Rye Bread

I actually took this recipe from superkitchenmachine.com and adjusted the mixture of flour.  This bread is very easy to make and very yummy to eat.  Just a thin slice of bread with a slab of butter and it tastes heavenly.

With Thermomix, I am beginning to enjoy home made bread.  It is so easy to make and so delicious to eat especially while it is still warm.  Commercial breads no longer appeals to me anymore!

         

Ingredients:

300 g water

3 tsp yeast

1 tbsp honey

300 g bread flour             )  Total 500 g of flour, it can be in any

100 g wholemeal flour      )  proportion.  If you can’t find rye

100 g rye flour                 )  flour, then use only 2 types of flour

1½ tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil mixed with 1 Tbsp water (for brushing top)

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp°C	Speed
1)  Add water, yeast and honey into TM bowl	Yes	1 min	37	3
2)  Add bread flour, wholemeal flour, rye flour and salt.  Knead	No	5 mins	-	Knead (wheat icon)
3)  Leave dough in TM bowl to rise	Yes	45 mins	-	-
5) Knead again	No	1 min	-	Knead
6) Turn dough onto floured surface or silicone mat and use firm hand to shape into 2 loaves
7) Make thin cuts on top and brush with mixture of olive oil and water.  Place on lightly greased flat tray and let rise, it will double in size.		20 mins
8) Set oven to begin pre-heating at 210°C. Place an ovenproof container in the oven with water (for special soft crust)
9) When desired temp is reached, dust loaves with flour, place into oven, and reduce temp to 200°C		Bake for 25 mins
10) Remove bread to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.  It is best eaten while still warm with a thin slab of butter… yummm!

Guava Juice

The health benefits of guava include treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, weight loss, scurvy, etc. Other benefits are that guava helps control diabetes, protects the prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums & oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth. 

I love guavas, especially the pink ones with its lovely fragrance.  It is so delicious to eat but the seeds can be quite difficult to chew.  Thank goodness I have my Thermomix to prepare my guava juice.  It can grind the seeds so finely that it can be drank together as part of the juice.  Just 2 minutes and you can have your very own glass of lovely pink juice… so quenching and so delicious!

Ingredients:

2 average sized pink guava – quartered with skin and seeds intact

Several pieces of ice cubes

Honey – to taste

300 ml cold water – depends on how thick you want your guava juice

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp°C	Speed
1)  Put cut guava, ice and honey in TM bowl	Yes	2 mins	-	10
2)  During last 30 secs, add water onto the lid and let it flow down through the holds of the Measuring Cup	Yes	-	-	10
3)  Serve in glasses to enjoy the pink colour

Tau Yu Bak (Pork braised in soy sauce)

Tau Yu Bak is a favourite among many local Chinese.  It goes well sandwiched with mantou.  Some like it very soft but some like it with bite.  Hence, cooking time depends very much on how you like the meat done.  This dish is best done with pork belly (with some fats layer)

Ingredients:

2-3 long strips of pork belly (cut to about 3 inches in length)

10 pips of garlic (smashed with side of knife, skin on)

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

5 tbsp dark soy sauce

3-4 tbsp light soy sauce

3 star anise

3 small cinnamon sticks

1 tsp brown sugar

2 hard boiled eggs (pre-cooked)

15g oil

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp°C	Speed
1)  season pork belly overnight with garlic, black pepper, salt, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce
2)  Heat oil to varoma before frying cinnamon stick and star anise	Yes	2mins	V	1 Reverse
3)  Add pork pieces from the hole in the lid as it stirs, then pour all the marinating sauce in, followed by 1 tsp brown sugar and the 2 hard boiled eggs.	Yes	30 – 45 mins depends on desired softness	100	1 Reverse

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is very nutritious and easy to cook with Thermomix.  It is very rich in carotenoids and is known for keeping our immune system strong and healthy.  It is a powerful antioxidant , also high in fibre and potassium.  With is natural sweetness and smooth texture, it is well loved by both young and old.  You can cook it with both skin and seeds on.

Ingredients:

300 g pumpkin (cut in chunk size)

100 g carrots (cut in chunk size)

1 pc potato (cut in chunk size)

750 g water

10 g oil

30 g cashew nuts

½ tsp salt or 1 tsp meat stock

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp°C	Speed
1)  Place pumpkin, carrots, potato, water and oil in TM bowl to cook	Yes	20 mins	V	2
2)  Add in cashew nuts and salt.  Blend for a smooth texture.  Serve with black pepper.	Yes	1min		10

Kaya Spread

Kaya is a favourite local bread spread, it goes well with toasted bread and butter.  The main ingredients for kaya are coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Making your own kaya is easy and delicious as you are using pure fresh ingredients with no preservatives and colouring.  This kaya recipe has been tested a number of times and is the best so far.

Ingredients:

3 eggs (large size) and 1 egg yolk, beat well and strained

130 g sugar

190 g coconut milk/cream

10 pcs pandan leaves

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp°C	Speed
1)  Turn speed dial to 10, then put 9 pcs of pandan leaves through the MC hole to grind till all done.  Squeeze out the juice from the powdered leaves and add to the beaten/strained eggs
2)  Heat the sugar.  Add the coconut milk at the last 30 secs through the MC hole	No	5mins	V	2
3)  Put in the butterfly, add in the eggs mixture and the last pc of pandan leaf (cut into 4 smaller pcs) and cook it	No	20 mins	80	2 Reverse
4)  Continue to cook	No	10mins	100	2 Reverse
5) Cool it and its ready to be spread on your homemade bread

Note:   MC above = Measuring Cup

*Kaya must be stored in the refrigerator.

Mantou (Steamed Bun)

Mantou is well loved by many Asians. I am sharing my mantou recipe here so that you can easily make your own whenever you need them.  For those who are not familiar with mantou, you can eat it on its own, dip it in sauces or in creamy soup, slice it lengthwise and fill it with meat like a sandwich.

Ingredients:

130 g water

1 tsp yeast

15 g sugar

15 g oil

250 top flour*

Pinch of Salt

*Not high protein / multi-purpose flour

Method:

	Cover	Time	Temp (°C)	Speed
1)  Add water, yeast, sugar and oil into TM bowl	Yes	40sec	37	3
2)  Add flour and salt to mix	Yes	20sec	-	3-6
3)  Knead the mixture	Yes	2min	-	Knead function
4)  Roll, cut and shape into pieces, place them on oiled Varoma dish and tray.  Leave it to rise for 30 mins	-	-	-	-
5)  Add 500g water to boil	Yes	15mins	V	3
6)  When temperature reached V, remove measuring cup and put on Varoma dish to steam	Varoma dish with mantou	Balance of at least 10 mins	V	3