PANDAN ONDE-ONDE

This is my favourite Nyonya Kuih.  I have tried several recipes for this kuih and so far, I'm pleased with the results and never failed to enjoy them to the fullest.  Eventhough it is my favourite, I do share some with my relatives and friends.

My first recipe here is a good one but this recipe below has an extra ingredient 'sweet potato'.  The end result is the same and you wouldn't notice that there are sweet potatoes in it.  I used the white sweet potatoes and the gula melaka [palm sugar] is from a friend who bought it in Melaka. I like it very much cos' it is aromatic and fine.  Good to use as filling for Onde-onde as it melts in the mouth.
These Onde-onde are made for this friend who will be transferred to KL next month.  

Recipe adapted from the book - Nyonya Flavours

Ingredients

1 medium size yellow or white sweet potato - steamed, peeled and mashed

250 gm glutinous rice flour

5-6 pandan leaves - washed and cut small pieces

250 ml water to extract the juice

150 gm palm sugar - chopped coarsely

200 gm grated white coconut

1/4 - 1/2 tsp fine salt to taste

1. Mix grated coconut with salt and set aside in the fridge.
2. Blend pandan leaves with water and extract the pandan juice.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix sweet potatoes with glutinous rice flour and gradually add in the pandan juice.  Knead until smooth, add water if more moisture in required to work it into a fairly stiff dough.
4. Divide dough into small balls [size of marbles].  Make a well in the centre of each ball and place some chopped palm sugar, sealed well and roll into a ball.
5. Meanwhile, bring water to boil in a pot.  Drop balls into boiling water to cook as you make them.  When the dough floats up, it is cooked.  Dish up using a serrated ladle and roll them with grated coconut.
   
   
   
   
   

THERMAL COOKER - NYONYA CURRY CHICKEN

After using the Thermal Cooker to prepare several dishes [from porridge to soup and braised meat], I am now quite confident that cooking curry with it should be hassle free and fail proof.  This is true. 

I used the recipe from my earlier posting and cook this curry using the Thermal Cooker.  The result is awesome yet it is really hassle free.  The actual cooking time is about 15 minutes and the remaining cooking process is left to the cooker.  

The curry is aromatic, chicken and potatoes pieces are soft and the tenderness is just nice.  The curry is thick and tasty, full of flavours. 

If you happen to have this energy saver  appliance/utensil/gadget, whatever you call it, do make use of it and you may like it.

Ingredients
[adapted from Nyonya Flavours with some modifications]
Curry Paste [Ingredients blended in processor]
30 gm [15] dried chillies - soaked and drained
200 gm [20] shallots
15 gm [4 cloves] garlic
2 candlenuts [buah keras] -  optional
20 gm toasted belacan
2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cumin powder
20 gm [3 tbsp] coriander powder

1.2 kg meaty chicken [chicken thighs] - cut bite size pieces [I removed the skin]

300 gm [3] large potato - peeled and cut wedges
300 ml water or just enough to cover ingredients
100 ml thick coconut milk
3/4 - 1 tbsp salt to taste
2 tsp sugar to taste
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
5 tbsp oil or more

1. Blend dried chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts with belacan in a blender until fine.  Then mix with the powdered ingredients.  Set aside.
2. Heat oil in inner pot over medium low heat to saute pandan leaves, curry leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick and cloves until aromatic.  Add in prepared curry paste.  Stir fry until oil separates.
3. Add in chicken and then the potatoes.  Stir to coat well with the curry paste for 1-2 minutes.  Pour in just enough water to cover the ingredients.  Add in seasoning [salt and sugar] to taste.
4. Bring it to a boil and add in coconut milk.  Boil for a further 6 minutes.  Off heat. Cover pot.
5. Transfer to the outer pot, close the lid and leave it to cook for about 2 hours.  The pot is able to keep the curry warm for at least 8 hours.
6. Serve with plain white rice or Nasi Kunyit [Tumeric Rice].

THERMAL COOKER - AYAM SIOH

Ayam Sioh or Sioh Chicken is a Nyonya dish.  It is a home-cooked favourite in most Nyonya households with minimal ingredients easily found in the kitchen.

The combination of coriander powder, tamarind and taucheong [preserved bean paste] with  seasoning of sugar and salt give this dish its' sweet, savoury and sourish tasty that is very appetising.

Here, I used the Thermal Cooker to cook this dish which is so much easier and hassle-free.  There is no necessity to watch over the stove until the chicken is tender and gravy has thickened.  Just fry the ingredients until fragrant, add in the necessary liquid, bring to boil and leave the remaining cooking process in the Thermal Cooker.   This preparation takes about 15-20 minutes only and in 2 hours the dish is ready to be served.  

I did this in the morning before leaving home and by dinner time, the tasty chicken is ready and still warm in the cooker.  I cooked half portion of this recipe but it is worthy to cook the whole portion if you have a big family of 6 cos' it is good.
The recipe is adapted from Nyonya Flavours [my selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event - February 2016]. 

Ingredients [slightly modified]
1.5 kg chicken whole legs [I used drumsticks]
15 shallots - pounded and extract the juice and keep the juice
2 heaped tbsp preserved bean paste [taucheong]
50 gm coriander powder
100 gm tamarind pulp dissolve in 250 ml water - discard the pulp
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar to taste
1 tsp salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil
extra water

1. Heat up thermal cooker pot, add in oil, shallot pulp, saute until aromatic and brown. 
2. Add in bean paste and chicken, stir to mix ingredients well, then add in coriander powder and dark soy sauce.
3. Give it a good stir and pour in shallot juice, tamarind juice and some water.  Add in seasoning, bring to boil, then simmer for about 6-10 minutes.
4. Off heat, cover the pot, transfer to the outer pot and close the lid.  
5. Leave the chicken to cook for a further 2 hours.
6. Serve with rice.
   

Note - If using normal wok, add enough water to cover chicken, bring to boil and simmer until it is cooked and gravy is thick.

I'm submitting this post to Cookbook Countdown 2 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray

KERABU BAK PHOEY [PORK SKIN KERABU]

This is the first time I prepare this Kerabu.  The more common Kerabu which I know are Jellyfish Kerabu, Kerabu Bok Nee and Mixed Vegetable Salad etc. 

I have seen this recipe from the book  Nyonya Flavours but never thought of trying it until yesterday when I had in hand some very nice pork skin from the butcher.

So this is it, crunchy, tasty and spicy pork skin kerabu.  This salad is packed with collagen from the pork skin.

The recipe is very simple from Nyonya Flavours [my selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event - February 2016]. 
Ingredients
300 gm pork skin - cleaned *
150 gm cooked shrimps - shelled and sliced
60 [6] shallots or 1 big onion - peeled and thinly sliced
some chopped coriander leaves
Dressing [combined]
2 tbsp sambal belacan
2 tbsp toasted grated coconut - pounded
2 tbsp sugar to taste
2 tbsp lime juice
salt to taste [optional]

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add in the pork skin.  Boil until soft but still firm to the bite about 20-25 minutes.
2. Drain and cool.  Cut the skin into thin strips [>1 cm] or finer as preferred.
3. Toss pork skin with remaining ingredients and dressing.
4. Serve.
   
   
   

* Note - To clean the pork skin, wash with salt, cornstarch and some water.  Scrape the surface with a sharp knife, shaving off any bristles.  Also slice off any excess fats that may be attached to the skin.  Blanch pork skin in hot water, then boil in a pot of clean water [step 1].

I'm submitting this post to Cookbook Countdown 2 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray

BUBUR CHA CHA

Bubur Cha Cha [Sweet Potato and Taro Medley in Light Coconut Sauce] - this is the dessert that most Hokkien Chinese in Penang or northern Malaysia will cook on Chap Goh Meh [15th day of Chinese New Year].  Of course, there are many versions of it, cooked according to each individual family's preference.

My mum used to cook this years ago but I didn't want to follow her recipe cos' she dumps everything in one pot and the coconut cream is no longer white in colour.  I prefer the sauce milky white and the other ingredients remain so colourful.

Here, I followed  a recipe from Nyonya Flavours [my selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event - February 2016].  I did some modifications, too according to my own preference.  I omit the black eye beans, sago pearls and bananas.  I didn't follow exactly the measurement of the sweet potatoes and taro cos' it isn't practical for me to get the stated quantity but I make sure that all these ingredients add up to the total weight.

Anyway, I gave my neighbour a bowl of it and she gave this a thumbs up.  My family enjoyed it too.  The sweetness is just nice for me and the coconut sauce is aromatic and tastes good.  Actually, it is my hubby who requested that I cook 'Bubur Cha Cha' for him.  This is a keeper.

Ingredients

[serves 6]

100 gm yellow sweet potato

100 gm orange sweet potato

100 gm purple sweet potato

200 gm yam [taro]

1. Peel and cut sweet potatoes and yam into cubes or other desired shape [mine is like diamond shape].  Steam separately for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked.  Set aside.

100 gm black-eye beans - soaked for 1 hour [I omit]

1. In a pot, boil beans in enough water to cover until soft.  Drain and set aside.

20 gm sago pearls [I omit]

1. In a pot, boil sago pearls in enough water until they are translucent and cooked.  Strain and keep the sago in a bowl of iced water until required.

3 bananas - preferably Pisang Raja - I omit

1. Peel and cut bananas into 1cm thick slices.
   

Tapioca Flour Jelly

100 gm tapioca flour

120 ml boiling water

some pink and green colouring

1. To make the jelly, divide the flour into 2 portions in small mixing bowls.  Add pink colouring into 60 ml hot boiling water and slowly add into flour to bind.  Mix with a wooden spoon to incorporate well.  When dough is cool enough, transfer to a piece of cling wrap.  Lightly roll dough until smooth and use a cutter to cut into small pieces or any desired shape.  Dust with some flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, then drop in the cut tapioca dough to cook.  Boil until the dough is translucent and the pieces rise to the surface.  Scoop out and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.  Keep them in the water until required.
3. Repeat the same for the green colour.
   
   

Coconut Cream Sauce

1 litre coconut milk [from 1/2 grated coconut]*

150 gm sugar to taste

2 pandan leaves - washed and tie into a knot

* Substitute with 300 ml thick coconut milk and 700 ml water

1. Bring water, sugar and pandan leaves to boil until fragrant and sugar dissolves.  Add in coconut milk, bring to a simmering boil.  Off heat, set aside.

To Serve Dessert

1. Put bananas, steamed potatoes, taro, black eye beans, sago pearls and tapioca jelly in a serving bowl.
2. Scoop coconut cream sauce over ingredients.  Serve hot or cold.
   
   

I'm submitting this post to Cookbook Countdown 2 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray