Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Summer is almost over.It's the best time to do some grilling now before Fall,not too hot or humid.I bought some chicken wing on sale and decided to grill with teriyaki flavor.I also bought a ready make teriyaki sauce on sale at our local supermarket.To make life easier,I rub some salt ,sugar and pepper on the wings overnight in ziploc bag.I didn't marinate teriyaki sauce with wings instead I bash the wings with teriyaki sauce on the grill.
I cook the ready bottled teriyaki sauce with some sugar and corn starch until thick first before bashing on 60% cooked wings ,then grill again until golden brown or cooked.Mostly all Japanese restaurant cooked their own teriyaki sauce.It's much cheaper and taste better.
If you can't find any ready made teriyaki sauce,don't worried..let me share my recipe with you..simple and easy.

Teriyaki sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 mirin(sweet rice wine)

1/2 cup sugar

1 inch ginger smashed

3-4 cloves garlic(peel)

1/2 cup chicken broth or 3 tbsp chicken bullion powder

2-3 tbsp corn starch(for thickness)

Method:

1:Prepared a sauce pot at high heat,add in all ingredient expect cornstarch.Let it boil for first 10 minutes and reduce heat to simmer the sauce for another 20 minutes.Remove ginger and garlic.Prepared dissolved corn starch with cold water,add in the simmer sauce.Keep stirring until incorporate.Remove from the heat,let is cool down before store away in chiller.

Note:

You can use the teriyaki sauce on chicken breast,shrimp,seafood,beef or vegetable.You can find mirin in any Asian store at Japanese food shelve.

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My Wilton's Cake Decoration

This week I graduated from Wilton's Decoration Course 2.So far I took three of four Wilton's Decoration courses.I find the course is really useful,helpful and excitement for me.If I didn't attend all the courses I have no idea how to decorate my cake,,hold the pipping bag,make beautiful flower or differentiate between the icing.Let's me present you with all my final creations here!

This cake is from Course 2 lesson.In this course I learned how to master the elegant new borders featuring rosettes, reverse shells and rope designs. It's also give mine cakes incredible dimension with the addition of bold color flow decorations. My instructor teach us how to create lovely new flowers like rosebuds, daisies, daffodils, mums and more. I use these flowers in a grand finale to attached to an impressive flower basket cake using the interwoven basket weave technique.

I used royal icing for all the flowers and color flow technique for the bird.
Of course I also used butter icing to makeup the cake and make basket weaves technique.
This cake is from my Fondant and Gum Paste Course.I choose Daisy as the Theme of my Fondant cake.
Personally,I find fondant and Gum Paste technique is much easier than the rest of the buttericing course I took.I learned intricate accents such as embroidery and lace, stringwork, garland and ruffle borders.You will discover the beauty of decorating with rolled fondant — for covering cakes with an immaculate smooth surface and shaping fun figures and elegant flowers.


This cake is from my Course 1 .Course 1 is the perfect place for me to start or appreciated the beauty of cake decoration . My Instructor show us the right way to decorate, step by step. I also share the fun with other students, who encourage me along the way. As I learn each new decorating skill, I will gain a sense of pride in mine accomplishments.
That why I took the following Wilton's course.The most important key to make beautiful and perfect cake decoration is to practise and practise!!.As they said practise make perfect!!.If you live in North America,I encourage you to take decoration class if you're interested in baking .I'm not advertising for Wilton's but personally I think Wilton's course is worth for you!.I guess maybe my instructor way of teaching is better than others instructor.Maybe?.You can look up at AC Moore,Michael's or Joanne for the classes offered!.To save $$$, I used the weekly coupon to buy the materials and tools!.Eventually I can use the tools ,pans and etc that I bought for my future baking,right?

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Chocolate and Pandan(Screwpine Leaves) Mooncake

I make another batch of mooncake since the Mooncake Festival is around the corner,September 14th 2008 .This time I used Pandan flavor(Screwpine leaves) for the filling and chocolate flavour for the skin.I play around with the ingredients a bit.I add the dough with some chocolate powder to make it's more interesting than regular dough.I think the dough is too soft due to new sugar oil(sugar syrup )I just make.I understand the sugar syrup need to sit for months before I can use.To my surprised ,this flavor taste better than traditional ordinary mooncake.Too bad,I can only get Pandan flavor lotus from Malaysia,wish I can't find pandan flavor lotus in NYC.Yes,I can get lotus filling in NYC,maybe I should add some pandan flavor into it!.

Ingredients:

*Sugar Oil* (cook in advance)

1200 kg sugar

900 gm water

1 lime cut 3 pieces

---------------------------------------------------------------
*Dough*

600 gm flour

480 gm sugar oil

150 gm oil

3 tbsp coco powder

1 tbsp alkaline water(kan sui in Cantonese)(air abu in Malay)

Method:

1:Cook sugar oil in advance.Cook until the sugar oil turn caramelize or golden brown.To test the sugar oil texture and readiness,use a drop of cool water mix with sugar oil.If the sugar oil separate the water when mix with cool water,then it's ready.Store up to a year in a tight air container when it's cool down.

2:Mix the dough ingredients together and let it proof for one and half hour before moulding.

3:Preheat oven at 250F/130C.Prepare un-greased baking sheet.

4:Divide each filling 40 oz and each dough/skin for 60gm.

5:Wrap each filling with the dough,nicely cover the filling.Press the wrapped mooncake into the mold hard to get the imprint.Knock the mooncake out from the mold if you're using wooden mold .Make sure you knock the mooncake mold on a wooden or tile table or counter edge.

6:Bake the mooncake for 20 minutes.Prepare egg yolk for brushing.Removed the mooncake from oven after 20 minutes baking for brushing.Re-bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.Yield 10-12 regular size mooncake

Note:

This batch of chocolate mooncake is really soft and dark due to the sugar syrup I just cooked.You can see my mooncake was out of shape but it's really moist and tasty.Personally ,my own make mooncake taste better than the one I bought from the store!!.Give a chance to yourself,to see how your mooncake turn out!.Stay tune for more different flavor mooncake!.
More mooncake HERE

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The Arte-y-Pico Award

I received this cute and sweet award from Sweet Jasmine .Sorry for the late posting.I love award and very lucky to get this award to add into my collection. Hope my blog is as artistic as the award!!Thank you,Sweet Jasmine XOXO!!

Before passing this on, here are a few set rules to follow.....

1) You have to pick FIVE blogs that you consider deserve this award for creativity, design, interesting material and also contribute to the blogger community regardless of language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given him/her the award itself.
4) Award winners and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of the "Arte-y-Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of the award
5) In compliance with said RULES, the award winner must show the RULES.
Now to share it out with my friends and bloggers around the world for their lovely blogs here at......

1:dhanggitskitchen

2:mykitchensnippets

3:putericooks

4:closetcooking

5:lingspassion

Enjoy and pass around this wonderful award ladies and gentleman!!

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Pineapple and Pineapple Chiffon Cake

Oh man !!.I love baking chiffon cake once I captured the skill!!.Yes,I baked another chiffon cake but this chiffon cake is exotic flavor!!Pineapple and Coconut flavor!!.I play around the ingredient abit,mix and match the flavor and it's turn out really good!!The texture and moistness of this chiffon cake is better than the previous one!.Hubby like his cake with some icing or cream,so I use some leftover butter icing from my Wilton's Decorating class to icing the top of the chiffon.

Ingredients :

(A)

1 3/4 cup of flour

1 tsp of baking powder

1/8 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of sugar

(B)

7 egg yolks

3/4 cup Pineapple Juice

2 tsp pineapple essence flavor

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1-2 drop food yellow color

(C)

1/2 cup of sugar

7 egg white

3/4 tsp of cream of tartar

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degree F

1) Sieve all the (A) ingredient in a mixing bowl until well combined.

2) Mix ingredient (B) until well blended and then add in ingredient (A) until smooth.

3) Beat ingredient (C) in mixer on high speed until stiff peak. It should not fall out when you turn the mixing bowl over. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks mixture and continue to do so until egg whites is finish. Remember to fold in gently until well mixed.

4) Pour batter into un-greased 10" tube pan and bake for an hour or used a bamboo skewer to test the cake. Just insert the skewer into the center of the cake and it should comes out clean.

5) Invert cake and let it cool complete in the pan. When is cool, loosen the edge of the pan with knife and remove cake .I used some flowers make from royal icing as decoration.
Before makeup =plain chiffon cake.

More cake flavor= Pandan chiffon cake .

Personally ,I think baking chiffon cake is not really difficult,as long as you understand the concept"don't contaminated" egg yolk with the white egg,then you will be fine.Give yourself a chance and share your baking experience with me..Stay tune for more cake posting:)

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Creamy Bacon and Shrimp Penna Pasta

Most of the time ,I cooked red sauce meat pasta for hubby,boring right?.He is getting tired eating red sauce meat spaghetti all the time.Furthermore,I don't dare to buy minced meat these days after heard the news of beef recalled .So,this time I like to cook something different for a change.I make my own creamy sauce..Since I have leftover egg white from baking mooncake,I might as well used it.Don't waste food,right?.

Ingredients:

1/2 box Penna Pasta

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup mayo

2 egg white

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

5-6 stripe cooked bacon(prepare in advance)

10 shrimp clean and deviened

5-6 cloves minced fresh garlic

1 tbsp oil

1 stalk cilantro(chopped)

Method:

1:Cook Penna pasta as the box instruction.Sieve and set aside

2:Prepare skillet at high heat with oil,add on garlic,saute until golden brown.

3:Add in milk,mayo,Parmesan cheese,egg white and shrimp.Let the sauce boil and add in Penna and bacon.Reduced heat to medium and mix well all the ingredients with pasta.Garnish with cilantro ,ready to serve warm.

Note:

You can use any type of pasta for this sauce.If you prefer healthy creamy sauce,use reduced fat milk and reduce mayo instead replace with extra egg white.This meal is ready in less than 30 minutes.Trust me,making your own creamy sauce taste better than the one sell on supermarket shelve!!.Enjoy!

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Deep Fried Tempura Fish Maki

I have some leftover fried fish.What should I do with it?.Usually I don't throw away my leftover food.I modified or reheat it the next day to make another meal for myself.But this time,I decided to make tempura maki.This type of deep fried maki is really popular in any Japanese restaurant.Usually it's ideal for those who don't eat raw fish. Since I have the ready fried fish,all I need is just sushi rice,avocado,nori,tobiko and some Japanese mayo.

You can refer to this and this and this how to wrap your maki/roll

I coated the maki/roll with tempura flour batter before deep fried in clean oil for 10-15 minutes.Becareful when deep frying,do not let the nori break away or leaked in the oil.If that happend,throw away your roll.

Make sure when you cut maki,use a very sharp knife. After each cut,wipe your knife with wet paper towel or submerge your knife in a bowl of cold water.Then the sushi rice won't stick to your knife when you cut the next pieces.

This type of deep fried maki have to eat while the roll is still warm or hot .I like to eat this type of deep fried maki as it's with out sauce.I know some people like to dip with shoyu and wasabi.It's not really hard to make.You can use any leftover fried food for the roll/maki.

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Homemade Red Bean Mooncake

I'm not a mooncake lover but love to learn how it make it for fun.I requested my aunt to teach me how to make mooncake when I was vacationing in Malaysia during Chinese New Year 2008.She show me her trick of making this sweet cake ,provided me with all her mold.Yes,she gave me a mooncake wooden mold and few doll biscuit wooden mold as gift.This is my first attempt making my own mooncake!!Let's get some information for those who have no idea what it's mooncake and why it's called mooncake.The Moon festival (also called the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival) 中秋节 falls on September 14th in the year 2008.In Malaysia and Singapore, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or "Mooncake Festival."This is the ideal time, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, to celebrate the abundance of the summer's harvest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties. Ingredients:

*Sugar Oil*

1200 kg sugar

900 gm water

1 lime cut 3 pieces

*Dough*

600 gm flour

480 gm sugar oil

150 gm oil

1 tbsp alkaline water(kan sui in Cantonese)(air abu in Malay)

Note:

I bought some ready make lotus paste and red bean paste from Malaysia.My aunt gave me her recipe but I'm too lazy to make the paste since I can find ready make paste at the store.Anyway,I also found store sell ready make lotus paste in Chinatown,NYC.So there is no reason for me to make my own lotus paste!!.Yes,it's take alot of time as I know....phewwww!!

Mini mooncake,cute right ???.Too bad,the design on the cake is not clearly imprint.

_________________________________

Method:

1:Cook sugar oil in advance.Cook until the sugar oil turn caramelize or golden brown.To test the sugar oil texture and readiness,use a drop of cool water mix with sugar oil.If the sugar oil separate the water when mix with cool water,then it's ready.Store up to a year in a tight air container when it's cool down.

2:Mix the dough ingredients together and let it proof for one and half hour before moulding

3:Preheat oven at 250F/130C.Prepare un-greased baking sheet.

4:Divide each filling 40 oz and each dough/skin for 60gm.

5:Wrap each filling with the dough,nicely cover the filling.Press the wrapped mooncake into the mold hard to get the imprint.Knock the mooncake out from the mold if you're using wooden mold .Make sure you knock the mooncake mold on a wooden or tile table or counter edge.

6:Bake the mooncake for 20 minutes.Prepare egg yolk for brushing.Removed the mooncake from oven after 20 minutes baking for brushing.Re-bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.Yield 10-12 regular size mooncake Note:

Accordingly to my aunt,DO NOT EAT mooncake immediately or the day after .Let the mooncake sit for 2 days before serve,it's taste better!.That right I try both day,and she was right!!I make some big mistake as you can see on the mooncake!.I dust my mooncake mold with flour,that why you can't see the mold design clearly.The second mistake it's the measurement conversion..I have hard time convert everything to cup or US measurement,so my dough was a bit too wet and the dough for individual wrapping is too much or too thick.It's supposed to be a thin layer just enough to cover the filling,now the skin is overwhelming.You can see my mooncake was out of shape.The 3rd mistake was the temperature!! I thought 130 C is 325 F!!Big mistake!! That the reason my mooncake look burn or well done!!..Well,as I said this is my first time making mooncake!! I learn hard from this mistake.I still have other lotus flavor..maybe next batch mooncake my skill will be better,hopefully...More mooncake to come.Stay tune!!

You can see my aunt lotus mooncake here!! .Big different right?.lol!!Pardon my inexperience skill:))

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Young Chow Fried Rice aka Combination Fried Rice

It's been along time I didn't make fried rice for Eliot.He love Young Chow Fried Rice aka Combination Fried Rice.Recently we had dinner at Joe's Shanghai in Flushing,NY and I order this dish for him..Two days later I make this dish for him again since I have left over roast pork...I garnish with some tomato from my garden..Fried rice is the most simple and easy Chinese dish to cook!!

Ingredients:

2 cup jasmine white rice(overnight rice)

1 large onion(diced)

1/2 cup peas and carrot

4-5 eggs

1 lbs small clean and deveined shrimp

1/2 cup diced roast pork

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp pepper powder

1 tbsp chicken bullion powder

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp oil

Method:

1:Prepared wok at high heat with oil for scramble eggs.Removed egg from wok after 3-4 minutes.Add in roast pork and shrimp ,stir fry for 2 minutes before add in overnight rice.

2:Fry the rice thoroughly,add in all the seasoning,scramble eggs and peas and carrot.You can adjust the seasoning to your likeness.If you want your fried rice to taste like what you eat Young Chow Fried Rice in restaurant,make sure you fried your rice until it's dance in your wok!!.*good tip*

3:When you see your rice are not sticking together,then it's ready to serve.. If you miss Young Chow Fried Rice badly or can't find any Chinese restaurant nearby,try out this recipe:)..You can add in ham,chicken or beef....how about some left over cold cut like turkey,ham and etc....??I "m bring this dish to dhanggitskitchen Perfect Party Event for her little one.See you there!

Note:

Make sure your overnight white rice is not too wet or sticky..The best grains for fried rice is long grains or jasmine rice..

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Pandan (Screwpine Leave)Chiffon Cake

This is my second time baking Pandan Chiffon cake in 2 days.My first attempt was a disaster!!.I accidentally drop few drop of egg yolk into the white egg mixture..I thought it's not a big deal !!Oh yes!! it's really a big deal when I contaminated yolk and white egg together!!.I have to trash the cake away!!So remember when cracking or separate yolk and white,you have to be very careful!!.I learn to make pandan chiffon cake from Gertrude and you can find her recipe at mykitchensnippets .Recipe adapted from mykitchensnippets but change the flavour a bit to suit my taste ..For some of you have no idea what is Pandan,let me explain..Screwpine Leaves is another name for pandan or pandanus leaves, daun pandan, kewra .It's a long narrow dark green leaves from the Screwpine or Pandanas tree. The leaves have a sweet perfumy aroma and flavor. Used in Southeast Asia cooking they are used to flavor rice, puddings and other desserts. The color from the leaves is used as a natural food coloring.But I used the substitutions,Pandan essence flavoring.Too lazy to blend the leaves and extract the juice from it!!
Ingredients : (A)

2 cup of flour

1 tsp of baking powder

1/8 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of sugar

(B)

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp pandan flavor

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

(C)

1/2 cup of sugar

6 egg white

3/4 tsp of cream of tartar

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degree F
1) Sieve all the (A) ingredient in a mixing bowl until well combined.

2) Mix ingredient (B) until well blended and then add in ingredient (A) until smooth.

3) Beat ingredient (C) in mixer on high speed until stiff peak. It should not fall out when you turn the mixing bowl over. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks mixture and continue to do so until egg whites is finish. Remember to fold in gently until well mixed

4) Pour batter into ungreased 10" tube pan and bake for an hour or used a bamboo skewer to test the cake. Just insert the skewer into the center of the cake and it should comes out clean.

5) Invert cake and let it cool complete in the pan. When is cool, loosen the edge of the pan with knife and remove cake.

At last I can call myself a baker!! lol!My second attempt of baking Pandan chiffon cake was successful!!.I remember Alton Brown of Food Network said,baking is all about science !!.That right!!

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Shanghai Fried Noodles

Do you ever try Shanghai food?.I recalled years ago,the first time I ever try Shanghai food was at Joe's Shanghai in NYC.This restaurant have few branches in NYC.I fell in love with Shanghai fried noodles,the first time I taste it.My hubby love their Shanghai Fried Noodles too,he said it's the best fried noodles he ever eat!!This restaurant is Zagat rated ,you can google and see the review.I also find they have other famous and excellent delicatessen like Little Dragon Dumpling (小笼馒)..Anyway,I bought some fresh ingredients home and going to make my own Shanghai Fried Noodles Ingredients:

1 lb fresh shanghai noodles

500 gm tenderloin pork(sliced)

1/2 lb mustard green leaves(wash and drain)

20 clean and deviened shrimp

5-6 cloves minced garlic

3-4 shallot

*SEASONING*

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp thick soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp Chinese wine

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chicken bullion powder

1 tbsp pepper powder

2 tbsp oil Method:

1:Cook the noodles in boiling, salted water until al dente – about 8 minutes. Use a sieve or collard to rinse under cold running water, drain well ,drizzling with some cooking oil,make sure it's not sticking together and set aside.

2:Prepare wok at high heat and add cooking oil,minced garlic and sliced shallot,fry for 1 minutes or until it's turn golden brown.Then add in tenderloin and shrimp,stirring continuously for about 2 minutes.Then scoop out on a plate ,set a side.
3:Add in cooked shanghai noodles,all the seasoning,fry for 5 minutes and mix well all the seasoning over the noodles.Then add in green mustard leaves ,cooked shrimp and tenderloin pork,stirring continuously for another 3 minutes before serve warm or hot.I like this noodles,coz it's not oiled in the package sitting on supermarket shelve for weeks.This noodles is suitable for noodles soup if you want something plain and blend.If you can't find Shanghai fresh noodles in any supermarket shelve,maybe you can replace with udon noodles but the texture is slightly different.Pr maybe you can make this noodles by yourself...you just need flour,baking powder and water!!
Don't mistake this dish as Hokkien_Mee 福建面!!.I know Emeril Lagasse of Food Network add hoisin sauce,corn starch and vinegar wine to this dish...I find it's too much and the flavour is too overpowering the noodles..Why corn starch??.Isn't the fresh noodles made from flour and it's quite sticky?. Anyway,it's your personal choice ...I submitted my Shanghai Fried Noodles to Ruth for this week Presto Pasta Night Roundup !!See you:)Note:
Adjust the saltiness and flavour to your own taste..Don't add too much seasoning,noodles tend to absorb liquid .

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Tempura Matcha /Green Tea Ice Cream

I have the urge to make Tempura Ice Cream for the longest but never have the chance until I get a box of tempura flour and green tea powder.I bought a big container of green tea powder from Malaysia when I was there few months ago..So here come my Green Tea Powder mix with Vanilla Ice Cream=Matcha ice cream!!.) (抹茶) Matcha is a fine, powdered green tea used particularly in the Japanese tea ceremony, as well as to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of wagashi (Japanese confectionery).To make this dessert more challenging,I deep fried it with tempura flour. Japanese Green Tea/Matcha ice cream encased in pound cake, battered and fried. Ingredients for Making Matcha Ice Cream:

500ml vanilla ice cream

1 tbsp matcha

1 tbsp warm water

Ingredients for Tempura:

1 pack tempura dry flour

1 loaf butter cake (sliced) or sliced white bread.

3-4 cup oil for frying Method:

1:Soften ice cream at room temperature or transferring to refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.Do not allow it to melt completely.

2:Mix the matcha powder and lukewarm water in a cup and stir well to make a smooth paste.

3:Put half the ice cream into a mixing bowl.Add the matcha liquid and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula,then add the rest of the ice cream.Put the bowl into the freezer for an hour.

4:Prepare sliced pound cake or white bread .Scoop out even balls of ice cream and wrap each slice cake or bread over the ice cream until well covered.Repeat this step until all matcha ice cream finished.Refreeze wrapped ice cream again for 30 minutes to one hour.

5:Prepare tempura batter following the box instruction.

6:Heat oil for deep fry at medium heat or 350F.Dip frozen wrapped matcha ice cream into the batter quickly and deep fry for 5 minutes or until the batter is crispy.

7:Remove tempura matcha ice cream from fryer ,cut and serve immediately. As you can see from the photo,the tempura matcha ice cream is melting away due to hot weather and deep fried process.
Too bad I don't have Rum or Grand Mainer.I prefer my tempura matcha ice cream burn with alcohol first before serve:0
Note:

I used white bread since I don't have pound cake.Of course,pound cake taste better :P..You can use any topping you like eg: whipped cream,chocolate sauce,strawberry sauce or alcohol.If you don't have tempura batter,use regular flour mix with baking powder,there you go...Stay tune for more Japanese dish!.

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