Chicken Kurma (Again)

Just showing off tonite's menu. Recipe posted earlier here.

See You Later & Happy New Year

I'll be back in the New Year.

......... to EVERYONE!!

Cheese & Chocolate Layered Cake

These two days have been busy layering cakes and many other things. In the meantime enjoy the photos (not too satisfied that the layers did not turn-up evenly, too rushing...) .

Only managed to update the recipe today 2nd Jan'09. Sorry to keep some of you waiting. I found the recipe in Nomie's blog. I was looking for a very cheesy & chocolaty layered cake but this one tastes rather plain & not so rich but a bit sweet. Anyway, it was quite simple to make with not too many eggs used.

(Makes 9" square)

INGREDIENT A:

12 Egg Yolks

6 Egg Whites

360g Castor Sugar

300g HongKong Flour

2 tbsp Ovalette

INGREDIENT B:

250g Cream Cheese

4 tbs Condensed Milk

1 tsp Lemon

INGREDIENT C:

250g Butter

4 tbs Condensed Milk

150f Chocolate - melted

1 tbs Chocolate Paste

METHOD:

1. Beat all Ingredient A until white & thick.

Beat Ingredient B & C in a separate bowls.

Divide mixture A into two portions.

Add mixture B & C into each portion.

2. Grease & line tin.

Grill a layer of chocolate mixture, alternating with cream cheese mixture until finish.

Start & end with chocolate layer.

Bollywood Layered Cake

I spent whole day in the kitchen today to make this cake. I'll post the recipe later, so watch out.

Apology for the delay in the recipe. Original recipe is from Rabiah Amit but simplified a bit. Suggest to reduce sugar below to half as it is too sweet. So, here is the recipe:

(Makes 8½" square)

INGREDIENT A:

22 Egg Yolks

8 Egg Whites

15oz Castor Sugar

13oz Hong Kong Flour

1 tbs Ovalette

4½oz Cold Water

INGREDIENT B:

23oz Butter

5 tbs Condensed Milk

METHOD:

1. Place all Ingredient A in a bowl & beat high speed until white & thick.

2. In a separate bowl, beat ingredient B until white & fluffy.

Add into Ingredient A & mix well.

Divide into 3 portions & color each red, green & original.

3. Grill red portion layer by layer in 9"x9"x1" tin until finish.

Then Grill green portion layer by layer in a separate 9"x9"x1" tin until finish.

Once the cakes are cooled off, cut into ¾" width strip & then slice into triangle shape.

Arrange the green & red strips into pattern like the cake photo above & glue with jam.

Wrap the pattern blocks in plastic paper & freeze to stick them well.

4. Divide the original color batter into two parts.

Grill the first part in a 8½" square tin until finish.

Spread jam on top & arrange the pattern blocks.

Grill the remaining half of the original color batter layer by layer until finish.

Bean Curd with Beef

I have an extra bean curd and some beef in the fridge so I thought that they are a good combination. So here what I came up with. I also cooked chicken curry and the family enjoyed both dishes with compliments.

INGREDIENTS:

1 piece Bean Curd - sliced half-way down

50g Beef - minced

1 Red Chilli*

2 Shallots*

2 Garlic* (* pounded)

½ inch Ginger - sliced

2 tbsp Oyster sauce**

1 tbsp Soya Sauce**

1 tsp Cornflour** (** mixed together with some water)

Ground Black Pepper

METHOD:

1. Heat up 2 tbs oil in a flat pan.

Fry the pounded ingredients*, ginger & minced beef.

Pour mixed sauce & black pepper.

Place the beancurd in the pan & cover for about 5-10 minutes.

2. Dish-up & garnish with spring onion & sliced chilli.

Serve hot with rice.

HomeKreation Fried Pandan Chicken

My children love chicken and it is a must dish everyday. For Hari Raya yesterday, I created a new recipe in attempt to have something special for the children. Not only my children who enjoyed it but my hubby too.

Here is the recipe & I hope you will find it special too:

By: Roz@HomeKreation
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken parts
Ginger*
2 cloves Garlic* (*pounded)
1 tsp ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp Rice Flour
2 tbsp Plain Flour
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Ready made Kentucky Flour ( if you don't have this, just use plain flour + 1 tsp curry powder & a pinch of salt)
Pandan/Screwpine Leaves
Sharp tooth picks

METHOD:
1. Rub chicken with ginger, garlic, black pepper & salt.
Wrap each piece of chicken with half piece of Pandan leaf & secure with a tooth pick.
Marinate for an hour or more.

2. Mix rice flour, plain flour, turmeric powder & a pinch of salt with water to form a runny batter.
Dip the wrapped chicken piece with the batter.
Roll on Kentucky flour.
Deep fry unttil golden.
Enjoy...!

Sayur Lodeh

This was our special meal on Hari Raya (Idh) yesterday.

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed vegetables - cauliflower, brinjal, carrot, potato, turnip, long beans, beancurd

Dry vegetable - beancurd sheet, vermicili (Su'un) - soaked to soften

Tempe (fermented soya bean cake)

Some peeled Shrimps

A pot of Coconut Milk

5 Shallots*

10 Chilli Padi* (*pounded)

1 Lemongrass - knocked

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt & MSG

METHOD:

1. Place in a pot, coconut milk, potato, carrot, pounded ingredients*, turmeric powder, lemongrass, salt & msg.

Boil until potato & carrot are soften.

Add in the rest of vegetables & cook until it boil again & off fire quickly.

2. Boil instant Nasi Himpit per packet instructions.

I prefer brand Lazat as it is prewashed & solid texture when cooked.

Cool & slice before serving.

3. Serve Nasi Himpit with Sayur Lodeh and Sambal.

Refer here for sambal recipe. You can use Ikan Bilis or shrimps as you like.

Ketupat Daun Kelapa (Glutinous Rice in Woven Coconut Leaves)

This is Malay traditional way of cooking glutinous rice in woven young coconut leaves and called "Ketupat". Ketupat are typically served on special occassions and especially on Hari Raya (Idh). They are eaten with savoury dishes like Rendang or curry. I learned how to weave Ketupat cases from my late grandma when I was about 10 years old and fortunately I never forgotten until now. Filled cases are cooked in a lot of coconut milk until the coconut milk is dry & the rice inside should be cooked by then. INGREDIENTS:
20 Ketupat cases
10 cups (160ml) Glutinous Rice - soaked for 1-2 hours & drained
600g freshly grated Coconut - add some water & squeeze milk
2 tbsp Salt
1 Pandan (Screwpine) Leaf

METHOD:
1. Fill ketupat cases with glutinous rice.
Leave a thumb pinch of empty space at one corner to allow the rice expand.
Too tight will cause the ketupat uncooked and too loose will cause it too soft.
Ensure that both ends of ketupat are slit through & knotted to prevent it from opening during cooking.

2. Place all the filled ketupat in a big botom pot & cover with coconut milk sufficiently (see above photo).
Add in salt & screwpine leaf.
Boil until coconut milk is completely dry and oil surfaced out.
During the cooking process, flip the ketupat frequently to ensure even cooking.

3. Serve with your favourite Rendang or curry.

4. The Ketupat can keep for 2 days if properly cooked.

Menu on Hari Raya Aidiladha 2008

Hari Raya Aidiladha is a quiet occassion in Miri unlike in Peninsular Malaysia, which is celebrated with open houses and lots of special delicacies on the day. For our family, the routine is to visit mosque first thing in the morning for Hari Raya prayer. After prayer my husband instructed us to gather in the lounge for Raya hugs, followed by photo session and finally Raya breakfast.

I did not cook a lot as we do not expect any guest this year. Our relatives have all returned to kampung to celebrate Hari Raya in conjuction with school holiday. This year my hubby & children helped a lot in the preparation as Lela is no longer with us and that put the family closer together. My youngest son proudly told his grandma on the phone that he helped me to fill up the ketupat case and other things he did.

Here are some photos:

Sayur Lodeh is actually greeny in color but my camera has always not successful in producing the real color for green curry (it looks pale compared to the real color).

Lempeng Pisang (Malay Traditional Banana Pancake)

Clearing my last batch of bananas, so this morning made two types of pancakes. One was the earlier posting & this one is the traditional/kampung style pancake which has sweet coconut filling, called Lempeng Pisang. My mum used to make this when I was a kid.

By: Roz@HomeKreation

INGREDIENTS:
6 Ripe Bananas - mashed
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
Few tbsp Sugar
Some fresh Desicated Coconut mixed with Sugar & salt

METHOD:
Mix all ingredients except coconut.
Spread on a piece of banana leaf.
Spread coconut on top & fold into half.
Cook on a griddle until one side is cooked.
Flip & cook the other side.
See photo below on how to cook the pancake.

Banana Pancake

This Banana Pancake is light & fluffy. It is not very sweet, so it goes well with any preferred syrup & icecream. Recipe taken from AllRecipes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Flour*
1 tbsp Sugar*
2 tsp Baking Powder*
1/4 tsp Salt* (* mix together)
1 Egg
1 cup Milk
2 tbsp Veg Oil
2 Riped Banana - mashed

METHOD:
1. Beat egg slightly.
Mix in milk, oil & banana.
Add in mixed dry ingredients & stir well.

2. Heat up pan & spread 2-3 tbsp.
Cook until bubbles appear on the surface & burst (see photo below).
Flip & cook the other side for 1/2 minute.
3. Serve with favourite syrup like maple, strawberry, blueberry, chocolate, etcs.

Chicken Percik (Again)

The photo below is after been chopped & topped with leftover gravy:

Tonight made the same recipe again to please the children... Previous posting & recipe, refer here.

Kad Ucapan

Kekawan yang singgah di sini, sila lah amik kad ucapan ini bawa balik ya (tapi kad bodo jer...), simpan baik2 buat kenangan. Thanks for your friendship...!

Cokodok (Fried Banana Dumpling)

There is nothing fancy about Cokodok as it is a typical Malay kuih and I believe anyone can make this. There is no need for accurate measurement and you can simply add all ingredients to your taste.

INGREDIENTS:

Riped Banana - mashed

Self-raising flour

Sugar

Bic Soda

Salt

METHOD:

Add all ingredients with sufficient flour to form dumpling to be deep-fried.

Deep fry until golden in colour.

Makes sure you flip them all the times to ensure even color.

Special Recognition

Yesterday evening I attended company's dinner and was surprised when my name was called upon to receive the above bouquet of flowers from my Director as recognition in my initiatives in upholding the Women Network. I wish to share the recognition with few other colleagues who have never failed to provide ideas and support on all the activities that we organised (I'm sure they know who they are).

Chicken Rendang II

Felt like having Rendang but wanted to try something different than my own recipe. I recalled seeing Chicken Rendang at Hana's house using Amy's recipe. To my surprise, it is a lot easier than my own version as it uses a lot less coconut milk & hence dried up easily. Most importantly, it tastes real good...!

INGREDIENTS:
½ Chicken - cut to smaller parts
2 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Big Onions*
3 cloves Garlic*
2" Ginger*
2 Lemongrass*
2cm Galangal* (I skipped)
Some Bird-eye Chillies* (*blend)
7-8 Kaffir Lime leaves - sliced thinly
1 tbsp Kerisik (Roasted coconut paste)
250ml Coconut Milk
1 pc Dried Tamarind (I skipped)
1 tbsp Palm Sugar (my own addition)
Salt

METHOD:
1. Heat up 1 scoop of oil & fry blended ingredients*, curry powder & turmeric juice until fragrant & dry.
Add in coconut milk & boil.
Add in chicken, sugar & salt. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked & gravy is almost dry.
Add in sliced Kaffir Lime leaves & Kerisik.
Stir until dry.

2. Serve with rice, glutinous rice or rotis.

Apam Pisang (Malay Steam Banana Cake)

Translation: "Apam" means steam Malay cake which does not use any oily/greasy ingredients and hence considered a healthy choice.

It has been very long time since I last ate Apam Pisang. Since I have some riped bananas, I decided to give a try on the recipe I found in Mesra.net for children's breakfast tomorrow. It turned out to be very soft Apam.

(Makes 8" round)

INGREDIENTS:

4 Eggs

1 cup Sugar

2 cups Plain Flour*

1 tsp Soda Bicarbonate*

1 tsp Baking Powder* (* sifted together)

6 Riped Bananas - mashed

A pinch Salt

METHOD:

1. Beat eggs & sugar until thick.

Mix in flour mixture until well combined.

Add in mashed banana & salt & mix well.

2. Put a layer of banana leaf in a tin & oil.

Steam for 45 minutes.