Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts

Monday, 28 October 2019

ALL ZEST UP TUNA BUNS


Made it to the gym at 6:30am thrice in 6 days. Feeling super good about myself.

Today is Deepavali holiday.  I made Tuna Buns.  Spiking the tuna with lime zest and chilli flakes was a real brainwave!

On a trip to Taipei in September, I managed to lay my hands on a pack of Hokkaido bread flour named “The bunny that loves to dream” (爱作梦的小兔子). It came with a recipe. 


I don’t read Japanese so I asked the very nice Aiko from our Tokyo office to translate the names of the ingredients for me. If you're interested, here is what she came back with: 

17 grams sugar
3 grams dried yeast
5 grams salt
6 grams skimmed milk (I’m assuming it’s milk powder)
250 grams flour
180 grams water
10 grams butter, softened

A staff in Champion Hands recommended an instant yeast - Shirakami Kodama Koubo (白神酵母) - suitable for bread machine dough. She suggested 1 packet (5 grams) of said Koubo (yeast) for every 250 grams of flour. 


I kneaded my bread dough by hand using the technique which I learnt at Brettschneider's.







*****


Makes 6

Bread dough: 17 grams caster sugar, 1 packet (5 grams) Shirakami Kodama yeast, 5 grams salt, 250 grams Reve de Lapin flour, 45 grams low fat milk, 135 grams water, 10 grams butter (softened)

Filling: 2 x 150 grams tuna flakes in sunflower oil, 1 small red onion (finely chopped), 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, a pinch of sea salt

Topping: shredded cheese, dried Italian herbs

Proofing: 60 minutes + 15 minutes + 60 minutes

Baking: 200 degrees C, middle rack, 17 minutes

Sunday, 13 June 2010

TAILS!


What the fish! Those fish-shaped buns on my previous post were subjected to an incredulous amount of ridicule. 

"Why haven't they got tails?"  being the most popular question.

"They look like pineapple tarts!" exclaims Serena.

I blame the cookbook and its author.  

Maki must have secretly rolled her eyes when she saw the 'fish'.  ("Maybe Fun doesn't know what a fish looks like!")  Since she has a sweet nature she does not call me stupid outright (which I downright appreciate).  Instead, she directed me to a Japanese website that contains step-by-step demonstration on how to form a kawaii 魚の形パン(fish-shaped bun).   Even if you don't understand Japanese, you'll won't be totally at sea.



FISH-SHAPED BUNS WITH SPICY TUNA FILLING 
Makes 12

Spicy Tuna Filling
2 cans tuna flakes in water, drained
2 small red onions, chopped
Olive oil
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Anchovy paste
Dried chilli flakes

Bread Dough
270 grams bread flour
30 grams all-purpose flour
30 grams caster sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 grams (3/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 egg (about 60 grams)
130 grams water
30 grams butter, softened

Finish
Eggwash

To make the Spicy Tuna Filling: Mix all the ingredients together. Set aside.

To make the bread:  In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, stir all ingredients (except the butter) together on low speed until everything comes together.

Then mix in butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough until smooth, elastic and comes away from sides of bowl in a ball. Dough should be soft and pliable.

First proof. Shape dough in a boule fashion place in lightly greased bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave in microwave oven to proof. To create a warm environment for successful proofing, put a mug of hot water beside the dough. Close the oven door and leave to proof for one hour.

Using your index finger, make a hole in centre of dough. If indentation remains, dough is ready for next step.

Divide and rest. Gently deflate dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Form each into boule fashion. Cover with wet towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Now fill and shape.

Second proof.  Lay the “fish” on baking tray. Cover with wet towel and leave to proof for 40 minutes or until the “fish” double in size.

Bake. Meanwhile, place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat the oven at 200 degrees C.  Before baking, brush each “fish” gently with egg wash. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until light golden.



They all have tails - and its all thanks to Maki!  Now people are complaning that the buns have way too much filling.  Really, there's no pleasing these people is there?!  The answer is to stop trying to.




Sunday, 6 June 2010

WHAT THE F***


In case you are wondering, these are tuna buns in the shape of fish!  Sure, they look like puffers than a regular fish.  How would I have known that they would all lose their tails during the proofing process?!

Inspiration for these cuties came from a book I recently borrowed from the neighbourhood library.  These days I no longer purchase a new cookbook for the sake of 2 or 3 recipes inside. At the risk of sounding cheap, I usually check out a library copy beforehand to determine whether a book is worth buying.

Last week, while I was browsing in my favourite section in Kinnokuniya Orchard, I came across a woman who had an array of cookbooks laid out on a table before her. In doing so she managed to cover most of the New Arrivals that were occupying the table in the first place. Oblivious to incredulous stares from shoppers around her, she fervently copied recipe after recipe from the cookbooks onto a writing pad. And as if that wasn't despicable enough, she started to dictate (quite loudly, if I may add) to a friend using her mobile phone!

I'm kinda relieved to know there’s a cheaper someone out there. :)

I've been dying to spin my new toy since it was delivered last week.  The KA works like a dream when it comes to kneading bread dough.

FISH-SHAPED BUNS WITH TUNA FILLING
Inspired by a recipe in《日式面包》by 邱勇灵/ 屈礼芬
Makes 12

Tuna Filling
1 can tuna flakes in water, drained
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Anchovy paste
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bread Dough
270 grams bread flour
30 grams all-purpose flour
30 grams caster sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 grams (3/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 egg (about 50 grams)
140 grams water
30 grams butter, softened

Finish
Raisins
Egg wash

To make the Tuna Filling:  Mix all the ingredients together.  Set aside.

To make the bread:  In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, stir all ingredients (except the butter) together on low speed until everything comes together. Then mix in butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough until smooth, elastic and comes away from sides of bowl in a ball. Dough should be soft and pliable.


First proof. Shape dough in a boule fashion place in lightly greased bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in microwave oven to proof. To create a warm environment for successful proofing, put a mug of hot water beside the dough. Close the oven door and leave to proof for one hour.

Using your index finger, make a hole in centre of dough. If indentation remains, dough is ready for next step.

Divide and rest. Gently deflate dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Form each into boule fashion. Cover with wet towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes.


Fill and Shape. Roll each dough portion into oval disk. Fill each portion with tuna filling and form into desired shape. Raisins form the “eyes”.

Second proof.  Lay the “fish” on baking tray. Cover with wet towel and leave to proof for 40 minutes or until the “fish” double in size.

Bake. Meanwhile, place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat the oven at 200 degrees C.  Before baking, brush each “fish” gently with egg wash. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until light golden.

If you want to try a hand at making these fish, be sure to roll the tails flat during the shaping stage.  Otherwise you'll end up with tail-less fish like mine!

HOMEMADE FISHCAKES - THE PREQUEL

This is a prequel to my post in February on Homemade Fish Cakes.  Here are some shots of my mother making fishcakes from scratch.

The Yellowtail is our choice of fish for making fish cakes

First, fillet the fish


Then remove the flesh from the skin

Mince the meat.  Add salt water a tablespoon at a time as you mince. 
Keep going.  It'll come together in a cohesive mass.

Watch it transform:



Now, pick it up at smack it on the chopping board for about 10 - 15 minutes


Do you see it?  Nice and jiggly

Wet your hands and shape them into fish cakes

You can now fry the fish cakes.

SaveSave

Sunday, 7 February 2010

HOMEMADE FISHCAKES

Every once in a while, my mother would  makes fishcakes from scratch and my father always took care of the frying.








Done, 22 fishcakes in all!  I can feel the love today.

Read Homemade Fishcakes - the prequel .