Choco Banana & Coconut Buns

Recipe source: HERE

What you need:

300g bread flour
60g sugar
10g milk powder
2 egg yolks + 40g whipping cream + fresh milk = 220g (cold)
5g yeast
30g butter
2g salt

Filling: (optional and up to preference)
steamed raja banana
chocolate rice

Coconut filling can be viewed HERE

Method:

1. In a breadmaker pan, add in wet ingredients: egg yolks, whipping cream, milk
2. Followed by dry ingredients (in this order and make sure yeast and salt do not mix): salt, flour, sugar and yeast
3. Start kneading and after 5minutes, add in butter
4. Let the machine does the kneading and first proofing, total 1.5hour
5. Take out the dough and transfer to a kneading mat lightly floured
6. Knead a few times to further release air bubbles
7. Shape dough into 40g balls and add fillings accordingly
8. Shape the dough balls according to your liking and place on a lined baking pan
9. Leave to proof covered with damp cloth, let it rise about 20-30mins depending on how warm the temperature is. Meantime, preheat the oven to 180degC
10. Brush the top of each bun with fresh milk and bake on middle rack for 20mins or til the top is browned
11. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack
12. Store in an airtight container

Arem Arem Ayam

I dunno how to call this dish in English. It's basically tasty rice with filling compressed in banana leaf and steamed. Appear similar to lontong (rice cake) but with more flavor and unlike lontong, this dish has filling of choice

Recipe is from Diah Didi

What you need:
(doubled the original recipe)

500g rice, washed
250ml thick coconut milk
750ml water*
1tsp salt
3 daun salam
enough banana leaves and toothpick for wrapping

For the filling:

300g minced chicken
2 large carrots, chop finely
250ml thick coconut milk
550ml water
8 shallots, peeled and halved
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
4 large chilis, deseed and cut**
3tsp sugar
1tsp chicken stock powder
2tsp salt
3 daun salam
2cm blue ginger, lightly pounded
1 lemongrass, lightly pounded
3 lime leaves

Method:

1. For the rice, mix everything in a rice cooker and let cook
2. For the filling, blend shallots, garlic and chili until formed a paste
3. In a pan, heat a little oil and sautee the paste until fragrant.
4. Add in minced chicken and cook until change color
5. Add in carrot, coconut milk and water, followed by daun salam, blue ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves
6. Add in salt, sugar and chicken stock powder. Stir well and let it boil, stir ocassionally
7. Simmer until almost all liquid absorbed. Check the taste and adjust accordingly. Let cool
8. Place a clean banana leaf and spoon rice, put at one side of the leaf (the side closer to you), flatten it and add chicken filling over it. Cover with more rice placed on top of the chicken, and shape using the back of spoon to compress it
9. Roll the banana leaf away from you to wrap the rice like how u do when u make swissroll 
10. Tighten it and seal each end with toothpick. Do the same to the remaining rice (I was left with extra chicken filling cos I put too little filling in the first few rolls)
11. Place rolls in the steamer and steam for 45minutes medium fire. Once done, remove from steamer and serve warm

*The water quantity depends on the texture of rice that you prefer. Typically, it should be on the softer side, to make it easier to clump together and shape like lontong. My kids don't like lontong and all kinds of rice which is soft, so I used 750ml water. If not, I would have added another 100ml water instead

**I didn't use chili as my kids do not fancy spicy food. For me and hubby, I added sambal on top of the chicken filling

Some people enjoy eating arem arem with spicy peanut sauce, I didn't prepare that as we're fine without it :)

Oh one thing I still have to learn is how to make it smaller. All my rolls are giant sizes LOL

Place rice and filling on one side of the leaf

Before steaming

After steaming

The not spicy for the kids

Spicy of course for me :)

Thai Iced Milk Tea

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:
(for 1glass)

3tbsp Thai tea leaves
1cup hot boiled water
1.5tbsp sweet condensed milk
2tsp sugar
a pinch of salt
ice cubes
cheese cloth to strain tea leaves

Method:

1. Wrap tea leaves in a cheese cloth and put into a cup or bowl. I like to clip the tip to the edge of the cup to prevent it from sinking in. Pour water into the cup. Let steep for 3minutes (I tried to steep for 5minutes it was too strong to our liking)
2. Remove tea leaves and add in sweet condensed milk, sugar and salt. Stir well
3. Pour into a cup with ice cube. Ready to serve

Notes:

• The original recipe adds evaporated milk before serving. We find it's not necessary. Again, up to one's preferred taste
• I usually steep the tea leaves again for my second batch, this will be 5minutes. No waste! :)

Spicy Garlic Fried Crispy Squid

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:

300g cuttlefish, cleaned and cut into 1cm rings
1/2tbsp oyster sauce
1 egg
1tbsp corn starch
enough pepper
2pinches of salt
oil to deep fry

Dry coating mix:
6tbsp corn starch
4tbsp plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
enough pepper

Chili garlic mix:
3stalks spring onion
12 cloves of garlic
5 large chilies, deseeded
2 chili padi, deseeded
1 pinch salt
enough pepper
1/2tsp mushroom stock powder
a little oil

Method:

1. Marinate cuttlefish with oyster sauce, egg, corn starch, pepper and salt. Keep in the fridge for about 15minutes 
2. Chop finely spring onion, garlic and chilies. In a pan heat oil and sautee garlic til fragrant
3. Add in chilies, stir until garlic slightly browned. Add in spring onion and stir until soft. Set aside
4. In a plate, mix in dry coating ingredients
5. Heat oil in pan or pot suitable for deep frying. Coat marinated cuttlefish into the flour mixture. Make sure it's very well coated all over. Deep fry until crispy
6. Drain and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle chili garlic mixture over it and serve immediately
7. 
   

Spicy Young Jackfruit in Coconut Milk

Recipe is from Diah Didi

What you need:

500g young jackfruit
2 daun salam
2cm blue ginger, lightly bruised
50g shaved gula melaka
1tsp beef stock powder (I used1/2tsp mushroom stock powder)
enough salt
1500ml coconut milk (I mixed 300ml thick coconut milk amd 1200ml water)

Blend into paste:
10 large chilies, deseed
6 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
1cm kencur root

Method:

1. Cut jackfruit into large chunks, put into a pot of boiling water and let boil for about 10 minutes. Drain and cut into small pieces
2. In a pan, heat oil and add in blended paste. Sautee until fragrant for a few minutes
3. Add in daun salam, blue ginger, gula melaka and coconut milk. Bring to boil, stir ocassionally
4. Add in salt and stock powder, followed by cut young jackfruit
5. Stir well and let simmer for awhile until jackfruit turns soft, about 15minutes over low fire
6. Check the taste, adjust accordingly and serve

Super Simple Steamed Milo Cake

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:
(half of the original recipe)

1cup milo
2eggs
1tbsp sweet condensed milk
1/4tsp baking soda (I added)

Method:

1. Prepare steamer and bring the water to boil. Wrap the cover with cloth if needed, to prevent water drip to the cake while steaming
2. Grease and line 10x20cm baking pan
3. Mix all ingredients (I used food processor)
4. Pour into the prepared pan and steam for 45minutes
5. Do doneness test with toothpick
6. Remove from steamer and pan. Let cool on the cooling rack

Crispy Chicken in Butter Sauce

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:

400g chicken breast, sliced, mix with salt, pepper and garlic powder
8tbsp flour
1 1/2tbsp corn flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Oil for deep frying
2tbsp butter

Sauce, mix together:
1 small onion, sliced
8tbsp worchestershire sauce
2tbsp oyster sauce
2tbsp dark sweet soy sauce
2tbsp ketchup
2tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Mix plain flour and corn flour in a plate
2. Dip chicken slices in beaten egg, and then roll into the flour mixture until well coated
3. Deep fry until golden brown, set aside
4. In a pan, heat 1/2tbsp butter and sautee onion slices until soft
5. Add in sauce mixture, followed by the remaining butter. Let cook until slightly thickened
6. Pour in crispy chicken and mix with the sauce until well coated
7. Serve immediately