Episdoe 704 - Mango Sambal

This I got to share with all of you. My Dad brought it home from work and it is the Bomb! Basically, it's an appetizer enjoyed by most Malays and it has a sweet, sour and spicy taste to it. It's great with plain steamed rice, eaten as it is and also with fresh vegetables like Cucumber.

I don't know how to make it yet but for those 'sambal' (usually made of chillies, tons of red onions, garlic & belacan - fermented prawn paste) and mango fans, here's one to go crazy on!

Mango "Sambal"
A perfect Condiment of Mangoes & Spicy Thai Chillies

Episode 703 - New Year Treats : Prawn Crackers & Acar

No Chinese New Year can live without the scrumptious deep fried prawn "klopok" & the sweet and sour "Aca" (pickled vege of cucumber, carrots, dried prawns, garlic, shallots etc sundried and pickled up with chillis, sugar and mostly vinegar).

Here's for you to drool on.

Prawn Crackers

"Acar"

Episode 702 - Crabstick Mango Salad

There's just something about the goodness of Mayo! Although it can be a lil fattening but you just can't deny the taste it gives to compliment your salads or sushi rolls! I came up with this recipe when I ate this particular dish at Kaizen Restaurant (I don't remember the name of the dish but...). 4 simple ingredients with a totally delicious outcome.

Crabstick Mango Salad

Ingredients: 1 ripe Mango; flesh cut into small cubes, 1 packet of Crabsticks; defrosted, cooked for 3 minutes in hot boiling water; torn into strips, Half a carrot; shredded, 3 big blobs of Mayo

Method: Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

Serves : 3 and goes well with shredded Salad leaves.

Episode 701 - New Year Treats - The Greatness of Frozen Puff Pastry

GONG XI FA CHAI! A Happy New Year 2011 and a Super Xin Nien Quai Le to all out there! It has been 4 months since I last blogged but I have great great new recipes to spice up your kitchen this year! I'll start of with a little new found glory called the 'puff pastry'! And have cooked up 2 very straight forward recipes for you all to try on!

Apple Cinnamon Puffs

Ingredients: 1 sheet of Pampas Puff Pastry; cut into 6 equal pieces, A few tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, 1 sweet Apple; sliced into wedges & core taken out, 2 tbspns of Cinnamon Powder, 1 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar, 1/2 juice of lemon, A pinch of nutmeg

Method:
Marinade the apples with the cinnamon, lemon, 1 cup of sugar & nutmeg. Set aside and ready the pastries.

Brush the melted butter onto 1 piece of the puff pastry and place another on top. Repeat with the other 2 so you have 3 pcs of puff pastries now. Place pastries on a baking tray (brushed base of tray with butter), 1 inch or more from another to allow space for puffing up. Place a few pieces of marinated apples onto the middle of the pastries and drizzle a tablespoon of sugar on top before putting in the preheated oven for around 25-30 minutes at gas no. 7. Puffs are ready when the pastries puffs up into a golden brown colour. Serves 3 with a scoop of Vanilla icecream and drizzle the leftover juice from the marinade!


Tuna & Spicy Sardine Stuffed Puffs

Ingredients: Pampas Puff Pastries (1 sheet makes 3 puffs); cut into 3 pieces 1 egg; beaten

For Tuna filling (All ingredients to be mixed well): 1 can Tuna Flakes; drained with a little left behind, 5 blobs of mayonnaise, A pinch of Pepper, 1 tbspn dried Parsley

For Spicy Sardine filling (All ingredients to be mixed well): 1 large can of Sardine in Tomato Sauce; drained with a little left behind & mashed ,1 large Onion; chopped ,1 tbspn dried Parsley, 1 Hot Chilli; chopped, 2 tbspns of Chilli Sauce/ A few dashes of Tobasco Sauce, A pinch of salt & Pepper, 1 teaspoon of soft brown sugar

Method: Mix each type of filling well and place around 2 tablespoons of filling onto the middle of one side of the pastry. Fold the other side on top and press the 3 sides down (it should look like a pillow now) and use a fork to crimp the sides. Brush the top with egg wash and bake in the over for 25 minutes at gas no. 7-8 until puffs turn golden. Make sure to butter up your baking tray. Serves: a party if you use up all pastries. Serves best warm with a lil mayo or chilli on the side.

Pampas' puff pastries come in 6 sheets per pack. It only takes 10 minutes to defrost and you can whip up your puffy goodness in no time! So get one at Supasave now at around $7.90 per pack.