Kestari

(Y3K Cookbook Vol.10-Lim Bian Yam's Favourite Recipes On International Cooking)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.









Ingredients:
180g sugee/ semolina (see tips)
120g ghee
45g dried raisins (soaked for 10 minutes/ drained)
30g almond strips (toasted)

Ingredients for syrup:
250g white granulated sugar
750ml water
2-3 cardamons/ buah pelaga
1/2 tsp saffron (see tips)

Method:
1. Heat water and cardamons till it comes to a rolling boil. Turn off heat and add in saffron. Place cover on for the next 30 minutes. Reheat water and add in sugar. Boil till sugar has dissolved.
2. Melt ghee over low heat in a wok. Add in sugee, stir-fry till colour deepens and smells aromatic. Add in the syrup of no.(1). Stir in dried raisins, almond strips. On low heat, keep on stirring till mixture turns thick. Turn off heat.
3. Place no.(2) in a 9 inches aluminium foil disposable mould pan. Use a piece of clingfilm to level surface. Leave it to cool before slicing.

Tips:
1.This is an Indian classic dessert with health enriching ingredients.
2.Sugee or semolina can be purchased at Indian grocery shops. It is the hard part of wheat, coarsely grind into granules.
3.Saffron - It is available in thread or powder form. Buy it from the Indian grocery shops. The threads are of better quality as these are the dried stigmas of the Crocus flower meant to colour food. No substitute as the aroma is wonderful.


Datuk Lim Bian Yam: "Ladies, cook with love, eat with gratitude!"

The Desire To Preserve The Culinary Heritage

Datuk Lim Bian Yam (retired since February 2008) has attained recognition, both locally and abroad for cooking professionally for a tenure lasting 40 plus years. His classic cooking has received tremendous cross-boundary popularity and students come from far and near. This is really one tough cookie, who at age 72 still continues to impress many junior peers.

Datuk Lim has always emphasizes on using the proper techniques, all short-cuts to be omitted. As he strongly believes the path to cooking success should be a good foundation on the traditional cooking methods. During classes, the Master always reveals the keys to his recipes. You may find him a stickler on the principles of cooking but it's only because he cares.

Titi And Their Famous Snack - Ma Chi Chang

(Y3K Recipes Issue No.17 – Mar/ Apr 2005)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.


马 发 贸 易 MA FATT TRADING
97, Jalan Besar, 71650 Titi, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Tel: 012-762 4827




The drive to reach Titi, a small laidback town in the Jelebu district of Negeri Sembilan took us an hour from Kuala Lumpur. At the old trunk road off 9th miles, Cheras, we drove past the Pekan Batu 14 area and the Semenyih dam. The sign B32/ N32 lead us to Kuala Klawang and it is hard to imagine how winding but serene this stretch can be, before Titi town can be seen.

Titi has a certain rustic charm with an environment very close to nature. This town is home to a population of 3,000 residents with the Hakkas being the majority clan. The allure of Titi has always been associated with its agricultural crops like tuber plants of tapioca and sweet potatoes. The Sarawak variety of pineapples has been successfully grown here and sweet juicy sugar canes is another good crop found.

About two years ago, a big group of the younger generation had left home to work in the big cities. Not everyone likes to till the land and this marked very deserted streets during the day. We walked past the bank, the sole one in this town and found the Siew's family workshop on the opposite side of the road.

They manufacture a traditional snack known as "Mah Chi Chang" which is very similar to the famous Bidor snack, "Sak Kei Mah". The eggs fragrance is stronger than "Sak Kei Mah" and has a rather crisp bite. Toasted sesame seeds and groundnuts thrown in gives it an extra crunch. We detected a touch of lemon juice flavouring in the sugary molasses used to bind the ingredients together.

As senior lady, Mrs. Siew weighed the flour and butter ingredients, she explained to us, how authentic this snack is to the Hakkas. She then mixed the ingredients together with another mixture of beaten eggs and yeast. It was poured into a processor and mixed for 10 minutes to form a dough. The dough was kneaded manually before covering it, to allowed fermentation to take place. In the midst of the waiting period, senior Papa Siew briefed us on his two other 'prized' snacks, namely Miah Chang (a dried rice, nutty snack) and another Yin Yeong Paeng. The latter is actually a combination of the first two snacks, thus the merge of this wonderful biscuit.

After the fermentation period, junior lady, Mrs. Siew placed the dough on a clean tabletop. She sliced it into pieces, flattened them before allowing her husband to compressed them into thin slices with an electric machine. The dough slices were shredded further before younger sister, Miss Siew hands them to her mother for the deep-frying process. The golden-yellow fried pastry shreds were mixed with nuts and sesame seeds. Accordingly, special care is taken to clean the sesame seeds and nuts to ensure they are free of grits as it passes through sieves. A big wok is used to cook a sugary syrup and the nutty fried pastry shreds were mixed in. this mixture is then poured into custom-made moulds which has been coated with extra sesame seeds at the base. Four pairs of hands compressed it tight before slicing to the desired sizes whilst still hot. Packaging was done immediately to sealed in the crispness.

This strong bonded family delivers good stuff and we sincerely hope, cottage industries like the Siew's family will always remain significant. Traditional snacks should remain forever.



















Recipe of Mah Chee Chang (A Hakka snack similar to Sak Kei Mah)

Ingredients: (commercial recipe)
4.5 kg plain flour
800g butter
20 eggs (double A grade)
2 packets instant yeast (nett weight granules combined is 22g)
1.3kg peanuts (toasted, skinned)
200g sesame seeds (toasted, divide into 3 parts, 1st part 100g, 2nd & 3rd parts 50g each)

Method:
1. Break eggs into a big mixing bowl. Beat it with a balloon whisky wire whisk.
2. In a big electric mixer, place flour in the mixing bowl. Add in butter, beaten eggs, instant yeast granules. Beat for 10 minutes till a dough is formed.
3. Remove dough and knead it manually. Cover with a piece of cloth for an hour to ferment it.
4. Cut dough into small pieces. Flatten each piece with a basin or rolling pin.
5. Use a knife to cut dough into lengthy strips. Deep-fry strips in hot oil till golden coloured. Remove and drain off excess oil.
6. Spread no.(5) into a big wok. Add nuts on top and the first part of 100g sesame seeds. Place the second part of 50g sesame seeds into a longish-shaped mould. Keep aside.
7. Pour the prepared syrup (recipe below) on no.(6). Stir to combine thoroughly before pouring the whole contents into the longish-shaped mould. Press surface hard to level it.
8. Scatter the third part of 50g sesame seeds on top. Press surface once more. Cool till it hardens before slicing into big chunks for packaging.

To make syrup
Ingredients:
2.1 kg white sugar
1.8kg water
1 heaped tbsp butter
150ml lime juice/ limau nipis
1 heaped tbsp maltose/ mak ngah tong

Method:
1. Combine sugar, water, butter in a big wok. Bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring at all times. Add in lime juice and maltose. After 15 minutes of stirring, it should be golden coloured.
2. To test if syrup is ready, spoon up a tablespoon of it. Pour the syrup into a bowl filled with water. Test the texture with your finger. It should resemble the commercial maltose texture.

Macaroons

(Y3K Recipes Issue No.17 – Mar/ Apr 2004)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.








Ingredients:
120g almond powder
230g icing sugar
4 eggs white
2-3 drops vanilla essence
1/2 tsp castor sugar

For garnishing:
100g dark cooking chocolate (melt by double boiling method)

Method:
1. Sieve almond powder and icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
2. Beat egg whites, vanilla essence and castor sugar in a mixing bowl till stiff (do not overbeat).
3. Fold no.(1) into no.(2), a little at a time. Repeat the folding process three times with a big metal spoon.
4. Line a baking tray with foil. Add a piece of silicone/ parchment paper on the base.
5. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Pipe rounds on parchment paper, well spaced apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
6. Cool biscuits on a wire rack, spread half of each biscuit into melted chocolate, leave to set.

Tips: If method is followed closely, the biscuits are soft textured and beautiful eating. Replace chocolate spread with fruit jam-optional.

Honeycomb Cake

(Y3K Recipes Issue No.17 – Mar/ Apr 2004)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.









Ingredient A:
200g granulated sugar
150 ml water
150 ml fresh milk

Ingredient B:
6 eggs (grade B)
120g margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Ingredient C:
140g condensed milk
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Ingredient D:
200g plain flour
3/4 tsp double action baking powder

Method:
1. To caramel sugar: Put sugar into a pot, turn on low heat, stir-fry sugar till it melts. The colour is rather dark, turn off heat and add in water. Keep on stirring. Cool solution, mix in fresh milk. Mix well, keep aside.
2. Break eggs into a mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer till bubbles form, gradually add in margarine and vanilla essence. Beat for approximately 2 minutes.
3. Add in condensed milk & bicarbonate of soda. Stir in no.(2), fold gently. Do not deflate air bubbles.
4. Fold in sieved ingredient D. Pour in cooled syrup solution of no.(1). Fold gently to incorporate batter and syrup well.
5. Pour no.(4) into two greased loaf pans. Rest it for 30 minutes before baking in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes. Insert a skewer into the centre to check, it should come out clean if cake is cooked. Cool cakes well on wire rack.
Tips: Do not overmix margarine and eggs mixture.

Pan Meen/ Mee Hoon Ker

(Y3K Recipes Issue No.19 – Jul/ Aug 2004)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.




Ingredients for pan meen:
1 kg plain flour
Some water (approx. 500 ml)
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps oil
1 egg

Stock:
600g anchovies/ ikan bilis
7-10 litres water
Some salt

Dressing:
Some small lime juice/ limau kasturi

Toppings:
600g pork (minced)
20 mushrooms (soaked, cut into strips)
Some choy sum (cut into sections)

Marinade:
2 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps soy sauce
1 tsp white granulated sugar
1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Method:
1. To make pan meen: Place flour on a cleaned tabletop. Make a well in the centre, add in salt, oil and egg. Draw in water slowly and knead very lightly to form a dough. Do not overknead to prevent dough from becoming stringy.
2. Clingfilm no. (1) and chill it for an hour to rest dough. Sprinkle flour on tabletop and roll out dough to a flat piece. You can run it through a paste machine to churn it into flat noodles or tear it manually into pieces.
3. To make stock: Wash anchovies and toss dry in a plain oiless wok. Place dried anchovies in a big pot of water and boil stock for one to two hours. Season with salt.
4. Marinate minced pork with the marinade. After one hour, heat up a wok. Drizzle in a little oil to stir-fry pork. Dish up meat, leave the liquid in the wok. On low heat, simmer mushroom strips for 10 minutes.
5. To cook pan meen: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pan meen in this hot water, put in choy sum. Place on top of noodles. Remove and place in a bowl. Scoop a tablespoon of fried minced pork and some mushroom strips on it. Squeeze some lime juice on top before serving.

Twisted Cheese Rolls芝士麻花面包

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

(Y3K Cookbooks - My Secret Recipes Series Vol. no.6 –Bread Magic - First published in May 2006 )

http://y3kcookbooks.blogspot.com/2007/07/vol6-bread-magic.html








Ingredient:
1 quantity ***Danish dough

For topping A: mix well
200ml fresh milk
80g instant custard powder

For topping B:
120g cheddar cheese (grated)
Some caster sugar

Method:
1. Remove Danish dough from the refrigerator, thaw if necessary. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle. Cut into 6 inches X 1 inch strips.

2. Slit centre of each dough strip. Bring one end in through the slit. Redo a second time to give it a patterned bowknot effect.

3. Repeat process with all the strips. Leave them on a greased baking tray, spread apart. Let them proof for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Glaze with egg wash. Spread some topping A around the centre pith and add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Dust a little sugar on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Cool well on a wire rack.

***Basic Danish/ Croissant Dough
Ingredient A:
350g high protein flour
150g plain flour
50g caster sugar
7g salt
15g milk powder

Ingredient B:
1 egg - grade B
250ml water
2 tsps instant yeast

Ingredient C:
25g shortening

Ingredient D:
250g Danish butter (available at bakery marts, bring to room temperature, wrap with a plastic bag and roll into a square)

Method:
1. Combine ingredient A in a mixer. Add in ingredient B and beat mixture lightly till it resembles a rough dough. Add in ingredient C and beat till a soft dough is formed. Wrap dough with a plastic bag and keep it chilled for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Remove dough of no.(1) from refrigerator and sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Roll out dough into a rectangular and 1cm in thickness. Place Danish butter with plastic bag removed (at room temperature) in middle of dough. Wrap ends of dough over butter to cover completely. Always remember, the dough should be rolled long enough for both sides to fold over, leaving a border edge of one inch. Seal edges well.

3. Roll out no.(2) from the centre towards the edges to form a rectangular. Do not press too hard or butter may ooze out. Fold dough equally into three. Do not overwork dough and dust away any leftover flour on the dough. Wrap with plastic bag and refrigerate dough for 20 minutes. Remove dough and repeat the process of rolling, folding, chilling two times more. This ensures the butter is well incorporated into dough and results in many flaky layers. Finally, keep finished dough wrapped and chilled for two hours or even overnight. Thaw if necessary before use.

Note: Danish Dough/ Croissant Dough is basically the normal method applied to bread making but generally richer with the addition of Danish butter. It goes through three processes of rolling, folding and chilling. A well-made dough should be light and flaky. This dough is suitable for recipes using Danish dough (sweet taste) or Croissant dough (savoury taste). Serve them warm from the oven, to enjoy the excellent results.

Tips: Dough and Danish butter should be of the same rolling consistency. Dough must be soft but not sticky and butter at room temperature so it would be easy to roll them together after folding procedure. It should be kept chilled after each roll to ensure butter does not go soft and oozes out. Flour surface very lightly, too much flour hardens pastry.

材材料：
**基本丹麦面包面团1份

上层用料A：参匀
鲜奶200毫升
即溶卡斯达粉80克

上层用料B：
Cheddar芝士120克（切幼）
幼糖适量

做法：
1. 由冰箱取出面团，解冻后分成两份，放在撒上面粉的桌面上擀薄成方块，切成每份6寸X1寸长条状。

2. 在长条状中间切割开一条痕，将其中一端往外翻开成辨子状。

3. 重复以上步骤，排入抹油的烘盘内，再发酵一个半小时或至双倍体积。

4. 涂上蛋液，将卡斯达馅挤在丹麦面包中央，洒上芝士碎及糖，以180℃烘20分钟，放在网架上待凉。

***丹麦面团/可松面团

材料A：
高筋面粉350克
普通面粉150克
幼糖50克
盐7克
奶粉15克

材料B：
B蛋1粒
清水250毫升
即溶酵母2茶匙

材料C：
白油25克

材料D：
丹麦牛油250克（可在烘焙材料店购得，
解冻后以朔胶袋包起，擀成方形）

做法：
1. A料放入搅拌器混匀，加入B料搅拌成粗面团，再加入C料继续搅拌成团及不粘手，用朔胶袋包好放入冰箱冷藏30分钟。
2. 撒少许面粉在（1）的表面，擀成长方形后，将解冻的D料置放在面团中间部位（面团必须比丹麦牛油长2倍，旁边各阔1寸），褶叠起来及封好边。
3. 将（2）擀成长方形，对折三层后用朔胶袋包起，放入冰箱冷藏20分钟。重复此步骤两次，最后包好后置放在冰箱至少两个小时或过夜，解冻后才用。

注：丹麦（甜）或可松（咸）面包的做法是用类似基本甜面包面团（第6页）卷入丹麦牛油，褶起擀薄重复三次成为多层次油脂面团，将烘好的面包乘热享用，口感香脆。

贴士：面团不黏手而牛油处于室温，面团与丹麦牛油的软硬度必须一样才容易擀。每摺好一次，必须将面团收藏在冰箱内冷冻，待较结实后才取出再擀，避免软化的丹麦牛油擀时溢出。擀面团时可以撒少许面粉，避免撒太多面粉以免不黏。