Am still kinda thinking about how I could reenter the market as a wedding photographer, given my period of absence away from the country. Anyhow, do head over for a look if you are interested.

Make My Day :)

(I have to say, now I am hungry for cake!)

Hokkaido Milky Loaf (halfed portions)
270g bread flour
30g cake flour
5g yeast
40g sugar
4.5g salt
1 egg
125ml milk
75g whipping cream

Soft Bread Loaf
180g bread flour
150ml milk
50g unsalted butter
25g sugar
1tsb salt
1 tbsp yeast

Knead into smooth ball. Rise till doubled. Punch down, fold over and rise again. Bake at 200C for 30 to 45 minutes.

Because the dough would be quite wet, a bread machine or mixer would be useful. I tried this on a old bread machine and broke it, though.

Bread flour 400g
Yeast 6g
Salt 1tsp
Warm water 250ml
Olive oil 1tbsp

Mix ingredients and knead into smooth ball, about 5 minutes. Rise till doubled. Divide in 8 pieces. Roll dough to 2-3mm thin. Unused dough can be frozen or refrigerated.

In a bowl beat cheese till smooth with mixer. Then add tofu to mixture, and beat till smooth. Add sugar, fresh cream, and mix thoroughly. Dissolve gelatin in water, mix into bowl, then add lemon juice. Refrigerate till set. Serve into cups with desired toppings.

This is a recipe I saw on Japanese TV. I recommend a sauce made from brown sugar. To prepare this sauce (syrup if you prefer), dissolve around 100g brown sugar in 100ml in saucepan on low heat, stirring till mixture just starts to boil. Store in glass jar.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Knead mixture until smooth ball is formed.
Leave to rise till roughly doubled in size.
Split ball into two halves.
Roll half into rough flat shape about 1cm thick.
Low heat in frypan, about 2-3 minutes each side or till browned.

This is probably the easiest naan recipe I have worked with. Actually I had modified the one I found by using all yogurt instead of 120cc of water + 2 tbsp of yogurt.

The modification resulted in a sourish bread, not too bad if you like it that way. Otherwise sticking with just water and a little yogurt is just fine. Yogurt comes up regularly in naan recipes, so you might not want to skip this ingredient. Substituting water with milk should be fine too, though I have not tried this.

Once the dough has risen nicely just roll flat half of it and fry. It still turned out soft. You could let the rolled dough rise some more for a fluffier texture.

Cooking oil can be substituted with butter or ghee. In fact the naan should turn out better this way I think.

Using water instead of lots of yogurt, you get a plainer dough which could possibly be rolled really flat for a pizza dough.

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.

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.

PS. I have since come across an easier recipe. Essentially you can skip the egg, add 200g yogurt instead. And instead of half a lemon’s juice, 2 tablespoon will do.

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.