Muah Chee

Have you ever heard about Muah Chee?

When I was thirteen, I was obsessed. I would eat two packets for recess and maybe even bring home a third. It was glutinous rice pieces in a peanut and sugar powder. Honestly, who wouldn't love it?

Nobody.

Just look at it, ooey-gooey chewy rice-flour pieces oozing chunky peanut bits with sugar crystals.

There is a cheat way to make it, and the traditional. I would like to say I did it the traditional way because I don't believe in new-age rubbish (if you consider nuking it in the microwave 'new-age'), but frankly, I steamed it because I don't have a microwave.

Radiation waves, all that. Yada Yada. But the wait was well worth it, I'll prove it to you. Try some.

Traditional Steamed Muah Chee

Serves: 8 portions (Muah Chee can get overwhelming all at once, eight is a good size, trust me.)

Source: Small Small Baker

200g glutinous rice flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shallot oil
250ml water

75g roasted peanuts, processed into a powder
75g granulated sugar

To make shallot oil, thinly slice 1 small shallot, fry with 1 tablespoons oil till golden brown. Leave to cool.

Mix glutinous rice flour, sugar, salt, shallot oil and water in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine, make sure flour mixture is completed dissolved. Pour the mixture into a deep dish (about 8" in diameter). Steam over medium heat for about 25mins. Test the centre with a toothpick to ensure it is cooked through. Leave to cool.

Mix peanut powder and granulated sugar in a plate. When ready to serve, scoop small pieces of muah chee with a spoon and toss them in the peanut powder mixture cut with a pair of scissors with a lightly greased blade. Serve immediately.

Perfection. Chewy, Nutty, Sugary perfection.

Homemade Butterscotch Kettle Corn

I don't knot about you, but whenever someone offers me a bag of Garrett Popcorn, I cannot say no. Literally. Sometimes i even say 'yes' without even being offered.

It's that bad.

So whenever I walk past a Garrett store, I have to stop in my tracks. No matter what. Even if a man walking at an incredibly fast pace while holding a mug full of hot coffee is just behind me.

I stop to inhale, and force myself not to buy any because I (a) have no money for popcorn; and (b) am currently covered in scalding hot cappuccino.

Somewhere around this time, I figured that kettle corn can't be that hard to make at home.

I was right.

It is easy! Breezy!

And now I can consume a tonne of ooey gooey butterscotch kettle corn in the comfort of my own home. Without another to point and stare and marvel at the rate I can shovel it into my mouth.

Alright enough talk, recipes speak for themselves.

Homemade Butterscotch Kettle Corn:
Makes: 8 1-cup servings (but let's be realistic, 1 8-cup serving)
From: Jenny Jones Recipes (here's her video!)

For the popcorn mix:
8 cups freshly popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed (I used my popcorn machine, but you can easily use a microwave or a stovetop)
3/4 cup pecans nuts, halved

For syrup:
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 120ºC. Place popped corn into a large bowl. Place the nuts on top. Do not mix yet.

Heat the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat and boil, undisturbed and uncovered, for 5 min. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in baking soda & vanilla.

Pour the syrup over the nuts & popcorn, stirring quickly. Spread the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for one hour, removing briefly every 15 minutes to stir. Spread the mixture onto wax paper to cool. It will seem sticky at first but it will dry up nicely.

I may even like it a teensy tiny bit more than garrett popcorn because it is less sickeningly sweet. Plus, I've got my pecans in there. Gotta love 'em pecans.

This triggers my...

Question of the Day

Do you pronounce pecan as PEE-CAN or PUH-KAHN?

I have recently started pronouncing it as the latter and I am getting some pretty weirded-out looks my members of the public.