Flat Bread

Flat Bread with Mix Fresh Herbs

I cooked flatbread to accompany the leftover of my roast lamb.  The flatbread based on Roti, Indian bread, it is easy to make.  You could also serve this bread with any dips that you like.

To be different from the common flatbread, I added some fresh mix herbs to the cooked bread.   I did it soon after brushing the dough with the olive oil.  The herbs brought extra flavours and freshness to the bread. 

I served the flat herbs bread with the lamb, a salad and yoghurt for dinner.  It was a delightful dish, the family loved it.
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Flat Bread with Fresh Herbs

The bread is better to be consumed on the same day you cook it.  Delicious!

The Recipe

Flat Bread
Ingredients
1/2 cup wholemeal bread flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup warm water
A pinch of salt.

1/4 cup extra plain flour for kneading and rolling
1 cup mix chopped fresh herbs-chives, mints, and parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil to brush the cooked bread.

To serve the flatbread: serve with curries or salads.

Preparation of the Flat Bread

1.Wholemeal, plain flour, salt
 and warm water

2.  Mix the ingredients together,
knead it  to make a soft round dough

3.  Knead lightly, make a log
drizzle with some olive oil

4.  Knead lightly then divide the dough
into eight pieces

6.  Roll each of the round dough
into a thin flat round about 18 cm

5 Shape the dough into a round
balls with your palms

To Cook The Flat Bread

Fry in a hot pan for a few seconds, when it is puffed up

turn it over and cook for another second

Transfer onto absorbent paper, brush the cooked

bread with olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs

Herbs Flat Bread Served with Lamb, Leafy Green Salad and Yogurt.

You could make the flatbread out of plain flour, it is softer and lighter.

To make two flatbreads.

1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon oil
some salt
1/4 cup warm water

Plain White Flat Bread

Enjoy the recipe and happy cooking

Susy

Gems

Australian Gems

Little cakes, gem scones or the Australian Gems,  a sweet treat that is not very common nowadays.  They are not readily available in the shops, and people won't bother to bake them at home.  I did not know about the cake until my friend Eileen gave me the recipe, and the cast iron baking tray to bake them in.

The preparation and cooking are not practical. The cooking technique is almost similar to the cooking of the Yorkshire pudding. 
Heat the cast iron in the oven, when it is hot, you have to fill up with the batter mixture and bake for ten minutes or more. 
It is served like scones, you would have jam and whipped cream for these beautiful Gems.

I have baked the Australian Gems, and they are beautiful, sweet and light.    It is really and truly a gem.

Light and Luscious
 My Home Baked Australian Gem

The Recipe - Thanks, Eileen.

Australian Gems

Makes 24

Cast Iron Baking Tray        

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ cup self- rising flour

¾ cup, milk

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar; add in the egg and the milk.

Fold in the flour and mix lightly

Spoon the mixture into a hot gem in

Bake in a hot oven 175 degrees C for 12 minutes

To serve:

Serve as you would for scones.
Split the gem into two, join them with Jam and whipped cream.

Preparation and Baking the Australian Gems

To Serve The Gem

Australian Gem Served with Jam, Whipped Cream and Fresh Strawberry
Light and Luscious

Give the recipe a go!
Happy Baking
Susy.

Asparagus

New Asparagus

When I was gathering my herbs in the backyard, I saw a couple of asparagus appearing already.  I planted the asparagus from the seeds about six years ago.  It has not been established since I don't know why.  Last year I harvested about two dozen, I would say not too bad, but it could have been better.  Hopefully this year they will do better, so far I only have one crown, It survived, but it is not spreading.

New Shoots Asparagus

I may have to do more reading to learn how to look after the asparagus plants.  I know that they do like a lot of water and fertile soil.  The soil may need special treatments, it needs more compost and fertilisers perhaps. 

I was thinking to get new asparagus plants; the white/cream and also purple, however, it is too late now, I should get them last winter. I know that I have to concentrate on managing,  that I already have and hoping for a successful harvest this year.

Spring is here, happy gardening to you all.



Until next time
Susy.

Sunday.

The First Sunday - Father's Day

It has been a good Sunday, a great father’s day.  Telephone calls from the girls, and also from the grandkids wanted to catch up with POP.  I am sure he felt so special.   A gift, even more, gifts to come for their dad, the ritual that happens every year is here again.  Things have never changed, only different.  Our children have their own places now, but we are all together.  We are blessed.

Mid-morning, a visitor, I am glad that we could catch up with one of our dear friends.  A lot of good things today.  And in the afternoon, phone called from the Netherlands, well it was expected, she does it every year without fail for father's day.  I think Rayner has been enjoying his day.

While Rayner-my husband talking with my daughter on the phone, I was busy in the kitchen doing my cooking for deep-freezing.   I cooked pork and vegetables wrapped in bean curd sheets.  It is baked instead of being deep fried.  I freeze them for the children when they come home.

Baked Pork and Vegetables Rolls

Bean Curd Sheets in a Packet.

A Piece of the Bean Curd Sheet

No Recipe today

For Sunday Best to cook a healthy dinner, no cake, no rich sauce and no dessert.  Pretty easy cooking really, I prepared a roast lamb served with the  'jus', no gravy.  I thought it was rather bland, so I added up, roasted onion, garlic and mushrooms.  Sweet potato, steamed broccoli was the garnished.  Yes, it was good and a healthy meal. 

Indeed, it was The Best of Sunday Best. 

I don't do Sunday Best every Sunday, a lot of Sundays I do Simple Sunday, and yet it can be good too.

Roast Lamb on a bed of Mushrooms, Roasted Onion and Garlic

Served with a jus

A lovely Sunday today!  I am looking forward to Monday, we shall have a great week  :)

Have a busy and happy week to you all.
Susy

Star Hotel

A Sunny Morning

Today I enjoyed my morning, we went for a walk; my husband- Rayner and I -  go downtown.  It is not far away from our home, it is just the right distance for us. 

On the way home, we stopped by at Cafe & Larder to have a cuppa in the Star Hotel.  It is the oldest Hotel inTraralgon, it was constructed in1865 and listed in under a Cultural Heritage.
I ordered the Devonshire Tea and Rayner had a coffee.  That was the most generous Devonshire Tea I ever had, we shared the scone, jam and cream.  Rayner said that the coffee was good.    It was quite a treat for us.

Sometimes we can enjoy and appreciate the services of others, at the same time we support the local business people.   It's all good.  I did have a great morning.  Now I have to do my weekend's routine.  On that note I wish you all to have a good weekend.   Tomorrow is father's day, my best wishes to all fathers, grandfathers,  to have a fantastic day.  Happy Father's Day!!!

Flowers From My Backyard

Veronica-Georgia Blue

Beautiful Blue, for All Fathers

More information about the Star Hotel Traralgon

Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance:

CITATION The Star Hotel was constructed in 1875 for F G Hickox on the east side of Traralgon Creek on the then road to Sale. The original weatherboard building with shingle roof contained six guest rooms. With the advent of the railway line, the bias of the town shifted westwards, and the Sale road was diverted to the opposite bank of the creek. This effectively removed the hotel trade, and the licence was transferred in 1882 to new premises elsewhere. The original building then became a boarding house and later a private house. The original form of the hotel is mostly intact although, the general land level having been raised around the building, the floor is vulnerable to dampness. Unique sapling studs still exist in partitions, and wooden shingles survive beneath the later corrugated iron roof. At some unknown later date, a gabled extension was added at right angles along with the western end-of timber construction, but of a different form.

Until Next Time
Susy

Gado - Gado

Gado-Gado:  Javanese/Indonesian Salad
(Vegetables Salad) with Peanut Dressing



Vegetable salad with creamy peanuts dressing is Gado-Gado,  It is originally from Jakarta-West Java.
Everyone has their own interpretation of this salad.  The original gado gado does not have carrots or tomatoes.  However, my version is using any vegetables in season, and for the peanut dressing, I use the combination of roasted peanut and peanut butter. Ginger is included in the spices.

Serving The Gado-Gado

The Recipe

Gado Gado – Salad with Peanut Dressing

Vegetables

Some lettuce: butter lettuce or iceberg

1 cucumber, slice thinly

2 tomato, slice thinly

1 cup bean sprout, blanched

1 carrot, beans, slice thinly- blanched

1 cup cooked potatoes, slice

4 eggs, hard-boiled; peeled, halved or quartered
Some fried prawn crackers

The dressing

The Peanut Dressing 

2 tablespoons peanut butter+1 tablespoon roasted peanut

1 cup of water

2 tablespoons oil

2 chillies

1 garlic

1 sliced ginger

kaffir lime leaves

2 tablespoons palm sugar dressing

1 tablespoon sweet soy

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 whole lemon juice

salt tot taste

To Prepare and To Cook the Peanut Butter Dressing

Crushed the roasted peanuts and mix it with the smooth peanut butter 

Sauté the chilli, ginger and garlic quickly, add in  the peanut butter mix, water; stir Keep on cooking until the mixture is thick- bubbly;
add in the sugar and salt and kaffir lime leaves

Add in the soy sauce, fish sauce and the juice of the whole lemon
Let the sauce cook into thick consistency, taste the seasoning; transfer into serving the dish

I like to add some oil to this peanut dressing before the serving, for this quantity add in a tablespoon of oil

Spring is here, you may like to have a lot of salads, this Gado-Gado is one of the best, give the recipe a go, you will enjoy it.

I have to confess that I did not have a lot of this salad for my family,  because my youngest daughter Susan has an allergy to Peanut.  I tried to make cashew nuts dressing instead, but it's not the same.

Have fun!
Susy

Spring

The Bird's Nest

Spring is my favourite season.  It is so good smelling the morning dew from the green grass. I could feel the warmth of the sun.  The blossom of the fruit trees is so beautiful.  Soon the roses are bursting with an abundance of blooms. The family is spending time together in the garden, or taking a walk.  Outdoor games are living again.  The butterflies, the birds are free and happy to enjoy the beauty of the new season.  It is a promise for a better living.  I wish you all to have a glorious spring, the new season

Today I cook the bird's nest. It is based on Javanese cooking 'semur telur'. - Egg in sweet soy sauce flavour.  To celebrate the new season, I have a special presentation for the egg, as you could see on pictures below.  I put the eggs onto an imitation of a bird's nest, it is made out of pastry and glazed fried potato strips with honey.   I am happy about it.   Indeed it does look like a nest.

The Bird's Nest

Recipe

Semur Telur
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
1 onion, slice thinly
2 garlic, slice thinly
1 red tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 small ginger-crushed
2 tablespoons grated palm sugar
1/2 juice of a lime
1 tablespoon ABC sweet soy
1 tablespoon soy
1/2 cup water or stock
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Method
In a pot, sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, in hot oil until fragrant
Add in the tomatoes, white pepper, salt, sugar and the lime juice
Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, covered
Add in water, soy and the ABC sauce, bring to simmer
Add in the peeled eggs, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes
Cover the pot, continue cooking over alow heat for 10 minutes
At this stage, the liquid is very little and slightly thickened.
Transfer to a serving dish.
To serve
Serve the eggs as a part of the garnish for steamed rice dishes.



Hope you have been enjoying the first day of spring.
Stay Tuned
Susy