A Japanese Encounter to usher in the New Year!

Japanese Cuisine is one of the healthiest in the world. Some of the dishes may look elaborate but the recipes are in reality really very easy to do. Greet the New Year with a healthy start - A Japanese Encounter after all the enjoyable high protein Christmas foods. Happy Cooking!

Seize-the-attention Starter:  
Japanese Tuna Tartare

(serves 4, prep time 15-20 minutes)

400g (14 1/3oz) sashimi-grade tuna, finely chopped

2 tablespoon sesame oil

Herb Oil

2 tablespoon chopped spring onions

2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon chopped pickled ginger

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

 Place tuna, spring onions, sesame seeds, lime juice, ginger and sesame oil in a bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix in soy sauce and the wasabi paste and then add to tuna and toss well. Place an oblong, square or round pastry cutter on a serving plate. Spoon in a quarter of the marinated tuna and press down firmly to compact. Gently remove pastry cutter. Repeat step to make 4 servings. Drizzle herb oil decoratively and serve immediately. 

Taste Inspiring Main: 

Miso Prawns

(serves 4, cooktime 10 mins)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

700g (1 ½ lbs) Prawns, peeled and deveined

A handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

A handful of chopped spring onions

Marinade

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, peeled and  crushed

2-3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Miso paste

Juice 1 large lemon

Mix the marinade ingredients well and set aside.

In a large pan, heat a little extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Cook the prawns for a few minutes or until they turn pink. Add the marinade and toss prawns to ensure they are well coated and take off the heat. Serve over a bed of cilantro and garnish with spring onions. Drizzle with remaining marinade and serve immediately.

Refreshing Desserts: 
Mango & Green Tea Ice Cream

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup loose green tea leaves

1/2 cup sugar

3 ripe mangoes

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine water and tea leaves in a saucepan. Bring just to the boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain, discarding the leaves. 

Transfer  tea mixture to a saucepan, add sugar and bring to the boil for about 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
Peel mangos and cut flesh into small pieces. Place in a food proccessor or blender, add lemon juice. Add tea and blend into a puree. Add tea and blend until smooth. 

Transfer mixture to a plastic container or deep cake tin and freeze for at least 3 hours

Serve with a sprig of mint leaves and fresh mangoes.

All these recipes and more are found in my award winning cookbook "Modern Dining for Life". I hope you will be inspired to cook and to try out more exciting recipes in this book. As a cook, there is nothing I want more than people to enjoy my cooking and eat healthily. This is my motivation behind all my cookbooks

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Gourmand International Award Winning Cookbook "Modern Dining for Life" is published by industry reputable Marshall Cavendish Cuisine Asia and is available at all major bookstores. Price SGD 32.00 per copy (excl. gst). For more information, please contact vivien.lee@astraonair.com.

Sumptuous (yet healthy) spread this X'Mas

Entertaining at home? and still searching for a taste-perfect dining Menu? Here's a simple Menu and be sure to have your family and friends craving for more this X'Mas. 

Happy cooking and Merry Christmas to all !

All-time Favourite Starter:  

Vodka Lobster

(serves 4 & prep/ cook time 18  minutes)

Serving tools 4 Martini glasses or large wine glasses

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

450g (1lb) fresh lobster meat, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

6 medium-size tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped                 

125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) Vodka

Crushed black pepper to taste                                                  

Juice of 1 lemon

1 small white onion, peeled and finely sliced                              

Salt to taste                                      

A Handful fresh dill, roughly chopped       

                                  

Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion. Add garlic, followed by the tomatoes. Stir well. Add lobster meat and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a stainless steel pan, add vodka and heat over a flame for 30 seconds. Let the vodka catch fire and immediately pour over lobster. Flambé ingredients until the flame dies down. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper.

Divide lobster among martini glasses or wine glasses. Add lemon juice and dill to each serving and serve immediately.

Main with a Kick:  

Wasabi Crust Rack of Lamb

 (serves 6 to 8 and prep/cooktime 1 ½ hours)

1.5-2kg (3-4lbs) rack of lamb, fat trimmed and carved into chops

1 ½ tablespoons wasabi powder

2 tablespoons water

Mix the wasabi powder and water together. Coat the lamb chops evenly, then place in oven to cook.Cook the lamb chop at 450F deg for 30 minutes then reduce heat to 325F to cook for another hour.When done, remove lamb chop from oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Desserts: Without-guilt indulgences

Fat Free Passion Fruit Souffle

 (serves 4 - 6 and prep/cooktime 15-20  minutes)

2 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

6 passion fruits (pulp only)

6 egg whites

Heat the oven to 400Fdeg and then oil lightly 4 ramekins. Whisk egg whites until they are soft fluffy peaks, add sugar a little at a time and still whisk them to make a meringue.   Scoop out the pulp of passion fruit.Now mix in the passion fruit pulp well and now divide them into the ramekin dishes. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until soufle rise and are light brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Give these recipes a try. All of these recipes are found in the Gourmand Award 2010 Cook Book "Modern Dining for Life" authored by Daniel Green,  International TV Personality, Chef & Author. This book is published by Marshall Cavendish Cuisine, Asia and is available at all major bookstores. Price - SGD 32.00 (excl. gst). For more information, please contact vivien.lee@themodelcook.com.