Shrimp In Sugar-cane ( Tôm Bọc Mía )

Shrimp In Sugar-cane ( Tôm Bọc Mía )

Recipe source : Adapted from  VietnameseFood

My son described to me what he had eaten at a restaurant and wanted me to make it for him. Shrimp In Sugar-cane is a popular Vietnamese fare that can either be grilled or deep-fried. I opted to grilled them which is easier for me and comparatively less oily.

The shrimp paste was rather sticky. Make sure you have a small dish of vegetable oil to rub your hands first before wrapping the shrimp paste around the sugar cane. You will need more oil to firm up and shape the paste to encircle the sugar cane to make it look like a drumstick.

The taste was unique. When you have eaten the meaty parts of the grilled prawn paste, you get to gnaw on the piece of sugar cane which is sweet and refreshing. 

It is even better when you dip them in chilli sauce or make your own Vietnamese dipping fish sauce. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

300g shrimps ( net weight )
2 sections sugar cane , cut into 12 pieces
3 tbsp tapioca flour
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk spring onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp pepper
a small dish of vegetable oil to lubricate your hands

  

Method

1.  Chopped the shrimps. Mix well with the minced shallots, garlic and spring onions.
2.  Add in tapioca flour, salt, soy sauce, vegetable oil, pepper, sugar and mix well to form a paste.
3.  Apply oil on both hands and scoop the shrimp paste to wrap around a piece of sugar cane. Press firmly.
4.  Repeat the process with the remaining shrimp paste and sugar cane. 
5.  Grill at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.
6.  Serve with chilli sauce.

Pumpkin Mock Abacus Seeds 南瓜算盘子

Pumpkin Mock Abacus Seeds  南瓜算盘子

Recipe source :  Y3K Magazine - Catherine Chia's kitchen

These lovely "abacus seeds" look so pretty. They look like golden coins. This can be a meal on its own, very similar to a pasta or a noodle dish and it is truly filling. These pumpkin abacus seeds are imitations of yam abacus seeds which is a traditional dish of the Hakka community.   
This delicacy is not something easily available nor is it widely sold in restaurants, well, at least not around the vicinity where I stay.   

I like this pumpkin coins more than the yam version. On its own, the pumpkin coins are rather bland. Once you add in the other ingredients it becomes a great dish. The ingredients were well blended to complement each other. Every mouthful is bursting with the wonderfully combined flavours of fragrant and chewy cuttle fish, mixed with crunchy black fungus and bits of minced pork.

I am always very happy to share when I stumbled upon a great recipe.
This is one of the fabulous ones! 

Ingredients A

600g pumpkin
300g tapioca flour
1 tbsp cooking oil

Ingredients B

1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp dried shrimps ( soaked, drained and diced )              ( I used dried scallop )
100g minced chicken meat /pork
2 mushrooms ( soaked, drained and diced )
20g black fungus ( soaked and shredded )
50g dried cuttlefish shreds ( soaked )

Seasonings

2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Garnishing

1 stalk Chinese parsley  )
1 stalk spring onion         )  all diced
1 fresh red chilli               )

Top left : diced mushrooms. Top right :  dried scallops

Bottom left :  shredded black fungus.Bottom right : Cuttlefish filaments

Minced pork

Method

1.  Peel pumpkin, cut into pieces. Steam tilled cooked and soft, drain off excess water. Add in tapioca flour and oil. Knead into a dough. Do it while the pumpkin is still hot.
2.  Pinch about 5g to 10g of dough and shape into rounds and use a finger to make a dented impression into the centre. ( To make them look like abacus seeds )
3.  Boil the pumpkin seeds in hot water till they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a basin of cold water briefly. Drain away the water. Set aside. 
4.  Heat a wok with 2 tbsp oil. Saute the chopped garlic and shallots. Add in the diced mushrooms, black fungus, minced pork, dried scallops and the cuttlefish filaments. Stir-fry to mix everything together.
5.  Add in the seasoning ingredients and the par-boiled pumpkin seeds.
6.  Mix well, dish up and garnish. 

 Pumpkin seeds which has been par-boiled and drained in a colander

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for October 2014 is Pumpkin

Hosted by Eileen's Diary

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #17

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Deep-fried Prawns

Deep-fried Prawns

Recipe source :  Doris Choo of Sumptuous Flavours.

My family call this "chau har-look", literally meaning deep-fried prawn. I have a very deep  impression of this wonderful prawn dish. I ate this the first time during my late grandfather's birthday. I was probably five or six years old at that time. I still have vague memories of the house being crowded with uncles, aunts, countless numbers of cousins, other relatives and friends of our large extended family. And I had recollection of large basins of deep-fried prawns set aside on a table, waiting to be arranged onto serving platters for the grand birthday bash. I remember tents being set up around the large sprawling village home to accommodate so many people gathered together.

My family's original recipe probably used a combination of all-purpose flour and rice flour with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Over the years, my aunts and my horde of cousins have added various other ingredients to improve and enhance the taste of the batter. 

All these years I have never attempted to make this until I met some of my relatives recently and we started talking about the good old days. One thing led to another and here is the modified version after adjusting the recipe and gleaning some "secrets"  from the many aunts and cousins who all wanted a say as to what ingredients should go into the batter.  It was fun listening to the friendly banter!

Ingredients

500g medium-sized prawns, remove shells but keep the tails
4 tbsp tapioca flour
oil for deep frying

Marinade for prawns

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Marinate prawns for about 30 minutes

Ingredients for batter

50g plain flour
50g tapioca flour
50g rice flour
1 tbsp custard powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
a dash of pepper
some chopped spring onions or Chinese parsley
150ml water
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

Method

1.  Mix all the ingredients of the batter until smooth. Set aside.
2.  Heat enough oil in a wok for deep-frying. Heat until hot.
3.  Dredge marinated prawns into the 4 tbsp of tapioca flour. Then dip this dredged prawn into the batter to coat it evenly except the last bit of the prawn's tail.
4.  Place the prawn into hot oil and fry both sides until golden.
5.  Remove and drain on absorbent towels.

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for August 2014 is Flour

Hosted by  Domestic Goddess Wannabe

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

Kuih Lapis 九层糕

Kuih Lapis 九层糕

Recipe source :  The Malaysian Cookbook....page 29


I made this kuih lapis to be offered among the foods which I have prepared as Thanksgiving at a Taoist temple. It is now fast approaching the end of the Chinese lunar calendar and it is time to offer prayers in gratitude for blessings from the deities for the entire year. 

This is my first attempt at making this kuih lapis which is a Malaysian delicacy using rice flour and coconut milk as the main ingredients. The santan or coconut milk and the pandan leaves made this kuih very fragrant.

The Chinese refer to it as 'nine-layered cake'. I love to eat this by peeling off layer by layer to savour the fragrance and its sweetness. 

Ingredients

185g rice flour
125g tapioca flour
450ml santan or coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
drops of food colouring

Syrup ingredients

280g coarse sugar
150ml water
4 pandan leaves (screw-pine)
 

Method

1.  Sift the two types of flour together. Add santan gradually to the sifted flour. Blend into a smooth batter.
2.  Boil syrup ingredients over moderate heat till sugar dissolves. Strain the syrup and add hot water ( if necessary ) to bring it to 225ml. Pour hot syrup into the blended flour mixture.
3.  Reserve about 160ml of batter and add red colouring ( this is for the top most layer ).
4.  Divide the remaining batter into two portion, one white and one pink. (if you prefer to have more layers of different colours, then reserve a portion of about 160ml each to mix in the colour of your choice)
5.  Boil water in a steamer.
6.  Lightly grease a round cake tin ( 18cm diameter x 5 cm height  ).
7.  Place the cake tin in the steamer.
8.  Pour in a white layer of batter and steam for 4 to 7 minutes till cooked.
9.  Once the white layer is cooked, add in the pink layer and steam the same way.
10. Repeat the process with the batter, alternating the colours, layer by layer. 
11.  Use dark red for the top most final layer.
12.  Cool cake completely (preferably overnight ) before cutting.

Tip :  

Make sure each layer is thoroughly cooked before adding the next layer. The batter will  become opaque once it is cooked.

Long Bean & Orange Sweet Potato Dumpling 豆角番薯粿

Long Bean & Orange Sweet Potato Dumpling 豆角番薯粿

 Recipe source : Adapted from Authentic Chinese Dumpling cookbook


The colour is all natural from the orange sweet potatoes. The skin dough is soft and spongy while the long beans and minced pork give a crunchy texture to the filling. SK and I both find it delicious. But we have adapted the recipe to suit our taste. All in all we are very happy with this orange-hued dumpling. My mind is already working overtime, thinking of the possibilities of what filling to make next. 

Ingredients for the dough

110g orange sweet potato
100g glutinous flour
150g tapioca flour
250g boiling water ( use less water, about 150g is enough, otherwise the dough becomes very sticky ) 
1 tbsp cooking oil

Ingredients for the filling

120g minced pork
200g long beans ( diced )
20g carrot ( diced )
1 tbsp garlic ( chopped )
100 ml water
2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
dash of pepper
1 tsp cornflour

 Top : long beans
Middle :  a section of carrot
Bottom : orange sweet potatoes

 The prepared filling ready for wrapping

Instructions to cook the filling

1.  Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil until hot. Saute the chopped garlic until fragrant.

2.   Add in minced pork. Stir-fry briskly over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

3.  Add long beans and carrots. Toss well to mix evenly.

4.  Add water and seasoning and bring to the boil over high heat.

5.  Keep stirring until the water is almost dried up.

6.  Remove from heat and leave to cool. 

Instructions to make the dumpling

1.  Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into small pieces.

2.   Steam over high heat over boiling water until soft and tender.

3.  Mash into a smooth paste while still very hot. Set aside.

4.  In a mixer, add glutinous flour, tapioca flour and sweet potatoes.

5.  Add boiling water and cooking oil. Mix until a dough is formed. Knead until smooth.

6.  Flatten dough with a rolling pin and use a Chinese rice bowl to cut circles from the rolled out dough. Cover the dough with a wet cloth.

7.  Spoon 1 tbsp of filling onto the cut-out circle of dough and wrap into a semi-circle. Seal the edges.

8.  Bring both ends of the semi-circle together and pinched the tips to form a pouch-shaped.

9.  Place onto a greased steaming tray and steam over boiling water at high heat for about 8 minutes. 

10. Brush oil over the steamed dumplings immediately upon removing from the steamer. 
11.  Ready to serve.

 Pretty little dumplings

Turnip With Prawn & Carrot Dumpling 虾仁沙葛萝卜粿

  Turnip With Prawn & Carrot Dumpling 虾仁沙葛萝卜粿

Recipe source :  Cookbook ~ Authentic Chinese Dumpling published by Famous Cuisine Publisher Sdn Bhd

I was at the MPH Bookstore at the Mid-valley Mega Mall when I came across this cookbook titled "Authentic Chinese Dumpling". I grabbed it immediately and made a bee-line to the cashier's counter to pay for it. There are so many mouth-watering dumplings inside this cookbook. I am so happy with it. It's almost as if I have found some treasures! I just can't wait to try my hands at all the wonderful looking dumplings!

Today I am trying out - turnip or yam bean with prawn and carrot dumpling. It fascinates me to see the tiny carrot shreds sprinkled across the translucent dumpling skin. It's beautiful !. And its very tasty too!

Skin Ingredients

150g wheat starch ( Tang mein fun in Cantonese- 澄面粉)
50g tapioca flour
40g carrot  (shredded )
320ml boiling water

Filling

400g turnip or yam bean ( peeled, shredded )
150g prawns ( shelled, diced )
3 shallots ( chopped )
1 stalk spring onion ( diced )
100ml water
2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper

Spring onion, shredded carrot and turnip or yam bean

Instructions to cook the filling

1.  Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil. Saute chopped shallots over low heat until fragrant.
2.  Add prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3.  Add shredded turnip or yam bean and toss it for about 5 minutes.
4.  Add in water and the seasonings.
5.  Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, reduce to medium heat and simmer until turnip is tender and slightly dry.
6.  Add in spring onion and mix well.
7.  Dish up and set aside.
8.  Leave to cool.

Instructions to make the skin & wrap dumpling

1.  In a mixer, add wheat starch, tapioca flour and boiling water. Mix until it becomes a dough.
2.  Add in the shredded carrot and knead until dough is smooth.
3.  The dough is rather sticky. Dust a flat tabletop with flour and knead a while.
4.  Roll out dough into a large rectangle. Use a Chinese rice bowl to cut round circles of the dough. 
5.  Cover the rest with a wet cloth while working with the piece in hand.
6.  Spoon filling into a piece of round skin and wrap it up to form a semi-circle.
7.  Pinch the edges to seal.
8.  Arrange dumplings on a greased steamer and steam over boiling water, over high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.
9.  Remove from heat and brush with oil immediately. 
10. Ready to serve.

All wrapped-up and ready for steaming

Can you see the tiny carrot threads sprinkled across the the translucent skin ?

Isn't it beautiful ?

Salt Fish-Flavoured Fried Chicken 咸鱼炸鸡

Salt Fish-Flavoured Fried Chicken 咸鱼炸鸡

Recipe source :  replicated from a restaurant dish

SK and I first tasted this fried chicken at a small eatery in Telok Panglima Garang which is a small town along the Klang-Banting trunk road in Selangor, Malaysia.  We found this dish very special as the batter contains salt fish. In fact the aroma from frying the chicken floated around the whole restaurant when the chef fried the chicken pieces. I blogged about this outlet a few weeks ago. If you are interested to know more about that restaurant, you may read about it here. 

 

Ingredients

600g free-range chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
50g salt fish
500ml oil for deep frying

Batter

3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp tapioca flour
3 tbsp rice flour
120ml water 

 Raw salt fish

 Deep-fried salt fish

 The pestle and mortar to pound the deep-fried salt fish

Instructions

1.  Deep-fry the salt fish till light brown.
2.  Use a pestle and mortar to pound the salt fish into a fine powdery form or use a food processor to grind the salt fish.
3.  Mix the ground salt fish into the batter ingredients and stir well to mix evenly to form a smooth batter.
4.  Heat oil in a wok.
5.  Mix the chicken pieces with the batter and deep-fry until golden brown.
6.  Use kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.
7.  Arrange on a plate and ready to serve.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast (February 2013)  

hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker 

Marie Prawn Fritters 发财笑哈哈

Marie Prawn Fritters  发财笑哈哈

 

Recipe source :  Family recipe


The Cantonese loves having a prawn dish for their reunion dinner as the word for prawn  虾 or "ha" in Cantonese,  rhymes with "laughter" or "merriment".

Ingredients

250g large prawns, remove shells leaving the tails intact
500ml oil for deep frying

Marinade For Prawns

1 tsp salt
a dash of pepper
1 egg white

 Ingredients For the Batter

100g Marie biscuits, finely ground
175ml water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1  tbsp plain flour
1  tbsp tapioca flour
1  tbsp rice flour

A packet of Marie biscuits 

 Marie biscuits

  

Instructions

1.  Mix the batter ingredients together and stir to blend well to form a batter.
2.  Marinate the prawns with the prawn marinate for about 30 minutes.
3.  Add the prawns and marinade into the batter and mix thoroughly.
4   Heat oil in a wok until hot then reduce to medium flame.
5.  Dip the batter coated prawns into the hot oil.
6.  Deep-fry on both sides until golden brown .
7.  Place on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.
8.  Transfer to a plate and garnish with cucumber and tomatoes ( optional )

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013

hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover