Steamed Chocolate Brownies Layer Green Cheese Cake

RECIPE: from STEAMED CAKE by Zubaidah Bte Chepa

Ingredients ( A):

60g butter

30g cooking chocolate

(B)

4 egg yolks

2 egg whites

110g caster sugar

(C)

25g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

(D)

1 tsp chocolate emulco

Method:

1. Melt ingredients A, leave to cool.

2. Beat Ingredients B until fluffy and add into mixture (1). Finally add in ingredients C and D.

3. Combine mixture evenly and pour mixture into a lightly greased 8" x 8" square mould.

4. Cover with aluminium foil and steam for 35 minutes.

Cheese Layer:

Ingredients A:

1 egg

30 g castor sugar

1/2 tbsp ovalett

B:

30g superfine flour

20g corn flour

C:

100g cream cheese

1 tbsp condensed milk

1 tsp apple green colouring

D:

50 g cooking oil

Method:

1. Beat A until fluffy and thick.

2. Sieve flour into egg mixtures and mix well.

3. Beat C until soft and add into above mixture.

4. Finally pour in oil and mix well.

5. Pour directly onto chocolate mixture, cover with aluminium foil and steam for another 30 minutes.

Blue Pea Flower Fragrant Rice With Curry Chicken

This is the fastest and easiest way to prepare my lunch today. It took me less than one and a half hours from cooking to serving (including the time I went to buy the chicken, coconut and vegetable from the market). I bought the instant curry paste from Melaka a week ago. My children and I agreed that it tastes better than A1 brand. This is my first time cooking rice with blue pea flower. It looked so beautiful and appetizing compared to our routine plain white rice.

My verdict: Good and fragrant. I definitely will cook again.

Recipe:

Ingredients: (for 4 persons)

3 cups white rice, washed and drained

1.1/2 tbsp cooking oil

3-4 cardamom

some black pepper to taste

25g young ginger, chopped

1 heap tbsp dried blue pea flowers/15 fresh blue pea flowers.

4 pandan leaves

1-1.1/2 tsp salt to taste

water ( for cooking rice)

Method:

1) Heat up oil, stir-fry chopped ginger until aromatic. Add in remaining ingredients except flowers, and stir-fry until fragrant.

2) Transfer the rice mixture into a rice cooker, add water, salt and flowers and cook until done. Discard flowers and pandan leaves. Serve with your favourite curry.

Kuih Seri Muka

Recipe: source from "Aromas of Kuihs"- by Amy Wong

Ingredients:

(A) BASE:

300g glutinous rice

60ml coconut milk

200ml water

3/4 tsp salt

1.1/2 sugar

4 pieces pandan leaf

(B)

2 egg )
120g caster sugar ) Mixed till sugar dissolved

(C)

25g corn flour

25g custard powder

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 tsp salt

2-3 drops yellow colouring

300ml coconut milk

120ml water

Adequate blue-pea flower juice

Method:

1. BASE: Wash glutinous rice, soak it for 2 hours. Drain and place it into a large bowl . Mix in remaining base ingredients and steam for 30 -35 minutes till cooked.

2. Discard pandan leaf. Mix the blue-pea flower juice with 1/3 of the steamed glutinous rice, then combine it with the rest of the glutinous rice lightly, return to steam for another 10 minutes.

3. Place the cooked glutinous rice into a greased 7"x7" square mould, level it and press tightly down the rice or place a heavy object on top to compress the rice (about 30 minutes).

4. Mix ingredients B with ingredients C and filter, then cook till slightly thickened. Pour the mixture onto steamed glutinous rice and steam again for 20-15 minutes. Leave to cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Steamed Meat Floss Cake

Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 whole eggs  (about 180 g without shell)

100 g sugar

8 g cake emulsifier

20 g water/fresh milk

130 g plain flour

1/2 tsp double action baking powder

50 g corn oil/melted butter

50 g meat floss

Method:

1) Beat eggs, sugar and emulsifier until light and fluffy.

2) Add in water, continue to beat it rises and thickens.

3) Fold in Sifted flour and baking powder, mix well until well combined. Gently add in oil, mix until all well blended.

4) Pour into a greased and lined 23cm square baking pan and level it. Steam for 20 minute over high heat.

5) Cut the cake into 2 equal portions, one layer spread with butter cream or mayonnaise, then place the 2nd piece of cake over it. Sprinkle  meat floss on top.  Cut into pieces and serve.

Mua Chee bun - 麻薯包

When I first saw this “Mua chee Bun” –麻薯包 recipe, I was very intrigued with it. There is a phrase in Chinese says like that,‘心动不如行动’. So this morning, I gathered all the ingredients and started my bun making.

Unlike the usual bao (bun) that you grew up eating, this bao I made is - surprise, surprise! There are 3 layers to the bite:

1) soft dough,

2) chewy muah chee (green colour),

3) sweet and mushy bean paste.

Each layer adds a different dimension to the total flavour with each bite, as your mind and taste buds are occupied trying to distinguish each distinct taste. In fact, the muah chee adds a little bit of QQ and uniqueness.

Recipe: Adapted from Yum Yum magazine

Ingredients:

Mua chee:

200g glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp sugar
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil
100 – 120 ml pandan juice

Some red bean paste/lotus seed paste/green bean paste (I used 275 g red bean paste =11 portions x 25g red bean paste)

Skin (dough):
300g bao flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp instant dry yeast
50g sugar (I used icing sugar)
About 180ml water

40g oil (I used shortening)

Method:
1. Mua chee: Combine all ingredients and mix into a pliable dough. Cover with a piece of damp towel and rest for 10 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 11 portions and wrap up the red bean paste. Arrange them onto a grease plate and steam over high heat for 8 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.

3. Skin: Combine all ingredients and mix into a dough. Add in oil and mix well. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 30 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 11 portions and wrap up filling. Proof for 30 minutes. Steam over high heat for 12 minutes. Serve.

Banana Walnut Bread

I baked this banana bread for breakfast. The texture of this bread is like cake. It is moist and fragrant. It tastes so good, I don't even need to spread butter or jam on it.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

100g butter

120g sugar

3 whole eggs

50ml milk

200g bread flour

100g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp Cinnamon powder (optional)

2 tsp mixed spice (optional)

4 bananas (about 400g)- mashed

60g chopped walnuts (roasted)

Method:

1) Cream butter and sugar till creamy.

2) Add in eggs one at a time and beat well.

3) Add in sifted flours, baking powder and baking soda alternately with milk, mix well.

4) Add in mashed bananas, walnuts and spices (optional) till well combined.

5) Pour into a greased loaf tin. Bake at 180 degree C for 45 - 50 minutes till golden brown and cooked.

Note: I made 1/2 recipe, baked in a 20 cm x 12 cm x 7 cm loaf tin.

Butter Milk Bun -奶香牛油面包

Source: Malaysia Baking Chef - Alan Ooi

Ingredients:( Bread)

(A)

250 g bread flour

3 g salt

40 g fine sugar

4 g (1 tsp) instant dry yeast

(B)

125 ml cold fresh milk

25 g egg

(C)

30 g butter

Topping:

60 g butter, 20 g icing sugar, 110 g plain flour

Combine together to resemble butter crumbs. Ready to use.

Filling:

50 g butter, 20 g icing sugar, 60 g milk powder

Mix all until well combined, divide into 9 equal portion round balls, set aside.

Method:

1) Combine all ingredients (A) in the electric mixer with dough hook at low speed, blend together for 1 minute. Add in fresh milk, mix on medium speed to develop the dough for 3-4

minutes.

2) Put in butter and continue beating for further 8-10 minutes until the dough is fully developed.

3) Remove the dough, and round up dough and place into a greased big mixing bowl or container cover with a piece of damp cloth or plastic wrap to prove in a warm place for 1 hour until dough is double in size.

4) Divide the dough into 9 equal portions, round up the dough and rest for 5 minutes.

5) Flatten slightly each dough, wrap in filling and form into round shapes. Arrange on a greased baking tray, cover with a piece of damp cloth or plastic wrap, prove for 1 hour.

6) Brush dough with beaten egg and top with topping. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degree C for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Vietnamese Steamed Rice cake

I remember when I was young, every 1st and Fifteen, Festivals and Chinese New Year of the Chinese Calender, my mom would buy 'fa gao' from the market for praying to the gods and ancestors. In those time, ' fagao' was mainly made with rice flour and came in 2 colours - white and pink. They tasted a bit sour and hard, not very nice, thus we did not usually ate those meant as offerings.

One day, I chanced upon this link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCp7O03IV_E) Vietnamese steamed rice cake. Literally translated, the Vietnamese name "Banh Bo", means cow cake. That resembles the "bai tang gao" (白糖糕) and "fagao"(发糕）。However, the Vietnamese rice cake is mainly made with coconut milk rather than the typical plain water. I also noticed very creative Vietnamese steamed rice cakes from some links, some are salty, others have meat fillings, while some also have cheese, chocolate, peanuts etc. They are attractive and beautiful due to the bright and and wide range of colours used.

Today, I gathered all ingredients for this recipe. It tastes better than the traditional steamed rice cakes because I used coconut milk. I like how fragrant and chewy the small cake is.

There is a subtle difference in using plain flour vs rice flour. I suggest you try out, it is worth the effort.

Recipe: Adapted from Helen's Recipe

Ingredients:

500 g rice flour

1 bowl (1 00 g) tapioca flour

7 g instant yeast (1tsp + 3/4 tsp)

400 ml coconut milk

300 g sugar

450 ml warm water

Method:

1) In a saucepan, dissolve sugar and coconut milk on medium heat. One dissolved, let cool to room temperature.

2) Mix rice flour, tapioca flour and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add in warm water and knead well for 10 minutes (very soft dough).

3) Mix the batter with the mixture of sugar and coconut milk until everything has dissolved.

4) Let sit for at least 1 1/2 hours until batter rises and many bubbles appear.

5) Bring water in the steamer to boil.

6) Grease the moulds. Cover the lid to warm up the moulds for a few minutes.

7) Pour the batter into the cups till full. Steam for 10 - 15 minutes.

8) Remove the cakes from the moulds. These cakes should have a slight chewy and honeycomb like texture with distinctive "fermented" taste.