Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak With Curry Chicken

Nasi Lemak is very famous here in Malaysia and Singapore.It can be be found everywhere,for example in school canteen,kopi-tiam/coffee shop,streets stalls,cafe and even in restaurants and hotels.No one can resist the savoury taste of this combination of sweet,salty,spicy and sour taste of nasi lemak.(not really sour as to say)The word "lemak" sounds a bit scary.Lemak means fat in malay language,and nasi means rice,hence "Nasi Lemak".(fat rice). I eat nasi lemak without the spicy thing call "sambal", which is very spicy for some people who don't eat chilli,like me.Adding curry chicken to go with it is an option.Salted fish can be a substitute to anchovies.The egg can be either fried or hard-boiled as you preferred.
People said what makes a good nasi lemak special is making a tastier sambal.If your sambal is done right,then your nasi lemak is nice ,but for me,my nasi lemak will only be nice if I topped up with curry.That's me! I do eat with sambal if it is not spicy.

Ingredients:

3 cups rice

1 cup coconut milk

2 1/2 cups water

4 pandan leaves knotted

(A) You can also use blender to blend the ingredients.

50g small chillies,softened in warm water,pounded finely

2 red onions,

1 tsp belacan(dry shrimp paste

1/2 big onions,sliced thinly

(B)

2 tbsp sugar

 about 1 tbsp assam(turmeric)soaked in 4 tbsp water and squeezed into juice

salt to taste

50g ground peanuts,fried

40g anchovies,fried

4 hard-boiled eggs

Method making sambal paste

Heat 6-8 tbsp oil in wok.Fry (A) till aroma.Add (B) and continue cooking till paste thickens.

Coconut rice:

Wash rice three times and drain well.Mix the coconut milk and water in.Add salt.about 1 tbsp or less.Put the knotted pandan leaves in for fragrant rice.When rice has cooked,serve rice with peanuts,anchovies/salted fish, egg and curry chicken.

Enjoy the tastiness of Malaysian food.

Curry chicken:

500g chicken breast

2 potatoes

3 pieces garlics

2 pieces onions

2 stalks shallots

60g curry powder

3/4 cup evaporated milk

Cut potatoes into cubes.Cut the chicken breasts to small pieces.Blend the onions ,shallots and garlics.

Heat up 3 tbsp oil in kuali.Lower the flame.Fry the onions,shallots and garlics till brown.Add in curry powder together with a small bowl of water under low heat into a smooth paste.Quickly add in the potatoes and then the chickens.Add some more water if needed..Add salt to taste.Cover to simmer till chickens and potatoes are tender.Lastly,add in the evaporated milk.Stir for a while and dish it up.

Pancakes

At last,I made pancakes.I've always wanted to make but I don't have the non-stick pan.I decided to go buy a new one with a fairly discounted price.Okay!so here I am,making pancakes,standing hot in the kitchen.I made eleven pancakes.Hmmm...the pancakes results were soft and fluffy.My son drizzle honey on top of it.I decided to put some peanut butter and make it look like dorayaki,the japanese pancakes,but too bad,my peanut butter had finished.Eat plain then.

Ingredients to follow:

240g self-raising flour

1 tablespoons baking powder

90g castor sugar

235ml evaporated milk

2 eggs

Methods:

Whisk the milk and eggs together with a mixer.Add in sifted flour and sugar,Add in the baking powder.If it's too dry,add in another 10ml of milk.Whisk again.Leave for one hour first.After one hour,mix the batter well.
Take out the non-stick pan.Wrap a little bit of butter in paper napkins and wipe the pan.Scoop up one-third batter and drop into the center of the non-stick pan.Flap over to the other side when bubbles forms.Serve warm with honey.

Sardines Rolls

Sardine Rolls

My afternoon snacks for today.Due to so many leftover sardines that I've to do this.

Filling: 

1 small tin sardines

1 small chilli

1 red onions.finely diced

1 lime,seeds thrown

a dash of soy sauce

Pastry:

250g flour

75g margarine

3/8 cup (1/4 cup +2 tablespoon)water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Methods:

Mash the sardines with a fork.Pound the chilli.Add to the sardines.Add the red onions.Add a dash

of soya sauce in and mix altogether.Put aside.Cover so that flies don't come and breed while you 

make the dough.

Rub margarine with the flour until breadcrumbs form.Add in water and salt.Knead until a dough is formed.Roll to 1/8 " thickness.Cut into small equal rectangular shape.Put in the fillings and roll it up.Brush the top with egg yolks.Bake over moderate heat(175°C for 30 mins or until it turned 

slightly brown.

Oreo Cheese cake

My Oreo Cheese Cake topped with white chocolate and decorate with jelly

 I baked this for my son who is away from home joining the national service(PLKN)His birthday is just two days away,but unfortunately we can't celebrate with him.His birthday will have to be a bit earlier,so we brought it to the camp.







Recipe:
crust bought ready
a packet of Oreo biscuits,crushed
1/3 cup butter,melted
3 Tatura brand cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla.

Method:
Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.Prepare crust with melted butter and put on the pan.(I usually make it thin as I don't like thick crust)Use a springform cake tin.Refrigerate while you make the filling.Beat cream cheese with sugar in a large mixing bowl.Blend well.Add in the yogurt.Add in vanilla as well.Mix well.Add eggs one at a time slowly with mixer at low speed until just blended.Add in the crushed biscuits.Pour into the crust.Bake in the oven for 55 mins.Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

Blue ice Blended

Learn how to make ice blended drink

Things you'll need:

Commercial Blender(If you don't have one,use your fruit blender at home)

2 tablespoons full of ice blended powder(choice of blue ice,strawberry,peach,blueberry,etc,etc)

1 cup of ice

half cup of cold water

How to make:

1.Plug in your blender.

2.Put the flavouring powder into the blender.

3.Next throw in the cup of ice and half cup of water.

4.Start to blend until you hear no ice sound.

Optional:Black pearl added to it if you prefer.

Learn how to make milkshake

Things you'll need:

Shaker

2-3 tablespoons flavouring powder

1 cup ice

1/3 cup hot water

How to make:

1.Mix the flavour powder drink with the water.Stir well.

2.Pour in the shaker together with the ice.

3.Shake vigorously for 10 times.

4.Pour into glass.Now your milk shake is ready to drink.

Have a nice cold drink on a very hot day!





HOME IMPROVEMENT-THE LIVING ROOM

The Cozy Feel

Nice cozy,warm house

Chinese New Year 2013
 

2014

 



 

 

HOME IMPROVEMENT-THE WET KITCHEN

Time for home improvement.

The greasy feel

The unfinished extended kitchen

2013

Before the blocking of walls

Yipee! Our wet kitchen is finally done.It is now open for cooking.

 2014

This kitchen is mainly use  for cooking and washing.There's only just a sink and a gas stove.Very simple but great enough for cooking oily food and not ever to oil my beautiful and expensive cabinets Waters will also not spilled everywhere to wet and damaged the cabinets.So,in other words,the dry kitchen is for dining and storing food.A warm place to relax in the afternoon for a hot/cold tea/ coffee.Why in the world need two kitchen when you already have one to use?You may have wonder.Mostly in Malaysia,we had two kitchen.It's because we tend to cook oily food more often.Frying fish is an example.Now,I tell you why I need two.In recent years,I've difficulty trying to clean the greasy yakki thing(very oily) off my kitchen cabinets.Oil splashed everywhere on the floor and I can't wash the floor which make the greasy feeling when your feet touch on it when you wallked.Mopping the floor won't be as clean as washing the floor with a detergent.With the  now outside kitchen next to it,I can now wash the floor after my cooking is done.(of couse not everyday,only when it gets too oily)Besides that,with the oven shifted outside,I can easily baked and grilled chicken without feeling hot and greasy inside the living room.Malaysia is already a hot and humid place.Between the living room and the kitchen,there are no walls to cover.

See here?This is the divider between the dry kitchen and the wet kitchen

 

Actually,when I first moved in this house,I used to cook outside the kitchen, but it so happen that there are sometimes rats,cats and even dogs coming in from the backyard.Because of this,I have to move in to the inside to cook.This led to my poor cabinets being dirty and the base is now spoilt a little bit from getting damp.Most people here in Malaysia have two kitchens,so I persuade my hubby to make one for me.Hmmm......he do it all by himself to save cost.He took so long though,about six months,but just in time for the Chinese New Year celebration.



The living room leading to the kitchen
2013

2014 

 

 

Next,the living room improvement on my next post 

 

 

Chicken Rice

Can this be called "Hainanese Chicken Rice"?I'm not so sure,but one thing for sure,I can only called it "My Chicken Rice"Not" Singapore Chicken Rice "either!Not a copied recipe,but my own.

How to do?

First,buy one whole chicken from the market,go home and rub the body with coarse salt,all over the skin,everywhere to have a more smooth and firm skin.Other people used korsher salt,but I don't know what's that.Then rinse it off with cold running water.Next,fill a pot with enough water to cover the chicken and boil till it's cooked.Take it out and immerse in a large basin of prepared ice cold water.I think you don't have to do this if you don't like eating the skin and leaving the skin out.You know.sometimes,I leave the skin out.Skin contains too much fat,making the soup very oily and I don't like that.Have the skin on only when you're doing it for business.Skin looks more beautiful,but always remembered,they are too fat and no good for your diet.You wouldn't want soup that is very oily too,don't you?Keep the soup to make broth of your own choice.Mostly,I made salted vegetables or szechuan soup.Decorate your chicken rice with some cucumbers or even tomatoes.Dip your chicken slices with pounded chilli sauce.I love the chilli sauce with vinegar and garlic in it.

Recipe;

1 whole chicken with leg

some coarse salt enough for rubbing the chicken skin

2 pieces of chicken stock(crushed)

2 tablespoon of butter

2 cups of any brand of rice you like

sesame oil

2 small piece of garlics

Chilli paste:

2 red chillies

1 tbsp vinegar(can put more if not enough)

3 small pieces of garlics

Garnishing:

cucumbers

tomatoes(optional)

Method:

Rub the chicken skin with coarse salt,all over,from top to toe.Rinse the salt away.Wash the chicken very clean.

Fill the pot full of water enough to cover the whole chicken.Cover the pot.Wait for the chicken to get cooked.While waiting,wash the rice and make the chilli paste.

Wash the chilli clean.Pound it or grind it with a mixer together with the garlics.Add in the vinegar.Leave aside for later use.

Get back to check the chicken.When done,take it out and immersed into the basin of ice water.

Cook the rice:

Take a wok ,add in the butter ,garlics and put the already washed rice in.Add in the crushed chicken stock and fry till fragrant and looks a little yellow.Put into the pot of a rice cooker.Take 11/2 cup of the chicken soup into the rice and cooked.Cook according to the way you always cooked your rice.Some rice differ with water.It's best that you know how to cooked your own rice.

To make the soup:

The soup can be anything of your choice,szechuan or salted vegetables is best.

To serve:

Take out the rice by using a small bowl and put it onto the plate.(you'll notice the shape of the bowl)Cut some chicken pieces and arrange on your plate together with 5-6 cucumbers or tomatoes.Dash some sesame oil on the chicken.Serve also with the soup and dip your chicken slices with chilli paste or mix the chilli paste with the rice.It is nice.Enjoy!

 

Steam Rice Cake

This steam rice cake is the same as the nine layered kueh.It's not actually a cake,but a local type of dessert from the nyonya origin.It is made of rice and tapioca flour.A sticky type of dessert and can be eaten by taking up layer after layer.That's what everyone do especially children.

Depend on how big the tray you used,some big tray can only made  up to six layers,while a smaller tray can made up to nine layersFor mine here,I used a 9" round tray and I got only six layers.The usual nine layers kueh lapis  uses red colouring and neutral,but for mine here,I used the pandan paste and gula apong.It's different from what I've made several times before and posted in my previous post.I must say,it's not much different.please refer to my older post for the recipe of nine layered kueh lapis.Change the colouring to1 tsp pandan paste on one portion and 2 tablespoon of gula apong on the other portionhttp://www.cocomintt.blogspot.com/2013/06/9-layers-kuih-lapis.html.

HAM CHI PENG

It was the school holiday,and my daughter ask me to make ham chi peng(also known as five spice powder snack)And so off to the market we went,to buy bits and bits of stuff to make it.It was the first semester school break.One short week and we made all this:

Day2 of school holiday:

Ham Chi Paeng

Day 3 of school holiday:

Steamed Rice Cake

Day 4 of school holiday:

Curry Puff and Egg Tarts

Day 5 of school holiday:

Chicken Rice

So these are the things that I made during the one week of school short holidays. I may not be the perfect baker and chef, but I always try to be and will never stop to be. My kids are luckier to have me who always cooked and baked for them. Oh! I almost forgot! I also made Kolo mee(our very famous Sarawakian local noodle)That was on day what? I couldn't remember which day of the school holidays I made. Too many things in a week's time. Not to mention, there is also the Tomato Sauce Kueh Teow for dinner on the following day. It was a happy holiday spending time together with my kids and doing things that I like.
Ham Chi paeng was said to be crispy on the outside and soft or spongy on the inside, but I think we made it way too crispy. We want it to look more brown and beautiful and it ended up too crispy and a bit hard. Therefore, we made another batch.

For the Ham Chi Paeng recipe:

1 kg bread flour
1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
21/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
2 sachets of instant yeast

Method:

Put everything into a large mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Knead into a dough and cover it to let it rise in a warm place. The dough will double in size.

Filling:

2 tbsp 5 spice powder
21/2 tsp salt

Mix the filling. Take the dough out and roll it into a 4 rectangular pieces. Sprinkle some water over the dough. Sprinkle some 5 spice powder over the top on every 4 rectangular pieces and spread evenly using the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough like you roll a swiss roll. Cut into a few pieces. Turn the cut side out and flatten it a bit.
Deep fried in a wok half full of oil until golden brown, but not too brown or it will end up very hard. Let cool before eating.

NOTE: Go to older post for recipes of egg tarts,kuih lapis, and curry puffs.Chicken rice on the next post.

Kek Lapis Haw Flakes

 Haw Flakes Layered Cake

Much more simple kek lapis

At least,one of the few kek lapis that don't have many egg yolks,like 25 or 30 .This is a baked,grilled version.In my previous post,I've got the steamed version.Feel free to check it out!

Ingredients:

A

10 eggs yolk

2 egg white

180 g castor sugar

1 tbsp ovalette

75 ml cold water

1 small tin kaya

1/2 small bottle Horlicks (100 g)

250 g Hong Kong flour

300 g butter(in room temperature)

4 tbsp condensed milk

4 packets of Haw Flakes(rectangle)

Method:

Combine together ingredients A in a mixing bowl.

Beat until fluffy.

Then add in flour a little at a time till well combined.

Lastly,add in butter and condensed milk.Beat until fluffy.

Spread the cake tin with greaseproof paper(either 7" by 7" or 8" by 8" cake tin)

Put 4 tbsp of ingredients into the cake tin and spread evenly.Grill on top heat only.When cooked,put another 4 tbsp again and arrange the Haw Flakes on top.Grill until cooked or brown and repeat the same process again until finished and done.Every layer must be pricked  first with a toothpick to dispersed the wind trapped inside.

For the last layer,used only the low heat for a while,then changed to top heat again until brown and finally done.





PROSPERITY FISH IN ORANGE SAUCE

This one was adapted from "HER WORLD" magazine.It was quite a long time ago.Some ten or more years ago.I only now have a chance to try it out.This dish is meant for Chinese New Year,hence the name "Prosperity Fish",but it doesn't mean you can only cook it during Chinese New Year.You can cook it on any day of the year!Be it for lunch,dinner,or any other occasions like birthday party,coming home of your loves ones.Any special occasions.This may sound silly!Of course everyone knows that!I made this on the eve of Chinese New Year.We had lots of Mandarin Oranges during Chinese New Year and so I decided to make this, when I came across the recipe while searching for Cheesecakes recipe.

Recipe:
11/2 tsps KNORR No added MSG Ikan Bilis Seasoning Powder
500g whole red snapper or grouper,cleaned
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil for frying

SAUCE
2-3 large mandarin oranges
100ml water
2 tbsps sugar
1 tbsp cornflour

GARNISH
1 stalk spring onion,finely shredded
1 stalk fresh coriander

1.Make three 1 cm deep slits on each side of the fish.Season fish with KNORR ikan bilis(anchovy)seasoning powder,pepper and salt.Set aside for 10 mins.
2.Heat oil in a large wok over medium fire.Meanwhile,roll fish in cornflour.Lower fish into hot oil and fry both sides until golden brown.Put on a serving plate.
3.Make the sauce(you can do this while the fish is frying)Using a peeler,thinly remove a few pieces of rind from one orange.Stack together and shred finely.Squeeze 150 ml juice from the oranges.
4. Combine juice,water,sugar and cornflour in a small pan.Heat,stirring well until mixture boils and thickens.Add about 1 tsp orange strips to the sauce.Set aside.
5.Spoon sauce over fish.Garnish with orange peel,spring onion and coriander.