Ang Ku Kuih with Peanuts

Trying a new flavour. I was back in Singapore for my father-in-laws' funeral last May & get a chance to try Ang Ku Kuih with peanut filling.

I have to get my hands to try to make them.  Love the peanuts !! 

I used the peanut filling's recipe from Guai Shu Shu's website. Link to recipe: 

https://kwgls.wordpress.com/2014/08/23/an-auspicious-chinese-steamed-cakered-tortoise-steamed-cake-angku-kuih-（红龟粿）/

Chin's notes : 

1. I replaced plain flour with corn flour. 

2. For the dough recipe I used Rasa Malaysia's recipe: 

http://rasamalaysia.com/angku-kuih-red-tortoise-cake/2/

Quick Homemade Satay Sauce

This is an improved satay sauce which was very well received by my Singaporean guests. I made once in made in December 2014. I think I have finally got it to the taste that I wanted.

I did not made from scratch because I have a wonderful ready nasi lemak chilli from Singapore. Most of the ingredients for satay sauce is the same as the nasi lemak chilli, so it saves me some preparation time & I can quickly get my sauce ready before my guests arrives ;) 

Fried raw peanut, with skin removed.

Chopped red onions.

Cucumbers & red onions to dip into sauce

Here is a picture of the nasi lemak chilli that I used. 

Quick Homemade Satay Sauce. 

1 bottle of nasi lemak chilli 

3 red onions ( finely chopped ) 

400g of peanuts ( grounded coarsely )

500ml of coconut milk ( I used 2 pkt of ready coconut milk )

5 lemon grass ( bruised )

2 tbsp of sugar ( more if you like sweeter sauce ) 

2 tbsp of curry powder ( I used the curry powder for meat ) 

15g tamarind pulps mix with some water 

2 tbsp of cooking oil

Salt to taste ( I did not add salt ) 

Preparation steps: 

1. Heat up the oil in the pot & fry the onions until fragrant, add in the nasi lemak sambal, coconut milk, peanuts, sugar, lemon grass, curry powder & tamarind paste. 

2. Mix well, simmer about 30 minutes on medium heat. Simmer until the peanuts are soft but still a little crunchy. Stir the mixture frequently to prevent burning of the sauce at the bottom.

3. If sauce become too thick, add some water. 

Voilà! 

Chin's notes:

1. I like my satay sauce crunchy, hence I'll will lightly ground my peanuts with my food processor with lots of chunky peanuts. 

2. If you like the peanuts softer, cook a little longer. 

Wrapping Rice Dumplings (包粽子)

Rice Dumplings

One of my favourite snacks. Usually I will buy them from the market or at the mall.  The most difficult part is not the ingredients, it is the way it was wrap & how to get all the nice corners & the dumpling has a nice solid shape!!

I have always wanted to learn how to wrap them & decided to take up the challenge a few days ago. I have been gathering information on how to wrap the rice dumplings. 

I found this video (the link below) very informative because she showed you how to get the nice corners. 

http://youtu.be/Hitm0V8unvs

This is my first attempt & I don't want to use expensive ingredients. For this practice session I used glutinous rice, some beans & peanuts soaked overnight then fried with salt & coconut milk. Only made 7 rice dumplings. 

Ta-da!!! My first rice dumpling. :)

A bit skinny, need to get a fuller dumpling next time.

How they were made...

1. Soaked the dried bamboo leaves. Cut away the hard stems from the bamboo leaves. 

Trim of the hard stems they will get in the way during wrapping.

2. With the top side of the bamboo leaves facing you, make a cone & fill up with rice. 

Fill it up with the rice and pressed to firm up the rice mixture.

3. Fold the top flap flat onto the rice filling & press the 2 corners & adjust accordingly until you get a nice pointy corners ( refer to video). Then get the other corner & fold it neatly & tug away the leaves to the side. 

Side View: Fold the top flap down and adjust the 2 corners.

Top View: Need to get into this shape where the top flap were folded onto the rice.

4. Secure the rice dumplings with strings. 

It takes a while to get the hang of it.. Took me a while to secure ONE.

5. Boil for 1.5hr with dumplings completely submerged into water then hung to dry & cool. 

They are heavy after cooked.

6. There were one or two dumplings with exposed rice but all my rice dumplings were still intact! Overall I think it was quite a successful challenge!!! :) 

Oops! An exposed rice dumplings!

Bon courage!!!

Chin's notes: 

1. Use the top side of the leave instead of the bottom. When the rice are cooked, they will not stick to the leaves. 

2. I find that it is easy to wrap if the glutinous rice is slightly cooked compared to raw glutinous rice.

3. I practiced with raw glutinous rice, a bit too loose. It is more difficult to manage the corners as well. 

Frying Raw Peanuts

Cannot decide what to make from these fried peanuts. Will fried them first & decide later.  :P

Kok-chai or mini peanut puff

Can't remembered when was the last time I had these.

Saw Lucinda Lau from Baking's Corner posted the recipe below & decided to give it a try .. They were time consuming but it is worth it all cos they are yummy!!! The pastry texture are nice & crispy. 

Recipe from Lucinda Lau from Baking's Corner 

Kok-chai - mini puffs recipe 

Ingredients : 

Dough - 

300g Plain flour ( sifted ) 

1/2 bowl / 125g cooking oil

1/2 bowl of water 

Peanuts Fillings - 

300g Peanuts ( cooked & finely pounded) 

100g sugar 

30g sesame seeds toasted 

Methods : 

1. Prepare the peanuts fillings & set aside. It can be done a few days before. 

2. Prepare the dough. Put all the flour in the mixing bowl. Make a well & add the oil. Combine the flour & the oil to form a dough. 

3. Slowly add in the water & knead to form a smooth & soft dough. Do not add in all the water at once. Add in half, knead and add a little water when needed until the dough is smooth & soft.

4. Divide your dough, about 5g each ( or lesser), make a ball & flatten with rolling pin. Put the peanut fillings in the middle then seal the edges gently, pinch & fold to get the lace prints on the edges. 

5. Deep fry until they are golden brown & cook. 

Chin's notes :

1. You can replace the peanuts fillings with sambal dried shrimps / heah bee hiam. 

2. Make them as small as you can. Mine is a bit big. 

3. Here is a video as a reference to folding the edges. ( added on 04/01/2015)

http://youtu.be/4bvSWxY1AVU