Fried meat slices with preserved mustard

FM dear,

fried meat strips with 'zha cai'

Found this recipe in my latest purchase "Authentic Homestyle Cuisine" by KS Lee, and tried it out last night.  What caught my attention was the plum sauce, as I never thought that plum sauce would go well with preserved mustard ('zha cai'), but it did, and the recipe is so easy you can easily rustle up a plate for dinner. Besides I think you should be able to get the ingredients easily.  Going to try it again with 'ham choy'.   FJ gave it the thumbs up!  

Ingredients :
200 g pork (cut into thin strips)
1 pc preserved mustard ('zha cai')
1 tbsp garlic

Marinade :
2 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Seasoning :
3 tbsp plum sauce
1 tsp sugar

Method :
1)  Marinade the pork strips with the marinade for about 30 minutes.
2)  Wash the preserved mustard and cut into strips or sliced thinly.
3)  Heat up 2 tbsp oil in wok and fry the garlic until fragrant.  Add in preserved mustard and meat slices and stir fry a while.
4)  Add in seasoning and continue stir frying  until cooked.  Dish up and serve with rice or porridge!

FJ's birthday.

sweet potato onde-onde

birthday celebration in the Hokkien and Cantonese tradition.  2 red eggs and mee sua according to her Hokkien side and  changshou (long life) noodles according to Cantonese tradition.

Dark Lady, My fair Lady and my creation "Pink Lady".  Another amateurish  attempt at cake decorating

Strawberry filling and whipped cream.  Supposed to put in her favourite fresh strawberries but did not have time to run to the supermart to get it.

Watermelon Agar-agar

watermelon agar-agar

I don't know why they call it  watermelon agar-agar, as the recipe do not use any watermelon at all.  Maybe the proper name should be "watermelon" agar-agar.  Been some time since I made it, though I used to make it for the children's birthdays when they were younger.

Ingredients :
40g agar-agar strips
700 ml water
300g rock sugar
1 tsp rose essence
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
Melon seeds, raisins or black jelly
Red and green food coloring

Method :
1)  Wash agar-agar strips and bring to boil with water until dissolved.

2)  Add in sugar and continue boiling on medium flame until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and add in the rose essence.

3)  Place a deep bowl in large container of icy water.  Strain the agar-agar mixture into the bowl.

4)  Stir center with a fork while allowing the sides to set.

5)  Gently add the frothy egg white with a fork, stirring all the while and making sure you get the whole mixture in.

6)  Color the center part red.  Use a fork to spread out the red, but try to not to get the sides red.

7)  Add in the melon seed, or raisins to the center.  Chill for a couple of hours in the fridge.  When agar-agar has completely set, turn out onto a large flat plate.

8)  Brush on green coloring on the outside surface.  You got to do it a couple of times to get a dark shade of green.

9)  Leave color to set.  Slice just before serving.

Note :


Nothing too difficult about this recipe, but it takes unrelenting patience especially if you wants to get a even red color in the center.  
The recipe calls for rock sugar, but I use ordinary sugar (which is much cheaper), and you can probably reduce the sugar ( i use about 200 g of sugar), and I increased  the water to 850 ml of water the second time i attempted this recipe to get a softer agar-agar.

My first attempt after a long while.  Niece CK says the watermelon don's looks too ripe.

My second attempt 

Sweet Corn Pudding

Niece wanted a 70's theme for her birthday, and I remembered that we had sweet corn pudding at almost every party we attended then.  Dug out this old recipe from my recollection and re-created this popular dessert.

Sweet corn pudding


Ingredients :
1 cup sugar
1 cup custard powder
2 cups coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1 tin (425 g) cream style sweet corn

Method :
1)  Place sugar, custard powder, coconut milk and water in a sauce pan.  Stir till custard powder and sugar dissolve and is not lumpy.
2)  Put to boil on medium flame, stirring all the time till the mixture comes to a boil.
3)  When mixture thickens, add in the cream style sweet corn.  Stir until well mixed.
4)  Pour into a lightly oiled 10" square cake tray.  Leave to cool.
5)  Chill in the fridge.  Cut and serve.

I was so busy preparing the other goodies for the party that I forgot to take a shot of it before cutting it up.

Notes :  I made it according to the recipe, and it was a tad too sweet for my taste buds.  If coconut milk is not available, it can be substituted with fresh or UHT milk.

Mixed Fruit cocktail cake

Mixed Fruit cocktail cake

Combined two recipes and I came up with this cake. Baked it for CK's birthday last month. CK's verdict : taste nice even though it is not so professional looking as in a cake bought from the local bakery.

For the sponge cake, I followed the sponge cake recipe from Alex Goh's ' Creative Making of Cakes'. (one of my favorite recipe books because of the easy to follow instructions and the quantity fits into the cake tins I have without me having to adjust the quantity.

Ingredients for the sponge cake :

5 egg yolks
20 g sugar

5 egg whites
130 g sugar

120 g flour
80 g melted butter

Method :

1) Whip egg yolks and 20 g sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.
2) Whip egg whites till soft peaks formed. Add in sugar and continue whipping until egg whites become stiff.
3) Mix egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture (Item 1) until well mixed.
4) Fold in flour. Slowly fold in the melted butter until well mixed.
5) Pour mixture into a 9" dia. round cake tin and bake at 180 deg. C for 30 mins. Remove cake immediately when it is baked. Cool.

For the custard filling :
100 g instant custard
150 ml cocktail juice (from the fruit cocktail)
200 ml whipping cream
1 tin fruit cocktail (825 g, drained)

Method :
1) Add instant custard to cocktail juice and whisked until thickened. Add in the whipping cream and the tinned fruits. Divide into 2.

Assembling the cake :
1) Cut sponge cake into 3 layers. Place one slice of sponge cake into a 9" dia. loose based cake tin and spread on a portion of the custard filling.
2) Top with the second slice of sponge cake and spread with the other portion of custard filling.
3) Refrigerate until set. Remove cake from tin.
4) Decorate cake with whipped cream and sliced almonds (toasted). Alternatively arrange a layer of fresh fruits on top of the cake. Brush fruits with instant jelly topping to prevent fruits from drying.

NB : The idea for the custard filling came from "Delicious Cakes" by Amy Heng.

Chocolate coffee cake

Chocolate coffee cake

Intended to make a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, but halfway, remembered the pack of sponge fingers and instant coffee in the pantry, and decided to try out a chocolate coffee cake recipe I saw in Kevin Chai's 'My Birthday Cake'. The chocolate sponge cake is 'truffle cake' from Alex Goh's 'Temptation of Chocolate', and is my favourite chocolate sponge cake recipe.

Ingredients for the chocolate sponge cake.

5 egg yolks
20 g sugar
5 egg whites
120 g sugar
120 g flour
10 g cocoa powder
60 g butter
60 g cooking chocolate, chopped

Method :
1) Melt cooking chocolate and butter over a double boiler
2) Sift flour and cocoa together
3) Whisk egg yolks and 20 g sugar together until light and fluffy
4) Whip egg whites until soft peak formed. Add in 120 g sugar, and continue whipping until stiff
5) Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture (item 3)
6) Fold in flour and cocoa mixture. Then add in melted chocolate mixture.
7) Pour into a 9" dia. baking tin.
8) Bake at 180 deg. C until done (approx. 30 mins)
9) Remove cake and cool. Cut into 2 layers.

Ingredients for the chocolate cream :
200 g cooking chocolate
2 tbsp unsalted butter
200 g fresh cream (whipped).

Method :
Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Cool slightly, then fold in whipping cream.

Assembling the cake :
10 sponge fingers
1 cup of strong coffee

1) Cut cake into 2 layers. Spread a layer of chocolate cream onto cake
2) Dip sponge fingers in the coffee, and arrange on the chocolate cream. Cover the second layer of sponge cake. Refrigerate for a while.
3) Cover the cake with the rest of the chocolate cream. Decorate the sides of the cake with chocolate rice, and dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder.

Note :
I find this a very versatile and fail proof chocolate sponge cake recipe. Remember to use unsalted butter for making chocolate cream or chocolate ganache , or the chocolate may not set.

Onion pancakes

Onion pancake cooking on the griddle
FM,
A pancake recipe for you. I served the pancakes with chicken curry, and your brother gave it the thumbs up. So maybe of having fried noodles and chicken curry, as you and your friends are so fond of having, maybe you can have pancakes next time. It is not roti canai, but, I guess, it can be a nice substitute.

Ingredients for onion pancake :

2 cups flour
1 big onion (slice finely)
1 sprig of spring onions (diced)
1 egg
about 2 cups of water
1/2 tsp salt

Margarine

Method :

1) Mix salt and flour together. Add in egg and enough water to make into a runny pancake batter. Add in onions and spring onions.
2) Let stand for 30 minutes.
3) Heat up a griddle. Oil with margarine. Pour in a scoop of batter. When it is cooked on one side, flip over and cook the other side.


onion pancake batter

FM dear,
Meant to take some pictures of the pancake together with the chicken curry, but, woe and begone, forgot to recharge the camera batteries! Will be take some more pictures the next time I make this, which will be anytime soon, since CK and FJ love it!
Will include the chicken curry recipe for you too, but, maybe that is not necessary since you have manage to cook chicken curry. Thinking of a dhall curry next.

Chocolate mousse cake

Finally, got back to baking another cake. This time, it is a double chocolate mousse cake.

Ingredients for the chocolate sponge cake :

5 egg yolks
5 egg white
120 g sugar
120 g flour
10 g cocoa powder
60 g cooking chocolate
60 g butter

Method :
1) Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2) Whip egg yolks until fluffy. Set aside.
3) Whip egg white and sugar until thick and fluffy.
4) Fold in sifted flour and cocoa powder.
5) Fold in melted chocolate mixture.
6) Pour into 9" dia. base lined cake tin.
7) Bake at 180 deg. C for 30 minutes.
8) When cooked, remove immediately and cool.

Ingredients for white chocolate mousse
9 g gelatin powder
45 g water
1 egg yolk
50 g fresh milk
80 g white chocolate
135 g whipping cream

Method :
1) Mix gelatin powder and water and set aside for 5 minutes. Melt over hot simmering water
2) Melt white chocolate over hot simmering water. Set aside.
3) Whisk whipping cream until fluffy and set aside.
4) Whisk egg yolk and fresh milk over hot simmering water. Add in melted gelatin and mix thoroughly. Add in melted chocolate and mix till smooth.
5) Fold in whipped cream.
6) Place sponge cake in 9" dia. spring form cake tin.
7) Pour in the white chocolate mixture on top of the chocolate cake. Chill.

Ingredients for chocolate mousse
10 g gelatin
50 g water
100 g dark cooking chocolate
1 tsp cocoa
50 g sugar
100 g milk
2 egg yolks
150 g whipping cream

Method :
1) Mix gelatin and water and set aside for 5 minutes. Melt over hot simmering water.
2) Melt cocoa and cooking chocolate over hot simmering water. Set aside.
3) Whisk whipping cream until fluffy. Set aside.
4) Whisk egg yolks and sugar until dissolved. Add in milk, and whisk over hot simmering water.
5) Add in melted gelatin mixture and stir thoroughly. Add in melted chocolate mixture and mix till smooth. Fold in whipped cream.
6) Pour dark chocolate mixture over the white chocolate mixture.
7) Chill for at least 3 hours.
8) Blow a hairdryer lightly around the cake tin so that the mousse cake can be removed smoothly. Serve.


Double chocolate mousse cake. Did not use a hairdryer, so the edge is not that nice and smooth. (lazy to go up to my room to get the hairdryer)

Note : Sieve some cocoa powder over the cake before serving. Forgot about the cocoa powder until it was too late, and I had cut up the cake!