Homemade Face Mask: Anti-Acne Honey-Cinnamon Mask

Anti-Acne Honey-Cinnamon Mask

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Organic Raw Manuka Honey or Acacia Honey

1 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon Powder (or any Pure Cinnamon Powder)

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine honey and cinnamon powder; mix well to make a smooth paste.

Transfer in an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Note:

You can make a batch of this paste, and it will last several months so you don't need to make  a fresh batch everyday.

To use:

Pin your hair back. (Before applying this mask make sure your face is clear of any make-up etc.)

Wash face thoroughly using a cleanser, rinse, and pat dry.

Apply a thin layer of the honey-cinnamon paste generously all over the face and under your chin; leave on for around 15~20 minutes, and then wash off. (Do not apply soap, just rinse with lukewarm water.) Pat face dry.

Apply a toner and moisturizer to freshen and cleanse your face. (Lemon juice mixed with water is a perfect natural toner.)

*Follow this regime thrice/twice a week for a month.

Cinnamon is an overlooked allergen. Some people are allergic to cinnamon and it can sometimes produce irritation in people with unusually sensitive skins. Therefore, before using this mask, do a patch test on your inner arm to be sure you are not allergic.

For most people, this mask doesn't make their skin feel itchy or cause burning sensation. If you experience either, it's best to stop using it or consult your doctor.

Kkoma KimBap 꼬마김밥 (Kiddie Seaweed Rice Rolls) with Kkul-Gyeoja Soseu 꿀겨자소스 (Honey-Mustard Sauce)

Kkoma KimBap 꼬마김밥 (Kiddie Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Short-grain Rice

1 small Carrot, julienned

20 strips thin Pickled Daikon Radish (Danmuji)
6 pcs Ham, cooked and sliced
2 Eggs, well-beaten, with a pinch of salt

5 sheets Laver, cut into 4 equal squares

1 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

Asian Sesame Oil

Canola Oil
Salt and ground Black Pepper

Rice Seasoning:

1/2 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds, coarsely pounded

1/2 tbsp Asian Sesame Oil
1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar 

1/2 tsp Salt

Honey-Mustard Sauce for dipping (*see recipe below; *or you can just simply use a store-bought honey-mustard sauce.)

Instructions:

Heat a pan, add-in cooking oil and wipe out the excess oil from the pan with a paper towel.

Lower the heat and add-in the egg mixture to cover the whole pan. (It’ll be easier to use a small pan to make the thick layer. Otherwise, carefully roll the egg layer from one end to the other end to make a thick layer.)

Cut the eggs into 1/4" strips, and set aside.

Sauté julienned carrots on the same hot pan drizzled with a few drops of canola oil.  Add a pinch of salt and blackpepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Slice the pickled radish same length as the cut laver. Set aside.

Place all the stuffing (egg strips, pickled radish, carrots, ham slices) for the kkoma kimbap on a plate. Set aside.

Prepare the Rice.

In a large bowl, mix the rice with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and some pounded sesame seeds; Season with a little salt.

Gently mix with a rice paddle to season evenly and to let the steam out. (Be careful not to mash the rice!)

Rice should still be warm, but not steaming hot. Cover the seasoned rice with a cling wrap so the rice won't dry out.

Roll the kkoma kimbap.

Lay the laver (shiny side down) onto a plate.

Then, spread rice on the laver to fill about 2/3.

Stack the stuffing (egg strips, pickled radish, carrots, ham slices) on top of the rice (in the lower part). Do not spread them around but put them tightly close to each other. Do not over stuff!

Roll it slowly with your clean hands. Occasionally press and squeeze to keep the shape tight. Repeat the “roll-press-roll-press” process using your fingers. (Rolling it tightly is very important!) Be careful not to tear the laver.

Squeeze gently to get a good shape of the roll.

Place on a plate, with the flap side down. (*These rolls will gel as the moisture from rice reaches all corners of laver.)

Apply some sesame oil on the surface of the rolled kkoma kimbap.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Place on a serving plate, and serve with honey-mustard sauce on the side; Or pack in a lunchbox for picnic.

Happy eating!!

Note:

Have a small bowl of water ready, so that you can dip your fingers as necessary.  Sesame oil in rice helps, but your fingers will get sticky quite quickly.

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Kkul-Gyeoja Soseu 꿀겨자소스 (Honey-Mustard Sauce)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Acacia Honey

i used these~ prepared mustard and organic acacia honey.

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine the dijon mustard and acacia honey. Mix well.

Serve with the Kkoma KimBap.

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Kkoma KimBap with (store-bought) Honey-Mustard Sauce

(Store-bought) Honey-Mustard Sauce

Kasutera カステラ / Castella (Japanese Honey Cake)

A popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup.

Kasutera カステラ / Castella (Japanese Honey Cake)

Ingredients:
3 eggs
90g sugar
45g cake flour
45g bread flour
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp. honey
butter

Honey Glaze:
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 Tbsp. warm water

Instructions:
Cut parchment paper to fit the (22 x 11 x 7 cm) loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 170°C.

Warm the milk in a saucepan. Add honey and mix well. Set aside.
Crack eggs into a large bowl and vigorously whisk until combined and frothy. 
Add-in the sugar. Beat them with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, until white and fluffy. Add-in the milk-honey mixture.
Place the bowl over a pan of hot water. Mix until the batter continuously drips back into the bowl like a ribbon when you scoop it up.
Sift-in flour, about one-third at a time and gently cut through the mixture with a spatula until combined.

Butter the loaf pan. Put the parchment paper in the pan and make sure the paper sticks to sides of the the pan.
Pour-in the batter (about 80% full).
Using a skewer, daw a zigzag line to remove the air bubbles in the batter.
Drop the pan lightly flat on the counter to raise the air bubbles out of the batter. Do this several times to release air bubbles.

Bake on middle rack of oven at 170ºC for 10 minutes. Then turn down to 140ºC and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. When done, cake sides will pull away from pan slightly; top will be flat and feel spongy when pressed with finger.

To make he honey glaze:
Mix the honey and warm water in a bowl.

Apply the honey glaze mixture on top of the cake with a pastry brush.

Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter top. Take the cake out from the pan to the plastic wrap, top facing down. Gently peel off parchment paper.

Immediately wrap the cake with plastic wrap to keep the moisture. Store overnight (at least 12 hours) in the refrigerator, keeping the top side facing down. This will help the cake have more fine and moist texture.

To serve, slice off the sides of the cake with a sharp bread knife and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices.

Happy Eating!!