Three's A Company

I don't know what this kuih is called and looking at the main ingredients which are only Three(3), thought it will be fun to call it so. I love this sitcom - Three's A Company and it has never failed to lift my spirit.

I am still in contact with my classmates, who went to school with me from the day we started until we left school and they are my dearest friends. Nancy, who is still staying in Temiang, and when we chatted lately, the both of us were reminicsing and i wanted to know if that handsome Philippino boy who used to sell kuihs, is still around. This banana, tapioca kuih was one of the many kuihs which he used to sell and i made it although i did not have the proper banana - pisang tanduk(horns).

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen grated cassava - thaw and drain
1/2 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water(use 400 ml if cassava is not drained)

Pandan paste

3 - 4 bananas(not too ripe and nos. depend on size)

1 cup grated coconut - white only

1/4 tsp salt


Method:

Steam grated coconut with salt for 5 - 8 minutes and leave aside for coating.

Put water, pandan paste, sugar, tapioca starch and drained cassava in a microwave-safe bowl and stir well to combine.

Microwave on high one minute at a time, stirring after every one minute. Cook until mixture has thickened and almost cooked.

Spoon enough cassava onto a greased cling wrap and flatten it to the length and width of the banana. Wrap banana totally with cassava and wrapped tightly.

Repeat with the rest of cassava and banana. When done, steam the parcels for 10 - 15 minutes to complete cooking the cassava.

Leave to cool, then remove the cling wrap and drop cassava onto steamed coconut.

Cut into bite-size and enjoy


Serves

Read More......

Handmade Loh See Fun and Lai Fun

ALEXANDER'S LUNCH - Loh See Fun with shredded chicken and soup.

This was the result of the first batch of dough i made to make 'Putu Mayam'. Since i did not have the correct template for 'Putu Mayam' but i do have bigger holes template, Voila, the dough was pressed and steamed and became 'Lai Fun'.

These 'Loh See Fun' was hand-rolled. Pinch a tiny pea-size dough and rub it between your palms, the dough will form into a strip with both ends pointed. You might have to dust your palms with tapioca starch. When done, steam until cooked and serve them in soups of choice or 'kon loh' with fragrant oil, black thick soya sauce and c ooked ground pork. In Malaysia, we call this 'Loh Shi Fun' and in Hong Kong it is called 'Silver Needle Noodles' but it is made with 'wheat starch a.k.a. Tung Mein Fun'.

Recipe for dough, use the same ingredients and method as in Putu Mayam. Ground Pork Sauce goes very well with soup or 'kon loh'.

Serves

Read More......

Putu Mayam/String Hoppers

BEFORE

AFTER

Putu Mayam is one of my favorites when i was a child which is a long long time ago. During that time, hawkers come to your doorstep, they will promptly be at your street, the same time everyday, some on bicycles, push carts and some on foot. Recalling some of these friendly hawkers who had become friends from our frequent beckonings, bring fond memories especially the Kacang Putih man, who will call me LULU. The Kacang Putih man and the Putu Mayam man were Indian, so, i have always assoicated Putu Mayam as an Indian Cuisine and indeed it is - a Sri Lankan Delight. I only realised that this light and satisfying snack was called 'String Hoppers" when i was able to read.

Making Putu Mayam was fun while it lasted, my arm muscles had improved from all the pressing - the texture of the dough had to be just right to fasilitate easy flow of noodles.
Putu Mayam has to be fluffy and dry, the strands of noodles, be the fineness ever and to achieved this, one has to have the proper size template to be used in a 'muruku mould'. I made a template out of a plastic jar cover and pricked very tiny holes in it. My first batch of Putu Mayam turned out to be thick beehoon and loh see fun, luckily the template worked and i succeeded making a batch of Putu Mayam to satisfy me.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice flour

2 tbsp tapioca starch
550 ml boiling water
1-2 tsp salt
1 cup grated coconut - white only - steam with 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Parchment papers - perforated to make steam holes

A Muruku Press with a very fine template/Putu Mayam Press

Method:

Line basket for steaming with a clean napkin, put in the dry rice flour, steam for about 1 hour.

Put the rice flour and tapioca starch in a bowl. Pour boiling water, add salt all at once onto the flour, stirring with the handle of a wooden spoon until the flour is moistened. When cool enough, gather it together with the hand and ensure there are no pockets of dry flour by kneading lightly.

Fill Muruku/Putu Mayam Press with enough dough, squeeze dough through the fine holes in the Press at the same time moving the Press over each parchment paper, so that the fine strings fall in two circles.

Repeat making noodles and when done, put the noodles to steam over fast boiling water for 5 - 8 minutes or until noodles are cooked and translucent.

Remove from steamer, allow to cool slightly, then gently peel the putu mayam off the parchment paper away.

Serve with steamed coconut and brown sugar.

Enjoy

Serves

Read More......