I love eating Chinese steamed buns (pau) as much as I love making them. Making pau is a lot easier and quicker than baking bread. I can even knead it by hand. But, I must confess that mastering the skill is not easy. After spending months in making pau, I still couldn’t get a batch of completely “wrinkle-free” pau, no matter how much care and attention I put into kneading, proofing and steaming...

  Red bean (azuki bean) paste is widely used in Chinese and Japanese confectioneries. The ready-made red bean paste sold in the stores usually contains preservatives and is laden with oil and sugar. Hence, it is definitely a healthier choice to make your own as you will be in full control over the ingredients you put in. You can adjust the amount of sugar and oil to your liking, select better quality red...

  I initially thought that making fresh pasta was very intimidating. But, having seen more and more people succeed in making pasta from scratch, I realised that my perception was wrong. Getting inspired, I began my pasta making journey.   The steps in making pasta are pretty straight-forward. They can be summarised as below: • Combine the ingredients • Knead the dough • Rest the dough • Roll...

  Tuesday is our family’s weekly salad day. However, our salad is not just plain, boring fresh vegetables. We also add other ingredients such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, grains and protein (either animal or plant) to jazz up our bowl of greens, turning it into a more complete, power-packed meal. I have lots of fun making different kind of dressing to create new taste for our salad.   In the course...

  Sweet potatoes are not only naturally sweet,  but also packed with a nutritional punch. They are rich in dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, carotenoids, vitamins (A, C, E, B2, and B6) and essential minerals (manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium). Furthermore, sweet potatoes have more vitamin C, fewer calories, more fiber and fewer total cabs than white potatoes. Although they contain...

  From our local wet markets, I can easily find cheap and fresh corns year-round. So, I always buy some to keep. Before storing in the fridge, I wrap them un-husked with plastic wrap. This helps them to remain fresh for a week or two.   Fresh corns have wonderful natural sweetness. They are also versatile cooking ingredients. Thus, I love to add them to my soup. Previously, I had shared some corn...

  Almond cookies are one of the popular Chinese New Year (CNY) cookies. They also happen to be my family’s favourite.   These almond cookies are healthier and lighter than the usual butter and sugar loaded cookies. They are butter-free, shortening-free, milk-free and egg-free (if you skip the egg wash). Not only healthy, they are absolutely delicious, crumbly, nutty and less sweet.     I...

  My son was eager to learn how to make a pudding. So, I chose this quick and easy chocolate avocado pudding recipe for him to try out.   This pudding has a unique combination of two star ingredients – avocado and chocolate. Avocado is a superfood rich in healthy fats and has many essential vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin B5, vitamin K, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and potassium). Chocolate...

  For the past one year, I have been trying out numerous steamed cheese cupcakes recipes. However, all ended up in disappointment. The cupcakes shrunk after cooling down and the texture was dense. Surprisingly, my son didn’t mind it at all. He said the taste was good. He ate most of my failed cupcakes as a way of showing his appreciation for my efforts. How wonderful to have such a loyal supporter!!   Despite...

  Mantou is a type of Chinese steamed bun. Unlike baozi, it is normally without filling. It can be eaten plain or sandwiched with stuffed meat. It is also great for dipping into gravy or curry sauce.   Mantou doesn’t have to be the usual plain boring white. It can be colourful as well by adding vegetable puree. I particularly like to use pumpkin puree as it gives the mantou a bright yellow look...