Easy Christmas Fruitcakes

The weather has turned colder and looking west, i can see that snow dusts the tops of the mountains, reminding me to start baking, so go and get out the fruitcake recipe.

Recipe for Easy Christmas Fruitcake is HERE

Step-By-Step Easy Christmas Fruitcake

IF a picture is worth a thousand words, then i would like to share my pictures on HOW To bake this Easy Christmas Cake and also this song which is titled "IF" by David Gates 1971. 

The Step-By-Step Pictures are

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes, it is Santa's new favorite, so i better make some and make Santa happy so that he will bring me what i wished for. My grandson, Alexander has been asking me - what i want for Christmas and i told him that i have only 1 thing i wanted - I wanted him to be 'kwai-kwai' and he said that there is no 'kwai-kwai' at the store and went away grumbling about Popo being crazy.

The recipe is HERE

High Roast Turkey - The Final Destination

The final destination for the Turkey was The Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner.  As i have mentioned before that it will take me 80 minutes to finish roasting the prepared turkey and i was right.  The turkey came out of the oven 80 minutes  in perfection. 

The color was more than golden brown and the meat temperature was the correct temperature as recommended.  I am sorry that i forgot to take a picture of the bird when it came out of the oven as a friend came and i had to help her to make her dish for the potluck.  My friend, Meow, had wanted to mashed sweet potatoes as she confessed that that was what she could come with on her own but i told her that i will guide her to something more interesting  - Bacon Wraps.  While my friend's dish was broiling in the oven, i had to debone the turkey and time was not with me at that moment. With hands full of grease, using the camera was not possible - i will be banned for life from touching the camera if i had tried to use it.  Thank goodness that when i had done cutting up the turkey, the owner of the camera appeared, all dolled up pretty and i requested for help although the plating was not compleled.  So, at least now i have a picture of my roasted turkey.  ok, time to remove the Bacon Wraps  from the oven - crispy and unbelievablly fragrant.  I will post the recipe in my next posting.

I did not make any Sausage Dressing this year but instead i cooked rice. 

For how to cook the rice, it is  HERE

Turkey Finale - The Day of Thanksgiving

Today is the day, Thanksgiving Day and to all who are celebrating with love ones - Have a Happy Thanksgiving Dinner and enjoy the warmful company especially the love ones who have travelled from afar to join your dinner table. HAPPY THANKSGIVING

The how to prepare the turkey for roasting isHERE

Turkey Prep on Day 2

It's already day two since we started brining the turkey and time to think of preparing the gravy. With so many other dishes to get on the table, sometimes the turkey gravy can be a mealtime anxiety-inducer. Fear not!

We are preparing it today, Wednesday, ahead and guess what? No stress and there is plenty of time to prepare The Sausage Dressing, leaving the sides for tomorrow.

 Hey, don't forget me, the turkey that has been brined for 8 hours!!!. 

Sorry, i got carried away, I know you need to be trussed and then send you off for vacation to the cooler

Continue for recipe HERE

Happy Thanksgiving and How to Brine the turkey

There are many ways to celebrate and express thanks at Thanksgiving. Even in difficult times, there are always things for which to be grateful and thankful. It was Grand-parents Day at my grand chlidren's school and my grandson Alexander's class sang Turkey Porky - oops Popo is always associating words to food, sorry!! it should be Turkey Pokey, and wrote a note to say what they were Thankful For.

Alexander wrote in his kindergarten writing which was pretty good for just being a few months in kindy - I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my sister and my popo. How sweet?


You will not believe it, i did not believe what i saw, when he came home from school yesterday- he was holding a huge turkey which he won, . This only happens in America, you can win a turkey - in school????


HAPPY THANKSGIVING

For How-to brine click HERE

Lo Sam Chung Yoke/Red Cooked Belly Pork

I have many a time been told that 'lo soi' means 'old water' but am not able to argue that it is not so, you know why? if you can't read or write chinese, i don't stand a chance in this debate.

Tell me if i am wrong, to me - 'lo' means to steep it with meat/eggs/tofu in this very savoury and aromatic liquid, which is called 'The Mother/Master Sauce'. This way of cooking is also considered to be a kind of "red-cooking" method. I like to refer this sauce as 'The Mother Sauce' rather than 'The Master Sauce' - cos????? I would like to credit all Mothers who will be the one, diligently cooking in any home kitchen from dawn to dusk

Recipe can be found HERE

Step-by-step Mui Choy Kau Yoke

A task which usually take 5 minutes was not so and it was so frustrating.  Anyway, how difficult or time-consuming it was, i made a promise to post the step-by step on How to make Mui Choy Kau Yoke and .........

the promise is kept

The step-by-step can be found HERE

Mui Choy Kau Yoke

This is a very popular dish in Asia which appears on the dinning table during any asian festivals.  It is very deliciously sinful, mouth watering. 

Taste the intense flavour and the fats of the pork melting in your mouth.  . The preserved Mui Choy (dried salted veggie but sweet) has a nice balance which is light tasting  and goes well with the meat soft texture.  This dish might not be so acceptable by healthy freaks who shy away from most fat but in this case the fat actually gets soaked up by the 'mui choy'  and become very 'mui', giving glory to it's name.  "Mui" in cantonese means 'soft' . 

Continue for recipe HERE

Barbecue Pork Ribs

This weekend, sit back, and savor America's freedoms with the simplicity of time-honored traditions and have a Barbecue. A July 4th Barbecue is not the same without ribs and this recipe is simple producing tender and juicy ribs without the long hours on the grill.  Although prep is tedious, it is worth the effort.  This recipe is adapted from  Bobby Chinn - Wild, Wild East.  The recipe calls for steaming the ribs and i used the pressure cooker which cut the steaming time by half. I did not brine as the ribs were fatty enough and the meat would not dry out besides like the saying goes - the nearer the bone, the sweeter the meat and don't need any brining.. 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb baby back pork ribs or St Louis Cut Pork Ribs

Dry Rub:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground paprika
1 1/2 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground dried sage
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Vinegar-based Barbecue Sauce:

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup apple juice
5 tbsp tomato ketchup
5 tbsp molasses
2 - 3 tbsp crushed red pepper(to taste and optional)
Freshly ground black pepper

For the smoking:

Raw Rice
Sugar
Black Tea

Method:

To make the dry rub, combine all the ingredients well.  Store in an air-tight container for use as required.

To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, throw in about half the dry rub.  It is pretty much up to you how much you use.

Clean the ribs and trim off excess fat.  Cut each rack in half. 

Put in about an inch of water in the pressure cooker and place a steamer rack on it.  Place the ribs on top of rack and close lid of pressure cooker.  Pressurized for 15 - 20 minutes until ribs are cooked through and tender.  I cook them until tender enough to pull the bone from the meat freely. 

Rub the surface of the ribs with the remaining dry rub - ready for smoking.

To smoke the ribs:

Line the wok with aluminium foil to prevent ingredients sticking and burning against the wok's surface
Arrange the smoking ingredients on the bottom of the wok.
Place a circular wire rack on top of the smoking ingredients
Place the tender ribs on top of the wire rack
Place the wok lid on top of the wok and seal with damp towels.
Heat the wok. As the wok commences to heat,  the rice, sugar and tea will begin to burn, filling the wok with flavoured smoke. The ribs will bake and at the same time become flavoured by the smoke.
Smoke for 20 minutes.

To grill:

Heat the grill and cook smoked ribs for about 4 minutes on each side.


To Serve

Place the cooked ribs on a cutting board, sprinkle about a tablespoon of dry rub over them and chop through every 2 ribs.

Drizzle some sauce on top of the ribs and serve.

Enjoy and have a Good July 4th Weekend!!!!!!

Sweet Potato Ku

These are before steaming

These are after steaming

I cannot be any happier that these 'ku' turned out exceptional beautiful.  The color was so  natural and sweet, of course it was - no food coloring added - the culprit was orange sweet potato/yam.  The filling is the usual mung bean - oh oh i have a story to relate about this filling, yes this particular bag of mung bean filling.  It was a leftover from one of our cooking sessions(a group of us ladies gather every sunday and we cook and bake). So, one sunday, I was the first to arrive at Nellie's and Nellie went through her freezer and pulled out this bag, she asked if i wanted to eat durian.  Of course i said yes, and we had to defrost it fast before the other ladies turn up, there won't be enough to go around. the durian looked so good, yellowish and looked seedless too.  So, into the microwave it went for defrosting.  After a minute of two, the bag came out of the microwave, Nellie and I laughed until tears came down and me with my incontinense, had to rush to the rest room - It was not durian but a bag of mung bean filling.  The moral of the story was, we were bad hearted, we did not want to share and we got none too. I have learned my lesson and am sharing the mung bean filling with those who turned up for dinner last weekend. Hope they liked these cute bite-size 'ku'.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

150 gm orange sweet potato/yam - mash immediately after steaming and keep it hot.
150 gm glutinious flour
50 ml thick coconut milk
50 ml hot boiling water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cooking oil

Filling:

Follow the recipe from Angkoo Ah Mah Chew




Method:

Mix the glutinous rice flour, salt and coconut milk to the hot mashed sweet potato.  Knead until dough does not stick to your hands - slightly on the wet side, it will dry out after resting.  If the dough is soft and pliable, do not add in the water.   Lastly add in oil and knead lightly till dough is shiny. Rest dough for at least 1 hr.

Scale the filling and dough according to the size of the mould.  Flatten it and wrap in a filling.  Seal and shape into a round/  Dust the mould with a little glutinious rice flour.  Press firmly into the mould  Knock and dislodge from mould.  Place on oiled banana leaf.  Continue process with the rest of the dough pieces.

Use tap water and wash off excess glutinious rice flour from the surface.  Do it quickly and lightly before steaming the 'ku' over LOW heat for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the steamer lid after 5 minutes to lower the heat as the pattern will not be as sharp if the heat is too high.  Remove from steamer and brush with oil for a  shiny surface.

 Serves

Taro Ku

When i was growing up, the only 'ku' i know was colored red or orange with a sweet filling.  Nowadays, 'ku' comes in all sorts of colors and shapes with either sweet or savory fillings.  Thank you to enthusiastic cooks who come up with new ideas which kick up a few knotches to the traditional this kuih.  Btw - 'ku' is in hokkien meaning Tortoise and Tortoise symbolizes longevity. When the 'ku'  kuih is shaped like a tortoise shell, it creates a high symbolic and ritual value, very appropriate for ritual offerings during religious events.  These 'ku' , it must be red in color and that is why it is called 'Angku' - 'Ang' means red in hokkien, is an important gift when a child is born (one month old) or during birthdays.  Outside the ritual or gift context, it is also a very popular snack, eaten at all times of the day, be it for breakfast or tea=time.    Have you ever tried pan-frying leftover/overnight 'Angku'? - they are delicious.

Below is a recipe with a new twist - Taro is added to the dough which gives the 'ku' a purplish hue and a fragrance which taro lovers will recognize.  The filling can be sweet or savoury and a spicy one will be met with satisfaction.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

150 g taro slices - steamed and mashed(keep warm)
150 g glutinious rice flour
50 ml water(use only if the dough is too dry)
50 ml thick coconut milk
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
Purple food coloring/taro paste
Extra glutionious rice flour for dusting
Pre-cooked cooking oil for glazing
Banana leaves - cut into rounds and brushed with oil

Filling of your choice or follow this sweet filling recipe

Method:

Sieve glutinious flour with salt.

Add oil and purple food coloring/taro paste to the thick coconut milk and microwave it for 30 seconds.

Add warm mashed taro to the glutinious flour and add in the coconut milk and oil a little at a time, knead until a dough forms.  Water is to be added only if the dough is too dry. Knead dough well until it is shiny. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.

Scale dough according to the size of your mould. 

Flatten dough and roll into a circle.  Put in some filling and wrap dough up.

Dust mould with glutinious flour and knock out all excess flour.

Press filled dough firmly into mould, knock and dislodge from mould.  Place on oiled banana leaf and into steamer rack.

Continue process with the rest of the dough pieces.

Turn on the tap on low and place steamer under the running water to remove excess glutinious flour from the surface of the moulded kuih.

Steam kuih over low heat for 10 minutes.  At 5 minutes, uncover the steamer to lower the temperature of the steam  cos the pattern will be lost if too high heat is used for steaming.  Cover and continue to steam until cooked.

Remove from heat and glaze surface with the precooked oil.

 Serves

Kuih Pandan Lapis Batavia

I was left home alone one day, the silence was killing me.  There were no one to bug me and knowing me, cannot sit still and do nothing - my sister said that 'it must be the catholic schooling' in us - we feel guilty if we are not doing something.'  So, what a good time it was to stand in front of the oven and layer away.  This is a scale down from Kuih Lapis Batavia, not by choice but necessity, cos i had only a dozen eggs.  I have increased the sugar and egg white slightly thus making the batter lighter and the layers browned  faster with the addition of a little baking powder and the batter was sweeter.

Ingredients:

250g butter at room temperature
60g fine granulated sugar

12 egg yolks
60g fine granulated sugar
1 tbsp  brandy
2 tbsp condensed milk

80g cake flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp baking powder

4 egg whites
30g sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp pandan paste


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350f . Line a 6 inch square baking pan with greaseproof paper, making sure that it fits exactly the base.Grease only the base of pan and greaseproof paper only.  Do not grease the sides of pan..
2. Cream butter with 60g sugar till creamy.

3. Beat egg yolk with 60g sugar till thick. Stir in  brandy and condensed milk.

4. Sieve flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

5. Mix butter and egg yolk mixture well. Fold in flour mixture by thirds and mix well.

6. Whisk egg white with medium speed till foamy, add in cream of tartar and continue to whisk till white in colour then add in sugar and whisk until thick, soft stiff peak.

7. Fold egg white into egg yolk mixture and mix well. Add pandan paste to 1/3 of the batter and leave the other 2/3 plain.
8. Spread 3 heap tbsp of batter evenly and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn on the top fire only and brown the top of the first layer.  For the second layer, spoon 2 heap tbsp batter into baking pan. Spread the batter evenly, put to grill . Grill  till brown.(time for browning depends on your oven and how close the baking pan is placed near the grilling elements)   Remove from oven, use a cake tester or toothpick to prick holes on the top of cake.   For the third layer, use the pandan paste batter. Repeat the layering, 2 layers plain and 1 layer pandan, till batter finish. (Use the same type of spoons for the plain and pandan batter so that the layers will be even)

9. Unmould cake immediately and turn on to wire rack to cool.

Banana And Pineapple Easter Cakes

Easter festival arrives during the spring season and is one of the most important religious holidays celebrated among Christians.  Besides going to church on the first Sunday after the full moon night in the spring season, easter bunnies and eggs occupy supreme positions.  Easter rabbits signify fertility and beautifully painted Easter eggs remind us of spring season. Other symbols are the  Easter lilies and Hot Cross Buns.

HAPPY EASTER

Ingredients:
A:
2 cups all-purpose flour (remove 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

B:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large ripe banana- mashed
1/2 cup chopped pineapple

Method:

Preheat oven to 350f.

Grease moulds which signify spring.

Sieve ingredients A into a large bowl.

In another bowl, beaten eggs lightly, then add in all the other ingredients in B, and mix well.

Pour ingredient B mixture to ingredient A and mix in until is combined in about 10 strokes, do not overmix, it is alright if there are still some flour not mixed.  Leave mixture to rest for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Spoon batter into greased moulds and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.

Cool before frosting with buttercream



Serves

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