Fish Paste, Egg Tofu wtih Meat Sauce, Granola Bars & Durian Cake

The week is coming to an end (again), which also mean October is almost over. Another month is gone...it can be quite scary sometimes to think how time goes by so fast. Age must be really catching up on me...else why the constant nag about time?! Geeze! But I always tell myself, so long as I seize the day, it's good enough for me. FYI, my definition of seizing the day can be as small as baking a delicious cake, helped my daughter learn something new or even finish reading a book. Insignificant accomplishments? Not at all. Think of it this way...life is not about completing how many tasks but how you learn and grow from the task you completed. ;) So pace yourself ...live a little...cook something nice today perhaps? Hahaha!

Enough time and life philosophy. :) What's cooking?! Today I am trying out another new "homey" dish, Fish Paste, Egg Tofu with meat sauce. This recipe was extracted from yet another new cookbook I acquired today: Chef Phang's Popular Signature Dishes, AKA “彭师博精典招牌菜". :) I have halved the recipe because I am only making it for my small family. So feel free to double it if you have a bigger group to serve.

Ingredients for Fish Paste Egg Tofu with Meat Sauce:
100g fish paste (I minced some tilapia I have in my fridge)
1 block of soft bean curd (let seat and drain excess water)
1 egg
1/4 cup cornflour
cooking oil for frying tofu
1 tsp chopped garlic
100g minced meat (I used pork)

Marinate:
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fermented soya bean paste (麼烂豆酱)
1 tsp sugar
100ml water
1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp water for thickening

Method:

• Put fish paste, soft bean curd, egg in a mixing bowl and mix well. Pour the mixture into a steaming tray and steam at high heat for 10 minutes or till cooked. Remove and leave to cool before cutting into pieces.
• Coat the egg tofu with cornflour and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish and drain. Arrange into serving platter.
• Leave 1 tbsp of oil in the wok, saute the chopped garlic until aromatic. Add in minced meat and fry till almost cooked. Add seasoning and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch water.
• Pour minced meat gravy over fried egg tofu and serve with steam rice.

The ingredients are easily accessible and inexpensive, so it's can made anytime of the week. The only hassle is the need to fry the tofu. But it's really worth it because the crisp outer skin and soft center of the tofu accompanied with the savory meat sauce is awesome!. ;)
Have been wanting to make Granola bars for a long time now and today is the day! Have to say I might be a little too "adventurous" in the kinds of ingredients I added in, hahaha! And furthermore, I used Natural Dark Muscovado unrefined Molasses sugar which happen to has the deepest color and richest flavor. So the color was kind of on the dark side, not your usual granola bar look. :-P
Abit "Chao Da"(burnt) look right? I can assure it is not burnt. ;) It's the combination of molasses sugar and melted chocolate that makes this intense dark brown color. ;) If you are interested on what I put into these bars, read on:

Ingredients for My Granola Bars:
Set A:
150g rolled oats
120g dried mangoes, diced
100g dried cranberries
100g roasted peanuts
50g pumpkin seeds
50g sunflower seeds
100g chocolate chips
Set B:
140g butter
110g brown sugar (I used Molasses sugar)
60ml corn syrup / honey
Pinch of salt

Method:

• Get ready a big bowl and place all ingredients in Set A and mix well. Set aside for now.
• Line & grease a square baking tray of 23cm by 23cm with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In a pot, melt the butter, brown sugar together till all melted and combined. Add corn syrup / honey to the mixture and stir well.
• Add the mixture of Set A into the butter mixture and stir well to combine.
  
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray and press the mixture down tightly with the base of a cup.
• Bake in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until mixture is golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool before slicing it into bars. Chill the bars in the refridgerator till firm and store in airtight containers.

The sugar butter coating around the bar has crystallized after the baking and cooling, so it's like biting into a toffee bar! Sweet! It's not too sweet and the texture is both chewy and crunchy, very satisfying. ;) Definitely a meal on the go! Well, perhaps not really a meal...a treat perhaps.
Last item on my list today is Durian Butter Cake with Durian Cream. The story begins when my dear husband went to buy too much durian and we can't finish it! So I suggested to him that I will transform it into some bake goods that he can enjoy as well. So yesterday evening, I finally got to work and ....vola!
Ingredients for Durian Butter Cake:
200g margarine
50g butter
220g caster sugar
4 eggs
250g fresh durian puree
1/4 tsp durian essence (optional if quality fresh durian is used)
20g coconut powder
230g self-rising flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

Topping:
150ml fresh whipping cream, whipped
80g fresh durian puree

• Combined whipped cream and duiran puree together and chill in fridge till ready to pipe onto cooled cake.
  

Method for cake:

• Grease a cake mould (I used 9" round pan) and line with parchment paper and grease again. Set aside. Preheat oven to 170°C.
• Beat margarine, butter, sugar till light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Stir in durian flesh and essence if using. Fold in sifted flour, coconut powder, baking powder and soda. Mix well till combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or till golden brown and tester comes out clean.
• Let cool on rack completely and pipe durian cream over the top. Serve chill or room temperature. Enjoy!
  

This is really a decant rich cake. Both buttery and durian richness...simply quite heavenly if you ask me, hahaha! ;D One bite and you are hooked, heehee. :) But....yes, there's a but. I did not realize I have slightly under baked the cake in the center....*sigh*. I did test it the cake with a toothpick and it came out clean....very strange! Anyway, it might also be the thick lumpy durian puree I added in that made it harder to bake through the middle. Nevertheless, minus the small middle section, the cake was still yummy good. ;) So good with a cup of hot tea.
So before you guys "doze off" from my long post...I shall sign off from here. Have a super duper great weekend ahead guys!