Spaghetti in Garlic-Infused Olive Oil with Stir-fried Vegetables

     

     

The most common types of pasta are spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair pasta, macaroni, fusilli, bow ties (farfalle), penne, ziti, linguine and lasagna. Spaghetti is one of the most popular pasta types which can be paired with a wide variety sauces, for example, marinara sauce with meats and vegetable. However, the simplest way to cook it is just with garlic and olive oil. Garlic-infused oil is full of essential nutrients; it contains selenium, allicin, vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper and zinc that helps control acne. The anti-inflammatory properties help soothe inflamed skin according to Times of India. Other benefits include reduce of hair fall, good for cardiovascular health, lower bad cholesterol, protect against cold, etc.

This is the first time I am cooking Spaghetti in Garlic-Infused Olive Oil with Stir-fried Vegetables. The spaghetti is so delicious that it can be eaten on its own without any vegetable.

Ingredients:

• 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 120 g spaghetti (my rule of thumb is 60 g per person.

• 50 g red capsicum
• 50 g broccoli
• 25 g carrots
• 25 g prawns
• 25 g squids
• 2 pcs Shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Method:

• Cook the spaghetti according to instructions on the wrapper.

• Peel the garlic and slice them thinly.

• Add olive oil to a small pot.

• Turn on the fire to the lowest possible.

• Add the sliced garlic to the pot. Let it cook for about 20 minutes until you can smell the aroma. The garlic should not brown.

• Wash and cut all vegetables. You can vary the quantity and type of vegetables.

• Once the garlic oil is ready, spoon it onto the spaghetti. Add salt and pepper. Stir until the oil and seasonings are well-combined with the spaghetti.

• Add the balance of the oil to a kuali.

• Add the Shiitake mushroom and fry till it is fragrant.

• Add squids and prawns and fry till they are half-cooked.

• Add carrots, broccoli and red capsicum (in this order so that the red capsicum is not overcooked).

• Once the vegetables are cooked, pour them onto the spaghetti.

• The spaghetti is ready to be served.

Estonian Kringle or Braided Cinnamon Bread

Kringle means ring or circle. Estonian Kringle which is also known as Braided Cinnamon Bread is bread spread with a filling (in this case, cinnamon) and sometimes with dried fruits like raisins and is shaped in a ring or circle. I find that the method of making it is similar to that of cinnamon rolls. The difference is for cinnamon rolls, the dough is rolled out, spread with cinnamon fillings, rolled up, cut into slices and baked. In the case of the Estonian Kringle, the dough is rolled out, spread with cinnamon fillings and rolled up into a long dough. The dough is then sliced into half and the two halves are then braided with the cut side facing outward and shaped into a ring.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

200 g warm milk

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

400 g high protein flour

40 g sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg abt 75 g without shell

35 g butter

Fillings:

65 g brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

A pinch of salt

50 g butter

Method:

• Activate the yeast. Add warm milk, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes for bubbles to form.

• Add flour, sugar & salt into mixing bowl of stand mixer.

• Add egg & yeast mixture to the bowl.

• Knead till dough ball is formed.

• Add butter.

• Continue to knead till dough is elastic and window pane is reached.

• Grease a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or cling wrap. Let the dough proof till it doubles in size.

• Punch down and roll dough into a rectangle.

• Spread butter (from Filling) onto dough.

• Spread cinnamon mixture onto dough using a sift (for evenness).

• Roll up the dough. Pinch the edge to seal the dough.

• Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 2 (lengthwise) without detaching the top. Then, braid the dough.

• Bring the 2 edges together to form a ring.

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Slightly grease the parchment paper.

• Place the cinnamon ring on the tray.

• Proof the dough till it doubles in size..

• Egg wash the dough.

• Bake the dough at 200 deg C for 20 min. or bake it at 180 deg C if you do not want the top to be so dark.

• Remove the bread immediately after it is cooked onto a metal rack.

• Dust the bread with powdered sugar.

• Slice the bread.

Steamed and Baked Tapioca Kuih

      

               

Tapioca, also known Cassava or Yucca, is cultivated worldwide. It is a very starchy food that is made up mostly of carbohydrates. It can be steamed and eaten with either a mixture of sugar and coconut flakes or with sambal ikan bilis. Or, it can be grated and made into tapioca kuih. On the commercial side, tapioca is made into tapioca flour which is used mainly as a thickener in our cooking.

Tapioca Kuih is one of the most delicious traditional kuih found in our country. Since tapioca can be found in abundance in our country we can make the tapioca kuih anytime to satisfy our palette. The ones we make ourselves will definitely be softer and full of tapioca without any added flour in it. It is also more aromatic as we take care in adding pandan leaves in our cooking process.

Ingredients:

• 1000 g grated tapioca
• 240 g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500 g coconut milk
• A pinch of salt
• 3 pandan leaves

Method:

• Prepare a steamer with enough water to steam the kuih for 40 minutes.

• Wash and cut the pandan leaves into 6-inch length.

• Place half of the pandan leaves in a 7-inch square pan.

• Place a piece of banana leave (7 inch by 7 inch) over the pandan leaves. Grease the sides of the pan as well as the banana leave.

• Add grated tapioca, sugar, egg and coconut milk to a mixing bowl. Stir till all the ingredients are well-combined.

• Pour the mixture into the pan and use a spatula to level it.

• Place the remainder of pandan leaves gently on top of the mixture. 

• Place the pan into the steamer with the water boiling.

• Let the kuih cooked for 40 minutes.

• Pre-heat the oven at 175 degrees Centigrade for 10 minutes before the kuih is cooked.

• Remove the pandan leaves on top of the kuih.

• Transfer the pan from the steamer to the oven.

• Bake the kuih till the top is nicely brown.

• Remove the pan from the oven and let the kuih cool down.

• Run a slightly greased knife around the edges of the kuih.

• Remove the kuih from the pan.

• Slice it in any way that you prefer.

Applesauce

 

Applesauce is a sauce made from apples. You can make it with either peeled or unpeeled apples. I prefer to peel my apples. You can sweeten it with white sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses or not put any of these i.e. just depend on the natural sweetness of the apples. I usually do not add sugar to my applesauce as I like the natural sweetness as well as the tanginess of the apples. If I do not add an sweeteners, my applesauce will be pale yellow in colour (3rd and 4th photo) instead of the brownish colour if I had added any of those sweeteners. I usually use Granny Smith to make my applesauce.

When I make applesauce, it is mainly to spread on my bread. However, you can use it as a one to one replacement for oil or melted butter called for in cakes, bread or other bakes. It will make them moist and tasty. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• lemon juice

Method:

• Remove the skin of the apples, core them and chop them up.

• Place all the chopped apple and water into a saucepan.

• Turn on the fire and cook the apples till they are soft and mushy.

• Add sugar, cinnamon powder and lemon to the saucepan.

• Transfer the applesauce to a bowl.

• Let it cool down completely.

• Store it in a glass bottle.

• Store the bottle in the refrigerator.

Braided Cinnamon Bread Loaf

    

     

 

According to Wikipedia, cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus (biological hierarchy - above species but below family) Cinnamomum. I use cinnamon in my cooking and baking as it is very aromatic - the powder mainly in my bread and cake and the cinnamon bark in my curry. My husband uses the powder in his breakfast cereals  and he usually boils the bark to make his drinks - coffee and tea.

I have decided to make Braided Cinnamon Bread Loaf for our breakfast and teatime. The process is the same as that of making Cinnamon Rolls until the rolling up stage. After rolling up the dough into a long log, I use a sharp knife to cut the log into three, lengthwise without the detaching the top. Then I braided the dough and put it into the pan to proof before baking.

Ingredients:

200 g warm milk
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp instant yeast

400 g high protein flour
40 g sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg abt 75 g without shell
35 g butter

Fillings:
65 g brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
A pinch of salt
50 g butter

Method:

• Activate the yeast. Add warm milk, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes for bubbles to form.

• Add flour, sugar & salt into mixing bowl of stand mixer.

• Add egg & yeast mixture to the bowl.

• Knead till dough ball is formed.

• Add butter.

• Continue to knead till dough is elastic and window pane is reached.

• Grease a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or cling wrap. Let the dough proof till it doubles in size.

• Punch down and roll dough into a rectangle.

• Spread butter (from Filling) onto dough.

• Spread cinnamon mixture onto dough using a sift (for evenness).

• Roll up the dough. Pinch the edge to seal the dough.

• Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 3 (lengthwise) without detaching the top. Then, braid the dough.

• Place the braided dough into 8in x 4 in x 4 in greased loaf pan with the 2 ends tucked below.

• Proof the dough till it reaches top of pan.

• Egg wash the dough.

• Bake the dough at 175 deg C for 40-45 min.

• Remove the bread immediately after it is cooked onto a metal rack.

• Slice the bread after it has completely cooled down.