Soft and fluffy Flower buns filled with blueberries and walnuts......heavenly treat!

Soft & fluffy little buns filled with delicious sweetness you'll want more!

Flower Buns

Ingredients:

200g Sourdough surplus/discard

250g White Bread flour

30g Sugar

60g Milk (semi-skimmed milk used here)

4 tbs EVO/40g butter

Dash of salt

Egg wash – egg with 1 tsp water

Blueberry jam

2-3 handfuls - Walnut pieces

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the oil or butter and knead for 3-5 minutes till a soft pliable dough is obtained. (If too dry, add a little more milk incrementally).

2. Add butter or oil, knead till window pane appears (about 35 minutes with a stand mixer at slow speed).

3. Cover with cloth and rest till it rises to double, from 1-4 hours depending on room temperature.

4. Punch the dough down and on floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle of about 13.5 inch by 10 inch.

5. Spread the jam over the entire rectangle followed by the walnuts.

6. Next, fold the rectangle into half from the top. Divide the dough to get 6 equal pieces.(Check out video in my Instagram account)

7. Cut 3 strips each of 3/4 inch wide for the first piece, starting on the left bottom edge of the rectangle leaving a clear border of about 2 inches from top edge.

8. *Plait the 3 strips together, then roll the dough down from the top edge until it’s complete and a pretty bun is formed.

9. Repeat for the other pieces.

10. Arrange the buns in a lined/greased tin, leaving room for the dough to expand.

11. Leave to proof till larger in size, from 1-3 hours depending on room temperature.

12. Egg-wash over the dough and decorate if you wish with desired toppings e.g. almond flakes, sesame seeds.

13. Bake in 180 deg C for 20 minutes or till golden brown.

14. When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar if desired. Enjoy!

*Another simpler variation is to cut the dough pieces into 2 larger strips and twist together, instead of plaiting.

Sourdough Hand-torn Noodles Soup 'Mee Hoon Kueh' - so heart-warming for cold days!

A quick simple homemade dish that has become a popular street food now in Singapore.

Hand-torn Noodles ‘Mee Hoon Kueh’ (Soup or Dried)

Ingredients:

Vegetables of your choice: broccoli, kale, pak-choi, chinese leaves- wash and cut to bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp Miso paste

40-60 ml water

2 tbsp oil

1-2 Cloves garlic - chopped

Minced meat (of your choice) (OPTIONAL)– season with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, corn flour

Spring onions, chopped

Fresh chillies or chilli oil (OPTIONAL)

Dough:

120g Sourdough surplus (or discard)

120g Plain flour

6g Salt

Method:

1. Mix the flour, sourdough discard, 40 ml water and a tsp of oil together and knead till a smooth pliable dough is formed. If too dry, add a little water at a time and knead. Let dough rest for 30 mins.

2. In a heated pot, put a tbsp of oil and fry some chopped garlic for a few seconds till fragrant but not burnt.

3. Add 2 cups of water and add the miso paste. Bring to the boil.

4. When water boils, take a palm-sized piece of dough in one hand and using 2 fingers, pinch-pull and flatten out bite-sized pieces and carefully drop them into the boiling pot.(Check out my video in my Instagram account)

5. Continue till all the dough is done. When dough pieces float up to the surface, they are done. Drain off with slotted spoon.

(If you fancy the dried noodle version, just drain off the dough pieces and put aside into bowls and then topped with the boiled meat and vegetables.)

6. Make little balls of minced meat and drop them into the boiling pot. Drain off with a slotted spoon.

6. Add vegetables into the soup and boil for 2-4 minutes until cooked. Remember some vegetables like broccoli take a longer time than others like mushrooms, so cook in that order.

7. When vegetables are done, pour the soup into the bowls and garnish with chopped spring onions, fried shallots or dried seaweed pieces as desired.

8. Served hot with chilli oil or sliced fresh chillies in soy sauce. ENJOY!

‘Chow Mein’ Fried Noodles - load on the yummy carbs!

Fried Noodles (Italian vermicelli) –for Two

Ingredients:

6 pieces dried Italian vermicelli –for 2 persons (add more as desired)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrots, sliced thinly or shredded

6 florets Broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

5 leaves - Cabbage, cut into 2-3 inch long

5 Fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 Vegetable stock cube (or chicken)

1-2 tbs Soy sauce

2 tbs Tomato sauce

Few spring onions or coriander – chopped

2 red/green fresh Chillies (or chilli oil)

Meat:

5-8 Uncooked prawns deveined and shelled

(Or 1 Chicken breast or thighs, sliced to 1”x3” strips roughly)

Seasoning for Chicken only:

1 ½ tbs Sesame oil

1 tbs Soy sauce

1 tbs Cornflour

1 tsb sugar

White pepper

Method:

1. Prepare the meat or prawns, marinade the chicken only and set aside for at least half an hour.

2. Prepare all the vegetables.

3. Boil the vermicelli in a pot of water according to instructions on the package and cook till al dente. Be sure to time this so as to add into the frying pan immediately when cooked at step 6 below. Boil the broccoli for 4-5 minutes in the same pot, depending on how crunchy or soft you like your broccoli.

4. Put 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and when oil turns hot, fry the onions till fragrant.

5. Next, fry the meat or prawns for a few minutes (chicken will take longer) followed by carrots and then cabbage for 1 minute. Crumble in the stock cube, add a little water and stir.

6. Meantime, drain the pasta and add into pan. Add the drained broccoli too. Add soy sauce and tomato sauce and toss to coat all around.

7. Garnish with chopped spring onions or coriander. Serve warm with sliced fresh chillies or chilli oil. ENJOY!