Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

I seldom to find anybody says no to banana muffin, even at the simplest form
I will definitely say yes! Especially when it's less guilty!
These muffins use healthier ingredients yet not compromising on the texture and taste. Yum!

Recipe is from Two Peas & Their Pod

What you need:

2 cups white whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
turbinado sugar for sprinkling (I skipped, which I regretted LOL)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180degC. Line muffin pan with paper liners, set aside
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon
3. In another large bowl, mix together mashed banana, brown sugar, coconut oil, egg, yoghurt and vanilla extract
4. Fold in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just til combined (do not overmix otherwise the muffin might be tough)
5. Fill muffin liners 3/4 full. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until skewer comes out clean, about 25minutes
6. Remove from oven and transfer onto cooling rack. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container

Ontbijtkoek

Originated from Netherlands, this well known Dutch spice bread/cake, with rye as one of the main ingredients and uses many kind of spices, mainly cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It's known that it's a breakfast menu and people have it with a spread of butter. It's stated too that different parts of Netherlands have their own version
Being under Dutch for the longest time, this treat is quite popular in Indonesia
I have never tried the original version from Netherlands, but back in Indonesia, what mostly sold is the moist sponge cake type with the usage of butter nowadays. During my parent's generation and older, the recipe is not using butter, hence the drier texture, even though it's still soft

This cake brings memories about my mom, as this is one of her favorite. She always baked this cake from time to time. I myself like it but never made an attempt to bake it myself. What I remember is her version is using butter resulting in soft spongy cake

I was browsing through many recipes and I was overwhelmed with so many different kinds I didn't know which one to choose. Some use rye flour, some don't. Some use honey, molasses, oil, milk, etc etc

Since this is my first trial, I decided to try the first recipe I found, which is the Indonesian version, the older time recipe with no butter (well, the truth is, I had no butter in the fridge on the day I baked this cake, hence the choice of recipe haha..)
Very easy and fast to prepare, but true enough, as expected, the cake is rather dry, but still soft, and it's pretty tall. Taste delicious and really fragrant. I still enjoy having it with a cup of tea and it turned slightly more moist the next day

Here's the recipe... Source from Yasa Boga

 

What you need:

 

125g palm sugar (I used the powder kind)

5 egg yolks

3 egg whites

125g plain flour

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground clove (I skipped)

50g chopped almond / walnut for topping (I skipped)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Butter a loaf pan, line and spread another layer of butter
2. In a bowl, mix plain flour with cinnamon and nutmeg, sieve and set aside
3. In another mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar til thick and fluffy
4. Reduce speed to the lowest and add in sifted flour mixture until just combined
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle chopped nuts if using and bake for about 35-40mins til skewer test comes out clean
6. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack

 



After sorting out, I have two more versions of recipe waiting to try out. One is the Indonesian version with butter, and the other one is the one using rye flour, supposedly to be the original kind since I found it in one of Dutch food blog LOL
When I have the craving for this cake, I will give them a try and will let you know which one is my favorite :)

Choipan

Choipan, or some call it Chaipau, or Chaikue, is one famous Indonesian snack which is similar to soon kueh here in Singapore
The difference is more to the dipping sauce used. Choipan used chili vinaigrette sauce while we eat soon kueh with either or both of dark soya sauce and chili sauce
Been awhile since the last time I had choipan. So good I had the chance to make it myself :)

Must still practice more to get thinner skin. Mine is still too thick, even though it's yummy! LOL

 

 

 

Recipe is from IG eliz_willyam

 

What you need:

 

For the skin:

100g rice flour

5g tapioca starch

225g water

1.5 tbsp vegetable oil

about 1/2 tsp salt

 

For the filling:

1/2 large turnip, peeled and coarsely grated into long thin stripes

1 big carrot, peeled and coarsely grated into long thin stripes

1 big handful of dried shrimp, soak in hot water, rinse when it's soften and mince finely

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

salt, pepper, sugar cooking oil

 

For the chili vinaigrette dipping sauce:

3 large red chilies. deseed and cut (or you may used red bird's eye chilies to make it spicier)

1 large clove of garlic

white vinegar, salt, sugar

cooled boiled water

 

Method:

 

For the skin:

1. Mix both flours with water til combined and sieve into a non stick pan
2. Add in salt and oil. Cook over low fire while continuously stirring til cooked and not stick to the pan
3. Remove from pan and transfer to a ziplock bag. Knead while it's still hot until smooth and elastic
4. Shape into balls (mine is 25g each)

For the filling:

1. Heat a pan with oil. Sauté garlic and dried shrimp til fragrant. Add in turnip and carrot, followed by salt, sugar and pepper. Stir and cook til soft. Adjust the taste and then off the fire

For the sauce:

1. Blend together chilies, garlic, vinegar, salt and sugar til smooth. Add in water enough just to dilute the mixture

To assemble:

Take the skin dough that has been shaped into balls. Make a dent at the center and spoon filling (about 1tbsp). Seal while at the same time shaping it into half circle

Another way is you may flatten the ball and place the filling at one side of the circle. Fold the other side of the circle over the filling and seal

 

To steam:

Place the shaped choipan on a stainless steel plate with a banana leaf on it. Sprinkle with some cooking oil and steam in a preheated steamer for about 15 to 20 mins

Serve with the dipping sauce

 

Yum!

 

Baked Fish In Banana Leaves & Sambal Long Beans

Fish is one dish that best served simple. Like this one. Easy and simple. Satisfying and yummy :)
I had this fish with light soya sauce mixed with cut chili padi as a dip (not in the picture)

 

 

Recipe is from Nob Cook

 

What you need:

 

1 whole fish (I used seabass, you can use red snapper as per original recipe)

1 large banana leaf, divide into 2

1 1/2 tbsp ginger juice (peel, grate and squeeze old ginger)

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp lime juice

dash of white pepper

 

Method:

1. Rinse clean fish including the inner side. Make a few slits on each side. Pat dry with kitchen towel
2. In a small bowl, combine ginger juice, light soya sauce and lime juice also white pepper. Stir well
3. Brush the mixture all over the fish. Marinate for about 1hour at least
4. Place banana leaf over stove (low fire) to make it soft. Another way is to rinse with hot boiling water
5. Place the leaf on the baking tray (I used Happy Call pan which has been preheated). Place the fish at the centre and pour the remaining marinade mixture. Cover it with another piece of banana leaf and secure all sides with toothpick
6. Lock the pan and cook over very low fire til fully cooked, about 20mins (you may bake it in the preheated oven of 170degC for about 15mins
7. Once cooked, transfer to a serving plate including the banana leaf (discard the top part)

 

 

 

 

Side dish is sambal long beans. I find they compliment each other really well :)

 

I cooked this dish simply by sautéing garlic and mixed in my Indonesian white condiment paste and some deseeded and coarsely blended large red chilies. Stir til fragrant and add in cut long beans and a little bit of water. Cook til long beans softened. So simple :)

Nasi Liwet Sunda (Rice Cooker)

This is one Indonesian rice dish that's pretty popular too
I have ever posted a similar rice dish with the same name, you may view it HERE, but that was from Central Java whereas this is from West Java

This version from West Java is basically much simpler than what I cooked previously, and it's even simpler as I cooked the rice cooker version
Delicious and tasty rice, my family loves it. It goes well with any side dish, most commonly is fried chicken. This time I didn't want to complicate things, I paired up the rice with all simple side dishes :)

Accompanying the rice are simple scrambled eggs, fried silver fish, beef floss, fried onion, and sambal belachan. Yum!

 

Recipe is from IG doyancooking by @dewinincy

What you need:

2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 lemongrass, lightly bruised
5 Indonesian bay leaves
5 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
salt, sugar, pepper
enough vegetable oil to sauté
enough chicken stock to cook the rice
2 large chilies, sliced (optional, I skipped)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add in bay leaves, lemongrass, stir
2. Transfer to rice cooker, add in water and seasonings. Test the taste, and make adjustment accordingly
3. Add in rice, stir gently and press cook. Fluff up the rice when it's ready
4. Serve with side dishes of your choice

Perfection often means simplicity :)