Cocoa butter cake

In return, I baked a cocoa butter cake for my previous babysister who gave me some alkaline dumplings. When i was a kid, i only know this normal butter cake and even till now I still like to eat this cake eventhough I have baked so many other type of cakes.

Personally I prefer Jane's butter cake recipe, not too oily, not too sweet and moist. I adapted Jane's coffee butter cake recipe but replaced coffee with cocoa, and reduce sugar. Thanks Jane !!

Cocoa Butter Cake
*makes 2 round aluminium cake tins
(printable recipe)

250g butter
160g sugar
4 eggs
250g cake flour
1tsp vanilla essence
2tsp of double action baking powder
4tbsp milk
2tbsp cocoa powder and ½ tsp coffee powder mix with 3tbsp hot water

1. Sift cake flour and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Beat butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add in egg one at a time, add in vanilla, mixing well.
4. Fold in flour and milk, combine well.
5. Mix ½ portion of cake mixture with cocoa mixture.
6. Pour cake mixture into cake tin and follow by cocoa cake mixture.
7. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 30mins or skewer came out clean.

Happy Baking !!

Happy Dumpling Festival 2010 !! 端午节

Today is fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar on which the Chinese calendar is based, also known as DuanWu Festival.

This year I did not make any dumpling, this dumpling actually was given by my previous babysitter (she babysit my three kids while I was working last time). Last year I did Nyonya dumpling, you may refer here.

I like this simple Alkaline dumpling with sweet red bean filling, I must learn this dumpling from her one day.

In return, I baked a cake for her, will post in next post..

Happy Dumpling Day !!

Parmesan Chiffon Cake

I use the balance Parmesan cheese to bake a chiffon recently, saw few bloggers gave good reviews to this chiffon, ya, agreed with them, this chiffon is not too oily, light and moist.

Recipe adapted from chiffon master -Jess a.k.a The Kictchen 70's..
But I made slight changes to suit my own preference.

Parmesan Chiffon Cake
**for 20cm chiffon pan
(printable recipe)

4 egg yolks
20g sugar
50g corn oil
70g milk
70g self raising flour
70g Parmesan cheese powder (I use grated cheese)

4 egg whites
70g sugar
1tbsp corn flour

1. Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar till pale.
2. Add in corn oil and milk, mix well.
3. Add in flour and cheese, combine well, set aside.
4. Beat egg whites over high speed till foamy.
5. Slowly add in sugar, continue beat, add in corn flour, beat till soft peak form.
6. Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till combine.
7. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.
8. Pour cake mixture into baking pan and bake at pre-heated oven at 160c for 40min.

Happy Baking !!

Canopy Walk, Forest Research Institue Malaysia FRIM

Brought my kids to Canopy Walk in one of the weekend where this place is just 30mins drive from my house. A 200m long, the canopy walkway was constructed in 1992 for scientific studies of above ground flora and fauna. It was built 30m above ground level.

kids also enjoyed at nearby waterfall

saw a huge Millipede !

You may check here for operating hours and other details...

Canned sardine fish curry

I learnt this canned sardine fish curry from my Indian friend, simple and delicious curry.

This is my favourite brand of canned sardine, what is your favourite brand?

Canned Sardine fish curry
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
1 large can sardine (425g), tomato sauce flavour
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp of chopped ginger, garlic and onion
3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 onion, sliced
2tbsp cooking oil
100ml water

1/2tsp mixed mustard seeds
1/2tsp coriander seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds

Seasonings
1tsp salt of taste
1tsp sugar
1tsp light soy sauce
1tbsp fish curry powder
1tsp red chilli powder
1tsp turmeric powder

1. Remove sardines from can, retain the tomato sauce
2. Pan fried sardines (without oil) in a non-stick pan, till both sides turned brown, set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add in ginger, garlic and onion paste and curry leaves, stir fry till fragrant.
4. Add in mustard, coriander and cumin seeds, mix well.
5. Add in the canned sardine’s tomato sauce and water, add in the seasonings.
6. Once sauce boiled, add in the pan fried sardines, cook for 1min.
7. Add in chopped tomato and onion slices, cook for another 1min.
8. Dish out, serve hot with steam rice.

* dip bread with this sardine fish curry, also yummy...

Happy Cooking !!

Chinese sausages fried rice

Every Chinese mother sure know how to cook this easy, simple and yummy fried rice. When i run out of idea what to cook for dinner, I will just fried this rice and serve with a cup of hot coffee, simply yum yum..

Chinese sausages..

Chinese sausages fried rice
* serves 5-6 pax
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
4 cups of rice, (cooked and cooled, prefer overnight rice)
400g fresh shrimps, roughly chopped
4 Chinese sausages, chopped
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 whole garlic, chopped
4 stalks of spring onion, chopped
6-8 tbsp of cooking oil or more (easy to stir and glaze the rice)

Seasonings
1 and ½ tsp salt or to taste
A dash of white pepper powder
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1tsp of Chinese wine (optional)

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok over high flame, add in chopped Chinese sausages, stir fry till fragrant and brown.
2. Add garlic, quickly stir fry. Add in chopped shrimps and stir fry till turn pale.
3. Push sausage and shrimps mixture to the side of the wok, add in egg and scramble the egg.
4. Put in the rice, toss well to combine.
5. Add salt and pepper, pour light soy sauce and Chinese wine from the side of the wok (this way will be more fragrant).
6. Keep stirring until the rice starts to “jump”. Combine all the ingredients together and fry until heated through.
7. Dish out, sprinkle with chopped spring onion, serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!

Ang Ku Kueh, glutinous rice steamed cake with sweet filling

My 1st time did “Ang Ku Kueh” but not “Ang” (red) colour but purple, but I love the natural purple from the purple sweet potato, This is a traditional Chinese cake with small oval shape (the usual is in red) with glutinous rice as outer layer and sweet filling inside. See my mom’s Ang Ku Kueh here.

Before doing this kueh, I called to my mom to check the ingredients, as usual she just agak-agak (estimate) the ingredients. Luckily I remember Reesekitchen made this kuih before, so I use her recipe as reference and incorporate my mom’s recipe. Thanks to Reese for kind sharing.

Ang Ku Kueh ( Glutinous rice steamed cake with sweet filling)
(printable recipe)

Sweet Filling
250g mung beans/green beans
140g sugar
3tbsp corn oil

1. Rinse mung beans several times till water run clear, soak in clean water for 1hour or more.
2. Discard the water, place beans on a steaming tray, steam over medium flame for 45mins.
3. While beans still hot, place beans, sugar and oil in a food processor, process till fine.
4. Shape into 10g small ball

Sweet Potato dough
300g sweet potatoes, cut into big pieces
200g glutinous rice flour
1tbsp rice flour
2tbsp sugar
3tbsp corn oil
180ml water

1. Steam sweet potatoes till soft, about 15mins.
2. Use a fork, mashed the cooked sweet potatoes, add in glutinous rice flour, rice flour, sugar, and corn oil, slowly add in water to mix well till soft dough, keep aside and rest 30mins.
3. Shape into 30g small ball

To shape and cook Ang Ku Kueh

1. Grease the “Ang Ku Kueh” mould by brushing some corn oil.
2. Flatten the sweet potato ball, place a mung bean ball, cover and shape into round ball.
3. Place the ball in the mould, press evenly, then knock out and place on greased banana leaf.
4. Arrange on a steaming tray and steam for 10mins over high flame.

my notes:-
1. Difference sweet potato has difference texture, some is soft and watery, do not add all water at one go, slowly add and knead till a soft dough. If the dough is too soft, then you may add more glutinous rice flour.
2. Keep the balance sweet filling in air-tight container and keep inside the fridge for later usage.

My son Desmond would like to present to you this lovely "Ang Ku Kueh"

Happy Cooking!!

Baked Cheese Rice Cake

When I see this recipe in a magazine, I know this cake will well received by my kids, becuase the cheese...immediately i tried out for yesterday lunch....Wor, simply yummy.

-before bake and before add cheese...

I made few changes to the original recipe, and added extra cheese on top of rice cake. I especially like the crunchy rice crust, so yummy!

Baked Cheese Rice Cake
*Serves: 4 – 5 persons
(printable recipe)

2 cups of cooked rice (any rice is okay, I use Japanese rice)
100g bacon, chopped
50g ham, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1tbsp Olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1tbsp honey
230g Mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4tsp black pepper
1/2tsp Parsley flakes,( optional or use any other fresh herbs )

1. Lightly grease a 8” round springform pan. Line base with baking paper.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan, stir fry chopped bacon and ham till slightly golden brown.
3. Add chopped onion and garlic, stir fry for a while.
4. Add parsley flakes and stir well. Remove from heat, stir through honey.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked rice, bacon and ham mixture, 1 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese and egg. Season with salt to taste.
6. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, pressing down firmly so there are no gaps.
7. Bake at preheated oven at 180c for 25mins.
8. Remove from oven, set aside to cool. Remove the rice cake from baking pan.
9. Sprinkle the balance of grated Mozzarella cheese on top of the rice cake, and bake again at pre-heated oven at 200c for 15mins or until golden brown.

Happy Cooking !!

Mango Yogurt muffin

Since I have baking for quite a while, now at least I know how to mix and match with the overstock in my kitchen, I got this idea to bake mango yogurt muffin when I try to figure out as how to finish up the excess stock of mangoes and soon to expire yogurt.

Mango Yogurt muffin*makes 12 muffins
(printable recipe)
125g unsalted butter
150g cake flour
110g sugar
200g chopped fresh mango
100g yogurt (natural flavour)
2 eggs (medium)
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt

1. Beat butter, salt and sugar till pale and creamy.
2. Add egg one at a time, mix well.
3. Sift in flour, baking powder and baking soda, add in yogurt, combine well
4. Add in chopped mango, and lightly mix well.
5. Spoon batter into a muffin pan, sprinkle some chopped mango on top.
6. Bake at preheated oven 180c for 25mins or till golden brown.

Happy Baking !!

Penang Char Koey Teow (fried flat rice noodles)

How to cook a plate of yummy Penang Char Koey Teow? A very famous local street food in Penang,Malaysia, a simple stir fry flat rice noodles.

First check the ingredients:-

1) Fresh Koey Teow (flat rice noodles), checked

2)Bean sprouts and chives, checked

3)Fresh cockles (Xi Ham-in Hokkien), checked

4) Fresh prawns, checked

5)Chinese sausages, checked

6)Chili paste, chopped garlic, pre-mixed sauce, checked

Recipe adapted from Obhin (original from Wendy), they advised to cook plate by plate but not big wok at one go. So I pretended myself like a hawker and asked my internal customer (my family ) their preference, and cook plate by plate. I made slightly changes to recipe, anyway, Thanks Ohbin and Wendy for kind sharing.

Penang Char Koey Teow (stir fried flat rice noodles)
(printable recipe)

Pre-mixed sauce
In a bowl, mix below seasonings and stir well:-
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1tsp oyster sauce
1tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2tsp salt


Ingredients for a plate (per pax)

200-250g fresh Koey Teow (flat rice noodles), loosen it
2tbsp cooking oil ( I use lard oil)
1tbsp chopped garlic
few fresh prawns (personal preference)
some bean sprout (personal preference)
few slices of Chinese sausages (personal preference)
few fresh cockles
some Chinese chives (personal preference)
Chili paste ( I use homemade chilli paste)
1 egg

Method (Fast –appx 3mins, High heat)

1. Heat up a wok over high flame, add a table spoon of oil.
2. Add garlic, stir few seconds, then add in Chinese sausage, prawns and chilli paste, quickly mix well
3. Add koey teow, immediately follow with a 1~1.5 table spoon of the pre-mixed sauce, stir to coat well.
4. Stir the koey teow to the side of the wok, grease the middle of the wok with 1tbsp of oil, drop an egg.
5. Cover the egg with the koey teow, add 1tbsp of pre-mixed sauce, quickly stir and mix well.
6. Last add in cockles, bean sprout and chives.
7. Stir to mix well, remove from heat and serve hot.

Happy Cooking!!