KUNG PAO (PULLED PORK) PAU

My kids love kung pao, and I remember i had a delicious steamed bun with a kung pao trace in it and thought of making one for our collection.

So here it is--

KUNG PAO (PULLED PORK) PAU

Pau Dough use this recipe

Ingredients

500g pork Chuck ( one whole slice)

1 tbsp EVOO

1 head garlic minced

1 medium onion

1 tbsp Dark Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

2 pcs bay leaf

black pepper

2 c water

You can do this a night before and let the pork sit in its sauce.

Pre-heat oven at 175 degrees.

Place EVOO in a pan in a dutch oven over an open fire.

Sauté garlic and onion, and whole chuck to brown on all sides.

Add water and seasoning.

Quickly Boil then after boiling, cover and transfer to the pre-heated oven and bake for about 2 hours.

When done, remove from oven.

Transfer the chuck to a plate and using 2 forks,  shred the meat.

Set aside.

FIlling

2 tbsp of peanut  oil (any oil will do)

About 500g of pulled pork

2 tbsp cornstarch  mix with 1/2 c water, set aside

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion,chopped

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp LKK Superior Light soya sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

Black Pepper

1/2 c chopped roasted peanuts or 1/4 ground peanuts

3 brown button mushrooms, chopped

Spring onion, chopped

In a pan add peanut oil.

Sauté garlic and onions, then add pulled pork.

Drop the black pepper and stir to combine.

Then add mushrooms and stir. Cook for about a minute.

Add the seasoning and stir.

Finally add the peanuts and mix to combine.

When done remove from heat to cool.

Before using to fill the dough, add the spring onion and mix.

Ready to use.

Proceed with the assembling ...

UBE KAMOTE (PURPLE SWEET POTATO) HALAYA

Who doesn't like Jams?

I love jams! Probably the first bread spread that i have known and grew up with specifically fruit jams of -- guava, mango, jackfruit, coconut and pineapple. But Ube variant?, NAH!  it was the unpopular tuber in our local market several years back.

Recently, thanks to social media, UBE HALAYA made a come back. A very famous sweet jam of 2020's particularly during this global lockdown. Though it became in demand, it's consumption is uncertain so production remained still. The reason for this crop being just a "celebrity" good.

Several people are deceived of the word UBE HALAYA, they thought all this time it was solely made from UBE (the purple yam) itself. Little did they know that some ube halaya are made from kamote (sweet potato) too, long time ago with the addition of purple colouring, then flavouring. But Thanks to this very dear purple sweet potato which was massively produced from Japan and Vietnam and some are also growing in the Philippines, a little less coloring is needed to produce a vibrant purple "UBE HALAYA".  

Just a year ago, this purple sweet potato becomes a hit in the popular fast food chain in the form of ice cream cones. At first we were skeptical but after tasting it we got hooked! It's delicious! 

Seeing the packages of purple sweet potato right in front of me in the grocery store, i thought of making some halaya.  You too can make your own UBE HALAYA using this purple sweet potato, here's how--

UBE KAMOTE HALAYA

Ingredients:

2 cups grated boiled purple sweet potato (for smoother texture, blend cooked kamote in fresh milk, included in this ingredient)
1 can condensed milk

1 can fresh milk
100 g butter
Additional 1 tbsp unsalted butter to be mixed right after you remove the halaya from the heat to make it shinier.
Ube McKormick flavoring about 1 tbsp
1 tsp vanilla

Method:
Melt Butter in the pan.
Then add fresh milk and condensed milk. Stir to combine.
Add ube and simmer under medium heat.
Add ube flavoring and vanilla. Stir until smooth and thick.
When done remove from pan and immediately add 1 tbsp butter and mix.

Ready to use. 

ENJOY!

NOTE: You can store this halaya in an airtight container in room temperature or inside the fridge for longer shelf life. Use this to spread your bread or as a filling to your favourite bread recipes or make your cakes and ice creams.  OR, eat it on its own as dessert! My kids had their share in a ramekins and a small spoon to dig it up. 😁

CINNAMON QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

I love cinnamon rolls and i love fusion. Thinking of combining two delectable flavours is always a challenge, some of my adventures failed but majority succeeded and all of my successes are impeccably delicious! Well, who else is going to appreciate it but Moi 😆!

If you are craving for your favourite cinnamon roll & ensaymada, then you want to have both worlds but time is a constraint, well, this is for you --

CINNAMON QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

 

QUEZ-O Ensaymada Dough use this recipe

 

Filling

½ c unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ c brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cornstarch

 

In a bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch.

Take ½ of the cinnamon mixture and combine with butter.  Cream to incorporate.

Then set aside.

 

Frosting

1 bar cream cheese

¼ c unsalted butter, softened

1 c powdered sugar

½ tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt, optional

 

You can use a stand mixer or a whisk and manually mix the ingredients, sort of obliging yourself to do exercise!

Cream butter and cream cheese.

Add powdered sugar and mix to combine.

Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt if using.

Set aside.

Back to the dough recipe to assemble...

Grab one dough ball and flatten it. Spread the butter cinnamon mix, then sprinkle with sugar cinnamon then roll and coil the dough. Place it in a mould and let it rest for another hour or until size doubles or triples. Then, proceed with baking at  175 degrees C for about 10 minutes. Cool and finish it up with frosting and cheese toppings.

Coiled and Resting before baking

Frosted with Cream Cheese

Enjoy your share 😋

BEEF BRISKET

Beef Brisket is one of my comfort foods back home and probably one of the most ordered dish in the Chinese' menu. I can't claim the same thing right now as new delicious dishes came into play but as you say it, "if it's flavourful" it's classic! 

This is my kids "one of their fave"... {actually everything is their fave😄}.

Sharing this recipe --

BEEF BRISKET  (Chinese Inspired)

 

Ingredients

500 g beef brisket, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 small ginger, julienne

I head garlic

1 medium onion

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

¼ c LKK Soya Sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

¼ c Oyster Sauce

2 c water *** 

2 pcs small carrots,  obliquely cut

Spring Onion, chopped to garnish

EVOO 

Blanched Bok Choy or any greens you like.

***i used 5 cups, as i keep adding a cup during boiling to achieve a soft, melt in the mouth meat the way my kids like it.

Dust beef with cornstarch, mix and set aside.

Place EVOO in a pan, add beef to brown.

Remove beef from the pan leaving the oil.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Then add back the beef. Drop some salt and pepper.

Then add seasoning: soy sauces, oyster then water.

Add bay leaves.

Bring to a boil and simmer with occasional stirring for about an hour or so until the meat is soft. {you can watch your favourite series while waiting😉}

Add water if need to prevent it from burning or drying. 

When meat is ready, add carrots and ginger, let the it cook for a few minutes.

At this time your sauce must have been reduced.

Check the taste and adjust to your preference using the seasonings.

When done, place steamed rice (mixed Thai rice, Japanese, Jasmine or Basmati) in a bowl.

Add beef brisket, sides of blanched Bok Choy and chopped onions.

Serve and enjoy!

BLACK BEAUTY YEMA CAKE

The global situation pave way to the emergence of start up businesses particularly food -- baked goodies especially. This resulted to a massive shortage of ingredients and disappearance of its popular brands BUT at the same time, unfamiliar brands and versions of those lost ingredients entered the market. The reason i discovered unusual ingredients for our kitchen needs.

This recipe is not new nor unusual but still sharing this creation using my newly discovered super dark colour cocoa powder. 😉 

I must admit, this black beau is pure decadence!😊

BLACK BEAUTY YEMA CAKE

Ingredients:

Cocoa mix

½ c black cocoa powder

½ c boiled water

Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water.

 

Cake Batter:

4 eggyolks

½ c milk

¼ c oil

¼ c caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c cake flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

 

In a bowl, using a whisk and manually combine the wet ingredients, followed by dry ingredients, then add dissolved cocoa. Stir to combine. Then add meringue and fold.

Place in a pan/ baking tray and bake at pre-heated oven at 165°C for 20 minutes.

Then cool and ready to use.

 

Meringue:

4 egg whites

½ c caster sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Place egg whites in a stand mixer. Add cream of tartar and whisk at high speed.

At soft peak, add sugar in stream around the bowl and continue mixing to reach stiff peak.

Ready to use.

 

Condensed milk Buttercream

Using a stand mixer--

200 g butter

½ c condensed milk

1/8 c cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, then add condensed milk and mix.

Then add cocoa powder and mix to incorporate.

Continue mixing and add vanilla.

Ready to use.

 

Yema:

1 can condensed milk

200 ml whipping cream

4 eggyolks

100 about (1/2 bar unsalted butter)

1 tsp vanillaMix milk, eggyolk, cream and vanilla in a bowl.

In a pot under medium heat, melt the butter.

Then add milk mixture.

Simmer to thicken.

Ready to use.

CHICKEN ASADO SIOPAO

Archiving the other classic version of our Siopao, the Asado. Asado has many varieties and each one represents a specific region of origin.

Today's mix is inspired by Chinese cooking but more of our palate side so as the flvaour is not too overwhelming.

Here is it--

CHICKEN ASADO SIOPAO

The bun is at 50g each and steam at 8 minutes since the filling is already cooked.

For the Dough and assembling here is the recipe .

CHICKEN ASADO FILLING

 

Ingredients

250 g chicken breast, cubes

1 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

I head garlic

1 medium onion

Spring onion, chopped

1 tbsp LKK Superior Light Soya Sauce (you can use regular soy sauce or dark soy sauce but reduce the amount as both are salty)

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

½  tbsp cornstarch diluted in 1/4 c water

¼  tsp Chinese five spice

Black pepper

Pour EVOO in the pan.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add chicken, black pepper and five spice. Stir to combine.

When chicken is done, add seasoning (soy sauce and oyster sauce)

Add cornstarch mix. Simmer to thicken.

When done, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Add chopped spring onions before you assemble the siopao.

Notes:

You can combine all purpose flour with cake flour. I fall short of apf in this batch so i used 2 1/2 c apf and 1/2 c cake flour -- the result is the same.

You don't need to torture yourself drooling over your hot steamed delicious bun, go ahead open the steamer right after you steam it, the buns will not deflate as some of the authors claimed. I proved it😁. So go on, steaming hot or warm -- enjoy your Siopao.

No need to use white vinegar, as my recipe uses milk, that would yield a lighter bun texture 😉.

BEEF STEW

I love beef cubes on saucy dishes especially paired with root crops. My kids favourite is beef with potatoes, oh well, actually any meat with potatoes😀.

With addition of other vegetables and herbs, a simple beef dish with no complicated preparations becomes a gastronomic haute cuisine. 

Here's what you'll need--

BEEF STEW

 

Ingredients

500 g beef brisket, cut into small cubes 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 thumb size garlic, grated

I head garlic

1 medium onion

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme, 2 sprigs fresh thyme if you have

Salt and pepper

EVOO for sautéing

¼ c LKK Superior Light Sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp Oyster sauce

6 c water or more if needed

2 pcs medium size potatoes, cut into small cubes

Parsley, chopped

 

Method

Sprinkle beef with cornstarch and mix.

Add EVOO on the pan enough to pan fry the beef.

Pan fry the beef to brown and remove from the pan.

Using the same pan, sauté ginger, garlic and onion.

Bring back the beef into the pot. Add water and seasoning.

Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce the sauce and soften the beef.

When almost done, add potatoes.

Simmer until vegetables are soft and sauce is reduced.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve on steamed rice and garnish with chopped parsley.

QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

Ensaymada is another staple bread in my community. There are dozens of variants in dough and several flavours flooding the market nowadays and each one looks delicious as the other. I got challenged.  Although I already perfected my own recipe, the thirst for searching and creating new ones is always calling. So, I decided to create another ensaymada recipe to have variations too. And this is where the fun comes in, create, re-create and test my creations. And if it passed the test, it goes to my archive. Yay!

Cheese is important in ensaymada making and there is no hard and fast rule on what cheese to use. Cheese is always subjective and of preferential taste, if  a particular kind of cheese impresses your palate, then use it. 

Sharing to you today is  another recipe which EDAM CHEESE is the key😊.  Surprisingly, our famous Christmas red waxed ball cheese called Queso de bola is a semi-hard Edam Cheese from Netherlands. What a coincidence 😋! 

Here it is --

QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

Yields  about 988g raw dough

Makes about 19 pcs of 50g dough

3 c bread flour 

2 tsp instant yeast

½ c caster sugar

1 tbsp powdered milk

1 c fresh milk

1 tbsp honey

4 egg yolks

¼ salted butter, cubed (if you use unsalted butter, add ¼ tsp salt )

1 tsp vanilla

½ c grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp oil for greasing the bowl when proofing – to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl if this concerns you much, otherwise this is optional.

 

Topping:

2 tbsp powdered sugar

¼ c softened butter

Edam Cheese, grated (I used a zester to get that shreds of cheese as compared to the classic Ensaymada which I have with longer cheese ribbons or strands).

Cream butter and powdered sugar. Spread on a cooled ensaymada buns then top with Edam Cheese.  Ready to Serve.

 

Method for Dough

In a stand mixer, pour flour, yeast,  sugar and powdered milk. Using a low speed, mix to combine. 

 

With the mixer running, slowly add fresh milk, honey, eggyolks, butter and vanilla. Continue mixing and slowly add cheddar cheese.  Increase speed and continue kneading for at least 15 minutes to create a smooth dough. 

 

When done, take the dough out and transfer to another bowl then pour 1 tsp of oil in the bowl to grease it (again greasing with oil is optional)

 

Mould the dough into a big ball and return to the greased bowl.

 

Proof for at least 1 ½ hr or so (I proofed mine for 3 hrs cause I have other things to do ) until dough doubles or have risen properly (mine is when my dough reaches the top rim of the bowl, that’s good enough for me😉).

 

When done, punch the dough, place it in a chopping board (or your working space) and divide the dough into 50g each. Prepare the bread flour in case you need some for dusting.   Some other times, In my case of having a small kitchen space, I usually leave the dough inside the bowl (this way I don’t have to clean a lot of space afterwards) after punching and just scoop some dough, weigh it for 50g. then--

 

Roll small dough into a nice small balls.

 

Flatten using a small rolling pin, brush with softened butter (you can have other spread according to your preferences: Fruit Jams, Nutella, Kaya, Ube Halaya, Matcha,  etc)  Starting from one side, roll dough into a long cylinder and coil. Slightly Tuck the edge under or just stick the edge to the dough this should be fine especially if you are using mamon cups. You will have a nice twirled ensaymada even after baking. BUT, if you rest it freely on a baking tray, make sure you tuck it under securely so it won't come out while the dough is expanding.

Place this buns into a mamon liner, or cupcake liner or a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Let it rest to triple its size, at least an hour or so, this will give you more time to finish other chores😉

 

Pre-heat oven at 175°C and bake ensaymada for at least 10 minutes each.

Cool and finish it off with topping.  Enjoy!😉

BAKED LITSON MANOK

We love roasted chicken {lechon manok} and back home the only famous roasted chicken{at that time} is KITOK’s, that was, I say decades ago?! and for our family, (initially) it was a special dish for special occasions, next to lechon 😋 until it became a dish that saves the day! No time to cook? --- just buy Kitoks!

I planned some vegetable noodle for our dinner the other day and lechon manok is the perfect pair. I know you all have your favorite delicious recipes, here is my share --

BAKED LITSON MANOK

Marinade

1 whole chicken (at least 1.5 kg)

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ c LKK Soy sauce

¼ c dark Soy sauce

¼ c Fish Sauce

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c Kalamansi juice

Black pepper

Clean chicken and place inside a ziplock.

In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients.

Pour into the chicken in the ziplock.

Seal and shake the ziplock to bathe the chicken with marinade.

Chill overnight.

For Stuffing before grilling

2 pcs Bay leaf

Tanglad for stuffing

For Basting

Pour 2 tbsp oil with the leftover marinade, mix and simmer to slightly thicken the sauce then use this for basting every 20 minutes of baking.

Bake Chicken in pre-heated oven at 200 Degrees C for about an 1 1/2 hour.

When done remove from oven cover with foil and rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Serve with noodles or rice.

Enjoy!

BOLA-BOLA SIOPAO

Siopao or "hot bun", is a filipino version of a cantonese steamed bun
and a popular dimsum in chinese restaurants and recently even on sidewalk vendors. There are many variants of this steam bun both sweet and savoury. 

In Philippines, the savoury fillings are the most appealing in variations of both chicken or pork either in the form of asado or bola-bola. The dough has been a challenge as different cultures use different flours and leavening agents even whitening is a competition😁. 

 As i have mentioned in my previous post, on my side of the globe, steamed bun has many forms, variations and versions depending on which culture are you adopting and are readily available at a competitive price and each one is delicious. The need to make this bun at home is unnecessary. BUT, curiosity enticed me to  venture on making siopoa using all purpose flour or plain flour. So with  a little of this and that, recreated a recipe that is easy and hoping will give the same result across market zones😉

BOLA-BOLA SIOPAO
Yields about 860g raw dough

Makes 17 buns at 50g each

Dough

3 cups plain flour (unbleached)/ all purpose flour

1/3 caster cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon instant yeast

1/2 tablespoon baking powder 

1 ¼  c fresh milk

½ tsp lemon (optional)

  3 tablespoon shortening 

Place flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, milk and lemon in the stand mixer.

Mix to form a rough dough. When done, add the shortening and knead for at least 15 minutes to a smooth, shiny dough.

Rest the dough for at least 30 minutes or until the dough doubled.

While waiting, prepare the filling.

When dough is ready, divide dough into 17 small balls.

Filling

250 grams ground pork - drain if needed

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

Spring onion, chopped

1 Large egg (about 640g)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon oyster sauce

3 tablespoon flour

Black pepper

Additional Filling-- optional

Boiled eggs, quartered

 1 link of Chorizo Bilbao (Chinese sausage) sliced into 18 pcs

Place all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix. 

Cover with cling wrap and ready to use.

Assemble.

Take one ball, using a small rolling pin, roll into a smooth ball.

Thickly flatten and scoop about half tablespoon of filling and place it in the center of the dough. Add sliced egg and sausage.

Bring the sides of the dough to wrap, twist to seal.

Place pau on a parchment paper either seal side up or side down.

Rest for about 10 minutes before steaming.

Steaming-using an electric steamer alternating one layer at a time.

Place water in the steamer ( optional: I added 1 tsp of white rice vinegar in the water)

When water is steaming high, place the pau then cover with cheese cloth then place the steamer cover.  Steam for 15 minutes to cook the filling properly and the dough.

When done, remove the steamer from the steaming base, set aside with the cloth cover on and let it rest to settle for a few minutes and serve warm. Leftover can be placed in the freezer and re-steam frozen pau: from fridge steam directly without thawing for 15 mins.

The result is a soft, chewy Siopao with an off white coloured bun.

NOTES:

Bun must be at least 50g each.
Mould bun into a smooth ball.
White vinegar is not necessary in the steaming water.

Filling must not be saucy.

Steam at 15 minutes.

BEEF JAPCHAE

I Love Noodle! Who doesn't? 

Noodle is next to our staple food rice. Previously, excess carbo is a non-issue nutritional value, in fact noodle is paired with rice! But this team was broken up recently when people become not just sugar conscious but carbo panic too. This led to a choice of either, or... you take rice or noodle but not both of them. Oh well, sometimes  i tend to live in that past where i still love the good old "pancit canton" with a bowl of rice. 😉

Various culture have different variations of the same dish we used to cook in our very own kitchens and "stir-fry noodle" is one of these dishes. Recently  my niece sent me a photo of a stir-fry noodle, and i drooled😆. It turned out, this was made of sweet potato. A kind of noodle that raised my eyebrows. It's unusual ingredient for a noodle until i saw cassava noodle and how it was made. Shocking it may seem, but i just found out that the "usual" glass noodle which i always buy is made from peas or mung bean. Interesting!

Inspired by my niece photo, I decided to try Japchae, a popular Korean sweet and savoury stir fried noodle with meat and vegetables. Not just any other noodle but sweet potato glass noodle. Here it is, sharing my piece.

BEEF JAPCHAE

Ingredients: 

250 g sweet potato noodle, soaked in water to soften
(or soften in boiling water for 5 mins)

Taiwanese Cabbage or spinach

Poivron (Bellpepper)

Carrots

Chicharo (Snow peas)

Mushroom (Shitake or Swiss Brown)

1 head garlic

1 medium onion

EVOO

2 c Water

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tbsp LKK Soya Sauce

¼ c Bulgogi marinade

Black bell pepper.

Add oyster and soya sauces according to preference. 

Garnishing:

Egg Omelette, julliene

Sesame seeds

Spring onion

Marinade:

About 400 g tender chuck

3 tbsp Bulgogi Barbecue marinate

>>> mix to marinate about 30 minutes. When ready, dust beef with cornstarch and pan fry in batches, then set aside.

Method:

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add pan fried beef then pour water, oyster sauce, bulgogi and soya sauce and bring to a boil.

Add noodles and simmer until noodle is soft. (You can add water if needed)

When noodle is soft, adjust taste to preference.

Then add peas, mushroom, carrots and bell pepper.

Add cabbage. When vegetables are cooked , remove from heat and transfer japchae to a serving plate.

Garnish with spring onion, egg and sesame seeds.

Serve and enjoy!