Raisin Buns

 

Raisins are dried grapes. I love eating raisins as snacks due to their natural sweetness. They are also delicious, moist and rich in nutrients especially potassium which has many important functions. According to healthdirect.gov.au, potassium allows the nerves to respond to stimulation and muscles to contract including those in the heart. It reduces the effect of sodium (present in table salt) on blood pressure. It helps move nutrients into cells and wast products out of cells. Besides eating raisins raw, I also use them in cooking and baking.

Ingredients:

• 350 g bread flour
• 200 g warm milk
• 7 g yeast
• 40 g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 40 g butter
• 180 g raisins

Method:

• Activate the yeast:
• Add warm milk to a bowl of a mixer.
• Add sugar to the bowl.
• Add yeast to the bowl.
• Stir and wait for 5-10 minutes for bubbles to be formed.


Once the yeast has been activated, add bread flour and salt to the bowl.

Knead till a ball is formed.

Add butter.

Continue to knead till window pane is achieved.

• Grease a clean bowl and transfer the dough to it.

• Cover the bowl with a cling wrap.

• Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to your counter top.

• Punch down the dough to Degas.

• Form the dough into a ball.

• Divide it into 12 pieces, rolling each piece into a small ball.

• Take 1 piece of dough ball, flatten it and roll it out into a long rectangle of about 7 cm wide.

• Spread 15 g of raisins on the dough, taking care to leave a gap (free of raisins) along the middle.

• Roll up the dough.

• Cut the rolled up dough into 2. Place each into a cake liner with the cut part down.

• Repeat till all the dough balls have been shaped.

• Cover the shaped dough and let them double in size.

• Pre-heat your oven to 175 deg C.

• Once the dough has doubled in size, egg wash them.

• Bake them for 20 minutes.

• Cool them down on a metal rack once done.

• Enjoy.

Poon Choi

Step 1 - Blanch the Napa cabbage

    

Step 2 - Blanch the Shiitake mushroom

Step 3 - Blanch the prawns

Step 4 - Blanch the carrots

   

Step 5 - Blanch the Enoki mushrooms and scallops

Step 6 - Cut and place the tofu and blanch the abalone and broccoli

Poon Choi is a traditional Hakka festival meal which consists of many ingredients layered in an interesting manner in a big pot, preferably a claypot.  It is usually prepared and served during Chinese New Year as the meal signifies abundance and prosperity. However, nowadays it is prepared and eaten at any time of the year. Ingredients to prepare Poon Choi differ from family to family. But the first layer of Poon Choi is usually the Napa cabbage. The other ingredients include prawns, fish slices, scallops, squids, abalone, sea cucumber, tofu, various types of mushroom and tofu. Carrots and broccoli add colour to make it more attractive. The quantity of the various ingredients below may be varied according to one's preference.

Ingredients:

• 8 leaves of Napa cabbage, cut into 3-inch length
• 5 big prawns (White prawns are preferable. However, I used tiger prawns at this particular time.)
• 5 pieces of big fresh scallops
• 5 pieces of abalone (braised ones as the sauce will be used in the soup of the Poon Choi). I have used those brined ones as I have ran out of the braised ones. However, I have kept the braised sauce from earlier cans that I have opened.
• 5 pieces of Shiitake mushroom (soaked overnight)
• 1 packet of Enoki mushroom
• 2 tubes of soft tofu (egg or plain)
• 5 slices of carrots
• 3 broccoli florets
• 4 pieces of shallots, sliced.

Method:

• Boil 2 litres of water in a pan.

• First, blanch the Napa cabbage. Layer them onto the base of the claypot once they have softened.

• Boil the Shiitake mushrooms till they are soft. Arrange them to the side of the claypot.

• Next, boil the prawns for about 8 minutes. Boiling them any longer would render them hard. Arrange them to another side of the claypot.

• Boil the carrots till they are soft. Arrange them in the centre on top of the Napa cabbage.

• Next, blanch the Enoki mushroom. Arrange them to another side of the claypot.

• Next, blanch the scallops and then arrange them to the side of the claypot.

• Cut and steam the soft tofu. Arrange them in the claypot.

• Blanch the broccoli and place them on top.

• Next, preparing the soup:

• Fry the shallots till they are fragrant.
• Remove the crispy shallots leaving the oil behind.
• Pour the water used to blanch or boil the ingredients to the oil.
• Add the sauce of the braised abalone.
• Let the soup boil.
• Season it with salt (if the soup is not salty enough) and pepper.

• Leave the soup in the pan till the Poon Choi is ready to be consumed. Re-heat when necessary and pour it into the claypot.

• The Poon Choi is ready to be served.