Indian eggplant

I am fan of eggplant, that's why I found this is the recipe, I have done it several times and I still like it. So let me share with you all :)

Ingredients
1 eggplant

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 sliced onion
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic

2 medium size tomatoes, peeled & diced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven's broiler, place a baking sheet on the tray
Cut the eggplant into half (lengthwise), place them on the tray with the flesh facing downward, then rub oil on the eggplant skin
Put the tray right under the broiler and let it cook for 30mins

2. Scoop the flesh out, discard the skin, chop the flesh
Set aside

3. In a large skillet pan, heat the oil at medium high heat. Add in cumin seeds, let them crackle for a min, but be careful not to burn the seeds
Add in onion, ginger & garlic, let it cook until tender

4. Add in tomato, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt & black pepper, stir well
Let it until the tomato becomes soft

5. Add in eggplant, cook for 10-15mins in the open air (without the lid).
Garnish with fresh cilantro

Serve with rice & serve hot!
Enjoy! 

Mexican Guacamole

We know avocado is healthy food, this is a easy recipe for Mexican dip or side dish or Mexican roll.

Ingredients
3 avocado
1-2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
6 cherry tomatoes or 1 medium size tomato
Juice of 2 limes

1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

fresh coriander

Instructions
1. Cut avocado into half (lengthwise), scoop out the seed and scoop out the flesh
Place it in a bowl, use a fork to mash it into purée
Then transfer it into a mixing bowl

2. Chop the red chillies, onion finely. 
Also chop the tomatoes into little pieces, place them in the mixing bowl of avocado

3. Extract the juice of limes and add into the mixing bowl

4. Add olive oil, salt & pepper, stir well

5. Transfer the guacamole into a serving bowl, decorate the top with fresh coriander

Now you can dip tortilla chips or serve with Mexican roll :)
Enjoy!

Radish leaves soup

When I was first moved to France, I first tasted radish at my husband's parents home. They like eating radish with salt. For the leaves part, my mother in law makes the soup. No waste at all! The soup is delicious too :)

If you like radish and do not know what to do with the leaves part, then now you know what to do!

Ingredients
A bunch of radish leaves

1-2 onions
20g butter (original recipe = 50g)

700ml - 1 liter water
salt

Instructions
1. Soak the leaves, rinse them and chop them briefly
Chop the onions

2. In a medium pot at low heat, melt butter
Then fry with onions and radish leaves for about 5 mins or until golden

3. In another pot, boil water and add salt
When it comes to boiled, pour it to the leaves. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 20 mins at low heat

Enjoy!

Mushroom quiche (meat-free)

I rarely make quiche, I am not fan of ham, lardon... I prefer veggie quiche, that's why I bake this mushroom quiche! It is actually quite simple to make.

One thing to pay attention is that whenever you bake mushroom with something else, like quiche, flan, soufflé... if you don't fry the mushroom and discard the juice ahead, you may probably unable to cook well the flan... you will have it end up watery...

Ingredients
300g pastry dough, click here for the recipe
2 onions
500g mushroom

olive oil

250g cream in liquid (I used 30%)
150g milk (I used 1.5%)
3-4 eggs
Salt & pepper

Optional: chopped Scallion


Instructions
1. Rinse, sliced the mushrooms
Chop finely onions

2. In a sauce pan, at medium heat, fry oil with onions & mushroom, until you see the juice from mushroom released

Discard mushroom juice

3. In a big mixing bowl, whisk eggs with cream and milk until they blend together

Add in salt & pepper, then mushroom & onion mixture
Mix well

Note: You can also add scallion at this stage

4. Preheat the oven at 200°c
Place a baking sheet on a pie mould

5. On a floured working surface, roll out the dough until it's 0.3cm (not thicker than 0.5cm) thickness
Lay the dough on the pie mould

6. Use a ladle to transfer the egg mixture to the pie mould carefully

7. Put the quiche into the oven for 30mins or until the surface becomes golden

Note: I used large cake mould since I have no pie mould at home. Because of the height of the quiche is about 4cm, I baked it for 1 hour

Serve it hot!
Enjoy!

Courgette flan

This is a recipe given by my mother-in-law who always bakes very nice flan, soufflé.... I love it because it is really simple and time consuming, suitable for busy day! It is also comfort food of my husband :)

Courgettes are not cooked ahead version

Ingredients
1kg courgette, sliced without peeling off skin
2 shallot, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
parsley

6 eggs
100g Parmesan cheese
100g Emmental cheese
salt & pepper

Instructions
1. Slice courgette, chop shallot & garlic finely

Preheat the oven at 160°c

2. Fry them with olive oil & parsley on a pan until the courgettes become soft, then use a fork to smash them
Set aside and let it cool down

Note: If you don't have time, you can even skip this step

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, cheese, salt & pepper until they blend well together
Add in courgette mixture, stir well

4. Pour the flan mixture into a mould about 1.5" high
Cook it in the oven for 45mins or until the surface becomes golden

Serve hot!
Enjoy!

Brioche/milk toast with utane method

Since I discovered this recipe from Christine, I have been making it quite often :)

Last week I had a friend visited me, she tried it and she loved the texture, so soft :) that's why I share the recipe with all of you so that you can make yours at home! Once you make this brioche, you will only want to eat it everyday haha!

You can add dried cranberry or raisin or anything you like

Ingredients:
540g strong flour/bread flour
86g sugar
8g salt
9g full cream milk powder
11g instant dried yeast (I used 7g active dried yeast)

86g whisked egg - use 2 eggs: the rest will be used to brush the top (see step 7) before putting the dough into the oven to bake
59g whipping cream (I used at least 30% cream)
54g milk (I used whole milk)
184g utane dough - click here to see How to make utane dough

49g butter at room temperature

Instructions:
1. Except butter, add all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add all wet ingredients. Mix well

2. Add in butter, mix until smooth and the dough won't stick the mixing bowl anymore. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic.
When you are able to form thin membrane, that means the dough is ready

3. Grease the bowl and put the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1hour or until it's double in size

4. Punch the dough (deflate the air), transfer it to a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 3 portions, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 15mins

5. Roll out each portion into oval shape (horizontal => longer), fold 1/3 top of the dough toward the center and then 1/3 bottom toward the center. Turn the dough 90°, roll the dough toward the one end

6. Place 3 portions into the toast mold, let it rise until the size is doubled, about 1.5hour (depend on the temperature and humidity), it takes longer time if cold and dry

7. Preheat the oven to 180°c (10mins to preheat). Brush egg on the top of the dough, then put into the oven and bake for 35mins
Note: If the surface of the brioche is brown before 30mins, cover the top with an aluminum foil so that it won't be burn

Enjoy!

American scone

The first time I ate scone was in a fast food restaurant, it doesn't exist anymore :( :( My mother loves this taste and so I do! At that time I didn't know it is called scone, I just know it is more tasty than the bread.

These few years I have some American friends, they told me about scone - that is how I found it again (very touched).
This recipe is really basic and very very easy to make - since you just mix all the ingredients together in one bowl!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
113g (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1 cup heavy cream
1 beaten egg

Another beaten egg (for brushing on the top before putting in the oven)
2 tbsp sugar

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 160°c. Line a sheet pan with baking sheet or baking mat, or use a nonstick pan.
Note: I used baking mat

2. Add all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub butter and flour mixture together just until butter pieces are the size of peas and covered with flour. 
Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in cream and then beaten egg. Mix ingredients together by hand until a shaggy dough is formed.
Note: I mixed all ingredients with my kitchen aid with the flat beater

3. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead dough together just until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.

4. Pat dough into a rough rectangle shape. Divide the dough into 8 - 12 parts, shape the dough in your hands into the ball shape, then place it and press it gently on the pan or baking mat (it should be about 3/4- to 1-inch-thick). Keep each dough with a some space - because it will double its size when you bake it.

5. Brush tops with a beaten egg and sprinkle sugar on the top. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!