STEAMED RICE CAKE [HUAT KUIH]

I have been making numerous steamed paus/buns for ancestor veneration, thought I should steamed some rice cakes [huat kuih] for a change.  At times, I do worry that my huat kuihs [fatt gao] would not smile because I received feedbacks that their attempts to steam huat kuihs failed.  But I believe it needs practice and some trial and error to get smiling, soft and spongy huat kuihs.

This time, I am happy with this recipe as kuihs did smile when I removed the lid.  The texture is soft and spongy, colour is nice and not too sweet.

Ingredients

[makes 14 cakes - depends on the size of the paper cases you use]

100 gm superfine flour

100 gm rice flour

1 tbsp custard powder

1 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp instant yeast

80 gm gula merah [Jaggery sugar]

20 gm castor sugar

180 ml water

some papercases

1. Place sugar and water in a saucepan.  Heat up over low fire, stir to dissolve the sugar [not necessary to bring to boil].  Strain and cool.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients [sifted] and yeast.  Gradually, stir in the cooled syrup water in one direction until the batter is smooth and runny thick consistency.
3. Arrange paper cases over plastic or steel cups in a steaming tray. Pour in the batter until 70-80% full.  Cover to rest for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring water to boil in steamer over high heat.  Steam kuihs for 15-20 minutes.  Off heat, remove lid and cool on wire rack.  Can steam huat kuihs in greased ceramic cups, too.
   
   
   
   

JAGGERY SUGAR [GULA MERAH] HUAT KUIH

HEI TANG FAI GAO 

Read several articles on food ingredients and came across one article on refined sugar.  It is said that refined sugar is not a healthy food ingredient and should be used sparingly.  It also states that the best substitute is pure, natural sugar known as Jaggery Sugar [黑糖] .  I did some searching on this and finally found out that Jaggery sugar is actually Gula Merah which is a sugar ingredient I having been using for making kuih muih and some other sweet desserts not knowing it is jaggery sugar.  I thought this is the same as brown sugar.

The definition I got for Jaggery Sugar Powder – it is a natural sweetening substance made by concentrating sugar cane juice without any preservatives or colouring added.  It can be used for brewing coffee, tea, chocolate drinks and preparing cakes, kuih, syrups and desserts.

This steamed cake ‘huat kuih’ is made using jaggery sugar and less refined sugar.  I was happy to see them smiling so beautifully.  Next time I will use 75-100% jaggery sugar for this kuih as I prefer not too sweet desserts.  These huat kuihs are soft and moist after steaming and remains the same even on the next day.  The sweetness is acceptable but I believe can reduced the refined sugar portion to 1/3. 

Ingredients

[makes 12 huat kuihs]

60 gm jaggery sugar [gula merah] + 60 gm caster sugar

240 ml hot water

250 gm plain flour + 4 tsp baking powder

50 ml corn oil or melted butter

12 small/medium papercup cases

1. Stir both sugars in hot water until dissolved, then strained.
2. Sieve plain flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
3. Gradually, stir cooled syrup into flour.  Mix until batter is smooth, then stir in the corn oil.  Mix well.
4. Transfer batter into a plastic bag, tied up, make a slit at one corner.  Press batter into prepared paper cup cases until 90% full.
5. Heat steamer over high heat, place batter in steaming tray and steam for 20 minutes [do not uncover steamer in between steaming].
6. Remove and serve.
   
   
   
   

STEAMED PUMPKIN HUAT KUIH

I love to try smiling steamed cake [huat kuih] recipes and I expect the huat kuihs must 'smile' beautifully.  They have to remain soft and moist when cooled.

Sometimes, they smiled but turned tough upon cooling.  To me, they aren't good.  

This is one of the many attempts which I made and is happy of the outcome.  They satisfied the criteria of a good huat kuih cos' they are soft, moist, fluffy, cracked nicely and remains soft when cooled.  It tasted good and the sweetness is just nice.  

These huat kuihs are good on its own or serve with fresh grated white coconut mixed with a pinch of salt.

Recipe adapted from Fion [Xuanhommama] with modifications. For the original recipe, please check it out at Fion's blog site.

Ingredients

[makes 10 huat kuihs]

60 gm pumpkin puree

200 gm rice flour - sifted with baking powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1.5 tbsp castor sugar

130 ml milk/water

3/4 tsp Eno salt

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a big bowl.
2. Gradually add in the milk/water and stir with a hand whisk until well combined [free of lumps].  Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Bring water to boil in a steamer.  Line plastic steaming cups with paper cupcases.
4. Add Eno salt to batter and lightly still till well mixed.
5. Spoon batter into paper case until the rim and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.
6. Remove, serve immediately.  These huat kuihs will be soft and moist after reheating.
   
   

   

   
   How not to feel good and happy looking at these smiling steamed cakes?

PANDAN HUAT KUIH [STEAMED SMILING CAKE]

No idea why the sudden urge to cook and bake food with pandan [screwpine leaves] flavour.  Perhaps, it is because I have in hand a cookbook 'In Love With Pandan'.  All recipes in the book uses pandan for flavour. This recipe is one of the first which I tried.

These smiling kuihs are lovely, very fragrant cos' of the pandan juice and the sweetness is just nice.  The texture is good, soft and moist even on the next day.   This recipe is a keeper.
BTW, no artificial colouring is used in this kuih yet the colour is bright green and remains the same even on the next day. Quite similar to my earlier recipe here but slightly different, a healthier version with less sugar and using corn oil.  The end result of the kuih is as good.

Recipe adapted from my selected Cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event#4 - Ricky Ng's book 'In Love with Pandan' [modified]

Ingredients

[makes 12 cupcakes]

250 gm self raising flour -sifted with baking powder

1/2 tsp baking powder 

130 gm castor sugar

200 - 220 ml pandan juice [I used 200 ml]

8 pandan leaves - washed and knotted

1 egg - lightly beaten

45 ml corn oil

*Pandan Juice [blend 8 blades of pandan leaves with 200 ml water]

1. Prepare pandan juice and strain to obtain 200-220 ml. Add in sugar and whisk until sugar dissolved.
2. Lightly beat the egg and add in to sugar mixture, continue to whisk until well mixed.  Drizzle in corn oil.  Mix well.
3. Sieve flour and baking powder into sugar mixture.  fold well to combine.  Batter is of thick consistency but manageable. 
4. Scoop batter into a baking tray lined with paper cases until 95% full or to the rim in one go.
5. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes or until skewer  when inserted comes out clean.  Remove to cool or serve immediately.
   
   
   

How The Huat Kuihs look with different moulds

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

SMILING STEAMED ORANGE HUAT KUIH

 This smiling steamed cake 'Huat Kuih' recipe is a slightly modified version of Aunty Young's recipe.  I used fresh orange juice instead of water and orange paste.

The preparation is easy with just a few ingredients and this is without eggs.  I am very happy with the results especially when I saw the cake smiling so beautifully when I uncover the steamer.  So lovely.  The huat kuih is moist and fluffy when warm, so it is advisable to serve them right after steaming or warm if you like fluffy, moist steamed cakes.
Chinese All Souls Day is coming soon, so these Huat Kuihs will be good for 'Pai Pai' if you can offering prayers to your ancestors.

Recipe adapted from Aunty Young's Orange Huat Kuih Recipe with modifications

Ingredients

[makes 11-12 cupcakes]
160 gm cake flour [I used low protein flour]
40 gm rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
160 ml orange juice [original uses water + orange paste]

130 gm castor sugar [I used 110 gm]

1. Stir sugar in orange juice until dissolves.
2. Sieve flours and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
3. Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients, mix lightly into a smooth batter.
4. Bring water to boil in a steamer.  Line moulds with paper cases.  Scoop the batter into paper cases almost to the rim.
5. Steam over high heat for 15-20 minutes [only steam cakes when water is boiling, do not open lid of steamer during the steaming process].
6. Off heat, remove huat kuihs to cool on rack or serve warm.