Wednesday, February 19, 2020

My mother's Night Blooming Moon Cereus

For many years, these flowers sat in several flower pots and year after year, faithfully greets her quietly under the moon lit evenings - softly and ever so slowly opening its petals one at a time, and quietly they fade away after the night.









Catching up with the rest of 2019 Cooking and 2020's - from Home to Green Onion Pancakes

I did not realize that there so much more that I tested before the end of year 2019, but didn't have the time to post.  From garden to fun in the kitchen.  Photo journal.
These are not fungi for food, but growth on the roof after 19 years which in the beginning I thought it is kind of neat, but my home association didn't like it.  Then, I found out also that it is damaging to the home.  I was going to do the cleaning myself, but I made the wise choice and hired professional - http://www.californiamosscontrol.com/nomoss/gallery-roof-cleaning/     I think they did a great job
Gave myself more time for cooking.  I tried many different Green Onion Pancake recipes with homegrown green onions. It has been fun.  The flour we use here in the State is just so slightly different from the ones in S. Viet-Nam; thus, the result is different also.  And seeing so many different varied recipes, you want to test a few promising recipes.
The thought is this - knead the dough into well developed dough? using high protein flour - bread flour? or form a soft dough? or... ???  which makes the best Green Onion Pancakes?  It seemed that when we lived in Cholon, S Viet-Nam, their flour seems to be softer.
These are green onions that were left growing.  Sometimes, I am lazy to crop them, or can't come up with a dish to use them.
Underneath the DAIKON leaves and TARO plants are bunch of young green onions - regrow after each scissor cuts.  No need to worry about e-coli or whatever; unless, the steer manure fertilizer is used.  Even though it has been sterilized, etc, be sure to wash your veges clean and with salt.
After cropping green onions - using scissors and leaving the white root sections in the ground to regrow, wash them clean with salt water. That will take care of any microscopic invisible snail babies, if any.  Wait for them to air dry or wipe dry with paper towels. Chop them, store in freeze bag, and freeze them or use them right away.
 These are Crumble Crisp style Green Onion Pancakes
 After frying, before serving, scrunch the pancakes with your hand to crumble.
 The rolling technique and slits cause it to open up as you panfry and scrunch it afterwards before serving.

This one is a crispy green onion pancakes with dry roux made from organic avocado oil mixed with flour.
 Rolled in.
 Rolled out.  Spread oil all around.  Fill with chopped green onions, sprinkled with salt
 Enclose.  Rest.  Roll out.  Panfry with cover over low heat.
 Serve when golden brown on both side.
 Not bad.  Yum.
This is another testing with softer dough - more warm water added to the flour and cooking over low heat.
 Beautiful and tastes great dipped in Vinegar with chopped garlic.
The best technique and result was found in this Taiwan Street Food - Chinese Green Pancake Video on YouTube - Soft Dough covered with oil - it looked very promising, so I mimic the process. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxMoIwWXzR8
While dough mixing is not clearly shown, I used mixer to knead the dough .  The warm water is added to flour with salt very slowly.  Allowing the water to form dough granules in the mixer with paddle attachment.  When all  the dry flour are mixed into granules, start to add more warm water.  Change to dough hook.  Add, oil.  Paddle until the dough is nice and smooth.   Add chopped green onion and knead them in.
Remove from the mixer and let the dough rest covered for 30 min.
Divide into desired equal sizes.  Roll the dough out on a oiled work surface.
Heat the fry pan with oil in it.
Place the rolled out dough.  Turn it over at once.
Cover and cook over low heat.  Turn it over every two minutes.
Serve when both sides are browned beautifully.
 Be patient and let it knead until smooth. 35+ min
 
 
 
 
 
 Dab the top with rolling pin to spread, if needed.
 Turn it over.
 Cover and Cook.  Turn it over in 2 min, Then, turn it over in another 2 min.  Then, cook till beautiful brown.

 Nice and soft.
 Crispy and Tender.   The best turn out with this method.






Testing FLUFFY HOT'O CAKE

So, there are several new hot pastries going around that many folks have successfully been able to reproduce them at home.  I tried, but not with good results.
The Photo Journal.
Paper rings... hmmm.... really??
I guess they hold up.
But looks like my rings are too high.
Cover to cook.  Remove to check if bubbly and browned at the bottom.
Flip them over.

Not Bad.... interesting.   Too much work and time.

 Not the texture I like.  But I really like the Crown Maple Syrup with Bourbon flavor.
Then there are other Chiffon Hot Pancake, etc.  Which one had you a luck with that you want to share?  I tried two other ones, but not happy with the result.  I will stick with my Best Buttermilk Pancake.
       Best Buttermilk Pancake           Best Buttermilk Pancake with Flaxseed Mill and Cinnamon