Nian Gao Puff with yam and freshly grated coconut

I first tasted this nian gao puff at my first blogger meet during last Chinese New Year. They were from Tracie of Bitter Sweet Flavors and I fell in love with it. I am crazy over deep fried nian gao that were sandwiched with yam and sweet potatoes but they are very oily. The puff is much better because it not. Since I have some nian gao in the fridge, I decided to make it. Instead of following just Tracie's recipe, I incorporated Sonia’s, Tracie’s and Wendy’s recipes into one. I omitted the roasted peanuts and added mashed yam and desiccated coconut like what Wendy did with her fried nian gao roll. This combination had yield a fine product and I am very happy with it. My friends and family loved it. They nodded their head to show their approval after the first bite so this was a successful venture. The credit goes to my three friends. Do go check out their blogs, they have lots of yummy recipes as well as fabulous photos. Even if you do not cook, you can treat your eyes to a feast.

Largely adapted from Sonia’s and Tracie’s and Wendy’s
recipes

Ingredients:

1 medium size Chinese Steamed Sticky cake / Nian Gao (cut 32 pcs. lengthwise, 1 in x ½ in x ½ in thick)

4 pcs. Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed and roll it out thinly, cut into 8 rectangles

1 medium size yam, cubed, steamed and mashed.

2 cups freshly grated coconut

1 egg yolk, beaten for glazing

White sesame seeds

Method:

Mix desiccated coconut with mashed yam.  Coat nian gao with yam and grated coconut mixture.  Place Nian Gao in puff pastry and seal the edges. Brush the pastry with some egg wash, sprinkle some sesame seeds. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180c for 20 mins or until golden brown

Note: You may have some nian gao left. The rule of the thumb is to make 32 puffs. This will taste good with desiccated grated coconut too.

Sweet Wheat Porridge, Yam Cake & a dancing video

This is a “tong sui” that me and my line dancing mates love to eat after our dancing session.  One of my dancing mates asked if I still have our old line dancing videos. She especially like the one that was taken by my son many years ago. He was only 15 years old then and he was crazy over making videos. He produced and edited it himself.   I remembered there was one part he fast forwarded on us and it was hilarious! LOL!  For an amateur, I think he did a pretty good job.  Last weekend, I was looking through all my old external hard drives and found it!  I wish to dedicate this post and the following two dishes to all my line dancing mates. Thanks for being such great friends.

I apologize for the poor quality because it was taken by a cheap video camera..hehe

I can never get enough of sweet wheat porridge.  When I was expecting my son, I crave for this porridge a lot.  Back then, I do not know how to cook except to fry an egg and cook rice so I buy this from the “tong sui” store.  I am so glad I know how to make this myself now and whenever I crave for a bowl I just do it. What goes very well with this is yam cake.  Yes, I love yam cake especially those that one of my mum’s best friend made.  Although my yam cake is not as good as hers, my mum said it is better than those we buy from the store. “Boleh tahan lah” (can do).  So here are the recipes.

Sweet Wheat Porridge

Largely adapted from Asian recipes

Ingredients: 

200 gm wheat pearls

1 litre water

2 pandan leaves (shredded and tie into knot)

200 ml thick coconut milk

200 gm palm sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp corn starch,

2 tbsp water

Method:

Wash wheat pearls water until water is clear. Soak for half an hour. Add water and pandan leaves to pot and bring to boil. Add wheat pearls and let boil for 5 mins.  Lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins until wheat pearls are soft. Add coconut milk, sugar and salt and bring it a quick boil. Dissolve corn starch in water and stir into pot to thicken the porridge.  Serve warm.

This is the first time I attempt making yam cake and I did not expect it to turn out so well.  I am very happy with the result and here I share with you the recipe I used. Serve this with a bowl of “tong sui” and it will never go wrong. I had this with sweet wheat porridge. Try it!

Yam Cake

Largely adapted from Madam Kwong’s Kitchen

Ingredients:


250 grams rice flour


125 grams wheat flour (Tung Meen Fun)


2 ½ cups warm water

250 grams yam (steam till cooked)


¾ tbsp salt,

1 tbsp rock sugar

1 tsp ground white pepper,

1 tsp Chinese 5 spices powder

Ingredients for garnishing:

50 grams of fried shallots


4 stalks spring onion, diced

1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

1 ½ tbsp chopped garlic

1 ½ cup choy poh finely chopped

120 grams dried prawns

1 ½  tbsp sugar

Method to prepare the garnish:

Heat vegetable oil in wok and sauté garlic till fragrant.  Add dried shrimps and stir fry for 3 mins. Add choy po and stir fry till shrimps is slightly brown. Add sugar and stir fry for another 3 mins and set aside.

Method of preparing the yam cake:

In a big bowl, mix the rice flour, wheat flour and add in the warm water. Add in salt, rock sugar, garlic oil, white pepper and Chinese 5 spices powder.  Add in the steamed yam and mix with all the ingredients thoroughly. Oil a stainless steel deep round plate (22″ in diameter) before adding the mixture. Steam for 45 minutes in high heat. Top with prepared garnish.  Let yam cake completely cool before cutting.