Rose Tuna Buns

Each week I have to think of something for Darrius's lunch box as he likes varieties  now compared to previously. He told me he don't like having the same food for 2 days consecutively. *sigh* Kids these days are so darn fortunate! He did not know his poor mommy gets the same peanut butter or butter and jam sandwiches the entire week last time!

Schools here are pretty strict when it comes to food as there are students who has a host of allergies! Students are not allowed to bring anything that has nuts due to some students in his school has Anaphylaxis where it could be potentially life threatening. It is so serious that the sufferers could have an acute reaction when in contact with common allergen food such nuts.

As he has a recess and a lunch break, I will normally pack him something that is filling as well as nutritionally balanced. For recess he will normally have his fruits and some 'treats'. :)

He likes tuna so decided to make him some rose shaped tuna buns which some Munch Ministry's forummers shared previously.

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It is pretty easy to make and they are yummy! You can either bake them as a stand alone or squeeze them together in a round baking pan which has the above effect.

I used the same bread dough recipe as the Pork Floss Buns.

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Ingredients

Dough

• 250 gm Bread flour


• 25 gm Cake flour


• 5 gm Instant dry yeast


• 15 gm Milk powder


• 40 gm Caster sugar


• ½ tsp Salt


• 100 ml Water - luke warm


• 80 ml Milk - luke warm


• 40 gm Butter, cubed and softened at room temperature


• 1 Egg - whisked, for egg wash

Filling

• 1 can Tuna in brine (185 gm)


• 2 tbsp Mayonaise


• 1 tbsp Wholegrain mustard


• 1 tsp Lemon juice


• Salt and coarse black pepper to taste

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Methods

1. Prepare bread dough (refer to here) and let it proof for 1 to 1.5 hours or to double in size.


2. Remove dough from bowl onto a floured surface and punch out all the air and let it rest for 15 minutes covered with clingy wrap.


3. Cut dough equally into 7 balls, flatten with a rolling pin and place a scoop of the filling in the centre. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut 4 slits like the image above.


4. Once you are done wrapping the dough over the tuna, arrange them in a lightly greased round pan and let it go for second proofing for about an hour like the image below.


5. Egg wash and sprinkle some dried parsley flakes (optional) over the tuna before sending into a preheated to 160º C oven (fan forced) and bake for 20 minutes.


6. Removed from oven and cool on wire rack.

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Nyonya Fried Yam Beans with Dried Cuttlefish - Jiu Hu Char

Before we moved to Melbourne, I've never know that they do sell yam beans (sengkuang) here. I was pretty happy to spot some when I visited the Asian Grocer and has been buying when they are on special. Well, they don't come cheap of course! On good days, they go for $7.99/kg but I normally get 50% off from the Asian Grocer near my place when they are about to close for the day.

The shape is a little odd at times compared to those sold in Malaysia but surprisingly they are sweet and juicy! Beside using them to make rojak the other family favorite is the fried yam beans with dried cuttlefish or famously known as a Nyonya dish, Jiu Hu Char.

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Actually I liked my mom's version opposed to my MIL's but my mom's not the authentic ones since she is not a Peranakan whereas my MIL is married to a Baba so she cooked the authentic version which uses cabbage. My mom only use yam beans and carrots. However, I am adding the dried prawns which is part of my mom's recipe as I really like the taste and texture of both dried prawns and dried cuttlefish together.These are good to eat together with Chinese lettuce and sambal belacan :)

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Ingredients

• 1 Yam Bean (large around 600g) - skin peeled and shredded


• 1 Carrot - shredded


• ¼ Cabbage - shredded


• 250 gm Pork belly - cut into 5x5mm strips


• 60 gm Dried Prawns - soaked and coarsely chopped


• 5 Dried Shitake mushrooms (pre-soaked and sliced thinly)


• 15 gm Shredded dried cuttlefish (pre-soaked)


• 4 Shallots - sliced thinly


• 6 cloves Garlic - minced


• 200-300 ml Water (or chicken stock)


• Dark soy sauce (depending of preference, I like mid to dark tone)


• 2 tbsp Osyter sauce


• Light soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste


• Sugar (optional as the yam beans are quite sweet by nature)


• Oil for frying


• 1 stalk spring onion (optional)

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Methods

1. Heat up frying pan/wok with some oil and sauté the chopped dried prawns and shredded dried cuttlefish till fragrant, removed and put aside.


2. Add more oil to the same frying pan (around 2 tablespoon if using a non stick pan) and sauté the garlic and shallot till light brown then add in the pork belly strips and cook till 70% cooked.


3. Toss in the shredded cabbage and fry for 5 minutes (or until soften), then add in the shredded yam beans and carrot and continue to fry till well mixed. Add in the sliced mushrooms.


4. Add in dark soy sauce and stir for another minute, toss in the sautéed dried prawns and cuttlefish. Fry for 2 minutes then add in water/stock, stir to mix and cover for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


5. When about to be ready, add in sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and pepper to taste.


6. Sprinkle the chopped spring onion in before dishing up.