red beans

I saw the ads for Samsung Malaysia's mini-series, Wind Chimes in a Bakery before I left, but totally forgot all about it when I returned home. Well, until I saw Swee San's post the other night. But instead of reminding me to watch the series, I went to bake the red bean buns instead - which is probably much more important (haha). The smell of bread out of the oven is amazing and this is the reason why I try to bake bread at least once a week now.

I adapted the sweet tosca bread recipe from the Nordic Bakery Cookbook again since I got a delicious soft loaf from it last time. This time I made sure not to burn the top! Once I got the bread machine going, I tended to the pot of simmering red beans which is somewhat low maintenance. After the first prove, I divided the dough into 20 (un)equal pieces and scooped out the same quantity of red bean paste; 25 grams per bun. Shaping, wrapping, flattening and cutting the buns and into the oven at 28C for the second prove for 1 hour, whilst glazing with beaten egg 3 times at 20 minute intervals. With the last glaze, a sprinkle of black sesame seeds in the center before baking at 175C fan forced until golden brown all over. Yum.

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red bean paste     makes approximately 800g 

adapted from my old recipe which I adapted from Cooking Guide DS

250g red beans

150g raw sugar*

cold water, as required

Wash the red beans and soak in a bowl of cold water overnight. Drain beans and wash again.

Place beans in a small saucepan and top up with water. Bring to the boil and drain. Top up with more cold water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and let it boil/simmer for approximately 15 minutes. If the scum disturbs you, skim it off. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes. The water should be just below the top layer of beans. Add the sugar and stir. The water should just be covering the top layer of beans and should be thickened. Simmer for a few minutes more, stirring consistently to avoid burning. 

Transfer mixture into a thermomix/food processor and process until smooth. Transfer into a bowl, allow to cool slightly and cling wrap, ensuring it touches the red bean paste to avoid it forming a dry layer. When completely cool, refrigerate or freeze for future use.

*Thinking it would be sufficient, I actually put 50g of sugar into the pot first. But after I processed it, it was lacking in flavour so I gradually added 100g more whilst it was still hot. The sugar amount, more or less is a personal taste. The original recipe uses a 1:1 ratio of beans and sugar. 

turtle shells!

I finally did it - made my own turtles (they are called ang ku kuih but I called them turtles because their shape resembles a turtle's shell)! I usually have a couple for breakfast if my grandma and mum go to Pudu market in the morning. We have an old wooden mould which my grandma passed down to my mum, but I've never seen it in action, so I decided to put it into some good use.

The recipe I used was from Nasi Lemak Lover and Reese Kitchen.

They are simple to make but pretty time consuming. Of the filling made, I still have half left, so I will be making this again.

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My adaptions:

Soaked mung beans for 1 1/2 hours and steamed it for 50 minutes (Although I think it was done at 30-35 minutes mark). Be wary to add more hot water as you are steaming!

Water for the glutinous rice dough was not measured. Did it the agak-agak (to estimate) way.

15g mung bean ball, 40g sweet potato glutinous rice ball.

Instead of greasing the wooden mould, I dusted it with glutinous rice flour and knocked the excess out.

Place unsteamed kuih on greased foil. Greasing baking paper does not work, the base will stick to the paper.

After steaming brush the kuih with some vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking/drying.

Made 15 turtles and 1 super mini one.

layered agar agar (燕菜糕)

Layers and layers and layers

Agar agar, probably my most favourite type of jelly I've ever eaten. I have ate this year after year after year but never attempted to make it. I asked my mum for the recipe last Sunday and since it was so easy, I decided to layer it with two colours.

The recipe itself was passed down from my grandma to my mum and then to me, so it's probably a very reliable recipe :)

Coconut milk and agar agar powder

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layered agar agar
(coconut and milo flavour)

ingredients:
makes around 2 litres
size depends on moulds

• 8 cups of water
• 1 can of coconut milk (400 mL)
• white sugar, to taste
  (I used around 1 cup)
• 1 packet of agar agar powder (25 g)
  (agar agar is also known as kanten)
• 1/2 cup Milo powder

method:
1. Heat the water until boiling, stir in the agar agar powder. Stir until the agar agar is dissolved.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and stir consistently. When the liquid is at boiling point, turn off heat.
3. Divide liquid into half and add milo powder to one half. Stir until the colour is even.
4. Pour a thin layer of brown or white liquid into a few moulds and put into fridge to cool. In approximately 2 minutes, the liquid will set.
5. When the liquid becomes firm to the touch, pour in another thin layer of the other colour and place in the fridge to cool.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until there is no more liquid left.
One of the moulds I used

You can use any moulds you like, just make sure they can sustain heat.

红豆沙金瓜汤圆 - pumpkin glutinous ball with red bean dessert

Tang yuan/ yuan xiao is traditionally eaten during the Chinese Lantern Festival which occurs every year on the first and fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Tang yuan symbolizes reunion therefore it is traditionally eaten every year with the whole family. Something like that...I myself am not really sure about Chinese history however, I'm sure Thangstahh could tell you pages and pages of Chinese history. History is just really not my thing.

Back to the topic of food, tang yuan can be filled and unfilled. Fillings can include azuki bean paste, gula melaka (palm sugar), sesame paste, peanut paste etc. Generally the ingredients for tang yuan can be found in a typical Chinese household pantry.

White glutinous rice flour, white rice flour
This tine round, is actually my second time eating tang yuan. First time was when I was overseas in Malaysia, where everyone helped Grandma make a whole pot full of tang yuan. And because the society around us is getting busier and busier (typical thing of me to say in detail study) it is more convenient for people to buy tang yuan since they are available in the frozen section in all good Asian grocery stalls.
And before you go ranting on about the use of pumpkin and read bean together, there was absolutely no pumpkin taste. I think it's only used for its natural food colour.
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红豆沙金瓜汤圆 - pumpkin glutinous ball with red bean dessert
adapted from Famous Cuisine no.53
(Malaysian/Singapore food and lifestyle magazine) RM 13 @ Popular Bookstore
later edited by my mum

ingredients:
makes around 40 tang yuan

• 200 grams pumpkin (without skin)
  (original was 150 grams without skin, but we had 200 grams left, so we put it all in. didn't make a difference)
• 250 grams glutinous rice flour
• 25 grams rice flour
• 30 grams sugar
• 120 mL boiling water
• some azuki bean paste(probably around 1/2 cup maximum)

method:
1. Peel and cut pumpkin into thin wedges. Place into a plate and steam until softened (about 10 minutes).

2. When pumpkin is soft, mash it with a fork into a smooth paste.

3. Mix the pumpkin with the flours and sugars. Gradually pour in boiling water and knead lightly to form a dough.

4. Divide the dough and azuki paste into small portions. Make sure the azuki paste is smaller than the dough.

5. Flour your hands with glutinous rice flour, flatten the dough and wrap the azuki bean paste inside. Seal the openings and roll until the dough is smooth.

6. Cook the tang yuan in boiling water. When it floats to the top, drain the tang yuan and it is ready to serve in a steaming bowl of sweet red bean soup* (see below).

Note: My mum made her own version of the red bean soup, so I don't have a recipe. I'll copy the one from the magazine, in it's original form.

sweet red bean soup

ingredients:

• 200 grams azuki beans, soaked overnight
• 250 grams rock sugar
• 4000 mL of water
• 4 blades pandan leaves
  (you can leave this out, since pandan leaves are not readily available in Australia)

method:
To make red bean dessert, cook the red beans in water until soften, then blend in the blender until finely paste. Pout in a pot and bring to a boil. Add in rock sugar and pandan leaves, cook for 20 minutes.
My mum cooks it a different way though, she doesn't blend the beans that's for sure.

reminiscent memories

Photos for Sars of red bean agar agar :)

My mum made these last night while I just watched (trying to 'tou see' hehehe). Making these is kinda similar to making jelly with gelatine. However the texture is way different to gelatine. Agar agar is more firmer and smooth whilst gelatine is more of an aeroplane jelly texture (OK...what I said just didn't make sense).

Eating these do bring back memories! (for me anyway) Grew up on rice, which explains why I am a 饭桶 (rice barrel - literal meaning) and I guess I have always liked the taste of red beans. Had it after dinner all the time when I was a kid. ALWAYS preferred the red bean version of everything :) Either in potong (Malaysian style block ice), ice cream, mantou fillings, agar agar, 红豆雪糕冰 (red bean ice cream drink), ANYTHING! Just LOVE it to bits. Hehehe I guess my addiction was also passed on to Sars!! Last we went to Ishikai, we ordered it and she can't get enough! But I reckon the drink was crap in Ishikai because they used soy milk, the one in Dessert House is more original with the ice cream floating on top! Have a feeling the milky substance is condensed milk mixed with water. Will definitely try to recreate it next time!
Hrm through observing I kinda got the recipe in my mind. This is not an official recipe as I was just watching and remembering what I can. But do give it a shot!

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Red bean agar agarrecipe taken through observation, so not sure if it's 100% correct

ingredients:
makes a fair amount for a few days

• 5 bowls of water
  (碗 - bowls as in those asian rice bowls)
• 3 bowls of sweet red bean soup without coconut milk (红豆沙)
  (ours had red beans and black glutinous rice)
• 1 packet agar agar powder
• sugar to taste
• 2 bowls coconut milk

method:

1. Combine water and sweet red bean soup in a pot. Stir to combine.
2. When warm, add the agar agar powder. Keep stirring the liquid.
3. Add the sugar and continue to stir until the liquid boils.
4. When the mixture comes to boiling point, stir in the coconut cream and stir to combine.
5. Pour mixture into individual moulds or small bowls.
6. Leave to set at room temperature and transfer to refrigerater to cool.

Cross section. The goodness of red beans!
Haha and just to match the theme of "reminiscent memories" I took a photo which reminded me of something in the past. Only these are my sister's shoes and not mine xD

Original photo before going through saturation in Photoshop.

"Memories are something you will never leave behind"

P.S to Heolin and Thangstahh - Hope you guys have a good time and a safe trip! Bus-ing is gonna be one of the highlights xD

笑口棗 - smiling doughnuts

I was looking for Alex Goh's recipe books at the library last week but couldn't find any. So I borrowed a chinese recipe book to look at the food photography. My mum looked at the books and decided to make 笑口棗 (smiling doughnuts) today, and me and my sister decided to help.

I remember eating these during my trip last year in Malaysia. They were only 60 sen at 'baasak' and I bought a whole heap. They were nice but they were oily when opened inside. The ones we made today are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

Blahahahaha took photos while mum was in action xD

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笑口棗 (smiling doughnuts)
adapted from 亲子节日食谱 later edited by my mum

TASTE BEST ON DAY MADE
ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tb oil
• 3 Tb water
• white sesame seeds for coating

method:
1. Sift flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl.
2. Beat eggs with sugar, oil and water until well combined.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the sifted flour.

4. Using your hands, mix flour and egg mixture together until it forms a dough.

5. Divide mixture into 2 parts. Roll them into a sausage shape and cut into small pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

6. Slightly dampen balls so that they can stick to the sesame seeds. (Try not to make it that wet.) Re-roll each ball so sesame seeds don't fall out when frying.

7. Heat a small wok of oil. Deep fry balls in medium heat until golden and burst into a smiling shape.

あんこ - azuki paste v2

I wanted to make ohagi today so I needed a batch of azuki paste. I just altered by previous recipe which can be found here. As usual, making this needs overnight preparation and at least 1 hour of cooking since the the water needs to absorb thoroughly.

This filling can also be used as a filling in steamed buns (bao/ manju), dorayaki and in baked breads etc. This can be also be used as a spread on bread rolls and sandwiches.

The sugar added really depends on your taste. In most recipes, the sugar required is the same as the amount of azuki you use. however I find this too sweet to my liking. Don't limit your cooking/ baking to recipes, feel free to adapt to suit your taste. As said in ocrimono in their oyatsu palette 'There is no accounting for taste, so choose your own.' I really like this quote!

Oh! By the way, most of the photos look the same. You can't really expect much when your pretty much boiling beans in a pot of water. Enough of me talking, here is the recipe...

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azuki paste v2

ingredients:

• 250 grams of azuki beans
• 3/4 cup raw sugar or to your own taste
  (white sugar can be used as well)
• cold water for boiling

(200 grams of azuki beans to 1/2 cup sugar)
method:

overnight preparation:

1.Weigh the correct amount of azuki beans.

2.Wash under a strainer and soak in cold water overnight.

making the adzuki paste: first boil

3. Wash azuki beans again.

4. Place azuki beans in a small saucepan.

5. Fill saucepan 3/4 way up with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
6. When the water boils, drain the water from the beans and replace with fresh water.

making azuki paste: second boil

7. Bring water to a boil again. Simmer beans on medium heat for 15 minutes.
8. Turn fire on low heat and simmer until beans are soft. (Approx. 10-15 minutes)

9. Add sugar and stir well. Turn fire to high heat until nearly all the water is evaporated.

Note: The beans will absorb some moisture after it has been removed from the fire. So make sure to leave some moisture in this step.

10. Turn fire on high heat. Mix and squash them into paste. (I think the whisk does a good job mashing the beans!)

Note: If your paste is too moist, return to fire and stir constantly to avoid burning.

Note: Chilling it, firms the paste.