Jan 25, 2013 by Crave Malay Mail

Friday JANUARY 25, 2013 S AT I S F Y I N G

YO U R

W E E K LY

F O O D

D R I N K

C R AVI N G S

W I T H

Y O U R

C O P Y

O F

feedback@mmail.com.my

GOODIES GALORE

For Chinese New Year, bake up these cookies with a savoury edge

BAK KWA COOKIES (MAKES ABOUT 100 PIECES) Coat the cookies with edible gold leaf to give it an extravagant feel for the festivities. You can purchase the gold leaf from Bake with Yen.

COVER RECIPE

250g salted butter ¼ teaspoon salt 85g icing sugar 1 Grade A egg 170g bak kwa, cut into small dice 30g cornflakes, crushed 45g almond nibs 380- 400g plain flour, sifted 35g corn flour, sifted 1 tablespoon milk powder, sifted 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted

a pattern. Bake for 18-20 Preheat oven to 175C. Grease minutes, or until it is slightly two 36cm x 36cm trays and brown. Remove and leave to set aside. Using an electric cool on a wire rack. Decorate beater fitted with a the cookies with gold leaf. paddle attachVariation: Store in an airtight ment, cream For a spicy tasting container. – Recipe by the butter, version, add 2 teaspoons Debbie Teoh.Photogsalt and icing of dried chilli flakes raphy by Kenneth Lim, sugar, until the when mixing in the Gray Studio. salt dissolves. bak kwa. Add egg; beat till well incorporated. Beat in the bak kwa, cornflakes and almonds until well Taster Comments: mixed. Turn off the beater. These buttery cookies Slowly fold in the sifted have a savoury edge with ingredients, until the mixture the bak kwa pieces.” does not stick to your hands. Shape the dough into balls the size of calamansi lime and ALICIA LIM, Housewife place on greased tray. Flatten the dough with a fork to form

PORK FLOSS MERINGUE STICKS (MAKES ABOUT 45 PIECES) These snacks have an interesting combination of sweet and savoury flavours to make it incredibly moreish. 70g (2 large) egg whites, at room temperature 80g caster sugar ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, sifted 1 tablespoon corn flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar 50g pork floss

Preheat the oven to 140C. Line two 36cm x 36cm trays with baking paper. Using an electric beater fitted with a balloon whisk, whisk the egg whites until very foamy. Combine the sugar and salt together. Add by the spoonful while beating the egg whites continuously. Subsequently, beat in the cream of tartar. Once the egg whites reach stiff peaks, beat in

long. Bake for 1 hour. Lower the corn flour for 5 seconds. the temperature to 120C and Add the vinegar; beat for bake for another 30 minutes. another 5 seconds. Turn off Turn the oven off and the machine and gently leave the meringue in fold in the floss until Tip: For a the closed oven until it is well combined texture cool. Carefully remove taking care not to contrast, use meringue sticks from flatten the meringue. the crispy pork the baking paper Fill a plastic piping floss. and store in airtight bag with the mixture containers. – Recipe by quickly. Snip a 2cm wide Debbie Teoh. Photography by tip on the bag. Pipe the meKenneth Lim, Gray Studio. ringue into sticks about 6cm

Taster Comments: This was very moreish and I could not stop eating it. The meringue was also simple to make.” ALICIA LIM, Housewife

FRIDAY 25 JANUARY 2013

THE MALAY MAIL

Food Bites

DREAM GIFT FOR MAHJONG PLAYERS

WINDS OF PROSPERITY ENJOY a beautiful view of the Sunway Water Lagoon Park with your reunion feast when you dine at West Lake Garden Chinese Restaurant. Choose from various set menus with the price from RM1,088++ to RM2,013++ for a table of 10 persons. The menus devised by Chef Lee Yew Ken include nourishing soups like the Double boiled black chicken soup with ﬁsh maw and cordyceps ﬂower, and a good for the skin collagen-rich Braised sea cucumber and duck stew. Toss to prosperity, longevity and happiness for the year with Chef Lee’s yee sang, topped with his special plum sauce infused with pineapples and peaches. Other good eats include an aromatic Oven baked rock salt chicken with herbs, and a delicate Steamed Ca-

nadian cod fish with a golden garlic superior sauce. End the meal with the sweet duet of gooey homemade ningko with a slight crispy crust from pan-frying and the Chilled sweetened eight treasures filled with fruits and sea coconut. The restaurant also offers takeaway dishes, perfect for you to enjoy in the comfort of your home. These items include Yee sang, Hong Kong roast duck with condiments, Roasted five-spice chicken, homemade Snow koi fish, Traditional nian gao and Prosperous peach bun. West Lake Garden Chinese Restaurant, Sunway Resort Hotel, Tel:03-74951888. The set menus can be ordered from today till February 24.

LEADING Hong Kong bakery Maxim or Mei-Xin, as it is known in Chinese, have paired up with the chic Hong Kong design house Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) to develop these special limited gift boxes with a mahjong theme. Designed to resemble an old fashioned chest, it contains 15 pieces of Taiwan pineapple cakes packaged as mahjong tiles. The tiles are available in three sets, all depicting dream formations for a mahjong player. The gift box is available for RM74.88 at Jaya Grocer, Empire Subang. In Singapore, these lim-

ited edition gift boxes have all been snapped up. For more Chinese New Year

cookies, read our digital edition for tips on where to grab our favourites. Click on www. mmail.com.my for the link.

FEAST FOR YOUR SENSES FOR a Chinese New Year feast to remember, head towards the chic surroundings of The Westin Kuala Lumpur’s Five Sen5es. The restaurant offers a variety of yee sang, topped with Norwegian salmon, Australian abalone and Boston lobster. You can also get a rarely seen dish, the Charcoal roasted “Sar Tian” Five Sen5es Pigeon. Other good eats include a Master poached sea pearl prawn clam in superior broth, a dish that combines bouncy prawn meat and clams in a shell, which is served in a light broth with a hint of ginger. Remember to end with the traditional Hong Kong Wax Meat rice in claypot. Prices for the

various set menus starts from RM880++ for a table of 10 persons. The restaurant also offers a weekend dim sum brunch for RM68++ per person with free ﬂow of Chinese tea.

Five Sen5es, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, 199, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Tel:03-27318333. The promotion runs until February 24.

FRESH FLAVOURS THIS year, enjoy a refreshing taste with Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant’s yee sang. The Salmon yee sang, includes seaweed and fresh dragon fruit slices with a touch of lemon juice, to give it an appetising taste. Moreover Chef Lee Kook Siong also cuts down the sugar content for the yee sang, for you to enjoy the natural sweetness of the fresh fruits and vegetables. Other choices for yee sang include a seaweed

EDITORIAL NOTE Cookies and more cookies always mean, Chinese New Year is upon us. This time, we take inspiration from the dried meats shop, as we use bak kwa or barbecued meat and pork ﬂoss to give our cookies, a slight savoury edge. Believe me, one bite of those meringue sticks will confuse

and abalone, Hokkigai, vegetables and Chinese pear and a crunchy jelly ﬁsh and octopus. Prices start from RM100++ onwards for large, medium and small portions. The restaurant also has four set menus for the festivities, with a price from RM988++ onwards for a table of ten persons. Some of the menus include the restaurant’s signature dish like the succulent Smoked duck topped with a pink dragon fruit

by Lee Khang Yi

sauce. Other dishes include a delicious sticky Steamed glutinous rice chock full of goodies such as sun-dried oysters, salted egg yolk and chicken paste, wrapped in a lotus leaf, and Braised sea cucumber with mixed mushrooms and sundried scallop that uses Wu Yin Sam sea cucumbers, that have a nice bouncy texture. End your prosperity meal with Deep fried Chinese New Year cake with yam, a delicious combination

of gooey homemade nian gao and soft ﬂaky yam. Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant,

Hilton Petaling Jaya, Jalan Barat, Petaling Jaya. Tel:0379559122. The restaurant is halal certiﬁed.

Crave Editor

you as the sweet and savoury tastes is something unusual but extremely moreish. In our digital edition, we also give you the option to just buy these goodies from trusted suppliers. Our top favourites, is the kuih kapit with its delicate crunch and rich coconut

milk fragrance, the cornﬂake crispies that is so addictive and the gorgeous Taiwan pineapple cake wrapped up as mahjong tiles. For diners, look towards Topshelf in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Tucked in one quiet corner, this place is good for nice meal out as it oﬀers classic

French dishes and handmade Italian pasta. We also review Erawan Classic Thai & Fusion, which just got voted in as number two in Malaysia for The Miele Guide 2013. Keep in touch by emailing me at khangyi@ mmail.com.my. Happy Baking!

ADVERTISING SALES Rajan Gopal Senior Manager, Direct & Classifieds Direct line: 03 74951282 rajan@mmail.com.my

friDAY 25 JANUARY 2013

THE MALAY MAIL

TOP CLASS FLAVOURS BY Eu Hooi Khaw

TAMAN TUN DR ISMAIL is heating up as a place for many dining options, and one of the interesting neighbourhood joints is Topshelf, which opened last April. While Topshelf positions itself mainly as a French restaurant, it does have some Italian staples on its menu, such as pasta and pizzas. The set-up in this place is relatively fuss-free with a choice of low and high tables for relaxed dining. You can even observe the kitchen from your table through its glass partition. Being a big fan of pesto, I zoomed in on the Capellini pesto (RM20) from the entrees. I loved the taste of the bright green pesto, fragrant with sweet basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan and a touch of truffle oil. I had to ask if they serve this in a main course portion, as the three

fork twirls of pasta were certainly not enough for me. I’m always drawn to black mussels on any menu, hence I had to order their Moules Marinere (RM29). The black mussels served in a small black cast iron pot were cooked in white wine, butter and tomatoes. Aromatics such as parsley, shallots, bay leaf, thyme, chillies and leeks, gave the broth a sweet taste, which we slurped up after we finished the shellfish. I was surprised to find Crispy aromatic duck (RM28) in the menu too. Later, I found out from the chef-cum-owner Christoper Yee, this dish was something he used to eat in London, where he did his culinary training in Westminster College and was working at the Hilton Metropole London Hotel. We could not stop eating our self-assembled soft, thin pancakes smeared with the subtle sweet hoisin sauce, and topped with the shredded duck, julienned cucumber and spring onions. The duck was nice even eaten on its own,

dipped in a little sauce. For our main course, we chose a classic French beef stew or Boeuf Bourguignon (RM34). The chunks of beef were slow cooked for five to six hours, in a full-bodied red wine such as Syrah or Cabernet, together with carrots, shallots, celery, tomato, mushrooms and herbs, to produce a fullbodied delicious dish. Rather than serve it with potatoes, Topshelf prefers to add homemade pasta. We hit an indecisive moment with the dessert menu. It was a toss between the French classic Apple tarte tartin, an upside down apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and the Straits pannacotta with gula Melaka and amaretto. But the Champagne mille feuille (RM21) was recommended to us – delicate thin filo pastry layers dotted with lemon curd and filled with champagne poached strawberries. The platter also contained other elements such as the tart mixed berries compote with the flavours of orange,

moules marinere

star anise and cinnamon. This contrasted with the vanilla ice cream with chocolate and coffee crumbs around it. The whole ensemble was exquisite, and I loved it. According to Yee, who honed his French cooking skills in Le Vaudeville Restaurant, Paris, a must-try is his Bouillabaisse with spicy rouille. His version of the fish stew from Marseilles is made with halibut, snapper, sea bream, seabass, shellfish, vegetables, and pastis, an anise-flavoured liqueur. Yee also plans to expand the current menu after Chinese New Year. This would include more sweet items, a trend he spotted from observing how his customers would like to visit after dinner for a cup of coffee and dessert. Topshelf Restaurant, 61, Lorong Rahim Kajai 13, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-77277277. Open: 6pm to 12pm (Mondays to Saturdays). Closed on Sundays.

the restaurant

champagne mille feuille

boeuf bourguignon

seafood tom yum

lotus petal snack

merger curry

EXQUISITE ERAWAN ONE NEVER tires with the beautifully prepared Thai food in Erawan Classic Thai and Fusion. Moreover, the enthusiastic Chef Korn is forever adding new items in the menu, that you keep finding excuses to return again and again. Some of these dishes arise from his pursuit of “lost” recipes, dishes that people have forgotten since the methods are tedious and time consuming. The menu also includes dishes his grandmother once cooked for the Thai royal family. Our dinner was a combination of old favourites peppered with new items. First, the simple refreshing Rose apple top-

ping (RM38). What elevates the crunchy fresh fruit is the sticky brown dip full of dried prawns, palm sugar, roasted nuts, topped with fried shallot crisps. Similarly, the Mangosteen salad (RM58) was a refreshing mix of fresh mangosteen segments, tossed with minced chicken, prawns, mint leaves, with a spicy kick from fresh chillies. We hungrily dug into the crispy Golden rings (4 pieces for RM89) to discover springy prawn meat. This was served with a light sweet and sour plum sauce. Chef Korn loves to use edible flowers to give it a show stopping effect, like the pretty pink

Lotus petal snack (RM58), you eat with a toasted nuts condiment. Similarly, the Bougainvilla de flora (RM78), the paperlike petals are filled with an aromatic curry prawn paste. The arrival of our Tom yum seafood (RM68), a clear soup aromatic with lemongrass, and a hint of spiciness heralded our next delicious onslaught on the various curries. The Merger curry (RM58) may sound like a corporate finance deal, but it is Chef Korn’s interpretation that combines the elements of the creamy Thai Massaman and the pungent aromas of an Indian curry. The sliced Australian beef is tender and delicious with the aromatic coconut milk curry, cucumbers and onions with just a hint of tamarind. The Curry of Nine (RM58) is a mélange of vegetables such as bamboo shoot, baby corn, petai or stink beans, morning glory, pumpkin stems, green chillies, acacia pennata, long beans and aubergine, all cooked in a red curry. Chef Korn’s expertise in balancing out flavours works to his

advantage, as the vegetables’ flavours meld beautifully together. We also enjoy the milder Green curry with seafood (RM89), chock full of seafood including salted egg yolk stuffed fishballs. We were a little disappointed though with the Lamb curry (RM89), as it was a little too sweet with pumpkin, cherry tomatoes and eggplant. Balancing out all that creaminess was the Stir-fried hummingbird (RM30) with garlic, a vegetable with a slightly bitter taste akin to a bittergourd. One must always leave room for desserts here. We clear our palates with Chef Korn’s Emerald delight (RM12). The kaffir lime fruit is painstakingly dug out to leave its skin, which is simmered in syrup. golden rings

Crave pays for all its meals and all its reviews are conducted anonymously.

The brilliant green rind is a tangy pleasure. The Jewels of Siam (RM12) is Erawan’s version of the classic Thab Tim Krob but with the water chestnuts covered in three colours instead of the signature red, and served with atap chee or palm seeds. Durian lovers will relish the fragrant Durian platter (RM30) – a scoop of homemade durian ice cream, durian pulp and blue glutinous rice. Lighter palates will prefer the Mango platter (RM30) of Thai mango, a scoop of pandan coconut ice cream, and pandan glutinous rice. Lastly, the Black glutinous rice (RM12), with fresh longans – an offmenu item – makes my day as the plump grains have just the right hint of sweetness from the fresh fruit. I even enjoy it emerald delight

durian platter

plain without any fragrant coconut milk. Prices here are reflective of the restaurant’s fine food. Despite it being tucked in suburbia, once you push through the golden carved doors, you will discover a Thai oasis filled with exquisite flavours and ornate dinnerware in a lovely setting. Pre-ordering is a must for the restaurant as food is prepared upon order. Look through the website, www.erawan-classicthai.com to order. The restaurant was also voted number two in Malaysia for The Miele Guide 2013/2014. Erawan Classic Thai and Fusion, No. 22-1, Jalan PJU 5/16, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya. Tel:03-61412393. Open:12 to 3pm (Fridays to Sundays), 6pm to 10.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays). Closed on Mondays.

Friday JANUARY 25, 2013 S P E C IAL

D I G I TAL

E D I T I O N

W I T H

YO U R

C O P Y

O F

feedback@mmail.com.my

COOKIE CENTRAL

Chinese New Year is not complete without a secret stash of cookies.

FRIDAY 25, January 2013

FESTIVE FANCIES You know Chinese New Year is just round the corner when everyone is peddling cookies including your faithful hawker stalls. Crave picks their favourite spots to get these goodies.

THE MALAY MAIL

PINEAPPLE TARTS These goodies combine the best of both worlds, a buttery crust with a sweet with a slight tangy pineapple filling. It comes in various shapes, from open faced to cylinder wrapped versions. For the Hokkiens, the pineapple means ong lai, which also sounds like welcoming fortune. Where to buy: JP Teres, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, 12 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur. The old fashioned open faced tarts have a buttery crust with a not too sweet pineapple jam filling. You can order nine pieces for RM27.90 or 20 pieces for RM69.90. For bulk orders, give a week’s notice while larger orders may need to wait longer. Call Tel:03-21821234 extension 2333 or email jpteres.kuagh@hyatt.com to place your orders.

PINEAPPLE CAKE In recent years, the Taiwan specialty has been making appearances on our shores. These bar shaped cakes fit the festivities, with their auspicious less sweet but slightly tangy pineapple filling covered with a buttery crust. Where to buy: Mei-Xin Fine Goods Mahjong Box, RM74.88, Jaya Grocer, Empire Subang Jaya This special designed box by sought after Hong Kong’s Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) is a mahjong player’s dream come true. The pineapple cakes are individually packaged as mahjong tiles that form a winning mahjong sequence. Each box contains 15 pieces of pineapple cake made purely from pineapples from Taiwan. G.O.D. previously collaborated with Mei-Xin to produce cheeky mooncakes that took Hong Kong by storm.

KUIH BANGKIT Despite its dry and slightly hard appearance, these cookies melt in the mouth. It is usually made from tapioca flour that is stir fried with pandan leaves to infuse it with flavour. Some recipes also use a mixture of tapioca and sago flour. Other ingredients include eggs and coconut milk. The batter is pressed through special wooden moulds for its various shapes. Where to buy: Tong Kee Confectionery, 8, Lorong Brunei 3, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, RM18.80. These small biscuits in shapes of rabbits, butterflies and even a roster, are made from a mix of tapioca flour and wheat flour, coconut and eggs. It has a distinct aroma of coconut, and a melt in the mouth texture. For details of their branches, see the https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tong-Kee-Food-Corporation-Sdn-Bhd/190587117656652

DRAGON BISCUITS Also known as loong peng in Cantonese, the melt-in-mouth cookie resembles a dragon, as it is piped into a S-shape, complete with red dots for its eyes. It has a sweet milky taste with a delicate texture. Where to buy: Wantan Mee Stall at Restoran Seng Lee, Jalan Batai, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, RM15. Run by two sisters, this stall that sells wantan noodles and curry laksa also does double duty during the festivities, by selling cookies for Chinese New Year. The cookies crumble in the mouth and have a milky taste.

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 25, January 2013

KUIH KAPIT (LOVE LETTERS) The thin crispy wafers are made from fresh eggs, coconut milk, tapioca and rice flour. It is painstakingly made over a charcoal fire. These goodies can be rolled or folded. Traditionalists prefer the folded versions. Where to buy: Porridge and Chee Cheong Fun Stall at Lucky Garden Morning Market, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, RM18 Look for Ah Sui (016-6558169) to grab a tin of her homemade delicate flaky wonders with a distinct coconut milk aroma. The enterprising stall owner also sells one of the best yam cakes, and various cookies. Look for her in the morning every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday here. Bake with Love, Ben’s Independent Grocer, RM29 These egg rolls are made from corn flour, eggs and coconut milk. It tends to be thicker compared to the folded ones.

HUP TOH SO

CRISPY CORNFLAKES Debuting a few years back, this incredibly addictive mix consists of cornflakes, anchovies, peanuts, curry and kaffir lime leaves, combined with spices. Where to buy: Order these homemade goodies from Lee Bee Chinn, for RM29 per container by emailing her at lee.beechin21@ gmail.com You will need to place orders at least four days advance notice. Her crispy

These crunchy cookies are an old time favourite with a hint of toasted walnut aroma. In the old days, lard was used to make the cookie but nowadays as a nod towards health concerns, it is usually made with peanut oil. Hup Toh means walnut in Chinese.

treat is air-dried in an oven for a crunchy taste, which is so more-ish that one container is never enough. Bee Chinn also sells crunchy nut biscuits made from treacle and cashewnut for RM30 per container. Her panforte (1 box for RM40) is also sought after by customers. She makes two versions: rum soaked raisin version with hazelnut, and a mixed fruits and nuts version, which has cranberry, Hawaiian coconut flakes and apricots.

Where to buy: Bake with Love, Ben’s Independent Grocer, Publika, RM29. These flaky goodies melt in the mouth and look pretty in their glass jars.

OATMEAL TEA BISCUITS The thin crispy biscuit is filled with good for us oats, chocolate bits and walnuts. Golden syrup is used to bind together the ingredients. Where to buy: Bake with Love, Ben’s Independent Grocer, Publika, RM29 These flat cookies are packed in glass jars. Just separate them into smaller pieces following the lines they have been cut out.

HONG KONG AND MACAU GOODIES

HOMEMADE CHINESE NEW YEAR TREATS

Even though these goodies are available all year round, as Chinese New Year comes around, they are often also given as gifts. The Macau specialty, almond biscuits is made from Chinese almonds and ground mung beans. Another Chinese New Year staple is light flaky egg rolls.

Our Crave recipe contributor, Debbie Teoh also bakes up all kinds of cookies for the festivities. This year, she will be making the bak kwa cookies (on our cover) for RM33 per container. She also offers a wide range of cookies, such as pineapple tarts and peanut cookies. Vegetarians can opt for the eggless curry cookies that has a hint of spiciness with the use of curry leaves and chilli flakes, or the milder green tea cookies. For those who like a more savoury taste, she also offers salted egg yolk and cheese cookies. Orders can be placed by email to debbteoh@gmail.com and pick up is from her house in USJ Subang Jaya.

Where to buy: Jaya Grocer, Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya Find a variety of popular Hong Kong and Macau brands here. You can pick up Koi Kei Bakery or Choi Heong Yuen almond biscuits and phoenix rolls. The classic egg rolls are also found here including the Wing Wah iconic brand. It also has a large stock of Mei-Xin’s cookies in gift boxes.