Bastardized Yam Cake Recipe 

Ingredients

Main goodies:

• One medium yam - find one thats about 4-5 cm in diameter, which yields ~ 300g after the skin & stem are removed. Apparently yams that are lighter for their size have better lecture, and large yams are better than baby ones.

• A wedge of pumpkin - to yield 300g after the skin and seeds are removed

• 170g tin of braised peanuts - drain away the water

Batter ingredients:

• 200 rice flour +20g tapioca flour, dissolve in 500ml (2 cups) of water 

• 1.5 cubes of chicken stock, dissolve in 250 ml (1 cup) of water

This amount of batter yields just enough to coat and bind all the rest of your ingredients - so what you get is a yam cake so full of ingredients which you'd never be able to get from the shops. If you prefer more batter (you get a larger and starchier cake), then use 250g rice flour, 25g tapioca flour dissolved in 750 ml (3 cups) of water, and 2 cubes of chicken stock dissolved in 250 ml (1 cup) of water [yes, its the same volume for the stock mix]

Flavouring ingredients

• Half a cup of dried shrimps soaked & coarsely chopped.
• A few drizzles of sesame oil & some pepper
• 200g minced pork
• 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms - use the thin inexpensive ones, otherwise use fresh mushrooms. The premium flower mushrooms usually need long braising, thus making them unsuitable for this recipe.
• One or two pieces (depending on how much you like the flavour of lap cheong) dried Chinese pork sausage 
• A few sprigs of coriander - finely chopped - I use the whole plant, the roots are the most flavourful , so don't discard the roots.

Garnishing Ingredients:

• A cup of dry garnishing: a mix of dried shallot crisps, chopped fried peanuts, crushed fried ikan bilis (crispy anchovies) and toasted sesame seeds are great
• A cup of green garnishes: fresh coriander leaves, spring onions, de-seeded green chillies - coarsely chopped

Method:

The first thing to do is peel & cube the yam into 1.5cm chunks, then steam it for 30 minutes. Don't be tempted to microwave the yams - I tried this once and somehow the texture aint great - I got leathery yams. The steaming step takes the longest, so while the yam is steaming, you can pour yourself a glass of wine and get busy with other things. Remember to set the timer and check for yam for doneness at about 25 mins. You don't want to overcook them, else you get mushy yams. Once soft, remove from steamer immediately.

Next, peel and cut the pumpkin into 1.5 cm cubes, get them ready in another dish that would fit into your steamer. Once the yams come out of the steamer, the pumpkin goes in. The pumpkin would need about 25 minutes, but please check for doneness at 20 minutes. remove from the steamer immediately once done.

If you're using dried shiitake mushrooms, rinse them, dunk in a bowl of water , cling wrap and nuke in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Then set aside, they should be cool enough to handle in 20 mins, by which time the mushrooms would be nice and soft - remove the woody stems, then coarsely chop - size depends on how much bite your like in your yam cake. If you are using fresh shiitake mushrooms, there is no need to soak them of course.

Next, cut the lap cheong into small pieces, place in between 2 sheets of absorbent kitchen paper towels on a plate & nuke on high in the microwave 1.5 minutes- you will see all the oil rendered. Once cool, dab away excess oil and coarsely chop. You need to chop them a bit cos the lap cheong is quite hard if left in large chunks and your yam cake won't slice well.

Soak the dried prawns in warm water for 5-10 minutes, drain and coarsely chop.

Next prepare your springform pan. I spray with canola then line with baking paper. I also wrap alum foil on the outside to come up all the way to the rim so that steaming water doesn't enter the bottom of the pan. You must prepare your steaming pan before you start to cook the flour mixture.

Next, heat oil in a deep pan. Stirfry garlic in oil till it's just about to brown then add chopped dried shrimp to the pan. Don't rush this part, the dried shrimp needs to sear a bit. Then add the lapcheong, u will see more oil rendered. Then the minced meat & chopped mushrooms. Break up the meat with your spatula till cooked. Add the dissolved chicken stock liquid and simmer for a while to let the mushrooms soften (if you are using dried shiitake mushrooms)

Turn off the heat and let cool for a while. then add the flour liquid mixture, turning well. Don't let the mixture stand when pan is still very hot, otherwise you will get a dense layer forming at the bottom. Adjust seasoning if needed. If you are tasting the batter, it should taste just under-seasoned - as the lapcheong is salty enough. I find that with one and a half cubes of Knorr chicken stock (I use the type with no MSG), there isn't real need to add any more salt. Stir in pepper and sesame oil.

Once you're happy with the taste, turn on a Low flame and stir. Mixture will thicken.  Finally at last step, when the mixture is very thick (like fruit cake batter) add the steamed yam and pumpkin as well as the chopped sprigs of coriander, stirring to ensure the batter coats all your ingredients. If you don't want the yam cake to be too firm, don't allow the mixture to thicken too much before adding the yam etc.

Scoop into prepared pan, level the top with a spoon. Use a chopstick to poke holes all over the cake right to the bottom of the pan to release air pockets trapped in the batter, it is very dense. then re-level. Steam 45-60 mins until a skewer comes out clean) allow to cool completely before slicing. The cake is best prepared the night before he day it's eaten. Keep in the fridge and warm a slice I'm the microwave when u want to eat. Garnish with fried shallots and chopped spring onions before eating. I like to spread a thin layer of Nonya curry paste from a can on top of my slice, pile on the garnishing, then drizzle sweet dark soy sauce all over before tucking in.

The yam cake is good  sliced into 1 cm thick pieces and pan fried in a very hot pan such that the surface is seared and browned to a crisp too.

Boiled (Bachelor's or War) Fruit Cake

Am reposting this recipe again. Have modified it a bit to suit my current oven.

Boiled (Bachelor's or War cake) Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of chopped dried fruit [used a mix of dates, apricots, prunes, raisins - all of which comes in convenient 250g packets from the local bake shop Phoon Huat]
• 3 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp nutmeg powder
• Chopped peel of two mandarin oranges [or zest of 1 orange]
• 300ml liquid (water is fine)
• 3 large eggs
• 70g butter or 1/4 cup olive oil
• 250g of almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

• Heat liquid and dried fruit in a saucepan for 3-4 mins until fruit is plump and liquid partially absorbed.
• Stir in spices, cocoa powder, olive oil and orange zest / peel.
• Allow to cool.
• Then stir in eggs.
• Sift in almond meal, baking powder.
• Scrape into prepared springform pan.
• Bake in a low oven (160C) for 2.5 hours [150 mins] with water bath.
• Start checking at 120 mins - cake should have risen to level of springform pan.

Notes: Preparing the pan

• Spray baking pan with canola, then line pan with baking parchment.
• Protect the base with 3 layers of paper to prevent the base from burning.
• Wrap the sides of the springform pan with a wet towel, securing the towel with strings if you want your cake to have a relatively flat top (otherwise you get a dome)
• Then cover the bottom and sides with aluminium foil.
• This time round I also protected the top of the cake with a layer of baking parchment to prevent the top from burning.

A brand new year

I picked up a book that a friend had given me as a birthday present. It's titled 'The Present' and is written by the same chap who wrote 'Who Moved My Cheese'

Tiny's Grand Exit - Part 07

Tiny passed away today. I had been dreading the end when I had to make a decision to euthanize her. I know that no matter how I hated making that decision, it is the final responsibility of every pet owner. But in the end it was she who spared me the agony of making that decision.

I came home this afternoon armed with some dripsets and 18gauge needles that I had bought from the retail pharmacy at Singapore General Hospital and I had another 7 bags of Hartman's solution (Ringer's lactate) Dr Ly the vet had said I needed to give her 200 ml each night. Tiny was at her usual place in the study on top of my pile of blankets but she had taken a turn for the worst.

I bundled her in to the cat carrier meaning to take her to the vet. This is the time... Peter, my friend from Perth had said.."You will know when the time comes" And I thought to myself, "This is the time"

What I did not realize was that Tiny was exhibiting agonal breathing, the pattern of respiration which indicates that she was about to expire. She even tried to push her way out of the cat carrier

I had set the carrrier down next to the front door and was about to lock it when I saw her slump aside, mouth open and cease all movements. Even as I drove towards the vet's office, I knew that Tiny was at last at peace. No more suffering.

Tiny has always been so forgiving, welcoming warm & patient , even though I wasn't always nice.

Rest well, my dearest

Tiny's Grand Exit - Part 06

Last night JC and CL came to visit Tiny. CL brought a large metal bowl and a can of premium cat food. It turned out to be something that Tiny would readily accept! I am filled with gratitude each time I see her frail form bending over the food dish to lick up a spoonful of food. And I thank God for all the support that He's given to me (and Tiny) in the form of lovely friends, whose little gestures of kindness help so much.

Tiny's Grand Exit - Part 05

Excerpt from a nice article ...

Cherish the memories of your pet as the present it left especially for you. Remember its destructive clown-like puppy or kittenhood with fondness. Remember the wonderful times you two had together – how your pet made you laugh, comforted you when you were sad and showed you unrestricted love and devotion. These memories will always be there to savor – they are the immortal legacy of a true friend.

Ron Hines DVM Ph.D

Coping With The Death Of A Loved Dog Or Cat

An article by Ron Hines DVM Ph.D

http://www.2ndchance.info/grieving.htm

Do not stand on my grave and weep; I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in the circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die.

- Unknown -

I am a veterinarian and I think a lot about pet loss.

Over the last 40 years, I have learned that when we lose a pet we truly loose a family member.

Most of us grieve greatly when this occurs. For some of us, this is a very private thing. And some of us question if it is the right thing to do. It is.

It doesn't matter if the pet was a mouse or a mastiff – grief is independent of size. Some animals are lost due to accidents when they are young and in good health while others die after a prolonged illness. Whatever the case, grief and sadness are normal responses to loss.

It is unfortunate that pets live shorter lives than the people who own them. We are faced with pet loss many times in our lives. In modern society, pets have taken on remarkable rolls. Some substitute for spouses while others substitute for children, siblings and parent.

Our pets’ ability to love unconditionally endear them to our hearts as little else can. A pet’s presence can lower your blood pressure, change your heart rate and remove feelings of loneliness. They are truly our “best friends”. A single pet can fulfill multiple rolls for different human family members. When a pet dies, bonds and rolls within the family must be rearranged. Often, the trauma of the loss will be unappreciated by your extended family and friends. That is because everyone else's pet is an animal - except their own.

Mourning or grief occurs in stages that are experienced similarly by people in all walks of life and from a wide variety of cultures. It is not a strictly predictable process and each of us experiences grief in different ways. Some of us will get stuck in one of the stages for a long period of time or never reach closure. It takes different people differing lengths of time to pass through the stages of grief and they do not necessarily occur in the same order or intensity in different people.

The Five Stages of Grief and Mourning:

1) It is common for our first reaction to learning of the death or terminal illness of a pet to be denial and inability to grasp the fact. We feel stunned, bewildered and dazed. This is a normal reaction, which is often called shock. Shock is temporary but it gets us through the initial weeks.

2) Anger and looking for objects to be angry at, often occurs subsequent to the initial shock of pet loss. We may lash out at friends and family or, more frequently, at ourselves. It is common for us to feel guilty and sometimes, the veterinarian who tended to our pets become the object of this anger. Other times it is self-directed or directed at other members of the family. The best way to get over this anger phase is through talk and conversation.

3) Denial or bargaining is another method we use for coping with pet loss. We may search for miracle cures to incurable diseases or seek out second opinions from a different veterinarian. We think of all the things we would do or not due if only the pet would get better.

4) Depression is the longest portion of grief and mourning. We are sad, hopeless and helpless and we are regretful. We think about our lost pet constantly and we wish we had done things differently.

5) If we are fortunate, we eventually reach the stage of acceptance and healing. We treasure the time we had with our pet and lapse into a period of calm and tranquility– if not happiness. We develop a new lifestyle in which other things substitute for the relationship we had with out pet. This is the time we might look for another furry friend.

Here Are Some Things You Can Do To Hasten Acceptance And Healing:

Give yourself permission to grieve. Accept that you were very close to your pet and recognize how much the pet meant to you. Place a memorial plaque to your pet in a favorite spot. This allows you to pay tribute to the pet that meant so much to you. Try to get plenty of rest, eat well and exercise. Surround yourself with positive friends who understand your loss and let them share your burden. Treat yourself to pleasurable activities. Be patient. Recognize that you will have relapses of grief and sadness. Remember that grief will pass and life will be pleasant again. Don’t be afraid to lean on friends and pet loss support groups.

The degree and depth of your mourning process depends on your own personality as well as outside factors. Your age, how the pet died and the closeness of your relationship all play a part in the feeling you experience. Children are more resilient than adults and usually recover first. Older people have the most difficult time accepting the loss of a pet.

How To Explain The Loss Of A Pet To Your Children:

As a parents you may feel uncomfortable talking about death to your kids. You may think that silence will spare your children some of the pain and sadness. But, this is wrong. The whole family needs to talk freely together, even if through tears. Kids develop deep bonds to their pets. Once their best friend is gone they need to be allowed personal grief and closure.

The loss of a pet is often your child’s first need to confront the reality of death. We often do not realize how traumatic death is to a child because children do not express their emotions well. It is human nature to attempt to shield our children from grief. But this is rarely necessary because children, from an early age, begin to understand the concept of irretrievable loss and death.

Children should be taught from an early age the impermanence of life. A healthy understanding of death allows a child to experience the pain of loss and to express his or her feelings. A great deal of patience, hugs and kisses are required when explaining death to a small child. We need to give our children permission to express themselves and work through their grief - not burry it. Do not leave your children with the impression that anything they did was responsible for the loss of your pet.

Children younger than five years of age typically have no understanding of death. They think of it as extended sleep from which a pet will awake. Explain to these young children that the natural state of the World is such that pets die and do not return. Reassure them that nothing that was their fault caused the pets death.

Six and seven year old children have a limited understanding of death. They too may consider the pet to be sleeping or living somewhere in an underground home. They may expect the pet to eventually return and for death to be a temporary state of affairs. They may worry about their own mortality and need reassurance from you that they will not also die soon. They may temporarily loose their toilet training, bladder control, eating and sleeping patterns. Talking thing out with them is the best cure for these problems. A child needs to express his or her feelings and concerns. This process may take a month or two. Many short discussions are generally more productive than one or two prolonged sessions.

Your child may wish to have a funeral for the pet. Such a ceremony is a fitting way to say goodbye. Don’t rush out and purchase a new pet to ease the grief. Allow your children a reasonable time to accept the loss.

Children eight and older generally understand the permanence of death. Sometime the loss of a pet triggers a concern about the possible death of their parents. They may become curious about death and its implications and you should be ready to engage them in frank and honest discussions about the subject. These children will experience many of the stages of grief that you experience. They may have transient problems concentrating in school and relapse to more juvenile behaviors. Many enter a period of clinginess that lasts a few weeks.

Teenage children react similarly to adults. Denial is more common in this age group as are stoicness, numbness and lack of emotional display. It is often years after the loss before these adolescents feel good about discussing their attachments to their lost pet.

Euthanasia:

There comes a time for many of us when euthanasia becomes the loving thing to do. This is because veterinary medicine, like human medicine, has succeeded in extending life beyond the point where quality of life is satisfactory.

No mater how long a pet lives with us, the time will never be enough and we will never realize the strength of our attachment to a pet until it is gone. Quality of life issues bring most clients to me for euthanasia. Usually they rely on me to reinforce and affirm their decision to put the pet to sleep. I have found that loving pet owners usually recognize when their pet is suffering seriously. If there is a sin, it is delaying this moment of decision beyond its proper time. Guilt often weighs heavily on the person who must make this decision and it is rare for there to be unanimity within the family. But do your Buddy this favor when you see in its eyes that the time has come.

Is The Time Now?

In leading my clients to a decision regarding euthanasia I guide them through important questions. First, what is the current quality of their pet’s life? Is the pet still happy and playful? Does it show joy and affection? Is it eating well and is it aware of its surroundings? Is the pet in pain? Have we exhausted nursing and veterinary care? How is the pet’s illness affecting the family? Can you or your family really afford the cost of care that will likely be unrewarding?

Once the decision has been made to put the pet to sleep you must decide if you want to be present while it is done. Veterinarians euthanize pets by administering an overdose of barbiturate anesthetics intravenously. The process is painless. You can cradle your pet while this is done or you can wait in the reception area until the process is complete. About seventy-five percent of my clients decide to be present. Most of my clients elect to have the pet cremated although some of the more traditional owners still bury the pet in their back yards. You can also burry the ashes of you pet in a treasured spot. Alternatives include every option offered in human funerals and interment.

After Your Pet Is Gone:

Our other family pets also feel the loss. Family pets that survive also go through a grieving process. Even pets that seem to dislike one another are profoundly affected by the loss of one of the group. In fact, pets show many of the signs that their human owners exhibit. They may become restless, anxious and depressed. Grieving pets often eat less. They search for their missing playmate and crave affection from their owners.

Here are some things you can do to ease the transition for a grieving pet. Try to maintain normalcy and routine. Pets thrive on routine and normalcy so try to maintain this as best you can. With the loss of a pet in a multi-pet household, new peck orders and dominance will have to be established. Try to avoid pet fights by separating the pets and their feeding locations as this process works itself out. Wait a month or two before obtaining new pets.

Cherish the memories of your pet as the present it left especially for you. Remember its destructive clown-like puppy or kittenhood with fondness. Remember the wonderful times you two had together – how your pet made you laugh, comforted you when you were sad and showed you unrestricted love and devotion. These memories will always be there to savor – they are the immortal legacy of a true friend.

Ron Hines DVM Ph.D