Pumpkin Milky Sago Dessert

Do you like pumpkin?  And do you know pumpkin is a fruit instead of vegetable.  Or just because pumpkin consist of seeds that it is considered as a fruit.  Pumpkin is very versatile in cooking.  You can used pumpkin as a sweet dessert and you can used it as savoury dish too.

I preferred to use pumpkin as a sweet dessert.  I have made Pumpkin Sago Dessert last year and it taste absolutely heavenly good this dessert.   Today I am posting a very similar pumpkin sago sweet dessert but this time is more diluted watery.

 PUMPKIN MILKY SAGO DESSERT

Ingredients

500gm pumpkin (deseeded &  skin removed, cut into cubes)
100gm sago (tapioca pearls)
100gm palm sugar (gula melaka) or rock sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)
3-4 blades pandan leaves
1000ml water
1 can (390ml) evaporated milk

Method

Bring a medium pot of water to boil.  Once the water comes to a bubbling boiling, pour all the sago pearls in.  Cook the sago in high heat for about 10 minutes or translucent; stirring constantly.  (do not worry if the sago still has white spot in the middle).

Cover the pot with lid and let it stand for 5-8 minutes for the sago to cook further in the pot.

Using a sieve, run the cooked sago thru running water to remove access starch.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Steam the dice pumpkin until soft.
Drain the pumpkin if there's water in it. While the pumpkin still warm, using a potato masher, roughly mash the pumpkin.  (You can blend till fine the pumpkin; but mashing it roughly give some biting texture when you are eating it later). Set aside.

In a clean medium pot, add the 1000ml water, sugar and pandan leaves.  Bring to boil till sugar dissolves.  Boil another 2-3 minutes to bring out the pandan leaves aroma.  Discard the pandan leaves.  
Add in the mashed pumpkin and sago.  Once it's come to a boil, pour in the evaporated milk and immediately removed from heat.  Done!

Serve warm or cold.

For this dessert, I am using this Australian pumpkin; big portion in flesh with little seeds in it...  I love this pumpkin with its dark vibrant in colour though it is quite costly.

One thing good about this sweet dessert is,  you can enjoy either warm or cold whichever way you want.  Taste absolutely delicious and yummy!

Go on, give it a try!

Pumpkin Sago Dessert

I was on holiday back to my hometown Kampar and Ipoh Perak two weeks ago meeting few of my secondary friends whom I have not met for over 30 years!  Time flies.... but it was really good to see them again.

We were all on food hunting trip in Kampar and Ipoh, patronizing restaurant and cafe right one after another;  in a way like taste testing the food instead of having a hearty meal at each restaurant.  Kind of fun too.

Of course every savoury meal we have tried out, we can't miss out to go for sweet dessert too.  We were at this 100% Natural Cafe in Ipoh to try out their dessert ("tong sui").  So we order each bowl of different dessert from the menu;  one dessert caught my friend's eye and she ordered this Pumpkin Sago dessert.  I never had anything like this before.  Just one mouthful of this dessert, I immediately fell in love with it.  It was so delicious and yummy.

Pumpkin Sago Dessert

Recipe sourced from My Humble Kitchen  with changes

Ingredients

1 Pumpkin about 1.3kg

  (after skin removed and cut into dice is about 760g)

2 cups water

1 cup sago pearls

3-4 pandan leaves (tie into knot)

140g rock sugar (adjust according to your sweetness)

1 can (350ml) evaporated milk

Method

Bring a medium pot of water to boil.  Once the water comes to a bubbling boiling, pour all the sago pearls in.  Cook the sago in high heat for about 10 minutes or translucent.  (do not worry if the sago still has white spot in the middle).

Cover the pot with lid and let it stand for 5-8 minutes for the sago to cook further in the pot.

Using a sieve, run the cooked sago thru running water to remove access starch.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Steam the dice pumpkin until soft.

Put the pumpkin with the 2 cups water into the blender and blend till into smooth paste.

Pour the pumpkin puree into a big pot and using medium heat, heat up the puree to 10 minutes stirring it continuously to avoid sticking to the bottom.

Once boiled, add in the pandan leaves and the rock sugar.  Stirring it occasionally till the sugar dissolves.  (You may remove the pandan leaves at this point). Pour in the evaporated milk and bring to a boil.  Off the heat and pour in the sago pearls and mix till all combined. 
(at this stage the dessert may look a bit watery but once cool it will thickens up).

Serve the pumpkin sago dessert either warm or cold from fridge.

(it taste good when it is warm).

Wasn't prepare myself to update any post here but one of my girlfriend wanted to have this recipe so I have to write up the recipe for her and moreover..... I don't have a camera to take good pictures... so have to use my Samsung handphone instead.

Give this dessert a try..... pumpkin is healthy!!

Sago Ruby With Grated Coconut

Do you like sago desserts?  Oh..... there's another name for sago....tapioca pearl.   I remember there was a time when I was in overseas, I asked the shop assistant for sago, and they don't know what I am talking about.  Lucky there was another customer overheard me and told the shop assistant.... "tapioca pearl".   

Sago Ruby With Grated Coconut

  

Ingredients

(A)

150g Sago (washed and drained)

6 tbsp sugar

1 ½ cups water

2 pcs pandan leaves (knotted together)

Few drops of red food colouring

(B)

½ piece grated young coconut

1/8 tsp salt

Method

Mix the ingredients B together and steam over medium heat for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, water and pandan leaves together to a boil until sugar dissolves.  Add in sago and red food colouring, stir constantly until parboiled, and turn off heat.

Pour parboiled sago into a preheated 8” round steaming tray.  Steam over low heat for 15 minutes and set aside to cool.  Using your small spoon, scoop out a spoonful of the sago and roll it all over to coat with the grated coconut.  

 

 

Orange Peach Jelly

I happened to come across one Facebook member posting her beautiful Orange Peach jelly the other day and she used the "Ingots" mould to make this and it just captivated me how lovely those ingots jellies are.  

The "Ingots" ( 元宝) as for the Chinese regarded as a very auspicious symbols of wealth and good fortune.  Usually the Feng Shui master will advise to place the ingots in the wealth area of your home to attract and to bring abundance and financial success to you.

And as Mooncake Festival is just around the corner, why not make this Ingots jelly to welcome your guests.

Orange Peach Jelly 

Ingredients 

1 pack (10g) agar agar powder
150ml water
200ml peach syrup
550ml fresh orange juice
100g sugar (adjust accordingly; based on the sweetness of your orange juice)
2-3 slices peach, cut small to fine 

Method 
Pour the water, sugar syrup, sugar, agar agar and sugar to a medium size saucepan and bring to boil till the sugar dissolves stirring it constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add in the finely chopped peach in.  Pour into mould.

Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours till set.

Pandan Jelly Mooncake

Next week is already Mid Autumn Festival.  I been seeing lots and lots of mooncakes posting on the blog, various flavours coming up this year too.  I guess the latest trend is the chocolate flavour. 

Well, on the festival day itself too much mooncakes can get you satiated and why not make something else....... Jelly or agar agar mooncake.  

I really love this Jelly Mooncakes when Esther of CopyCake Kitchen posted hers!  And even the jelly mooncake have filling too; using grass jelly (cincau). 

PANDAN JELLY MOONCAKE 
Recipe sourced from Esther of Copycake Kitchen

Ingredients
300g water

400g pandan juice  (blend 4-5 pieces of pandan leaves in 400g+ water)

100g coconut milk

Few drops of pandan essence (I didn't add this)

3 pandan leave (tie into a knot)
120g sugar

8g Agar agar

Filling

Honey grass jelly, ready made (cut into small square size; smaller than your mooncake mould)

Method

In a medium pot, pour in the water, pandan juice, essence, coconut milk and pandan leaves and bring to simmer boil.

Add in sugar, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Add in agar agar keep stirring.  Once start to bubbles, turn off heat. Sift the agar agar mixture.

Pour some agar agar mixture into jelly mould. Put it in your freezer to set for 1-2 mins. Add in grass jelly, pour again agar agar mixture until full.

Let it chill and set in the fridge.

                                           A refreshing dessert and the kids will love it!!!

Pak Thong Koh (Steamed White Sugar Cake)

This is my second round of making this Pak Thong Koh.  The "traditional way" of Pak Thong Koh would take days (I think 4-5 days) but I'm not that kind of patient to wait for the dough to ferment that long.  I found this fast way recipe that just took 2-3 hours to ferment the batter and the result is unbelievable good! 

PAK THONG KOH (STEAMED WHITE SUGAR CAKE) 
Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Snippets 

Ingredients
280 grms rice flour
200 grm sugar  (sweetness is just perfect)
600 ml water
1 tsp dried yeast + 3 tbsp of lukewarm water
3 pandan leaves – knotted
½ tsp salt
½ tbsp cooking oil 

Method 

In a mixing bowl add in rice flour and 300 ml water. Mix well and set it aside.

In a small saucepan, boil the balance 300 ml water, sugar, salt, and pandan leaves. Once boil remove the pandan leaves. Pour the syrup right away inside the rice flour mixture and leave it aside to cool.

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and pour it into the cool rice flour mixture. Stir well and cover and let it ferment for 2 to 3 hours or until small and tiny bubbles appears on top of the batter.

Prepare the steamer; bring the water to rapid boil. Grease and pre-heat an 8” baking round or square tray.

Add in ½ tbsp of vegetable oil to the mixture, stir well and pour into the heated tray and steam for 20-25 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when tested.

Cut and serve once it is cool.

Just make sure that after the 2 hours fermentation of the rice batter that has small bubbles surface on top.  If you don't see any that's mean your yeast might have expired or your water might be too hot when you dissolve the yeast in.

I think this steamed cake is so easy to make; mix everything and let it sit to ferment and then steam and you can have your "Pak Thong Koh" to enjoy!

Strawberry Yoghurt Bavarois

When my sister whatsapps and showed me the picture of her Strawberry Yoghurt Bavarois, it just tempted me to try it immediately as I am sure it it really delicious!!

Strawberry Yoghurt Bavarois 
Recipe adapted from Sandy's of My Happy Apron

Serves 8 

Ingredients 

15g gelatin powder

6 tbsp water
300g strawberries
1 tsp lemon juice
180ml milk
150g sugar
180ml heavy cream
240ml plain yoghurt

Method
Soak the gelatin in the water.
Wash and hull the strawberries, then drain.  In a bowl, mash the strawberries with a fork and sprinkle with the lemon juice.  (Alternatively, you can lightly blend the strawberries in your blender).

In a small saucepan, scald the milk and add the sugar and the gelatin-water mixture.  Stir gently until the sugar and gelatin dissolves.  Let cool.

In a bowl, beat the heavy cream till soft peaks form.   Add the mashed strawberries and stir well. Add the yoghurt and gently stir.  Add the milk, sugar and gelatin mixture.

Pour into a large mould or several small individual moulds.

Chill in the refrigerator until set .  Serve with strawberry and whipped cream.

                                              I made half of the recipe only.

                           

                                                              Yummy....yummy.....

Christmas Pudding

I know some of you will be hosting Christmas lunch or dinner having families members and friends get together.  There are so much to prepare for this special day, right?  

There are food and dishes that you can prepare ahead of time.  What dessert are you preparing for this day?  I know when you see this dessert that I have made, it might scared you off but nevertheless this type of dessert or cake is my all time favourite.  This type of mixed fruits cake if very well done, it can be kept for very long; in months and can be year too.

Mixed Fruits & Dates Christmas Pudding

Recipe sourced from The Kitchen Finesse with changes

Ingredients
250g flour
200g cane sugar (I used only 160g light brown sugar)
250ml water (I used only 200ml)
120g butter
2 eggs
400g mixed dried fruits
100g dates, chopped small

1/3 cup cognac 

1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
a pinch of ground nutmeg

Method
Combine dried fruits in a bowl and macerated with cognac overnight.

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and cook until sugar dissolves. Place in butter to melt and cool to room temperature. Sieve together flour,  spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in butter mixture and eggs then add soaked fruit mixture.  

Brush a 2 liter capacity pudding bowl with butter, line the base with a circle of baking paper and dust with flour. Pour pudding mixture into bowl.

Cover with a layer of  greased proof paper followed by foil. Place pudding into a large saucepan with a wire rack or a plate lining the base. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover and simmer for 4.5 hours, topping up water when necessary. 

 

 Serve this with your favourite whipped cream or vanilla custard as suggested by

Vera of TheKitchenFinesse

 I am submitting this to the "Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013" event which is hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out.

I’m submitting this post to  Aspiring Bakers #38: Boozy-licious (December 2013) hosted by Jasline of Foodie Baker

Tub Tim Grob (Red Rubies in Coconut Milk)

Asian Food Fest No. 2 (November) ~ Thailand
I believe this famous Thailand dessert, Tub Tim Grob (Red Rubies In Coconut Milk), need no introduction and this dessert is always well receive by everyone.

Do feel free to use the beetroot juice to substitute to the red food colouring or use soya milk over the coconut milk if you prefer a more healthier version to this dessert.

TUB TIM KROB (Red Rubies in Coconut Milk) 

Ingredients 
½ cup water chestnut, cut small into cubes size
Red food colouring / or ¼ cup beetroot juice
½ cup tapioca flour
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
½ cup coconut milk
Ice cubes 

Method

In a blender, whisk the coconut milk, water, sugar and some ice cubes together till become thick and smoothie.  Place the smoothie into the freezer.

Peel the water chestnuts and cut into small cubes. Mix the few drops red food colouring with some water (depends how red colour you desire) and coat the water chestnuts into the red colouring mixture. 

OR if using the natural beetroot juice, soak the water chestnuts cubes into the beetroot juice for 5-10 minutes, and drain.

Add the red rubies into the tapioca flour and coat them all over.  (If you prefer to have a thicker starch coated, spray the red rubies with some water, and coat another layer of tapioca over again.  Repeat if you want more thicker coated starch.)

Place the coated red rubies into the hot boiling water and gently stir it so the rubies will not stick together.  Once the red rubies float to surface, remove and immediately put into a bowl of ice cube water. 

To Serve

Scoop some coconut smoothie into the serving bowl and some red rubies on top.  Serve immediately.

* The multi coated of tapioca starch to the water chestnut was inspired from Wendy (Table for 2....or more) .  Please feel free to hop over to view some tutorial photos too.

I am submitting this post to 

 Asian Food Fest ( Thailand ) - November Month hosted by

 Lena of frozen wings

FRIED NIAN GAO IN MASHED SWEET POTATO

Saw this "Fried Nian Gao" at Jane's Corner and it just delighted me; because the nian gao was fried in different ways instead of the normal sandwich in between with yam or sweet potato.   

FRIED NIAN GAO IN MASHED SWEET POTATO

Recipe sourced from Jane's Corner

Ingredients:
350g mashed sweet potato (I used a combination of two types of sweet potato)

80g plain flour, 

1 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

200g nian gao, cut into small square pieces

Method:

Combine all the ingredients to form a  smooth dough. 

Divide dough into 12g each.   Wrap in  nian gao as filling and shape into ball.

Coat the balls with flour and deep fry in medium hot oil until golden brown.

                              Ready to coat in flour and into the deep fryer !

          Fry till golden brown