Little-Chicken-Biscuits

Or better known as "Kai Chai Peang" by the Chinese community in Malaysia. It's been one of my favorite traditional snack foods from my younger days back in Ipoh (The city where I was born). These tiny round biscuits originate from a small town not too far away; called Kampar. We often bought them from specialty stores which delivered truckloads of these "lil chicken biscuits" all the way from Kampar and my sister and I were always picky with the brands and types we bought. Never did I imagine making these biscuits at home on my own! Haha...*shrug* Ipoh is filled with the best hawkers and food stalls! Who needs to make their own "kai-chai-peang" when you have the best ones in air tight bags for a couple dollars each! *laughs at my disgusting display of lazy-ness*
Now that I'm all the way here in Sydney; it's a different story all together. Authentic Malaysian delicacies are almost impossible to find and What better way to satisfy my cravings than to D-I-Y some chicken-cookies in my own cosy kitchen!
I almost forgot to mention; this is an event submission from me for the Merdeka Virtual open house for Malaysia's 49th National Day. by Babe in the City KL
The theme for the event is Malaysian Recipes Long Forgotten and I thought it would be appropriate to share the recipe of my favorite "Malaysian" cookie which most of us take for granted. It's easy to run out for a convenient vacuum sealed pack of "kai chai peang" if you live close to the northern States of West Malaysia; but for those studying abroad, away from home, or just plain adventurous, TRY this recipe!! It's absolutely delicious! I was amused myself! *laughs* Half way through the recipe and ingredients hunting...I got a little skeptical; The ingredients list is strange and sounds almost revolting for a cookie; but follow through...it's definitely worth the frustrating hunt for ingredients, torturous mixing of tough dough and smelly bottle of "nam yee". *wink*I made mine in shapes of tiny circles and little chickens just to make them look a little more interesting. For those who have never had these before : They aren't made with any form of chicken meat, "Why Chicken Biscuit then?" I personally don't have a clue myself Haha.
Would be great if someone could enlighten me. I don't know much about their origins...but I know they taste damn good!

INGRED. A
300gm plain flour 1tsp double action baking powder 110gm icing sugar
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2tsp five spice powder
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
80gm sesame seeds
100gm candied winter melon strips (tong tung kwah)
1/4 tsp ammonia (optional)

INGRED.B
1egg
1tbsp maltose(mak ngah tong)
2 pieces nam yee-mashed (red fermented beancurd) -* smelly red bottle *laughs*
2 drops dark soy sauce
100 ml. oil

1. Mix ingred. B in a large bowl.
2. Chop finely candied winter melon strips. Gradually add in ingred. A. Mix well.
3.Add in ingred.B AND GIVE IT ANOTHER GOOD MIX.
4.Remove dough.Rest it for 10 minutes
5. Pinch small rounds of dough (about 1 1/2 tsp full). Shape them into balls and place them in between plastic wrap. Flatten it with your palm to prefered thickness. Thinner if you would like them crunchy. I personally love the chewy middle ones...so I have mine thick. Unwrap and place them on a baking tray allowing for space to rise.
6.BAKE IN A PREHEATED OVEN AT110 C FOR 15-20 MIN.
7.Cool then gently remove.
*recipe from my Mommy dearest back in IPoh! Thanks mom for taking the time to type this out for me! The cookies were great!!