Little buns and a big thank you

You all might have noticed that my food blog has a new look :)

I owe a big thank you to these 3 wonderful food bloggers who had helped me to make this new look happened.

It started all when LK - Food4-Tots, suggested me to change my header because my old header didn't represent my blog at all (remember the cherry's header?). At the end, it's not only the suggestion of header but also for arranging my side bar to look more neat and also the heading menu. Yes, LK has been very supportive in order to make my blog looks better. Thank you so much for being so supportive, LK! :)

As for the layout format size, Nic- Black Tie, White Lie, had helped me. Thank you for your help, Nic! :)

Now, the one who designed my header blog... Beside of being a food blogger, fusion cook and also a cat lover, he is actually a real designer! Some of you probably can guess it already ;) Yup, it's Criz Lai - Criz Bon Appetite! He was willingly to design the lovely header for me just an overnight although he is very busy at the moment. Thanks a lot, Criz! It's very kind of you to design it specially for me! I really love the new header!

My mom loves to bake bread. Almost every week, my mom bakes bread. She really loves to bake bread. 2 days ago, she got a recipe from her friend to make little buns and tried it out.

Little Buns
Ingredients:
900gr high protein flour
100gr low protein flour
240gr sugar
20gr salt
200gr butter
125gr powder milk (full cream)
30gr instant yeast
5 gr bread improver
4 egg yolks
100gr cold milk
320gr cold water
15gr emulsifier

Directions :
- Mix all - the flour with sugar, milk powder, bread improver, emulsifier, egg yolks in a large bowl
- Add cold milk, salt, butter, stir it until a dough form
- Pour cold water
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic
- Let the dough "rest" for 15 minutes
- Shape the dough into ball size (about 15 gr)
- Let the dough "sit" again for 10 minutes
- Add filling like chocolate, cheese (optional)
- Let the dough "stay" at a warm temperature for about 50 - 60 minutes
- Brush the dough balls with egg
- Bake in the oven 180 Celsius for about 30 minutes (or until golden brown)
- Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm if possible :)

Note:
- my mom tried not to use the emulsifier and only depend the dough raise on the instant yeast; it didn't work out at all thus she had to add the emulsifier.
- you might notice that the buns are not shining because they were not brushed with egg.
- you can add filling if you wish into the dough balls (my mom added chocolate stick)

A Yakiniku & Shabu-shabu restaurant

Last Tuesday, I had lunch with my ex-colleagues at a buffet Yakiniku (grilled meat) & Shabu - shabu (hot pot) restaurant in Central Jakarta.

While I was taking pictures of the food, suddenly from behind me there's a man voice,

" HEY!!! MISS... MISS...!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU TAKING PICTURES FOR?"

I turned my head to the man and figured out that the man is probably the manager of the restaurant. I answered him, "For my blog."

Then the man said with still his high tone of voice, "NO! You can not take any pictures in here!"

I showed a surprised face and asked, "Oh... Why?" Followed directly with an explanation to him, "This can be a promotion for your restaurant."

But the man insisted and said, "No, it's not allow!"

So, I said back to him, "Ok, then... I wont take pictures anymore."

I turned my camera off and walked away from that man. And yes, I kept my words, no more taking pictures in the restaurant, BUT, psssstttt.... I didn't say that I will not blog and post about this restaurant, right? *wink* Anyway, since they don't want any promotion (even it's a free one) for their restaurant so I definitely will not reveal the name of the restaurant nor give my review.

Hope you all will enjoy the pictures that I managed to capture :)

A grill built into the table and also a hot pot.

An array of raw meats, seafood and also raw vegetables.

Special grill sauces

Desserts

Peaches and "vla" on a Vanilla Cake

When Natasha - 5 Star Foodie mentioned that she is hosting a "makeover" for Peaches and Cream a week ago, it got my attention and I would love to participate but then there's a hesitation because it's not easy to find fresh peaches. Anyway, I was glad when Natasha said it's ok to use canned peaches so... this is what I baked in order to participate the Peaches and Cream.

FYI, I didn't use cream for the base of the peaches on the top of the cake because I'm trying to avoid cream intake, instead I changed the cream with vla (trans: Vla is a Dutch word for cornstarch pudding - custard, the word "vla" is commonly use here in Indonesia).

Vanilla Cake
Ingredients:
100 gr butter
8 egg yolks
65 gr sugar
30 gr flour
20 gr maizena (corn starch)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder

Directions:
- In a bowl beat the butter until smooth
- In another bowl beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy
- Add flour and maizena, mix it until well blended
- Slowly pour the batter into the bowl of butter - mix it slowly
- Pour it to a round pan (diameter of 30 cm)
- Bake in the oven, temperature of 180 C for 20 minutes
- Remove from the pan, leave it to cool

For the toppings:
1. Vla

Ingredients:
350 ml milk
75 gr sugar
25 gr maizena - corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk - beaten
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp rum

Directions:
- Boil milk, sugar, maizena and salt together in a saucepan - mix it slowly
- When it's boiled, add the beaten egg yolk - mix it smoothly
- Take the saucepan from the heat, add butter - mix it
- Let it cool, then add the rum - mix it well

2. A can of peaches (I used Del Monte)
3. The glaze
I used one sachet of instant glaze called "Tortenguss" from Belbake - follow the sachet instruction. (Note: you can replace the glaze with jelly).
Vanilla cakes with peaches and vla:
- Spread the vla on the vanilla cake
- Put the peaches on the vla
- Pour the glaze on the peaches cake
- Chill it for about 25 to 30 minutes before serving

Da Niang Dumpling, Jakarta

Do you love eating dumplings? I do... It's one of my favorite food :)

So glad that around my area there's a yummy restaurant for dumplings named Da Niang or also known as Wu Da Niang.
Da Niang Dumpling restaurant is a Chinese style fast food chain with a concept of western style fast food from China. It has more than 200 franchised restaurants all over China including one in Jakarta and also one in Sydney.

Sui Kiau 3 Rasa - Babi Jamur, Tunas Bambu
Triple Tastes Dumpling - Pork, Mushroom, Bamboo Shoot
10 pcs Rp. 38.000

Sui Kiau Vegetable
10 pcs Rp. 38.000

Sui Kiau Goreng Sapi Australia & Daun Ketumbar
Coriander Australian Beef Fried Dumpling
10 pcs Rp. 48.000
Very tasty!

Those dumplings are so delicious especially dipped into the special chili sauce.

Bacang Babi
Pork Gluten Rice with salted egg yolk
Rp. 22.000

A bit disappointment because the part of pork was mostly the fat.

Jamur Kuping Putih dgn Kurma Merah
White Fungus Red Dates
Rp. 20.000

A refreshing dessert, the white fungus were so crunchy and the red dates were sweet with a little sour taste at the end of the seeds.

Jamur Kuping Putih dgn Biji Teratai
White Fungus Lotus Seed
Rp. 20.000

Lei Sha Wan
Lei Sha Ball with black sesame
Rp. 18.000
I love the chewy texture.

Soy bean milk with white sugar syrup.
Interestingly it has a smokey flavor.

Wu Da Niang Dumpling Restaurant
Mal Taman Anggrek Level 2 Block E,
Jl Letjen S Parman Kav 21
Jakarta Barat, Indonesia

Disclaimer:The review and opinion expressed here are purely according to my personal taste. There's a possibility that the taste of the food might change later on, which could affect the review and opinion here. I also affirm that no monetary or non-monetary compensation has been received from this restaurant for writing this review.

Pickled Chinese Mustard Greens with Tofu

I have always love everything that tasted sweet and sour :) I just think it's a very perfect combination of those two taste. I like sweet taste because it related to happiness - we do look for sweet food when we feel sad, right? And you know what, there's old german saying, "Sauer macht lustig" which means sour (acid food) makes (you) happy. Ah.... perfect!

A nice dish of sweet and sour taste, sweet from the sweet soybean sauce and sour from the pickled Chinese mustard greens.

Ingredients:
250 gr Pickled Chinese Mustard Greens (gai choy) - need to wash it first because cut into slices
300 gr white tofu - cut into dices, fried deep into hot oil, drain
2.5 cm ginger - sliced
1 onion - sliced
2 red chilies - sliced
2 tbsp sweet soybean sauce (or to taste)
1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking

Preparations:
- Heat up the oil in a pan, sautee the onion until soft
- Add ginger and red chillies, stir a bit
- Add pickled mustard greens, sautee until soft
- Add sweet soy sauce, stir fry
- Add the fried tofu
- Ready to serve :)

Note:
- No need to add salt because the pickled Chinese mustard greens is very salty and sour.
- Make sure to wash the pickled Chinese mustard greens first especially if you but it at wet market because it's dirty and salty. By washing it a couple of times, it might reduce the saltiness.