Huat Kueh

Here's presenting my first attempt of Huat Kueh! They are basically steam cake which has a nice and prosperity meaning, and to many traditionally family, they are displayed at the altar table during the 1st and 15th of the lunar month.

This batch of my Huat Kueh tastes yummy! They are not too sweet, very moist and so nice to be eaten when hot. Husband and I finished them very quickly as I only made a small batch since it was my first trial. I think I will make them very soon again, and probably will be a bigger portion...

So thanks to 妮可斯 for sharing her mum's recipe. ^o*

Colourful Salad

Lately, I have been making salad for our dinner. I read from few of my books that eating raw vegetables are good for our health. In fact, I am much influenced by the "simply raw" video; so after watching it, I am very much convinced that eating raw is good for everyone....afterall, we are so fortunate that there are abundance of colourful vegetables, fruits and sprouts available for us!

The dressing of our salad is a simple and sudden invention from my trial and error. In fact, I received lots of nice feedback when I was asked to prepare salad for one of my sis home party. months ago. Even my mum, who don't used to eat raw in the past; has began to make her own salad at home using the plum dressing which I have taught her.

Dressing

3 tbsp plum sauce

1 tbsp of lemon juice

some grated lemon zest

1 tsp of olive or grapeseed oil

1 tsp of apple vinegar (*optional*)

Stewed Five Spice Mixed Mushrooms

After my last round of cooking the stewed mixed mushrooms for the glutinous rice, I decided to cook another portion for the making of my dry noodles. In the end, I have some left over which came in handy to go with our dinner!

Luckily this round, I remembered to take photos during the preparations.... as for the method of cooking it, it can be found on my earlier post.

Mixed mushrooms with spinach and dry-noodles...

another option with organic red brown rice...yummy (~O^.^O~)

Ingredients
Approx.15 medium size Chinese mushrooms (soak till soft and diced)
1 big bundle of enoki mushrooms (lightly wash and cut to the size of 1cm)
4 button mushrooms (diced)
1 small block of vegetarian minced meatless (optional)
2 tbsp vegetarian mushroom sauce
1 tbsp 5 spiced powder
some water
some pepper

Miffy Say Hellooo..

Yes...miffy is still with us! It has been two and half years now since she arrive... so, here's an update of how she is now ^o^

A lazy "old lady" resting under her cushion...

Steamed Glutinious Rice With Mixed Mushrooms

This is yet another simple glutinous rice meal which I have not touch on, since I moved to my current place. I used to make this steam glutinous rice with chicken and mushrooms; we called them as "Loh Mai Kai" (糯米鸡), but since I have change my diet, I have switched the ingredients with just using mixed mushrooms... so here's presenting my invention of "Loh Mai Gu" (糯米菇)... ^o*

I would say this is easy to make and it can be taken as a light meal, due to the amount and the used of glutinous rice as the main ingredients. Give it a try... ...

1. Stir-fry diced Chinese mushrooms with sesame oil. After 2 mins. add in enoki mushrooms, vegetarian minced meatless and diced button mushrooms follow by veg. mushroom sauce and five spice powder. Add water just to cover the ingredients and mixed well. Simmer for 3mins. Lastly add some pepper to taste. Set aside to cool when cooked.

2. Get ready the pre-soaked glutinous rice. Assemble the cooked mixed mushrooms ingredients onto small bowls and topped with glutinous rice until 3/4 or just cover the edge of the bowls.

3. Set bowls to stand on a large pot and steam on medium heat.

4. Steam for approx. 1 to 2 hrs or until glutinous rice are soft.

5. Turn bowl over to rest on plate, serve hot.

Ingredients
Approx. 600g of glutinous rice (soak overnight and then drained off the water)
8 medium size Chinese mushrooms (soak till soft and diced)
1 big bundle of enoki mushrooms (lightly wash and cut to the size of 1cm)
4 button mushrooms (diced)
1 small block of vegetarian minced meatless (optional)
2 tbsp vegetarian mushroom sauce
1 tbsp 5 spice powder
some water
some pepper

Remarks: You may add as many type of mushrooms as you prefer. Adjust the level of saltiness as you prefer with a little Chinese light and dark soy sauce.

Sweet Potato Glutinous Rice Balls (Ondeh Ondeh)

I recalled the last time I made this Malay kueh was many years back, while I was residing at my old place. And since I have got the ready ingredients in kitchen, I decided to make a batch of these Ondeh Ondeh, for snack last Saturday.

My version is the original orangy colour and not the commercially sold green colours, which requires the mixture of pandan leaves juice and green food colouring.

Here's sharing the step-by-step preparations of Ondeh Ondeh:

1. Grate the palm sugar and set aside.

2. Steam the grated white coconut on a plate with a pinch of salt (spread evenly) for 10 minutes.

3. Skin sweet potatoes and steam for 15 minutes or until cooked. Mash while they are still warm (as shown on photo above).

4. Put glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour in a mixing bowl. Add in mashed sweet potatoes.

5. Pour water and knead till the dough is smooth and spongy. If it is too day, add some more water.

6. Pinch a small lump of the dough. Roll into a ball and flatten. Put a little palm sugar (from photo 1) in the middle and seal well. Set aside in a plate (as shown on above, left bottom photo).

7. Bring a big pot of water to the boil. Drop the ondeh ondeh into the boiling water. When the ondeh ondeh rise to the surface, keep boiling for another 2 minutes.

8.Scoop up each ball with a strainer and coat in grated coconut.

9. Assemble them together. Serve hot.

10. Above photo shows the melted palm sugar....Yummy... ^o^

Ingredients

300g glutinous rice flour (I used approx. 330g as dough was too wet)

200g sweet potatoes

2 tbsp tapioca flour

100g palm sugar (grated)

250g grated fresh white coconut

Tips: Make sure all balls must be well sealed, so to prevent cracking while boiling in water.

Stew Kimchi Noodles

I have been crazy over Korean food lately! After the two dinner attempts of my very own version of vegetarian Bibimbap... ... I created another Korean meal for lunch today - The vegetarian stewed Kimchi noodles.

Here are some simple steps to share:

1 cup of homemade aged kimchi (of 1 month old)...

add water, beancurd, enoki mushrooms and grass noodles... stew for 20mins

add in Korean noodles...

adjust the taste with some Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) and some apple vinegar...

Lastly, add 1 tbsp of sesame oil and serve hot!