Cooking Lab - Super Easy Honey Hummus Dip

Hummus never caught my attention. It is kind of hard to compete with fancy gourmet dips with its plain cream texture. For $4.99 a tub, my money usually goes to the exotic capsicum pesto dip, roasted fig with macadamia dip or caviar dip.

....until I see my colleague having it everyday and never seems to get tired of it.

She tested various brand of dips - but they are all hummus, nothing else.

So I gave Hummus a chance and I must say it was not an earth-shattering taste experience. It tasted nice but that's it. It does not leave a memorable imprint.

So my dear friends take me to an out-of-town Turkish restaurant where they serve charcoal chicken and lamb kebabs. The combination of hummus and grilled meat instantly struck me. My gosh, so this is how you eat hummus. It is... actually quite good.

(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

Hummus is a chick-pea based dip and is a staple meze in the Middle Eastern.

 

A perfect replacement for butter in a wrap or sandwich.

It tastes delicious with crisps or crackers. 

My quirky favourite: Hummus dip with Kettle's chili potato chips~  

Ingredients:

- 1 can of chickpea

- 2 tablespoon of cream fraiche

-2 tablespoon honey

- 1 garlic clove

- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

- 1 lemon

- 1 tablespoon paprika fries sprinkle 

- 1 packet garlic nibble crackers

Instructions:

1. Rinse chickpea under cold running water. Drain

2. Add chickpea, cream fraiche, crushed garlic, honey, salt and lemon juice in the food processor.

3. Blend and slowly add in the olive oil in.

4. Continuing blending until the mixture become a smooth creamy paste.

5. Scoop the hummus dip into a serving dish.

6. Drizzle with some more olive oil on top.

7. Season with more paprika fries salt.

8. Garnish with a few roasted chickpeas and herbs.

9. Enjoy with garlic flavoured crackers. 

This honeyed hummus has a sweeter taste and will make you look at hummus differently.

BTW: It is ridiculously easy and cheap to make. All it takes is 3 minutes in the blender. 

No cooking involved.

Cooking Lab - Mixed Rice with Oriental Mustard and Pork Ribs

This is one flavoursome one-pot mixed rice. 

It is a family favourite and we can eat bowls and bowls of this. It is a simple meal but packed with nutrient values. 


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

"Gai Choy" is the common name for this Oriental Mustard Green and it is packed with iron, calcium, and low in kilojoules. It is readily available at Harris Farm or other grocery stores.

Ingredients:

- 3 cups of Jasmine Rice 
- 250g pork riblet 
- 100g fresh shiitake mushroom 
- 1 bunch of mustard greens (aka gai-choy) 
- 100g ginger 
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce 
- 2 tablespoon cooking wine 
- 1 tablespoon salt 
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar 
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder 
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 
- 3 tablespoon of cooking oil 
- 10g loose corn kernel 

Instructions:

1. Wash and cleaned the Gai Choy. Remove the stem and cut into bite size.

2. Boil the vegetable in water for 3-5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. In the meantime, soak 3 cups of rice in water for at least 30 minutes.

4. Add oil to a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the pork riblets, ginger slices and the shiitake mushrooms until golden.

5. Add in sugar, cooking wine and soy sauce and let the sauce simmer.

6. Season with white pepper and a dash of chicken powder.

7. Remove the pork riblets and leave the sauce in the wok.

8. Add in the pre-soaked rice into the wok.

9. Reduce the heat to low and let the rice absorb all the sauce.

10. Add the pork riblets and shiitake mushrooms back into the wok.

11. Combine well and ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with flavors.

12. Add in the pre-boiled gai-choy vegetable.

13. Try not to dis-integrate the heart of gai-choy.

14. Stir and combine everything together.

15. The rice is not cooked-through at this point.

16. Transfer the mixed rice into a steamer/rice-cooker.

17. Add 3 cups of water and let it cook/steam for 30 minutes.

18. Continue to cook until the rice is cooked through.

19. Stir to mix well. Cover and let it sit for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

It is now ready to be served! It smells delicious!~~

20. Plate the mixed rice on a large serving plate and top with pork riblets and shiitake mushrooms.

21. Serve with a gai-choy heart by its side.

22. Garnish with chili oil and loose corn kernels.

It is so yum. I don't even need side-dishes to go with this mixed rice. 

Cooking Lab - Alpha-Style Scallop Moussaka with Smoked Cod Pate and Tomato Salsa

After a series of fine dining, Sydney's Alpha Restaurant's scallop moussaka left an impression on me. So over the weekend, I decided to make a similar version based on the photo and my taste memory with a few modifications. 

In this recipe, I am using my own concoction - smoked cod pate instead of taramasalata. If you want to save time, you can use a pre made deli dip. 


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

Ingredients:

- 1 large round eggplant 
- 12 large scallops 
- 2 ripe truss tomatoes 
- 200g smoked cod pate
- 10g fresh dill 
- 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 
- 30g dukkah 
- Pink salt and black pepper to season 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Wash and slice the eggplants in round disks and pat dry.

3. Spray ample olive oil on the eggplant slices.

4. Bake in the oven until golden.

5. Blot off excess oil on paper towel and keep warm.

6. Sear the scallops quickly in a hot fry-pan. Spray with a little olive oil on top.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. In the meantime, dice the truss tomatoes.

9. Toss in the fresh dill and drizzle with some balsamic vinegar on top.

10. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

To assemble: 

12. Spread an ample amount of smoked cod pate on a slice of eggplant.

13. Place 3 seared scallops on the smoked cod pate.

14. Then top with another eggplant slice like an sandwich.

15. Top with a spoonful of tomato salsa.

16. Garnish with fresh dill and dukkah dusts.

17. Serve immediately.

It is a beautiful modern Greek Moussaka based on Alpha's signature dish. It tastes rich, creamy and so easy to make. For those who are not residing in Sydney, this is one dish you should give it a go. 

It is a perfect appetizer with BBQ and looks gorgeous at the same time. 

Original Peter Conistis's signature recipe for Scallop Moussaka can be found  Here.

Cooking Lab - Japanese Chawanmushi Custard with Scallops and Truffle

Enjoy a hearty delicate, smooth silky steamed egg Chawanmushi with Hokkaido scallops and black truffle shavings. Pure deliciousness!~ 


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

Silky and smooth~~

Ingredients:

- 4 eggs 
- 4 large scallops 
- 4 fishballs 
- 20g fresh black truffle 
- 1 cup chicken stock 
- 1 teaspoon mirin 
- 1 tablespoon bonito soy sauce 
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder 
- 1/2 teaspoon white wine 
- Salt & pepper 

Instructions:

1. Whisk the eggs and strain.

2. Season with mirin, soy sauce and white wine.

3. Add in the chicken stock.

4. Season with chicken powder, salt and pepper.

5. Place a fish ball at the center of the bowl.

6. Divide the egg mixture into 4 equal portions.

7. Cover with aluminum wrap. Allow for Ventilation holes.

8. Steam for 10 minutes and turn the heat down.

9. Finely slice the scallops into tartare strips.

10. Add the scallop tartare stripes on top on the custards 3 minutes before done.

11. Remove the Chawanmushi bowls from the steamer.

12. Place it on a serving tray.

13. Freshly shave the black truffle on top.

14. Serve immediately.

Cooking Lab - GMV's Perfect Smoked Cod Pate

I love a good taramasalata (fish roe dip) and I adore smoked cod. So why not combine both together? 

Well, what do you know? They matched perfectly together~ This got to be my new delicacy.

(c) GMV - Got My Vote!(*^^*)

Smoked cod is so underrated. It contains heaps of omega 3 oil which make it very nutritious. People tend to shy away from it because of its 'fishy oil' smell. 

I am going to turn its disadvantage into a plus. The oiliness will become a virtue and it's going to dazzle our taste palettes. 

This is a delicious rustic appetizer in 20 minutes. This is my inventive way to use smoked cod. The oily fish transformed into a gourmet delicacy. 

It is wonderfully tasty on sourdough or bruschetta. 

Ingredients:

- 300g smoked cod fillet 
- 2 tablespoon cream fràché 
-1 tablespoon honey macadamia spread 
-1 tablespoon olive oil 
-1/2 lime juice 
-3 slices of sourdough 
-30g fresh dill 
- Pink salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Grill the smoked cod in the oven until hot.

3. Remove the skin of the smoked cod.

4. Check for fine bones.

5. Flake the smoked cod into slices. Place them into the food processor.

6. Add cream fraiche and the honey macadamia spread and whizz until coarse. Remove.

7. Soak a piece of sourdough bread in water and remove all excess water. Break into small fine pieces.

8. Place all in the food processor. Add olive oil and lime juice and blend until smooth and creamy.

9. Add the smoke cod mixture back to the blender.

10. Add in some fresh dill.

11. Season with pink salt and black pepper.

12. Blend again until the pate is beautifully smooth.

13. Serve with warm toasts.

This fresh smoked cod Pate is easy to make and you can be sure that it is not filled with food coloring and inferior ingredients.

An exquisite appetizer meze for all occasion.

Cooking Lab - Praise the Cabbage Braise (發財滷白菜）

Cooking Lab - Grilled Salmon Shirataki Soba Salad

It's Spring time! It's time for a lighter, healthier meal ~ 

Japanese shirataki noodles are renowned for its almost-zero calories. They are also known as 'miracle noodle'; and they are the most healthy, effective diet food you can have. 

Soba noodles have less calories and carbohydrates than your normal pasta or noodles. They are also great in decreasing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. 

I added grilled salmon to this diet dish recipe for protein value. 


(c) GMV -Got My Vote!

Diet food never looked so yummy! 
Weight loss is so easy!~

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of shirataki noodle knots 
- 100g soba buckwheat noodles 
- 300g salmon fillets 
- 3 sourdough bread slices 
- 2 tomato 
- 10g micro herbs 
- 6 tablespoon roasted sesame salad dressing 
- 300g rocket and spinach salad 
- 1 small lime 
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
- Sea salt and black pepper 

Instructions:

1. Remove the shirataki noodles from the packet and rinse them under running cold water.

2. Boil shirataki noodles for 3 minutes. Drain.

3. Discard the water.

4. Cook the soba noodles in accordance to packet instructions.

5. Remove and set aside to cool.

6. Heat up the fry pan over medium heat.

7. Spray some extra-virgin olive oil on the salmon fillets.

8. Pan-grill the salmon until cooked.

9. Season with sea salt flakes and pepper. Set aside to cool.

10. Combined the cooled soba noodles with rocket and spinach salad.

11. Liberally add the roasted sesame salad dressing on top. Toss well to combine.

12. Arrange the shirataki noodles and tomato slices on the side of the salad bowl.

13. Flake the salmon fillets into fine pieces and scatter all on top of the salad.

Ok, I could not resist. I've got to have some carbs in my meal. So I am making croutons to add to the texture ...and satisfy my own craving. 

14. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil on the soudough bread. Bake until crispy and crunchy.

15. Cut into small cubes and add on top of the salad.

16. Sprinkle with ample seaweed flakes.

17. Garnish with micro-herbs and ready to be enjoyed!

18. Drizzle with some lime juice if you prefer a tangy refreshing taste.

This is a really healthy meal that will leave you full, light and energetic.

Print Friendly Version