Chicken and Potato Curry Milk Bun

When I first saw Sonia's  Chicken and Potato curry  buns, I was very enchanted. I have never made bread using the sponge dough method before. And I gathered from many food bloggers who praised the texture of the bread to be super soft. Sooooo.... today I gathered all the ingredients and put my hands down into making them. It does not disappoint me the buns are really super soft and good..

Thank you Sonia for sharing this recipe.


Recipes: Adapted from sonia @ nasi lemak lover

Ingredients for the filling:
3 potatoes, small cubed
200 g chicken breast, small cubed
2 spring  curry leaves
1/2 big onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic,chopped finely
3 shallots, chopped finely

Mix to form a paste:
1.5 tablespoon meat curry powder (one and the half)
1/2 tablespoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
4 tablespoon water

Method:
1) Heat oil in a wok, saute onion, garlic and shallots till aroma.
2) Add in curry paste, curry leaves, stir fry till fragrance. Add in chicken and potatoes, mix well.
3) Add in enough of water to cover the chicken and potatoes, cook over low medium heat till potato is softened, add salt and sugar to taste..  Set aside to cool.

To Prepare the buns:  Overnight Sponge dough:
215 g bread flour
125 g full cream milk (cold)
2 g instant yeast (1/2 teaspoon)

Method: Mix all ingredients till a rough dough, cover with cling film or put in the plastic bag and store overnight in the fridge.

To prepare basic dough:
1 quantity of above overnight sponge dough
90 g bread flour
30 g egg (about 1/2 large egg)
4 g instant yeast (1 tsp)
3 g fine salt
60 g fine sugar
45 g butter ( room temperature)
1 tablespoon milk (cold)

Egg wash = balance egg +  1 tablespoon milk

Method:
1)  Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl except overnight sponge dough and butter. While beating the ingredients, tear the overnight sponge dough  into pieces and throw into the mixing bowl piece by piece. Beat till  form a smooth dough.
2)  Add in the butter and beat until dough is smooth, shinning and elastic. Cover with cling film or a piece of damp cloth. Leave aside to proof till double in size.
3)  Punch down the dough  to expel the air, divide into 55gram portions and mould into round balls, rest for 10-15 minutes. (I made 10 big buns and one small bun)
4)  Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a round disc, spoon filling in the center, wrap and seal. Shape them round and place on a baking tray. Let it proof for another 45-60 minutes.
5)  Brush with egg wash on the surface and sieve curry powder over it. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes at 180 degree C.

Note: Fully proofed dough that has doubled in size with a nice texture. Insert a finger into the dough and the finger hole mark should rise very slowly.

Chocolate Orange Cake

 After enchanted Phong Hong's post of Orange Chocolate Cake that inspired me very much because I like orange cake and anything made from orange.  When I feel thirsty, I only turn to aerated orange juice.

The texture of this cake is soft and light. It goes well along with a cup of hot coffee or tea. Anyone wants to join me?

Recipe: Source from "Lovely Butter Cakes" via Phong Hong Bakes

Ingredients:
(A)
200 g butter
200 g castor sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

(B): Combined and sieved
  250 g plain flour
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  1/8 teaspoon salt

(C)
  250 ml sour cream
  30 g cooking chocolate (melted using double boiler) (I used 50g as I prefer stronger taste)

Method:
1)  Preheat oven to 180 degree C.
2)  Line and  lightly grease a 9" round baking mould.
3)  Beat butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.
4)  Add eggs one at a time, and beat well after each additions.
5)  Add orange rind and vanilla essence and beat till well combined.
6)  Add ingredient B in four (4) additions and sour cream in 3 additions.
7)  Take half (1/2) of the batter and gently mix with the melted chocolate, do not over mix.
8)  Alternatively pour the plain and chocolate batter onto the baking pan until all used up.
9)  Bake in the preheated oven for 55- 60 minutes. (mine was baked for 45 minutes as it was already done)
10)  Remove from oven and unmould after 10 minutes. Let the cake continue to cool.


Note: I baked an 8" round cake and 4 cupcakes with this recipe.

Cheese and Ham Buns 芝士火腿面包

Verdict from my family:

"Mmmmmm.....!!!!"

"The picture tells it all."

"Can you make this bread every week?"



Recipe: Source from "Second Book of Baking for Beginners"  By Carol.

Ingredients:

A): 270 g bread flour
      30 g low protein flour (plain flour)
      1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
      1 egg (about 50 g nett)
      30 g Castor sugar
      1/8 teaspoon salt
      150 cc  milk
      30 g unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)

B): Topping ingredients - ham and cheddar cheese cut into strips.
      (I used 4 slices of picnic hams, each cut into 4 strips, and 4 slices of cheddar cheese, each cut into 4 strips).

Method:
1) Combine ingredients A in a mixer, beat until forms dough.
2) Add in butter, continue beat until a smooth and elastic dough is formed.
3) Place dough in a lightly greased container, cover with damp cloth  and keep in a warm place for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
4) Spread small amount of bread flour on working table surface. Remove dough from the container and place on the table, punch out gas. Divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 69 g - 70 g each). Roll into round balls. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 15 minutes.
5) Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into an oval shape and roll into olive nut shape.  Use a very sharp knife and make a deep cut across the centre of the dough. After fermentation, the slit will expand for the ease of spreading the topping ingredients later.
6) Spray water on the dough surface and keep them in the oven for 60 minutes.
7) About 8 ~ 10 minutes before the fermentation time, take out the dough from the oven. Preheat oven to 170 degree C.
8) Arrange ham and cheese on each dough. Glaze with egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 ~ 20 minutes till golden brown.
9)  Transfer buns on the rack. Leave to cool.

Chicken Chop in Sweet And Sour Sauce

A few days ago. I went to Changi Point with my family. I intended to eat at Song Huat Bak Kut Teh where
my family went to dine at Indian Restaurant. When I walked towards the shop, I saw a long human queue in front of the bak kut teh reastaurant. As I did not want to waste too much time on queueing, so I turned to  my next alternative at Old Nan Yang cafe (老南洋）. I ordered a set meal - Hainanese chicken chop rice and a cup of black coffee. While I was eating my chicken chop rice, a wave of memory rushed to my mind. This was a luxury dish when we were young. As compared to the kids nowadays, they have fast food at affordable prices, mobile phones at a very young age, other electronics and luxury comfort... times are so different back then when we would only have chicken or duck on special occasions.


Recipe:

Ingredients: (A)
1 kg chicken thighs, debone and trim away the excess fat from the skin

Seasoning:
1 small egg
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoon self-raising-flour

Method: 
Marinate chicken with the seasoning except self-raising flour for half an hour. Then add in self-raising-flour, mix well. Ready for deep fry.

 Ingredients (B) 
100 g cucumber, cut into small pieces
100 g pineapple, cut into small pieces
*100 g carrot, cut into small pieces  - blanch, dish up
1 big onions, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 red chilli, cut into big pieces as cucumber
1 green chilli,  cut into pieces as above

Sauce: combine in a big bowl except corn starch.
7 - 8 tablespoon tomato sauce
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 cup water (250 cc)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
some corn starch mix with water to thicken the sauce -optional

Method:
1) Deep-fry the chicken thighs until golden brown and crispy. Dish up.
2) Saute chopped garlic until fragrant, add in big onions stir-fry for a while, add in the remaining ingredients B, stir-fry for a minute.
3) Lastly, pour in sauce ingredients  and simmer (do not cover with lid) for  few minutes. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch water if you prefer a thicker sauce.  Ready to serve.

Baileys Coffee Butter Cake

Just look at the name of this cake, if you are hoping for a distinctive coffee flavour, I am sorry there is none. . . So, I will add coffee emulco or coffee granule in my next attempt if I am going to bake this again.

Recipe: source from " famous CUISINE issue 80, 2013"

Ingredients:

250 g butter

200 g brown sugar (I used 100 g brown sugar and 100 g castor sugar)

5 eggs

250 g self-raising flour

2 tablespoon fresh milk

2 tablespoon Baileys liquor

Method:

1)  Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Line an 8" square or 9" square baking tray.

2)  Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3)  Fold in sifted flour and fresh milk, combine well.

4)  (a) Mixed 2 tbsp  of batter with 1/2 tbsp of baileys.   (b)The other mix into the remaining batter, mix well.

     (I skip this step).

5)  Pour half of the batter (b) into tin . Follow with (a) coffee batter. Then pour the remaining batter, level the surface.

6)  Bake in the preheated  oven for 40- 45 minutes or  until  a skewer  inserts in the center  comes out clean.

Sri Lanka Style Curry Chicken

The weather has not been kind to us recently, with the heat, daze and the haze. It may not be the perfect conditions to whip up a heaty dish, but nothing is stopping me when my taste buds demand for something, and today, it is a pot of spicy, thick curry gravy.

This recipe is not my usual using A1 brand instant curry paste which is easy to prepare. This one requires much effort in  frying the dried chilli till crispy and dry, before blending them into powder form. Dried chilli + haze is a deadly concoction, I'm sure I must have coughed my lungs out while frying. 

There are many types of curry, such as Nonya , thai green curry... just to name a few. Sri Lanka style will suit those who prefer strong flavour with a thicker, spicy gravy. You would be surprised with the explosion of flavour once you sip some of it - the spices, the distinctive flavour of green chilli, and a tinge of sourness. Yes, it is slightly sour! Ah-hah, you wouldn't have expected that white vinegar is one of the culprits that will stimulate your saliva gland and yearn for more.

Recipe (source : 1978 ’女友‘ 杂志，韩蒂夫人食谱）

Ingredients:

A)~  1 kg chicken, cut into big pieces (I suggest using Kampong chicken, Sakura brand chicken or Royale brand chicken because the meat is firmer, good for cooking this type of curry).

B)~ Ingredients need to be fried and be grounded into powder form.

  * 10 dried chilies

  * 2 tbsp. coriander seeds

  * 1 tbsp cumin seeds (小茴香子）

C) ~  4 cm length of fresh kunyit (turmeric) or 2.5 tsp. turmeric  powder

     ~  2 tsp lime juice or white vinegar

    ~  1 tsp salt

D) ~ 1 tsp fennel seeds (大茴香）

     ~  1.5 tsp mustard seeds

    ~  4 curry leaves

     ~  3 tbsp or more cooking oil

      ~ 2 big  onions, chopped

      ~ 4 slices fresh ginger, chopped

     ~  4 pips  garlic, chopped

     ~  4 green fresh chillies, cut into half  along its length

     ~  1 cup thick coconut milk (santan)  squeezed from one coconut . Then add some water to the coconut to get  1 to 1.5 cup of diluted coconut milk.

  

Method:

1)  Marinade chicken with ingredients in C.

2)  Use a damp cloth to wipe the dried chillis to get rid of  dirt and dust (you can wash but it must be dry before frying) .  In a hot and dry wok over low heat,  fry dried chilies until crispy but not burn. Dish out. Fry coriander seeds and cumin seeds until fragrant. Dish out. Ready to be grounded into powder for later use.

3)  In a dry and hot wok saute curry leaves, fennel seeds and mustard seeds till fragrant. Then add oil and   add  the chopped ingredients (onion, ginger, garlic) , fry till brown.   Put in  chicken and stir fry for a minute.  Cover with lid, simmer for 1/2 hour at low heat  (the water content naturally contained within the chicken will escape for the simmering) and stir occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom.

4)  Combine grounded ingredients and green chilies with diluted coconut milk. Pour the mixture into step (3) and cook till the chicken is cooked. Now add in the thick coconut milk , continue to simmer (stir occasionally) until a layer of oil is formed on the surface. Add salt and  sugar to taste. Serve.

____________________

I am submitting my Sri Lanka style chicken curry for a little event at http://everybodyeatswell.blogspot.be/2013/06/little-thumbs-up-its-curry-time.html.

 It is for Little Thumbs Up event hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders at this link, organized by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of my little favourite D.I.Y. 

Prawn and Pineapple curry

Hi! I have been missing in action again for quite some time. I just came back from my 17 days Rockie and Alaska trip a week ago. Had been busy washing laundry, doing house chores and others. Until today, I finally have the time to settle down to cook something local which I have been desiring to whip up.

Recipe: Adapted  here.

Spice paste:*

*15 dried chillies, seeded, soaked until soft then squeezed dry

*10 shallots, peeled

*5 buah keras (candle nuts)

*2 cm length turmeric

1 tbsp belacan, crumbled

2 stalks lemongrass - use only 4 - 5 inches from bottom, bashed

2 thick slices galangal or lengkuas, bashed 

500 ml water

3 slices tamarind (assam keeping)

1/2  a ripe but firm pineapple, skinned, coredand cut into desired chunck size

600 g large prawns (I used medium size), deveined, left unshelled

1 to 1.1/2 tsp salt to taste

1 to 2 tsp sugar (add more if pineapple is sour, less if it's sweet)

Laksa leaves - optional

Method:

1)  Combine spice paste ingredients and pound or process to a smooth and fine paste.

2) Heat about 5 tbsp oil in a wok or pot stir-fry the belacan until crisp and no longer fishy smelling (moderate heat).  Add lemongrass and galangal and stir for about half a minute

3)  Add the spice paste and stir -fry until fragrant and mixture separates from the oil.

4)  Add water and tamarind and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add pineapples, simmer for 2 minutes.  Add prawns and simmer for another 3 -4 minutes or prawns are cooked through. Do not overcook or prawns will toughen up.

5)  Add salt and sugar to taste. If gravy is tangy enough, discard tamarind slices.

6)  Dish out, garnish, and serve hot.