Seth Sara

I have been cooking for Seth since he was 6 months old and ready for semi solids. Have not thought of blogging on those mundane potatoes and pumpkins. However, after months of cooking in different ways, (and I mean different as in different ingredients and methods!) I’m running out of cooking ideas! I’ve only really repeated 2 dishes and that’s the mango salmon and the chicken casserole, for he really loves those! And I’ve tried, steaming, baking, stewing and am now into stir-frying. Ah… I wish there are other newer ways I can try out!

So here’s some simple recipes to note down, so I can jolt my memories once in a while, when I run out of ideas! Note that I don’t indicate amounts used for I usually use them randomly. I’m not a detailed person and I simply can’t follow exact recipes! :p The most I’ll do is to remember the ingredients (and even that I dun follow fully, usually I’ll improvise!) and the various steps. I don’t even remember the temperatures of ovens. I’ll just stick to the same 180 degrees all the time! Sigh! Maybe I really should reflect and do it the exact way, then my food may taste much better! Hmm… but then again, I’ve gotta train his tastebuds to accept yucky food so he doesn’t cultivate a gourmet appetite in future, huh?

Chicken & Vegetable Stew (This is my winning recipe thus far! Seth loves it and wiped the bowl clean on his first try! Yay!)

- minced chicken thigh (presoaked in cold water to loosen them so they don’t lump together)
- 2 egg yolks
- diced celery (for taste! they are yummy in stews!)
- diced potatoes
- diced carrots
- diced tomatoes (de-skined and de-seeded)(they add a tangy taste to the dish and enhances the flavour greatly!)
- strips of baby kai-lan (to add color to the otherwise dull-looking dish)
- chopped onion
- dash of oregano and basil
- olive oil
- vegetable stock (celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, pitted red dates, wolfberries)

1. Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add onion and stir till soft over small fire.
2. Add minced chicken and fry till lightly browned. Add herbs. Add yolks and stir till fragrant.
3. Push chicken to one side of the pan and add in celery to the other side. Add more oil if necessary. Stir the celery, at the same time allow the water from the chicken (water produced as we heat the meat due to presoaking previously) to flow into celery. When celery is slightly soft, mix with chicken and push to side of pan, making an empty spot in centre.
* 2 & 3 can be done concurrently to allow chicken to brown better and celery to soften faster.
4. Add some olive oil. Pour in potatoes, carrots and tomatoes and stir fry.
5. Mix everything and add stock. Simmer on low heat. Add stock if it dries up. Use a pan cover to speed up the process. Simmer until vegetables are soft. (I usually test on carrots for they are the toughest!)
6. Depending on how much gravy you prefer, uncover and let water evaporate.

This second dish smells wonderful! It’s something we eat as adults too! Just that it is sliced thinly instead.

Garlic Baby Kai-lan

- Baby Kai-lan washed thoroughly and sliced into little strips (Can replace with other leafy vegetables or even zucchini!)
- chopped garlic
- chopped onion
- olive oil
- vegetable stock / water

1. Heat olive oil in pan. Add garlic and onion and stir till fragrant. (Fragrant, not brown! It’ll get darker as you fry.)
2. Add vegetables and stir till cooked.
3. Add a little stock or water to prevent dish from turning black too soon!

Baked Pork and Lentils Savoury

- minced lean pork
- lentils thoroughly cleaned
- diced potatoes
- diced carrots
- chopped onion
- dash of rosemary herbs
- olive oil
- milk

1. Boil lentils, potatoes, carrots in milk till slightly soft. Pour into baking tin.
2. Heat olive oil in a seperate pan. Add in onion and stir till fragrant.
3. Add minced meat and stir till lightly browned. Add herbs. Pour into same baking tin and mix well.
4. Bake uncovered at 180 degrees for 45 mins.
*Note: Milk should be covering most of the mixture in the baking tin.