Youtiao / Cakwe (Chinese Crullers)

God knows how many attempts I've made with these! Finally found a perfect recipe with a little tweaking . Original recipe from Sheila Rusly.

http://www.resepisheilarusly.com/2015/02/cakoi-recipe.html?m=1#axzz3T077bMBg

250g flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda 

1/8 cup oil

1 tsp garlic powder

Mix the above in a bowl and separately add yeast, water and sugar in another bowl until yeast is frothy. 

1/8 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast 

3/4 cup warm water

Knead the above into a soft smooth dough. Cover and rest for 1 hour. 

Roll the dough about 3mm thin not too thin or your youtiao will end up crispy.

Dip a satay stick in water and press a linein the middle.

Layer another piece on top of the first piece and press down with the satay stick.

Deep fry in oil and I find scooping hot oil on top of the dough makes it puff better and more evenly like how you would do for a Poori. 

Serve with vinegar chilli or eat with your porridge :-)

Ayam Bumbu Bali

Yes that's a full plate there but it's just the accompaniment to the main dish which is Ayam Bumbu Bali. Tried a few places  and read up on various recipes but I loved the Ayam Ibu Oki that I had in Bali... That was the absolute bomb because I can taste the coriander and it's not just a balado chicken.

If anyone is heading to Nusa Dua anytime soon? Think of me when you're digging into this. It was the perfect birthday lunch for me! The complete "Nasi Ayam" here comprises of Ayam Bumbu Bali Pedas, Ayam goreng bali & Ayam suwir, urap, boiled egg & sate lilit. 

Today I made just the ayam pedas and filled up the plate with whatever I had in the fridge ! 

All you need is a mortar & pestle or a blender in my case ..

5 shallots or half a large onion 

2 cloves garlic 

1 inch galangal 

1 inch ginger 

1cm fresh tumeric

1 small kencur or aromatic ginger

A thumb size belacan or shrimp paste 

6 fat stalks of red chilli 

4 cili padi or cabe rawit

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Blend the above ingredients dry with no water to make a rough paste. You don't want an extremely smooth paste for this.

1 bay leaf

3 kaffir lime leaves

Sautee the paste in oil and once everything is fragrant, tear in bay leaf & kaffir lime leaves.

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 

1 tablespoon kicap manis

1 tablespoon Gula jawa or Gula Melaka

1 teaspoon Chicken flavourings like Royco, Knorr or Maggi

Salt to taste 

1/2 chicken, portioned

1/2 -1 cup water

Add all of the above and finally toss in your chicken, coat it with the spices, add 1/2 cup water and cover your wok. Simmer for 10 -15 minutes until your chicken is cooked. Continue cooking with lid off for another 5 minutes or so to thicken the gravy. 

Add more water if necessary.. I like my gravy not too thick like ayam merah but not too watery like Assam pedas.. Somewhere in between 😬

This recipe is for about half a chicken or I used 6 wings & 6 drummets yesterday. I served my Nasi Ayam Bali with a side of boiled eggs, taucho sauteed eggplants, Sambal mermaid fish, salted fish & Singapore satay ..

Jeneket (Jenny Cake)

Made these the last two day and after a bit of trial and error managed to get it right. 

Original recipe from Aini Salim but my first attempt ended like jemput-jemput! Still sedap although no shape at all! Ha ha 

This portion is enough for the 4 of us - around 16 pieces.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl

125g flour  + additional flour if the dough is still sticky

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp bicarbonate soda 

In a measuring jug, stir the following ingredients-

30g sugar

30ml milk (or santan)

30ml hot water

1/8tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter

Knead all the ingredients until it comes together and add more flour as required. Just soft enough to be rolled.

Leave it to proof for 12 hours or overnight.

Roll onto floured surface and cut into diamond shapes. Deep fry in hot oil.

Another friend of mine, Ernie, told me her mom used to make hers unsweetened  and dip in vinegared chili for breakfast! So I assume it's the same recipe minus the sugar.

So that's the next thing I wanna try!

Beef Keema

Saw a friend's post on Azmi's Chappati at Norris Road and I wish I can teleport myself over! 

So here's my take on the indian Keema except that mine's with beef ..

Heat your wok with some oil.

Add in 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves & 1 tsp cumin. 

Then add in 1 chopped onion (medium size), 1 chopped green chilli, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger.

Once everything is nice and soft, add in your minced beef (300g) or mutton and cook it until the beef is browned.

Then add the flavourings & spices 

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp chili powder 

1 tsp Garam masala 

Salt to taste

Stir well.

Add in also 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1/2 cup of peas & 1/3 cup water and simmer. Add more water if needed. Lastly chop some coriander leaves and add in to the mix.

Serve with roti or chappati with side servings of refreshing cucumber salad.

1 large cucumber slices thinly

1/2 onion, sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1 stalk chili, chopped

1/2 lime juice 

Salt 

Add salt to the sliced cucumber & squeeze out the water. Add the rest of the ingredient, mix well. Add more salt if required.

Spinach Roti

Rotis are pretty easy to make and sometimes if I have extra spinach or tomatoes I'll make the dough with these.

First wilt a bunch of spinach in a pan with 1/4 cup water. Once wilted, blitz it up into a purée.

Pour in a mixing bowl and add 1/2 tsp salt & 1 cup of atta flour.

Yes that's it for the ingredients 😬

Now knead the dough and add a bit of water bit by bit until you get a soft smooth dough.

Divide into 8 equal balls (I weigh them to get the exact weight). Roll on floured surface. 

Next you need to standby those rack that you put above your stove? And a frying pan. 

Dry fry the rolled dough on both sides  and then pop it onto the rack. This will help them "puff" up and cook the inside of the dough. Serve with with Keema or potato masala or use it as a wrap! 

Scallion Pancake

Saw a video on Tastemade last night and I couldn't help but try it 😜

All you need is 

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt 

3/4 cups boiling water + 1 tablespoon hot water 

Spring onions or scallions, chopped

Sea salt

Oil

Mix the dough and knead until smooth (about 7 minutes of kneading). Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 portions. Roll out thinly about the size of 3 hand palms.

Brush with oil, sprinkle with spring onions and sea salt. Not too much salt because the dough is already salted. Just enough to give you a salty crunch.

 Roll into a log.

And twist into a snail bun.

Repeat with the other dough.

Rest for 10 minutes. 

 And roll out each dough about the size of 2 hand palms. Careful not to tear the dough. 

Pan fry in oil until golden and crispy and fluff up but "crushing" the pancake. Cut into small wedges 

Bubur Som Som (Bonemarrow Porridge)

The Bonemarrow porridge sounds awful doesn't it? 

Anyway, my grandma used to make me these when I was little with a light pandan  syrup instead of the Gula Melaka version.

All you do is add all the ingredients in a pot and stir until bubbly and shiny. 

50g rice flour 

50g corn flour

850ml of santan (I mixed 200ml of coconut cream with water)

1/2 tsp salt

2 stalks of pandan

Once it's thickened spread the mixture into a tray and chill.

Make the syrup and chill as well.

1/2 cup sugar

500ml water

3 pandan leaves (blended with 50ml water into a paste and strain)

A few drops of pandan paste for extra colouring & flavour

1 pandan leaf 

Simmer the syrup until all the sugar dissolves. Chill until ready to serve.

30 Minute Microwave Cake

 Told myself I'll try this recipe after reading Tastemade's post from Broma Bakery on a 30 minute cake .. And after reading further I realised its a microwave cake! Haven't made a microwave cake since I was maybe 15!

http://bromabakery.com/2015/02/30-minute-chocolate-cake-for-two.html

The link is here but for those lazy to click the link, it's basically 2 step -mix the wet into the dry ingredients and stir. Pour into well greased mugs or in my case I used round flat bowl. Microwave each layer for about 1 minute or until all the batter turns into cake (yes!! I stood in front of the microwave looking at the cake for 3 minutes!)

For the cake

• ½ cup sugar (i reduced the sugar slightly because I don't like extremely sweet cakes)
• 7 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water
• 
  

For the frosting

• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• dark chocolate shavings (optional)
• 
  

1. In a small bowl, mix together all dry cake ingredients with a fork. Add in wet ingredients, stirring until combined. Heavily grease three large mugs* and evenly distribute batter into mugs (~1/2 cup of batter each) or roughly around 100g of batter.
2. Microwave each mug or bowl by itself for 1 minute on high. Remove from microwave and shake slightly to loosen cake from mug. Flip mug over onto parchment paper-lined plate or board. The cake should drop right out. Repeat with remaining mugs, then place into freezer for 5 minutes, or until the cakes cool to room temperature.
3. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Combine all ingredients in a standing mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Remove cakes from freezer and frost the top of each layer before stacking. If using, shave dark chocolate over the top of the cake using a sharp knife.

I didn't put the cakes in the freezer but just let it cool in room temperature ..

Make the frosting 

Divide the frosting into 3 parts for 3 layers and top it with shaved chocolate .. Chill for an hour for the frosting to set nicely (or not and just eat it right away 😜)

Ondeh-Ondeh Cake (Gula Melaka Cake)

Pandan Sponge

110g butter

1 cup castor sugar

2 eggs 

Cream the butter & sugar but it will not get creamy because of the amount of sugar. Pour 1 egg at a time and continue whisking until it gets creamy.

1/2 cup coconut cream (I use Kara)

1/4 water

1 tablespoon pandan extract (or more depending on the colour of your paste)

1/4 tsp salt

In a measuring jug, mix the liquid items and add to the butter mixture alternating with the dry ingredients and whisk until well mixed.

11/2 cup flour (sifted)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Line 2 round 7 inches cake tins with grease proof paper. Pour the batter evenly and bake for 25 min on 180 degrees or until the sponge comes out clean from a skewer. Cool the sponge completely or what I did was bake the sponge 1 day before. Slice each sponge in half so that you get 4 layers of cake.

Gula Melaka Syrup

4 round blocks of Gula Melaka (chopped)

1/2 cup water

Boil the gula Melaka with water until completely dissolved and thickened. Set aside to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

250g cream cheese

200ml - 250 ml of Gula Melaka syrup 

Whisk the cream cheese until smooth and drizzle in the syrup bit by bit until you get the sweetness that you prefer. Set aside some syrup to drizzle over your sponge.

Toasted Coconut 

150g flaked coconut 

(I used Red Mill)

Toast in a pan over low heat until golden and cool.

And now once you have all the ingredients ready, it's time to assemble the cake.

Divide the frosting in 4 parts for all 4 layers. Place 1 piece of sponge on a plate, drizzle with Gula Melaka and spread 1 portion of frosting. Top with toasted coconuts.

Do all that on all 4 layers. I chose not to frost the side for a more rustic look. Keep refrigerated for at least an hour to set the frosting.

Happy trying!