Fried Milk ( Taiwanese street eat)

                                         Crispy,  taste best when it is still hot.

you can pan fry it too.

or, you can eat it this way without fried...
top with a bit of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with condensed milk, finely grounded peanuts, some dessicated coconut.

Recipe: Taiwan Duck
Ingredients
1 mug milk ( your coffee mug size)
2/3 mug corn flour
1/3 mug white sugar
2 egg whites (large eggs)
1 tbsp rice flour
A pinch of salt

To pan fry:  just spread some plain flour and mix well onto the Fried milk for frying.
To deep fry:  mix 3 or 4 tablespoons plain flour with a little water in a small bowl as batter (see pic below)



Method
1.   Place all ingredients (except egg whites) in a large saucepan, constantly stirring over medium low heat.  When mixture gets thicker, add in egg whites and continue to stir vigorously until mixture become thickened ( like the consistency of toothpaste).
2.  Spoon and fill a greased square bowl ( for a nicer clean cut later).  Store in the fridge to set for about 3 hours.
3.  Cut them into squares and deep fry it.

egg whites, corn flour, sugar, pinch of salt, milk, flour ( for deep frying)

stir and cook until it gets thickened 

let it set on a square pan for nicer clean cut later.
( it was too late for me to realise that, haha)

ready to deep fry it

so tasty indeed.

Chocolate Chip buns ( Dan Lepard)

Using the Milk bread recipe, I made these chocolate chips buns and soft batch rolls.
These buns tasted just as good as our local bakeries.  I used premium dark chocolate chips here, it melts as you bite into it, especially when it just got out from the oven.

Coconut red bean pudding ( Matcha)

   This is the kind of coconut pudding I had at the Yum Cha Restaurant recently.
   Using just a small amount of matcha powder makes the pudding taste so refreshing.
   Be generous with the beans used.

I cooked my own red beans here, I liked it a little chewy and not overly tender or soggy in texture.

nspiration: Sugarcrunch
Ingredients
   150g corn flour
   300ml coconut cream ( use quality good cream, otherwise it would ruin the flavour of the pudding)
   300ml milk
   200g castor sugar ( or sweeter, adjust to your own taste)
   3 teaspoon matcha powder
   2 cups cooked red beans

Red beans:
Use boiling water to soak the beans for four hours. Over low heat, boil it for about 25 to 30 mins.
Keep an eye on the texture of the beans. You don't want it too soggy or too tender.
When it's done, you may add some sugar and mix them well (adjust to your own taste). Set aside.

needed to store in the fridge to set.

Method
1.  In a large pot, start with medium high heat,  mix in the milk and corn flour.  Stir well.
2.  Add in coconut cream, water and sugar. Keep stirring until smooth.
3.  Reduce to low heat,  continue to keep stirring the mixture until it become heavily thickened.  Add in the cooked red beans and mix it well.
4.  Pour into a greased 20cm square tin ( or any mould), flatten and smoothen the top nicely with your rubber spatula.
5.  Store in the fridge to let it set well.

love the generous beans 

Beef cabbage steamed bun

 I made some quite big sizes of steamed buns,  one or two is enough to satisfy us.  It's great for lazy meals in weekends.  Great to dip in with some sauces, like vinegar mixes with sesame oil, even with mustard and chilli sauce.  

Milk bread (Dan Lepard)

I did not even deflate the air bubbles, love the holes...kind of artisan look :)

Soft batch rolls ( Dan Lepard)

Love the texture and the flavour.., these are my so-called Champion milk buns :)

Chinese Tea Eggs

                Get the right ingredients, a bit of patience and you'll get very tasty, fragrant eggs.
       

          Inspiration: youtube
       Ingredients
       20 eggs and 1 teaspoon salt
       2 English breakfast tea bags
       1 handful Oolong chinese tea leaves
       1 Taiwanese Spice bag ( you can get from Asian groceries)
       100ml soya sauce
       1 handful rock sugar
       3 or 4 bay leaves
       2 star anise
       1 cinnamon stick

main ingredients

with one teapsoon salt, cook 20 minutes.

all ingredients added in 

after 3 times of 20 minutes cook and 20 minutes away from the heat.
It's finally done.
Worth waiting though..:)

    Method
    1.  Wash all the eggs.  Place them in a saucepan with water just slightly over the eggs, add in one teaspoon of salt.  Once it comes to the boil, turn to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes (with lid on).

    2.  Remove from heat.  Let it sit for 20 minutes ( with lid on).  Next, rinse the eggs with water to bring down the temperature.  Using the back of the spoon, hit the bottom of the each egg 3 times, to allow the flavor of the spices to seep into the eggs.

   3.  Transfer eggs back to the saucepan, pour in all other ingredients, add in room temperature water to just slightly cover the eggs, cover the lid, once it comes to boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Now, remove saucepan from heat.   Let it rest ( with lid on) for another 20 minutes.  Repeat the process 3 times altogether.

  4.  Enjoy!

note:  let them continue to sit in the spice water overnight,  gently heat them up again on the stove, you will get an even stronger and better flavour,  and possibly a lovely marbled look :)  Also take note, try to always use medium low heat, that way the eggs will not turn out too "hard".

Coconut and passionfruit custard pie

                 Prepared this for my students' gathering last weekend.  Very easy to make,  enough to serve 8.
   
          Recipe: Women's Weekly
      Ingredients
      1/2 cup (75g)  plain flour
      1 cup (220g) castor sugar
      1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut
      4 eggs beaten lightly
      2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      125g butter, melted
      1 and 1/3 cup (330ml) milk
      1/2 cup (125ml) passionfruit pulp
      1 tbsp icing sugar

      Method
      1.  Preheat oven to 180C /400F.  Grease straight a 24cm pie dish.
      2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine together the desiccated coconut, caster sugar and sifted flour.
      3.  Stir in the beaten eggs, milk, melted butter, passionfruit pulp and the lemon juice and mix well.
      4.  Pour mixture into the prepared dish.
      3.  Bake pie about 45 minutes or until the tart is browned lightly and set.
      4.  Dust with sifted icing sugar and serve it warm or cooled with whipped cream , ice-cream or fresh strawberries, if desired.
   
note:  not suitable to freeze of to microwave.

Cheese and Bacon Toast

                                          Soft, fluffy, peppery, tasty savoury bread.
                                          Good to go on its own or use it as sandwich bread.

Mochi (red bean)

               
       Recipe: Christine's recipes
     Ingredients
     220g glutinous rice flour
     110g sugar
     200ml coconut milk / milk
     dessicated coconut / fried glutinous rice flour ( for coating the mochi)


      Red bean paste ingredients
      1/2 cup red beans
      1 and 1/2 cup water
      rock sugar to taste

steamimg done

divide them

wrap filling and seal it up

     Method

     1.  Combine flour glutinous rice flour with sugar well.  Gradually stir in coconut milk / milk until smooth.

     2.  Transfer flour mixture in a greased shallow paste.  Steam over high heat with cover for 30 minutes.  Insert a skewer in the centre, if it's not much flour sticking to the skewer, it's done.  Let cool a bit before handling it.

     3.  Transfer to a greased working area.  Divide into 12 small portions and knead them into small disc. Place some red bean filling in, seal it up. Coat with dessicated coconut / cooked fried glutinous rice flour.


     To make red bean paste:
     1.  Rinse and soak red beans for 3 hours ( I used boiling water).  With medium low heat, cook the bean until it is tender ( cover with lid).  When the liquid is reduced and the beans are tender, it's ready to be used.

     2.  When half of the water is left in the pot, add in rock sugar ( adjust the sweetness to your taste).

Maple Syrup Chicken with Capsicums and Cashew Nuts

         Recipe: Gourmet living magazine
     Ingredients
     500g chicken drumstick meat ( cut into pieces)
     some water
     40g green, red and yellow capsicums (seeded and cut into pieces)
     1 tbsp oil
     40g deep-fried cashew nuts ( I just slightly toasted it in the oven)

     Marinade
     1/2 tsp pepper
     1 tbsp light soya sauce

     Seasoning
     3 tbsp maple syrup
     1 tsp dark soya sauce
     1 tsp salt



      Method
      1.  Marinade chicken for about an hour.
      2. Cook a pot of water.  Blanch capsicums for 2 minutes.  Remove, drain and set aside.
      3.  Pour oil into a frying pan.  Pan-fry chicken till golden brown.
      4.  Dilute maple syrup and dark soya sauce with 100ml water.  Pour into frying pan and cook till gravy thickens.
      5.  Add capsicums and cashew nuts and pan-fry awhile.  Then add salt to season.

Sour cream sandwich bread (Dan Lepard)

My son would not mind to have this bread everyday for the rest of the year, as said. :)
Love the sour cream flavour, soft tender crumb and crispy golden crust..

Beef and spinach Cannelloni

                                                             It's really yummy!

  Recipe: goodfood
     Ingredients
     Filling
     1 tbsp olve oil
     1 onion, chopped
     1 clove garlic, crushed
     500g beef mince
     250g frozen spinach, thawed
     3 tbsp tomato paste
     1/2  cup (125g)  ricotta
     1 egg
     1/2 tespoon ground oregano

     Bechamel sauce
     1 cup (250ml) milk
     1 sprig fresh parsley
     5 peppercorns
     30g butter
     1 tbsp plain flour
     1/2 cup (125ml) cream

     Tomato sauce
     425g can tomato puree
     2 tbsps chopped fresh basil
     1 clove garlic, crushed
     1/2 teaspoon sugar

     12-15 instant cannelloni tubes
     1 cup (150g) grated mozarella
     1/2 cup (60g) grated Parmesan

some of the ingredients

For filling:  all well mixed together and set aside

                                             

For Bechamel sauce:  cook until it thickens

For tomato sauce:  simmer for 5 minutes, set aside

spoon filling into the tubes using piping bag

spoon a little tomato sauce in the base of the dish.
arrange cannelloni tubes on top

pour bechamel sauce over the cannelloni, follow by tomato sauce
last, sprinkle cheese over the top

   Methods
   1.  Preheat oven to 180C.  Lightly oil a large shallow ovenproof dish.

   2.  To make filling:  heat oil on low heat, add onion and garlic, stir until garlic is tender. Add the mince and brown well, breaking any lumps with a fork as it cooks.  Add the spinach and tomato paste. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Remove from heat. Mix together the ricotta, egg, oregano and some salt and pepper.  Add to the mince mixture and stir well.  Set aside.

   3.  To make Bechamel sauce:  Put milk, parsley and peppercorn in a small pan.  Bring to boil.  Remove form the heat and cool for 10 minutes.  Strain, discarding flavourings.  Melt butter in a small pan and stir in the flour.  Cook, stir for a minute.  Remove from the heat.  Gradually blend in the strained milk, strirring until smooth.  Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until the sauce boils and thickens.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.  Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.

   4.  To make tomate sauce:  Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

   5.  Spoon the filling into a pipping bag and fill the cannelloni tubes  ( or fill with a teaspoon ).

   6.  Spoon a little tomato sauce in the base of the dish.  Arrange the cannelloni on top.

   7.  Pour Bechamel sauce over the cannelloni, followed by the remaining tomato sauce.  Sprinkle the combined cheeses over th top.  Bake for 30- 35 minutes, or until golden.
note:  I placed a metal pan filled with boiling water, on the lowest shelf of the oven throughout baking.

Matcha Bo Lo Pau (Pineapple Bun)

I added matcha to it,  it does bring out the flavour a lot.
Make a slit in the bun, slot in a thin piece of butter...yum.

Potato rolls

                                

As light as a feather, best rolls ever!

Taiwanese Spicy Beef Jerky (CNY Bakes)

     The spice aroma is good, tasty, great to snack with beer especially.

Hot and spicy rice cake(Ddeokbokki)

                        So, with the homemade rice cake, I finally made Ddeokbokki.
                        Very delicious!  Hot, spicy, chewy...


          Recipe: Maangchi
      Ingredients
      500g cyclinder shaped rice cake---use more if not adding eggs and fish cake
      4 cups water
      7 large dried anchovies (heads and intestines removed)
      6x8 inch dried kelp
      1/3 cup hot pepper paste
      1 tbsp hot pepper flakes
      1 tbsp sugar
      3 green onions (cut into 3 inch long pieces)
      2 hard boiled eggs, shelled (optional)
      1/2 pound fish cakes (optional)

hot pepper paste, hot pepper flake and green onion

top left:  Korean fish cake  and dried kelp
bottom left:  anchovy and homemade rice cake
( picture shown is anchovy powder,  I used dried anchovy in the end as I heard this would not as tasty)

It is such a tasty, clear soup.
( here I just added and the fish cake, kelp and anchovies had to be taken out after 15 minutes of boiling

keep on going...til sauce gets slightly more thickened than this.

     Method
     1.  Add the water, dried anchovies and dried kelp to a shallow pot of pan.

     2.  Boil for 15 minutes over medium high heat without the lid.

     3.  Mix together the sauces-- hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes and sugar in a small bowl.  Remove the anchovies ad kelp.  Add in the rice cake, sauces, green onions and optional fish cakes and hard boiled eggs. It will come up to about 2 1/2 cups.

     4.  Stir gently when it starts to boil.  Keep stirring until the rice cakes turns soft and the sauce thickens and looks shinny (takes about 10 to 15 minutes).

     5.  Remove from heat and serve hot.

     note: If you are using freshly made rice cake, it will take shorter time to cook through. Frozen type need to be thawed and soaked in cold water to soften before cooking.  Also, take note not to over cook the rice cakes as it will turn soggy and not tasty.