BARRY APEK KOPITIAM ROTI

  

Kopitiam Roti

is shared by Barry Apek

who takes pride in its soft and light texture.

The total weight of the final dough is about 565g

and just nice to fit into a 8"x4" loaf pan.

If soft & light bread is what you are looking for,

this is just the right recipe for you.

325g bread flour

25g sugar

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp yeast

200g water

20g shortening

1) all ingredients into the bread machine, bread dough cycle 1.5 hours

2) shape dough into a single loaf or 3 small rolls to fit into a loaf pan

3) allow to proof to double its size, about 1 hour

4) bake in preheated oven 180'C for 40min

5) you may need to tent the bread towards the end of baking time.

LONGAN JELLY OREO CHEESE CAKE

My grandson Ethan likes Oreo Cheesecake.

He also likes Longan.

I have decided to bake this 

Longan Jelly Oreo Cheesecake for this Chinese New Year.

Base

130g Oreo biscuit crumbs

50g butter, melted

Cheese Filling

1 Tbsp gelatine

4 oz hot water

250g cream cheese

90g sugar & cream from Oreo biscuits

4 oz syrup

4 oz whipping cream

1. Combine biscuits crumbs & melted butter & press into the base of a 8” pan

2. Leave in freezer and start preparing the filling

3. Dissolve gelatine in 4 oz hot water, heat the mixture until it is clear

4. Leave to cool

5. Cream cheese and sugar until smooth, whip in cream & syrup

6. Add cooled gelatine mixture

7. Pour onto the cheesecake base, leave to set in fridge for 4 hours

Jelly

240ml syrup

100ml Water

1 Tbsp gelatine powder

1. Sprinkle gelatin over the water, stir to mix well

2. Heat the mixture and add syrup, and bring to boil

3. Leave to cool

4. Break the Longan in halves & arrange on the cheesecake

5. Pour the jelly over the Longan & leave in fridge to set

CLEAR BROTH

For Chinese Cooking,

many a time we need a clear soup base.

To mention the common one is

 'Buddha Jump Over The Wall' 

a Foochow Specialty which I have already posted earlier.

This is done simply by double boiling.

Bones, can be of chicken or pork,

add 

amount of water you require for cooking the dish

and 

double boil for 4-6 hours!

One peeled large onion may be added to enhance its flavour.

Done!

BREAD MACHINE MEAT FLOSS

A specialty 

enjoyed during Chinese New Year

and

As gifts to relatives and friends

This is a simple bread machine recipe 

which requires no fuss at all.

Bread machine Meat floss

400g meat, chicken or pork
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp Fish sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Knorr Aromat or chicken granules

Method:
1. boil meat until cook, let cool & shred into pieces
2. all ingredients into bread machine, JAM cycle
3. check on it every 20-30min to make sure it is evenly spread
4. floss is ready when cycle completes

Note:
I have prepared another version, in chunks!

 The meat is coarsely shredded & marinated before going into the bread maker.

Enjoy!

PEANUT PUFFS

Peanuts 

are popular during gatherings and get-together.

Skilful fingers of the olden days Chinese

 have their  peanuts roasted and

wrapped into sweet and crunchy little puffs.

These Kok Chai has passed down from generations.

These are definitely a traditional Chinese New Year Goodies,

still found in many homes

during this auspicious celebration.

It is a sign of abundance and wealth!

Filling:
to combine

100g peanuts, toasted & grounded
60g sugar

Dough

150g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

45g oil

50g water

1. combine salt and flour
2. mix in oil
3. add water slowly until the dough comes together, knead awhile
4. rest dough while preparing the rolling tools
5. divide dough into 24 parts & roll to flatten each ball
6. put a teaspoon filling into the dough & fold 1/2, sealing the edges
7. pinch the sides as if pleating
8. deep fry puffs, strain & store in air tight container.

SALTED DRIED CALAMANSI

Salted Dried Calamansi

fondly called
陳年咸桔

by moms and grandmothers alike.

It is precious to them because

 It is a natural remedy
for sore throat & throat irritation

and

also used to clear the heat from the body.

How to eat it?
Simply take out 1 or 2 salted calamansi,
tear into pieces,
and pour hot water over it.
Drink the water when it is cooled.

How to make it?
Refering to Desirable recipes:

Only 2 ingredients, calamansi and salt,
easy to combine them,
but it will take weeks to mature.

(1) Clean calamansi, snip away the stems & drain well

(2) pour calamansi into a pot of hot water (already removed from heat)

(3) stir the fruits

(4) once the colour of fruits turns dull, drain & let cool

(5) once cooled, place calamansi in a bottle, adding salt sparingly as shown,

      allow to stand for one night.

(6) next day, pour out the calamansi and salt, and spread on a stainless steel or glass pan

      to dry in the sun. Turning the fruits every day.

(7) It takes weeks for it to dry.
      I used a dehydrator to shorten the drying process.
(8) The calamansi should be dried and wrinkle before storing in a jar.

AH MA'S KIAM BAK

Ah Ma's Kiam Bak

A traditional dish loved by many.

Kiam Bak in Hokkien means salted meat!

As such, many refrain from it because they consider it unhealthy.

For health reasons, we have greatly reduced the amount of salt used.

Koay Ai Tih 

has this traditional recipe to share with us in Facebook,

"Ah Ma's Kiam Bak"

Method

1. clean 1 piece pork belly, whole

2. cook in boiling water for a few minutes until meat is set

3. rub salt on the meat & leave aside to for an hour or so

4. slice meat

5. pan fried with a little oil, until the meat pieces are dry & crispy

6. drain & serve

Note:

I have used less oil to pan fry, so the side is not be as crispy as Koya Ai Tih's.

Nevertheless, it still taste good.

AGAR AGAR CANDY

Agar agar Candy

has a contrast of crunchy on the outside

and soft on the inside.

This was once very popular

especially during Chinese New Year Celebration

but

later, because of the threat of using artificial colouring

many shunt from making it anymore.

Many bloggers have suggested the use of the following natural food juice:

Red - beet root

Green - pandan leaf

Agar agar Candies need long hours of drying in the sun.

The ingredients are simple

agar agar strips (37.5g packet), sugar (1 1/4 cup) and water (2 cups)

Bring all the ingredients to boil until agar agar strip is dissolved.

To add flavour:

some pandan leaves to boil together with the rest of the ingredients.

To add colour:

 1 or 2 tsp of natural juice added before removing from flame.

I have scooped up some for white colour

before adding the beet root juice for the red colour.

Pour the mixture onto 1 or 2 pans to cool, to harden.

Cut into desired pattern once it does not stick to your fingers when touched,

Spread out to dry in the sun.

When fully dried, you will love the layer of crust on the outside!

SAMBAL VEGETABLES

Sambal Ladies’ Fingers

is a common dish among the locals here.

We can order this dish in most of the 'ju chow' or 'siou chow' shops.

It may be considered a Nonya dish 

because of the Sambal used for cooking this dish.

Nevertheless, the taste of the dish depends a lot on the Sambal used.

There is no special skill required to cook this dish
but a good Sambal is necessary.

I have a good Sambal recipe to share with you if you are interested.

Beside cooking with lady fingers,
more types of vegetables can be added and it becomes

'Si Tai Tin Wong'

4 types of vegi, namely lady's finger, brinjal, long beans and petai,
fried together with Sambal Belacan.

How about this?

Sambal Long Beans
just as appetizing!

Yummy!

FRIED TOMATO EGG

Fried Tomato Egg

I have heard so much about this dish

but never get to cook it

because I worry that it may not be nice.

Tomato, soft and juicy,

how can it be nice when it is fried with egg?

It has proved me wrong!

It has in fact make the fried egg, juicy and nice instead.

If you think like what I have thought,

do try it one day.

It is easy to cook.

First, dice tomato, big onions & spring onions.

Heat up some oil in the kuali,

fry the diced onions until fragrant,

add diced tomato and spring onions.

Pour in beaten egg which has already been flavoured with salt & pepper.

Turn the omelette over to cook the other side when set.

Soon, you will have a fragrant, juicy egg omelette on the table.

Enjoy!