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Asian Style Cheeseburger

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Looking for easy and fast meal ready to go at any time? These soft buns filled with gooey cheese and ground beef are “a must”.

– How these burgers taste?

Well, the gooey cheese mixed with the flavorful ground beef in between super soft and cottony dough is just heaven…and no mess at all!

– Why are these Asian cheeseburgers so good?

They make an easy meal if you have them in the refrigerator or freezer…just warm them up and serve with a side of salad.

– Can you make these cheeseburgers ahead?

Absolutely, they can stand the freezer very well. The buns can be warmed in the oven or microwave, whichever way you like.

– Ready to look at the recipe?

Ingredient:

Bread dough from the recipe HERE.

Ground beef filling

  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground beef, 85%
  • ½ large onion finely chopped
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon dry oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground all-spice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 100 g mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes or grated
  • Egg wash
  • Sesame seeds
  • 180 g cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes or grated

Method:

Bread dough

When ready to use, split the dough into16 small balls of approximately 72 g each.

Let it rest on the counter covered for 10 minutes.

Ground beef filling

In a frying pan or wok sauté the onion with garlic until golden and aromatic.  Add the ground beef and stir fry until the meat is cooked, by stirring. While stirring add all the spices.

Let it cool and add the cheese, mix until uniform. Set aside for assembly of the buns.

Assembly

Flat the dough and open into a disk using a rolling pin.

Add into the middle of the disk approximately 45 g of the ground beef and cheese mix.

Seal the bun with the ground beef mix in the middle and shape into a ball.

Repeat the procedure with all the remaining dough.

In the meantime, turn the oven to 350oF.

Cover the buns and let it proof until its size double.

When ready to bake brush the egg wash on top of the buns and sprinkle with sesame seed.

Bake in a preheated oven of 350oF for 15-17 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

– Looking for more bread recipes? Check these out…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Apple Cinnamon Buns

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These are delicious, soft and cottony buns filled with pieces of sweet apples and a hint of cinnamon. Great as breakfast or afternoon snack.

Now that Autumn is here, there are all kind of apples in the market. Why not use the seasonal fruits to fill the buns?

This is an Asian version of apple cinnamon buns…I used the tangzhong method for the dough, therefore the dough is super light and fluffy and the buns stay fresh and soft for many days.

More details about tangzhong can be found HERE.

– Why are these rolls so delicious?

The combination of the soft and cottony dough with small pieces of apples are just so delicious…every bite comes with apple…giving a feeling of warmth…Autumn is here.

– Can I substitute apples for any other fruit?

Pears will work well for these buns.

– Are you ready to give these buns a try?

Ingredients:

Tangzhong or water roux

  • 50 g bread flour
  • 250 ml water

Bread dough

  • 550 g bread flour
  • 90 g sugar
  • 7 g salt
  • 7 g yeast
  • 75 g non-fat dry milk
  • 2 eggs (minus 1 ½ tablespoon), approximately 100 g
  • 55 ml water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 100 g butter

Apple Filling

  • 400 g apple peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 65 g sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Method:

Tangzhong or water roux

Whisk together the water and the flour until the mixture is well blended and free of lumps.

Stir the mixture while it cooks over the medium heat to reach 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes.

Continue whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. The mixture of flour will have “lines”.

Remove from the heat.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plastic film to avoid “skin” from forming.

Ready to add to the bread dough once is cool.

Water roux or Tangzhong can bend kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Bread dough

In the mixer, add all the water roux, and all the other ingredients under bread, except for the butter.

Turn the machine and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until a uniform very wet and sticky dough.

Increase the speed to “2” and let it mix for 15 minutes. The dough should be very sticky. Do not add extra flour as the dough will be less sticky as gluten forms.

Add the butter and mix for 15 to 20 minutes more. Take a small portion of the dough (like a golf ball) and stretch gently until a very thin and transparent membrane (windowpane).

If the dough tears, mix for another 2-3 minutes until you achieve the windowpane test. This test demonstrates that the gluten is very well developed, and it will create a very light crumb. The dough should be very elastic.

Remove the dough from the mixer and place in a bowl by covering with a plastic film.

Let dough proof until the dough tripled to its original size.

In the meantime, make the apple filling.

Apple Filling

In a medium pot, place all the ingredients listed under apple filling.  Cook under high heat for approximately 10 minutes, until the apples are slightly soft.

Remove from the heat and let it cool. Set Aside until ready to assemble the rolls.

Assembly

Knock back the dough and divide into 2 balls. Roll one dough into a rectangle of approximately 45 x 35cm (approximately 18 x 14in). Smear a thin layer of butter or its substitute on the rectangle dough.

Evenly sprinkle ½ of the apple filling, roll it like a Swiss roll from the long edge, and roll it into a tight log. Turn the seam to the bottom. Make a small mark on the log in the middle and then into 4 and again and again until you have the log divided into 16.

Gently cut on the mark without smashing the rolls.  Place the rolls in a square or round pan, I used the 2 small round pan and one ring pan.

Cover and let it rise, approximately double of its original size. Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 350oF for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and let it cool.

– If you like this recipe and looking for more Asian baked good, please check these out…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Air Fried Yuca

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These air fried yuca are like French fries…great as a side dish…crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

I grew up eating “mandioca frita”, which translates into fried yuca…of course at that time it was fried using hot oil like the traditional French fries…the texture of the yuca, which is boiled before frying is rich, creamy, slightly nutty and sweet…denser than French fries, but equally delicious.

– What is yuca?

Yuca is called “mandioca” in Brazil, a very popular root vegetable, super common in Brazil.  As a matter of fact, tapioca is made of yuca starch.

– How is yuca prepared?

Yuca can be prepared the same way as potatoes…boiled, fried, mashed…and toasted as it is “farofa”, a side dish for meats, feijoada (black bean stew), poultry (as stuffing).

– What is the difference between mashed yuca and mashed potatoes?

Both are root vegetables rich in carbohydrates…If you like mashed potatoes, you must try mashed yuca. Mashed yuca has a slightly “chewier” texture than mashed potato, it is super creamy, nutty with a hint of sweetness…

– Why yuca is wrapped in wax?

Apparently, the layer of wax is to protect the root in order to preserve it and extending its shelf-life… which it not seeing in Brazil due to its popularity. Nevertheless, just remove the was when peeling the yuca and you are good to go.

– Where can I buy yuca root?

You can find yuca in most of the Asian and Latin grocery stores, and occasionally in the frozen section, which the yuca comes peeled and cut.

– Ready to try this new root?

  • Actually, there is no need for recipe…just a few steps to follow…
  • Peel the yuca root by removing all the wax and the dark brown skin.
  • Cut into pieces of approximately 2 inches.
  • Boil in water with salt until the yuca can be pierced with a fork.
  • Drain well, remove the hard-fibrous stems in the center of the cooked pieces.
  • Place the cooked yuca in a bowl and toss olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Air-fry at 365oF for approximately 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown, tossing in between cooking.
  • Serve hot/warm.

– Care for more Brazilian recipe?

Check these out…

Did you know that yuca is a staple food in many Countries? Moreover, it is the third largest source of carbohydrates food followed by rice and corn.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Cheddar Cheese Toast

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This is an Asian inspired bread recipe with a touch of cheddar cheese using tangzhong method. The bread is light fluffy and cottony and stays fresh for many days.

By now you might know that I love, absolutely love baking bread, the only limiting factor is that there is not enough consumption between my husband and I, and often I take to work or send to friends, still, I look forward for the bread to disappear so I have “excuse” to bake more.

This recipe is pretty standard, I did not use any heavy cream but increase a bit on the butter. The texture is light, soft, cottony and bouncy.  The cheddar cheese stripes gives this loaf of bread some personality…and it is great toasted, but my favorite way to eat is to cut a thick slice and peel it…

The assembly seems more complicated than it is in reality, it is all matter of math and splitting the portions correctly so you do not end up with a portion without cheese.

The recipe below can fill 2 Pullman pans (9 x 4 inch).

 – Can I skip the cheese?

Absolutely…if you do not have cheddar cheese or do not care for it, you can follow the same bread recipe, skip the cheese and you will end up with a delicious egg bread.

 – Now, let’s go to the recipe…

Ingredients:

Water roux or tangzhong

  • 50 g bread flour
  • 250 g water

Dough

  • 550 g bread flour
  • 80 g sugar
  • 8 g yeast
  • 7g salt
  • 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 30 g dry milk powder
  • 60 g butter, unsalted
  • 250 g grated cheddar cheese (omit if making plain toast)

Method:

Water roux or Tangzhong

In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux, place in a low heat and stir constantly until the temperature reach 65C (150F), or if you do not have a thermometer, cook until ripples form. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film. Please see here.

Bread Dough

Place water roux and all the ingredients listed under dough into a mixer with the hook attachment except for the butter and grated cheddar cheese.  Mix until all the ingredients are together, it will be slightly sticky.

Increase the speed to number 2 and continue to mix for 5 minutes.

Add the butter and continue the mixing until the dough is smooth and comes out of the mixing bowl, this will take approximately 15 minutes. You will notice that the dough will no longer be sticky and it will reach the window pane stage.

Place the dough into a medium bowl. Cover and let it proof until the size triple from the original size.

Now it is time to shape the dough…

Knock back both dough and split each portion into two balls and each ball into 4 small balls and let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter.

Split the grated cheddar cheese into 8 portions.

Flatten the balls using a roller pin into a disk, place approximately ⅓ of the grated cheese from one of the ⅛ portions. Fold over one half of the disk and another ⅓ of grated cheese. Cover the grated cheese with the other half of the disk and sprinkle the last ⅓ portion of the grated cheese and roll it like a Swiss roll.

Repeat the process with the remaining 7 small dough balls. Place 4 Swiss rolls into each Pullman pan and let it rise until triple of its original size, like almost 85-90% of the pan.

Cover the pan and bake in a preheated oven of 350F for approximately 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip the bread into a wire rack to cool. Slice according to your like.

Store the bread in an airtight container.

– More recipes using tangzhong method?

Yes, there are many more recipes of bread using tangzhong method, please take a look here.

Did you know that Cheddar cheese was originated in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset? The color of Cheddar cheese can vary from pale to deep yellow. The yellow-orange color is due the addition of some plant extract such as annatto or paprika.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Kabocha Soup with Miso

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This is an Asian inspired pumpkin soup made with kabocha and a hint of miso.  It is creamy and loaded with umami flavor.

Pumpkin season…all kind of squashes…I love them all…all kind of shape and texture…every different squash has its own quality.

Since my parents got a lot of Japanese influence when growing up, our table too was a reflection of it…and kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) was often seeing, either steamed or sauté…and of course I carried all my mom’s cooking tips with me…and often I call her to find out how she did this or that…and I add my “touch” into it.

I have been seeing this squash all year round in regular grocery store, even at Trader Joe’s…this squash is somehow sweeter than the other species, and the texture is somehow in between sweet potato and the flaky chestnut.

I usually scrub well the skin, cut into 1 to 1 ½ in cubes and steam or cook with a bit of water and serve as a side dish or add to salad. Because I decided to make soup, I removed the skin, so the color of the soup would look nicer, but if you do not care for it, go ahead and leave the skin.

The combination of the sweetness of the kabocha with the salty miso gives the ultimate “umami” flavor, a very unique and exquisite one.

Ingredients:

  • Approximately 500 g kabocha, steamed
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 to 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons white miso diluted in 2 tablespoons of water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Scallion for garnish

Method:

Wash the kabocha squash and dry it before cutting. Please be careful as the squash is somehow very hardy. Remove the seeds and the pulp with a large spoon. Cut into slices of approximately 1 in wedge. You can use the seed for roasting.

Place the kabocha in a steamer with enough water. Steam the squash under high heat for approximately 10 minutes. Once cooked it can be served cold in salad or drizzled with miso sauce. For the soup continue with the following.

In the medium pot sauté onion and garlic with olive oil under medium heat until the onion is soft, be careful not to burn.

Add the broth either vegetable or chicken. Then add the steamed kabocha and the diluted miso paste.

Let it boil for a couple of minutes and remove from the heat. At this point you can either transfer the soup mixture to a blender or use a emulsion stick to puree the soup.

Pour the mixture back to the pot and continue to cook for another couple of minutes in medium-low heat.

Adjust for salt and pepper and more liquid (broth) according to your taste.

Garnish with finely chopped scallion or pumpkin seeds.

Serve hot.

Did you know that kabocha like all the squash is rich in beta carotene? Moreover, it is rich in vitamin Ciron and potassium. Kabocha is available all year round and the skin is completely edible.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



White Bean Stew

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This is a Brazilian inspired recipe for white bean stew. Bean and rice are present in every meal in Brazil, okay, except breakfast. In this recipe instead of the traditional pinto beans I used white beans.

In Brazil, like many Latin American countries, rice and bean (arroz e feijão) is a basic in almost every meal…Brazilians eat beans for lunch and dinner, and it is mainly served with rice. The most used bean for the everyday meal is a bean very similar to pinto beans, but the Brazilian national dish called “feijoada” which is a stew made with beef, pork, it uses black beans.

Since it is an everyday dish, you can imagine how many recipes for making beans is available, every person has their personal touch to the everyday “feijão”…well, I am sharing with you a very simple recipe that I have been using for ages, and again, feel free to adapt to your own taste, make it vegetarian, meaty…use black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans but please make sure to not skip the bay leaves…they give this dish an exceptional flavor…you can make it thicker or soupier, with or without garlic…

You can soak or not, use pressure cooker, slow cooker, thermos cooker or just on the stove…you just need to make sure that the beans are cooked through.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dried beans, any type
  • 5 cups cold water
  • 1 to 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 strips of bacon, finely cut (optional, skip for vegetarian version)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash the beans and soak overnight.

Rinse the beans and place them in a pot with water and the bay leaves. Cook the beans according to your preference.

Once the beans are cooked, in another pot drizzle the olive oil and sauté the bacon (optional), garlic and onion until slightly golden brown and fragrant.

Add the beans together with all of the liquid. Increase the heat to medium. You can smash some beans on the side of the pan with your wooden spoon, to make a thicker bean sauce if you desire a thicker stew.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve together with rice

If you enjoy this Brazilian simple white bean stew recipe, please check HERE for more Brazilian Inspired recipes.

Did you know that beans are an excellent source of protein, very low in fat and exceptionally high in fiber? They are also a very good source of calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful day!



Pan Fried Tofu

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This is such a simple recipe for pan fried tofu.  Once it is pan fried just dip the tofu in your favorite sauce or make a stir fry with it.

Being raised in an Asian family I grew up eating a lot of tofu, all kind of shape, texture and flavors…you name it I am pretty sure I had it. Here is a very simple, way too simple of a recipe…

Okay…I must admit that this is one of another recipe that it should not be called a recipe…there is really nothing to measure or weight…

You can use this tofu as it is, and eat by simply dipping into your favorite sauce or use in any stir-fry dish…it is delicious and adds an extra texture to it. Once you pan fry the tofu, it will not fall apart.

Ingredients:

  • 1 block of firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method:

Drain the tofu from its original container and rinse gently.

Cut the tofu into small squares.

Press dry the tofu by placing it in between paper towels.

In a frying pan add the vegetable oil under medium heat and gently place the tofu in the pan. Fry until golden brown and turn it until both sides are golden brown.

Serve warm by dipping into any of your favorite sauce or use in stir-fry dishes.

I made a quick sauce by using light soy sauce and a dash of Sriracha sauce.

If you enjoy cooking with tofu, you might want to check on these simple and easy recipes…Chicken Corn and Tofu Soup or simply salad with Baked Tofu.

Did you know what tofu had been used in China for thousands of years and it is a product made by curdling soymilk? Tofu is high in protein, iron and calcium. Soy product contains phytoestrogen, which has similar structure to estrogen, female hormone, and mimics the action of estrogen produced by the body. Therefore women who have or have had estrogen –sensitive breast tumors should restrict their soy intake.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Stir Fry Glass Noodles

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Other day I was browsing a local Korean grocery store and bought a package of Korean glass noodles, so I decided to make it with the ingredients that I had handy in my fridge.
Since I am very familiar with the Chinese glass noodles which usually are thinner, I just thought that I could adapt it and cook these one in a similar way.
You can substitute the Chinese sausage to any other kind of meat or even omit the meat.
When I served it to my husband he had a funny comment “whatever it is…is good”…so here is how I made the noodles.

Ingredients:

Glass noodles
Chinese chicken/pork sausage
1 onion sliced
2 carrots grated
½ bunch of bok choi
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sal and pepper to taste
½ tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

In a small pan boil water and add the glass noodles, cook until the noodles are soft.

Drain the water and set aside.

In the meantime, sautee the onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, until slightly brown, add the sausage.

Remove from the pan, in the same pan add the remaining olive oil and sautee the bok choi and the grated carrot. Once it is cooked, add the sausage mix and the glass noodles, add soy sauce, salt and pepper. Once it is all well mixed add the sesame oil.

Serve warm.

Did you know that glass noodles are transparent noodles made from mung bean, yam, sweet potato or yuca starch? Usually are sold dry and need to be boiled in water in order to eat..

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!