Black Sesame Roll (黑芝麻卷)

I always order the black sesame roll at Dim Sum restaurants if they offer it. So when I saw this video on how to make it, I got to try. It turned out pretty good although it was time consuming.

Ingredients

Black sesame powder - 160 g
Rock sugar - 200 g
Water chestnut flour- 200 g
Rice flour - 40 g
Glutinous rice flour - 15 g
Water - 4 cups + 4 TBSP (1000 ml)

Steps 

1. Add 2 cup of water and rock sugar to a pot; boil until sugar is fully dissolved. Then let the sugar water cool. 

2. Mix 3 types of flours and black sesame powder, add the 2 cup + 4 TBSP water. Mix well and pour into the Vitamix. Blend at high until smooth; then pour in the sugar water, blend well. 

3. Brush a 8 x 8 cake pan with a little bit of oil, add 1/2 cup of mixture that is enough to evenly cover the pan. Place the pan in steamer, cover and steam on high heat for 5 minutes.

4. Transfer the pan from steamer to an ice water bath. The ice water will cool down the pan fast. 

5. Carefully roll the sesame sheet in the mold, place on a plate. Then go to make next roll. This recipe should make 12 rolls. 

6. Trim the ends of the rolls and cut into desired size. It is best to serve chilled.

Milk Square(奶糕)

Tried this easy snack which is creamy and springy, perfect to serve chilled for the summer. 

Ingredients

Milk - 2 cups

Heavy whipping cream - 2/3 cup

Corn starch - 2/3 cup

Sugar - 1/2  to 2/3 cup

Fine shredded coconut for coating (optional)

Steps

1. In a sauce pot, add all ingredients except shredded coconut, mix well.

2. Put on medium heat and cook until the mixture is fully cooked and become glue like.

3. Pour mixture in a greased mold/container, spread it evenly, and cover with shrink wrap. Then chill in refrigerator overnight. 

4. Remove from mold and slice into squares or cut in shapes with cookie cutter.  Serve directly or roll the squares in shredded coconut to coat them.

Chocolate Oreo Cake

This Oreo cake is for my daughter's 17th birthday while we were shelter in place at home during COVID-19 pandemic.

Ingredients

【Cake】
All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups 
Sugar - 2 Cups 
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 3/4 Cup
Baking Powder - 2 tsp 
Baking Soda - 1 1/2 tsp 
Salt - 1 tsp 
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp 
Eggs - 2 (replace with 1/2 cup apple sauce for egg-free)
Milk - 1 Cup
Vegetable Oil - 1/2 Cup 
Boiling Water - 1 Cup 
【Buttercream】
Unsalted butter - 3 Sticks  (I use salted, but you can use unsalted and add about )

Salt - 1/4 tsp 
Powdered sugar - 5 Cups 
Crushed OREO cookies (with cream ) - 3 Tbsp 
Heavy Cream - 3 Tbsp 

Steps

【Make the Cake】

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk together for about a minute.
3. Add in all wet ingredients EXCEPT the water. Stir to combine.
4. Finally, add in your boiling water, and start slow, and slowly increase the speed to high. Whisk on high for about 1-2 minutes. It should be bubbly! 

5. Prepare (3) 6″ or (2) 8″ baking pans (see cake goop recipe above). Then divide the batter equally into each pan.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven, in the middle of the rack for about 25-30 minutes.
7. Remove form the oven and allow to cool. 

【Make the Buttercream】

1. While your cakes are cooling, make your buttercream.
2. Add in your room temp butter to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in your powdered sugar one cup at a time. It will look dry.
4. Add in cookie crumbs and cream. Mix for about 4-5 minutes, scraping the sides ever so often. If you fill that the buttercream is too thick, add in a little more cream, one tbsp at a time! 

【Assembly】

Level each layer. Place one layer down, and top with buttercream then add another layer of cake, and continue until you are out of cake. Cover the whole cake with buttercream, and add final touches such as ganache or crushed Oreos! 

Dry Rub Baby Back Rib

One of our family favorites. The dry rub mix can be mixed ahead of time, or you can use any dry rub mixture available from store. 

Ingredients

Baby back rib - 1 slab

Dark brown sugar - 2 TBSP

Salt - 1 TBSP

Celery salt - 1 TBSP

Paprika - 4 TBSP

Black pepper - 2 TBSP

Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 2 TBSP

Garlic powder - 2 tsp

Onion powder - 2 TBSP

Dry mustard - 2 tsp

Cumin - 2 TBSP

Additional salt and pepper - to taste

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Mix all seasoning together for rub dry mixture. Then rub the rib throughout and let it sit for half hour or more. 

3. Wrap rib in aluminum foil and put on a baking tray. Bake for 55 minutes.

4. Open the aluminum foil wrap and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the top.

5. Slice and serve.

Red Wine Braised Lamb Chop with Air Fryer

Quick, easy and full of flavors!

Ingredients

Rack of Lamb - 1
Red wine - 1/2 cup

Salt - 2 tsp or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper - 2 tsp or to taste

Minced garlic - 1 TBSP

Italian seasoning - 1 TBSP

Lemon juice - 1 TBSP
Olive oil - 1 TBSP

Steps

1. Trim fat of the rack of lamb and then cut into individual lamb chops. Put lamb chops in a Ziploc bag, add all other ingredients, seal and shake to mix well. 

2. Set Air Fryer to 400°F, then lamb chop in the frying basket. Cook for 6 minutes, take out to flip the pieces, then cook for 2-6 more minutes, depends on how well you prefer. 

3. Serve with grill vegetable, potato, pasta or rice.

Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

Gram cafe & Pancake just opened in San Francisco and they are famous for their premium soufflé pancakes. So I found the recipe online to try.

Ingredients

Eggs - 4 large
Whole milk - 3  Tbsp
Pure vanilla extract - ½ tsp
Cake flour - ½ cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 4 Tbsp
Vegetable oil - 2 Tbsp, for greasing the pan
Water - 4 Tbsp, for steaming
Toppings & Fillings
powder sugar - 2 Tbsp
Fresh berries
maple syrup

Whipped cream

Steps

1. Gather all the ingredients. You will also need a 12-inch non-stick frying pan (large enough to cook 3 pancakes at the same time) with a lid.
2. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into two different bowls. Put the bowl with egg whites in the freezer for 15 minutes. 

3. In the meantime, add milk and vanilla to the egg yolks and whisk until thick and frothy. Sift the cake flour and baking powder into the bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly (but do not over-mix). Set aside.
4. After 15 minutes, take out the bowl with egg whites from the freezer. The egg whites should be half frozen. Now start beating egg whites. When the egg whites turn frothy and pale white, gradually add in sugar (roughly ⅓ at a time). Continue to whip the egg whites. The egg whites will become glossier and firmer. Stop beating when you lift up the hand mixer and the egg whites stand right up with stiff peaks slightly bending over.

5. Heat the large non-stick frying pan over the lowest heat. Brush with cooking oil and lightly remove any visible oil (otherwise the pancakes will have a spotty pattern). Keep the heat on while you combine egg whites and egg yolk mixture.
6. Take ⅓ of egg whites and add to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk together. Next, take half of the egg whites and add to the egg yolk mixture. Using a whisk, gently fold in without breaking the air bubbles in the egg whites.  Now transfer the egg yolk mixture into egg whites. Carefully fold in two mixtures together without breaking the air bubbles. Make sure to gently mix the batter thoroughly!

7. Since I was not skillful enough to do this freehand. I used a mousse ring lined with parchment paper to help cooking the pancake. Place the rings on the frying pan, and then scoop the batter to make a tall pancake. Set timer for 6-7 minutes, add 1 Tbsp water in empty spaces inside the pan and cover with the lid. Water keeps the pancake moist. 

8. After 6-7 minutes passed, remove the rings and parchment paper, flip the pancake VERY GENTLY. Add water in empty spaces, cover the pan, and set a timer for 4 to 5 minutes to cook the other side on the lowest heat.

9. Once they are nicely browned, transfer the pancakes to your serving plates. Place fresh cream on the pancakes and top with berries. Dust the pancake with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic (蒜蓉菠菜)

This is simple way to cook most leafy vegetables, such as spinach, pea spout(豆苗), water spinach(空心菜). The key to success is to put enough garlic and not to overcook.

Ingredients

Spinach - 1/2 - 1 lb

Garlic - 5 cloves, or more, minced

Oil - 1 TBSP

Salt - to taste

Steps

1. In a frying pan over high heat, add oil and minced garlic, fry until garlic is soft and fragrant.

2. Add spinach, cook until the leaves are soft. 

3. Add salt to taste.