Soothing Vanilla and Cardamom Flan

I love the combination of vanilla and cardamom. It reminds me of a gentle chai-flavor that soothes even the most unruly nerves. Real vanilla beans are an incredible spice. It has a very ethereal flavor that smooths out and blends with other spices and yet it does not lose its own identity. I could eat this flan everyday because it is just so delicious and not too sweet...


These days, I have been extremely busy. Busy with a new food-related project (I can't wait to share it with you guys!) and busy with life in general. I just wish it would be more fun, hopefully when the weather clears and summer arrives I will be able to go for another vacation! For now, it will have to make-do with something flan-tastic like this vanilla and cardamom scented flan.

It is very easy to do, as are most of my attempts at making sweet things. Here's what you need:

Vanilla and Cardamom Flan

1 Vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pods reserved
8 cardamom seeds, de-shelled and grind into a powder
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2 tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks
1 egg
a very small pinch of kosher salt

Caramel:
1/4 cup sugar

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.

1. Pour your milk and cream into a sauce pan. Stir to combine them well and throw in your cardamom powder, vanilla seeds and pods. Heat the milk and cream until it is *almost* boiling and let it steep for 15 minutes. It is important that you do not boil the dairy.

2. While the milk and cream is steeping with the vanilla and cardamom, oil 4 ramekins with some butter. Set them on a roasting pan-filled a 1/4 way up with hot water. Set them aside.


3. Combine your egg yolks and whole egg in a mixing bowl and whisk until they are well incorporated.

4. After 15 minutes, start pouring 1/4 of the milk/cream mixture into the eggs for tempering. Whisk well as your pour. Do remember to remove your vanilla pods before that. You could run the mixture through a sieve for that extra velvety texture when it sets, but I just could not be bothered - this is suppose to be a soothing dessert, not a cumbersome one, and it tastes just well. :) Now, pour the rest of the milk/cream into the eggs and whisk to combine well. Set your flan mixture aside, while you make your caramel sauce.

5. On a pan, heat sugar on medium heat until it starts to melt. Once it reaches a light amber color, turn off the heat and pour the caramel into the ramekins to cover the bottom. They should start to set rather quickly.



6. Pour the flan mixture over the caramel until it reaches 3/4 full in the ramekin.

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes in the oven. Once it's ready, loosen the flan and flip it over a plate and serve it piping hot... or cold, for that matter. It is delightful both ways

The very Quick Pasta Primavera

Can you feel it? Can you feel that warmness in the air? That wet smell of melting ice, all the other things that unfreezes with it after months of winter cold never fails to bring out the joy in me. My pasta primavera is all about spring cleaning the fridge. I have a few bits of vegetables here and there that needed to be used so here goes.

This pasta primavera is extremely easy and is as easy as 1-2-3. You can use fresh mushrooms, spinach or even green peas but I used these vegetables because it was what I had in my fridge. I promise you this pasta recipe is quite effortless. You can start chopping your veggies while you wait for your pot of water to boil and your pasta is cooked. It's a time saving meal that is food of goodness and good for you.

Of course, if you have some bacon in the fridge, it doesn't hurt to pop that into the microwave for 4-5 minutes. When it's brittle, crumble the bacon bits over the top of your pasta and that does wonders.

Pasta Primavera ala Spring Cleaning @ No. 348
1 lb dried spaghettini
1 large ripe tomatoes, diced into big chunks
3/4 zucchini, diced
1 cup of diced green beans/string beans
3 sundried tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil a big pot of water heavily salted. When it comes to a rolling boil, add your spaghettini in to cook for 7 minutes and no more.
2. In the mean time, in a large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients in well and heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.
3. Once your pasta is cooked, add about 1/4 cup of pasta water into the bowl of vegetables and add the rest of the pasta in piping hot. Stir to mix well and serve hot!

This pasta is also very good to eat in room temperature. As I said, it is as easy as 1-2-3. See, that did not take much effort at all, did it? :)

Nuts about Natto, you?

Recently, I started to develop a liking to certain sticky, off-smelling Japanese condiment. It started in Malaysia. Natto, is definitely not for big babies. The stickiness is enough to send any 200lb adult cringing and grappling for the exit.


There was the initial uncertainty as I swirled the bowl of Natto with my chopsticks. I had just finished an incredible Japanese meal at Shun. It's modestly decorated, but every bit traditional, Japanese restaurant nearby my Malaysian home in Subang Jaya. On usual days, Shun is a regular haunt for Japanese businessmen. They would sit in a line at the counter drinking their name-tagged sake. If the restaurant has a steady Japanese clientele, you know you're in for something good. But that's another story for another day.

As I was stirring my natto with my chopsticks, I realized in wonder that it gets even more viscous. It's stickiness drags in long stringy trails as I bring the soy-natto concoction to my mouth. It is not my first time eating Natto but this time around, I found that I actually enjoyed the taste of these fermented soybeans. Soy sauce gave it a nice flavor I can definitely start a craving for, and I do.

Time to stock up on some natto!

Chocolate Chip Mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting

Mint is my favorite flavor. I think it goes very well with cream base desserts, which is why I would always pick mint on chocolate, milkshake, ice cream, booze and cakes. Mint always reminds me of my younger days chewing compulsively, deliciously on a Wrigley's gum or two. It was *the* gum then.

Sometimes we all need a reminder of something happy, something carefree and something deliciously innocent. On days like these, and I means days like when you feel like butter spread over too much bread, I like to make/bake food that reminds me of happier and carefree days.


Mint is my favorite flavor. Chocolate is my vice. I decided to make chocolate mint cupcake for tea, which turned out very nice.

Please use good mint extract for this recipe because it's worth every bit of it.

Chocolate mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting
1.5 Cups of Minty Cream Frosting (recipe to follow)
1.5 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 cup chocolate chip
1/2 cup of milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350F or 180C.
1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside for later.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add the eggs, one at a time.
3. Alternately, add the flour and milk and mix well -- half way through the flour and milk, add your chocolate chips, vanilla extract and mint extract in. Combine well and continue mixing flour and milk until it is all used up.
4. Spoon the cake mixture into cupcake mould, three quarter way full.
5. Bake in the oven for 23 minutes. Let it cool completely before spreading your fresh cream frosting on with the back of your spoon and sprinkle with some colorful sprinkles, if you wish.


Mint Cream Frosting
1 cup of cooking cream
1/2 teaspoon of mint extract
3 drops of green food coloring (0ptional)
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Method:
Combine the cream, mint extract, food coloring and powdered sugar together and whip until it creates stiff peaks. Spread over cupcakes.

This cupcake is a real pick-me-upper so do yourself a favor, have a minty cuppy cupcake ;)


P.S. Now I know the frosting is not green enough but that's my bit for St. Patrick's Day. Cheers, with Guinness and pot pies!

Vanilla Extract: Part Deux

Here's my vanilla extract at 3 months old as compared to 36hours old. The color of the extract is significantly darker but with a hint of amber. It smells incredible. The harsh alcohol smell has mellowed down and is replaced by a sweet, steady aroma of the vanilla. Even so, at 3months, it is nothing more than vanilla flavored alcohol. It needs at least 6 months before the extraction process is complete. Although 1 year is preferable too.

On the left is the extract at 6 months, on the right is the extract at 36hours.

I can't wait until the 6th of June, when it's 6 months old. But it does not stop me from stealing a few drops here and there! By the way, vanilla extracts get better with time too. They turn into this deep, rich and full bodied liquid that only time can give. I think, this is my most prized possession in the pantry right now :)

A heartwarming bowl of Prawn Mee

One of my favorite comfort food is Prawn Mee (or Hokkien Mee to Penangites) in Malaysia. While my mother's Pan Mee still top my list but a piping hot bowl of Hokkien Mee comes to a close second. It makes it even better when the Hokkien Mee is prepared by my mom on a rainy day.

When it's raining outside, as it has been for a week and a half in Malaysia, outdoor activities takes a rain check while indoors becomes a perfect brewing pot for interesting conversations. Imagine slurping noodles swimming in an intensely flavored broth made from pork bones, shrimps and spices, while talking about ...everything and nothing at all. :)

I need to ask mom for her recipe. Staring at that picture is just making me hungry all over again!