For the past 2 weeks, I was battling between a major decision ~~ a new job offer. I have nothing much to complain about the current work place, the work is manageable, working hours are stable, the boss is fine, colleagues are friendly and most importantly, I have been here long enough to be very familiar with everything. The company is small, consisting of only six of us, which makes office politics practically non-existent. The only drawback is probably the moolah, compares with the new offer, does paled in comparison. And this is also the temptation that kept my thoughts on a roller-coaster, whether to move or not. The re-adaptation of a new place, the uncertainty of the new culture, and most importantly the existence of people politics also kept me in ponder.
So come this weekend, to clear the mind of such stressful decision making, I prepared some Palm Sugar Steamed Rice Pudding, or commonly known as Kuih Kosui. Anything with coconut has always been my favourite, so how could I give this a miss ? However, instead of the green pandan favour, I have always heartened the brown one, which is made of palm sugar, or gula melaka. I tend to find the palm sugar version sweeter, more fragrant and somehow, it complements the shredded coconut better.
This recipe actually calls for the use of alkaline water, something which I am unfamiliar with. However, I managed to get a bottle of it from Phoon Huat. As information by mum, alkaline water is often added to desserts/kuehs for a more chewy texture. But because I only use a teaspoon of it this time, there is still so much left. Any ideas what other stuffs would require the use of alkaline water so that I can put the balance to good use ?
I still have a curious thought, for those who are familiar with this, are we suppose to serve this kuih hot, warm or cold ? Because I am worried about the freshness of the shredded coconut, I had them placed in the fridge after the kuihs have cooled down. So do I start eating them right from the fridge or I need to warm it up before consumption ?Or to each its own ?
Also, I realised not many people enjoy this kind of kuih as it seemed like I am the only one who enjoy this in the household. In fact I am stuffing them into the tummy even before it has cooled down, whilst tossing them in abundance coconut at the same time. ^-^
~recipe modified from Agnes Chang Hawker’s Delights~
Ingredients A (mixed) : 180g wet rice flour (105g rice flour, mixed with75ml water, kneaded to get wet rice flour) 50g green pea flour (I used Hoon Kuey flour) 30g tapioca flour 240ml water 1 tsp alkaline water
Ingredients B (boiled) : 240g gula Melaka 540ml water 3 tbsp pandan juice
Ingredients C (steamed) : 1/2 young coconut 1/2 tsp salt
Method; 1. Combine all ingredients A and mix well. Mix in ingredients B into the flour mixture and strain.
2. Use low heat to cook the batter until slightly thick. Pour into small bowls/cups or steaming tray(about 8 inches) and steam with high heat about 40 to 45 mins until cooked. Leave to cool. Cut and coat with coconut before serving.
hi joyce, very pretty! we normally eat this kuih after it has cooled down , not hot or cold. I supposed the kuih would turn hard after you put them in the fridge and that you need to resteam it . The grated coconut should be okay if you' re leaving it at cool place outside room temperature and going to use it on the same day, the most is only 2 days if i keep in the fridge. You can taste the grated coconut and check. alkaline water? i also dont have any idea how to use that up..some kuihs use that to thicken the mixture and..also in making mooncake skin.
hihi lena, thanks alot for your wonderful input ! hmm.. I had better check out the expiry date of the alkaline water… hope it can last till mooncakes time !!
Hi Joyce, alkaline water is added to many kuehs… most famous of them all is of cos alkaline rice dumplings, or better known as "kee chang" . Can also be used in snowskin mooncakes for the same chewy texture mentioned by your mum. Can also add to the tapioca mixture to make baked tapioca cake aka Bingka Ubi… and so many more I can think of! LOL
Haha Alan, there's a good list that you have named there.. but dumplings and mooncakes festive is not near yet.. but the cake and kuehs do sound promising…
I thought the alkaline (kee) is the dry form that can be bought in the market? How abt steaming the coconut to prolong the freshness? BTW abt the job why dun ask your company to match $$ then dun have to move lor. All the best.
Hi Sabby, I bought the alkaline in a liquid form packed in a bottle from Phoon Huat. Yes, I did steamed the coconut as stipulated in the recipe, but weather was rather humid, so I was paranoid that if it goes bad just like that, the whole batch of kuehs would be wasted ! You are the first one to mention about my job ! Haha ! Thanks alot !! Well, I haven't tender the resignation yet so couldn't comment on whether my current company can match the $$. But I am quite 99.5% sure it's quite impossible that they can match. Coz if they can, it would be done so during salary review 3 months ago.
I am Joyce from Sunny Singapore. This blog is a collection of foods and stuffs that we have enjoyed so far. Hope you will like them too and enjoy ur stay here !
Had some leftover fish stock from the other day, so just nice to use it up for a Fuzhou Fishballs Mee Tai Bak Soup today. Simply dilute the fish soup with a little water and season it with 天津冬菜, shallot oil, light soya sauce, pepper, Chinese cooking wine and a little seasoning powder. Simple and healthy #onepotmeal #comfortfood
🤤🤤
Cooked Thai Red Curry today ! Had it prepped up in a more creamy way by reducing the water to coconut milk ratio, moderate the taste with fish sauce and sugar and it was really good ! Only used boneless chicken and potatoes for the curry before finishing off with extra herb flavours from Thai basil leaves at the end. 🤤
Scored a couple of Rice Dumplings from @beechenghiangsg as they contain the flamed gourmet #bakkwa that we liked along with well-seasoned glutinuous rice, chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms without any MSG, preservatives and meat tenderizer. On the list also includes :
⛰️Gourmet Bakkwa Rice Dumpling with Salted Yolk
经典咸蛋肉干粽
⛰️Applewood Iberico Rice Dumpling 苹果木西班牙黑猪肉干粽
⛰️Multigrain Black Pepper Chicken Rice Dumpling 黑胡椒鸡肉干粽
⛰️Mala Bak Kwa with Peanut Rice Dumpling 麻辣肉干花生粽
⛰️Sweet Potato with Black Glutinuous Rice Dumpling 紫米番薯粽 #BeeChengHiang also has its own app now where you can place orders, collect vouchers and earn points for your purchase, very convenient and savvy. #预祝大家粽香愉快
Cooking fish soup base from scratch is tiring but rewarding and worthy. 🤤🤤
#简简单单清清淡淡就是一碗好汤 Recipe (serves 1-2):
For the Fish Soup Base :
4 pcs cod fish bones
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
3 sprigs of spring onion
15 slices of ginger
2 tsp dried sole powder
1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
Water For the Fish Soup:
Batang fish slices (soak in salt and corn flour water for 10 mins before using)
Some Lettuce
Seasoning as light soya sauce, salt and pepper to taste
To serve with some fried shallots and diced chili padi Method:
1️⃣Heat up some cooking oil and pan fry the cod fish bones till lightly browned.
2️⃣Add water, spring onion and ginger slices. Cook till it boils before adding sole fish powder and cooking wine.
3️⃣Cover and allow to simmer for 2 hours or more till the fish bones dis-integrate.
4️⃣Drain away the residue and skim away the oils and impurities to get the clear milky soup.
5️⃣Season the soup to taste and add fish slices and lettuce. Once cooked, remove from heat and serve hot to enjoy !
🍔Tried out these “McDonalds” taste-alike chicken burger patties and nuggets from @newmultisg today. 🍗The Spicy Boneless Chicken Thigh is practically a replica of the “McSpicy” with the Chicken Nuggets trailing right behind. The Original Chicken Patty also has a close resemblance to the “McMuffin” sausage patty though I think the “McSpicy alike still wins all hands down. 🎉Feel free to use promo code “eatwhattonight5” to enjoy 5% discount off total bill on www.newmultifood.com (except promotional items) with a $8 delivery fee and free delivery for orders above $65, valid till 31st Dec 2023.
Cooked yummy Singapore style Char Kway Teow today ! Used the new Char Kway Teow sauce from Prima Taste and added shrimps, fish cakes and sausages. Used Taiwan sausages instead of Chinese sausage too because we don’t like the latter. Taste good and very much liked the real deal but comes with a fair bit of spice. 🤤 Ingredients:
140g kway teow
140g yellow noodles
1 pack Char Kway Teow Sauce from @primataste
90g beansprouts
6 prawns, from @9sseafood
5 mini Taiwan sausages, thinly sliced
120g fried fish cakes, sliced
5 tbsp cooking oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
Some green parts spring onion Method :
1) Heat up 1 tbsp cooking oil and cook prawns. Dish and set aside. 2) Add balance cooking oil and sauté minced garlics till fragrant. Add in sausages and stir fry briefly. 3) Add in kway teow, noodles and Char Kway Teow sauce. Stir fry on high heat to mix well. 4) Add in fish cakes and stir fry to combine. Lastly stir in beansprouts and spring onion and off heat. Allow residual heat to cook the vegetables briefly before serving hot to enjoy !
Swensen’s Rice Dumpling Ice Cream comes in an all-new Genmaicha flavour now ! A refreshing take on the traditional glutinous rice dumplings that are handcrafted to resemble the real deal complete with a wrapping of ‘bamboo leaves’ secured with ‘woven string’ and dusted with shimmery gold dust for a touch of luxe. Back by popular demand which is sold out within a week of its launch last year, the Pulut Hitam Rice Dumpling Ice Cream is also not to be missed. Swensen’s Rice Dumpling Ice Cream is priced at $8.80 per piece and is available for dine-in and takeaway (sold in a pair) at all @swensenssingapore and @earleswensens outlets from now to 22 June 2023, while stocks last. #SwensensSingapore
#又是粽子飘香的季节 Here’s to more rice dumplings, 5-spice sausage rolls and fried prawn rolls from renowned Hokkien Restaurant @benghiangrestaurant . Deliciously savoury, Beng Hiang’s Hokkien dumplings are brimmed with fresh premium ingredients including marinated pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, dried shrimp encased in aromatic glutinuous rice seasoned with 5-spice. The Festive Dumpling Combo Set at $48.80 comes with a
⛰️Hokkien Rice Dumpling 福建肉粽,
⛰️Hokkien Rice Dumpling with Salted Egg 福建咸蛋肉粽,
⛰️Nonya Dumpling 娘惹甜粽,
⛰️Beng Hiang Silver Fish Chilli Sauce茗香银鱼仔极品酱
⛰️5-Spiced Sausage (3 rolls) 特制五香 or Fried Prawn Balls (10 pcs) 香脆五香 🥳 Early bird discount of 15%* apply for combo sets orders placed from now till 11 June 2023 with collection till 22 June 2023. 📍Located at :
135 Jurong Gateway Road
#02-337 Singapore 600135
Tel: 6221 6695 or 6221 6684
www.benghiang.com
<Recipe> Steamed Squids with Special Sauce. These small squids 流水东 from @9sseafood is pretty nice. It’s tender and has a good texture after steaming. Isn’t overly chewy and large but a pity it’s out of stock already since it is only available in limited quantities. But do keep a lookout for it on its next launch. Ingredients :
6-7 pcs of small squids , cleaned and sliced
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
1 chilli, diced
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
2 stems of Chinese parsley
1 pc spring onion, diced Seasoning :
1 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp Japanese cooking wine
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar Method :
1️⃣ Steamed squids on medium-high heat till cooked, approximately 7-8 mins. Drain away excess water. 2️⃣ Heat up cooking oil and stir fry garlics, gingers, chilli, parsley and white parts of spring onion till fragrant. 3️⃣ Add in all the seasoning and cook till it boils. 4️⃣ Once done, pour sauce over steamed squids and serve hot immediately to enjoy.
It's quite difficult to find freshly made kuehs at most Asian stores in Melbourne. Got to bookmark this recipe because this looks very delicious :D
hi joyce, very pretty! we normally eat this kuih after it has cooled down , not hot or cold. I supposed the kuih would turn hard after you put them in the fridge and that you need to resteam it . The grated coconut should be okay if you' re leaving it at cool place outside room temperature and going to use it on the same day, the most is only 2 days if i keep in the fridge. You can taste the grated coconut and check. alkaline water? i also dont have any idea how to use that up..some kuihs use that to thicken the mixture and..also in making mooncake skin.
Hihi Zoe ! Glad you like this.. Hope you enjoy eating them too after you have made !
hihi lena, thanks alot for your wonderful input ! hmm.. I had better check out the expiry date of the alkaline water… hope it can last till mooncakes time !!
Hi Joyce, alkaline water is added to many kuehs… most famous of them all is of cos alkaline rice dumplings, or better known as "kee chang" . Can also be used in snowskin mooncakes for the same chewy texture mentioned by your mum. Can also add to the tapioca mixture to make baked tapioca cake aka Bingka Ubi… and so many more I can think of! LOL
Haha Alan, there's a good list that you have named there.. but dumplings and mooncakes festive is not near yet.. but the cake and kuehs do sound promising…
I like this … yum, yum
I thought the alkaline (kee) is the dry form that can be bought in the market? How abt steaming the coconut to prolong the freshness? BTW abt the job why dun ask your company to match $$ then dun have to move lor. All the best.
Thanks Chris !! I like it too !!
Hi Sabby, I bought the alkaline in a liquid form packed in a bottle from Phoon Huat. Yes, I did steamed the coconut as stipulated in the recipe, but weather was rather humid, so I was paranoid that if it goes bad just like that, the whole batch of kuehs would be wasted ! You are the first one to mention about my job ! Haha ! Thanks alot !! Well, I haven't tender the resignation yet so couldn't comment on whether my current company can match the $$. But I am quite 99.5% sure it's quite impossible that they can match. Coz if they can, it would be done so during salary review 3 months ago.
Hello there. I’ve seen my sister served it when it has just cooled down. :) Still, different people might serve it differently.