STEAMED SAGO KELAPA

This is the easiest Nonyo Kuih

If you like sago

you will like this dessert

250g sago, soaked 1 hour, drained

200g grated coconut

120g sugar

30g santan

1) combine all 4 ingredients and divide into 3 portions

2) steam the 1st portion in a geased 7" pan for 10min

3) add 2 drops of colouring & 1/4 tsp salt to 2nd portion

    (can use pandan juice for colour & flavour but the colour is not as bright)

4) pour over bottom layer & steam 10min

5) 3rd portion remain white to give contrast in colour

6) when 2nd layer is ready, pour 3rd layer on top & steam 10min to cook

7) leave to cool completely before cutting

NONYA KUIH TALAM CENGDOL

This is another typical Nonya Kuih

made with santan and gula melaka

The texture is like Kuih Talam

but it has a stronger taste 

of Gula Melaka

Bottom Layer:

100g Gula Melaka

50g caster sugar

350g water & 2 knotted pandan leaves

60g rice flour

25g green pea flour

1.5 Tbsp tapioca flour

100g thick coconut milk

1/4 tsp lye water (kan sui)

Top Layer:

1.5 Tbsp tapioca flour

30g rice flour

15g green pea flour

150g thick coconut milk (sieved)

200g water

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

200g cengdol, drained

Method:

For bottom layer

1) cook sugar, gula melaka, water & pandan leaves until sugar dissolves, strain the syrup into a pot

2) combine the rest of the dry ingredients & sieve into the pot

3) cook over low heat until mixture thickens slightly

4) pour into a greased 8" pan, steam over boiling water 15min

For Top Layer

1) sieve flours into the mixture of water & coconut milk

2) add sugar & salt

3) cook over low heat until sugar dissolves & mixture thickens

4) off heat & add cengdol, do not stir too vigorously or else cengdol will break

5) pour over brown layer & steam another 15min

6) remove & cool for 5 hours before cutting

    I cut mine too early so did not get a nice cut!

Recipe adapted from:'hungrygowhere.com'

QQ KUIH

QQ is the texture

Not too soft

Just nice to hold in your fingers

150g glutinous flour
40g wheat flour

15g tapioca flour

125g sugar

200g water (from water boiled in pandan leaves)

1/2 tsp strawberry paste (for flavour)+some water

50g soya bean, toasted & ground to powder for dusting

Method:

1) sift flours into a bowl, and add sugar, mix well
2) pour water into the dry ingredients, stir to form a thick batter
3) pour batter into a 9" grease tray
4) steam for 15min
5) once removed from heat, brush with the strawberry paste
6) let cool 10min before rolling up into a cylinder
7) dust with soya bean powder & cut into bit size pieces

Special thanks to Ann
for sharing the recipe

FOOCHOW TANG YUAN ( SI YANG)

' SI YANG ' 
in Foochow dialect is 'Tang Yuan'

These are prepared during 'Deong Zai',

to mark the beginning of winter season.

How this is done according to Foochow custom?
My mom still follows very strictly.

On the night before the 22nd day of last month of the Chinese Calender,
she will gather her grandchildren,
sitting together to make these round rice balls.

These rice balls are then left in a tray overnight
and
to be cooked for breakfast the next morning.

The children will have a fun time
playing with the dough
and 
eating some of the goodies she prepared,
like oranges, biscuits and sweets.

She has been doing this every year.
Now, the grandchildren are away overseas,
she still does it with the 'youngest' daughter and daughter-in-law
who stay with her!

As she makes the rice balls
she will sing this olden childhood song in Foochow:

A simple song
but full of meaning, she says.

If you are a Foochow
you may know how to sing this song too.

Tang Yuan or Si Yang are little round rice balls
which signify complete & togetherness.

As such, these are also cooked for special occasions 
like Weddings or New Year Re-union too.

My mom
is among the older generation 
who believes that
it is a way of showing filial piety by giving the parents 
these little glutinous balls
called Si Yang

Instead of serving these glutinous rice ball in sweet ginger/pandan syrup,

Foochow people like to serve them DRY

Soya bean is first fried and then ground into powder
with sugar being added to give sweetness.

This is used as a dusting powder for the glutinous rice balls

to prevent them from sticking together

Soya Bean powder (SI HOON) Recipe

200g soya bean fried in a kuali

                           or baked in oven for 30min @150'C turning at least twice

When the beans are cooled, ground to powder

& kept in an airtight container to be used later
Sugar is then added to give sweetness

SI YANG Recipe

100g glutinous flour

90g water

1) make a well in the flour

2) slowly mix in water to form a soft dough, not sticky dough!

3) form into a ball, cover & left aside for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight

4) roll into small balls

5) cook in boiling water until the SI YANG floats

6) mix 10 Tbsp soya bean flour & 10 Tbsp castor sugar

7) drain the glutinous ball & pour into the soya bean mixture to coat

8) serve hot

SUPER SOFT OVERNIGHT DOUGH BUN

Some like it plain

Some like it with filling

Some like it with cheese toppings

Whichever type you like

You will surely like its supersoft texture

Ingredients:

230g milk

50g whisked egg + some for egg wash

50g sugar

5g salt

13g milk powder

300g bread flour

40g superfine flour

5g instant yeast

35g butter

Method:

1) put all ingredients into bread machine, bread dough cycle 1:30 hrs

2) knead to form a ball and refrigerate 12-16 hours

3) divide into 50g balls, let rise until double

4) brush with egg wash

5) bake in  preheated oven 175'C for 15-20min

Variation:

1) if you like it with filling: 

    please refer to : christines's bacon and cheese bun

2) if you like it with cheese topping:

    just roll the dough into a square & cut into 1" strips

    & sprinkle cheese on top

CROISSANT

Main Dough
440g all purpose flour
1&1/2 tsp salt
280g milk (can replace 1/2 with water)
55g sugar
1 Tbsp instant yeast
30g butter

Other Ingredients:250g butter, cold & sliced for laminating (I used 150g)
egg wash, 1 egg yolk+1 tsp water

Method:
Day 1) 1) combine all ingredients in main dough, knead 3min
            2) shape into a disc & wrap with cling film, refrigerate overnight
Day2   3) slice butter & arrange in a square 17X17cm on a parchment 
            4) place another sheet of parchment on top, refrigerate the butter sheet
            5) remove dough from fridge, press &  & roll flat into a sheet 26X26cm
6) put butter sheet on the dough, bring in the 4 sides as if an envelope, press with palm of hands
7) carefully roll dough out from centre to 4 sides
8) fold in 3rds, as if a letter & refrigerate 1 hour 
9) take out from fridge & repeat the folding, refrigerate 1 hour
10) repeat proceedure for 3-4 times
Day 3 11) roll out dough to 20 X110cm. if dough resists, leave in fridge again
           12) divide dough to triangles, make a slit at base
           13) roll up from base & make a slight bend at the ends 
           14) apply egg wash, and allow to rise for 2 hours
           15) when ready to bake, egg wash the 2nd time
           16) bake in preheated oven 200'C for 20-25min

My Second batch

dated 02 Sept 2015

MINI MOONCAKES

Mooncake Skin
200g golden syrup
50g peanut oil
1/2 Tbsp alkali water
300g superfine flour

Egg wash: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water

Method:1) mix all 3 liquids
2) pour liquid into flour, mix well & leave for about 4 hours
3) divide dough into 22g each & wrap fillings
4) press into moulds and knock out
5) arrange on lined trays
6) bake for 5-8min
7) remove, spray with water
8) brush with egg wash & bake @175'C for another 10min

3 types of filling as follows:

Filling:
1) 160g red bean paste
     20g melon seed, toasted
     2 egg yolk, washed & steamed & cut into 8 pieces

2) 100g lotus seed paste
     50g toasted seeds e.g. melon, sunflower, pumpkin seed
            & coarsely chopped walnut

3)  120g lotus seed paste
        50g dried pork or bak kwa, cut into small pieces

Method:
1) mix fillings separately & divide into 20g each, form into balls

CRUNCHY HONEY BEARS

110g cake flour
20g potato starch
pinch of salt
40g syrup
10g honey
30g vegetable oil

Method:
1) preheat oven to 160'C
2) combine liquid ingredients and dry ingredients separately
3) pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well
4) roll dough between parchment paper
5) cut into bear shapes
6) arrange on lined baking tray
7) draw face & let bear hold an almond nut tightly
8) use left over dough to make tails 
9) bake for 10min
10) reduce heat to 150'C and bake another 10min

Journey to Nara Park from Kyoto Station

Protected with wind breakers and umbrellas in hand,
we are ready to venture out in the rain!

It had been raining ever since we touched down in Kyoto. It was so wet that we need to bring umbrellas when we left the Hotel every morning.   Our walking shoes could no longer endure such wet condition, so we bought plastic or rubberized shoes and slippers, just to give our walking shoes a day break to dry.

When the weather changed to sunny on 11 August 2014, we decided to leave for Nara Park (Nara Deer Park). We started 9.30am from Kyoto Station, taking the JR Nara Line.  The journey should take about 35min, but we stopped at one of the stations for more than 20min because of some disruption in the railway line caused by Typhoon Halong the previous night! 

One English speaking Japanese told us that we could disembark here and walk 8 minutes to Okura Station to take the Kintetsu Line to continue our journey to Nara. One of the tourists took out his handphone and searched for the location of the station and he led us ( a group of 12) there. We soon realized that the traffic in the whole town was jammed up because of the held up of the train at the station!  The drivers on the streets were calm looking as if  they were used to such situation. No one attempted to sound a horn.

At Okura Station, we were allowed to  board the train without any tickets. We reached our destination just before lunch. Also, we were given a refund of our train tickets. After lunch Yee and Fong took the opportunity to cycle around the park while both of us took a stroll down to the park, scouting for some gifts on the way.

What are the chances that the right person to be at the right place and at the right time so that we could connect with him? 
This is God's Provision. 

Although our train journey to Nara was interrupted, God was with us, watching over us all the way.  He sent his angels to lead us so that we could reach our destination safely and timely.  

Why? 
Our God is good. 
He wants us to have a good and fun time in Nara. 
The refund of the train ticket was definitely his favour upon us.  

I want to thank Him for His goodness.  
He is a faithful God and He promise to be with us at all times, 
Praise Him.  

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Shortbread Cookies are well recieved 

by those who love the buttery taste cookies.

So, its butter taste depends 

on the choice of the brands

Traditionally, 

these are made in rectangle shape  

but Christine suggests using cookie cutters.

Ingredients:

120g butter, at room tenperature

40g pure icing sugar

150g cake flour

25g rice flour

1/8 tsp salt

Method:

1) sift flours together, add salt & mix well

2) cream butter until smooth

3) add sugar in 3 addition, cream until pale & fluffy

4) fold in flour in 3 batches

5) Do not overmix, use hand to knead into a dough

6) with a rolling pin, roll out into 0.6" rectangle dough

7) cover & refrigerate 1 hour or overnight

8) preheat oven to 150'C

9) remove dough from fridge, leave for 10 min to soften

10) roll out into 0.4" * cut into shapes

11)  bake on lined tray, in preheated oven for 25min

12) leave cookies in oven for another 10min after baking

13) may need to rotate pan while baking for even heating