Prawn & Salmon Pizza

My last portion of dough which I've kept in fridge for 3 days!! Just pile on the ingredients I have on hands :D :D homemade tomato sauce, mozzeralla / edam cheese, prawns & salmon...

Pizza Dough & Homemade Tomato Sauce

Handmade Pizza Dough with homemade roasted tomato sauce, top with mozzarella & edam cheese, onions, bell pepper, mushroom & ham

Pizza Dough, by Jamie Oliver
Ingredient (recipe modifed to make 2 pc 28cm thin crust pizza)

• 200ml lukewarm water
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 32ogm bread flour

Method

1. Sprinkle sugar & yeast over water. Set aside for about 10mins till frothy.
2. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in salt. Make a well in the centre.
3. Pour yeast mixture and oil into the well.
4. Knead dough till smooth and springy for about 5mins.
5. Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Proof for about 1 hr till double in size.
6. Knock back dough and knead lightly. At this point of time can wrap the dough and chill the dough in fridge till use. Or
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough and place on a greased baking pan, pierced surface with a fork, spread with tomato sauce (see below for recipe), cheese & your favourite toppings and bake at 220 deg cel for 20-25 mins till the crust is brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredient

• 1kg ripen tomatoes, halves
• 2 spring rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar

Method

1. Place tomatoes cut side up in a oven proof dish. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the tomatoes.
2. Place rosemary leaves & garlic randomly over. Sprinkle sugar.
3. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 1hr. Cool.
4. Remove rosemary stalk and process in blender till smooth.
5. Chill in fridge for 2 wks or freeze for 1 month.

If no time to knead & proof dough..try this!! I think this instant pizza crust mix is the best, just add water and stir to form dough! no need to rest nor proof yet taste better than any other frozen pizza base! :D

I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction hosted by Sweetylicious

Peach Mousse Cake

Sponge Cake Recipe

Filling

• 350ml non-dairy whipping cream
• 300gm peach puree
• 100gm diced peach
• 15gm gelatine powder
• 50ml warm water

1. Sprinkle gelatin in warm water. Stir to dissolve the gelatin evenly. Cool slightly and add to the peach puree and mix well.
2. Whip cream and fold in peach puree mixture evenly.
3. Slice the cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place one of the cake layers cut-side down in a cake ring. Spread with 1/2 of the peach mousse filling covering the edge of the cake.
4. Add in the peach cubes and top it with some mousse just enough to cover the peach cubes.
5. Put in the other cake layer and spread the balance mousse over it.
6. Chilled for at least 3 hours before unmoulding. Decorate as desired.

Simple Sponge Cake - Revisited

The first time I tried this recipe was way back in 2008 when I just started baking!! Just trying out again to see the texture as I've remember that time the results was not very satisfactory to me in terms of baking skills & photography skills!! indeed I've fared so much better after 3 years time :D :D... dear son gobble 3 down after the cake has cooled down!! lucky still have a 8" cake cooling in process....

u see how soft the cake is!!...

spring back to its original height after releasing! :D

Recipe over here

Red Velvet Cupcake

Have you ever eaten a red velvet cake before? is it suppose to be melts in the mouth texture? The recipe I've tried today is moist but taste bland to me if not of the cream cheese topping :P I'm actually more fascinated by the red hue colour of this mini cupcakes ^-* Maybe next round I will try out a recipe that uses butter & buttermilk which gives better flavour to the cake..

Recipe adapted from Esjoie
Ingredients

• 1/2 egg (approximately 35g after beaten)
• 75g caster sugar
• 75g vegetable oil
• 65g plain yogurt
• 1/4 tsp Wilton Christmas Red
  
• 1/4 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 80g plain flour
• 8g cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg cel.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
3. Mix egg, caster sugar, oil, vanilla essence, yogurt, coloring, vinegar together.
4. Fold in dry ingredients gently till well combined.

What's cooking today?

These are 3 dishes I've prepare today!! Morning around 8am plus drag the 2 kids to the wet market to get all the necessary ingredients. Reach home, feed them breakfast, play a while then put my daughter to bed for her morning nap and my boy entertainment himself while I busy in the kitchen :D How to finish so much dishes with only me & son eating? Well, the 2 pork dishes can be freeze for later consumption! :D

Babi Ponteh

Ingredient

• 100gm shallots
• 20gm garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp fermented soybean paste
• 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
• 500gm pork belly, sliced
• 425ml hot water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Blend shallots & garlic in food processor till smooth.
2. Heat oil in wok. Add shallots paste and fry over medium heat until fragrant.
3. Add in soybean paste, coriander powder. Stir for 1 min.
4. Add pork and mix evenly and fry for 2mins.
5. Add water, sugar, salt & dark soya sauce. Bring to boil. Lower heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour until the pork is tender. Serve warm. Can be freeze up to 1 month.

Sambal Petai Prawns...be warned!! is very very spicy! :)

Ingredient

• 50gm tamarind pulp
• 125ml water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 250gm large prawns
• 100gm petai beans, split
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Spice Paste

• 6 red chillies
• 6 chilli padi
• 40gm belachan, toasted
• 3 shallots
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 cloves garlic

Method

1. Mix tamarind pulp with water, strain and discard seeds.
2. Blend the spice paste till smooth.
3. Heat oil in pan. Pan-fried prawns for 20 secs each on both sides. Remove.
   
4. With oil in pan, add spice paste and fry till fragrant for 2mins.
5. Add petai beans and stir-fry for 1min.
6. Stir in tamarind water, sugar and salt. Bring to boil. Add prawns and simmer till cook through.

Taiwanese-Style Stewed Pork Rice with Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredient

• 400gm pork collar meat, diced
• 3/4 tsp five spice powder
• 3 tbsp light soya sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp rock sugar
• 125ml hot water
• cornstarch water
• 4 hardboiled egg

Method

1. Marinate pork with five spice powder.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok. add garlic, shallots and ginger, stir-fry till fragrant.
3. Add pork and fry for 2mins until browned.
4. Stir in rice wine and mix evenly.
5. Add in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar & water. Bring to boil. Cover slightly and simmer for 15mins. Add in hardboiled egg and cook for another 5mins. Add in cornstarch water to thicken the sauce. Serve with hot rice and pickled cucumber.

Pickled Cucumber : Cut 2 japanese cucumber into small cubes, mix with 1 tbsp rice vinegar,2 tsp chopped garlic & 2 tsp light soya sauce. Cover and chill in fridge before serving.

Princess Food Diary 4!

Compare to her brother whom started porridge at 8mths old, my lil princess only started to fully accept the taste of porridge when she reached almost 1 year old! :D Till now she is quite a easy eater, eat what I prepare for her though is same old usual boring porridge :D And yes she only started to walk independently barely 2 weeks ago, at 16mths 2wks! now everyday every minute surveying around the house non-stop, very busy heeee....

I just turn 17mths yesterday!

Some of the combination I've create for her meals...

Star Pasta Soup : Soy Ikan Bilis Stock + Tomatoes + Tofu + Eggs + Olive Oil

Millet + Rice + Broccoli + Pumpkin + Wild Yam + Sea Bream

Soya Salmon Fish Stock + French Beans + Carrots + Sea Bream

Millet Porridge with fish stock + 苋菜 + pumpkin + egg

苋菜鱼粥 : fish stock as per below + 苋菜 + 淮山 + sea bream

玉竹红枣鱼骨汤

Brown Rice Porridge cook with Tomato Corn Chicken Soup + Pumpkin + Wild Yam + Egg

Pandan Chiffon Cake 2011

ooooh...so delicate & soft!! almost like melts-in-the mouth :D I LOVE it!! :D Back to see my archives and I realised I've done 2 chiffon cake before! First pandan chiffon cake done in Apr 2008 and second one done in Mar 2010. Personally I prefer the present one I've baked today :D

Ingredient

• 125gm cake flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tbsp pandan juice
• 125ml thick coconut milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 60ml corn oil
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp pandan paste
• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 120gm sugar

Method

1. Beat egg yolks with 50gm sugar till sugar is well dissolves. Whisk in pandan juice, coconut milk, corn oil, pandan paste and salt till evenly mix.
2. Sift over cake flour & baking powder. Fold till mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
3. In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat till stiff.
4. Add 1/3 beaten egg whites to the yolk batter, fold till combined.
5. Slowly fold the mixture into the remaining egg whites.
6. Pour batter into a non-greased 9" tube pan and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 40mins or till golden brown.
7. Remove the cake from oven and invert to cool completely before unmoulding.

Dinner with Family

Burrrppp! Simple homecooked food for 5 adults & 1 kid :D stir-fry baby kailan with prawns not in picture as I prepared them near dinner's time and a stew duck bought by my father-in-law :D and also not forgetting the after dinner's dessert ice jelly cocktail!...too bad hubby not able to taste these as he is not in town for almost 2 months!!

Fish & Pineapple Curry
Ingredient

• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 500gm Spanish mackerel, deboned & cut into 4cm cubes
• 4 slices fresh pineapples, cut into chunks
• 3 tomatoes, quarters
• 250ml coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
  
• handful of curry leaves

Curry Paste (process in blender till fine)

• 100gm shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 stalks lemon grass
• 2 large red chillies
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Add curry paste and stir-fry for 2 mins until fragrant.
2. Add onions and cook for 1 min until softened. Add fish and stir-fry for another min. Remove fish and set aside.
3. With onions in wok, add curry leaves, pineapples, tomatoes, coconut milk & water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5mins until the pineapples become translucent.
4. Return fish into the wok and cook for a minute until the fish is heated through. Serve with steamed rice.
   

Braised Winter Melon with Scallops & Mushroom
Ingredient

• 1 kg winter melon, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large carrots, peeled and cut
  
• 5 scallops, soaked in water to soften
• 12 dried shitake mushroom, soaked in water to soften
• 1 thumb size ginger, peeled & sliced thinly
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp chinese wine

Method

1. Shred scallops finely. Remove the mushroom stems and cut into 1/2. Retain all liquid.
2. Heat 2 tbsp spoon oil in pot. Add ginger and stir fry for 2 min. Add garlic and fry for another min.
3. Add scallops & mushroom and fry for 2min till fragrant.
4. Add winter melon and carrots. Fry for 1min.
   
5. Add water and seasoning. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 15mins till winter melon is softened.
6. Remove cover and continue to cook till liquid reduce to 1/2.

Lotus Roots & Black Eye Bean Soup
Ingredient

• 1 cup black eye bean
• 800gm lotus roots, sliced
• 12 red dates
• 3000ml water
• 300gm pork ribs (optional)
  
• 2 tsp chicken stock powder

Method

1. Place all ingredient except stock powder and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Add stock powder to taste.
   

香兰馒头

Finally used up the balance of my 200gm Hong Kong Flour!! credits to the event Aspiring Bakers #8, I've manage to try out different method of bread making like bake, fry & steam! Did you realise all my recent bread making are in swirls & rolls patterns?! ^-* This simple mantou is very easy to make, no hiccups in between. But is best to consume immediately while is still warm. Do not leave in room temperature as it will toughen up.

Recipe source : 包好吃 Chinese Buns Recipe Book
Ingredient (6 buns)

• 200gm Hong Kong Flour
• 5gm instant yeast
• 5gm baking powder
• 20gm sugar
• 80ml - 100ml water
• 1/4 tsp pandan paste

Method

1. Combine all ingredients except pandan paste into a mixing bowl. Knead the dough for 10mins till smooth. Divide into 2 portions.
2. Add pandan paste to 1 of the plain dough and knead till colour is evenly blended.
3. With a rolling pin, roll the plain & pandan dough into same rectangular shape.
4. Place pandan dough on top of the plain dough. Roll up into a log.
5. Cut into 6 equal portions. Cover with cling wrap and rest for 30mins.
6. Steam over boiling water for 8mins. Serve warm.

I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction hosted by Sweetylicious

芝麻葱油饼

Bread again :D This time round is Chinese style pan-fried bread. Crispy exterior and chewy texture when eaten warm! very very addicting! :P Instead of making into a big pancake like what Florence did, I roll them into small round circle as I've difficult rolling out the dough into large size! Not sure where I've done wrong as the dough is sticky to handle though I've added additional 1 tbsp flour during the kneading process. Lucky the pancakes turn out alright :D

Recipe from Florence's Blog, click HERE
I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction hosted by Sweetylicious

Another 2 Dishes + 1 Soup

Total Cost for this meal : S$19.50
素炒百叶豆腐 S$4.85
Panfried Teriyaki Mackerel S$5.95
淮山菊花汤 S$8.70

素炒百叶豆腐
Ingredient

• 250gm 百叶豆腐, sliced finely (S$2.10)
• 250gm fresh bamboo shoots, sliced (S$1.60)
• 10gm 黑木耳, soften & sliced thinly (S$0.35)
• 12 chinese mushroom, soften & sliced (S$1.00)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sliced ginger
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp light soya sauce
• 2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp dark vinegar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Bring some water to boil, add 百叶豆腐 and boil for 3 mins. Remove. With same pot of water, add bamboo shoots boil for 5mins. Remove.
2. Mix warm water with light soya sauce, dark vinegar, oyster sauce. Set aside.
3. Add 2 tbsp oil in wok, add ginger and fry for 2mins. Add garlic & mushroom and fry briefly.
4. Add 百叶豆腐, woodears, bamboo shoots and mix evenly. Stir in seasoning liquid and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat 8mins. Stir in spring onion & sesame oil before removing from heat.

Panfried Teriyaki Mackerel
Ingredient

• 400gm boneless mackerel fillet (S$5.95)
• 4 tbsp light soya sauce
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 4 tbsp rice wine

Method

1. Marinate mackerel fillet with seasoning for at least 3hrs.
2. Lightly grease a grill pan. Place fish over and cook till golden brown on both sides.

淮山菊花汤
Ingredient

• 400gm fresh 淮山, cube (S$4.00)
• 1 carrot, cube (S$0.50)
• 200gm lean pork (S$3.00)
• 10gm chrysanthemum (S$0.70)
• 15gm wolfberries (S$0.50)
• salt to taste

Method

1. Rinse and soak wolfberries. Set aside.
2. Blanch pork in hot water for 1min. Drain away water.
3. Place chrysanthemum in a muslin bag.
4. Fill a pot with 2200ml water, add pork, 淮山, carrots & chrysanthemum. Bring to boil. Lower heat and boil for 2 hrs. Add in wolfberries & salt and boil for another 10mins. Turn off heat.

2 Dishes + 1 Soup

Total cost for this meal : S$17.00
Steamed Mixed Greens with Oyster Sauce : S$3.00
Laotian-Style Chicken Fricassee : S$7.00
Winter Melon & China Barley Soup : S$7.00

Steamed Mixed Greens with Oyster Sauce
Ingredient

• 20ogm baby bak choy (S$1.50)
• 100gm baby kailan (S$0.75)
• 100gm baby cai xin (S$0.75)
• 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Wash and clean the vegetables well. Place in a preheated steamer and steam for 8mins. Remove from fire. Stir in oyster sauce and sesame oil and mix well.

Laotian-Style Chicken Fricassee
Ingredient

• 1 chicken, chopped (S$5.80)
• 700gm very ripe tomatoes, diced (S$1.20)
• 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp good quality fish sauce
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 spring onion
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

1. Marinate chicken with 1/2 minced garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce, sugar & black pepper for at least 30mins.
2. Cut off and mince white section of spring onion, reserve dark greens part for garnish.
3. Heat oil in a large pan, fry chicken in batches if necessary, until golden brown but not cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4. With remaining oil in pan, add garlic, onions & spring onion. Fry for 1 min until fragrant. Add tomatoes and remaining 3 tbsp fish sauce and stir-fry for 2mins, until tomatoes start to give up liquid.
5. Return chicken to the pan and stir well. Bring to boil. Half-cover pan and cook for 25 mins, stirring occasionally until chicken is tender and sauce is thick. Dish up and garnish with reserved green spring onions.

Winter Melon & China Barley SoupIngredient

• 800gm Winter Melon (S$1.60)
• 60gm China Barley (S$0.60)
• 15gm wolfberries (S$0.50)
• 300gm lean pork (S$4.20)
• salt to taste

Method

1. Blanch pork in boiling water for 1min.
2. Peel and cut winter melon into small cubes.
3. Wash and soak wolfberries in some water. Set aside.
4. Fill a stock pot with 8 cups water, add pork, winter melon & china barley. Bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for 1.50 hrs. Add wolfberries and salt. Cook for another 10mins before serving.