Fluffy Mocha Bread

As I was thinking what bread to bake for our Monday morning breakfast, and while browsing through my 'to-bake' list, there it is... Fluffy Mocha Bread!!  Since I have all the baking ingredients in my pantry, I wasted no time... I am so happy to welcome this loaf of beautiful, soft and fluffy Mocha Bread.

I listed the ingredients needed below:-

(1) Coffee & cocoa powder mixture:- (Mix in a small bowl until combined)

• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (sifted)
• 30 grams hot water

(2) Main dough

• 300 grams bread flour (sifted)
• 30 grams eggs
• 60 grams whipping cream (35%)
• 75 grams milk
• 50 grams granulated sugar
• 3 grams instant yeast
• 4 grams salt
• 40 grams water (to adjust)
• 35 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
• Some white and black Sesame seeds (for topping)

The full recipe can be obtained by clicking this link here.

Let me share with all my readers, photographs which I've captured during the process of baking this yummylicious bread:-

Dough ready for first proofing

After first proofing

Rolled and ready for second proofing

Done second proofing

Brush with egg, top with sesame seeds and ready to hit the oven

The bread is so fluffy!

Let's have breakfast!

Hakka Mui Choy Pork Belly

Hakka Mui Choy Pork Belly, commonly known as Mei Cai Kou Rou is a classic comforting Chinese Hakka dish, cooked with tender pork belly, braised or steamed with savory preserved mustard greens.  Most home cooks, though not all knows how to cook this dish.  This dish is best served with hot cooked rice and also white porridge.

Ingredients:

1 Packet Mui Choy (salty)

400 grams pork belly (skin on) - best with layers of fat and lean

6 thick slices ginger (remove skin)

15 garlic cloves (washed and skin on)

3 Star Anise

Premium dark soy sauce

80 ml. cooking oil, for cooking

Water, for braising

Seasoning:

Rock sugar

White pepper powder

Salt

Light soy sauce

1/3 cup Shaoxing wine

Additional, to be added and taste for correct seasoning:

Dark soy sauce

Sugar

Methods:

1. In a large container, add Mui Choy and rinse with water to remove salt and any impurities, then squeeze and drain.  Repeat this step for few rounds, then soak it at least for one hour.  Final rinsed, squeezed dry and drained.
2. Remove the hard stems of the Mui Choy, cut and set aside on a plate.
3. On a medium heated wok, add in the Mui Choy, stir fry (without oil) until dry, then remove onto a plate.
4. To prepare the pork belly, cut into 2 pieces.  Blanch in boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Drained and rinsed off scum, pat dry with kitchen paper and place in a deep plate.
5. Add dark soy sauce, coat meat evenly with the sauce.  Marinate for 20 minutes.
6. In a heated wok, add about 2 tablespoons cooking oil.  Sear the pork skin side down first till charred then do the same to the meat.  Once done, remove and cut meat to thick bite size and set aside.
7. In a clean heated wok, add 80 ml. of cooking oil (oil must be enough) and saute ginger, star anise and garlic till fragrant.
8. Add in the pork and fry till well combined.
9. Next, add in Mui Choy and fry till well incorporated.
10. Season with more dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, salt and rock sugar.  (Taste for correct seasoning).
11. Add in 1 bowl of water first, stir to mix well.
12. Remove the ingredients into a large clay pot, add in additional hot water until cover the ingredients.  (Since I use clay pot for braising, I use hot water so the pot won't crack).
13. Cover and braise for about 40 minutes or until cooked through.
14. Ready to serve with hot steamed rice or plain porridge.

I adapted this recipe from 'Mama Pearl Asian Kitchen' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Soy Sauce Fried Rice

During the hot and hazy weather, I always opt for something easy and simple to prepare and cook, which shortens my time spent in the kitchen.  Fried Rice is one dish which is easy to put together yet delicious!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 portions cooked rice (I use basmati rice)

2 eggs (beaten)

2 pieces Chinese leeks (peel off hard leaves, wash and cut diagonally - can replace with spring onions)

2 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce

2 dashes ground white pepper

Salt (to taste)

1/2 tablespoon cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, and white pepper.  Stir to mix well.
2. In a medium heated wok, add half tablespoon of cooking oil. Add garlic and Chinese leeks, saute until fragrant and leeks are cooked.  Remove onto a plate and set aside.
3. In the same wok, add butter until melted.  Add beaten eggs, cook until bottom is slightly set, scramble until the eggs are mostly cooked.
4. Add the rice onto the egg, cook and chop the rice with your spatula to separate the grains and coat the rice with egg.  Cook until the heat builds and you can hear sizzling sound, then swirl in the soy sauce mixture.  Cook and stir constantly until the rice turns an even color.
5. Add back the leeks and stir well to combine.
6. Taste the rice, and season lightly with salt, if needed.  Stir and mix thoroughly so the salt is evenly dispersed.
7. Transfer the rice to individual plate, and enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from 'OMNIVORE'S COOKBOOK' by Maggie Zhu with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Traditional Swiss Braided Bread

Though I have baked Braided Bread before (quite a while ago), but this striking recipe really strike me hard!!  The next morning, without much ado, I quickly prep all the ingredients, and here comes a loaf of fancy-beautiful Braided Bread; just couldn't wait for it to cool down, slice into it and enjoy! YUM-YUM!!

The full recipe can be obtained by clicking this link here.

Since this is the first time baking this braided bread from this recipe source, I am honored to share some photographs captured during the process of baking it.

Ready for first proofing

After first proofing

Braided and going for second proofing

Puff up so much after second proofing

Let's slice and enjoy!

Tumeric Chicken Rice

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

Half a chicken 

2 portions uncooked rice (washed and drained)

3 pieces pandan leaves (washed and knotted)

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 piece lemongrass (use only the lower white portion, lightly smashed)

1 teaspoon chicken stock granules (to taste)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

Dashes of ground white pepper

Marinade: (mix in a bowl)

1 tablespoon tumeric powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Methods:

1. Prepare the chicken: Clean the chicken, trim off fat and excess skin (keep aside for cooking the rice).  Make a few slits on the inner thigh to allow better flavor absorption.
2. Place the chicken into a zip lock bag, pour the marinade ingredients into the bag, squish the bag to ensure even marination.  Marinate overnight in the fridge.  In between the marination period, I will squish the bag, turn over and repeat.
3. To cook the rice: In a medium heated wok, put in all the chicken fat and skin you keep aside in (1).  Stir and cook until fat fully released and turned golden crispy.  Throw in garlic and ginger, saute until fragrant.  Add in the lemongrass, cook for 1 minute.  Then add the rice, mix until well combined.  Season with chicken stock granules, sesame oil and white pepper, stir to mix well.  
4. Transfer rice to a rice cooker.  Add in water, liquid level just slightly above rice.  Give it a stir to combine.  Place the knotted pandan leaves into the rice.
5. Switch ON to cook.  
   
6. When rice is done, leave it on 'keep warm' mode for about 20 minutes.  Fluff up rice with a rice ladle.  
7. To serve: Scoop the rice onto serving plates, place half of the chicken onto each plate, garnish with cucumber slices, and a must-have, my homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Let's indulge!

This is my yummylicious Air Fried Chicken until golden, using my Convection Oven of 200 degree Celsius for roughly about 20 minutes on each side.

Not forgetting also, the Yummylicious Chicken Rice!

This 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' meal is adapted from 'Mama Pearl Asian Kitchen' by Pearl Ng with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Chicken Broccoli Fried Rice

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 portions cooked rice (I use basmati rice)

1 bowl broccoli (cut into small florets)

1/2 cup minced chicken breast

3 eggs (beaten)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger (finely chopped)

3 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a large wok over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.
2. Add the broccoli florets to the heated oil and cook, undisturbed, until they are nicely charred.  Continue cooking, tossing often until they are crisp-tender.  Transfer them to a bowl.
3. In the same wok, reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add the chicken breast and cook, while breaking it up with the spatula until cooked.  Remove the cooked chicken to the bowl with the broccoli.
4. In a small bowl, add the light soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic and whisk to combine.
5. In the same wok, add the remaining oil.  Add the beaten eggs to the heated oil and cook until they are scrambled, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the cooked rice and the sauce to the eggs and toss to combine.  Press the rice mixture down in the wok, then toss again and press again with the spatula.
7. Finally, add the cooked broccoli florets and chicken to the rice mixture, and toss to combine.
8. Serve immediately!

This Simple Yet Yummylicious recipe is adapted from 'Truly Recipes' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Matcha Polo Buns

Matcha has always been my favorite baking ingredients!  For information, I am not using YURI Matcha powder.  I still have leftover of Matcha powder which my son bought from Singapore.  The color is not bright green, but it is fine for me, as what is important is the taste.  I love these delicious Buns with crispy topping.  I just couldn't wait for it to cool and enjoy ~ Yummy ~

The full recipe can be obtained by clicking the link here.

I am sharing some photos which I captured during the process of baking this Buns, but sorry to state that I did not manage to capture the middle part, that is the topping.  The reason being my hands are too busy rolling and assembling the topping over the Buns.

Dough ready for first proofing

After first proofing

Dough rolled and ready for second proofing

Out of the oven!