tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75688711768754677492024-03-06T08:58:47.031+01:00Samurai Viking CuisineI started this blog in 2009. Since then my life has changed somewhat and I only post photographs and recipes when I feel like it. Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-86606548490106798302018-08-14T15:02:00.000+02:002018-08-14T15:02:03.675+02:00Thai Fried Chicken from Marion's Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEH4A57X0qhy4EcLlNY629CGxQSLvFQiYj_ZXKCoxXvpUoQxth0WjK6Q7LZ7jA4m6IEq8gq1m8e3zOaUZ3_nsf9QNf6W5zfAfKOdidqeaVSkX8DEXoTsBqgfh2mQr_8LC21mj3hXDnDd9/s1600/Thai+Fried+Chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="886" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEH4A57X0qhy4EcLlNY629CGxQSLvFQiYj_ZXKCoxXvpUoQxth0WjK6Q7LZ7jA4m6IEq8gq1m8e3zOaUZ3_nsf9QNf6W5zfAfKOdidqeaVSkX8DEXoTsBqgfh2mQr_8LC21mj3hXDnDd9/s320/Thai+Fried+Chicken.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is from <a href="http://www.marionskitchen.com/southern-thai-fried-chicken" target="_blank">Marion's Kitchen</a>. I didn't make the fried shallots or sauce, but fried some red chilies in the oil with the chicken for some flavor.<br />
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This was very flavorful and interesting. Rice flour also results in a much crunchier crispier crust than wheat flour and it's even gluten-free if your children have celiac's disease.<br />
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Thai Fried Chicken - Adapted from Marion's Kitchen<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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1 Chicken Thigh (roughly 300g) - Deboned with the skin on<br />
2 Garlic Cloves<br />
2 Coriander Roots<br />
2 Tsp Soy Sauce<br />
1 Tsp Oyster Sauce<br />
1/4 Tsp Sugar<br />
Dash White Pepper<br />
1/8 Tsp Ground Cumin Seeds<br />
1/8 Tsp Turmeric Powder<br />
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt<br />
1/2 Cup Rice Flour<br />
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*Sunflower Oil for Deep Frying, or any oil of your choice<br />
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<b>Step 1:</b> Make the marinade by placing the garlic and coriander roots in a food processor.<br />
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<b>Step 2: </b> Transfer this into a bowl with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, ground cumin seeds, turmeric and salt. Mix.<br />
Note: You can also put everything into the food processor but I didn't want to put certain ingredients in there.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b> Cut the chicken thigh into bite sized pieces and put it into the bowl with the marinade and mix well. Marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.<br />
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<b>Step 4:</b> Dust the chicken in rice flour, shaking off the excess. <br />
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<b>Step 5:</b> Fill a saucepan to about 1/3 capacity with sunflower oil (or any other oil you use for frying) and heat it up over high heat. Dip a wooden spoon or chopsticks in to see if tiny bubble form. This is how you know when it's ready. <br />
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<b>Step 6: </b> You can put all the chicken into the oil and cook them until they float to the surface and a little brown but not done yet. <br />
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<b>Step 7: </b> Remove these onto a plate with paper and wash the remaining dishes.<br />
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<b>Step 8: </b> Heat-up the oil again and fry the chicken for a second time. You can add the dried red chilies at this point. The chicken is ready when they are golden brown. <br />
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Marion serves her chicken with crispy fried shallots and a sweet chili sauce topped with coriander, but I had mine plain. <br />
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The chicken was very crisp and juicy. Loved it. <br />
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-4752128565882875482018-08-12T18:27:00.002+02:002018-08-13T17:04:00.056+02:00Cabbage Kimchi <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzo3hCBRvweN8q6i_3LOFw5hQp5RRdyFD3HTv-AKzFRhibkW706hWveF4JSnyF8yDUG8xWFrM-wbfiB4rFafsy4xjfzqYuY1VeJljHVDHmBJHODT4jrl4iJc_sQMwpL4BkzuGjH9x6Ylo/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="882" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzo3hCBRvweN8q6i_3LOFw5hQp5RRdyFD3HTv-AKzFRhibkW706hWveF4JSnyF8yDUG8xWFrM-wbfiB4rFafsy4xjfzqYuY1VeJljHVDHmBJHODT4jrl4iJc_sQMwpL4BkzuGjH9x6Ylo/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This recipe was given to me by my friend Chi. Chi is a great cook among other things and she was nice enough to share this with some of us. This is basically a summer time Kimchi and isn't fermented for such a long time. During a hot summer 12 - 24 hours is enough, depending on how hot it is in your house.<br />
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<b>Cabbage Kimchi - Chi Hyun Han</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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1 Head of Cabbage - Remove outer leaves and tear into bite sized pieces<br />
1 1/2 Cup Sea Salt + 8 Liters Water for Brining<br />
1 Large Onion - Sliced<br />
8 Stalks Scallions - Cut into 4-5 cm portions<br />
2 Heaping Tbsps Minced Garlic<br />
1 Tbsp Sugar<br />
1 Tbsp Korean Brined Shrimp (Saeu-jeot) --> If you can't purchase this in your area, increase the amount of Fish Sauce* to 1/4 Cup<br />
3/4 Cup Korean Chili Flakes<br />
1/8 Cup Fish Sauce*<br />
1/2 Cup Water<br />
The biggest bowl in your house<br />
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<b>Step 1: </b> Put the pieces of cabbage in salt water at a ratio of 1/5 cups : 8 liters and brine for 2 hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29SQG0i7EXSduzcfkOHMTm7PjipKfZk0cnqTHOrUCW4WYkY3dwrtE6l53bWhvb37awWsYqBrRdOOqriTyOD-agjeTqqRcrAqMoVO0Di97lcHcsW61SVSM7tHQgibpFBZuvQGo0gYy0l2P/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="885" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29SQG0i7EXSduzcfkOHMTm7PjipKfZk0cnqTHOrUCW4WYkY3dwrtE6l53bWhvb37awWsYqBrRdOOqriTyOD-agjeTqqRcrAqMoVO0Di97lcHcsW61SVSM7tHQgibpFBZuvQGo0gYy0l2P/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 2: </b> Prepare the onion slices, garlic and scallions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDy2L3HMK9clhcSojkICoM_r5vNW3Z7DFFiDEAhWJssJ0JUpQFjMBvV7sALBjeh-mjtTFRJnMIzO9xVZEKZz_blYPq4dvf-nRYxKwVUD8xmnacM6OHSlwX5dzi_bcxFMc6Xo2BBU6L0CbR/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="882" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDy2L3HMK9clhcSojkICoM_r5vNW3Z7DFFiDEAhWJssJ0JUpQFjMBvV7sALBjeh-mjtTFRJnMIzO9xVZEKZz_blYPq4dvf-nRYxKwVUD8xmnacM6OHSlwX5dzi_bcxFMc6Xo2BBU6L0CbR/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 3: </b> After 2 hours, drain the cabbage and rinse them once or if you're using Spanish sea salt (gruesa), just drain it.<br />
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<b>Step 4: </b> Put the cabbage into a big bowl with the sliced onions, scallions garlic, sugar, brined shrimp, the fish sauce and chili flakes.<br />
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<b>Step 5: </b> Wear gloves to protect your hands and mix the ingredients so that the chili and everything else is spread evenly. Massage the ingredients gently while doing so.<br />
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<b>Step 6: </b>When everything is mixed quite well and quite wet, put this into your airtight container and pour in 1/2 Cup water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvLkT8QhKgMx5LttAzFmNpmwNckc9ymoDubzz7yAoZFqLXzFqn46OwPoM-QCzNBCZSwgFYYYPd5XUCQLapt5Dsn7B0rS5OvvYXcctrbZaM8jTPUE_YnFs6I924BDTXlNJpFU4f8PxfAkE/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="884" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvLkT8QhKgMx5LttAzFmNpmwNckc9ymoDubzz7yAoZFqLXzFqn46OwPoM-QCzNBCZSwgFYYYPd5XUCQLapt5Dsn7B0rS5OvvYXcctrbZaM8jTPUE_YnFs6I924BDTXlNJpFU4f8PxfAkE/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let it ferment at room temperature in the summer for roughly 24 hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjP5x5tzUL-XHFAu4f0OEJiXVMiwAup-6iR7uRBWPcyWcFSvE6t0ZWIrXSN7PSnzJvga2zSNAPv6aTYDykJghRJpiQwPSxq_Lkq_54mg7E-xPS3TPXKlf57XQ8nu0kdFOmGqShngKPPtT7/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="885" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjP5x5tzUL-XHFAu4f0OEJiXVMiwAup-6iR7uRBWPcyWcFSvE6t0ZWIrXSN7PSnzJvga2zSNAPv6aTYDykJghRJpiQwPSxq_Lkq_54mg7E-xPS3TPXKlf57XQ8nu0kdFOmGqShngKPPtT7/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Taste it at this point to see if it's ready. If it is store it in the refrigerator. If not, leave it out for a few more hours, testing it every 2 hours or so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOflBouwvBaZ-rrLlYJKV7qW-NKraG_cKIwkkKzrEbhADpscXbDR6SDUGMEDOM5-68qbxM82N3zMDaOsd1kKcsJo_qCY7dalD3Sfolxm13d_dQvKt7ez44wY-amyNUEPZ7Cq4ZtRM9oWG/s1600/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="885" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOflBouwvBaZ-rrLlYJKV7qW-NKraG_cKIwkkKzrEbhADpscXbDR6SDUGMEDOM5-68qbxM82N3zMDaOsd1kKcsJo_qCY7dalD3Sfolxm13d_dQvKt7ez44wY-amyNUEPZ7Cq4ZtRM9oWG/s320/Cabbage+Kimchi+Final+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When it's ready it will look something like this, but please taste it to make sure!<br />
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-90890337911538807892017-06-25T15:56:00.001+02:002017-06-25T15:56:43.486+02:00Char Siu (叉燒)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyGMgtdL1LuKtitsHJ1P5N_6Bp52wgfOz82kx-jmtaF6sRsccbL3JPZipHZrcZGxcvU23kHoKbOlT1AnEzm06ZQGQWpKMg3gKIlxiJ0YLL2YgmLOUHvPoKpCs-2gzweVy-RHxfqJsetbN/s1600/Char+Siu+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyGMgtdL1LuKtitsHJ1P5N_6Bp52wgfOz82kx-jmtaF6sRsccbL3JPZipHZrcZGxcvU23kHoKbOlT1AnEzm06ZQGQWpKMg3gKIlxiJ0YLL2YgmLOUHvPoKpCs-2gzweVy-RHxfqJsetbN/s320/Char+Siu+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've always wanted to try making my own Char Siu but never had. this time I finally did it!<br />
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The first thing you need to do is marinate it. I marinated mine for 36 hours. <br />
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At this stage, it doesn't look very attractive at all. Not only that, when my Taiwanese friend saw a photograph of this on her smartphone, she asked me if it was Dong-Po Pork.<br />
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I let this marinate in my refrigerator, turning the pork sometimes.<br />
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Then I roasted it in the oven. I lined my tray with aluminum foil carefully to make cleaning-up easier. Believe me you want to cover that tray very well. You do not want to be end-up like Liu Bang in Qin Shi Huang's prison doing hard labor. So, cover that tray very carefully.<br />
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I got the recipe from <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/char-siu/2/" target="_blank">Rasa Malaysia</a>. I purchased all the ingredients first.<br />
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Fermented red bean curd (王至和), honey, dry sherry (Alfonso Oloroso), soy sauce (Kikkoman), oyster sauce (Panda Brand), dark thick soy sauce (Pearl River Bridge), five spice powder, white pepper powder and brown sugar.<br />
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Char Siu from <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/char-siu/2/" target="_blank">Rasa Malaysia</a> <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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1 lb (450 g) skinless pork belly, cut into 2 long strips<br />
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic</div>
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<b>Char Siu Sauce:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 pieces Chinese <a href="http://www.asiansupermarket365.com/Fen-Yang-Qiao-Red-Bean-Curd-p/pyqyew.htm" target="_blank">fermented red bean curd</a><br />
1 tablespoon <a href="http://www.asiansupermarket365.com/Maltose-Paste-p/hkmlteyiw.htm" target="_blank">maltose</a> or honey<br />
1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine<br />
1 tablespoon <a href="http://thrv.me/rmtamarisoysauce" target="_blank">soy
sauce</a><br />
1 tablespoon oyster sauce<br />
1 teaspoon dark and thick soy sauce<br />
1 teaspoon five-spice powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder<br />
3 1/2 oz (100 g) <a href="http://thrv.me/rmcanesugar" target="_blank">sugar</a>,
or 8 1/2 tablespoons</div>
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Step 1: Just rub in and mix all the ingredients with the pork in a casserole dish and then put plastic over it. </div>
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Step 2: Store the above in the refrigerator, taking it out and turning the pork sometimes. Keep doing this for 24 - 36 hours.</div>
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Step 3: Line the oven tray very carefully with aluminum foil and put it in the bottom rack.</div>
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Step 4: Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Take out the rack and put it on top of plastic (to catch the juices) and put the pork on the rack.</div>
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Step 5: Once the oven is at the right temperature, put some aluminum foil on the oven lid when you open it and then slide the tray in. Remove the aluminum foil and close the oven.</div>
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Step 6: After 15 minutes, turn the pork and baste it with the marinating liquid and roast for another 20- 25 minutes. Keep an eye on your pork toward the end to make sure it doesn't burn.</div>
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Step 7: Take out the char siu and let it rest on a plate for awhile, then slice it. Serve on steaming hot rice. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-61649430501556371502016-09-23T12:03:00.001+02:002016-09-23T20:08:12.517+02:00Brandade de Morue (Cod Cream)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brandade de Morue or Cod Cream is something I had never made before. The Spanish and salted cod go back a long time and they still sell these everywhere. If you're interested in this, I recommend Mark Kurlansky's "Cod" or "Salt - A World History".<br />
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However, instead of making Bacalao a la Crema, I opted for Brandade de Morue, the French version of this. They are quite similar, but the French version seemed more flavorful. I also balked at using salted cod as there were warnings galore that my refrigerator would smell fishy. I bought frozen Bacalao instead.<br />
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Anyhow, I started out by defrosting my Bacalao which were left in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, I started cooking.<br />
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This is what goes into the cream: 5 garlic cloves, 6 cloves, 1/4 teaspoon thyme and 1 bay leaf: <br />
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Then you add 1 cup cream and simmer it without letting it really boil for 6 - 8 minutes. <br />
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In the mean time, you boil the potatoes until they are soft enough to mash. I peeled mine, but you can also cook them in their skins and peel them later.<br />
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You can prepare everything else while the potatoes are boiling. You simmer the cod, never letting the water come to a boil because this will render them useless for this execution. Maybe 1 - 2 minutes. Remove the cod from the water and carefully remove the skin and any bones and put it into the cream mixture.</div>
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Then you use a hand blender and puree it and it's ready to serve!<br />
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I served mine of thinly sliced baguette, laced with garlic oil and toasted in the oven, and garnished them with sprigs of dill!<br />
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They're nothing earthshaking, but good nonetheless. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Brandade de Morue - Easy Version</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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225 g Frozen Cod<br />
2 Large Potatoes<br />
1 Cup Fresh Cream<br />
5 Garlic Cloves<br />
1 Bay Leaf<br />
1/4 Tsp Thyme<br />
4 Whole Cloves<br />
1/8 Tsp White Pepper<br />
Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />
Sea Salt<br />
*<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/10/brandade-salt-cod-spread-recipe.html" target="_blank">Original Recipe </a><br />
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Step 1: Thaw cod.<br />
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Step 2: Simmer cream, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and cloves for 6 - 8 minutes.<br />
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Step 3: Remove bay leaf and discard it.<br />
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Step 4: Cover the cod in water and simmer gently. Do not let it boil! You will see bubbles rising gently. Do this for 1 - 2 minutes.<br />
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Step 5: Remove the cod from the water.<br />
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Step 6: Remove the skin and bones from the cod and add this to the cream mixture you made earlier.<br />
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Step 7: Use a hand blender and make a puree!<br />
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Step 8: Let it cool down a bit and then serve on garlic bread and garnish with dill and maybe boiled prawns.<br />
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-12110812287594098992016-09-21T18:08:00.002+02:002016-09-22T11:24:36.543+02:00Butternut Squash Soup and Coxinha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a new <i>fruteria</i> near my apartment. It has a few shops in central Torremolinos, but the one near my apartment is their wholesale outlet that also retails. I can't complain.<br />
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Everywhere you look, you see butternut squash now. It is in season and sweeter than when it is off season. I bought one, choosing a heavy hard one, asking them to quarter it for me. My grandmother instructed me to choose squash in this way. It turned out to be pleasantly sweet.<br />
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The <i>coxinha</i> is another story. I bought chicken carcasses that they sell for making broth, made a few liters of broth, and then picked off the meat from all the nooks and crannies, and made <i>coxinha</i>. The original recipe is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8651eifBRk" target="_blank">here</a>, but I have made some modifications.<br />
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<b>Butternut Squash Soup</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<i>Broth</i><br />
3-4 Chicken Carcasses<br />
1 Stick Celery<br />
1 Onion<br />
2 Small Carrots<br />
2 Cloves Garlic<br />
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<i>Other</i><br />
Butternut Squash - cut into chunks<br />
1 Potato (I used a red skinned potato)<br />
2 Cloves Garlic<br />
1 Small Onion<br />
1 Stick Celery<br />
Parsley<br />
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds<br />
1 Tsp Cumin<br />
2 Red Chilies <br />
Fresh Cream<br />
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<b>The Broth</b><br />
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Step 1: Simmer all the ingredients for the broth for 1.5 hours.<br />
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Step 2: Transfer the carcasses into a large bowl.<br />
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Step 3: Strain the broth to remove everything else.<br />
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While the broth is simmering you can prepare everything else.<br />
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<b>Preparing the Spices</b><br />
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Toast the cumin and set aside. Then do the same with the coriander seeds, then chili. Then put these through a mill so that it is in powder format.<br />
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<b>The Soup </b><br />
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Step 1: Peel and cut the butternut squash into chunks. This does not require precision.<br />
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Step 2: Peel the potato and quarter it.<br />
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Step 3: Chop the parsley, onion, celery and garlic and set aside.<br />
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Step 3: Sautee the parsley, onion, celery and garlic until fragrant in the olive oil.<br />
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Step 4: Add the chunks of butternut squash and potato and toss it around until it is all coated in olive oil.<br />
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Step 5: Add the toasted cumin, coriander and red chili that you have milled into a powder.<br />
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Step 6: Add the broth to cover it as well as 2-3 laurel leaves, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes or so until the potato is soft enough to puree. Salt, pepper to taste. Remove the laurel leaves before pureeing it. Add cream and stir a bit.<br />
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<b>Making the Coxinha</b><br />
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Unless you're crazy I would wait until the next day to make the <i>coxinha</i>. This is where you'll be using the chicken you have removed from the carcasses. I had just enough to make <i>coxinha </i>based on the Tabieats recipe.<br />
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My slightly modified recipe is as follows:<br />
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<b>Coxinha (Modified from Tabieats)</b><br />
Makes 12<b> </b><br />
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Ingredients<br />
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A bowl full of chicken meat <br />
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1 Jalapeño (Seeded and Diced)<br />
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2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)<br />
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1/2 Red Onion (Minced)<br />
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2 Cups Flour<br />
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2 Cups Chicken Broth<br />
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120g Cream Cheese<br />
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A Bunch of Coriander Leaves<br />
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3/4 Cup Fine Bread Crumbs<br />
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2 Eggs<br />
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Salt<br />
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Pepper<br />
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Step 1: Make the dough first. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and then turn off heat. Add the flour and stir until it all comes together. Set this aside.<br />
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Step 2: Sautee the garlic and onion in the frying pan with a little bit of olive oil and then add the chicken and sautee some more. Add seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper. Salt & pepper to taste.<br />
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Step 3: Turn off heat and add cream cheese and cilantro. Mix.<br />
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Step 4: Whisk the eggs in a bowl, and have bread crumbs ready on a plate. <br />
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Step 5: Now take golf ball sized pieces of dough, flattening it and wrap the chicken mixture into them. They should be cone shaped.<br />
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Step 6: Dip the coxinha into the eggs and then coat them with bread crumbs. <br />
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Step 7: Repeat the above until there is no more filling.<br />
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Step 8: Deep fry the <i>coxinha </i>until they are golden brown and they're ready to go!<br />
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Now enjoy a spicy warm sweet bowl of butternut squash soup with your <i>coxinha</i>. It was a lot of work but you're glad you labored and toiled in the kitchen for hours now! <br />
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-34970660875069297442016-09-08T09:00:00.002+02:002016-09-08T09:04:02.863+02:00Hoi An Chicken Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The link to <a href="https://www.vietnamonline.com/recipe/hoi-an-chicken-rice.html" target="_blank">the original recipe </a>was given to me by a friend who we call Chibura Hakkai. This is a pseudonym and she has a proper name of course, but I'd have to ask her for permission before publishing it. </div>
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There has been some discussion as to whether this is actually Hainanese Chicken or a derivative of it. However, a little research tells me that the Vietnamese do make Hainan Chicken (Com Ga Hai Nam), so let's assume that Hoi An Chicken is just a different recipe.</div>
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<b>Hoi An Chicken</b></div>
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Serves 4 (?) </div>
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Ingredients</div>
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1 Whole Chicken*</div>
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2 Cups Round Grain White Rice (I used Spanish round grain rice which is geared for making paella, which means it absorbs flavors and aroma well)</div>
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1 Red Onion </div>
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1 Clove Garlic (Minced)</div>
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1 Lime</div>
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0.2 g Saffron (in powder format)</div>
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Mint </div>
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Salt</div>
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Pepper</div>
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*Don't buy a chicken so big that you don't have a pot big enough for it to fit in. So go for small, rather than big. You will also be sorry if there is too much chicken because how are you going to ever finish eating it?</div>
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Step 1: Buy a whole chicken and cover it with water and simmer it for 1.5 hours. </div>
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Step 2: While this is simmering, wash the rice for around 30 seconds, and set it aside. I'm assuming you know how to wash rice, but you need to get rid of the first batch of water quickly so that the rice doesn't absorb any unpleasant smells or flavors. Just keep using more water, drain and repeat. The water should be pretty clear when you're finished. It doesn't have to be crystal clear. Set aside.</div>
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Step 3: Make the sauces, if you can call them that. There are 2 sauces:</div>
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Sauce 1. Thinly slice a red onion and marinate this with 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp lime juice.</div>
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Sauce 2. 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 green or red chili chopped up unseeded.</div>
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The sauces should be made and chilled in the refrigerator.</div>
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Step 4: When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the water and set aside. Let it drain a bit over the broth as you don't want to waste any of it. </div>
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Step 5: Measure as much broth as the rice. In this case you need 2 cups of broth. Add this to the rice in either your rice cooker or pot. Add 1 tsp sea salt.</div>
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Step 6: If you're cooking it in a pot, put the lid on and set your stove top to high heat and wait for steam. At the first signs of steam, lower the heat mark from 7 (maximum) to 3 (low heat). Set your timer to 17 minutes. Never remove the lid to see how the rice is doing as it will ruin it. </div>
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Step 7: When the timer rings, your rice will be ready. Remove the lid and place a towel or cloth in between the lid and pot to regulate moisture levels, among other things.</div>
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Step 8: Shred the chicken with your hands or in whatever way you want to. If you are one of those people excessively afraid of bacteria or just disgusted by people who touch food with their hands, then well....do it in another way. It's a free world.</div>
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Step 9: Serve this on a dinner plate with rice on one side and the shredded chicken on the other. The shredded chicken should be mixed with Sauce 1 and fresh mint leaves. Then lace the chicken with the other sauce as well. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-40691652377387125832016-06-29T12:33:00.001+02:002016-06-29T12:33:03.765+02:00Sardinas Parrochas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Sardinas Parrochas</b></div>
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I've really become a lazy blogger. I used to be dedicated to doing this, but I no longer am. Today, I'm just sharing a photograph of my pan fried sardines. These were delicious!</div>
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Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-46641486919524817862016-06-16T10:41:00.001+02:002016-06-16T10:41:56.923+02:00Pesto alla Genovese & Shrimp Pesto Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0500gIpozchXLW9-ip7WLxyzbNz1011e7GnLTZe0yCjykV5igqYklw6wGcQMnbe1weVT7f9g8jVyXDM51hn47pshu75CEFB2JzZWywUs6b525DQn-SPrgKdsB6fjvfQ5g2PU1frCRBsJU/s1600/Shrimp+Pesto+Pizza+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0500gIpozchXLW9-ip7WLxyzbNz1011e7GnLTZe0yCjykV5igqYklw6wGcQMnbe1weVT7f9g8jVyXDM51hn47pshu75CEFB2JzZWywUs6b525DQn-SPrgKdsB6fjvfQ5g2PU1frCRBsJU/s320/Shrimp+Pesto+Pizza+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I made shrimp pesto pizza with basil from my own balcony garden!</div>
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<b>Pesto alla Genovese</b></div>
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1 Cup Basil </div>
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2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div>
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3 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano</div>
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1 Tbsp Pine Nuts</div>
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2 Cloves Garlic</div>
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Sea Salt</div>
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<b>Pizza</b></div>
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2 Tsp Yeast</div>
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1 1/4 Cup Luke Warm Water</div>
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2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div>
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3 1/2 Cup Flour (I mixed AP Flour & Bread Flour)</div>
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1 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt</div>
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<b>Pesto alla Genovese:</b></div>
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Step 1: I picked the leaves first thing in the morning, washed them and dried them on kitchen paper. </div>
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Step 2: I peeled the garlic cloves and put them in the food processor and pulverized them a bit before adding the basil, then oil, cheese, pine nuts, salt. </div>
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Pizza Dough</div>
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This recipe is from May/June 1988 issue of 'COOK'S'.</div>
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1/2 Package Active Dry yeast (1/8 Ounce) or 2 Tsp Dry Yeast (Mine was German)</div>
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1 1/4 Cup Lukewarm Water (296 ml)</div>
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2Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div>
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3 1/2 Cups Flour (I used a blend of AP and strong wheat flour)</div>
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Step 1: Activate the yeast in a large bowl with lukewarm water. My yeast was old so it took 30 minutes, but this will differ depending on the quality of your yeast and the weather. </div>
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Step 2: Add the flour, oil and salt. </div>
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Step 3: Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough just holds its shape.</div>
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Step 4: Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth.</div>
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Step 5: Leave dough in a wet bowl and cover loosely with a towel or plastic and leave it for around an hour. The dough should have risen to 1.5 times its original volume. If not poke it with your finger to see if it has risen. I left mine for longer as it didn't seem to be rising and then finally poked it with my finger after 2 hours and it had supposedly risen.</div>
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Step 6: Divide into two balls and cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 225C (450F)</div>
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Step 7: Store half of it wrapped in plastic in the cold compartment of your refrigerator it not using immediately.</div>
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Step 8: Roll out the dough to make your pizza. If you can't do it manually, use a rolling pin. </div>
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Step 9: Brush extra virgin olive oil on your pizza and then cover it with pesto alla Genovese. </div>
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Step 10: Cover this with mozzarella cheese.</div>
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Step 11: Place 20 peeled shrimp that have been marinated in garlic and extra virgin olive oil over this evenly.</div>
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Step 12: Bake in oven for 15 - 20 minutes. The pizza should be turned once or twice and you should start checking at around the 10 minute mark. </div>
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Step 13: The pizza is done when the edges have browned a bit and the cheese on top is turning golden brown.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zTUGJ7irzGZSr5XFzO4D0HJeTZOQCua9jGXmX7MW3Tgrj_jJsa0LR3VNYunByVQqIi7VVZDf1a6H3YiJ3j0wHD__zxSvXCzdonFetv2_ZXiYInMiT_2m8ubSt1HGeUmZ8NghsjW77GDF/s1600/Terrace+Garden+4+2016.05.21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zTUGJ7irzGZSr5XFzO4D0HJeTZOQCua9jGXmX7MW3Tgrj_jJsa0LR3VNYunByVQqIi7VVZDf1a6H3YiJ3j0wHD__zxSvXCzdonFetv2_ZXiYInMiT_2m8ubSt1HGeUmZ8NghsjW77GDF/s320/Terrace+Garden+4+2016.05.21.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Enjoy your pizza and make more pizza the following day or the day after. Your leftover dough will rise a bit even in the cold compartment but it will be fine!</div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-34925326844327187122016-06-04T14:34:00.002+02:002016-06-04T14:34:54.476+02:00Torremolinos <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalSzfnkrQnJ29rhq2pkjILeJvjkvo8oSVFUToUwPP_P7QcOR3L_M-FHQVMxtMOsRh5s1o7An0m6aNy7fHTpYrw5SjVmGsfCcBb5l_gHbryjMRD63HfdAfvGWx7wuREMlKLEqYCevAwz3l/s1600/Sardines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalSzfnkrQnJ29rhq2pkjILeJvjkvo8oSVFUToUwPP_P7QcOR3L_M-FHQVMxtMOsRh5s1o7An0m6aNy7fHTpYrw5SjVmGsfCcBb5l_gHbryjMRD63HfdAfvGWx7wuREMlKLEqYCevAwz3l/s320/Sardines.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Everyone hates this place and some British friends of mine frown and refuse to come to this city, preferring Marbella. <br />
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Well...Marbella is where the King of Saudi Arabia vacations and it's a glamorous place, but it's also the main hub of the underworld here. I'm happy to stay in Torremolinos where the cost of living is lower and I can buy some fresh sardines for 0.68 euros and some fresh fruit and vegetables for 1.57 euros.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EAwIOFnQxZmQIcO984ZcTrkF5yfJwIo8_DYxqbxet7OftkZ-_E3RGQ3ubcqw0a7hgn_RPeFYj7sRhGytmXjP8E7MHON-a1Gd-xQ0-xoGMvQhgPM1MkgYIbQnh0X-dyzeizBFtAISugvi/s1600/Fruteria+2016.06.04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EAwIOFnQxZmQIcO984ZcTrkF5yfJwIo8_DYxqbxet7OftkZ-_E3RGQ3ubcqw0a7hgn_RPeFYj7sRhGytmXjP8E7MHON-a1Gd-xQ0-xoGMvQhgPM1MkgYIbQnh0X-dyzeizBFtAISugvi/s320/Fruteria+2016.06.04.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Have a nice weekend everyone!<br />
<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-24606465659425153782012-10-12T13:45:00.001+02:002012-10-12T13:45:38.821+02:00Cinnamon Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvxEEX16TDrvkZZ8eveVAwLb-9c1Kcy8aivN-Wutco1UExwdTcufnAex40ul8f5xAY4iYObLz8vxwhUARln6dqSvuz0dDEQIAKsY7SPZ3BhzwHbmE_YCPkiHH588heN9P05kMf0jEz-pL/s1600/CinnamonRoll2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvxEEX16TDrvkZZ8eveVAwLb-9c1Kcy8aivN-Wutco1UExwdTcufnAex40ul8f5xAY4iYObLz8vxwhUARln6dqSvuz0dDEQIAKsY7SPZ3BhzwHbmE_YCPkiHH588heN9P05kMf0jEz-pL/s320/CinnamonRoll2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Any kind of cinnamon bun has a special meaning for Ronny, because it's apparently a big part of a Swedish childhood. A good Swedish mom is supposed to have these baking in the oven when the children come home from school and his mother apparently baked them a lot.<br />
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This is not a recipe for an authentic Swedish cinnamon bun, but me playing around with a poppy seed dinner roll recipe. I watched <a href="http://allrecipes.com/video/107/make-poppy-seed-rolls/detail.aspx?prop24=RR_RelatedVideo">this video</a> more than a few times and took some notes. I think they forgot to mention how much water you should mix with the yeast in the beginning and some commentators thought it was maybe 1/4 cup so I went along with using as little water as I could. In reality, I think it was 1 cup, if you follow this recipe to a tee.<br />
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I don't have the exact amounts calculated out yet as part of the dough still lies in my refrigerator (around 1/4 of it), so I will update this when I know. However, in general, I think you could follow this recipe without mixing any poppy seeds into the dough, and putting a generous amount of cinnamon sugar between the layers. Don't forget to brush the tops with butter and sprinkle them all with more cinnamon sugar after the second rise, right before they go into the oven!<br />
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<b><u>Cinnamon Buns - <a href="http://allrecipes.com/video/107/make-poppy-seed-rolls/detail.aspx?prop24=RR_RelatedVideo">Adapted from Poppy Seed Rolls</a></u></b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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4 Tsp Yeast<br />
1/4 Cup Luke Warm Water<br />
1/4 Tsp Sugar<br />
2/3 Cups Warm Milk<br />
1/4 Cup Sunflower Oil<br />
1 Medium Egg (room temperature is better)<br />
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar<br />
Pinch of Salt (I forgot to put some but they turned out ok)<br />
2 Sticks (226g) Unsalted Butter<br />
4 Cups Flour (or more)<br />
1 Cup Cinnamon Sugar (I made mine, but you can use the ready made type)<br />
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Step 1: Mix the yeast, 1/4 tsp sugar and luke warm water in a bowl and let it sit until foamy.<br />
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Step 2: While you are waiting for this to get frothy, cut into the 4 cups flour, all of the butter just as though you were making a pie crust of scones. Use a cutter or your fingers.<br />
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Step 3: By the time you have finshed Step 2, the yeast should be frothy. Add 2/3 cups milk, 1/4 cup oil, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, pinch of sea salt and mix well.<br />
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Step 3: Then add the flour butter mixture into the yeast and stir with a dough hook until you have a pretty wet batter that does not stick too your fingers. If you think the dough needs more flour, add a little more. However, the dough will still<i> look </i>sticky. It will not be a smooth looking dough. Please see video for how it should look.<br />
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Step 4: Cover this with a dish cloth and then let it rest until it is twice it's size. Mine took a lot longer than 30 minutes.<br />
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Step 5: Knead it until it is smooth and divide it into 4 portions for manageability. You will end-up using most of it to fill-up the IKEA muffin pan which is used in the video and which I used as well.<br />
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Step 6: Basically you will need to roll the dough out either using a rolling pin or your fingers to make the dough into a rectangle. <br />
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Step 7: Cut them into strips with a dough cutter, and make six layers, brushing them with melted butter first and then putting a liberal dose of cinnamon sugar in between them. Don't be afraid to pile the cinnamon sugar on. It will taste better if you use a lot rather than less.<br />
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Step 8: Once you have made six layers you can cut them to a size so that they fit your muffin tin and you lay them down cut side down. <br />
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Step 9: Let them rise until they have expanded sufficiently and then preheat the oven to 350F/176C.<br />
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Step 10: Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle more cinnamon sugar. Don't be shy and pile it on!<br />
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Step 11: Bake them in the oven for 25 minutes and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOMxQwqrnW6781BNDZ3hi6hyHu15lgnIjVq8nYkAS0aTAUjOrL0G6nOOKp-2xQlkuiaqwHj_rkhRUnGoPmq4U1UQ-9OdgLJVHww5jYCrt1mfifuW0qVOPo8TJcSmV45dYsI5kIfHh7R2P/s1600/CinnamonRoll4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOMxQwqrnW6781BNDZ3hi6hyHu15lgnIjVq8nYkAS0aTAUjOrL0G6nOOKp-2xQlkuiaqwHj_rkhRUnGoPmq4U1UQ-9OdgLJVHww5jYCrt1mfifuW0qVOPo8TJcSmV45dYsI5kIfHh7R2P/s320/CinnamonRoll4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-9950358265104603712012-10-11T13:20:00.004+02:002012-10-11T13:20:54.171+02:00Chivda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favorite recipe for Chivda comes from <a href="http://www.padmaskitchen.com/2008/10/festival-food-chivda.html">Padma's Kitchen</a>. I make mine in smaller quantities (maybe half recipe of the original) and don't use dalia and use dried curry leaves (since I can't get fresh ones here), but other than that, I follow the recipe pretty much to a tee and it has turned out very nicely each time I made it.</div>
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If you live in my area, all the ingredients are available at the Asian Grocery in central Torremolinos. </div>
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Ronny loves this and can't keep his hands off this when I make some.</div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-18217643311990729732012-10-02T21:27:00.000+02:002012-10-02T21:27:04.301+02:00Thai Green Mango Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl7niruUVYgsmSNQIhf1DDChiFhGhvLpSETlWJANpxl6px8ULyKEEGlF_7CDp6X9WeLTo0kOZI0V-V4awHSPpNv9DGrJXKu2eowqZtHrznSqzwEmzQyOwV-K9zKdee11a6VfBYg-NqmEL/s1600/GreenMangoSalad1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl7niruUVYgsmSNQIhf1DDChiFhGhvLpSETlWJANpxl6px8ULyKEEGlF_7CDp6X9WeLTo0kOZI0V-V4awHSPpNv9DGrJXKu2eowqZtHrznSqzwEmzQyOwV-K9zKdee11a6VfBYg-NqmEL/s320/GreenMangoSalad1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Growing-up in the Philippines, I ate a lot of green mangoes, and I miss them sometimes, as they are not easily found in many countries. Luckily, a grocer in Torremolinos had a pretty hefty cargo of mangoes and some of them were pretty green. These weren't imported ones, but locally produced Malaga mangoes. <br />
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In the Philippines, I used to just eat my green mangoes with salt, but since this was not perfectly green and the wrong variety of mangoes for eating this way, I decided to make a Thai Green Mango Salad. My primary reference was this recipe from <a href="http://globetrotterdiaries.com/recipes/thai-green-mango-salad">Globe Trotter Diaries</a>.<br />
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<b>Thai Green Mango Salad - Adapted from Globe Trotter Diaries</b><br />
<b>Serves 4-6 or 2 people who want to eat a lot of mango salad.</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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1 Big Green Mango (Thinly julienned)<br />
1 Shallot (Thinly sliced)<br />
2 Small Red Chiles (Bird's Eye preferrably, but if not any fresh red chilies to taste)<br />
1/4 Cup Peanuts (Toasted in a pan)<br />
1/4 Cup Dry Shrimp (Toasted in a pan)<br />
1 Lime (the juice)<br />
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce<br />
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar<br />
Fresh Cilantro (to flavor and garnish)<br />
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<b>Step 1:</b> Julienne the mango.<br />
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<b>Step 2:</b> Toast the peanuts and set aside.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b> Toast the dried shrimp and set aside.<br />
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<b>Step 4: </b> Slice the red chilies, shallot (or red onion) and toss them into a bowl with the mango.<br />
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<b>Step 5: </b> Season and toss with the rest of the ingredients, adding more chili, fish sauce or brown sugar to taste.<br />
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<b>Step 6:</b> Serve garnished with some extra cilantro.<br />
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-91019931526534307052012-09-29T15:15:00.002+02:002012-10-19T15:37:51.779+02:00Austrian Apple Strudel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Austrian Apple Strudel</b></div>
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I wasn't going to post this at first because I wasn't entirely happy with the results, but after my friend Martin Puhr had some kind words to say about this, I have been encouraged to post it after all. He tells me his only complaint is that there isn't enough cinnamon in the filling...and I agree.</div>
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To be honest, I have never had genuine Austrian apple strudel. From the references I have gleaned that it does not have a usual 'crust' and the aromatic filling is wrapped in many layers of very thin pastry. You can either make this yourself, buy the ready made pastry if you are in Austria, or use phyllo as a substitute.</div>
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After looking at my<a href="http://chefinyou.com/2009/05/austrian-apple-strudel/"> primary reference</a> and watching this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVMvu7iOIlQ">video</a>, where a master chef makes the pastry, I decided that I would opt for using phyllo pastry. </div>
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Here is my adapted recipe in a smaller portion than the original.</div>
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<b><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kaffeehaus-Exquisite-Desserts-Classic-Budapest/dp/0609604538">Austrian Apple Strudel - Adapted from 'Kaffeehous' - Rick Rodgers </a></u></b></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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Makes 25 cm Strudels x 2 </div>
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<b>4 Cups (700g)+ Apples - around 4 green small ones</b></div>
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<b>8 Phyllo Sheets</b></div>
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<b>1.3 Tbsp (20 ml) Golden Rum</b></div>
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<b>2 Tbsp (30ml) Golden Raisins</b></div>
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<b>3 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon </b></div>
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<b>1/2 Cup Sugar</b></div>
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<b>150 g Butter (for brushing the pastry)</b></div>
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<b>1 Cup Bread Crumbs + 2 Tbsp butter</b></div>
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<b>1/3 Cup or 50g Toasted Coarsely Chopped Walnuts</b></div>
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<b>Confectioner's Sugar (for sprinkling)</b></div>
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<b>Step 1: </b>Melt your butter in the microwave and let it cool down. I usually remove it before all the butter has melted and stir it so that the rest will melt. Soak the raisins in the rum.</div>
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<b>Step 2:</b> Core, peel and slice the apples in 3 mm or 1/8 inch slices, and then slice them again in two. Put them in a bowl.</div>
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<b>Step 3: </b> Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl (keep 6 Tbsp of the cinnamon sugar separate) and mix the rest in with the apples and let it sit. </div>
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<b>Step 4:</b> Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a pan and toast the bread crumbs until golden brown. Remove the phyllo pastry from the refrigerator so that it is at room temperature at this point. Everything should be at room temperature before you start.</div>
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<b>Step 6: </b>Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F (200C).</div>
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<b>Step 7: </b> Put a baking sheet on top of a hard thin board that you can use to slide the strudels onto the oven tray.</div>
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<b>Step 8:</b> On a floured surface lay down the phyllo sheet making careful it does not rip, and paint it with butter, sprinkle some of the toasted buttery bread crumbs and place another sheet on top of it. Repeat until you have a total of 4 layers.</div>
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<b>Step 9:</b> You are going to roll these lengthwise now, so spread the walnuts in an area around 3 inches/8 cm from the short edge of the phyllo in a strip keeping in mind that you are going to roll this up. </div>
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<b>Step 10:</b> Drain the liquid from the apples. Then pour the rum raisin mixture over the apples and toss. Mix in as much bread crumbs as you can leaving a little bit to dust another 4 layers of phyllo. Place this now moist but not soggy mixture over the walnuts. Finish this off by sprinkling it with an extra 3 Tbsp cinnamon sugar.</div>
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<b>Step 11:</b> Now roll this up, tucking in the edges, and place this on top of the cooking sheet that we prepared earlier. Then brush it with butter before putting it in the oven.</div>
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<b>Step 12: </b> Keep your eye on the strudel. After 15 minutes or so you may want to move it to a lower rack and cover it with aluminum foil (let the foil float above it so that it's not really touching the strudel very much) if it is brown enough. When you let it brown too much, it will look like a giant<a href="http://antiquekitchen.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/lumpia-semarang/"> lumpia</a>, rather than a strudel. </div>
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<b>Step 13: </b> Bake for around 30 minutes. </div>
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<b>Step 14:</b> Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and sprinkle liberally with confectioner's sugar and serve!</div>
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<b>Note: </b>You may want to prepare the rum raisin mixture before hand and mix this in with the apple cinnamon sugar mixture to get rid of excess moisture hours before you start. It's very important that the filling does not have excess moisture in it or it will ruin the texture of your strudel. This recipe is still a work in progress and I will be revising it when I have another go at it.</div>
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-91362151206832026562012-06-23T14:25:00.001+02:002012-06-23T14:25:04.720+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've been baking sourdough bread for a number of years now and this is our latest loaf. I love the way they come out different every time. For the recipe please click<a href="http://murasakishikibu.blogspot.com.es/2009/03/second-attempt-sourdough-bread.html"> here</a>.Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-39550396804052626762012-05-27T13:17:00.000+02:002012-05-27T13:17:17.936+02:00Metropolitan Granola Cookies (CHOW)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeAqk3jFDTiJHa1G8VS6juIbnSxl2q9PPSCT9aiw2Ac7XlgGNInVhdEYom9GqEE7BsM5Pxpi9sF89-KT_dkbP3zgUMwphwWnP5OJbu2uWP8sRdgRiokm18DjTJZPid6JvkklHXuuVtczP/s1600/Metropolitan_cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeAqk3jFDTiJHa1G8VS6juIbnSxl2q9PPSCT9aiw2Ac7XlgGNInVhdEYom9GqEE7BsM5Pxpi9sF89-KT_dkbP3zgUMwphwWnP5OJbu2uWP8sRdgRiokm18DjTJZPid6JvkklHXuuVtczP/s320/Metropolitan_cookies.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I bought some pretty awful chocolate granola from Carrefour yesterday. It was on sale and there was 750g of it. I didn't relish eating it as it was, so I looked for a cookie recipe that used granola and found the recipe for <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/11946-metropolitan-granola-cookies">Metropolitan Granola Cookies.</a> <br />
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My egg wasn't large and even if it was, it would have been a large Spanish egg, and not a large American one. I guess this is why my cookies ended-up a little crunchier than they should have been but they were really good anyway!<br />
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If you ever buy a bag of granola you're not too happy with, I recommend this recipe for getting rid of it.Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-47667723503545578722012-04-27T22:42:00.001+02:002012-04-28T12:42:24.183+02:00Kurdish Rice Flour Cookies (Gluten Free)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1u52gQBxxWqyAY-855KqiqcEr0H1Zmgse-PV_f9cfpeEbxGWe1VJFbcNC5_d1HlFpqkPRzlIDw67AT4SL1-DT-dU6XKOWdL8EI8m5LgU6y6X4HVHwApdiov-QG1S1OeSw1sSgiHgV5aq/s1600/KurdishCookies2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1u52gQBxxWqyAY-855KqiqcEr0H1Zmgse-PV_f9cfpeEbxGWe1VJFbcNC5_d1HlFpqkPRzlIDw67AT4SL1-DT-dU6XKOWdL8EI8m5LgU6y6X4HVHwApdiov-QG1S1OeSw1sSgiHgV5aq/s320/KurdishCookies2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I saw some fascinating rice flour cookies in <a href="http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2011/02/rice-flour-cookies/">Taste of Beirut</a> some time ago and had been wanting to make them. I, however, have the distinction of being a food blogger and not owning even one cookie cutter. Am I slacking off? Maybe. <br />
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Anyway, last year, Ann Low of <a href="http://www.anncoojournal.com/">Anncoo Journal</a> sent me a set of Mooncake molds and I thought that I might be able to use these to cut the cookies. In fact, when I read all the comments under the recipe, Joumana (Taste of Beirut) said that she used mooncake molds she bought at China town herself. This was just great.<br />
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I decided to go ahead and make the beautiful cookies.<br />
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I didn't have rose water so I used orange flower water instead. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a tee, and the cookies didn't disappoint. They were very delicately textured and flavored and just lovely. What a nice way to spend the afternoon!<br />
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<b>Kurdish Rice Flour Cookies - Taste of Beirut</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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300g Rice Flour<br />
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder<br />
130 g Sugar<br />
1 Egg<br />
125g Melted Butter<br />
2 Tsp Orange Flower Water<br />
1 Tsp Cardamom<br />
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<b>Step 1:</b> Mix the rice flour and baking powder in a medium sized bowl.<br />
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<b>Step 2:</b> Beat the sugar and butter in a big bowl, then add the egg and orange flower water and beat until fluffy.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b> Add the rice flour slowly, beating it slowly and add incoporate the cardamom at the very end.<br />
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<b>Step 4:</b> Wrap the dough in plastic and keep in the refrigerator overnight.<br />
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<b>Step 5:</b> Flour the board with corn starch and flour your rolling pin as well as the dough can get sticky.<br />
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<b>Step 6:</b> The dough should be around 5 mm in thickness.<br />
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<b>Step 7:</b> Use the mooncake mold to cut the cookies and place them on oven paper.<br />
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<b>Step 8:</b> Bake for 15 minutes at 160C. The cookies should be done but still pale.<br />
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Please do go to <a href="http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2011/02/rice-flour-cookies/">Taste of Beirut</a> to see the original recipe and the very interesting post about it.
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<br />Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-82881615323685047142012-04-15T10:45:00.005+02:002012-04-15T11:17:04.951+02:00Egg-less Bibingka (Gluten Free)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgig6TAa8auzf2KzywOnEkX5XStqXGeHlpfcY8Y6tYfl4kMUSOpLtwLs90_swk_UhcFx3RLcF4reTv7qqaoH_RFl8EnqEiYYoAVD3zjzVYNjpFPLN_jhGQLexfJ066YktF13N5sATd107j1/s1600/EgglessBibingka.JPG" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgig6TAa8auzf2KzywOnEkX5XStqXGeHlpfcY8Y6tYfl4kMUSOpLtwLs90_swk_UhcFx3RLcF4reTv7qqaoH_RFl8EnqEiYYoAVD3zjzVYNjpFPLN_jhGQLexfJ066YktF13N5sATd107j1/s320/EgglessBibingka.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731551125864380738" /></a><br /><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i>Bibingka </i>is a Filipino cake that is usually made with rice flour, which could either be glutinous rice flour or plain rice flour. The variety that is made with glutinous rice flour is called <i>Bibingkang Malagkit</i>. The variety made from plain rice flour is called <i>Bibingka Galapong</i>. There are other varieties with small tweaks in the ingredients.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; ">This egg-less </span><i>Bibingka </i>I made was not made with an egg-less recipe in mind. I simply forgot to put the eggs in. Note to self: Do not bake when you're still half-asleep!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; ">However, the egg-less </span><i>Bibingka</i> turned out to be quite delightfully delicious and that is why I'm posting the recipe.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; ">The original recipe for </span><i>Bibingka Galapong</i> comes from <a href="http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/03/22/rice-cake-bibingka-recipe/" style="font-style: normal; ">Panlasang Pinoy</a>. If you want to make it normally, please go here for detailed instructions. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Egg-less Bibingka</b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Ingredients</b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1 Cup Rice Flour </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1/8 Tsp Sea Salt</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">3 Tbsp (42 g) Butter + some extra</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1 Cup Sugar</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1 Cup Coconut Milk</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1/4 Cup Whole Milk</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1/2- 1 Cup Aged Irish Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 Cup Dessicated Coconut</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 1:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Preheat oven to 190C (375F). </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 2:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk so that they are well-combined.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 3:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Melt the butter and put it in a big bowl. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 4:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Whisk the butter with sugar and then add the coconut milk and milk. Whisk some more.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 5:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Add the flour until well mixed and pour into a container lined with oven paper.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 6:</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with shredded cheese.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 6: </b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Bake for 15 more minutes. If the cheese is starting to brown cover it lightly with aluminum foil.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b>Step 7: </b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span><b>Step 8: </b></span><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Let the cake cool down a bit then brush it with melted butter and sprinkle dessicated coconut over it generously.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">The original recipe has a salted duck egg in it. This is put into the cake at the same time as the cheese, but I have omitted it. </div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-82203963987415103362012-02-09T12:45:00.006+01:002012-02-10T08:47:48.341+01:00Yellowtail Bourguignon & White Radish Steak<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfPJS3m-QwZ8Ys8lqFmKOqVVhsMKzHSgvUIAG2aLq8cV8q6W03OomW1aGst2qkksQJ0CA6x6dW0DNGqJHXMuU8_G5fqMuZzKgv7HlIM5yId6LmOjdjj0H3SluZm4p-VAkqekmaUe6exsX/s1600/buridaikon1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfPJS3m-QwZ8Ys8lqFmKOqVVhsMKzHSgvUIAG2aLq8cV8q6W03OomW1aGst2qkksQJ0CA6x6dW0DNGqJHXMuU8_G5fqMuZzKgv7HlIM5yId6LmOjdjj0H3SluZm4p-VAkqekmaUe6exsX/s320/buridaikon1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707102192371928370" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div>I have been too busy to blog, but I managed to get Shizuka Kimura to share her excellent culinary skills with us. Shizuka spent her formative years in Paris and she now lives in Tokushima Prefecture. This recipe is something she learned from Yoko Shimauchi who gives lessons on 'table coordination'.<div><br /></div><div>This recipe is a variation of the traditional yellowtail & daikon cooked in soy sauce.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div>Here's the recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Yellowtail Bourguignon & White Radish Steak (Serves 6) - Yoko Shimauchi</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><br /></div><div>6 Slices Yellowtail </div><div>6 x 2 cm Slices White Radish (Daikon)</div><div>4 Button Mushrooms</div><div>2 Shiitake Mushrooms</div><div>1/2 Cluster of Shimeji Mushrooms</div><div>1 Clove Garlic</div><div>300 cc Red Wine</div><div>1/2 Medium Sized Onion</div><div>1/2 Large Carrot</div><div>Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div><div>Unsalted Butter</div><div>Sea Salt</div><div>Black Pepper</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 1:</b> Peel and cut the Daikon into 2 cm slices. In 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, braise the Daikon on low heat, 6 minutes on each side. Set these aside.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 2: </b> To make the sauce, braise the thinly sliced carrots and onion with butter until soft and then add the red wine. Simmer for 20 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 3:</b> Dice the mushrooms into 1 cm squares. Heat-up some more olive oil, add a dollop of butter to it. Then add the chopped garlic and when fragrant, braise the diced mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 4: </b> Cut the yellowtail into pieces that are around 4-5 cm, sprinkle salt on them and let them sit for around 10 minutes. Rinse them with water quickly and then dab them with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 5:</b> Coat the fish with flour and braise them in olive oil - around 2 minutes on each side over a medium flame. Quickly spoon the sauce over the fish and let it thicken a bit. Do this at low heat.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 6: </b> Carefully place the Daikon on a plate, followed by the slice of yellowtail, and then the mushrooms. Pour a little sauce over it and around it artistically. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-53752496555029517702011-09-21T10:47:00.008+02:002011-09-21T11:15:15.904+02:00Four Cheese Naan with Fresh Cilantro, Crushed & Toasted Cumin Seeds and Garlic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNzHG00q2s_HjoqowzSDJ5JKNKJu1uGR83pwDs1GZL_ZgAb6uFFf_RWzvK1YGS0LT-WLL43-1Z3gXRkpdVm3IpJmEbJeeLnT7QVYf2l2hvxH_vQ5ndAJ-GHyFjrijN_2-G9boXrt2jGes/s1600/Four_Cheese_naan1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNzHG00q2s_HjoqowzSDJ5JKNKJu1uGR83pwDs1GZL_ZgAb6uFFf_RWzvK1YGS0LT-WLL43-1Z3gXRkpdVm3IpJmEbJeeLnT7QVYf2l2hvxH_vQ5ndAJ-GHyFjrijN_2-G9boXrt2jGes/s320/Four_Cheese_naan1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654735165049454386" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was watching a Swedish cooking show where a Swedish chef visited an Indian restaurant in NYC. During the program, he made a naan stuffed with cheese, cilantro, cumin and garlic. We never figured out what kind of cheese they used or whether the cumin was whole or ground, but it looked very good and we decided to try making something like it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>I left one ball of dough in the refrigerator overnight and made the one in the photo above this morning. It appears that the naan come out more like naan when you leave the dough to mature overnight, so I have modified the steps taken in making naan accordingly.</div><div><br /></div><div>To really make naan you need to have a <a href="http://www.pashtunforums.com/food-31/history-tandoor-17555/">Tandoori Clay Oven</a>. Manjula suggests using a pizza stone. I had neither. The logic is similar to making pizza in that the oven should be as hot as you can make it and the surface that you place the dough on should be ultra-hot. If you have neither of the above like me, all you can do is crank your oven up to maximum heat and then slip the naan on a board, quickly onto the baking hot oven tray.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to say that the cilantro was a little disappointing. I would suggest making it without the cilantro and sprinkling some of it on top after it comes out of the oven.<br /><div><br /></div><div><b>Four Cheese Naan with Fresh Cilantro, Toasted Cumin Seeds and Garlic</b></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2010/03/21/aloo-naan-stuffed-potato-naan/"><b>Naan - Manjula's Kitchen</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Makes 6 Naans</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><br /></div><div>2 Cups AP Flour</div><div>5.5 g Dry Yeast</div><div>1 Tsp Salt</div><div>1 Tsp Sugar</div><div>Pinch Baking Soda</div><div>2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div><div>2 Heaping Tbsp Yogurt</div><div>1/2 Cup Water (or as much as you need)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Filling</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><br /></div><div>1 Cup Fresh Cilantro Chopped</div><div>2 Tsp Toasted Cumin Seeds (Grind them a bit)</div><div>200g Shredded Cheese (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozzarella">Mozzarella</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheddar_cheese">Cheddar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sams%C3%B8_cheese">Samsoe</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmental_(cheese)">Emmental</a>)</div><div>6 Cloves Garlic Chopped</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 1:</b> In a big plastic bowl, mix the yeast with 2 Tbsp of lukewarm water, 1 Tsp sugar and 1 Tsp flour and leave until frothy. This will take around 10 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 2:</b> Add some more of the flour, the salt, baking soda and oil and mix it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 3:</b> Add the rest of the flour and mix it until crumbly, and then add as much water as you need to form a smooth dough. I kneaded mine on a lightly floured surface.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 4:</b> After coating the ball of dough with more extra virgin olive oil, return it to the bowl and cover with plastic and let it rise for 6 hours. At this point you can knead the dough thoroughly until elastic and smooth and divide it up into 6 portions. Wrap each individual portion in plastic and store inside the cold compartment of your refrigerator.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Next Day:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Step 5: </b>Take out as many balls as you are going to make and let them warm to room temperature. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 6: </b>Preheat the oven to 250C or the highest you can make it go. Leave the tray inside the oven. Knead each portion before rolling them out. Kneading will also help them warm-up so you can start when they are still a bit cool to the touch.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 7:</b> Flatten the dough out into a circle, sprinkle with cheese, cilantro, cumin and garlic and fold the naan in a similar way to making Chinese Beef Pies. See Manjula's <a href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2010/03/21/aloo-naan-stuffed-potato-naan/">video</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 8: </b>Let these balls of dough rest for 5 minutes, and then flatten them with a rolling pin.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 8:</b> Place the naan on oven paper on top of a flat board so that you can slide them onto the baking hot oven tray. If you have a pizza stone use it by all means, but I don't have one.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 9:</b> Bake for 3-4 minutes. The baking time will depend on your oven and whether you have a pizza stone. It was around 4 minutes for me. The naan is ready when it is still snow white, but has some golden brown patches on top.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 10:</b> Brush the naan with butter and sprinkle with some fleur de sel (and fresh cilantro).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 11:</b> Let the oven reheat for 5 minutes before putting the next batch inside the oven. You can bake 2-3 in one go depending on the size of your oven.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had ours with <a href="http://murasakishikibu.blogspot.com/2009/04/chicken-flavored-with-garam-masala.html">Garam Masala chicken</a> and a salad.</div><div><br /></div></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-40507215202924548092011-09-16T14:05:00.011+02:002011-09-17T17:26:47.165+02:00Steamed Lotus Buns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6964krXMi9rtJfFuE_KDFU_YFQmBwVbPhId4TiW-mBTt7aJdqciabGGYHyxes04aRFiDvXjr3F2tjEhFZGVQDggIG5YGn0j_RWvyLH1mo2NcGv-j3p89IgFC3cS9Uf8gWFKXtF9ILCtu0/s1600/SteamedLotusBun.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6964krXMi9rtJfFuE_KDFU_YFQmBwVbPhId4TiW-mBTt7aJdqciabGGYHyxes04aRFiDvXjr3F2tjEhFZGVQDggIG5YGn0j_RWvyLH1mo2NcGv-j3p89IgFC3cS9Uf8gWFKXtF9ILCtu0/s320/SteamedLotusBun.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652931294603962802" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I still had some leftover lotus paste and Ann of <a href="http://www.anncoojournal.com/">Anncoo Journal</a> suggested I make steamed lotus buns with them. I didn't want to waste any of it as Ronny and I nearly became crippled making it. It was really hard work. Please refer to my previous post for the <a href="http://murasakishikibu.blogspot.com/2011/09/making-chinese-moon-cakes-in-spain.html">lotus paste recipe</a>.<div><br /></div><div>I followed a recipe from <a href="http://www.smokywok.com/">Smoky Wok</a>, modifying it a bit. I only used sugar to activate the yeast and omitted the rest of it. I also used cake flour as I read that it was better to keep the protein content low.</div><div><br /></div><div>These were delicious and much healthier than the mooncakes as the wrapper only had a small amount of butter in it. If you have any kind of paste lying around (Azuki, white bean, lotus, etc.) it's very easy to make and wonderful to have with some nice Chinese or Japanese tea.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Steamed Lotus Buns</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><br /></div><div>5.5g Dry Yeast</div><div>1/2 Cup Warm Water</div><div>1 1/2 Cup Cake Flour + more for kneading</div><div>1 Tsp Baking Powder</div><div>2 Tbsp Melted Butter</div><div>1 Tsp Sugar</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 1:</b> In a large bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and 1 Tsp of the cake flour and leave it until bubbly for around 15 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 2:</b> Sift all the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 3:</b> Mix the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture adding the butter.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 4:</b> Knead for around 10 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 5: </b> Transfer to a clean oiled bowl and let it rise for 60 minutes or until it has at least doubled.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 6:</b> Start boiling the water in the steamer* when the dough is ready for another kneading.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 7: </b> Knead the dough for another 5 minutes until it is smooth and pliant and then divide it into 12 portions.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 8:</b> Roll a small ball of lotus paste and wrap it up. See <a href="http://tastesofhome.blogspot.com/2011/02/steamed-chinese-lotus-buns-recipe.html">this.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 9:</b> Cut oven paper so that they are bigger than the buns and place the buns on top of the paper.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 10:</b> Steam 3 at a time for 15-20 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 11:</b> Serve warm.</div><div><br /></div><div>*I used a <a href="http://www.ecrater.com/p/2384147/8-litre-stainless-steel-couscoussier-steamer">couscoussier</a>. </div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-47994327453804844932011-09-12T14:43:00.007+02:002011-09-20T14:46:30.518+02:00Making Chinese Mooncakes in Spain: A Study in SurrealismThis is a documentary of me attempting to make mooncakes in Spain without the correct ingredients and without a mooncake mold. The arduous process and results were a study in surrealism.<br /><br />What on earth is this?! It doesn't...look...like a moon cake, but what the hell. I spent three days slaving over this thing!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6hdjM08qb1FkiH0KShnrSrcQdIqZ0QvPsb0fAbVtuEsXf-8tlpTPDv0QTmvoMyUWv4uIb-jEnFoMr3z-76RGrztgy0J0QpjpxPm8K0iIcY_quLf4Pay4MddCn3iCiCwgtPAkZlu6ktC7/s1600/mooncake1.4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6hdjM08qb1FkiH0KShnrSrcQdIqZ0QvPsb0fAbVtuEsXf-8tlpTPDv0QTmvoMyUWv4uIb-jEnFoMr3z-76RGrztgy0J0QpjpxPm8K0iIcY_quLf4Pay4MddCn3iCiCwgtPAkZlu6ktC7/s320/mooncake1.4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Anyhow, I don't suggest you follow my modified 'recipe' as the lotus paste came out way too soft. I am guessing there was too much butter in comparison to the starch content, and hence it tended to spread all over the place.<br /><br />The other issue was that the dough did not seem to have the resilience it should have had and was not stretchy and soft and tended to crack, resulting in a surface that kind of looks like the drought hit areas of the earth.<br /><br />I would say that the only useful part of this blog is how to prepare the dried lotus seeds. The rest is a work in progress.<br /><br />So here goes...<br /><br /><b>Preparation of the Lotus Seeds</b><br /><br />I used dry lotus seeds as this was all I could find.<br /><br />I purchased 150 g x 6 packs of dried lotus seeds. After I soaked them in water overnight and seeds that had changed color and so on were removed, this converted to around 1.9 kg of lotus seeds. This means that a 150g pack of lotus seeds will convert to roughly 316 g of usable hydrated lotus seeds.<br /><br />Step 1: Soak the lotus seeds in water in a big bowl for a few hours.<br /><br />Step 2: When the lotus seeds have softened sufficiently for handling, check each seed to make sure the germ has been removed from the center as this is very bitter. Also throw away any seeds that look discolored.<br /><br />Step 3: Soak the lotus seeds in water again overnight.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPXQBZsydMKyPQK_bo0tKTs5F8c6tYHgZ3d2ara9BHlfCQdMl66a6-9owalvIO19oivKoF7f8DdAt9uCNeGrC2DZuBsQPCZFng-tnd5MMNiZSX1tbWtQhhyphenhyphenmHr2C2IQJ5iDVJ3e6yXBmd/s1600/hydrated_lotus_seeds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPXQBZsydMKyPQK_bo0tKTs5F8c6tYHgZ3d2ara9BHlfCQdMl66a6-9owalvIO19oivKoF7f8DdAt9uCNeGrC2DZuBsQPCZFng-tnd5MMNiZSX1tbWtQhhyphenhyphenmHr2C2IQJ5iDVJ3e6yXBmd/s320/hydrated_lotus_seeds.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Step 4: Measure the desired amount of seeds. In my case I needed 1.332 kg lotus seeds to make 3 kg of lotus paste. Put the rest inside a tupperware in water and store in the refrigerator.<br /><br />Step 5: Boil the lotus seeds for more than 5 hours until soft. Remember that you want a smooth paste. The softer they are the less likely they are to get gritty.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJM8qi6r79v7gLNIZh-a86vyubDJ_lFyteHhmWBIRsAFGmtSNNY__31vc9KnHevjNTdmQ9R0oqzsKg-m9GSdCOx6p6OrWLqm7DqXbRbYNS-aZsaJ2lfkcisSQHfyVVjzl9OIZaJC0nSY4/s1600/boiling_lotus_seeds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJM8qi6r79v7gLNIZh-a86vyubDJ_lFyteHhmWBIRsAFGmtSNNY__31vc9KnHevjNTdmQ9R0oqzsKg-m9GSdCOx6p6OrWLqm7DqXbRbYNS-aZsaJ2lfkcisSQHfyVVjzl9OIZaJC0nSY4/s320/boiling_lotus_seeds.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />The recipe I followed for making lotus paste was <a href="http://amandalwh.wordpress.com/2008/07/26/homemade-lotus-paste/">this</a> from Amanda:<br /><br /><b>Amanda's Recipe</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>200g Lotus Seed</b><br /><b>180g Sugar (120g recommended by author)</b><br /><b>160 ml Peanut Oil (100 ml Olive Oil recommended by author)</b><br /><b>1 Tbsp Honey</b><br /><b>1 Tbsp Condensed Milk</b><br /><b>1/8 Tsp Salt</b><br /><b><br /></b><br />The author noted that this made around 450g of lotus paste and I needed 3kg. This meant I needed around 1332 g of lotus seeds. I modified the recipe proportions using fresh cream instead of condensed milk:<br /><br /><b>1330g Hydrated Lotus Seeds</b><br /><b>800g Sugar</b><br /><b>670g Butter</b><br /><b>17 Tbsp Honey</b><br /><b>14 Tbsp Fresh Cream</b><br /><b>1 Tsp Salt</b><br /><b><br /></b><br />This is the lotus paste paste I made...or should I say Ronny made. Frankly, without his viking brute strength, it would have been impossible to stir more than 2.5kg of this paste for a few hours. It was insane. Now I think I can understand how Leif Erikson managed to get all the way to the Americas on his man/wind powered boat.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOT0DqKg_Pyeot7vTz2RO6ZAoLkeNUEGaYL7Dc8sBVfQ8J1F2Bk6ScVGczbiiV1QHxoSXSU_GosbwUHFJDJRalH09xUhJGQBMh-OVnrGqPx3VXO94hq3IfhqD9EOq4TMrUNoByHf3ld3x/s1600/lotus_paste.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOT0DqKg_Pyeot7vTz2RO6ZAoLkeNUEGaYL7Dc8sBVfQ8J1F2Bk6ScVGczbiiV1QHxoSXSU_GosbwUHFJDJRalH09xUhJGQBMh-OVnrGqPx3VXO94hq3IfhqD9EOq4TMrUNoByHf3ld3x/s320/lotus_paste.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />*This recipe yielded 2640g of lotus paste. Don't know what happened to the 360 g, but maybe we took too many spoonfuls out of it to 'taste it' as we were making it, and as I mentioned earlier it tasted good but was too soft.<br /><br /><br />I used several references for making my moon cakes and will link to them where relevant. In the end I chose to go with the formula on <a href="http://www.anncoojournal.com/2010/09/traditional-baked-mooncake-2010.html">Anncoo Journal</a>.<br /><br /><b>Anncoo's recipe:</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>600g Hong Kong Flour</b><br /><b>360g Sugar Syrup</b><br /><b>12g Alkaline Water</b><br /><b>150g Peanut Oil</b><br /><b>3 kg Lotus Paste</b><br /><br />I compared this with another recipe on <a href="http://www.houseofannie.com/traditional-baked-mooncake-recipe/">House of Annie</a>.<br /><br /><b>Annie's recipe:</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>300g Superfine Flour (600g)</b><br /><b>240g Mooncake Golden Syrup (480g)</b><br /><b>1/2 Tbsp Alkaline Water (1Tbsp)</b><br /><b>75g Cooking Oil (150g)</b><br /><b>1/2 Tsp Baking Soda (1 Tsp)</b><br /><br />A few questions arose at this point.<br /><br />1. What is Hong Kong Flour?<br />2. What is Mooncake Golden Syrup?<br />3. What is alkaline water?<br /><br /><a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/693081">Hong Kong Flour</a> turned out to be a fine bleached flour although I was never able to find out the percentage of its protein content. In the end, I opted for using 300 g AP flour and 300 g cake flour.<br /><br /><a href="http://auntyyochana.blogspot.com/2006/07/mooncake-golden-syrup.html">Mooncake Golden Syrup</a> can be substituted with corn syrup or Golden Syrup, but if you really want to make it from scratch you need to let it sit for around a year before using it. See <a href="http://auntyyochana.blogspot.com/2006/07/mooncake-golden-syrup.html">this</a>. I opted for using a mixture of syrup and honey used in making Arab confections as this is all I could get.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/how-to-make-alkaline-drinking-water">Alkaline water</a> according to some references is what is referred to as lye water in the west. However some say that it is simply alkaline water and you should do a litmus paper test to determine the pH of your tap water. Pure water has a pH of around 7.0. If the pH is more than 7.0, it is alkaline, if it is lower it is acidic. If your water isn't alkaline, adding baking soda to it can make it alkaline. The water in my area is very hard and alkaline so I just used tap water.<br /><br />The other question is the baking soda in Annie's list of ingredients. As the dough has to sit for 3 hours to 1 day in her recipe, we can assume that it's not there for its raising properties. I am guessing that it is there to ensure that the dough stays alkaline.<br /><br />Annie also uses a lot more syrup, which suggested to me that her dough would be softer. hmm....<br /><br />In the end this is what I did:<br /><br /><b>300g AP Flour</b><br /><b>300g Cake Flour</b><br /><b>360g Syrup with Honey</b><br /><b>10g Tap Water with an alkaline pH</b><br /><b>150g Melted Butter</b><br /><br />Anncoo's recipe says to let it sit for 20 minutes, but I decided to let it sit for much longer while I made the lotus paste. I might also add that if you have any doubts about whether your tap water is alkaline and don't want to do a litmus test, add 1 Tsp baking soda to the water.<br /><br />This is what the dough looked like when it was put into the refrigerator:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMR-DYpkynyUjypAxlSXD40p3KhaqU5FcyBeG6Xar5H6ad42LEtATdEmUVwoGs14E3s9NCNZMn2KBHHwWvlJeBHJCTO3NSq7E4ee2dLNrHvdwXzv8Jlgkr6qXw4Fyu6GrwG92d5Ubd4iF/s1600/mooncake_dough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMR-DYpkynyUjypAxlSXD40p3KhaqU5FcyBeG6Xar5H6ad42LEtATdEmUVwoGs14E3s9NCNZMn2KBHHwWvlJeBHJCTO3NSq7E4ee2dLNrHvdwXzv8Jlgkr6qXw4Fyu6GrwG92d5Ubd4iF/s320/mooncake_dough.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />The morning after making the lotus paste (and it had cooled down), it was time to shape and bake the moon cakes.<br /><br /><b>Shaping and Baking the Moon Cakes </b><br /><br />Step 1: Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it warm-up to room temperature or at least until it is soft and pliable.<br /><br />Step 2: Knead the lotus paste well and make 80g balls (or 150g if you think you can do it) . I had difficulty wrapping 150g of paste as my paste as very soft in comparison to my dough. I reduced the amount and decided to wrap them in the same way as I wrap Chinese beef pies - which is not the way to wrap moon cakes, but if you have trouble wrapping it the correct way, I suggest you do what I did!<br /><br />Step 3: Knead the wrapper dough well and make 50g balls with it.<br /><br />Step 4: Flatten out the dough into a circle with your hands and wrap the lotus paste ball with it completely.<br />See<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYVULm9qGrk"> this</a>. I didn't put an egg in the center, but put some walnuts and almonds candied with honey in the center.<br /><br />Step 5: If you have a mold, then lightly dust the ball with cake flour and press it into the mold and remove. If not flatten it with your hands so that you have circular mooncake (with no fancy designs on it).<br /><br />Step 6: Preheat oven to 180C.<br /><br />Step 7: Bake 10 mooncakes or so at a time for 7 minutes. Remove them from the oven, cool them and bake the next batch for 7 minutes. Basically the mooncakes will need to cool for 10 minutes.<br /><br />Step 8: Dial down the oven temperature to 175C and let the first batch rest for another 3 minutes at least.<br /><br />Step 9: Paint the surface of the first batch of mooncakes with egg wash and put 10 of them back in the oven and bake them for 20 minutes.<br /><br />Step 10: Repeat the process until all the mooncakes are baked.<br /><br />Note: I used a well whipped egg yolk + 1 Tsp water for my egg wash.<br /><br />I was talking to a friend of mine while making these and she mentioned walnut mooncakes, which made me want to make some candied walnuts and almonds.<br /><br />I just coated a handful of walnuts and Marcona almonds with dark honey from Galicia and roasted them in the oven preheated to 175C (350F) for around 12 - 15 minutes, stirring them around a bit at the 7 minute mark or so. I incorporated these into a few of the mooncakes.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9cZMvTcrJPKv3aMhhh7-eExjfLSSi54oqrp5LKA0JCZFAbowEvKM3Xl5roE7vFF8jZ8hvmXFasQIjJpaVAwVJ39_NRrjbS3ydt11qt_cQAbWAIFeBBp3qoWmPxDyvVUlZTAG1YEBjvlX/s1600/caramelized_nuts2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9cZMvTcrJPKv3aMhhh7-eExjfLSSi54oqrp5LKA0JCZFAbowEvKM3Xl5roE7vFF8jZ8hvmXFasQIjJpaVAwVJ39_NRrjbS3ydt11qt_cQAbWAIFeBBp3qoWmPxDyvVUlZTAG1YEBjvlX/s320/caramelized_nuts2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Let me end this by quoting Annie:<br /><br /><i>"Honestly, if you live in Asia where the filling ingredients are easy to find and buy pre-made, and most of the other ingredients for the skin are also prepared for you, it's not really hard at all. If you live in the West, where the ingredients may be more difficult to find and you'd have to make everything from scratch by yourself, then yes, I'd say it would be tougher."</i><br /><br />No kidding!<br /><br />The last and perhaps most important question is how they tasted. Well, my crust turned out to be like a soft pie crust and the lotus seed paste was very aromatic because of the Galician honey and home made vanilla essenceI used. They were definitely palatable, but they just were not....Chinese mooncakes. Please consult my original sources when making yours.<div><br /></div><div>Addendum 1: The mooncakes need to be made at least 2 days before consumption. After 2 days the wrapper will soften and the cakes will become very fragrant. I left mine out on a cooling rack for the rest of the day and them stored them in an airtight container. Whenever I open the containers the aromatic scent of dark honey from Galicia, caramelized sugar, vanilla, butter and fresh cream spill out of the container and it's a real pleasure to take one of the moonakes out and eat them. Mine may look awkward, but they taste fabulous.</div><div><br /></div><div>Addendum 2: I used 100% cake flour to bake another batch, and let the dough sit for 20 minutes. This appears to yield a more elastic dough. However, when I baked them the wrappers seemed to crack. This could be because I did not wait until the lotus paste had warmed-up to room temperature.</div><div><br /></div><div>Addendum 3: If the lotus paste is soft, let it harden in the refrigerator and take them out and make the balls right before they are ready to be put into the wrapper. Then let them soften inside the wrapper before you put them into the mold or shape them with your hands.</div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-23169696756168540722011-09-01T11:35:00.015+02:002011-09-01T15:08:13.245+02:00Buttermilk Cluster Rolls - Revisited<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDuca4Gr8usuRjQXqKdPcBC4gQ3UBuHfcew-DiGKQCuSbKvj0bns4bhSfqO0Jq7Fa_sMK0ZqViUROK9LV1VGconGRdMfWv373H7lsLJJjA4Xcm3D_o1-RDR1Vg98YWIJAXPeYxDD-agiC/s1600/yogurtpoppyseedloaf.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDuca4Gr8usuRjQXqKdPcBC4gQ3UBuHfcew-DiGKQCuSbKvj0bns4bhSfqO0Jq7Fa_sMK0ZqViUROK9LV1VGconGRdMfWv373H7lsLJJjA4Xcm3D_o1-RDR1Vg98YWIJAXPeYxDD-agiC/s320/yogurtpoppyseedloaf.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647374085835752034" /></a>
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<br /></div><div>I made Michael Ruhlman's Buttermilk Cluster Rolls back in <a href="http://murasakishikibu.blogspot.com/2010/02/buttermilk-dinner-rolls.html">February 2010</a>. This is a standard recipe in our household now and I thought I'd share the few modifications I have made to the original recipe.</div><div>
<br /></div>Instead of baking it inside a cake pan to make that gorgeous looking cluster roll, for practicality's sake, I bake it inside an IKEA bullar loaf tin (27.5 cm x 8.5 cm x 6 cm), and make a few small buns on the side with the leftover dough. If you have a bigger bread loaf tin, you can make bigger balls of dough and bake everything in one go. Some modifications have been made in the recipe because buttermilk is difficult to obtain and expensive in Spain. I use a mixture of yogurt and whole milk.<div>
<br /></div><div>This is Ronny's sandwich bread these days and he likes to melt Gouda or Cheddar cheese on it, but I love to have it with a generous slathering of marmalade made from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_orange">bitter oranges</a> from Seville (Mermelada de Naranja Amarga, Angel Camacho Alimentacion, S.L.).
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<br /></div><div>Here's the modified recipe.<div>
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<br /></div><div><b>Yogurt & Milk Loaf with Blue Poppy Seeds</b> - Adapted from <a href="http://ruhlman.com/2010/02/buttermilk-dinner-rolls/">Michael Ruhlman's Recipe</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>800g AP Flour</div><div>125 g Yogurt</div><div>445 g Whole Milk</div><div>5.5 g Dry Yeast</div><div>1 Tbsp Spanish Sea Salt</div><div>2 Tbsp Honey (I use Miel Multifloral de Galicia)</div><div>Butter (for greasing the tin)</div><div>Coarse Corn Flour (for sprinkling in the tin and on the oven paper)</div><div>1 Egg</div><div>1 Tsp Blue Poppy Seeds</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 1: In a big mixing bowl, combine the flour (saving maybe 1/2 cup for the kneading), yeast and salt and give it a few whisks to make sure it is well-blended. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 2: Add the yogurt, milk and honey and mix and mix it until it's blended enough and you can move it to a floured kitchen surface.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 3: Use the remaining flour and knead the dough until smooth and resilient for about 10 minutes, gradually incorporating all of the flour.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 4: Put it back in the bowl and cover it with a tea towel. Let it rest for around 2 hours.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 5: Butter the bread loaf tin and sprinkle with coarse corn flour.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 5: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead it well releasing all the gases and then make 4 balls weighing around 300g each (the size of my fist aka the size of a 12 year old boy's fist) and put them into bread tin like you would when making a Brioche. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 6: Roll the remaining dough into small balls (100g x 4) and put them on oven paper that has been sprinkled with coarse corn flour.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 7: Cover both with tea towels and let them rise for 60 minutes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 8: Beat the egg until it's a uniform smooth yellow.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 8: Preheat your oven to 190C (375F) and when the bread has risen, brush the surface of the loaf with the egg wash, sprinkle some blue poppy seeds on top and bake for 30 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil if the top is very brown and bake for another 10 minutes (Total Baking Time: 40 minutes). </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Step 9: After removing the baked loaf from the oven, slide in the buns and bake these for 15 -20 minutes or until they are nice and brown on top.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Further Notes: My bread often cracks on top or on the sides and although this doesn't bother me I know it might bother some of you. I found <a href="http://www.chefsline.com/blog/articles/why-is-my-bread-cracking/">this note</a> on which is helpful.</div><div>
<br /></div></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-4209223374307256122011-08-10T14:41:00.009+02:002011-08-10T15:18:20.982+02:00Coconut Oatmeal Cookies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiftJ1RkafnlQe73r8O1KyZ_oUa_LZv1Q9wGyQUlbWky7lAWNtQX8dWBg0XiH5VOQqyiiQJJaQyfzLQDno5s4-v_e-l2E2BA0Lx_AV_MP73lUcA4rZyu9isppCUgSTOMiqJipXa6NUMdqf/s1600/coconutoatmeal.jpg.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiftJ1RkafnlQe73r8O1KyZ_oUa_LZv1Q9wGyQUlbWky7lAWNtQX8dWBg0XiH5VOQqyiiQJJaQyfzLQDno5s4-v_e-l2E2BA0Lx_AV_MP73lUcA4rZyu9isppCUgSTOMiqJipXa6NUMdqf/s320/coconutoatmeal.jpg.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639212384168756594" /></a>
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<br /></div>This isn't a photogenic recipe, nor is it extra special, but it is a nice basic recipe that you can make with very few ingredients. The flavor and texture of oatmeal and coconut is pleasant and the cookie is soft and slightly chewy. This recipe makes around 52 cookies. The numbers of cookies will depend on how gigantic you make them. Mine were small to medium sized. <div>
<br /></div><div>I used home made vanilla essence made from vanilla pods and vodka. <a href="http://www.cocoandme.com/2008/05/31/homemade-vanilla-extract-recipe/">Here</a>'s the recipe I followed.
<br /><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Coconut Oatmeal Cookies - Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/coconut-oatmeal-cookies-i/detail.aspx">Darlene's Recipe at allrecipes.com</a></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>1 Cup Unsalted Butter (227g)</div><div>1 Cup Brown Sugar</div><div>1 Cup Refined White Sugar</div><div>2 Eggs</div><div>1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence</div><div>2 Cups AP Flour</div><div>1 Cup Coconut Flakes</div><div>2 Cups Rolled Oats + as much more as you think you can add to it.*</div><div>1/2 Tsp Sea Salt</div><div>1 Tsp Baking Soda</div><div>1 Tsp Baking Powder</div><div>
<br /></div><div>*I probably used 1/4 - 1/2 cup more. Stir in a little bit at a time, making sure you can still make balls out of the batter. You don't want to add so much more that the batter is dry and falls apart. The amount of extra oatmeal you can add will probably depend on the size of your eggs.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 1:</b> Preheat oven to 175C (350F).</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 2:</b> Mix butter and sugars. Then add eggs and vanilla essence until thoroughly mixed.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 3</b>: In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking power and baking soda. Whisk vigorously so that everything is mixed and sifted. Then add the oats and mix some more. Then add the coconut and mix lightly.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 4: </b> Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients 1 cup at a time and blend. Try to do this as quickly as you can.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 5: </b> Make small balls with your hands and press them down a bit to flatten with the palms of your hands.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Step 6:</b> Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.</div><div>
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<br /></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-79557285603537536692011-07-20T12:42:00.012+02:002011-07-20T15:34:42.046+02:00Floating Loaf - Adapted from Maria Speck's Recipe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pmgtfva6bVu7ybSjb5EV7Cm6BPw6RFTeQvoBvTMM1VgnJ9EjNszznfzNYm1jl7S8dgT4TdJKrOSnYOYxyOhGUGk17A_wqmyb0ZR4bg_lDSlzHsFx4ZOVNU8n41p19VSVlb79EvaWBAC3/s1600/floatingloaf.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pmgtfva6bVu7ybSjb5EV7Cm6BPw6RFTeQvoBvTMM1VgnJ9EjNszznfzNYm1jl7S8dgT4TdJKrOSnYOYxyOhGUGk17A_wqmyb0ZR4bg_lDSlzHsFx4ZOVNU8n41p19VSVlb79EvaWBAC3/s320/floatingloaf.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631408192193064834" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>The author of <a href="http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/">Taste of Beirut</a> suggested I look into <a href="http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2011/07/floating-loaf/">this very interesting bread</a> that requires minimal kneading and rises inside a vat of water. I was pretty sure it would work, but wanted to know more details, so I looked for a few more sources. <div><br /></div><div>I found a source that had pretty detailed step-by-step photographs, i.e. <a href="http://breadmakingblog.breadexperience.com/2011/05/floating-sesame-loaf.html">Bread Experience</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyhow, I'm going to share my experience with the Floating Loaf.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Floating Loaf - <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/bread-cookbooks-20/detail/1580083544">Adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals</a> by <a href="http://how2heroes.com/videos/profiles/about-maria-speck">Maria Speck</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><br /></div><div>2 Cups AP Flour</div><div>1/2 Cup Spelt Flour</div><div>1 Cup + a little more luke warm water</div><div>2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds</div><div>1 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt</div><div>2 Tsp Brown Sugar</div><div>5.5 g Baker's Yeast</div><div>Corn Meal (for sprinkling on the oven paper)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 1:</b> Mix all dry ingredients except for the sesame seeds.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 2: </b> Add 1 cup water and mix and add more water if you think it needs more. The dough should be pretty wet and sticky but you should be able to make a ball with it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 3: </b> Roll in flour.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 4:</b> Put the ball of dough into a vat of water. I used tap water, but if the water is heavily chlorinated in your area, I would let the water sit in the vat for a day to let chlorine evaporate a bit. Wait until the ball of dough floats to the surface. In my case, it took 8 minutes for this to happen, but the time can vary. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 5: </b> Now knead it a bit on a floured surface and then put it on top of oven paper that you have sprinkled with corn meal. Cover it with a tea cloth/dish towel and let it rise for another 15-20 minutes or so. When it has risen, wet it with your fingers (fingers will warm the water a bit) and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. I used a brush during winter once and my loaf caved in. It's going to be baked anyway so why worry about fingers touching the dough?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 6:</b> Preheat the oven to 220C (425F).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step 7: </b> The oven should be pre-heated by the time the bread rises so slide it onto the hot baking tray inside the oven and bake it for 20-30 minutes or until it is golden brown. I baked mine for 30 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>We had aged Manchego cheese with fresh basil and rosemary inspired by <a href="http://janaaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/sardinian-cuisine-or-about-buono.html">Jana's display from Jana Around the World</a> , green Spanish olives, and <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/2136-trumps-cannellini-spread-recipe.html">Cannellini Bean Spread</a> from <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/">Steamy Kitchen</a> with our freshly baked loaf of bread. It was a pretty nice lunch.</div><div><br /></div><div>The beauty of this loaf is that the cooking time is relatively short. You can basically make freshly baked bread in around 60 minutes.</div><div><br /></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7568871176875467749.post-78432352135775238832011-07-17T12:52:00.002+02:002011-07-17T12:57:58.793+02:00Beef Boregi with Herbs and Pine Nuts from Elra's Cooking<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCx3IuiUCy-FjQ6RhL7nkxBU9otN8KkH1GOtH_QEn8Ciq7sYDuCQ_pyaptQr2yNPxrXexgZH-8nhJ9Fi-SKaqs3QynqyQLRol0LbmwCoATC0yqENd2FhI9qDEJFm7dHvRJR655Fl4Yut1/s1600/boregi4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCx3IuiUCy-FjQ6RhL7nkxBU9otN8KkH1GOtH_QEn8Ciq7sYDuCQ_pyaptQr2yNPxrXexgZH-8nhJ9Fi-SKaqs3QynqyQLRol0LbmwCoATC0yqENd2FhI9qDEJFm7dHvRJR655Fl4Yut1/s320/boregi4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630273498124094034" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>This was my first attempt ever, at using filo pastry and as I tried to separate the layers of filo from the package, Elra's words came to mind.<div><br /></div><div>"You might not use the whole package, but always nice to have extra just in case you tear some."</div><div><br /></div><div>And boy did I tear some...</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, I cheated by using bits of the torn pastry to patch-up holes in the rolled-up filo in the pan. It took 65 minutes before the top of my Boregi was nice and brown.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the recipe, please go <a href="http://elrascooking.blogspot.com/2011/02/beef-boregi-with-fresh-herb-and-pine.html">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I totally recommend this recipe and really loved the filling!<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(104, 32, 65); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 25px; "><br /></span></div></div>Murasaki Shikibuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10956944811391367016noreply@blogger.com7