Food People Eat

Resort World Genting's Moon Cakes 2012

2012-09-13T02:03:00.002-07:00

Mid-Autumn Celebration is around the corner. I believe everyone is busy buying moon cakes, visiting relatives and close friends. Some of you are planning for a home party or BBQ and decorating lanterns on the night of 15th August already. The Chinese communities will be celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th of the eight lunar month. There is widely known the mythology story of China 中国神话故事, Chang' e 嫦娥 who lives on the moon with hare.

On here I am sharing with you one of my top ten list Moon Cakes in Malaysia, the Resort World Genting's Moon Cakes. The delectable masterpiece from the mountain. A mouthwatering masterpiece. There are 15 flavours plus 1 Money God cookies for this year menu. There are 4 new flavour from the Resort World's Sifu.

RWG's Moon Cake Poster

Goddness from the Moon, Chang'e

White Lotus Paste With Ginseng and Red Dates

White Lotus Paste with Black Sesame Yolk

Sweet Corn Paste with Chestnut

Snow Skin with Kiwi Paste

Money God Cookies

2012 Price List

Promotion

These photography are belonging to RWG. For more RWG's Moon Cakes promotion, please visit

http://www.rwgenting.com/en/fb/promotions/2012/mooncakes/index.htm

Organic Red Rice Fried Rice (Gluten Free & Vegetarian)

2012-09-05T03:48:00.003-07:00

Pouched Fried Rice, Organic Red Rice Fried Rice

I guess everyone love fried rice. I can eat Fried Rice everyday for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even supper. It is simply delicious! The first time I attempted to Fried Rice my own was 18 and my parents went to Bukit Mertajam (大山脚), and I cooked for my three brothers. Brief introduction, Bukit Mertajam is a small town located in Butterworth, mainland, Penang.

To get a prefect Fried Rice, remember always use chilled left-over rice. Cook the rice one day before. Keep the rice in the refrigerator to dry out a bit. To much moisture in the rice will make it heavy mess in the pan. Do not constantly poking at the rice, the grains will break and release too much starch and turn the entire thing gooey. The best thing is to spread the rice evenly in the pan, let it heat up for a few second, 1 2 3 4 5...flip, toss and redistribute the rice, again spreading it out and leaving it alone to cook for another side.

I used Kelantan unpolished organic red rice. Although it is expensive MYR10.90/kilo but it is gluten free. Red rice are unhulled or partially hulled which have red husk. It is well noted for high fibre then normal white rice and assists greatly in the relieve of constipation. The red color is due to an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which is known to reduce glucose level and is good for diabetic and prevention of many chronic diseases.

I bought this from a local Organic Shop in SS/18, Subang Jaya. They were came from different supplies and pricing from MYR8.90/kilo, MYR9.90/kilo to MYR10.90/kilo. Red rice is expensive then imported India rice MYR7.90/kilo or even Japanese sushi rice MYR8.00/kilo.

Wash the rice before cooking. 1 cup of rice goes with 1 cup of water. You can follow the measurement in the pot of the rice cooker or follow the cooking instructions on the label of the packaging. Put rice and water in the rice cooker. It takes about 45 to 50 minutes to cook. I used digital rice cooker. There is a p p.... sound from the rice cooker when the rice is cooked. The rice is fluffy when you get to see some small holes on the rice.

I fried the red rice with diced carrots, long beans, onions and beets. The color even look red with beets.

I used baking paper to wrap the Fried Rice. (First Choice baking paper from Cold Storage. It is only MYR3.99/roll/5meter) In this way it is easy for me to bring them for breakfast at work. Finished and throw away the baking paper. No washing is needed!

Fold the baking paper into triangle shape like this. First fold and second fold.

Scoop Fried Rice into the pouch. About 6 to 8 tablespoons.

Fold the baking paper from one side to the other side to wrap the Fried Rice.

Insert the baking paper into the pocket to secure the wrapper.

Here are the finished products. Pouched Fried Rice. A Kelantan Organic Red Rice Fried Rice. You may keep the Pouched Fried Rice in the refrigerator for 3 days and in freeze for up to 1 week. Just reheat them in the microwave oven.

Makes 12

Recipes:
3 cups Kelantan Unpolished Red Rice
3 cups Water
1 cup Carrot, diced bite size
1 cup Long Beans, diced bite size
1 cup Beet, diced bite size (Is about 1 small beet)
1 big Onion, diced bite size
3 tablespoons Cooking Oil to stir fry all vegetables
3 tablespoons Cooking Oil to stir fry the Red Rice
Chinese Soya Sauce to taste
White Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Msg to taste (Optional)

Method:

1. Cook the rice and keep in the refrigerator for over-night. Bring the rice out from the refrigerator before prepare other ingredients.

2. Stir fry all vegetables with 3 tables spoons cooking oil until tender. Scoop them out from the wok. Set a side.

3. Turn heat to small, put 3 tablespoons cooking oil in the wok, wait for 1 to 2 seconds and put in cooked red rice, stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes for each side.

4. Keep the heat small, toss in stir fried vegetables and drizzle the soya sauce all around the rice and toss. Add in white pepper, salt and msg, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients. Turn the heat to medium, let everything heat back up again for 2 to 3 minutes and turn the flame off and serve it hot or warm with vegetables or fruits salad.

Note: You can get the Red Rice in any Organic shops, Carrefour Subang Jaya, Aeon Supermarkets and Jaya Grocer.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and most breads have gluten, read more -> More about gluten

Anson's Preserved Turnips Chee Cheong Fun

2012-08-29T11:09:00.001-07:00

Anson's Preserved Turnips Chee Cheong Fun

We found Anson's Chee Cheong Fun in Nang King Kopitiam at Taipan, USJ. This typical Anson's CCF is eaten with pickled green chillies. There is no sauce for this Anson's CCF. They do provide sweet sauce and chilli sauce if you request. It is only MYR3.40/USD1.00 for a packet, two pieces CCF and some pickled green chillies. I do not have the photo of this stall but you can find them in Nang King Kopitiam. (Opposite Pappa Rich Kopitiam)

Teluk Intan is a small town in Perak, formerly known as Teluk Anson "Anson". My husband and I went there while travelling north during Chinese New Year two years ago. My aunt is staying in Ipoh and she told me there is a famous CCF factory in Anson and just a five minutes drive from the famous Anson's Leaning Clock Tower.

Leaning Clock Tower of Anson, Teluk Intan. Cool huh! We have one very similiar to the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy in Malaysia.

Liew Kee koay teow factory makes and distributes fresh koay teow and RTE Chee Cheong Fun everyday to local hawker center and they also operates at night selling RTE Chee Cheong Fun. RTE means "ready to eat", a typical Anson style CCF, cooked with preserved turnips (腌萝卜), minced pork, dried shrimps and fresh green shallots.

Everyday same routine standing at the same place making CCF. Pour batter evenly onto the metal trays, sprinkled minced pork and fresh shallots and place the metal trays back to the steam machine at one end. The metal trays one by one will then passed through a long steam machine. It takes about 1 to 3 minutes to comes out and another lady standing at the other end to collect the cooked CCF. Sounds cool, right! Making CCF using machine. That is mass production.

Liew Kee Teluk Intan CCF is almost legendary, hands down the most popular Chinese food in all of Teluk Intan. Well, if you have not tasted this CCF before, then you better draft a plan now. Everyone lines up for their orders to be prepared, and be warned that the queue can be relentless on most days. Especially when people in front of you ordered 30 or even 50 packets to be taken away.

Seriously, how good is this? To justify the miles travelled, hair pulled from getting constantly at every corner, and moisture lost from the sweltering heat, as well as time spent on the queue?

First timers might be surprised to see Anson's version CCF is unlike most out there, closest sibling would be Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun, but this one with only preserved vegetable "Turnips"(腌萝卜) the dark brown bits, dried shrimps, aromatic shallots, minced pork and served with pickled green chillies. Personally, I like my food steaming hot, thus I have always tried to eat CCF while they are still warm. You can leave the CCF over-night, and eat them next day. I find them very addictive though, for I like CCF in every possible manner, be it the Ipoh style CCF with various gravies, Penang's CCF with sticky prawn paste and Hong Kong's CCF with fillings of boiled shrimps and char siew. The pickled green chillies added a piquant kick to the savoury rice rolls.

Preserved Turnips Chee Cheong Fun

Minced Pork and Shallots Chee Cheong Fun

Where is Teluk Intan?

Teluk Intan is a town to the south of Perak, in district namaed Hilir Perak. If you are from south eg. Kuala Lumpur, exit Bidor from the North-South Highway, and follow signboards to reach Teluk Intan in about 30 to 45 minutes.

If you are coming from north eg. Penang and Ipoh, you can either exit at Tapah toll, then follow signboards which will lead you to Tapah road, then all the way to Teluk Intan.

Anticancer Fruit & Vegetable Juice

2012-08-28T10:10:00.005-07:00

Oh my!...So nice to drink a glass of chilled fruit and vegetable juice every morning. This is Anticancer Fruit and Vegetable Juice. I got this recipe from Dr. Tom Wu's books. There are so many recipes in his books but this is an easy one with just three main key ingredients, beet, carrot and tomato. Makes 500cc juice each time, drink at least twice a day, morning before breakfast and evening before dinner. Peel unless they are organic.

Recipe:

1 small Beet (if medium size, use 1/2 beet)

1 medium size Carrot

2 medium size Tomato, use only red tomato.

1 glass (250ml) Drinking Water

I use distilled water for juicing. Dr. Wu used distilled water in his recipes. You can find his books in Popular Bookshops, Ikano Power, Sunway Pyramid and Vegetarian Organic Restaurant SS/18, Subang Jaya. You will get the answer why distilled water.

Fresh Beet Root, use only the root. Beets are very nutritious and their bright color is a nice touch to any meal. Their sweetness makes them different from most vegetables, and the sugar beet is the sweetest of all. Beet root has high concentrations of folic acid and manganese, and the roots are very high in fiber as well. The greens will give you added vitamins A and C.

Therapeutic benefits: Beetroot juice is very powerful and should always be consumed in small quantities and usually mixed with other juices, such as apple, carrot, cucumber and celery.

It is an excellent purifier and cleanser of the blood and is effective in cleaning out the liver, kidneys and arteries.

Due to the high amounts of natural sugars that beetroot juice contains, it is thoroughly energising, although should be avoided by diabetics.

It is also good for digestive problems such as constipation and it strengthens the bones, which is helpful for people as they get older and their bones become weaker.

Carrot, they are a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. Grated carrots can add some extra vitamins to breads and muffins too. Carrots are particularly high in beta-carotene (vitamin A), fiber and vitamin C. You get the most nutrition out of carrots if you leave the peels on.

Therapeutic benefits: Carrot juice is an excellent tonic for just about every ailment imaginable. It can be consumed in large quantities as well. It is particularly effective in preventing cataracts and other eye problems, as well as energising, cleansing and healing the body faster.

Carrot juice boosts the immune system and protects against disease. It helps to treat anaemia, circulatory problems and skin disorders.

It is good for digestive problems and is an excellent remedy for ulcers, liver problems and asthma. It may help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Tomato, they can be eaten raw or cooked. They are high in vitamins A and C, and are great sources for potassium, vitamin K and even fiber.

Therapeutic benefits: Tomatoes gain a lot of their nutrients from the sun and therefore are highly energising and nutritive. They are excellent for blood disorders and a good tonic for the nervous system. This is particularly beneficial for people who suffer from anxiety, stress, nervousness, insomnia and fatigue.

Tomatoes have the ability to eliminate uric acid from the body and so are an excellent food for people with arthritis, gout and rheumatism.

They are hugely detoxifying and can help with skin disorders such as acne or boils.

Moon Cake - Traditional Chinese Delicacy

2012-08-27T12:24:00.002-07:00

Moon Cake (Yue Ping,月饼) is a Chinese pastries traditional eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival. The skin is thin and sweet and prepared in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seed paste, lotus seed paste, red bean paste, five kernel and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in the cake center to symbolize the full moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie,中秋节) or more commonly named in Malaysia as Moon Cake Festival and is celebrated on the 15th day of the eight lunar month. Usually, around mid or late September. In recent years, the Mid-Autumn Festival has benefited from a popularity boost. It is now the second most celebrated Chinese Festival in Malaysia, that is, if you measure it by the amount of advertising and promotions dedicated to it.

Traditional Moon Cakes are shaped like a pie or tarts, round or rectangular measuring about 10 cm in diameter, 4.5 cm thick and is about 190 g ~ 220 g per piece. Moon cakes are rich, heavy, and dense compared with most Western cakes and pastries. They are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.

Moon cake biscuits, flatter than Moon Cake, are commonly made of the same pastry crust and are shaped into traditional animals such as fish, gold fish, dancing lion. These biscuits may or may not contain any fillings.

Traditional Moon Cakes recipe:

Ingredients:
Makes 12~13 mini Moon Cakes

For dough:
100g Superfine Flour
60g Golden Syrup (I used Abram Lyle's Golden Syrup)
2 tsp Alkaline Water, available at Asian Grocers
25 ml Peanut Oil or any vegetable oil

For filling:
420g or 1 packet 500g Red Bean Paste
50g Dried Melon Seeds
6 Salted Egg Yolk
1 tbsp Rose-Flavoured Cooking Wine 玫瑰露酒, available at Asian Grocers

Egg wash:

1 Egg Yolk

2 tbsps Egg White

Method:

Mix Red bean paste with melon seeds. Divide the filling into 35g portions and shape into balls. Set aside. I used a dough: filling ratio of 3:7, for 50g moon cake mould.
Place golden syrup in a bowl. Add in alkaline water, stir to combine. Add in peanut oil, mix well.
Mix salted egg yolks with rose-flavoured cooking wine for 10 minutes, wipe dry the yolks with kitchen paper. Cut each into halves. Set a side.
Place superfine flour in a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre. Add in the above mixture. Mix with a spatula to form a soft dough. Gently knead the dough till smooth, takes about 2~3 mins. Shape it into a smooth round dough. Wrap with cling wrap and leave to rest for at least 1 hour.
Take the Red Bean Paste Ball, poke a hole in the middle with your finger, place 1 piece egg yolk inside and seal and shape into a round ball. Set a side.
Dust work surface with some flour. Give the dough a few light kneading to smooth it.
Divide dough into 15g pieces. Shape each dough into a ball. Roll each dough over some flour. Dust hand with flour and flatten each dough into a small disc (about 5cm in diameter). Wrap it around with Red Bean Paste Ball and shape it into a ball. Always dust hand with some flour to avoid the dough from sticking.
Lightly dust the wrapped dough with some flour. Place it in the mooncake mould and press the mooncake out. Place mooncake on a baking tray line with parchment paper.
Spray some water on the moon cakes. This helps to prevent the mooncake from cracking during baking.
Bake at preheated oven at 180degC for 10mins. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 15mins. Do not skip this step.
Brush the top with some egg wash. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 15mins until golden brown. Since all oven works differently, do check after 10mins, and subsequently every other 2 mins to make sure the mooncakes are not over browned.
Leave mooncake to cool completely and store in air tight containers. Wait for 2 ~ 3 days for the mooncakes to 回油 for the skin to soften and shiny in 1 or 2 days.

My Moon Cake moulds

I Kept these Moon Cake's tins for 10 years already. It was the gifts from my Timberland's buyer Connie Wong. She couriered the moon cakes to me together with her confirmation samples.

Contemporary style Moon Cake - Snow Skin Moon Cakes from Shangri-la Hotel, Durian Moon Cakes, Dragon Fruit Moon Cakes, Mug Bean Moon Cakes and Lotus Seed Moon Cakes.

Ingredients: Glutinous Rice Flour, Wheat Flour, Water, Sugar, Milk, Peanut Oil, Mug Bean Paste, Durian Paste, Dragon Fruit Paste, Lotus Seed Paste, Edible Coloring.

These Piggy Moon Cakes are packed in the colorful baskets with a Pig shaped pastry inside. These will have a similar, delicious taste to a typical Moon Cake, but it doesn’t have the filling. They are very popular among children, and while kids play in the moonlight on the Harvest Moon Festival. I brought them from a small grocer shop in USJ, Taipan. MYR1.00/piece.

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Water, Sugar, Peanut Oil

Trendy little cute Hello Kitty's Moon Cake Biscuits. MYR0.90/piece.

Roti Jala and Sardine Curry # 2 (Lacy Coconut Pancake)

2012-08-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

Makes 20 pieces Roti Jala

This time I cooked sardine curry and Roti Jala, Lacy Coconut Pancake. I have got a packet of fresh vegetarian curry powder from Malyn yesterday. She is the sister of my sister in-law Shaliin. The curry powder is blended with dried curry leafs and dried asam fruit. Asam fruit is also call Asam Gelugor, the sour fruit. It gives acids-citric flavour to Nyonya fish curry and Malay curries.

Dried asam fruit.

Curry powder.

I used canned sardine. 3 medium size red onion. Chop 1 onion finely and slice the another 2. 1 tablespoon curry powder mix with some water.

Roti Jala's recipe, click here http://foodpeopleeat-fpe.blogspot.com/2012/08/roti-jala-lacy-coconut-pancake.html#.UDUF4xdODw0

I substituted coconut milk with evaporated creamer. Sometime it's heard to get fresh coconut milk at the market. You may substitute with fresh milk and evaporated creamer but it's still the best with coconut milk. Or you can use carton coconut milk that sell in the grocery stores.

Combine all the ingredients and whisk until the batter is free of lumps. Strain the batter. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

Pour batter into this bottle. I bought this 3 nozzles bottle in the Japanese store - Daiso, Sunway Pyramid shopping mall. This is not an original Roti Jala mould but you can use this if you can not find any Roti Jala mould at your area.

I use Ikea flying pan. Heat the flying pan, small flame and grease with some vegetable oil.

Drizzle rings of batter in small circles or cross until a net-like pancake is formed. This is cross.

This is circles

Let the batter cook for 30 second to 1 minute. Do not turn it over. We cook the batter at one side only, so you can get beautiful yellow pancake. Do not worry the batter will cook through.

Put Roti Jala on a plate and fold into triangles shape like my photos showed or just roll it up.

Fold into triangles shape.

Serve with a fish curry, chicken curry or beef curry.

Yummylicious Roti Jala.

Sugar Free Fruit Cake

2012-08-20T09:46:00.001-07:00

Serves 8

I have baked this Sugar Free Fruit Cake loaf that is moist and fruity but much lighter than a traditional Fruit Cake. It is sugar free and butter free Fruit Cake. My father has diabetes but can still indulge his sweet tooth, as the cake has no added sugar. It is healthy, delicious, moist and fruity cake - smell so great and can be eaten as a cake or as a tea bread with warm butter and a cup of hot cappuccino.

Ingredients

1 box (375g ~ 400g) Mixed Fruit
50g Almond, chopped and toasted
50g Pineapple, sliced

600ml Chocolate Milk

2 cup Self-Raising Flour, sifted

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

Method

Soak mixed fruit and almond with chocolate milk in the fridge for overnight.
Take the milk mixture out from the fridge and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Line sides and bottom of a 3 x 5 inch square tin with baking paper and grease the paper.
Sift all dry ingredients together in a big bowl.
Stir in flour mixture to the milk mixture little by little and 1 egg at a time and add in vanilla extract. Mix well.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or till cooked. Skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cover immediately after removing from oven so that the cake remains soft.

I used local Dutch Lady Chocolate Milk. Taste so creamy. Low fat chocolate milk can be used. Try an interesting alternative using HL banana flavoured milk.

Fruit cake can be frozen. I wrap in aluminium foil follow by plastic bag for freezing up to 6 mouths. It can be stored in the freeze for 1 year if the cake is sweet enough.

Moist Fruit Cake Tips:

How to make and keep Fruit Cake moist?

The answer is to create moist before baking. Soak the fruits in fruit juice or alcohol of your choice. The most popular are orange juice, brandy or rum. Cover fruits completely with liquid and allow to sit overnight in the fridge. Malaysia weather is humid and hot, so I stored them in the fridge. This plumbs up dried fruits quite a bit and adds moisture to the cake as it bakes. After baked and completely cool off, soak the cake again with liquid and place the cake in an air-tight container before wrap with aluminium foil.

Fruits Custard Cream Puff Pastry

2012-08-10T10:26:00.002-07:00

Makes 10 pieces

Puff pastry, called that because of its puffed-up appearance when baked is made from layers of rolled-out dough topped with butter then stacked together. The fat between the layers steams as it is baked and creates light, flaky layers. Puff pastry has countless uses including Croissants, Napoleons, and even savory pastry sticks.

This fine pastry is very time consuming to make but very good per-made versions are available in the frozen foods section of most grocery stores. Experiment with different brands because some are better than others. Also, see quick puff pastry as another option.

I made these at last minute for my dinner tonight. Thought I need more practice, because I plan to make puffs for afternoon tea at Eng's house on Sunday. And, Yap is going to make me a cup of good coffee with his Nespresso Coffee Machine. Haha, new toy for the boys!

I spent one hour to made the puff pastry. What you need is a packet of ready to use frozen puff pastry sheets and some fresh fruits or canned fruits, custard powder, milk and sugar.

To make custard cream, you need

2 tbsp Custard Powder

1 tbsp Milk Powder (Substitute with 3 tbsp fresh milk)

3 tbsp Castor Sugar

250 ml Water (Room temperature)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

To make puff pastry, you need

I packet Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (10 pieces pr packet)

1 Egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 small knife

1 small brush

Fruits

You can put favorite fruits such as fresh strawberries, blue berries, canned peach, canned oranges, fresh kiwi, grape, passion fruit and dragon fruits. Cut and slice.

To make syrup, you need

5 g Instant Jelly Powder

50 g Castor Sugar

200 ml Water

1 small brush

~ Bring to boil and dissolve. Leave to luke warm. Brush onto fruit puff.

To make custard cream, put all ingredients into a small pot over low flame and stir with spoon slowly for 3 to 5 minutes till become smooth and thicken.

Shiny and smooth custard cream. set aside.

Cut and slice the fruits small and thinly. Keep the cut fruits in the fridge. We're going to use it later.

1 Egg and 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract. Put these two ingredients into a small bowl, lightly beaten. Use as egg wash. Set aside.

I used local "Kawan" brand Puff Pastry. It's only MYR 4.50/10pc/pkt. Pretty cheap, rite! You can use imported brands if you can't find local brands. Kawan brand Puff Pastry come with square 4" X 4" size, exactly the size I want. These puff pastry are suitable for making Sardine Puff, Tuna Mayo Puff, Chicken Potato Carry Puff, Char Siew Puff, Apple Pie, Pineapple Pie, Molten Chocolate Pie, Vols au Vent, Cheese Sticks and etc.

To make great puff pastry, it is important to keep the dough cold at all times. There are specified times for chilling the dough, but if your room is warm, or you work slowly, or you find that for no particular reason the butter starts to ooze out of the pastry, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it . You can stop at any point in the process and continue at your convenience or when the dough is properly chilled.

To make a diamond shape, point to point, fold the puff pastry into half. I used a small knife to cut one straight line from each side. Like this picture showed.

Lift up one side which is from right, pull the dough (strip) to left. And, the same, pull the dough (strip) from left to right to make diamond shape. Gently firmly press against the top and bottom edges of the square.

Place the shaped dough on the lined baking pan. Brush them with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Or 10 minutes before put your puff pastries in oven. Bake at 400˚ F for about 15 to 20 minutes or just until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before filling them.

The puff pastries are rising.

Remove puff pastries from the pan and let it cool on the rack for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Using fork or knife to push the center of pastry down to make more space to fill the custard cream.

These puff pastries are filled up with custard cream already. Next is filling the fruits...

Beautiful Fruit Custard Cream Puff Pastries.

The last step is to brush the puff pastries with syrup.

Beautiful Dragon fruit and Kiwi topping Puff Pastry is ready to be served.

Roti Jala "Lacy Coconut Pancake"

2012-08-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Makes about 15to 20 pieces

Roti Jala is a traditional Malay food. It is light and thin yellow pancake served with Chicken Curry, Chicken Rendang or any Fish Curry. Roti Jala (directly translated as “Net Bread”) - They are essentially savory pancakes which have a net or lace like designs, and are eaten with curries. I call these "Lacy Coconut Pancake". My favorite way to eat them is with chicken and potato curry. And if you asked me what my favorite carb accompaniment to curry was - this would be it. I would not dare to speak of how many of these I can eat in one sitting…

These are made with a special mould, which has five mini “funnels” in it. If you don’t own such a mould, you can poke 5 holes in a milk can and use that as a makeshift mould. I was actually surprised at how fuss free they were, and how good they tasted! If you haven’t had these before, do try them, and I promise you won’t be dissapointed!

I sent two moulds to my brother Pete in US and thought I should keep one of this and... I made the pancakes. :)

Here is the recipe.

150g (1 cup) Plain Flour

1/3 cup (50g) Tapioca Flour, Tapioca Flour, Wikipedia - tapioca flour

1 cup Thick Fresh Coconut Milk ( you can also substitute with semi-skimmed milk)

1 to 1 1/4 cups Water
2 eggs
1/2 t salt
1 tsp Ground Turmeric, Wikipedia - Turmeric
1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter

Method:

Combine all the ingredients and whisk until the batter is free of lumps. Strain the batter. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes. The batter should be quite thin, and flow easily but not too thin or it will pool together instead of forming strands. Too thick or if you drizzle too fast, only beads or dots will form. Adjust with more flour or water till you get it right. Be patient. Drizzle at a medium speed to get lacier pancakes.
Grease a frying pan. Using a Roti Jala cup, drizzle rings of batter in small circles until a net-like pancake is formed. If batter is too thick for your Roti Jala cup, thin it out a bit or cut the tips of the cup. Do not turn over, and do not let pancake brown. The pancake is done when the color changes completely, from whitish yellow to yellow, and at that point, roll up or fold into triangles shape while still in the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Serve with a curry.

Roti Jala moulds.

This is how you hold the mould and make a few swirl on the pan. The size of the pancake is about 6" ~ 8" in diameter.

Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun)

2012-08-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

Makes about 15 pieces Baos

Chinese Steamed Bao (Bun) is more popular and preferred order at Dim Sum Eateries, simply because it is more fulfilling. Chinese Steamed Boa (Bun) is also the favorite "Do-It-Yourself" of housewives as compared to other snacks, because it is so easy to master.

Texture of Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun) are so soft and fluffy. I used local Blue Key's Bao Flour. The dough of Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun) is heavy due to added mashed sweet potato, so, double action baking powder (DABP) is added to this recipe to make the Bao proof and form thoroughly.

Texture of the Bao (Bun) looks rough and harsh if you use self-raising flour instead of DABP. For example you use 400g bao flour + 160g self-raising instead of DABP.

Here is the recipe.

A: (Mixed just prior to using)

4 tsps Instant Yeast

200ml Water (Room temperature)

B: 560g Blue Key's Bao Flour

200g Icing Sugar

40g Vegetable Shortening (You can replace with any cooking oil)

300g Orange Sweet Potato (Peeled, steamed and mashed whilst hot)

2 tsp Double Action Baking Powder (DABP)

Material needed:

20 Cupcake liner (Flattened)

I used organic Japanese sweet potato. It is quite pricey MYR8.50/kilo but I like it because it is so sweet and the color is so beautiful.

Steamed and mashed the orange sweet potato whilst hot. Tips: Fill some hot water if dry when you're mashing the sweet potato. We want to get moist sweet potato paste.

Combine ingredients A. place 200ml water in a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let it stand until foamy, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Sieve all dry ingredients. Combine B, the B dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients slowly with a spatula to form a ball.

Invert the dough onto a tabletop. Knead it with your palms for 15 ~ 25 minutes till becomes shiny, soft, smooth and elastic dough. If you find it too sticky to knead, dust your hand, work place and dough with some flour before you start working on it.

Return dough to the bowl.

Prevent the dough dries up, cover it with a piece of wet kitchen cloth, let it proof for 30 minutes or till double.

The dough is almost double the size. It should be ready to used. Tips: Do not over proof the dough. The dough will cause wrinkle skin on the Bao. See my last picture. I ate all those wrinkled skin baos, and given away nice looking one to my MIL.

Punch down the dough and give a few light kneading to release the trapped air bubbles.

Roll dough into long strip, cut and weight into 60g each. Roll each portion into a smooth round balls. Flatten each dough into long oval shape 17cm long X 2cm width one end X 6cm width at the other end, with a small rolling pin, roll it up from big (6cm) to small (2cm) point. From big 6cm roll roll roll... till 2cm there to form a Boa like picture showed above (first picture).

Place dough on the cupcake liner. Cover loosely with a piece of clean and dry kitchen cloth to prevent it from dries up. Let the Bao to have second proof for another 30 minutes.

Bring water to a rapid boil, place bao in a steaming rack and space them apart so that they do not touch one another. Steam at medium to high heat for 10 minutes. When ready, remove the lid carefully to prevent water from dripping over the bao.

Remove immediately and cool it on the rack. Keep any leftovers in the fridge. Store in airtight containers and re-steam till hot before serving.

2 minutes Chocolate Lava Mug Cake

2012-08-06T02:00:00.004-07:00

I'm going to let that sink for a minute...

No, you're not dreaming...

Yes, it's real...

Let me introduce you to a beautiful thing...

This is my new best friend, I call her Chocolate Lava Mug Cake.

To start off, if you haven’t already, you’ll need to make that magical cake mix. Super, super, super simple…just two ingredients…mix it together...

Grab your mug. Grab two mugs…you’ll want seconds…

Add 3 tablespoons of the mix, then 2 tablespoons of water…

Then, we’ll add the magic.

Chocolate Pudding Mix.

I just used a regular chocolate pudding snack, but I have made this with a sugar-free pudding snack, and it’s just as awesome! Just drop in half of the pudding snack. But don’t stir it! Toss it in the microwave for just 1 minute…

Pull it out… careful… it’s hot! Eat it right out of the mug.

A little cookies and cream ice cream right on top. Heaven. In. A. Mug.
Go, make, enjoy, repeat.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp chocolate Betty Crocker cake mix
2-1/2 tbsp water
2 tbsp of a chocolate pudding snack cup
1 scoop ice cream (optional)

Instructions:

In a microwave safe mug combine 3 tablespoons of the cake mix* with 2 tablespoons of water.
Whisk together with a fork or small whisk.
Drop in 2 tbsp chocolate pudding snack cup, but DO NOT stir.
Microwave for 1 minute. Less than 2 minutes.
Leave the cake in the mug to enjoy.
Top with ice cream (optional)

Notes: To make mug mix: whisk together 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix and 1 box Angel Food Cake Mix and store in an air tight container.

Moist Chocolate Cake (Baked)

2012-08-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

This cocoa-based cake is deeply chocolaty and incredibly moist. It surprises me every single time with how good it is for something so easy. It is a great emergency cake to have in your repertoire for forgotten birthdays, last-minute visitors, or urgent Friday night chocolate cravings. I have used this recipe to make sheet cakes, layer cakes, cupcakes, mini cupcakes… really, you can’t go wrong. Everything gets tossed in the standing mixer (no creaming of butter and sugar, or alternating between dry and liquid as in typical cake recipes), poured into cake pans, and popped in the oven, easy as 1-2-3.

Ingredients for cake:

11/2 cup Cake Flour or Plain Flour

2 cups Caster Sugar

3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I use Hershey's cocoa powder)

11/2 tsp Baking Powder

11/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Large Eggs

1 cup Buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, substitute by putting 1 tbsp white vinegar then filling the rest up with milk, let stand 5 minutes until thickened)

1/2 cup Butter, melted

1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Freshly brewed hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans (or line with parchment paper circles) and set aside.

2. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in hot coffee.

3. Pour batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in pans; run a butter knife around the edges of each cake. Place a wire cooling rack over top of each pan. Wearing oven glove, use both hands to hold the racks in place while flipping the cakes over onto the racks. Set the racks down and thump on the bottom of the pans until the cakes release. Cool completely before frosting.

Glossy Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

1/2 cup Castor Sugar

1/2 cup Baking Cocoa (I use Hershey's baking chocolate)

3 tbsp Cornstarch

1 cup Cold Water

4-1/2 tsp Butter

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Method:

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, sugar, baking cocoa and cornstarch. Add water and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cupcakes or cake while frosting is still warm. Yield: 1-1/4 cups.

Note: Recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes or the top of a 13-inch x 9-inch cake.

Quick & Easy Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake

2012-08-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

Many whom tried gave thumbs up for this super duper moist chocolate cake. Once you've tasted it, you'll crave for more. That was how I felt when I first tasted it - light, full of chocolate and moist! The secret to achieving the best moist chocolate cake recipe is in the liquid. Too much and your cake turns soggy. Too little liquid, your cake turns out dry. And bake it at the right temperature. Remember to use good quality cocoa powder as this is truly a very delicious cake. So here goes, it's quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredient:

185g Unsalted Butter or Sunflower Oil

180g Castor Sugar (You may use up to 230g)

200ml Evaporated Milk (Full cream)

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

110g Cake Flour(Fine texture)/Plain Flour(Rustic texture)

45g Good Quality Cocoa Powder ( You may use up to 60g cocoa powder)

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

Method:

1. Heat up the steamer before making the cake. Lined a piece of thin kitchen towel on the steamer rack. Cover the top of the pan loosely with a sheet of aluminium foil.

2. Lined and greased a 8" or 9" baking pan.

3.Combine castor sugar, fresh milk and instant coffee in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. You do NOT need to come to a boil. Once all ingredients are combined, turn off the fire and leave it on the stove to cool. In the meantime, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

4. Once milk mixture is cooled, add the beaten eggs, vanilla extract and oil, and mix thoroughly. Finally, pour the entire mixture into the cocoa/flour and stir till well combined. The final batter should be runny. Very important that milk mixture is cooled before you add the eggs, else you will cook the eggs and end up with custard!

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the steamer. Make sure that your cake tin is not touching the water.

6. Steam over medium heat for 45mins.

7. Cool the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.

Chocolate Frosting

- 100g semisweet chocolate

- 115g unsalted butter

- 250g castor sugar

- 1 tsp of vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup milk (added slowly until desired consistency is achieved)

Combine the chocolate and butter in a bain-marie and let them melt. In another bowl, combine sugar and vanilla extract, then add in melted chocolate. Add in milk a little at a time until desired consistency is achieved. You do not need to finish using up the milk. Let frosting cool and thicken before decorating your cake. Chill frosted cake immediately upon completion.

Salted Egg Custard Wholemeal Bao

2012-08-05T13:16:00.001-07:00

Makes 20 pieces

I have never thought I could made this yummy Boazi, Salted Egg Custard Wholemeal Bao. I sure will order a basket of Salted Egg Custard Bao when I am at the Dim Sum eateries. I bought a cookbook Y3K My Secret Recipes Series at Popular bookshop few months ago. The author of this cookbook is Coco Kong. She is generous enough to act as a contributor to Y3K recipes.

Recipes adapted from Y3K.

Dough:
(Mixed instant yeast and water just prior to using)

1 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast
150 ml Water (at room temperature)
240g Bao Flour (I used Blue Keys)
30g Whole meal
20g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Double Action Baking Powder (DABP)

Filling:
2 Eggs (Medium size 60g, beaten)
60g Castor Sugar
120g Fresh Milk
40g Wheat Starch
15g Custard Powder
15g Milk Powder
50g Butter (at room temperature)
4 Salted Duck Egg Yolks (Steamed till cooked, mashed whilst hot)

Material:
20 Cupcake liners (Flattened)

Method:

1. Cook the custard filling accept Salted Egg Yolks over low heat in a pot, stirring at all time till paste has a thickened consistency. Remove from heat, cool well, add in mashed Salted Egg Yolks. Mix well before scaling at 20g each, shape into round balls and put them in the fridge for 2 ~ 3 hours or overnight.

2. Sieve the boa flour, double action baking powder and icing sugar into a mixing bowl, mix well. Add in whole meal. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in yeast mixture, mix with spatula. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough until it becomes smooth (about 5 mins). Knead in vegetable shortening and continue to knead for another 10 ~ 15 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Take a piece of dough (about the size of a table tennis ball) and stretch it, you should be able to stretch it to a fairly thin membrane without tearing off easily, if not continue to knead for another 5 to 10mins.

3. Roll dough into a smooth round, place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with wet kitchen towel and let it proof for 30 ~ 45 minutes or until it doubles in bulk.

4. Punch down the dough and give a few light kneading to release the trapped air bubbles. Roll dough into long strip, cut and weight into 25g each. Roll each portion into a smooth round balls. Flatten each dough into a small disc with a small rolling pin, make the edges thinner and the center portion thicker. Wrap each dough with 20g of salted egg custard filling. Pinch and seal the seams. Place dough seam side down on a square piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with cling wrap and leave buns to proof for 30 minutes.

5. Place bao in a steamer and space them apart so that they do not touch one another. Steam at medium to high heat for 5 minutes (make sure the water is already boiling before steaming). When ready, remove the lid carefully to prevent water from dripping over the bao. Remove immediately and cool it on the rack. Keep any leftovers in fridge. (Store in airtight containers) and re-steam till hot before serving.

Low Sugar Red Bean Bao

2012-08-03T04:36:00.003-07:00

Makes 20 pieces

Dough:
Hong Kong flour 300g
Baking Powder 5g
Icing Sugar 70g
Vegetable Shortening 25g
Instant Yeast 5g
Water 120ml (Room temperature)

Filling:

Low Sugar Red Bean Paste 400g ~ 500g

For filling:
Divide into 20g per portion. Roll each portion into a smooth round ball. Set aside.

For skin:

1. Mix instant yeast, one tablespoon icing sugar (remaining icing sugar mix with dried ingredients later) and120ml water in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Sieve Hong Kong pau flour, baking powder and icing sugar into a mixing bowl, mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in yeast mixture, mix with spatula. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough until it becomes smooth (about 5 mins). Knead in the vegetable vegetable shortening and continue to knead for another 10 ~ 15 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Take a piece of dough (about the size of a table tennis ball) and stretch it, you should be able to stretch it to a fairly thin membrane without tearing off easily, if not continue to knead for another 5 to 10mins.

3. Roll dough into a smooth round, place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with wet kitchen towel and let it proof for 30 minutes or until it doubles in bulk.

4. Punch down the dough and give a few light kneading to release the trapped air bubbles. Roll dough into long strip, cut and weight into 25g each. Roll each portion into a smooth round balls. Flatten each dough into a small disc with a small rolling pin, make the edges thinner and the center portion thicker. Wrap each dough with 20g of red bean paste. Pinch and seal the seams. Place dough seam side down on a square piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with cling wrap and leave buns to proof for 20 minutes ~ 25 minutes.

5. Place bao in a steamer and space them apart so that they do not touch one another. Steam at medium to high heat for 8 to 10 minutes (make sure the water is already boiling before steaming). When ready, remove the lid carefully to prevent water from dripping over the baos. Remove immediately and cool it on the rack. Keep any leftovers in fridge. (Store in airtight containers) and re-steam till hot before serving.

Piggy Red Bean Bao (Bun)

2012-08-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Makes 20 pieces

Dough:

Hong Kong flour 300g

Baking Powder 5g

Icing Sugar 70g

Vegetable Shortening 25g

Instant Yeast 5g

Water 120ml (Room temperature)

Filling:

Low Sugar Red Bean Paste 400g ~ 500g

For filling:

Divide into 20g per portion. Roll each portion into a smooth round ball. Set aside.

For skin:

1. Mix instant yeast, one tablespoon icing sugar (remaining icing sugar mix with dried ingredients later) and120ml water in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Roll dough into a smooth round, place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with wet kitchen towel and let it proof for 30 minutes or until it doubles in bulk.

4. Punch down the dough and give a few light kneading to release the trapped air bubbles. Roll dough into long strip, cut and weight into 25g each. Roll each portion into a smooth round balls. Flatten each dough into a small disc with a small rolling pin, make the edges thinner and the center portion thicker. Wrap each dough with 20g of red bean paste. Pinch and seal the seams. Place dough seam side down on a square piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with cling wrap and leave buns to proof for 20 minutes ~ 25 minutes.