Apricot Scones

Warm scones served with home-made Peach jam

Adapted from this recipe.  

Ingredients:

320g self-raising flour (sifted)

2/3 cup cold lemonade

2/3 cup evaporated milk/cream

1 tsp sugar

pinch of salt

20g dried apricot (chopped) - optional

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Line a baking tray with baking paper which is lightly floured.
• Combine lemonade and milk in a bowl.  
• Combine flour and chopped dried apricot in a large mixing bowl.  Add lemonade mixture into the flour mixture and fold ingredients until just combined (do not over mix as it will produce tough scones) - the dough should be fairly soft and sticky.
• Place dough onto the floured baking paper (on the baking tray).  Lightly press the dough into about 4 cm thickness.  Using a knife which has been floured, cut the dough into 5cm squares.  
• Place scones close together, so they are just touching.  
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• Serve warm with jam and whipped cream.

Ji Dan Gao (鸡蛋糕) [Steamed Sponge Cake]

I remember when I was a kid,  Ji Dan Gao (literally "egg cake")  is the only CAKE that I knew of.  It is actually a steamed sponge cake with a light and soft texture.  To give a slight tangy flavour, I added orange zest and lemon juice to this recipe.  It is really simple .... and moreover it brings back some pleasant childhood memories ....

Ingredients:

(A)

5 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp lemon juice

zest of 1 orange

(B)

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

50g caster sugar

150g cake flour *

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp oil

8" cake pan - lined with baking paper

10" bamboo steamer

• Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar (on High speed) for about 5 minutes or until thick, pale and fluffy.  At this point, when you raise the beaters, the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.
• Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.  Add in the zest.  Combine.
• Gently, fold in flour mixture (in 3 additions)  with a spatula until incorporated.
• Add in oil and stir to combine.
• Meanwhile, boil water in a big pot (or wok) big enough to fit the bamboo steamer.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Then fold in the rest until well blended.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and place the pan into the bamboo steamer.  Steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until cake is done.  (If necessary, add more boiling water to maintain the water level).
• Remove pan from the steamer.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring onto a plate.   Enjoy ...

*  

I made my own Cake Flour because it is really easy to make and cheap as well!   

To get 1 cup sifted cake flour:   85g sifted plain flour + 15g cornflour and sift well (at least 3 times)  

I usually made a lot and then measure or weigh the amount of cake flour from this mixture as required in the recipes.

Braised Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

600g pork ribs

knob of ginger (about 3cm), minced or finely shredded

4 cloves  garlic, minced 

2 shallots, minced

1 tbsp fermented soy beans

1/2 tsp fermented black beans (optional)

2 birds' eye chillies /chilli flakes (optional)

10 g rock sugar / 1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 1/2 cup  water

spring onion & coriander leaves - garnishing

cornstarch + water (for thickening the gravy)

• Cut the pork ribs in between the bones.  Blanch in boiling water for a minute.  Drain.
• Heat oil in a saucepan.  Saute ginger, shallots and garlic until fragrant.  Add fermented soy beans and black beans and chillies.  Stir for a minute.
• Add in pork ribs and stir fry for about 5 minutes.  Then add in wine, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir fry for another minute before adding water.  Bring to the boil.  
• Lower the heat and let it simmer for about an hour or until ribs are tender.  Thicken gravy with cornstarch. 
• Garnish with spring onions and coriander leaves and serve with rice.