Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Not the healthiest of breakfasts so I served them for tea. Those chocolate chips in my fridge needed to be finished otherwise I would just nibble them away when no one was looking. This way my boys/young men would finish them off before I could finish the batter up.

You could add anything to the batter for variety. Blueberries, freshly grated coconut or sliced bananas for some more healthy versions.

Okay, okay, I feel a little guilty with the chocolate chips. So it will be a long while before I'll buy another packet again. Swear to God.

1 cup plain flour
2 teaspn baking powder
2 Tblspn sugar or according to taste
1/4 teasp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips/frozen blueberries/ sliced bananas or grated coconut

Mix the first six ingredients until no lumps are visible. Add the chocolate chips. Stir. Let rest for at least fifteen minutes to allow the batter to thicken a little.

Heat a pan. Melt 1 or 2 teaspoons of butter in a pan and drop two tablespoonfuls of batter for each pancake. I cooked four pancakes at a time in my pan. Perhaps a bigger pan would be more convenient and will finish off the batter quicker.

TIPS : None. Oh well, don't omit the salt, even in sweet cakes, because it makes such a difference.

Serve warm with honey.

Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Sometimes good things come in abundance like the left over sour cream from the choc chip muffins that I made two days ago. And the chocolate chips in the bag that's sitting in the fridge and the constant supply of bananas around the house. Leave it to waste we must not. Put that all together and I came up with a recipe that I'm quite proud of. Tender, moist, not too sweet and beautiful.

Truth be told, this is my second attempt. I made the same one yesterday but all the choc chips sank to the bottom followed very closely by the sliced banana pieces that I placed rather merrily on the top. It was absolutely delicious but unfortunately it did not do too well in the looks department.

So what did I do? I reduced the baking powder and baking soda and voila! A beauty to behold. My little baby.

I had a slice this morning, 22nd October 2008, Wednessday, and the cake was incredible! Even more moist and the flavours had settled in incredibly well. I suggest that you keep some overnight for the next day for some heaven. Self praise is no praise but can I help it?

Here's the recipe.

125 gm butter
170 gm (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
2 eggs
100 gm sour cream

180 gm plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup mashed bananas
100 gm chocolate chips (semi sweet)

Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream and beat. Fold in flour and mashed bananas alternately with a spatula or wooden spoon, beginning and ending with the flour until the mixture is well mixed. Add in the chocolate chips and mix.

Level mixture in an 8 inch loaf tin. Add sliced bananas on the top if you fancy and bake at 180 C for about an hour. Check after 45 minutes by touching the surface. If it feels wobbly continue baking until it feels tender but firm to the touch. Test further with a tooth pick inserted in the middle. It should come out clean.

If the cake gets too brown on the top but is not yet fully baked just cover the top with a piece of foil to prevent it getting too brown. That was what I did for this lil' baby

The heat in my oven wasn't very even so it is difficult for me to give you a proper baking duration. But 1 hour should do it more or less. Enjoy.



TIP : Line or butter and flour your baking tin well. I used non stick baking paper and I avoided the need to grease and flour the tin. Less work and easier washing up.

TIP : Leave the cake in the tin to cool a little for about 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Any attempt to remove the cake while still hot might result in the cake breaking or falling apart. Especially when it is a very tender cake such as this.

TIP : You could add more choc chips if you're a chocolate addict or some chopped walnuts for an even richer cake.

Sour Cream Choc Chip Muffins

Muffins. Extremely easy, quick and very yummy. I've had a fairly large packet of choc chips sitting in my fridge for the past month just waiting to be used. But I've been postponing using it up. I wasn't in the mood for cakes, muffins or the like. But my blog was beckoning. So here is a recipe that I've had for a pretty long time

A favourite with everyone. Sour cream gave it moistness and the generous amount of choc chips added to the moistness too. You could add more but that was the limit for me. Coarsely chopped walnuts would have been a good addition but I didn't have any. Keeps well and it was just as moist the morning after. I made this last night at about ten.

I took the top picture in the dark again. I just can't quite get the shots that I want. But it will have to satisfy for the time being. I must get that macro lens.

230 gm plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
120 gm granulated sugar

2 eggs
210 gm sour cream
110 gm butter, melted

300 gm semi sweet choc chips

Sift flour, baking powder. Add salt and sugar. Mix.
Melt butter. Cool. Add eggs and sour cream to melted butter. Mix.
Add wet ingredients to dry. Mix with a fork until just mixed. Do not over mix.
Fill paper cases in a muffin pan to the top.
Bake in preheated oven at 200 C for 6 to 8 minutes then reduce heat to 180 and bake for about another 15 minutes till done and golden on top.
Remove from muffin pan and let cool a little . Enjoy.

TIPS : Here's a link to the secrets of high domed muffins. http://www.preparedpantry.com/DomeSecrets.htm

New Improved Mamak Prawn Fritters

I spent a sleepless (almost) night thinking about the pathetic photograph that I took of the prawn fritters yesterday. I woke up with prawn fritters on my mind (what else?)

So today I spent the afternoon making more prawn fritters and taking yet more photographs of prawn fritters. It was a long drawn prawn frittering Thursday!

Result : I ended up with an improved version of the previous recipe. And if I have to say so myself, I'll have to say that those were the best prawn fritters that I have tasted in a long long time. Such a minor adjustment that made so much difference.

And ah.....I now know now how to make use of the macro setting on my DSLR camera, indoors, at night, without getting strange alien hues in my photographs. I just turned the kitchen lights off and took the pictures in the dark. It seemed to work a little better, strangely enough.

Okay here's the much improved recipe and one that I wholeheartedly recommend. And I think these are actually better than the original mamak ones I've tasted. Look at that crust!



1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tablspn cornflour
1/8 teaspn baking soda
A pinch of tumeric powder
1 1/2 teaspn salt
pepper

2 eggs
100 ml water, a tablspn or two more if the mixture is too thick that you can't mix

6 - 7 stalks of Chinese chives/kuchai, cut into half inch lengths
3 shallots, sliced finely
1 large red chilly, halved and sliced diagonally

12 medium prawns shelled, chopped coarsely

Mix all dry ingredients first. Add water and mix well until no lumps are visible. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Deep fry in about 2 cups of hot cooking oil, a tablespoon at a time, until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Enjoy with a dipping of chilly sauce or mayo.

TIP : The addition of baking soda lightened the mixture a little more. I added a little more chives too and a little more prawns too.

TIP : Fry fritters until firm but pale and not brown at all. Lift out and drain. Re-fry them to a golden brown and you will have a beautiful golden crisp crust.

TIP : Baking soda never fails to add a deeper colour to your cakes and crispness to your fritters.

Compare it with the prawn fritters from the previous post and I'm ashamed of my yesterself.