Home made noodle - 手工面

手工面/板面

Have you ever though of making your very own noodle at home? I have never thought I could do so too until I try them.

There are a lot of Chinese web sites teaching people how to make home made noodles. I have tried making them over 3 times. Twice by adding wholemeal flour for texture , flavour and fiber and once by add pumpkin. Pumpkin give the noodle a nice and nature yellow and also fiber.

The noodle that I have made previous were nice but my only complain was, they were too soft. The texture were just not the same as those that we eat outside. So, one day while I was waiting for the lady at the 手工面 stall to cook my noodle, I actually asked her why the texture of those 手工面 that I have made at home were different from what I taste from those that I eat outside. She told me to reduce the water in the recipe.

Today, I have decided to give it a try by reducing the water and add an egg into the recipe and the 手工面 turn out to be more Q(chewy) and not like the past too soft for my like.

Here is the recipes (good for 2 Adult, 2 Children)

350g All purpose Flour / plain flour
50g Wholemeal Flour
135cc Water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Methods
1. Put both the flour into a large working bowl. Add all the water into the bowl and work out a dough.
2. Continue to use the heel of your palm, with pressure, knead the dough until no more flour is at the side of the bowl and no more wet flour sticks to your hand and the dough becomes smooth.
3. Place the dough in a bowl or leave it in the same working bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 30-40 mins
4. Sprinkle some plain flour on your working top to prevent the dough from sticking to it, place the rested dough on it.
5. Roll the dough slowly into a thin sheet about 30cm x 40cm. Sprinkle some plain flour on top of the thin dough to prevent it from sticking together. Fold the 2 edge of the dough towards the centre into 3 folds.
6. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into about 1cm in width. Dust lots of all purpose flour on the cut noodle to prevent then from sticking together.

To Cook:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place the cut noodle into the boiling water and stir the noodle constantly to prevent it from sticking to the pot .
2. When the water is being to boil again after you have placed the noodle inside, pour in one more cup of room temperature water. When the water being to boil again, off the fire and remove the noodle from the stove
3. Pour the noodle into a big sieve and drain away the water. Run the noodle under tap water to prevent the noodle from sticking together.

Note:
I usually make the noodle good enough for 1 meal. You can try making more than you consume on that day.  Keep the uncooked noodle in a freeze and take it out from the fridge and cook it direct when the water is boiled. Do not have to take it out too soon as the noodle will stick together when it is defrosted.

You can also reduce the portion by dividing the quantity above into 2

If you have a noodle cutting machine, roll the dough into the width that can go through the noodle cutting machine. Start from the thickest measurement. Slowly reduce the thickest by adjusting the machine. I would recommend that you stop at 4 (measurement) as if the noodle gets too thin, the texture will not become QQ or chewy. The thickest my machine can go is 7, then after that I go to 5, then end at 4.  Once you get the thickness you want, you can start cutting the noodle to one of the width that you like

Easy Egg Tart

We all love Egg Tart!

But the Egg Tart selling here in Singapore is getting more and more expensive!

So, being wise with my $$$, I decided to bake my own.

Remember the Pampas brand Puff pastry that I have used in my previous post for Easy Apple Pie? I use them for this recipe as well.

By using the puff pastry, you can save a lot of time and the puff pastry does give the egg tart a fluffy outer layer.

Here is what you need (make 9)

3 eggs

125 cc milk
Fine sugar 40g
Vanilla essence 1 teaspoon or Rum 1/2 teaspoon (this will take away the smell of the egg)

1 sheet of Puff Pastry*
Method:

1.  Pour 125cc milk + 40g sugar in a small pot, put on stove over low heat for about 3-4 mins until sugar
    dissolve, add in vanilla essence or rum, set aside. (You can feel it by putting your finger in the milk. Milk
    should feel like shower water temperature)

2. Whisk the 3 eggs in a large bowl, whisk the egg gently until the white and yolk well combine. Do not over
    bit the egg as you will get lots of bubbles which we do not want that. If there is lots of bubble, your egg
    tart will be full of holes after baking.

3. Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture. Pour slowly and stir the mixture at the same time until both egg
    & milk are well incorporated . (This is why you need to place egg mixture in a large bowl).  

4. Sieve the egg & milk mixture into a jar for easy pouring of the mixture into the puff pastry  (this step will
    sieve out the transparent egg white)

5. Take a sheet of Puff pastry out from the pack direct from the freezer. When the puff pastry is a little soft,

    divide into 9 equal pieces

6. Place the cut puff pastry into either muffins tray or egg tart mould, try to create a depth so that you can

    pour the egg mixture in

7. Pour the mixture into the tart mould about 90% full

8. Put into a preheat oven @180C and bake for 20-22 mins till the filling is firm

9. Remove from over, unmould when mould is not too hot.

Note:

*

I bought this Pampas brand Puff pastry from Phoon Huat. It is also available at Cold storage. Or you may use any brand puff pastry for this.

Do not take out the puff pastry too early and only take out the exact quantity. Once expose to hot weather, the puff pastry will be very soft and may be difficult to handle

If you want to make more (18) just multiply the recipe  

Easy Apple Pie

My family and I love sweet and crunchy red apples. Hence, there is always apple in fridge.

But... there is one small problem. If I did not cut and serve the apples... there will be "forgotten" in the fridge and over time became a bit soft.

Throw them away? No, I don't do that and I have always taught my children not to waste food, any food, especially rice.  There are many many unfortunate people out there in other parts of the world that don't even have food.

You can now turn your soft apples into a nice and quick dessert. I have made this a few times and each time, this dessert moves so fast that I don't really have any opportunity to take a nice picture of it.

Total prepare time, depending on your cutting skills :)  I would say around 8-10mins. Total cooking time about 20 mins. I ever baked this after our dinner at around 8pm!

What you need

2 red apple

1 sheet of Puff pastry *

20ml lemon juice

10g brown sugar

A pinch of Cinnamon power (optional)

10g Butter (not too soft/ cut into small dice)

Methods

Pre heat over to 170C

Peel and cut the apple into half or quarter (but not too small) remove the core and seeds

Slice the red apple to long thin slices like what you see in the picture and place them it a bowl

Add the 20ml lemon juice, 10g brown sugar, cinnamon power into the apple and give it a good rub. The lemon juice not only gives the apple pie a nice flavour but will also prevent the apple from oxidising

Take a sheet of Puff pastry out from the pack direct from the freezer

When the puff pastry is a little soft, divide into 4 equal pieces, place them on a baking tray with some distance apart.

Line the apple slice nicely on top of the puff pastry. Finish all the apple slices on the 4 equal pieces

Top the apple pie with the pre cut butter dice

Bake in the oven for 20mins. 

Leave the apple pie in the oven for another 5mins before removing from the baking tray

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or eat it on it's own

I hope you will try it

Note:

*

I bought this Pampas brand Puff pastry from Phoon Huat. It is also available at Cold storage. Or you may use any brand puff pastry for this.

Do not take out the puff pastry too early and only take out the exact quantity. Once expose to hot weather, the puff pastry will be very soft and may be difficult to handle

Orange Cake with Orange marmalade

According to source from the Internet, Orange is the most commonly grown fruit tree in the world.

Orange is nice on it own as a fruit or fruit juice, it is also rich in vitamin C. Orange can also be used in cooking. Orange can also be used in aroma therapy oil.

I have made this Orange Cake a few times. This cake has a very nice smell and is soft and sweet. It taste even better if you add in the Orange marmalade, it gives a little texture to this cake.

But again, I made them in small muffin cup to reduce the baking time. Small muffin cup is also more presentable when you give them away.

What you need

150g unsalted butter, soften*

180 Caster sugar

4 medium eggs (lightly beaten)

grated orange zest from 2 oranges

250g self raising flour (sifted)

120ml freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoon full of Orange marmalade (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 21cm oblong cake tin. I line 12 big/ 24 small muffins cup.
2. Use an electrical beater, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add in the beaten egg over 3-4 times. Beating thoroughly after each addition.
4. Add in the Orange marmalade and beat until combined. (omit this step if you are not adding)
5. Add in the 2 orange zest and mix well with a spatula.
6. Using the spatula, fold in sifted flour, Stir until just combined
7. Slowly mix in the orange juice and stir until the mixture is well Incorporated and smooth.
8. Spoon mixture into prepared tin, smooth surface. Bake 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Leave cake in oven (power off) for another 5  mins before turning onto a wire race to cool.
or

8. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cup. Bake for about 15 - 18mins in big muffins cup or 10 -12 mins on small muffins cup or  until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Off the oven, leave the cake in the oven for another 5mins before removing muffins cup from muffin tray.

Note:
* if you do not have unsalted butter, salted butter is fine too

Fried Bee Hoon (Chinese Glass Noodle)

What? You must be asking "Who does not know how to fry Bee Hoon? "

No, today I am not going to share with you how to fry Bee Hoon.

I am sharing with you a tip to get Bee Hoon that is "Q" ie springy and you do not need to put a lot, a lot of oil to fry it to prevent it from sticking to your frying pan. And thereafter add lots of water to make sure it is well cooked.

Sound good right? Again, this is easy to achieve.

What do you need

A big pot

Water (enough to cover your dried bee hoon)
½ packet of Bee Hoon (the portion is up to you)

Another empty pot with lid

Method

Fill the big pot with water, bring the water to boil.

Put the Bee Hoon straight from the packaging into the pot. (Yes, you do not need to pre-soak it)
Cook the Bee Hoon in the boiling water till soft

Remove the Bee Hoon from the boiling water and put them straight into the empty pot. Cover the pot with the lid and let the Bee Hoon rest inside for about 10 mins. This step will keep the Bee Hoon moist and Q (spongy).

10 mins later, your Bee Hoon is ready to be use for frying.

Remember, you do not need to add a lot of oil.  You only need oil to fried your garlic, ingredients and add in the Bee Hoon last. When the Been Hoon is well coated with the seasoning (ie you don't see any white Bee Hoon) your Been Hoon is done.

See my fried Been Hoon below :)

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Have you ever ended up buying some food item such as mayonnaise, jam, peanut butter in a larger capacity because the price for the large ones and the medium/small one is only 50cents different?

I have a big bottle of peanut butter about 800g in my kitchen which was bought because of the 50cents :)
This peanut butter is moving very slowing as my kids prefer to eat the apple jam and mango jam that I have made.

So, in order to "move" the peanut butter faster, I search through my old cookery book and found this "Peanut Butter Banana Cake" receipt.

This cake is very nice, you can chew on the crunchy peanut, can smell the sweet banana while you were eating it. It smells very nice even before it was bake due to the peanut butter.

The receipt suggested to make this cake in a 21cm oblong cake tin and the baking time is 1hour!!!

Cannot lah. Singapore electricity is so expensive. So I decided to bake this cake into small muffins cup. And the cooking time is only 10mins for 21 small muffins cup. Plus, I can give some away without having to cut, pack...

Here is the receipt:-

125g unsalted butter
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter * 1
1/4 cup wholemeal flour *2
1 & 3/4 cup self-raising flour *3
1 cup mashed banana *4

Methods:

Preheat oven to 180C. My oven only have 175 C.
Brush a deep 21 x 14 x 7cm loaf tin with oil. Line the base and sides with paper, grease the paper.
Or line your muffin tray with muffin cup.

1. Using electric beater, beat butter, sugar and honey in a large bowl until light and creamy.  Add eggs gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add peanut butter, beat until combined.

2. Add banana, use a metal spoon, fold in sifted flour, including husks. Stir until just combined and the mixture is almost smooth.

3. Spoon mixture into prepared tin, smooth surface. Bake 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Leave cake in tin for 10 mins before turning onto a wire race to cool. Serve sliced and speed with butter, if desired.

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3*  Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cup. Bake for about 10mins on 175C or  until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Remove muffins cup from muffin tray immediately.

 * Notes
1) Original receipt call for 1/3 peanut butter, but since I don't have this size plus I love peanut butter, so, I use 1/2 cup. I love peanut butter

2) & 3) Flour - original receipt call for 2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour. Since I don't have, I mixed wholemeal flour and self-raising flour.

4) use soft, very ripe banana for this cake.  Mash them with a fork.

Let me know if you have any questions

Lemon Grass Green Tea

Don't really like to drink plain water?


Would prefer drinks with flavour? Something low fat?

Well, you may want to consider try this - Lemon Grass Green Tea. 

Lemon Grass has many benefits and is commonly used in cooking.  Google to find out more about it yourself ok?

Have you ever try it in your drink? It's very refreshing! You can drink it cold on a hot day or hot what you want something soothing. And the biggest attraction is: it's easy to prepare! 

What you need:

A large pot

2 little of water

3 - 4 stalks of lemon grass

2 green tea bag (any brand)

180g - 200g Sugar (depending on individual, I didn't add)

or Honey (can add to the drink when you are drinking)

Method

Cut the lemon grass diagonal, by cutting diagonal, you are able to release more flavour from the lemon grass.

Remove the paper tag from the tea bag as this tea bag is going into the water

It a large pot, pour the 2 little of water in it. Place all the lemon grass, and the 2 green tea bag into the pot.

Bring the water + lemon grass + green tea to boil. Let it boil for 5 mins. Off the fire and let the lemon grass and tea bag soak inside for another 5 mins.

Sieve the drink into a tea pot or jar. You can serve it either hot or cold

I had mine with the Lemon Honey I made.