Chili Crabs (Ketam Pedas)

Ingredients

2 (650g) cooked crabs

1/2 inch cube terasi

2 garlic cloves

2 fresh red chilies, seeded

1/2 inch root ginger, peeled and sliced

4 tbsp sunflower oil

300ml tomato ketchup

1 tbsp brown sugar

150ml warm water

4 spring onions, chopped

Method

1. Remove the large claws of the crabs and turn on its back, with the head facing away from you. Push the body up from the main shell. Discard the stomach sac and lungs and any green matter. Leave the creamy brown meat in the shell and cut the shell into half, with a cleaver or knife. Cut the body section in half and crack with a sharp blow from a hammer. avoid splintering the claws.
2. Grind the terasi, garlic, chillies and ginger to a paste in a food processor.
3. Heat a wok and add the oil. Fry the spice paste, stirring it all the time, without browning.
4. Stir in the tomato ketchup, sugar and water and mix the sauce well. When just boiling, add all the crab pieces and toss in the sauce until well-coated and hot.
5. Serve in a large bowl, sprinkled with the spring onions. Serves 4.

Sun-dried Tomatoes Spaghetti Recipe

Ingredients
spaghetti – 300g
tomatoes – 4, skinned and diced
sun-dried tomatoes – 60g, sliced
garlic – 1 clove, crushed and chopped
olive oil – 1 tbsp
onion – 1, chopped
sugar and salt to taste
chopped parsley – 1 tbsp
Parmesan cheese – shaved

Method
Cook the pasta in a pan of salted water until al dente. Drain and leave aside. Add a little olive oil and toss well.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the garlic and onion until fragrant and onion has softened.
Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes.
Then, add the diced tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and sprinkle with parsley, toss to mix. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese before serving.

Cashewnut and Coffee Cookies Recipe

I just bought some nice cashewnuts and wholemeal flour. I plan to make wholemeal cashewnut cookies. I just realize that I used a lot of vanilla essence on my previous cookies recipes. So, this time I use coffee essence to add some bitter taste.

Ingredients
plain flour – 200g
wholemeal flour – 80g
corn flour – 35g
butter – 200g
egg york – 1
egg white – 1
caster sugar – 150g
coffee essence – 1/2 tsp
coffee liqueur – 1 tsp
cashewnuts – 85g, coarsely chopped

Method
Line baking trays with parchment paper. Preheat the oven at 160°C.
First, beat the butter, egg york, sugar, coffee essence and coffee liqueur until creamy.
Fold in the sifted flour and corn flour, add the wholemeal flour and mix into a dough.
Divide the dough into 3 portions for easy handling.
Roll our each portion between plastic sheets to a thickness of 3mm. Stamp out desired shapes.
Then, brush the cookies with egg white and press some chopped cashewnut pieces on the surface of the cookies.
Bake them for 20 minutes until it turn golden brown.

Pistachios Cookies Recipe

Few days ago when I went to my neighbor ‘s house, she was baking some cookies for this coming Chinese New Year. She offered me to try one of her new recipe, the Pistachios cookies. It was very delicious and I like the crunchy feeling.  So, I asked her about the recipe and the secrets. Here is the recipe she gave to me. I try to make it a little different by adding some vanilla essence.

Ingredients
flour – 275g, sifted
butter – 180g
salt – 1/2 tsp
icing sugar – 160g
vanilla essence – 2 tsp
pistachios – 80g, plus extra 65g, chopped
egg – 1, lightly beaten

Method
Line the cookie trays with greased-proof paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream the butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence, salt until creamy and light.
Add the sifted flour and pistachios to mix until a soft dough is formed.
Pinch off a small portion and roll into small lime-sized balls. Dip in the beaten egg and coat with extra chopped pistachios. Press them lightly with a fork.
Arrange the cookies on the prepared trays and bake it for 20 minutes until golden.
Cool them on the wire racks, then store in the airtight containers.

Chinese BBQ Pork Bun (Char Siu Pao) Recipe

I like to eat pao since I was a kid. I remember my mom always bought me a char siu pao for breakfast before I go to school. There are many variety of pao such as the red bean paste pao (tau sha pao), corn pao, peanut pao, kaya pao, etc…However, this white and soft bun with juicy roasted pork filling is my favorite.  I love to have two char siu pao, a pot of Chinese tea, of course, and a daily news paper every Saturday morning.

Ingredients
Bun
– instant dry yeast – 8g
– lukewarm water – 16ml
– white vinegar – 1/2 tsp
– flour – 280g
– wheat starch – 100g
– icing sugar – 90g
– vegetable oil – 30g
– baking powder – 10g
– cold water – 10ml

Fillings A
– BBQ pork (char siew) – 275g,  diced
– cooking oil – 1/2 tbsp
– sugar – 1 tsp
– small onion – 1, diced
– oyster sauce – 1 tbsp
– soy sauce – 1 tbsp
– sesame oil – 1 tsp
– red food coloring – 2 drops

B
– water – 165ml
– corn flour – 2 tbsp
– salt

Method:
Heat the oil in pan, sauté onion for 2 minutes. Add in all other ingredients A, stir fry for few minutes.
Mix together water with corn flour, then add the mixture into the pan and stir well. Simmer until gravy is thickened.
Transfer to plate and allow to cool.
Divide the filling into 16 portions if desired, set aside for later use.

Buns
Sift together the flours and icing sugar. Place the sifted flour mixture in a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the middle.
Fill the well with lukewarm water, vinegar and yeast. Use a spatula, gently stir the water to dissolve the yeast, slowly bring together flour mixture.
Add in the oil and knead the dough for 15 minutes until soft dough is formed. It should be smooth on the surface. Do not over knead the dough.
Cover dough with a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes, until it is doubled in size.
Now, dissolve baking powder in cold water, sprinkle over dough and knead until it is well combined.
Divide dough into 16 equal portions and flatten with a rolling pin to make a 3” circle. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle, wrap and pleat the dough to seal.
Place it on a 1.5” square parchment paper, seal side up.
Arrange buns into a steamer, leave some spaces in between buns. Spray water mist over buns, and steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 15 minutes.
Remove buns from steamer and cool on rack.

Makes 16 buns

Eggless Corn Flakes Cookies Recipe

I love this corn flakes cookies very much. I bought 3 big boxes of corn flakes just to make this cookies.  Here is another corn flakes cookie recipes for you and the Chinese New Year.

Ingredients
white flour – 75g
baking powder – 1/2tsp
self raising flour – 225g
corn flakes – 50g
butter – 250g
caster sugar – 100g
cooking chocolate – melted
red cherries – sliced

Method
Preheat oven at 180°C.
Sift together the flours and baking powder, then stir in the corn flakes and sugar, mix well.
Rub in the butter into the flour mixture, mix well until soft dough forms.
Roll the dough into 1cm thick and cut with desired cookie cutter. Then place them on a lightly greased baking trays, allow room for spreading.
Bake it in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove form oven and let it stand for 20 minutes.
When it cool, drizzle with melted chocolate and decorate with red cherries, let it set and keep in airtight container.

Preparation and baking time: 60 minutes
Makes: 115 pieces
Other corn flakes cookies recipe: click here

Peanut Butter and Corn Flakes Cookies Recipes

The Chinese New Year is coming. There will be families and friends who come and visit us during Chinese New Year. Since my grandpa still living with me, so most of the family members will come back to visit him. Every year, I will prepare some factory-made cookies, tidbits, snacks, and drinks for the guests. And this year, it will be little different… I will prepare some home-made corn flakes cookies.

Ingredients
flour – 180g
corn flour – 50g
corn flakes – 100g, finely ground
baking powder – 1 tsp
caster sugar – 100g
butter 150g
vanilla essence – 1 tsp
egg – 1
chunky peanut butter – 3 tbsp

Method
Preheat the oven at 180°C. Sift the flour, corn flour and baking powder together, then stir in the corn flakes, mix well and set aside. Cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla essence until fluffy, add the egg and beat well. Fold in flour mixture and mix well until soft dough forms.
Roll the dough into 1 centimeter thick and cut with desired cookies cutter. Place dough in lightly greased baking trays, allow room for spreading. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for 20 minutes. Lastly, drizzle with melted chocolate it you like.

Preparation and baking time: 60 minutes
Makes 72 pieces
Previously, I also posted Corn Flakes Cookies on my blog.

Holiday!!

This year, I spend my Christmas holiday at Park Royal Hotel. The resort is located at Batu Ferringi, it is about 45 minutes  travel from the Penang International Air Port. It is situated right in the beach and within walking distance to the night market. Very convenience to those who love sun bath and shopping!

More information about Malaysia hotels click here.

I just feel like to spend a day to relax, have a comfortable, and enjoyable stay during the holidays together with my family. You know just a day you don’t have to think about work or what to prepare for dinner, a day you don’t have to do household duties. LOL.  So, I rented a Junior Suite Room with balcony and it facing sea view, bring along my family and here I am…

The room features and amenities are a Private Balcony, separate Lounge Area, two 32” LCD Televisions, DVD Player, Satellite TV Channels, In Room Movie, Broadband Internet Connectivity – FREE!, Writing Desk, In Room Safe, Telephone, Mini Bar, Coffee/Tea Making Facilities, Iron and Ironing Board, Bathroom Amenities and 24 hours Room Service. Not bad huh?

We dine in The Tamarind Brasserie, a breezy, open-air brasserie, it serves a mouth-watering menu of Asian, International and traditional cuisine in both à la carte and buffet.This is what we have:

First, we have a Shitake Mushroom Soup with Pesto and serve with soft bread. The soup is very creamy and very nice mushroom aroma. Then, we have Baked Chicken for the main course. The chicken is very tender and juicy, serve well with baked potatoes, mushroom, broccoli. As for the dessert, we have a piece of cheese cake and a vanilla ice cream.

We had a enjoyable holiday in this resort. However, the stay is quite expensive. The suite room cost us around RM500 per night not include the food we had. It is very expensive for the local people. Well, maybe I should check the price before walk in to any hotel next time.

Tropical Christmas Nod Pudding Recipe

Ingredients
eggs – 2
butter – 100g
flour – 75g
brown sugar – 200g
breadcrumbs of gingerbread – 75g
dried mango – 125g
dried apricots – 125g
dried cranberries – 125g
sultanas – 125g
pitted soft prunes – 125g
chopped toasted macadamias – 50g
mixed spice – 2 tbsp
brandy – 60ml
orange (zest and juice) – 2
fresh mango and papaya for decoration

Brown Sugar Cream
brown sugar – 5 tbsp
sour cream – 300ml

Spun Sugar
caster sugar – 220g
chocolate sauce

Method
Chop the dried fruits into small pieces.Place them in a bowl with sultanas, brandy, cranberries and orange zest and juice. soak over night.
Grease pudding basin and line the base with buttered baking paper.
Add the remaining ingredients, firmly pack into pudding form. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6 hours.
Decorate with fresh mango and papaya. Add the brown sugar cream and decorate with spun sugar. Serve with chocolate sauce. Serves 8-10.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Yule Log Cake Recipe

Pastry Cream Ingredients
milk – 225ml
egg yolk – 1
sugar – 60g
butter – 130g
corn flour – 27g

Method
Boil 125ml milk in a pan, add butter. Combine corn flour, egg yolk and remaining milk.
When the milk(in the pan) comes to boil, add in the flour and egg mixture.

Sponge Ingredients
soft flour – 450g
melted butter – 50g
whole eggs – 21
sugar – 450g
maple syrup – 10ml

Method
Line shallow baking tray with baking parchment and set aside.
Whip eggs and sugar with mixer at high speed until frothy.
sieve flour in bowl and fold in very gently the egg mixture. Fold in melted butter and maple syrup.
Preset the baking oven to very high temperature 250 degree Celsius.
Spread cake mix evenly onto the baking tray. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from tray and cool.

Butter Cream Ingredients
unsalted butter – 800g
pastry cream – 472g
icing sugar – 120g
mixed citrus peel – 50g

Method
Beat pastry cream and icing sugar in mixer at high speed until mix well. Add soft butter bit by bit.
Continue beating to a very smooth butter cream. Add mixed citrus peel, then spread cream filling on sponge sheet.

To assemble Yule Log
Place the sponge sheet onto baking parchment. Spread butter cream mix on sponge sheet.
Roll the sponge sheet together with butter cream filling to form a cylinder with the help of baking parchment and tighten by stretching at the edge of the baking parchment with the help of cylinder wooden stick.
Leave to chill in the fridge, cut into log shape and cover entire log cake with remaining butter cream.
Garnish with your own creation of Christmas decoration.