Lopes Sumpil

Foodnote

I went to Batam recently and finally get to see/eat lopes sumpil. The difference with my usual lopes is that it use stick or toothpick instead of tying to fasten the lopes. Today I tried to make it myself. It is easier to make compared to tying. The seller at the shop told me that they did not use any additives... just glutinous rice and boil it for 10hrs. That's a bit too long for me as I cook on the stove top. 

I use the same steps as my lopes recipe and increase the boiling time to 4 hours. Very soft lopes and I am very happy with it. This is a good alternative since I am against the idea of tying it with rafia string or rubber band.

Otak-otak Ikan Tenggiri

Ingredients

tenggiri fish

eggs

coconut milk

banana leaves (cleaned and soften over fire)

toothpick

spices

dried chillis

fresh chillis

garlic

onion

ginger

lemongrass

fresh ginger

fish curry powder

sugar and salt to taste

Directions

• blend fiah, egg and coconut milk and put aisde
• blend ingredients for spices together and stir fry without oil till fragrant
• once spice paste have cooled, mixed with fish paste
• wrap in banana leaves, fasten open edges with toothpick and grill till cooked

Foodnote

This recipe is courtesy from my friend Suria. I prefer the fish a little chunky so next time I am going to just chop the fish instead of using the blender. I will probably add a bit of oil to stir fry the spices. I actually steam the otak2 slightly before grilling. Overall... very nice and just a bit spicy. Awesome food for bbq or just as dish to eat with rice.

Serunding Kelapa

Ingredients

1 grated coconut (white only)

3 large red onions

3 pc garlic

0.5 tbsp jintan (cumin seed)

1 tbsp ketumbar (coriander seed)

2cm ginger
2cm tumeric or 1 tsp tumeric powder
2 pc lemongrass

2 tbsp cili boh (ground dried chilli)
2 tbsp dried prawns (optional)

7 pc lime leaves (just cut in half)

1 pc small gula melaka
1/2 knorr ikan bilis cube

salt and sugar to taste

a little oil for stir frying

Directions

• roast coriander and cumin seeds on a pan for a 5-10mins
• blend onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, lemongrass, dried prawns and 2 pc of kaffir lime leaves
• fry the blended ingredients with blended dried chilli till fragrant the add in the rest of the ingredients
• taste that there is enough salt/sugar while cooking
• cook in low fire for about 30 minutes or so
• it is cooked when the coconut is light and airy
• can keep refrigerated for months

Foodnote

Must have for Hari Raya to eat with lontong or ketupat. Nice to eat with glutinous rice or use it to make pulut panggang yumm yummm... Thanks mak for the recipe. Love and miss you so much.

Sambal Goreng

Ingredients

4 pc large tofu

5 pc tempeh

500g tetelan meat

250g boiled paru (lung)

1kg prawns

spices

6 large red onions

6pc garlic

500g fresh chilli

2cm ginger

2-3pc lemongrass

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup tamarind juice

5 tbsp cili boh (ground chilli)
1 pc knorr ikan bilis cube
salt to taste

oil for frying

Directions

prep

• tofu, tempeh, tetel and paru to be diced and fry separately till half cooked
• remove shell from prawns and fry lightly
• slice onions, garlic and fresh chillis
• chopped into thin slices and pound the ginger and lemongrass

cooking

• fry onions, garlic, fresh chillis, blended ginger and lemongrass till fragrant
• add in cili boh, air asam and sugar
• once the mixture thickens add the rest of the ingredients
• stir fry for about 30min and it will be ready to serve

Foodnote
My mum's recipe. Simple, nice and bring back sweet memories. Nice to eat with lontong with serunding eemmm yummm.

Apam Balik

Ingredients

2.5 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp instant yeast

2 eggs

4 tbsp sugar

2 cups of water (I used 1 cup of water+1 cup of fresh milk)

fillings

roasted ground peanuts

sugar

optional: cream of corn, chocolate chips or cheese

Directions

• whisk flour, baking soda, yeast, egg, sugar, water and milk till smooth and no lumps
• refrigerate for 3 hours or more
• heat lightly oiled pan and scoop batter to cover the surface
• let it bubble then sprinkle sugar and cover with lid for another minute till surface looks cook (raw batter is no longer visible)
• sprinkle with peanut and cream of corn or chocolate chip or cheese
• leave till pancake is deep golden brown on the bottom and crispy on the edges
• loosen edges and fold pancake into 2
• remove from pan, cut to 2 or 4 pieces and serve warm

Foodnote
Have always wanted to make apam balik myself because it is one of my favorite pasar malam food. So finally... here it is. Found a simple recipe from youtube. Supposed to refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight but I don't have time for that as the guests are coming over... but it is still good.
Made a variety of chocolate chips+cheese, chocolate chips+cream of corn+peanuts, peanuts+cream of corn... just to entertain the kids and they love it. None is left! Very easy recipe and I am so pleased with the outcome.

This same recipe is also good for making pancake/hotcake. Extra batter can be left in the fridge for a few days.

Granola Dust

Ingredients

800g Quaker rolled oats

230g mixed nuts and seeds (I use walnut, almond, pinenuts, pecan, macadamia)

230g mixed dried fruits (I use dried figs, dates, raisin, sun dried tomato)

1 orange zest

1 tbsp coffee powder

3 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions

• bake oats, nuts & orange zest in oven (170 degrees C) for 15-20 mins. Stir every 5mins  until oats & nuts gets a bit crunchy & crispy
• once oats & nuts are cooled, use food blender to grind with the rest of the ingredients to form 'dust'
• keep in airtight container
• serve 1/2 cup of healthy and sugar free granola dust with milk or/and yoghurt together with fresh berries or/and chopped fresh fruits

Foodnote

Saw my friend post this recipe by Jamie Oliver on his facebook and have the strong urge to try it (actually more because I have an empty and cool looking glass jar that he gave me and the granola dust will be perfect for it). The portion and ingredients have been adjusted to include whatever I have on hand. Would be good to have more seeds like flaxseed but I don't want to buy a big packet and leave it lying around too long. Eeerrr should have halfed the ingredients but ok lah... now I have like 2 months supply of granola dust for breakfast haha.

Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

100g French Butter

3/4 cup brown

3/4 cup caster sugar

a pinch of salt

1tsp baking powder

2 1/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups semidark chocolate chips

Directions

• combine sugar, salt, baking powder and flour in a bowl
• add mixture to softened butter with wooden spoon or spatula
• add in eggs, vanilla extract and finally chocolate chips
• bake in low heat about 160 degree C for about 20 to 30mins until edges are browned and cookies are properly cooked
• cookies should be soft and moist in the inside
• immediately store hot baked cookies in airtight container to keep it chewy and soft

Foodnote
This recipe is from my good friend Jerry. Made this in giant size and thick chunks because it is for personal consumption. Good recipe and easy to make as all I need to do is mix, drop the dough and bake. So sinfully good and will make more next time to store and eat whenever I have chocolate cravings yummm....

Kueh Bakar Labu

Ingredients

1kg pumpkin

1kg/4 cups fresh coconut milk

3 cups plain flour

3 cups caster sugar

5 eggs

Directions

• cut pumpkin into smaller pieces and boil with a pinch of salt for about 20mins till soft
• remove skin and pulp the flesh
• add flour, caster sugar and egg
• finally combine coconut milk
• scoop into tray or muffin tin and bake in high heat (175 degrees C) till edges browned

Tips
Choose ripe pumpkin with orange or even skin that looked dried up on the surface.

Foodnote
I was taught how to make this by my good friend Jerry before he went away to Chicago boo hoo hoo. The kueh was made in silicon tray as well as muffin tray. The one in silocon tray came out nice and soft while the one in muffin tray came with more brown edges and crispier. This is sooooo yummy that I can't stop eating. Will definitely be looking out to buy another silicon tray.

Next time, I will sprinkle cinnamon powder once the kueh are baked. Bet it will be awesome!

Lopes

Ingredients
2kg glutinous rice
approximately 30-40g abuchang (soda ash)

banana leaves (approx 20 pieces)
rafia string or alternatives (I use dried grass straw. See lontong post for picture)

Syrup
gula melaka

a pinch of salt
2-3 pandan leaves
water

Coconut
grated coconut (white only)
a pinch of salt
2 pandan leaves

Directions

• soak glutinous rice in abuchang (leave it whole or I pound it to powder) for 2 hours or more and drain the water (rice will be a bit yellowish)
• dip the banana leaves in hot water or heat it over fire to soften the leaves. Cut away the hard stem.
• cut about 8cm width or bigger depending on how big you want your lopes to be
• fold firmly into triangular shape like samosa (see picture) and fill with the glutinous rice
• stack 3 to 5 pieces together and tie tightly with the string
• place the completed wrapped glutinous rice into a big pot and fill with water to cover the kueh
• boil for 3-4 hours and top up with boiling water whenever water level drops below the lopes level
• gula melaka syrup: boil chopped gula melaka, salt, knotted pandan leaves in enough water until syrup slightly thickens
• grated coconut: steam grated coconut with knotted pandan leaves and a pinch of salt for about 20-30 mins
• serve cooled lopes topped with grated coconut and drizzled with gula melaka syrup

Tips

There are 2 types of abuchang... white and orange. Both are fine. My aunt who is an expert in making lopes said that the abuchang helps to make the glutinous rice chewy and soft. She added air kapur for softer texture but I prefer without.

Keep excess lopes in the fridge and just steam it again when ready to eat.

Foodnote
Aaaah... who don't like kueh lopes. Was reluctant to make this for raya but got special request by my niece. Since I also like to eat lopes and it is quite fun to wrap the lopes because it took some special skill (ehem) so I make it lor. Bought banana leaves from tekka because the lady there sells nice longer width leaves that I can choose. Cheap too! 

I used dried grass straw as string because... I just want to keep things natural (avoid boiling plastic or rubber band for long hours with food).

Cookie Press Shortbread

Ingredients
2 cups butter
5 cups flour
1 cup corn flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)

Directions

• cream butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth with electric mixer
• stir in both flour
• pop dough in into cookie press using desired shape
• I split dough to 2 portions... and replace 3 tbsp of flour with cocoa powder to one portion
• - wrap the cocoa dough with the white one then press
• I bake for 13 mins in preheated oven at about 165-175 degrees C

Tips
chill the dough for a short while so that it is easier to press

Foodnote
As usual, mum used to make cookies using the cookie press when I was little. She lend the press to friends and relatives and it broke. Came across a smiliar press in Kluang for RM15.90 so I got it lah. Usually the new ones are made in plastic. Not sure if this is the same ingredients mum made... but this will do lah because it is easy. Mum likes it a lot too as it is not sweet.

Pineapple Tart 2019

Ingredients
600g-700g flour (adjust based on dough consistency)
3 egg yolks
450g butter
60g Bird's custard powder
pineapple jam (I use Bake King)

Directions

• combine all ingredients except pineapple jam until it forms dough
• wrap the dough in cling wrap and keep in the fridge for 40min (optional)
• use desired tart press and fill it with pineapple jam
• Bake for 15 mins at 170 degrees C

Foodnote
My lovey-dovey pineapple tart aaawww. A must-have kueh at almost every house during Hari Raya. Found this simple recipe and most probably will stick to it because it is not sweet and just require few simple ingredients. Next time I must learn to make my own pineapple jam :)

2019 update: Use this recipe again for hari raya. This time I tried to make "tart nenas sepit" and I think I did it quite well. For this I use 10g of dough... but next time I think 8g will be nice. The pineapple filling, I bought from Chef Boutique. It is very deep orange but I think the taste is awesome. Still have some pineapple jam left so will make this again for Hari Raya Haji.

Makmur

Ingredients
1kg flour

160g caster sugar
400g QBB ghee (or just enough to form dough)
1.5 tsp green colorings (optional) 

powder sugar for dusting

for fillings
150-200g ground peanuts/cashew nuts (I use ready unsalted cashews)
80g fine or icing sugar 

Directions

• mix ground nuts and caster sugar for fillings and put aside
• combine flour, caster sugar and ghee to form soft dough... add green color as desired
• take about a tablespoon of dough and form a small bowl and fill it with the nuts
• cover the nuts and form an oval shape like dates
• using pincher, make design on the dough like a leaf
• bake in preheated oven at 160 degrees C for 20-25mins
• once cooled, dust with powder sugar

Foodnote
Every year for Hari Raya I must make kueh makmur which means prosperity. I like to color my makmur green because I personally think it should look like a leaf and green is a soothing color for muslims... reminds us of heaven *wink wink*. Also because I am boyan daun pakau jeng jeng jeng... eerrk hhmmm

Hey... I need to have more green coloring lah. The baking and powder sugar makes my leaves pale aarrgghhh!!! Haiz, at least my eldest brother says it is very yummeh...

Steamed Fruit Cake

Ingredients

500g dried mixed fruits
454g Golden Churn butter (1 medium can)
350g dark brown sugar
500g flour
220g Lyle's Golden Syrup (half tin)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
5 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

2 cups chopped dates (optional)

Directions

• mixed dried fruits with flour and put aside (leave a handful of dried fruits aside)
• beat sugar and butter till smooth
• add eggs one at a time followed by baking soda, cream of tartar and dried fruits mixture
• finally add in the golden syrup
• pour into baking tin and sprinkle remaining dried fruits on top
• cover baking tin securely with aluminium foil and steam with hot boiling water for 4 hours
• top up water occasionally with boiling hot water
• best stored in fridge and can last for quite long (good to eat the longer we keep... don't ask me why)

Tips
No big steamer? No problem. Follow my mum style. Steam in a big pot... just prop the cake pan on top of a round cake pan (remove the detachable base). Tadaaaaa....

Foodnote
Got my mum's recipe from my sister-in-law. When she was staying with us loooong time ago, she helped my mum to make the steamed fruit cake and managed to scribble down the recipe. When I know that she had the recipe... I practically beg her and roll over asking her for it (bedek je). Well the recipes are quite vague using measuring units like kotak, kati, tin etc *gasp* so I have to slowly try to convert it to grams ~phewwww. Of course we used to steam the cake over an old charcoal pot after we finished boiling lontong lah. Now I have to steam it on a stove :)

Suji Bai | Sughee

Ingredients

500g icing sugar

500g QBB ghee

600g flour

4 egg yolks

0.5 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

colorings (optional)

Directions

• combine icing sugar and ghee until well mixed
• add egg yolk, vanilla and baking soda
• add flour slowly till dough can be shaped
• colorings can be added at this stage if desired
• drop liquid colorings and just mixed slightly so colors are a bit blotchy and have marble effect
• make small balls (5-6g) and drop on tray
• bake at 165°C for 10-12min or till edges slightly browned

Tips
for basic suji recipe the proportion of ingredients is usually same amount of sugar and ghee and approximately double amount of flour. The flour should be enough when the dough can be shaped. Softer dough... the final suji will be melt in your mouth-in-your-mouth. Firmer dough, the suji will be more firm.  Bai suji is more firm and crispy, with cracks on the surface and a bit hollow in the middle. The dough will slightly spread and expand quite a bit too when baked.

Foodnote: Got my niece to help make this. Marble colorings is her idea... pink, orange and green. Must say it looks cool and my niece insisted it looks like kadama. The size expanded a bit too big for Hari Raya cookies but jeng jeng jeng... I lurve the cracked surface heeheehee...

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
225g butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
0.5 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in a bit of hot water
0.5 tsp salt
2 cups white chocolate chips (1 packet)
1 cup chopped pecans (I use walnuts)
1.5 cups rolled oats

Directions

• cream together butter, both sugars until smooth
• beat in egg one at a time and stir in vanilla, baking soda and salt
• fold in the flour, chocolate chips, rolled oats and walnuts
• leave mixture in fridge for an hour or longer
• preheat oven to 170 degrees C
• scoop a spoonful of batter and bake for 10mins or until edges are nicely browned

Foodnote
I just do a single portion for this. No pecans but I bought too much walnuts so I just use that instead. Anyway... walnuts are good for the brain isn't it hehe. This cookie is so lovely... milky and chewy and oaty. I like...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
225g butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
0.5 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in a bit of hot water
0.5 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (1 packet)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

• cream together butter, both sugars until smooth
• beat in egg one at a time and stir in vanilla, baking soda and salt
• fold in the flour, chocolate chips and walnuts
• leave mixture in fridge for an hour or longer
• preheat oven to 170 degrees C
• scoop a spoonful of batter and bake for 10mins or until edges are nicely browned

Foodnote
This is a basic chocolate chip cookies recipe I guess. Realized it is similar to white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies except for few main ingredients. The first time I used Aalst chocolate chips instead of Hersheys... only because I saw MUIS halal logo on it. I prepared the batter and keep it in the fridge. Going out to volunteer for Project Joy today... so will bake it in the evening after iftar. Since this is for Hari Raya, I double the portion.

This recipe is different than the one that I used every year. That recipe called for peanut butter... but since peanut butter usually have lots of additives, I think this recipe is healthier. Hhhmmmm like real har har har... Nice, sweet, chocolatey... I am sure the kids are going to love this.

Ondeh-ondeh Keledek

Ingredients

sweet potato (preferably orange ones)

glutinous rice flour (or plain flour also can)

gula melaka (chopped)

fresh grated coconut

a pinch of salt

pandan leaf

Directions

• steam coconut with a pinch of salt & knotted pandan leaf about 20min and put aside to cool
• boil or steam the sweet potato and mashed it
• add enough flour to the sweet potato so that dough can be shaped (if the sweet potato is the soft type, just add enough flour that it come together and keep in the fridge for about 30min)
• take about a tablespoon of sweet potato dough to form small bowl to fill gula melaka and form balls (for soft dough it can be a bit soft and sticky but it is ok. It will firm up after boiling)
• prepare a pot of boiling water
• drop sweet potato balls into boiling water
• cooked ondeh2 balls will start floating to the surface
• scoop balls, slowly drop and roll into steamed grated coconut
• nice to eat once cooled or cool from the fridge

Foodnote

One of the dessert that I can't stop popping into my mouth. I prefer sweet potato ondeh2 anytime compared to plain ones.

Layang-Layang / Kuih Tiram / Lidah Buaya

Ingredients
1kg flour

about 700ml boiling hot water

0.5 tsp of salt
200g tapioca starch flour
vegetable oil (for paste and deep frying)
cinnamon powder
caster sugar

Directions

• combine starch with enough oil to form a thin paste and put aside
• in another bowl add hot boiling water to flour... use wooden spoon to combine mixture till warm enough to knead with hands.
• divide dough into 16 equal portions
• roll dough out thinly and brush starch paste over it
• slowly and tightly roll the dough and put aside
• cut dough into about 1cm strip and roll over again each strip to flatten it
• deep fry till golden and crispy and put aside
• at this stage, the kueh can be eaten as is or coated with sugar
• to coat with sugar, mix caster sugar and a dash of cinnamon powder in a bowl
• pour cooled fried kueh layang-layang into bowl and stir till all kuehs have been coated evenly
• packed in container and ready to krak kruk krak kruk

Foodnote
We call it kueh layang-layang but it is also known as kueh tiram. Mum used to coat it with sugar (cook sugar with a bit of water till it boils and slightly thicken... pour fried kueh layang2 and stir till sugar is thoroughly coated). I did a shortcut by just using caster sugar with cinnamon powder to make it less sweet. Mum's recipe is so easy and I'm glad I mastered it lalalalala....

Kueh Ros

Ingredients

6 eggs

500g caster sugar (1 packet)

600g rice flour

800ml coconut milk (2 400ml packet)

8 tbs corn flour

1 tsp salt
oil for deep frying

Directions

• in a big wok, heat oil and dip kueh ros mould in the hot oil
• in a separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar followed by other ingredients
• sieve is there are lumps
• once ready, dip hot mould into batter barely covering it and shake it in hot oil until the batter loosens into the oil
• cook until golden
• kueh will only be crispy once cooled down

Tips

adjust heat of the oil... if too hot bubble will form and kueh will not be nice. Color will get darker once cooled.

Foodnote

Also known as Kueh Goyang because you need to shake the batter in the oil to release it... this is a kueh that personally brought back sweet memories to me. Mum have the mould but I can't recall her making it before. I bought another one in the shape of bunga teratai but thinks the old traditional one looks better. I have perfected the recipe to my own taste (ehem) and the portion for ingredients is simplified too... just buy a packet of this and that :)

Kueh Ulat Bulu

Ingredients

1 kg flour

200g QBB ghee

a pinch of salt

9 tbsp fine sugar

colorings
oil for deep frying

Directions

• combine flour and ghee until it forms crumbs
• slowly add water until dough can be shaped
• roll portion of dough into sausage shape and using zigzag craft scissors cut in strip to look like caterpillar
• deep fried caterpillars until crispy and put aside to cool

for sugar coating

• divide into 3 portions
• heat 3 tbsp sugar with a bit of water and cook till sugar is dissolved and solution is thick and bubbly
• pour in caterpillars and coat it well till sugar dries up... scoop up and leave to cool
• repeat with next batches but add few drops of green color and last one in yellow or red
• once cooled, just mix all together

Foodnote
Mum said this is her own creation because once upon a time her family was poor. So she just put few ingredients together and jeng jeng jeng... come up with this kueh ulat bulu for her younger siblings.

I remembered loving it as a kid (a cute one I must say :P). The colorful kueh, it's sweet taste and of course the quirky name. Hardly see this in other people's house during Raya so I feel proud to have it in mine because I like weird stuff I guess. Simple to make and the kids love it. I think my nieces and nephews are also weird like me har har...

Keciputan / Cipotan / Kuih Buah Rotan

Ingredients

8 large eggs

1 cup sugar

500g glutinous rice flour

500g sesame seeds
oil for deep frying

Directions

• beat eggs and sugar until all sugar are dissolved
• fold in glutinous rice flour 
• consistency should be a bit soft but can be moulded and sesame is able to stick to it
• form very small balls about the size of smallest finger nails? and drop it into sesame
• scoop balls covered in sesame from time to time and portion out quantities into plates for easy frying later
• deep fry in hot oil until golden and crispy

Foodnote

A must have for Hari Raya, this is my mum specialty. Her kueh ciputan or what others called kueh buah rotan is nice and crispy. Recipe is very simple and hardly can go wrong. Only thing troublesome is forming the gooey dough into small balls as it will stick to your palm and drip between the fingers haha. Still a favorite in my family and I am going to keep the tradition alive.

Kueh Bakar Kentang

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1.5 cups sugar

4 cups coconut milk (squeezed from 1 grated coconut)

2 large mashed steamed potato

6 eggs

0.5 tsp vanilla

a pinch of salt

yellow coloring

sesame seed (optional)

butter to grease kueh bingka pan

Directions

• heat kueh bingka pan on stove
• blend all ingredients (except sesame) until fully combined
• pour mixture into pan, sprinkle sesame over it and cook in slow fire for about 45min until satay stick comes clean

Tips
keep the fire really low. The pan can get heated very fast in higher temperature and caused burnt edges. You will know this happens from the burnt smell hah!

Foodnote

Mum used to have the kueh bingka pan but it was dented and the base is missing. I went to Kluang yesterday and found a replacement woohoo.
My kueh got the burnt edges, it is just slightly too firm and after cutting it looks like butterflies hehe... but it is sooo yummy I can't stop eating. Will attempt to make cake in the pan next.

Agar-agar Gudil Gula Melaka

Ingredients

Coconut Milk Layer

200ml Kara coconut milk

1 1/2 cup water

1 large egg

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

Agar2 Layer

10g agar-agar strip or 10g agar2 powder

240g chopped gula melaka

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

3 cups water

pandan leaves

Directions

• combine and whisk lightly ingredients for the coconut milk mixture, sift and put aside
• (if using agar2 strip, soak and cut into small pieces before using)
• boil sugar and pandan leaves until sugar dissolved and add in the agar2
• cook till all dissolved and lower the temperature
• pour coconut milk and egg mixture into agar-agar
• bring temperature up to a boil (stirring all the way) until you can see some curdling from the eggs
• once separation can be seen quickly pour into a glass dish or any desired mould (preferably 7x7x3 inch)
• once cooled about 30min to an hour, leave agar-agar in the fridge about 1 to 2 hours until firm enough to cut and serve

Tips
good gula melaka should be soft and brittle. If the gula melaka have impurities, you may want to sieve the agar-agar first before adding the coconut milk and egg mixture. Pandan leaf may be removed at the sametime...

Foodnote

I love love love love agar-agar gudil made by my mum. I pester her for the traditional recipe passed down from my late grandmother. Mum never use agar-agar powder so I must also follow lah. This is so good and and easy to make.

Baulu Asli

Ingredients

10 eggs

400g fine sugar

250g all purpose flour

0.5 tsp vanilla

Directions

• preheat baulu brass mould filled with oil in oven at 200°C
• using mixer blend eggs, sugar and vanilla till stiff in a large bowl
• add flour and fold till combined
• remove baulu mould from oven and pour out oil leaving only traces
• scoop spoonful into each mould
• bake for about 8-10 mins until golden brown
• use satay stick to release cooked baulu
• before filling the mould for the next batch, oil it first (I wrap kitchen paper on chopstick and soak it in oil. Make it easy to wipe the mould)

Tips

• for baulu to last longer, warm sugar and flour for a while in oven at low temperature
• mould must be pre-heat with oil to ensure batter don't stick to it
• to clean the mould, leave tamarind juice overnight... pour out the juice and rinse with water. Leave the mould in the pre-heated oven for a while just so all the water evaporated. Pour oil to heat and ready to use. This is also supposed to help so that the baulu don't stick to the mould.

Foodnote

This baulu is soft with slight crisp outer after baking.... not the dry crispy type that would need baking soda. Very nice to eat fresh from the oven with some jam. Reminds me of baulu cake that mum used to buy for me back in primary school. I'm so nostalgic...

Mee Goreng Basah

Ingredients

(estimated according to taste)
yellow hokkien noodle (washed and soaked)
500g prawns
2 pcs of fish cakes
1 large onions
2 garlics
1 cup of chilli paste
sawi or chinese mustard green
vegetable oil
chilli sauce
tomato sauce
dark soya sauce
oyster sauce
pepper
knorr chicken cube
sugar & salt to taste
some oil for frying
optional: fresh tomatoes, fried shallots, parsley (daun sup), chillies, fried egg etc.

Directions

• fry onion and garlic until fragrant
• add in chilli paste and fry in slow fire until really cooked
• add in the prawns and fish cakes
• at this point, add more water if wet mee goreng consistency is desired
• add in all the sauces, sugar, chicken cube until boiling (taste the paste)
• add in noodles and once the noodles are almost done, add in sawi and tomatoes
• stir a bit and immediately turn off the heat and enjoy nom nom nom

Foodnote
I prefer my noodles moist and eaten with fried egg on the side sprinkled with fried shallots and chopped chilli padi

Apam Beras Basic

Ingredients

2 cups cool cooked rice

1.5 cup sugar

2 cups water

(blend the above)

3 cups rice flour

1 cup all-purpose-flour

1 packet yeast (11g)

Directions

• combine blended ingredients to the flour & yeast mixture in a large bowl
• put aside covered for 3 hours
• prepare steamer until boiling hot
• separate mixture and add few drops of coloring as desired
• grease each small metal cups
• fill each cup with spoonful of mixture (don't worry... batter won't overflow when steaming)
• steam for about 15 mins
• eat with steamed grated coconut+salt or with red/brown sugar

Tips

• do not pack the rice tightly into the cup during measuring
• make sure the bowl is fully covered when leaving the batter to rise
• only add coloring after 3 hours
• heat the oiled container in the steamer first before filling with batter to avoid the apam from sticking to the mould
• ensure that water is boiling hot in the steamer
• wrap the cover of the steamer with cloth to prevent steam from escaping
• do not keep checking on apam while steaming
• make sure only boiling hot water is topped up to steamer

Foodnote
Wow... this is so simple to make, requires only few ingredients, oh so colorful and so yum yum. I like the simple basic ingredients and there is no strong after taste. Thumbs up from the kids so I will definitely want to make this again woohoo.

Made this again in September, 2015 (green apam) and it looks even more fluffy and nice.

Rice Cooker Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1.5 cups all-purpose-flour (I used wheat flour)
0.5 cup sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp cinnamon powder
0.25 tsp baking powder
90 ml cooking oil
0.5 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Directions

• mix together all the dry ingredients
• add all wet ingredients and combine till smooth
• pour batter into greased rice cooker
• choose bake setting and cake should be done when toothpick comes clean
• let cool for 15mins before transferring on cooking rack

Foodnote Actually I just replaced my rice cooker and the new one has a cake baking feature so I want to try it lah. Found a simple recipe where I just need to toss all the ingredients together. I really love this. It is not soft cakey... but firm. Reminds me of kek sarang semut. So yummy.

Bone Steak

Ingredients
2kg mutton marrow & knuckle bones
0.5kg mutton
1 packet of Adabi sup bunjut
1 packet of "tulang merah" spice (S$1.50)
onion + garlic + ginger + chilli grind to a paste
tomato puree
salt and sugar to taste
oil
eggs
optional: chopped cabbage/cubed carrot/green peas

Directions

• boil mutton bone and meat. During boiling, impurities will surface. Scoop and discard as much as possible. Lower the heat and boil for 2 hours until meat is soft and tender. Leave aside...
• cook paste in enough oil till fragrant
• add only the meat and bones to paste followed by salt, sugar and pepper to taste
• add broth from boiling the bones earlier and adjust consistency (should be slightly thick like curry)
• boil for a while till paste seeped through meat.
• once cooked, stir in eggs and other additional ingredients as desired.
• to be served hot and eaten with bread (preferably french loaf)

Foodnote
Also known as Tulang Merah from the deep red coloring that the hawker usually added that will leave your fingers, lips and tongue bright red. I am not a fan of the red coloring so I will gladly leave it out. I bought the mutton and spice from Tekkah market because the bone have more meat on it and I can cook it till it is so soft and tender. Always nice to make your own favorite food and know what ingredients goes into it.