BLACK SESAME BUNS [黑芝麻面包]

Finally, baked these buns which I have short listed to try since Mimi shared the recipe in her blog.

Since my hubby is away, it is good time to baked buns as it will take us a longer time to finish a loaf of bread.

These buns are soft, moist and it is good with the melted chocolate inside. Nice to have them with a cup of hot beverage.

Recipe adapted from MiMi Bakery House [slightly modified]

Ingredients

250 gm bread flour  [I used 200 gm bread flour + 50 gm wholemeal flour]

20 gm black sesame powder [1 heaped tablespoon]
20 gm castor sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt

150 ml milk

1 tbsp butter
some toasted black and white sesame seeds
some chocolate rice or chips - filling [optional]

1. Knead all ingredients together [except butter] into a soft dough.  Add in butter and continue to knead until soft, smooth and pliable.
2. Shape into round, cover and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
3. Punch down, divide into 9 or 12 equal portions.  Roll into balls.
4. Flatten each ball, wrap 1 teaspoon chocolate rice or chips,  gather the edges and roll into a ball.  Finish doing the same for the remaining.
5. Arrange dough in a lined baking tin, leave to proof for 1 hour.  Apply egg glaze and sprinkle some toasted black and white sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degress C for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the pan, serve immediately or allow the bread to cool completely on the cooling rack before storing.
   
   
   
   

DUAL TASTES FRIED LOH SHI FUN NOODLES [老鼠粉]

I was clearing my drawers and looking through old files and heaps of papers [paper cuttings, photo stat papers and written notes], mostly on food recipes which I have been collecting over the years. Some were from TV cook shows and many from food ingredients.

Wah!, there are lots of them. Flipping through them already is so time consuming what more to try them. Anyway, in the process of looking through, I discarded quite a lot cos’ I know I won’t be trying them as I noticed some aren’t that healthy for seniors and even young children. But I retained those that are simple, easy to prepare yet appetizing and healthy. 

Mind you, some recipes are ‘absolete’ as the ingredients are no longer available. From now, you will get to see more homey flavor soups and dishes which I will be trying and sharing here. 

Last weekend only 2 person in the house and not in the mood to eat out.  This Fried Loh Shi Fun noodles should suffice for a easy meal at home.  
Commonly known as rat noodle in Malaysia and Singapore. The noodles are named as such because the shape of the noodles is long and tapered like a rat's tail, translucent white colour like needles, or from the way the noodles are made by pushing them through the holes of a sieve.  It can be fried or serve with soup.

No regrets, it is tasty and appetising.  Best of all, can enjoy a big plate of it right in front of the television.....so comfortable.

I have fried the noodles in 2 flavours - non-spicy and spicy.  

Ingredients

[serves 3-4]

500 gm loh shi fun noodles [fresh short round rice noodles]

1/4 chicken breast fillet - cut strips

100 gm medium size prawns - shelled

100 gm white cabbage

1 big onion - peeled and sliced

1/2 red carrot - shredded

2 eggs

some spring onions - cut 1 inch lengths

1 tbsp chopped garlic

3 tbsp oil [I used lard]

1 tbsp chilli paste [optional for spicy flavour]

Seasoning Sauce

1-2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

dash of pepper and msg to taste

1. Heat oil or lard in a non-stick wok, saute garlic until aromatic.  Push aside, add in chicken and prawns.  Toss well to combine.  
2. Add in cabbage, carrot and onions.  Stir well to mix and add in the noodles together with seasoning.  Stir briskly for 1-2 minutes.  Push aside.
3. Break in the eggs and stir to combine noodles and eggs.
4. Divide noodles into 2 portions.  Add chilli paste to one portion, toss well to mix and fry until aromatic.
5. Lastly add in spring onions.  
6. Dish up noodles separately [spicy and non-spicy] onto serving platter.   Serve immediately.

The noodles in lighter tone is non-spicy and the darker portion is the spicy version.

PANDAN PANCAKE

Tired of having rice or noodles?  These aromatic pancakes would be a good substitute for a light lunch or snack during the weekend.  

An easy to follow pancake recipe and the outcome is satisfactory looking at the numerous holes in the pancake.  These pancakes are soft, moist and spongy.  They are not too sweet and good to serve with honey or jam or pandan kaya.  I have some with freshly grated white coconut [with a pinch of salt] and some with ground peanuts.

Recipe adapted from my selected Cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event#4 - Ricky Ng's book 'In Love with Pandan' [modified]

Ingredients

[makes 10 pieces]

110 gm superfine flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp oil

4-5 blades pandan leaves

190 ml milk

1. Blend pandan leaves with milk and strain for juice.  Set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.  Add in salt, mix well.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with a hand whisk until sugar dissolves.  Add in pandan milk and oil.  Mix well.
4. Fold in the dry flour ingredients [step 2].  Mix well until no lumps.  Rest for 10 minutes.
5. Heat a non-stick pan.  Scoop a small ladle of batter and gently spread it into a circle to form a thin layer. 
6. Cover with lid and fry over low heat until the air holes appear.  DO NOT FLIP.  Remove and repeat the same for the remaining batter.
7. Serve pancakes with jam, honey or pandan kaya.
   
   
   

Note: you can sprinkle some ground toasted peanuts and sesame seeds onto pancake once the air holes appear and fold pancake into half moon shape.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

BRAISED BBQ PORK BELLY

The other day, I was supposed to buy pork ribs to cook soup but didn't know why I chose pork belly.  My memory must be getting poor.

Without knowing what to do with the 300 gm of pork belly, I flipped through some of my recipe collections and came across this BBQ Pork Belly recipe which seems simple enough with most of the ingredients available in my kitchen.

Got down to cook it right away and this is the outcome.  A very tasty pork dish, the meat is tender but still has a bite.  The sauce is savoury sweet, fragrant which is nice to spread over rice.  Glad that I chose this recipe to try.  Instead of braising, this seasoning is good marinade  for barbecue spare ribs.

Ingredients

300 gm pork belly with skin - cut bite size pieces

2 tbsp BBQ sauce

1 tbsp each of chopped shallots and ginger

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soy sauce to taste

1 tbsp honey to taste

dash of pepper

1. Marinate pork belly with BBQ sauce for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Heat a non stick wok, add in pork belly. Reserve the marinade Pan fry until oil oozes out and meat pieces are brown.
3. Push aside, add in chopped shallots and garlic.  Fry until aromatic and mix well. Add in marinade and seasoning.
4. Bring to boil for awhile, then add in enough water to cover the meat.  Let it boil and simmer until gravy is thick and meat is tender.
5. Dish up to serve with rice.
   
   
   
   
   
   

PANDAN SAGO GULA MELAKA PUDDING

As I have always mentioned, I love sago either sweet or savoury.  This is another recipe which I have tried from this month's selected cookbook 'In Love With Pandan'.  The pudding turned out so well and it is like eating a bowl of cendol.

This recipe is quite similar to my earlier post [here], but I like this one better with the pandan flavour.  It is easy to prepare with only 3 procedures to follow.

Recipe adapted from my selected Cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event#4 - Ricky Ng's book 'In Love with Pandan' [modified]

Ingredients

[makes 8 dessert bowls]

300 gm sago - rinsed, drained and soaked for 10 minutes - drained

1 litre or more water

1 tsp pandan paste

200 ml thick coconut milk + 1/4 tsp salt

200 gm palm sugar [gula Melaka] + 100 ml water + 1 blade pandan leaves

1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan, add in soaked sago to cook.  Stir constantly to prevent clamping, cook until sago is translucent [about 15 minutes].
2. Remove from heat, strain into a fine strainer and rinse under running tap water to remove the starch.  Drain well and transfer into a bowl.  Add in pandan paste, mix well.
3. Scoop sago into individual mould.  Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes before serving.
4. Meanwhile, simmer coconut milk over low heat until thick.  Set aside.
5. Bring gula melaka, water and pandan leave to boil and simmer until thick.  Strain, set aside.
6. Serve chilled sago with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.
   
   
   
   
    
   

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown Event#4 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray