full steam ahead!

growing up, i had a direct source for chinese food.

it came via my friend's mother and grandmother who cooked all sorts of things and whose family owned a restaurant. though completely not kosher, i remember being fascinated by the different things they ate and how different their kitchen, or rather pantry, was compared to mine and my other friends' .... it was a world away from anything i knew.

one thing i particularly remember well were spongy cakes and other sorts of breads that were texturally very different from what i recognized as cakes and bread. they were very sweet and called things i could not pronounce. the funny part is that my, at that time, six year old friend would always try to snatch the stuff given me by the grandmother as soon as she left the room and throw it in the garbage! she told me not to eat it because she thought it was gross and then went to the pantry to grab cookies bought at the grocery store. little did she know, i actually liked the things i had tried.

i always end up thinking of this when i make mantou or chinese steamed buns. these breads can be made plain or stuffed with a filling, where they are called baozi. mantou can be a bit tricky in that if not made properly, they can turn out very dense after being steamed or shrivel up and become hard. there are many different recipes for mantou and baozi and, depending upon from which country the recipe comes, various versions ask for different types of flours and leavening agents.

the recipe i use here is pretty straightforward: bread flour, yeast, water and sugar. nothing fancy or strange for bread. what is different is the way they are cooked. they are put in a steamer and cooked by the vaporized water whereupon they swell up to round spongy masses which can be used to mop up the sauces from a dinner dish or just eaten plain as a snack. they can also be kept in the fridge for a few days and reheated by steaming them again.

what i do find important in making these successfully is that the dough be somewhat sticky and that it be fully proved. if it has not risen long enough, they usually turn out dense. they can be steamed in the traditional bamboo steamers or in a stainless one which fits on top of another pot.

most importantly, to get big spongy mantou buns, we have to look at the world of physics. the secret in not getting shriveled up (and often hard) buns is to keep the lid on! do not peek until after they have fully cooked and rested. if the lid is taken off the steamer before the buns have had time to rest, the exchange of temperature (pressure) cause them to lose their shape. so, now you know ...... go steam those buns! :)


mantou
plain chinese steamed buns

this recipe only makes 6 fist sized (ok, a little smaller) buns. double it if you want more.

ingredients:

1/2 tsp regular dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp warm water

1 1/2 c bread flour (or all purpose)
2 tbsp sugar

1/2 c + 1 tbsp warm water

method:

prove the yeast first with the water and sugar.

in another bowl, mix the 2 tbsp of sugar with the flour.

make a well in the center of the bowl.

add the yeast mixture to the well.

add the warm water to the yeast in the well.

with chopsticks or a wooden spoon, mix the dough into the liquids.

stir until you have a shaggy dough.

make a ball and knead the dough for a good 10 minutes. it may be a bit sticky. don't add more flour until it is absolutely necessary. the more you knead it, the less sticky it will become.

place the dough in a bowl and cover. let rise for 2 hours in a warmish place like in an oven with the pilot light on or in your microwave.

once it has risen, punch it down.

make a log which is about 6 inches long.

cut 6 one inch pieces.

make a ball from each of them.

place the balls on a floured place and roll them in the flour.

cover the plate and let it rise again for about an hour. make sure the balls have some flour on the tops of them so they do not stick to the plastic wrap. this is important.

set up your wok and bamboo steamer(s). i do it in 2 batches as i only have one steamer.

i use my le creuset and make foil balls to rest the steamer on top of.

fill the pot or wok with enough water to steam the buns. do not place too much so that it touches the bottom of the steamer.

place the buns on the steamer which you have lined with a cloth. i use a damp j-cloth i have for cooking.

steam them on high heat, for 15 minutes only, watching that the water does not boil away. add more if needed.

turn off the heat and let the buns steam further untouched for another 10 minutes.

remove the steamer and the buns. repeat with the last 3 buns.

enjoy!

get out the tape!

there are a few things that make me want to tape my mouth shut. one of them is fudge. i can't seem to stop eating it if i have it near me even though i know it will send my blood glucose levels flying off into orbit and make my dentist very happy.

over the years i've tried [and collected] several different recipes — some good, some fantastic and some just okay. often, many of the recipes involve adding marshmallows which i find bizarre and in a way, cheating. fudge is basically crystallized sugar which can be flavoured and fortified with chopped nuts, if wanted.

making fudge can be a tricky thing, especially if one is using a recipe which involves making a sugar syrup. many a time, using recipes which call for sugar syrups can result in disaster and be intimidating. i remember a few times where i either ended up with cement or the whole mixture seized up before it even got it to the pan to harden.

the following recipe was sort of an experiment (on my part as i had never tried it before) for a friend who wanted a kid friendly recipe for fudge. this certainly is a "no-brainer" and easy to make. it doesn't involve boiling sugar or having to beat it with a hand mixer, guessing if it's thick enough or not. rather it involves melting butter and cream cheese and mixing in icing sugar and cocoa. simple and uncomplicated. okay, foolproof.

after refrigeration, the end result was a very nicely thickened dense piece of chocolate fudge. the only thing i found a bit strange was that there was a little layer of butter which coated the top of the mixture. this did not affect the taste whatsoever and i wrote it off, so to speak, for the ease of whipping up a quick batch of something so good. i think this could be corrected or hidden with a layer of nuts pressed into it before refrigeration or chocolate jimmie candies. note that i added a 1/3 cup of flour as i wasn't sure what the end result was going to be; the mixture seemed oily due to the melted butter. in the end, it turned out fine and something worth repeating. my friend and her kid were very happy with the results. :)


no-cook chocolate fudge

ingredients:

1/2 c unsalted butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

8 tbsp cocoa

2.5 c confectioners [powdered] sugar
1/3 c flour [optional]*

method:

melt the butter and add it directly to the softened cream cheese. mix it well with whisk or hand beater until it is incorporated. it may not completely bind together.

using either a mixer or a wooden spoon (don't use a whisk, it didn't work well when i tried), mix in the cocoa and the vanilla.

fold in the powdered sugar and the flour, if using. at this point you can add about a 1/2 to 2/3 c of chopped nuts, if you like it that way.

press into a small dish (i used a 6" x 6" pan) and refrigerate.

cut in small pieces.

enjoy!

leave it to the experts — results and a review

i have long liked making things "from scratch". this can be both a good thing and a bad one.

my successes have often afforded me a sense of accomplishment and pride and the ability to see just what is possible from my own two hands. often, the more complicated and challenging a project is, the more i am attracted to it and want to do it.

oddly enough, i also fully embrace the mishaps disasters, looking at them as learning experiences rather than failures. somehow the things that go wrong seem to make me want to redo them to "get it right" — i am tenacious and don't give up easily. sometimes, however, some things are better left alone. i must admit: some things just aren't worth making yourself.

many months ago, when i started my blog, i added a recipe for something i found in a newspaper. i thought, "wow, brilliant .... can't wait to make these! i can't believe i found a recipe for how to make something i really love eating". i figured i would just post it without having tried it first .... (something i wouldn't normally do).

i finally found myself in the mood to try this recipe out a little while ago and the votes are in. all i can say is, well, folks, this definitely counts as a major failure. it was so bad i ended up throwing it out. i even "threw out", i.e. deleted, the pictures of it.

after experimenting with this recipe, two things occurred: the first was that i was really disappointed it didn't taste good (ok, it was vile) and annoyed that i wasted ingredients on making it. the second thing was that i couldn't understand how the person who came up with the recipe could even think it was anywhere equivalent to the original intended product.

so i guess, by now, you are wondering what i'm talking about ?? (lol)

wasabi peas. yuck. oh, yuck. double, triple yuck.

my mini review is that:

first of all, tahina mixed with wasabi [powder] paste is vile. none of the extra supporting ingredients came close to correcting the bitter edge these two very strong tasting main ingredients formed together.

the resulting mixture was uber thick and bizarre. (read: glop). i sort of figured it would go weird since adding liquid to tahina paste makes it almost semi solid.

finding the proper peas is not an easy feat. they seem to be an obscure grocery item and are not the same kind as ordinary garden ones. in interest of experimentation, i dry roasted chickpeas as a substitute. my aim wasn't so much in the pea, at that point, but rather the coating.

once baked, the coating was still thick and, well, weird. it was also grayish and nowhere near an analog. taste wise, it was acrid and unpalatable.

i guess the lesson to take from this is that some things sound better than they are in reality. i think i'll leave the making of wasabi peas to the experts in the factories.

caramel, pepper, jerusalem and a few eggs

..... oh yeah, and don't forget the noodles!

kugels can be made from a variety of noodles and/or vegetables and are simple and filling side dishes. this particular one is actually a specialty of the city of jerusalem and is easily whipped up in no time at all. it is somewhat different in that it requires making a caramel first from oil and sugar and then adding it to cooked fine noodles to provide both colour and flavour. the standard noodle kugels use wide (broad) type egg noodles and do not involve this kind of preparation.

while it does have sugar in it, this version is not particularly sweet. jerusalem kugels are always made with the addition of ground black pepper. that can be adjusted to suit one's taste but usually, they are quite peppery. once baked, they are a nice dark golden brown, crispy on the outsides and dense but soft on the inside.

and you thought noodles were only for italian pasta dishes ;p

jerusalem kugel

ingredients:

1/2 lb fine egg noodles (250 gr)
3 eggs

1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c white granulated sugar, divided*

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger, heaped
1/2 - 1 tsp ground black pepper

method:

boil a pot of salted water and cook the noodles until al dente. it should take less than 10 minutes as they are quite thin and small. do not overcook them.

drain well and set in a bowl.

preheat the oven to 350 F. grease a 6 - 7 inch cake pan, either round or square with margarine or oil. i like using margarine as it coats the sides better.

while they are cooling, heat 1/4 c of oil in a small pot or non stick fry pan. add *1/4 c + 1 tbsp of the sugar. reserve the rest for later.

stir the sugar in the pot or fry pan and let it melt.

it will slowly start to caramelize. do not leave it unattended.

once it is dark brown, very carefully add this to the noodles.

try to get all of the oil and sugar out of the pan. the mixture will sizzle a bit on top of the noodles; that is fine. mix well.

add the eggs, reserved sugar and seasonings to the noodle mixture. mix this well again.

add the mixture to the greased pan and bake for 1 hour or until well browned.

remove from oven. place a plate on top and then flip it over. you may want to check that it has not stuck to the pan first with a spatula before doing this. cut in serving pieces.

enjoy!

rice with bird tongues

.... now that i have your full attention —

did you really think i was cooking bird tongues? LOL.

this is a very simple vegetarian rice dish that goes well with many things. not to offend any birds, it is very good with chicken dishes; it also pairs very nicely with grilled fish. it is actually a mixture of basmati, or any long grain white rice, and langues d'oiseaux (long d'wuh-zoh, for you non-french speakers), otherwise commonly known as orzo pasta or bird tongues.

this sidedish is made with both cinnamon and allspice but that can be omitted if you really don't like it. the flavour of these spices do not predominate at all in it but rather give it a more unusual and interesting taste than you would have without it. both the spicing and the use of pasta make it a middleastern and/or sephardi type of rice accompaniment to a meal. presoaking the basmati rice is not necessary however it can be done; just make sure it is well drained and dried before adding to the orzo.


rice with langues d'oiseaux (orzo)

ingredients:

1/4 c orzo pasta
1 c basmati or long grain rice
2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 c water or stock or water with 2 tbsp powdered stock (like "osem")
1 tsp salt (less if you're using salted stock or powdered stock)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice

2 -3 tbsp finely chopped parsley or dill or coriander

method:

heat oil and add orzo.

brown the orzo until it is a golden brown. browning the pasta adds a nutty flavour and colour.

immediately add the rice and cook for about a minute. the rice needs to stay white, so turn down the heat.

carefully add the stock or water and seasonings. stand back a bit as it will splatter when you first add the water.

stir and bring to a boil.

cover and lower heat to minimum. cook for 20 minutes without peeking.

remove from heat and let sit, covered, another 10 minutes for the rice to firm up or it will break more easily.

add the chopped parsley, dill or coriander, if using. stir carefully and serve.

enjoy!

catching up

over the next few weeks, i hope to be able to catch up on some of the things i made during the passover holiday which can be used year round. the more specific things will be relegated to posts for next year.

a favourite dish in any ashkenazi jewish home is always potato kugel. it is a side dish usually served on holidays and the sabbath that goes with any kind of meat, often alongside something like brisket or chicken. having a sauce from the main dish makes it even better. potato kugel isn't something that can't be eaten on it's own either. i love it any time of the year or day.

for those of you who have never tasted or tried this before, it's sort of like a baked hashbrown or potato pancake but on a grander scale. it is typically crispy on the outside and soft and creamy inside, if it is prepared and cooked properly. luckily, it's not a complicated thing and can be very easily made by anyone.

potato kugels can be made in various ways: usually it comes down to how the potatoes are grated and what it is baked in. historically, it was baked in rounded shape pots which were covered and nestled in amongst the sabbath cholents (stews) which were then baked overnight in a very slow oven. the kugel's name derives from the german root word for ball. it is also interesting to note there are references to terracotta earthenware pots being used to cook kugels whereupon, when fully baked, they were cut into wedges. interestingly, it can still be done this way with a unused new terracotta pot [without the bottom hole!] which has been seasoned in order to prevent cracking. these days, it is simply baked in either a roaster pan or a pyrex dish of some dimension. for a classier and more refined look, or the special occasion meal, bake them in individual ramequins for single servings — just make sure you have enough ramequins! cook until they are well browned, probably about 35 - 45 minutes for that size.

fresh from the oven! [white patches are from still hot oil]

basic potato kugel

the following kugel uses potatoes which have been fully ground in a food processor. the recipe can be altered by grating the potatoes either finely or coarsely to give it a different texture. using finely ground potatoes gives it more of "mouthfeel" of what is commonly referred to as a potato pudding. i find it has a softer end result. the choice is yours, however. often we make what we remember from our own family tradition. in this recipe, the kugel mixture is also added to an already preheated oiled pyrex. this makes a big difference in the final product.

ingredients:

4-5 large potatoes, idaho or russet
1 1/2 medium sized onions
4 eggs
2 egg yolks (optional)
2 tbsp matzo cake meal (optional)
1/3 c matzo meal or 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional)

8 x 8 glass pyrex
3 - 5 tbsp oil -- 4 or 5 is better

method:

heat oven 375 F.

peel potatoes, cut into quarters and keep under water to prevent browning. peel onion and cut into wedges.

add onion and potato together to processor or blender. process until you get mush. you should not have any chunks. note that grinding the onions together with the potatoes will prevent oxidation of the potato which makes it turn brown or gray.

place the oil in the pyrex pan [don't skimp on the oil] and place it in the oven. it must go in the hot oven for a minimum of 15 minutes to heat up.

in big bowl, add eggs and yolks and mix well with a whisk.

add the salt and pepper, and the sugar.

adding a bit of sugar helps with the browning of the potatoes while baking and adds a bit more flavour and balance.

add the potato-onion mixture and either the passover thickeners or just the flour. mix well again.

very carefully remove the hot pyrex with the oil from the oven and set it on the stovetop. add the mixture quickly with a ladle or pour it in if you feel brave enough. the quicker the better. the oil may come up the sides of the kugel through displacement, that is perfectly fine. it helps the kugel bake better. the point of the hot oil is to form an instant seal with the potato mixture, if you're interested in knowing why it is done this way.

using oven mitts, replace the HOT pyrex into the oven and bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs, until nicely browned.

the kugel with get very crispy on the outside. it may look a little whitish on the outside after you first take it out. these are the fine bubbles of oil baking the kugel. they will disappear as it cools. if you find there is too much oil, carefully pour out the excess after baking is done [while it's still hot]. hey, what's the point of a non-greasy kugel — moderately greasy that is!

cut into serving pieces and enjoy!

and remember: go for the corner pieces 'cause they're the best :D