SOFT SOFT BUN

SOFT SOFT BUNS

Asian love soft soft buns.

Children love soft soft buns.

Many love soft buns, how about you?

Soft buns

comes in plain pull apart buns

or 

with sweet or savoury fillings.

These soft buns are flavourful with added milk and eggs!

You can bake it plain too.

Soft Soft Buns

215g milk

320 bread flour

80g plain flour (I used oat flour)

1.5 tsp instant yeast

1 egg

50g sugar

40g butter

1 tsp salt

1. all ingredients into the bread machine, bread dough cycle 1.5 hours

2. shape and place on lined baking tray, proof 1 hour until double in size

3. egg wash the top & decorate as you like

4. bake in preheated oven 190'C for 20-25min

PULLMAN LOAF

Pullman Loaf

need not be plain.

I have used oat flour for this recipe

and it is still soft and nice.

You can very well replace the oat flour with quinoa flour

or whole meal flour

Pullman Loaf

(sufficient for 4"x4"x12" pullman)

300g water

85g oat flour

400g bread flour

45g brown sugar

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp instant yeast

30g butter

1. all ingredients into the bread machine, bread dough cycle 1.5 hours 

2. remove and shape and leave in pullman to proof 1 hour

3. when dough reaches almost to the brim, cover the pullman

4. bake in preheated oven 190'C for 45min.

WEIGHT LOSS RED BEAN SOUP

Red Beans

is loved by many for its taste and soft creamy texture.

It is commonly used to cook desserts

like sweet soups and pancakes.

It is also used as fillings for Bao and Buns.

Seldom people realize that it has medicinal value too.

It is used to eliminate 'dampness' from the body

as recorded in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

It is effective in removing fluid from the body

and reducing swelling.

It is an agent to stimulate weight Loss too.

Very often, water retention in our body makes us look fat and swollen!

Perhaps you may like to have a look at the benefits 

of red beans here

To help reduce body fluid, you may like to try this:

Weight Loss Red Bean Soup

38g red bean

38g lotus seeds, shoots removed

8g Fu Ling, break into small pieces

600g water

raw sugar to taste, optional

          

1) soak red bean, lotus seeds and Fu Ling for 3 hours or more

2) drain and add 600g water and bring to a boil

3) lower heat to simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until the nuts and beans are soft

4) add sugar if necessary

Note:

1) After cooking, you should be having a watery soup instead of a thick creamy porridge.

2) Better to consume everything, nuts and water to get the best benefit

3) Lotus seeds and Fu Ling are added for its medicinal value too.

    You can have a look at the medicinal value on the link high lighted.

   

PORK MEAT BALLS

Meat Balls

The method and ingredients used to make these meat balls 

by the various cooks

are almost the same.

In order that the meat balls are nice and bouncy,

make sure that the meat is processed until it is gluey and comes together.

Minced ginger is recommended

because it adds flavour and crunch!

Ingredients:

500g minced pork, chilled

1/2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp corn flour

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2 ice cubes

Flavoring - either a shake of aromat or 1 Tbsp fish sauce 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp baking powder (optional)

1. all ingredients into the food processor to beat until gluey and comes together

2. take a handful of the batter, squeeze it out through the thumb and the index finger

3. scoop out the ball of meat paste and drop into the boiling water

4. once the meat ball floats, it is cooked.

Meat Balls in thick soya sauce

Meat Balls in Baked Rice

DATE SQUARES

Date Squares

 are shortbread with filling of dates.

I wish to express special thanks to Kenneth Goh.

I have adapted this recipe from his

Pineapple Jam Slice.

Since dates are in season now 

for Hari Raya Celebration,

I have used it to encourage more people to taste it.

Recent research shows that 

Dates are rich in vitamins, minerals
and high in fibre.
Are these what we are looking for in our daily food?

Dates,
having the skin peeled and the seeds removed

Date Squares

150g dates, skin & seeds removed

250g plain flour, sifted and mixed with 1/4 tsp salt

125g cold butter

1 egg white

egg wash: egg yolk+2 drops of water

1. using your finger tips, rub in method of cold butter into the flour until crumbly

2. add in beaten egg white to combine

3. transfer dough to a lined baking tray 20cmx20cm, press evenly 

4. use a fork to prick some holes on the pastry

5. bake in preheated oven 180'C for 12min

6. take out the short crust pastry & arrange the pitted dates closely together

    on top of 1/2 of the pastry

7. scrape out the pastry from the other 1/2 & crumble it

8. sprinkle these on top of the dates evenly, press to compact it

9. egg wash the pastry & bake for another 15-20min until golden brown

10. cut into squares when cooled.

SALTED FISH PORK BELLY

Salted Fish Pork Belly

is an appetizing dish to go with steamed rice.

The dark gravy is thick, 

flavorful and slightly spicy with the cut chili added.

Salted fish is the focus of the dish.

It contributes to its unique flavour.

Whereas, the pork belly, having absorbed the flavour from the gravy

simply taste delicious!

Salted Fish
has been used in various Oriental dishes
like fried rice, fried bean sprouts, Nonya achar etc.

The popular salted fish used in Chinese Cooking is 'Danau'
which is from Kuantan.
It is a fillet from big white fish, salted & dried.
It can be quite expensive!

Salted Fish Pork Belly

1 piece 1"x3" danau salted fish, soak in water to soften, cut into 1/2 cm thick slices 

150g thinly sliced pork belly, cut into 1" squares

1/2 medium size onion, shredded

3 red chillies, cut into chunks

5 slices old ginger

2 garlic, smashed

oil for cooking

Seasoning

2 tsp dark soya sauce

2 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

salt & pepper to taste

Thickening: 1 tsp corn flour + 2 tsp water

1) heat up enough oil (2-3 Tbsp) in the kuali, put in the salted fish and leave to fry

2) turn the other side over when it is done. Avoid turning too often.

3) remove the salted fish when it is done.

4) to the hot oil, add garlic, ginger, onions and chili, fry until fragrant

5) add pork belly and salted fish, stir fry until the pork changes colour

6) add 1/2 bowl water & allow to simmer until the flavour comes out from the salted fish

7) add seasoning and thickener.

8) enjoy with white rice.

GREEN TEA BUTTER COOKIES

This green tea  Butter Cookies recipe

is from

Jeannie Tay

Green tea Butter Cookies 

63g butter

32g sugar

15g milk

63g all purpose flour

30g rice flour

1 tsp green tea (sifted together with flours)

1. cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2min)

2. add sifted flours and milk and mix until just combined

3. pipe out desired shapes onto a baking sheet

4. bake in preheated oven 160'C for 20min

5. cool completely before storing in air tight containers.

APPLE WALNUT CAKE

Apple Walnut Cake

This is a flavourful Cake.

It is light, spongy and moist.

The aroma of cinnamon fills the house while baking.

Apple Walnut Cake

140g coconut oil

140g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

1/8 tsp salt

150g apple, shredded finely

30g toasted walnut, chopped

1. sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg powder.

2. mix in salt & walnuts, and leave aside until required

3. whisk together oil and sugar

4. whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well combined

5. add apple & mix well

6. gently fold in dry ingredients, Do not over mix!

7. pour into a parchment lined 17cm round pan

8. bake in preheated oven 180'C for 45min, until skewer inserted comes out clean

9. leave to cool

SHREDDED PORK WITH BUNS

In Putien Restaurants, Singapore,

this dish is known as

Shredded Pork with Sesame Buns.

The buns are soft & fluffy

while the pork is tender and tasty,

a very good combination.

If you like the buns to be fried,

heat up enough oil over medium heat,

drop the buns in to fry until golden.

Sometimes, mantou is used in place of these half moon buns.

The methods are straight forward

and the ingredients are simple.

To make the Buns:

Bun

175g pau flour

1/2 tsp double action baking powder

1/2 tsp instant yeast

20g sugar

5g shortening

100g milk

1. all ingredients into the bread machine, knead for 15min until smooth

    and leave to proof for 15min after that.

2. divide dough into 13 portions of 25g each & form into balls

3. roll ball flat into oblong, oil 1/2 the surface of the oblong with corn oil 

    & fold into 1/2 before placing onto an oiled steaming pan.

4. leave bun in the steamer to proof for 20min

5. steam bun from cold water for 15min

6. when done, leave bun in steamer for another 2-3min before opening the cover

    to allow the buns to slowly cool down.

Filling:

150g thinly sliced pork belly, cut into strips

1 large or 2 medium size onion, shredded

2 Tbsp oil for cooking

Seasoning:

combine in a small bowl

1 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp light soya sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp chinese cooking wine

1 tsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

2-3 Tbsp water

salt & pepper to taste

Thickener: 1 tsp corn starch + 2 tsp water

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1. heat up oil in a wok & fry onions until soft

2. push the onions to the sides of pan & add shredded pork belly in the centre

3. turn the pork belly over when almost dry and cook for another minute

4. turn in the onions and fry together, add the bowl of seasoning

5. when done, add thickener 

6. serve hot with steamed buns

CLOUD CHIFFON

Cloud Chiffon

is initiated by Susanne Ng
who has generously shared her recipe with us.

Many baking enthusiasts were excited with her sharing.

Jeannie Tay of Bake The Talk group
has created an event
#BTTBakealong45
to encourage more people to try.

I have participated in the above event,
and presenting to you my 'holey' Cloud Chiffon.

I have tapped the pan a few times on the counter top
before sending it into the oven,
but the holes are still there.
Next time I better tap after every layer of batter added.

Cloud Chiffon,
besides  its appearance,
it actually feels like floating clouds,
and is very very light!

It stands tall without any rising agent,
only with well beaten egg whites!

The following recipe is adapted from Susanne Ng's:

Egg yolk batter
1 whole egg
27g caster sugar
53g corn oil
51g + 2g water
7g vanilla extract
80g cake flour, sifted
8g blue pea flower extract (made by steeping 40 blue pea flowers for 30min)
light blue colour gel, optional

Meringue
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar

1. whisk egg with sugar until light, add oil, water & vanilla extract, mix well.
    whisk in flour & mix until smooth.
2. whisk egg white with cream of tartar until frothy, add sugar in 3 additions
    and whisk until firm peaks.
3. gently fold the meringue into the egg yolk batter
4 divide the batter into 2 portions, 3/4 and 1/4 of the total volume
5. add blue pea extract or blue colouring to the larger 3/4 portion
6. add 2g water to the 1/4 portion.
7. deposit spoonfuls of plain batter randomly around the base of a 18cm pan
    to create cloud like shapes.
8. fill the spaces with blue batter & gently cover the 'clouds' before starting the next layer
9. repeat steps 7 & 8 until the batter is 2cm from the rim of the pan
10. bake in preheated 160'C for 15min,
 then 140'C for 40min until the skewer inserted comes out clean
11. invert pan on a wire rack once out of the oven