A Simple Rice Vermicelli Soup

Happy 2015 everybody! 

After a long break overseas, I am back with my first post for the year.  I know it is a very simple bowl of noodle soup - nothing to shout about - but I just wanted something plain and simple for lunch today.  It is so easy, you don't even need a recipe for this.  

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up January 2015 : Pasta / Noodles 
hosted by Anne Regalado - My Bare Cupboard  & 
organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY.

Garlic Butter Buns

Today I returned to the traditional process of bread making - by hands - a great way to work on building arm muscles!  Not by choice, mind you.  I am on holiday and my in-laws don't bake, so naturally there is no mixer or bread machine in the house.  However, there is a newly acquired turbo broiler.  I wasn't sure how my bread will turn out baked in this little oven but fortunately they were all very soft and fluffy, phew! 

I followed this bread recipe and topped with some garlic butter with some chopped spring onions.

Siu Mai [ 烧卖]

Siu Mai (烧卖) is a very popular Chinese dumpling served as part of a dim sum brunch during Yum Cha.  It is very easy to make at home and you can make a large batch and freeze them.  

Ingredients: (Makes 21)

500g minced pork
300g prawns, deveined and cut into small pieces
3 mushroom (about 10g), soaked to soften then finely chopped
2 water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 stalks of spring onions, chopped finely

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornflour
1 egg

Topping:
1 tbsp finely chopped carrots

wonton wrappers, trim into round circles

• In a big mixing bowl, combine minced pork, prawn, mushroom, water chestnuts and spring onions together. Mix in seasoning.  Stir well to combine.  
• Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes.  
• To wrap the siu mai, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Bring up edges of the wrapper and shape the dumpling by pressing down the filling and smoothing the surface; then flatten the bottom.
• Press some chopped carrots on the siu mai as garnishing.
• Place siu mai on a greased steaming bamboo basket and steam over high heat for about 15 minutes.  
• Serve hot with chilli sauce.

To freeze uncooked siu mai:

• Arrange siu mai on a tray lined with clingwrap.  Place them into the freezer for at least an hour.  
• Then transfer the frozen siu mai into a freezer bag or container.  Continue storing in the freezer.

To cook frozen siu mai:

• Arrange unthawed siu mai in a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes (depends on the size of siu mai) over high heat.