SPICY FRAGRANT FRIED TEMPEH

My family has learned to love fried tempeh which I prepared for them.  Tempeh tastes good be it pan fried or deep fried.  It can be served with a salad or any tasty dipping sauce.

Here, I have made it very simple.  The pan fried tempeh pieces are served with mayonnaise.  You can serve the with chilli sauce, too.  

Though tempeh is a naturally cultured and fermented patty, it has a unique taste and flavourful on its own when fried. 

Ingredients

1 big piece tempeh - sliced 1/2 cm thickness

Oil for frying

Mayonnaise

Seasoning

1/2 tsp each of salt and ground black pepper

1 tbsp meat curry powder

1/4 tsp sugar

dash of msg or chicken stock

1.  Combine seasoning ingredients in a deep plate or bowl.
2. Cut tempeh into slices of cubes.  Add to combined seasoning.  Toss well and set aside for several minutes.
3. Heat oil in wok and fry tempeh until golden and crispy. One tip - best to fry in batches because oil for frying cannot be re-used.
4. Dish up on serving platter.  Drizzle over with mayonnaise.
5. Serve immediately.
   

PUMPKIN PAUS

I made these paus for Winter Solstice family gathering.  
Easy to prepare pumpkin filling and easy to handle pau skin dough.
These paus are fluffy, soft and chewy, while the filling is tasty and not too sweet.
Lovely paus, tempting creamy pumpkin paste with a bit buttery flavour.

Recipe adapted from the book ‘Paus By Coco Kong’ with modifications

Ingredients for Filling

300 gm pumpkin paste

30 gm castor sugar

15 gm butter
50 ml milk 
1/2 tsp salt

some toasted sesame seeds - optional

1. Mix all the ingredients together [except sesame seeds] in a non stick pan.
2. Stir fry over low to medium heat until paste is very thick and leaves the pan clean.  Sprinkle sesame seeds and mix.
3. Dish up and set aside to cool or refrigerate until required.

Ingredients for Skin Dough

[makes 16 paus]

375 gm pau flour

45 gm icing sugar

3/4 tsp double action baking powder

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

230 – 250 ml water

30 gm shortening

1. For Skin – Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Gradually, add in the water and knead at low speed until well combined.  Add in the shortening and knead at medium speed until dough is soft, smooth and shiny.  Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and leave to proof for 20-30 minutes or double in size.  Gather the dough before dividing it into 16-20 equal portions.
2. To Shape – Make [1] into a round and flatten it, ensuring that the center is thicker than the sides.  Place 1/2 tablespoon of filling in the centre, pleat the edges or pull the centre up to seal edges to make round pau or shape it according to your preference.  Place on flattened paper case in a steamer. Proof for 20-30 minutes.
3. Bring water to a rapid boil, place steaming tray over boiling water, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes.  Off heat and leave the paus in the steamer for another 2-3 minutes before removing the lid and paus.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #24 hosted by Joyce and Emily of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray respectively   

HOT AND SPICY THAI VEGETABLE CURRY

This is a Thai creamy curry with coconut milk and blends well the yellow curry paste which is easy to make yourself.  Just combine all the ground spice powders  with the blended curry  paste ingredients into a smooth paste.

Vegetable curry cooked with coconut milk is one of my favourite curries but add the palm sugar sparingly otherwise  you may find the curry a bit on the sweet side.  This curry isn't spicy and you can increased the amount of chilli powder.

Just this curry with rice is enough for me to enjoy a good meatless meal for the day.

Recipe adapted from ‘500 Curries’ with modifications

Ingredients For Yellow Curry Paste

1 tbsp freshly chopped galangal or ginger

2 tbsp chopped lemongrass

1 tbsp chopped garlic

4 shallots – chopped

1 tsp lime rind or zest

2 tsp hot chilli powder or more

2 tsp coriander powder 

 2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Other Ingredients

150 gm long green beans – cut 1 inch lengths

100 gm baby corn [I suggest to use canned baby corns]

1 medium zucchini – sliced ½ cm thick

1 small brinjal – sliced 1 cm thick

1/2 tbsp palm sugar to taste

2 tbsp Thai mushroom ketchup [I used mushroom flavoured oyster sauce]

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

150 ml thick coconut milk

400 ml water

1. Place all the curry paste ingredients in a blender with 2-3 tbsp water.  Blend into a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add in curry paste, palm sugar and stir fry until aromatic.  Add in the thick coconut milk and gently cook for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture starts to separate.
3. Add in the vegetables [except the zucchini], stir fry to mix well for 5-10 minutes, then add in the zucchini.
4. Pour in water or thin coconut milk.  Bring to boil, cover to  cook gently until vegetables are tender.
5. Add in the seasoning to taste. 
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve hot with rice or blanched noodles.
   
   
   

SWEET AND SPICY FRIED TUMERIC TEMPEH

Simple, delicious and appetising side dish that you can prepare for your family.  Thought of not sharing this dish but should be good to keep this recipe here for future reference.

The original recipe is fried tumeric tempeh served with a savoury, sourish and sweet chilli dipping sauce.  I have modified it by replacing the dipping sauce with some freshly shredded cucumber, onions, carrots and a sweet, spicy fragrant sauce.  

My family loves this dish.

Ingredients

1-2 pieces tempeh - cut thin slices

1-2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

oil for frying

Some shredded cucumber, onions and carrots - rinsed with cold water and drain

Dressing Sauce [Combine]

2 tbsp each of tomato sauce and sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp Worcester sauce

some toasted sesame seeds

1. Coat tempeh slices with tumeric powder and salt.
2. Line serving platter with shredded vegetables.
3. Combine dressing sauce in a small bowl.
4. Pour oil in a non stick pan, add in tempeh slices [fry from cold oil] until tempeh slices are golden brown and crispy.
5. Dish up and place over shredded vegetables.
6. Scoop dressing over tempeh slices.
7. Serve immediately.
   

TARO COCONUT PAUS

For this pau recipe, the Taro Filling is easy to prepare, fragrant and tasty, but I am not too happy with the look of some of the triangular paus after steaming. I think, I took too long to wrap the paus thus over proofing some of the paus. 

The pau skin recipe below is 50% more of the original recipe.  I should have use the actual recipe and make only 16 small paus.  Anyway, the pau skin is chewy with a QQ texture.  Doesn't look pretty but overall they taste good for home consumption.

I have added some toasted sesame seeds to the filling.

Recipe adapted from the book ‘Paus By Coco Kong’ with modifications

Ingredients for Skin Dough

[makes 20 paus]

300 gm pau flour

45 gm wheat starch [tang mian flour]

150 gm steamed taro – mashed while still hot

50 gm icing sugar

1½ tsp double action baking powder

3 tsp instant yeast

120-160 ml water [depending on the steamed taro]

1½ tsp vinegar

30 gm shortening

Ingredients For  Taro Filling

200 gm steamed Taro [yam]  mashed while still hot till smooth

65 gm castor sugar

½ tsp salt

40 ml corn oil

80 ml coconut milk

20 paper cases – flattened

1. For Filling – combine filling ingredients in a non stick pan.  Stir fry until mixture has a  thickened consistency [takes about 15-20 minutes].  Turn off the heat, stir until smooth.   Dish up to cool.
2. For Skin – Combine all the dry ingredients and steamed taro in a mixing bowl.  Gradually, add in the water and knead at low speed until well combined. 
3. Add in the shortening and knead at medium speed until dough is soft, smooth and shiny.  Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and leave to proof for 20-30 minutes or double in size.  Gather the dough before dividing it into 20 equal portions [35 gm].
4. To Shape – Make [2] into a round and flatten it, ensuring that the center is thicker than the sides.  Place a piece of filling [about 1 tbsp] in the centre, pull the centre up to seal edges.  Hand shape it into triangular pieces with the sealed edges facing up.  Use a chopstick to dot the side surfaces with some colour dots. Repeat process.
5. Place on flattened paper case in a steaming tray. Proof for 20-30 minutes.
6. Bring water to a rapid boil, place steaming tray over boiling water, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes.  Off heat and leave the paus in the steamer for another 2-3 minutes before removing the lid and paus.
   
   
   

 

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #24 hosted by Joyce and Emily of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray respectively