Lor Bak

This is another way to use 'Fu Pei' - Bean Curd Sheets. This dish is very popular in Penang and is readily available in most eating places in Kuala Lumpur but here, you would have to make your own. Other items - such as Fried Tofu, Prawn Fritters, Century Eggs and fresh cucumbers wedges are served along with these.


Ingredients:

(A)
1 lb pork, cut into strips
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp, finely minced garlic
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp, black pepper

1 tsp 5 spice powder
1 tbsp ground soya bean paste(mein see/tau cheong)

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 or 5 pieces Fu Pei (bean curd sheets)

1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup hot boiling water

1½ cup vegetable oil

1 seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size chunky wedges

INGREDIENTS for Dark-soy Dipping sauce :

2 tbsp dark soy-sauce
a pinch of Chinese 5-spice powder
2 tbsp sugar
salt , to taste
4-5 tbsp water
½ tsp cornstarch
1 egg white, lightly beaten

INGREDIENTS for Sweet-chili sauce :

4 tbsp Sirachi Chilli sauce or any chilli sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, pounded
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp sugar

Method:

To Prepare Dark-soy Dipping Sauce :

In a small pot, combine all ingredients [except egg white], over low heat, bring to a slow simmer
Simmer 1-2 mins stirring occasionally till sauce is smooth
Add egg white, stir with fork, forming fine white streaks in the sauce
Remove from heat, serve at room temperature .

To Prepare Sweet-chili sauce :

Combine all the ingredients and mix until the sugar is dissolved.

To Prepare Lor Bak:

Soften dried bean curd sheets by wiping gently with a clean wet tea towel or paper towels. Cut into squares - size of your choice.( don't forget to add an additional inch on all sides, for folding and rolling )

In a small bowl, add cornstarch and hot boiling water, mixing well into a glue-like paste, set aside
In a bowl, combine (A) and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

In the center of a bean-curd sheet, spoon pork mixture length-wise, forming it into the shape of a log. Brush all the sides of the bean-curd sheet with the cornstarch paste. Roll tightly, folding in the sides while rolling.

Repeat this procedure.

Heat wok on high, add vegetable oil, allow oil to heat up to moderately hot [350F].

Fry several lor bak untill golden brown,, then turn up the heat or remove a few scoops of oil so the the temperature of oil can be very hot and further crisp the lor bak. Remove, drain on cake rack .

Allow to cool slightly, before cutting into bite-size.

Arrange on a serving plate , along with a condiment bowl of dark-soy dipping sauce and a bowl of sweet-chili dipping; garnish with cucumber wedges.

Fu Pei Kuen

It's time for some Grandma's Stories, yes, story about my Grandmother, Ah Poh, my maternal. Her name is CHAN YUET SUN and if not deceased will be more than 100 years old. She is the daughter to CHAN SOW LIN, who must be someone prominent as there is a road in Kuala Lumpur, named after him. Her husband, YAP THAI KHIM is one of the sons of YAP KWAN SENG, and there is also a road in Kuala Lumpur named after his father. It is so sad to know that my mother is related to YAP KWAN SENG but has no relationship. I saw in the net about his family tree and i did not find my Ah Koong's name in it.

When Ah Poh was alive, we knew she had a brother but there were no family gatherings or such, so we never really knew his family.



Ah Poh stayed with us in Seremban while Ah Koong stayed with his other wife 'Mang Ngan Poh' named so cos she has very poor eyesight, in Kuala Lumpur.



Ah Poh had 5 daughters and my 'Yoke Yee' came with her when she got married. It was confusing when i was young, that i had 2 'Thai Yee Mah'. My mom, who is 82 years old, is the youngest of the girls. There is a 'Kow Foo' from Ah Koong's third wife who left him and of course 'Kow Foo' was not allowed to leave as he is the only son but his older sister left with his mom to the United States.



I had just wanted to say that 'Fu Pei Kuen' was one of my Ah Poh's favorite, she has good taste, but i got carried away with this lengthy story. Ah Poh would request my mom to make her 'Fu Pei Kuen' and the filling will be 'Beansprouts, shrimp and fried Tofu' but i have made mine using the dish Yee Mah Kar Luoi which is 'shredded zuchini, dried shrimp and mung bean noodles'. Ah Poh liked the 'kuen' lightly 'ngat' - heated on a lightly oil pan which made the skin soft like fresh foo chuk.



Ingredients:

1 lb beansprouts
a few sprigs of chinese chives or spring onions - washed and cut into 1 inch in length
1/2 lb peeled shrimp - deveined
1 small piece of firm tofu
1 clove of chopped garlic
1 tsp fish sauce
a dash of pepper
Oil about 1/4 cup



2 sheets tofu skin (fu pei) - available in the freezer of asian stores
1 tablespoon tapioca starch, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a paste for sealing the edges of the tofu skins

Method:


Marinate the shrimp with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp tapioca starch for at least 1/2 hr. Wash the shrimp to rid of salt and starch with running tap water. Drain and pat dry , then season with 1/4 tsp of salt, sugar and pepper.

Cut the firm tofu into 1/4 inch slices, then into 1 inch in length. Julienne into 1/4 inch shreds.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wok until moderately hot. Add in the shredded tofu and add in a little salt to the tofu. Fry until tofu is slightly brown. Turn off the heat. Remove and leave aside.

Remove all the oil and leave about 1 - 2 tbsp. Reheat the oil.

Stir fry the shrimp until cooked, then add in garlic and beansprouts. Fry until beansprouts are still crunchy, add in fish sauce, chives/spring onions.

Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, spread out the tofu skins on a work surface. Cut each skin into 4 inch squares. Dampen the skins with a little water and cover with a damp cloth.

Spoon 1 portion of the vegetable mixture onto each tofu skin square, fold a corner over to firmly encase the filling and tuck the corner underneath. Fold in both ends of the wrapping skin, as if wrapping a parcel, and roll up to resemble a filled pancake. Spread a little of the tapioca paste on the edges and press firmly. Repeat with the remaining wrapper skins.

Heat a lightly oiled flat skillet (frying pan) until moderately hot. Reduce the heat a little and pan-fry each tofu roll on each side until the tofu skin is soft

Serve with chilly sauce.

Yee Mah Kar Luoi

This is another dish which the name is a mystery to me as i wonder how it is connected to a wedding - mom's elder sister's daughter's wedding????????.

This is one of the ways to cook the bountiful crop of zuchini.

Ingredients:

2 small young zuchini

1 bundle of mung bean noodle - soaked

1 tbsp of dried shrimp - soaked

1/2 cup stock/water

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 slice ginger, then julienned finely

1/2 tsp fish sauce

a dash of pepper

2 tbsp cooking oil

Spring onions for garnishing

Method:

Julienne or shred the young zuchini and if the zuchini is more mature, remove seeds before shredding.

Heat oil and add the dried shrimp, saute until fragrant, then add in the ginger and garlic. Stir fry to combine.

Add in the shredded or julienned zuchini and add in stock or water, cover, and cook until zuchini is tender.

Add in soaked mung bean noodles and stir fry until noodles are cooked through.

Adjust taste with fish sauce and pepper.

Garnish with spring onions.

Serve Hot

Carioca

Note: This recipe has been adapted from "Desserts by Pierre Herme," by Dorie Greenspan. Copyright 1998 by SOCREPA and Dorie Greenspan. Reprinted by permission of SOCREPA. Published by Little, Brown.

I had wanted to make this cake since i watched Pierre Herme made it on one of Martha Stewart's show and that was long ago. I finanlly made it for my daughter's birthday. Of course i did not get the 'V' design on the ganache. It was not that easy, perhaps i will make several before i get it.


Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE

1 9-inch Genoise (How to is at the bottom)

FOR THE COFFEE SYRUP

1/2 cup Simple Syrup (How to is at the bottom)
5 ounces (2 packed cups) ground-for-espresso coffee (the coffee must be very finely ground)
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or instant coffee

FOR THE MOUSSE

1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona Manjari), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water

FOR THE GANACHE

10 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona Noir Gastronomie), finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

FOR THE COCOA-DUSTED ALMONDS

1 1/2 cups sliced blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Simple syrup

Method:

To make the coffee syrup:

Spoon off 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup, cover, and refrigerate to use later for the cocoa-dusted almonds.

Keep the remainder of the syrup at the ready.

Line a strainer with a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth, and place it over a small bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the ground coffee, stir, and immediately pour the mixture through the lined strainer. You should have about 3/4 cup of very dark coffee. Stir in the instant coffee and the simple syrup. Reserve. (The coffee syrup can be made up to a week ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

To make the mousse:

Beat the cream until it holds medium-firm peaks, then cover and chill. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and egg yolks at the lowest speed for a few seconds, just to break up the eggs; set aside while you prepare the chocolate and sugar syrups.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave oven or in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove the chocolate from the heat, and, if necessary, pour it into a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients for the mousse. Cool the chocolate until an instant-read thermometer registers 114 degrees.

While the chocolate is melting and cooling, place the sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally and washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil the syrup over high heat without stirring until an instant-read thermometer registers 257 degrees, about 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove it from the heat.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, beat the eggs for a few seconds, then very slowly add the hot sugar syrup in a thin, steady stream. To avoid splatters, try to pour the syrup down the side of the bowl, not into the spinning whisk. (Inevitably, some will splatter, but don't attempt to scrape the hardened syrup into the eggs -- you'll get lumps.) Increase mixer speed to high, and beat eggs for about 5 minutes, or until they are pale and have more than doubled their original volume. If the mixture is still warm, reduce the speed to medium and continue to beat until eggs are at room temperature.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Fold in the rest of the cream, and then, very delicately, fold in whipped egg mixture.

To make the ganache:

Place the chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a boil, and remove it from the heat. Pour the cream into the chocolate in three additions, using a rubber spatula to stir the mixture in concentric circles, starting each time with a small circle in the center of the bowl and working your way out into larger circles. You'll have a smooth, glossy ganache. Allow the ganache to rest uncovered and undisturbed (don't stir it) at room temperature until it sets, 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the room's temperature. When the ganache is properly set, it will hold a ribbon for a second or two when stirred. It is ready to be used now or covered and refrigerated until needed.

If the ganache is chilled, it must be brought back to its proper consistency by leaving it at room temperature until it's spreadable (the best method), or by heating it over hot water or in a microwave oven at low power. Do not beat it or otherwise overwork it, or it will lose its lovely -- and characteristic -- sheen.

While the ganache is setting up, transfer the cake from the refrigerator to the counter. (Working on a cold rather than a solidly frozen cake will facilitate applying the ganache.)

To make the cocoa-dusted almonds:

Center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle the almonds with the cocoa, then toss with the simple syrup to coat, and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the almonds, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until they are deeply and evenly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a rack, and cool the almonds to room temperature. (The almonds can be used immediately or packed into an airtight container and stored at room temperature for about 4 days.)

To assemble the cake:

Trim the top of the genoise so it is nice and smooth.

Cut two layers from the cake, each between 1/4- and 1/2-inch thick (these layers need to be extremely thin), and set them aside. The remainder of the genoise can be frozen for later use.

Center an 8 3/4-inch dessert ring on a cardboard cake round.

Place one layer of genoise, cut-side up, in the ring.

Brush enough coffee syrup over the cake to moisten it thoroughly.

Using an offset spatula or a flexible rubber spatula, spread 2 to 2 1/2 cups of mousse over the cake and smooth the top.

Position a second layer of cake on the mousse, pressing down gently and jiggling the cake to settle it in place.

Brush on some coffee syrup, and spread on another 2 to 2 1/2 cups of mousse; smooth the top so it is level with the edge of the dessert ring. (You may have some syrup left over, and you will have extra mousse. The syrup can be refrigerated for another use, and the mousse can be refrigerated for two days or frozen for a month.)

To set the cake, transfer to the freezer and freeze for 2 hours. (The cake can be made to this point and frozen for up to a month.) If you're not going to freeze the cake for long-term storage, it should be transferred to the refrigerator to defrost after 2 hours.

Remove the dessert ring.

Using a long metal offset spatula, spread ganache over the top and sides of the cake. If you want to repeat with another one or two layers of ganache, go ahead -- you've got plenty of ganache to play with. If the ganache is firm enough to hold a design, you can decorate the top now. If the ganache is still very soft, return the cake to the refrigerator for a few minutes to set it enough to hold a line drawn across its surface with a knife. (Keep the leftover ganache at hand so you can cover up any design attempts that don't pass muster.)

Decorate the top of the cake using the blade of a long, serrated bread knife. Hold the handle of the knife with one hand and the tip with the other. Starting at one edge of the cake and holding the knife almost perpendicular to the cake, gently slide the knife from one side of the cake to the other. Without losing your place at the edge of the cake, shift the blade about 1/16 inch and slide it 1/16 inch back to the opposite edge of the cake. You will have created the first V in a herringbone pattern. Continue until you have decorated the entire top of the cake. If the knife blade becomes clogged with ganache, clean the blade before continuing the pattern. Return the cake to the refrigerator for a few minutes to set the design. If you prefer, the cake can be finished with a flat-top -- that is, a smooth coating of ganache -- or you can decorate the top with swirls, ridges, or any other pattern that pleases you.

The last step is to press the toasted almonds against the sides of the cake. (If the ganache has set so it's very firm and the almonds won't stick to the sides, just warm the sides ever so slightly with a hair dryer -- lightly melting the ganache will help the almonds to adhere.)

The cake can be served now or chilled until serving time. If the cake is very cold and firm, let it rest at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before serving

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP

Makes 1 1/3 cups

1 cup sugar Ice water, for bath

Directions

In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine sugar and 1 cup water.

Bring mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar completely dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, and set over ice bath until room temperature.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

HOW TO MAKE GENOISE

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch cake

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Directions

Center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch pan, dust the interior with flour, and tap out the excess. Set aside.

Pour a few inches of water into a skillet large enough to hold the bowl of your electric mixer

Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Melt the butter, and set it aside to cool -- it should be just warm when you're ready for it.

Hand-whisk the eggs and sugar together in the mixer bowl. Place the bowl in the skillet of simmering water and, whisking steadily, heat the mixture about 4 minutes, until it is foamy, slightly pale, and reads between 130 and 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the bowl from the water.

Fit the electric mixer with a whisk attachment, and beat the mixture on high speed until it cools to room temperature and triples in volume, about 5 to 8 minutes. You'll know it's just right if, when you lift the whisk, the batter falls back into the bowl and forms a ribbon that remains on the surface for 10 seconds before it dissolves.

Stir about 2 tablespoons of batter into the slightly cooled butter, and set it aside.

With a large flexible rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the batter in two or three additions (you might find it most convenient to add the flour to the bowl by shaking it through a strainer), taking care to handle the batter gently in order to maintain its bubble structure. The batter will lose volume as you fold in the flour and later the butter. This reaction is inevitable and shouldn't jeopardize the success of the finished cake. Still working with the spatula, fold in the butter mixture. At this point, the batter must be used immediately.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan, and bake for 28 to 33 minutes, or until the top is golden and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack; unmold after 5 minutes. Turn the cake right-side-up to cool to room temperature

Serves

Salt Steamed Chicken/Yeem Kook Kai

Marinate Chicken with sea salt, ginger juice, shaoxing wine, pepper, a pinch of five spice powder.
Cut greaseproof paper into 10 " x 10" squares, use 2 layers for a piece of chicken, grease paper with a little oil. Place chicken in the center of paper
Wrap chicken up by letting 2 opposite corners to meet, then fold down in small folds, now let the other 2 corners meet and fold down. Tap up the open seam. Use a large bowl and layer the bowl with newspapers, push papers down to form a bowl, Fill 1/3 of 3 lb natural sea salt/coarse salt. Lay the chicken parcels on top of salt.
fill the top with the rest of the salt. Make sure the parcel are snuggled inbetween the salt. Cover the bowl with more newspapers and then overturn the bowl onto the countertop.
Fold the newspapers up to form a huge parcel and use tape to stick the newspaper in place

Put in the microwave and cook on 70% or medium level for 20 - 22 minuts. Remove parcel from microwave and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the tapes and tear open the parcel, be cautious as the chicken parcels and salt might be hot
Brush away the salt from the chicken parcel before opening the chicken packet.
Chicken is ready to be served, hot or cold. Enjoy

I have been wanting to try this Salt Steamed Chicken for a long time and the idea of getting 10 lbs of salt to cook the chicken puts me off, the salt costs more than the chicken. Yes, you will need this huge amount of salt for the whole chicken. So, I am being practical and instead of cooking the whole chicken, i use only chicken thighs only, the chicken has to be cut into pieces later anyway. Chicken pieces cook faster than the whole chicken, another thumb up for saving time and energy.

The conventional way of cooking this chicken is:

A large wok is required to hold the chicken and the salt.

The salt is wok fried until very very hot before you bury the chicken parcel, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked.

Marinates:

Play with your food, that is what my dear friend tt would say. Use whatever but not too strong a flavor as it might be too overpowering.

I like to add a very tiny piece of Dang Quai under the skin of the chicken pieces.

Baked Donuts

Have you picky eaters at home? Do i need to ask? When the food you show them at the supermarket, is received with great enthusiasm, with jumping joys of 'I want, I want', but what happens after? One try and the rest of the pack are left in the fridge, staring at you, every time you open the fridge. I am from the old school and frugality is top in my list. I must get rid of these yogurt drink before they expire, i made bread, pancake and then donuts too.

Donuts are not so appealing when not dressed(glazed), so, i glazed some but they were not accepted by the picky eaters, they exclaimed that they preferred the plain ones better. I was relieved to hear that, cos i personally do not like glazes and after 8 years here, still have not acquired the american's pleasure of all glazed pastries.


Ingredients:

1 cup self rising flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

(B)

1 egg

1 bottle of The Dannon Danimals drink (3.1 oz) - flavor of your choice or any yogurt drink

1 tablespoon canola oil

Glaze:

1 c. sifted powdered sugar

2 or 4 tbsp. milk

Toppings: Everything and Anything except the kitchen sink

Method:

1. In a big bowl, combine (A).

2. Beat (B) lightly and pour into (A), mix by folding in until all the liquid is combined with the flour. Mixture will be still lumpy. Set aside.

3. Spray the donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and fill them half full. (Half filled will result donuts with hole at the bottom but if you don't mind and want a bigger donut, then fill 3/4 full)

4. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes for the normal size donuts, for the mini ones 6 - 7 minutes will do or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

To glaze:

Combine powdered sugar with milk, stirring until smooth.

Dip donuts and holes in glaze.

Sit on rack to drain and top with toppings.

Serves

Spicy Chilly Shrimp

Time for some easy cooking, no fuss, no muss, just open the packet of curry mix and add in all the other ingredients and it is ready to serve as soon as the prawns are cooked.

Ingredients:

1 lb med to large-sized prawns or shrimp, un-shelled - mix with 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper.
4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 small onion, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, quartered or sliced
1 packet Claypot Nyonya Fish Curry Mix (available online from Mytasteofasia.com )

1/2 lime

Garnish with cilantro/thai basil

Method:

Heat oil and add in the fish curry mix, saute until fragrant.

Add in the onions, stir until they are soft.

Add in the prawns and tomatoes. Cover and cook until prawns are cooked.

Stir in the coconut powder and adjust the taste by adding more salt or sugar.

Squeeze 1/2 a lime before serving.

Serves