Layered Macaroni

The idea was to combine macaroni, bolognaise sauce, creamy cheese sauce, and lasagna’s layering technique. It was baked to produce a rich aroma and taste.

Things you’ll need:

1. Long macaroni 225 gr
2. Spring onion, coarsely chopped to make 2 tbsp
3. Onion ½, finely chopped
4. Garlic 2 cloves
5. Tomato ketchup
6. Grated cheddar cheese (as much as you like)
7. Margarine or butter, 1 tbsp
8. Full cream milk 200 mL
9. Corn starch 3 tbsp, dissolved in 3 tbsp water
10. Olive oil
11. Ground beef (optional) 2-3 tbsp
12. Oregano
13. Dried parsley
14. Salt and pepper to taste
15. Water

Cooking method:

1. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instruction on the packaging. Drain. Set aside.
2. To make the cheese sauce, melt the margarine (or butter) then sauté the spring onion and a clove of garlic (grated). Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper, and then cook until small bubbles appear. Reduce the heat and then add the corn starch solution. Cook until the mixture become thicker. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven at around 110^oC (low heat). Meanwhile, let’s prepare the bolognaise sauce.
4. For the bolognaise sauce, heat the olive oil and then sauté the onion and the remaining garlic (grated) until fragrant. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, stir until cooked. Add around half cup of tomato ketchup, mix well. Add oregano and then add water (around 3-4 tbsp, just to make the mixture thinner).
5. Prepare a casserole dish and then spread the olive oil evenly to the surface.
6. Pour half of the cheese sauce, followed by half of the bolognaise sauce, then half of the pasta. Repeat the procedure for the rest of the ingredients. I spare a small amount of cheese sauce to cover the top layer.
7. Spread a generous amount of cheddar cheese (mozzarella would be great) and then sprinkle with dried parsley.
8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until you notice a small bubbles or the cheese turns slightly golden brown.
9. Cool the pasta before serving.

Notes:

• Honestly, you don’t need to strictly follow the layering method; the pasta first or the bolognaise sauce first, or how much you’ll need the sauce to be poured at the first layer. Just need to follow your intuition. The idea is to keep the pasta inside the layering sauces to keep it as moist as possible (as it will be dried during the baking process) and also to get enough coverage on each layer.
• You can use any macaroni, doesn’t have to be the long type.

Bon appetite!

No Bake Mac N Cheese

Super yummy, super easy comforting food. No bake version.

Here’s the shopping list:

1. Elbow macaroni (I used 1 pack of 225 gr)
2. Medium sized carrot. Peeled, grated.
3. Half yellow onion. Coarsely chopped.
4. Garlic (I used 2 cloves). Coarsely chopped.
5. Margarine or butter
6. Milk (I used 200 mL)
7. Grated cheddar cheese. You may use as much as you like.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.
9. Oregano
10. Dried parsley

Methods:

1. Cook the pasta according to the instruction on the packaging. Remove from the water. Set aside.
2. Re-boil the water from the pasta. Turn off the heat. Soak the carrot.
3. In another pot, melt butter (or margarine) then saute the onion and garlic.
4. Add milk, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the pasta, followed by carrot. Mix well.
6. Sprinkle the dried parsley to garnish.

Notes:

• This would be best served while warm.
• After you add the pasta and carrot into the pot, you may want to adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste

 

Quick Cassava Leaves Curry

Why quick? Because I didn’t prepare the curry gravy from scratch. Instead, I used the ready-mix spice from this brand.

Here’s the thins you’ll need:

1. A bunch of cassava leaves
2. Beef stock or water
3. Instant coconut milk –> I used 65 mL (can be more or less, depending to your taste)
4. Fried onion
5. Salt to taste

How to cook?

1. Boil the cassava leaves until well done. Don’t forget to add a dash of salt.
2. Drain the leaves, pour with cold water, drain again, then chopped coarsely. Be careful since the leaves might still hot!
3. In a frying pan heat oil then stir the ready-mix spice until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped leaves.
5. Immerse with beef stock or water and bring to boil.
6. Add the coconut milk then salt to taste.
7. Cook until the gravy become thick.
8. Sprinkle the fried onion on top.

Potato Broccoli Casserole

This comforting food is best served while still warm. You’ll taste a creamy sauce and a melted cheese. Yumm!

What will you need in your kitchen?

1. Potato –> 1 kg. Washed, steamed, peeled, cut into bite size
2. Broccoli –> cut into bite size, soak in boiling water
3. Cheddar cheese –> grated
4. Gouda cheese –> thinly sliced
5. Milk –> 200 mL
6. Butter –> 1 tbsp
7. Corn starch –> 1 tbsp
8. Salt and pepper to taste

Here’s how to:

1. Preheat oven at medium heat
2. Arrange potato and broccoli in the ramekins
3. Melt butter then add milk and cheddar cheese. Mix well. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper.
4. Dissolve corn starch with 2 tbsp water then pour into the milk mixture.
5. Pour the milk mixture into the ramekins
6. Put one slice of gouda cheese for each ramekin
7. Bake until the milk bubbling
8. Serve while warm

Note:

If you don’t have ramekins, you may just use any casserole dish

Stir Fry Wong Bok

Wong Bok, a member of Chinese cabbage, is one of the easiest vegetables to cook with and suitable for many kinds of dishes. This time I’ll share the stir fry version.

 

The things you’ll need: medium sized wong bok, red chilli, garlic, onion, meatballs, tomato, salt to taste, and egg (I forgot to include in the picture).

 

Shred the wong bok

 

Cut all the ingredients

Now the cooking part:

1. Heat oil then add onions and garlic until fragrant. Add a dash of salt.
2. Add egg, then mix, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
3. Add the vegetable and sprinkle with water.
4. Cook until done. Add salt to taste.

Note:

• Chilli and meatballs is optional.
• You may also want to modify the ingredients. Like this one below, I add vermicelli (soun) and skip the egg.