Spices "Dong Po Rou" (香料东坡肉)

"Dong Po Rou" is a Hangzhou dish which is widely known across China. The dish which is made pan-frying and then red cooking pork belly. The pork is cut thick and should consist equally of fat and lean meat. And the skin is left on. The mouthfeel is oily but not greasy and the dish is fragrant with Chinese wine. The dish is named after the famed Song Dynasty poet and gastronome Su DongPo 

I had this recipe kept long time ago and finally I get it done. With some added ingredients, the outcome was satisfying and all of us love it!

Spices Dong Po Rou

Ingredients:
600g pork belly with skin
2 stalks spring onions
2 whole black / toasted garlic (flatten)
5 slices fresh ginger
* some hemp strings

1/2 tbsp red distilled grains
200ml water

2 star anises
1" cinnamon stick
5 cloves
2 nos "Sand ginger" / "Cekor"
2 nos "Cao Guo" / Amomum Tsaoko

5 tbsps light soy sauce
30g palm sugar (I used the Indonesian palm sugar)
3 tbsps Shaoxing wine

Method:
~ Cook the pork belly into the boiling water for 25 minutes, dish out and leave to cool. Cut into 6 equal pieces evenly and knot it with hemp strings (you can ignore tying with the hemp strings if you can't get any)
~ Cook the red distilled grains and water for 20 minutes, strain well and reserve the juice.
~ Heat up 3 tbsps cooking oil in a wok, g=fragrant spring onions, garlic and ginger. Drain well and transfer them into a claypot.
~ Add in pork belly, red distilled grain juice, spices and seasoning.
~ Add in water (just enough to cover the pork belly) and bring to boil.
~ Cover and simmer at low heat for 1.5 hours
~ When the pork belly is tender, dish out and strain the stock. Bring the stock to boil and thicken with a little cornstarch solutions. Pour over to the pork belly and serve hot.

I've also made some Steamed Plain Baos / Mantao to go along with this delicious pork. For the recipe of my Steamed Plain Baos / Mantao, please refer to my older post here.

Have a Nice Day!

Fried Pumpkin Kueh 南瓜饼

I love pumpkin, its a cultivar of the squash plant, love the deep yellow to orange color. 

I've tried to make some kueh with this beautiful squash long time ago, the colors turned out so beautifully and the sweetness of the squash is so tasteful. 

Here a simple recipe that I'll like to share....Fried Pumpkin Kueh (南瓜饼) which is very famous

Recipe adapted from the web and I've made some changes to suit our own taste. 

I've tried this natural kueh at one of the Chinese restaurant near Kuala Lumpur but when I went back last 2 weeks, the restaurant has closed down. The food were really nice and tasty there, I'm wondering why they closed down without any notice. Anyhow, I've tried out some of their recipes myself and this was one of them.

I'm very satisfied with the outcome and of course when my family love them as much as I do.
Crispy at the outside and chewy inside, very tasty!
Here's the recipe....

Ingredients:
200g pumpkin (cut into small cubes)
200g Glutinous flour
50g castor sugar
alittle salt
alittle water (not neccesary)

Method:
~ Steamed the pumpkin till soft then mashed.
~ Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except water until well mixed.
~ Add alittle water if the dough doesn't form.
~ Round up dough into a small ball (about 20g) and flatten.
~ Heat up alittle cooking oil (about 2-3 tbsps ), panfry the kueh at medium heat until both sides are golden brown.
~ Place cooked kueh on greasing paper to remove some extra oil and serve hot.

Cheers!

Plain Buttery Buns

The weather is bad these few days. There were thunder storms and heavy rain yesterday, not a good one though. And now there is lightning and I think there'll be a heavy pour later. Well, although the weather is not good but it doesn't really bother me. I still have the mood to bake. Warm bread fresh from my oven really warms my day..:)

Yes, this week's post will be bread. "No more cakes!!"..the eaters have been complaining about it..haha! Alright then,  plain buttery buns it is! 

How do they look? Beautiful huh?! These babies are so soft and fluffy!!

Plain Buttery Buns (makes 16 minis)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp dry yeast
150ml milk
1 tsp fine salt
4 tbsps castor sugar
500g bread flour
4 eggs
200g butter (diced)

Method:

~ Dissolve yeast in milk with salt and sugar. Use an egg whisk to beat until bubble forms.

~ Add in flour and eggs. Use a dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes at high speed.

~ When a dough forms, add in butter and continue to knead at high speed for another 8-10 minutes.

~ Try to stretch the dough (as shown above). When the dough is elastic, cover and let prove for 1.1/2 hours.

~ Preheat oven at 180'C.

~ Punch down, and shape into small balls.

~ Place on the prepared tray and brush with beaten eggs.

~ Bake at 180'C for 20 minutes. 

These buns are so good when serve with jams or you can eat it plain with a cup of your favourite drink.
my daughter loves it, she gobbled up 2 once they are out from the oven.

Cheers!

Steamed Wholemeal Banana Mantou 麦粉香蕉馒头

Dear readers, I'm back with a simple recipe. I'm not doing much in my kitchen lately because I'm busy with my daughter's scedule. Her school exams are coming soon, and as usual, I'm worry and stress...:((

Being stress in my daughter's exam is really useless, I know but what to do, it just comes naturally. I guess all mums out there are the same...hehe!

Right, here's a really simple recipe I created, hope you like it as much as I do.

Steamed  wholemeal banana mantou, 麦粉香蕉馒头.

 Ingredients:
400g Pau flour (low gluten flour)
100g wholemeal wheat flour
2 tsps double action baking powder
11g instant yeast
120g castor sugar
40g shortening
100g mashed bananas
180-190ml water. (may not need all)

Method:
- Mix all ingredients together except water with an electric mixer using a dough hook.
- Add in water slowly and continue to mix at high speed until a soft dough form.
- When the dough form, stop adding anymore water and continue to mix at high speed for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough onto flour dust surface and divide into 50g small pieces.
- Roll out dough as shown above.
- Fold up like the above and place on a cut baking paper.
- Arrange in the steam bamboo tray and let them double the size before steaming. (about 15 minutes)
- Steam at high heat for 12-15 minutes.

These mantou are so soft and fluffy that you can just eat it by its own. Spread some kaya or jam, they taste just as good as you want.

Look at the inside, don't they look soft and fluffy to you? With the light banana aroma, these buns are just too good to resist.
Try them out and let me know, I'll like to hear the comments from you....^^

Cheers!! 

Wholemeal Red Bean Baos

A healthy recipe for you today! I'm not sure whether there is such a recipe of these baos, anyways I just created this without any reference. So be it....it"ll either turns out good or bad! And guess what?! These baos are well recieved!!!! I did it...LOL!!

The idea of using the whole wheat in baos is unsual but trust me, it's very nice indeed and most of all, it's healthy!

Have a look at it....they are not as smooth like the normal redbean baos just because of the wholemeal wheat flour, but they are soft and special...^^

The recipe:

300g bao flour
50g wholemeal wheat flour
8g instant yeast
70g castor sugar
5g ghee
150g water (may not use all)

Filling:
red bean paste

Method:
- Mix all ingredients (except red bean paste) in a mixer knead dough till smooth at high speed about 5-8 mins.
** add water slowly until the dough forms and not sticky.
- Roll out dough into long strip, cut into small pieces about 30g each, then roll flat and roll up like a swissroll and keep aside.(shown below)
- Wrap in the red bean paste, seal tight and place on the prepared baking paper. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
- Steam over hight heat for 5 minutes.

Below picture, after 30 minutes.

Below picture, after steaming.

Look at them, not bad huh?! The skin of these baos are very soft and fluffy as you can see from the last picture below. Well, I like this recipe very much, and hopefully I'm sharing the right one with you too.

Cheers!

Another Red Bean Bao

Steamed Baos!! I love baos and I always made few to store in the freezer, so whenever I feel like eating, then just take out and steam for 10 minutes, then I'll have hot steam baos...:)) By the way, don't store them in freezer more than 2 weeks lah...hehe! We all know that fresh ones always the best, right?!!
Alright, today I'll like to share one of the easiest and new found recipe of Red Bean Baos! I got this recipe from a book (a gift from my sister) named "Chinese Buns"..包好吃!

The result is good and they do look white and smooth! Will be trying more recipes from this book soon..:)

Somehow, it didn't show or mention on how to knead the dough, so I assumed it'll be the same as my old recipes. Below shows how I cut and wrapped up the dough before using it.

Ingredients:
300g Pau flour or Hong Kong flour
5g instant yeast
5g baking powder (just the normal one)
70g sugar
3g shortening
130-140ml water (add slowly)

Fillings:
about 400g Red bean paste

Method:
~ Mix all ingredients together and knead at high speed for about 5-10 minutes, until it forms a smooth dough. Then take out and roll into a long stripe. You may have a very smooth effect here.
~ Cut into 20 small pieces. (sizes depends to individual). Roll into flat sheets.
~ Wrap in the red bean paste filling, seal tight and round up nicely. Place on top of prepared baos's paper and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
~ Steam over high heat for 5 minutes.

Arrange the Baos like shown above, not too near to each other so that they will not be sticking to each other while steaming. This is really soft and fluffy, and most of all...easy!!

Cheers!

Taiwanese Meat Pie (馅饼)

School's examinations starting tomorrow, and I'll like to wish everyone good luck and do well. Okay, I know my daughter is only 7 years old, but I'm already started to feel nervous and stress, wonder how am I going to stress out for the coming years...LOL!! Relax...that's what my husband said to me!!

Alright, my post today...a Taiwanese dessert / snack. I love Taiwan food, I've been there 2 times and I never miss their night market with all lovely and delicious food!! Hoping that I may go again...;p

Taiwanese Meat Pie ( 馅饼 ) or you may call it pancakes but with fillings! Btw, I changed the fillings here. A curry flavours one....hehe! Tasted by few friends this afternoon when we were having lunch, feedback was...GOOD!!

Okay, here's the recipe.....

Ingredients for fillings:

200g chicken fillet (diced) ~ marinade with 2 tbsps meat curry powder and a pinch of salt and sugar.

2 medium local / yellow potatoes (diced)

5 shallots (diced)

1 onion (diced)

2 stalks curry leaves (chopped or you prefer to blend it)

2-3 tsps chilli paste

1 tsp chicken seasoning powder

1-2 tbsps water (add slowly, may need more if finds potatoes are not thoroughly cook)

Method:

~ Panfry shallots and onions until fragnant with 2 tbsps oil then add in curry leaves. Panfry at medium heat until fragnant.

~ Add in chilli paste and potatoes. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes then add in the rest of the ingredients. (except water)

~ At low heat slowly add in water and continue cooking until potatoes are totally cooked.

~ Dish up and let cool.

Ingredients for the pastry:

300g plain flour

3g salt

170ml warm water @ 65'C

Method:

~ Place flour and salt in a big bowl, add in water and stir to mix.

~ Mix dough by hands until form a rough dough then place on cleaned surface and knead for 3 minutes.....(ways of kneading, just press dough flat and fold into half and continue the same procedure for 3 minutes)

~ Place dough in a clean bowl and cover with cling wrap. Rest for 30 minutes.

~ Take out dough and roll into long stripes until smooth. Divide into 30g each and its ready to use.

~ After wrapping the fillings, seal properly like sealing a steamed pau then slightly press it flat by using our palm.

~ Heat up a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp oil and panfry both sides until golden brown at low heat.

~ Serve hot!!

Of course you can always change the fillings to your liking. Maybe with black pepper mutton or beef, it may taste good too...:)

Well, as you can see, my wrapping was not good here. Uneven pastry...one side thicker than the other...:( I know practice makes perfect...I'll do it again!!

Cheers!!

Cantonese Stewed Pork Paus (廣式扣肉包)

School exams coming in less than 3 weeks time, we (parents) are so stress and everybody has been starting to do their revisions. (Actually mothers are doing the revision)..haha! Hopefully they can do well for this year end exams, and good luck for everyone who are sitting for it..:)

Back to my post today, its a steamed buns (paus) again. Well I like steamed paus and we can have it either for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even supper. Founded a new recipe for the paus pastry and I was attracted by the pictures inside. So no doubt, here's mine..:)


I've changed the fillings inside into stewed pork instead of roasted pork. Just feel like tasting something different this time. But somehow after steaming, there were some brown spots on the paus...wonder was it that I didn't seal the paus properly. Anyway I still got to learn and improve on how to shape the paus properly. Don't they looked like garlic?...LOL

Here's the recipe, (adapted from 快乐厨房别刊)

(A) 4g instant yeast, 160g water
(B) 280g pau flour or low gluten flour, 120g cornflour, 80g sugar, 40g shortening
(C) 10g double action baking powder
(D) Stewed pork (canned)~ drained, 1 tsp char siu sauce, 1 tbsp cornflour, 1/2 tbsp sugar
(E) 10 shallots (finely diced)

Method:
~ Mix (A) together then add in (B) and lightly knead into a dough. Covered with cling foil and leave rest for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
~ Meanwhile remove the fats from the stewed pork and finely diced. Then add in char siu sauce, conrflour and sugar and mix well.
~ Panfry shallots until fragnant and add in stewed pork. Panfry alittle while and let cool.
~ Mix in (C) and knead gently into a fine dough (careful don't over knead) then covered and rest for another 15 minutes.
~ Divide dough into 30g each and wrapped in fillings.
~ Place on prepared parchment paper and steam at high heat for 10-12 minutes.


The pastry was soft and fluffy, that I love it so much. Definitely a keeper. Trust me, try it out then you'll know. You may use red bean, lotus or even peanut fillings too. I'm sure they taste really good!!

Cheers!!

Black Sesame Steamed Buns / Paus (黑之麻包)

Its August and most of the parents are quite busy with their kids preparing for their 3rd term examinations. But not me!! I'm still so relax and enjoying my time because my daughter has no exam this term. Is it good or bad? I think its bad and I think most of the parents who has their kids in Pre1 will think that. The syllabus for this year's Pre1 has been adjusted and it has becomes more simple instead. Just imagine, my daughter came home from school and told me.."mummy, I like this school so much because I don't have to do any homework!!" I was like..."oh dear". Those kids nowadays are so smart and bright, with this changes, I think they'll get lazy instead. We parents got to do something!!

Oh well, back to my purpose here..hehe! My post today is Steamed Buns/ Paus . My mum gave me a box of red beans paste last weekend which was made by her. I always like her red beans paste, not so sweet and oily but just nice for my buns.

Then I've adapted a new found recipe of steamed buns. Its super soft and fluffy. Trust me, its really good!


Instead of plain ones, I've added some black sesame into the dough. Oh I love the aroma of the black sesame, and it matches the paste so well..:) But my hubby's reaction was like...."Eeee, they look so dirty"!!!...LOL Anyway he still eat without complain..haha!

Okay, recipe ......adapted from the book Don Yong~ Celebrity Chef Cookbooks

150g Pao flour (low gluten flour)
150g plain flour
15g double baking powder
8g black sesame powder
9g instant yeast
80g sugar
150g cold water
30g shortening
350g red bean paste (might not need that much)


Method:
~ Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixer with a dough hook at low speed until well blended.
~ Add in water slowly until dough forms. Mix at low speed for about 2 minutes.
~ Add in shortening and mix on medium speed for about 6 minutes until dough is half developed.
~ Transfer dough onto a flour-dusted work surface and round up. Cover and leave to proof for 45 minutes. (texture after 45 mins was like the picture shown above)
~ Roll out dough and fold into half and roll again, repeat this 6-8 times until the dough is smooth.
~ Leave dough for 15 mins and divide into 30g or 40g pieces. (depends individual)
~ Round up and leave dough pieces for another 10 mins.
~ Roll out each piece of dough and wrap in fillings.
~ Sealed tight and place on a baking paper.
~ Arrange the buns in a steamer at least 2cm apart and prove for 30 minutes.
~ Steam on high heat for 12-15 mins.


Well, this recipe is easy and takes a short time to prepare compared to the last one I did. I like all the recipes I tried, and I'll continue looking for more steaming buns recipe.
Have a peep at the texture below....nice!

The portion of this recipe yells 15 medium ones. I should try this dough again soon for some other fillings before I find another new one...;p Hope you guys like this and do let me know how you find this recipe..:)

Cheers!!

BBQ Meat Baos

Its almost a week past of the school holidays and it seems time past even faster during holidays. We had only 2 weeks of this term break and I hope I'll make the 2nd week will have lots of funs and joy..:)
Today's post is the baos that I read from my dear friend, HSB. This recipe is the most fluffly and soft of all the baos I made before. Love it, and I definitely will use this recipe for the rest of my baos making..:) Thank you Bee Bee!!
If you'll like the bao's pastry recipe, kindly refer here.

I've made this with my favourite bbq meat fillings, and some with red beans fillings too. No matter what's the fillings are, its so yummy even you eat it by its own. Interested on my homemade bbq meat recipe, you can view it here.
The method of folding the fillings into a roll was shown exactly above. Place the sealed part face down on the parchment paper.

Oh I just love the texture...its super duper fluffy and soft!!

I may try with peanuts and vegetarian fillings the next time I make. The whole portion of the baos were cleared in 1 day!!

As mentioned, I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #8- Bread Seduction (June 2011) hosted by Jasmine from The Sweetylicious

Wishing everyone a happy holiday and have lots of fun!

White Chocolate Swiss Roll & Vegetarian Baos

Friday has come, and we are planning for another weekend outdoor activities. My daughter likes to go picnic, instead of park we used to do it near our condo's poolside. (Actually I'm lazy to drive to the park..haha!) Oh well, as I mentioned in my last post that I'll bake my little one a swiss roll...here is it..White Chocolate Swiss Roll!! A little delayed..heehee... but she was full of joy when she sees this roll...probably she's thinking that she doesn't have to take anymore bread...;p

2 slices were gone for her tea, and the rest are for our picnic tomorrow...:)


A very simple one adapted from "Elegant Swiss Roll by Kevin Chai" but with slight changes.
Instead of making patches (by adding some cocoa powder) I'll like it plain white. Somehow I did added alittle dark chocolate chips in it.

Ingredients:
180g sponge mix
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
40ml water
40g butter (melted)

Fillings:
80g White chocolate (melted)
1 tbsp cornoil
80g whipping cream (whipped)
a little dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method:
~ Prehear oven at 180'C and greased a 10x14" baking tray line with parchment paper.
~ Beat sponge mix, eggs, vanilla essence and water until light and fluffy. Gradually fold in melted butter and mix well.
~ Pour batter on prepared tray and baked for 8-10 minutes at 180'C. Leave to cool.
~ For fillings, mix cornoil with melted white chocolate. Fold in whipped cream and mix well.
~ Turn sponge onto paper, spread with fillings and roll gently. Keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing.


Another was my long missed baos! It was quite sometime that I haven't steam any baos.

Using all the old recipe from my previous posts but some look very cute here...;p

I've done some with redbean fillings but cut it and twisted it into some shapes..haha!

Well they were suppose to look like butterflies but when my little one sees them she said...Wa! They look like forg's eyes!!!...LOL!! they do actually...haha!


But they do impress the kids to give them a bite though. Kids always look for food with funny and cute shapes instead of how they taste.

Since we are going over friend's house for dinner, so I've decided to make some vegetarian "char siu" baos for them too. Similar with my older posts but with different kind of vegetarian meat I used. I still prefer the older one, maybe it depneds the qualities and brands selling in the market that make the difference.

Happy Weekends!!