Lasagna - Home Made is The Perfect Choice!

The best Lasagna is often prepared with passion investing a decent amount of time. It's easy to distinguish a good lasagna from a bad one. If properly done, this dish can be somewhat time intensive and probably not the best choice if you decide to prepare this dish in late afternoon. In my family, Lasagna is a traditional dish that we loved to eat along with a good glass of cabernet wine on weekends.

How to make a lasagna: 

In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.

Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for pan
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 (8-ounce) jar tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
2 large eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded

There are many ways on how to make a good lasagna, you can choose what best works for you and apply your own method. I had the great opportunity to assist my mom in the kitchen while preparing a good lasagna for my friends and family.

Okonomiyaki Osaka - How to make a perfect Okonomiyaki

Osaka style Okonomiyaki is found throughout Japan and famous among first time visitors especially around Kansai area. The dish is affordable and I love to visit the Okonomiyaki restaurant as and when I step foot in Kansai. The staff is usually very skillful and service oriented that makes our stay each and every time pleasant. I happen to visit the Okonomiyaki restaurant last week, summer heat and lots of guests patronizing the restaurant. Some Okonomiyaki restaurants are grill-it-yourself establishments, where the server produces a bowl of raw ingredients that the customer mixes and grills at tables fitted with Teppan, or special hotplates. They may also have a diner-style counter where the cook prepares the dish in front of the customers.

When served with a layer of fried noodles (either yakisoba or udon), the resulting dish is called modan-yaki (モダン焼き), the name of which may be derived from the English word "modern" or as a contraction of mori dakusan(盛りだくさん?), meaning "a lot" or "piled high" signifying the volume of food from having both noodles and okonomiyaki.

Negiyaki (ねぎ焼き?) is a thinner variation of okonomiyaki made with a great deal of scallions, comparable to Korean pajeon and Chinese green onion pancakes.

Essential Ingredients of Okonomiyaki:

about 1/2 a large cabbage
2 cups flour (I use self-raising, my mother says plain flour)
2 2/3 cups water
4 eggs
2 tsp dashi powder (can be replaced by chicken stock powder)
Okonomi Sauce or Tonkatsu Sauce

Other ingredients than can be used:

About 6-8 short-cut bacon rashers (Thinly sliced pork is better but it's a little difficult to get in Australian supermarkets)
1 Tbsp beni-shouga (pickled ginger) chopped finely
1 large negi (shallots/scallions/spring onions) sliced thinly,
Japanese Mayonnaise
10g Katsuo-bushi
Ao-nori
Oil

Finely slice cabbage. (After slicing, bruising it by squeezing in your hands also helps soften it)

Mix flour, water, eggs in a large mixing bowl. Mix in dashi, pickled ginger and some negi. Add cabbage and combine well.

Heat a little oil in a frypan. Spoon Cabbage into the frypan, to make a circle about 22cm(9in) across and 1.5cm(3/4in) thick. Make sure there's enough batter to hold it together. Neaten the edges by using a spatula to push in the edges and any cabbage or batter that's sticking out.

Place thinly sliced pork on top (or bacon).

Cook over med-low heat about 5 min. Flip, then cook another 3-5 min. When cooked through, turn onto a plate, meat side UP. Spread sauce generously on top. Decorate with Mayonnaise, Katsuobushi and Ao-nori. Done!

How was Okonomiyaki invented ?

Okonomiyaki was invented in Japan prior to World War II and evolved and became popular during and after the war. The earliest origins of a basic crepe-like pancake date back to the Edo period (1683-1868) period where these were a special desert served at Buddhist ceremonies called Funoyaki. This then evolved during the Meiji period (1868-1912) into a sweeter dish called Sukesoyaki. During the 20's and 30's the dish continued to evolve with more emphasis put on the sauces added and the name Yoshokuyaki began to be used. The name Okonomiyaki started in the late 30's in Osaka. 

In Hiroshima at this time a similar crepe-like food was popular - it was topped with onions, folded over, and served to children as a snack item. Okonomiyaki, in it's different variations, started to become more popular during the war when rice became scarce and residents had to be creative in using other more readily available ingredients. The simple wheat pancake fit the bill and during and after the war, people started to add more ingredients such as eggs, pork, and cabbage. A restaurant from Osaka claims to have been the first to add Mayonnaise in 1946.

Dim Sum made easy - A great Dim Sum recipe from Hong Kong

The unique culinary art of Dim Sum originated in China many hundreds of years ago. According to some sources the first Dim Sum was made 2,500 years ago, as evident in the poetry and music of that time.

Although Dim Sum is inextricably linked to Cantonese cuisine, some people believe that Dim Sum actually did not originate in Canton. The first Dim Sum is believed to have been made in Northern China and has changed and developed enormously over the centuries. The names of these little delicacies have also gradually changed. Originally it was an exclusive luxury made for the Emperor and his family, but it was also enjoyed by the wealthy. Eventually it was also served in tea houses, particularly the busy tea houses along the famous Silk Road. In the early 20th century there were many developments in the world of Dim Sum. The descendants of the Manchurian empire did not need to work so to pass the time they frequented eating and drinking establishments. Tea houses and restaurants vied with each other for business by offering Dim Sum in ever increasing varieties.

Traditional steamer made of Bamboo

Nowadays Dim Sum is an integral part of Chinese culture, and is widely appreciated in many other Asian countries. The filling, pastry and shape depends on the region and climate from which it originates. The tastiest and best, according to many, comes from Southern China, Canton and Hong Kong. Eating Dim Sum at a restaurant is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha), as tea is typically served with Dim Sum. I personally love Dim Sum, can't get tired from eating Dim Sum on Weekends, a great alternative to western food which allows you to gather with your loved ones. The cheapest and one of the most delicious Michelin star Dim Sum Restaurants in Hong Kong is Tim Ho Wan.

A Shumai with pork at a market in Hong Kong

How to make Har Gow

A typical Dim Sum eatery, Sam Hai Yat in Hong Kong and daily early morning struggle to make the perfect dim sum. The interesting documentary ''The Art of Dim Sum'' introduces the art of making Dim Sum by Dim Sum masters in Hong Kong.

Preparation method

Book written by Ellen Leong

For the dips, place the soy sauce, sesame oil and one of the chopped red chilies into a clean bowl and

whisk together. Meanwhile, place the rice vinegar, sugar and the remaining one chopped red chili into a pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then pour into a clean bowl.

For the prawn dim sum, place the prawns into a small food processor and blend to a purée. Transfer to a bowl, add all the other ingredients, except the dim sum wrappers, and mix thoroughly. Place the wrappers onto a clean work surface and place a small spoonful of prawn mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Fold the wrappers over the prawn mixture to create a semi-circle. Press the edges of the wrapper together with damp fingers to seal the wrapper parcels and crimp the edges.

Place the parcels into a bamboo steamer over a pan of simmering water and cover. Steam for 4-5 minutes, or until the prawn mixture is completely cooked through. Remove from the steamer and serve immediately.

To serve, place the dim sum onto a serving plate with both bowls of dips alongside.

Lambrusco - the ideal wine for perfect dining experience !

The Lambrusco is relatively unknown outside Europe, it started with aggressive mediatic campaign throughout the eighties it helped the Italian wine to gain its popularity. Nevertheless, in waste parts of Asia and Latin America this masterpiece of wine remains a novelty. I would say something new that everyone likes, especially ladies love it. I have been drinking Lambrusco Cella since three years and like the sparks that the Rubin red Lambrusco naturally manifests.

It's also an ancient wine, mentioned by Virgil, Pliny, Cato, and Strabo, who was astonished by the size of the barrels made to contain the harvest. None of what the Romans drank has survived, so there's no telling what it was like. However, in the 1300s Pier de' Crescenzi and Andrea Bacci discussed its cultivation, and since then a steady stream of poets have sung its praises. Apart from excellent Spanish Rioja red wines and Italian Asti, Lambrusco is definitely my favourite.

Taken as a whole, Lambrusco is red wine whose primary characteristics are sparkle, lightness and low alcohol content. Lambrusco's sparkle is considerably lower key than that of Champagne orFranciacorta : the fizz boils up when the wine is poured, then settles down, leaving a faint ring of white around the edge of the glass. Lambrusco is also characteristically light -- not much in the way of tannins or body. 

One important thing to keep in mind is that Lambrusco can be either dry or sweet (the characteristics of the individual wines will remain constant from year to year). Obviously, grilled chicken with a dry sparkling wine that leaves the palate clean will be quite different from the same chicken with a sweeter sparkling wine that would go better with a peach. Fortunately, the label does come to your assistance: Secco meansdry, while Amabile means sweet . So read carefully and if you're in doubt taste a bottle before buying several for your picnic. 

Lambrusco is produced in Emilia-Romagna, and more specifically in the area extending from Reggio Emilia, through Modena, to Bologna, and up to Mantova.

There are a number of different kinds, made from different varietals of the Lambrusco grape, all of which come in sweet or dry; the principal varieties are:



· Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro:

Produced in the province of Modena, from the Grasparossa varietal, and up to 15%Uva d'Oro or other Lambrusco varietals. Red with violet highlights, lively but evanescent sparkle, very pronounced fruity bouquet, and (for Lambrusco) considerable tannic structure.


· Lambrusco di Sorbara:

A wine produced in the province of Modena, From 60% Sorbara and 40% Salamino grapes. Ruby to garnet red, lively but evanescent sparkle, a floral bouquet with violet overtones, and bright acidity that also carries through on the palate. Of the various Lambruschi, it's the most acidic, and very well suited to fatty grilled meats.


· Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce:

A wine produced in the province of Modena, from the Salamino varietal, with up to 15% other varietals orUva d'Oro. Ruby red, with lively but evanescent sparkle, very fruity bouquet, and more structure than most Lambruschi.


· Lambrusco Reggiano:

Made with Lambrusco (the Marani, Salamino, Montericco and Maestri varietals), with up to 15% Ancellotta. From Rosé to lively red, fine and long lasting sparkle, pleasing bouquet, light body.


· Lambrusco Mantovano:

Produced with Lambrusco (the Viadanse, Maestri, Marani and Salamino varietals), as well as Ancellotta and Fortana. Ruby red, with a vinous bouquet that has violet overtones.


· Lambrusco Rosato:

Lambrusco, partially fermented off the skins to produce a lighter wine. This is a relatively new wine that is gaining in popularity.



All of these wines are to be drunk young.

For something very different, try Tiziano, the Supertuscan made by Rietine, a small winery in the township of Gaiole in Chianti. "I decided that if I was going to make an alternative wine (another term for Supertuscan, or table wine ) I might as well do something really different," the owner told me, explaining that he uses an ancient variety of Lambrusco, which produces small bunches of widely separated grapes, and cuts it with an equal volume of Merlot. The wine is still, with delightful strawberry and tobacco overtones in the bouquet, and is surprisingly rich on the palate, with lots of ripe fruit. It also ages quite well, and gives an excellent indication of the Lambrusco grape 's potential for producing wines for more serious occasions.