#yumnomfoo

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Mozzarella and Basil Pizza Recipe 

Classic homemade thin crust pizza - the epitome of ‘rustic’ food. The ingredients can be found in most supermarkets and hey, rolling out pizza dough is the same as pumping your guns at the gym. Back in Hong Kong, a friend of mine introduced me to my first pizza party. What that entailed: drinking wine with friends while we created our own personal pizza with plentiful topping choices... I might try to organise something similar back at home. 

Serves 1 hangry soul

Prep time: 1h 15m, Cooking time: 15m, Total time: 1h 30m

Ingredients:

For the pizza dough:

120ml luke warm water

2 tsp dry yeast

125g plain flour

1 tsp sea salt

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

For the toppings:

120g fresh mozzarella

1 bunch of fresh basil

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

50ml tomato paste

Method:

To make the pizza dough:

Preheat the oven to 230॰C

Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let it stand for 5 minutes until the yeast dissolves

Mix the flour and salt

Add the oil and mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the yeast mixture and mix until the dough forms

Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute

Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm area until the dough doubles in volume for at least 1 hour

After 1 hour, punch the down the pillowy dough

Sprinkle some flour onto greaseproof paper on a clean flat surface

Roll out the dough using a rolling pin or clean wine bottle until it is ¼ inch thick

Transfer the dough with the paper underneath onto a baking sheet and pop into the oven for 10 minutes

After 10 minutes, carefully take out the pizza

To decorate the pizza:

    12. Drizzle the olive oil over the pizza

    13. Spread the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper

    14. Break up the mozzarella into chunks and scatter on the pizza. Then place           the basil on top of the cheese

    15. Cook for another 5 minutes

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Chive pancakes standing next to each other with some pickled carrot and cabbage. Slightly chewy, dense and finger lickin’ good. Rating: 7/10 #thaifood #nyc #nycfoodie #yumnomfoo (at Esanation)

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Laksa Recipe

As my cover photo suggests: I am a Laksa fanatic. Every time I take a bite into this Malaysian coconut curry seafood bliss with rice noodles I’m immediately transported back to the nights when Dad would whip this up. For a brief hour, it was as if my doubts and fears disappeared with each spoonful of this glorious dish. Some recipes call for egg noodles but I find that to be too heavy. The broth coats the rice noodles effortlessly so the noodles don’t undermine how scrumptious the broth is. Remember: Spicy food needs beer. 

Serves 5

Gluten-free recipe

Prep time: 5m, Cooking time: 25m, Total time: 30m

Ingredients:

400g rice vermicelli or Penang laksa noodles

200g laksa paste

200ml coconut milk

10 curry leaves

5 tofu puffs (halved)

10 fish balls (halved)

3 eggs

100g beansprouts

15 raw prawns (deveined and shelled)

Some coriander to garnish

Method:

1. Pour 1500ml of boiling water into a pot and add the laska paste, coconut milk, curry leaves and tofu puffs then reduce to a simmering heat

2. Soak the vermicelli in warm water for 10 minutes

3. In a separate pot, pour another 1500ml boiling water and add the eggs. Cook for 11 minutes

4. Add the prawns and fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes

5. Drain the vermicelli

6. Add the beansprouts and vermicelli to the pot for 2 minutes (or cook according to the instructions on the packet)

7. After 2 minutes, carefully tip the contents of the pot into a colander

8. Run cold water over the eggs, peel off the eggshells and cut in half

9. Divide the vermicelli, egg halves, fish balls, tofu puffs, prawns, beansprouts into 5 bowls

10. Cover with soup

11. Garnish with some coriander