Potato chips (in the microwave)

Here's a slightly healthier way to make potato chips without having to deep-fry them.
Slice potatoes really thin, dry them using a paper towel and place them on a microwavable plate.
Spray the potatoes lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
Microwave them for 3 minutes on high. Check. And microwave for another 2-3 minutes. It should be lightly crisp.
(Careful, plate will be hot)

Curry Puffs

The original recipe requires you to deep-fry the puffs. I modified this using my mom's short-crust pastry and baked them in the oven.

Pastry ingredients:
4 oz butter (soften)
8 oz flour
some cold water
a dash of salt

Mix the flour, salt and butter into a bread crumbs texture. Slowly add in some cold water (a tablespoon at a time). Knead until it forms into a dough.
Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Curry puff filling:
5 tbsp oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup diced chicken meat
2 large potatoes (boiled and diced)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Fry onion, add spices.
Then add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
Leave aside to cool

Preheat oven to 375F

Roll out the pastry dough into approx. 1/4 inch thick.
I use a curry puff mold. Or you can cut the dough into circles.
Place some curry chicken ingredients in the center and shape it into a puff, pinching the sides to seal.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly brush some egg yolk on top of each puff.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the top looks golden brown.
Serve warm.

BBQ Pork (Char Siu) pastries

Ingredients :
Pork (country ribs)
Char Siu sauce
Kicap manis
Oil for stir-fry
Green peas

Mix Char siu sauce and kicap manis together. And marinate pork for atleast 48 hours.
Prepare a deep baking dish (fill with 1/2 inch of water) , place a metal rack on top of baking dish.
Place marinated pork on the rack and bake for 25 minutes on 400F. (save marinate for glazing)
Take pork out and turn them over. Brush with marinate. And bake again for another 20 minutes.
Repeat one more time.

Take pork out and wrap in aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
Carefully remove foil and chop the Char Siu up into tiny pieces. (or chop in a food processor)

In a hot skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add chopped Char Siu and green peas. And stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
You may add 2 tablespoons of water if you feel it is too dry. And 1 tablespoon of kicap manis.
Keep aside.

Preheat oven 375F

Prepare short-crust pastry. If I am in a hurry (or lazy) I usually buy the ready-made Pillsbury short-crust pastry.
Roll it out, and using a round circle cookie cutter, cut a few circles.

Place one teaspoon of Char Siu filling into the center of a circle. Place another circle on top. Press to seal. I use a fork to make the pattern all around. Brush with egg yolk.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Cheat sheet: You can also buy some cooked BBQ pork from a Chinese take-out and chop them up and stir-fry with green peas for the filling.

Recipe for Short-Crust Pastry :
http://www.helpwithcooking.com/pastry-guide/shortcrust-pastry.html

Deviled eggs

Tips :
Use eggs that are a week or two old for easier peeling.
Rest eggs sideways on the egg tray for atleast one day so that the egg yolks will be centered.
Take eggs out from the fridge atleast half an hour before cooking them.

Place eggs in a large pot. Fill with water. Sprinkle with some salt. Cover pot with tight-fitting lid. Boil.
As soon as you get big bubbles and steam, take the pot off of the stove.
Wait 30 minutes to let the eggs cook.

Then, remove eggs using tongs into a bucket of ice water. Leave eggs to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
Slowly crack the egg surface until the shell is cracked all over.
Place the eggs back into the cold water for another 10 minutes to aid peeling.

Then, peel the shell off.
Place freshly peeled eggs into the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Slice eggs into half.
Squeeze yolks into a separate bowl.
Mash the yolks with a fork.

Mix in ingredients : (for a dozen eggs)
1/2 cup light mayo
2 tsp honey mustard
2 tsp chives (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Cut the tip of the ziploc bag. (or use a pastry bag) Place egg yolk mixture inside.
Squeeze bag and fill the egg white shells.
Sprinkle with paprika (or garnish of your choice)

Peanut pancake

This is a Malaysian pancake, commonly found at the night market. Also called "Ban Jian kuih".
I got this recipe from Lily's blog, but I omitted the "lye water" (potassium carbonate & sodium bi-carbonate solution) and substituted it with water and white vinegar, and added brown sugar to the ingredients. The brown sugar is acidic and the alkaline in the baking soda needs this to react and neutralize, hence no honeycomb texture but the taste is right.

Ingredients :
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vinegar (add to the milk)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Filling :
1/2 cup Peanuts (chopped)
1/4 cup Castor sugar (mixed together with peanuts)
1 tbsp Butter (cubed)

Mix all the dry ingredients together and slowly add in the milk liquid into the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Leave aside for 30 minutes (covered)

Lightly grease a pancake pan or any 10 inch non-stick skillet. Set stove on medium low flame.

Pour in all the batter and using the base of the scoop/ladle , spread the batter evenly around and to the sides of the pan. Cover pan.

When bubbles are seen on the surface of the half cooked batter, sprinkle the peanut and sugar filling over. Spread the cubed butter over the filling.

Cover and cook for another 45 seconds (or until batter is cooked).

Use a spatula to release the sides and bottom of the pancake and fold into half.

Cool before cutting into wedges.

Serve warm.