HOME IMPROVEMENT-THE WET KITCHEN

Time for home improvement.

The greasy feel

The unfinished extended kitchen

2013

Before the blocking of walls

Yipee! Our wet kitchen is finally done.It is now open for cooking.

 2014

This kitchen is mainly use  for cooking and washing.There's only just a sink and a gas stove.Very simple but great enough for cooking oily food and not ever to oil my beautiful and expensive cabinets Waters will also not spilled everywhere to wet and damaged the cabinets.So,in other words,the dry kitchen is for dining and storing food.A warm place to relax in the afternoon for a hot/cold tea/ coffee.Why in the world need two kitchen when you already have one to use?You may have wonder.Mostly in Malaysia,we had two kitchen.It's because we tend to cook oily food more often.Frying fish is an example.Now,I tell you why I need two.In recent years,I've difficulty trying to clean the greasy yakki thing(very oily) off my kitchen cabinets.Oil splashed everywhere on the floor and I can't wash the floor which make the greasy feeling when your feet touch on it when you wallked.Mopping the floor won't be as clean as washing the floor with a detergent.With the  now outside kitchen next to it,I can now wash the floor after my cooking is done.(of couse not everyday,only when it gets too oily)Besides that,with the oven shifted outside,I can easily baked and grilled chicken without feeling hot and greasy inside the living room.Malaysia is already a hot and humid place.Between the living room and the kitchen,there are no walls to cover.

See here?This is the divider between the dry kitchen and the wet kitchen

 

Actually,when I first moved in this house,I used to cook outside the kitchen, but it so happen that there are sometimes rats,cats and even dogs coming in from the backyard.Because of this,I have to move in to the inside to cook.This led to my poor cabinets being dirty and the base is now spoilt a little bit from getting damp.Most people here in Malaysia have two kitchens,so I persuade my hubby to make one for me.Hmmm......he do it all by himself to save cost.He took so long though,about six months,but just in time for the Chinese New Year celebration.



The living room leading to the kitchen
2013

2014 

 

 

Next,the living room improvement on my next post 

 

 

Chicken Rice

Can this be called "Hainanese Chicken Rice"?I'm not so sure,but one thing for sure,I can only called it "My Chicken Rice"Not" Singapore Chicken Rice "either!Not a copied recipe,but my own.

How to do?

First,buy one whole chicken from the market,go home and rub the body with coarse salt,all over the skin,everywhere to have a more smooth and firm skin.Other people used korsher salt,but I don't know what's that.Then rinse it off with cold running water.Next,fill a pot with enough water to cover the chicken and boil till it's cooked.Take it out and immerse in a large basin of prepared ice cold water.I think you don't have to do this if you don't like eating the skin and leaving the skin out.You know.sometimes,I leave the skin out.Skin contains too much fat,making the soup very oily and I don't like that.Have the skin on only when you're doing it for business.Skin looks more beautiful,but always remembered,they are too fat and no good for your diet.You wouldn't want soup that is very oily too,don't you?Keep the soup to make broth of your own choice.Mostly,I made salted vegetables or szechuan soup.Decorate your chicken rice with some cucumbers or even tomatoes.Dip your chicken slices with pounded chilli sauce.I love the chilli sauce with vinegar and garlic in it.

Recipe;

1 whole chicken with leg

some coarse salt enough for rubbing the chicken skin

2 pieces of chicken stock(crushed)

2 tablespoon of butter

2 cups of any brand of rice you like

sesame oil

2 small piece of garlics

Chilli paste:

2 red chillies

1 tbsp vinegar(can put more if not enough)

3 small pieces of garlics

Garnishing:

cucumbers

tomatoes(optional)

Method:

Rub the chicken skin with coarse salt,all over,from top to toe.Rinse the salt away.Wash the chicken very clean.

Fill the pot full of water enough to cover the whole chicken.Cover the pot.Wait for the chicken to get cooked.While waiting,wash the rice and make the chilli paste.

Wash the chilli clean.Pound it or grind it with a mixer together with the garlics.Add in the vinegar.Leave aside for later use.

Get back to check the chicken.When done,take it out and immersed into the basin of ice water.

Cook the rice:

Take a wok ,add in the butter ,garlics and put the already washed rice in.Add in the crushed chicken stock and fry till fragrant and looks a little yellow.Put into the pot of a rice cooker.Take 11/2 cup of the chicken soup into the rice and cooked.Cook according to the way you always cooked your rice.Some rice differ with water.It's best that you know how to cooked your own rice.

To make the soup:

The soup can be anything of your choice,szechuan or salted vegetables is best.

To serve:

Take out the rice by using a small bowl and put it onto the plate.(you'll notice the shape of the bowl)Cut some chicken pieces and arrange on your plate together with 5-6 cucumbers or tomatoes.Dash some sesame oil on the chicken.Serve also with the soup and dip your chicken slices with chilli paste or mix the chilli paste with the rice.It is nice.Enjoy!

 

Steam Rice Cake

This steam rice cake is the same as the nine layered kueh.It's not actually a cake,but a local type of dessert from the nyonya origin.It is made of rice and tapioca flour.A sticky type of dessert and can be eaten by taking up layer after layer.That's what everyone do especially children.

Depend on how big the tray you used,some big tray can only made  up to six layers,while a smaller tray can made up to nine layersFor mine here,I used a 9" round tray and I got only six layers.The usual nine layers kueh lapis  uses red colouring and neutral,but for mine here,I used the pandan paste and gula apong.It's different from what I've made several times before and posted in my previous post.I must say,it's not much different.please refer to my older post for the recipe of nine layered kueh lapis.Change the colouring to1 tsp pandan paste on one portion and 2 tablespoon of gula apong on the other portionhttp://www.cocomintt.blogspot.com/2013/06/9-layers-kuih-lapis.html.

HAM CHI PENG

It was the school holiday,and my daughter ask me to make ham chi peng(also known as five spice powder snack)And so off to the market we went,to buy bits and bits of stuff to make it.It was the first semester school break.One short week and we made all this:

Day2 of school holiday:

Ham Chi Paeng

Day 3 of school holiday:

Steamed Rice Cake

Day 4 of school holiday:

Curry Puff and Egg Tarts

Day 5 of school holiday:

Chicken Rice

So these are the things that I made during the one week of school short holidays. I may not be the perfect baker and chef, but I always try to be and will never stop to be. My kids are luckier to have me who always cooked and baked for them. Oh! I almost forgot! I also made Kolo mee(our very famous Sarawakian local noodle)That was on day what? I couldn't remember which day of the school holidays I made. Too many things in a week's time. Not to mention, there is also the Tomato Sauce Kueh Teow for dinner on the following day. It was a happy holiday spending time together with my kids and doing things that I like.
Ham Chi paeng was said to be crispy on the outside and soft or spongy on the inside, but I think we made it way too crispy. We want it to look more brown and beautiful and it ended up too crispy and a bit hard. Therefore, we made another batch.

For the Ham Chi Paeng recipe:

1 kg bread flour
1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
21/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
2 sachets of instant yeast

Method:

Put everything into a large mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Knead into a dough and cover it to let it rise in a warm place. The dough will double in size.

Filling:

2 tbsp 5 spice powder
21/2 tsp salt

Mix the filling. Take the dough out and roll it into a 4 rectangular pieces. Sprinkle some water over the dough. Sprinkle some 5 spice powder over the top on every 4 rectangular pieces and spread evenly using the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough like you roll a swiss roll. Cut into a few pieces. Turn the cut side out and flatten it a bit.
Deep fried in a wok half full of oil until golden brown, but not too brown or it will end up very hard. Let cool before eating.

NOTE: Go to older post for recipes of egg tarts,kuih lapis, and curry puffs.Chicken rice on the next post.

Kek Lapis Haw Flakes

 Haw Flakes Layered Cake

Much more simple kek lapis

At least,one of the few kek lapis that don't have many egg yolks,like 25 or 30 .This is a baked,grilled version.In my previous post,I've got the steamed version.Feel free to check it out!

Ingredients:

A

10 eggs yolk

2 egg white

180 g castor sugar

1 tbsp ovalette

75 ml cold water

1 small tin kaya

1/2 small bottle Horlicks (100 g)

250 g Hong Kong flour

300 g butter(in room temperature)

4 tbsp condensed milk

4 packets of Haw Flakes(rectangle)

Method:

Combine together ingredients A in a mixing bowl.

Beat until fluffy.

Then add in flour a little at a time till well combined.

Lastly,add in butter and condensed milk.Beat until fluffy.

Spread the cake tin with greaseproof paper(either 7" by 7" or 8" by 8" cake tin)

Put 4 tbsp of ingredients into the cake tin and spread evenly.Grill on top heat only.When cooked,put another 4 tbsp again and arrange the Haw Flakes on top.Grill until cooked or brown and repeat the same process again until finished and done.Every layer must be pricked  first with a toothpick to dispersed the wind trapped inside.

For the last layer,used only the low heat for a while,then changed to top heat again until brown and finally done.





PROSPERITY FISH IN ORANGE SAUCE

This one was adapted from "HER WORLD" magazine.It was quite a long time ago.Some ten or more years ago.I only now have a chance to try it out.This dish is meant for Chinese New Year,hence the name "Prosperity Fish",but it doesn't mean you can only cook it during Chinese New Year.You can cook it on any day of the year!Be it for lunch,dinner,or any other occasions like birthday party,coming home of your loves ones.Any special occasions.This may sound silly!Of course everyone knows that!I made this on the eve of Chinese New Year.We had lots of Mandarin Oranges during Chinese New Year and so I decided to make this, when I came across the recipe while searching for Cheesecakes recipe.

Recipe:
11/2 tsps KNORR No added MSG Ikan Bilis Seasoning Powder
500g whole red snapper or grouper,cleaned
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil for frying

SAUCE
2-3 large mandarin oranges
100ml water
2 tbsps sugar
1 tbsp cornflour

GARNISH
1 stalk spring onion,finely shredded
1 stalk fresh coriander

1.Make three 1 cm deep slits on each side of the fish.Season fish with KNORR ikan bilis(anchovy)seasoning powder,pepper and salt.Set aside for 10 mins.
2.Heat oil in a large wok over medium fire.Meanwhile,roll fish in cornflour.Lower fish into hot oil and fry both sides until golden brown.Put on a serving plate.
3.Make the sauce(you can do this while the fish is frying)Using a peeler,thinly remove a few pieces of rind from one orange.Stack together and shred finely.Squeeze 150 ml juice from the oranges.
4. Combine juice,water,sugar and cornflour in a small pan.Heat,stirring well until mixture boils and thickens.Add about 1 tsp orange strips to the sauce.Set aside.
5.Spoon sauce over fish.Garnish with orange peel,spring onion and coriander.

Baked Whole Cheesecake/Soft Japanese cheesecake

Yummy!Yummy!Cheesecake you'll love.Adapted from the book by Betty Yew.

All cheesecake are yummy!Delicious!Everybody loves cheesecake,don't you?
This cheesecake is softer and eggy..This one was made to sell and so I cannot take pictures of the inside.Next time,when I made for myself,I'll update here the after slice pictures.On the top here,I sieved some milo and sprinkle some almond on it.

Ingredients:

650g cream cheese at room temperature

150g butter,at room temperature

11/3 cups castor sugar

8 large eggs,separated

1 tsp freshly grated lemon rind

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp almond essence

1 tsp lemon essence

1/4 cup corn flour sifted

Milo for dusting the top

some almond nibs(optional)

Method:

In an electric mixer,blend cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.Add half the castor sugar,egg yolks,lemond rind and all essences.

Beat mixtures at lowest speed for 2-3 minutes or until well combined.Add cornflour and beat until well combined.

In a bowl with a cleaned beater,beat egg whites until they hold soft peak.Beat in remaining sugar a little at a time until the egg whites hold stiff peaks.Fold into creme cheese mixture gently but thoroughly.

Pour batter into a greased baking pan and put pan in a larger cake pan.Add enough hot water to the larger baking pan,reaching halfway sides of pan.

Bake cake in middle of preheated 175°C oven for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake is set.Remove cake pan from water bath and let it cool completely in pan on a wire rack.Chill for 10-12 hours or preferably overnight.

To remove cheesecake from mould,dip cake pan in a large pan of hot water for 5 seconds.Invert a platter over it and invert cheesecake onto the platter.Dust(sieved)top of cake with Milo and sprinkle some almond nibs on side(if used)

Here,update pictures of my very soft and yummy cheesecake.

Best cheesecake

Finally,after 2 years I got to make this again.

Moist Chocolate Cake

CHOCOLATE MOIST CAKE

Craving for chocolate cake? Then try this one.

This is a very nice moist chocolate cake.It is a very old recipe taken from the book by Betty Yew.

Once baked and cooled down,it has to be put inside the fridge to chill for easy cut or otherwise it would look like crumbs when you cut it.When chilled,it is nice to eat too.

So here is the easy to follow recipe:

Ingredients:

180g butter

360g castor sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp instant coffee granules

1 tbsp hot water

1 tbsp brandy

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup water

Sifted Ingredients (combined)

240 g plain flour

75 g cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/2 tsp salt

Grease sides and line base of a 35 x 11 cm loaf pan or a 20 cm square cake tin with greased greasedproof paper.

Cream butter and castor sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time,beating well.

Dissolve coffee granules in hot water.Stir in brandy and vanilla.Add to remaining water and stir.

Stir coffee mixture alternately with sifted dry ingredients,a third at a time into the butter mixture.Blend well and pour into prepared tin.

Bake in preheated oven °C for 55-60 minutes.Leave cake to cool in the tin 20-30 minutes,then turn out to cool on a wire rack.

Note:Below here is new pictures that I update after I made the cake another time.This time using 

dark chocolate and adding in some raisins after I lessens the sugar to 250g.

Oreoly Cake

Steamed Layered Oreo

Steam layer by layer.

After it is done,bake

for 15 minutes to make

it last longer

This is the perfect cake that has Oreo in it.I can't really tell you how good it is, but it was really good. Try it for yourself.The original recipe uses Chocolate Fingers, but I can't find so I used Oreo biscuits instead. I alter the recipe a bit, that is, with a mint flavour in the centre and chocolate taste in between the layers and top. You can also change the chocolate layer on top and bottom. It's all up to you how you're going to arrange the layers.

This cake was baked during the Chinese New Year Celebration

Some of the few cakes order from customers

Recipe to follow:

Ingredients:

A

6 egg yolks

250g butter

3 tbsps sweetened condensed milk

B

6 egg whites

220g castor sugar

C

170g low protein flour sifted

1 tsp pink colouring

a drop of pandan paste

1 tsp peppermint essence

2 cubes of cooking chocolate melted in double-boiler, mix with 2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 big packet of Oreo biscuits(without cream)

Note: In order not to waste away the cream, I ask my children to spread it on other biscuits.

Method:

.Beat ingredients A till light and fluffy.

.In a clean mixing bowl,beat egg whites of ingredient B till moist peaks form. Gradually add in sugar 

 little by little. Beat till mixture holds its shape. Do not overbeat.

.Fold A mixture and B mixture together. Fold in C in 3 batches till thoroughly mix.

.Divide mixture into five small bowls.(i found this is much easier)

.Put different colours into each bowl.(depends on your choice, I put 2 chocolate colours)

 

.Fill the wok with enough water for steaming. Grease and line a 7"x7" cake tin.

.Pour in the first layer colour of your choice. After the first layer is cooked, arrange Oreo biscuits on top 

Cover with the next colour of your choice and steam till cooked. Again, arrange Oreo biscuits on top, alternating with the green colour(cos I want to have the mint favour in the centre)

Then Oreo, then the next colour till all are used up.

.Make sure every layer is cooked first before adding in the next layer. (I once made a mistake by

 adding in too quickly before the layer were cooked and the layers turned out not so even)

 Steam for another half hour and turn off the fire and leave to cool in the wok for about 20 minutes. Take the cake out and cool further on a wire rack. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator.

An update to this post:

The cake can only look nice and easier to cut when kept cold in the fridge

This is another version of colours, make again on the 14th day of the Chinese New Year.

Coffee Cheese cake

4 pkg(8 oz.each) PHILADELPHIA Cream cheese,softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp instant coffee

1 tbsp coffee paste

1packet OREO biscuits(crushed to pieces)

180g butter

Crust biscuits.Melt butter.Mix the biscuits crumbs together with the butter.Put into the baking pan.Flatten with the back of a spoon and put inside the fridge to chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°F.Beat cream cheese,sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.Add eggs,mix just until well-blended.Microwave milk in small microwaveable bowl on high for 15 seconds.Add instant coffee,coffee paste and stir until well dissolved.Add to batter,mix well.Pour into crust.Bake for 40 mins or center is almost done.Refrigerate overnight.

Crunchy Cinnamon Cookies

 A simple to do perfect cookies for the Chinese New Year.If you are thinking of making cookies,but lazy or have no time to make,here is a simple to do recipe.Unlike the pineapple tarts,which takes up a lot of time.Happy Baking!Gong Xi Fatt Choy!



Ingredients:

1 cup castor sugar(brown sugar can do)

1 cup butter/margarine,softened

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

13/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup NESTUM CEREAL

1 Cup cornflakes

1/2 cup raisins

Method:

Heat oven to 180°C.In a large bowl,beat castor sugar and butter/margarine with an electric mixer on medium speed till creamy.
On low speed,beat in eggs and vanilla until well-mixed.
Beat in flour,baking soda,cinnamon and salt intil well-mixed.
Stir in the cereal,cornflakes and raisins.Mix thoroughly.
Drop a heap of mixture with teaspoon(u need 2 tsp,1 for scraping it down) into small baking cups.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or when it turns brown in color.Cool before storing in an airtight
container.

Coffee Cheese Cake

I made this cheesecake on a sunday afternoon,and within 3 hours of chilling in the fridge,it was gone.Son kept persuading to eat.Recipe source from PHILADELPHIA

Here's the Coffee Cheese Cake recipe:

2pkg(8oz.each)PHILADELPHIA Cream cheese,softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 tbsp milk

2 tbsp instant coffee

1 OREO Pie crust(60z)I just used plain MARIE Crackers

Preheat oven to 350°F.Beat cream cheese,sugar,and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.Add eggs,mix just until blended.Microwave milk in small microwaeable bowl on HIGH for 15 seconds.Add instant coffee,stir until dissoved.Add to batter,mix well.Pour into crust.Bake 40 minutes until center is almost set.Cool.Regrigerate several hours or overnight.Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

I just use the basic crust recipe:

150 g marie biscuits crushed into breadcrumbs

90 g butter,melted

Mix the biscuits crumbs together with the butter and spread on the base of a cake tin with the back of a wooden spoon.Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.