Modern Day Kungfu Manuals for Students

今天心血来朝, 为大儿子的两本自习"课本"做了两个covers. 虽然很简单, 却让两本<<武林秘笈>>增添了几分色彩. 希望他看到会更有心情复习.

The Ugliest Loaves You've Ever Seen

I haven't finished reading the Jamie Oliver cookbook I received for Valentine's Day yet, but one good thing that came out of it so far is that I've gotten interested in baking bread again. I'm especially hung up on the Coconut Buns in the very first recipe, but I have to get my head around the way that he made them.

Yesterday, I was inspired to make some loaves suitable for panini, the Italian sandwiches that are more like American subs. Unfortunately, I had very little time to shape them as my 2.5yo tot was konked out on his father's shoulder and waiting for me to takeover, so they're ugly as... *insert appropriate word*.

They looked and felt really light and holey when I slit them for today's bentos for my children though, so I think they'll pass. Because the loaves turned out much bigger than expected (hahaha), I sliced one loaf in half before splitting and filling. So each kid brought half to school.

Recipe for Panini loaves
Ingredients:
4 cups bread flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano OR 1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch ground black pepper
2 tsp instant yeast
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/4 cups warm water (40deg C)

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir with a large spoon till all ingredients are moistened. Dough will be sticky.

With well-floured hands, knead dough in the bowl about 5min, till dough is elastic but still rather sticky, and sides of bowl are clear of flour, flouring your hands when necessary. Resist the urge to add more flour to the dough.

Drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil around the sides of the bowl and toss dough to coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and stick bowl in the fridge for 4-5 hours.

Turn dough out onto work surface and punch out all the air. Divide into 4 equal pieces, roll each piece into a round tight ball. Let rest 5 min.

Roll out and shape each piece into a rectangle about 12cmX5cmX1cm thick.  (I did this by hand)

Place loaves on silicone mat or parchment paper on a large baking tray, about 2 inches apart. Let rise uncovered in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 220C. Dust loaves with flour and bake in the middle of the oven at 200C for 15min, rotating pan halfway through, till loaves are brown on top and bottom.

Remove and cool on cake rack at least 30min before slitting and filling.

Lunar New Year equals FOOD

I made a total of three batches oh kueh lapis. Oh goodness. I'd say the third try was the best, as batch #2 was wayyyy undercooked. Even after the portions I gave away, we still have lots left, maybe to keep till next year. Haha!

On the second last day of the old year of the Dragon, my dear kind neighbour blessed us with this lovely dish. And oh, what a glorious, delicious, good to the last drop dish of pen cai 盆菜! It tasted better than any I've eaten at Chinese restaurants.

Pen cai

For the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Snake when we went visiting, my 11yo girl who was born in the Year of the Snake sported a snakey Dutch braid which started from the front of her head to the nape of her neck.

 

And I have to share that one of my absolute favourite LNY dishes has to be what Singaporeans call "lohei" 捞起 (Cantonese) or yusheng 鱼生. A family (or group of colleagues, friends, etc) stand around this huge plate of vegetables on the table and, after all the blessings are called out by the serving waitresses (during which some ingredients such as raw salmon and all the wet dressings are added), everyone uses their chopsticks to stir and toss up the dish, all the while callling out more blessings. The higher the ingredients are lifted, the more auspicious.

Lohei with fellow PVs

 This dish is only available commercially once a year, at LNY time, and I can never get enough. So far this year I've had it twice, once with my family and once with my fellow Parent Volunteers of our school. I believe I shall have at least one more to go, hurray!

Wishing everyone a blessed and prosperous Year of the Snake!

Kueh Lapis Legit Attempt #1

Only just passed. The bottom two layers are almost cookie-like (crispy, because somewhere in the middle I turned the oven off and accidentally put it to convection oven), and the layers are way too thin and uneven. Some of the middle layers are rather wet-looking, not sure what caused this. But the worst thing (to me) is - it's only half the height of the 10 inch square pan (not enough batter).

Well, it's still edible, and tastes quite good, once I've shaved away the sides and bottom two layers. The spices really came through, and so did the cognac (shiok!).

I'm aiming to try again next weekend. Never say die, right? And Lulu will never say "give up" when it comes to baking!

Fridge dead, but life must go on

My Fisher & Paykel refrigerator only lasted me 4.5yrs and it's totally gone. I should've sensed it was nearing the end of its life by the way it was acting up the last few months. But I didn't think much of it at the time, because our previous (smaller) F&P fridge was still going strong when we sold it off after 5 years!

Meantime, I'm living out of cooler boxes. And I am ever so grateful for neighbours with whom I have good relationships. They're helping me to store some dairy and other stuff that absolutely need refrigration.

Living out of cooler boxes SUCKS

AND I still have to bento for the P3 boy. It's a(nother) challenge to come up with foods that require no refrigeration, for the night after packing or to keep till early the next morning. Looks like I will have buy another big bag of ice cubes this evening.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

It's the Lunar Seventh Month, the 4 weeks of the year when there will be a persistent smell of burning in the air... Thanks to my asthma, this is also the month when I train myself for the Olympic Games event - Breath-holding Till You Get Out Of Range.

This is a hilarious instrumental version by the Muppets (how I miss that show).

Crouching Wolf Hidden Pig

I learnt this from the Yang Sisters tonight. LMAO!

Once upon a time there were three little pigs from 峨嵋派，and a big bad wolf from 武当派。One day, the big bad wolf went to find the three little pigs to challenge them to a kungfu fight. The three little pigs said, "Ok, don't waste time. Let's fight."

THE END.

Sesame Street - Rubber Ducky

And here's Ernie's Rubber Ducky, for your benefit, kids.



OH!
Rubber Ducky
You're the one
You make bath time
Lots of fun!
Rubber Ducky
I'm awfully fond of you! (bobobodeo)

Rubber Ducky
Joy of joys
When I squeeze you you make noise
Rubber Ducky
You're my very best friend it's true

Every day
When I make my way to the tubby
I find a little fella who's
Cute and yella
And chubby
Rubba dub dubby!

Rubber Ducky
You're so fine
And I'm lucky that you're mine
Rubber ducky I'm awfully fond of you

Pinky and The Brain

People in my age group will remember this short cartoon. Unfortunately Kids Central doesn't show this anymore, so my kids don't get to, ahem, enjoy it. Somebody once sent me the lyrics and the .wav to the theme song, and I have never gotten it out of my system. I hope it will bring you some laughs (and don't ask me why I can remember all the words by heart!).

Pinky and the Brain
Pinky and the Brain
One is a genius
The other's insane
They're laboratory mice
Their genes have been spliced
They're Pinky, they're Pinky and the
Brain Brain Brain Brain
Brain Brain Brain Brain BRAIN

Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They'll take over the world
They're Pinky and the Brain
Yes Pinky and the Brain
Their twilight campaign
Is easy to explain
To prove their mousey worth
They'll overthrow the earth
They're Pinky, they're Pinky and the
Brain Brain Brain Brain
Brain Brain Brain Brain
NARF!