Simple Mashed Potatoes (and Simple gravy!)

Ingredients
For Mashed Potatoes
(Original recipe here. Below measurements are what I end up using.)
3 potatoes (I used local SG potato)
About 1 table spoon Salt
About 1 table spoon butter (I used salted butter)
About 1 cup milk (at room temperature)


For Gravy
About 500ml water
1 chicken stock cube
0.5 Japanese curry stock cube (honey apple flavor)
(Note: original recipe from HERE calls for 1 beef stock cube, or use 2 chicken stock cube in total. But I didn't have beef stock cubes, and I only had 1 chicken stock cube left, so I replace with Japanese curry & it turned out quite nice for us!) 
Thickener (Corn starch or Corn flour or other thickener like plain flour/all purpose flour)
About 1 table spoon butter

Note: Above ingredients are estimates. You can adjust accordingly.

Method for Mashed Potatoes
1) Add Salt to boiling water & Boil Potatoes with skin on for 30min.
(I boil over stove for 10mins, then transfer to Thermo Pot and let it simmer for 1 hour.)
2) Drain water
3) Wait for potatoes to cool off for safety.
4) Peel potatoes (if you like country style mashed with some potato skins, you may opt to leave some on.)
5) Cut potatoes into small cubes (for easier mashing).
6) Mash with potato masher if you have. (I used fork.) --> Set aside after mash. (not need to be super fine at this stage, but just ensure not giant cubes or lumps.)
7) Heat butter to get it melted at low heat. 
8) Add Milk to butter and stir. Do not bring to high boil. Just low heat or remove from heat after you add milk and keep stirring. They won't combine perfectly, but is ok. You just want to ensure even pour into the potatoes later.
9) Add mixture from step 8 to the mashed up potatoes about 1/3 portion of the mixture at a time. This is to ensure you have an easier time to mix the potatoes with the liquid. While mixing, continue to use the fork/masher to combine. You will notice the potatoes get smoother as you add more and more liquid and mashed them up together. :) 
10) (Optional step) Add tiny cubes/slices of ham/cooked crispy bacon/other filling of your choice. 

Method for Gravy
1) Bring water to boil and add in stock cube (Solid stock cube paste adds more flavor and thicker gravy.)
2) Lower heat to low heat.
3) In a separate sauce pan: Melt butter & add your thickener like plain flour/all purpose flour and stir to ensure no lumps. (very low heat or remove saucepan from stock as you add flour..) 

(If using Corn starch : Add 2 teaspoon corn start to 3 tablespoon room temperature water in a bowl, and stir to ensure even mixture. At this stage, add the butter to the stock mixture and stir to ensure butter melted and incorporated.)

4) Add Stock mixture to the Butter + Flour saucepan about 1/3 portion at a time, stirring to ensure even mix.

(If using Cornstarch: slowly add the Cornstarch + water mixture into the stock mixture about 1/3 portion at a time, and turn up the heat a little to keep the mixture boiling. The Cornstarch will thicken only as the liquids boil. Keep adding the cornstarch water and boiling the mixture until desired thickness.)

Remove from stove, let cool a little and serve with Mashed potatoes when ready to dine. :) 

Simple Beef Stew

 

Ingredients

Beef Cubes (about 500g) - seasoned with Sesame oil, Salt & Pepper, and set aside while I prepare other ingredients.

1 carrot (Cubed)

1 yellow sweet onion (Sliced)

1 potato (Cubed)

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Table spoon butter

1 Table spoon cooking oil

Soup Stock or water (about 800ml)

1 table spoon dark soy sauce (just to make the color of stew darker. Can opt out as it does not really affect the taste)

Soy sauce / Salt + pepper to taste

Cornstarch/Corn flour + water (for thickening sauce if desired)

Method

1) In the pot, heat butter, sugar, cooking oil & stir fry onions until caramelized (about 10min ++) 
2) Add Beef and Stir fry till external of beef looks cooked and coated with caramelized onions/sauces.

3) Add carrots & potatoes

4) Add soup stock/water & dark soy sauce (adjust amount of water as needed. I filled to about half the pot, ensuring content is covered)

5) Bring to boil at high heat, then lower heat and simmer with cover closed at low heat until liquids reduce to about 50% (If using thermal pots, after high heat boil, transfer to outer pot and close lid for next 1-2hrs. Longer if desired more tender meat, flavorful gravy and softer veggies.)

6) Add soy sauce/salt/pepper to your desired taste. 

Optional: If prefer thicker stew, Mix 2 teaspoon of corn starch / corn flour + 3 table spoon of water in a small bowl until no lumps. Slowly add this mixture to boiling stew 1 table spoon each time. Let stew boil for about 5min between each table spoon to give them for the sauce to thicken until desired thickness. 

(I did not do this step as I prefer my stew to have soup-like gravy so that the kids can enjoy with the rice.)

Airfry: Baked Pasta

I made this from leftovers, but this can easily be made from scratch. :) 

Ingredients

Pre-boiled Pasta of choice (enough for what can fit your baking tray) :) 

Bolognese sauce

Parmesan cheese

Aluminum foil to line baking tray

Steps:

1. Pre-heat air-fryer for 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Assemble all ingredients in a lined baking tray. I did (from bottom to top) sauce, pasta, cheese, sauce, pasta, sauce, pasta, sauce cheese. :) 
3. Bake for 10min

Enjoy while warm.

Airfry: Milo Bread-Tiramisu

I had half a loaf of bread expiring so I decided to try out this Milo Bread-Tiramisu. 

Original Recipe here.

Ingredients:

Part A:

• 200ml of milk
• 2 eggs
• 40g of sugar
• 30g of Milo powder

Part B:

• 5-6 slices of bread

Steps:

1. Pre-heat air-fryer at 180 degrees Celsius.
2. In a bowl, mix together the milk and eggs. 
3. Add in sugar and Milo powder. Stir well.
4. Cut all 4 sides of the bread to remove the crust. Then, cut the bread in half. (I cut some into small quarters as they will then lay nicely at the side of the round baking tray.)
5. Place a layer of bread into your baking tray.
6. Pour half the Part A mixture THROUGH A SIEVE over the bread layer. The sieve helps to remove lumpy eggs/Milo or bubbles. (Make sure the mixture doesn’t overflow the bread. It should allow bread to soak up the mixture just about nicely.)
7. Repeat step 5 & 6 this for another layer. It is ok that the final mixture does not cover everything. It is not meant to fill up the baking tray and flood over the bread. :) 
8. Bake for 20mins, 180 degrees Celsius.
9. Once done, take out and cool. 
10. Sprinkle Milo power on top just before serving. :) 

I suggest you cut and serve direct from baking tray as below is soft and mushy - like in actual Tiramisu.

ENJOY! :) 

Airfry: Apple (Pie) Pizza

This is an improvised Apple Pie using Plain Pizza Crust and baked in #Mayer Air-fryer.

Original Recipe here.

Ingredients:

Part A

• 3 apples thinly sliced or diced (Green taste better & richer than red due to more citrus nature)
• 2 tablespoons flour (original recipe calls for all purpose flour but I only have self raising so I used that)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt (to prevent browning of apples) / alternatively use lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoon sugar (original recipe calls for brown sugar, but I only have white regular sugar so I used that)
• (Optional) Cinnamon powder - I skipped this as I didn't have this.

Part B

1 Pizza crust

Butter (in small cubes)

Baking paper

Steps:

1. Preheat Air-fryer at 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Mix all the ingredients in Part A. Ensure all apple is coated well :) 
3. Line Air-fryer baking tray with baking paper
4. Put Pizza crust into baking tray.
5. Spread Part A mixture onto crust.
6. (If you wish, cut strips of pizza crust and place on top.)
7. Add cubes of butter on top, spacing them out well across the pizza
8. Bake in Air-Fryer for 15min, 180 degrees Celsius.
9. Take out and enjoy! :)