Diana Ser's home-cooked recipes are the ultimate treat for families!

Diana Ser's home-cooked recipes are the ultimate treat for families!

Yes, there are five love languages on how one can show love and appreciation to another. But nothing transcends the love and dedication that comes from the preparation of a home-cooked meal.

Especially with families staying home more often now due to the pandemic, being able to enjoy the company of loved ones in addition to a warm meal can be considered a blessing. 

Juggling work and motherhood, former actress Diana Ser often shares snippets of her family life on her social media. Married to former Singapore actor-turned-banker James Lye, she has three children, Jake, 14, Christy, 12, and Jaymee, 9.

Featured in this article are some of the amazing dishes that the 48-year-old Talking Point host has cooked for her family during the #stayhome period—as well as others from before.

Some too, feature kid-friendly recipes you might like to try!

1. Fried Beef Kway Teow

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The local favourite Beef Kway Teow looks like a simple dish, but yet requires great speed when it comes to stir-frying to perfection. 

Ser’s recipe includes the usual ingredients like beef, rice noodles, veggies, eggs, among others. One thing that’s missing however, are bean sprouts which Ser says her kids doesn’t eat. Relatable much, parents? 

2. Claypot Shrimp Balls with Tofu

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According to Ser, this Claypot shrimp balls with tofu dish is an adapted recipe by Garden Time Homemade Cuisine from Youtube that’s kid- and elderly-friendly.

Shrimp Ball Tofu Soup recipe: 

Ingredients

• Shrimp (250g)
• White pepper
• Salt 
• Sugar 
• Egg white
• Cornstarch 
• Tomato (120g) – sliced
• Soft tofu (200g) – diced 
• Scallion, part of the head 
• Hot water 
• Green onion – chopped

Method

• Peel shrimps, keep shrimp shells and set it aside
• Chop up the shrimp until it is paste-like
• Pour 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1/3 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1 egg white and 1 tbsp cornstarch into shrimp paste, then mix. (Stir the shrimps in one direction until they gain elasticity)
• Refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours, the texture will be more elastic
• Prepare a casserole (or small stockpot)
• Add 1 tbsp scallion into stockpot, as well as the shrimp shells kept from earlier
• Turn on the heat and add 240 ml hot water (Note: don’t pour in cold water when the pot is heating)
• Cook for 2 minutes with lid on
• After, remove the shrimp shell and add in the sliced tomato
• Bring to a boil again, cook tomato until it is soft
• Add in 1/3 tsp white pepper, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar and stir
• Scoop out balls of shrimp paste and add to soup
• Add soft tofu afterwards and close lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat
• Garnish with chopped green onions

3. Seafood Bouillabaisse

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Love seafood? Take inspiration from Ser’s homemade Seafood Bouillabaisse-style dish, a France’s classic Mediterranean fisherman’s stew of fresh local fish and shellfish in a sublime sauce of orange peel, saffron, and fennel.

Fish soups can be a source of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and high quality proteins that are great for growing kids too.

You can adjust the dish to your liking by substituting the type of fish, or omit the saffron spice or chilli, if the kids are not a fan! 

4. Chicken Bak Kut Teh with Mee Sua

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Nothing like a comforting bowl of homemade Bak Kut Teh to keep the stomach warm and happy.

Ser, however, replaced the usual pork ribs with chicken which presents a healthier option for the family.

Plus, these dough fritters on the side looks so good too that her followers flocked to ask for the recipe, which Ser revealed was store bought. Here’s a tip though, you can cut frozen prata into strips and deep fry them to get them fluffy you tiaos.

5. Burger with Cheesy Corn Fritters

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These homemade burgers by Ser for the kiddos surely take the cake! The inside is soft, loaded with melty cheese, and fresh bits of juicy corn, which still provides the necessary fibre for her kids. 

In incorporating vegetables or fibre into a burger, some suggestions from Ser’s followers include: 

• Grate cauliflower and turn then into crisps to serve as chips. They can also be sandwiched into the burger
• Incorporate wheatgerm into burger patties
• Mix all the chopped veggies into the beef patty
• Shepherd’s pie with mixed vegetables

If you’d like to recreate this yummy dish, here’s the recipe.

6. Panfried Chicken Breast (stuffed with pesto and mozzarella cheese)

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Oozing with cheese, this deletable Panfried Chicken Breast that’s stuffed with pesto and mozzarella cheese is simple to create, especially for busy parents. 

Ser dishes out tips on how she prepares it: “Try [to] get freshly made pesto. Makes a difference! And season the outside of the chicken breasts before you pan fry”.

If you prefer to bake rather than pan fry, Ser recommends to season salt and pepper on the outside of the chicken breast and pat on some olive oil.

7. Prawn Mee Soup

A personal favourite dish of Ser’s is a hearty piping hot bowl of Prawn Mee Soup!

For the prawn mee broth, Ser says she uses prawn shells, pork ribs, dried shrimps, carrots and onions. According to Ser’s Instagram post, some of the ingredients that her followers use include:

• La La (clams)
• Dried Oysters and Scallops
• Prawn head and caramelised rock sugar
• Pork lard
• Fried garlic, shallots, prawn shells, ikan bilis and black peppercorns 
• Prawn paste
• Bean paste, caramelised rock sugar, prawn head (slow cook 45mins)
• Bak kut teh herbs

Some food for thought, perhaps, to amp up the flavours!

8. White Pomfret

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Pomfrets are one of the best fishes that benefits heart and brain health, with its low mercury content—a better alternative especially for pregnant women and younger children. 

Prepping this healthy dish for her kids, this sweet and tender white pomfret is accompanied with mushrooms, tomatoes, ginger and coriander. 

9. Trout with Butter Sauce Infused with Garlic and Coriander

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No, this isn’t salmon, but trout. According to Ser, it tastes more tender and cooks easily — although slightly more pricy too. A fuss-free meal to prep and cook, Ser says this yummy dish only takes 20 minutes to make. 

10. Scrambled Eggs on Croissant with Cheesy Sausage

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Made for her boys, this homemade classic breakfast dish by Ser includes super light and crisp croissant, packed with delightful scrambled eggs with cheesy sausage and cherry tomatoes on the side.

11. Five Spice Chicken Chop

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Mouth-watering much? Collect the pan juices from this glistening Five Spice Chicken Chop for the gravy. Simply add butter and corn starch (optional) to thicken, Ser says.

And if you like, you can also brown the chicken chop before popping them into the oven — which Ser did. But the question remains: to use an air fryer or conventional oven?

This article was first published in theAsianparent.