Japanese Cheesecake

Time: 2 hours

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 125g cream cheese
• 40ml canola oil
• 25g white sugar
• 60ml milk
• 3 eggs (separated yolk and whites)
• 30g sifted corn flour/starch
• 20ml lemon juice
• 50g white sugar

Method

1. Add hot water into a pot on low heat. Put a bowl on top as a double boiler. Melt and whisk the cream cheese along with oil and sugar in the bowl. When it is almost combined, remove the bowl from heat. 
2. Add milk and continue mixing until smooth. 
3. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time. 
4. Add corn starch and whisk until combined. Then add lemon juice.
5. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed. When it is very foamy, add 50g white sugar and whisk until firm peaks. 
6. Preheat oven to 150C. 
7. Add 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the cheese mixture. Gently folding until combine. Repeat until there is no meringue mix left.
8. Line 18cm circle baking tin with aluminium foil, then line it again with baking paper. Making sure there are as little creases as possible.
9. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.
10. Using a water bath method, add a small layer of water into a bigger pan, place the cake tine into the pan and carefully fill up the outer pan with water until it is around up to 3/4 of the cake tin. 
11. Carefully place the pan into the oven and bake for 80 minutes.
12. Serve with icing sugar or strawberries or just as! 

Note: Next time try to find a way so it does not deflate, could be the water getting into the pan this time. 

Recipe from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xxM3xWp-uQ&list=PLXxeZ9tDx0sDgteMoXsmAySF2XSh7GeZC&index=19&t=0s

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Time: 20 mins (+ at least 2 hours for marinating)

Serves: 2 (as a main) - 4 (as a side)

Ingredients

Marinate:

• 1 small cube fermented bean curd
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs, bite size cubes

Frying:

• Frying oil, at least a 750ml bottle
• 3/4 cup sweet potato flour
• 1 punnet thai basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sichuan pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper

Method

1. Smoosh fermented bean curd in a large mixing bowl with a spoon/spatula. Add oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, white pepper and garlic, and mix together. Add the chicken and mix well. Cover and marinate for 2 hours to overnight.
2. Heat frying oil to 180C.
3. Add sweet potato flour and coat the marinated chicken evenly.
4. Drop chicken one by one in the oil in batches so it doesn't overcrowd. Fry for 4 minutes. When it is done cooking, remove from oil and place on a baking pan lined with cooling rack. Repeat with remaining chickens. 
5. Increase oil temperature to 190C.
6. Mix salt, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, and paprika/cayenne in a small mixing bowl. 
7. Add half batch of fried chicken and fry for 30 seconds. Have a lid in one hand and basil in the other, add it into the oil and immediately close the lid. Remove lid after 5 seconds and remove chicken and basil. Repeat with the remaining batch. 
8. Sprinkle the salt mixture on top and serve immediately.

Recipe from: https://seonkyounglongest.com/taiwanese-fried-chicken/

update: made this with chicken breast and it was just too dry, stick to chicken thigh!

IKEA meatballs & gravy

Serves 6

Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 500g beef mince
• 250g pork mince
• 1 onion finely chopped (chop in the chopped thing)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced/chopped
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Salt & Pepper

Gravy:

• 40g butter
• 40g plain flour
• 300ml stock (beef/chicken/veggie)
• 150ml thick double cream 
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard

Mashed Potato:

• Potatoes, peeled (2 for each person)
• butter
• milk
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Put peeled potato in a pot of boiled water. Let it boil on low heat.
2. Combine beef and pork mince and mix with your fingers to break up any lumps. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, and salt and pepper and mix. 
3. Shape mixture into small, round balls, around the size of ping pong - golf ball. Place on a clean plate and cover. Leave it in the fridge for 2 hours so it holds it's shape, if time allows.
4. Preheat oven to 180C degrees.
5. Heat oil on medium heat in a frying pan. Gently add meatballs until it is browned on all sides.
6. Place the browned meatballs in an oven save dish and cover with aluminium foil. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Along with other veggies you want roasted on the side.
7. Melt 40g butter in a pan. Whisk in the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the stock and continue to stir. Add cream, soy sauce, and dijon, stirring until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken.
8. Test potatoes with a fork to see if it's tender. If it is, start mashing, adding in butter, milk, and salt & pepper to taste. Tasting as you keep mashing until smooth.
9. Serve altogether!

recipe from: https://twitter.com/IKEAUK/status/1252269467515617280