Simple Roast Chicken 简单烤鸡

I was a bit shy to present this recipe as it is really a basic no-frills roast chicken. I decided to pen this anyway. It is for my own future reference as I simply love the original flavours that is this dish. As the title suggests, it is a simple recipe with simple seasonings which are commonly available in the market. I was a bit surprised how tasty were the natural flavours of the chicken and vegetables. The vegetables I chose each has their own natural sweetness or tanginess which comes together perfectly in the dish. You can also replace with, or add other vegetables of your choice. You just have to make sure that the vegetables you chose do not have too much water content or the tray will be filled with juice after your bake. Choose something like potatoes or carrots.

Purple Sweet Potato Balls 炸紫薯球

I have been trying my best to update my blog these days. The opportunity comes when my mom actually had a disaster in the kitchen. Yes, she over-boiled her sweet potatoes making it too soft to be eaten or cooked. I was initially thinking of making sweet potato bread out of the pulp but she actually suggested something better. Potato balls...something that I haven't eaten for the longest time.

Normally, orange or white potato is used to make the balls. Purple sweet potatoes is considered better (and more expensive) as it is deemed to be more nutritious than its peers. Besides high in fiber, it has Vitamins A and C, Manganese and Anthocyanins (click here for more on purple sweet potato nutrients). I find the purple sweet potatoes to be the sweeter type and therefore I did not add as much sugar to it. If you are using the other types, do take this into consideration.

The making of sweet potato balls is relatively easy. Put some flour and knead it into a dough and then start pinching and rolling into smaller balls. Having said that, different places uses different flours for a variety of textures. In Thailand for example, plain flour and tapioca starch is used. In Malaysia, the Chinese like their balls a little chewy. Hence, the use of glutinous rice flour as part replacement. The more glutinous rice flour you put, the more chewy it would be. It is really up to your palate. I do not like my balls too chewy but remain fluffy and soft to the bite. Do play with your flour to get your desired texture. I added a little baking powder to make the ball puffed up as well. I like sweet potatoes balls best when it is still warm as the skin is crispy to the bite while the insides are soft and fluffy. A simple snack really, with basic ingredients and simple techniques but somehow it vows me everytime.

Fried Purple Sweet Potato Balls 炸紫薯球

Makes about 24 balls

Ingredients

300 g sweet potato, steamed and mashed
30 g glutinous rice flour (1/4 cup)
30 g cornstarch (1/4 cup)
2 tbsp sugar

Cooking Instruction

1. Mix all ingredients together to form a dough.

2. Pinch and roll with your palms to make a ball (approximately 15 g each).

3. Fry balls in pre-heated oil in medium heat, stirring constantly.

4. When balls starts to turn brown, remove from fire and strain. Best to serve hot.

Beans Revisited - Bubur Cha Cha with Large Sago 摩摩喳喳跟大西米

Some Chinese make this on the 15th of the Lunar New Year. This recipe is from my previous shop's menu. Hope you like it.

Bubur cha cha is a famous nyonya dessert in Malaysia. It is so famous that you can actually find it in places like Hong Kong (lewdly pronounced as mo mo ja ja which also means touching and holding), China and some Chinese restaurants in Australia and the States. The authentic bubur cha cha consists of an array of sweet potatoes with yam and black eye beans sweetened by fragrant fresh coconut milk sweet soup. If you are not wooed by its rich unique taste, you would definitely be captivated by its burst of colours such as orange, yellow, purple and sometimes red (from the coloured tapioca jelly bits) from the result of the use of various types of sweet potatoes and yam.

Bubur cha cha used to be one of the best sellers amongst the 15 odd type of desserts or sweet soup in my shop. It shows the popularity of this unique dessert. I suspect it is also due to the difficulty in preparing this dessert. An authentic bubur cha cha would have different types of colours and also the tapioca jelly bits that adds a chewy texture to the dessert. I admit my bubur cha cha lacks colour as I only use orange sweet potatoes (the Indonesian type as it tastes better than the yellow ones). I do not really fancy purple sweet potatoes either as it will taint the sweet soup with its natural purple pigment if left too long, making the water purplish.