Steamed Bun (Lotus Leaf Shape)

荷叶包

This is the Chinese version of burger bun except that it is steamed and flat. Most people eat this bun with braised pork belly. 

Ingredients:

150g plain flour

30g wheat starch

1/2 tsp instant yeast

15g castor sugar

90g cold milk

4g cooking oil / pork lard

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Cut parchment paper into small pieces of 10cm x 10cm. 

2. Prepare steamer and fill it up with sufficient water for steaming to last 15minutes.

3. Put all ingredients except oil into the mixing bowl and use dough scrapper to combine before using hand to knead into a dough. Cover the dough and rest for 10 minutes. Then add the oil and knead until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic, around 20 minutes. Form a ball and proof the dough (covered with cling wrap) for 15 minutes.

4. Punch down the dough and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 50g each and form a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll each dough into an oval shape. Position the rolling pin in the middle of the oval shape make an indentation. Then lightly brush some vegetable oil on the dough and fold it into half*. Place it on a piece of parchment/baking paper. Repeat this process for rest of the dough ball. Place the shaped buns in a steamer rack and proof for 20 minutes. 

5. Once 20 minutes is up, turn the heat on the steamer up. When steam comes out of the steamer, reduce heat to medium and continue to steam for another 10minutes. Do not open the steamer lid during steaming as the buns will collapse. Once steaming is done, do not open the lid immediately. Let the buns rest in the steam for 5 minutes. Remove the buns from the steamer.

6. The buns taste good even on their own. Re-steam for 5 minutes before serving if you like. 

* To make line design on the bun, use the dough scrapper and fork to make indentation.

Soft Dinner Rolls

 

Saw a packet of potato flakes at a bakery supply store and couldn't help but bought it as I've seen bread recipes using it. If you think potatoes are bland, they are not, especially when they are used to make bread - so flavourful! Below recipe is adapted from crazyforcrust.

Ingredients

370g bread flour

170ml fresh milk / oat milk

110ml warm water

1 egg

1 tsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

40g unsalted butter

20g potato flakes

Method

1. Rehydrate the potato flakes with the warm water.  

2. Combine all ingredients, except butter and salt, in mixer and knead at medium speed for 3.5min until it comes together in a ball of dough.

3. Add butter and salt, and knead for another 3.5min until dough is smooth and elastic. The dough is sticky due to high hydration.

4. Do window pane test (for gluten development) and proof for 30-40min until double in size.

5. After 1st proofing, punch down the dough and divide into small pieces and shape them into balls to fit my 28cm x 5cm x 19cm pan. Rest the balls for 15 mins. After that, reshape into balls, cover and let it proof at room temperature for 1 hour.

6. 15mins before end of 2nd proofing, preheat oven to 180 deg cel. Bake the buns at 180 deg cel for 20mins.

Note: Can make burger buns using this recipe. Makes 10 buns of 75g each.

Hakka Yam Abacus Seeds

 客家算盘子

This dish is normally cooked during the Chinese New Year as the abacus shaped beads signify wealth and prosperity.

Ingredients:

1 yam (peeled and cut into thin slices) - 1kg yam can make about 800g abacus seeds (for 4 pax)

tapioca flour (33% of weight of peeled yam)

hot water (20% of weight of peeled yam)

Method:

1. In a wok or steamer, steam the yam for 30 minutes until very soft (when pressed with a fork). Remove from steamer and mash it with a fork (or press the steamed yam through a sieve). Add a bit of salt and tapioca flour and hot water (if using) to the mashed yam and knead till you get a soft and smooth dough that does not stick to your hand. Note: More tapioca flour, the more bouncy (QQ) the abacus seeds will be BUT lesser yam taste.

2. Roll the yam dough into logs of about 2cam in diameter and cut them into equal pieces of about 1cm thickness. Roll each piece into a ball and press the centre gently with your thumb/index finger to create a depression (to look like the abacus seed on an abacus). Repeat with the rest of the dough.

3. Fill the wok/pot with water, add a dash of cooking oil and bring to a boil. Prepare a separate pot of ice cold water. Place the abacus seeds into the boiling water and stir to ensure they do not stick to the bottom of wok/pot. Cook the abacus seeds for a few minutes. When they float to the top, scoop them out and plunge them into the cold water for 5 minutes. Then drain and set aside the abacus seeds. Drizzle a bit of oil over the seeds to prevent them sticking to one another. Freeze the seeds in a ziplock bag if not you are not consuming on the same day.

4. To stir fry the abacus seeds, prepare these ingredients ahead:

600g abacus seeds

5 shallots, sliced thinly (to make fried shallots)

5 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

100g dried shrimp, soaked in water

30g dried cuttlefish, soaked in water and cut into strips

40g mushrooms, soaked in water and cut into strips

40g black fungus, soaked and cut into stripes

200g lean pork, cut into strips or minced pork

some red chilli, cut into small pieces

Seasonings

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sesame oil

dashes of pepper

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

water from soaking dried shrimps, cuttle fish and mushrooms

Method

1. Heat cooking oil in a wok, fry sliced shallots until golden brown. Remove from wok and set aside.

2. In same wok, sauté shallots, garlic, dried shrimp and dried cuttle fish till fragrant.

3. Add in mushrooms, black fungus, pork, and mix well.

4. Add in abacus seeds and seasonings. Add water if necessary. Mix well.

5. Garnish with fried shallots, spring onions and sliced red chilli, and serve warm.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Roulade

 

This is a French dish called poulet farci but more commonly known as Chicken Roulade. Roulade is a french word for 'roll-up'. There are a variety of recipes out there in internet, some stuffed the chicken with fillings like bacon, cheese and spinach, while a few wrap the chicken in bacon. Cooking method differs widely too, with some baking the roulade and others poaching followed by pan searing the roulade. I think my recipe below is the simplest method to make roulades. You can customise by adding fillings if you like.

Ingredients:

2 pieces chicken thigh (deboned) 

Seasoning: 1/4 tsp salt, dashes of freshly ground pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp paprika

8 pieces of smoked bacon

Method:

1. Season chicken thigh.

2. On a baking sheet, lay bacon strips across the sheet. Place the chicken thigh one end of the bacon strips, tuck the chicken thigh and roll it up using the baking sheet as tightly as possible. Then wrap the roulade using aluminum foil.

3. Boil a pot of water and add the roulades. Poach for 30 mins over medium high heat. Turn the roulades around for even poaching. After poaching, drain the liquid and set aside the roulades to cool.

4. Once cooled, remove the aluminum foil and baking sheet gently. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken roulades and sear all sides until brown and aromatic.

5. Transfer to serving plate and rest 10 minutes. Then cut up the roulades into thick slices and serve!

Miso Pork Noodle

 

What can you cook at home for one person? This is what I whipped up today- miso pork soup, inspired by dailydelicious. Simple meal but still delicious. 

Ingredients:

200g minced pork

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

dashes of white pepper powder

1/2 tsp chilli paste (add more if you like it to be spicier)

1/2 tablespoon miso paste 

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 Japanese dashi (Japanese soup stock) packet (refer to Just one cookbook for good writeup on dashi)

2 tablespoon Japanese sesame dressing

200ml water

50ml milk

160g dried pumpkin noodles or any noodles you prefer.

Method:

1. Put water and dashi packet in a small pot and bring to a boil. Then, lower stove heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Shake the dashi packet a few times to release the flavours from the packet. Set aside.

2. Heat up wok with cooking oil. Stir fry garlic and ginger under medium heat until fragrant. Add minced pork followed by white pepper powder and stir fry under high heat until pork is cooked through. Then, reduce the heat to low and push the pork to the side of the wok. Put chilli paste, miso paste and sugar into wok, and stir fry for a minute under low heat. After one minute, mix in the pork and stir fry under medium heat.

3. While cooking the pork, cook the noodles as per package instructions. Transfer the noodles to serving bowl.

4. Bring the soup to a boil and ladle into the serving bowl. Then add the pork, top with scallions, a few drops of chilli oil and toasted white sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Crispy Bacon Croquette

脆皮马铃薯饼

Enjoy these delicious fried potato patties by themselves or as a side dish. 

Ingredients

1 kg Indonesian Brastagi potatoes (870g after mashing)

1/2 egg (optional)

6 to 8 slices of smoked bacon, cut into 1 m strips. (Can replace with other filling e.g. minced beef/pork/chicken)

1 tsp salt

Dashes of black pepper

1 tsp dried herbs

50g plain flour 

Method:

1. Peel and cut potatoes into small cubes. 

2. Boil* the potatoes in salted water until tender (can poke through with a chopstick), around 10 to 15minutes. Drain water and return the pot of potatoes to the stove. On low heat, shake the pot to evaporate excess moisture from the potatoes. Turn off heat and mash the potatoes while they are hot. Leave some small chunks of potatoes for texture (personal preference). If the mashed potatoes are wet (i.e. sticks to your hand), add plain flour one tablespoon at a time.

3. While boiling potatoes, pan fry the smoked bacon strips until crispy and set aside.

4. Add seasoning and smoked bacon and mix well. Shape the patty and rest in fridge for 30 minutes (to prevent the croquettes from exploding while deep frying). Remove patty from fridge 30 minutes before frying.

5. Prepare beaten egg, plain flour and panko. Deep fry in batches. Dredge each patty in each batch through plain flour, followed by egg and panko. Deep fry immediately until light golden brown in colour.  Transfer to wire rack or kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Use a mesh strainer to remove panko bits floating around in the oil before frying the next batch. This will keep the oil clean and produce nice and golden patties.

6. Serve immediately.

* you can also pre cook the potatoes by deep frying them. To do this, slice the potatoes in step 1. Then deep fry them until soft.

Prawn Noodle (Soup Based)

 虾面

I love to eat prawn noodles and to me the real test for a good bowl is in the soup and the prawns. The soup in some of the prawn noodles sold in hawker centres and coffee shops are too sweet (I think they put too much sugar to sweeten the soup stock) or lack prawn unami flavour, or the prawns are small, not fresh or too few. 

After coming across Wendy's recipe for prawn noodle and a couple of others (here and here), I came up with my version and it was a success. 

Ingredients (serves 4 pax):

A. Prawn soup:

Prawn shells from 1kg prawns 

2 garlic cloves (chopped - for frying prawn shells)

2 shallots (chopped - for frying prawn shells)

Chicken carcass or feet

2.5litres water

1/2 tsp white/black peppercorns

1/4 tsp white pepper powder

3 garlic cloves (smashed, with skin)

2 star anise petals

1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

pork skin (optional)

B. Toppings: 

prawns

pork lard

fried shallots 

pork slices (lean meat or pork belly) 

1 bundle of kang kong / water spinach (about 300g) - pluck the leaves and select the tender stems, washed and set aside

C. Noodles:

Rice vermicelli, 200g (soaked until soft, then drain and set aside)

Method:

1. Wash, peel prawns and de-vein. Chill the prawns in fridge.

2. Prepare pork lard. Refer to this post.

3. Prepare fried shallots: Peel and sliced 5-6 shallots, then fry using pork lard until golden and crispy. 

4. Prepare prawn soup: 

4.1 Blanch the chicken carcass and feet in boiling water. Remove the chicken carcass and feet, and set aside. Discard the water.

4.2 Put water into a big pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken carcass and feet, as well as the whole piece of pork/pork belly into the pot. Fish out the pork/pork belly after 10minutes. Sprinkle some salt over the pork/pork belly. When the pork has cooled down, slice thinly and set aside.

4.3 Fry shallots and garlic using pork lard until fragrant, then add in prawn shells and stir fry until the shells turned pink, dry and very fragrant. Transfer the shells into the pot and add in garlic cloves, star anise petals, peppercorns and pepper powder, and bring to boil again. Once boiled, lower heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour, season the soup with dark soy sauce and fish sauce.

5. Bring the soup back to a boil and put in the prawns and sliced pork/pork belly. When the water comes to boil again, fish the prawns and pork out, and set aside.

6. Heat the wok with water and bring to a boil. Put the rice vermicelli in a metal strainer and lower into the boiling water. Cook according to package instructions and transfer to serving bowls. Drizzle some pork lard or oil from frying shallots over the cooked rice vermicelli, and use chopsticks to mix in.

7. Using the same water for cooking the rice vermicelli, put in the kang kong and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain the vegetable and transfer to the serving bowls. Add the prawns and pork into the noodle bowls.

8. When it is time to serve, re-boil the soup and ladle the soup through a sieve into the noodle bowls. Top up with pork lard and fried shallots. Serve hot!

Braised Pork Belly

 扣肉包

Adapted this recipe by Chef Yeung Koon Yat.

Ingredients (serves 4 pax)

600g pork belly

1 bunch of spring onions

1 knob ginger, peeled and smashed

1 small piece of tangerine, about 2 cm

5 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp Chinese rice wine (I used Shaoxing wine)

45g rock sugar

400ml water

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/4 tsp fish sauce

Method:

1. Blanch pork belly in boiling water to remove surface scums, or sear the pork belly (all sides) on high heat using a cast iron pan.

2. Place ginger, spring onion and tangerine peel in a pot. Place pork belly (skin side down), add soy sauce, rice wine and rock sugar, and cover the pork with water. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 hour or until pork is tender. Flip the pork belly at halfway mark.

3. Remove pork belly from pot and set aside. 

4. Add rice vinegar and fish sauce to the pot. To thicken the sauce, continue to cook it and then stir in corn flour slurry. Note: The leftover sauce can be kept in fridge and use as seasoning for stir fried dishes.

5. Slice the pork belly and serve with vegetables (e.g. kai lan) or lotus leaf bun. Refer to my post here on how to make lotus leaf bun.

Potato Salad

Recipe adapted from: Brian Lagerstrom

Ingredients

350g potatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 strips of smoked bacon

2 teaspoon light sour cream

3  tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

Method

1. Wash and partially peel potatoes (i.e. leave some potato skin for better texture). Cut into bite sized, and mix in olive oil and salt thoroughly. Roast the potatoes @200 degree celcius until 1 to 2 sides of the potatoes are crisped, around 25 minutes. Make sure to stir the potatoes half way through roasting. Set aside the potatoes to cool down.

2. Cut smoked bacon into 1cm stripes. Pan fry them until crispy.  Transfer the bacon together with the rendered fat to the potatoes. Chill in fridge in air tight container if the salad is prepared ahead.

3. When you are ready to serve the salad, mix in sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, spring onions and black pepper. Toss and mix thoroughly. Best served warm.

Homemade Kaya

香兰咖椰

Kaya is a sweet and creamy/custardy jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar. It is served in toast with butter in most coffee stalls. Kaya comes in two flavours: pandan or caramel. I'm sharing the recipe for pandan kaya which is less sweet. 

Ingredients

6 large eggs (355g nett)

360ml fresh coconut milk

100g sugar

5 pandan leaves

Method

1. Prepare pandan extract: Cut pandan leaves into small pieces and put into blender with 100ml of the coconut milk. Sieve the mixture, squeeze the pulp to extract as much pandan liquid as possible. Discard the pandan pulp thereafter.

2. In a container/bowl, lightly beat the eggs and sugar until sugar dissolves. Sieve the egg mixture into a small pot, add in the pandan extract and the remaining coconut milk. Stir using a small whisk to combine.

3. Set up bain-marie: Prepare a big pot and put a steaming rack in it. Fill up with water until it just covers the steaming rack. Place the small pot with coconut egg mixture on the steaming rack (so just a small amount of water touched the bottom of the small pot), turn on the stove heat and bring the water to a boil. Then lower heat to medium-low and keep stirring the coconut egg mixture in one direction. Note: High heat will cause the coconut egg mixture to curdle and kaya will be lumpy.

4. It took me 1.5 hours to cook down the mixture and get my preferred thick and custardy texture and consistency. Remove the small pot from bain-marie once done and continue to keep stirring at room temperature to cool the kaya down. Once completely cooled, store in a clean and sterilised jar and refrigerate. Best consumed within 2 -3 weeks.