Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

A lot of people have this notion that ice cream making is tedious. That was my thinking too before I was convinced otherwise by my mate cwl.

Homemade ice cream is made up of four main very basic ingredients.....milk, eggs, sugar and cream. How healthy or fattening your ice cream is depends on type of milk and how much cream and sugar you add in.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with choc chunks
This may not be the creamiest of ice cream but at least it is a healthier version and can be enjoyed with far less guilt. The fragrance from the vanilla beans was just divine.

I would like to thank my sil Cathryn who loaned me her ice cream maker, setting the wheels in motion to my journey into the icy world. The ice cream machine I have bought is cheap and basic but does a good enough job.

Makes about 1 Litre

Ingredients
375ml low fat milk (light blue top)
100g sugar
1-2 vanilla bean
2 eggs
250 ml cream
2 Tbsp vodka

25g rum n raisin chocolate, chopped

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Plum Vodka Jam

Plums are in season at the moment and now is as good a time as any to make some jam. Plum jam is very versatile and can be used not only on bread but as a delicious sauce for ice cream.

This year the plum tree gave me a reasonably good crop which the birds kindly left alone. I have fourteen jars of plum jam safely stowed away in the cupboard. This should last us until next year.

Homemade Plum Jam
Makes 7 x 400ml jars

Ingredients
2.6kg plums (skinned)
¼ cup water
1.75kg sugar
2 Tbsp vodka (optional)

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Nan's Shortbread

Mr Redneck have given these shortbread the thumbs up and said they were very moreish.

Cookie press shortbread
I didn't want to make it into the traditional shaped shortbread but have instead used my Sawa Cookies press. The press started with small size cookies but half way through the size changed to big ones... I have no idea why! The press must have read the thoughts of Mr Redneck who like big biscuits whereas I like them small and cute.

Nan's Shortbread
I have given these out as Christmas gifts and the feedback I received was all positive except for the smart remarks on the 'cute' size. These would be ideal for Chinese New Year as well which is just round the corner.


Makes 24 small + 30 normal size cookies

Ingredients
200g butter, room temperature
90g caster sugar
60g cornflour
270g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Stir Fry Sambal Round Beans

When I bought a bunch of French round beans home, I got the "I don't like beans" look from Mr Redneck. I haven't had this dish for a while - infact I don't think I have ever cooked it here as fresh beans were expensive and not too readily available. Mr Redneck did enjoy this meal of beans.

Any beans....long, round or flat can be used. This dish is a simple yet delicious spicy stir fry using very few ingredients.

sambal round beans
Ingredients
200-300gm french round beans, cut to 2"
1-2 Tbsp oil

Grind together
2 Tbsp dry shrimp (soak to soften)
3 clove garlic
1 small onion
½ Tbsp belacan
1-2 tsp chilli paste

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Mint Sauce

I bought a small mint plant to make ice cream. Unfortunately the plant started developing rust so had to strip it of its leaves. Now I know why I don't have mint in my garden even though it is suppose to grow like weeds.

With a pile of non 'rusty' leaves I decided to try my hand at making mint sauce. Mint sauce and lamb is not my cup of tea but Mr Redneck like his with it. Didn't realise it was that easy to make. The sauce will keep for a few months in the fridge.

Homemade Mint Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup (45gm) mint
2 Tbsp water
1 cup malt vinegar
3½ Tbsp sugar

Method
1. Rinse the mint leaves and discard stalk.
2. Chop the leaves. I whizzed mine with the Amazing Bullet.
3. In a pot simmer the vinegar, water and sugar.
4. Add the chopped mint and remove from the heat.
5. Pour into sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge.

Bottled Mint Sauce

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

This choc banana cake is nice and soft with a lovely banana flavour. The recipe is from my niece Jessica who baked it in her cookery class in school. When it comes to icing I believe in the minimalist approach as cakes by itself is already full of calories without topping it with even more.

Chocolate Chip Banana cupcake

Makes 10 cupcakes

Ingredients
50 gm butter (melted)
90 gm sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
130 gm flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup milk
1 banana, mashed
¼ cup chocolate chip

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Russian Fudge

A fudge that is rich and creamy. If you have a sweet tooth, you will like this treat. I normally double the recipe. Great as a Christmas gift.

Russian Fudge
Makes about 36 pieces

INGREDIENTS
3½ cup white sugar
125g butter
3 Tbsp golden syrup
125ml milk
½ tsp salt
200g sweetened condensed milk (½ a standard can)
2 tsp vanilla essence

Method
1. Place all ingredients except the vanilla in a medium-heavy saucepan.

2. Warm over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until it reaches the soft-ball stage* (120C)

4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla

5. Beat (I use a electric mixer) until the fudge is creamy and thick and has lost its gloss.

6. Pour into a greased 20cm cake tin (I use a tray).


Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Ngau Yoke Yuen ~ Springy n' Bouncy Beef Balls

I have made these umpteen times and they have always turned out bouncy. However cooking is not always smooth sailing and I have to confess that I did 'muddle' up the steps once and the ngau yoke yuen did not have even a hint of a 'spring'.

Chinese Bouncy Beef Balls
It is not so much the ingredients that makes the beef balls springy but the process of making it. If you do try it please follow the instructions very carefully. I have videoed the whole process to make it easier to follow as well as to remind myself of the steps so that I won't muck up ever again.

As the meat is minced to mush, the cut of beef is not important. I have used chuck, bolar, blade and even rump steak.

Makes 35-45 beef balls

Ingredients
560 gm beef, cut to small pieces

½ cup (125ml) icy cold water
1 Tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp salt
½ Tbsp sugar
½ Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp cornflour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kan sui (lye or alkaline water) {optional}

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Strawberry Vodka Jam

Strawberry jam is easy to make and cooks in less than 20 minutes. With the fruit becoming quite cheap and abundant, now would be a good time to build up a supply.

Homemade jams will always taste better than store ones with the added advantage of being able to adjust the sweetness and also how chunky or smooth you like your jam. The balsamic vinegar gives the jam depth. Omit if you do not have any available.

Strawberry Vodka Jam
Makes 2 : 250gm jars

500gm strawberry, hulled
1 Tbsp lemon juice
250-400gm sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1½ Tbsp vodka

Method
1. Place 2 small saucer into the freezer.

2. Put the strawberries and lemon juice in a pot. If the fruit is too big, cut in half. (I did not crush the strawberries as the fruit will be boiled to the point of almost disintegrating)

3. Add sugar, balsamic vinegar and stir thoroughly.

4. Boil rapidly (rolling boil) for about 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Test whether the jam is ready by spooning a little onto a chilled plate. If the jam is ready, a skin will form on top when it cools and 'wrinkles' when pushed with a fingertip.

6. Add vodka and use a lighter to burn off the alcohol or just stir to mix

Burning vodka

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Itek Sio ~ Braised Duck in Tamarind n' Coriander

Itek Sio is a Peranakan braised duck in tamarind and coriander gravy. Cooking duck can be time consuming but using a pressure cooker can reduce the cooking time to a third. To ensure a very fragrant sauce try to use freshly ground coriander. A very tasty fork tender duck with minimum preparation.

Itek Sio

Ingredients
½ duck (1kg)
1 Tbsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp raw sugar
2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 Tbsp tamarind paste
1 cup water

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Rosemary Focassia

Rosemary focaccia is our favourite flat savoury bread. We always have a supply of it in our freezer for lunches. Slice it into thinner strips and it is great in the winter months for dipping into soups as well. It is a breeze to make and a hit for any gathering.

Rosemary Focaccia


I have already posted the recipe earlier this year but have recently spliced together a short 1:45 minute video on the making of this Italian flat bread. Crank up the volume to enjoy the music of Duel by Bond.



Italian Flat Bread Focaccia
There are numerous focaccia recipes but I find this recipe works well and require the least amount of skill in the shaping. Just let your fingers do the 'walking'.

Rosemary Focassia

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Sweet and Spicy Sticky Chicken

Cooking this sweet spicy and sticky chicken is really simple as it does not involve a lot of preparation. The ingredients are common items most of us have in the pantry. We love the intense flavour of this dish.

I usually precook a meat dish at least an hour earlier and let it sit in the pot to let the meat absorb the flavour. That way you end up with a more flavoursome and better tasting meal.

Sweet Spicy Sticky Chicken
Ingredients:
1½kg chicken pieces

1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 clove garlic, minced
3 spring onions or bunch of chives, thinly slices

Sauce Mix
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp water
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp chilli powder or chilli paste

Sweet Spicy Chicken

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Chelsea Buns

I have tried several recipes for chelsea buns and find that this 'sponge and dough' method is the best by far. It produces nice and fluffy buns every time and the dough is a breeze to handle.

Chelsea Bun
I prefer the buns without icing but it seems to be a Kiwi thing to have white or pink icing. Make sure the buns double in size before baking or else it will be dense. I usually leave the dough in the fridge overnight so that the next morning I can proceed to the next step and have fresh sweet sticky buns in time for morning tea.

Sweet Sticky Buns


Makes 18 buns

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Redneck Lemon Chicken

This is the Rednecks preferred Lemon Chicken dish which combines the marinade and coating of Sinner's previously posted recipe with lemon sauce found on the net at ‘CD Kitchen’.

Lemon Chicken


We disagree as to which dish is best so one day we will cook both sauces and do a ‘taste test’. I hope the people who commented on Sinner's recipe will also try my version. As with all sauces the cook should taste and tweak to suit prior to serving. If it is not lemony enough add more zest or if it is too thick add more water.

Ingredients
6 pcs drumstick

Marinade
1 Tbsp chinese cooking wine
1½ Tbsp light soya sauce

Coating
100 gm cornflour
50 gm rice flour

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Short Crust Pastry with 25% less fat

I have always been apprehensive about handling pastry and even more so making it. I have only ever attempted making short crust pastry once, more than a decade ago and that experience was enough to stop me dead in my tracks.

Here I am again, taking up the challenge, all because I bought myself a pie maker. It was on special for $10 and too good an offer to pass up.

curry mince pie
Pastries are by nature quite fattening. I played around with trying to reduce the ratio of fat to flour as even a slight reduction in the fat content will help in the cholestrol and calorie count. In this recipe I have successfully reduced the fat used by 25 percent without affecting the flaky texture of the pie.

This short crust pastry was easy to handle and did not crumble . When baked the pastry was tender, flaky and crispy right through to the inside. I usually make a batch, pre-cut the pie tops and bottoms, and freeze them thus making the task of making the next lot of pies less tedious. We have used the pastry to make curry mince and bacon n' egg pies and they were delicious.

Makes 5 - 5" pies

Ingredients
260 gm flour
60 gm butter
40 gm shortening
¼ tsp salt
95-105 ml ice cold water
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice (add to water)

Method
1. Add flour, salt, butter and shortening to food processor. Cube the butter and shortening. Pulse a few times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Sprinkle the water over the flour mixture. Pulse until it starts to clump together (fig 2). Pinch a little of the mixture between your fingers, if the dough is too dry and crumbly, add a little more water and pulse for 1-2 seconds more. It is very important not to overprocess the dough. Do not allow the pastry to form a ball in the food processor. The dough should not be wet or sticky.

3. Transfer the mixture to a plastic wrap (fig 3). Gather the wrap round the dough and flatten the dough to form a square (fig 4). Do not knead the dough.


making shortcrust pastry in a food processor

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Ginger Prawns

This was my mother's favourite way of cooking prawns and is an exceptionally quick and easy dish to cook. The prawns are cooked with ginger juice.

Ginger Prawns
Ingredients
300gm raw prawns
50gm ginger
½ onion, sliced thickly
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp oil

Seasoning
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cooking wine
1 tsp fish sauce

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Beef Kheema

Beef Kheema is an indian mince curry that is delicious with Naan. The meat we used is minced aged rump steak with the fat removed making it healthy and tender.

This dish if cooked without the addition of too much liquid could even be used as a pie filling.

beef keema

Ingredients
500gm beef mince
1-2 Tbsp oil
1 big onion, chop fine
3 clove garlic, chop fine
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chop fine
2 tsp chilli paste or powder

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Chocolate Pinwheel Biscuits

I like these pinwheel biscuits because they are hard and crunchy. Good for teething babies too ! If you like to dunk your biscuits in coffee, then this is it.

The dough of these pinwheels can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 4 weeks. The biscuit dough can be shaped into rectangles, rounds or squares.

Pinwheel Biscuit
Ingredients
175 gm butter
80-125 gm sugar
75-100 gm brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
350 gm flour
2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp cocoa

Method
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla slowly and beat well.

2. Fold in sieved flour and baking powder.

3. Divide the dough into half. Add 1 Tbsp cocoa to one portion. Mix well. Cover the doughs and refrigerate for ½ hour to firm up the dough (a firmer dough is easier to roll)

4. Roll each dough into 3mm thick on a sheet of baking paper. I find it easier to work with half quantity of each dough.

5. Flip the plain dough onto the chocolate layer (fig 3).

refrigerator biscuit dough

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

South Indian Prawn Curry

I love the gravy of this prawn curry. It is spicy, slighly sour which makes me want to eat heaps of rice to soak up the gravy. If you prefer it hotter add more chilli.

South Indian Prawn Curry
Ingredients
350gm raw prawns
1 Tbsp tamarind paste
1½ cup water

1 - 2 Tbsp oil
½ tsp white or black mustard seeds
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised
1/8 tsp salt (to taste)
3/4 tsp sugar
1 spring curry leaf
1 tomato (optional)

Spice Paste (grind together)
2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground fennel
½ tsp chilli powder or chilli paste
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
½ small onion
1 clove garlic

South Indian Prawn Curry

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Char Siew Pau ~ Steamed Barbecue Pork Bun

I have been searching for the illusive char siu pau recipe which is soft and fluffy without having to use expensive specialised pau or bleached flour or long preparation time of a few days. I am pleased to say I have found it.

char siu pau
A combination of plain and high grade flour is used for this recipe which does not require a long or complicated proving time after the pau is pleated.

I am not very good at the pleating which could explain why my buns 'loose' the pleat pattern after steaming. The buns turned out with only a slight tinge of yellow. They were delicious. I am all right with it not being pure white , the texture was what I was after.

For testing purposes I ate a cold char siu pau a few hours after it was steamed. It was still soft though normally I prefer my pau hot or at least warm and would zap them in the microwave to reheat.

You can rest assured you will not end up with rock hard buns with this recipe. The dough is very forgiving.

Makes 12 buns

Ingredients
150 gm plain flour
250 gm high grade/bread flour
50 gm sugar
30 gm milk powder
1 Tbsp shortening
2 tsp Surebake yeast
250 ml warm water (50C)
1 tsp Edmonds baking powder

char siu filling recipe

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Louise Cake

Louise Cake is a kiwi favourite. It has a cake base with raspberry jam in the middle and a crusty coconut topping. The slice is quite sweet and is best eaten with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Louise Cake
Makes 30-40 slices

Ingredients
125gm butter
80gm sugar
1 egg
230 gm flour
2 tsp baking powder
approx 1 cup plum or raspberry jam

Topping
1 cup coconut
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Pak Lo Ngap ~ Teochew Braised Duck

A very scrumptious duck. This teochew braised duck called Pak Lo Ngap in cantonese, is sweet tasting from the use of rock sugar and is contrasted sharply by the vinegary dipping sauce. You get that mouth watering sweet sour sensation.

In this instance I have used the pressure cooker to cook half a duck which only took less than a third of the time. The duck was well braised and the meat literally falling off the bones.

Pak Lo Ark

Ingredients
½ duck (1kg)
½ Tbsp five spice powder
3/4 tsp salt

20 gm galangal, finely sliced
4 pip garlic, finely sliced
½ Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp sugar
100 ml soy sauce
1¼ - 2 cup water

Monday, August 20, 2007

Chocolate Brandy Muffins

Alcoholic muffin anyone! Nice soft texture with a distinct brandy taste. Make them into mini sizes and these chocolate brandy muffins will be a great accompaniment with after dinner coffee. Freezes well too.

chocolate brandy muffin
Makes 12 muffins or 24 minis

Ingredients
160 gm flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp cocoa
75 gm sugar
¼ cup or 35 gm chocolate chips
75 gm melted butter
125 ml milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp brandy

choc chip for topping (optional)


Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ayam Tempra ~ Tarty Spicy Chicken

A delicious nonya chicken dish that is spiced with chillies, sweetened with palm sugar and made slightly tarty with lime juice.

I prefer to cook dishes like these a few hours before the meal to let the meat absorb in more of the flavour.

ayam tempra
Ingredients
1.4 kg chicken pieces, cut to bite size

Marinate
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
1½ Tbsp palm sugar
3 Tbsp kicap manis
1 Tbsp water

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Savoury Coated Peanuts

Another moreish temptation which I daresay is high in calories. Definitely not for one on a diet.

These savoury coated nuts was another nibble I used to make for Chinese New Year. A crunchy nut, the flavour of which is enhanced with 5-spice, pepper and garlic. They are not salty and if cooked right should not leave a greasy feel to the fingers.

Savoury Coated Peanuts
Ingredients
300 gm raw peanuts
1 egg
3/4 - 1 tsp salt
1½ Tbsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
4 pip garlic, mashed
½ Tbsp five spice powder
75 gm flour

Friday, August 03, 2007

Apricot Vodka Jam

There was an abundance of apricots from the fruit tree in January and since I don't eat apricots I made it into jam instead for Mr Redneck.

To a lot of people making jam seems like a lot of work but surprisingly it is not. The final reward and satisfaction in eating your own flavoursome jam justify the small amount of time and effort required.

By making your own jam, you have the flexibility of adjusting the sweetness, have it chunky or smooth or in this case we added some alcohol to our homemade apricot jam giving it an extra kick.

homemade apricot vodka jam
Makes 4 x 300ml jars

Ingredients

850 gm apricots
¼ cup water
800 gm sugar
1½ Tbsp vodka (optional)

Method
1. Put 2 saucers into the freezer for use later to check the jams's setting point.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Kaiser Buns

The kaiser roll or bun has a very nice soft crumb with a crisp, crusty and slightly chewy exterior. The secret to making a good kaiser according to Bernard Clayton is an egg, egg white plus a steamy moist oven. It is delicious as a filled roll or just eaten by itself.

The difficult part of making this bread is shaping it to resemble a five petal flower blossom . There is a kaiser roll stamp to get a flower-like imprint but judging from the supermarket rolls it is not very effective or visible. There are two ways of shaping the rolls, the spoke-wheel or the rope-knot method.

kaiser roll by knot shaping


Ingredients
330 ml water
1 egg white (40gm)
1 egg (55 gm)
600 gm high grade/bread flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2½ tsp surebake yeast
1 Tbsp butter

Method
1. Breadmaker setting : Dough

2. Place all the ingredients into the bread pan in the order according to your breadmaker instructions and press start.

3. Cover the breadpan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or leave in a warm place to rise until dough double in bulk. (I prefer to let refrigerate overnight where it still rise slowly).

4. Next morning remove breadpan from fridge and punch down the dough. Cover and leave to double in volume again.

5. The shaping of the kaiser bun is the tricky bit. Use either the spoke-wheel or rope-knot method (see below). I find the rope-knot method retains its petal shape better.

6. Lightly mist the buns with a light spray of water from a height of 12".

7. Preheat oven to 230C. Create steam by placing an old pan with hot water in the oven. Just before putting the buns in, mist the oven walls with a water sprayer (do not spray the light bulb). Lower the oven to 200C. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Three minutes into the baking spray the oven wall again, avoiding the buns.

kaiser bun by spokewheel shaping


Note
1. Total weight of egg white and egg = 95gm (weight without egg shell).
2. The buns freezes well. To defrost we nuke it in the microwave and pop it on top of the toaster to crispen up the exterior.
3. I have a fan oven which seems to bake the buns faster than the recommended time of 20 minutes.

Tip
Leaving the dough to overnight and prove in the fridge is a real time saver and ensures you will have plenty of time to get the bread ready by lunch time. The bread is suppose to taste better with the overnight proving in the fridge.


*************************************************

Shaping the Kaiser Rolls

Friday, July 20, 2007

Homemade Pure Essence of Chicken

As kids I remember my mother brewing this for us whenever we were studying for our exams. Nowadays whenever I feel lethargic or have trouble getting a good night sleep I cook this to boost my energy levels.

This is chicken essence in its purest form with no added water. When I first cooked this, Mr Redneck did not believe I could get a bowlful of soup with just placing some chicken on top of a bowl. Trust me...at the end of 3 hours you will end up with a bowl of very nutritional soup.

Pure Chicken Essence
Yield : 1 rice bowl

Ingredients
1 small skinny chicken or chicken pieces (1.2kg)

Utensils
chinese soup pot (fig 1)
rice bowl (fig 1)
metal rack or dish cloth
big stock pot

Method
1. Remove skin and all fat from the chicken. Cut the chicken into big chunks.

2. Lightly crush each chicken piece with a pestle or the back of a chopper (make sure you crush the bones as well).

3. Invert a rice bowl in the chinese soup pot (fig 2).

4. Place the crushed chicken on top of the rice bowl (fig 3). Cover with the lid.

homemade essence of chicken : step by step

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Har Meen ~ Prawn Noodles

I was really looking forward to eating this har meen. The trick to a good prawn noodle is to have a very tasty and flavoursome prawn stock. It took me months of religiously collecting every bit of prawn heads and its shells to make the base.

For me this har mee recipe is an easier version as I used my homemade red curry paste which I have a ready supply in my freezer to spice up the dish . Instead of yellow fresh mee, I substituted with dried noodles as it is more readily available.


Har Meen, Prawn Mee
Yield : 2 bowls

Ingredients
1 tsp homemade red curry paste
2 cup prawn stock
1 chicken drumstick
12 raw prawns
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
fresh yellow noodle or dried noodle
handful ngah choy (bean sprout)
chives or spring onions
fried onions

Har Mee

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Seremban Siew Pau ~ Crispy Bbq Pork Bun

Seremban, a town in Malaysia is famous for its siu pau . Seremban siu pau is a popular dim sum dish. The pau has a filling of barbecued pork wrapped in a pastry made up of an oil and water dough . The siew pau skin in this recipe is light and crispy with many flaky layers. However, don't look too closely at my pleating as I stink at it.

Seremban Siew Pau, Crispy Pork Bun
Makes 9 paus

Ingredients
Water dough
60g all purpose flour
60g bread/high grade flour
40g cooking oil
18g sugar
½ tsp golden syrup
60g water (minus 1 Tbsp)

Oil dough
62g all purpose flour
37g shortening

Friday, July 06, 2007

Filling for Char Siu Pau ~ Pork Bun Filling

This is my favourite filling for steamed or baked savoury siew pau (buns). I always have a ready stock of barbecue pork in my freezer and can whip a small batch of this in a jiffy whenever I feel the urge to make some seremban siu pau or char siu pau .

char siew pau filling

Ingredients
125 gm char siew (bbq pork) (chopped into small pieces)
5 Tbsp frozen peas
chives or spring onions (optional)
2 tsp oil

Seasonings
3 Tbsp water
¼ tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Curry Puffs

I always like to have a batch of these curry puffs in the freezer for that unexpected guest or to satisfy the sudden craving for some savouries. 
The pastry in this recipe is quite easy to make, the dough bind together nicely, were easy to roll out and very crispy and flaky when fried. 
Instead of curry puffs, they can also be shaped into samosas. 
The filling is a delicious curry of beef and potato. They are very morish and you won't be able to stop at eating just one.

curry puff Makes 13 'large' curry puffs 

Ingredients for pastry
 
100gm flour 
¼ tsp salt 
2 Tbsp shortening 
4 Tbsp cold water 

Method 

1. In a food processor add the flour, salt and shortening. Pulse to blend the shortening into the flour mixture. Add water slowly till a dough is formed. 

2. Remove and rest dough in the fridge for ½ hour. 

3. Roll out thinly.(I prefer to use my pasta machine as it can churn out a very thin pastry without too much effort)

4. Cut pastry into rounds, place on the curry puff mould, add the filling. Lightly brush one edge with water to help seal .

pleating curry puff with a mouldcurry puff mould

curry puff ready for frying
5. Deep fry the curry puffs until golden brown.

  curry puff beef curry puff filling Ingredients for Curry Puff Filling 

100 gm beef mince (meat of your choice) 
330 gm potato (boil and cube) 
¼ cup peas 
½ tsp garam masala 
1 tsp curry powder 
¼ tsp fennel seeds 
½ tsp chilli powder 
¼ tsp tumeric powder 

Method 

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok. Add mince and the rest of the 'filling' ingredients and fry till mince is cooked. 

2. Set aside and leave to cool before using.

  flaky curry puff pastry Tip : These curry puffs freeze well. Freeze them uncooked. When you want to eat them, toss them straight into the deep fryer without defrosting. There is no difference in texture or taste and are just as crispy.

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