Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Shakshuka is an easy, healthy breakfast (or any time of the day) recipe in Israel and other parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

What do you eat shakshuka with ? It is traditionally served for breakfast with warm pita bread, challah, or naan. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
• 4-6 large eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful parsley and coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Add garlic and spices and cook for another minute.

Pour the can of tomatoes and juices into the pan and break down the tomatoes with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer.

Use a large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well. Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking.

Garnish with chopped coriander and parsley. 

Chicken Terrine

Why is it called terrine?

The literal translation of terrine in French is a "large earthenware pot". The English derivative of the work tureen; a word still used today to describe a cooking pot. The origins of the cooked dish are without any doubt French, who are masters of the terrine.

This chicken terrine is incredibly easy to make and you can make it in advance!

The secret for this delicious terrine is a good quality pork sausages. Cheap sausages can be very fatty, resulting in a very oily terrine. This chicken terrine is pretty enough to make the centre-stage, yet it takes almost no time and skill to make.  You can also make the chicken terrine as big as you wish, once you understand the process. 

This chicken terrine is great for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

• 250g streaky bacon, more if your pan is bigger
• 3-4 chicken breast fillets, cut into long strips
• 500g good quality pork sausage meat, just remove the meat from the sausage casings
• 1 large onions, finely chopped
• 10ml olive oil
• 15g fresh sage, chopped and extra fresh sage leaves
• ½ cup cranberries
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. 

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft, but not to brown. Cool completely. When cooled, mix the sausage meat with the onion and chopped sage.

Now line a 1lb loaf tin with foil, making sure you make extra long so that the foil overhanging  over the sides of the pan. Lay a few fresh sage leaves in the bottom of the pan in a decorative manner. Now line the tin with bacon, leaving excess hanging over the sides of the tin. You will use the hang-over pieces to close the filling. Pack half of the pork meat in the bottom of the pan, press to compact and level. 

Scatter half of the cranberries over the meat. Pack half the chicken strips in a layer on top of the cranberries. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the remaining cranberries on top of the chicken layer. Finally add in the remaining sausage meat to fill the tin. Press lightly making sure the meat is compact. 

Close the terrine with the bacon, close up the foil and bake for 40-50 minutes. Remove the loaf from the tin with foil. Invert onto a baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes to crisp up the bacon.

Perfect to serve hot or cold with cranberry jelly.

Barrel of Beer Cake

 Another celebration cake! This cake fit for a 21 years old who likes his drink. I make a vegan chocolate cake as the bucket. I cover a cake board with white fondant. I then use a ruler to marks and press firmly into the fondant making a long-lined groove (to make the floorboard effect). Once the line is drawn, I use the tree bark wood embosser below to make the wood effect looks. Then I use knife to cut some of the lines deeper to make some effect.

                                                   

Once I have completed the wood effect look on the board, I then begin to paint the board. I attached a video link from YouTube that I use to give you some idea how to make the wood effect cake board. My finishing touches to the cake is the so real "ice cubes" which I use clear isomalt. Melt the isomalt in a small pan (be careful as isomalt once melted is very hot) and pour it into a silicone ice cube tray and leave it to set.

https://youtu.be/erF3wHSMlfE

Chocolate Rugby Ball Cake

Ideal for any Rugby fan!

This Rugby Ball cake makes the perfect cake for any Rugby player or fan! Ideal for any occasion including Father’s Day & birthday parties ! 

Bake this chocolate cake shaped into a rugby ball for a friend birthday who is a big rugby fan. 

 

Hasselback Potatoes

What are hasselback potatoes? Originated from Sweden and called Hasselbackspotatis, there are the type of baked potato, where potatoes are thinly sliced halfway into a fancy accordion shape. Simple but so impressive. These easy Hasselback Potaoes will never dissappoint.

Ingredients:

• 10-15 medium size King Edward potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 5-7 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 200ºC/180ºC for fan assist oven.

In a small sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and remove from the heat. Let the garlic infuse the olive oil for 15 minutes. Strain the oil and discard the garlic. Add rosemary, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Place the potato between the handles of 2 wooden spoons and make slices, about 1/8 inch thick stopping the knife when it reaches the spoon and making sure not to cut all the way through.

Place sliced potatoes in a large baking tray. Generously brush each potato with garlic infused olive oil.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with olive oil once again. Bake for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 

Remove from the oven and serve.

Blackberry and Chocolate Ice Cream Icebox Cake

This icebox cake is an easy no-bake dessert, it comes together quickly, and it is perfect to make ahead for a celebration or serve during special dinner. This dessert looks way more complicated than it is-if you have time to whip some cream, you can throw this layered stunner together.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups chilled double cream
• 1 tsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup blackberry jam
• bourbon biscuits, removed the cream, reserve some for topping
• ½ pint chocolate ice cream, softened at room temperature until pliable

Method:

Line a 9"x5" loaf pan with cling film, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Chill pan until ready to use.

Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat double cream and icing sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Place jam in a medium bowl and whisk to loosen, then gently mix in half of the whipped cream. Mix vanilla and salt into plain whipped cream.

Scoop half of vanilla whipped cream into the prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Arrange a layer of bourbon biscuits on top, breaking or cutting to fit as needed. Add half of blackberry whipped cream, smooth into an even layer, and top with another layer of bourbon biscuits. Dollop the chocolate ice cream across the top and smooth into an even layer. Add a third layer of bourbon biscuits, followed by remaining blackberry whipped cream. Repeat with a fourth layer of bourbon biscuits and finally spread remaining vanilla whipped cream over (don't worry if it is a little higher than edges of pan) Crumble some bourbon biscuits over. Cover with cling film overhang and freeze until set, at least 6 hours.

To serve, using overhang cling film, unmould cake (if hesitant to come out, run the sides of the pan under warm water for a few seconds to loosen) and cut into slices. Cake can be made few days ahead. Keep frozen.

Bang Bang Chicken Noodles

What is Bang Bang Chicken? It's a popular chicken dish in Chinese cuisine. The name bang bang chicken is derived from the manner in which the meat is tenderized using a stick or hammer. 

Bang bang chicken was traditionally served in China by street vendors in Hanyang district who sold cold, cooked chicken drizzled with a spicy sauce as a snack.

Here I am serving the bang bang chicken with simple fried noodles. 

One lazy trick, if you are too lazy to make your own bang bang chicken, you can buy some ready spicy coated chicken breast pieces from supermarket!

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 3 chicken breasts, about 525g, cut into bite size chunks or stripes
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 150g panko crumbs
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the bang bang sauce:

•  ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce

For the noodles:

• 250g pack medium egg noodles
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tsp crushed chillies
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• 4tbsp cooking oil
• 1 lime, zested,  ½ juiced, ½ cut into wedges to serve
• 1 packed of pak choi, cut into chunk size pieces, separating the stalk and the leaves
• spring onions and red chilli, thinly slice

 Method:

For the bang bang chicken: Place the cornflour in a bowl. Place the ½ cup buttermilk, 1 egg, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp white pepper and ½ tsp salt in a second bowl and lightly whisk to combine.

Place the panko, 1tsp paprika, remaining ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil in a third bowl and mix together until the olive oil is combined with the breadcrumbs evenly.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the cornflour, then dip in the buttermilk mixture to coat and finally coat the chicken in the panko mixture.

Place the coated chicken on a baking tray.

Place the baking tray in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle and set aside.

For the bang bang sauce: Place ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tbsp sriracha and 1 tbsp honey in a small bowl and mix together, then put to one side while making the noodles.

For the noodles: In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, lime zest and juice. Set aside

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the noodles. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until just cooked, then drain well.

Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add garlic and crushed chillies to the wok. Stir fry for 1 minute, add in the pak choi stalks pieces and fry for another 2 minutes. Then add in the noodles and the bowl of sauce. Toss with tongs or chopstick to coat in the sauce. Cook until all the sauce nearly absorb then add in the pak choi leaves. Stir for another 1-2 minutes until the leaves slightly wilted.

To serve, divide the noodles between 4 plates and top with the bang bang chicken. Drizzle the bang bang sauce over the chicken. Garnish with slice spring onions and chilli and lime wedges. If you like more spicy, add extra crushed chillies. Also can sprinkle some sesame seed onto the bang bang sauce just before serving. 

Vegan Naked Chocolate Cake

If you ever struggled with frosting a cake, this vegan naked chocolate cake is perfect for you. It is made with moist vegan chocolate cake layers and whipped vegan chocolate buttercream. And best of all? HOW AMAZING THIS CAKE LOOKS! This beautiful look is one of the easiest ways to decorate a cake.  I just adore how this cake looks in all the photos. It also tastes amazing.

This cake is completely and utterly delicious VEGAN. Don't worry , it also tastes amazing for non-vegan.

What is a naked cake? ....is simply a cake that doesn't have frosting in its sides! They have become popular wedding cake trend, with their elegant and stunning look.

Ingredients:

For Vegan Chocolate Cake:

• 550g self raising flour
• 125g cocoa powder
• 450g light brown sugar
• 600ml plant-based milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 265ml sunflower oil
• 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar

For Vegan Chocolate Frosting:

• 300g dairy free spread
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 500g icing sugar
• 275g dark chocolate

Method:

For the cake: Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Line and grease 3x 8 inch (20cm) cake tins with baking paper on the bottoms.

In a large bowl, add the self raising flour, sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk them together so that they are evenly distributed.

Pour in the milk, vanilla extract, oil and white wine vinegar. Mix the mixture until smooth-try not to over-mix however. I just use a spatula.

Split evenly between the three tins, and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Once baked, leave it to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, and then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be careful when handling the sponges as they will be very soft and could break easily.

Once the cake has cool completely, refrigerate the cakes for 1-2 hours before decorating to make them easier to handle.

For the frosting: Carefully melt the dark chocolate until smooth. 

Beat the dairy free butter on its own briefly to smooth it. Add in the icing sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until smooth. Add in the melted chocolate and beat again until all combine. 

To decorate: Place the first sponge to a plate or a cake board and pipe 1/3 of the frosting onto the first cake. Repeat this process with the second cake, and then with the third cake.

Decorate with fresh fruits and vegan friendly sprinkles!

Queen Platinum Jubilee Victoria Sponge Cake

My take on a classic Victoria Sponge cake to celebrate the Queen Platinum Jubilee celebration in Jun. I adapted the cake from Mary Berry.

This Victoria sponge cake is the perfect way to round off any celebration!. Named for Queen Victoria, this traditional and quintessentially British dessert makes for the perfect party cake and goes great with a cuppa!. It is both incredibly simple AND something special-you can see why its popularity has endured for so long.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 225g castor sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 225g butter, softened

For the filling:

• 5 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam
• 150ml double cream, whipped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease and line 2 x 8 inch sandwich tins with a non-stick baking paper.

Beat together all the cake ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together until well combined with an electric hand mixer but be careful not to over mix.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.

Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven for  25 minutes. Check them after 20 minutes. The cake are done when they are golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins and spring back when lightly pressed.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack and peel off the paper. Cool completely before filling.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with jam. Then spread over the whipped cream. Top the cake with the second cake, top-side up. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with some fresh strawberries, if you prefer.

 

Vegan Chocolate Oreo Cake

This Vegan Chocolate Oreo cake is the epitome of decadence: a delicious vegan cake filled with crushed cookies n cream, and coated in an easy yet amazing dairy free Oreo buttercream frosting! This will be your favourite Oreo cake, vegan or not!

This cake is a moist, tender, and rich layer cake decorated with Oreo buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache drip. One of the best cake you will ever bake. Dairy-free, egg-free.

Ingredients:

Chocolate cake:

• 350g plain flour
• 90g cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking bicarbonate soda
• 1 tsp ground coffee
• ¼ tsp salt
• 300g sunflower
• 400g granulated sugar
• 250g vegan yogurt
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 300ml boiling water

Oreo Buttercream Frosting:

• 500g vegan butter, softened
• 500g icing sugar
• 4-6 tbsp plant-based milk; soya, almond. room temperature
• 70g finely crushed Oreos

Chocolate Ganache Drip:

• 60g dark chocolate
• 80g vegan cooking cream or coconut milk

For decoration:

• 12 Oreos cookies

Method:

Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven.  Grease 3x 8" cake tins with oil or vegan butter and line the bottom with baking paper. Set aside.

For the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground coffee and salt. Set aside.

To a large bowl, add the sunflower oil, granulated sugar, vegan yogurt and apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Sift in half the dry ingredients and mix until almost incorporated. Sift in the remaining flour and mix until incorporated. Then add boiling water and gently mix until combined.

Divide the batter evenly into the cake tins and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes in the tin, then transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream frosting: Add the soft vegan butter to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed until fluffy and lighter in colour for about 2-3 minutes. Then sift in about ½ of the icing sugar and mix until combined. Keep gradually adding the remaining icing sugar and mix until fully combined. While mixing, add one tablespoon at a time of plat-based milk and mix until incorporated and fluffy. Finally, add the Oreo crumbs and mix gently with a spatula until incorporated.

Assemble the cake: Slice the top of the cakes with a sharp knife, ensuring each cake is evenly flat. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate and spread a layer of frosting on the top, followed by 2 roughly crushed Oreos. Place the next cake layer on the frosting making sure it is level. Again frost the top and add crushed Oreos. Then gently place the third layer (the bottom upwards), making sure it is level. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the sides and top pf the cake and scrape away any excess using a cake scraper.  Let the cake chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Remove the cake from the fridge and finish with a thick layer of buttercream frosting around the sides and the top. Leave some frosting for decoration on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge to chill again while you make the ganache.

For the chocolate ganache: Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a glass bowl and put it over a small pot with simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the hot water. Let the chocolate slowly heat up and melt. Mix it through a few times. Once the chocolate is melted, slowly and gradually, while stirring, mix in the vegan cooking cream with a spatula. Stir until combined into a smooth ganache.

Decorate the cake: Using a spoon or a squeezing bottle, create a drip on the edge of the cake. Once you have gone round the edge, cover the top with the remaining ganache. Place in the fridge to set. Use the remaining frosting to pipe swirls around the top of the cake, adding 12 Oreo cookies in between.

Slice and enjoy!!!

Gulai Ayam Nenas ( Curry Chicken with Pineapple)

This Malaysian chicken curry with pineapple is a popular curry among the Peranakan or the Malay. The pineapple will add a bit of sweetness and sourness to the curry.

Ingredients:

• 600g of chicken breast or chicken thigh
• 1 pineapple, skinned and cut into bite size
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 lemongrass, bruised
• 2 pieces of asam gelugor, or 2 tbsp of tamarind juice
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

To grind:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1inch of ginger
• ½ inch galangal
• 4 buah keras (candlenuts)
• 6 dried chilies, soaked to soften
• ½ tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Put all the grind ingredients except turmeric powder into a food processor, blend or mortar and pound and blend into a smooth paste, add a splash of water if needed. 

Add 3 tbsp cooking oil into a frying pan. Heat the oil and add the spice paste. Stir until fragrant, about a minute on high heat, turn down the heat and add the chicken pieces and the lemongrass. Mix until the chicken is well coated with the spices.

Add the coconut milk and asam gelugor. Once the curry is boil, add in the pineapple pieces and continue simmering until the chicken is cook. Add salt to taste and also a sprinkle of sugar. 

Mix well and serve with rice.

Sourdough Focaccia

Say Hello to sourdough foccaccia!

Focaccia (pronounced fo-kah-cha) is a classic Italian "flatbread". Focaccia can be both sweet and savory, thin or thick, baked plain or adorned with variety of toppings. There are many styles to choose from.

You see, focaccia is a rustic and simple affair: it is slab of naturally leavened dough topped with simple ingredients, any vegetable in season, olive oil and salt. The beauty of this bread is that you can make it with little effort. First mix the dough in the morning then let it raise during the day, and finally bake it just before dinner. 

Learn how to make bubbly, fluffy sourdough focaccia bread that us incredibly versatile for eating on its own, with soup, or as sandwich bread. It has a golden crust, and delicious chewy crumb with subtle tang. 

Ingredients:

• 100g Sourdough starter, active and bubbly
• 400g water, can increase or decrease by 30g if desired
• 500g bread flour
• 10g salt

For the topping:

• 30g olive oil
• 10g sea salt

Method:

Weigh out your sourdough starter and water into a large bowl.

Mix the water and starter together briefly. Then add the flour and salt and mix whole lot together until it forms a sticky dough. You don't want any dry flour left at all.

Cover your bowl with cling film or a damp tea towel and let it sit for around 1 hour. It is OK if it's a little bit longer, it is not going to matter too much.

After the dough has been through autolyse, you need to bring it together into a ball. Work your way around the bowl, grabbing the dough from the inside, stretching it up and over itself, into the centre. You should feel the dough strengthen as you do this. It doesn't have to be perfectly smooth or tight, just work around the bowl stretching and folding (around 10-15 times).

Now you want to leave your dough to ferment. Cover it with tea towel or shower cap and leave it alone to double in size.

Once the focaccia has doubled in size, you need to shape the dough. Shaping focaccia is super simple. 

Use a dough scraper gently ease the dough out into your prepared pan. 

Rub your hand with a little olive oil and gently pulled the dough out to fill the tray. Again it doesn't have to be perfect as it will naturally fill the tray as it proofs.

Let your dough rise again. Leave it until it's spread out and filled the tray. It will be puffy and pillowy. You will see some large and small bubbles popping up.

Once the dough has filled the tray and is looking puffy and full of volume, you need to dimple the dough and add the toppings.

Pour olive oil over the top of the dough and then push your finger tips into the dough to create dimples. You might see some bubbles as you do this.

Now sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary if you desire.

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.