Ondeh-ondeh

 This is another classic dessert in Malaysia and Indonesia and very popular among the Malays and Peranakans.  It is called ondeh-ondeh in Malaysia but klepon in Indonesia.  It is basically a boiled rice cake, shaped into balls, stuffed with gula melaka (palm sugar) and rolled in fresh grated coconut.  Eaten as morning or afternoon snacks, this traditional dessert is very much liked by many, both locals and tourists.

Eating a ball of ondeh-ondeh can be quite suspenseful but delightfully satisfying.  When the ball is stuffed into the mouth, one is already anticipating that it is going to literally burst in any seconds.  Upon bursting, the palm sugar liquid is explosively oozed out from the ball sending a pleasing sweet sensation to the whole palate. 

I made this at home a couple of weeks back, after my successful attempt getting my daycare students to make ondeh-ondeh during the school holiday.  Though it was our first trial making this dessert, the outcome turned out to be surprisingly good receiving lots of thumbs up from the students and teachers alike.  I got the recipe from Mrs Tan, the cook for my daycare centre who is married to a Baba and loves exploring Nyonya cuisine.  A big THANK YOU to you, Mrs Tan!

One thing I like about this simple recipe which made my students ooh and aah that day is it calls for sweet potato, the secret ingredients that made the balls so wonderfully soft and smooth.  So, if you want to give this classic indulgence a try, here you go.......scroll down!

 

The Recipe:
(yields about 40 to 50 pcs)

350g glutinous rice flour
250g sweet potatoes
3 tbsp pandan juice (screwpine leaf juice)
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup plain water

200g gula Melaka (palm sugar), finely chopped
1 fresh grated coconut


Method:


1.  In a heavey saucepan, boil the sweet potato until soft and tender. Then, mashed and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour with Pandan juice and water.
     Then, knead lightly.

3.  Combine the dough with the mashed sweet potato and knead.

4.  Bring a pot of water to boil. Pinch a small piece of dough (about 15 g each) and flatten lightly.
     Fill the center of the dough with palm sugar.

5.  Roll them in your palm to form a smooth ball and cook the glutinous rice balls in the
     boiling water. When the rice balls float to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon
     and shake off the excess water.

6.  Mix the grated coconut with a pinch of salt and steam for about 2 – 3 minutes and let it
     cool completely.

7.  Coat the rice balls with grated coconut and serve immediately.


HAPPY TRYING!

Apom Bokwa With Banana Gravy

This is indeed a typical Baba-Nyonya (Straits-born Chinese a.k.a the Peranakans) dessert that is stepping into 'extinction'.  I only got to eat this whenever my septuagenarian aunt (tua ee) makes it.  I reckon that to many, especially those born in the 80s and below, this dessert is a childhood food that is bound to take you stroll down memory lane.

As a matter of fact, not many nyonyas now know how to make this classic cake (and pardon me, I am referring to today's young modern nyonyas, k!).  So, this accounts for the fact that this traditional kueh (cake) is so hard to come by nowadays.  As a Baba who currently lives in Malacca and loves cooking, I feel called to revive this dying classic.

Well, it all started when I was browsing through my Facebook News Feed a couple of days ago and suddenly someone posted a photo of this dessert.  It caught my eyes almost instantly.  Scrolling down on the comments made me realize that there were so many, both Malaysians and Singaporeans still craving for this dessert.  At the drop of a hat, I googled for the recipe.  Surprisingly, not many I could find except for Amy Beh's, an iconic figure where nyonya food is concerned.

I could have asked my tua ee or even my mummy for the recipe but I doubted they have it written down.  One thing for sure, they will confuse me with their 'agak-agak' (roughly) statement.  Whatever it is, come to think of it, my hats off to these elder nyonyas, anyway.  They just have all their recipes stored in their head without having to refer to any cook books. Just imagine how many of them and if you are a Straits-born, you will agree with me that Peranakan dishes are relatively complicated to prepare incorporating varieties of ingredients and spices.  Even their methods are not that straightforward.  And yet, all these are cleverly stored in their grey matter. RESPECT! RESPECT!

So, how's the verdict of Auntie Beh's recipe and my labour of love?  Generally, I'm very satisfied with what came out.  Though a little complicated with lots of steps to follow, I am indeed pleased with the outcome.  What I heard and gathered from my aunt and a few other elders was that to know as to whether you have succeeded in making the apom (pancake) or not was to look at the the tiny punctures on the surface of the apom.  The more the holes, the better the pancake.

And taste wise? Well, it was surprisingly close, though not exactly the same to that of my auntie's apom.  There is a slight tinge of sourish in the apom.  It could be from the yeast (I guess so, maybe someone can shed some light here!).  From my observation, the longer the rice batter is fermented, the sourer the pancake turns out to be, and the more the holes will form!  Anyway, not to worry, when the apom is dipped and blended together with the sweet banana gravy, it neutralizes everything and the result............HEAVENLY!

So, here I come, bringing you Amy Beh in the house, virtually......
 
Ingredients
By Amy Beh

I) The Cake/Apom
    (A)  Mix these ingredients together and leave aside to soak for 10 minutes:
            - 500g rice flour (I reduced it to 300g.  500g is just too much making it impossible to soak)
            - 25g glutinous rice flour

This is EBU

            - 300ml coconut water

     (B) Mix these ingredients, leave aside for 15 minutes.  Cook over 
           low flame until it turns gluey to make "Ebu":
           - 50g rice flour
           - 150ml water

     (C) Mix these ingredients and leave aside to froth:
            - 1/4 cup lukewarm water
            - 1/4 tsp sugar
            - 1 tbsp instant yeast
    
      (D) - 160ml pati santan (thick coconut milk)

II) The Sauce: 

      (A) Prepare the syrup

             - 75g brown sugar

             - 50g gula melaka

             - 175ml water

             - 3 pandan (screwpine) leaves 

       (B) Mix these ingredients together and allow the rice to expand:

             - 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour

             - 25ml water

       (C) - 50ml pati santan

             - 1/4 tsp salt

         

       (D) - 3 rippen bananas

     

  Method:

Blend ingredients (a) and (b) together. Mixin 1/2 tsp salt and stir well with a hand whisk. Add in (c) and set aside for 30 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth for it to rise to double its size. 

Blend in (d) and proof for another 50 minutes. Heat a brass apom mould and grease lightly with corn oil.
 

Pour in enough batter to fill the mould three-quarters full and cook over medium heat. Cook till bubbles appear. Cover mould with a lid till the top part of the apom is cooked. Touch centre of apom with finger - if it is firm and not sticky, the apom is ready.
 

To make sauce: Bring (a) to a boil, strain the hot syrup into (b). Stir well and transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium low flame. Add in (c) and (d) and stir well till sauce thickens. Pour sauce into a small bowl and serve with apom bokwa.

HAPPY TRYING!

Pandan Layered Cake

I made this cake two months back.  Yes, for TWO  MONTHS, I have had the draft sitting and idling in my to-publish list.  I think it's about time I get it shared out before everything gets slipped off and is completely forgotten. Indeed, publishing this post at this point of time is so untimely and odd because everyone is busy making and showcasing their festive cookies since Chinese New Year is just around the corner.  But, I have no choice.  Let me be the odd one this time!

Well, I have been 'hibernating' for quite a while.  For the past two months, I have been snowed under with loads and loads of work .  Ironically, school holidays are never a holiday for teachers like me who are working in an after-school care set up.  We normally get even busier during the school holiday, a period we always dread to think of or even cringe when we know that it is approaching. Just imagine students coming in as early as 8am to the centre and tagging with you until 6pm.  Argggh!  Entertaining them and keeping them busy for that long period of time is never an easy-peasy job and can sometimes be a little daunting.  I normally go back home completely drained.  At times, when I step into my kitchen, I feel so sorry for having to neglect my oven, stove, baking trays, measuring cups etc etc.

Now, back to my bake - pandan layered cake.  I have always loved this cake and one thing for sure, I only take it when it is chilled.  One thing the make this cake so wonderfully satisfying is the custard layer.  The aroma of the pandan extract and coconut milk just complement so perfectly.  The texture and the chillness of the custard also blend so perfectly well with the cake.  Every single bite is so smooth, refreshing, pleasing and irresistibly divine.  So, if you decided to give this gastronomical  delight a try, please scroll down for the recipe.        

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Adapted from Blessed Homemaker

Ingredients
(A)
4 Egg Yolks
40 g Castor Sugar
1 tbsp Pandan Juice
100 ml Coconut Milk
50 ml Corn Oil
Pinch of salt

(B)
100 g PrimaFlour Top Flour (I used plain flour)
1 tsp Baking Powder

(C)
5 Egg Whites
40 g Castor Sugar
1/3 tsp Cream of Tartar (I omit)

Method

1. In a bowl, using hand whisk, whisk yolks and sugar till sugar dissolves.
2. Add salt, pandan juice, coconut milk and oil to the yolk mixture.  Mix well.
3. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth and set aside.
4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat till the whites are frothy. Add in Cream of Tartar and beat till soft peaks.
5. Add in sugar gradually and beat till stiff peaks.
6. Fold in 1/3 of the whites into the yolk mixture using a rubber spatula till incorporated
7. Pour the mixture to the remaining egg whites and fold in gently till incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into 8" round pan. Bang the pan on the table to get rid of bubbles.
9. Bake at pre-heated oven of 170C for 10 - 15 mins.
10. Turn down the temperature to 160C and bake for another 35 - 40 mins.
11. Reduce temperature further to 150C and bake for another 10 - 15 mins to brown the surface.
12. Remove from the oven and invert the pan to cool.  

Kaya Layer
Adapted from Blessed Homemaker

Ingredients(A)
1000g water
280g sugar
80g butter

(B)
400g pandan juice
400g coconut milk
120g corn flour
1 packet/13g agar agar powder (plain)

Method

1. Stir (A) together in a pot and boil over low flame.
2. Mix (B) together and add into (1). Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and boils.
3. Let the kaya cool slightly before icing the cake.

To assemble the cake upside down

1. Pour 1/2 portion of kaya in first, then layer with cake.
2. Pour in balance kaya and layer with cake.
3. Using a small plastic bag, pipe in the kaya at the edge.
4. Chill cake in fridge before serving.

To assemble the cake upright

1. Place a layer of cake at base of cake pan (I use one with removable base).
2. Pour in 1/2 portion of kaya and layer with 2nd layer of cake.
3. Pour in balance kaya and leave to set.
4. Chill cake in fridge before serving.