Yakon Kelp Soup - The Picnic Game 2013 (2)

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing ....

A - Aloo Gobi
B - Blueberry-Cucumber Salsa

C - Crispy Curry Fried Chicken 

D - Dying for Chocolate Chocolate Cake

E - Eton Mess

F - Fish In Jar

G - Golden Pillow Hee Ban

H - Hummingbird Cake

I - Ice Cream Sandwiches

J - Jersey Style Hot Dogs

K - Kahlua Mocha Ice Cream

L - Light and Soft Japanese Cheese Cake

M - Ma'moul

N - Nettle Quinoa Tart

O - Oriental Pasta Salad

P - Pan de Mango

Q - Quinoa Pizza Balls

R - Rainbow Connection Cupcakes

S - Strawberry-Yogurt Ice Cream

T - Telosma Cordata Eucheuma Jelly

U - Uh Never Fail Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake

V - Vanilla and Cream Cheese Pound Cake

W - Watermelon Sorbet

X - Xtra Good Apple Walnut Bundt Cake

Y - Yakon Kelp Soup

Z - Zucchine in Padella con Aceto e Peperoncino

This is the 2nd dish I am bringing for the Picnic Game 2013 hosted by Louise of Months of Edible Celebrations.  Do hop over and have a look at her Picnic Basket.

Yakon tuber is a type of vegetable from South American. It can be eaten raw as a fruit or in salad or even cooked it.  It tastes sort of  a mix of pear, celery and apple and looks like a potato. 

Yakon is becoming popular for its health benefits which :

1) The tuber contain fructose that leave the human body undigested. Does not raise blood sugar.
2) Contains antioxidant.
3) Fights cancers.
4) High in fibers and probiotics.
5) Contains essential nutrients: iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, carotene, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2 and Vitamin C
6) Helps cure kidney problems, obesity, hypertension, constipation, hypertension, arthritis and insomia
7) It has 60% to 70% inulin responsible for maintaining blood glucose.

(source : http://www.foodrecap.net/health/yacon-benefits/)

Whereas Kelps are large seaweeds (algae) belonging to the brown algae (Phaeophyceae) in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera.  I had mentioned its benefits in Kelp (Seaweed) Chicken Soup.  So, when yakon is combined with kelp, you can imagine how nutritious and healthy this soup is!

Ingredients :

- 1 free range chicken (cut and blanched)

- 1 yakon tuber (peeled and sliced)

- 1 bowl of kelp (washed, soaked, rinsed, cut)

- 2 thumb sized ginger (crushed)

- sea salt (to taste)

- water

Method :

1)  Put yakon, kelp and ginger into a pot of water and boil.

2)  Add chicken and boil over medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

3)  Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 2 hours or until the kelp is soft.

4)  Season with sea salt and serve hot.

This is a very nutritious and healthy soup.  Moreover, it is so easy to prepare.

You can add any ingredients you like such as tomatoes, red dates, Chinese Wolfberries or basil.  This time I prefer just a simple soup as the yakon itself is already sweet!  Hope you like it :)

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Telosma Cordata Eucheuma Jelly - The Picnic Game 2013 (1)

I get to know Louise when she commented in my Hot and Spicy Chicken  and Homemade Chili Paste  posts.  Out of curiosity, I visited her blog,  Months of Edible Celebrations and she invited me to play Picnic Game 2013.  This is my first time participating in this Picnic Game.  The rule of the game is each participant is to choose an alphabet and to prepare a dish starting with the chosen alphabet.  Well, I chose the letter T and I am bringing Telosma Cordata Eucheuma Jelly as it's a very healthy dessert. 

Telosma Cordate or Chinese Violet has many benefits which I had mentioned it in my Chinese Violet Omelette post. Besides that, Euchema or Sea Bird's Nest (a type of seaweed) has many benefits too.  I will do another posting on the benefits of Eucheuma soon as I do not want those picnickers to get bored with my grandma's stories!

Well, so I am going on a picnic organised by Louise and other lovely picnickers who have been invited by our sweet lady Louise.  To know more about the game, do please visit her Picnic Game 2013's rules.

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing ....

A - Aloo Gobi
B - Blueberry-Cucumber Salsa
C - Crispy Curry Fried Chicken 

D - Dying for Chocolate Chocolate Cake

E - Eton Mess

F - Fish In Jar

G - Golden Pillow Hee Ban

H - Hummingbird Cake

I - Ice Cream Sandwiches

J - Jersey Style Hot Dogs

K - Kahlua Mocha Ice Cream

L - Light and Soft Japanese Cheese Cake

M - Ma'moul

N - Nettle Quinoa Tart

O - Oriental Pasta Salad

P - Pan de Mango

Q - Quinoa Pizza Balls

R - Rainbow Connection Cupcakes

S - Strawberry-Yogurt Ice Cream

T - Telosma Cordata Eucheuma Jelly
U - Uh Never Fail Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake
V - Vanilla and Cream Cheese Pound Cake
W - Watermelon Sorbet
X - Xtra Good Apple Walnut Bundt Cake
Y - Yakon Kelp Soup
Z - Zucchine in Padella con Aceto e Peperoncino

Ingredients : (to taste)

- 300gm of soaked Eucheuma (dried Eucheuma has to be rinsed and washed 5 to 6 times.  Then soaked for at least 5 hours.  After that, rinse again for 3 to 4 times.  Then drained)

- a handful of Telosma Cordata (washed and drained)

- some Chinese wolfberries (washed and drained)

- some honeychomb sugar

- 1.5 liter water

Method :

1)  Boil Eucheuma and honeycomb sugar in a pot of water until dissolved. 

2)  Keep stirring.  It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to fully dissolved the seaweed.

3)  Add the Chinese Wolfberries into it and let it cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.  Keep stirring.

4)  Then, add Telosma Cordata into the mixture.

5)  Stir and mix well.  Turn off the heat and let it stand for another 5 minutes.

6)  Transfer the mixture into Jelly moulds or containers.

7)When cold, chill it in the refrigerator overnight.  

8)  Remove it from the mould.

9)  Serve chilled.

It's so refreshing and yummy!

Healthy and Nutritious too :)

Isn't this a very healthy dessert for picnic?

Do give this a try and you will not regret.  Enjoy!

I'm linking this post to September 2013 Cooking With Herbs Blog Challenge hosted by Lavender and Lovage.

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Hot and Spicy Chicken

This is not the first time I cooked this dish.  However, this time instead of using dried chilies, I used  homemade chili paste.  Guess what?  My children like it and in fact it's better than using dried chilies.  Well, I am going to use chili paste whenever I cook this hot and spicy chicken again.  Besides, using homemade chili paste is also suitable for kids learning or can't take too spicy food.  This recipe is actually adapted from YumYum No. 55, page 15 with minor changes.  I added extra lemongrass as I love lemongrass and I used chili paste instead of dried chilies.

Ingredients :

- 1/2 chicken (cut into bite sized)

- 6 lemongrass (crushed)

- 2 tbsp homemade chili paste (click the link for the recipe)

- 1 big onion (cut)

- 1 tomato (cut)

- 6 cherry tomatoes (halved)

 - water 

Seasonings : (to taste)

- soy sauce

- salt

- sugar

Method :

1)  Heat up oil.  Saute onions, lemongrass and chili paste until fragrant.  Then, add tomatoes and chicken. Stir and mix well.

2)  Add seasonings and water.

3)  Cover and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until chicken is soft and the gravy is reduced to half.  The gravy is great.  So, if you like gravy, add more water.

4)  Dish up and serve.

You can adjust the spiciness according to your taste.

I am linking this to Cook Your Books #1 organised by Kitchen Flavours.

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