Baked macaroni and cheese

Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup grated ParmesanPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally until it is almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, the cayenne pepper, and a teaspoon of salt.

3. Put half the macaroni into a buttered 2-quart casserole and top with half the cheddar cheese. Repeat. Pour the milk mixture over the macaroni and cheese.

4. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the paprika, the remaining butter, and the Parmesan. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the macaroni and bake until brown and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Claypot Tofu

Ingredients
1 tube tofu or beancurd
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 slice of young ginger(optional)
½ cup of boneless chicken pieces
Sugar and salt to taste
A pinch of pepper
½ tbsp cornflour,mix with 2 tbsp water,for thickening

Sauces
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sweet plum sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese cooking wine (optional)

Vegetables
½ carrot (shredded)
2-3 baby corns,sliced diagonally
½ chopped cauliflower or broccoli
½ a green capsicum (cut lengthwise )
Garnishing
½ tbsp chopped spring onions

Heat 1 tbsp of oil with 1 tsp of sesame oil in a claypot.You can also use a wok .Saute the chopped garlic .If using ginger then add ginger too.Once aromatic ,add in chicken meat.Stir a few seconds then combine all the sauces with 1 cup of water in a bowl and pour into the pot.Add the vegetables except the capsicum .Let the sauce simmer and vegetables become tender.Adjust seasoning to taste(salt,sugar and pepper).Finally add in capsicum and the fried beancurd.After about a min ,thicken the sauce with cornflour mixture.
Turn off the heat once mixture comes to a boil.Stir in the spring onions and serve hot with rice.

Payasam

1 cup sago
2 cup water
½ cup vermicelli
1½ cup milk
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp ghee
3 cardamom pods
cashew nuts
raisins

1. Soak the sago in water for an hour. Boil it with water.
2. Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until it becomes translucent.
3. Lower the heat and leave it for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Heat the ghee in a pan. Fry the cashew nuts & cardamom pods in it.
5. Put vermicelli and fry until it becomes golden brown.
6. Add this to the Boiling sago. Then put sugar, milk & raisins.
7. Stir for few minutes until the sugar gets dissolves.
8. Ready to serve.

Chawan mushi

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cooled chicken or fish stock
• 1 dash sake/dashi
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 shiitake mushroom, sliced into strips
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley, for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs gently while slowly pouring in the chicken stock, sake, and soy sauce. Divide the mushroom and chicken evenly between two small tea cups. Pour the egg mixture into each cup until filled.
2. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a steamer or saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer, and place cups into the steamer. Cover, and steam for 12 minutes, or until egg is firm but soft and silky like tofu. Garnish each cup with a sprig of parsley, and serve.

Agedashi tofu

1 tub firm tofu
1 cup dashi stock
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon mirin (or sake)
1 Tablespoon potato starch (or cornstarch) mixed with 1 Tablespoon cold water
salt to taste
1-3 teaspoons grated ginger (to taste)
1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
potato or cornstarch for dusting tofu
oil for frying

1. wrap tofu in papertowels and sandwich between two cutting boards or plates.
2. place a weight on top and let sit for at least 20 minutes to expel some of the water.
3. place konbu dashi, mirin and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. if you like a thicker agedashi stock add the potato/cornstarch mixed with water and stir quickly. this will thicken the sauce.
4. once the tofu has been pressed, pat dry and cut the cube in half. you may also cut into triangles or cubes, as you like it.
5. dredge all sides in cornstarch and fry on each side until golden brown.
6. to serve, place each serving in a seperate bowl and pour heated sauce over the top. garnish with a small blob of grated ginger and thinly sliced green onion. i usually put the ginger in the sauce and garnish just with the green onion.

Paneer Tikka

• 200g fresh paneer cut into thick cubes
• 50g capsicum, thick chunks
• 50g big onions, quartered
• 50g tomato, quartered

Marinade:

• 100g yogurt
• 10g chilli powder
• 10g fish masala
• 50g salt

1. Marinate paneer, capsicum andonion for at least 3-4 hours
2. To grill pierce the paneer, tomato, capsicum and onion through a tandoor skewer
3. Toaste until lightly browned
4. Serve with lime wedges.

Angel hair pasta

• 10g angel hair pasta
• 5g garlic
• 15ml extra virgin olive oil
• 15ml kikkoman shoyu
• 10ml mirin
• 4 medium-size tiger prawns
• 10g tobikko
• 5g chopped chives
• 5g chopped wakame

1. Cook angel hair pasta according to packet until al dente. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. Gently saute the chopped garlic with extra virgin olive oil and add in the shoyu, mirin and tiger prawns
3. When cooked, remove from heat and toss with the pasta, tobikko and chives.
4. Arange pasta neatly on a plate and sprinkle with some chopped wakame.

Glazed cod

160g cod fillet, 200ml honey, 120ml hoisin sauce, 80g kailan, 50g shiitake mushroom sliced, 10g pak hup (fresh lily bud), 10g sundried cherry tomatoes

1. In a heavy bottom pan, seat cod fillet and finish cooking oven for about 10mins at 180c
2. In another pan, combine honey and hoisin sauce and reduce mixture until thick
3. Coat cod fillet with the r educed sauce and glaze it under salamander for about 1 minute. Repeat 4 times until cod is nicely glazed
4. Lightly saute kailan, shittake and pak hup.
5. to serve line plate with kailan, rest cod on it and top with mushroom, pak hup and cherry tomatoes.

Sauteed king prawns

10ml olive oil, 15g chunky garlic, 4 king prawns shelled and deveined (tail intact), 80g unsalted butter, 15ml lemon juice, 30g blanched snow peas, salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute garlic gently until fragrant and lightly brown
2. Add in king prawns and saute until cooked
3. Gently add in butter and lemon juice. Then add snow peas
4. Cook for another 20 seconds.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Scallop tagliatelle (Flavours 9-10/03)

140g tagliatelle, 20ml olive oi, 20g garlic sliced, 4 fresh scallops, 1g dried chilli flakes, 50ml white wine, salt and pepper.

1. Cook pasta according to packet until al dente.
2. In a pan, heat up olive oil and saute garlic slices until brown, then add in scallops and chilli flakes.
3. Add in white wine and bring to a boil.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss together with tagliatelle.