Baked Crispy BBQ Buns 烧包

I get very excited each time I make something new and this is my first attempt of BBQ Bun \(^_^)/ Successful!!!

Ingredients for oil dough:
120g flour
60g shortening

Ingredients for water dough:
120g flour
30g icing sugar
30g shortening
60ml water

Egg wash:
1 egg yolk-beaten

1. Mix all the ingredients for oil dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mix all the ingredients for water dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Divide both dough into 18-20 equal pieces. Wrap the oil dough into the water dough and flatten it.

4. Roll the dought out into a longish flat pieces. Roll it up like a swiss roll.
5. Turn 90deg, and roll out again and roll it up like a swiss roll.
6. Press dough with palm and lightly roll out into a circle.
7. Spoon filling in the center, wrap and pleat into a bun shape. Place on a greaseproof paper.

8. Brush Bun with egg wash and bake at 200deg for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients for Fillings:
200g BBQ pork meat - cut into small cubes (bought from the stall for RM8)
1/2 tbsp thick black soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 big onion (dice small)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water

For thickening:
1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water

1. Heat about 1 tbsp of oil. Saute onions for 1-2 minutes. Add in BBQ meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add in the thickening and simmer till the gravy has thickened. Dish out and let it cool. Set aside for use later.

Pickled Chili

Whenever we `tapao' (take away order) food, the stall workers always forgot to give us pickled chili. Now, we don't care if they remember or not. We have our own at home _*

Ingredients:
10 chilies (washed and dried thoroughly, diced circular)

1 cup chinese rice vinegar
4 tbsp sugar (variable)
1/2 tsp. salt

Wash chilies, Pat dry or air dry thoroughly. (The most important procedure is the drying process) If not dried properly, the pickle will go bad very soon. Warm the vinegar base, stir till sugar and salt dissolves. Add chillies to be pickled then store in a glass bottle.

Chrysanthemum Tea+Wolfberry Jelly 菊花枸杞果冻

The weather has been hot and humid for the past few weeks until now, it is a perfect time for me to make Chrysanthemum Tea. Chrysanthemum has cooling effect on the body, it also detoxifies the blood; helps with sinus congestion, high blood pressure, and can also calm the nerves.

While planning to make the drink, I came out with an idea of making them into jelly by adding some wolfberries to the tea. So I will have both cooling beverage and refreshing dessert at the same time.

INGREDIENTS:
25-30gms first grade dried chrysanthemum tea flowers
1-2 tbsp wolfberries
100g rock sugar
1.5 litres water
1 packet Jelly Powder (unflavoured)

PREPARATION:
Wash the chrysanthemum and Chinese wolfberries. Bring the water to boil in a pot, when boil pour the hot water over the chrysanthemum tea flowers. Cover the lid and let it soak for 30 minutes. Sieve the flowers, add in wolfberry and boil for 10 minutes. Add in rock sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves. Then, slowly stir in the jelly powder. Now, scoop the jelly mixture into selected jelly moulds and let it cool. Chill immediately when hardened.

Note: You can retain the sieved chrysanthemum tea flowers by adding in hot boiling water as it would be a waste to throw them away.

Stir-Fried Eggplant

Eggplant (also known as brinjal/aubergine) is one of the most easily available and affordable vegetables. Eggplant is very nutritious and is sometimes referred to as poor man’s meat. If you are an Eggplant lover like me, then you will surely enjoy this dish.

Ingredients
4 Eggplants
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic


Directions
1. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Cover the eggplants with water, add the salt, and stir to dissolve the salt. Soak the eggplant for 5 minutes, then drain well.
2. In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce with the sugar and sesame oil and set aside.
Heat a wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil, garlic and eggplant and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and continue stir-frying for 2 more minutes. Add the oyster sauce mixture and stir well to mix. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Breaded Chicken Fingers

I like finger foods because they come in bite-sized pieces. I can have a taste of everything without feeling stuffed and even have seconds of the things I enjoyed most. So what's the ultimate finger food? I'd have to say chicken fingers.

Ingredients:

boneless chicken breast

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup flaky breadcrumbs

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour
oil for frying

Method:

Rinse chicken, pat dry, then cut into strips and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in one shallow plate, the egg in another, and the breadcrumbs in another. One at a time, dredge the chicken in flour to coat them lightly but evenly, then dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Shake off the excess crumbs, place on a baking sheet, and chill uncovered for 15 minutes or up to a day.

Heat the oil in a pan and saute for four to five minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. Cook in batches, if necessary, so that you don’t crowd the pan. Watch carefully, the breadcrumbs should not blacken, but the chicken fingers should be dark brown on each side. Remove from the heat and serve with your family favourite dipping sauce.

Advance preparation: The chicken can be breaded up to a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Mmm...I will include some oat to the mixture and oven-baked the chicken next time instead of pan-fried. I think that will be healthier__*

Eight Treasure Porridge 營養八寶粥

I felt pretty weak recently. So as a chinese girl, the first thought was - I need eight treasure porridge to boost up my energy!! Broom....!!

The Ingredients I Used:
Bario Rice 2 tbsps
Bario Red Glutinous Rice 2 tbsps
Black Bean 2 tbsps
Mung Bean 1 tbsp
Red Bean 1 tbsp
Barley 1 tbsp
Lotus Seed 2 tbsp
Dried Longan 1 tbsp
Peanut 2 tbsp
Oat 3 tbsp

Note: Ingredients used in the eight-treasure porridge are virtually unlimited. The 'Eight' simply means many. So, there can be more than eight ingredients in the porridge. You get the idea, right? Beans, as many kinds as possible.

Method:
1. Soak all the ingredients except oat and dried longan overnight.
2. Rinse all the ingredients except oat and dried longan (reserve these to add later) and place them in the rice cooker add water (roughly 3-4 times of dry ingredients). Cook for 40 minutes, stirring accasionally and add water as needed. Add washed oat and longan 15 minutes before the porridge is ready.
3. You should have loose and soupy porridge. Serve warm, you can add sugar or honey to taste but I like mine as it is ☻

Lady's Finger (okra) 羊角豆

A) Stuffed Lady's Fingers

Ingredients:

250g lady's fingers (pick small ones)

To be mixed together:

150g minced pork

pepper

light soy sauce

Gravy:

1 thin slice of ginger
1 tsp each of chopped garlic and shallots, fried till golden
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsps water

Preparation:

1. Wash the lady’s finger well and dry on a towel until completely dry. Chop the crown off and make slits in each.
2. Stuff the prepared mixture into the lady's fingers and steam for 5 mins.

3. Prepare the gravy, pour on top of the steamed lady's fingers. Serve hot.

B) Simple boiled okra

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger (10 stem)

As much shallots and garlic as you like

kicap pekat

Preparation:

1. Wash and rinse the lady fingers.

2. Add water to a wok and bring it to a boil. Blanch lady fingers until cook. Dish up and cut both ends of each piece and cut into half. Arrange on a serving plate.

3. Sauté shallots and garlic with medium heat until fragrant, add some kicap pekat. Pour the sauce over the lady fingers and serve immediately.

Health benefits as below of lady's fingers:

1) stabilizes blood sugar level

2) binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver.

3) prevents constipation

4) feeds good bacteria (probiotics) residing in our body.

5) good for those feeling weak, exhausted, and suffering from depression.

6) good for healing ulcers and to keep joints limber

7) treats lung inflammation, sore throat, and irritable bowel.

Garlic Bread DIY

Baking garlic bread is really simple. It is basically toasting a bread with garlic butter spread. And the best way to enjoy garlic bread is to eat it with mushroom soup.

Ingredients
1 loaf of French bread

125g butter (NOT margarine), softened

10 gloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 heaping tablespoon of parsley/ Mixed Italian herbs

Method - Toasted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Slice the bread diagonally into thin slices. Mix the butter, garlic, and herbs together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the bread. Place on a baking pan and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

3 Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Serve immediately.