Sunday, 30 October 2016

BAKED DIM SUM PAU

 
餐包
Chang Pau
is 
baked bun with pork or chicken filling

It is a variation from the normal Steamed Pau
having the same filling

Its glossy top makes it so attractive

I have adapted the bun recipe from
Joe, bakeforhappykids


using semi-cooked dough method
makes 24 buns

For the Buns:
A. 120g bread flour
     120g hot boiling water

B. (ingredients to be at room temperature)
     100g milk
     100g whipping cream
     1 large egg, 50g without shell
     380g bread flour
     70g sugar
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 & 3/4 tsp yeast
     50g butter

extra milk for brushing bun before going into oven

Filling:
180g char siew, cut into little cubes
1 big onions, cut into little cubes 
2 Tbsp chopped spring onion
2 Tbsp roasted sesame
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp char siew suace
soya sauce & pepper to taste
thickening: 1 Tbsp corn flour + 2 Tbsp water

Cook Filling:
1) heat oil in a wok & fry onions until fragrant
2) add char siew & fry, add water & the seasoning
3) add spring onions & roasted sesame & lastly thickening
4) remove from heat & let cool in fridge

For A
Pour boiling water over flour & mix until it forms a sticky gluey dough.  When the dough has firmed up, cover & leave aside to cool for 15min at room temperature.

For B
  1. put all ingredients from B & the cooled A into the bread maker. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Allow dough to prove for 1 hour until double in size.
  2. divide dough into 24 equal portions (about 40g each), roll each dough into a ball & let rest 10min
  3. press into a disc & put 1 Tbsp filling & wrap up as buns. Allow to proof for 60min until double in size
  4. brush bun with milk and bake in preheated oven 180'C for 14min or until buns are thoroughly cooked
  5. Transfer buns immediately to cool on rack



GINSENG 'BEARDS' CHICKEN SOUP


I am using 

Korean Ginseng Fine Roots or 'beards' 
for this chicken soup

The 'beards' of Korean Ginseng
is similar in colour 
to the main root
but
the strength has been greatly reduced.

It is no longer heaty
and
it helps in cleaning of blood
especially useful to those who have skin problems
like pimples and rashes

Ginseng roots are sold in bundles like this



Ginseng 
has a bitter taste

As such, other herbs such as huai san, dried longan and wolfberries 
are added to sweeten the soup




1 chicken thigh, or other parts (kampong chicken)
10-20g ginseng roots
2 rice bowls of hot water
12g huai san
8 longan
1-2 Tbsp wolfberries
salt to taste (optional)

1) blanch chicken in boiling water, drained
2) rinse all herbs & put into a steaming bowl
3) add hot water & chicken
4) double boil for 3 hours
5) add salt to taste if required



Wednesday, 26 October 2016

FOOCHOW TAI PING LONN



Have you ever seen people fry eggs this way?

Hard boil it & fry in oil!
The Foochow people does

More interestingly, duck egg is used instead of chicken

There is a story behind it!

Well, Foochow in China lives by the sea 
and their livelihood depends 
on fishing

While the men are getting ready to go out to the sea
the ladies started cooking this dish
to eat together as a mark of 
REUNION
and for 
PEACE and SAFETY 

In Foochow, "Lonn" is egg
"Tai Ping" is Peace and safety
when put together it means Peace & safety for the trip

But why duck egg?

In Foochow, duck egg is called "Ark Lonn"
"Ark Lonn" in Foochow, 
also means suppress the storm & waves in the sea

So, they chose to use duck egg 
for
similarity in sound
and 
purpose accomplish!

Of course
eating the eggs this way 
can be very dry

For this reason,
Tai Ping Lonn comes with soup 
since Foochow people loves soup dishes






To them
this is a luxury
because oil is used to fry the eggs
other times
they just poach them

If you are interested
I would like to share with you this recipe


Tai Ping Lonn

duck eggs, hard boiled (of course you can use chicken eggs)
chinese long cabbage, cut
carrots, sliced
spring onions, cut to 1" length
pork, either slice or minced
chicken stock, or granules
shallots
salt & pepper to taste

1. heat some oil in the wok 
2. fry eggs, turning often so that all sides get browned, remove
3. fry shallots until fragrant, remove
4. add pork slices if used & fry, add enough stock for soup
5. when boiled, add vegetables
6. when vegetable is soft, add fried eggs and fried shallots
7. salt & pepper to taste, serve

Note: If use minced pork like me, 
           mix it with salt & pepper & corn starch
           and add to the soup while the vegetable is boiling


ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE



Chiffon Cakes
are widely baked among the bloggers

There are so many recipes
in the Facebook

I have adapted this recipe from

Orange Chiffon Cake

3 egg yolks
10g sugar
20g corn oil
45g orange juice
5g orange peels
5g honey or syrup
55g cake flour, sifted

3 egg white
40g sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar or 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1. beat egg yolks with 10g sugar
2. add oil, orange juice, orange peels and honey
3. fold in sifted flour in 3 batches & set aside
4. whisk egg white, add cream of tartar, then add 40g sugar gradually
5. beat until stiff peak
6. add 1/3 meringue to egg yolk to combine
7. add the remaining meringue in 2 additions, fold to combine well
8. pour batter into ungreased 6" round cake pan. 
9. tap pan on working table to remove trapped air bubbles
10. bake in preheated oven 170"C for 35-40min at lowest rack







Monday, 24 October 2016

6 HERB SOUP


六味湯


六味湯
This is an appetizing
and clear soup
with 6 herbs 
as shown in the photo below



The following has an additional item:
 sar shen.

  

It is good as a dessert
by adding some barley pearls to boil together.
When ready, sweeten it with some rock sugar

This is good for the little ones in the family
as it helps to increase appetite 

6 herbs soup
(can be bought in ready packet from a chinese medical shop)

15g huai san
25g dried lotus seeds
30g yu zhu
15g see sud
25g pak hup
15g longan
1 chicken thigh
2 chicken feet

1) rinse the herbs & put into a double boiler or slow cooker
2) add chicken thigh & feet
3) add enough boiling water
4) double boil for 2-3 hours
5) serve

FOOCHOW TUAI WON CHAR



大碗炒

Tuai Won Char
in foochow
simply means "Big Bowl Fried Vegetable"

This is a common dish
in the Chinese Community

but 

different dialects
have their special ingredients added if I am not wrong

Foochow ancestors
live by the seaside
so the ingredients automatically include seafood
like prawns, sea cucumber and cuttle fish

Another must have
is the fried bean curd skin and glass noodles

As for other
types and amount of ingredients put in
varies according to availability 
during that time

This dish is served
during celebrations especially Chinese New Year
where there is abundance of food 

To get a taste of all food available
simply put them together
and
present it in a big bowl
so
everyone can pick what they want to eat 
from this big bowl 
during family re-union

A great idea isn't it?

Tuai Won Char

green leafy vegetables (I use chye sin flowers)
chinese long cabbage
carrot, sliced
prawns
cuttle fish (I use sea cucumber)
dried bean curd skin (DO NOT WASH)
glass noodles, soaked & drained
black fungus, soaked & shredded
mushroom (I use dried ones, soaked & shredded)
gingko nuts
pork, sliced or minced
shallots, shredded
2 slices of ginger
oyster sauce
pepper & soya sauce 

1) heat some oil in the kuali, fry dried bean curd, remove 
2) add shallots & fry till fragrant, remove
3) add ginger slice and fry until fragrant
4) add pork, carrots, mushrooms, black fungus, gingko nuts & fry
5) add prawns, cuttle fish and the rest of the vegetables
6) add water & let cook until ready
7) add the remaining ingredients, fried bean curd skin & fried shallots
8) add oyster sauce, soya sauce & pepper to taste
9) serve hot














Sunday, 23 October 2016

HEALTHY BLACK RICE DESSERT




Healthy 
Black Rice 
or Purple Rice Dessert


Much has been said in a program series 'Healthy 123' in Astro
about the function of our kidney
and
that it needs to be well looked after

Many of the food for strengthening the kidney 
are black in colour 
and these includes black beans, black fungus, black rice etc

This is one dessert that they recommended
for such purpose

The ingredients are laid before you




Healthy Black Rice Dessert

black rice or purple rice (soaked at least 4 hours)
some red dates
some wolfberries
few slices of lotus roots
tea (use red tea bags to brew)紅茶
brown sugar, to taste

  1. wash purple or black rice and soak for 4 hours 
  2. make a tumbler of tea with one or more tea bag紅茶
  3. pour rice & rice water into a pot, add the rest of the ingredients
  4. add enough tea to boil porridge
  5. bring to a boil, and continue to simmer until rice is soft
  6. add more tea when the porridge thickens
  7. when ready, add brown sugar to taste





COPYCAT BREAD TALK PORK FLOSS BUNS





If you are a lover of 
Pork Floss Buns
you will not resist these soft and bouncy buns
that are generously topped with pork floss

Biting into these buns,
the generous topping of pork floss taste so marvelous.
It does not feel dry at all
with the spread of mayonnaise layer 
right into the centre of the bun.

In fact
it gives a tint of sour from the lemon juice
and 
a faint sweetness from the condensed milk

The taste is so distinctive!

Special thanks to 
Joe, bakeforhappykids for the recipe


Copycat Bread Talk Pork Floss Buns
using semi-cooked dough method
makes 12 buns

For the Buns:
A. 120g bread flour
     120g hot boiling water

B. (ingredients to be at room temperature)
     100g milk
     100g whipping cream
     1 large egg, 50g without shell
     380g bread flour
     70g sugar
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 & 3/4 tsp yeast
     50g butter

extra milk for brushing bun before going into oven

For Floss Topping:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp condense milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup or more pork or chicken floss
1 Tbsp each of roasted white & black sesame seeds
2 Tbsp shredded seaweed (optional)

For A
Pour boiling water over flour & mix until it forms a sticky gluey dough.  When the dough has firmed up, cover & leave aside to cool for 15min at room temperature.

For B

  1. put all ingredients from B & the cooled A into the bread maker. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Allow dough to prove for 1 hour until double in size.
  2. divide dough into 12 equal portions (about 80g each) and mould it into rounds. Cover and allow to rest for 10min 
  3. to shape, roll each dough into a flat oval shape. Roll them up lengthwise, seal the seam and both ends. Arrange on lined baking tray with seams facing down. Allow to proof for 60min until double in size
  4. brush dough with milk and bake in preheated oven 180'C for 14min or until bun are thoroughly cooked
  5. Transfer buns immediately to cool on rack

To assemble:
1. whisk to combine mayonnaise, condensed milk and lemon juice in a bowl
2. in another bowl, combine floss, sesame seeds * shredded seaweed
3. make a slit lengthwise from the top in the middle of each bun. 
4. spread a thin layer of mayonnaise mixture in the slit & on the entire top of bun
5. dip the mayonnaise coated surface into the floss mixture, press in to coat as much     floss as possible. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. Assemble only the number of buns to be consumed
2. store uneaten plain buns in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days
3. these buns are best served warm



  



BENGGALI BREAD

Benggali Bread or Roti Benggali
is a traditional bread
enjoyed by Malay, Chinese and Indian.

My mom likes this Benggali Bread 
now otherwise known as Chinese Kopitiam White Bread.

Oval Benggali Bread


Special thanks to 
Cheryl Banaena for the recipe


Round Benggali Bread




Benggali Bread 

375g bread flour
200-210g water or milk
70g whipping cream or yoghurt
25g sugar
5g salt
5g yeast (reduce 1/2 if overnight proofing)
25g butter or oil 

1. all ingredients into the bread machine, bread dough cycle
2. leave overnight to retard, if not let rise for 1 hr at room temperature
3. bring to room temp. to rise, punch down.
4. roll & fold to shape into 2 loaves
5. leave to rest for 60min at room temp.
6. sift flour over buns & slash buns for design
7. bake in preheated oven 175'C for 45 min



Soft & spongy Texture



Notes:

1. make sure the bread is baked till well done. 
2. Good bread must be spongy and bouncy, never doughy, gluey and gummy
3. can be shaped into round or oval free standing bread
4. sprinkle with flour & slashed for better look
5. with added fruits if preferred