Pumpkin Tang Yuan With Sago Pearls In Coconut Milk

With the leftover pumpkin, the second recipe which I am going to cook is a dessert.  Tang Yuan have always been my favorite dessert, which I don't only cook once a year during the Winter Solstice or Dongzhi Festival, instead, I enjoys cooking it all year round.  

I was fascinated by an online recipe from "Cook With Mi" just before I get to sleep last night and decided to have this recipe as the first-to-cook dish for today. 

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
(A) Tang Yuan
100g fresh pumpkin flesh (skin, seed removed and cut into cubes)
100g glutinous rice flour (sifted)
Water

(B) Sago
75g sago pearls
Water

(C) Coconut Milk
Half grated coconut
Water 
Granulated sugar (to taste)
Pinch of salt
3 pandan leaves (knotted) 

Methods:

1. Steam pumpkin until soft and mashed.
2. In a mixing bowl add glutinous rice flour, mashed pumpkin and slowly add water bit by bit and knead using hand until a soft non-sticky dough is formed.  If the dough is too soft add a bit more glutinous rice flour until you get the right consistency.
3. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into balls (sizes according to your own preference) and place them on a flat plate.  Repeat until all the dough is finished.
4. To cook the tang yuan balls, boil water in a pot and once the water is boiling drop the balls into the water and let it boil for about 1 to 2 minutes.  Once the balls floats to the surface it is cooked.  Using a slotted spatula dish out the tang yuan balls and place them into a bowl filled with ice water.  This is to let the tang yuan to remain chewy.  Set aside.
5. To prepare the sago pearls, boil a pot 3/4 filled with water, when boiling add in the sago pearls and continue to cook using medium heat, stirring often until translucent. Dish out, drain the sago pearls and put them into a bowl of cold water.  Set aside.
6. To prepare the coconut milk, add a bowl of water into the grated coconut, mix it well and squeeze out the coconut milk (I use my hand) and let it run through a sift. I repeat this step for three times to get the most milk out of the grated coconut.
7. Pour the coconut milk into a pot, add more water if necessary, put in the knotted pandan leaves, sugar, pinch of salt and bring to a boil using medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Once it starts boiling turn heat to low and continue to simmer for another minute.  Drain the tang yuan and sago pearls using a sift and add them into the coconut milk. Continue to simmer for another minute, stir to mix, then off the heat and remove pot from the stove and let it sit on the kitchen top with lid half open to let it cool.
8. The dessert is ready to be served either warm, at room temperature or have it cold by putting them into the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

This dessert is so soothing especially on this hot weather, and having it cold from the fridge is something which I yearn for everyday if possible ~ smile ~  I prefer to cook more soup out of it and use more sago pearls as its so refreshing!  It's "simple yet yummylicious!"

I adapt this recipe from "Cook With Mi" with some amendments to suit my own cooking style.

Pumpkin Soup

With the weather getting hotter by day, I've decided to cook something comforting to satisfy my taste bud. Since I have a whole pumpkin sitting in my pantry I am making this yummylicious "Pumpkin Soup".

Ingredients needed: (Serves 3)

• 600g pumpkin (peeled and cubed)

• 1 onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1 potato (peeled and cubed)

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 600ml water
• Chicken stock granules (to taste)
• Dash of grounded white pepper

Methods:

1. In a medium heated wok add cooking oil and fry chopped onions for a minute.  Add chopped potato and pumpkin and continue to stir-fry for a further few more minutes.
2. Pour in water and bring to a boil. 
3. Add chicken stock granules by teaspoon and taste for correct seasoning.  Continue to simmer until the potato and pumpkin are soft.  
4. Remove from heat and let it cool down.
5. Pour the mixture into a blender bowl and puree until smooth.
6. Pour the puree into a pot and bring to a boil using low heat, stirring to ensure that the soup does not stick to the bottom of the pot and gets burnt.
7. Remove from heat and dish into serving bowls.
8. Sprinkle dash of grounded white pepper and serve immediately.

Cotton Yoghurt Small Cakes

The name of this cakes "Cotton Yoghurt Small Cakes" really are as soft and light as cotton and indeed when chilled in the fridge they are like "chilled cheesecake".  Addition to that, the lemony taste is awesome!

Ingredients:
4 eggs (separated)
3/4 cup natural yoghurt
60g plain flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
lemon zest from 1 lemon
40g melted butter
75g castor sugar

Methods:

1. In a bowl stir egg yolks with a hand whisk and pour in yoghurt and stir till combined.
2. Sift in half of the flour, stir well gently, followed by the remaining flour and mix well again.
3. Add lemon juice and lemon zest, mix well.  Pour in melted butter and fold well with a rubber spatula.
4. Whisk egg whites at low speed till foamy and gradually add in sugar and continue to beat at medium speed till peak forms. 
5. Fold 1/2 of the egg whites to egg yolk mixtures.  Then return the egg yolk mixtures to the meringue and fold well.
6. Pour batter evenly into lined paper cups in muffin pan and gently bang the muffin pan to release air bubbles.
7. Bake in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.
8. Remove muffin pan from oven and drop 2-3 times on table top to release hot air and leave cakes to cool on a wire rack.  Dust with some cocoa powder. 
9. The small cakes are ready to be served!

Notes: I baked using two different types of paper cups as I have only one muffin pan which can bake only six small cakes. For that I am using the paper liners. The remaining batter I pour them into three hard paper cups.

This recipe is adapted here with slight adjustments.

Crunchy Fried Hong Boi Fish or Ikan Gonjeng

Hong Boi Fish or known as Ikan Gonjeng in Malay, are the favorite of many.  It is normally deep-fried in hot oil until golden in colour and crunchy.  Most people will just prepare the fish in the normal way, but my late mother-in-law taught me this special way to prepare it so that when fried the whole fish can be eaten, without any leftover bones. Though it is more time consuming to clean and prepare the fish, but it is a worthy effort. Young children are also able to eat them without having to worry about small bones. The picture below tells it all....

How to prepare the fish:

1. Use a sharp knife, remove head and slice off the stomach area which are having sharp bones.
2. Scale the fish and wash clean.
3. Place the fish flat horizontally with the tail on the left side of our hand on the chopping board.  Run your knife above the middle bone, starting from the head area down to the tail (as seen in the picture), then turn over the other side and do the same, after which cut off the middle bone and discard.  Repeat until all is done.
4. Sprinkle some salt and grounded white pepper over the fish and mix gently, so that both sides of the fish will still remain intact.
5. Just before deep frying dust some corn flour over the fish, gently mix it to ensure that all the fish are well dusted.
6. Deep fry in a deep wok until golden brown.
7. Dish and drain on kitchen towel.
8. The crunchy fish is ready to be served!

Stuffed Bean Curd Puffs

I have been thinking about what dish to cook out of minced meat and prawns??? As I was flipping through the pages of some old recipe books, all of a sudden a recipe struck my mind "Stuffed Bean Curd Puffs!"  This recipe from SEASHORE - Meatballs and Dumplings, Page 36 gave me great inspiration. Thus, the next morning, I grab a packet of Bean Curd Puffs from the wet market and here's what I've created.  With the remaining filling mixtures I roll it into meatballs, deep-fried and serve them side by side with the fried stuffed bean curd puffs.  Not to mention, I served it with the freshly home-made Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.

Ingredients:

A packet of bean curd puff

Oil for deep frying

Fillings:

1 1/2 cup minced pork

A handful of prawns (peeled, deveined and cut into small cubes)

1 tbsp carrot (chopped)

1 tbsp corn flour

1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

Drizzle of sesame oil

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Methods:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl and knead till firm.  Set aside.
2. Slit the center of the bean curd puffs lengthwise and turn them inside out carefully. Stuff fillings into the bean curd puffs.
3. In a deep wok heat oil and deep fry stuffed bean curd puffs using medium heat until cooked and crispy on the outside.
4. Dish and drain on kitchen paper.
5. For the remaining filling mixtures, roll into balls and deep fry until cooked and golden.  Dish and drain on kitchen paper.
6. Serve the fried stuffed bean curd puffs and meatballs in a serving dish along side with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.
7. Enjoy!

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is my family's favorite, and we have been buying the ready made ones from Supermarket shelves.  Through "trial and error" I finally came up with the most preferred taste for my family: a combination of slightly salty, sourish and sweet! In my final attempt I made another batch for my mum and brother's family to taste, and out came the verdict "YES!" So, from now on I will be adapting this recipe.  

Ingredients:

3 red chilies (deseeded and cut into chunks)

3 - 4 bird's eye chili (deseeded) - amount based on your preference

5 garlic cloves (peeled)

1/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Cornflour mixture (for thickening)

Methods:

1. Add red chilies, bird's eye chili, garlic, vinegar, granulated sugar, salt and 1/4 cup water into the blending beaker and puree using a hand blender. 
2. Transfer mixture to a pot, add in the remaining water and bring to a boil.
3. Switch heat to low and simmer while stirring occasionally for about 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Whisk in cornflour mixture and continue to simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, and is of your preferred consistency. (it must not be too thick or thin).
5. Dish into a bowl and let it cool completely.
6. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate.

Stir-fried sambal sweet potato leaves

I am sharing another of my family's favorite sambal stir-fried vegetable "Sambal Sweet Potato Leaves."  Though it is a simple dish but it is a popular vegetable dish served in most Chinese food stalls and restaurants.

Ingredients:
Potato leaves
3 tbsp cooking oil
Salt/msg/chicken stock granules (to taste)
2 - 3 tbsp water

To obtain the sambal ingredients click here

Methods:

1. Pick the potato leaves and the soft stems only, washed and drained.
2. In a heated wok add cooking oil.
3. Add the blended sambal and stir-fry until fragrant.
4. Add in the potato leaves and stir-fry to mix. 
5. Add in salt/msg/chicken stock granules, stir to mix well and taste for correct seasoning.  Do not add too much seasoning as the sambal might be slightly salty.
6. Splash in some water and continue stirring. This potato leaves dish is normally served quite dry, so do not add too much water.
7. Once the potato leaves are cooked, remove from heat, dish up and serve immediately.

Notes: The amount of each ingredient for the sambal can be adjusted according to your preference and also based on the amount of vegetable used for each cooking.  The seasoning used are also of your own preference.

Stir-fried sambal paku with prawns

Who would say 'NO' to this mouth-watering spicy sambal dish, especially after a day's work and looking forward to having dinner in the comfort of your sweet home. Definitely not my family, we love this sambal paku dish, and with an additional ingredient of prawns, well... it's deliciously yummy!

Ingredients:
2 bundles fresh paku 
Some medium prawns (peeled and deveined) 
3 tbsp cooking oil
Salt/msg/chicken stock (to taste)
Water

Sambal (blended)
2 red chilies (deseeded and cut into chunks)
2 chili padi (deseeded) - optional (if you prefer it more spicy)
3 shallots (peeled and quartered)
3 cloves garlic (peeled)
1 tbsp dried shrimps (washed, soaked and drained)
1 tbsp toasted belacan

Methods:

1. Cut the fresh paku into sections (sizes depending on your preference), obtain the young stems only as they are softer.  Washed and drained.
2. In a heated wok add cooking oil.  Add blended sambal and stir-fry until fragrant.
3. Add paku and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add prawns, stir to mix.
4. Add salt/msg/chicken stock granules, some water and continue to let it simmer, and if you prefer more gravy add more water and stir to mix. Do not add too much seasoning at one time as the sambal might be slightly salty.  Taste for correct seasoning.
5. Once the paku is cooked remove from heat.
6. Serve as a dish with freshly cooked rice and other dishes.

"It's Simple Yet Yummylicious!"

Buttermilk Banana Bread

Curious with this Banana Bread recipe which does not use yeast, thus decided to give it a try since I have all the needed ingredients, but one thing missing is a suitable loaf pan. Thus, I ended up using a square baking sheet and the outcome is more to cake than bread! Anyway, it has a cake texture, but if I were to use a bread loaf pan, it will most probably looks like bread.  Well, the most important thing is it's "YUMMYLICIOUS" to the taste buds.

Ingredients:

113g butter (room temperature)

1 1/4 cup castor sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed banana

4 tbsp buttermilk

1 3/4 cup plain flour (sifted)

1 tsp baking powder (sifted)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

Methods:

1. In a standing cake mixer, cream butter and castor sugar until light.  Add eggs, banana, buttermilk and mix using low speed until batter is well mixed. 
2. Add in flour, baking powder and mix using a rubber spatula until well combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared greased baking sheet/loaf pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree Celsius for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and let it cool.
6. Serve!

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen with slight amendment.

Pickled Pumpkin slices with lemon juice and dried sour plum

Ingredients:
400g pumpkin (peeled and sliced thinly with peeler)
5 sour plum/assam boi (deseeded and cut into small pieces)
1 red chili (deseeded and cut into small pieces)
2 lemons (squeeze for juice and sieve away pulps and seeds)
4 tbsp castor sugar

Methods:

1. In a large mixing bowl mix together sour plum (assam boi), red chili, lemon juice and castor sugar.
2. Add in the pumpkin slices, mix well and let rest for one hour.
3. Packed into a glass jar and store in the fridge overnight.
4. Pickle is ready to be served as a side dish or as snacks.

This recipe is adapted from Elinluv's Tidbits Corner with slight amendments to suit my taste bud.

Yam Cake

Yam Cake have always been my favorite kuih, be it served with toppings or without, which are pan-fried.  I have been wanting to try a hand on this yummy recipe for quite a while.  Last Sunday I manage to buy some Penang Yam, and with all available ingredients in hand, I finally made this delicious Yam Cake in my home kitchen. 

Ingredients:

500g yam (peeled and cut into small cubes)

50g dried shrimps (soaked, drained and chopped - set aside the water from soaking)

8 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked, drained and diced - set aside water from soaking)

1 Chinese sausage (soaked in hot water, remove the plastic-like wrapper on the outside and diced)

120g shallots (peeled and sliced)

100ml cooking oil

1 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grounded white pepper

1 tbsp light soy sauce

200g rice flour (sifted)

900ml water/stock from soaking dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms

Few sprigs of spring onion (green part only) - chopped

2 red chilies (chopped)

Methods:

1. Heat 100ml cooking oil in a wok, add sliced shallots and fry until it starts to brown, dish onto a bowl and set aside for later use.
2. With the remaining oil in the wok, add yam and stir-fry until it starts to soften and dish into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add five spice powder, salt and grounded white pepper to the yam and stir to mix.
4. In the same wok and with the remaining oil, add diced sausage. chopped dried shrimps and diced mushrooms.  Give it a quick stir, then add 1 tbsp light soy sauce and stir fry until fragrant.  Dish the mixture into the yam, add half of the fried shallots, mix well and set aside.
5. In a heated wok add 900ml water/stock from soaking dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms.
6. Slowly whisk in rice flour, stir and cook until batter thickens.
7. Add yam mixture and stir well to mix to ensure that the yam mixture and the rice flour batter are well incorporated.
8. Oil two loaf tin and transfer the batter mixture into the loaf tin.  Use one tin if you are using a bigger loaf tin.
9. Steam for about 40 minutes, insert a skewer into the yam cake, and if it comes out clean, then it's cooked.
10. For topping, I combine the rest of the fried shallots, chopped spring onion and chopped chilies in a bowl, mix to combine the ingredients and spread on the top of the yam cake.
11. Let yam cake rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: I add more water as compared to the original recipe as the yam is very starchy. For those who prefer a more softer texture yam cake than one which is filled with yam crunch, slightly more water can be added and cut the yam into slightly smaller cubes. 

This recipe is adapted from 'The Meatmen' with slight amendment to suit my cooking.