Winter Melon Pork Ribs Soup ~ Pressure Cooker Recipe 冬瓜瑶柱排骨汤 - 清热解暑，有助利尿消水肿

Chinese believed that soup is essential in daily meals and so am I. Soup is nourishing and rejuvenating, drink it daily you will have better skin complexion and good health. That's what my mom told me and especially Cantonese has a strong believe in this.

Winter melon soup is quite common in Chinese cooking, everyone have their own secret ingredients used to cook this soup. Some likes to add in dried octopus, dried squid, dried shrimps, dried scallops, dried oysters...etc. Do you know what is my secret ingredients used in cooking soup? ..... read all my soup recipes to find out the answer ;)

I have a few version of winter melon soup...

Winter Melon Chicken Soup - click here for recipe

Winter Melon & Barley Soup - click here for recipe

and many more coming soon....

The method that I am sharing in this blog is an EXPRESS method using pressure cooker. If you read my previous blogs, all the soup recipes requires at least 2 hours of continuous boiling/ simmering. I called this express method because the cooking time is only 30 minutes and the result and taste is as good as the soup cooked for 2 hours. To be very frank to you, I never believe a pressure cooker can do this until I have tried it personally. 





Ingredients: (Yield 4 servings)

1 thick slice Winter Melon

300g Pork Ribs (trim off the fat)

5 Seedless Red Dates

1 Dried Fig (US)

4 Dried Scallops (soaked and discard the water)

15g Chinese Almond (南杏，apricot kernel)

3 pcs Yu Zhu (玉竹)

1 litre Hot Water

Some Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt (add to taste, optional)


If you are sharing this recipe, kindly attach the link to this blog instead of screen capture/ copy & paste/ use in your blog and claimed as your recipe! Thank you.


如果您要分享此食谱，请联系这个部落格的相关链接。敬请不要复制或改篇为自己的食谱。谢谢！


Method:

1. Wash the pork ribs, immerse in hot boiling water for 5 minutes. Discard the water.

There's no need to cut the winter melon into chunks. Just use it in whole, with or without skin.

2. Put all ingredients (except salt) in the pressure cooker. I am using 4.5L WMF Perfect Pro pressure cooker.

3. Close with the cover and set the knob to 2.

4. Use medium heat until the cooking indicator rises to the 2nd orange ring.

5. Reduce heat to low and let it cook for 30 minutes.

6. When the cooking is over, turn off the heat. Wait till the indicator (orange ring) go down or until there's no more pressure, turn the knob to unlock.

7. The soup is ready by now. 

8. If you wish to add in salt, add some salt to taste and close with the cover, let the remaining heat dissolve the salt and serve later. 

9. I normally cook soup before I pick my son from school. After cooked, I'll add some salt and let the soup sit in the pressure cooker, serve after 2-3 hours. There's no need to reheat as the soup is warm even after 4 hours. If you like my recipe, click here, LIKE and FOLLOW my page to receive more recipe updates. Enjoy!

Pear & Snow Fungus Sweet Soup ~Pressure Cooker Recipe 简易版～霜雪糖水 - 润燥滋阴, 养颜, 清心润肺

I love dessert especially this kind of nourishing dessert that is good for skin. However I hardly cook this because the cooking time is about 4 hours simmering in a slow cooker. 

Click here for slow cooker version of Pear & Snow Fungus Sweet Soup recipe.

Seriously, it's quite time consuming and my problem is ... the slow cooker takes up so much space of my worktop for that half day of cooking. You will get what I mean if only you have a small kitchen with limited worktop space ;) 

It's been a long time I heard about pressure cooker can shorten cooking time but I doubt it will taste good. Until I get my WMF Perfect Pro pressure cooker, I tried, tasted and to my surprise, YES, it taste as good as the 3-4 hours slow cooked dessert. Just 15 minutes cooking time, I AM IMPRESSED! 

  

Ingredients: 



3 Asian Pear (peeled and cut into big chunks)

30g Snow Fungus, about 135g after soaked

8 Seedless Red Dates

16g Chinese Almond 南杏 (apricot kernel)

2 Dried Figs (US)

1 Litre Hot Water




Some rock sugar (add to taste)

If you are sharing this recipe, kindly attach the link to this blog instead of screen capture/ copy & paste/ use in your blog and claimed as your recipe! Thank you.

如果您要分享此食谱，请联系这个部落格的相关链接。敬请不要复制或改篇为自己的食谱。谢谢！

Method:

1. Add all ingredients (except rock sugar) into WMF Prefect Pro pressure cooker, I use 3L pot.

2. Close with the cover and set the knob to 1. 

3. Use medium heat until the cooking indicator rises to the first orange ring.

4. Reduce heat to low and let it cook for 15 minutes. 

5. When the cooking is over, turn off heat. Wait till the indicator (orange ring) go down or until there's no more pressure, turn the knob to unlock. Add rock sugar. You can close the cover and let the remaining heat to dissolve the sugar or just bring to boil until the sugar dissolve. 

6. It's ready by now. Serve warm or chilled. If you like my recipe, click here and follow my page to receive more recipe updates. Enjoy!

My Kid's Favourite Dorayaki 日式铜锣烧

When kid grew older, the food become simpler :P
No more drawing on my boy's Dorayaki. Made mini one instead of the oversize one.

Created on 8 November 2016

Dorayaki is a kind of Japanese pancake filled with red bean paste. In Japanese, 'Dora' means 'Gong', it's probably named after its shape? Some believed that it was named after the first Dorayaki that was made when a samurai forgot his gong (Dora) when he leave a farmer's home and the farmer then used the gong to cook the pancakes.

My version of Dorayaki is without Azuki red bean paste because my son didn't like red bean paste and I preferred the plain one which is less sweet. So I usually made single-layer Dorayaki. Well, actually the original Dorayaki consisted of only one layer. 

I have been making Dorayaki with drawing for my son's school recess bento. It is VERY challenging I must say because it's not drawing with pencil and paper, it is batter on HOT PAN! Here are some of my work:

My first Dorayaki created on Feb 24, 2016. First attempt making Rilakkuma.

Created on Feb 29, 2016
2nd attempt on Dorayaki,  first time drawing Swampy with dorayaki batter.
The heat control in this attempt, failed!
However my son said it's PERFECT and he was so happy when he sees this.
His comment warms my heart!

This is Swampy.

Created on March 1, 2016
He wanted the same food on the next day but after I failed so badly on heat control, I tried not to draw on hot pan. But he preferred the first one. >.<

Created on March 8, 2016
Drawing with batter again. This time, the heat control was perfect. 

Created on March 9, 2016

Created on March 21. 2016
It's Swampy and mystery duck! :D
Made different colour tones this time :)

Created on March 24, 2016
Rilakkuma Dorayaki, I like this the most!

Another one... Created on 4 April 2016
The school celebrating International Friendship Day, made 2 Kuma (bear) friends for my boy :)

Created on 7 April 2016
Back to simplicity...but my boy said ' Wahhh.....' :D 

If you like my bento idea, click here and LIKE & follow my facebook page to receive daily school snack's ideas.


Note:

1. The Dorayaki made with this recipe is fluffy and slightly softer than the store bought one. 

2. It can be consumed when it's warm or at room temperature. 

3. If you wish to keep this for later, once it's completely cooled, keep in an airtight container and store in the freezer. When needed, remove from freezer and warm it on a non stick pan or microwave. It's as good as fresh one!

If you preferred less sweet Dorayaki << click here for recipe >>

Ingredients: 材料

40g Self Raising Flour 自发粉 40克

35g Sugar 细砂糖 35克

1/2 tbsp Honey 蜂蜜 半汤匙

1 Egg 鸡蛋 1粒

1 tbsp Water 水 1汤匙



If you are sharing this recipe, kindly attach the link to this blog instead of screen capture/ copy & paste/ use in your blog and claimed as your recipe! Thank you.

如果您要分享此食谱，请联系这个部落格的相关链接。敬请不要复制或改篇为自己的食谱。谢谢！



Method:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a spoon until well combined. DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER else the Dorayaki will turn out hard and dense.
把所有材料放进碗里，用汤匙搅拌均匀。

2. Wipe the non stick pan with a drip of oil. Heat the pan.
在不粘锅里滴一滴油，用厨房纸巾抹掉，然后热锅。

3. Pour 1 tbsp of batter on the centre of the pan. When the batter starts bubbling, flip it over.
舀一汤匙面糊入锅中。出现小气泡后即可翻面。

4. When both sides are brown, transfer to a plate.
低面煎至少许褐色，即可取出。

5. Repeat step 3 and step 4 for the rest.
重复步骤 3 和 4 至面糊用完为止。若喜欢我的食谱，可以LIKE和追随我的面书专页，不要错过最新食谱发布。

If you like my recipe, click here, LIKE & follow my facebook page to receive more recipe updates. Don't forget to change the setting to 'SEE FIRST' if you wish to see my post on your Facebook news feed. Enjoy!

Braised Meat aka Lu Rou Fan ~ Pressure Cooker Recipe 卤肉饭

This is similar to the Taiwanese style Lu Rou Fan often served with hard-boiled eggs. 
The version that I'm sharing here is a more healthy and mild flavour compared to the traditional Lu Rou Fan, as I personally do not like the strong aroma of the Five Spice and Star Anise. I use pork muscle and collar butt instead of pork belly, the meat is tender and lean.

In the past, I cook this dish using a slow cooker or conventional pot which takes at least 2-4 hours to braise the meat, stovetop pressure cooker cooking time is about 45 minutes. This time, with the use of Ninja Foodi, the cooking time is only 10 minutes and it is hassle-free. No more long hours cooking and no water droplets on my kitchen cabinet due to continuous simmering/ boiling using a conventional pot. And, the end product is way more delicious! The meat is tender and juicy. << Read more about the Ninja Foodi and where to buy at the best price >>

I usually cook this for lunch, serve it with rice...

My son's lunch ;) 

Simply decorate with some seaweed to make the egg look like my son's favourite Rilakkuma bear. :) The egg disappeared right after I took this photo! lol.

... then, just leave the remaining in the cooker un-touch, let it keep warm till evening and reheat it with some brown rice vermicelli or noodles for our dinner. The meat tastes even better and more flavourful!

Our dinner ;)

Ingredients:

中文食谱：请在网页的右边点击Translate，然后选择中文翻译

600g Pork Muscle Meat (pork belly/ pork collar butt)

(A)

1 tbsp Tapioca Flour

60ml Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (use 2tbsp if you like it to look exactly like the Taiwanese style braised meat)

100ml Chinese Rice Wine 

1/4 tsp White Pepper 

1/4 tsp Five Spice Powder


(B)

10g Ginger (sliced, about 5-6 slices)

5 cloves Garlic

1 Star Anise

1 slice Licorice Root (optional)

20g Fried Shallot

1 Red Chili

1 stalk Spring Onion

About 150g Hot Water or just enough to cover the ingredients

30g Rock Sugar


(C)

4 Hard-boiled Eggs (optional)

Some oil for cooking 

Taiwanese-style Braised Pork With Eggs, this time I used a combination of pork belly and shoulder butt meat. Added some shiitake mushrooms. Photo updated: August 2023

If you are sharing this recipe/ blog content, kindly attach the link to this blog instead of screen capture/ copy & paste/ use in your blog. No parts of the content of this blog may be reproduced without prior written permission. All rights reserved. Thank you. 如果您要分享此食谱/内容，请联系这个部落格的相关链接。敬请不要复制或改篇为自己的食谱。谢谢！

Method:

1. Wash and dry the meat with kitchen towels. Mix all (A) in a bowl. Place the meat in an airtight container, add in (A), mix well. Cover with a lid, keep in the fridge and let it marinate overnight.

2. Turn on Ninja Foodi, select <SAUTE/SEAR> mode, heat some oil in the pot, fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, stir in meat (reserved the marinates), stir-fry for a minute.  The Ninja Foodi that I'm using is a combination of a pressure cooker and air fryer in one appliance. Besides pressure cooking and air frying, there are other functions such as steam, slow cook, sear/ saute, bake/ roast, grill, dehydrate, sous vide, yoghurt, and keep warm. This cooker helps prepare quick meals without hassle, which I highly recommend to everyone who loves easy and hassle-free cooking with fewer pots and pans to wash. If you're interested, you can use our exclusive discount code to buy at the best market rate. I've attached the details and links below for easy reference.

SINGAPORE:

Ninja Foodi can be purchased from Ninja Kitchen Official Website. Cart out with Promo Code: MIKISNSG to get a 10% discount for any Ninja-Shark products.

MALAYSIA:

Ninja Foodi can be purchased via Ninja Shark Official Website. Cart out with Promo Code: MFAOP300 to get the lowest price deal.

<< Read more about Ninja Foodi product reviews >>

3. Add in the rest of the (B) ingredients and the reserved marinades. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, natural pressure release. 

4. If using eggs - select <SAUTE/SEAR> mode, add in eggs and let simmer for a few minutes. Serve warm with rice, noodles or porridge. << Click HERE >> to view more Ninja Foodi recipes and cooking videos, including easy one-pot-meal, chicken curry, roast chicken, roast pork ribs, crispy chicken, porridge, fish recipes, bread, kid-friendly snacks, and many more...

Note: 
1. I don't like the 'hard' egg texture, therefore I added the eggs after the meat is cooked. 
2. If you like the traditional braised egg texture, add the eggs at the beginning of cooking.

若喜欢我的食谱，可以LIKE和追随我的面书专页，不要错过最新食谱发布。If you like my recipe, click here, LIKE & follow Miki's Food Archives Facebook page or follow us on Instagram: mfa_dingoozatfood  to receive more recipe updates. Remember to favourite my pages if you wish to see my post on your news feed. 

Some feedback from those who have tried this recipe:

By Maureen Koh. Thank you for trying my recipe.

By Melissa Wong

Verdict from Siew Kheng 

Pandan Blueberry Cake 斑斓蓝莓海绵蛋糕

This was my new creation few days back when I have a naked pandan sponge cake at home. I'm bored with Pandan + Coconut flavour, so this time I have tried out something new! Not sure if anyone tried this combination before, this was my first time putting the blue and green together. 

I couldn't imagine how the blue + green would turn out, the chances was 50/50 - either YAY or NAY. I'm glad that it was well received by my son that he kept on asking for more 'Mommy can I have one more, big slice please? ' ....and myself, one serving is definitely not enough!

No fancy decoration on this cake because there's no special occasion. So a simple one with fresh cream frosting and some lemon candies that gives a tangy twist makes this cake taste perfect!

Click here for blueberry topping recipe.

Oh yeah.... I have tried fresh cream piping with my flower nozzle. Not bad... ;) 

Recipe adapted from my Perfect Sponge Cake recipe. For blueberry topping, click here to view the recipe.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 x 6" round cake)

~ Egg Yolk Batter ~

6 Egg Yolk

30g Sugar

110g Pandan juice (pandan leaves blend with water, extract the juice)

80g Cooking Oil

160g Hong Kong Flour


~ Egg White ~

6 Egg White

110g Sugar

1/2 tsp Lemon Juice/ Cream Of Tartar




If you are sharing this recipe, kindly attach the link to this blog instead of screen capture/ copy & paste/ use in your blog and claimed as your recipe! Thank you.

如果您要分享此食谱，请联系这个部落格的相关链接。敬请不要复制或改篇为自己的食谱。谢谢！

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, use a hand whisk, lightly whisk egg yolk and sugar.

2. Stir in oil, follow by pandan juice. Stir to combine. Sift in flour, stir until well combine. Set aside.

3. In a stand mixer, whisk egg white and lemon juice/ cream of tartar until frothy, gradually add in sugar and continue to whisk until 'almost' stiff. Lift up the whisk, you'll see a nice curve at the tip.

4. Fold the egg white into egg yolk batter in 3 batches.

5. Pour the batter in 2 x 6" round cake tin. No need to line or grease the cake tin. Gently tap the cake tin on the table top to release any trapped air bubbles.

6. Bake in a preheated oven 140'C for 25 minutes (traditional mode, 2nd bottom rack), then increase the temperature to 160'C (baking mode/ with fan, 35 minutes or until cooked)

7. When it's ready, remove from oven and invert immediately, let it cool and un-mould with spatula or hands. 

Here's the plain one without frosting. 

Packed some in the snack box for my son to eat at school.
Click here, follow my page to receive daily school snack ideas.