Wholemeal Red Bean Baos

A healthy recipe for you today! I'm not sure whether there is such a recipe of these baos, anyways I just created this without any reference. So be it....it"ll either turns out good or bad! And guess what?! These baos are well recieved!!!! I did it...LOL!!

The idea of using the whole wheat in baos is unsual but trust me, it's very nice indeed and most of all, it's healthy!

Have a look at it....they are not as smooth like the normal redbean baos just because of the wholemeal wheat flour, but they are soft and special...^^

The recipe:

300g bao flour
50g wholemeal wheat flour
8g instant yeast
70g castor sugar
5g ghee
150g water (may not use all)

Filling:
red bean paste

Method:
- Mix all ingredients (except red bean paste) in a mixer knead dough till smooth at high speed about 5-8 mins.
** add water slowly until the dough forms and not sticky.
- Roll out dough into long strip, cut into small pieces about 30g each, then roll flat and roll up like a swissroll and keep aside.(shown below)
- Wrap in the red bean paste, seal tight and place on the prepared baking paper. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
- Steam over hight heat for 5 minutes.

Below picture, after 30 minutes.

Below picture, after steaming.

Look at them, not bad huh?! The skin of these baos are very soft and fluffy as you can see from the last picture below. Well, I like this recipe very much, and hopefully I'm sharing the right one with you too.

Cheers!

Pork & Shrimps Satay with Tamarind Glaze

Hi all, I'm back with a simple recipe which its well received by my family and friends. Last weekend we had a small gathering with friends at my house. I've prepared some grilled chicken wings with lemon grass, grilled prawns, some desserts like blueberry cheese tarts and tiramisu. Well, this satay was the most welcome dish during that day. All were gone before the gathering ends..haha! I'll make more for the next one ya...^^

The recipe only needs few ingredients:
600g minced pork
100g minced shrimps
1 tsp ginger powder
3 small pcs galangal (chopped0
15 stalks lemongrass (wash & clean)
1 gloves garlic
50g coriander leaves
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:
1 tbsp tamarind puree
1 tbsp honey
ground black pepper to taste

Method:
- Place all ingredients except lemon grass stalks, meat, shrimps and glaze in a blender and pulse until combined.
- Mix the blended ingredients with the meat and shrimps. Mix well and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
- With wet hands, mould each portion around each lemon grass stalks into shape of a sausage (about 3-4") long. (like the picture shown above)
- Prepare the glaze. Preheat and overhead grill.
-Brush satay with glaze and grill, turning every 3 minutes until well cooked / browned. Takes about 8-10 minutes to cook. Serve hot!

For outdoor cooking, grill over medium-hot coal. It may taste better with the coal grill.
This was so nice and everyone started to ask for the ingredients, so here you are my dear friends. Sorry to take such along time to post...hehe!

Cheers!!

Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱麵)

This is the noodles I always wanted to try but I cannot find a good recipe for it until my friend taught me with her secret recipe...^^ I'm always lucky with good friends around....:)

Well, it's not so complicated after all. I've twisted the recipe alittle bit to suit my taste and it still taste good. Easy and tasty....yummy!

The ingredients below were all you needed. The main ingredients for this dish are the bean paste and the egg.
This is not the original "Zha Jiang" noodle you seen in Taiwan or Korea.....this is the Malaysian way...haha!

Ingredients:
A pack of dry egg noodles (any brand will do)
5 shallots (minced)
4 mushrooms ((diced)
300g minced pork
1 egg (beaten)
3 tbsps minced yellow bean paste
3-4 tbsps water
sugar & light soy sauce to taste
some green vege & chilli for garnish

Marinate the minced meat:
3 tsps sesame oil
alittle pepper
alittle sugar

Method:
- Stir fry the shallots with some cooking oil till fragnant.
- Add in bean paste and mix well.
- Stir in beaten eggs and mix well., then follow by the diced mushrooms.
- Turn to low heat, add in sugar and soy sauce to taste.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the meat paste becomes alittle thick (like shown below).

Cook the noodles in another pot with clean water, then served with the meat paste!
This is so yummy, and my daughter wants it again for lunch today.

I'm sure you'll like this. Let me know after you try ya....^^

Cheers!!

Hazel Strawberry Jam Cookies

Cookies! It was quite a long time since my last baked of cookies. These were quite special, and delicious. Good to go with a cup of tea!

These were made very last minute when I was told that we are going to meet some friends for dinner. I've never bake anything for them before, so I hope they will like it. By looking at the pictures here, they may taste good ..haha! Why I said that?...because I, myself had never tried it and I dare to give it away...LOL!!

Recipe was taken from a book named "The Great Big Cookies Book" by Hilaire Walden. I didn't really follow the ingredients stated in the book, instead I've changed most of it.

Ingredients:
190g plain flour
100g ground hazelnut
175g butter
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
350g strawberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
- Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
- Stir in vanilla essence and add in flour and ground hazelnut.
- Mix well to form a dough. Cover with cling wrap and chill for an hour.
- Preheat oven at 170'C, line  baking sheets in  different trays.
- Divide dough into  portions, roll each piece out on floured surface to a thickness of 3mm.
- Cut the dough with pastry cutter (any desire shape) shown above.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked. Cool them on a wire rack.

Jam:
- In a saucepan, melt the jam with lemon juice until it comes to a simmer.
- Cool the jam, and spread onto the biscuits and sandwich together.

Yummy right! Try try try...:))

Cheers!!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cupcakes

Another goodies for my daughter to bring to school last week. It was for her Science subject and everyone loves this so much, even the teacher asked whether she can bring this again to school for the Children's Day next month...^^

It's a simple but very very delicious cupcakes that I found from a book, "Beautiful Cupcakes" by chef Kevin Chai. I love his books, all the recipes turn out beautifully!! Anyway there were some changes in this recipe because I was lacked of some ingredients stated in the book....:p

Ingredients:
225g butter
200g sugar
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
120g peanut butter
120g dark chocolate (finely chopped)

Topping (which I didn't apply):
60g peanut butter
50g butter
2 tbsps fresh milk

Method:
~ Preheat overn at 175'C, place some cupcakes paper casing on tray. It calles about 20-22 small cupcakes.
~ Combine butter and sugar and beat till light and fluffy.
~ Add in eggs one after another then fold flour and beat until smooth.
~ Stir in peanut butter and chopped chocolate until well combined.
~ Spoon batter into prepared cases and bake for 20 minutes.
~ Remove and cool on rack.
~ For the topping, combine peanut butter and butter, beat until light and fluffy.
~ Add the fresh milk and beat until well combined.
~ Make decoration on top of each cupcakes as you desire.

Soft and fluffy and so yummy! Love this so much!!

While the cupcakes were baking in the oven, my whole kitchen was filled with the smell of peanut butter and chocolate. If you are a peanut butter and chocolate lover, you cannot miss this!!

Cheers!!

Coffee & Rum Chiffon

My baking mood has come back...hehe! Anyway instead of baking I still have some new interest too. I've started to paint and even started my dancing lesson which I wanted to learn long long time ago! Sounds busy huh?!!...I love all of these!!

Here, a chiffon cake..a small one actually. It's for just for a tea time snack last 2days ago. Well, I did share 2 pieces with my dear friend, only 2 small pieces...LOL!!

The texture was so good, soft and fluffy just like cotton. Love it!!

Recipe:
1 tbsp coffee powder
1 tsp rum
30ml fresh milk
2 egg yolks
20g sugar
20ml cornoil
40g self-raising flour

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
40g caster sugar

Method:
~ Combine coffee powder, rum and milk together.
~ Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until bubble form and add in the oil and milk mixture. Mix well and leave aside.
~ Beat egg withes with cream of tartar until mixture forms a soft peak.
~ Gradually add in sugar, beating at high speed until frothy and stiff peaks form.
~ Gently fold in beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter.
~ Blend well and pour into a 6" tube pan.
~ Bake at preheated oven at 170'C for 30 minutes.
~ Remove from oven and invert cake immediately until completely cool.

Double the portion if you want to make a bigger one.
I've used a 7" tube pan and that's why my cake looks a little short...:p
If you are a coffee and rum lover, I'm sure you'll like this.

Not very well cut while removing from the pan, I think I need a better and sharp knife for chiffon cake. The one I'm using is too blunt..:(

Hope you'll like this!

Cheers!!

Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies

Hi all, I've been missing for quite a long time...hehe! I'm back!! I've been quite busy with other stuffs but I'm back into my baking world now...^^

Since the mooncake festival is coming soon, I'll be very busy with those mooncakes!!

Well, today I'll like to post this special cookies made by my daughter and me few weeks back. She wanted to bake this so much for her friends in her school for the English subject. So I came up with this simple and yet really delicious cookies for her.

Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise!!

Well, it looks not so attractive, but it really taste good!

Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
180g sugar
1 egg
300g plain flour
60g cocoa powder
few marshmallow - cut into small pieces (just enough for the cookies)
some melted white chocolate ( for the top decoration)

Method:
~ Preheat oven at 190'C.
~ Prepare a tray with non-stick baking paper.
~ Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
~ Add in egg and beat well.
~ Sift flour and cocoa powder over mixture.
~ Stir  with a wooden spoon, then clean with hands, pressing the mixture together to make a fairly soft dough.
~ Roll out about half the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm.
~ Using a 5cm biscuit cutter (any shape you prefer) cut out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets.
~ Place the marshmallow onto the cut dough (like above).
~ Roll out the remaining dough and cut out as before and place on top of each of the marshmallow.
~ Press the dough edges to seal.
~ Bake for 10-12 mins until the cookies have risen well.
~ Cool completely and drizzle with some melted white chocolate onto the cookies.

Tips:
If the dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for about 30 minutes, then try again.

The cookies was so crispy and when you bite it, the marshmallow will be sticky like eating a pizza!! Interesting right?!!
My daughter told me her friends love it so much and wanted to make this again. You have to try this!!

Cheers!!

Rapsberry & Cheese Delight

Special treats for my niece! Thinking what to bake for her on her birthday but instead of cakes that will make her fat....so this light desert is what I think will suits her since she's on a diet...LOL!! Anyway...cheese...hmm is fattening though...haha!

Well, this is not very special from any special chef's recipe. It's just something she loves..."rapsberry & cheese"...so I just combined them and put it in a cup. Looks tempting though....^^

Very easy and it was done within an hour. No bake and no fuss!! I personally like the combination and the colour of the cream cheese...beautiful! The tatse?!...PERFECT!!

Ingredients:
170g rapsberries
250g cream cheese
100g whipping cream
75g sugar
150g digestive biscuits
30g butter (melted)

Method:
~ Mashed the rapsberries and keep aside.
~ Beat cream cheese, sugar and whipping cream till fluffy.
~ Mix in the mashed rapsberry and sti well.
~ Smashed digestive biscuits into crumbs and add in melted butter and mix well.
~ Scoop the biscuits follow by the rapsberries cream layer by layer into a cup.
~ Chill before serve.

See the biscuits and the cream?! Melt in the mouth and appetizing...wonderful!!
Try it and you'll know. Its easy as ABC...:))

Cheers!

Simple Roasted Chicken

Hi all, I've been missing for quite a long time from my blog here...hehe! Well, back with a simple dish which I cooked last month first ya...;p

Here's the roasted chicken that I made for my hubby's birthday last month. Instead of eating outside, I suggested that we eat at home with some simple salad, soup and wine. This was delicious and my hubby was asking for more...WOW! That means I have to make this more often huh...^^

 It does not have any special ingredients for it. I just mixed whatever I can find and dump it into the oven for an hour. Surprisingly it turned out really good.
Anyway, here's what I used.....

3 drumsticks
some small baby potatoes (peeled, washed and rub with some salt and dried basil leaves)

Marinated:
2-3 garlic (mashed)
2-3 onions (mashed)
dash of black pepper
2 tsps paprika powder
some parsely & fresh basil (blendd)

Method:
~ Rub the whole drumsticks with the ingredients above and leave for 2-3 hours at least. (I left it overnight)
~ Place marinated drumsticks onto prepared tray with the baby potatoes and some fresh white button mushrooms (sliced) if you prefered.
~ Bake the drumsticks for 45-1 hr at 250'C.
~ Serve hot.

It was served right out from the oven that day with some milestones soup and Italian salad. Well, although the soup and salad were store bought ones...haha! Will try to make everything myself next round...;p

Crispy skin and juicy meat...just imagine it!! Well done...Reese!!..LOL
Hope you like it too..:))
Btw, what title should I give for this recipe??.....Eh.....Special Chicken Treats?!...hahaha! I think "Simple Roasted Chicken" will do...;p

Cheers!!

Ma Geok & Ham Jin Beng (马脚油条，五香咸金饼)

Got myself a new recipe book "Popular Kuih Muih" by One Publisher, last week. The first 2 recipes were these popular kuih that we used to eat during childhood. I'm not so sure how the taste it would be from the ingredients stated in this book, whether they are really tested or taste really the "childhood taste" (早古味) that we hardly find nowadays. So without any hesitation..I tried it out right after buying this book. 

Bravo!!That's the expression in my face once I tasted them!!! Really soft and they tasted really good...^^

My husband gave me a thumbs up for it...:)

Not too complicated but it does abit time consuming here. Almost the same like making breads. 
But eating them just took a few minutes then they are all gone...hahaha!

Ingredients:
Starter dough:
80g plain flour
1 tsp instant yeast
100ml warm water

~ Mix all ingredients together and leave for 90 minutes.

Ingredients:
350ml water (please add slowly and may not need all)
1/4 tsp alkaline water
250g sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1&1/2 tsp double baking powder
* above starter dough
50 ml peanut oil
700g high protein flour / bread flour

Method:
~ Combine all ingredients above together except oil & flour in a large bowl. Stir and mix well.
~ Add in oil & flour, mix and knead lightly into a soft dough. Cover dough with a cling wrap and leave to prove for 30 minutes.
~ Lightly knead dough for 2 minutes, cover and prove for another 2 hours.
~ Divide dough into small portions.

**For the "Ma Geok" ~ 马脚油条 ( Horse Shoe Yu Cha Kuih)
30g plain flour
30g tapioca flour
50g sugar
Approx 4 tbsps water
white sesame seeds
~ Mix the pain flour, tapioca flour and sugar in a bowl and keep aside.
~ Roll out divided dough above into rectangle shape.
~ Spread filling (the flour mixture) over lower part of sheet.
~ Cut into strips with filling side together and pinch to stick well.
~ Spray alittle water on surface and sprinkle some white sesame seeds over.
~ Deep fry till golden brown, drain and serve.

**For the "Ham Jin Beng" ( Five spice Chinese doughnuts) ~ 五香咸金饼
 3 tsp five spice powder
 1 & 1/4 tsp salt
~ Mix the above ingredients together and keep aside.
~ Roll out the divided small dough above into square.
~ Brush surface with water and sprinkle filling all over. Roll up and seal tight.
~ Slice into 1/2 pieces then flatten it with your palm.
~ Deep fry till golden brown, drain and serve.

Both tested by me and equally good result. Hope you'll try them out and let me know your result too...:)

Cheers!!