Focaccia Topped with Peppery Garlic Confit

Focaccia is one of the easiest bread to make. It is also very delicious as you can top it with any fresh or dry herbs, olives, tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Just mix all the ingredients, stretch and fold about 3 times, cover and proof overnight in the fridge. The next day let the dough come down to room temperature and let it proof till double in size and bake. A well-baked focaccia will be crunchy or crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside.

 Ingredients:

• 600 g all-purpose flour (for a lighter bread) or bread flour (for a more chewy bread)
• 12 g yeast
• 7 g salt  
• 480 ml warm water
• 40 g olive oil 

• Topping:
• 50 g garlic
• 20 g olive oil
• 1 g salt
• 2 g black pepper

• Olive oil for greasing the pan.

Method:

• Add flour, yeast and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix these ingredients up.

• Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.

• Add water and olive oil into the well and mix up the flour mixture and liquid using a spatula or your hand.

• Mix them up well till no more flour can be seen.

• Roughly shape the dough into a ball.

• Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough proof for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, perform the first stretch and fold by lifting the dough from the bottom of the bowl and folding it onto itself. This is to give structure to the dough. Turn the bowl and lift the dough from the bottom and fold it onto itself. Repeat this till the whole dough has been stretched and folded. Cover the mixing bowl with the damp towel and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

• Repeat the stretch and fold another 2 times.

• Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and refrigerate it overnight.

• The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

• Line a baking pan (11 inch x 15 inch) with parchment paper. A smaller pan will result in a taller focaccia.

• Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil onto the parchment paper to grease it..

• Transfer the dough onto the parchment paper. Grease your hand with olive oil and do at least 2 sets of stretch and fold.

• Rub some olive oil on the dough. Cover the dough with cling wrap and let it proof till double in size.

• Grease your hands and dimple the dough.

• Add the toppings.

• Bake the dough at 230 deg C for 20 min or until the top has been beautifully browned.

• Remove the focaccia to be cooled on a metal rack.

Method:

• Slice garlic thinly.

• Add olive oil into a pot.

• Add sliced garlic, salt and pepper into pot.

• Cook garlic slices over low fire till they are soft.

• They are ready to be used.

Ayam Percik

Ayam Percik is one of the most delicious chicken which can be eaten as they are or with white rice. However, it is only easily available during Ramadan. Thus, to be able to enjoy it more often I took it upon myself to learn how to make it. The ingredients used are very easily available. The process of making it is also very simple. The result tasted exactly as those that we bought from the sellers. Nowadays, I just make it whenever my family requests for it. 

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken about 1.8 kg, cut into 4 parts
• 336 g red onions (4 pieces)
• 59 g lemongrass (3 stalks)
• 33 g garlic(7 cloves)
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp chili flakes or chili powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 250 ml santan or coconut milk

Method:

• Wash chicken and set aside to dry.

• Add red onions, lemongrass, garlic and ginger to a blender. Blend till they form a fine paste.

• Add salt, chili flakes or chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder to the paste. Mix till all the ingredients are well incorporated.

• Keep half of the mixture* for later use.

• Rub the chicken parts with sugar.

• Add half of the mixture to the chicken parts. Rub all the parts with this mixture. Leave overnight in the fridge.

• Next day, take out the marinated chicken parts from the fridge and let them come down to room temperature. (If you do not wish to marinate the chicken parts overnight, then it is better to marinate them for at least 4 hours.)

• Meanwhile, add the balance half of the mixture* to a non-stick pan. Add the santan to the pan and cook them till the santan mixture is aromatic.

• Air fry or bake the chicken parts at 240 deg C for 30 minutes. Turn the parts over midway through air frying or baking.

• Spread the santan mixture on top of the chicken parts and air fry or bake for a further 10 minutes.

• Serve with white rice.