Coke Cola Chicken Wings and Purple Sweet Potato Huat Goh

It took me a good few minutes to know how to start off this post. It's almost alien to me on writing up a post lately since I've been neglecting it for quite sometime now. Apologies to all my readers as I have been so tight up with the Chinese New Year baking that I don't even have any other free time. But I am so glad I completed my bake order and got some "spare change" for my NY shopping, heehee. (^_^) Anyway, I baked so many NY cookies this year, I'm not quite in the mood to post one now, lol! So for a change, a simple dinner dish, "Coke Cola Chicken" and a Purple Sweet Potato Huat Goh. :)

I have actually cook this Coke Cola chicken wings countless times now. But however because I wasn't very successful in capturing good pictures with it, I kind of deferred the post. I'm not sure if other bloggers are having this same experience, but I realize that those food in brown to dark colors just aren't as "photogenic". :P However today I kind of given up hope and left the photos as is...hopefully it still look yummy. :P

I'm not a Coke drinker, but lately I have been stocking up a few cans of coke in my house just to cook this dish. It is one of the easiest and most yummy chicken dishes I've come across....finger licking good!

Ingredients for Coke Cola Chicken wings (serve 3-4 people)

6-8 chicken wings, trim the fat and cut at mid joint

Seasoning for chicken : 1/2 salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

4 slices of ginger

2 minced garlic

1 large onion, peeled and slice into thin strips

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 can of 330ml coke (I tried with Pepsi and it's equally good)

• Marinate the chicken wings with the seasoning and let seat for at least 2-3 hours before use.
• In a pot, heat up 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Add the minced garlic, sliced ginger and saute till fragrant. Then add in the chicken wings and cook till opaque in color.
• Add in 1/2 cup of water and let boil. Then pour in the coke and let boil. Once it starts to boil, lower heat to simmer.

• Cook till the liquid is reduce into a thick sauce, about 40 to 45minutes. Serve hot with steam rice.

If you are like me, always looking out for easy, delicious dishes to serve up your family, you should definitely give this one a go. It's really easy, really delicious and I guarantee that you will cook this over and over again! Try it!

The other item I'm posting up today is Purple Sweet Potato Huat Goh. It was actually inspired by Lena whom just posted hers a few days ago, heehee! Thanks Lena! Her's was definitely a much cheerful with bright golden color. But since I used purple sweet potatoes...it wasn't as fantastic as I hoped it will be. :P

Err...see what I mean? Not so festive if you know what I mean. I had to tie that nice red bow to make it more NY like, lol! But taste wise, it's really good! I did reduce the sugar slightly and doubled the recipe since I'm making for my mum too. I'm posting the recipe for easier reference in future:

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Huat Goh: (makes about 2 X 6 inches round pan)

250g purple sweet potato, peeled and steamed

2 large eggs

200g caster sugar
250ml milk
60ml vegetable oil
350g cake flour
50g rice flour
1 tbsp baking powder

• In a blender, blend the sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, milk and oil together till smooth and uniform in color.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift in the cake flour, rice flour and baking powder in. Pour in the sweet potato mixture and stir in till well combined.
• Prepare the steamer and keep it at a boil. Prepare the two 6" round pan (mine is 3" deep) lined with waterproof baking paper.
• Pour the batter equally into the 2 prepared pan and let steam in the steamer for 30 to 40 minutes till tester comes out clean.

I love it, it was not dense at all, soft and fragrant and just the right sweetness for me. Even my mum whom is also a Huat Goh "expert", also said it's pretty good, haha!;) The mild sweet potatoes taste was nice, but I bet with pumpkin will yield a even better huat goh. If you want a get a huat goh for the CNY, forget it, just steam up one yourself! This recipe is really easy, I'm sure you can get it done in no time. ;)

Okay folks, gonna end here today. In any case I can't post up before the new year arrives, Happy Lunar New Year to All! Huat Ah!