All Express Cooking

Being a Mommy is the GREATEST feeling that any women will ever feel. There's NO exact words to describe. One should go through it to feel it. And yup, after several years of 'singlehood' with "B", it was time for a third party to join us. And yesh, our Little Princess is definitely a bundle of joy.

Talking about her, I had to re-schedule my time with her around. No more about ME, ME, ME only. During the first few weeks, my time was sooooo topsy-turvy that I couldn't do any kitchen duties. Actually these are all excuses. Now, I'm retuning myself and also making time to cook and bake again for "B". Today, I did it! I made a meal with a cake included. On the days that I didn't cook, my Mommy would dilligently bring homecooked food from her home to mine. Every single day, unless on certain days when she's busy with other stuffs. THANKS MOMMY! I don't want to trouble her always. Eventhough she's ever so willing to do it. Mommy worries because I'm breastfeeding and she said I needed to eat well. Apart from that... she just want to see her granddaughter lar...

Tonight, "B" will have dinner made by yours truly. Nasi Goreng Belacan, Spiced Lamb Patties, Honey-Oyster Baked Chicken and Apple-Banana Nutella Cake. He said he wanted to fly home the moment I msg-ed him the menu! Preparing the food wasn't an easy task coz Little Princess was calling to me to carry her. I reckon it's the cold and wet weather and she just wanted to cuddle with me to feel my warmth. I surrendered after her continuous cries. Thus, the food preparations were done in batches. In the end, I managed everything. Including to blog about it all too!

Till my next kitchen duties. In the meantime, feast your eyes on these pics! Taataaa!

Ingredients for Nasi Goreng Belacan
Cooked cold rice
Half hand palm size toasted belacan
7 whole cili padis
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 large red onion - diced
2 garlic - diced
crushed black pepper
Method
Heat oil and saute diced onion and garlic. Add in whole cili padis. If you want more heat, chop the cili padis. Then add in the belacan. Stir till all combined. Pour in the cold rice and stir well till all rice grains are evenly coated. Add in soy sauce and black pepper. Let cook for several minutes and you're done.

Ingredients for Spiced Lamb Patties
500g minced lamb
1 carrot - grated
1 onion - chopped finely
1 egg
1 palm size old bread - chopped finely
a bunch of scallions - chopped finely
a bunch of corriander - chopped finely
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/3 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp all spice powder
a pinch of cumin seeds - pound lightly
salt to taste
crushed black peppers
Method
Mix all ingredients thouroughly. Let sit in the fridge for 1 hour for ingredients to combine and easy frying so that the patties will not break. Take a spoonfull and shape into mini patties. Shallow fry in olive oil. These can be made into bigger patties and have them as lamb-burgers. They can also be oven bake at 180'C for 20 minutes (depending on size of patties) or BBQ them.

Ingredients for Honey-Oyster Baked Chicken
1kg chicken drumlets
oyster sauce
soy sauce
sweet dark sauce
dried rosemary
extra virgin olive oil
cinnamon powder
paprika
honey
Method
Marinate all ingredients with drumlets overnight. Bake at 200'C for 25 minutes. Let drumlets set first before serving to let the juices combine.

Ingredients for Apple-Banana Nutella Cake
4 riped bananas
a handfull of dried ring apples - chopped roughly
Nutella
2 eggs
1 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup AP flour
1 tsp biocarbonate soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Method
In a bowl, mashed bananas and mix with vege oil. Add chopped dried apple rings. In another bowl, beat eggs and add in icing sugar. Pour in the egg mixture into mashed bananas. Add in biocarbonate soda, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder. Mix thoroughly. Sift AP flour bit by bit and mix the mixture well. Dollop Nutella on top. Grease a 9"x9" baking tin. Bake at 180'C for 30 minutes.