Pumpkin Kuih, in memory of mum

It has been a year since mum passed and I think of her every day. Even though I get emotional each time, I believe she is in a better place now. At least she is not in pain anymore. It broke my heart seeing her suffer so the last months with her was hard but I treasured every single moment. I could tell she missed having me around and I am glad I was there for her when she needed me most. Fifteen years of the big C and she lived her life full of happiness and without complain. She was and will be the strongest and most genuine person I know. Every single one of her friends only had praises for her, a great friend with heart of gold. She also had great talents with crafts. I have memories of her helping me with a school craft project and we made a robot out of foil mini cupcake sleeves. She was creative and anything she touches becomes beautiful and special so I am proud her talents had influenced me a great deal.

To remember her, I would like to share one of the last things she taught me, her signature 'kuih'. Kuih is bite-size snack or dessert in Malaysia and the neighbouring countries of Singapore and Indonesia. They can be savoury or sweet. This was her modern take on the Nyonya ang ku kueh, a Hokkien word translated into red tortoise cake. It is a soft, chewy and sticky pastry made with glutinous rice flour wrapped around sweet filling. Mum's version used sweet potatoes to make the pastry orange in colour rather than the traditional way of using red colouring. This also calls for skilful hands and patience.

The sweet filling

Sweet filling wrapped with the dough made of glutinous rice flour. The outer layer has to be thin yet sturdy enough to hold the filling inside. The crease was marked with toothpick to mimic the pattern on a pumpkin.

The kuih was topped with green peas

Steaming of the kuih

We made this for our neighbours who have been very kind to visit mum, to cook for her and spend time with her to distract her from the pain. They have been the greatest neighbours anyone could ask for. The least we could do as mum's children was to show our appreciation to them with mum's delicate signature kuih.

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Crepe au citron (Lemon crepe) & wonders of milk

There has been an ink disaster recently. My duvet cover has been stained with a big blue patch from ink leakage. *sigh* Don’t ask me how ink got anywhere near my bed. It is a long story. What I learnt from this incident is to soak the fabric in milk for about three hours and hand scrub the stain. It works! Some of the lighter stains disappeared and some got lighter so I am about to repeat the process until my duvet cover looks like new. It seems milk not only makes wonders to a cup of hot chocolate or coffee, it removes ink stain as well!! Handy.

After a long session of hand scrubbing those evil blue stains, I had about half a litre of milk left so instead of making more frothed milk for my favourite hot chocolate, some crepe will make me happy.

BASIC CREPE RECIPE

adapted from Nigel Slater's perfect crepe

Ingredients:

• 100g plain flour
• 50g unslated butter & more for cooking
• pinch of salt
• 2 free range egg
• 220ml whole milk
• 100ml water

CREPE AU CITRON RECIPE

• basic crepe
• lemon
• powdered sugar / castor sugar (for some sugary crunch)

Method:

1.  Melt the butter and let cool slightly.
2.  Break the eggs into the bowl of flour and mix.
3.  Whisk in the salt, milk and water until lump free.
4.  Stir in melted butter at the end.
5.  Heat a crepe pan with some butter and wipe it off with a kitchen towel.
6.  Ladle about 3 tablespoon of batter onto pan and quickly swirl around the pan to form a thin layer.
7.  Cook for about 1 minute one side until golden, flip and cook for 30 seconds.
8.  Repeat for the rest of the batter.
9.  Squeeze some lemon and dust a generous amount of powdered sugar / sprinkle with sugar on top.
10.  Garnish with a slice of candied lemon.

Tips:

• For a sweet crepe, add a tablespoon of sugar to the batter.
• The basic crepe can be served sweet or savoury, to your liking.

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Baked Camembert Pasta

I was not a big cheese fan but camembert, I love! Since I moved to England, I am starting to like cheese a lot more than I used to. But of course, anything mature is still too over powering for my liking. Although, I might change my mind as I mature myself as I used to hate goats cheese but now, I like it especially with watermelon. My rare craving for cheese this particular night was pretty specific. Baked camembert! So instead of having it with some baguette, I decided to make pasta!

This is really quick and simple with every piece of fusili coated with camembert.

BAKED CAMEMBERT PASTA RECIPE

Ingredients:

• Camembert
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stalk rosemary

• Fusili (or any other pasta)
• 1 courgette (ribbon & cubed)
• 1 red capsicum (cubed)
• 6 mushrooms (quartered)
• 1 onion
• 1/2 chilli (optional)
• Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste

To bake camembert:

1. Remove the plastic wrapping of the camembert and place it back into the wooden case.
2. Stuff cut pieces of garlic and rosemary into the camembert as pictured above.
3. Bake camembert for 10 minutes or until soft.

To cook pasta:

1. Boil fresh fusili in salted water with olive oil until al dante. Drain and leave aside.
2. On a separate pan, heat some olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and chilli until soft an fragrant.
3. Add the cubed courgette and red capsicum into the pan.
4. Cook until the vegetables are slightly soft but still have some bite to them.
5. Toss in the cooked pasta and soft gooey baked camembert until well mixed.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Pan con tomate (Spanish-style toast with tomato)

Tired from work and cannot be bothered to eat out or cook a proper meal? I know the perfect no-fuss, fresh and healthy food to make! It is the perfect mid-week quick and light dinner. Ingredients used are very basic so most likely, you already have them in the fridge so no shopping needed. Better yet, if you have a herb garden, freshly plucked basil is always a plus.



PAN CON TOMATE (SPANISH-STYLE TOAST WITH TOMATO) RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 5 slices of baguette


• 1 clove garlic cut in half


• 2 vine-ripen tomato (grated)


• 5 basil leaves (sliced)


• 1 tbs olive oil


• sea salt & ground black pepper

• salad leaves

Method:

1. Slice the baguette, as many as you please but the ingredients above are for about five slices.


2. Toast the baguette.


3. While the baguette slices are being toasted, grate the tomatoes into a bowl.


4. Mix the grated tomatoes with basil leaves and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.


5. Cut the garlic clove into half and rub on to the toasts.


6. Spoon the seasoned grated tomato onto the toast and serve with salad leaves on the side.

Tips:

• Use good  quality olive oil and tomato.


• You can always add some ham on the toasts if you cannot live without meat.

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Hot & Sour Soup with Vermicelli

Hot and sour soup

These days, I try to stock up on lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves when I shop at the oriental store, making sure I never run out of them. Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves freeze well so it is great to have them at hand as it is a staple in most south-east asian food. Lemongrass itself has multiple benefits. This natural ingredient has anti-cancer properties, high in anti-oxidant which also helps prevent cancer, reduces cholesterol, helps rid of cold and fever, and many more benefits. The juice of lemongrass is also used as insect repellent. I know this because each time I visit Tropical Spice Garden in Penang, the staff there would have us spray lemongrass juice on our bare legs and arms. There are lots of mosquitoes hidden between those tropical bushes so to prevent from leaving the garden with dozens of mosquito bites, bare with the smell and spray them all over you if you are going anywhere near a tropical forest or garden. It does help you enjoy the beautiful surroundings than to be annoyed being bitten by those tiny evil creatures.

HOW TO MAKE LEMONGRASS TEA:

Boil about 4 stalks of lemongrass in a pot of water. Make sure you bruise and split them in halves so the lemongrass will infuse a lot faster. I have not measured nor timed this process so depending on how strong you would like the tea to be, add water accordingly. Let it boil and simmer for about an hour. Once ready, pour into teacups and serve with honey or sugar.





HOT & SOUR SOUP WITH VERMICELLI RECIPE
serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 3 stalk lemon grass (bruised)


• 5 kaffir lime leaves


• 2-3 bird's eye chilli


• 15g shallots


• 5 cloves garlic (peeled & bruised)


• 2 inch ginger (peeled & sliced)


• 2 stalks celery


• 2 large carrots


• 2 large tomato (cut into wedges)


• 250g mixed seafood (prawn, squid, mussels)


• 1 litre boiled water


• 1 chicken bouillon cube


• 2 large lime (juice only)


• 1 1/2 tbs palm sugar


• Salt & ground white pepper to taste


• Coriander (as garnish)

• Vermicelli

1. Heat the pot with some oil and partially cook the seafood. Remove from pot and set aside.


2. Saute the onions, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, chillies and ginger in the same pot until fragrant.


3. Add in water and let boil for a few minutes, turn the heat down to let the lemongrass flavour infuse into the soup.


4. The celery, carrots and tomato is then added into the pot, together with the bouillon cube.


5. Let the soup simmer on medium to low heat fora bout an hour and until vegetables are soft.


6. While waiting for the soup to be ready, cook the vermicelli in hot water for 1 minute and drain.


7. Divide the drained vermicelli in separate bowls.


8. Squeeze some lime juice into the soup. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste.


9. Tip the seafood into the hot soup to heat them up.


10. Ladle soup over the noodles and garnish with coriander. You can add a few slices of red chilli if you like, just to give some colour and contrast.

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Beef Pot Roast

Supermarket has always been my go to place for meat in London. That is because I have not seen any decent butcher near where I live, at least I used to. Recently, I found one. And this was the first time I bought any form of meat so early in the morning!! It was actually very pleasant being at my local butcher, Mr. Bull. It feels more personal chatting and buying meat there than at a supermarket.

Beef joint for pot roast, TICK!!

On the very same day in the afternoon, after an enjoyable rendezvous of breakfast, museum, lunch and shopping with Nz, we ended our day at Whole Foods! It was like heaven. Food Heaven! There was almost everything there. There were vegetables I have never seen before, or knew about; like black mooli, a dozen species of squash, even yellow beans!! This is definitely how two girls have fun. Shop for food!! We had similar fun doing that in Spain and obviously it did not stop there. Was there just for fresh bread but we ended up with an over flowing basket.

Bread to serve with pot roast, TICK!!

Now after a happy day of shopping, the work begins in the kitchen.., kind of. Beef pot roast must sound like something that is really difficult to make or a dish that requires lots of attention. It is actually the opposite. The most attention needed was to buy good ingredients. The rest is up to the slow cooker. Well, I have not told you this, but I bought a new toy, the Tefal 8-in-1 cooker. What I love about this new gadget is that there is an in built timer.

All the fun effort put into making this almost no sweat 'Beef Pot Roast' is to welcome back my sweetheart from his partial holiday / partial medical leave where dental treatment is a lot more affordable. Yes, poor thing had to go through a root canal surgery and I have seen his swollen face the day after the dentist visit. Not very pleasant. So I think he needed some comfort food that is delicious yet easily edible. Nothing that will hurt him chewing.

Delicious melt in your mouth pot roast, TICK!! Mission accomplished!

BEEF POT ROAST RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef joint
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbs flour
• 2 cubes beef bouillon
• 300ml hot water
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tbs worcestershire sauce

• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves unpeeled smoked garlic (prick with a knife)
• 1 red onion (sliced)
• 3 celery (an inch)
• 4 carrots (wedged)
• 1 tbs cranberry sauce
• 1/2 tbs of butter

• Bread (*The baker at Whole Foods recommended 'Beer Bread' to match with this dish. You can use any bread you like, of course.

Method:

1. Melt the beef bouillon cubes in hot water and set aside.
2. Heat the pot with olive oil. While waiting for the pot to heat up, season the beef with salt, pepper and flour.
3. Brown beef on hot pot. When both sides of beef are brown, transfer it into the slow cooker bowl.
4. With the pot that you have browned the beef, add the wine and worcestershire sauce into the pot to deglaze.
5. Let the alcohol evaporate and stir in about a cup of beef stock to combine into a smooth sauce. Make sure you stir out any lumps.
6. Now pour the liquid from the pot into the slow cooker bowl where the beef was resting, and the rest of the beef stock into the slow cooker along with the garlic, celery and carrot.
7. Caramelise the onions on a separate pan and tip them in to the slow cooker.
8. Let the beef braise in its own juice in the slow cooker for about 6 hours or until beef falls off easily and vegetables are soft.
9. When it is almost ready, melt that tiny knob of butter and stir in cranberry sauce to give it that extra flavour.
10. Serve in a bowl with some bread on the side.

Tips:

• While beef is browning, try not to toss it around as it will not brown well.

You may also like:

• Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew)
• Beef Stew

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Watermelon & Goats Cheese

Whoever combined watermelon and goats cheese together is a genius!! Who would have thought the two would be match made in heaven. I vaguely remember seeing watermelon and goats cheese somewhere on the web and thought what crazy person would put those two together in their mouth?! I am now one of those crazy person.

To be frank, it was just a coincidence that I made this appetizer. One day after my third Bokwa class on my way to the tube station, I passed by Sainsbury's and thought I will buy some food back. And out of the ordinary, I bought goats cheese for the second time. The first time I had it, I did not like it at all but after so many years, I thought it is about time for me try it again to make sure I really hate it so I will never go near that thing again. Of course I was being quite a coward by getting the milder version, ranked number 2 on its maturity level.

When I got home to stock my refrigerator with food, I saw that quarter of a watermelon and thought this is the perfect time to try the food I never thought tastes good on its own and together. I meant goats cheese and, combination of goats cheese and watermelon. I love watermelon!! I had one bite with the two together and man, they are really meant for each other. I think they are the perfect couple.



I have shared the version I made in the recipe below. Hope you like it too. And if you have not tried this before, open up and try this at least once.

This is such a simple and healthy food.

WATERMELON & GOATS CHEESE RECIPE

• Watermelon


• Goats cheese
  
  
  
  • for vegetarians, please use a substitute cheese
  
  
  
  


• Alfalfa sprouts


• Mint

Method:

1. For the more casual style, cut the watermelon in cubes. De-seed them if needed. Crumble the goats cheese on to the bowl of cubed watermelons. Add some chopped mint and alfalfa sprouts. Mix them all together and eat to your hearts content.


2. If you are making this for a dinner party or just want to make pretty appetizer, cut the watermelon with a circle food ring so it looks neat round. Top it up with a bunch of alfalfa sprouts stacked neatly on top of the watermelon. Scoop the goats cheese on top and add a few leaves of mint.

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Malaysian Snack : Chicken Curry Puff

Curry puff is essentially a dumpling filled with curried potatoes. It is a well-loved local snack in Malaysia. There are many variations; the most typical being curried potatoes or the curried potatoes with chicken. There is also a posher version which is the giant curry puff filled with potatoes, chicken, peas and quartered hard-boiled egg.

I will show you how to make a simple version of the chicken and potato curry puff. We will be using ready rolled puff pastry in this recipe instead of the authentic pastry just so you can satisfy your curry puff craving in an instant.

If you prefer to make an authentic version of curry puff, you will have to make the pastry and deep fry the puff instead of baking. The pastry recipe is available here. The authentic way of making the pastry as images below. It has to be rolled out into a flat sheet with a rolling pin then roll it up into a spiral baton. It is then cut into sections and rolled out flat again but make sure the spiral affect remains so when it is cooked, the spiral layers will expand into a beautiful crispy puff.









CHICKEN CURRY PUFF RECIPE
makes about 20

• 375g ready rolled puff pastry


• 325g chicken thigh fillet


• 1 tbs worcestershire sauce


• 3 potatoes


• 1 large onion


• 5 cloves garlic


• 15 dried curry leaves


• 3 tbs curry powder


• 2 tsp sugar


• 1 tsp cranberry sauce


• salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cube the potatoes and boil in salt water until partially soft.


2. In the meantime, chop the onion, mince the garlic and cube the chicken.


3. Marinate the chicken with worcestershire sauce and put aside.


4. Pre heat the over at 180C.


5. Heat up some oil in a pan. Fry the onions, garlic and curry leaves until fragrant.


6. Add the curry powder in and mix it up.


7. Toss the cubed chicken into the pan. Let it cook partially and mix in the potatoes.


8. Stir and let cook until soft, adding sugar, cranberry sauce, salt and pepper to taste.


9. Once the curried chicken and potato filling is cooked, set aside to cool.


10. Cut the ready rolled pastry into circles.


11. Wrap the cooled fillings in the pastry carefully, making sure the ends are tight.


12. When all the puffs are wrapped, place on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

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Chicken Chop Malaysian style

My phone was flooded with messages of my family discussing about dinner my sister was arranging. She was planning to make chicken chop for a family dinner get together. Obviously, I was kept in the group conversation only because they try to include me in family updates, but that was making me miss home and salivate for home made chicken chop. My sister's chicken chop is pretty awesome! I decided to not feel left out just because I am 7,000 miles away. So I made chicken chop for the weekend too!!

This chicken chop is a Malaysian take on a western style dish. The chicken is usually battered and deep fried but I do not like deep frying food in my kitchen, especially when I know how much oil is involved in the process. Just say that it is not healthy, and not because I do not give a fuss about deep frying. The positive side is that I made a healthier version; pan fried the chicken instead!

My first attempt to chicken chop and it was so delicious!

"I never knew chicken could taste so good!" ~M

CHICKEN CHOP RECIPE

Adapted from Recipe from Malaysia
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Chicken marinade

• 2 chicken legs (debone)
• 1 tbs light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Ground white pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with all ingredients overnight, or about 3 hours.

The cooked chicken on its own, without sauce.

Mashed Potato

• 2 potatoes
• 10g butter
• Boiling water & salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in salt water until soft.
2. Mash the potatoes with the butter until smooth.
3. Add pepper to taste.
4. Put aside a cup of the water used for boiling the potatoes for use in the sauce later.

Sauce

• 1 onion (wedge)
• ½ carrot (small cubes)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 4 tbs potato water (from boiling of potatoes)
• 2 tbs light soy sauce
• 1 tbs sweet soy sauce
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 2 tbs tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 150g canned chopped tomatoes
• oil

Method:

1. Place the light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, tomato sauce and sugar in a bowl and mix well.
2. Heat some oil on the pan. Stir fry the onion until fragrant and soft.
3. Add in carrots and garlic and fry until carrots are partly soft.
4. Pour the mixed sauce and potato water. Let cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
5. Combine the chopped tomatoes in to the sauce until it boils.
6. Let the sauce simmer. Taste and make sure no extra seasoning is needed.
7. Keep the sauce hot until ready to serve.

Assembly Components

• ¼ cucumber (sliced)
• 1 carrot (cut into batons and boiled until just cooked)
• 6 leaves of lettuce gem

• Mashed potatoes
• Marinated chicken
• Cooked sauce

Assembly Method:

1. Decorate two plates with the sliced cucumber in a fan-like pattern.
2. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and place on plate with the hollow side upwards so they function like cups.
3. Heat the pan with oil. Place the chicken thighs or legs on the hot pan and let cook in medium heat undisturbed for about 4 minutes (depending on size of chicken) until brown.
4. Flip over the uncooked side on to the pan and let them cook. Check whether the chicken is cooked by slicing it open. Make sure it is not over cooked to avoid them being dry. Place the cooked chicken on a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain any access oil.
5. In the mean time, place the boiled carrot batons in the lettuce leaf cups.
6. Scoop the mashed potatoes on to the plates.
7. Stack the chicken on the mashed potatoes or put them on its side.
8. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the chicken and serve hot.

A juicy slice of chicken

This plate of food finished in a blink of an eye. The plate with almost dried up, the sauce was completely wiped out too!

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Cantonese Egg Tart

My sister and her husband are arriving later in the evening and I am very sure they will be tired after a 13 hours flight. I am so excited, I feel as if I am going on a long holiday. So being the loving sister anticipating their arrival, I have cleaned and cleared space in my room to make them feel as comfortable as possible. I will also provide them with all the attention and assistance needed, and be their personal tour guide. So I foresee not having time to bake or cook anything interesting for this week's post.

Beach in Penang

I have chosen a recipe that reminds me of our childhood weekend brunch routine. My parents would take us all out for dim sum almost every sunday for brunch when we were young. Then we would take a walk along the beach, play with the water and collect beautiful seashells. When we got home from the beach, we would wash the seashells, dry them and compare to see who's got the best shells. It has always been a fun weekend.

So I am sharing with you recipe for the Cantonese Egg Tart. It is one of my favourite, besides har kau (shrimp dumpling with shiny translucent skin) and sesame balls. It is a must order every time I go for dim sum.

I made the tarts in a muffin tray instead of little separate tart cases. 

My first batch of egg tarts!! =)

CANTONESE EGG TART RECIPE

adapted from Christine's Recipes

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 225g plain flour


• 125g unsalted butter 


• 50g icing sugar


• 1 egg (whisked)


• 1 drop of vanilla extract

For the Egg Custard:

• 3 eggs


• 60g golden caster sugar


• 225g hot water


• 85g evaporated milk


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Please follow the methods on Christine's blog as they are very precise. Successful egg tarts are guaranteed if the step by step methods are followed well. The tips are very useful as well.

I was surprised at how easy it was to make. A good recipe makes all the difference. So a great thank you to Christine for her amazing recipes and her note to pull open the oven door at the last stage. It was very helpful. It kept the egg custard from puffing up, keeping the flat and smooth surface.

** I reduced the sugar for the custard to 60g instead of the 110g since I did not want them to be too sweet. Change the amount to your liking.

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