How to Make Kuih Lapis (Steamed Layer Cake)

Kuih Lapis, Kueh Lapis Recipe. Tasty Asian Dessert. Easy Steps.

Ingredients :

230g rice flour
45g corn starch
840 ml coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pandan paste
A few drops yellow and red colouring

Note : For this kuih you can use any color or as many layers as you like.

For the syrup

280g castor sugar
250ml water
3 pandan leaves

Directions:

1. Mix the sugar, water and pandan leaves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves completely. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together rice flour, cornstarch and salt. Add in coconut milk, mix well. Stir in syrup. Strain the batter to ensure it is free from lumps.

3. Divide batter into 3 equal portions. One add in the pandan paste (green), one in yellow coloring and one in red coloring. From each color portion divide into 3 equal portions (this will ensure you will get 9 layers of kueh)

4. Place a greased 8 inch tray in the steamer and heat up for 4–5 minutes.

5. Steam the batter layer by layer. Pour the 1st layer of batter on the heated tray. Cover and steam over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until set.

6. Follow by the next color and steam for 2-3 minutes and then the next layer.

7. Repeat the steps, alternating the color until all the batter is used up.

8. After the final layer is set, steam over the boiling water until the cake is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

9. Allow the cake to cool before cutting into squares to serve.

Seafood Dinner at Lamma Island

If you have an afternoon to spend in Hong Kong, I would suggest combining a scenic outing with a fresh seafood dinner.

An outing to the Lamma Island is extremely easy and relaxing, even if you have kids with you. Last week, I joint my company offsite and here is a report of my seafood dinner and outing.

Go to Pier 4 in Central and take the 3.15pm boat to Yung Shue Wan in Lamma Island. In about 30 minutes time you will arrive at Lamma Island. Landing at Yung Shue Wan, you’ll see pubs, restaurants and souvenior shops lining up on the main street. You will walk from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Ku Wan and explore this beautiful and peaceful outlying island of Hong Kong.

On the way, you'll see beautiful landscape and beaches and there are observation decks for you to take a little rest and enjoy a breeze. You can also taste some local authentic Cantonese “tofu fa” dessert.

You will arrive at Sok Ku Wan around 6pm, depending on the speed you walk, the time you spend on resting, shopping and eating.

Below is a pictorial summary of my journey and the seafood dinner.

My favourite Deep Fried Squid - wow...extremely yummy!

Baby Lobsters - also my favourite Steam Clams with Jelly Noodle and Garlic Stir Fried Spicy Crabs Garoupa Duo
Meat stir fried with vegetables
the head and bones were steamed (see below)
Seaside restaurants, quite a unique eating environment Picked live seafoods from the tanks Just next to the restaurants, there were seafood souvenir shops
When you see the Tin Hau Temple (Godess of the Sea), you'll arrive in minutes
Beautiful landscape at Lamma Island. Fishing sampans providing fresh live seafood to the restaurants.

Recommended restaurants:
Lamma Hilton or Rainbow. They are next to each other, both very good. Lamma Hilton is relatively cheaper. But rainbow has free boats to take you back to Central. In any case, you should budget for a minimum of HK$200 per person. Of course that would depend on the kind of seafood you pick. Restaurants are generally available. But you can make booking if you wish.

Lamma Hilton: 852-2982-8241
Rainbow: 852-2982-8100

In terms of $$$ - Above dinner was served by Rainbow and the cost was approximately HK$400 (US$51.3) per person.

The best time to do this journey is spring and autumn, such as October to April. If you go on hot summer days in July and August, be sure to wear sun blocks, and have an umbrella to protect you from sun or rain.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Seafood Dinner at Lamma Island

How to cook fried Vegetarian Bee Hoon

Chinese style fried vegetarian bee hoon with mixed vegetables and shitake mushrooms. This dish is suitable for vegetarians, personal diet or healthy eating. No garlic, no spring onions, no meat. Just vegetables.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Bee Hoon:

• 400 g rice vermicelli (beehoon)
• 200 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 20 dried or fresh shitake mushrooms, for dried shitake, soaked till soft, discard the stems and slice the caps
• 200 g round cabbage, sliced thinly
• 100 g french beans, sliced into ½ inch
• 150 g carrots julienned
• 2½ tablespoons light soy sauce
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• 1½ teaspoons salt to meet taste
• Pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Soften vermicelli in cold water for 15-30 minutes till soft. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in wok over high heat and add shredded mushrooms and carrots and stir-fry until fragrant. Add sliced cabbage, french beans, bean sprouts, soy sauce and vegetable stock. Stir evenly then braise over low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add vermicelli. Cook until water is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Stir continuously to coat all the noodles and incorporate all the vegetables. (Be careful or bee hoon will stick)

4. Use tong or a large pair of chopsticks to toss the vermicelli, so as not to risk breaking it up and making it mush.

5. Serve hot.

Easy Lemon Vanilla Ice Cream

Lemon Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe. Exquisite lemon flavor blended with a hefty vanilla.

Method:

Clean three ripe lemons, squeeze out the juice saving 1/2 cup of strained juice.

Grate the zest from the squeezed lemons and add it to the juice. Mix a two quart batch of the Old Time Vanilla (see recipe) Ice Cream omitting the brown sugar.

Before freezing the ice cream, add the strained lemon juice and add 1cup of granulated sugar.

Mix thoroughly and then age (chill in the refrigerator) for four hours. Now freeze in an ice cream freezer according the the manufacturer’s directions. Enjoy!

Chinese Food Carving

The Art of Chinese Food Carving

You may have seen ice carving on buffet tables. Have seen the art of Chinese food carving? Well, I had a chance to see some relatively large scale food carving lately.

On the Labour Day, I visited the Barracks of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison. It's open to the public once a year on the first day of May.

As you know, life within a military camp has to be DIY, including cooking. There were some cooking demo including some food carving exhibits. Some of them were really interesting.

A peacock opens up his tail to attract girl friends. Would you love this if you were a peahen? Look, this peacock tail is made of turnip, carrot and cucumber.


Chinese like fishes, because it sounds like 'surplus'. Does these carrot fishes look nice?


Peoney and phoenix are also favourite Chinese figures. Again, they are made of carrot and turnip.

Water melon can also be carved. See the dragon and peacock. How lovely?

Finally, here is me and a young PLA. Look, he's very cooperative in my photo taking, though without smile.
Hong Kong Food Blog - Chinese Food Carving

Japchae (Stir Fried Glass Noodle with Vegetables)

Japchae (Stir Fried Glass Noodle with Vegetables) is one of Korean’s favorite traditional dishes. Japchae can be served with rice and Kimchi, or as a side dish. Photo below is an example on how Japchae, the dish will be like. This awesome recipe is invented by a lady, Korean Chef Maaangchi. Check out her page for the full Japchae recipe and comments.

Full Japchae Recipe.

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream

Dessert recipe for Honey Vanilla Ice Cream. Homemade ice cream - honey/oatmeal flavor.

Method:

Prepare a 2 qt batch of the Old Time Vanilla mix and then add 1 cup of honey.

Mix thoroughly and set in the refrigerator to age the mix.

While the mix is aging, take 1/2 cup oatmeal and boil for about fifteen minutes in 1 ½ cups of water. Strain the water through a fine strainer and save the water.

The cooked oatmeal can be eaten or discarded.

Add the water to the ice cream mix and let it chill in the refrigerator for three hours.

Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s directions.