CNY 2018 - BEE KOH [COCONUT GLUTINOUS RICE PUDDING]

There are numerous versions/recipes for this glutinous rice pudding.  Up till now, I have tried 4 recipes and the variation is not much.  As I went along to try, I find this recipe most suitable to my expectations and taste. Loved this recipe and honestly feel proud of myself that I am able to make this Nyonya kuih. 
It is very aromatic, 'lemak' and not too sweet.  The glutinous rice is soft, chewy not not soggy.  Really awesome, even my mum and mum in-law have to agree that this is nice.  An easy and simple enough recipe.

Ingredients

[makes 2 big plates and 3 small plates]
500 gm glutinous rice – washed then soaked for 4 hours and best overnight, drained

3 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

50-100 ml water

200-220 gm granulated sugar [original recipe is about 240 gm]

350 ml thick coconut milk 

A pinch of salt

2 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

1. Steam the soaked and drained glutinous rice over boiling water with pandan leaves for 40 minutes. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some water, toss well and steam for another 10-20 minutes or until rice is cooked, tender but not too wet.  Off heat and leave in the steamer while you prepare the syrup.
   
   
   
2. Put sugar, salt, pandan leaves and 50 ml coconut milk in a wok. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, then add in the remaining coconut milk [Do not boil the coconut milk at all, just simmer].  Remove the pandan leaves.
   
   
   
3. Add in the steamed rice to sugar mixture in the wok. Stir constantly over medium low heat until mixture becomes a paste which is fairly thick, leaves the wok clean and turns into a ball.  I used my 'golden wok' from Thailand to prepare this and it is awesome, rice doesn't thick to the wok throughout the process.
4. Transfer to individual plates or trays lined with cling wrap or banana leaf. Use a banana leaf or cling wrap to level up the surface neatly.
5. Cool completely or until firm before slicing to serve.
   
   
   

CARAMEL NIAN GAO 年糕 [TI KUEH]

Nian Gao [Ti Kueh] aka Kuih Bakul is a must for Chinese New Year.  I have tried  several Nian Gao recipes and was lucky this time to come across a simple version of this kuih yet the result is awesome.  

Thanks to Mykitchen101en for sharing this great recipe.

Really simple and long steaming hours.  You only need 1-2 hours of steaming.  The kuih has a nice colour, chewy and not too sweet.

The only difficulty is lining the cans with banana leaves and patience when preparing the caramel.  But it is still worthwhile to try this recipe if you wish to make your own kuih bakul.  Much, much economical to make your own if you need to buy a lot.

I have doubled the portion of original recipe and managed to make about 7 pieces of various sizes.

Do visit Mykitchen101en for the steps to prepare this kuih.  It is very well presented with step by step pictures and video.

Ingredients

700 gm glutinous rice flour

700 gm caster sugar

860 ml hot water

some scalded banana leaves

some aluminium cans

Place sugar in a heavy based pan, pour 4-5 tablespoons of hot water around the sides of the pan.  Stir lightly [but do not over stir].  

Cook sugar over medium low heat until it is golden brown in colour and the sugar melts

Do not cook caramel until it is too brown in colour.  The caramel my be bitter if overcooked.

Off heat, then gradually pour remaining hot water into caramel.

Turn on heat and cook until caramel sugar melts.  Allow to cool completely before mixing into glutinous rice flour

Gradually add in the syrup water into the flour.  Mix until smooth.  The batter is of thick consistency

Sieve batter to remove the lumps before pouring into prepared cans.

Pour batter into lined cans, cover with foil to prevent water condensation,  Place in a steaming tray, cover tightly with lid.  Steamed over high heat for 1 hour, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour or until kuih is fully cooked.

A tray of lovely ti kueh [steamed glutinous rice cakes]

WISHING ALL MY CHINESE FRIENDS HERE

"HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2018"

&

"STAY HEALTHY, SAFE AND BE HAPPY"

EZCR#80 - NIAN NIAN YU YEE DISH [TANG CHU STREAKY PORK BELLY]

Again another appetizing meat dish suitable for CNY meals and other occasions. The streaky pork belly [sua sua rou] is marinated lightly with soy sauce and cooking wine and fried until oil oozes out and crispy. The sauce is a simple combination for vinegar, tomato sauce and sugar, giving it a sourish sweet taste.

These tasty pork slices are served with a generous spread of tomatoes, zucchini and onions.

This sweet and sourish sauce is also good choice to serve with crispy fried fish fillet.

An awesome dish to serve with rice.

Ingredients

300 gm streaky pork belly – cut 2 inch lengths

1 tomato – sliced

Some shredded zucchini

1 big onion – peeled and thinly sliced
some toasted sesame seeds for garnishing

Seasoning Sauce [combined]

3 tbsp vinegar

3 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

1. Marinate pork belly with some light soy sauce and cooking wine.
2. Arrange tomato slices, zucchini and onions on a serving platter.
3. Heat up a non-stick wok, pan fry pork slices until oil oozes out , brown and crispy. Dish up and place over serving platter.
4. Remove excess oil. Using the same wok, pour in the combined seasoning sauce. Bring to boil until bubbly and thick.
5. Pour sauce over meat slices, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.
   
   
   
   
   

With this post, I take the opportunity to wish all my Chinese friends, relatives and most of all my blogger friends and visitors of this blog:

"A HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY 

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2017"

EZCR#79 - AUSPICIOUS CNY DISH - CAO CAI CIN PAO

This is another Chinese New Year dish which I prepared not during CNY. The original recipe uses canned baby abalone but here I replaced it with fish maw. You can also use sea cucumber, too.

It is a tasty vegetable dish suitable for CNY dinner and it can be prepared earlier and leave it to steam before serving.

The fish maw will absorb the flavor of the fried cabbage, seasoning and stock.

Ingredients

[serves 3]

10 slices of soft fish maw [pre-soaked till soft and cut] – drain off excess water

300 gm Chinese cabbage – shredded

½ carrot – peeled and shredded

3 dried mushrooms – soaked, drained and cut shreds

1-2 pieces dried sole [phnee hoo] – rinsed, deep fried and pounded

1 egg – beaten and fried until crispy

Some blanched broccoli florets or chopped spring onions for garnishing

Seasoning

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp wine

½ tsp each salt and sugar

1 tbsp sesame seed oil

1. Line a steaming bowl with fish maw [or abalone or sea cucumber slices].
2. Heat a non-stick wok with some oil, sauté dried mushrooms until aromatic. Add in shredded vegetables. Stir fry to cook with some water. Add in fried dried sole and seasoning. Stir fry to mix and add in crispy egg. Mix well.
3. Dish vegetables over fish maw. Place in steamer to steam for 10-15 minutes.
4. Invert onto serving plate, garnish with some chopped spring onions and blanched broccoli. Serve.
   

EZCR#78 - NIAN NIAN RU YEE XIA [STEAMED PRAWNS WITH GLASS NOODLES]

The name of this dish already implies that this is an auspicious Chinese New Year dish which is suitable to serve during reunion or CNY meals.

This dish not only has an auspicious name but it is really a tasty and delicious dish fit for CNY meals or other ocassions. The prawns are fresh, sweet and tasty with the steaming sauce. The glass noodles at the base soaks up the flavours, too. It is an awesome dish which I would love to prepare to serve with rice but it  can also be a delish One Dish Meal by adding more glass noodles [low calorie food].

Ingredients

[serves 3]

9-10 large prawns or mini lobsters – sliced lengthwise to open up

1-2 bundles of glass noodles – soaked and drained

3-4 chopped garlic

2 tbsp fried crispy garlic

Some shredded spring onion

Some shredded red chilli 

Seasoning

1 tbsp each of fish sauce, light soy sauce and wine

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sugar

Dash of pepper

1. Mix both garlic with seasoning.
2. Place glass noodles in steaming bowl. Add in ½ portion of the seasoning mix, mix well with a pair of chopsticks. Arrange prawns neatly over glass noodles and pour balance garlic and seasoning on top.
3. Steam over high heat for 10-15 minutes or until noodles and prawns are cooked.
4. Garnish with spring onions and red chilli. Serve hot.