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 

ASPIRING BAKERS #29 : TAU YU BAK ( BRAISED PORK BELLY )

Back to those days , where I used to tie my pony tails high up , it was really fun and stress free days . Well, not really stress free all the time , heehee.... gotcha. There were those " exam is coming " time where I feel extremely excited and stressful . Gosh ... time flies . Those were the day I look like some "kampung ah moi " ( village girl ) .

When I saw Aspiring Bakers Theme , "Tau Yu Bak" came to my mind. I have always love having this dish as my dinner .  Childhood memories are always happy and ... errrr childish . But who cares . It's the most precious memories we have during our younger years of growing up to become who we are now. Anyone still remember their most trendy outfit back at teenage times ? Man, I can't believe myself when I flip thru those photo albums. My most trendy outfit was my baggy jeans with a checkered long sleeve blouse . I was really LMAO when I saw that very photo of myself.

Every family will have their own version of "Tau Yu Bak". Whereas my mom's version is actually Fuss Free and easy to prepare . Trust me, you will never get bored of this dish anytime soon .

TAU YU BAK
Ingredients
1 strip      Pork Belly
3 cloves   Garlic ( wash and pat dry )
4 tbsp      Dark Soya Sauce/ Dark Caramel Sauce ( adjust accordingly )
2-3 tbsp   Light Soya Sauce ( adjust accordingly )
1 pc         Rock Sugar ( thumb size )
1 tbsp      Cooking Oil
Water ( enough to cover the pork belly )

Method
1/ Wash and pat dry pork belly . Cut into chunks about 1/2 cm thick
2/ Heat up 1 tbsp oil in a work over medium high heat.
3/ Add pork and stir fry till dry and oil turns clear ( oil turns clear when pork strips turns dry )
4/ Add in garlic cloves and stir fry for another minute , then turn to medium heat. Stir in dark soya sauce and light soya sauce . Stir fry for another minute to coat the pork.
5/ Add in water enough to cover the pork . Once boil turn to low heat and add in rock sugar . Cover with lid ( do not cover tight leave a 2 cm gap ) and simmer over low heat.
6/ Stir every 3-5 minutes . Once gravy turn sticky, turn off the heat and cover with lid for another 2 minutes before serving .

 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 

BAKE ALONG #40 : BANANA NUT BREAD..... my first post of the year

Guess I owe everyone an apology . Heehee.... Well here we go , this will be my first post of the year 2013. I am happy to be back on track again baking along with my friends . Feels like its been a long time since I ever written anything this long . My apologies to all for being away , I shall be back blogging again in no time.

Life - birth , old and death ... this really means a lot to me now. My old age dog of 10 years left us on the 5th of March 2013 . It was a very sad day to all of us. I might not be the best mom, but he has been my best pet for the past 10 years. R.I.P my little darling ......

Banana has always been one my favourite food . I simply love bananas. Same goes to my kids. Both my boys love bananas... give them anything bananas and they will love it. I have to admit that there might be some mistake while mixing the ingredient which has cause my bread to rise not as high, overall results- we love this bread. Well, do you mind me winding ? Just a little bit ? ermmm... ya maybe not this time ya. LOL

BANANA NUT BREAD
Recipe ( from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book )

95gm  Unsalted butter , softened
170gm Sugar ( original recipe calls for 250g )
280gm Bananas ( mash and set aside )
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2cup Buttermilk
2cups Plain flour
1tsp  Baking soda
1tsp  Baking powder
1tsp  Ground nutmeg
1/2tsp Salt
90g   Walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts ( coarsely chop/ I use walnut )

Method:
1.Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and lightly flour  9x5 inch loaf pan.
2.In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy.Add mashed bananas and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the buttermilk and beat until just combined.
3. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and beat just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy . Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4.Pour the batter into the prepared pan. It should be no more than two thirds full. Bake until the top is dark golden brown and dry to the touch, about 55-60minutes ( this is the part I knew something went wrong when I was mixing . Mine took 1 1/2 hours to be done ) . A cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

                                                 



I am submitting post to Bake Along #40 : Banana Nut Bread hosted by Lena of frozen wings , Joyce of kitchen flavours and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids

Bake Along #33 : Cream Puff With Lemon Rosemary Filling

Ok, guess its really time for me to update my blog just a little more... LOL . So sorry for being away for so long. Not gonna be long winding about my job again this time, guess everyone already knows....Heehee...It's time for our Bake Along again. This time around , we are gonna bake Cream Puff .  I gotta say I was lucky to succeed on my first attempt . The later was history .... gosh , I just couldn't stop baking cream puff ever since.

I knew I didn't do a good job this time around , brain jam for that split second as I was not able to capture the right angle . I keep playing around with the cream puff, arranging it on a plate , a box , a fork , well nothing really impress me . Guess my brain kind of need a break too yeah . Since I have some fresh rosemary in my garden , I have decided to make good use of it .Heehee....... fresh herbs in my garden always makes me feel good to bake ..... the aroma of the fresh herbs goodies baking in my oven makes me feels relaxing ...... 

If you have follow my blog all along, you will know how much I love lemon . I have opted to fill the cream puff with Lemon Rosemary Cream with a dollop of Lemon Curd in the middle. Yum yum.........

Please kindly hop over to Quay Po Cook's blogspot for the recipe . As usual , I am kind of in a rush to finish up everything . Again , I would like to apologize for being MIA . I promise to try to post more recipe as soon as time permits .

                                                            
I am submitting post to Bake Along #33 : Creme Puff hosted by Lena of frozen wings , Joyce of kitchen flavours and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids

Love At First Bite ........ Hokkaido Chiffon Cake

Well my new job is really making me go nuts at time. I gotta apologize for my being MIA , even though this is not my first MIA, [ LOL wink wink ], I am pretty sad when I have to put aside my baking and all for my job. Baking is joy for me actually . I miss lots of events which I myself have lost count . Finally , last night I have my own time to bake cake...... At last....................

 It was really love at first bite. Instantly fell in love with this Hokkaido Chiffon Cake when I first ate this at one of the blogger's gathering. It was simply irresistible. All thanks to Veron from Quay Po Cooks for bringing us such a lovely dessert . I simply can't take it off my mind all this while. LOL............. Dang.......... I was lucky , last night , baby was behaving well, that's when I was actually fit to bake again after a long break . Guess what ? ....

Baby love this . He finished one whole cupcake by himself right after I fill the cake with Whipped Cream. It's always fun to see him eat . Kids are always honest with food. Either they like it or they don't . They are adorable and cute especially when they appreciate our cooking... don't you agree ?

Please hop over to Quay Po Cooks for the full recipe of this lovely Hokkaido Chiffon Cake . I would like to wish all my Muslim friends Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Safe journey back home yeah .... Enjoy !!

Dinner again ...........Three Cups Chicken with Pork Ribs Peanut Porridge

Lately , I was pretty lazy to bake as my job is seriously taking up most of my time. As baby is growing up , I have to pay extra attention to him . He will stick to me clinging at my legs the moment I step into my house . Well , I have to admit that I love that very much . His welcoming smile is so warm as if he is telling me " well , mom , no worries I am a good boy " kind of smile. I simply love his laughter , his smile and he will even imitate some cartoon characters just to cheer me up sometimes.

Last weekend was a busy weekend for me. But.... it didn't stop me from trying out new dishes for my family . I was browsing thru some recipes over at Wendy's when I saw this recipe about three cups chicken which sounds flavorful and yummy . I have once tried another recipe of three cups chicken , but I don't really like the   outcome of it. This time, it's different . I pretty love this dish as much as my family . I will rate this dish as 5 stars " must try " dish .

Again , I am not going to post the full recipe here . Please kindly hop over to Wendy's blog for the full recipe of this dish . As seen on my pic, I was not able to find any Thai Basil . I just have to omit it from this dish . Even without Thai Basil , this dish still turn out to be delicious . A recipe worth keeping .

Dinner menu was great : Pork rib peanut porridge with three cups chicken . Yummy . Verdict : everyone loves the three cups chicken which add flavors to our commonly found pork ribs peanut porridge . LOL. Enjoy ...

No Bake Char Siu ... My Happy Dinner Begins.....

When I saw Wendy's post , I quickly gab my pen and paper to jot down the ingredients and method . Oh my I simply love the idea of using Palm Sugar for cooking. This recipe is seriously so tempting , I simply couldn't wait to try it out . You know how it feels when you have to work in the day time and still rush home to cook for dinner . Sometimes , I am just plain lazy to think what to cook for dinner ....

I have to say , this is indeed a very yummy dish . It cheers up everyone seated at the dining table. I was impressed by how much this dish changes a mundane mood .. LOL.. All thanks to Wendy for sharing this recipe . Please hop over to Wendy's blog for full recipe . I have to dismiss myself from here as I need to prepare my next dinner .. LOL . 

More post to come tonite ... Stay tune .... 

Cinnamon Nut Chiffon Cake

I have to apologize for my absent as I am still trying hard to adapt myself to my new working environment. Well I guess its actually not easy for me to get used to my new working environment just yet .  LOL.... Never mind , lets get back to my chiffon cake. To be very honest , this is actually my first time baking a chiffon cake. I have never own any angel cake pan before. As such I have to actually wait for my lazy ass to move so that I can buy myself a nice angel cake pan . And finally ........ tada.......

I finally get to bake this delicious chiffon cake. Well , as usual, I finish baking this at 11.30 pm last night . By the time I woke up this morning , only 2 slices left for myself. Heehee.... good good. At least everyone seems to enjoy their breakfast . How was your father's day celebration ? I didn't manage to get snap any photos of the meals that I have prepared as everyone seems to be hungry staring and waiting .. LOL..

I simply love the soft and spongy texture of chiffon cake. Reminds me so much of my childhood , when my mom will actually take the effort to bake pandan chiffon cake for us to bring to school . Yeah , each bite of this chiffon cake brings back my childhood memories . Sweet yeah ..... yaya I know ...

Cinnamon Nut Chiffon Cake [ recipe adapted from Alex Goh recipe book Fruit Cakes ] 
Ingredients
4 egg yolks [ use large egg ]
20g      Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
60g      Vegetable Oil
65g      Milk

90g      Superfine Flour
1tsp     Ground Cinnamon [ Original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp ]
25g      Ground Almond / Ground Hazelnut
1/2 tsp  Baking Powder

for Meringue :
4 egg whites [ use large eggs ]
65g       Sugar [ Original recipe calls for 100g ]
1/8 tsp  Cream of tartar

60g       Chopped Mix Nut of your choice [ I use almond nibs ]

Method :
1/   Pre heat oven at 170C .Using a hand whisk, mix egg yolks, sugar, salt, vegetable oil and milk in a large mixing bowl  until well blended . Add in superfine flour , baking powder, ground cinnamon and ground almond into egg mixture. Mix until well combine.
2/   In an electric mixer , beat egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add in cream of tartar and sugar . Continue beating until stiff peak form
3/   Scoop 1/4 of the meringue and mix with egg yolk mixture until well combine. Fold in the remainder meringue till well combine
4/   Add in chopped mix nuts . Mix well.
5/   Pour batter into 22 cm angel cake pan and sprinkle with some chopped nuts on top [ optional ]
6/   Bake at pre heated oven for 40 minutes at 170C
7/   Invert cake on wire rack immediately after taking out from the oven. Leave aside to cool on a rack .
8/   Unmold cake from pan after cool .

Enjoy your Chiffon Cake yeah !!!



I am linking this post to Recipe Box 1 hosted by Bizzy Bakes

Bake Along #23 : Honey Walnut Cake

I was kind of  curious to try out this recipe. Honestly , this is my first time eating a honey cake. The results:   a very yummy cake. This cake has a very soft and moist texture. We really love this cake to the max. Again, I am always the last one to post for any blog event. For this round of Free & Easy Bake Along #23 , we are baking Honey Walnut Cake .

I was pretty concern about grinding the toasted walnut. After reading a few post about the ground walnut being lumpy after grinding it for too long, I was pretty stressed when I was about to press the 'pulse' button on my food processor . LOL.... yaya ... I know I am no more gutsy girl like I used to be . I am "aging".... OMG... Guess I gotta admit this yeah ... Heehee.. well I am pretty happy and proud to be a mother of three , so no regrets for not being a 'gutsy girl' anymore.

 

Lets get back to the cake. I actually plan to bake this cake again tonight as I really love this cake . We simply love the chewy and fluffy mouthfeel of this cake . If you don't mind having honey in your bake, feel free to try this cake. 

Honey Walnut Cake from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman

Ingredients

1 1/2cups Walnut
1/3cup    Sugar
1cup      Unbleached All Purpose Flour ( I use cake flour )
1 1/2tsp  Baking Powder
1/4tsp    Salt
3/4cup    Unsalted Butter (softened)
6tbsp     Honey
3large    Eggs
1tsp      Lemon Zest (I use grated lemon zest from 1 lemon)
1/2tsp    Vanilla Extract
confectioners' sugar ( for dusting )

Method

1.Preheat the oven at 176C. Grease and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment , dust the sides of the pan and parchment with flour.
2.Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant in the pre heated oven, for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
3.Combine walnuts and 1 tbsp of sugar in the bowl of food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts are fine. Add flour, baking powder, salt and pulse  few times to combine.
4.In a large mixing bowl, add butter, honey and remaining sugar and beat on medium high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl . Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5.Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. Add the nut flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, mix until just incorporated.
6.Scrap the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake in pre heated oven at lower third rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry, about 35 to 40 minutes ( mine actually took extra 15 minutes to bake ) . If the cake starts to brown too much around the edges, loosely tent with foil after 25 minutes.
7.Let the cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack and then turn it right side up again to cool completely. Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Enjoy your cake yeah !!!

Pecan Sticky Bun ...

When I first saw Wendy posting this , I immediately fell in love with it . I have always love caramel and nuts , not to mention cinnamon rolls .. LOL ... The only problem I have is , I don't own any bread machine , which make the process of kneading a bit tough for me as I have to either use my pair of hand or the mixer to do the job ... Poor mixer ... LOL... Since I have to send my mixer back for warranty claim , which means I won't be able to bake any bread or buns for the time being until my mixer is back. All simply because I am lousy when it comes to kneading sticky bread dough...

I love the taste of this bun . This is definitely a keeper. I did reduce the amount of honey and golden syrup to half of the original recipe.  It turns out to be superb. No words can actually describe this yummy buns. You have to try it yourself to know it ... LOL ... I have to thanks Wendy for sharing this great recipe .

Please hop over to Wendy's blog Table for 2 ..... or More  for the recipe . I am glad to visit all my favourite blog during my free time. Browsing thru their post makes me wanna try all of it ... LOL... then my "to-do-list" is growing yeah .... Enjoy your Pecan Sticky Bun yeah

Stir Fry Butter Squids with Ginger and Garlic .... and not one but 2 Awards

I seldom post about my cooking, not because I don't cook often, but its because everyone seems hungry and can't wait to sink their spoons and fork into the dish before I can even lift up my DSLR.. LOL.. Since I reach home early yesterday , I actually have some extra time to prepare dinner earlier and take a few shots of the dish.

This is actually a very simple yet tasty dish . It took me less than 20 minutes to get it ready to be serve on the dining table . Simply irresistible dish . Try it yourself and you'll know what I mean . I remember getting this recipe from one of my very old recipe book , but I can't quite remember which book .I am so used to preparing this dish , I can't quite remember the exact amount of sauces and ingredients needed . 

Stir Fry Butter Squids with Ginger and Garlic 

Ingredients 

300g   Squid [ own preference ] 

3cm    Ginger [ chop coarsely ] 

5pips  Garlic [ peel and chop coarsely ]  

Some chili padi [ optional ] 

Sauce

1tbsp  Light Soy Sauce

1tbsp  Oyster Sauce 

2tbps  Water 

1/2tsp Sugar 

Method 

1/   Clean the squid and cut into bite sizes . Blanch squid in boiling water , strain and set aside .

2/   In a medium bowl , mix all ingredients for sauce and stir well to mix.

3/   Heat up 2 tbsp butter / margerine in a non-stick pan. Add in chopped ginger, garlic and chili padi. Stir fry at medium heat till fragarant. Add in squid and stir fry for further 5 minutes 

4/   Add in the sauce and stir fry till well mix and simmer at medium low fire for another 3 minutes stirring constantly . Dish up and serve with rice . 

Enjoy your Stir Fry Butter Squid with Ginger and Garlic !!!!

The happiest moment for a new blogger like me is when we actually receive award from our blog buddies. I am so happy today to learn about the award . I am so happy and glad to receive this two award from Anuja of Simple Baking. It really brightens up my day . 

                                                                

                                                 

Rules for both the awards are :

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this Award and link them back.

2. Say some 5 random facts about you.

3. Spread the  joy by nominating other bloggers.

4. Convey the blogger about the nomination. 

Random facts about me :

1. I am always independent , thats me yay ;) 

2. I am a fussy person, as in I like to see my kitchen clean and neat . No one dares to mess with it ;) 

3. I am glad to be a mother of three 

4. I love books fiction, non-fiction, recipe books... u name it all 

5. I love to watch CSI , oh yeah very very much in love with that . 

I would like to share this award with my beloved blogger : 

1. Joyce of kitchen flavours

2. lena of frozen wings

3. Zoe of Bake for happy kids

4. Min of Min's Blog 

I enjoy and love reading all their post . Wish everyone a wonderful day ahead !!!