CRISPY TEMPEH FRITTERS

What is tempeh?  According to my mere knowledge of tempeh, its origin is from Indonesia.  Made from soybeans into a cake by natural culturing and fermentation.

It is firm in texture and high in nutrition,  widely as a staple source of protein in vegetarian cuisine.  Tempeh keeps well in room temperature for 2-3 days. Was told not to keep it in the refrigerator which is moist and damp.  

I have used it to cook curries and in several vegetarian dishes.  Here, it is coated with batter and deep fried until crispy and serve with a sweet, sour and spicy dipping sauce.

These fritters makes a great snack for afternoon tea and best to eat them right after frying while still hot.

Ingredients

2 pieces [250 gm] tempeh [fermented soybean cake]

1 tbsp each chopped red chilli and spring onion

Batter [combined into a batter]

100 gm seasoned all purpose flour [spicy or non-spicy]

sugar to taste

2 tbsp oil

water

Dipping Sauce [combined]

2 tbsp chilli sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp plum sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

dash of salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine batter ingredients into a runny consistency.  
2. Cut tempeh into bite size pieces.  
3. Heat up oil until just hot.  Dip tempeh slices into batter and deep fry until crispy and golden in colour.
4. Dish up and drain off excess oil.
5. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

BRAISED BEANCURD SKIN ROLLS IN OYSTER SAUCE

These beancurd skin rolls can be served fried or braised. Either way, it is as tasty.

The braising sauce is tasty. The rolls are flavourful on its own and best serve immediately after frying.  The braised one is good with rice as the sauce tasted just perfect [not too salty but tasty].  It's delicious.

Recipe adapted from Yum Yum Magazine No. 77

Ingredients

[makes 30 rolls]

300 gm half lean and fat pork – minced

150 gm fish paste

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp cornflour

2 tbsp chopped spring onions

1 sheet beancurd skin [tau poay] – cut into 30 pieces

Enough oil for frying

Seasoning [combine together]

¼ tsp each of salt and pepper

½ tsp each sugar, chicken stock granules and sesame seed oil

½ tbsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

½ cup water

1. Combine minced meat, fish paste, salt and mix until very sticky. Add in pepper and cornstarch. Mix well and add in spring onions. Mix into a paste and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
2. Spread some filling on beancurd skin sheet and wrap up. Repeat the same for the remaining filling.
3. Heat enough oil in pan, deep fry or pan fry until rolls are cooked and golden brown. Dish up and drain.
4. Remove excess oil. Pour combine seasoning sauce in pan and add in the fried rolls.
5. Cook until sauce has thickened and almost dry. Dish up and serve hot.
   
   
   

PANDAN PANCAKE

Tired of having rice or noodles?  These aromatic pancakes would be a good substitute for a light lunch or snack during the weekend.  

An easy to follow pancake recipe and the outcome is satisfactory looking at the numerous holes in the pancake.  These pancakes are soft, moist and spongy.  They are not too sweet and good to serve with honey or jam or pandan kaya.  I have some with freshly grated white coconut [with a pinch of salt] and some with ground peanuts.

Recipe adapted from my selected Cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event#4 - Ricky Ng's book 'In Love with Pandan' [modified]

Ingredients

[makes 10 pieces]

110 gm superfine flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp oil

4-5 blades pandan leaves

190 ml milk

1. Blend pandan leaves with milk and strain for juice.  Set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.  Add in salt, mix well.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with a hand whisk until sugar dissolves.  Add in pandan milk and oil.  Mix well.
4. Fold in the dry flour ingredients [step 2].  Mix well until no lumps.  Rest for 10 minutes.
5. Heat a non-stick pan.  Scoop a small ladle of batter and gently spread it into a circle to form a thin layer. 
6. Cover with lid and fry over low heat until the air holes appear.  DO NOT FLIP.  Remove and repeat the same for the remaining batter.
7. Serve pancakes with jam, honey or pandan kaya.
   
   
   

Note: you can sprinkle some ground toasted peanuts and sesame seeds onto pancake once the air holes appear and fold pancake into half moon shape.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

HEALTHY CRISPY ANCHOVIES WITH PEANUTS

This is another version of fried crispy anchovies and peanuts [spicy or non-spicy] cooked in a healthy way. The anchovies and peanuts are roasted in the oven instead of deep fried. It can be spicy or non-spicy according to your own preference. It’s easy to prepare and yummy serve with porridge or Nasi Lemak. Click here on Oven Baked Crispy Anchovies

There is another version of this dish [my mum’s recipe]. The ingredients are deep fried and then fried with chilli paste and sugar. Click here to see my mum's version.

Ingredients

100 gm anchovies [ikan bilis] – rinsed and drained

200 gm peanuts – rinsed and drained

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp chilli paste [chilli boh]

Sugar and salt to taste

1. Remove the bones and black part - wash several times till water is clear. Set aside on colander to drain off excess water.
2. Spread anchovies evenly on a baking tray. Spread peanuts evenly on a baking tray.
3. Baked anchovies and peanuts separately in preheated oven at 180 degrees C on middle rack for 10-15 minutes.
4. Halfway through baking, toss and spread anchovies and peanuts evenly to ensure even baking. 
5. Increase oven temperature to 200 degrees C and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until anchovies are golden brown and crispy.
6. Remove and set aside.
7. Heat oil in a non-stick wok, sauté chilli paste until aromatic. Mix in peanuts and anchovies, sugar and salt to taste. Mix well.
8. Off heat, leave to cool before storing in airtight container or serve immediately.
9. For the non-spicy version, mix crispy anchovies and peanuts with sugar and salt after roasting. Store in airtight container.
   
   

CRISPY, FLUFFY FRIED TAUFU PUFF

These crispy fried stuffed taufu puff is quite a common dish at ‘Chu Char’ stalls.  If you like to prepare these for your loved ones at home, not to worry, it is very easy. Not complicated as I thought when I first saw the recipe. I’m sharing this simple, easy recipe here with you.

Do give this a try, they are crispy on the outside which is quite tasteless but the flavour comes from the filling which is a combination of prawns, crabmeat and meat.

Dip in any of your favourite chilli sauce , it is awesome and quite addictive, I am sure you wouldn’t stop at one.

BTW, if you don’t have crab meat, just prawn flesh with pork or chicken, it is still okay.
Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event #3] - Home Cooking Magazine [January 2001] with modifications 

Ingredients For Filling

[makes 20 pieces]

100 gm chicken fillet - minced

100 gm prawn flesh - minced

100 gm crab meat – minced

1 Bombay onion – peeled and finely chopped

1 red chilli – seeded and chopped

1 small egg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp sesame seed oil

2 tbsp cornstarch

Other Ingredients

20 fluffy fried taufu puffs – best to use those which are hollow inside

Enough oil for deep frying

1. Cut a slit on one edge of the taufu puff and carefully turn it inside out to prevent it from breaking into two.
2. Combine all the filling ingredients. Mix well until sticky.
3. Stuff filling inside each taufu puff and leave aside in the fridge until ready to cook.
4. Heat oil over medium heat, deep fry taufu puffs in batches till golden and crispy.
5. Serve immediately with Thai chilli sauce or any spicy sauce of your choice.
   
   
   

I'm submitting this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray