19 Year Old Elizabeth AK Gelungan, Malaysian Won the Pizza / Italian Challenge in Asian Food Channel: The Big Break Episod 9

Elizabeth AK Gelungan (Eli) Winner of The Big Break Episod 9

19 Year Old Elizabeth AK Gelungan, Malaysian Won the Pizza / Italian Challenge 

in Asian Food Channel: The Big Break Episod 9

Elizabeth AK Gelungan (Eli) 19 years old currently lives in Malaysia with her family in government housing. Though she was born with a partially impaired left eye, it did not stop her from continuing to persevere to achieve her dreams. A few years ago, Eli’s mother also had a stroke and was informed by doctors that she should not work any more due to health reasons. To help her mother ease her financial burden she applied for a job at a cafeteria called The Good Café. It was here where her passion for cooking and baking grew.

Elizabeth Pizza Recipe

Asian Food Channel: The Big Break Episod 9 (Italian Challenge)

Ingredients

Dough

1½ cups of flour

300g of water

2g of yeast

2g of sugar

2 pinches of salt

12-15g of olive oil

Tomato base

½ tbs of tomato paste

2 ½ of tomato blend

3-4 basil leaves

Salt & pepper to taste

Topping

1 tbs of olive oil

4-6 pieces of mussels

4-6 slices of squid rings

5-6 pieces of prawn

½ capsicum, diced

10 capers

Finely chopped basil leaves

Dill leaves

Smoked salmon

Method (Dough):

1)    Combine olive oil, warm water, flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and mix thoroughly

2)    Combine warm water, sugar, yeast in a large bowl and let it rest until foamy

3)    Then add olive oil, salt and the flour and mix thoroughly

4)    Knead the dough and then let it rest for 45mins – 1hour

5)    Take the dough and cut into two pieces and let it rest until needed. (You can keep it chilled if you wish)

Method (Pizza sauce):

1)    Mix all the tomato ingredients together in a bowl until the consistency is that of sauce

2)    Add salt & pepper to taste

3)    Top with basil leaves

Method (Toppings):

1)    Peel the prawn shells, devein and slice in half length-wise

2)    Heat a skillet and add the olive oil

3)    Then add the squid rings and prawns when the oil is glistening

4)    When the squid rings and the prawns are halfway cooked, remove from heat

5)    Clean the mussels and discard any with opened/cracked shells

6)    Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a saucepan

7)    Transfer the mussels into the saucepan and cover

8)    Stir the mussels after cooking for 2 minutes

9)    Cook the mussels for 3-4 minutes until they open

Assembly:

1)    Take the dough and spread onto a large pizza pan

2)    Spread the sauce onto the surface

3)    Top as desired with the mussels, squid rings, prawns, capsicum cubes, capers, chopped basil leaves, dill and smoked salmon

4)    Bake at 190 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes

12 underprivileged youths from six countries, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea, fulfill their dreams in the latest original reality television series The Big Break produced by the Asian Food Channel (AFC).  Among the 12 contestants are two promising youths from Malaysia, both of whom, though faced with hardship, still embody the passion and love for the culinary arts.

RWS Executive Chef, Alan Orreal with the Youth in The Big Break Episod 9

AFC celebrity chef, Farah Quinn

Judged based on their culinary and hospitality skills, techniques learned during the challenges, as well as attitude and performance, all participating youths try their hands at getting one step closer to the grand prize of a scholarship worth over S$30,000 at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy in Singapore, co-sponsored by RWS. But there are no losers either. Every week, a selected number of youths who don't qualify for the next round will be granted a S$2,000 bursary by RWS, allowing them to continue on with their education after they return home from the show.

Titled The Big Break, the 13 x 30-minute series premiered with a bang exclusively on Astro, Channel 703 on 14 November 2012 at 10pm. 

Photo courtesy of Asian Food Channel

For more information on The Big Break, please visit: http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/thebigbreak