These day, I often make it, especially mantou (steam dough without fillings). Mantou is can be eaten as a rice substitute. It is one of my favorite for breakfast. Can be eaten plain or together with other side dishes.
Hard to say no to such a versatile food.
In my family, no one can say no to ramen. Well, we're a japanese household anyway. But this is definitely one of our family's favourites.
Every part of ramen is time consuming and special in its' own ways. First off, the soup. It is a whole day task. I usually combined chicken bones and pork bones to make the broth. This a slow process since it must be simmered for at least 3 to 5 hours for good broth. The beginning part of the process is the most tedious. This is another of those time, where I pull a chair and my trusty lap top where I slowly skimmed out the "aku" (the white scums that floats to the top as the soup simmer in the beginning part of the process) while watching K-drama. Once, the soup stop producing "aku" I will let it simmer without care for the next few hours with the lid on.
Then, there's the charsiu (roast pork). There are many types of charsiu which can be used for ramen. But I like the roasted version. There is another version which stewed the rolled up pork belly tied in strings in a good amount of marinade. But I think this way a soy sauce consuming effort. Besides, I like roasted meat.
After marinating the chunk of pork (I do not use port belly, but pork shoulder or the butt for a little mixture of fat), I just dump into the broiler for 45 min (depending on the size) and turning it half way through. I find this way simple and tasty.
The noodles, I often just use packet ramen noodles. But I have tried to make hand-pulled noodles for my ramen, which turned out good, but the effort was time consuming. I would have like to make ramen noodles, but it was hard to get lyme water which is a critical ingredients for ramen noodles. Plus I don't have noodle machine to make the thin or curly shape.
One all three (skipped the noodle making), my ramen can be plate-up (I mean bowl-up). This of course is at least at 3 day process. One day for prepping the charsiu meat (marinade at least a whole day before roasting). On second day, prep for soup. And at the same time, I can roast the charsiu. Once these two are done either I can have my ramen that night, or the following day.
Happy slurping!!!
Asian peanut brittle has sesame in it, but I cannot get good quality sesame here where I am at, so, I skipped them. Recipe is quite simple, but having too much is really not pretty to the teeth. The brittleness of peanut brittle comes from the hardened caramel (basically cooked down sugar with butter in this case).
I limit myself to one to two pieces a day if I were to eat, otherwise, I am probably going to have cavities. Hahaha!!! Anyway, I like to have them around. Why? Because us, humans are just weak to sweets. It is good way to sooth my "glass heart" as many Chinese might relate to this. What is "glass heart"? You know, a heart that is easily broken....well, I have days where my heart seems to crack. I need sweets to glue it back.
Yes, I am a normal human being, with ups and downs as well. So, when I am feeling a little blue, a little down, I make one of my favorite dessert---cheesecake souffle. Tones of recipes when you google. Very easy to make but takes time to bake (water bath for one hour). I often makes it in the evening and unmold it in the morning. This is just right for my breakfast. Believe me, it pairs well with coffee.
What better way to make my day first thing in the morning? Eating good dessert with a cup of my favorite coffee.
Actually, this is more of a every day meal than celebration meal. Why? Well, didn't have variety of ingredients to make fancy festive meal. Plus, I was tired of doing a lot when I am the only one cooking. Imaging all the cleaning I still have to do. You wonder why my kids and husband are not helping, well, it's a working week. No holidays here where I am at.
Oh well, I can just do the best I can. It was still a good meal. Coming a little late, but wishing all a prosperous and healthy 2021!!!
It is hard for me buy this here where I am at. Of course, this means I'll have to make it myself. With the convenience of online recipes available with just a quick search on Google, I immediately went to work.
First of, the pineapple jam...of course this needs to be made ahead of time. Easy right. Yeah, just time consuming. But with the wonders of technology like the food processor, I don't even have to grate the pineapples like how olden days pineapple jam was made. With a blitz, my pineapple pulp was ready to be cooked down with sugar into thick jammy consistency. Yeah, this is where I pull a chair and my little computer with K-drama playing while I stir the pineapple pulp occasionally while it simmers,
Once the jam is done, now on to the next step, the cookie dough. I just pick the recipe with the nicest picture. Hahaha...I cannot tell if it taste good or not until I made them, but at least the picture looks good. Most cookie dough recipe available in the Internet are simple, so, I was able to make that in one trial. Once the dough is done, chilled for at least half-an-hour. Then it's ready. Rolled it out, cut out with cookie cutter and put a dollop of pineapple jam on top. Recipe even make thin strips to criss cross on top of the jam, but I find that too much work just to buff up the ecstacticness.
Preheat oven at 350 F, popped the trays into the oven and wait for 15 to 18 min. I like my cookies a little brown. They are done. Quite simple right, but it is a 3 days job (I took my time). One day for jam, another day for dough and final day for shaping and baking.
All in all, it was a satisfying effort for my non-festive Chinese New Year here where I am at.
