Pandan Pulut Inti

Ok, first traditionally the blue coloured rice that we normally seen is the result of using the extract of blue pea flower. But in here you can use food colouring. However i do not have so i replaced it with pandan paste. And i omitted pandan leaves while cooking the rice.

As for the wrapping, it is up to individual. I tried wrapping up to form a pyramid but failed so i simplified it into a rectangular-squarish shape as shown.

Ingredients
(makes 15-18)

400 g glutinous rice
200 ml water
200 ml coconut milk
1 tsp pandan paste
2 pinches of salt

Filling

150 g grated coconut
80 ml water
120 g gula melaka (chopped)

Method

1. Rinse the rice and soaked for 4 hours. Drain thoroughly.

2. Place the rice, salt, milk, water and pandan paste in the rice cooker, mix well and turn it on.

3. To make the filling - combine water and gula melaka in a small pot and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add in the grated coconut and mix well. Off fire and simmer until the liquid dry up.

4. To assemble - place 1 tablespoon of rice in the middle of the plastic wrapper and topped with 1 teaspoon of caramelized coconut filling and fold into a rectangular shape.

5. Serve warm.

Garland Chrysanthemum dish

Stir fry garland chrysanthemum with fried mee suah

Garland chrysanthemum in soup

Zoomed in view of the veggie

Our garden veggies

Our harvested garden veggies plantation :) here we have on the left kai lan and the right garland chrysanthemum

A closer view of this new veggie - Garland Chrysanthemum - first time seeing this veggie, but it really tasted great..either stir fry or in soup..it has its own natural taste when stir fry..cheers :)

Ice Jelly with Fruit Cocktails

This is the season for some cold dessert..i bought from hometown 4 miserable packets of ice jelly and finally is time to try it..very simple, juz prepare the jelly according to the instruction from the packet. I added some sugar else the jelly tasted very blend..

For serving scoop a few tablespoons of chilled jelly, topped with fruit cocktails and ice cubes or grinded ice..since i didn't have lime, i squeezed some lemon juice..et voila my own ice jelly (wan tor long) dessert..cheers :)

Glutinous rice ball with gula melaka (palm sugar)

I was browsing my friend's blog http://crystalbyblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/coconut-glutinous-rice-ball-with-palm.html and came into this recette...the very moment it reminded me of the malay kueh - 'lo pey' - triangular shape pressed rice with grated coconut drizzle with gula melaka, it was like yum yum....and the recipe really very simple, so i gave it a try..i omitted the grated coconut because i had only 1 packet and i decided to reserve for the next recipe...

Ingredients
(8-10 balls depending on sizes)

200 g glutinous rice
200 ml water
2 pinches of salt
2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional, i did not put since i don't have)

Sauce

100 g gula melaka (chopped into pieces)
50 ml water

Method

1. Rinse glutinous rice and soaked for 4 hours. Drain thoroughly.

2. Place the glutinous rice, salt and water in an electric rice cooker.

3. When done, use your hand and shape the rice into balls (you can coat with grated coconut) and set aside.

4. Combine chopped gula melaka and water in a small pot over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

5. Serve the glutinous rice balls with the sugar syrup.

Modified Kimchi

2nd time i attempted this recipe..first was too spicy ended up i finished up myself, so i thot this try i make it less spicy...the colour may not look attractive, first of all i don't have that required amount of chilli powder as recommended..i used piment de cayenne (available in supermart) extra forte powder..is really very spicy!

I juz left with half (balance) of the chinese cabbage in my frigo..cut it into 4 parts and slice it coarsely..next i added a moderate amount of salt into a bowl of warm water, give a quick stir and pour over the cabbage. Leave it aside to sweat.

A few hours later, you can see the sweat cabbage size decrease. Rinse with water and drain. Transfer to a mixing bowl, added 2 tsp of sugar (the actual kimchi recipe i saw they have apple and pear blended into juice, and pour over the cabbage), a few dash of sesame oil and lastly shake enough of piment (avoid to spicy) and mix well..taste every now and then to check the level of spicy..et voila my own version of home-made kimchi..cheers :)

Soon Kuey

Ingredients A

(makes 15-18 for this size)

100 g Rice flour

50 g Tapioca flour

50 g Plain flour

50 ml oil

300 ml Hot water

Ingredients B

(fillings)

500 g Turnips (shredded)

4 chinese mushrooms soaked and shred

1/2 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp mushroom sauce

1/2 tsp pepper

250 ml water

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan, fry mushroom for 2-3 minutes. Add shredded turnips.

2. Add in the seasonings and stir fry over small heat till dry.

3. Remove and leave it aside cool completely.

4. In a mixing bowl, add in the flour.

5. Add oil into the hot water and pour it into the flour mixture.

6. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon, cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes.

7. Removed and knead into a smooth dough. Divide the dough into 10 portions.

8. Flatten each ball into a thin layer, cut into round, wrapped fillings and seals by picking the sides.

9. Put into a greased steaming tray and steam for 15 minutes. Remove and brush with some oil alternatively sesame oil.

10. Serve hot with sweet dark sauce or chilli sauce.

White Asparagus Steam

This is the season for white and green asparagus. Always wanted to try out white asparagus since it is so cheap here. Until that day my hub told me a colleague taught him how to prepare it. However when i search internet there are also other ways of eating..

You can either blanched or steam the asparagus. Removed and sprinkled with salt and spread with olive oil. Serve and eat hot.

In this recipe, i steam it so to preserve the nutrients in it. So before preparing, you have to peel away the tough skin on the stalks. Rinse and cut as shown. Put to steam for 15 minutes. Removed and served with mayonaise and dash of sesame/olive oil. Sprinkled with some sesame seeds..eh voila the dish is ready.

I always like to adopt the west meets east cooking style. So next time i can purchase more white asparagus and experimenting it more ways..