Airfried Crispy Cod Steak with Ginger Plum Sauce

Oh mine, my anyhow humtam dish turned out to be so delicious. Must record down before I forget how to do it again. The steak was crispy and goes very well with the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of big cod steaks

Pinch of salt, pepper

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 part Kentucky powder VS 1 part corn flour to coat

1 tbsp plum sauce

Ginger slices

METHODS
1. Pat dry cod steaks.
2. Marinate with salt, pepper, ginger powder, garlic powder and turmeric power.
3. Coat the steaks with Kentucky powder + corn flour lightly.
4. Spray mist oil on the steaks evenly.
5. Pre-heat airfryer and cook for 180 deg C for 15 mins, then 200 deg for 5 mins. Timing will vary according to the fish size.
6. In a wok, fry ginger slices until brown. Off flame and add plum sauce diluted with water.
7. Serve the cod steaks and drizzle the sauce on top.

Happy Monkey Year

Wishing All A Happy Lunar New Year!

HUAT HUAT HUAT!

Air-fried Chicken Pie

I always find it quite a chore to make chicken pies as you need to make the dough, cook the filling and bake it. But with the help of the puff pastry sheet and air-fryer, things seem more manageable ;) Here's a good recipe shared by Chelsia.

Ingredients
2 chicken thighs (deboned and cut into cubes)
1 onion (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
2 small potatoes (diced)
Mushrooms (optional)
2 hard-boiled eggs (remove shell and cut into half)
Light soya sauce
Pepper

Salt
Black pepper
Italian mixed dried herbs

Garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce

Plain flour
Milk

2 sheets of Pampas puff pastry (available from Phoon Huat)
Melted butter to glaze

Methods
1) Season the chicken cubes with light soya sauce and pepper.
2) In a pan/wok, saute onion and add in carrot and potatoes.Add some water to cook the vegetables followed by adding in chicken cubes and mushrooms.
3) Add in salt, black pepper, dried herbs, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce.
4) When the chicken cubes are cooked, sprinkle some plain flour and stir well. Pour in some milk and simmer for the vegetables to be soften.
5) On a non-stick baking tray (of Philips air fryer) lay 1 piece of Pampas puff pastry sheet as the pie base, use a fork to gently poke some holes.
6) Pour in the cooked filling and arrange the eggs on top.
7) Trim off the edge excess to make it neat. Use a brush to glaze the edges of the pastry with melted butter.
8) Cut the 2nd piece of puff pastry sheet to desired size enough to cover the top, I used a fork to press down the edges a little and poke some holes at the center.
9) Brush the top with melt butter and airfry at 180 degree for about 6 mins or until it form golden brown.

Air-fried Char Siew

 

 I used to roast my char siew using oven and after tried it on air-fryer, I find the latter is faster and tastier ;)

Ingredients (2pax)
200g Pork Shoulder Butt
1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Light Soya Sauce
1/2 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1 tsp Chinese Cooking Wine (eg Hua Tiao Wine)
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tbsp Honey
1/2 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
Dash of White Pepper

Rice and cucumber slices to go with the char siew

Methods
1. Slice the shoulder butt meat into 2 long pieces.
2. Marinate with all above mentioned seasoning and leave inside fridge overnight.
3. Pre-heat AF at 200 deg C for 5mins.
4. Place the meat slices on baking tray (without sauce) and AF for 10 mins at same temperature (oil not needed). At 5mins, baste with sauce and flip to the other side.
5. Reduce temperature to 160 degree C and AF for about 15mins until charred at some areas. Same thing, baste and flip at every 5mins interval until done.
6. Cool the char siew a bit and slice.
7. Heat up the remaining sauce and serve with the char siew.

 Oven-roasted char siew, using pork belly

Air-fried Mozzarella Garlic Prawn

This recipe is actually derived from my mom's pan-fried garlic prawns. I merely tried it using air fryer and added mozzarella cheese for a cheesy crusty top for a change. Credit should go to my mom :)

Ingredients
10 medium size prawns
5 garlic cloves (minced)
Pinch of salt
Mozzarella cheese

Methods
1. Preheat AF at 180deg C for 5mins.
2. Add oil & minced garlic and AF for 2mins, stir fry and heat for another 2mins until fragrant.
3. Add the prawns and AF for about 7mins or until cooked. In between I will stir twice to make sure evenly cooked.
4. Sprinkle pinch of salt, stir and add mozzarella cheese.
5. Turn temp to 200 deg C and melt the cheese, takes abt 3-5mins.

Note
I am using Philips air fryer, for this dish I made use of the baking pan to cook everything in it.

Molten Lava Cake

I have been hesitating for very long before I attempted to bake this super sinfully-good dessert. Not so much as I am afraid of the extra calories but the heatiness of chocolate is deterring me. Yesterday I gave in, just want to see how difficult it is to achieve the flowing lava inside the cake and to my surprise it is very easy to make. The main idea of this chocolate cake is to make sure that it is underbake so that the center part is uncooked and flow out like hot lava. So if you fail the first time, don't let that stop you. Simply adjust the timing and you will get it.

I reduced the recipe to halve so that I could try it using my air fryer which is older model and having a small capacity. Air fryer recipe is originated from http://www.ourprincessdana.com/2013/12/cooking-with-air-healthier-choice.html. Oven recipe can check from www.noobcook.com

Ingredients (yields 2 ramekin size)

50g dark chocolate (use chocolate bar and break into pieces or compound chocolate chips from baking store like Phoon Huat)

50g unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)

1 egg

25g castor sugar

10g self-raising flour

Methods

1) Melt chocolate and butter using microwave.

2) Beat sugar and egg until frosty and pale with electric whisk.

3) Pour melted chocolate and butter into batter, add flour and mix well with a spatula.

4) Grease 2 ramekins with melted butter and pour the batter. It shouldn't exceed 3/4 full to allow space for expansion. For my standard size ramekins it didn't quite fill up to 3/4.

5) Bake at 180 degree C for 7-8mins using a pre-heated air fryer.

6) Remove from air fryer and leave it to cool for 1-2mins before removing using a knife to loosen the edge.

7) Serve hot with icing sugar or ice-cream.

Such a pity that I couldn't capture the photos nicely due to the fast melting ice-cream, couldn't even see the flowing lava. Next time it shall be ;)

Air-fried Skinny Crust Hawaiian Pizza

Quick and easy fix by using Tortilla wrap as pizza base to achieve a thin crust.

Ingredients
1 Tortilla wrap
1 slice of fresh pineapple (or from can)
2 slices of ham
2 tbsp tomato pasta sauce
Generous serving of Mozzarella cheese
Black pepper & Italian mixed dried herbs (optional)

Packaging of Tortilla wraps

Before air-frying on the grill pan

Methods

This is easy, just assemble everything together by
- Spread tomato pasta sauce on wrap
- Arrange diced pineapple and ham all over
- Sprinkle generous serving of cheese
- More pineapples and ham cubes on top
- Sprinkle some black pepper and Italian mixed dried herbs(optional)
- Pre heat Airfryer at 180 deg C and place the pizza in for 7 mins.
- Serve hot and you could sprinkle some Parmesan cheese.

Fruity Pizza on Toast

Did another version using fruits and bread. Instead of pineapple cubes and ham, we used pineapple cubes and banana slices and not forgetting the pasta sauce and lots of cheese. We placed everything on a bread and AF for just 5 mins. Viola! Done! Quick Supper at 11pm! Oh gosh too late to eat but when you are hungry you have to give in...hahaha...

Air-fried Button Mushroom Melt

It's mushroom time again, couldn't get enough of these Smurfette's houses...

La la la-la la la

Sing a happy song

La la la-la la la

Smurf it all day long

Remember this song? Oh my, so nostalgic... LOL.

Ingredients
About 10 button mushrooms
Salt and black pepper
Italian dried mixed herbs
Olive oil
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Dried dill (optional as garnish)

Methods
1. Rinse the mushrooms and remove stems.
2. Season with pinch of salt (go light with salt), black pepper, Italian dried mixed herbs and a little olive oil. Mushroom has it's own unique yummy taste and it is perfectly alright to skip these seasoning. On certain days I don't season them at all, going Au natural. Adding a little olive oil to coat the mushrooms is for preventing them drying out with Airfryer (AF).
3. Pre-heat AF at 180 degree C for about 3-5mins.
4. While AF is pre-heating, place all the seasoned mushrooms into the AF wire basket with the hollow part facing upwards. Sprinkle both cheddar & mozzarella cheese on top of each mushroom cap.
5. At 180 degree C, AF the mushrooms for 7-8 mins.
6. Dish out and sprinkle with some green herbs (optional) like parleys, basil, drill, etc and serve hot.

Enjoy these juicy and cheesey mushrooms while singing 'the happy song' ;)


The other mushroom dish that uses AF is at http://yukiecody.blogspot.sg/2014/02/air-fried-mushroom-melt.html

Air-fried Turkish Yogurt Grilled Chicken

Ingredients
2 deboned chicken thighs (cut into small pieces about 5x4 skewers)
2 tsp minced fresh tomatoes
2 tsp plain yogurt
1 sprig rosemary (chopped)
1-2 tsp honey
Salt & pepper

Methods
1) Marinate the thigh meat with all seasoning overnight and thread the meat on skewers
2) Airfry at 180 degree C for about 12-14 mins, check especially after 10 mins
3) Serve with grilled pumpkins and your favorite chilli/creamy sauce.

Grilled pumpkin
Remove skin and cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Season with black pepper and salt, spread a little oil and air fry at the base at 180 degree C for 15mins or until they are soften with a little browning.

 

I use the base of Airfryer to grill the pumpkins, followed by baking mussel button mushrooms using the basket. Lastly is to stack the double rack on the basket for the chicken skewers by cooking 3 items at the same time. This requires close monitoring because their timing are different, the only common requirement is the temperature where 180 degree C is used.

Air-Fried Spinach Frittata

Ingredients
1 small red onion - minced
1/3 pack of spinach
3 eggs
Salt, pepper n mozzarella cheese


Methods
1) Preheat Airfryer at 180deg C
2) In baking pan, add oil for a min
3) Add minced onions into the pan for 2-3mins or until they turned translucent
4) Add spinach n fry for abt 3-5mins to about half cooked. They may looked a bit dry but it is ok, just keep frying with the oil.
5) Whisk the beaten eggs, season n add cheese then pour into pan
6) Bake for 8mins or until cooked

Air-Fried Mushroom Melt

Playing again with my Airfryer and it's baking pan. The pan may look small but it could whip up quite a decent portion depending on what you are cooking. Those who love mushrooms and cheesy stuffs will fall for this. Recipe below is meant for 2 pax as we love mushrooms, just couldn't get enough of it.

Ingredients

A pack of portobello mushrooms (about 8 pieces,sliced)
A pack of golden needle mushrooms
2 tbsp of yellow capsicum (sliced)
1 tbsp of red capsicum (sliced) 
1 small red onion (sliced)
1 tbsp butter
Salt n pepper
Cheddar n mozzarella cheese


Methods



1) In Airfryer baking pan switch to 180deg C and melt the butter for a min
2) Add onion for 2mins
3) Add capsicums for 2mins
4) Season mushrooms with salt & pepper, add into pan and mix well. Cook for 5mins
5) Give a good stir to moisturize the mushrooms & cook for another 5mins
6) Sprinkle cheese and melt it for about 2mins under 200deg C
7) Serve hot 

Air-fried Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients
2 russet medium potatoes
2 tbsp of butter
2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
Salt and black pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese


Methods
1) Scrub and clean the potatoes (skin intact).
2) Slice potatoes thinly but not through, by placing a chopstick at each side will prevent slicing through.
3) Melt butter & fry minced garlic on wok.
4) Preheat air fryer at 180 degree C for 3-5mins.
5) Line the air fryer grill pan/basket with foil with the sides fold up to act like a shallow pan, this will help to collect the melted butter.
6) Pour melted butter over potato without garlic, garlic will be burnt will add in to air fry for a long time.
7) Air fry for 30mins same temperature.
8) Baste the potatoes with melted butter collected on the foil at every 10mins interval
9) 2-3 mins before done sprinkle with salt, pepper, cheddar n mozzarella cheese

Tips:
- The cooked garlic minced could be use for another dish, the main idea is for the butter to be fragrant. 
- Basting helps to prevent the potatoes from drying up.

Air-fried Baked Rice

Michelle shared a fantastic idea to bake rice using air fryer for whatever leftover from the previous meal. So I purposely cooked additional rice and made more creamy butter sauce for the previous meal, I also kept some broccoli and carrots to be used. Here's my version of baked rice using another Philips accessory, the baking pan.

Ingredients
2 pax overnight cooked rice
1 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tbsp of broccoli florets
2 tbsp of carrot cubes
1 veal sausage (sliced)
8-10 tbsp of creamy sauce (I used the leftover from creamy butter sauce)
3 tbsp of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp of shredded mozzarella cheese

Methods
1) Preheat air fryer for 3-5mins at temperature 180 degree C.
2) Melt butter inside baking pan for about 1-2mins.
3) Saute minced garlic for about 1-2mins or until fragrant.
4) Add in broccoli florets and carrot cubes to fry for 3-4mins. Add a little water will help to speed up the softening.
5) Add sausage slices and cook for 2-3mins or until they turn slightly browned.
6) Add in the rice and mix well.
7) Pour in the enough creamy sauce and mix well, level the rice with a ladle.
8) Sprinkle cheese evenly and air fry for 8-10mins. Above photo was done in 8mins.

Tips: You could use whatever ingredients you have and any store bought pasta sauce.

Air-fried Rosemary Garlic Grilled Prawns

I wonder what took me so long to pen down recipes for air-frying dishes. This kitchen appliance is my new love and it really does wonders being a helpful assistance. Not only that I could cooked french fries without oil or little oil, it makes food juicer and cook faster. Here's a grilled dish making use of my newly purchased accessories, the double rack with skewers.

Ingredients

8 prawns (medium size will be ideal, mine were large prawns)

3-4 garlic cloves (minced)

1/2 tbsp melted butter

1 sprig rosemary leaves (chopped)

salt & black pepper

Green capsicum (prepare 8 slices)

Methods

1) Marinate the prawns with all above seasoning for an hour or longer.

2) Use 2 prawns and 2 capsicum slices per skewer.

3) Preheat air fryer.

4) With temperature 180 degree C grill the prawns for 5-6 mins.

5) Increase temperature to 200 degree C and grill for a min.

Tips:
Sometimes when I ran out of time I will lessen the marination timing for prawns, probably just a 10mins will do.

For air frying, you could always open the drawer to check on your food and it is advisable to do so. After all this cooks faster compared to conventional cooking hence is good to check before they turn overcooked.

This dish could be done in oven as well. It is much faster to do it in air fryer and the prawns will retain the juiciness. The only disadvantage will probably be the quantity, you can't grill a lot at one go.

Year End Parties (with Pasta Salad & Air-fried Roast Chicken recipes)

Hosting a party can be pretty stressful especially when you need to cook for many people. Planning is important and if things can be done in advance it does help a lot so that you being the host is able to mingle with your guests. Honestly speaking I am very lousy when it comes to cooking for a big crowd as normal days I only cook for my hubby and I. Hence I still have a lot to learn on the art of hosting parties. For example a cake or cream puffs could be done a day in advance. Freshly baked bread is an ideal starter especially if you have a bread machine. Start the machine 3 hours prior to the meal time and when the timer beeps you that the bread is ready, that's the ring for the meal commencement. Serve with some butter, cheese or balsamic vinegar over some wine. Doesn't that sound great? If you have more time, soup will definitely be a crowd-pleaser when served with bread.

Another item that you could prepare earlier is the pasta salad. It has carbohydrate being the staple food and vegetables to balance the diet. If your party is for dinner, you could prepare this as early in the morning and leave it in the fridge. Recipe of Pasta Salad is found in this page.

For meat item I will go with a roasted whole chicken and this can be done in 30mins in a air fryer and an hour in the oven.

PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

1/2 box of pasta (any shapes, I used bow tie)
2 hard boiled eggs (boiled, remove shells and sliced)
2-3 potatoes (boiled till soft and cut into big cubes)
1 box of cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 Japanese cucumber (1/2cm sliced)
100g streaky bacon (cut into small pieces, rinse with water, squeeze dry and fry/air fry till crispy)
10 grey prawns (remove shells & veins, boiled till cooked)
1 box of raisin to sprinkle

Salad sauce
1/2 bottle of mayonnaise
About 5 tbsp of fresh milk (depends on how runny you want the sauce to be, amount can be adjusted)
Pepper
Few drops of fresh lemon juice

Methods
1) In a pot of boiling water with few drops of olive oil and salt, cook pasta till Al dente. Drain the water and leave aside to cool.
2) Separately prepare all other ingredients.
3) When all ingredients are cooled, prepare the salad sauce and toss everything together lightly in order not to mash the potatoes.
4) Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

These ready-cooked baby back ribs are so good, they are tender and flavorful. I got them from Foodie Marketplace and all you need is to defrost them and bake at 160 degree for 20mins. If you don't tell your guests these are store-purchased, they couldn't tell. All they will see is you bringing the tray out from the oven and serve right to their table ;) Shhhhhhhh.....

 AIR-FRIED ROAST CHICKEN

The air-fried roasted whole chicken is easy and quick. About 30mins at 180 degree C and another 5mins at 200mins C is all it takes to impress my guests. Timing varies according to the size of the chicken. The advantage of air fryer is having the flexibility to pull out the basket and check as often as you like.

Ingredient
1 spring or small chicken (that can fit into Air fryer)

Seasoning
1 tsp Oyster sauce
1/4 tsp Dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
Pinch of pepper

Note: I am using kitchen measuring spoons, they are bigger compared to cutlery spoons.

End year is all about parties and food, from Christmas's eve all the way to New Year day. One whole week to celebrate with food. Here are some photos of what I had cooked up with: