Talam Pisang Mini

Salam all,

I have deleted my opening sentence a few times hehehez cos I am having a mental block....dunno what to write here today.  Sometimes, I just couldnt be bothered to open up this little space of mine but sometimes I just want to update and update and update and blog walk every minute while at times I just feel bllleaargghh!!  It does feel great isnt it when u have friends saying how they enjoy reading your blog and enjoy looking at the photos too.  I really appreciate the kind compliments cos I know I am not a good writer nor a good photographer, am just an average person but these kind words makes me want to update my blog again ;)

So, here I am with my talam pisang entry.  First time ever in my life that I ever attempted to make talam pisang and I am really happy with the result....it really was a successful attempt.  Since I know that no one will like these talam except me, myself and I, I only made half of the recipe and got 26 pieces of these little beauties.  I had 6 pieces during iftar just now...yum yum.  Have already packed some away for them to be shared tomorrow.  As much as I luv them, I dont think I can finish all of them myself hehehez.

Might be away again maybe until after Eid cos I too have orders to fulfil....ehem ehem I have been a small time seasonal entrepreneur for the past 5 yrs here :ppp but will definitely update when I get sick of looking at the cookies that I will be making.  Got to start my production latest by this Thursday otherwise, I will not get them ready on time.  Wish me luck peeps ;)

Source : Kak Ummi @ Home Sweet Home
Recipe Adapted From: Chef Hanieliza @ Buku Aneka Talam dan Kuih Lapis


Ingredients
Bottom Layer:
3 Cups Thin Coconut Milk
1 Cup Mashed Banana
1 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Tblsp Custard Powder
A Pinch Of Salt
Yellow Food Colouring (I Added)

Top Layer :
3 Cups Thick Coconut Milk
1 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt

Method :
Lightly oil the moulds.
Mix well all the ingredients for the bottom layer and pour into the moulds 3/4 full.
Steam the mixture for abt 10-15mins.

Mix well all the ingredients for the bottom layer.
Sieve the mixture into a pot.
By using low heat, heat the mixture until it produces a light steam and has thicken a little.
Turn off heat.
Once the bottom layer is cooked, use a fork and scrape the top.
Pour the bottom mixture into the moulds and steam it for another 10-15mins.

My pineapple filling that I made yesterday.  Have a great week ahead folks ;)  TTFN.......

Apam Puteri Ayu

Salam everyone,

This morning, I got woken up by Jannah when she said.  "Mama tak bangun sahur....tak puasa ke?  Asal mama tak kejut Jannah arhh??"  The fact is I overslept and when I looked at the time it was abt 7.30am.  I wasnt feeling very well last night.  Was coughing and sneezing with blocked nose and went to bed early at abt 10pm without even setting my cell phone alarm ZZZzzzz.  Luckily before I went to bed last night I did recite the dua for keeping my fast otherwise I would have missed fasting today.  Made me a Lemsip Cold & Flu Max drink with honey after iftaar and I am feeling 100% now.  Alhamdullilah.

Even thou we didnt wake up for our morning meal, Jannah said that she wants to fast.  For now, I only let Jannah fast until Dhuzur.  I will let her have her meal with a glass of milk, she will fasts for another 4 hours and will break her fast with us AGAIN hehehez.  So far, she looks more energetic the past 2 days compared to the first day of fasting.  I can see that her appetite is way better too.   I will keep on training her this way as she doesnt have any problem waking up for her morning meals at all.  InsyaAllah.....Allah makes it easy for her.

I only managed to summon enough energy and enthusiasm at abt 3.30pm just to make these apam puteri ayu and our iftaar menu of bisteak with baguette.  Lucky me that I managed to finish and clean up on time....pheeeww!!  I thought I should give these apams a try when I saw them at Nieza's blog a few days back, really cant resist when I looked at them hehehez.  I made half of the recipe and got 29 pieces of apams.  Jannah really luvs them and had 6 pieces during iftar.  Hb asked me what were they and I told him its steamed coconut cake.  Surprisingly he tried a piece.....no comment??!!!  That means he doesnt like them lah :pppppp

Source : Nieza @ Our Journey Begins
Adapted From : Kak Liza @ Intai Dapur

Ingredients A
2 Eggs*
1 Cup Sugar* (I used caster sugar)
1/2  Tblsp Ovalette*
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence (I used pandan paste)
1 Cup Coconut Milk / Fresh Milk (I used fresh milk)
2 Cups Self Raising Flour (I used All Purpose Flour and added 2.5 tsp baking powder & 1/2 tsp salt)

Ingredients B - Nieza & Kak Liza did not indicate any amount but I roughly used abt....
1/2 Cup White Grated Coconut (I used dessicated coconut)
A Pinch Of Salt
1/2 Tblsp Tapioca Starch

Method :
Prepare your steamer.
Lightly oil the puteri ayu moulds.

Mix all ingredents B together.  Since I used dessicated coconut, I added abt 3tblsp hot water and microwaved the mixture for abt 20 seconds.
Take some of the of the coconut mixture and press it into the Puteri Ayu moulds.

Put all the * marked ingredients A into a bowl and beat until light and flufy.
Add the vanilla essence and coconut milk / fresh milk, mix well.
Add green food colouring (optional)
Add flour and mix well.
Fill the Puteri Ayu moulds with the above mixture and steam for abt 10-15mins.

The weather has been terrible here.  Its been raining heavily since yesterday morning.  The rain has only stop for abt 2 hrs just now and its still raining heavily right now.  Hope that there'll be no major flooding around our area.  Might be another early night for me tonight.  Nitezz all ;) TTFN.........

Happy Birthday my dear mommy.  May Allah showers his blessing of health, happiness, success & wealth upon u always xoxoxox.

Karipap Pusing (Spiral Curry Puffs)

Salam everyone,

The new moon was sighted last night here, thus the first of Ramadhan falls today.  Ramadhan Kareem to all my Muslim acquaintances be it in the real world or in the cyber world ;)  May Allah accepts our fasts, prayers and all our good deeds and charities in this blessed month of Ramadhan.  Please do forgive me if I have any wrong doings cos I'm only human.  Alhamdullilah for us Muslims in NZ, we are fasting during the winter month.  Shorter days....imsak ends at 5.56am and maghrib is at 5.26pm.

Yesterday, I asked Jannah if she wanted to fast.  She asked me what fasting is.  I explained to her that fasting is when we have to refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset in the holy month of Ramadhan.  She replied "Jannah tak nak puasa lah nanti Jannah lapar, nanti Jannah mati macam mana?"  Yikkeesss what a reply, I had a chuckle.  I told her that she can try fasting for half a day and she can break her fast anytime she wants to as its only a trial run for her.  The best way for me to make her understand what fasting really is was to let her watch Upin & Ipin 'Esok Puasa' episode on Youtube hehehez.  Once she finished watching the video, she told me that she wants to try and fast.....alhamdullilah.

Jannah woke up easily for breakfast when I woke her up this morning but she didnt have much food and went back to sleep easily as soon as I turned off the lights.  The whole day today, I asked if she's alright and if she wanted to continue fasting and she kept on saying yes.  It was at 4pm when I fried these curry puffs.  As soon as she saw the curry puffs, she start asking if she can have them hehehehez.  I told her if u still want to continue fasting, u have to wait for another 1.5hrs.  She said ok....but by 5pm she kept on asking when she can eat and she's hungry.  The next moment, I saw her went into the room and watched telly and she managed to fast the whole day today.  Hb is a little concern abt her and told me not to let her fast the whole day tomorrow.  I do agree with him though.....

Anyway, abt these curry puffs.  I find that the dough is a bit difficult to handle.  You have to handle them with TLC otherwise they will break apart.  I am so used to handling the normal curry puffs dough and find that these ones absorb more oil than the normal ones.  I also find that it is hard to plait the curry puffs and almost impossible to maintain uniform shapes.  Some big, some small, some cresent shape, some straight hehehez.  I reheat them in the oven for abt 15 mins since they were fried earlier.  During iftar, when I tried them, the pastry was really crunchy and I liked them.  I guess good things take time aye and as for hb, he said that he still prefers the traditional curry puffs than these ones.....hhmmzzz :ppp

Source : Me, Myself & I @ Me Te Aroha

Ingredients for Fillings :
3 medium sized potatoes
1 sweet potato
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 inches ginger
Dried anchovies - a handful
Minced beef - a handful
1.5 tblsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 sprigs curry leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tblsp canola oil
Water

Method :
Peel potatoes & sweet potato and cut into small cubes.  Boil in salt water till cooked.
Blend onion, garlic, ginger and anchovies until fine.
Heat oil in wok and stir fry the blended ingredients & curry leaves till fragrant.
Add curry & turmeric powder and a little bit of water to form a paste and fry further till fragrant.
Add minced beef and cover wok, stirring occasionally until beef are cooked.
Add boiled potatoes & sweet potato and stir until well incorporated.  Add salt & pepper.
Simmer for abt 5 minutes and turn fire off.
Let filling cools down.

Source : Sonia @ Nasi Lemak Lover
For step by step photos on how to create the spiral skin, please refer to the above link.
Pastry
Water dough
200g all purpose flour
90-100g water
3tbsp cooking oil
1/2tsp salt
25g caster sugar

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Slowly pour in water and lightly knead till a soft dough.
3. Cover and set aside to rest for 20mins.

Oil dough
90g all purpose flour
45g Crisco shortening ( Sonia reduced from original recipe 70g as she found it was too sticky to be handled)

1. Put flour in a mixing bowl.
2. Rub in shortening and slowly combine to a soft dough.
3. Cover and set aside to rest for 15mins.

To make spiral skin
1. Flatten the water dough and wrap the oil dough inside. Pinch the edges to seal it nicely.
2. Dust some flour on a work surface, gently roll the dough out into a rectangle.
3. Fold the rectangle from one long end by 1/3, and fold the other one long end over the top.
4. Rotate the dough 90 degree, gently roll the dough into rectangle again and repeat the folding process twice more.
5. Once the dough has been rolled and folded 3 times, slowly roll up tightly into a Swiss roll (apply some water on the dough while rolling) and rest for 20mins.
6. Use a sharp knife, divide the dough into 15 pieces of small dough (about 30g each).

To fill and shape puff
1. Take a small dough (spiral side face up) and use a small rolling pin to roll to a circle disc.
2. Put 1tbsp of filling in the centre, press the edge together and seal it.
3. Pinch the edge of the puff with your thumb and make plait on the edge.
4. Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer, oil must be very hot before putting in the puff and enough to cover to the puff.
5. Deep fry the puff on medium heat until golden brown.

Happy weekend peeps ;) TTFN........

Apam Snow White

Salam to all,

Ever since I bought the little $4 steamer I've been wanting to make more Malay kuihs that requires to be steamed.  I cant fit a baking tin into the steamer but it fits 8 pieces of the tiny red cups ;)  I've always wanted to make these apam snow white and purposely leave some cooked rice that is required for this recipe.  Jannah was so excited when I told her that I was gonna make apams today but when she saw these apams instead she asked how come they dont look like the ladybug apams.  Cheett!!

As I was asked repeatedly how come these apams doesnt look like the ladybug apam, I explained to Jannah its bcos they are called apam snow white.  She replied "Huh??  Snow white??  Mana atok2 -referring to the dwarfs dia arh?"  She kept on saying that she doesnt want this apam cos they dont look anything like snow white.  Adeehhh *scratch head*  I asked her if she wanted to try one and she said she wanted the pink one.......after 1 bite, she said she wanted the purple one and she said they were yucky and she wanted to try the white one next.  She gave me 1 million reasons not to finish them like.........(although there wasnt really a millon cos I've forgotten what else she said hehehez.)

- Jannah tak nak apam ni.....nak yang ladybug aja, yang dalam ada coklat.
- Bau apa ni?  Asal apam ni ada bau arh mama?
- Apasal bau macam nasi busuk aja....
- Apasal dalam takde apa2.
- Apasal apam ni tak best aja.
- Apasal mama tak buat apam ladybug aja.
- Jannah tak nak lah apam yang ni, tak cantik aja.
- Apasal apasal apasal apasal.

Haizzz she likes to ends her sentences with aja.  Bodoh aja, pandai aja, cantik aja, memang banyak cakap lah ini budak.  Anyway, she did have 2 whole pieces of apam after I forced her to eat them hehehez.  She then asked for more, I asked how many she said 2.  Ok and so, I gave them to her.  She went into her room and was very quiet.  The next moment, she went into the kitchen....took 2 cups and 2 plates.  I thought she ate the 2 apams but instead she held a tea party for her 2 care bears.  Haiiizzzz she said the care bears wanted the apams and they like them hmmmmmzz.  Anyway, I luv them and luckily I only made half of the recipe, otherwise confirmed arhhhh I will be bloated like an apam wahahahaz

Source :  Rima @ Bisousatoi
Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1 cup flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 package baker's yeast mauripan @ (11gm)
2 cups cooked rice
3 cups water
1/2 grated coconut steamed and a pinch of salt

Method
- Put all above ingredients except the cooked rice and water into the container. Mix well and set aside briefly
- Grind cooked rice with water until smooth.
- Pour rice and water mixture into flour mixture and stir till combined.
- Let it set for an hour. (use clingwrap to cover the top of ur container)
- Meanwhile.. heat ur steamer. Lightly oil the molds.
- Pipe in batter into each mold.. steamed it for abt 15 mins over medium heat.

First pic : The different sizes.  One was filled slightly more than the other.

Second pic : This is what happened when u fill mixture to the brim.

Third pic : When u leave steamer unattended with slightly high heat.

Photos of the one and only skinny persimmon tree along our driveway.  Looks like they gonna be ready soon.  Have to pick them before the birds eat them.  TTFN folks ;)

Apam Polka Dot

Salam all,

Yesterday I was at the supermarket doing my usual fortnightly groceries shopping ~ what else can anyone be doing at a supermarket aye?? hehehez.....I chanced upon a pot steamer for only $4 and so I grabbed it.  Its not the whole steamer thingy but its the one like a saucepan with holes in it.  Hmmmzzz how do I explain it hehehez.  Just imagine it lah huh.  Oh well $4 for a 16cm steamer and it fits nicely in my 20cm saucepan I was stoked ;)  Its nothing big but I was able to put a few of the red little cups to steam these little beauties in the steamer.  Yeay.....I can make more kuihs now.

Saw these apams at Yat's yesterday and I thought I should give them a try.  These apams were so popular at one stage that u can see them popping up at almost all the food blog except here of course hehehez.  First it was only designed with polka dots.  Then some creative people start to have a makeover for the apam....from ladybugs to bumble bees to mushrooms to strawberries.  Now u can see them decorated like angry birds and even facebook, twitter, apple and many more logos.  Really envy those people with those kinda skills.

When I whipped up the batter, I was a little skeptical at the amount of the batter produced.  I thought that it was kinda a lot and will take me ages to finish making these apams.  I was glad that it actually didnt take me very long to make them.  After making the first few, I started to enjoy making them ahakkkss. The only downside of making them colorful is doing the dishes....haiizzzz.   Oh well, I did enjoy making them and Jannah enjoyed eating them of course.  She kept on saying she wanted the pink ones and the ladybugs only........hhhmmmzzzz.

Source : Yat @ Easybakes
Ingredients
3 cold eggs
275 gm all purpose flour
200gm castor sugar
150ml fresh milk
3 tspn baking powder
1 tspn ovallete
Filling of your choice ~ I used nutella
Colour of your choice

Method
Mix all ingredients (except food colouring) & filling in an electric mixer & mix well for 6-8 minutes.
Divide batter into portions with additions of food colourings of your choice.
Put them in separate piping bag.
Arrange papercups in cup holders & heat up steamer.
Pipe in batter into paper cups fill in with filling of your choice & cover it with batter.
You can either dot the top of the batter or marble them up ~ your choice
Steam in preheated steamer on low heat for about 10-15 mins until done.

Definitely heaps for us to share ;) Nobody has to lick the papers LOL!!  TTFN........

Kuih Kaswi

Salam everyone,

I haven't had any new entry the past 11 days sigghhhh :(  Been busy doing a very thorough spring cleaning at home.  Yes....the current season is spring~~ did I type spring??  Wrong season dah dey!!  I meant its autumn right now in New Zealand, soon winter will be here.  I had to junk out the master bedroom, clear all th cobwebs & whats not under the bed and rearrange hb's rugby collection.  We are replacing our bed and been out doing furniture shopping last week when hb had his 4 days off.  We had to hire a trailer, cost us $30 and took our old furniture and rubbish to the refuse station and had to pay $50 to dump the trailer load of rubbish.....haiiizz :(  So, Singaporeans.....do appreciate the Bangla cleaners ok!!  U guys are lucky cos u just need to illegally dump your old furniture under the void decks and Mr Bangla will clear them for u at no fees at all.....pfffttt!!!  Work many, many....pay little, little >.<

Other than junking out the room, I took out all the winter duvets from storage, air them out and wash all the mink (faux cant afford the real mccoy :p) blankets and throws to prepare for winter.  I usually like to prepare the winter necessities during spring, before the fine weather packs up, otherwise it will be impossible to air them and dry them.  A day after I did all the hard work, the horrible (spring??) autumn weather finally hits us along with strong winds as well as floods in many parts of North Island pheeww.  Alhamdullilah we were not affected.  The weather has been playing up the whole day today.  We had heavy wind early hours in the morning, followed by a little sunshine in the morning....that's when I decided to hang out the washing.  Suddenly it was raining heavily in the afternoon.  At abt 2pm the sun was shining so brightly till abt 6pm.  Lucky me, experiencing all the 4 seasons in a day but am glad that I managed to get my washing dry ;)

After all that cleaning, I couldnt be bothered to do any baking at all as I was suffering from the constant acchhoooinggg.  Hb been asking when will I bake his favourite shortbread cookies again.  Yes AGAIN....hehehez.  I did bake the cookies for him but today I am going to post on kuih kaswi instead :ppp.  This is my first try at making them.  All this while I have been buying them from Bengawan Solo.  I am happy with the outcome of my kuih kaswi and was surprised that Jannah luvs them too.  I didnt even offer them to hb cos I know he wouldnt like them at all.  I popped these little beauties in the microwave.....I couldnt be bothered to steam them and I don't have a proper steamer anyway.  I tried putting 1 into the microwave first and from there adjusted the timing & the power percentage accordingly.  The first one that successfully came out of the microwave, I had it while it was still pipping hot with Jannah using a spoon.....hehehez yummy :ppp.  Thank you K1 for the luvly yet easy recipe.

Source : K1 @ Citarasawan
Translated by me, myself & I ;)

Ingredient A
1 1/2 cup gula merah or palm sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 pieces pandan leaves knotted
(Boiled together = 2 cups of sugar syrup)

Ingredient B
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
3 cups water
2 tblsp air kapur or lime stone paste (I did not add)

Ingredient C
Grated coconut sprinkled with a little bit of salt.
(I used dessicated coconut, add a little bit of water and salt and microwaved it 30sec on high)

Method
Put all ingredients A into a saucepan.  Boil on medium heat and leave aside until sugar syrup is cooled.
Whisk together all ingredients B.
When sugar syrup cools, add into ingredients B and whisk until all are well incorporated.  Sieve the mixture and pour into a 9 inch tin that has been greased with cooking oil.
Cover with aluminium foil and steam for 30 mins.
Let the kuih cools down completely before cutting and serve with the grated coconut.

Note :  I made half of the recipe and I used the small red cups, usually used to make kuih lompang.  Oil the cups first before pouring the mixture. Popped 4 of them each time into the microwave on 50% for 2mins 45secs.

Left some without coconut for Jannah as she specifically told me she doesnt want any coconut on hers.  She ate 4 pieces at one go and I was surprised that she really luvs them.  I was enjoying mine and bit half of the kuih and Jannah came along and asked me to feed her the other half....heeez.  TTFN ;)

Kuih Bakar Pandan

Salam to all,

Alhamdullilah its Friday today.  Its the start of hb's long weekend AGAIN!!!! Hehehez.  He's gonna be off for 5 days straight and will only resume back to work on next Thursday.  We planned to go to Hamilton tomorrow as there'll be a road show for the Waikato Chiefs rugby team and hb will be going to the stadium also to catch the Waikato Chiefs rugby game.  I couldn't be bothered to go the the game just in case Jannah starts fidgeting and gets bored seating while the game is on.

Hb is a fanatic rugby man.  He collects rugby memorabilia such as signed rugby balls, mugs, flags, posters, programmes, jerseys, HUGE framed jerseys with rugby squads, cards, books and many more.  U name it he got it......the only thing he hasn't got is the rugby world cup trophy ahaaakksss.  His collections has grown over the past 4 yrs.  Yup I have to admit that my hb has more stuffs than me haiiizz.  He intends to start a blog abt his rugby collection like eons ago and still hasnt get to do it yet.

Anyway, back to story of this kuih.  It's definitely not for hb bcos firstly its green and secondly he doesn't really like traditional Malay kuihs.  He does enjoy eating curry puffs and kuih keria but nothing else.  I made this kuih bakar as there was half a packet of coconut milk left from cooking and it felt like ages since I last savoured this kuih....hehehez.  My way to eat this kuih is just like eating a Magnum ice cream.  Bite all the crust (chocolate for Magnum) then enjoy the scrumptious inner (vanilla ice cream for Magnum) :ppp.  Jannah ate it like it was a cupcake and asked for more when she finished the whole piece to herself.  I was like what!!!  I was full after eating only half O_O!!

Since it was only for Jannah and me, I only made half of the recipe.  I used a muffin sized mould and got 3 pieces. 

Specially requested by Jannah ~ No sesame seeds!!!

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup pandan juice - (i used pandan paste and water)
2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups coconut milk (450ml)
2 tbsp butter
a few drops of green colouring
sesame seeds

Method
Blend all ur ingredients- put aside
Add 2tbsp of cooking oil in a 10" pan
Preheat oven and place ur pan in it. Once u see the oil heated, pour in batter, top it with sesame seeds and bake it at 175C for 90mins.. if u want ur kuih bakar not to hv crust.. u can bake it for an hr or till batter is baked...

Have an enjoyable weekend everyone ;) TTFN......