Sushi & Udon on a Friday

I saw this blog with all my favourite sushi recipes. Oh my, I so wanna sink my teeth into them. I tell myself, I should attempt again. Try and never give up!!

I finally couldn't wait, I decided to make them for dinner. And in case I fail, I prepare Udon too. For emergency purposes, I can still serve just Udon soup with Prawn Tempura. I decided to be lazy, I bought frozen tempura, frozen oyster coat with cornflour for the sides. I used some Tempuras for the Dragon roll. Made some California rolls as well. 

I refer to the recipe here for making the sushi rice. I finally succeed, and I reduce the vinegar slightly. I didn't pour the whole amount of vinegar mixture, I used about 2/3 of it. I started wrapping and wrapping and wrapping once all the preparation work is done. Guess what? I spent 2 hours on this meal today. It is 3X the amount of time I spent to cook 三菜一汤 lo. Phew. Sweat lo..

Luckily today I got positive feedbacks. Just that I need to improve on my wrapping, it seems a bit too big. And I can't keep my avocado slices on the top of sushi and tend to drop when we take with chopsticks. Nevertheless, I had fun, had a wonderful dinner and I shall attempt again soon.

Dragon Roll Sushi (reference from Justonecookbook)

Sushi Rice, about 3 cups. Refer to here

1/2 Cucumber, sliced into strips

4 Nori sheets

2 Avocado

8 Prawn Tempura

Some Salad dressing

Notes: I used frozen Tempuras so I just deep fried and cool them. Cut ingredients.

For visual aid, or the method to wrap, please refer to link above.

Longan Crumble Cupcakes

My hubby and kids love the Blueberry Crumble Cupcakes the other time when I baked it, today I tried again using Longans. Need to clear a can of Longan so I decided to cut into small cubes and add to cupcakes mixture. 

I wonder how would it taste but anyway I am a lover of Longan, I'm pretty sure it will works well on my palate. As for the kids, so long it is sweet and nice, I am pretty sure they will eat it happily too... Too bad today not in time for tea break but my boy had my Pandan Chiffon for tea break. =)

My gal had it for snack after she is back from school, while lil boy having his fruit dosage! It's Thumbs Up!!

烫面 Pandan Chiffon II

Challenge this chiffon again with home-made Pandan natural extract. This time I did use microwave, I use the stove to melt the butter & milk. I wanted to know what's the difference between using microwave to warm up the milk & butter over using stove top.

I did the Pandan extract a day before as you need to wait for the mixture to settle. After settle down, u can see 2 different shades of green. A darker one at bottom & lighter, translucent shade on top. You only use the concentrated juice and pour away the lighter green liquid. Smells good, I wonder how it will taste.

Using my previous attempt on the same recipe from HappyFlour, I follow exactly. I hope today's bake turns out even better... And I am using my new 8" mould that Shirley helped to buy. I simply love this type of traditional moulds. It has 'legs' that you can just overturn to cool the chiffon after baking. Loves...

Today the smell is so strong, I can smell the fragrance as I set it on the stove top to cool while I am cooking using the other side. Nice~ Sadly dunno what happen, my chiffon got waist le.. Sexy waist somemore.. Sob Sob =( Texture wise, soft and moist. I think it really does makes a difference when u boil and microwave... =)

Try it.. 

Blueberry & Chocolate Chips Crumble Cupcakes

I saw this recipe the other day when I was searching for blueberries-related recipes. Basically wanna introduce more blueberry food items for my boy cos it is too sour sometimes to eat on its own. I saw this crumble cupcakes and I so so want to bake.

Been proscinating for so long then finally brought myself to it. This recipe is so yummy, the crumbly top is crispy and not too sweet. Sugar reduce slightly for the cupcake batter so it taste just nice. Nice mixture of taste and a recipe to keep as its is soft and not too dry.. 

It is ready in time for tea break, both of them had 2 mini Cuppies with some fruit juice. Nice~ 

Blueberry Crumble Cupcake (adapted from QiQi)

Crumble

20g Butter, 20g Sugar, 20g Cake Flour

Mix all to form crumbs, leave in fridge

Cake Batter

125g Butter

80g Sugar *reduced to 60g*

2 eggs

1/2tsp Vanilla Extract *i forgot to add but still taste yummy*

100g Self-Raising Flour

2Tbsp Milk

1) Cream butter & sugar til creamy.

2) Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well. Add flour & milk in 2 additions.

3) Lightly floured blueberries n fold in. *i always floured but my blueberries always sink. =(

4) Fill 2/3 full, top with crumble filling & bake 30 mins at 140deg til top is browned.

Opening Ceremony - Naturai Ice Cream Maker

After endless nagging and pestering, I finally got down to it. Yes, making ice cream with the mini Ice Cream maker with my gal. She is so fascinated with the thoughts of making her own ice cream. And hubby got me a mini maker as I complain of the texture of the recent Blueberry Yogurt Ice Cream is not sherbet, not ice cream either.

Went to Mayer in the hope of getting a budget oven, ended up getting a budget Ice Cream maker. I am so so fickleness as I still dunno is it worth to do mini Reno in my kitchen when I am not sure if I will shift, in the next 1-2 years? And my 'mini' tabletop seems to be working still fine. Arghh, jus cant make up my mind.

Back to the ice cream, I churn it for 30mins for the same recipe that I used, supposedly no-churn, and recommended was 20-40mins depending on how 'frozen' the bowl is. I freeze it over 2 nights so I tot, play safe and churn 30mins. I use it to churn 2x30mins as I didn't managed to pour in all into the 'mini' maker. Lol~ I freeze the 1st batch of ready ice cream, continue to churn the 2nd batch. I freeze the 2nd batch together and waited til after dinner as it is about time to cook dinner.

Texture wise, it is still kinda icy. I wonder if this recipe is not suitable for blueberries? Perhaps the thick cornstarch tt interfere from the blueberry sauce? I also not sure.... Perhaps I can try again another recipe that uses a Ice Cream Machine. 

Machine wise, small n compact for my tiny kitchen. Easy to dismantle and wash. But definetely would want a bigger maker in future to make bigger batch after going thru all the hassle rite? 

Lastly, the one who had the most fun out of it. My Princess!!

Little Cups of Dessert

After a long day out, I finally bought a budget ice cream maker from Expo Mayer Sale - Naturai Ice Cream Maker at $49. It is small and easy to keep in my small small kitchen. So happy that I finally got an Ice Cream Maker. Hurray!! Thanks to hubby!! Guess I will have a lot of ice cream experiments coming up. 

Since tml my GFs are coming over after my FB post on my steamboat feast the other day, I am preparing the No-Bake Tofu Cheesecake as dessert. Hopefully I will get a chance to use the Ice Cream Maker tml for a quick mix.

Today instead of making into a cake, I make them into little Cuppies. Why? I supposed we will be busy stuffing ourselves with the yummy steamboat. Then I can pack the Cuppies for my GFs to bring home for another day. Simply love the way the layered of Digestive base, Creamcheese base, sprinkle some crushed disgestive biscuit, blueberry sauce and another layer of Creamcheese base. I top with 2 blueberries, sprinkle some crushed biscuits and I am DONE!

Hope they love it. If it interest you, I am using the same recipe here. 

Blueberry Yogurt Ice Cream

I first saw this recipe, the Mango version. I saw it on Anncoo's FB & Blog, I am simply fascinated with the simple ingredients, no need to churn and there you have it, ice cream after fridging it. Yummy!

I replaced with blueberry, cooking into a thick sauce. Then using her method to fold in and mix and fridge. I try using the whipping cream from RG's class but I didn't managed to whip it up to stiff peaks. I think I didn't thaw properly so it didn't worked? Not too sure. Then I took out my Emborg Whipping cream and as I got bad experience whipping to stiff, I think I managed to beat to semi-stiff peaks only..

Steps are so simple. Taste is wonderful. I need to thaw for 5mins b4 I can scoop out.. Maybe my whipping cream is the cause or is it generally no-churn ice cream need to be thaw a while before serving? Maybe it's time to get a ice cream machine and so I can know the difference.

Try it, my kids love it.. Hubby too... ( I hint for a Ice cream machine!) Dessert after our simple Fried Rice dinner...

Blueberry Yogurt Ice Cream (modified from AnncooJournal)

300g Blueberries (mix with 4Tbsp sugar + 1Tbsp Lemon juice and cook)

100g Sugar

140g Blueberry Yogurt

220ml Whipping Cream

1) Cook blueberry with above ingredients til thick and leave aside to cool.

2) Add yogurt & sugar together with Blueberry sauce. Mix well.

3) Whip whipping cream til stiff and fold in with the blueberry mixture. Pour into container and freeze overnight.

Bake Along#47 - Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

When I saw this Bake-Along, I tell myself, I am so so definetely gonna join.. Why? Simply because my gal adores donuts. But it's those colouful donuts, full of sweets. Alamak. So I am thinking I could make a small amount of cinnamon sugar and a small amount of her favorites with this recipe and not having to worry about how to finish 1 recipe!!

I bake them in both mini donut pans and mini muffins pans. I always wonder, hw come my donuts can never brown nicely, always a pale yellow.. Why why why. Luckily I am coating them.. Sad =(
I used melted chocolate for the donut, added some sprinkles for my lil ones. Cinnamon sugar are for the 'older' ones.

I tried the donuts plain, just nice and very fragrant though I didn't add any vanilla essence. Feels like a mixture of bread and cake texture. Yummy.. Those with cinnamon sugar (I jus add a tsp of cinnamon powder to 2Tbsp sugar) is super fragrance. But I only made 4 cos it is so sinful to keep popping into my mouth. The balance, yes, topped with melted white choc and sprinkles for my gal & neighbor's kids... =)

I am submitting this post to Bake-Along event hosted by Joyce, Lena and Zoe.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut (adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

192g Plain Flour
1/8tsp Baking Soda
11/8tsp Baking Powder
1/4tsp Salt
1/8tspNutmeg *omit*
1/8tsp Cinnamon Powder *omit*
88.5ml + 1Tbsp Milk
1Tbsp Buttermilk *i replaced with milk*
75g Sugar *i use 60g*
56g Butter

1) Cream butter til light, add sugar gradually and cream til light.
2) Add egg, beat well. Add in flour mixture (with baking powder, baking soda) and milk alternately.
3) Mix til smooth, don't over mix. Bake at 170deg for 20-25mins

Traditional dish, cooked the modern way

Had a sudden crave to eat the 'tomato' sauce luncheon meat with potatoes. Those who were brought up, during my generation, would be familiar with this dish. It's a very simple dish, cheap ingredients but it is a good dish to go with a bowl of rice. 

With just that 1 dish, I can eat my bowl of rice. Yummy tomato-y sauce with the luncheon meat and potatoes cubes. I tell you, a die-for dish during the days when I was young. I remember asking for it whenever my grandma took too long to cook it again. 

Now that I am a housewife, I have also cooked it a few times. The same way, same style to reminisce the old days. Today, I decided to cook it a bit different. I used hotdogs to replace luncheon meat, added cherry tomatoes cut into halves, added 1/2tsp sambal Chilli. Yummy. And my hubby over-eat his portion for dinner again. (As usual, his 致命伤)

This is what I cooked along with the favourite dish tonight. Yummy.

Tomato sauce with Hotdogs, Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes

6 Cherry Tomatoes

1 Potatoes

4 Hotdogs

6 Tbsp Tomato sauce

1/2 - 1 Cup Water

1/2 tsp Sambal Chilli

1 Tbsp Sugar

1) Cut hotdogs & potatoes into small cubes, cherry tomato into halves.

2) Fry garlic & sambal chilli til fragrant. Add in potatoes cube and add a bit if water. Fry til 70% cooked.

3) Add hotdogs, tomatoes. Mix well and add remaining water, tomato sauce and sugar. Mix well.

4) Fry til potatoes is soft. Serve warm.

Wholemeal Flaxseed Custard Bread

With reference to my previous attempt on the Custard Bread, I make a variation to come up with a Wholemeal Flaxseed Custard Bread. So why did I added flaxseed to my Wholemeal bread? Cos I read about flaxseed is high in fiber, and many nutrition values so I tot, why not?

I saw retail selling flaxseed by pieces, but I feel that it is too for my boy. Kinda worried about him choking etc. End up I chanced upon this powder form of flaxseed by Origins brand and I grab 1. 

The end result of my modifications turns out well. Bread is still soft, not too dry and it is not too overwhelming in my feel. But I feel that it need to go with a spread so that you don't feel the flaxseed taste that much? Or maybe just myself being paranoid cos I know I 'added' special ingredients. Hahah.. Anyway, do try this healthy bread loaf at home. 

And I make a extra bread into Garlic Cheese roll. Yum yum... 

Read up here if you want to know more about flaxseed.

Kids with their bread & Nutella spread. Hubby says very soft and nice. Great recipe to keep...

Wholemeal Flaxseed Custard Bread (with reference to Culinary Kitchenette)

Custard TangZhong

10g Caster Sugar

15g Bread Flour

1 Yolk

65g Milk 

Bread Dough

150g Bread Flour

100g Wholemeal Flour

10g Flaxseed Powder

15g Milk Powder

30g Sugar

1/4tsp Salt

4g Yeast

110g Milk

25g Butter

1) Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add Milk & Tang Zhong to form dough.

2) Add in butter and knead til soft and smooth. (Do the dough test)

3) Proof for 1hr or til doubled. Divide dough into 4s (approx 115g each)

4) Roll out dough and fold into long strips. Placed in bread pan and proof til doubled.

5) Bake for 20-30mins at 180deg.