sticky rice & red bean cake

The thing about sticky rice or pulut is once I start, I find it very hard to stop. It started with the serundeng post I did, which begged the pulut serundeng post and after that, of course I couldn't stop till every grain of sticky rice was gone from my pantry.

What makes it even stranger is the fact that I really am not a rice person on any given day. There's just something really moreish though, about the tender, succulent and swollen grains of pulut that makes it near impossible to stop reaching for another, then yet one more piece.

pulut serundeng (glutinous rice with spiced grated coconut)

I promised in my last post, to show you one of my favourite dishes which uses serundeng, so here I am, with a treat tempting enough to send your diet to Brokenresolutionville. Mine's already there, head hanging in shame. I thought it could use some company. Pulut serundeng is a favourite tea time treat, breakfast or snack item, especially  in the Malay and Indonesian communities, either one or both of whom we owe thanks to, for this inspired creation. Now that I've painfully twisted my tongue, your brain and possibly, English grammar, let's get to the good stuff.

It's extremely moreish and I've never been able to stop at just one or two soft, chewy, coconut topped mounds. Making it is a bit time consuming, but most of it involves leaving the rice to soak for a few hours. If you have your serundeng ready and waiting to crown the mounds of lightly compressed rice, it's not too much of a bother to put together.

spiral curry puffs (karipap pusing)

Since this post, I have become rather proficient at making not just ordinary curry puffs, but the swirling and visually arresting spiral curry puffs too. Why are these called spiral curry puffs? One look at the pastry and the answer is clear.

baked kueh keria (sweet potato doughnuts)

Hi All! I hope you haven't forgotten that my book launch is coming up next Saturday, 21 July from 2pm - 3 pm at Kinokuniya, Level 3 Takashimaya Shopping Centre. My official e-vite finally came last week and it's so adorable, I just have to show you what it looks like : 



I'm really looking forward to it and hope to meet as many of you there, as possible. The event is open to all and if you'd like to take a friend or two or three along, go right ahead! Now let's get on with today's post.....

There comes a time in most mortal food bloggers' lives (like when a shoe horn becomes necessary to get into a pair of jeans) when the painful realisation that some serious calorific intervention is required, hits home, hard. 

ma lai koh (malay cake) modern version

It's that time again, when Biren  and I put on our thinking caps, crank up the stove or oven and start rifling though our recipe notes to bring you another Nona Nona collaboration! This time round, I said "Chinese kueh"! And of course, Biren being the trooper she is, immediately said "yes!", even as she was probably thinking, "Oh boy! What crazy sounding substitutions will I have to make this time??!"

Well, I don't know, because haven't you heard? Biren and I jump into each Nona Nona episode with nothing more than an idea, theme, ingredient or cooking style in mind, always not knowing what the other will come up with!

epok epok sardine (sardine curry puffs)

Giveaway Reminder : If you read my last post, you'll know about the upcoming giveaway I have planned to celebrate the completion of work on my second cookbook, Mum's Not Cooking and to say "thank you" to you, my readers for following, subscribing, reading and commenting. Without readers, blogs would be unheard voices in the wilderness. I am giving away 3 copies, one each to 3 lucky readers from anywhere in the world, not just Singapore. If you've been a silent reader so far, please introduce yourself during the giveaway - there's no better time to say hello as you stand to win a great prize.

Winning  it will be easy I promise, and you will loooove this adorable little book or I will cook it and eat it! It will hit local bookstores in June 2012, but I am telling you now, lovely readers because you are special (because you're MY readers!) and I don't want you to miss out, so stay tuned and keep checking back here for details. And now, it's Nona Nona time!