Homemade Bagels and Pretzels

Lions and tigers and Bagels and Pretzels... they are the best when they are homemade.. of course, not the lions and tigers, but just like the home baked Matcha Hokkaido Loaves, you don't have to be concern with this and that unwanted additives.
Simple combinations of ingredients - flour, yeast, water, and your favorite toppings would satisfy your family's cravings for the chewy soft pretzel snacks or breakfast bagels.

 

 

Cover and let dough rise double in size. 

Bench Rest 5 min. after portioning.

Form into shape.  Place on top of Silpat.

 Cover with slightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise 1-1/2 time its size.

 Bring a pot of water to boil, then, bring down to simmer.
Carefully pick up a dough off the Silpat with flat strainer ladle and scoop the dough into simmering water.

 Cook 2 min. each side.
Remove to Silpat.  Preheat oven to 450.
When, the dough are bit cool-not steaming, apply egg wash.  In my case, because I forgot to add the chopped Japapeno into dough, I sprinkled them on top of the egg washed bagel dough.

 Ready for baking in hot preheated oven.

 Do the same for Pretzels.

 After applying egg wash, sprinkle poppy seeds and maybe a bit of coarse sea salt, for example.

 Bake!

 Yum!!!

 Awesome!

 The next morning? naaa... let's cut one open ... Wow! nice texture.

 Let's get some homemade Prickly Pear jelly and avocado slices.

 Let's bite into it!

 Pretzel is just as tasty with Deli mustard!

How about a chocolate dipped pretzels, the next time?

Cooking with Curly Parsley and Fennel Greens

I found a new delicious way to make a great fried rice or dish using curly parsley and fennel greens. I never though I would use the fennel greens.  I was wondering about it for a long time.  I've seen some chef use it sparingly as a deco like in fennel salad.  But as it turned out, it tastes delicious in my dish. 
Be sure to wash all greens.  I soak them in salted water for a while, then, rinse them to my heart content to make sure that I rinse out as much pesticide or what not.  I do this to all produce whether they are organic or from my own garden... You heard about the incidents of rat lungworm disease in Hawaii recently?  Can't drop our guard. 

 I also used Cilantro in this dish.  Chop everything to nice bite size 1/2 inch or less.

 

Here I made 'OMELETTO' rice.   Cook the rice.  Set aside.  Stir fry parsley - about 1 min.

Add fennel and cilantro greens (stems, too).  Stir fry for 1 min.  Add cooked rice.   Add seasoning.

 Ha! the red stripes are Ketchup... unfortunately it splattered out of the bottle.  It's just for me, so I just spread the love around.

 Beat 2 eggs and make the omelette egg shell -- like Crepe.   If you would like, place the egg crepe in a bowl to form a mold.

You got the idea - then, fill the egg crepe, fold and reverse it onto a plate to serve.
Kids love the mystery rice.
I also fried some cut onions.  Set aside.  Stir fry thinly sliced chicken breast.  Stir fry with wine, then add soy sauce, sugar, then, add parsley, fennel green.  Season to your taste.

I served it with my omelette rice #2.
I also made Parsley Cilantro Hamburger.  It was so tasty!!  You know how to do this in your kitchen easy.

I definitely would make this hamburger again.  Parsley and Cilantro are inexpensive, and they turned out to be one of my favorite ingredients in my dish.

DAIKON Slicing Practice

So impressed by Japanese chef's knife skill in cutting DAIKON, I thought I would like to try it myself.  While I do not have the same straight knife to cut with, I think I did it pretty 'okay'.

 Slice the DAIKON - about 4 inches in length or the length my hand can handle, I place the knife straight against it and begin slicing it as though I am slicing off the apple peel.  I keep on rotating DAIKON carefully to not break the slicing.  Then, place it on the cutting board, julienne slice it.  I took the video of it, but not sure where it went.  But, Voila!

 I pickled them.