Recipe: Mushroom Risotto

Say I love you on Valentine’s Day, with a heartwarming bowl of risotto cooked with love. This meatless risotto recipe is made this using king oyster mushroom and vegetable stock. King oyster mushrooms have a nice meat-like texture and also lots of umami flavours.

This is a very simple recipe you can prepare at home; a very pleasing, delicious Valentine's meal with minimum effort. ;)

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Mushroom Risotto

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 25-30 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients
250g arborio rice
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp salted butter
1.2l vegetable stock
30g freshly grated Parmiagiano Reggiano, plus extra for garnishing
2 tsp chopped chives

For the mushroom
2T olive oil
2T salted butter
200g king oyster mushroom
2 tsp mushroom seasoning

1. Cut about 1.5 inch from the top of the mushrooms and thinly slice. Cube the rest of the mushrooms.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter and sauté the cubed mushrooms for 4-5 mins, then season with mushroom seasoning. Repeat with sliced mushroom, cooking until they’re browned around the edges.

3. Heat oil and 1 tbsp butter in a pan. Sauté onions for 2 mins. Add arborio and toast for a min, until the rice is crackling. Add stock, about 200ml at a time, and stir occasionally to massage out the starch from the rice. Cook for about 20-25 mins, until rice is al dente.

4. Stir in cubed mushrooms to the risotto. At this point, your risotto should still be a little soupy (not too dry). Stir in Parmesan and 1tablespoon of butter. Your risotto should be creamy now.

5. Serve risotto with sliced mushrooms and chives. Grate more Parmesan if you like.

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Recipe: Vegan Scallops with Sweet Peas

During Chinese New Year, scallops are often served, as it is an auspicious ingredient which symbolises new opportunities for the new year. 

Stir fried scallops with sweet peas is one of my favourite ways of serving scallops (recipe here). This year, I've created a vegetarian version to serve on the first day of CNY 2022 (we're vegetarians on the first day). The mock vegan “scallops” are created using king oyster mushroom which has a great meaty texture. I have to say they really do look like real scallops and tastes great too. Sweet peas and carrots pair well with scallops, and they are auspicious too - symbolising both unity and good luck. 

Vegan scallops with sweet peas

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the vegan “scallops”
200g king oyster mushroom
1 tbsp cooking oil
1-2 tbsp salted butter
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp cooking sake

For the veggie stir fry
130g sweet peas, ends trimmed
5-6 carrot slices, cut into flower shapes
1 tbsp shallot oil
1tbsp water
1/2 tsp mushroom or vegetarian stock powder

1. Trim the ends off the mushroom. Cut into 2-3cm pieces from the stalks.

2. Using a knife, cut cross lines on the mushroom. Watch the video in this post to learn how to cut the cross lines.

3. Melt butter with oil in a pan. Pan fry the mushrooms until golden, then flip, and repeat for other side. Once both sides are golden, add cooking sake and season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for a further min.

4. Heat shallot oil in another pan. Add sweet peas and carrots, along with water and seasoning and sauté for 2-3 mins.

5. Plate and enjoy!

Vegan scallops with sweet peas Vegan scallops with sweet peas Vegan scallops with sweet peas Vegan scallops with sweet peas Vegan scallops with sweet peas Vegan scallops with sweet peas

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Recipe: Maitake Mushroom Risotto with Bacon

Maitake mushroom has been consumed for many years, thanks to the plethora of health benefits it brings. Maitake means dancing mushroom in Japanese, and is also known as "signorina mushroom" in Italian or hen in the woods.

What are the health benefits of maitake mushrooms? Maitake mushrooms contain antioxidants that aid in anti-aging and it is also high in vitamin D which can help to boost your immune system, muscles and bones, hence it is great in aiding the growth of children. It can also help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, hence it is suitable for individuals with diabetes. Furthermore, maitake contains 2.7g of dietary fibre in every 100g, which is the same amount as one lettuce.

Maitake mushrooms have a firm texture and robust, earthy flavor and contains L-glutamate, that gives us the wonderful umami flavour.  It is also a great source of protein, hence you can use it as a meat substitute. Maitake mushroom is very versatile and can be roasted, baked, grilled, deep fried, sauteed or stir fried, and retains its texture whichever way you choose to cook it.

Mushroom risotto is one of our favourite dishes at home. Just before serving, the maitake mushrooms are sauteed in some olive oil and garlic and then added to the risotto. The kids really loved the addition of the maitake mushrooms, with its lovely "meaty" texture. So delicious, try out this healthy and easy recipe at home today!

Yukiguni Maitake is Japan's top maitake brand. Since 1983, high-quality maitake mushrooms have been farmed in a facility equipped with Japanese technology. It is pesticide-free, chemical-free, all natural mushroom with healing properties, which can be enjoyed without washing. Imported from Japan, fresh Yukiguni Maitake can be purchased from major AEON shopping malls in the Klang Valley (retail price RM5.90). Yukiguni Maitake will keep well in your fridge for up to one week.

Maitake Mushroom Risotto
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
200g arborio rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter

1l chicken stock
2 packs maitake mushroom, separated
1/4 tsp chicken stock granules
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
150 g streaky bacon, sliced
25g grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnishing
A handful of chives, to garnish



1. In a large non-stick pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.

2. Increase heat to high, then add the rice. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the rice with the onion, making sure that the grains are coated with the olive oil/butter until slightly translucent and the rice starts to crackle, for about 2 minutes. This process is called tostatura. It helps the rice absorb the stock later.

3. Dissolve one chicken stock pot in 1l water. Turn the heat down to medium low and add enough stock to cover the risotto, about 1 cup. Keep stirring the risotto constantly as stirring massages the starch molecules out of the rice, hence creating a rich, creamy texture.

4. Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding more stock to the rice. Keep adding small amounts of stock (1/2 cup at a time) to the rice until the rice is soft but still has a bite to it (al dente). This will take about 20-30 minutes. Taste the risotto rice occasionally to check if it's ready. If you run out of stock before your rice is ready, you can add boiling water as a substitute for the stock.

5. In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 8-10 minutes, until they are crispy and golden. Remove from heat with slotted spoon and set aside.

6. In the same frying pan (from Step 5), add garlic and saute until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add the maitake mushrooms and saute over medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Season with chicken stock granules. Remove from heat with slotted spoon and set aside.

7. When the rice is almost ready (95%), lower the heat, then stir in the sauteed mushrooms (from Step 7). Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmesan into the rice (the mantecatura process) as well as 1 tablespoon of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. To serve, place mushroom risotto onto a plate, then top with bacon and finely chopped chives. Garnish with more shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Note: You may replace streaky bacon with beef or turkey bacon, if preferred.

Yukiguni Maitake mushrooms

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Maitake mushroom malaysia Maitake mushroom malaysia  Maitake mushroom malaysia 
You can read more about Yukiguni Maitake here.

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Prego, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort

Prego, the specialty Italian restaurant in The Westin Desaru Coast Resort offers an authentic Italian dining experience, with the freshest seafood, stone-fired pizzas and handmade pastas to tantalise your tastebuds. Helming the kitchen here is Chef Massimiliano Ascione, better known as Chef Massi who hails from Abruzzo in Southern Italy.

The restaurant is elegant yet relaxed and features an open kitchen with a stone-fired oven, great for catching some kitchen action while waiting for your food to arrive. The service here is fantastic, and the staff are well-versed with the menu and are able to explain all the dishes to us well.

To start, we had a selection of homemade breads with Prego's signature tomato salsa dip, olives, pickled shallots, sun-dried tomatoes and gherkins. So good!

For our appetizers, we had the Insalata caprese (RM65) and Funghi gratinati (RM55). The former is a classic, well-executed with buffalo mozzarella cheese, tomato, confit garlic, anchovies as well as a basil and oregano pesto. A fresh, light start to our meal.

For something a little richer, the funghi gratinati comes with two portobello mushrooms stuffed with goat's cheese and breadcrumbs, gratinated to give a crunchy topping and served with a rucola salad.

We also had the Guazzetto ai frutti di mare (RM55), a specialty of Abruzzo; a rich tomato-based spicy seafood soup with mixed seafood such as mussel, bamboo clams, scallop, fish and prawns.  The kids loved this!

The highlight of our meal was the Salt crusted seabass (RM95), a whole seabass covered in sea salt and baked in the oven for 30 minutes, carved tableside and served with a lemon butter sauce with steamed new potatoes and fennel. Incredibly moist, this was a fantastic way of tasting the natural sweetness of the fish.

All the the pastas are freshly made in-house and the Spaghetti carbonara (RM55) came highly recommended. The spaghetti was cooked to al dente along with streaky beef bacon and a rich sauce made the Italian way using egg yolk and pecorino cheese. Before serving, the chef torches the Castelmagno cheese wheel before tossing the pasta and topping it with a final shaving of cheese. A plate of creamy goodness!

Check out our YouTube video of Chef Massi in action here!

There are five types of pizza to choose from here at Prego Desaru. The pizza dough is proofed for 36 hours, hand tossed and topped with your desired topping before being baked in the stone-fired oven, resulting in a light, golden crust. We had the Signature Prego Pizza (RM85), which comes with large chunks of lobster in barbecue sauce, caramelised onions, black olive, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

For a sweet end to our meal, we shared the Tiramisu (RM35) and Zuccotto al Cioccolato (RM35). The tiramisu is made using homemade mascarpone cheese, espresso and brandy. There is also a non-alcoholic version (the one we had since the kids were eating too). The zuccotto is Prego's take on chocolate mud pie, with the texture of ice cream. Rich and luscious, chocolate lovers will dig this.

Click here for Prego's a la carte menu. Every Saturday, Prego also offers an authentic Italian dinner buffet spread from 6.00pm - 10.30pm at RM150 per person.


Click here for our review of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort.


Operating hours: 6pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Mondays.

Pork-free.

Location: Prego, Level 2, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, Jalan Pantai 3, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor Darul Ta'zim.

Tel: 07-838 3333

Website: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/jhbwi-the-westin-desaru-coast-resort/


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Recipe: Ayam Pongteh (Nyonya Chicken and Potato Stew)

During our recent trip to Melaka, we managed to try lots of different Peranakan dishes, including ayam pongteh. Ayam pongteh is a Nyonya chicken and potato stew, flavoured by shallots, garlic and taucu (preserved soy beans). In some restaurants, they also serve a pork version called babi pongteh.

This is a very easy dish to prepare at home; the majority of the cooking time is for braising on low heat hence requiring little supervision. The reduced sauce is nice and flavourful and goes nicely with white rice. This dish is usually made with only potatoes and Chinese mushrooms, however I added carrots for a splash of colour and I love carrots in stews. As this is a non-spicy dish, it is highly suitable for kids too!

Ayam Pongteh (Nyonya chicken and potato stew)
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Asian Retro Food by Betty Saw
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients
90g shallots, peeled
1 bulb garlic, peeled
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp taucu (preserved soy beans)
400g chicken breast or fillet, cut into chunks
400ml water
1 tsp dark soy sauce
12 dried mushrooms, soaked to soften
2 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 carrot, peeled and quartered (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

1. Place peeled garlic and shallots into a food processor and blend until you get a paste. If you do not have a food processor, finely chop the garlic and shallots.

2. Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of taucu and fry for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the mushrooms and chicken, then stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the water and dark soy sauce and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the potatoes and salt and simmer over medium heat, covered for about 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the sauce has thicken slightly. Taste and season with more taucu if necessary.

4. Serve with rice.

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Recipe: Braised minced pork with Chinese mushrooms

My boy likes eating his rice with soup, as he doesn't like his rice "dry". So when I don't have time to make Chinese soup for dinner, what do I do?

Make a saucy braised dish, then we can mix the braising sauce to our rice and eat it all together. Kids love this.. I know I did when I was a child ;P

This is a dish you can prepare in under 20 minutes, and the flavours are really rich and delicious. You can even add in chopped carrots and other veggies that your kids like if you do not have time to cook a vegetable dish.                         

Braised minced pork with Chinese mushrooms
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time:
Serves 4



Ingredients
350g minced pork
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 cup water
6 Chinese mushrooms, soaked, stalks removed and diced
2 tbsp mushroom sauce
1/2 tbsp ginger wine
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1 spring onion, finely chopped


1. In a wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions and saute for about 2 minutes, until onions are softened.

2. Add minced pork and brown. Once browned, add the water and bring to the boil.

3. Once boiling, add the mushrooms, ginger wine and mushroom sauce and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

4. Season with the chicken stock granules and stir in spring onions. Serve with rice.

Other minced pork dishes you can try: Dry minced pork noodle, Pork tacos, Pad Horapa Moo, Steamed minced pork with tung choy, Stir fried minced pork with fresh herbs.

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Recipe: Braised pork knuckle with mushrooms and fat choy

One of the must-have ingredients for me during Chinese New Year is pork knuckle. You can cook it in various ways including braising with sea cucumber or cooking with black vinegar. This year, we braised the pork knuckle with lots of Chinese mushrooms and topped with boiled eggs and fat choy.

Braised pork knuckle with mushrooms and fatt choy

Also known as ham hock, pork knuckle consists of mostly skin, tendons and ligaments, with just a little meat. It is braised for a long time (usually 2 hours) until the skin is springy to the bite. When buying pork knuckle (we usually go for the 猪手) at the market, ask your butcher to chop it into large chunks for you. Sinful and delicious, the best part is the gelatinous skin which you can eat with chopped chillies and garlic.

CNY Day 3 Dinner - braised pork knuckle with mushrooms and fat choy, fried fish, stir fried prawns and kailan.

Embracing the Year of the Pig with this delicious pork dish

Braised pork knuckle with mushroom
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/4 hours
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 pork knuckle (approx 1.5-2kg), cut into large chunks
2 whole garlic bulbs

2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 inch ginger, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp of cooking oil

15-20 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked for 1 hour

Water, enough to cover the pork knuckle

A small handful fat choy 髮菜

4-6 boiled eggs

Seasoning
3-4 tbsp light soy sauce, to taste
2 tbsp dark soy sauce (for colour)

2 tbsp ginger wine

To serve

Cili padi, chopped

Garlic, finely chopped

Light soy sauce




1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the shallots and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.

2. Add the pork knuckle and brown the meat. Then, add enough water to cover the pork knuckle, dark soy sauce and about 2-3 tbsp of light soy sauce. Add the garlic. Bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and braise for 1 1/2 hours .

3. Add in the mushroom, eggs and ginger wine and cook for a further 30 minutes. Season with more light soy sauce if required (to taste). 

4. In a small bowl, pour hot water over the fat choy. Drain and set aside.

5. Remove from heat. Skim off excess oil. Garnish with the fat choy and serve with 寿面 (longevity noodles).

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Michelin-Starred Chef Sayan Isaksson Set To Thrill with Scandinavian Delights at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur

"Simply Scandinavian" connects the world annually with jazz music and flavours of Scandinavian cuisine, and has been hosted in over 20 countries including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Thailand and more. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of "Simply Scandinavian", Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur will be showcasing an enticing array of Scandinavian delights at three F&B venues in the hotel, namely Mosaic, Mandarin Grill and Lounge on the Park from 14 to 21 April 2018.

Renowned Swedish chef Sayan Isaksson is the man of the hour, and together with his two sous chefs from his famed one Michelin-starred restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, they will be bringing you on a gastronomic journey of the finest Scandinavian cuisine, complemented by soothing live jazz music by Swedish musician Deri Rowlands.

Born in Thailand and adopted by a Swedish family at eight months old, Isaksson opened Esperanto in 2005, was awarded one Michelin-star in 2007 and retained the star to this date. The White Guide, regarded as the most authoritative restaurant guide in Sweden, awarded Esperanto 40/40, the highest food score ever attained by a restaurant, earning them the title of "Restaurant of the Year" in 2016. Furthermore, Isaksson led the Swedish National Culinary Team between 2000 to 2004 and was also chosen to prepare the menu for the prestigious Nobel Prize banquets in 2015 and 2016.

At Mandarin Grill, Chef Isaksson will be showcasing a Lunch Menu (choose 3, 4 or 5-course), with prices starting from RM198 per person, as well as a 5-course Dinner Menu (RM368) or 7-course Dinner Menu (RM468).

At the special preview, we had the pleasure of tasting some of Chef Isaksson's fine works of art, starting with a trio of amuse bouche - straw smoked quail eggs, fermented potato doughnut and organic waste broth with kale, to tantalise our palates. The soft-spoken Chef Isaksson makes an appearance at each course, explaining to us the inspiration and ingredients behind each course.

The Quail Egg is marbled with black vinegar and smoked; pop into your mouth for a delicious eggs-plosion. The taste reminded me of the Japanese seasoned eggs, ajitama. The fermented potato doughnut should be eaten dipped in the cultured cream with leek oil.

The most interesting amuse bouche of them all was the organic waste broth, which exemplifies Chef Isaksson's ethos of respecting nature and upcycling by reinventing ways of using food scraps such as vegetable peels, which in this case was tranformed into an earthy broth. This was served with a buckwheat cracker, topped with herb paste.

The "Oyster Pearl" was a real treat for the senses. Showcasing the playful, innovative side of Chef Isaksson, the shucked oyster, along with preserved eldeberries from Sweden, oyster emulsion and Oscietre caviar, was topped on an incredibly realisitic, edible oyster "shell"(made from rice flour, tapioca and dill). How often can you say "I ate an oyster shell today"? So much fun to eat, I was definitely wowed by this dish.

Hamachi (Japanese amberjack) is not something you can find easily in Sweden, Chef Isaksson revealed to us, hence he was excited to feature this fish on his menu here in Malaysia. The fish is cured in salt and sugar and then cold smoked in straw and hung to dry, as this enhances the delicate flavour of the fish. It is simply served with pickled daikon and horseradish, along with a light dashi broth made from the fish bones.

Air cured Hamachi

The Porridge of mushrooms exuded earthy, comforting flavours. Buckwheat and millet is cooked in a mushroom broth and preserved butter, which we learnt was butter and blue cheese left together for a year allowing the umami flavours to develop in the butter. Topped with sauteed mushrooms, mushroom tea is poured tableside to complete this creation.

Another favourite of ours here is the Aged sirloin in chlorophyll. Sitting on a bed of kale puree, the beef was cooked to perfection in the charcoal Josper grill, and topped with shredded lettuce and fried kale and finished off with a jus made from chicken stock and beef trimmings. Absolutely sublime, a delight to savour.

For the finale, Chef Isaksson impresses again with the "Pommes de Terres", which translates to "earth apple", referring to the humble potato. Resembling a peeled apple, this is actually potato ice cream, glazed with apple juice with a salted caramel centre. One of the most unique ice cream flavours we've tried - and it totally blew us away! The "apple" sits on a bed of fake dirt as Chef Isaksson calls it, consisting of caramelised potato peel, burnt white chocolate and apple chips.

Chef Isaksson will be cooking at Mandarin Grill from 14 to 21 April, for both lunch and dinner. Diners can also indulge in a selection of a la carte dishes in the casual yet elegant ambiance of Lounge on the Park, priced at RM68 onwards. Be serenaded by live performance by Deri Rowlands, known for his impersonations and sense of humour, besides his notable jazz singing skills, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm daily. Menus can be viewed here.

For reservations, please call the F&B Reservation Desk at 03-2330 8798 or email mokul-fb@mohg.com


Opening times: Lunch: Mon-Fri from 12pm- 2.30pm, Sat-Sun 10.30am - 2.30pm; Dinner 7pm - 10.30pm daily.

Pork-free.

Location: Mandarin Grill, Lobby Level, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2179 8885

GPS Coordinates: 3.155514, 101.711555


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