Monday, February 25, 2013

No Chinese New Year cookies?


There have been so many mouth watering Chinese New Year cookies in my friends’ blogs during the last few weeks and guess what? I wanted to make them all, but other demands of the season interfered, and suddenly, I realized end, I had made none! LOL!

Then finally, two days before Chinese New Year, I decided to try making the famous “Chicken biscuits” from Bidor, a little town in the north of Peninsula Malaysia. I was jolted out of my procrastination by two events. A friend dropped by and passed us a small box of a batch she made in her kitchen. They were good, and my husband said he wished we had more. That was a suprise because my Quay Lo is not always fond of our version of what Americans call "cookies". Here in Malaysia we more closely follow traditional Chinese bisquit favorites that reflect our love for Coffee shop society as welll as the English tea bisquits. I got this recipe from my friend and was surprised to find it was so simple.  So I set about making a batch but I was skeptical that it would not taste the same as those I bought from the famous shop “Pun Chun”.  Usually, simple recipes harbor a little hidden secret and I thought that for sure, a biscuit with as much fame as a biscuit can get, might have just such a secret. So when the biscuits were baked, I could not wait till they cooled to try one. The moment I bit into it, I could feel the right texture and the flavor tasted even better than what I remembered. I am guessing that it was more of a nostalgic moment than anything that made me think so. Here in Malaysia we hold a special place in our hearts and bellys for our favorite "biscuit" (read "cookie" if you are an American). We are a coffee shop society, after all, and nothing pleases us more than our favorite bite with a cup of our favorite brew, especially around that time in the afternoon which we learned from the British colonialist, was properly called "tea time" (even if your brew is a coffee).   In fact, I think our view is that coffee or tea is not an issue, the issue is the biscuit. That is a subject that causes no end of debate among various defenders of their "fave". So now, since I I could make these biscuits at home, there is no need to buy any if I go back to Ipoh in the future. Here is the recipe I used if you are interested to try. I did make these with slightly less oil than the original, both as a nod to our modern concerns about fats, and to eliminate that slightly cloying of oil to the palate that I find unpleasant in some of our more rich biscuits and crisps.

Chicken Biscuits





Ingredients:
(A)
300gm self raising flour
115gm icing sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp Chinese five spices powder
80gm white sesame seeds
115gm dry winter melon
½ tsp minced garlic
(B)
100ml oil
2 pcs lam yee (fermented soy bean curd)
1 tbs molasses
1 large egg
2 drops of dark soy sauce

Method:
Combined (A) and (B). Mix well and set for 10mins. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick and punch out rounds with a cookie cutter. Bake for 8 mins at 160 degrees C.

37 comments:

  1. So simple as that and great taste as well? I am as surprised and delighted for your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elaine, hope you will try this and let me know how it turns out for you.

      Delete
  2. I love thgose chicken biscuits - Kampar's best...but so expensive for a few miserable bits and pieces. Hmmm...yours don't have those finger prints... LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! Been a while since I last had this, dare not buy from the shops here as some might have been kept too long and will have a stale smell....great to know that the recipe is so simple...will pin it for future reference:D Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, me too, I dare not buy from the shops here for the same reason.

      Delete
  4. Thanks for sharing these lovely chicken biscuit recipe, can always finish one whole bag by myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes this one addictive, especially in front of the TV. LOL!

      Delete
  5. I love these biscuits, often buy them if we pass by Bidor. As you said, this is a really easy recipe... shd give it a go when I have some time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yen, give it a go, and you will be glad you can make this yourself. No need to buy those greasy ones in Bidor.

      Delete
  6. As you can see Chinese food is a delicious and healthy cuisine to enjoy throughout the year! You'll also find that with the right Chinese recipes and instructions that Chinese cooking is very easy to learn.

    midway airport pizza delivery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chinese cuisine is delicious but not always healthy. Certain Chinese dishes or bakes are easy but not all:D

      Delete
  7. Now why are they called chicken biscuits?? Wish I could buy the ingredients here they sound yummy. Take care Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane, I am as curious as you to know why the name "chicken biscuits" when there is no chicken in it. Even my mum could not tell me why.

      Delete
  8. I have the same question as Diane...why do they call them 'chicken biscuits'?...do you eat them with chicken, or chicken soup? I do love the sweet and savory ingredients in these biscuits/cookies. They would certainly be awesome with a hot cup of tea at night, or in the afternoon!

    Veronica, thank you for your sweet and kind caring words in your previous comments. Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elisabeth, so happy to see you commenting again. Miss you. No, we do not eat these biscuits with chicken or chicken soup nor there is any chicken in them. I asked many old people the same question but they too have no answer to it. Maybe next time when I am in Bidor, I will go ask the people in that famous shop and they might be able to give me an answer.

      Delete
  9. Hi, Quay Po. Didn't know that we can homemade these "chicken biscuits." My gf who had just come back from Malaysia has given me a pack of this but I still haven't opened it. The shop in Bidor was owned by my gf's friend but I only went there once more than a decade ago to have the duck leg noodles which is said a famous dish in Bidor. Bidor is very close to my hometown, Teluk Intan, 30 mins drive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These biscuits cannot be kept too long my dear, better open your packet and finish it. Oh since your gf's friend is the owner of the shop in Bidor, can you find out from her why the name "Chicken biscuits"?

      Delete
  10. Quay Po, I haven't had this biscuit for ages! I tasted it once when my university room mate brought it back from her hometown. Now I realise that there is no chicken in the ingredients. Wonder why it is called chicken biscuit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, all us wonder why the name. If I find out the answer, I will let you know.

      Delete
  11. Ahh..haven't had it for a long time. Used to eat it when I was young. By the way, heard your son's interview on Capital FM the other day. He's really a sweet son. Smooth voice too. You must be so proud. And I was waiting for you to be mentioned in the interview. Your son said you are more famous than him actually..lol. Take care..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carolyn, long time no see. Hope all is well with you and family. I am sure this biscuits bring back childhood memories for many of us, especially Malaysian. Oh, you got to listen in Nick's interview on Capital FM? I just caught the last part so I did not hear him said I was more famous than him. LOL!

      Delete
  12. Using fermented beancurd and dark soy sounds interesting ! I bet these savoury biscuits tastes yummy :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Anne, very tasty. See if you can put your own twist.

      Delete
  13. I'm glad you made these biscuits. They look tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh Yes... I must try this...
    Thank you Quay Po :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh, these are my favourite cookies when I was a kid, I always ask my mum to buy it for me from the street stall in Hong Kong. It does have lots of oil and I love your low-fat version.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As we grow older we got to be mindful of the amount of fat we take in so you are wise to prefer the low fat version.

      Delete
  16. These biscuits look wonderful. I love that I can see the sesame seed throughout the cookies. Must be delicious. Interesting to see dark soy sauce in these beauties. That must be the "secret ingredient"! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These biscuits are delicious and addictive. Do try it and you will sure get hooked.

      Delete
  17. I love these biscuits too! Yum! From my understanding, “鸡仔饼" (ji zai bing or chicken biscuits) was originally known as “小凤饼” (xiao feng bing) because it was first created by a servant called "Xiao Feng". "鸡"(chicken) can be beautifully known as "凤"(phoenix) too and since it was started as the chicken brand logo, it is gradually known as “鸡仔饼 (ji zai bing or chicken biscuits).

    Hope this infor helps :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Khim, thanks so much for this. So there is a story behind the name of this biscuit:D

      Delete
  18. Hey QP! I made these chicken biscuits today!!! Yummilicious :) Thanks for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks for returning to to let me know you made the biscuits and like it. This is the reward a food blogger gets sharing recipes. You made my evening:D

      Delete
  19. Hi Quay Po,
    These chicken cookies looks great!
    Remind me that I have not eat this for a long time :p
    mui

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you. Your comments mean a lot to me. Thanks!