Mummy seems to be in a mood for cooking today. For those who cook will probably understand that daily cooking and being in a mood to cook are different. Daily cooking will usually be the same old dishes that Mummy can cook without much hassle or difficulties and most often the dishes had been cooked for more than 10times in our household (and it's boring ...) However there'll be times when Mummy's in the mood for special dishes as in something that she had not try before or something that needs more effort and time to prepare. Just like today ...
She came back from the NTUC Fairprice Xtra with 5 big bags that cost $88 of meat, ingredients, herbs, vege and etc... Of cos that includes the food for the next few days as well. And not forgetting the book "Bento lunches" that she bought out of impulse.
Mummy had craved for gingko nuts with barley and beancurd skin since last Fri when Aunty Charmaine prepared that for the gathering so she decided she'll cook that today.
Here's the recipe for Mummy's version
Ingredients:100g pearl barley
200g canned gingko nuts
50g dried beancurd skin (about 2 pieces of the Sun Kee brand)
100g rock sugar
3 litres water
2 pandan leaves, knotted
2 egg whites (can add one more if you like it to have more egg white)
10 red dates (optional)
Method:1. Tear beancurd skin into small pieces then soak in water till soft.
2. Put washed barley, pandan leaves, beancurd skin, red dates and 2 litres of water into a pot and bring to boil. Simmer for 50 minutes or until barley grains are soft.
3. Add the remaining 1 litre of water, gingko nuts and simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add rock sugar and simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Beat egg whites lightly and pour slowly into pot to form thin strands of cooked egg white. Stir well to mix.
5. Serve hot or cold.
The beancurd skin that Mummy found at NTUC. It breaks easily into pieces before cooked and after cooked, it has got a soft and smooth texture.
Gingko Nuts with Barley
The other different thing she'll be cooking is the soup. We are going to have Niang Dou Fu soup tonight! And mind you, it's not something which she throws in chicken stock cubes to cook. She had got corn, soy bean and ikan bilis to make the stock for the soup.
A little note about the ingredients:
Soy BeanSoybeans are considered by many agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration, to be a source of complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them. For this reason, soy is a good source of protein, amongst many others, for many vegetarians and vegans or for people who cannot afford meat.
Ikan BilisFishes that has edible bones like sardine and ikan bilis are rich in calcium.Sweet cornCooked sweet corn has significant antioxidant activity, which can substantially reduce the chance of heart disease and cancer. Cooked sweet corn also releases increased levels of ferulic acid, which provides health benefits, such as battling cancer.[Yong Tau Foo soup baseIngredients:150g Ikan bilis, rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
450g Soy bean
1 bi-colour sweet corn, cut into 3
1 stalk of spring onion, chopped
2½ litres water
Seasoning:
1 tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp sesame oil
Pepper
Method:
1. Heat up oil in wok. Put the ikan bilis into the wok and deep fry till they turn golden brown. Scoop up and let the oil drip dry. (This step is optional. The deep frying of ikan bilis 1st will give the soup a slightly better taste)
2. Bring water to a boil and add the ikan bilis, sweet corn and soy beans. Cook to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2-3 hours. Drain the stock and throw away the residue of ikan bilis, soy bean and corn.
3. Add in the yong tau foo ingredients you want and bring the soup to boil for 5-10mins.
4. Sprinkle some chopped spring onions, add the 1/2 tsp of sesame oil and a dash of pepper and serve.
Look at this ... The stock that is full of nutrients.
The book that Mummy spent $13 on and regretted
