Okara Mantou And Okara Omelette

Remember in the previous Homemade Organic Soymilk post we mentioned about Okara (豆渣) which is rich in dietary fiber. Instead of throwing them away after filtering the soymilk you could actually use it in your daily cooking or bakes to enhance the flavour as well as the nutritious values of the food.

To be honest, I have never taste or eaten "Okara" before I have this soymilk maker, so trying out various recipes using Okara is such an amazing experience and both my family and friends enjoy this new "taste and texture" too.

OKARA CHARCOAL MANTOU

豆渣馒头

This Okara Mantou is inspired by one of my boy classmates' mum who makes soft and delicious mantou using homemake soymilk and okara. So with my leftover black soybean okara and soymilk I decided to make this "black" Okara Charcoal Mantou.

(Serves: 10 - 12 pieces   | Preparation: 90 minutes  | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 280g Plain Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Charcoal Powder (竹碳粉)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 20g Tablespoon Caster Sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• 100g Okara (豆渣), drain well
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Dry Yeast
• 40ml Lukewarm Water

Method:-

1. Add dry yeast into the lukewarm water and give it a quick stir, set aside for about 5 minutes till bubbles appeared.

2. Sift plain flour and baking powder together in a big bowl with the caster sugar and salt till combined.

3. Next slowly add in yeast water into the flour mixture and stir using a metal spoon or clean hand follow by okara till it forms soft dough.

4. Add in oil and give the dough a quick knead till well combine or dough does not stick to your hand.

5. Set dough aside in a lightly flour/oil bowl, covered with cling wrap and let it proof for about 30 minutes or until dough became double the size.

6. Knead proof dough on a lightly floured work surface for about 5 minutes, flatten and roll into a rectangular shape, roll it up lengthwise into an oblong shape.

7. Repeat the process once or twice depends on your preference.

8. Roll the final dough into oblong shape, cut them into equal portions, place each shaped mantou on steamer rack with greaseproof paper below.

9. Spray some water on the mantou before steaming them over medium heat for about 13 - 15 minutes. (depending on the size of the mantou)

10. When done, removed and served hot/warm. You can keep cool mantou in the freezer for a week or so. Reheat by steaming it for 5 minutes before eating.

Note:

~ Lukewarm is about 36 - 37 degree Celsius

This is the Black Soybean Okara which is being filtered from the soymilk. It can be kept in the fridge for about 2 - 3 days.

OKARA OMELETTE

(豆渣煎蛋)

Other than steamed bun, I have also in cooperate Okara into our daily dishes by add it into omelette. This dish could be consider as half vegetarian dish if egg is allowed. We love this omelette dish a lot as it taste quiet similar to the usual "Minced Meat Omelette (肉碎煎蛋)" and when eaten you can't even tell Okara is added to it. The omelette has a very fragrant and slight sweet taste (read more here on how to filter the okara) which makes it different from the usual fried omelette dish.

(Serves: 2  | Preparation: 5 minutes | Cooking: 5 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Eggs (55g each)
2 - 3 Tablespoons Okara (豆渣)
1/2 Tablespoon Wolfberries
1 Tablespoon Chopped Spring Onion
Pinch of Salt

Method:-

1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl, whisk till combined.

2. Preheat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, pour in egg mixture, swirl and spread it evenly around the pan.

3. Fry the omelette for about 2 minutes on medium low heat till slight golden brown in colour, carefully flip it over using a spatula. Cook for another minute or two.

4. Dish up and serve.

Other than the above two recipes on using Okara, do stay tune for the my "Black Butter Cake" which I have give it a twist on adding okara into the normal butter cake recipe. Stay tune!

iGen Mints plus Giveaways

Recently Huiji (汇集) has launched a new product which is known as iGen Mints. These mints are available in two flavours such as Double Mint (green) and Sour Strawberry (red) with each tin weighing 15g and contains about 75 mints in it.

Since iGen mints are sugar free and delicious, you can enjoy anytime as you want to keep yourself cool and refreshing.  These mints also comes in conveniently packaged ‘click-clack’ tins boasting a unique metal, slide-to-open design that enable you can bring it anywhere.

iGen Sour Strawberry has a strawberry scented taste when you pop it into your mouth and it's tangy taste that linger in your mouth will also keep you fresh and awake. I am sure you would dote these pinky little mints if you like strawberries plus these mints are also sugar free with vitamin C too. 

iGen Double Mint has a refreshing and yet not over powering spearmint flavour which keep you fresher against the heat waves as well as refreshing your breath after meals or beverage such as coffee. Moreover each piece of Double Mint only contains 0.48kcal calories due to it's sugar free content.

So do keep a look out on these iGen Double Mint and iGen Sour Strawberry retail at S$2.20 each at Cheers, FairPrice Xpress and etc.

Furthermore, just for your information recently iGen has organize a facebook giveaway contest for their fans till 15 September 2012. To participate, click on their contest link HERE and answer a simple question (answer can be found in this post) in order to stand a chance to win the "Monster Diamond Tears Headphones".  Remember to "like" iGen Mints page before you could proceed to the contest.

GIVEAWAYS

Thanks to Huiji (汇集), I am giving away 4 boxes of “iGen” mints (2 Double Mint and 2 Sour Strawberry) each to 5 lucky readers.

To win:

1. Like the the above iGen mints photo on Cuisine Paradise Facebook Page, AND
2. Leave a comment on facebook photo stating roughly how much per month you spent on buying sweets and which is your favourite to grab.

Closing Date: 06 September 2012 (Thursday), 12 NOON.

*only for readers living in Singapore*

Homemade Organic Soybean Milk Using Joyoung Soymilk Maker

With the help of modern kitchen gadgets, making your own soymilk at home has become a breeze especially if you have a soymilk maker. And if you have being following my recent posts and photos on soymilk making I am sure you have read about my new loot on the Joyoung soymilk maker (九阳豆浆机 ).

In this post, I would be sharing two recipes on Homemade Organic Soymilk using my new loot and it is so easy with just a touch on the button. After which you would get to enjoy a glass of healthy warm soymilk in less than 30 minutes.

HOMEMADE ORGANIC SOYMILK

As you know, there are many benefits from drink soymilk such as it contains high protein, low cholesterol and also helps to prevent high blood pressure. On another end, it also promote blood circulation, antioxidants, anti-aging, eliminating constipation and etc.

These are some brands of the Organic Soybeans that I am using. You can use any brand of soybean despite of whether they are organic or not. Soybeans can be easily found in any local supermarket or grocery stores under the dried beans sections.

(Serves: 4   | Preparation: 6 - 8 hrs soaking  | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup (130g) of Organic Soybeans
• Water
• 50g Rock Sugar (or more or less to taste)
• Some Pandan Leave (optional), tie to knot

Method:-

1. Rinse soybeans for a few rounds, soak it in water for about 6 - 8 hours. (I usually soaked it overnight)

2. Add soaked soybean and water (fill water up to 1300ml mark shown in the jar) in Joyoung soymilk maker and select "Soak Bean" mode. But if you prefer a richer and thicker taste, select "Dry Bean" mode even if you are using soaked beans.

3. When the soy milk is ready, the machine will beep and you will see blinking light on the selected mode.

4. Switch off the power. Add in pandan leaves and rock sugar, give it a quick stir and leave the mixture to stand for about 5 minutes.

5. Lastly, give the mixture a few stir to completely dissolve the sugar. Filter out the soy milk and it is ready to serve.

Quick Tip:
~ The minimum amount for making soymilk is using 90g Soybeans with 900ml water in order for the soymilk maker to operate.

~ "Dry Bean" mode gives a much richer texture to the soymilk as compared to the "Soaked Bean" mode.

HOMEMADE ORGANIC BLACK SOYMILK

(using Joyoung Soymilk Maker)

To test out another flavour, I mix 1/2 cup each of soybean and black soybean instead of using 1 whole cup of black soybean which the taste might be slightly stronger and bitter for everyone. And also by adding black soybean is a good way to help reduce weight, whiten skin as well as strength the body.

(Serves: 4   | Preparation: 6 - 8 hrs soaking  | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup (65g) of Organic Soybeans
• 1/2 Cup (65g) of Organic Black Soybeans
• Water
• 50g Rock Sugar (or more or less to taste)
• Some Pandan Leave (optional), tie to knot

Method:-

1. Repeat the same procedures as shown for the making the normal soybean milk above.

If you want to try out black soybean milk, perhaps you can start off with 3/4 soybean and 1/4 black soybeans and slowly adjust the taste to your preference.

OKARA

(豆渣)

Soymilk would taste smooth and better when "Okara (豆渣)" is being filtered from it. But do you know instead of throwing them away, you could actually incorporate this rich dietary fiber into your daily cooking or baking. Below are some recipes on using Okara, hope you would find them useful.

Okara Omelette	Okara Mantou	Okara Butter Cake (coming soon)

Culinary Master Class At Waterfall Cafe, Shangri-La Hotel

A few week ago, I was invited to attend a Culinary Master Class by Chef de Cuisine Stephane Cocu at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore’s new Waterfall Café. This homely and relaxing cafe was officially opened on 19 July 2012 serving savour healthy yet creative dishes inspired by Mediterranean flavours.

Over the years, Chef Stephane's talents have been recognised by many Michelin-starred establishments, such as Le Crayeres in Reims, Restaurant Comme Chez Soi in Brussels and Restaurant Daniel in New York.

Being inspired by Mediterranean culinary philosophy, Chef Stephane crafted a simple menu that embraces the quality of eating well. Immensely passionate about the use of herbs, smoked salts, vinegars and exotic spices, Chef Stephane’s dishes are refreshing and light on the palate.

Above shows the 3 course menu which Chef Stephane had prepared for the Master Class workshop and these dishes are also available at Waterfall Cafe together with other dishes on their menu.

This is their cosy private dining room at Waterfall Cafe, featuring a fully functional show kitchen which is ideal for cooking workshops, small gatherings or corporate retreats.

Being a true advocate of healthy dining, Chef Stephane ensures that all products are sourced from sustainable origins and are free from hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. Here I am sharing 3 recipes of the dishes that we had during the Culinary Master Class workshop which I sure you could also try it out at home using similar ingredients.

WATERMELON AND TOMATO SALAD

A very refreshing starter with using Watermelon, mint leaves and some spices and seasoning that is prepared by Chef Stephane. 

(Serves: 1  | Preparation: 10 minutes )

Ingredients:

• 100g Fresh Tomato
• 100g Fresh Watermelon
• 20g Aragula Salad
• 15g Black Olive(pitted)
• 10g While Grain Mustard
• 40g Parmesan Cheese
• 25g Olive Oil
• 30g Red Onion(sliced) 5g Fresh Mint
• 2g Fresh Basil
• 15g Honey Vinegar

Method:-
1. Cut watermelon into cubes of 1 cm each. Slice sherry vine tomatoes into quarters. Chop fresh mint. Sliced pitted black olives and red onions.

2. To make the crispy parmesan cheese cracker, begin by preheating oven to 150 degree Celsius. Spread parmesan cheese in a non-stick pan and place it in the oven. Bake parmesan cheese until it becomes a nice, blond colour. Remove it and let it cool so that it will get crispy.

3. In a mixing bowl, throw in watermelon cubes, tomatoes, chopped fresh mint, olives and onions. Season with 10g of honey vinegar, 15g of olive oil, whole grain mustard. Add in salt and pepper as preferred. Set aside for later use.

4. In a soup plate, season arugula salad with the remaining oil and honey vinegar. Line the plate with arugula salad before placing the mixture from step 3 on the salad.

5. Garnish salad with crispy parmesan cheese cracker.

Chef's Tip:
~ If the watermelon is not sweet, you may add hone as preferred.

~ Mint leaves can be replaced by basil according to your preference.

ALT ANTIC COD IN BARLEY RISOTTO

Fresh, succulent Atlantic cod with barley risotto, pequillo peppers, Vadoucan emulsion. This is a unique risotto where Chef Stephane replaced rice with organic barley. 

(Serves: 1   | Preparation: 30 minutes   | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 150g Fresh Cod Fish
• 50g Organic Barley
• 30g Pequillo Pepper
• 30cl White Wine
• 30g White Onion
• 100g Heavy Cream
• 100g Milk
• 5g "Vadouvan" spice blend
• 5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 Lime
• A Zest Orange
• A Zest Lemon
• Salt and Pepper

Method:-
1. Dice white onion into 3mm thick.

2. In a large pot, suet diced onions with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and fresh butter until the onions are tender and colourless.

3. Add barley to pot and suet for 2 minutes. While stirring the mixture, pour in white wine and let it boil until the wine has evaporated completely. Next, cover the mixture with water.

4.Season barley with salt and pepper as preferred. Add a zest of orange and lemon and continue to stir the risotto as it cooks. When the liquid has almost evaporated and risotto is still too "al dente". you can add a bit of water and let it cook again until the barley becomes tender.

5. Boil milk and heavy cream. Add "Vadouvan" spice blend (consists of fenugreek, cumin, onion and garlic), salt and pepper and let it infuse for 30 minutes. The sauce should turn to a strong yellow colour. Add lime juice.

6. Split pequillo pepper into half and remove the seeds. Cut them into triangles and set aside for later use.

7. In a non-stick pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Using low heat, sear cod fish on one side until it turns dark blond with a crispy exterior. Flip fish over an turn off the flame. Leave fish to cook in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before removing it.

8. In a pasta bowl, put barley risotto and place fish on top. Spread warm triangular pequillo peppers on fish. Drizzle sauce over the dish ad serve.

Chef's Tip:
~ For a big piece of cod fish, you may slice it into 1cm thick so it cooks better.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

As a chocolate lover, I dote this cake flourless cake a lot. I love it's semi-moist texture with a rich chocolate after taste which I would definitely try making some with this recipe soon.

(Serves: 4  | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
90g Dark Chocolate
33g Water
50t Sugar
60g Butter
2 Egg

Method:-
1. Prepare a pot to boil water and sugar.

2. Add chocolate to a mixing bowl and set aside for later use. Dice butter to soften it.

3. When the water and sugar has boiled, pour them into the mixing bowl with chocolate. Stir well until chocolate melts completely. Next, add in butter, bit by bit.

4.Crack an egg into the mixture and stir well. Repeat this step for the other egg.

5. Set the mixture aside so that it gets thick. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven at 160 degree Celsius. Using a brush, oil your pastry ring (or a ramequin, if preferred).

6. Pour the mixture into the pastry ring until it is 2/3 filled and bake it for 15 minutes.

7. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes before you serve it warm with a scoop of bourbon vanilla ice-cream.

Some of the snacks, bread and beverages that are available in the cafe. Love their organic juice and soda too!

A cosy corner which is good choice for an afternoon tea gathering

With a seating capacity of 92, including 24 seats in the al fresco area, Waterfall cafe is open from 6:30 am to 10:30pm daily, except dinner on Sundays. It also serve as an all-day dining cafe starting from breakfast, light snacks, lunch and dinner.

WATERFALL CAFE
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
22 Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258350
Reservation: (65) 6213 4138
Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/dining/restaurants/waterfall-cafe/

Opening Hours: Daily (except Sundays)

~ Breakfast; 6.30am - 11am

~ Light Snacks; 11am - 12pm, 3pm - 6pm

~ Lunch; 12pm - 3pm

~ Dinner; 6pm - 10.30pm