Red Bean Pau (steamed buns)

Usually when i cook red bean dessert soup, my kids just drink soup and left out the red bean. As not to waste food, i save the cooked red bean and add more sugar and continue cook to become thick red bean paste. So i made this red bean Pau (steaming bun) using the homemade red bean paste..




I seldom buy red bean pau from outside store, because very high sugar content..Love the homemade red bean paste, the right sweetness that suit our taste.

Red bean Pau (steamed buns)
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

350g Hong Kong flour
1/4tsp salt
1 and 1/2tsp instant yeast
60g caster sugar
160ml-180ml water
2tbsp Crisco shortening

400g red bean paste (I use homemade)

Method
1. Weight red bean paste 40g and lightly shape into ball. Set aside.
Mix yeast with 1tbsp lukewarm water, set aside for 5mins.
2. Add all ingredients in a mixing bowl except shortening and combine well.
3. Add shortening and knead till dough became smooth and no sticky to hands.
4. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 60mins.
5. Knock down dough to expel some air, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a while.
6. Weigh out 50 gm of dough and roughly shape into a ball and rest for 10mins.
7. Fatten and roll out the dough into a circle. Place red bean ball onto the center, wrap and pleat up the sides and seal.
8. Place the pau (pleat area face down) onto a piece of greaseproof paper, on the rack for steaming. Cover with a piece of damp cloth and let rise for another 10-15 mins.
9. Steam the pau under rapidly boiling water on high heat for about 10 to 12 mins.
10. Remove from steamer and serve, hot.
11. Store in the fridge for left over pau, steam again before serve.

Taro and rice vermicelli noodle soup

This morning i was tried to search this recipe in my blog list, i seen in a Chinese blog before but i couldn't recall which blog. Bakeling was laughing at me while I msn with her. She said who asked you to list so many blogs in the blog list, hahaha..Anyway, i tried to recall the recipe and create this noodle soup and serve for dinner tonight! This is quite an old fashion of noodle soup, last time our Ah Mah (grandmother) like to cook this noodle soup. Anyway, this noodle soup was yummy!

I serve this noodle with a new type of veggi, it was strongly recommended by veggie store owner. The name of this veggi is call Green Dragon leaf, it taste quite similar to leek and it was good. You may replaced with spring onion or coriander leaves..

Also advise to cook this soup with thick Meehoon (rice vermicilli)..

Enjoy!! and Happy 111111....

Taro and rice vermicelli noodle soup
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
Stock
2 chicken carcasses
500g pork ribs
100g cabbage
1 onion
3 slices ginger
5lts water
-boil over low heat for 3hours, remove the bones and strain the stock

Stir fried minced meat
400g minced meat
2tbsp fish sauce
1tbsp dark caramel sauce
1/2tsp salt or to taste
1tsp sugar or to taste
-Heat oil in a pan, add in the minced meat, stir well for 1-2mins, add in seasonings. Dish out and set aside

500g taro/yam, cubed
100g dried shrimps (hae bi), washed
3cloves garlic, chopped
2tsp salt or to taste
A dash of pepper

450g thick Meehoon (rice vermicelli)

Shallot oil, for garnish
Green Dragon leaf (stir fry with garlic, season with salt) or spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic and dried shrimps till fragrant.
2. Remove some fried shrimps for garnishing later, add taro cubes and stir fry for 2mins.
3. Add taro and dried shrimps mixture into the stock, boil until taro tendered.
4. Add in rice vermicelli, season with salt and pepper, cook till soft.
5. Dish out in a bowl, garnish with fried dried shrimps, fried minced meat, shallot oil and veggie, serve hot.

Blueberry crumble cupcakes

Thinking to make blueberry crumble muffins as seen in Okashi book, but i decided to change it to blueberry crumble cupcakes as I wish to submit to Aspiring bakers#13-Enjoying cupcakes!

My 1st time baking cake top with crumble, love the sweetness and buttery crumble. I will include more crumble topping in my future baking..

Also my 1st time made cupcake with fresh blueberries, tasted very refreshing. Last time i made with store bought blueberries filling, this is definitely can't compete with fresh blueberry.

Blueberry crumble cupcakes
(recipe source: Crumble topping adapted from okashi book, cupcake by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes 8

Crumble topping
20g cold butter
20g caster sugar
20g top flour or cake flour
10g ground almond

125g butter, room temperature
80g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1/2tsp vanilla extract
100g self-rising flour or 100g cake flour + 1tsp baking powder
2tbsp milk
80g fresh blueberries, dust with some flour

For the topping-fresh blueberries

Method
1. Make crumble topping. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix with fingers until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Put 8 paper cases in a muffin pan.
3. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat together until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg one at a time, combine well.
5. Add in the flour and milk alternately, fold till well combine.
6. Add in blueberries, mix well.
7. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Top with few blueberries, then sprinkle crumble topping over.
8. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 25-30mins, or until risen and firm to the touch.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Thanks all for your support about that "No manners person" , it seem a lot of bloggers has the same experience and look like is hard to eliminate this kind of fake bloggers..But I feel this kind of blogger will not last long as their recipe all are not genuine...

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) which hosted by Min of Min's Blog.

Coconut buns

This buns was special requested by my husband who love coconut buns..

We prefer white coconut filling (use white sugar) more than brown coconut filling (use brown sugar or palm sugar)

Coconut buns
(recipe source: buns with Tangzhong method adapted from Honey Bee Sweet, coconut filling from My Kitchen Snippets, with minor changes)
*makes 20 buns

Coconut Filling
430g fresh grated coconut
50g of palm sugar (gula Melaka) – cut into chunks
130g coarse white sugar
75ml water
2 tsp of cornstarch + 2 tsp water

1. Cook the palm sugar, white sugar and water until sugar dissolved.
2. Add in the grated coconut, stir and cook until almost dry, then add in the cornstarch mixture and stir until the mixture thickens. Set it aside to cool.


Coconut bun

Tangzhong dough
45g bread flour
225ml water

Whisk the bread flour and the water together in a heat proof saucepan. Heat the mixture at low heat till it thickens and ribbons stage.

Main Dough
1 Tangzhong dough
400g bread flour
100g all purpose flour
1 large egg
80g caster sugar
2tsp instant active yeast + 2tbsp lukewarm water
60ml fresh milk
60g unsalted butter, room temperature

Method
1. Knead everything together except for the butter. Knead till the dough is no sticky. Add in the butter and continue to knead till it passes the window test. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes on stand mixer.
2. Let the dough proof covered for 1.5hrs or till double in volume. Punch out the air and let divide into 20 equal portions (50g each). Roll round and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping.
3. Grease the baking tin / pan and preheat the oven to 180C.
4. Flatten the dough and fill it with coconut filling (30g). Place all finished buns on a greased baking sheet, and let rise for 30mins.
5. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle some grated coconut on it. Then bake in the oven for 25-30mins or until golden brown.
6. Once baked, remove from oven and remove from the pan and let cool completely before serving.

At the same time, I would like to thanks to Smoky Wok (formerly Tastes of Home)who highlighted to me a "no manners person" steal my photo and recipe (an example of my original recipe and photo). This is not the first website that copied my posts, but those at least link back to my blog (they just copy and paste the photo and recipe). But this time, this "no manners person", take my photo, trim to smaller size, write a simple message, made minor changes to my recipe, and turned to become her/his post!!

I cooked, took photos and spent time posting my recipes, but this "no manners person" just take the credit, this is teribble! I feel like want to close my blog...

To my blogger friends, please go and check this site, your photos and recipes might be stolen too. I going to complaint this case to DMCA.

Avocado ice-cream with Rhubarb compote

Rhubarb is new to me, i first saw in Quay Po's blog, when Quay Lo (her husband) guest post and introduced Rhubarb..Quay Po (Veron) was so kind gave me some Rhubarb to try (Thank you so much to Veron!!), she got this via a special order to a nearby supermarket because it is quite hard to find here..After kept in the fridge for few months (sorry Veron, because i was try to figure out what to make ^^), finally i decided to use Rhubarb make into desserts..

This is the Rhubarb that Quay Po gave me, for me, it look like celery..it taste sour when i tasted it raw. She also taught me to cut into small pieces and add some sugar as to store in freezer for later usage...

First, I use Rhubarb make into Rhubard mousse and serve with mango mousse and yogurt...this was very yummy, refreshing and good!

Later i made into Rhubarb compote (sauce) to serve with Avocado ice-cream which I saw in Gloria (Canela Kitchen), and i replaced strawberry with Rhubarb compote. This is another hit in my family!
The good thing of this ice-cream is don't need to make using an ice-cream maker.. This ice-cream is creamy, smooth and yummy!

Avocado ice-cream with Rhubarb compote
(recipe source: Avocado ice-cream adapted from Canela Kitchen, making my own Rhubarb compote)

Avocado ice-cream
2 ripe avocados pitted, peel and mashed
140g caster sugar
1/2cup hot water
1cup whipping cream (dairy)
A pinch of salt
1 lime or lemon, extract juices

Method
1. To make syrup by dissolve sugar in hot water, set aside to cool.
2. Blend mashed avocado, lime juices, salt and syrup till puree.
3. Beat whipping cream till thick, combine cream and avocado mixture till well combine.
4. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. After the first hour beat and freeze again (i did not followed this step). Take out from freezer before 15mins then only serve, because the ice-cream is hard to spoon out.


Rhubarb compote
100g Rhubarb
1/2cup sugar
1/4cup water

Method
1. Cut Rhubarb into 1” pieces.
2. Combine water and Rhubarb in a heavy bottom pot to a boil.
3. Add sugar and simmer until pulpy and thickened, stir from time to time and take about 5-7mins.
4. Taste, you may want to add more sugar.

Thanks to Gloria, this Avocado ice-cream is super yummy, my kids love it so much. In fact, i'm going to make Avocado ice-cream again today, this time i will prepare strawberry compote instead..

Easy French Bread / Baguette

I'm so happy to find out this simple French bread recipe. Love the crunchy and crispy crust (while hot) , soft and chewy inside..

I can use the same recipe make into my favourite baguette next time which need to make longer in shape...The texture and taste of this French bread is very close to Delifrance's French bread, which slightly salty in taste..

I also use the new French bread pan that i bought from "taobao online"...

I'm not sure if we use the normal baking pan instead French bread pan will have difference result or not, need to find out this answer one day..

Easy French Bread
(recipe source: adapted from dailydelicious )

300g bread flour / high protein flour
1tsp honey
1 and 1/2tsp instant yeast
1tbsp Olive oil
200ml water
1 and 1/2tsp coarse sea salt

Some yellow cornmeal, for dusting and sprinkle over the pan
2 cups boiling water, for baking

Method
1. Mix olive oil, honey and water together in a bowl.
2. Put flour, instant yeast and salt in the mixing bowl, whisk to combine.
3. Slowly add in water mixture (No 1) into flour mixture(No 2), knead till elastic dough. Keep aside to rise until double size.
4. Place a baking paper or silicone baking mat over a sheet pan, or use a French bread pan (I use this one), sprinkle with the yellow cornmeal.
5. Divide the dough into 3 pieces.
6. Roll into balls and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
7. Press the ball lightly and shape into a long oval, do the same with another ball.( I dusting the worktop with yellow cornmeal too)
8. Use the side of your hand press the center of the dough, and roll again (do it 2-3 times until you get a desired length )
9. Place the shaped dough over a prepared pan.
10. Let the dough rise until almost double in size, about 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven 220°C and place a roasting pan in the lowest shelf of the oven.
12. With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Put the bread into the oven and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, bake for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

I made this bread into garlic bread and serve with creamy mushroom soup, they are very good!

Ya, can anyone tell me how to frozen the unbake French bread? I planning to make more of this bread and store in the freezer for later consume. Thanks!

Banana and Chocolate Rice Cupcakes

My 1st post in Nov2011 is dedicated to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011). Lets come and enjoy this yummy cupcake!

This cupcake was inspired by a cake demo at the Kenwood counter at HOMEDEC (Home Decoration exhibition) when i was looking for a hand blender. They just add chocolate rice in a normal butter cake, the taste was good and I quickly asked for the recipe. And my husband was suggested me to add banana if i will bake this at home.

Banana and Chocolate rice cupcakes
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes 10

125g butter, room temperature
80g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1/2tsp vanilla extract
100g self-rising flour
80g mashed banana
30g chocolate rice

For the topping-chocolate rice

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Put 10 paper cases in a 12 holes muffin pan.
2. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat together until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg one at a time, combine well.
4. Add in the flour and mashed banana, fold till well combine.
5. Add in chocolate rice, mix well.
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.Sprinkle chocolate rice on top.
7. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 20-25mins, or until risen and firm to the touch.
8. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) which hosted by Min of Min's Blog.