During my childhood, I have heard about a big citrus fruit Bamblimas. My Dad who earlier worked in Kotagiri, says that they get ample of Bamblimas in season. And also, it was one common term used for a plump & fat kid/person. The fact was that I had never seen this so-called Bamblimas, back in India. But when I saw Pomelos in the local market, during my initial days in Malaysia, I never guessed these were the same Bamblimas. Reading about the fruit, suddenly, gave me a revelation that Pomelo is nothing but the Bamblimas.

    Bamblimas has been synonymous with plumpness, and the name does total justification to the anomaly. Well seeing a Pomelo fruit, and when I literally held it in my hands I was intimidated by the size. I have never bought a Pomelo, it always comes as a gift, and initially I always wondered what I could do with it, leave alone I didn't even know how to cut it. With the help of Google, even I mastered the tasks. So it is like when life gives Lemon, no, no, no When life gives you Pomelos make Pomelo, whatever fancies you... The first thing tried out of this was a local dessert -Pomelo, Sago & Mango Dessert.  But the trick is to eat it as soon as you add the Pomelo Pulp into the dessert.  It doesn't taste good if left alone for a long time & the same goes when it is added into Salads too.  Then there are numerous other recipes like various Pomelo Salads, Marmalade, Jams & Candied Peels & as always Pomelo Juice, easy what?!!!

    Pomelo is a large Asian citrus fruit that’s closely related to grapefruit & considered to be the largest of all citrus fruits. It goes by many names - Pompelmoes(there you go it sounds like Bamblimas right?!!!), Shaddock, Pummelos, Jabong. They were given the name 'Shaddock' in the Caribbean after the captain of the East India Company ship introduced Pomelos to the west. Originally, these citrus has its origin in Southeast Asia.

    Pomelo is the largest out of all the citrus fruits with a close relation to grapefruit. A lot of the size is the rind and the thick membrane surrounding the fruit itself. Unlike other citrus fruits, the membrane of the Pomelo is extremely bitter. These large citrus fruits are either round or oval and have a rind that ranges in colour from green to yellow with a textured rind. Filled with a creamy white or bright pink. Somewhere between the pulpy core, Pomelos have a thicker pith than most other varieties of citrus fruit. Pomelos can either be filled with seeds, have very few or none at all. I have never come across one with a Seed. The flavour of a Pomelo is very much like the grapefruit, but much milder. Pomelos are sweeter and don’t carry that tangy, bitterness that can be associated with grapefruit.

    Pomelo contains several Vitamins, Minerals, and antioxidants. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C. that make it a healthy addition to your diet. Other than the above it also contains a lot of Fibre, Carbohydrates, Protein, Riboflavin, Thiamine, Copper & Potassium. It is a powerful immune-boosting antioxidant that helps prevent cellular damage from harmful compounds called free radicals. Pomelo is also rich in other Vitamins & Minerals, including Potassium, which helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF POMELO

Rich in Fiber: 

    Pomelos are rich in insoluble fibre, which helps add bulk to your stool and prevent constipation. Dietary fibre also serves as a food source for the healthy bacteria in your gut. Fruit fibre is believed to improve bone density, long-term weight maintenance, and also helps to improve gut and brain health.

Weight Loss:

    Pomelo is a low-calorie food, and it contains Protein & Fiber. Both help to keep you feeling full for a longer time.

Rich in Antioxidants:

    Pomelo is rich in Antioxidants like Naringenin & Naringin. This can help prevent and reverse cellular damage caused by free radicals. Which can cause health problems and chronic disease when they build up in your body at high levels. Lycopene present in Pomelos acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Other health benefits include its anti-ageing properties and also facilitates a healthy heart.

Heart Health:

    Pomelos promote Heart health by reducing the levels of Cholesterol and Triglycerides. Pomelo may reduce these blood fats by preventing the cholesterol in food from being fully absorbed into the body, thus helping to maintain a healthy heart.

Anti-ageing Properties:

    The high anti-oxidant content in Pomelos exerts anti-ageing effects. Vitamin C in Pomelos helps prevent skin damage caused by harmful radicals. It can decrease the formation of AGEs(Advanced Glycation End Products). 

    The essential oil from the peel of Pomelo is rich in antioxidants and can decrease melanin production in the skin, potentially helping prevent discolouration and sunspots.

Antibacterial & Antifungal:

    The essential oils made from Pomelo Peel is believed to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. The essential oils are highly concentrated, It should not be ingested. The essential oils should be properly diluted before you apply them to your skin.

Fight Cancer Cells:

    The rich anti-oxidant content in Pomelo helps to prevent the spread of cancer to an extent. The fruit contains much smaller amounts of potentially cancer-killing compounds. Naringenin, one of the main anti-oxidant in Pomelo is believed to kill Prostate & Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

HOW TO BUY & STORE A POMELO:

• Can buy fresh Pomelo at a local Asian market. 
• Dried Pomelo is available online.
• While buying a Pomelo, look for yellow to pale green fruits that are heavy for their size and feel firm to the touch. 
• Avoid soft, dull-coloured fruits that look dried out. Fruits with small blemishes are fine.
• Store the Pomelos in the refrigerator. It can last up to 1 week.

HOW TO CUT A POMELO:

• First, you need to carefully cut the top off a Pomelo with a sharp knife. The outer peel of the Pomelo can be tough.
• Then, starting at the cut end, make vertical slices around the Pomelo. Make around 6 to 8 Cuts.
• Remove the thick rind and peel the membrane from around each segment. You can score the rind which makes it easier to peel.
• Don’t eat the membrane-like part of the Pomelos as you would eat an orange or grapefruit. 
• Peel off the membrane and remove the small aril-like pulp. What's good to eat is just the pulp. inside.

HOW TO EAT POMELOS:

• It easy to add Pomelos to your diet.
• Pomelos are great in salsas, salads, marinades, juiced, made into jam or just right out of your hand.
• Can easily add it to fruit salads or into chilled desserts.
• Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Sam-O) with fresh Pomelos, Shrimp & Coconut is a unique & delicious traditional Thai Salad.
• As easy as it is to convert it into fresh citrusy Juice. Add it along with other citrus fruits or with Pineapple for yet another combination of refreshing drink. Finish the drink with a hint of Mint or Basil for an added aroma.
• Pomelo Juice can be added to your favourite Cocktails or convert them into innovative Mocktails.
• Enjoy them the same way that you would enjoy any of your favourite citrus fruits. 
• Can use the peel in marmalades or candy it and use it as a garnish.
• If you have a recipe that calls for grapefruit, oranges, or even pineapples, you can substitute a pomelo instead.
• Dried Pomelos are used for desserts and are eaten as a Candy in Asian Countries. As it contains added sugar, it's much higher in calories compared to fresh Pomelos. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER:

STIR-FRIED GLUTINOUS RICE

    Sticky Rice or the Glutinous Rice was one kind of a Rice variety which intimidated me with its very nature of stickiness. Though it stepped into my pantry with the idea of making Thai Mango Sticky Rice. Initially, I found it hard to get perfectly cooked Sticky Rice/Glutinous Rice. Gradually and with several Trial & Errors, I surprisingly got it docile. 

    For perfectly cooked Sticky Rice, the key is buying the correct rice. It is short-grained Glutinous rice, also labelled Sweet Rice. For all its name it is neither Gluten nor Sweet. The term glutinous refers only to the sticky soft texture. Short-grain glutinous rice can be found at major grocery stores or Asian grocery stores, as well as online. Sticky Rice keeps good longer when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, free from moisture.   
 

    Make sure to pre-soak the glutinous rice for a few hours before you cook it. Soaking helps soften the outer surface of the rice grains and allows for even cooking throughout. The original recipe uses soaked Sticky Rice, cooked in a method where the rice is stir-fried in oil on a medium-low flame, adding a little bit of hot water/chicken broth at a time, wait until it gets dried up before adding the next batch until the Sticky Rice is cooked.
 

    As the recipe name suggests - Stir Fried Glutinous Rice, it is to Stir-fry & cook the glutinous rice from raw to being cooked thoroughly, the process seems to be quite demanding in my terms. The texture of the end outcome seemed quite tricky to control. The technique was all new to me & what we needed was the best texture of the stir-fried glutinous rice, soft with each grain cooked through inside with each grain is separated. Mainly the cooked Rice should not be chewy, soggy or lumpy. Maybe in future, I am sure to try this technique, master it. But for the time being, sticking on to my fool-proof cooking technique with Sticky Rice that's Steam cooking the pre-soaked Sticky Rice.

    I deviated a bit( no... no... no... to be true, a whole lot) from traditional Stir Fried Sticky Rice. Right from cooking Glutinous Rice to the ingredients added into this Stir-fried Glutinous Rice. Commonly Chinese Sausage of Lap Cheong is used in this recipe which I haven't yet tried. So I have cooked this recipe with normal Chicken Sausages and a few random vegetables. I have heard that Chinese Sausages impart a wonderful flavour to the fried Rice. So here is a recipe a simple Fried Rice recipe prepared with Glutinous Rice/Sticky Rice. A recipe with a twist to the traditional Stir Fried Glutinous Rice, with the ingredients I had it in my pantry.

For a detailed step by step instructions on, HOW TO COOK GLUTINOUS RICE /STICKY RICE, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE STIR-FRIED GLUTINOUS RICE

STIR-FRIED GLUTINOUS RICE

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Stir Fried Glutinous Rice:

To Garnish:

Spring Onions/Chives - Few Stalks

METHOD:

• Cook the Sticky Rice/Glutinous Rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Slice the Sausages and cut it into rounds or small pieces.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry the Sausages until it wrinkles.  
• Then add thin strips of Ginger and finely chopped Garlic and sauté until the ingredients turn fragrant. 
• Add Light Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce and give a quick stir.
• Add in finely chopped Carrots,Cabbage and Mushrooms to the above and toss it briefly on a low flame or until the vegetable gets cooked. 
• Add cooked Sticky Rice, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar. 
• Drizzle Rice Wine Vinegar & sprinkle the White Pepper Powder over the rice. 
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the sauces.
• Fry the rice in high flame for few minutes or until the rice is dry. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish Stir Fried Glutinous Rice with Spring Onions.
• Serve Stir Fried Glutinous Rice hot with any dips, sauces or side dishes of your choice.

 

STIR-FRIED GLUTINOUS RICE

NOTES:

• Any good quality short-grained Sticky Rice variety can be used for the recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Can add any vegetable of your choice to this Fried Rice.
• Can also add Shrimps, Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 

ALMOND COOKIES

    Almond Cookies or Almond Biscuits - are an utter treat with a light, crumbly & melt-in-mouth texture. This is an easy to make cookie recipe with simple ingredients. And above all, it has a wonderful nutty aroma, which comes from the Almond Meal or roasted & powdered Almonds. These are absolute festive favourites often served during Chinese New Year, and also best suits to be served as a Tea Time Snack.

    When it comes to baking cookies, I have seen that festivities are so synonymous to Cookies in Malaysia. They have their special Cookies for each occasion. And when it comes to Chinese New Year, Pineapple Tarts(Nastar Gulung) tops the list along with Cashew Cookies, Almond Cookies, Peanut Cookies, Butter Cookies, and there is a long list to follow. So, this is one special Cookie for Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year.

    Let's pop into a few important factors before baking Almond Cookies. These doubts were the ones which popped into my mind when I wanted to bake these Chinese Almond Cookies. The recipe called for Almond Flour. What came to my mind was Almond Meal or Almond Flour. Then searching through the web and fixing up my mind to what may suit my instinct.

Almond Flour /Almond Meal

    Suit yourself with any of the above. Can use both because almond flour/almond meal/almond powder. All the same, the above is made out of grounded almonds. 

Almond Flour/Almond Powder is sold with the finest grind of blanched almond.

Almond Meal is slightly coarser as the skin is also blended. 

I feel the Almond Meal brings out the best flavours for this recipe. Traditional Chinese Almond Cookies have those crumbs of Almonds in the cookies as you chew on them.

Homemade Almond Flour

    The next issue which popped up as - I went shopping for Almond Flour, which I thought was a bit expensive for me.  

    So next step went with the idea of making Almond Flour at home, which suited my convenience & purse. So my personal preference was homemade Almond Flour for the recipe. Can grind the Almonds with skin or blanch them, roast it briefly until dry and then grind it into Almond Flour. Just blend the almonds finely/coarsely. Do not blend them for too long, which would bring out the essential oils from the Almonds making it oily.

Oil

    One main point, what oil to use? 

    Any standard oil suits well for this recipe preferably which has no overwhelming flavour/smell. I have used Sunflower Oil, as it is what I had. You can get easy with any type of Vegetable Oil, Coconut Oil, Canola Oil, etc. But traditional Chinese Almond Cookies use Peanut Oil.

Decorating the Almond Cookie 

    Though a personal choice,

    You can use one whole almond to top each cookie. Or you can cut each whole almond into two halves and top each cookie with a half almond. Can decorate the Cookies with Slivered Almonds too, which is my personal favourite. If you are short on time, you can leave the cookies plain.

Baking Time

    Adjust the baking time to suit your oven settings. I baked it for about 15 minutes. Do not bake for more than 15-18 minutes. The cookies tend to set while cooling down. The more the baking time the Almond Cookie can get hard & chewy.

Storing Suggestion

    Cool the cookies in the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Gently remove the cookies and cool on wire rack. Once the cookies are completely cool, store in airtight containers. Store them in a cool, dry & moist free area, away from the sunlight. If stored properly, lasts up to 4-6 weeks. Serves good as a snack or enjoy the cookies with a good cup of Coffee/Tea.

    Serve these cookies for the upcoming Chinese New Year with a fine cup of quality Chinese Tea.

恭喜發財 

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!

Wishing you a prosperous New Year!!!

 Recipe Type - Cookies, Snacks 

 Difficulty - Easy 

 Yields - 12 - 15 Cookies

 Author - SM

 Preparation Time - 10 -15 Minutes

 Baking Time - 12- 15 Minutes for 1 Batch

HOW TO COOK CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

ALMOND COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

For Almond Cookies:

All-purpose Flour - 130 Gms

Almond Flour- 90 Gms

Icing Sugar - 80 Gms

Salt - 1/4 Tspn 

Unsalted Butter - 30 Gms

Vegetable Oil - 45 Gms

Milk - 1 Tspn(Optional)

For Glazing:

Egg Yolk – of an Egg

Water – Few Tspns

For Toppings:

Slivered Almonds - 50 Gms(toasted)

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven at 180° Celsius for about 10 minutes.
• Let the Butter be at room temperature.
• Grind the rest of the Almonds into a fine powder and keep it aside. 
• Combine All-purpose Flour, Icing Sugar, Salt and sift it once.
• Add Almond Powder to the sifted flour mixture and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, stir in the softened Butter and Oil.
• Soften it with a wooden/rubber spatula until smooth and well combined.
• Add the Flour Mixture to the Butter-Oil mix.
• Gently mix it to form a soft dough.
• If you feel the Cookie dough to be crumbly/dry, add about 1 tsp of Milk to it & mix it well.
• Line up a Baking tray with baking sheet/parchment paper.
• Scoop 1 Tspn of Almond Cookie Dough and shape it into a ball. 
• Slightly flatten the cookies and arrange them 2cm apart on the tray.
• Cookies will spread a little during baking.
• Meanwhile, beat the Egg Yolk with a few teaspoons of water.
• Brush the top of the Almond Cookies with the egg glaze.
• Place a few slivered almonds on top of every cookie and brush with egg glaze once again.
• Bake at 180° Celsius for 15 minutes.
• Allow Almond Cookies to cool completely.
• Store it in an airtight container.

NOTES:

• Can prepare the same cookies by substituting Almonds with Cashew nuts.
• I have used powdered Almonds( with skin) in this recipe.
• If you need to use Almonds without skin, then blanch them in hot water for about 20-30 minutes, remove the skin and allow the Almonds to dry on a clean kitchen towel.
• Then toast the Almonds until they emit a wonderful nutty aroma and turns dry.
• Do not to burn the Almonds or leave it wet.
• The Cookie dough should be soft and not crumbly.
• Can add a few teaspoons of Milk, if the dough is crumbly. But it optional. 
• Can shape the Almond Cookies into Balls or Cube-shaped or flatten it up or shape it into your preferred design.
• Baking time depends on the type of oven used. Adjust accordingly. 
• Do not bake for a long time. The cookie may turn hard & chewy. 

 

CANTONESE CHICKEN & CORN SOUP

     When I started living in Malaysia, I was overwhelmed by the variety of Noodles found in the market. Fresh ones, dried ones, Noodles made with Wheat, Rice, Mung Beans, Buck Wheat etc., & etc., I still spend some extra time while shopping for Noodles in the super market, pondering through the counters. I was awestruck when I saw people drying up Rice Noodles like how they dry up clothes in Vannarapettai (Laundry Land - hope my translation is good enough!!!😕). Likewise, my preconceptions about Chinese food & Chinese Cuisine went topsy-turvy with the initial scepticism for the food then slightly into, can bear with mode and then gradually... I'm loving it... mode. Now, I would say that's one best way of cooking technique, which retains the texture & nutrition of the ingredients and the mild seasonings is all that I love about Chinese cooking. Still to find what exactly it may taste it China.

    All my life, I thought, Fried Rice(a twist of Vegetable Pulao), Maggi Noodles, Chow Mein, Sweet Corn Chicken Soup, Chicken Manchurian & American Chop Suey(though with the name American) these food were Chayanese... I mean Chinese!. All seem to be some Indo-Chinese fusion cooking to appease the Indian Palate. Well, no complaints whatsoever... I love those recipes in their own way and cook the same with loads of sauces and with an Indian touch.

    Well, this recipe Cantonese Chicken & Corn Soup was one recipe which I tried from a cook Book - Soups, my hubby got fancied & bought, while I was pondering the book shop. Least I head towards the cooking book section. I can spend a whole day in the shop & my hubby is like when can I get ejected out of this place... But he keeps his patience when I shop for books which is the only place I take a long time to shop. When it comes to shopping, especially for clothing, jewellery, bags or sandals, even nail polishes, it is always like, my hubby chooses for me. He loves doing it & so no shopping time required for me.

    Have tried most of the Soups from the book which had numerous Soups from around the world. Starting from the ones which fancied me, I tried this Sweet Corn & Chicken Soup first and it was nothing like the one we usually order at restaurants back in India. In this recipe, we simmer shredded Chicken and Corn in a tasty broth made with traditional Chinese ingredients including ginger, spring onions, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. This soup has a delicate golden colour and velvety smooth texture and is substantial enough to be eaten as a light meal.

 

Homemade/Store bought Ingredients

 

    And again, we can get easy with this soup by using canned creamed corn, which gets convenient when you want to whip up a quick meal with minimal preparation time. You can make this Soup in two ways. If you want to whip up the soup quickly, just head over to the grocery shop for a can of cream corn & a can of Chicken Stock. Alternatively, get your fresh Sweet Corn and prepare it from Scratch. Both ways the Soup taste fantastic.

 

   Though making it from scratch is a bit time consuming and if you can plan ahead then the job gets much easier. If you want to use home-made Chicken Stock like how I have used it in this recipe then make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

 

Shred the Chicken & Marinate

 

    Chicken and corn soup is best to make with Chicken breast meat. Some recipes suggest to mince the chicken meat, but I find that shredded Chicken pieces give a better texture & aesthetics to the soup. Whether you like to use minced meat or cut it into cubes or shred it, is your personal preference. And I prefer to marinate the Chicken, as we are using breast meat, it can get tough & tasteless once cooked. 

 

    Marinating helps to tenderize the meat and also helps the flavours get infused into it. So, I suggest marinating the Chicken breasts with Soy Sauce, White Pepper, Salt & Sugar & leave it aside for about 4-6 hours, preferably overnight. The chicken meat will taste better if you marinate it for a longer period.

 

For a detailed recipe on HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK, Click here...

Cuisine - Cantonese
Recipe Type - Soup
Spicy Level  - Low
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 -30 Minutes

For more SOUP RECIPES, Click here...

HOW TO COOK CANTONESE  CHICKEN & CORN SOUP

CANTONESE CHICKEN & CORN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate the Chicken:

To Cook Chicken & Sweet Corn:

For Chicken & Corn Soup:

To Thicken the Soup:

For Garnishing:

METHOD:

To Marinate the Chicken:

• Clean, wash and cut chicken pieces into thin strips.
• Marinate the Chicken Pieces with Soy Sauce, White Pepper, Salt & Sugar and leave it aside for about 4-6 Hours/overnight.
  

To Cook Chicken & Sweet Corn:

• Place the Corn Cob on a Cutting board upright and gently slice through the Corn Kernels with a sharp knife. 
• Collect the Kernels and the Cob.
• Place the Chicken Pieces, Corn Kernels and the Cob along with a dash of salt in a Saucepan or a Pressure Cooker.
• Pour in enough water & Cook until the Chicken Pieces & the Kernels turn soft & tender.
• Remove the Cob and discard it.
• Once the chicken pieces are cooked, shred it up into small pieces.
• Remove half the amount of cooked Kernels from the Saucepan and allow it to cool.
• Once cooled, blend the corn kernels into a coarse paste and keep it aside.

For Chicken & Corn Soup:

• Meanwhile, heat Sesame oil in a Pan & Saute finely chopped Garlic cloves and Ginger pieces on a very low flame.
• Pour in the homemade Chicken Stock and allow it to boil.
• Add the shredded Chicken Pieces, cooked Corn Kernels along with a dash of Salt & Pepper and give a quick stir.
• Pour in a dash of Soy Sauce & give a quick stir.
  
• Pour in the blended Corn Paste/Creamed Corn(from the can) to the above and mix well
• Adjust the consistency of the Soup by adding Water.
• Cook this on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes.
• Mix Corn flour along with 2 Tbspns of Cold Water. Make sure there are no lumps.
• Lower the flame & slowly pour in the Corn Flour mixture to the Chicken & Corn Soup.
• While pouring the Corn Flour Mixture make sure to reduce the heat and stir the soup continuously.
• Cook on a very low flame for few minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
• Garnish the Cantonese Chicken & Corn Soup with finely chopped Spring Onions.
• Serve hot.

CANTONESE CHICKEN & CORN SOUP

NOTES:

• Increase the amount of Sweet Corn & Chicken Pieces if you prefer a strong flavour of the ingredients in the Soup.
• Cooking and shredding the Chicken Pieces initially helps to get soft texture chicken pieces in the Soup.
• Adding it directly into the soup can make it cling to each other and you may find it difficult to break it up and shred.
• Once the cooked Chicken Pieces are added into the Soup base make sure to cook it on a low flame.
• Vigorous boiling can toughen the chicken meat. 
• If you want to have a very smooth soup, do not cut the corn too close to the cob and blend the corn for at least 2 minutes.
• I have used Sesame Oil in this recipe, can substitute it with any other Vegetable Oil of your choice.
  
• Adjust the amount of Salt and Pepper depending on your personal preference.
• Store-bought Chicken Stock may have added Salt & Seasoning in it. Adjust accordingly.
• Adjust the consistency of the Soup to suit your preference.
• While adding the Corn Flour mixture to the soup make sure the flame is at low and stir the soup continuously for a silky even texture.