Arts For All: Ti-Ratana Penchala 's ' F & B Club' cooking demo on the 30 Oct 2010

Ti-Ratana Penchala's 'F & B Club' organized their very first cooking demo on the 30th Oct, it was a successful session filled with fun, laughter and fellowship. Mrs Lau May Leng, Poh Choo & Irene Hui shared their culinary skill with an enthusiastic mix group of skilled Chef and gourmands. The menu for the day consist of May's Scrumptious Black Bean Salad & Poh Choo's delectable Stir Fry caramelized Vegetarian Eel compliment with Irene's Vegetable Soup to perfection. All were invited to lunch on Black Beans Rice Salad, Stir Fry Caramelized Vegetarian Eel & Quick Mix Vegetable Soup. To round off the luncheon we indulge in delicious Pumpkin Cake, compliment of May and Steam Layered kuih by Irene Hui. In view of the enthusiastic response Irene made announcement for the next F & B cooking demo. Stay tune for the next session! A big thank you the the Chef Mrs Lau May Leng, Poh Choo, Irene & participants for making the event a great success. We encourage you to try the recipes and give us your comment.

May demonstrating her Black Bean Rice Salad

  

May and her assistant Kuan Mei.

Tossing and mixing of all the ingredients using fingers.

Irene demonstrate how to cook soup with her method that is quick, simple yet nutritious

Poh Choo demonstrate her Vegetarian Eel dish using mushroom cut to look like an eel.

Sprinkling sesame seeds as the final touch.

Left to right- Irene Hui, Poh Choo and May with their dishes.

Group photo.

Participants lunching with the Chefs

Irene, president of the F &;B Club saying her thank you and making announcement on the next cooking demo session. RECIPES   STIR FRY CARAMELISED VEGETARIAN EEL-By Poh Choo INGREDIENT                                                           SEASONING (A)   120gm   Mushroom (Not fleshy type)               -   2 tbsp      Honey                                                                                    -   2 tbsp      Sugar (to be melted with                                                                                                            oil - refer 6) (B)    ½ cup     Corn flour                                          -   1 ¼ tbsp  Black vinegar         1 ½ tbsp  Rice flour                                           -  1 ½ tbsp  Soya sauce                                                                                   -   1 tbsp      Vegetarian oyster sauce (C)    1 tbsp     Sesame seeds(toasted)                       -   1 tsp        Sesame oil                         Chilly stripes/cubes  (optional)         -   ½ cup      Water                                                                                    -   ¼ tsp       Salt     METHOD Soak mushroom overnight. Squeeze excess water, cut in circular motion into thin long stripe. Discard center. Cut long stripe into 4 portion, marinate with some sugar & corn flour Coat mushroom with ingredient (B), deep fry until crispy/golden brown Drain fried mushroom and leave aside Melt 2 tbsp sugar in oil until golden brown. Pour in ½ cup water and the rest of seasoning ingredients Bring to boil, lower flame and pour in the fried mushroom. Stir fry evenly until all mushroom are coated with seasoning Remove and serve hot MIX VEGETABLE SOUP -By Irene Hui  1 tbsp (tablespoon) olive oil/butter  1 red onion - peeled and chopped 3 stick celery- chopped 2 carrots - peeled n chopped 2 red tomatoes - diced Salt n Pepper to taste 6 cups of plain water Method In a 4 quart saucepan add oil/ butter. Sauté onion,celery,carrots and tomatoes. Stir fry for about 5 to 6 mins. Add in water and let it boil for 30 mins. Finally add salt n pepper to taste. Smoothly purée the soup with and immersion blender, counter-top blender or food processor. Serve n enjoy. BLACK BEAN RICE SALAD-By Mrs Lau May Leng 2 cups red rice ( 8 oz cup ) 2 cups white rice 1 and ½ cups black beans soaked overnight 2 big red peppers 2  yellow peppers 2 carrots 10 spring onions 2 leeks 5 red onions Chinese parsley 7 long beans Extra virgin olive oil, Maldon sea salt ( smoked ), freshly ground black pepper ( I’ ll call it “OSP “ which means Oil, Salt, Pepper ) Cook the two rice separately, and let it cool. Cook the beans in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes till soft but not mushy. Can cook in crock pot too. Tender beans important, but if you like al dente it’s fine too ! Slice the peppers, carrots, onions and mix with OSP and bake in a moderate oven 160C for 45 min till  caramelized. Don't mix them, just place them in different parts of the tray. Onions will cook the fastest. Leave the leeks and spring onions whole and mix with OSP too and bake in oven as per above. Slice the long beans fine, marinate in OSP for half hour before mixing into the rice. Don't bake. It’ll give the rice some crunch. Can add some celery treated this way too if you like extra flavour. Mixing it all together The fun begins ! Use hands ! You can bake all the vegetables the day before or several days before and let the flavours devp. Nicer this way. Less stressful too . When mixing, snip the baked veges finely with sharp scissors. Mix with OSP. Mix beans with OSP too. Now in a large , large bowl gently mix in the warm  rice, alternating between the white and red. Too much red rice makes the colours heavy. Put in the long beans and chopped parsley along the way, layering it in. Do not have to mix in too hard. That’s the way to go. If you like less beans or the baked veges and more rice, it’s yr call. Do not have to mix everything in. But I prefer to have more on hand rather than less, to mix in. You have to eat along the way to taste, so you can adjust how much to add in. Yum. Finally, top with plenty of chopped Chinese parsley.  PS The Smoked Maldon Sea Salt a must. Available at most good supermarkets  eg Bangsar Village Grocer. Bon Appetit !