Milk pudding (Experiment #2)

What does pudding have anything to do with it, you say?

Science gets much more interesting when food or something tasty is involved. Let's just say that I was sold at the prospect of a yummy treat *so unabashedly declared by my more gluttony counter-part*

All you need is milk, sugar and ginger. Sense some frowning, relax - don't want to deepen those wrinkles on your forehead ya!

All in 10 mins, I promise you will have a bowl of milky smooth curd with a hint of ginger.

Too good to be true??? I was a little skeptical too - believe it or not but the combination of ginger juice actually curdles the milk to a soft silky pudding.

Actually you may have heard or tasted of this in Hong Kong or Macau where more famous shop sell them. Haven't tried them but a promise of silky soft milk curd was just too good to miss.

So if you want to prove this experiment wrong, all you need:

1 cup full cream milk
2-3 tbsp milk powder (make sure its a tasty brand)
1-2 tbsp caster sugar (depends how sweet you want it to be)
3-4 tbsp old ginger juice


Method:

1. Extract ginger juice, sieve and divide into two small soup bowls.

2. Pour milk into small saucepan and warm up on low heat.

3. Stir in milk powder.

4. As soon as you see small bubbles on side of saucepan, take it off heat and stir in sugar. Make sure you do not boil the milk otherwise you may have to start over again.

5. Cool milk mixture down for a minute by stirring it continuously.

6. Pour into serving bowls with ginger juice, make sure the pouring distance between bowl and saucepan is about 12-15cm away. Reason is to allow the ginger juice to combine with the milk without need to stir the mixture. For a smoother finish, quickly scoop out any bubbles that gathered from the pouring action.

7. Set aside. Wait patiently for 10 min (washing and clearing up should be a good distraction), making sure you do not move or disturb the bowls or stir the mixture.

8. The final 'spoon test' (basically it must not sink) confirming that you successfully made this properly.

Enjoy your spoonful of soft milky curd :)

Bench notes - Taste wise, a little too 'milky' for me. Next time use better brand of milk and milk powder!! Hm, wonder if Horlicks instead of milk powder would be better? Alternatively, a few drops of almond essence??

Wikepedia explains the 'chemical science' behind this process, 'Ginger contains protese. When milk is added to ginger juice, protease catalyses hydrolosis of the proten in the milk, changing it from a water-soluble form to a water-insoluble form, and leads to the formation of milk curd.'

Caramelized Pearl Onions

If you like onions (like me) then you definitely have to make this dish. Lovely as a side dish and a perfect accompaniment with any roast meat.

My good friend S actually served this for Xmas eve dinner. It was just so good that I vowed to make it again.

There are two ways you can prepare this, S personally prefers the second method which involves roasting in the oven (less standing time required over the stove - makes a lot of sense to me too). For this, I tired the 1st method and it came out delicous too. As I was cooking this, the whole house was just engulfed with the lovely sweet and comforting smell of fried onions and that in my books is better than any perfume (well almost :) )

Ingredients

400g small red pearl onions

1 tbsp olive oil or butter

1/4 tsp salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method 1

1. Blanch onions with skins on in hot boiling water for 40 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water. Remove the skins on the onion.

2. In a heavy pan, heat olive oil and pan fry on low heat for about 15 min, stir occasionally to ensure that they do not over brown on one side.

3. Add in other seasonings, cover and continue to cook for another 15 min.

4. Uncover and cook until onions are nicely browned and tender.

5. For a more flavourful taste, you may stir in 1 tsp of butter at the end.

Method 2

1. Melt butter and sugar on fry pan or heat proof baking dish. Add peeled onions and toss to coat.

2. Cook on low heat for 10 min until onions start to brown. Mix in vinegar and seasonings.

3. Place pan/baking dish into oven and roast at 180 degrees for 15-30 min until tender.


Bench notes - The flavour of onions taste better after a few days so do try to prepare them ahead which is a great time saver since it will be one less dish to worry about on the actual day of your dinner party.