Stir fry cabbage with mushrooms and black fungus

Marketing can be challenging when cooking for a small family. Like when I buy a cabbage, I probably have to cook it twice in the same week. That day I bought one to make chicken soup on one day, the other half cabbage was sitting in the fridge so I wanted to make something like chap chye but a simpler version with all the possible ingredients I have at home. This is another time saving dish because it allows me to do some quick washing up when the vegetable is cooking.

Ingredients
Half a cabbage (cut into chunks)
5 small dried shiitake mushrooms
Some dried black fungus
Sliced carrot
Sliced ginger
Chopped garlic

Sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp tau cheo
White pepper
Sugar to taste 
Some water

Recipe
1. Soak the mushrooms and black fungus till soft. Remove the stems from mushrooms and cut the mushrooms into strips. For the black fungus, remove the thick part and cut them into pieces. Retain the liquid for soaking mushrooms.
2. Heat the oil in the wok and stir fry the sliced ginger for a while before adding in the chopped garlic. Stir fry till fragrant then add in sliced carrot and mushroom strips. Let it cook for a while then add in the cabbage and black fungus. Pour in the liquid for soaking mushrooms.
3. Add the oyster sauce and tau cheo and stir fry it. Add a dash of white pepper and some water so that the cabbage is almost covered. Put on the lid and let it cook for at least 10 minutes till the cabbage has softened.
4. Do a taste test and adjust the taste accordingly with sugar. Transfer to serving plate and it is done.

Sliced bread with strawberry and spread

Ever since I left my full time work last June, I suddenly took on the additional task of preparing breakfast at home. My boy used to go childcare for breakfast and my husband will buy his own breakfast but now I am the one preparing for them. So I thought it will be a good idea to share some of the breakfast that I made.

 Cream cheese spread with strawberries 

Peanut butter spread with strawberries 

Personally I love the bread with cream cheese spread. I like to add cut strawberries in the bread. Sometimes strawberries are sour and nobody at home likes to eat as a whole. But when it is cut and put in bread, the sour tangy taste goes well with the bread and spread. :) Yeah, for the little boy, he loves to eat peanut butter with bread. Putting fruits in breakfast makes it healthy!

Steamed cod in soy sauce

It has been a long while since I last cooked cod. Bought some frozen cod before the Chinese new year but I didn't have much chance to cook until recently. This is a very simple and easy recipe yet my family loves it. To me, as long as I have fried ginger strips, everything is nice. :)

Ingredients
Cod fish
Ginger
Spring onions

Marinate
Soy sauce
White pepper
Chinese cooking wine

Sauce
~1 tbsp Soy sauce
~ 1 tsp Sugar
A few tbsp of water

Recipe
1. Marinate the cod fish with some soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine and dash of white pepper for at least 5 minutes. Layer the steam dish with some sliced ginger, put the fish on top and cover with some more sliced ginger.
2. Steam the cod until it is fully cooked. I am using an electrical steamer and it takes me approximately 12-15 minutes depending on the cut. (I do not preheat the steamer)
3. While the fish is steaming, cut some ginger into long thin strips and fry them in a saucepan till it turns golden brown. Set the fried ginger strips aside.
4. Using the same saucepan, add in the sauce and let it come to a boil. Do a taste test and adjust the taste to your liking. Turn off the fire.
5. Remove the cod from steamer and discard the steaming liquid. Arrange the cod on your serving plate. Pour the sauce over the cod then arrange the fried ginger strips on it. Garnish with some cut spring onions.