White Fungus, Red Dates and Dried Longan Dessert (Tong Sui)

White Fungus, Red Dates

and Dried Longan Dessert Drink

(Tong Sui)

 If you are not going out during this crazy hot weather, do boil

this drink for your family and yourself.  Nourishes and moistens the lungs.

As Chinese said "Yun".  Removes dryness and heat in our body.

 In this post, my kids and I would like to wish their dad

and my husband "A Very Happy Father's Day" and all

Fathers out there.  We will only celebrate this occasion

when he touches down from Hong Kong today late afternoon.

Wanted to tell something about my husband.  

This month end is our 24th Anniversary.  

In our marriage life, there is ups and downs.  

Mark my words, there won't be any rosy journey in any marriage life.  

With good relationship, good communication, respect and love one another, 

patience, give and take, loyal, faithful, loving, trust, and etc...

I bet your marriage life will be long lasting. 

Of course, sometimes my husband will give me pain in the neck.

My character is that I do NOT like to prolong in any arguments even though

if I am right or wrong.  It is not that I am giving in easily 

(as what my kids said).  To me if the argument is not life threatening and 

not a big deal, why want to argue until the cow comes home.  

Wasting my energy and time and also give me a bad mood.  I don't want that!

My husband is a guy who provides well for the family and 

a very good filial son and son in law and 

also I love him more because he sweep/clean the floor 

and scrup/clean the toilets (whole house).....no joke, from our marriage life

until to date.  The reason being because he is fanatic on cleanliness

and said that I do not use much energy in it and the rest is history.

All my friends and colleagues said that I am a lucky woman 

because majority Chinese businessmen won't do it.

BUT, if he step on my tail (do I have a tail?...hahaha) then, 

I won't speak to him.  He don't like it when I do not speak to him....

(another weapon to use if I wanted to win and refuse to back out).

As what my kids was saying, majority households will have the

husband lazy on the couch when the wife sweep/clean the floor and

in our household will be the opposite. LOL

Oh! the family photo taken is at Floating Market in Bandung 

around early of  February 2014.

Enough of the long story....back to my recipe.

 25g White Fungus

40g Dried Longan

40g Dried Red Dates

65g Rock Sugar Cane

1.5 Liter Water

 Soak and clean White Fungus for 20 minutes or until soften.

Cut the bottom hard part.  Cut to desire sizes.

Soak and clean Dried Longan and Red Dates for 10 minutes.

Seeded Red Dates.

 Add water and all ingredients (except for the Rock Sugar Cane)

into a pot and boil for 30 minutes or 1 hour depends on your fire

either high or medium.  I used pressure cooker and took me only

30 minutes.  Lastly, add in Rock Sugar Cane.

(Boil longer, if you wanted the White Fungus to be softer in texture)

You can drink it while it is hot or cold in room temperature.

I have some left over during the night time and kept it 

in a container and put inside the fridge to drink it the next day.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

 Buttermilk Baked Chicken

 When I baked this, my son and family just loved it.

My son was so crazy with it until he himself cooked it

continuously for few weeks since he wanted more protein.  

I adapted this recipe from Sarah Carey from Martha Stewart.

 4 pounds Chicken (rinsed and patted dry) (4 pieces)

8 slices of White Bread (3 slices)

1 cup Buttermilk (1/2 cup)

1 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce (omitted)

Salt and Pepper (1/2 tsp Salt x 2 & 1 tsp Black Pepper x 2)

3/4 (2 1/2 oz) cup grated Parmesan Cheese (omitted)

1 tsp dried thyme (omitted)

Vegetable Oil, for baking sheet (omitted)

*Note (red colour is my modification)

Before you start your preparation, heat oven to 400 Degree.

Rub baking sheet with oil (omitted).

Rub chicken with Black Pepper and Salt.

Pour Buttermilk and more Pepper since I do not have Hot Pepper Sauce.

Mix until well combined.

Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Pulse White Bread in food processor until coarse crumbs.

Mix the bread crumbs with the balance of the Pepper and Salt.

Mix until well.

Remove chicken from the Buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip dry

back into the container and place chicken in the bread crumbs.

Turning to coat evenly. 

Place coated chicken evenly in an oiled baking dish.

Bake for 35 minutes until cooked and golden brown.

After 20 minutes, turn over the chicken and cook further.

Verdict .......outside crispy and inside soft and tender.

Hmmm, will be even more delicious if we eat with 

fried wedges and salad.  Best in the world.

I am submitting this post to Cook Your Books #13 hosted by

Joyce, Kitchen Flavours.

Bread and Butter Pudding with Cranberries

Bread and Butter Pudding

with Cranberries

The weather is so hot and humid.  

Have no choice but to switch on the air condition while making

this pudding.  My family love this bread pudding and all of them

has their own preferences e.g. raisin, cranberries, chocolate,

nuts, peaches and etc.  Well, today I am putting cranberries

which is my favourite.  I adapted this recipe from The Malaysian

Women's Weekly "Fast & Fabulous Recipes". 

 300 ml Fesh Milk

6 Eggs, beat slightly

300 ml Thickened Cream

50 g Butter

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

80 g Dried Cranberries

165 g Caster Sugar

8 slices of White Bread (used 10 slices)

2 small Bananas, sliced diagonally (omitted)

25 g Sultanas (omitted. replaced with cranberries)

25 g Apricot Jam (omitted)

25 g Flaked Almonds (omitted)

Cream, for serving (optional)

*Red notes will be my modification.

 Combine cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

 Beat until all well combined.

 I abandon the idea of cutting off the crusts of bread 

because I find it will be a waste.

Butter up all the white bread.

The bread can be cut into rectangles or triangles, depending on

the shape of your dish.

 Grease an oven proof dish.  

Arrange 1st layer with buttered bread in the dish.

 Arrange with dried cranberries.  Pour in over 1/3 of the egg mixture.

Repeat, then place remaining bread on top.  

Pour remaining egg mixture and stand for 20 minutes.

 Bake for 30 minutes or until set at 180 Degree Celcius.

 Remove pudding from oven.  

Brush the top with heated jam and sprinkle with almonds. (omitted)

Return to oven for 5 minutes and serve warm with cream. (omitted)

The sweetness is yummy and the texture is not hard nor too soft.

This recipe sure a keeper.

I am submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up event

with this month theme "Butter" organised by
Zoe, Bake for Happy Kids,
Doreen, My Little Favourite DIY and
hosted by Jozelyn, Spice Up My Kitchen.

I am submitting this post to Cook Your Books #13 hosted by

Joyce, Kitchen Flavours.