Saturday, March 30, 2013

Pastry with Peach

I wanted an easy snack for the guests this Easter. For me, easy always equal to ready-made puff pastry. After googling around, I finally settled on the following recipe. You can always substitute the jam in the recipe to custard, for a fancier result.


Pastry with Peach


Ingredients
Puff pastry, best quality you could afford
Peach, canned in syrup, thinly sliced
Apricot jam
Egg yolk, for glazing
Powder sugar, for dusting
Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Method :-
1) Defrost ready-made puff pastry and pre-heat oven according to packet's instruction.
2) If the raw pastry hasn't been rolled out yet, then roll it to about 4mm thickness. Cut into squares or whatever shapes you fancy. Score the pastry (not too deep) about 1cm away from edge, around the shape. Then use a fork and poke  the middle of the pastry where you're going to place the fruit.
3) Spread jam in the middle, next place the sliced peach on the jam. Glazed the edge with egg yolk.
4) Bake according to packet's instruction. Mine too about 12mins @210°c.
5) Sprinkle some powdered sugar and ground cinnamon before serving.

You can see a pictorial of how to prep the pastry from here.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Tzatziki

Tzatziki
Ingredients
2 medium-sized cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
1x175gm yoghurt
few tablespoon of sour cream, or to taste
salt
pepper
garlic powder
parsley, chopped finely

Method
1) Slice or julien cucumber thinly. Sprinkle liberally with salt and let it sit for 10-15 mins. not more
2) Meanwhile, mix together yoghurt, sour cream, garlic powder and finely chopped parsley. Check taste and adjust accordingly. *Leave out the salt for the time being.*
3) After 10-15 mins. squeeze and drain all the liquid from the cucumber and mix into yoghurt, then check seasoning. And it is ready!


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Sticky Yellow Rice {Nasi Kunyit}

Sticky rice or Glutinous Rice is commonly featured in SE Asian cuisine. It could be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. As the rice could be quite rich, we consume only in small quantity, and even on special occasions.
I followed the easy instructions given in the video below. I think I added too much water; hence, a bit too sticky. Since I didn't have a proper steamer, the result is satisfactory for now.

Yellow Sticky Rice

For soaking overnight :-
Glutinous rice
turmeric powder, to taste
tamarind pieces (sub. with lemon juice)

Seasoning
white pepper corns (sub. with white pepper powder)
coconut milk (see video)

1) Clean and soak rice in soaking ingredients with enough water to cover rice, overnight.
2) Drain rice, place rice on steaming dish. Heat up steamer.
3) Cook rice as per video instructions.


Monday, March 04, 2013

Pineapple Tart

recipe coming soon..I need recall which recipe and filling did I use..

update 28/01/2015 :- another post on pineapple "tarts" is up

Caramelised Red Cabbage

I have tried cooking caramelised red cabbage number of times but was never satisfied with the result until this recipe!

Caramelised Red Cabbage
adapted from No Salty

Ingredients
1 medium head red cabbage
1 apple
100g butter (reduced to 50g + vegetable oil)
50-60gm sugar (adjusted to taste)
50ml balsamic vinegar (adjusted to taste)
2 pinches of cumin seeds
salt & pepper, to taste

Method
1) Thinly slice red cabbage and apple, about 1cm width.
2) Heat a heavy duty sauce pan, melt butter (and vegetable oil), sprinkle in the sugar and stir until sugar dissolved.
3) Sauté cumin seed a bit before adding in red cabbage and apple.
4) Season with salt and pepper and dashes of balsamic vinegar, stir well. Put on the lid and let it braise for 30 mins.
5) After 30 mins. remove lid and let it continue to simmer to thicken the sauce. Check seasoning and it is ready to serve.

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Poppy seed bread pudding {Mákos Guba}

Okay, I know this looks strange..haha. If you like poppy seed desserts you will like this.
After many years living in Hungary, strangely I haven't tried Mákos Guba before this. Perhaps because I am still getting use to poppy seeds. Slowly, I got used to it, but only in poppy seeds pie! Well, I think it is time to  add another dessert which feature this ingredient into my limited experience.

Poppy seeds bread pudding {Mákos Guba}
adapted from I like Baking

Ingredients for 6 servings:
6 pcs stale crescent rolls (you could also use sweet bread, baguette)
450 ml milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or sub. with vanilla sugar)
40 g unsalted butter
75 g ground poppy seed (I used much more for 3 pax)
75 g castor sugar (or to taste)
4 tbsp honey
1 finely grated lemon rind
1 pinch of ground clove (sub. with ground cinnamon)

Method (for pictorial, check out the link provided!)
1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c. Lightly grease baking pan (26x17cm)
2) Slice up  the rolls/bread and set aside.
3) Add vanilla seeds, honey and butter into milk and bring it to boil.
4) Pour boiled milk over the rolls/bread prep. earlier.
5) Mix together poppy seeds, lemon zest, ground cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle all over rolls/bread. Mix well. Be careful not to mush up the bread.
6) Pour the mixture onto the greased baking dish, prep earlier and let it bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 mins. or until the edges of bread are crispy.
7) Serve warm. To serve, you could sprinkle with icing sugar and drizzle over some custard.


Saturday, March 30, 2013

Pastry with Peach

I wanted an easy snack for the guests this Easter. For me, easy always equal to ready-made puff pastry. After googling around, I finally settled on the following recipe. You can always substitute the jam in the recipe to custard, for a fancier result.


Pastry with Peach


Ingredients
Puff pastry, best quality you could afford
Peach, canned in syrup, thinly sliced
Apricot jam
Egg yolk, for glazing
Powder sugar, for dusting
Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Method :-
1) Defrost ready-made puff pastry and pre-heat oven according to packet's instruction.
2) If the raw pastry hasn't been rolled out yet, then roll it to about 4mm thickness. Cut into squares or whatever shapes you fancy. Score the pastry (not too deep) about 1cm away from edge, around the shape. Then use a fork and poke  the middle of the pastry where you're going to place the fruit.
3) Spread jam in the middle, next place the sliced peach on the jam. Glazed the edge with egg yolk.
4) Bake according to packet's instruction. Mine too about 12mins @210°c.
5) Sprinkle some powdered sugar and ground cinnamon before serving.

You can see a pictorial of how to prep the pastry from here.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Tzatziki

Tzatziki
Ingredients
2 medium-sized cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
1x175gm yoghurt
few tablespoon of sour cream, or to taste
salt
pepper
garlic powder
parsley, chopped finely

Method
1) Slice or julien cucumber thinly. Sprinkle liberally with salt and let it sit for 10-15 mins. not more
2) Meanwhile, mix together yoghurt, sour cream, garlic powder and finely chopped parsley. Check taste and adjust accordingly. *Leave out the salt for the time being.*
3) After 10-15 mins. squeeze and drain all the liquid from the cucumber and mix into yoghurt, then check seasoning. And it is ready!


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Sticky Yellow Rice {Nasi Kunyit}

Sticky rice or Glutinous Rice is commonly featured in SE Asian cuisine. It could be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. As the rice could be quite rich, we consume only in small quantity, and even on special occasions.
I followed the easy instructions given in the video below. I think I added too much water; hence, a bit too sticky. Since I didn't have a proper steamer, the result is satisfactory for now.

Yellow Sticky Rice

For soaking overnight :-
Glutinous rice
turmeric powder, to taste
tamarind pieces (sub. with lemon juice)

Seasoning
white pepper corns (sub. with white pepper powder)
coconut milk (see video)

1) Clean and soak rice in soaking ingredients with enough water to cover rice, overnight.
2) Drain rice, place rice on steaming dish. Heat up steamer.
3) Cook rice as per video instructions.


Monday, March 04, 2013

Pineapple Tart

recipe coming soon..I need recall which recipe and filling did I use..

update 28/01/2015 :- another post on pineapple "tarts" is up

Caramelised Red Cabbage

I have tried cooking caramelised red cabbage number of times but was never satisfied with the result until this recipe!

Caramelised Red Cabbage
adapted from No Salty

Ingredients
1 medium head red cabbage
1 apple
100g butter (reduced to 50g + vegetable oil)
50-60gm sugar (adjusted to taste)
50ml balsamic vinegar (adjusted to taste)
2 pinches of cumin seeds
salt & pepper, to taste

Method
1) Thinly slice red cabbage and apple, about 1cm width.
2) Heat a heavy duty sauce pan, melt butter (and vegetable oil), sprinkle in the sugar and stir until sugar dissolved.
3) Sauté cumin seed a bit before adding in red cabbage and apple.
4) Season with salt and pepper and dashes of balsamic vinegar, stir well. Put on the lid and let it braise for 30 mins.
5) After 30 mins. remove lid and let it continue to simmer to thicken the sauce. Check seasoning and it is ready to serve.

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Poppy seed bread pudding {Mákos Guba}

Okay, I know this looks strange..haha. If you like poppy seed desserts you will like this.
After many years living in Hungary, strangely I haven't tried Mákos Guba before this. Perhaps because I am still getting use to poppy seeds. Slowly, I got used to it, but only in poppy seeds pie! Well, I think it is time to  add another dessert which feature this ingredient into my limited experience.

Poppy seeds bread pudding {Mákos Guba}
adapted from I like Baking

Ingredients for 6 servings:
6 pcs stale crescent rolls (you could also use sweet bread, baguette)
450 ml milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or sub. with vanilla sugar)
40 g unsalted butter
75 g ground poppy seed (I used much more for 3 pax)
75 g castor sugar (or to taste)
4 tbsp honey
1 finely grated lemon rind
1 pinch of ground clove (sub. with ground cinnamon)

Method (for pictorial, check out the link provided!)
1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c. Lightly grease baking pan (26x17cm)
2) Slice up  the rolls/bread and set aside.
3) Add vanilla seeds, honey and butter into milk and bring it to boil.
4) Pour boiled milk over the rolls/bread prep. earlier.
5) Mix together poppy seeds, lemon zest, ground cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle all over rolls/bread. Mix well. Be careful not to mush up the bread.
6) Pour the mixture onto the greased baking dish, prep earlier and let it bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 mins. or until the edges of bread are crispy.
7) Serve warm. To serve, you could sprinkle with icing sugar and drizzle over some custard.