No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

Milo, a popular beverage of chocolate and malt powder is the key ingredient in this Milo Chiffon Cake.   This light and moist chiffon is enhanced with an addition of Nutella and can be served at any time of the day.  If you like more Milo, accompany it with a hot drink of this beverage. Milo Chiffon Cake ~   美禄戚风蛋糕  (adapted from 'here' ) Ingredients (A)  5 large egg yolks        15 gm caster sugar        45 gm vegetable oil        100 ml milo (3 tsp milo powder + hot water to make 100 ml)        1 heapful Tbsp Nutella - about 30 gm        100 gm plain flour, sifted        1 tsp vanilla (B)        5 large egg whites        45 gm caster sugar )   Mix together        1 Tbsp cornflour     ) Method Combine hot milo and nu...

These Mung Bean Cakes are made with split mung beans and they can pass off as mooncakes as they are shaped using the plunger moulds for mooncakes.  I find these mung bean cakes refreshing and not so heavy as mooncakes and they are a perfect match with a cup of hot Chinese tea. Mung Bean Cake  ~   绿豆糕 Ingredients 300 gm split mung beans 30 gm Crisco shortening 70 ml vegetable oil 100 gm organic cane sugar 1.1/2 Tbsp honey about 100 gm red bean paste 1/2 tsp matcha powder pinch of salt pandan leaves Method Wash and soak the mung beans with 700 ml water, overnight. Next day, rinse the mung beans and cook it in a rice cooker with about 1 inch of water covering the mung beans.  (I used the 'congee' function of the rice cooker). Put the cooked mung beans in a blender and blend till fine with 120 ml water. Heat up a non-stick pan with shortening and once melted, pour in the blended mung beans.  Keep stirring on medium he...

These moist applesauce muffins have a delicious apple cinnamon flavour, fluffy and moist in texture.  Not only are they healthy and nutritiuos, they are so easy to make.  Perfect for breakfast or snacks! Applesauce Choc-Chip Wholemeal Muffins ~    苹果巧克力全麦玛芬 Ingredients 250 gm self-raising wholemeal flour 100 gm caster sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/ 2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup lightly sweetened homemade applesauce 1/2 tsp cinnamon 100 gm choc chips 200 gm chopped apples Applesauce 4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped 3/4 cup water 30 gm granulated sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon Method for Applesauce In a saucepan, combine all the above ingredients, cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 mins.  till apples are soft.  Cool, mash with a fork or a potato masher. Place in a container and keep refrigerated. Yield - 1 cup of applesauce Method In a mixing bowl, whisk the wholemeal flour, sugar a...

I was introduced to White Bihoon on my recent trip to Singapore and must admit that I have never heard of this before.  Back here, we have Hokkien fried bihoon which is brownish in colour or Cantonese braised bihoon which is bihoon deep fried and coated with an eggy sauce of meat, seafood and vegetables.  I was curious and I had my first taste of this popular White Bihoon at Jewel, Changi airport.  It's white, because no light or dark soya sauce was added to the bihoon, hence it's white.  It does tastes good with a light squeeze of calamansi. So, today I'm trying to replicate this dish and here's my version of White Bihoon.  Enjoy! White Bihoon/Rice vermicelli  ~    白米粉 Ingredients 100 gm bihoon (for 2 servings) 2 eggs beaten 100 gm prawns 100 gm chicken leg, deboned and sliced 6 cups or more chicken stock 1 tsp chicken granules 1.1/2 tsp cornstarch + water to thicken Vegetable of your choice Salt, pepper and sugar to se...

What can be most satisfying on a Monday morning when there are warm muffins being served on the breakfast table?  They are quick and easy to whip up as only light mixing is required.  These muffins are full of lemony flavour and fragrance, a big boost for your Monday blues! Lemon Muffins  ~   柠檬玛芬 Ingredients 250 gm plain flour 150 gm caster sugar 1 'L' egg 1.1/2 Tbsp lemon zest 3 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup oil More lemon zest to sprinkle Method Sift flour, baking powder, salt into a mixing bowl, mix in the sugar and lemon zest.  Whisk till well combined. In another bowl, whisk the egg, add in the milk, followed by the oil and whisk till well incorporated. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix till just to dampen the flour.  Do not overmix.  Batter should be lumpy. Using an icecream scoop, scoop the batter into a lined muffin pan, 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven @...