0 LEMANG OR GLUTINOUS RICE COOKED IN BAMBOO - A GUEST POST

Continuing with my sporadic series of guest posts, today it is an absolute honor and delight for me to introduce you to fellow foodblogger, Maylasian expat and Perth resident Lisa H. who lauched "From My Lemony Kitchen" in February 2009.

Although, her site was meant to be a private food journal rather than a public one, after a year of existence she decided to share her stories as well as recipes with the rest of the world. I am extremely thankful for her change of mind as this woman is very gifted and has a lot to give.

"From My Lemony Kitchen" is a jewel of a blog, especially for if you are a big fan of Southeast Asian cuisine like me and love the wonderfully spicy dishes which hail from that captivating region of the Far East. For our biggest pleasure, Lisa offers many exhaliratingly fragrant family as well as traditional recipes that a part of her heritage, but she also likes to share her Western- and Oriental-style creations (macarons, tarts, Chinese dumplings, chicken tikka, Hollandaise sauce, Goan curry, etc...) with us. And as if was not enough, her talent does not only limitate itself to cooking or baking; Lisa is a great photographer too.

Thanks for making us discover your rich universe!

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When I received an invite from Rosa, we had just started our Eid celebration, which marked the end of the fasting period (a month). Coincidently, during the celebrations, I was in the middle of "experimenting" with this traditional and unique "must-have" dish originating from Malaysia where I grew up and which is known under the name of "Lemang" (pronounce "le – mung").

Thank you, Rosa for inviting me to write and share my knowledge of Malaysian food with your readers.

Reminiscing about my childhood days in the village… As Eid celebration drew nearer, everyone was busy and every shop buzzing with activity. All parents were busy shopping for new curtains, clothes and shoes, something that thrilled and excited us children to the highest point. Some families even went the extra mile and changed their entire furniture or even their car if they could afford such a luxury.

Everyone did "spring cleaning" and spruced up their gardens. Houses and courtyards were decorated with either homemade kerosene lamps or fairy lights. It felt like an Eastern version of Christmas.

Before the beginning of the Eid, kids in the neighbourhood were allowed to play out 'till late into the night and waves of laughter as well as chattering sounds could be heard as they gathered to play with sparklers or small firecrackers. Meanwhile, the adults would get on with the last-minute preparations. It was such a joyous and wonderful moment… We were all anticipating the end of the fasting month of Ramadan with abated breath.

Early in the morning, on the first day of Eid, children were so excited and eager to put on their new clothes and shoes while waiting impatiently for their parents’ permission to leave the house and have fun. Once outside they roamed the neighbourhood, wishing everyone "Happy Eid" and receiving token coins in return.

To me, Eid is the time to forgive and forget as well as to seek for everyone's forgiveness. It also means that it is an opportunity for me to enjoy the abundance of food that is specially prepared for the occasion. One of them, my favourite, being "Lemang".

"Lemang" is a combination of glutinous rice and coconut milk that is pushed into the cavity of a bamboo joint, is lined with banana leaves. The filled bamboos are then placed standing up nearly vertically in a row, and placed over a slow burning wood fire so that the filling cooks or "roasts". It takes a lot of practice and patience to obtain an evenly cooked "Lemang". The whole process usually takes about 3-4 hours.

Once cooked and cooled, the bamboo is split open, thus exposing the creamy cylindrically shaped glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves. It is then sliced into discs and served with "Beef Rendang".

As I am living far away from my home country and can't get a hold of bamboo links - plus I doubt my city council and neighbours would be too thrill if I lit up a bonfire in my backyard in order to cook "Lemang" -, I had no other choice than to resort to making my own "Lemang" in its simplest form.

The idea was to achieve the same texture as the original dish - soft creamy glutinous rice, that is slightly crusted on the outside and has the aroma of banana leaves which's essence permeated the glutinous rice - without cooking them it the traditional way.

I hope I have managed to tempt you to experience "Lemang"and indulge in it, albeit the fact that no bamboo is used in the preparation of this dish and despite the fact that this version is not so perfectly cylindrical in shape. Nonetheless, it is "Lemang" to me…

~ Lemang or Glutinous Rice Cooked In Bamboo ~
Recipe by Lisa Ho at "From My Lemony Kitchen...".

Ingredients:
600ml Glutinous Rice, wash and drain off excess water
1 Can (400ml) Coconut cream
200ml Water
1 Screwpine leaf or pandan leaf, knotted
Salt, to taste
Banana leaves
Cooking string

Directions:
1. Put the coconut cream, water, knotted screwpine leaf and salt into a pot. Bring to a quick boil. Add the glutinous rice. Stir until the glutinous rice has absorbed the coconut cream mixture and no liquid is left. Turn off the heat and put it aside to cool.
2. Wipe clean your banana leaves and lay ithem flat on the work surface, with the lines on the leaf running from left to right.
3. Divide the glutinous rice mixture into 5 parts.
4. Ladle the glutinous rice mixture onto the leaves. Roll them into a cylindrical shape and secure both ends with cooking string, making sure there is no tear in the banana leaves.
5. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, and gently submerge the wrapped lemang into the water. Boil for at least 20-30 minutes (this process will further cook the glutinous rice).
6. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).
7. Transfer the lemang into the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the banana leaf wrappers are slightly dried out.
8. Leave them to cool before slicing.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with "Beef Rendang".

Rosa's Note:
It would also make a great accompaniment to my "Fish Rendang".

0 NAMOURA & PALAIS DES THÉS TEAS

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the famous "Le Palais Des Thés" (read more about them) who asked me if I was interested in reviewing a few of their teas. Since I love tea and had heard a lot about them and I had a peek at their wonderful showcase at my favorite local store (Manor) there was no way I was going to refuse that offer. It is a great opportunity for me to discover new products...

When I was still living at home my parents bought many expensive Chinese teas from a Vietnamese of Chinese origin who travelled a lot around China in order to find rare blends (Pu Erh, Wu Long, White Cloud, etc...) and buy beautiful teapots that he sold in his little boutique/tearoom. In that way, I was brought up to appreciate good quality teas and not get fooled by the commercial brands that make you believe they sell the best teas on the market when in fact they only offer low-grade teas.

Well, for me tea is made to be savoured and not drunken like any other vulgar drink. One needs to take his/her time, sit comfortably, be in a positive mood, freehimself/herself from the grip of the stressful modern world and open his/her senses. Drinking tea can be compared to meditation. As a matter of fact tea gives you a sense of enlightenment - an almost "light" sensation where you feel open to the world. It enhances the feeling of well being, makes you feel more relaxed and more receptive to your inner self (keeps you open and clear) and clearly enhances your meditation experience. No wonder that in Asia (China and Japan mainly - tea ceremonies) it has always been used in close relationship to meditation.

So, in order to fully appreciate the teas I was given to sample, I tried to find the best moments possible in order to reverently to get my pretty Chinese clay Yi Xing teapot and mini cups out. I did not want to rush the testing session and decided to spread it over a few days.

I must say that I was really not deceived by the teas I tested. All were divine, unique and I had a great time experimenting with them. The "Le Palais Des Thés" blends are extraordinary, refined, out of this world and are processed from first-class teas. A real experience!

An insight on the teas I tested:

Thé Des Sherpas
Unfermented whole leaf green tea from Darjeeling (Northern India/Himalaya).
Fresh and scented. It's taste brings reminds of roasted chestnuts.

Théophile
Whole leaf green tea mixed with flower petals.
Inspired by oriental traditions, wonderfully exotic, with intense fruity accents of lychee and mango and delicate floral notes of lotus and roses.

Bao Zhong Impérial
Semi-fermented whole leaf tea from Taiwan.
Flowery, verdant, mild and almost peppery taste that evokes narcissus and jasmine flowers.

Thés Des Concubines
Whole leaf green and black teas from China with rose petals and pieces of fruit.
Refined, delicate with rich, fruity notes of cherry, mango and vanilla.

Genmaicha
Whole leaf green tea from Japan.
Very refreshing, thirst quenching and delicious. Has a delightful flavor of roasted rice and Bancha tea.

Thé Aux Fruits d'Eté
Whole leaf black tea from Yunnan with the natural extract of Na-she (a fruit from the South of China which's flavour is similar to that of the pear while it has the appearance of a small apple) and marigold petals.
Fresh, slightly smoky and subtly perfumed.

Thés Des Amants
Whole leaf red tea with Rooibos bush, apple, almond, cinnamon and vanilla with a hint of ginger. Sensual, sweet, voluptuous, fruity and lighty spicy.

Read the interesting blog "Discovering Tea".

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As I wanted to take the sampling even further, I thought that it would be a wonderful idea to bake a treat that would be flavored with one of the "Le Palais Des Thés" teas...

Middle East pastries are mostly enjoyed with a good cup of black tea (or coffee) I thought that instead I could make a Lebanese treat aromatized with tea. After a little research on Cherine's gorgeous blog "Chicho's Kitchen" I came upon the speciality that I was going to bake: "Namoura" (see my 2006 post about that speciality also called"Basboussa" in Egypt or "Revani" in Greece or Turkey), a heavenly dessert made with semolina and imbibed with a luscious syrup. Just the right dessert to celebrate both the Eid or Rosh Hashanah (Eid Said Mubarak & Shanah Tova!!!)...

Cherine's recipe uses a syrup that is flavored with orange blossom water. I chose to perfume mine with one of the "Le Palais Des Thés" fruity teas. I wanted a flavor that would be very Middle Eastern in flavor, so I thought that the "Théophile" tea would be the perfect choice as it's got strong and intoxicating floral accents that remind me of ancient Syrian rose gardens.

"Namoura" is a tantalizingly exquisite cake. It is fluffy and divinely moist in texture, wickidly sweet like honey, is subtly perfumed and has a delicate buttery aroma.

~ Namoura With Tea Syrup ~
Recipe adapted from "Chicho's Kitchen".

Ingredients For The "Cake":
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup All-purpose flour
A pinch sea salt
1 Cup Fine semolina
1 Cup Ground almonds
1 Cup Unsalted butter, melted
1 Cup Whole milk
1 1/3 Tbs Baking powder
2 Tbs Tahini
Blanched almonds for decorating
Ingredients For The "Syrup":
2 Cups Castor sugar
2 Cups Water
4 Tsp "Théophile" tea (Le Palais Des Thés)

Method For The "Cake":
1. In a big bowl, mix together the flour, the salt, the semolina, the ground almonds and the baking powder.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, the melted butter and the eggs.
3. Add the milk/butter/egg mixture to the flour/semolina mixture and mix well.
4. Grease a 25cm (10 inches) round baking pan with 2 tbsp of tahini and pour the batter in.
5. Using a knife, score the top of the batter into equal squares and place a blanched almond in the middle of each square.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C (350º C) for 30 to 45 minutes or until slightly brown on top.

Method For The "Syrup":
7. Meanwhile bring the water to a boil and infuse the tea for about 5 minutes. Sieve well.
8. In a saucepan, mix the sugar and flavored water together and bring to a boil. Let simmer until it forms a sticky syrup.
9. Let the syrup cool completely.
10. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the cold syrup over.
11. Cool the cake on a rack and then cut the squares.
12. Serve.

Remarks:
If you don't want to use tea, then add 2 Tbs orange blossom water to the water/sugar mixture (mix the water & sugar & orange blossom, then bring to the boil and simmer).
This cake is very breakable when fresh. I recommend that you leave it a few hours in the fridge before serving. In that way you'll have clean slices.

Serving suggestions:
Eat this cake at any time of the day and accompany it with some good tea.

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~ Namoura Et Son Sirop Au Thé ~

Recette adaptée du blog "Chicho's Kitchen".

Ingrédients Pour Le "Gâteau":
2 Oeufs légèrement battus
1 Tasse de farine blanche
1 Pincée de sel marin
1 Tasse de Semoule moyenne
1 Tasse de Poudre d'amande 1 Tasse de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 Tasse de Lait entier
1 1/3 CS de Poudre à lever (levure chimique)
2 CS de Tahini
Amandes blanchies pour la décoration
Ingrédients Pour Le "Sirop":
2 Tasses de Sucre
2 Tasses d'Eau
4 CC de Thé Théophile" (Le Palais Des Thés)

Méthode Pour Le "Gâteau":
1. Dans un grand bol, mélangez la farine, le sel, la semoule, la poudre d'amande et la poudre à lever.
2. Dans un autre bol, mélangez le lait, le beurre fondu et les œufs.
3. Ajouter le mélange aux oeufs au mélange farine/semoule et bien mélangez.
4. Graissez un moule rond de 25cm avec le tahini et versez la préparation dedans.
5. Avec un couteau, entaillez des carrés et déposez une amande au centre de chaque carré.
6. Faites cuire dans un four préchauffé à 180º C pendant 30 à 45 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le gâteau soit légèrement doré.

Méthode Pour Le "Sirop":

7. Pendant ce temps, portez l'eau à ébullition et ajouter le thé. Laisser infuser pendant 5 minutes et tamiser.
8. Mélanger le sucre et le thé, puis portez à ébullition. Faire mijoter jusqu'à ce que le sirop soit épais.
9. Stopper le feu et laissez le sirop refroidir.
10. Sortir le gâteau du four et recouvrez-le de sirop froid. Le laisser s'imbiber.
11. Le couper en carrés. Faire refroidir le gâteau sur une grille.

Remarques:
Si vous ne voulez pas parfumer votre Namoura avec du thé, alors ajoutez 2 CS d'eau de fleur d'oranger au mélange eau/sucre (mélanger le sucre, l'eau et l'eau de fleur d'oranger ensemble, porter à ébulltion et faire mijoter).
Ce cake est très friable quand il est frais. De ce fait je vous recommande de le conserver au frigo pendant quelques heures avant de la servir. Il sera plus présentable.

Idées de présentation:
Servir ce gâteau à toute heure de la journée, avec une bonne tasses de thé.

0 WALNUT MA'AMOUL - MA'AMOULS AUX NOIX

As this year, both the Eid Ul-Fitr festival (marking the end of the Ramadan) and Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) coincide (20th and 19th of September), I thought that it'd be a good idea if I offered a recipe that brings us back to the time when both Muslim and Jewish people cohabited in harmony and were close...

So after a lot of thinking and some researching, I came to the conclusion that the cookie which would be the best symbol of peace, friendship, respect and tolerance is the Middle Eastern shortbread pastry known under the name of "Ma'amoul" (meaning "filled cookie" in Arabic).

Not only is it adored in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and other Levantine countries, but it also very popular amid Arab Christians as well as amid the Lebanese and Egyptian (Sepharadic) Jewish communities.

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I am organizing an event called "Pastries For Peace" (thanks Kiriel for the idea). Anybody can participate. The roundup will take place on the 7th of December 2009 and the deadline is the 1st of December 2009. Just send your links to grandchampatgmxdotch.

J'organise un jeu qui s'appel "Pastries For Peace (Pâtisseries Pour La Paix)" et qui est ouvert à tous. Toutes vos participations seront visible dès le 7 décembre 2009 et le délai de participation est fixé au 1er décembre 2009. Envoyez tous vos lien à grandchampatgmxdotch.

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Choosing this recipe also meant that the baker I am was going to get challenged as I had never made "Ma'amouls" before and had always been intimidated by Middle Eastern pastries, although I had been dying to experiment with those delicacies since a very long time. I always chickened out because they seemed so complicated to produce. I know, stupid me, as usual...

Anyway, with my pristine tabi (wooden mould) desperately waiting to get used, I could not skip the opportunity to finally jump in the cold water and test my baking skills on a sweet treat which is so different from what we know in the Western world!

Fortunately for me, this incursion into the art of making pastries the Arabic way turned out extremely well. My creations looked not too bad and were mouthwateringly good!

Those "Ma'amouls" are very unusual, refined and unique in aesthetics, flavor and composition. Not only are they very pretty, but they also taste like heaven. With their crisp flaky pastry and soft filling, those nutty, not overly sweet and delightfully fragrant cookies will conquer you instantly.

Eid Moubarak!
&
Shana Tova!

~ Walnut Ma'amoul ~
Recipe by Camille at "Cakes In The City" (France) and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes about 50 small ma'amouls.

Ingredients for the "Pastry":
500g Fine semolina (or 400g fine semolina and 100g flour)
30g Powder sugar
1 Pinch Salt
1 Tsp Baking powder
250g Unsalted butter, at room temperature
60ml Milk
60ml Orange blossom water
Ingredients for the "Filling":
150g Walnuts
The zest of one organic orange
2-3 Tbs Powder sugar
2-3 Tbs Water
Powder sugar for dusting

Method for the "Pastry":
1. In a big bowl, mix together the semolina (and flour if you use any), sugar, salt and baking powder.
2. Add the butter and rub between the fingers until the mixture is flaky.
3. Add the milk and orange blossom water and lightly knead the dough for 1 minute.
4. Shape the pastry into a ball, wrap in plastic foil and put in the fridge for about 1 hour.
Method for the "Filling":
5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: put all the ingredients in a mixer and blend until it ressembles a paste.
6. Preheat the oven to 160°C (° F).
7. Take a small portion of dough and shape it into a ball. Make a hole with your thumb.
8. Fill the hole with the walnut paste and close the ball. Process in the same way with the remaining pastry and filling.
9. With the help of a floured tabi (decorative mould) shape the balls into ma'amoul cookies by packing each ball into the mould and then tapping the cookies out onto the work area with a sharp firm hit to the top of the mold.
10. Transfer cookies to baking sheet with a spatula and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes (stop baking as soon as the sides are starting to get golden brown).
11. Let cool on a rack.
12. Cover the cookies with powdered sugar.

Remarks:
I found two videos for you (video 1 & video 2) that might help you. Check them out if in doubt when it comes to shaping those ma'amoul!
Maamoul are very delicate cookies which you have to manipulate wih care. Let them cool completely before manipulating them.
If you don't have a tabi, then just shape the balls as indicated, put them on the baking sheet and flatten them slightly and decorate the cookies with tweezers.

Serving suggestions:
Eat those cookies with mint tea or Arabic coffee.

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~ Ma'amouls Aux Noix ~
Recette par Camille de "Cakes In The City" (France) et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Pour environ 50 petits ma'amouls.

Ingrédients pour la "Pâte":
500g de Semoule fine (ou 400g de semoule fine et 100g de farine)
30g de Sucre en poudre
1 Pincée de sel
1 CC de Levure chimique
250g de Beurre, à température ambiante
60ml de Lait
60ml d'Eau de fleur d'oranger
Ingrédients pour la "Farce":
150g de noix de Grenoble
Le zeste râpé d'une orange bio
2-3 CS de Sucre en poudre
2-3 CS d'Eau
Sucre glace, pour la finition

Méthode pour la "Pâte":
1. Dans un grand saladier mélanger la semoule (et la farine si vous en utilisez), le sucre, le sel et la levure.
2. Ajouter le beurre ramolli et travailler du bout des doigts pour obtenir un mélange sablé.
3. Ajouter enfin le lait et l'eau de fleur d'oranger, puis pétrir la pâte pendant une minute.
4. Former une boule de pâte que vous laisserez reposer pendant 1 heure au frigo, emballée dans un film plastique.
Méthode pour la "Farce":
5. Pendant ce temps, préparer la garniture: mettre tous les ingrédients de la garniture dans un mixer afin d'obtenir une masse collante et homogène.
6. Préchauffer le four à 160°C.
7. Prendre une petite portion de pâte, la rouler en boule et y creuser un trou en y enfonçant le pouce.
8. Remplir la cavité de farce et refermer la boule. Poursuivre jusqu'à épuisement des ingrédients.
9. Façonner chaque petite boule à l'aide d'un tabi (moule à ma'amouls/voir 3ième image depuis le haut) en l'enfonçant dans le creux du moule, puis en le tapant ensuite très énergiquement sur une planche à découper pour démouler le ma'amoul.
10. Disposer les biscuits sur une plaque à pâtisserie recouverte de papier sulfurisé et faire cuire pendant 12 à 15 minutes (arrêter la cuisson quand les bords commencent à dorer).
11. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.
12. Saupoudrer de sucre glace avant de les servir.

Remarques:
J'ai trouvé 2 vidéos qui pourraient vous intéresser (video 1 & video 2). Jettez-y un coup d'oeil car elles sont très utiles afin de comprendre comment former un ma'amoul!
Les Maamouls sont des petites choses très friables, il faut donc les laisser refroidir complètement avant de les manipuler.
Si vous n'avez pas de Tabi, disposer simplement les boules de pâte sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier sulfurisé. Les aplatir légèrement avec la paume de la main et les décorer à l'aide d'une pince de décoration.

Idée de présentation:
Servez ces biscuits avec un thé à la menthe ou un café arabe.