TASTY STEAMED CHICKEN

This is one steamed chicken recipe which I found while clearing my file.  During my younger days [when I don't have a kitchen of my own], I used to collect easy recipes that I  came across, having in mind that I will prepare them when I have a kitchen all to myself.

I love trying new dishes but my mom and mother in-law are quite 'conservative' about trying new recipes or even new methods of food preparation.  They still prefer their old ways while I love to cut short and make things easy, after all, these days, we can't afford to waste much time as there are ample things in life to do. 

Anyway, back to this dish, it is easy and simple.  Just mix ingredients with the seasoning, arrange them in a steaming bowl or plate and then steam to cook.  One aromatic, nutritious and tasty dish waiting to be savour....The ingredients absorbed the tasty flavours of the seasoning when steamed.

Ingredients

2 chicken whole legs - skin removed and cut bite size pieces

Marinade for Chicken

1 tsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil and cornflour

dash of msg [optional]

Marinade for dried ingredients

1 tsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil and cornflour
dash of msg and sugar to taste
4 dried mushrooms - soaked, halved or quartered
some cloud ear fungus - soaked 
30 dried lily buds - soaked and knotted, hard tip removed
1 tbsp shredded ginger

1. Marinate chicken pieces and dried ingredients with marinades for 10 minutes.
2. Put marinated dried ingredients onto a steaming bowl or plate, arrange marinated chicken pieces on top.
3. Steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes.
4. Remove and garnish with some chopped spring onions.  Serve immediately.
   
   

STEAMED BLACK SESAME YAM PAUS

I had some leftover yam paste filling from my Baked Yam Buns.  Instead of baking another batch of baked buns, I used the yam paste filling to make these steamed buns.

These buns are soft, light, fluffy and chewy [QQ].  It's aromatic with the addition of black sesame powder.  A workable combination of yam with black sesame.

Filling - Yam Paste [from here]

Ingredients for Filling 
[half portion of this recipe is enough to make these paus]
300 gm yam
100 gm sugar
50 ml thick coconut milk [you can use dairy whipping cream]
a pinch of salt

1. Steam yam until soft.  Mash it into a paste while still hot.  Transfer to a non-stick wok, add in sugar, coconut cream and a pinch of salt. 
2. Stir over low heat until dry but still moist.  When the paste leaves the side of wok clean, it is ready.  Dish up and leave to cool before use.

Ingredients for Pau Dough

[makes 16 paus]

350 gm pau flour sifted together with 1 tsp double action baking powder
2 tbsp black sesame powder

Mix together - 200 ml lukewarm water, 40 gm caster sugar and 1/4 tsp vinegar

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp shortening

1-2 tbsp some toasted black sesame seeds

Using a Dough Mixer or Hand Knead

1. Combine all the ingredients [except shortening] in a mixing bowl.  Knead until soft [about 5-10 minutes].  Then add in the shortening, continue to knead until soft, smooth and elastic [very important step].
2. Shape into a ball and cover to rest for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
3. Punch down dough and remove dough to a floured surface, divide into 2 round balls.   Then divide each ball into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then roll into flat circle [the number depends on the capacity of your steamer, for mine I made 8 at a time].
4. Wrap filling with each flatten dough.  Gather the edges and shape into pleated paus or round balls.  Place on parchment or greased proof  paper in the steaming tray.
5. Leave to prove for 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes in a steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin [sometimes  they may be a little wrinkle - probably because of proofing time but the texture is unaffected].

These paus were given to my mother and mother in-law.  I have forgotten to take some shots on the cross section of this pau when I tried one.

STEAMED PANDAN SWIRL MANTOU

Today, I tried making these plain swirl baos/mantous with pandan juice and coconut milk powder.  The procedure is easy and quick with this small portion.  I seldom make small portion, so this time it is fast and I need not use my bamboo steamed for steaming.   The outcome is satisfactory  and I am happy about it.

This plain mantou is soft, moist, chewy and the sweetness is just nice for me.  Remain soft even on the next day.  Love the texture of this mantou.

Ingredients

[makes 9 mantou]

200 gm pau flour

2 tbsp coconut milk powder

40 gm sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp instant yeast

100-110 ml pandan juice#

1/2 tbsp shortening

1/4 tsp pandan paste [optional]

#[blend 3 or more blades pandan leaves with water, strain to extract juice]

1. Knead all ingredients together [except shortening] into a rough dough.  Add in shortening and continue to knead until soft, smooth and pliable.
2. Shape into round, cover to rest for 20 minutes or double in size.  Punch down and divide into 9 equal portions.
3. Shape each portion into a slender, elongated shape.  Flatten dough, fold into half lengthwise and roll up like a Swiss roll.
4. Invert and place on paper cases.  Leave to proof for 30 minutes.
5. Steam over high heat for 10-12 minutes.  Off heat, leave mantou in steam for awhile before removing.
   
   
   
   
   

EZCR#53 - FOO YEE STEAMED FISH

Fresh fishes are best cooked using steaming method. The only problem is which sauce goes well with the fresh fish. Of course, there are many common ingredients like tau cheong, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, black bean paste, tomato chilli sauce, salty sour wet plums and many more to choose from. Each has its’ own flavour and taste which are always good especially when the fish is fresh.

I am always on the lookout for various steaming sauces to steam fish and this one here is one of them which I tried recently. The steaming sauce is very easy to prepare.

Ingredients

300 gm white fish fillet or blocks

Some shredded red chilli and spring onions

A bunch of glass noodles – soaked and drained [optional]

½ tbsp sesame seed oil and cooking oil

Steaming Sauce Ingredients [combined]

1 tbsp each chopped garlic and ginger

3 pieces white fermented beancurd [foo yee]

1 tbsp each of sugar and wine

Salt to taste

1. Place glass noodles on steaming plate [if using], then put fish on top.
2. Spread sauce ingredients over fish.
3. Steam fish over boiling water [high heat] for about 12 minutes [depends on size of fish].
4. Remove from steamer, garnish with shredded red chillies and spring onions.
5. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil and oil until hot. Drizzle over steamed fish.
6. Serve immediately.
   
   
   

STEAMED PUMPKIN HUAT KUIH

I love to try smiling steamed cake [huat kuih] recipes and I expect the huat kuihs must 'smile' beautifully.  They have to remain soft and moist when cooled.

Sometimes, they smiled but turned tough upon cooling.  To me, they aren't good.  

This is one of the many attempts which I made and is happy of the outcome.  They satisfied the criteria of a good huat kuih cos' they are soft, moist, fluffy, cracked nicely and remains soft when cooled.  It tasted good and the sweetness is just nice.  

These huat kuihs are good on its own or serve with fresh grated white coconut mixed with a pinch of salt.

Recipe adapted from Fion [Xuanhommama] with modifications. For the original recipe, please check it out at Fion's blog site.

Ingredients

[makes 10 huat kuihs]

60 gm pumpkin puree

200 gm rice flour - sifted with baking powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1.5 tbsp castor sugar

130 ml milk/water

3/4 tsp Eno salt

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a big bowl.
2. Gradually add in the milk/water and stir with a hand whisk until well combined [free of lumps].  Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Bring water to boil in a steamer.  Line plastic steaming cups with paper cupcases.
4. Add Eno salt to batter and lightly still till well mixed.
5. Spoon batter into paper case until the rim and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.
6. Remove, serve immediately.  These huat kuihs will be soft and moist after reheating.
   
   

   

   
   How not to feel good and happy looking at these smiling steamed cakes?

EZCR#50 - FIVE FLAVOUR STEAMED FISH

This 5 flavour steaming sauce is a basic sauce good with most seafood like fish, prawns and squids for dipping or steaming.

It is spicy, sweet, savoury, sourish and very aromatic with the ginger/garlic and spring onions. This sauce tastes much better after resting which means that it can be prepared earlier and stored [for 2 days] until required.

Ingredients

300 gm white fish fillet or blocks

Some chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Steaming Sauce Ingredients [combined]

5 pips garlic

1 cm piece ginger

1-2 stalk spring onions – cut

1 red chilli

1 tbsp each tomato sauce, light soy sauce, black vinegar, Apple cider vinegar, sesame seed oil

1 tsp sugar to taste

1. Blend garlic, ginger, red chilli and spring onions coarsely, then add in the remaining ingredients. Blend to combine all the ingredients. Set aside.
2. Place fish pieces in a steaming plate. Spread sauce ingredients over fish.
3. Steam fish over boiling water [high heat] for about 12 minutes [depends on size of fish].
4. Remove from steamer, garnish with chopped coriander.
5. Serve immediately.