Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Sushi Nori

The Japanese classic!
This is food as an art form. Presentation is very important.
Practice will make perfect.


Sushi Nori

Ingredients (per pair)
2 sheets of Nori
½ cup sushi rice
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt

Fillings
1 Carrot  or cucumber stick
2 spring onion sticks
1 Egg (beaten and fried)
1 Tbsp tinned tuna/salmon

Dipping
1Tbsp soy sauce
Small dab of Wasabi
4 slices of pickled ginger

Method
1.    Wash the rice through a sieve.
2.    Place the rice in a pot and cover with water (1 cup). Put a lid on.
3.    Bring to boil for 2 minutes.
4.    Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes on a low heat. Keep lid on.
5.    Mix up the vinegar, salt and sugar while you are waiting.
6.    Take pot off the heat and remove lid. Place a dry tea towel over the rice and replace lid. Let sit for 10 minutes.
7.    Spread rice on to a tray.
8.    Sprinkle the vinegar mixture and mix through. Allow to cool.
9.    Prepare the Filling and Dipping.
10. Place Nori on the bamboo rolling mat, rough side up.
11. Using wet fingers, spread the rice over the Nori leaving a 2-3 cm space at the top.
12.  Arrange the fillings 3-4 cm from the nearest edge. Make into a clean line across the rice.
13. Using the bamboo mat, roll the Nori over the top and make a cylinder of the Nori with the rice and filling in the middle.
14. Use water to stick down the edge of the Nori.
15. Carefully slice using a sharp, wet knife into 2cm sections.
16. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Cupcakes

Plain vanilla cupcakes with coloured icing.
Be careful of the sugar in the icing, it will make you go crazy.


Cup cakes

Equipment
Mixing Bowl
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Sieve
Measuring cup/spoons
Cupcake cases (12 small or 6 large)
Small or large muffin tray
Cooling rack

Ingredients (per pair- makes 6 large or 12 small cupcakes)
Butter, 50g
Sugar, ¼ cup
Flour, ½ cup
Baking powder, 1 tsp
Egg, 1
Vanilla essence, ½ tsp
Milk, 3 Tbsp

Icing
Icing sugar, 1/2 cup
Small amount of butter
Hot water, 3 tsp
Food colouring, 2 drops

Method
Oven on to 1900C.
1.    Cream butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy.
2.    Add the egg, beating well.
3.    Sift the flour and baking powder together.
4.    Fold into the creamed mixture.
5.    Stir in the milk.
6.    Place the cases into the tins.
7.    Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases.
8.    Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
9.    Remove from oven and place cupcakes on the cooling rack.
10. Make up the icing with the required colour.
11. Pour into the piping bag and ice the cupcakes when they are cool.
12. Share the icing around the class so everybody gets different colours.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Home made Pizza.

This is the super speedy version. Normally you would let the yeast activate (20 min) and the dough rise in the warmer drawer (up to an hour). We did everything in 1 hour.

Remember not to put too much topping on and NO tinned spaghetti!
Use Mozzarella cheese.


Homemade Pizza

Equipment
Small bowl
Large bowl
Measuring cup/spoons
Rolling pin
Oven tray, oiled
Sharp knife and chopping board

Base Ingredients (per pair)
Dried yeast, 2 tsp
Lukewarm water, ½ cup
High grade flour, 1 ½ cups
Sugar, 1 tsp
Olive oil, 1 tsp
Salt, 1/2 tsp

Toppings
Tomato paste, 1 Tbsp
Onions, ½, sliced fine
Garlic, 1 clove, crushed and chopped
Cheese, Mozzarella, half cup grated
Plus toppings of your own choice (meats, sauces, vegetables)

Method
Oven on to 2000C and warmer drawer on
1.    Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl.
2.    Sieve the dry ingredients (flour and salt) in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
3.    Pour activated yeast and oil into the dry ingredients and mix to form  dough.
4.    Knead the dough on a clean, floured bench until smooth and elastic.
5.    Place back in an oiled bowl and let rise in the warmer drawer for 20 minutes.
6.    Prepare the toppings while you wait.
7.    After 20 minutes, remove the dough from the bowl and knock back.
8.    Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a circular shape.
9.    Place the pizza dough on the oiled or floured oven tray.
10.  Smear the tomato paste on the base.
11. Arrange the toppings and cheese.
12. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
13. Slide off the oven tray onto a board and slice up.



Sunday, March 10, 2013

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Woohooo!
Warning: Sugar and Cocoa alert.
Children may go crazy after eating this dish.

This is a good winter pudding. But only for special occasions. It contain lots of sugar and cocoa which may trigger hyperactivity in some people.
I have used orange as garnish. The citrus cuts through the sweet sticky chocolate.
Be aware that the pudding may bubble over in the oven, creating a mess. Place the oven dish on a tray to stop this.

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding.

Equipment:
Oven dish
Large bowl
Sieve
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Measuring cups/spoons

Ingredients: (per pair)
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
75g butter (melted)
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Sauce:
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cocoa

METHOD:
  1. Preheat the oven to 180ÂșC and lightly grease a 3 cup capacity oven proof dish.
  2. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cocoa and stir in the sugar.
  3. Make a well in the dry ingredients. 
  4. Pour in the milk, vanilla and butter and mix quickly to form a stiff mixture.
  5. Spread the batter into the prepared oven dish.
  6. Mix the boiling water, sugar and cocoa together and pour over the back of a spoon, evenly over the batter.
  7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the sponge is cooked. Place a tray under the oven dish to stop spillages.
  8. Remove from oven and let cool down for 5 minutes.
  9. Scoop out with a spoon and serve on a plate. 
  10. Garnish with orange zest and slices.