Cooking and baking

I'd been busy in the kitchen making things that A had asked me to stop for the time being.  Reason? Our waistlines are expanding and the trousers are getting a little snug.  For the past couple of weeks, I'd baked my first ever banana cake (there's a story behind it), a butter cake, Fried Carrot Cake and Char Siew/Red Bean Paste 'Pao' (also my first attempt) and sambal chilli.



Now to the story of banana cake.  A's a big fan but unfortunately, not me.  When I was in primary school, I once bought a piece of banana cake from the tuck-shop during recess.  It had gone bad.  Since then I couldn't go near any banana cake.  The rancid taste forever etched in my mind.  Then a few weeks back, there were quite a few bananas left over from Lavigne's birthday party.  Eventually I had over-riped bananas in the kitchen and I thought what better use than to bake a banana cake!  So I googled for a recipe and came across one which looks really simple.  A was a happy bunny.  I took my first bite after nearly 3 decades.  It was alright.  It won't be something I will choose to eat if I have a choice but I'm no longer scared of it.
Then the carrot cake.  Louisa's been asking me to make her some.  When I went to the Korean Supermarket, I saw some really fresh and nice looking radish.  So I bought one and tried to replicate the type which the dim sum restaurants sell - with beansprouts and spring onions.  I'd tried a few recipes so far but everytime the 'kuay' turn out to be a tad too wet.  More tweaking I guess.  
Finally Chinese 'paos'.  Again, my family enjoys eating them - both sweet and savoury.  I stumbled upon a recipe and remembered I have some Hong Kong flour in my kitchen cupboard.  My mum called me just as I was about to start and when she heard that I was going to make some 'paos', she chuckled.  Living abroad, we don't have easy access to all the Chinese and local food.  Unlike back home, one can just pop into a kopitiam or foodcourt to get anything.  So for people like me, it's either to stock up on the frozen ones when we do go to a Chinese supermarket or make ourselves.  I'd always thought 'pao' making is quite difficult but on the contrary, it's actually not that hard.  For me, it's the pleating of the dough that's the most tough.  I made both charsiew and red bean paste.  The latter filling which was store bought tasted overly sweet.  No more shortcut for me next time.  Homemade red bean paste definitely tastes better.  Now every morning, Lavigne's been asking me to steam 'pao' for her.
I'm itching to bake a cake this week.  But my muffin top's saying 'NO'!