Aromatic Pumpkin kuih 咸香金瓜糕

Pumpkins contain large amount of anti-oxidants and beta-carotene. Anti-oxidants help to strengthen our immune system. Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A and helps reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Pumpkins are also very low in fat and calories and high in potassium. They also possess a fair amount of Vitamin C and other nutrients, such as Niacin, Vitamin E, Calcium and Iron.

Pumpkins have a high water and low fat content and are obviously an ideal choice of snack.

It is simply delicious. It tasted as good as yam kuih. Just want to show my appreciation to someone who is generous enough to share her wonderful and healthy recipe - Madam Wong Sip Moi (author of Old-Fashioned Kuih Muih)

Ingredients:
(A)500g pumpkin (washed, skinned, grated)

(B)
420 g rice flour
50 g tapioca flour
2 eggs
1300 ml water
(C)
150 g minced chicken meat (I used roast pork)
50 g dried shrimps (soaked)
2 mushrooms (soaked, diced)
100 g shallots (sliced)
3 tbsps cooking oil
Seasoning:1 tbsp.salt, 1 tbsp sugar,1 tbsp soy suce.1 tbsp oyster sauce,1 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp pepper
For garnishing:Some chinese coriander leaves, sliced red chillies, toasted white sesame seeds, fried shallots
Method:--1) combine ingredients (B ) together and strain.

--2) Heat up a wok with oil of ingredients (C). Saute shallots, dried shrimps, mushrooms and chicken meat. Add in grated pumpkin of ingredient (A), no.(1), sesoning. Cook till mixture thickens. Pour into a greased 9" square baking tin. Steam over medium heat for 30-35 minutes. Check if kuih is well-cooked.

--3) Garnish kuih and leave to cool for a couple of hours before serving.

Mum's Yam Cake 妈妈的芋头糕

When I was young, I lived in a very small town. Behind my house there was an empty open field. My mother used to plant some vegetables, sweet potatoes, chillies, sugar canes, yam and others. And further more, she reared chickens too. At that time chickens were not cheap. The only times we had chicken meat to eat were during Chinese New Year or Chinese festival seasons. I could still remember she used to make yam cakes from her 'harvest'. It was so yummy. My siblings and I were always very delighted and praise our mother for being a genius because she was a illiterate who came from China. I asked her how could she made such delicious yam cake. She talked proudly that you just have to use your heart, feelings and experience - and that will make things perfect.

Now she's gone to join my father to the other world, very regret not to have paid much interest in cooking when she was around. I only could recall she told me '一碗粉加两碗水..........'. I have faith and confidence that my yam cake tastes just as good as the taste of the memory I have of my mom's yam cake.

Recipe

Ingredients:

-- 200 g yam (nett weight) cut into cubes

--200 g yam -(nett weight) steam and mash while it is hot

--3 rice bowls rice flour (elephant brand)

--50 g tapioca flour

--6 rice bowls water( if you want softer txture, just add extra 1/2 -1 bowl of water)

--1/2 rice bowl dried shrimps (soaked, chopped)

--200g - 300 g roast pork (烧肉）)cut into cubes, remove the skin.

--4 shallots (sliced or diced)

--2 tbsp. preserved turnips (chai poh)

Seasoning:

--3/4 tbsp. salt

--1 tbsp sugar

--1 1/2 fiive spice powder

--1 teaspoon pepper

--1 teaspoon seasame oil

--1 tablespoon chicken granule or 1 chicken stock cube (optional)

Method:

--1)Combine flour with water ,use a hand whisker to stir well untill no lumps, add in mashed yam.

--2) Heat wok without oil to fry dried shrimps until dry then add enough oil to fry till fragrant. Dish out.

--3) Pour 4 tablespoon of oil to saute shallots till light golden brown, add in preserved turnips stir fry till fragrant. Add in yam cubes, roast pork and the seasoning, and dried shrimps, stri fry for few minutes.

--4) Pour rice batter into (3)until the mixture becomes thick (must stir all the time to prevent burnt at the bottom).

--5)Pour (4) into a greased and lined 10" round cake tin or 9" square cake tin over rapidly boiling water for 45 minutes or until cook.

--6) Remove cake from steamer, leave to cool. Garnish with sesame seeds, spring onions, fried shallots and chillies. Cut and serve.

ENJOY

Banana chocolate cupcake 香蕉巧克力蛋糕

Recipe:( 孟老师的100道小蛋糕）

Ingredients: (make 6 cupcakes)

--70 g peeled banana

--30 g condensed milk

--65 g unsalted butter

--50 g icing sugar

--1 egg yolk

--90 g plain flour

--1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

--10 g cocoa powder

--10 g chocolate chips

Method:

--1)用叉子将香蕉压成泥状，加入炼奶用汤匙搅匀备用。

--2）无盐奶油在室温软化后，加入糖粉先用橡皮刮刀稍微拌合。

--3）改用搅拌机搅拌均匀，加入蛋黄以快速方式搅匀。

--4）加入做法1的炼奶香蕉泥，继续用搅拌机搅拌均匀。

--5）同时筛入低筋面粉，小苏打粉及无糖可可粉，改用橡皮刮刀以不规则方向拌匀呈面糊状。

--6）用橡皮刮刀将面糊刮入子模内约七分满，将表面抹平，在放上适量chocolate chips.

--7）烤箱预备热后，以上火190 C 下火180 烘烤约20 - 25分钟左右。

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Blueberry yoghurt muffin

Went to cousin's home for dinner the other night. Brought two types of muffins that I prepared earlier of the day. I baked blue berry yoghurt muffins and chocolate banana muffins. I hope they like the muffins.

Recipe (make 16)

Ingredients:

--200 g unsalted butter (cubed and soften)

--200 g caster sugar

--200 g eggs without shells (about 4 big eggs, lightly beaten)

--2 tsp. vanilla essence

--250 g self-raisinng flour (sifted)

--8 Tablespoob plain yoghurt or blueberry yoghurt

-- 50 g dried small blueberry

--Muffin tray and cupcake papper cases/muffin cups

Method:

--1) Preheat oven to 180°.

--2) cream butter and sugar in a mixer till light and fluffy. Add eggs then vanilla essence, beat well.

--3) Stir in flour till just combined. Stir in yoghurt. Do not overmix. Finally add in blueberries.

--4) Pour batter into muffin cup till 3/4 full.

--5)Bake for 18 - 20 minutes till light golden brown.

B.B.Q pork -(char siew)

Look at the colour! Very tempting. You hardly can find a nicer char siew in singapore. You will never touch char siew sold by some supposedly authentic hong kong master from your neighbourhood roasted meat stall after you have tasted this. The hint of burnt meat together with the fat (which you can bite off and throw away if you are my son) are fabulous ! the ingredients used are so simple , yet the result easily surpasses those claimed to be made with secret recipe.

It is on the slighly sweet side which my family likes, you can adjust the sweetness during the cooking process.

It is soft, moist and slightly chewy. the full flavor comes when the slice has about 10 - 20 % of fat. one has to forget how sinful it is and enjoy. we do not take it often and it is absolutely ok to indulge oneself once and awhile. some of us like to take the slice with the juice ( oily of course ).
I would recommend you to try this recipe. Die die must try!!!!

Recipe ( good for about 6 - 8 people)

Ingredients:
-- 1 kg - 1.2 kg belly pork or 不见天 (ask the butcher to cut for making char siew)

Seasoning :

-- 1/2 teaspoon edible food red colouring powder (optional)
-- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
-- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
-- 1 tablespoon salt
-- 10 tablespoon sugar
-- 8 tablespoon water

Glazing: (optional)
-- 2 tablespoon maltose, 2 tablespoon water, 2 teaspoon light soya sauce- cook until maltose dissolves

Method:
--1) wash and pad dry the pork.

--2) marinate pork with seasoning for 5 hours or keep in the fridge for overnight.

--3) Place the pork on a metal rack. Grill for 15 - 20 minutes. (top fire only). Remember to put a shallow tray ( lay with aluminium paper) filled with some water underneath to collect any excess juice from the meat, to prevent burning smoke. Keep the leftover seasoning for step (4).

--4) Turn to other side and brush the meat with seasoning and grill for further 15 - 20 minutes.

--5) Remove from oven, glaze with maltose syrup. remember to keep the juice in a small bowl for dipping purpose. if you find there is too much oil in the dipping, decant some away before serving.

--6) Cut and serve.

note : as each oven is different, adjust the grilling time accordingly in your next attempt.

hope your char siew is as good as mine !!!!

Healthy Pandan Chiffon cake

Few days ago, my friends and I went on the cruise for a one day tour. We were talking about chiffon cake. One of my Indonesian friends told me that she makes pandan chiffon cake without adding baking powder, cream of tartar, and coconut milk. She just adds ENO fruit salt. I know of some Huat Kueh recipes which uses ENO fruit salt. This was my first time that i come across using ENO in chiffon cake. (Am I a mountain tortoise?) I just wanted so much to make one for myself, so without any hesitation I ' demanded ' for the recipe and she kindly obliged. Thank you, Juliana.

And she told me that this recipe belonged to her Indonesian friend who owns a bakery shop and this is one of the popular cakes.

As you can see from the above photographs, the green colour is natural that comes from the pandan leaves extract.

Verdict: Texture of the cake is very soft, light and moist, and is not very sweet. Although it is not as fragrant as coconut pandan chiffon cake (because no coconut milk in this recipe), but the taste will not disappoint you because the pandan aroma is still very fragrant. For the health-conscious, this recipe would suit you better. In a bid to improve the recipe, in my next attempt, i will experiment to reduce the amount of oil used. However, on the whole, this cake is still worth the while. It is a healthier choice yet not compromising the taste and texture of the cake.

Ingredients:

A :

-6 large egg yolk

-150g top flour

-75g sugar

-150ml pandan extract juice (using 10-15 leaves to blend with water)

-100g cooking oil

-1 satchet plain ENO fruit salt (4.3g)

B:

-6 egg white

-75g sugar

Method:

1) preheat oven to 170º C.

2) Whisk egg yolks and sugar till dissolves. Then add in pandan extract juice, salad oil to combine well.

3) Pour sifted flour into mixture (2) blend well. Lastly add in ENO stir well untill the mixture is incoporated.

4) In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites for a few seconds until frothy, add 1/3 of sugar, then beat hard until soft peaks form when the whisk is raised. Beat in the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat just until stiff not dry, shiny peaks form.

5) With a spatula or large whisk, gently fold the egg whites into the batter in a few additions, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until just blended. Pour into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake tin and bake for 50 -60 minutes or until an inserted skewer emerges clean. Remove from the oven and immediately turn upside down, and leave to cool completely. Cut around the cake with a thin-bladed knife to release.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Cheese Brownie

This chocolate cheese brownie is one of my family's favourate cake. The recipe was given to me by my relative. It had been quite long since I last baked.

This cake is easy to be sliced with just one swift motion of a fork. When placed inside your mouth, you can immediately smell and taste the heavenly mix of cocoa and cheese combination. The cake is soft, yet moist, giving it just the right texture as you savour the rich mix of flavours. Soon you realise you need to put another slice of the cake into your mouth, and the wonderful mouth experience repeats itself. Just the perfect way for a lazy afternoon with a cup of tea or cuppacino.

Recipe:

Ingredients A :

--250 g cream cheese

--100 g sugar

--1 egg

Method:

1) Beat cheese and sugar until soft.

2) Add in egg and beat until very light and soft. Leave aside.

Ingredient B :

-- 250 g butter

-- 3-4 tablespoon cocoa powder

-- 130 g sugar ( if you think is too sweet you can reduce the amount of sugar)

-- 2 whole eggs

-- 130 g self raising flour.

-- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1) Melt butter over a double boiler, remove from heat, add in cocoa powder to mix well. Leave aside for later use.

2) In another bowl beat eggs and sugar until light and foamy.

3) Add in melted butter to combine well.

4) Gently fold in flour until forms batter.

5) Pour 1/2 mixture 'B' into a 10" x 10" greased and lined cake tin, then pour in

mixture 'A' and top with the remaining mixture 'B'.

6) Bake at 160° C for 45 minutes or until cooked.

ENJOY!