Chinese Style Fried Prawn Pancakes 炸虾饼

This is one of my favourite when I was a kid. I still remember, at that time there was a lady riding her bicycle selling different kinds of kueh. She will stopped by my house for few minutes to sell her delicious kueh. And then, we (my sisters and I) will asked my mom to buy some for us, and this Fried Prawn Pancake was always my order..;p

Now, I still get to buy some when I used to go "Pasar Malam" or the night market.

Well, at last I did try it myself and YES!! They are GOOD, TASTY...YUMMY!!!

Alright...I'm not so sure what's the proper name for this yumilicious kueh. In Mandarin, we used to call it 炸虾饼, where it was so called Fried Prawn Cake/Biscuits (direct translate) Somehow, I find it weird to name it "biscuits" or "cake"...so I just named it "Fried Prawn Pancakes"! 

Anyway, no matter what's the name is, the most important point is...they are DELICIOUS!

Fried Prawn Pancakes

Here's my own version of the pancakes, maybe you can share with me if you have a better one...(^_^)

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
1 tbsp blended rice flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp five spice powder (五香粉)
a little white pepper to taste
1 tbsp cooking
350ml water
a little spring onions (cut into 1" long)
some shredded Jicama (optinal)
15 medium prawns (remove the scales or leave it to whole depends to individual)

Cooking oil for deep fry.

Method:
* Mix all ingredients together except the prawns, to form a runny batter (shown above)
* Heat up the oil, preheat a ladle (any size as you desire) in the hot oil.
* When the ladle is hot enough, spoon some batter (filled up half of the ladle) into the ladle and place a prawn on it.
* Soak the ladle into the hot oil where the oil must cover the surface of the kueh.
* After a minute or two, use a small knife or cutter gently scrape the side of the ladle to remove the pancake.
* Let the pancake continue to fry till golden on both sides. Repeat the steps until all the batter has used up.

** Thickness depends to individual. If you like a thinner and crispy one, spoon to fill up 3/4 of the ladle will do.

Love the texture to bits. Crispy outside and soft in the inside. Serve with your favourite chili sauce or just have it plain like that. 

The portion of the ingredients makes 15 (slightly thick ones) I will make this again very soon because I just can't get enough of it...hehe!
Hope you like this too!!!

Cheers!

Sweetcorn Fritters 玉米黄金脆饼

Chinese New Year is around the corner, what are you baking this lunar year? I didn't bake much as those are the old recipes that I've done years ago. Maybe there'll be a new one but it's still under my testing list. Will be posting soon if it's successful ya..^^

For now I'll like to share this simple yet yummy recipe that I've googled. It's really simple and it takes only 20 minutes to cook this. 

 
As you see the picture above is quite tempting right! This recipe came to my mind as I have a big pack of sweetcorn given by a friend in my freezer. These are the organic sweetcorn and they are super sweet!! Last night I've just steamed some of them with added butter and salt..and you know what?! They are so sweet and I just can't wait to mix these sweeties with other ingredients.

I've got this recipe somewhere from the web, not sure which website already because I've been searching lots of them and I didn't even bother to jot down. At the end, I just remember some of it here and there..haha!
So here it goes with my own version of sweetcorn fritters. (Yes, I did remember the name..LOL)

Ingredients:
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
1 egg
alittle black pepper and white pepper to taste
150ml fresh milk
200g frozen sweetcorn

 **serve with anything you desire. I just like to eat it as its own.

Method:
~ Mix all ingredients together into a batter
~ Heat up some oil and spoon a full tablespoon into the hot oil and pan fry both sides until golden brown and crisp.

That's it! Super easy right!!

The texture is soft and fluffy inside and crispy on the outside. This was my 1st try and I never thought that my hubby likes it so much as he is quite picky. He asked for more!!! (happy me!!)

Cheers!

Taiwanese Meat Pie (馅饼)

School's examinations starting tomorrow, and I'll like to wish everyone good luck and do well. Okay, I know my daughter is only 7 years old, but I'm already started to feel nervous and stress, wonder how am I going to stress out for the coming years...LOL!! Relax...that's what my husband said to me!!

Alright, my post today...a Taiwanese dessert / snack. I love Taiwan food, I've been there 2 times and I never miss their night market with all lovely and delicious food!! Hoping that I may go again...;p

Taiwanese Meat Pie ( 馅饼 ) or you may call it pancakes but with fillings! Btw, I changed the fillings here. A curry flavours one....hehe! Tasted by few friends this afternoon when we were having lunch, feedback was...GOOD!!

Okay, here's the recipe.....

Ingredients for fillings:

200g chicken fillet (diced) ~ marinade with 2 tbsps meat curry powder and a pinch of salt and sugar.

2 medium local / yellow potatoes (diced)

5 shallots (diced)

1 onion (diced)

2 stalks curry leaves (chopped or you prefer to blend it)

2-3 tsps chilli paste

1 tsp chicken seasoning powder

1-2 tbsps water (add slowly, may need more if finds potatoes are not thoroughly cook)

Method:

~ Panfry shallots and onions until fragnant with 2 tbsps oil then add in curry leaves. Panfry at medium heat until fragnant.

~ Add in chilli paste and potatoes. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes then add in the rest of the ingredients. (except water)

~ At low heat slowly add in water and continue cooking until potatoes are totally cooked.

~ Dish up and let cool.

Ingredients for the pastry:

300g plain flour

3g salt

170ml warm water @ 65'C

Method:

~ Place flour and salt in a big bowl, add in water and stir to mix.

~ Mix dough by hands until form a rough dough then place on cleaned surface and knead for 3 minutes.....(ways of kneading, just press dough flat and fold into half and continue the same procedure for 3 minutes)

~ Place dough in a clean bowl and cover with cling wrap. Rest for 30 minutes.

~ Take out dough and roll into long stripes until smooth. Divide into 30g each and its ready to use.

~ After wrapping the fillings, seal properly like sealing a steamed pau then slightly press it flat by using our palm.

~ Heat up a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp oil and panfry both sides until golden brown at low heat.

~ Serve hot!!

Of course you can always change the fillings to your liking. Maybe with black pepper mutton or beef, it may taste good too...:)

Well, as you can see, my wrapping was not good here. Uneven pastry...one side thicker than the other...:( I know practice makes perfect...I'll do it again!!

Cheers!!

Peanut Pancake

Deepavali is around the corner, so what's your plan for the long weekend? I won't be going anywhere but just shop shop here and eat eat there around town..;p Since I'm not travelling, so maybe baking will be part of the plan too.
Alright about this post.....it was done few days ago. It was something similar to the "Ban Chien Kueh / Apam Balik" but it was more to a pancake we use to eat for breakfast. Get what I mean?...haha!
Well, have a look at it............

Ingredients:
130g plain flour
50g rice flour
20g custard powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
80g castor sugar
350ml water

Filling:
Some roasted groundnuts (coarsely milled)
Alittle castor sugar
Alittle salt
Some cream-style sweet corn (canned)
** measurement depends to individual

Method:
~ Mix well all flour ingredients, set aside
~ Beat eggs and castor sugar in a bowl and mix into the flour mixture.
~ Add water in a slow stream and mix until the mixture is free of lumps.
~ Cover the mixture and rest for 15 mins.
~ Heat a non-stick pan, grease alittle oil or butter. Ladle in some mixture and panfry at low heat until the top is set.
~ Sprinkle in groundnuts, sugar, salt and spoon in some sweet corn. Leave to fry well.
~ Roll up the pancake (like a swissroll) or just fold half portion over.

A nice pancake best for teatime or maybe supper. My girl love the nuts and sweet corn in it. Maybe you can replace it with some chocolate or maybe fruit jam...that will be nice too..:)

Once again, I'll like to wish all my Indian friends a very Happy Deepavali and a great great happy weekends!!

Cheesy Pancakes

*phew*..finally I got some time for myself after a busy day. Yeah, its a Saturday and yet it was busier than my weekdays. Busy with unfinished housework and also fully booked by my daughter's weekend activities. Its really not and easy job to take care of a child. Agree?
Me, being a mother cum driver..haha!

Okay, to start of my day, I've cooked myself a fulfilling breakfast. One of my favourite.....
Pancakes! Having miss and match with some other recipes, here's my version. And it turns out super good..:)




Ingredients:
100g Self raising flour
25g Sugar
1/8 tsp salt
75ml Fresh milk
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites (lightly whisk)
1tbsp Cornoil
4-5 tbsps Grated Cheddar Cheese

Method:
~ Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
~ Make a well in the center of the flour, add in egg yolks, milk and oil. Stir until smooth.
~ Add in whisked egg whites into batter without beating.
~ Lastly add in grated cheddar cheese and mix well.
~ Spoon onto hot pan (without oil) to pan fry until golden brown on both sides.

Lovely! We love it with some honey and syrup. It makes me hungry again looking at the pictures..;p

I'm going to take a day off from my kitchen tomorrow, no...not even to toast a bread! I want some rest..:)

Have a nice weekend everybody...Cheers!

Chives Pancakes

Well, dunno what to have for dinner tonight. When it comes to think of the menu, it really cracking my head. Wondering around the market juz now.....then i saw some fresh chives. "Chives Pancakes"..it comes to mind. We'll have it tonight. Its a traditional recipe from my grandmother i think. My mum used to make tis when i was a little kid. You may say its only a pancake, can we have it for dinner...?? Of course "YES"...we can eat alot, cause its too delicious...YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup Dried Shrimps (Soaked,finely diced)

1.5 cups Chives (Cut into 1")

1.5 tsps Salt

2 tsps Five Spice Powder

A dash of Pepper

**Water (Room temperature)

METHOD:
~ Mix the flour, salt, pepper and five spice powder in a bowl, add in water slowly until gets a quite watery texture.

~ Add in the soaked & diced dried shrimps and chives.

~ Mix well, then taste a little of the mixture before frying (you may need a stronger taste, so can add alittle more salt or five spice powder or pepper)

~ Heat up a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp of cooking oil.

~ Spoon some mixture on the pan and flatten it (Otherwise the pancake will be too thick)

~ Panfry both sides until cook/golden brown.

~ Serve it plain or with some chili sauce.