Old School Bread

I try many bread recipe but with not much success. But this recipe really works (For me, anyways)

Link: http://peimaee.pixnet.net/blog/post/79765850?m=off

I half the recipe:

Bread flour 250g
Sugar 50g
Salt half tsp
Milk power 7g
Butter 40g (I use salted butter)
Yeast 1 heap tsp
Milk 130 ml
Egg 50g (I use 1 egg)

Using my bread maker, I mix everything (but the butter) following the bread maker instructions. Add the butter after everything is mixed.

Rest for 30 mins and mix again with the bread maker.

I divide the dough into 6 portions and shape as I like (I added hotdogs in my buns). After that I line them in the baking tray (my baking tray is non stick so I didn't add any oil) and proof for 1hr.

Before baking I brush the bread with water and milk (You can egg wash for shiny finish. I use milk only as I didn't want to waste an egg). Squeeze some room temp butter in between each bun (I don't know why but I did it :p)

I bake it in my oven (No fan) 160c for 25 mins and turn down to 150 for another 5mins.

Honey Pork Belly

Easy dinner: Honey Pork Belly from Just One Cook Book. Very flavourful yet easy dish to cook.     
For 2

Recipe:

• 250g-300g pork belly (Slice into ¼ inch pieces)
• Oil
• Blanched baby spinach 
• Mayonnaise

      Seasonings:

• 1 and half tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 grated garlic cloves

Steps:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and start cooking pork belly on high heat.
2. When both side of the meat browned, turn off the heat.
3. Wipe off excess oil. 
4. Turn the heat back and add seasonings.
5. Take care not to burn the sauce.
6. Place meat on the spinach and spoon on the sauce.
7. Serve with rice :)

Creamy Chicken Corn Bacon Pasta

This Creamy Chicken Corn Bacon Pasta is a keeper! I followed Sharon Lam's recipe. With some modifications.

For 2

Recipe:

• 2 chicken thighs
• 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• half medium yellow onion
• half head of garlic, peeled
• half green bell pepper
• 60g uncook pasta
• 1 cup low fat milk
• half chicken bouilon cube
• Some dry rosemary
• half cup can corn
• Zest of half lemon
• Salt and pepper 

Steps:

Rinse and dry chicken 

Season generously with salt and pepper 

 Sear chicken with some oil on skin side and other side

Set side using paper paper towel to absorb 

Add bacon, cook till crisp (remove and set aside)

Saute onion and garlic and add pasta, rosemary, milk, bouilon, corn and lemon zest. 

Season with salt and lots of pepper. 

Return chicken to te pan and cook till pasta are done 

Crumble bacon on top and serve immediately 

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

Keeping to Vietnamese theme for the week, I made Pork Banh Mi for breakfast and spring rolls for dinner.

Make 10 rolls

Recipe:

• Round rice paper wrappers
• Some fresh mint leaves
• Whatever you will like to eat for my case: 
• 10 Cooked Tiger prawns, peeled and sliced half lengthwise 
• Lettuce, carrots 
• 5 Crab stick
• Some Fresh basil and Cilantro
• Chop peanuts to go with the sauce

Steps:

1. Soften the rice papers using warm water. It will soften very fast just dip and remove
2. Lay rice on large plate and place your choice of fillings and wrap 
3. Then enjoy :)

Avocado egg mayonnaise

What to do with the left over Baguette from making Banh Mi? Avocado egg mayo toast! I made this the next morning :D

Recipe:

• 1 Avocado
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1 tbsp spring onion (finely chop)
• 2 tbsp Japanese mayo
• salt to taste

Steps:

Just mix everything together and spread on preferred choice of toasted bread.

Pork Banh Mi

We like Vietnamese food, so I have decided to cook up some at home. Recipe adapted from Sharon Lam 

Recipe:

• 300g shabu shabu type pork
• 2 clovers garlic, minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, ends finely minced 
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp minced fresh basil 
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp oil 
• Foot long Baguette
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced 
• Butter, for the Baguette (optional)
• Prepared pickled radish and carrot
• Chilli (optional)

Pickled Radish and carrot:

• 1 cup julienne daikon radish
• 1/2 julienne carrot
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• (Mix everything together ad chill for at least 3 hrs)

Steps:

1. Mix meat, lemongrass, basil, garlic, fish sauce and pepper. Marinate for at least 30mins

2. Heat pan with oil and stir-fry the meat till cook

3. Split the Baguette and butter the inside

4. Build the Banh Mi: Cucumber, pork, pickled radish and carrot, chilli and cilantro

Lemon roast chicken

Frozen chicken was on sales last week so decided to make roast whole chicken. It's a small chicken about 500g.

Recipe:

• 1 small chicken
• 3 lemons
• 3 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp dry rosemary 
• Honey to glaze with 
• 2 Tbsp olive oli
• 1 carrot
• 1 yellow onion 

Steps:

1. Wash and dry the chicken then rub chicken with 2 tsp of salt around the surface of the chicken. 

2. Place the chicken into a ziplock bag and add juice of 2 lemons.

3. Put in fridge to marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat oven @ 180c (fan mode).

5. Cut up carrot and onion, coat with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the side of the roasting pan.

6. Remove chicken from bag and pat dry with paper towels.

7. Rub olive oil all over the chicken skin.

8. Sprinkle salt and pepper on and inside the chicken. Sprinkle rosemary inside the chicken.

9. Place 1 lemon (cut into wedges) inside cavity of the chicken

10. Roast for 20mins and lower the heat to 150c and roast for another 40mins

11. The last 10mins glaze chicken with honey

12. Remove chicken from oven and let it rest for 15mins 

Note: Keep the drippings from the roasting pan as gravy

I find that roasting a whole chicken takes up too much time. Likely I will cut the chicken and roast it flat the next time. Also I will be more generous with my glaze. 

We didn't finish the chicken for dinner as I decided to keep the chicken breast meat for our breakfast the next morning. So we had roast chicken sandwich the next day :)