Chicken Empanadas

The chinese has dumplings, the Portuguese/Indonesians/Angolans have pastel. The Spaniards have empanadas.

I made this little cuties for Christmas entree and boy, were they delicious!!

It took quite a lot of work, nothing too difficult, and if you spread the work over few days, it is very doable.

Recipe courtesy of Crumbly Cookie.

Day 1: The filling
Ingredients:

* 3 large chicken thighs, 3 large chicken drumsticks. Skin on, pat dry.
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 1/4 tsp chilli powder
* 2 large onions, diced
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 2 bay leaves
* 1/3 cup diced chorizo
* 1/4 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
* 1/2 cup chicken broth

How to:
* Season the dried chicken with salt, pepper & chilli powder. Heat up oil in a deep skillet with cover, cook the chicken (skin side down). Do not disturb, touch & turn, until brown. Turn to other side. Once brown on both sides, set aside.

* Onto the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, bay leaves. Cook until onions are soft, before adding the chorizo. Let it cook for 1 min, then add the raisins, wine & chicken broth. Let it boil, while continuing to stir and scrapping the bottom. Add back the chicken and cover. Cook for 30 mins, and turn the chicken only once.

* After 30 mins, the juice of the chicken + broth + wine mixture should be thick and creamy. Turn off fire, and transfer chicken et all to a clean plate to cool down. Once it's cool enough to handle, peel off the chicken skin, de-bone and then roughly diced the meat.

* Transfer meat, sauce et all into a container. Covered and store in fridge for the next day. Fight the temptation to eat it, I know it's really good.

Day 2: Doing the dough
Ingredients:
* 4.5 C all purp. flour
* 3 tsp salt
* 227 gr of butter, cold
* 2 large eggs
* 2/3 cup ice water
* 2 tbsp white vinegar

How to:
* In a large bowl, mix in the flour & salt. Using your hand, incorporate the butter until it turns crumbly (pea size).

* In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water & vinegar. Add into the flour mixture until just incorporated. The mixture will be extremely wet.

* Onto a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a little. Gently. Cut into 4 of equal portion. Keep on freezer for at least 1 hour before you start working on it.

Day 2/3/4/ .. : after freezing the dough for at least 1 hour
* Preheat oven 200 C

* Prepare the egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp water + a pinch of salt. Whisk in a small bowl.

* Work in batches. Take out 1/4 of the dough from your freezer. Mold into a ball and flatten it. Cut into 8 pieces of equal size. Flatten each piece, scoop 1.5 tsp of filling, and fold.

* Use back of fork to close it. And brush with egg wash.

* Bake for about 20-25 mins till golden brown.

Tuna Patties

Tuna Patties (makes 5 small patties) 

Original recipe is courtesy of someone, somewhere in the internet that I couldn't remember now.

Ingredients:

1 tin tuna, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

1 heaving tbsp of smallish chopped onion

 2 tbsp all purp. Flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chives (which I skipped)

How to:

* Mix all ingredients.

* Heat up some oil in a non stick pan, drop a tablespoon of tuna mixture. 

Flatten using fork. Once it’s brown, turn. 

Baked Chicken Spring Roll

I like my spring rolls baked, not fried. More waist-friendly. 

Extremely crunchy just with a smudge of oil on your fingers :)

Baked Chicken Spring Roll (10 rolls)

Ingredients

french beans, sliced slanted

grated carrots, some bean sprouts

2 cloves garlic, minced

(not shown) 3 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked for few hours till soft, then minced

(not shown) 1/2 scallion, sliced

(not shown) 1 chicken breast meat

1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt

Pepper
10 spring roll wrapper

How to

(not shown) rub the chicken breast meat with OO, S+P and baked for 20 mins (10 mins each side).

When it's cool to handle, shred them and set aside. 

In a pan, heat up some oil and add in the garlic till fragrant, add in the mushroom.

After a minute or so, add in the rest of ingredients.

Season with 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp salt + some pepper

Add in some chicken seasoning if desired.

Once all vegetables have turned soft, turn off the fire and cool the ingredients.

Because I wanted to share this with my vegetarian neighbour, I set aside the vegetable before mixing the rest with the shredded chicken. 

Preheat oven to 180 C, while you start folding the spring roll. 

Spray with some oil and bake for 15 mins on each side

Or till brown. 

Serve with nuoc cham.

(3 tbsp lime juice + 2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 C water + 2.5 tbsp fish sauce)

Day 22: Vegetable Fritters

Something to eat on the road.. la di dah! 

Original recipe is courtesy of Indochinekitchen here..

and here's how I did mine.

Dont worry about measurement. Have no fear.

Everything will turn out well...

.. eventually..

.. usually..

Start by chopping your vegetables. 

I used 3/4 can of corn, drained

6 long beans, chopped

 1 large red chili, deseed & chopped

In your pestle & mortar, 1 medium garlic, 2 candlenuts, several shallots. 

Pounded till turn into a paste.

Add in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 white pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar,1/2 tsp coriander powder

Voila. 

And while rummaging my things, I found a can of beansprouts. 

Off they go to the bowl :)

Add 1 egg

5 heaping tbsp of flour (I actually used self raising flour, to make them fat :))

1 tbsp of chicken coating (I didn't have rice flour)

A little water.. don't worry about the exact measurement.

You'll soon see what I mean.

Mix them till they start gluing together and not too wet.

If still too wet, add in the flour. 

Scoop 1 tbsp into hot oil & deep fry till brown on all sides.

If you see them breaking (i.e. as in my case, several corns decided to fly solo), add in more flour

to form a thicker batter.

Don't worry. Drink a glass of wine.

Who cares it's 9am. Your kitchen. Your rules.

Don't forget to taste & adjust seasoning. 

Add salt, pepper or any seasoning if you wish.

Then fry one more.

Taste and adjust till you're happy.

I know my driver and I were very happy. 

"muito boa, madam"

Champignons farcis au Jambon & Amande

Ola. 

I wish I could tell you something monumental happened during the absence. Nope. Nein. Nich. H's company just forgot to pay the internet bill, as is the case every month. Before you say anything, mind you that he's working for a MNC. But even a big corporation such as his adapts to local flavor. 

Anyway, you'd be please to know that I'm still experimenting with recipes and do my own rendition. First coming up, stuffed mushroom. Original recipe came from this tapas book I bought last Xmas. 

It calls for pistachio (ka-ching), mushroom (double ka-ching) and jambon (ok..). Here's my Angolan version.

Stuffed mushroom with Ham & Almond (serve 2)

Ingredients

* 6 button mushroom, wiped clean and buttons removed

* 4 ham (I used salami this round)

* 1 knob butter

* handful of fresh almonds, toasted

* 5-6 medium shallots

* S+P

How to:

* Preheat oven to 175C. 

* Except the mushroom, add all ingredients into the food processor. Process till smooth. Add more butter if they are too crumbly or not sticking together. 

* Stuffed the mushroom with the paste and bake for 10 mins. 

Serve VERY HOT. 

Day 19: Chicken Curry Puff

Now that my classes have resumed and I'm on the road for most afternoons with back-to-back appointments, I need a snack to keep me calm and less neurotic during commuting. H says I'm at my worst behavior when I'm hungry. And isn't curry puff the perfect company? :)

H doesn't know what Old Chang Kee is, nor what curry puff is. But he could ate them as snack, main and dessert. Heh :)
I followed the recipe from Bee Yinn Low's Rasa Malaysia to the T. Well, not exactly, because I added egg in mine. Nyeh nyeh nyeh.. just to feel closer to my good ole Chang Kee. As usual, I didn't have all the required ingredients, but when does that ever stop me?

Chicken Curry Puff (make 34 curry puffs)

Ingredients:
[a] Filling
* 2 large boiled potatoes, diced
* 1 medium red onion, diced
* 2 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp chicken masala, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilli powder. Mixed.
* 1/2 cup diced chicken (breast) meat
* 1 tsp sugar
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 3-4 tbsp OO
* 2 boiled eggs, mashed/chopped roughly

[b] The Pastry
* 450 gr all purpose flour (I used T55)
* 140 gr butter
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/2 tsp salt

How to:
* [Making the filling] Heat up the pan & the oil, and brown the onion till soft & fragrant.

* Add in the curry powder mixes, stir well. Add in the chicken & the remaining seasoning. Half way done, add in the egg and stir. Cook until the chicken is done, but not too dry. Taste & adjust. Set aside to cool.

* [Making the pastry] Half melt the butter in the microwave. In a large bowl, sift the flour & salt, mix before adding the butter. Add the water in batches. You may or may not use all of the water. Knead with your hand (or if you have a stand in food processor, lucky you. Use the paddle) until it is well incorporated. Set aside, go take shower and come back in 30 mins.

* [Putting all together] Once well incorporated, start shaping them into a ball of 2-3 cm diameter. Using the rolling pin, flatten them to about 3mm thick, and lay them over your mold. Fill in (not too full) and clasp them back into shape. (Or if you don't have one of those mold, good luck in pleating till dawn)

* Fry till golden.

Note to self: I would like to try adding 1 egg yolk and reduce the quantity of the water next time. To see if it can improve the colour a little bit.

Baked Tuna Wonton

Inspired by Tuna Rangoon here, I sacrificed my wonton wrappers and made some party starters.

Tuna Wonton (yield 12 wontons)

Ingredients:
* 2 tin of tuna, drained
* 2 wedges of cream cheese (I use President)
* 1.5 tsp mayonaise
* 2 green onions/ chives
* 1 small red onion
* 1 clove garlic
* 12 wonton wrappers.  I used spring roll wrapper that I cut into 4 sheets each.

How to: 
* Preheat oven to 175 C.

* Add the green onions/ chives, red onion & garlic in a food processor, and spin for 5-10 sec till they are roughly minced.

* Add the rest of ingredients and spin for another few second. Try not to make the paste too smooth. Some texture is better.

* On your wrapper, dump 1.5 tsp of tuna paste right in the middle. Wet the edges and fold into triangle. Repeat for the rest of wrappers.

* Bake for 10 mins or less, till brown. Leave in wire rack till cool. You do not want to burn your tongue.

Serve with cold beer :)

Personal note: I think I will add some water chestnut, or pistachio or diced prosciutto to give it even more texture as you bite through. Even some mushroom will be good. But H loves it as it is. The skin is very crispy and the tuna is very smooth :) 

They are gone within 5 mins. Watch out, they are quite filling.

Monkey Bread Muffin with Dill

As you grow older, live a little and play a lot, there aren't many "first" anymore. They become very precious and scarce. At times, the need for "my first' becomes very complex and sophisticated. No longer one says one's first job, one's first travel abroad. These days one says one's first skydiving, one's first helicopter ride. I myself fall to the victim of trying to cross things in my bucket list. But this morning, I figured, I'm going to leap from the clouds I've been perching myself to some resemblance of earth. This morning, I'm making my first Dill bread. Or my first Dill. Period.

Since I have no stand-in mixer, no paddle whatsoever, I knead everything by hand. Maybe that's why after 30 mins, I feel my bread is still a puny. The recipe said it would yield anywhere from 40-56 balls of 1-inch size. My 30-min dough will yield 20. So I put it back into the oven. I live in a tiny studio-sized apartment. So when I need a warm place, I turn on my oven to 50-60 degrees and put the covered bowl inside.

My 1 hour dough eventually yield 64 balls. I must have made them in varying sizes and tad smaller than 1 inch. I started by greasing my muffin pan, and fill each cup with 5 balls. But soon after dunking the ball in dill butter, there was a pool of liquid butter in each cups. Hence some of the cups are left ungreased.

You'll see that the balls don't have a nice round shape. That's because my hands were over greased with those dunking and shaping the following balls became almost impossible. Never mind. It's for home consumption anyway.

I baked them in 150 C (instead of 190 C) and bake them longer. They didn't rase as much as Ashley's one, but boy, they are so delicious! I couldn't stop at one and ate three muffins, right before I head out to gym. Oh, well done, S!

Anyway, recipe is from Ashley Brower here and here's how I did mine:

The dough:
* 2 tbsp warm water + 1.5 tsp boulangerie yeast + 1 tsp white sugar, proofed about 10 mins, till bubbly.
* 2 1/4 cup bread flour + 1/2 tsp salt, mix well
* 1/2 cup  milk
* 1 egg
* 1 tbsp melted butter
* 2 tbsp dill (i use 2 strands fresh dill and cut them using scissors)

Dill butter:
* 3 tbsp melted butter mix with 2 strands of chopped/scissor-cut dill.

How to:
* Preheat the oven to 50-60 celcius.  Grease a bowl with butter and set aside.

* Sift the bread flour & salt. Add with the yeast and mix well. Gently knead with your hand.

* Add milk, egg and melted butter. Mix well before you add each subsequent ingredient. Lastly add in the dill. Knead about 5-10 mins until the dough doesn't stick to the edges or your hands anymore.

* Put the dough into the greased bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and a wet terry cloth. Put back into the oven for about 1 hour. While waiting, make the dill butter.

* Once the dough has raised (it won't double in size), punch and knead a little. Then start shaping them into 2 cm sized balls. Mine gave me about 60ish.

* Dunk the balls into dill butter mixture, before assembling them into muffin cups. 5-6 balls per cup.

* Put it back into the oven for another 10 mins or so till they rise a little. Afterward, take them out and turn the oven knob to 150 celcius.

* Give the balls another brush of dill butter, sprinkle with some sea salt (I used coarse sea salt) and put it back into the oven for 20 mins or till done.

And the rest is your story. Make sure you wash your hands before. Enjoy!

The perfect cup

Every visitor to Paris (or France) during winter should at least try chocolat chaud.

The most enjoyable way is of course to visit any marche noel and order what every kids are ordering, hot chocolate.  Even my dad shyly admitted that it was good.

Original recipe is from here, though I presume the David Lebovitz's one will be more "original".

Verdict:
I shall add rum next time H isn't watching me. But we'll keep this recipe for special occasions, not for our sunday morning treat.

"So who won?"
"France dong! Confiture is better than maple syrup."
"Ha?"
"Our kids will grow up eating confiture. It will make them stronger."
"Yeah ok. Come help me knead this dough. I'm trying a new pizza recipe."
"But you are so pretty when you're cooking."
"Yeah and I know crap when I hear one."
"And you tell me I'm not romantic?"

Super Rugby Sunday Bash: Chicken Finger

H is a fan of rugby. So big that he'll wake up at 6.30am to watch a 7am game over the weekend. As a start, he rarely wakes up before noon if I let him be.

And as a doting wife (that I am), I prepare a snack the way Guy's Big Bite prepares for SuperBowl Final. With gusto and even bigger bite.

So while H was glued to the tv supporting South Africa, I prepared my uber reliable chicken finger. I made it often enough that I can contest French, American, Brit, Slovenian's sole complaint is not enough. Sorry lah!

Original recipe is from the now famous Pioneer Woman. You can find it here.  And here are my modifications:

* I made my own buttermilk, by using 1 cup milk - 1 tbsp milk + 1 tbsp white vinegar. Let it sit for 15 mins before mixing with the chicken.

* I usually pound my chicken, to tenderize the meat & better absorb the milk marinade. Usually.

* My secret is thyme. I add heaps of thyme into the final flour batter. It tastes great, looks great & smells great. Trust me on this.

* I put them in oven. My best friend.

As for the sauce, this is how H likes it:
1 tbsp mayonaise + 1 tsp Maille dijon moutard + 1 tsp Heinz ketchup + 1/2 tsp minced onion + a dash of red wine vinegar + salt + pepper.

et.. voila! Crispy crispy chicken finger.

Like a cattle being fed before slaughter, I'm prepping him with his fave before the big challenge tonight: Tofu.

"Look! Look! He winked at me."
"What? Who?"
"The Springbok's captain."
"How do you know?
"I looked at him, he looked at me. And he winked."