Daylillies

I'm A.L.I.V.E S.T.I.L.L.

2009-09-06T02:06:00.005+08:00

As per the subject. Well more active than ever before. Let's blame the Lit'l Precious for it. I've neglected this blog for moons. I ONLY have time surfing in the wee hours of the morning (like now), when the Lit'l Princess is fast asleep and after I've done ALL my never ending chores OR when I'm at work. Which of course does not warrant me to have my ass sit-ed down for hours of blogging and updates. That's call skiving...

Honestly, I've been cooking and baking and trying countless of toddlers recipes BUT NEVER have time to actually blog about it. What more to upload the pics I've dutyfully snapped. Sad..... I reckon you can put it as I'm damn lazy and would like to catch on my sleep rather than facing the monitor and wait for the uploads. Oh yeah, I'm in need of 72 solid hours of peaceful sleep with no small hands harrassing my boobs for the indefinite milk supply. Imagine, you in slumber and every 3 hours, there'll be a voice with a sharp outburst "NAK mek-mek, NAK mek-mek, NAaaak" (want milk). Hish... sometimes, I just roll her to her oblivious Papa who in no sense will wake up coz all he'll say is, "aren't you the one she's asking for?" jeeesz... Each night I'm always ready with a bottle of 240ml warm milk to stuff her. But you will notice these tiny arms shoving hard and grab for the ultimate boobs for her nightly dose. Only sometimes I'm able to get away with serving her bottled milk. Else, it'll be the boobs to go. Oh, and mine you, the Lit'l Princess still needs 3 x serving of milk (for bottled) every night. If BF, it'll be countless self-service. So, a 72 hours deep sleep is a justifying proposition!

Evenso, I'm still loving every moment of it albeit being really tired each morning. This priceless experience will soon ceased with time. My Lit'l Princess is growing healthy at 19months now. Soon, she'llbe starting her playgroup classes. I'm also enrolling her for ballet, violin and aikido. Her dictionary has increased since the last. Oh, and she said "I.B.U." on the morning of 1st Ramadhan! Sweet rite. I KNEW she was saving the best for last. But it had last been change to her twang of her tongue to "A.BO". Whatever la.

Back to the updates of this blog, I PROMISE for the gazillion times, that I will not forsake blogging. Frankly, I had forgotten Daylillies until a long-time friend SMS on my recipe of Apple Pie. I do hope she succeeded.

My Apologies...

2009-03-31T22:37:00.002+08:00

Do you peeps noticed that time now flies really... really fast...? OR is it just me...?!!! My Precious Litl Princess is coming 15mths soon. She's already walking, uttered her first ever word - S.T.A.R., drank more formula, eating solid food oh... and practically turning into a vainpot... She won't be out of the house without her (1) hair clip, (2) her yellow-flowery watch, (3) DORA handbag OR Hippo bagpack, (4) batik prints hat and (5) shoes & socks (now she adores the sandals that makes that squeeky sound whenever she steps. I HATE those. But they were a gift from her nanny, so ok lar). Now, I dress her in more skirts and dresses. Ooooh... I just loves the way she sashays... with her diaper-butt and tiny steps.

Before, I can't wait for her to start flipping, then crawling, then cruising and finally walking. But if I couldturn back time... I'd really prefer her asa newborn always. Pssst... it's easier to maintain. I have NO regrets. I love her just the way she is now. "B" is ever so proud being the Papa. Yeah, why shouldn't "B" becoz the 3rd word she uttered was no other than "Pa..pa". 2nd was T.O.Y. No IBU yet... But I KNOW, it'll just be in a matter of time..

Eversince, Litl Princess came, I seemed to have really littl time left for blogging. OR maybe, I just want to spend all the time I have with Litl Princess. I guess the latter. Eh, my time management is STILL outstanding. If not, how can I still juggle work, household chores and lookng after Litl Princess every night and weekends without help. Oh, the man of the house helps a great deal too. Kudos to "B". He is what I call the "New-Age-Parent". Thank God, he shares the workload with me. If not I'll be crushed and stick-thin. Eh, I do like the latter. Running after Litl Princess is a cheap workout. Breastfeeding also helps to maintain some of my weight. I'm still a couple of kilos above my pre-pregnancy weight. "B" said I looked fuller... Yeah, whatever... I still can't fit into my favourite size 2 jeans.

Meals for us are many a times packet food. Now, with the recession and all... packet food is a tad cheaper after much calculations (since there's only the TWO of us adults). Still... homecooked food beats handsdown. PROMISE, I'll download all the pics I've saved soon...

Wait for me to blog again soon... Don't give-up on this page yeah... To all, who dropped by, many, many thanks for the support. To some who just don't know what to do with their life and trashed things here, I still wish you well. The old me will just say this "keep your s**t outta my space you dinghead". It's the Litl Princess who mellowed me down. Till then... ToodLes...

Baby Formula... hmmm...???

2008-11-30T00:23:00.004+08:00

I've been BUSY with the Little Princess. I did cooked and baked but it seems that I NEVER can find the time to blog! Jeesh... OR I'm just layzieeee OR I didn't want to lose any precious moments with my one and only. I'd pick the latter. I cooked every alternate days and baked whenever time I could squeeze in. SO I'm not lazieee huh....

Anyways, tonight's different. I had to clear 2 mini baguettes in the fridge, thus the night baking. Morever, Little Princess is sound asleep. She's dead tired after playing peek-a-boo with her Papa and me. Oh, she's 10 mths + now. My little darling is growing up fast. I've just browsed thru her pics when she was like 1 to a week old. So much had changed. She's like already cruising and could stand for like 5 seconds on her own. Perhaps she could just walk any moment now...

Ok, I can't blog for long. I've a philosophy to follow. When the Little Princess sleeps, I GO TO SLEEP TOO. The least I could waste is an hour. Besides, studies did proved that a person who have adequate rest of 8 hours or more are slimmer. Therefore, I steadfast to this rule aites!

So here goes. I baked Choc Chips Bread Pudding with a special ingredient ---> BABY FORMULA. And it bloody worked! Tasted bloody good! For mommies who have many samples in hand and nearing to their expiry dates. Go try this recipe. That is if you have no qualms about it...

Choc Chip Baby Formula Bread Pudding
2 mini baguettes or 1 normal baguette
150ml hot water
20 scoops baby formula (I used Enfalac and Nan Pro)
5 tbsp condense milk
2 eggs
200g chocolate chips
Method
Mix well hot water and baby's formula in a bowl. Add in condense milk and mix well. Add in eggs and mix. In another bowl, shred the baguettes into bitesizes. Pour in the mixture and let the bread soak in the mixture. Add inchocolate chips. Use a non-stick muffin tray and scoop in full. Bake for 20 minutes in 180'C. Serve warm with a drizzle of condense milk or ice-cream...

Oh, to answer with a number of similar queries. YES, alternatively, other milk powder can be a substitute to Baby's Formula. Try with Fernleaf, Everyday, Dumex, Anlene etc... You could also use just cindense milk. Just up the amount (let's say x 3 more). Add in a couple of tbsp of creamer for added thickness. Apart from powdered milk, one can use full cream milk too. : )

BLACK is Just A Colour

2008-10-22T00:41:00.002+08:00

DON'T be turned-off by the colour.

DON'T be turned-off by its look.

DON'T be turned-off by the ingredients.

DON'T turn-off this page either...

Black Glutinous Rice Cake
2 cups black glutinous rice
1.5 cups AP flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup vege oil
1 cup powdered milk
Method
Steam glutinous rice till soften and put aside. In a bowl, mix glutinous rice with vege oil. In another bowl, beat eggs and mix with sugar. Pour in sugar mixture into glutinous rice bowl. Mix well. Add in baking soda. Add in flour little-by-little and mix well. Add in powdered milk and combine thoroughly. Grease a baking tin and bake for 40 minutes at 180'C. Let cool before cutting. It's soft and chewy... For the more adventurous, add in chocolate drops for an extra ooomph... Do try...

The get-together-iftar a SUCCESS

2008-09-27T23:22:00.006+08:00

We had a GREAT time! Little Princess had FUN! GREAT FUNTIME with all the other babies and toddlers. She was an independent baby. I let her sit and crawl around as she deemed wished. Although I STRONGLY disapproved of letting her crawl on the tiled flooring, I obliged today seeing that she is ENJOYING herself. Next time I know NOT to dress her in that "ra-ra" skirt. Long pants or 3/4 pants would be most appropriate. Her knees were red due to all the crawling. She wasn't cranky, was all friendly with my mates and most of all she could be-friend with the other kids. I was all smiles when she sat in a circle amidst other toddlers above 12months and played with them! Not onced she wanted to be carried by her Ibu and Papa and yeah, she even missed her milk-milk time with me. How to breastfeed when other kids are peering about??? She was a darl...

At least, this'll prepare me when Hari Raya comes next Wednesday. I'll know how to deal with Little Princess with all the 'chaos'. This'll be her FIRST Idilfitri with us and I'm positive we'll enjoy it together! We've been teaching her to 'salam' with the elders and she did it with grace. I'll post up a pic for proof!

We mates did a lot of catching ups and you ought to hear the noise level. With the kids and elders at one go... hmmm... Kakak M house macam nak roboh! Not included the mess we did to her house too! There were lotsa food for iftar. Sweet Sour Fish, Opor Ayam, Ayam Kicap Pedas, Kangkong Goreng Belachan, Beef Kailan, Chapchai, Sup Tulang Merah, Murtabak, Fishball Soup, Fried Rice, Fried Chicken, Lychee Muffins, Chocolate Brownie, Doughnuts, Shepherd's Pie, Bubur Pulut Hitam, Roll Cakes, Choc Chips Cookies, Rempeyek, Ice Cream Soda, tea and coffee... phew... we had a fulfilled iftar. AND for once I had a satisfying break fast after 26 days of simple meal of kuehs (coz I had to rush to MIL to fetch Little Princess. So our break fast are short). I'm looking forward to the jalan raya with the mates.

Since we're at our last week of Ramadhan...
I'm taking this oportunity to wish ALL my Muslims brothers and sisters -

"SELAMAT HARI RAYA IDILFITRI
MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN
from Daylillies, "B" and Little Princess!"

Iftar Chocolate Brownie Cake

2008-09-27T01:01:00.006+08:00

Harlow.... people...!!!!! I'm back, back, back! It feels good to continue again after M.I.A for soooo loooong... "My apologies..." Let's blame the Little Princess for this aites ;-) hahahahaaaa... I had been cooking and baking every now and then but had no time to snap pics and whatmore to update! Let's say, I'm S.L.O.W. and I wanted to put ALL my attention to the Little Princess. After work, my time is SOLELY to Little Princess, weekends DEFINITELY with Little Princess. In fact any other free time is with Little Princess. My world revolves around Little Princess AND also "B" (he's NOT forgotten huh!). Sheeesh... the time flew too fast when you've become a Mommy. But I loved EVERY minute of it. TIRED I am, but that's put a side when I see my Little Princess SMILE! So tonight, I put in a tad more effort to stay up later to blog.

I hope I'm not too late to still wish the Muslims brothers and sisters "SELAMAT BERPUASA!". This will be the last week for us to fully utilise the holy month of Ramadhan before Eid Mubarak arrives this Wednesday. This year, I didn't bake any goodies for Hari Raya. Bought a couple of tidbits and some kuehs (just to fill up the table for guests). Maybe next year I'll be a little more productive.

Anyhows, tomorrow, the mates are going to gather to a friend's house for a last minute iftar. I'm determine to go (eventhough "B" had to work till after 8pm). I'm going to 'show' Little Princess around. That answer tonight's blogging and late night baking. It's suppose to be a potluck iftar. So I'm gonna showcase my Chocolate Brownie Cake. "B" already had a go. So if you peeps are reading this, you'll know the answer why there's a missing piece. Oh, "B" gave his thumbs up. "B" said I still got the 'touch'. Ahuh, appreciated the comment. So now just shush and eat hokay...

This time, I didn't bother to open the recipe book. It was based on memory. The recipe books had been kept in the store room to make space for Little Princess' books. Oh yeah, she have books from 0mths to 3years old. THE MOMMY is kiasu... Thank GOD the brownie turned out edible. phew... Also, I put in little extra effort to make the icing so to make the brownie a tad presentable. Now, it's safely in the fridge for tomorrow's iftar.

I hope to log on often after this. Oh, for updates, my Little Princess can crawl now. She's exploring every nooks and corners of the house. My baby is growing up. Her favourite daily affairs is to be a dinosaur (this week she's a Brontosaurous). Hari Raya week, we promised she'll be a T-Rex. You all ought to hear her growl... Till then...
Ingredients for Iftar Chocolate Brownie Cake
(DO NOTE that all these are not measured coz I wanted to minimise the washing part)
400g hazelnut chocolate
water
2 eggs
brown sugar
biocarbonate soda
canola oil
AP flour
Ingredients for Chocolate Sauce
200g chocolate
1.5 tbsp salted butter
Method
Double boil chocolate. Add water till it becomes a smooth paste. I know that many will disagree with adding water in chocolate. But I had seen a cooking series on Discovery Channel that, if a chocolate sauce is 'spoilt' when water accidentally comes into contact, DO NOT throw the mixture. Just add in more water and keep stirring till it becomes a sauce again. Thus, I 'purposely' added water in today's recipe. It worked! Put the chocolate mixture aside to cool. In another bowl, beat eggs and mixed in sugar. Stir well till combined. Pour in canola oil into chocolate mixture. Add in egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Sprinkle some biocarbonate soda. Add in AP flour bit-by-bit and stir well. My gauge to stop adding AP flour is when the mixture becomes a thick paste. Similar to when you make muffins. Grease a baking pan with melted butter. Bake @ 180'C for 20 minutes or when nothing sticks on the skewer when you test it. Place on a coling rack.
For the chocolate sauce, double boil the chocolate with butter. Slab onto the cooled chcolate cake and 'dress' accordingly. Put in the fridge for a couple of hours before cut to serve. Its full chocolatey brownie cake. Those chocolate lovers will definitely enjoy this. Go try!

M.I.A Yet Again...

2008-05-17T00:07:00.002+08:00

Hiya peeps.... it's been sometime since I last logged in. Have started work and now staying with Mommy (for the time being till I get to a better time management and routine with Little Princess and "B"). Mommy looking after Little Princess. Erm... "B" looking after himself lar. She's 4 months as of today. Time sure flies to darn fast. I kinda forgot how she was when she's a newborn... jeesh... Little Princess is now a healthy 6.2kg (weight @ 3mth). Lotsa antics, goo-goo - gaaa-gaaing etc. She's still on total BF & EBF and already doing well with the bottle! Still remembered how we had a HARD time teaching her to suck from the bottle. I cried almost EVERYTIME! Heart wrenching! Ooops... tooo much side tracking... On the cooking issue, I'll be back soon. Wait up for my new entry. Pweety soooon...

Love you all,

Daylillies

Mango Chocolatey Cake

2008-04-13T21:12:00.007+08:00

Mango season is in right now. Erm... WAIT. I think... mangoes have no season nowadays. Daddy had been bringing boxes of mangoes from his garden. At one point, it was mango for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, tea, dinner and supper! I'm NOT complaining. Who doen't want free ripe juicy yellowey ultra sweet mangoes. Since I'm BF, I reckon it's always good to have fruits in your diet. Mango is a fruit. So good lar. Heheheeeh... Since there's sooo many mangoes, there'll bound to be left a side for sometime before the next person yearns for them (which I foresee will be a looong while). So... I packed some home to make this cake. A little change from having the fresh bite. Now... what should I do with the one, two, three, five, seven... ten more mangoes?!!! Eat lar... No way I'm going to waste them! Oh, I brought some to Mama-B too.

Ingredients for Mango Chocolatey Cake
2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup warm milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp Van Houten cocoa powder
250g Cadbury plain milk chocolate
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Method
Beat eggs and brown sugar. Add in melted butter. In another bowl, sift bread flour, baking powder. Add in cocoa powder and salt. Pour in egg mixture into flour mixture. Fold in well. Pour in warm milk. Break in milk chocolate and mix thoroughly. Let the milk chocolate be chunky coz they'll melt while baking. Add in sunflower seeds. Bake @ 180'C for 25 minutes. Let cool before serve.

Apple & Carrot Muffins

2008-04-13T21:00:00.003+08:00

I got apples. I got carrots. I got an idea. I'll make muffins. Erm... don't get me wrong. Not that I'm mega crazy about muffins. I'm just nuts about the silicone muffin casings that I have. Thus... EVERYTHING also I bake in these casings. Besides, it's easier. No cutting needed. Just peel and bite. Ez-pz. I can't wait to get my hands on the love shapes silicone casing. Spotlight is having a VIP Club sale. They're selling the cups @ 12pks for $22.45. Oooh... there's also the cookie cutters @ 50pcs for $18.70. Cookie cutters come in alphabet shapes, insects (e.g butterfly), numbers and flowers etc... Oooh... also gotta grab that 'White Sweet Server'. It's a three tiers tray. Ideal for serving cupcakes, muffins and other little treats. Can't wait for Little Princess to grow up. Can play masak-masak with me!

Kueh Lapis Beras

2008-04-13T20:44:00.005+08:00

This is definitely a first. Been hesitating to try make this kueh coz it's bloody tedious lar... It needs to be done layer-by-layer and with Little Princess it's a no-no kueh for me. But "B" persisted and said that he'll look after Little Princess while I went about my kueh making. Baby behaved tremendiously well. "Mesti lah dengan Papa dia. Her beloved playmate kan..." After almost an hour... I succeeded. Phew...! No more making htis for a while now. Gotta wait till Little Princess grows older. Anyhows, "B" enjoyed this pinky-white layered kueh to the last bit. He sooo loved kuehs... In fact, he sooo love EVERYTHING!!!

Ingredients for Kueh Lapis Beras
250g rice flour
350g fine sugar
250ml water
300ml boiling water
200ml thick coconut milk
2 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
Method
1) Mix rice flour, tapioca flour and fine sugar.
2) Pour in water a little at a time.
3) Pour in boiling water and mix well.
4) Pour in thick coconut milk.
5) Divide into two mixtures.
6) Drop in red colouring into 1 mixture.
7) Steam layer-by-layer. Each layer will take appx 5 minutes.
8) Let cool before cutting and serving.

Picnic! Picnic!

2008-03-28T23:35:00.008+08:00

It's been a looong... looong... while since I last when to the beach. Intended to take a dip BUT Little Princess is erm... too little. Gotta wait till she gets a little older. I had been waiting for this outing the whole week! I've packed Little Princess' bag as early as last weekend. All's ready to go. It was Sista-B's idea to have the small gathering. Was a good idea and I second that. Instead of having it at home (w/c usually will be at mine), we are going out for a picnic. Changi to be exact.

AND... what is a get-together without FOOD huh... huuh...?!!! Thus, it was a great excuse for me to plan what to bring. Not that I have to BUT I want to! Only downturn is that I can't make much elaborated goodies. I need recipes that are fast, easy, less time consuming to make and importantly... easy to transport around. Nowadays, I can't just lugged my favourite designer handbags no more. It's gotta be a bagpack. No kidding yeah! Oh, also we have to have the pram too. My stuffs would mainly be the mainly keys, my Braun Buffel coin pouch, vaseline and a hairclip. Haiz... so tak glamour...

Anyhows, I managed to prepare these treats for the picnic. Chocolate Muffins, Mini Apple Pies and Bread Pizza. These three are the simplest I could come up with. I hope, Little Princess will behave tomorrow. Hmmm.... my motherly instinc tells me she WILL...

Ingredients for Chocolate Muffins courtesy from joyofbaking.com
(I followed the Chocolate Ricotta Muffins MINUS the Ricotta cheese thou)

Ingredients for Mini Apple PiesBread Pizza ez-pz

Pear Pie for Me Beloved

2008-03-26T15:11:00.007+08:00

Mama-B gave me some pears when we visited her last weekend. They were over-riped. "B" loved those but I prefer the hardy ones. I love the crunch in them. I knew, if I were to let those pears sit longer in the fridge, they'll meet "Mr Bin" someday. Eventhough "B" loves soft pears, he'll take blimming ages to finish them. I simply can't waste them... Hmmm... Why not make pies with them?! I got the idea whilst breastfeeding (BF). It's been ages since I last made pies. Last made was during the Girl's Day In.

Last time, I had the luxury of TIME. Now, I'm always in a mad rush. Only relaxing time will be during BF. You simply can't do anything else while doing that. All will need to come to a stop for me Little Princess milk-milk time. I had to 'steal' time to do this pie. I placed Little Princess in her rocker and switched on Cartoon Network. At the moment, "Ben 10" was showing. I had 30 minutes. In a jiffy, the base was mixed, rolled and baked. The filling cubes, mixed and poured in. I let a huge sigh when the pie was baking in the oven. Hah...! I beat the time limit. She;s still watching teevee.

The pie turned out beautiful. I did an open face coz I made an error in the measurement for the skin. I should have doubled it to do a top portion. Argh... nvm. "B" had a slice before going to work. Think I'm going to make it again this weekend for our beach outing with Sister-B. I'll do them in minis...

Ingredients for Pear Pie
Filling:
3 pears - cubed
5 tbsp brown sugar
2.5 tbsp AP flour
a pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder
0.5 tsp nutmeg powder
Method - In a bowl, mix all thoroughly.
Skin:
1.5 cups AP flour
1/3 cup UHT milk
1/3 vege oil
Method: In abowl mix all up with a fork. Roll into half cm thick and place in a baking tray/pan. Bake for 10 minutes in 180'C. Take out and let cool. Pour in fillings and bake for another 15 minutes.

Banana Almond and Chips Muffins

2008-03-18T21:19:00.004+08:00

Going to the Doc tomorrow and then to Mama-B. Made these Banana Almond and Chips Muffins for the family. Hokay, gotta go tend to Little Princess and make her go to sleep. Tomorrow gotta see the Doc early am.

Ingredients for Banana Almond and Chips Muffins
2 cups AP flour
8 bananas
1 cup ground almond
1/4 cup butter - melted
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup mini choc chips
1 tsp biocarbonate soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup buttermilk
Method
Preheat oven to 180'C. In a bowl, sift AP flour and add in biocarbonate soda and ground almond. In another bowl, mashed bananas and add in melted butter. In another bowl, whisk eggs and sugar and pour in buttermilk. Combine egg mixture into mashed bananas. Fold in flour mixture. Add in raisins, mini choc chips and salt last. Bake for 25 minutes.

Roast Chicken & Lemon Almond Pound Cupcakes

2008-03-18T13:18:00.011+08:00

Each morning it'll always be the same routine for the both of us. Little Princess wakes up and have her milk-milk. Then, she'll laze around and I'll be rushing to set-up her bathing apparatus. In the mean time, "B" will tend to her 'needs'. She LOVES to play with her Papa. And I mean she REALLY LOVES it! "B" will 'baby talk' with her, teaching her to sit-up, sit-up, crawl, prop herself up with her tiny arms, walk her (with his hands under her armpits of course) and do whatever. Little Princess looks foward for bathe-bathe time. She'll just sit back and relax whilst her Papa scrubs and clean her all over. One things she hates is to use a cotton ball to clean her cutey face. She'll grunts and squirms. With our hands to wash her face she's super alright with it. After bath time, she'll latch on me and then go for a 2-3 hours nap. By then, "B" will be off to work and I'll be doing the household chores.

Thus for dinner yesterday, I managed to go to NTUC with Little Princess to get all the ingredients and do up these bits. Roasted Chicken and Lemon Almond Pound Cupcakes.

Ingredients for Roasted Chicken
1 medium fresh chicken
Hoisin sauce
soy sauce
lemon rind
lemon juice
dried rosemary
dried basil
1 large red onion
1 whole cloves garlic
2 russet potatoes
Method
Wash chicken in and out. Marinate with all the sauces above for 1 hour. Halves potatoes, quarted onion and halves garlic all with skin on. Put all in a big foil pan. Put oven to roasting point and roast for 45 minutes. Let rest before serving with fresh greens. Peel off the onion and garlic skins and spread those on a toast like butter. It'll taste sweet and creamy. No oniony nor garlicky taste at all. Try it!

Ingredients for Lemon Almond Pound Cupcakes
1.5 cups AP flour
1 cup ground almonds
1 tsp biocarbonate soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter - room temp
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup lemon juice
lemon rinds
Manuka Honey - topping (opt)
Method
Preheat oven to 180'C. In a bowl, combine flour, ground almond, biocarbonate soda and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add in eggs one at a time in a low speed. Add in vanilla essence. Then add in the dry ingredients alternate with the lemon juice and milk. Whisk till smooth. Prepare cups and fill halfull coz they'll rise later. Dollop a teaspoonfull of Manuka Honey. Bake for 25 minutes. Ready to eat.

Chocolate Chips & Almond Muffins

2008-03-16T12:49:00.014+08:00

Luckily, I didn't burnt any of these...

Little Princess is 2 months old today and she surprised me with a full diaper of poo-poo at 1am. It was soooo much that some 'ooozed' out from her back and sides. Sigh... Thanks yeah for the wonderful 'gift'. Grrr... So we got up and had to clean her in the master toilet sink. After that she latched on me for milk for a full hour (left then right). Hungry lar after so much poo-poo. After that she didn't want to go sleep BUT wanted to stay up to PLAY!!! Haish... Wrong timing lar darling... Anyways, Little Princess got sleepy only after 5-freaking-am. That was why these muffins could be baked.

I hadn't much ingredients at home coz had not replenish stocks for 2 months. I used whatever was there. Instead of the usual 1 hour to prepare these treats, it took me 3x longer! Was playing and baking at the same time. You can't imagine how exhausted we were. I was cranky but thank god... "B" was ever so patient. He was THE ONE who managed to tone down Little Princess and slept her later. Thanks Darl... I owe you loads!!!

Ingredients for Choco Chips and Alomond Muffins
1 cup ground almonds
2 cups AP flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp biocarbonate soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm milk
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup butter - melted
2 eggs - beaten
2 cups chocolate chips
chopped cashewnuts for topping
Method
In a bowl, mix, ground almond, AP flour, sugar, baking powder, biocarbonate soda and salt. In another bowl, mix warm milk, almong extract, melted butter and eggs. Fold chocolate chips into the batter. Combine the dry ingredients into the batter. Mix thoroughly BUT NOT too much. It'll toughen the muffins later. It'll be lumpy and that's alright. Scoop half full into muffin cups and sprinkle chopped cashewnuts. Bake at 180'C for 25 minutes. Serve warm with a hot cup of cocoa with mashmallow drops in it.

All Express Cooking

2008-03-12T18:55:00.016+08:00

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.

Missing Cooking!

2008-03-07T15:48:00.002+08:00

Hi peeps! I'm now well and baby's doing great. She'll be TWO MONTHS this coming Mar 16th. Fast ain't it huh?! I was counting the days to go by when I was in my 1 month confinement period. Waiting... and waiting for the month to end and for my girl to celebrate her 1 month old. After that, time seemed to fly really fast! And before I knew it, February was over and done with and come March. She's definitely much bigger, longer and heavier than before.

I've not neglected my kitchen duties. Just that these days, I've been cooking one dish-meals and repetitions of what I've done before. Thus, no updates for the moment. I so..... missed cooking and baking. "B" had been a great help and he's giving me the leeway in the kitchen department. Thanks DARL! I'm giving my 200% to my girl before my maternity leave's over. Hokay, Baby needs her feeding now. Till, then... Holaaa!

Love Daylillies

Temporary M.I.A.

2008-01-10T13:15:00.001+08:00

Firstly - Selamat Tahun Baru Islam to all Muslims!!!

Hi peeps, I'll be temporarily out of action in the kitchen department. Am counting down for Little Princess' arrival! I was engaged last week and gynae had predicted that I may be in labour anytime soon... Amidst the anxiety and impatient-ness... I admit that I'm pweety scared too!!! I'm praying for a safe and smooth delivery and also preparing mentally for THE DAY! Yesternight, I had some discomforts but it subsided after a while.

Immediately right after, I decided to do a last bake before our Princess' arrival to the world. Baked "B" a whole Peppermint Chocolate Brownies to munch whilst I'm in confinement period. I hope the brownies can last throughout that long (crossing my fingers yeah). I had some peppermint sticks from last Christmas and used them. All that minty flavour reacted well with the chocolatey goodness. Well, mint and chocolate do go hand-in-hand! You'll kinda have that 'cooling' sensation each time you have a bite of the brownie. Better with a cup of hot cocoa or Milo. For "B", it was his Nescafe that accompanied. I didn't take any pics coz the look is very much similar to the Chewy-Gooey Brownies only different in taste.

Hokay folks... will be missing blogging for a witsy while after this. Till the next round of cookings and bakings. Love from yours truly, Daylillies...

Another Bake of Weekend Chewy-Gooey Brownies

2007-12-30T15:42:00.000+08:00

The flu bug had subsided (a little) and I'm getting (a little) better. Thank God nothing major happened (like me going into early contraction as predicted by gynae earlier or any other complications for that matter). But gynae is still taking precaution measures by making me visit him weekly now. It's appx 3 weeks to my EDD (Estimated Delivery Date). Since it's me first, I'm a little MORE worried. Well, who wouldn't...! I'm taking each day slowly and definitely looking forward to hold me Little Princess in my arms soon. Pweety soon!!! Still, all these didn't deter my cooking/baking spirits. It had been a lovely weekend morning today and what better way than to treat my "B" to a round or two of CHEWY-GOOEY BROWNIES!

I didn't do any lunch coz had packed some fried seafood kueh teow from Mommy yesternight. That'll do for "B". Me, I'm not in the mood for anything heavy today. Just wanted something suuuweeet. I'm determined to make a batch of chewy-gooey brownies this time round. The Idiladha Brownies I baked was a little on the cakey side. I reckon it's my silly oven's temperature. So, on to my quest. "B" wanted to take a half hour nap and instructed me to wake him up later. Well, my dear "B", I'm giving you an hour and a little extra nap today, coz... I'll wake you up only after I finish with the Brownies. Heeheheeh... Now you go shoo away and don't disturb me.

........An hour later........

The Brownies turned out as what I wanted. HooYiPPeee!!! Chewy-Gooey-Soft and most of all Chocolatey richness! Recipe isn't much of a diff to the Idiladha Brownies but I'll post the recipe again anyhow. My "B" ate the Brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Mmmmm...

Ingredients for Chewy-Gooey Brownies
350g dark chocolate chips (this time I used RedMan brand)
350g salted butter
4 eggs (I lessen the eggs this time round)
225g fine white sugar
200g AP flour
50g ground almonds
dollops of Nutella
Method
In a pan, melt dark chocolate chips and butter. Let cool a bit. In another bowl, mix eggs and sugar. Add egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture. Mix till combined. Add ground almonds and mix well. Sift AP flour little by little. Pour into a well grease baking tray. Scoop a spoonfull of Nutella and 'swirl' on the poured batter. Add as much Nutella as you prefer. I added 4 spoonfulls. I heart Nutella!!!!

These batch are stored for future munchies in front of the teevee
w/c I reckon they wouldn't last too long with "B" hounding around...

Will The Real Chix Nuggets Please Stand Up!

2007-12-26T23:47:00.000+08:00

Living in a modern fast pace society, we are faced with an equally modern and fast way of food servings. From easy-to-dial home services to frozen food. Everything seemed to lose its touch of tender loving care. All we need is to just satisfy the hunger fast, quick, no-fuss and absolutely no mess. Time's always the main factor. Sometimes, I too admitted defeat. The temptation to surrender is really great. But, I am determined to provide my baby a better souce of food in future. No mass produce junkies for my Little Princess. These chicken nuggets are a perfect recipe for children to enjoy. Serve in fanciful ways to WoW them and you'll not feel guilty if they have more than the usual servings. I can't wait to tryout on me Little Princess and that'll be some years to come from now. In the mean time, the experiment will be on "B".

Ingredients for Real Chicken Nuggets
7 chicken breasts
1 hard tofu
1 tsp tumeric powder
salt to taste
crushed black pepper
1 tbsp flour
1 large egg
half carrot
virgin olive ol for frying
Method
Marinate chicken breasts with tumeric powder, salt, crushed black pepper and flour. In a food processor, minced marinated chicken breasts. Add in hard tofu, half carrot and egg. Minced till combined. With two spoons, shape minced chicken into a ball and shallow fry in virgin olive oil. Turn about till each nugget is evenly browned. Drain and serve warm with chilli sauce or mayonaise. It's also good to eat it on its own too!

Nursing the Flu Bug. Haiz...!

2007-12-26T23:06:00.000+08:00

I've always hated when I'm down with flu. Really hated the runny then blocked nose. The temporary lost sense of taste. The continuous sneezing. The sleepless nights. The hot and cold body temperature. The teary eyes. The red nose. Then come the dry nose (peeling due to too much rubbing of tissues). Argh...! The endless 'tortures'! With the pregnancy, it's triple of "the" everything! Plus, poor Little Baby had to 'endure' the jerks whenever I sneeze non-the-stopping! I had to hold my tummy just to 'ease' the jerkings a little. Hope, it does help though. It's been a week since I last fell ill. Doctor had given me MCs and told me to rest real good. Being sick at 36 weeks is no joke at all! I'm really worried but the Doc ensured that all's fine. Just let the medicines run its course and me to drink loads of H2O, eat and rest, rest, rest... Thank God I didn't totally lost my appetite. I still want to eat BUT in really small quantities and not too rich flavourings. thus, I made myself and "B" some Chicken Noodles to savour. With the combination of the flu and rainy weather. It's a good choice there!

Ingredients for Chicken Noodles
1 pouch sop bunjut Adabi
1 Knorr chicken cube
2 garlic - crushed
1 shallot - half
1cm young ginger - sliced
1 stem leek - sliced
5 cups water
chicken backbones, necks or other chicken parts
2 potatoes - cubed
1 carrot - cubed
1 hard tofu - cubed
6 brocolli florets
4 shitake mushrooms - sliced
Method
Boil water. Add in cubed potatoes and carrots. Let cook. Add in chicken parts/bones. Add in garlic, shallot, young ginger and leek. Add in Adabi sup bunjut and Knorr chicken cube. Stir well. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Lastly, add in shitake mushrooms and tofu. Let boil for another 5 minutes then close fire. Then add in brocolli florets. Soaked beehoon or any types of desired noodles. Serve hot in a bowl filled with hot soup to the brim.

SELAMAT IDILADHA 2All Muslims

2007-12-24T10:49:00.000+08:00

*** SELAMAT IDILADHA ***

It's a belated wish. But still... better late than never aites! winks* Idiladha fell on last Thursday, Dec 20th. Didn't do any "korban" this year though. But we celebrated nontheless with "B's" and my families. This year, we started earlier despite the rain and gloomy weather. Visited 4 houses in all. If not, it ought to be 5 but didn't went to Mommy's as my family were celebrating at Nenek's thus staying put at just 1 house. Saves the trouble for me to move around. "B" as usual went to one of the designated void-decks for the Idiladha prayers and was home by 9.30am. By then I was all ready and had packed all the goodies I've made the day before. Oh, this year, I made a wee bit more than usual. Just had the mood.

Menu for Idiladha
Putri Salat
Apam Manis
Apam Pisang Kukus
Roasted Chicken Curry Mayo
Brownies Idiladha

I was pretty happy and very much exhausted after 6 hours in the kitchen. The pregnancy made my movements a LOT sLooOwer! In fact, halfway through, I was getting frustrated. But perservered till the end.

This year, only Mommy made ketupats (beras & pulut). They were eaten with Sambal Sotong Kering and Sambal Goreng Pengantin. Lovely! Mommy's virgin attempt at making Sambal Goreng Pengantin was applauded for. I had rounds of just the Sambal Goreng Pengantin till like there's no tomorrow! Mama-B made Mee Bandung which was deeelicious! One of her specialities there and Nenek-B made Tulang Merah (like the ones at Beach Road) only way... better, thicker and full of deep kick-ass flavour. I don't eat kambing (lambs) coz I can't stand 'the' smell but the gravy rawks peeps! Thick deep red gravy. Not too spicy nor sourish. Just nice for you to mop up with some sliced baguettes. Satisfying! At me Grandma, they had Nasi Arab, Rendang Daging, Ayam Masak Tomato, Udang Belado, Ayam Panggang, Salads with Hummus dip, Acar Buah and Acar Pacri. Of course each house had their cakes, kuehs, goodies etc. What's Hari Raya without the sweets aites?!

I didn't stuffed myself crazy just to avoid puking my guts out later. Wasted if I did! Had a little of everything to satisfy meself. In all, we had a great Idiladha.

Ingredients for Apam Pisang Kukus
8 Pisang Berangan (a type of banana. I reckon you can use Del Monte or Dole too. Only these aren't as sweet as the local bananas.)
3/4 cup salted butter - melted (can substitute with canola oil)
3 eggs - beat slightly
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 cup brown sugar
Method
In a bowl, sift AP flour and bicarbonate soda. In another bowl mashed bananas. Mix beaten eggs, brown sugar and melted butter. Mix egg mixture with mashed bananas. Add in flour a little at a time. Pour mixture in a greased baking tin or pyrex. Steam for 40 minutes in a tightly covered steamer to prevent water from dripping into mixture. Let cool before cutting.

Ingredients for Roasted Chicken Curry Mayo
1 kg chicken drumlets
meat curry powder
parika
crushed black pepper
dried rosemary
salt to taste
mayonaise
Method
Marinate the chicken drumlets with the dry ingredients overnight. Only add mayonaise an hour or two before roasting. Set oven to roast for 140'C for 45 minutes. I like my drumlets to brown slowly. Serve warm.

Ingredients for Brownies Idiladha
340g Hershey semi-sweet chocolate chips
340g salted butter
200g AP flour
5 eggs
250g fine sugar
100g chopped almonds
Nutella (highly opt)
Icing sugar (topping)
Method
Melt chocolate chips and butter in a bowl. Mix eggs and sugar. Pour in egg mixture into a slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add in sifted flour a little at a time. Add in chopped almonds. Pour mixture in a well greased pan. Scoop a couple dollops of Nutella and 'swirl' on top. Bake for 180'C for 45 minutes. Let cool thoroughly and sift icing sugar before serving.

NOTE: I didn't had time to take a bootiful pic of me Brownies. Next time aites!

I Sooo... 12 Eat Apam!

2007-12-18T21:43:00.000+08:00

"Apam... Apam... Apam... I nak apam jugak!" (I want apam!). I'm never a fan of anything apam-ish. I'll just have it if it's there. I like the ones at Bengawan Solo. They called it "Ma Kuo Kueh" and they're accompanied with some white grated salted coconut to give an ooomph. These are the mini versions, gigantic ones are usually found at pasar malam. These to me are chinese apams. They're just sweet and comes in colours. I like another type of apam called Apam Gula Hangus and Harum Manis. Really sedap! Now to just know how to make them will definitely make my day. I know... I know... you peeps you'd say I can just buy them over the counter. But... it beats nothing when you get into the kitchen, sweat it out and make them yourself! I just feel happier and more satisfied that way. However, this first attempt isn't so much like what I want it to look like. Taste wise aok. The apams just didn't "bloom". It should "split" at the top to reveal a 3-split flowery shape. I reckon it meant that they've rose well. Hey apam, just you wait till my next tryout!

Ingredients for Apam Manis tak jadi
2 eggs
120g fine sugar
150g AP flour
130ml 7-UP
1 tsp ovalette
vanilla essence
red colouring (opt)
white grated coconut
salt
papercups
Method
Prepare steamer. Mix white grated coconut and salt and steam fo 10 minutes. Put aside to cool. In a bowl beat eggs and fine sugar till fluffy/thick. Sift flour into batter little by little. Pour in 7-UP. Add in ovalette and vanilla essence. Lastly, drop in some red colouring. Lay in papercups into steamer. Scoop batter into cups and steam for 15-20 minutes. Serve cool with grated coconut.

Home Alone on A Saturday

2007-12-15T15:14:00.000+08:00

Boohoohoo...! "B" had to go to work for some urgent matters (as ALWAYS grrr...!) AND me, I'm left all alone on a Saturday mind you. Well, actually not that all alone, heheheheeh... I got Little Baby to accompany me aites! winks* To not bore myself to death, I did some household chores and of course some cookings too lar! It had been raining almost everyday for the past week and I hadn't got the chance to do any laundries. I reckon today's THE DAY. So out came the baju-bajas to dry. Weather forecast was saying that it'll rain late evening and I hope by then, me laundries would be semi-dry.

I did say I cooked didn't I...? Nothing really spectacular, just some light lunch for me and Little Baby and a dessert for "B" later. Had some glutinous rice that I took from Mommy yesternight. Thus, I googled to see what could be done. Then, I came across "LOH MAI KAI". Wah, sound sedap! Besides, it's hard to get Halal Loh Mai Kai around except at 7-11 (served by KampungFood), QIJI and Hara HongKong Dim Sums. Just to name the Halal few that I know. But when you're pregnant, you just need it like NOW and get someone (in my case "B") to go run out and get for me. I could have neither. One, where I live, there isn't a freaking 7-11. Only Cheers. Besides, not all 7-11 carry the Halal paus, timsums and whatnots. Two, there's no "B" today! How...!??? Next best thing was to make my own.

I went blog-hopping to find the fastest and easiest way to make Loh Mai Kai. Jeesh, why all so tedious huh??? I guess I was taken aback with the ingredients used. So, I did it my way and I shouldn't be calling it Loh Mai Kai no more. Loh Mai Kai needed re-steaming but I simply stir-fry it all. Just simple comfort food to enjoy all alone on a gloomy day. This got to do for now. I'll make the real deal, say... sometime much, much later IF the craving ever kicks in again. Oooh... "B" just sms. He's coming home about 4-ish and he's bringing me to a BBQ at ECP. Wooyipppeee! A Saturday not wasted then. Besides, I've already had made "B" dessert. His favourite Putri Salat!

See my glistening mini bowl of riceIngredients for Re-simplified Loh Mai Kai
Glutinous Rice - soaked & steamed
2 chicken breasts - sliced
1 garlic - roughly chopped
0.5cm young ginger - roughly chopped
a pinch of fennel seeds
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
paprika powder
crushed black pepper
1 tbs salted butter - room temp
Method
Marinate sliced chicken breasts with chopped garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, paprika, black pepper and salted butter. Leave for half an hour. In the meantime, steam glutinous rice. I made enough for a portion's worth. In fact, I had a ratio of 2:1. More chicken than rice. Just the way I want it. Put the steamed glutinous rice aside to cool. Heat a pan and put in the marinated chicken breasts. No need oil coz we had the butter in it. Stir till chicken meat turned white, then add in glutinous rice. Put fire to low and mix both chicken and rice till combine. Serve warm.

To Mama's

2007-12-09T09:56:00.000+08:00

One of "B's" cuzzie just gave birth a month back to a Baby Girl. She's having a "cukur rambut" ceremony after zohor. But before trotting over, "B" and me will be at Mama's for a short visit. In fact we have an agenda, an important one at that. Both "B" and me gonna make a huge decision to do something after the birth of our Little Baby. Decision's not concrete yet but in our thoughts. We just need to see if everything goes hand-in-hand. If not, gotta scrap the idea flatout! I'm not hoping too much. I'm still in deep, deep love with the current. But, this decision's for our children's future. Oooh, did I mentioned the plural of child. Yeaps, I want more than one. Many, many more!

I brought over a box of Bread Choc Chip Pudding & Putri Salat
I made yesteday for Mama, Papa, Nenek and whoever's at home.

Putri Salat aka Serimuka

2007-12-08T18:39:00.000+08:00

Putri Salat @ Serimuka I tried my bestest to capture a good pic. I SWEAR!

Either names just fine with the kueh I just made. I had wanted to try this kueh for the longest time ever! Coz, I figured out that they're easier to just be paid for rather than made for. Save time, hassle and the "un-necessary" outcome later. But today, I broke the rules and brave myself up for the kueh making. I had all the ingredients needed and I don't see any barriers to it. Apart from the not-so-sure attitude, I'm already in the game. No backing up now. Let's get things started!

Oh, so just you peeps know what we're having for dinner tonight. It's ALL fingerfood. The Putri Salat, Baked Popiah Curry Potatoes and Bread and Butter Chocolate Chips Pudding. No 'real' food. I'm SURE "B's" gonna be alright with these since I have his favourite kueh on the table!

I had browsed through countless of recipes via the website but eventually settled on a book recipe I had eons back - '100 Resepi Masakan Kuih-Muih Malaysia'. I read through and it seemed a pretty straight forward recipe. I reckon I can make-it till the end. Yup, "I think I can, I think I can!". First, to go soak the glutinous rice. Oh, did I mentioned sometime in an earlier post that "B" heart anything with glutinous rice?! Yep, this is one of "B's" favourite kueh. It'll be his must have kueh during the fasting season. I can't wait for "B" to reach home. It'll be a surprise!!! But first things first. Gotta get this kueh steaming right away.

Ingredients for Putri Salat
Bottom half:
2 cups glutinous rice - soaked for 3hrs
2 cups water
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp vegetable oil
Method for Bottom half
Boil water in a steamer. Mix the soaked glutinous rice, water, vege oil and salt first. Place it in a baking tin. Steam till glutinous rice cook. Approximately 20 minutes. Then, with a spatula, press glutinous rice till it becomes compact.
Top half:
3 cups coconut milk - Kara
0.5 tsp green colouring

(can make green coluring with pandan juice too)
0.5 cup sugar
0.5 cup AP flour
2 tbsp custard flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
Method for Top half
Blend all the ingredients for the top half. Pour onto the bottom half slowly. Steam for 30 minutes. Let kueh cool first before cutting, then serve.

Hotdog Buns for Sunday Brunch

2007-12-04T11:05:00.000+08:00

Out from the oven to cool "My Bun-nies" NEAT!Fluffy inner portion

It's Sunday again... Time flies too fast nowadays. Before you know it, the weekends crept in and come Monday Blues yet again and again and again... Last Sunday, "B" and I had many things planned. To go Nenek's, to get some baby stuffs, to Mama to discuss stuffs, to a wedding reception and other nitty-gritty. Apart from that, I still have the household chores like the laundries, vacuuming, mopping, wiping, re-arranging etc. Just minus cooking as we thought of eating out later. But still... I made us some brunch while multi-tasking with other chores. I had a goodnight's rest and was awake by 8 am. Mr Sun's out and I first rushed out the laundries to dry. Yeap, told you peeps a gazillion times already that I HEART MR SUN...!

I had contemplated to make either a traditional malay kueh or some savoury buns. I'd love to make both but time and energy did not permit. Thus I chose the latter. Went ahead with a pretty easy hand-knead recipe. In all, you'll need about an hour half or so which included proofing and baking. The buns turned out soft and fluffy.

I could have had different fillings for variety but just not enough hands to go about doing it. Hotdogs are the simplest and fastest. I would have loved tuna, sardines, curry potatoes and even sweet fillings like red beans, mung beans, kaya, jams, dried fruits etc. A sultana would be neat too! Just meare thoughts. Huh, I was that ambitious! winks*

The buns were ready a little after 11-ish and the whole house smelt heavenly! "B's" head popped in by the kitchen entrance and with his sheepish look commented... "Sayang buat roti eh...? Kalau blom gosok gigi bleh makan dulu?" Cheh, fat hope lar...! Go wash up first before having a bite. Grrrrr...! This father-to-be acts a little childish at times. Yeah, I know there's always a child in you. But I think the child in "B" needed serious dicipline lar!

Ingredients for Dough
4 cups Prima bread flour
1 cup hot full cream milk
50g unsalted butter - room temp
1 tsp salt
8g instant yeast
Filling - 7 boiled hotdogs (halves)
Milk - to brush top of buns.
"Sprinklers" - Dried Rosemary, Dried Oregano, crushed Black Pepper and Paprika.
Method
In a bowl, pour in hot milk and butter and mix. Add in salt. Add in 1 cup of bread flour into the milk mixture and combine. Add in 1 more cup of bread flour into the mixture together with the instant yeast. Combine again. Add in the rest of the flour slowly and combine thoroughly till all flour are added and a dough is formed. Dough will be slightly sticky. Just dust in more flour on the board and some onto your hands for easier kneading. Knead for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the dough into a well greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let proof for 30 minutes or till dough doubled in size. Then, punch dough to let air out. Pinch a half fist size ball of dough and flatten into a round shape. Place a hotdog in and take one end of the side each and bring them to the middle and overlapped. Press a little so the two ends sticks. Placed the overlapped layer downside onto the baking tray. Let them sit for another 20 minutes to rise a second time before going into the oven. Brush with a little milk and bake for 20 minutes or till it browns. I sprinkled some oregano, rosemary, paprika and crushed black pepper on top for flavour and deco. I brushed more milk in the midst of baking as not to want the top to be dry. This recipe yields about 14 mini buns. The size of half a hotdog. I had some leftovers and froze them. "B" had them for breakfast the next two days. You just have to microwave them for a couple of seconds and they'll taste just as good! Oh, the buns tasted better with a little spread of mayonaise or chili sauce.

Lapis Pulut Serunding

2007-11-25T15:04:00.000+08:00

Layered Spiced Coconut in betweens Steamed Glutinous Rice. It's a savoury lapis btw. My "B" adores pulut aka glutinous rice like crazieee... Anything associated with the pulut he'll savour them heartily. Be it ketupat pulut, lepat, pulut serunding, pulut cicah kari, kueh lopes, putri salat/serimuka, bubur pulut hitam, pulut durian, pulut inti and so many-many more. Thus, for a Sunday brunch, I decided (since the night before) to make "B" the Lapis Pulut Serunding. I knew, he'd be happy waking up to his favourite food. Weeeee...!

I woke up earlier especially to get the kueh ready by brunch time AND also to 'catch' Mr Sun to dry out my bedsheet cover and duvet. Lucky I caught Mr Sun in the am coz now (as I'm typing), it's raining mad outside. I had the serunding done much earlier and froze a tub in the freezer. All I need to do was soak some glutinous rice overnight and steam them. Then, put two together in layers. I did 5 tiers starting with the steamed glutinous rice below in a baking tin. The trick was to make them all real compact thus having an easier time cutting them into pieces. "B" ate half of the lot and I guess another half should be done by latest say... tomorrow??? I'd do anything for my "B"!

Ingredients for Serunding
1 whole fresh white grated coconut (kelapa parut putih)
30 pcs dried chillies - blend (cili kering)
2 large onions - blend (bawang besar)
4 garlic - blend (bawang putih)
2cm fresh tumeric - blend (kunyit hidup)
1cm galangal - blend (lengkuas)
2 tbsp coriander seeds (biji ketumbar)
2 tbsp fennel seeds (biji jintan)
1 stick lemongrass - smashed (titik serai)
3 kaffir leaves (daun limau purut)
1 tumeric leaf (daun kunyit)
sugar & salt to taste
oil for frying
Method
Heat oil and fry all blended ingredients till fragrant. Add in sugar and salt to taste. Throw in tumeric leaf and lemongrass. Stir well. Add in whole coriander and fennel seeds for extra crunch. Optional though. Lastly, add in white grated coconut and mix thoroughly till all coconut bits are covered. Let it cook for a while under low fire. Let cool before serving so that all the taste are combined and settled well. This serunding can be kept frozen or refrigerated for up to 6 months in an air tight tupperware. It's a good sidedish to have with rice, ketupats, puluts, lemangs, lepats, lontongs etc. Just add in more dried chilies IF you want it hotter. Btw, I like my serunding a little wet and not sooo dry. Drier version just needed to be fried on the stove just a tad longer.

Ingredients for Pulut
500g glutinous rice - washed & soaked overnight
Half tsp salt

Enough water to cover glutinous rice. Water level = same level as glutinous rice (1:1)

Method
In a rice cooker, pour in soaked glutinous rice and cover with water till the same level as rice. You can also use coconut milk to get a creamier taste. Add in salt and press timer to 'cook'. When cooking's done, stir glutinous rice and let stay in the cooker and put on timer to 'warm' for a couple of minutes. Put aside to cool and settle before scooping for the layerings. Compress each layer (both pulut and serunding) with the back of a spoon during each layering. I had made Pulut Serunding in ball forms before. In fact, these two ingredients can be paired in many possible ways. Perhaps I'll roll them like a sushi and wrap each with a seaweed. Should be ok too!

Berangan & Dates Bread

2007-11-25T00:12:00.000+08:00

Freshly baked bread from the oven

Nicely sliced 'n' arranged

Shot from the other angel

I made a "quick" bread for dessert. Got the recipe from joyofbaking.com and tweaked the fillings to what I have at home. I had 3 Berangans (a type of sweet asian bananas) left hanging and some Iranian dates from last Ramadhan. Great combi. I added a swirl of kaya on top and sunflower seeds as added decorations. Besides, I read that sunflower seeds are a good source of numerous nutrients. Oh, not forgetting some dried mangoes I had and chopped them all up and tossed them in too! It was pretty darn easy to make and took under an hour including baking time. I followed the Banana Bread recipe. I used brown sugar and lessen the amount to half a cup as I'll be adding dates and kaya into it. The quick bread turned out moist, sweet and definitely delish! I kept another half a batch in the tupperware for another round tomorrow.

Mihun Grg Cili Kering dan Udang Kering

2007-11-24T23:21:00.000+08:00

Translated as Fried Beehoon with Dried Chilies and Dried Prawns. I wanted to have Dry Fried Mee Siam but was short on the fermented soybeans. Can't be bothered to dress up and run down (eh... slow walk. Me and my fat tums and all... jeesh...) to NTUC just to get a bottle. Thus, I made do without it. It didn't turned out anywhere like a Fried Mee Siam but just the norm Fried Beehoon. Hokay-lah...! Also, I managed to clear lotsa 'small-bits' of food in the fridge and campak into my mee. I gotta get the fridge clear soon before my delivery as I MIGHT NOT be able to cook during my confinement period. Guess Mommy will need to tapau from her home each day. Well... I don't EXACTLY know how's the arrangements going to be like. But what's final (at least by me that is) is that I'll be going through the confinement period at my home-sweet-home. I can't imagine sleeping on Bratsy Sista's bed. Ain't the same compared to mine. Besides, there'll be no "B's" smell on hers!

the presentation looked messy!!!

"B" as ALWAYS loves anything I cooked. Sweets huh...!!! The fried beehoon was a little on the fiery side. Dried chilies usually gave a deeper "zing" compared to fresh ones. Fortunately, I've de-seeded them. Can't imagine IF I hadn't. Anyways, I had a dessert for "B" to wash down the fiery-ness of it all. It'll be in the next post.

Ingredients for Mihun Grg Cili Kering & Udang Kering
1 pkt beehoon (300g) - soaked
10 dried chilies - soaked, de-seed & pound
A handful dried prawns - soaked & pound
1 shallot - pound
3 garlics - pound
fresh prawns - de-shelled
beef - thinly sliced
china cabbage - sliced
carrots - julliene
shitake mushroom - sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
fresh tomatoes
oil
water
Method
Heat oil and fry pounded chili paste, shallot and garlic till fragrant. Add in pounded dried prawns. Let cook for a couple of minutes. Add in sliced beef and let cooked. Add in prawns. Add in a little water so it mixture won't be too dry. Add in shitake mushrooms. Add in soy and oyster sauce. Taste depends entirely on ndividual. Add or minus the sauces to your liking. Add in tomato sauce. Mix all well. Add in all vegetables. Pour in more water if needed. Lastly, add in beehoon. Mix the beehoon thoroughly with the mixture till all covered. Let simmer for a while. Close fire and have the lid close to retain moisture. Serve with fresh tomato wedges. It'll be great if there's chopped parsley or scallions. Mmmmm...!

Nutella Mango Cake

2007-11-18T16:52:00.000+08:00

It's been quite a while since I last baked. Now into the last trimester and I'm feeling rather sLooooW, tired and out-of-mood for kitchen duties. Endurence for another say... one half months more. Weeeee...! Now, I prefer to cook or bake in the early morning coz that's when my energy is at its fullest. Come towards the evening, I'd be exhausted. By what really, I don't know??? I pity "B" not having to have his sweets weekly nowadays. apart from that, we had also been buying packet food for dinner. Which is a bore at times. We still love homecooked food no matter how simple it may be. But, I just can't help feeling lethargic whenever I'm back from work. I simply will take a bath and then laze at the sofa and have a cup of hot milk.

But this weekend's different. Me Baba had brought home some organic mangoes and I took home 3 huge ones. They aren't really sweet or too sour. Just in-betweens. Thus, I decided on making a cake rather than to eat them fresh. Pairing mangoes with chocolate was an experiment just because I had half a bottle of Nutella that needed to be finished before the end of the month. Surprisingly, the cake turned out well! The sourish taste of the mangoes blended well with the chocalatey-gooeyishness from the Nutella. "B" almost finish the whole loaf but saved quarter for a next round.

Now, I'm happier that the mangoes and Nutella are cleared from my kitchen. We shall see, when's the next time I'll be baking again. Hopefully, for Idiladha or Christmas or New Year's mayhaps?

Ingredients for Nutella Mango Cake
2 large mangoes - mini-cubed
1/3 cup butter - melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon powde
1/3 tsp nutmeg powder
1 egg
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp biocarbonate soda
1 tsp vanilla essence
1.5 cups AP flour
Nutella - I used about 150g
Method
In a bowl, mix the mini mango cubes with the melted butter. In another bowl, beat egg and pour in sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the mango cubes and mix thoroughly. Sift flour a bit by bit at a timeto avoid lumps. DO NOT OVERMIX! Just fold in the flour till it gradually dissappeared. Grease a baking tin and pour in the mixture. Scoop in the Nutella and spread on top. With a toothpick, swirl in the Nutella into the cake mixture. Bake at 180'C for 30 minutes. Cool and serve warm. The Nutella will ooze out from within creating a soft, chocolatey flow onto your plate. Like molten lava. Hokay, I'm exxagerating. But the warm chocolate and sourish mango bits was a nice mid-morning treat for "B". Oh, have them with a cup of coffee. Good way to start your weekend going!

Fish Porridge

2007-11-01T11:21:00.000+08:00

My "B's" on the road of recovery. Thank God! That cough had been bugging "B" ever since Hari Raya for 2 weeks looong... Still a little "korf... korf..." here and there but no more the loud ground-shaking "KORFF... KORFF...". "B's" still on a strict diet of no oily, spicy, coconutty and most of all fried food. Only light soothing ones. "B" had kept his hands off the raya cookies at home and told me that he yearn to have some soon. "Alaaah, kesian dia".

To compensate all that "B" had missed, I made Fish Porridge for dinner. A simple, light, delectable and easy on the tummy meal. A rather easy, no-mess meal to prepare. I'm also gearing up for the coming of Little Baby. Porridge IS one of the things they'll eat don't they??? So, I gotta master the skills of 'porridgery'. Hahahahahaaa...

Anyhows, "B" savoured a full bowl of the Fish Porridge with a cup of soybean milk and then Snapple Mango Madness juice. He was already eyeing the cookies after that coz I was munching away in front of the teevee. Ooops, sorry "B"... I should have hid myself amongst the cusions aites!

Ingredients for Fish Porridge
2 fillets red snapper (or any white fish) - sliced
1.5 cups short grain rice
5-6 cups water
3 shallots - diced
1 cm young ginger - slice thickly
1/2 handfull ikan bilis - pound
1/2 handfull dried small prawns (udang kering) - pound
1 stick celery - sliced
1 carrot - sliced
salt to taste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
white pepper
Garnish - celantro, fried shallots, red chillies, chye poh, spring onion etc.
Method
Boil water and add in diced shallots, ginger, carrot, celery, ikan bilis and dried small prawns. Then add in salt to taste, light soy sauce and a dash or two of white pepper. Close lid and let soup boil till carrot softens. Add in the sliced fillet. Once, fillets are cook, dish out onto a plate and put aside. Add in rice and let simmer with lid close. Stir once in a while so rice will not be clumpy or burnt. Porridge will be cook when the rice start to 'break' and turn to a 'mush'. Scoop into a bowl and top it with the fish fillets boiled earlier. Garnish and serve.

* For an easier way to prepare the stock, you can buy any ready-made fish stock, cubes or granulates from supermarkets. Sometimes when I don't have any ikan bilis or dried prawns at home, these off-the-shelves products became my saviour. I'd usually stock on Knorr brand. The ones w/o MSG added.

Gado-Gado for the Crowd

2007-10-29T15:51:00.000+08:00

I seriously don't know what to make for the party thats coming over for Hari Raya visit. My Dad's side rented a bus for all of us to go around one another's house for Hari Raya. A pretty easy and economical way to finish up the 'jalan raya'. Besides, I enjoy the noise, chatterings, gossipings, catching-ups and all other ooohs and aaahs... Seldom that we get together like this EXCEPT on Hari Raya. An oppurtunity that I never intent to miss out EVER! Next year, our Little Baby will be joining along. Yippeee! Additional to the rhythm of cries...!

I had came up with a list of recipes throughout the Ramadhan for this day. But deleted all of them and decided on making Gado-Gado and Lontong Goreng at the last minute. Its refreshing, easy to whip-up, light and yet filling too. With the bump and all, my strength is limited and so is my movements. Everything I do, is ALL so uber slooooower... nowadays. I like to laze more than doing any chores at all. I had the groceries shopping done way earlier with the help from Mommy. Prepared some of the stuffs needed the night before and finished up everything the next morning before we headed to the first house. Weee!

The get-together was splendid. Breakfast was fine. We made a move from the first house a little after 11am. Apart from the going-to-each-others-house-for-visitings, I was loking forward to the food spread each house had prepared. What's Hari Raya without FOOD huh!!! Still... I had to watch what I eat as I didn't want to bLuek. "B" still had his cough. So... BOTH of us watched each other as not to indulge ourselves with the spread.

Lontong Goreng with a spread of shredded chicken

My house was the second last and it was drizzling when we reached. Raining = Growling tummies. Good equation. I was worried that my Gado-Gado and Lontong Goreng wouldn't be eaten as they sure had had a lot! Boy, was I glad that everyone had a little share of each of the my spread. Unfortunately, "B" and I didn't get to taste any. All finished! But there's some leftover Gado-Gado sauce and raw ingredients in the fridge. I'll whip up a plate for you tonight "B" darl...

Ingredients for Gado-Gado
long beans - sliced 2cm long and blanched
cabbage - chopped roughly and blanched
carrot - julienne
potatoes - boiled and cubed
tempe - cubed and fried
eggs - boiled and halves
lontong - cubed
keropok
shredded chicken breast (opt)
boiled hotdogs (opt)Ingredients for Gado-Gado Sauce
200g crushed peanuts
3 cups water
2-3 dried assam keping
3 pieces ceko
sugar to balance
salt to taste
oil to fry
Ingredients to Blend
15 dried chillies - deseed and soaked
1 large onion

3 garlic
Method
Fry blended ingredients with ceko till split oil. Add in water and bring to boil. Add in sugar and salt to taste. Add in assam keping. Lastly, add in crushed peanuts and stir well. Bring to a boil under low fire. Serve with a pile load of your favourite ingredients!

* A personal note: I like to let my Gado-Gado sauce stay overnight or the least a couple of hours later till the sauce had cooled and thicken a little. It'll coat to the ingredients better and gives a fuller ooomph. Try it...!

Chicken Porridge for the Soul

2007-10-29T14:26:00.000+08:00

My "B's" sick. Bad whooping cough. It was sooo bad that the bed shook each time he started going "khong...! khong...! khong...!" Disturbed my sleep and Little Baby. "B" even suggested sleeping outside till his cough died down. I guess it's all the rich food and gassy drinks during this festive season and not forgetting the unpredictable wheather. "B" already finished a bottle of the doc's medicine and yet the cough still persists. Sheeesh...

Thus, no more hari raya goodies and spicy rich food for "B". He'll just have to make do with warm plain water and a little bite of each goodies if he so desires. Sheer toture I tell you. Yesterday, we had a raya outing with my side of the family. Of course every house had some spread or another. Usually, one which WILL aggravate a cough type of food and goodies. "B" had to just sit at a corner depriving himself with the glorious spread of Seafood Fried Rice, Ayam Masak Merah, Chicken Pies, Roti Kirai, Kheema, Ice Jelly, Satays, Rojak Buah with sourish-spicy sauce, Bahmia with baguettes, Lontong Goreng, Gado-Gado, keropoks, Laksa Goreng, Ayam Goreng, Fishball Goreng, Fruit Cocktail, raya cookies, crackers, Fruit Cakes, pound cakes, Kueh Lapis and sooo many more. Poor "B". Me, I couldn't stomach ALL those if not I'll bLueK as always. So, both of us really laid low. However, we did enjoy the outing.

Thus, for dinner, I made "B" some Chicken Porridge to compensate the loss. Hopefully, the cough ease down a little so "B" and most importantly me and Little Baby can have a good night's rest.

Ingredients for Chicken Porridge
chicken feet, necks, bones
2 cm young ginger - sliced
2 shallots - chopped roughly
2 sticks celeries - chopped roughly
1 carrot - chopped roughly
4 spring onions
1 corn - half
5 cups water (more if the porridge gets too thick)
2 chicken breasts - sliced
1.5 cups short grain rice
salt to taste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Ingredients for Garnishing
cabbage - finely sliced
carrot - finely julienne
white pepper
fried shallots
Method
Boil 5 cups water. Add in chicken feet, necks, bones, young ginger, celeries, carrots, shallots, spring onions and corn. Bring to a boil till all ingredients softens. Add salt to taste and light soy sauce. Lastly, add in rice. Lower the fire and cover with lid. Stir occasionally. Add in water if the porridge gets thick. In fact, the thickness of the porridge depends on individual. I like mine not too watery. Just fine to scoop and slurp it down the throat. Slow cook for half an hour or till rice 'breaks' and turns into a 'mush'. Add in sliced chicken breast and let cook for another 10 minutes. Garnish as desires. Let cool and enjoy!

Iftar @ me Grandma's

2007-09-25T13:00:00.000+08:00

Today mark's the 13th day of Ramadhan. Gosh...! Nearly half the holy month's gone. Alhamdulillah, I've been able to fast without difficulties. Little Baby's doing fine too. She's coping well with me. We'll brave on to two more weeks of fasting.

Now that I'm better, I've been looking forward to iftars as it beats nothing than breaking fast with families and friends rather than on your own. Usually for weekdays, it'll be just "B" and me AND Little Baby. Yeah, we didn't forget you darl! Past weekends, we were at Mommy's and last Sunday at me Grandma's. Of course, I didn't come empty handed. All the more I did some homecooked food to share. But if it's breaking fast at Mommy's, I'll bring an empty tummy with Little Baby. "B'll" arrive later after work. Heheheheee... What are Mommy's for kan, kan!?

Anyhows, I made Lontong Goreng and Kueh Kaswi for the iftar at Grandma's. Mommy made Laksa, Strawberry Dadih and Chocolate Butter Cake whilst Grandma and me aunties made Kueh Teow Seafood Soup, Pisang Goreng and Cempedak Goreng. Beverage was grassjelly syrup (air cincau lar...) and fruit cocktail (air buah campur2 dalam tin lar...). The food spread was good and the company better. We ate and drank a little and perform the maghrib prayers before going for a second helping of food. Later after isya' prayers, Bro, Bratsy Sista, "B" and me went to Geylang for what exactly... don't know lar... Bro wanted his deng-deng (bbq sweet processed meat similar to beef jerky) and Bratsy Sista wanted ayam percik and ayam madu (both are bbg chicken wings in diff sauces/marinates). Me, I followed coz AMAIZINGLY "B" agreed to it too. It's really rare for me and "B" to step into Geylang at night. Too many people, too hot, no agenda etc... That night I managed to get a huge enough rug for my kitchen floor though. So, a little consolation there. We went home pretty early too.

The Sunday well spent and I was happy to how my Kueh Kaswi turned out to be. Thanks to the steamer for making it all happened. Kissy-kissy "B"!!! I want to make Kueh Lompang next!

Ingredients for Kueh Kaswi
1.5 cup gula melaka
1 cup white sugar
some pandan leaves - shred to enhance more aroma
2 cups water
2 cups flour
1 cup cornflour or tapioca flour
1 tbsp air kapur (edible chalk water)
4 cups water
white grated coconut
salt
Method
Firstly, boil gula melaka, sugar with 2 cups of water. Throw in some pandan leaves. Let the gula melaka and sugar dissolve then let to cool. In a bowl, mix flour, cornflour, air kapur and 4 cups of water. Add in the sugared water and mix well. Strain the mixture so as to get a smoother texture. This will result in a shiny and smooth kueh when cooked. Non-lumpy. Steam for 40 minutes in a 9"x9" baking tin or 30 minutes in minature cups. Cups are either in aluminium or ceramic. Let kueh cool first before cutting with a plastic knife. Steam also some white grated coconut and mix in a pinch or two of salt to enhance the coconut taste. Sprinkle the grated coconut on each kueh. Have it with tea or coffee.

Ingredients for Lontong Goreng
1 log lontong - cut in cubes/bitesizes
1 handful dried shrimps - pounded
100g minced meat
3 eggs
celantro - chopped finely
2 red chillies - sliced finely
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
salt to taste
vege oil
Ingredients for blended chilli paste
10-15 dried chillies - soak & deseed
3 shallots
3 garlic
a handful dried ikan bilis
water for easy blending
Method
Heat oil and fry blended chilli paste till split oil. Add in minced meat and let to cook. Add in pounded dried shrimps. Stir well. Add in tomato sauce and light soy sauce. Crack eggs and let half cook before mixing into the sambal. Add in the cubed lontongs. Mix well till all lontongs are evenly coated for a couple of minutes. Serve with a garnish of chopped celantro and sliced red chillies. Eat hot/warm.

Lontong Goreng all pack to go

Mihun Goreng Putih

2007-09-22T23:13:00.000+08:00

Mihun or beehoon as it's sometimes called is rice vermicelli. It comes in dried so there's a need to soak in water to soften before it can being use for cooking/frying or a base filling for soups. Not like pastas where they're needed to be cook in boiling water before consumption. Beehoon stores well in a cool dry place for moons. Thus, it comes in pretty handy during emergencies or when you need to fix something real quick. We asian, uses beehoon in a number of cookings. It comes either fried or in soupy dishes. My one favourite is Mihun Goreng Putih - Fried Beehoon. I went blog-hopping and caught sight of this Beehoon Singapore. To me it's still the humble Mihun Goreng Putih I used to have. I reckon the different in name is just A NAME.

So today for breaking fast, Mihun Goreng Putih it is. I was still recovering from the flu bug and wasn't in the mood to cook anything than a one-dish meal. Didn't even had any sweets for dessert. I quickly fixed that in making a tall glass of Yeo's soybean and added in katira and semangkok. Ok, gotta get ready to meet up with Zaf and Yus to return their stacks of vcd that I borrowed eons back. Sorry guys for keeping them far too long...

Ingredients for Mihun Goreng Putih
4 garlic - minced
2 shallots - minced
light soy sauce
a pinch of salt
white pepper
200g beehoon - soaked
3 medium squid - sliced
6 prawns
green veges - chopped
carrots - jullienne
celantro - chopped finely
vege oil
water
Method
Heat oil and stir fry chopped garlic and shallots. Add in squids and prawns and let cook. Add in some water, light soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Mix. Add in soaked beehoon and let cook for a while till the beehoon soften further. Add in the green veges and carrots and mix well. Add in water if it gets too dry. Serve hot with some chopped celantro. Sometimes I'd have it with cut pickled green chillies or bird's eye chillies in light soy sauce. Simply heaven. You go try!

Fried Spaghetti ala Melayu

2007-09-18T21:17:00.000+08:00

Didn't had an inking idea what to cook for break fast later! Didn't want to tire myself into cooking something elaborate coz I'm down with flu. Thank god Doc said Little Baby was doing a-ok! In fact, Little Baby was kicking and kicking and kicking. Doc said I was a little dehydrated and advice me to break fast instead. BUT... IF I do still want to continue, I should refrain in going outdoors and stay in bed more. That I did aites! Thus, just a simple menu for tonight. For dessert, "B" can still have the leftover Belebat Keledek from yesterday. Also made Air Katira. Ok folks, the medicine's kicking in now. I'm heading for the pillows. Adious!

Ingredients for Fried Spaghetti ala Melayu
400g spaghetti - cook till al-dente
minced meat
2 tomatoes - diced
3 tbsp ketchup
canned button mushrooms - sliced
2 eggs
green vege - cut bitesize
vege oil
salt to taste
sugar (opt)
Blended ingredients
15 dried chillies - soak & de-seed
(Note: more chillies = hotter. Do tweak to yr liking aites!)
1 large onion
3 garlic
1 handful ikan bilis
1 inch baked belachan
a little water
Garnishings
chopped celantro, cherry tomatoes, green chillies and fried shallots
Method
Heat oil and fry blended ingredients till split oil. Add in minced meat and let it cook. Add in diced tomatoes, ketchup and mushrooms. Stir well. Crack eggs and let cook halfway through before mixing. Salt to taste. Add in spaghetti and mix thoroughly. If it's too hot, add in a little sugar to reduce the heat. Lastly, add in green veges. Cover with lid and let cook fo 5 minutes. Open lid and stir again before closing fire. Garnish before serving. WaLaaa! Senang je...

Sotong Masak Hitam & Belebat Keledek

2007-09-17T14:19:00.000+08:00

I hate Mondays. Never looked forward to it. It always meant bye-bye Sunday and welcome work day... No more waking up late, no more lazing around, no more casual wear, no more afternoon teevee, no more late nights and no more many more... "Eeeeks!" Even "B" sounded weary when I called him mid-morning. Sheeesh... I guess, today's Monday's 'blue-er' than usual. Even Little Baby was moving non-the-stopping. I almost broke fast at noon coz I couldn't stand the 'wind' in my tums. I just wanted to have that Twix chocolate in the vending machine! But I endured! Breathe in... Breathe out...

Amidst the blue-blue Monday, I had planned my breaking fast menu in the office to break all the blues away. Tonight's break fast menu's are Sotong Masak Hitam (nearest translation Squid Ink Sambal) and Belebat Keledek for dessert. "B" had been asking me to make any belebat but I didn't had a steamer. So yesterday, off we went to Geylang Joo Chiat and he bought me one. FINALLY I got a steamer! Yipppeee!!! It's the non-electrical version. I rather have this type coz (1) It's cheaper, (2) you get a wider width with lesser cost, (3) it's versatile - the most bottom can be use as a pot and you can add the steamer racks by buying additionals and (4) it'll never breakdown unless its totally broken or you're out of gas.

We broke fast with Kurma Safawi and a cup of warm water each. After maghrib we had the sotong with rice, raw cucumber, cherry tomatoes and potato omelette. All these are washed down with ice cold homemade bandung. The Belebat Keledek was eaten later in the night. "B" said it was delicious! Yeah, I thought so too.

Ingredients for Sotong Masak Hitam
Blended Ingredients
10-15 dried chillies - soak and de-seed
1 large onion
2 garlic
1 inch fresh tumeric
1 inch baked belachan
a little water
Other ingredients
fresh sotong - washed & cut into 1 inch round thickness
leave the 'black' blood sac intact to colour the sambal
1 lemongrass - bruised
salt to taste
oil
Method
Heat oil and fry the blended ingredients till split oil. Add in lemongrass, salt to taste and sotongs. Stir well and close lid on medium fire. Let cook for 10 minutes or till sotong turned white. Don't overcook the sotong or it'll become rubbery. You don't want that! Seve hot with rice and some raw veges or salad.

Ingredients for Belebat Keledek
2 medium keledek (sweet potatoes)
water for boiling
4-5 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp milk powder or coffeemate
some water
1 cup AP flour
banana leaves
Method
Skin sweet potatoes and boil till soft then mashed them. Add in sugar and milk powder. Add in water if the mixture's to thick. Add in flour little by little to create a paste like mixture. Cut banana leaves about 6 inches in width. Bring the banana leaves over fire to soften them for easier folding. In malay you called it "salai daun pisang". Take a dollopful of the paste mixture and lay in a banana leaf. Wrap the paste mixture by bringing both length-to-length then bring the left and right wings to the bottom. Steam for 20 minutes. Let out to cool before serving. It ought to be chewy yet soft to the bite.

Pssst... my Sotong Masak Hitam ought to be more hitam (black) but it didn't. I should've used all the squid ink but out of 5, I managed to salvage only 3. The others burst when I tried to pull the guts or head out. Even the 'salvaged' ones aren't all intact. Thus more red than black sambal here. Gotta be gentler.

Homemade Rose Syrup

2007-09-17T12:55:00.000+08:00

Remember the pinky almost fuscia bandung I mentioned from my last post??? I was determined to make my own homemade rose syrup and I did yesternight. Seriously, I thought making syrup was difficult. Which part I'm not too sure but DIFFICULTY in making it I could forsee. How, I don't know laaa... Just plain D.I.F.F.I.C.U.L.T.

Usually, the saying goes "ignorance's a bliss" but after yesterday, I reckon ignorance was a total shame for me! Thank God it was just to "B". phew...! I can't believe how ignorant I must've have sound when I answered "B" this. "B" remarked --> "Sayang... why not you make your own syrup instead? It'll beats nothing compared to off-the-shelves ones." I answered, "Huh, you think it's easy to make rose syrup ke... I can't imagine how many roses I'll need to squeeze to get their juices. Let alone making them from scratch!" "B" was bewildered. I called Mommy immediately and she said there's no roses involved at all. Huh!??? Ooooh... now I get it. All syrups are just sugar+water and of course the edible colourings and essence flavours. Duh...!

No more being/playing dumb now! I'm celebrating my new found knowledge with a tall glass of crushed ice bandung.

Ingredients for Rose Syrup
2 kg fine white sugar
1 - 1.5 cups water
pandan leaves
1 tsp edible food colouring (red)
Method
Pour sugar into a pan and add 1 cup water first. Add in the pandan leaves for its additional fragrance to the rose syrup. Stir till sugar dissolves. Add in more water if the mixture is still too thick or when the sugar is hard to dissolve. The 'thickness' of the syrup really depends on each own. Lastly, add in edible food colouring (red).

To make bandung - Pour in some rose syrup, add in crushed ice and cold water till 3/4 full. Drizzle in evaporated full cream milk and stir well. Bottoms-up!

Choc Chips & Raisins Bread Pudding

2007-09-16T01:00:00.000+08:00

Time sure went by pretty fast this year! I've made through the 3rd day of Ramadhan and going strong for the fourth. Had wanted to break fast at my grandma's but let go of the idea when Baba said that he won't be able to make it in time there. Work committment peeps. Thus, I decided to sleep in till the mid-afternoon. It rained mid-morning and I can't (or more so WON'T) do any housework. Excuses, excuses!!! Woke up at 4-ish and went about to make food for breaking fast. I had in mind "Roti John" and Bread Pudding since I took a french loaf from Mommy's yesternight. Alright, the menu's sounds fine to me. Called "B" for an opinion AND as usual the answer's... "anything Sayang...". Alrighty!!!

Took my own sweet time to cook and everything was done just a couple of minutes before the prayers. "B" came home 20 minutes later. He got me a packet of bandung. I should had taken a pic as evidence. The bandung was uber pink! A little wrong touch and it'll turned fuscia. I swear!!! God...! It tasted as though a full bottle of rose essence had been poured in. Nevertheless, I did thanked "B" for it before commenting it of course. Ey, I ain't all that bad hokay... Next time I'm gonna buy a bottle of rose syrup and make my own bandung with lotsa evaporated milk in it. Make it uber creamy. Mmm... For now, that packet will just have to do.

Ingredients for Choc Chips & Raisins Bread Pudding
1/2 a french loaf
1 cup whole cream milk
1 egg
5 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
a pinch of salt
some water (opt)
vanilla essence
3 tbsp Van Houten cocoa powder
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup choc chips
butter to glaze
Method
Break the french loaf into small pieces and soak in with the whole cream milk. Whisk egg with sugar till dissolve. Pour in evaporated milk, vanilla essence, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Pour into the bowl of soaked bread. Mix well. Glaze the baking tray and pour half the bread content into the it. Layer with raisins and choc chips and pour in the rest of the bread mixture. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes @ 120'C or until skewer comes out clean.

My "B" adores my bread pudding a lot coz just now he ate half of the baked bread pudding at one sitting. Way to go "B"! Another half ought to be gone by sahur.

Chuck Eye Beef Burger

2007-09-13T21:16:00.000+08:00

***Selamat Menjalani Ibadah Puasa Di Bulan Ramadhan Al-Mubarak ***

My Best Chuck Eye Beef Burger

It's the first day of Ramadhan and me and my baby made it through! HooYiPpeee! Little Baby was moving a lot during the day. Hungry maybe??? Well, I'm forseeing meself fasting for a month straight if this goes well. Insya'Allah! In fact, I'm happier fasting coz then I wouldn't feel the need to puke each time I had something to eat. Even a meare piece of digestive biscuit would make me run to the ladies to throw up. "Leceh seh..." (troublesome). The ONLY thing I yearned for just now was a packet of fresh strawberry HL milk. cheh...! "Tawakal bebanyak tadi folks..." (held my cravings). Got my milk for breaking fast eventually with two pieces of Dark Choc Tim Tam. So, I'm satisfied.

"B's" going for terawih at Masjid En-Naeem and I bought some rojak mamak to break fast first. Did the burger after "B" came back from terawih. I had bought some fresh Halal chuck eye steaks at Cold Storage earlier... meaning to make a nice steak for the both of us. But later dropped the idea flat and decided on this Chuck Eye Beef Burger instead. The beef chucks had been marinated and let to infuse all flavours for over a day. Of course you can't possibly make burger when the cut is still steak-like. So into the blender all the beef chucks went to with some additional ingredients to 'add' it up.

The burger was perfectly done and I can tell you it's one of the best burgers I had for quite a long while. Usually for a quick burger bite, the BK Turkey Bacon or BK Mushroom Swiss Burgers or Ramly Burger when we're at any pasar malam would satisfy me. Now... those two are no match to tonight's ultimate burger! I had it with a couple pieces of cheddar cheeses and a thin spread of DelMonte ketchup. Super!!! A good meal to start the Ramadhan going. So Little Baby, you satisfied now Mommy had made you a burger to break fast?!!! In fact, Little Baby stopped moving once I chomped down the Chuck Eye Beef Burger.

Ingredients for Chuck Eye Beef Burger
3 large pieces of chuck eye steak
1 egg
1/2 a carrot - roughly diced
1/2 an onion
All ingredients below pound in a mortar & pestle
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves
1.5 tsp meat curry powder
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried chilli pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
a good pinch of salt
extra virgin olive oil
Marinade method
Get all the pounded ingredients and smear all over the beef cuts and let to stand overnight. Take the marinated beef cuts and put into a blender with the egg, diced carrots and onion. I don't like my meat to be really minced up. So, I blended mine with some small chunks left. Heat a flat pan with some extra virgin olive oil. Wet your palms first as not to let the minced meat stick all over. Take a large fistful of blended meat and shape it in your palm into a patty. Made mine as huge as the square loaf bread you get at the supermarket. Hah! Put the huge patty into the flat pan over a small flame and let cook slowly. Prepare two slices of wholemeal bread, slice some cheddar cheeses and place the hot beef patty on top of it. Have it with a good slather of mayonnaise/ketchup/mustard/chilli/bbq sauces etc OR have the burger on its own in its own juices. Slurp...! Chomp down the burger with ultimate joy! Mmmmm...!

Bread Pudding for Nenek's Kenduri

2007-09-10T13:03:00.000+08:00

This will be the last kenduri arwah for the year before the coming Ramadhan. This time it's at "B's" grandma's. Just a small gathering within "B's" family on his Mama'a side. Of course I made somethings to bring along. Kenduri was to start after maghrib (after dusk) thus I had plenty of time beforehand. I brough along Bread Pudding and Sujee. Sujee's me Papa's favourite and I had a french loaf in the fridge and why not make Bread Pudding out of it aites! Besides, the flour's at home had depleted to less than a cup full so... no baking of any cakes lah...

This time, I didn't scoured the internet for the Bread Pudding recipe but instead went through "Perempuan" magazines (made in Malaysia mags from me grandma) and found a rather easy to follow recipe. BINGO! So, after washing all the 2 weeks overdued baju-baja (laundries) and also my quilt, pillow cases, comforter and mattress protector, I set out for to bake my kueh. "B" as usual was already glued to his PC and whatnots gadgetries. I understand that there's already an 'invinsible' NO DISTURB sign in neon lighting at his door eventhough it's open wide. That's my "B" folks!

Ok... forget about "B" there. After I had all my laundries into the washer, I laid all the ingredients out. It took no more than an hour to do both the Bread Pudding as well as the Sujee. By 3.30pm I was enjoying my cup of chrysenthemum tea with the Bread Pudding cooling down , the Sujee packed in mini containers and the laundries out to dry. It was a sunny Sunday . I love you Mr Sun! I knew by the end of the evening, my laundries are gonna be crisp and dry and smell fresh. By 5pm, we set out for Mama-B's. See... no rush. I like!!! I had planned to drop by Phoon Huat to buy some bottles and assorted nuts for Hari Raya but it had for the day. Every Sunday it's open from 0900-1700. Jeeesh...! Ok, gotta forgo that.

Overall, the Kenduri was fine. Had Nasi Ambeng for the feast and it was good eventhough catered. Minus points went to the bergedel (potato patties). Nowadays, I seemed to see a lot of bergedels made from instant potato flour rather than pounding from real potatoes. The taste off and dry. No kick. Apart from that the sambal belachan was blended rather than pounded. I reckon for easy and fast method. Sigh... the means of technologies! Still, the whole meal was delicious to say. We even had some food packed home. Usually, I'd get the food packed in disposable containers but if it's at my Mama's, food are usually packed in metal tiffin carrier. Uber cool...! Since there's only 2 of us, we had the small tiffin carrier. "Kawaii...!" And of course, I can't resist a pic of it. In case there aren't any left for the next generation to see huh.

Ingredients for Bread Pudding
1 large french loaf
2.5 cups whole milk
2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white choc chips (opt)
If don't have white choc chips, you can make do with 1 cup white sugar
a pinch of salt
vanilla essence
1 cup raisins
Method
Tear the french loaf into small pieces. Place the pieces in a large bowl. Pour in whole milk and let it soak for a while. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar till rise. Then add in evaporated milk, salt and vanilla essence and mix well. Add in white choc chips and raisins. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of bread and mix till all bread are soaked in. Prepare and grease a 9-inch baking tray and pour in the bread mixture. Bake at 120'C between 30-45 minutes or till when you insert a skewer and it comes out clean. Put a side and let to cool before cutting. I dusted icing sugar for presentation.

I don't have the exact measurements for this recipe as I poured more milk when the mixture got too thick and added in more sujee when it got too thin. But what is important IS that you should keep on stirring on a low fire and be really patient. In the end, I reckon I used half a litre of UHT whole milk and 200g sujee and 1 cup brown sugar. Still, I each time when I do this, I'd come up with a different measurement altogether. Besides, some may like a thick paste sujee and some like a thinner paste. To each his own. You decide!

Ingredients for Sujee
Samolina
UHT whole cream milk
brown or white sugar
grated cinnamon stick
grated nutmeg
Decorations - raisins, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds and spiced honey.
Spiced Honey - Dilute honey with a witsy-bit of hot water. Add in star anise, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Let it soak for a while and drizzle on top of the sujee. Optional though. Here's another Sujee recipe I made earlier.

Pulut Kuning and Chicken Cashew Nuts Curry

2007-08-31T14:21:00.000+08:00

OK! I noticed the title contained both Malay and English in it. Alright, I get things straight. In Malay its --> Pulut Kuning dengan Ayam Kari Gajus and in English its --> Glutinous Yellow Rice with Chicken Cashew Nuts Curry. There! I visited me grandma last weekend. Didn't make this to bring over but made a tupperware of Kueh Lopes. Since I had just a little over two cups of glutinous rice left, I might as well finish it up and made Pulut Kuning. Pulut Kuning is best eaten with Rendang or Beef Curry. The spicier, the better! SHIOK!!! I knew Mommy is giving me her Chicken Cashew Nut Curry and I'll have just the dish to pair it with.

Note that my Pulut Kuning isn't very kuning (yellow) as I didn't add any artificial colouring. Thus the pale yellowy looking. Making it is uber easy. Mine's done using the rice cooker. Just remember to pre-soak the glutinous rice overnight with a little kapur. Then wash it and let the cooker do its job. Make sure the water level measures at the same 'height' with the glutinous rice. If it's higher, the glutinous rice will be soaggy. Not nice! Put half a tsp of vege oil so it wouldn't stick. Optional though. Press "cook" and then when it turns to "warm", let it stay in there for 20 minutes or so to let the rice settle (tanak) and soften. Serve warm with delish dips to accompany. EnjoY aites!

Sharing with you peeps me Mommy's Chicken Cashew Nuts Curry.

Ingredients for Chicken Cashew Nuts Curry
Ingredients to blend:
1 large onion
3 garlic
1cm young ginger
10 green chillies (more chillies = spicier)
1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
1 cup raw cashew nuts
water (easy blending)
Other Ingredients:
5 cups water
oil to fry blend ingredients
1 chicken - cut as desired
meat curry powder - dilute with a little water
2 potatoes - quartered
cherry tomatoes - whole
1 carrot - cut small
ladies finger - whole
Method
Heat oil and saute blended ingredients till split oil (naik minyak). Then add in water and let it boil. Add in chicken, potatoes and carrots. Close lid and let boil till chicken tendered. Add in ladies fingers. After a couple of minutes, add in cherry tomatoes and close fire. Close lid to let the heat carry on cooking. Serve warm with rice, baguette (roti perancis lar), roti kirai, roti prata, chappati, naan, pulut kuning and many-many more!

Emergency Mee Goreng

2007-08-24T22:51:00.000+08:00

After, the big 'Kampung' dinner yesterday, "B" wanted me to cook something simpler tonight. How simple IS simple? Not cooking IS the simplest! Being "B", he didn't suggest any. He gave me the go-ahead to do anything I want, following my taste for the day. Simple for me are one dish meals. Either mee goreng or fried rice. Since, I DO have a packet of yellow mee needed to be used, why not Mee Goreng basah-pedas. But, argh...! I'm short of the ground dried chillies. The ultimate agent needed in cooking a "power" mee goreng! Nah... noway I'm gonna cut, soak, blend the dried red chillies. Too much hassle. Defeat the meaning of simple cooking. So... I came up with the "Emergency Mee Goreng". Hah... It did eventually tasted close enough. "Pedas" (Hot) enough. "Basah" (Wet) enough. Okie docs, "B" mari makan sekarang! ("B" come eat now!"). He gave his thumbs-up.

Tomorrow, no more being lazy. I'm gonna blend those dried red chillies and store it in the refrigerator for future use. You'll never know when it'll come in handy. Just ANYTIME...!!!

Ingredients for Emergency Mee Goreng
500g yellow noodles
1 large red onion - chopped finely
3 garlic - chopped finely
2 red chillies - chopped finely
1/3 cup chilli sauce
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/8 tbsp light soy sauce
1/8 tbsp dark soy sauce
crushed black pepper
100g minced meat
2 chicken breasts - sliced
1 hard tofu - cubed
cabbage - chopped roughly
oil
Method
Heat oil and fry onion, garlic and red chillies. Add in minced meat and chicken breasts. Stir till cook. Add in chilli, tomamto, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir till boiled slightly then add in hard tofu cubes. Add in yellow noodles and mix well. Sprinkle some crushed black pepper. Lastly add in chopped cabbage. Mix all well. Serve hot.

My 'Kampungan' Dinner

2007-08-24T12:04:00.000+08:00

When I told "B" what I'll be cooking for dinner, he msg-ed me this ---> "Wah, tonight kampung dinner seh...!" You see... I seldom cook this type of malay-ish dinner. Mainly because it'll involved fried stuffs! Which I really HaTe! Urgh...! Usually, it'll be fusion meals or one-dish meals coz they're simply easier and faster. But it beats nothing compared to authentic dishes. I was in the mood and since "B" gave his support, I was all for it. Can't wait to get off work and start pounding me mortar and pestle!

I had all if not most of the ingredients at home. I've set myself to prepare dinner within an hour. As dinner was nothing too complicated and out of the ordinary, I reckon the time limit was substantial. Of course I did no short-cuts. All ingredients are prepared fresh. Oh, I babbled too much and forgot to say what's the menu for tonight.

Our Kampung Dinner Menu
Pardon If the translation's off. It's the nearest I could come up with!
(1) Sayur Lemak Lodeh - Coconut Broth Vege Mix
(2) Ikan Cincharu Goreng Kunyit - Fried Cincharu Fish with Tumeric
(3) Stir-fry Taugeh with Dried Shrimps and Fishcake
(4) Kicap Cili Api - Sweet Black Soy Sauce with Bird's Eye Chillies
(5) Basmati Rice

To me (personally), the Sayur Lemak Lodeh sounds complicated and frying fishes aren't my best forte. The stir-fry dish was easy. Had that accompanying dip of Kicap Cili Api to go with the fried ikan cincharu. It'll you give an extra kick there. Trust me! Alright, NO TURNING BACK now! I'm going thru the mission. Charge...!!!

First thing I did upon reaching home was to open all windows and bring down the laundries. I knew I'll be frying later and don 't like the fishy smell to linger around the house. I'm particular! Then, get all the ingredients out and started sorting, peeling, soaking etc. "B" came home much earlier than usual and I hadn't even starting to cook! One thing I don't like is someone disturbing me in the kitchen while I cook and "B" was doing just that. Grrr...! I like doing my stuffs SOLO. Shooed "B" away and that already took up my precious time limit. After that, all when well and I got to set dinner a little after an hour. We ate at 2030hrs which I think is still an appropriate timing for dinner.

"B" ate with relish and slurping down the Sayur Lemak Lodeh one spoon after the other. Lodeh is "B's" most favourite dish. Me, I don't fancy dishes with coconut in them. I'll still eat them though. I was happy seeing "B" devoured his rice and went for a second helping which he hadn't been doing for quite sometime now. Every dish was eaten clean. Only a little Sayur Lemak Lodeh soup left. "B" then quietly said, "Sayang... lain kali you masak macam gini selalu lah! Sedap! I like!" which meant "Love, can you cook like this often? Delish! I like!") Huh...! But "B"..., I gotta have the mood for these kind of meals. But then, I'd love to see that look on your face again while you ate just now.

Ingredients for Sayur Lemak Lodeh
1 handful dried shrimps - soaked & pound
1 handful dried ikan bilis - soaked & pound
1 large red onion - pound
3 garlics - pound
4 red bird's eye chillies - pound
1cm roasted belachan - pound
1 lemongrass - smashed with the back of your knife
1 salam leaf
1 pkt KARA coconut milk
3-4 cups water
salt to taste
oil for frying
Fillings:
Hard soybean curd (cut into 4), tempe (cut into 2), cabbage (cut thickly), longbeans (cut abt 2cm long), vermicille (soaked) and carrot (jullienne).
Method
In a pot, heat up oil and fry the pounded ingredients till dry. Add in water and let to boil. Add in coconut milk, salam leaf and lemongrass. Then add in carrot and lonbeans first. Salt to taste. Later add in all the other fillings and let boil till the fillings are cook. Serve.

Ingredients & Method for Fried Cincharu Fish with Tumeric
Cut, clean guts and pat dry 2 cicharu fishes. Rub in 2 tbsp tumeric powder and salt to taste. Deep fry till fish cook. Drain and serve.

Ingredients for Stir-fry Taugeh with Dried Shrimps
1 handful dried shrimps - soaked & pound
2 bird's eye chillies - pound
1 onion - chopped roughly
2 garlic - smashed
salt to taste
taugeh aka beansprouts enough for 2
fishcake - sliced
oil
Method
Heat oil and fry onion and garlic. Add in pounded ingredients and fry for a couple of minutes. Add in sliced fishcake and salt. Lastly, add in taugeh and mix well fast for two minutes. Close fire. Don't overcooked taugeh as it'll be watery and less crunchy. Serve.

Ingredients for Kicap Cili Api
Pour Habhal sweet black soy sauce (red coloured bottle) into a plate. Crushed in 4 bird's eye chillies. Add in 1 roughly sliced shallot and 1 lime (limau sambal) juice. A dip great for the fried ikan cincharu.

Another shot of the Sayur Lemak Lodeh
(the pic isn't doing justice to my Lodeh)

My Version Char Siew Wings

2007-08-21T21:17:00.000+08:00

Last weekend, "B" and me went to Lau Pa Sat to have the BBQ Honey Wings. It's the craving that made me decide to have dinner there. I NEVER like to eat at La Pa Sat because of the exorbitant prices, bad food, endless tauting and poor service. It's one of the tourist attractions in Singapore but I wished the food served are at least decent enough to be eaten evenso the prices are way off chart. I don't really mind paying more IF I could swallow the food or worst chew it at least! I reckon, they're taking advantage of the tourist dollars and TOTALLY ignored the quality and not mentioning quantity of food served. Damn, the craving! I totally wasted "B's" $$ eating here.

Seriously, how could one actually do much wrong in cooking a simple plate of Mee Goreng??? It looked alright in photos (well don't they all?!) and I did saw a full nice heap of seafood mee goreng served to an earlier order. So, I ordered. The lady didn't seemed pushy and abide to my requests of a spicier and wetter version of Beef Mee Goreng. "B" ordered the Nasi Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken Rice). It came minutes later and still looked alright. But wait till you taste it though! The noodles were tough and I meant rubber tough. WHERE DID THIS LADY KEPT/GET HER NOODLES!?!! I needed 'extra' energy to chew the noodles down! The beef were no different too. There's only one measley strand of chai sim in the noodles. Jeesh! I pushed the plate to "B" to finish it off!. "B's" plate of Nasi Goreng Ayam smelt ok. But again... the rice were hard. It's as though they were made days back and refrigerated over and over again. That kind of dryness and hardness I'm talking about. At least the chickens are edible. NOT really nice but eatable. Each dish costs "B" SGD4. I could have had better elsewhere with a decent amount of ingredients. SO DISSAPPOINTED!!! But, at a place like this I should have expected it...! Stoopid me! We of course ordered the BBQ Honey Wings too at stall 8. I don't think ordering at other stalls made much of a difference though. A plate of 5 wings costing @SGD1.50 each. The price had rose from SGD1.20 before. The wings were half nice now. The chilli dip's off. I SWORE to make my own in future. NO MORE coming to Lau Pa Sat. Hmph...!

Today however... I was in two minds to either reminished the BBQ Honey Wings or make Chicken Char Siew instead. Hmmm... I decided upon the latter. I came up with my own follow-by-the-taste marinate of char siew sauce. I don't know the exact taste of char siews coz most are made with pork and I can't eat that, thus I made mine with chicken wings. Judging at the recipes stated, I new they ought to be sweet and have a burnt-like taste due to the roasting. Mine turned out great! The sweet sticky sauce was delish. The redness gorgeous. I yielded a lot with 1kg of chicken wings and costing me much... much lesser than the 5 pieces I bought at Lau Pa Sat. "B" and me ate to our hearts content in the comfort of home while watching Transformers with a giant cup of ice Milo accompanying the movie. Also made "B" the Nasi Ayam Goreng that he didn't get to enjoy at Lau Pa Sat. I can say, mine's a million times better. HmmMpH...!!!

Ingredients for Chicken Wings Char Siew
(my own version)
1kg chicken wings
3 tsp cumin - pound
1 tbsp dried rosemary - pound
5 cloves - pound
sesame oil
1 lemon - squeeze juice
salt to taste
crushed black pepper
honey
chilli sauce (Del Monte brand)
Method
Add in the pounded ingredients first together with salt and black pepper. Then pour in the lemon juice and a couple dashes of sesame oil. Mix well. Lastly, add in the chilli sauce and honey till all chicken wings covered. Don't add too much of chilli sauce and honey as the marinate will tend to get too watery later. Marinate for an hour or overnight. The longer the better to get the ingredients infuse together. The taste later superb! I don' have a BBQ grill so I baked mine in the oven @220'C for 30-40 minutes or till the the chicken wings began to charred a bit. Once in a while, I'll glaze the wings with the extra sauce from the marinate so it'll stay moist rather than too dry.

I took 3 pics and wanted ALL up ;-p

I'm gonna have in mind this marinate for any coming BBQ events. I believe they'll do well on meat too! I'll try them soon enough. Before the fasting month arrives. If not after. winks*

Pics are bright red due to the chilli sauce and my camera flash too??? I did edit the pics to be sharper but maintained the natural colour still.

Prawn Noodles

2007-08-21T10:24:00.000+08:00

I've always loved soups. Just name it and I'd definitely love it. Errr... just minus off mutton base soup though. I got a thing with that meat. But, I'd sip the broth albeit the smell. I'll deal with the headache later. Soups sooth me all the time. I prefer clear soups i.e. chicken soups, fish soups, ox tail soups, seafoods soups etc... compare to creamy base ones i.e. mushroom soups, pumpkin soups, pea soups etc... I'm fine with minestronne though.

Besides eating them on its own, I like to toss in some noodles, pastas or rice to transform into a complete meal. Whilst in Bangkok, there're umpteenth of roadside stalls selling these delish noodle soups. I'd go for the beef noodles coz their broth's thicker and richer. Fish and chicken noodles are milder in taste. I'd pair the broth with glass or kueh teow noodles. Both are rice noodles in short explaination. To me, with egg noodles it'll just 'spoils' the taste with the 'eggy-ness' of the noodles. Argh... just being particular. Slurping these babies are simply heaven after a day's work. It settles in your tummy better too!

Being Singaporean and living in a multi racial country, you'll find lotsa various soup noodles about. Just to note that NOT ALL are clear base ones, Asians have a mixture of creamy/coconutty, spicy, soury, starchy, soy, etc... (listing the ones I remembered off-hand). Just to name a few, Mee Soto, Mee Rebus, Mee Bandung, Laksa w/c are made in numerous ways depending in w/c community you speak off, Mee Siam, Mee Hailam, Mee Hong Kong/Hor Fun, Mee Kuah Mamak, Prawn Noodles, Beef Noodles, Fish Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Tom Yum Noodles, Ban Mien, Curry Noodles and many-many more. We'd pair them with, egg noodles i.e yellow mee, wantan, mee poh, rice noodles i.e. kueh teow, glass noodles, bee hoon, vermicelli and sometimes even pastas. Depending on preferences. Phew...!

Today, I did some marketing and decided to make Prawn Noodles. I spotted the Ipoh Horfun Noodles at Sheng Siong and bought them. I have the prawns at home, so why not aites! It took no time at all for the raw ingredients to be ready and then cook. The noodles was ready just in time when "B" shouted "Assalamua'laikum Sayang!". In a flash, I blanched the Ipoh Horfun, green veges and taugeh aka beansprouts. After 2 minutes, drained the bowl and cracked an egg. Pour the boiling soup over the egg and filled the bowl till it covered the ingredients slightly. I told "B" to let the egg cook a witsy-bit and then can attack!!!

It was delish! To me and "B" at least. He slurped the hot noodles with sooo much 'feelings' that I just sat and looked at "B" eat till the last drop of soup was done. Yep, he loved it...!

Ingredients of Prawn Broth/Soup
1 large red onion - chopped finely
3 garlic - chopped finely
1cm young garlic - chopped finely
15 red prawns (they're sweeter compared to tiger prawns) - de-shelled & put shells aside
a handful of dried ikan bilis
a handful minced meat
2 fishcakes - sliced
5 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
white pepper
4 cups water
oil
Method
In a pan, boil water, prawn shells and dried ikan bilis. Once boiled, put prawn broth aside. In another pan, heat oil and saute chopped onions and garlics. Add in minced meat and let cook. Add in prawns and then fishcake. Pour in all the prawn water. Let boil. Add in oyster and soy sauce. Put a couple dashes of white pepper. Let the broth/soup boil and close fire. It's better to let the broth/soup cool down to let the taste infused together. Then re-boil before scooping into your bowls.

Fillings for Prawn Noodles - green veges (any kinds), taugeh aka beansprouts, egg, fried shallots, parsley. Can add in anything you desire actually. It's to your own preference. Dash in some white pepper or red chill flakes if you want the broth/soup to be hotter. Red chillies or cili padis douse in soy sauce would do the trick too!

Samosa

2007-08-19T23:33:00.000+08:00

The boys (they ought to be labled MEN!), but boys they'll be tonight, are coming over to watch the English Premire League - Liverpool vs Manchester. Since the match starting at 2300hrs, I reckon a lite snack would be good. I googled a bit, surfing from one foodblog to the other and came across SAMOSA! Yeap, like popiah but different in shape. Samosas are triangulars but the fillings are similar if not the exact to popiahs. Alritey... SAMOSA for snacks tonight.

But... the boys called last minute, asking IF there were FOOD!!! Yikes...! No 'real' food only fingerfood. So, off "B" and one of them went to NTUC and got Myojo Tom Yam instant noodles and french fries. The samosas I made, were served as appertiser. The match not starting in another half hour. Instant noodles took minutes to prepare which one of the boys was in charged for. 5 packets to 4 people. Nearing the match, I fried the fries. That was ez-pz.

But back to my samosas. I was happy to how they turned out. Didn't baked them like I always would but fried them instead. They turned out fab but with a little comments here and there. Well... usuually it's "B" eating and he's no fuss, no comment person. Still.. I welcomed them. Needed a little more salt, more curry powder and less herbs. Okies... next time I do a fillings. What matters is that my samosas looked like a samosa should be, the frying wasn't too hard as I always feared and they still retained the triangular shape after frying. Yipppeeeee!

I'll work better on the fillings next time. For now, the boys will have to do with these... This filling is good with popiahs, epok-epok aka curry puffs, pastry puffs etc. Tweak them in any way you prefer. Just as lng as they're edible later!

My all fried crispy SAMOSAS I can't resist not to put up another shot

Ingredients for samosas fillings
5 russet potatoes - diced
1 large onion - diced
6 tbsp meat curry powder
2 tsp salt
dried rosemary
dried basil
water
oil
Method
Heat oil and saute onions. Add in potatoes and fry for a couple of minutes. Add in salt, curry powder and other herbs. Pour in some water so that it'll not be too dry and also to tenderise the potatoes. Cover with lid and let cook under low fire. Cool potato fillings before spreading onto popiah skin.

You can go to Bro Rozzan's blog to learn how to fold a samosa. I did mine like that too but resulted in a longish samosa rather than an equal sided ones. I think, as long as they're triangle, they'll be called samosa. winks*

I also wants to share how one of the boys prepared his instant noodles. Usually, you'll boil some water, empty all the seasonings and put in the noodles. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes and done right. But he's way was different. First, boil water and cook only the noodles. Pour noodles out. Re-fill water in the pot and let water boil. Empty all the packet seasonings and cook for a minute or two. Pour the 'soup' into the drained noodles earlier. He said, this way it'll taste better. I have no comment coz I'm not a fan of instant noodles and I TOTALLY sucked at making them. They tasted alright to me though and I ate half a bowl of "B's". But NOWAY am I to make instant noodles on my own!

Myojo Instant Noodles

Simple Fares

2007-08-19T15:59:00.000+08:00

I and "B" had decided yesternight to go pots and pans shoping at Takashimaya Shopping Centre. They're having a Meyer Fare till 28 August. Thought we might check it out since I needed to get new ones soon. But due to the oh so... good weather, we overslept. We still could have gone shopping but the weather took a turn to the better (or is it worst???). It drizzled with a slight blow of soft wind. Mmmmm... good to just stay in and snuggle in bed. Thus, we forgo the idea of shopping. Saved some $$$ there, for now...

I couldn't make "B" go out to get us lunch in this weather right?! I reckon, a homecook lunch's the way to go. Mommy gave me some stock supplies yesterday when I visited her. I'll whip up something from those. Hence, 3 dishes came out within minutes. Accompanied with a plate of warm Basmati and a tall glass of Tangs orange. Lunch was completed!

Later tonight, the boys are coming to watch the English Premire League. I thought of making some kuehs to munch. We'll see. The nice weather calling me back to bed... I'll figure what to do when I wake up. "B's" not napping, I guess. He's busy watching Fantastic Four Rise of The Silver Surfer. Here's the lunch we had.

(1) Cili Padi Tauchu Prawns
2 cloves garlice - chopped
4 cili padi - sliced midway
4 tbsp of fermented tauchu
12-15 fresh prawns
oil
3 tbsp water
Method
Wash and clean prawns. Keep the shells and head on. It's great to suck the juices out. It's fine if you de-shell the prawns too. Heat some oil and fry chopped garlic and cili padis. Add in the tauchu Add in prawns. Stir till prawn changes colour. Add in water if the paste too dry. It should just coat lightly to each prawns. Serve.

(2) Oyster Beef
100g beef - thinly sliced
1 large white onion - sliced
a bunch of fesh parsley - chopped
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sweet black sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
black pepper
oil
Method
Heat oil and fry onions. Add in beef slices and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in all the sauces and mix well. sprinkle some crushed black pepper. Let the beef cooked till tender then add in chopped parsley. Serve.

(3) Plain good ole omelette
3 eggs - beaten
a dash of white pepper
1 tsp soy sauce
olive oil
Method
Heat oil and pour in beaten eggs. Flip over to the other side after a minute or two. Serve.

It's been a looong time since we had these kind of simple fares and we enjoyed every morsel of each! winks*

Apple Nuts Cake

2007-08-16T15:26:00.000+08:00

I wasn't feeling good today. Had a sleepless night. Cramped on right calf 3x! Wargh...! Needed to sleep sitting-up. "B" propped up 3 pillows for me. Woke up feeling very lethargic. Felt really nauseus. Jeez... Slept thru the morning. Woke up again a little after 2-ish. Felt a little better but still quezy. Vomitted many-many times. Ate a piece of toast and it came out minutes later. So, I just laid down a little more. While sleeping, I dreamt of fresh loaves of bread. Don't ask me where or how that dream came about. Beats me really!

So, I forced myself up and when to turn the kitchen upside-down. I had a rough recipe in mind. It's a quick bread. No yeast involve. I made do with what I had in the house. Thus the ingredients stated. So, off I went to bake. Getting the ingredients ready took no time at all. Just had to mix, pour and bake. 40minutes later, I could smell the blissful aroma penetrating my kitchen. I let the cake cool and sliced 2 pieces. Said a little prayer before eating. Surprisingly, the food stayed in. Made a glass of Milo to accompany another slice. Took some medicine and plonked myself to bed again. At least, there's something in me tums. What a day!
Ingredients for Apple Nuts Cake
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 tbsp maple syrup (opt though)
1 1/2 cup dried apple rings - chopped
1/4 cup cashew nuts - chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
a couple of dried mangoes - chopped
1/2 cup raisins
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the first three ingredients. Stir in the next 4 ingredients. Add the apple juice and beat mixture until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool before serving.

Fruit Cake for the Makan Session

2007-08-05T22:25:00.000+08:00

Going to Bro Nerse's house for this evening "makan session". Mr Black craved for CRABS! Another chance for a good get-together. Makan session starts at 5pm and boy were thare lotsa food. Crabs were the highlight of the evening. We had Bangkang Crabs. They were huge stuffs and were fleshy. Kak Ayu was the Chef of the day. Kudos to your wonderful culinary skills! Eventhough I'm not a crab eater, those babies sure looked mouthwatering and smelt delicious. Everyone tucked in like there's no tomorrow. Besides crabs, there were Sweet & Sour Garoupa, Tom Yum Seafood, stir-fry vege and other sides.

I brought Chocolate Pudding, Fruit Cake and simple Potato Egg dish. I was happy to see the Fruit Cake turned out well... Considering it was a last minute decision and all. Baking and preparing it was really easy with no complicated instructions. Kak Ayu, the recipes' below for you to try.

Everyone had a good time. Well... good company + good food = good time. Ain't that the equation always?!!! We were stuffed to the brim and that karaoke session seemed to dissapear SUDDENLY after everyone had their meals! It was taken over with endless chattering amongst us instead. Well... it's been ages since we all had our last get-together. Thanks to Mr Black's craving or this wouldn't happen at all???!

Ingredients for Fruit Cake
(Note - I replaced the traditional dried fruits with the dried fruits below)
Dried Dates - chopped roughly
Dried Apple rings - chopped roughly
Raisins
Sunflower seeds
1 cup brown sugar
60g butter - cubed
1.5 cups boiled water
1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
0.5 tsp nutmeg powder
1 egg - slightly beaten
2 cups AP flour
Honey - glazing (opt)
Method
In a heatproof bowl, pour in all dried fruits, brown sugar and butter. Add in boiled water and stir till butter melts. Add in bicarbonate soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and stir well. Add in the slighly beaten egg. Pour in AP flour. Mix well. Place a piece baking paper (aka tracing paper) in the baking tin and grease with a little butter to prevent cake from sticking. Pour the mixture into baking tin. Bake @ 180'C for 50 minutes (mid rack). Glaze top of cake with honey. Let cake cool before removing from baking tin.

Here's how Bangkang Crab looks like

Here's what we had at the "Makan Session"

Ingredient for Chocolate Pudding (the 2nd last pic from bottom)
1 pkt agar-agar powder (Rose brand 13g)
2 cups water
3/4 cup condense milk (I ran out of sugar. Can you believe that!)
(For sugar use 1 cup)
1 litre UHT Chocolate Milk (any brand)
3 tbsp VanHouten cocoa
2 tbsp Milo (opt)
Method
In a pan, heat water and pour in agar-agar powder under a low fire. Stir. In another bowl, mix well cocoa powder and Milo with some water. Pour into the agar-agar mixture. Raise fire a little and stir constantly. Add in UHT chocloate milk and condense milk. Note - Lessen condense milk / sugar if you want it less sweet. Stir till all combine and let cook for a couple of minutes. Pour into desired moulds. Let cool before putting in the fridge overnight. Serve chill with mix canned fruits and drizzle evaporated milk. You can also make Fruit Salad (pic above Chocolate Pudding) to go with it. It's awesome!

Ingredients for Fruit Salad (pic above Chocolate Puddings)
1 mix canned fruits
1 green apple - chopped
green grapes - halves
Sultanas
Evaporated milk
Condense milk
Yogurt (plain)
Method
Drain juice of canned fruits and pour content into a bowl. Add in chopped green apples, grapes and sultanas. Drizzle enough evaporated and condense milk till the fruits are coated. Scoop a couple spoons of yogurt. Note - DO NOT pour in liquid ingredients too much coz it'll 'flood' the salad and will look unappetising. You can also add in other varieties of dried and fresh fruits. To each his own aites!

Sardine Roti John

2007-07-29T14:58:00.000+08:00

It's another rainy Sunday. Sigh... I got two weeks full of laundry yet to wash! Not that many, considering there's just the two of us. Still... it's a full load unwashed. Anyhow, can't do much with the weather. After the kenduri yesternight, I just wanted something simple for brunch. Got those wholemeal baguettes courtesy of Baba and a tin of sardines in the larder. Yep, these'll do great for Sardines Roti John. Just to recollect, I did Roti John (meat version) on a rainy Sunday too. Seems that I'll have my fix of Roti Johns on rainy Sundays. What a coincidence! I love mine with a slice of cheese on top letting it sit and melt thru whilst the roti is still pipping hot. Delish... "B" love with a dip of chili sauce at the side. To each his own. I do wish the rain will stop for a while. Just need to get these laundries done. Mayhaps I can consider the laundry service that just open in my area. Hmmm... nah... too expensive.

Ingredients for Sardine Roti John
6 mini wholemeal baguettes - halves
1 tin sardines in tomato sauce
1 large white onion - chopped
2 garlic - chopped
2 green chillies - sliced
ground black pepper
3 eggs
extra virgin olive oil
Method
Pour out half of the tomamto sauce in the sardines so that it'll not be too wet later. Place the whole tin of sardiens in a large bowl. Mash with a fork. Add in chopped onions, garlic and chillies. Sprinkle some ground black pepper. Crack all eggs into bowl. Mix well. Heat oil. Take the already halved baguette and spread a heapful of sardine mix. Place in hot oil with the spread mixture down. Shallow fry till it browns. Flip to crisp the other side. Serve warm/hot.

You can also shallow fry with ghee. It'll gives a rich buttery taste. Another substitute is to use, extra virgin olive oil + a dollop of salted butter. Butter burns fast thus with some oil added, it'll slows down the burning process. It'll taste just as great.

Citron Cupcakes

2007-07-27T23:41:00.000+08:00

Citron = Citrus. Tangy in taste as a result. It's a simple cuppy recipe I had in my folder all ready to be tried out. It's my first bake since I got better. I'll be bringing these to tomorrow's kenduri (gathering) along with Condense Milk Agar-Agar and the colourful Inang-Inang which I'll fry tomorrow before I go.

Ingredients for Citron Cupcakes
1 cup plain yogurt*
1 cup fine sugar
Grated zest from 1 lemon
3 large eggs or 4 small eggs
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp biocarbonate soda
1/3 vege oil
marmalade (topping - opt)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180'C.
2. In a large bowl combine yogurt*, sugar, lemon zest and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until well blend.
3. Add to batter flour and biocarbonate soda. Add in vege oil and mix into a smooth batter.
4. Spoon batter into cupcakes cups till 1/2 full coz it'll rise later. Top with a 1/2 spoonful of marmalade.
5. Bake between 25-30 minutes until the top browns slightly.
6. Allow cupcake to cool before storing.
* Substitute for plain yogurt ---> 1 cup plain UHT milk + 3 tsp lemon juice
* Substitute for plain yogurt ---> 1 cup evaporated milk + 5 tsp lemon juice
Wait for 5-10 minutes till mixture curdles before using.

Ingredients for Condense Milk Agar-Agar
1 tin condense milk
1 packet agar-agar (I used Rose brand 13g)
1 litre water
Pandan juice / green colouring
Method
In a pan add agar-agar powder into water and bring to a boil. Pour in 1 tin condense milk and stir till thoroughly mixed. Pour half into mould with added pandan juice or green colouring. Let first pour cool before adding the rest of the mixture. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. Serve chill.

Inang - Inang aka Dried Glutinous Rice
I bought these off the shelves in a supermarket. It's made from glutinos rice which were dried and moulded into a round shape. Initially they're hard like keropok and you have to deep fry in hot oil to make the glutinous rice pop-up. They're great with a chilli sauce or rice. You can have them plain too! Usually they'll come in varieties of colours i.e. green, orange, yellow and red. I had fried some which are black (natural husk still on glutinous rice) and plain white (husk off the glutinous rice). They taste the same though.

Clear Fish Soup

2007-07-27T13:49:00.000+08:00

Hieyaaa peeps...! It's been moons since I last updated. Apologies... I wasn't well. Now, slightly better and catching up what I've lost. I did some cooking but mostly were one dish meals of fried rice, fried noodles, simple 1 stir-fry dish with white rice or most of the time and most of the time bread were my best saviour. Other times, it was Mommy dearest who'd supply me with her cookings.

Now that I'm better and bursting with new charged energy, I made a simple clear soup for dinner one night. Had came across a packet of Song fish at NTUC and bought them. With whatever I had at home, I plonked them all in and had this soup on its own. Made "B" Green Chillies Belacan Fried Rice to accompny with the Fish Soup.

Clear Fish Soup
Ingredients for stock:
4 cups water
2 handful soy beans
2 handful ikan bilis
2 handful mixed veges
salt to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce

Ingredients in soup:
2-3 white fish fillets - sliced
(with or w/o bones)
oyster mushrooms
pickled veges - sliced
1 tomato - wegded
1 green chilli - sliced
1 silk tofu - sliced
white pepper
Method:
Boiled water and add in soy beans, ikan bilis and mixed veges. Add salt and soy sauce when soy beans rose to the top. Add in fish slices, oyster mushrooms, pickled veges, tomato wedges, green chillies, silk tofu and a dash or two of white pepper. Bring to a boil than simmer till fish are cooked. Appx 20 minutes depending on thickness of fish slices. Generally, fishes cook fast. Serve hot with rice, rice noodles (so become Noodle Fish Soup) or just having on its own. Refreshing. It'll be great if you have some chilli padi slices and soy sauce to dip in. Mmmmmm.....
Ingredients for Green Chillies Belacan Fried Rice
8-10 green chillies - chopped finely
1 onion - chopped finely
1 garlics - chopped finely
1 handful ikan bilis - chopped
1cm belacan - baked slightly
cai xin vege or any vege
1 egg
salt to taste IF neccessary
white pepper
cold rice
vege oil
Method:
Heat oil and sweat onions and garlic. Then add in chopped ikan bilis and fry till crispy. Add in baked belacan. Break an egg an mix well. Add in cold rice (best to use yesterday's rice). Add in veges, salt and white pepper. Stir-fry well till all combine and off heat. Serve hot.

The A-F-A-R Muffins

2007-05-06T01:22:00.000+08:00

Far from what it meant there. Its the acronyms of Apple-Figs-Apricots-Raisins Muffins I made for "B" tomorrow. The added AFARs were a winner for the already chocolatey muffins. Now the dried fruits are all gone and I'm satisfied! They were sitting in the Tupperware collecting a thick coating of dust on the cover just patiently waiting to be use. Yeah, you did well you dried things. Very well indeed! I don't have the will to continue a long post now. I gotta sleep. So smashed after a long day. ToDDLes...!

Dark Square Choc Chip Cookies

2007-04-23T00:12:00.000+08:00

Who could resist a cookie??? Tell me. More so a nice rich chocolate cookie. With loads of chocolate chips in it. There are loads of recipes on chocolate chip cookies. Each possess its own distinct way of preparing the crunchiest cookies or sometimes a delectably soft chip cookies. Each to its own. I adore both. The crunchy and soft ones. Give me either and a glass of milk with a nice book, I'd be on cloud nine... I had in the fridge two packets of Aalst Chocolate semi-sweet chocolate chips waiting to be use. So, why not make chocolate chip cookies with them. huh...??? huh...????? Yep, agreed!

I happily made a batch of 51 pieces. Eh... eh... 48 pieces after the last count into the Tupperware. I ate the other 3 pieces while they were cooling on the metal rack. Cannot tashan... (can't help it). Making the batter was easy. But since I don't have a mixer, creaming the eggs and sugar was a darn hard task. Tsk... I'm developping arm muscles by each stirring. After that, you just dumped in the other ingredients and after mixing well, you're off baking. I got the recipe from verybestbaking.com.The only additional ingredient added was 1/4 cup of Van Houten cocoa for more chocolatey flavour. Just the way I like it. It's optional. winks* I use the normal cut cookies baking method of 9-11 minutes. There are more variations that you can try out too. Either way, it'll turn out awesome! Now, with a full Tupperware of chocolate chip cookies, I just need to squeeze some time for reading that Prisoners of the Sun from TinTin Adventure Book Vol1. Hey, comic books are a way of destressing too! Onward with the chips. BLISTERING BARNICLES!

*Irresistable*

Nutella Weetbix Honey Crunch Muffins

2007-04-21T02:08:00.000+08:00

I lurve cereal in a box. I bet many do too! It's the simplest-est breakfast and you can never screw up on it. I've tried dozens of different cereals. I STILL lurve my Nestle Honey Stars best-est. Coming close in line will be Nestle Koko Crunch then comes the others. I always have my cereals with milk (plain). Flavoured milk just spoils the lovely taste of cereals. Oh, so just you peeps know, "B" DO NOT drink plain milk! Much less have it with cereals. "B" will only have his with flavoured milk. You name it - Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana, Coffee, Pandan, Soybean but NEVER white milk. So at home, there'll be plain and some flavoured milk in the fridge.

I have to have milk before I sleep and as soon as I wake up. But most importantly to sleep. It just make my eyes droops in a sec and I'll be in Zzzland. I'll get at least a dozen milk cartons each month. About 3quarts are UHTs and the others fresh milk. Now I'm into Marigold MultiGrain. They're awesome boy! With fresh milk I'll have them neat. The cereals will go with the UHTs.

Ok, enuf said about milks. It's the cereal that needs to be the centre of attraction here. I got 2 boxes of Weetabix Honey Crunch cereal a couple days back. I adore the honey taste in each bite. Thus, decided on a muffin with these honey babies in them. Yeah, they sure added a crunch in the muffins. I added some rolled oats too. No regrets there. The Nutella was an additional topping that complimented well. It's kinda like cereal in a muffin rather then cereal in a box. Geddit??? Pretty healthy stuff too. Of course there's milk in it and fresh milk to go along with each bite I take. Just wonderful!

Pumpkin & Potato Cake

2007-04-18T00:24:00.000+08:00

I'm on a roll with my bakings. Actually,I got to clear my veg drawer coz I got a little crazy over the weekend and went for a vege & fruits spree. Not too many but enuf to fill my vege drawer to the brim. I've got 2 Honey Pineapples coz they were cheaper to buy at two, a whole Honeydew, Tangerines, a packet of Butterheads, Baby Carrots, Carrots, Celery, Baby Brinjals (courtesy of me Baba. He planted them), Bird's Eye Chilies aka Chilli Padis, half Pumpkin, a bunch of bananas, 1 whole Aloe Vera leaf, Spinach, frozen mixed veges and a couple of Japanes Sweet Potatoes. Crazieee...!

So... I gotta use those all up before they start to rot. Thus the cake for tonight. I googled "pumpkins" and got this recipe. Its actually a Pumpkin Bread but I kinda modified it a little and baked this. It's full of pumkiney flavour and the smell's awesome. Penetrated the whole kitchen and part of the house. "B" kept shouting - "Is it ready yet saiyyyang...!???"

Ingredients for Pumpkin & Potato Cake
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 Russet potato
1/3 cup vege oil
1/4 cup whole milk
2 eggs - beaten
1 1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup fine grain sugar
1 tsp biocarbonate powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp all spice powder
whole cashew nuts - topping (opt)
Method
Preheat oven @180'C. In a bowl, sift flour, add in sugar and biocarbonate powder. In another bowl mashed pumpkin and potato. Add in beaten eggs, all the spices, milk, salt and vege oil. Mix well. Add mixture into dry ingredients. Mix till combine. DO NOT OVERMIX! Pour into baking tins and top with cashew nuts. Bake @180'C for 60 minutes.

Moist Chocolate Cake

2007-04-17T23:14:00.000+08:00

FINALLY! Phew... I got THE recipe for the moist-est Chocolate Cake I've ever baked. Even after a couple of days sitting at the back of my fridge, it took just +/- half an hour of thawing to bring back the moisture. "B's" been raving about it each time he took a bite. Either he's exaggerating OR it totally rawk his world! In fact, I actually am agreeing with "B".

Baking it was a breeze. This chocolate cake is staying in my upmost recipe file. Yeah... yeah... of course I'm sharing. I'm already thinking of baking me family members each a cake for the coming Hari Raya. Onward planning you might say. Just planning... Donno if I'll have the time to bake 10, 20, 30 pieces. Yeap, our family's huge. Mighty huge! If I'm baking for one, I'm baking for the others too. Fair and square. Alrite, enuf babbling and dreaming of the huge bakes. Here's the recipe. Go crazy! ;-p

Ingredients for Moist Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cup AP flour
1/3 cup Van Houten cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup butter - melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
chopped almonds - topping (opt)
Method
Preheat oven @180'C. In a bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Tir in the sugars. Beat butter, buttermilk, milk, eggs and vanilla essence with a whisk till well blend. Pour mixture into dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a baking tray and sprinkle chopped almonds. I divided mine into two 4"x8"x2.5" baking tins. Of course you'll get a smaller cake. Bake between 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake before taking it out of the baking tin. After THIS, you certainly can go crazy!

Sardines 'R' Truly Versatile

2007-04-14T01:02:00.000+08:00

Ditto! Sardines from a can, CAN do wonders. Tool(s) needed - THE IMAGINATION peeps... winks* One should have canned sardines for dire emergencies. Here, the sardines in tomato sauce are most popular. Ayam Brand is me numero uno. Checkout the site and some recipes here. Coming close to it will be from Yeo's. I'd usually have sardines once in a while. Best for me and "B" will be the Sambal Sardine with Basmati. Other than that dish, I'd often use sardines in making snacks like Sardines Puffs, epok-epoks, murtabaks, popiahs, pies, pizzas, sandwiches, bruchettas, rolls, buns etc. It's versatility is amazing! I heart it in times of need. That's why, I'll stock-up a can or two in the larder.

Being Friday, I'm usually off work earlier. Given the extra time for cooking later, I still opt for sardines tonight. I'm making "B" some snacks instead of the usually 'heavy' dinner coz I knew "B" had a late semi-vegan lunch consisting of rice, a really thick omelette, tofu and greens (salad) with satay sauce and some stir-fry potatoes with garlic and mushrooms and black soy sauce to drizzle on his rice. 2 chocolate cakes and 1 banana nut bread. Which all I had packed for him to bring. Heavy I tell you. So I reckoned, he can do with a light dinner. Thus, the Sardine Rolls.

Easy ingredients, easy preparations and best of all, its fried. "B's" FAVOURITE kind of food. Once in a while, I'll give in. Eventhough, I need to dress up as though I'm going for war. Yeah, all covered with oven mittens, apron, socks, long sleeves and jeans. So as not to have that damn hot oil splattered on to moi. I have a thing with frying. A HUGE one at that! Still... it's all worth it after seeing "B" smiling from ear-to-ear. haiz...

I strongly urged all to try this snack. Great for potlucks, finger-food (just half the bread to make it smaller), supper, movie snacks and whatnots. Ok "B", NOMORE frying for a long while after this huh!

Ingredients for Sardine Rolls
12 pieces white bread
(a day's old be better)
1 egg - beaten
breadcrumbs
Filling:
1 can sardines in tomato sauce
1 red onion - finely chopped
1 green chilli - finely chopped
1 red chilli - finely chopped
celery - finely chopped
ground black pepper
dried rosemary (opt)
Method
Flatten white bread with a roller. IMPT to make each real flat so that it'll hold better when rolled. Open the sardine can and drain 3/4 of the sauce. Too saucy makes it harder to roll and fry later. But if you can handle it, why not. I just hate it when the oil splatters about. Place the drained sardines in a bowl and pour in all other ingredients. Mix with a fork and mashed the sardines coarsely. Take a flattened bread and put on a spoonfull of the filling. Roll with two hands and coat it with egg first. Then, coat it with breadcrumbs and place end of sealed side on base pan. This is to make sure that it is cook first allowing it to 'seal' itself. Cook till all side are equally browned. Serve with some chilli sauce. Eat warm.

Binka Jagung / Kueh Bakar Jagung

2007-04-11T11:02:00.000+08:00

I don't care whichever is the correct name for this dessert. Either name's fine with me. I'm just glad I didn't screw up like the last time. Yeah, this is a second attemp. The first was a total mess. LITERALLY! Silly me, didn't copied the recipe till the end and was left with a hanging piece of recipe. But, nooo... I didn't spot the mistake. In fact, I tried rectifying it myself. The other recipe required the mixture to be heated on the stove before putting it in the oven to bake. The heating part, I wrote, but NOT the baking part of an hour. I let the mixture cool and set and place it in the fridge. After 3hrs (watched an Hindustani movie in the meantime), it was still runny. I wonder??? Not satisfied, I poured the mixture back into a pot, re-heat AND poured in a packet of agar-agar. Thought that it needed some 'firming' agent to 'thicken' up. Argh... I think, IF I were to leave for a decade, that damn thing ain't setting at all. Worst, it won't be edible as it's not cook!

I learnt a lesson. Next time, copy till the end process. RE-read and if you SUDDENLY frown and twitch, DO NOT attempt to do it! Those are the signs of disaster (at least to me).

That episode was history. Yesterday, rose a new beginning. Wa punya Binka Jagung jadik beb...! (My Binka Jagung was a success!). WooYippeee...! This is one of the easiest recipe I came acrossed. Still it needed an hour of baking time. But hey, you can do other chores whilst the baking is on aite! Thus I did a baking dish chockful of Shepherd's Pie. I baked both side by side coz the pie just needed 20 minutes to brown. Now, I need not ask Mommy to go down Geylang to get me any Binka. I can make my own and show-off. ;-p Can't wait to try making Binka Ubi = Tapioca Binka (mine and "B's" fav), Binka Pandan, Binka Labu = Pumpkin Binka and many, many Binkas to come! Mayhaps, I can get around to bring some to Mama-B??? We'll see...

Ingredients for Binka Jagung / Kueh Bakar Jagung
1 cup AP Flour
1 cup Custard
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sweet corn (canned)
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk/whole milk
1 cup water
1 tbsp vege oil/melted butter
Method
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps of flour or custard left coz this will create mini lumps on top of the kueh. Not nice. Pour the mixture into a baking tray and bake @180-200'C, low rack for 1hour. You can sprinkle some sugar mixed with butter (room temp) after 40minutes of baking for a nice browned and caramellieee top.

pssst... my Binka Jagung top got a little overbaked coz initially I got me oven to hot. If not it'll be perfect or the least better looking for a pic.

Cashew Nuts & Grams Sooji

2007-04-08T16:49:00.000+08:00

I went Mustafa Shopping Centre for some shopping with Bratsy Sista and Bro last Thursday. Well... it's a public hols eve (Good Friday next day) thus, I could afford the time of coming home later than usual. Bro wanted to checkout the Baby-G Sweet Poison and PUMA ladies watches for his sweetheart and me wanted to just shop. Obvious isn't it??? "B" wouldn't finish till much, much later so... why not? Oh, did I mentioned that he'll re-imburse me whatever I spent??? I so heart the fact! Beams*

I can't imagine there's quite a range of watches down at Mustafa. Good place to pick a model or two for comparision. It's all under one roof. Easier. I fancy a PUMA watch and took a pic for "B" to go get me one. Gotta wait till Monday to see if his contacts could get him a cheaper price. Argh... the wait. Anyhow, after all's done, we made our way up to Lev2, my therapy floor I'd called it. Rows and rows of glorios food. I go to Mustafa ONLY to get those I can't simply get in other supermarkets. Usually the Indian stuffs. That day, I got meself a packet of Semolina aka Sooji. I know this 'thing'. Usually, they'll appear loads during fasting month. It's a pudding like sweet dessert. Usually yellowish in colour. Topped with fried cashew nuts and raisins. It's easy on the tummy after a day's fast thus the choice. Not all are nice though. Some could be really bland and BLueek! Mommy knows several stores which do a mean Sooji. Well, being Mommy, she SURE knows all these. Mommies...!

I had been meaning to try making this sweet desserts. And yeap, I made some on Friday. It was an impromptu decision coz I just remembered "B" didn't have any dessert to bring to work the next day OR... actually, was it me who can't wait to try them thus the excuse. Whatever the reasons, "B" was still at an advantage. Making it was pretty darn easy. Just needed to tweak a little here and there to get the right texture to your own liking. I really, really enjoyed it...! So much so that I'm making another batch right after I typed the recipe down. ToDDLes...*

Pssst... here's a confession... After this, I'm not gonna buy any Sooji nomore. Home prepared are sooo much nicer and richer. A packet could yield a lot too! You can also keep this refrigerated for about a week tops.

Ingredients for Cashew Nuts & Grams Sooji
(Note-recipe's done by instinc thus no measurements I can offer.)
Whole cream milk
Water
Samolina
finely crushed Cashew Nuts (bake first)
finely crushed Grams (Camel brand)
Brown Sugar
nutmeg powder
a witsy bit salt
Raisins & Sultanas (garnish)
Add all ingredients and stir constantly to avoid lumps over low fire. Once mixture thickens as desired, off fire. Put aside to cool before serving. For garnishings, put some raisins and sultanas in hot water to 'plumped' them up.

Peach & Yogurt Clafoutis

2007-04-08T14:15:00.000+08:00

Till now, I'm not exactly sure what the heck "clafoutis" is. After baking this dessert, there is a similar resemblence in texture and taste like "Kueh Bakar". Mayhaps, I reckon THIS is the western version and they called it Clafoutis... I picked this recipe out from the Reader's Digest 30 Minute Cookbook courtesy from me Aunty Faridah. The clafoutis came out well for a first timer. It actually required sour cream but I substitute it with plain yogurt instead. You can go to blog Uncle Rozzan's for the kueh bakar recipe. In fact he blog's awesome! Loads of recipes to checkout and try of course.

Afraid that the Clafoutis MIGHT turned out worst that I expected, I made Plan B. I made a quick Chocolate Banana Cake to counter any mishaps. Since there weren't any, "B" had a jolly good time with two desserts for the night. Yeah, lucky you! The Choc Banana Cake was easy. Since I needed to finish up the Van houten Cocoa, the timing was perfect. Oh, I added in some Sooji too for a little bite. Just wanted to see if there's any difference. A little. The cake was firmer.

Ingredients for Peach & Yogurt Clafoutis
Butter for greasing
1 canned peach halves
For Batter:
150ml sour cream OR
Plain Yogurt without sugar added
1 cup plain flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
vanilla essence
For topping:
3tsp butter (room temp)
2tbsp brown sugar
Method
Preheat oven @200'C and grease a shallow and ovenproof dish. Drain the canned peaches reserving 100ml juice and arranged them cut side down on the bottom of the dish. To make batter, stir the plain yogurt into the reserved peach juice. In a seperate bowl, pour in flour and make a well in the centre. Add in eggs, sugar and vanilla essence. Quickly whisk into the flour to make a smooth paste, then gradually whisk in the yogurty mixture. Pour the batter over the arranged peaches and bake the clafoutis for 20minutes. Meanwhile, make the topping by blending the butter and sugar with a fork. Remove the clafoutis from the oven after 15minutes and dot the buttet topping evenly over the top. Bake for the remaining 5minutes or till the batter is golden and puffed up. Serve hot with thick cream or vanilla ice-cream. For variations, apricots, plums or cherries can be used instead. Also the topping can be altered by sprinkling with icing sugar before serving.

Nutrients per serving - 2323 kilojoules, protein 10g, carbo 65g (sugar 46g), fat 31g (saturated fat 18g), good source of Vitamin A, B, C and E.

The Nutrients in Dates

2007-04-02T12:51:00.000+08:00

We know that too much sugar ain't good for you. Man-made sugar's are the worst of its kind. Why not substitute with natural sweetness? A date or two perhaps? Oh, just so you know, I ain't perfect either. I do indulge in those chocolates and whatnots man-made stuffs. Just sharing with you a little thing or two of what I know that'll benefit to ALL readers alike. Here goes...

We've been tricked BIG time suckers!!! >>>

"It is completely natural to desire something sweet. A sweet flavor is a signal to the body that there will be an abundance of easily-assimilated energy. With processed sugar, the body has been tricked into feeling satisfied, when in fact, the sweetness is completely deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and enzymes which would normally be present. A chocolate bar may satisfy hunger because of the high amount of sugar and fat, but it has created a deficit in the nutrients the body needs to run efficiently. Hence, we have people who are overweight, yet their bodies are starving for nutrients." (Quoted by Healthrecipes.com)

Here's another site which further explains why we Muslims practise eating dates during fasting. Apart from revitalising the intake of sugar that's loss during the day, other factors do play a part too. So, ALL Muslimins and Muslimats, DO NOT gulp down that huge mug of ice Bandung when breaking fast. Instead have at least 3 dates (fresh or dried) and sip some water in betweens. You'll feel the difference AND you'll lose the weights too! Insya'Allah.

Now, let's educate ourselves and then practise >>>

"Food Value >> The date is a food of high nutritional value. It provides natural sugar in the form of glucose and fructose. This sugar is ready for immediate absorption and is, therefore, infinitely superior to cane sugar. It is usually taken raw or with milk, which makes it highly nutritious in most respects. Taking it with curdled milk is also common. In Sahara, rich people take it with butter by removing the seed and filling the cavity with butter. It is a scientific way of taking fat. It is also taken in several cooked forms. The seeds of the fruit, roasted and ground into powder makes a beverage like coffee, called ‘date coffee’. The date palm yields a sweet juice of high food value. It can be taken fresh with great advantage or make into a tasty country sugar. Analyzed as - Energy: 287kcal, Glucose: Min 41%, Frutose: Min 29%, Fiber: 4.0g. Protein: 3.3g, Iron: 2.60g, Carbohydrate: 68.0g, Brix:70 +/- 1%, Vitamin BI: 0.03mg, Vitamin B2: 0.06mg and Vitamin C: 2.60mg. Produced under the most modern and hygienic conditions. You can eat date as a Complement to bread, mix it with cold or hot milk and drink. It can be used as a topping on ice-cream and also be used as a sweeterner while making cookies. You can eat it raw along with milk and cereals. Great way to start the day!

Natural Benefits and Curative Properties >> Dates are valuable as medicine for their tonic effect. Being easily digested, they are very useful for supplying energy and repairing waste. Milk in which clean and fresh dates have been boiled is a very nourishing and restorative drink to children and adults alike, especially during convalescence.

Constipation >> The date is a laxative food. It is highly beneficial in the treatment of constipation as the roughage provided by it stimulates sluggish bowels. They should be immersed in water at night and taken after making them into a fine syrup the next morning to secure laxative effect.

Intoxication >> Dates are an excellent remedy for alcoholic intoxication. In such cases, drinking water in which fresh dates have been rubbed or soaked will bring quick relief.

Weak Heart >> Dates are an effective remedy for weak heart. Dates soaked overnight in water and crushed in the same water in the morning after removing the seeds should be taken at least twice a week in this condition. It will strengthen the heart.

Sexual Debility >> Dates are highly beneficial in the treatment of sexual weakness. A handful of dates soaked in fresh goat’s milk overnight should be ground in the same milk in the morning. A pinch of cardamom powder and honey should be mixed in this preparation. This becomes a very useful tonic for improving sex stamina and sterility due to functional disorders.

Children’s Diseases >> According to Dr. Aman, a date tied to the wrist of the baby and allowed to be sucked by him during teething time hardens the gums and prevents other complaints like fretfulness and diarrhoea. A teaspoonful of paste of the date prepared with honey is an effective medicine for diarrhoea and dysentery during teething. It should be given three times a day.
Extracted from: http://www.sahravi.com/dates/iranian-date-nectar-honey-syrup.htm

The fruit because of its tanin content , is used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles. In the form of an infusion, decoctin, syrup or paste, is adminstered as a treatment for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh. It is taken to relieve fever, cystitis, gonorrhea, edema, liver and abdominal troubles. A gum that exudes from the tree trunk is employed in India for treating diarrhea and genito-urinary ailments.It is diuretic and demulcent. The root of the plant is used against toothache. The pollen yields an estrogenic principle, estrone and has a gonadotropic effect on young rats."

Being a Muslim, I reckon we DON'T or if I may say this right, DO NOT WANT to acknowledge the richness and nutritional values this fruit has installed for us. We need Science to prove it all. The modern world (sigh...) It's goodness had been in the Quran for eons. Educate, educate and educate is the key to let our younger generations (including ourselves too) know that what our faith taught us and had been long proven before the age of Science. Sometimes, even Science can't prove certain facts!

ALLAH MAHA BERKUASA HENDAKNYA.
Dates Bread - Loaf type

Hv NOT Been Cooking Thus A Remedy Needed

2007-03-30T14:02:00.000+08:00

I got a HUGE excuse for not cooking/baking. Work ruled out EVERYTHING! Can you believe it...?!! Well, I do... at least for the last couple of weeks. The effect was horrendous. Alrite, mayhaps I exagerated there... But still, it was a bad, bad couple of weeks. Yeah, I'm whining. So be it...! Poor "B" had to take the toll of it all. No lunchies packed, packet dinners or worst NO dinner. Boohoohoo! When things went awry, I'd cursed life to be sooo horrid! Hmph...!

I got myself together yesternight to compensate for the loss. Onward remedy to my uber favourite comfort food. CHOCOLATES...! Yeah, Baby yeah...! Still... the fatigue and mind boggling events have yet to leave me thus I couldn't do much. Guess, some chockful chocolate chip filled muffins won't do much harm. Could they...? Haiz... wished I had added the whole packet of Hershey bits. That'll give an extra ooomph aites! Not that I didn't want to but becoz I didn't had a whole packet. Better than none at all. To justify the chocolate cravings, I added in 1/4 cup of Van Houten cocoa to the mixture. Yup, a little chocolate kick starting up.

Thank God, the muffins were easy to make. With what little energy I had left, I mustered them all up and baked. Oooh, I added various toppings to erm... make them all look a little ncer and appertising. Of course they turnedout delish. After the fish curry dinner, we had these babies with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream each. It'll be perfect if the vanilla ice-cream wasn't, errr... BLueeek! However, "B" didn't seemed to mind (as always). Well... that's my "B". "Fussy" is just NOT in his dictionary. I sooo HeArT u...! Oh, oh... I almost forgot. Silly me. To top it ALL up, I made Raisin Bread. Awesomeliciously good... Alrite, these treats aka "remedies" should cover up for my long absence for a bit. winks*

Ingredients for Almond & Chocolate Muffins
160g unsalted butter - melted
1/2 cup chopped almonds
OR
1/2 cup Hershey Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup AP flour
1/4 cup Van Houten cocoa
1 1/3 cups icing sugar

5 egg whites
White Choc Chips (topping)
Choped Almonds (topping)
Strawberry jam (topping)
Method
Preheat oven @ 180'C.
In a bowl, sift flour and icing sugar. Then add in cocoa. Place egg whites in another bowl and whisk with a fork until combined. Add melted butter into flour mixture together with the egg whites. Mix gently until all ingredients are combined. Pour them into two different bowls and add in Hershey Choc Chips in one and chopped almonds in another. Fill the muffin cups till 3/4 full. Sprinkle white choc chips or chopped almonds. Bake for 20-25 minutes till skewer comes out clean when inserted. Leave them on a rack to cool before you gorge yourself silly into them!

Ingredients for Raisin Bread
2x7g sachets instant yeast
3/4 cup water
4 cups bread flour - sifted
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
40g cold butter - cubed
1 1/2 cups sultanas
milk (glaze)
raisins (topping)
Method
In a bowl, put bread flour, instant yeast and caster sugar and rub in butter with your fingertips. Stir in the sultanas. Add in water (bit-by-bit) and mix with hands until dough does not stick onto bowl. Take out dough and place on lightly dusted surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Place dough in a large floured bowl, covered with a damp towel and leave in a warm area to rise until double its size. Preheat oven to 200'C. Take out dough onto floured surface and knead gently to deflate. Put into a baking tin and sprinkle raisins. Bake @ 200'C for 30 minutes. In the midst of baking, brush milk for a shiny darker brown top. Leave on rack to cool before cutting. Great to have this bread with marmalade (me fav), butter, jam, peanut butter or anything you fancy!

Cakes in a Cup & Tin Loaf for tonight

2007-03-17T15:40:00.000+08:00

Not much excitement on a Saturday. It's sunny and windy outside. But, unfortunately, "B's" toiling hard at work. Jeeesh... Anyhow's we've got a picnic 'date' tonight at Pasir Ris Park with the mates. I'm baking these Butter Choc Chips Muffins and Macadamia Banana Cake to bring, IF they aren't finished by Yours Truly before the night arrives. winks* We'll see...

Btw, I got TWO baking tin loaves while holidaying last two weeks. Yeah, I got them all the way there. It's cheaper there that's why. Just about SGD$1 each for a 4" (B) x 8" (L) x 2.5" (H). Just nice. This ain't the virgin bake for the loaf tin but a second one. First was the Fruit Nut Loaf.

Baking only took about 1.5hrs for both. Time included preparation and baking processes. So, I have loads of time to spare. Watching my favourite Disney Channel for American Dragon, Totally Spice, Kusko, Kim Possible and whatever comes in line. I gotta get ready for the picnic date at about 7-ish only. Sheesh... I'm really bored now! Looking forward to meet "B" later. Oh my God! I've yet to decide what to wear! Talking about having nothing to do. Now here's something. A really important something! Toodles...

Breakfast Muffins fer Dinner?

2007-03-15T22:41:00.000+08:00

What was I thinking about? Well... the recipe said it's "Breakfast Muffins" but don't or should I say rarely have breakfast. At home that is. In the office is a totally different issue. You spent most of your waking hours in that place sooo... putting in breakfast in ya schedule's no big deal. UNLESS... there's people hounding you! Then, breaky's OUT! Still, I made these breaky muffins for our dinner. We only had these for dinner. "B" had planned for an earlier night coz we've been sleeping past 2-ish am for the last couple of days. Donno what we've been doing. I blame the time. It went about too bloody fast OR were we too bloody slow?!? NO! The former.

Preparing the muffins were easier than cooking dinner. In 40 minutes flat they were done baking. This timing's inclusive with the preparations too aites! The recipe was suppose to be a just plain old boring spiced muffins, so I added in dried whatever fruits I had and moulded them into the batter. Results = Yummilicious! Yet "B" still commented that the fruity fillings weren't enuf. Yeah "B", want me to serve an extra side-dish of dried fruits for you??! So on each bite, you can stuff yourself silly with the additional fruitties??? Grrrrr..... Ok, he declined.

Ingredients for Breakfast Muffins
1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup canola / vege oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 whole milk
dried fruits - raisins, peaches,figs, dates etc (opt)
Method
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine thoroughly oil, sugar, milk and egg. Add liquid mixture into dry mixture and stir only to combine. Add in dried fruits. DO NOT OVERMIX or it'll get tough. Bake @ 180'C for 25-30 minutes.

This Week's Crap

2007-03-14T21:30:00.000+08:00

Crappy week for me eventhou it's just mid-week. Argh...! The Auditors are coming next week. So, you can imagine the "chaos" stirring in the office. sigh* I'm sooo sleepy as I'm typing now BUT gotta stay awake for the Sarpinos Pizza we ordered. The pizza ought to have arrived but I stumbled for a short nap and must've have "dreamt" ordering it. Only after "B" enquired , "pizza ordered sayang...?" that I realised I haven't. Jeesh... Not too late still but than dinner will start later laaa... Silly me! Well, like the saying goes, "Better late than never..."

Oh, just to say, I'm a Sarpinos converted. Usually, I'd get either Pizza Hut or Canadian-2for1 but these pizzas had detrirorated sooo very much that I no longer wanted to have anything to do with them. Hated their measely toppings and oh sooo uber thisk crust. At Sarpinos, you can request for either the normal or thin crust. I'd go for the latter. Still, not the really thin Italian crisp I'm looking for but ok for now nevertheless. Sarpinos' also promoting a 2-for-1 pizza order but with a limited selected menu. Fine with me. Their 'Specialty', 'Gourmet' and 'Super Value 5 Chesse' Pizzas range are good too. We've tried a few already. Just say that they're a little better compared to the 2 pizzas companies I hated. We shall see how long their novelty's gonna stay.

Anyhow's the San Remo (chicken) and Pepperoni Classic were great. Chokeful of toppings which I'm happy with. They came pretty fast too! Less than half an hour. Good! Only gripe was that the calling centre didn't get my order for thin crusted. Never mind...! I'm uber famished! Bon Appetite! Oh no, I should say it in Italian. Argh.. forget it. Bon appetite's good enuf! Then, I go sleep! No need to wait for the food to settle. Bad practise, I know... What the heck!

HAtE iT...! But this loaf RaWks!

2007-03-12T00:28:00.000+08:00

Don't feel like re-writing the loOOng post I typed earlier. Damn Blogger detected an error of some sort and couldn't save and upload my entry. DamN, dAMN, daMN and DAmN...! Grrrrr... HATE it when things like this happen. Just at the moment when you're all done.

Anyhows, just wanted to show you guys the Fruit Nut Loaf I did today. I made it as our dessert after the KFC dinner that "B" brought home. "B" went to the IT Show 2007 to check on some stuffs. Me didn't follow coz I couldn't stand crowds. Thus, stayed home to finish up the leftover 'rubbish' from our retreat last weekend.

Oh, "B" gave me another belated birthday gift. A Targus Notebook Cover. So needed it. Thanks "B". I heart it. :-)

This Fruit Nut Loaf Rawks with the Crabtree & Evelyn Marmalade

Recreating the Bangkok Broth

2007-03-09T23:25:00.000+08:00

I'm back form my week hols and feeling pretty much lethargic still. All due to the HOT and DRY wheather. But I think the greatest culprit is that I have to go back to my mundane routine AGAIN! Argh...! I want the hols to stay for an eternity!!!!! Boohoohooohooooo...! Still... I can't change the fact that the hol's all over! Grrr...!

ONE thing I really missed, apart from the GREAT shopping adventure, is the street food. We managed to tracked down some Halal street food whilst we were there. A hard to find fact in the Land of Smiles for us. Boy... you ought to be there to try them! Alrite, it's REALLY a treat for us to get hold of those gems. Now, I kinda know much more or less how street food tasted like. And I'm dying to try them again. NOW!!!

Since the need for it was hard, I tried re-creating the Bangkok Broth or so I called it at home. Jeez... it came no where near. Not even having a similar look. Still, what could I do???! It's this broth or none. "B" said it tasted OK only. ??Huh...! Now I got a competition. I'm on the path of making a neat broth to the real deal. So, for 3 nights in a row, "B's" having nothing but soup, soup and more soup!

Chicken Soup with Basmati. Far from the real deal.
Still it's a try aites!

Spicy Groundnut Soup

2007-02-13T20:44:00.000+08:00

Yeap, this is a first. I chance upon this recipe in my old recipe book - "Hot & Spicy" by Linda Fraser. I got it cheap at Popular Bookstore at Bras Basah branch before they close down for renovation. It showed some good recipes from appertisers to desserts. Yeah, desserts are hot & spicy too. But I'll venture to that later. I still like my desserts uber sweet.

Alrite back to this soup I made. The name caught my attention first. Second were the ingredients used. Of course I was sceptical at first but after the first sip... Mmmm... I'm hooked! Different, thick, refreshing and above all nutty. This soup, used all veges as it's filling but I added hardboiled eggs for the extra protein. Besides, "B" adores eggs. We had this with some cut baguettes. Rice would be a good substitute too. Whichever is your preference aites!

Ingredients for Spicy Groundnut Soup
7 tbsp groundnut paste or peanut butter
1 liter vege stock or water
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 shallots - sliced
1cm ginger - sliced
1 carrot - diced
4 mini Brastagi potatoes - diced
10 sweet chick peas - sliced
Half tin Garbanzo beans (kacang kuda)
1 bay leaf
dried rosemary
dried chilli flakes
salt to taste
Method
To make ground peanut paste - Grind some roasted peanuts with a little water. I made my paste with a little crunch. In other wrds, I didn't make a smooth paste laaa. Firstly, place the groundnut paste in a bowl, add in the vege stock or water a little at a time and tomato puree. Mix them all to make into a paste. Paste must not be too watery ok. Spoon the nut mixture into a pot and add sliced shallots, ginger, bay leaf, rosemary, salt, chilli flakes and the remaining stock or water. Heat gently until simmering, then cook for 40 minutes. stir from time to time to prevent the nut mixture from sticking. Add in the carrots and Brastagi potatoes and cooked till tender. When about done, add in the Garbanzo beans and sweet chick peas. Serve at once.

Lompat Tikam OR Bubur Som-Som???

2007-02-10T17:44:00.000+08:00

I googled both these recipes and found them a tad similar. Thus, I really wonder if it's just the way they're made or just simply a difference in colour. You see, Lompat tikam are usually in white and green while Bubur Som-Som will be all white. They're both drizzled in gula melaka syrup or just sugarred syrup. Eaten chilled or in room temperature. Well, these ancient desserts do give me a headache sometimes... They have absurb names with not much link whatsoever.

I knew that I've seen Bubur Som-Som sold in packed banana leaves with a pool of gula melaka wrapped together. You'll get a whift of freshly steamed smell of the banana leaves, coconutty 'pudding' and gula melaka all at once. Simply heavenly!

Personally, I've never heard of Lompat Tikam. All the recipes I googled did not have the coconutty pudding wrapped in banana leaves. They served these naked with a generous drizzle of gula melaka. The recipe's similar and I reckon the taste would be too. Somehow, between Bubur Som-Som and Lompat Tikam, I'd picked the latter. There's lesser hassle and one could whip this dessert without the need to score for banana leaves. Where I stay, banana leaves are terribly hard to get.

I decided to make Lompat Tikam in a whimp. Anyhow, Thank God it's pretty straight forward. I have all the ingredients in hand, so why not. I had both the green and white "pudding" mixes but somehow the green wasn't too green enuf to make a contrast with the white. It was done in a matter of minutes. But can't eat them right away though. It's best after a few hours of chilling in the fridge. The pudding will be sturdier this way. I sms-ed "B" on this new recipe and wanna know what he msg-ed back...? "You BEST la sayang..." Yeah, and why shouldn't I be aites!??? winks*

Oh, after i declared proudly to Mummy later in the day, I found out that Bubur Som-Som can be done without the banana leaves too. It's just a matter of improvising. So, mayhaps it depends in which area you're at and these dessert will be known/called differently.

pssst... the pics did not do justice to my Lompat Tikam. But trust me, it taste better than it looks. Just like the saying goes - "Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover" so... "Don't Judge My Lompat Tikam By It's erm Pics". winks* winks*

Ingredients for Lompat Tikam - A
1 cup rice flour
1.5 cups coconut juice
(I used Kara)
0.5 cup pandan water
0.5 tsp salt

Ingredients for Lompat Tikam - B
1 cup rice flour
1.5 cups coconut juice
0.5 cup water
0.5 tsp salt

Ingredients for Gula Melaka Syrup
2-3 pieces gula melaka
1.5 cups water
Bring to a boil, chilled and drizzle onto the 'puddings' later.

Method
Put all ingredients - A in a pot onto a slow flame. Mix with a whisk till shiny. It'll thickened when ready. Pour out the content into a bowl or mould or individual mini plastic containers and it cool. Refrigerate before serving. Do the same for Ingredients - B. So, you'll have one green 'pudding' and another white 'pudding'.

Mee Goreng ~ Mamak Style

2007-01-23T21:59:00.000+08:00

There's a tad different between the way the Indians and the Malays goreng their mee. Much so is seen in their COLOUR. The Indians are uber RED with colouring! But that's their trademark, I presume??? I'd prefer the Malay version better coz when you tell them "Cik, buat pedas, basah" (Aunty, make it spicier and wetter, not too dry)... They'll do a mean hotty for you! I've yet to come across an Indian version which might match the spiciness there.

Anyhow, I yearn for some Mee Goreng Mamak tonight. Why don't I just buy if you might ask??? Well, I eat like a pig and "B's" a BIGGER pig than me. So, we need to buy several packets to satisfy I piggy-ness PLUS other sides. Hah!!! Than, it'll be spending money not worth it. I might just as well get the raw ingredients and cook them myself. And of course, I made it!!! Here's my version of the old favourites ~ Mee Goreng Mamak. Wooohooo!!!

Ingredients for Mee Goreng Mamak
1 large white onion - diced
2 garlics - diced
1cm ginger - diced
5 tbsp dry chilli powder
minced meat
2 eggs
cabbage - sliced
salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp black sweet soy sauce
3 tbsp tomato sauce
a little water if its too dry
400g yellow noodles
soybean oil
Method
Heat oil and sweat diced onion, garlic and ginger. Add in minced meat and fry till meat's done. Break the eggs and fry well. Add in soy sauce, sweet black soy sauce, tomato sauce and dry chilli powder. Mix well. Add in the yellow noodles and fry wok-hay style. Just like the hawkers do. Lastly, add in the sliced cabbages. DONE.
Just make sure that you have all the ingredients within reach coz it'll be one in after another with this style of stir-fry.

Almond Chopped Choco Muffins

2007-01-21T01:21:00.000+08:00

I'm bringing these to Shirin's Baby Boy's Birthday Party erm... which will commence later at noon. She's having a little party fo her little Baby Boy. 2 years old, I guess. She's "B's" cousin so, I'm pardon-ed for not knowing the exact baby's age. Well... "B" ain't sure either. So... he's worst off than moi! I wanted to bring the Chocolate Pudding but when "B" saw them in the fridge, he c000-ed at them. I don't have the heart to say "NO". I just got enough to bring them for tomorrow. I relented of course. For my "B" ok. So, NO Chocolate Pudding but got these muffins. It's a little late to get a decent birthday gift as we were JUST informed. Thus, these muffins became the substitute. At least, everyone will have a piece of the pie. beams ~. Ok, gtta go get my beauty sleep. "B's" already asleep in front of the telly. Soccer on teevee now. Yeah, those 22 men running around mad chasing ONE ball are watching you instead, "B"... sigh*

Ingredients for Almond Chopped Choco Muffins
2 cups AP flour - sifted
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup Van Houten cocoa powder
1/4 cup Milo powder
2 tsp biocarbonate soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 cup UHT milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
chopped almonds
Method
In a big bowl, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, Milo powder, biocarbonate soda and salt. Mix all. Pour in water, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla essence. Mix well. Batter should be a bit lumpy. Add in the chopped almonds. Leave some to sprinkle on top before putting in to bake. Bake at 180'C for 20-25 minutes.

In my haste, I forgot to snap a pic or two of my uber lovely mufins. DARN!!! NO proof to show now. Hope the recipe will do thou... sweets*

Cocoa Pudding to beat Mommy's Treat 4me

2007-01-20T22:49:00.000+08:00

I should've gone to Mommy's for lunch, tea and dinner today but... couldn't brave the heavy downpour that's going on then off then on then off. Jeesh, the weather can't seemed to make-up it's mind aites! But then again, I shouldn't blame it on Mr Weather. Just say I just wanna laze about at home and used that as an Xcuse... Mommy called twice luring me with the cheese and chicken ham sandwiches and fried spaghetti she's making. Yeah, I typed the noun-verb correctly, 'making' coz she ain't making if I ain't coming. REASON ~ No one in the house will finish them. I'm labled "The Garbage" in the family despite my slim-slender frame. Huh. What's that about!???

So, apologeticly I declined her offer. Hmph, I'm a witsy bit upset about it thou... Damn the rain. Ooops NOT the rain's fault, not the rain. Damn me! I can't believe I just swore to myself. It must've been the rain. Argh... Sorry rain, NOT your fault OK! #@*&%$

To ease the tension, I made Chocolate Pudding for a treat. Got me butt up and started it a little in the evening after I watched Totally Spies by Disney Channel. No need to make dinner tonight coz I got some Nasi Lemak, Rendang Tok, Sambal Sotong and raw salad courtesy from Mommy from the Tahun Baru Hijrah's gathering last night. That'll do for "B" tonight. Besides, tomorrow we have a last minute b'day party invitation (yet again from Mama-B) by "B's" cousin. I'm wishing they'll serve fried chickens there. Dying to bite into one now. Alrite, here's a simple recipe for the pudding.
Ingredients for Chocolate Pudding
3 cups evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
5 tbsp cocoa (Van Houten)
5 tbsp Milo (opt)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 pkt agar-agar powder (clear)
Method
Beat egg yolk in a bowl and add evaporated milk and stir. In a bowl thoroughly mix agar-agar powder, sugar, cocoa and Milo. Add to milk and egg. Cook and stir until thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla essence. Cool and serve as pudding or use to fill a graham cracker pie crust and top with whipped cream. I just filled up in these little jelly moulds and cool them in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. Drizzled a little evaporated milk before serving. Delish...

Orange Cookies Yohoo!

2007-01-15T01:47:00.000+08:00

Chets... ALL due to Crabtree & Evelyn Orange Cookies! I just got hooked on their crisp pieces of citrus cookies. It was actually a gift from Sista-B. Knowing that I just lurve sweet things, she gave me half of her wedding gifts. The sweet stuffs aites. sweetsss huh*??? I wanted to get some more... but after looking at the price tag... aiks!!! I just couldn't afford it. Afford also cannot buy. Way... too... EXPENSIVE! Price just ain't right! Thus, I googled through and found these recipe from Sunkist Orange. There were loads more recipes and I'll definitely try a couple more to see which suits me best.
Not too difficult to make. It'll be easier if I had a mixer though. (My birthday coming. Anyone kind enuf to get me a mixer???) I HAD to cream the butter and sugar manually with a wooden spoon! Tiring you know!!! Usually, I'd borrow from Mommy. But, she wanted to do something with it last weekend. So I had to make do... Still, the cookies turned out great! With a tint of 'citrusy' flavour and aroma, it's enuf to satisfy my needs against Crabtree's. They're now packed neatly in my two Tupperwares, ready to be eaten. In fact, I'm left with one half full. Half more in mine and "B's" tums. Hehehheheeh... I still have a lone piece of Crabtree's Orange Cookies in it's container. Saving the best for last. winks!*

Boiled Fruit Cake in Muffin Tray???

2007-01-13T14:34:00.000+08:00

Woots...! I'm having a serious sugar craving since yesternight! Due to the rain, hmmm... I don't think sooo... Just a bloody crave laaa... I wanted to do Orange Cookies but scrapped the idea flat coz I still had that Crabtree and Evelyn Orange Cookies from Sista-B. Oh yeah, Sista-B was happily married last weekend 6 Jan 2007. She's on her honeymoon now. "B", I also nak go honeymoon for the eermmm..... 5,6,7 times, erk nvm, I also want OK! sheesh, honeymoon(s) and holidays are two DIFFERENT matters altogether. Aites!?

Oooh... I also can't wait to view the Wedding Pics too! But just a teeny-weeny comment, the bridal make-up was terribly blah!!! Just didn't make Sista-B stood out! She looked PALE, Pale, pale. Or was it the look of the year huh!??? Jeesh... even the wedding clothes weren't pretty enuf! PLAIN, Plain, plain. Maybe I'm out of touch with the wedding seasons BUT those outlook were UNFORGIVABLE! But anyhow, the food were great. I had plates of those fried fish fillets with sweet and sour sauce. The kitchen staffs must've think I'm mad. shhh... don't think they knew I'm the SIL. If word gets to Mommy-B, I'm toast for sure! "not very ladylike, xxx" is what Momma-B would've said.

Anyhow, the 'sugar cravings' here... Since "B" adores Fruit Cakes a LOT. I made it today. I don't like Fruit Cakes but if nothings else there, I''d just whack it. Mines a simple version. This time, instead of pouring the batter into a cake tin, I poured into the muffin tray. No cutting. Easier! I'm off to Mommy's in 40minutes. Bathe-15mins + dress-up-10mins + clear dishes-10mins + last check-5mins = 40mins. Just enuf time for me Fruit Cake Muffins to cool down before I whipped some for Mommy, Baba, Bro and Bratsy Sista. Toodles...

Recipe of the Boiled Fruit Cake.

Pulut Serunding

2007-01-08T13:42:00.000+08:00

"Pulut" ~ Glutinous Rice is "B's" most favourite. And in our community, glutinous rice is largely use in many-many dishes. Be it sweet or savoury or customary. These are the food of the olden days. The new generations now, very much preferred cakes, pastries, tarts, cookies, pastas, pizzas and whatnots. Be it either sweet or savoury due to the western influences. Too much teevee, advertisements, exposures and the new era spoilt our children. Sometimes including moi too. sigh*

Hence, I'm determined not to let my traditions and roots be lost. In the food sense that is. I try as I might to learn these traditional kuehs to preserve what little we have. No doubt, the cooking process is long and tedious. PATIENCE is the key to it. Another factor which seemed to be diminishing fast too. So, I reckon, that's one key point why many are not interested in preserving the kuehs of the past. Just too much work!

I got around to make "B" some Pulut Serunding. I had made the Serunding earlier and kept it in an air tight container. So, this'll cut my work into half. winks* The pulut was easy to assemble. Similar to the Kueh Lopes. It's the Serunding which makes or break the whole thing. I like the Serunding to be a little wet. Thus easier, to 'stick' them onto the pulut balls. Too dry it'll be blah...! "B" wanted the Serunding to be a little spicier the next time. Other than that, "B" gave the thumb-up. Yeah, "B" had a ball eating these babies.

Ingredients for Serunding
I'll get on to this when I've found that damn paper w/c I've scribbled the recipe on.

Hello New Year!

2007-01-01T13:36:00.000+08:00

"Welcoming 2007"

Tell you a little secret. '7' IS my favourite number. Hence with the year 2007, I'm wishing for many2 good things to come. Family, relationship, health, work, financial, friends and something BIG which I've started wishing for and just waiting to happen. Donno when. Now? Soon? Later? We'll see...

I had thought "B" would be home on New Year's Day. But, when I woke up (which wasn't too late btw), "B's" almost ready to go to work. Grrrrr... "stock taking sayang", "B" said just as I woke up when he's about to close the door. Haiz... wtf!

Who am I to agrue aites? Afterall "B's" doing this to bring some dough home. This is how one sacrifices in the modern world. TIME! Eversince my leave, I saw "B" as much as my working days. No different really. Alrite, enuf grumbling. I need something to chill. Fingerfood's comforting. With no more heavy downpour and still with little sun, I reckon it won't hurt to snack a bit.

See these little treats? Gorgeous! Tofu Nuggets and Tofuballs. Cute little things aren't they? I used to love chicken nuggets but not anymore coz I freak-out after seeing Jamie's School Dinners show on Discovery Channel Travel and Living. If any of you watched the programme where he showed the REAL things inside the frozen chicken nuggets you get at the supermarkets, you'd remember what the 'ingredients' are and how the 'ingredients' looked like in his food processor? Eeeyuckies...! I swore from that day, NOMORE chicken nuggets! So, I got around to have these cuties. Tofuballs are substitute to fishballs. The version I used to love was Dodo brand. But seeing that these have little or no nutrients in them, I stopped buying. Whenever I feel like having these balls, I'd make them with fresh ikan tenggiri aka mackerel or tofu. Taste wise is incomparable from the store bought. I'd make a couple batches (nuggets and balls) and freeze them for later use. They froze well in clean wrap for a week. Oooh, I made some mini Curry Potato Puffs too. Need to finish up that puff pastry I made weeks back. winks* Geeez... I shoud've stocked up some pastries during the rainy season. You see, these pastries are good to roll in a cool place. But during those rainy days, I just got too lazy laaa...

See "B", IF you didn't had to go working, you'd get a taste of these little treats now. Hmph... Ok, I just gotta say it first. But really...I'll definitely make some more when you return this evening. Many-many more. Coz I know, BIG boys like you, will wallop these little treats fast!

What you'd do when you have Pumpkins?

2006-12-31T23:41:00.000+08:00

You could make dozens of things with pumpkins! You couldn't have them raw of course. Steam pumpkins make excellent snacks and a great source of vitamins too! Mashed them into purees or make soup out of them? Create mouth-watering desserts perhaps? Cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, tarts? Breads or scones? Ice-cream or chips? Baked or fried? Mmmmm..... Don't forget the varities of kuehs too! Pumpkin Onde-Onde, Pumpkin Putri Salat, Pumpkin Kueh Bakar, Pumpkin Kueh Talam, Pumpkin Nagasari etc..... And have you drunk Pumpkin juice before? Try it. No regrets there! See what amaizing things just one fruit could do! Go try all these and mayhaps, you'd come up with a new recipe too! Do tell me huh!

Me, I'm indulging with my muffin-mania project! With a little help from Granny's Smith too!!! Presenting me Pumpkin G.S. Muffins.