Alexander's 2nd Birthday

Alexander is already two, the horrible or the terror two but no matter how terrible, you just can't get angry with his mischievious endeavors. He gives you the most attractive smile and says 'sorry' in the cutest way. At such a young age, he knows what he wants. He is into Lighting Mcqueen, Thomas the Tank Engine, Go Diego Go and Bob the Builder - all the boy's stuff. So, it was easy to choose the design for his birthday cake. Lighting Mcqueen is made with pastillage and pretty easy to do and can be done, weeks before the party. The cake is the same as all Renee's birthday Cakes but since it is a cake for a boy, i changed the fruit to blueberry instead of strawberry. Recipe for the cake and buttercream is here http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/renees-birthday-cakes.html



Ingredients:

Pastillage:

1/2 tbsp gelatin
2 tbsp water
2 cups powdered sugar (lightly spooned into cup)
1/4 cup cornstarch (lightly spooned into cup)
pinch of cream of tartar (optional)

Food Colorings

Method:

Sprinkle the gelatin over water in a small heatproof glass cup and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Set in a small pan of simmering water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. (This can be done in a few seconds in a microwave on high power). Remove from heat.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and optional cream or tartar in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the gelatin mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Mix with lightly greased hands and knead vigorously in the bowl until the sugar is incorporated.

Turn onto a smooth, lightly greased surface such as Formica or marble and knead until smooth and satiny. If the pastillage seems very dry, add several drops of water and knead well. If it seems too sticky, knead in more powdered sugar. The pastillage will resemble a smooth, well-shaped stone. When dropped, it should not spread.

Pastillage is easier to work with if it has rested for at least 1 hour. It dries very quickly, so it is important to cover to prevent drying. Wrap in a cloth rubbed with a bit of white shortening, then tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container.

When ready to roll out, spray the work surface and rolling pin with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Pastillage can be rolled as thin as 1/16-inch. It dries and holds it shape very quickly.

If stored Pastillage seems very stiff, a few seconds in the microwave make it pliable.

To make Lightning Mcqueen:

Get a picture of Lightning Mcqueen and enlarge to a size that will fitt on the cake.

Cut out the outline of the different colors on the picture and use these cut outs as a template.

Color the pastillage accordingly and roll it to flat, big enough to fit the templates.

When all the templates are complete, assemble them together as in a zig zaw puzzle.

Leave to dry.

Serves

Pulut Tekan/Lam Fah Koh

I think that what i wanted to say haved been so nicely said and presented by Seadragon http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/2007/02/pulut-tai-tai.html. This is one of the classics of nyonya kuih and how organic can it be when the color blue is obtained from the flower 'Bunga Telang' which gives the special blue to marble the compressed rice. These flowers are hard to come by and they are not so treasured when you are in Malaysia , but here, it is different, friends who have treasured ingredients like this, share and i have the opportunity to get some from my dear friend, Sandra Ho, whose mom is in Malacca and dried some for her. Thanks to Sandra's mom.



Ingredients:


500 gm glutinious rice, wash and soak for 4 hours, then drain well

350 ml coconut cream

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried bunga telang - reconstitute with 1/4 cup of boiling water)

a large piece of banana leave

Method:


Put all the ingredients int0 a steaming tray and steam on high heat until cooked (about 45 minutes)



Remove 1/3 of the cooked glutinious rice into a mixing bowl, add a little of the blue bunga telang extract and mix well to obtain a blue glutinious rice.



Add in the remaining 2/3 cooked glutinious rice and mix lightly to obtain a marble effect.



Using a piece of banana leave, press glutinious rice into a 7 inch square cake pan which has been lined with banana leaves. Cut a piece of 7 inch square thick cardboard and cover it with heavy duty aluminium foil. Use this as a lid and press it down on top of the pressed glutinious rice. Use something heavy (i use a 6 inch saucepan filled with water) on top to weigh down cake until cool and firm.



Cut into pieces and serve with KAYA(recipe is http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/05/kaya-rich-egg-custard.html)

Serves

Instant Noodles

Instant Noodles enjoy a huge popularity in every asian homes around the world. The range of flavors are limitless and so too are their patrons. Students, overseas or in their homeland, busy or not so busy housewives, asian tourists, etc, all find great enjoyment in them.

And me, I am a confessed Instant Noodle addict and the addiction progresses with new flavors .I have to thank Ray of http://mytasteofasia.com/ who sent me these 3 kinds to sample and i must say, i am hooked. They are Uncle Ho Bak Kut Teh Noodles, Ina Yee Mee and Ina Pan Noodles and thanks to him again, malaysians here in the States do not have to drool over these comforts from home but can purchase them online.

There is need for suggestion as to how to cook or eat them, Instant speaks for itself, eat them as is, but by all means add vegetables , meat, fish balls, etc to make the meal more substantial if it is being served for lunch or dinner.




Ingredients:

a packet of instant noodle

Method:

Fill a big soup bowl 3/4 full of cold water.



Put in the noodle and flavors



Microwave on high 3 - 4 minutes, covered with a splatter.(time differs with the wattage of your microwave)



Using oven mittens, remove the splatter then the bowl of cooked noodles.



Enjoy

Serves