Steamed Bao/Buns With Pumpkin Filling

Steamed Bao/Buns With Pumpkin Filling

Ingredients

Pumpkin Paste
1 Medium Size (about 700 grams) Pumpkin (Butternut), peeled and cut into large chunks (600 grams)
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
Pinch of Sea Salt
¼ tsp Cinnamon

16 Baking Cups
A Steamer

Method

Steamed pumpkin over high heat for about 15 minutes, or until it’s soft. Remove from the steamer and mashed with a fork. Melt butter in a saucepan on low heat; add mashed pumpkin, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until the pumpkin is thick and glossy, about 20 minutes. Let it cool and chilled for at least 2 hours.

Basic Buns/Bao/Pau Dough
Step 1
¾ Cup of Lukewarm Water
1 ½ tsp Instant Yeast
1 Cup (120 grams) of Self-Rising/Cake Flour

Step 2
¼ Cup Water
2 Tbsp Sugar
¼ tsp Sea Salt
2 Cups (240 grams) of Self-Rising/Cake Flour
2 Tbsp Shortening or Vegetable Oil

Method

Step 1: Dissolve yeast with lukewarm water, mix in the flour, and cover with plastic wrap or cloth. Let it rise for about 45 minutes, or until bubbles appear.

Step 2: Combine water, sugar, and sea salt. Stir well. Then pour into the yeast mixture and add 2 cups of flour and shortening. Knead the dough until it’s smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, or cloth and allow the dough to rise until it has double in bulk, about 2 hours.

Make the buns: Knead the dough for a minute and divide into 2 portions. Roll into a cylinder and cut into 8 pieces (small buns). Repeat with the second portion. You will have 16 small buns. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Flatten each piece of dough with palm of your hand. Roll the dough into circles with the edges thinner than the center. (About 2 ½ inches circles) Place a heap tablespoon of pumpkin paste on the center of dough and draw the sides in to enclose the filling and seal properly. Then turn the buns over and place on baking cup. Continue with the rest of dough and filling. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest and rise again for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Place water in a steamer over high heat. Once the water boil, adjust the heat to low and steam the buns for about 15 minutes. Serve Warm.

Makes 16 small buns

Putu Piring

Putu Piring is a popular sweet snack in Malaysia, and typically sold at night market. To make this delicious snack you will need rice flour, palm sugar, and grated coconut. So, check out the recipe and have fun making them.

Putu Piring

Ingredients

1 Cup Frozen Rice Flour, thawed
3 ½ tsp Water
¼ tsp Sea Salt
6 Tbsp Grated Coconut + pinch sea salt
4 to 5 Tbsp Grated Palm Sugar

Small saucer (Soy Sauce saucer)
Square Muslin/White Cloth (about 6x6 inches) lightly damp
Steamer, lined with muslin or white cloth
Banana Leaves, cut into squares, optional

Method

In a mixing bowl, combine thawed rice flour, sea salt, and water. Rub the flour with your fingers until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Then sieve the lightly wet rice flour, push it through with a spatula.

Set the steamer on high, once the water boiled, reduce the heat to medium. Fill about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of rice flour into a small saucer or mold, top with 1 ½ teaspoons of grated palm sugar, and cover with another 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of rice flour. Lightly press the flour into the saucer and place a piece of muslin cloth over it. Turn over, and tap the saucer to release the shape rice flour onto the cloth. Steam for about 2 minutes, remove from the steamer, open the muslin cloth, top the kuih with some grated coconut, place a piece of banana leaf, place onto a plate and carefully remove the cloth.

Makes 5 to 6 Putu Piring

Kale Bread

This Kale bread has a lightly sweet flavor, good texture, and slices beautifully. The flavor of the kale and olive oil really comes through. It's delicious and excellent with any egg dish.

Kale Bread

Ingredients

2 Cups/100 grams Chopped Organic Curly Kale Leaves
¾ Cup Water
2 Cups/240 grams Organic All-Purpose Flour
¾ Cup/90 grams Organic Pastry Flour
¾ tsp Instant Yeast
1 ½ Tbsp Fine Granulated Sugar
¼ tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Additional all-purpose flour, if needed

Method

Combine kale and water, puree until smooth. Pour kale juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the flours, yeast, sugar, sea salt, olive oil, and kale juice in a mixing bowl. Attach the dough hook. Stir and knead until the dough is soft and elastic. (If the dough is too soft, begin adding more all-purpose flour, one tablespoon at a time.)

Place the dough into an oiled bowl; turn dough over so that the top is greased too. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and leave the dough to rise, about an hour.

Punch down the dough. Roll into a rectangle, beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jellyroll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place dough into oiled loaf pan. Cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Turn bread onto a cooling rack to cool.

Make one loaf

Stir-Fried Chicken With Holy Basil

Stir-Fried Chicken With Holy Basil

Ingredients

1 ½ Tbsp Peanut Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

4 Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped

1 Small White Onion, sliced
2 Pieces (about 300g) Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breast, chopped
2 Red Chilies, sliced

2 Stalks Scallions, sliced

(about 1 inch)
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce



1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp Sugar


1 Cup Loosely –packed Holy Basil
Note: Holy basil has a peppery flavor, and it is a classic ingredient in Thai stir-fry's dishes.

Steamed Jasmine Rice
Fried Eggs

Method

Heat the peanut oil in a wok over moderate heat, cook garlic and chilies until fragrant. Turn the heat on high and toss in the chopped chicken, stir, mix in the onion, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar. Stirring constantly, until the chicken is fully cooked. Add the chili slices and scallions. Switch off the heat, and toss in the Holy basil, stir to mix and serve immediately with steamed rice and fried egg.

Serves 2

Homemade Chili Oil

Homemade Chili Oil

Ingredients

150 ml Peanut Oil
3 Star Anise
2 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns
20 grams Chili Flakes
10 g Chili Powder

Method

Combine the peanut oil, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes. Discard the star anise and peppercorns.

Reheat the oil over medium heat until very hot. Remove from the heat, add the chili flakes and chili powder, stir until well blended, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer the oil and chili sediments to a glass jar.

Double Chocolate Brownies

Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

100g Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
100g Unsalted Butter, cut into smaller pieces
2 Large Eggs, beaten
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
70 g Granulated Sugar
½ Cup/70 g Pastry Flour, sifted
A Pinch of Sea Salt
¼ Cup/50 g Chocolate Chips
100g Walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter and line a small square baking pan or a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, over a double boiler, melt the chocolate over gently simmering hot water, stirring, just until the mixture has melted and remove from the heat.

Whisk in the butter until well blended. Gradually add the eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and followed by the flour, sea salt, chocolate chips and walnuts, stirring only until each ingredient is incorporated.



Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Then run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan and unmold the brownies; remove the parchment paper and turn the brownies over to cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, cut the brownies into 12 pieces.

Crispy Chicken Wings

These chicken wings are crispy and flavorful, perfect game-day snacks. 

Crispy Chicken Wings

Ingredients


1 kg (About 12) Chicken Wings, tips removed
½ Cup Rice Flour
Lime Wedges
Thai sweet chili sauce


Marinate


¾ tsp Garlic Powder
1 ½ tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Ground White Pepper
1 Tbsp Sugar

1 ½ tsp Chili Flakes


1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

¼ tsp Sea Salt


Method



In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, ground coriander, white pepper, sugar, chili flakes, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sea salt. Marinate the chicken wings for about 4 hours, or overnight.


When ready to cook: Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

Coat the chicken wings with rice flour, making sure that all the nooks and crannies are covered, and shake off any excess flour. Arrange coated chicken wings in a single layer. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes on each side. Serve warm with some lime wedges and Thai sweet chili sauce, if desired.