No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

It's the time of the year for mooncakes again and as in previous years, there seems to be a growing vast variety of mooncakes of different flavours.  This year, the Mid-Autumn or Mooncake Festival falls on 13th September, Friday.  The malls are all decorated with paraphenalia associated with the festival and sell special food at this time of the year.






Snowskin yam paste mooncake  ~ 2019 ~ 芋头冰皮月饼)

Ingredients for Yam Paste
500 gm yam100 gm sugar25 gm wheatstarch1/8 tsp salt70 ml vegetable oil (may require less)Method Peel yam, cut into slices and weigh out 500 gm.  Steam yam slices on medium heat for about 30 mins. till soft.Immediately mash up the yam slices while still hot (yam will harden once cooled) OR can use a handheld blender to blend.  (I used the latter).Pour the mashed yam into a non-stick pot, stir on low heat adding oil little by little.  Gradually add in sugar and salt.  All this while, keep stirring on low heat.Cook till the yam mixture is semi dry and firm, leaving the…

Milo, a popular beverage of chocolate and malt powder is the key ingredient in this Milo Chiffon Cake.   This light and moist chiffon is enhanced with an addition of Nutella and can be served at any time of the day.  If you like more Milo, accompany it with a hot drink of this beverage.




Milo Chiffon Cake ~   美禄戚风蛋糕  (adapted from 'here' )
Ingredients
(A)  5 large egg yolks
       15 gm caster sugar
       45 gm vegetable oil
       100 ml milo (3 tsp milo powder + hot water to make 100 ml)
       1 heapful Tbsp Nutella - about 30 gm
       100 gm plain flour, sifted
       1 tsp vanilla

(B)
       5 large egg whites
       45 gm caster sugar )   Mix together
       1 Tbsp cornflour     )

Method
Combine hot milo and nutella, mix well, set aside to cool.Combine sugar with cornflour, mix till well combined.Beat egg yolks with sugar, gradually add in oil, milo mixture and vanilla.  Mix till well combined.Sift flour into the egg yolk mixture and mix well.In a clean bowl, beat egg whites…

These Mung Bean Cakes are made with split mung beans and they can pass off as mooncakes as they are shaped using the plunger moulds for mooncakes.  I find these mung bean cakes refreshing and not so heavy as mooncakes and they are a perfect match with a cup of hot Chinese tea.




Mung Bean Cake  ~   绿豆糕
Ingredients
300 gm split mung beans30 gm Crisco shortening70 ml vegetable oil100 gm organic cane sugar1.1/2 Tbsp honeyabout 100 gm red bean paste1/2 tsp matcha powderpinch of saltpandan leavesMethod Wash and soak the mung beans with 700 ml water, overnight.Next day, rinse the mung beans and cook it in a rice cooker with about 1 inch of water covering the mung beans.  (I used the 'congee' function of the rice cooker).Put the cooked mung beans in a blender and blend till fine with 120 ml water.Heat up a non-stick pan with shortening and once melted, pour in the blended mung beans.  Keep stirring on medium heat and then add in vegetable oil.  Once all the oil has been absorbed, add in h…

These moist applesauce muffins have a delicious apple cinnamon flavour, fluffy and moist in texture.  Not only are they healthy and nutritiuos, they are so easy to make.  Perfect for breakfast or snacks!







Applesauce Choc-Chip Wholemeal Muffins ~    苹果巧克力全麦玛芬
Ingredients
250 gm self-raising wholemeal flour100 gm caster sugar1/4 tsp salt1/ 2 cup vegetable oil2 large eggs1/2 cup milk1/2 cup lightly sweetened homemade applesauce1/2 tsp cinnamon100 gm choc chips200 gm chopped applesApplesauce 4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped3/4 cup water30 gm granulated sugar1/4 tsp cinnamonMethod for Applesauce In a saucepan, combine all the above ingredients, cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 mins.  till apples are soft.  Cool, mash with a fork or a potato masher.Place in a container and keep refrigerated.Yield - 1 cup of applesauceMethod In a mixing bowl, whisk the wholemeal flour, sugar and salt.   Mix well.In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and applesauce till well combined.Add th…

I was introduced to White Bihoon on my recent trip to Singapore and must admit that I have never heard of this before.  Back here, we have Hokkien fried bihoon which is brownish in colour or Cantonese braised bihoon which is bihoon deep fried and coated with an eggy sauce of meat, seafood and vegetables.  I was curious and I had my first taste of this popular White Bihoon at Jewel, Changi airport.  It's white, because no light or dark soya sauce was added to the bihoon, hence it's white.  It does tastes good with a light squeeze of calamansi. So, today I'm trying to replicate this dish and here's my version of White Bihoon.  Enjoy!



White Bihoon/Rice vermicelli  ~    白米粉
Ingredients
100 gm bihoon (for 2 servings)2 eggs beaten100 gm prawns100 gm chicken leg, deboned and sliced6 cups or more chicken stock1 tsp chicken granules1.1/2 tsp cornstarch + water to thickenVegetable of your choiceSalt, pepper and sugar to season the chicken and prawnsCalamansi, sliced (optional)Salt…

What can be most satisfying on a Monday morning when there are warm muffins being served on the breakfast table?  They are quick and easy to whip up as only light mixing is required.  These muffins are full of lemony flavour and fragrance, a big boost for your Monday blues!





Lemon Muffins  ~   柠檬玛芬
Ingredients
250 gm plain flour150 gm caster sugar1 'L' egg1.1/2 Tbsp lemon zest3 tsp baking powdera pinch of salt3/4 cup milk1/3 cup oilMore lemon zest to sprinkleMethod Sift flour, baking powder, salt into a mixing bowl, mix in the sugar and lemon zest.  Whisk till well combined.In another bowl, whisk the egg, add in the milk, followed by the oil and whisk till well incorporated.Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix till just to dampen the flour.  Do not overmix.  Batter should be lumpy.Using an icecream scoop, scoop the batter into a lined muffin pan, 2/3 full.Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C, for 20 to 25 mins. till golden brown.  Test with a skewer till it comes …

This is a simple recipe, no-frills tart that attracts your eyes as well as your taste buds.  A refreshing and appetizing dessert for your sweet tooth after a  scrumptious meal.  You can also choose to enjoy it for tea with a piping hot cup of coffee or tea.  Tastes best when warm.




Puff Pastry Peach Tart ~   水蜜桃挞

Ingredients
1 puff pastry sheet, 8 inch square, thawed and cut into 4 pieces1 can of Peach halves, cutegg whiteicing sugar to dustMethod Roll up the 4 sides of the pastry dough, about 1/4 inch.Brush some peach syrup on the dough and place the peaches on it.Brush some syrup over the peaches and apply egg white all round the pastry dough.Bake in a preheated oven @ 200 deg.C for about 20 mins. till the pastry is brown and all puffed up.Dust on icing sugar before serving.   Best to serve warm.Yield :  4 tarts