Simple Choc Chip pull-apart buns

More chocolates for my kids, they are never tired of it.  Basically I needed to buy bars and bars of chocolates each weekend.  So, they are sure happy with this recipe.

Banana Yoghurt Muffins ( chia seeds)

 I found this recipe has a very good rating/ reviews , so I gave it a go.  Yoghurt and bananas are healthy for kids' lunch.  I added chia seeds as decoration too.

 It is not too sweet, super moist, definitely a keeper.

I used 6 large holes muffin pan and 1 extra mini pan.

Recipe from: taste.com.au
Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 egg
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large bananas, mashed

 note: I added chia seeds for decoration.

Method:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 180C. Lightly grease a 12- hold muffin pan ( I prefer big muffins, so I used 6 hole pan and an extra mini pan.  I used paper cups so I don't grease pan).
 Sift flour and sugar into a bowl.

2.  Combine yoghurt, egg, oil and mashed bananas in a large bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients, stirring until just combined ( note: do not over mixed).

3.  Spoon mixture into muffin holes. ( I had some chia seeds over the surface of the muffins).
 Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

4.  Stand muffins in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or cold.
5. Enjoy!

Steamed glutinous rice Lo Mai Gai ( using lotus leaves)

I bought a packet of dried lotus leaves ready to make frangrant Lo Mai Gai. Everyone actually loved it so much, especially my parents.  My son had 3 packets all in one go ! So there I am, making a 2nd...3rd..and now the last batch.

Because I made so much, now my dad  can have as many as he wants, just take it out from the freezer and steam it again.  That's what I do too, we stuffed a lot in the freezer for rainy days when I am too lazy or tired to cook.

I searched on net found recipes are pretty much the same , the kind of ingredients used.  In the end, I decided to do it my way here.

Homemade Lo Mai Gai is the best! we can have generous ingredients as much as we like..

(A) Rice preparation ( 500g glutinous rice)

Ingredients:

1.  Light soya sauce ( 2 tablespoons)
2.  Dark soya sauce ( 1 tablespoon)
3.  Water ( 1/2 cup, not more than that)
4.  Oyster sauce ( 1 tablespoons)
5.  Sesame oil
6.  Sugar ( 1 teaspoon)
7.  White Pepper
8.  Pinch of salt

 Mix well .
Get steamer ready and steam on high heat for 20 minutes.
( note:I made 1 kg rice, so I had two shallow plates over two levels on my bamboo steamer).

Fillings ( decide the amout individually):

With a little oil, fry and eventually mix everything together.   Fry chicken separately  and add in the rest, season well with the usual soya sauce, oyster sauce..., final quick fry and done!

1.  Chinese sausage (Lup Cheong)
2.   Boneless chicken thighs sliced in small pieces and marinated.
3.  Chinese mushrooms, soaked and cut into small cubes.
4.  Small shrimps, soaked.
5.  Dried oyster, soaked
6.  Chinese rice wine
7.  A bit of conflour
8.  Sesame oil
Note: excess liquid / stock would be good to add in the cooked glutinous rice.

Ingredients for my first batch

This was my 4th batch of Lo Mai Gai, I decided to add without lup cheong 

For Lotus leaves:-
Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes), ready to be used, I did not bother to wipe them dry, it all went good.

Dried lotus leaves 

Boil 2 minutes in hot water and ready to go!

Method:

1.  Soak glutinous rice overnight.  Drain.
2.  Set up steamer. Steam rice for 20 minutes on high heat.
3.  Remove rice out from steamer, use a pair of chopstick and mix them up again so the sauce is evenly spread all over the rice.  Let it cool down a bit.
4.  Set your working area with the cooked ingredients and leaves ready for next move.
5.  Lay your leaf flat on the table, put on your disposable gloves,  start by placing some rice flat on the centre of the leaf.  Gather some ingredients over the top of the rice. Lastly, top up more rice to cover up so ingredients is hidden inside).
6.  Wrap up the parcels one by one in the steamer. Steam for 20 minutes for high heat.
7.  Done!

Beef Vermicelli Cake

Recipe from Goodfood collection
Ingredients:
90g butter
1 onion, chopped
500g beef mince
800g bottled tomato pasta sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
250g vermicelli
1/4 cup plain flour
1  1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup grated Cheddar

Vermicelli Pasta

Simmering the meat with the sauce

White sauce

Ready to be baked

Method
1.  Pre-heat oven to moderate 180C. Lightly grease a 24cm (10 inch) round deep springform tin. Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a large frying pan and cook the onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the beef mince, breaking up any lumps with the back of the spoon, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Stir in the pasta sauce and tomato paste, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Season well.

2.  Cook pasta in rapid boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, or until pale and foaming. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

3.  Spread half the pasta over the base of the tin, then cover with half of the meat sauce. Cover the remaining pasta, pressing down with the palm of your hand. Spoon the remaining meat sauce and then pour on the white sauce. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Cut into wedges to serve.

Marble Bundt Cake (healthy version)

Light and moist Marble bundt cake

              This bundt cake is quite healthy, not too sweet and not too oily ( rice bran oil used). It was a weekend cake for my children to go along with their favourite homemade hot chocolate drink.
              For me, this was my first experience making a "zebra" design here, it was fun and satisfactory.
   


 To do the Zebra design (adapted from: bake me away)
                          

Start with 3 tablespoons of vanilla batter in the centre of the pan, closest to you.

Now,  add 3 tablespoons of chocolate batter in the centre of the vanilla batter.
 Alternating the batters until you run out of batter.

Here is the design you get after you have spread all your batters.

This is the bottom part of the cake. Let it cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes and you are ready to invert it.

Cake is now inverted to the right side.

Slice and you shall see the design now.  

Here's the ingredients ( adapted from Zoom Yummy):

3 medium size eggs
2 and 1/4 cup ( 270g) cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (240ml) vegetable oil  ( I used rice bran oil)
1 and 1/4 cup ( 250g) white sugar  ( I used one cup)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) milk
4 teaspoons cocoa powder

Beautiful Paper Roses blooming at this time of the year...

Method:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350F ( 177c).
2.  Grease butter over the inner part of the bundt pan, spread flour and dust it off.
3.  Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4.  Using mixer, beat eggs and sugar together, takes about 5 minutes.
4.  Add in oil and vanilla extract.
5.  Now with the mixer running on low speed, add in alternately the flour mixture and the milk to the batter.
6.  Divide into two halves from the batter, add cocoa powder to one of the batter mixtures.
7.  At the base of the bundt, spoon about 3 tablespoons of vanilla batter in one spot ( it will spread).
Then, spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chocolate batter in the centre of the vanilla batter. Continue alternating batters like this until you run out of batter. It will spread and fill out the rest of the pan while keeping this pattern.
8.  Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9.  Let it sit in the pan to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake after that.
9.  Happy baking!