Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Sri Lankan Cuttlefish Curry


Currently, I am in Sri Lanka, doing a Photography Residency for a month. Being away doesn't mean I am not in the position to whip up a good meal for husband and I. Upon arriving here, I just knew I had to get my hands on the local dishes. So, the best way to learn this apart from speaking and learning from the neighbours was to pick up a locally published cookbook.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Dear Bakers: Here's a bowl that Measures for you.


Stumbled upon this genius bowl that measures your ingredients for you! No more weighing scales, no more cups? Is this true? I wonder if this product is already available in stores? If it is, I will be purchasing this to add to my already packed kitchen cupboard. Not only is the bowl a great design, its cute and helps you bake in batches faster! check it out here.


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Pragmatic Cook Book Review: 400 Best-Ever Budget Recipes

If you're a working mother, student, a boss or you just find yourself multitasking between 10 different tasks a day, this book can be your life saver. Again, I can't emphasize enough how cooking is just like riding your bicycle. Yes, cooking can be scary for those who have not venture into this domain, but I honestly have to say, its like any other task, once you've set a goal and accomplishing that goal just gives you a rush of energy to try and do it again. When you choose to cook for yourself or family, it really should be just fast and simple meals. Keep the more intricate recipes for special occasions. 

This book definitely has a great list of budget recipes to select from, however the "best-ever" expression used on the cover I find to be a very subjective expressions to use in the context of the book.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Pumpkin Head

Birthday Gift from Felt Friends

What can I say I am a foodie after all. This little badge was made especially for me as a birthday gift. Funny, I was browsing through her photos and thought I would love Adline to make this for me. Today she surprised me with the Pumpster!!!!! If you are interested in custom made felt badges or purchasing from her online store. You can visit her here at myfeltfriends.blogspot.com

xoxo
Erna

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Know Your Sambal


Sambal can be define as a chili based sauce, which is made by either sauteing blended chili or just consumed fresh by pounding it to a paste in a mortar. There are various variety of sambal, from the fried to the fresh. 

























Saturday, September 24, 2011

Pragmatic Cook Book Review 1 & 2

When you walk into the cooking section in a book store, you are first greeted by a whole wall of cookery and baking books. I always feel drowned by the choices laid out for me. It also makes me nervous and I fear that I pick up the wrong books. Finally ending up with a book that I hardly open and instead collects dust on my shelf. What I do when I go out to purchase myself a book I use myself practice theory,  the "Pragmatic Cook Book Theory". The first question I ask myself before I pick up a book from the cooking section is how "pragmatic" is the book for me?


So, I've decided to compile a list of reasons to consider before purchasing that book. I have used this technique on myself countless time before I purchase yet another book for my kitchen. Lets begin with REASON 1 & 2 for this week and I shall update next week with REASON 3 & 4.


Monday, September 19, 2011

C.I.B. In TIME OUT KL!

We were featured in time out with Erna in the picture - with her accomplice Chi Too!
Read more here



Sunday, September 18, 2011

Lost & Found - & SOOQ BAZAAR in Oct 2011

Dear everyone,

Gosh, we are terribly sorry for going MIA on everyone again. When Ramadan came, our cook just lost track of time and because none of us could cook and taste food during the day, we just did not see the point of posting up recipes to share with everyone. We believe in good honest recipes when sharing with people- it only makes the love spread further and better.



However, we have news to share with you today. We've just came back from an art market at the Annexe Gallery, the same one Erna was at a few months back. This time however, in stead of postcards we sold C.I.B Brownies for a change. Good to know that the recipe works and the brownies SOLD OUT

If you've missed out on our cake sale this time and our previous postcard sale the last time, well Mark your calendar! and be ready to catch us at the next SOOQ Bazaar on Oct 1st, Saturday and 2nd, Sunday at Rasta, TTDI, from 1PM - 7PM .

We will be coming up with a new batch of Recipe Cards consisting of basic paste recipes and perfect combo meal recipe cards. Also,  we will be bringing you our famous velvet, chewy, super moist brownies and 2 new additional cakes to our table. 

So, come on down to join Erna at the booth, sit down, have a piece of cake and lets just chat about cooking and good food. Perhaps, we will also offer you a choice of ice cold milk or hot tea to have with your cake? and maybe offer to send your choice of postcard to someone you love. 

See you at SOOQ!

Warm wishes,
C.I.B team.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Swiss Roll with Strawberry Jam & Cream


Swiss Roll, Jelly Roll and Roulade, are all the same names for a rolled up sponge cake. This recipe you are about to read and try to make, is a made, tested and approved cake. Before I post any recipes, I am sure to at least bake or cook something 3 times to ensure that the recipe is right. Each time a cake is baked, I will have a group of people (whom I called my toughest critics), that are known to love cakes and are great kitchen experts themselves. I have also taken the liberty to cross check recipes with other good online blogs or websites like joyofbaking.com and thebakingpan.com

There were two reasons why I made this cake, 1) because I hate store made Swiss rolls, as they will always use cheap jams and spread hardly anything in it and sold for RM6.00. Very unreasonable. 2) Because a good friend of mine is currently pregnant and I got her worked up on my quest to make my own yummy (perfect) cake.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

DONUT / DOUGHNUT


The sun was out and the wind blew strong today. All I can remember is that taste of sugar dusted doughnut from Kampung Baru that I had for breakfast on Monday. My first bite had transported me back to when I was 7 in my parents old Mercedes driving to school with my mom at 630am in the morning. What I love about these traditional styled doughnuts is that they taste just as good now as they did way back then. 

Friday, June 17, 2011

RECIPE CARDS ED. 1 is OUT!




Spicy Chicken & Prawn Coconut Soup

This one is for you Agata. 

A good friend of mine all the way in Estonia has requested for me to put up a recipe that incorporates fish or any other Malay type soup that has seafood as an ingredient. In response to her request, I have cooked up a whole pot just for her. If you have any requests, just post it as a comment!



CIB @ Art For Grabs/Sat 18 June



You are cordially invited to purchase your first edition of C.I.B Recipe Postcards @ Art For Grabs. 
Postcards will be sold at RM10 for a pack of 4. 
Featuring & selling Photo Zine, "For the Lonely" by Chi Too. RM20 a copy.


Thursday, June 9, 2011

Coconut Ice-(S)creammmm




The moment has arrived. Today I am happy to report that I have managed to make my very own coconut ice -(s)creaaaammmmmmmmmmm, with out having to purchase a RM250 ice-cream maker!! Thanks to David Lebovitz and Nicky Stich.

Something new, old and stolen.

In the process of making Quick Coconut Ice Cream with Saffron, taken from www.davidlebovitz.com, who practiced the recipe created by the woman who invented the idea author of  Delicious Days: Nicky Stich; I realised that there were a number of kitchen tools that I had fell in love with! Here are a selection of items that I think - in an Asian kitchen, I could not live without

Something new.
















Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Stay Tuned...

tonight is the night i will attempt to make coconut ice cream after a heavy craving and a long debate over to buy or not to buy from the supermarket. stay tuned...

Fast Game: Sardine in Tomato Sauce



Whoop, my first article out on venusbuzz.com.   

Monday, June 6, 2011

Nasi Goreng Bodoh (Simple Fried Rice)



This next recipe is a continuation from the cili giling post i had put up about a week ago. "Nasi goreng Bodoh" is a recipe that my dad thought me how to make. Bodoh literally means stupid in Malay. But what my dad meant is that - its just empty - plain, nothing in it accept for ingredients that would make it taste ohh so good. This term is obviously used in my house hold only :). 

This recipe is a quick and easy meal that is commonly made for breakfast! You heard it, breakfast - as it really takes only 10 minutes to cook. Make sure you use rice that has been cooked and kept in the fridge the night before. This makes the rice dry and best for frying.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

MUST SEE FOOD ARCHIVE

In need of more inspiration for your meals 

and GREAT food photos:






Friday, June 3, 2011

BUY C.I.B. RECIPE POSTCARDS HERE!



then share them through snail mail!
something nice to add to your fridge magnets!

Know Your Coconut Milk.


Coconut milk is a staple ingredient in South East Asian countries, it is also commonly used in places like Brazil, the Caribbean Islands, India and Polynesia. Coconut milk is extracted from mature coconuts. The white inner layer of the husk is grated then either pressed through a machine or squeezed out by hand.

There are two types of coconut milk (santan) that is squeezed out from grated coconut; (1) thin coconut milk which is usually used in more lighter broth like stews or soups like tom yam gong and (2) coconut cream that is thick in consistency commonly used in thicker gravy dishes like curry, dhal and masak lemak or even desserts. You can also combine both of the choices together in 1 main dish, instead of using water with the creamier choice. To make thinner consistency, water is added to the grated coconut and the process is repeated several times more.

In Malaysia, we are lucky to still have the option of purchasing freshly squeezed coconut milk from places like Chow Kit market or at our local kedai runcit/sundry shops. But if you are in areas that do not have sundry stores that provide freshly squeezed santan, you can use the ones available in cans and boxes. If you need a more lighter version, just add water and stir. 


Does your coconut cream curdle when poured into a hot pot on the stove?

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Ginger a Root to Remember

Ginger is a common spice in Asian cuisines. It can be bruised for soups and stews, sliced for candy and preserves, pureed for jams or turn into powder for dusting over drinks. Ginger is a root spice that was sought after for its medicinal functions apart from culinary use. It is known to have been used as early as 600 A.D. and used in the Western Europe in the 13th century. The Romans' trade route revolved around spices, one of the spices in the list of their conquest was in fact ginger.



This root has many functions, from treating stomach ailments to nausea and the flu. In the kitchen, it can be used either for cooking, to make drinks or just plain preservation and candies. It also works as great palate cleansers for you to taste the next following meal or dish.


So how exactly do you use this very important spice in your daily cooking? 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Planning & Unplanning


Hi everyone,

Thanks for keeping posted to my blog. My sincerest apologies for being away for over a month. Fret not readers because I'm in town to serve up more meals and share tips and tricks in the kitchen.

Time is always envious of us, there will always be obstacles in your way to the groceries and eventually getting into the kitchen, be it the multiple jobs, weather, traffic, picking up the kids... the list just goes on. But how do we overcome the problem? Today I will be replying to an email from a reader, I do hope my answers helps you out :) and other a like. But if you (other readers) have something to share on this topic, please do comment, we would love to hear from you.

  1. When is the best time for you, as a working woman, to go out for groceries and do you plan your meals for the week?

    Yes, I do try to plan my meals for the week. Since the household has favourite dishes and a rather repetitive diet, I try to make my meals revolving around what they would eat. Once a week I get adventures and make something that isn't on the local menu like pasta, pizza, arab food etc. I always try to cook in batches so I don't have to keep making new dishes all the time. For example, I would make say 'Udang Masak Lemak' as my main dish and switch the side dishes. Sometimes just have fresh vegetables on the side or just a simple telur dadar to compliment the main.

Cili Kering Giling (Dried Chili Paste)

An essential ingredient in Malay cooking is the dried chili paste. In any house, this is a MUST have in the cupboard. It is a versatile paste, used in sambal tumis (saute chili paste), fried rice, one pot gravy dishes and stir fried vegetables, chicken, seafood etc. Traditionally, in my grandmother's time of age, they would use a giling or stone grinder. Now days, its just a blend away. 


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Beef Curry Yo!



Postcard #2 - Beef Curry Yo.

Cooking Method:

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in your pot. Once hot, throw in the chopped shallots and garlic. Saute till slightly wilted but not burnt.

Add to the pot your roasted and pounded cumin seeds. Let the baby fry up and fills your kitchen with aroma.
Throw in your curry powder, if its too dry, add about 5 tbsp of water to the mix or a bit more - let it fry till oil starts to break from the curry mix. You'll when its done - when you see the colour of the curry powder changes to a nice brown tint and oil starts to separate around it.

Then add in your cubed beef and just stir them around till it loses its pink colour.

Pour in the water, be careful not to pour everything in at once, you don't want your curry to be too watery.

Let the water boil or leave it on the stove till the meat is tender, to check, just take a piece out and pierce it with a fork. If it slides in gently - your beef is good to go.

Half way through cooking the beef, you can add your potatoes and carrots. Let it sit in for another 20 - 25 minutes till tender.

Pour in your coconut milk, now be sure to slow your fire down and stir constantly. If you don't - the milk will break leaving you white spots. You can still eat your curry - it just won't look as pretty.

Finally, add in your curry leaves, tamarind juice, salt and sugar to taste. The sour taste in the curry should be mild and not overpowering, so be gentle when you add the tamarind juice into the pot - add a bit at a time.

Its ok if you leave the curry on the stove longer, cooks the meat better. But be sure to add water if it gets too thick.

Serve with hot rice or dip in with bread or tortilla. 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Postcard from Bali


One of the joys of travelling is learning about the local delicacies and how to make it. Of course there are ingredients that are not locally produce, thus, purchasing the item in a supermarket will fetch a high price. But if you are the adventurous type, you'd probably find the ingredient you need at a more cheaper price.

The avocado aka alpokat - is a fruit that is not native to Malaysian soil, well, not to the Peninsular of Malaysia. I hear that in Borneo, there are Sabahan's and Sarwakian's who actually plant their own avocado trees. But if you are in Kuala Lumpur, you might easily find them in supermarkets selling between RM4.99 - RM 6.99 a piece. If you're lucky they would sell a pack of 3 for RM 11.90. But, if you dare to travel and drive down to Chow kit market, you'd be able to find a fruit stall on the small road facing the Safuan Plaza selling avocado for RM7.00 for 6 pieces. 

However, the ones you find in Chow Kit are not the ones you get in Bali. The texture is the same, but the based of the fruit is less buttery and creamy, more watery - compared to the ones you can find in Bali which are more richer and creamier, just like the Australian grown avocados.

This recipe makes a good morning-power-shake. You can minus out the chocolate syrup. It would just taste as good with out it. Trust me, you do not want to share a glass with anyone. I know I wont.

Splurging a little here ... but I guess its ok. ;)

P/S: This is a series of postcards that I'll be putting up for sale. So, do keep yourself locked onto my blog to check out updates on the complete set. 


Coming Soon ... this first week of March!

Hi everyone,

My apologies for not posting anything up for nearly a month now. I have been away for a quick break and now I am back on track to whip up recipes to stock up in the week and more post on umami agents.

My next recipe post is a Malay version of the Beef Curry and for my next umami agent post, I will be talking about the ginger family!

Apart from recipes, tips and tricks - I will be introducing a product that you can use to pass on to your family and friends!

So keep posted to my blog!!

With love from C.I.B Kitchen.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Know Your Umami Agent #1 : Soy Sauce


Generally, in any Asian house hold, soy sauce is the ultimate umami agent in the kitchen. It is used as a dipping sauce, based for stir fry, acts as an ingredient for soups and simply poured over rice as a seasoning. How do you know exactly which one to use and for what?

Well, like the world - there will be no evil if there was no good, one with out the other - will not exist. OK not the best metaphor but in the world of soy sauce, you will always have dark and light. What differentiates these two are the taste that it carries in each bottle.

The dark soy sauce is usually a thicker liquid compared to the lighter sauce. It is also sweeter. It's sweetness ranges from plainly sweet to something that is more richer in taste, and a little syrupy in consistency as well as in taste. The thicker and syrupy consistency can either be used on its own or for marinates. Where as the medium and more lighter ones can be used as sauces. The more common soy sauce used in thicker Malay cooking are the ones with thicker consistency.

The lighter soy sauce is the saltier of the two, usually the lighter the colour, the more saltier is gets. Hence, sometimes using only a teaspoon of the liquid is enough to make a small pot taste and you won't even have to use salt. It can also be used as a dipping sauce on its own - with additional ingredients added to the mix - such as chopped garlic and scallions. A divine combo to dip with dumplings. This sauce is mostly used in Chinese recipes and also Thai dishes. However, there is also some thicker soy sauce that are salty and sweet in taste - this one can also be used for marinates, as a sauce on its own and used widely in making soy sauce based gravy dishes.

Even the English have their own soy sauce that is used mostly in soups and sauces - the old Worcestershire. Which is a bit more rounder in taste, it isn't exactly salty like the type used in Chinese recipes.

How to use it?


You can mix and match soy sauce with almost anything in the kitchen. Again the aim is to find balance between saltiness and sweetness.

Dark or thicker consistency soy sauce are usually more packed with sugar - it becomes more like molasses - therefore adding spices like ginger, galangal, cinnamon, pepper, five spice, fennel seeds or cumin to soy sauce creates a more robust flavor. This type of mix is most suitable more meaty flavours - a great match for beef and venison. You may also use dark sweet soy sauce mixed with coarsely ground cumin seeds and garlic to chicken or tempeh.

Light soy sauce is best when used with ingredients that are light in taste - it becomes a natural food enhancer for chicken, seafood and vegetables. For example, when you make wanton or gyoza mix, the base of the agent that binds the other ingredients together is the soy sauce. Steaming fish with ginger and tamarind, gives heat and sour taste to the fish, but dipping it into soy sauce, balances the sweetness from the fish and the sourness creating a delicious taste on your palate. You may also use dark soy sauce as a marinate for chicken and simply add honey and ginger to the marinate and leave it over night.

Storage?


Don't worry about storage because soy sauce is practically a fermented product, purchasing a bottle which could cost you less than a plate of mix rice in town - goes along way in your kitchen. Just be sure to store them away from sunlight and in cool places. Just be sure not to keep your soy sauce beyond the expiry date on the bottle, which usually is 12 months. Beyond that the sauce would be more acidic and that is an indication that you should chuck the old one out and bring in a new one.






Sweet Leaf & Sweet Potato Simmered in Coconut Milk





Sweet Leaf & Sweet Potato simmered in coconut milk or famously known as Pucuk Manis Masak Lemak, is a typical vegetable dish found in any Malay home. This vegetable dish does not require any frying or saute, it is an easy chop, slice and dump recipe that takes very little time to prepare and cook. You can serve this with rice or it can be eaten on its own as a soup if you'd like. In which case you add more of the sweet potato as a substitute for the carbs. 

The umami agent for this dish would be the dried shrimp. If you are not in Asia, you can easily get this from the Asian food markets. The price for dried shrimp in general even for us here in Malaysia, is one of the more expensive key ingredients in our recipes. But because you buy in bulks and only use about 1 - 2 tablespoon as a base, buying them in large amounts is actually very reasonably priced. To read more about this stay posted to my Umami Agent post. 


Thursday, January 27, 2011

Coming Soon

Howdy ya'll,


Stay posted for the coming weekend. I'll be posting a traditional Malay vegetable dish simmered in coconut milk, how to make fast tomato sauce that's fit for pastas and pizza toppings!, full proof pizza dough mix and C.I.B's first Know your Umami Agent #1


So, do keep yourself tuned into C.I.B, happy weekend!



Friday, January 14, 2011

Beef Soup


Malaysia being a multi racial country, it has multiple cultures intertwined into one another - even soups has its own variations. This particular recipe is a Malay style beef soup. I would make this when its rainy outside or when I'm in need for comfort food - and in need of a quick solution as a pick-me up meal.

This recipe makes up to 10 servings in a huge bowl. You can keep this in your fridge for a good one and a half week. If frozen it can last up to a month. Best to prepare over the weekend.

Total cost: MYR 10 - 13                  
Preparation and cooking time: 45 - 60 minutes.
Work load: If you have a slow cooker, you can just leave it on and by the time you come home, its ready to be served. 
Serves: more than 4.




Ingredients:


300 g beef
1/2 cup of shallots
5 garlic cloves
1 carrot
2 potatoes - peeled, best to use Indian potatoes, holds better in the soup
2 small cinnamon sticks (1 inch)
4 cardamom seeds
1 tsp black whole pepper corns
1 star anise
1 inch of ginger
2 stalks of scallion chopped
2 tbsp beef or chicken granules
1 liter of water





Prepare your meat as mention in the post here and cut them into 1 inch pieces, bite size. This will ensure the meat cook through. Best cuts for this soup would be tenderloin and rump. Best if you can keep a bit of the fat on the meat - gives a richer taste to the soup.

Next, pulse your shallots and garlic. Traditionally, a mortar would have been used to do this, saving time, you can use a blender to do this for you. This too can be done a day before or you can also pulse this in batches then freeze it. It is good to last for a week.



Add about 2 tbsp of oil into your pot, once the oil is heated - gently saute the onions and dried spices with the ginger till fragrant. You should use old ginger for this recipe as it has a much stronger taste compared to fresh young ginger. Make sure you do not burn the onions, or else it will make your soup bitter. Once you catch that fragrant smell - put in your beef and saute for about a minute, just to lightly brown the meat. Pour in the water and scallions into your pot now let it boil. 

Always put your carrots and potatoes later, you do not want your vegetables to get all mushy. It has to be soft enough to the bite but not mushy. To know if your potatoes and carrots are ready, after 20 minutes pick one of each and poke it with a fork. If it slides into the vegetables easily, they are cooked. 

For seasoning, add the granules, salt and sugar adjusting to your taste. Serve with rice, coriander leaves and sprinkles of fried shallots. The soup tends to be more saltier the longer you keep it, you can add water to the batch as you heat it up. 

Glossary: (English = Malay)
tenderloin, rump : batang pinang


Monday, January 10, 2011

What is C.I.B.?



I started this blog called Cooking in Batches after I started making packed lunch for both me and my husband. Its been a good 2 years now that we've started this habit and its been a good practice. Between being a wife, a daughter, a student and working, like any other person with a busy schedule - time is of the essence and not-eating-out is an option we have put for ourselves.



So, I started making notes and did a bit of reading on what I can make that saves time - that's good, wholesome and healthy for the body - yet at the same time easy on my pockets. So, I have a whole book of fast - meals made in batches that can be kept in the freezer for weeks/months and fridge - at least for the week. 

This blog hopes to share with you all there is to know about how to save by making meals in batches and to share neat tips and tricks around the kitchen. Since I am writing all the way from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, my notes for prices will be mainly in Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), you can roughly gauge the damage on groceries based on your local market prices. 


What are the advantages of eating at home?


Eating at home gives you the chance to save a bit of money, being able to prepare healthy wholesome meals, know what you actually put in your meals and most importantly - being at work most of your time, this is the best time of the day to unwind and be with the family or people you love.

Sometimes, I stay home and try to prepare new things I have never tried before, challenge myself at making as simple as pizza dough or see what I can make with the tools and ingredients I have in my kitchen.... You'd be surprised to find out that - at the end of the process, you've actually accomplish a whole lot more than just a meal, you have just thought yourself to be more focus, resourceful, creative and you have just accomplish one thing in your day - that you thought you could never do, and this in return makes you feel good about yourself.

I know, making time in your busy schedule is something we tend to put last in our list of things to do, but trust me, being able to make your own meals - actually saves you more time than you thought. If you are new in the kitchen - don't worry, there is no right or wrong to cooking, its all about experimenting. Trial and error. Start with the little things and move on to bigger dishes. Give it a try.

In support of the local market and good home cooked meals!
E

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Making Gyoza Skins






When cooking in batches, its always good to make dishes that can either be eaten as a meal on its on or prepared as a side dish to your mains. It is also good to consider making something that you can freeze in batches!

One of my favourite things to make that I can freeze and eat it with soup, rice and noodles - would be gyoza or potstickers also plainly known as 'dumplings'. Gyoza was popularised in Japan during World War II, during the Chinese invasion in 1930. It incorporates ingredients that are usually minced and all of it just mixed in together. 

Other than the filling, the skin of the gyoza is just as important. Making the skin too thick, you create a rather doughy dumpling. You can easily find the gyoza skins ready made in supermarkets, but the whole point of this excercise is to practice making things from scratch to make your pockets fuller at the same time keeping your tummy filled!


This recipe comes up to less then MYR 2.00 you can make batches and batches to keep. Your gyoza skins kept in the fridge could last up to a month. But it is best to fill your gyoza's up immediately if you can.


What you need:


Option A
2 cups of all purpose flour
a pinch of salt
hot water (enough to hold the dough together)



Option B
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of rice flour
a pinch of salt
hot water (enough to hold the dough together)

I've used both the mix, the all purpose flour makes the dough a bit heavier, were as the rice flour mix makes the skin much more lighter and when crispier when fried.




Mix all the above in a bowl till it forms a soft dough. Leave to rest for about an hour. After an hour punch the dough a bit more to let out the air. Make sure you cover the dough with a damp towel to avoid it from drying up. When ready, make equal part dough balls - as big as a tennis ball. Then roll it out to a 1 inch log and cut them into 1 inch sized cubes.


To make perfect circles, I use this egg shaper. To know if you got the right thickness, the skin should be thin enough to let light shine through the dough like the photo below. At the end - you'll have a stack of gyoza skins, which you should wrap with a plastic wrap. Make sure to dust each layer with a bit of flour to prevent it from sticking to each other.





Prepping your meat - Beef


Prepping your beef is essential in any cooking, especially when getting them from the wet market. Usually, washing them off with just water doesn't really washes out the gamey smell of the meat. 

One trick my mum taught me, was to dust the meat with all purpose flour, dump it into some water and after a minute drain the water - rinse the meat thoroughly. I guarantee you, the gamey smell will wash right off the meat. You can use this on venison and chicken. 

After you've done this you can store your meat in portions to be ready for you to whip up your meals. You can store you meat up to 5 - 6 months.