Bubur Nasi Hitam

I was an angry, sulky, rebellious teenager. I wasn't very comfortable in my own skin and I hated everything and everyone. In short, I was one big pain in the backside. I sure gave my parents hell (in return, my kids will probably provide me the same services because what goes around, comes around). I was a sad, pudgy kid who was confused about life and frankly speaking, a little lonely too.

There are some of the reasons why I don't like keeping in touch with the past and when the past comes back to visit, I make attempts to avoid it like a bowl of bitter melon juice.

However, a good book once read that you cannot bury the past. It only claws its way back to you. And true to its words, even though I've moved 6360 kilometers away from home, many of my former schoolmates have made, miraculously, the same decision. The result? Reunions.

I've since resigned to the fact that the world is far too small to run away. And to make amends with the past, I bought her breakfast last weekend. If I had the chance to speak to my young self, I would say this: 1)Don't be too hard on your self. 2)Don't take life so seriously because it doesn't even take itself seriously. 3)People actually don't bite when you make the effort to know them.

Bubur Nasi Hitam translates as Black Rice Pudding. Deliciously drizzled with santan, or coconut milk, it's an authentic Malaysian dessert served after dinner. Mom cooks it in a slow cooker the night before and that's why we have them for breakie in the mornings. I don't know why but I guess it's the same difference with cereal. It has the same consistency as Red Bean Soup but slightly thicker and richer (due to the coconut milk). It's best to add some dried longans for an additional fruity sweetness but if you can't find any, it's fine as it is.

Bubur Nasi Hitam (serves 4)
---------------------------------------------------------

• 1¾ cup black glutinous rice
• 2 pandan leaves or 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 5 cups of water
• ½ cup palm sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups fresh squeezed thick coconut milk

Method:

1. Rinse rice thoroughly for 2 minutes under running water. Drain well.
2. Put water, rice and pandan leaves into a heavy-based pot.
3. Simmer over medium heat for approximately 40 minutes.
4. Add palm sugar syrup and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove from heat, allow to cool.
6. Serve at room temperature, topped with a swirl of fresh squeezed creamy coconut milk.

Peeping Pear & Passionfruit Pudding

There's something wrong with Happee Monkee *sobs* I really hopes it comes back up online soon. I suppose this might be a sign to devote more tender loving care to my first born - Twenty Something which started off as a blog for a group of twenty-somethings. It's a little sad how it's become more like a one-man show. So, my second wish for tonight (I hope my fairy godmother's listening) is that the other twenty-somethings comes back from wherever they are and blog again. More is always merrier. Especially around food.

I've adapted this recipe from last week's copy of Epicure. I've added passionfruit for a few reasons: 1) I had it in the refrigerator 2) I thought the citrus acidity could help with chemically balancing the bi-carb soda. (I'm not sure if it worked, but it looks OK).

I avoid using baking powder because I found that it contains aluminum. It may not be much but I've become a firm believer that a little bit of everything can one day amount to make a big something.

Bi-carb soda works with acid (as it's alkaline-based) to release carbon dioxide which gives the cake a boost. Hence, the rising effect. In fact, there's why some heirloom chocolate cakes has vinegar in it. It has the acid compound to react with the bi-carbonate soda. Compared to baking powder, it has less chemical compounds in it and I reckon it makes a healthier alternative. But that's just me. If you personally feel it doesn't work as well as baking powder, then please do replace the soda bicarb in this recipe. The end result should be the same: a moist pudding with the glorious scent of passionfruit and the soft sweet flesh of pear.
Peeping Pear Passionfruit Pudding ( serves 6 )
---------------------------------------------------------------

• 6 small ripe pears
• 100g palm sugar or brown sugar
• 600ml water
• 2 cinnamon sticks or 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup butter (approx. 150g)
• 3/4 cup caster sugar (approx 150g)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup self raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp soda bi-carbonate
• 4 passionfruits
• 2 tbsp milk

Method:

1. Bring sugar, cinnamon and water to boil.
2. Poach the pears for 10 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with a skewer.
3. Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease baking dish.
4. Beat butter, bi-carb and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time.
   
6. Then mix in passionfruit pulp.
7. Fold in half the flour, the milk and then the second half of the flour. Combine until smooth.
8. Spoon into the baking dish.
9. Trim the base of the pear and place firmly into the batter.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until pudding is set in the middle.
11. Serve with icing sugar and thickened cream.

Cherry Strudel

I had extra cherries from the cherry pie. Good stuff must never go to waste so I decided to use them for another recipe: strudel. They tasted absolutely heavenly. I now wished I kept more for myself - but for the sake of my girth, I must refrain. The ruby red cherries work so well with the creamy whiteness of the strudel filling. My first strudel was when I was in Perth couple of years ago. A friend was kind enough to insist. I must thank her persistence for my first taste of heaven.

Have you been to Perth, Western Australia? If you haven't, try googling: Corica. The apple strudel is to absolutely die for.

When I was traveling around Hong Kong with Mom, we met another Malaysian who had been living in Perth for a long time. She divulged an alternative close to the heavenly strudel. Close, but you must try the real deal if you're in the neighborhood. Promise?Cherry Strudel (serves 4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

• 1 puff pastry sheet
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 200ml thickened cream
• 1 cup cherries
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• brown sugar to sprinkle

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Cut the puff pastry into half.
3. Brush some egg yolk on it.
4. Sprinkle some brown sugar and place it in the oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and fluffy.
5. Set aside and let it cool.
6. Mix cherries, caster sugar, flour and cinnamon together.
7. Whip cream until light and fluffy.
8. Assemble strudel together first by putting cream on one pastry, then the cherry mixture and finally top it with the second pastry sheet.
9. Decorate with lots and lots and lots of icing sugar. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Rhubarb Berry Mandarin Crumble

A friend of mine messaged me one fine morning: "I sprained my neck really badly and I can't move it. Can you take care of me for a couple of days?". I said, 'Sure.' I went off to the market and got some potatoes, meat, pumpkin and then I walked past some rhubarbs. 'Hmmm...' I heard myself think. Hmmm... rhubarbs are on the 'things-to-try' list. And after all those one days, some days, I think that one day has arrived.

I brought a bunch of rhubarb home and introduced it to my kitchen. 'You rest here tonight, tomorrow we will be busy', I said. I looked for a rhubarb recipe and thought, 'Perfect'.

This morning I got up excited just thinking about today's project. It's wonderful to try new things. It's like meeting a person for the first time and you don't know anything about them. That's how I look at new ingredients and recipes. Hopefully one day after meeting it more often, you become good friends. :)
Alas, in my haste & excitement I made so many mistakes, I want to bury my head in shame. I broke the cardinal rule of cooking. I didn't read the recipe carefully.

The recipe wrote: Sprinkle 1/4 cup caster sugar on the fruits.
What I did: Poured the full amount (1 3/4 cup ) on the fruits.

The recipe wrote: Combine eggs, flour, salt and remaining sugar (damn).
What I did: Combine eggs, flour, 2 tbsp sugar (blush) and butter.

Eventually, to rectify the mistake, I added an additional half-a-cup of flour to the mix and ended up with a doughy texture instead. The result, after 1 hour of baking, was actually... not bad. It's not exactly crumbly dry. Think, biscuit-cookie. Was it an over-kill with the sugar? Uhm... not if you add cream (like I did). It's quite good, a little watery which was probably due to the frozen berries but I kinda like it. (Note: If you like your Rhubarb Crumble the old fashion way, go here for the original recipe.)

The recipe below is only for the bold. Venture if you dare:

Rhubarb Berry Mandarin Crumble (serves 6)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ingredients

* 1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
* 1 cup mixed berries
* 5 mandarins, peeled and de-seeded
* 1 1/2 cup caster sugar + 2 tbsp
* Ground cinnamon
* 2 eggs
* 2 1/2 cups plain flour (if you're aiming for the same doughy consistency)
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 150g butter, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease an ovenproof dish.
2. Combine rhubarb, berries and mandarins in the dish. Sprinkle with caster sugar and cinnamon.
3. Combine the eggs, flour, salt, butter and 2 tbsp of sugar in a bowl.
4. Scatter the mixture over the fruit.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until light golden.
6. It will be soft but will become crunchy on standing.

Mascarpone Berry Tarts with Caramel Sauce

I was invited by Sophie from The Back Burner to participate in their July berry recipe contest. I served mascarpone on puff pastry last weekend and had heaps leftover. I have been aching to make tarts for some time now after that tart Mr. G and I shared months ago. It was an extraordinary strawberry tart from a local bakery and ... and ... sigh ... it tasted like a dream.


Speaking of dreams, I had a weird one last night. I dreamed that my family home became a huge swimming pool. OK, imagine Titanic but instead of a ship, it was a house. I was swimming in and underneath tables, chairs, passed the sofas and my mother. There was a lot of water. I remembered thinking in my dream, I can't swim, I should get out. Like I said, weirdddd.

Can anyone decode that?

Mascarpone Berry Tarts with Caramel Sauce (serves 3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 sheet of instant shortcrust pastry
500g mixed berries
1 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup brown sugar + 2 tbsp
25g butter
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190*c/ 375*F.
2. Place a sheet of shortcrust pastry onto tart tins. Trim any excess pastry with a knife.
3. Remove pastry from oven and sprinkle 2 tbsp of brown sugar on the pastry and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.
4. Remove pastry from oven and leave aside to cool.
5. Meanwhile, put the remaining brown sugar and butter into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
   
6. When sugar has dissolved, add water and stir until combined.
7. Spread the mascarpone into the tart cases when it has cooled completely.
8. Arrange the berries on top of it.
9. Spoon the caramel sauce on top of the tarts and sprinkle with icing sugar to decorate.
10. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving Serve immediately.
    

Ginger Tiramisù

For your benefit, I must tell you that I'm getting hooked to this blog. I'm constantly thinking of baking, cooking, ingredients, new china.... It's like, every morning I wake up and I need my daily dose of food-blog-fix!

I told Mr. G that I get all pumped up just thinking about what to do next; how to make it look pretty; figuring out the best way of photographing it and then putting it on display. (I get so so so so excited when another food blogger drops by and leaves a comment - it's like there's some sort of kinship going on).

This is a really easy recipe to follow. But don't soak the biscuits too long or else you'll end up like mine... in the bin.

I also have to warn you, you don't want to share this with too many people. Why not? Well, let's just say I didn't have trouble finishing this on my own.

Ginger Tiramisù
----------------------------------------------------------
600ml thickened cream
3/4 cup coffee liqueur like Kahlua
250g Ginger Nut biscuits
grated chocolate or cocoa powder, to garnish

The Method
1. Whip cream until soft peaks form.
2. Pour coffee liqueur into a flat dish.
3. Place biscuits into the dish, soak it for 5 seconds on each sides. (Be careful not to soak it too long)
4. Take one biscuit, spread a tablespoon of cream, then sandwich another biscuit on top.
5. Turn biscuits on the side and continue to layer until you have a log.
6. Smooth the remaining cream over the top and sides.
7. Refrigerate for a few hours for a crunchy texture or longer for a softer dessert.
8. Garnish with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
9. Sit back with a love letter and spoon in. Purr, baby, purr!


(Note to Mr. G: Happy Anniversary honey!)