Wine-Braised Chicken With Peanuts

Wine-Braised Chicken With Peanuts

Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours

Every now and then I crave for confinement food. I guess it could be because I love to eat the combination of ginger and wine. Both ginger and wine are two main ingredients abundantly used in Chinese confinement dishes. The wine is meant to strengthen and warm up the constitution of women's bodies after undergoing the rigours of childbirth, while ginger is widely known to get rid of the wind and dampness from the body. Old folks advised that black fungus helps to rid blood clots.

For ordinary people who are not in confinement but who wish to indulge in the rich foods of confinement women, bear in mind that the amount of ginger and wine have to be consumed in moderation. Otherwise there is bound to be side effects like headache, toothache or even a rise in blood pressure. On a personal level, I tend to cook this during the rainy season when  temperatures have turn way low or when I feel a bout of weaknesses enveloping me.

Therefore,  if I need a little prep-up or if I am cooking this dish just to assuage my craving, I have to reduce the amount of ginger and wine in my cooking. Furthermore, I have to use young ginger instead of old, matured ginger.

Ingredients

100g peanuts, soaked overnight     ( add more peanuts if you prefer more peanuts )
50g black fungus, soaked until soft and cut into pieces
50g kam cham, soaked until soft and squeeze dry
1/2 chicken, chopped into pieces
40g young ginger, shredded        ( used 100g matured ginger for ladies in real confinement)
1 bulb garlic, smashed
1 cup Stone's ginger wine            ( use 2 cups of this wine for ladies in confinement )
1.8 litres water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce

Method

1.  Boil peanuts with 1.8 litres over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until peanuts are soft.
2.  Add in chicken, black fungus, kam cham and half the amount of wine.
3.  Let it come to a boil and reduce to medium flame and continue to cook for 25 minutes.
4.  Add in salt, soy sauce and sugar. 
5.  Add in the remaining wine. Stir to mix well. 
6.  Switch off flame.

Apam Balik (Ban Chean Kuih)

Apam Balik (Ban Chean Kuih)

Recipe source :  Flavours magazine

Apam balik or ban chean kuih in the Hokkien dialect, is an ever popular local kuih. I always pick up a piece or two of this delicious kuih each time I pass by the hawker selling it near the wet market. Each time I have to queue up because demand exceeds supply! The lady is literally selling "hot cakes" because there is always a long queue waiting for her to make them. 

The Chinese lady who sells this apam balik makes them thick and spongy. She uses a very large and heavy metal mould and cut the kuih into several pieces once it's done. Malay hawkers tend to make thin and crispy apam balik which are smaller in diameter. Both versions are equally delicious.

I am so glad I came across this recipe. It's so satisfying to make this at home!

Ingredients for flour mixture (makes 5 pieces)

250g plain flour
20g custard powder
30g rice flour
1 tsp salt
45g sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
310ml water
1 tsp bicarbonate soda or alkaline water
cooking oil for greasing pan 

 The flour mixture which has been set aside for one hour. 

Add bicarbonate of soda or alkaline water after one hour

 Crushed toasted peanuts

Sugar

Toppings

60g sugar
100g crushed toasted peanuts
60g margarine or butter
50g cream corn  (optional)              

Method

1.  Mix all the ingredients of the flour mixture except bicarbonate of soda or alkaline water  together.  Whisk until smooth. Cover and set a side for one hour.
2.  After one hour add bicarbonate of soda or alkaline water. Whisk the batter again to mix well.
3.  Heat a non-stick frying pan over low heat until hot. (I used a 20cm non-stick frying pan).
4.  Add some cooking oil to lightly grease the frying pan. 
5.  Add 3/4 cup batter and swirl the batter around to coat the whole frying pan and the sides as well. 
6.  Cook over low heat until bubbles appear. Add sugar and crushed toasted peanuts.
7.  Add a bit of butter or margarine and spread some cream corn on top of the peanuts.
8.  When the bottom is browned fold the pancake in half and transfer to a plate. 

  Do you find it mouth-watering?

Peanut & Pork Congee 花生猪肉粥

Peanut & Pork Congee 花生猪肉粥

Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours


Congee is a very good choice for Chinese breakfast. It is easy to prepare and can be very tasty if boiled to perfection, even with very simple ingredients. 

This is one of our family's favourites. 

Ingredients

150g peanuts, soaked overnight
200g rice, washed and soaked in water and freeze it overnight. See preparation for rice
100g dried scallops
400g pork, cut into slices
3 century eggs, cut into quarters
2 litres water
2 tsp salt, or to taste
dash of pepper
sesame oil

Method

1.  Boil soaked peanuts with 2 litres of water for 45 minutes or until slightly softened.
2.  Add in frozen rice and dried scallops. Continue to boil until the rice grains have broken and turn to congee.
3.  Add pork slices and boil for a further 2 minutes over high heat.
4.  Add in century eggs and salt to taste.
5.  Mix well.
6.  Serve in individual bowls with a dash of pepper and sesame oil.

Cookies : Coconut Nutty Cheese Cookies 椰子花生芝士球

Cookies : Coconut Nutty Cheese Cookies 椰子花生芝士球

Recipe source :  Y3K Magazine, issue 40, 1/2 - 2008

I find these cookies most unusual. They are tasty, no doubt about it. But the texture is more candy-like than cookies. The outer coating of peanuts is crunchy and fragrant while the insides of the "cookies" are soft and chewy. 

You can get addicted to these sweet cookies. The crunchy peanuts blended tastefully with the soft and sweet honey, coconut and cheese. Once we started munching on these nutty cookies it was hard to stop!  

This is truly a sweet indulgence!

Ingredients A

60g butter
80g cream cheese
125g Castor sugar
170g honey
60g peanut butter
60g fresh milk

Ingredients B

170g peanuts, roasted and ground
60g dessicated coconut

Ingredients C

200g peanuts, roasted and ground

Decoration

Some coloured chocolate rice ( optional )

Materials required

Small paper cups
 

Method

1.  Put ingredients A in a heavy based pan. Heat contents. Stir gently at all times until syrup has thickened in consistency.
2.  Add in ingredients B and stir to mix evenly. Leave mixture to cool.
3.  When the mixture has cooled down sufficiently to handle, scoop up about 1 teaspoonful of dough and shape it into a round shape. Coat it with ingredient C and place the cookie into a small paper cup.
4.  Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
5.  Sprinkle some coloured chocolate rice onto (if using)
6.  Store in airtight jars
7.  Makes 60 cookies. 

I am linking this to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for January 2014 is Cheese, 
hosted by Alice of  I Love. I Cook. I Bake

I am submitting this post to Bake Along - Chinese New Year Cookies

hosted by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, Lena from Frozen Wings and Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

I am also linking this to Cook-Your-Books #8
Organised by Joyce of  Kitchen Flavours

Peanut Porridge With Century Eggs 花生皮蛋粥

  Peanut Porridge With Century Eggs 花生皮蛋粥

Recipe source :  Doris Choo


We had this great tasting porridge for Sunday brunch. The night before, I overheard my daughter and son talking about  porridge. Apparently, my daughter read somewhere that freezing rice which had been washed and soaked overnight before boiling them, cuts down on the cooking time. I think it was my son who said that Hong kong-style porridge uses chicken stock for the extra oomph!

Out of curiosity, I wanted to try out what I heard. I checked out my pantry and noted that I have the essential ingredients to try out the theories. I am happy to share that both theories are very true! The frozen rice turned to porridge pretty fast but because I used Chinese herbs in my porridge, I had to boil it for a longer period of time in order for the flavours from the herbs to be released and be infused into the porridge. 

My family likes to have century eggs in our savoury porridge. Since I have some in my pantry, well, I added in the century eggs for the extra flavour.  And that's when it occurred to me that I can link this porridge to Little Thumbs Up's egg event ! 

Ingredients

200g rice, washed and soak with enough water to cover the rice. Freeze the rice and water overnight.
100g peanuts, soak in 1/2 tsp of lye water and boil for 15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly.
40g dried scallops
20g wai san （ 淮山）
1 tbsp wolfberries （纪子）
2 century eggs
10 century quail eggs
2 tbsp ginger oil
1 litre chicken stock
1 litre water
2 tsp salt, or to taste 

 Two varieties of century eggs - chicken and quail eggs

Instructions

1.  Pour 1 litre of water together with the chicken stock into a medium-sized pot.
2.  Add the frozen rice and water into the pot.
3.  Add wai san, wolfberries, partially soften peanuts and dried scallops into the pot.
4.  Boil until the wai san and wolf berry are softened and the rice grains are broken.
5.  Add salt to taste
6.  Add ginger oil and ginger crisps.
7.  Add in the century eggs. 

I am linking this post to Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out

This event is linked to Little Thumbs Up

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids

and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

The ingredient for August is 'egg'

Cinnamon Roll 肉桂卷

Cinnamon Roll 肉桂卷

Recipe Source :  The recipe for the dough is from a booklet distributed by "Farmcow" butter
                              The recipe for the filling is adapted from another booklet distributed by "Planta" Margarine

Ingredients for dough

500g strong flour
5g salt
50g castor sugar
125g butter or margarine
1 egg
10g yeast
225g water

Ingredients for Filling

125g brown sugar                            )
125g chopped peanuts                    )  Mix together
1 tsp cinnamon powder                    )
60g melted butter for brushing
1 egg for glazing

Instructions

 

1.  Mix all the ingredients for the dough, except yeast. Knead until smooth and elastic.
2.  Add in yeast and continue to knead for about 10 minutes.
3.  Flatten dough and roll into a rectangular form.
4.  Brush the rectangular dough with melted butter. Spread the peanut mixture evenly onto the rectangular dough. 
5.  Cut the dough into triangular wedges.
6.  Roll up each wedge, starting from the wider end of the dough.
7.  Place the rolled-up wedges onto greased baking tray.
8.  Brush with beaten egg to glaze
9.  Place into preheated oven and bake at 180 degree C for about 20 minutes. 

I love the nutty flavour and the aroma from the cinnamon.

Chinese New Year Greetings Dessert 美点贺新年

Chinese New Year Greetings Dessert 美点贺新年

 

 Mei dim hor sun nin

Recipe source : Adapted from an old newspaper cutting ( The Star )


The article in the old "The Star" newspaper featured a few dishes for the Chinese New Year. This sweet dim sum dessert dish caught my eye and it has a happy sounding name in Chinese, "Mei Dim Hor Sun Nin" which means "beautiful dim sum greetings to usher in the new year". This is a wonderful dessert to wrap up the reunion dinner !

Ingredients

500g glutinous rice flour
460ml hot boiling water
a few drops of red colouring

 

Filling For The Red Glutinous Balls

80g red bean paste or tau sar in Cantonese

Divide  the red bean paste into 10 equal portions and roll them into 10 balls.

  Red bean paste. The Cantonese call this tau sar

Please refer to my post on how to make red bean paste

 

Coating For the Red Glutinous Balls

20g chopped peanuts, roasted     
20g sesame seeds, roasted              


Mix them together

 

Coat the red glutinous balls with the chopped peanut and sesame seed mixture

 

Coating For the White Dough

10g chopped roasted peanuts,         
10g white sesame seeds, roasted     
10g black sesame seeds, roasted   
25g sugar                                        


Mix all the ingredients together evenly.

 

Instructions

 

1.  Divide the glutinous rice flour into two portions. Add a few drops of red colouring to half the amount of boiling water. Add this coloured boiling water to one portion of the glutinous rice flour and mix until a soft dough is formed.
2.  Divide the red dough into 10 equal portions. Roll into round balls. Push a hole into the balls with your thumb and fill the holes with red bean paste. Place them on a greased metal plate.
3.  Steam  the red balls for 10 minutes and when cooked, roll the red balls with the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds mixture to coat the surfaces. Place them into the centre of a large plate.
4.  Next, add the other portion of boiling water to the remaining glutinous rice flour and mix and knead well to form a soft white dough.
5.  Divide the white dough into 8 equal portions and form 8 round patties. Place these patties on greased metal plate and steam for 10 minutes.
6.  When cooked coat  the white round patties with the chopped nuts and sesame seeds mixture. Place them around the red glutinous balls.
7.  Serve immediately. 

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 

hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover