Golden Huat Kueh

恭喜发财。
我蒸了一些金发糕与您分享。我试过这食谱两次，都成功。
这食谱是从“料理美食王”得到的。希望你们会喜欢。
对了，我的两个孩子都爱吃这金发糕。
Picture above: Remove "huat kueh" from the tea-cup when it's cooled. I didn't "greased" the tea-cups, what I did was to make sure the "tea-cups" are being heated before pouring the batter into it and steam.
Picture above shown the actual size of the huat kueh. The palm-size of a 16 months old toddler.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Corn Kernel (canned)

2 tbsp of chopped chinese celery 芹菜

3 slices of ham (cut into small squares)

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 1/2 cup water (room temperature)

2 tbsp custard powder

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 cup rice flour

1 1/2 cup cake flour

Method:

Heat the water in the pot with some tea-cups (陶瓷茶杯) in it.

Mix the sugar with water and stir till the sugar has been dissolved. Add cake flour, rice flour, custard powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda into the sugar water and mix well. Add corn, ham and chinese celery into the mixture and mix well.

Fill the "hot" tea-cups with batter up to 90% full, and steam at very high heat for 12 -15 minutes or till done.

Golden rules:

1. Do not add too much of bicarbonate of soda as it will give a very bitter taste.

2. The water should be boiling before the steaming of "huat kueh".

3. If using porcelain tea-cups to steam the "huat kueh", make sure it's been heated before adding the batter into tea-cups.

4. Always remember, "A wok is better than a steamer, a small pot is better than a big pot".

5. Do not open the cover and peep the "huat kuehs" within the first 12 minutes.

Jemput-Jemput Pisang

Banana Fritters (jemput-jemput pisang)

I have 3 very ripe bananas. So I've decided to make these banana fritters for afternoon tea. My daughter likes it very much.
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
3 tbsp plain flour
1 1/2 tbsp castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Oil for deep-frying

Method:
Lightly mash the bananas in the mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients except the oil into the mixing bowl. Mix well.
Heat the oil and drop a tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and deep-fry in medium heat until golden brown. Serve as snack.

Vanilla Sponge Cupcakes

This sponge cupcake is very light. It tastes like those steamed egg cakes ~ 鸡蛋蒸糕. My 16 months old son likes to eat it.

Vanilla Sponge Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
120g castor sugar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp corn oil
1 tsp ovalette
120g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
Chocolate chips for toppings (optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven at 170 deg C.
Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla essence till fluffy. Follow by adding the rest of the ingredients gradually and beat till light and fluffy. Spoon the batter into papercups and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or till done.

Kuih Lapis 九层糕

This recipe was taken from fenying's blog. I did some changes as I don't have fresh pandan leaves and fresh coconut milk. This kuih lapis recipe has been tried and tested by many members at M4M parenting forum. It's highly recommended, should give it a try.

Kuih Lapis

Ingredients A:

220g sugar

150ml water

a bit of pandan paste

Ingredients B:

50g rice flour

50g sago flour

130g tapioca flour

200ml coconut milk (packet)

280ml water

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1) Put Ingredients B into a mixing bowl and mix well.

2) Mix Ingredients A and bring to boil. Pour into Ingredients B and mix well, strain.

3) Divide batter into 2 equal parts. Add red coloring in 1 part.Leave 1 part white

4) Heat up a 16 - 18 cm steaming tray, pour 100g of white mixture into the steaming tray and steam for 5 mins

5) pour 100g of red mixture on top of the white layer and steam for 5 mins

6) Repeat until the last layer, steam for 10 mins

7) Remove, leave to cool completely before using a plastic knife to cut into pieces. Serve.

Stir-fry potatoes with minced meat

This is one of my daughter's favourite dishes. I cook this dish today for lunch. It goes well with porridge.

Ingredients:

1 large potato

100-150g minced meat

2 cloves garlics

2 shallots

1 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce:

1 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup of water

Method:

Marinate the minced meat with a little of light soya sauce and pepper.

Heat the wok with cooking oil, fry chopped garlic and shallots till fragrant.

Add the marinated minced meat and fry for a while. Pour in the sauce and bring to boil. Lastly, add sliced potatoes and covered and simmer with low heat till the sauce has been reduced. Serve.

Bergedel ~ Potato Patties

I made these patties (Bergedel) yesterday for lunch.

Ready to eat.
~ This recipe makes 12 patties

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes

1 can sardines (225g)

1 stalk chinese celery

1 stalk spring onion

1 red chilli

2 shallots

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

4 tbsp cooking oil

Pan-frying...
Use fresh ingredients...

Method:
Remove two sardines' bones and mash well (you can use all 4 sardines from the can). Boil the washed potatoes in a pot of water till cooked. Remove skins and mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl when it's still warm.
Add finely chop shallots, spring onions, chinese celery and red chilli into the mashed potatoes. Add sardines, 2 whole egg plus an egg yolk, salt and pepper into the mixture and mix well. Put an egg white in a small bowl. Wet your hands and mould the patties and dip with some egg white and fry it in a heat up frying pan with heated cooking oil. Use low fire to cook till golden brown.

Long Bean Rice for lunch

Just cook this "kiam png" aka "cai dao png" (in hokkien, salted rice aka long bean rice) for lunch today. My 15 months old son likes to eat. He opened his mouth "wide" and ate more than 5 teaspoonfuls. I'm very happy! Sue Jean went to school this morning. I'm going to fetch her at 1pm later.

Birthday Cakes

Happy New Year!
This will be my first post for the year of 2008.
Last Sunday, we had a birthday celebration for my father, who is 74 years old. We ordered the cake from a bakery shop located at Sembawang Road.
The cake below is for me. My hubby bought me this cake from Bengawan Solo for my birthday celebration on 31 Dec. It's "black forest" cake, chocolate sponge cake with blue berries.

BBQ at Costa Sands chalet

My sister-in-law, Tracy and brother-in-law, Jason rented a chalet at Pasir Ris on 23 Dec 2007. It's a family gathering for Christmas. We had to leave early as our son, Ray Han was tired and sleepy. Here are some photos taken by me. This layered cake is spongy, moist and yummy! It was baked by my sister-in-law, Lian Choo's colleague. This is something new to me. I didn't eat this as I was busy with my son, also I have forgotten all about it. :P My hubby told me it's very yummy! This was prepared by my sister-in-law, Ching Lian.
Not sure where they got this otak-otak from? It's very "hot" and "spicy", everyone likes it.

This "bee-hoon" (rice vermicelli) was fried by me. I manage to take a shot when eaten half-way.

Christmas Star Cookies

My hubby prefers cookies without sugar coating.

These cookies are quite small. Specially baked for my daughter's friends.

Jasmin from M4M shared this recipe with us. This recipe is taken from a past issue of Donna Hay magazine featuring Christmas treats.

Donna Hay's Star Cookies
Makes 32.

Ingredients:
250g butter, softened
175g castor sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
337g plain flour, sifted
1/2 cup clear sanding sugar ( I use 1000's & 100's)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat well to combine.
4. Add the flour and beat until a smooth dough forms.
5. Divide the dough into four portions and wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or until dough is firm.
6. Roll out each portion of dough between two sheets of non-stick baking paper until 3mm thick.
7. Remove the baking paper and use a 7cm star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out eight rounds from each sheet.
8. Place the cookies on baking trays lined with baking paper, sprinkle with the clear sanding sugar and bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies are light golden.
9. Cool on wire racks.

Grilled Chicken Wings

It goes well with fried rice.
Grilling the wings in the oven.
Ready to eat.

I cooked these wings last night for dinner. Everyone in the family likes it, including my 15 months old son. Here's the recipe for you to try.

Barbecued Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
7 chicken wings
1 tsp cooking wine 绍兴酒 or 米酒
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp light soya sauce 酱青
2 tbsp dark soya sauce 酱油
2 tbsp oyster sauce 蚝油
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp pepper

Method:
Combine all the ingredients and marinate the chicken wings for about 2 hours or overnight (keep in the fridge). Grill the chicken wings in the preheated oven at 200 deg C for about 30 minutes or until cooked and golden brown (reduce the temperature to 160 deg C after 20 minutes of cooking). Rotate the tray around in every 10 minutes and flip the chicken wings using a thong or a pair of wooden chopsticks.

Tips: I bought a packet of chicken wings (2 kg) consists of 21 wings in total. I divide them into 3 portions. Wash them thoroughly in running water, drain and put them in 3 plastic bags (2 layers each), that is 7 wings in a plastic bag (2 layers). I put all the ingredients in the bag of wings and shake it. No mess.

I also have two more recipes for BBQ.

BBQ Wings/Meat
Ingredients:
1 kg Chicken Wings/Meat
2 cloves garlic
a thumb sized of ginger
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt

Method:
Grind garlic, ginger to a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Marinade the wings/meat in the fridge for at least 2 hours before barbequing.
----------------
BBQ Prawns/fish
Ingredients:
1 kg prawns/fish
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
Some curry leaves

Method:
Marinade the prawns/fish in the fridge for at least 2 hours before barbequing.

Ways of preparing food

Ways of preparing food

Aging
A process in which meat is tenderised by keeping it a t temperatures of between 0 deg C and 20 deg C for a period of time. This allows enzymes to break down it's tough connective tissues.

Bouquet Garni
A small bundle of herbs, usually comprising bay leaf, parsley and thyme, used to enhance the flavour of a soup or stew.

Butterfly
To slit a piece of food in half horizontally, cutting it almost through, so that it resembles butterful wings when opened up. Chops, large prawns and fish fillets are often done this way so that they cook more quickly.

Reduction
To cook over very high heat, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by evaporation. This will enhance the flavour of the food.