What is the best way to improvise a tortilla press?

As I cook mainly Asian dishes, it is not likely that I will consider buying a tortilla press.  However, if you need one, I will suggest that you try to improvise with the kitchen utensils that you have on hand.

Do you have two wooden rectangular cutting boards similar to the one shown here?

If you place one on top of the other, they can work like a tortilla press. If you like how your tortilla turned out, you can make it a permanent device by attaching a hinge at the end without the handle.  Then follow the tips shared in the video I found to make sure that you use your press correctly so that your tortilla puff up perfectly when it is pan fried.

If you are into woodworking and you have the required tools, you can make your own tortilla press from scratch by watching this video.

However, even if you do not have a press, you can roll out your dough with a rolling pin.

If you do not have a rolling pin, you should not have any problem using an empty wine bottle.

You can also use your bare hands and work on the dough like you are trying to make a base for pizza.

Watch this video to learn how to prepare your dough correctly and roll it out without a tortilla press.

Cooking with Sengkuang

 Sengkuang (yam bean) is also a weekly buy because my girl loves eating it.

I can only cook it when my bike shop is closed as it takes time to prepare. As sengkuang can also be used to sweeten soup, I usually cut out a few pieces to store in the freezer. 

This is how it looks like cooked with
-garlic oil
-salt
-soya sauce
-pepper

As you cook it, the sengkuang will soften and its juice will drip into the sauce. Turn the fire down low to simmer still the sengkuang is tender enough to eat. Add water if the sauce dries up. Leftover sengkuang can be made into popiah by rolling the ingredient in spring roll pastry. 

I do not discard the leftover sauce from this dish as it can be used to flavour rice or porridge. The spring rolls can be deep fried but I prefer to use the air fryer.

If you have the time, you can even make your own wraps.

I will also share with you the traditional way for cooking this yam bean dish which I found on Huang Kitchen.  This is also the way my mother-in-law taught me to cook it.  She also added dried shredded squid, which she soaked in water to clean and soften.  This is then added to the fried dried prawns to fry before the yam bean is added.  I started cooking it without the seafood products when my husband was down with Graves disease and should avoid eating them. You can see the adaptations I have made to it from this chart.

Are you experimenting with making beeswax wrap?

Most DIY instructions I read use 100% cotton fabric to make the wrap.  The reason is, if you use stretchable material like cut outs from your old t-shirt, the beeswax may not able to coat the surface fully or the wax may crack once you stretch the finished product.

I read from the instruction posted at Apartment Therapy that “the best options for fabric are something about the thickness of a bed sheet with a very tight weave”. So you can consider using your used bedsheet to make beeswax wrap.



From that article I discovered how partially waxed wraps can be saved by using the beeswax beads or pellets and parchment paper method. You can sprinkle a small amount of wax beads on those areas that did not get waxed, place a parchment paper over un-waxed side of the fabric and iron over it.

So, now I know, there are actually other ways to making beeswax wrap.  You can also learn the methods and how to use your wraps by watching this video.



Another discovery I made is that you can even make Beeless Vegan Food Wraps!  You use carnauba wax or candelilla wax flakes with jojoba oil as shown in this video.

Cook with Robin Miller

You should enjoy learning to make this Upside-Down Sausage and Mushroom Pizza which was taught by Robin Miller on Food Network Channel.

See it has most of the ingredients you love to eat.

Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet or hot turkey sausage, casing removed
• 1 cup onion, sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup pasta sauce
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 3 minutes, or until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks with a wooden spoon. Add onion and mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, until soft. Add pasta sauce, pizza sauce and olives and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer sauce to the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil until blended. Whisk in flour and salt until well blended. Pour mixture over sauce in pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Videos of her time and cost saving creativity can be found at Video Surf.

Marble Cheesecake, Callie

Learn how to make your own Cheesecake from this Food and Drink Project Forum.

It won't be boring. There's lots of how-tos photos posted.