Christmas Dinner at Home

Is always a headache when come to Christmas Eve dinner. What to buy or cook to share with the family.

Gonna to try something new after going thru' various places on selection of festive goodies bundle available. I decide to cook the food ourselves this Christmas. And instead of doing it on Christmas Eve, we are having it on Christmas Day to allowed ample time for food preparation.

Hmm, here come the list of food.

Roast lamb leg, Salad (honey cherry tomato, romaine lettuce, green seedless grape, Japanese cucumber, longan rambutan, carrot & apple), Salted Egg Sauce Prawn, Grilled Chicken Wing). And not forgetting our Chocolate Mousse 500gm log cake from Amara Hotels.

Yummy Yummy !

!

Gougeres

Learn this from the ¬In Love with French Pastisserie 1 Workshop ¬ (Global Cultures Series) organised by OnePA).










Ingredients (40 - 50 pieces)

125 ml water
125 ml milk
120 gm unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1 tsp of coarse salt
250 gm all-purpose flour
4 large eggs (about 60 gm/egg)
250 gm shredded Gruyere cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200° c.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and salt and bring it to about to boil.
4. Remove from stove, add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms.
5. Stir over low heat until it dries out (not stick to the pan) and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.
6. Scrape the dough into a bowl.
7. Let cool fro 1 minute.
8. Beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between each one.
9. Add the cheese and pepper and nutmeg.
10. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and pipe tablespoon size mounds onto the baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
11. On a bowl, beat a whole egg for brushing.
12. Brush the egg wash on, sprinkle with cheese.
13. Bake for 10 min and turn the tray and continue for another 5 min or until puffed and golden brown.
14. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate or freeze.
15. Reheat in a 175° c oven until piping hot and serve immediately.

You can stuff in cream, tuna or other seafood spread. It taste nice when eaten without any spread too.

Notes

When making the choux pastry, it is important to be sure that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next. Don't worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first, keep beating, and it will come together nicely.

Think the Gougeres baked by the trainer taste crispier. Gonna to do a few more rounds.

Rice Dumpling (粽子 - 端午节)

Duan Wu Jie is a widely celebrated festival amongst the Chinese。 Qu Yuan was an important minister back in Chu Kingdom in ancient China. He had been known for his loyalty for the emperor of Chu, and loved his country greatly. However, His Majesty had not taken Qu Yuan's advice seriously, and he eventually got himself trapped and captured in a foreign land by his enemies, which then lead to his own death.

Sad and angry at the corrupted, dying Kingdom, Qu Yuan tied himself to a big rock and threw himself into the River of Puo Luo. The people then made rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and threw them into the river. They believed this would stop the fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. Some would even row down stream in a boat, beating drums and shouting out loud in the hope to scare the fish away (it was believed that it is how the Dragon Boat event is related to the festival.

Since then, the 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese calendar has been set as Duan Wu Festival to remember the patriotic poet, Qu Yuan.

I like Rice Dumpling, especially when you eat it straight from the bamboo leaf. One could smell the fragrant of the leaf within each bite of the rice dumpling

Dumpling Rice Ingredients (make 18 pcs)

Ingredients A

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

2 tbsp cooking oil

20 gm fine salt

20 gm coarse sugar

1 kg glutinous rice (wash and soak at least 4 hours and drain away the water)

1 tsp Five spice powder

1 tbsp dark soya sauce
2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

Ingredients B

100 gm of dried chestnut (washed and soak overnight)

1 tsp of sugar

Ingredients C

500 gm of pork belly (washed, cut into 18 pcs and marinate overnight with seasonings)

Seasonings

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp five spice powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

4 clove of garlic (chopped)

Ingredients D

18 pcs of dried mushrooms (soak to soften, drained and cut into half)

Ingredients E

40 gm dried shrimps (washed, soak to soften and drained)

2 clove of garlic (chopped)

Wrapping

36 pcs bamboo leaves (soaked overnight, washed and use a cloth to dry it).

18 raffia strands or Nylon strings

Method

1. Soak the mushroom till soft.
2. Soak the chestnut and remove the skin. Add two tsp of sugar and put to steam for half an hour
3. Season the pork belly with the pork seasoning overnight (put in the fridge). Heat up the cooking oil, stir-fry the garlic till fragrant and mix well .
4. Heat up the cooking oil, stir-fry the garlic till fragrant, add in rice and dumpling rice seasoning to season, stir-fry till fragrant. set aside
5. Soak the dried prawn for 15 mins. Heat up the cooking oil, pour in the dried prawn and stir-fry till fragrant. remove and set aside for use.
6. Use 2 pcs of bamboo leaves to fold into a cone. Place in 2 tbsp pre-fried glutinous rice. Dig a well in the centre, add in fillings and cover with two tbsp glutinous rice. Wrap us and tie with the strings.
7. Bring a pot of water to boil, drop in pre-wrapped dumplings, cover and simmer over low flame for 2 hours till well cooked, dish and drained.

Cooking Tips

During the process of simmering/cooking dumplings, when more water is needed, remember to use boiling water only.

Nian Gao (大中国年糕)

Nian Gao sound common and easy to get when close to Chinese New Year time. I use to think that’s no big deal for such common stuff and didn’t know how to appreciate it very much. To me when I see my mum wait for it to be moldy, slice it into bite pieces, sun it and store it in the fridge every year, it just another superstitious act during Chinese New Year.

In Chinese belief, Nian Gao must keep until moldy. It symbolize ‘windfall’ (发财) and ‘Promotion’ (年年高升) to those who are employ.

There are many ways in eating the Nian Gao.

• Dip in egg flour batter and pan fried
• Steam it hot and dip in coconut strip
• Wrap with dumpling skin and pan fried
• Using slice of Nian Gao with slice of sweet potato or yam and pan fried
• Cook with Tang Yuan

During harvest, using the rice grain to make Nian Gao is to bear in mind the hard effort of the farmer.

As years goes, I start to compare the different brand of Nian Gao available in the market. Not for commercial gain, I favour 大中国年糕. You can taste the different when comparing to other brand. It gives a unique aroma smell when you bite into the Nian Gao. Oh for healthy reason, it is less sweet too.

If you like it to be crispy thin crust, use one beaten egg. Dip one slice of Nian Gao into the mixture and rolled over plain flour for both side. Heat the wok with 1 to 2 tablespoon of oil and pan fried both side until golden brown and serve.

Alternatively, if you want it to be slightly puffy, beat one egg with 80gm of self rising flour. Dip the Nian Gao with the batter and pan fried.

　

Using my new addtion of long chopstick to pan fried the Nian Gao

You may pan fried all your Nian Gao and keep it covered with sling wrap in the fridge. Toast it for a min or two when you wants to consume.

La Gourmet Thermal Wonder Cooker

I have been eyeing to own a Thermal Wonder Cooker. Saw one demo in the wet market which is made locally. Cost about S$200+, think is on the high side.

Come across this promotion at Robinson under La Gourmet brand. Buy one 7L La Gourmet Thermal Wonder Cooker, get one 1.5L Thermal Wonder Cooker free at S$129.00. A great deal for me.




1.5L Thermal Wonder Cooker




7L Thermal Wonder Cooker

1.5 L Thermal Wonder Cooker (available in this green or the above light brown col)

What so special about this cooker ?

It reduce cooking time

It save gas, energy or electricity

It is convenience

It is hassle free

How ?

Simply cook soup, stew the normal way for 20 - 30 mins. Remove from stove and place the inner pot into the thermal wonder cooker. Leave it to cook w/o any power connection. Food stay hot, soft and tender after 7 - 8 hours. So if you're on the go, you may just carry it along with you while you on the road and your food is still cooking in the wonder cooker. Cool meh !

Seaman's Scarf Knitting Pattern

Yin Yin's Auntie daughter-in-law have left behind 6 - 8 rolls of brand new wool after she headed back to HK.

She gives these wool materials to me. With that I start to look for suitable design and think knitting a scarf will be the right choice.

This is the website that I obtain the pattern. I did some modification to the no of sts for width and length differential.

http://knittingonthenet.com/patterns/scarfseaman.htm

Seaman's Scarf Knitting Pattern
Designed by Knit Picks Design Team
Ribbing around the neck hugs the scarf close, keeping the cold wind out. This makes an exceptionally warm scarf.

Instructions

Loosely CO 64 sts using cable cast on.
Knit 4 rows in garter stitch.

Establish cable base with 3 stitch garter stitch border:
Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *P2, K6; rep from *, ending P2, K3
Row 2: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 three more times.

8 Row Cable Sequence with 3 stitch garter stitch border:
Row 1 of Cable Sequence (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *P2, slip next 6 stitches off left needle, use left needle to pick up the 2 far right stitches leaving the other four stitches in the front, use the right needle to place the middle 2 stitches on the left needle, finally use the right needle to place the far left 2 stitches onto the left needle, k6; rep from *, ending P2, K3.
Row 2 of Cable Sequence: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Row 3 (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2 *P2, K6; rep from *, ending P2, K3
Row 4: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 two more times.
Repeat Cable Sequence 10 times ending with Row 1, preparing to flow into neck ribbing.

Neck Ribbing:
Row 1 (WS after Row 1 of Cable Sequence): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, *P2, K2; rep from *, ending P2, K1
Row 2: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K3.
Repeat these two ribbing rows until ribbing rows measure to desire length. End by purling across last row (WS row).

8 Row Cable Sequence with 3 stitch garter stitch border:
Row 1 of Cable Sequence (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *P2, slip next 6 stitches off left needle, use left needle to pick up the 2 far right stitches leaving the other four stitches in the front, use the right needle to place the middle 2 stitches on the left needle, finally use the right needle to place the far left 2 stitches onto the left needle, k6; rep from *, ending P2, K3.
Row 2 of Cable Sequence: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Row 3 (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2 *P2, K6; rep from *, ending P2, K3
Row 4: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 two more times.
Repeat Cable Sequence 10 times ending with Row 1

Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *P2, K6; rep from *, ending P2, K3
Row 2: Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K2, *K2, P2; rep from *, ending K5
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 three more times.

Bind off

Here's the finishing scarf