Brunch

Summer is another excuse for the expats in Afghanistan for a party, brunch or BBQ. And I did brunch, invited some friends to come over to have brunch with my home-made foods and cakes.

This time I made fried noodle with vegetables, beef teriyaki, baked aubergine and eggs, baked tofu. Also for desserts I made Devil Food’s Cake and Apple Pie.

Fried Noodle with Vegetables:

500 gr egg noodle (boiled)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 onion (chopped)

Vegetables (carrot, cabbage)

Mushroom

3 sweet soy sauce

3 soy sauce

Water

Sautee garlic and onion until a bit brown, add all soy sauce and a bit water. Put all vegetables, cook for awhile. Add noodle and cook until done.

Beef Teriyaki :

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 medium onion (sliced)

1 kg beef (sliced and marinated with teriyaki sauce, oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce and sot sauce)

5 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

5 tbsp soy sauce

salt, sugar and white pepper powder

Cooking oil

Water (if necessary)

2 tbsp sesame oil

Put medium frying pan on medium fire, heat cooking oil, put onion and garlic, cook until a bit brown, add all sauces and beef. Cook until done. Add salt, sugar and white pepper powder. If to dry, put some water. Put aside from fire and add sesame oil.

Baked Aubergine:

1 clove garlic (crushed)

500 gr aubergine (sliced and grilled)

2 medium tomatoes (diced and cooked for 5 minutes)

1 tsp white pepper powder

100 gr cheddar cheese (grated)

Salt and sugar.

12 medium eggs

Arrange grilled aubergine and tomatoes on baking tray.

Mix garlic, white pepper powder, cheese (2/3), salt and sugar with eggs, stir well and pour to aubergine.

Put 1/3 cheese on top and bake until brown.

Baked Tofu.:

1 clove garlic (crushed)

1 spring onion (chopped)

600 gr tofu (mashed)

Salt, sugar and white pepper powder

2 eggs.

Sautee garlic, add tofu and cook for 5 minutes, add spring onion.

Put aside and leave it cool. Then add eggs, mix well. Put on baking tray and bake until brown.

                  Devil Food’s Cake:

90 gr cocoa powder (mix with 100 ml water)

225 gr butter

200 gr caster sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla powder

300 gr all purpose flour

2 sdt baking soda

1 tsp salt

200 ml milk

Mocha frosting

100 gr butter

50 gr dark cooking chocolate (melted)

2 tbsp instant coffee (mix with 2 tbsp water)

300 gr icing sugar

Mix butter and sugar until creamy, add egg one at the time and mix until fluffy.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt and pour to butter. Put on mix of butter gradually with milk. Stir well.

Pour into 2 baking tray (22 cm) and bake for 30 minute.

Mocha frosting, mix butter, chocolate and coffee well. Add icing sugar gradually. Sometimes you need more icing sugar than the recipe or less.

Put mocha frosting (1/3) on one of the cake. Put another cake on top and cover cake with the rest of mocha frosting.

Apple Pie:

- Pastry

  300 gr plain flour

  150 gr soft butter

  salt

  1 medium egg

  50 gr caster sugar

Put flour, butter and salt ona bowl and rub together until became fined bread crumbs. Break egg into separate bowl, add sugar and mix lightly then add to flour mix and mix until become together. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.

- Filling

  30 gr butter

  3 tbsp brown sugar

  ½ tsp ground cinnamon

  6 apples (peeled, cored and sliced)

  Egg washed

  Sugar, additional

  Ground cinnamon, additional

Roll out pastry and line a 23 cm flan tin, rest for 30 minute and bake for 5 – 10 minutes. Roll out remaining pastry to 25 cm (diameter).

Put on frying pan, butter, sugar and cinnamon and stir until melted. Add apples, cook for 5 minute. Pour into baked pastry and cover with remaining pastry, pushing down and crimping the edge. Make a small cross in center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush pastry with egg and sprinkle with sugar and ground cinnamon.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

For sushi recipe, please see from my previous post.

Happy cooking.

Kabul, 3 August 2010