Ondeh-Ondeh

A traditional malay kuih which is also known as buah melaka or klepon.  The dough is made of glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour & coconut milk with gula melaka (palm sugar) filling and coated with steamed freshly grated coconut.

Ingredients (yields abaout 35 pieces):
250 g glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp tapioca flour
100 ml water
200-250 ml coconut milk
1-2 tbsp pandan paste

freshly grated coconut (from 1 coconut)
a little salt
1 pandan leaf, to be cut into pieces

100 g gula melaka (palm sugar), to be finely chopped

Method:
In a bowl, mix grated coconut, salt and pandan leaf pieces together.  Steam for about 15 minutes.  Once done, remove from streamer and leave aside.

In another bowl, add glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour, pandan paste and water. Knead well and then, add enough coconut milk to form a soft and pliable dough.  Cover bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then lower the heat until the water gently simmers. Pinch a ball of dough about 2 cm in diameter and flatten it into a disk.  Drop it into the simmering water.  When it is cooked, it will rise to the surface.  Remove with a slotted spoon, shake off excess water and knead the cooked dough evenly back into the main dough.  If dough is sticky, add another 1-2 tbsp of glutinous rice flour and knead well.

Pinch a small ball of dough to the size of a small like (limau kasturi) and roll it in your palms to form a smooth ball.  Carefully make a small dent in the centre and add a small chunk of palm sugar.  Pinch dough together to seal, then roll ball gently to smoothen.  Then, drop into the simmering water. Repeat procedure 5 or 6 times. When the dough balls float to the surface, carefully remove them with a slotted spoon. Allow the water to drain off and then, roll them in grated coconut to coat evenly. Repeat procedure again.

Transfer to a serving dish.

Bon Appetit!

Kuih Kosui

A classical malay steamed dessert which is one of my favourites.  Some recipes use rice flour and tapioca flour but I use plain flour instead of rice flour as I find the texture is similar to those using rice flour.  One may noticed that I used two different moulds to show that the kuih can be easily taken out as long as the moulds are greased with a little oil beforehand.  Normally, this kuih is steamed in a round or rectangular tray and cut into diamond shapes, then coated with grated coconut before serving.

Ingredients (yields about 48 pcs):
145 g castor sugar
240 g dark brown sugar (one may use palm sugar)
250 ml water
2 pandan leaves, to be tied in a knot

215 g plain flour
50 g tapioca flour
750 ml water
2 tbsp air kapur (limestone water) - please see tip on how to prepare

freshly grated coconut (skinned)
salt
1 pandan leaf, to be cut into pieces

Method:
In a saucepan, add castor sugar, dark brown sugar, water and pandan leaves.  Cook slowly over low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and leave aside to cool down completely.

Grease moulds with a little cooking oil and leave aside.  In a large bowl, whisk plain flour, tapioca flour and water together until there are no lumps.  Lastly, add in the air kapur.

Then, add the sugar mixture and mix thoroughly.  Strain through a sieve to get rid of lumps.

By using a small container with a spout, pour into prepared moulds up to the brim and steam in a hot steamer for about 20 minutes.

Leave to cool down completely before removing them from the moulds.

In a small tray, mix grated coconut and a little salt together.  Then, add cut pandan leaves.  Steam for about 15 minutes.

Once done, remove the pandan leaves.  Serve coated with grated coconut.

Bon Appetit!

Swedish Meatballs

A simple and quick to prepare swedish-style dish which is very popular with kids.  It tastes excellent when served with mashed potatoes and greens.  One may have come across this dish in IKEA.  Note: just double the recipe and freeze one portion for another day.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g minced beef (minced pork may be used instead)
1 egg
1 small onion, to be peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped dill
85 g fresh white breadcrumbs, freshly grated from 1-2 one-day-old bread rolls
salt & ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
about 500 ml beef stock

chopped dill for garnishing

Method:
In a large bowl, add minced beef, egg, chopped onions, chopped dill, salt & pepper to taste.

Add freshly grated breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly.  Form into small balls about the size of a walnut - total quantity is about 25.

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add meatballs (in two portions) and brown all sides. Remove to a tray.

Add butter to pan and sprinkle flour.  Cook for about two minutes.  Then, add in beef stock a little at a time and whisk slowly until the mixture has a thick gravy consistency with no lumps.  Check seasoning.

Return meatballs to the pan and heat them through.  Before serving, garnish with chopped dill.  Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.

Bon Appetit!

Vanilla Sauce

This thin egg custard sauce complements well with cakes, ice cream, yeast dumplings/buns, apple strudel, etc.  Home-made vanilla sauce tastes excellent when fresh vanilla pods are used.

Method:
500 ml fresh milk
2 fresh vanilla pods
80 g sugar
125 ml fresh cream
5 "M" egg  yolks

Method:
In a small bowl, whisk sugar, cream and egg yolks together.

In a saucepan, add milk.  Cut each vanilla pod into two and scrape the seeds.  Add both seeds and pods to the milk.  Bring to a slight boil over medium heat.  Remove pods.

Then, add sugar/cream/egg yolks mixture.  Stir well.  Heat slowly over low/medium heat until the mixture starts to simmer.  Dip the back of a tablespoon into mixture.  The sauce is ready when it is slightly coated.  Quickly remove saucepan from heat and let it cool down completely.

Best served with cakes, ice cream, strudel and yeast dumplings/buns.

Bon Appetit!

Baked Yeast Buns

A popular german/austrian/czech-bohemian speciality which is also known as Buchteln.  They taste excellent when served with vanilla sauce.  They can also be filled with jam or fruit if preferred.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g plain flour
250 ml warm milk (not over 35° C)
42 g fresh yeast
100 g sugar
zest of one lemon
a pinch of salt
75 g soft butter
2 "M" size eggs

a 22 x 30 cm rectangular pyrex dish
50 g butter, to be melted

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour and make a well in the centre.  Dissolved the crumbled yeast in the warm milk and pour into the "well".  Stir well and then, add salt, sugar, lemon zest and soft butter.  Lastly, add in the eggs.  Knead until the dough leaves the side of the mixing bowl.

Cover bowl with a cloth and leave aside for about half an hour to let dough rise to double its volume.

Then, remove to a floured worktop.  Divide dough into 24 portions (about 51 g each). Arrange them in a buttered pyrex dish.  Brush top with melted butter.

Bake in a preheated oven (fan:  175° C/conventional:  200° C) for about 35 to 40 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven.

Served warm with vanilla sauce.

Happy Baking!