So first things first, the main dish is Chinese dim sum, buns to be precise. They are similar to bao buns but not sure if they are the real deal. Whatever they are, they are tasty and easy to make at home with a few ingredients.
Here is what you will need for the buns:
1 tin coconut milk
2 tins (empty coconut milk tin) self raising flour
Good pinch of salt
16 Muffin cases
Steamer basket or bamboo steamer
You will need the following for the filling:
Chicken or beef
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
A pinch of salt
1/2 Tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tsp cornflour, diluted in a little water
Oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 spring onion, chopped
Here's what you do:
Cut the beef or chicken quite thinly and fry in hot oil. Add crushed garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and mirin. Mix well and add a little water so it doesn't stick. Sauté until the meat is cooked then add the cornflour slurry to thicken things up. Cook for at least 2 minutes after adding the cornflour. Take off the heat. Mix in the chopped spring onion.
In a food processor, mix the tin of coconut milk with two tins of self raising flour and the salt. Process until the ingredients come together, forming a loose ball of dough. At this point, switch off the processor and take out the dough and put it on a floured surface. Flour your hands as you knead as the dough is sticky. Knead to form a rough sausage and cut it in 8 equal parts.
Flatten each part with your fingers and place some of the chicken or beef mixture in the middle, pinching the dough upwards to close the bun. Reserve the juices from the chicken or beef for dipping the buns.
Put each bun in a double layer of muffin cases.
In a large pan or wok, boil a good amount of water and lay the steamer on top. Place the muffin cases filled with buns in the steamer and cover. Steam for about 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy while warm with some chili sauce and the reserved sauce from the meat.
Now for the dessert bit, let's talk caramel creme. Everyone likes those...they are oozing caramel and they are sweet and velvety. However, most people who make caramel creme at home make it with milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. I have tried making it another way and it turned out lovely and just a tad tangy. Here's what I used:
One cup creme fraîche
Whole milk to top up to 300ml
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp caster sugar (you can use one Tbsp white caster and 1 Tbsp golden caster)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 Tbsp water
Proceed like so:
In a Pyrex small jug, or any other heat resistant jug, mix the granulated sugar with the water. Put in in the microwave on high for 2 minutes and then check that the caramel is coming on nicely every 10 seconds. Have a bowl of cold water ready to place the jug in to stop the caramel burning once it is done. The caramel is done when it's an amber colour but not dark brown.
Pour the caramel into a heat proof dish to cover the bottom completely.
Using a hand whisk or electric whisk, beat the eggs, milk and caster sugar together. Add the vanilla essence and beat again. Make sure the sugar is nearly or completely dissolved into the liquid.
Pour the mixture over the caramel into the heat proof dish.
Boil the kettle and put some boiling hot water into a deep and bigger oven dish than the one containing the dessert mixture. Now place the dish containing the egg/milk into the bigger container with the hot water. This will help the custard cook gently using the technique known as bain marie.
Cook in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C for about an hour to an hour and 10 minutes. It's ok if the middle is still wobbly. Once it's cooled, put in the fridge to set fully. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.
Enjoy the recipes and ask if you want any clarification....see you all soon, time to do homework with my daughter:))
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