Pig Year - Oink! Oink!

Dear readers,

Hereby wishing you and family a Happy and Prosperous New Year and may this pig year brings you health, money and lots of happiness! :o)

Xin Nian Kuai Le &

Gong Xi Fa Cai &

Nian Nian Yo Ye!!

In addition to that, from my house to yours ~ my CNY cookies and goodies. Do help yourself ya!

My GoldFish Wantons

After seeing the Goldfish wantons at LeeLee's blog, I just have to try it. I love the idea of using the springroll wrapper and make it looks like little goldfishes, aren't they cute?

Oops, just noticed that mine look slightly different from hers because I didn't fold the meat into half. I forgot to recheck her pictures before I stated making mine, anyway still look good hor?



This is the closed up. I didn't have anything to use as garnish, so just simply borrowed the spring onions that was meant for stir-frying my bean sprouts.

Pictures Update of Evy

Mom, quick I wanna watch Arthur! (a cartoon series)


At her friend's birthday party recently.


Mummm...what?


Can we look at the magazine together?


Being funny!

Whole Wheat Buns

Basic Whole Wheat Dough recipe (using a BreadMaker):

2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (King Arthur)

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp. bread improver

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbp. milk powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

220ml cold water

1/3 cup butter

1 Tbp. instant yeast

Method:

1. Add everything in according to your breadmaker manual. Turn on the dough function and let the breadmaker do the work.

2. When done, take the dough out, give it a few kneads and cut it and shape it whatever you like. For the above bun shape, roll the dough in cylinder shape, cut out individual portion, roll it into ball and place it on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Note: You can add any filling you like at this point as well.

3. When finished placing the balls of dough in the baking pan, leave some space in between for it to prove.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it proves for 45-60 mins depending on the temperature of your room (or til double in size). It is faster if you let it proves under the sun. [For us who lives in U.S. or other seasonal country, during winter I prove my bread/buns in a preheated 170'F (my oven lowest temp.) oven for 30 mins]

4. When double in size, brush the top with milk or egg wash (optional) and bake in the preheated 375'F oven for 10-12 mins. Or until golden brown on top.

5. Cool on wire rack and keep in an air-tight container.

Brahim's Kuah Kari Ikan (Fish Curry)

I have tried several Brahim's premix like rendang, honey chicken, etc but nothing to shout about. But I would recommend Brahim's fish curry as shown below. It is delicious and tasted like Indian curry and quite spicy. It's a super fast and easy to whip up dinner because all you need is water and freezer ready ingredients. My hubby "sapu" (finished) the whole bowl down to the gravy.



Ingredients:

2 fish fillets, cut ( I used Tilapia, you can use cod or mahi-mahi)
6 small toufu pok, cut into half
12 frozen whole okras
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 package Brahim's kuah kari ikan
3/4 cup water

Method:

1. In a pot, add water and the Brahim's sauce, turn up the heat, stir to mix well and let it boil.

2. When boiled, add the frozen veggies and taufu pok. Turn the heat to low, covered and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Open the cover and add in the cut fish fillets, scoop some curry on top of the fish, covered and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with rice!



This is how the package looks like!

Pork Floss Mini Puffs

Just out of the blue I decided to make pork floss mini puffs on that day. The reason was because I wanted to test out this agaration puff pastry that failed on me when I made my curry puffs few months ago. I used to make a good one 10+ years back and I refused to believe I couldn't get it right again. I used to make lots of pork floss mini puffs and pleated it by hands (no child at that time) and baked it in the oven. It was really a tasty treat and a healthier version . Being stubborn, I just had to try it again. Alas! I failed again! I am not happy with the texture of the puff (better than the first though), but "bolek makan lah" (edible). I only made about 20 pieces and it were all gone the same night. BUT, I wanted it to look like those sold at the pasar malam (night market) you know. *sigh*

Guess I just couldn't recall anymore and have to resort into following a recipe instead of agar-agar myself. The ingredient I remember was simple, it has butter, flour, salt and water. But I just couldn't remember how much to agar-agar anymore (the butter and water part). :0(