Pandan Chiffon Cupcake

Trying to bake pandan chiffon in the form of cupcakes. Always wonder if it can be done. Saw some others tried & posted their bakes.

Here are my bakes. They are nicely baked on the outside & soft on the inside. I like the outcome.  

Pandan Chiffon Recipe:

Ingredients 

Batter A : 

6 egg whites 

100g sugar 

1/2 tsp cream of tartar 

Batter B:

6 egg yolks 

100g sugar

100g plain flour 

50g ( 1/4 cup) oil

50g ( 1/4 cup ) coconut milk 

1 tbsp Pandan extract 

1/2 baking powder ( optional ) 

Preparation steps : 

1. Separate the ingredients needed respectively. Batter A & batter B. 

2. Put all the ingredients for batter A in a mixing bowl & whisk until stiff peak. 

3. In a separate mixing bowl, add egg yolks & sugar. Mix well. Then add the coconut milk , oil & Pandan extract. Mix well. 

4. Fold in the flour until well mixed. 

5. Gently fold batter A into batter B until well combined. 

6. Line muffin trays with liners & fill in the batter until 2/3 full. Tap a few times to release the trapped air if there is any. 

7. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degree C for 30 minutes. 

8. Remove & let it cool completely. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's notes: 

1. This is the same recipe that I used for baking chiffon in the chiffon baking tin.

2. For normal chiffon bake, bake for 55 mins to get the lovely crust on the side. Turn baking tin upside down for cooling. Remove cake from baking tin. Slice the cake into serving portion before serving. 

3. Other chiffon bakes 

http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/09/earl-grey-chiffonc.html?m=1

4. 1 March 2015 - a few asked if Cream of tartar is a must. I don't think it is a must as long as the egg white is whisked to stiff peak. I just have to test it out.  It is possible & below is my bake without cream of tartar added to the egg whites. 

Jiu Hu Char - Fried shredded yam bean with dried cuttlefish

Jiu Hu Char

If you are from Penang, you will know this dish. With just a few ingredients, it is full of flavours.

It can be eaten with rice or just wrap with Chinese lettuce. Homemade sambal is a must for this dish. 

Bangkuang / yam bean

Ingredients

This is how I wrap it. Spread some sambal on the Chinese lettuce, & with a spoon full of jiu hu char. 

& just fold it up like this. 

Jiu Hu Char Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

500g yam bean / bangkuang

2 carrots 

3 dried mushrooms - soak in water. 

5 cloves garlic - minced 

50g shredded dried cuttle fish - cleaned 

50g dried shrimps - cleaned 

2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar or to taste

Salt & pepper to tast

3 tbsp cooking oil

100ml water

Preparation steps:

1. Thinly shred the bangkuangs & carrots. As thin as you can, about toothpick length & size. 

2. Thinly sliced the soften mushrooms. 

3. Heat up oil in a wok. Add the garlic, fry until fragrant then add in the cuttlefish & dried shrimps. Fry until fragrant. 

4. Add the mushrooms, fry a little then add the carrots. Fry for a few minutes. 

5. Add the bangkuang, fry until they are soften. Add some water & all the seasoning. stir well & let it simmer for 10minutes. Then fry until semi dry. 

6. Let it cool, keep in the fridge & reheat the next day before serving. 

7. Serve with steamed cooked rice / Chinese lettuce. Sambal is a must! 

Bon appétit !!

Chin's notes : 

1. Best eaten the next day. 

2. Sometimes, pork belly is added to this dish, thinly slice the pork belly to the same size of the bankuang / carrot. 

3. Homemade sambal recipe : http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/12/sambal-belacan.html?m=0

Yusheng without the fish

A popular dish during the Chinese New Year festive celebration.  This dish symbolises good luck, good fortune , good health, good success & everything that is good in life!

Here is my very simple version of YuSheng (鱼生) without the fish. ;) 

Ingredients: 

Carrots - thinly sliced 

Romanian lettuce - thinly sliced 

Pomelo - loosen the pulps

Yusheng sauce / plum sauce

Peanuts - crushed coarsely 

Sesame seeds - I used wasabi flavoured sesame seeds

Coriander leaves 

A dash of 5 spice powder 

Preparation steps :

1. Lay carrots , lettuce & pomelo neatly on the plate. 

2. Add the sauce , followed by peanuts, sesame seeds, some 5 spice powder then coriander leaves. 

3. Gathered everyone & toss with the chopsticks, as high as you can and say all the good wishes as you toss! 

4. Lastly everyone shout "Huat Ah" (good fortune)! 

Bon appétit !!

Chin's notes:

1. Other ingredients can be added

Sugared winter melons

Pickled ginger

Crackers

2. Raw salmon / canned abalone sliced.

3. The raw fish sauce that I used 

Happy Chinese New Year 2015

Managed to get my house decorated with some simple decoration for the year of the goat. 

Simplified PenCai (盆菜)

All yummy food in a pot.  Last minute decided to prepare PenCai (盆菜). Normally it will take a long time, even days to prepare this dish. A popular dish during the Chinese New Year's celebration / reunion dinner.

A quick check into my stocks, I don't have frozen scallops :( I'll just have to make do with what I have available in my kitchen. 

Phew! I found 2 cans of braised abalone! 

Lay the ingredients neatly on the vegetables. 

After 1.5hr, voilà! a simple PenCai is served. 

We had it with Beehoon today. Yum! 

Simplified PenCai Recipe:

Ingredients

2 cans of braised abalones - I used Skylight

1 can of limpets 

Some dried mushrooms - soaked 

Some prawns 

1 Chinese cabbage - cut into big pieces. 

Some fish maw 

Other seafood of choice 

Fresh mushrooms of choice 

Some canned abalone 

Roasted pork / chicken ( optional ) 

Preparation steps: 

1. Separate the canned ingredients & the broth. 

2. Pour broth into a pot & bring to boil. 

3. Add in the Chinese cabbage. 

4. Add in the soaked dried mushrooms. Bring to boil for about 10 mins & let it simmer.  

5. Slowly arrange all the canned ingredients, seafood of choice & other ingredients neatly on the Chinese cabbage. Put on the lid & let it simmer until all ingredients are fully cooked. 

6. Served hot. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes: 

1. Use any ingredients that does not require a long cooking time. Normally I like to use fresh / frozen seafood. Fish balls are ideal too. 

2. Any choice of canned seafood are ideal, pacific clams are ideal too.

3. No additional seasoning is required as I find the braised abalone's broth is quite tasty. After the vegetable is cooked, it enhanced the broth.  Can add some oyster sauce if you like. 

4. No additional water is required as the Chinese cabbage will release some fluid during the cooking process. 

5. Idéal to eat this dish the following day. But I find that they are quite tasty on the day it was prepared. 

Origami - Fortune God (财神爷）

财神到！Saw some friends folding the cute Fortune God (财神爷）& I joined in the fun. I made from one long Chinese New Year red packet. 

Divide the red packet into 2 equal squares.

Here is the link to the video shared by my friends:

http://pinbox.tw/box/10230

The back of the Fortune God 

Summary of the steps from the video:

Grilled Fish with Crispy Garlic

I have always loved crispy garlic but I never thought that my kids will like crispy garlic too. 

Made this simple dish, my kids just loved them (except for the youngest child). 

Grilled Fish with Crispy Garlic Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

Any white fish fillets - I used frozen tilapia fillet. 

Garlics

Oil

Spring onions / coriander for garnishing. 

Lee Kum Kee - Seasoned soy sauce for seafood. 

Preparation steps : 

1. Grill the fish until it is fully cook about 10 - 15 mins on high. 

2. Meanwhile finely chopped up the garlic as much garlic as you wish. 

3. Heat up oil in a wok/pan. Fried the garlic until golden brown. 

4. Remove fish from the oven, place on plate, pour 1 - 2 tbsp of seasoned soy sauce on the fish ( depending on the size of the fish), followed by the crispy garlic & add garnishing.

Bon appétit !!

Chin's notes:

1. Don't over fried the garlic as they will turn bitter.

2: I did not marinate the fish as I find that the seasoned soy sauce is quite tasty. 

3. Whole fish is also great for this dish. 

4. Alternatively you can steamed the whole fish / pan fried the fish fillet. 

Spring is coming

Spring is just around the corner.  First blooms from my garden lawn.... 

Fortune Sacks that brings good fortunes

Fortune Sacks / Money Bags a popular dish during Chinese New Year that served is some restaurants. I made these from wanton skin and used the ingredients similar with Jiao zi with a slight different marinating ingredients.

Here is a video on how the sacks were prepared.
Link : http://youtu.be/yL2gUUjlmf4

Ingredients:
100g minced pork
10 medium size prawns
10 water chestnuts
2 dried mushrooms (soaked)
2 cloves garlic
thumb size ginger
2 stalks spring onions
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
pepper to taste

for wrapping :-
Wanton skins
Spring onions / Chinese chives

Chinese New Year Craft - 2015

Was busy the whole day today preparing the things needed for a craft session with the Brownies at school today. The objective is something about Chinese New Year. Initially wanted to make a dragon craft, then a pair of firecrackers. Eventually the night before, thought it will be a good idea to introduce the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals to the non-Asian kids (except for one, my daughter ;).

These were made by the kids. They had lots of fun & I had a bit of fun too.. ;) 

May this year of the wooden goat brings you happiness, wealth & good health all year round!!! Meeeh meeh... !! 

Chocolate Mouse with Video Tutorial

Made these for a get together at hubby's colleague's house. 

Special thanks to Joyce & XiuHui, who brought along a special gift that made my first independent video tutorial possible. 

Check out the video: 

http://youtu.be/C37PoVSVKqM

Recipe available here:

http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/12/music-to-your-mouth-chocolate-mousse.html?m=0

Chin's notes: 

1. I made a mistake by putting the French meringue on the mouse & fridged them together. It the end the meringue was not crispy, they turned soft. Hence best to decorate them just before serving if you are using meringue / nuts or anything that will turned soggy / soft. 

Banana muffin in a cake pan

Thank you, Jenny Lim for her wonderful idea of baking the banana muffin in the cake pan.

Baked at 180 degree C for 35 minutes.

Before bake.

I decorated with banana slices & mini skittles. Oops it is not skittles should be smarties. ;) This bake is for the Year 6 moms' coffee morning on Friday 6th Feb 2015. 

Banana Muffin Recipe :

http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/09/banana-muffins-with-chocolate-chips-nuts.html?m=0

Chin's notes:

1. For this cake pan, I baked in the preheated oven at 180 degree for 35mins. 

Squid in Dark Soy Sauce & Five Spice

One of my many childhood favourite dish. Normally my mom do not cook lunch / dinner but she has a few dishes that I love and this is one of them.

Added on 5th Feb 2015

Someone pointed that it could be baby octupus. I'll confirm my packing in the next purchase. :) 

Squids in Dark Soy Sauce & Five Spice Powder Recipe.

Ingredients :

400g squids cleaned

3 tbsp dark soy sauce 

1/8 tsp five spice powder

Some pepper, salt & sugar to taste. 

1 thumb size ginger - thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic - finely chopped

About 2 tbsp of cooking oil 

Preparation steps : 

1. Heat up oil in the pan / wok. Add the garlic & ginger, fry until fragrant. 

2. Add in the squids, give them a few good stir. Add dark soy sauce, five spice power, pepper, sugar, pepper & salt. Cover with a lid for a few mins. Occasionally stir the squids until all the squids are nicely browned & liquid reduced.

3. Dish out when squids are fully cooked.

4. Served with cooked steamed rice. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes:

1. This dish does not have much gravy. 

2. Add some chili flakes if you like them spicy.

3. Squids will release some liquid during the cooking process. 

Sea Kelp, Daikon & Pork Soup

Today decided to brew some soup. It has been a while since I last brewed this soup.  It is a clear soup & very tasty if I brew it long enough. Simmering in my ceramic soup pot for at least 2 hours or longer. 

At dinner time, after 3 hrs of brewing. Voilà !!! 

Sea Kelp, Daikon & Pork soup Recipe

Ingredients: 

300g Spare ribs / lean pork - if you like you can add more meat. 

1/2 daikon - slice thinly / cut chucks

1 carrot - cut chuncks 

50g of dried kelps - soaked & cut

10g wolfberry ( kei-chi in Cantonese) 

10 dried red dates

Few pieces of dried scallops / dried cuttlefish ( optional ) 

7 bowls of water. 

Salt to taste

Preparation steps:

1. Blanch the meat in boiling water, remove & clean.

2. In a separate pot add water & bring to boil. 

3. Add in the remaining ingredients & bring it to boil. Then simmer until the soup water reduced to 5 - 4 bowls.

4. Lastly add salt to taste. 

5. Served hot. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes : 

1. I sometimes used my pressure cooker / Thermal pot to reduced the cooking time. 

2. I'll normally add dried cuttlefish but today I forgot ;) 

3.There are different types of kelps.  Some are knotted. Adjust the amount accordingly. These was what I used.

After soaked, they doubled in the amount. Hence adjust the amount accordingly. 

Frying Raw Peanuts

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

Roasted Pork Belly - Siew Yoke

My friend SiewLee, shared this wonderful video on making roasted pork (siew yoke, in Cantonese) in Aug 2014. Since then I have always made my own siew yoke, they are yummy just like those you bought from the hawkers or at Chinatown. 

Here is the video link that she shared: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LsrJ3GJLo5I

My interpretation 

Ingredients:

ShaoXing cooking wine

Five spice powder

ground pepper

sugar - optional but I find that the meat taste nicer after bake.

Coarse sea salts

white vinegar

1. Marinate the pork belly with shaoxing cooking wine, pepper, five spice powder & some sugar. 

2. Leave the pork belly with the skin facing up overnight in the fridge for at least 12 hrs.  Do not cover, this will allow the skin to dry for the crispy skin after bake.

3. On the next day, take it out & prick the skin with skewers or with the tip of the knife. Prick as many tiny holes as you can. Only on the surface do not pierce into the fats.

4. Rub some white vinegar on the skin. Wrap it up with aluminium foil with the skin expose. Coat a layer (about 0.5cm to 1cm thick) of sea salts on the skin.  This will also prevent burning on the skin.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for 30 - 45 mins ( depending on the size of the meat). 

6. Remove the pork belly from the oven & remove the sea salt from the skin. Undo the aluminium wrap. Sit the pork belly on the rack, with the aluminium foil at the bottom to collect the oil from grilling. Change the oven mode to broil / crispy skin / grill mode. Put it back into the oven for 10 - 15 mins until skin is crispy. 

7. Once cooked, let the meat rest for 30 mins before serving.

8. Served with plum sauce / mustard sauce. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's notes:

1. During the grilling process, may need to cover the skin with aluminium foil if the heat is too strong.

2. Serve with your favourite mustard / plum sauce

3. My first bake in 14 Aug 2014 

My first bake of siew yoke

A little burnt on the side.

Coat with sea salts.