Puen Kueh

Puen Kueh

Not so sure what this is called exactly but we it called "Bi Bao Bi' in hokkien.The outside is made of rice flour and the inside is filled with glutinous rice.Meaning,rice wrapped with rice.It is either pink or white in colour.I have got this recipe long ago,but I wasn't too keen to make .I bought the mould not too long ago.Kept it inside the drawer of my kitchen cabinet for a month.So,tonight I finally decided to make it.Why I finally decided to make it is because of the left over glutinous rice of making Bak Chang the day before.I know,pink is more beautiful but I don't want to eat anything artificial.This is one of the very long time ago local kueh.There are other fillings like salted vegetables(known as kiam chai among the locals)and pounded coarse peanuts.Whatever fillings you put,it is still nice to eat.It is almost similar to another local kueh called "Chai Kueh.

For those who are interested to make,please follow the recipe below:

250g rice flour
150g tapioca flour
450 ml hot water

Filling:
250g glutinous rice(soaked overnight or 6 hours)
50g dried prawns
5 dried muchrooms
1 chicken stock
60g pounded peanuts
1 garlic
1 onion
3tbsp oil
 oil

1.Heat up oil in a wok.Fry the onion,garlic and dried prawns till fragrant.
2.Put in the muchrooms.
3.Put the rice in and add chicken stock.Also add some water.Fry until the rice get cookedTake it out and put in a steaming tray.Steam for  30 mins over medium heat.Let cool.

How to make the dough;

1.Mix the rice and tapioca flour together.Pour the hot water in the flour and quickly stir it with a spatula.Mix well to form a dough.
2.Sprinkle some tapioca flour onto a clean table.
3.Take the dough out and knead well.
4.Divide the dough into equal portions.
5.Take one small dough and press it flat into round.
6.First,sprinkle some peanuts on,then put 1 tbsp of rice filling in.wrap it into small balls and press it in the mould to form a peach shape.
7.Knock it out.
8.Pour some oil into a steaming tray and put the now puen kueh in.
9.Steam over rapid heat for 10 minutes.When cooked,put some cooking oil on the kueh so as not to let it stick together.
10.Done.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    



Bak Chang

Bak Chang(glutinous rice dumpling)

Soon will come the time to make and eat this scrumptious dumpling wrapped in pandan leaves(screwpine).Four more days to go but I'm already making it.What to do,cos a good aunty next door gave me the leaves.She's making this "bak Chang" business.Not all are for free though,some buy,some free.



Read the history of Bak Chang here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zongzi

The recipe is just agak-agak, which is estimated only, depending on yourself how much you want to cook the filling and how many you want to make. Here, I make a larger portion, around 80.

It is not very easy to make. U have to master the skill of wrapping before you can finally wrap one. First, cut one long strip of leaves into three equal lengths. Then cut away the thorns that might prick the hands with the back of a knife, and gently scrape the center at the back of the leaves. Then, wash the leaves with a clean cloth inside a basin of clean water. Put aside for later use.

Next prepare the necessary ingredients to make the filling.

2 kg glutinous rice/pulut(soaked overnight or at least 2 hours)

25 leaves 

1 can button mushrooms

10 pieces dried mushrooms(cut into strips)

100g dried shrimps

4 garlic

4 onions

2 tbsp five-spice powder

2 yams(optional)

100g chestnuts

2 shallots pounded

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 chicken stock

enough black soya sauce(according to your taste)

1 tbsp sugar

5tbsps of oil

2kg pork belly

First, boil the yams until it turns tender. Take it out and mashed it with a fork. Then, boil the chestnuts in a pot, and cover them with enough water. Prepare the Kuali for cooking. Put the cooking oil into the Kuali and fry the onions, garlic, shallots, and dried shrimps until aroma. Put the five-spice powder with 2 tbsps of water and put it in the meat. Stir, put in the dried and button mushrooms. Continue stirring. Pour in a little bit of water again if it starts to turn dry.Put in black soya sauce,light soya sauce,chicken stock and the sugar in. Keep on stirring for a few more minutes. Cover to simmer. Turn the fire when it is done, and take it out to cool.

Second, fry the glutinous rice. In a wok, put 3 tbsps of oil. Throw in the onions and then the rice. Put in 6 tbsps of salt. Fry till it turns yellow in color. Cool it.

Start wrapping into a triangle shape

Take one leaf, overlap, like a corn shape, put one tbsp of rice in, put one tbsp of filling and cover the top with another 1 tbsp of rice, seal the sides and cover completely. Tied it with string.

After all has finished, bring to boil in a large pot, cover with enough water for 11/2 hours.

Bak chang is best to eat when overnight or when it turns very cold. When it's warm, you can't really taste the flavor. Sorry, I can't really illustrate here how to wrap the Bak Chang because I'm not good at illustrating and my lame English. You can simply go to Youtube to watch.

And................haiaa!It's past midnight and I'm still waiting for my Bak Chang to get cooked while writing this blog. This is my second-day making it. Yesterday,I also made and this is just the leftover ingredients.

 On the left, rice looks more brown(cooked by me) and on the right, rice looks more white(cooked by my son)but both are also delicious.

Okay! now!Time to turn off the fire and take out my Bak Chang. It's 12.25 AM.Way passed midnight!

Steamed Cheesecake

Steamed Cheese Cake

Instead of baked cheesecake or no-baked cheesecake,I made a steamed version this time.Normally,I made the baked version but because of the weather is hot,I made the steamed one instead.My daughter said she's hungry!

 Ingredients:

3 egg whites

100g castor sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

250g cream cheese,at room temperature

4 tbsp milk

4 egg yolks

100 ml water

50g all purpose flour

25g custard flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

11/2 tbsp cocoa powder,sifted

Methods:

Whip egg whites,half of sugar and cream of tartar until stiff.Set aside.

Beat cream cheese,milk and remaining sugar until smooth.

Add egg yolks and water,continue beating.

Mix in both flours and vanilla.Stir to blend completely.

Fold in egg white.

Divide batter into three portions.Add cocoa powder to one portion and any colouring of your choice to another portion.

Grease a baking tray with butter.

Pour the cocoa portion of the batter to steam till cooked.next pour the yellow portion of the batter till cooked and lastly,pour the last portion of batter in and cooked through.

Cool the cake before cutting.

Haw Flakes Layered Cake

Haw Flakes Layered Cake

As for this cake,I didn't make using the full recipe.Half of the recipe is enough for me.I don't want to eat that much oily and sweet cake.The recipe below are in full but you can divide it into half as you wish.The sugar can be reduced or not used at all cos the condensed milk plus the haw flakes are already so sweet................

Ingredients:

A)10 eggs,110 g castor sugar

B)1 can sweetened condensed milk(388g)500 g butter

c)200g cream crackers biscuits.(put inside the zipped plastic and use a roller pin to crush it)

D)20-30 packets of round haw flakes or 2-3 packets of rectangular size haw flakes

E)1 tsp pandan paste

Method:

1.Beat ingredients (A) for approximately 15 minutes till creamy.

2.In another mixing bowl,beat ingredients (B) till smooth.

3.Fold no  (1) into no (2) and mix in ingredent  (C) Stir till well combined.

4.Add ingredient (E) into batter and give a good stir.Divide into seven equal portions.

5.Grease and line a 10 inches square cake tin with greaseproof paper.Pour in a portion of cake batter to steam till cooked.Cover the layer with haw flakes.Pour the next layer of  cake batter on top of haw flakes.Steam till cooked and repeat process till all are used up.Cool before cutting.


Notes: A full recipe would make the cake look more beautiful.The original recipe has got seven layers.


Fun time at the beach

Damai Beach Resort

Having a fun time away from home with my family to the Damai Beach today.

We went there not so early,around lunch time,about 12.14 pm.No overnight stay.

Half way up,it was raining,but not so heavy.Shine and rain all the time.It was the school holidays.I cannot remember when I last went there.I think it was 2-3 years ago.The beach is still beautiful!We had plenty of time to play before going home at 5.50 pm.

The sky looks dark!

Walking uphill was tiring but a fun way of exercising.Going downhill was much easier.If only they had plant flowers on both sides of the stairs,it would be more lovely to look at.the scenery and admiring while walking uphill and downhill.

Everyone was having fun playing the salty water but not me.I did not bring any extra clothing,so I do not want to play in the water and get myself wet and sit in the car wet.It's OK!We will go back again next week when it's a public holiday.

Egg Tarts

 Egg Tarts

 This is my chinese egg tarts recipe.I think this is a more better one as the crust are more yummy,not so sweet,even the fillings are more firm and not sweet.Egg tarts are children's favourites.My second son is an egg tarts lover.He loves egg tarts so much and he ate the most whenever I baked.I always make double.

Crust:

50g butter

50g shortening

80g icing sugar

1 tsp salt

50g beaten egg

200g cake flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

Egg filling:

4-5 tbsps sugar

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup evaporated milk(can be substitute with full cream milk)

Method for the crust:

1.Sift cake flour and baking powder together.

2.Beat butter,shortening,icing sugar and salt together till creamy and fluffy.Gradually add in beaten egg and mix well.

3.Add in flour mixture and combine to form dough.Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for about 30 minutes.

4.Roll out the dough till about 3mm thickness.Cut into round shape and press on the tart shell.keep in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Egg filling:

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan till sugar is dissolved.Cool.Strain the eggs through a sieve and whisk into the sugar mixtureStir in the evaporated milk and vanilla.Strain the fillings through a sieve and fill the tart shells.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 20-25 minutes.

Birthday Cake

BIRTHDAY CAKE

This is my ever first best Birthday Cake that I made for my nephew 21st 

birthday.The inside is cheesecake  double, with half chocolate and half white  and top with chocolate fudge, sprinkle with grated chocolates.A little bit of decoration is all I can do to made this cake looks stylish.Everyone can do it.My nephew were amazed.The cheesecake is simply delicious cos my family loves cheesecake especially my nephews and nieces and of course my sons.My family all loves cheesecake.

Kuih semperit

I would just call it "flower biscuits"

When I was young,I love this cookies very much because I love flowers a lot.I also like to see the red cherries on the center of the cookies.It gave the cookies a pretty look and the cookies are very nice with the cherry added.

Every year I made these cookies for every Chinese New Year season and I do sell if someone were to order from me.These are pumping cookies and is very easy to make.

Ingredients:

250 grams butter

90 grams icing sugar

1 egg yolk

260 grams all-purpose flour

120 grams corn flour

50 grams custard flour

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoons rose essence

1/4 teaspoons salt

chopped cherry for decoration

Method:

1.Cream butter with sugar,egg yolk,salt and rose essence until fluffy.

2.Add in milk and mix well.

3.Fold in all-purpose flour,corn flour and custard flour.Mix until dough become soft and not
   stick at hand.

4.Put dough into piping tip.Pipe the dough on lightly greased baking tray.

5.Decorate with chopped cherry and bake in preheated  180°C oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  

This one is topped with raisins. Latest updates.2020 made. The movement control order because of the covid-19 outbreak. Everyone is to stay at home. Everyone baking at home with nothing to do, but bake and cook only. Washing and cleaning too for me.

I think I need to buy good pumping cookies tools for better pumping so that the flowers would look prettier..

Fancy Ice-Cream Cookies



I bought this fancy cutter last year,but I only got to make it this year.Suitable for all occasions.

Ingredients:.

110gm butter

20 gm shortening

60 gm icing sugar

1/4 teaspoons mango essence

160 gm plain flour

20 gm corn flour

20 gm potato flour

10 gm custard flour

1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

.Beat butter,shortening,icing sugar and mango essence until light and fluffy.

.Fold in plain flour,corn flour,potato flour,custard flour and baking powder.

.Mix well.

.Roll out dough into diamond shaped and cut with the cookies cutter.

.Glaze with egg yolk

.Place on baking tray and bake in preheated oven 170 degree celcius oven until golden brown.

.Decorate with melted chocolate and put some colour rice,star flakes or chopped almond.



Sarawak Laksa

Sarawak Laksa

It's Laksa for lunch today.I woke up early this morning, just to prepare this delicious meal.

Laksa  is a famous dish among the Sarawakian here besides Kolo Mee.I heard that you can even find Sarawak Laksa in London,mostly by Malaysian people who went there to sell.Which other place can you find Laksa?

Here's what you need:

1 small packet(200g) of Laksa paste(available in most supermarkets)

500 ml water

1 packet santan powder/milk

1 chicken stock

1 tsp salt
1 packet of Beehoon/Vermicelli

limes

omelette

bean sprout

half chicken meat

100g prawns

For garnishing:
parsley or spring onion

Method;

Boil the laksa paste with 200 ml of water in a pot for 15 minutes under low fire.Take it out and strain it thru a strainer.If you don't strain it,you'll feel like you're eating sand.
In another cooking pot,boil 500ml of water and put the prawns in to cooked for a while,not overcooked.Take the prawns out.put the chicken in to boil in the same water.(I'm doing this as to enhanced the flavour of laksa with the chicken and prawn taste)Turn to low fire and wait till it is cooked.
While waiting for the chicken to get cooked,unshell the prawns but leave the tail intact.
Fry the omelette and cut into strips.
Next,boil half pot of water and put the beansprouts in.Take it out.Turn off the fire.
In the same pot of water,put the bi-hoon in and soaked  till it turns soft..Quickly take it out.
When the chicken has cooked,Take it out and cooled.
Put the strain laksa soup into the water that you had taken the chicken out.Boil for abt 10 minutes under  low fire.Put the santan in and cook for another 10 minutes.Turn off the fire.
In the meanwhile,use you finger to shred or tear the chicken to long pieces.
Now you're on your way to a delicious laksa!
To serve:
First take a bowl and put in one handful of bi-hoon/vermicelli.Add some strips of omelette and chicken and also some beansprouts and not forgetting prawns.You can opt the prawns out if you're allergic to prawns.Squeeze half lime or 1 lime,as desired whether you want it more sour or not.You can also add in some sambal if you want it more spicy style.
Garnish with coriander leaves or parsley or cut spring onion according to your taste.

To make the sambal;
10 fresh chillies
10g belacan/shrimp paste
some dash of lime or vinegar

Pound the chillies and belacan paste together until fine.Put into a small bowl.(oh yeah!you've to fry the belacan for a while first,then pound)

Enjoy the taste of laksa!

Another alternatives Laksa recipe: Bigger portion

Ingredients:

1 packet of bee hoon/vermicecelli

450g chicken breasts
200g prawns
100g bean sprouts

3 eggs
Limes
parsley

300g Laksa paste
200 ml coconut milk/santan
2 chicken or prawn stocks
1/2 tsp salt,or to taste
1.2 litre water

Method:

1.Boil the water in a cooking pot.When it's boil,add in the prawns and blanch for a while.Take it out.
2.In the same pot of water,add the chicken in to cook until done.Take out and let cool.
3.Next add in the laksa paste into the flavor soup.Cover and cook for 10 minutes.After that filter it through a net into a clean bowl.
4.After filtered,pour the soup back into the cooking pot.Add prawn or chicken stocks,salt and lastly coconut milk.Cook for further 5 minutes.
5.In another cooking pot or wok,boil enough water to soften the bee hoon/vermicelli.take it out when it has soften,
6.Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling hot water for 2 minutes.
7.Beat the eggs in a clean bowl.Now make omelettes.
8.Cut the omelettes into long thin strips.
9.Tear the chicken meats into long thin strips.
10.Ready to serve. 





Video by: www.cocomintt.blogspot.com

Written and posted  by: www.cocomintt.blogspot.com



Chocolate Peppermint Layered Cake

Chocolate  Peppermint  Layered  Cake

Ingredients:

A)480g butter

    110g castor sugar

B)10 eggs

C)1 can sweetened condensed milk(388g)

     170g self-raising flour(sieved)

D)1/4 tsp peppermint essence

     1 tsp green colouring

E) (mixed together)

     250g cooking chocolate (melt by double-  boiling method)(I once opted  this out cos I have no chocolat at home and it's still fine.

     3 tbsps cocoa powder

    

Method:

1.Beat ingredient(A)till light and fluffy.

2.Add in eggs,one at a timeBeat well after each addition.

3.Add in  a little condensed milk at a time alternating with egg to prevent mixture from curdling.Repeat adding milk and egg until all are used up.

4.Fold in sieved flour a little at a time

5.Divide cake mixture into two portions.To the first portion add in ingredient (D) and further subdivide into another two parts.

  To the second portion,add in ingredient(E) and subdivide into another two parts.

6.Grease and line an 8 inches square cake tin with greaseproof paper.Pour in the first portion green batter and steam over rapidly boiling water till cooked.Pour in the first chocolate batter and steam till cooked.,Repeat pouring in the green batter alternating with chocolate batter until all are used up.Leave the cake to cool before removing from the tin.Cut into desired shape.

This is the best chocolate peppermint cake steamed version. 

You can less the sugar.

Everyone loves this cake. I'm sure you do too.

BAKED CURRY PUFF

CURRY PUFF



One of my favourite local pastry puff is the curry puff.It is very easy to make.You need to measure

the correct amount of ingredients in order to make the perfect puff.I also use the same pastry to make creamy chicken potato puff.You can also make tuna puff or sardines puff.

So here is the simple recipe:

Pastry



500 g plain flour

150g margarine/butter

3/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.Put the flour and margarine together in a large bowl.(I prefer to use butter, which makes it more yummy taste.)Rub the flour and margarine/butter in until it looks like breadcrumbs.Or use the dough maker.

2.Put the water and salt in and continue rubbing or mixing,(if using dough maker)

3.Make it into a soft dough.Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

Filling:

4-5 potatoes cut into cubes

6 tablespoon curry powder

100g chicken cut small

1 onions dice small

1 garlic dice small

50 ml santan(optional)

1 egg yolk for brushing

1.Heat up a wok and 3 tbsp of oil. Put the onions and garlic in.Put in the chicken and potatoes.Pour in some water and cover to let it cook under a slow fire.When it is cooked,pour in the santan and leave it to cool.

Now you can roll out the dough and make your curry puff.Cut the dough in circle,put the filling in and fold into half and crimp the edges.Brush with egg yolk.

Bake it in the oven 200 degree celcius until it turns golden brown.

THIS ONE IS MY AFTERNOON TEA BREAK

OR EAT CURRY PUFF FRIED

Note:You can even deep-fried the puff with the same recipe.

Creamy Chicken Potato puff

Using the same dough,cut into rectangular shape or round shape as you like to make .

Filling recipe:

small pieces of boneless chicken

8 potatoes

1 can of button mushrooms

4 dried mushrooms

1 packet of creamy chicken powder

2 tbsps chicken granules

1 small cup of water

1 garlic

1 red onion

Method:

1.Soak the dried muchrooms in hot water.

2.Peel off the potatoes skin and diced into small cubes.

3.Cut the boneless chicken into small pieces.

4..Cut the button muchrooms into small pieces.

5..Cut the soften dried muchrooms into small pieces.

6.Cut the onion and garlic into small pieces.

7.Heat up oil inn a wok.Fry the onions and garlic till brown and fragrant.

8.Put the chicken,potatoes,and muchrooms in.Add in the chicken granules.Stir well.Add in the water.

9.Cover to let it cooked.

10.Lastly,add in the creamy chicken powder in and stir well.

11.Take it out and let cool.
12.Roll out the dough into 1/8 '' thickness.

13.Make your own desired shape of creamy chicken potato puff.Brush with egg yolk and bake it in     the oven.



creamy chicken potato puff and curry puff