Daring Bakers: Pizza

I honestly can't remember the last time I had pizza. Not that I don't like it, but besides our indulgence in sweets, we try to eat pretty healthy. But, given that this was a Daring Baker's challenge, I had the perfect excuse to indulge in a pizza or two (or six, if you made the whole recipe).

Although I've made pizza at least once before, I seem to remember it being more involved. Despite the fact that this recipe requires some planning ahead - really only so that you can let the dough have its overnight rest - its really easy to put together. No hassle, no fuss.

The tossing of the dough, called for in the recipe, also sounds more challenging than it is. Where I struggled was actually sliding my pizza off the back of my jelly pan onto my baking stone. Guess I didn't quite put enough cornmeal on the back of my pan.

I topped my pizza with Parma ham, artichokes and mozzarella cheese. For something so easy to make, the results were incredibly good. M was particularly impressed with the crust which he was surprised that one could do in our dinky home oven. 

For me, this recipe is definitely a keeper and it just might get me to increase my pizza consumption!

Pizza dough

From The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Ingredients: 

4 1/2 Cups (20 1/4 ounces/607.5 g) Unbleached high-gluten (%14) bread flour or all purpose flour, chilled

1 3/4 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Instant yeast

1/4 Cup (2 ounces/60g) Olive oil or vegetable oil (both optional, but it’s better with)

1 3/4 Cups (14 ounces/420g or 420ml) Water, ice cold (40° F/4.5° C)

1 Tb sugar

Semolina/durum flour or cornmeal for dusting

DAY ONE

Method: 

1. Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast in a big bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer).

2. Add the oil, sugar and cold water and mix well (with the help of a large wooden spoon or with the paddle attachment, on low speed) in order to form a sticky ball of dough. On a clean surface, knead for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are homogeneously distributed. If it is too wet, add a little flour (not too much, though) and if it is too dry add 1 or 2 teaspoons extra water.

NOTE: If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for the same amount of time.The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, sprinkle in a little more flour, so that it clears the sides. If, on the contrary, it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water.

The finished dough should be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50°-55° F/10°-13° C.

3. Flour a work surface or counter.  Line a jelly pan with baking paper/parchment. Lightly oil the paper.

4. With the help of a metal or plastic dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you want to make larger pizzas).

NOTE: To avoid the dough from sticking to the scraper, dip the scraper into water between cuts.

5. Sprinkle some flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them.  Gently round each piece into a ball.

NOTE: If the dough sticks to your hands, then dip your hands into the flour again.

6. Transfer the dough balls to the lined jelly pan and mist them generously with spray oil. Slip the pan into plastic bag or enclose in plastic food wrap.

7. Put the pan into the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight or for up to thee days.

NOTE: You can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag if you want to save some of the dough for any future baking. In that case, pour some oil(a few tablespooons only) in a medium bowl and dip each dough ball into the oil, so that it is completely covered in oil. Then put each ball into a separate bag. Store the bags in the freezer for no longer than 3 months. The day before you plan to make pizza, remember to transfer the dough balls from the freezer to the refrigerator.

DAY TWO

8. On the day you plan to eat pizza, exactly 2 hours before you make it, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator. Dust the counter with flour and spray lightly with oil. Place the dough balls on a floured surface and sprinkle them with flour. Dust your hands with flour and delicately press the dough into disks about 1/2 inch/1.3 cm thick and 5 inches/12.7 cm in diameter. Sprinkle with flour and mist with oil. Loosely cover the dough rounds with plastic wrap and then allow to rest for 2 hours.

9. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone on the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven as hot as possible (500° F/260° C). 

NOTE: If you do not have a baking stone, then use the back of a jelly pan. Do not preheat the pan.

10. Generously sprinkle the back of a jelly pan with semolina/durum flour or cornmeal. Flour your hands (palms, backs and knuckles). Take 1 piece of dough by lifting it with a pastry scraper. Lay the dough across your fists in a very delicate way and carefully stretch it by bouncing it in a circular motion on your hands, and by giving it a little stretch with each bounce. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss.

NOTE: Make only one pizza at a time.

During the tossing process, if the dough tends to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue the tossing and shaping. 

In case you would be having trouble tossing the dough or if the dough never wants to expand and always springs back, let it rest for approximately 5-20 minutes in order for the gluten to relax fully,then try again.

You can also resort to using a rolling pin, although it isn’t as effective as the toss method.

11. When the dough has the shape you want (about 9-12 inches/23-30 cm in diameter - for a 6 ounces/180g piece of dough), place it on the back of the jelly pan, making sure there is enough semolina/durum flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide and not stick to the pan.

12. Lightly top it with sweet or savory toppings of your choice.

NOTE: Remember that the best pizzas are topped not too generously. No more than 3 or 4 toppings (including sauce and cheese) are sufficient.

13. Slide the garnished pizza onto the stone in the oven or bake directly on the jelly pan. Close the door and bake for abour 5-8 minutes.

NOTE: After 2 minutes baking, take a peek. For an even baking, rotate 180°.

If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone or jelly pane to a lower shelf before the next round. On the contrary, if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone or jelly.

14. Take the pizza out of the oven and transfer it to a cutting board or your plate. In order to allow the cheese to set a little, wait 3-5 minutes before slicing or serving. 

Makes 6 pizza crusts (about 9 1/2 inches or 23-30 cm in diameter)

Chinese, or not?

On every Chinese restaurant menu in the US, you're almost guaranteed to find Chicken with Broccoli. I have to confess that growing up, this was not a dish that was served in my family. Its one of those dishes that doesn't really exist in China but has become ubiquitous in the Western world - much like fortune cookies which you'll never see in  China.

Regardless of its authenticity or lack there-of, it is a dish that I do enjoy so I have no problems serving it up in my kitchen. Its relatively light and healthy, and broccoli is, by far, one of my favourite veggies - I have no idea why it gets such a bad rep. Serve this dish with a generous portion of steamed rice. 

Sliced Chicken with Broccoli

Adapted from Shun Lee Cookbook

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 large egg white

2 tbsp cornstarch

3/4 tsp salt

4 cups plus 1/3 cup chicken stock

10 ounces broccoli florets

1 tsp sugar

 2 tbsp rice wine

Vegetable oil

2 scallions, white part only, trimmed and minced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally. Flatten the chicken breasts by pounding them on both sides with the flat side of a cleaver or a flat meat mallet until 1/8 inch thick. Slice the meat on a shallow diagonal to make 1-inch wide strips. Cut the strips into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Mix the chicken, egg white, 1 tbsp of the cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp of the salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

Bring the 4 cups chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the broccoli, and cook it is crisp-tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a strainer to drain, and discard the broth.

Mix the remaining 1/3 cup chicken stock with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, the sugar and the rice wine in a small bowl. Dissolve the remaining 1 tbsp corn starch in 3 tbsp cold water in a small bowl. Set the bowls aside.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 inch up the sides of the wok, add heat it to 300F. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and stir gently, so the pieces don't stick to each other, until the chicken turns white, about 1 minute. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the chicken to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tbsp of the oil from the wok.

Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions and garlic, and stir fry until the garlic is fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the stock mixture and the cornstarch-mixture, and bring to a boil. Return the chicken and broccoli to the wok, and stir-fry until the sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

What's cooking?

For the longest time, nothing! I've mentioned before my dislike of cooking for one and since M has been away in Paris on a project, there have been virtually no home-cooked dinners in this household for a long time. Tonight, I decided to break out of this rut and stopped by Whole Foods, which I absolutely adore, to pick up some fresh, albeit over-priced, groceries. 

In the spirit of carbo-loading in advance of our long run tomorrow, I decided to go with Chicken, asparagus and shiitake mushroom risotto. Now, risotto, in my mind, gets a bad rep for being time-consuming to make. While it is true that you do have to constantly stir the pot, you really only need to do so for half an hour or so. This may be 30 minutes more than one can spare on a weekday, but for a Friday night, its easy as pie. And when the rewards are as sumptuous and creamy  as this is, that's 30 minutes well spent.

Chicken, asparagus and shiitake mushroom risotto

Adapted from Gourmet

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 lb thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3/4 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring broth and water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.

Poach chicken breasts in broth until done, about 7-8 minutes. Remove chicken from the broth and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 1/4 inch slices.

Heat oil with 1 tsp butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Cook onion in 2 tbsp butter in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Ladle in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. Save any leftover broth for thinning.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese, remaining tbsp butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in asparagus and mushrooms, then cover pan and let stand 1 minute. If desired, thin risotto with some of remaining broth. Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side.

Makes 4 main-course servings

A perennial favourite

In many ways, M is a creature of habit. Food, is definitely one of those ways. There are certain dishes which he loves and if its on the menu, he will order it. One of those all-time favourites is Chicken with cashew nuts. It doesn't matter whether its done Thai style or Chinese style, he loves them all. So much so that I often tease him for it.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly have my favourite dishes as well but being a food lover, I find that there's still so much out there to try that I'm often loathe to miss out on tasting something new just to have one of my favourites again.

Given how much M loves his chicken with cashew nuts, it surprises me that its taken so long for the recipe to appear on my blog. Better late than never, though, as they always say. I served this for dinner last night, and needless to say, there were no leftovers.


Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts
Adapted from Popular Thai Cuisine

300g chicken breast, sliced thinly
1/2 cup fried cashew nut
1/4 cup crisp-fried dried spur chili, cut into 1 cm pieces
1 red pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, sliced
1/3 cup spring onion, cut into 2 cm pieces
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp cooking oil

Fry the garlic in oil over medium heat until golden and fragrant, add the chicken and cook until done.

Add onion, cashew nuts, fried dried chilies, red pepper and spring onion, stir well.

Season to taste with fish sauce, dark soy sauce and salt, stir again. Turn off the heat.

Spoon onto a serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander before serving.

Serves 4

Something warm for the winter

Its been a reasonably mild winter here in London this year even though we had a brief spell of unusually cold weather right before Christmas. Thankfully, I missed the worst of it as I headed back East for a 2 week break in the tropics. Still, since I'm accustomed to heat and humidity, the mild winters here can still feel bitingly cold to me. As such, there's nothing I like better than to warm up with a hearty bowl of steaming, hot soup.

If you've been following my blog, you'll know that late last year I discovered the wonders of using pumpkin in baked goods. This year, I'm continuing to find that pumpkin is amazingly versatile as demonstrated by this Thai-inspired pumpkin soup that I made for dinner last night.

For dinner, I served it with some crusty pieces of toast as an appetizer but I find that by tossing a few pieces of chicken in, it can even be a meal in itself, as it was for my lunch today!

Thai style pumpkin soup with coriander pesto
From delicious.

2 bunches fresh coriander, roots trimmed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
80ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 heaped tbsp thai red curry paste
1 kg pumpkin, peeled, cut into small cubes
500ml vegetable stock
400ml canned light coconut milk
thinly sliced red chilli, to garnish

To make the coriander pesto, whiz the coriander, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor. Slowly add 60 ml of the oil to make a sauce consistency, adding a little warm water if necessary, then season to taste.

Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and stir for 1 minute. Add the ginger and curry paste and stir for 1 minute.

Add the pumpkin and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes until pumpkin is cooked. Cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Return to the pan, add the coconut milk and season, then warm through.

To serve, pour the soup into bowls and swirl in a spoonful of pesto. Garnish with the onion, chilli and reserved coriander leaves.

Serves 6

Sesame noodles

In my continuing  quest for healthy recipes, I've been surfing some of our favourite recipe sites for low calorie meals. At the delicious. magazine website (UK version), I came across this recipe for Asian style noodles that not only sounded delicious and also came in at a measly 289 kcals per serving! 

I made it for dinner this week and it was a hit with both M and myself. Whoever said healthy food has to taste bad?

French bean, mangetout, prawn and sesame noodles

From delicious.

15g sesame seeds

200g French beans

200g mangetout

125g dried medium egg noodles

400g cooked and peeled prawns

1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and chopped

For the dressing

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp sunflower oil

1/4 tsp caster sugar

Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and stir for 3-4 minutes, until lightly toasted. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, top and tail the French beans and cut them in half lengthways. Cut the mangetout in half lengthways, too. Drop the beans into the pan and cook for 3 minutes, until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh under cold water. Add the mangetout and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain and refresh as before.

Add the noodles to the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.

Mix the beans, mangetout, noodles, prawns, most of the sesame seeds and the chilli together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss together well. Sprinkle wit the rest of the sesame seeds just before serving.

Serves 4

Spa cuisine

Its my first real food post of the new year and like many people around the world, one of my new year's resolutions is to eat healthier. In general, I think I eat pretty well but I have a big weakness - sweets of all kinds - and this year, I'm trying to be more moderate about it. This year, I have added incentive to be good, at least until May, because our big day is coming up! Yup, our wedding is about 4 months away. Yikes!

Towards this end, one of goals is to cook a little more and bake a little less. As such, you may find the recipes that I post here veering more towards food than desserts. To start off the new year on a healthy note, I found a recipe from Bill Granger that is reminiscent to me of spa cuisine. You know the kind. Typically found on menus of cafes in spas, they are usually dishes that are fairly simple where the main ingredient is allowed to shine through without being smothered by heavy sauces and the like.

Today's recipe features pork as the main ingredient which is seasoned only with sea salt and black pepper but whose flavour is enhanced by a mango salsa topping. Despite the simplicity of ingredients, I thought it tasted great. The added bonus was that dinner was on the table in 25 minutes tops. I served mine with a side of french beans and mangetout and a small portion of wild rice, but I'm sure it'll be equally good with a green salad or mashed potatoes.

Pork medallions with mango salsa

Adapted from Bills Food 

2 pork medallions

1 tbsp oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

pineapple salsa

1 cup chopped fresh mango

1/2 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely died

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp fish sauce 

Brush the pork with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat for 2 minutes until very hot. Sear the pork for 1 minute on each side, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 to 5 minutes longer on each side, or until cooked through and golden.

Remove the pork from the pan and leave it to rest for 2 minutes. 

For the mango salsa, stir all the salsa ingredients together in a bowl to combine. Serve the pork with mango salsa, rice and greens.

Serves 2

Beef Rendang

I love curry and like many people, I used to make them using the widely available curry pastes in the market. But since I first gave it a try, I have to say that there's something satisfying about making your own curry paste from scratch. So as far as possible, I try to do exactly that although sometimes, when in a crunch, I will still use the ready-made stuff. In particular, I find the Mae Ploy brand from Thailand unbeatable. In fact, when I took cooking classes in Bangkok, the chefs there even recommended that we use it.

For dinner this past weekend, I chose to make a Beef Rendang, a curry that originated from Indonesia and is traditionally made with buffalo. The hallmark of this curry is that the gravy is extremely thick, almost dry even. This is one of M's favourites and it is one of the rare times that I ever see him order red meat.

If you can find the ingredients, making the spice paste is not hard at all. I suppose if you were to remain true to tradition you would make this using a mortar and pestle. I'm not one to shun modern conveniences, however, so I whipped mine up in a food processor. If you do the same, the active preparation time is only 15 minutes or so and the rest of the time the rendang just simmers slowly in its pot. You have to be careful towards the end, though, as when the curry dries, it is prone to scorching. Thus, it is prudent to stir constantly when the rendang is almost done.

The rendang is delicious with a side of rice or even some crusty baguette which you can use to soak up the sauce.

Beef Rendang
From Shiok!

1 kg rump or stewing steak, cut into large chunks
800 ml coconut milk
3 stalks lemongrass
6 lime leaves
4 slices galangal (blue ginger)
1 tsp salt

Spice paste
5 tbsp freshly grated coconut
8 dried chilies, soaked till soft
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger

To prepare the spice paste, fry coconut in a dry wok over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until light brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Grind with remaining spice paste ingredients until fine.

Combine spice paste with all the beef and other ingredients in a large heavy-based pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender and gravy is very thick and shiny with oil. Serve hot.

Serves 2-4

Oodles of noodles

You may think that since I am Chinese, it is only natural that I love noodles, but actually, my love affair with noodles didn't start till I was an adult. I was an extremely finicky eater as a child and I loved rice but would hardly touch noodles. Nowadays, I find that its often the reverse. I often order noodles but seldom eat rice anymore.

One of our favourite casual places to eat here in London is Wagamama, an Asian noodle bar that started here in London but now has 80 restaurants around the world. Inspired by our frequent visits, I searched the web for an Asian noodle recipe and came up with this Soy Chicken with Soba Noodles. Although the original recipe called for pickled ginger, I opted to leave this out as I am not much of a fan.

True to its source, the noodles were delicious. On top of that, they were quick to make - 15 to 20 minutes tops. A perfect, easy-to-make meal to add to the weekday repertoire.

Soy chicken with soba noodles
Adapted from delicious.

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp rice vinegar
4 x 150g skinless chicken thigh fillets
250g soba noodles
2 tsp sesame oil
3 spring onions, thinly sliced

Heat an oiled chargrill or barbecue to medium-high. Whisk soy, sugar, mirin and vinegar in a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Reserve marinade and cook chicken on barbecue or grill for about 4 minutes each side until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to packet instructions, then drain. Toss with the sesame oil and all but 2 tbsp of the spring onion.

Bring marinade to boil in a small pan.

Simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Place noodles in bowls with thickly sliced chicken and sauce.

Garnish with reserved spring onion.

Serves 4

Chinese Wraps

One of my favourite Chinese dishes from back home is a Peking duck meat lettuce leaf wrap. This is often served when you order a Peking duck in a restaurant and after having consumed the skin, they will use the meat from the duck to make this dish. There are many variations on this dish, some using chicken, others using squab or another kind of meat.

Since pork mince is more readily available in the supermarkets here, I decided to make a version with pork instead. As some of you may recall, this is actually a dish that I served when M's parents were here to visit. At that time, I forgot to take a picture of the dish but since it was such a hit, I have been looking for another opportunity to make it. The opportunity finally arose two nights ago after a particularly easy day at work. It was definitely as good the second time around. Maybe even better!

Minced Pork in Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Shun Lee Cookbook

Pork:
8 oz minced pork
1 1/2 tsp egg white
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
vegetable oil, for passing through

Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

4 celery ribs, string removed, finely diced (1 cup)
4 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and minced (3/4 cup)
3 carrots, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp hoisin sauce
8 whole Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves
2 tbsp lightly toasted pine nuts

To prepare the pork, place the diced pork in a medium bowl. Add the egg white, cornstarch, and salt; toss to coat.

To prepare the sauce, whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine, sugar and white pepper in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tbsp water in another small bowl. Set the bowls aside.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the wok and heat it to 300F. Add the pork and stir gently, keeping the pieces from sticking together, until they turn white, about 45 seconds. Using a wide wire mesh skimmer, transfer the pork to a colander to drain. Discard all the oil except for 2 tablespoons.

Heat the wok with the oil over high heat. Add the celery, scallions, and carrots, and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 45 seconds. Return the pork to the wok. Stir the sauce, add it to the wok, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the sesame oil. Transfer the pork mixture to a serving bowl.

To serve, spread about 1/4 tsp hoisin sauce in the center of each lettuce leaf. Add 3 tbsp of the pork mixture, and sprinkle with a few pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Back to cooking again

If you've been following my blog, you've probably noticed that I haven't posted many dinner recipes as of late. Instead, most of my posts have been dessert or baking related. Reason is, I haven't been doing all that much cooking lately as M has been working late most nights. Since cooking for one is not much fun, I've just decided to skip it all together.

Yesterday, being Friday, M finally had an early night. As such, I decided at the last minute to get back in the kitchen and whip up a home-cooked meal again. To make up for many nights of eating poorly, I decided to make something relatively healthy and that we both like a lot - salmon.

This time, the salmon was marinated in a mixture of red miso, ginger, soy sauce and mirin and then cooked under a grill. The result is a salmon that is incredibly tender and which just flakes off with the prod of a fork. I chose to serve mine with a side of broccoli and wild rice but I think this would work just as well with other Asian greens or even noodles.

Glazed Salmon
From Bill's Food

1/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp red miso
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
4 salmon fillets (each 6 0z), skin on
oil, for greasing

dressing:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
2 tsp sugar

to serve:
1 tsp black sesame seeds

Stir the mirin, soy sauce, ginger, miso, sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl until combined. Put the salmon in a shallow dish, pour the mixture over it and marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

To make the dressing, bring the ingredients to the boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until syrupy or like thin caramel.

Heat the grill. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place with the skin side down in a lightly oiled, non-stick, ovenproof frying pan. Cook under the hot grill for about 7 minutes, or until the fish is still pink in the centre and is nicely coloured.

Sprinkle the salmon with the black sesame seeds and drizzle with some of the dressing. Serve with a side of greens and steamed rice, if you like.

Serves 4

A whirlwind of a weekend

M's parents were in town this weekend and it was a lot of fun for both M and myself. Although I've been up to Sweden a few times this year, it has always been in conjunction with some kind of event (e.g., weddings) which sometimes means that in the midst of all the frantic activity, there is not that much time to talk. This weekend, thus, felt like the first time that we got to spend "quality" time together since M and I got engaged.

Although the weekend is not a long amount of time, I feel like we were extremely active and got a lot done. My favourite activities of the weekend were afternoon tea at The Capital and finally getting to watch Wicked after years of desperate wanting to see it. My verdict on the musical? Absolutely worth the wait. In fact, it is probably one of my favourite musicals of all time.

Food, of course, featured heavily as well. Besides afternoon tea, we took them to Eight over Eight, a pan Asian restaurant in Chelsea, for dinner. M's parents were also kind enough to bring 1.35 kg of candy for M. If you know any Swedes then this probably doesn't surprise you. At least as of 2001, Sweden topped the world for non-chocolate candy consumption.

Our new stash of candy!

To cap off the weekend, we also hosted M's parents at our home for a home-cooked meal. Now, I must admit that preparing this meal caused me a fair amount of stress. M's parents have been readers of my blog and until Sunday, had never tasted any thing I've made. Thus, I felt under some pressure (all self-inflicted of course) to serve them a good meal. Besides, I didn't want them to think that I couldn't keep their son well fed.

So, I planned a four-course Chinese dinner that would be capped off by an Asian-inspired dessert and some homemade fortune cookies. All in all, I made minced pork in lettuce wraps, poached sea bass, lily in the wood (bok choy with dried chinese mushrooms) and kung pao shrimp. Dessert was a molten chocolate cake with a matcha (green tea) filling. Since I had also spent the afternoon baking, we also had a second dessert course - coconut cupcakes with marshmallow frosting (more in another post).

Unfortunately, in my haste to get dinner served, I didn't get any good pictures so you'll have to take my word for it. (That's what you get for being too lazy to set up the tripod). The photo you see above of the lily in the wood was the only picture I managed to take that was non-blurry. Despite the lack of photographic evidence, however, it was, for me anyway, an evening to remember.

Lily in the Wood
From Shun Lee cookbook

Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 2 tablespoons
12 Chinese dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot tap water until softened
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
12 boy choy hearts
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp dark sesame oil

Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat, and keep it at a low boil.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 300F. Add the mushrooms and gently stir until they are shiny and glossy with oil, about 1 minute. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the mushrooms to a colander to drain. Discard the oil.

Return the wok to high heat. Mix 1/2 cup of the stock with the soy sauce, rice wine, 1 tsp of the sugar, and they oyster sauce in a small bowl. Add to the wok, and return the mushrooms to the wok. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

While the mushrooms are simmering, prepare the boy choy: Return the saucepan of water to a boil, add the bok choy, and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Heat another large wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add the 2 tbsp vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Add the boy choy and the remaining 1/2 tsp sugar, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tbsp cold water in a small bowl. Stir half the cornstarch mixture into the mushrooms, and stir the remaining half into the bok choy. Add the sesame oil to the mushrooms. Transfer the bok choy to a serving platter, and arrange in a circular pattern with the leafy tops in the center. Place the mushrooms in the center of the bok choy and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Steaming hot

As the weather turns colder here in London, I find myself often craving a bowl of hot soup. So this weekend, I decided to make a simple noodle soup for dinner. The dish I chose was a variation on laksa, which is a popular spicy noodle soup from Peranakan culture.

I find traditional laksa to be somewhat heavy as it is usually made with coconut milk. The version I chose to make, courtesy of Bill Granger, is much lighter given that it substitutes the majority of the coconut milk with chicken stock instead. While I added chicken and eggplant to my laksa, feel free to mix it up and use things like shrimp or bok choy instead.

Light Laksa
Adapted from this book

1 tsp peanut oil
1 tbsp red curry paste
4 cups chicken stock
150 ml coconut milk
2 kaffir lime leaves, plus thinly sliced leaves to garnish
3 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
500g boneless chicken breasts
soft brown sugar and lime juice, to taste
150g rice noodles, soaked in hot water and drained
1 medium eggplant

Cut the eggplant into thin (5mm) slices and place under a grill for 7-8 minutes. Take out to cool.

Heat the peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the stock, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves and ginger.

Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to very low, add the chicken, cover the pan and poach the chicken gently for 7 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly, then shred.

Season the soup with the brown sugar and lime juice, to taste. Divide the rice noodles, shredded chicken, eggplant and bean sprouts among four large bowls. Pour in the hot soup and garnish with thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves.
Makes 4 servings

Another trusted Chinese cookbook

My last post centered around one of my favourite Chinese food cookbooks and I thought I'd share with you yet another. This one is not so much one cookbook but a set of 3 and they are titled Xi Yan I, II and III. Xi Yan, which translates into banquet dinner, is actually a private kitchen which originated in Hong Kong in 2000. Unlike a regular restuarant, Xi Yan dictates many rules for its diners including what time they should eat (there is only 1 seating time per night), how many people should eat (a minimum table size of 6) and what they should eat (there is no menu per se - the chef serves whatever he feels like). Despite this, due to the quality and innovativeness of the food, Xi Yan has enjoyed immense popularity with waiting lists in Hong Kong as long as 6 months.

The food at Xi Yan is based in Chinese cuisine but is also influenced by the different cuisines of East and South-East Asia. It is this creative genius, I believe, that has been at the heart of Xi Yan's ascent in the culinary world. Since its humble origins back in 2000, Xi Yan now also has a branch in Singapore and has plans to open in Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo. I've had the good fortune to dine at the Singapore branch and I must say that I was blown away. From simple dishes such as Momotaro tomatoes in a wasabi sesame sauce to more unusual dishes such as Shisamo (pregnant fish) in chili oil, the freshness and quality of the ingredients always shone through.

Xi Yan is the brainchild of Jacky Yu who spent 19 years working in advertising before deciding to make a radical change in career. This gives me some hope that maybe its not too late for me to consider a switch in career afterall!

Dumplings before cooking

Sichuan Dumplings in Chili Oil
From Xi Yan

20 pieces wanton wrap
300g pork shank (minced)
diced spring onion

seasoning 1
1 tsp salt
ground white pepper
cornflour

seasoning 2
3/4 cup ginger and spring onion juice

chili sauce 1 (makes 8 servings)
8 tbsps dark soy sauce
2 1/2 tbsp Zhenjiang black vinegar
4 tbsp cold boiled water
2 tbsp sugar

chili sauce 2
1/3 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
chili oil
diced spring onion
ground Sichuan peppercorn

Mixed minced pork with seasoning 1. Add seasoning 2 and keep stirring until the mixture is sticky. This is the filling for the dumplings.

Wrap some filling in each piece of wanton wrap.

Pour 1 1/2 tbsp of chili sauce 1 in a bowl. Add chili sauce 2 and mix well.

Bring water to the boil. Put in dumplings and cook until they float. Remove from heat and drain. Transfer to the bowl with chili sauce and sprinkle diced spring onion on top. Toss the dumplings in chili sauce and serve.

NB: To make ginger and spring onion juice, put 1 cup of water, 1 small piece of thinly sliced ginger and 3 sprigs of spring onion (shredded) in a big bowl. Squeeze with hands to extract the juice. Discard ginger and spring onion and reserve the juice.

Eggplant with garlic sauce

In keeping with my recent craving for foods from home, I have been reaching with regularity for the Chinese food cookbooks on my shelf. One which I have used with some frequency is the Shun Lee cookbook from the restuarant of the same name in the Big Apple. When I used to live there some years ago, I only ever went to eat there once, preferring to wander into Chinatown instead whenever I needed my Chinese food fix. Still, the book is a treasure trove of good Chinese recipes and everything that I have tried from it so far has turned out good.

This time, I chose to make eggplant with garlic sauce, another dish of Sichuan origin. In order to up the heartiness quotient of the dish, I decided to tweak it slightly by adding some minced pork. The results were surprisingly good and were reminiscent of a ma po tofu. Even M, who isn't big on eggplant, turned out to be a fan.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Adapted from Shun Lee cookbook

4 small Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound total), trimmed
1/2 pound minced pork
Vegetable oil

for the sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp rice wine
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch

1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
I tbsp hot bean paste
1 tsp hot chili oil
1 tbsp dark sesame oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Keep the water at a simmer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place it near the stove.

Using a sharp knife, lightly score the skin of the eggplants in a crosshatch pattern, with the lines about 1 inch apart. Halve or quarter the eggplants lengthwise to make sticks about 1/2 inch wide. Cut the sticks into 2-inch lengths.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325F. Working in batches without crowding, add the eggplant to the oil and fry until it softens but still holds its shape, about 45 seconds. Do not overcook. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, dip the eggplant briefly in the hot water, then spread it out on the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, wiping the strainer dry after each frying. DIscard all but 2 tbsp of the oil from the wok.

Saute the minced pork in a frying pan until cooked and set aside.

To begin the sauce, mix the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, rice wine, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tbsp cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.

Return the wok with 2 tbsp of oil to high heat. Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the hot bean paste and the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the eggplant and minced pork, then stir-fry until the sauce is boiling and the eggplant and pork are hot. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 10 seconds. Add the hot chili oil and stir-fry for 10 seconds more. Add the sesame oil and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Back to making savoury food

It seems that my last few posts have all been dessert related so I thought it was high time that I posted a savoury recipe instead lest you readers begin to think that I subsist slowly on sweets (although, frankly, if health wasn't an issue, I would). But that's a discussion for another time.

Ever since I got back from Toronto, I've been on an Asian food kick. I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that I had lots of my mom's wonderful home cooking while I was there. So, I've been trying out a few new recipes to broaden my Asian food repertoire.

One of the latest to grace our table is Kung Pao Shrimp. As Kung Pao <insert your favourite meat here> appears on many a Chinese menu in the west, some people seem to think that this dish is a western invention that doesn't exist in China. In reality, it does. Kung Pao chicken is a classic Sichuan dish which originated in the province of the same name. The dish is actually named after a late Qing dynasty official who served as the governor of Sichuan. The words Kung Pao actually originated from his title (Gong Bao) which translates as palatial guardian. There are differences, however, between the western and traditional Sichuan versions, the biggest of which is the use of Sichuan peppercorns in the latter which help to give the dish its distinctive hot, numbing flavour. If you can't take spicy food, lighten up on the peppercorns.

Kung Pao Shrimp
From Xi Yan

900g fresh medium seawater shrimps
salt
20 dried chillies (sectioned)
ground Sichuan peppercorn
oil

For the sauce:
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Zhenjiang vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil

1. Wash shrimps then shell them leaving the tails intact. Cut along the back and de-vein. Wipe dry then mix with salt and leave to marinate for 1/2 hour.

2. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and test taste to suit.

3. Heat oil in wok. Add shrimps and deep fry until they are 70% done, start to curl and turn red. Strain and set aside.

4. Wash the wok and wipe dry. Heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add dried chillies and stir fry until they are slightly burnt. Add shrimps to wok and stir fry. Pour sauce onto shrimps and cook until it thickens slightly. Add ground Sichuan peppercorn and stir well.

TGIF

I don't think I've ever been more thankful that it's Friday but after the hell-ish week I've had, I am really looking forward to the weekend. On top of that, I'm actually on vacation next week as I'm flying to Toronto to visit my sister! I've got some baking classes lined up for while I'm in Toronto so hopefully I'll be able to make up for my lack of posting this week with some new things I've learned. Also, I'm thinking of adding some new functionality to my blog if I can figure out all this html stuff.

Anyway, before I take off bright and early tomorrow morning, I thought I'd put up a quick post on a chicken fricassee that I made the other day. This particular recipe is one by Daniel Boulud whose namesake restaurant in NYC was one of the culinary highlights of my four years in New York. Since this recipe makes enough for 4, I stored some leftovers in the fridge and heated it up the next day. I have to say it was even better the second day than the first. I guess having the time to let the flavours mingle really does make a difference!


Chicken Grand-mere Francine
From Daniel Boulud

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 cippolini onions, peeled and trimmed
4 shallots, peeled and trimmed
2 heads garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
3 sprigs thyme
4 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 small celery roots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 ounces slab bacon, cut into short, thin strips
12 small cremini or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed2 cups unsalted chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

1. Working over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan or skillet - choose one with high-sides and a cover. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper, slip them into the pan, and cook until they are well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Take your time - you want a nice, deep color and you also want to cook the chickens three-quarters through at this point. When the chicken is deeply golden, transfer it to a platter and keep it in a warm place while you work on the vegetables.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat from the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, shallots, garlic and thyme and cook and stir just until the vegetables start to take on a little color, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, celery root, and bacon and cook 1 to 2 minutes, just to start rendering the bacon fat. Cover the pan and cook another 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and return the chicken to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables and chicken are completely cooked through. Spoon everything onto a warm serving platter or into an attractive casserole and keep warm while you finish the sauce.

4. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, scraping up the bits of vegetable and chicken that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook the stock at a boil until it is reduced by half. Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

To Serve:
Strain the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, and serve immediately with plenty of pieces of crusty baguette to sop up the sauce and spread with the soft, caramely garlic that is easily squeezed out of its skin.

Makes 4 servings

Presto Pasta Night #29: Mee Goreng Tauceo

The very first blog event that I took part in when I first started my blog only 1.5 months ago was Presto Pasta Night hosted by Ruth. I haven't submitted anything in the last few weeks so I thought it was high time I got back in the game. The first time around, I made a Penne with tuna in tomato sauce from Jamie Oliver's Cook with Jamie. This time, I wanted to submit something that is unique to my home country so I decided on Mee Goreng Tauceo from James Oseland's Cradle of Flavor.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this dish, it is essentially a stir-fried noodle dish made with Chinese egg noodles. In this case, the recipe calls for garnishings of shrimp and asian greens but as I was out of asian greens, I took a huge liberty and substituted tenderstem broccoli! Purists out there may think that this is sacrilege but I think that cooking should be fun. It should not be about following rules for rules sake. In this case, the purpose of the greens is to add some crunch to the noodles and I thought the broccoli served just fine.

To be honest, before I made the recipe I was somewhat sceptical about whether a recipe written by a gwailo (foreigner) could recreate the taste that I am familiar with. But the author has spent over twenty years researching the foods of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore - the result of which is the cookbook that I used - so who am I to question his authority. Indeed he probably knows the foods of Southeast Asia even better than I do. The only thing I felt was missing was a little bit of spiciness which is easily solved by serving the dish with any kind of chili sauce you like.

Mee Goreng Tauceo
From Cradle of Flavor

455g precooked fresh Chinese egg noodles
10 stalks choy sum or 5 whole small heads baby bok choy or Shanghai choy
4 tbsp peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
200g medium-sized shrimp, peeled, heads removed, and deveined
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts (optional)
4 tbsp warm water
2 tsp double-black soy sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

If you're using fresh Chinese egg noodles that are not precooked, cook them first, cut them in half, and set aside.

To prepare the choy sum, inspect it carefully, discarding or trimming any spoiled stems or leaves. Cut 1 inch off the base of each stalk and rinse the greens in several changes of the coldest possible water. If you're using baby bok choy or Shanghai choy, inspect the heads carefully, discarding or trimming any spoiled stems or leaves. Cut 1/8 inch off the base of each head and rinse the greens in several changes of the coldest possible water. (Take care to clean baby bok choy or Shanghai choy carefully, as it tends to have hidden pockets of sand where the leaves meet the center stem.) Cut the cleaned choy sum into pieces 2 1/2 to 3 inches long; if you're using baby bok choy or Shanghai choy leave the heads whole or cut them in halves or quarters lengthwise, depending on size. Dry the greens in a salad spinner or set them aside to dry on a kitchen towel or on paper towels. They don't need to be bone-dry; a little dampness is fine.

Heat the oil in a wok or 12-inch skillet (nonstick will work best) over medium heat. When it's hot — it should appear slightly shimmery — add the garlic and the sweet soybean paste (be mindful that the soybean paste may splatter a bit when it's added to the hot oil) and sauté, stirring constantly with a large spatula, until the garlic is no longer raw but has not yet begun to change color, 1 to 2 minutes. If the garlic starts to turn golden, take the pan off the heat to cool for a few moments before continuing.

Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir-fry just until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the greens and raise the heat to high. Stir-fry vigorously until the greens just begin to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts (if using) and continue to stir-fry vigorously for another 15 seconds.

Reduce the heat slightly and quickly add the noodles, using your hands and detangling them as you drop them into the skillet. Stir the noodles well to combine them with the greens, bean sprouts, and shrimp. Add the warm water, soy sauce, and salt and stir well to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until the noodles are hot and have soaked up all the liquid, about 2 minutes. (Note that the noodles will have increased slightly in size once they have soaked up the liquid.) Taste a noodle for salt, and add a pinch more if needed.

Transfer the noodles to a large platter or bowl and serve immediately. Although inauthentic, I like to top these noodles with freshly ground black pepper, which provides a nice layer of flavor.

Makes 3 or 4 servings as a main course