Kuih Srimuka-Plant Paradox (local delicacy)

This has been one of my favorite kuih, and to make this, have to find the right recipe, because the standard recipe use a lot of flour, and also sugar. And finally found one.

Bottom layer is almost the same as the standard old recipe selling in the market, that is usin Glutinuous rice, but sometimes, a bit of sugar is added. For mine,none is used. 

Bottom layer:

Glutinuous rice, 350gm, small type.

wash and soak in water for 4 hours, wash, then add in 400ml of coconut milk (if packet, then add in 1 spoonful of cooking oil, a tsp of salt, two pandan leaves, then steam for 20 mins, then compress it, making the rice compact and even. 

Top layer

200gm of steamed sweet potato (mashed it after steaming)

192gm of water

50gm of dates powder (make your own to get the sweetness)

a pinch of salt

30gm of glutinuous rice flour

76gm of tapioca starch

Blend water and 200gm mashed sweet potato, then add other remaining ingredients together.

Once the bottom later is ready, add the top later, make it even with spatula then go for another round of steaming for 10 mins....

Then, let it cool, and add in as much sesame seeds as you like.

Choong
25 June 2020
Home

Baking-Challah Bread (Sourdough)

Very happy with the results.

Part A
30gm sourdough
50gm water
100gm flour
Let it ferment until it rises 3X the original size

Part B
2 egg yolk
1egg
60gm sugar
4gm salt
50gm water
60gm oil
325gm flour

Part B mixed to Part A, and then ferment for 2 hours, and then knead  and roll into braids

brush with a later of egg yolk premixed with a 1tsp water)

Baked at 170 deg C for 35mins


Choong
Home

Malai gou (Steamed Malaysian Sponge cake) 1st trial-with Yeast.

One of my favorites but have not tried baking this before. Today just tried it, using yeast method, as there are many recipes...Trying out for the firs time:

INgredients:

1) flour 180gm

2) Brown sugar- I used 120gms only, but if you want sweeter, for sure, you may add to 180gm to 200gm

3) Yeast-1tsb

4) 4 eggs B grade, 3 eggs, A grade (either one)

5) Salt-1tsp

6) Pandan Juice- 3 Tsp

mix 4,5 and 6 together-----(A)

And then mix 1, 2 and 3 together----(B)

Then blend A and B together, let it ferment for 2 hours.

all mixed, and let it ferment for 2 hours

After steaming for 45 mins....

                                         After it cools down, you may cut and enjoy the cake

Another part of ingredients:
Once 2 hours' time is due, then scoop out a small portion of the fermented dough, add 1tsp each of baking soda and baking bicarbonate and then add in 50gm of oil, and mix well. Once done, blend this together into the remaining dough and mix well. Pour into a baking tray, and then steam for 40 mins. only open the lid when you have steamed for about 40mins.\

Thanks and happy trying.

Choong

Tapai Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinuous Rice Tapai)

Tapai, a kind of fermented food, can be tapai pulut, tapai ubi kayu, ....
But this is the tapai i like most.

1) wash the rice and immerse in water overnite.
2) Steam the rice for 40mins then mix with warm water and steam for another 30 mins until mature or cooked. Let it cool.
3) Take or Ragi or dry yeast and grind it into minute powder form.
4) Then distribute item (3) evenly into the glutinuous rice and mix it well.
5) Cover it up and keep it in a cool, fry and dark place for 3-4 days.
6) Once ready, you may consume it.

Happy trying.

Choong

Gluten Free-Orange Cake

It is quite similar to Butter cake, but ingredients are totally different.

Part 1:
Gluten Free Flour
i) millet flour- 210gm
ii) Tapioca flour-120gm
iii) Sweet Potato Flour-20gm
v) Glutinous rice flour-10gm
Mix this well, take out 280gm, and mix it well with 1tsp baking powder-----A

Part 2:
Mix the following together:
i ) 4 egg yolks
ii) 40gm of palm dates sugar
iii) 1 tsp vanilla
iv) 200gm of Coconut oil
v) 2Tsb orange juice
vi) 1 grated orange zest
mix all this ingredients----B

Part 3
Meringue
i) 4 egg whites
ii) 1 tsp of tartar powder
Beat this well, -----C

mix A with B well, stir it well, then add in 1/3 of C, then the balance. mix well, and then pour into a tray lined with baking paper.
Preheat oven to 180 dec C and bake this in water batch for 40-45 mins.

Happy trying.

Choong

BananaWalnutSpongeCake (GlutenFree Recipe)

                                        On the left is the normal recipe, with flour and sugar, and on the right is the
                                        gluten free.

This recipe was recommended from a youtube source and it was recommended by a friend and I have baked it a few times and like it a lot, as it feels very light.

Recipe
150g Ripe Banana (mash it) 4 Egg Yolks (separate from egg whites) 70g Vegetable oil (I used red palm Oil), preheat it for about 15 minutes until it is warm 20g Fresh Milk, full cream is better 65gm rice flour
20gm Tapiaoca flour
5gm Glutinuousriceflour 4 Egg whites which was separated from from the egg yolk earlier 38gm dates powder (replacing sugar, but can be like 20gm if you have very sweet and ripe banana. A handful of Walnut (chopped it, and if you like it more, add more).

Steps:
1) mash the banana, put aside.
2) The preheated oil, add in flour mixture (rice,tapiaoca and glutinuous rice) and stir well. Then add in the egg yolk, milk and mashed banana, mix it well.
3) Beat egg white with sugar (dividied into 3 times) and beat it until it well, until it is kind of becomes very stable (and it won't flows freely if you overturn the mixer bowl).
4) Mix in this into 3-step a portion each into the premixed mentioned in step 2. Stir well.
5) Prepare a baking mold and it will be good to line up with a layer of baking paper. Then pour the batter into the mould and then flatten it.
6) Then put this mold into a water bath

7) Then bake it at preheated oven of 150 Deg C for 1 hour at least or until it is fully baked. Take it out and let it cool.
8) when you tap on the well baked cake, it sound fluffy, or spongy.

Choong

25th APril 2019

Sourdough Bread-y Version by The GlamorousJ

Many have sent emails or messages asking for my sourdough bread and I think it is better for me to summarise it here, based on my experience in baking this bread the last 2 years plus, and also the adjustment that is needed due to our hot weather here.

There are 3 key steps:

1) Starter
For a start, we do not use Yeast, please take note.
We need to prepare our starter from zero, which means the healthy bacteria and yeast has to come from our natural air. We need a clean container (glass is better, thoroughly washed, and cleaned and dried, based if we can rinse with some vinegar.
Then we need our base material, that is our flour (organic flour is the best for sure, and it is up to you if you like to use general flour, high protein flour, buckwheat flour......).
We need to put 4 Table spoonful of clean water, and 4 Table spoon of flour and stir it well (I used wooden chopstick to stir the mixture everytime), then close it with a piece of clean cloth for breathing. Repeat this for at least 7-8 days until you have enough starters. And if the starter is well developed, it smell yeast for sure, and will not have any molds.... and you may see some bubbles on the side of the container. You can keep on feeding and if you do not need them, please close the container with its lid and keep it in the fridge. When you need to use them again, please feed them water and flour, before using them for the next baking.

 My starter is close to 3 years old

Step 2:

Recipe

I am using this until now. The simple recipe is as follows:

i) 200gm starter (from step 1)

ii) 400gm water (please use clean water)

iii) 600gm of flour 

iv)12gm of salt (I use himalayan salt)

Mix all ingredient well, and then let it ferment at room temperature for at least 7-8 hours, then again use a spatula, and sort of like kneading it for a few rounds, then cover it, and keep in the fridge overnite.

The next morning while the dough is still cold, knead it as much as you can with your hands, and after like 2 minutes, as the temperature rises, the dough will become sticky again, hence please stop the kneading process and put this dough into a container lined with baking paper, so that you can easily transfer them to baking pots once it is ready.

 Second round proofing, kneading the dough right after they came out from the fridge, and let it ferment and proof. Please take note at this stage, I have already put them in a properly lined with baking paper container for easy transfer.

 Second round proofing, kneading the dough right after they came out from the fridge, and let it ferment and proof. Please take note at this stage, I have already put them in a properly lined with baking paper container for easy transfer.

 first round kneading and proofing, then put inside the covered container and keep in the fridge. THis one I mixed with sweet potato

First round kneading, then put inside a covered container, then keep it in the fridge. This one I mixed with walnuts. You can mixed some dried fruits or do nothing, it is up to you.

Stage 3-Baking
You must preheat your baking pots at 220Deg C for 30 minutes, then open the lid of the pot, transfer the dough (2nd proofing from Step 2) into the pot close the lid and continue baking for another 30 mins.
Once 30 mins is over, you need to take out the lid, and let it continue to bake for another 25 mins at 200 deg c.
Once completed, you may take it out, and let it cool on a steel tray or wrack (without the baking pot, please, but have to take note carefully of the heat), hence always wear your safety gloves whenever you bake your sourdough bread.

You can use either kind, but it has to be metal pots (no plastics is being used on the pots).
Pre heat this pots (220 deg C for 30 mins as explained in step 3).

Serving the bread- you can slice it, and put Avocado and butter spread, or you may eat it plain.
SOmetimes, after leaving it overnite, it will become a bit hard, hence you may steam it or you heat it in the oven at 100 deg C for say like 10 mins, and then eat it immediately. Do not heat and eat it later, cause this is a natural fermented bread and it will become hardened and dry after some time.

ANything not clear, please feel free to send message here, and I shall try to answer.

Choong
16 April 2019.

Pandan Sponge Cake Or Pandan Chiffon Cake-Gluten Free

Have been trying to reduce my dependent on Wheat flour and sugar, hence finding ways to try out new recipe.

This one is made using rice flour instead of wheat flour, and it contains a little bit of sugar, cause I do not have any swerve or other sugar replacement at the time of baking

Recipe:
Part A
1) 5 egg yolk
2) Coconut Oil-55gm
3) Pandan extract-50ml
4) Coconut Milk-25gm
5) Rice Flour-105gm

Part B:
1) Egg whites-5
2) Castor sugar-I used only 20gm initially, later on, i replaced with Dates sugar.
3) Cream Tartar-1/2 tsp

Baking temp=170 Deg C, for about 40mins

Normal Chiffon cake preparation applies, meaning to say, mix Part A well, then prepare part B. ANd mix B into A, then into the baking tin.

It turns out to be very good, except, since there is no gluten, the mouthfeel is a bit different, but nevertheless, I am happy with the results.

Choong
BM

AppleBanana Cake

The first picture is the actual baking picture and in the second pic is the cut cake....the bottom half.

Recipe

300gm of green apple, de-skinned, cut into small pieces and mix with cinnamon powder.
70gm raisins, chopped
150gm mashed ripe banana
sugar-70gm (standard one calls for 150gm to get the sweetness you want, but I reduced it because the ripened banana contributed some amount of sweetness too).
2 large eggs (if smaller in size, use 3, it is important for this recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1tsb cinnamon powder
80gm butter

Steps:
1) Beat softened butter with sugar, then add in eggs, vanilla and salt. beat well together with baking powder.
2) Mix with flour, mashed banana, apple, raisins and mix well.
3) Pour this into a mold or tray lined with baking paper.
4) Then bake in a preheated oven at 180 Deg C for 35-40mins (check your oven to make sure the oven is hot enough.
5) Please insert a stick to make sure the cake is cooked and well done
6) Bring it out and cool it on the cooling rack.


Happy trying.

Choong

Banana Walnut Sponge Cake

This recipe was recommended from a youtube source and it was recommended by a friend and I have baked it a few times and like it a lot, as it feels very light.

Recipe
150g Ripe Banana (mash it) 4 Egg Yolks (separate from egg whites) 40g Vegetable oil (I used red palm Oil), preheat it for about 15 minutes until it is warm 20g Fresh Milk, full cream is better 85g I used normal flour 4 Egg whites which was separated from from the egg yolk earlier 60g Sugar (I used about 30gm because I do not like a very sweet one A handful of Walnut (chopped it, and if you like it more, add more).

Steps:
1) mash the banana, put aside.
2) The preheated oil, add in 85gm flour and stir well. Then add in the egg yolk, milk and mashed banana, mix it well.
3) Beat egg white with sugar (dividied into 3 times) and beat it until it well, until it is kind of becomes very stable (and it won't flows freely if you overturn the mixer bowl).
4) Mix in this into 3-step a portion each into the premixed mentioned in step 2. Stir well.
5) Prepare a baking mold and it will be good to line up with a layer of baking paper. Then pour the batter into the mould and then flatten it.
6) Then put this mold into a water bath

7) Then bake it at preheated oven of 150 Deg C for 1 hour at least or until it is fully baked. Take it out and let it cool.
8) when you tap on the well baked cake, it sound fluffy, or spongy.

Choong

SourBread-Plant ParadoxMeals

I have not updated my blogsite for some time, and hope to add some thoughts into this soon. This time around, on my first loaf of Sourbread before I update with a summary of my trip to India.

On this loaf of bread, I have to learn the "hard way" cause baking sourbread in not a norm here and I have no idea at all on how to even start making this.
Have to read, watch and study a lot before making this, with the starters which took close to a week to get it done, then the difference in temperature and humidity with the guides I refer to also makes it very challenging. Anyway, I always believe if there is a will, there is a way and I also named my starters as "Lucky starters, and my sourbread, the loaf as Lucky bread, what a name, but I believe it brings a lot of luck to me...haha.

And assuming you have your own starters ready in your fridge, the recipe I find to be the easiest is still this 2:4:6 ratio, 200gm starters, 400gm water and 600gms flour. You need to knead the dough 3 times altogether, and proofing in between for 10mins each time, and final one is stored in the fridge overnight before final proofing the 4th time, then ready for baking. I used my french pot (usually people use the Holland pot), first by warming it up at 250 Deg C for 30 minutes, then put the final proofed dough into the pot and then bake at 230 Deg for 30 mins, then take out the pot cover and bake for another 30mins at 220 Deg C, then take it out from the oven and let it cool.

So far I tried two, one with organic wholemeal flour and the other one with high protein flour, both gives different kind of texture. Both are nice, up to individual preference and taste. Happy Testing.


Choong
17 September 2017