Bak Chang ( Zong Zi or Glutinous Rice Dumpling)

I have never imagined making zong zi or bak chang in Hokkien dialect, on my own. I mean this was something I took for granted. My mum would make them or we can buy them. Regardless, we always had some to eat. They are also available at most Asian grocery stores in UK too, however, I always miss the one I had at home. Zong zi is traditionally eaten at the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (confused yet? don't worry about the day and the month, just focus on the food)

What is Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival is the commemoration of the death of the great poet and official of the state of Chu, Qu Yuan, during the Zhou dynasty. He wrote a great deal of poetry during his life and serve in high offices. He was accused of treason during the warring states period. He felt despair and Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo river in northern Hunan. People who admired Qu Yuan made rice parcels and threw them into the river in the hope that the fish would not consume Qu Yuan's body and ate the rice parcels instead.

My Grandmother's Story of Dragon Boat Festival

The version I have heard, told by my late grandmother was that zong zi is made and used as one of the offerings for deceased people. Zong zi made with glutinous rice is sticky in nature, so it will stick when eaten using hands. Some Chinese believe that the deceased person isn't aware that he has passed  away and hence, when he eats the glutinous rice cones on 7th day of his passing, his hand are sticky and when he washes hands, he will see his fingernails that turned black (rotten). He will then know that he has deceased. So, the zong zi is used to help them realize that they have passed away and rest in peace. Interesting story!!

Despite all the stories out there, no one really know for sure. I just know that zong zi is eaten all over the world, especially in Asia. Of course, as the Chinese immigrated to other countries, this culture is carried along and now is eaten in other parts of Asia and has been adapted to local taste too. 

                                                                                                    

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 500g pork belly, chopped into 2cm chunks
• 1kg glutinous rice
• 20 chestnuts (I used ready to eat from supermarket)
• 80g dried prawns (heh bee)
• 40 pieces tiny or 50g dried Chinese mushrooms; if using large mushrooms cut into half
• 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
• 6 salted duck eggs (only use the yolks
• 20 shallots

For pork belly marinade:

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tbsp five spice powder
• 1 tsp white pepper

For the rice marinade (adjust according to your taste):

• 5 tbsp oyster sauce
• 5 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp white pepper

For wrapping:

• at least 60 bamboo leaves (2 per bak chang with some spare in case of tear or holes)
• cooking string/hemp leaves

Method:

The night before:

Soak the bamboo leaves in a large pot of cold water. Try to submerge as much of the leaves in the water as you possibly can.

Soak the glutinous rice in cold water.

Mix all the ingredients for the pork marinade together. Pour it over the pork belly pieces, and leave to marinade overnight in the fridge.

Preparing the ingredients:

Cook the duck eggs in a pot of boiling water, for 10 minutes. Leave to cool slightly, peel, separating the yolk from the whites. We will only using the yolks, so store the white in the fridge for another use-I use them for steamed egg, and as condiment for porridge. Cut the yolk into quarters.

Soak dried shrimps in a bowl, using hot water.

Soak the Chinese mushrooms in a bowl, using hot water. If your mushrooms are very large you may want to slice them in half.

Slice the Chinese sausage into 1cm slices.

Peel and finely sliced the shallots. You may also use a food processor to dice the shallots.

Cooking the ingredients:

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a large pan or wok. Using high heat, fry the Chinese sausage until they are slightly brown and become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan, and place in a bowl.

In the same pan, fry the dried shrimps until they are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan, and place in a bowl.

In the same pan, fry the pork belly chunks until they turn lightly browned. We are not aiming to fully cook the pork belly here-the aim is to sear it briefly. Remove from pan, and place in a bowl.

Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to the same pan. Fry the shallots until they become fragrant. Add the glutinous rice, and stir for 1 minute. Add all the ingredients for the rice marinade, and any leftover pork marinade you have. Taste, and add extra oyster sauce/dark soy sauce etc as necessary. Switch off the flame, and leave rice in the pan. You can always transfer the rice to a bowl, but why wash an extra bowl?

Wrapping the bak chang:

Drain the water from the bamboo leaves. Pat the leaves dry with a cloth- it doesn't matter if they are still slightly wet.

Select 2 leaves, and place them in opposite directions (ie, the tail end of one lining up with the top end of the other) Do not use any leaves which already have holes in them, as they will cause water to seep into the bak chang during the cooking process.

Form leaves in cone. You can find how to do that in YouTube too.

Fill the cone about 1/3 of the way with the glutinous rice.

Then, place each of the following on top of the rice: one chunk of pork belly, one chestnut, one/two Chinese mushrooms, 2 slices of Chinese sausage, ½ tsp dried shrimps, and a piece of duck egg yolk.

Top with more glutinous rice, till you reach the brim of the cone.

Fold the leaves around the pouch, and secure with cooking string/hemp leaves.

Repeat with remaining leaves and ingredients, until everything is used up.

Cooking the bak chang:

Boil water in a large pot. When the water comes to a boil, gently lower the bak chang's into the water. make sure the entire bak chang is submerged in water. Cover the pot with a lid, and cook over medium heat for 2-3 hours. You may find that you need 2 pots if yours isn't large enough.

To test if they are cooked through, you will have to unwrap one and check. And taste. 

Once the bak changs are cooked, remove from the pan and place in a colander. I use colander as it allows any extra water to drain away. Alternatively you can hang them up, but I didn't want water to drip all over my stove!.

Once they have cooled slightly, unwrap and eat! I strongly recommend pairing it with Maggi's garlic chilli sauce.

Note: Uneaten bak changs can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days, and in the freezer for 2 months.

Tiramisu Cake Roll with Raspberry

Make an effortless, non bake Tiramisu Cake Roll with raspberry in 30 minutes using ladyfingers soaked in coffee, mascarpone and fresh raspberries! Chill it, slice it and serve!

Ingredients:

• 300ml double cream
• 5000g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• ¼ cup icing sugar, sieve
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cup cold espresso
• 3 tbsp coffee flavoured liqueur (kahlua-optional)
• 27 ladyfingers
• fresh raspberry for the cake & also for decoration
• some chocolate & cocoa powder for decoration

Method:

Add double cream to a mixing bowl and beat on a medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the icing sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add mascarpone cheese and mix until well combined. Set aside.

Cut a piece baking paper big enough to line the ladyfingers (approximately around 16 inches in length) Add coffee and liqueur to a shallow bowl. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee (do not soak, just quickly dip them on both sides to get them wet) Lay sugar-side down in rows of 3 on the baking sheet. Lay 9 rows of 3 ladyfingers across the baking sheet. Once all the rows are completed, drizzle over the remaining syrupy coffee mixture. 

Spread  1/3 of the mascarpone mixture on the top of the ladyfingers evenly. Dust with cocoa powder over the mascarpone spread.

Arrange the fresh raspberry in a row at the beginning top. Slowly roll the ladyfingers like how you roll a swiss roll until the end. Tie both the ends of the roll with a elastic band. Put the roll in the freezer for 2-3 hours until it set.

An hour before serving, spread the remaining mascarpone mixture all over the roll. Reserve some to make some swirl on top of the cake. Dust with cocoa powder. Then use a star pipping nozzle to make some swirl on top. Decorate with fresh raspberries & also chocolate curls.

Enjoy!

 

Vegan Mayonnaise

This thick, creamy vegan mayonnaise recipe is an excellent egg-free substitute for regular mayo. Use for sandwiches, as a base for dressing, and in creamy salads.

This vegan mayonnaise recipe is not only easy to make but also tastes incredible and last in the fridge for 2 weeks!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (120ml) soya milk, room temperature*
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp Dijon  mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice, optional
• 1 cup (236ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
• pinch of sugar or maple syrup, optional

Method:

Add soya milk to a food processor bowl. Process for 1 minute or until the liquid begins to thicken.

Add the vinegar, salt, mustard, and lemon juice, and process for another 30 seconds until well blended.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Then, with the food processor running, slowly add the oil in a tiny drops until about a quarter of the oil has been added (slowly adding the oil is critical for proper emulsification).

When you noticed that the mixture is beginning to thicken and emulsify, you can be a little less strict. Continue to add the oil slowly, but increase to a thin stream instead of drops of oil.

After adding all the oil, scrape the bowl and then process for 15 seconds.

taste the vegan mayo, and then adjust with more salt or a sweetener if you feel it needs it.

As the mayonnaise sits in the fridge, it thickens even more (after 3-4 hours). If the mayonnaise is too thin, you can blend more oil. Do it slowly.

Note:* Not all plant base milk will work. Almond, Oat and rice milks are less reliable because they have lower protein content and lack specific emulsifying starches and proteins that are crucial for binding the oil and water.

Kuih Sago Lapis (Steamed Layered Sago Cake)

 Kuih Sago or Sago Cake is one of the easiest recipe you could ever make. This is a simple recipe made using sago. It is one of Malaysian popular recipe. Made from tiny tapioca pearls, this soft and bouncy kuih is then coated with freshly grated coconut. Great for breakfast, teatime or parties.

Tapioca pearls is one of the common South East Asia dessert ingredients, widely used in Malay, Nyonya and Thai desserts.

Ingredients:

• 300g white sago pearls
• cooking oil, to grease the heat-proof dish

Gula Melaka flavour

• 10 tbsp grated gula melaka
• 1 pandan leaf, knotted
• 100ml water
• orange colouring

Pandan flavour:

• 10 pandan leaves, washed
• 100ml water
• 30g castor sugar
• green colouring

Rose flavour:

• 1 tsp rose extract
• 30g castor sugar
• pink colouring

Steamed coconut:

• 120g grated fresh coconut
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 pandan leaves, washed & knotted

Method:

Boil water in a steamer pot. 

In a heat proof dish, place 120g grated fresh coconut, ¼ tsp salt and 3 pandan leaves. Steam in a steamer for 10 minutes.

After steaming, remove the pandan leaves. let the coconut cool completely.

Soak 300g white sago pearls in water for at least 30 minutes or when the balls cannot expand anymore. Drain off the water from the sago balls. Divide the sago balls into 3 portions.

To make the gula melaka flavour:  Boil the gula melaka and 1 pandan leaf in 100 ml water. Let the mixture cool completely. Add the gula melaka mixture and tiny drop of orange colouring into one portion of the sago and mix into a consistent mixture

To make the pandan flavour: Cut the pandan leaves into smaller pieces, add 100ml water. Blend the pandan juice until the pandan leaves are mostly blended. Sieve the pandan juice to remove the pulp.

Add the pandan juice and 30g sugar and a tiny drop of green colouring into one portion of the sago and mix into a consistent mixture.

To make the rose flavour: Add 1 tsp rose extract, a tiny drop of pink colouring and 30g of sugar into one portion of the sago and mix into a consistent mixture.

The 3 flavours is now ready to steam. 

Grease a heat-proof dish and brush with cooking oil. Transfer the pink sago mixture into the heat-proof dish and use a spatula to level it.

Boil water in a steamer pot. Cover & steam the red sago over high heat for about 6-7 minutes. This layer will be slightly cooked. Use a spatula to gentle touch the surface, it it's no longer liquid, it is ready to add another layer.

Add the green sago mixture on top the red sago mixture, and use a spatula to level it. Cover and steam over high heat for about 6-7 minutes until it is slightly cooked.

Add the gula melaka sago mixture on top of the green sago mixture, and use a spatula to level it. Cover and steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes until the sago balls turn transparent. Add more water if the water in the steamer pot runs dry.

Cool the kuih sago lapis in  the dish completely at room temperature for about 2 hours.

After it cools down, unmould by using a spatula to separate the edge and turn the baking tray upside down onto a cutting board wrapped with clingfilm (to avoid the kuih sticking to the surface).

Cut the kuih into smaller pieces. Coat the kuih with the steamed coconut.

Best enjoy within the same day or up to 3 days if kept chilled in the fridge in an airtight container.

    

One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo

 This is the kind of dinner you make when you get home late and are greeted by an empty fridge. In less time than it takes to call for takeway, you can grab a few ingredients from the pantry and assemble this modest, one-pot meal that is immensely satisfying.

I opt for orzo simply because it is easy to love and can be spooned up easily with chickpeas. Plus, doesn't everyone have a few tins in the pantry somewhere?

Chickpeas add substance to this dish-both nutritionally, as they are full of protein and fiber, and flavour-wise, since they are earthy and nutty. Everything comes together in one pot and is equally parts uncluttered and comforting

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2½ cups dried orzo pasta
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add the orzo and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently so that the orzo does not stick, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions. If the pasta isn't completely cook at this point, add another splash or two of stock or water to the pot and continue to simmer until it has cooked. 

Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped basil and additional grated cheese, if desired.

No-Bake Lemon Tart with Biscoff Cookie Crust

No-Bake Lemon Tart-Cool, creamy, and packed with bright lemon flavour, this easy no-bake tart is smooth, refreshing, and perfect for warm days. With it's buttery biscuits crust and silky citrus filling, it's the perfect easy dessert for spring and summer.

There is no oven required, and the tart chills into a smooth, sliceable dessert that's light, refreshing, and surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups of digestive cookie crumbs
• 85g butter, melted

For the filling:

• 1 tin of sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 cup double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For decoration (optional) :

• thin slices lemon
• fresh blueberries
• fresh raspberries
• fresh thyme or mint

Method:

In a bowl, combine digestive crumbs and the melted butter. Mix until evenly moistened.

Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan. Chill for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until silky and smooth.

In a separate bowl, whip the double cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream gently into the lemon mixture until fully combined.

Pour the filling into the chilled crust and smooth the top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best texture.

Garnish with slice lemons, and berries and thyme or mint just before serving.