Do Not Conform To The Pattern Of This World

I have always like tofu but have only posted twice, here and here for this month's Little Thumbs Up 'Tofu" hosted by Mich from Piece of Cake. The reasons being that I don't have many tofu dishes and most of my tofu dishes are just simple common fare which most of you would probably have cooked at home before. This Salmon Belly Miso Soup is no exception.

The recipe is adapted from Ms Tan Hsueh Yun of Hunger Management, The Sunday Times. I have always enjoyed reading her posts and have cooked some of her recipes. This recipe is great for first time cook who wants to cook Japanese food at home.

Note: I did not follow the recipe accordingly. Below picture shows the ingredients I used. All this are cooked with 1L of water and 2 tablespoons of miso paste.

Salmon Belly Miso Soup
The Sunday Times
serves 4-6

Ingredients

300g salmon bones
1.5 L water
60ml sake (optional)
300g salmon belly strips
250 daikon
400g napa cabbage, about half a head
200g shimeji mushrooms
100g enoki mushrooms
100g miso
300g block silken tofu
3 to 4 stalks scallions, chopped


Method

• Rinse the salmon bones under running water. Place in a medium saucepan. Add the water and sake, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the salmon belly strips under running water. Scrape the scales off the skin with a sharp knife, rinse again and pat dry. Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, cut off the fins attached to some of the strips(did not do this step). Throw the fins into the pot with the salmon bones. Cut the belly strips into 3 to 4cm lengths, set aside.
• Peel the daikon. Cut in half lengthwise and then slice thinly into semi-circles crosswise. Set aside.
• Remove and discard the outer leaves of cabbage, cut out the core and cut the cabbage in half lengthwise. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.
• Slice the roots off the shimeji and enoki mushrooms, separate the caps, rinse under water, drain and set aside.
• After 30 minutes, strain the fish stock into another medium saucepan. If you like, scrape the salmon off the bones and add it to the stock. discard the bones.
• Bring the stock to a boil. Add the miso and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the daikon, lower heat to medium and cook until the radish is soft.
• Bring the heat back up to high, add the cabbage, mushrooms and salmon belly.
• Slice the tofu into cubes and add to the pot. Bring to a boil.
• Ladle the soup into individual bowls, top with chopped scallions if using. Serve immediately.

 I took this as a meal for lunch. I give this healthy soup a big thumbs up for myself! 

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up "Tofu" hosted by Mich, organised by Zoe and Doreen.

Totally Transformed!

Totally  Transformed! is the theme for our church Sunday School children's Camp. 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2a

Below is the theme song by Jana Alayra

Impress Them On Your Children

Here's a barbecue tofu pizza I created with leftovers. Made from Pioneer Woman pizza dough, homemade barbecue sauce( recipe coming up), mozzarella, firm tofu and arugula.  This is a meatless pizza with tofu as a substitute for chicken.

This pizza not only looks so awesome but hearty and tasty as well.  I had two pieces of these for my dinner and younger son finished the rest within seconds while I was cooking his pasta.  I love the tangy taste of this pizza and it was delicious with the melting mozzarella. The tofu do taste a little like chunky chicken breast to any unsuspecting carnivores.  It could have been nicer if I had left the pizza longer in the oven to brown the crust longer but I was too hungry and impatient.

 Tofu Pizza

Ingredients

I pizza dough
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 cup mozzarella or more
1 firm tofu
1 tsp cajun seasoning
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoon flour
olive oil
half a bag of arugula



Method

• Cut tofu into small cubes and season with cajun seasoning, salt and ground pepper. Dredge tofu in flour and pan fried in hot oil. Set aside.

• Preheat oven to 200C. Roll and pull  pizza dough thinly, Brush olive oil on a pan and lay pizza dough. Spread the barbecue sauce and toss tofu with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and add tofu pieces. Sprinkle more mozzarella and bake in lower rack of hot oven. Bake till crust is golden brown and cheese is completely melted, about 10-15 minutes. Serve with arugula leaves.

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up 'Tofu' hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake, organized by Zoe of
Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My little favourite DIY.

Sunday School

Sunday School celebrated Children's Day last week with the theme Let's Go Japan. The speaker was the church missionary to Japan. She spoke to the children about the geographical background and climate of Japan.
 She also shared about the culture and custom of the Japanese children and their spiritual beliefs. The children later learnt to sing in Japanese and played games at various games stations. They were also given goody bag with Japanese snacks. The children enjoyed the day and there was even a request to "go" China next year. Praise God!

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 6:7

See What Great Love The Father Has Lavished On Us

When my late mum was bedridden from illness, my dad cooked for the family. Although I was often away from home, I remember well some of the dishes he cooked for us, and this Steamed Tofu with Century Eggs is one of my favourite. I like this dish simply because I love any food that is made from soy beans.

This tofu dish is incredibly economical, easy and fast to prepare. Every ingredients in this dish can be estimated and you do not need to follow accordingly.

 To prepare for 2-3 persons serving, You need about 70gm of fish paste and 70gm of minced pork.

Mix the pork and fish paste. Add in tofu and mash together with the pork and fish paste. Season with ground white pepper.

Add in 1 chopped century eggs and 1 finely sliced fresh chilli (deseeded). Steam for 5-8 minutes.

Garnish with roughly chopped coriander and fried shallots.

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up 'Tofu' hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake, organized by Zoe of
Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little favourite DIY.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
1 John 3:1

Temple of the Holy Spirit

Tofu with Prawns and Sugar Snap Peas

Steamed Fish with beans

There are days when you want to eat healthy and meatless, these two dishes are just right for you.  Tofu with mushrooms and vegetables, and steamed fish with beans.


Our body is the temple of Christ, we must keep it clean. They are like sacred sites where God dwells. Filled  with His power and presence, we are to speak words of truth, touch,comfort,heal others, love and worship Him.  Just as we treat temples with respect, we should treat our  body with respect too, by keeping our heart and mind clean, reading, listening and watching only "things that are pleasing to God". So whatever you do, have God's Glory in mind. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the holy spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;you were bought at price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.'



Tofu with mushrooms and vegetables


Ingredients

2 square firm tofu, diagonally sliced,cut into 16 triangles
1 cup sugar snap peas
4-6 dried Japanese mushrooms, soaked in hot water till soft
1 small carrot
4-6 medium prawns(optional)
1teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornflour + 1 tablespoon water for thickening


Method

• Fry the tofu till golden brown. Set aside
• Heat the sesame oil, fry the ginger. 
• Add in the mushrooms, carrots and sugar snap peas. Stir fry till fragrant.
• Mix oyster sauce with chicken stock and pour into pan.
• Add in fried tofu and let it simmer in the gravy. When gravy is reduced, stir in cornstarch mixture.

Steamed fish with preserved beans

Ingredients

1 whole fish

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon preserved brown beans(taucheo)

1 teaspoon preserved black beans

1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 thumbsize ginger, strips

1 tablespoon water

Method

• Rub both sides of fish with vegetable oil.
• Place preserved beans,chili,ginger on the fish and add in 1 tablespoon water

Cover steamer and steam fish for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot.

Complete meal with a serve of plain stir fry green leafy vegetables.

stir fry greens