Pebbles Snacks

It is time to clean the pantry and i found a pack of PEBBLES and miniature marshmallows. So a hunting i go and found this recipe at Kraftfoods.com and found this recipe. Only 3 ingredients and papercups are needed. How easy can it be?



Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 pkg. (10-1/2 oz.) Miniature Marshmallows
1 pkg. (13 oz.) PEBBLES Cereal



Method:

MICROWAVE butter in 4-qt. microwaveable bowl on HIGH 45 sec. or until melted.

Add marshmallows; toss to coat.

Microwave 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 sec.

Stir in cereal.

SHAPE cereal mixture into tiny square shapes using moistened or greased hands. Place on paper cups or press into a foil lined square cake pan, cut into squares then place on paper cups.

Serves

Snow Bunnies

This is a very cute pastry but my bunnies look more like mice. Anyway, however they looked, they tasted delicious and fun to make.



Ingredients:

Water Dough:
40 g margarine
160 g all purpose flour
20 g sugar
40 ml water

Fat Dough:

60 g margarine
120 g all purpose flour

Filling:

180 g lotus paste - divide into 18 of 10 gm each
Pinch of black sesame seeds
Egg yolk for egg wash

Method:

Prepare water and fat dough separately.

Divide each dough into 18 equal portions.

Wrap fat dough with water dough.

Flatten individual portions and roll up like a swiss roll.

Flatten slightly and roll dough to form a bun.

Mould bun into bowl shape.

Put lotus filling into the bowl shape dough and seal opening

Mould into an oval shape.

Snip V-shapes at one end for ears and other for tail.

Brush with egg wash and use black sesame seeds for eyes.

Bake at preheated oven 400f for 10 - 15 minutes

Put
Serves

Banana Muffins

I have been going crazy trying to keep up with the overriped bananas. Lately the Lord and Princess decided they did not like bananas that much and the fridge is packed with bananas and they have to go fast and how else than to make muffins. This recipe is so simple and easy and the muffins are simply delicious.



Ingredients:

75g/3oz vegetable oil
250g/9oz self-raising flour or 250 g all-purpose flour + 3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon(optional)
½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
115g/4oz caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp banana essence
2 large, ripe bananas
2 large eggs
125ml/4fl oz milk
10 walnut kernels (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2. Mash the bananas well. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl, add caster sugar and stir through.

3.With a fork, beat together the eggs, vanilla extract, banana essence, oil and milk in a second bowl. Add the mashed banana and stir through.

4.Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture, fold in with a biggest spatula (don't over mix) until it is a lumpy paste.

5. Set paper cases into the moulds, or grease the moulds well with a little extra oil or butter and using an icecream scoop, spoon in the mixture until almost full. Top each one with a walnut kernel if you like.

6.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins come away from the side of the pan when touched. Rest the muffin tray on a wire rack for five minutes then remove the muffins and leave on the rack for another five minutes before serving.

Serves

Durian Cake

When my cousin's family from Malaysia came for a visit, he bought 2 huge Thai Durians of which one was so delicious and the other is not quite. So, in the freezer it went for recycling. Made this cake ahead of the party and it froze very well. Picture was taken after it came out of oven and forgot to take a picture of the one that has been defrosted and drizzled with melted chocolate. The flavor was fine and ok for guests who have not tasted or do not like durian but for those who love durian, will suggest using the best delicious durian.



Ingredients:

120 g margarine
125 g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
160 g durian flesh
3 large eggs
20 ml milk/coconut milk
150 g all purpose flour )
1/4 tsp baking powder )Sieve together
1 tsp custard powder )

Method:

Preheat oven to 350f. Grease the bundt pan and dust with flour.

Cream margarine, sugar and salt until fluffy.

Add durian and mix well to combine.

Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by milk.

Fold in sieved flour.

Check for dropping consistency, if too stiff, add a tbsp of milk.

Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

Test for doneness.

Cool in bundt pan and using the hot towel method, remove cake and let cool on rack.

Serves

Boiled Peanuts/Lum Far Sung

This is a wonderful snack and easy to cook but not so easy to get the correct type of raw peanuts in their shell to achieve those 'lum'/soft texture. To my experience, if the peanut is bigger and has red skin, they are better for roasting or frying. For boiling, the peanut has to be smaller and with white skin. But, when the crave is there and you have no choice, any type will do.



Ingredients:

1 lb dried raw peanuts
1 tsp tumeric powder
3 tbs salt
1/2 cup sugar(Only add sugar when the peanuts are tender)


Method:

Soak in water overnight.

Rinse the peanuts and using the pressure cooker, boil with salt and tumeric powder until tender (about 1/2 hr)

Once tender, add the sugar and simmer for another 10 mins.

Drain and enjoy

Serves

Taro Fragrant Rice

Taro is one of my favorite root vegetable and whenever i find a recipe that has taro, i will definitely give it a try. This dish will be on the table if i have taro and taro cake(woo tau koh) will be the next. When you run out of idea of what dishes to serve for dinner, this one pot meal is the best.



Ingredients:

2 cups rice, washed and drained
250g taro, cubed and sprinkled with 1 pinch of 5 spice powder
3 to 4 tbsp oil
4 shallots, sliced
3 dried mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
25g dried prawns, washed and drained
150 g chicken/pork, diced.

Seasoning:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cube chicken stock
1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
3 cups water


Garnishings:

Chopped spring onions and coriander
.
Method:

Heat oil in a wok and lightly brown the shallots. Remove the shallot crisps and drain well. Leave aside.

Add dried prawns and saute until fragrant. Add in chicken/pork and cook until chicken/pork is no more pink.

Then add in taro and mushrooms. Add rice and seasoning. Stir-fry well.

Dish rice mixture into an electric rice cooker. Add water and cook rice as usual. Stand rice in cooker for 10 to 15 minutes before dishing out to serve.

Serve rice with a sprinkling of shallot crisps, chopped spring onions and coriander

Serves

TienTsin Pau

This recipe has been in my recipe collection for a long long time and since pau flour is not readily available here, have not made pau from scratch. I gave this recipe to a dear friend to try and she liked it. So, i decided to have a go at it .




Ingredients:

For the pau

A:
400 gm bleached all-purpose flour(remove 4 tbsp and replace with 4 tbsp of Wheat starch - tung mein fun)
240 ml water
1 ½ tsp instant yeast.

B:
100 gm bleached all-purpose flour( remove 1 tbsp and replace with 1 tbsp of Wheat starch - tung mein fun)
50 gm sugar
10 gm shortening
1 ¼ tsp double action baking powder

FILLING:

300 gm pork
2 stalks of spring onion
10 gm young ginger
20 gm shallots(sliced and fried till golden)

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp msg
50 cc stock

Method:

For pau:

Mix ingredients A together.

Knead until smooth and elastic.

Let it rise for 40 mins

Mix dough from method 1 with ingredients B. and knead until well blended.

Cut into equal portions and roll all the portions into a very thin circle before wrapping in filling. Wrap the first circle and so forth.

Let it rise for 20 minutes.

Steam for 15 minutes.

For Filling:

Chop pork till fine.

Chop spring onions and ginger until fine.

Mix ingredients for seasoning with pork.

Use the cake mixer and with the paddle beat pork until elastic.

Add in stock, spring onions and ginger.

Serves


I have found that pau with thinner skin do not steam up pretty and also do steam paus with medium high.

Teddy Bear Birthday Cakes

Alexander's First Birthday was 2 months ago and his cake is not even posted yet. Well, finally get to post it. Since he is not old enough to request, had to take the opportunity of making an esay way out kind of cake. The cake was baked in the Teddy Bear mould and frosted with the sos buttercream. Renee, on the other hand, had her request - Cheer Bear from her Care Bears Collection.


Ingredients:
and
Method:

Refer to http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/renees-birthday-cakes.html


Serves

Taro/Sweet Potato Fatt Koh

I have to thank Lucy for posting this recipe. I could not make good rice flour fatt koh and have more or less given up. Renee is very sweet, she told me not to give up - she said ' Po Po, you can do it' So, i decided to try Lucy's recipe which is made with flour and had better results. In fact, for the taro, i am still wondering whether i have used the correct taro. I bought this vietnamese taro which is already mashed or grated????. Luckily it worked. The mashed sweet potato smiled better as i think i have found the correct cups and the amount of batter. The recipe has been altered.



Ingredients:

Yeast Dough:

2 tsp Instant Yeast
150 gm. coconut water or water (the coconut water is inside the coconut itself)
50 gm. Plain flour

Mix the instant yeast with the coconut water and let it stand until it is frothy.

Mix in the plain flour and stir till smooth. Rest for 30 mins.

Batter:

500 gm. Yam or Orange colour sweet potatoes (steamed and mashed)
400 gm. all purpose flour(remove 3 tbsp and replace with 3 tbsp of cornflour)
4 tsp double action baking powder
150 gm. Thick coconut milk
375 gm. sugar (200 gm boil with coconut milk and 175 whisk with eggs)
2 nos. large eggs
1/4 tsp. Vanillin
a drop of purple colouring (for orange sweet potatoes, no colouring or essence is required as they have a nice orangy - natural colour)

Method:

(1) Microwave the thick coconut milk and sugar for 1 minute. Warm will do, just to dissolve the sugar. Let it cool completely.

(2) Using the plunger blender, blend the boiled coconut milk with mashed yam or sweet potatoes and the whisked eggs. Sieve it. It will be thick but press through the sieve.

(3) Add in flour and stir till well mixed.

(4) Add in the fermented yeast dough and stir till well mixed.

(5) Rest batter for 2 to 3 hours covered with cling wrap and a wet cloth until it has doubled in volume and frothy.

(6) Steam 4 small greased moulds, then using an ice cream Scoop, scoop in the batter till almost to the rim of cup. about 8/10.

(7) Bring to a high boil as much water as the steamer can hold and add in 2 tbsp of vinegar. Steam on the highest heat available for about 15 mins with a cloth covered lid till cooked.

(8) Repeat until all the batter is finished.

If the koh does not smile or split open, Lucy's suggestion is to dip a spatula into a small bowl of cornoil and then make a cross on top.

Serves

Lai Wong Har/Buttered Prawns

My preference of prawns with heads-on for this recipe is desirable as it is will enhance the flavor as well as better presentation . Cooking this dish was at impluse and found prawns without heads in the freezer. If only i had red pepper for garnishing, then this picture would be more appealing. Anyway, with or without the red pepper, this dish is delicious. Winnie and Tricia, hope the both of you like this version.





Ingredients:

2 lbs prawns with heads-on
6 ozs margarine
4 ozs evaporated milk
6 - 8 chilly padi(small thai bird chilly) chopped
a handful of kari leaves(daun curry)
1 cup of dessicated coconut or 8 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
Oil for Frying


Method:

Dress the prawns by snipping off the shape points from the head and remove the sacs and intestines from the back.

Heat enough oil to fry the prawns until 3/4 cooked.

Heat margarine, add in coconut/egg yolk, then chilly padi and curry leaves. Fry until fragrant.

Add in the prawns and seasonings.

Lastly, add in the evaporated milk and fry for another minute or so.

Garnish and serve hot.

Serves

Char Kway Teow

How can i miss posting this classic of all classics hawker food in Malaysia. The best Char Kway Teow is the old fashion ones which is darker and only egg added besides the other necessary ingredients. My preference would be fried without the egg cos when egg is added, the temperature of the noodles drops and i like the noodles to be piping hot and with 'sung hum(uncooked cockles). This luxury of cockles is not possible here, i have seen frozen ones but i certainly will not buy them. The Penang style is what the hawkers are dishing out and more acceptable as the ingredients of chinese Lap Cheong and Prawns are added. Crab meat can also be added of which a store in Penang does and became the store that served the best Char Kway Teow. To me, best is fried with lard and a huge spoonful of goody that is the reminence of the fried lard. it might not be too healthy but once in a while???????

Ingredients:

1/2 lb kway teow
1 tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp cooking oil
3 - 5 prawns,
3 - 5 thinly sliced Chinese sausage
150g cockles, scalded and shelled (if available fresh then this is a must)
a handful of beansprouts
3 sprigs of chives, cut into 2 inch lengths

1 egg

Seasoning:
1 tbsp Chilli paste(sambal olek)
1 tbsp light soya sauce
Pepper to taste
A little dark soya sauce for colour
A little water

Method:

Heat wok with 3 tbsp oil until hot and fry Chinese sausages until fragrant, then add l tsp chopped garlic . Add about prawns and fry until cooked.

Push all the fried ingredients to one side and add in kway teow. Stir-fry the kway teow and add seasoning and sprinkle with a little water to mix.

Spread all the ingredients around the kuali and create an empty space in the centre, then crack an egg into it and add a little more oil. Cover the egg with all the ingredients and stir-fry evenly. Add cockles if desired and mix in a handful of beansprouts and the chives. Do not overcook.

Remove the dish to a plate and serve hot.

Serves