CLAYPOT TOFU

CLAYPOT BEANCURD

Let's make Claypot Tofu or Beancurd at home. No eating out. No need fancy fancy restaurant or cafe. Just grab all your ingredients needed and tools to cook delicious tofu in your kitchen. Claypot Beancurd mainly consist of fried beancurd, prawns, broccolli, cauliflower, mushrooms, peas, carrots, tomatoes, and meat or without meat at all. Prepare all the ingredients and start cooking. Ingredients: Tofu 10 florets - Broccoli 8 florets - cauliflower 1 pkt enoki mushrooms 1 tin button mushrooms 6 straw mushrooms 1 carrots 2 tomatoes 200g chicken meat 8 big prawns(optional) 2 inch ginger 1 onions 1 garlics sauce: 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp cooking gourmet wine 1/2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 cup water 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch + water These are my basic ingredients to make claypot beancurd. My recipe are just estimation only. My servings are for 3-4 persons. You can taste and adjust to your liking.,

INSTRUCTIONS TO COOK:

Cut beancurds into small equal sizes. Deep fried the beancurds in hot oil.

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets. Peel carrot skin and slice small. Cut soften soaked straw mushrooms into small. Cut tomatoes to one quarter size. Cut chicken breast into small bite pieces. Deveined the prawns and unshelled. Slice the ginger thin and chop onions and garlics into small.

In a frying pan, heat oil and add in the ginger, onions and ginger and fry till fragrant. Add in the chicken meat. Stir for a while. Add all the vegetables in to stir.

PREPARE THE SAUCE:

Add all the sauce in a small bowl and mixed well. Pour the sauce into the vegetables.

Mix the cornstarch with water.

Add the previously fried beancurd into the vegetables. Lastly, add in the cornstarch water.

Pour the dish into the claypot pot and simmer with low fire for 2 seconds and off the fire.

Now it is ready to eat. Serve with rice.

Healthy Oats Cookies

When I first saw the recipe from foodmetrica.com, I was interested to make the cookies. This is the recipe that I have been looking for. Oats cookies that contain no eggs and butter and no flour The oats are turned into flour. I use olive oil instead of coconut oil as written on the recipe.

These crispy and healthy cookies are packed with fiber and nutrients that I enjoy eating 1 or 2 pieces of every morning.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oat flour(blend the oats)

1 cup quaker oats(rolled oats)

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp caster sugar

3 tbsps low fat milk

a pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1.  Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat and line the baking tray with parchment paper.

2.  In a large mixing bowl add milk, vanilla extract, olive oil, sugar, and salt. Mix until combined.

3. Add oat flour, quaker oats, baking powder. Mix well. The dough will be wet and sticky and that's ok.

4. Leave the dough in the fridge until the dough looks more solid.

5.  Form round balls. Flatten cookies with your hand into cookie shape.

6.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes till crisp. Allow to cool in the baking pan then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

7.  Store them in an airtight container.

BREAD MACHINE NO EGG, NO BUTTER, NO MILK BREAD

 

Here's another bread machine bread that I have made that contains no egg, no butter, and no milk.

I'm so glad that sometimes I can just make bread without all the animal fat and add in some nuts or raisins or chocolate or can just be plain bread.

As usual, I liked to use my bread machine to make bread. You can choose to use the mixer or by hand as you prefer it. I'm not too keen to knead by hand for I'm easily tired. The mixer does a great job too. Knead until you reach the window pane stage.

First proofing about one hour or until it doubles in size. Second proofing about 50 minutes or until double in size. Cover with cling wrap to proof.

Bake in the oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes or according to your own oven heat.

INGREDIENTS:

180g Water

24g Sugar

6g Salt

25g Olive oil

300g Bread Flour

6g Instant Yeast

BREAD MAKER KNEADING

Liquid first, then dry ingredients.

ONE EGG CHOCOLATE CAKE

 

I hadn't eaten chocolate cake in years. Suddenly craving it, I baked a small one in a 4 1/2-inch tray. It was so good that I had two pieces, and my children finished the rest in just one day.

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup oil( I used olive oil, but veg will do)

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

35 g cocoa powder

METHOD:

1.  Beat sugar and egg till sugar is dissolved and fluffy.

2.  Add in vegetable oil and mix well.

3.  Add in milk. Mixed well.

4.  Add in vanilla extract. Continue beating till fluffy.

5.  Sieve in all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

6.  Pour into lined parchment paper or greased baking paper.

7.  Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for about 40-45 minutes or test with a toothpick to check if the middle comes out clean when the toothpick is inserted.

TASTY SWEET POTATO CHICKEN FLOSS BUNS

 

These sweet potato buns are light and fluffy. They are also healthier to eat with no egg, milk, and butter but just olive oil. They are perfect for afternoon tea or coffee. 

What prompted me to bake these sweet potato buns is because I've bought some sweet potatoes for a barbeque on my son's birthday, but couldn't barbeque all of it. The next few days afraid that the sweet potatoes might gone bad, I decided to make dinner rolls or buns.

As for this recipe, I boiled the sweet potatoes instead of steaming which I usually did to make it tender so that the sweet potatoes could be mashed to get the puree to add to the dough. I like to use my bread maker to do the easier kneading.

I think I've baked vegan buns.

INGREDIENTS:

2 small sweet potatoes, about 120 g, bring to boil and only take 85g out to make into puree

195g lukewarm water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

85g sweet potato puree

340g bread flour

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Peel and cut sweet potato into chunks.

2.  Boil or steam the sweet potato chunks until tender.

3.  Mash the sweet potato with a fork until smooth. Set aside for             later use.

4.  Put everything inside the bread machine for easy kneading. 

5.  Let the dough double in size.

6.  Punch down the dough.  Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.

7.  Round each piece into balls and place it on the baking tray with parchment paper lined. Cover 

     with cling wrap or put inside the warm oven to rise for 45 mins.

8.  Bake in pre heated oven 180°C for about 15-20 mins.

9.  Spread mayonaise on top of the bun and roll gently in chicken floss..The buns can also be eaten plain without the mayonaise and chicken floss.

..Let it to proof for 45 mins or until double in size. 

AIR FRYER CRABSTICKS SNACKS

INGREDIENTS:

1 big packet limitation crabsticks

1/2 tsp curry powder

1-2 tbsp cooking oil

I wasn't keen on making these snacks initially, but my daughter's enthusiasm convinced me to give it a go for Chinese New Year. Despite the chaos of the festive season, we managed to squeeze in some time post-celebrations. after defrosting the crabsticks, which had been kept in the freezer for one and a half months, I wasted no time in getting started before laziness crept in.

For a healthier, I used the air fryer instead of deep frying these snacks.

Set the air fryer to 175°C and bake the crabsticks in small batches for 20 minutes. Shake the tray every 5 minutes for even cooking. it's better to bake in small batches than in big batches.

After it has cooled down, keep the snacks in an air tight container.

PURPLE ANG KU KUEH

 

Indulge in the delightful flavors of my Purple Sweet Potato, despite its unappealing appearance in the 

picture. Bursting with sweet yellow mung beans and encased in a thin skin, this dish is worth a second try. I only have a plastic mold, although less traditional is considered cheaper than the wooden one.

Ang Ku Kueh is a favorite among both the elderly and the younger generation. Its steamed preparation makes it a light and enjoyable treat that can be savored without worry cos it is non heaty.

Ang Ku kueh is not my favorite kueh, but it is to my husband.

This recipe was adapted from https://mykitchen101en.com/purple-sweet-potato-hee-pan-xi-ban/

INGREDIENTS:

85 g split mung beans- soak for 3 hours and drained

100 g water

1/4 tsp fine salt

60 g fine sugar

2 tbsps cooking oil

25 g shallots - chopped

SKIN:

80 g purple sweet potato - diced

100 g + 1 tsp plain water

100 g + 100g glutinous rice flour

60 g hot water - 70 °C

10 g icing sugar

2 tbsp cooking oil

METHOD:

1.  Steam mung beans till soft.

2.  Mix water, salt and sugar. Add in steamed mung beans. Blend till smooth.

3.  Heat oil in pan. Fry shallots. Add mung bean paste. Fry over medium heat about 5-6 mins until paste not stick to pan.

4.  Set aside to cool. Divide into 20 portions. Cover in cling wrap tp prevent drying. The size may have to follow your own mould.

5.  Steam purple sweet potato for 15 mins until soft.

6.  Blend with 100g of water until smooth. Cool.

7.  Mix together hot water and 100g of glutinous rice flour.  Add in purple sweet potato paste. Mix well.

8.  Combine icing sugar and another 100g of glutinous rice flour. 

Add to mixture. Mix well. Add in more water if needed, about 1 tsp. Knead until a smooth dough is formed. Add in cooking oil and knead until well blended.

8.  Divide dough into 20 portions. Cover with cling wrap to prevent drying.

9.  Cut 20 pieces banana leaves. Coat with oil.

10.  Lightly coat mould with glutinous rice flour. Tap off ecxess flour. 

11.  Flatten a piece of dough with palm, top with a piece of mung bean filling. Wrap. Press lightly into mould. Tap dough lightly on work top to unmould. Put onto banana leaf. Arrange in steamer rack.

12. Steam over medium heat for 8 mins.

13.  Brush oil on top of ang ku kueh.

14.  Cool the ang ku kueh. Cover with cling wrap to prevent drying.

KEK BELACAN

 

After a long while of not baking anything, I finally baked Belacan cake as it is called in Sarawak. 

The appearance of this cake looks like belacan(shrimp paste), hence the name given. Many people loves Belacan cake and has been making for ages although I have no idea when it started. I first have a taste of this cake sometime back in the nineties at a friend's house during Chinese New Year visit.

This cake is very sweet because of the condensed milk and sugar. I have used less sugar and less sweetened condensed milk but cannot less too much of the condensed milk for fear the cake might not be nice. It's okay to less than half the amount of sugar than to less condensed milk.

Give this recipe a try!

INGREDIENTS:

227 g butter

5 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

220g sweetened condensed milk

85g kaya

100g horlicks

1 cup hongkong flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp browning sugar

METHOD:

1. Beat butter and sugar till fluffy.

2. Add in one egg at a time. Add in vanilla essence, sweetened condensed milk, kaya, horlicks, cocoa powder, and Hongkong flour. Beat until well combined.

3. Then add in browning sugar and beat till well combined.

4. Prepare a cake tray and lined with parchment or greased paper.

5. Pout the cake batter into the lined tray and cover it with aluminium foil.

6. Steamed with medium heat for 2 1/2 hours.

Pineapple Jam Cookies

 

Chinese New Year I made these lovely cookies filled with pineapple jam. I used my mooncake pressed mold . My mold have not used for the longest time and it is time to take out and make to good use and this is the result. I wanted to make like the Taiwan pineapple tarts. When i saw Taiwan pineapple tarts, I remember my mooncake mold that have been kept sitting in the kitchen cabinet unused . I decided to make my pineaplle tarts using my mooncake mold which is square shape and my pineapple tarts came out lovely and easy to hold and bite this way. My sister said this tarts looks good and pretty and cute.

In fact, I started making like this last year and this year again. Thanks to my own idea cos now my mold is not wasted away. I almost wanted to thow it away to save space in my cabinet when I thought that it is useless because I have a few more of mooncakes mold which is bigger and round. Someone said to me that mooncake need to be round and not square and I agreed. Now I'll be using this square mold to make my enclosed Pineapple tarts.

INGREDIENTS:

226 grams butter

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

21/2 cups flour(330g)

2 tbsp milk powder

2 tbsp corn flour

21/2 tsp custard powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Then add in egg yolk. Mix the flour, corn flour, custard flour, milk powder, and salt together. Then add to the butter mixture. Add in the vanilla essence and beat again evenly. Make it into a dough. Take some dough and flatten, then fill with pineapple jam, seal, and shape/press with a cutter. Bake in a preheated oven, at 180°C until cooked.

 

Just another year of making fruitcake for the Christmas season. This cake has a nutty taste and without sugar, the cake still has a sweet taste but not too sweet. The sweetness comes from the cherries and raisins. Although the cake doesn't look appetizing, but it is nice to eat.

"Have A Merry Jolly Christmas, Everyone"

INGREDIENTS;

1 Cup Plain Yogurt 1 Box Ready Mixed Fruits/Raisins 100 Gr Chopped Peanuts, Any Kind Of Nuts Or Mixed 260 Gr All Purpose Flour 1 Tsp Baking Soda 113 Gr Salted Butter 1 Large Egg 30 Ml Brandy, Optional Extra Cherries For Decoration METHOD; 1. Toss the nuts and mixed fruits/raisins with 60 g all purpose flour. Shake it to mix and put aside. 2. Add 1 tsp baking soda to the rest of the 200 g all purpose flour. Mix it well. 3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy and then add in one egg. 4. Pour in 1 cup of the plain yogurt and continue beating till well mixed. 5. Add in the flour with baking soda added, mixed fruits/raisins and nuts/mixed nuts. 6. Beat at low speed until well mixed. 7. Brush the loaf pan with cooking oil or butter. This can also be done at the beginning. 8. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Flatten and smooth the top and arrange some red and green cherries on top. 9. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 160°C for about 65 mins or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 10. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

CURRY CHICKEN WITH CURRY POWDER

 

Being a Malaysian, we cook curry chicken very often. One of the best meals we had while growing up as a kid. In those days if we are lucky enough, we will have Curry Chicken to eat for the festive season. Only one dish is enough to satisfy our hunger for the day. Our siblings will fight to get more whenever there is meat on the table. Curry Chicken is one of our favorite dishes. 

Since young, my mother has taught me to cook Curry Chicken. Back then, she bought curry paste from an Indian seller. The ready-pounded paste was wrapped in a leaf. I don't know what that leaf is called, but I remember the leaf is quite dry. Back then, we like to add coconut milk or santan to our curry. Now, I don't always use coconut milk for my Curry. Sometimes I just skip the coconut milk or santan when I cook Curry Chicken. Without the coconut milk, the curry will still be nice. Msg has now been replaced with sugar for health concerns because msg is bad for the health. Sometimes I do not put sugar. and that's okay!

I like my Curry to be not too thick and not too runny. Not the soupy type.

INGREDIENTS:

500 Grams Chicken, Cut Into Pieces

4 Potatoes

(A)

2 Pip Garlic

3 Small Shallots

1 Big Onion

1 Inch Ginger

2 lemon Grass

CURRY PASTE:

6-8 Tbsps Curry Powder(any brand)

2 Tbsps Chilly Powder(optional)

Water(your best estimation to mix into paste)

800 MLWater

5 Tsps Cooking Oil

1 Stick cinnamon

2 Star Anise

2 Stalks Curry Leaves

2 Tbsps Salt

1 Tbsp Sugar(optional)

200 ML Of Thick Coconut Cream Or 100 ML Of Evaporated Milk

METHOD:

1. Peeled the skin of the potatoes and cut them into four. Heat oil in the wok and deep-fry the potatoes until browned. Set aside for later use.

2.  Peeled the skin of A and cut short the lemon grass for easy blending. Use a blender to blend.

3.  Prepare ready the curry paste. Mix with water into a paste.

4.  Discard the oil from the wok from previously deep-fried potatoes and leave about 5 tablespoons in the wok. Fry the big onion, cinnamon and star anise until fragrant. Add lemon grass and blended ingredients in. Stir until fragrant. Then add the mixed curry paste in. Add some water followed by the curry leaves. Stir until oil comes out.

5.  Add in the chicken. Stir for a while. Add enough water to cover the chicken.

6.  Add salt to taste and sugar if want sweetness. Cover and simmer until chicken is half cooked, then add in the potatoes.

7.  Cover again until potatoes are soft and chicken is cooked through.

8.  Lastly, add in the thick coconut cream or evaporated milk.

9. Dish it up and serve with rice.

BAKED BELACAN CAKE

 

Last time I made a steamed version of "Belacan Cake". This time I made a baked version. It may not be as nice as the steamed version which is more moist but don't worry, it is still very nice to eat.

If you want to steam the cake, go ahead and steam it for 4 to 5 hours. 

INGREDIENT:

A

460 g butter

200 g castor sugar

B

10 eggs

C

180 g kaya

300 g condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

D

200 g Horlicks

100 g milo powder

350 g wheat flour, sifted

E

60 g browning sugar

METHODS:

1.  Prepare the steamer. Lined 8" tin with parchment paper.

2.  Beat ingredient A till creamy. Add in ingredients B one by one. Beat till well combined.

3.  Add in C and mixed well. Then add in ingredient D till well combined.

4.  Finally, add in E. Mix well.

5.  Pour into the previously prepared lined tin. Bake a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes.

     

NOTE: If preferred to steam, steam for 4 or 5 hours. Cool completely and cut.