Curry Chicken by Angela Seah Thulin

Living abroad, it is difficult to get the right ingredients for cooking Curry Chicken. I was given this A1 instant curry paste by a friend (Thanks Sharon Foo) during my last trip back to Singapore and now i put it to good use when Christine Tan shared how this can be cooked easily.

Link - https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233714530168481.1073741830.233664896840111/346531752220091/?type=1&theater

Ingredients -

450g potatoes

1 packet of A1 instant curry paste (230g)

1 lemon grass, chop into 3 parts
 4-5 gloves of garlic, smash it gently 

900g - 1kg of chicken thighs (about 4 big thighs)

600ml water or more
200ml kara coconut milk
1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
 

Steps -

1. Wash your potatoes and boil them till just soft texture. About 20 - 25 minutes. Then drain the water and peel off the skin. Cut into quarters.

2. Wash the chicken thigh clean and pat dry. Then rub turmeric powder/curry powder on it. Set it aside.

3. Heat up 1 tsp oil and fry the smashed garlic and lemon grass till fragrance.

4. Add the whole packet of instant paste in and fry for a minute.

5. Then add all the chicken thighs in and stir to mix well. Cook the chicken till it turns opaque. About ten minutes.

6. Add the coconut milk in and stir then pour water in and stir again. Let it cook for another 15 minutes in medium heat with lid cover.

7. Then at this point - add light soya sauce and sugar to taste. Adjust accordingly.

8. Continue simmering with lid close for another 15-20 minutes in medium heat or until the chicken meat are cooked and tender.

Try it! Hope you like it!

Pandan Coconut roll with coconut cream filling by Angela Seah Thulin

My son requested for this roll again. Easy and yummy! If you like coconut and pandan taste then this is something for you. The fragrance of pandan and coconut - they are good combination! You ought to try this soft texture roll.

Link - 

https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233719563501311.1073741831.233664896840111/344046302468636/?type=1&theater

Ingredients -
5 pandan leaves
Some water
*Blend the above to achieve 40ml pandan juice

Part (B) - filling
200ml of heavy cream
2 tbsp of granulated sugar
42g coconut cream powder
*Whisk the heavy cream & sugar till trails formed/creamy (3-4mins), then fold the powder in and chill in fridge.

Part (C)
4 egg yolks
2.5 tbsp sugar
40ml coconut milk
40ml pandan juice
50ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
70g cake flour, sieve

Part (D)
4 egg white
2.5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp of cornflour
*In a clean metal bowl, whisk the egg white till soft peak then add sugar n continue whisking. Add pinch of corn flour and whisk till stiff peak formed. Set aside.

Steps -
1. Do Part A first to achieve pandan coconut milk
2. Then do Part B
2. Part (C) - Whisk the egg yolks n sugar till little frothy.  Then add pandan juice, coconut milk, vegetable oil, vanilla essence n whisk till mixed. Add the sifted cake flour in and whisk till well-mix.
3. Then do Part (D)
*Preheat your oven now at 170degree celsius.
4. In 3 additions - take the part (D) and FOLD in to Part (C) till well-combined.
5. Pour onto a 11x11 baking tray lined with baking paper. Into the oven and bake for 14-16mins.
6. Dust some icing powder on the top. Roll it tightly and let the paper wrapped with it. Let it be like this for few mins or chill in fridge for a while just to let it cool faster.
7. Release the roll, spread the chill filling on it and roll the same way again. Back into the fridge again to chill before you cut.

Enjoy!

Vege Pot Pie by Angela Seah Thulin

Most, if not all people have heard of chicken pot pie, an easy to make but delicious & sturdy meal for the whole family. Now, my son and husband are not too fond of some of the ingredients such as green peas, so I decided to make a slightly different pot pie. It turned out to be a vege-only pot pie with a few of their favorite ingredients - carrot, potato, mushroom and scallions! The soup is rich with a milky quality to it. Quite a filling meal, it was our lunch!

Link - 
https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233724286834172.1073741832.233664896840111/344405419099391/?type=1&theater

Vege Pot Pie (for 2 servings)

Ingredients -
70g mushrooms, diced
70g carrots, diced
300g potatoes, diced
25g butter
3 tbsp plain flour (35g) ...
Some scallions, diced 
Few dashes of dried thyme
450ml chicken stock (i use 1 knorr cube)
80ml heavy Cream
1 sheet of store-bought puff pasty

Steps -
1. In a pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, add the mushroom and cook for a minute.
2. Then add carrots and potatoes and season it with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes, that the potatoes start to be soft. Keep stirring.
3. Add butter in and stir, once it melts, add the flour in and stir around for a minute to cook down the raw flour taste.
4. Pour the chicken stock in and dashes of dried thyme. Let it come to a boil. Then turn the heat to med-low and let it cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes have slightly soften.
*Preheat your oven to 200degree celsius now (according to the puff pastry instructions)
5. Add the heavy cream in and scallions (salt and pepper to taste) let it cook for another 5-10 minutes in low heat.
6. Cut your puff pastry shape, spread the top with melted butter and sprinkle some dried thyme on it.

7. Brush some melted butter at the sides of your pots. Pour your filling equally into each pie pot, let it cool for a minute then cover them with the puff pastry.
8. Into the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the puff pastry turn lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Traditional Hokkien flour noodles aka "大茨粉" kueh by Angela Seah Thulin

I am a true hokkien according to my late granny (93yrs when she passed away in 2013) who came to Singapore from China at the age of 7. I love listening to her stories - World War 2 etc & about her cooking fex. Bak Zhang, Popiah and Love Letters cookies!

You probably know or have tasted this dish before - "Hokkien Flour noodles" knead together with overnight porridge.

I think my first attempt was not really up to standard. The taste was there but i am not sure about the texture. Thankfully months later, i had a home trip back to Singapore and got my hokkien dad to demonstrate how this should be done. The authethic texture should be soft yet chewy but not to the extent of tiring your jaws.

In the Plate & Palate Facebook Group - this dish topic came out. So i decided to make and blog this since I've been personally taught by my dad. 

Recipe -
1. 40g of rice with 200-300ml water and cook till the porridge is mashy not grainy and not soupy (add more water if you should but the result should be just like the pic). See below pic for clearer understanding.

2. The measurement i gave below is for one portion.
Warm your overnight porridge, it should feel slightly warm in temperature. I use only 80g of the ready porridge to about 70-80g tapioca starch. No water should be used to knead these two togther till well-combined. Do this when the porridge is still warm. You could also use all of the porridge and slowly add the flour in. Knead it till well mixed and till a stretchable yet not sticky dough.

3. Use a rice ladle to mix if the porridge is too warm for you. Then knead them into a smooth dough. And I flatten the dough. See pic.

4. Bring a pot of water to boil and add some oil to it. Put the whole dough into the boiling water. Let it cook till it floats / opaque.

5. Prepare a big bowl of cold water (I put ice in it).
6. Remove the dough from the boiling water when it's cooked and let it rest in the big bowl for few mins.

7. Remove and cut into your desire shape/length. I made them in long rectangular shape, that's was how my granny did. 

*You may wish to put them back into cold water right after cutting if you are going to cook them straight away. Otherwise wrap them up by lining baking paper in between and freeze it.

How my late granny cooked was by chilli (blended), hei bee (dry shrimps), minced garlic, dong cai, bean sprouts, soya sauce etc to taste...

Ingredients -
1. Minced the hei bee.
2. Diced the garlic
3. Prepare dong cai. Wash it.
4. Bean sprouts
5. Blended chilli

Steps -
1. Heat up the oil, fry the hei bee till fragrant, add in garlic and dong cai, fry for few secs.
2. Add blended chilli, fish sauce, light soya sauce, abit of sugar. Mix them well.
3. Add the flour noodles (that is in ur cold water) and bean sprouts or veg of your choice. Stir fry, mix well and garnish with coriander.

Alternatively, you may wish to try this kueh with this sambal chilli paste found in Singapore wet market (costs about S$2/-). Goes very well with any seafood. All you need to do is - heat up pan with oil, cook the yellow onions, follow by minced garlic, then add the amount of chilli paste you want, add the hokkien flour noodles in and stir fry it. If it's too dry, add little bit of water and done! Taste superb!

Page link - 
https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233714530168481.1073741830.233664896840111/239756336230967/?type=3&theater

Kueh Bangkit by Angela Seah Thulin

Since I am residing overseas and Chinese New Year is drawing near, i have this strong craving for Kueh Bangkit - one of the Chinese New Year delicacies. In fact, this craving have lasted for at least 2 months. Then i googled around for the easiest recipe and hopefully one that gives the right texture and melts in the mouth.
This recipe requires tapioca starch, I thought I had it but NO..., I only found half a packet left so i halved the recipe from KitchenTigress.blogspot and gave it a try. Really fragrant!!

Recipe:

180g Tapioca starch
1/4 tbsp plain flour (i omit)
2 stalks of long pandan leaves, cut into 5cm long.

85ml coconut cream (i use Kara brand)
60g granulated White sugar
1/4 tsp salt
25g eggs (i use 1 full egg and lightly beaten it then i weigh to achieve the weight)
8g egg yolk
3g butter

Steps -
1. Preheat the oven at 160degree celsius
2. Stift tapioca starch and plain flour. Mix them together.
3. Place the mixture on a large tray with baking paper underneath. Tuck the pandan leaves in the mixture.

4. Into the oven for one hour. The pandan leaves will turn dry and flour will turn slightly yellowish.
5. Re-stift the starch and flour.
6. In a small pot with coconut cream, sugar, salt, egg and yolk - whisk them till smooth liquid. Then move to the stove using low heat, whisk till the sugar dissolved. After sugar melts, remove from heat and add butter in and mix well. Let it cool for few minutes.
7. Set aside about 1.5 tbsp of baked flour
8. Pour the coconut liquid into the remaining flour. Knead and combine them till it become a dough. Then set aside and rest for 10 minutes.
9. Preheat your oven to 160degree Celsius now.
10. Dust some baked flour (from that 1.5 tbsp) on your table top (to prevent sticking), start to roll the dough and then cut into your desired shape.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies turn slightly browned at the bottom.

Done!

Teochew Braised Duck by Angela Seah Thulin

Duck! There are many recipes of Teochew braised duck. I tried one recipe months ago, there were many steps and i had to keep bathing it etc ... so i think i'll stick to this easy yet tasty gravy recipe. Some of us like the duck to be chopped while some prefer to tear the meat when eating. I was taught by my buddy's mum (from a teochew family) that their duck is usually done sweet and black and also eaten by tearing. While i've seen some hokkien or those sold from stalls in Singapore, that their ducks are often just brown only. Whatever it is, it is really up to individual preference. Some recipes have herbal taste, but this one gives a sweet taste, simply excellent!

Ingredients -
2.5kg duck
8 tbsp sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick ...
1/2 cup Lee Kum Kee dark soy sauce
10 slices of blue ginger or ginger

Steps -
1. Clean the whole duck.
2. Rub salt all over the duck n rinse off. Then pat dry the duck.
3. Stuff few slices of the ginger into cavity.
4. Heat up wok. Pour the sugar in and cook till it melts.
5. Hold the duck (hand at one end each), sear one side of the duck by few secs then flip to the other to cook.
6. Pour dark soya sauce on top of the duck body, then add water (covering at least 1/2 of the duck), add cinnamon stick & ginger.
7. Give a stir and cover with lid. Let it cook on low heat for 2hrs.. Flip the duck at every 20minutes.

Done!

In case you would like to try another method, here's the link to my previous braised -  
https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233714530168481.1073741830.233664896840111/247247938815140/?type=1

Roast Pork with blueberry wine sauce by Angela Seah Thulin

Happy New Year 2015 !! This was our dinner on New Year's eve and then off we went for countdown.

Link - 

https://www.facebook.com/sassyangelakitchen/photos/a.233724286834172.1073741832.233664896840111/336756636530936/?type=3&theater

Ingredients -
1kg pork (shoulder)
salt and pepper to taste
Oil to sear meat
2 large shallot cut into half
3 sprigs rosemary
150g fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of port wine
1/2 cup chicken broth (I use chicken cube)
30g cold butter

Steps -
Preheat oven to 170 degree Celsius
1. Season the pork with generous amount of salt and pepper.
2. Heat up oil in a pan. In med-high heat - sear all sides of the pork to lightly brown. Then add onions with cut side facing down for a minute.

3. Place sprigs of Rosemary on top of the meat and into the preheated oven for 1hr 30minutes or more or until internal meat reach temperature 75 degree Celsius. Mine took 1hr 45mins. Halfway through about an hour later - flip the meat.
4. Then drain the oil. Remove the meat from the pan. Using the same pan with leftover residues, add fresh blueberry and cook for about 3-4 minutes till soft. Keep stirring.

5. Add port wine and stir till mixed. Once boiling, add in chicken stock and let it cook till it thicken up.

6. Turn your heat to low now and add the cold butter in. Cook till dissolve n off flames. Taste and adjust accordingly.

7. Then strain off and keep the sauce.
8. Slice the pork and serve with blueberry wine sauce.



Enjoy!

Rainbow Swiss roll with lemon filling by Angela Seah Thulin

Soon we are coming to the end of year 2014. It has been a very challenging year for me. To understand new Culture and be in a totally new enviroment (Singapore vs Sweden)... I am hoping year 2015 will be as colorful and fruitful as this Rainbow Swiss roll.. Happy New Year and prosperous 2015..

Rainbow Swiss roll

Part (A)
200ml heavy cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon paste
*Whisk the heavy cream & sugar then add lemon paste and beat till trails formed/creamy (3-4mins). Chill in fridge.

Part (B)
5 egg yolks
70g sugar
1.5 tsp lemon paste
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
*Whisk the egg yolks then slowly add the sugar in and beat till slightly thickened n batter will become light yellow. Add lemon paste, zest, vanilla essence and give a gentle whisk. Set aside.

Part (C)
5 egg whites
70g sugar
1/4 tsp cornflour
*In a clean metal bowl, whisk the egg whites till soft peak then add sugar and continue whisking. Add corn flour and whisk till stiff peak formed.

Part (D)
2 tbsp oil
90g cake flour, sieve
1 tsp baking soda

Steps -
1. Do part A first and let it chill in fridge.
2. Do part B and then set it aside.
3. Do part C.
4. Take part B and slowly pour the batter in to part C (in two additions) and use folding method to fold the batter till well-mix.
5. Then add sieved cake flour and baking soda in and fold till mix.
6. Then add oil and fold it in till well-mix.

*Preheat your oven now - 180degree celsius

7. Divide the batter into equal portions and add drop of coloring accordingly.

8. Pipe them in horizontal line on baking paper.

9. Bake at preheated Oven for 10-12mins.
10. Remove from oven and roll it tightly and let the paper wrapped with it. Freeze for ten mins.
11. Release the roll, spread filling on it and roll the same way again.
12. Back into the fridge to chill before cut.

Note: These are the five colors that i used - rose pink, orange, yellow, apple green and sky blue. My colors seem to be alittle too pale. I suggest using darker colors.



And this is the lemon paste i used >>>



And with the leftover batter, i made another roll with nutella as filling. It is much easier to slice only after being chilled in fridge overnight.





Enjoy!

Chicken Kiev by Angela Seah Thulin

Chicken Kiev, the fragrance from the parsley and butter oozing out ...

Ingredients -

80g Butter, room temp
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Chicken breast meat 4 slices
Salt & pepper
Plastic cling wrap
6 tbsp plain flour
1.5 tsp salt
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs

Steps -


1. Using a motar, pound the garlic and add the 1/4 salt. Then add butter and parsley in and mix all well together. Into the fridge and chill for 20minutes.













2. Pound the chicken breast meat gently just to flatten it. Season with generous amount of salt and pepper.

Remove the butter from fridge and scoop 1 tbsp of butter and place it in the center of the meat.













Gather all sides of the meat to the center forming a ball shape. Cling wrap to wrap it up tightly. Chill in freezer for 30minutes. Repeat the rest.

3. In a bowl - with 6 tbsp. flour and 1.5 tsp salt, mix them together.
    In a bowl - lightly whisk the 2 eggs.
    In a bowl - breadcrumbs

4. Remove the meat from fridge. Dip the meat ball one by one, first on the flour then the eggs then to breadcrumbs. Using the same cling wrap, wrap it up again and seal tight. Freeze it for 15 minutes.

5. Preheat your oven at 200 degree Celsius now.

6. Heat up oil, remove cling wrap n deep fry the meat balls till external is lightly golden brown. About a min or so only. Then place them on baking tray.













7. Into preheated oven for 15-20minutes.

Cool for 3 minutes and serve!

Beh Teh Sor/Pong Piah/马蹄酥 by Angela Seah Thulin

Today we were at my cousin's place when my son suddenly had cravings for sweet buns. I remember i used to eat Beh Teh Sor with my Ah Ma (granny) when i was in Singapore. I like to break them into halves and eat the sweet paste first then eat the external crust. Hehe! I chanced upon Crazy Honey Dew blog months ago and thus decided to make these for my boy...he's hooked on them!

Ingredients

Part (A) - Water dough

175g plain flour

35g icing sugar

60g shortening

1/4 tsp salt

90g cold water

1 tbsp corn flour

Part (B) - Oil dough

130g plain flour
80g shortening
30g corn flour
Opt* - drops of edible coloring

Part (C) - Filling

50g maltose
2 tbsp corn flour
5 tbsp cooked glutinous rice flour
100g brown sugar
2 tbsp deep fried shallots, pound
20g shallot oil
20g-50g cold water
1 tsp black sesame seeds, pound
white sesame seeds for topping the pastry

Finishing
Egg wash (1 egg yolk + 1 tsp milk)

Steps-

1. In a bowl, mix Part (A) ingredients altogether. Combine well until it forms soft dough. Then cover and chill in fridge for 30 mins. Divide the dough into 15 portions, estimate. 24.5g each. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, mix Part (B) ingredients together. Combine and knead till it forms a pliable dough. Add coloring if you like. Then chill in fridge till use. Divide into 15 portions, estimate 14g each. Set aside.

3. In a bowl, mix part (C) altogether except the water starting with adding 10g water and add slowly till it forms a firm dough. You could also place this in the freezer to achieve firm set. Then divide into 15 portions.

4. To wrap this up, pls click on this link - http://caroleasylife.blogspot.se/2009/09/blog-post_7672.html?m=1

5. Preheat your oven to 200 degree Celsius now.

6. Brush them with egg wash.

7.Sprinkle white sesame seeds on top.

8. Bake in pre-heated oven at 200 degree Celsius for 20-30 mins.

Hmmm.. the gooey sweet paste and the crust, you gonna try it! Enjoy!