Homemade Long Yuk (Yuk Kon)

Homemade Long Yuk

This is one recipe I have wanted to do long ago but I guess I  KIV it for too long and finally made it today.  Chinese New Year is coming soon and this is one of the favourite items to have in the house  and also  as a CNY gift to friends and family members.  It is very expensive now as it can cost RM80/= a kilo!   I more or less followed the recipe given by my sis-in-law Pat who has done it before and also increased the quantity of the meat.

It turned out alright but my husband said something is missing and I supposed the 'long yuk' has to be BBQed to get that special flavour  instead of doing it in the oven.  Not bad for the 1st time and I am pleased with the result.  Took some to the office for colleagues to sample and everybody agreed it was good!

I wish everyone a Very Happy New Year  and may 2013 bring you all happiness, good health and good fortune! 

                                    The meat will leave the sides of the tray on the 1st 20 mins .
  
Recipe

600gm  minced meat (tender part)  with some fats
2  Tabsp fish sauce
1   tsp dark soya sauce
1  1/2 Tabsp soya sauce
2  Tabsp cooking oil
150 gm sugar
1  Tabsp cooking wine ( I use rose wine)

Option:    I  made another batch of  'yok kon'  by adding a pinch of 5-spice powder, 2 tsp of  red
                 bean curb solution (lam yue), replace one tabsp of the soya sauce with oyster sauce.
                 The result was better.

1)     Put minced pork and all seasonings into a big bowl and use chopsticks to stir in one
        direction untuk meat becomes gluey.
2)    Spread the mince meat onto a big tray. Use 2 trays if not enough.  Put a plastic sheet on top
       and use a rolling pin to flatten the meat to a thin layer (2mm).
3)    Bake in oven for 20 mins. at 125 deg. C on bottom rack.  There will be some liquid in the pan.
4)   Take out the meat and cut them into squares.  Place the 'long yuk' onto the wire rack and
      put back the tray to catch the drippings.  Bake on middle rack  for 20 mins or more at 180 deg. C.
      Flip over to the other side to bake for another 10 mins.
      Do watch the oven and not burn the meat.  Enjoy!

This photo shows the 2nd attempt on this recipe.  Notice that I have made this thinner but the texture is a bit tough probably due to baking the 'yuk kon' too long or not enough fat in the meat.   I prefer the thicker version.  600gm raw meat yields about 400 gm cooked meat.

No Fail Banana Muffins

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everybody!  May you all be blessed
with happiness and good health for the coming year.

Made these muffins this Christmas morning.  I call this the No Fail Banana Muffins as it is so easy to make and indeed yummy too. Thanks to Jenny Chan who kindly shares this recipe.

Recipe

2 cups plain flour                       )
1 1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate     ) sieve 3 times
pinch of salt                               )

4  ripe bananas (Montel size)    )  mash and mix together.  Set aside
1 cup brown sugar                     )

6 oz melted butter                       )
2 eggs                                         )   mix and beat well

1 tsp vanilla essence                   )

Some walnuts.

Method

1)     Mix all ingredients together well with a spatula. ( Add in chocolate chips/raisins if desired).
2)     Spoon into muffin cups - 2/3 full. Sprinkle walnuts on top and bake for 20 to 25 mins
        at 180 deg.C  depending on the size of your muffin case. Test with a skewer.

Note:   I added in 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder.

Water Lily

This is my little red fish pond with water lilies in bloom.  I hope I can take a photo of  the bee sucking the honey from the flowers.

Tangerine (Kaat Chai) Syrup

I found another new recipe to try today.   The original recipe calls for 5 kg of  kat chai fruits and that is a lot.  I reduce the quantity and this is what I can get from 1 kg of the tangerine.  Mix a tablespoon of it  with water and it becomes a soothing and refreshing drink on a hot day.  This syrup drink is especially good for the throat.  Recipe courtesy from a colleague's future mother-in-law.

I was at the baking shop to buy some flour and I chanced upon the packet of jelly powder.  Adding this to the syrup drink would make a nice dessert.

I purposely buy this lemon squeeze to make my job easier.  Costs only RM10/- at the wet market.

Tangerine Syrup

1  kg tangerine (kaat chai) - sqeeze out the juice
500gm  rock sugar  (2 packets)
1 orange - juice only
1 lemon  - juice only

1 packet jelly (optional) -  Follow instruction as stated in the packet.

Method:

1)        Wash all the fruits and let them dry completely.
2)        Extract the juices from the fruits separately.  Do not mix them together.
3)        Boil the tangerine juice and sugar in a pot on low heat for about 1 hour. To stir the mixture until
           the texture becomes gluey (texture is something like honey).
4)       When almost done, pour  in the orange and lemon juice and continue stirring it evenly. Off fire.
5)       Let cool and store in a clean dry jar.  Serve this syrup with water or add in ice cube with the jelly.
          Enjoy!

Dragonfruit Agar-agar

1 packet dried agar2 strips (20 gm)
1 dragon fruit
sugar to taste
3 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves) - optional
1.2 litres  ml water or as per instructions printed in the packet.

Method

1)     Wash the agar2 strips.  Put the agar2 strips and pandan leaves into the water and boil until it dissolves.
        Add sugar and off the fire.  Sieve the mixture.
2)     Cut the dragonfruit into small cubes and set aside.  Take 1/3 of it and run through a sieve to get the
        juice.  Pour the juice into the agar2 mixture to give it the red colour.
3)    Put the remaining dragonfruit cubes into desired moulds and pour in the agar2.  Let  cool before
       putting them into the fridge.  Enjoy!

Assam Flavoured Prawns

Another suggestion of cooking prawns from friend Jo. They are yummy too.

Ingredients

7 big prawns - washed and deveined
1 heapful of tamarind paste (assam ko) mix with 1/4 cup water  -   Mix together & add in
                                                                                                     2 tabsp of  sugar                                              

2 tabsp of tomato sauce
2 tabsp of chilli sauce
Lea & Perrin sauce - a few dash
1 tsp sugar (to taste)

Method

1)      Marinate the prawns in the tamarind liquid  for at least a few hours.
2)      Take out the prawns and sieve the tamarind mixture. Set aside.
3)      Heat up the pan and put in some oil.  Pan fry the prawns until cooked on both sides.  Dish out.
4)      Using the same oil, put in the tomato sauce, chilli sauce and sugar and stir for a while on low fire.
          Pour in the tamarind mixture.  Add in the prawns and a few dash of  the Lea & Perrin sauce.
          Stir for a while and they are ready.

Shanghai Mooncake

Today is Mooncake Festival and here is my blog to celebrate this occassion.  I have not made  mooncakes for quite a number of years but this year I have decided to make these Shanghai mooncakes.  It is very easy to make these as  the lotus paste can be bought from the baking shop.  The salted egg yolks are the 2nd batch  of duck eggs  from the salt solution which I used in my earlier blog.  I am happy that  friends and colleagues like these moomcakes.