My Little Space

Homemade Salty Sweet Popcorn

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000+08:00

Popcorn certainly brings back loads of childhood memories to most of you but not me! I don't eat popcorn during my childhood days because no where to be found at that moment. I think popcorn only came along during my teenage life after my family shifted to a bigger town. I can hardly remember what do I ate during my childhood days. HAHAHA.... Oh yeah, that's the sign of getting old huh! But I do remember I can buy 3 sweets for 5 cents during the 70's. Frankly, kids of these days don't even bother to pick a 5 cents coin from the floor. And besides, I don't think I can buy anything with that one 5 cents! But with many 5 cents, I can buy myself a packet of corn kernels. :o)

See, I didn't know not untill today that making popcorn is such a fun thing to do. And this is actually my first attempt. OK now may we begin. Preheat a non-stick wok or pot with lid over medium heat and add in 3 tablespoon of cooking oil. Once the pot is hot enough, place in 80gm of dried corn kernels & cover by lid but before that make sure the corn kernels is dry enough to be used.

Then remove the pot/wok from the heat for 30 seconds once the corn kernels starts to pop. And at the same time shake the pot, so that the heat is evenly distributed to all the kernels..

Wooopie... just look at those POP~POP~POP~POP....popping corns! Gather all the popped corns to a clean bowl once it's done. And then get ready to make the yummilicious coating.

Ingredients :
2 tbsp cooking oil
50gm golden syrup
100gm maltose
100gm brown sugar
2 tpsn salt
100ml water
1/2 tpsn cinnamon powder
*140gm popped corn (made from 240gm corn kernels)

Method :
(1) combine all ingredients together (except popped corn) into a non-stick pot and bring it to boil.
(2) once the mixture has reaches the soft ball stage, mix in the popped corn.
(3) then spread coated popcorn to a single layer on the trays.
(4) And bake at preheated oven 80'C for an hour. (suggesting 90'C)
(5) leave cool completely and then break into small clusters before storing them into containers.

Mine is not so nicely brown. I think I should try another batch. However, I had fun ! It has made my day a little easier though. Hope you will too. Enjoy!
( snack, popcorn)

Golden Pot For The Dragon Year

2012-02-07T12:00:00.000+08:00

Like every year, our nearby Chinese temple will organize a Chinese New Year parade which is specially dedicated to the goddesses. As usual, they will passed by my place and these are the two of many photos that I've taken. Hopefully, I'll be able to take some really nice photo at the Thaipusam parade as well. Oh no, not at Batu Cave but here, at where I live! Of coz, you'll be able to get better shots at Batu Cave and enjoy the magnificient experience at the same time of our Thaipusam Festival here in Malaysia. You'll be amazed.

And it is very common for the Chinese to use prosperous items for their prayer. We often used Fatt Kuih cause it brings the meaning of 'wealth'. Nowadays, something even better has been created which they use a steamed bun to wrap around Fatt Kuih and brings the meaning of 'confirm wealthy'! HAHAHA..... Don't you love the sound of it too. kekeke....

(Recipe adapted from here)
Ingredients for Fatt Kuih :
100gm self raising flour
75ml warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbps corn oil
a few drops of red colouring

Method :
(1) combine red colouring, warm water & sugar and mix till sugar dissolved.
(2) then mix together flour, oil and sugar mixture, stir still combined.
(3) pour mixture to 3 muffin cups (with paper cups), then make a cross on the mixture with a scissors coating with cooking oil.
(4) finally, steam for 30 mins over high heat.

I think this Fatt Kuih recipe is the easiest one ever and is highly recommended to all.

Ingredients for Golden Pot :
300gm all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp yeast
165ml water
1 tspn corn oil
1/2 tspn yellow food colouring

Method :
(1) combine all dry ingredients into a big bowl.
(2) mix together water, oil and yellow colouring, stir well.
(3) now, combine all ingredients together to form a soft dough then leave to rest for 30 mins.
(4) then divide dough into 3 portion.
(5) flatten dough with a bottle in the centre.
(6) place in the kuih to the centre and then slowly push dough upwards to the kuih.

(7) now, tight dough nicely with a string a ribbon.
(8) finally, steam dough for 12 mins over high heat.

Oh my, oh my, don't you love the colour combination! And it's very easy to prepare as well. I'm sure this recipe will be very helpful to those who are looking for one. Hope you guys will like it too! Enjoy.

When 'Nian Gao' Meets Sago

2012-02-06T16:00:00.000+08:00

Today is 'Chop Goh Meh' and also called as 'Yuen Xiao Jie', the last day of Chinese New Year. Click here & here for further stories. It is also the Chinese Valentine's Day. Like every year in the evening, tonnes of Chinese will bring along their own mandarin oranges with their written wishes on and then throw them to the sea or river....hoping that their wishes will come true one day. ME!!!! Probably, I'll have to throw mine to the drain. haha..... OK, enough for that! This year my mom gave me two big 'nian gao' but not sure what to do with them. The 'nian gao' looks really fresh and still a bit soft. So, I think I would prefer to get them steam. Instead of steaming it plain, I'll try to combine it with something refreshing.

Here's what I did.

Ingredients :
300gm sago (white), soaked for 30mins
230gm sugar
50ml water
Pandan leaves/screw pine leaves
300gm grated young coconut (about half nut)
1/4 tspn salt
*some 'nian gao', cubed

Method :
(1) combine grated coconut with salt, mix well and steam for 10mins. Then leave cool completely.
(2) now, simmer sugar and water till dissolved with pandan leaves. Then discharge the leaves.
(3) add sugar mixture into sago and mix well. .
(4) pour sago mixture into a 9/10" tray with oil coating, then arrange 'nian gao' cubes into sago mixture.
(5) finally, steamed for 30mins over high heat.
(6) leave cool completely before cutting & coating them with steamed coconut.

Sago kuih is another favourites of mine due to the light & chewy texture. And the coconut coating is a plus.

Well, do you want to wait any longer for this ????

I also used some of the 'nian gao' by baking it with my homemade pastry puff. Don't you love it too? Slurp....
*
I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.
( nian gao, chinese cuisines, desserts, sweets )

Yogurt Fried Chicken

2012-02-02T00:00:00.001+08:00

Year after years, I am celebrating the Chinese New Year as simple as possible. This year I didn't even decorate my house or baking much. Saving me quite a bit though! I only did the cleaning job, rearranged everything and checked if there's any unused items to be giving away such as clothing and electrical equipment. The least stuffs I'm keeping the easier for me to do my job. haha.... Well, we don't expect our kids to do all this things for us every year. One day, they'll still have to leave..... aftering their dreams. Whateverso, they will never forget mom's cooking is the BEST ! :o)

And here's a little treat for them.

Ingredients :
3 whole chicken leg, cut into bite size
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tspn paprika powder
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
salt & pepper to taste
1 tspn crushed black pepper

Method :
(1) marinade chicken with yogurt, milk, sugar, paprika, salt & pepper for 10 minutes.
(2) add in flour and cornmeal and mix well, then keep refrigerated for another 20mins.
(3) once it's ready, fry the marinated chicken meat till cooked & nicely brown.

The crust will easily turn brown when cooking with yogurt, so always be caution with that. And the use of cornmeal in deep frying simply delish. It gives you better crunch. Still it's best to use chicken wings or drumstick for this recipe. Hope you guys will love it too.
( chicken, yoghurt )

Stir Fried Butter Mushroom Salad ~ Side Dish

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hey, Happy Chinese New Year everyone! It's the year of DRAGON. My year of birth is Rooster but I called myself a Pheonix. lol! HAHAHA.....Dragon & Pheonix are both best friends. So, I think this going to be my lucky year. kekeke.... This picture was actually taken while I'm on my way to visit my childhood 'kampung', after leaving for 30 years. The whole place has gone. The only houses left was located 2km away from my childhood 'kampung'. My younger brother was so surprised when he saw it cause we used to buy tidbits from that corner shop when our school bus stopped by to wait for the railway . to reopen.

If not mistaken, these shops are about 50 years old or more. Just imagine that! I am so regret for not taking the Malay 'kampung' houses' pictures. The 'kampung' houses from the North is slightly different from the South. They are much taller and very classy.

After a few days travelling, I am totally exhausted. And I still have to cook. Don't like eating out during this time of the year. Besides, all the restaurants don't serve simple food. They only prepare expensive festive food range and tired of having fast food as well. So, I have made a quickie meal for everyone. Here's what I did.

Ingredients :
2 pkts white beech mushroom, cut into bite size
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, cubed
2 tbsp butter
salt to taste
some chopped garlic (optional)
a dash of crashed black pepper
*thickening : 1 tspn tapioca starch + 2 tbsp water

Method :
(1) preheat frying pan and melt butter.
(2) stir in mushroom and bell pepper, saute till cooked (about a couple of minutes). At the mean time, the mushroom will produce some juices.
(3) add in thickening and off the heat, stir till thickened.
(4) finally, mix together tomatoes & mushroom and serve with main course or anything as desired.

For the quickie pan fried satay chicken, you can refer here and for the rice refer here. And dinner is ready within an hour. How lovely is that! Anyway, I am here wishing all the very best and enjoy this festive season with a total joy....with loads of fun & laughter! Bless you.
*
I'm sending this to Suresh & Shaz @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.
(side dish, mushroom, salad )

Vegan Carrot Cake With Creamy Frosting

2012-01-20T19:00:00.000+08:00

Another challenging baking without eggs! Yeap, it's a vegan carrot cake. How often does people bake without eggs! Some even said baking without egg is totally insane. Honestly, cake made of eggs is much lighter of coz but cake without eggs is as good though. Besides, saving you quite a bit of money. *wink* :o) I have actually made a few vegan cakes for the coming celebration. It is definitely a big changed compare to other years cause I used to make cheesecake or butter cake. This year my family members also requested for cheesecake but I made them vegan cake instead. haha.... Hopefully, they don't give me that disappointed look!

Ingredients :
(A)
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn mixed spice
1/2 tspn cinnamon powder

(B)
1 cup corn oil
1 cup fresh orange/lemon juice
2 tbps vinegar
2 cups grated carrots

(C)
1/2 cup raisns
1 cup roasted walnut, roughly chopped
1/3 cup candied nutmeg, chopped

Method :
(1) combine ingredients (A) into a big mixing bowl, mix well.
(2) beat together ingredients (B) and then stir into (A) mixture till well combined.
(3) lastly, add in ingredients (C) and mix well.
(4) pour batter to a 9" tray lined with grease proof paper and bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 45-50 mins.
(5) once done, leave cool and then spread on desired frosting.

Ingredients for Vegan frosting :
113gm margerine
1-1/2 cup icing sugar
25ml lemon + lime juice
one lemon zest
(beat together all ingredients till nice & fluffy)
# Double up this recipe if you want to spread a double layer cake, or you may use a smoother frosting recipe from here.

Sooooo...what do you think???? Does it look as good as those common carrot cake? Well, here's a very important tips I wanted to share with you guys. Remember, always keep your vegan cake refrigerated before serve or before frosting. It will keep the texture of the cake in good shape. I usually refrigerate it overnight. Hope you all will like it too!

( vegan, cake, desserts )

Sweet Glutinous Noodle Soup

2012-01-17T12:00:00.000+08:00

Are you looking for noodles here??? Sorry, these are no wheat flour noodles but glutinous flour noodle. Why I'm calling them noodles? There was a time, I saw an old lady making noodles in this way. I'm not sure if it is her traditional way of making the noodles or it's her own creation. I was very young then. Never ask!

So, instead of making the savory noodle, I've made the sweet ones. This is actually a recipe which is similar to 'tang yuen'. Just wanted to try something different today. Something fancy! And here's what I did.

Ingredient for boysenberry dough :
1 cup glutinous rice flour
2 tbsp boysenberry puree
70ml lukewarm water
(combine all ingredients and mix to form a soft dough)

Ingredients for black sesame dough :
1 cup glutinous rice flour
2 tbsp black sesame powder
90ml lukewarm water
(combine all ingredients and mix to form a soft dough)

*Divide dough into four(4) portion. Roll each into oblong shape and then slicing into small bite size.

Ingredients for Sweet Soup :
2L water
3 pandan leaves (screwpine leaf), rinsed
200gm sugar cane rock sugar
handful of dried longan

Method :
(1) combine all ingredients in a big pot and boil them over medium heat untill dried longan became soft.
(2) next place in all the well shaped dough and let it boil over high heat.
(3) off the heat immediately, once all the glutious dough floating on the surface.
(4) do not cover the lid, let it cool slowly.

You know what! The texture of this shape is actually really nice...really smooth...chewy and am loving the sesame ones. Really yummy! I'm going to make this on the coming New Year eve but in round shape, of coz. Round in Chinese meaning perfect, full and all well. Besides of these two flavour, probably will add in more.... Hope you guys will have fun too! Enjoy.
*
I'm sending this to Suresh & Shaz @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.

Taiwan Pineapple Cake

2012-01-13T00:00:00.001+08:00

These are NO store bought Taiwanese Pineapple Cake.lol! These are 100% homemade Taiwanese pineapple cake. They're all nicely wrapped and ready to be sent out later on. :o) Any of you have yet tried Taiwanese pineapple cake before!!!! Then you should give this a go. The cookie crust is nice & tender, exactly like one of those store bought ones. At the same time, not forgetting to thank the person whom gifted me this lovely mini size mooncake mould. Simply adored it! The shape is very pretty. Thanks, dear.

So, here's the recipe.
Ingredients for dough :
300gm butter, softened
100gm sugar
2 eggs
300gm all purpose flour
1/2 tspn baking soda
50ml water

*Homemade pineapple fillings

Method :
(1) combine flour and baking soda in a big bowl, set aside.
(2) in another bowl, add together butter, sugar and eggs then beat till well combined.
(3) now, stir the butter mixture into dry ingredients and mix well.
(4) finally, add in water little by little till well combined and set aside for 30 mins.
(5) divide pineapple filling into 10gm each and dough into 30gm each.

(6) wrap fillings with dough and seal nicely, both the dough & filling are very soft so must handle with care.
(7) then slightly coat dough with 'koh fun' (cooked glutinous rice flour) and stamp each with a mould or any shape as desired.
(8) bake them at preheated oven 150'C for about 20 mins.

It turns out just the way I want it! The colour looks just fine, lightly brown.

And the fillings fit in perfectly too! I tried double up the filling but it doesn't came out right. Then have to go back to 10gm again. Whateverso, I bet you won't stop at one. I ate three in one go. HAHAHA..... Enjoy & have fun, guys!
( taiwanese cuisine, snack, pineapple, cookies )

Taiwan Pineapple Jam Filling

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

Anyone of you love eating Taiwanese pineapple cake???? I think most of you love it as much as I do. Yeah, just because of that I am exhausted making this pineapple jam again. Phewwww....you certainly need loads of patience on this one, other than red bean paste & lotus paste. Have you realized that Taiwanese pineapple cake fillings taste slightly different from ours. Ours here is tangy but their filling is light & sweet. That's because they're combining both winter melon & pineapple in making the jam. So, here's the recipe.

Ingredients :
2 large pineapple
1 large winter melon (about 2.5kg)
400gm sugar
1 tspn salt
200gm maltose
1/2 cup lime juice
1~2 cinnamon sticks
8 pcs clove

(1) cut pineapple and winter melon into small chunks.
(2) blend the first batch of pineapple together with lime juice, then pour half of it out to a large pot.
(3) continue blending winter melon & pineapple with the remaining juices, in few batches.

(4) once it's done, gather all the ingredients into a non-stick pot and bring it to boil. And keep stirring it constantly.

(5) it took roughly about one and a half hour to cook till became dry and thick.

The pineapple jam filling will look something like this. It won't fall off easily even if you place it the other way round after cooked. It looks even better after cooled. OK now, stay tune for the upcoming pineapple cake.

Sweet Potato ~ The Chinese Gnocchi

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

Still remember the Hakka Abacus Bead I made before this! Actually, this is another version of it. Instead of using mashed taro, I'm using mashed sweet potato. Compare to mashed taro, mashed sweet potato is much softer especially the one in orange colour but not the yellow ones. What I'm making today is much quicker and easier compare to the Abacus Bead shape. No need to spend long hours rolling each of them. That what I love about. hehe.... Come on, lets join me.

Ingredients for sweet potato dough :
300gm sweet potato, mashed
1/2 cup warm water
200gm tapioca flour
1 tbsp wheat starch/tung fun
*extra tapioca flour

Method :
(1) stir half of tapioca flour into mashed sweet potato till combined.
(2) then add in water little by little alternately with the remain flours.
(3) knead dough till smooth and if it is still a little too soft, add more tapioca flour cause mashed sweet potato is moist & softer than mashed taro.
(4) once it's ready, divide dough into smaller portion and roll them up like s rope.
(5) arrange all prepared dough onto a tray, then steamed for 20-25mins over high heat.
(6) finally, leave completely cool before used.

The steamed sweet potato should be looking like this....gluey, chewy and shinny. Caution : Never ever put your hands on them while it's still hot. It is really hot & quite sticky too. But don't worried, you can easily pull them out once it's totally cooled off. Cut each into small bite size and it's ready to go to the WOK.

Ingredients :
1 carrot, cut into fine shreds
2 dried mushroom, soaked & thinly sliced
100gm coriander, cut into 1"
70gm dried black wood ear/fungus, soaked & sliced into fine shreds
2 red chilies, thinly sliced
handful of fresh ginger shreds
*cooked sweet potato dough, cut into bite size

Seasoning :
2-1/2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tspn light soy sauce
a dash crushed black pepper
1/2 cup water
*you may use a bit of Shaoxing wine (optional)

Method :
(1) heat the wok, add in enough cooking oil/sesame oil and stir in ginger, fry till fragrant.
(2) then stir in wood ears and mushroom, saute for a few seconds.
(3) now, add in all the seasoning and let it simmer for a couple of minutes over medium heat.
(4) stir in the cooked sweet potato dough and let it simmer for another few more minutes or till the gravy became thickened.
(5) off the heat, then add in the remain ingredients and stir to well combined, serve warm.

Well, may be you can try this out on the coming Chinese New Year. Instead of making the taro version every time, you need a brand new makeover. I mean the food NOT you!!!! haha.... Honestly, I think myself need a total makeover as well. I can't remember when is the last time I used lipstick or eye shadow. And don't even know where I'm keeping them or are they already expired! Muakaha.... Anyway, hope you guys will love this Chinese gnochi.
*
I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.

Steamed Sweet Potato Kuih~ A Better Version

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000+08:00

Oh my goodness! I have finally found the perfect recipe of my favourite kuih. (clap clap clap!) I've been searching high and low for the kuih recipe that I'm craving for, ever since I have my first bite on it. And finally decided to try Lena's Pumpkin Kuih recipe out, which she made quite some time ago. Thanks Lena for sharing it! But still I think the kuih is too soft to handle even after cooled. So then I tried to add a little of this and that....Errr.......probably Sir Einstein is laughing at me right at this moment (at the other side of the world)! haha.... Oh dear, Kristy Kristy, what are you doing?

And here's the result of my little this & that!!!!
Ingredients :
500gm sweet potato/pumpkin, mashed
200gm sugar
300gm tapioca flour/starch
50gm wheat starch/tung fun
300ml coconut milk
150ml water

Method :
(1) combine together tapioca flour, tung fun & sugar in a big mixing bowl.
(2) now stir in coconut milk & water,. mix to combine.
(3) next, slowly stir in mashed pumpkin till well mixed.
(4) pour batter to a preheated 9" tray with oil coating, then cover loosely with a piece of aluminium foil.
(5) finally, steam for 40mins over high heat.
(6) leave cool completely before slicing it by using a plastic cutter.

I'm using a 9" tray for this but the kuih will look taller if you are using an 8" tray. This recipe doesn't fit in a 7" tray pan. So forget about it! Always remember, only slicing the kuih after it is completely cooled. So that you can easily pull it out from the tray. The kuih should be very springy.

Oooo....don't you love the look of this chewy kuih!!!! I am totally in love with it. I've tried both pumpkin and sweet potato and they both taste just as good. Slurppppp..... Other than that I am dedicating this recipe to a dear friend, Diane M. Chan. Hope you will love it.
*
I am sending this to Suresh & Shaz @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.
(kuih, desserts, asian cuisine, )

It's 2012! It's A Vegan Banana Cake

2012-01-01T00:00:00.001+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! Simply unbelieveable. It's already 2012 and I finally managed to put up a post just right on time. Horay! Oh boy, this is just so cool. We're celebrating New Year here right at this moment but still many more countries are waiting for the count down. I bet they're getting truly excited. As always, it's the tradition for me to wait till exactly at 12.00 in the morning to make a wish before it turns 12.01am. So, it needs to be quick. HAHAHA..... And one of my many wishes is still WORLD PEACE &come first. Life will be better if without war. After all, still FOOD & Water is the most important stuffs in our lives. I don't wish to see if there's one day you have billions of dollars and you can't buy food & water or even clean AIR anymore! So, for a good start. I'm learning one of the many vegan baking. It's a vegan banana cake. Vegan is something that is vegetarian and non-dairy products are used. Pretty challenging though but I love it. So, here we go.

Ingredients :
(A)
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tspn baking powder
1 tpsn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt

(B)
1-1/4 cup sugar
223gm margerine, melted
1/2 cup soy milk
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tspn vanilla extract
3 cups banana, mashed

*300ml non-dairy whipping cream, whipped
1 cup roasted coconut shreds

Method :
(1) combine all ingredients (A) into a big bowl and stir well.
(2) in another bowl, mix in all ingredients (B) and beat to combine.
(3) next, slowly stir in ingredients (A) into (B) by hand mix.
(4) pour mixture over to a lined 9" tray and bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 40-45mins.
(5) once it's done, leave to cool completely before spread on the whipped cream & top with shredded coconut.

Ta....Da..... Just as simple as this! Don't you think it looks even better than the common banana cake? The cake looks so tall & well risen. And the best thing was NO-Dairy products are used.

The cake tastes very very delicious. It is totally packed with banana....almost every single inch of it! And the texture is as soft. This is pretty addictive. I need to make more vegan baking after this. And hope you too!
*
STAY GREEN, BE HEALTHY AND HAVE SOMETHING VEGAN FOR A START! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL....
(vegan, cake, banana )

Rock Melon Sago Sweet Soup

2011-12-30T17:00:00.000+08:00

It has been ages ever since I last made this. No choice, you have to made your own cause you can't easily find this kind of mouthwatering desserts anywhere. These are commonly serve in restaurants back in the 80's & 90's but not sure about it now. And it has to be rock melon, not any other honey melon for replacement. I'm not sure why but it just doesn't taste right with other fruits.

See, this is a beauty. It was gifted by a new friend yesterday. Thank you, Sir and to your Mrs. too. Both the melon & rambutans are very juicy & delicious. Guess, I did make good use of the melon huh! I cut and diced every single inches of it just for the sweet soup. And here's what I did.

Ingredients for Chewy Bite :
3 tbsp tapioca starch
2 tbsp water + one drop red food colouring

Method :
(1) slowly addwater mixture to tapioca starch till well combine.
(2) prepare a pot boiling water and a bowl of tap water at the same time..
(3) then carefully drop the tapioca mixture to the boiling water bit by bit by using 2 small teaspoon & let simmer for a while..
(4) remove chewy bite to the prepared tap water once it turns transparent. Leave cool.

Ingredients for Sweet Soup :
6 cups water
2 pandan leaves (screwpine leaves)
140gm sugar
*100ml thick coconut milk

Method :
(1) Put together water, pandan leaves & sugar in a pot and let to boil till sugar completely dissolved.
(2) off the heat, stir in coconut milk and leave cool completely before kept refrigerated. And discharge the leaves before adding in the chewy bite & cooked sago.

# 100gm sago (plain or with colour)

Method :
(1) soaked sago with tap water for about 60 mins.
(2) drain and then by using the same pot of boiling water with the heat off, pour in the soaked sago and stir for 10 seconds.
(3) then quickly drain off the boiling water and keep them to a bowl of tap water.

(4) Let them cool and drain, before adding to the chilled sweet soup.

Remember only drain both sago & chewy bites and then mix them in, once the soup is chilled enough to be serve. Errrrr..... coconut milk is fattening! Nope, I'm not going to calculate it. Actually, just taken two bowls of it. haha.... Hubby not in, so I'm having his share as well. :P However, I hope you all are having a great day.
#
I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.

Thai 7 Spices Baked Chicken

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000+08:00

Have anyone of you ever heard of Thai 7 Spices? I did spotted the recipe somewhere before but have forgotten where about. And then lucky me, Ann @ PigPig's Corner sent me a bottle of it with a total SURPRISE enclosed together a few other wonderful ingredients before she shifted over to Singapore. Ann, thank you very much. I can finally find out how it is actually taste like. OK now back to the spices! The ingredients used in this particular spices included cumin powder, dried garlic, red chili powder, green pepper powder, onion powder, star anise powder, cayenne pepper, cloves powder and sugar, salt & pepper to taste. Actually, I was quite curious why it calls Thai 7 spices? Because I don't see any kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass nor ginger flower is used. But one thing is, it does taste really really good.

So, here's what I did.

Ingredients :

4 pcs chicken thigh

4 large potatoes, sliced

2 tbsp Thai 7 spices

some sesame oil

salt & pepper to taste

*1 tspn mixed herbs (for topping the sliced potatoes)

Method :

(1) marinade chicken meat with salt & pepper.

(2) then rub Thai spices to all the chicken meat, keep aside for 30mins.

(3) place all the meat and all the sliced potatoes to baking tray, then sprinkle on salt & mixed herbs for extra flavouring.

(4) finally, bake at preheated oven 195'C for about 45-60mins or till brown.

It tastes more like a Western & Asian fusion flavouring. And it has a nice touch of spiciness that I love about. If anyone of you are interested in trying your own, you can just combine all the ingredients that I've mentioned as the above and give it ago (well, it just a suggestion.lol! hehe....) or you may just order a bottle from the site as given. Have fun!
*
And not forgetting to wish all my readers. HAPPY 2012 !
( chicken, thai spice,)

Mocha Mud Cake

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000+08:00

Ooooo.....we are just 2 days away from Christmas! Can you believe it? I am so excited like everyone of you even though I'm not celebrating it. haha..... I know most of you are still rushing around for some last minute X'mas gifts or baking like crazy for the coming giveaways. And most of all, not to miss out the X'mas decorations! Well, still you need to slow down and take a deep breathe for a couple of minutes.....or you may take a few minutes to enjoy a slice or two of your own sweet bakes. I am actually extremely busy doing my year end housekeeping for the past few days. It was hard especially during this kind of season. It has been raining for one whole week already on and off. The weather is turning chill. So, I ended up ironing all the half dry clothing which has been hanging around for the past 2 days.And yet more laundry need to be done too! Yes, I definitely need a.......break.

Guess, you know what I had ! ha.....

Ingredients :
(A)
250gm butter
150gm dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups sugar

(B)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tspn baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method :
(1) melt ingredients (A) without boiling.
(2) transfer the melted mixture to a big bowl and leave to cool for 15 mins.
(3) then stir in ingredients (B) and mix well.
(4) pour batter to a 8" tray lined with parchment paper.
(5) bake at preheated oven 170'C for one hour & 30 mins.

Without hestitation, this round I placed the baking tray on the lower deck and slot in another tray over the top deck to minimize the direct heating from the top. Or you may cover the top with an aluminium foil and remove it later on.

Honestly, I at least need an hour of break to enjoy my sweet baked with a cup of white coffee. Don't be mistaken ! White Coffee isn't mean the coffee is white in colour but just the name for one of our local coffee. The coffee actually tastes quite similar to cappuccino. Our local coffee has slightly different flavour compare to the western one. Maybe because of the way how they process the beans. However, do have fun and enjoy this festive season with laughter. And be blessed !
*
Here's an early greeting to all my readers :
HAVE A BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!
(cake, dessert)

Bacon & Cheese Muffin (Non-Halal)

2011-12-19T00:00:00.003+08:00

Sorry guys that I have went missing for the past whole week. I was away for a short holiday actually. Miss you all very much too! Glad that I'm finally back. Hopefully, will be able to catch up with all of you very very soon. Gosh, just imagine how time flies. Christmas is just a couple of days ahead. I'm sure everyone of you are extremely busy with all the baking and decoration kind of stuffs. Actually, I'm too planning to do the cleaning up these few days, before school reopen soon. In addition, we're celebrating the Chinese New Year quite early in the coming year which falls on the 23rd of January 2012. Just about one month away! During this kind of hectic season, it's always great to make something quick & simple. And yet filling, to provide us enough energy for the first half of the day. I was gifted a packet of bacon weeks ago and thought of using it before expired. For non-halal baker, you can always replace bacon with chicken sausage.

So, here's what I did.
Ingredients :
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
5 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup corn oil
1 bell pepper, cut in chunks
1/2 cup chopped pan fried bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (keep some for topping)
1/2 cup chopped onion

Method :
(1) combine all dry ingredients included bacon, cheese, onion & bell pepper into a big bowl.
(2) in another bowl, stir together milk, egg and oil.
(3) then, slowly stir milk mixture into dry ingredients till well mixed. (do not over mix the batter)
(4) place batter to well coated muffin cups and top with some shredded cheese.
(5) finally, bake at preheated oven 200'c for about 20 mins

These muffins are really tasty and keep me going. The sweetness of onion & bell pepper is amazing. And the smell of cheese, simply something that I'm dying for. :o) I'm suggesting some addition of spring onion if possible. I bet it tastes even better. Ok Ok enough for food ! Seriously, hope you all will have a great week ahead and enjoy the festive mood......probably dancing in the kitchen ! It will definitely helps to keep you moving especially during this cold season. So, have fun!
( bacon, muffin, savory muffin, cheese )

Non Dairy ~ Crispy Green Pea Cookies

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

Cookies always one of our favourite snacks at home. And most commercial cookies are very buttery and contained of all kinds of additional flavours which I think it isn't very healthy when over consumed. So, it's still best to make some healthy snacks at home once in a while. I found this recipe some time ago and totally in love with it, once it mentioned no plain flour & butter is used.. My mom is not a butter person, so this is just perfect for her.

Ingredients :
1 cup green pea flour
3/4 cup semolina flour
5 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp wheat starch (tung fun)
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
200gm shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs

#for topping : 3/4 cup roasted pistachio chunks or roasted coconut shreds

Method :
(1) in a big bowl. combine salt, all flour & starch and mix well.
(2) cream shortening with sugar till fluffy, then add in eggs and beat till well combined.
(3) now, stir in the dry ingredients till everything well mixed.
(4) place batter into piping bag and pipe batter onto baking tray.
(5) top prepared batter with pistachio chunks or roasted coconut shreds.
(6) finally, bake at preheated oven 175-180'C for about 10-12mins or till brown.
(7) leave them cool before removing them.

These cookies are really really crispy and flavourful.......and less buttery as well. I have never tried anything like this before. The texture is totally different from the one made by plain flour. I think you shouldn't miss this out. Probably, this will be one wonderful & healthy gift for friends & family members during the coming festive season too. Enjoy & have fun!

Baked Tandoori Chicken

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000+08:00

Tandoori chicken is one famous Indian cuisine over here in Malaysia too, other than India. The restaurants usually will pair this grilled meat with naan bread. I seldom eat tandoori chicken which serve at the restaurant. I always think the way they grilled it is too dry and the meat is not tender enough. So. decided to attempt my own version at home by baking it. Don't you think they look juicier & tender ?

So, here's what I did.
Ingredients :
1 kg chicken, cut into bite size
1 cup yogurt
4 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp cayenne pepper powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
salt to taste
1-1/2 tbsp minced garlic (2 tspn garlic powder)
1 tbsp minced ginger (2 tspn ginger powder)
* 1 lemon juice (optional)

Method :
(1) combine all spices and mix well.
(2) now, marinade chicken meat with all the ingredient for 30 mins.
(3) then bake at preheated oven 190'C for about 45-60 mins (depends on sizes).

You can definitely serve this to all your guests during this coming festive season with just a quick touch. Hassle free and delicious too....even without the lemon juice.
*
I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.

Turkish Summit Bread

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

Have you guys been to Turkey before? I haven't! After google for a while, I decided to make this Turkish bread. This is Turkish Summit Bread which is usually serve as breakfast in Turkey. Some also calling it as Turkish Bagel. They only used very little ingredients on this bread and yet tasted so delicious. Believe me, it is really really tasty. I hope one day I can visit to Turkey and enjoy the food there for real. :o)

And here's the recipe.
Ingredients :
3-1/2 cups bread flour
1-1/2 tspn salt
400ml water
2 tspn yeast

Ingredients for coating :
3 tbsp hot water
1-1/2 tbsp molasses / black treacle
(combine hot water & molasses together and mix well)
*1/2 cup sesame seeds

Method :
(1) combine yeast with 100ml water and set aside for 5 mins.
(2) in a big bowl, combine flour, salt and remaining water, then add in yeast mixture and stir to form a sticky dough.
(3) leave dough aside for an hour or till double in size, keep dough cover with a damped tower.
(4) once it's ready, fold dough for a number of times.
(5) then place dough to a floured working table, divide dough into 24 portions.

(6) slightly pull dough into string shape for about 5" long and coat each dough with flour.
(7) now, plait dough by twisting 2 strings dough together and join both end together to make a circle.

(8) brush dough with molasses mixture then coat with sesame seeds.
(9) without further proving, bake at preheated oven 220'C for about 20 mins or till brown.

I was so amazed by the look of the bread and after taking my first bite.....I even loving it more. The crust is totally irresistible. It's really crispy......it was sweet at first, then..... it was the tasty roasted sesame....and then the chewy fragrant texture of the bread. Errrrr......Isn't that sounds fabulous to you too! I ate two. Really can't help it! haha.... I'm sure you will too. Enjoy.

Cucur Ikan Bilis @ Dried Anchovies Fritters

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, hubby made a special request. He wants to have this anchovies fritter for today's tea break. This is a very simple & easy to prepare recipe. I'm sure anyone of you can do it too. This kind of fritter is normally serve as a snack during older days, where we have not much to get from the stall. We can feed whole lot of people from 1kg of flour, saving lots of money. :o)

And here's what I did.
Ingredients :
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn cumin powder
1 tspn baking powder
1 cup water
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red chili, chopped
50gm dried anchovies (fried till golden brown)
*cooking oil for frying

Method :
(1) combine flour, sugar, slat, cumin powder & baking powder in a big bowl.
(2) stir in water to the dry ingredients and mix well.
(3) now, add in sliced onion, chili & fried anchovies and stir well.
(4) finally, fry batter till golden brown and serve warm with chili sauce.

By the end of the preparation, I have to make another batch cause hubby has invite some friends over. They polished everything up in just a few seconds.

*I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Monday Malaysia.

Black Forest Coffee Cake

2011-11-27T00:00:00.000+08:00

Just imagine how time flies! It's already end of November and X'mas is just a couple of weeks away. Xmas is always an exciting festive season. Though I'm not celebrating it, I love the festive mood so very much. It always a joy listening to those X'mas songs, while I enjoyed playing with my bread dough. I am actually making some coffee cake for the weekend. It's great to have something warm & fresh from oven during the weekend when everyone is home. I'm not sure if anyone of you know why it is called a cake and not a bread eventhough it looks like a bread. Well, coffee cake is actually meaning bread or cake that is flavoured with sweet frosting, cinnamon, fruits or nuts topping, and it is served during tea time. So, got it! :o)

Ingredients for bread dough :
4 tspn yeast
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup warmed water
1/2 cup thick cream
3/4 cup milk
113gm butter, softened
5-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tspn baking powder
2 tspn salt

Fillings :
1 bottle of black cherry jam
4 cups chocolate cake, cut into chunks
2 cups dark chocolate, chopped

# 1 cup almond sliced
1 egg, beaten for egg glazing

Method :
(1) combine sugar, yeast & water and set aside for 10 mins.
(2) in another mixing bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients and then stir in yeast mixture till nicely combined to foam a soft dough.
(3) next, place dough onto a slightly floured working table and knead till smooth (for about 5 mins).
(4) then divide dough into 4 portion, roll dough flat for about 9x12". Spread on jam for base then top with chocolate cake & chopped chocolate.
(5) further braiding instructions, please follow here.
(6) once completed, let them rest for an hour.
(7) when ready, brush on egg glazing and then top with sliced almond.
(8) finally, bake at preheated oven 190'C for about 20 mins or till nicely brown.

I'm actually using some of the leftover chocolate cake from my previous baked on this recipe. It's always wonder to make such full utilized of the leftover food. Hope you guys will love it too. Have fun!

Savory Steamed Egg

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000+08:00

Savory steamed egg is quite a common dish serve here during lunch or dinner. It is normally served with white rice. Some may prepare this kind of steamed egg with salted egg or century egg or anything may possible. It is a very healthy dish and also delicious to be served with porridge.

And here's we go.
Ingredients for egg mixture :
3 eggs
310ml water
a pinch of salt & pepper
a dash of sesame oil

Ingredients for flavoured meat :
100gm chicken minced meat
1 tspn vegetarian oyster sauce
salt & pepper to taste
a dash of sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped preserved radish (salty version)
1 bird eye chili, chopped

Method :
(1) marinade chicken meat with all other ingredients and set aside for 30 mins.
(2) in another bowl, beat together eggs, water, salt & pepper and sesame till well combined.
(3) place marinated meat onto a 8" tray and then pour in beaten egg mixture.
(4) then steamed for 8-10 mins over medium flame.(take a pip half way through, make sure the heat is not too hot)
(5) serve warm.

The top layer of steamed egg is some sesame oil which smell really good.

Hope you're all going to love this too!
#
I'm sending this to Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday.

Banana Cheesecake With Peanut Butter Frosting

2011-11-17T00:00:00.001+08:00

Thousand apologies everyone! I know I've been pretty bad lately. Actually, I was busy taking care of my daughter and also some personal task. My girl is taking her final year examination which will only be ended in another 3 weeks time. While....I was busy preparing something nice for her. Even though I can't help much I still hope I can help her to release her tension by preparing her some really yummilicious food. And here's one of it....... banana cheesecake with peanut butter frosting! Have anyone of you ever tried banana cheesecake before? Honestly, I haven't! I have to tell you that I am falling in love with it immediately.

Here's what I did.

Ingredients for crust :

180gm digestive biscuit, finely crushed
100gm ground pistachio
100gm butter, melted

Ingredients for fillings :
500gm cream cheese
3 eggs
1 canned condensed milk
4 tbsp honey
1/4 tspn salt
1 lemon juice & zest
1 tspn vanilla extract
3-4 bananas, mashed

Method :

(1) combine crushed biscuit, pistachio and butter in a bowl, stir to combine, then press it to a 9" spring foam tray and keep refrigerated for about 30mins or till set.

(2) next, combine cream cheese, eggs, condensed milk, honey, salt & vanilla into a big mixing bowl and then beat all ingredients at once till smooth & creamy.

(3) now, stir in mashed banana but do not over mixed.

(4) pour cream cheese mixture to the biscuit based pan and bake at preheated oven 170'C for about an hour or till nicely brown & set.

(5) once it's done, leave to cool completely before placing on the frosting & keep chilled overnight before serving.

Ingredients for peanut butter frosting :

250ml whipping cream

250gm peanut butter jam

(combine both ingredients and then whisk till it's set and ready for frosting)

#For non-dairy whipping cream : It's best to keep frozen the whole time. Then withdraw the quantity as required and let it rest for 10mins under room temperature before the whisking task cause it works better in this way while the cream is still chilled.

#For dairy whipping cream : Dairy whipping cream is unlike non-dairy. It's not suitable to keep frozen. So, when using dairy whipping cream it's best to use some cold water with ice cube below the whisking bowl to keep the temperature as low as possible while whisking the cream.

The peanut butter frosting is amazing or you may add in some additional flavour by drizzle on some caramel sauce......hmmm...mmmm..... I can wallop a few slices of them in this way. I'm sure this sounds so really tempting to you too. I would suggest you to try this on the coming thanksgiving dinner. Happy Thanksgiving to all ! Enjoy.

What's In My Muah Chee?

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000+08:00

I'm sure everyone of you are so familiar with this special simple local delight. Though I don't eat this often, I would love to try making it at home. This is a quickie recipe so there's no hesitation making it your own. Well, muah chee is quite similar to the local mochi actually (but different to the Japanese mochi or daifuku). Mochi is normally served with the fillings wrapping inside while muah chee is by coating them on the outer layer. And what makes mine so special? Errrrr.... actually it isn't special....just fun & more flavourful to enjoy. I had mine by adding in the black glutinous rice flour and some azuki....oh and some coconut milk. I love adding in these three ingredients in my cooking & baking a lot. They are such a terrific marriage couple.

And here's the recipe.
Ingredients :

1-1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
1/2 cup black glutinous rice flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup cooked azuki (canned azuki)

For Coating :
1/2 cup roasted crushed peanut
2 tbsp fine palm sugar
2 tbsp sugar
(combine both & mix well)

Method :
(1) combine both glutinous rice flour, azuki & sugar into a big bowl.
(2) then stir in coconut milk & boiling water, mix till combined.
(3) place the sticky paste to a oil based pan then steam for 30mins.
(4) leave dough to cool completely before coating with crushed peanut sugar.

This is a very interesting flavour of muah chee. Hope you guys will love it too. enjoy & have fun!

I'm sending this Shaz & Suresh @ Muhibbah Malaysian Monday event.
#
Special note to all my readers,
I would like to apologize to all cause I haven't been blogging much lately. I will try my best to hop over to yours as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your visits and to all your wonderful comments. I'm looking forward to visit you all soon.
With love, hugs & kisses,
Kristy

Homemade Cheesy Piadinas

2011-11-10T00:00:00.002+08:00

The word Piadina sounds pretty new to me. But after checking, it is actually the name for an Italian flatbread. And it is usually used in making rolls, with either sweet or savory fillings. If omit the yeast from the recipe, it will became a tortilla. Tortilla is a Mexican flatbread which is quite similar but much thinner. I'm glad I've learned something new again. And here's the recipe
.

Ingredients :
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp   sugar
1/2 tspn salt
1 egg
130ml   warm milk
1 tbsp   yeast
1/2 cup spring onion, thinly sliced
100gm   shredded cheddar cheese

Method :
(1) combine warm milk together with yeast and set aside for 10mins.
(2) in another big bowl, combine flour, sugar & salt together and mix well.
(3) add milk mixture & egg into dry ingredients once it's ready, till form a soft dough.
(4) next add in cheese & spring onion and knead till well combined.
(5) then set aside to rest for an hour or till double in size.
(6) when it's done, place dough to a slightly floured working table and knead till smooth.
(7) then divide into 6 portions.

(8) now, preheat a non-stick pan with a few drops of cooking oil.

(9) roll the dough out flat and then place it to the frying pan.

(10) cook both sides till the dough is brown but still soft.

The addition of cheese & spring onion is simply amazing. What do you think by using them in making thin crust pizza? Hmmm...mmmm... Salivating...