Chinese Meat Balls (貢丸)

Ingredients:

500 g pork + 5 tbsp water

100 g Chinese mushroom

Seasoning A

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

2 tbsp fish sauce

1½ tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp oil

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cornflour (last)

Seasoning B

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp ginger powder

1 whisked stiff egg white

Method:

With food processor/blender, process pork and mushroom with water to form paste.

Add-in all the seasoning A and stir well until sticky texture.

Leave in refrigerator for 30 min.

Add-in seasoning B and stir-generously.

Bring a pot of water to boil then remove from heat.

Pick desired amount of paste and form into ball with wet hands.

Drop them into the warm water.

Reheat the water that contain a layer of meat balls over low heat to just enough to simmer without boiling.

Once meat balls are floated, allow to simmer for another few more seconds before transfer them into ice-cold water.

Drain-well and store in fridge with air-tight container till next use.

Chocolate Paste I (Vanilla Swiss Roll)

Ingredients:

Chocolate Paste

2⅓ tbsp plain flour

40 mL sugar

1 egg white

80 mL milk, warmed

1½ tbsp cocoa power

10 g butter soften

2 tbsp Nutella/grounded nut (optional)

Vanilla Sponge

3 eggs, room temperature

65 g caster sugar

80 g flour

20 g butter, melted

3 drops vanilla extract

Method:

To Prepare the Chocolate Paste

In a small pot, mix together flour, sugar and egg white till smooth.

Mix-in milk and cocoa powder.

Over low-heat, stir the mixture to thicken.

Once reach a spreadable consistency, remove from heat.

Stir-in butter and Nutella to yield a smooth paste.

Keep in refrigerator till use.

To Prepare the Vanilla Sponge

Line a 23 x 30 cm baking tray with parchment paper, set aside.

Sift flour, set aside.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar on high speed till thick, pale and glossy then whisk at low speed for another 1 min.

Fold-in butter and vanilla.

Gradually, fold-in flour to yield homogeneous batter.

Spread batter onto the prepared tray.

Bake for 15 min or until the surface is golden brown and skewer inserted into the sponge and come out clean.

Remove tray from oven and cool sponge/paper on wire rack covered.

Dust a bigger sheet of parchment paper with icing sugar, inverse-on the sponge with brown side down and remove the attached former parchment paper.

Spread-on the prepared chocolate paste and roll-up sponge by lifting up the large parchment paper pressurized outward.

Transfer the Swiss roll with seam side down into fridge and chill for 30 min or more before serving.

Pandan-Coconut Flavored Fortune Cookies

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/4 tsp pandan essence
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp cornstarch
4 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp coconut milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 150 °C.

Beat egg white, pandan essence and oil till foamy but not stiff.

Add-in flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt, stir till smooth.

Gradually stir-in coconut milk just till blended.

Generously grease a baking tray and drop a teaspoonful batter for each cookies.

Swirl the tray to spread out batter round evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or till 1/2 inch of outer edges become brown.

Remove one cookie from oven with spatula or metal spoon.

Quickly fold cookie into half, crease the center of cookie over edge of cup and hold the shape by placing the cookies inside a cup as it cools.

Yields about 25 cookies.

Crispy Spareribs with Thai Hot/Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:

400 g spareribs, cut into bite sizes
1 bowl cornstarch for coating
oil for deep-frying

Marinade:

1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red curry powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1 egg white, beaten
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 tbsp Thai chili sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp red curry powder
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp water
1 bird's eye chili, chopped

Method:

In a container, combine all the marinade ingredients, add-in spareribs, mix well and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight covered in fridge.

Coat marinated spareribs well with cornstarch, deep-fry into hot oil till crispy and golden brown.

Remove from oil and drain well on paper towels; set aside.

In a saucepan or wok, bring all sauce ingredients to simmer.

Add-in spareribs and stir to coat well.

Dish-out and best serve hot with rice.

Bean Curd/Tofu/Tauhu/Tokwa//Tahu/豆腐

Ingredients:

25o mL homemade soy milk (unsweetened) or from 1/2 cup soy bean and 380 mL water
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp dried prawn, soaked and finely chopped

Method:

Grease 12 muffin tins; set aside.

In a bowl, combine soy milk, egg whites and salt, gently whisk to mix (minimize as much froth as possible).

Spoon/divide the batter into the prepared muffin tins, spread-in enough dried prawn and steam over high heat for about 12 minutes or till set and cook thoroughly.

Egg Whites Butter Cake

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
50 g butter, melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

Lightly grease a 11 x 25 cm loaf tin, dust bottom and side of pan with bread crumbs and tapping out excess; set aside.

In a deep bowl, whisk egg whites with 2 tbsp of sugar till pale, thick and foamy; set aside.

In another bowl, combine flour, corn flour, baking powder and the remaining sugar.

Fold flour mixture into egg whites mixture, gently stir to incorporate.

Gradually, pour-in butter and stir to homogeneous batter.

Pour batter into the prepared tin.

Bake in the preheated for 40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven, let cake cool in tin for 10 minutes.

Run a thin flexible knife or spatula around the tin to loosen the cake, transfer cake onto a plate to cool completely.

Lemon Cream Strippers

Ingredients:

Lemon Cream Filling:

250 mL milk
1 ½ tsp lemon zest (from half lemon)
5 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour

Dough:

1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup granulated/caster sugar
5 tbsp butter
1 large egg white

Chocolate Glaze:

30 g bittersweet/dark chocolate
1 ½ tbsp milk

Method:

To prepare the filling:

In a saucepan or small pot, bring milk together with lemon zest to boil over medium heat.

Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar till pale and glossy, stir-in flour.

Pour-in hot boiling milk mixture, and stir to incorporate.

Return mixture to heat, simmer with consistent stirring for another 15 minutes or till thicken.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

To prepare the dough:

Preheat oven to 190 °C.

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

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

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar till pale and glossy.

Add-in egg white and whisk well.

Add-in flours mixture, knead to smooth and stiff dough.

Over lightly floured surface, divide dough into 2 portions.

Roll each portions to long log.

Transfer logs onto the prepared tray.

Create about 1/2 inch deep indentation lengthwise over the center of each logs with finger or spoon.

Fill-in enough lemon cream and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or till lightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate over double boiler, pour-in milk and stir to homogeneous paste; set aside (keep warm).

Remove strippers from oven, immediately drizzle-on chocolate glaze, slice logs diagonally and leave on tray to stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer strippers to wire rack and let cool completely.

Yield 18 strippers.

Eggless Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Yogurt Mousse Topping

Ingredients:

White Chocolate Yogurt Mousses:

500 g plain yogurt, drained on cheesecloth for at least 12 hours
50 g white chocolate
3 egg whites
3 tbsp sugar

Cake:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp cornflour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
125 g plain yogurt
juice of 1 large lemon

Method:

To prepare the white chocolate yogurt mousse:

In a heat resistance deep bowl, whisk 3 egg whites together with sugar over double boiler till soft peak form; set aside.

In another heat resistance bowl, melt chocolate over double boiler.

Add-in drained yogurt residue, stir to incorporate fully.

Fold-in egg whites mixture till homogeneous mixture and chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or till use.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

Lightly grease a springform cake pan (18 cm in diameter) or 11 x 25 cm loaf tin, dust bottom and side of pan with bread crumbs and tapping out excess; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix-well all cake ingredients.

Pour cake batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven, let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Run a thin flexible knife or spatula around the pan to loosen the cake, transfer cake onto a plate to cool completely.

Frost-on the prepared yogurt mousse all over cooled cake.

Decorate accordingly and chill in refrigerator till serve.

Meringue Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 110 °C.

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

In a large bowl, whisk egg white with cream of tartar till very foamy.

Gradually, add-in sugar and continue whisk till stiff peak form.

Spoon the meringue into a cone shape plastic bag with 1/2 inch round tip.

By holding the bag perpendicularly 1/2 inch about the surface of parchment paper, alternatively pipe the mushroom caps by squeeze out a half sphere meringue (diameter about 1.25 inch) and pipe the mushroom stems by squeeze out a 0.75 inch base and pull bag upward for tapering off to a point at the top with 1 inch tall.

With a damp fingertip, gently smooth the pointy tips of mushroom caps.

Dust mushroom caps with cocoa powder.

Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until dry and firm to handle.

Remove from oven, carefully make a small hole in the flat side of each caps with the tip of bamboo skewer.

Brush the flat side of each caps with chocolate paste.

Dip stem tip into chocolate paste and insert the tip into the hole of mushroom cap to join.

Set complete mushrooms aside to cool completely and firm.

Yield 14 pieces of mushrooms.

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.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded coconut or dessicated coconut
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 °C for 15 minutes, toast coconut for 5 minutes or till fragrant and yellowish in color.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt till stiff.

With spatula or tablespoon, gradually fold-in sugar and follow by the toasted coconut.

Drop heap teaspoons of the batter on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, setting each portion 1 inch apart.

Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 10 - 15 minutes or till slightly golden at the edges.

Remove cookies from oven.

Transfer cookies on a large wire cooling rack, let cool completely before store into air-tight container (cookies appear to be soft at the beginning but will harden after cool to room temperature).

Yield 40 cookies.

Kuih Bahulu

Ingredients:

1 cup eggs (3 eggs yolks + 4 egg whites)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional)

Method:

Sieve flour together with baking powder, set aside.

In a deep bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until thick, pale and stiff.

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

Lightly grease mold.

Fold-in 3/4 tbsp of flour mixture into 4 tbsp of stiffed eggs batter (prepare just enough for a batch), stir batter to mix.

Spoon batter into the prepared mold (fill-up to 80% in volume).

Bake batter in the preheated oven for about 6 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing.