MALAYSIAN LOCKDOWN MEALS [11]

Considered lucky for us, though Stay Home for MCO, we had a thoughtful neighbor we gave us some local Penang durians. It is also very convenient for us to get fresh eggs sent directly to our doorstep by another neighbor who sells eggs at the market. No reason why I cannot bake a cake. So this is the Durian Sponge Cake which I baked to share with the neighbor and for myself. 

This cake is light and fluffy with the pungent aroma of the durian to durian lovers.

Dish 18 - Durian Sponge Cake

Dry Ingredients 

120 gm plain flour

Wet Ingredients [1]

50 gm durian flesh 

30 ml corn oil

1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients [2]

4 eggs 

90 gm castor sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar

1. Mix durian flesh, corn oil and salt together.  Set aside.
2. Break eggs into a mixing bowl, add in sugar and lemon juice or vinegar.  Whisk eggs until creamy light and fluffy.  
3. Fold in sifted flour in 3 batches, lightly fold each addition.  Do not overmix batter.
4. Scoop 5-6 tablespoons of egg mixture into durian mixture.  Mix until well combined.
5. Then mix [3] and [4].  Lightly mix until well combined.
6. Pour mixture into a 6 of 7 inch square tin [lined with parchment paper].  Tap on table top several times to release trapped air.
7. Baked in preheated oven at 150 degrees C for 45-50 minutes.  Test with a skewer before removing cake to cool on a wire rack.  The cake is done when skewer comes out clean.
8. Sliced to serve.

MALAYSIAN LOCKDOWN MEALS [9]

I was able to get a whole yam [about 800 grams] from the supermart for below RM10.00. This whole yam is enough to cook a few dishes such as Yam Rice, Yam Noodles, Stir Fry Yam with Chicken, Yam and Sago dessert etc. It is long list as yam for these dishes is not a main ingredient. Moreover, cut yam can be stored in the freezer and keeps well for sometime.

This Yam Rice recipe is an easy one to cook up as all the ingredients are mostly available in an oriental kitchen.

It is awesome, the rice is so tasty, while the yam pieces are soft and aromatic. Even better to serve with a bowl of vegetable soup.  You can either steam the rice or cook it in the rice cooker.

Dish 15 - EZ Steamed Yam Rice with Chinese Sausage [Lap Cheong]

Ingredients

[serves 2-3]

200 gm rice - washed and drained

150 gm yam - cut cubes

1 Chinese sausage [lap cheong] - wrapper removed and cut cubes

2 dried mushrooms - soaked and cut cubes

1 tbsp dried prawns - rinsed and coarsely chopped

4-5 shallots - peeled and sliced thinly

250 - 280 ml water [can add the water from soaking of the mushrooms]

1-2 tbsp cooking oil

spring onion - chopped

Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar or 1-2 dashes of msg

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

some dark soy sauce for colour

1. Heat oil in a wok, saute shallots until golden brown and crispy.  Remove the crispy shallots into a plate.  Set aside.
2. Using the same wok, add in mushrooms, dried prawns and lap cheong.  Stir fry until aromatic.  Add in yam cubes, continue to fry for several minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Add in rice and seasoning ingredients.  
3. Continue to stir fry for several minutes to mix well and the rice is evenly coloured.
4. Dish up onto a steaming tray or rice cooker.  Add in water and some crispy shallots, stir to mix well.
5. Steam rice for 40-50 minutes [halfway, stir to ensure even cooking] or cook rice in the rice cooker as usual.
6. Off heat, leave for 5 -10 minutes before fluffing up to serve.
7. Garnish with spring onions and crispy shallots.

MALAYSIAN LOCKDOWN MEALS [7]

 

12345 or 54321 is a name of a sauce ingredient for fried meats. It refers to the ratios of 5 basic ingredients: cooking wine, sugar, light soy sauce, black vinegar and water. The result is a sticky sauce that coats and flavours the fried meats which is very appetising as it tastes sweet and sour.

I have made some fried tau pau with fish paste filling [fresh beancurd sheets with fish paste filling] and thought it would be good idea to flavour them with this 12345 sauce.  No regrets, tastes good, appetising to go with rice.  You can get ready made fried tau pau from the wet market to prepare this dish but you may need to ingredient the sauce portion enough to braise them.  For vegans, you can substitute with plain fresh tau pau with any filling [beancurd skin].

The other vegetable dish is simple and you can just mix and match the ingredients in so long as you have the Buddha's Gourd.  For vegans, just omit the dried prawns.

Dish 12 - 12345 Fried Fish Paste Tau Pau

Ingredients

4 pieces fried seafood tau pau - each cut into two equal portions

1/2 red capsicum - seeded and cut strips

1/2 green capsicum - seeded and cut strips

some toasted sesame seeds for granishing

12345 Sauce Ingredients [combined]

1 tbsp cooking wine

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp light soy sauce

4 tbsp black vinegar

5 tbsp water

1. Pan fried taupau over medium low heat until golden brown in colour and fish paste is cooked.  Dish up and cut each pieces into 2 equal portions.  
2. Using the same wok, remove excess oil.  Saute capsicum for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add in fried tau pau pieces, pour in the sauce, bring to boil.  Stir fry to coat the tau pau pieces with the sauce.
4. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Dish 13 - Stir Fry Buddha's Gourd with Taukwa

Ingredients

1 medium size Buddha's gourd - cut half and shredded into strips

50 gm red carrots - peeled and shredded

1-2 pieces firm beancurd - cut strips and place in a colander

some spring onions - cut sections

1 tbsp dried prawns - rinsed and chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

salt, msg and pepper to taste

1. Pan fry beancurd strips with some oil in a non-stick pan until golden brown and dry.  Dish up.
2. Prepare the remaining ingredients as stated.
3. Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute ginger and dried prawns until aromatic.  Add in fried beancurd and shredded ingredients.  Continue to stir fry until cooked.  You can cooked it till soft or crunchy [according to preferenc]. Drizzle in some water.  Add in seasoning to taste.
4. Stir to mix well, add in spring onions and dish up to serve.

MALAYSIAN LOCKDOWN MEALS [6]

What do most people do at home during lockdown? Most times apart from spending time with their 'love' - the handphone, is searching for snacks in between meals. Shopping during MCO with time restrictions, apart from getting the necessities, it is merely possible to browse for snacks. Having a little time, I searched through my pantry and managed to find enough ingredients to make these cookies . Economical and easy to make cookies. These cookies are awesome, chewy, crunchy and yummy to savour with more than sufficient time at home. Freshly baked, it is so much better than store bought ones.

Recipe adapted from You-tube video [Bincy Chris Recipes] with modifications

Dish 11 - CHEWY CHOCOLATE OATMEAL RAISINS COOKIES

[makes about 50]

Dry Ingredients

130 gm plain flour - sifted

2 tbsp cocoa powder - sifted

1/2 tsp baking soda - sifted

1/4 tsp salt

150 gm quick cooking oats [can used any other oatmeal of your choice]

100 gm seedless raisins [small]

Wet Ingredients

115 gm butter [room temperature]

100 gm brown sugar 

50 gm fine granulated sugar [can reduced to 30 gm]

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 large egg

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a big bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla essence.  Continue to beat until light and creamy.
3. Fold in dry ingredients in batches and well combined.  Chill in fridge, while you clear the utensils.
4. Scoop about a tablespoon dough onto baking tray lined with parchment leaving some space for cookies to expand.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 12-15 minutes in middle rack.
6. Remove to cool on rack before storing in airtight container.

NICE COOKIES TO ENJOY!!!😋😋😋