Vanilla Slice

INGREDIENTS

2 bought puff pastry sheets
250ml (1 cup) milk
1 vanilla bean, split
3/4 cup corn flour
1/2 cup custard powder
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
750ml (3 cups) thickened cream
50g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 210°C. Line a 23cm square pan with aluminium foil, so that the foil comes up over the sides (this allows you to lift out the slice).
   
2. Place each pastry sheet on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, then bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Once cool, place 1 pastry sheet, cooked-side up, in bottom of pan. (You may need to trim it slightly to fit.)
   
3. Place milk in a pan over medium heat. Scrape in vanilla seeds and add bean too. Warm gently, then set aside for 10 minutes.
   
4. Place cornflour, custard powder and caster sugar in a pan. Strain milk, discarding bean, into pan with cornflour and whisk until smooth. Add cream, then return to heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture thickens and boils. Add butter, stirring well to combine, then remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth. Pour into pastry-lined pan and set aside to cool slightly before placing other piece of pastry, cooked-side up, on top. Refrigerate overnight.
   
5. Remove from pan, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Chicken with Chives Ginger Sauce

INGREDIENTS
A.
3 chickens Maryland
some coriander
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt

B.
80g Chinese chives (diced)
100g chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped shallots
1 tbsp chopped garlic

SEASONING

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp apple vinegar

METHOD

1. Put chickens in a pot of boiling water, add 1 tsp salt. Once boiled, cover, remove from heat, and soak for 30 minutes until cooked thorough. Drain well.
2. To make chives ginger sauce, heat 2 tbsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil in the hot wok. Add chopped ginger, garlic and shallots, saute over medium heat until fragrant, add in Chinese chives and seasoning, toss well.
3. Cut the chicken into pieces, arrange on a serving plate, spoon in chives ginger sauce, top with coriander, serve at once.

Pineapple and Fish Curry

 INGREDIENTS

1 fish, about 1kg
200g pineapple, cubed
100ml thick coconut milk
200ml water

CURRY SPICES
100g shallot, pounded
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
1 tbsp curry leaf
3 red chillies, pounded
1 tsp belacan, toasted
4 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp chilli paste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

METHOD

1. Heat up oil for deep-frying, put in fish, cover with lid and remove from heat.
Immerse fish in hot oil for 10 minutes or until well cooked. Dish up and arrange onto a serving platter.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp oil, saute shallot, lemongrass and curry leaves until fragrant. Add in the remaining curry spices and stir -fry until aromatic.
3. Add in pineapple cubes and stir well. Add in water, coconut milk and bring to boil. Pour over fish and serve hot.

Sambal Udang Kering

INGREDIENTS

A.
50g dried shrimps
20g dried chillies (soak in the hot water until soften)
30g shallots
20g garlic

B.
1 onion (shredded)
salt and sugar to taste

C.
5 tbsp oil

METHOD

1. Blend all ingredients (A) in the blender until smooth. Remove and keep aside.
2. Heat up 5 tbsp cooking oil in the hot wok, add in blended ingredients (A), fry gently over low heat until the paste begins to release it's fragrant. Add in (B), continue fry gently for 10-15 minutes or until the chilli oil is separates.
3. Remove from heat and ready to serve.

Chocolate Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (195g) all purpose flour
1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
1/3 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) water
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until nice and smooth.
3. Fill each muffin cups about two-thirds full with batter.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the cupcakes feel springy to the touch.
5. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Watercress and Fried Garlic Flakes

INGREDIENTS

500g watercress leave
1 tbsp garlic flakes

SEASONING
1/2 salt
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp apple vinegar
dash of sugar

METHOD
1. Heat up a pot of water, add in 1/2 tbsp oil, dash of salt and sugar. Put in watercress and blanch for 1 minutes. Dish and drain.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp oil, saute garlic flakes until fragrant. Add in seasoning, watercress and stir well. Dish up and serve.

Bubur pulut hitam / Sweet Black Glutinous Rice

INGREDIENTS

2 cups black glutinous rice (soaked overnight in cold water, then drained and rinsed)
3 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
4 cups water
1 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt



METHOD

1. Place the rice and the pandan leaves in a pan, then bring to a boil in 4 cups water, Stir constantly for about 15 minutes until the rice is cook.
2. Add coconut milk, sugar and salt. Bring to boil.
3. Then remove from the heat and serve hot or warm.

Cekodok pisang / Banana ball fritters

INGREDIENTS

2 cups plain flour
1 cup banana (mash)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
1 cup water

Oil for deep fry

METHOD

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl to form a thick batter.
2. Heat up oil in a wok.
3. Using the ice-cream scoop drop the batter in the hot oil. Fry until its golden brown.

Caramel Nut Brownie

 INGREDIENTS

250g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 chopped walnuts

CARAMEL ICING
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

Melt butter, golden syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan large enough to mix all ingredients. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add eggs and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Sift flour and baking powder into saucepan. Add vanilla essence and walnuts. Mix to combine. Pour into a greased sponge roll tin. Bake at 180C for 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie springs back when lightly touched. Ice while still warm then cut into squares.

Caramel Icing.
Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add butter, golden syrup and vanilla essence. Mix to combine.

Kuih Kosui Pandan

INGREDIENTS

10  pandan leaves
500ml water
200ml coconut cream
250gm plain flour
100gm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp air kapur sirih

About 1 cup dessicated coconut

METHOD

1. Blend the pandan leave with water and extract the juice.
2. Mix the coconut cream with the pandan juice, flour, sugar, salt and air kapur Mix well and strain.
3. Heat up a steamer.
4. Pour the batter into a greased tray and steam for 20-30 minutes or until firm.
5. Remove from heat and leave it to cool.
6. Mix the dessicated coconut with a little bit of salt. If dried dessicated coconut is used, add a little bit of hot water.
7.Cut the cooled kuih into bite size, roll in the coconut.