jessiefoodinthekitchen

  If you’ve ever wandered into a Chinese dim sum restaurant or that beloved hawker stall for breakfast, you mostly come across Lo Bak Go, also known as turnip cake. Despite its name, this dish isn’t sweet and isn’t made from Western turnips. The main ingredient is crisp, juicy daikon (white radish), paired with rice flour and rich umami flavors. This classic Cantonese recipe is traditionally steamed into a silky-soft cake, then sliced and enjoyed either warm, straight from the steamer, or pan-fried until golden and crisp. What Makes Turnip Cake Special? Turnip cake has a comforting balance of textures. Tender yet firm, with savory bursts from Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms folded into the batter. It’s a festival favorite, a breakfast go-to, and a dim sum staple around the world. Type Of Steaming Pan To Use I am using a 10” x 10” square pan because I will always line with aluminum foil particular on Chinese steamed dessert, to make sure the radish ca...

This humble little steamed sponge cake ( 反斗马来 盏 Fan Dou Ma La Zhan) may look simple. But it’s Light, airy and slightly sweet, it’s the kind of treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of hot tea. 反斗马来 盏 Fan Dou Ma La Zhan get its name from its unique process from steaming in a reversed mold. The texture is similar to Malay cake. It’s incredibly soft and bouncy, made from flour, eggs, sugar, milk powder, and other ingredients. I know that many of you will be curious about how and why this dessert got its name. Here’s the analysis for it. a) 反斗 (Fan Dou) refers to after the cake is steamed, the mold needs to be turned upside down (the workpiece) in order to unmold and take out the cake, hence the name " 反斗 ". b) 马来 (Ma La) refers to the texture, which is derived from Cantonese steamed cakes Ma Lai Gou. c) 盏 (Zhan) refers to a small cup or mold for holding the batter What I love most about 反斗马来盏 is its fragrance. Made with eggs, sugar and milk powder, the aroma fi...

There’s something deeply comforting about Char Siu pastries. The sweet-savory aroma of barbecue pork wrapped in flaky pastry instantly brings back memories of Chinese bakeries—glass counters filled with golden buns and pastries, best enjoyed warm with a cup of tea. Traditionally, char siu pastries are made with Chinese flaky pastry dough, a labor of love that involves two types of dough folded together to create those beautiful layers. Delicious, yes—but also time-consuming. And sometimes, we just want a fast, easy snack without sacrificing flavor. That’s where this shortcut comes in. Instead of making Chinese pastry from scratch, I’m using frozen store-bought puff pastry. It’s one of my favorite kitchen hacks—reliable, convenient, and surprisingly versatile. When baked, the puff pastry turns crisp, light, and beautifully flaky, making it a perfect stand-in for a homemade pastry base. The filling is the real star here: tender Char Siu pork coated in a glossy, sweet-savory sauce...

  If you love those Chinese flaky savory pancakes but don’t have the time (or patience!) to make two types of dough, here’s a shortcut version that still delivers all the flavor and crispiness—without the fuss. Instead of making the traditional water dough and oil dough, I’m using ready-made hand-grabbed flatbread ( 手抓饼 ) from the supermarket. They’re flaky, layered, and perfect for creating that crusty bite signature. Why do I choose hand-grabbed pancakes? They   are already laminated, which means They are layers will puff and crisp beautifully when baked. All that’s left to do is prepare your favorite savory filling, wrap, flatten, and bake. Easy! The beauty of these shortcut pancakes is that you can make them your own. Sometimes I use minced pork and spring onions, the classic pairing.   Or you may replace it with large onions or both. Whatever filling you choose, keep it slightly dry. Think of it as a little treasure hidden inside the laminated layer. One of the...

  Peanut glutinous rice balls covered with white powder are a dessert that brings back childhood memories for many people. Their soft, glutinous skin and sweet, nutty-flavored fillings are often so abundant that they leak out with a single bite. Have you ever tried pumpkin peanut glutinous rice balls （金瓜糯米糍） ? It is a dessert made from steamed pumpkin puree and glutinous rice flour to make the outer skin and filling it with other ingredients such as red bean paste, coconut flakes, etc. which is then steamed before being eaten.   It has orange-yellow skin and a soft, glutinous texture. The method of making it is almost the same as the classic one. The water content of pumpkin puree will affect the hardness of the dough, so the amount of glutinous rice flour needs to be adjusted appropriately. You can prepare the filling according to your personal preference. Anyway, I am using the mixture of crusted toasted peanuts, toasted sesame, desiccated coconut and sugar for my pumpki...

Taro puff dumplings or Woo Kok ( 芋角 ) are another must-eat snack when you go to a restaurant. The outside is honeycomb-shaped, and the inside is soft and smooth. Even if you go to a restaurant to eat, not every restaurant makes them crispy. And for that reason, I decided to learn how to make this snack. Someone once told me, because of the complicated workmanship, it is difficult to make at home. She advised me not to spend effort on it. If you know me well, I always like to challenge my limits. Today, I will show you how to make them! The fillings of taro dumplings must contain pork, dried shrimps, and mushrooms! The filling can be prepared one day ahead. The dumpling skin is made of taro paste. I am using Areca taro ( 槟榔芋 ). It has a tough, brown exterior with an interior that is white/beige in color with purple flecks. The ideal taro for this recipe will be more mature and starchier. The hardest and most tiresome step of the entire process is frying Woo Kok. A crispy crust w...

  Everyone is familiar with steam carrot cake. Have you ever tried fried carrot  cakes or Chai Tow Kway?  Chai Tow Kway is a common dim sum of Teochew cuisine. It is also popular in Singapore and Malaysia. I still remember that my parents used to take me to an open night market under an overhead bridge when I was a little child. And this popular stall is known for long queues. The stall owner began selling around 5:30 p.m. It was sold out when we arrived at around 7:00 p.m. A hawker stall will ask you whether you want black or white chai tow kway when you order it.  The black version has a sweeter black sauce while the White version has chili. My version is using salty preserved radish which help to give the "kway" a little bit of salty flavor and crunch.  I first sauté the garlic and preserved radish until fragrant, add the fried carrot cake, drizzle with soy sauce, and stir-fry until the aroma of preserved radish is released.  I then add the eggs, spring ...

Among Nyonya pastries, red tortoise cake is a very common and popular Nyonya pastry. The red tortoise cake also names as Ang Ku Kueh. Because red tortoise cake represents blessing, honor and longevity, it is a must-have offering during worship services by the Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore, especially during the birthday of the Jade Emperor on the ninth day of the first lunar month and the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. This year is my mother-in-law’s 73rd birthday. The kitchen is where I get creative. Since some people make longevity peaches into birthday buns, I can also make birthday buns into a longevity Ang Ku Kueh peach for her birthday. For this recipe, I am making my own mung bean paste, it really paired well with this longevity peach Ang Ku Kueh. You may use other fillings like red beans paste, peanuts, custard or even salty filling with black-eyed peas or turnip This longevity Ang Ku Kueh does not need a mould. All you need is a littl...