Pandan Kaya / Coconut Jam

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs (55g each)

250g caster sugar

350ml coconut milk

10 blades of pandan leaves
extra blades of pandan leaves (optional)

• Cut pandan leaves into small pieces and blend together with coconut milk. Strain and discard the pulp.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and pandan-coconut milk mixture. Using a balloon whisk, stir until sugar dissolves.  Add in eggs and whisk to combine; then strain mixture directly into the pot.  Add in pandan leaves (if desired).
• Place the pot of mixture on a double boiler under low heat.  The water should be just simmering with bubbles at the bottom of the saucepan. Use a silicon spatula to keep stirring the kaya until it starts to get thick and sticky.  (It took me 1 hour to get to the desired consistency. The jam will thicken further once it is cooled).
• Remove kaya from heat.  Discard the pandan leaves.
• Fill kaya into sterilised jars immediately and leave it to cool in the jar (with the lid off) before storing in the fridge.

Homemade Curry Paste

Using prepackaged curry paste is so convenient and I must admit I do stocked up a few packets in my pantry. However, when my mood strikes, I will make my own curry paste from scratch and the extra effort is worth the trouble.  It tastes so much better and is preservatives free!  Cook up a big batch and store them in jars and they can keep in the refrigerator for weeks.  Use this paste as a base for your curries, be it curry laksa or chicken curry or even vegetables curry.    How easy is that?  

The recipe below makes about 1285g of curry paste


(A) Processed into fine paste:
450g small brown onions, quartered
60g garlic
40g ginger
6 stalks lemongrass, cut finely
about 20 candlenuts
6 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

ingredients (A) 

(B) Processed into fine paste:
100g large dried chillies
20g dried bird's eye chillies
30g belacan (shrimp paste), toasted (see Note below)

softened dried chillies

toasted shrimp paste

(C) Processed until fine:

70g dried shrimps, washed and soaked 5 mins

(D) 
40g grated gula melaka (palm sugar)
zest of 2 kaffir limes
60ml fish sauce 
2 tbsp light soy
5 tbsp tomato sauce (optional)
1 tbsp salt, adjust accordingly
1.5 cup cooking oil (approx)
4 blades of pandan leaves, optional

1. With a little oil, lightly fry the dried shrimps until fragrant.  Transfer out and set aside.
2. Heat up about 50ml oil, saute ingredients (A) under medium fire for about 20 - 25 minutes.  
3. Then add in ingredients (B) and continue frying for about another 30 minutes. Add in fried dried shrimps and all the ingredients (D).  Keep stirring until oil begins to 'separate'.
4. Remove the pandan leaves.  Store paste in clean, screw-top jars and keep them refrigerated.

Note: To toast belacan (shrimp paste), place it onto a piece of aluminium foil over a frying pan and toast over low heat for about a minute, until the edges of the belacan are lighter in colour. (Omit belacan if you can't stand the pungent smell).

Coconut Jam (Kaya)

Kaya literally means "rich" in Malay.  It certainly is an appropriate name for this rich, thick and silky smooth jam which is a blend of coconut cream, sugar and eggs with a hint of the pandan fragrance.  Caramelised sugar is added to give the jam a deep golden colour.

I love kaya on toast or in a cheese sandwich and also on crackers too.  What about you?

Recipe adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover's Caramel Coconut Jam

Ingredients:

4 eggs (55g each)

250g caster sugar

350ml coconut milk

a few blades of pandan leaves

• To make the caramel, melt 100g of sugar in a pot over low fire.  Allow the sugar to dissolve completely and turn into a deep golden colour, swirling the pot as you go.  Remove from heat.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and coconut milk.  Using a balloon whisk, stir until sugar dissolves.  Then add in eggs and whisk to combine.
• Strain coconut and egg mixture directly into the caramel.  Add in pandan leaves.
• Place the pot of kaya mixture on the double boiler under low heat.  The water should be just simmering with bubbles at the bottom of the saucepan. Use a silicon spatula to keep stirring the kaya until it starts to get thick and sticky.  (It took me 1 hour to get to the desired consistency).  The jam will thicken further once it is cooled).
• Remove kaya from heat.  Discard the pandan leaves.
• Fill in sterilised jars immediately and leave it to cool in the jar (with the lid off) before storing in the fridge.

Vegetarian Sambal Tumis

Blend together:
250g fresh red chillies, cut into pieces
7g turmeric, sliced
30g galangal, sliced
30g lemongrass, sliced
10g bunga kantan (torch ginger), sliced
1 cup water

Seasoning: (to taste)
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp sugar
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
1 tbsp lime juice (optional)

5 tbsp cooking oil

• Place water and all the ingredients into a blender and blend until fine.
• Transfer blended ingredients into a heated frying pan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes.  Then add in cooking oil and sugar.  Cook until sambal starts to turn a deeper red.
• Add in the rest of the seasoning.  Cook for another 15 minutes until oil separates from the chilli.
• Transfer sambal into a clean and dry glass container.  Keep it refrigerated.

Sambal Mushroom Stems

Dried shiitake mushrooms

Do you discard dried shiitake mushrooms stems after using the caps for cooking? Some people used the tough and fibrous stems to flavour their soup and then discard them before serving. However, I love to save and freeze them for making vegetarian sambal.  Building up my collection of mushroom stems takes several months, but it's worth the wait. 

Before cooking, blitz the mushroom stems in the food processor or crush them with mortar and pestle.  I prefer using the latter to achieve the 'floss-like' texture.  Cook your favourite sambal recipe and just add in the pounded mushroom stems and you'll have a bowl of delicious sambal! 

Ingredients:

About 3 cups of mushroom stems (soaked in water overnight) 

salt & sugar, to taste

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

2 tbsp light soy sauce

enough oil

Sambal paste:

200g shallots

100g garlic

4 stalk lemon grass (use the white parts only)

a knob of galangal

a small knob of turmeric

6 candlenuts

2 tbsp chopped bunga kantan

5 tbsp chili powder

some water 

• Blend all the sambal ingredients into paste.  Set aside.
• Pound the mushroom stems using mortar and pestle until you achieved 'floss-like' texture.  Set aside.
• Heat enough oil to fry the pounded mushroom stems under low heat until dry. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Heat enough oil to stir fry the pounded ingredients until aromatic.  Add in the mushroom stems and shredded kaffir lime leaves and stir to combine.  Add in light soy sauce, salt and sugar. Continue to fry until dry.

Grinding Your Own Pepper

The one spice that I must have in my pantry at all times is pepper, be it white or black.  I just love the aroma of ground pepper - but not the ground pepper sold in the supermarkets because they lack of taste and flavour!  For maximum flavour and freshness, I buy whole peppercorns and grind them myself.  It is easy to make your own ground pepper at home and it also allows you to skip undesirable additives that had been added to the pre-ground store-bought pepper.

Before grinding, rinse the peppercorns and drained thoroughly before toasting them lightly in a dry frying pan.  Toasting the peppercorns will heighten their flavour even further. Allow them to cool before putting them into a coffee or spice grinder (my coffee/spice grinder is dedicated solely to grinding pepper and other spices). Then sift the ground pepper through a fine mesh strainer to remove any coarser bits (which can be used to marinate meat or fish). Store the freshly ground pepper in an airtight container. Bear in mind that ground pepper only keeps its kick for about 3 months.  

How to clean the coffee/spice grinder:  Since the coffee/spice grinder cannot be washed, I whizzed a handful of uncooked rice in the grinder; then use a brush to clean out all the rice flour. Wipe with a slightly damp cloth before leaving it to air-dry.

Time to go pick up some peppercorns and take out your grinder?  Let me assure you that it's worth your while when you smell the robust aroma of the freshly ground pepper.

Pandan Kaya (Pandan Coconut Jam)

I have never make Pandan Kaya before and since I have some frozen pandan leaves sitting in my freezer, I decided to make some for my Pulut Tai Tai.  Blended with coconut milk, the pandan leaves impart such a lovely green hue and lovely aroma to the kaya.  I adapted this recipe from Sonia's Homemade Pandan Kaya.  My kaya however didn't turn out as smooth as Sonia's.

Ingredients:

5 eggs
390g caster sugar
585g coconut milk
9 pandan leaves, cut into small pieces

• Blend pandan leaves together with coconut milk in a blender.  Strain and discard the pulp.

• In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk eggs and sugar together using a balloon whisk, until sugar dissolves.

• Pour coconut milk  mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
  

•  Strain the mixture into a double boiler set over low fire.

• Stir kaya mixture constantly until it thickens (or reach the desired consistency).

after cooking for 15 minutes

after cooking for 1 hour 10 minutes

• Store kaya in a dry and clean container and keep refrigerated.

Homemade Curry Powder

Ingredients:  [Yields about 45g curry powder]

(A)
20g coriander seeds
15g cumin seeds
15g fennel seeds
15g or more dried chillies, remove seeds
1 clove
1 star anise

(B)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp tumeric powder

• Put all the ingredients (A) into a sieve and rinse with water.  Drain thoroughly.  
• Then place the spices into a frying pan (without oil) and toast the spices on low heat, tossing constantly until fragrant.  Leave to cool in the pan.
• In a grinder or blender, grind the toasted spices into fine powder.  Add in ingredients (B) and continue to blitz until combined.  
• Sift the ground spices through a fine mesh-sieve, and return the coarser remains in the sieve to the grinder and grind again.  Discard any residue that cannot pass through the sieve.
• Store in an airtight glass jar.

Tofu Dressing on Salad

This tofu dressing is incredibly creamy and smooth.  It can be served as a salad dressing or a dip for raw vegetables. And it is pretty healthy too!

Ingredients:

140g soft tofu
1 tbsp white sesame seeds (toasted)
40g chickpeas
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
dash of pepper
5 tbsp lemon juice  (adjust according to taste)
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Place all the ingredients except olive oil  into the Spectablend and blend until smooth.
• While the blender is running, drizzle in olive oil and blend until it reaches the consistency of a salad dressing.
  
  

Thai Chilli Paste (Nam Prik Pao)

 

Adapted from She Simmers' Nam Prik Pao Recipe (น้ำพริกเผา) – Thai Chilli Jam

Ingredients:

160g fresh cayenne chillies
130g garlic, sliced
200g shallots, sliced
60g toasted shrimp paste (belacan)
125g pure coconut sugar/palm sugar, grated
80g dried shrimps, washed and drained
4 tbsp tamarind paste
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 cup water
200ml cooking oil

• In a dry wok over low-heat,  toast chillies until lightly charred.  Set aside.
• Heat a little oil in a wok over medium-high heat and fry the sliced shallots, garlic and dried shrimps separately until light brown and fragrant.  Set aside.
• Grind the dried shrimps in a grinder until very fine.  Set aside. 
• Using a food processor or a pestle & mortar, process the chillies, garlic, shallots, toasted shrimp paste and water until a thick paste is formed.  
• Heat oil in a wok and add in the paste, dried shrimps, tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally; for about 15 minutes or until you achieved the consistency you desired.  
• Store your chilli paste in clean, dry glass jars.  They will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Lemon-Orange Curd

Yield 1¼ cups of curd

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

85g caster sugar

50ml lemon juice

50ml orange juice

40g butter, chopped into small cubes

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar until combined.  Add in lemon and orange juice and continue to whisk until incorporated.  Strain into a stainless steel bowl.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure that the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water).  Whisk continuously until it thickens and custard-like.  Whisk in butter.  
• Remove from heat and pour into a container.  Cover immediately with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming.  The lemon-orange curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Refrigerate.  (Keep up to a week)

Suggestions:  Use as a spread for crackers, scones or filling for tarts, pies, cakes, swiss roll, etc etc.

Hummus

Ingredients:

400g cooked chickpeas
1/4 tsp seasalt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp cooking liquid **
2 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 cup sesame seeds- lightly toasted

Chickpeas:

• Wash and soak chickpeas overnight.
• Rinse the chickpeas and add to a pot of boiling water.  Cook until very soft.
• Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid for later **

Sesame Seeds:

• Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan under low heat.  Keep stirring and fry until light brown.  Set aside to cool.
• Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a blender into a fine powder. 

 To make Hummus:

• Put cooked chickpeas in the food processor and blend.  Gradually add in reserved liquid (from chickpeas).  Continue to blend until smooth.
• Add in garlic, lemon juice, sesame powder, oil,  salt and pepper.  Add more liquid if required.  The paste should be thick and creamy.
• Serve hummus with pita bread or crackers.

Eggplant Dip

Ingredients:

500g eggplant
1 red capsicum
6 cloves garlic (leave the skin intact)
2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted and grind to powder
salt & pepper, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
3 - 4 tbsp olive oil

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Cut the eggplants into halves, lengthwise, with the skin on. 
• Cut the capsicum into quarters, lengthwise. Remove the central seeds and membrane.
• Rub eggplants, capsicum and garlic cloves with olive oil and place them onto a baking tray, cut-side down.  Put in the garlic cloves
• Roast for about 35 - 40 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft and the skin of the capsicum charred and blistered.
• Remove from oven.  Transfer the eggplant to a bowl to cool.  Then scoop out the flesh.
• Transfer the capsicum to a sealable plastic bag and set aside for 15 minutes.  Then peel the skin off.
• Place the flesh of the eggplant, capsicum, roasted garlic (without the skin), sesame powder, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a food processor.   Process until smooth or to a consistency that you preferred. 
• Serve with pita bread, crackers, etc.

Sambal Belacan

A must have spicy Malaysian condiment which goes well with fried noodles, fried rice, fish, etc. Everyone has his/her own version of Sambal Belacan.  A very simple recipe which called for chillies, belacan (shrimp paste), salt and sugar.  Before serving, a squeeze of lime/lemon juice is added into the sambal to give a little sourness. 

Ingredients: Adjust ingredients according to your taste.

large red chillies (or cayenne pepper)
bird's eye chillies
belacan (shrimp paste) - toasted
salt
sugar

oil

• Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend into a rough paste. 
• Cook the paste with enough oil for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.  
• Store in a clean jar.  The sambal can be stored in the fridge for weeks. 

Sambal Dried Shrimps

Ingredients:

250g dried shrimps, washed and soaked
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
cooking oil

Sambal paste: (pound all ingredients together)

100g shallots
50g garlic
1 stalk lemon grass
2 tbsp chopped bunga kantan
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
3 tbsp chilli powder


Method:

• Pound the dried shrimps (or you can blitz them in a food processor until fine) and lightly fry with 2 tbsp of oil in a wok.  Remove from wok and set aside.
• Heat about 6 tbsp oil in the wok and fry pounded ingredients until aromatic.  Add in the dried shrimps; mix well and fry over low heat for about 10 minutes.  Add in sugar and fish sauce and continue to fry for about a minute of two.  Finally add in shredded kaffir lime leaves and mix well.
• Store in a clean jar once it is cool.