Thursday, November 4, 2010

Ham Chin Peng

I am sure many of you living in Singapore or Malaysia area would have tasted this delicious fried dough treat. Many eat it with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast. It comes in two kinds of fillings, salty five spice with nam (fermented bean curd) or sweet red bean paste. I much prefer the latter. :) I have always wanted to learn how to make this Asian treat...long before while I am still in States. But now that I am back home, even though it's so easily accessible, I am still eager to try my hands making it myself. I finally got to make it one day...one very early day...I actually woke up at 6am to shape and fry these babies! Talk about cooking passion, lol!
Considering it's my first attempt, it was pretty successful. ;) I had left the dough in the fridge overnight to proof and work on it the following morning. I wanted to enjoy it for breakfast and thus being so "hardworking" to wake up that early. :P
I got my recipe from Agnes Chang's Hawkers' Delight book. This book was actually a gift from my sisters years ago before I left for States. She was worried that I would miss the hawker food too much and thus hope I will cook something for myself while in the foreign country. ;) Very sweet of her, but I only got to do it now, lol! Anyway, here is the recipe:

Ingredients for 15 to 20 Ham Chin Peng:
Ingredients A:
360g high protein flour
120g caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp alkaline water
250ml water (I only used 200ml, 'cos the dough was already very sticky)

Ingredients B:
90g flour
90ml water
2 tsp vinegar

Ingredients C:
1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp water
Filling:
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp nam yee (Fermented red bean curd)
1/2 tsp oil

~150g Sweet red bean paste

Method:
  • Mix ingredients B two days before.
  • Mix ingredients C and leave for 15 minutes.
  • Mix ingredients A, B and C together. Knead well. Leave it to proof for 1 to 2hrs until it double in bulk. (I left it in the fridge over night and it proofed nicely)
  • For salty filling, rolled out the proofed dough into a rectangle. Mix five spice, nam yee and oil together. Brush it on the dough and roll it up like a swiss roll. Cut into slices, Shape each slice with your hands and flatten it a little.
  • If you want to add red bean paste, take each cut up slice and flatten it. Then fill it with about 20g of red bean paste. Seal nicely and press one side of the dough onto some sesame. Let dough rest for 15 minutes before frying them.
  • Heat up about 1 cup of cooking oil in a pot, with medium heat. Gently lower the dough into the oil and fry each side for about 3 to 5 minutes till golden brown.
  • Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain the oil. Serve while still hot.
Shaping, filling and frying took no time really. :) The best part was biting down the crunchy fried dough and sweet red bean filling inside...yum yum! The nam yee in the dough make it a slight savory taste to it, complimenting the sweet red bean paste, nice!
Personally I am not a "fried" person, not that I don't like fried food, just the thought of eating oily food just doesn't attract me nowadays (getting old). Also the part about cleaning up is not so fun, lol! :P *lazy me* Although these are really tasty, but I don't think I will do it that often. But if you are not as lazy as me and love Ham Chin Peng, do consider giving this a try. Sure beats store bought ones if you ask me. ;) Just look at the amount of red bean paste I stuff inside there, lol! I love a generous dose of that sweet paste, don't think you can get that at any store for sure. :)

Anyway, try and let me know how it turn out for you all. ;) Have a nice weekend all!




22 comments:

Pei-Lin said...

Bee Bee, I love ham jin beng! I love sinking my teeth into the sweet-savory filling!! Like you, I don't mind eating fried stuff ... But the thought of seeing my food floating in pots of grease ... scares me ... LOL! I almost, almost made ham jin beng when I was in Minnesota ... But never happened. HAHA!

Yea, have to agree ... You did stuff quite some filling into your ham jin beng!! You used store-bought or home-made paste?

Btw, HAPPY LONG WEEKEND AND DEEPAVALI to you! Rest well!

Angie's Recipes said...

Love these fried filled buns....gorgeous!

Cooking Gallery said...

I have never had these goodies, but they look very good!

pigpigscorner said...

This is yummy! Love the sweet and savoury combo!

Hearty Bakes said...

BeeBee, this was one of my favourite when i was young. Somehow i love pairing this with a cup of black coffee. Homemade is definitely much better. Just like yours, i love the amount of red bean paste inside, you only get abit for those selling outside. It makes all the effort when eating it yah. now, im craving for one for my breakfast...
Have an enjoyable long weekend ahead!

ICook4Fun said...

I love this too but only made it once with my Malaysian friends. I like yours all puff up and full of red bean paste. I would love to try out your quick version as the one I did takes a few days of fermentations.

Aimei said...

wow i'm ao impressed! Loks much better than store bought with the generous fillings and puffed up texture. I like those with less flour so that makes it crisp and soft. Hardworking mum you are! ;)

ann low said...

I am not a fan of Ham Chin Peng but I don't mind having one of yours because I love the red bean filling in it :)

ReeseKitchen said...

WAHHHHHH....Ham Chin Peng leh!! You very good larr...I want 1 piece can a? Hahaha! I got the recipe too but haven't try yet. Yours look so nice...must be very tasty...:)

Shirley @ Kokken69 said...

hei hei...I am making yau char kuai today!

Your #1 Fan said...

-drools- The ham chin peng looks awesome. Love the generous filling - won't get that from the ones sold outside. =D
Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

Your sister is so sweet!

mr. pineapple man said...

that looks so good! i would eat one right now!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Pei-lin, I not so hardworking lah. If I make the red bean paste, that will be way too much work for me. :P I got the red bean paste from the Chinese grocer, so it's pretty smooth & not too sweet, quite nice. Hope you have a wonderful long weekend too!!

Thanks Angie! Btw, did I tell you I simply love your cats....much like you, I'm totally a cat person. ;)

Cooking Gallery, you should go raki those street basah, got quit a bit of local street food. Luckily enough, you might find either Malays or Chinese selling them.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks Ann, me too!

Thanks Jessie. ;) That's right, love them (like you tiao) for breakfast when I was young. Love them stil but now have to control a bit, not that young anymore. :)

Gert, actually mine still need to have a starter dough which needto be left standing for 2 days before use. But it is not too difficult, so I will probably make this again, but not so soon larr. ;) Hope you will like this version, I trust Agnes' recipe, always works!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks Amei! Heehee, you are right, don't need that extra carb in this already not too healthy snack. :)) Indeed, light and puff but crisp outside is the ideal version... :)

@thanks Ann! Yeah, that's the beauty of homemade...you can put as much red bean paste as you like!

@Reese: heehee! Thank you! This is one of the rare recipes that I am willing to try because needs to fry. But because my Lou kong likes this, si just make lorr. :P you want? Sure!! You can have more then 1, 10 also can!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

@Shirley: is it! I am looking out for that post already!!!

@Jet: thanks! Yup, I can even put whatever filling I want! Hope you will try this out. :)

@neyeeloh: thanks. Yes, I am very fortunate to have my sisters! Up to this date, she has already bought me up to 10 or more cook books, always encouraging me on. :)

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks for dropping by Mr pineapple man. Reach out, I am passing one over... Careful it's still hot! Lol!

lena said...

i think i'm also like you when it comes to deep frying stuff, i usually avoid it..i'm not so good at controlling the temperature and thinking that i have to use so much oil..usually i just leave the recipe aside but this is really a good try and your ham chin peng looks really fluffy..yeah, sure it beats the store bought ones. Great!!

Jo said...

BB, your HCP is absolutely stuffed with red bean .. it's practically oozing out! I do love HCP but preference is actually the salty kind.

Bakericious said...

Bee Bee, I used to love Ham Chin Peng but more towards savory type, now I love butterfly more :). I love to eat fried stuff actually although trying to minimise it, not for health reason lah I am not so healthy person but more to weight issue :P. I love your ham chin peng cos of the generous filling, yum!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks so much lena! You can imagine how long I have archive this recipe...almost a good 8 years I think! But I am glad I finally got to do it. ;)

Thanks Jo! You know my sister also loved the salty version. She said it's more flavorful. :)

@Jess: I love butterfly too! That is actually my next target! Hopefully I can get it done before year ends. ;) Ai ya, you so slim still thinking about weight issue..then I more cham then you already!