Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) 日式烧饼（大阪烧)

My first time tasted Okonomiyaki was in a colleague's house (i think about 20 years ago). I saw he prepared by adding flour, egg, cabbage & etc, and i was caught by the brown sauce (now i know this sauce is Okonomi sauce) that he was topped on the pancake..it was too yummy..
Nowadays we easily found Okonomiyaki in pasar malam (night market). The pasar malam at my place (The longest pasar malam in Malaysia) also selling this Okonomiyaki..

The important sauce in this pancake is the Okonomi sauce..All the Japanese ingredients i use here you can find in Jusco..

Once the pancake is done, then start to top up with:-

1st apply with Okonomi sauce and mayonnaise. I even made it with pattern ^_^

Then sprinkle some Furikake (dry Japanese condiment, your choice of flavours)

Last top with Bonito flakes

My kids love this pancake very much. They were asking for more...

This is my simple version of Okonomiyaki..
You can also refer to authentic Okonomiyaki recipe in Nami Just One Cookbook, or another version from蓝色小厨.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake)
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)


100g plain flour
100g water
120g cabbage, shredded finely
30g carrot, shredded finely
1 stalk of spring onion, chopped
1tsp Dashi powder
1 egg (medium)
A pinch of salt


Crab stick, squid, ham, bacon & etc (I only added crab stick)


Okonomiyaki sauce (Japanese Worcestershire sauce) to taste
Japanese mayonnaise to taste
Furikake to taste, your choice of flavours
Bonito flakes


Method
1. Mix the cabbage, carrot, egg, flour, dashi powder and water in a large bowl, combine well.
2. Heat cooking oil in a non-stick pan, pour in mixture and top up with crab sticks pieces. Slightly press crab sticks to stick on batter with spatula.
3. Cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
4. Top with Okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, Furikake and Bonito flakes. Enjoy!!

Tian Zi Fang 田子坊, Shanghai China

I have almost forgot to post Tian Zi Fang 田子坊 where i visited last year in Shanghai. Yi or Red Hong suggested me to visit this place ( Terri's daughter and now she is very famous with her Art creation e.g one of her latest creation is using socks to create 张艺谋 Zhang Yimou's portrait)

This area also called as Art Street, a series of alleyways that were previously old Shanghai houses, and have now been converted into boutique shops, antique shops and restaurants with great variety of cuisines. Many of the boutiquie shops are managed by the local artisans to offer drawings and unique creations for sale. No wonder Yi suggested me this place because she love arts! I consider this a must-do in Shanghai.

Tian Zi Fang

No.210 Taikang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200000, China

 

 

Rainbow Chiffon Cake

When i saw few oranges sitting on my island top, then i remembered Helena baked this Orange Cocoa chiffon. Later when i browsing through My Kitchen Snippets and i found her beautiful Rainbow chiffon..So i decided to combine these two recipes into this Rainbow Chiffon Cake.

My chiffon turned out not so fluffy and tall, because i have handled the batter too much during the mixing colour process. This was due to I bake two chiffons at the same time, thinking to send one to my sister who just stay nearby..

Rainbow chiffon cake
(recipe source: inspired by Helena’s kitchen and My Kitchen Snippets)
*makes a 8” or 20cm chiffon


60g egg yolk (4 medium eggs)
30g caster sugar
35g corn oil or salad oil
60g milk


80g cake flour
10g corn flour


135g egg white (4 medium eggs)
60g caster sugar
1/4tsp cream of Tartar


For the rainbow effect
Yellow
½ orange zest
1/2tbsp orange juices
Few drops of yellow lime food coluring
Brown
1tbsp cocoa powder
Pink
Few drops of red food colouring
Green
1tsp pandan paste (I use homemade pandan paste)
Few drops of green food colouring


Method
1. Lightly hand whisk egg yolk and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in corn oil and milk, continue to combine well.
3. Sift in cake flour and corn flour, lightly stir to mix well.
4. Mix 60g caster sugar with cream of tartar in a bowl.
5. Beat egg whites over high speed till foamy, gradually add in sugar and tartar in 3 times and beating well for each addition.
6. Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till combine.
7. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.
8. Equally divide the batter into four portions, add in the food colouring as per above colours (start from thick batter (cocoa) to thin batter)

9. Pour each of cake mixture into baking pan and lightly tap on the worktop to remove air bubbles.

10. Bake at pre-heated oven 170c (with fan) for 30mins or you may adjust according to your type of oven because every oven is difference.

Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne

I have to quickly post all the photos for my recent trip to Melbourne since my memory still fresh. I just realized that i still have many photos for my trip to Shanghai and Penang have yet to update..because lacking of time..Before i go to Melbourne, i saw Honey Bee Sweet posted her trip to Melbourne and she highly recommended me to visit Queen Victoria market..As a food blogger, i like to visit market more than those departmental store nowadays ^_^
This is a must-visit place in Melbourne, so many things to see and so many foods to eat!!

Queen Victoria Market is just located in the city, we just took public transport- by tram and walk about 5mins to get there from the tram stop at Central station.

Fruits and vegetables section

My 1st time tried this fresh fig, the taste was quite nice..

The Deli section

Helena also suggested me to buy this pashmak persian fairy floss 波斯棉花糖（开心果口味）
. The price in Victoria market was cheaper than their online sale, AUD 11.95 per pack, i bought a Pistachio flavour.

The texture of this fairy floss is much lighter than those candy floss we could find here..simply yummy!

Seafood, poultry and meat section

Ready marinate and seasonings foods, so many variation..

This was how they presented minced meat, so cute!

There is another hall which selling those souvenirs, clothing, phone accessories, baking items & etc..Something like our pasar malam here..I did not buy anything, after draftly calculated price x 3, hehehe..

Honey Bee Sweet also suggested me to visit this stall selling cheap kitchenware and baking items..

this pot is cheap but too heavy to carry back home...

I bought few of these red ramekins..

Look out this L shed sign if you want to find this stall..

There was an Asian market located at just beside of this market. They sell a very complete selection of Asian ingredients..from lemongrass, curry leaves, lime, hae bi (dried shrimps ), tofu & etc. I even noticed they also selling the daun Kadok which i seem could not easily find in the market in my place here^_^

I also noticed they selling this dark caramel soy sauce that i usually use ^_^ Maybe the owner came from Malaysia?
So actually we can cook up a good Asian meal in Melbourne too!

Delicatessens section- you can find a lot of yummy foods here

Boreks..

roast chicken stall

very refreshing fruit juices stall..

French fried with chicken sauce bought from roast chicken stall, not bad!

I love this Borek, crispy skin and yummy spinach with cheese. I must learn how to make this at home soon.

Bought this sausage / Bratwurst and bun for breakfast, nice too..

Queen Victoria market is located at:-

513 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Phone: (03) 9320 5822
Fax: (03) 9328 2710
info@qvm.com.au


Market Trading Hours

Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 6am to 2pm
Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday 6am to 2pm
Friday 6am to 5pm (General Merchandise to 4pm)

Saturday 6am to 3pm
Sunday 9am to 4pm

** If our market here is so clean and organized, i will visit pasar everyday, ^_^..

I will share another market that i visited in another post..