Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai 糯米鸡 (steamed savoury glutinous rice with dried shrimps)

Before I go for a short trip and another long trip from next week onwards, I just like to take some time here to update few posts by this week. This morning after i sent my son and daughter to the church where they will have a 4 days 3 nights Camporama 2012  camp ( wish i still young, so i can also join this fun camp ^_^), we went to a nearby coffee shop (quite a famous shop actually) to take our breakfast..I think this will be my last time visit this coffee shop, because we noticed all the food stalls there almost run by foreign workers. Some of the boss either sit there to collect money only or the whole stall is running by their foreign workers (i saw one of the stall owner operated another stall in my area)...Even nasi lemak stall also the same. Foods there start to loosing their nice taste and no more authentic..

Come back to today's post, one of my reader asked me how to prepare Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai (dried shrimps steamed glutinous rice). I add Ha Mai/ Hae Bi (dried shrimps) in steamed savoury glutinous rice but i have never add it in Lo Mai Kai (famous dim sum item, steamed glutinous rice in bowl) before.

The other day i saw Jane prepared her Lo Mai Kai in cute and mini size, I like her idea. After I received the Mei Hua shape metal bowls from Sherleen ( we were played exchange gifts actually, hehehe) ..I quickly take this small bowl to prepare this mini size of Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai..Last time when i prepared the normal size LMK, my little son Desmond can't even finish one but this time he ate at least 4 of LMK and he told me that this LMK is yummy..Also i decided to chop mushroom into small sizes and mix it with the rice, because i noticed when i put a whole piece or half piece of mushroom, my kids will not eat the mushroom, but this time they eat everything. Because the were not realized that the mushroom was in the rice actually, hahaha..

And i also omitted the Chinese sausages which my family don't appreciate it much..

Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai (steamed savoury glutinous rice with dried shrimps)
(recipe source : by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

500g glutinous rice, wash clean and soak for 4hours (do not need to soak overnight)

Marinate chicken
2 chicken thighs, cut into small bite-size
1tbsp ginger juice
1tbsp oyster sauce
1/2tbsp light soy sauce
1tsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2tsp salt or to taste
1tsp sesame oil
A dash of white pepper powder
1tbsp potato flour or cornstarch

10pcs Chinese dried mushrooms (soak in water to shorten, rinse few times), chopped small
20g dried shrimps, soak for 5mins, lightly chopped
4 shallots, slices

Seasonings for rice
2tbsp shallot oil
1tbsp oyster sauce
2tbsp light soy sauce or to taste
2tbsp dark caramel sauce
3tbsp sugar
1 and 1/2tsp salt or to taste
1tsp chicken stock powder
400ml water or adjust accordingly

Method
1. Mix all seasoning with chicken, set aside for 1 hour.
2. To sauté the shallots with oil, remove the fried shallots.
3. Use the same oil, to sauté the dry shrimps and mushroom till fragrant. Remove the fried dried shrimps and shallot oil.
4. Mix all seasoning, mushroom, fried dried shrimps, water and glutinous rice in a rice cooker.
5. Cook glutinous rice in rice cooker and fluff the rice with a fork when rice is cooked.
6. To assemble Lo Mai Kai- place 1-2 pcs of chicken, cover with cooked glutinous rice.
7. Add 1-2tbsp water on the rice, steam over medium high heat for 30mins.
8. Turn out Lo Mai Kai on a plate and serve hot.

My note- if you don’t own a rice cooker, you may steam the rice with water over medium high heat for 45mins.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #19: Dim Sum Affair (May 2012) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Crispy Skin Roasted Duck 香烤脆皮鸭

I am so happy now i can even prepare a crispy skin roasted duck at home, next time i also can use the same recipe to roasted a chicken too. My husband said this roasted duck tasted exactly like those roasted duck selling in the shop..



This was how i sun dry the duck, but i need to keep an eagle eyes on the duck because too many flies like this duck..Maybe next time i can try to dry in the fridge overnight (Latest update-Please refer to the comment from My Little Space, she said dry in the fridge will not work as to get crispy skin)..

The dried and hard skin is formed after 5hours of sun dry

I even use the wings, neck and legs (because not much meat to eat) to cook this Asam Chai Ber  (braised sour roasted meat with mustard) ,one stone kills two birds!

 Ya, i also cook oil rice (油饭) to enjoy with this yummy roasted duck.

Crispy Skin Roasted Duck
(recipe source : adapted from Vivian Pang Kitchen who adapted from My Little Space and My Kitchen Snippets. I made some changes on the seasonings)

1 whole duck (2kg)
3 cups water
2 tbsp maltose
1 tbsp vinegar

Seasonings
3 tbsp fermented soybean paste
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spices powder
1 and 1/2tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2tsp sugar

4 shallots, blend into paste
4 cloves garlic, blend into paste

Method
1. Combine water, maltose & vinegar in a wok/a large pot and bring it to boil.
2. Pad the duck dry. Bath the duck with the boiling mixture for several times.
3. First sun dry the duck for 2 hours. Bath the duck for 2nd time, sun dry again for another 3hours or till a dried skin is formed.
4. Combine all the seasonings and garlic & shallot paste and mix well. Spread the seasoning around the inner part of the duck. Do not rub mixture over the outer skin.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven at 190C for about 45-60mins (adjust accordingly as every oven is difference) or until the skin is brown and crispy. Half way through, overturn the duck for even browning.
6. Chop into bite-size and serve with steamed white rice or fragrant oil rice or noodles. (Save the gravy, skim off the oil, you can use this gravy to dip with roasted duck meat and also can add some gravy to the Asam Chai Ber)

Steamed spare ribs with preserved black beans

This is one of my favourite dim sum, a must have item for me but not for my family (kids don't know how to chew the bone and hubby doesn't like preserved black beans). Usually i was the one who finished off the whole plate (luckily just a small plate ^__^)..and i prefer those with slightly sweet taste..This recipe that i tried out, the taste is exactly like that one served in dim sum restaurant..

I also like to arrange pumpkin slices underneath, taste so yummy after pumpkin absorbed all yummy gravy from the seasoned spare ribs.



This is a must have ingredient, preserved salted black bean

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #19: Dim Sum Affair (May 2012) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Steamed spare ribs with preserved black beans
(recipe source: adapted from Flavours lifestyle food magazine with minor changes)

550g spare ribs


Marinade
2tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
1 and 1/2tsp chicken stock powder
Pepper
1tsp sesame oil
1tbsp chopped garlic
1 Chinese salted plum, crushed
3tbsp potato flour

1 red chili, julienned
Pumpkin, sliced (optional)
1tbsp preserved salted black beans, soak with water for 5mins

Method
1. Cut the spare ribs into small and bite sized cubes. Soak with 1/2tsp baking soda with some water for 1/2hour, wash it and drain (this is to tenderizing the meat)
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl, toss ribs in the marinade.
3. Add in potato flour and toss to coat the ribs well.
4. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
5. Place pumpkin slices on a steaming plate, top with marinated spare ribs, preserved black beans and chili, steam over rapidly boiling water for 10mins. Serve hot.

Pandan Layer Cake 香兰蛋糕

I made this Pandan Layer Cake for Mother's Day celebration on last week. Together with my sisters and brother we pre-booked 8 course dinner at a Chinese restaurant nearby my house..We waited for nearly 1 and 1/2 hours before foods were served, but luckily their foods were good otherwise we will bang their tables, hahaha.. We just learnt a lesson, no more outside foods when Mother's Day celebration in the future..

In fact, this was not my 1st time trying this popular Pandan Layer Cake recipe from Angie. I did one when my son Lucas's Birthday. But that pandan layer cake was totally a disaster, i added too many pandan leaf and resulted bitter pandan layer and the chiffon cake that i made was difficult to slice because the texture.
Learnt my lesson, this time i control the amount of pandan leaves and also made a sponge cake from store-bought sponge cake mix. A little bit sweet sponge cake just perfectly match with pandan layer which is less sweet. My family members all enjoyed this cake very much.

Have a look for the inside..i am quite please with the result of even layer of cake and pandan layer..

Pandan Layer Cake

(Recipe source: pandan jelly recipe adapted from Angie Ng, sponge cake recipe adapted from Felvinc, decoration idea from Wendy)

For the Sponge cake
250g sponge cake mix
4 eggs (large)
50g water
80g melted butter + 1tsp vanilla extract

Method
1. Beat sponge cake mix with eggs till well combine.
2. Increase to high speed, slowly add in water and beat for 10mins.
3. Reduce speed to medium and beat for 1min.
4. Reduce speed to low and beat for 3mins.
5. Slowly add in melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour into 8” round cake tin.
6. Bake at pre-heated oven at 170C for 45mins.
7. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Slice into 3 equal pieces. Also trim off 1cm from the side.

For Pandan jelly layer
600ml coconut milk ( half grated coconut + water)
500ml pandan water ( 10pcs pandan leaves + water)
120g sugar
1/2tsp salt
85g Hoen kwe flour ( Indonesia green pea flour)
10g agar-agar powder ( I use Pearl Mermaid brand)

Method
1. Mix Hoen Kwe flour and jelly powder together, slowly add in pandan water and mix well.
2. Add in coconut milk, sugar and salt, combine well.
3. Cook the mixture with low heat until cook or until the mixture start to have some bubbles and slightly turned thick.
4. Divide pandan jelly into 3 equal portions

To assemble pandan layer cake
1. Wet one 8” round cake tin (removable bottom) with water, do not wipe it dry as to easy remove cake later.
2. Pour in 1st portion of pandan jelly (pour half first ) and place a piece of sponge cake on top (pour the balance). Repeat the rest of jelly and cake.
3. Once completed, store cake in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Inverted the cake (bottom become top) and decorate as desired.

Great Ocean Drive, Loch Ard Gorge & London Bridge, flowers & plants, Melbourne Australia

Let me continue with my Great Ocean Drive with beautiful flowers and plants...Also visited Loch Ard Gorge & London Bridge..


These are flowers, tree and plants i taken along the Great Ocean Drive. Something that i can't seen it here..

Loch Ard Gorge & London Bridge,and others

London Bridge is falling down..

Steamed vegetable dumplings (Chai Kueh) 菜粿

I have bookmarked this Chai Kueh recipe from Joceline for a longer time. I just tried to making this kueh on last week, and very happy with the result..The skin just has the right texture, soft and little chewy! Perfect Chai Kueh!



I was making my own filling as i like to add tofu in the filling. But i have to warn you as the dough is very sticky, no way you can roll without dusting a lot of tapioca flour. As the dough is sticky, was not able to roll the skin too thin, but don't worry, after steamed, the skin texture just perfect...

Sent some to my sister who just staying nearby...

Steam again the next morning, a perfect breakfast..

Steamed vegetable dumplings (Chai Kueh) 菜粿
(recipe source: skin recipe adapted from Joceline Lor, filling recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

For the filling

1 large jicama, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1 firm tofu, pan fry till brown, shredded

20g dried shrimps, soaked in water, chopped
Some chopped coriander
1tsp salt or to taste
2tbsp light soy sauce or to taste
1tsp sugar or to taste
Pepper

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok, sauté dried shrimps till aroma.
2. Add in jicama, carrot and fried firm tofu, continue to cook for 15mins or till dry.
3. Add in seasonings and chopped coriander, mix well. Set aside to cool.

For the dumpling skin
100g Tang Mein four
200g tapioca flour
10g sugar
A pinch of salt
20g cooking oil
450g hot boiling water

Method
1. Mix two flours in a mixing bowl, stir to combine.
2. Add sugar, salt and cooking oil in the hot boiling water.
3. Pour hot water into the mixing bowl and quickly stir to combine to become dough. Set aside to cool.

banana leaves
fried garlic oil

To make steamed vegetables dumplings
1. Dust tabletop with a lot of tapioca flour (dough is very sticky), roll dough to form a thin circle.(using a round cutter or a small bowl to cut out thin circle as to standardize the size)
2. Wrap 1 tbsp of filling with each skin. Fold into semicircle and seal the opening by pressing the edges together.
3. Place each dumpling on a small sheet of banana leaf, place on a steaming tray, steam for 15mins.
4. Remove the steamed dumplings and brush the surface with some garlic oil. Serve hot.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #19: Dim Sum Affair (May 2012) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.