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Tuesday, 5 March 2013

KUMQUAT SHAKER PIE

The "Ms. Kumquat", that's me, Mel, is at it again.  Posting another kumquat recipe.  I promise that this will be my last kumquat recipe.  Hope no one is complaining....  I wonder why should anyone complained when I am posting some delicious dessert here, right?



KUMQUAT SHAKER PIE 
Recipe from Food52.com
Makes a 9-inch pie 

Ingredients
6 oz kumquats (about 180 -200g)
1 large lime
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (divided)  (I put in 130g but still sweet!)
4 large eggs (divided)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
1 tablespoon water
1 All Butter Pie Crust with Almond (see below recipe)

Method
Rinse kumquats and lime thoroughly. Cut kumquats in halves to quarters lengthwise, depending on the size. Remove the seeds. Slice the kumquats into eighth inch thickness. Place sliced kumquats in a small, non-reactive bowl. Zest the lime, and add the zest to the kumquats. Juice the lime into the bowl with the kumquats, making certain not to incorporate any seeds. Add salt and 1 cup sugar to the bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and set aside overnight, or up to 24 hours, stirring once or twice during that time.

Place a rack in the lower middle position of the oven, and preheat the oven to 425º F.
Separate one of the eggs, placing the white into a small bowl, and the yolk into a medium bowl. Set the white aside. Add the remaining 3 eggs to the bowl with the yolk. Whisk until foamy. Whisk the melted butter into the eggs in a steady stream. Whisk in the tapioca flour until no clumps remain. Stir the kumquat mixture into the egg mixture. Set aside.

Roll out the bottom crust of your pie dough, and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the top crust so it barely overhangs the edge of the pie pan. Give the filling a final stir, and pour it into the crust. Gently spread out the kumquat pieces.

Add the water to the reserved egg white, and whisk until combined. Brush the egg white mixture onto the outer half-inch or so of the bottom pie crust. (This will help to create a good seal between the top and bottom crusts.)

Roll out the top crust of your pie dough. Gently drape it over the pie. Trim so there is about a half-inch of overhang. Tuck the overhang over, so the edge is between the top crust and the pie pan. Flute the edges to seal. Brush the top of the pie with the egg white mixture, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Cut several steam vents in an attractive pattern near the center of the pie.

Bake pie for 30 minutes. Rotate pie 180º and cover with foil. Decrease oven temperature to 350º F. Continue baking until the top crust has puffed up and a knife inserted into one of the steam vents comes out clean, about 25 more minutes.

Let fully cool on a rack. Can be stored in the refrigerator for several days, but bring to room temperature before serving. 


All Butter Pie Crust With Almond
Recipe from Simplyrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 6 Tbsp ice water, very cold

Method
1 Start by cutting the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and placing in the freezer for 15 minutes so that they become thoroughly chilled.

2 In a food processor, combine flour, almond flour, salt, and sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.

3 Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into 2 discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4 Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

5 Add filling to the pie.


              
                         What do you think the pie pattern shape I made?  Nice ?


                 See the kumquat rind?  Ooo.....I love it! 





Sunday, 3 March 2013

ASSAM PEDAS IKAN KEMBONG

I like to eat dishes that are spicy and sour, but not too spicy; just moderate to my taste.  Dishes like Tom Yam, assam pedas, oooo, yum!  Previously I do not know a thing about cooking this type of dishes,  as I find cooking this dishes are so troublesome and tedious.  So many ingredients required and you need to grind all those spices and herbs in, and moreover some spices I never heard or seen before. 

But eversince I started food blogging and looking at others cooking these yummy food at home, it has prompted me and 'brave' myself to cook this at home.  Homecooked food always the best ~ you eat with at least less worrisome!

I'm sorry the photos weren't good taken as the day has started raining and already turn dark indoor.  


ASSAM PEDAS IKAN KEMBUNG
Recipe sourced from Wendy of Table for 2...or more 

Ingredients
3 whole fish (I used Ikan Kembung)
1 torch ginger bud (half)
4 sprigs daun kesum
2 lemon grass, (4” from the base) smashed
10 lady fingers
2 tomatoes
50gm tamarind paste
700gm water
4 tbsp oil
Salt & sugar to taste

Grind to paste ingredients
12 dried chillies, soaked, cut and deseeded
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
5gm belacan (toasted)
5gm tumeric root
15gm ginger

Method
Mix the tamarind paste and water, stir to mix well.  Set aside.
Heat wok, add in oil and sauté the chilli paste till glossy and oil split.
Put in the lemon grass, torch ginger,  daun kesum,  and tamarind juice.  Bring to a boil.
Put in the lady’s fingers and the fish in.
Let it bring to a boil, lastly add in the tomatoes and lightly give it a stir.
Serve hot with rice.




As long as you have the ingredients or using any fish, I assure you this is still as good, because the spicy sauce simply is so appetizing!



I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest  Johor month 




Saturday, 2 March 2013

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






Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Kumquat Butter Cake

I hope when I posted this Kumquat Butter Cake, the word "Kumquat" would not make you jump up saying "Kumquat Again?"  Well, in fact when I text message to my Sister S, she did said it..... Grrrrrr!!

I guess I can called myself the No. 1 Kumquat Lover!  I don't know why, I just loves the citrus aroma and the taste.  It is so delicious.....the jam I made with it, tasted so good on toast, really!!

My family and I loves Butter Cake and in fact I have never posted any butter cake in my blog here.  So here goes for first Butter Cake with Kumquat flavour!   Love it!
I sourced the butter cake recipe from Wendy of Table for 2 ... or more when she posted her Pumpkin Velvety Butter Cake and I made it using kumquat instead pumpkin.




KUMQUAT BUTTER CAKE 
(recipe source with changes from Wendy of Table for 2 .... or more )

Ingredients
200gm sugar
200gm butter
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm soft steamed pumpkin flesh (no need to puree )
Handful of pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
2. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
5. Put in pumpkin and beat until all mushed up.
6. Put in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer. - See more at: http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2011/01/pumpkin-velvety-butter-cake_26.html#sthash.pCu0FI0k.dpuf
200gm sugar
200gm butter
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm soft steamed pumpkin flesh (no need to puree )
Handful of pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
2. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
5. Put in pumpkin and beat until all mushed up.
6. Put in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer. - See more at: http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2011/01/pumpkin-velvety-butter-cake_26.html#sthash.pCu0FI0k.dpuf
160gm sugar
200gm butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm sweetened kumquat puree

Method
Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
Put in kumquat puree.
Add in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer. 



Note :  Wendy of Table for Two....or more has advised me that for this Kumquat Butter Cake it is better to add in some baking soda and to reduce 50gm of flour in order the texture of this cake stays buttery moist and soft (in case if you want to make this cake)





After compiling some photos in my computer, I found out that I have made Kumquat Butter Cake before, (why I can't remember that....I guess I am getting old now), in fact I made it using a bundt pan but I do not know why I did not post it ..... here are some pictures ....




Saw a great info from the Facebook and thought of sharing it with you here.....

 





200gm sugar
200gm butter
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm soft steamed pumpkin flesh (no need to puree )
Handful of pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
2. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
5. Put in pumpkin and beat until all mushed up.
6. Put in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer. - See more at: http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2011/01/pumpkin-velvety-butter-cake_26.html#sthash.pCu0FI0k.dpuf

200gm sugar
200gm butter
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm soft steamed pumpkin flesh (no need to puree )
Handful of pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
2. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
5. Put in pumpkin and beat until all mushed up.
6. Put in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer. - See more at: http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2011/01/pumpkin-velvety-butter-cake_26.html#sthash.Xi10iKyY.dpuf

Monday, 25 February 2013

TOSCAKAKA (Swedish Caramel Almond Cake)

Finally life is back to normal now after the non stop baking and cooking for the Chinese New Year.  And I believe everyone had a good time in ushering the Snake year.

What about me?  Hmmm.......I have been lazying around at home though been cooking some good dishes but unfortunately it has been cloudy days during the CNY and not a good time to take good shots.

Well back to my today post, have you heard of a cake called "TOSCAKAKA"?  No?  Me too, until Hui of Butterfly Walz  posted hers and as I read her comments and she rated this cake to be DEEEEELICIOUS!!  I always take her word when she said delicious, means that is delicious and I won't hesitate to think twice whether should I bake it or not.

I wasn't ready to bake this Toscakaka yet because I am still having my "lazy" moodWell, I accidentally broke two eggs after paying my groceries shopping hence this cake was being baked; all because of the faulty supermarket trolley!!!


TOSCAKAKA (Swedish Caramel Almond Cake)
Recipe sourced from Hui of Butterfly Waltz

INGREDIENTS 
Cake
70ml milk + 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar (= 75ml buttermilk)
3 eggs
150g caster sugar (I used 120g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
75g unsalted butter, melted

Topping
150g flaked almonds, preferably lightly toasted  (I used only 120g)
125g butter
125g light brown sugar (I used 95g AND I still find it sweet for me)
50ml milk
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder

Cake: 

Whip eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract on medium high for 5 minutes till mixture is very thick.
Fold in 1/3 sifted flour+baking powder+salt into egg mixture gently using a big spatula. Drizzle and mix in 1/2 the buttermilk. Repeat with the next 1/3 flour+baking powder, the rest of the milk, then the rest of the flour.
Finally drizzle half the melted butter and fold in GENTLY. Repeat with the remaining butter, folding GENTLY and scraping the bottom to ensure mixture is well combined. Pour into a lined 8-9" removable bottom round tin and tap on the counter once to remove air bubbles.
Bake in a preheated oven of 160C/320F for 25-30 minutes or till golden and set.

Topping:
Put toasted almonds, butter, sugar, milk, salt and espresso powder into a saucepan over medium heat and stir as the butter melts. Let it bubble and thicken slightly before removing from heat. Pour almonds over baked cake and spread evenly. Turn oven up to 200C/390F and place cake topped with almonds in. Bake for 8-10 minutes till the topping is browned and bubbling. Remove to cool. Best served when cake is cooled to room temperature.


 After the sponge cake is cooked, pour the caramel almond in and spread evenly over.


                                                                  Bubbling in the oven.


Once the topping is browned and bubbling, you may remove it from the oven.  Let cool before slice.







The verdict, DEEEEEEEEELICIOUS!!   (If you want the topping to be less sweet, do cut down accordingly)


Do give this cake a try if you like crunchy bite on the topping and soft and light on the cake!



I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by 


Sunday, 10 February 2013

PORK JERKY (BAK KWA) 肉干

During CNY, pork jerky is one of the delicacy that some of us would like to have.  But now, pork jerky is getting more and more expensive, every year the price will increased.    I never knew that we can make pork jerky (or Bak Kwa 肉干) at home.  Isn't that great?  

And moreover what we are going to make at home is the baked and grilled in the oven and not through the BBQ! That is the relieve to me.

When I told my Sister S that I am going to make Pork Jerky, the next thought in her mind is, are you going to set fire outside to BBQ it?  I am sure if you intend to make this and when you tell it to your family you are going to make it, the next instinct the remarks from them would be "Why go all the trouble.... blah blah and later you have to set the BBQ pit to grill it?"

When I saw Sonia of NasiLemakLover  made this Pork Jerky last year, I was really amazed that this can be made at home and also lately few bloggers has made it too! 



Homemade Chinese Pork Jerky (Bak Kwa) 肉干
(recipe source from Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes 9pcs, perfectly for a tray size 13”x13” (4mm height)

Ingredients
450g minced pork (at least with 10% fat)
 
100g sugar
1tbsp light soy sauce

1/2tbsp Chinese rice wine 
1/2tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark caramel sauce  
1/8 tsp Chinese five spices powder  (I didn't add this)
A dash of Pepper
1/2 tsp-3/4tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp honey

Method
 
1. Put all ingredients in a big bowl and start mixing them with a pair of chopsticks. Blend and
    stir the mixture in one direction until the meat becomes gluey 
    (very important to stir till gluey otherwise meat will break out). Store in the fridge for 
    several hours.  
2. Spread the marinated minced pork thinly onto the baking tray (using fingers to spread).
3. Bake at pre-heated oven at 160C for 15 - 20mins. Remove from oven. Increase the oven
    temperature to 240c.  
4. Wait to slightly cool, cut into your desired size and shape using scissor, knife or pizza
     cutter, place them in the same baking tray.  
5. Grill (top heat only) one side at 240C for 10mins, remove from oven, flip over another
     side, wait oven back to 240C and grill for 7mins or until golden brown with slight burnt.  

6. Once done, let it cool and enjoy!

**you may store Bak Kwa (at stage 4) in the freezer for later consume. Defrost and grill (stage 5) before serve. It will be even taste perfect if you charcoal grill it. Adjust your oven temperature accordingly, you know your oven better !!

* My tray is 12" x 12" so a little thick in slices.



My Pork Jerky is a little char and burnt.... I guess 240C grilling for 10 minutes is a little too high temperature and too long for grilling!  Will adjust the temperature next time!

BUT.....nevertheless of course, ohhhh.....so delicious and yummy!  So much like the store bought and without the MSG!!


Are you drooling looking at this?  Well, I am...........slurppppp !!
Oh, you don't like pork?  You can try with chicken too!


Thank you Sonia once again for this delicious recipe!



I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by







Wednesday, 6 February 2013

PINEAPPLE ROLLS

The past weeks I had wanted to bake this pineapple tarts or pineapple rolls or whatever you wanted to call it.... I was in thinking should I buy the ready made store bought pineapple filling or should I go ahead to make my own.  Well, the store bought definitely is very sweet and this is why I hesitate to buy it.

Well in the end, when Sonia  posted her best melt in the mouth pineapple tarts, it just make me wanted to make it too .... Moreover, oh...shy to say ..... the Kumquat Nastar Rolls which I made earlier, I almost finished munching away....
  



PINEAPPLE ROLLS 
Recipe sourced from Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

Ingredients
350g butter
100g condensed milk
510g plain flour / all purpose flour
2 egg yolks

1 egg yolk +1tsp milk, for egg wash

700g Pineapple filling (homemade or store-bought)

Method
1. Cream butter and condensed milk till light.
2. Add in egg yolk one at a time, and beat until combine.
3. Mix in flour, mix till become a soft and not sticky dough.
4. Roll pineapple filling into ball (8g each) and roll dough into ball (10g each).
5. Flatten a piece of dough and place a piece of the roll pineapple filling in the middle. Bring the

    edges of the dough together and press lightly to seal. Roll it in between your palms to shape it 
    into a roll.
6. Cut few lines on the pineapple balls to create pineapple pattern, apply egg wash with a brush.


OR 
    Put dough into a Nastar mould and press out into strips about 5-6cm long.  Place pineapple 
    filling on the edge of a strip and make a small elongated roll 

7. Bake in preheated oven at 165C (fan forced) for 23mins or till golden brown.
8. Cool on wire racks before storing.
 

For Homemade pineapple filling

1.5kg pineapple flesh (from ripe pineapple but not over ripe) , process finely in a food processor

(do not add water)
250g coarse sugar (adjust accordingly)

Method
1. Cook pineapple flesh together with the juices in a wok over medium low heat until water
    reduced, stir from time to time.
2. Add in sugar and cook over low heat till thick, stir from time to time, takes about 1 hour.



Initially I wanted to make the same like Sonia's the (enclosed version) but I had a hard time folding the pineapple filling into the dough and end up the rest of the pineapple in nastar rolls instead.




I love this pineapple tarts or pineapple rolls ..  yummy and delicious!

I am glad I make my own pineapple filling because I can adjust the sugar to my preference.





                  I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by
                                                     Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover


Thank you Sonia ....this is very yummy!





This post is also link to the event Little Thumbs Up organised by