Kuih sagu with gula melaka sauce

You will need:

• 1 cup Pandan Tapioca pearl (sagu)
• 4 cups water
• 1 chunk of gula melaka (you can substitute with brown sugar)

Direction:

1. Boil water on a medium heat.
   
2. Pour sagu in the boiling water and let it simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. You will notice that the sagu will become clear (transparent) and that shows the sagu is ready.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat the gula melaka with 5tbs water in a different pan until all gula melaka is dissolved. The consistency is up to your likings. (More water if you like it thin). Alternatively, you may heat the gula melaka with some water in microwave.
4. Once the sagu is ready, pour in small moulds or ramekins. Leave to set for a couple of hours.
5. Serve the sagu with gula melaka.

Note: This recipe was observed once upon a time at Auntie Wa's house. The quantity in this recipe is purely guessed.

Baked raspberry cheesecake

You will need:

• 8 digestive biscuits
• 50g butter, melted
• 600g cream cheese
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 175g caster sugar
• vanilla extract
• 2 eggs plus 1 yolk
• 142ml pot soured cream
• 300g punnet raspberries
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Crush the biscuits in a food processor (or put in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Mix with the butter. Press into a 20cm springform tin and bake for 5 minutes, then cool.
2. Beat the cream cheese with the flour, sugar, a few drops of vanilla, eggs, the yolk and soured cream until light and fluffy. Stir in half the raspberries and pour into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes and then check, it should be set but slightly wobbly in the centre. Leave in the tin to cool.
3. Keep a few raspberries for the top and put the rest in a pan with 1 tbsp icing sugar. Heat until juicy and then squash with a fork. Push through a sieve. Serve the cheesecake with the raspberry sauce and raspberries. Serves 8.
   

Source: Olive Magazine, March 2007

Banana and Ginger Tatins

You will need:

• 200g Golden caster sugar
• 60ml water
  
• 375g pack ready rolled puff pastry
• 1cm piece root ginger (peeled and finely grated)
• 4 large bananas (thinly sliced)
• 2tsp milk
• vanilla ice cream OR creme fraiche (to serve)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/ gas mark 7. To make the caramel sauce, dissolve the sugar in a heavy saucepan with 60ml water, then boil rapidly for about 5-7 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat - it will continue to colour.
2. Cut 6 circles measuring 10cm each out of the pastry. Put a pinch of ginger into 6 holes of a Yorkshire pudding tin. Spoon some caramel sauce on top, then cover with the banana slices and top with a pastry circle.
3. Press the pastry gently into the tins. Brush with some milk and bake for about 20 minutes until crisp and golden. Invert onto a serving plate while the caramel is still hot (use a spatula to help you hoick out any banana that gets stuck). SErve with vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche. (serves 6)

Source: Olive Magazine, March 2007

Custard Pudding

You will need:

Custard

• 1 cup Bird's Eye Custard Powder, mixed with 1 cup water
• 5 cups water
• 1 tbs sugar
• 3 tbs evaporated milk
  

Sauce

• 1 tbs Custard powder, mixed with water
  
• 1 can (normally 340g) evaporated milk
• 1 can water
  
• sugar (to taste)
• a pinch of salt
• 1 can of mixed fruits
  

Direction:
Custard

1. Boil water in a saucepan. Add in sugar and evaporated milk. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Reduce heat immediately. Add in the custard powder mixture. Stir well.
   
3. Pour into small moulds or in any type of moulds of your preference. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
4. note: the perfect texture of the chilled custard must be soft, not too tough or chewy.
   

Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.

To serve

1. Pour the sauce over the custard.
   
2. Sprinkle a little bit of mixed fruits.
   
3. Best served cold.

Source:
A verbal recipe from Mak Nab, my aunt.

Soya Bean

You will need:

• 300g soya beans (soak in water for at least 4 hours, and not too long either)
  
• 1.5l water (or more)
• Sugar (to taste)
  

Step 3

Directions:

1. Clean the soya beans that has been soaked for at least 4 hours.
2. Blend one cup of soya beans with 3 cups of water in a blender.
   
3. Use a muslin cloth to sieve the blended mixture into a suitable sized pot.
   
4. Repeat step 2 and 3 until you have used up all the soya beans.
5. Add in sugar and bring to a boil on a very low heat. Stirring all the time to prevent an overflow.
6. You can adjust the consistency of the drink to suit your likings by adding more water.
   
7. I have also added some red colouring just to get a 'pink' coloured soya drink for my little girl.
   

Source:
From my aunt, Mak Nab.