Salted Baked Chicken

Ingredients
1 kampong chicken
6 thick slices ginger or 1 crushed thumb size
1 stalk of coriander with root
1 stalk of spring onion
4 - 5 crushed garlic with skin on

For Baking: 2 kg Coarse Salt

Seasoning Ingredients
2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 1/2 tbsp Sand Ginger Powder 沙姜
1/2 tbsp ground white pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Method
1) Clean the chicken and pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
2) Rub seasoning all over the chicken, including the cavity.
3) Leave the chicken uncovered and marinade overnight (or room temperature for at least 2hr in the fridge to dry out the chicken skin.
4) Take out the chicken the second day and let it come to room temperature (about 2 hours) before cooking.
5) Insert the ginger, corainder, spring onion and garlic into the cavity.
6) Wrap the chicken with parchment paper 1 layer at a time or at least 4 layers.
7) Heat the wok with coarse salt until very hot stirring constantly.
8) Make a well in the center of the heated salt and place wrapped chicken in it. Cover the wrapped chicken completely with salt. Cook in moderate heat for 15 minutes.
9) Flip to the other side and again cover with salt to cook for another 15 - 20 minutes.
10) Remove parchment paper wrappings from chicken and enjoy.

Seafood Tofu

Adapted from Singapore Home Cook by Lily Tan


Ingredients"Seawaves Cuttlefish Paste 海威苏东酱”  - 1/3 packet (approx. 170g)  (from NTUC frozen section)
 Prawns (peeled, deveined, minced into paste) -  100g
Tofu (ideal for frying type) - 2 boxes
Eggs (beaten) - 2
Water Chestnuts (chopped and squeeze off juice) - 6 to 8
Carrot - 50g
Coriander leaves - 3 stalks (finely chopped)


Marinate
Light Soy Sauce - 3 tbsp
Fish Sauce - 2 tbsp
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp (add 1/2 tsp first and adjust to own preference)
Sugar - 2 tsp
Corn Flour - 3 tbsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp


Coating
- Rice Flour (粘米粉) : Corn Flour ~ Ratio 2:1


Steps
1. Remove tofu from box. Pat dry, mash it finely with fork.
2. Set aside and drain excess water with kitchen tissue.
3. Mix all ingredients except tofu and eggs in a big bowl.
4. Add drained mashed tofu and beaten eggs.
5. Season mixture with marinate and mix well.
6. Line baking tin with parchment paper.
7. Pour mixture into tin and steam it with high heat for about 20 mins or until cooked.
8. Remove from steamer and place kitchen tissue on top to absorb excess water from steaming.
9. Let tofu cool down before frying (best to chill it in the refrigerator for about an hour or longer to let it set and harden a little for ease of cutting and frying).
10. Cut tofu into preferred size, pat dry with kitchen towel before coating it with the flour mixture.
11. Heat oil and deep fry tofu till its outside is crispy and golden brown.
12. Serve with dips like mayonnaise, sweet black sauce, Thai sweet chilli with lime juice etc. Enjoy!

Pasta Sauce

Homemade Pasta Sauce (make 2 jars)

Ingredients:
400g Tomato Puree
200g Peeled n chopped tomato
1 Big Yellow Onion
1 or 1.5 Celery
2 Small Carrots
5 Cloves of Garlic
5 to 6 Bay Leaves
2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
300ml Chicken Stock
Sugar to season



Steps:
1) Sterilize the jars by rinsing n place in oven at 100 degree till dry n I usually off the oven n leave them there till ready to use. Alternatively, you may rinse w hot water n let it dry.
2) Chop all vegetables into fine cubes to shorten cooking time.
3) Heat up the wok and fry onion and garlic till fragrance followed by celery and carrot.
4) When vegetables are soft, add chopped tomatoes and puree followed by bay leaves and dried thymes.
5) Add chicken stock and let it simmers and season with sugar if you find it too sour.
6) Fill up the sterilized bottle with ready pasta sauce and keep in refrigerator after it is cooled.



Note:
a) You may use fresh tomatoes but I used canned types for both puree and chopped tomatoes.
b) I used 1 can of Swenson chicken stock.
c) Pasta sauce can keep up to 3 weeks in refrigerator or longer in freezer but preferably and tastier to consume within 3 wks.
d) Blend the sauce after cooking if u like paste form but my family likes to eat the sauce with vegetable chunks.

Natural Yeast Dried Fruits and Nuts Soft Bun

 

Ingredients
Freshly Fed Natural Yeast  200g (use within 2 - 4 hrs of feeding)
Bread flour 250g (I used 300g Blue Jacket bread flour and omit the wholemeal flour)
Wholemeal flour 50g
Salt ½ teaspoon
Brown Sugar Honey 50g (I use normal honey)
Full cream milk powder 15g
Milk 120 – 130 ml (at room temperature; mix with 75% of liquid and leave 25% to adjust according to dough texture)

Walnut 25g
Raisin 25g
 
Brushing: Milk
 

Steps
1. Knead all ingredients excluding dried fruits and nuts and 25% of liquid.
2. Slowly add in balance 25% of liquid according to dough texture to form a smooth dough,
3. Continue to knead till window pane.
4. Form a smooth and shiny round dough.
5. Spray with water and cover to proof till double in size and this may take 60 mins or doubled in size. (Leave them either in bread maker or oven)
6. Apply some bread flour on working top. Remove dough and apply little flour on dough.
7. Punch out air and divide into 6 x 110g sizes.
8. Rounding and let the dough relax for 15 mins.
9. Flatten the dough with rolling pin (15 x 15 cm)and place dried fruits and nuts on flatten dough and roll into long bun shape.
10. Spray with water, covered and final proof for 60 - 100 mins or doubled in size.
11. 10 mins before baking, preheat oven to 180 degree.
12. Brush dough surface with milk.
13. Bake at middle rack 180 degree for about 15 - 20 mins or till golden brown.
14. Remove from mould to cool.

Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Sponge cake (9" Round):

Large Egg Yolks - 4

Castor Sugar - 90g
Self Raising flour - 120g  (or 1 cup Plain Flour + 1  1/2 tsp. Baking Powder + 1/2 tsp Salt)
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Corn Oil - 50g
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp



Large Egg White  - 4 ½

Cream of Tartar - 1/4 tsp (or 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
Castor Sugar - 60g



Cocoa Powder - 30g
Hot Water - 120g (Stir and dissolve cocoa powder in hot water to form cocoa mixture)

Method:
1) Preheat oven at 180C.
2) Sieve all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and baking powder).
3) Beat egg yolks and sugar until sugar dissolve and become pale yellow color.
4) Add oil, vanilla essence and cocoa mixture into egg yolk batter and mix well.
5) Fold in dry ingredients gently into mixed egg batter with a balloon whisk.

6) Beat egg white with cream of tartar (or lemon juice) till bubbles form, then pour in sugar gradually till egg white becomes fluffy. Beat till Medium peak.
7) Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture. (see tips in chiffon cake on folding steps).
8) Pour into a lined cake tin.
9) Bake at 175C for about 40-50 min. or till cooked.
10) Off the oven and leave the cake with door ajar in oven for 10 min before removing (this will prevent cake from shrinking)
10) Overturn cake tin and removed cake from tin.
11) Turn cake back to normal position and let it cool on rack with the lined paper on.
12) Remove the lined paper when cake it cool and slice into 3 layers.





Chocolate mousse:


(A)
Gelatin powder - 1 tsp.
Hot water - 4 tbspn. (baine marie to dissolve gelatin)

(B)
Nescafe - 1 1/2 Tablespoon
Hot Water - 1 1/2 Tablespoon



(C)
Cocoa powder - 50g
Icing sugar - 80g



(D)
Dairy Whip Cream - 400g (Dairy will taste nicer but be softer. Non Dairy is more stable)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp.
"Kahlua" or "Tia Maria" coffee liquer - 1 tbspn

Method:
1) Dissolve (A) gelatin in hot water using bain marie method.
2) Dissolve (B) Nescafe granules in hot water.
3) Mix #1 and #2 and stir in (C) to form paste and let it cool (not too cool else will form jelly)
4) Beat (D) whip cream over bowl of ice (this will allow the cream to be whipped faster and don't over beat else will separate to form butter)
5) Mix all the ingredients together and use it immediately to assemble the cooled cake.

Assemble the Cake


Prepared Chocolate Mousse
2 large ripe Del Monte Bananas - slice about 7-8mm each and coat with lemon juice
Cake tin bigger than baked cake (at least by 1cm).



Method:

1) Pour some mousse as the base of the cake tin.
2) Place 1st layer of cake on the mousse.
3) Pour additional mousse and top with sliced banana.
4) Follow by 2nd layer of cake.
5) Pour additional mousse and top with sliced banana.

6) Follow by 3rd layer of cake.
7) Pour remaining mousse to fill up gaps on the side of the cake tin.
8) Place "moussed" cake into refrigerator to set.

Decorate the Cake 

 

Ganache

Cocoa powder - 35g
Sugar - 4og
Dairy whipping cream - 150 g
Chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate bits - 80g
Soften Butter - 30g
Fresh milk (15ml or more optional)


Method:
1) Bain marie whipping cream and dark chocolate till dissolve.
2) Add in cocoa powder and sugar till dissolve.
3) Add some fresh milk if find the chocolate mixture too thick.
4) Add soften butter before turning off the fire to create shine in the ganache.
5) Cool before pouring onto cake.
6) Use a warm towel to wrap the cooled tin or use air dryer to heat up the side and base for easy release of cold and set mousse cake from the cake tin.
7) Place the set mousse cake on wire rack over a baking tray.
8) Pour the cooled ganache over the mousse cake and let the ganache flows down the side smoothly.
9) Decorate the side with chocolate shaves or use a plastic film to wrap it.
10) Decorate the cake and put into the refrigerator till coating sets.
11) Slice with a warm knife and serve.

Ngoh Hiang

 Ingredients

500g minced pork (front thigh or pork belly)

500g prawn (use small mini like 'Sua Lor' aka Sand Prawn)

300g water chestnut (cut into big chunks about 1cm cubes)

1 big red onion
10 cloves of garlic
1 egg
1.5 tbsp plain flour
1/2 or 3/4 carrot
3/4 stalk chinese celery or coriander leaves（芹菜或芫荽）
1 stalk spring onion

Seasoning
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

Wrapping & Frying

Tofu skin (thin)

Water for wrapping

Optional: Rice + Corn flour for deep frying (ratio 2:1)

Method
1. Chop chestnuts into 1cm cubes.
2. Chop carrot, onion, garlic, chinese parsley and spring onion finely.
3. Remove prawns' shells and veins. If use bigger prawns cut into 1cm size.
4. Add in egg, plain flour , salt and pepper. Mix well.
5. Leave it to marinate for 30 mins or longer.
6. Wipe tofu skin (saltish) with a damp cloth and cut to your desire size before wrapping.
5. Wrap mixed ingredients with Tofu skin and seal it with water.
6. Place them on baking paper and steam for 15min.
7. Remove and cool cooked Ngoh Hiang over kitchen tissue to dry the steamed Ngoh Hiang. Can pack and store extra in freezer for future consumption.
8. Cut the steamed Ngor Hiang into bite size. Coat it with rice & corn flour and fry till brown or just pan fry and cut to serve.

Mandarin Orange Chiffon Cake

Make 1 x 20 cm chiffon tin cake

Ingredients:
(A)
Egg yolks (about 20g each) - 5
Corn oil - 80 ml
Orange Juice - 160 ml
Grand Marnier OR vanilla essence - 1 tablespoon (15ml) this is optional
Orange zest - 1 orange
Cake flour (sieve) - 130g

(B)
Egg whites (about 30g each) - 5
Cream of tartar - 1/4 tsp
Caster sugar - 75g

Steps:
1) Preheat oven at 160C.

2) Whisk egg yolk, orange juice, oil, Grand Marnier or vanilla essence and orange zest until well combined.

3) Fold in cake flour and mix well till all flour is mixed well to form a thick batter.

4) In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy.

5) Add in sugar gradually and continue to beat until just before stiff peak.

6) Take 1/3 of egg whites and mix well with egg yolk batter with hand whisk.

7) Repeat the above step with remaining egg whites and fold gently untill you get a light foamy batter (texture is in between egg yolk batter and egg white batter). Note: Do not overfold which will turn into same viscosity as original egg yolk batter. This cause the cake to be dense and not rise as high.

8) Pour into a 20cm tube pan.

9) Use a spatula to gently cut the cake in the position of the middle of the cake batter at the direction along the tin's circumference for 1 or 2 complete cycles. Note: This step is to futher even out the batter without over folding and helps to flatten big bubbles in batter.

10) Lift up the cake tin and give it a few gentle bangs (I usually do it upto 10 counts depending on the bubbles release from the action). Note: This is to further eliminate bubbles in batter to produce a finer and closer cake crumb texture.

11) Bake for 50 - 60 mins at 150 degree or until inserted skewer comes out clean OR gentle tap on the cake top. If finger dents are formed and cake remain dented fm the tap, means cake is still dense. If the finger dent slowly rise up after the tap, meaning the cake is ready.

12) IMMEDIATELY remove from oven and REVERSE the cake tin onto a rack to let it cool. Note: This is to prevent the cake from shrinking.

13) Unmould the cake only when it is cool and Bon Appetit!

Note:
1) This recipe yields a v moist chiffon cake due to its high liquid to dry ingredients ratio. Thus, paying attention to the notes is important. Also, temperature setting depends on each individual oven. However, suggestion for high liquid recipe to bake at lower temp 140 - 150 is possible but longer time. Refer to the finger tap steps for testing of cake readiness as it is very reliable.

2) Pls adjust recipe accordingly to 7 eggs for 23 cm chiffon tin.