BREAK FROM COOKING :) Now selling an assortment of kitchen goodies, from organic rice to wild honey, from homemade peanut butter with kamunggay to garden-fresh garlic, from turmeric to handmade carrot soap. Text me for orders! 0932-9806697

Near-zero cholesterol

Preparing spring rolls for dinner at home... Time to taste Vietnamese.

African Night

Great post-Valentine at home with good friends Yvonne and Ricky Biyo, who prepared Kenyan and Indian dishes for dinner. We had Kachumbari (salad with tomato, coriander, lots and lots of onions, etc.), Kenyan Beef Stew, and Chicken Rice Beryani. Ricky's blueberry cheesecake and my classic apple pie ala mode topped the homemade cuisine. Yummmmy!

Ensaymada

This version is from Nora Daza, as suggested to me by Diane S. Quindoy.

First Beating:
put 3/4 cup lukewarm water in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle 2 tsps. yeast and mix until it dissolves. Stir in 1/2 cup lukewarm milk, 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 cup flour. Mix until smooth. Put back in the bowl and let it stand for 20 to 25 minutes or until it doubles in size. Cover the bowl with clean towel and set in a warm place.

Second Beating
Beat 5 egg yolks and 1 egg white and mix with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 cups flour. When well beaten, add the first beating mixture . Knead and shape into a ball. Cover and let rise again in warm place until it doubles in bulk (about 30 to 45 minutes).

Third beating:

When double in volume, add 5 beaten egg yolks and 1 egg white, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3/4 cup creamed butter. Mix. Place in greased board and knead until satiny and smooth (about 10 minutes). shape into smooth ball. place ball of dough in greased bowl. Let it stand for 40 to 60 minutes in warm place. Punch down. Divide the dough into separate pieces. roll each thinly on greased board. spread butter and sprinkle it with cheese. starting from one end, twist to form a cone. grease a cookie sheet or mold and put the twisted dough. Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough has doubled (about 40 to 60 minutes). bake at 350 degrees (180 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes. remove from baking molds and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with creamed butter, sugar, and grated cheese. you may sprinkle more sugar)

Note: you may increase heat to 200 degrees C in the last 2 minutes if you prefer crunchy crust.

Makes around 24 to 30, 3-4 inch round ensaymada.

bon appetit!

My Lola Sion's ensaymada

Mix and let rise for 20 minutes: 1/2 cup warm water, 2 pads (6 tsps) yeast, and 1 tsp sugar (sprinkle)

In one bowl, mix 6 egg yolks, 2 tbsp crisco shortening, 1 tsp vanilla. Set aside

In double boiler, mix and melt 2 cups fresh milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 bar butter/margarine.
note: when bubbles appear on side of double boiler, turn off the heat and let it cool to lukewarm

Meanwhile, measure 8 cups flour (6 cups for the dough and the remaining 2 cups to be used for kneading)

Mix all ingredients and add the flour. Knead well by adding the remaining 2 cups flour.

Let is stand on a slightly greased bowl for 1 1/2 hours. cover it with cloth
Punch down and divide the dough into 4 equal parts and slice to desired size.

Flatten with rolling pin, brush with butter and fill it up with your desired filling (cheese, bacon bits and cheese, onions and chives, pesto sauce, etc.)

Roll and form into round twist and let stand for 3 to 6 hours

Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit (180 degrees centigrade) for 15 minutes.

Note: For added color, brush with egg yolk before baking.

After baking, brush with butter and dip into a bowl of sugar and sprinkle with cheese.

The bread tastes best within 3 days.

Bon appetit!

Morning, noon...

... and night! Shaping the dough before baking them into ensaymadas.

Too much on her plate...

Kai's Sushis... coolest in town!