Recipes for the Home Cook

As we continue on our journey towards a healthier nation, home- cooked meals are surely a step in the right direction. Below are three delightful recipes that Dr Soh Poh Choong, Dr Alex Wong and Dr Tan Tze Lee have personally crafted for your consumption. Do feel free to share these recipes with your colleagues, friends and patients!

Low Carbohydrate Grain Crackers

Recipe and photo by Dr Soh Poh Choong

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup buckwheat cereal
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 to 11/4 tsp of salt (depends on how salty you like your cracker to be)

Cooking method

1. Rinse the sunflower, pumpkin, flax and sesame seeds, and allow to air dry.
2. Pour 1/3 of the above into blender, pulse it a few times till most of it is crushed.
3. Pour in all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Allow mixture to stand for at least 30 minutes.
5. Pour mixture onto a piece of parchment paper, cut to the size of your tray.
6. Line another piece of parchment paper above it and roll the mixture till it is flattened evenly to the preferred thickness.
7. Remove the top parchment paper and place the flattened mixture with the bottom parchment paper into the tray.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven (approximately 150 degree Celsius) for 35 minutes.
9. Remove tray from oven and line the top of the cracker with a fresh piece of parchment paper.
10. Turn the cracker over and remove the used parchment paper.
11. Cut the cracker using a pizza cutter into bite-sized crackers.
12. Place the cracker back in the oven to bake for another 35 minutes.*
13. Remove tray from oven and cool the cracker thoroughly before storing in containers.

*Duration of bake may vary with ovens. When ready, the cracker should be crispy when cooled to room temperature.

Cherry, Nut and Goal Cheese Salad

Recipe and photo by Dr Alex Wong

Ingredients

• 300 g fresh greens
• 1/2 cup fresh cherries (or any similarly sweet and crunchy fruit)
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews or pecans
• 150 g goat cheese (or a strong cheddar or gouda)
• 2 large sliced red onions
• 2 large eggs

Balsamic vinaigrette dressing

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp minced red onion
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Cooking method

1. Boil and slice eggs.
2. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix dressing; drizzle on salad and toss.

Mussels with White Wine and Tomato

Recipe and photo by Dr Alex Wong

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 brown onions, chopped
• 1 stalk leek, sliced
• 4 large plum tomatoes
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 capful whisky
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped Chinese parsley
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 24 mussels

Cooking method

1. Wash mussels in several changes of cold water.
2. Using a sharp knife, remove beards.
3. Soak mussels for about 30 minutes in cold water containing a handful of salt and flour.
4. Heat oil in heavy saucepan, add onion and saute till translucent.
5. Add garlic and leek and saute until soft and aromatic but not brown.
6. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil and lemongrass.
7. Deglaze with whisky and white wine.
8. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil till all alcohol has boiled off.
9. Simmer for about 15 minutes to evaporate half the remaining liquid.
10. Just before serving, add the mussels, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the mussels to open. Discard any that don't.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turmeric and Ginger Fish Head

Recipe and photos by Dr Tan Tze Lee

Ingredients

• 1 thumb length blue root ginger, diced
• 1 thumb length old root ginger, diced
• 3 to 4 sticks lemongrass, diced
• 4 large red onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 dried chili, diced
• 1 thumb length turmeric root
• 4 tbs turmeric powder
• 4 tbs peanut oil
• 1 large brinjal, cut to bite-size
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut to bite-size
• 500 g ladies' fingers, cut to bite-size
• 1 large fish head (1 to 1.5 kg)
• Salt and fish sauce to taste
• 1 large fresh red chilli
• Fresh coriander

Cooking method

1. Put diced blue root and old root gingers, lemongrass, onions, garlic and dried chili into a blender and blend till smooth. Remove and put in a mixing bowl, add turmeric powder and stir to a paste.
2. Heat oil in pan and gently fry the paste until aromatic. Be careful not to let it burn.
3. Add cut brinjal, tomatoes and ladies' fingers to the frying paste. Add small amounts of water until the sauce covers the vegetables. Slowly simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Put the fish head in a steaming dish and steam with a pinch of salt, 1 stick of lemongrass and some diced old root ginger for 20 minutes.
5. Put steamed fish head in a serving dish and pour the sauce on top of the fish.
6. You may wish to sprinkle a dash of fish sauce for seasoning. Serve with coriander and cut fresh red chilli.