Glutinous Balls(loh mai chi)

I have this recipe for a long time, until now I'm try to make it for the first time. Normally we will get it in Chinatown for £1.00 per piece and the taste is not that good especially the texture of outer skin, is hard and thick. This recipe coming out so good, the texture so soft and nice, my monsters love it so much. 

Adapted from: Honey Bee Sweets

For the skin
(Make 24 pieces, if you prefer more bigger size then will make 12 pieces)

250 gm glutinous rice flour
500 ml water
80 gm sugar (I'm use 60 gm)

For the Filling

500 gm toasted peanuts, skin removed and grounded (have half of the peanut filling left over, will half the amount next time)
100 gm toasted sesame seeds, grounded
150 gm icing sugar, sifted (I'm use granulated sugar)

Flour for coating

500 gm rice flour, fry the flour till very dry and let to cool.

Method for Skin:

1. Mix all the ingredients until well combined.
2. Pour into a greased steaming tray and steam with medium heat for 45 minutes or until cooked.
3. Leave to cool and pour into the flour for coating.
4. Use a greased scissors, cut into 24 equal portions

Method for wrapping:

1. Take a portion of the cooled kueh and flatted into disc.
2. Place a tablespoon of peanut filling in the center and wrap it up by sealing the ends properly.
3. Then coat is again with the flour before putting into a small paper liners.

Notes:

When coming to wrapping I'm saw the lady at the pasar malam how to wrap the balls. First put the kueh on center of your palm then put the peanut filling on top and press with your thumb on the filling. I can put 2 tablespoon of filling by this way. The result coming out the outer is soft and thin with lots of peanut filling.

Nian Gao Taro Rolls

This is the second recipe to use my Chinese New Year nian gao, thanks Wendy for the recipe coming out so good. My monsters love it.

Adapted from : Wendyinkk
(Make 28 to 30 rolls)

Taro Filling

500 gm taro(cleaned weight)
100 gm fresh grated coconut (I'm not using fresh coconut because can't get it here. Just use the readymake)
2 tablespoon sugar
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon (use 1/3 tsp first, taste and add more if needed)

Method for taro filling

1. Slice the taro and steam until cooked or soft.
2. Mash taro while it's hot and put in grated coconut, salt and sugar. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

300 gm nian gao, cut into 2 inch long strips

Spring roll wrappers (I'm using the large size and cut to four pieces)

Egg white to brush on edges

Method for wrapping

1. Place wrapper onto a flat surface.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of taro filling on the wrapper(around 20 gm), lightly spread it out.
3. Place 1 piece of nian gao on top and wrap.
4. Brush edge with egg white before rolling up.
5. Fry the prepared rolls in medium low heat until golden color.

Note: 

Remember to cover the spring rolls pastry while you work out the roll with wet cloth because is easy to dry up.

If the mashed taro too dry, you can add some water to make it soft but must be slowly don't make it too wet. 

Kueh Tako

My sister given lot of the pandan leaves to me then I'm start searching for the recipe who's use pandan leaves. When I'm saw this recipe from Wendy, is easy to prepared the filling. Just need to make the casing beforehand.

Adapted from : Wendyinkk

(I'm double the ingredients to make 40 yields)
(I'm using measurement of 3.5cm per cut)

Pandan Layer

25 gm mung bean starch(green bean flour) or cornstarch flour
250 ml pandan juice
60 gm sugar
3 water chestnuts, peeled and chopped

Coconut Layer

15 gm mung bean starch or cornstarch flour
125 ml water
125 ml coconut milk
50 gm sugar
pinch of salt

Method for Pandan Layer:

1. Mix everything together and cook on medium low heat until look transparent and thick.
2. Spoon over prepared casings. Set a side.

Method for Coconut Layer:

1. Mix everything together and cook on medium low heat until thickens. Taste, should no longer taste floury.
2. Spoon over the pandan layer.
3. Let cool down to room temperature and it will harden. Best served when chilled.

Notes:

Use the left over pandan leaves from making the casing to blend the pandan juice.

If your casing have holes do this step

Nian Gao Puff Pastry

Is the time to use my Chinese New Year nian gao. The first I'm try with puff pastry, taste good and crispy.
The recipe is come with peanut but the result coming is not a big deal, next time I will try with other ingredients.

Adapted from: TheHungry Excavator

Nian Gao or Sticky Glutinous Cake (cut to strips)

3 to 4 sheets of frozen puff pastry (thawed)

cashew/peanuts (chopped roughly)

1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)*

sesame seeds (black and/or white)

* Alternatively, use melted butter for more flavour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out the puff pastry until thin (otherwise it will puff up too much)
2. Lay and space out the strips of Nian Gao on the pastry sheet before cutting it up into rectangles.
3. Place nuts on top of the strip of Nian Gao.
4. Fold the sides and roll the pastry with the filling enclosed into a little parcel.
5. Made few cuts on top of the pastry
6. Brush egg wash or melted butter on surface and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
7. Bake in oven for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Chinese White Radish Cake (Lou Bak Gao)

Went to have dim sum with family definitely will order fried Lou Bak Gao. Some people will make it to celebrate Chinese New Year maybe is bringing good luck to family.

Adapted from : Food For Four

2 cups white rice flour
¼ cup wheat starch
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
15 gm dried shrimp, soaked in hot water to cover for 30 minutes (or more if you like the taste of dried shrimp)
1 pound white radish 
2/3 cup finely chopped Chinese sausage
2/3 red scallots finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped (I'm omit and replace with chai poh (preserved radish/turnip)


Method: 

1. In a large bowl, combine rice flour, wheat starch, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Drain and finely chop the shrimp.
3. Peel the white radish and grate it through the small holes of your grater. Put the grate radish in a muslin cloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can into the bowl. Measure out the collected juices and add enough water to the juice to make 3½ cups.
4. Pour the white radish liquid into a medium pot. Add the grated white radish and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the sausage, scallots, chai poh and chopped shrimp, cover, and cook for 5 minutes longer.
5. Remove from the heat. Slowly add the rice flour mixture and mix continuously until free of most large lumps. The batter will be thick and sticky and a little lumpy.
6. Set up the steamer and bring to a boil over high heat.
7. Brush the pans with a little oil . Dip a spoon into cool water and use the back of the spoon to smooth out the surface of the batter.
8. Carefully place  the filled pans on the steamer rack, cover, and steam for 40 minutes. 
9. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully lift the pan out of the pot, place it on a folded kitchen towel, and allow the radish cakes to cool to room temperature. 
10. Un-mold onto a cutting board and cut into desired pieces. Fry them on medium high heat in oil, until crispy and browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with oyster and/or hot sauce.

Notes: 

Can keep it frozen after cutting if you like to fried it later.
Can add any ingredients you prefer to make more tasty.

Peanut Cookies

I make these lovely peanut cookies on Chinese New Year, the result is so good. My monster like it so much thank Cooking Crave for the recipe. But have reduce the sugar level because the first batch coming so sweet.

Adapted from: Cooking Crave

600 gm fried peanuts, removed skin and grind finely.
370 gm flour 
350 gm icing sugar (I'm reduce to 200gm)
1 tablespoon butter, soften at room temperature (optional - but, the cookies will be more fragrant with it)
2 tablespoon peanut butter (creamy) (optional - but, cookies will be more peanut aroma if we add it)
Peanut oil for mixing
1/2 teaspoon salt (taste the dough and add more if it's not salty enough )
1 egg, beaten with pinch of salt for glazing

Method: 

1. Shift flour and icing sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add in the grind peanut, butter and peanut butter, mix well. Slowly add in peanut oil and mix until it can form into soft dough, ( didn't measure the oil, just mix it slowly until the dough can roll into ball without breaking. Be careful, don't over mix the oil) (Use a wooden spatula to mix it before using our hand...the dough will be oily and sticky at first) 
2. Form into small balls, place onto a greased baking pan, or we can lined the pan with grease paper. Press top of the balls with a small round shape mould (Can use pen cap) Glaze with beaten egg.
3. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for about 20-25mins till it crack a bit and golden brown. Remove from oven and let it cool before storing them. (Let the cookies cool before moving them into container as the cookies that's still warm breaks easily)

Notes: 

I'm bake at 160C(fan). Every oven is different.