Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Basic Ingredients

1 cucumber cubed (I use Japanese cucumber)

1 tomato cubed (choose firm)

2/3 red onion sliced

herbs (parsley, mint, basil etc.)

black pepper

salt

olive oil

1/2 lime or lemon juice

variety

cheddar or feta cheese

pineapple cubed

cayenne pepper

cumin powder

baked pepper chopped

Directions

• mix all ingredients together
• serve immediately or chilled

Foodnote: One of my go to salad when I need to increase my healthy food intake. Super easy to make. Love to add the pineapple to add sweetness and the cheddar cheese for more heartier taste.

Apam Kampung Kukus Part 2

Ingredients

400g all purpose flour

30g sugar

80g gula melaka

460ml water

4g instant yeast + 4 tbsp water

1 egg (whisked)

Directions

• mix together 2 type of sugar and water and whisk till all dissolved
• add in the yeast mixture
• add all ingredients including whisked egg into flour
• whisk to smooth batter
• cover the bowl and rest for 1 1/2 hour till bubbly
• evenly oil the cake mould and pre-heat in steamer
• pour bubbly mixture into the mould and steam for 30min
• cool down the cake before cutting and consuming

Foodnote: It is one of those days that I randomly feel like making a steam apam using another simple recipe that include an egg. Surprisingly it turns out nice and not sweet at all. I like this recipe too. I can eat it with brown/red sugar. Yummy and happy that I try this out.

Easiest Baguette

Ingredients

950g bread flour

16g salt

2g yeast

730ml water

Half amount with sourdough (KIV for future experimentation)

455g bread flour

8g salt

40g sourdough starter

345g water

diastatic malt

Directions

• mix all ingredients together till well combined
• cover the bowl and leave it for 8-10 hours (can keep in the oven)
• generously flour working surface (to avoid sticking) and transfer dough
• divide into 4 equal parts
• take each piece and stretch it gently into baguette shape
• place in baking tray with parchment paper or baguette tray
• bake in a pre-heated oven 250°C for approx 25min till golden brown

Foodnote: Saw this recipe so obviously must try. Most of the baguette recipe I tried is a bit tedious or have long list of ingredients. I am constantly searching for the most basic recipe out there. 

I tried with half of the recipe. Mixed the ingredients at 9pm at night and bake it at 7am the next day. I thought it wouldn't yield so much dough and use my 2.35 litre pyrex bowl with cover. Around 3am woke up and discovered that the cover pops and there's a bit of overflow. Quickly replace with a wok cover instead hehe.

475g prima bread flour

8g salt

1g instant SAF yeast

365g bottled filter water

Used the non-stick baguette tray and after shaping (which is basically just lightly stretching it into longish shape) sprayed the surface generously with water before popping it into the oven. Baked the bread at 240°C for 25min. Smell good while baking in the oven. Amazing that the crinkle dough puffed up into smooth crispy baguette yippee!!!

Going to try using sourdough and also add diastatic malt to make the crumbs softer. Find this a bit chewy but nice & crispy when toasted. 

Easy Foccacia (Same Day Bake)

Ingredients

500g bread flour

4-5g instant yeast

400g warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp honey

Directions

• in a large bowl mix flour with instant yeast
• add in water and mix
• add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• cover the bowl and rest the sticky dough for 30min
• fold dough using spatula and rest for another 1hour
• wet hand and fold nsew followed by coil fold
• add generous amount of olive oil on baking tray to cover all surface
• transfer dough, cover the dough in oil and rest for another 30-45min
• meantime, prepare toppings if any (I'm using paprika powder, tomatoes and mild cheese)
• pre-heat oven to 240°C lowest rack with fan
• use finger to poke the dough and spread it out
• add toppings (eg. paprika, garlic powder, herbs etc), sprinkle salt and more olive oil
• bake 15min
• cool on cooling rack

Foodnote: So after making my sourdough foccacia, decided to try this easy recipe for same day bake.

Recipe is taken from here. It actually turns out good and yummy. At first I thought the bottom is a bit burnt but it was ok. Very nice when eaten hot as it will have very crispy crust. Next time I would not put it at lowest rack... lower but not that low hehe. Overall I am satisfied with this recipe and will definitely make it again. Will just lined with baking paper if I'm worried about over baking the base hehe.

Baked this again on 5 July to share with a friend when we catch up for dinner... and it is really so yummy eating it hot. Very crispy and delicious. I fold in the cheese before final 1hr resting so that the cheese can distribute in the dough. Can't stop eating so definitely will be a go to recipe for foccacia.

Apam Kampung

Ingredients

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 cups warm water (or coconut water)

3 cups wheat flour

11g instant yeast

Topping: steamed grated coconut

Directions

• mix brown sugar with water till all sugar is dissolved
• add flour and mix
• finally whisk in yeast
• rest for 1hr
• grease container and pour in the batter (don't mix)
• steam for 30-45min on medium high heat

Foodnote: I love steamed cake. Found out my eldest nephew likes apam kampung. Search youtube and come across this simple recipe and of course I must try it since I have all the ingredients on hand... except for grated coconut. Quickly got it from the supermarket and tadaaaa... made myself apam kampung. Will make this for my nephew next time yum yum... 

14 July update: Just learnt from a good friend that I can substitute the water with fresh coconut water for a more traditional tasting apam. Will be trying that next time at half the recipe first!

Open Crumb Sourdough Focacia

Ingredients

320g distilled water

100g active sourdough starter

400g bread flour

15g olive oil

8g salt

Directions

• 
  add starter to water and mix well
• add in bread flour and olive oil followed by salt
• once everything is well mixed, transfer to a well oiled container, cover and rest for 30min
• wet hand and do stretch and fold... cover the dough and rest for another 30min
• do a second stretch and fold.... cover and rest for 2-3 hours
• coil fold and leave the dough in the fridge for 14-16 hours
• lightly dust work surface
• shape like sourdough and place in baking pan
• let it rest for 3hrs
• 
  in another bowl... mix 15g of olive oil and 15g water (salamoia)
• prepare desired toppings
• pour the mixture of oil+water over the dough
• with wet fingers, make classic holes
• press and insert toppings into holes as deep as possible as it might pop back up
• topped a sprinkle of sea salt and olive oil
• bake at 230°C for 25min till golden brown

Foodnote: Recipe from here. Decided that it is time to move from sourdough bread to focaccia hehe. I still have jalapeno and cheddar cheese so decided to use these. Also added sunflower seeds for colour and crunch. Turns out soft and nice for a first home attempt. Next time will make it flatter on a tray. Good recipe and very yummeh... I ate it with nasi lemak sambal Happy Family brand bought from Sheng Siong. Very nice and so spicy!!

Lontong

Ingredients
1.5kg rice (beras cina)
fresh banana leaves
water for boiling

sturdy stick or toothpick

string (for using lontong mould)

Directions

• soak rice in water for an hour or more and drain it afterwards
• roll banana leaf in cyclindrical shape (glossy side in) at least 2 rounds when using mold and 3 rounds when doing the traditional way
• fasten one end with stick or sturdy toothpick
• fill rice about half (slightly more) of the cylinder and secure the open end with stick
• arrange lontong in a big pot and fill water to cover
• top up with boiling water regularly whenever water level recedes
• boil for up to 4 hours until lontong are firm
• let the lontong cool (standing) for about 1 hour before releasing from the mould

Foodnote
I bought stainless steel lontong mould online from an Indonesian seller. The process to make lontong using the mould is basically the same but need less banana leaves. Need to secure the edges using string (I use dried grass straw that is usually used to tie bak chang) or it might burst open (learn it the hard way in the past ~sigh). I only have 12 pieces of the stainless steel mould + 6 aluminium ones that I bought from a shop locally so I have to add some made the traditional way. The smaller the cylinder the nicer the lontong will be because of the aroma of banana leaves infused to the rice... yum yum.

From the last photo, left to right... lontong made the traditional way, in aluminium mould bought from a shop near my place and the stainless steel one.

Update 2024

This year decided to make the small lontong to gift to my maklong. Using just 8 stainless steel lontong mold. I got smarter... instead of tying the loose caps, I tighten it by sticking in toothpicks! So easy and turns out well. I use fragrant rice and the lontong came out soft. Perhaps need to add a bit more. Also I only boil for 3hrs. Will boil for 4hours next time and wash the lontong in cold water after boiling. I understand that it will keep the lontong longer. I gave my maklong 4 lontong and kept 3 pcs in the freezer. I use shrink wrap and put the lontongs in ziplock. Next time, can just steam it to eat with gado2 or kuah satay.

 

Biskut Cornflakes

Ingredients

240g butter

100g icing sugar

200g plain flour

50g corn flour

40g/1 cup cornflakes (lightly crushed)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups cornflakes for toppings

optional: cherries

Directions

• in a large bowl, mix butter with icing sugar using spatula
• add vanilla mix followed by corn flour
• mix in plain flour
• finally add in crushed cornflakes
• keep in the fridge for 15mins
• pre-heat oven to 160°C top + bottom heat
• dough will be sticky
• scoop with spoon and drop in cornflakes topping
• round the dough and place in baking tray or paper cup
• bake in middle rack for 20min

Foodnote: For 2024 Hari Raya, feel like making ol skool cookie. So I made these! Very easy to make and so yummy! I really love this. I added chopped cherries though it is not so visible. Will use paper cups next time.