【马齿苋菜馍】Purslane Steamed buns

去年夏天我在野外带了一株马齿苋回家栽到后院，收获了好几茬。今年开春后院又长出一大片密密麻麻的马齿苋，摘都摘不完，难怪马齿苋有个别名叫不死草呢！

今天摘一把比较肥美的马齿苋做了这个玉米面和白面两掺的菜馍馍，健康又好吃。多两周可以再做一批冻起来，冬天就有好吃健康的馍馍可以吃啦！

据百度百科记载：

“马齿苋含有丰富的二羟乙胺、苹果酸、葡萄糖、钙、磷、铁以及维生素E、胡萝卜素、维生素B、维生素C等营养物质。马齿苋在营养上有一个突出的特点，它的ω—3脂肪酸含量高于任何植物。ω—3脂肪酸能抑制人体对胆固酸的吸收，降低血液胆固醇浓度，改善血管壁弹性，对防治心血管疾病很有利。”

I brought a bunch of purslane from the woods last year and threw the seeds at my backyard, it grew into few large plants and I harvest a couple of time to make purslane salad, I also sun-dried a batch to be used in winter time.

Little did I know that the purslane will return this year so much more than before... I had harvest it thrice since and the last batch that I brought home I used it to make this Steamed buns, very healthy and a great way to get more nutritions!

According to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Purslane is best used for human consumption as a green vegetable rich in minerals and omega-3 fatty acids [20]. Omega-3 fatty acid is a precursor of a specific group of hormones. It may offer protection against cardiovascular disease, cancers, and a number of chronic diseases and conditions throughout the human life.

【豆沙碱水粽】Kee Zhang/Alkaline Dumplings with Adzuki Bean Paste

Every year during the dragon boat festival (端午节), mom will make a lot of Nyonya and meat dumplings for us. 

But for prayer purpose, she would order some Kee Zhang/Alkaline Dumplings (碱水粽）from some ladies in town. Kee Zhang is normally much smaller in size, only about 1/3 of the normal dumplings. 

The dumplings have a very unique flavor and texture after adding alkaline water/lye water, the color of rice changes and take on a yellow hue, the alkaline water also makes the rice turned firmer and finally the taste of Alkalinity, a very distinctive, slick and pleasant feeling in the mouth, it is hard to explain, but a unique experience.

Since I have some Sweet Adzuki Bean Paste at home, I decided to make this Alkaline Dumplings with Adzuki bean Paste this year instead of the normal Kee Zhang. 

I really love the texture and color of this dumpling!

小时候每逢端午节妈妈都会裹上好多的咸肉粽和娘惹粽，但拜拜用的碱水粽却总是向乡里的一些家庭主妇买的，碱水粽有股特别的碱水味，家里的小孩都不爱吃，所以一般会沾了甜味的香兰咖央，或焦糖咖央吃。

今年端午节我裹了好些肉粽和朋友们分享，冰箱里还有一大盒我自己熬制的红豆沙，裹粽子还剩下一些糯米和粽叶，就随手裹了两串的豆沙碱水粽，真是香甜美味，颜色也特别漂亮！

【花生肉粽】Bak Zhang with Peanuts

咸棕子里我最喜欢的就是烧肉粽了，小时候不会欣赏加了花生和豆子的肉粽，就喜欢糯米和多多馅料的烧肉粽。现在反而喜欢带有花生和各种豆子的粽子，人的口味真的会改变的呢！

今年裹了一批红豆肉粽和一批闽南烧肉粽后又做了这个花生肉粽，一样好吃。

When I was young, my favorite dumpling was Bak Zhang. But as I grow older, I started appreciating dumplings with various kinds of pulses in it, this year I decided to make a type with peanuts and it came out absolutely delish!

【泰式芒果糯米饭】Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

夏天终于来了，超市里开始出现各种芒果，全都香甜美味。泰式芒果糯米饭是我们家每个夏天都要吃的甜点之一，前几天买的芒果熟度刚刚合适，今天的饭后甜点就是泰式芒果糯米饭啦！

Summer is finally here and so is mango season! A good time to make this classic Thai dessert khao niaow ma muang. It is the most famous of all Thai desserts, and is a must have for us every summer when mangoes are in season.

【日式米汉堡】Japanese Rice Burger

多年前日本快餐连锁店摩斯汉堡（MOS burger）进军马来西亚，开业时我和几位同事一起去尝了他们家有名的米汉堡，一吃就爱上了米汉堡的味道。后来摩斯汉堡店选择了离开马来西亚市场，我也再没机会吃上我喜欢的米汉堡了。

前几天我做了日式汉堡肉当晚餐，第二天早上做了我想念的米汉堡当早餐，真是让人分外满足的一份早饭呢！

Years back the Japanese fast food chain MOS burger opened its stores in Malaysia, I went with my colleagues and fell in love with the Rice burger they served. Unfortunately the restaurants didn't do too well in Malaysia and they had to eventually pull all stores out from the market.

I made Japanese Hambugu Steak (ハンバーグ) few days back for dinner, and made this delicious Rice Burger with the remaining burger meat for brunch the next day. 

Just so that you know, This Rice Burger is actually the reason I made the Hambugu Steak! It really did taste like the signature rice burger of the MOS!

【日式汉堡肉】Japanese Hambugu Steak (ハンバーグ)

多年前去日本当交换生时第一次吃这个日式汉堡肉，对于汉堡肉不带面包吃的这个操作充满好奇，也非常喜欢。来了美国后一直想要在家做这个汉堡肉吃，但我们家很少吃/做牛肉，所以也一直没实现。

最近因为疫情一直被关在家里，邻居法兰克是个独居老人，平时我做了好吃的会送一份过去放他门口。自从超市开放早上时段让老人购物后，法兰克去购物时就会给我带些食材，我不想给没收入的他带来压力，所以每次他问我要什么的时候都说我不需要。于是他就会按他自己的购物习惯给我多带一两样，前几天他送来了两包的有机牛肉末。

既然有了牛肉末，就做一次日式汉堡肉给儿子尝尝吧！结果儿子非常喜欢，吃完了还交代说第二天一定要吃一模一样的午餐噢！

The first time I had this Hamburger steak was in Japan as an exchanged student, the way Japanese served their burger patties without bread was really new to me and with great surprise, it tasted really well together with some rice served on the side!

My neighbor brought me two packets of organic minced beef few days ago, I immediately know what I am going to do with it! Dear son loves the hamburger steak I made with it and was requesting the same lunch again the next day.

【红糖马拉糕】Brown Sugar Ma Lai Gou

马拉糕是每次到茶楼都会点的甜点，我们一家大小都很喜欢。现在很多广东茶楼里的马拉糕多是简易马拉糕，制作和发酵时间较短，但口感状态更接近发糕。

古法制作的马拉糕的特色之一是气孔有三层，顶层是直的，而低层是横的，带有天然的香气，吃起来蓬松柔软，非常美味。

为了做出比较正宗的马拉糕，我尝试调制了几次不同的配方，把发酵时间拉长至24小时，制作出来的马拉糕色泽好看，气孔非常漂亮，口感也特别松软，特别满意。

Ma lai gao is a popular Chinese dim sum dish, it is widely served at almost all the dim sum place. Unfortunately, not too many dim sum makers making Ma Lai Go the traditional way anymore, the Ma Lai Gou served at many restaurants nowadays are rather a version of steamed cake using baking powder as a leavening agent.

The real Ma Lai Go made the traditional way is a 3-day process, the long fermentation process produces soft yet very spongy texture of the cake.

I have created this recipe with just 24 hours of fermentation instead of 72, though it is not as long time as the traditional recipe called for, the recipe still produces the characteristic three ways holes in the cake that make Ma Lai Gou very soft and spongy.  I am really pleased with the recipe!

【印尼红辣酱蘸茄子】Terung Belado/Balado

这款印尼红辣酱用处非常多，可以拿来做菜调味，也可以作为蘸酱吃。我最喜欢的吃法是蘸烤茄子或煎/煮鸡蛋，非常下饭好吃。

辣酱的做法不复杂，比较麻烦的是找到新鲜的红辣椒，所以每次只要看见红美人椒我都会买一包回来做这个辣椒酱，做好的辣酱可以冷藏好几周。

Sambal Balado is a very versatile chili paste from Indonesia/Malaysia, it can be used as seasoning in many dishes and is a very good condiment for many recipes. My personal favorite ways to serve this chili paste is with grilled egg plant, fried/boiled eggs. All serves really well as side dish to some hot steamed rice.

It is fairly easy to make at home and could be stored in refrigerator for weeks to come.