BAKED TAPIOCA CAKE

Baked Tapioca Cake aka Cassava Cake is my family and my favourite Kuih of all Kuihs.  This recipe is quite similar to my earlier post on this kuih.  I was tempted to bake this kuih because the fresh tapioca was selling so cheap at Tesco for only RM0.99 cents a kilo.

I have baked it in 2 portions in a loaf pan and aluminium foil as I intend to give away a portion to a relative.  The cake should look tall and nice if I had baked it in a 7 inch square tin.

The kuih is not too sweet and packed with grated tapioca.  No flour is added and the sweetness is acceptable to me with the lovely aroma of grated tapioca.   My hubby says it's nice and he can have more because the sweetness is acceptable.

This is an easy baked kuih to make but the only tedious part is the grating.  However, you can blend the fresh tapioca with a little water in the blender to form into a paste.

Recipe adapted from Yum Yum Magazine with modifications

Modified Recipe

600 gm grated tapioca

100 gm grated white coconut

150 ml thick coconut milk

150 gm caster sugar

75 ml melted butter

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

A 20 cm square tin, lined and greased at the sides or 2 small loaf pans

1. Combine all the ingredients [except melted butter] until well mix and sugar dissolves. Lastly add in melted butter, mix well.
2. Pour into baking container and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for about 1 hour or until cooked through [test with a skewer] and top is golden brown.
3. Remove to cool in the pan before slicing to serve.
   
   
   

SAUTEED PORK WITH SPRING ONIONS

This is a rather easy and simple meat dish to prepare yet the taste is delicious.

It is a homey dish and kind of a mother’s signature dish for most families but my mum prepares it without addition of black pepper.  The addition of this ingredient does give it an added aroma and taste. 

The meat slices are aromatic, tasty and I love the spring onions.  Add more if you like the fragrance and sweetness of spring onions. Best to use really tender meat because this is a pan fry dish without braised.  

Recipe adapted from Chinese Cuisine Cookbook with modifications

Ingredients

300 gm pork tenderloin – cut ¼ inch thickness

1 stalk spring onion – cut into sections

Marinade

3 cloves garlic – finely chopped

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp cooking wine

½ tsp sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

Seasoning

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp msg

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1. Tenderise the meat slices and season with marinade for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pan fry marinated pork with 2-3 tablespoons of oil until golden brown and cooked through on both sides over medium heat.
3. Add in seasoning and green onions.  Stir fry to mix well and heated through.  Sprinkle some water if you think it is a little dry but the seasoning is just coat the meat.
4. Dish up to serve.
   
   
   
   

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #19 hosted by Joyce and Emily of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray respectively

FRIED SHRIMP BALLS

This kind of shrimp balls is type which I remembered having them during my childhood days where the economy rice stalls used to sell them with a plain gravy.  They looked plain but tastes good. We paid about 20 cents for a few pieces with gravy and a plate of white rice.  This plate of goody was our breakfast and we never got tired eating them.

These shrimp balls are not crispy but they are chewy and has the aroma and taste of prawns.  Simple and nice.  You can just nibble them with satisfaction.

Recipe adapted from Chinese Cuisine Cookbook with modifications

Ingredients

[serves 6]

300 gm prawns - shelled and chopped fine

1/4 tsp each of msg, baking powder and ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cooking wine

1 egg

125 gm all purpose flour

2 tbsp water

1 tsp oil

1 tsp grated ginger

some chopped spring onions

1. Mix chopped prawns with the seasoning ingredients, then add in the egg.  Mix well before stirring in the flour, water and oil.
2. Lastly add in the chopped spring onions.  Lightly stir to combine.
3. Heat up enough oil in a wok or small saucepan [saves oil] over medium heat.  Drop batter by spoonfuls to fry until golden brown or cooked through.  Fry shrimp balls in batches.
4. Dish up and drain on kitchen paper.
5. Serve immediately with or without chilli sauce.
   

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #19 hosted by Joyce and Emily of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray respectively

BLACK PEPPER PORK BELLY AND TROTTER

This is a braised soy sauce pork dish which is a little different from the usual.  Apart from the usual spice condiments, the seasoning has an additional ingredient, that is, tomato sauce.  It is rather different  in taste with  black pepper and tomato sauce.

I have prepared a double portion of this recipe for my family gathering.  You can use only pork belly for this recipe.

Recipe adapted from Feminine Magazine No. 585 with modifications

Ingredients

500 gm pork belly and pig trotter [meaty part] – blanched and cut into pieces.

250 ml water

30 gm julienne ginger

Spiced Condiments

1 star anise

½ inch cinnamon stick

1 bulb garlic – with skin

15 gm rock sugar

½ tsp salt

1-2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Seasoning Sauce

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp sugar

½ tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

Thickening Sauce – 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water [optional]

1. Heat a non stick wok with a tablespoon oil, saute ginger until aromatic, add in meat pieces to fry until slightly brown.
2. Add in spiced condiment ingredients, stir fry to mix well. Add in seasoning sauce and  continue to stir fry until meat pieces are well coated with the seasoning sauce before adding water.
3. Bring to boil, cover and then simmer until meat is tender and sauce is reduced or thicken with thickening sauce.
4. Serve with rice or reheat before serving.
   
   
   
   
   
   

DICED CHICKEN WITH DRIED CHILLIES

I think this is the simplest ‘Gong Pao Chi Ting’ recipe that I have came across.  It is too simple to believe with only 2 main ingredients [Chicken meat and dried chillies] and a seasoning sauce. 

Perhaps, this is because the recipe is from a very old recipe book where the recipes are all very simple [no frills].  There is no onions, spring onions, capsicum, some usual accompaniments added but I did add some garlic because I  thought the garlic would be good with the sauce.

This fragrant dish tastes awesome, savoury and spicy.  Perfect with plain white rice.

Recipe adapted from Chinese Cuisine Cookbook

Ingredients

[serves 3]

2 large deboned chicken whole legs – cut into ½ inch cubes

Marinade – 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tbsp cooking wine and 1 heaped tbsp cornstarch

10 dried red chillies – soaked  to soften and cut small sections

Some crushed garlic [optional]

Seasoning Sauce [combined]

¼ tsp msg

 1 tbsp each  sugar and  water

1 tsp each wine,  dark vinegar,  sesame oil and cornstarch

1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce

1. Pound the meat lightly and cut into cubes.  Season with marinade for 20 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick wok, sauté dried chillies over medium heat until aromatic, add in garlic, stir fry before adding chicken.
3. Continue to fry until well done [about a minutes], then add in the seasoning.Stir until sauce is bubbly and coats the chicken pieces well.
4. Dish up to serve. Garnish with sliced cucumbers.
   
   
   
   
   

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #19 hosted by Joyce and Emily of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray respectively