A Little Blog

20080426_4268399, originally uploaded by mikeleecs.

Homemade pizza with cheese, ham, tomato sauce on top of dough

Made with a fry pan though in absence of conventional oven.

As per instructions on recipe-sheet of Japanese-brand gelatin product:

For 15cm round bake pan

Biscuit layer
Biscuit 50g
Unsalted butter 25g

Cheese cream
Cream cheese 200g
Fresh cream 200ml
Sugar 50g
Egg yolk 1
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Gelatin powder 7g
Water 30ml

1. Add crumbled biscuit layer to softened butter, and press mixture onto base of baking pan to form biscuit layer. Refrigerate.

2. Add water to gelatin powder.

3. Mix sugar and yolk in bowl; place bowl in hot water and whip mixture to consistency similar to that of mayonnaise.

4. In another bowl add cream cheese and stir till softened; to this add lemon juice, water and gelatin mixture, and sugar and yolk mixture.

5. Beat fresh cream for around 3 minutes, stir with mixture from previous step, pour into baking pan, and refrigerate.

This would have been a post in Japanese, but for the sake of being understood by those who know me who don’t happen to know Japanese, and also for the sake of interrupting the break in postings: English.

I have been overseas for around 14 months. Some time back I had wished to experience living overseas, so this stint is the realization of that wish.

One of the changes in my lifestyle is that almost everyday I cook. This is something I would like to continue even when I return to my native country.

Bicycling has also been my main form of commute. While I think it would be a good habit to continue, sometime in the future I would like to drive. Preferably green cars, when not green bikes.

I have picked up a new language. The studies will continue.

I would like to experience living in another country when the opportunity arises.

I would like to formulate my own language for living.

And hi to anybody who I haven’t greeted in a while.

Start with just a small area or section of your room or kitchen. Even just a small area on top of your desk, or a single shelf, can work wonders.

This is because the difference can be felt surely, even say if you had just removed a pile of read (or unread) newspapers, cleared a bunch of empty bottles, or discarded some old shoes. It’s as if the air around the newly cleared space have been made lighter.

There is also a new momentum to keep decluttering. So do start, no matter how small the space.

2 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
2 large egg, seperated
1/4 cup melted butter
vegetable oil

1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda

2. In another bowl whisk buttermilk and milk, yolks, butter. Blend into dry mix.

3. Beat whites in another bowl until stiff.

4. Fold into batter.

5. Fry.

1 tsp yeast
3 cup flour (bread flour)
2 tbsp oil
4 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water

Mix, rise, grill in very hot oven till puffy, 5-6 min.

Flour 200g
Soba Flour 200g
Egg 1
Salt 10g
Cider 300cc (can be substituted with water, milk, beer)
Water 700cc

Mix batter, leave overnight before use.

Alternative recipe:
1.25 cup milk
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1 tbsp oil

1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter

Mix milk + water + eggs
Sift flour into mix
Add salt and butter

For sweet crepe add 5 teaspoon sugar

language_difficulties - mandarin and english language campaigns in singapore, originally uploaded by mikeleecs.

What’s Singlish? Japan has Engrish, Singapore has Singlish. Despite language campaigns, Singlish shall remain. “华语cool”, wat.

The easiest way would be to buy a mix for making okonomiyaki, and follow the instructions on it.

(the wonders of camera-rotation..) You would have to add just an egg and some water, in addition to the cabbage and toppings.

Otherwise, for a very basic version:
100g flour
1 egg
100ml water or dashi stock

150g cabbage, finely chopped
toppings eg bacon, prawn, ham, squid

1. Mix flour, egg, water. Add cabbage and mix. You can mix in rest of toppings at this point if you like.
2. Heat pan, oil surface. Pour in batter mixture, shape into round flat cake. Place toppings on top if you haven’t.
3. When bottom is cooked flip the cake over and cook further till both sides done.

Put okonomiyaki sauce, mayonaisse, bonito flakes on top and serve. You can also put dried seaweed or aonori (青のり).

As the name okonomiyaki implies, you can place whatever toppings / fillings you like. Variations include cheese, pork, vegetables, and even Japanese mochi.

The above recipe would be what’s usually known as the kansai style.

If you can find something that’s called a mountain potato (yamaimo or 山芋）add about 1-2 tablespoon grated to the wet mixture. You won’t really need this if you bought a mix that contains yamaimo as part of the ingredients.

Some say yamaimo is an essential ingredient in okonomiyaki. I have seen an okonomiyaki mix that has no yamaimo at a Japanese supermarket. I wondered whether to buy the mix. Then I bought the mix, with 山いも, as pictured above. (”Yamaimo, aplenty”)

And yes, you can find grated yamaimo in some Japanese supermarket stores.