Chicken Curry without Coconut Milk

Ingredients
half chicken
dry spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise)
1 stalk curry leaves
2 red onion
3 garlic
2 cm ginger
1 large tomato
1 cup of babas extra spicy meat curry powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp Adabi tamarind paste
potato or carrot or ladies finger (I only have carrot)
1 chicken cube
salt and sugar to taste
oil

Directions

• prepare by blending onion, garlic and ginger and put aside
• mix curry, cumin and coriander powder with water and put aside
• in a wok or pan, fry 4 dry spices in oil together with curry leaves
• add in onion, garlic and ginger mixture and fry till fragrant
• add in chopped tomato and followed by curry paste
• add about 2 cups of water
• cook till oil separates
• then add in chicken parts and continue cooking till chicken is about 3/4 cook
• add more water to your desired consistency if required
• add tamarind paste, chicken cube and potato, carrot or ladies finger
• add salt and sugar to taste and continue to simmer carrot have soften and chicken in cooked... tasting occasionally
• can add cherry tomatoes for added color and flavor... and done!

Foodnote

I have decided that I like my curry without coconut milk. It is more flavorful and eemmm healthier? Nice to eat with rice, lempeng or jeng jeng jeng... french loaf or baguette.

Kueh Keria Keledek

Ingredients
sweet potato (red or white... potato also can. I use indonesian sweet potato... very sweet)
plain flour
a pinch of salt
oil for frying
sugar or gula melaka

Directions

• steam or boil sweet potato till soft
• once cooled, remove skin and mash it lightly
• add a pinch of salt and fold in flour gradually till dough is formed (it's ok if dough is a bit sticky as long it can be formed into shape)
• take about a handful of dough round and create donut shape
• deep fry the kueh till a bit golden
• cool on a kitchen towel and put aside
• in a wok, cook sugar with a bit of water
• once sugar dissolved and syrup is bubbling add in the kueh and stir till fully coated
• switch off the flame and keep stirring till the sugar crystallized (all water have evaporated)
• if you don't like too sweet... the kueh can also be coated with icing or fine sugar while it is warm

Foodnote
Aaahh... another of my favorite very sweet comfort food besides ondeh-ondeh. I am such a sucker for sweet potato. Give me kueh keria over doughnut anytime. Ooohh... so yumm!

Beef Tendon Curry

Ingredients
500g sliced beef tendon
1 cinnamon
2 star anise
2 cardamom
2 clove
2 large red onion
4-5 garlic
2cm ginger

1cm galanghal
4 tbsp spicy meat curry powder

1 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp coriander powder

curry leaves

1 large chopped tomato

1 potato cut into cubes
2 fresh green chilli (cut in half length-wise)

ghee/oil for frying, salt and sugar to taste

Directions

• blend onion, garlic, ginger and galaghal
• in another bowl combine meat curry, fennel, coriander powder and mix well with a bit of water to become a paste
• heat ghee/oil in a wok and fry cinnamon, clove, cardamom, star anise and curry leaves till fragrant
• add blended ingredients followed by curry paste
• add chopped tomato and a cup of water.. keep cooking for about 10-15mins more adding water if it gets a bit too dry
• add the beef tendon and simmer for about 10 mins in low heat.. stir occasionally so that meat is blended well with curry paste
• add salt and sugar to taste
• add a bit more water, potato and green chilli and simmer till meat and potato is tender
• taste again... and add more salt and sugar if necessary

Foodnote

I made this to eat with my bread especially the crispy warm french loaf. I love my curry with thick spicy gravy. First time I tried cooking beef tendon curry and I'm hooked. Will make again... this time to eat with roti kirai! Yummy

White Bread

Ingredients
Group A
400g bread flour
24g sugar
8g milk powder
2g bread improver
6g yeast

Group B
240g water

Group C
6g salt
24g butter

Directions

• mix Group A together by whisking or on low speed for 1min using dough hook
• add Group B using low speed for 2mins
• add Group C using low speed for 1min and medium speed for about 10mins till dough is shiny, elastic and thin membrane is formed
• round and rest dough for 10min
• weigh dough and divide equally into 2 parts
• round each dough, cover in cling wrap and rest for 10mins
• oil working table and roll out dough (punch the air out) into rectangular shape
• roll tightly and pinch dough forward on 'ugly' side
• cut the roll into four and arrange into oiled baking tin (including the lid if using it) for sandwich loaf or just put whole dough into the loaf tin for open top
• proof for about 1 hour (put in oven that is not turn on together with a bowl of steaming hot water) until the dough is about 90% proofed
• preheat oven at 170 degree celcius for 10-15mins (top bottom heat with fan)
• place loaf tin on tray to hold any oil that may drip out from the loaf tin
• use lower rack and if baking 2 loaves, leave a space between them
• bake open top for 30mins or sandwich loaf for 35mins
• remove from baking tin (inside temperature of bread should be about 97°C) and cool on a rack for about 30mins before serving

Feedback

Got this recipe from the chef... so I tried it out. So soft and of course yummy... but the flour used is only 400g vs 500g for milk loaf. So my bread doesn't fill up the covered bread tin. Next time, I will just bake this as open top instead. Still it is super soft and I have bread for my lunch tomorrow.. yeaahh!

Donuts Glaze

Nutella Glaze
200g nutella
50g oil (do not use aromatic oil eg. olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil etc)

Peanut Butter Glaze
200g peanut butter
50g oil

Hazelnut Glaze
50g hazelnut ganache
100g white chocolate
100g oil

Directions

• combine and melt ingredients in double boiler method (or in microwave)

Creamy Glaze (like Krispy Kreme)

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1.5 tsp vanilla

4-6 tbsp of hot water

Directions

• heat butter until melted and remove from heat
• stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth
• stir in water a tbsp at a time until desired consistency
• can double dip for thicker sugar glaze

Chocolate Frosting

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1.5 tsp vanilla

4-6 tbps hot water

4 ounces of chocolate chips

Directions

• heat butter and chocolate chips until melted and remove from heat
• stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth
• stir in water a tbsp at a time until desired consistency

Foodnotes: Donut recipe here or can try other donuts recipe in this blog.

Donuts

Ingredients
Group A
350g bread flour
25g sugar
21g milk powder
4g yeast
2g bread improver

Group B
21g egg yolk (2pc)
70g whipping cream
77g ice (crushed)
77g ice water

Group C
6g salt
42g butter

crisco (no trans fat) for frying

Directions

• dry mix Group A at low speed for 1min
• pour in Group B at low speed for 3min
• add in Group C and mix at low speed for 5min followed by 8min on medium speed till shiny, elastic and thin membrane is formed
• round and rest for 10min (can be clingwrapped and stored in freezer at this stage)
• roll dough our to about 0.8mm thickness
• cut with floured or oiled donut cutter (or pleat the balance dough)
• put on floured parchment paper and proof for about 25mins or more till dough looks light and fluffy (can leave in oven with a bowl of steaming hot water)
• heat crisco at about 180°C 
• slide donut carefully into hot oil and fry both sides till golden brown (gently scoop hot oil over doughnut while frying)
• cool on rack and use any topping or glaze of your choice

Foodnote
Very nice and soft donuts. Point to note... "scrap" dough cannot be rolled again and reuse immediately. It have to be mixed again on mixer till shiny, elastic and thin membrane is formed... round and rest another 10min and same process continues. However it can be used immediately to form pleated donuts... 

Wholemeal Bread

Ingredients
Group A
300g bread flour
19g castor sugar
6g yeast
(4g crusty improver for rapid fermentation. Directions/information to follow here)

Group B
75g wholemeal flour
244g water

Group C
7g salt
19g unsalted butter

Directions

• beat Group A at low speed for 1min
• add Group B and beat at low speed for 2min
• add in Group C beat for 1min at low speed and 6min on medium speed
• dough is more sticky than French loaf and there would be a flapping sound when it is ready/done
• check for thin membrane and shiny dough (final temp should be between 28-30°C)
• rounding rest for 1hour floor time
• scale accordingly but do not round (clean up the dough... tuck in small cuts of dough)
• (eg. baguette - 150g, 2x cobb - 100g, 2x batard - 225g)
• rest for another 10min
• dough will be a bit sticky... do not use oil. Wet hand with water to handle dough
• shape and rest for 45mins depend on surrounding time
• touch up - to coat bread in german oats or mixed nuts etc, carefully roll dough on wet towel then coat with toppings and make sure to put the folded side back down on the tray
• mist the dough before baking in the oven for 25-30mins at 200°C
• remember to leave a bowl of ice in the oven to achieve a more crusty bread

Foodnote
I love this artisan wholemeal bread. Can't wait to get my baguette tray to make plain and wholemeal baguettes. This is another class that I look forward to. Now I am happy that I have the knowledge to make it myself.

I have not practiced making bread for a long time... so when I tried this, it is not up to expectation. The dough is supposed to be soft but mine looks like a mess urrgghh. The outcome looks fine taste good but there is still room for improvement. Going to try and try again... 

Kinder Bueno Rolls

Ingredients

Group A
10 cold eggs (6 whole+4 yolks)
130g castor sugar
80g Hong Kong flour (sifted)
15g corn flour (sifted)
1 tbsp ovallette
0.5tsp baking powder

Others
1.5 tsp vanilla essense
120g unsalted butter melted

Directions

• whisk Group A at low speed for 1min
• use medium speed and whisk for 15min till thick and volume double
• add vanilla essense and whisk at low speed for 1min
• fold into melted butter using a spatula
• pour 160g batter in a 8x8x1 tray that have been lined with baking paper
• bake for 10-12mins at 180°C using top+bottom heat without fan
• cake to be rolled once cooled

Nutella Butter Cream

Ingredients
Group A
100g icing sugar (sieve)
250g cold butter

Group B
50g nutella
1tsp cocoa powder
0.5 tsp vanilla essence

Group C
70g cold UHT milk

Directions

• cream Group A till light and fluffy
• add in Group B till well mixed
• add milk till well combined

Foodnote

Learn to make this together with kuih tapak kuda (nutella roll). I don't really like the one with kinder bueno. Just too sweet for me. The normal roll is fine. The difference between this and tapak kuda is that... for the later, we have to fold it as soon as it is out of the oven. For normal roll, we fold it once the cake is cool down. Interesting isn't it.