CHWEE KUEH (水粿) / STEAMED RICE CAKE WITH PRESERVED RADISH TOPPING

This is one of my favorite kueh where backs in Malaysia, we used to buy them in Pasar Malam or at Petaling Street. They are so flavorful with preserved radish which been sauté until so fragrant.

I make this yesterday for the first time and it turn out to be a perfect one. All my chwee kuih were gone this morning and I'm going to make it again next week =)

INGREDIENTS :

Kueh:

150 g rice flour

20 g wheat starch

300 ml water

2 tsp garlic oil

1/2 tsp salt

800 ml water

METHODS :

1. Place the rice flour, wheat starch in a mixing bowl and add the 300 ml of room temperature water. Whisk it while adding the water to the dry ingredients until there are no lumps.

2. In a heavy saucepan, add the 800 ml water, oil and salt. Heat it until just begin to boil. Turn the fire off.

3. Slowly pour in the flour mixture into the boiling water while whisking continuously to prevent lumping. The mixture will turn to be thick to a gluey consistency.

4. Spoon the gluey paste into the chwee kueh molds or muffin pans and steamed in a over boiling water for about 15 minutes.

5. Let it cool completely and remove the chwee kueh from the molds and served it with prepared preserved radish.

Prepared Preserved Radish ( Chai Poh )

200 g vegetable oil

300 g preserved sweet radish, washed and drained

50 g garlic, chopped

30 g dried shrimps, washed and drained

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

METHODS :

1. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Sauté the preserved radish, dried shrimps and chopped garlic until fragrant in a medium heat.

2. Add the sugar, salt and dark soy sauce for seasoning. Turn off the heat and add the toasted sesame seeds. Mix it well.

ORANGE BUTTER CAKE

Butter cake is always the best dessert for tea-time or snack with some milk, tea and coffee. You can used this recipe with any flavor of your choice. Just replaced the orange juice to milk or any kind of juices of your favorites. Here's one of my new recipe for butter cake that I would like to share =)

INGREDIENTS :

360 g chilled butter ( I used 'Kerrygold' or any European butter )

220 g chilled fine granulated sugar ( chilled in the refrigerator for overnite )

11 large eggs, separated

300 g self rising flour, separated

1 tsp fine salt

60 ml fresh orange juice

zest of an orange

1 tsp of orange essence ( optional )

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS :

Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit and greased a 10"x10" square pan with some butter and flour.

In a mixing bowl with a flat attachment, add the chilled butter and chilled sugar. Beat them until light and fluffy. Scrap the bowl frequently and make sure that the sugar dissolved before continue to another step.

Then add the yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition and then add the orange juice with the zest. Add the sifted flour into the batter in 2 batches and beat until incorporated.

In another mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until a soft stiff peak appear.

Then fold in the egg whites mixture into the butter mixture until well-blended but don't over do it or the whites will deflate.

Pour the batter into prepared cake pan and bake for at least 1 hour 15 minutes or until wooden skewer plunged into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cooled the cake on a wire rack on cut it when it's completely cool. Enjoy !!!!

SWEET & SPICY DUNGEON CRABS

The best bet when choosing live crab, is to buy an alert, hard-shelled crab during winter that appears to be squirming around and feels heavier than it looks. Fresh crab that has recently been caught and is being stored in an aquarium appears more active, retaining a hard shell and sturdy legs, whereas a crab showing less movement and spunk, and a soft shell or mushy legs has been out of its natural habitat longer and is not likely to provide optimum meat. The harder the shell...the healthier the crab.

Today I'm going to share my hubby's easy recipe of Sweet & Spicy Dungeon Crabs. It's very easy to prepared and it's so delicious and the sauce is so yummy with some slices of breads =P

INGREDIENTS :

2 fresh big size of dungeon crabs

6 sliced fresh ginger, about 1/2" thick

7 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of ketchup / tomato sauce

1/2 cup of chili sauce ( I used ABC brand sweet chili sauce )

1/2 cup water

2 beaten eggs

some Thai chilies ( optional )

DIRECTIONS :

Wash the crabs shell with a brush. Then flip the crab over so that the underbelly is facing up and remove the triangular flap known as the apron of the crab. Next, pull of the carapace, which is the outer shell and then drain the juices and the guts that are attached in a small bowl to reserved. Now, remove the gills from both sides of the crab, as they are inedible. Turn the crab to the front and crack off the mouth-parts. Then cut the crab into two parts and cracked the legs and crawls. Finish off bu rinsing the crabs again.

Heat a wok in a high heat with some oil. Then add the Thai chilies, ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the reserved juice from the crabs to a boiled. Then add the fresh crabs and sauté until incorporated. Then add the ketchup, chili sauce and water. Sauté for another minute and covered. Stir occasionally until the crabs are cooked.

Finally add the beaten eggs and sauté until incorporated. Served hot !!!

COLD EXTRA SOFT TOFU WITH CENTURY EGGS

I was in my friend's house last month and spotted this delicious and healthy dish from Taiwan. I'm so happy that she shared her recipe with me and now is my turn to shared it with my loyal blogger friends. It is so easy to prepare and the taste is super yummy :P

Hope all of you will enjoy my new recipe =)

INGREDIENTS :

24 oz (680g) Extra soft tofu / Sukui Tofu ( I used House Foods Brand )

2 pcs Century eggs, shelled and cut into bite pieces

3 stalks of Green onions, chopped

2 small bags of Dried bonito flakes

2-3 tbsp of Vegetarian flavored oyster sauce

some sesame oil

DIRECTIONS :

In a platter, arranged two blocks of tofu and add the century eggs and dried bonita on top of the tofu.

Then sprinkled the vegetarian flavored oyster sauce, sesame oil and the chopped green onions.

Served immediately or keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

BALSAMIC QUICK-BRAISED PORK CHOPS

I received this Williams-Sonoma September catalog and found this recipe which look yummy in the picture. I went to the internet and print out the recipe and give it a try....guess wat.....this recipe is so delicious and yummy even my kids love it. The pork chops are so juicy and the sauce is sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in pork chops, each 1 inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 bacon slices, diced
• 1 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp. chicken demi-glace from Williams-Sonoma / 1 tsp. of instant chicken granuales
• Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish
• 
  

Directions:

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pork chops and sear, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion and partially cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and bacon. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the liquid is thickened and reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the broth and demi-glace and bring the sauce to a simmer.

Return the pork chops to the pan. Cook, uncovered, coating the chops with the sauce, for 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the rosemary leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.

NEST EGG WITH BACONS

Yesterday was Memorial Day and this is the breakfast I served to my family and all of them love it all the time. I adapted this method of cooking the egg in the bread from the Food Network Magazine issue on April 2010.

This is a very easy breakfast and all u need are eggs, breads, bacons, butter and some fruits spread. First spread some butter on the bread and then using a cookie cutter, make a hole in the middle of the bread. Place the spreable surface on the skillet and turn it once it turns golden brown.

Then add a little butter in the middle of the bread hole and crack an egg into it. Cook as desired and place it on the platter with some bacons. Spread some jam on the cut-off bread and served.

SAMBAL-STUFFED FRIED FISH ( HU CHEE REMPAH )

Another recipe from my nonya cookbook....I've being missing this dish ever since I was in the States. Last week when I was in the Asian market, to my surprise I found these Hardtail Mackerel ( Ikan Cincaru ) and I decided to cook this recipe which I found in my Nonya cookbook. This dish is spicy but it's so delicious with steamed white rice...YUMMY :)



INGREDIENTS :

2 hardtail mackerel, (ikan cincaru)
3-4 tbsp cooking oil


Spice Paste (Ground)
40 g (4-5) fresh red chilies
5 g (5) dried red chilies
10 g (1 clove) garlic
100g (10) shallots
10 g fresh tumeric
5 g (1 tsp) toasted belachan


1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sugar, or to taste
5 kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly

60 ml (1/4 cup) oil for deep frying

DIRECTIONS :

1. Clean fish and lay it down flat on a chopping board. Holding the fish down with one hand, make a deep slit from the back of the fish along the bone using the tip of a sharp knife to make a pocket to stuff the spice paste. Repeat on the other side of the fish.

2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok to saute the spice paste until fragrant. Season to taste with salt and sugar before adding in the kaffir lime leaves. Mix it well and dish out.
3. When the spice paste is cool enough to handle, stuff it into the fish on the both sides.

4. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a clean wok to deep fry the fish until cooked.

PAN-FRIED AROMATIC BONELESS CHICKEN WHOLE LEGS

I  love this recipe so much that I cooked them almost once a month for my family. Home cook meals are always the best and we are happy when seeing our family enjoy our cook :)

INGREDIENTS :

2 whole chicken legs, deboned

Marinade:

1 egg
1 tbsp Maggi seasoning
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp corn flour / cornstarch
a dash of sesame oil and pepper


Sauce:

2 tbsp water
2 tbsp Maggi seasoning
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
a dash of pepper and sesame oil



METHODS :

1. Combine the marinade sauce ingredients until well mix. Marinade the whole deboned chicken legs for at least 30 minutes ( Do not over marinate or else the chicken will be salty ).

2. In a non-stick pan, heat up 2 tbsp vegetable oil and pan-fried the marinade chicken until golden brown and cooked. Add in the sauce ingredients and cooked until the sauce becomes thick.

3. Remove the chicken and put it on the cutting board. Immediately cut the chicken into bite pieces and serve it hot.

SWEET POTATO LEAF CURRY (HUAN CHU HEOK MASAK LEMAK)

This is my another recipe from my Nonya Cookbook. This recipe is so yummy and easy to make...so enjoy my friends :)


INGREDIENTS :

2 tbsp cooking oil

300 g shrimps, shelled and deveined
2 cups shrimp stock** / seafood broth / chicken broth
2-3 pcs dried tamarind peel
400 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
250 ml thick coconut milk
400 g young sweet potato leaves

Spice paste (ground)
50 g (4) fresh red chilies
10 g (4) dried dried red chilies
80 g (6) shallots
5 g (1 tsp) belachan, toasted



METHODS :

1. Heat the oil in a wok to saute the spice paste until fragrant. Add the shrimps stock and tamarind peel. Bring stock to a boil and add sweet potato cubes. Simmer until sweet potatoes are cooked.

2. Add the coconut milk, stirring lightly. When gravy starts to boil, add the shrimps and cooked until it's turn pink. Then add in the sweet potato leaves. Remove from heat immediately and served.


**Note : Shrimp stock can be prepared from the discarded shrimp shells. Fry the shell in a little oil until aromatic, about 5 minutes, then add in 250 ml water. Allow to boil for 20-30 minutes. Strain before use. Or use instant fish stock made by dissolving ikan bilis (anchovies) granules in water.

MACADAMIA NUTS WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES

Back to my blogging again after my camera been repaired. Now I can post my daily recipe without any trouble.

Anyway...this recipe that I'm going to post today is the best cookies I ever had. One day my hubby came back from work and asked if I can make the Macadamia nuts cookies with white chocolate. And so I told him...well...it should not be a problem if I could go to the internet and searched for the best recipe. So...I got this special recipe from the internet by Whipped The Blog and her recipe really really makes my hubby and even my friends want me to bake more to share :)

INGREDIENTS :

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar ( I only used 1/2 cup coz I dun like too sweet )
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp good vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
10 oz white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped into chunks



DIRECTIONS :

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. In a electric mixing bowl, with a paddle attachment beat and cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Then add eggs, one at a time and mix it well.

3. In another bowl, stir the flour and baking soda until incorporated. Then gradually add into the butter mixture and beat until well blended.

4. Stir in the white chocolate chips and the macadamia nuts.

5. On the ungreased cookie sheet pans, drop by rounded teaspoon and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool it completely at the wire rack and store it in an airtight containers.