Meme: 5 Things to Eat Before You Die

I have been tagged by my blog pal, Gracio for this meme.

Let's see....*thinking* 5 things to eat before I die....okie must be some good food for sure....hahaha....

1. Shark Fin Soup: What can I say my favorite soup. I have to order it everytime I go back to M'sia. :)

2. Lobsters Stir-Fry in Butter Cream Sauce: This is so very good. The lobster pieces were deep-fry in some sort of batter first and then mixed into this thick and yummy butter cream sauce.

3. A Very Good Dim Sum: Nothing can beat a well-made delicious dim sum. Sitting down with a cup of tea and sampling a table full of mouth-watering dim sum can be such a joy.

4. Indian Banana Leaf Rice: I simply love this, the variety of veggie dishes with assortment of Indian curries, and not forgetting the crispy cracker on the side (forgot the name! :P), make this a must have when I go back to M'sia. I think what's make this different is I get to eat with my fingers....hahaha...so called finger licking good huh?

5. Good Old Ice Kacang: Very refreshing in a hot and humid Malaysia weather. Oh man...where's my ice kacang!! Over here, in order to savor this we have to buy our own snowcone ice machine, make our own red beans and buy all the ingredients and make it ourselves. Lots of work just to eat a bowl of ice kacang!

Now, I would like to pass this "baton" to my good friend, Lily.

Rempah Udang

This is my favorite kuih in M'sia. I have been wanting to make this kuih for years, but just never got to. Why I finally made it you asked?

Because I made some sambal haebee two days ago and I have the frozen shredded coconut and banana leaves in the freezer just ready for me to use. So, why not just make it and satisfy my craving. So, here it is! :)


This is my short-cut filling. I used my sambal haebee, added the toasted shredded coconut and some coriander powder, pan-fry to mix well.



Steamed my glutinous rice with coconut milk and a little salt.



Wrapped in banana leaves and stapled it. Pan-fried in greased non-stick pan until toasted and fragrant.



Finished product!



Closed up of what the inside looks like! A bit spicy because of my spicy sambal haebee. :P





Rempah Udang Recipe from At Home with Amy Beh Cookbook
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100g small prawns, shelled
100g grated white coconut, roasted and ground
1-2 Tbp. oil

Blend spices:
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon grass, finely sliced
1 candlenut
1.5cm cekor
1/2 tsp. chilli paste
1 tsp. coriander powder

Seasoning:
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Dash of pepper

Rice Mixture:
300g glutinous rice, washed and soaked overnight
1 1/2 cups thin coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

2 banana leaves, scalded, wiped dry, and cut into 15x8cm pieces

Method:

Chop prawns finely. Heat oil in a kuali and fry ground ingredients mixed with chilli paste and coriander powder until fragrant. Add prawns and stir fry till cooked. Mix in roasted coconut and seasoning. Stir well until ingredietns become dry and golden brown. Set aside.

Combine glutinous rice with coconut milk, salt and sugar, steam for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Remove from steamer and leave to cool.

Take a tablespoonful of the cooked glutinous rice and spread it thinly in the centre of a banana leaf. Add 1 tablespoon of filling over. Top with another tablespoon of rice. Roll up neatly and secure ends with toothpick or staples. Brush rolls with a little cooking oil. Grill for about 15 minutes. Turn the rolls round occasionally.

Note:
Sorry I thought the recipe in her cookbook will be in kuali.com. Since it's not, I typed it here for those who requested. But bear in mind, I didn't use her recipe, but her recipe is a guide for those who wants to make it.

Deep-fried Sweet Potato with Nian Gao

Made this for afternoon snack today. I used the baked nian gao that I did earlier this year that I have kept frozen to try out the deep-fry version. Can't eat this too often because it's very oily and might give you sore throat (heaty feeling).


Bought sweet potato to go with it because this nian gao was not very sweet.



The closed up of the combination. Not bad at all, but this baked nian gao didn't turn gluey and sticky like the one in M'sia. Perhaps it was baked and didn't use coconut milk?? Not sure!







What I did with the leftover batter? Turned it into Tempura Broccoli by adding salt and garlic powder into the batter. My hubby actually enjoyed this a lot because it turned out so good. 

For the Crispy Batter:

Self raising flour, 1 cup

Water

Salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

1.  In a bowl, add in 1 cup of self-raising flour, then slowly add in some water.  Mix to a thick batter.

2.  Thick batter as in not a lot of water, not runny, but in thick consistency.  Season with a little salt and pepper.

3.  Dip the nian gao and sweet potato into the batter and place in medium hot oil to deep-fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towel before serving.

Whole Wheat Bread with Raisins and Almonds

Just as the name implied. I was trying out a different way to make my whole wheat dough.




This is the closed up of the bread. I found bread making is really fun, all sort of ways to play with the dough. If you can imagine it, you can make it!

Black Bean Soup

This is one easy and delicious soup to whip up. I even feel embarrass to give out the recipe!! Well, for the newbies I guess.

Ingredients:

3-4 pork ribs or pork loin bones
1/2 cup of black beans, washed
5 cups of water
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boiled the water over high heat. When boiled, add in the pork bones/ribs. Dished out the inpurities and add the washed black beans. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the pork turned tender. Season to taste with a little salt. Serve hot!

Short-Cut Tofu Fah

Buzzbuzz, this is for you! I told you I'm going to show you my short-cut version.



I have been making this short-cut tofu fah for years and have passed the secret to my friends here. This bowl of silken tofu fah is from a box!! It is as good or better than those sold at the good dim sum restaurants here. That's why I don't bother to order. What's more, super easy to do! Of course you can make tofu from it as well but I only buy it to make tofu fah since you can buy cheaper tofu at the store.



What do you think? Silken soft right? I like mine with ginger brown sugar syrup.



This is how the box looks like. Now, my secret is out. Anyone can make a bowl of silken soft tofu fah at your own house without a fuss! Actually a couple of bowls, one box can serve up to 6-8 bowls tofu fah.
Enjoy!

Edit to add: Inside the box is a package of soy bean powder and a small package of hardening agent. The recipe for tofu fah is on the side of the box, basically add more water. You will need to mix the soy bean powder with the amount of water required until dissolved and then cook it on the stove top until boiling. Set aside and add the hardening agent and pour in a container and then cover the container with foil or kitchen towel and let it harden for 20-30 mins. You have to cook your own syrup to serve with this.

My Version of RotiBoy

This is my new creation. The healthier version of RotiBoy. LOL! This is made using my trusted basic sweet bun recipe, I just substituted the bread flour with whole wheat flour and white sugar with brown sugar.

Since I have some leftover Mexican topping from making the cream cheese bun that I kept frozen, I used that to make the topping, just added some cocoa powder and coffee emulco.

I used the same cream cheese filling (for the cream cheese bun) for this Rotiboy. If not, you can used salted butter as filling, just made sure the butter was still cold solid when wrap inside the dough to proof.

Then, I added some sliced almonds on top of the Mexican topping. As you can see, my sliced almonds slide down while baking...Oops!




Here's the close up of my whole wheat RotiBoy with cream cheese filling. What can I say, another soft and yummy bun for my snack and breakfast!

I store it in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese filling and toast it in a toasted oven for 4-5 mins the next day and tada....like fresh baked again!!

Dried Shrimp Sambal (Sambal HaeBee)

I finally made my first sambal haebee. Both hubby and I love eating this sambal but I just never make it on my own, not sure why. Probably lazy...hahaha...

Well, decided to make it today using my short cut version. Viola, it's so yummy with white rice. Would be delicious spread in sandwich too. Okay, here's my recipe if you want to try it.





Ingredients:

1 cup dried shrimps, soften with hot water, drained
1 large yellow onion, cut into big chunks
1/2 tsp. belacan powder or more if you like
5 Tbp. my ground chillies in oil, more if you like it spicy
6-8 tsp. sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 Tbp. lime juice or to taste
Sprinkle of paprika powder
Cooking oil

Method:

1. Process the dried shrimp in a food processor until fine, take out and set aside.

2. Process the onion in a food processor until fine, drain the onion juice and set aside.

3. Heat oil, when hot, add grounded onion, stir-fry for a while and add belacan powder. Saute and add dried shrimps. Keep stirring until all well mixed.

4. Add ground chillies in oil and add salt, sugar and lime juice. Saute for a while and add paprika powder.

5. Do a taste test and season to taste with sugar, salt or lime juice if one or two is lacking.

6. Cook at low heat, keep stirring until it's drier.

~Yield about 1 1/2 cup.

Cream Cheese Buns

I saw Yochana's cute little cream cheese buns and couldn't resist myself to ask her for the recipe. I made mine into a big buns because I don't have the cute flutted mould to use.


It's very delicious with the slightly sour cream cheese filling and crusty mexican topping. Definitely will make this buns again.


Oh, the topping will get soft and sticky the next day. But just pop it in the toasted oven and toast for 4-5 mins will bring back the crusty top and hot soft yummy buns.

Thank you auntie Yochana for sharing this delicious bun recipe.

Definitely a must try.  Adapted from her recipe.

Ingredients:

325 gm. Bread flour
10 gm. yeast
1 tsp. Bread improver
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. Milk Powder
60 gm. castor sugar
120 ml. water
1 egg
45 gm. margarine

Method:

(1) Beat the above ingredients together except margarine for about 10 mins.
(2) Add in butter and beat for another 10 mins. till dough is smooth and elastic.
(3) Leave it to proof for about 45 mins.
(4) Remove from mixer, roll into small balls 60 gm. each and let it rest for another 10 mins.
(5) Roll out the small dough, wrap with cream cheese filling and seal tightly.
(6) Put into a fluted greased mould and leave to proof for another 45 mins.
(7) Pipe the mexico topping on top of the buns - in a coil shape and bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 15 mins.
(8) Cool on wire rack.

Cream cheese fillings:
Mix them together and stir till smooth.

220 gm. Cream cheese
50 gm. icing sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
Note: For added flavour, add in 2 Tbsp. of Blueberry Pie filling and omit the vaniila essence and substitute for Blueberry essence

Mexico Topping:

75 gm. butter
60 gm. icing sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
1 1/2 eggs - beaten
75 gm. plain flour

Method for mexico topping:

(1) Cream butter and icing sugar till creamy.
(2) Add in beaten eggs and cream till smooth. Add in vanilla essence.
(3) Add in flour and mix thoroughly.
(4) Put into a piping bag and set aside. 

Yong Tau Foo Dinner

I have been craving for yong tau foo recently and am glad that finally got this craving satisfied. :D

I bought the ready made Wei Chuan fish paste and made a pan-fried dried version using Gina's Hakka Yong Tau Foo method.



Put the fish paste in and sealed it with egg wash.



After pan-fried and ready to serve.

I pan-fried mine in shallot oil, added garlic and fish sauce in the end. Then, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots on top.

I also made the one below, just spread a thin layer of fish paste onto the beancurd sheet and sealed with egg wash. Then, deep-fry until golden brown. Cut and serve with Hoisin sauce and Sriracha chilli sauce.


Deep-fried crispy beancurd sheet with fish paste.