Serikaya Sarawak Cake

This is another interesting cake I discovered through Malaysian Food Fest Sarawak Month. It is also known as Kek Belcan as it really resembles a piece of belacan! Don't you think so?? ^.^ As I'm not able to obtain the browning essence which suppose to make the cake really really dark brown, therefore I replaced with other alternative. Guess what I've added??.....dark molasses sugar and kicap manis (thick dark soy sauce)! >.<" What a wierd combination and was hoping the cake turn out decent hehehe...

I checked out the cake after 1 hour of steaming and am very pleased with the color! is really really dark hahaha...So I continue the steaming time for another 2.5 hours, this is suppose to extend the shelf life of the cake without the need of chilling it and I suppose it does affects the texture, as the cake turned out very moist! Besides, moist & smooth, be-warned that the cake is extremely sweet & rich though I reduced the sugar & butter amount! :)

the main ingredients - condensed milk, horlick, molasses & kaya

It really does look like a piece of Belacan!! of course it does not TASTE like belacan hehehe...

Recipe adpated (with modifications) from Lily's Wai Sek Hong blog

Ingredient (7" square pan)

• 200gm butter
• 50gm molasses**
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp kicap manis
• 120ml condense milk
• 1/3 cup serikaya
• 1/4 cup horlick
• 125gm flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

** Original recipe uses 50gm castor sugar, I replaced with molasses which caused the cake to be slightly on the 'wet' side, so I think the molasses can be further reduced to 30gm or so)

Method

• Beat butter until fluffy. Beat in molasses sugar until well combined.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Beat in vanilla essence and kicap manis
• Beat in condensed milk and kaya until well blended.
• Stir in horlicks.
• Sift in flour and baking powder and fold till smooth batter formed.
• Pour batter into a lined 7" square pan and steam over high heat for 30mins. Reduce heat to medium and steam for up to 4 hours (I steamed it for 3.5 hours). Replenish the steamer with hot water when necessary.
• Cool completely before slicing and serve.

I am submitting this dish to Malaysian Food Fest, Sarawak Month hosted by Sharon of Feats of Feasts” (remember to link to MFF and the host)

Roasted Pandan Chicken

Another delicious roasted chicken I found from Jane's Blog :) I find the roasted chicken very tender and flavourful, as I've marinated it for more than 6 hours instead of the 1 hour indicated and I also increase the salt to 1 tsp. To enhance the flavour, I've actually lined my baking rack with some pandan leaves then place the chicken over, definitely does not taste bland to me :) I also prepared Nasi Lemak again and pair with a salsa as a side dish :)

Pineapple, Cucumber & Tomato Salsa

Ingredient

* pineapples, cubed

* 1/2 cucumber, cubed

* 1 tomato, deseeded & cubed

* 1 red chilli, deseeded & sliced

* handful of chopped coriander

* 2 tbsp olive oil

* 4 tbsp apple balsamic vinegar

Method : Toss everything together and chill before serving

Recipe adapted from Mimi Bakery House

Ingredients

• 1 chicken (about 1.5kg)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 10 pandan leaves, knotted

Marinade (mixed well)

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chilli boh
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 3 tbsp thick coconut milk

Method

1. Spoon the marinade into the chicken cavity and place pandan leaves inside.
2. Rub the salt & curry powder over the chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour or more.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg cel for about 50 mins. Remove chicken from the oven and cut into pieces. Serve.