Thursday, November 29, 2012

Thunder Tea Rice (河婆擂茶)

Thunder Tea Rice 擂茶 is a traditional dish among the Hor Poh 河婆 clan which is part of the Hakka's 客家. This dish bound to have mixed responses. If you don't like it, you'd rather settle your meal with a pack of instant noodle. But if you are the person who know how to appreciate this dish, you will get hooked on it and started to tell others how wonderful this dish is.

Lower cholesterol, detoxify the body, aid digestion, lose weight, clear complexion and the list goes on. My maternal grandma 外婆 always told me about the goodness of eating Thunder Tea Rice. Lose weight is something that she always highlight to me. Haha..

I grew up  Hor Poh Family. My mother is Hor Poh 河婆, and now, my husband's family too.


That's when my parents working overseas to make a living, I was taken care by grandma since young. My grandma used to cook this often. This is how my knowledge of Thunder Tea Rice comes from.

My grandma has 12 childrens (5 sons and 7 daughters). All my uncle and aunts will gather at my grandma's house and cook this dish together. The last time was during my teenage time, should be somewhere around 13 years old I guess. And that was the last time. I suddenly miss my grandma so much. Sigh!

People don't make this at home anymore. Because they think this dish is too troublesome. Too much ingredients to buy, and youngsters don't really appreciate such traditional food as we do. Another reason why this dish is being slowly forgotten is probably due to the complexity of preparations. Modern people tends to measure the amount of ingredients purchased and prepared vs the amount of people gathered at home to enjoy this dish. Small families? It's just not worth the effort of preparing. That's sad.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Chilled Soya Beancurd (冰冻豆花)

Okay, I'm really slow when it comes to this Chilled Soya Beancurd rave. People already go gaga over the Lao Ban Soya Beancurd (老伴豆花) selling at Old Airport Road. And I'm not into it at that point of time.


Since a year ago, hardwarezone chanzhf who have tried every possible combination of coagulants available in the market in order to recreate this dessert, and finally he came up with the recipe that makes people really go into replicate it at home.

I supposed to make this somewhere Aug'12, where the Diner en Blanc's 1st appearance in Asia that causes the blast of Make And Eat Tau Huay Day. But then, at that point of time, I'm super busy with house moving. So, I didn't even have the time to cook myself a bowl of instant noodle! Let alone making soya beancurd.

I had Lao Ban Soya Beancurd once when Max brought me to Old Airport Road hawker centre. Nice! But I'm not a person who will go gaga over it la. It's S$1.50 for a half-filled bowl. Say me stingy, but I feel expensive. Max asked me if I could taste what's the ingredient in there. The only thing I remembered I told him was Coffee-mate. I'm very very sure that they added Coffee-mate.

I adapted this recipe from Noob Cook. I didn't bother to compare this recipe with another recipe before I make it. I just follow it blindly for convenience sake. Don't worry about it. Yumms!!! This recipe works! It taste really really close to the one I ate at Old Airport road.

All you need to do is to gather all these ingredients before you get started. You can get both Soya powder and coffee-mate from NTUC, and Instant Jelly Powder from Phoon Huat.


This is super easy, and I think I will make this often at home. I double up the original recipe because I find it no point making a recipe that only serves 2. Max can swallow all of them in just a glance loh.

Ingredient (Makes 4 servings)

  • 60g 'Unisoy' Instant Organic Soya Milk Powder
  • 30g 'Polleney' Soya Bean Powder
  • 30g 'Nestle' Coffee-mate coffee creamer
  • 30g Sugar
  • 700ml Hot Water
  • 10g Instant Jelly Powder

Noob Cook slightly modified the recipe by reducing the amount instant jelly powder (originally should be 14g), because she wanted to achieve wobbly and soft texture. She also swapped the quantity of Polleney and Unisoy powders around. I'm ok with it. I just follow. I like it wobbly too.

Method 

  1. Measure all the ingredients using a digital weighing scale for accuracy. 
  2. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients except instant jelly powder. Pour over hot water, in low fire, use a whisker to stir until the soya milk powder fully dissolved. At this point of time, the soya milk should be warm, but NOT boiling.  
  3. Heat off, stir in instant jelly powder until fully dissolved. 
  4. Run the soya milk through a sieve, slooooow and steadily. I did it twice. If you see bubbles on the surface, use a sieve or a spoon to fish it out. 
  5. Gently pour into bowls. Leave it cool at room temperature, and then chill it in the fridge. 


Step 2 and 3 - Stir until everything fully dissolved.


Did you see lots of bubbles in there? This is why we need to sieve it away. If not, your soya beancurd will end up with lots of bubbles and holes.... like Mark Lee's face. Hahaha... Ok, just joking. Mark Lee's face looks nice and smooth now compared to last time.


You must be slow and steady when you sieve it, and even pouring the mixture into the bowls. Please do it gently and at a low height to avoid bubbles, and so that you could achieve this smooth surface. I used small container this time. I prefer smaller, and I get more portion. But well, it's really up to you. :)


And there, after I unmould it, it's soft and wobbly! I think I like this version.


Each gram of instant jelly powder makes a difference. If you prefer more firm, add another one or two grams of instant jelly powder in it. It's really up to individual preference.

Seriously, this recipe is worth a try. I love it. Maybe I shall try using 12grams Instant Jelly Powder next time and see which texture I prefer :)

I'd highly encourage you to do it at home over the weekend! :D

Friday, November 16, 2012

Kuih Gedung Cak - (MFF Kedah Perlis)

This is my 2nd submission for MFF Kedah Perlis Month. And I don't know how to name this Kuih in english. It is basically a combination of glutinous rice flour, dark brown sugar and grated coconut flesh, wrapped in banana leaves.

For those who know me well, they should know, I had been crazily busy at work, the errand at home and I barely have my own time to sit down and write. But well, I have to find time.

This kuih is easy. Really easy. Cooking time is short. Ingredient is easily available too. Stress free!


When I decided to make this, I did plan to make Kuih Lepat Liat at the same time. But time doesn't allow me to. So, I just managed to do this. This is like dodol, but baked version.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Beancurd Skin Rolls with Shrimp filling

Well, you won't see deep fried food recipe from my blog often. Not because I don't like it. It's because I seldom make deep fried food at home. I try my best not to do it. Unless it is requested by Max, then I will consider to do it.

This is one of my favorite. I can eat alot at one go. This is not a special recipe or something, I just did it with my guts feeling, just estimation. But to me... I'm beyond word to describe this dish.


I had been delaying this post, as I can honestly say that it was easier to make the skin rolls than writing this post. Sometimes, it is really difficult to explain and describe how good the dish is when a simple dish like this could gives you really good flavor. Sometimes, the more I write, it sounded like everything was more complicated than it truly was.

I did this dish last month, and I supposed to tell myself to post this recipe next month (kept dragging, I know, my bad). But upon Linda, Henny, Kat, Audrey and Mei Fong's request, I post this recipe earlier than scheduled.

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Ingredient (Makes about 28 to 30pcs)

For Filling

  • 220g Minced Pork
  • 200g Fish Paste
  • 200g Shrimps, chopped.
  • 7 pcs Water Chestnut, chopped.
  • 2 sprigs Spring Onions, diced
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • dashes of pepper
  • 2 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 tbsp Corn Flour


For Skin 

  • 50 - 60 grams Beancurd Skin, cut into about 12 x 11cm size. Should have about 28 to 32 sheets.
  • Corn Starch Water (1 tbsp Corn Flour + half cup of Water)


For Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce - I used some Thai Chilli Sauce, Lime juice, a dash of fish sauce, a tsp of chopped garlic and some chopped coriander. Give it a mix and it's done. Just adjust to suit your preferred taste.

Method 
  1. Cut beancurd skin into 12 x 11cm size. Set aside. If you are free, you can use a damp clean cloth to give it a wipe, to wipe away the excess saltiness on the skin. But if you don't have the time, leave it. 
  2. Prepare all the necessary ingredient for filling - Peel, chop prawn meat and water chestnut.
  3. In a mixing bowl, mix all filling ingredient together, mix well until everything is well combined.  
  4. Mix corn starch water. This is to be used to seal the edged of the roll later.
  5. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the beancurd skin, apply some corn flour water, fold beancurd skin over the filling, roll over to meet the other side. 
  6. Using fingers to lightly press on the roll, flatten it. Repeat step 5 until filling are all used up. 
  7. Under low fire, deep fry the rolls to golden brown. At this point of time, heat control is very important.
  8. Drain and serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce. 
Note

1. You have to ensure the beancurd skin do not get burnt before the filling is cooked. This is the reason why, it is important to flatten the filling, so as to make the filling spread into even thickness. So that the filling will get cooked evenly at the same time.

2. Beancurd skin itself is really salty. The fish paste too, there's mild saltiness. So, ½ tsp Salt is just nice. When you bite on it, the overall saltiness would be fine.

3. I don't have the best sweet chilli dipping sauce recipe here. I just did it randomly. You can just do it your own way. As long as it is sweet, tangy and with mild spiciness, I think it's fine.


Step 3 - Mix all filling ingredient together.


Beancurd skins cut into 12 x 11cm size, wrapped into roll, and then flatten the filling into equal thickness.


With this recipe, I make about 28. And it is now ready to deep fry them.


Take a look at the filling. Lots of shrimps in there. Crispy outside, juicy inside. Yumm~!!!!


I brought this pot of yumms to a gathering. They love em' :)


Do give it a try! I'm sure you will love it :)

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Daging Masak Asam / Beef with Tamarind - (MFF Kedah Perlis)

While I'm scratching my head what to cook for Kedah / Perlis month, Wendy found this recipe for me. I kinda like it!

Daging Masak Asam, literally beef cooked with tamarind juice. This is Perlis dish. I never had it before. But I kinda adore the unique taste! This dish is easy and stress free too.


I'm fussy over what to cook sometimes. Not that I'm a fussy eater, but I have a fussy big kid to feed. Whenever I wanted to cook a new dish, I will needa make sure that he eat. For this, he's ok. He loves this stewed dish.