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10 easy and amazing ways to use frozen puff pastry

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If you love baked goods, one of the most important ingredients to have in your fridge is frozen puff pastry.

Unless you are a culinary expert and you know how to make your own puff pastry, then you might not need this ingredient.

Also known as pate feuilletee, it is a flaky light pastry made from laminated dough composed of dough and butter or other solid fat.

The butter is put inside the dough, making what they called a paton which is repeatedly folded and rolled out before baking.

Making your own puff pastry is a long, tedious work. Nowadays thanks to culinary innovation, we can easily buy the instant version of puff pastry.

Once you have this in your fridge, here are 10 easy ways to your frozen puff pastry:

1.Sardine puff

Malaysians love having sardine puff for their afternoon tea.

To make the filling, you need a can of sardines in tomato sauce. Drain the sardines, and let your creativity flow. Do you like spicy food? Add in some chili powder or ground chilli. Need extra taste and texture? Add in diced onion or carrots.

After you prepare your filling, make your sardine puff with the frozen puff pastry in mold it into whatever shape you want.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

2.Tuna puff

Instead of canned sardine, how about using canned tuna?

There are so many varieties of canned tuna out there.

Choose your favourite and flavour it according to your taste.

Then, make your own tuna puff using frozen puff pastry.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

3.Curry Puff

Do you have leftover curry from last night’s dinner?

Or do you have a canned curry sitting around in the pantry?

What better way to use it besides making curry puff using frozen puff pastry?

4.Pigs in a Blanket

In the United States, the term ‘pigs in a blanket’ commonly refers to hot dogs in croissant dough.

Instead of croissant dough, how about using frozen puff pastry?

The idea is still the same; to roll cocktail sausages using the dough and bake them to perfection.

You can also use normal sized sausages and cut them into pieces.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

5.Pot Pie

To make pot pie using frozen puff pastry, you need to some cooking.

You need boneless chicken, mixed vegetables as well as ingredients such as cream, flour and butter to thicken the filling.

With this recipe, you are ready to have a hearty meal instead of dessert.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

6.Puff pastry pizza

Speaking of a hearty meal, use frozen puff pastry as a pizza base and you will have a puff pastry pizza.

As for the toppings, you can go for simple ingredients such as tomato puree and mozzarella cheese or you can go crazy with it.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

7.Chocolate Puff

Are you a fan of chocolate? How about making chocolate puff?

The easiest way to make one is to sprinkle chocolate chips on your dough and roll it like a croissant.

After baking, the chocolate chips will melt and you have a nice layer of chocolate in your puff pastry.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

8.Fruit tart

Here is another super easy recipe to use frozen puff pastry.

Basically, you need cream cheese and fruits of your choice.

Spread cream cheese on top of the dough, top it with fruits and sprinkle some icing sugar on top.

Bake it until your pastry is cooked.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

9.Palmier

A palmier is a French pastry that known for its many names including pig’s ear, palm heart and elephant heart.

Using only three ingredients including puff pastry, butter and sugar, you can make a palmier at the comfort of your home.

Check out the recipe here.

10.Baked Apple Roses

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Image by Unsplash.com

This puff pastry dessert is not only delicious but also pretty to look at.

Besides frozen puff pastry, you need thinly sliced apple, sugar, butter and cinnamon powder.

The idea is to place apple slices along one long edge of dough with the slices overlapped slightly.

Then fold bottom half of the dough over the apple slices to form a shape that looks like a rose.

Check out the recipes here, here and here.

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What you need to know about Basque burnt cheesecake

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One of the hottest trends in the world of baking nowadays is none other than the Basque burnt cheesecake.

How much do you know about this addictive, creamy, delightful piece of dessert?

Here’s what you should know about Basque burnt cheesecake:

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Do not be scared of its burnt look! Credit: Pixabay.

1.Its birth place

This trendy cheesecake was born in a restaurant called La Vina in Spain’s San Sebastian.

The owner, Santiago Rivera revealed in an interview with a Catalan newspaper, La Vanguardia, that he created it after combining ideas from various cookbooks.

He invented it sometime in 1990. Since then, their ‘cream cheese cake’ (the name they call it) was ranked as one of the best cheesecakes in Spain.

This cheesecake is nothing like the others, though. First of all, it has no crust and so it literally looks like it is singed, or burnt..

For those who haven’t tried it: If you imagine the ‘burnt’ part to taste bitter, you would be pleasantly surprised. The burnt parts are actually where the cheesecake has caramelised, making these parts actually sweet.

Meanwhile, the inside of the cake is a whole other story. The texture is almost custard-like, all soft and creamy.

The light yellow shade inside is a complete contrast to the blackened outside of the cheesecake.

2.The original ingredients

Food critic Matt Preston in his book Cook Book: 187 Recipes That Will Make You Incredibly Popular wrote that Santiago gave him the recipe.

However, he admitted that he could never ‘get close to the ethereal brilliance of his original’.

Preston used 600g cream cheese, 4 large eggs, 300ml double cream, 260g sugar and 3/4 tablespoon floor.

Another alleged original recipe of La Vina’s Basque burnt cheesecake is published by San Sebastian tourism website.

The ingredients are 1kg cream cheese, 7 eggs, 400g sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and 500ml cream.

Check out the steps here.

Hence, the original basic ingredients are cream cheese, eggs, sugar, heavy cream and flour.

Nowadays, there are many different recipes to make the cake. Some even use only egg yolks only and kosher salt instead of flour.

There are even different flavours of Basque burnt cheesecake such as matcha and nutella.

3.Some of the tricks in making basque burnt cheesecake

As some claimed it was one of the hardest cakes to make, there are many tips and tricks that can be found online.

The inside part of the cake is supposed to be soft and almost gooey but many of the burnt cheesecakes that are being sold out there there is too firm.

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Dont you think this basque burnt cheesecake is not burnt enough?

Dining magazine Food and Wine for example pointed out that you should not overmix the batter to achieve that particular texture. In addition to that, use heavy whipping cream with at least 40 per cent fat content and do resist the urge to open the oven while it is baking.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times stressed to use a food processor for the batter.

As for the cream cheese, use Philadelphia cream cheese.

And again, do not open the oven until the timer goes off. However, do remember to keep an eye on your cake.

If the top starts to turn black all over, turn the heat down because the oven is too hot. But if the top isn’t browning, turn the heat up. You can open your oven at 30 minutes.

Do not serve the cake right away or else the inside will not be set. Let it rest for at least four hours. Once refrigerated, let the cake come back to room temperature before slicing the cake.

Although this cake defiles the number one rule of baking which is ‘Do not burn!’, it does not make it any less easier to make.

Read more about another trendy dessert, the Japanese souffle pancake here:

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KajoTries: Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

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This time we tried making Nigella Lawson’s chocolate chip cookies.

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Nigella Lawson’s chocolate chip cookies
The history of the chocolate chip cookie

An American chef Ruth Graves Wakefield (1903-1977) is best known as the inventor of Toll House cookies, the first chocolate chip cookie together with Sue Brides.

She invented it around 1938. She added chopped up bits from a semi-sweet chocolate bar into a cookie.

Most reports stated that the invention was an accident and that Wakefield expected the chocolate chunks to melt.

However, Wakefield clarified that she deliberately invented the cookie. She said, “We had been serving a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. Everybody seemed to love it but I was trying to give them something different.”

Wakefield used a Nestle chocolate bar for the cookie. When she gave Nestle the recipe for her cookies, in return the food company gave her a lifetime supply of chocolate.

The nationwide craze for the chocolate chip cookie started during World War II (WWII). Soldiers who were writing home asking their families to send them some Toll House cookies.

Soon, Wakefield was bombarded with letters from around the world asking for her recipe.

From there, the craze for chocolate chip cookies even spread to the United Kingdom.

The original chocolate chip cookie recipe

Sue Brides’ daughter shared the original chip cookie recipe in 2017. It comprises of these ingredients:

​1 1⁄2 cups (350 mL) shortening
​1 1⁄8 cups (265 mL) sugar
​1 1⁄8 cups (265 mL) brown sugar
3 eggs
​1 1⁄2 teaspoon (7.5 g) salt
​3 1⁄8 cups (750 mL) of flour
​1 1⁄2 teaspoon (7.5 g) hot water
​1 1⁄2 teaspoon (7.5 g) baking soda
​1 1⁄2 teaspoon (7.5 g) vanilla
chocolate chips

Besides this, other variation of the recipe may add additional ingredients such as nuts or oatmeal. Moreover, vegans often substitute the ingredients using vegan chocolate chips, vegan margarine and so on.

KajoMag tried out Nigella Lawson’s chocolate chip cookie recipe
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Preparing the ingredients.

On her website, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson shared “It seems strange that I’ve managed to write seven books without one plain chocolate chop cookie (by which I mean a plain cookie with chocolate chips in it).

“For here’s the thing: you’d think a plain cookie with a few chocolate chips folded into the mixture would be a simple matter. It’s not. It’s never difficult to make, just difficult to get right. I may be picky, but to my mind, or my mouth, a cookie that’s too crisp feels dry and disappointing and a cookie that’s too chewy tastes like dough. I want a bit of tender, fudgy chewiness but an edge of crisp bite, too.”

After giving the recipe a try, it amazingly turned out the way Lawson describes it.

It was a bit tender, fudgy and chewy but a little bit crisp on the edges.

Would we change anything from her recipe in the future? Maybe a little bit. Instead of using a semi-sweet chocolate chips, we would replace them with dark chocolate chips. This would give a slight bitterness to it which is more to our liking.

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Fresh from the oven.

Click here for Nigella Lawson’s chocolate chip cookies.

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KajoTries: How to make an easy, egg-less banana cake

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Did you know there was a difference between banana cake and banana bread? Compared to the dense banana bread, banana cake has a lighter texture.

Besides bananas being the main ingredient, other typical ingredients in a banana cake are flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda and butter. Some people prefer to use margarine or cooking oil to replace butter.

The most common way to prepare it is by baking. However, you can find steamed banana cake in Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese cuisine.

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You can easily mash the banana using a fork.

How to make an easy, egg-less banana cake only using five ingredients

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A simple egg-less banana cake.

If you are looking for an easy-to-make, no fuss recipe for a banana cake, look no further than this.

Shared anonymously by a user on Facebook, this recipe only uses five ingredients.

Moreover, it does not even need butter or egg.

The ingredients are two cups of flour, two cups of mashed bananas, one cup of white sugar, one cup of cooking oil and two teaspoons of soda bicarbonate.

The instructions are easy-peasy too; just whisk everything together in a bowl. Pour it into a baking tray and then bake it in the oven at 170oc for 45 minutes.

You can also steam it for the same period of time.

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Just combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk it.

KajoMag’s review of this egg-less banana cake recipe

This recipe had been tried and tested by KajoMag and our thoughts? It turned out delicious, sweet, and above all, moist.

We baked it for 45 minutes but the skewer did not come out clean when we poked it right in the center of the cake. So, we left it for another 10 minutes in the oven and increased the temperature to 180oc.

The recipe originally stated it can be topped or garnished with sliced bananas but we were too eager to try what we baked for that extra step.

If we were to make this egg-less banana cake again using the same recipe, we would tweak it a bit, more out of personal preference.

The first thing we would add is some nuts like walnuts or macadamias to add some nutty flavour and different texture into the cake.

Another thing would be to reduce the amount of sugar. For the sweet tooths out there, this recipe has a decent amount of sweetness. Just for the sake of keeping our sugar levels in check, reducing the amount of sugar to one cup or one and a half cup might not be a bad idea.

Some banana cake enthusiasts might be particular on what type of banana to use for their cake. Honestly, we could not differentiate between the variation of bananas so we just threw in fruit we knew with full assurance, were bananas.

Here is the full recipe for the easy, egg-less banana cake:

Eggless Banana cake 3
This recipe makes a sweet and moist banana cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 cups of mashed bananas
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup of cooking oil
2 teaspoons of soda bicarbonate

Instruction:

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix it using a mixer. Pour the batter into a baking tray then bake it in 170oc oven for 45 minutes. You can also steam it for at least 45 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean after inserting it into the center of the cake.

Have you tried this egg-less banana cake recipe? Let us know in the comment box. What type of banana do you think is best used in banana cakes? Leave a comment!

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The origin stories behind 20 cocktails and how to make them

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Raise your glass if you are a fan of cocktails. What makes this alcoholic mixed drink interesting is that there are endless possibilities of making a new cocktail recipe.

There are various combinations of one spirits or more with other ingredients such as syrup, juice or cream.

Do you know that there are official recipes for cocktails? International Bartenders Association (IBA) sanctions a list of official cocktails with official recipes which go along with them.

These cocktails are then selected by the IBA for use in the annual World Cocktail Competition in bartending.

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Cocktails are always a good choice if you are looking into diversifying your alcohol consumption.

Here, KajoMag has compiled 20 cocktails along with their origin stories and recipes:

1.Pina Colada

Cocktails 3

Like most origin stories behind the cocktails on this list, there are several versions of how Pina Colada came about.

The earliest known stories trace back to the 19th century. To boost his crew’s morale, Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresi allegedly gave them a cocktail containing coconut, pineapple and white rum.

This cocktail would later became the famous pina colada. However, this version is often being disputed.

Another version stated that the Caribe Hilton Hotel’s bartender Ramon Maerrero created the drink in 1954.

Meanwhile, a Puerto Rican restaurant claimed that the drink was invented by Spanish bartender Don Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963.

Regardless, Puerto Rico proclaimed Pina Colada as its official drink in 1978.

Served: Frozen
Standard Garnish: Pineapple slice and/or maraschino cherrt
Standard Drinkware: Poco Grande glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 3 cl white rum, 9 cl pineapple juice, 3 cl cream of coconut
Preparation: The first step is to blend all the ingredients with ice in an electric blender. Then, pour into a large goblet and serve with straw.

2.Tequila Sunrise

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The original version of Tequila Sunrise comprised of tequila, creme de casssis, lime juice and soda water. It was first served at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in the 1930s or 1940s.

As years passed, the popular version of Tequila Sunrise came along from Sausalito, California in the early 1970s. This version now containstequila, orange juice and grenadine.

When it is served, the cocktail’s gradation colour looks like sunrise, hence the name ‘Tequila Sunrise’.

Served: One the rocks
Standard Garnish: On the rocks
Standard Drinkware: Collins glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4.5 cl tequila, 9 cl orange juice, 1.5 cl grenadine syrup
Preparation: Pour the tequila and orange juice into glass over ice. Add the grenadine, which will sink into the grenadine. In order to create the sunrise effect, stir the cocktails gently. Finally, garnish and serve.

3.Mai Tai

Cocktails 5

There are three men who claimed to have invented Mai Tai. Victor J. Bergeron claimed he invented it at his restaurant Trader Vic’s in California in 1944.

However, Trader Vic’s forerunner Donn Beach claimed to invent it first in 1933.

Meanwhile, another colleague of Donn Beach said the drink was based on his Q.B Cooler cocktail.

As for the name, it was allegedly taken from the Tahitian word maita’I meaning good or excellence.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Spearmint leaves and lime shell
Standard drinkware: Old Fashioned Glass
IBA specified ingredients: 4 cl white rum, 2 cl dark rum, 1.5 cl orange curacao, 1.5 ck orgeat syrup, 1 cl fresh lime juice. Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice. Secondly, strain the drink into glass. Garnish and serve with straw.

4.Cosmopolitan

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There are so many disputes on the origin of Cosmopolitan that one could do research paper on it.

One version said it came from the gay community in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Another theory stated that the bartender Neal Murray created the drink in 1975 at the Cork & Cleaver steakhouse in Minneapolis.

Basically, the drink is made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Lime slice
Standard Drinkware: Cocktail Glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4 cl vodka citron, 1.5 cl cointreau, 1.5 cl fresh lime juice. 3 cl cranberry juice
Preparation: Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. After that, strain it into a large cocktail glass. Finally, garnish the drink with lime slice.

5.Long Island Tea

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The Prohibition in the US took place from 1920 to 1933. That was when a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages.

At that time, there was a man who went by “Old Man Bishop” in a local community named Long Island in Kingsport, Tennessee. The drink was then perfected by Old Man Bishop’s son, Ransom Bishop.

Their version of drink included whiskey and maple syrup and varied quantities of different kinds of liquors rather than the modern version with one cola and five equal portions of five liquors.

Fast forward 50 years later, a man named Robert Butt claimed to have invented the Long Island Tea during a contest. He was working at the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island, New York.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Lemon slice
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 1.5 cl tequila, 1.5 cl vodka, 1.5 cl white rum, 1.5 cl triple sec, 1.5 cl gin, 2.5 cl lemon juice, 3.0 cl simple syrup, top with cola
Preparation: Firstly, add all ingredients into a highball glass filled with ice. Stir gently. Optionally garnish with lemon slice.

6.Margarita

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Here is another drink that gained fame during the Prohibition. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the margarita is the Daisy cocktail remade with tequila instead of brandy.

The earliest account of margarita was found in 1936 Iowa newspaper.

Margarita can be served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita) or without ice (straight up).

While it may be served in a variety of glasses, it is widely known to be served in a margarita glass which is a variant of the classic champagne coupe.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Salt on the rim
Standard Drinkware: Margarita glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 3.5 cl tequila, 2 cl Cointreau, 1.5 cl lime juice
Preparation: Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass rimmed with salt.

7.Bloody Mary

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The first person claiming to have invented the Bloody Mary is French bartender Fernand Petiot. He was working at the New York Bar in Paris at that time which later became Harry’s New York Bar.

Legend has it that the original cocktail is created on the spur of the moment, consisting of vodka and tomato juice.

After Petiot, there is a handful of other people claiming to have invented the cocktail.

As for the name, “Bloody Mary” is associated with a number of historical figures such as Queen Mary I of England, Hollywood star Mary Pickford as well as a waitress named Mary who worked at Chicago bar called the Bucket of Blood.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Celery stalk
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 3 parts vodka, 6 parts tomato juice, 1 part lemon juice, 2 to 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, celery salt, black pepper
Preparation: Stirring gently, pour all ingredients into highball glass. Garnish.

8.Cuba Libre

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Cuba Libre was first originated in the early 20th century in Cuba after the country won independence in the Spanish-American War. While its exact origins is uncertain, the drink became popular shortly after 1900 when bottle Coca Cola was first imported into Cuba from the US.

Traditionally, it is made using rum and coke hence the alternate name Rum and Coke. The coke ingredient is usually Coca-Cola and the alcohol is a light rum such as Bacardi.

The drinks’ traditional name, “Cuba Libre” (Free Cuba) was the slogan of the Cuban Independence movement.

Since it is simple and inexpensive to make, it is one of the most common and classic cocktails drink out there.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Lime wedge
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 12 cl Cola, 5 white rum and 1 cl Fresh lime juice
Preparation: Build all ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with Lime Juice

9.Daiquiri

Daiquiri is the name of a beach as well as an iron mine near Santiago de Cuba. It was believed that the drink was invented by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox. He was in Cuba at the time during the Spanish-American War.

Served: Straight up
Standard Drinkware: Cocktail glass
IBA Specified ingredients: 6 cl white rum, 2 cl lime juice, 2 bar spoons superfine sugar
Preparation: In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add ice and shake. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

10.Mojito

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Known as author Ernest Hemingway’s favourite drink, this is one of the most famous rum-based cocktails out there. It came from Havana, Cuba with its exact origin still remain subject of debate.

Some historians believed that African slaves who worked in the Cuban sugar cane fields during the 19th century came up with the basic of the drinks.

However, the original version of the drink did not contain lime juice.

There are several theories behind the origin of the name mojito. One theory stated that it relates to mojo, a Cuban seasoning made from lime. Another theory is that it is a derivative of mojadito (Spanish for a little wet).

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Sprig of mint, lemon slice
Standard Drinkware: Collins glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4 cl white rum, 3 cl fresh lime juice. 6 sprigs of mint, 2 teaspoons sugar/sugar syrup, soda water
Preparation: Muddle mint leaves with sugar and lime juice. Add a splash of soda water and fill the glass with cracked ice. Pour the rum and top with soda water. Garnish with sprig of mint leaves and lemon slice. Serve with straw.

11.Mint Julep

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One of the earliest records describing the cocktails was found in a book by John Davis in 1803.

Mint julep was described as “a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.”

Generally, the cocktail is associated with southern American cuisine.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Mint sprig
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 6cl Bourbon whiskey, 4 mint leaves, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons water
Preparation: In a highball glass gently muddle the mint, sugar and water. Fill the glass with cracked ice, add Bourbon and stir well until the glass is well frosted. Garnish with a mint sprig.

12.Sex on the Beach

It is not known on how or who invented the drink Sex on The Beach. While the name is provocative for a drink, it is also unknown on how the name came about.

There are several variations of Sex on the Beach. For examples grenadine is used in replace of cranberry juice and coconut rum is often substituted for the vodka.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Orange slice
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4 cl vodka, 2 cl peach schnapps, 4 cl orange juice, 4 cl cranberry juice
Preparation: Build all ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange slice.

13.Singapore Sling

Here is a cocktail which has a Sarawak essence in it. There are few so called original recipes for Singapore Sling. One version is made by mixing two measures of gin with one of cherry brandy and one each of orange, pineapple and lime juice.

Another version is to have gin, Cherry Heering, Benedictine and fresh pineapple juice primary from Sarawak.

This gin-based cocktail was developed sometime before 1915 by a Hainanese bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon. At that time, he was working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore.

Classic Singapore Sling

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Maraschino cherry, lemon slice
Standard Drinkware: Highball glass
Commonly used ingredients: 2.5 cl gin, 4.5 cl cherry brandy, 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice, 20 cl soda water
Preparation: Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into highball glass or tumbler. Optionally add one or two cubes. However, do not flood the drink with ice. Garnish with lemon slice and cocktail cherry.

American Singapore Sling

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Maraschino cherry, pineapple
Standard Drinkware: Hurricane glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 3 cl gin, 1.5 cherry brandy, 0.75 cl cointreau, 0.75 cl Benedictine, 1 cl grenadine, 12 cl pineapple juice, 1.5 cl fresh lime juice, 1 dash Angostura bitters
Preparation: Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. After that, shake it well. Strain into highball glass. Finally, garnish the drink with pineapple and cocktail cherry.

14.Kamikaze

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Although the name is Japanese, this cocktail does not come from Japan. According to cocktail historian, Kamikaze first appeared in 1976. Richard Stein, the proprietor of Richard’s Lounge in Lakewood, New Jersey was the one who created it.

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Lime slice
Standard Drinkware: Cocktail glass
Commonly Used Ingredients: Shake all ingredients together with ice. Then, strain the drink into glass, garnish and serve.

15.Mimosa

Named after the yellow-flowered mimosa plant (Acacia dealbata), this cocktail is traditionally served in a tall champagne flute at weddings or in a business class on airlines. It is a simple cocktail of combining orange juice and champagne.

Moreover, this concept of combining sparkling wine and orange juice is commonly found in Spain for centuries.

Another variation of mimosa is by replacing champagne with vodka and orange juice with cranberry juice.

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Orange juice
Standard Drinkware: Champagne flute
IBA Specified Ingredients: 7.5 cl champagne, 7.5 orange juice
Preparation: Ensure both ingredients are well chilled, then mix into the glass. Serve it cold.

16.Irish Coffee

One of the many people who claimed to have invented the Irish Coffee is Joe Sheridan. He was the head chef at the restaurant and coffee shop in the Foyness Airbase flying boat terminal building, Ireland.

He started to add whiskey to the coffee for some disembarking passengers in 1942 or 1943.

Served: Hot
Standard Drinkware: Irish coffee mug
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4 cl Irish whiskey, 8 cl hot coffee, 3 cl fresh cream, 1tsp brown sugar.
Preparation: Firstly, heat the coffee, whiskey and sugar. However, do not boil it. Pour into glass and top with cream, serve hot.

17.Manhattan

The most history suggests that this cocktail originated from the Manhattan Club in New York City in the mid-1870s.

However, there is another earlier account stating that the drink was invented in the 1860s by a bartender named Black at a bar near Houston Street, downtown Manhattan.

While this cocktail is originated from the US, it is a standard drink at almost every eatery and bar on the small island of Fohr on the German coast of the North Sea.

Legend has it that many people from Fohr emigrated to Manhattan during deep sea fishing trips. They liked the drink so much that they brought it back to Fohr with them.

Served: Straight up
Standard Garnish: Maraschino cherry
Standard Drinkware: Cocktail glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 5 cl rye whiskey, 2 cl sweet red vermouth, dash Angostura bitters
Preparation: Stirred over ice, strained into chilled glass, garnish, and served up.

18.Martini

American journalist H.L. Mencken called it the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet. Meanwhile, American writer called it the elixir of quietude.

Martini has become one of the best American cocktails, widely known for its olive garnish.

As for its origins, many believed that it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco.

Another theory is that the drink was invented by a bartender from the town of Martinez, California.

Served: Straight up or on the rocks
Standard Garnish: Olive or lemon twist
Standard Drinkware: Cocktail glass
IBA Specified Ingredients: 6 cl gin, 1 cl dry vermouth
Preparation: Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into chilled martini cocktail glass. Lastly, squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink or garnish with olive.

19.French 75

During the 19th century, the Champagne Cup was a popular cocktail. It consists of champagne, lemon juice, sugar and ice. However, sometimes gin was added giving birth a drink similar to French 75.

The current version of French 75 is believed to date back to World War I. The combination was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun, hence the name French 75.

Served: Straight up
Straight Drinkware: Champagne flute
IBA Specified Ingredients: 2 cl gin, 2 dashes simple syrup, 1.5 cl lemon juice, 6 cl champagne
Preparation: Combine gin, syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into chilled champagne glass. Top up with champagne. Finally, stir it gently.

20.Moscow Mule

Sometimes known as a vodka buck, Moscow Mule is a cocktail with so many variations depending on the liquors used.

For examples, if bourbon is used then the drink is called a Kentucky mule. If bourbon and coffee liquer are used, then it is called a New Orleans mule. Mexican mule for instance is when a tequila is used.

Unlike other cocktails on this list, this cocktail is properly served in a copper mug which takes on the temperature of the liquid.

Served: On the rocks
Standard Garnish: Lime slice
Standard Drinkware: Copper mug
IBA Specified Ingredients: 4.5 cl vodka, 0.5 cl lime juice, 12 cl ginger beer
Preparation: Combine vodka and ginger in a glass filled with ice. Then, add lime juice. Stir gently. Garnish.

Share in the comment box which ones are your favourites cocktails!

All photos and illustrations are from pixabay.com

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Whip up Michelin-star dishes with these recipes from Jing Yaa Tang

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With people staying homebound in the fight against Covid-19, social distancing measures have given rise to plenty of stay-at-home chefs who are utilising their time indoors to master new skills in the kitchen.

Located at The Opposite House – a striking hotel in the heart of Beijing, Jing Yaa Tang restaurant is ready to spill the beans on two of their recipes during this pandemic.

Renowned for its selection of dishes inspired by the famous Beijing roast duck, one-Michelin star restaurant Jing Yaa Tang uses only the finest ingredients to produce authentic Chinese cuisine at its best.

Now, the celebrated restaurant divulges two of its favourite recipes – the fragrant Kung Pao Chicken, and the saccharine Cherry Tomatoes marinated in plum sauce.

Since you cannot travel to Jing Yaa Tang in Beijing to try these Michelin-star dishes, why not make them on your own?

Kung Pao Chicken

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Kung Pao Chicken by Jing Yaa Tang.

Main ingredients:

Chicken thigh (20g)
Diced green onion (50g)
Cooked peanuts (25g)
Cooked cashew nuts (25g)
Sliced garlic (5g)
Sliced ginger (5g)
Dried chilli (5g)

Ingredients:

A.Salt (2g), rice wine (5g), sugar (1g), egg (1/3), corn flour (6g)

B.B. Sugar (30g), salt (3g), rice vinegar (50g), corn flour (10g)

Method:

1.Mix and pickle the diced chicken thigh with seasoning (ingredients A).
2.Heat the oil in a heated wok first, and fry the pickled chicken and diced green onion until the chicken is cooked.
3.Cook the sliced garlic and ginger, dry the red chilli segment first, add the cooked chicken and onion, and then stir-fry the cooked peanuts, cashew nuts and ingredients B.

Tips:

1. Cook the fried chicken and diced onion for one minute to elevate the taste.
2.Turn off the fire when adding the peanuts and cashew nuts to keep them crispy.

Cherry tomatoes marinated in plum sauce

Jing Yaa TangCherry tomatoes marinated in plum sauce
Cherry tomatoes marinated in plum sauce by Jing Yaa Tang

Main ingredients:

Water (300g)
Sugar (80g)
Preserved prune slice (1 pc)
Concentrated orange juice (10g)
White vinegar (50ml)
Cherry tomatoes (200g)

Method:

1.Remove the root of the cherry tomatoes and peel with boiling water.
2.Boil the preserved prune in water, and then add other seasonings after three minutes. Turn off the fire when sugar melts completely.
3.Soak the cherry tomatoes into the sauce for 8 hours after they have cooled.

Tips:

1.Keep frozen after soaking
2.The length of time soaked will influence the tasty

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10 ingredients to spice up your baked chicken breast

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If you are looking for a quick, delicious and less guilty source of protein to make for your dinner, look no further than baked chicken breast.

Chicken breast is a great source of lean protein. It is perfect for those who are looking to build their muscle mass since it contains low fat.

Additionally, it is easy to cook, especially if you buy it skinless and boneless from the supermarket.

You can reduce the oil in your cooking by making baked chicken breast with simple seasoning such as salt, pepper and olive oil.

But what if you get bored with your own cooking, especially if you are not even close to Gordan Ramsay’s skills?

Here are 10 ingredients to put some varieties in your usual baked chicken breast:

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How do you like your baked chicken breast? Credits: Pixabay

1.Pesto sauce

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Pesto sauce

Do you know that pesto is the past participle of the verb ‘pesta’ which means ‘to pound’ or ‘to crush’ in the Genoese dialect in northern Italy?

This term refers to the original method of making a pesto whereby the ingredients are crushed or ground in a mortar.

Traditionally, it consists of garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, hard cheese such as Parmesan cheese and blended with olive oil.

While it is commonly used on pasta, pesto is also good with baked chicken breasts.

There are plenty of cooking blogs publishing 2-ingredient or 4-ingredient pesto chicken recipes.

Basically, these recipes are all the same. It is made with skinless and boneless chicken breast fillets covered with pesto sauce as well as salt and pepper to taste.

The dish is then baked in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Tasty of Buzzfeed upgrades their version of pesto chicken by topping them with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

2.Barbecue sauce

Besides pesto sauce, you can also make baked chicken breast with barbecue sauce.

Just cover your chicken with your favourite BBQ sauce along with a little salt, pepper and oil then oven-bake it.

However, if you want to grill the chicken, do not brush it with barbecue sauce. Instead, grill the chicken on greased grill over medium heat for seven to eight minutes on each side. Then turn and brush the chicken on both side with the sauce for the last few minutes.

Check out this recipe!

3.Teriyaki sauce

The four main components of a teriyaki sauce are soy sauce, sake or mirin, sugar and ginger.

To use it for you cooking, soak the meat, vegetables, fish or tofu for at least half an hour before cooking.

If you want to make baked chicken breast in teriyaki sauce, you can start by arranging your chicken breasts on a lightly greased baking dish.

Cover your chicken with teriyaki sauce before covering the baking dish with foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated or until the chicken is cooked.

Once it is cooked, do not waste any excess liquid. Drain the pan and pour the remaining teriyaki sauce over the chicken before serving.

4.Mustard

Have you ever wondered why there are different colours of mustard out there?

This condiment is basically made from the seeds of a mustard plant. Then, these seeds are either ground, cracked or bruised before mixing them with water, vinegar, lemon juice and salts.

The colour ranges from bright yellow to dark brown depending on the added flavourings or spices such as turmeric or green juice of unripe grapes.

The most common ingredient that goes along with mustard when preparing baked chicken breast is honey.

Other common ingredients are olive oil, apple cider vinegar and of course salt and pepper to taste.

Since there are many types of mustard out there from dijon mustard to French mustard, you can always try which type suits your taste the best.

5.Honey

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Honey

Speaking of honey, a honey garlic baked chicken breast is another common dish. The marinade is made by whisking together soy sauce, honey, garlic, lime juice, Sriracha, sesame oil and cornstarch.

If you are not a fan of garlic, The Spruce Eats has a recipe for honey baked chicken breast.

The ingredients are honey, brown sugar, red wine, light soy sauce, flour, salt, dried leaf thyme, paprika, ground black pepper, butter and canola oil.

6.Italian dressing

If you have a bottle of Italian dressing in your fridge, you can opt not to just use it on your salad but also to marinate your chicken breast too.

Commonly found in American and Canadian cuisine, Italian dressing is a vinaigrette-type consisting of water, vinegar or lemon juice, vegetable oil, chopped bell peppers, usually sugar or corn syrup.

The best part of making baked chicken breast using this ingredient is that you do not need any other ingredient – not even salt and pepper.

All Recipes came up with a recipe by combining six skinless, boneless chicken breast with one bottle of Italian-style salad dressing.

Seal them in a zip lock bag and place it in the refrigerator for one hour, or even overnight.

Then bake the chicken in an oven for at least one hour.

You can check out the recipe here.

7.Yogurt

To make yogurt baked chicken breast, you need at least two other ingredients; garlic and panko bread crumbs.

Firstly, marinate your chicken with plain yogurt, crushed garlic for one to six hours.

Then transfer the chicken to a baking pan. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the chicken before baking.

If you need that extra taste of herbs, add in thyme in your yogurt mixture.

8.Gochujang

If you are not familiar with gochujang, it is basically Korean red chilli paste. It is a fermented condiment made from chilli powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder and salt.

Gochujang is an essential ingredient in making Korean cuisine such as Korean braised chicken.

Korean food blogger Jin Joo from Kimchimari reinvented Korean spicy chicken by oven baking them.

The key step in making this recipe is to make gochujang marinade. She combines chopped garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, Korean red chilli pepper, black pepper and not forgetting gochujang.

Then she marinates the chicken breasts overnight in the fridge.

Finally, she bakes the breasts in the oven for 17 to 18 minutes. Jin Joo also suggests broiling the chicken for one extra minute to caramelise it.

9.Alfredo sauce

If you have Alfredo sauce laying around the house, you can use it to bake your chicken breast. Or you can make one from scratch if you don’t have one.

Add cream and butter to a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to simmer. Then whisk in the garlic and simmer for 30 seconds.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. To make the sauce smooth and creamy, continue to whisk it until the cheese has fully melted.

As for your baked chicken breast with Alfredo sauce, spread a layer of the sauce on the baking dish. Place the chicken breast over sauce before season the meat with salt and pepper.

Add some chopped broccoli over the chicken. Before the chicken make it to the oven, pour the remaining sauce over the chicken and broccoli.

You can top it with Parmesan cheese if you want to. Finally, bake it for 40 minutes.

10.Balsamic vinegar

Here is another ingredient from Italy that makes the list. Balsamic vinegar is a very dark, intensely flavoured vinegar, made wholly or partially from grape must.

It is used sparingly to enhance the flavour of steaks, eggs or fish.

Make a marinade using balsamic vinegar, then you can make another version baked chicken breast.

Mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil and other flavouring such as salt, black pepper and garlic to make the marinade.

Remember, you can always tenderise your chicken breast before baking using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Check out baked balsamic chicken recipe here.

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