Corn Bread

I love corn breads.. not the Kenny Roger´s kind (sorry Min!!) but the real hearty cornmeal filled kind... slather it with butter with a cup of hot tea... thats a slice of heaven right there!!

150g butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all the dry ingredients and set aside. Whisk eggs & milk in a bowl.
Cream butter & sugar until light and creamy and add a bit of the dry ingredients followed by the wet mixture bit by bit until all well combined. Grease a rectangular or round cake tin and pour mixture in bake in 180 degrees for 25-30min untill golden. Serve warm... yuuummms!

Mango Mousse Cake

I haven´t made a mango mousse cake in over a decade!!! 15 years to be exact....couldn´t even use gelatine leaves because thats still not halal so I tried it out with the gelatine powder instead... It works and it was yummy!

2 mangoes (sliced according to preference)
Apricot Gel (for glazing)
simple sugar syrup to moisten the sponge.

For sponge cake:
4 large eggs (white and yolks separated)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup cake flour (sifted)
2 tablespoons melted butter

Whisk egg whites with sugar until stiff and glossy. Add the yolk and whisk until incorporated (do not overbeat). Add the milk, vanilla and flour and fold in using a spatula. Lastly drizzle over the melted butter and fold. Batter will be light and airy. Pour into lined 9¨ round tin and bake at 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top is brown and tester comes out clean. Cool and sliced into 2 layers.

Mango Mousse:
150g Mango puree (i used fresh mango flesh and pureed it)
13g Gelatin powder
30g Water
40g Sugar
1 tsp Mango flavor (optional.. i didn´t use extra flavourings)

220g Fresh whipped cream (I used Red Man Whip Topping)

In a pot add mango puree, water, sugar and gelatin powder together and bring to boil till gelatin and sugar dissolved.
Leave to cool and then before assemblying the cake, fold the whipped cream into the cool mango puree.

To assemble, its good to use 9¨cake ring as a guide to hold the cake in place. Place 1 layer of sponge, drizzle a bit of sugar syrup and spread about 1 cm thick of mousse. Top with sliced mangoes and spread another thin layer of mousse before placing top sponge. Drizzle some sugar syrup again on the second layer and top it up with balanced mousse. Freeze overnight.

Whip some cream if desired and iced the cake and top with more sliced mangoes, strawberries and kiwi. Glaze with melted apricot gel.

Banana Bread

Had some leftover bananas so Banana Bread it is then!! Simple and yummy!

whisk the eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes on high speed until really foamy.

2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar

Sift the dry ingredients and set aside

1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil
5 large bananas
1/4 cup cream
1tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

Once the egg mixture is frothy, drizzle the oil in bit by bit while whisking. Add the mashed riped bananas, vanilla & cream. Mix it well and fold in the dry ingredients. Lined the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes at 180 degress until skewer comes out clean.

Subsuka / Shakshuka my version

2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 red chilis, chopped

1 capsicum

1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder

250g minced beef

Sautee the above ingredients then add minced meat. Add the spices. 

2 tins of diced tomatoes
3 large fresh tomatoes (chopped)
2 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon sugar

A handful chopped coriander & parsley

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper 

simmer until ingredients are cooked and add water bit by bit (about 1 cup)... 

Transfer to a baking dish.

Melt about 2 tablespoon ghee and pour over. Crack 4-5 eggs and bake for 20-25 minutes in 180 degrees oven.  Sprinkle more chopped parsley, fried shallots, chopped onions, sliced chili and serve with buttered toast...

Kuih Bakar Berlauk (final version)

Was not satisfied with my last attempt so today i amended the recipe and its da bomb! To me anyways.... :-))) I like my kueh soft no matter what others say... lol
Again... this is another one of my famous ´dump´ recipe where i put everything in a blender and thats about it. he he he .. (i hate clean ups!)

200ml santan (1 box Kara or any coconut milk / cream)
150ml water (which i poured into the Kara box so that i do not waste even a tiny bit of santan)
100g flour
1 tsp salt (or according to taste)
2 eggs
yellow food colouring (optional - i didn´t use any today)

1 shallot chopped
150g minced beef
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp curry powder
black pepper / salt

chopped chinese parsley, fried shallot and sliced chilli for topping

sautee the onion and then the beef and season accordingly. Pour the batter into greased mould, spoon some meat in and sprinkle the topping and bake in 200 degrees oven for 20 min.

Kuih Bakar

Craving something sweet for teatime today and decided to make Kueh Bakar sans the sesame seeds or colourings so its au natural today.. (actually I ran out of colourings!)

I ´dump´ all the ingredients into my blender for a smooth batter.. plus its easier to clean up since i can use the blender to pour directly onto the moulds! I hate clean-ups! tsk tsk tsk

Ingredients are :-

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup pandan juice (1/2 cup of water + 2 pandan leaves)
1 1/8 cup santan
2 eggs
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tsp pandan paste (i used kaya pandan essence)
few drops of green colouring (optional)
sesame seeds (optional)

Recipe will yield 36 small kuehs using the mould or 2 large moulds. Pour the blended ingredients into the greased mould and bake for 20 minutes on 200 degrees oven or until golden brown.

Talam Pisang - My version

I wanted nagasari but since i bought kelapa parut yesterday i thought belebat pisang would be better... then i couldn´t find daun pisang pulak kat Sheng Siong!! So to combine the two i decided on talam pisang...

For the base,

1 sisir pisang (approx. 7-8 medium size bananas) - mashed
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Mix all the ingredients until well mixed. Grease a 8 inch tin and pop it in the steamer for 15 minutes.

Topping

1 1/2 cups santan
1 dessertspoon sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup rice flour

I pop all the above ingredients in the blender instead of mixing it since blending will give a smooth and aerated topping.. almost foamy! I like!!! Pour on top of the 1st layer and continue steaming for another 15 min. Baically you should wait to cut but i couldn´t wait... :-))

Ayam Percik

Before I forget the recipe... Fai says I better write it down!!

4 medium size shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 lemongrass
1 inch ginger
1 inch tumeric
4 candlenuts
10 dried chilli soaked
1 tsp ketumbar, jintan, jintan manis

Blend all together and sautee until fragrant. Add 1 packet of santan, 1 tablespoon asam, salt, sugar & ajinomoto.

1 chicken cut in small portions and marinate with the ´rempah´and bake in the oven for 45min to 1 hour at 150 degrees.

Victoria Strawberries & Cream Sandwich Cake

What happens when I crave for a strawberries & cream cake & victoria sandwich and too lazy to make both??? I combine them!! This recipe is for 6 inch cake tins X 2..

Sponge :

170g self raining flour
170g sugar
170g butter (softened)
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

´Dump´all ingredients into the mixer and mix until creamy. Pour into lined tins and bake for 20-25 mins or until the tester comes clean on 180 degrees.

Buttercream layer

75g butter (softened)
150g icing sugar
1.5 teaspoon warm water

Strawberry Jam
200ml Fresh cream (whipped)
Korean strawberries (1 punnet)

Mix the ingredients and whip until smooth. Layer it onto the first sponge.

Then spread the strawberry jam..

Then layer with slices of sweet Korean strawberries.. or any strawberries of your choice

Top it off with the 2nd sponge and spread some fresh whipped cream, decorate with halved strawberries and dust with icing sugar.... pop back in the fridge to chill and enjoy!

Churros

The recipe is a basic choux paste dough so its very versatile... you can make churros with it, eclairs and even cream puffs! But of course those needs to be baked while churros is a quick deep fry..

In a pan, mix 1 cup water, 110g butter, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon sugar and heat until all the butter is melted. Add 1 cup flour and cook until the dough stops sticking onto the pan.

Transfer dough into a bowl and aerate the dough by vigourously stirring while adding the eggs. The recipe calls for 2 eggs. 

Using a piping bag with a medium star nozzle, pipe the dough in canola or veg oil and fry on both sides until brown...

sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or icing sugar with chocolate dip according to your preference... I like it on its own with cinnamon & icing sugar... bon appetite!!

Recipe:

110g butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup flour

2 eggs 

Kupang Saus Padang (Mussels in Padang Sauce)

Recipe is for about 1kg of mussels (cooked for 5 minutes in boiling water). Reserve some of the mussel stock.

Blend 1 large bombay onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 2cm of ginger, 2cm belachan and 1-3 red chillis depending on the level of spiciness you want. Sautee the blended ingredients in oil until fragrant.

Then add 2 teaspoon white pepper, 2 teaspoon chicken stock powder (Knorr or Maggi or Masako), 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 3 tablespoon chilli sauce. (I use ABC Sambal Asli), juice of 1 lime, salt to taste & 1 cup of the mussel stock. Simmer the sauce until thicken and then pour the mussels. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is throughly mixed with the mussels. Sprinkle with chopped parsley & fried shallots... Serve with steaming hot rice... sluuurrpppp

Ayam Kalasan

This is Faris favourite fried chicken... double the cooking process but thats what makes this Javanese chicken very flavourful...

1 chicken cut in quarter
500ml coconut water (from fresh coconut)
500ml water .. (if you want a more intense taste, use 1 litre of coconut water instead)
6 shallots, 3cm galangal & 3 cloves of garlic (blended)
2 tablespoon of gula jawa or palm sugar (1 circular block)
2 daun salam (bay leaves)
2 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper

Boil all the above ingredients in a closed pot and remove only when the fluid is almost dried out.

Remove chicken

While waiting for the chiken to cook, make the kremes or the crispy batter topping..mix the following ingredients and fry 1 ladle of batter until crispy. Remove and pour another ladle until mixture is finished.

1 cup of chicken stock
1 egg
1/4 cup rice flour
1 cup water
a pinch of salt

Deep fry the chicken until brown, cut into half (i prefer to eat smaller chicken pieces than the 1/4 piece) pour kremes over it and serve with sambal terasi & lalapan...

Almond Muhallebi

Craving for something sweet but something middle eastern... i only 1 piece of the Baklava Roll the other day and I´m craving for more... hmmm .. what do I have in the pantry that i can turn into something from middle east??.. lots of pistachio, raisins, milk etc but no filo pastry.... hmmmmm... rice pudding... saw some ground almonds earlier... almond muhallebi it is then!

In a pot, simmer 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp almond essense, 1/4 cup raisins & 1/4 cup chopped pistachios.

In a bowl, mix 3/4 cup blanched ground almonds with 1 cup milk. Set aside.

Once the milk mixture starts to bubble lightly, add the above mixture.

In another bowl mix 2 tablespoon rice flour, 2 tablespoon corn flour with 1 cup milk and add to the pot. Continuously stir the mixture until thicken.

Spoon into bowls or cups and sprinkle more raisins with chopped pistachios. Chill in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. Best served cold.

Ayam Kalio Ala Cik Imah

Always loved my Aunt´s cooking especially her Ayam Kalio... So I better write the recipe down before I forget! This is a keeper!!

(Recipe as per Cik Ima)
1 kilo ayam
3-5 btg lada hidup(kalau nak pedas bolih tambah cili atau cili padi)
5 ulas bawang merah (shallots)
7 ulas bawang putih
halia sebesar ibu jari
lengkuas
lada putih
1 batang serai (half blender / half ketuk)
kunyit hidup
daun kunyit dan daun limau (kafir leaf)
1 tin santan (400ml)

1. Blender lada,bawang putih,halia,lengkuas, kunyit dan lada putih hingga halus.
2. Bawang merah di hiris.Panaskan sedikit minyak dan tumis b.merah . Kemudian masukkan rempah blender.Tumiskan sekali serai(yg telah di ketuk) daun kunyit dan daun limau.
3. Masukkan ayam .Agak2 rempahnya dah serap bolih masukkan pula santan.
4. Perisakan dengan garam dan gula.
5. Masak hingga mendidih dan pekat sedikit.

Klappertaart

I love anything coconut!!! My Faris has acquired my tastebuds and would glare at me if he sees a coconut that I didn´t buy! Today´s recipe is one of our favourite coconut dessert.. a Manado coconut pudding called Klappertaart

First and foremost, scrap the flesh of 2 large coconuts and soaks it in the coconut water. (I like to slice the thicker flesh thinly so that it blends well in the pudding)

Soak 1/4 cup of raisins in coconut water or for the alcoholic version in Rum...

Heat 100ml evaporated milk, 50 ml coconut water, 50ml water, 110gram sugar and 1 cinnamon stick until boiling. Set aside to cool slightly and discard cinnamon stick.

In another bowl, mix 50 gram flour with 50ml water, 50ml coconut water, 80grams egg yolk (app 3 yolks) and 60grams egg white. Once throughly mixed, add the milk mixture bit by bit while vigorously stirring. Heat over low fire until the mixture thickens. Add the prepared coconut flesh only.

Fill up to 3/4 of your ramekins or any baking dish of your choice. Bake for 15 minutes on 180 degrees oven.

While the pudding is in the oven, whisk 100g of egg white with 1 tablespoon sugar until stif peaks.

Remove pudding from oven after 15 minutes and top with meringue, raisins and cinnamon powder. Bake for another 10 minutes. Set to cool & serve

Talam Berlauk

Craved for a simple but traditional breakfast since Papa is buying Ayam Penyet for lunch.... Faris wanted pancakes but i wanted something savoury.... therefore the Talam Berlauk thing came to mind..

Simply sautee about 200g minced beef or lamb with chopped shallot, add a teaspoon curry powder, pepper & salt to taste.

In a measuring jug (this is for simplicity), mix 150g flour, 250ml water, 150ml coconut cream (I use Kara or Ayam brand Coconut cream), 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp salt and a drop of yellow colouring.

Heat the oven to 180 degrees, oil the tartlet shells, pour the batter to 3/4, put a dollop of meat, parsley, fried shallots and sliced chilli... bake for 15-20 minutes....

Faris with his no chilli version

Brazil Nut Shortbread

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cornstarch
a pinch salt
1-3/4 cups (425 mL) flour
1 cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts

Cream the butter, sugar until light & fluffy... add vanilla, salt and flour. Lastly add in the chopped nuts. Spread dough in a pie pan lined with parchment paper, poke with fork and then freeze for at least an hour. Once the dough has harden, bake on 140 degrees for 40 min or until the base is browned... remove from oven and cut into desired shapes before cooling.

Thai Spring Rolls

Simple but really yummy springrolls...

(makes about 16 large springrolls)
1 large onion (or about 10 shallots) } blended
4 cloves of garlic } blended

Soak 2 bundles of tang hoon until soften
8 dried shiitake mushrooms. ] sliced thinly

Cut 1 carrot into thin julienne slices

4 tablespoon oyster sauce
1\2 cup water
salt to taste

Spring roll skin (I used Spring Home)
corn flour mixed with a bit of water } to stick the edges

Sautee the blended ingredients in oil until fragrant, add oyster sauce, 1\2 tsp salt, water and carrots. Simmer until carrots are softened.
Add in the mushroom and the tang hoon and season to taste again. Let cool.

Use the filling and roll into spring rolls and fry until golden brown. Serve with Thai Chilli Sauce