No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

Curry leaf Salted Egg Cookies ~ 咖喱叶咸蛋曲奇 ~ CNY 2017

2017-01-18T12:30:00.000+08:00

I was quite sceptical to try this Salted Egg cookie recipe with an addition of curry leaves but I was surprisingly pleased with the end product. It is indeed difficult to describe the taste of these cookies except that they do have an appetising flavour. But one thing for sure, the sweet smell of salted egg and curry leaves will linger in your kitchen for quite a while. Check it out here for a simple and easy Salted Egg cookie recipe.

Curry leaf Salted Egg Cookies ~ 咖喱叶咸蛋曲奇

Ingredients

128 gm butter
60 gm caster sugar
3 salted egg yolks, steamed for 5 mins, and mashed
188 gm plain flour
15 gm cornflour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten to glaze
a pinch of salt
20 curry leaves (depending on size), snipped till fine

Method

Sift the flour with the cornflour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar till creamy, mix in the flour till well combined.
Add in the mashed salted egg yolk and curry leaves. Mix well.
Use a spatula to gather up the crumbs, wrap up the dough with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 30 mins. or more.
Roll out and cut with your desired cookie cutter. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush on egg glaze.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 175 deg.C for 10 to 12 mins. Remove from oven, let cool completely before storing in a cookie jar.
Yield : 45 cookies

Seaweed Almond Cookies ~ 紫菜杏仁饼 ~ CNY 2017

2017-01-09T11:27:00.000+08:00

Here's a recipe that you may like to add onto your baking list for the coming Chinese New Year. These shortbread like, slice and bake cookies are a bit crisp and crumbly, taste a little bit sweet and a little bit salty. For those of you who like to snack on seaweed or nori, do give this a try.

Seaweed Almond Cookies ~ 紫菜杏仁饼

Ingredients

230 gm unsalted butter
320 gm plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 sheets Japanese roasted seaweed ( 24 x 19 cm)
110 gm icing sugar
3 egg yolks
50 gm lightly toasted almond nibs
Lightly toasted white sesame seeds for garnishing (optional)

Method

Sift the flour with bicarbonate of soda, salt, set aside.
Cut up the seaweed and place in a chopper to chop into small pieces.
With a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the icing sugar till well blended.
Add in the egg yolks and mix well.
Add in the sifted flour, mix well. Mix in the seaweed bits and almond nibs (You can do this by hand), to form a soft dough.
Place the dough on a sheet of plastic, shape and roll up. You can roll into a cylindrical or square shape. I roll up the dough and press it into a biscuit shaper mould. Chill it in the fridge for about 2 hours till firm. (I left it in the fridge, overnight).
Cut up the chilled dough into 1/4 inch thick slice, place on a parchment lined baking pan, 1 inch apart, sprinkle on the white sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg C for 13 to 15 mins. till lightly golden brown.
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight cookie jar.
Yield : 48 cookies

Mixed Fruit X'mas cake ~ 混合干果蛋糕

2016-12-22T14:16:00.000+08:00

This Mixed Fruit Cake is not so dense but more cake-like than most other fruit cake recipes. Feed it
regularly with Rum, Brandy or Whiskey to keep it moist and flavourful. You can bake this early, age it for a while, and serve to your guests or as a gift on Christmas Day!

A moist and not too sweet mixed fruit cake ....... tastes great with a cup of hot tea!

Mixed Fruit X'mas Cake ~ 混合干果蛋糕

Ingredients

600 gm mixed fruits (raisins, black currants, green and red cherries, pineapple, mixed peel and cranberries)
1/2 cup rum
250 gm butter
100 gm dark brown sugar
4 eggs
230 gm plain flour
1 Tsp baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1/8 Tsp salt
Rum, Brandy or Whiskey to drizzle
Soak the mixed fruits with rum and keep in the fridge for about a week.

Method
Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin, lined with double parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar till soft, light and creamy
Add in eggs one at a time.
Mix in the lemon and orange zest.
Add in the fruits and mix well.
Fold in the flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Mix well.
Pour batter into the prepared tin.
Make a shallow well in the centre for even rising. Throw the tin on the table from a height of 6 inches to eliminate any air bubbles.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 degC for 1 hr. 15 mins., then reduce to 150 degC for another 10 mins. Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
Let cool in the tin before removing the cake.
Overturn the cake and use a skewer to poke holes at the base, drizzle more rum or brandy. Wrap the cake with parchment paper and keep for a few days for it to mature.
Note : Wrap it up with alluminium foil, drizzle in rum or brandy once a week. This way, the cake can be kept for 3 months, in the fridge.

I'll be taking a break from blogging and will be back in 2017

and on this note

I wish all my readers and friends

A Very Merry Christmas and A Blessed New Year!

祝大家圣诞快乐！新年快乐

*****************

Chicken Rendang

2016-12-15T16:20:00.000+08:00

I picked up this dish from a very old neighbour, fondly remembered as 'Malay Aunty' as hers was the only Malay family in a totally Chinese dominated neighbourhood, back in the late 50's. Young children addressed her as "Grandma'. She liked her rendang to be cooked dry, with some 'kerisik' (fried coconut) tossed in at the end. On the contrary, I prefer mine to have a little bit of gravy and omitted the 'kerisik'.

Chicken Rendang

Ingredients :

900 gm Chicken cut into medium size
20 gm young ginger (cut into fine strips)
20 Shallots (cut into slices)
3 stalks of Serai/Lemon grass (crushed)
4 fresh Red Chillies (blended)
3 to 4 pieces of Kunyit/Turmeric leaves (cut into fine strips)
500 ml Coconut milk
Salt to taste
'Kerisik'/Fried Coconut - Optional

Method :

1. In a wok, put in the chicken pieces, ginger strips, shallots, turmeric leaves, coconut milk, blended chillies, lemon grass and salt.
2. Cook on high heat and once it starts to boil, cook on low for about an hour or till the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. Do not cover the wok during the whole cooking process.
3. Cook to the desired consistency, add salt to taste, dish out.
4. Serve.

Note :

If fresh chillies are not available, you can replace with dried chilles, soaked and blended.
You can also substitute Turmeric leaves with Limau Purut aka Kaffir leaves.

Strawberry Chiffon Cake ~ 草莓戚风蛋糕

2016-12-12T15:14:00.001+08:00

This strawberry chiffon cake is a light and airy cake which is packed with strawberry flavour. I used our locally grown strawberries from the Cameron Highlands and the taste of this cake is natural and not overly sweet. It is great on its own but you can serve it with more strawberries or a dollop of whipped cream if so desired.

Strawberry Chiffon Cake ~ 草莓戚风蛋糕 (adapted from 'here' with modification)

Ingredients

(A) 6 egg yolks
20 gm caster sugar
120 gm plain flour
110 gm strawberry puree, strained
60 ml canola oil
20 ml milk
2 to 3 drops of red food colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

(B) 6 egg whites
80 gm caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar OR 2 tsp lemon/lime juice

Method

Puree the strawberries and strain it, set aside.
With a ball whisk, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, add in oil, milk, vanilla and strawberry puree, mix till well combined.
Sift flour into the egg yolk mixture, mix evenly. Add in 2 to 3 drops of red food colouring, mix till well combined. Set aside.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites till foamy, sprinkle in the cream of tartar. Continue beating till soft peaks form, add in sugar in three batches, beat till shiny, glossy and stiff but not dry.
Fold in 1/3 of meringue into the egg batter, mix well with the ball whisk. Gently fold in the remaining meringue, mix well, then change into a spatula. Tap the bowl of mixture gently on the worktop, then pour the mixture into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake pan. Tap the pan gently on the worktop to dispel any air pockets.
Bake on a lower shelf of a preheated oven @ 170 deg.C for 55 to 60 mins. Test with a skewer till it comes out clean. Immediately invert the cake to cool completely before unmoulding by hand.

Salted Fish with Pork Belly ~ 咸鱼花腩

2016-12-05T14:52:00.000+08:00

It's the norm to cook and serve this dish in a claypot but in my case, I used a wok as I do not own a claypot. This is a classic dish which very often appears in the menu of most Chinese restaurants. A very appetising dish which pairs well with a bowl of fluffy white rice or plain porridge.

Salted Fish with Pork Belly ~ 咸鱼花腩

Ingredients

450 gm pork belly, cut into bite size
3 dried chillies, soaked in hot water till soft
50 gm salted fish, sliced
5 pips garlic, chopped
6 slices ginger
1 onion, cut to wedges
1 Tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1.1/2 cups water
sugar to taste
spring onions to garnish

Seasoning for Pork Belly

1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 Tbsp dark soya sauce
3/4 Tbsp cornflour

Method

Marinate the pork belly with the above seasoning, set aside.
With some oil, lightly saute the chopped garlic, ginger and dried chillies till fragrant.
Toss in the salted fish, stir-fry.
Add in the seasoned pork belly, stir-fry. Add in the water and let the pork belly simmer till cooked and tender.
Toss in the onion. Fine tune to taste.
Drizzle on the Shaoxing wine and add in the spring onion.
Dish out and serve immediately.

Strawberry Choc Chip Cookies ~ 草莓巧克力曲奇

2016-12-01T13:18:00.000+08:00

These fairly large cookies baked with dried strawberries from my recent holiday up in the Cameron Highlands, are crispy at the sides and slightly soft and chewy in the centre. These will come in handy as a gift for family and friends during the coming festive season. If you prefer the cookies to be crunchy, just bake them a little longer, say about 5 mins. Also, you can substitute the dried strawberries with other dried fruits that you have at hand.

Strawberry Choc Chip Cookies ~ 草莓巧克力曲奇

Ingredients

115 gm butter
40 gm brown sugar
40 gm caster sugar
1 egg
190 gm plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
70 gm dried strawberries, chopped
70 gm choc chips
a pinch of salt

Method

Beat butter and sugar till creamy, add in the egg and vanilla till well combined.
Sieve in plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix well.
Add in chopped strawberries and choc chips. Mix till well combined.
Let chill in the fridge for an hour.
Spoon rounded spoonfuls of batter, 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking tray.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 12 to 15 mins.
Yield : 16 large cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake ~ 花生奶油蛋糕

2016-11-28T14:44:00.000+08:00

I spotted a recipe calling for peanut butter in a cake and since I had some creamy peanut butter and dark chocolate at hand, I didn't procrastinate to bake this. This is a moist, dense but flavourful cake as the peanut butter blends well with the melted chocolate, perfect with a hot cuppa tea.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake ~ 花生奶油蛋糕

Ingredients

300 gm plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
180 gm dark chocolate, melted
125 gm butter
125 gm creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs, separated
75 gm Panela sugar (or you can use brown sugar)
100 gm caster sugar
1 cup milk

Method

Melt the dark chocolate, set aside.
Sift flour with baking powder, set aside.
Beat butter and sugar till light and creamy, add in the egg yolks one at a time, add in vanilla, beat till well incorporated.
On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate, peanut butter, flour and milk. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the batter. Mix well.
Pour the batter into a greased and lightly flour dusted 23 cm springform pan.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for about 45 mins to 50 mins. till a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 mins. before unmoulding and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Bake & Celebrate : Cookies & Treats Cookbook

2016-11-24T17:39:00.000+08:00

I am thrilled to announce that one of my recipes will be featured in this new 'Bake & Celeberate : Cookies & Treats' cookbook. Many thanks to Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Ltd for giving me the opportunity to be part of this joint cookbook.

The book will be sold at S$14.90 once launched at the bookstores in Singapore in December which comes in handy as a gift to your family and friends for the coming festive seasons. But there will be a special pre-order sale for this book at a special price of S$11.95, which is a 20% discount from the actual retail price. There will be a delivery charge of S$10 for orders of 4 copies and below. Free delivery will be provided for 5 copies and above. The pre-order starts from now till 9 December 2016. Kindly direct all orders to letsbakeandcelebrate@gmail.com

As for Malaysian readers, you can place your order @ http://www.mphonline.com/books/nsearchdetails.aspx?&pcode=9789814771689

Thank you for your kind support!

Rice vermicelli and cuttle fish salad ~ 米粉和墨鱼沙拉

2016-11-24T07:46:00.000+08:00

What do you do when you're told last minute that you are eating alone? That was what happened to me recently and fortunately I had some chicken breast meat, a Japanese cucumber and some rice vermicelli. So I just mixed all these together and topped with some homemade sauce and lightly toasted cuttle fish, whipped up this salad...... Yum!

Rice vermicelli and cuttle fish salad ~ 米粉和墨鱼沙拉

Ingredients
2 pcs dried cuttle fish, lightly toasted and shredded
150 gm rice vermicelli, blanched and drained
100 gm chicken breast meat
2 kaffir lime leaves, cut finely
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 Japanese cucumber, seeds removed and sliced

Seasoning for chicken - season with some salt, a bit of sugar, pepper

Homemade dressing
2 bird eye chillies, cut
1 heaped Tbsp peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
lightly toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Poach or steam the chicken, let cool and shred into pieces
Soak the dried vermicelli in water to soften , then blanch in hot water,
drain and set aside
Place the sliced cucumber on the base of the serving plate
Mix the peanut butter with 1 Tbsp of hot water, add in lime juice, fish sauce,
bird eye chillies and honey
Pour this sauce into a mixing bowl
Mix in the kaffir lime leaves and shallots
Add in the blanched rice vermicelli, shredded chicken, toss gently to mix
Mix in the cuttle fish and sesame seeds
Put the mixed rice vermicelli over the cucumber
Serve

Choc Mint Cupcakes ~ 薄荷巧克力蛋糕

2016-11-21T14:31:00.000+08:00

I gave these simple cupcakes a light 'makeover' by dressing them up with toffee shards . together with a light dusting of icing sugar. These cupcakes are moist and soft with a hint of mint chocolate and it will be great to serve them at family gatherings or to your guests during the coming festive season.

Choc Mint Cupcakes ~ 薄荷巧克力蛋糕

Ingredients

300 gm plain flour
45 gm cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150 gm butter
370 gm brown sugar
3 large eggs
200 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla
12 After Eight mint chocolate, chopped
Toffee shards and icing sugar to decorate (optional)
Method
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, set aside.
Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.   Add in the eggs, one at a time.
Add in flour alternating with the milk.
Stir in the choc mint and spoon batter into paper cups.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for about 20 to 25 mins.   Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Yield :   20 cupcakes

Pandan Kaya or Screwpine Egg Jam ~ 班兰咖椰

2016-11-17T12:33:00.000+08:00

Kaya is a Malaysian egg jam made with coconut milk, sugar and eggs. Contrary to most people who like their kaya to be smooth and spreadable, I prefer mine to be a bit coarse, not lumpy but a wee bit grainy so that I can really taste the egg jam.

Pandan kaya is kaya made with additional juice from the pandan or screwpine leaves hence giving it the natural green colour. Kaya on toasts is a very common Malaysian breakfast and I do like to occasionally add a light spread of peanut butter to my kaya toasts as well.

Pandan Kaya aka Screwpine Egg Jam ~ 班兰咖椰

Ingredients
5 medium size eggs
250 ml coconut milk (I used Ayam brand UHT Coconut milk)
230 gm caster sugar
2 Tbsp pandan aka screwpine juice
a few pandan leaves tied into a knot
Method
Snip about 20 pandan leaves (depending on size) and blend with 60 ml water.
Strain and set aside 2 Tbsp juice.
Boil some water in a pot, big enough for the mixing bowl to rest on.
In a mixing bowl, stir the eggs with sugar till sugar is dissolved.
Add in the coconut milk and pandan juice, stir and mix well.
Strain the mixture into another mixing bowl. Add in knotted pandan leaves
Place this mixing bowl of mixture over the big pot of simmering water, (double boil) and keep stirring the mixture with a ball whisk.
After about 15 mins., the mixture will start to thicken a bit, lower the heat and keep stirring after every 10 mins.
Gradually the mixture will start to be grainy, keep stirring and after about an hour, the kaya will be smooth, not so grainy and is done. Discard the pandan leaves.
Use a clean, dry spoon to scoop up the kaya into sterilised and dry bottles, Let the kaya cool completely before closing the lid.
Keep refrigerated.
Yield : 2 Bottles

Banana chiffon with cocoa layering ~ 香蕉戚风蛋糕

2016-11-14T11:19:00.000+08:00

I was attracted by the Banana Chiffon with Cocoa Layering recipe posted by Wendy and was keen to give it a try. What really caught my eye was the fine lines of cocoa in the cake. Since I had some very ripe Pisang Berangan, I didn't hesitate to bake this chiffon cake and was delighted when the cake turned out nicely with the cocoa designs. The chiffon was soft and moist as in most bakes with bananas and my kitchen was filled with sweet smelling banana fragrance while it was baking in the oven!

Banana chiffon with cocoa layering ~ 香蕉戚风蛋糕 (adapted from 'here' )

Ingredients (A)

250 gm peeled over-ripe bananas
50 ml milk
60 ml oil
5 large egg yolks
125 gm plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cocoa powder for dusting

(B)
5 large egg whites
80 gm caster sugar
1/2 tsp vinegar

Method

Puree the bananas with milk, mix in oil, vanilla and egg yolks till smooth.
Sift flour with bicarbonate of soda into the banana mixture, stir till smooth.
Beat egg whites with vinegar till very foamy, then gradually add in the the sugar in batches and beat till stiff peaks form.
Fold in 1/3 egg whites into the banana mixture, mix well, followed by the remaining egg whites.
Scoop 1/3 of batter into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake pan, level the surface and sift a thin layer of cocoa powder over it.
Gently spoon another 1/3 batter over the cocoa layer, repeat step (5).
Level the remaining batter. (No need to tap the cake pan).
Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 50 mins., test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
Immediately invert the cake and let cool completely before removing by hand.

Steamed Purple Sweet Potato Kuih

2016-11-12T15:48:00.000+08:00

This Steamed Purple Sweet Potao Kuih is my second attempt as the top layer was too thick on my first try. So, this time around I decided to reduce the recipe for the top layer and it does look much better! Taste wise, you may ask .... mmm, soft and not too sweet, good for breakfast or snack, any time of the day!

Recipe for Steamed Purple Sweet Potato Kuih

Ingredients - Bottom Layer

180 gm rice flour
30 gm green pea flour
300 ml water
480 ml water
220 gm granulated sugar
50 gm steamed sweet potato bits

Method

Mix the rice flour, green pea flour and 300 ml water thoroughly. Sieve the mixture into a pot.
Add in 480 ml water and sugar, keep stirring and cook on low heat.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, turn off heat. Pour mixture onto an oiled 8.1/2 inch square tin.
Toss in the steamed sweet potato bits. Steam on medium heat for 25 mins. or till the surface is a bit firm to the touch.

Top Layer

85 gm plain flour
60 gm granulated sugar
100 ml egg, lightly beaten
100 ml coconut milk
3.1/2 Tbsp sweet potato paste
270 ml water

Method

Mix the plain flour, coconut milk, eggs, sweet potato paste and water. Mix well and sieve the mixture into a pot.
Add in sugar, keep stirring and cook on low flame.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, turn off heat. Pour mixture onto the surface of the bottom layer.
Cover with a piece of foil to prevent water from dripping onto the kuih. Steam on medium heat for 35 to 40 mins.
Remove from steamer and let kuih cool completely before cutting it up with a plastic knife.
Serve.

French Bean Omelette ~ 四季豆煎蛋

2016-11-10T12:33:00.000+08:00

Eggs are very versatile and you can easily stir up dishes with eggs. This French bean omelette is a very popular homey dish and I'm sure that many Chinese households have served this dish one way or another. This dish can be easily prepared with a few ingredients and can be served with white rice or plain porridge.

French Bean Omelette ~ 四季豆煎蛋

Ingredients

3 Large eggs
100 gm French beans cut into small pieces
1.1/2 tsp light soya sauce
1/8 tsp salt

Method

Beat up the eggs with a fork or a pair of chopsticks
Add in the light soya sauce
Shallow fry the French beans with salt, dish out
Add some oil to the pan and pour in some beaten egg
Add in the French beans on top
Pan-fry till light brown and flip the omelette over
and pan-fry till cooked
Dish onto serving plate

Steamed Savoury Pumpkin Cake ~ 蒸金瓜糕

2016-11-09T09:53:00.000+08:00

This is my first attempt at making this 'Savoury Steamed Pumpkin Cake'. I was a bit hesitant in the beginning and after googling here and there for the recipe, decided upon trying it out. Fortunately, it turned out well and family members gave the thumbs up. Phew ....... worth all the effort, chopping and frying in this weather!
Read on for the Recipe

Avocado Chiffon Cake ~ 鳄梨戚風蛋糕

2016-11-07T13:14:00.000+08:00

This is a soft, moist and fluffy chiffon cake with a slight hint of creamy avocado. No oil is used in this recipe as the avocado is already creamy by itself. Great to serve with a hot cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or just to snack on.

Avocado Chiffon Cake ~ 鳄梨戚風蛋糕

Ingredients

(A) 5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup avocado juice
128 gm plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

(B) 5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
75 gm caster sugar

Method
Blend 1 medium size ripe avocado with 1/2 cup water or more. Strain to get 1/2 cup juice.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
Add in the strained avocado juice into the egg yolks, mix well with a ball whisk.
Sift in the flour with the baking powder into the egg yolk mixture, mix till smooth.
Sprinkle the cream of tartar into the egg whites, beat on low till foamy. Add in the sugar in three batches and beat till soft peaks form, but not dry.
Add in 1/3 meringue into the egg mixture, fold in with a ball whisk, continue with the remaining meringue and mix thoroughly.
Lightly tap the bowl on the work top to dispel any air pockets.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake pan, level the surface and lightly tap the pan again.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 150 deg. C for 50 to 60 mins. Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
Immediately invert the cake and let cool completely before unmoulding by hand.

Mixed nuts and Date tea bread baked in a Nut Loaf Tin ~ 坚果干枣蛋糕

2016-11-03T12:24:00.003+08:00

I was really glad to receive this Nut Loaf Tin from my daughter and was very anxious to bake something in it. I googled to see how to bake a cake using this loaf tin and for a split second I was afraid that it may not be able to fit into my oven, standing upright. But just to satisfy my intense eagerness, I removed all the racks and luckily it could fit in on the lowest shelf with a bit of air space at the top.

I googled for a recipe and with some plus and minus modifications, managed to bake a nutty date tea bread.

I was greeted by a 'smiling Huat Kuih' when I removed the lid of the tin. I had expected a round or slightly cracked dome shaped top and certainly not a 'forked' one. But after slicing off the top, it looked pretty decent for the pictures. So that was a consolation and moreover the taste was good, moist and not too sweet. Texture was somewhat like a steamed cake. I could serve it with a light spread of butter as well. I should have levelled the surface before I closed the lid but well, need to remember not to miss this step in my next attempt,

Mixed nuts and Date tea bread baked in a Nut Loaf Tin ~ 坚果干枣蛋糕

Ingredients

150 ml water
60 gm chopped pitted dates
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60 gm brown sugar
160 gm self-raising flour
1 egg
100 gm mixed nuts ( I used walnuts, pistachio, almonds & cashews)
50 gm butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Method
Boil water, brown sugar, butter till sugar is dissolved.
Add in dates and boil for another 5 mins. till syrupy.
Remove from heat. Let it cool.
Grease a Nut Loaf tin well and set aside.
Add bicarbonate of soda to date mixture, flour, egg, cinnamon and nuts. Mix well (batter is thick) and scoop the batter into the greased tin. Level the surface.
Close the lid.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 170 deg.C, upright and bake for about 50 to 55 mins.
Let cool for a while and then gently remove the lid and check with a skewer till it comes out clean.
Once cooled, open the bottom lid and slowly slide the cake out.

Note :
As you will notice, this is a very small recipe and good enough to fit into this Nut Loaf Tin. If the batter is more than halfway up the Tin, the lid may explode or the cake may be squashed while baking. Click 'here' for more tips on using this tin.

Black Glutinous Rice Angku Kuih

2016-11-01T01:11:00.000+08:00

These Black glutinous rice Angku Kuih was made quite some time ago but I had to put the post on hold as I was pre-occupied with the posts for Chinese New Year Cookies. The dough was prepared a day before and kept refrigerated till ready for use. These angku kuih was soft and chewy and I must thank Happy Flour for sharing this recipe.

Recipe for Black Glutinous Rice Angku Kuih

Ingredients (Dough)

130 gm glutinous rice flour
50 gm sweet potatoes, peeled, steamed, mashed
20 gm black glutinous rice flour
125 ml water (to add sparingly)
1/2 Tbsp oil

Filling

150 gm split mung beans
80 gm - 100 gm sugar
1.1/2 Tbsp oil

Method (Filling)

Soak the beans overnight, steam for 35 to 40 mins. or till soft.
While hot, blend the beans with 1 cup of water.
Heat up oil in a pan and fry the bean paste with sugar till it forms into a paste, leave to cool.

Method (Dough)

Mix all the ingredients together, knead to form a soft dough, adding in water sparingly.
Wrap wiht clign wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. (This is to allow the flour to absorb the liquid).
Let dough rest in room temperature, knead before use. (If dough is dry, add water, if dough is wet, add some glutinous rice flour).
Dust the mould with some rice flour.
Pinch some dough to form a ball, flatten, put in the filling, wrap up into a ball and place the ball of dough into the mould. Press it in a bit and knock out the kuih. Place the kuih onto a greased banana leaf.
Steam under medium heat, small kuih for 3 mins. while the big ones take 6 mins.
Remove the kuih and immediately brush on some oil.
Let cool, serve.

Note : Small kuih - 15 gm dough/15 gm filling. Big kuih - 50 gm dough/50 gm filling.

Sour plum Chicken ~ 酸梅鸡

2016-10-31T15:02:00.000+08:00

There are many sweet and sour dishes in Chinese cuisine and many of them calls for deep-frying of the meat, be it chicken, pork, pork ribs or fish. I do not encourage deep-frying in my kitchen and this dish only requires some sauteing and pan-frying and hence not much of oily mess to clean up. The sweet and sour sauce helps to 'open' up your appetite and pairs very well with white rice or bread.

Sour Plum Chicken ~ 酸梅鸡

Ingredients
700 gm free-range chicken, cut into bite size
1 tomato, cut in wedges
2 sour plums, lightly mashed
4 pips garlic, chopped
a small knob of ginger, chopped
2 red birdeye chillies, chopped
1 tsp taucheong, bean paste
1/2 tsp dark soya sauce
Seasalt to taste
Sugar to taste
2 tsp Cornflour + 1 Tbsp water to thicken

Method
Marinate the chicken with some seasalt
In a non-stick pan, heat up some oil and saute
the chopped garlic, ginger, chillies and bean paste till fragrant
Add in the chicken , pan fry and add in 1 cup of water, the sour plum and
let it simmer till chicken is cooked
Add in dark soya sauce, seasalt and sugar to taste
Toss in the tomato wedges
Add in cornflour mixture to thicken
Dish out and serve with rice