Be Joyful In Hope

アボカド豆腐のレアチーズケーキ Avocado Tofu Rare Cheesecake is called rare because in Japanese a non-baked cheesecake is known as rare cheesecake. I have already  posted a soufflé cheesecake for the Bake-Along theme of light cheesecakes. Today, I choose to do a non baked one. Personally, I prefer a baked cheesecake to a non baked one.

Rare cheesecake is usually eaten with fruits or fruit compote as an accompaniment. It is too smooth and jelly like for me. It will taste better with a fruit topping which I didn't have. Here I added two avocados to the cheese mixture. When doing a mousse cake or chilled cheesecake from a new recipe, you're never sure if it will turn out too soft or hard to your liking. For this recipe, I would recommend another 5g more of gelatin powder.

As I typed the name of this cheesecake in Japanese, I thought back of my 3 years study of the Japanese language. I have stopped taking lessons three years ago and it was due to the stress of learning the language. When you do or learn something new, you want to enjoy and keep looking forward to it. I was dreading myself to the class. It was not easy learning a foreign language where you only get to speak a few sentences twice a week. There were also homework and essays to complete and term tests to study. All this proved too much for my rusty old brain, though I was proud to be one of the top and older students in class.
Like the 3 ingredients soufflé cheesecake, this recipe is also adapted from youtube , the highly popular cooking video, Cooking with Dog.

アボかド豆腐のレア チーズケーキ
Avocado Tofu Rare Cheesecake
Adapted from Cooking with Dog
15cm 20cm (my modification in red)


Ingredients

60g Graham Crackers 150g Oreo, crushed
30g melted butter 70g 

100g cream cheese 150g light cream cheese
100g low fat yoghurt 150g 
100g firm tofu 120g soft tofu
50ml whipping cream 30ml
1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoon
50g sugar 75g
2 avocados

50ml hot water approx. 80C 75ml 
5g gelatin powder 8g

All ingredients into the blender except hot water and gelatin powder

Blend till smooth and add in gelatin mixture

Pour into a springform tin and chilled.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

The Good Samaritan

The 3 ingredients Souffle cheesecake is a Japanese light cheesecake baked with just 3 ingredients. They are white chocolate, eggs and cream cheese. It is a quick and easy bake to do and I am sure any new home bakers would have no problems with this cake. Here is the youtube link to ingredients and method.

I was delighted by the perfect pairing of Gryphon's Contessa Gray tea with this cake. Thank you JC for the tea. 

3 Ingredients Souffle Cheesecake

3 eggs, small
120g Callebaut White
120g cream cheese

6" round tin, base and side lined with baking paper.

This cake is not too sweet and it is very light. The sweetness depends on the brand of white chocolate you use. The texture is quite similar to Japanese cotton cheesecake and taste slightly different. It is more moist, dense and custardly.
I will be baking another one soon and I am thinking of topping with a good strawberry jam.

This post is linked to Bake-Along #46 theme: Cottony Soft Cheesecake/Featherlight cheesecake hosted by Lena from Frozen Wings, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and
Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

Who Is My Neighbour?

He answered, " Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " Luke 10:27

The Good Samaritan

A  traveller from Jerusalem to Jericho was robbed, beaten and left half dead along the road. A priest came but did not offer any help. Then came a Levite, he too avoided the injured man. Next came a third man, a Samaritan. Samaritans are despised and hated by the Jews. This Samaritan had compassion on the traveller. He helped the injured man, took care of his wounds by pouring expensive oil and wine and put him on his donkey. He took the injured traveller to an inn and cared for him. He even gave money to the innkeeper for the man's care and promised to repay him on his way back for any other expenses.

Which of the three men had been a neighbour?

Jesus told us  to "go and do the same" as the Good Samaritan, without any prejudices.

Do you have your Good Samaritan stories to share?

I Am The Living One

I cooked some Thai inspired dishes recently.  Pineapple Fried Rice, Roast Duck Salad with Lychee and Pomelo and Spicy Fish Mousse (Otah)

 Pineapple Fried Rice

Sometimes you think you are a pro in the kitchen, you can whip up a dish easily with just a glance at the recipe. But you are proven wrong. Take this Thai Pineapple Rice for instance, Garlic and shallots were nearly burnt, sauce was poured in too early and rice was mixed before the chicken and prawns were fried! All this spelled DISASTER but thankfully it tasted not too bad though lacking in pineapple flavour.
I have bought a fresh pineapple for this dish and it is more for presentation purpose than to use the fresh pineapples to cook.  If I had followed the recipe closely, and do it accordingly, I would say this recipe is a keeper.
I have used less tumeric and more rice and the rest of ingredients are all estimated. However, I think canned pineapple is a better choice because the juice and flesh are sweeter. My rice also lacked  pineapple flavour(added more belacan, I read as 1 tablespoon) or it could be due to the burnt garlic and shallot (most likely both)
I have to try this again to know and for sure I will follow the recipe to the tee.

Thai Pineapple Rice
Adapted from Noobcook
serves 2-3
Ingredients

1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tbsp pineapple juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp ikan bilis or chicken seasoning powder(chicken seasoning powder)
350g cooked long grain rice, refrigerated overnight
2 tbsp cooking oil
30g butter3 shallots, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, peel and minced
1 heaped tsp shrimp paste
6 prawns peeled, de-veined and diced
100g boneless chicken breast, cut to bite-sized pieces: marinate with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1/4 tsplight soy sauce(chicken thigh)
100g diced pineapple, fresh or canned(fresh)
2 tbsp roasted cashew nuts
2 tbsp dried raisins
pork or chicken floss(omitted)
coriander

Method

Combine tumeric, pineapple juice, fish sauce and seasoning powder in a non stain bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in wok, stir fry shallot and garlic for about 30 seconds or until the shallots start to soften.

Add shrimp paste, stir fry for about 1 minute until you smell the pungent aroma.

Add chicken and stir fry until they just turn opaque. Add prawns, stir fry until semi-cooked .Add rice and pour the sauce over. Stir fry until the rice grains are dry and evenly-coasted in the sauce. 

Add pineapple, cashew nuts, raisins and stir fry for another minute or two. Ladle pineapple rice to serving bowl and garnish with meat floss and coriander.

Roast Duck Salad with Lychee and Pomelo

I love this salad. It has all the Thai elements. Sweet, sour and spicy. You can use any salad leaves you like. The star is the dressing. Always taste and adjust to your liking before tossing and serving.

Ingredients for the Dressing(Nahm jim)
Gourmet Traveller
serves 4

2 small red birdseye chillies
1 small garlic clove
2 tsp light palm sugar, or to taste
2 tbsp lime juice, or to taste
2 tbsop fish sauce, or to taste

1 roast duck breast, deboned (store bought)
A bag of mix salad leaves
coriander leaves
fresh sliced chillies
lychee, use canned if fresh not available
pomelo

Pound chilli and garlic to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle, stir in remaining ingredients and set aside.
Add nahm jin to salad, roast duck, lychee and pomelo. Toss and serve.

Spicy Fish Mousse

A Thai inspired steamed otah with a distinct kaffir leaf fragrance and a lighter texture.  The Singapore or  certain Malaysian style  are usually blended with some spices and are grilled. I like this version very much.

Spicy Fish Mousse(Otah)

300g or more horse mackeral, or batang fish
200g fish paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoon of chilli paste*
2 tablespoon corn flour
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
5 kaffir leaves, finely sliced
A dash of pepper

Extra finely shredded kaffir leaves for garnishing


Method

• Scrape out fish meat and mix with fish paste. Into a mixing bowl, add fish sauce, chilli paste,corn flour, coconut milk and kaffir leaves. Mix thoroughly until well blended. 
• Lay a blanched banana leaf at the bottom of a small steaming tray. Pour mixture onto the tray and steam for 15 minutes.
• Grill the cooked mousse for another 15 minutes at 200C.(optional step if you prefer firmer texture)
• Garnish with finely shredded kaffir leaves.

 *Chilli paste of red chillies, lemon grass and kaffir leaves, garlic and shallots,salt and oil.

I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!  Revelation 1:18

Be Shepherds of the Church of God

This Orange Chiffon recipe was and is still very popular with bloggers. It is taken from Florence of Do What I like. I did half recipe and had it baked in two 3 inch mini tube pans and leftover batter in 3 cupcakes cases.
Chiffon cakes have always been well received by home bakers and people who eat them. So, I will not elaborate on this popular cake.
These slogans sum up the cake:
Just Do It (?) Because You're Worth It (?) and Release the Beauty Inside You (?)

Orange Chiffon Cake

Ingredients

115g cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder

85ml warm orange juice(fresh)
finely grated zest of 1.5 large orange

5 egg yolks + 30g castor sugar + 1/4 tsp salt
5 egg whites + 50g castor sugar + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar(omitted)

60ml corn oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence or 2 tsp rum (rum)


Methos

• Sieve flour and baking powder
• Use hand whisk to whisk egg yolk until creamy and light in colour.
• Add in corn oil then warm orange juice and rum.
• Add in flour mixture into yolk mixture lightly. Add in orange zest.
• Beat in egg white with electric beater until big bubbles formed. Sprinkle in cream of tartar and beat until it is white in color. Add in 50g sugar 3 times and beat until stiff peaks formed.
• Pour 1/2 egg white into flour mixture and blend well.
• Bake at 175Cfor 45 minutes or until cooked.
• Invert the cooked cake during cooling process.

Note: The three cupcakes were done at 20 minutes and two mini chiffons at 30 minutes at 160C.

Sunday School Games

We usually reinforce Sunday School lessons with games.These are two recent fun activity games to help children remember important Bible truth.

Fishing Game

Base on the lesson Fishers of Men. Children learn about telling people about Jesus so that they too want to follow Jesus. Jesus wants them to be fishers of men.

The children hook the fishes using magnet as bait. A paper clip is attached to the fish's mouth. There are quizzes written on the back of the fishes. These can be lesson related questions, small prizes or forfeits.

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men Matthew 4:19

Gathering Your Sheep balloon Game

Our Lord Jesus is our good Shepherd and we are his sheep. A good shepherd protects and guides his sheep to his gate (heaven).

The children are the 'shepherds' and the balloons are their sheep. Using a paper rod, they are to guide their 'sheep' into the gate.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me John 10:14

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the holy spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Acts 20:28

Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted

 Scotch eggs are street food on the go and they are Brits classic.  They were originally made by fine food store Fortnum and Mason in the 1700s as fine picnic food but today they are classified under market or street food. Sausage mince is traditionally used but I am using fresh pork mince for this.
This recipe is taken from Andy Bates, a food network chef, Streets Feasts. Andy Bates owns a pie company  which sells British classic pies in food markets in London.

A good scotch eggs has runny yolk, moist mince and crisp shell. I would prefer my yolk to be runny when cut through but they are quite alright here, not overly done. There are two other scotch eggs recipes in this book beside the Thai Red curry Paste. Do give this a try if you have not tried scotch eggs. They are delicious and made great finger food.

Thai Red Curry Scotch Egg
Andy Bates, Star of Street Feasts

Ingredients

4 large free range eggs
350g pork mince
30g Thai red curry paste (1 heaped tablespoon)
3 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped (2 kaffir leaves, finely shredded)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the coating

115g plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 free range eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
200g natural breadcrumbs (panko)
200g peanuts, finely chopped (omitted)
vegetable oil for deep frying


Method

• Place the eggs, still in their shells, in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 6 minutes. Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water. When cooled, peel carefully and set aside.
• Mix the pork mince with the Thai red curry paste and coriander in a bowl and season with salt and white pepper.

• Divide into four and flatten each out on a piece of cling film into ovals about 12.5cm long and 7.5 cm at its widest point.

• Place each egg on to a sausage meat oval, then pick the cling film square up by its corners, and use it to wrap the sausage meat around each egg. Make sure the coating is smooth and completely covers each egg.

• Prepare a crumbing station by adding flour to a wide bowl. In another bowl, combine the beaten eggs with milk. Mix the peanuts with the breadcrumbs on a large plate.
• Roll each one first in the flour, then in the beaten egg, making sure it is completely coated. Then finally roll in the breadcrumbs/peanuts to completely cover. Repeat the process excluding flour to double-coat.

• Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 180C. Carefully place each Scotch egg into the hot oil and deep-fry for 7-8 minutes until golden and crisp.
• Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

• Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: I cooked half recipe(2 eggs) I think this is even more delicious with finely chopped peanuts in the breadcrumbs which I did'nt add. I substituted coriander with kaffir leaves which I think is very good. It gives the mince a nice flavour, I used store bought red curry paste Dancing Chef brand. You might want to add more curry paste if you can take the heat.

All my pictures are a bit blurry and overexposed. Someone has adjusted the setting of the camera and I am unable to reset it. As I was taking pictures, two painters were outside my flat window and I gave them the eggs.(I have taken one half for tasting). They took a bite, and to my surprise, both gave this a thumbs up! 

He was just outside the window.

 As the gondola was lowered down, this painter gave the thumbs up and I quickly snapped this with my camera phone.


This post is linked to Little Thumbs Up "curry paste or powder" hosted by Miss B from
Everybody eats well in Flanders and organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from
My little favourite DIY

This is also linked to kitchen flavours Cook-Your-Books #1

The Beatitudes

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10
We are all living for Christ and living the way a Christian should be. In showing mercy, kindness, and righteousness which sometimes may be offensive to some, so we must be prepared for opposition  We should rejoice, for the reward in heaven will be great.

We Brought Nothing Into The World

I am now in the midst of clearing my fridge leftovers, and have gotten rid of the milks to bake Tres Leches cakes, Lemon and Thyme to crackers, thyme and tarragon to pork stew. Now I have coriander, spring onions, feta cheese and cashew nuts into this, Watermelon and Feta Salad with Coriander Pesto.
Watermelon and feta salad with coriander pesto, a Greek inspired salad that is so perfect for our hot weather home entertaining. This coriander pesto is an asian twist to basil and pine nuts pesto. This salad makes an excellent starter/salad for outdoor dining like barbecue.  It is so effortlessly prepared and take seconds to assemble.  You will love the juicy sweet taste of watermelon mixed with salty cheese and  nutty herb taste

Coriander Pesto
Adapted from Taste.com.au

Ingredients

2 cups fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup spring onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, choppped
45g toasted cashew nuts
35g finely grated parmesan
125ml light olive or peanut oil, plus extra oil
salt to taste
Method

• Place the coriander,garlic,cashew nuts and parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. (alternatively, place ingredients in a mortar and pound with a pestle until well combined).
• With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream until well combined and a smooth paste forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to an airtight container and pour over a little extra oil to cover the pesto surface (this will prevent the basil from oxidising and turning black).

 Cut watermelon into bite-size cubes, crumble feta cheese and pipe or spoon pesto. Garnish with coriander leaves and scatter sliced red onions(optional).

Pesto can be used in many ways. You can toss it with pasta, Spread it on bread or as appetizer dip. You can also stuff it on meat, or mix it with mashed potatoes. Lastly, you can drizzle it on grilled meat like steak or vegetables.

Pasta with Coriander Pesto. Simply Delicious!










For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:7

I Will Betroth You To Me Forever

I had a lovely 25th wedding anniversary dinner at Pollen last week. Despite the initial slow service, the food was consistently well prepared. I like the restaurant setting too as it is not steeped in darkness like in so many restaurants. It has a modern smart casual setting accentuated by big windows.

Michelin starred Chef Jason Atherton's Pollen is his second  venture in Singapore after the successful and acclaimed tapas bar Equina.  Pollen Singapore comes from the Atherton's flagship restaurant in London, Pollen Street Social, located in Mayfair.
The Singapore restaurant is headed by Colin Buchan who was from Marco Pierre White's Escargot and Gordon Ramsay's York and Albany. Chef Atherton was formerly under Ramsay's wing too.
The executive pastry chef Andres Lara had worked in Noma in Denmark and El Bulli in Spain.

The menu

.bread and puffs with different  type of spreads.

Starter: Mosaic of foie gras and confit duck with cherries and apple

Starter: Scottish lobster, chilled lobster, fennel cream, sea urchin

Starter: The Scottish lobster comes with a slider and a warm lobster consomme in a wine glass. The consomme is to be consumed last.

Main: Grouper, broccoli stem and quinoa

 Main: Kurobuta pork belly, braised cheek, charred spring onion, butternut squash, Sudachi lime

Dessert Menu

Dessert: butternut, coconut,pine nut,Ocumare Venezuelan chocolate

Dessert: Pollen "tatin" verjus, creme fraiche, caramel, read and green apples



We were also given complimentary petit fours and ice cream. An invitation to meet the executive chef Colin Buchan and his team.

As we walked out of the restaurant, I was awed by the beautiful night lights outside the restaurant.

Thank you Lord for sustaining us through the 25 years and many years to come. Amen

I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. Hosea 2:19