A Gastrogig Masterclass

Starring: Chef Will

TC and myself were invited to attend a Gastrogig Masterclass with Chef Will on a particular cheery Saturday morning. So we woke up bright and early and headed off to Palate Sensations @ Bouna Vista excited and all.

And indeed, an exciting and fruitful morning it was, looking at Chef Will recreate Asian street food into gastronomic art effortlessly.

Chef Will is very animated as he shares his stories with us

Look at that perfectly seared tuna. YUMMS!

And those paper-thin slices of lemongrass

Finishing touches on the Raw Tuna Betel Leaf with Lemongrass, Shallot & Lemon Basil

And it’s our turn!

Finishing touches on dish two

Prawn & Pomelo Salad with White Coral Mushrooms & Mint

Next Up: Caramelised Black Pepper Crispy Duck with Tamarillo Young Coconut Juice & Lotus Root

Some tips from the Chef

And how could we miss a shot with the Chef himself

We graduated!

5 words sums it all: A refreshing and different experience. *thumbs up to gastrogig*

Cheers,
YJ

Simple Tiramisu

I recently had this sudden urge to make tiramisu following the success of my delish blueberry cheesecake. So, headed down to Phoon Huat in hope to gather 2 very important ingredients, without which, it wouldn’t have been called tiramisu. To my dismay, the Phoon Huat in Hougang did not have both! So the plan was shelved until a later conversation with Sheryl. She’s like a mini bakery. And her little baking cabinet sure is well-stocked! Off I went to her house to make my first tiramisu (though I know the hype around tiramisu has died down since zillion years ago).

Our recipe was adapted from taste.com.au. Yes, still missing Aussie after 4 months. So here goes:

Ingredients:

3 eggs
250ml mascarpone cheese
300ml thickened cream
1/3 cup caster sugar
30 Sponge fingers
1 cup coffee
30ml baileys
1 tps vanilla paste (optional)

(note: vanilla paste can be replaced with with vanilla essence or 1 vanilla bean)

Steps:

1) Beat egg yolks and sugar with electric beaters until pale and thick.

2) Beat thickened cream in separate bowl till thick (soft peaks).

3) Add in mascarpone cheese, whipped thickened cream and vanilla paste, mixing gently until just combined.

4) Beat eggwhites in another bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold eggwhites into the mascarpone mixture.
(note: do not over mix or cream will become heavy)

5) Pour coffee and bailey’s into a shallow dish. Dip sponge fingers into the mixture and lay the base of a your container with the dipped fingers. Cover sponge fingers with a layer of the mascarpone mixture. Dust with cocoa powder. Repeat layers 2 – 3 times.

6) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

And again, i failed to take a nice picture of it.

I will post a picture when i make it again. (:

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Ingredients for Cheesecake:

10 pcs digestive biscuit
80g butter
250ml cream cheese (room temperature)
150ml thickened cream (35% butter fat)
50g caster sugar
1 1/2 tps gelatin
30ml hot water
1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for Blueberry topping:

250g blueberries
100g caster sugar
1tbs starch (potato or corn is fine)
2tbs water
2tbs fresh lemon juice
cinnamon powder

1) Crush biscuit and mix with softened butter. Line base with biscuit mixture. Refrigerate for 30mins.

2) Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in thicken cream.

3) Dissolve gelatin in hot water and mix into cream cheese mixture.

4) Mix in lemon juice and pour into biscuit base. Put in freezer for 4 hours.

5) Mix all ingredients for blueberry topping together on low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Chill.

6) Pour chilled blueberry topping and serve.

*no pictures because it was simply too delicious and I forgot to take a picture before devouring it. 😉

 

Japanese Potato Salad

Whilst busy studying for the upcoming exams, i had this sudden strong craving for japanese potato salad. Japanese potato salads are unlike the kind of potato salads you are likely to find in a salad bar, or those that accompanies your steak. Japanese potato salads are generally less acidic, creamier and sweeter than your average western-style potato salads. It is usually served as a side in a bento or part of a japanese meal in a small portion as it’s only meant as an appetiser.

Being in Australia has made me learn that to have good food, you either need to be very rich, or very good at cooking. So, being the poor student that I am, away from home, and (in lil Ipswich) where nice japanese food is non-existent (the nearest jap restaurant, is all the way in brisbane city),  I decided to make my own japanese potato salad right at home! It’s really simple and yummy and the best thing is, it doesn’t require any complicated and technical skills!!

Japanese Potato Salad

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

2 Russet Potatoes (skinned)
½ Carrot (skinned)
½ Lebanese Cucumber (thinly sliced)
*¼ Apple (thinly sliced with skin on)
3 tbps Japanese Mayo (Kewpie or Ajinomoto Brand is good)
Salt & Pepper

*Apple can be omitted if preferred.

[Kewpie Japanese mayo is available in both Coles and Woolworths in the Asian section.]

Method:

1) Boil potatoes and carrot until soft. Then cut carrot into thin slices and potatoes into small cubes. Leave to cool.

2) When cooled, mix in cucumber slices and apple slices (the skin on the apple gives the salad a vibrant red color and adds as a visual appeal) with mayo.

Note: Lebanese cucumbers are important in Japanese potato salads as it adds a hint of sweetness to the salad, which gives it a unique taste as compared to western-style potato salads.

3) Taste. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and adjust to your own preference.

4) Chill in refrigerator.

Serve it as a side dish or just have it as a snack!!

Cheers!