Winter Solstice! 冬至。汤圆

Happy Winter Solstice! I am a bit late in posting this tang yuan (glutinous rice ball), reason being I was hesitating on what type of tang yuan should I made. Idea one, a traditional version-hmm...I have nothing to make the tang yuan become red. Idea two- the angry bird version, erm..not a bad idea since angry bird is also in round shape, but...tang yuan is so small and I have no tool to make the eyes, peak, etc..Idea three, a basketball or a football version? Isn't it cute when you see so many tiny basket ball or football in a bowl? But, how should I make it? Where should I start? I do not have a petite hand to make this small little cute thing, I will ruin the whole project...Then this idea four came across my mind, the marble effect tang yuan by using pumpkin. Yes, I made it!

I didn't measure the ingredients properly and therefore no recipe for this post. Please refer to the following blog if you are looking for a tang yuan recipe. These are some fabulous blogs.
~ my little favourite DIY
~Cass @ 揾到食
~Vivian Pang Kitchen
~Eat Your Heart Out
~ and many many more...

Pumpkin Kaya

This pumpkin kaya was made some time last month when I had some pumpkin left following Halloween. This pumpkin kaya caught my attention when I was googling for pumpkin recipe. I was surprised when I saw this recipes from All Recipes website. I am like, 'what? how come it appear in an English website'? When I asked my colleague or local friends, no one happens to know what kaya is and never tasted it before, no surprise as Kaya is a Malaysia traditional coconut jam. It is famous around Malaysia or south east Asia but not Europe. It brought my attention when I saw them featured on All Recipes website, and I wanted to try it!

This pumpkin kaya is suitable for vegetarian as it replaced eggs with pumpkin. For more information about what kaya is, please refer here. Eventhough it is slightly healthier than the traditional kaya and smells good, I still prefer the traditional one. This one smells good, but the traditional one (Pandan Kaya) is really really good!

Pumpkin Kaya
Recipe adapted from Pumpkin Kaya

Ingredients:
500g pumpkin, cubed
160ml coconut milk
80g brown sugar
4 medium screwpine leaves (Pandan leaves), tied into knot

Steps:
1) Steam pumpkin for about 20 minutes or until it is tender when pierced with knife.
2) Put the steamed pumpkin, coconut milk and brown sugar into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a stainless steel mixing bowl.
3) Fill a pot with about 1/3 water, bring it to a boil then turn to low heat. Place the mixing bowl into the pot, stir the mixture roughly every 5 minutes interval.(see here for double boiling method)
4) Continue to cook the mixture until the desired thickness achieved. Remove the mixture from hob and leave it to cool. Store in a dry, clean container once it is completely cooled and keep it in the fridge.
5) Pumpkin kaya is done!

Kerabu Pelam (Mango Salad)

Ho Ho Ho~ winter is officially here and it will soon be christmas! Again, I am hoping for a white christmas this year. It snow between christmas day every year but not on the christmas day!

This pic was taken last Wednesday, the ground covered with layer of snow in the morning. Winter is officially here!

Saw this tasty dish from Mui's blog  the other day and decided to give it a try.This is a dish from Kedah, Malaysia. To be honest, I know nothing about food in the north east part of malaysia, be a Malaysian I am completely ashamed! Thanks to MFF (Malaysian Food Fest), I were more explored to the state food in Malaysia. This mango salad is really appetising and delicious, I can finished it in one go despite the burning lips and sweat. Since I couldn't get young mango, I replaced it with sweet ripe mango. I would love to try it with young mango one day. As in the photos, I didn't sliced or chopped the ingredients very fine, this give a slightly chewy and crunchy salad. The salad taste sweet, sour,  hot and spicy with the crunchy peanut and dried shrimp. Have a try if you like your salad in hot and spicy taste, it is really good!

After finished my first mango salad, I went to look for mango again in the supermarket the next day, was so happy when I got it. I thought I can remember the recipe and did not need to refer it, half way through preparing the salad, I found out I ran out of tomatoes, the sky is getting dark and I wouldn't want to go out with a pushchair in a dark cold night,  panicking! panicking! I was trying to think what can I use to replace tomatoes. First I thought of using pineapple, was asking myself would pineapple be a good combination to this salad? I doubted! As I walked out the kitchen and toward the fruit bowl in the living room, I saw those lovely kiwi fruits sitting in the packet unopened. Oh yes! I can try it with kiwi. I did, and I also add in extra peanut, it is equally good, I like it with kiwi too!

Kerabu Pelam (Mango Salad) (Adapted from My Little Favourite DIY)

Ingredients:

1 mango, shredded 

1 medium tomato, cut into small cubes (or 6 cherry tomato, halves)

2 shallots, sliced

2 bird's eye chilli, finely sliced

1 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked and drained

handful of peanut, dry fried, for garnish

Dressing sauce:

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tbsp plum sauce

The ingredients and the sauce

Steps:
1) Dry fry peanut over low heat until fragrant or when you see the peanut oil appear on its skin.Skin when it is completely cool.
2) Add some oil to the pan, fry dried shrimp till brown and crispy, drained and set aside.
3) Add the dressing sauce into a small bowl and mix well.
4) Arrange all the prepared ingredients into a bowl, add in dressing sauce and toss well.
5) Serve.

This was my second attempt, with kiwi and more peanut.

Mendiants 干果巧克力

This is another easy cookie recipe from the book,  法国经典甜点 La Patisserie Francaise Pour Tous. It is nutty and chocolatey and also great for various occasions or festive seasons!

Mendiants

Ingredients:
150g whole Hazelnuts
50g pistachios
30g golden raisin (I replaced it with dried apricot)
250g chocolate block

Steps:
1) Preheat oven at 180 degC.
2) Put hazelnuts and pistachios on a lined baking tray. Roast for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and leave it to cool.

3) Break chocolate block into small pieces and place it into a bowl. Melt the chocolate over medium heat.
Lightly stir the chocolate mixture until all the chocolate pieces has melted. Remove from heat.

4) Spoon half a spoonful of of melted chocolate into the silicone cupcake mould, use the back of the spoon to smoothen the surface.

5) Put in roasted hazelnuts, pistachios and dried apricot according to your liking. Remove from mould when the chocolate is completely solidified.

6) Done. Mendiants are ready to eat!

Mendiants

*Note: 

Store the mendiants in a cool dry place as the chocolate melted easily.