Dark Brown Sugar Ma Lai Koh

Ingredients

3 large eggs

160g evaporated milk

3 tbsp pandan juice (or plain water)

180g plain flour

190g dark brown sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

50g corn oil

Directions

• prepare and line bamboo steamer with parchment paper
  
• in a bowl, beat egg lightly with evaporated milk and pandan juice
• in another bowl, mix flour, dark brown sugar, yeast and salt using a whisk till combined
• add in the pandan egg mixture and mix again
• sieve the batter, cover the bowl and proof for 2hours
• after 2hours, get ready the steamer and bring the water to a rolling boil
• take out 3-4 tbsp of the proofed batter into a small bowl and add in the baking powder and baking soda
• mix in the oil till evenly combined
• add to the rest of the batter and fold till well blended
• pour batter into steaming basket and steam in medium high heat for 40mins (do not open the steamer for 30min or the cake will collapse)
• unmold the cake and cool on a wire rack

Foodnote: Saw the recipe from youtube and got the recipe here. Turns out soft and fluffy. Not very sweet. Delicious.

Bening Bayam / Spinach Soup

Ingredients

spinach

dried anchovies

onion

garlic

chilli

salt

sugar

msg (optional)

Directions

• in a pot, boil water with chopped garlic, onion and chilli
• add in washed dried anchovies
• add in spinach in boiling water together with salt, sugar and msg to taste
• turn off the heat

Foodnote: Simple nutrituous comfort soup. Nice to eat with just fried egg, sambal belacan and fried fish. I was gifted the japanese spinach by my niece. Cooked half into soup and planning to add it to fried noodle the following day.

Pengat Pisang

Ingredients

10 ripe bananas

1 litre water

80g brown sugar or gula melaka (adjust for sweetness)

1 tbsp sugar

2 pandan leaves

80g coconut cream

evaporated milk (optional)

salt to taste

Ulat: mix flour + a bit of oil + water

Directions

• prepare "ulat" into a soft dough that can be shaped and put aside
• in a pot, boil water, sugar and pandan leaves
• add in bananas and pinch chewy dough into small long strips into the boiling water
• add in coconut cream and salt
• stir and cook

Foodnote: My late mum used to make pengat pisang and unlike others, she did not include sago. Instead there is this chewy texture of flour that I love to eat with the pengat. I call it ulat or worm and used to color it green. It tasted even better after it absorbed the gravy of the pengat. But it is not easy to keep the pengat to eat later because the smell is so tempting. Once in a while, I will make this to remember the good old days and it will make my day much better.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Basic Ingredients

1 cucumber cubed (I use Japanese cucumber)

1 tomato cubed (choose firm)

2/3 red onion sliced

herbs (parsley, mint, basil etc.)

black pepper

salt

olive oil

1/2 lime or lemon juice

variety

cheddar or feta cheese

pineapple cubed

cayenne pepper

cumin powder

baked pepper chopped

Directions

• mix all ingredients together
• serve immediately or chilled

Foodnote: One of my go to salad when I need to increase my healthy food intake. Super easy to make. Love to add the pineapple to add sweetness and the cheddar cheese for more heartier taste.

Apam Kampung Kukus Part 2

Ingredients

400g all purpose flour

30g sugar

80g gula melaka

460ml water

4g instant yeast + 4 tbsp water

1 egg (whisked)

Directions

• mix together 2 type of sugar and water and whisk till all dissolved
• add in the yeast mixture
• add all ingredients including whisked egg into flour
• whisk to smooth batter
• cover the bowl and rest for 1 1/2 hour till bubbly
• evenly oil the cake mould and pre-heat in steamer
• pour bubbly mixture into the mould and steam for 30min
• cool down the cake before cutting and consuming

Foodnote: It is one of those days that I randomly feel like making a steam apam using another simple recipe that include an egg. Surprisingly it turns out nice and not sweet at all. I like this recipe too. I can eat it with brown/red sugar. Yummy and happy that I try this out.

Easiest Baguette

Ingredients

950g bread flour

16g salt

2g yeast

730ml water

Half amount with sourdough (KIV for future experimentation)

455g bread flour

8g salt

40g sourdough starter

345g water

diastatic malt

Directions

• mix all ingredients together till well combined
• cover the bowl and leave it for 8-10 hours (can keep in the oven)
• generously flour working surface (to avoid sticking) and transfer dough
• divide into 4 equal parts
• take each piece and stretch it gently into baguette shape
• place in baking tray with parchment paper or baguette tray
• bake in a pre-heated oven 250°C for approx 25min till golden brown

Foodnote: Saw this recipe so obviously must try. Most of the baguette recipe I tried is a bit tedious or have long list of ingredients. I am constantly searching for the most basic recipe out there. 

I tried with half of the recipe. Mixed the ingredients at 9pm at night and bake it at 7am the next day. I thought it wouldn't yield so much dough and use my 2.35 litre pyrex bowl with cover. Around 3am woke up and discovered that the cover pops and there's a bit of overflow. Quickly replace with a wok cover instead hehe.

475g prima bread flour

8g salt

1g instant SAF yeast

365g bottled filter water

Used the non-stick baguette tray and after shaping (which is basically just lightly stretching it into longish shape) sprayed the surface generously with water before popping it into the oven. Baked the bread at 240°C for 25min. Smell good while baking in the oven. Amazing that the crinkle dough puffed up into smooth crispy baguette yippee!!!

Going to try using sourdough and also add diastatic malt to make the crumbs softer. Find this a bit chewy but nice & crispy when toasted. 

Easy Foccacia (Same Day Bake)

Ingredients

500g bread flour

4-5g instant yeast

400g warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp honey

Directions

• in a large bowl mix flour with instant yeast
• add in water and mix
• add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• cover the bowl and rest the sticky dough for 30min
• fold dough using spatula and rest for another 1hour
• wet hand and fold nsew followed by coil fold
• add generous amount of olive oil on baking tray to cover all surface
• transfer dough, cover the dough in oil and rest for another 30-45min
• meantime, prepare toppings if any (I'm using paprika powder, tomatoes and mild cheese)
• pre-heat oven to 240°C lowest rack with fan
• use finger to poke the dough and spread it out
• add toppings (eg. paprika, garlic powder, herbs etc), sprinkle salt and more olive oil
• bake 15min
• cool on cooling rack

Foodnote: So after making my sourdough foccacia, decided to try this easy recipe for same day bake.

Recipe is taken from here. It actually turns out good and yummy. At first I thought the bottom is a bit burnt but it was ok. Very nice when eaten hot as it will have very crispy crust. Next time I would not put it at lowest rack... lower but not that low hehe. Overall I am satisfied with this recipe and will definitely make it again. Will just lined with baking paper if I'm worried about over baking the base hehe.

Baked this again on 5 July to share with a friend when we catch up for dinner... and it is really so yummy eating it hot. Very crispy and delicious. I fold in the cheese before final 1hr resting so that the cheese can distribute in the dough. Can't stop eating so definitely will be a go to recipe for foccacia.

Apam Kampung

Ingredients

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 cups warm water (or coconut water)

3 cups wheat flour

11g instant yeast

Topping: steamed grated coconut

Directions

• mix brown sugar with water till all sugar is dissolved
• add flour and mix
• finally whisk in yeast
• rest for 1hr
• grease container and pour in the batter (don't mix)
• steam for 30-45min on medium high heat

Foodnote: I love steamed cake. Found out my eldest nephew likes apam kampung. Search youtube and come across this simple recipe and of course I must try it since I have all the ingredients on hand... except for grated coconut. Quickly got it from the supermarket and tadaaaa... made myself apam kampung. Will make this for my nephew next time yum yum... 

14 July update: Just learnt from a good friend that I can substitute the water with fresh coconut water for a more traditional tasting apam. Will be trying that next time at half the recipe first!