Pullman Bread

I read somewhere before that if glutinous rice flour is added when making a bread, it will produce bread with a more QQ texture. Since we have run out of bread and I am somewhat addicted to the kaya that I recently made, I decided to give it a try to incorporate glutinous rice flour in my normal Pullman bread recipe. I am so curious to see the difference! Yes, it does produce a slightly more QQ texture.

This time around, I straight away bake the bread in the breadmaker without transferring it out to the Pullman tin to be baked using the conventional oven. I normally don't bake in the breadmaker as I don't like the way how the kneader at the bottom will taint the perfect look of the bread. It wouldn't look picture perfect anymore when you have to pull out the kneader from the bread. But I feel very lazy and that is the only way to bake a bread without needing to be hardworking. If you know what I mean.....

The following is the recipe that I have modified to incorporate the glutinous rice flour:-

QQ Pullman Bread

Ingredients:

190ml full cream milk (chilled)

300g high protein flour

30g glutinous rice flour

25g shortening

30g caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

Method:

1. Add in the ingredients based on the order listed and run the breadmaker according to the manufacturer's instruction.

2. Once done, remove from breadmaker to cool on wire rack.

3. Once it cools down, slice the bread and store in air-tight container.

Dumpling Soup

Yesterday I served dumplings soup during dinner. I got the inspiration to make dumpling the day before from a tv programme. It was a cooking competition between 2 celebrities. Each of them is led by a professional chef. They are required to prepare 3 dishes + 1 soup with 1 designated ingredient in either of the dish. One of them was preparing dumpling soup. I did not really focus on the show so I am not sure what did he used for fillings apart from minced meat. I was shuffling between some articles,  fb and the tv. But I got the idea. The rest is pretty simple. 

For the fillings, I add in minced pork, minced garlic, diced mushrooms and diced carrot, seasoned with Chinese rice wine, pepper, sesame oil, salt, sugar and light soy sauce. I used Gyoza wrapper as the dumpling skin. I stir-fry the leftover fillings to be used as the soup base. To have a clearer soup, I cooked the dumpling separately before adding them to the soup. The verdict? Awesome! The whole family loved it.

Roasted Pork Belly

I have a piece of pork belly at home and I was thinking of making something different with it. After much thought, I decided to roast it. This is a simple recipe. I am using the spices and ingredients normally used in roasting those crispy-skin pork (siew yuk) but I am not attempting to make siew yuk. We do not eat fats and skin. So it is useless to make those crispy-skin roasted pork. This roasted pork has Oriental flavour to it.

Roasted Pork Belly

Ingredients:

500gm pork belly

1 tbsp 5 spice powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cube nam yue

1 1/2 tbsp Chinese rice wine

Method:

1. Blanch the pork belly in hot water till 60% cooked.

2. Slit a few cuts on the meat to make it easier for the marinade to be infused into the meat.

3. Dab/ wipe dry the pork belly.

4. Mix in the rice wine. Ensure the whole pork belly is coated with the wine.

5. In a bowl, mix together the 5 spice powder, salt, pepper, sugar and nam yee into a paste.

6. Season and rub the belly with the marinades.

7. Set aside to marinade in fridge for at least 3 hours.

8. Remove from fridge 1 hour before roasting. 

9. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Cover a pan with aluminium foil. This pan will be placed under the roasting rack to collect any juices/oils dripping from the pork belly during roasting.

10. Place the marinated pork belly on the roasting rack and roast for 20 minutes on the middle rack with top and bottom heat. Then change to grill function. Grill for a further 25 minutes.

11. Cut and serve.

Note:  The juices/oil collected is very flavourful and may be used for preparation of other meals.

Homemade Seafood Tofu

I have made seafood tofu numerous time but I think I have never post up any recipes. I do not have a fixed recipe for seafood tofu. Each time I make it, I put in different ingredients.  Even if I have the same ingredients,  the ratio that I used would be different. If I prefer it to be more moist, then I would have more eggs and lesser tapioca starch or corn starch. The basic seafood that I used for the preparation of seafood tofu is Spanish Mackerel. Sometimes I will pair it with prawn. However, one thing is for sure.... if more seafood paste is used, the more flavourful the tofu is. 

This seafood tofu is one dish I would make everytime I make yong tau foo. The fish paste that I prepare will normally be enough for 2 meals of yong tau foo and 2 meals of seafood tofu. For the yong tau foo, I will fry them before storing. As for the seafood tofu, it will be stored after I steam and cut into bite-size rectangular pieces. They will be apportioned and stored into containers.  Once cool down, I will tuck the containers into the freezer so that its freshness can be maintained. Whenever needed, I just need to remove the container from the freezer to thaw and then for further cooking, obviously. It is as simple as that.

For this batch, I used lesser fish paste than my previous batch. It is still good although the previous batch taste nicer.

The following is the recipe that I used for this batch of seafood tofu:-

Seafood Tofu 

Ingredients:

180g fish paste
4 cloves garlic (minced)
3 eggs
1/2 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp salt water (2 tbsp water + 1 tsp salt)
1 pc chicken stock cube (optional)

Method:

1. Combine fish paste, garlic, sesame oil, salt water and pepper. Mix well.

2. Roll into ball and throw the ball on the chopping board or bowl. Repeat this step as many time as possible. This step is to produce a springy and bouncy fish paste.

3. Mash the tofu and mix into the fish paste. Mix well.

3. Add eggs and the chicken stock. Make sure it is properly mixed.

4. Generously grease a rectangle pan.

5. Pour the seafood tofu paste into the pan and steam for 20 minutes.

6. Once cool down, cut into rectangular bite-sized pieces.

7. Coat with corn flour/tapioca flour and deep fry till golden brown.

Matcha Swissroll

I have some leftover of vanilla mock cream that I made the other day. I decided to turn it into matcha mock cream to make Matcha Swissroll. It seems perfect as I need to clear off my green tea powder that is going to expire end of next month. 

This cake base's recipe doesn't use any type of oil/butter/shortening. It is easy to make and requires just few ingredients. I got the recipe from here and modified it a bit. I only adapted its recipe for the cake base. As for the cream, I uses my leftover vanilla mock cream and added 1/2 tsp of green tea powder into it. Since I already have 1 1/2 tbsp of green tea powder in the cake base, I don't want the green tea aroma to be too overwhelming. That was why I only added 1/2 tsp of green tea powder to the mock cream.

Vanilla mock cream before transformation to matcha mock cream

Matcha mock cream

Matcha Swissroll 

Ingredients:

3/4 cups low protein flour

1 1/2 tbsp green tea powder

2/3 cups caster sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 large eggs (separated)

2 tbsp full cream milk

Green tea mock cream

Method:

1. Sift flour, green tea powder and baking powder 3 times.

2. Whisk egg whites with 1/3 cup sugar till stiff peak is formed and set aside.

3. Beat egg yolks till colour lighten and add in the remaining sugar. Continue to beat till pale and thicken.

4. Add in milk and continue to beat till well mixed. 

5. Mix in the flour till well mixed.

6. Gently fold in 1/3 of the whisked egg whites and thoroughly mix it.

7. Once mixed, fold in the remaining egg whites.

8. Pour batter into 13" x 16" baking pan lined with parchment paper.

9. Bake in preheated oven at 160ºC for 15 minutes.

10. While the cake is still warm, remove the parchment paper and roll it up. Let it cool.

11. Once cool, unroll it. Spread a layer of matcha mock cream but leave a gap of approximately 1 inch on the side where the rolling will ends.

12. Roll it up and wrap tightly with a clean parchment paper.

13. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour before slicing it and serve.

Homemade Kaya

When I was young, we always have a jar of homemade kaya in the fridge. When the kaya is running low, mum will always make a new batch. Most of the time, she will get us to help her with the stirring and whisking. I remember that it was very tiring. We have to continuously stir and whisk till the sugar melted. We can't stop too long or else the kaya will curdle up.

I know the ingredients that she uses through my observations but I do not know the ratio. Actually I am not sure whether I don't know or I have since forgotten. My mission is to recreate the kaya that has been a part of my childhood. Without the recipe on hand, I have to "guesstimate". Half way through it, I realised that my half-done kaya's colour is not so attractive. In fact it looked quite pale. It should instead be browner. So I prepare another batch of caramel to pour in into my kaya mixture. Yes ... this is the colour that I am looking for. It took me slightly more than an hour to get the consistency that I  am after. I cooked it via double boiling over very low heat while mum cooked under direct flame. I figured that this will make the kaya smoother. I am very satisfied with the outcome. It is smooth and the aroma filled up the whole house.

So here I am presenting to you my silky smooth homemade kaya.

Kaya (Coconut Jam)

Ingredients:

4 pcs grade A eggs 

200ml coconut  milk (1 small pack)

3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp water

3 pcs pandan leaves (knotted)

Method:

1. Scoop out 3 tbsp of sugar from the 3/4 cup and set aside. Add coconut milk and the remaining sugar into a pot. Whisk the mixture using a hand whisk till the sugar melted.

2 Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat using a fork till they are smooth.

3. Pour the beaten eggs into the coconut milk mixture and continue to whisk till smooth and well mixed. 

4. To cook the caramel,  melt the 3 tbsp of sugar in a saucepan. Once it start to bubble up,  add 2 tsp of  water. Continue to cook till it turn brown. Turn off the heat and pour the caramel into the kaya mixture.

5. Continue to whisk the kaya mixture. Add in the knotted pandan leaves into the pot.

6. Place the pot over another bigger pot (double-boil). Turn on the heat (low heat) and continue stirring till desired consistency.

Note:

1. Do not stop stirring or else the kaya will curdle up and become lumpy.

2. It took me slightly over an hour over low flame to achieve the desired consistency. 

Meat Floss Buns & Milk Loaf

I still have some remaining tangzhong dough in the fridge to use up, so I bake 2 types of bread with it; meat floss buns and a milk loaf. This is actually a sweet buns recipe. I make 2 types of bread from this recipe. I used a muffin pan as a mould for the meat floss buns and a rectangle cake pan for the loaf. This is not the first time, I used muffin pan as mould for my buns. I have used it several time. I think the first time I used it was back in year 2010 or 2011. I like to use muffin pan as it gives me very nicely shaped buns. They look just like cute mushrooms.

This particular recipe that I used is quite similar to the Hokkaido Milk Loaf. It produces very soft buns. However, unlike the Hokkaido Milk Loaf's dough, this dough is quite sticky. I can't imagine how to knead it by hand. I am lucky to own a breadmaker. This breadmaker have done wonders for me since I first have it. I wouldn't trade it for any other thing.

I have quite some gadgets in my kitchen and I am a very proud owner of these gadgets. My life is made easier because of all these gadgets. They are my trusted handy helper. I believe in quality products. Although they might be a bit pricey than the below average products, they really gives you peace of mind. I think more money will be wasted with those below average product as they rarely withstand heavy usage. There is another gadget that I have been eyeing for the longest time and I have not have it. Other brands have come out with similar gadget and they are way cheaper. I am not sure whether they are as good as the ones manufactured by the product innovator itself. I am still waiting for its price to drop down a bit before purchasing. What I have in mind is Philips Airfryer. Hope to become a proud owner of Philips Airfryer soon.

Where am I going with all these gadget-talking... Really out of topic! Haha! Recipe time ....

Sweet Buns Recipe

Ingredients:

125 ml full cream milk
40 g whisked egg
130 g tangzhong dough
75 ml whipping cream
28 g condensed milk
370 g high protein flour
65 g caster sugar
12 g milk powder
5 g salt
6 g instant yeast

35g butter, softened

Mayonnaise
Meat floss

Method:

1. Add all ingredients into the breadmaker based on the order listed above, except for butter.

2. Run breadmaker on dough function according to manufacturer's instructions.

3. Once the ingredients has stick together into a rough ball, add in butter. Let the breadmaker complete its cycle.

4. Grease a 6-hole muffin pans and a 20cm x 10cm x 7cm rectangle cake pan.

5. Transfer the dough onto a greased working surface. Punch down to deflate the dough.

6. Divide the dough so that it is enough to fill up halfway the cake pan and 6 smaller balls for the muffin pan. (I forgot to weigh the doughs as it was getting very late and I was rushing to get it done :-0)

7. Flatten the dough for the cake pan and and roll up Swissroll style. Tuck the sides so that it fit snugly.

8. Roll the remaining 6 doughs into balls and place them in the muffin pan.

9. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.

10. Preheat the oven to 165ºC and brush egg wash on the surface of the doughs.

11. Bake the doughs at 165ºC for 15 minutes. Bake at lower tray as it will get brown easily.

12. Remove loaf and buns from pan onto wired rack to cool.

13. Once cool, spread a layer of mayonnaise on top of the buns and sprinkle meat floss. You may use any type of floss; tuna floss, salmon floss, chicken floss, pork floss or any other floss that you like.

Savoury Long Bean Rice

Another delicious meal for dinner yesterday; savoury long bean rice. I have been preparing this countless of time but have never post it up. I learnt to cook this from mum. However, she only put in the basic ingredients, including yam if she happen to have it on hand. When I cook this, I always like to have dried oysters in it. Sometimes, if I have dried scallops, I will also include it as part of the ingredients. This is a very versatile savoury rice. You can include in anything that you fancy which you think will enhance its taste, For instance, you may add in Chinese sausage and yam. However, the basic ingredients like long bean, pork, mushrooms and dried shrimps should be there. If you have enough time, chicken stock can be used to prepare this rice. It will definitely taste nicer. I used lean pork in all my cooking as all of us do not like fatty pork.

I have learnt a lot of home cooking from mum who is a very good cook. I feel very fortunate to have her as my mum. I was very lucky as when we were young, I have a stay-at-home-mum. Watching her cooking in the kitchen has definitely bring tons of benefits to me. It is a form of informal education.

Savoury Long Bean Rice

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long grain rice

Water / Chicken stock

4 pcs shitake mushrooms

5 cloves garlic (minced)

5 cloves shallots (sliced)

200g lean pork

4 pcs dried oyster (big)

3 pcs dried scallops (big)

A handful of dried shrimps

A bundle of long beans (Snapped into 1 1/2" in length)

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Dash of sugar 

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Marinade for the pork:

2 1/2 tsp cornstarch/ tapioca starch

2 tsp Chinese rice wain

2 tsp light soy sauce

Dash of sesame oil

Dash of pepper

Method:

1. Wash and soak mushrooms, dried oysters and dried scallops in water with some sugar added in.

2. Wash the dried shrimps and set aside.

3.  Marinade the pork and set aside.

4. Drain and cut mushrooms and dried oysters into strips. Tear dried scallops. Reserve the liquid for later use.

5. Wash rice and measure enough water to cook the rice. Soak the rice in rice cooker while preparing the other ingredients.

 6. Heat enough oil in wok and fry shallots till golden brown and crispy. Set aside. The trick to get crispy shallots is to add some salt in it while frying. It will stay crispy longer.

7. Use the remaining oil to sauté the minced garlic. Add in the dried shrimps and sauté a while. Then add in the dried scallops and and oysters. Sauté till fragrant.

8. Push all the ingredients in the wok to the side, add in marinated pork. Sauté till slightly brown and add in mushrooms. Add 1/2 tbsp of light soy sauce and mix together all the ingredients in the wok.

9. Add in the snapped long beans. Add salt to taste. Continue to stir fry and add in the reserved liquid from soaking the mushrooms, dried oysters and dried scallops. Continue to stir fry till long beans turn softer and the liquid almost dried up. 

10. Add in rice and dark soy sauce as well as 1/4 of the fried shallots. Add seasoning to taste. Mix well. Let is cook for a while before pouring in the water or chicken stock.

11. Let it simmer. Once the water boiled, transfer to rice cooker and continue cooking.

12. Garnish with crispy shallots and serve.