Brinjal in Garlicky Sweet Spicy Vinegar

 

I usually like to deep fry my brinjal as I find it most tasty when done. The same goes to all other deep fried foods like banana, cempedak and sweet potato fritters, vegetable fritters, fish, etc. However, these deep fried foods may not be so healthy. Steaming our food would be a better option at times. So, today I had steamed my brinjal and then drizzled it with garlicky sweet spicy vinegar. This dish can really whet our appetite.

Ingredients:

• 1 brinjal
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 chili padi
• 75-100 ml rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Method:

• Wash and cut the brinjal into 4 width wise. Then cut each piece into 4 quarters lengthwise.

• Steam the brinjal till they are very soft.

• Use two forks to break up the brinjal into strips. This is to ensure that the brinjal can get the sauce later. Set aside.

• Chop the garlic.

• Chop the chili padi.

• Heat up the cooking oil in a wok.

• When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic to the wok. Saute it till fragrant but not brown.

• Add the chili padi.

• Add the rice vinegar. When the sauce boils, turn off the fire.

• Add sugar to the vinegar. Stir till it dissolves.

• Add the salt. Stir to mix.

• Pour the sauce over the brinjal.

• Serve with white rice.

Purple Sweet Potato Swirl Bread

There is an abundance of various varieties of sweet potatoes in our country. The purple and orange varieties are good natural colours for our baking. They make our bakes not only colourful but also interesting especially when we use them to laminate our dough to make  beautiful swirls in our breads.

 Ingredients:

• 300 g bread flour
• 20 g milk powder
• 4 g yeast
• 30 g sugar
• 4 g salt
• 130 g warm milk
• 1 egg
• 30 g butter
• Paste:
• 275 g purple sweet potato
• 15 g butter

Method:

• Filling:
• Remove the skin of purple sweet potatoes and steam them.
• When they have softened, mash them up and add butter to it.
• Mix well and then let them cool slightly.
• Transfer mashed sweet potato to a plastic bag.
• Roll it into a thin sheet.
• Place it in the fridge while the dough is being prepared.
• Dough
• Activate the yeast:
• Add warm milk to a cup.
• Add sugar to the cup.
• Add yeast.
• Stir and wait for 5-10 minutes for foam to be formed.
• Add flour, milk powder, salt, egg and yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Knead till a dough ball is formed.
• Add butter till it is incorporated into the dough.
• Knead till window pane of the dough is achieved.
• Grease a bowl.
• Transfer the dough to it and let the dough ferment till it doubles in size.
• Lamination
• Flour your counter top.
• Transfer the dough to the counter top.
• Roll out the dough to a rectangle which is double the size of the mashed sweet potato.
• Place the mashed sweet potato on the dough.
• Bring both sides of the dough over mashed sweet potato to cover it.
• Seal the top and bottom edges.
• Gently roll out the dough to as long as possible.
• Fold the dough into the centre.
• Then fold it into half. This forms the 1st 4 folds.
• Repeat 
• Gently roll out the dough to as long as possible.
• Fold the dough into the centre.
• Then fold it into half. This forms the 2nd 4 folds.
• Roll out the dough to a long rectangle.
• Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife or a bench knife to cut into 3 (for 3-braided bread) or 4 (for a 4-braided bread) without breaking off the dough at the top.
• Start braiding.
• For a 3-braided bread, cross the left strand over the middle strand. Cross the right strand over the middle strand. Ensure that the laminated side is facing upwards. Repeat until the dough is fully braided.
• For a 4-braided bread, cross the 1st strand over the second, the 3rd strand over the 1st and the 1st over the 4th. Ensure that the laminated side is facing upwards. Repeat until the dough is fully braided.
• Pinch the ends of braids together.
• Tuck the 2 ends under the braid and transfer it to a loaf pan. (I am using an 8 inch x 4 inch x 4 inch pan.)
• Let the dough rise till about 1 inch below the rim. You may cover your loaf pan or leave it uncovered.
• Baking
• Bake at pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 45 min if covered or 35 min if uncovered.
• Remove bread from the loaf pan immediately after the bread if done.
• Leave it to cool on a metal rack.
• Slice and enjoy.

Pancakes with Coconut Milk

I ate a lot of traditional pancakes in my youth; my mother used to make them for us. They were made from flour, eggs, sugar, milk, water and baking powder. This is the first time I have added coconut milk to my batter and the pancakes were delicious. They will certainly become a regular fixture in my breakfast menu.

Ingredients:

• 125 g all-purpose flour
• 35 g sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup santan
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

• Sieve all-purpose flour into a bowl.

• Add sugar and salt to the bowl. Mix well with a whisk.

• Break the egg into a bowl with santan and water. Stir.

• Add the egg mixture to the flour.

• Mix the ingredients into a smooth batter.

• Oil a non-stick pan with a piece of kitchen towel.

• Heat up the pan.

• Scoop a cup of batter into the centre of the pan.

• Swirl the pan in a circular manner to spread the batter.

• Cover the pan.

• When bubbles are seen on the batter, open the cover and flip the pancake to cook the other side.

• Transfer the pancake to a serving plate.