Eggplant Glazed with Yuzu Miso (Nasu Dengaku)

This is a Japanese dish that is easy to prepare at home.

 

Eggplant Glazed with Yuzu Miso (Nasu Dengaku)

Ingredients:

1 medium size eggplant

1 tbsp miso (I used yuzu miso)

2 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp sake

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Preparation Steps:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180˚C
2. Cut the eggplants into halves, length-wise. Score criss-cross marks on the flesh of the eggplants and place them on a baking sheet.
3. Brush the criss-crossed top with some oil and baked them for 30 minutes.
4. While the eggplants are being cooked in the oven, prepare the glaze by mixing together the miso, mirin, sake, sugar and ginger in a small pan. Simmer it over low heat until the miso has melted and thickened.
5. When the eggplants are soft and cooked through, brush the glaze over the criss-crossed top, put them back in the oven for 5 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelise.  Serve warm.

 

Adapted from: Azeliaskitchen

Butter Cookies

My younger daughter has been craving for the buttery danish butter cookies and was pestering me over the last 2 weeks to bake her some of them.

 

She was delighted when her wish came true last Thursday. And now, it is my elder girl's turn to request for chocolate chip mint cookies. I am blessed with easy to please kids :).

 

 

 





 

 

Butter Cookies

(Makes about 20)

 

 

Ingredients:

• 185g unsalted butter
• 60g icing sugar
• 185g plain flour, sifted
• 60g custard powder, sifted

 

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and icing sugar then stir in sifted flour and custard powder.
3. Scoop out the dough with a teaspoon and roll in into small balls (about 3cm in diameter) and place on the baking tray.
4. The cookies will spread a bit, so ensure that there are sufficient space in between each cookie.
5. Gently press down each cookie with a fork to create the indention patterns.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes.

 

Allow to cool before storing them in airtight container 

Enjoy them plain with fresh milk or turn them into edible yo-yos by sandwiching nutella spread between 2 pieces of cookies.

 

Adapted from droolfactor

 



Steamed Sweet Corn Cupcakes

A simple and light cupcakes that my family enjoys as breakfast to start our morning.

 

 

Steamed Sweet Corn Cupcakes

1. Whip until creamy and fluffy:

• 3 eggs, and
• 90g sugar

2. Add in and mix till combined:

• 160g canned creamy corn

3. Sift and fold in:

• 188g plain flour, and
• 3/4 tbsp double action baking powder

4. Add in and mix until well incorporated:

• 60g melted butter

5. Pour batter into cupcake liners, until 80% full

 

6. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes.

 

Yield about 8 cupcakes.

 

Adapted from Magic Steamed Cake by Alex Goh via

Misstamchiak.com.

Ribena Jellies

On the last day of school, my younger girl has a "School's Out" class party in school. I made these simple, tasty and refreshing dessert for her party. She told me that all her classmates and teacher like the jellies very much.

Ribena Jellies

Adapted from Blessed Homemaker

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 packet Konnyaku Jelly Powder (10g)
• 80g Caster Sugar (Reduced from 150g)
• 750ml Water
• 200ml Ribena blackcurrant juice cordial (Increased from 100ml)

 

 

Method

1. Combine and mix konnyaku powder and caster sugar together in a small bowl.
2. Boil the water  and pour the konnyaku mixture into water gradually. Stir as you pour,  till sugar dissolved.
3. Turn off flame and keep stirring for about 5 mins, till jelly the mixture no longer cloudy and becomes clear.
4. Pour in the Ribena. Stir to mix well.
5. Pour the Ribena jelly mixture into jelly moulds.
6. Leave  them to cool down to room temperature before chilling them in the fridge.

Cheesy Beer Bread

I am not a beer/wine drinker but somehow I like to look out for recipes that contain beer or wine. Well, since I can't drink them, I shall eat them :)

 

This is a very easy to make and very tasty savory quick bread - Cheesy Beer Bread, adapted from Handletheheat.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2.5 cups plain flour
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (I subs with 120g mixed cheddar and mozzarella)
• 3 tbsp caster sugar (I used 2 tbsp)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt (I omitted) 
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 1.25 cups light-bodied beer (I used light Korean Fruity Beer)
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, divided ( that is 70g) 

 

Methods:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan.
2. Mix the flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, salt (if using) and pepper in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in the beer and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Stir to mix but do not over mix.
4. Place the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Brush lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

 

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool for 1 hour before serving. 

Steamed Man-Tou with Custard Filling

I made these steamed buns (or man-tou / 馒头) for tomorrow's breakfast as  hubby and younger girl need to leave home early for a community service activity.

 

 

 

When the buns first came out from the steamer, my girl quickly run over to ask for one. But when she noticed that there are filling inside the buns, she immediately protested why they are not her favourite plain white bun. I gave her a small bite to try and she immediately liked it and ask for one whole bun for herself.

 

I think the custard spread was too thin. Nonetheless, they are soft and tasty. Next time, I will increase the custard filling amount by half for a thicker filling.

 

 

 

Steamed Bun/Man-Tou with Custard Filling 

(Adapted from my Dual Color Buns recipe)

 

Ingredients:

• 300g flour (I used Hong Kong Flour but plain flour is fine too)
• 3g baking powder (about 1 tsp)
• 3g instant yeast (about 1 tsp)
• 25g caster sugar
• 160ml milk
• 15g canola oil

 

For the Custard Filling:

• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 7g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• 100 ml milk

 

Methods:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and make a well.
2. Pour in the milk and mix.
3. Knead the mixture into a dough and add in cooking oil. Continue to knead by hands until the dough become smooth and non-sticky.
4. Form the dough into a ball, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rest for 15 minutes before use.
5. Meanwhile, make the custard filling by mixing together all the filling ingredients in a small bowl and place it over a pot of boiling water. Keep stirring the mixture until it become thicken. Cover with cling film and set aside.
6. Roll the dough into a flat long stretch about 20 cm long. 
7. Spread the custard evenly over the surface of the dough.
8. Roll up the dough lengthwise to form a log. 
9. Seal up the seamed edge with wet finger.
10. Cut the roll into 8 equal parts and place each of them on a piece of baking paper. Let rest for about 50 minutes until each bun rise by 50% in size
11. Place the buns into a bamboo steamer and steam over medium heat for 12 minutes.

 

Serve warm.

 

This is for Yeastspotting.

Healthy Banana Quick Bread - Low in Fat and Sugar, High in Fibre

Whenever there is ripe bananas stocking up at home, my kids know it is banana cake time. This is a new recipe that I tried last week, adapted from here, with some slight variations to produce a healthy and yet delish banana cake, that is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre. We absolutely enjoyed this much healthier bake.

Healthy Banana Cake/Quick Bread

Ingredients:

(Makes one loaf, about 12 slices) 

• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 120 ml low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp of milk
• 40ml canola oil
• 90g light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 130g all-purpose flour
• 35g whole wheat flour
• 30g ground almond
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

 

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas with the baking soda and yogurt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, sugar, egg and vanilla.
4. In another large bowl, whisk together the flours, ground almond, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt.
5. Combine the banana mixture with the oil mixture and add to the flour mixture. Throw in half of the sliced banana pieces. Stir just until all the ingredients are combined and there is no dry flour. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Top with the remaining banana slices.
6. Bake for about 45 - 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. To prevent the top from over browning, I cover it with a foil after 35 minutes and continue the baking for another 20 minutes before it came out nice and golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.