Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins 双巧克力松饼

Just came back from my cell group outing. Was about to call it a day when I remembered that I have some very expensive near-expire chocolate that I have taken out from the fridge this morning to make cookies and is begging for attention. I have every intention to finish off the chocolate and waste not. So off I go on a baking spree at 1 am in the morning. Please don't call me weird.

Moist and Soft Blueberry Muffins 蓝莓松饼

I love blueberries but it is not an ingredient that I would use often. This is because blueberries are rather pricey here. It just doesn't make sense to spend so much and get so little out of it. I normally use other fruits that are easily available here and equally tasty like bananas and apples as my raw ingredient to make muffins. But I was in luck today, blueberries was sold at a discount. I just have to buy, I couldn't help myself.

Chinese Clam Recipe: Kum Heong Lala/Clam 金香拉拉/金香蜆

If you are a Malaysian Chinese, the word Kum Heong 金香 needs no introduction. It is basically a type of sauce that is used in various Chinese dishes. Kum heong is Cantonese and if directly translated, means "golden fragrance". This dish is definitely full with fragrance. The aromatic curry leaves together with shrimp and curry powder makes a powerful taste. Truly an authentic Malaysian dish, this dish is hot and spicy.

My First Birthday Teddy Bear Cake 泰迪熊蛋糕

It all started with my son. He loves teddy bear. Somebody suggested that I buy him a teddy bear cake to celebrate his coming second birthday. My initial response was, "Great idea!". But something inside me was dying to do something different than just paying for a cake. Call it a mother's guilt or pure stupidity. Somehow just paying for a cake is not good enough. It must be one of a kind. Then this crazy idea of making my own cake began to form subtlely in my mind, like an irritating fly that wouldn't go away. The next few days was madness as the lunatic in me researched and purchased almost everything needed to make a mere cake.

A Basic Sponge Cake 海绵蛋糕

This is not my first attempt at a sponge cake. However, this is my maiden attempt in making a birthday sponge cake. And I tried not once, not twice, but thrice! My previous encounters with sponges were softer and finer. I tried using the same recipe but somehow, it was not strong enough to hold its shape. Therefore, I had to reduce the amount of moisture in the cake and whisk the egg whites more. It turned out very good in my first experiment but falter in my second bake. I attributed it to faulty techniques. My guess was underbaking and too much moisture.

Thai Stuffed Chicken Wings/Peek Kai Yad Sai 泰式酿鸡翼

Chicken wing tips and mid-joints are often left unappreciated. It is basically bones wrapped in skin with a few miserable strands of meat at best. However, these winglets do have high skin/fat content which are perfect for frying, baking, and even grilling as the fats from skin would leave a crispy and fragrant layer when cooked.

This next dish that I am introducing is a Thai dish. The Thais have cleverly elevated this often under-explored winglet and brought it to another level of classy refinement. If you have not guessed, I am talking about Stuffed Chicken Wings, or Peek Kai Yad Sai. Honestly speaking, I have no idea what Peek Kai Yad Sai means. It is a romanised translation of the Thai language. If I have it wrong, please forgive me. However, it doesn't stop me from appreciating this wonderful dish.

How to remove gingko nuts' membrane in a breeze

Eating gingko nut often requires tedious work. Unless you buy the ready-peeled vacuum-packed ones, the whole process of shelling the nuts and peeling the membrane will put you off. I have an easy way to do away with the membrane, or shall I say, boil away with the membrane. Yes, after shelling it (can't help you much in this), put all your gingko nuts in a pot with water and boil in high heat. The membrane will softened and detach itself from the nut. Boil for about 8 minutes. Once the membrane softened, throw away the water together with the membrane that floats on the water. For those that still stick to the nut, just give it a light rub and it will fall off effortlessly.

It does have another bonus as well. It makes the gingko less bitter (bitterness from the embryo). This method is perfect for lazy people like me. Hope you find it useful too.

Tangerine Agar-agar 柑橘燕菜

With the Chinese New Year almost over, I am definitely looking at ways to dispose of the 8 odd boxes of tangerine that we have in our household. I experimented with this tangerine agar-agar recipe since it is the easiest.