Easy Japanese Steamed Cakes (Mushi Pan)

source: http://justonecookbook.com/blog/recipes/steamed-cake/

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (75g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

• ¼ cup corn kernels
• ¼ cup cheese

• ½ cup (75g) all purpose flour
• 1 ½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. chocolate chips

• 4 cupcake liners
• 4 glass ramekins

Instructions:

1. Fill a large frying pan with water to 2/3 full and bring it to a boil (and turn off the heat if you are not ready yet). Put a cupcake liner in glass ramekins.

1. Put a cupcake liner in glass ramekins.

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder (and cocoa powder for Chocolate Steamed Cake).

1. Whisk them about 20 times. This is a shortcut for sifting. My two kids are the cook today – here taking turns to whisk.

1. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, sugar, and vegetable oil and whisk them all together.

1. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

1. Add toppings (chocolate chips, or corns + cheese) and mix well.

1. Pour the mixture into the cupcake liners.

1. Place the glass ramekins in the boiling water and cover to cook 8 minutes. Stick a wooden toothpick or skewer into the cake. When a skewer comes out clean (without wet batter), remove them from the pan and cool down.

Variations:

 Nutella - see: http://magpiesrecipes.blogspot.sg/2012/02/nutella-swirl-steamed-cupcakes-in-15.html

Healthy Steamed Banana Cakes

source: http://www.misstamchiak.com/2012/06/recipe-healthy-steamed-banana-cake.html

also see: http://amandalwh.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/steam-banana-cake/

Caramelized Onions and Bacon Pasta

Source: http://crunchybottoms.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/caramelized-onions-and-bacon-pasta/

Caramelized Onions and Bacon Pasta

Certain types of onions taste better after caramelization, and apparently the red ones do best. I’m tempted to buy a few large, juicy-looking purple Australian onions I see in the baskets in the supermarket just to see if they taste superior to the usual red onions that come in little bags. I’ve used yellow onions before, but I must say that red ones are better for caramelization since they have lesser water content. The key to good caramelization is the evaporation of the natural moisture in the onions that you use, since the process really only begins after the moisture is drawn out of the onions and evaporated. So if your onions are juicier than usual, it’s going to take a tad longer than if you used the more flavourful and drier red onions.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 large red onions, sliced
• 6 rashers of back bacon, sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 250g regular spaghetti, or fusilli
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan