Mooncake Festival, Bidor, Malaysia

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, or more commonly named in Malaysia as Mooncake Festival - confirmed again that I'm in the right country when the nation recognizes that food is central to celebration and names it so. It is all about the mooncakes and one of the best places to get them in Malaysia, according to my local sources, is at Pun Chun Chicken Biscuits & Restaurant in Bidor. They have their very own goodie factory and KL foodies are willing to take the 1 1/2 hour trip to stock up on their specialities. Pun Chun is known for ginger and oyster mooncakes which are hard to come across in other parts of the country. A small family business, using traditional recipes and with over 70 years of experience, I can't imagine a better place from which to source these dense rich treats. 

Pun Chun Chicken Biscuits & Restaurant
38-40 Jalan Besar
Bidor
35500 Perak
Malaysia
+605 4341 554
+605 4341 562

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies...No, I mean it!

So everyone always says they have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, and to give credit where credit is due, some are pretty darn good...that is until my daughter's friend Sharley gave us a recipe for cookies that were delicious!  Of course, being the closet-iron chef that I am, I had to play with the recipe to see what would happen, and they are truly the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever had, even if I do say so myself.  I used dark chocolate chunks because I love dark chocolate and it is good for your heart (my justification to eat more cookies), but you can use whatever chocolate chip your heart and taste buds desire.  Those of you without allergies, this recipe works great with all purpose flour too.  So get yourself a quart of really cold milk, bake these treats tonight and see just how long they last in your house!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 package of instant vanilla pudding (4 ounce)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour (I use 1 1/2 cups flour blend, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup almond flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1- 12 ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts, but pecans are yummy too)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and pudding mix until well blended.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until well mixed.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Using a fork dipped in sugar, press cookies down slightly with a cross-hatch design.  Bake 9-11 minutes.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to cooling rack.

Restoran Thai Somtam Seafood, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Malaysia

Restoran Thai Somtam Seafood was recommended by a Thai friend who says this is the most authentic Thai food she has found in Malaysia. Frequented by Thai working ladies in the evening, the daytime atmosphere is a little more wholesome.  I will be sure to follow more recommendations by this particular friend as she was spot on with her tasty suggestion. Green curry, pad thai and mango salad are must orders in any Thai restaurant and they didn't disappoint.  From what I could see at the other busy tables all of their plates were licked clean by the end of their meals too.  In a cage like structure, jutting out of Changkat Bukit Bintang near the junction with Jalan Alor, this place is easy to find.  Restoran Thai Somtam delivers fantastic food for reasonable prices.  For an authentic Thai meal you can't go past it.   

Restoran Thai Somtam Seafood
88 Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
03 2145 8458
019 229 1018
016 929 6251

Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant

Before I begin, I have to confess I know very little about Indian food other than my habitual orders of naan, butter chicken, tandoori chicken and palak paneer. The menu at Sangeetha is full of names I didn't recognize so I ended up ordering from the pictures (nice touch) and with a few added suggestions from the waiter and my dining buddy. The extensive choice of vegetarian dishes and quality of food are pleasing.  Sangeetha is known particularly for its confectionary. As you enter, a kaleidoscopic array of sacchariferous delicacies entice you. Sweet tooths will not be disappointed. Sangeetha is a great place to bring visitors to KL. Nestled in a bustling street behind Masjid Jamek LRT, the restaurant forms part of rows of brightly coloured shop houses, providing a nice look at cultural Malaysia before the onslaught of the high-rises.  Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek, exit to Lebuh Ampang, walk down a narrow side street and heighten all of your senses to dodge motorbikes and cars going in all directions to cross the road and arrive safely to the air conditioned comfort of Sangeetha. With a clean, comfortable dining area and glass walled kitchen, you can enjoy this part of town without welting in the heat or getting a tummy upset from poor hygiene. There's both downstairs and an upstairs party room so you can usually get a table even if it's quite busy. 

Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant
65 Lebuh Ampang
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
03 2032 3333

Neroteca, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Neroteca, on the ground floor of the Somerset building in Changkat Bukit Bintang, is another Italian favourite.  I've not once had a disappointing meal or service here.  Everything is tasty and they take full advantage of being non-halal with sumptous pork and wine selections abundant. House made bread with balsamic vinegar and little tins of olive oil get you off to a yummy start. The cold cuts and cheese platters are popular openers, as too are the prosciutto wrapped melon and a house salad that would leave many with room for no more. For mains you can't go wrong with  anything including pork such as the pictured Valdostana - Pan fried pork loin topped with honey ham and Fontina cheese served with own jus and asparagus. I've never made it through to dessert so if you do, please let us know what to eat.  Currently with the American Express Platinum card you receive 50% food when dining in two.

Neroteca
G1 Somerset
8 Lorong Ceylon
50250 KL
Malaysia
03 2070 0530
http://www.neroteca.com/

Pears...the other fall fruit

Pears are often passed over in favor of apples this time of year.  What a shame, as pears can be delightfully married with so many different flavors, from savory to sweet.  So, to help you see the great possibilities with these delicious little gems, the next few postings will be all about pears.

We are heading out of town for a couple of days for a family funeral and I had four pears that were ripe and would be bad if left until Saturday.  We were in need of a snack for the car, so I made this lovely Pear Bread with Cinnamon and Ginger.  Cinnamon, ginger and honey marry really well with pears due to their mild flavor.  This is a nice alternative to zucchini, banana and apple bread, which we all tend to make a lot of this time of year.  So go ahead, give pears a try...I think you will be pleased with the result!

Pear Bread with Cinnamon and Ginger
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend (all purpose flour for those without allergies)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon peel zest
3/4 cup honey
1 cup shredded or chopped pears, moisture squeezed out
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat bottom and sides of loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Combine honey, pears, oil and egg in a stand mixer bowl.  Mix at medium speed until well combined.  Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Fold in chopped almonds.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle course vanilla sugar (or raw sugar) on top.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean, but still moist.

Cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes in pan and then turn loaf out and cool completely.  Slice and enjoy!

Pumpkin Belgian Waffles

So with fall comes pumpkins...yum!  Although I did not intentionally plant pumpkins this year, I ended up with a rogue pumpkin plant in with my zucchini and yellow squash...a pleasant little surprise!  So, we now have organic pumpkin in the freezer awaiting Thanksgiving, but I had to keep a bit out and make something with the fresh pumpkin.  Many years ago, my husband and I stayed at this bed and breakfast that looked like it was straight out of Gone With the Wind.  They made us the most delicious Sour Cream Belgian Waffles I had ever had in my life and were gracious enough to give me the recipe.  Well, last weekend, I modified that recipe to include that fresh pumpkin, and if I do say so myself, they were super yummy.

Pumpkin Belgian Waffles

4 eggs, separated- hold whites

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp. vanilla (I use vanilla bean paste)

8 ounces sour cream

4 ounces pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend (you can use all purpose flour if you are not gluten-free)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. honey

Mix egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, sour cream and pumpkin together.

Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the pumpkin mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.

Add hot water to your batter a little at a time, until batter is the consistency of cake batter (should be thick, but pourable).  Fold in egg whites.

Bake in your waffle iron to desired crispness.  Top with butter, pecans and maple syrup.