Monday, January 27, 2014

露絲瑪莉的蘿蔔糕

媽媽露絲瑪莉每年都做蘿蔔糕給身邊的人,非常美味,是妹妹和我的至愛。由於我們的口味很清淡,這個蘿蔔糕食譜沒有臘肉,不過你可加入任何喜歡的材料。


材料
八斤蘿蔔
水5碗*
兩碗半粘米粉
兩碗半糯米粉
細冬菇大約15隻
蝦米一碗
元貝一碗
粘米粉一碗半
粟粉一碗半
調味料:鹽3茶匙、白胡椒適量、雞粉一茶匙
*本食譜以「碗」作單位,即飯碗。

製法
A. 預備材料:
1. 蘿蔔去皮砌條,放入兩湯匙糖,加入水煲大約15分鐘,或蘿蔔開始腍身為止。如果想蘿蔔糕口感綿密,可將蘿蔔刨絲。
2.將煲過蘿蔔糕的水倒出,留下一碗水備用。
3. 元貝先炸香,用吸油紙將油吸乾,再用刀面壓碎。備用。
4. 冬菇砌粒,用糖和豉油來醃泡10分鐘,炒香。備用。

B.拌入材料:
1. 將蝦米和元貝混入蘿蔔條,拌勻。
2. 加入粘米粉,拌勻。
3. 加入粟粉,拌勻。
4. 加入A2的水。
4. 加入調味料,拌勻。


C.蒸煮:
1. 開中火,不斷攪拌。直至煲底的材料開始結成一團,收火。
2. 預備錫紙,在盆底塗上花生油。
3. 將蘿蔔糕團放入錫紙盆, 壓平。然後鋪上冬菇,再壓平。
4. 煲滾水, 放入蘿蔔糕蒸一小時, 其間每15分鐘加滾水到鍋裏。
5. 完成囉!!

Sunday, January 05, 2014

A confession of a cream freak

I confess I am a cream freak.  Precisely, I am a skincare freak. Some people obsess in clothes, bags, shoes, my obsession is to skincare products.  I know that to achieve healthy skin, you don't need much chemical on your face.  Be natural, don't expose under the sun too much, eat well and sleep well can already make you radiant.

However, obsession is obsession.  My recent interest is in bb/ cc creams.  Frankly, those bb or cc or even dd cream naming is some brand and marketing strategies, each brand tries to differentiate itself with a new name/ concept of their products.  To me, bb/cc/dd creams from western brands are no more than tinted moisturisers, for those from Asian market are actually light foundations, with a fancy all-functions-in-one-bottle concept.

No matter what do they call, I do not put a layer of bb/cc/dd cream or tinted moisturiser on my bare face.  Instead, I put it after my day cream.  So far, the products on the right hand side are my favourites, let me list out their benefits below:

1. By Terry Eclat de Rose sheer tinted moisturiser
Pros: I used this even before bb cream was popular. The texture is great, it feels like a skincare product more than a cosmetic item.  It gives me rosy and glowing result. It is so light that I don't feel anything on my face.  I love to use it during weekend or when I have a casual night out as a light foundation.

Cons: Very expensive.  There is almost no coverage, therefore I will only use it when my skin is fair, and in autumn/ winter when my skin tone is relatively light.  Also, I guess there is no SPF protection.

2. Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB cream and BB cream starter
Pros: I have had the BB cream (beige one) first then the starter (pink one) later.  I used the former one alone and it is good enough in summer time.  It helps me to achieve the unique dewy- Korean-pop-star-skin tone (I hope you know what I mean).  When I blend it with the starter, the texture is even lighter and the tone is more natural.  My hubby thinks I look cute after I put on them.  It can also cover some imperfections.  They replace my 'traditional' foundation.

Cons: Not very long lasting, and it blocks my pores a bit if I use it everyday.

3. Olay tone correcting cc cream
Pros: I have just bought this bottle last weekend.  It is actually my first Olay product.  Surprising, it sort of fulfils my need during the days I just need to send/pick up kids to/from school bus, or walk around the neighbourhood, it is not necessary to me to wear a make up but I still hope I look pull together.  This is not a light foundation at all but a moisturiser with pigments and SPF 15 protection.  I feel comfortable with it on my skin, and it provides a sheer but not greasy look.  After a few days of usage, there is no blemish developed.

Cons: No coverage at all (but I don't mind).  Not sure if it is suitable for me in summer.

Hope everyone looks more beautiful in 2014!! XXX



Saturday, January 04, 2014

窩心的食物


2014年已過了幾天,身體仍有點不適,大部分時間都處於遊魂狀態,連續多天失眠。昨午終於抱著也有點傷風的弟弟,一起狠狠地睡到幾小時。

醒後像行屍走肉般,在家行來行去不知要自己想要甚麼,過一會才發覺很肚餓,很想吃點comfort food.

Comfort food,我會譯作窩心的食物,那是暖和身體和精神的美點。

從書櫃找來Rachel Khoo的小小巴黎廚房食譜,做了Croque Madame Muffins. 

Croque Madame Muffins不是甚麼深奧的法式料理,它只是芝士火腿三文治烘底(其法文名為Croque Monsieur)個friend。這點心做法很簡單,那像小禮帽的外層,其實是切了邊的白方包,順著muffin pan的形狀壓成。每個muffin內,我放了碎火腿,一只蛋,蛋上再放兩湯匙由牛奶,牛油,麪粉,豆蔻粉,胡椒,和鹽做成的白醬,再撒上一點芝士。焗20分鐘,6個Croque Madame Muffins便完成。我沒有加入食譜原有的芥茉醬,因為6個我吃不掉,一定要找細袁生們幫手,所以順應了他們的口味。如果想做到半生熟蛋,焗15分鐘已足夠。

整個製作過程大概45分鐘,用小焗爐也可做到。


吃下一個熱熱的小禮帽,身體暖和了,感覺好了一大半。

有興趣可看這youtube,參考Rachel Khoo在Little Paris Kitchen的示範。(我覺得她很可愛。)