Homemade Teo Chew Cai Kuih /Teo Chew Dumpling

This seem to be my last post for year 2012, with just second away to 2013. I would like to wish all of you :

 Happy New Year !

Welcome 2013

Penang Teo Chew Vegetarian Cai Kuih




On the 15th December, we made a road trip to our hometown in Penang and later on our return journey extended our trip to Batu Kawan, a small town located along the route not far from Penang, to visit Auntie Lan’s sister. Auntie Lan’s brother-in-law recommended a local skilful Thai massage lady in Batu Kawan for therapeutic Thai massage to treat hubby’s chronic back pain and my repeated knee ache lately.

The massage was not the typical Thai massage for relaxation but rather like pressure point massage which hurt quite a bit. My body was said to have too much “wind” and the advice given was to reduce the consumption of ice and cold drinks.  Thankfully, other than the agonizing pain suffered on our bodies,  our tongue and stomach however got to savour one of the best homemade food.

Auntie Lan’s sister, Auntie Chun Li is another great cook. She is especially good at cooking vegetarian food. One of her specialties is the Teo Chew Cai Kuih  (Teo Chew dumpling). I told her that I wish to video tape her vegetarian Cai Kuih making and upload to Youtube. Both husband and wife were so happy to share the recipe and looked forward to be featured in Youtube.

There are 2 types of Teo Chew Cai kuih, traditional Cai Kuih which is using rice flour with thicker skin texture and chewy in taste. Another type which Auntie Chun Li shared here is using wheat starch. The pastry skin is translucent and thinner than the rice flour version. As this is Vegetarian Cai Kuih, Auntie Chun Li replaced Chinese Chives (韭菜) filling with Amaranth (苋菜) and using vegetarian meat in replacing dried shrimp and pork mince.

Sharing below the step by step video which I had uploaded in Youtube:

For recipe kindly click below link.

Teo Chew Vegetarian Cai Kuih   INGREDIENTS Cai Kuih/ Dumpling Skin 2 bowls Wheat Starch 1 bowl tapioca flour 3 bowls water 1 tbsp. of salt Cooking oil   Method: 1.       Mix both flour into a big bowl/container to make. 2.       Add in water and slowly stir to dissolve flour and add in salt. 3.       Heat up wok and pour the flour mixture into the wok and turn to high heat to cook the flour mixture. 4.       Constantly stir the flour mixture until transparent dough is formed which indicated the flour is cooked. 5.       When the flour is cooked it gets difficult too sticky to stir, reduce to low heat to avoid dough being over burnt. 6.       Set dough aside to slightly cool.   7.       Prepare a big bowl and add in some cooking oil, transfer the cooked dough from wok to this bowl. 8.       Use spatula to coat dough with cooking oil to avoid sticky dough. 9.       Use a big tray and flour with some tapioca flour and knead dough lightly until dough coated with tapioca flour evenly. 10.   Divide and shape floured dough into equal portion balls. 11.   User rolling pin to flatten out dough, about 1.5mm in thickness. 12.   Add a heap tablespoonful of filling then fold dough and pinch or pleat edges to seal. 13.   Arrange dumplings on greased banana leaf, steam in preheated steamer with high heat for 8 minutes. The dumplings will turn translucent after steaming. 14.   To avoid dumplings stick together, spread some oil on the dumpling and transfer onto a greased banana leaf serving plate.   Note: For measurement, do use same bowl for both flour and water.   Cai Kuih Fillings Sengkuang/Jicama - cut into strips or shredded Carrots - cut into strips or shredded Dried mushroom  - soak, drain and sliced Dried radish – soak and drain Chinese Celery stalk (discard leaves) Vegetarian lamb/Vegetarian luncheon meat – cut into cubes Green Amaranth leaves - chopped Salt and pepper for seasoning   Jicama Carrots Filling: 15.   Heat oil, sauté dried radish, add in mushroom, vegetarian luncheon meat untill fragrant. 16.   Add in jicama, carrots and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, add some water (including water reserved from soaking mushroom). 17.   Add in seasonings and leave to simmer with low heat till all water is evaporated. 18.   Sprinkle in chopped Chinese celery stalk, turn heat off and stir to mix. 19.   Set aside to cool.   Amaranth Filling: 20.   Heat oil, add in chopped vegetarian lamb meat sauté till fragrant. 21.   Add in chopped amaranth leaves stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, add in seasonings. 22.   Turn heat off and set aside to cool.   潮州素食菜粿   沙葛馅料 菜脯，浸泡，沥干，切碎 冬菇，浸泡，沥干，切片 素午餐肉，切碎 沙葛，切丝 胡萝卜，切丝 芹菜梗，切碎 盐，胡椒粉调味 制作： 炒菜脯,冬菇和素午餐肉。后加入沙葛和胡萝卜拌炒，加入一点水，加盐调味，小火煨到入味。熄火，加入切碎的芹菜搅炒，移出冷却。 苋菜馅料 素羊肉，切碎 苋菜，切碎 盐，胡椒粉调味 制作： 翻炒苋菜，素羊肉 加入调味，移出冷却。   菜粿面皮材料 : 2碗澄面粉 1碗木薯粉 3碗水 1汤匙盐 适量食用油   面皮制作： 将两种面粉加入在一个大的盆/容器。加入水，慢慢地搅拌溶解成粉浆再加入盐调味。烧热炒锅，逐步倒入粉浆，用大火煮至变稠，成透明块状至熟， 其间须不断搅拌。   当面粉渐熟就越粘和越难搅拌，减小火避免面团过焦。熄火将煮熟面团放一边待凉。 准备一个大盆，并添加一些食用油中，以避免粘的面团，将煮好的面团倒入和烹饪油搅拌均匀。   使用一个大托盘，洒上一些木薯粉轻轻将面团揉至均匀。将面团划分成相等份。用擀面杖压平成厚度约1.5mm 的圆面皮。 加入一汤匙沙葛/苋菜馅料，后褶边缘封成传统圆形或饺子形的菜粿。排列在抹了油的香蕉叶蒸盘上，放入大火预热的蒸笼，高火蒸约8分钟。澄面菜粿蒸熟后会变成半透明的，为了避免菜粿粘在一起，将菜粿抹上些少食用油，即可食用。     注意： 请使用同一个碗来测量面粉和水。