Malaysian Steamed Cake - Mah Lai Goh (馬拉糕)

Here we go! I've been dying to make this post happen! Attempt after attempt, I've finally made a batch of Mah Lai Goh (馬拉糕) that I'm absolutely thrilled with (after gaining 5 pounds from eating all the failed cakes!) This dim sum classic is soft, light, spongy, and a tad sweet. I still can't believe it took me this long to try making it, and I'm just stoked that it turned out better than I anticipated.

Mah Lai Goh (馬拉糕) is also called Malay cake or Malaysian steamed cake. However, the cake wasn't originate in Malaysia. It's a Cantonese steamed cake that's often seen on the dim sum table. It's pretty much every kid's favorite at dim sum growing up because it's... cake. No child can turn down cake for breakfast on a Sunday morning when your whole family goes yum cha. So how did it get its name? I can't seem to find the absolute answer. Legend has it that Singaporeans with Malay descent are the ones who created Mah Lai Goh in the first place, then the cake was introduced to Canton (now known as Guangdong) and Hong Kong. This super moist cake get its tenderness from steaming instead of baking which uses dry heat. It's made with light brown sugar for its sweetness, and very little dairy as in only 4 tablespoons of butter. FOUR!

I swear pictures can't do this Mah Lai Goh justice of how amazingly tender this brown sugar cake is. When it's fresh out of the steamer, it smells incredible and the cake will just melt in your mouth. Part of what makes Mah Lai Goh so distinct from other cakes is the airiness and the texture (the little holes you see all over the cake).

Doesn't this look just like what you get at dim sum?!

Steaming

Now, let's go over steaming, and a little bit of "MacGyvering" when you don't have the proper equipment like a good size wok with a dome lid. It's totally possible but you just have to be a little bit creative. When you're steaming, you want to make sure the kitchenware you're using is big enough so that there's enough steam to go around inside the pot. And that there's enough space between the boiling water and the cake that's being steamed. You never want your cake touching the water because that'll just be boiling, not steaming. Think of double boiling, in a way. Also make sure there's enough water for the entire duration of the steaming process. If you see that it's running low, simply add more hot water to the pot or wok (never add cold water because that'll make a sudden change of cooking temperature).

Here's my setup since I do not own a wok (I know, why don't I have a wok? How do I not have one? I'm honest don't even know).

I used a stockpot, a big one. I added a Chinese steaming rack on the very bottom, filled about 2" of water in the pot (fully covering the steaming rack), and set my bamboo steamers on top of that (that's two, 8-inch steamers stacked on top of each other).

Don't have either a steaming rack or bamboo steamers, then you can try using a heat-resistant bowl (place it upside down inside the stockpot) and a standard cake pan. Again, you want to make sure that the cake pan isn't touching the boiling water. Look around your kitchen and see if there's anything else that you think might work and give it a try.

Steaming cake might sound a little weird but it really is unbelievably scrumptious.

Try it!

Malaysian Steamed Cake - Mah Lai Goh (馬拉糕)

Prep time: 10 mins  Cook time: 30 mins  Total time: 40 mins  

Serves: 1, 8-inch cake

You'll need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 7 tbsp coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Approach:

  1. Prepare your steamer by setting up the wok/stockpot filled with water, and get it boiling on high heat.
  2. Mix together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. Line your bamboo steamer or cake pan with parchment paper.
  4. While the water is still reaching for the boiling point, beat eggs and brown sugar together in a stand mixer on low for 2 minutes (setting 4 on a KitchenAid).
  5. Add coconut milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix on low for another 1 minute.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, parts at a time. Mix on low until batter is well-combined, about 1-2 minutes.
  7. Pour the batter into the lined bamboo steamer or cake pan. Then carefully place inside the wok or stockpot. Turn the heat down to medium and steam for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove bamboo steamer or cake pan, and let it cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
  9. Serve warm.

Notes:

The cake can be refrigerated and re-steamed the next day, and it will stay fresh for up to 4 days.

Recipe adapted from Cake on the Brain.

Chinese Long Beans with Ground Pork (豆角炒肉碎)

Remember when I wrote that post a while ago about my Hakka heritage? Well, I kinda promise myself that I'd cook more Hakka dishes for the blog this year, and this Chinese long beans with ground pork is one of them. It's a stir-fry so it's really easy to prep, and you can have dinner on the table in a jiffy!

In Cantonese, we call Chinese long beans "dau gok" (豆角), and they are also known as Yardlong beans (but they're really not a whole yard long, more like half a yard). You can find them at most Asian grocery stores or markets. I've been eating dau gok since I was a kid, and can tell you that Chinese long beans are a little "chewier" and has a stronger green bean taste than regular green beans, they're usually skinnier in thickness, darker in color (although there are a handful of variety and I know there's even purple ones!).

There are a few ingredients that make this Chinese Long Beans with Ground Pork a Hakka dish. The use of pork, soy sauce, and fermented black soybeans called "dau si" (豆豉) in Cantonese. Fermented black soybeans are usually sold dried but sometimes you can also see them being sold in jars which the beans are soaked in liquid/oil. I'm used to the dried kind, and you'd just soak them in water for a few minutes then drain.

Fermented black soybeans are used in a lot of Hakka dishes as they carry a robust flavor that can be added to many hearty Hakka cooking. And if you grew up in a Cantonese household, you would know that a can of "dau si leng yu" (豆豉鯪魚), dace fish and fermented black soybeans, can go a long way with just a bowl of warm rice on those cold winter nights!

This Chinese long beans with ground pork dish, though, it's one of many Hakka dishes that my mom would serve on any given day. It just reminds me of her cooking and sitting at dinner with my family!

Chinese Long Beans with Ground Pork (豆角炒肉碎)

Prep time: 15 mins  Cook time: 15 mins  Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2-3

You'll need:

  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • dash of white pepper powder
  • 1/2 lb Chinese long beans
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp dried fermented black soybeans
  • Sauce:
  • 1/4 water
  • 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Approach:

  1. Season the ground pork with soy sauce and white pepper powder. Set aside and let it marinate while you continue prepping.
  2. Rinse, and cut Chinese long beans into 1 1/2" long.
  3. Soak the dried fermented black soybeans in 1/4 cup of water for 5 minutes, then drain.
  4. Mix the sauce ingredients together.
  5. Set a wok or pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add oil and twirl the pan to spread.
  6. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Then add chopped onion, and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground pork and cook for 3 minutes, then add the fermented black soybeans. Add Chinese long beans and sauce, cover, and let it cook/steam for 3 minutes. Uncover, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Notes:

Adapted from The Hakka Cookbook by Linda Lau Anusasananan.

Chinese Broccoli with Chinese Sausage

Kai Lan (Chinese broccoli) is one of my favorite vegetables! It's a little like broccoli, a little like broccolini, a little like kale and mustard greens. If you were to combine all of the veggies above, you'd pretty much get Chinese broccoli. You've probably seen Kai/Gai Lan on the menu at Chinese restaurants or other Southeast Asian cuisine like Thai or Vietnamese. It's a cold-weather vegetable so fall and winter would be the best season to eat Chinese broccoli (although it's not hard to find year-around, it may be limited at the market during off-season). The literal translation of Chinese broccoli, Kai/Gai Lan, means "mustard orchid" so it is definitely in the mustard greens family. The leaves have a similar thickness and characteristic of kale but tougher. And the stem is a lot like the regular broccoli but bitter. How about broccolini? Part of the family? Yep! The broccolini is a hybrid of Kai Lan and broccoli that the Japanese had married together some years ago.

I remember my mom making this Chinese broccoli with Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) dish often in the winter in my younger days. And as a picky-eater, this was one of the few dishes that I'd just gobble up along with a bowl of freshly made rice. The drizzle of soy sauce is key! This is definitely a dish that reminds me of those cold nights having dinner with my family.

Do you have a dish that reminds you of winter from childhood?

Chinese Broccoli with Chinese Sausage

Prep time: 15 mins  Cook time: 15 mins  Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2

You'll need:

  • 1-2 Chinese sausage, sliced, about 4 tbsp
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1/2 lb Chinese broccoli (Kai Lan)
  • 3 tbsp chicken broth
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Approach:

  1. Rinse and drain Chinese broccoli thoroughly. Cut the leaves roughly, about 1/2". And slice the stems thinly on an angle, about 1/8".
  2. Slice the Chinese sausage on an angle, also about 1/8".
  3. Heat a skillet on medium-high and add olive oil. Twirl the pan around to spread the oil somewhat evenly on the pan. Add Chinese sausage and cook for 3 minutes, until it's turned slightly transparent. Remove from pan into a bowl.
  4. On the same skillet, add sesame oil and garlic. Let it cook until fragrant, about 12 seconds. Add Chinese broccoli and chicken broth, and let it cooking for 4 minutes, stir occasionally.
  5. Add Chinese sausage, sugar, and soy sauce and cook for another 4 minutes.
  6. Plate and serve with rice on the side.

Steamed Egg Custard (臘腸蒸水蛋)

If you ask my mom today, she would probably agree that I was once a very picky eater. And not only I was picky, I was always the last one to finish at the dinner table. I was a fussy kid who didn't like much of anything. And now I blog about food? Who would have thought?! Since I only liked a handful of things at the dinner table growing up, steamed egg custard (蒸水蛋) and I bonded like how American kids fell in love with mac & cheese. A plate of hot steamed egg custard fresh out of the wok with soy sauce pour all over on top. It's a simple comfort home cooking I know many Cantonese and Hong Kongers can relate to. Taking a spoonful out of the soft egg custard immediately creates a dent where soy sauce would rush in and fill the hollow space.

Steamed egg custard is one those dishes that reminds me of home as soon as I put the silky and savory bite in my mouth. While there are a few different versions of steamed egg custard, this is how I like to enjoy mine - with crunchy Chinese sausage bits!

The dish is usually made plain with just eggs and water. It can also be made with with baby shrimp or ground pork, and even sliced preserved eggs (皮蛋) which never looks appetizing. However the custard is made, it's commonly served with a thin layer of soy sauce on top, and garnished with a sprinkle of chopped scallion.

Here's what I did with the Chinese sausage. I chopped it into small chunks then I threw them into a food processor for a few seconds.

You then toss them on a hot pan for a minute or so, and you'll get these crispy sausage bits. A lot like bacon bits that you put on a salad but 1,000 times better!

Next, the eggs. Like I mentioned earlier, steamed egg custard is usually made with just water which is good. What makes creamier and better custard is milk. And low-fat milk would do just fine. After beating the eggs and mixing in with other ingredients, you should either strain it or use a small sieve to remove any outstanding foam or bubbles so the surface of the custard remains smooth when steaming.

Set up your steaming wok or pan on low heat and set the timer for 18 minutes. And note that the higher the heat, the less smooth your custard will turn out. So if it is your first time making steamed egg custard, keep an extra eye on the money and observe the magic of steaming!

It's very common that you'll see little honeycomb-like texture in your steamed egg custard. And you'd see more of it if the heat was on too high while steaming. While some people like their steamed egg custard perfect with no honeycomb-like texture at all, to me, a little bit of it is the imperfection I look forward to when I make steamed egg custard. It's part of what makes it airy and a bit fluffy.

What's your steamed egg custard story? How does your family prepare this classic Cantonese dish at home? Share with us in the comments below!

Steamed Egg Custard (臘腸蒸水蛋)

Prep time: 10 mins  Cook time: 20 mins  Total time: 30 mins

You'll need:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • ¼ salt
  • 4 drops sesame oil
  • 1 Chinese sausage
  • 1 stalk scallion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Approach:

  1. Prepare a small skillet over medium heat.
  2. Cut Chinese sausage into small chucks, then throw them into a food processor and process for a few seconds, until finely chopped.
  3. Add 2 drops of sesame oil into the hot pan, then add chopped sausage. Cook for about 1 minute until it becomes slightly crispy. Then set aside.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, plus 1 cup of milk, salt and 2 drops of sesame oil, until well-combined.
  5. Using a small sieve, fish out any outstanding foam on top and on the side.
  6. Next, set up your wok with a steaming rack with 1" of standing water. Place an empty dish, that holds at least 2 cups of liquid, in the middle on top of the rack. Carefully pour eggs into the dish. Turn the heat on low, and set the timer for 18 minutes.
  7. When it is done, egg custard should be springy to the touch, and a bit jiggly.
  8. Let it rest for 1 minute, then top with 1 tbsp of soy sauce, crispy sausage bits, and chopped scallion.
  9. Serve hot.

Notes:

For your reference, this is what a steaming rack looks like.

Eggs to milk ratio should be 1:1. 

Fried Shrimp Dumplings (炸蝦角)

There are three things I love and consider comfort food: noodles, dumplings, and wontons. Eat them separately? Eat them together? Egg noodle? Rice noodle? Pan-fried dumplings? Boiled dumplings? Soup dumplings? Eat them plain? Dip in soy sauce? Vinegar? Chili oil? I'm ALL IN. And most of the above is pretty easy to make at home. Then, it comes the fried dumplings that you may see at dim sum.

It's not that deep-frying is hard to do at home but it's just kind of a pain in the butt. Agree? But I decided to do it anyway because I was craving these little fried shrimp dumplings like there was no tomorrow. The trick in making restaurant-quality shrimp dishes is the shrimp. (DUH). Just what do Chinese restaurants do to make shrimp taste so good? The answer is in the texture which is written all over Chinese food. It's all about 口感 (mouth feel) - crunchy, soft, "springy" (彈牙), chewy, smooth, tender, etc... If you've had shrimp from a Chinese restaurant before, you'd notice that the shrimp tastes somehow "crunchier" in an interesting way. I was curious in just how such thing is accomplished so I started poking around for answers. Then, I stumbled upon a post written by Bee over at Rasa Malaysia. To sum up her research, treating shrimp and achieving a pH8 to pH9, which is considered alkaline, will make a crunchier texture. Cold tap water is usually alkaline with close to pH9. And that's why restaurants run cold water on shrimp. "Sea water is pH8 and the reason why live/raw shrimps have firm and crunchy flesh". Bee went further to test another method, that's used at some restaurants, of adding egg white (ph8), tapioca starch, and baking soda (ph8). It turned out to be a success, and it has been her go-to technique for preparing shrimp for stir-fries and whatnot. The only thing about this technique is that it requires 5-6 hours to marinate so plan ahead.

Gosh! Don't you love knowing food science? Or is it just me? Thanks Bee for sharing your findings.

Now, if you want the end product of the shrimp dish to have whole shrimps, then I'd suggest that you give Bee's technique a try. However, for these Fried Shrimp Dumplings (炸蝦角), I was looking for another texture that fried shrimp rolls (炸蝦卷) at dim sums offer. For that, it requires a shrimp paste that's commonly referred to as Ha Kaw (蝦膠) which describes a shrimp paste that's springy or stretchy. But what the heck? How do you do that? Just hold on a second and let me explain before you decide to bail on me! What you really need is to get your hands dirty by mixing the ingredients by hand. If you can do that, you can make Ha Kaw (蝦膠). Yea, sure. You may try using a hand/stand mixer instead but you'll miss out on the fun! Besides, your hands are mandatory in the last step so you might as well get them dirty now. After mixing the shrimp paste together (stirring in one direction continuously), form it into a ball shape. Take it with one hand, then smack it back into the bowl. Repeat that 10 times then it's ready to be used as filling.

For deep-frying, it's handy to have a cooking thermometer so you can keep track of the oil temperature. Something like this from Sur la Table would be ideal because it's got a clip that holds it securely to the pan during frying.

Like spring rolls at dim sum, these fried shrimp dumplings are commonly served with worcestershire sauce (but sometimes served with mayonnaise instead). It's definitely one of my favorite dim sum dishes of all time!

Fried Shrimp Dumplings

Prep time: 35 mins  Cook time: 20 mins  Total time: 55 mins

Serves: about 24

You'll need:

  • 1 lb medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper powder
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 30 round wonton wrappers
  • 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Approach:

  1. After peeling and deveining the shrimp, raise it under cold water for a few minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Using the blade of a chef knife, lay it flat and mash the shrimp one by one by putting force down. Then push it to the side of the chopping board. Once all the shrimp has been mashed, give it a few more chops to make sure the consistency is good. Place it all in a big mixing bowl.
  3. Add egg whites, olive oil, salt, white pepper powder, and sesame oil. Run your fingers clock or counter-clock wise until everything is well-blended together. Then form it into a ball shape. Take it with one hand, then smack it back into the bowl. Repeat that 10 times. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate for one hour.
  4. Damp a paper towel and cover wonton wrappers when not in use, and place a small bowl of water at your work station.
  5. Spoon about 1 tbsp of filling onto the middle of the wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it on the outskirt of half of the wrapper. Pinch the middle point on top, and make pleats on both sides. The tighter you can wrap a dumpling the better.
  6. In a 5-6 quart sauce pan, heat vegetable oil to 350°F over medium-high heat. Carefully monitor your oil temperature. Fry no more than 4 dumplings at a time. Fry each side for about a minute and a half, until golden brown. Place cooked dumplings on a plate lined with paper towels.
  7. Serve fried shrimp dumplings with worcestershire or mayonnaise as dipping sauce.

Chinese Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Tea eggs (茶葉蛋), also known as marbled eggs, is such an iconic Chinese snack that's not only common in mainland China but also in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and pretty much most Chinese communities. Growing up, I would see them being sold in food storefronts, usually next to other street food like gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔 or egg waffles), curry fish balls, fish siu mai, and other fried goodies. Some restaurants in Chinatown would have tea eggs on the menu too, if you're in luck. While tea eggs are sold more commonly by street vendors in mainland China (and often eaten as breakfast), you can also see them sold in 7-elevens and night markets in Taiwan.

The flavor of tea eggs is quite unique built up by some really good spices like cinnamon, star anise, and dried orange peel, along with the infused liquid by soy sauce and tea. It sounds kind of fancy, doesn't it?

^ This is why they're also called "marbled eggs" because of the pattern it creates on the surface of the egg during the cooking process.

Get your liquid and spices going by heating it up in a pot. Bring it to a boil then leave it to simmer.

In another sauce pan, we're pre-boiling the eggs. Put your eggs in and fill water up to 1" over the surface of the eggs. Turn on the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and let it cook until it's reached the boiling point. Once water starts to boil, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the hot water. Cover with lid, and set your timer for 8 minutes. (A perfect hard-boiled takes 13 minutes, but we're PRE-boiling here.)

Drain them out of the hot water and put them in an ice bath for about 5 minutes (or run them under cold water).

Using the back of a butter knife, crack the egg all around but leave the shell on.

After you're done cracking all the eggs. Turn off the heat on the simmering liquid, place the eggs in the pot with the lid on. Let the eggs marinate overnight (transfer pot to the fridge once it has cooled down completely). When you're ready to serve them the next day, simply reheat (but not boil).

It's possible to leave the eggs to marinate for a shorter amount of time (at least 4 hours). However, eggs will not be as flavorful as they would being marinated overnight.

You can eat tea eggs plain or cut them in halves and serve them with a bowl of noodle soup!

Chinese Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Prep time: 20 mins  Cook time: 4 hours  Total time: 4 hours 20 mins

Serves: 9 eggs

You'll need:

  • Pre-boiling:
  • 9 eggs
  • Fill water up to 1″ above surface of eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Liquid:
  • 6 cups water
  • 3 tbsp loose pu-erh tea leaves (普洱茶)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 star anise
  • 4 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorn
  • A couple pieces of dried orange peel (store-bought or homemade)

Approach:

  1. Get your liquid and spices going by heating it up in a pot or sauce pan. Bring it to a boil then leave it to simmer.
  2. Pre-boil the eggs in another pot by filling water up to 1″ over the surface of the eggs. Turn on the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and let it cook until it’s reached the boiling point. Once water starts to boil, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the hot water. Cover with lid, and set your timer for 8 minutes. (A perfect hard-boiled takes 13 minutes, but we’re PRE-boiling here.)
  3. Drain them out of the hot water and put them in an ice bath for about 5 minutes (or run them under cold water).
  4. Using the back of a butter knife, crack the egg all around but leave the shell on.
  5. Turn off the heat on the simmering liquid pot, place the eggs in the pot with the lid on. Let the eggs marinate overnight (transfer pot to the fridge once it has cooled down completely).
  6. When you‘re ready to serve them the next day, simply reheat (but not boil).

Notes:

It’s possible to leave the eggs to marinate for a shorter amount of time (at least 4 hours). However, eggs will not be as flavorful as they would being marinated overnight.