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 them. In my case, “practice does not always make perfect”. I kept wondering whether I have overlooked something. So, I read through some cookbooks and searched the internet, trying every possible way to find the cause. Recently, I got the answer from one of my favourite cookbooks. I’m thrilled that I finally nailed it and learned something new as well.

It was actually the uneven steam pressure in the steamer that caused the ugly surface of my pau. I had used high heat to steam my pau and this led to a spike in the pressure inside the steamer that resulted in the pau expanding too fast and over-extended. After the steaming was done, the drop in temperature inside the steamer made the over-expanded pau failing to hold its shape and thus collapse. This scenario usually occurs when the home use steaming apparatus is comparatively small and is unable to cope with the high heat coming from the gas stove. To rectify this problem, I started off the steaming with cold water on medium heat and reduced it to medium low once the water started boiling. Five minutes before ending the steaming process, I lifted the lid slightly creating a tiny gap to release some of the steam pressure and to maintain an even pressure within the steamer. With all these adjustments, my entire batch of pau turned out to have smooth surfaces!

This pau recipe that I share with you is a basic pau recipe that you can make it with or without filling. The wholemeal flour that I added is just my personal choice to make the pau a bit healthier. The recipe still works if you use solely pau flour or plain flour. For filling, I used my homemade red bean paste. But, if you don’t want to do it from scratch, you can opt for ready-made red bean paste. If you do so, you may need a lesser amount than what I recommended in the recipe as the read-made paste is usually overly sweet. Besides that, you are also free to use any filling of your choice, be it sweet or savoury. Alternatively, you can also add some dried fruits, seeds and nuts, and then shape it like mantao. The choice is endless. Have fun!

>> Get the recipe and step by step tutorial at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Wholemeal Pau with Red Bean Filling first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 beans and use healthier oil for the paste.

I have been making red bean paste recently which I use for pao (steamed Chinese bun) filling and bread spread. So I thought of sharing the methods I use to make the red bean paste with you. It is easy to follow but be prepared to spend 2-3 hours of “hard labour”. Don’t worry, it is surely worth the effort.

Here are the steps:
a) Soak and freeze the beans
I apply the same freezing principle as what I did when making my quick congee. You can freeze the beans in advance as they can be kept in the freezer for weeks. Normally, dried red beans are sold in a standard 500g packaging. For beginners, I recommend that you divide it to 2 equal portions for freezing so that you can cook them in a smaller amount over a shorter time.

b) Cook the beans until soft
I had read from the internet that you can cook the beans with different type of appliances such as gas cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker or even bread maker. So far, I haven’t tried any except for gas cooker. What I did was to cook the beans for 15 minutes, switch off the heat and let the beans sit inside for another 20 minutes before repeating this process one more time. During the interval between cooking, the beans will absorb the water and expand. This will help the beans break down easily and soften when they are cooked for a second time. Comparing with continuous cooking process, this method effectively cut short the entire cooking time (indirectly saving on your gas consumption) and still manage to achieve the same end result.

c) Puree or mash the beans until smooth
You can use a food processor, blender or handheld blend to puree the beans as smooth as you can. For chunky texture, you can simply use wooden spoon or potato masher to mash the cooked beans. As for a more refined texture, you will have to use a large spoon or spatula to press the beans through a sieve or colander so as to separate the skins. This extra step is quite tedious as you need to do it manually. Usually I will just opt for a food blender to do the job.

d) Stir-fry the beans until paste-consistency texture
In this process, sugar and oil are mixed together with the pureed beans. The sugar will add sweetness and darken the red colour of the paste. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. For oil, it will make the paste smoother and shinier but you will find that most Japanese recipes omit the oil. Lard is commonly used in the ready-made red bean paste. However, you can opt for healthy oil such as sunflower oil, peanut oil or any vegetable oil. It is also fine to use butter.  The red bean mixture needs to be stir-fried until it reaches the texture and consistency of the type of dessert you intend to make. If you want it as bread spread, the texture will be as shown on the first photo above. But, if you want to use it as filing for pao (Chinese steamed bun) and bun, then the texture must be firmer (slightly drier). It means that you should be able to roll it into small tiny balls as shown on the photo below.

After the red bean paste has cooled down completely, divide it into small portions and store in freezer bags or air-tight container. You can store them for a week in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

In my next post, I will share with you a recipe for wholemeal pau with red bean paste filing. Meanwhile, I will also include some useful tips on how to make “perfect looking” soft paus. So, stay tuned!

Please refer to PAGE 2 BELOW for recipe and step by step tutorials.

The post How To Make Red Bean Paste first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 out the dough
• Cut the pasta
• Dry the pasta
• Cook the pasta (or store it)

Pasta dough is easier to knead than bread dough and no proofing is required. However, it takes a little time and practice to master the skill.

Pasta can be made with just a rolling pin and a knife. But, if you want to save some works on rolling and cutting, then invest in a pasta machine. There are many different brands of pasta machine and noodle maker available now. Choose one that suits your budget and requirement. I made my pasta with the help of a simple, hand operated pasta machine, Marcato Altas 150 (refer to Page 2 for photo) which comes with 2 cutting rollers (fettuccine and tagliolini).

Fresh pasta needs more time to prepare but it is definitely worth the effort. You will be rewarded with fresher, healthier and better tasting pasta that you can’t find from store-bought. But remember, any change of ingredient or technique will affect the texture, flavour and colour of your pasta. The article titled “The Science of Best Fresh Pasta” in SeriousEats has covered many important aspects and techniques in making pasta from the scientific point of view. It is a must read for all beginners.

Today, I am going to share a simple yet versatile homemade pasta recipe with you. This recipe only uses 4 ingredients: flour, eggs, salt and oil. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right for the first time. With this basic recipe, you can move on to customise your own pasta later. For example, adding vegetable juice and puree to make it pack with more nutrients.

In this recipe, I have also included a number of handy tips and notes which I have gathered from other references as well as from my personal experience. If you still have doubts, watch this video clip – “How to Make Authentic Egg Pasta by the world renowned Sorelle Simili [Simili Sisters] of Italy”. I hope this will give you more confident (rather than confusion) in your first pasta making attempt. Are you ready?

Go to PAGE 2 BELOW for Recipe and Step by Step tutorial for Homemade Pasta.

The post Homemade Pasta first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 of searching for new salad idea, I came across this Japanese style potato salad on my friend’s Facebook timeline. Honestly, I haven’t tasted it before when dining out in Japanese restaurant. To me, at first glance, it looks similar to a Western mashed potato. But, after making some comparisons, I found some special characteristics in Japanese potato salad such as:

1. There are lots of vegetables (cucumber, carrot, onion, corns, pea etc.) in it. Sometimes, ham and chopped boiled eggs are added. Potato acts as the binding ingredient.
2. Potatoes are roughly mashed, leaving some chunks behind.
3. Japanese mayonnaise is the key seasoning. It is more salty and tangy than Western mayonnaise. The popular brand is Kewpie.

Japanese potato salad is creamy and crunchy. It has a mild sweet and savoury flavour with a hint of acidic (as rice vinegar is used). The colourful ingredients make it look so appealing and eye-pleasing.

This salad is not only easy to assemble but also very versatile. You can adjust any ingredients or seasonings as you like. For example, if you can’t find Japanese mayonnaise, just replace it with the Western mayonnaise.

After making the salad, chill it in the refrigerator for at least one hour. It tastes great if served cold. You can prepare it as a side dish for your family, bring along to a picnic, or even turn it into a sandwich filling.

Get the recipe and step by step tutorial for Japanese potato salad at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Japanese Potato Salad first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 more sugar, they have a low glycemic index whereby the sugar is released slowly into the bloodstream. This means that you will get to maintain a steady amount of energy instead of experiencing a sudden jump in blood sugar level. If we prepare them in a healthy way and eat in moderation, it should not pose any significant health risks to us. (source: Live Science). Thus, it is one superfood that I will not miss out in my family’s diet.

Sweet potatoes come in many different shapes and sizes. They also come in a variety of colour and texture too! But their nutrient contents are not of the same mix. For example, orange sweet potatoes contain more vitamin A while purple sweet potatoes are packed with the antioxidant anthocyanin. Regardless of which variety we eat, they will definitely bring us some health benefits.

Recently, I had made these sweet potato fries. They are not only easy-to-make but are so delicious and addictive! I had never seen my hubby and son eating such a large amount of sweet potatoes before. They absolutely love it!

As they are baked not fried, the texture will not be overly crisp. The outside is crispy and firm and inside is soft (not mushy). I had given the fries an extra kick of flavour by adding a bit of spices (garlic powder, paprika powder and chilli powder). The fries came out bursting with a mix of sweet, salty and spicy flavour! Feel free to experiment with other spices and seasonings that you like. But, if you choose to leave them out and just go for the three basic ingredients: salt, pepper and oil, they still taste good.

These fries are a delicious finger food for your little ones, or maybe will trick your picky eaters to start eating vegetable. If you are craving for deep-frying French fries but need to watch your waistline, here is a healthy option to consider.

They can be served as snack or side dish. No matter how, it’s best to eat them immediately.

Get the recipe and step-by-step photos at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Baked Sweet Potato Fries first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 soup recipes such as corn chicken soup, corn soup and corn chowder. Today, I am going to share another corn soup recipe, a favourite of my family. It is quick and easy to make. It only needs 4 simple ingredients and takes half an hour to make it.

For this soup, fresh corn makes up almost 95% of the ingredients. The remaining 5% comes from onion and garlic. I use fresh corns but you can also use frozen corn. However, the fresh ones are still the best. I use my homemade chicken stock as the soup base. For those on a vegetarian diet, you can use vegetable stock or water instead. You only need a little bit of salt and ground pepper to bring out the freshness and sweetness of the corns. This soup is so creamy that I don’t even need to add in cream or milk to thicken it. The creaminess comes from the corns after blending. Don’t you think it is the great way to enjoy every bit of fresh corn? This soup is healthy and full of corn flavor. Once you have tasted it, I bet you will never go back to buying canned cream of corn.

This soup can be made in advance and frozen for about two weeks. When you want to consume, just reheat and serve. You can have fun garnishing it with shredded chicken, bacon or anything you like. But, my family prefers it plain. It is simply delicious!

Get the recipe and step by step tutorial for Easy Fresh Corn Soup at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Easy Fresh Corn Soup first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 can’t believe that they are so incredibly easy to make, a lot easier than making peanut cookies. All the ingredients are common items that can be easily purchased from any local baking supply stores. You don’t need any complicated kitchen appliance, not even an electric mixer. To make them, you basically mix the ingredients together with a hand whisk and use your hand to form a dough. Once the dough is ready, the fun begins. You can use a cookie cutter to cut out the shape. Feel free to use any design you like. No cookie cutter? Don’t worry. You can shape them into small balls. The egg wash and garnishing are optional. You can skip them if you wish. If you find that it is too tedious to top the cookies with almond nibs but also like to have some crunchy bits, you can add them into the dough. Almond nibs can be substituted with almond flakes to give you a different feel of crunchiness. If you do so, remember to toast the almond nibs or flakes first to bring out the nutty flavour.

There are so many creative ways to make these almond cookies with the same recipe. However, I will definitely go for the most humble and idiot proof version (without egg wash and garnishing) as I still haven’t started my CNY baking yet. Haha! How about you?

Chinese New Year is just a week away. I would like to wish all, young and old, a new year of new hope, good health and good fortune.

[Note: These almond cookies may not be suitable for young toddlers (below 3 years old) and kids who have nut-allergy. If this is the first time you introduce almonds to your child, please consult your pediatrician for further advice.]

>> Get the recipe and step by step tutorial for Almond Cookies at PAGE 2 BELOW

The post Almond Cookies first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 contains antioxidant flavonoids (called flavanols) which are good for heart. This pudding is so nutrient-dense that you can eat more without guilt.

This is a very versatile pudding with many alternatives to make it. Milk can be either dairy or non-dairy. If you don’t consume dairy milk, go for non-dairy milk such as soya milk or almond milk. For sweetener, the type and amount can be varied to suit individual preference. Gelatin powder can be reduced or increased depending on the consistency you desire. More gelatin powder will yield a firmer texture; lesser will yield a softer texture.

Making this pudding was a breeze. It only took half an hour (or maybe less once you have mastered the skill!) from preparing the puddings to sending them to the fridge for chilling. My son made the pudding all by himself (it’s his maiden effort!) while I was around just to supervise. He had such a fun time doing his so called “science experiment”. The two of us (I suddenly felt like I’m back to school!) was so excited and amazed at how avocado and chocolate can be transformed into a delicious dessert by using a few simple ingredients.

The puddings turned out so scrumptious, chocolatey, not too sweet, thick and creamy!! The avocados were not noticeable at all. The cocoa taste was so rich that you could not taste the avocados unless you were a food expert. To give the puddings a more refined touch, I had garnished them with some chopped pistachios and toasted coconut flakes. It is optional but will definitely bring a different level of flavour and texture to this dessert. You may even try other creative ways to dress up this dessert or just enjoy it plain.

This pudding was a hit among my family including my hubby who hardly showed any interest in avocado. He adored this chocolatey pudding so much that he wanted to have more. He even asked me to make this more often. Do you think avocado hater will accept and love this pudding? I think the probability is high. Give it a try.

This pudding makes a great Valentine’s Day treat. If you make them in a heart-shaped ramekin, you may impress your loved one even more on this special day.

>> Get the recipe and step by step tutorial for Chocolate Avocado Pudding at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Chocolate Avocado Pudding first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

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 of this, I never loss hope and continue to search for a recipe that works for me. Finally, I succeeded with a recipe from a Facebook group (Mummies @ Homemade Meals for Children) shared by Suzanne Eng . The cupcakes turned out as what I wanted – soft (but not as cottony soft as sponge cake), moist and not too sweet. Most importantly, they rose nicely and didn’t shrink after cooling down.

Cheese after steaming has a milder flavour, which is different than what you will get from baking. These cupcakes have a light cheesy taste. It could be mistaken for Hong Kong style ma lai gao (马来糕), a type of steamed sponge cake that is on the menu of many dim sum restaurants.

The recipe called for sliced cheese. I used freshly grated cheese instead as I prefer hard cheese which has a sharper and pungent flavour over processed cheese. However, you are free to use either one. Both work for this recipe. I do not have time to experiment with other cheeses such as cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. But if you have done that, please let me know how it turns out.

Make sure you have sufficient water to last the entire steaming process as it is not recommended to top up water half way. You can use bamboo steamer, electrical steamer, Chinese wok or stainless steel pot for steaming. For stainless steel pot, wrap the lid with a piece of cloth to avoid condensation during steaming.

The steaming pressure must be maintained throughout the process. Hence, do not lift the lid during steaming as loss of pressure that resulting a drop in temperature will affect the outcome of the end product. At the end of the steaming, tilt the lid slightly to release the steam for a few seconds before removing the cupcakes from the steamer. This is to prevent the cupcakes from shrinking due to a sudden drop in temperature.

These cupcakes are a great snack for your little ones. They are best enjoyed while still warm. You can also freeze them for later consumption. Before eating, remove from the freezer, thaw and re-steam for 8-10 minutes until the cupcakes are soft again.

Get the recipe for Steamed Cheddar Cheese Cupcakes at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post Steamed Cheddar Cheese Cupcakes first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.

Chicken stock is the secret ubiquitous ingredient that enhances our cooking. It’s the essential base for soups, sauces, stews, stir-fry etc. Homemade chicken stock is far more superior than what you can buy at the store. It is guaranteed to be 100% natural, free of preservative and is nourishing. I use chicken stock in most of my cooking and have started to make my own chicken stock after I realised how easy it was. I find that it is quite similar to boiling my usual Chinese soups, only with different ingredients and steps.

There are various ways in making chicken stock. However, there is no right or wrong way if you were to ask me. Different methods and  composition of ingredients will yield different depth of flavour, clarity and body for a stock. Irrespectively, the basic components for chicken stock must comprise of chicken carcass, mirepoix (a mixture of chopped celery, carrot and onion) and bouquet garni (bundle of herbs).

Here, I will share a simple and versatile chicken stock recipe that I have been making frequently at home. This recipe is adapted and modified from my fish stock recipe. It is extremely easy to prepare and does not require any special ingredients. I choose coriander leaves and bay leaves for this recipe as they are easily available and infuse a subtle aroma to the stock. Vegetables and herbs play a supporting role. You can vary their combination but keep the amount to not more than half the amount of the chicken carcass. I prefer to sauté the chopped vegetables before adding the chicken carcass to cook together as I like to add the aromatic taste of sautéed vegetables to my stock. But it’s optional.

You can freeze any leftover stock for future use. Just separate them into smaller portion and store them in convenient-sized container or ice cube trays before freezing. In this way, you can thaw whatever amount you need it later. You can keep the stock refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.

If you have never made your own stock at home, consider doing it at least once. It is definitely worth the time and effort (just 2 hours of cooking) to make something healthy for your family to enjoy.

Here are some recipes you can try cooking using your own homemade chicken stock:
a) Cream of mushroom soup
b) Corn chicken soup
c) Quick congee
d) Superfast congee
e) Steamed silky eggs
f) Chicken and potato stew
g) Braised chestnut with chicken

Get the recipe and step by step tutorial for Homemade Chicken Stock at PAGE 2 BELOW.

The post How To Make Chicken Stock first appeared on Food-4Tots | Recipes for Toddlers.