Kumquat Almond Teacakes

Kumquat is one of my favourite fruits for baking desserts. I love their tangy fragrant sweet taste after they are cooked in sugar syrup.  You can blend it to become jam or make kumquat juice.  The jam are good on toast.

Today I am posting again my Kumquat Almond teacakes. The first time I baked this teacakes is in 2012 and eversince then I will bake this every year once I could get hold the kumquats at the supermarkets.

KUMQUAT ALMOND TEACAKES 

Ingredients 

35gm all purpose flour

50gm ground almond

1/2 tsp baking powder 

60g butter

50gm caster sugar

2 eggs (Grade B)

60gm kumquat puree (refer recipe below)

18 pcs poached kumquat halves (refer recipe below).

Prepare 18 2 inch tart tins or 12 3 inch tins. Grease the tins with butter. Preheat oven at 150(fan)/170C.

Sift flour and baking powder. Mix with ground almond, set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.  Add in the almond flour mixture Put in 2 additions, mixing well after each. Mix in kumquat puree.

Scoop the batter equally into prepared moulds and top with a kumquat half.

Bake for 12 mins (2 inch) or longer for larger tins

Kumquat compote

20 kumquats

Sugar

Water

Weigh kumquats and prepare equal amount of water (in weight) and half amount of sugar (ratio: 2:2:1, kumquat:water:sugar, eg : 200gm:200gm:100gm).

(* Based on my experience, I suggest to use less water for making this compote jam... as once the sugar diluted it will be more watery. )

Half the kumquats or thickly sliced into 4 slices and remove seeds. Put the kumquats, sugar and water into a saucepan and cook (on med heat)until the kumquat looks glossy and soft. Remove 18 pcs of halves and puree the rest with some of the syrup. Unused puree can be spread on toast. 

You don't need to push the kumquat slightly in to the batter as it will sunk down as they bake in half way 😋. Just place it on top of it.

                                                   Yummy yummy YUMMY !!!

Steamed Tofu With Mince Meat & Mushroom

Seriously I think being a food blogger is not easy but I do admire and salute those bloggers (including myself 😂) for their time painstakingly .... prepare, cooked, taking pictures, editing and post to the blog. 

And now, you would have to rewrite your own recipe as some food bloggers or editors wouldn't allowed you to copy and paste the exact same word by word of their recipe! 

This few days I have been hardworking posting my food recipes ... well these few posting are my favourite food which I have been cooking and baking for umpteenth times.  Instead of scrolling looking thru my handphone gallery for the recipes, I thought I should post and update it to my blog for my convenient search in the future.

Today, this Steamed Tofu with mince meat is an easy and homey comfort dish.  I have cooked this for .... countless times.

STEAMED TOFU WITH MINCE MEAT 

Ingredients
1 pack silky smooth tofu (300gm)
100gm mince meat
2 medium size dried mushroom (soaked and chopped into small sizes)
1 small shallot
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp corn flour & some water (for  thickening)
4 tbsp water

Marinade 
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp premium oyster sauce
1 tbsp kecap manis 

To garnish
Spring onion
Coriander
Chopped chilli


METHOD

Place the tofu on to the steaming plate and drain off the water. (You may let the tofu sit on the plate for another 5 minutes to drain well excess water ).
Slice the tofu into 1cm thick. 

Steamed the tofu for 8 minutes on medium heat.

Place the mince meat in a medium bowl and add in the marinade sauce to marinade for 5 minutes.

Heat up a frying pan with 1 tbsp oil.  Add in the chopped shallot and garlic and fry till fragrant.  Add in the marinated mince meat and chopped mushrooms.  (With your spatula, break up the mince meat as you stir fry). 
Pour in the 4 tbsp water and stir fry for another minute. Add in the corn flour mixture and give it a well mix. 

Take the steamed tofu out from the steamer and drain off the excess water.  

Pour in the mince meat on top of the tofu and garnish with spring onion, coriander and chilli.

Serve hot ! 

Bon appetit ! Yum! 😋😋

Black Sesame Pastry Egg Tart

I have some left over black sesame powder and I just can't figure out what I should use it for.  So I thought why not try to incorporate some into the short crust pastry and make egg tarts.

And here is my version of black sesame pastry egg tarts!

BLACK SESAME PASTRY EGG TARTS
(Makes 6)

Ingredients

Pastry

75g butter
1 tbsp Icing Sugar
120g plain flour or all purpose flour
20g black sesame powder
1 egg yolk
1/2 egg white

Filling 

55g or 60g castor sugar/ fine sugar
75g hot water
2 whole eggs
125ml fresh milk
Pinch of fine salt

Method (for Pastry)

With your electric hand held mixer, cream the butter, icing sugar, egg yolks and egg white till smooth.

Fold in the black sesame powder and flour and mix till well combined. Once it is well mixed, using hand, press the mixture together and form a dough. (If the dough is too wet texture add in some flour and lightly knead till well combined).

Wrap the dough in a clingwrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Take the dough out of the fridge.  Divide the pastry into 8 to 10 equal portion (about 30g each).

Roll individual dough into a ball. Press the pastry ball into the tart mould. Repeat for the remaining tart mould. (Note: When you press the dough into the tart cases, you should make the pastry higher, so as to build a wall at the side, so that the tart will be able to carry more egg mixture.

Refrigerate the tart cases for 30mins. 

Method (for Filling)

Add castor sugar into hot water, mix until sugar completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool.

Beat eggs with milk, vanilla essence and salt. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.

Sift TWICE the egg mixture to achieve a smooth egg mixture.

Take the tarts out from the refrigerator, carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells.

Bake tarts for 25mins at 180°C.

Well if you asked me how is the taste of this tart, I have already baked twice .....  and I do love the black sesame pastry.

Do give it a try if you love black sesame fragrant taste and egg tarts!

Any left over, the next day you can lightly toast bake it in your oven toaster. 

Sesame Ginger Chicken

Sesame Ginger Chicken is my all time favourite dish as this is a fast and easy way to prepare and cook.

I remember I learnt to cook Ginger Wine Chicken way back when Im just in my early teen.

Sesame Ginger Chicken

Ingredients

400-500gm chicken pieces (drumsticks & wings) 
60g ginger, sliced into long thin strips 
2 tbsp sesame oil 
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine 
125ml or 1/2 cup water


Method

Heat a wok over high heat and add in the sesame oil.  When the oil heated in smoking hot, add the ginger strips and fry till fragrant and aromatic; about 10-12 minutes.

Add in the chicken pieces and stir fry  for about 1 minute.  Add in the soy sauce and shaoxing wine. 

Lastly,  pour in the half cup of the water and bring the liquid to a boil, cover the wok, and simmer over low heat for about  20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thicken.  (Do make sure to stir occasionally, and add a little more water if you like extra sauce.)

Wonton Noodles (Wantan Mee)

Wonton noodles or sometimes it was called wanton mee or wantan mee is a Cantonese noodle dish which is popular in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Malaysia, Singapore and even in Thailand.

In Malaysia, a bowl of wanton noodles cost only RM$5.50 which is considered very cheap (and some food stalls serve it with wantons, fish balls and a big piece of tofu too).  So we don't really need to painstakingly cook this at home when you can just go to the food stalls to have this delicious noodles.

But when you are in another side of the world, ordering a bowl of wonton noodles could cost you more than $10.00; and the noodle might not suit to your palate or full of msg in it.

Today I'm sharing with you this flavourful Wonton Noodles which we have cooked it for ... oh I have lost count how many times we have cooked this .

WONTON NOODLES (WANTAN MEE)
(Serves 4)
Recipes adapted from To Food With Love

Ingredients:
400g fresh wonton noodles /egg noodles
1/2 bunch choy sum or more, washed and cut into 2 inch lengths
Vegetable oil

Toppings, to serve:
300g homemade char siew  or store bought, sliced thinly
16-20 wontons (use pre-made frozen wontons, or see below for Wonton recipe)*
Pickled green chillies, to serve
Sriracha chilli sauce, to serve 

A. Seasoning Sauce (per serving of noodles), mixed well:
1 tbsp thick dark caramel soy sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar

B. Mushroom Sauce:
5-6 Chinese dried shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup warm water
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the back of a knife
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp mushroom flavoured soy (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

C.  Garlic oil:
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (alternatively you can use diced pork fat)
3 tbsp vegetable oil


Method:

To prepare Mushroom Sauce (B):
Soak mushrooms in 1 cup warm water until softened. Squeeze out excess water from mushrooms, set aside, and reserve the soaking liquid for later. Slice the mushrooms. 
Heat up 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Fry the garlic and mushrooms for 1 minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients and reserved soaking liquid, except for the cornstarch solution. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cornstarch solution and stir until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan and set aside.

Prepare Garlic or lard oil (C):
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the garlic or pork fat (whichever you prefer) over low-medium heat until it starts to turn lightly golden in colour and crisp. Transfer immediately to a heat proof bowl and set aside.

When ready to serve, follow the steps below:

1. Cook vegetables:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and sugar. Blanch the choy sum stems first, followed by the leaves. Remove, drain and set aside.

2. Cook wontons:
Boil water in pot and cook the wontons in batches for about 1-2 minutes until cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Drain and set aside. Alternatively, add them to some prepared chicken broth and garnish with spring onions.

3. Prepare noodles:
In a shallow serving bowl, place 1 serve of the seasoning sauce (A) and lard/garlic oil (C).

With the same boiling water used for blanching the vegetables, bring it to a rolling boil, and cook 1 bundle (100g) of noodles for about 30 seconds or until done to your liking. Use a large sieve to drain the noodles and run it under cold running tap water for 5 seconds, then dip the noodles in the boiling water again just to warm it up. Transfer the noodles into the serving bowl and toss them in the seasoning sauce. Add 6 tbsp of the mushroom sauce (B) and toss again. Add a dash of white pepper.


 Wonton Recipe* (you can make this few days ahead and freeze it)
1 packet square wonton wrappers (about 40 sheets)
150g pork mince
150g prawn meat (cut into small pieces)
1 tbsp egg white
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients for meat mince (except the wrappers) and mix well.  
Place a teaspoon of the mixture in the middle of each wonton wrapper, and then lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Seal the edges to form a triangle shape, then press the edges to thin out the dough. Bring the corners together and squeeze to form a "money bag". 
Repeat with the rest of the wrappers. Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.

Garlic oil

 

Mushroom sauce

Preparing the seasoning sauce mixture into per serving plates.

Usually I love my wonton noodles flooding in that fragrant mushroom sauce!

One word.... YUM! 😋

Potatoes Braised In Soy Sauce (Gamja Jorim)

Potatoes ... I can say it is one of our main item in our pantry staples.
It is easy to cook and it goes well with almost dishes.

Today I have cooked this simple dish which the Korean have it as a side dish.
It is so delicious even though simple in ingredients

Braised Potatoes in soy sauce (Gamja Jorim)

Ingredients

3 medium size potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes and soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 small onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, mince
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup or honey (or you may substitue with kecap manis too)
3 tbsp water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

In a heated large non-stick frying pan, add the vegetable oil, potatoes and salt. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes and starting to softened.

Add in the garlic and onion, tossing for 3 minutes till the onion soften.  Add in the soy sauce, sugar and corn syrup (kecap manis) and fry till the potatoes are well coated.

Add in the water and stir frying continuously (at this point you may add another tbsp or two of water if desired).  Stir fry another 2 minutes or till the potatoes has cooked and soften but not broken. 

Scatter with toasted sesame seeds and dish out.

Banana Walnut Loaf

I was reading some online news feed the other day and one headline caught my eyes "Recipe: Banana loaf from Mojo Cafe .... the Mojo Cafe in Wellington is the best in town ... and usually sold out in the afternoon"
As it has given a recipe to try out so I got to try it out.

Simple in ingredients and easy to make too and indeed I love it.

Banana Walnut Loaf

Ingredients

300g ripe bananas

160g caster sugar *

3 large eggs

250g self rising flour

10g bicarbonate soda

120ml canola oil

160ml fresh milk

50g - 80g walnuts (roughly chopped)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°celcius.

Line the bottom of loaf pan with grease proof paper and grease the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Add the banana and sugar into the food processor and puree till smooth.  

Add in the eggs, oil and milk and pulse till well combined. 

Sieve the flour and bicarbonate soda.  Fold the flour mixture and walnuts into the banana puree mixture till all well combined.

Pour into the loaf tin.

Bake for 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

* Original recipe calls for 270g sugar which I believe is way too sweet! 

160g is just perfect to my taste when using ripe bananas. 

Egg Tarts

Usually when my teenage niece came home from school, she will immediately head to the pantry to look for food or snack to munch. Kids when they are in their growing age, they will constantly looking for food to eat.

Being a good aunt,  and as I know she loves egg tarts I made this for her.

This recipe is very simple in ingredients; much better than the previous recipe I made years back.

Egg Tarts
(Makes 12)

Ingredients
Pastry

1. 150g Butter
2. 2 tbsp Icing Sugar
3. 280g Plain Flour or All purpose flour
4. 2 Egg Yolks
5. 1 Egg White

Filling

1. 120g Castor Sugar or fine sugar
2. 150g Hot Water
3. 4 Whole Eggs
4. 250ml Fresh Milk
5. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6. a pinch of fine salt

Method (for Pastry)

With your electric hand held mixer, cream the butter, icing sugar, egg yolks and egg white till smooth.

Fold in the flour and mix till well combined. Once it is well mixed, using hand, press the mixture together and form a dough. (If the dough is too wet texture add in some flour and lightly knead till well combined).

Wrap the dough in a clingwrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Take the dough out of the fridge.  Divide the pastry into 12 equal portion (about 38g each)

Roll individual dough into a ball. Press the pastry ball into the tart mould. Repeat for the remaining tart mould. (Note: When you press the dough into the tart cases, you should make the pastry higher, so as to build a wall at the side, so that the tart will be able to carry more egg mixture.

Refrigerate the tart cases for 30mins.

Method (for Filling)

Add castor sugar into hot water, mix until sugar completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool.

Beat eggs with milk, vanilla essence and salt. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.

Sift TWICE the egg mixture to achieve a smooth egg mixture.

Take the tarts out from the refrigerator, carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells.

Bake tarts for 25mins at 180°C.

Recipe sourced from Annielicious

This egg tart recipe indeed a keeper as I have made this numerous times.
I hope you will give this a try.