Pizza!

After comin' back from Europe, I had a sudden crave for pizza.  Sadly, I don't have the Italian touch.  Their pizzas are to die for!  Do stay tune for the photos of the other european locations.  Post-production in progress.

Down to business.... Pizza making!  Its actually quite simple.  You can either get the dough from your local hypermarket or supermarket; OR you can do your own dough!  Please skip the dough portion if you bought one already ;)

Pizza

Dough Portion


Ingredients:

• 4.5 cups All Purpose White Flour
• 1/4 cups Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 packet Dry Yeast
• 1.5 cups Warm Water
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar

Steps:

1. Measure 0.5 cups of warm water and stir in 2 teaspoons of brown sugar.  Ensure water is warm and not hot.  Dissolve the packet of dry yeast.  Leave it for 5 minutes at least.
2. Sift 4 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the salt.  Make a depression in the middle of the flour and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 cup of warm water.
3. When the yeast mixture has risen after the 5 minutes, add it to the flour.  Mix all together with hands and place on a floured surface.  Knead the dough for 8 - 10 minutes. *
4. Rub a clean bowl with olive oil and place the kneaded dough into it.  Moisten the top of the dough with olive oil.  Place a clean cloth over the bowl and keep it in a warm place to rise 90 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven for 15 minutes.  While preheating, you may use your rolling pin to flatten the dough to a circular shape.  If you would like a thin crust, split the kneaded dough into 2 before rolling it.  When dough is flatten, place it into the oven. **
6. Bake the dough for around 15 minutes.  Make sure you don't over bake it, as we just want to ensure the dough is properly baked when we placed the toppings. 

Notes:
* You can try adding Parmesan or Oregano into the dough to give it more flavor. 

** You may flour the oven dish.  This would make your dough to a biscuit like texture after bake - Less oily.  Or you make butter your oven dish.  This would give you a crunchy form base - Possibly oily.


Toppings Portion

Ingredients:

• Shredded Mozzarella/Cheedar or any kind of cheese. 
• Mixed Herbs
• 200g Tomato Puree
• 2 Chopped Onions
• Optional Toppings - Pineapple Pieces, Sliced Mushrooms, Sliced Capsicums/Bell Peppers, Olives, Peperoni, Salami, Cooked Mince Chicken, Tuna Pieces etc.

Steps:

1. Spread a thin layer of tomato puree on the semi-baked dough.  Sprinkle the onions on it.
2. Do you customization of optional toppings.  Let your creativity fly!
3. Sprinkle the cheese on the top and spread it out evenly.  Sprinkle mixed herbs on the top.

4. Put it back into the oven to bake.  It would take approx. 20 minutes.  Baked until the cheese melts and a little golden brown.
5. Slice it up and serve! 

Notes:
* You can try cracking an egg on top of it when the pizza is closed to being well done.
* You can try sprinkling chili flakes on top to give it the spicy kick!

Enjoy!

Fu Chuk Barley Dessert with Ginkgo

Sea coconut is on the low.  Had to resort to barley now.  I guess you all can have this a try.  It's all knocking, peeling, washing, soaking, boiling, and lastly eating :P

Fu Chuk Barley Dessert with Gingko

Ingredients:

• 300gm Barley (depends on you)
• 2 packets of preserved Winter Melon or Rock Sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)
• 300gm Ginkgo Seeds (depends on you)
• 5-6 pieces of Dry Fu Chuk (Dried Soya Pieces....i think)

Steps:

1. Prepare your Ginkgo Seeds.  If you bought those still in their shells, just follow the steps.  If you had yours without the shells, proceed to Step 4.
2. Knock the nuts with a hammer or a nutcracker until there's a small crack.  Peel the shell off.  Put the seeds aside.

3. Boil the seeds in hot water for approx. 15 minutes.  Under a running tap, peel off its skin and it should be golden yellow.  Put it aside.

4. Choose a big pot.  Wash your barley in it.  Wash off the starch and weevils.

5. Put in the Gingko Seeds and Preserved Winter Melon  into the pot.  Fill it with water until its 3/4 of the pot.  Put the pot over a low heat and cover the pot.

6. While waiting for it to boil, wash your 'Fu Chuk' and soak it in water till it becomes beige in color.

7. When the pot is already boiling (approx. 30-45 mins), put in the soaked 'Fu Chuk'.  Only the 'Fu Chuk' and not the water.  Boil for another 15mins until the 'Fu Chuk' is in small tiny pieces.
8. Leave it to cool and you may serve.

Enjoy :)

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

Have some cravings for chocolate? and you are also an Oreo fan. You can try out this simple and easy recipe.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

• 4 tubes of plain Oreo biscuit packs (approx 400g total).
• 250g Cream Cheese
• 250 - 300g Semi-Sweet Cooking Chocolate

Steps:

1. Take the Oreos out of its packaging.  If you bought the ones with cream, just scrap them off.
2. Crush the biscuits finely.  Keep a little aside.

3. Mix the Cream Cheese into the crushed biscuits.

4. Place your Chocolate into a steel bowl.
5. Heat up a pot of boiling water and place your bowl on the boiling water.  Wait till the chocolate completely melts.

6. Pinch a little from the Cream Cheese Oreo and shape them into balls.  You may use a teaspoon as a guide.
7. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate a little at a time and use forks to pick them up and place it on a tray.
8. Sprinkle a little of the crushed biscuits on top of it.
9. Refrigerate the balls for 4 hours.  Best served cold.

Ideas:

• Try chopped almonds to mix in or use it to sprinkle on the top.  Roast it a little first.
• Try using white chocolate / chocolate rice to decorate the balls instead of using Oreos.
• The ball size depends on your choice.

Enjoy ;)

Luo Han Guo Sea Coconut

With this hot weather, its bound to be unhealthy for a lot of us.  I did this simple Traditional Chinese herbal dessert / drink.  Some say this would cool the body and help with coughs.

Luo Han Guo Sea Coconut

Ingredient:

• Fresh Sea Coconut
• 1 pc Luo Han Guo
• 1 small pkt Dried Longan
• 1 small pkt Dried Red Dates
• 1 pc Honey Rock Sugar
• 1 -2 Pandan Leaves

Steps:

1. Skin the Fresh Sea Coconut.  Slice the Sea Coconut horizontally.

2. Fill in 1/2 pot of water.  Crack the Luo Han Guo.  Place the Dried Longan, Dried Red Dates, Honey Rock Sugar, Pandan Leaves, and Cracked Luo Han Guo into the pot.  Boil over low heat.

3. Put in the sliced Fresh Sea Coconut into the pot.

4. Boil it for an hour or so.  Leave it to cool.
5. You can served it chilled.

Have fun :)

Mango Ice Cream

With the crazy weather today, a cool dessert might do the trick to cool down the soul.  This week, I did Mango Ice Cream.  Making ice cream is not as easy as it looks.  I remember when I was a kid, I would try to do my own popsicle, by making a cordial drink and deep freeze it with a stick in it.

Anyway, this is how the big boys do ice cream.

Mango Ice Cream

Ingredients:

Ice Cream:

• 4 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup Icing Sugar
• 2 cups Mango Puree*
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Coconut Cream
• 1/2 cup Whipped Cream / Heavy Cream

Mango Puree: *If you can't buy it off the shelf

• 3 Mangoes, seeded, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 tablespoon Icing Sugar

Steps:
Mango Puree:

1. Once you have seeded, peeled, and sliced the Mangoes, blend the Lemon Juice and Icing Sugar with it until smooth.
2. Taste the mixture.  If it is not as sweet as you prefer, you may add a little more Icing Sugar.
3. Add water a tablespoon at a time until mixture puree smoothly. 

Note:

1. If you chose Indian Mangoes or any Mangoes that are known to be sweet naturally, you may cut down on the Icing Sugar.
2. Puree are supposed to be thick.

Ice Cream:

1. Boil the water in your pan under low heat.  Place the Egg Yolks and Icing Sugar into a bowl.  Place that bowl into the pan.
2. Beat the eggs until thick and creamy.  Remove from heat and continue beating for another minute longer or until cool.

3. Place the Mango Puree, Lemon Juice, Coconut Cream, and Whipped / Heavy Cream into a large bowl.  Mix it well.
4. Gently fold in the eggs into the mixture.

5. Pour the mixture into a steel plate or tin with Aluminum Foil.  Place it into the freezer for approx. 3 hours or the mixture is almost frozen.
6. Transfer into a mixing bowl and beat it under fast speed until smooth.
7. Place the mixture into a container to store for overnight.
8. You may scoop and serve.

Good luck and Enjoy :)
Enjo

Spaghetti Bolognaise

This is a super late post. I did this 2 weeks ago. I was suppose to post this for Valentine's. As it makes a good main course for a candlelight and wine dinner :)

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Ingredients:

• Pasta or the standard spaghetti pasta. 
• Olive Oil
• 2 Big Carrots
• 2 Big Onions
• 2 Green Peppers / Capsicum
• 4 Big Tomatoes
• Button Mushrooms (Fresh / Canned) *
• Oyster Mushrooms (Optional)*
• 200g Streaky Bacon (Optional)*
• 500g Mince Meat (Chicken / Beef / Pork)
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• 2 - 3 Bay Leaves
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Tomato Puree (Small Can)
• Spaghetti Sauce (1 Mid-Size Bottle Prego Brand)
• Salt
• A serving of Red Wine (Optional)
• Parmesan Cheese
• Mozerella / Cheddar Cheese

* Quantity based on your own preference.

Steps for the Sauce:

1. Diced the Onions, Green Peppers / Capsicums, Streaky Bacon, and Tomatoes.  Shred the Carrots.  Slice the Buttom Mushrooms.  Peel the Oyster Mushrooms into manageable pieces.

2. Take the Mince Meat and place it into a bowl.  Sprinkle few dashes of White Pepper and Black Pepper until its all over the meat, and a dash of salt.  Mix the meat well.  Leave it aside.
3. Heat a big pot with Olive Oil.  Once the oil is heated, put your diced Streaky Bacon.  Stir fry it until it is cooked, then put your diced Onions in and stir it for half a minute.  Put in the diced Green Peppers / Capsicums.  Stir fry it until it is soft.  Put in the Bay Leaves.

4. Put in the Mince Meat mix into the pot.  Stir it until the meat is cooked (Chicken / Pork turns solid white; Beef turns brown).  Add in a little more dashes of White Pepper and Black Pepper.

5. Put in the shredded Carrots, sliced Button Mushrooms, and diced Tomatoes.  Stir it continuously until the diced Tomatoes go soft.
6. Sprinkle the Oregano and Thyme into the pot.  Stir it until the herbs are mixed in.

7. Pour in the Tomato Puree into the pot.  Stir well.
8. Pour in the Spaghetti Sauce.  Add in a mug of water.  Stir well.
9. Put in the peeled Oyster Mushrooms.  Pour a serving of Red Wine into the pot.  Stir well.
10. Sprinkle a few dash of Salt.  Stir and taste the sauce.  If insufficient taste, sprinkle more salt.  Normally, a tablespoon is sufficient.
11. Close the pot and let it boil.  Do stir it in an interval of 10 minutes to avoid burning the bottom.  Let it boil for 30 minutes.

Steps for Serving:

1. Boil quarter pot of water, with a dash of Olive Oil and Salt.
2. Put in the Pasta when the water is boiling.
3. When the Pasta is soft, drain the water and pour a few tablespoons of Olive Oil.
4. Mix the Pasta and Oil well.  So the pasta will not stick together.
5. Take a self-preferred portion of Pasta and put onto a plate.
6. Shred some Mozerella / Cheddar Cheese on the Pasta.
7. Pour a self-preferred portion of the Sauce on the Pasta.
8. Sprinkle some Parmesan Cheese.
9. Serve immediately.

 
This recipe is quite tiring, as it needs a lot of stirring.  Please do take note, Pork and Wine is optional.

Good luck and enjoy :)

Roast Pork

Special posting for the forthcoming CNY celebrations.  Many of us have been always heading over to the markets or restaurants to get a serving of roast pork.  There is also the posibility of not getting your share as by the time it reaches your turn, it is all sold out!

Why not try making your own?

Ingredients:

• Pork - Belly Area (Don't choose a fatty slab, the moderate would do)
• Salt
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Vinegar

Sauce Ingredients - Apple Sauce (Optional - English Style):

• a dozen green apples (Sliced)
• a cinnamon stick
• a few cloves
• sugar (to taste)

Equipment:

• Turbo cooker or Oven
• Brush

Steps:

1. Get your butcher to cut slits into your pork.  Easier for cutting and serving.

2. Wash the meat.
3. Rub salt all over the meat.
4. On the underside, rub a generous amount of white and black pepper.

5. Leave it in the fridge for around an hour. (Optional)
6. Preheat your oven at 250°C for 15 mins.
7. Place the underside facing up in the oven.  Increase the heat to 350°C.
8. Roast it for 45 - 50 mins.  Try piercing the meat with a fork.  If it is done, it should be easy to pierce.

9. Once done, flip it over that the skin faces upwards.
10. "Paint" the skin with vinegar using the brush.  You may be generous as long as you are "painting" and not pouring.
11. Roast it again for around 20mins.  It should look nice and crunchy.

12. Let it cool until warm, as the excess pork fat is being dripped out.
13. Take it out and slice the meat into slices.  If you want to make it Chinese style, chop it up with your cleaver.  You may serve.

Steps for the Apple Sauce (Optional):

1. Sliced your apples into slices.
2. Place them into a pot over a low heat.
3. Throw in the cinnamon and cloves.
4. Stir it continuously until it becomes mush.
5. Test the taste.  If sour, add in a little sugar and mix.
6. Taste it again until desirable.

Have a great Chinese New Year! Loads of Wealth and Health for this Tiger year!

Onde-onde

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I had this liking for 'onde-onde' (on-day on-day) or glutinous rice balls in desiccated coconut. This is a traditional Malaysian dessert or kuih as we would categorize it.

Here's the recipe for you all to try but it is in estimation.

Ingredients:

• 10 stalks/palm-sized bundles Pandan Leaves
• 1 Coconut Sugar Block / Gula Melaka
• Salt
• Desiccated Coconut
• 500g Glutinous Rice Flour

Steps:

1. Wash the Pandan Leaves. Cut them into small pieces. Blend it with a Blender, while blending add in a little water. Sift it and throw away the crushed leaves. Purpose is to extract the juice. It should amount to 1/2 cup diluted.
2. Use a mortar to break the Gula Melaka into small pieces.

3. Sprinkle a little salt. Mix the Pandan Juice into the Glutinous Rice Flour gradually while kneading. Ensure you don't overdo the juice pouring. Knead it into a dough.

4. Boil a pot of hot water over a low heat.
5. Pinch a little dough, enough to make a small ball. Put a piece or 2 of the Gula Melaka into the ball and roll it back into shape.

6. Drop the ball into the boiling water. It will sink but after a minute, it will float. Wait until it floats.

7. Use a strainer to pick the ball up and roll it around in a tray of dessicated coconut.

8. Repeat Step 5 - 7 until you finish the dough.
9. Let it cool and then you may serve.

Remember to keep it in the refrigerator. It cannot be kept for long.
Good luck and enjoy!

Garlic Chicken

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I did this on Sunday morning. Quite simple to do. The most it will occupy around an hour or so in preparation, and 2 hours of cooking.

Ingredients:

• Carrots **
• Cauliflower **
• Potatoes **
• 2-3 Big Red Onions - Cut into 4s
• 1-2 Whole Garlic - Diced **
• Thyme
• Mixed Herbs
• Salt
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper
• 125g Butter
• Chicken Drumsticks **
  ** quantity up to you

Steps:

1. Clean and chop up the vegetables to sizes you think manageable for the mouths you are feeding.
2. Wash your drumsticks and skin them. If you want the skin, you have leave this step.
3. Put in thyme, salt, white and black pepper to the drumsticks. Rub them together.
4. Put all your vegetables into a pot/corning ware (including the onions), and mix them around. Do not want them stuck together.
5. Place your drumsticks into the pot and arrange them nicely.
6. Sprinkle your diced garlic on top, and a little salt for taste.
7. Cut up your butter into pieces and place them scattered.
8. Sprinkle a little mixed herbs on top.
9. Add a half glass of water.
10. Placed the pot over the stove under a small fire for 2.5 hours.
11. Finally, you can serve.

Good luck and enjoy!

Cream Puffs

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Took up this endeavour this weekend to create Cream Puffs! It has been my fav for quite awhile and only the plain vanilla cream fillings entices me.

My dad has been try to make it for quite a long time. Sadly, it ended in disaster as the Cream Puff became Cream Biscuit. It was hard as a Jawbreaker candy.

Anyway, you all don't worry! My attempt was a success! So this recipe works :)

Ingredients:

For the Puff (Choux Paste):

• 50g Butter
• 60g Plain Flour
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 1/2 cup Water

For the Filling:

• 225g Butter
• 110g Caster Sugar
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 1 Whole Egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 1 teaspoon Rose Essence
• 1 teaspoon Brandy / Rum (optional)

Steps for the Puff:

1. Place your butter and water in a pot. Stir over a low heat until boiling.
2. Remove the pot, and mix it in the flour. Quickly stir it with a wooden spoon until it is pasty, and not sticky. Let it cool.
3. While waiting for it to cool, preheat your oven at 230°C.
4. Mix in the eggs into the pot until it is a paste again.

5. Fill the paste into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe into a baking tray. The size is up to you. **
6. Bake it at 180°C for 25 minutes or until it is puffed up and golden brown.
**If you don't have a piping bag, you may use a plastic bag with an end snipped. I suggest the small puffs as it is easy to eat. Get a mini cupcake tray.

Steps for the Filling:

1. Mix the butter and sugar together until it is like whitish cream.
2. Mix in the eggs until it is creamy.
3. Add in the vanilla and rose essence, and the alcohol is optional.
4. Use a piping bag, and pipe in the filling into the puff from the bottom. **
** You may use those tomato/chilli sauce dispensers to pipe in your filling.

Notes:

1. You may keep it for a week.
2. Reheat them for 5 mins in the oven at 180°C.
3. Please keep the puffs in an airtight container.
4. Pipe in the cream only if you are going to serve.

Good luck and enjoy! ;)