Blackberries Crumble

Decided to talk my son for a walk by the river side & those berries are calling me to pick them home. As I get carried away picking up too many of the berries, I decided to make extra & share it with another Malaysian friend.


Try a combination of stewed apple and rhubarb, or apricots or berries; they are all good.


Ingredients:

• 500g blackberries
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tbsp water

Crumble:

• 3/4 cup self raising flour
• 80g butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

Method:

Grease oven proof dish. Wash & drain the blackberries. Combine water, sugar and the berries in a pan and cook in a low fire for 2 minutes. Spread into the prepare dish, sprinkle evenly with crumble mixture. Bake in an oven at 175 degree Celsius for 40-45 minutes or until lightly brown.

Crumble: Put sifted flour in a bowl, rub in the butter until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Add the sugar and mix well.

Serve hot or cold with cream or ice cream. Serve 4-6.

Chickpea Curry

This curry dish is suitable for vegetarian. It is best to serve with indian bread or even hot steaming rice.







Ingredients:

• 1 big tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/4 inch ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic., minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1-11/2 tbsp chilli powder, adjust to your own taste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1 cup of water
• tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Drain and wash the chickpeas.

Heat the cooking oil and add in onion, garlic and ginger. Fry until golden brown but not burnt. Add cumin seed, coriander powder, chilli powder and curry leaves. Stir for a few seconds to release the flavours. Add tomatoes and stir fry until the oil separated.

Add chickpeas, stir and add in water. Add salt to taste and cook for 25 minutes over a medium to low fire. Use a spatula and mashed a few chickpeas to thicken the curry.

Take off the heat and sprinkle garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot immediately.

Satay

This is best for the summer BBQ. You can make the satay with chicken, pork, beef or even lamb.

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken, beef or pork, sliced into 2.5cm pieces and lightly scored to tenderise the meat

Marinade (combine in a bowl):

• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chilli paste
• 1 tsp cumin powder (jintan putih)
• 1 tsp fennel powder (jintan manis)
• 1 tbsp lemon grass (serai), sliced and pounded finely
• 3 thin slices galangal (lengkuas), pounded finely
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp pati santan

Method:

Mix meat with marinade and thread meat onto satay sticks or skewers .Allow to stand for more than an hour. For best result, leave it over ight in a fridge. While grilling, brush occasionally with oil.

Talam Suji (semolina)

Ingredients:

Top layer:

• 11/2 cups of coconut milk
• 21/2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup gula Melaka (brown sugar)
• salt to taste

Bottom layer:

• 1 cup of suji flour
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of sugar or to taste
• salt to taste
• yellow colouring (optional)

Method:

Combine bottom layer ingredients in a pot and stir over a low heat till thick but still runny. Steam for 5-7 minutes. My advice is not to use glassware as it will get burnt easily.

For top layer, mix all the ingredients and stir well until the sugar dissolved. Use a fork to score the bottom layer lightly so that the top layer will stick properly to the bottom layer. Then pour the top layer mixture and further steam for another 20 minutes.

Cool the kuih before cut into pieces.

Chicken Rendang

This dish is best compliment with nasi lemak or lemang.

Ingredients:

• 600-800g chicken, chopped into serving pieces
• 300ml coconut milk
• 1 cup desiccated coconut, dry fried for kerisik**
• 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 turmeric leaf, cut into two
• 2 assam keping (assam gelugor)
• 4 tbsp cooking oil

Spices (ground):

• 10 dried chillies, soaked
• 3 fresh red chillies, seeded
• 8 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks lemon grass(serai)
• 3cm piece galangal (lengkuas)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Seasoning:

• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar

Method:

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the ground spices until fragrant. 

Add in the chicken pieces and coat well. Pour in the coconut milk and ring to a low boil. After it has boiled, lower the heat and add in the leaves and assam keping. Simmer until the gravy turns thick. Keep stirring to prevent sticking. 

Add kerisik and mix well. Cook until meat is tender, gravy is thick and oil rises to the top. Add seasoning.

** to make kerisik, fry the dessicated coconut until golden brown. Pound/blend until fine.

Kuih Talam

I finally got hold of some mung bean starch flour or known in our region as "Hoen Kwe". Do not confuse this with mung bean flour. They are different.
The Hoen Kwe will make the kuih talam feeling spongy and not sticky. I once replaced the Hoen Kwe with corn flour, the texture of the kuih is not the same. You can buy this Hoen Kwe in big chinese supermarke. Those are from Thailand. The picture of the packaging is enclosed.












Ingredients:

For bottom green layer:
(A):

• 70g rice flour
• 30g green bean flour
• 300ml water

(B):

• 225g sugar
• 250ml water
• 1tsp pandan paste
• 1/2 tsp alkaline water

For top white layer:(C):

• 50g rice flour
• 21/4 tbsp green bean flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 450ml coconut milk

Method:
To prepare the bottom layer:
Mix (A) and leave aside to soak for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cook sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Mix in the pandan paste and kan sui. Pour syrup into (A). Cook in microwave for 1 minute on high , stir continuously with a whick, keep cooking for 1 minute at a time on high until batter becomes fairly thick and translucent but still runny. Pour the hot batter into a greased 8 inch cake tin. If batter has turned too thick, you would have to smooth and level the surface with a plastic spatula. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes.
To prepare the white layer:
Mix ingredients (C) together and soak for 10 minutes. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute on high, stir and then another more minute. Scratch the surface of the green layer with a fork before pouring in the top layer. Pour the topping layer over the cooked green layer. Steam for about 10 minutes. Cool the kuih well. Slice into small diamond-shaped pieces.
Instead of using microwave, you can also cook the batter over the stove.
(For cooking over the stove):
Cook sugar and water over low heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until batter becomes fairly thick and translucent. Pour the hot sticky batter into a greased 8" cake tin. Smoothen and level the surface with a plastic spatula. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes.
To prepare the white layer, mix ingredients (C) together and soak for 10 minutes. Pour the topping layer over the cooked green layer. Steam for about 10 minutes. Cool the kuih well. Slice into small diamond-shaped pieces.

Si Yau Kai

Ingrediets:

• 500g chicken, cut into bite pieces
• 3 slices ginger
• 1 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
• 2 cloves garlic, leave the skin on
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup good quality light soy sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp thick soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• salt to taste
• 30g mushroom, soaked to soften
• 1 tsp corn flour mix with 2 tbsp water.

Method:

Heat wok with oil and sesame oil. Add in the garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant. Put in chicken pieces and mix well. Pour in the light soya sauce, thick soya sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Coat well and add in water. Bring it to a boil for 3 minutes. Add the wine and mushrooms. Add salt according to taste. You may not need to add salt as some light soya sauce is slightly saltier than other brand.

Reduce heat and bring to a simmering boil until the chicken is tender. Add in the corn flour mixture and stir well. Cook for another 3 minutes.

Dish out and serve immediately with rice.

Banana Walnut Cake

Ingredients:

• 180g butter
• 150g castor sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 eggs
• 240g bananas, mashed (without skin)

Sift

• 180g self-raising flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine

• 60ml fresh milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 40g walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 20g sultanas

Method:

Line a loaf tin with greased baking paper. Preheat oven to 190°C. Cream butter, sugar and essence until light and fluffy. Then beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed bananas to mix. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add in combined milk and lemon juice mixture, and stir in walnuts and sultanas to mix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven at 190°C for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 170°C and continue to bake for 25–30 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a wooden skewer.

Spiral Curry Puff

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Ingredients:
For water dough:

• 300g plain flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of cooking oil
• 1/2 cup luke warm water

For oil dough:

• 150g plain flour
• 100g shortening

For filling:

• 400g potatoes, cubed
• 150g big onions, cubed
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 50g dried prawns, soaked and pound finely ( can be replaced with fresh prawns)
• Salt and sugar to taste
• water

Method:
To make water dough: Place flour in a mixing bowl. Add in the water, salt and cooking oil. Knead into a smooth dough. Leave aside to rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 5 equal portions. (refer step 1)

To make oil dough: Rub shortening into the flour to form an oily dough. Divide into 5 equal portions. (refer to step 1)

To combine into pastry:
Wrap oil dough inside water dough. (Refer step 2)
Roll into a neat ball (Refer step 3)
Flatten the dough (refer step 4) and roll up like swiss roll (refer step 5).
Flatten the dough again (refer to step 6). Roll up the dough again. (refer step 7)
Cut the rolled-up dough about 1cm thickness (refer step 8).
Use a rolling pin to press it flat. Shape into a circle (refer to step 9).
Turn the flat dough over and add filling and seal the sides (refer to step 10).
Pinch the edges to form a scallop design (refer to step 11). Deep fry puffs in medium hot oil.

To make filling:

Heat pan with 2 tbsp oil. Fry onions and garlic until fragrant. Add in potatoes, driesn prawns, curry powder and curry leaves. Stir well to coat. Add in enought water to cover the potatoes. Add in salt and sugar to taste. Cook until the potatoes is soft and the gravy is dried up. Leave to cool before use.

Sushi Roll

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Making sushi rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sushi rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar wine (rice seasoning)
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp salt

Method:

Wash rice and drain well.

Place rice and water into a rice cooker, turn it on and wait wait for the rice to cook. Allow the rice rest for 20 minutes.

Combine vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and set over medium heat until the mixture is hot and the sugar dissolve. Do not allow it to boil.

Fold half of the vinegar mixture into the rice. It should have the pleasantly sweet acidic edge. If necessary, fold in more vinegar mixture.

How to roll into sushi roll:

You need:

• a bamboo mat (makisu)
• dried sea weed (nori sheet)
• crab stick
• cucumber, cut lenght wise
• avocado, cut into strip
• some mayo
• wasabi

Step 1: Put a sheet of nori (dried seaweed) on top of a bamboo mat (makisu). Spread sushi rice on top of the nori sheet.

Step 2: Place fillings lengthwise on the sushi rice.

Step 3: Roll up the bamboo mat, pressing forward to shape the sushi into a cylinder.

Step 4: Press the bamboo mat gently, shaping the sushi roll. Remove the bamboo mat.

Wipe a knife with a wet cloth before slicing sushi. Cut the sushi roll into bite-sized pieces. Serve the sushi roll

Nyonya Assam Pedas

You can use skate (Ikan Pari), mackerel (Ikan Kembung) or even salmon.

Ingredients:

• 600g fish, cut into fairly big pieces
• 2 stalks polygonum (daun kesom)
• 1 wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), halved, keep the other half for garnishing

Spices to be grounded:

• 4 fresh red chillies
• 2 dried chillies
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 stalk lemon grass (serai), sliced
• 5 slices galangal (lengkuas)
• 8 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp ground coriander

Mix together & strain:

• 20g tamarind paste (assam jawa)
• 1 liter water

Seasoning:

• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Garnishing:

• halves wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), sliced finely
• some mint leaves

Method:

Heat oil, sauté ground spices and bunga kantan halves until fragrant. Dilute with 3-4 tbsp tamarind juice. Add in fish & sauté well.

Add the rest of tamarind juice and daun kesum. Bring to boil. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add in seasoning. Serve curry with garnishing

Nasi Lemak with Sambal Ikan Bilis

Nasi Lemak is the national dish of Malaysia. It's eaten any time. If you are a citizen of Malaysia, you'll eat Nasi Lemak at breakfast, lunch, dinner...... Any time of the day! It's cooked in coconut milk, with pandan leaves and even ginger or a stalk of lemon grass. Nasi Lemak is available on almost every street corner and in almost every local-themed restaurant, served with everything from chicken to beef to cuttlefish.

Sambal Ikan Bilis ingredients:

• 3 big onions, cut into half & sliced
• 1 cup of anchovies (ikan bilis), washed & dry with kitchen towel
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste, add 1/4 cup of water & squeeze for juice
• 11/2 cups of cooking oil
• 1 cup of water

Blend together:

• 10 dried chillies, soaked till soft
• 5-6 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp prawn paste (belacan), optional
• salt & sugar to taste

Method:

Heat the cooking oil. Fry the ikan bilis until crisp and put aside.

Using the same oil, fry the grounded ingredients until fragrant. Add in the slice onions and stir well to coat. Add in the tamarind juice, salt, sugar and water.

Cook stirring occasionally until the gravy is thickens. Add in half of the ikan bilis and mix well. Reserve the other half of the ikan bilis for garnishing.

Serve with steaming hot Nasi Lemak.

Nasi Lemak Ingredients:

• 2 cups of rice
• 2 pandan leaves (screw pine leaves)
• salt to taste
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 cup of water

Method:

Clean the rice and drain.

Put the rice in a rice cooker. Add in the coconut milk, water, pandan leaves. Finally add in salt.

If desire, you can also add in some sliced ginger.

Serve with hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, sambal ikan bilis and some peanuts.

Beef Rendang

There are many types of rendang. People of different States have their own styles of preparing rendang. basically chicken or beef cooked in coconut milk, chillies, shallots and other ingredients. This dish is popular to go with nasi lemak or during the Raya festival, it usually goes with lemang.


Ingredients:

• 1 kg of beef ( I used the part that suitable for stewing)
• 1 big can of coconut milk
• 5 tbsp of kerisik*
• 2 assam gelugor/keping
• 4 lime leaves (daun limau purut),roughly torn
• 1 big daun kunyit (turmeric leaf), cut into 2; optional if unable to obtain

Blended together:

• 10 dried chillies, soaked until plump
• 10 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2cm galangal (lengkuas)
• 2 lemon grass (serai), sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Cut beef into cubes about 3cm in size, removing any visible fats. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok and add in the ground ingredients. Cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat until fragrant and the oil starts to surface. Add in the beef and cook, stirring until meat is firm and most of its liquid has evaporated.

Add in the coconut milk and assam gelugor and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the meat is tender. Add in kerisik, lime leaves and kunyit leaf. Continue cooking until the rendang is quite thick. Add salt to taste.

*To obtain kerisik, dry fry 11/2 cup of desiccated coconut (here I used desiccated coconut as freshly grated coconut is unavailable. If you have , then used the freshly grated coconut) over low heat, stirring continuously until the coconut is golden brown and crisp. Cool slightly and pound or whiz in chopper/food processor until very fine.

Loh Mai Kai

Ingredients:

• 250g glutinous rice-washed and soaked for 4 hours, steam for 30 minutes
• 1½ cups of water
• 150g chicken meat
• 15g Chinese mushroom, soaked and cut into thin slices
• 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), optional
• 4 shallots, sliced

Seasoning (A):

• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp pepper
•  ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp corn flour

Seasoning (B):

• 1½ tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp Five Spice powder (ng heong fun)

Method:

Cut chicken into slices. Marinate with seasoning (A) for 2 hours.

Heat oil in a wok and sauté shallots till soft and fragrant. Add mushroom slices and stir-fry quickly, then dish up.

Add cooked glutinous rice and seasoning (B) and water. Stir fry well for 5 minutes.

Greased a bowl that big enough. Put in fry shallots, mushroom slices, Chinese sausage and seasoned chicken. Fill up with glutinous rice and press down the rice. This is to compact the rice.

Steamed for 45 minutes. Then turn over the rice bowl onto a plate and serve with chilli sauces.

Curry Kapitan

A thick spicy chicken curry dish, broadly influenced in its spicing, Curry Kapitan conjures up some of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of old Malacca and recalls the traditional role of the 'Kapitan China' as the functionary who stood between the Malay Rulers and the Chinese communities. The 'KAPITAN' would have been a man of standing among both Malays and his own Chinese people and would have had considerable social mobility. 'Curry Kapitan' reflects this in culinary terms.

Beside serving as a main dish with rice, this dish is also nice to serve with Roti Jala or with bread. You can reduce the chillies according to your requirement.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup coconut milk

(A)

• 5 dried red chillies
• 4 fresh red chillies
• 6 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 cradlenuts (buah keras)

(B)

• 2 stalks lemon grass (serai)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (kunyit) powder

Seasoning:

• salt to taste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 lemon, squeeze out juice

Method:

Grind (A). Marinate chicken with 1 tbsp ground ingredients (A) and 1 tbsp coconut milk.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in wok. Stir-fry remaining ingredients (A) and add in (B). Add marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Add in coconut milk and simmer curry over low heat. keep on stirring. When chicken is cooked and gravy is thick, add in seasoning.

Ayam Ponteh

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken, cut into bite size pieces
• 500g potatoes, quartered and peeled
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

pounded ingredients:

• 8 shallots }
• 4 cloves garlic } pounded together
• 2 tbsp salted soya beans (tau cheong)

Method:

Heat oil and lightly brown garlic and shallots. Add salted soya beans and fry until fragrant. Add chicken pieces and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Pour in water and seasoned with sugar, dark soy sauce and salt. Add in potatoes and cook until the potatoes are soft and the gravy is thick.

Serve hot.

Indian Mee Goreng

Oh! yes...this is my favourite mee goreng. When I was young & living in Penang, I used to buy the fritter where it was slit in the centre and stuff with shreded sengkuang, cucumber and blanched taugeh. Finally some sauce will be poured into the fritter. We used to called it "tikus" as it was shaped like a little rat.
Thanks to Winnie for making us the homemade noodles.



Ingedients for the fritters:

• 175g plain flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 130 ml water
• 1 tbsp finely chopped green chilli
• 1/2 medium size onion, finely chopped
• extra plain flour for dusting hand
• enough oil for deep frying

Method:
Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking soda in a mixing bowl. Gradually add in water to mix into a dough. Set aside to rest for 1 hour.
Mix in the green chilli and onion. Dust hand with the extra flour and shape the dough into ablong shape for about 3" in lenghts. Taper the ends.
Heat wok with oil and deep fry the fritters until golden brown. Drain well and cut into slanting pieces.
Ingredients for the sauce:
Spices-ground and combine:

• 7 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 dried chillies, soaked until soft
• 2 fresh red chillies
• 1/2 tsp belacan

(A)

• 75g mashed sweet potatoes
• 75g gula melaka
• 2 tbsp tamarind, mixed with 50 ml water and squeezed for juice
• 125g roasted peanuts, pounded
• 600ml water
• salt to taste
• 4 tbsp oil

Method:
Heat oil and fry ground ingredients until fragrant. Add in A and simmer until the gravy turns thick.
Ingredients for frying the noodle:

• 1 packet noodles. Here I used the egg noodles that available in supermarket
• 150g taugeh.
• 2 medium size potatoes, boiled and cut into 1/2 cm thick slices
• deep fried firm beancurd. Use only half block. Cut into about 1cm square
• 3 eggs
• 3 fritters ( ingredients and method is as above), sliced 1cm slantly.
• 3 tbsp dep fried shallots
• some curly leaves for garnishing, slice thinly
• some lime wedges
• 3 tbsp oil

Method:
Heat the wok until hot. Put in the noodles and 21/2 cups of the rojak sauce ( ingredents and method is as above). Stir to coat well. Add in the fritters, potatoes, beancurd and taugeh. Stir well again for about 2 minutes.
Move the noodles to the side of the wok and break the eggs into the empty space of the wok. Scramble well and cover the noodles over the egg. Leave for 1 minutes and stir well.
Dish out to a serving plate and garnish with deep fried shallots, curly leaf and 1 lime wedges.

Rempah Udang (Pulut Panggang)

This is a fantastic tea time snack. I have been longing for this for a long time. The only thing that stop me from making this is because of banana leaf. You need the banana. The smell of burnt banana leaf imparts the rempah udang with a smoky flavour. Many thanks to Gina for sharing her banana leaf that she grows in her garden. We met-up recently & have a go at our rempah udang making session. Also thanks to Ling, who helps us to grill the ready one. She says that it brings back her childhood memory where she used to help her grandma making this kuih for a living.
We are going to have more of this session girls!

Ingredients:

• 300g glutinous rice, washed, soaked overnight and drained
• 200ml thick coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 banana leaf, cut into 20 pieces (of 14x12cm rectangles), scalded to soften and wiped dry

Filling:

• 125g white grated coconut
• 50g dried prawns, soaked, drained and pounded finely
• 1 tbsp oil

Ground finely (A):

• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 small piece cekur root (sar keong)
• 1 clove garlic
• 5 shallots
• 2 red chilli, seeded

Seasoning (B)

• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 3 tbsp water

Method

Mix coconut milk with salt and sugar. Add to the glutinous rice and steam for 30 minutes.

Pan fry the grated white coconut until evenly browned then pound until fine (kerisek). Heat oil in a wok and fry ingredients (A) until fragrant. Add the dried prawns, seasoning (B) and kerisik.

Dish out and set aside to cool. Place 2 tablespoonful of glutinous rice in the centre of a banana leaf. Spread one tablespoonful of filling in the centre and top up with another tablespoonful of rice. Wrap each roll firmly in the banana leaf, press the ends together and secure the ends with staples. Pan-grill the rolls in a frying pan, to brown the banana leaves all over, until aromatic.

Claypot Chicken Rice (Nga Po Fun)

This rice is usually cooked in a clay pot. As I do not own one, I decided to cook it in the rice cooker.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of rice, washed and drained well
• 4½ cups of water
• 1 piece of boneless salt fish , chopped

(A):

• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp sugar
• dash of pepper
• 250g deboned chicken meat

(B):

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
•  tsp pepper
• ¼ tbsp fresh ginger juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 3 black mushrooms, soaked till soft and cut into thin slices
• 25g Chinese sausage (optional), sliced thinly

Seasoning (mix together):

• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp garlic oil
• ¼ tsp dark soy sauce

Method:

Marinade chicken with (B) for 1 hour or overnight. Marinade salt fish with (A) and leave aside for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and stir-fry marinated chicken meat. Add mushroom slices, sliced Chinese sausage and seasoning. Dish out and put aside.

Mix rice with water. Put rice into an electric cooker and cook rice as usual. After seven minutes, or when rice is almost cooked and dry, add stir-fried chicken meat and the marinated salted fish. Continue to cook till rice is completely cooked. Dish rice into a serving bowl and garnish with chilli strips and chopped spring onions.

Serve hot.

Chee Cheong Fun

This is one of my favourite breakfast. As it is difficult to get a good chee cheong fun in Exeter, I decided to look around & tried all recipes that I've found & finally I managed to modify the recipes to make a real smooth chee cheong fun.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of rice flour
• 1 tbsp of tapioca flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3/4 cup of cold water
• 1/2 cup of hot boiling water
• 1 tbsp of chopped spring onions

Fillings:

• 16 pieces of big prawns or
• some char siew or
• 3 tbsp of dried prawns, soaked to soften

Sauce (mix and combine well)

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-2 dash of sesame oil
• 1/2 cup of boiling hot water

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, tapioca flour & salt with 3/4 cup of cold water. Stir until smooth. Add in 1 tbsp oil. Add in the hot water and the chopped spring onions.

Lightly grease 2, 7" to 8" pan. Here I used the sandwich pan. Lightly greased the pan each time it has been used. Also prepare a cold water bath by filling a second large pan with cold water

Bring the water in the skillet to a boil. Put the greased pan in the steamer to heat it through. Stir the batter and ladle 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan . 

Spread the batter evenly by tilting slightly. Put in the filling and cover to steam for 3 minutes or until the sheets has cooked through. Transfer the pan to the cold water bath for 1 minute. Use a spatula to loosen the sheet along one edge, then roll it up loosely. Transfer the roll onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, cleaning and oiling the pan each time, and replenishing the simmering water in the skillet as necessary.

Serve with some chilli oil and sauce.