Asian Fried Mashed Bananas Fritters (Goreng Klodok)

I am going to visit my hairdressers today, not for a hair cut but to visit them as long time friends. It was about ten years ago when I lost control of my unruly hair (there was no rebonding technology then), I met Ethel and Terri. They are two of the most amazing women I have ever met so far. Every time I visit them, it  is like going to my third place where I feel welcomed, loved and happy. Ethel and Terri treat me like their own daughter and they would share with me their life experiences and even till today they would contact me once a while to make sure I am well. Although I do not visit them as often as I would like to, the bond we share is still fresh and strong. One of the interest we shared is the love for food. As Terri said," We shall eat first then work on it later." I totally agree with her. So today, I would like to bring something sweet for them for tea, something from my heart.  

Goreng Klodok is a typical Singaporean finger food that can be found at many Malay food stalls. It is getting difficult to find good ones nowadays. The ideal fritters should be packed with bananas, light in the inside and crispy on the outside. In my attempt in making these, I have also added brown sugar to add a depth of flavour to the sweetness and rice flour for the crunch.  

Recipe (24 pieces) 

Ingredients:

• 500g Ripe bananas
• 80g Caster sugar
• 20g Brown Sugar
• 120 All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Rice Flour 
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 60 ml Water
• 2 tsp Oil 
• Oil for frying

Steps:

1. Mash the bananas with a whisk/ fork. We still want some bits of bananas in the mash to have the bite in the fritters. 
2. Mix in the sugars.
3. Add in the flours and baking powder. Mix well. 
4. Add in salt and water. Then lastly the oil. 
5. Set aside for at least 5 minutes. Prepare for oil for deep frying. I used a small saucepan with 2 inch of oil. Drop a small dough to check for temperature. It should sizzle quickly. If the temperature is too low, dough may absorb too much oil and end up with greasy balls. 
6. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the hot oil. The dough should float up shortly. Make sure both sides are brown before removing from oil. 

I am very happy that Ethel and Terri loved my "heartwork". The fritters were snapped up so quickly. :P  This made my day and I am sure it brightened theirs too. If you are reading my blog, please join me in making someone's day different. Cook for them...  

Steamed Pork Patties with Salted Egg Yolks

It is always a pleasure to have guests over for a simple meal. My hubby and I enjoy having friends and family members over for dinner. After every meal, we always feel that these sessions bring us closer to our guests.  

After having to host a few dinners, I observed that food on the dining table sets the tone and formality of the meal. Generally my family and friends warm up to  Asian food than western food. Somehow they are more at ease, conversations are more relaxed and atmosphere is more vibrant. It is like comparing a dim sum restaurant to a French dining restaurant.  

In my journey in expanding my cooking repertoire of Chinese food, the Singapore celebrity chef Sam Leong would be one of the chefs I would look up for ideas. He has published a number of recipe books and his recipes are easy to follow. This dish is from one of his books and every time when I cooked this, my guests would raved about it.  I strongly recommend his books and cooking classes. 

This recipe requires salted egg yolks. As the eggs have been preserved with salted charcoal, the egg white would turn a little cloudy and the yolk turned into a bright orange, firm and round ball. Please wash away the egg white with water and the membrane that protects the yolk. You may cut or smash the egg yolk before placing into the steaming bowls. 

These pictures were taken a guest (PressingSecrets) whom I was very pleased to invite. She offered me a new perspective  in my kitchen while my friends and I were trying to rush for a 8-course Chinese dinner for 11 people frantically within 2 hours. She captured our calmness with a polaroid camera on one hand and mixing spoon on the other. Well done!

Ingredients

• 400g Minced Pork
• 30g Coriander stems, finely diced
• 3 Water Chestnuts, peeled and finely diced
•  4 Salted Egg Yolks, cleaned and cut half
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Egg white
• 2 tsp Soya Sauce
• A pinch Ground white pepper
•  A dash of Sesame oil
• Spring Onion, minced

Steps:

1. Mix all ingredients together, except cooking oil, salted egg yolks and spring onions. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Apply some cooking oil on 4 steaming metal cases.
3. Put a salted egg yolk inside each case. Spoon the pork mixture into the cases.
4. Steam for 45 mins or until the pork is cooked.
5. Turn cups over a serving plate. Serve with the sauce (see below).

Sauce

• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 4 slices Ginger
•  2 Spring Onion, cut into 1 inch long
• 4 sprigs of Coriander leaves
• 200ml Chicken Stock
•  ¼ tsp Dark Soya Sauce
• 20g Rock Sugar

Steps:

1. Heat the oil in a wok and fry ginger, spring onion and coriander until fragrant.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.
3. Strain and use as needed

Adapted from Chef Sam Leong's A Taste of Home

Buttery Scones for Afternoon Tea

There is something about afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is definitely designed for the Missy. It is considered to be a ladies social occasion. I could imagine myself sipping chamomile tea from floral English tea cups and sliding finger sized pastries off the tier-plates with my girl friends on weekday afternoon, catching up on the good old times. Here in Singapore, we commonly know that afternoon tea as high tea. Unfortunately, Singaporeans have got it all wrong. The luxurious afternoon tea is traditionally known as low tea: tea served with dainty food on low tables at mid afternoon. On contrary, high tea is traditionally for the working class. It is a meal of meat and other heavy food served on high table after work. 

So bring out the scones and let's have some low tea! 

Remember, scones are not supposed to be hard and dry. Good scones are buttery, light and tender. I like my scones warmed, glazed or served with jam or whipped butter. It is not easy to find good scones here. At least, I haven't. That is why I made these today. So now you know where to get the best scones? @ weekend kitchenette!

I learnt this marvellous recipe while I was in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from a wonderful neighbour who was learning to be a pastry chef. She gave up her regular job to pursue her passion in the Cordon Bleu, Boston. She shared that her dream was to set up her own bakery in her home town in Utah. Interestingly, she was also my kickboxing instructor then. 

The tip to tender scones lies on the amount of mixing. The more you mix, the tougher it gets. So perhaps that explains why commercially made scones are like stones. Simply because they are machined mixed.  

Recipe (makes 8 pieces) 
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Plain flour
• 1/4 cup Caster Sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, cold
• 1 cup Whipping cream, cold
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Sugar to sprinkle

Steps:

1. Mix the dry ingredients together. 
2. Using a food processor, chop the butter with the dry ingredients until the butter is about the size of half a pea, coated with dry ingredients. 
3. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. 
4. Add the whipping cream. Mix lightly. 
5. Pat the dough into a disc shape on a table top. 
6. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. 
7. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. 
8. Bake the scones at 215 degree Celsius for 14 minutes or golden brown. 
9. Cool them on a cooling rack. 

Look at the soft in the inside and toasty on the outside!! Yums!