Parsnip Soup

Yummy Healthy Creamy Parsnip Soup  

今天雨下了一整天，冷飕飕的天气，正好来碗热腾腾的Parsnip Soup。以前我没吃过parsnip，是老公说他喜欢吃，还教我怎么烤来吃。后来在餐馆喝过这汤，很喜欢它淡淡的香味。Parsnip中文叫欧洲萝卜，也叫防风草根，跟胡萝卜是近亲。Parsnip有丰富的Vitamin C、B、钾Potassium、叶酸folate、锰manganese和可溶性纤维，可帮助控制胆固醇、血糖、防止骨骼疏松，失智等疾病。

Ref: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/spicy-parsnip-soup

Vietnamese Chicken Soup Noodle - Pho Ga

This aromatic soup is so yummy！

前年去河内参加研讨会，一直对那里的果条汤念念不忘，今天终于自己试着煮。将所有香料（丁香、八角、桂皮、小茴香、小豆蔻）烤香，姜、洋葱用火烧烤过，然后加入鸡肉鸡骨架，鱼露、少许糖、清水熬两小时；吃的时候撒些芫荽、青葱、豆芽，再蘸些红辣椒、酸甘，鱼露做成的汁，真的好好吃！

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup: Pho Ga

Serves: 4

Ingredients :

Broth Ingredients:

1 chicken carcass

2 chicken wings

2 chicken breast, skinless

water

large pot

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and do not peel

1 large piece of fresh ginger, do not peel

Broth Spices:

1 tsp. coriander seed

2 green cardamom pods, bruised

1 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

5 whole cloves

Additional Ingredients and Garnishes:

1 tsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp. fish sauce

rice noodles cooked according to package instructions

lime wedges

fresh cilantro leaves

fresh mint leaves

scallions sliced

sliced chile

bean sprouts, I don’t usually add them

Instructions: 

Start the broth:

Place chicken pieces and water in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Use a colander to drain the chicken and discard the broth. Set the chicken pieces aside. Rinse/wash the pot out or have a new clean pot ready to use. Next rinse off the chicken pieces then place back inside the pot.

Charring the onion and ginger:

The ginger and onion need to be charred. Place them both over an open flame/gas stove flame, or on top of a very hot griddle, or they can also be charred under the broiler setting in the oven. Turn the onion and ginger to char evenly throughout. (I used an open flame and it took me about 8 minutes.) Set aside to cool down.

Toast the spices:

In a clean pan dry roast the spices to bring out the scents and flavors. Roast for 2 minutes stirring often to prevent burning. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Now back to the charred ginger and onion.

Peel the onions, and using a knife gently scrape away the charred ginger skin. Cut the ginger into 4 chunks and use the flat edge of the knife to bruise the ginger.

The final broth:

Place the ginger, onions, cooled spices into the pot with the chicken pieces. (Alternatively the spices may be placed inside a spice bag before putting in pot.) Add 2 liters or about 8 cups of water to the pot. Then add the 1 tsp granulated sugar and 2 tbsp. fish sauce. Cover and bring to a boil, once boiling reduce heat down to medium low and leave a small crack to allow steam to escape. Simmer the soup for at least an hour, longer if time allowed. I simmer my pho for about 2-3 hours. The longer the better.

Serve:

Once the soup has finished simmering, strain and discard the spices and carcass — NOT THE BROTH. Thinly slice or shred the chicken breast. Add some cooked rice noodles to the soup bowls then ladle the chicken broth over the noodles. You can either serve the additional garnishes on the side so everyone can add their own or top the soup with them.

 Recipe：http://www.spiciefoodie.com/2013/10/15/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-soup-pho-ga/

姜醋排骨 Chinese Black Vinegar & Ginger Spare Ribs

材料： 

排骨约600-700克
黑醋 6 汤匙
上珠油两汤匙
冰糖40克
姜7片
清水

做法：
将所有材料放入锅内，加入清水（稍微盖过排骨），先用大火煮沸后再转中小火，煮至酱汁浓稠即可（大约一小时）。

参考食谱：
http://www.dodocook.com/recipe/49173

Seabass with Fried Garlic & Fermented Bean 香蒜豆酱蒸鲈鱼

最讨厌煎鱼了，所以用蒸的，自己乱乱煮的香蒜豆酱蒸鲈鱼，好吃！

材料：

鲈鱼一条

豆酱两汤匙（去掉水，剁碎）

蒜4瓣（剁碎）

少许葱花

食油

做法：

１）将鲈鱼洗净放入蒸锅中蒸至鱼熟（大约８分钟，具体时间根据鱼大小决定）

２）将食油倒入热锅，将蒜煎至金黄捞起备用，让食油留在锅中。

３）将豆酱倒入热油锅炒香至深褐色，将先前煎好的蒜倒入锅中搅拌均匀。

４）将搅拌均匀的豆酱和香蒜铺在鱼上面，撒上葱花趁热上桌。

注：豆酱的味道已经够咸，无需另加酱油或盐调味。　

SGI-UK Women's Div Inspiration Meeting

Sensei's message: 

The fundamental spirit of Buddhism is to practice for "both present and future existence". Each day is a fresh departure and a new beginning. Even though you may encounter times of struggle or adversity, it is imperative that you take a bold step forward. 

Guacamole Dip

Ingredients：One ripe tomato, one ripe avocado, one small onion, small punch of coriander, half lemon, chilli (optional), salt & pepper to taste

For instruction, please refer to recipe from http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9088/bestever-chunky-guacamole

Planting Clematis & Roses

我们在门前种了一株

攀藤植物粉红色的Clematis 

品种名称是 'Piilu'，五、六月

就会开花了。

天气虽然不是很好，我们还是＂开工＂，把一株深紫色的Clematis 'Mrs. N.Thompson'和黄色的Climbing Rose 'Sunny Weeks' 种在后院，作为我们和邻居之间的花篱笆。深紫色和黄色相间的花篱芭，这样颜色的搭配应该会很不错。

Chilli Crabs 辣椒螃蟹

Finally, I managed to cook this Singapore national dish - Chilli Crab, it sooooo yummy! We bought these live crabs from Canton, only £10 for 3 big crabs. 呵呵，我终于煮了这道辣椒螃蟹，真是太美味了！三只大螃蟹才10英镑，很便宜！活生生的螃蟹，看起来好吓人，我不敢杀，还好有Johnathon 帮忙。看！我们吃得好满足！参考食谱：Recipe: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/singapore-chilli-crab

Chilli Crab

Modified recipe from: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/130/Singapore_chilli_crab

Serving 4 pax

·       3 large crab

·       4 brown onions, roughly chopped

·       8 shallots

·       6 clove of garlics

·       1 inches of ginger

·       10 small red chillies  (remove seeds)
         5 red chilies (finger size, remove seeds) 
·       125 ml cooking oil

·       thumb-sized piece of belacan (I used belacan chilli instead)

·       1½ tbsp white vinegar

·       1 tbsp of fermented soy bean豆酱 (lightly chopped)

·       1½  tbsp of oyster sauce

·       3 large tomatoes chop into cube

·       600 ml tomato puree (I used one tin of 450ml)

·       5 tbsp tomato sauce

·       100 ml light soy sauce

·       60 g (⅓ cup) sugar

·       1 tsp salt

·       1 tbsp cornflour or potato starch, mixed with 200 ml water

·       2 eggs

·       coriander leaves

Preparation

·       Remove the crab’s top shell (retain for garnish if you like) then chop the crab into quarters. Crack the claws to allow the flavours to get in. Wash the pieces well.

·       Blend the onion, garlic, ginger, shallots and chilli to a puree in a food processor.

·       Heat the oil in a wok and add the puree from above  and the belacan (optional) and fermented soy bean fry until most of the liquid evaporates.

·       Add the vinegar, tomato cubes, tomato puree , tomato sauce, soy sauce, sugar and salt and mix through.

·        Add the crab and cook over high heat until the shells turn red.

·       Add the cornflour followed by the egg and gently stir through to thicken the sauce. Garnish with coriander.

Bibury 英格兰最美的村庄

古色古香的Bibury被誉为英格兰最美的村庄。整个村庄真的很小，几乎所有的房屋都是蜂蜜色的。著名的Arlington Row是14世纪建的，曾经是羊毛店和纺织房，电影Stardust和 Bridget Jones Diary曾到这里取景。其余的房屋大多建于17-18世纪。我们到的这天，天气非常好，旅客相当多。

Swan Hotel 

Trout Farm

Arlington Row

Silver blue water & snow white swan

Silver blue water and snow white swan 

@Roath Lake, 14 April 2014

@Roath Lake, 14 April 2014

Waterfall Country at Brecon Beacons

It is very pleasant to drive around Brecon Beacons National Park which was just an hour drive away from Cardiff. We were very happy to find Waterfall Country eventually after driving around the area for awhile and asking the local people for direction, although it was quite late and we do not have time to visit all the waterfalls there, we will definite come back again.

Brecon Beacons 国家公园的确很棒！Waterfall Country就在Brecon Beacons 国家公园南端，离Cardiff不远。这真是一个很棒的地方，远远我们就听到流水声，走进去茂密的树林，清新的空气让人心旷神怡，这里一定是充满了负离子！可惜我们抵达的时候天色已晚， 我们决定五月底再回来这里远足！