Mid-Year Reflections on Home Made Food

Since I started on this blogging many years ago, I've tried several recipes from here and there, etc.   From time to time, I looked at my kitchen gadgets and wondered often why do I have so many of them.  Just recently, I was viewing the 10 things this and that you should know or avoid at YouTube sites.  And they reminded me why I have those gadgets and recipes and formulas when I could just go out and buy them.  It's because they got all these wierd additives and drivatives made from - "Surprise!", and I don't think none of us like those surprise I-Cysteine, dough conditioner, in our flour or in our baked goods.  What is I-Cysteine made from?  Check it yourself.  Then there is the Red food color... why I want to find a way to produce it from Beets, Cherries, etc. myself, instead of buying food made with food color or 'Carmine";  And those Vanilla flavored ice-cream made from Castoreum.   
So, again, I have to vamp up my energy and continue with my home cooking and not being lazy to give in.
(These are just some of the pics from the past years.  Hmm... Yum!!)

Fun with Hydrodipping at Home

My grandson and his uncle had a fun time this summer hydro dipping.  It's a water transfer of printing film of various pattern onto an object.  It was fun watching the process.  My grandson decided to test on some rubber duckies he had.  Once a basin is filled with water, a printing film is placed on the water afloat.  Film activator is sprayed onto it, then, an object is dipped into transfer the image onto itself. 

Getting it ready with activator spray.

It can get stuck onto your hands too.  Just wash/scrub them off with soap and water.

What's your fun with your children?
Next, Lego / Brick Fest in Sacramento on September 23, 24.

Japanese Baked Pastry - MATCHA MANJU

This is my second take on Japanese pastry - MANJU, while I enjoy the steamed version of MANJU, I tasted a very tasty baked KURI MANJU (MANJU with chestnuts and red bean paste) the other week. It was for Japanese food bazaar.  It tasted so good.  I want to try making it myself, except I don't have cooked chestnuts, so this is MATCHA Bean Paste MANJU.  

This is not a very good recipe that I tried.  I got it from one of the YouTube blogger.  But nevertheless, it's worth studying.
Makes 8 to 10
Bean Filling:
Drain two cans of white kidney beans - Cannelini Beans - 15.5 oz or 435g - drained and rinsed.
1/2 C sugar in food processor, 1 Tbsp MATCHA powder, add strained beans.
Process till smooth.
Over a low heat in a small pot, with a heat proof spatula, heat the bean paste until it can hold up on a spoon without spreading off.  Basically heat over low heat to dehydrate the watery paste good enough to form into ball shape.
With 1 inch cookie dough scoop or with hand, form the bean paste into a ball.
Option is to buy Red Bean paste (AZUKI) from Asian market - heat over low heat to dehydrate enough to form into balls.
DOUGH:
Shift 3-1/2 oz Cake Flour Plus 1/2 C more for kneading with 1/2 tsp baking soda.
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt.
Food Processor:  1 whole large egg, 1-1/2 Tbsp butter, soft; 1/2 tsp water; Add 3-1/2 oz shifted flour.  Process till dough forms.
Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 min.
Take the dough out on a floured work surface and knead the rest of 1/2 C cake flour in.
Roll into 1 inch rope.  Slice into 8 to 10 pieces.  Roll into balls.
Cover and rest for 15 min.
Take one dough and flatten between the palms of your hand into a disc.  While the dough disc is still in the center or your palm, place filling in the middle.  Cuddle the dough around the filling and start working the dough by slow push upward with the palm while hold down the filling with right fingers.  Slowly turn the dough while cuddling upward and pushing filling down until the opening closes.
Place on top of baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silpat.
Preheat oven to 325'F after making six.
Prepare Egg Wash:  1 large beaten egg yolk mixed with 2 tsp of milk.  Apply egg wash.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you have any.
Bake at 325'F for 10 min*, then raise the temperature to 400'F and bake for 10 min* or just till the top browns beautifully.   Be mindful of your oven's BTU power - Your MANJU might get browned beautifully after 15 min at 325'F.

I think I like the steam MANJU better.  And I think I need to study different dough formula.
It was fun.