Herb Focacia Bread

Weather was gloomy and wasnt up to going out thus putting on hold my plans to  be out and about.  Since I was home, what better thing to do than spending my time in the kitchen.  Furthermore, my children usually comes home hungry after a long day at school and I love to prepare snack or light meal for them.  After running thru what I had in the pantry, there's some bread flour left and decided to make Herb Focacia Bread.  Went to my balcony and plucked some rosemary, basil and parsley to make my bread.  Here's the recipe:-

Ingredients

400 gm bread flour 

2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp olive oil

250 ml warm water

1/4 cup some finely chopped fresh herbs

coarse sea salt or italian herbs for sprinkling 

Method:-

1.  In a bowl, add half of the bread flour, add yeast, sugar and olive oil.  Pour the warm water onto yeast and quickly stir until you see the gluten forming.

2.  Add the other half of the bread flour and salt and mix drawing in all the flour.    Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it become a soft dough not sticky.

3.  Lightly knead in the herbs and shape the dough into a ball.  Put it in the bowl that was lightly coated with oil.  Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise until the dough doubles in volume.

4.  Once the dough has risen, punch the dough and knead lightly.  Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for further 10 minutes.

5.  Shape the dough and put in a loaf pan which has been lightly coated with oil.  Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt or italian mix herbs.  

6.  Cooked in a preheated oven 230C for 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool the loaf on a wire rack.

7.  Serve the bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Kuih Dadar/Gulung (Pandan Pancakes with Sweet Coconut Filling)

This is another favorite of mine.  Its a Malaysian sweet dessert and its common to have it during afternoon tea.   The soft pancake with sweet coconut filling is really a delight to have with a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients:-

For the sweet coconut filling
300 gm palm sugar (roughly chopped)
200 ml water
1 pandan (screwpine) leaf, knotted
300 gm freshly grated coconut (preferably young coconut)
a pinch of salt

Method:-
1.  Add palm sugar and water in a pan and cook until the sugar dissolves.  Simmer until the liquid starts to thicken and become syrupy.
2.  Add the pandan leaf, grated coconut and salt and mix well.  Continue cooking over low heat until the coconut filling is thick and glossy and all the liquid evaporated.
3.  Cool.

Note:  keep the leftover coconut filling in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for next use.

For the Pancake

100 gm flour
a pinch of salt
1 egg
50 ml coconut milk
160 ml water
1/2 tsp pandan paste
1 tbsp oil

Method:-

1.  In a bowl, add the flour and make a well in the centre.
2.  Add salt, egg, coconut milk, 75 ml water and pandan paste.  Using a hand whisk, combine all ingredients until smooth and free of lumps.
3.  Add the rest of the water and oil and mix well.  Cover the bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.
4.  Heat a non stick pan over medium heat and make sure the pan is completely hot.  Brush a little oil onto pan and use a small ladle to pour the batter and immediately rotate the pan so the batter covers the base of the pan in a thin layer.
5.  Allow the batter to set and begin to brown.  Flip the pancake over and allow the other side to cook just for a few seconds.
6.  Remove the pancake onto a plate and place a spoonful of sweet coconut filling in the centre and fold both ends and roll the pancake. Repeat process till finish.

Note:  You can use fresh pandan juice if pandan leave is widely available.  8 dark green pandan leaves, 2/3 cup water and blend it.  Strain using fine sieve and use the fresh pandan juice instead of the ready made pandan paste.  In this case, use 100 ml pandan juice and 60 ml water.

Vanilla Cheesecake with Strawberries

I decided to make this cake for  dessert on Mother's Day.  Its a delight and yummy.
Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:-

180 gm digestive biscuits
60 gm butter
400 gm cream cheese
120 gm caster sugar
1 egg
25 gm cornflour
1 tsp vanilla essence

For Topping:-

150 ml fresh cream
150 gm mascarpone cheese
35 gm icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Strawberries or mix berries

1.  Preheat the oven to 130C and line your baking tin with parchment paper.
2.  For the crust, crush the digestive biscuits until you get fine crumbs and the melted butter.  Mix well.
3.  Press the mixture onto your prepared baking tin and pat down until level.
4.  Beat the cream cheese and sugar until well mixed and add egg, beating until combined.
5.  Add the cornflour into mixture and mix well.
6.  Add cream and vanilla essence and mix until fully combined.  Pour the mixture onto the crust and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
7.  Remove from oven and let the cake cool in pan.  Refrigerate for couple of hours and remove cake from baking mould.

To make the topping,
1.  Whisk the cream until stiff peaks form and fold in the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence.  Mix until all combined.
2.  Spread the topping onto cake and top with the strawberries.  You can either glaze the strawberries with strawberry jam or simply dust with icing sugar before serving.

Cinnamon Muffin

Gud morgen, ohaiyo gozaimasu, selamat pagi dan salam to all.
I had a good walk this morning and with a beautiful weather on my site...what more can you ask for.  Alhamdulillah, syukur.  Agaknya berkat exercise di pagi hari, rasa energy terlebih la pulak dan dengan penuh bersemangat nak masuk resipi baru hari ni.  This is a very simple muffin, tak  banyak bahan2 pun dan tak banyak songei nak buat dia and even my 11 year old girl can do this on her own.

Bahan-bahannya:-

100 gm butter
100 gm caster sugar
100 gm self raising flour
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (serbuk kayu manis)

Cara-caranya:-

1.  Pukul butter dengan gula sampai kembang.
2.  Masukkan telur dan kacau rata.
3.  Masukkan tepung dan serbuk kayu manis dan kacau rata.
4.  Letakkan adunan dalam muffin tray atau kertas cupcake dan bakar didalam ketuhar yang telah dipanaskan pada suhu 180C selama 10 minit.
5.  Siap untuk dihidangkan.  Selamat mencuba.

Beef Lasagne

This is a hit with my children and I usually make them if I do not have much time to cook fresh food to serve them immediately. I made this last Friday, as I had to go to school to see my Princess's performance. She has worked very hard for this show and it has been months of preparation and towards the end before the actual performance, it was days of long hours rehearsal. I truly enjoyed the play put up by  the Year 12 and the cast and the whole production were simply awesome. Well done Princess and the rest,  I am so proud of you guys.   To Mosha and PIC...here's the recipe.  Dah tampal ni jangan kata tak bagi pulak resipi.  Tips, I sometimes, make 2 portion and satu simpan dalam freezer, bila2 emergency keluarkan dan bakar.  Kadang2 tu kan ada masa yang kita terlalu sibuk dan tak sempat nak ke dapur atau tiba2 ada kawan datang, boleh kita hidangkan.  Selamat mencuba.

Ingredients:-

500 gm minced beef or chicken
1 large onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (its fine if you dont have any)
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil leaves (takde pun tak apa)
1 tsp sugar
1 can of 400 gm chopped tomatoes + 2 tbsp tomato puree...if you dont have just use tomato ketchup
5 large sheets of uncooked lasagna
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3-4 tbsp oil  (I prefer using olive oil)
2 tsp black pepper

Method:-
1. In a pan, heat oil and cook onion and garlic till the onions turn limp.
2. Add the minced beef and cook till the meat is no longer pink.
3. Add black pepper, salt, sugar, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chopped fresh herbs, dried oregano and continue to cook, stiring occasionally. Simmer uncovered about 45 minutes or until slightly thickened. Adjust salt and season to taste. Set aside.
4. In a pan of boiling water add 2 tbsp oil, cook the lasagna sheets for 7 minutes. Remove and drain the lasagna sheets.
5. Spread the beef mixture onto ungreased 9 x 9 inch glass baking dish and top with the lasagna sheet. Spread the beef mixture and top it with white sauce. Repeat the process.
6. Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese and cover with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 20 minutes before cutting.

p/s  Kalau suka, boleh juga letak celery dan carrot.  Selalu nya I letak supaya budak2 boleh makan sayur tu tanpa dilihat zahirnya....hahahaha

White Sauce 
Ingredients:-
100 gm butter
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt a dash of pepper
3 cups milk

 Method:-

 1. In a pan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.
2. Gradually add in milk. Heat to a boiling, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

Masala Vadai

Salam semua and good day to all my dear readers. I practically have to force myself to type today otherwise I will not be able to post any entry and I have so many recipes to post and share with you guys. Kadang2 orang kata bila dah duduk kat rumah sure lepak aje tapi sebenarnya bila dah jadi Domestic Minister ni kerja tak pernah habis. Walaupun duduk dirumah penatnya sama jugak macam masa bekerja. Keluar masuk keluar masuk rumah tau2 dah malam. Lepas tu dah letih dan malas nak duduk depan pc. Harini pagi2 dah bangun dan buatkan sausage roll untuk anak2 bawa bekal ke sekolah. Lepas tu turun hantar anak teruna dan anak dara pergi sekolah. Dah siap menghantar dorang, balik cepat2 nak buatkan sarapan untuk sikecik dan bapak dia pulak. Dah dorang ni siap bergegas pulak hantar sikecik pergi sekolah dan hantar Big Boss pegi opis. Dek kerana peti ais tu pun dah mintak isi, terus aje ke pasar. Balik dari pasar, kemas kan barang2 yang dah dibeli tu, baik mandi dulu nanti bau busuk pasar tu sure melekat....eeeeeeeeee. Ni dia resipi Masala Vadai yang dah disimplifiedkan dari resipi asal yang dipetik dari buku "Delicious cooking from a Tamil cuisine", buku ni Boss belikan I masa dia ke India dulu. Selamat mencuba. Ingredients:= 2 cups dhall (wash and soaked overnight) 3-4 green chili (cut thinly) 5 shallots (thinly sliced) 1-2 stalks of curry leaves (cut finely) 1 tsp cumin seed Salt to taste Method:- 1. Soak dall overnight, rinse and drain off most of the water and blend coarsely. 2. Add green chili, shallots, curry leaves, cumin and salt. Mix well until fully combined. 3. Heat oil in a pan. Make small patties and fry them until golden brown. Serve warm.