Yam Rice

Just saw someone's post in FB again and view thru the person's blog and saw yam rice. Hmm... looks kinda good and I haven't been eating this for a while, so maybe I should try it out since I manage to get yam which looks kinda nice and not too expensive from the fruit shop.

Ingredients:

For garnishing:

• Some crispy fried shallots
• Some chopped spring onions
• some hard boiled eggs, sliced

Main ingredients:

• 1.5cup rice (I used basmati here, washed and leave aside)
• 5 pieces of dried mushroom, soaked and water reserved
• 1 big handful of dried shrimp, washed and soaked, water reserved, chopped to smaller pieces
• 1 cup of small pieces of pork pieces, lean meat only (marinate with salt, pepper, sesame oil and corn flour)
• 1 chopped shallot
• 3 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
• 250g of yam, cut to small cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder
• 1/5 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• a big dash of pepper
• 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 3 tablespoon of oil (i used olive oil)
• water (inclusive of the reserved water above, should make up bout 1.5 cup)

Method:

1. Saute the shallot till a bit yellowish, add in the garlic and ginger. Stir for about 1mins and add in the chopped dried shrimp. Fried for bout 3-4mins.
2. Add in the yam pieces and fry till all the yams are well coated with oil and a bit yellowish.
3. Add in the pork pieces and fry. Ensure the pork are cooked before adding in the rice and a little water.
4. Add in the seasonings and fry for another 2mins.
5. Scoop the mixture out on to a big bowl or rice cooker and add in the rest of the water.
6. If you using rice cooker, just cook your rice like normal. If not, place the big bowl in a double boiler, or big wok with water and steam for 7-8mins till the rice is cooked and all water absorbed.
7. Fluffed the rice, served and decorate with the garnishing.

Taiwanese Dessert - Sweet Potato Cubes

I had been wanting to try to make the sweet potato cubes or the taro cubes for some time but just not sure why I didn't get into it. But recently, looking the tapioca starch and also the soy milk that I had for a while, I thought why not? Instead of letting those stuff rot, let's try make taiwanese style dessert.

And someone's post in FB just came the right time to inspire me with this dessert.

Ingredients (I made 4 small bowls of these):

• 700ml soy milk (unsweetened)
• 25g sugar
• 10g gelatin
• 100g sweet potato sliced as thinly and small piece as possible
• 45g tapioca starch/flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 tbsp of sugar
• a pot of water to boil the cubes
• 4 tablespoon of cooked and lightly mashed red beans
• 8pcs of grapes
• 8 pieces of mango slices

Methods:

1. Steam the sweet potato for about 5-10mins depending on the size you have cut it. To test if ready, just use a fork to try mash it and if it works, it is ready.
2. Premix the tapioca starch, salt and sugar (1/2tbsp) while steaming the sweet potato.
3. Once the sweet potato is ready and hot, pour it into the dry mixture and mix till even. You can use the fork or your hand to mashed the sweet potato.
4. Shaped it to desire shape. I make them squarish. If the dough is too mushy, add a little more of the flour. Set aside.
5. Heat up the soy milk and add in the sugar (25g), stirring to dissolve it. Once dissolve, remove from heat and let it cool for a while. Slowly stir in the gelatine. Pour to the bowl/container you will like to use. Leave it in the fridge to set.
6. Boil a pot of water and add in the Sweet potato cubes. It should take bout 3-4mins to boil and turn off the fire.
7. Take out the soy jelly that is setting in the fridge (bout 10mins) and it should be semi set.
8. Arranged the sweet potato cubes and the other ingredients on it. Leave it back in the fridge.
9. It should be ready to serve after about 30mins in the fridge.