Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is not as big of a deal in the US as in Asia.  I remember New Year to be sooo much fun when I was a kid in Vietnam.  Because my mom can sew, she made me a new outfit to wear everyday for two weeks straight. As part of our custom, my parents would take me to visit relatives to wish them a prosperous new year.  New clothes, good food, and red envelopes, New Year was like Christmas in the US.   My Dad would make his diakon cake every year.  However, this year, he said that his hand hurts due to arthritis, so he didn't make daikon cake.  Of course, I have to help him carry on the tradition.   This New Year brought back memories because my mom helped me hemmed a few pair of pants I got in Christmas.  I have new clothes to wear, red envelopes, and daikon cake.  It's like I am little again.

Chinese Baked Bao Recipe

Baos are not the simplest thing to make and there are many ways of making them.  I've tried a few and settled with this recipe because it is comparatively simpler and produce pretty good results.   I am very picky about Bao because if I can't make it better than Chinatown, then I might as well buy them (especially since I live close to Chinese bakeries).  I think baked good fresh from the oven usually taste pretty good.  My criteria for a good bao are that it is soft and pillowy with a slight chew not ONLY fresh out of the oven, but also the next few days.   Even certain bakeries in Chinatown have baos that are hard the next day. So as you can see, my criteria are high.

I measure my ingredients by weight, this way I get the same result very time and it's also easier to bake in bulk.  I've learned that artisan bakeries use formulas and proportion to measure their ingredients so it can easily be scaled up or down.  But since you may not have a scale at home, I've also included an approximate (pretty close) measurement.

The recipe can be used for Char Sui Bao, Gai Mei Bao, Green Onion, Custard, or any other kind. When I am in a hurry and the kids want baos the next day, I usually just make Hot Dog Bao because I don't have to make the fillings.  This recipe is only for the dough.

For the bread to be soft and pillowy, you have to knead it until gluten is formed.  How do you know when it's done?  Well, usually it's done when the dough is smooth and stretchy.  You should be able to stretch the dough about 3.5 feet without it breaking.  Also to be fluffy,  you have to let the dough rise enough, but not too much.  Just a heads up that when you are done, the dough should be a bit sticky, but not so sticky that it sticks to your hands.  It should be like slimes that children play with.  It's wet and sticky, but when taken away, there shouldn't be slime on your hands.

You don't need a bread maker to make bread.  I figure in the olden days people don't have bread maker and current day bakeries don't use bread maker, so I don't need one either.  You can knead by hand or use the Kitchen Aid mixer.

Have fun and let me know how it turns out!

Chinese Baked Bao Recipe


Ingredients
300g     Bread flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
300g    All Purpose Flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
250g    Milk (about 1 C)
130g    Sugar (about 2/3 C)
10g      Dry Active Yeast (about 3 tsp or one package should work)
2          Eggs at room temperature
5g        Salt (a pinch)
100g    Butter softened and sliced up (about 7 TBS)

1.5 TBS Hot water
1.5 TBS Sugar

1. Warm the milk (make sure it is not hot) and add in some sugar and yeast and let it sit for 10 mins.  If it gets foamy, then that means your yeast is alive and you are good.  Otherwise, throw it out and use new yeast.

2. Add eggs and bit more sugar to the yeast and whisk to combine.

3. Add in flour, salt, and the remaining sugar and combine until it comes together into a ball.

4. Add butter a few slices at a time and knead the dough until all the butter are incorporated into the dough.

5. Knead it for 5 mins and then let the dough rest for 10 mins.  Then test it to see if it's stretchy enough.  If not, keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and stretchy.

6. Grease a large bowl, put the dough in it and cover with saran wrap.  Then put it in draft free place to rise.  I like to use my oven (but it has to be OFF).  If your house is cold, I would put a bowl of hot water in the oven.  The steam is warm enough for the yeast to grow.  It has to grow 2 to 2.5 times.  It can take anywhere from 45 mins to 1.5 hour.

7. Take the dough out and punch down to deflate.  Then continue to knead for a few mins.  Cut into 12 pieces.

8. Roll each piece on a clean counter to make a rope.  Then wrap it around a dry hot dog.

9.  Cover with saran wrap and return to rise again in the oven that's OFF.

10. When it grew 2 - 2.5 time, you are ready to bake.  It is best to remove the bread from the oven after 30 mins and let it finish rising on the counter so you can preheat the oven.  I have two ovens so I can preheat and rise at the same time.

11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

12. Combine hot water and sugar and mix till sugar melted.

13. Brush the sugar mixture on the risen baos and bake for about 16-20 mins or until top is light brown.  Be careful not to over bake or else your buns won't be able to stay soft the next day.

14. Remove from oven when done and brush with sugar mixture again immediately then let cool.  Enjoy!!!

Pho Ga in Instant Pot (Chicken Pho)

I know there are a lot of Pho Ga recipe for Instant Pot, but I haven't seen a written one that match
exactly what I know how it should be made.

I personally love beef Pho more because the flavor is richer and deeper.  That's because I love beef.  However, there is a time and place for chicken Pho.  It is not as rich and in Chinese, it is clearer, meaning the broth is so light and tasty (I know this dish is not Chinese, but since I am both Chinese and Vietnamese, I often combine the two cultures). There is some kind of healing effect in chicken broth, so I sometime crave this on cold days.  I think that the spices use for chicken and beef Pho should NOT be the same because they are distinctively different. I have made beef Pho with star anise, clove, cinnamon, cardamon, and coriander.  With chicken, I only use coriander seeds and cloves.

The key to this broth is to roast the coriander seeds and cloves and char the onion and ginger.  I used to make broth without charring the onion and ginger and it tasted good.  But a more authentic Vietnamese cook told me to char it to get a deeper flavor.  I have to agree.  I just char on the stove top like this.

Pho Ga in Instant Pot


Broth
2 whole     Onions (one to put in broth, one for topping)
4 inch        Ginger
2 TBS        Coriander seeds
4                Cloves
6-7 lbs       Chicken (parts of whole)
1 cube        Rock sugar (1-2 TBS of regular sugar)
1/3 c           Fish sauce
                   Chicken meat balls (optional)
                   Pho rice noodle (fresh or dry)

Toppings
Green onion chopped
Cilantro chopped
Onion sliced paper thin
Bean sprouts (optional)

1. Wash the chicken and remove as much fat as you can.  I usually also remove skin too but leave some skin on for richer broth.
2. Parboil the chicken in boiling water for 5 mins.  Then rinse them clean.
3. Char the onion and ginger until soft.  Then cool, wash, and peel the burn parts.
4. Roast the spices and put them in a mesh bag and tie it tight.
5. Put chicken, onion, ginger, and spices in the pot.
6. Add in rock sugar, fish sauce, and fill it with water to just below the max line.
7. Cook manually on high pressure for 20 mins.  Then let it naturally release for 10 mins and then quick release.
8. In the mean time, chop up toppings and cook noodle according to instructions.  Soak thinly sliced onion in water so it's not so spicy for kids.
9. Remove the chickens, taste the broth, and add more fish sauce if needed.
10.  Add in chicken meat ball if you like them and use saute function to bring broth to a boil.
11.  Assemble the bowl by putting in noodle, shredded chicken, thinly sliced onion, cilantro, and green onion.  Spoon broth and chicken meat balls over the noodles and serve.

One Pot Chicken Rice

I always feel so loved when someone brings me dinner, whether it was purchased or homemade, or invite me to dinner.  The act of providing dinner involves many steps.  First, they thought about me.  Second, they spent time cooking or getting me food.  And finally, they deliver it to me or have me over to their house to share a meal.  In a culture where we are all press for time, I think the act of providing dinner is a high form of love.  I still remember all the people that brought me a meal when I had my first child and the adoption of the third.  The meals range from the very simple to the very extravagant, but I appreciated and enjoyed them all because I was at a period where I couldn't cook. On the receiving end, each meal was a blessing.

God has always impress upon my heart to use whatever resources and gifts that He has given me for His glory.  Of course that definitely includes my love for baking and cooking.  Since I am such a food oriented person, that is definitely my way of showing love to those around me.  I have no hesitation in providing a meal, hosting an event, or cooking for a group.  In fact, I have to pull myself back from doing those things because I can get out of hand.

I know for a lot of people, providing someone a meal or bringing things to a potluck can be a daunting task.  But have no fear, I am going to share this one pot meal recipe, so that when you have the opportunity to bring someone a meal or have to bring a dish to potluck, it would be easy.  I encourage you to bless someone and share the love of Christ in this very tangible way.  And with Instant Pot, it's easy peasy.

One Pot Chicken Rice

Ingredients
2-3 lbs       Chicken thigh (cut into 1.5 in cube)
3 sticks      Chinese sausages (diced)
10              Black mushroom (rehydrated and diced) more if you like
3 cloves     Garlic (minced)
3 sliced      Ginger (shredded)
3 rice cup   Rice
2 C            Chicken broth
                  Green onion for garnish
Some         Taro (cubed) - optional

Chicken marinate:
1/4 tsp       Five spice powder (more if you like)
2 TBS       Soy sauce
1/2 TBS    Dark soy sauce
1/4 tsp       sugar
                 sesame oil

1. Marinate chicken with chicken marinate and keep in fridge overnight or for 30 mins.
2.  On Saute mode, add in a little oil till hot.  Add in garlic & ginger till fragrant.  Add in Chinese sausage and mushroom.  
3. Wash rice and put in Instant Pot with 2 C of chicken broth.
4. Add in marinated chicken and set on manual mode for 8 mins.  Let it natural release for 15 mins.
5.  Taste to see if you need more seasoning.  Serve with green onion as garnish.