10 Restaurant Quality Recipes for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Have you got anything planned? If you're planning on cooking your loved one a romantic meal at home, here are 10 restaurant-quality recipes you can easily recreate at home. Guaranteed to impress ;)

Click on name of dish for the full recipe.


1. Ham and rock melon
This is popularly served as a starter in Spanish or Italian restaurants, we had this numerous times while we were holidaying in Marbella.

To make this, no cooking skills are required. All you need to do is buy a rock melon and good-quality Jamon Iberico or Jamon serrano or Prosciutto. Cut the melon into slices and drape the Prosciutto over it. You can also make them into canapes (recipe here). Lovely with a glass of champagne.

2. Pan seared scallops with cauliflower puree and bacon crumble
This is my favorite scallop recipe, which I have cooked many times in my humble kitchen for my man. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks really great on the plate too. A sure-fire way to impress your date, yes?

3. Chunky mushroom soup with truffle oil
Who doesn't like mushroom soup, especially when it's made with several different types of mushrooms and then finished off with a drizzle of truffle oil. You can make this early in the morning and then just reheat before serving.

4. Tenderloin steak with pumpkin mash
Steaks are incredibly easy to cook at home. You can also use rib eye or sirloin (these will not require a meat thermometer) - simply cook a 1 inch steak for 2 minutes each side for medium rare doneness.

5. Spaghetti with zucchini and king prawns
If your other half is a fan of Italian cuisine, make this pasta dish and reenact that kiss scene from "Lady and the Tramp". ;)

6. Risotto with scallops, asparagus and bacon bits
Another great Italian dish to recreate at home is risotto. It does require a little more effort, but nonetheless a simple dish to make. Creamy, rich and comforting, your other half will be most impressed and give you an A+ for your effort and the love that goes into making that risotto.

7. Roast lamb loin chops with rosemary and fries
Go to the supermarket and get 4-6 lamb loin chops and a packet of frozen fries and pop them in the oven. In 20 minutes or so, dinner is ready! How is that for easy?

8. Strawberry mille-feuille
Mille-feuille is an elegant and impressive-looking dessert. But guess what, it's soooooo easy to make. Plus Korean strawberries (the best kind!) is in season right now.

9. Passion fruit meringue
Meringues can be made ahead of time (ie make them the evening before) so all you have to do on Valentine's Day is to whip some cream and scoop out the passion fruit onto the meringue. More time to spend with your love!

10. Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate is considered as a powerful aphrodisiac, so you can't go wrong with chocolate brownies on Valentine's Day. Another dessert you can make the evening before, top it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a winner!

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Recipe: Stir fried leeks with Chinese mushrooms and king prawns

It's finally February, which means that Chinese New Year is just 18 days away! Woohooo! This month, I will be hosting Cook and Celebrate: CNY 2015 with two wonderful ladies, so do submit and share any CNY recipes you have with us.

To kick-start this event, I'm sharing an auspicious dish, fit to be served at your dinner table throughout the CNY period. Leeks 蒜 are commonly served as the name is a homophone for "calculating (money)" (算suàn), mushrooms 冬菇 mean longevity and prawn 虾 sounds like laughter "ha ha ha". Last year, we cooked a similar dish with dried shrimps , but this week we bought some really nice, fresh and juicy king prawns so it went into this dish.

Such a simple, delicious dish - the kids got their hands (and mouths) on all the prawns as soon as I finished with the photo taking.

Here's to more money, longevity and happiness in the Year of Goat. :)

Stir fried leeks with Chinese mushrooms and king prawns
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8-9 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
350g leeks (4 stalks), trimmed and sliced into 2" lengths at an angle
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp cooking oil
3 Chinese or shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced thinly
12 king prawns, shelled and deveined with tails intact
1 tsp ginger wine
1 tsp chicken stock granules


1. In a wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and fry for 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and stir fry for a minute.

2. Add the leeks and stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the ginger wine and allow to cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the king prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes, until prawn are cooked through. Season with chicken stock granules and serve immediately.

Note: For those who cannot take alcohol, you can omit ginger wine completely or replace with ginger juice (grate and squeeze).

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Chinese New Year recipes for the whole month of February 2015.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in February 2015 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:

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Exclusive Valentine's Dinner @ Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

This Valentine's, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is opening up their Executive Lounge for the first time to love birds to celebrate the occasion with a romantic meal.

Dubbed "Love is in the Air", couples are literally whisked up to the 26th Floor to be dazzled with the city skyline while enjoying a specially crafted 4-course menu. The Executive Lounge is normally only accessible to executive guests of the hotel. This Valentine's dinner package is limited to only 35 tables at RM250 nett per person.  If booked before 7th February 2015, guests will receive the Early Love Bird offer of 15% off total bill.

A romantic, relaxed setting which oversees the city skyline

The chefs preparing this meal will be from the hotel's La Cucina Mediterranean Restaurant, where I had two great meals in 2014. Guests will have a choice of 3 dishes to choose from for every course, which are made using the freshest ingredients sourced locally and from overseas. To start, guests will also be served a glass of champagne each and be presented with a complimentary gift (cute XO shakers).

Cheers! Bubbles to keep a girl happy ;)

For appetizer, guests can choose to have either foie gras terrine, salmon and barramundi carpaccio, or Caprese salad. I had the foie gras terrine, and I really enjoyed it. The terrine was smooth and paired well with the apple celery timbale and aged balsamic reduction. Loved the romantic touches throughout the meal i.e. heart-shapes appearing in dishes. My date had the salmon and barramundi carpaccio, which was light and fresh.

Next course is the soup, where you can choose from cauliflower, crab bisque or tomato gazpacho. I totally love the cauliflower soup with scallop ceviche (now you know why I love it, right?). The soup was rich but not cloying and the scallop ceviche added a nice texture contrast. The crab bisque will be perfect for those who love stronger flavours.

For main course, the choices are Black Angus beef tenderloin, caramelised crispy roasted duck breast, or pan seared white cod fish. Surprisingly, even as a meat lover, my vote for best mains would go to the perfectly cooked cod fish - a generous chunk of beautiful, fresh fish with crispy skin. It is served with lobster oil and spinach risotto. The beef tenderloin was served with a cute heart-shaped polenta, though for me personally I would prefer to have mashed potatoes or mashed pumpkin with it as I am not a fan of polenta.

To end the meal on a sweet note, guests have the choice of raspberry mousse, triple chocolate pleasure, or chocolate tart and vanilla creme brulee. For me, the raspberry mousse was the perfect sweet ending as it was tart and delicious, and the heart-shaped chocolate totally won my heart. The triple chocolate pleasure was also good - enjoyed the smooth, creamy texture.

My 4 choices for the perfect, romantic meal :)

Thanks to Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar for spoiling us with this romantic meal.



This "Love is in the Air" promotion is available on Valentine's Day 14th February 2015, and is priced at RM250 nett. Book early before 7th Feb, to enjoy 15% off. Advantage Plus members are also entitled to 15% discount. For booking or inquiries, call 03-2298 1857 or email H7972@accor.com.





Location: Executive Lounge, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar, No 1 Jalan Pantai Jaya, Tower 3, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2298 1857

GPS Coordinates: 3.115850, 101.6632

Website: http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-7962-pullman-kuala-lumpur-bangsar-/index.shtml


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A Review of 2014 + Happy New Year 2015

2014 has certainly flown past quickly. This year has definitely been a delicious year for me and the family, as we sampled many new recipes as well as restaurants in KL. Here is a recap and some of the highlights of 2014 for me:

Top 5 Most Popular Recipes in 2014:
1. Chinese fishball noodle soup
2. Bak kwa 肉干 (Chinese pork jerky)
3. German cookies
4. Sticky spiced chicken wings
5. Sarawak laksa

Top 5 Most Popular Restaurant Reviews in 2014:
1. Tous Les Jours
2. Soleil, PJ
3. Harrods Cafe & Ben's by BIG
4. The Beato Steakhouse
5. Seafood Buffet at Gobo Chit Chat, Trader's Hotel

Top 5 Most Popular Travel/Parenting/Gardening Posts:
1. My Herb & Fruit Garden
2. A Day Out with the Kids at Semenyih
3. Genting Skyway Cable Car Ride
4. Hotel Review: Gaya Island Resort
5. Hamburg Fish Market, Germany

Best Dish I Ate in 2014: Sage - Hiramasa with black truffle shavings and soy vinaigrette

#BabySumoKids favorite dish in 2004: Spaghetti with bacon, zucchini and Parmesan

#BabySumoKids favorite thing to cook: Scrambled eggs and dark soy sauce chicken

3 Things I cooked in 2014 for the first time and will continue to cook in 2015: Siew yuk (roast pork), Roast duck and Foie gras

3 Fav Things to cook in 2014: Steak, pasta and risotto

3 Fav Dining Experience in 2014: Molecular Dinner by Jeff Ramsey,  Silver Darling, and Maruhi Sakaba

Highlights in 2014 as a blogger: Surpassing 5 million page views, being featured as Nuffnang's Blogger of the Month in Nov , getting to watch Mamma Mia musical in Malaysia and working together with WORLDFOODS.

Thank you all for reading. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and see you in 2015 :)




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Recipe: Avocado Salad with Tobiko and Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Hi everyone, how did your Christmas celebrations go? We had a really fantastic day , from good food to good company and good fun. 

For Christmas dinner, I was very pleased to have served this amazing spread to my family and guests - we had perfectly cooked tenderloin steaks or balsamic roasted chicken (for those who didn't take beef), served with crispy roasted potatoes, Brussel sprouts and baby carrots, and avocado and tomato salad with tobiko and crabstick. The salad was really good, hence I am sharing the recipe with you all today.  

For this salad, you can use either tobiko (flying fish roe) or ebiko (shrimp roe). Other ingredients include butterhead lettuce, wild rocket, cherry tomatoes, crabstick and ripe avocados, and then dressed with my all-time favorite salad dressing, honey-balsamic vinaigrette. Light, tasty and easy to throw together! Looks wonderfully festive too :)

Avocado and tomato salad with tobiko and crabsticks

Avocado salad with tobiko and honey-balsamic vinaigrette
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 medium ripe Hass avocados
1/2 lemon, juice only
1 1/2 butterhead lettuce (about 150g), halve the leaves
30g wild rocket
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
4-5 crabsticks
5-6 tbsp tobiko


For the dressing
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper


1. To pit the avocado, first you need to find the stalk and remove it. Hold it horizontally, with a knife through the centre until you hit the seed then move the knife in a circular motion until you go all the away around. Twist the avocado halves in opposite direction and it will come apart easily into 2 halves. Sink the knife into the avocado seed and remove. Peel off skin. Squeeze lemon juice all over to avoid discoloration. Chop the avocado into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt.

2. Place the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Lightly blanch the crabsticks in hot water for 30 seconds, then drain and shred lengthwise.

4. Place avocado, lettuce, rocket and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Top with crabsticks and tobiko, then pour over dressing. Garnish with some lemon cress. Toss and serve.

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Christmas recipes for the whole month of December 2014.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in December 2014 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:




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Merry Christmas + How We Spent Christmas 2014

Wishing all my dear readers and friends...

a very Merry Christmas, 

Frohe Weihnachten,

Joyeux Noël, 

Feliz Navidad

圣诞节快乐!

Have a wonderful, blessed celebration.

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Good morning! For Christmas Day breakfast, we had fluffy "A-Merry-Kan" (American) pancakes with fresh berries, whipped cream, maple syrup and caramel sauce! Recipe can be found here.

After breakfast, we opened some presents... 

Some of the things the kids requested from Santa Claus this year.... Sylvanian Families Pizza Parlor, Ice Cream Van and Candy Cart to add to their collection.

And while the kids were playing with their new toys... mummy cooked lunch..... a really delicious risotto with seared scallops and foie gras! Garnished with some lemon cress. So so good! You can check out the recipe here. Thanks to my team of sous chefs who helped out - The Unc and Hubby :)

Tea Break at 2.30pm - Pandoro, Japonais, Walker's Scottish shortbread, German Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Wagon wheels. YUM!

Our Christmas Dinner - so pleased that I managed to cook 7 tenderloin steaks to perfection tonight as well as balsamic roasted chicken for my guests who do not take beef. Side dishes include roasted potatoes with rosemary and thyme, brussel sprouts and baby carrots as well as an avocado and tobiko salad.

Paired with Moet & Chandon champagne.. cheers!

YUM.. perfectly cooked steak!

Ending our Christmas celebrations on a high note with this awesome cheese platter, consisting of Camembert, Parmesan, Cheddar, Emmental, Gouda and Blue Cheese, as well as chorizo, dried figs, strawberries, sun dried tomatoes, goose liver pate with truffles and Riesling.

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