Homemade Gula Melaka Syrup Rice Balls

The Dōngzhì Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the Dongzhi solar term (winter solstice) on or around December 22 (according to East Asia time). Sourced by Wikipedia. In 2014, the festival falls on Monday, December 22, coincidence I'm on Annual Leave, I took over mom's job in making and eating of tangyuan (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion in Chinese culture. Mom is in oversea trip, and it's also last min without planning, and so I make a quick and step simple in making tangyuan (湯圓).

Recipe adapted from Eat Your Heart Out one of the famous food blogger. I skipped some of the procecss, because it's time consuming for me, it's totally unplanned at all.

Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serving: 4-6

Ingredients as below:

320g - 1 packet of Mini Rainbow Rice Ball
(you get it from any local hypermarket)

300g - 1 packet of Red Bean Paste Mini Gluttonous Rice Ball
(you get it from any local hypermarket)

Simple Ingredients

For the Syrup base:-

1 liter of water
6 Pandan Leaves, knotted
1 Inch Gula Melaka, approx. 50g (palm sugar or Malacca sugar)
2 Inches Old Ginger, sliced and crushed

The making:-
1) Defrost the packet of Mini Rainbow Rice Ball and packet of Red Bean Paste Mini
    Gluttonous Rice Ball, until the room temperature.
2) Rinse and wash Pandan leaves, then tie a knot into it.
3) Rinse and wash Old Ginger, slices into big inches and crushed it.
4) Cut Gula Melaka into half approx. 50g, set aside.

1 Packet of Red Bean Paste Mini Gluttonous Rice Ball

1 Packet of Mini Rainbow Rice Ball

Run rice balls into cool water

5) To make the syrup, bring water to boil.
6) Add Pandan leaves, Gula Melaka and Ginger.
7) Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes slow heat.

Pandan Leaves, Old Ginger, Gula Melaka

8) Bring half a saucepan of water to a boil.
9) Put in a packet of Red Bean Paste Mini Gluttonous Rice Ball,
    cook until rice ball float to the surface.
10) Remove with a slotted spoon and drop into a bowl of cool water,
      so that rice ball won't stick together.
11) Repeat with the rest packet of Mini Rainbow Rice Ball.
12) Drain the cooked rice balls and place in syrup.
13) Simmer into 10 min, let the syrup absorbs into rice balls.
14) Remove from heat, and serve it hot.
15) If you prefer to be cold, keep rice ball into fridge for 1 to 2 hours, serve chilled.

Simmer rice balls into 10 min, let the syrup absorbs into rice balls.

Beautiful Rainbow Rice Balls

Chewy and bouncing Glutinous Rice Balls

Daddy said this year soup base it's different from original base, which I think it's quite unique also. Ginger well combined with Gula Melaka and also good for digestion, My favorite was the Red bean paste not too sweet at all, you can buy any flavors of you own preferences. Perfect while eating during Winter Time. Thanks for Baby Sumo recipe. I scoop a few bowls for chinese prayers too. Happy Winter Solstice everyone.

Pan Seared Salmon @ Customized Version

I saw fresh salmon fillet in Jaya Grocer hypermarket along neighborhood residential area, it's cheap and fresh. "Tangan gatal" so called handy itchy, couldn't resist myself from buying it. In nutrition facts, Salmon rich in Omega 3 fats, EPA and DHA. As usual my weekend project, starting off with Pan Seared Salmon recipe adapted from Youtube channel and also bloggers writers.

Ingredients for the recipes

Garlic Spread (any brand from hypermarket)

Let's view the recipes below:-

1) 250-300 grams fresh Salmon fillet x 2, (about 1 inch thick, skin on or off at your preference)
2) 1 tbs garlic spread (can easily get ready made from hypermarket)
3) 1 small lemon (extract juice aside)
4) A pinch of salt
5) A pinch of black pepper
6) 2-3 tbs of olive oil
7) Green lettuce (dressing / decoration)
8) Baby carrots (simmered till soft for salad / decoration)
9) Tomatoes (pan seared with olive oil for salad / decoration)

Fresh Salmon Fillet

Salmon season with salt and pepper

Preparation method:-

1) Wash all the vegetables tomato, green lettuce, lemon and baby carrots, set aside.
2) In a pot, bring water to boil and simmer baby carrots until al dente, drain set aside
3) Cut lemon into half and extract juice, set aside
4) Cut tomato into cube set aside, ready to grill together with salmon fillet later.
5) Defrost Salmon fillet into room temperature, unwrap packaging.
    Season salmon fillet with a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper and a bit of
    lemon juice on top both side.



Cooking method:-

6) Heat up non stick pan in low medium heat.
7) Drizzle olive oil, fry cube tomatoes earlier on for 2-3 min, set aside.
8) Melt garlic butter spread into a non stick pan.
9) Add salmon fillet, fry for 2-3 min, then turn the salmon over and fry for further 1-2 min,
    or cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
10)To serve pile the cube tomatoes, baby carrots and green lettuce onto a
     serving plate and top with the pan seared salmon fillet.
11)Garnish with left over lemon juice and also a bit salad dressing to make better presentation.
12) Serve while it's hot.

Pan Seared Salmon Fillet with lemon juice

First timer trying it, surprisingly it's a good, whole chunk of fillet, you can't get in anywhere unless it's a home cooked food. Fragrant with garlic spread to cover the fishy odor. Recommended for those who busy in daily working life. Simple yet it's health. Yummy~ Happy weekend.