Pau of Sorrows

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So why is the dish named that way? And what's with the sorrow thingy? The truth is, that's how I felt while preparing the pau.....huhuhu. I was browsing the net just before I decided to make these pau which brought me to a website of a mixed ( Malay + Caucasian ) couple. I was reading & reading & boy, this is one perfect couple, I said to myself.

The husband is so damn good looking , the kids are really gorgeous and she's just one plain Jane, to be honest. Yet, he loved her so very much ~ big sigh ~ Well, that's all I could do - sigh, sigh & continue sighing. I am very happy for the whole family while at the same time feeling tremendously envious with a dash of blue. Again.....sighing the longest sigh.

Anyway, back to my pau story. You didnt like it - it's hard, you said....huhuhu. C'mon, pau are best eaten warm. Of course it's hard coz it's already cold, my dear ( ayat cover line ni .....hehehe ). Anyway, for a first timer like me, I consider my pau a success, regardless of what my personal food critic says. Period.

Beef & Black Beans Pau
Source : Jane Chew




Ingredients A

300 gm Pau flour
150 gm fresh milk
50 gm castor sugar
1 1/2 tbsp shortening
1 tsp yeast
A pinch of salt


Ingredients B

1 tsp double acting baking powder
1 tbsp water


How To

1. Mix all ingredients A & knead for 8 - 10 mins till dough is smooth.

2. Cover with a piece of wet cloth & leave to prove until it has doubled in size.

3. Mix (b) together & pour into dough & knead well till it is smooth again.

4. Cover & allow dough to rest for another 15 mins before shaping.

5. Divide dough into 16 portions, around 36 gm each.

6. Wrap in fillings & seal tightly. ( I've made the red beans & beef fillings )

7. Place on a baking paper & arrange into steaming tray.

The green dots denotes the filling which in this case is Red Bean

8. Prove for another 30 mins before steaming.

9. Steam at high flame for 10 mins. Allow a small gap by lifting the lid after steaming for 5 mins.

10. Turn off heat & let it sit undisturbed for another 3 - 5 mins.

11. Serve hot.

My beef pau -ready to be frozen

Asam Pedas Rebus Nenas

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This is another version of Asam Pedas - the healthier version, I would say as no oil is being used to prepare it. Other than pineapples, you can also use other vegetables like brinjals or ladies fingers. But to me, pineapples are the best.

The sweetness of the pineapples created an amazing balance with the spiciness of the chillies. You'll have a complete hot, sweet & sourish taste in this one special dish. This time around, I've used the Tilapia fish, but any other white meat fish ( like tenggiri, kerisi, siakap, merah etc ) can do the job as well.

Asam Pedas Rebus Nenas
Source : My Mom




Ingredients

1 Tilapia fish
1 tbsp chilli paste
1 cm fresh tumeric
4 shallots
1 garlic
1 cm3 belacan
1 in galanghal, bruised
1/2 pineapple, cut into pieces
8 - 10 pcs kesum leaves
1 pc asam keping
Enough water


How To

1. Pound the shallots, garlic, tumeric & belacan together & mix with the chilli paste.

2. In a pot, combine the chilli paste with water & other ingredients, including the pineapple cuts.

3. Add salt & sugar to taste.

4. Serve with white rice.

Massalavadei

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This is the same scenario as the Fried Apple Pie. When I was busy preparing this kuih in the kitchen, you came in & ask what was I doing? After I told you that I was making a Massalavadei, you make a sulking face while telling me that you dont like it.

But then, again I've proven you wrong. After frying a few pieces, you end up eating most of them. All I did was to sit back & enjoy looking at you finishing the kuih you "dont" like!

Massalavadei
Source : Belle du Chef




Ingredients

1 cup of dhall, soaked overnight
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 red chillies, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
3 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
1 tbsp anchovies granules stock
1 tbsp anise seeds, coarsely pounded
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

How To

1. Using the dry blender, blend the dhall leaving some un-blended.

2. Place all the dhall in a big bowl & combine it with all other ingredients.

3. Shape dhall mixture into small balls, slightly press it into a disc shape.




4. If the mixtures are too soft, add 1 - 2 tbsp cornflour to thicken it.

5. Prepare fryer or deep skillet at medium heat with oil.

6. Place the dhall dough into the hot oil.

7. Fry each on both sides until golden brown.

Paru Goreng Berempah

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Paru or cow's lung is one of our favourite dish. Ada orang pantang makan organ2 dalaman camni tapi macam kita pulak, pantang jumpa....hahaha. Well, life is short......so, we ought to enjoy it while can, right?

Paru is best cooked with sambal - though you can also makes rendang with it. In both occasions, the taste is simply awesome. The best Paru Goreng Berempah I've ever tasted was during my uni years where my housemate used to bring back some, as prepared by her Javanese auntie. It has a very strong coriander taste which blended so well with the lungs.

I've tried varieties of Paru Goreng Berempah's recipes but none of them could even get close to my friend's auntie's recipe. Hers is simply exceptional. This particular recipe I'm writing here is the best I could come up with. Well, takde rotan akar pun berguna, kan ?

Paru Goreng Berempah
Source : Belle du Chef




Ingredients

500 gm cow's lung / paru
1 cm ginger, finely sliced
1 1/2 tbsp salt


To Be Pounded

1/2 tbsp coriander
1/2 tbsp aniseed
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 cm fresh tumeric


To Be Coarsely Blended

10 pcs dried chillies
4 pcs red chillies
1 big onion


How To

1. Boil the lungs with ginger & salt till tender. Then slice them approximately 5 mm thick.

2. Marinate the lung slices with the pounded spices & leave aside for 30 mins or more.

3. Deep fry the marinated lungs & set aside.

4. Using the same oil, fry the blended ingredients till fragrant.

5. Add salt & sugar to taste.

6. Then toss in the fried lungs & mix well.

7. Serve with white rice.

Nasi Ulam

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Marsya, you are really one of a kind, dear. While other kids ( adults too ) despise vegetables, you on the other hand cant eat without one. And on top of that, you love all those ulams too where you could actually it them raw. That's what we called "mummy's gal" !

Since you love those ulams, nasi kerabu has been one of your favourite dish. But that's not what I'm cooking today (since I dont know how to make nasi kerabu.....hehehe). Today's special dish would be something similar to Nasi Kerabu where lots of ulams are involved. It's called Nasi Ulam - one complete, balanced dish where all important nutrients like carbohydrate, protein, minerals & fiber (minus the fats) are all in. And most importantly, the taste is as good too !

Nasi Ulam
Source : Belle du Chef




Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice
2 stalks daun kesum
1 pc daun kunyit
1 handful of pegaga
2 - 3 stalks ulam raja
2 - 3 stalks daun selom
1 kembong fish, grilled & shred
1/2 cup anchovies
1 cup fresh coconut flakes
1 - 2 tbsp black pepper
2 red onions
Salt to taste




How To

1. Chop finely all the leaves & put aside.

2. Fry the anchovies (without oil) till crunchy & pound them.

3. Fry the coconut flakes (without oil) under medium heat, till golden brown.

4. Pound the black pepper with onions till fine & put aside.

5. Grill the fish, debone & shred to small pieces.

6. Mix all ingredients with the rice & add salt to taste.

7. Optionally, you can add some anchovies' sauce (budu) which has been mixed with lime juice & some bird's eye chillies.

Custard Puffs

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I've made this puffs once, a few years back when you were still too small to appreciate food. But then, it's a good thing that you didnt know much about food then since my first attempt to make these puffs was a complete failure. I can imagine your sarcastic remarks & looks after taken your first bite....euwwww scaryyy !!!

Anyway, this time around equipped with a few years cooking experience behind my back, I would say my Custard Puffs are a great success. My puffs shrunk the first time I did it but this time they are just perfect - crispy & puffy like they are supposed to be. And with these kindof puffs, I am more than pleased to present them to my personal food critics for I know I'll be getting a big hug from her !

Custard Puffs
Source : HomeKreation




Ingredients

250 ml water
78 g butter
93 g Flour
4 eggs


How To

1. Place water & butter in a saucepan & boil.

2. Remove from heat & add flour, all at once.

3. Beat with wooden spatula until well mixed.

4. Return to heat & stir until smooth & non-sticky. Set aside to cool.

5. Beat in egg, one at a time until light.

6. Pipe or spoon onto greased baking tray.

7. Bake @ 250C for 10 mins, then 180C for 15 mins or till golden.

8. Inject custard filling.





Ingredients ( for the custard )

2 egg yolks
50 g castor sugar ( I add another 1 tbsp )
30 g flour
200 ml fresh milk


How To

1. Mix all ingredients & stir under low heat till mixture becomes thick & glossy.

2. Alternatively, microwave for 5 mins & stir every 1 min. ( anyway, I didnt try this method )

Beancurd Rolls

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This is a new recipe of mine inspired by the many Dim Sum dishes I've tried before. I was doing the groceries at Tesco one day when I saw the soft beancurd sheet which immediately gives me an idea for this special recipe.



The fillings are more or less the same as Siew Mai but for this particular roll, I've added some black fungus, carrots & water chestnuts. The outcome as you've tasted it was simply amazing. The only setback was that, it was a bit salty to my taste but surprisingly you didnt think so. Maybe bcoz you love it so much that it overrules your taste buds.

From my observation / investigation, the beancurd sheet was not as tasteless as I thought it was. I tasted both the sheets & fillings separately & that's how I came to know that the beancurd sheets were already salty. Hence, no salt should be added in the fillings anymore. Points to be noted.

Let's check out the recipe of this delicious delicacy :

Beancurd Rolls
Source : Belle du Chef




Ingredients

Few pieces of soft beancurd sheets
200 gm minced chicken
150 gm minced prawns
3 pcs water chestnut, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 stalk spring onion, finely cut
2 pcs black fungus, finely shredded
1 tbsp chicken stock granules
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp pepper


How To

Mix all ingredients together (except the beancurd sheets).

Lay the beancurd sheet & spray some water to soften it. Be careful not to over-spray as it'll make the sheet becomes too soft, thus difficult to roll.

Spread the fillings mixture evenly on the sheet leaving approximately 1 inch of space on each side.



Then carefully roll the sheet by folding the edges from both the sides first. Dab some water at the end of the roll to seal it.

You can either fry or steam the rolls whichever is preferred.

Cut the fried / steamed rolls into 1 cm thick pieces & serve with chilli sauce.