Easy Popiah

Now that i have made Fresh Popiah Skin, i can't wait to try tasting them. Can't have a traditional Popiah Meal without the necessary ingredients and a good Popiah Meal require a long lists of fresh ingredients

The recipe for the filling is HERE Read More......

Pong Siak Ku

It was on this day, the eight day of the Chinese New Year that my family had to gather at Granpa and Grandma's home where the Celebration of the Hokkien New Year will be. It was celebrated with more grandeur compared to the 1st day, this was because our Hokkiens ancestors were in hiding in the sugarcane plantation from the bandits and only had the chance to celebrate the New Year on the 9th day. The good had triumphed over evil and the belief was and still is, that the Jade Emperor (Thee kong – translated as “king of the heavens”) protected our Hokkien ancestors from being caught, which is why we offer thanksgiving prayers to him..


Continue to read and for recipe HERE Read More......

Tee nyah kuih

 This 'kuih' is typically 'hokkien' and it is time that i talk about my heritage as hokkien 'lang' after being branded as a 'macau sai' by my paternal grandmother cos me and my siblings do not speak our 'mother tongue' that well or rather not at all. We spoke our Mother's tongue, cantonese, but it should not be our Mother's tongue but my Grandma's - Ah Po, who is cantonese. There was once when i was asked by my Ah Ma to tell this hokkien guy who came to look for my Ah Kong - 'ie kee liao pee la lui lee eh au pit'  - hokkien guy seemed to understand what i said, while i myself took a long time to figure out what i said.  Can any of my 'hokkian lang' readers tell me what i said?. 

This kuih is a speciality and will appear on the table of hokkien families during hokkien festivals.  My one and only Ah Koh, made the best tee nyah kuih and i would like my Ah Ma and Ah Koh to be proud of me by making this kuih although mine is not as good.

Ingredients:

1 lb rice flour
2 tbsps tapioca flour
1/2 tsp borax/ pang sar (optional)
2 tbsps potassium carbonate & sodium bi-carbonate solution
2000 ml/2 liters water
1 ½ tbsps cooking oil
1 tsp salt


Method:

Combine rice flour, tapioca flour, borax, potassium carbonate & sodium bi-carbonate solution, salt together in a microwave-safe bowl. . Add in the water, a little at a time, to prevent lumps. Give it a good mix before adding cooking oil and stir well and make sure borax is  dissolved.

Cook in the microwave until a very thick consistency, stirring after every intervals.
Pour in a greased 9 inches round steaming tray and spoon the 2 tablespoons of tap water over surface of kuih.

Steam kuih over rapidly boiling water for one hour.  Replenish water if necessary.  To prevent condensation, wrap steamer cover with a large piece of cloth(using a bamboo steamer is the best).

Test for doneness with a wooden skewer(lidi) pierced in the centre,  It should come out clean.

Cool kuih for a couple of hours before slicing.

Serve with Hong Bak or Red Cooked Pork or Tau Yue Bak

Serves

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Ground Pork With Salted Eggs

This is a traditional home-style dish. mostly passed on within families, and my paternal hokkien grandma used to serve this style which is very firm unlke the soft version. Trust me, it is VERY good as it is intentionally made to taste salty, so it goes well with white rice. Salted eggs are made with duck eggs but i will make with chicken eggs which are less expensive - there are 2 ways to make Homemade Salted eggs, i prefer this method better - Homemade Salted Eggs II.

Ingredients:

2 salted duck eggs, separated

1 pounds ground pork
2 eggs
1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp shaoxing wine
1/2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp white pepper

2 tbsp garlic fragrant oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Method:

Separate the white of the salted egg from the yolk. Divide the yolk into four pieces and mix the whites to the eggs. Beat the eggs lightly.

Mix in the ground pork and the seasonings. Lastly arrange the salted egg-yolks on top.

Drizzle with garlic fragrant oil and put to steam on low-medium heat until cooked.

Remove from steamer and drizzle with sesame oil.

Serve hot.

Serves

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Bee Koh

WISHING ALL A PROSPEROUS AND A BULLISH NEW YEAR
GONG XI FA CAI

A Nyonya dessert, bee koh is made as one of the food offerings for the Festival of the Jade Emperor, a Taoist god. This Nyonya version is made with white sugar while there is a version made with 'gula melaka' and is called 'Kuih Wajid'

Ingredients:

500 g glutinous rice, soaked overnight
450 g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon liquid glucose
500 ml thick coconut milk (from 1 grated coconut)


Method:

Drain the rice and steam over high heat until cooked.

Stir sugar, liquid glucose and coconut milk in a saucepan over a low fire until sugar dissolves.

Strain mixture and return to the saucepan.

Add in the steamed glutinous rice.

Stir until mixture thickens, about 20 minutes.

Pour into lightly greased trays.

Press down with a small piece of banana leaf or the back of a spoon and a little thick coconut milk.

Cool completely before cutting.

Serves

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Tau Yue Bak

There are many ways to cook this dish but the end result is equally good. Some like it with more sauce and some like thicker sauce and there is no fast rule as how it should be, just how you and your family like it. This recipe is one of the easiest way to cook this pork.



Ingredients:

1 lb belly or shoulder pork - cut into 1 inch pieces

10 cloves garlic with skin

1 star anise

1 tsp crushed peppercorns

1 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp light soya sauce

3 cups Water

Salt to taste

Method:

Combine star anise, dark and light soya sauce, peppercorns and water and bring to the boil.

Add in pork and let pork cook in sauce for 10 minutes before adding the garlic cloves.

Continue to simmer until meat is tender and the sauce is thicken. (if a thicker sauce is desired, cook further)

Adjust taste with salt.

Hard boil eggs can be added to this dish and this dish is best eaten the next day to allow its flavors to develop.

Serves

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