Derived from the word “韭” (leeks) , which is a phonetic play on “数” (to count), in the spoken vernacular . This symbolic tradition celebrates that the family will have “lots of gold ingots / money to count in the new year.

Hokkien-styled, what else?

Ingredients :
8 stalks of chinese leeks, sliced finely
2 pcs fried tau kwa, julienned
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small carrot, shredded
1/2 cup shrimp (shelled) – optional
1/2 cup roasted pork belly – optional
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soya sauce

To Do :
1. Heat oil, fry tau kwa till golden brown.
2. Add in pork belly and shrimps.
3. Add in carrots and leeks, fry till tender.
4. Condiments go in, stir to combine. Dish and serve.

My mom recalls stories about how this was sold in the old days – wrapped up in a thin pipe – akin to the size of a long cigarette; clipped at one end, and tied up with a piece of frilled colored paper on the other; for 10cents a pop.

However, if the grandma made these over Chinese New Year, we would have this neat from a spoon – la décadence absolue ; or use the end of a piece of kueh belanda as a scoop to dish up yummy goodness.

Yes, double dipping was allowed in those days. hahaha…

Ingredients :
3 grated fresh coconuts
3 eggs
1 packet rice flour
3 cups sugar (adjust to taste)

To Do :
1. Combine all.
2. Cook over medium heat until dry, grainy and delicious. – About 2 hours.

Ingredients :
2 1/2 cup self rising flour
100ml oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
150g plain yogurt
3 tbsp sunquilk
180g canned loquat*, cubed.

To Do :
1. Combine all.
2. Bake at 140C for 45min.

* Replaceable with canned mandarin oranges.

Ingredients :
8 large potatoes. Skinned, cubed. (Russets not preferred)
6 stalks of celery. De-veined, cubed.
6 hard boiled eggs. Yolks separated, whites cubed.
1/2 cup REAL bacon bits
1 cup mayonaise

To Do :
1. Cook potatoes and drain well.
2. Whip mayo and egg yolks.
3. Combine all. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

A -
300g butter
300g sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla essence

B -
400g Cornflakes
200g raisins
100g sliced almonds (optional)

To Do :
1. Combine A ingredients, and microwave till a smooth mixture is achieved
2. Stir in B ingredients, mix well.
3. Place in paper cups, bake at 160C till golden brown – around 15mins,
4. Serve cooled, store in an airtight container.

Ingredients :
2kg chicken thigh, skinned.
8 small onions
3/4 cup coriander powder
8 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup dark soya sauce
2 tbsp vinegar

To Do :
1. Combine all, and marinate overnight.
2. Place on medium heat, cook till serap.
3. Enjoy!

Ingredients :
1 medium sized red sweet potato, diced
1 medium sized yellow sweet potato, diced
1 medium sized yam, diced

3 screwpine leaves
water

1 cup sugar
4 cups coconut milk

1 cup colored sago, cooked in 2 litres of water and drained.
1 cup cubed tapioca flour cubes*

To Do :
1. Place diced tubers into pot, cover with an addition of 1 inch of water.
2. Add screwpine, cook until done.
3. Add sugar bring to boil.
4. Add coconut milk, sago and tapioca flour cubes. Bring to slight boil and remove from heat.
5. Serve Hot!

Tapioca Flour Cubes
Ingredients :
150g tapioca flour
1/8 tsp. salt
50 ml boiling water
Food color

To Do :
1. Mix tapioca flour and salt.
2. Pour in boiling water and stir well.
3. Cover and leave aside for 15 minutes.
4. Mix and knead into a non-stick dough.
5. Divide and color to desired variations.
6. Roll out and dice.
7. Bring water to boil. Put in tapioca flour cubes and cook until cubes float.
8. Dish and soak in ice water; drain and apply accordingly.

Ingredients:
1/4 chicken (or your favorite parts) – cut up to size
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 chinese sausage
4 small dried shitake mushrooms, hydrated
3 slices dried salted fish

1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cup water

To Do:
1. In a claypot, place washed rice and water. Bring to boil, cook down the water.
2. Meanwhile, marinate chicken pieces in fish sauce.
3. In 20mins or so, when the rice looks about done, add chicken, sausage, mushroom, salted fish.
4. Cover, reduce heat and cook for another 15mins, or until chicken is cooked.
5. Drizzle with thick dark soya sauce and oil, mix well and enjoy.

Muffins au Chocolat Faites par les Enfants

Ingredients :
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup AP Flour
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
2/3 cup milk
2/3 oil

(optional)
2 oz mini white chocolate chips
2 oz mini semi sweet chocolate chips

To Do:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Beat eggs and sugar till light and creamy.
3. Mix in flour, cocoa, vanilla powder and baking powder.
4. Add milk.
5. Fold in oil.
6. Add in flour dusted choco chips.
7. Place into muffin tin.
8. Bake for 15min, administer skewer test.

Yields 72 very mini muffins and 2 very proud kids.

It’s like the first time I made pineapple tarts from scratch all by myself in a lonely kitchen in Arizona.

You know that you are grown up when you make this all by yourself, without the watchful eye of the matriach.

I remember the sacred days of watching my mother or my grandaunts slave in the kitchen to make our “tok panjang” (long table) or special ocassion feasts happen. As a child, I could only watch. It wasn’t until I was older that I was allowed to participate, and even then, my contribution to making this dish was limited to stuffing the nuts with the mixture. There were no recipe books, no small notes that held the proportions. Everything was done by memory (ah, that’s me being romantic); or rather “aga-ration” (the art of approximation). haha..

Ah. Sacred, indeed. There’s MAGIC in the smell of the rempah frying in the oil, the inescapable humidity of the kitchen, the unforgettable heat of the unrelenting blazing Singapore sun of the afternoon hours..

Today, I crossed the threshold.
Perhaps one day soon, I’ll interest Joshua and Ariel in Buah Keluak nut stuffing too..

Ingredients :
1kg Buah Keluak, soaked, washed and shelled
600g minced pork
salt and sugar

10 pcs chicken thigh

Rempah
4 medium sized onions
3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp tumeric powder
4 tbsp lemon grass powder
3 tbsp galangal powder
6 pcs buah keras
10 pcs big red chillis
3 tbsp belachan

4 tbsp assam, wrung through with 4 cups of water

To Do :
1. Wash, soak and shell the buah keluak. Separate shell from flesh.
2. Combine minced pork with buah keluak flesh.
3. Add salt and sugar to taste.
4. Stuff mixture back into shell.

5. Blend all ingredients in the rempah.

6. Heat 2 tbsp oil.
7. Add rempah, fry till fragrant.
8. Add chicken, cook well.
9. Add assam water, buah keluak, salt and sugar to taste.
10. Serve when ready. *

* I prefer to keep it overnight before serving.