Put Chai Kou - Red Bean Steamed Rice Cake

I had been wanting to make this steamed rice cake for a while but the other day when I wanted to make, I was out of rice flour and I spent half a day trying to make my own rice flour that totally spoiled the entire dish.

Finally this time, with the right proper ingredients, it is good and yummy.

This is with the red bean paste that I blended for the mooncake

Wondering how it taste with strawberry jam, yum yum too...

Ingredients:

*Just for the cake itself

• 40g rice flour (A)
• 13 wheat starch (A)
• 55ml water (A)
• 35g sugar (B)
• 115ml water (B)

Method:

1. Mixed all ingredients for A till smooth (preferably use a whisk).
2. Heat up ingredients B in the double boiler to melt the sugar. Once all sugar dissolved, remove from heat.
3. Leave the water to boil.
4. Slowly add in item B to the A mixture and stir till even.
5. Greased the mould (I uses 4 ramekins, or u can use teacups).
6. Pour the mixture into the ramekins or teacups and put it into the boiler and steam for 15-17mins.
7. Turn off the fire and leave the cake to cool down.
8. Remove from the mould and served with some red bean paste. 

* If you dont want to serve it separately, u can just scoop some red bean (cooked till very soft) into the mixture prior to steaming.

Oat Muffin with Strawberry

Today I just thought maybe I should bake with oats instead of flour to get some healthier option bakes that can be served to people with high cholesterol. Anyway, do note that oats are not gluten free unless you bought gluten free oats.

Ingredients:

• 200g oats
• 1/4 tablespoon of baking powder
• 100g butter
• 100g sugar
• 2 eggs (white and yolk separated)
• 90ml milk
• 30ml low fat cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 tablespoon cream cheese
• 3 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoon low fat cream
• 4 strawberries, cut to half

Method:

1. Blend the oats with the baking powder till the oats become powder.
2. Cream the softened butter with sugar till pale and fluffy.
3. Slowly add in the yolks, one by one and mix till even.
4. Then add the vanilla essence, milk and low fat cream.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white till firm peak (as in it wont move even when I reverse the bowl).
6. Fold the egg white into the cake mixture till even.
7. Scoop into the paper cups (3/4 full), makes 8 here.
8. Bake for 180C for 10mins on the air fryer.

* If using oven, please preheat oven and bake for at least 15-20mins at 180c.

1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and cream till it is fluffy and well mix.
2. Pipe it to the middle of the muffin, and decorate with half the strawberry.

Chocolate Muffins with Salted Caramel

Ever since the end of My Kitchen Rule 2013, I havent been watching tv much but recently Sophie got me into watching Master Chef Australia. Few days back, they were having the host and some guests cooking and the one that got me interested is this Chocolate Muffins with Salted Caramel by Matt. But he actually uses a little different ingredients and dusted it with sparkling red food glitter which of course I didnt have it.

Ingredients:

• 185g softened unsalted butter
• 130g caster sugar (he uses 160g raw caster, me out of stock for this)
• 2 eggs (I use XL, not sure what size he uses, cant remember, not stated on the website either)
• 230 plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 60g milo (he uses dutch cocoa powder.. hehehe of course I dont have stock, that's why substituted)
• 85ml low fat cream (he uses thickened)
• 85ml water
• cubes of wonka caramel chocolate (he uses caramel chews which I can't find)

Method:

1. For those using oven, preheat the oven 180C. I use airfryer, which of course I dont bother preheating.
2. Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
3. Slowly mix in the eggs, one by one.
4. Mix the dry ingredient separately till even (flour, baking powder, soda, salt and milo) before adding in the mixture and stir till even.
5. Slowly add in the cream and water and mix till they combine.
6. Scoop the mixture into the muffin tin lined with papers to 3/4 full. I didnt use the muffin tin coz cant fit in my airfryer, I use the tart single tin.
7. Gently push in the caramel chocolate cubes to the middle of the muffin mixture, not to push all the way to the bottom.
8. Bake for 20mins or till cook. I bake them for 10mins for each batch of 4 at 180c on the air fryer.

Cheese Brownies

Was at a hubby's colleague's house for BBQ and his wife served cheese brownies, just fall in love with it and decided to google and try it out. After the first attempt, I made the second with raspberry which is harder (the first was more gooey).

Ingredients:

• 85g unsalted butter
• 115g dark cooking chocolate, break to small pieces
• 120g sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 70g flour
• 1tbsp milo
• a small pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 80g chocolate chips
• 200g cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk
• 60g sugar
• a splash of vanilla extract
• a small handful of frozen raspberry

Methods:

1. Line a 9" square pan with foil, mist with non stick spray or grease lightly. I uses my lovely air fryer, so, I lined the basket instead and used only 2/3 of the ingredients. If you prefer the gooey version, used all the ingredients and smaller pan.
2. If using normal oven, preheat it at 180C. Airfryer, just add 2mins to the baking time later.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat and stirring till it is smooth. Remove from heat and add in the 120g sugar and heat and stir.
4. Next stir in lightly beaten 2 eggs. Mix in flour, milo and salt, then vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir till even and pour over the baking pan, spread evenly.
5. In a separate bowl, cream the cheese, yolk, balance of sugar and vanilla until smooth.
6. Use a spoon to scoop the mixture and drop by dollops on top of the brownies mixture the lightly swirl it. If you adding the raspberry, pop on top of the mixture not too close to each other.
7. Bake for 30-40mins till the side set (the middle will still be soft and wobbly like). If using airfryer, I set it at 180C for 17mins.
8. After baking, take it out to cool before popping in the fridge to set, cut and serve.

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Home Made Almond Milk

Ingredients:

• 150g (approximately, didnt weight) almond (I used those with skin, so got to waste time removing, try to get those without), soaked overnight to remove the skin, then soaked for at least another night
• 5 cups water

Method:

1. Soak the almond for at least a night to ease the skin removal. Remove the brown skin. Then soak for another night. The reason I remove the skin is cause I wanted to use the almond meal later for baking. If you are just throwing it away (try not to waste), dont bother then. 
2. I uses the magi mix, but I guess should be the same with the other food processor or blender. Just sieve off all the water and blend it for about 20seconds and slowly add in water. Blend till you see the entire mixture is smooth and fine.
3. Use those fine sieve or cheesecloth to sieve the milk. Press the almond meal till dry so you get all the milk. Leave aside the almond meal for other recipes. Can use it for baking or make some vegetarian food dishes.
4. I then double boil the milk for bout 20mins and ready to be served. 

Cinnamon Rolls

I have gotten this recipe from Weight Watchers magazine though the second time making it, it is no longer weight conscious :p

First time, I used plain flour only but for the second time, I mixed it with self raising wheat flour, replaced the chocolates and nuts and raisins with shredded cheddar cheese.

This is the Cinnamon Cheese Wheat Rolls

This is the Chocolate Cashew Nuts Cranberries Raisin Rolls

Ingredients:

• 7g of yeast powder
• 125ml warm water (since it is cold now here, 60ml cold water and the rest hot water)
• 1 egg
• 250g plain flour (for the cheese rolls, I replaces 35g of plain flour with self raising wheat flour)
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp raw sugar
• 2 handful of cashew nuts (lightly break it with the pestle and mortar) - for the version 1
• 1 handful of dried cranberries
• 1 handful of raisins
• 4 pieces of dark cooking chocolates (the square on the chocolate pcs) - melt it in a double boiler with the sugar and yogurt, stir till smooth
• 1 tsp of raw sugar
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp of cinnamon powder

Methods:

1. Mix the yeast with the warm water and leave it to rise. It should bubble to shows that the yeast is active and not dead.
2. Crack the egg into the yeast once it bubble and lightly whisk it.
3. Pour the liquid into the flour (mixed it well with the ground cinnamon and raw sugar in advance).
4. Use your hand to knead the mixture till it becomes a nice smooth dough. That should take about 15mins.
5. Leave it to rise for 30mins (covered in hot warm towel). If the weather is too dry and cold, leave it on top of a pot of hot water.
6. Punch and knead the dough. Cut it to half.
7. Use the rolling pin, roll it to a long flat pieces.
8. For version 1, spread a layer of the chocolate paste and sprinkle it with the nuts, raisins and cranberries. Then roll it up, cut it into 1.5inch slice. Leave it on top of the baking sheets to rise for another 20-30mins.
9. For version 2, sprinkle it with the cinnamon powder and cheddar cheese, roll it up and cut it into 1.5 inch slice too. Similarly, leave it to rise for 20-30mins. * I had also sprinkle some parmesan cheese powder.
10. I uses the airfryer to bake it at first 2 mins 140C and another 4 mins on 180C (for second batch onwards, only need 3mins). If you uses the normal oven, dont bother pre-heating it. Leave the bread in there and bake for 30mins (reduce the rising time to 10mins will do) at 180C.

Japanese Beef Curry

Ingredients:

• 150-180g of beef cubes
• half carrots cut into chunk
• half potato cut into chunk
• half a pureed apple (I used the shredder to shred it to it is mushy too)
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 onion cut into thin slices
• 1/4 tbsp oil
• 120ml water
• 1 tsp garam masala
• a small pinch of salt
  
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• a pinch of freshly grounded pepper

Methods:

1. Heat up the oil in a sauce pan and fry the onion till golden and caramelised, used medium fire.
2. Once the onion brown, add in the beef cubes to brown it.
3. Add in the carrot and water. Turn the fire high.
4. Once at boiling stage, add in the potato, apple and garam masala. Simmer on low fire for about 20-30mins.
5. On a separate pan or saucepan, melt the butter, add in the flour and stir constantly.
6. Add in garam masala, curry powder, tomato paste, pepper and Worcester sauce.
7. Continue to stir till the mixture becomes dry and crumbly.
8. Add in the mixture into the pot of beef stew and stir till it mix well. Season with salt and done.

* amount for one person's lunch box, so multiply based on person eating.. :D