When Yong Pays A Visit

My old friend Yong always tries her very best to pay me a visit whenever she's around KL and PJ area. Of course, I'm very grateful of her thoughtful act. This time, she decided to see me 'in action' in the kitchen when I told her that we could only go out after 1 pm for I had to cook for Mr KHz. Well, when two old girlfriends go out, one should be able to expect that the outing would be dragged till much later in the evening. For this reason, I opted to be safe than sorry. As long as there's food prepared, I wouldn't feel guilty to arrive home later than usual.

For your information, my daily routine includes checking the freezer to see what I have in store. Next would be the fridge and later, the stove. Other mums would do spring cleaning but I 'clean' the freezer instead. When I saw my frozen tomato sauce, I decided to prepare a snack for Yong. Preparing this snack would be 'killing two birds with one stone' as my kids (who happen to find rice rather unappealing unless there's chicken curry or squid 'sambal') enjoy it too! In other words, lesser time spent on cooking means longer outing hours! Yabadabedu!!! Furthermore, I want to try the plastic-lined paper casings (they should be non-stick) that I bought last week to see if the coating really does its work.

After thawing the sauce, I prepared the dough and the toppings. Since my kids are carnivores ( I don't blame them as their father is one too), I decided to use cooked, diced chicken and sliced Ayamas mini chicken with cheese sausages. To cut my story short, feast your eyes upon the photo below. Baked to perfection and still piping-hot when Yong entered the kitchen. Shhhh...this was my attempt to divert her attention from my whale-size body and witch-like appearance while I slaved over the hot stove! Clever, huh? You are asking me why I did this? Have you seen Yong? Try putting her in The Biggest Loser and I'm sure that the contestants would be more than motivated to be slim. Oh, one more thing, please try this recipe. I guarantee that you wouldn't be disappointed. On a different note, Kak Siti Rahamah, if you are reading, this recipe is specially dedicated to you.

MINI PIZZA BUN

Ingredients:

For the dough

• 200g high protein flour
• 2 tsp of instant yeast
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 160ml warm water
• vegetable shortening for greasing
• 8 large plastic-lined paper casings

For the sauce:

• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 100ml water
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 yellow onion (finley chopped)
• 1 tsp dried oregano/ parsley
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• salt to tast

Toppings of your choice

Enough grated mozarella/ parmesan

Method:

Put all the ingredients except water and shortening into a mixer fixed with a dough hook. Process till it resembles bread crumbs texture. Put in the water and continue mixing till you get a soft but pliable dough. Leave in a container covered with cling plastic for 45 minutes till it doubles in size.

For the sauce, heat your pot and put in the olive oil. Stir fry the chopped onion till fragrant and translucent. Next, put in all the other ingredients and stir for 10 minutes. Take off from the heat and let to cool. Next, blend till fine. Bring over to the stove and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Keep aside to cool.Preheat your over at 160C for 15 minutes.

Next, punch your dough to let the air out. Divide into 8 equal portions and shape into balls. Then, lightly grease you paper casing using the shortening and flatten the balls and put into the paper casings. Using your fingers, make indentation on the flatten dough. Let to rest for 10 minutes.

Smear the tomato sauce over your dough and sprinkle the grated mozarella. Arrange your topping and bake your buns for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.Enjoy!

Misi Mustahil? Biar Betul!

Tajuk : Catatan Pengalaman Memasak Resepi Hebat(konon) Untuk Encik KHz

Tarikh : 2 Disember 2009
Tempat : Paramount Garden

Objektif Misi

1. Mencari idea untuk menghasilkan resepi baru.


2. Menggantikan rancangan untuk memasak Daging Masak Hitam yang terpaksa dibatalkan kerana tiada stok rempah kurma. Memandu ke pasaraya 'Raksasa' untuk membeli sepeket rempah kurma berharga 60 sen dan hanya perlu menggunakan satu sudu teh sahaja memanglah tidak berbaloi!


3. Mahu mencuba resepi lain yang menggunakan daging kerana sepanjang minggu yang lepas, hampir setiap hari memasak kari. Aidiladha terasa seperti menyambut Deepavali!

Pelan taktikal

• Menggeledah tempat menyimpan stok dapur. Sangat mendukacitakan kerana yang dijumpai hanyalah :

a) 2 peket rempah kari daging Faiza

b) 2 peket rempah kari ikan Adabi

b) 2 bungkus sup bunjut Adabi

c) 1 bungkus kulit kayu manis

c) 1 kotak santan Ayam Brand

• Meneruskan usaha menggeledah sambil senyum-senyum sendiri kerana ada antara peket rempah/ perencah sudah sepatutnya dihapuskira setahun yang lalu! Tiba-tiba, mata terlihat satu peket berwarna HIJAU, berjenama ADABI. Adakah ini objek yang akan membantu misi kali ini ? Yaaaaaaa! Akhirnya, pencarian berhasil. Objek yang akan digunakan dalam misi kali ini ialah......................PERENCAH KERUTUK DAGING DAN AYAM ADABI!


• Misi diteruskan dengan membaca resepi di belakang peket ini. Tuan punya blog sangat sukahati kerana bahan-bahan untuk menghasilkan hidangan ini memang ada dalam simpanan. Satu soalan yang penting, kerutuk tu apa ya? Tak mengapalah. Belum cuba, belum tahu kan?

Pelan Operasi

Menyediakan bahan-bahan:

• 500g daging batang pinang dihiris tipis
• 1 peket rempah kerutuk awam dan daging ADABI
• 10 ulas bawang merah
• 5 ulas bawang putih
• 2 batang serai (diketuk)
• 50g kerisik
• 300ml santan pekat
• air secukupnya
• garam dan gula secukup rasa

Bahan tumbuk(halus) :

• 5 ulas bawang putih
• 1/2 inci halia
• 1/2 inci lengkuas

Kaedah memasak:

• Rempah kerutuk dicampur dengan sedikit air untuk dijadikan pes.
• Tumbuk bawang merah dan bawang putih separa halus dan gaulkan dengan pes rempah tadi.
• Gaulkan campuran ini dengan daging.
• Panaskan minyak dan tumis bahan yang ditumbuk halus serta serai hingga wangi.
• Masukkan campuran daging dan rempah tadi dan kacau rata.
• Masukkan juga santan, kerisik dan air secukupnya. Kecilkan api dan kacau sekali sekala untuk mengelakkan ia hangus. Peringatan : Kuali 'non-stick' bukanlah bermakna ianya 'non-burnt' ya!
• Masak hingga daging lembut dan kuahnya pekat. Perasakan dengan garam dan gula.
• Hidangkan dengan ketupat atau nasi himpit (nasi kapit jika anda berada di Terengganu!)

Hasil di akhir misi :

KERUTUK DAGING

Keputusan juri :

• Encik Khz menyatakan bahawa kerutuk ini rasanya ala-ala rendang. Disebabkan ianya tidak begitu kering maka hidangan ini disenaraikan sebagai "bolehlah'.
• Pak Incik rumah No 1 Paramount Garden nampaknya suka dengan hidangan ini. Sambil makan, sambil bertanya, "Ini beli ke buat? " Macam mana rakan pembaca? Bolehkah saya memasak hidangan ini? Jangan lupa memberi komen ya!

How do you do?

Salam and a very good day to all. Wondering where I have been all this while? I'm still here, doing the usual stuff. Well, to cut my blabbering short, let's see a dish that has been my family's special item which is served only on special occassions, specifically Aidilfitri and Aidiladha. Here it is!!!

'RENDANG PULAU BESAU'

Ingredients:
500g beef ('daging batang pinang') cut into small cubes
12 shallots (thinly sliced)
6 red chillies (thinly sliced)
3 pips of garlic
1 inch of ginger
1 lemongrass(thinly sliced)
200ml thick coconut milk
300ml thin coconut milk
salt and sugar to taste

Method:

• Pound the garlic, ginger and lemongrass and keep aside.
• In a large wok, heat some oil and fry the sliced shallots till wilted and keep aside.
• Using the same oil used to fry the shallots, fry the sliced chillies till wilted and keep aside.
• Next, leave about 2 tablespoonsful of oil in the wok and stir-fry the pounded ingredients toll fragrant.
• Then, put the fried shallots and chillies. Pour in the cubed beef as well.
• After that, pour in the thick coconut milk and stir.
• Over medium heat, cook your beef and stir ocassionaly.
• Pour the thin coconut milk gradually and cook your beef till it is tender and the gravy thickens.
• Add sugar and salt to taste.
• This dish is best served with 'ketupat' or compressed rice.

Yellow, Yellow, Make Me Mellow

Hi all! It has been ages since I last blogged. Among my close friends, it is a known fact that I am without a helper so it is clear that this is a reason why this blog is left abandoned for quite some time. As time passes by, I can say that I am getting accustomed to the daily routines that I am now able to find the time to start blogging again.

As a start, here's a recipe for a dish that I've prepared before the month of Ramadhan, for everyone who ventures this blog. This dish is another outcome of my attempt to finish up whatever is available in the fridge. Perhaps, you can try cooking this dish as it is a very economical way to clean your fridge! Anyway, here goes.......

'MASAK LEMAK KUNING UDANG DENGAN PETAI DAN BUNGA KANTAN'

Ingredients:

400g of medium size prawns, shelled and cleaned but leave the tails intact

10 bird's eyes chillies

5 shallots

3 pips of garlic

2cm piece of ginger

1 stalk of lemongrass (bruised)

1 ginger torch (bunga kantan) quartered

1 piece of turmeric leaf (sliced thinly)

20 pieces of 'petai'

1/4 cup of thick coconut milk

1/2 cup of water

1 piece of 'asam keping'

salt to taste

Method:

• Pound the shallots, garlic and ginger till fine and put into a pot.
• Put in all the other ingredients and cook over a low fire, stirring at all time.
• Season with salt.
• Serve hot with plain boiled rice.
• Savour the taste!

When Cikyah Turns Thirty-four

Hiya peeps! As I've mentioned in one of my earlier entries, birthdays carry different meanings to different people. This year, I am officially thirty-four years old. As the saying goes( hopefully), one year older and one year wiser.Usually, my birthdays were celebrated with beautiful sms from siblings and relatives and much awaited calls from Mak. Since I'm married to one who claims that he is unromantic, I never expects anything from him. It was kind of sad during the early years but I've grown accustomed to it. After all, Mr K did have a point when he said, "Why must we wait for certain days to celebrate love? Shouldn't it be ongoing?" Well, coming from an unromantic, I have to say yes to that statement.

Although Mr K has never been enthusiastic with birthdays, this time, he managed to remember mine. He mentioned that my birthday gift would be chocolates (as he is a choc addict) and I just kept quiet. When I came on from school last Saturday, Mr K, being unromantic as always, simply pointed at the plastic bag near my sewing machine. "Hmm..that's your birthday gift", and he continued reading. Since he rarely gives present, I grabbed the plastic bag and there it was! My dream item! Want to to what Mr K got me? Here it is.........

Can you see the writings on the box?

Tadaaaa! My New York model GreenPan!

Note: Although this means that Mr K expects me to cook more for him, I would rather take this gift as his token of appreciation for what I've done in the kitchen all these years. Hehe...syok sendiri kan?

Ahlan Ya Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

Good morrow peeps! How's your Monday? I bet, most of us find it rather hard to accept that it's another Monday. Why must the weekend be so short? The usual claim of not having enough rest, I suppose.

Anyway, personally, I'm looking forward to this Saturday because the Muslims will be celebrating the blessed month of Ramadhan. The best month in the Islamic calendar. I sincerely wish that the Almighty grants me the chance and strength to sail smoothly throughout this much awaited month. I have actually planned to ask my Atush to have a try at fasting- just like how Mak trained the six of us. She believes that a child should learn how to fast when he or she is six! I started fasting for a half day and within a week, I was able to complete fasting for the whole day. Nurturing is always best done at a tender age.

Ramadhan, to me, is forever a month full of memories. I can stil picture out Mak preparing wonderful dishes for iftar (the breaking of fast). I'm not talking about elaborate preparation. The dishes were still ordinary, daily dishes but they tasted good. Perhaps, this is why Ramadahan is called 'the month of barakah'. You don't only taste the food but you are being thankful for what the Almighty has given at the same time.

Talking about food, I want to share this recipe from the talented Mat Gebu but I have reduced the amount of chillies. It's easy to prepare and I feel that it would make a good side dish.

KERABU TELUR NYONYA

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 red onions

2 ripe tomatoes (cut into quarters, deseed and chopped into small pieces)

2 ginger torch (bunga kantan)

a handful of 'laksa' leaves shoots (pucuk daun kesom)

juice from 5 calamansi lime

1 and 1/2 tsp of sugar

1/2 tsp of salt

2 red chillies

5 bird's eye chillies

1 pip of garlic

1 inch shrimp paste (toasted)

Method:

1. Fry each egg as an omellette, roll and slice thinly.
2. In a pestle and mortar, pound the red chillies, bird's eye chillies, sugar, salt, garlic and shrimp paste till fine. Put into a mixing bowl and pour the lime juice and mix till fine.
3. Shred all the other ingredients thinly and put into the mixing bowl with the pounded ingedients.
4. Put in the sliced omellette and chopped tomatoes and toss well. You may add, salt, sugar and lime juice according to your taste. Serve with hot rice and fried salted fish on the side.

Do I have to do IT just because I ate a piece of cheesecake yesterday?

Good evening peeps. Already looking forward to the weekends? Lucky you. Not me, though. Tomorrow, I HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL! Yes! You read it right. Tomorrow, the world will see me exercising my whale-size body doing aerobics. Surprised? I was too! Actually, this programme is part of the school's campaign to collect funds to upgrade the existing facilities.

Just a question. Why aerobics? Why? What can exercise do to a whale? Ask my students. they will definitely agree that puan shah and exercise do not go hand in hand. Don't they know I have a COOKING BLOG? Don't they know that all excellent chefs are big-sized? Don't they watch the movie 'Ratatouille'? Is Gusteau the Chef thin? Why must it be aerobics? Why can't it be a canteen day? A day that I will enjoy tremendously. Tell me!

Well, so much of me being petty. In the name of preparing better facilities for the children, I will have to keep sane and Godwilling, drag my whale-body to school at such wee hour next morning. Wish me luck peeps. Anyway, moving to something so much better, let me share my cheesecake recipe that I have ammended from the recipe on the cream cheese packaging just because I want my vegetarian friend to enjoy it too! I was really glad that my other colleagues loved the outcome of my experiment. What about the taste? It was lip-smacking, baby!! And to think that I have to pay a dear price doing aerobics tomorrow just because I enjoyed it, certainly won't stop me from cooking and baking. Perhaps, the exercise would do me good. Should I pack my choc chip cupcakes for sale tomorrow? Good thinking, ay? What say you?

SIMPLE CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SWIRLS

Do you like what you see? You do? Then.......

Have a closer look!

To enjoy this scrumptious delight, you need:

For the base:

• 20 pieces digestive biscuits
• 4 oz butter (melted)
• a 10 inch x10 inch square cake tin with loose base

For the topping:

• 2 x 250g packets of cream cheese ( I used Tatura Brand cream cheese- it's cheaper)
• 300ml condensed milk
• 100ml evaporated milk
• 2 tsp gelatine ( I used Halagel brand- easily available now at leading hypermarkets)
• 1/4 cup of boiling water
• 1/2 tsp of chocolate emulco

For the delectable palate:

1. Put the biscuits into a plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush till fine.
2. Pour in the melted butter and mix well and put into the cake tin. Use a potato masher, level the mixture.
3. Put your cake tin in the freezer.
4. Next, pour your gelatine powder into the cup of boiling water and stir till dissolve. Just a note. DO NOT pour liquid onto gelatine for it will never dissolve. It should always be gelatine into water and not the other way around. I learn it the hard way!
5. Next, cut your cream cheese blocks into small pieces and put into a mixer fixed with a pedal. Beat your cream cheese till light and fluffy.
6. Put in your gelatine mixture, both condense and evaporated milk and stir till smooth and well-mixed using a balloon whisk.
7. Save 2 tbsp of this mixture and mix with the chocolate emulco into a smooth paste. Put into a piping bag and keep aside.
8. Pour your cheese mixture onto the chilled based.
9. Pipe your chocolate paste across the cheese topping. The more lines you have, the finer your swirls will look.
10. To create the swirl/ feathery look, use a toothpick/ cake tester against the drawn lines.
11. Refrigerate overnight. Then

*This cake melts if it is left at room temperature so it is best to be kept refrigerated.