Refreshing Chinese Pear and Aloe Vera with Eucheuma Seaweed

Are you looking for a simple yet refreshing, cooling and healthy desserts or drinks?  To some, edible bird's nest is the best choice but not everyone can afford or willing to spend on it.   Why don't you consider Eucheuma Seaweed  aka Sea Bird's Nest.  It's relatively cheap and affordable to all and has the same nutritional values as bird's nest.  You can easily get Eucheuma from any Chinese Medical shop.

I have previously posted a  healthy and refreshing dessert using Eucheuma Seaweed  or 珊 瑚 草/ 海 燕 窝 in Chinese.

Telosma Cordata Eucheuma Jelly

Eucheuma is a type of seaweed that grows in different colors either green, purple or brown.

This seaweed is rich in enzyme nutrients, minerals, calcium, iron and jelly form proteins. It is especially good for vegetarian diet and daily fiber diet intake. It grows naturally and contains no artificial fertilizer or chemical.

How to clean/ prepare Eucheuma Seaweed:

1)  Dried Eucheuma has to be rinsed and washed 5 to 6 times. Then soaked for at least 5 hours.

2)  Remember to keep changing the water for at least 4 to 5 times. Take note that gradually, it turns transparent, soft and expands in size.

3) Lastly, rinse again with clean water and drain.  Store in a container and keep it in the refrigerator.  

4) Or, boil the rinsed Eucheuma with water (300gm Eucheuma with 1.5 litre water).  Keep stirring  until completely dissolved.  Allow it to cool before transferring it into a container.  Chill it in the fridge for it to set.  It stays good for 3 to 4 weeks.

5)  You can add this healthy Sea Bird's Nest Jelly to any of your favorite beverages or just mix it with water or fruit juice of your choice.

Kelp is another type of healthy and nutritious seaweed that I like to cook for my family.  For more info on the nutritional and its uses, do click at the following links.

Seaweed Chicken Soup

Refreshing Kelp with Old Cucumber Soup

Yakon Kelp Soup

Refreshing Chinese Pear and Aloe Gel with Eucheuma

Ingredients : (to taste)

- 2 Chinese pears (peeled and cut into cubes)

- 1 cup of aloe vera gel (peeled and cut)

- 1 tbsp goji berries (washed)

- honeycomb sugar

- some pandan leaves (pandanus/screw pine)

- 4 bowls of hot water

Method :

1) Put everything into a double boiler and double boil for 30 minutes over high heat.

2)  Serve warm with a scoop of Eucheuma jelly (pls refer to the above on "How to clean/ prepare Eucheuma Seaweed").

Refreshing, cooling and rejuvenating

Easy and hassle free yet healthy dessert

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Simple Pan-Fried Norwegian Blue Mackerel with Apple Sauce

First of all, my sincere apologies to all my readers and followers for my irregular posting as I have been quite busy lately.  Will try my best to post from time to time as and when I can steal some time.  Don't worry, I am still around and it's just that I do get rather busy every now and then.  So, do bear with me, ok? 

Hugs and muaks to you all :)  

This is my 1st posting to start off the year 2014. For your info, this is not a new dish but has been sitting in my album for quite sometime.  

Besides Salmon, Norwegian Blue Mackerel is also our most favorite fish.  It's yummy even  just with a simple pan fried and seasoned with some soy sauce.  A simple dish like this can see my children grinning like a Cheshire cat!!  However, once in a while if I am not in a hurry or if an inspiration struck me on the spur of the moment, I would try something different, ie pan fried it with pandan leaves.  This time, while I was about to start frying the blue mackerel, I realized that I still have a bottle of apple sauce sitting in the pantry.  Oh yeah.... why not try something different?  So, the end result? All thumbs up from my family members!!!  Do give this a try and you will thank me for it too! 

Ingredients :

- 3 Norwegian Blue Mackerel Fillets (cleaned, slit and marinated with some salt)

- 1 tsp butter

Seasonings : (to taste)

- salt

- Traditional Worcester Sauce

- Apple sauce

Method :

1)  Heat a tsp of butter in a pan and arrange the fillets on it.  I used Happy Call Pan.

2)  Pan fry over medium low heat until both sides are slightly brown.

3)  Turn off the heat.

4)  Drizzle some Worcester sauce on both sides of the fillet.  

5)  Then, spread some apple sauce on top of the fillets.  Remember to pan fry the fish with the heat off to prevent the sauce from burning.

6)  Dish up and serve.

Notice that there are some burnt on the skin?  So, it's very important to remember to turn off the heat before you drizzle the Worcester sauce and the apple sauce.  Mine is still slightly burnt even though I had turn off the heat!!

Some slight burnt is perfectly okay as it has that smoky fragrant flavor.  The skin is crispy too :)

Besides, the slightly smoky with a tangy sweet apple sauce flavor is simply yummy!

Have a wonderful day ahead and thanks for dropping by :)

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Happy New Year 2014

May the New Year bring these Wishes to you all... 

Happiness deep down within. 

Serenity with each sunrise. 

Success in each facet of your life. 

Family beside you. 

Close and caring friends. 

Health, inside you. 

Love that never ends. 

Special memories of all the yesterdays. 

A bright today with much to be thankful for. 

A path that leads to beautiful tomorrows. 

Dreams that do their best to come true. 

Appreciation of all the wonderful things about you.