PUCHONG, May 6 — A silver lining to this Movement Control Order (MCO) which has now become the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) has been the discovery of entrepreneurs making delicious goodies at home.
I've found quite a few through word of mouth, like Susan's Homemade that makes yam cake and radish cake.
It is run by Susan Chin who is based in Puchong. Previously, her food was limited to family or even friends. Bored with sitting at home during the MCO and persuaded by the family (they set up a Facebook page for her), she now offers her homemade goodies upon order.
Even after the lockdown, Susan confirmed that she will continue her business. As Susan is new to the game, everything is prepared in small batches so do exercise some patience when you place your orders.
I had WhatsApped Susan my order and she organised it pretty quickly. She had a form prepared so all I needed was to fill it up and do the online bank transfer.
There was a little confusion about the size of the yam cakes but we managed to sort that out. I had ordered a medium tray but when making my order, she discovered she only had large trays left.
She informed me once my order reached me, apologising for the confusion. Even though she didn't charge me extra for the change in size, out of goodwill, I gave her the difference.
The signature yam cake comes in three sizes, based on the aluminium foil trays used. You have a small loaf tray (4 inches by 8 inches for RM20), medium square tray (6 inches by 6 inches for RM40) and large square tray (8 inches by 8 inches for RM60).
Similarly, the radish cake is prepared using the same trays and sizes. A small loaf tray is RM30, medium square tray is RM50 and the large square tray is RM80.
Everything arrives wrapped like a precious child. There are lids over the trays, covered with cling wrap and sealed with tape to ensure no tampering or spillage.
You also have two types of sauces, the brown sweetish soybean paste and a chilli sauce. They are generous with the sauces which are placed in small packets, making it easier to open them depending on your servings.
The yam cake has chunks of cut yam with a topping of spring onions, fried shallots, dried prawns, toasted sesame seeds and sliced chillies.
It's best to leave it for a few hours as it is freshly steamed. Eat it with the sauces for a satisfying tea time treat.
The yam cake has a firm texture that keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator. You can stir fry whatever you cannot finish.
Just cut it in cubes, pan fry to get the caramelisation going and then stir fry it with whatever you have in the back of your refrigerator. I added preserved radish, dried prawns, French beans, onions, capsicum and eggs to create a new breakfast dish.
For the radish cake, the texture is much softer but incredibly aromatic, thanks to the use of waxed meat sausages or lap cheong. There are also some dried scallops and fried shallots too.
It's not packed with much radish inside but there's a nice homemade feel to it. Again you can have it both ways. Either eat it on its own with the sauces or pan fry it.
It smells really great if you take your time to slowly pan fry each piece, making sure each side is caramelised. This makes a great breakfast or tea time treat... I wish I had more.
Susan's Homemade, You can order by contacting Susan on WhatsApp at 018-2884100. You can opt to pick up or get it delivered from Bandar Kinrara 9, Puchong at your own cost. Orders require at least one day advance. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanhomemadez/
