Malay Satay

This dish of marinated meat, skewered and grilled is very popular in Singapore and Malaysia.  I can still remember going to Geylang Serai to have our fill of satay every end of the month when my dad received his salary.  It was really a treat for us kids during those days.  One can use beef, chicken or mutton (or even pork).  It is a complete meal by itself when served with its peanut gravy, lontong, cucumber and onion slices.  I added sweet ripe pineapple cubes as well.

Satay Ingredients:
500 g lean beef, to be thinly sliced into 3 cm lengths (yields about 65 satays)
OR
500 g chicken breast meat, to be thinly sliced into 3 cm lengths (yields about 50 satays)
OR
500 g lean mutton, to be thinly sliced into 3 cm lengths (yields about 50 satays)

Note:  If one prepares all three kinds, please bear in mind that the marinade recipe has to be tripled.

Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp fine sugar

Blended/Pounded Ingredients:
1 red shallot, to be sliced
2 small pips garlic, to be sliced
5 stalks dried red chillies, to be soaked in warm water until soft
1 tbsp coriander seeds, to be soaked in warm water until soft
1/2 tsp cumin (jintan putih), to be soaked in warm water until soft
1 lemon grass, to be sliced
1,5 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced
1,5 cm fresh galangal (lengkuas), to be sliced

satay sticks, to be soaked in water for at least 5 hours or overnight in order that they do not break while skewing the meat

Grill Mixture:  Mix 4 tbsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp fine sugar together in a small bowl.  Crush the bottom end of a lemon grass, which will be used as a brush.

Garnishing Ingredients:
1 cucumber, to washed, quartered and coarsely sliced
1 red onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 sweet ripe pineapple, to be peeled and cut into cubes

Method:
In a bowl, combine blended ingredients with turmeric powder, salt and fine sugar.  Mix thoroughly. Add meat and marinate well.  Leave aside for at least 4 hours or best overnight.

Skew 3 or 4 slices of meat onto a satay stick, making sure that the pointed tip of stick is covered with meat. Repeat procedure.

Heat up the satay stove or barbecue grill.  Brush satay all over with grill mixture.  Grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  Serve immediately with peanut gravy, rice cakes, cucumber, pineapple cubes and onion slices.

Peanut Gravy Ingredients:
250 g peanuts (skinned), to be fried in a little oil and coarsely grounded

4 tbsp sugar
a small piece palm sugar (gula melaka)
2 pcs dried tamarind
a pinch of belacan
1 daun cekur - optional
salt to taste
2 cups water, one may add a little more if needed
5 - 6 tbsp cooking oil

Blended/Pounded Ingredients:
20 stalks dried chillies, to be soaked in warm water
1 tsp cumin (jintan putih), to be soaked in warm water
1 tbsp coriander seeds, to be soaked in warm water
2,5 cm galangal (lengkuas), to be sliced
2 lemon grass, to be sliced
2 small pips garlic, to be sliced

Method:
Heat oil in a pot.  Add in the blended ingredients, belacan and daun cekur (if using).  Stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add peanuts, dried tamarind, sugar, palm sugar and salt.  Bring to a slight boil.  Reduce heat to minimum and cook further until the gravy thickens and oil surfaces on top.  Once ready, remove from heat.

Note:  It is advisable to prepare the peanut gravy one day beforehand in order that the flavour becomes intensed.


Lontong or Rice Cakes Ingredients:
2 rice bags or several mini ketupats
water

Method:
Place rice bags in a pot and add enough water to cover the rice.  Add a little salt.  Bring to boil and let it simmer without lid for about 2 to 3 hours.  This is necessary in order that the rice get compact.  Once done, remove and leave to cool completely.  Then, store in fridge overnight.

Bon Appetit!

Peach Ice Cream

Fruit ice cream consists of pureed fruits with cream or yoghurt, sugar and a little egg white. To attain a smooth fruit ice cream, it has to be stirred during freezing - this is achieved best in an ice cream maker.

Note:  Home-made fruit ice cream does not contain any conserving agents, thus it is suitable for immediate consumption.  If you want to store in the freezer for a few days, I suggest that you add fruit ice cream stabilizer i.e. Fruchteisbasis (from Hobbybäcker) or Ice Cream Stabilizer (note:  there seems to be no Fruit Ice Cream Stabilizer available) in order to avoid ice crystals from forming.  Only use ripe fruits and fresh eggs!

Basic Fruit Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients;
2 medium-sized ripe peaches, to be peeled, cut into pieces and pureed (yields about 370 g)
100 g fine sugar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
150 ml fresh cream
2 tbsp egg white
20 g fruit ice cream stabilizer

Method:
In a bowl, mix pureed peaches, sugar and lemon juice together.  Whisk egg white and fresh cream separately until stiff.  Mix all ingredients together and prepare ice cream in the ice cream maker.  Set timer to 50 minutes.

Once done, remove tub from ice cream maker and transfer to a container.  Freeze for a few hours before serving.

Note:  If canned fruits are used, reduce amount of sugar to half.

Bon Appetit!

Banana-Walnut Cake

Another way of using up over-riped bananas is to bake this moist, easy-to-bake cake.  It can be eaten (spread with butter) during breakfast or as a snack or served during tea-time. The following recipe when halved will fit into a loaf tin with a length of 25 cm.

Ingredients (for a 24 x 24 cm square tin):
220 g soft butter
380 g fine sugar
1 pkt (7 g) vanilla sugar
6 tbsp hot water
4 medium-sized eggs
6 ripe bananas, to be peeled, sliced and smashed to a pulp

600 g plain flour, to be sifted
4 tsp (levelled) baking powder, to be sifted
a good pinch of salt
200 g chopped walnuts

icing sugar

Method:
Line baking tin with baking paper (also the sides).  Preheat fan oven to 150 - 160° C.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and hot water together for a short while. Add in mashed bananas and mix well.  In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and chopped walnuts together.  Then, fold in flour mixture to egg mixture.  Leave aside for about 5 minutes.

Pour into prepared cake tin and bake for about 50 - 60 minutes or until the cake is done i.e. poke a satay stick into the middle of cake and when it comes out clean.  If the stick does not come out clean, bake cake for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and cover cake tin with aluminium foil.  Leave to stand for about an hour.  Remove cake from tin to a serving plate.  Sprinkle icing sugar before serving.

Happy Baking!

Kuih Makmur

I baked this kuih again - I coloured it apple green and made it a bit smaller this time.  This is a traditional malay kuih which is normally served during the Eid celebrations.  The dough is made of butter, ghee and flour - some recipes use only ghee but my recipe uses both butter and ghee due to preference.  As fillings, chopped peanuts or dates can be used.

Filling Ingredients:
300 g peanuts, to be baked in oven or fried without oil
40 g soft butter
100 g fine sugar or icing sugar

Dough Ingredients:
400 - 450 g plain flour (as needed to form a pliable dough), to be sifted
1 egg yolk size "M"
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
a pinch of salt
250 g butter
2 1/2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp fine sugar
green colouring (optional) - I used apple green colour for a change

fine sugar or icing sugar to coat the kuihs

Method:
Pound or chop peanuts coarsely.  Add sugar and soft butter.  Mix well and leave aside.

In a large bowl, add butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla powder and salt.  Add colouring if using. Mix well and then, add flour a little at a time.  Knead until a pliable dough is formed.

Take a portion of dough (about 10 g) and place on a square piece of pergament paper.  Flatten dough to form a circle.  Add 1 tsp of filling in the centre and fold dough (by using the pergament paper) to form a crescent, making sure the edges are sealed.  Shape dough into a leaf shape.  By using a crimper or pincer, crimp top as shown in the photo.

Repeat until all dough are used up.  Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 160° C for about 20 - 25 minutes.  Leave to cool completely before coating with fine sugar or icing sugar.

Happy Baking!

Pineapple Tarts

Also known as Kuih Tat Nenas, it is one of the traditional malay cookies served during Eid Mubarak.  This festive cookie is also served during Chinese New Year and Deepavali.  One of the typical shapes is an open tart filled with pineapple jam.  The following recipe belongs to my mum who used to bake and sell them during Ramadhan.

Dough Ingredients (yields 80 pieces - 3.5 cm dia):
250 g soft butter
2 egg yolks
about 400 g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Filling Ingredients:
3 ripe Del Monte pineapples
2 cups sugar or according to one's taste
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces cardamon
3 pcs of tiny rock sugar

Method:
Skin and remove pineapple trunk.  Grate pineapples and transfer to a fine sieve over a bowl. Leave aside for about half an hour.  Save the juice in a jug and set aside.  In a medium-size pot, add grated pineapples, cinnamon stick, cardamon, sugar and rock sugar. Cook over low/medium heat until dry and dark in colour.  If the filling looks dry before it turns dark, add a little bit of pineapple juice.  This cooking of filling will take at least 3 to 4 hours depending on the heat used or it can be cooked by spreading over a few days.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and water together.  Then, add in vanilla essence, salt and flour.  Continue kneading until a pliable dough is formed.  Roll out pastry on a floured surface and cut the dough by using a pineapple cutter below.

Fill in the filling by using a small fork.  Some prefer to roll the pineapple filling into a small ball to make things easier.  Then, decorate tarts with a star using the balance dough.  I used my fondant cutter for this purpose.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (140° C) for about 40 minutes.  You may bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 180° C.  Kindly note that your oven's temperature might be different from mine.  Please observe the baking time carefully. Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin - place a pergament paper between each layer.

Happy Baking!

Biskut Dahlia

Another traditional malay cookie which is served during Eid.  It is a very delicate cookie which melts in your mouth instantly due to the use of three different kinds of flour in the dough.

Ingredients (yields about 100 pieces):
160 g icing sugar
300 g soft butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla essence
250 g plain flour
150 g custard flour
100 g cornflour

a little red colouring

Method:
Preheat fan oven to 170° C.  Mix all three kinds of flour and sift into a bowl.

In a bowl, beat icing sugar and butter until creamy.  Add in egg yolks one at a time and vanilla essence. Then, add in flour mixture.  Mix well forming a soft dough.

By using an icing nozzle with an open star decorating tip 16 mm #22, pipe dough onto greased baking trays (or lined with pergament paper).  Leave a small balance of dough for the red dots.  Colour it with a little red colouring and knead well.  Make tiny balls and place in the centre of each cookie.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin, placing a pergament paper for each layer.

Happy Baking!

Dates Cookies

A derivation of Pineapple Tarts but with a slight difference - it has dates or kurma as a filling. It is popularly known as Bantal Pelok Saloma.  Literally translated, Bantal Peluk means pillow hug, whereas Saloma is a very well-known malay actress in the olden days.

Ingredients (yields 50 pcs):
250 g soft butter
2 egg yolks
about 400 g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

500 g soft, dried and stoned dates
egg yolk, for brushing

Method:
In a mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and water together.  Then, add in vanilla essence, salt and flour.  Continue kneading until a pliable dough is formed.

Take about 1 tbsp of dough and flatten it on the palm of your hand.  Place a date in the middle and enclose it with the dough on all sides OR you can just roll the dough to enclose the date with open ends.  To achieve a design on it, I used a wooden butter roller as shown below:

Place on baking tray and brush top with beaten egg yolk.  Bake in a preheated fan oven (150° C) for about 30 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin, placing a pergament paper for each layer.

Happy Baking!

M and M Almond Cookies

A simple almond cookie to bake.  This time, I decorated them with M&M and chocolate chips.

Ingredients (yields 90 pcs):

250 g soft butter

100 g fine sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

400 g plain flour, to be sifted

100 g ground almonds

100 g M&M chocolates

100 g chocolate chips

Method:

Beat butter, fine sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Than, fold in ground almonds.  Lastly, fold in flour a little at a time until a non-sticky soft dough is formed.

By using a teaspoon, scoop dough and roll between your palms to form a small ball. Decorate with M&M chocolate and chocolate chips to your preference and style.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (150° C - 160° C) for about 20 to 25 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin, placing a pergament paper after each layer.

Happy Baking!

Sugee Cookies

Also known as Biskut Sugee, is another traditional cookie which is served during Eid.  The unique flavour of ghee (clarified butter) lends a distinct taste.  It is simple and quick to bake.  This cookie reminds me of my childhood days where we lived in kampongs.  Every afternoon, the indian karipap man will visit our neighbourhood and I never failed to buy either a karipap or a sugee.

Ingredients (yields 140 pieces):
1 (400 g) tin ghee (QBB, if possible)
290 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
730 g plain flour

Method:
In a mixing bowl, whisk ghee and icing sugar together until it changes colour.  Add in vanilla essence, bicarbonate soda and salt.  Mix well before adding flour a little at a time. Knead to form a non-sticky soft dough.

Line baking trays with pergament paper or grease.  By using a teaspoon, scoop dough and roll it between both palms to form a small ball.  Arrange on baking tray. Repeat until all dough is used up.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (180° C) for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin, line with pergament paper after each layer.  I used tiny baking cups for easy storing and handling.

Happy Baking!

Cheese Biscuits

Another one of my favourites which I will bake without fail for Eid and Christmas.  It is simple to prepare and tastes awesome.  If you want it to be spicy, just add a teaspoon or two chilli powder to the ingredients.

Ingredients (yields about 126 pcs when using above cookie cutter):
250 g soft butter
250 g grated cheese i.e. Kraft Cheddar or Emmentaler (I used Emmentaler)
380 - 400 g plain flour, it all depends on the dough
100 g cornflour
pinch of salt
a dash of ground white pepper
1 egg, to be slightly beaten
1 egg white, to be slightly beaten

2 egg yolks for brushing top

Method:
Sift both types of flour together into a mixing bowl, add in salt and pepper.  By using the rub-in method i.e. by using your fingers, rub in butter until the mixture turns crumbly.  Add in grated cheese and mix thoroughly.  Lastly, add in the egg and egg white.  Knead into a pliable dough.

Roll out dough on the worktop to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut out preferred cookie shapes. Alternatively, you can cut dough into sticks of preferred lengths.  Place cookies on greased baking trays or trays which are lined with baking paper.  Brush top with beaten egg yolk.  If preferred, you may sprinkle some grated cheese on top.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at 180° C for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin, placing a pergament paper between each layer.

Happy Baking!

Crunchy Cornflakes Cookies

This super crunchy cookies - Biskut Cornflakes Rangup - is a must bake during the Ramadhan month. It is simple to prepare and tastes wonderful.

Ingredients (yields about 100 pieces):
230 g soft butter
1 cup fine sugar
4 eggs
350 g self-raising flour (if unavailable, use plain flour + a pinch of salt + 1 tsp (levelled) baking powder)
230 g cornflakes, to be lightly crushed
120 g raisins or sultanas, each to be cut into halves

Method:
Preheat fan oven to 160° C.  Grease baking trays or line trays with pergament paper.

In a bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of flour in order to avoid the egg mixture from curdling. Then, add in raisins and cornflakes.  Mix well before adding the flour a little at a time.

Shape dough into small balls and place them on baking tray.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in an air-tight tin, placing a pergament paper for each layer.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our son's favourite which I will bake every year for Eid and Christmas.  Apart from the chocolate chips, I also added chopped cashewnuts, one may add peanuts or peanut butter as a substitute.

Ingredients (yields about 96 pieces):
250 g soft butter
240 g brown sugar
120 g icing sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 "M" size eggs
470 g plain flour, to be sifted
300 g chocolate chips
300 g cashew nuts (canned), to be coarsely chopped

Method:
In a mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and icing together until slightly creamy.  Add bicarbonate of soda and salt, mixing well.  Then, add in eggs one at a time and mix well.

Fold in sifted flour, chopped cashes nuts and chocolate chips.  Mix thoroughly.  Grease baking trays with butter or line them with baking paper.  By using a tablespoon, scoop up portions and form them into a ball.  Place them on baking trays and press the top down a bit.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at 180° C for about 20 to 25 minutes.  Leave to cool completely before storing in tin, placing pergament paper between each layer.

Happy Baking!