ASPIRING BAKERS #29 : BANG KUANG CHAR ( STIR FRY TURNIP )

Bang Kuang Char ( Stir Fry Turnip ) is actually a very famous dish among Nyonya families. Well my mom used to say that it will be perfect to eat Bang Kuang Char with Tau Yu Bak .... deng........... I was telling myself " Neh , why make it so complicated , since Bang Kuang Char is a really tasty dish itself ". Now I have to admit that , I was very wrong . Bang Kuang Char is normally eaten wrap in lettuce with some sambal belacan. Mom's version of eating Bang Kuang Char will be wrapping it in lettuce with some sambal belacan, one bite of Bang Kuang Char wrap with one scoop of Tau Yu Bak on white steaming hot rice . Simply delicious. ( This shows that we should listen to the elderly, especially when it comes to food .LOL )      

Unlike the normal Bang Kuang Char which is also call Jiu Hu Char , my mom's version of Bang Kuang Char has no cuttlefish in it . We are able to taste the natural sweetness of the turnips and carrot which is really appetizing . I used to smile like as if I have just received a big fat present whenever my mom cook this dish for me, years back when I was still a school kid. Gosh , that kind of feel long time ago eh.... LOL... Shhhhh.... Mom was saying this to me last night when I prepare this for dinner , " I used to cook this for your meal, now it is the other way round. You are cooking all the dishes that I used to cook " ..... I was smiling to myself thinking , was that a compliment .. I guess the answer is "Yes ". 

  

BANG KUANG CHAR 

Ingredients 

2 medium size  Turnip/ Bang Kuang ( peel and finely shred  ) 

1 medium size  Carrot ( peel and finely shred  ) 

3 tbsp               Cooking Oil 

3 cloves            Garlic ( chopped ) 

3-4                    Dried Shitake Mushroom ( soak and thinly slice  ) 

1 tbsp                Water  

2-3 tbsp            Soya Sauce ( adjust according to own preference ) 

200g                 Pork ( cut into thin strips ) 

A dash of pepper to taste 

Method 

1/   Heat 2 tbsp oil and add in chopped garlic . Stir fry till fragrant . Add mushroom and pork. Stir fry till pork are dry . 

2/   Add shredded turnip and carrot . Stir lightly on medium high heat till all are well combine . Add in water bit by bit while stirring . 

3/   Keep stirring for another 5-7 minutes . Add soya sauce, a pinch of salt, pepper and the remaining 1 tbsp of cooking oil . Stir for another 3 minutes . 

4/ Dish up and serve immediately , wrap in lettuce and sambal belacan. 

Tips : Using a pair of chopstick on the right hand and a turner on the left hand will make stirring easier and avoid breaking the fine turnip shreds . 

I am submitting my post to Aspiring Bakers #29：Heirloom and Local Dialect Recipes 家传菜/ 籍贯菜 (March 2013 ) hosted by FHL of Faith Hope Love 

MALACCA NONYA CURRY LAKSA .......... SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE

Guess I have never mention before that I am actually a big fan of Curry Laksa. Give me anything that is curry laksa , I'll definitely "clean" it .. LOL.. My top most favorite will be Penang Curry Laksa and Malacca Nonya Curry Laksa . As I was browsing the web for some ideas to cook on Sunday , I stumble upon this yummy recipe about Malacca Nonya Curry Laksa . Browsing thru the recipe , the ingredients combination looks good and tasty , so I decided to give a try . 

The verdict : Mom says " very tasty " . Same answer from my brother and I love this so much . Will definitely cook this again . This curry laksa actually has a creamy and fragrant taste that will make anyone drooling even when you are cooking it. Believe it or not, it's actually super easy to prepare this curry laksa. Of course I won't give up tasting more diff laksa . Heehee.... Stay tune for more recipe soon .

MALACCA NONYA CURRY LAKSA recipe courtesy of The Serious Eat Team

Ingredients for paste:
10   Shallots, peeled and sliced
3"   segment Old turmeric , skinned
2"   segment Galangal 
8    stalks Lemongrass , sliced
20  stalks Dried chillies, soaked 
10   Candlenuts 
4 tsp Belacan 

Method : 
1/ Pulse all ingredients in a blender , add in some water if necessary 


For the broth:
1/2 cup Cooking oil
1litre     Prawn or chicken stock
2 cups   Coconut milk
20 pieces Tofu puffs, scalded in hot water to remove oil 
Salt to taste


Method : 
1/ In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1/2 cup cooking oil. Sauté chilli paste till fragrant.
2/ Add stock and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk, tofu puffs, and salt. Stirring continuously, bring to a quick boil
3/ Turn off heat once broth comes to a boil.

To serve : 

Egg noodles
Vermicelli
200g   Beansprouts, blanched
1         Cucumber, julienned
500g   Prawns, boiled and peeled
Fishcake ( Optional ) 
20 Quail eggs, hard-boiled (Optional)
1 bunch polygonum leaves "daun kesum", 

Method : 

1/ Blanch noodles in boiling water and drain. Add noodles into a bowl, garnish with bean sprouts and cucumber. Ladle laksa broth over with some tofu puffs. Top with prawns, fish cake, quail eggs, and "daun kesum,". Serve with sambal.

For the Sambal:
10-12     Fresh red chillies ( adjust to own preference ) 
10 stalks Dried chillies, soaked
2 tsp       Belacan 
1 tsp       Salt
1/2 tsp    Sugar
6 tbsp     Cooking oil

Method : 
1/ Grind all ingredients into a fine paste . 
2/ Heat up oil , sauté sambal paste, stirring continuously till fragrant . Add salt and sugar . Dish up .  

Honestly , do you think you can say " No" to this pretty bowl of curry laksa? Nah , I won't for sure ... LOL 

TEOCHEW FLAKY SPIRAL MOONCAKE

After my first try at making snowskin mooncake , I have the urge to try making a different version of delicious homemade mooncake : Teochew Flaky Spiral Mooncake .

Attracted by the spiral flaky look of the teochew mooncake , its a totally new challenge for me to try out this new recipe. Again to mention I am not a big fan of mooncake, yet it didn't stop me from exploring more mooncake recipes.Honestly I have not tasted any Teochew Mooncake before. It makes me really want to try this recipe immediately .

These spiral little mooncake is really tasty . Unbelievably tasty . Once you started eating you won't be able to stop. Heehee .... at least thats what my mom said. My little Ryan loves it too . Thats the best part of all.

LOL............  Ryan's wanted mama to include his pacifier in the photos . That is his beloved pacifier though.


TEOCHEW MOONCAKE   

Ingredients 

Water Dough
200g   Plain Flour
28g     Icing Sugar
A pinch of Salt
80g     Cold Butter
80g     Water

Oil Dough
180g   Plain Flour
A pinch of Salt
90g     Oil
1/2 tsp Pandan Essence

Filling :
450g   Pandan Lotus Paste
50g     Melon Seeds

Method 

• Preheat oven to 185C . Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper
• Mix pandan lotus paste with melon seed. Shape the pandan paste mixture into 25g each and shape into round balls 

for Water Dough :

• Sift Flour , sugar an salt in a mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into the flour mixture using fingertips or food processor until mixture turns into crumbs .
• Add in water to form a soft , non-sticky dough. Add flour if it is too sticky, to get the right texture. It should be soft and non-sticky. 
• No need to knead the dough . It should be able to be shape into soft balls easily without sticking to fingers and hands. 
• Cover and set aside to rest for 20 minutes. 

for Oil Dough :

• Sift flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture , add in oil and pandan essence .
• Draw in flour from the side to form a soft , non-sticky dough. Same as the water dough, add in flour if the dough is too sticky. 
• Do no over-mix. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes .

To assemble :

• Divide both water dough and oil dough into 10 portion each ( 10 portion water dough , 10 portion oil dough ) 

• Flatten one piece of water dough and wrap one portion of oil dough in it . Pinch to seal edges.

• Using a rolling pin, roll it flat into long strip . Roll up like a snail to form a cylinder, turn the dough 90 degrees, with the end facing up. Roll again into a long thin strip
• Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter , cut the cylinder in the middle into 2 equal pieces. With the cut side facing down , flatten the dough, making edges slightly thinner than the centre. Leave a little hump in the centre in order for the dough to be evenly thick all around when wrapping the pastry
• Wrap filling and pinch to seal. Try no to tug or pull too hard, otherwise the layers will tear
• Place sealed side down on lined baking tray and bake for 30minutes until the top and bottom are a light golden brown

Enjoy your Teochew mooncake. It is really yummylicious!!

Recipe adapted from House Of Annie

" I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers#11: Mid-Autumn Treat (September 2011) hosted by Happy Home Baking " 

TINY MINI SNOWSKIN MOONCAKES

Inspired truly by Happy Home Baking's Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treat [September 2011]  , I am ready to take up a new challenge : Making my very first Mooncake. Unbelievable , well believe it .

First I have to tug my baby to sleep before preparing for my first attempt to make Mooncake . So I was humming and patting Ryan to sleep on his playpen cum bed, telling him " baby , mama is gonna make u some delicious mooncake today . So be a good boy now , u go to sleep so mama can work on the mooncake " . Within minutes , Ryan fell asleep. Yippeee !!!!!!!!!!

Even my bunny can't resist it! Seriously Simply Delicious and yummy. The moment my darling , baby Ryan was awake, I immediately treat him a quarter of this pretty piece of snowskin mooncake. Upon tasting it , he so love the taste of the mooncake , to have him asking for more . Gosh.. seriously unbelievable ....

I am never a big fan of mooncake . You know how woman should watch their calories intake and all. I have to say , the snowskin mooncake won this time. Feeling guilty and sorry , I just can't resist eating another one after tasting 2 of it.

Snowskin Mini Mooncake 

Ingredients 

For the snowskin :

75g   Cooked Glutinous Rice Flour 

50g   Icing Sugar 

25g   Shortening 

90ml Cold Water 

For the Filling : 

300g   Pandan Lotus Paste

60g     Melon Seeds

Method 

• Sieve glutinous rice flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl . Rub in shortening to form into crumbs. 
• Add in cold water and knead a few times to form a smooth soft dough. 
• Leave dough in the fridge for 15 minutes
• Dived dough into 20g per piece and shape it into round balls .
• Mix pandan lotus paste and melon seeds. Divide into 30g balls and set aside.
• Flatten each dough and roll out into 3 mm thick or 5 cm in diameter 
• Wrap the pandan paste filling with the flatten dough skin and seals the seams
• Dust mooncake moulds [ small mooncake moulds of diameter 4 cm] . Place the wrapped dough into the mooncake mould and press the mould . Remove the mooncake from the mould . 
• Chill the mooncake in the fridge and serve cold. 
• Enjoy your delicious mini snowskin mooncake 

I adapted this recipe from Happy Home Baking 

"I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treat (September 2011) hosted by Happy Home Baking "