Soya Bean Milk

            I love this drink - soya bean milk. My family enjoys this drink.  I do not like the ready made ones sold in bottles in restaurants and makan shops. I usually buy them from the random stalls as you can get fresh soya bean milk. Anyway nothing like making your own home-made soya bean milk. The main ingredients are soya beans, rock sugar and pandan leaves. You blend the soaked beans in a blender, strain the milk using a muslin bag/cheese cloth, boil the strained milk with pandan leaves and .....you get soya bean milk!

            I recently bought a blender which comes with a special filter add-on to extract soya bean milk from the soaked beans. It has an inner filter where you place the beans and the pulp will be contained inside the filter whereas the milk will be filtered out through the tiny tiny holes. Using this blender is so convenient. No need of a muslin bag or siever. Home made soya bean milk is not diluted as the ones you buy and furthermore is so so much more rich and refreshing.

 Ingredients:
125 gm organic soya beans
1 liter water
rock sugar
pandan leaves

How to Make:
Soak the soya beans in water overnight

Place the beans a little at a time into the filter attached to the blender, add water till it covers the beans and  whizz it for at least a minute.

Pour the filtered milk into a container. Remove the pulp contained inside the filter.

Repeat the steps until all the beans have been blended.

Do it one more time with the collected pulp - this filtered milk will not be so thick.

Transfer the milk into a saucepan, add pandan leaves (tied into a knot) and bring to a  gentle simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring with a ladle regularly.

Pour some into a glass, add rock sugar which has been dissolved in some hot water and enjoy this home-made organic soya bean milk!

This soya bean milk can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

Vanilla Flan

 

            I visited my aunty the other day and she served me caramel custard which she bought from a famous coffee shop in Ipoh Town. It was tasty though but you somehow get a slight taste of the egg used in making this custard. So the other day I went to Wah Seng to get some baking supplies and I came across this Vanilla Flan Powder. I read the instuctions on the back of this container and was amazed that I can do this caramel custard by just adding this vanilla flan powder to the boiling milk and letting it set, habis cerita ........ no steaming or baking in the oven!
            So I bought this vanilla flan powder (vanilla flavoured flan mix) which comes in a 2 kg packaging in a bottle. I went back home and last Saturday made this wonderful caramel custard using the vanilla flan powder . Well, Flan is a Spanish name for Vanilla Egg Custard topped with caramel sauce. It is a Spanish dessert enjoyed in many Latin-American countries. I whipped up this recipe and guess what....just did it in 15 minutes.



Vanilla Flan
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar + 3 tbsp water (to make the caramel)
• 125 gm vanilla flavoured flan mix
• 1 liter fresh/full cream milk

Method:

1. Heat sugar and water in small heavy-duty sucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until dissolved and caramel coloured. Quickly pour onto bottom of moulds and swirl around the bottom and sides to coat.
2. In a saucepan, bring milk to boil, then add in the vanilla flan powder little by little stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Pour into moulds coated with the caramel and chill in refrigerator till set.

 

Agar-Agar Santan Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar Coconut Jelly)

         

 Attended a birthday dinner the other day and they served agar-agar gula melaka for dessert. I love this jelly as it has a white layer (combination of coconut milk and egg) atop this jelly. This jelly is indeed delicious as the sweet aroma and taste of the gula melaka (palm sugar) combined with the layer of coconut atop of the jelly really tingles one's tastebuds. We have to add a little sugar to this jelly as the palm sugar is not that sweet.....the colour varies from dark brown to a light golden colour. 

          Gula Melaka, otherwise known in English as Palm Sugar or (direct translation) 'Malacca Sugar' originated from Malacca (in Malay language - Melaka), one of the states in Malaysia. Palm Sugar is made from the sap of the flower bud of a coconut tree which then is boiled until thickened and packed into bamboo tubes forming it's cylindrical shape. When added to jelly it gives a rich dark caramel and buttterscotch flavor. 

          This dessert is my family's favorite.  I less the amount of sugar I use in this recipe as I don't like my desserts to be too sweet. Actually my MIL ticks be off if anything I cook is too sweet....hmm, healthy living, I guess! Sometimes it's good to have an experienced person around to advice us on certain matters...agree with me??? Now let's get to our recipe...........

Agar-Agar Santan Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar Coconut Jelly)

Ingredients:

• 10 gm jelly powder
• 1 packet gula melaka (gula gabung)~ 110 gm
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 pandan leaf (screwpine leaf)
• 125 ml coconut milk undiluted (from 1/2 coconut)
• 800 ml water
• a pinch of salt

Method: 

1.  Boil the water, then add the jelly powder and stir. After it as dissolved completely add in the pandan leaf which has been tied into a knot), sugar and gula melaka and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer (for about 2 mins) until all has completely dissolved.
2. Strain the above mixture and return it to the stove and bring it to a rolling boil.
3. In a bowl beat together coconut milk and egg together, then add a pinch of salt.
4. Return the jelly mixture to the stove and bring it to a rolling boil and then turn off the heat completely. 
5. Now add the coconut milk and egg mixture to the jelly mixture and give it a few stirs.
6. Pour the jelly into a mould and leave it to set.
7. When cool, chill it in the refrigerator. This jelly separates into 2 layers - a clear palm sugar layer and a coconut layer at the top.

Murukku

                                                          

                                                      

Last weekend I had time on my hands and so decided to make a delicacy. Decided to make murukku - making this for the first time. Nowadays to cook is very easy....we have instant powders, instant curry mix, instant sambal, instant noodles.....so I used the ready made Baba's Murukku Mix. Frankly one cannot follow the recipe instuctions given at the back cover of this packet. Actually my neighbour came over and helped me make this muruku...so kind of her. So she came over with her murukku mould and imagine even with her help we took 1 1/2 hrs to complete making the murukku....got about 50 murukkus. Can't imagine doing it alone. One person has to press the mould to make the murukku shapes while another has to fry the murukkus in oil till cooked.

Believe me it was worth the effort as the murukku turned out deliciously crispy and tasty!

      Murukku

      Ingredients:

• 1 packet (500gms) Baba's Murukku mix
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (dry roasted)
• 1/2  tsp omum seeds (dry roasted)
• a pinch of salt
• coconut milk (1/2 coconut) - heated with 1 tbsp sugar until just warm + warm water = 380 ml
• cooking oil to fry

      Method:

1. Sieve Baba's murukku mix flour, then add in cumin & omum seeds and a pinch of salt (the murukku flour mix is quite saltish).
2. Rub the butter into the flour mix untull it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Slowly add the coconut milk and water mixture and mix (press it between your fingers and palm) till it becomes a dough (Do not knead as we do for chapati).
4. Heat oil in the wok. (Tips: add a small ball of tamarind into the oil so that the murukku won't be oily). Use a slow flame because if the oil is too hot the murukku won't be cooked in the inside.
5. Place some dough into the murukku mould and press making swirls on a piece of parchment paper.
6. Place the murukku gently into the oil and cook till it turns golden brown. We must turn the murukku a few times during the frying process.
7. Drain the murukku into kitchen towels and once cool store in airtight tins or bottles.

Office Hari Raya Brunch

     

My office hosted a hari raya brunch for the staff. We had a variety of food. Fellowship is important in an office and inviting all the staff from various sections really gives a chance to mingle and get to know each other better while savouring the dishes. We were served all the Malay delicasies such as lemang with rendang, nasi impit with kuah kacang and lontong, roti jala with chicken curry, mee rebus,nasi briyani with masala chicken and mutton kurma, raya biscuits, a variety of malaysian kuih muih(cakes),mix-fruit drink, chendol etc. 

Birthday Cakes

 

          Made this orange butter cake with buttercream icing for my youngest son's birthday last April. I learned how to bake cakes from my mother when I was schooling but icing the cake....not an expert on this. Nevertheless managed to ice the cake. The cakes we buy from our bakery usually ice the cakes with just cream icing which has a flat taste. This is why I prefer to bake and ice my own cakes.

          Well, this cake I baked for my colleague, Liza. Just thought I'll give her a surprise so I baked this butter orange almond cake with buttercream icing and celebrated her birthday in the office during lunch break. Usually when I bake cakes I less the sugar because with the icing, the cake will tend to taste sweeter.

          Transported the cake to the office using this cake carrier that has a tall lid that locks securely into it's base. I placed the cake on a cake board so that when I remove the cover, I can serve the cake on the base and when cutting the cake, the base won't get scratched.

 
Orange Almond Butter Cake

Ingredients:

• 250 gm flour (sieve the flour + baking powder 3 times)
•  250 gm buttercup
•  130 gm castor sugar
• 50 gm almond powder
• 50 gm almong nibs
• grated rind of 1 orange  
•  juice of 1 orange + UHT milk = 150 ml
• 4    eggs
• 2    tsp baking powder ( 10 gm)
• 2    tsp vanilla essence

Method:  

1. Using an electric mixer cream together butter (room temperature) and castor sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. (If eggs are not beaten well, the mixture will curdle & if this happens just add a bit of flour)
4. Add in the vanilla essence, rind of 1 orange, almond powder and almond nibs.
5. Add half the flour, fold to combine. Add half the combined milk mixture, fold to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into a lined cake pan an bake at about 170 ° C for 40 minutes or until a skewer into the center comes out clean.

Buttercream Icing

Cream 200 gm buttercup (room temperature) with electric mixer. Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, Gradually add icing sugar - 400 gm, beating well on medium speed. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add in about a tablespoon of milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

*Sparkles*

                Hari Raya is around the corner, in one week's time. This festival is celebrated by our Muslim brethren after one month of puasa (fasting). Couldn't resist buying a box of sparkles (matapu in Tamil). Really.....I light the sparkles and play with them.......no I'm not old....I believe age is just a figure. Seriously, just be young at heart and one can enjoy life. Here in Malaysia we celebrate 4 main festivals, the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year (Kong Yee Fatt Choy), the Malays celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, the Indians celebrate Deepavali (The Festival of Lights), the Christians celebrate Christmas.......what unity... 1 Malaysia! Each one with different cultures and relgion but we all live, work and share our lives with one another. How wonderful! 

                During these festivals, usually on the fist day of celebration, we visit our brethren who are celebrating and are invited to have some delicacies at their home. This is called 'open house' - this is our Malaysian custom. We go to their homes, chit chat with our friends and this gives a real festive feeling. Three main races, Malays, Chinese and Indians join hand in hand and live our everday lives together!

Now coming back to our fireworks...sparkles. Certain type of fireworks are banned here in Malaysia to protect our children. These fireworks add a festive environment and a happy cheery feeling. Playing with sparkles, we hold the wire end with our fingers, light the other end and there it evolves little sparkles and this is why it is played at night. Sparkles! Sparkles! Sparkles!!!!