Jackie was incredible this morning, cooking up 4 dishes in 2 hours! Since I finally got hold of some banana leaves i decided to try making Lemang. Jeackie’s version from last week’s Cookalong gave me the push I needed. Just like what Jackie says, “no bamboo, no worries.” So rolled up my Lemang, wrapped it, tied in banana leaves and put to grill….ie gently shallow fried in a pan with little oil.

Hey all, this is the cendol from this morning's session, based on my own recipe (from my restaurant days) - and cooked on the stove top because cooking in a Thermomix didn't give me the control I needed in terms of cooking it until it was just done and not overly so. The initial failed batch in the Thermomix was overcooked after 15 mins at Speed 3/100C so that it turned into a dough rather than batter, and I couldn't push it through the mould. (15 mins is actually only half what was suggested online in Thermomix communities, where they said to cook for 30 mins.) Here's the recipe (inc. how we used to serve it at my restaurant) - https://jackiem.com.au/2014/03/18/how-to-make-cendol/

Spiral Curry Puffs A couple of years ago I attempted making Spiral Curry Puffs, but after frying them up I could barely see the spirals. I later learned I put the curry filling on the wrong side of the pastry after rolling them out. Watching Jackie making curry puffs during last month’s Cookalong sessions gave me the inspiration to revisit them. This time I paid close attention and it finally clicked. At the most recent Cookalong Sessions I gave the Spiral Curry Puffs another go. I was very happy when the spirals were actually visible this time, so I showed them to Jackie. My heart sank when she pointed out that spirals had not opened up. She explained it’s all about oil temperature control - mine was too high which stopped them from opening up. Sigh 😞! I made another attempt last night and I believe I’ve nailed it. The spirals have opened up and are more distinct. Controlling & getting the oil temperature right was a tricky task, but I finally got it. Showed my 2nd attempt to Jackie and she commended they are fantastic. Kitchen-worthy at last! All the spiral-watching, oil-temp testing and perseverance paid off. All thanks to Jackie for the guidance and honest feedback.

Hey everyone, now that Daylight Savings has ended in some parts of the world and kicked in elsewhere, I thought I might take the opportunity for you to vote on whether you're happy to keep our current Zoom timeslots or if you would prefer to have them moved. Please vote on the options below and if you select "Move", please let me know your proposed alternatives.

Hot Cross Buns This morning Cookalong was a success. It’s Good Friday so I decided to made Hot Cross Buns. It’s my first time making them. I followed the Thermomix Cookidoo recipe and although bread making isn’t my forte, I persevered. The dough proving processes were lengthy that at one stage I thought it wasn’t working, but I did not give up. I was thrilled that after 3 hours the dough had doubled its size! The second proving also took ages, but the baking was quick. My Hot Cross Buns weren’t the prettiest, but I am really happy with them.