NIAN GOU BUN

8/2/2015
SUNDAY

Check..... the house has been cleaned and the garden has been cleared. Bought.....Chinese New Year delicacies ie waxed sausages, duck, dried mushroom, oysters and scallops, fish maw (not that we have not been  buying these throughout the year and wonder why we chose to buy them at this time- rushing with the crowds and paying higher prices for them) and also some favourite cookies and 1 (yes small one) Nian gou (Chinese New Year cake).

Just to get myself in the mood for the Lunar new year, I tried baking these:

Banana bread 

My neighbour gave me some over-ripe bananas last week.  The girls and me definitely put on some calories trying to finish them, yet no matter how many we ate there were still  more! So I thought why not peel them and put them in the freezer, thinking maybe they can last till I find the time to bake something.  Got the time finally, so  I took them out of the freezer yesterday.  Gosh, by the time they were defrosted, it was a soggy wet mess! But they do made the tastiest banana bread! I added some raisins which have been soaking in rum (also have been lying in the fridge for some time now) and toasted walnuts.    Yummy, soft and moist cake. 

Pumpkin and Melon seeds Crisp 

Saw a few bloggers baking this cookie with a variety of seeds and since I had pumpkin and melon seeds, I decided to try the recipe... looks very simple alright.  The only difficulty was spreading the batter out thinly and in a circle. Other than finding them a bit sweet (maybe its my personal level of sweetness) I am happy with this cookie. Its crispy and nutty and maybe can consider  putting it up for sale the next year hehehehe.  

I bought a small nian gou from the market on Saturday morning. It was still soft, so I put it in the fridge to harden it as I wanted to cook it for my sister who will be going back to Melbourne on Monday.  Last year, the popular trend was to wrap the nian gou with spring roll wrapper. So decided to try something different.

how about the nian gou bun.

Made the short crust pastry and while its resting, cut the nian gou into cubes.  Each pastry dough weigh around 30 gm and wrap the nian gou inside the pastry. 

Egg wash the buns before baking at 180C for around 15-20 minutes. 

fresh from the market ....golden buns... 

gooey sweetness and flaky pastry..... best eaten when hot otherwise the nian gou will harden again....

  

AUSPICIOUS HAINANESE DISHES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR

25/1/2015
Sunday

With the Chinese New Year around the corner, many families must be busy planning what to cook for the Reunion Dinner.   It was a great weekend of learning  how to cook some authentic Hainanese festive dishes including the Hainanese Chicken Rice....

Thean Hou Temple - a suitable venue for the event, as the property belongs to the Persatuan Hainan Selangor and WP 

Panoramic view of the city of KL 

The temple features ancient Chinese Architectural designs of beams, balustrades, ceilings etc.   

While waiting for the event to start, we make our way upstairs to offer year-end thankgivings and pray for blessing and guidance for the coming New Year. On left is the Goddess of the Waterfront, The Heavenly Mother (centre) and Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy (right, not in the photo)....   

This is the event... cooking demo by the Hainanese Ladies Association

The main sponsor... Lam Soons Oils 

The Chair-woman of the Association (left) and Madam Chan... one of the senior member 

Madam Chan taught us how to cook the popular Hainanese Chicken Rice and her secret recipe for the famous chilli dipping sauce!  She told us that through this event, she wanted to share and hope that the traditional food will continue for the next generation.   

Chef Hoe Yee-  from the Famous Cuisine magazine. 

Her dish of "Yat Tuen Woh Hei" a slow braise of pork with black fungus, fu-chok sticks in soy sauce.

Another veteran - she is almost 80 years old!

Her speciality- Hainanese Chicken Chop.

Chef Hoe Yee also demonstrated how to cut the chicken - a feat not everybody can do well!

Look at the chicken.... each piece evenly cut and the eye-catching assembly!

The ladies also made these rice-balls- pressing them while the rice is hot!

Braised Duck with Yam..

Blanched pork belly  served with a chilli, garlic dipping sauce, simple and delicious.

For dessert, we were shown how to make the Hainanese sweet tri-angle dumpling. The glutinious rice dough was filled with a mixture of sweet melon, sesame seeds, peanuts and grated coconut and form into triangle shape and steamed..

After the cooking, the ladies also taught us how to make the "flower ball" --a decoration for the Chinese New Year.

Finale... before we had our lunch....

We sat down to taste the wonderful lunch provided by the ladies... 

The spokesperson for Lam Soon Oils.... Hongkong TVB actor ..

Wayne Lai- surprise and special guest appearance...

 There were too many camera men around including the crew from Astro too and was glad that I managed to take this. Infact this event was later broadcasted on Astro 301 at 8.00pm the same night. 

This new year delicacy... puffed rice crackers were made by the ladies and for sale at only RM10.00 each.   

Madam Chan had throughout the event emphasized how they desire and want to share with us these true Hainanese cooking and told us that her recipes are published in the Oriental Cuisine magazine this month, if you are interested to get hold of these precious treasures!.  

Here's my Cantonese-take of  the Hainanese Chicken chop.  

Got some pork loin slices in the fridge.  First use the back of knife to light pound the slices to tenderise them. Season with salt and pepper.  Dredge them  with egg and then coat them with fine breadcrumbs. 

Instead of deep frying, I just pan fry them till golden brown. Dish up and set aside.  

The sauce/gravy: equal amount of tomato sauce and chilli sauce, sugar, water... according to your own preference.   I saute some sliced onions and added some cherry tomatoes instead of using frozen mixed veggies. .. Verdict:  Very good and delicious imitation D:

Enjoy the weekend

EAST MEET WEST

Its already February!  With so many festive celebrations around the corner, it has been a busy month and I better finish all the posts in December......

20/12/2014
Saturday

Colourful orchids welcome  at the Lumbini Garden.. 

Peace to all who enters here....

statue of Buddha under the bodi tree. 

Tree-hugging - beautiful bonsai?

Ringing the bell after donation

100 years old Pine tree

Though the garden was beautiful with its ornamented trees, lawns and fish ponds, it was too hot to stay long  

so we left and wandered towards ........

The Cultivation Centre with the Art and Exhibition Gallery on the ground floor; a calligraphy hall on the 2nd level and finally the holy Relics Shrine on the top floor.   The Calligraphy hall was closed today as the Reverend was away on mission hence we are unable to practice our skill.    

These statues are so charming and adorable..

We went for a vegetarian lunch at the Water Drop Teahouse 

Complimentary bowl of  Porridge and lemon water 

Crispy Vietnamese Spring Roll with sweet potato filling 

fragrant Seaweed Fried Rice- this was delicious 

Black Sesame Tong Yuen with white fungus.... 

Our Christmas presents- jade for me and white crystals for herself... from Esther 

Loved the Art exhibition and so I bought the book which explain the paintings with the teachings  

After lunch, we left the temple and went to Publika shopping mall... to see the O'Christmas Tree Exhibition... a project by Malaysian artists.... a different take of the traditional Christmas Tree....

Fire, Water  and Earth... 

Poko(K)otak - recycled cardboard boxes... what is left behind after the presents...

Padi  Xmas - real padi plants 

"Believe in Christmas".... May writing her  wishes and greetings...

"Toys, once again" .... toys spiralling down, every child's fantasy....

a captivating dance routine... 

we ended the day with a much needed coffee break.... 

The speciality desserts:  mille crepes... Oreo and  Raspberry cream cheese...