skin and helps prevent aging, so why not? With a humid weather like Singapore, this soup also helps to lower ‘heatiness’ in the body. Remember to add some salt in the end to season it!

The post Recipe – Old Cucumber Soup appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When I got my new house, I started to cook more frequently – army stew, chicken rice, scrambled eggs, old cucumber soup… you name it, I’ve cook it. The washing is painful and we really hate it.

That’s why, I was determined to get a dishwasher. At least it helps us to wash the dishes – which is something I really dread. The dishes I cook have something in common, they are oily and they leave residues which make them even more difficult to wash.

I got the ActiveWater 60 cm Dishwasher (Model: SMS88TI03E) for our new house, courtesy of Bosch. If you are wondering why you need a dishwasher or which dishwasher is suitable for you, I hope that this guide will be of help. 

Most important question, why do I need a dishwasher?

Convenience is the key. Even though it is just the two of us, a dishwasher makes life so much simpler. We can just stack the dishes in the dishwasher and only run it after 2-3 meals, when it is full.

How much water does a dishwasher consume compared to hand-washing?

There is a myth that a dishwasher uses a lot of energy and water. In fact, compared to washing dishes by hand, dishwashers use way lesser water. A dishwasher uses, on average, 10-14 liters of water (depending on the model) whereas hand-washing requires 30-40 liters.

Will my electricity bill shoot up after using the dishwasher?

A dishwasher is quite energy efficient as it uses only 1-2 kW of energy each wash (depending on the chosen program). The electricity consumed is used to heat up the water, which is pumped and recycled around the machine.

Isn’t a dishwasher too expensive?

You must consider that a dishwasher is a long-term investment. On average, a dishwasher has a life span of 10-12 years. There are other advantages of having a dishwasher – better hygiene, convenience, no breakages of expensive crockery, more quality time for yourself and more. 

How does a dishwasher work?

After loading the dishwasher, and switching on the program that you wish to run, the dishwasher draws water & sprays water through jets to rinse the dishes. It then releases detergent and the dishes are cleaned with soapy hot water. Once the cleaning process is done, the dishwasher rinses the dishes again. Lastly, the dishwasher dries the dishes.

Is a dishwasher suited for oily dishes?

Yes! The dishes I cooked are all very oily and we always had a hard time washing them in the sink. However, with a dishwasher, I just have to put all the plates in, and the machine will work its magic and remove all the grease and oil.

How many utensils can a dishwasher hold?

A normal dishwasher has 12 place settings, this means that it can hold:
– Dinner plate – 12 nos.
– Dessert plate – 12 nos.
– Glass tumbler – 12 nos.
– Tea cup and saucer – 12 nos
– Knives, forks, soup spoons, dessert spoons and teaspoons – 12 nos. each.
– Serving plates and serving spoons – 3-4 nos.
– Bowls – 12 nos.
For a mixed load – it can accommodate pots, pans, plates, cooker & 30 to 40 standard size spoons & forks.

How much time does it need to wash the dishes?

Depending on the wash cycle, it may take between 30 minutes to 2 hours to clean and dry the dishes. It is not necessary to watch your dishwasher as it is completely safe to leave it operating on its own. Just look forward to dry and clean dishes after. My Bosch dishwasher always displays the time that the cleaning will end.

How hygienic are the washing results of a dishwasher, compared to manual washing?

Dishwasher is better than manual-washing because:
1. Manual-washing is usually done with cold water whereas a dishwasher uses hot water which kills germs during the washing cycle.
2. The dishes come out dry which means that there is no need for drying them manually afterwards or leaving them out to dry – which reduces dust accumulation on the dishes.
3. The sponge used in manual-washing accumulates and breeds germs, which is not hygienic

Don’t worry! Glassware is suitable for dishwasher. The upper basket can be used to hold small plates, bowls, glass tumblers and wine glasses. The glass pieces will not get chipped or broken in the dishwasher if you place them properly.

How to select a dishwasher?

It really boils down to your needs. For us, space is a constraint. As much as I want to get a built-in dishwasher, there is no space for it and it means that we have to redo the whole kitchen. So the next sensible choice was to get a free standing dishwasher.

It’s always good to prioritise convenience when buying a dishwasher. This includes adjustable racks and lots of flatware slots. Some mid-priced dishwashers have racks that allow you to lay down large utensils or other dinnerware. Even though we are a two-person family, I host dinners regularly for my friends and family. Hence a upper-lower rack wash feature is neccessary.

The next factor is price. There are different types of Bosch dishwashers which are equipped with different features and they are priced differently, of course. Generally, their free standing dishwasher ranges from $1599 to $2799. The more premium models tend to be quieter and have ample flatware slots, folding tines, and other flexible-loading features. Hidden controls and a cycle-time display add style and convenience.

Different types of dishwasher

Freestanding:
• These dishwashers can be installed anywhere in your kitchen
• Designed to stand alone
• Removable worktop to accommodate benchtop height
• Elegant curved fascia

Built-under:
• Flat control panel
• Adjustable height for flush fit
• Option of continuous kick panel flush with kitchen cabinetry

Semi-integrated:
• Integrate your dishwasher for a seamless look
• Can be fitted with a door panel to match the design of your kitchen cabinetry
• Continuous kick panel provides seamless integration

Fully-integrated:
• Designed to fit your new kitchen to perfection
• Can be concealed entirely behind a door panel to matching your kitchen cabinetry
• Control panel neatly integrated into the top of the dishwasher door
• Continuous kick panel providing seamless integration
• Optional stainless steel front panel

Slimline:
• These slimline 45cm dishwashers are ideal for kitchens where space is at a premium
• Available as a freestanding stand-alone model
• Built-under models with adjustable height for a flush fit
• Fully integrated models can be concealed behind a door panel to match your kitchen cabinetry

Table Top Compact:
• Takes up the least space
• Does not require any plumbing
• Most affordable option

Find the Best Features

Owning a dishwasher for me means I can save time, money, and effort. A big thank you to the kind folks of Bosch for the recommendation, I have gotten Bosch ActiveWater 60 cm Dishwasher (Model: SMS88TI03E) that suits my lifestyle.

Using a Bosch dishwasher saves up to FIVE TIMES more water as compared to washing dishes by hand. An innovative function, VarioSpeed, reduces washing time by 50% as compared to traditional wash programs. Its Super 60°C programme makes it brilliant for cleaning and drying. Additionally, Bosch dishwashers are triple-A rated for energy efficiency, washing and drying performance. How much water did we use? Just 7.5L of water to produce optimum results.

Bosch dishwashers can be purchased at the newly-revamped Bosch Experience Centre or any major electrical appliance stores. For more information, visit www.bosch-home.com.sg/

The post Dishwasher Buying Guide – What to look for when buying a dishwasher? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Happy Chinese New Year! Are you ready for reunion dinner? When I was a child, I always looked forward to CNY because my grandfather would whip up a feast of his signature dishes. Now that I have grown up, I started to do more cooking on my own. In this article, I have prepared two simple CNY recipes with Tefal cookware.

STIR FRY PRAWNS IN CHILLI CRAB SAUCE

As an amateur cook, I always wonder, “How do I know if the pan is hot enough? When do I add in the minced garlic?” Thankfully, Tefal has this brilliant innovation called the “Tefal Thermo-Spot” which makes frying easier.

The Thermo-spot tells you when your pan has reached the optimum temperature to seal in the flavour of your food. On the picture on the left, you can see small and brighter red lines in the centre of the pan. When placed over heat for a few minutes, this red dot turns bright red. Once it turns bright red completely, it means your pan is heated and ready to use.

There may be a lot of frying pans out there but not all non-stick pans are the same. At least for Tefal’s pan, I can know when exactly I should add my ingredients in. Stirring and tossing my food becomes easier and possible since it is a non-stick pan. It also has a Bakelite handle. Yay! The non-stick feature means I can use less oil!

Furthermore, the pan has an anti-abrasion titanium base which makes it exceptionally tough and hard-wearing. This means that there won’t be any scratches after frying! In addition, the pan is dishwasher-safe. Washing it is simple as any leftover food residues slide off easily. Cleaning requires little to no effort at all. So far, I am a happy user!

Stir-Fry Prawns in Chilli Crab Sauce is one of the best dishes that I’ve cooked with my Tefal pan. The king prawns are cooked at an optimal temperature, hence there is a beautiful crustacean aroma wafting from the kitchen. Tossing it with Chilli Crab Sauce, with the help of the Thermo-spot, I can tell when to fry the king prawns for that perfect char, making this plate of prawns colourful and delicious!

Stir-Fry Prawn with Chilli Crab Sauce

2017-01-26 09:33:22

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Ingredients

1. 8 prawns
2. 1 egg, lightly beaten
3. 4 cloves garlic, minced
4. 2 red chilli, deseed & slice
5. 2 stalks spring onions, cut into 1 inch
6. 1 tomato, cut into slices
7. Some lime juice
8. Vegetable oil

Seasoning

1. 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2. 1 tbsp chilli sauce
3. 1 cup water
4. 1 tbsp sugar
5. A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Clean the prawns by removing the beards and devein the middle part of the prawns.
2. Heat up the Tefal pan and wait for the Thermo-Spot to turn completely red before adding in the vegetable oil
3. Shallow-fry the prawns on medium heat to ensure the prawns cook evenly. Place the prawns on some paper towels and set aside.
4. Using the remaining oil in the wok, sauté minced garlic till fragrant. Add in seasoning till well-mixed.
5. Add in the prawns and beaten egg. Stir the gravy while adding in the egg. Sprinkle chopped spring onion on top and serve.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

There are many Chinese New Year dishes cooked using prawns. That’s because it is pronounced as “ha” in Cantonese – much like “laughter”, symbolizing laughter (笑 “哈哈”) and happiness. I hope this dish brings you joy all year round. If you have young kids at home, you can skip the chilli.

FISH MAW SOUP

Fish maw soup is often served during Chinese New Year. This is a dish that I look forward to every year. It is also called the treasure soup because there are a lot of goodies in the soup. Fish maw (鱼鳔) is an excellent source of collagen and will improve your complexion.

Usually, we use a slow cooker or pressure cooker to boil the soup. This time round, I tried using Tefal Pro Induction Rice Cooker (RK8055) to cook the soup and it turned out really well! With a gamay exterior, the rice cooker is an efficient machine that cooks more than just rice!

As you look through pictures of the cooking methods below, you will see the beautiful spherical pot that is exclusive to Tefal. Angled at 62 degrees, it improves heat circulation resulting in evenly-cooked fluffy rice. Using 3D induction heating, it heats up faster for more efficient cooking.

There are 48 programmes for you to choose from. They include White rice, Japanese rice, Glutinous rice, Brown rice, Quick cooking, Small quantity, Claypot, Porridge, Congee, Steam, Slow Cook, Soup, Reheat, Keep warm and DIY Chef. The 1.8L rice cooker allows you to select your desired texture no matter what type of rice you are cooking. Furthermore, you can cook up to 10 cups of rice and a myriad of dishes!

Fish maw can be purchased in both processed or unprocessed forms. Processed means it is already fried and ready to be soaked in water. Unprocessed means it needs to be fried, then soaked in water. Fish maw has a unique texture which allows it to soak up the flavour of what it sits in. I basically did everything in this multi-purpose rice cooker – and that includes soaking, stir frying and stewing!

Fish Maw Soup

2017-01-26 09:38:36

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Ingredients

1. 30g fish maw (or a pack)
2. 8 slices ginger
3. 8 dried oysters
4. 2L chicken soup
5. 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
6. 3 tbsp hot water
7. half Napa cabbage, cut into small lengths
8. 10 fish balls
9. 2 egg whites
10. A handful of bean sprouts

Seasoning

1. 1 tsp light soy sauce
2. 1 tsp fish sauce
3. 1 tbsp corn starch
4. 1 tbsp hua diao wine
5. some salt
6. some white pepper

Instructions

1. Soak fish maw, dried oysters and mushrooms in 2L hot water for 2 hours. Drain and cut the fish maw into ½ inch slices.
2. Switch the rice cooker to DIY mode and set temperature to 150°C. Fry ginger briefly, then add the fish maw, oysters, mushrooms and fry till fragrant. Add the chicken soup and let it boil for 10 mins.
3. Add in cabbage and switch the rice cooker to ‘soup’ mode. Let it cook for 50 minutes.
4. Combine the corn starch and water in a small bowl. Stir in the corn starch and egg white. Continue stirring until the egg threads are formed.
5. Add in the fish balls and beansprouts. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Miss Tam Chiak https://www.misstamchiak.com/

The Tefal rice cooker comes with a cookbook with recipes for claypot rice, Cantonese boat congee, stir fry dishes, steamed dishes, soups, and even desserts. It is available at major electronics and home appliances stores, and other authorised dealers. Visit the Tefal website & Facebook page for more information.

The post 5-Step CNY Recipes that you can whip up with Tefal Cookware appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.