Muah Chee

A snack that can only get to eat it when there is pasar malam going around the neighbourhood but nowadays is like hard to find one not to say find a good one. After being back for some time, had a few disappointed ones so decided to make my own again. Did not realise that it is so easy to make such a nice snack. This one that I made, I think the texture is better.

Ingredients:

200g               Glutinous rice flour
2 tsp               Sugar
1/2tsp             Salt
1Cup              Water
1 tbsp            Vegetable oil
1 tsp              Shallot oil / Oil
100 -150g       Peanuts
40 - 50g         Sesame seeds
75g                Sugar

Methods:

1. Roast the sesame seeds and the peanut
2. Grind the peanut into coarse 
3. Mix the sesame seeds, peanuts and sugar put aside.
4. Mix the Glutinous rice flour, sugar, salt vegetable oil and water together.
5. Mix it well and pour it into a deep dish and steam for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a stick to check if it is well cooked in the centre.
6. Brush the dough with a little oil. Leave to cool down slightly.
7. Spread the peanut mix on a tray.
8. Cut out a stripe of the dough, then into pieces. 
9. Coat it with the peanut mixture, press it lightly for maximum coating.

Chipnut cookies

Had this cookies from Sue when we were still staying in Jane Street. She followed the recipe from the packaging of nestum she bought from hometown. Its really a nice cookie so I took the recipe from her, baked it a few times and it never failed to impress others. This is something that I used to do it with my little housemate. It really bring us closer together and we always enjoy the final product.

Ingredients:

Part A:
1 ½ Cup Self-raising flour
½  Tsp Baking Soda
½  Tsp Bi-Carbonate Soda
¼ Tsp Salt
1 Cup Nestle Nestum
1 Cup Chocolate chips
1 Cup Nuts

Part B:
150gms Butter
150gms Castor Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence

Method:

1. Mix Part A well and put aside.
2. Use a hand mixer, mix butter & sugar until light and puffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla essence.
4. Preheat the oven at 175°
5. Mix Part A & B well.
6. Bake it for 10-15mins or till golden.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie when I first heard the name it really puzzled me. While the meat used has to be mutton or lamb to be call shepherd. It is simple and yet nice. Is like a layer of meat with a layer of mash potato. After eating it once, very excited to get my hands on it again and it did turned out great. Being an Asian, just meat and potatoes not a every month kind of dish.Finally whipping it up again after so many years.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Medium             Potatoes
• 1Tbsp                      Vegetable oil
• 1 medium                  Onion chopped
• 600g                       Minced mutton
• 1Tsp                        Dried Basil
• 1 Cup                       Mix Vegetable
• 1 Cup                       Diced tomatoes
• 1                              Egg beaten
• 1/2 Cup                    Water
• 1/2 Cup                    Shredded cheddar cheese (opt)

Methods:

1. Boil the potatoes and mash it when it is cook.
2. Preheat the oven to 175 degC.
3. Coat a 2 quart casserole dish with some oil.
4. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add in the onion.
5. Fry it frequently for about 5 mins.
6. Add in the mutton and basil then allow it to cook for another 5 mins
7. Mix in the mix vegetable and tomatoes then allow it to simmer for 5 mins.
8. Transfer it to the prepared dish.
9. In a mixing bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, egg and water.
10. Then spread it evenly over the meat.
11. Baked it in the preheated oven for around 15 - 20mins or until the top turn brown.
12. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake for another 5 mins.

Jiao zi (dumpling)

When I had my first jiao zi here while still staying with my housemates from Tianjin (China),I was shock.Why? When they say eat jiao zi is really just eat jiao zi and no other dishes. To me and I also believe most people in our region might need to have rice and some other dishes to go along. They told me people from the northern part of China do not eat rice but home made noodle, pancake, pau or jiao zi. Different parts of China, people all have different types of main food not necessary rice. Mostly southern people will eat rice but might not other part of China. So for the first time, I had like 10 - 15 jiao zi to fill up my stomach. It was really nice to eat when it is still hot from the pot. So one fine weekend, finally get my hands working on it and learn the skill of making the jiao zi from them. Luckily I did manage to master the skill before they moved out and got praised by others but my favorite is the pan fried kind.

Ingredients:

Dumpling skin-

• 150g     Plain Flour
• 100ml   Water
• or just get dumpling skin from the shop.

Filling-

• 6-8pcs            Wom Bak
• 3-5tsp             Sesame Oil ( Xiang you)
• 300g               Mince meat
• 1tbsp              Cooking wine (hua tao jiu) 
• 1/2 - 1tsp       Dark soy sauce (lao chou)
• 1 tbsp             Light Soy sauce (shen chou)
• 1tsp                Chicken stock powder
• Dash of white pepper

Methods:

1. Mix the flour with water to form a dough, leave it aside to rest.
2. Marinate the mince meat with the rest of the seasoning.  
3. Chopped the wom bak into small pieces or mince it up in a blender.
4. Add salt into it and leave it aside for 10mins.
5. Then squeeze out all the water and then add 1 tbsp of oil.
6. Then mix well the mince meat with the wom bak.
7. Roll the dough and divide them into smaller balls.
8. Flatten the ball into thin round sheet.
9. Fill the sheet with meat mixture and wrap it up.
10. Boil a pot of water and add in the dumplings.
11. When all the jiao zi float to the surface and in some cold water to shock the temperature.
12. Scope out the jiao zi and ready to serve with black vinegar.   

Mee hoon kueh

This is one of my favorite soup base food. Been here for so long not easy to find this here till one day I saw Karen posted on this on FB. In my thoughts if Karen can cook this so can I, therefore start to ask around and finally this is what I came up with. You will never know that it is actually an easy meal to make. All you need is just ikan bilis stock then from there you can just marinate any meat and cook with the stock. With the marinated meat that is where you get the extra taste in the soup. As for me, I do not really like vegetable in my soup so you can add in as you like ok.

Ingredients:
For 2-3 people

• A dash            Pepper
• 140g              Pork Belly
• 1 1/2 tbsp      Light soya sauce
• 200g              Minced meat
• 120g              Lean meat (sliced)
• 4 pcs             Chinese mushroom(soaked & sliced)
• A bunch         Cai xin(2cm lengthwise) opt
• Eggs

Kueh:

• 250g             Plain flour
• 100ml           Water
• 1tsp             Oyster sauce
• 1                   Egg
• 1/2 tsp        Salt

Stock:

• 1/2 cup        Ikan bilis
• 1                   Dried scallop(soaked)
• 3-5 cups      Water

Methods:

1. Mix the oyster sauce, egg, salt with water
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl.
3. Dig a well and add in the water mixture.
4. Knead into a dough, cover it and leave it aside for it to rest.
5. Marinate the meat with light corn flour, soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper for 10-20mins.
6. Wash the ikan bilis and allow it to boil for 20-30mins
7. Scope out 3-5 scoops of stock into another pot
8. Heat it up and add in the meats and mushroom.
9. Pinch the dough into thin pieces and drop it into the pot.
10. Add in cai xin and an egg.
11. Pour into a bowl and top it off with fried shallot & fried ikan bilis.

Mee hoon kueh

Char Siew

Been here for so long hardly eat the char siew here as they usually cut the meat into big chuck which will affect the taste. So actually by cutting the char siew thinly will taste better. Finally one fine day, I made it after getting the recipe from my aunt to make it for my friends from China to have a taste of it. Here you go.

Ingredients:

• Approx 1-1/2 kg Pork Collar-butt
• 3 tbsp               Sesame oil
• 10 tbsp Sugar
• 3-4 tbsp Light soya sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Black thick sauce
• 2 teaspn Salt
• 1 teaspn Chicken stock powder

Methods:

1. Cut collar butt into 3 lengthwise strip.
2. Mix the above marinate – stir till sugar almost dissolved.  Marinate the meat, preferably, overnight
3. Put the meat on a wire rack over a pan of water. (Oven about 160 deg C.)  
4. Roast for 30 minutes on one side then turn and baste with the marinate and roast for 30 minutes.  
5. Turn and baste again with the marinate sauce.  
6. Roast for another 15 minutes, turn and baste, repeat same for the next 15 minutes and the meat should be ready.
7. Collect the dripping and pour into a saucepan. Add enough water to make the sauce and boil slowly.  Strain the sauce to get rid of the scum.  
8. Put the sauce back into a clean saucepan and boil again.  Add enough sugar to taste.  (stir a little cornstarch with water) Add cornstarch mix to thicken the sauce .
9. Slice meat and arrange on a plate with sliced cucumber and pour some sauce over the meat.  Serve with “Chicken Rice”  (rice cooked in chicken stock)