Creamy Pumpkin Dessert

Managed to gather all the ingredients for this making this dessert that is strongly recommend by one of my blogger's friend Tracy. She used to cook this dessert at least 2 - 3 times a month. She get to know this dessert from one of the blogsite at http://www.dimsumdolly.com under JinGua Hu at 12 August 2005.

Based on the description from the website and some guideline of how much ingredients to add from Tracy. I came out of my own version of Creamy Pumpkin Dessert. But I think, next time I should chopped the ingredients even more finely because base on the actually Jin Gua Hu dessert, the ingredients seems to be tiny little bits and pieces. So I guess it all depend on individual, if you like to have a more crunchy texture then what I had is just nice for you......

Ingredients:
1/4 Wedges Of Pumpkin, about 300g
Set aside 100g Of Pumpkin, finely chopped
5 Water Chestnuts, finely chopped
1 Medium Orange Sweet Potato, finely chopped
1 Medium Japanese White Potato, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Uncook Sago
1/2 Cup Cream Corn/Sweet Corn
Few Pieces Of Pandan Leaves

Methods:
1. First, boil half a big pot of water and add in the un-cooked sago, boil and stir occasional over medium heat until sago is almost clear. (about 10 mins, then rinse and soak in cold water for later used)
2. While waiting for the sago to cook, peel and cut 200g pumpkin into cubes.
3. Bring 1.5 litres of water to boil, add in the pumpkin cubes and cook until tender then remove.
4. Add in the finely chopped, pumpkin, sweet potato, water chestnut, drained sago and pandan leaves in the water and simmer over medium low heat.
5. Puree the hot pumpkin with 1 cup of water(from cooking the pumpkin) until smooth then pour into the pot together with the rest of the ingredients.
6. When it boils, add in the sago and stir occasionally to prevent sago from sticking to each other and the bottom of the pot.
7. Simmer until the all the ingredients had cooked through then add in the corn and some rock sugar to taste.
8. Adjust water to consistency (thickness) of the soup that you desire whether too thick or watery.

If you put the cool pumpkin dessert in the fridge, it will became slightly harden like jelly. So in order to make it more creamy, you can add a few tablespoons of Fresh Milk to dilute it to the consistency that you prefer. To us, we prefer to eat it cold with some fresh milk as it's more creamy and fragrant.

Baked Durian Cake

Durian is a fruit: a big, green thorny fruit. In fact, it is considered "King of the Fruit" throughout the region. Durian is a fruit which is well liked in Southeast Asian countries, but westerners usually do not want to try it because it has a pungent smell that is difficult to describe.


This is my 2nd attempt using durian as one of the main ingredients for making cake. The previous one that I had made is the Green Bean With Durian Dessert which is a favourite dessert like my most of my relatives and friends. Today what we are baking is the Malay Style Bake Durian Cake.


Ingredients:
150g Butter
150g(2/3 Cup) Caster Sugar
3 Medium Eggs
150g - 200g Of Fresh Durian Flesh, about 5-6 med seeds
1 Tablespoon Fresh Milk
150g(1 1/4 Cup) Self-Raising Flour, sifted

Methods:
1. Line the base of an 7" Round or Square cake tin with greaseproof paper and brush the sides lightly with softened butter.
2. Alternatively, you can used those ready-to-bake Paper/Aluminum rectangular cake tin.
3. Scrap the flesh of the durian into a bowl and set aside for later use.
4. Preheat the oven to 170 degree.
5. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy(beating with an electric mixer, or by hand with a wooden spoon).
6. Add in 1 egg at a time, beating well in between additions.
7. Beat in durian then use a rubber spatula dn fold in half the sifted flour, being careful not to over-stir or beat the mixture.
8. Fold in the milk and then the remaining flour.
9. Pour the batter out into the prepared tin, hollowing it out slightly in middle to prevent it rising to a dome in the centre.
10. Bake cake in the preheated oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until well risen and golden brown in colour.
11. To test if the cake is done, insert an skewer in the centre of the cake and it should come out clean, without sticky batter adhering to it.
12. When cooked, remove cake from the oven, allow it to sit in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire tray.

Notes: For this durian cake, you can used those durian that is quite ripe.

Trying Of Dinner Catering

Heard a lot of good comments about this International Catering Pte Ltd service, so I decided to give myself a short break from cooking dinner. I cater for a Trial Period of 10 Days meal which the delivery man will sent the dinner on every Mon-Fri Evening except Public Holiday.


These are some of the foods that we had for the past three days of trial.... The food to me is consider as average, you can't except too much on this kind of homecook catering food. It's a Hala Menu and you won't find any pork in everyday dishes.

As you can see, the stir-fry vegetables and toufu are simply cooked with sauce, not much as putting in things like, prawns, meat or any other side ingredients like garlic or ginger. So after my trail of 10 days, I don't think I will continue for this. Maybe I am those person who know how to cook so these simple dish without any presentable decoration doesn't attract me much. But overal, the food is still nice and can consider to be a light and healthy dish..... For those who are interested to try, you can either called Hotline: 6289 8369 or check out at their website at http://www.intl.com.sg/

Dang Gui, Huai Shan, Black Chicken Soup

Soups can actually be regarded as the source of health for any family. Due to the hot weather and hectic working schedule of most Singaporeans, it's good to have a bowl of nutritious soup at least 3 - 4 times a week. A bowl of good homemade soup will actually helps to replenish the lost of fluid, clear the body heat, uplifts the spirit and benefits Qi and etc.

Today's Soup for the dinner is "Dang Gui, Huai Shan With Black Chicken Soup"(当归淮山黑鸡汤). It moistening vtial essence, replenishing vitality and tuning up the functions of the body. As I had mention before:


Dang Gui 当归: It tastes sweet hot and of warm nature. It benefits and balances the blood, regulates menses, treats pain and soothes the intestines. But don't consume in large amount or too often as it's might be heaty for certain body type.

Huai Shan淮山: It tastes sweet and of neutral nature. It nourishes the lungs and kidneys, strengthens the spleens, stops diarrhea, uplifts the spirit and benefits Qi. Usually I used those Fresh Huai Shan instead of the dried type.

Black Chicken黑鸡: Being rich in protein, helps to supplement pneuma and enrich blood. Cooking it only after scalding ensures that the soup does not became murky.

Ingredients:
1 Medium Size Of Fresh Huai Shan, 淮山
1 Tablespoon Guo Qi Zi, 枸杞子
1 Black Chicken(黑鸡), at 600g
2 Slices Ginger
4 - 5 Slices of Dang Gui(当归)
1.2 Litres Of Water
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine(米酒), optional

Methods:
1. If using fresh huai shan, rinse and wash away the sand and dirt from the stem. Peel off the skin, wash and cut into thick 2" long Section.
2. Wash, trim and remove the skin and fats on the chicken the scald the black chicken in boiling water for a few minutes then rinse with water.
3. Place all the ingredients into the stewing pot, add rice wine and boiling water.
4. Place in a steamer or a pot to boil over high heat for 20 minutes, then switch to medium heat to boil for 2 hours.
5. Or you can put everything in a slow-cooker, cook on HIGH heat for 1 hours then switch to Low Heat for another 2 hours.
6. Season with some salt to your preference before serving.

Notes: If you can't find Fresh Huai Shan, replace it with 40g of Dried Huai Shan slices.