Steamed Sweet Potatoes

SWEET POTATOES are ranked the highest in nutritional values, low in sodium, cholesterol free, fat free, high in fiber, with protein, vitamins A, B6 & C, iron and calcium. Orange and yellow sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene and purple sweet potatoes are very rich in anthocyanins. It helps to prevents osteoporosis, constipation, boost the immune system and anti-aging with whitening effect etc. It is also good for young children brain development and growth.

You can cook sweet potatoes in many ways, baked, roasted, sautéed, boiled or steamed. To save time and conserve energy, I place the sweet potatoes in the rice cooker when I cook the rice. Just remember to give the sweet potatoes a good scrub or peel the skin, halved it if desired.

As it is not the purple ones, it does not leach out their colour. Even if the colour and nutrients is leaches out, it goes to my rice and not wasted. Or you may opt to put the sweet potatoes on the steam tray of the rice cooker instead.

When the rice is ready, my healthy snack is ready too. The skin can be eaten too, peeled it off, if preferred.

Water Caltrop and Mini Yam

Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner, 25 September for the year of 2007. Besides different variety of moon cakes, lanterns, what else do we have? Yes, Water Caltrop aka Trapa Natans ! You can spot them at the wet market and it is the only time you can find them here. Read up Wikipedia for more info on water caltrop, which look like the horn of the bull. The most common method to cook water caltrop is by boiling it. To eat it you need a pier for removing the hard shell by working on the both ‘horn’ first, follow by the bottom. Warning: Never never use your teeth!

Mini yam is also one of those items that I have during Mid-Autumn festival during my childhood. Steam and peel off the skin and into the mouth. Dip with some sugar, if prefer. If you happen to see these at the market, buy some and have a try. Water Caltrop S$0.30~S$0.35 per 100g.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (serve 2-4)
° 20 water caltrops
° 8 mini yams
° water

Method
1. Place the water caltrops with enough water to cover them fully in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
2. Place the mini yam in a heat proof serving bowl and steam for 15-20 minutes or until soften.
3. Serve warm.

Crispy Tempeh

Fresh Tempeh

Ahh! What is tempeh? Tempeh is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybean particles into a cake form. It contains more protein than tofu and also has more vitamins plus it has a nutty flavour. Here is a quick and tasty snack. Crispy tempeh can be made as substitute for meat in some Chinese dishes.

Preparation: 5 mins, plus 15 mins standing time, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g fresh tempeh, cut into small chunks or 2cm thick slices
° vegetable oil, for deep-frying
° ¼ teaspoon salt
° ¾ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Method
1. Marinate the tempeh with Chinese five-spice powder and salt for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Drop the tempeh into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the tempeh with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper.
4. Arrange on a serving plate and serve immediately.

Muah Chee with Snow Powder or Soybean Powder

Must muah chee be always coated with peanut powder? In fact, snow powder or soybeans powder can be used instead. This will make this snack available for those with nut allergy to enjoy!

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 150g glutinous rice flour
° 250ml water
° 1½ tablespoons sugar
° ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
° ½ teaspoon green tea powder/matcha powder (optional)

Coating Mixture
° 100g snow powder
or
° 100g soybean powder
° snow powder/icing sugar, to taste

Method
1. Combine the flour, green tea powder, water, sugar and oil in bowl. Mix well.
2. Grease a heat-proof ware, pour in the muah chee mixture and steam for 10-15 minutes or until it turn gooey.
3. Meanwhile, to make the coating mixture, combine the soybean powder and snow powder or icing sugar in a plate. Set aside. Nothing needs to be done if only snow powder is use for the coating or dusting.
4. Scoop out the cooked muah chee dough and use a pair of scissors to snip into small nuggets and coat it with the coating mixture.
5. Serve warm.

Muah Chee (Matcha Flavour)

This is another variant of Muah Chee by adding green tea powder or matcha powder to the dough giving it a unique flavour and adding a nice twist.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 150g glutinous rice flour
° 250ml water
° 1 tablespoon sugar
° ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
° ½ teaspoon green tea powder/matcha powder

Peanut Mixture
° 100g roasted peanuts powder
° 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Method
1. Combine the flour, green tea powder, water, sugar and oil in bowl. Mix well.
2. Grease a heat-proof ware, pour in the muah chee mixture and steam for 10-15 minutes or until it turn gooey.
3. Meanwhile, to make the peanut mixture, combine the peanuts, sesame seeds and sugar in a plate. Set aside.
4. Scoop out the cooked muah chee dough and use a pair of scissors to snip into small nuggets and coat it with the peanut mixture.
5. Serve warm.

Steamed Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha)

Want some healthy snack which is rich beta carotene, iron, vitamin C and potassium, plus some tracers of calcium and B vitamins? Just steam some Japanese pumpkin aka Kabocha. After steaming, the skin of the pumpkin can be eaten, just make sure it had been thoroughly washed. If not, just throw it away.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 300g Japanese green pumpkin, removed and cut into 2cm thickness slices

Method
1. Place the pumpkin in a heat proof serving bowl and steam for 8 minutes.
2. Serve warm.

Picture source: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/CA25677D007DC87D/LUbyDesc/av36/$File/jappum2.jpg

Homemade Popcorn

Green Tea Popcorn (matcha powder and icing sugar) / Caramelized Popcorn

It is so easy and simple to make popcorn at home. I bought a packet of raw popcorn (400g) for around $1.10 and within a few minutes I can enjoy my fresh popcorn. If you like it plain and healthy, there is no need to add anything (salt, butter or syrup). For a quick one, just toss with maple syrup or golden syrup. For a butter flavour variation, melt some non-dairy margarine plus some salt and mix well with the popcorn. This recipe can also be use as one of the kid activities during rainy days or school holidays, with a adult supervision!

Preparation: 2 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g raw popcorn
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° 50ml maple syrup, or to taste

Method
1. Place the oil in a large sauce pan or wok. Pour in the raw popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon to mix well, ensuring all the raw popcorn are coated with oil.
2. Place the lid on the sauce pan or wok and set to medium heat. After 3 minutes, you will hear the popcorn starting to pop, do not remove the lid. Shake the pan or wok occasionally to prevent the popcorn from burning.
3. When the popping noises have slowed down and hardly any popping, off the fire. Stir in the maple syrup and ensure the popcorn is well coated.
4. Transfer the popcorn to a bowl and serve.

Cup Corn

The secret to sweet and delicious cup corn is to use fresh corn on the cob. Remove the kernels from the corn on the cob, stream and season with non dairy margarine and salt. Frozen corn can be used but the result is not that desired.

Preparation: 2 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 ears corn on the cob, cut or peeled kernels off the cob
° 1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
° salt, to taste

Method
1. Put the corn kernels in a heatproof serving plate and steam for 10 minutes. Mix well with margarine and salt.
2. Serve hot.

Steamed Chestnut

I saw the lovely chestnuts (shells removed and the skins still on) in the supermarket and brought some at the price of $6.80 per kilogram. Chestnut is the least fatty and starchiest of the nuts and is richly nutritious as well.

There are many ways to cook chestnut, boiling with water, roasting in the oven or roasting in a large wok fill with sand or coffee beans which we sometime see some street hawkers doing. I just steam it, the easiest way I think, eat it while it is hot as when it cooled down it is slightly difficult to peel the skin. To peel off the skin of the chestnut prior to steaming, just put them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before peeling.

Preparation: 3 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (20± pieces)
° 250g fresh chestnut (shell removed), rinsed

Method
1. Place the mushroom in a heat proof serving bowl and steam for 15-20 minutes.
2. Serve warm.

Steamed Banana Cake

Steamed banana cake usually calls for rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar and salt. I have a packet of waffle pancake mix (‘Red Man’ brand) and some ripe bananas. So, I make some steamed banana cake.

It is extremely simple and easy, as the pancake premix contains most of the ingredients, I just need to add water, coconut milk and mashed banana. To make the cake look nicer, you may add some yellow colouring, but I choose not to. You may even garnish with some desiccated coconut if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (makes 8-10 pieces)
° 200g waffle-pancake mix
° 100ml water
° 100ml coconut milk or fresh unsweetened soy milk
° 2 (300g) ripe bananas, mashed

Method
1. Combine the mashed banana, flour, water, coconut milk in bowl. Mix well.
2. Grease a heat-proof ware, pour in the cake mixture and cover with plastic wrap or banana leave on top.
3. Steam for 25-30 minutes or until it is springy. Set aside to cool and cut into small squares.
4. Serve smaller serving.

Caramelized Taro

Kids will love this caramelized snack - Taro coated with sugar. This recipe make used of simple ingredients and is easy to make. To have crystallized sugar coated on the taro, you can increase the amount of sugar used, otherwise, this is just fine.

Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g taro (yam), peeled, cut into 1.5cm thickness matchstick length
° oil, for deep-frying
° 30g sugar
° 15ml water

Method
1. Heat oil over a high fire and fry the taro until soft. Remove and drain well on kitchen paper.
2. Stir in water in a clean work and add in the sugar. Boil over low heat and keep stirring until the solution thickens. Throw in the taro and stir-fry until the taros are caramelized or coated with sugar crystals.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Corn on the Cob

This is a healthy snack. How to cook corn on the cob? You can steam, boil, microwave, bake or grill. How do you like your corn on the cob? Butter, salt, pepper, chilli powder or just spread some vegetarian salad cream or egg less mayonnaise. You may even experiment it with other spices and discover something new.

Preparation: 2 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 ears corn on the cob
° 700ml water
° non-dairy margarine or olive oil
° salt, to taste
° black pepper, to taste

Method
1. Place the corns and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes or until the corns are tender. Remove and drain.
2. Put the corns on the plate, use a brush to brush some margarine on it. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Muah Chee (Sesame Flavour)

This is another variant of Muah Chee by adding instant black sesame paste powder to the dough giving it another flavour.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 150g glutinous rice flour
° ½ sachet (25g) instant black sesame paste powder
° 280ml water
° 1 tablespoon sugar
° ½ tablespoon vegetable oil

Peanut Mixture
° 100g roasted peanuts powder
° 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Method
1. Combine the flour, sesame paste powder, water, sugar and oil in bowl. Mix well.
2. Grease a heat-proof ware, pour in the muah chee mixture and steam for 10-15 minutes or until it turn gooey.
3. Meanwhile, to make the peanut mixture, combine the peanuts, sesame seeds and sugar in a plate. Set aside.
4. Scoop out the cooked muah chee dough and use a pair of scissors to snip into small nuggets and coat it with the peanut mixture.
5. Serve warm.

Muah Chee (A Traditional Sweet Snack)

Muah Chee, anyone? Muah Chee is a simple traditional snack or street food eaten throughout Southeast Asia. It is made of gooey rice dough cut into small nuggets and coated with finely crushed peanuts and sugar. In this recipe, I had added sesame seeds which may be grinded to be added to the peanut mixture. Usually, the cooked muah chee dough is keep warm and is coated with oil (shallot oil) to prevent it drying up. If you are to prepare it immediately, you can omit adding oil. Omit sugar in the muah chee mixture, if desired but it may be a bit bland.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 150g glutinous rice flour
° 250ml water
° 1 tablespoon sugar
° ½ tablespoon vegetable oil

Peanut Mixture
° 100g roasted peanuts powder
° 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
° 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Method
1. Combine the flour, water, sugar and oil in bowl. Mix well.
2. Grease a heat-proof ware, pour in the muah chee mixture and steam for 10-15 minutes or until it turn gooey.
3. Meanwhile, to make the peanut mixture, combine the peanuts, sesame seeds and sugar in a plate. Set aside.
4. Scoop out the cooked muah chee dough and use a pair of scissors to snip into small nuggets and coat it with the peanut mixture.
5. Serve warm.

Crispy Shiitake Mushroom

Deep-fried fresh shiitake mushrooms coated with tapioca flour can be a tasty snack by itself.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients
° 250g fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed, pat dry and sliced
° 80g-100g tapioca flour
° salt and pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Add the tapioca flour, salt, pepper and mixed well.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Place the mushrooms into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.

Vegetarian Popiah - Fresh Spring Rolls

Popiah or fresh spring rolls are a popular street food, which is filled with stewed julienned yam bean, beansprouts etc and wrapped in a paper-thin crepe.

Preparation: 20 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (makes 10-12)
° 20-24 pieces fresh popiah wrappers
° 100g sweet sauce

Chilli Sauce
° 6 fresh red chilli,
° salt and sugar, to taste

Yam Bean Filling
° 600g yam bean, peeled, shredded and drained
° 2 chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and shredded
° 50g carrot, peeled and shredded
° 2 tablespoons vegetables oil
° 1 thin slice ginger or 1 clove garlic or 1 shallot
° ½ tablespoon salted soybean paste
° 350ml water
° 1½ tablespoons sugar, or to taste
° 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
° 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Other Filling
° 12 chinese lettuce leaves
° 120g beansprouts, tailed and blanched
° 120g grounded peanut
° vegan ‘egg’ (optional)
° a small handful fresh coriander sprig

Method

To prepare chilli sauce
1. Blend the chill in a blender or food processor until it is a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

To prepare yam bean filling
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger or garlic or shallot and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the salted soy bean paste and stir-fry briskly until aromatic.
3. Add the yam bean, mushrooms, carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in water, sugar, salt, light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster. Stir occasionally and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly dry. Season with sesame oil and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

To wrap popiah
1. Place 2 fresh Popiah wrappers overlapping each other on chopping board. Spread sweet sauce and chilli sauce on it.
2. Place a small Chinese lettuce leaf in the centre and top with yam bean filling, beansprouts, grounded peanut, vegan ‘egg’ and coriander sprig.
3. Roll up and cut into 4 or 5 pieces and serve.

Tip

1. How to make Vegan Scrambled Egg.

2. A pinch of chinese five-spice powder can be added, if desired. Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and Light Soy Sauce can be optional.

Crispy Curried Potatoes Wonton

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (makes 40)
° 2 packs (40 pcs) wonton wrappers
° 75g potatoes, peeled and finely diced
° 50g carrot, peeled and finely diced
° 50g onion (optional), finely diced
° ½ teaspoon salt
° ½ teaspoon sugar
° 1 tablespoon curry powder (meat blend)
° ½ teaspoon chilli powder
° 40 pieces curry leaves
° 150ml water
° 2 tablespoons coconut milk (optional)
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan, add the curry leaves and fry for half a minute. Stir in curry paste, fry until thickened and fragrant.
3. Stir in the potatoes, carrot, onion, water, coconut milk and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add salt and sugar and cook till the gravy is slightly thickened. Set aside.
4. Lay a wonton wrapper in front of you. Place a bit of filling in the middle. Fold up the wonton diagonally, making sure the end meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal.
5. Heat wok with oil. Add wanton few at a time, sliding them in carefully and turning to make sure they are golden brown evenly.
6. Drain on paper towels and served as soon as possible to ensure they remain crispy.

Crispy Stuffed Beancurd

A quick and easy to prepare snack which are enjoyed by many at home and at the Night Market Street Stalls (Pasa Malam).

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 2 firm tofu/beancurd (225g), cut diagonally and make a slit at the base
° 4 slices cucumber
° 40g bean spouts, trimmed
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Heat oil over a high fire and deep fry the beancurds until golden brown. Remove, drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
2. Blanch the bean spouts in boiling water for 1 minute and drain well.
3. Stuff the beancurds with a slice of cucumber and some bean spouts. Serves with chilli sauce.

Tempura Vegetable Fritters

Combining chopped vegetables and tempura batter to make lacy, feather-light and a slightly see through crispy vegetable fritters. Serve with a small bowl of tempura dipping sauce with finely grated daikon (radish) and ginger.

Preparation: 15 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 50g carrot, peeled and cut into short lengths
° 50g white radish, peeled and cut into short lengths
° 6 French beans, tailed and cut into short lengths
° 2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
° 25g tempura batter mix
° ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
° 50ml ice cold water
° oil, for deep-frying
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional), for deep-frying

Tempera Dipping Sauce
° 4 dried kelps in knot
° 150ml water
° 20ml miri or 10ml cooking rice wine
° 25ml shoyu or 35ml light soy sauce
° 20g daikon, peeled, finely grated and squeezed to remove excess liquid
° 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated

Method
1. Place all the julienned vegetables in a bowl. Add the tempera batter mix, salt, water and mixed well.
2. Heat oil and sesame oil in a deep-fryer or wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Drop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the vegetable fritters with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
4. Place the dried kelps and water in a small pot to make vegetarian dashi stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until 100ml stock left in the pot. Stir in mirin, shoyu and reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve with grated daikon and ginger.

Tip
1. Use fresh batch of oil and ensure that the deep-fryer or wok is filled with one-third full of oil for deep frying.
2. For every 150g of julienned vegetables, use 25g of tempura batter mix and 50ml of ice cold water.
3. Stir in ¼ teaspoon of sugar if light soy sauce is used for the dipping sauce, if desired.
4. Curry powder can be added to the batter, if desired.

Fried Wanton with Tofu Fillings

Deep-FriendWantons of different shapes - candy shape, triangle and big square.

Deep-Fried Wanton in 'candy shape' with vegetarian salad cream or vegan mayonnaise.

This is a simple to made excellent party snack using tofu. Serve these crispy wontons with chilli sauce.

Preparation: 15 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (makes 40 pieces)
° 2 packs (40pcs) wonton wrapper
° 1 (225g) firm tofu (beancurd), washed, pat dry with kitchen paper and mashed
° 1-2 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
° ½ carrot (optional), blanched and chopped
° 2 spring onions or coriander leaves, chopped
° ½ fresh chilli (optional), chopped
° 1-1.5 tablespoons self-raising flour
° 1 tablespoon corn starch
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil
° sugar, to taste
° salt, to taste
° pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Combine the mashed tofu, mushrooms, carrot, spring onion/coriander leaves, chilli, flour, corn starch, sesame oil, sugar, salt, pepper and mix well. This is the wonton filling.
2. Lay a wonton wrapper in front of you. Place a bit of filling in the middle. Fold up the wonton diagonally, making sure the end meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal.
3. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok and fry in batches until golden brown.
4. Remove the wonton with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and serve as soon as possible to ensure they remain crispy.

Tip
1. Put wontons in oven or microwave for 1-2 minutes if they lose their crispiness.
2. 1 small mashed potato can be added, and self-raising flour can be removed.
3. Mashed potatoes can be used instead of firm tofu.