Sweet Potato-Coconut Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown cane sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3 tbsp corn flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato (about 1 medium)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup thick coconut milk

Whipped Cream Frosting:

200mL whip cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Method:

Grease a cake pan (18 cm in diameter), dust bottom and side of pan with bread crumbs and tapping out the excess; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder and cinnamon; set aside

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff peaks; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk yolk and sugars till pale and fluffy.

Add-in oil and milk, beat till well blended.

Stir-in sweet potato.

Gradually, fold-in the dry mixture.

Gently, fold-in the stiffed egg whites.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool thoroughly.

To Make Whipped Cream Frosting:

Begin with thoroughly chilled cream and beater.

Whip the cream on medium speed until slightly thickens.

Add-in sugar and vanilla extract or any flavoring and continue whipping the cream until soft peaks formed (The peak should bend over at the top of the whisk).

Prepare in advance, keep in refrigerator and frost the cooled cake later.

Coconut/Thengai Burfi

Ingredients:

1 cup dessicated/freshly grated coconut
1 cup sugar
1/3 water
4 tsp besan/gram/chickpeas flour
6 tbsp ghee

Method:

Greases a vessel with size about 5 x 4 x 1 1/2 inches; set aside.

In a nonstick pan, boil sugar in water till becomes a thick syrup (soft ball consistency).

Add-in coconut and keep-stirring.

Once mixture starts to thicken, add-in flour, stir-constantly till incorporated well.

Add-in ghee, continue stirring for another 1 minute or till well-mix (not to overcooked as it will lead to dry coconut and sugar flakes).

Remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared vessel; set aside to lightly cool down for 10 minutes.

Cut into desired size and shape while still warm with sharp knife.

Set aside to completely cool down before storing into airtight container.

Drunken Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 (600 g ) chicken, cleaned

Marinade A:

1/2 tsp salt
3 thumbs (1 inch) fresh ginger, sliced
1 stalk spring onions, crushed and roundly cut
1 1/2 tbsp Shao Hsing wine

Marinade B:

1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 cup Shao Hsing wine

Dressing:

3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken stock
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

Garnish:

spring onion, or
coriander leaves

Method:

Rub chicken with marinade A, leave in fridge covered for at least 1 hour.

On a heat resistance plate, line half of the ginger slices and spring onion of marinade A on bottom, place-on chicken, then the remaining ginger and spring onion on top of the chicken.

Steam the prepared chicken over high heat for 30 minutes or till cooked-thoroughly.

Retain the chicken stock and cut the cooked chicken into serving sizes (commonly at the joints)

Rub hot chicken with pepper and salt of marinade B, plate into a container (not to oversize).

Mix together chicken stock (remove as much oil as possible from the surface of stock) with wine, pour on the chicken and leave the chicken to immerse under wine solution covered in fridge for at least 12 hours or preferentially 24 hours (turn the chicken occasionally for proper soaking).

To serve, remove chicken from fridge, set aside to achieve room temperature, further chop the chicken into bite sizes if desire, arrange on a serving plate, mix-well all the dressing ingredients and drizzle-on the chicken, sprinkle-on garnish, ready to serve (commonly serves cold) alone or with rice.

Chocolate-Pistachio Semifreddo with Espresso Sauce

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp whisky
1 cup whipping cream
40 g pistachio, coarsely crushed
60 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Espresso Sauce:

3/4 cup espresso coffee
3/4 cup sugar
40 g bittersweet chocolate
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

Line a container (size about 7 x 10 x > 1 inches ) with food plastic wrap by covering the bottom, all side walls and also some extension for top surface; set aside.

In a large bowl, fill with cold water or ice water; set aside.

In a heat resistance bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and whisky over simmering water for about 1o minutes or till pale, thick and glossy.

Remove from heat and transfer to the prepared cold water bath, continue whisking the mixture till cold.

In another large bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff peaks; set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk cream till soft peaks (it can be prepared a day or few in advance and keep in fridge covered till use); set aside.

Gradually, fold-in the stiff egg whites into yolks mixture.

Gently, fold-in stiff cream and mix carefully to incorporate.

Add-in chopped chocolate and pistachio crush, stir-well to mix (reserves some choclate and/or pistachio to base the container if desire).

Spoon into the prepared container, cover the filling all over with the extended plastic wrap, keep in freeze till firm (at least 2 hours).

To prepare the espresso sauce, cooks together hot brewed espresso with sugar and chocolate over low heat, stir constantly till the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is smoothed, remove from heat, stir-in lemon juice and mix well (the sauce can be prepared in advance and keep in fridge covered till serve).

To serve, unwrap the firmed semifreddo, invert on a plate with bottom side up, cut into serving size with sharp knife, plate on individual serving plates, let to stand for few minutes while at the same time, warm the espresso sauce, drizzle a tablespoon or more if desired of the warm/room temperature espresso sauce onto the semifreddo, ready to serve.

Serves 8 persons.

Coconut-Peanut Crisps

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup roasted peanut powder
1 egg
1 cup castor sugar
100 g butter

Garnish:

1 egg yolk, beat lightly
chopped raisin
dessicated coconut

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine together flours, baking powder, dessicated coconut and peanut powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar till pale, thick and glossy.

Gradually, fold-in the flours mixture into the egg mixture (it will be like breadcrumb).

Add-in butter, knead till forms smooth dough, cover dough in a container.

Take out enough dough and place between two plastic paper, roll out to about 1/2 cm thick.

Cut the dough with cookies cutter into the desired shapes and line on the prepared baking tray.

Brush surface with egg yolk, press-in a piece of chopped raisin and sprinkles with dessicated coconut (repeat steps till dough is finished or refrigerates the dough for a break).

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden color.

Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack before storing.

Yields 152 cookies.

Mysore Pak

Ingredients:

1 cup ghee
1 cup besan/gram/chickpeas flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 water


Method:

Greases a vessel with size about 5 x 4 x 1 1/2 inches (deepness at least 1 1/2 inches); set aside.

In a nonstick pan, melt 1 tsp ghee.

Add-in besan flour and roast for 2-3 minutes by continuous stirring.

Remove from heat and set aside.

In a wok or pot, heat the remaining ghee till very hot, keep hot on flame.

In another nonstick pan, boil sugar in water till becomes a thick syrup (arrange the hot ghee near to the sugar syrup).

Add 1/4 cup of hot ghee into sugar syrup.

Gradually, stir-in the flour.

Occasionally, pour-in the hot ghee into the flour-sugar mixture while keep stirring the flour-sugar mixture.

Once the ghee separates from dough and mixture thickens, remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared vessel; set aside to lightly cool down for 15 minutes.

Cut into desired size and shape while still warm with sharp knife.

Homemade Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Ingredients:

450 g butter

Method:

In a nonstick pan, melt butter over moderate heat, bring to boil with stirring till foamy.

Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or till the solution changes color from cloudy yellow ti clear golden color, develops pop-corm aroma, stops foaming with crackling noises, a thin light tan layer with crusts on nearly motionless surface appeared and milk solids at bottom changes color from white to tan.

Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Drain the ghee via cheesecloth into a jar.

Yield 2 cups ghee.

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

250 g paneer/hariali mava/khoya or ricotta cheese
6 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
oil for deep-frying

Sugar Syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Method:

To prepare sugar syrup, boil sugar in water via stirring till the sugar is fully dissolved and sticky (not to over boiling), set aside and keep warm.

In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda.

Add-in cheese, mash and knead the mixture to make a medium-hard dough.

Pick-up enough dough and gently roll with hand palms into bite-size smooth balls; set aside covered with wet kitchen towel.

In a deep pan or wok, heat oil over medium-low heat.

Slip-in balls one by one into the hot oil from the side of pan (dough balls will sink to the bottom of the pan and not to overlap each other).

Not to stir as the dough balls are very soft but shake the pan gently for even frying for the first 10-15 minutes (balls will expand and rise to surface after 5 minutes).

Once balls start to change color (after 10-15 minutes), agitate the pan gently and constantly to ensure even browning till to the desired color of golden brown (another 15 minutes).

Drain on paper napkin then transfer immediately into hot syrup; leave gulab jamun immerse in syrup for at least 2 hours or better overnight for best result.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Zhu Jiao Chu (Black Vinegar Pork Knuckle)

Ingredients:

1 or 2 (500-1000 g) pork knuckles
3 cups water
3 tbsp black rice vinegar

4 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 bulb garlic, crushed or chopped
350 g (3 x 3 inches thumbs) fresh ginger, crushed or sliced to thin strips
2 dried chili
5 - 6 cups water (it will be evaporated for simmering the pork knuckles till tender)
2 cups black rice vinegar
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 hard boiled eggs, gently broke the shell (shell-on for extra calcium; add more if desired)
2 dried chinese mushroom, soaked
1/2 - 1 cup sugar (brown sugar/rock sugar/sugar) or to taste
1 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Clean pork knuckles by plucking-off hair and scraping the surface of rind to remove dirt.

In a pot, boil 3 cups of water with 3 tbsp vinegar.

Add-in pork knuckle to scald for 1o minutes.

Drain well and again, clean the pork knuckles by plucking-off any leftover hair and scrape the rind; cut to 4 pieces; set-aside.

Heat oil in a deep wok or pot, fry ginger and garlic till fragrant and start to golden brown (about 2 minutes).

Add-in the remaining ingredients and lastly pork knuckle, bring to boil covered/uncovered for 30 minutes

Reduce heat and let to simmer covered/uncovered for at least 2 hours or till the pork knuckle is soften and tender (stir occasionally).

Finally, adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt .

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Mua Chi

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp think coconut milk
120 mL water
1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tbsp shallot oil

Coating:

4 1/2 tbsp toasted coarse grounded peanut
2 tbsp sugar

Method:

In a microwable bowl, mix together flour, sugar, coconut milk, water, peanut butter and 1/2 tbsp oil.

Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave and stir-well then return to microwave on high for another minute again (repeat the last two steps till the dough is cooked thorough).

Remove from microwave and stir-well.

Add-in the remaining oil; set aside to cool completely.

Sprinkle-on peanut and sugar to dough.

With greased scissor, cut dough into bite sizes and stir to coat well with the peanut and sugar.

Ready for snacking.

Pistachio-Peanut Sandesh

Ingredients:

250 g paneer or ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
10 toasted pistachio, coarsely grounded
1 tbsp toasted coarse grounded peanut

Method:

Place coarse pistachio and peanut in bowls, respectively; set aside.

In a nonstick pan, mix cheese with sugar over moderate heat till sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is solidified (about 15 minutes, stir constantly).

Remove the pan from heat and stir the soft dough for another half minute.

Pick up enough dough and forms into bite size balls.

Dip each balls, first into peanut bowl to coat-up all the side surface and secondly into pistachio bowl to coat-up the upper surface.

Serve cold.

Banana Chiffon Cake I

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tbsp (18 g) butter
20 mL milk
1/2 cup banana puree (from 1 banana)
1/3 cup cake flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 °C.

In a bowl, combine together flours and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar till frothy; gradually add-in sugar and continue whisking till stiff peaks form (I always whisk egg whites first because I use the same whisk for egg yolks mixture later without washing); set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar till pale, thick and glossy.

Add-in butter and milk, continue whisking till butter is fully incorporated.

Add-in banana puree and whisk well to mix evenly.

Fold-in flours mixtures, stir-well to form homogeneous batter.

Gradually and gently, fold the egg whites mixture into the egg yolks batter.

Pour batter into ungreased chiffon pan (6 inches) and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and immediately invert the chiffon pan on a lifted wire rack.

Leave to stand for 10 minutes or till the cake shrinks all over from pan walls.

With a flexible thin knife or spatula, loose cake from pan and transfer it from pan onto wire rack; let cool completely before cut into serving size.

Curry Fish

Ingredients:

1 fish (I used gilthead seabream or orata)
2 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup curry leaves
tamarind juice (1 tbsp tamarind paste in 2 cups water)
5 tbsp fish curry powder
1 stalk lemon grass, gently crushed
1 tomato, cut into 4 pieces
5 okra (lady finger)
3 green chili
1 cup thick coconut milk
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar or to taste
1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Clean fish and cut into 3 pieces.

Heat oil in a wok or pot.

Stir-fry garlic and onion until fragrant and starting to be golden brown (about 5 minutes).

Add-in curry leaves, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till fragrant.

Add-in tamarind juice and curry powder, stir to incorporate for another 1 minute.

Add-in the remaining ingredients and lastly fish, reduce heat and let to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or till fish is cooked-thorough meanwhile adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt.

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice, roti, bread or bun.

Murukku (Chakli)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup gram/besan/chickpeas flour
1/2 tbsp ajwain/carom seeds
1/2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
27 g (1 3/4 tbsp) melted butter
50 mL lukewarm water
enough oil for deep-frying

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together flours, ajwain seed, sesame seed, red chili powder, garlic powder and salt.

Add-in butter and mix well.

Gradually pour-in water and knead well till soft-wet dough.

Take enough dough and fill into murukku mold (I use thick dry cotton clothes with small hole...God...really hard-works while waiting for my murukku mold to arrive from India :P) .

Press the murukku presser and shape the murukku dough circularly onto individual parchment papers/banana leaves/paper napkins.

Heat oil in a wok or deep pan, carefully slide murukku doughs into hot oil.

Fry both sides on medium high heat till crisp and golden brown (turns the murukku doughs occasionally for even frying).

Filter up murukku from oil and drain on paper towel.

Let cool completely before store into air-tight container.

Chocolate Sweet Buns with Feta Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
30 mL warm water

2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup (7 tbsp) sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk powder (optional if using milk)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp bread improver (optional)

80 mL milk/water
45 g (3 tbsp) butter

8 slices feta cheese, crushed individually
extra butter for surface brushing

Method:

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, egg, salt, milk powder, cocoa powder and bread improver.

Pour yeast solution into the flours mixture.

Gradually pour-in milk and knead to form smooth and soft dough.

Knead-in butter till soft and elastic dough.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces.

On floured hands, flatten dough ball with two palms, fill-in a crushed feta cheese in center, twist all edges together to completely seal and roll this filled dough into smooth ball.

Place the filled buns on parchment paper and leave to rise till double in size covered for about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the proved filled buns together with parchment paper onto a baking tray and bake buns in preheated oven at 180 °C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove buns from oven, brush buns' exposure surface immediately with melted butter.

Brutti Ma Buoni

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup toasted coarse grounded hazelnuts (skinless)
1/4 cup toasted coarse grounded peanuts (skinless)

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

For smooth and pale color version:

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk occasionally egg whites and sugar over gently simmering water for 10 minutes or till hot and opaque.

Remove from heat, continue whisking for another 8 minutes or till thick and glossy.

Stir-in nuts.

Drop heap teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking tray (2 inches apart).

Bake cookies for 15 minutes or till lightly browned.

For rough and darker color version:

Preheat oven to 150 °C.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk egg whites till stiff.

Add-in sugar and nuts.

Continue whisking and cook over moderate heat till dough detach from side walls and bottom of the bowl (not to overcook, else it will turns to hard cookies).

Remove from heat and drop dollop of doughs on the prepared baking tray.

Bake cookies for 40 minutes or till golden brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to let cool completely.

Yield 26 cookies.

Chinese Steamed Fish

Ingredients:

1 fish (I used gilthead seabream or orata)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

Seasoning:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (2 inches) thumb fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup chinese parsley/coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

Method:

Clean fish, make some gashed on both sides and rub fish well with salt and pepper; set aside to marinade for 30 minutes.

Line base of a heat resistance plate with some ginger strips.

Place fish on top of the prepared plate and line garlic and the remaining ginger on top of the fish.

Drizzle-on soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper.

Sprinkle-on chopped coriander leaves and steam covered over high heat for about 10 minutes or till the fish is just right cooked-thorough.

Dish-up and serve hot immediately with rice.

Ban Jian Kuih (Peanut Pancake)

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp potassium carbonate & sodium bicarbonate solution
2 tsp oil
1 cup milk/water

Filling:

2 tbsp toasted peanut coarse
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter

Method:

In a large bowl, combine together the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add-in potassium carbonate & sodium bicarbonate solution and oil.

Mix well to a smooth batter; set aside covered for at least 2 hours.

Lightly grease a nonstick pan (22 cm in diameter).

Heat the pan over medium heat.

Pour-in all batter, evenly spread the batter via pan swirling or by using ladle.

Once batter turns to translucent (about 5 minutes), sprinkle-on peanut, sugar and butter.

Cook covered for even heating for 15 minutes or till bottom surface become golden brown.

Remove cover, release all sides of pancakes with spatula.

Remove pancake and fold immediately into half; set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut into triangle shape and serve hot.

Crystal Fruits Jelly

Ingredients:

2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp konnyaku jelly powder

Choices of Fruits:

kiwi
grapes
strawberry or any berries
longan
mango
peaches
orange, etc.

Method:

Dice the selected fruits and put into jelly mould.

Bring water to boil, add-in sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add-in jelly powder, keep stirring for 10 minutes or till jelly powder is fully dissolved.

Remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared mould; set aside to cool to room temperature.

Chill covered in fridge for at least 1 hour or till set.

Serve cold.

Yield 14 pieces jelly (size 5 cm).

Penang Asam Laksa (Sour Spicy Tangy Fish Gravy Soup Noodles)

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh or dried thick round rice noodle (laksa noodles)
600 g spanish mackerel fish, cleaned
1500 mL water

250 g shallot, blended
2 tbsp freshly blended chili paste (from 50 dried chili, soaked, drained and blended)
tamarind juice (filtrate of 2 tbsp tamarind paste (asam jawa paste) in 800 mL water)
2 (2 inches) thumbs galangal (lengkuas), crushed
3 stalk lemon grass, crushed
2 wild ginger buds (bunga kantan), crushed
10 sprigs laksa leaves (d/polygonum odoratum/daun kesom), bunched
10 slices dried tamarind skin (asam gelugor/asam keping)
3 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
1 tsp sugar or to taste
3 tsp salt or to taste

Garnish:

wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), finely chopped
lettuce, thinly cut
cucumber, cut into thin strips
red onion, thinly sliced
fresh sprigs mint leaves (daun pudina), stems discarded
pineapple, cut into thin strips
fresh red chili, sliced
sticky prawn paste (haeko/harkou/otak udang), diluted with enough hot water
crispy prawn crackers

Method:

In a large pot, boil fish in water for at least 15 minutes or till cooked.

Remove fish from fish stock and set aside to cool to handlable temperature.

Flake the fish meat and discard bones; set aside.

Filter the reserved fish stock to remove any leftover fish bones.

Return fish stock to flame, bring to boil.

Add-in flaked fish meat and all the remaining ingredients, reduce to moderate heat, left to simmer uncovered for at least 2 hours or till to the desire concentration.

Remove and discard laksa leaves.

Adjust taste accordingly with sugar and salt.

Keep gravy hot on low flame till serving.

To prepare the dried noodles; bring enough water to boil, parboil noodles till just right cooked-thorough, remove noodles from boilling water and immediately run under cold water; drain well.

To prepare the fresh noodles, blanch noodles in hot water briefly via the help of sieve.

To serve; assemble individual serving bowls with a handful of noodles in each, add-in a little of each preference garnishs, ladle piping hot gravy over the noodles and garnishs, drain gravy back to stockpot and again ladle piping enough hot gravy over the noodles and garnishs.

Serve hot immediately with a dollop of prawn paste (adjust the amount of prawn paste accordingly to the personal preference) and a crispy prawn crackers on top.

Banana Shortcakes with Peanut Cream Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (2 3/4 cups if not using extra egg yolk)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup mashed banana (2 ripe banana)
1 egg
1 egg yolk (optional)

Peanut Cream Filling:

1 part homemade peanut butter
1 part icing sugar
1/2 part butter

Method:

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In another large bowl, beat sugar and butter till pale and creamy.

Add-in banana and egg, beat till fully incorporated.

Add-in flour mixture, mix-well to give soft dough.

By the help of two teaspoons, scoop-up a teaspoonful dough and drop onto the prepared baking tray.

Bake shortcakes for 15 minutes or till lightly browned.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.

To prepare the peanut cream filling: mix-well all the filling ingredients till creamy and fully incorporated; sandwich in between two cooled shortcakes.

Yield 75 pieces peanut cream filled banana shortcakes.

Stir-Fry Sambal Belacan Okra

Ingredients:

10 okra (lady finger), cut into about 4 cm length
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 stalk green onion, chopped
1 tbsp dried prawn, soaked, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp sambal omelek chili paste
3 tsp belacan powder (toasted dried shrimp paste)
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 cup (40 mL) water

Method:

Heat oil in a wok or non-stick pan.

Stir-fry garlic, onion and dried prawn until fragrant and starting to be golden brown (about 5 minutes).

Add chili paste and belacan powder, stir-fry for another 1 minute or till fragrant.

Add okra, stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle with water and continue stir-frying for another 1 minute.

Add sugar and salt.

Reduce heat and simmer till okra just right cooked-through (still remain a bit of its crunchiness).

Dish up and serve hot with rice.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted peanut, skinned
1/2 tsp sesame oil/onion oil
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

With bullet blender, process peanut till coarsely broken up (I added some skin-on roasted peanut to yield darker color jam but yet to alter its taste).

Add-in oil and salt, continue to process the mixture till the desire creamy texture (shake blender occasionally for even blending) is achieved.

Yield about 1/2 cup.