Post by SeaDragon on Dec 19, 2017 18:36:45 GMT 10
Snacks of the Orient
By Amy Beh (August 24, 1999)
WITH practice, sweet and savoury snacks can be prepared with minimum fuss. Besides being delicious tea-time fare, they make convenient home-made takeaways. The following Oriental favourites are ideal for serving when you invite friends over for tea or supper.
Deep-Fried Ma Tai Koh (Water-chestnut Fritters)
Ingredients:
200g water-chestnut powder
250ml water
350ml water
2 pandan (screwpine) leaves - knot
200g castor sugar
250ml thin coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
200g water-chestnuts - skin and chop coarsely
For batter, sift together:
200g plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
3 tsp baking powder
350ml water
1 tbsp oil
Method:
PUT water-chestnut powder and 250ml water in a mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. Strain to remove impurities.
Bring 350ml water to a rapid boil, add pandan leaves and sugar and boil until sugar completely dissolves. Remove pandan leaves, add coconut milk (mixed with 1/2 tsp salt) and chopped water-chestnuts and boil once again.
Pour this hot syrupy liquid into the water-chestnut starch solution. Stir well until the syrupy solution turns starchy, then pour into a well-greased 17cm x 17cm square cake tin.
Steam over rapid boiling water for 30 minutes or until done. Remove tin from steamer and set aside to cool completely before cutting into thin slices. Dip in batter and fry in hot oil until fritters turn golden brown. Drain well and serve.
Footnote:
Water-chestnut slices can be served plain, without frying.
To prepare the batter:
Place sifted flours in mixing bowl and stir in 350ml water to form batter. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix until smooth. Leave aside for 30 minutes, then drain before use.
Spring Onion Pancake (Chinese-Style Chapati)
Ingredients:
250g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp castor sugar
125ml hot water
30g melted margarine
50ml cold water
1 tbsp lime juice
Green portion of 3 stalks spring onions - combine with the following for 1 minute, lightly squeeze out excess liquid and set aside:
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Extra melted margarine
Flour for dusting
Method:
SIFT flour with salt into a deep bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Stir in hot water, followed by melted margarine, cold water and lime juice to form a soft dough. (If dough is too stiff, add a little cold water; if it is too soft, add a little flour.)
Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes. Divide into six equal balls and rub each with extra melted margarine. Place balls in an air-tight container. Cover and leave aside for 2 to 3 hours. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin till paper thin. Spread 1 tbsp spring onion on top of each. Fold in both sides. Pull up and roll into a rope, then coil dough downwards into a round bun. Flatten with a rolling pin to form a pancake.
Sprinkle melted margarine generously on an iron griddle and fry pancake on both sides till golden brown. Serve warm.
Savoury Radish Kuih (Lopak Put Chai Koh)
Ingredients:
350g white radish - skin and grate finely
500ml water
2 tbsp oil
200g rice flour
50g sago flour
550ml water
1/2 tsp alkaline water
For seasoning:
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Dash of pepper
For topping:
2 tbsp dried shrimps - chop
1 tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp chopped salted radish (choy po)
2 dried black mushrooms - soak and cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
For garnishing:
8 shallots - slice thinly, then fry for shallot crisps
Chopped spring onion
1 red chilli - remove seeds and shred finely
Method:
BOIL radish for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Combine rice flour and sago flour in a mixing bowl. Add 500ml water and 1/2 tsp alkaline water. Mix well, then leave aside for 10 minutes. Strain to remove impurities.
Heat oil in a wok, add cooked radish and rice flour mixture. Add seasoning ingredients and cook till mixture turns into a thick batter. Scoop a ladleful of batter into a small Chinese bowl greased with cooking oil. Steam over rapid boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked. Sprinkle with cooked topping ingredients and garnishing, then serve with chilli sauce.
To cook topping:
Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry chopped garlic and choy po until golden. Add dry shrimps and fry till fragrant. Add mushrooms and stir-fry briskly. Add sugar and salt, then dish up.
By Amy Beh (August 24, 1999)
WITH practice, sweet and savoury snacks can be prepared with minimum fuss. Besides being delicious tea-time fare, they make convenient home-made takeaways. The following Oriental favourites are ideal for serving when you invite friends over for tea or supper.
Deep-Fried Ma Tai Koh (Water-chestnut Fritters)
Ingredients:
200g water-chestnut powder
250ml water
350ml water
2 pandan (screwpine) leaves - knot
200g castor sugar
250ml thin coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
200g water-chestnuts - skin and chop coarsely
For batter, sift together:
200g plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
3 tsp baking powder
350ml water
1 tbsp oil
Method:
PUT water-chestnut powder and 250ml water in a mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. Strain to remove impurities.
Bring 350ml water to a rapid boil, add pandan leaves and sugar and boil until sugar completely dissolves. Remove pandan leaves, add coconut milk (mixed with 1/2 tsp salt) and chopped water-chestnuts and boil once again.
Pour this hot syrupy liquid into the water-chestnut starch solution. Stir well until the syrupy solution turns starchy, then pour into a well-greased 17cm x 17cm square cake tin.
Steam over rapid boiling water for 30 minutes or until done. Remove tin from steamer and set aside to cool completely before cutting into thin slices. Dip in batter and fry in hot oil until fritters turn golden brown. Drain well and serve.
Footnote:
Water-chestnut slices can be served plain, without frying.
To prepare the batter:
Place sifted flours in mixing bowl and stir in 350ml water to form batter. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix until smooth. Leave aside for 30 minutes, then drain before use.
Spring Onion Pancake (Chinese-Style Chapati)
Ingredients:
250g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp castor sugar
125ml hot water
30g melted margarine
50ml cold water
1 tbsp lime juice
Green portion of 3 stalks spring onions - combine with the following for 1 minute, lightly squeeze out excess liquid and set aside:
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Extra melted margarine
Flour for dusting
Method:
SIFT flour with salt into a deep bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Stir in hot water, followed by melted margarine, cold water and lime juice to form a soft dough. (If dough is too stiff, add a little cold water; if it is too soft, add a little flour.)
Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes. Divide into six equal balls and rub each with extra melted margarine. Place balls in an air-tight container. Cover and leave aside for 2 to 3 hours. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin till paper thin. Spread 1 tbsp spring onion on top of each. Fold in both sides. Pull up and roll into a rope, then coil dough downwards into a round bun. Flatten with a rolling pin to form a pancake.
Sprinkle melted margarine generously on an iron griddle and fry pancake on both sides till golden brown. Serve warm.
Savoury Radish Kuih (Lopak Put Chai Koh)
Ingredients:
350g white radish - skin and grate finely
500ml water
2 tbsp oil
200g rice flour
50g sago flour
550ml water
1/2 tsp alkaline water
For seasoning:
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Dash of pepper
For topping:
2 tbsp dried shrimps - chop
1 tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp chopped salted radish (choy po)
2 dried black mushrooms - soak and cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
For garnishing:
8 shallots - slice thinly, then fry for shallot crisps
Chopped spring onion
1 red chilli - remove seeds and shred finely
Method:
BOIL radish for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Combine rice flour and sago flour in a mixing bowl. Add 500ml water and 1/2 tsp alkaline water. Mix well, then leave aside for 10 minutes. Strain to remove impurities.
Heat oil in a wok, add cooked radish and rice flour mixture. Add seasoning ingredients and cook till mixture turns into a thick batter. Scoop a ladleful of batter into a small Chinese bowl greased with cooking oil. Steam over rapid boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked. Sprinkle with cooked topping ingredients and garnishing, then serve with chilli sauce.
To cook topping:
Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry chopped garlic and choy po until golden. Add dry shrimps and fry till fragrant. Add mushrooms and stir-fry briskly. Add sugar and salt, then dish up.