Poppyseed Cake - Blue Monday

Poppyseed Cake with Sour Cream Glaze


Photo courtesy of Little Orange Kitchen

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely European-style cake was brought to the prairies of the United States by immigrants and refugees from Central Europe. I discovered the recipe in an old Farm Journal Cookbook and was surprised to find it there, only because it's not as sweet as the cakes they usually feature. That's not to say it's not delicious. I love poppyseeds and any dessert or bread made with them. I will, however, never understand how the import and sale of Sichuan peppercorns could be banned for years in our country while the sale of poppyseeds was allowed to continue. Interesting, no? The only part of the opium poppy that can be imported here is its seed. It's completely legal to import, sell and buy them, but once you plant them you become a drug lord. That doesn't compute, at least in this old brain. Now, I have no intention of planting the few seeds I have left after making this cake, but I don't understand the way we pick and choose what's important to us. I digress. One of the instructions in the recipe calls for soaking the poppy seeds. This is not done to remove narcotic properties. Many folks have problems digesting the seeds and it's been found that soaking softens the hull and negates the problem. I'm also faithfully following the Farm Journal recipe for the cake glaze. Just between you and me, you can substitute your best cream cheese frosting for the glaze. It's lovely but the frosting is easier to make and its creaminess will take the cake to another level. The cake and glaze are simple to make, and if you are looking for something a bit different to serve your family and friends, this recipe has your name on it. Here's how it's done.

Poppyseed Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Farm Journal

Ingredients:
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 cup milk
2/3 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, stiffly beaten

Directions:
1) Add poppy seeds to milk and let stand for 1 hour.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside.
3) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4) Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl.
5) Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
6) Fold in egg whites, half at a time. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several areas comes out clean. Let sit in pan for 10 to 15 minutes before removing to a rack to complete cooling.

Sour Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup + 3 tablespoons sour cream, divided use
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Directions:
1) Blend 1 cup sour cream and sugar in a 3-quart pan. When smooth, add water. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until soft ball stage (235 degrees F.) is reached. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
2) Add vanilla and reserved 3 tablespoons sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Spread quickly on top of cake. Top with nuts if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Lemon Poppyseed Bread - One Perfect Bite
Kaiser Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppyseeds - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Yangzhou Fried Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ten years ago we spent a brief period of time in a loft apartment. It was quite small, but with only three of us and a great deal of planning, it became a manageable, if not luxurious, space. Bob and I had sold our family home and were biding time, waiting for secondary pensions to vest before moving on to Oregon. Our youngest daughter, home following a year in Asia, made her first forays into cooking in that tiny kitchen. Fried rice was her specialty. She and I had discovered Ming Tsai, who was a Food Network star at the time and his style of cooking was perfect for that tiny space. We became wok and cleaver women and began to study, really study, Asian cooking and techniques. Years later in Yangzhou, a city near Shanghai, China I came across a fried rice that would replace the one that we crafted in that loft. No one knows for sure how fried rice became associated with the city Marco Polo once called home. The rice, in different guises, is served throughout China, and Western eyes are drawn to the color of its myriad ingredients. The version I serve is meatless and made with two cups of diced vegetables. If you prefer meat in your rice, substitute one cup of vegetables with a protein you really like. In China, we were served a version that was, most often, made with dried, reconstituted shrimp and fatback or pork belly. It's interesting to note that fried rice was served in the emperor's court, though it was wrapped in egg crepes or lotus leaves. For most of us, however, it will remain a great way to use leftover rice and bits and bobs of previous meals. There are hundreds of ways to make this rice. Here's the one I use for a great meatless meal.

Yangzhou Fried Rice - Yangzhou Chao Fan...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup frozen petite peas, thawed and drained
1/2 cup frozen petite corn, thawed and drained
1/2 cup frozen diced carrots, thawed and drained
1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1) Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, pour in eggs and cook without stirring until lightly set, about 30 seconds. Break up eggs and transfer to a plate.
2) Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to wok set over high heat. Add onion and stir fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add vegetables and stir fry until crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
3) Add sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and sugar to vegetables. Stir in rice and toss to combine. Add eggs and cook until rice is heated through. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One Perfect Bite
Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - One Perfect Bite
Sticky Rice and Alms Giving in Luang Prabang - One Perfect Bite

Popovers and Strawberry Butter - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... Easter and Passover will soon be here and I wanted to make sure I posted holiday recipes in time for your consideration. At Bob's suggestion, I'm going to begin with breakfast or brunch dishes that are unusual or will make entertaining a house full of people easier. I have two recipes to share with you today. One of them is a decade old recipe for popovers that was developed by Pam Anderson. Her recipe is unusual because it uses instant blending flour and that eliminates the wait time that is necessary to relax the gluten in all-purpose flour. That means that you can mix and bake popovers and have them on the breakfast table within an hour. You're probably familiar with the instant blending flours and use them for browning or thickening soups or stews. This type of flour goes through a special milling process that gives it a granular form that is much like sugar. It's perfect for sauces and gravies because it dissolves easily in liquids. Some restaurants use it to help brown meat. It can also be used for batters, quick breads, muffins and cakes. If you haven't had popovers for a holiday breakfast or brunch I hope you'll give them a try. They are really easy to make and when served warm with a fruit butter they are a real treat. The second recipe is for a strawberry butter that is a perfect accompaniment to the popovers. It, too, is easy to make. Here are the recipes.

Popovers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Pam Anderson

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups instant blend flour (i.e. Wondra)
1 teaspoon slt
1-1/2 cups skim milk
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
1) Adjust an oven rack to lower middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan or cups of 2 popover pans with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl. Mix eggs, milk and butter in a 1-quart measuring cup. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture until batter is smooth. Return batter to measuring cup. Return batter to 1-quart measure and pour into prepared cups, filling each three-fourths full.
3) Bake, without opening oven door, until popovers are crisp and golden, about 35 minutes. Twist gently to loosen from pan, then cool. Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

Strawberry Butter...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons strawberry puree or preserves

Directions:
Beat butter and cheese in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and strawberry puree and beat to combine. Transfer to a 1-cup ramekin. Cover with clear plastic wrap and refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving. Yield: 1 cup.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Gluten-Free Pancakes - One Perfect Bite
Maple Butter - One Perfect Bite
Brussels and Liege Waffles - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

French Breakfast Puffs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We have a code known only to the folks who call this house home. When Bob comes into the kitchen for his first cup of coffee and the kitchen is in glorious disarray, he knows exactly what's going on. "You gotta a thing this morning?" I nod affirmatively. "Whatcha making?" I smile broadly and parry, "Stuff." I had a lot of "stuff" to make for my "thing" this morning and, with a still limited range of motion, it also had to be easy to do. I remembered these delightful muffins and decided to resurrect the recipe which is almost as old as I am. French Breakfast Puffs were developed in the test kitchens of Betty Crocker many, many years ago.They are still popular today. They lack the cache of croissants or the wide appeal of bagels, but they have withstood the test of time. These morsels taste a bit like cake donuts, though they are less dense. I can't say they are lighter because each muffin is dunked in melted butter before it's coated with cinnamon sugar. While the muffins are quite pleasant on their own, the bath in butter and sugar is what made their reputation. Think snickerdoodles and you'll understand why folks love them. Years ago, all surfaces of the muffins were coated. I no longer do that, but it is important to let the muffin tops sit in butter for a minute or two before they are rolled in sugar. These do not keep well and they are best served warm. Here's the recipe for a very easy old-fashioned treat that just won't go away.

French Breakfast Puffs ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 medium muffin cups.
2) Mix shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and the egg thoroughly in medium bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg alternately with milk. Divide batter evenly among 9 muffin cups.
3) Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Immediately roll hot muffins in melted butter, then in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve hot. Yield: 9 muffins.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Raspberry Streusel Muffins - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry and Lemon Cake-Style Muffins - One Perfect Bite
Blue Corn Muffins - One Perfect Bite

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Pak Thong Koh

This is one of the classic of chinese snacks.  It is not my favorite snack to eat but somehow the quest to make a soft and tasty one has been going on for quite awhile.  Have tried a few recipes, easy ones and tedious one but all the results went to the Culinary God.  This recipe was from Claire, a dear friend and is by far the best of all that is why i am sharing it.  Thank you Claire for typing out the recipe and sharing.


Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice (i wonder if jasmine fragrant rice will do)
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. water
2 tsp. instant yeast

Method:

Wash the rice-8-10 times in cold water and leave in a clean tupperware container with 2 inches of water over the surface for 2 days. Change the water daily.

Mix yeast with 1/2 c.tepid water(85 f to 100 f)  and add 1/4 C. sugar. Cover and place in a warm place when you do the next step.

Liquify the soaked drained rice with 1 c. water at high speed till rice is liquified and mixture is smooth (it's going to take 10-12 minutes depending on the power of your blender.....we know it's ready when the powedery film of rice is easily scaped down with a spatula in the blender). Next add 1 1/4 c. sugar and blend on high for 2-3 minutes. Add yeast mixture and blend on low for 30 seconds. STRAIN mixture and put in a warm mixing bowl, cover well with cling/plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until mixture is bubbly and almost double in bulk (1.5 to 2 hours)

Steaming:

Bring water to high boil. 

Put the greased 8 inch cake pan and warm it for a few minutes.

Lightly stir batter and pour half the batter into  the greased pan.

Steam for 12-15 minutes.

Cool completely.

Lightly rub a little oil to give it a glossy appearance.

Repeat steaming for the other half of the batter.

Serves

Crisp Cranberry and Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Arguably, there are few snacks more appealing than an old-fashioned oatmeal cookie. While I suspect your favorite recipe for them was selected years ago, I have one more version I'd like you to try. These crisp cookies use less shortening than most and they're so packed with good things that a snake oil salesman might actually be able to convince you that they're good for you. I wouldn't go that far, but if your sweet tooth demands a snack, you could do worse. How's that for a rave review? Seriously, the cookies are packed with oatmeal, carrots, cranberries and nuts and there is hint of orange buried in the dough that gives them a unique flavor. It's hard to make a homely cookie anything more than it is, so rather than try let's get right to the recipe for this not bad for you cookie. Here it is.

Crisp Cranberry and Carrot Oatmeal Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon orange liqueur or concentrated orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) Cream brown and white sugar with butter. Add orange zest, vanilla and orange liqueur to beaten eggs. Mix well and stir into creamed mixture.
3) In a separate large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to mix. Add oats, raisins, carrots and nuts. Add to butter and sugar mixture. Work with a wooden spoon to mix. The dough will be very stiff.
4) Using a tablespoon measure, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2-inches apart. Flatten top of cookies with a fork or damp fingers. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit in pans for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Yield: 36 cookies.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Tea Cookies - One Perfect Bite
Chinese-Style Almond Cookies - One Perfect Bite
Bittersweet Chocolate Snowballs - One Perfect Bite

Kong So Paeng

This paeng must be very popular cos there were 2 requests for the recipe.  I can recall the name but somehow cannot remember how it should be.  When i was in San Fransisco, i asked for it in the bakeries, the ppl at the bakery replied that they have not heard of anyone asking for Kong So Paeng for the longest ever and looked at me  as though i was Rip Van Winkle, who slept for 100 years.  Now that i have made it, i know why this paeng did not stay in my memory,  it has no significant smell or taste..  I would like to thank Seadragon of Corner's Cafe who found this recipe for me.

Ingredients:

Dough Starter:

135g cake/superfine flour, sifted
45g pau flour, sifted
1 tsp instant yeast
A pinch of salt
100g water

The Main Ingredients:

300 gm self rising flour
100gm yeast dough starter
150gm white sugar
1 large egg
30 gm lard
3 tbsp evaporated milk

Preparation for dough starter::

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix and knead (by hand or by mixer) until dough is smooth and elastic.


Place dough in an oiled bowl and covered with cling film. Prove for 11/2-2 hour until dough is double in volume.

Reserve the required portion for this recipe and store the rest in an air tight container and freeze. Thaw to room temperature the next time you want to use the dough starter.

To make Kong So Paeng:

Mix the starter dough with sugar, lard, egg until well combined..  Add in the flour and mix until a dough forms.

Lightly knead dough and let dough rest for 30 minutes and longer if the room temperature is colder.

Preheat oven to 325f.

Divide dough into balls (size of your choice).  Flatten balls and put into lined baking tray which has been sprinkled with flour..

Let dough rest for another 15 minutes, sprinkle with flour and put into preheated oven to bake.

Bake for 10 - 12 minites, do not let paeng brown, the aim is to get white milky paeng.

Cool paeng and store in air-tight container.

Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Last summer I had the opportunity to tour a local farm where wild rice is grown. While the Willamette Valley is beautiful, heavy clay soil restricts what can be grown here. Fortunately, the damp clay of the valley floor is perfect for growing grasses and wild rice is, as you know, a water-grass. Years ago a grain specialist at Oregon State University, tossed a handful of wild rice seeds into a pond behind his home to see if they would grow in this climate. A year later he had wild rice in his yard and published an article about it. As a result of the article, some far-thinking farmers planted a water-grass crop and the state's wild rice industry was born. At the moment our wild rice is still under water. In late April or early May, sprouts emerge from the water and rest on its surface. It looks a bit like seaweed at this point. Come June, the rice goes through a growth spurt and begins to stand erect. It will grow until it's about 6 feet tall and set flowers sometime in July. When the flowers set seed, the fields in which the rice grows are drained and the crop is mechanically harvested. Combined rice is allowed to ferment before it's de-hulled, dried, sorted and packaged for sale to locavores. Now the only problem is what to do with it. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of recipes for wild rice available to us. I found the recipe for this salad in the New York Times. I've modified it over and over again and have finally come up with something I really like. This recipe can also be used for brown rice, should you prefer it. The salad should be served at room temperature. Here's the recipe.

Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Martha Rose Shulman and the New York Times

Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup wild rice, rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup broken and toasted walnut pieces or 1 cup candied walnuts
1-1/4 cups thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
Salad Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup walnut oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt

Directions:
1) Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and wild rice. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, or until rice is tender and splayed. Drain. Toss with walnuts, celery and parsley.
2) To make salad dressing, place lemon juice, garlic,salt, pepper, sugar, walnut oil, olive oil and yogurt in a jar with a lid. Shake until combined. Pour over wild rice mixture and toss to mix. Adjust seasonings to taste. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Warm Asian Rice Salad
Asian Bean Sprout Salad

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Thai-Style Catfish - Plah Toht Kamin

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm told that plah toht kamin is a native Thai dish. I can't speak to the veracity of that because each time I've had the dish it was made by a French chef who was plying his trade in Southeast Asia. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and, to a lesser degree, Vietnam seem to be magnets for French chefs. I suspect there are more of them in Southeast Asia than there are in France. The fusion of wonderful native cuisine with French technique and talent makes for some fascinating meals, and what native and French chefs are able to do with fish is really amazing. While most of the food we had in Asia was wonderful, our best meals in China were vegetarian and our best meals in Southeast Asia were fish or shellfish. I stopped by the fish market today to see what was available and found some gorgeous looking catfish fillets at bargain prices. I was determined to sidestep my usual blackened preparation and come up with something that, for us, would be new. I remembered the turmeric fried catfish we had in Thailand and Laos and set out to reproduce it. We had a lovely meal this evening. Fish prepared in this manner is really easy to make and can be on the table in about 30 minutes. The only remotely exotic ingredients are turmeric and fish sauce and they can be found in most large supermarkets. Bob really enjoyed this, so it will make an encore performance at the table in the next few weeks. I served the fillets with a Thai cucumber relish and sticky rice. I hope you'll try this. It is remarkably good. Here's the recipe.

Thai-Style Catfish - Plah Toht Kamin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallot or scallion
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
1-1/4 pounds catfish fillets
Flour for dredging fish
Optional: Thai chili-lime sauce dipping sauce

Directions:
1) Place garlic, shallots, turmeric, sugar, pepper, salt, fish sauce and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the bowl of a small food processor. Process to a fairly smooth paste, using a small amount of water if necessary to bring ingredients together. Combine fish fillets and turmeric paste in medium bowl or baking dish, turning fillets to coat evenly with marinade. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. The fillets can be marinated for up to 24 hours if covered and refrigerated.
2) Place about 1 cup of flour in a pie plate or cake pan. Dredge fillets in flour, shaking off excess. Heat reserved 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in pan, add fillets and cook, turning once, for 5 to 7 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Be careful when turning. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a Thai dipping sauce if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Chili-Lime Sauce:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh hot green chilies
1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro

Directions:
Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and garlic in a small bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle with chilies and cilantro. Set aside. Best served at room temperature.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Thai Fish Cakes with Cucumber Relish from One Perfect Bite
Thai Cucumber Relish from One Perfect Bite
Thai Fresh Pea Soup with Green Curry from One Perfect Bite

KUIH BOM KELEDEK/Sweet Potato Bombs

Kuih Bom Keledek translated from Malay to English is Sweet Potato Bombs.  These would one of the items prohibited to be hand-carried on to a plane,cos of it's namesake.  They are so called for it's round shape and no relation to any explosives but they do explode a mouthful of flavors when bitten into.  Any variety of sweet potatoes/yams can be used and i like the orange colored yams as they give a golden look to the balls.

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup or more dark brown sugar(adjust sweetness to your liking) - cook it with 1/4 cup water until sugar dissolves.
2 tbsp glutinous rice (for thickening) -dilute with 1 tbsp water
Pandan leaves(optional)

For the dough

2 1/2 - 3 cups of sweet potatoes/yams - mashed(Bake or microwave to cook them, do not boil unless using yellow or purple sweet potatoes)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1 cup water plus a pinch of salt
sesame seeds
Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

To cook the filling:

Mix grated coconut, sugar solution and pandan leaves(if using) and cook over the stovetop or in the microwave until well combined and thickened slightly.

Remove the pandan leaves and add in the glutinous rice solution and mix well.  Cook further until the glutinous rice is totally cooked and thickened.  Taste and adjust sweetness.

Cool before using.


To make the dough:

Mix the all-purpose flour and the glutinous rice flour together with the mashed sweet potatoes.

Add in water a little at a time until a dough forms.  Knead until it is smooth.

Divide dough into 1 inch balls.

Flatten a ball and fill with 1 tsp of coconut filling, bring the edges together and seal well.

Repeat until all the balls are done.

Heat vegetable oil to 350f.

While oil is heating, drop one filled ball at a time in a bowl of water, then roll it with sesame seeds.  Continue this procedure until all filled balls are done.

Deep-fry the balls until golden brown.  Do not crowd otherwise the balls will be soggy.

Serve balls slightly warm or at room temperature.

Serves

Stuffed Sweet Peppers ala Peng

The name given to the Capsicum fruits varies between English-speaking countries.  Read about it under Synonyms and common names at Wiki.  To know the names may be of great help especially now that there are so many recipes online and it could be from anywhere on this earth.  When i was asked if i knew how to cook Chili, i answered that, yes, i do use chilly to cook and due to my ignorance, my answer must have been  perplexing,  just as the question was intriguing to me.

How did i get to use these 'sweet peppers' which are so good for stuffing?  They are not spicy but sweet and the colors are so vibrant that they are too pretty to eat.  Peng, a very dear friend who i am destined to meet and can be considered as my  GIANT cooking partner(according to Renee, my grand daughter, who wrote an essay in class about 3 reasons to keep a giant in the house, and, one of them is that the giant can be my cooking partner).  Yes, Peng, is my giant, not only is she an excellent cook, she is an excellent teacher and an authority in chinese and malaysian cooking.  Any of you readers who are residing in Colorado Springs can attend her cooking classes which i can attest to that you will be able to cook up a storm after learning from her. I too learned alot from Peng,she is my GIANT consultant with a  GIANT heart.  She bought me several bags of 'sweet peppers' from Cosco and now i am hooked on these colorful peppers.  Thank you, Peng for your generousity and all the valuable gifts you gave me which are most appreciated.  Thank you again

Ingredients:

1 pound medium-sized shrimp


Seasoning:
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch/tapioca starch
1 egg white
a dash of sesame oil

Sweet Peppers of all colors

Sauce:

1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp cornstarch/tapioca starch mix with 1 tbsp water
1/2 cup stock
1/4 tsp white pepper
A dash of sesame oil
Spring onions for garnishing

Method:

Shell, devein, and rinse shrimp. Drain thoroughly and wipe very dry with kitchen towel.
Add shrimp to a food processor, using the metal blade, process for a few seconds, until shrimp is pasty, add in seasonings and process until paste is well mixed. . Set aside while you prepare the sweet pepper for stuffing.

Use a paring knife and make a slit on all the sweet peppers, then stuff the peppers with the shrimp paste.

Heat a little oil and pan fry the stuffed peppers with the shrimp paste down touching the oil and fry until brown.  Do not crowd the pan, fry in batches.

To make the sauce:

Put the stock, oyster sauce and soya sauce in the wok and bring to the boil.  Thicken with the cornstarch/tapioca starch solution.  Add in pepper.

Put the cooked stuffed peppers into the sauce and cover the wok to finished cooking the shrimp paste.

Remove cover and sprinkle with sesame oil.

Garnish with spring onions before serving.

Serves

Morning Glory Muffins - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The original recipe for these muffins was published by Gourmet Magazine in 1991. Ten years later Pam McKinstry's recipe was chosen one of the magazine's 25 favorite recipes from the past 50 years. Since then, many have tried to improve the recipe. While they may have made the muffins a bit healthier by reducing fat and using whole grain flours, the "improved" versions of the muffins do not, in my opinion, match the flavor of the original. A lot goes into these muffins, but they are very easy to prepare and they stay fresh for several days after they've been made. The most irreverent of my children has a special name for any food that can be made or ordered "with everything". As a result, you will occasionally hear references to garbage pizzas, burgers and muffins in my house. I hate it, but what can you do? These muffins escape that designation, but just barely. Adding one more thing to the ingredient list would take it over the top and it, too, would find itself on the "garbage" list. Before that happens let me give you the original recipe. As a point of reference, these muffins are more like an apple cake or pudding then a standard breakfast muffin. They are delicious. Here's how they're made.

Morning Glory Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine and Pam McKinstry

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
3/4 cup raisins, light or dark
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 cup (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Position a rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.
2) Whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add coconut, raisins, apple, pineapple, carrots, and nuts, and stir to combine.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with the oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix well.
4) Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling to top of each cup. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to finish cooling. Yield: 16 muffins.

You might also like these recipes:
Raspberry Streusel Muffins - One Perfect Bite
Lemon and Blueberry Cake Muffins - One Perfect Bite
Blue Corn Muffins - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Despite predictions of glorious weather, we've had days this week with fog so thick you needed a machete to cut through it. Weathermen have the only job in the world where you can be consistently wrong and still be promoted. However, if you say things often enough and wait long enough, sooner or later you'll be right. Yesterday was that day. The weatherman finally nailed it. The sun rose glowing and stayed that way for the entire day. Under all that fog, the plum and pear trees and early daffodils had been waiting for the sun to signal their debut. They made their appearance yesterday, so, I can finally say with certainty that spring has come to my corner of the world. When the pear trees come fully into bloom, the valleys here will look like they've been sprayed with popcorn. That's eye candy for winter weary souls. Bob and I decided it was no day to remain indoors, so we took off early and came home late. We had breakfast and lunch on the road in quantities larger than our want, so we weren't ravenous when dinner time rolled around. I made a quick soup, some rice and this lovely simple salad that I want to share with you today. It contains protein rich edamame, green soybeans, and the beans add a lovely crunch to this quick salad. I do hope you'll give this a try. It's a perfect accompaniment to grilled anything. The salad has magnificent color and is meant to be eaten hot or warm. You'll find its color becomes less vibrant as it sits, so make this just before you plan to serve it. Here's the recipe.

Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite based on a recipe developed by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 thin slices fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups frozen sweet corn
1 cup frozen edamame beans
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Heat a wok or a deep skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat all surfaces of pan.
2) Add garlic, ginger and salt. Stir just until garlic releases its fragrance, about 30 seconds. Add corn and toss to coat with oil. Stir in edamame beans.
3) Add water and cook, tossing or stirring often, until the corn and edamame are hot and tender, about 5 minutes.
4) Add tomatoes and sugar. Toss or stir gently until they are warm and heated through. Add sesame oil and cilantro and mix well. Transfer to a plate. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bulgur and Walnut Salad with Pomengranate Dressing - One Perfect Bite
Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One
Perfect Bite
Khmer Green Papaya Salad - One Perfect Bite

Birthday Claypot Yee Mein

Yan Yat is the seventh day of the lunar new year, a day designated  as 'Everyone's birthday', 'Day of Man' or 'Day of Humanity' and this is an occasion for celebration.  Everybody L-O-V-E-S Birthday, especially when Everyone Around You Celebrates on the Same Day

According to the  believers of The Goddess Nüwa, She created human beings on the seventh day, by molding them from clay, so today is our birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

A drink from seven types of vegetables is made for health and to celebrate this occasion.  Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success.  Since i had 'yee sang' on New Year's Eve, i will have noodles today.

Ingredients:

4 pieces dried egg noodles(Yee mein if available) - for 4 persons
1/2 lb choy sum - washed and cut into i inch lengths
1.2 lb of pork/chicken slices
4 cups or more stock
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp tapioca starch mix with 2 tbsp water for thickening
4 eggs
Oil for deep frying the noodles if yee mein is not available

Marinate for the meat:

2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp tapioca starch
1 tsp sesame oil
a dash of pepper

Seasonings

4 tbsp oyster sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp shao-xing wine
1 tbsp sesame oil

Method:

Heat wok with enough oil for deep frying.and when oil is 375f, drop one piece of dried noodle in and deep fry noodle until golden brown.  Remove and plunge fried noodle into a large pot of cold water.

Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dried noodles.  (If you have yee mein which are already fried, parboil and then put in cold water)

Marinate meat slices with the marinate and set aside.

Heat wok with 4 tbsp oil and brown marinated meat slices.  Add in chopped garlic and saute until fragrant.

Add in stock and seasonings, bring to a boil.

Add in deep fried noodles/yee mein and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat, cover wok and simmer noodles until noodles are soft. (Add more stock if you want more sauce).

Add in choy sum and increase heat.  Cook until choy sum is cooked just right.

Thicken sauce with tapioca starch solution.  Make sure the sauce is back to the boil and cook for 1 minute before adjusting the taste with salt and pepper.

Divide noodles into 4 portions and put each portion into a small claypot.  Bring back noodles in claypot to a quick boil and crack in an egg  together with a dash of shao-xing wine and sesame oil before serving.

Serve noodles immediately so that the egg can be cooked through from the heat of the noodles.

Serves

Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, I've tried at least a thousand recipes and, of that number, only a hundred or so have survived and regularly appear on my table. This homely and unlikely candidate is one of them. The dish comes from Southern China and has several virtues to commend it. It has wonderful flavor and a play of textures that will appeal to almost any palate. It is also easy to prepare. It uses no exotic ingredients and its beautiful play of pink on yellow can be table ready in about 30 minutes. The two primary ingredients are eggs and shrimp. The Chinese rub the shrimp with a paste of cornstarch and salt to whiten them. If you are in a hurry this step can be omitted. The eggs are flavored with a very small amount of sesame oil. The trick to this dish is in the way it is cooked. In China the omelet is cooked in lard. We'll forego that and use canola or peanut oil to cook ours, but you'll need a cup or so of oil. Don't stint on that measure. The shrimp are quickly fried in the oil and then drained. Because they have no coating to absorb the oil, you'll find that almost all the oil remains in the pan after cooking. The shrimp will subltely flavor the oil and add a unique taste to the finished eggs. Omelets made in this fashion are easy to assemble because they are not rolled and require no special techniques to get them from the pan to the table. The eggs are gently cooked in a bit of the flavored oil and as they begin to set the shrimp are added to the pan. The only caution is to make sure you can serve these while they are still hot. This is a lovely, light dish that is perfect for those who avoid meat during the Lenten season. Here's the recipe for this treasure.

Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 scallions (white part only), finely chopped
6 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1/3 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup canola or peanut oil for frying

Directions:
1) Place shrimp in a dish with salt and cornstarch. Add a litlle cold water and gently rub shrimp to whiten them. Rinse thoroughly, drain and pat dry.
2) Beat eggs with salt, pepper and sesame oil.
3) Heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet and fry shrimp just until they turn bright pink, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
4) Pour off all but two tablespoons of oil. Add scallions and fry just until softened. Add the egg mixture. Cook gently, stirring slowly, until eggs begin to set. Add shrimp and continue to cook over gentle heat until the eggs are just firm. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately. Yield: 2 to 3 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Oven-Baked Scrambled Eggs - One Perfect Bite
Individual Baked Omelets - One Perfect Bite
Tortilla Espanola - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Taro Crunch

When i was shredding taro for Yee Sang, i remembered this snack.  I shredded more taro and made this forgotten snack which was so crunchy.  The taro is sometimes called the "potato" of the humid tropics and indeed it is - a good taro will be fluffy in texture just like the potato.  Taro is quite costly and choosing a good one which will be fluffy is crucial to your pocket and the dish you will be preparing. For a good fluffy taro, choose one that is shaped like a vase - narrow on the top and bottom, wide in the middle and it has to be as smooth as possible - no bumps or knotches.  Bumps mean that the taro has been constricted from growing well and that it has been grown in muddy soil.  Taro grown in sandy soil, grows well and will be fluffy. I have given up buying taro with skin on and have been buying peeled ones, although peeled ones are very much more expensive, at least i can see that the taro will be fluffy and not rotten. 

Taro is so versatile and there are endless recipes which are classics, below are some of the tested recipes -

Woo Tau Koh
Taro fatt koh
Woo Tau Kow Yoke

Woo kok
Taro Shredds

Taro and black-eyed pea cake
Taro fragrant rice
Sueen poon cheeBubur Cha Cha

Fried Nin Ko

There are many more recipes that i would like to try - like Or Nee, Taro Cake, Taro Filling for mooncake and many more.

Ingredients:

1 lb shredded taro
1 cup roasted peanuts - chopped
½ cup sesame seeds
3 - 5 tbsp rice flour
1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1 tsp salt.
Water to bind




Method:

Mix all the ingredients, followed by a little water to bind ingredients.

Heat oil for deep frying and when oil is 350f, using the chopstick, pick up a little taro shreds and deep fry till golden brown and crispy.

Drain well and let cool before storing.

Serves

Pasta Puttanesca

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ladies of the evening are credited with creating this pasta dish. While that makes the origins of the dish more interesting, there's not a lot to support the claim. Pasta Puttanesca did not become popular until the 1960's. A more likely truth can probably be found in the purses of frugal Italian housewives. The sauce is made with a handful of ingredients, many of them leftovers, and by using a bit of this and a bit of that, a filling and delicious pasta could be made for pennies. I'm not completely immune to kitchen fable and romance. My favorite story regarding the origins of the dish comes from the book "Top 100 Pasta Sauces" by Diane Seed who reported, "My introduction to this famous pasta dish occurred when I overheard two elderly priest discussing the pros and cons of spaghetti alla puttanesca ("whore's spaghetti") as they deliberated over the menu in a Neapolitan restaurant. Made of ingredients found in most Italian larders, this is also known as spaghetti all buona donna - the good woman's spaghetti - which can be misleading if one is not familiar with the ironic insult "figlio d'una buona donna" - son of a good woman." Now how does that explain how this particular sauce got its name? In the 1950's Italian brothels were state owned. Italian prostitutes were, for all intent and purposes, civil servants, but they were only allowed to shop once a week and could not shop with "good" Italian housewives. Their meals were made from odds and ends and tinned goods in the kitchens of the brothels. This sauce became one of their specialties. They did not create it, but they sure made it popular. When I was working and my ravenous teens could not wait for a "real" meal, this became one of my go-to suppers. I could have it on the table in 20 minutes and quell the revolution before it gained a foothold in my kitchen. I made this at least once a month back then and it is still a favorite of mine on days when the clock runs out before my schedule does. It's perfect for a Lenten Friday supper. Here's the recipe.

Pasta Puttanesca...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons minced anchovies (about eight fillets) or 1 heaping tablespoon anchovy paste
1 can (28-oz) diced tomatoes, drained, reserve ½ cup juice
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup black olives (kalamata) pitted and chopped coarse
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves and or basil

Directions:
1) Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, mix garlic with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; set aside. When water is boiling, add salt and the pasta; stir to separate the noodles. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain then return pasta to pot. Add 1/4 cup reserved tomato juice and toss to coat.
2) While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic mixture, pepper flakes and anchovies to pan. Cook, stirring, frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes.
3) Stir capers, olives, and parsley into the sauce. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to combine, adding more tomato juice to moisten if necessary. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, sprinkle an additional tablespoon of olive oil over pasta before serving. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Capellini Capricciosi
Fusilli with Fennel, Sausage and Red Wine
Ravioli with Salmon and Vodka Cream Sauce

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Truffled Mac n' Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tucked along the Rio Grand in the quiet hill country of Texas is Hudson's on the Bend, a restaurant that has fed presidents, Hollywood royalty and a real king or two. The restaurant is known for its preparation of wild game and fish and the big flavors produced by Chef Jeff Blank and his kitchen staff. I received one of Jeff's cookbooks last Christmas. While perusing the book I came across a recipe for truffled Mac n' Cheese and knew I had to try it. I want to share it with you today. Those of you who visit me on a regular basis know that the first time I use a recipe developed by a culinary star, I follow the recipe exactly as it was written. The habit is annoying to some, but I think it's the only fair way to judge the success of the dish and the chef. After that all bets are off. I've been known to completely rewrite some of the creations that find their way to my kitchen. I have not done that with today's recipe, but I have some suggestions for those of you who want to try it. This is a delicious dish, but it's extraordinarily rich. In addition to copious amounts of butter and cheese, the recipe calls for a quart of heavy cream. The second time I made the dish I replaced heavy cream with light cream and added the juice of half a lemon to the liquid as well. I made tonight's version with whole milk. The truffle oil is a must, as is the use of a soft herbed cheese. Even with the revisions, the dish is extraordinarily rich. It is also delicious. If you love mac n' cheese you owe to yourself to give this a try. Here's the recipe as it was originally written.

Truffled Mac n' Cheese ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Hudson's on the Bend

Ingredients:
1 pound dried pasta (i.e. elbow macaroni, penne, cavatappi)
1/4 cup truffle oil
1 quart heavy cream
4 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Boursin cheese
Optional : 1 truffle
Crumb topping
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon truffle oil
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons mixed fresh parsley and chives

Directions:
1) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, until just tender.
2) Cool pasta with cold water, then drain in a colander.
3) Toss pasta with 1/4 cup truffle oil.
4) Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottomed pan.
5) Stir in flour to make a blonde roux. Don't brown.
6) Add heavy cream and simmer mixture until it thickens.
7) Season with cayenne, salt and pepper.
8) Remove from heat and add pasta and cheeses.
9) Stir to combine.
10) Taste mixture and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
11) Pour into a buttered 9 x 9-inch ovenproof casserole dish.
12) In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, melted butter, 1 tablespoon of truffle oil, and herbs.
13) Pour bread crumbs over the pasta cheese mixture.
14) Bake until golden brown at 400 to 425 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.
15) Garnish with optional truffle slices. Yield: 10-12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Straw and Hay
Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna
Mushroom Lasagna Florentine

Pleating Pau

I have been watching this Pau Pleating Video for umpteen times and still not able to pleat as pretty.  The saying is true - Hard to teach old dogs new tricks.  These pictures showed that i tried and perhaps i will have to make more than 360 paus to really pleat well.

Serves