Huat Kueh

Huat kueh is steamed rice cake made of rice flour.I didn't know that these was so easy to make.It's not my favourite,but suddenly I had the urge to made it after seeing my sister in law made.Guess what?It has ENO(fruity salt) added to it to help it rise."Huat" meaning rise or" rise in prosperity" for some.This is my first time making Huat kueh and surprisingly it did rise.My mom use to buy this from the market when she wanted to pray for the god and ancestors.That is why I called this the "praying god"cake.It is often white or pink in color but,today there are many different kinds of color.It is surprising to note that there are also green,brown and yellow colors.They are all very beautiful,high and all smiles.I do not like Huat kueh probadly because it's tasteless in favors.Maybe this is just only me.Some people found it nice.When I was young,I had a recipe that uses 7-up(carbonated drinks)instead of Eno.The recipe has long been lost and not found.I had to search online for this and I found this:https://kwgls.wordpress.com.I decided to go for the simplest.not having eggs or butter.I didn't know that there are many different types of versions to this recipe.Whatever versions,they all look like Huat Kueh.One thing I don't understand is why nowadays,they make it looked like muffins.Cute!

I made two batches,since they are so easy.One white and one pink cos my daughter likes pink.

Ingredients:

200 grams rice flour

100 grams icing sugar

175 mills water

1 packet ENO(fruity salt for indigestion)

1/2 tsp baking powder

food coloring(optional)

Prepare the steamer or wok with enough water.Bring to boil using high heat.

Sieve the rice flour,baking powder and icing sugar into a big mixing bowl.Add water and food color.Stir well.Scrap the sides of the bowl.Add the Eno and mix well.Steam in high heat until cook.

Pisang Goreng

Fried Banana Fritters or Cucur Pisang/goreng pisang as it is called in malay.All I know is,it's very famous here in Malaysia,Singapore and Indonesia.
Growing up in Malaysia we ate this fried fritters very often.Sold on the roadside and shop corners and even at the front houses of kampungs.Today,we can even find it sold on the parking spaces.It is not hard to find.It is also inexpensive.Let me remind you that it is considered to be very heaty.Often ate will tend to have sore throat,unless some of you may not.This are very nice Malaysian fritters.

Last night,I made this cucur pisang.As you can see here in the picture above,my ones are too thick compared to others I think.It's not hard to find the recipes as there are plenty on the web and also on the books, but it is also not easy to choose which one.Everyone has their own special ingredients.I do not know which one to follow.Confused.One recipe caught my eye though! It has what I got at home.It is very,very yummy!Try it and you will know.

What you'll need:

 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
 1/4 tablespoon vanilla powder
 1/2 cup milk
 1 egg
 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
 4 ripe bananas,(pisang rajah)

Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and vanilla powder. Make a well in the center, and pour in milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fold in banana slices until evenly coated.
2. Heat plenty of  oil in a wok.
3. Drop banana pieces by tablespoon into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bananas from oil, and drain on paper towels.
 
Serving:Enough for 5 people

Note:I have now use custard powder instead of vanilla powder.

PETITE PIE

Recipe from years ago,taken from the book,BUTTER CUP.I do a bit of an alteration to the filling.I added corn flakes to make it more flaky and because I found it very sweet that I decided to add the cornflakes to make it less sweet.The taste was awesome!Dessicated coconut and cornflakes.

As I couldn't finished making it in a day,I kept it in the refrigerator and continued making the next day.Then I ran out of the pastry and there were still some fillings left.I then put the filling in small papercups and baked for 10 minutes.These I made it into our snacks for the day.

Recipe:
pastry
250 g Buttercup butter
450 g flour
25 g cornflour
1 egg yolk
few drops/teaspoons iced cold water

filling
4 egg whites
100 g dessicated coconut
100 g crushed cornflakes
485 g icing sugar
jam-any types

method
Sieve flour and cornflour into a mixing bowl.Add in the butter and egg yolk.Use finger tips to mix the ingredients like breadcrumbs.Add in cold water and make into a dough.Chilled in in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you go make the filling.
Beat egg whites till stiff.Add in icing sugar .Beat till smooth and fluffy.Add in the dessicated coconut and crushed cornflakes.
Roll the pastry to 0.2 cm thick.Cut with pastry cutter to fill the paper cups inside the muffin tins.Spoon  1 teaspoon jam to the pastry.Add in the filling.
Heat oven to 190° C.Bake until it turns golden,about 15-20 minutes.

ORIGINAL RECIPE:
250 g Buttercup
450 g flour
25 g cornflour
1 egg yolk
few drops/teaspoons iced cold water

FILLING:
4 egg whites
200 g dessicated coconut
600 g icing sugar
Cherries for decoration
Jam-apricot or pineapple for the filling
30 paper cups

METHOD:
Sieve the flour and cornflour into a mixing bowl.Cut in buttercup.Add beaten egg yolk.Mix ingredients with finger tips.Add in cold water to make dough/pastry.chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Beat egg whites till stiff.Add in icing sugar.Beat till smooth and fluffy.Add in dessicated coconut.
Roll pastry to 0.2cm thick.Cut with pastry cutter to fit the paper cups.Put pastry into muffin tin.Spoon 1 teaspoon jam.Add in coconut filling.Decorate with cherry.
Heat oven to moderate to hot.Bake pie in the hot oven till golden 15-20 minutes.(Temp 375° F or 190° C)

Note:
Add on for the day was the agar-agar( below)

Layered agar-agar for the hot day today

Transparent agar-agar strains

Spring Onion Pancake

Here is my latest sharing:flour pancake with spring onions from my garden and egg fillings.
A "Breakfast for two"

And now here is a quick shared recipe:

1 cup water
120g flour
2 tbsp sugar
a bit of salt
2 stalks spring onions,cut to small pieces
eggs

Method:

Stir sugar with water until dissolved.Put in the flour and spring onions and mix well together.
Heat up the wok.Put 1 tbsp oil.Using a 1/3 cup,scoop up the batter and make into a pancake,swirling the wok one whole circle to make it wide and thin.Use low fire.Crack one egg in.When egg started to cooked a little,fold the pancake like an envelope shape.Then turn it over to the other side for just a few more minutes to let the egg properly cooked inside.Take it out.Do the same for the next one.Use fork and knife to cut and serve.

"HAPPY BREAKFAST'

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak With Curry Chicken

Nasi Lemak is very famous here in Malaysia and Singapore.It can be be found everywhere,for example in school canteen,kopi-tiam/coffee shop,streets stalls,cafe and even in restaurants and hotels.No one can resist the savoury taste of this combination of sweet,salty,spicy and sour taste of nasi lemak.(not really sour as to say)The word "lemak" sounds a bit scary.Lemak means fat in malay language,and nasi means rice,hence "Nasi Lemak".(fat rice). I eat nasi lemak without the spicy thing call "sambal", which is very spicy for some people who don't eat chilli,like me.Adding curry chicken to go with it is an option.Salted fish can be a substitute to anchovies.The egg can be either fried or hard-boiled as you preferred.
People said what makes a good nasi lemak special is making a tastier sambal.If your sambal is done right,then your nasi lemak is nice ,but for me,my nasi lemak will only be nice if I topped up with curry.That's me! I do eat with sambal if it is not spicy.

Ingredients:

3 cups rice

1 cup coconut milk

2 1/2 cups water

4 pandan leaves knotted

(A) You can also use blender to blend the ingredients.

50g small chillies,softened in warm water,pounded finely

2 red onions,

1 tsp belacan(dry shrimp paste

1/2 big onions,sliced thinly

(B)

2 tbsp sugar

 about 1 tbsp assam(turmeric)soaked in 4 tbsp water and squeezed into juice

salt to taste

50g ground peanuts,fried

40g anchovies,fried

4 hard-boiled eggs

Method making sambal paste

Heat 6-8 tbsp oil in wok.Fry (A) till aroma.Add (B) and continue cooking till paste thickens.

Coconut rice:

Wash rice three times and drain well.Mix the coconut milk and water in.Add salt.about 1 tbsp or less.Put the knotted pandan leaves in for fragrant rice.When rice has cooked,serve rice with peanuts,anchovies/salted fish, egg and curry chicken.

Enjoy the tastiness of Malaysian food.

Curry chicken:

500g chicken breast

2 potatoes

3 pieces garlics

2 pieces onions

2 stalks shallots

60g curry powder

3/4 cup evaporated milk

Cut potatoes into cubes.Cut the chicken breasts to small pieces.Blend the onions ,shallots and garlics.

Heat up 3 tbsp oil in kuali.Lower the flame.Fry the onions,shallots and garlics till brown.Add in curry powder together with a small bowl of water under low heat into a smooth paste.Quickly add in the potatoes and then the chickens.Add some more water if needed..Add salt to taste.Cover to simmer till chickens and potatoes are tender.Lastly,add in the evaporated milk.Stir for a while and dish it up.

Pancakes

At last,I made pancakes.I've always wanted to make but I don't have the non-stick pan.I decided to go buy a new one with a fairly discounted price.Okay!so here I am,making pancakes,standing hot in the kitchen.I made eleven pancakes.Hmmm...the pancakes results were soft and fluffy.My son drizzle honey on top of it.I decided to put some peanut butter and make it look like dorayaki,the japanese pancakes,but too bad,my peanut butter had finished.Eat plain then.

Ingredients to follow:

240g self-raising flour

1 tablespoons baking powder

90g castor sugar

235ml evaporated milk

2 eggs

Methods:

Whisk the milk and eggs together with a mixer.Add in sifted flour and sugar,Add in the baking powder.If it's too dry,add in another 10ml of milk.Whisk again.Leave for one hour first.After one hour,mix the batter well.
Take out the non-stick pan.Wrap a little bit of butter in paper napkins and wipe the pan.Scoop up one-third batter and drop into the center of the non-stick pan.Flap over to the other side when bubbles forms.Serve warm with honey.

Sardines Rolls

Sardine Rolls

My afternoon snacks for today.Due to so many leftover sardines that I've to do this.

Filling: 

1 small tin sardines

1 small chilli

1 red onions.finely diced

1 lime,seeds thrown

a dash of soy sauce

Pastry:

250g flour

75g margarine

3/8 cup (1/4 cup +2 tablespoon)water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Methods:

Mash the sardines with a fork.Pound the chilli.Add to the sardines.Add the red onions.Add a dash

of soya sauce in and mix altogether.Put aside.Cover so that flies don't come and breed while you 

make the dough.

Rub margarine with the flour until breadcrumbs form.Add in water and salt.Knead until a dough is formed.Roll to 1/8 " thickness.Cut into small equal rectangular shape.Put in the fillings and roll it up.Brush the top with egg yolks.Bake over moderate heat(175°C for 30 mins or until it turned 

slightly brown.

Oreo Cheese cake

My Oreo Cheese Cake topped with white chocolate and decorate with jelly

 I baked this for my son who is away from home joining the national service(PLKN)His birthday is just two days away,but unfortunately we can't celebrate with him.His birthday will have to be a bit earlier,so we brought it to the camp.







Recipe:
crust bought ready
a packet of Oreo biscuits,crushed
1/3 cup butter,melted
3 Tatura brand cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla.

Method:
Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.Prepare crust with melted butter and put on the pan.(I usually make it thin as I don't like thick crust)Use a springform cake tin.Refrigerate while you make the filling.Beat cream cheese with sugar in a large mixing bowl.Blend well.Add in the yogurt.Add in vanilla as well.Mix well.Add eggs one at a time slowly with mixer at low speed until just blended.Add in the crushed biscuits.Pour into the crust.Bake in the oven for 55 mins.Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

Blue ice Blended

Learn how to make ice blended drink

Things you'll need:

Commercial Blender(If you don't have one,use your fruit blender at home)

2 tablespoons full of ice blended powder(choice of blue ice,strawberry,peach,blueberry,etc,etc)

1 cup of ice

half cup of cold water

How to make:

1.Plug in your blender.

2.Put the flavouring powder into the blender.

3.Next throw in the cup of ice and half cup of water.

4.Start to blend until you hear no ice sound.

Optional:Black pearl added to it if you prefer.

Learn how to make milkshake

Things you'll need:

Shaker

2-3 tablespoons flavouring powder

1 cup ice

1/3 cup hot water

How to make:

1.Mix the flavour powder drink with the water.Stir well.

2.Pour in the shaker together with the ice.

3.Shake vigorously for 10 times.

4.Pour into glass.Now your milk shake is ready to drink.

Have a nice cold drink on a very hot day!





HOME IMPROVEMENT-THE LIVING ROOM

The Cozy Feel

Nice cozy,warm house

Chinese New Year 2013
 

2014

 



 

 

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!