Banana Choc Chip Muffin (or Banana Walnut Muffin) -12

Makes 12 - small cupcake size.

4 fairly large ripe bananas

2 tbsp vanilla yoghurt

1 tbsp milk

160ml honey

½ tsp cinnamon powder

2 XL egg

100g butter, cut into small squares

20g sour cream (about 1/8 of a 250ml tub)

260g SR flour (2 ¼ cup flour)

1+ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup dark choc chip

Preheat oven to 170C deg fan force, then change to 160C when baking.

Line baking tin with baking papercups.

Melt butter slightly, set aside to cool.

Separately, mash the bananas, leaving some chunks.

Mix with honey, yoghurt, milk, cinnamon powder, a pinch of salt, set aside.

Separately, whisk the egg till pale and creamy, set aside.

Whisk butter and sour cream till creamy.

Sprinkle flour, baking powder and remaining salt all over butter/cream.

Using a fork, rub into mixture till resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add choc chip. Make a well.

Pour in mashed banana mixture, and 1/2 of the egg mixture. Fold gently.

Add remaining egg mixture and fold till combined, don’t overdo it.

Spoon into paper cups in baking tin, until each cup is about full.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Open oven door, bake 1-2 more minutes depending on oven heat.

Take out, and rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

·         For banana walnut muffins – replace choc chip with walnuts.

Bon Appetite!

Banana Choc Chip Muffin - 6

Makes 6 - small cupcake size

2 large ripe bananas
80ml honey
2 tbsp vanilla yoghurt
1 tbsp milk
50ml butter, cut into small pieces.
1 XL egg
1 cup sifted plain flour (125g)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/3 cup dark choc chip

Preheat oven to 160C fan force.
Line baking tin with baking papercups.

Melt butter slightly, set aside to cool.
Separately, mash the banana leaving some chunks.
Mix with honey, yoghurt and milk, cinnamon powder, set aside.
Separately, whisk the egg till pale and creamy, set aside.
Whisk butter (and cream) with a pinch of salt till creamy.
Using a fork, sprinkle flour, baking powder and remaining salt and rub till resembles breadcrumbs. Add choc chip. (The butter coated flour helps to slow down development of gluten). Make a well.
Pour in mashed banana mixture, 1/2 egg mixture and fold gently.
Add remaining egg mixture and fold to combine. Don't overdo it.

Spoon into paper cups in baking tin, until each cup is about full.
Bake for 15 minutes. Open oven door, bake 1-2 more minutes.

Take out, and rest on rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Optional: Add 20g sour cream to the butter mixture and whisk together.
Or replace choc chips with walnuts.

Bon Appetite!

Bacon split spiced mung bean rice

I got this inspiration from the bachang or dumpling that I love to eat at home. The triangle dumplings made of glutinous rice, mung beans, pork belly, mushrooms and chestnuts, wrapped in lotus leaf.

This is my easy one pot intepretation of it. I wanted a quick fast meal last nite, so I didnt do the pork belly version. Here it is.

For 2 p - medium portion
2 whole slices of bacon - rind taken off
1/2 cup of spiced split mung bean
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water or enough water to cover
Olive oil
2 tbsp of soy sauce

I use a medium size pot for this.
Wash the rice and set aside.
Cut bacon into matchsticks.
Lightly sautee bacon in pot with say 1 tbsp of olive oil until golden slightly brown.
Then add the spiced split mung bean. Sautee.
Add the rice. Sautee.
Add the water and soy and steam as you would cooking steam rice till cook.
I generally simmer on low, leave the lid on till all water is absorbed, then lift the lid to let steam out. Then close the lid. Turn off the heat. Rest for 15 minutes.
Serve.

You can eat as it is or in our case, we had it with some lightly sauteed some English spinach. After we scooped all the cooked rice into serving plates, I used back the same pot to cook the veg. It takes only 2 minutes. Just put sesame oil,   oyster sauce,  shio xing wine, sugar and sautee chopped up spinach till lightly wilted.

PS: If I were to cook with pork belly, I would have to separately sear the pork belly and then stew for about 1 hour in various spice and aromatics, and then replace it with the bacon, and use the stew juice to make the rice, same as above.

It so happens I got a packet of spiced mung beans. It is I believe a mix of Indian spices. But you can make your own, of say tumeric powder or 5 spice powder:-)

Bon Appetite!

Rasberry Choc Chip muffin

Ooh, this is a so "melt in your mouth" muffin.














Makes 7 
2/3 cup raspberry coulis
2 tbsp milk
2-3 tbsp vanilla yoghurt
80g butter
80g castor raw sugar
1 cup SR flour.
1/2 cup spelt flour.
1/4 tsp baking powder.
A pinch of sea salt
Almost 1 cup of dark choc chip and white choc chip mixed.
1 large 800g egg

Preheat oven to 170deg fan.
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

Soften the butter, okay if melted slightly.
Add sugar to softened butter.
Separate egg white from yolk.
Whisk the egg white till soft peaks formed.
Add the yolk to the butter.
Cream butter sugar yolk mixture till pale.
Add milk and yogurt, and then combine well with SR, spelt flour, baking powder and salt, and choc chips.
Fold in raspberry coulis and egg white.

Spoon into baking tin lined with baking papercups, till about full.
Turn oven down to 160.
Bake for 14 minutes, open oven door opened half.
Continue baking for 1 minute with oven door opened.

Cool on metal rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Light, crumbly and just melt in the mouth.

PS: To make the raspberry coulis, blend 125g of fresh/frozen raspberries with icing sugar till smooth. If necessary, add a tsp water to aid blending.

Bon Appetite!