Crispy baked chicken drumsticks in Hoisin Sauce

Having three chicken drumsticks in the fridge, I've decided to make use of them for this recipe, instead of chicken wings.  Since I use drumsticks I cut a slit on the upper side, which is having the thickest part of meat to enable the marinade and glaze to seep through and ease baking time.  When baked, the outside has a layer of crispy-shiny glazed skin while the inside is juicy and tender.

Ingredients:

3 chicken drumsticks

Marinade:

1/3 tbsp hoisin sauce

1/3 tbsp sugar
1/3 tbsp salt

1/3 tbsp shaoxing wine

1/3 tsp baking powder

Dash of grounded white pepper

Glaze:

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

3/4 tbsp honey

Methods:

1. Wash, drain, cut a slit on the upper side with the thickest part of meat, pat dry with paper towel.
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, pour and rub onto the drumsticks to ensure that they are well coated and leave to marinate, covered, in the fridge for few hours.
3. Place the drumsticks on a wire rack and bake in a preheated Aspen convention oven of 200 degree Celsius until the top side has browned, turn over and continue baking until achieving the same brown colour.
4. To prepare the glaze add hoisin sauce, honey and the remaining marinade from drumsticks into a small pan and cook on low heat until it bubbles and thickens.
5. When the drumsticks are ready, brush with hoisin glaze, bake at 220 degree Celsius for 1 1/2 minutes, turn over the drumsticks, brush with glaze and bake for another 1 1/2 minutes.  
6. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Notes:  The baking time depends much on the type of oven that we use as well as the size of the chicken.  During the process of baking we need to observe so as to get a properly cooked chicken and not just depending on the stated time. 

This recipe is adapted from The Informal Chef with adjustments.

Satay Peanut Sauce

Recently, I happen to come across this Satay Peanut Sauce video, which is simple, easy and less time consuming.  Without wasting much time I bought 300 grams of groundnuts and with the other ingredients readily available in my kitchen storage, I decided to go for it. Without further ado, let me introduce this delicious recipe for you all to try out and enjoy in the comfort of your sweet home....

Ingredients:
300g groundnuts
2 -3 tbsp cooking oil
500 ml. water (add more if needed during cooking)
1 tsp tamarind paste

Chili Paste (blend together until fine)
3 shallots
3 cloves garlic
2 lemon grass (white part only)
1" knob galangal
8 dried chilies

Seasonings:
Salt (to taste)
Sugar (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a low heated wok stir-fry the peanuts without oil, stirring continuously to ensure that it is not burnt, or else it will taste bitter.  Stir-fry until the skin is lightly brown and the peanuts are cooked through, off the heat, dish onto a baking sheet and let it cool for a minute.  Remove the skin by rubbing with our fingers, flip the baking tray to allow the skin to be at the side and blow the skin into the sink.  Repeat till all the skin are removed.  Blend the groundnuts with a blender until fine, I prefer to taste the crunch of the peanut, thus I did not blend it into powder form. Leave aside for later use.
2. Heat oil in a wok, add in the blended chili paste and stir-fry in medium heat until oil separates.
3. Add in the blended peanuts and water, stir to mix, then add in some salt and sugar and continue to stir during the cooking process so that the sauce will not stick onto the bottom of the wok.
4. If the sauce has thicken up, add more water along the way.
5. Cook the sauce for about 20 minutes, then stir in the tamarind paste, stir well to mix and taste for correct seasonings. 
6. Once the sauce has reach the right thickness off the heat.

Notes:  I made some changes to this recipe for my own preference.

This recipe is adapted from Ms. Adeline Lim.

Moist Banana Muffin

Ingredients: (Yields 8)
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
5 bananas (I used Pisang Emas) - mashed
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 medium egg

Methods:

1. Sift the plain flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl and stir with a hand whisk till well combined, set aside.
2. Beat together butter, egg, sugar and mashed bananas until well mixed.
3. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. Lightly grease muffin cups, spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, 3/4 full and arrange them on a baking sheet, as I am using a single muffin cup.
5. Bake in a preheated oven of 175 degree Celsius for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer onto wire rack to cool.
7. Time for afternoon tea....

Recipe adapted from Treat & Trick Blog

Kuih Loyang

This recipe which I am going to share  is popularly known as Kuih Loyang, Kuih Rose or Honeycomb Cookies. During my childhood days, we only get to eat this kuih or cookies during Chinese New Year.  Today, it is being widely sold, thus we are able to buy as and when we feel like eating, but then again, those sold in the market are normally not as tasty as those home-made.  The mixing of the ingredients is easy, but when comes to deep-frying them it really takes time, as for my case it takes me one and a half hours to deep-fry the whole lot and it has to be done one at a time.  I also purposely pick a rainy day to make this as the weather is cooling and I need not have to sweat that much, having to stand in front of the hot oil.  I am really happy with the outcome and would like to share with all my readers and friends....

Ingredients: 
60g Glutinuous rice flour (sifted)
60g rice flour (sifted)
45g cornflour (sifted)
60g granulated sugar
150ml thick coconut milk
2 eggs
Enough cooking oil for deep-frying

Methods:

1. Put all the sifted flours into a deep bowl and stir to mix.
2. In another bowl crack in the eggs, add sugar and hand-whisk till sugar dissolve.
3. Add the coconut milk into the egg mixture and stir slightly.
4. Slowly pour the mixture of (3) into the flour, stir until all the ingredients are well combined and sift the mixture to obtain a smooth batter.
5. In a deep wok heat enough oil and when oil reach medium heat, turn the heat down to low.
6. To deep-fry, ready a Loyang/Rose/Honeycomb mold. Preheat mold by dipping into the heated oil, lift up and shake off excess oil and slowly dip into the batter, do not let the batter cover over the top of the mold, lift up, let the excess batter drip off and put into the heated oil.  I use a bamboo skewer to lightly poke at the sides to let the biscuits come out, and continue to fry until lightly brown.  Do not fry until golden brown as the biscuits will continue to brown after being taken out of the oil. 
7. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
8. When they are completely cool store in an airtight container.
9. Time to start MUNCHING!

This recipe is adapted from XuanHom's Mom Kitchen diary.

Curry Samosa

With all the available ingredients in hand, I am making some Curry Samosa for afternoon tea.  This recipe needs Spring Roll Pastry of size 190mm x 190mm, but I only have the 125mm x 125mm, which is 5" x 5".  To solve the problem, I cut off about an inch from one side and join 2 sheets together using egg white brush to get a longer sheet enough to wrap the curry ingredients.  

Ingredients:

1 cup potato (peeled and chopped)

1/2 onion (peeled and chopped)

1/4 pc chicken breast (finely cubed)

1/4 tsp brown sugar

1/4 pack curry paste

1 1/2 tbsp coconut milk

2 tbsp cooking oil (for frying the curry ingredients)

Enough cooking oil (for deep-frying the samosa)

5 tbsp water

1 egg white (for brushing to seal the edges)

Methods:

• Add cooking oil in a medium heated wok, saute onion for a few seconds, add in curry paste, stir fry till fragrant, then add in chicken meat, potato, brown sugar and stir to mix.
• Add water and coconut milk, continue to stir until the potato is soft and the sauce is almost dry.  Off the heat and dish onto a plate and let it cool.

• To wrap, place a piece of spring roll pastry on a flat plate, scoop 1/2 tbsp curry mixture on one end of the pastry, fold in triangular shape and continue folding till the end.  Repeat till all is done.
• In a medium heated wok, add in enough cooking oil, put the wrapped samosa into the oil in batches and deep-fry till lightly golden brown, dish and drain on kitchen paper.  Repeat till all is done.
• It's time to enjoy my afternoon tea!

This recipe is adapted from Copycake Kitchen.  I made some changes from the original recipe to meet my own preference.

Fragrant buttery chicken

Ingredients:
2 chicken thighs and one drumstick (cut into bite size pieces)
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 chili padi (cubed)
3 sprigs curry leaves
3/4 tbsp butter
Cooking oil (for deep frying)

Marinade:
1 tsp light sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 egg
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour

Seasoning:
4 tbsp evaporated milk
3/4 tbsp sugar

Methods:

1. Marinate chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients and leave in the fridge for few hours.
2. In a deep wok heat the cooking oil, deep fry the chicken pieces until golden and skin has a crisp, dish and drain off excess oil.
3. In another clean wok, add butter, using low heat saute garlic, chili padi and then the curry leaves and stir fry for a while.
4. Add in the seasoning and stir fry till the evaporated milk has a thick consistency. 
5. Add in the fried chicken and stir to mix until the chicken are well coated with the sauce.
6. Off the heat and dish on a plate.

This recipe is adapted from MiMi Bakery House

Cabbage golden-garlic fried rice

Having baked some pork belly satay, I've decided to serve it with this simple cabbage golden-garlic fried rice as our dinner for me and hubby...

What you need:
2 portion cooked and cold long-grain rice
1 bowl sweet cabbage (shredded)
5 cloves garlic (peeled and sliced)
3 tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Salt (to taste)
Dash of grounded white pepper

Few simple steps:

1. Add 3 tbsp oil in a medium-low heated wok, add sliced garlic and stir-fry the garlic until lightly brown, dish and set aside.
2. Remove oil from the wok leaving only about 2 tbsp.
3. Add in cabbage, give it a quick fry, move the cabbage to the side of the wok, add in the rice and turn to fry the rice for a few minutes, then toss in the cabbage.
4. Add the seasonings and fried garlic, stir to mix, taste for correct seasoning, fry for another minute and off the heat.
5. Dish onto a plate served with pork belly satay at the side.

I tend to enjoy a simple 'one-plate meal' and having it once a while does gives me real satisfaction, especially when it comes to cooking a meal for only two persons.