Pie Tee

Ingredients:

Pie Tee Shells

• 100g plain flour
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 190ml water

Filling:

• 300g yam beans, shredded
• 50g carrots, shredded
• 2 tbsp dried prawns, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp chopped shallot

Seasoning:

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar or to taste
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• Chilli sauce dip

Chilli sauce dip:

• 3 red chillies
• 3 bird’s eye chillies
• 1 calamansi lime, seeds removed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Method:

Pie Tee Shells

Put sifted flours into a small mixing bowl. Add egg and salt and pour in water gradually to make a smooth and runny batter. Strain the batter to remove any lumps. Leave aside to stand for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a deep saucepan. Heat the pie tee mould in the hot oil for 1–2 minutes. Remove the hot pie tee mould and dip into the batter. Then dip the mould back into the hot oil and keep it there until pie tee is golden brown. Loosen the pie tee gradually until it slips away from the mould. Remove the pie tee cases and drain well on absorbent paper towels. When cool, store in an airtight container to retain crispiness.

Filling

Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic, shallot and dried prawns until fragrant. Add yam beans, carrot and seasoning. Stir and cook, tossing the vegetables well until almost dry. Dish up and cool completely. Serve pie tee shells with the filling topped with a little chilli sauce and some chopped spring onion.

Kuih Bahulu

Kueh bahulu is a perennial favourite among Malaysians of all ages. It's soft and slightly dry texture goes very well with black coffee. Kueh bahulu comes in different shapes, but the popular ones are the goldfish and the button (see picture right).


Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 100gm sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 100gm plain flour
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  

Method:

Sieve wheat and tapioca flour together with baking powder. Whisk the eggs and sugar until stiff and pale in colour. Add the vanilla essence. Fold in sifted flour in 3 batches with the egg batter.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease the mould (to prevent the bahulu from sticking) and spoon in batter. Do not fill to the top. Bake bahulu for about 10 minutes.

Alternatively, you can bake bahulu the traditional way – using charcoal fire. You have to place the hot coals on top of and under the mould.

Japanese cotton cheesecake

I always been craving for the fluffy Miki Ojisan Cheesecake which can be found in Sogo. Well… I made one of such cake a weekend ago. The colour of the cheesecake is nice and it is moist, cotton-soft and fluffy.



Ingredients:

• 160g cream cheese
• 25 g butter
• 120g milk
• 40g plain flour
• 30g corn flour
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 egg white
• 1/2 tsp cream of tar tar
• 120g sugar
• a pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat the oven at 160 degrees Celsius. Melt the butter, cream cheese, and milk on a double boiler, leave to cool. Once cool, add in both the flours and mix till well combine. Then add in the egg yolks and lemon juice and mix till well blended.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add in the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form, and the mixture is glossy.

Slowly fold in the egg white batter into the egg yolk mixture, 1/3 at a time, until incorporated. Pour into an 8 inch springform tin and bake in a waterbath for 40-45 min or until cooked when inserted with a skewer. Remove from the mould immediately to prevent the cake from sinking. Mixed the apricot jam with a bit of water and warmed it in the microwave. Brush the apricot jam all over the top of the cheesecake to give it a glossy finish.

Chicken in tomato & butter gravy

Ingredients:

• 500g -600g chicken breast; cut into bite size pieces
• 4 tbsp tandori paste
• 200ml fresh cream
• 150g butter
• 2 handful of cashew nuts; add water & blend into paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 handful fresh coriander leaves; chopped

Tomato gravy:

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp garam masala

Method:

Marinate chicken pieces with the tandori paste over night and cook in oven for 30 minutes at 180 degree C. This makes the chicken tender and allow it to absorb the tandori flavour.

In a pot, heat 3 tbsp oil & add in the onions. Fry till soft and add in the chopped tomatoes. Add in the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and garam masala. Mix well & let it boil for about 2 minutes. Put in a blender & blend well.

Saute the tomato gravy in butter. Add in the chicken, cashew nut paste, fresh cream, chopped coriander and saute well.

Garnish with a touch of fresh cream and chopped coriander