Thursday, July 28, 2011

Swiss Roll-Rilakkuma's /Deco Roll




I made this cute Rilakkuma Swiss Roll as a special gift to a very nice young girl, who is my youngest son's classmate, translated this recipe from Japanese to English for me. I hope she likes it.













Monday, July 25, 2011

Soy Sauce Chicken Wings-酱油鸡







This recipe was passed to me from my niece. You may not believe that with humble and simple ingredients you can whip out delicious dish. I have since passed the recipe to my friends only to receive all thumbs up.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
12 pieces chicken wings/ 4 chicken thighs
4 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 cup - 1 1/2 cups water

Method:

1) Wash and clean the chicken wings/chicken thighs. Use kitchen paper to tab dry.

2) Put sugar in the wok. Use low heat to melt the sugar until it caramelised, be careful not to burn the sugar otherwise it will give a bitter taste.

3) Gently put the chicken wings in the wok, when the chicken skins (both sides) turn brown in colour, add light soy sauce and water. When it boils, turn up to medium heat and simmer until chicken is cooked and the sauce is lightly thickened.

4) Serve with plain rice/ plain noodle/ porridge. Enjoy.





Friday, July 22, 2011

Classic Baked Cheese cake - 经典芝士蛋糕








Time really flies. I still remember I baked a Durian Mousse Cake for my husband's birthday last year. it is like yesterday . Today is his birthday again.

As I had mentioned earlier in my post that I do not want to make complicated cake, so today I baked this simple and yet yummy cheesecake for him.

Recipe: adapted from Delicious CAKES by Amy Heng

Ingredients:

Base:
120 g plain flour
60 g self-raising flour
55 g soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp lemon rind
80 g butter (diced)
1 whole egg

Filling A:
~~2 tbsp lemon juice (mixed with 300 ml UHT whipping cream, stand for 10 minutes to become sour cream)
~~600 g cream cheese (at room temperature)
~~100 g butter ( softened),
~~1/2 tsp vanilla essence
~~70 g caster sugar
~~2 tsp lemon rind
~~30 g cornflour,
~~2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks (2 egg whites, 4 egg yolks)

Filling B:
~~60 g caster sugar
~~2 egg whites

Utensil needed: 9" loose-base cake tin

Method:

~~1) Base: Preheat oven at 180 degree C. Lightly brush a 9" loose-base cake tin with corn oil. Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add in butter and beat at low speed until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add in egg and beat until mixture binds. Press mixture into tin and prick holes with a fork.. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

~~2) Filling A:
Reduce oven temperature to 150 degree C. Place cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy. Add in rind, cornflour and eggs and beat until just combined. Add in sour cream. Leave aside.

~~3) Filling B:
In another mixing bowl whisk filling B at high speed until stiff (70%).

~~4) Fold no. (2) and (3) together lightly with a hand whisk. Pour into prepared base of no. (1).

~~5) Place tin in steam bath and bake for 2 hours. Take out from oven and immediately run a sharp knife along sides of cake. Let cake cool at room temperature before placing in the fridge. Brush some glazing on cake if desire.

NOTE: From for my baking experience, I do not practise method (5). I like to wait for the cheesecake to cool down, then I put in the fridge for few hours or longer. With this method, the cake stays nicely in shape, will not damage the shape of the cake once I remove it from the mould.

Smooth Chicken with blended Ginger - 姜茸滑鸡





This is another delicious dish from the " Hawker Secret Recipes" book (杂饭档). If you have ever frequented " 三盅两件 Soup Restaurant", you must have eaten their signature dishes like the "Samsui Ginger Chicken 三水鸡".

On their serving plate, the chicken is cut into slices. It comes together with a saucer of minced ginger sauce. How to eat? Dip a slice of meat in the ginger sauce, wrap it in a piece of lettuce and eat it Pecking Duck Style. If you like their ginger sauce, this is the recipe which can provide you with a very similar taste.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 chicken
1 teaspoon of salt
1 litre of water

Grounded ginger sauce: (mix well)
150 g grounded ginger
2 tbsp chopped spring onions
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp "Shaoxing" wine (Chinese cooking wine)
2 tbsp fried shallot oil
1 tbsp sesame oil

Method:

1)Rub chicken with salt. Cook it in the boiling water for 10 minutes until done. Dish out and drain well. ( I steamed the chicken for 15 - 20 minute, depend on the size of the chicken).

2)Cut the chicken in pieces, pour the minced ginger sauce over it and serve.

材料
1/2 只鸡
1 小匙盐
1公升 (1000ml)请水

姜茸酱:拌匀
150克 姜茸
2大匙 青葱粒/葱花
1大匙 蚝油
1/2大匙 绍兴酒
1/2 大匙酱油
2大匙 炸葱油
1大匙 麻油

做法:

1)把清水入锅煮沸,然后用盐把鸡涂抹均匀,放入沸水中煮10分钟至熟,盛起沥水备用。

2) 把滑鸡斩块,加入混和姜茸酱拌匀,排碟即可食用。


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cupcake




Chocolate again. Recently I find myself very lazy to create anything. Yesterday, I had planned to bake Chocolate Mousse Cake for my daughter's birthday but somehow my laziness turn a beautiful Mousse Cake into simple chocolate cupcakes. I really don't feel like making complicated cakes. I promise you that next year, I will bake you a very beautiful cake. The best way is to quickly marry and let your husband buy you a cake.

You have to believe me, sometimes doing anything depends on your mood. Tell you something, I am going to doze off now, very sleepy and laz.........................y. What does it mean? Saya sudah tua. I need to play more" Majong game"just to keep me awake.

Recipe: Adapted from Delicious CAKES by AMY HENG

Ingredients: (makes 20)

250 g butter
350 g brown sugar
1/1/2 tablespoon vanilla essence
1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder (dissolved in1/2 tbsp hot water)
4 whole eggs
320 ml water
280 g cake flour- )
70 g cocoa powder - )
1 1/2 tsp baking powder - ) sieved thrice
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda - )
1/2 tsp salt - )
200 g chocolate chips100 g macadamia nuts (toasted and chopped)

Utensil needed:
20 paper cups
1 piping bag

Method:

~1) Preheat oven at 180 degree.
~2) Beat butter, sugar essence and coffee until light and creamy. Add in eggs one at a time.
~3) add in dry ingredients alternating with water. Lastly add in nuts and chips, scoop the batter into a piping bag.
~4) Pipe no. (3) into cups and arrange on baking trays. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Decorate as desire.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Red Bean Rolls - 豆沙包









It has been quite some time since i've done any bread-making. Today I made these red bean rolls (buns) for breakfast tomorrow, because it is very easy to make and also this is one of the favourite breads in my family.

Recipe: Adapted from Bread Magic by Y3K Vol.6

Straight Dough Method.

Ingredients: (makes 10)

(A)

330 g Bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon milk powder
60 g caster sugar

(B)
1 no. "A" grade egg

(C) (Mixed together)
120 ml water
10 g instant yeast

(D)
40 g butter (at room temperature)

Method:

~1) Combine ingredient A together in a mixer. Give it a slight blend before adding in ingredient B and C. Beat combined ingredient D and beat dough for further five minutes till dough has a smooth surface. Check whether dough is fully developed by stretching a small piece of dough with your fingers. If the dough can be stretched into a thin layer without tearing, it is ready. But if it does not stretch well, beat dough further till it passes the next stretch test.

~2) Remove dough and leave it in a big bowl, covered with a piece of damp cloth or wrapped the whole bowl with a plastic bag and tie bag loosely. Leave bowl in a warm place and proof dough for about 30-40 minutes till doubled in size.

~3) Scale dough at 60 g each. Shape them into small balls, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

~4) Slightly flatten the round dough, place in red bean paste (35 g each), seal ans wrap, then roll it flat once more. Make your desire shapes or patterns. Repeat process with the rest of the dough.
~


~5)Place them on a greased baking tray. covered and leave them to rest for 45 minutes. (2nd proofing)




~6) Glaze with egg wash and sprinkle top with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C for 12- 15 minutes. Baking tray shoud be placed in the middle rack of the oven.



Sunday, July 10, 2011

Stir-Fried Assam Prawns-干炒亚叁虾







Recipe adapted from Hawker Secret Recipes

Ingredients:
300g medium prawns
5o g tamarind paste (assam paste)
100 ml water
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Seasoning:
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger juice
1 teaspoon "Shaoxing" wine (Chinese cooking wine)

Method:

~1) Rinse the prawns and drain well, parboil in the hot oil for a while. Remove and drain well, leave aside.

~2) Mix tamarind paste with water, squeeze and reserve the tamarind water.

~3) Heat up 1 tablespoon oil, saute garlic until fragrant, add in tamarind water and seasoning, bring to boil. Add prawns, stirring constantly at high heat until the sauce is absorbed or slightly dried. Dish up and serve.