Xiao Long Bao (Steamed soup dumpling)

I like making little snacks but I always shy away from making xiao long bao. Yes, I love eating them very much especially when I'm away in Taiwan or back in Singapore. Of course Ding Tai Fung serves good xiao long bao but for the authentic version one can find in Nanxiang xiao long bao in Shanghai. One fine day I hope .......

So here I am in my first attempt on making xiao long bao.....

Xiao Long Bao

Ingredients

Soup Jelly
4 cups of water
6 chicken wings

• 5 dried scallops-soak till sot


• 2 spring onion


• 1 knob of ginger, smashed


• 3 cloves of garlic-smashed


• 1 tbsp of gelatin powder
  Bring to boil all the above ingredients (except gealtin powder). Once boiling, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 2hrs. Off the fire.

1. Sieve the boiling liquid into a bowl. Then stir in the gelatin powder, mix well so that it's not lumpy.



2. Pour the liquid into a plate and let it to cool in fridge until it sets. Then cut into cube.

Filling

• 500 gm of mince pork


• 100 gm prawn-finely chopped


• 4 spring onion-finely chopped


• 3 tbsp soya sauce


• 1 tsp of white pepper


• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine


• 1 tsp sesame oil


• 1 tsp sugar

1. Mixed all the ingredients, also add in the cut soup jelly. Mixed well. Set aside in the fridge until you're ready to wrap the xiao long bao.
   

Skin

• 3 cups plain flour


• 1 cup boiling water


• 1 tsp vegetable oil


• 4 tbsp cold water

1. In a large mixing bowl, put in the flour. Pour in the boiling water, use a chopstick and continue to stir vigorously.


2. Then add in the vegetable oil and cold water, use your hand to knead the dough. The dough should feel sticky. Continue to knead for about 5minutes into a soft dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30minutes.


3. Lay the bamboo steamer with either napa cabbage leaves or iceberg lettuce leaves.


4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Take 1 portion and roll into a long log. Then divide the log into 14 pieces.


5. Dust the work surface with flour, use a rolling pin and roll each piece into 3inches circle. For wrapping, the thinner the edges the easier it will be for pleating later.


6. Scoop 1 tbsp of filling onto the skin wrapper, and start to pleat. Continue until you're done with all the fillings. You can learn how to pleat from this video.


7. Place the dumplings onto the steamer and steam for around 10-12minutes.

The flavors are there but I still need to improve the quality of the skin......

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A nice break in Lake District

I was away to Lake District with few friends for 5 days. Plan was to do scenic hike up some scaleable peaks dotted around there. Lake District National Park is such a lovely place. We did camping with a hint of glamour/style or better known as 'glamping'. We slept in tent that has been refurbished with clean sheet and comfy mattress, a wood burner as cooking stove, proper dining table and even a toilet within it. It was new experience to me, as you still have access to great outdoor, coming back after a long walk to a nice cosy tent. It was a good break, away from hectic life, breathing in spring fresh air, embracing the lovely scenery etc, etc....did I forget to tell you, the weather was superb (almost summer like) considering it's still early spring. I allow the pictures do the talking for me:-)

Sheep grazing the field

Lake view at Buttermere

Lake District famoulsy known for English author Beatrix Potter, Tales of Peter Rabbit

A curious and friendly sheep

Scenic route up Buttermere

Ullswater lake in the distance

Still a bit of snow left up Hallevelyn (3rd highest peak in Lake District)

Pistachio Biscotti

Where have I been or what have I been doing? I am still enjoying the wonderful April weather, it's been sunny and warm (20degC), which is rather rare for early spring. The whole city is buzzing when weather is nice, people will go out to lie on the grass and enjoy a sun kiss skin. After all, you've to enjoy the brilliant sunshine weekend, any other things will take second place. I've been baking to enjoy the freshness of baked goods right from the oven. So I thought I should give it a try at biscotti. Baking cookies are quick and no hassle. The enjoyment of having freshly baked cookies with a cup of freshly brew coffee or tea is an enjoyment to behold.

Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients (make about 30)

• 280 gm flour


• 250 gm butter softened


• 130 gm caster sugar


• 1 egg yolk


• 2 tsp brandy


• pinch of salt


• 1 egg yolk lightly beaten


• 85 gm pistachio nut roughly chopped


• Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Cream the butter and sugar . Then add in egg yolk. Mix well.


2. Then add in brandy, pistachio, flour and salt. Use a spoon to mix well.


3. Pour the soft dough onto cling film and wrap around and roll into a log.


4. Then put in the fridge and cool for an hour.


5. Pre heat oven to 190C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.


6. Remove the log from fridge, unwrap the cling film, use a sharp knife and cut diagonally into 5mm slices.


7. Place them on the baking tray.


8. Bake for 12minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool f0r 5 minutes in the oven, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

I took some lovely pictures again from Cambridge and my garden.....

I love April for its tulips, cherry blossom and lovely weather.......

King's College Chapel

The leaves has appeared on the trees

View of King's College from The Backs

Punting on Cam River

Jerry guarding his daffodil

Daffodils Salome

Daffodils and Tulips at back garden

Spring colors in my back garden

Bright yellow tulip brightening up a shady corner

Always make time for a cuppa

Flowering bleeding heart

Tulips in the raised beds at front garden

Tulips Appeldorn

Spring Colors

Truly spring has arrived here, we've just tuned our clock to BST again. I'm also much or less out of hibernation mode to enjoy the fresh spring air, it's still a little chilly in the morning but it warm up quite quickly. As a keen gardener, March is a busy month, so much to do in the garden, from clearing out borders, flower beds, potting up, sowing seeds and etc. It is not all about doing this and that in the garden, always make time to rest and enjoy the blossom of early spring bulbs. :-)

After a hard day in the garden, how about enjoying a slice of banana cake and a cuppa. Yes... lovely indeed.

Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 125gm butter


• 125 gm sugar


• 240 gm self raising flour


• 2 large eggs


• 2 large very ripe bananas


• a handful of walnut (roughly chopped)-optional


• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Line a 2lb loaf tin with grease proof paper.


Mash the banana with fork.


Lightly beat the eggs with fork.


Cream the butter and sugar and add the eggs slowly while continue on creaming.


Mix in the mashed banana. Then add in the flour. Use a metal spoon and fold in.


Then pour the mixture into the tin and bake for around 30-40mins till cook.

Lovely winter pansy

Cherry Blossom

Cut flowers from my garden, white tulip and muscari

Cut flowers from my garden-fragance hyancinths

Sowing vegetable seeds

Blooming daffodils in my garden

Sowing flower seeds

Garden supervisor having a siesta again

Braised pork serve with rice

It's been quite cold this past few days, there were frosty mornings and cold evenings. But was pleasantly cool during day time. These were the transitional period between late winter into early spring. Last chance of making those comfort food for the cold evenings before warmer days set in, and put my Le Cruset cast iron pot to good use.

Braised Pork serve with rice
Ingredients

• 600 gm pork belly-cut into 1 inch thick
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 5 cloves of garlic-crushed
• 1 inch of ginger-thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp of light soya sauce
• 2 tbsp of dark soya sauce
• 3 tbsp of shaoxing wine
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 8 dry mushroom -soaked till soft, discard stem

1. Heat oil in the pot. Once hot, sweat garlic and ginger for a minute. Then throw in the pork belly and let it browned for 5minutes. Throw in the mushroom. Continue stirring.


2. Then add in soya sauce, dark sauce, shaoxing wine, water and sugar. Bring to boil.


3. Then lower the heat to minimum and close the heavy lid of the cast iron pot. Let it braised for 2hours. Stir once every hour.


4. The meat should be tender and falvorful after 2 hours. I find that this dish taste better the next day when all the flavor is fully absorbed by the meat.
   
5. Serve over rice.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to attend Japan Day at Kaetsu Centre in Cambridge. There were Japanese arts of display, calligraphy, chado session, martial art session, flower arrangement, origami, manga and of course Japanese food.

Steamed scallop with chilli garlic oil

I'm counting down days to spring time. Days are getting slightly longer, you'll hear robins singing from dawn to dusk, milder weather and finally you'll smell spring is in the air. Lovely days ahead. I even head down to The Backs in Cambridge today to view the carpet of crocus, a sign that spring is in sight. Yes, I'm yearning so much for spring now.

On the cookery front, I decided to post steamed scallop with chilli garlic oil. This is a simple enough dish and very very nice.

Steamed scallop with chilli garlic oil

Ingredients

• 8 scallops in shell
• 4 cloves of garlic-finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tsp chilli oil
• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• dash of lemon juice (optional)
• 1 spring onion finely chopped

1. Prepare the garlic oil by heating 1tbsp of vegetable oil. Once hot, add in the garlic and let fry till light brown. Remove and set aside


2. Steam the scallop on high heat for around 6-7minutes. Do not overcook.
   
3. Prepare the sauce. Mix the chilli oil, garlic oil, soy sauce, sugar and lemon juice and mixed well.
4. Plate the scallop, drizzle over the sauce and garnish with spring onion.

Hereby enjoy some pics I took of the crocus.

Homemade mantou (Chinese steamed bun)

During Chinese New Year meal, I made mantou to serve with the roast duck. The mantou is easy to make and taste much fresher, soft and fluffy. After my 5km run this morning, I decided to make another batch of steamed bun to serve with braised pork belly. So I deserve the extra calories. :-)

Mantou

Ingredients (20 buns)

• 280 gm Hong Kong flour
• 100 gm wheat starch (Tung Mein Fen)
• 80 gm icing sugar
• 30 ml vegetable oil
• 8 gm fast action yeast/dry yeast
• 180 ml warm water

1. Sift flour, wheat starch, icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Then form a well in the middle and add in yeast, water and oil. Use a spatula to mix well.




2. Don't worry as the mixture is a little bit sticky. Dust the worktop with some Hong Kong flour and give a good 10 minutes of kneading to the dough.




3. Then set aside in a warm area to rise, cover with damp tea towel.




4. After the dough had triple in size, dust the worktop again and give a good 5 minutes of kneading.




5. Then roll into a long dough and cut into 20pieces. Take a piece and roll into ball, then roll out into a circle of 5mm thickness. Use an oil chopstick to glaze the top half of the circle and fold into half.
   
6. Let it rise for a further 30minutes before steaming.




7. Steam for 12-15minutes on high heat.

Enjoy with your favorite meat.....braised or roast.

Happy Year of Rabbit

Wishing all my family and friends a Happy Chinese New Year. This year is the year of Rabbit. I wish everyone will enjoy good health and prosperity. I haven't been back to Malaysia/Singapore for CNY over 3 years now, pretty much getting used to celebrating with close friends over here in UK. And moreover I still have to work during CNY, so I decided to host a lunch over at mine on Sunday.

It's a good time to get together to enjoy a nice meal with good friends and I also do enjoy cooking for my guests. At the end of the day, if you could make someone happy through sharing your food, it's a very satisfying thought.

My menu for the day consist of following:

1. Yusheng - Raw salmon salad


2. Starter of prawn toast, fried wonton, spring roll


3. Premium seafood broth


4. Roast ''Pek Ling'' duck with mantou[thanks to Algernond for naming that roast duck after me]


5. Mixed vegetables stir fry


6. Chow Mein


7. Steamed Scallop in black bean sauce


8. Pot sticker/Gyoza

My appointed photographer was pretty much distracted by the lovely food and forgot to take nice macro shot.

I hope all my guests had gone home with a great smile on their face.

I will eventually share with you some nice recipes here, be patience. At the moment let me share some pictures my photographer took before he got distracted by the food.... or more likely the boozy.

Enjoying gyoza

You might think it's shark fin soup, but hey it's not, I called it premium seafood broth

Roast duck with mantou drizzled with Hoisin sauce-Yum Yum

Crispy ''Pek Ling'' Roast Duck, thumbs up