Chicken & Shrimp Wontons

This is a deep fried version of chicken & shrimp wontons which is extremely easy to make and it serves as an excellent appetizer, side dish, or even a snack.

Just start by grinding into a paste the shrimp, spring onion, ginger and garlic.

In a bowl, combine well the paste, minced chicken, cornflour, white pepper, light soy sauce, salt and sugar.

Take a sheet of the store bought wonton pastry and place 1 tsp of the mixture in the middle. Wet the edges with water and scrunch up all the sides to makes the wontons.

Heat some oil in a pan and start frying the wontons once the oil is hot enough. Fry the wontons till golden brown and remove from heat and place on kitchen towel to drain the excess oil. Serve hot with soup or preferred condiments.

CHICKEN & SHRIMP WONTONS

+PRINT RECIPE HERE
INGREDIENTS:

200g minced chicken
100g shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup spring onions, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp garlic, finely grated 
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper
3 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 packet wonton pastry
Oil for frying
Water

METHOD:

1) Grind together the shrimp, spring onion, ginger and garlic to make a paste.
2) In a bowl, combine well the paste, minced chicken, cornflour, white pepper, light soy sauce, salt and sugar.

3) Take a sheet of the store bought wonton pastry and place 1 tsp of the mixture in the middle. Wet the edges with water and scrunch up all the sides to makes the wontons.

4) Heat some oil in a pan and start frying the wontons once the oil is hot enough.

5) Fry the wontons till golden brown and remove from heat and place on kitchen towel to drain the excess oil. Serve hot with soup or preferred condiments.

*This recipe makes about 24-30 wontons

Horseradish Stir Fry (Mullangi Poriyal)

This is a very simple and healthy indian style horseradish dish, taught to me by my mom.

Firstly, peel and finely dice the horseradish and keep aside.

In a wok, heat up some oil. Once the oil is hot, throw in the onion, garlic, ginger and red chilli and fry for about 1-2 minutes.

Then, add in the diced horseradish and give a quick stir.

Go on to add the turmeric and salt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the grated coconut and sliced curry leaves and give a good stir. Continue to cook for a minute and remove from heat.

HORSERADISH STIR FRY (MULLANGI PORIYAL)

+PRINT RECIPE HERE
INGREDIENTS:

1 horseradish, peeled and finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 inch ginger, finely minced
1/4 cup grated coconut
Curry leaves, a sprig, shredded
1/2 red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp oil

METHOD:

1) In a wok, heat up 1 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, throw in the onion, garlic, ginger and red chilli and fry for about 1-2 minutes.
2) Then, add in the diced horseradish and give a quick stir.

3) Go on to add the turmeric and salt and cook for a couple of minutes.

4) Add the grated coconut and sliced curry leaves and give a good stir. Continue to cook for a minute and remove from heat.

*This recipe serves 4

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes With Espresso Buttercream

When I made these chocolate cupcakes, I decided that I shall pair it with espresso buttercream instead of chocolate buttercream. I did this because the cupcake was already very chocolatey and the contrasting flavours from the espresso buttercream would complement the rich chocolate cupcakes. The cupcake recipe was adapted from Cake On the Brain and the buttercream recipe was my own.

Start by melting together the butter, chopped chocolate and cocoa using a bain marie. Once the mixture has melted remove from heat and whisk it to combine the ingredients well and keep aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.

Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.

Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and combine well.

Go on to stir in the the sifted ingredients. Once that is done, mix in the yogurt.

Pour the prepared batter equally in a lined muffin tin and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until when a toothpick/cake tester inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them. For the buttercream frosting, start by beating the butter till pale and fluffy.

In a separate cup or bowl, mix together the instant espresso/coffee powder, milk and vanilla extract to make a paste. Add the paste to the butter and continue to beat until the paste is well incorporated into the butter. Then beat in the sifted icing sugar little by little to make the buttercream.

Place the buttercream in an icing bag with desired shape nozzle and frost the cupcakes as desired.

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM

+PRINT RECIPE HERE

For the cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
50g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cups fine granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt

METHOD:

1) Preheat the oven at 180 degree celcius.
2) Sift together the plain flour, baking soda and baking powder and keep aside.
3) Using a bain marie, melt together the butter, chopped bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder. Once the mixture has melted, remove from heat and whisk it to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
4) In a separate bowl, beat the eggs for about a minute. 
5) To the beaten eggs, add in the sugar and vanilla extract and beat till nice and fluffy.
6) Add in the cooled melted chocolate mixture and mix well.
7) Stir in half of the sifted flour and incorporate well.
8) Mix in the yogurt and mix in well the remaining flour.
9) Divide the batter equally in a lined muffin tin.
10)Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until when a toothpick/cake tester inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

For the espresso buttercream
INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp instant espresso/coffee powder
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1) Beat the butter till pale anf fluffy.
2) In a separate cup or bowl, mix together the instant espresso/coffee powder, milk and vanilla extract to make a paste.
3) Add the paste to the butter and continue to beat until the paste is well incorporated into the butter.
4) Beat in the sifted icing sugar little by little to make the buttercream.
5) Place the buttercream in an icing bag with desired shape nozzle and frost the cupcakes as desired.

*This recipe makes 12 standard sized cupcakes.

Linking this to: http://www.thelady8home.com/2013/08/16/weekend-gala-dinner-extravaganza-is-back-link-up/