2014 School Holidays

Kung Kung: " Ethan, your school so good. 
                        No holidays!"
Ethan:          " Deh!" crossing his 2 index fingers...... 
                     " Wrong! Holiday is good.
                        My school has no holidays, so no good!"


Ethan: " Mama, who is a writer?"
Mama: " You mean writer of a book? He is the author."
Ethan: " Then, who is the illustrator?"
Mama: " The person who draws the pictures in that story book.
               So, is he a drawer?"
Ethan:    Looking at the 2 drawers below the TV console,
                 ???????
                
                        

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

I received a big jar of organic, hand made peanut butter from

one of my nephews

who brought it all the way from New Zealand

It has no preservative and colouring 

and it tastes really good

so

I cannot help but try this recipe
from bakingtaitai

This newphew of mine has gone on a cruise

so cannot taste the cookies I just made
If time permits
I will bake another batch
just for him

His thoughts are well received with special thanks

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

1) 130g organic unbleached flour sifted with

      1/4 tsp cream of tartar

      1/4 tsp baking soda

      

      and combine with

      80g chocolate chips

      1/4 tsp salt

2) 55g butter creamed with

     100g castor sugar

     40g corn oil

     then, beat in

     1 egg

     40g peanut butter

     1 tsp vanilla extract

3) fold in dry ingredients to butter mixture

4) make small balls and place on lined baking tray

5) lightly press to flatten before baking in preheated oven 

6) of 160'C for 15min

7) let cookies rest in baking tray for 5min before removing

8) store in air-tight container

            

CRISPY CHOCOLATE CHIP & ALMOND COOKIES

Another copycat Famous Amos?

Not sure

but got the recipe from a friend

1) 125g plain flour sifted together with

     1/2 tsp baking soda

     1/2 tsp baking powder

     and add in

     1 cup rolled oats, blended

     1/2 tsp salt

     200g chocolate chips

     50g almond flakes

2) 125g butter creamed with

     45g castor sugar

     25g brown sugar

     1/2 tsp vanilla essence

3) add 1 egg to creamed butter, beat well

4) fold in the rest of the dry ingredients

5) make into small balls of 1" diameter

6) place on lined baking tray, lightly press to flatten

7) bake in preheated oven of 175'C for 15min

8) cookies will turn hard and crispy when cooled

ROLLED OATS BISCUITS

These crunchy rolled oat biscuits

comes in handy 

when you need a snack

Easy to prepare

and taste good too

Thank you Ann for the recipe

Rolled Oats Biscuits

100g plain flour sifted with

1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate & mix with

200g rolled oats

100g butter

80g molasses sugar

1 egg AA

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 vanilla essence

Method:

1) cream butter & sugar until light

2) add egg, salt & vanilla essence

3) add flour to butter mixture

4) mix briefly, & divide into 12g ball

5) put onto lined baking tray, press lightly to flatten

6) bake in preheated oven 180'C for 20min

7) store in air tight container

EGG WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Having 2 egg white in the freezer,

so happy I can use it for this bread,

Original Recipe

Egg White Sandwich Bread
130g fresh milk
1/2 tsp salt
80g egg white (2 eggs)
30g butter
300g bread flour
30g castor sugar
1 & 1/4 tsp dry yeast

1) all ingredients into the bread machine, dough cycle
2) let dough rise for 40min or until double
3) divide dough in half, roll flat into rectangle & then roll up like swiss roll
4) put into an oiled small loaf tin, or let standing free in a lined baking tray
5) let rise 45min or until double
6) bake in preheated oven 170'C for 25min

Note: can divide into 50g balls to make buns

FOOCHOW FISH MAW SOUP - KOH LOU

福州酸甜魚鳔

When you talk about Foochow people
it will not be possible to leave out
Foochow Fish Maw Soup
A sweet and sour soup
served during 
Celebrations and Festivals

'Koh Lou', a Foochow name
 is a favourite  fish maw soup dish

among the Foochow
and also known
among other dialects

'Koh Lou' or Foochow Fish Maw soup is sweet, sour and spicy,

with a generous serving of thick orangy gravy.

So, it is usually served in a large soup bowl
signifies abundance and generosity

Foo Chow people like soupy dishes

 like 'Kor Ta Au' which is tau fu soup

'Tai Pin Lonn' , egg soup
and many more

They even braise their noodles after frying

hence the 'cha ju mian'

which is very popular in Sitiawan

'Lu mian' 

noodles cooked in thick black gravy

just to name another favourite soupy noodle

Fish Maw

Fish Maw
deep fried and ready to be soaked in water

1 piece fish maw, chopped, deep fried & soaked in water to soften
2 Tbsp minced meat

few slices carrots

spring onions, cut

1 bowl stock, chicken

1 Tbsp ginger juice, squeezed from shredded ginger

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 chilli, sliced

2 Tbsp tomato sauce

4 Tbsp chilli sauce

1 Tsp lemon juice or vinegar (optional)

1 tsp sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp cornstarch diluted in 2 tsp water

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1) heat oil in kuali, fry garlic until fragrant

2) add minced meat, carrots & soften fish maw

3) add chicken stock & the rest of the seasoning

4) when boiling, turn fire to low & add beaten egg

5) if not thick enough, add cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

6) enjoy hot

Notes:

1) the sweet, sour and spicy taste is individual. You can easily adjust 

     with sugar, vinegar , chilli sauce or chilli to your taste.

2) if you like sea cucumber, it can be added together with the fish maw
3) you can bake the fish maw on HIGH until slightly brown, instead of deep              frying the raw fish maw. Must keep an eye on it. Don't let it burn, expensive        you know...

FOOCHOW FISH HEAD SOUP

魚頭湯

'Yu Tau Loong' in Foochow

is

hot and sour Fish Head Soup

In Sitiawan

you can order this soup in many of the restaurants

that serve local Foochow dishes

It has to be taken hot 

so that you do not get that fishy smell

6 pieces chopped fish head (depend on size) 

1/2 plant salted vegetable (kiam chai)

2 Tbsp cooking oil

2 chilli, cut

3 spring onions, cut

1 large piece ginger, sliced thinly

1 tomato, quartered
1 bowl fish stock

salt & pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp chili sauce (optional)

Method:

1) heat oil in kuali & fry ginger until fragrant

2) sear fish head in the hot oil

3) add tomato, pour in hot fish stock & let cook until fish is cooked

4) add seasoning & dish out

5) sprinkle cut chilli & spring onions on top before serving

6) serve hot!

This bowl has big onions 
and 
1/2 Tbsp chili sauce added

HOKKAIDO MILK LOAF

If you like milk

and 
you love soft and fluffy bun,

try biting into one of these

you will like it

 Hokkaido Milk Loaf

160g milk

100g whipping cream

1 large egg

1 tsp salt

3.5 tsp sugar

2 tsp milk powder

360g bread flour

40g cake flour

2 tsp yeast

Method:

1) all ingredients into the bread machine, dough cycle

2) let rise 1 hour

3) punch down & divide into 8 portions 

4) roll into balls and rest in bread paper cups to rise 20min or until double

5) brush top of bun with milk

6) bake in preheated oven 180'C for 20min

MIKU STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD

MIKU

is nice to look at, soft to the touch

and definitely wanting to bite into it 

I have tried many times making these mi koo

most of them come out wrinkled face

This is the first time 

with smooth and puffy face

Guess why?

I did not use my steamer

instead I steamed in my kuali

300g plain flour - sifted with baking powder

2 tsp double action baking powder
1/2 Tbsp shortening
125g warm water
75g castor sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp coconut milk/milk
2 tsp instant yeast
1/16 tsp alkali water

Method:
1) all ingredients in bread machine, dough cycle
2) let rest 30min
3) shape into 6 balls & place on parchment paper
     inside the steamer
4) let to rise 20-30min or until double in size
5) steam on high until water boils, turn to medium
6) total steaming time 15min
7) leave buns in steamer for 3-5min before opening 

Notes:
1) brush top of bun with slightly diluted red colour to give red colour

With special thanks to kimmy for the recipe

RUSTIC LOAF

Guess it is time to switch

 from baking soft buns

to rustic loaf

A) Sponge dough
      knead together 300g bread flour, 170g water, 10g brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt,
      4g instant yeast & 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and let rest 3 hours

B) Dough
      Add 40g raw oats, 60g bread flour, 10g brown sugar, 60g water, 15g  olive oil         to A and knead until smooth, divide into 2 balls & leave to rest in 2 bowls for       50min          

C) Topping
       Flour/oat flakes

Method:
1) remove dough from bowls, wet top of loaf & sprinkle toppings 
2) let to proof another40min on baking tray
3) slit loaf and let rest 20min, preheat oven to 200'C
4) before sending into the oven, mist loaf
5) bake for 30min, until brown

This recipe is enough to make 2 loaves

An oblong one

 and a round loaf