Roasted Lemongrass Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

Do you ever get on the MTR in the morning and see everyone wearing masks and have the sudden realisation that it might be a good idea to take another form of transport? Cue a big pot of butternut squash soup which will hopefully keep the colds away.

Cranberry Orange Snowflake Welsh Cakes

Do you like baking but lack an oven because you have no place for it in your apartment in Hong Kong? Welsh cakes are perfect - they are like cookies but cooked in a cast iron skillet or non stick frying pan!

Caramelized Onion and Lemonzest Pierogies

I have been procrastinating for ages, I really need to try to get more posts up on my blog, but sometimes everything just gets crazy busy. I feel like I have not spent much time in Hong Kong over the past few months, first was a trip to Canada, then Newport RI to go sailing then another trip to Canada on a sad occasion as my nan (grandmother) passed away. Then only back for about 2 weeks and a holiday to Vietnam with Ollie and his parents. Besides that working freelance for about 4 companies and sewing tons of aprons and kitchen accessories for my chopcookdine online store has kept me running around like crazy for awhile. I am not complaining I love going on holidays :) and I prefer working this way but sometimes it is a bit hectic!

How To: Make Coconut Yogurt With Fresh Young Coconuts

I have been meaning to try and make coconut yogurt for ages but the daunting tasks of trying to open a coconut always got the better of me, and the thought of possibly loosing a finger didn't help. Ollie can attest to frequent shrikes from the kitchen when I burn myself and ect so it seemed like I might be pushing my luck!

Blueberry Peach Gallette

Nothing is better in the summer then warm freshly made pie coming out of the oven. Especially served with scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream! I found this recipe in a freebie magazine in Canada and true to form I didn't really follow it.. and used it more for some inspiration.

Pear, Chocolate, Crystallised Ginger Muffins

This recipe was inspired by Whitewater Marvellous Muffins from Whitewater Cooks by Shelly Adams, I like the whitewater recipe find there are a few to many steps to make the muffin. I want to be able to make a muffin quickly when I get up in the morning before I go to work, I don't want to have to soften butter, I don't have time I like to sleep in.

How To: Prepare Bitter Melon 苦瓜

Bitter melon is found is abundant in the markets of Hong Kong in the summer months, it has the appearance of bright lime green cucumber covered with bumps.

Quinoa, Wild Rice and Halloumi Salad

Not sure I should mention this but this salad is generally what I make to use up all the leftover ingredients from my fridge. Last week I added grated beet, cooked beet greens and feta.

One Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Old brown bananas? Time to make banana bread or is it called banana cake? We seem to have this discussion every time I make banana bread...Ollie insists its called cake, I say its bread! After a quick google we still cant quite decide.

Bad Cooking On Boats

photo from another delivery crossing the bass straight

I entered a contest at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht club last year for a James Martin Slow Cooking Cookbook. I won the book but never got around to posting the story on my blog. So here it is. 

Quail Egg Ricotta Ravioli

I don't like to start simple on things so for the first time trying to make pasta I wanted to try an egg yolk ravioli, people always seem to be making it on master chef and all the cooking shows so I figured I better give it a try.

Daikon and Carrot Salad

I did a post last week on How To Prepare Daikon and this salad is one of my favourite ways eat daikon. The daikon and carrots are pickled overnight in a vinegar and sugar mixture, other ingredients such as sesame oil or ginger can be added depending what flavours you like and which country its served in. This salad is often found in China, Japan, and Vietnam, in China and Japan it is usually served as a side dish in Vietnam it is traditionally served on Bánh mì sandwiches.

Sheperd's Pie Mooncake

Recently I entered the Foodie Simplot Mooncake Challenge where you had to use 40% Simplot products in a mooncake (mashed potato powder and potato starch). To start I went to the foodie office where I was given the most gigantic can of instant mashed potatoes I have ever seen and a few bags of potato starch, after managing to carry it home, I proceed to try and open the can and cover myself and most of the counter in instant mashed potato powder! After getting the potato under control I decided to make a western version inspired by the Sheperd's pie with a layer of mash potato and a layer of meat, pork because its more common in Hong Kong and a quail egg in the centre to represent the salted egg yolk the is in the centre of most mooncakes.

How To: Prepare Daikon

whole daikon

Whats that large white carrot thing in the market you ask? Well its Daikon or also called white radish 白蘿蔔. Daikon is often used in salads, turnip cakes, soups or pickled. It has a flavour similar to a radish but not as pungent.

Tang Yuan 湯圓 Black Sesame Maple Syrup Dumplings

Tang Yuan, warm glutinous rice balls with sweet black sesame paste centre which are quite my favourite Chinese dessert. Tang Yuan are served traditionally during the lantern festival, winter solstice and Chinese weddings but can be found all year around at dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong.

Tom Yum Soup Cashews

I had a version of these nuts at a friends barbecue recently, spicy sweet cashews with hints of lemongrass and tangy crispy Kaffir lime leaf pieces. I thought she had made the cashews but when I asked for the recipe but it turned out she had bought them on a recent trip to Thailand. I googled to see if I could find a recipes but didn't come across many except one using a store bought tom yum soup paste and the only tom yum soup paste I could find was full of msg.

How to: Peel a prawn

How to peel a prawn a continuation to my guide on preparation of food items from the Hong Kong wet markets. Making a seafood dish? Check out the post from last week on how to prepare a squid!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Roasted Red Pepper Dip on the chopcookdine stripe tea towel available soon on Etsy!

I decided to make red pepper dip last night, so I started roasting the veggies. Then I came home this afternoon and noticed something in the oven....

How to: Clean A Squid

Many seafood and foods you buy in the wet markets in Hong Kong are not prepared and you need to prepare them for cooking yourself. Many foods I know how to prepare and many I don't have a clue how to prepare so I wanted to start to make a guide to cutting, chopping and preparing foods from the Asian wet markets. Hope you enjoy the posts in the coming weeks.

Chopcookdine Online Shop Launched On Etsy

Peony Black Long Half Apron

I have just launched my online store on Etsy selling aprons, tea cozies, hot pads, and more. This has been on the back of my mind for a few years and about 5 months ago I woke up and said to myself you need to stop talking about this and design some kitchenware! So I sat down and designed a bunch of aprons, tea cozies, hot pads, oven mitts and tea towels. After quite a few trials and samples I went ahead with 5 styles and sewed 52 items to start my shop!

For my first Chopcookdine collection I chose a traditional Hong Kong style fabric printed with peonies and phoenix's in a range of bright colours. I have paid special attention to the designs so that the aprons are easily adjusted and can fit a large range of sizes and to make sure that my hot pads are thick enough so you don't burn your hands.  I am still working on an oven glove design; I am on my third prototype. The oven glove fits like a... like a glove(!) so now it's time for testing ie picking up hot stuff and washing it.

Living in Hong Kong I have the option to go to China and get them made; but before I venture there I want to make sure that I can sell the items I made and see what styles work best. I also want to make sure that people fall in love with the designs and know the inside out so that when I eventually pass them to a supplier I can explain exactly what I want.

To order email me at sales@chopcookdine.com or check out my Etsy store.

Peony Blue Long Top Pocket Apron

Peony Pink Short Top Pocket Apron

Peony Black Short Half Apron

Peony Blue Short Half Apron

Peony Blue Adjustable Wrap Apron

Peony Blue/Pink Tea Cozy

Peony Dark Blue/Light Blue Pot Holder

Peony Pink/Dark Blue Pot Holder

Peony Black/Pink Tortilla Warmer

Pineapple Pulled Pork

I have wanted to try and make pulled pork for awhile so went to a frozen meat store in Causeway Bay and asked for pork butt and was informed that I needed to by the whole frozen thing. Hoping there was enough room in my freezer I got them to saw it into 6 large pieces.