Boiled Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas

1 bay leaf

3-4 cloves

few curry leaves

few dried chillies (optional)

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tsp chicken seasoning (optional)

2 tsp baking soda

Directions

• wash and soak chickpeas overnight
• drain the water and replace with fresh water to boil the chickpeas together with bay leaf, cloves and curry leaves for 1 hour
• scoop and remove any white foams that appear on the surface of the water
• after 1hr add in the baking soda and stir well and boil for another 30min
• add in the sea salt and chicken seasoning and stir well and boil for another 30min (total 2hours)
• check that the chickpeas is soft enough, remove from stove and drain

Foodnote: Since I love chickpeas, decided to learn to prepare it myself as buying the dried ones is very cheap. After checking the internet, fail on first try as my chickpeas turn out too chewy... finally success! I don't have pressure cooker so boiling time takes 2hours. But it is worth it. I can boil a lot next time and freeze it. When I want to eat it... just steam it again woohoo. So happy! Munching while WFH.

Ciabatta

Ingredients

340g biga or levain

800g bread flour

5g malt flour

22g salt

15g yeast

10g soya flour

610g water

50g olive oil

Directions

• mix dry ingredients together and add to biga or levain in a mixing bowl with paddle attachment
• on low speed mix for 3min and medium speed for 7min till clean up stage (window pane)
• get a large rectangular tray and oil generously with olive oil
• pour out the dough into the tray and spread the dough evenly to the edges
• cover with clingwrap and leave to rest for 1 hour
• using a scraper, push down the edges of the dough to loosen 
• flour the working surface (size bigger than tray)
• carefully and swiftly turn over the tray so that the dough would fall over the flour
• using a scraper, gently shape the dough to rectangle shape by pushing the flour to all edges
• with the scraper, make marks to divide the dough to 12 rectangular pieces (3x4)
• cut each dough carefully and scoop with the scraper to quickly transfer to baking tray lined with baking paper
• adjust the shape to rectangular shape
• proof the dough for another 1hour
• bake at 190°C for 18 to 20min

Foodnote: Happy to finally get to learn to bake my own ciabatta bread. Well it is a faster version of making ciabatta but it still turns out good. It is a very sticky dough so must be very careful when handling it especially to transfer the soft dough to the baking tray. Maybe one day... if I have lots of time, will try to make it without the yeast with lots of folding (the traditional way... we don't have time for that in class) because according to my chef, of course it will taste better! Anyway, packed one with tuna mayo & cheese for my niece to bring to work and froze the rest for other days. Best kept frozen for up to 6 months woohoo.

Foccacia

Ingredients

400g levain

800g bread flour

3g malt flour

22 salt

15g yeast

10g soya flour

500g water

30g oil

2g dried herbs

olive oil

optional: chopped olives, fresh herbs, tomatoes for garnishing

Directions

• mix all dry ingredients together and add to the levain in a mixer with paddle attachments and lastly add in the water
• on low speed, mix for 2min and medium speed for 6min till clean up stage (window pane)
• transfer dough on working surface... with lightly oiled hand and a scraper, round the dough by tucking in tightly
• cover the dough with a large bowl and leave to proof for 30min
• divide the dough into 12pcs at approximately 145g each
• round each dough on the tray and proof for another 30min
• brush each dough with olive oil generously and using oiled fingers, poke the dough to form few holes (at this stage, can add herbs, olives or tomatoes)
• rest the dough for another 15min or so
• pre-heat the oven at 190°C
• right before baking, brush the top generously with oil again and poke through the holes once more to form the signature foccacia design
• sprinkle sea salt lightly over the foccacia
• bake for 18 to 20mins

Foodnote: Don't think I have ever ate foccacia before but good to learn to make it because I've been seeing some people making foccacia garden art like this. So yeah... maybe next time I will make it in a pan and do a bit of decorations and gift it to someone who appreciate it :)

Saw on youtube where they add sliced garlic, fresh rosemary and pepper flakes to olive oil... soak lightly before brushing on the foccacia before baking. Looks yummy so hope to one day make this.

Spicy Chickpeas / Chilli Chana

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of dry chickpeas 

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp smoked paprika powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chicken stock powder (optional)

sea salt to taste

sugar to taste

2 tbsp oil for frying

Directions

• soak chickpeas overnight and boil for 2 hours till soft (add a pinch of salt)
• drain the chickpeas, add olive oil, paprika, cumin powder, cayenne pepper and sea salt
• mix well
• using a non-stick pan, add oil till hot then add in the chickpeas
• cook till the chickpeas is crispy... ready to serve

Foodnote: I love chickpeas so decided to cook this. Actually I just agak2 the recipe and it turns out yummy. Will definitely make this again as snacks. For healthier version... I will bake it in the oven next time. Maybe it will turn out crunchy... nom nom nom.

Decorative Braid Bread

Ingredients

1000g plain flour

50g skim milk powder

100g sugar

15g salt

100g cold butter (cut cubes)

6g yeast

550g water

5-10g of flavor (eg. pandan essence, coffee or herb)

Directions

• in a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, add all ingredients and mix at low speed for 5-8min (dough will be heavy) till window pane stage
• divide to 50g "hot dog shape" and rest in chiller for 1-4 hours
• shape with 5 braids: 5 over 2 >  1 over 3 > 2 over 3 > repeat till end
• final proof for 1 hour
• brush with egg wash
• bake at 160°-180°C for 15 to 20min

Foodnote: Very nice to dip in hot milo or coffee or tea!! The bread is not as soft as zopf/challah but the dough is easier to manage... that is why it is more suitable for decoration to make other shapes. Perhaps as a gift basket or something. Happy to learn to make braided breads woot woot.

Tortilla

Ingredients

(100%) 500g plain flour

(0.8%) 4g yeast

(2%) 10g salt

(5%) 25g sugar

(12%) 60g shortening

(1.5%) 7g baking powder

(0.5%) 3g skim milk powder

(50%) 250g water

25g 100°C water + 5g yeast mixture (to ensure that dough don't shrink)

Directions

• 
  develop the dough: in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, dry mix all the dry ingredients
• add in the shortening and all the ingredients
• mix at low speed for 2min and medium speed at 5min till dough comes together
• divide to 40g each, round and rest for 1-4 hours at room temperature
• take each dough on a lightly floured work space and roll the dough to 1mm thickness
• grill for 1min or each side till dark brown spots are visible

Foodnote: Another lovely recipe. The tortilla stays soft after a few days kept in the chiller. Just need to put on grill over non-stick pan for a short while to heat it up both sides and wrap away! I wrap with shredded grilled chicken, scramble egg, japanese mayo and chilli sauce for my niece to bring to work. Next time will make the wrap bigger 60g each so I can make bigger healthy wraps with salad. Definitely a keeper!

Zopf Bread / Challah

Ingredients

700g plain flour (can be subsituted: 350g bread flour + 350g cake flour)

300g bread flour

60g sugar

3 eggs (160g)

30g yeast

20g salt

80g oil

500ml water

Directions

• in a mixer bowl with paddle attachment, add all dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 1min
• all the rest of ingredients at low speed for 2min and medium speed for 8min (window pane stage)
• divide each dough to 50g each and roll to round shape
• flour baking tray and place each dough on the try and leave in the chiller for 4hrs
• take 6 dough... each dough roll flat and roll again like swiss roll
• using the palm of hands, roll the edges so that it will be narrow at the edges and fat in the middle
• pinch the top of the 6 long dough together and do 6 braids
• formula for 6 braids > 6-1 then 1-6 (cross over) > 1 over 3 > 5 over 1 > 6 over 4 > 2 over 6 > repeat 1 over 3
• final proof for 1 hour
• brush with egg wash and sprinkle with castor sugar
• bake at 170°C for 15-20min

Foodnote: I love this bread. It stays soft on the 3rd day. I just heat it up to get the skin crispy and eat it with Lurpak butter. For braided bread, the middle must be fatter so that it will stay soft and not dry up. Will definitely make this again. Very nice to eat and nice to giveaway to friends or family.

White Bread with Cheese Topping

Ingredients

400g levain (can replace with Poolish)

800g bread flour

20g salt

10g yeast

550g water

10g soya flour

Directions

• add all ingredients in a mixing bowl with paddle attachment
• whisk under low speed for 2min and medium speed for 3-4min till clean up stage
• add some oil and mix again under low speed just so that the dough don't stick to the bowl
• cover the mixing bowl with clingwrap and leave for 1-2 hour till dough double in size
• place dough on workspace and fold the dough - NSEW
• intermediate proof the dough for 10-15min
• divide the dough into 3 parts, round it and place in a baking tray (no oil)
• final proof for another 40min
• sprinkle shredded cheese, icing sugar and pipe mayonnaise on the bread
• bake at 220°C for 30mins (no fan) - 10min into baking, open the door of oven to release steam and reduce temperature to 200°C... after another 10min reduce the temprature to 180°C
• do note that during baking, the bread with rise but it will fall again once out of the oven because of released air... but the bread will still be soft

Foodnote: Very nice bread with the cheese, though will also be nice on it's own. I cooked chicken curry and it is really yummy. The top is a bit sweet and crispy. Very happy to learn to make this bread.