Birthday Cake Lightning Mcqueen's Race Track

This cake was made for Jordan, who turned 3 and like all boys of that age, Lightning Mcqueen is one of his favorites. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDAN, i hope you liked this birthday cake.

Recipe can be found here http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/renees-birthday-cakes.html

Read More......

Fu Kwai Mau Tan/Peony Pastry

I am quite happy with the result of these pastries and will attempt to make them more colorful the next time i make them. Any Chinese pastry recipe and whatever sweet filling of your choice will be fine. The pastry is very delicate and the most important key to achieve non-soggy pastries is to start frying in moderate low heat and crank up the heat to finish the frying.

Ingredients:

(A) Water dough

200 gm all purpose flour

50 gm cooking oil

100 ml water

(B) Oil Dough

150 gm all purpose flour

75 gm shortening

Filling:

600 gm red bean/lotus paste

Method:

The water dough

Rub the flour and oil, then gradually add in the water to bind into a pliable dough, knead till smooth and cover with a damp cloth to allow the dough relax while preparing the oil dough.

The oil dough

Rub the shortening into the flour, continue rubbing until the fat is well absorb into the flour and become a soft pastry dough.

The colored pastry

Divide the water and oil dough into half and color one set of water and oil dough pink with red coloring and the second set with yellow. Work each set separately.

For each set

Form the oil dough into a ball.

Knead the water dough until smooth and roll out into a circle large enough to wrap the ball of oil dough.

Wrap the water dough over the oil dough, using a pinch of water to seal the edges.

Press the double thickness ball flat with the heel of the palm of your hand, then roll out with the rolling pin into a rectangle.

Working from the shorter end, roll the dough up like you would a carpet. now roll this out into a rectangle again, roll up more carpet fashion from the short end. Repeat this rolling up and out at least once more.

Roll out the dough once more, and cut into 12 pieces and roll each piece flat from the top. Working with two sets(colored) of dough, you should have 12 pieces of pink and 12 pieces of yellow.

Pair 1 piece of pink and yellow by putting one on top of another and roll out big enough to wrap the filling.

Divide filling into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a round ball.

Wrap each ball of filling with the square of colored dough, sealing the edges with a touch of water. Roll the ball smooth between the palms of the hand.

Using a very sharp knife, cut into 8 sections, which should to clearly through the dough, but not pierce through to the filling. If it has been through to the filling like i did, the filling will fall out and dirty the oil.

Deep-fry the balls cut side up in oil deep enough to cover the whole ball. Fry over medium heat. The flowers will bloom, the cut edges peeling back in several layers of pastry petals. If you are like me, an inexperienced cook, fry one flower at a time to prevent the temperature of the oil to drop if several flowers are fried at once and they will become heavy and greasy.

Drain on a cooling rack with absorbent paper at the bottom.

Serve warm if possible.

Serves

Read More......

Singapore Noodles

This is my version of Singapore Noodle which i think it was how Malaysians cook it - WITHOUT curry powder. I find the curry powder too overpowering and i like my version which is slightly sweeter and spicy.


Ingredients:

300g mei fun, soaked and well drained

6 tbsp oil

3 eggs

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1 large onion, shredded

75g chicken meat, shredded

75g prawns, shelled

75 g char siew shredded

1 carrot, shredded

200 g beansprouts, tailed

1/2 red pepper shredded

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chilly sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Salt and sugar to taste

Dash of pepper

Garnishing

Chopped spring onion and coriander leaves

Sliced red chillies Optional

Method:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok and fry meehoon for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.

Heat another 2 tbsp oil and fry garlic until fragrant. Add chicken, prawns, char siew , carrot and onions. Stir-fry briefly.

Add mei fun and seasoning ingredients. Toss well to combine.

Push to the sides and add 2 tbsp oil in the centre of wok, add the eggs , push back the mei fun to the eggs and fry until eggs are done.

Add beansprouts to mix and continue to cook until beansprouts are heated through but still firm.

Dish out and serve with garnishings.

Serves

Read More......