food overload.

Just a quick update on my so-called culinary journey.

I have been busy cooking food for my workmates since Monday. And I can't even begin to describe the joy I'm feeling. :)

It's just so fulfilling to see them enjoy the food I've cooked and it drives me to become better at what I'm doing.

Here are some of the pictures. I apologize for the quality, I'm just using my phone. And sorry for the low-key utensils, I'm just starting out. Hehe.

I tried to bake this yesterday:

It's called Rich and Gooey Fudge Brownies, and I got it from Yummy Magazine's website. I wasn't very successful with it, but unlike my first attempt, it was edible. I didn't achieve the right appearance, but I'd like to think that it tasted good. It was a bit moist, but it lacks the gooey goodness. I'll try it again sometime.

Since I'm just using a turbo broiler, it takes a lot of trial and error before I can achieve the desired effect of what I'm baking. Thank God for the WorldWideWeb, I was able to find some help when it comes to baking using a convection oven. See here and here and here.

macaroon mayhem

The macaroons I baked on Sunday. Yes, it got a little too toasted and it wasn't very moist -- again! But I have to give myself some credit, it tasted like a macaroon and this was before I researched on how to correctly use my convection oven -- haha, I don't wanna call it a turbo broiler. :p

tuna teriyaki

My take on the tuna teriyaki. I tweaked it a bit by making a bed of buttered veggies. Sorry, it doesn't look the same as the picture on the original recipe, but it tasted like teriyaki. Hehe.

packed lunch -- yes, I'm selling 'em!

crispy pork spare ribs with kung pao sauce

Crispy Pork Spareribs with Kung Pao OK Sauce. I omitted the gin, though - I replaced it with extra oyster sauce and a bit of water. And I just couldn't find OK Sauce in any supermarket, so I made my own "Chinese Sauce" which I got from some website. 

Here's the recipe for the sauce:

• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Just mix everything and bring to a boil until sauce becomes thicker. There are a lot of variations for this recipe, though, some omit the oyster sauce while some add ginger, coriander, and chili.

I also didn't put black fungus cos I wasn't sure if it was tenga ng daga or something else. Haha. I also couldn't find snap peas in the supermarket, so I used Baguio beans instead. 

Today, we had Creamy Stir Fried Pork with Bell Peppers. I forgot to take a picture of it though. So far, it's the easiest among the recipes I've cooked this week. Haha.

So there you have it, my culinary journey finally unfolding. :)