miladyinsanity

Hmm.. I've melted everything together before, without adverse results.

LOL, if you've seen this thread, you'll see that hawker food can also be communal when you go in a group . So, make sure you don't go solo in Penang. ← Yup, you're right. And no, I don't go solo. The whole family's going, plus I've got family there--was born in KL, actually, where mom's side has a coffeeshop in Bangsar.

I've never actually thought about this, since it has always been like this at home--I'm Singaporean Chinese. But getting to try more dishes is always good. OTOH, most hawker foods aren't communal, right Tepee? I'm already drooling over what I'll get to feast on tomorrow--I'm travelling to Penang.

I only buy Sarawak pineapple now. Pan, have you ever tried them? Golden flesh, and ever so sweet! It's not as fibrous, either. And none of that awful sensation in your mouth after eating! Somebody mentioned that enzymes are proteins, so how can brine change them? I *think* they can dehydrate them, changing the 3-D structure or something like that. I'm not very sure.

I agree, freezing cheesecake doesn't ruin it. Semi-frozen cheesecake is kinda like ice cream--there's a store in town that recommends it for their cheesecake even. Regarding the whipped egg whites: Would the texture be close to that of the light and fluffy Japanese-style cheesecakes? May

That WMF is what my mom uses--though it might be a different size. She uses it at least once a week, and is really happy with it. The life-time warranty is good too.

Good question. I don't know. Mind, this was before she switched to using cow's milk for it because it's healthier. It's been awhile since she last used coconut milk for curries. But if it helps, I do know my aunt's maid used to make coconut oil herself by keeping coconut milk over night in the fridge, before boiling it until it separated.

In the case of Thai coconut milk curries, the coconut milk is purposely boiled until the oil separates. (To my understanding, this is seen as desirable to the presentation of Thai coconut milk curries.) This process takes about 5-10 minutes. ← That's right, and to my knowledge, applies to certain Indian and Malay curries as well. It looks better with the oil, apparently. I guess that's because it's not good for you. Susan, not all coconut curries will separate that much. My mom's chicken curry, made with coconut milk, doesn't either.

Slice and use some in stirfries. I'm not sure how the texture compares to other ways of cooking, since the only mushrooms I eat are enoki mushrooms, but that's how an aunt of mine does it.

Have you tried a flour mix of one part each rice flour, corn starch and tapioca starch?

Try frying the rice flour--there's a traditional Nonya, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that does this, but my mom doesn't know why. I'm guessing it's to dry the flour out a bit more, in which case I think you could do it in the oven.

I've had the Beard Papa cream puffs before--there's a shop in a big shopping center here, and there are always lines on weekends. Though, I'm pretty sure they don't arrive at the shop frozen. And it's not a short dough on the outside--too flaky and light to be one. The filling is a creme patissiere, but rather eggy.

Ling, I personally think most nuts make good sable-type cookies. I like almond, with some slightly crushed sliced almonds for texture.

I like a hearty crust, but double the usual sounds a bit much, even for me. More batter is the only one I can come up with, because cheesecakes aren't supposed to rise very much--if they do, that means you incorporated a lot of air in the mixing and the cheesecake will crack.

3 almond meringue tartlets. I ate one before dinner--just to find out whether I should buy more since the bakery was closing--and then 2 more afterwards, one because I needed dessert and 2 because I wanted to make sure I got it. LOL! And 2 slices of peach cake.

I second irodguy's suggestion. My mom often wishes she had 2--especially when she needs to beat egg whites--but we don't have space for two.

I lick the bowl when I melt chocolate or when my mom makes kaya--we use bread to wipe the bowl.

I think you can just reduce the jam. As to the ganache, most ganaches can be piped, but I think tempered chocolate is easier.

Frozen chocolate, with rum. I can't drink. And it's going to my head, even though the rum was just a tiny little bit.

He Ye Fan, or lotus-leaf wrapped glutinous rice. I do so love glutinous rice!

Would Alton Brown's Serious Vanilla Ice Cream make a good base? I don't mind cooking it, but I don't want to have eggs inside it, that's all. I'd probably do chocolate. A mango sorbet might be in the works after I come back from an eating trip to Penang next weekend.

My mother boils tea leaves to season her pans--I'm not sure how well this works, but that's what she does.

Oh I see what you mean. Just melting the chocolate alone, then letting it harden won't form the hard shell you're looking for. I'm still at the hit and miss stage, so I can't really help you with that. You'd be better off searching eGullet.

What do you mean? Properly tempered chocolate will harden into a shell around the meringue--it is this property that is the reason why people bother to temper it.

I think it comes in paste form as well, but I'm not sure whether it contains alcohol as well.