Chicken Ponteh

This is my 2nd time cooking chicken ponteh :) The very first time I done it was cooking with a instant mix. Making from scratch was very simple as this particular recipe does not uses much spices, only large amount of shallots needed to be peel, some garlic and tau cheo paste to bring out the flavour of this dish :P The original recipe uses chicken and pork belly. But I do not fancy pork belly so I replaced with a large chicken :) Taste wonderful with a bowl of rice!

Recipe adapted from Phong Hong Bakes

Ingredient

• 1 large chicken, chopped into pieces
• 5 tbsp oil
• 400gm shallot paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp bean paste, tau cheo
• 10 dried shitake mushroom, softened and trimmed
• 800ml hot water
• 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 60gm palm sugar
• salt to taste (optional)

Method

1. Heat oil and saute shallot & garlic paste until fragrant, stirring continuously. Add tau cheo and fry until oil starts to separate.
2. Add in mushroom and chicken and stir fry for 3mins.
3. Add in water and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10mins.
4. Add in potatoes and sugar and simmer for another 15mins until gravy is thickened . Best served the next day for flavour to infuse.

Sweet Sandwich Bread

'clap clap clap' I'm so happy with my 2nd attempt on the pullman tin ^.^ It risen beautiful, almost overfilled :P I made use of the proofing time and went out to do a quick marketing. Upon reaching home I quickly went to check the pan, and it already risen beyond the pan. So I actually press down slightly and tried to close up with the lid >.<" Luckily did not cause the bread to be out of shape.

Recipe adapted from Alex Goh 'Baking Code'

Ingredient (makes 1 loaf 20cm x 10cm)

• 280gm bread flour
• 40gm sugar
• 3gm salt
• 10gm milk powder
• 5gm instant yeast
• 75gm overnight sponge dough **
• 30gm beaten egg
• 135gm water
• 35gm butter

**Sponge Dough : 50gm bread flour, 30gm water, 1/4 tsp instant yeast , knead together and proof for 30mins and cling wrap, chill in fridge overnight or up to 48hours.

Method (hand knead)

1. Mix bread flour, sugar, salt, milk powder & yeast together. Tear sponge dough into pieces and combine with the flour mixture.
2. Add in egg and water and knead to form a dough.
3. Add in butter and knead the dough till smooth and elastic, about 15mins. Cover and proof for 1 hour until double in bulk.
4. Punch down dough and knead lightly, divide dough into 3 equal portions, approx 200gm each. Shape into round and rest for 10mins.
5. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin. Roll it up like a swiss roll. Rest for another 10mins. Repeat process and roll out into a 40cm x 10cm sheet. Roll up and place into a greased loaf tin. Proof for another 1 hour until 80% full of the loaf tin, cover it with the lid.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 35-40mins. Unmould immediately and cool completely on rack before slicing.