fries like McDs

I always wonder why I can't make fries like McD, but a better version without the crap. 
So here I am reading about that you have to soak the potatoes for at least two hours before cooking them which helps get rid of excess starch. 

David Myers of Comme Ça Ingredients

6 idaho russet potatoes

peanut oil

sea salt

(peanut is an allergen so I sub for olive oil extra light and for salt I like to use Real Salt)

I need to add how important is the smoke point of oil to make the oil hot enough to make the fries crispy too

olive oil extra light has a smoke point of 468 F

Directions

01 Peel and cut potatoes into what shapes of fries should be. It could be skinny or fat the way you wish your

fries to be.

02 Soak the potatoes for 2 hours in cold water.

03 Dry them with paper towels.

04 Heat enough oil to cover the potatoes in a large pot to 290 F.

05 Blanch potatoes gently for two minutes until cooked through, but still pale. Then strain on paper towel on a pan sheet and place in refrigerator to cool.

05 Re heat oil to 370 F. Cook fries until golden and crispy for 3 to 4 minutes.

06 Remove from pan and toss with sea salt.

almond puff cookies

This is a gluten free recipe, but not vegan cause butter is used.
The texture is soft and chewy.
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
5 tablespoons of chia seed
1 cup of warm water
1 stick of butter about 100 gram
5 tablespoons of raw agave
150 gram of almond meal
Direction:
Pre heat oven at 180 C
01 mix the flaxseed meal and chia seed plus warm water and let those sit for 10 minutes til it becomes goo
02 mix butter and agave in a separate mixing bowl
03 add the almond meal to the butter / agave mix
04 then add the flaxseed / chia seed goo to the mx and mix well.
05 scoop spoonful per each cookie on to your cookie sheet
place each cookie two inches apart
bake for 12 - 15 minutes
yield about 38 - 40 cookies

allergen free mixes, snacks and cereals

I am so glad I have found out about Little Giant located in Causeway Bay. This is their website www.littlegiant.com.hk.

A few of my favorite brands that provide the allergen free of wheat, gluten, corn, nut, soy and dairy for the most parts are:

MIXES:

123 Gluten Free mixes : They have pancakes and cake mixes and the fact that no sugar is added you can add your own sweetener of choice ... yea!

Cherry Brook mixes : They have pancakes and cake mixes. They are a bit on the sticky side and I usually add some rice flour to their mixes. Usually a bit sweeter. I find their sugar cookie mix very sweet so I add my rice flour to balance out the sweetness. I wished they have sugar free mixes.

Ener-G : I like their egg replacer and brown rice flour.

SNACKS:

Bakery on Main : Their apple cinnamon granola bars are great. A bit on the crumbly side but still great tasting.

Enjoy Life : dark chocolate bar great for making other dessert with it

CEREALS:

Enjoy Life : Cinnamon crunch granola is yum yum with rice milk.

Erewhon : Crispy brown rice with mixed berries. A bit on the sweeter side.

SWEETS:

Annie's : Bunny fruit

Cybele Pascal is my idol mom!

I finally got my copy of Cybele Pascal's The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook. Thank you Cory! The book as travel from California to Hong Kong and Thailand and back to Hong Kong before I got it. It is definitely worth the wait!

The first thing off when it comes to baking bread, it is hard, and for allergen free ones even harder, because I can never find a easy to follow recipe and my bread either turned out really dense or like stone. One thing with Pascal's book is so easy to follow and she gives you great tips.

First of the bat, I tried her Continental Rolls, don't asked why I start at the back of the book. But that is what I usually do anyways read from the back couple chapters to see if I like the ending of the book before I read the book. Anyways ... so easy to make and my children loves them.

Directions that I find are great tips for any novice bakers like me:

Proofing yeast : warm water, light agave nectar and yeast

Rising dough: cover the dough with a tea towel, place a pan of very hot water in the bottom of the oven, put the dough in the oven and leave the dough for an hour with oven turn off of course for  30 minutes. The replace the water after 30 minutes and leave it for another 30 minutes.

my version of Pascal's rolls. i dusted it with flax seed meal.

natural yeast : raisins part 2, using the yeast

Ingredients 

yeast juice

flour of your choice

Directions

01 Use a strainer to strain the yeast juice into a bowl.

02 Add your choice of flour into the yeast juice and mix until a paste like mixture.

03 Cover the bowl and set it aside in the kitchen until your flour poof to double the size and it will be ready for use to make your dough.

yeast juice

i used buckwheat flour
unproof

proof

natural yeast : raisins part 1, fermentation process

With a week turn around time I made my own raisin yeast.

Ingredients

a handful of raisins

distilled water at room temperature

a teaspoon of sugar

Directions

01 Get a clean jar. You can recycle. I boiled my jar and cap before using.

02 Put all the ingredients in the jar and mix. Amount of water should cover the handful of raisins or a little bit over.

03 Cap it and set the jar in the kitchen. 

04 Watch the fermentation process which takes about a week. During the week time you should shake it and open the cap for the mixture to breath and talk to it if you wish.

Day 01 : starting raisin yeast fermenting process.

Day 02: the raisins are a bit plumb, but no fizzing.

Day 03: shake it and heard a pop sound when I opened the jar,
but no alcohol smell yet.

Day 04: fizzing and I smell alcohol.

Missed Day 05, but continues on to
Day 06: smelling strong alcohol
and it fizzes like soda! yea!

pork and beans

I purchased some mixed colorful dried beans and decided to make something out of them.

Ingredients 

1 cup of dried beans 

1 pound of grounded pork
2 to 3 bay leaves

1 onion 

6 gloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup of veggie broth

Pork Marinade Ingredients

1 tablespoon of chinese cooking wine (xiao-shing)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of fish sauce

1 teaspoon of ginger powder

1 teaspoon of arrowroot starch


Directions

01 Soak dried beans in water over night for at least 12 hours. 

02 Marinade grounded pork with pork marinade ingredients. You can prepare this the day of.

03 Chop up onion and mince up garlic.

04 Sauté bay leaves, chopped onion and minced garlic with evoo until the onion turns golden.


05 Add marinaded grounded pork into the onion garlic mixed. Continue to sauté until the pork is cooked.


06 Then add the beans to the mix. Sauté the beans into the mixture.


07 Add the veggie broth into the mixture.


08 Cover and let it cook in low heat.