Braised Soy Sauce Chicken

Ingredients:

300ml light soy sauce 

70ml dark thick soy sauce

100ml rose wine

500ml water

10 garlic

5 spring onion

2 sliced ginger

3 star anise

1 medium chicken

*I use fenghe light soy sauce with a sweet base, if normal light soy suace may need to add in sugar.

Method:

1. Boil all ingredients except chicken for 10mins (medium fire).
2. Add in chicken.
3. Monitor and once the water going to bubble, turn to lowest heat (uncovered).
4. Time for 10mins and turn off the heat.
5. Let the chicken to soak in 40-45mins, turn the chicken every 15mins interval (covered).
6. Use a small knife to slit thru the thigh, if no blood mean is done.
7. Bring out the chicken to rest, cut when is cool.

* The sauce can be kept inside for further use.

* The tau kwa must be soak different pot of sauce as it will gives out sour taste.

* The timing may be varies with different size of chicken and pot.

Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

2 cup Bomba rice, washed and rinsed

8 medium shrimps

1 big squid

 Clams or mussels (optional)

1 chicken leg, diced (marinate with salt, smoked paprika n pepper)

15-20 threads of saffron, soak in warm 2 tbs water for 30mins

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic, chopped

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbs tomatoes puree

1.5 cup chicken stock

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbs olive oil

Parsley for topping

Method:

1. Brown chicken and prawn, just for the outer layer and do not need to be cooked.
2. Dish out the the chicken and prawn.
3. Using the same pan, add in onions and garlic, fried till fragrance.
4. Pour in rice, stirred and mix for awhile.
5. Pour in stock, water and saffron water, salt, tomatoes puree, smoked paprika, pepper and spread evenly.
6. Slow fire to cook for 20mins, uncovered.
7. When the rice is almost cooked, add in prawn, chicken and other seafood.
8. Covered, turn on to medium fire for 5-8mins.
9. The rice should be slight crispy on the bottom. If not, uncovered and stay in the fire for another 5mins.
10. Sprinkle parsley on top of rice.

Tips: If add in clams and squid, water must reduce. 

Tau Suan

Ingredients:

100g split mung beans (soak in water for 30-60mins and drain)

3 Pandan leaves

2 bowl water

3tbs sugar

Starch mixture

10g water chestnut flour

10g sweet potatoes flour 

1.5 tbs water

sugar to taste

Method (serve 2);

1. Boil pandan leaves in water for 15mins.
2. Fry mung beans in pan, add in sugar till cameralised.
3. Pour in the mung beans into the water.
4. Add in sugar to own preference.
5. Mix in the starch mixture, when boiled turn fire off.

Recipe adapted from Makan Sutra
Video here

Har Cheong Kai

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

2 eggs

3/4 cup oil

0.5 cup sugar

0.5 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1.5 cup grated carrots

0.5 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter, softened

100g cream cheese

1 cup icing sugar

0.5 tsp vanilla extract

pecan to decorate, optional

Method (yields 6 inch pan):

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree.
2. In a big bowl, mix in eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Stir in carrots, add in pecans. Pour into pan.
4. Baked for 35-40mins.
5. Frosting: Mix butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Beat till mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

Recipe adapt from here.

Nonya Dumpling

Ingredients A:

1kg glutinous rice (soak with water 3-6hrs)

2tbs pork lard oil

2tbs pork lard, chopped

0.5tsp salt

0.5tsp msg

Ingredients B:

450g minced meat (prefer belly or leg, more fatty)

60g dried mushroom, diced

300g candid sugar (winter melon sugar candy)

10-12 garlic, finely chopped

15-17 shallots finely chopped

100g dried shrimps, pounded

Dried leaf (wash clean and soak overnight)

Condiments (adjust to own taste)

2 tsp five spices powder

5 tsp coriander powder

2 tbs dark soy sauce

1 tbs light soy sauce

1 tbs sugar

Dash pepper

Method: 

1. Fried garlic, onion, dried shrimps till fragrance.
2. Add in mined meat and mushroom.
3. Add in all condiments, adjust to taste accordingly.
4. Add in candid sugar
5. Dish out and leave in fridge for at least 4 hrs or overnight.

1. Drain out all water from rice.
2. Add the rest of ingredients A and mixed together. 
3. Scoop 1tbs rice to the leaf
4. Add 2 tbs meat to the fillings.
5. Add 1 tbs rice to the fillings and close up the dumpling.

Gateau Chocolat

Attended ABC trial class again.

Ingredients:

85g semi sweet chocolate chip

65g butter

25g cocoa powder

1tsp cake flour

(mix both together, sifted)

2 egg yolk

40g sugar

2 egg white

40g sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven 180degree.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
3. Add in the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.
4. Beat egg yolk in to pale color, add in sugar and beat in to pale white color.
5. Beat egg white to frosty, add in sugar and beat into stiff peak.
6. Add in egg yolk mixture into chocolate mixture using J technique..
7. Add in half of meringue and mixed slowly withthe chocolate mixture.
8. Add int he balance meringue and mixed slowly with the chocolate mixture.
9. Be careful not to overmix.
10. Pour in the mixture to a mold.
11. Bang on table a few times and put it into oven.
12. Bake for 40mins.
13. Remove from oven, sprinkle some sugar powder on the top after cool down.

Homemade chicken stock

Ingredients:

2 carrots, chopped

2 onion, halved

5 celery, halved

4 chicken carcass

2 bay leaves

Method:

1. Bake at 180degree for 1 hr.
2. Put it in to a pot and add water just above the vegetables.
3. Add in bay leaves.
4. Simmer with slow heat for 1hr.

*** Slow heat, very important.

Modify recipe from here.

Fried carrot cake

Ingredients:

2 tbs oil (prefer pork lard)

1 garlic, chopped

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs chye poh

1 tbs spring onion, chopped (optional)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp chilli paste

Carrot cake, sliced (see homemade carrot cake here)

Method:

1. Heat up wok, add in oil.
2. Add in chye poh, garlic.
3. Add in carrot cake, mix together.
4. Add in fish sauce.
5. Pour in eggs and cover the carrot cake fully.
6. Don't stir, just leave it with medium heat till the bottom is slightly crispy.
7. Turn over and fried the other side.
8. Spread the chilli paste on top of the carrot cake.
9. Turn over to heat the chilli for 5-10 seconds.
10. Ready to serve, sprinkle spring onion on top.

*** Adjust above sauce according to own taste. I prefer my favorable and salty.

Homemade Chicken stock

Ingredients:

3 carrots

7-8 celery

4-5 sliced raddish (optional)

4 chicken carcasses

1 big onions

3 bay leaves

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree.
2. Chopped all vegetables in big pieces, need not peeled and lay it over the baking tray.
3. Put chicken carcasses on top of the veg.
4. Baked for 1hr.
5. Transfer it to a pressure pot, fill it with water till 3/4 full and boil it for another 25mins.
6. Store it in container for later use.

Recipe adapt from here.

Steamed Carrot Cake 2

Ingredients:

250g Rice flour 

10g Tapioca flour 

10g wheat flour

5g salt

15g sugar

500g radish. sliced thinly

900ml water

350ml water

3tbs chye poh

2 cloves garlic

1 dried cuttlefish (optional)

3 tbs pork lard, mashed to small pieces (optional)

Method (yields 9"inch pan):

1. Boil 900ml water in wok.
2. When boiled, add in radish and cuttlefish,turn to low heat for 15mins.
3. Add in garlic, chye poh, pork lard, sugar and salt.
4. Mixed all flour together and add in 350ml water.
5. Pour in the flour mixture to the raddish mixture, stir evenly.
6. Turn off the heat. Scoop it out and pour into the pan and steam for 45mins.

Tips: can add in dried shrimps and minced pork for extra flavour.

Oyakodon

Ingredients:

2 chicken thighs

2 eggs, beat

150ml water

1tbs mirin

1tbs sake (optional)

1tbs sugar

2tbs light soy suace

1 small onion, sliced

1 tbs bonito flakes

1 tsp seaweed flakes (optional)

Steamed rice

OPTIONAL
(I like to have more flavorable meat so usually will marinate the chicken for a few hours before cooking)

1 tbs light soy suace
1 tbs mirin
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp corn flour

Method (serve 2):

1. Heat up pan, add in mirin, sake, light soy suace, water and sugar.
2. Add in bonito flakes and onions.
3. When boiled, add in chicken covered for 3mins.
4. Add in egg and covered for 30sec.
5. Served on top of steamed rice, sprinkle seaweed on top.

To cook steamed rice in 10mins here.

Bread Fried Fish with rice

Ingredients:

Lemon, sliced

3 packet of butter cracker (I use Julie's)

1 egg, beaten

2 dory fillet

2 tsp garlic salt

Tartar sauce ingredients:

1 sliced lemon

Small yellow onion, half, chopped

1tbs mayonnaise

salt 

pepper

Method (yields 2):

1. Wash dory fillet, tap dry with ktichen towel.
2. Marinate with garlic salt for 10mins.
3. Pound butter cracker into small piece.
4. Dip fillet into egg then dip into the butter cracker.
5. Deep fried and dish up.

Method:

1. Place onion into a cup and microwave for 30seconds.
2. Add all other ingredients and mixed together.

 Served with rice. White rice recipe here.

Orange Chiffon Cake

Ingredients A:

110g cake flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

40g sugar

60ml oil

60ml orange juice

1tsp black sesame seeds (optional)

1tsp flax seeds (optional)

5 egg yolks

Ingredients B:

5 egg whites

70g sugar

Method (yields 23cm chiffon pan):

1. Preheat oven 170degree.
2. Beat egg whites till frosty.
3. Add in sugar and beat till firm peak (glossy white).
4. Beat egg yolks till pale, add in sugar and beat till slight bubbles.
5. Add in the rest of the ingredients B and mix evenly.
6. Slowly add 1/3 of egg white mixture to egg yolk mixture.
7. Add in the rest of egg whites and slowly mix evenly.
8. Pour into the chiffon pan, bang on table top a few times to let out the air.
9. Bake for 45mins.
10. Bring out and overturn the pan till cool.

Tips and tricks:

1. Beat egg white till firm peak NOT stiff peak (glossy white and stop once you can see lines using machine).
2. Egg yolks must be beat till pale yellow before adding other ingredients.
3. Bake at lower rack of the oven.
4. Use oven thermometer.
5. Use baking powder NOT double action baking powder.

Japanese Hamburger Steak, Onion Soup with White Rice

There are some typos and tweaks in the recipe.

So I have noted down the followings.

Hamburger steak

Ingredients:

Minced pork 100g 

Minced beef 50g

Onion, halved, chopped

Egg, half (30g)

2 tbs Bread crumbs

Dash of Salt

Dash of Pepper

Dash of Nutmeg

1/2 tbs Cooking oil

Method (yields 2 patties):

1. Microwave onion for 1min.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Split the meat mixture into 2 portion and mold it into round shape.
4. Squeeze the meat and throw onto palm a few times.
5. Heat the pan, add in cooking oil.
6. Pan fried each side of patties till brown color (approx 1-2min each side), no need to be fully cook.
7. Dish out and leave aside.

Tip and tricks:

1. Original recipe yields mixture of beef and pork. I prefer using more pork than beef.
2. If using japanese onion, do not need to microwave before adding into meat mixture. This step is for local onion as it is more spicy.
3. I do not have nutmeg and I substitute it with coriander powder.

Stewed sauce

Ingredients:

3 tbs cake flour

10g butter

1/4 onion, sliced

Mix together

200g water

1/2 tsp chicken stock powder

2.5tbs worchester sauce

1 tbs ketchup

Method:

1. Fried the cake flour in pan till brown in color, dish out.
2. Add in butter, onions and fried till onion softened,
3. Add in cake flour slowly and stir evenly.
4. Add in water mixture.
5. When boiled, add in meat patties, covered and simmer for 5mins.
6. Dish out the patties.
7. If sauce is not thick enough, simmer a little longer.

Tips and tricks:

1. I substitute worchester sauce with Lee & Perins sauce.
2. Original recipe yields 2 tbs ketchup but I prefer not too sour.

White Rice

Ingredients:

140g japanese rice

155g water

Parsley (dried), optional

Method (yields 2 small portion):

1. Wash and polish the rice a few times.
2. Soak rice for 30mins.
3. Strain out water.
4. Add rice and water into pot, covered.
5. Turn on high heat.
6. When boiled, immediately turn to low heat for 10mins.
7. Done and dish out.

Tips and tricks:

1. Timing for cooking rice very important.
2. Do not open the lip during cooking.
3. Non stick pan is better.

Onion Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 Onion, sliced

400g water 

1tsp chicken stock powder

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Method (yields 2 bowls):

1. Add all ingredients into pot and bring to boil.
2. When boiled, turn to medium heat for 10mins.
3. Add in salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Cinnamon Sugar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 tbs cinnamon powder

Method (yields 2 bottle):

1. Mix together and keep inside container for later use.

Seafood Sang Mee

Ingredient: 

2 Crab meat

2 prawns

Fish cake, sliced

1 egg

pork, sliced

1 garlic, chopped

Mee kia

Oil

1 small bowl water

1/4 cube chicken stock

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

dash pepper

Starch (1 tsp cornflour + 1 tsp water)

Method (1 serving):

1. Heat oil, deep fried mee kia. Be careful, it burnt out very fast.
2. Dish out the oil and left 1 tbs in wok.
3. Fried garlic, then pork, fish cake and other seafood.
4. Add in water, stock and sauces.
5. When boiled, add in starch and lower the heat.
6. Lastly break in the egg and stir.
7. Immediately turn of heat and dish out.

Marble cupcake -Great recipe!

This is a easy and nice cupcake recipe.

Moist and smell nice in the kitchen. One of my kids favourite.

Ingredients:

155g cake flour

1tsp baking powder (omit this if using self raising flour)

125g butter

125g sugar

2 eggs

1 tbs cocoa powder

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs milk

Method (yields 5 cupcakes):

1. Preheat oven at 170 degree.
2. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs and beat well.
4. Fold in flour, add in milk and vanilla extract.
5. Scoop out 1/3 portion of the mixture.
6. Add in cocoa powder to the 1/3 portion.
7. Scoop 1tbs batter into the papercup, add chocolate batter over it, top with butter batter again.
8. Fill to 2/3 of the papercup.
9. Use a chopstick to stir the batter in papercups lightly (2 round), don't overmix.
10. Bake for 25-30mins or till skewer comes out clean.

Cinnamon Roll with icing (5K Bread Dough)

This is one of the best bread dough I tried.

The bread is still soft on second day.

Icing- The butter had not fully softened yet.

Starter dough:

105g bread flour

45g cake flour

12g sugar

3g instant yeast

120g water

Main dough:

105g bread flour

45g cake flour

48g sugar

3/4 tsp salt

12g milk powder

45g egg

27g water

36g butter

Fillings: 

1-2 tbs cinnamon sugar (personal preference)

Icing ingredients:

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tbs butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs milk

Mix all together

Method (yields 9 rolls):

1. Lightly grease the a 9 inch pan.
2. Mix the starter dough and allow to sit in a environment to rise till it looks like "honeycomb".
3. Mix the main dough ingredients except butter. The initial dough will be very wet, it will be fine after several kneading. Knead till is soft and non sticky, incorporate butter and knead till it don't stick to the side.
4. Allow the dough to rise till doubles in size.
5. Punch down and roll dough flat in square size.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the dough, roll it like swiss roll. Cut it to 1.5inch thick.
7. Place inside pan and let it rise (around 45-60mins).
8. Preheat oven at 180degree, bake it at lower rack for 25mins.
9. Remove from oven, pour the icing glaze onto the roll and let it cool.
10. Glaze will hardens once it is cooled.

Icing recipe adapted from here.

5K Bread dough receipt adapted from here.

Sausage bun

I made this bread late night and the bread is abit tough early morning.

After reheat in oven, the bread is soft again.

Not a perfect recipe, will look around again.

Ingredients:

295ml warm milk

8g instant yeast

50g sugar

1 egg

55g butter, softened

6g salt

440g plain flour

20g butter, melted

Method (12 servings):

1. Mixed yeast, milk, sugar together in a mixer bowl and rest for 5mins.
2. Add in eggs, flour, salt and better.
3. I use machine to mix evenly (the dough will be very wet).
4. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 45mins (or till double its size).
5. Punch the dough, covered and let it rest for another 45mins.
6. Punch down again, knead to the shape you like and rest for another 30mins.
7. Preheat oven to 200 degree.
8. Bake bread for 12-15mins.
9. When done, brush butter on top of it.

***Can keep unused dough in freezer after 2nd rest. I roll them to balls, defrost it, shape and rest for the 30mins before bake.

Recipe adapt from here.

Black Sesame Matcha Ogaru Cake

This is a very light and fluffy recipe after several tried on others.

A keeper!

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

70g castor sugar

4 egg yolks

40g oil

70g milk

55g cake flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbs match

1 tbs black sesame (pound slightly)

Method (7 inch round pan):

1. Preheat oven at 160 degree, add in 2 bowl water at the bottom tray 
2. Beat egg yolk till pale, add in oil and milk and beat till bubbles.
3. Add in the rest of ingredients till fully mixed.
4. Beat egg whites till frosty, add in tartar and sugar and beat to stiff peak.
5. Add 1/3 of the meringue to the mixture, mix and fold evenly.
6. Add in the rest of meringue. do not over mixed.
7. Lined the pan and pour the mixture in. 
8. Tap the pan on table top a few times to level the batter and let the air out.
9. Bake at 160 degree for 15mins, then lower down to 140 degree for another 60mins.

*Adjust oven temperature accordingly, different oven may varies.

Tips: Beat egg whites ill firm peak not stiff peak. Firm peak is between soft and stiff peak.

Egg Tart

Ingredients for custard:
2 eggs

60g sugar

200g milk

0.5tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for crust:

160g plain flour

80g butter

60g sugar

1 egg

1. Knead crust ingredients and leave in fridge for 15mins.
2. Roll each ball around 32g.
3. Lay a small piece of aluminium foil, put a ball, covered with cling wrap. Use a plate to press it flat.
4. Lay the flat dough onto the mould, press it evenly.
5. Leave it in fridge for 15mins.
6. Preheat oven at 200 degree.
7. Mix ingredients for custard together, beat till frosty.
8. Strain it to a measuring cup.
9. Bake the crust for 10mins.
10. Pour the fillings into the crust and bake for another 15min at 180degree.
11. Lower the temperature to 150 degree and bake for another 5mins (adjust accordingly for different oven. The custard will be slightly wobbly when done.

Ham And Cheese Bread Roll

Ingredients A:

0.5 cup + 1 tbs warm water

2.5 tbs oil

1 tbs instant yeast

2 tbs sugar

Ingredients B:

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg (1/2 egg for dough, 1/2 egg for brushing)

1 cup bread flour

1/2 cup plain flour

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.5tbs milk (add to the 1/2 egg for brushing)

Method (yields 9pcs):

1. Heat up oven to 220degree
2. Add all ingredients A together and allow to rest for 15mins (there will be foam after 15mins).
3. Add in ingredients B to the mixture.
4. Knead with kitchen machine for 2-3mins. Dough will still be sticky.
5. Oil hand and shape the dough to a ball, roll it flat.
6. Add in ham and cheese, roll the dough into a log.
7. Cut the dough into 2cm and place in a grease pan.
8. Brush it with milk and egg mixture.
9. Bake for 12mins.

Multi Grain Bread

Ingredients:

152g bread flour

1/3 tsp salt

13g sugar

12g cooking oil

70g water

2tbs hot water (for water roux)

1 tbs oats

1 tbs white sesame seeds

1 tbs black sesame seeds

1.5 tbs flax seeds

For the water roux:

Take out 1 tbs flour from the 152g.

2 tbs hot water

Mix together till sticky

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients including water roux and knead till window pane .
2. Knead till a ball and place it on a greased plate. Let it proof for 1 hr.
3. Punch down shape and proof for another 1 hr in a greased pullman tray.
4. Bake at 180 degree for 25-30mins.

Tips: 

I preheat oven at 50degree and turn off, proof inside oven will rise faster.

Adapt from here with some changes.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ingredients for Crust:

150g flour

90g butter

1/4 tsp salt

40g sugar

2-4 tbs cold water

Ingredients for fillings:

150g milk or whipped cream

2 eggs

4 pcs ham

3 tbs cheddar cheese

pinch of salt and pepper 

Method:

1. Mix all ingredient for crust except water, add 1 tbs water at a time.
2. When mixed, place inside fridge for 15-20mins to harden the dough.
3. Roll the dough flat and lay on the tart tray.
4. Poke some holes on the dough with a fork.
5. Place a baking sheet on top of dough, place coins on top of baking sheet (use coin as weight).
6. Bake for 15mins, take out the baking sheet with coins and bake for another 5mins.
7. Mix all ingredients for fillings, pour on to the crust.
8. Bake for 20mins at 180 degree.

Store Fresh Rosemary

Put left over rosemary into ice tray, pour over olive oil and freeze it.