Mee Goreng or Zok's version of Mee Goreng

1 brown onion, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped (or not* says Colleen)

2 cm aka 3/4 in. of fresh ginger grated

60 ml or 1/4 c. oil (Zok would mention here you want an oil that can take the high heat and not burn away so Sunflower is better than Peanut)

350g about 12 oz. of Hokkien noodles, gently pulled apart

A package of firm Tofu first fried then cut

4 spring onions

1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 tbls. kecap manis

1 tbls. soy sauce

1 tbls. tomato sauce

extra spring onions, to garnish 

Combine chopped onion, garlic, chillies, and ginger into a mortar and pestle (or use short bursts in a food processor)

pound until ingredients are paste-like (you can add a bit of oil if needed)

Set this aside.

In your wok use about 1 tbls. of oil  and stir fry your noodles until they are plump and warmed through. Place them in a covered bowl when done to keep them warm.

Add another tbls. of oil to your wok and stir-fry your paste mixture until golden.

Add your carrots, then your tofu

(Stir-frying all the while)

and then your kecap manis, soy and tomato sauces

Spoon the finished mixture over your noodles.

Notes:

You could at the tofu step substitute some sort of meat- you know- if you are in to that.

Roberto's Beans and Tortillas

One of the foods we missed the most while in Tasmania was Mexican food.

We have lived here since 2006, and just this last year have small Mexican food stalls started appearing here in Hobart.  I love Mexican because it is one of the easiest vegetarian "really don't" hate meat eaters meal to make for everyone.

Sometimes you need a friend to get you from "We really should." into "Gee that was easy."

Our friend,Roberto, was the catalyst for us making our own beans and tortillas and we do, quite often.  Zok has gotten a tortilla warmer and two tortilla presses.

An advantage to tortilla is that corn meal is a great substitute for the gluten intolerant.  

Here are Roberto's recipes that got us started.

I will put up the corn recipe in a separate post.

Flour Tortillas:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder (not soda!)

3/4 cup of 'hot'! water (we use the tea kettle)

1/4 cup of vegetable shortening *

1. Mix all the dry ingrediants: flour, powder, salt

2. Cut in the shortening*

3. Add hot water, if the mixture feels too sticky (it should at the end come cleanly from your hands and the bowl) add more flour (tip: have a flour shaker so adding in flour is easy, even, and gradual)

4. Knead the dough for 5 minutes (Zok now uses his Kitchen Aid for all and any mixing)

5. Cover dough for 10 minutes

6. separate dough into balls to either press with your tortilla press or to roll out with your rolling pin.

7. Fry in a hot pan- the dough will bubble up a bit and that is a good time to flip it.  Otherwise you can just continually flip until done 

*In Australia and Sweden the vegetable shortening is some form of coconut, and it comes cold and we have to grate it with the small part of a cheese grater.

If you are using soft American shortening you could just put in small scoops at a time.

The tortilla warmer does keep the tortillas hot.

Pinto Beans: (We actually use a variation of Bolito beans because that is what we can find here and in Stockholm-they work really well).

2-3 cups beans

6-8 cloves garlic

1 medium onion (I use white or yellow as I find they dissolve in, leaving flavor but not too concentrated a flavor)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1 tbl. cumin seeds

1. Separate and rinse beans (compost any funky looking ones or sometimes there are non-bean bits depending on how you buy your beans)

2. Chop onion and half the garlic

3. Crush your cumin seeds, and then crush the rest of your garlic into the crushed seeds, I use a mortar and pestle, and then use water to rinse the whole lot into the pot

4. Add all to a pot with a large bottom (wide as opposed to deep)

5. Add enough water to cover to about 2 inches above the beans.

6. First bring to a rapid boil for about 8 minutes, then lower to a simmer.

Cover and remember to check often, and stir often.

I cheat a bit and crush my beans towards the end with a potato masher, but I do spend hours letting them slow cook.  They always seem to taste best when I don't speed up the process.  You can always add more water if too much evaporates off.  This will happen if you are cooking them faster.

If the flavor isn't quite right I will add more cumin or garlic.

Double Chocolate (white and dark) Marble Cake (Kitchenaid)

This is Zok's altered version of violet, double chocolate marble cake from a KitchenAid recipe book.

100 g dark chocolate (70%)*

50 g white chocolate chips*

115 g softened butter

150 g sugar

2 Eggs

200 g self-raising flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180 C.  Grease a 23 cm ring mould.  Melt your chocolate.*

Cream the butter and sugar in the mixer bowl with the flat beater on speed 4 for 1 minute, until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

If the mixture looks curdled, add a tablespoon of flour.**

Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl, then beat into the creamed mixture on speed 4 for 1 minute until well-combined.  Spoon half the batter into another bowl and add the vanilla extract and white chocolate.
Then with your melted dark chocolate, mix this into the batter left in your mixer bowl with the flat beater on speed 1 until thoroughly combined.

Then drop alternating spoonfuls of each batter into your cake tin.  Smooth the surface with a spoon and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Warning-overcooking really dries out this cake). Leave the cake in its tin to cool, but first loosen the edges a bit with a dull knife.

Zok tops his cake with a ganache. (If you search the word ganache-it will take you to that post)
However here is the recipe from the book, we just have no access to violets.

100 g white chocolate
25 ml violet liquer
50 g crystallized violets
Melt your chocolate together with the liquer.
Roughly chop the crystallized violets.
Melt your chocolate and stir in your liquer.
After turning your cake out- drizzle the cake with icing and then sprinkle on the violets.

*This is what is stated in the book recipe, but this sort of depends on what chocolate you have access too- the cake relies on good chocolate, so you are best to buy specialty chocolate from a chocolate shop if possible.

If it is a large block you can grate it, if the chips are large just break them a bit.

Zok melts his chocolate by using hot water in a tin bowl, with a tin bowl with the chocolate on top, and the heat from the water melts the chocolate.  Then using a rubber scraper to get all the melted chocolate into the mix.

**Zok would tell you to always have a shaker of flour by your side when baking and add as needed.

Tasty Tofu: An introduction to stir-frying and Tofu and of course Rice

I think the original recipe for this dish is in Sweden, where we are not.

 However, this recipe has evolved away from any true recipe, this is the dish Zok makes when we are short on time, or short on ingredients.

Because we use a rice cooker, the dish is especially quick.

I think originally, this is the recipe that made Zok start to actually want to eat tofu, hence the nickname of 'Tasty Tofu'.

For those who care there are some tips on Stir-frying at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients:

Firm tofu (amount depending on how many you are feeding)

Shiitake Mushrooms (Zok would say that only Shiitake mushrooms should be used due to the small amount of ingredients and the strong flavor of these mushrooms)

Garlic (again this is about your own taste)

Real Butter

Sauce:

30 ml Soy Sauce

30 ml Miran

30 ml Cooking Sake

 

Cut all ingredients into thin slices, trying for uniform sizes

First melt your butter to coat the bottom of your pan*

Quickly flash fry your garlic- until fragrant and put them aside (into a small dish)

Coat the pan with butter again and quickly do the same with your mushrooms and then put then aside

Repeat again with your tofu pieces, getting them golden-brown in color.

Then you can put all your ingredients together into the pan and add your sauce.

Essentially you are just reducing down the sauce so that it is thickened.

Dish out your rice and add your tofu, mushrooms, garlic tasty-goodness over the top.

We usually have a glass of cold sake with this meal.

*Disclaimer, Zok uses a heavy based, good heat conducting frying pan not a wok for this dish because it doesn't need much cooking as of course you could eat these ingredients raw.

Tips on Stir-frying

This dish is a bit of a introduction to stir-frying, as you can practice making your ingredients uniform, and having everything to hand to quickly add in.

These are the most important parts of mastering a good stir-fry.

Because everything is cooked quickly, a good, high, constant heat is important.

When using the wok, it is especially important to have everything you need nearby and ready to go.

Any oil (or butter) is good as long as they are not cold pressed.  

Having a little bit of water to hand is a good idea, you can sprinkle the edges of your wok so items don't stick because they are drying out.

Because your food is cooked simply and quickly there is a crisp caramelized taste.

 

 

Pizza and Pizza bread as a the bread for your appetizers- also a chat about Yeast

Liz one of Zok's family members is the person that first got us to make our own pizza.  Well, her and the fact that the one pizza shop we really liked 'perfect pizza' closed. Swedish pizza needs its own post...I'll just mention two things, they don't slice it and banana is always a topping option.

It is possible we eat too much pizza. 

We use good steel pizza pans that we got from a catering store.

They work well and just need to be seasoned (heated up with oil a couple of times before the first use).  I don't clean them with soap, I use a brush to get off anything that it stuck, wipe them down with more oil, and heat them up to get the water to dry quickly and avoid rust, and that is that.

We use corn pizza base (for the gluten intolerant) and the flour pizza base to use as our appetizer bread for dips.  Either plain or with garlic on top (diced fresh garlic in Zok's case, and garlic salt in mine).

We also jar up the tomato sauce ourselves, and Zok just adds in the spices to make the sauce.  We vary on this a bit, I like to add a pinch of sugar and vegeta seasoning (it is like a veg. soup seasoning) Zok adds bay leaves and fresh herbs.

Here is our pizza base recipe: (2 large or 3 smaller tins)
We like our pizza crust thick

Add to your mixing bowl the following:
500 g of plain flour
4 tsp. sugar (we use caster)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Whisk these dry ingredients to blend

(You can of course knead the dough by hand, however doing the pizza base is what inspired Zok to get a mixer)

250- 300 ml. warm water
8 g. of dry yeast (instant dry yeast)*
 (Zok says all the stuff you read about "activating" your yeast- well basically this is a chemical reaction and will happen naturally-but go to the notes section on yeast here)
Combine the yeast and water in a mixing cup and stir and you'll will get a smelly, cloudy mixture.

Put your mixer bowl onto low and add about half of your yeast mixture.
Okay here is where Zok gets a bit esoteric - he sometimes uses a bit more warm water, sometimes he doesn't use all his original mixture, and sometimes he needs to add flour.
It is true if you are making a lot of baked items, scones, bisquits (american), pizza base you will just be able to tell that it is correct.
I think these inconsistencies come from the times Zok doesn't bother to measure out his ingredients.

Finally,
Lightly grease a glass bowl with a wee bit of oil.
When your mixture is ready (after about 5 minutes)
Grab out your dough, ball it up a bit, coat the dough slightly within the bowl,
The dough should be soft and pliable and you can pat it down a bit at the bottom of the bowl.
Cover your bowl with a tea towel and allow to rise for about an hour.
Zok says if you leave it too long the center will collapse a bit.

Zok then rolls out the dough with a rolling pin, on his baking board that is lightly coated with more flour. This is after dividing the dough into the portions he wants.

I like to pinch my pizza edges like a pie because I don't want any of my cheese to escape.
I also 'pre-bake' my base, so I coat my with rosemary infused olive oil, and sprinkle it with fresh herbs like Italian parsley or whatever looks good-and some garlic salt.  I let it get a bit golden and then I put on my sauce and toppings and cook it until the cheese is melted.
Zok of course puts so many items on his pizza including hot sauce and this makes no sense to my tried and true 1-3 toppings rule.

*****

Let's talk about yeast.
We were hesitant about the yeast, all the fuss about activating the yeast with sugar, and the different types of yeast.  Plus the yeasts we can buy are different country to country.

Currently we are into buying fresh yeast, which we have found at one store in town.  We also had to prove to ourselves what a 'activated' yeast looked like.
So here you see live yeast- 5 days past it's use by date compared to dry yeast.
The difference is marked.  
Basically we've decided that when in doubt, get new yeast.  If you doubt your fresh yeast but have dry go for the dry.  The baking process is too time consuming to be let down by your yeast!
Fresh is preferable when you can get it, but as you see here, dry was the correct option.

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin (birthday) Muffins

Ingredients:

10 tablesppons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.

3 c all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp course salt (we use sea salt)

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (we fresh grind)

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/3 c buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree (we roasted and pureed pumpkin because we can't find canned in Sweden or Australia)

*Cut the pumpkin into pieces, sprinkle with water, bake for 15 minutes on each side, and then puree in your mixer or with your hand mixer

 

3/4 c. light (or just soft) brown sugar

2 large eggs 

Sugar coating:

1/4 c. caster sugar

2 tbl. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. unsalted butter melted

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).

Butter and flour your muffin tin.  Mix together your dry ingredients with a wisk- or with your wisk attachment in your mixer (large bowl as you will add in your liquids)

In a small bowl whisk together your buttermilk and your pumpkin puree

First in your mixer- beat teh butter and brown sugar until fluffy add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed (don't over mix- or your muffins will get more dense and less fluffy)

Still with mixer on low add in your flour mixture slowly and alternate adding in your pumpkin mixture and beat on low to combine.

Then take your batter and pour into your prepped muffin tin

Cook about 30 minutes and/or until a toothpick comes out clean

Take your combined sugar and cinnamon aka cinnamon sugar and after your muffins have cooled for about 10 minutes on their wire rack you can brush a muffin with melted butter and toss them in your cinnamon sugar to coat.

Note: I think this recipe was Martha's fault.

Pretty in Pink Birthday Cake

Be careful what you ask for while standing in our kitchen.

This is how I came to have this cake on my birthday one year.

The cake was so sweet that I was the only one who ate any...

 

I think that the combination of the sweet frosting and the white ganache is why the cake was so sweet.

It was lovely to look at though and my inner 7 year old self could have eaten more, well if she didn't try to never touch the cake and keep it forever because this cake looks like the, cake a princess would have for breakfast.

 

Zok said the cake was easy but then, we are talking about Zok who has no trouble wandering the neighborhood until he found a likely rose bush...

 

This is a kitchenaid book recipe:

Serves 12

Prep: 40 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Chill: 3 hours

 

Ingrediants:

175 g softened butter

175 g sugar

1 tsp cardamom

3 eggs

175 g self-raising flour

25 g ground almonds

2 tbsp rosewater

1 quantity White chocolate ganache*

flavored with the seeds of 1 vanilla pod

 

Rose icing:

2 large egg whites only

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

125 ml rose syrup

125 g sugar

a few drops of red food colouring

50 g edible silver balls (these were my favorite when I was smaller)

50 g coarsely chopped crystallized rose petals

petals from 1-2 pink roses

-you need cooling racks and your cake tins

 

This cake is meant to be eaten the day of- hence being a birthday cake- due to the fresh dairy ingrediants 

 

Preheat oven to 180 c. Lightly grease and line two 18 cm tins with grease proof paper

Cream the butter, sugar and ground cardamom in the mixer bowl with teh flat beater on speed 4 unitl pale and fluffy

Gradually mix in the beaten eggs

adding a tablesppon of flour and beating well after each addition

 

Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix briefly

Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to give a soft dropping consistency

Spoon the batter into the prepared tins and smooth the top

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake has risen, is golden brown and springy to the touch

Cool slightly then turn them out onto your wire cooling racks

Sprinkle the rosewater evenly over both cakes and leave to cool, finally peel off the greaseproof paper

 

Make the white chocolate ganache, leave to cool and then chill for 3 hours or until the ganache has a spreadable consistency

 

Spread the ganache on one cake and press the second cake on top of the other

Make your rose icing- 

Whisk your first 3 ingredients in the mixer bowl with the wire whisk attachment on speed 8 until soft peaks form

Gradually add the rose syrup, sugar and red food colouring until the meringue is still and glossy

fold in the rose liqueur and spread the icing all over the cake, creating swirls and peaks to make your cake pretty

Sprinkle the silver balls, and both the fresh and crystallized rose petals over the icing

Note: you can of course use a different mixer 

*Ganache

Zok uses ganache often instead of normal icing

This is for soft speadable ganache- more chocolate makes a more truffle like (or if you are Zok this is his idea of american pudding...)

150g chocolate (70%)

100 ml double cream

 Grate the chocolate with a course grater 

(or use the rotor vegetable slicer/shredder on speed 4 of your mixer)

Place your shredded chocolate in a heatproof bowl 

(We have trouble finding chocolate of the high grade in blocks, so sometimes Zok uses the large chip style, doesn't grate those, and just waits the added time for them to melt down)

Bring the cream to a boil on low heat

Pour onto the chocolate and leave it for long enough for the chocolate to melt

Then leave to cool and you have your ganache to spread out