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.

Episode 612 - Break for the busy year end

Hi guys! I'm so sorry for not updating my blog since a month plus ago. Super busy and tired since Ramadhan up till the end of Syawal. So I'm posting up my last "Episode" for the year or maybe I'll come back soon with more food mania! I'm taking a break for now and will definitely come back with something fresh and new and probably some of the old school stuff!

So thanks for your support and will definitely see you soon!

Take care.

And ya, the above pic is of my fav type of pizza. Quarterly Stagioni preferably with Salmon XoD

Much love,
NH
Food Enthusiast
My Kitchen To Yours

Episode 611 - MUST GET! Flava of the Century...

BEN & JERRY's STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

Eat with fresh fruits or top your waffle with it, it's just as good if you it out from the tub! YUMS! TO DIE FOR!!

Episode 610 - Prawn & Vege Fritters

Cucur udang with vegetables. This recipe I curi curi abit from the Cucur I bought at the tamu the other day which I mentioned in my previous post. Practically just dump all the ingredients in and deep fry until golden.

Ingredients: 15 prawns - deviened, shells off & cut into half or leave as it is (up to you) 1/4 cabbage - cut thinly 1/2 stick carrot - cut thinly in strips 1 large onion - sliced thinly 1 chilli - chopped 1 handful of fresh parsley - chopped 1 egg 1 1/2 cups Hong Kong flour Salt & Pepper 1 tbspn Chicken Stock powder 1 cup Water

Method: Mix everything in a large bowl. Batter should not be watery but slightly runny. Or you can swap the back of your spoon dipped in the batter and the batter should not come back together so quickly. Can add flour and water of it is not in a correct consistency. Heat up oil in a deep fryer and take a large spoon (use a ladder) and slowly slide in the batter in the fryer. Flip when its golden.

Serves around 6-8. Enjoy with sweet chilli sauce or mayonnaise. Serve while still warm!

Episode 609 - The Amazingness of the 'Kurma' or Dates

This years Kurnia from HM was by far the best I've ever had. Every year during Ramadhan, Muslim families have the privilege to get Kurmas packed in containers. One for every member of the family. It is said that Kurmas have high energy content and is good for one who fasts during Ramadhan. And that is a fact! I had a few Kurmas and 2 cups of water for Sahur and it was a great miracle that I wasn't as hungry on days which I 'Sahur-ed' with rice or noodles! Plus, you won't have to go back to bed with a blotted stomach. And dates are actually one of the best food to take when breaking fast. It has several other benefits such as containing high dietary fibre and natural sugars, all the sweetness you need for the day. Reportedly, one kilogram of dates contains nearly 3,000 calories which enough to supply the minimum daily requirements of an active man for one full day. But seriously, don't take a kilo of dates. Just take a few and you can see and feel the difference!

So, go get a date!

Episode 608 - 'Bayam' Crisps

Went to the gerai Ramadhan just now at Wisma Yakin and came across a lady who's selling crisps, acar and some other stuff which others don't usually sell then I saw this leafy like 'keropok' and asked what is it. She said that they're Keropok Bayam. Spinach leaves deep fried in a light batter and Viola! Bayam Crisps! So I tried it out just now and it's actually pretty tasty! Has a very unique taste to it, a greeny taste but surely crunchy and really good! If you do come across it, you should try it out. Or maybe try and experiment and deep fry some Spinach leaves if you do have a bunch at home. Rich in Vitamin A and I think if you eat a lot, you'd grow some muscles like Popeye ;oD


Here's how it looks like. I kinda broke it into smaller pieces because they couldn't fit the jar. They're quite huge actually.

Coming Soon In Kitchens Near You...

Chicken Curry with Potatoes, Prawn
& Vege Fritters & Smoked Oysters with Scrambled Egg

Episode 607 - BBQ at Babe M/ MT's Advance B'day

Had a ball for MT's B'day and a lil BBQ at Babe M's! They grilled King Prawns, Lamb, Sausages, Buffalo wings and also made Vege Egg rolls served with mayo! Yum berabis! I kinda regretted not eating the lamb!!!! Mannnnnn... I was so full with all the rolls.. But Happy Birthday MT (He's the one in blue!!) Great to catch up with you guys although a particular Babe SZ aeroplaned us! And oh ya, Babe M's parents make the best cheese cakes!! We had Boston Cheesecake that night and it was superfab!

From Top to Bottom: MT being Cool blowing his candle off the cake (Happy 1 Yr, dude LOL), BBQed Wings & Sausages & the super yummy popias!

Episode 606 - Choco & Sugar Snow Donuts

This is a great treat for Sungkai or even just for parties. Children loves this! Well, actually the adults would love them too. Anyone whose got a sweet tooth sure would go crazy on these. It's really straight forward as I'm using the ready made Donut mix but just add a lil bit of magic and it'll just like be of your own creation!

Choco & Sugary Snow Donuts

Ingredients: 1 Packet of Ready Mix Donut Flour 1 cup Icing Sugar 1 Large Bar of Cadbury Milk Chocolate 1 tbspn Unsalted butter 1/3 cup of Hundreds & Thousands Cooking Oil

Method: Ready the donut dough as instructed on packet. Set aside and let the dough rise. After, knead and use a rolling pin and roll the dough and use a donut ring cutter to cut out as many donuts as you can. Deep fry until both sides are golden. Double broil Chocolate bar with the butter. Stir until melted. Dip one side of donuts with the chocolate and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands on top. As for Sugar Snow donuts. While donuts are still warm, place donuts in a bowl of icing sugar and make sure that all is covered.

Serve after cooled in room temperature.

*Tips*: You may also top your donuts with crushed nuts or sliced almonds with the chocolate. Or for a sugary glaze, mix some icing sugar with a lil bit of food colouring & warm water and drizzle all over the donuts. Left over donut dough can be rolled into small balls and made into little donut balls.

Episode 605 - 'Perayaan' In Conjunction of HM's 64th B'day

Truthfully, I have been procrastinating on updating my blog. Mostly cos I've been tied up with work and been quite tired and mostly cos I'm lazy and that my social life has been quite active. But I have found my new glory! I got my hands on a Canon 550D! So all the pics on future posts including this one will be from the magic of my dear 550D! Still trying to work on how to use it. Alright, let's get back to food!! Past month has been makan only for me. That includes at the 'Perayaan' which happens yearly in celebration for HM's birthday. Took a few pics after work and just trying to show you this 'gerai' which sells very nice 'Cucur Sayur'!

From Top to Bottom: The really 'nyaman' Cucur Sayur, Different concoction of drinks ranging from ice Milo to chilled Coconut Juice, 'Salai' Fish & Chicken Wings, Stuffed Calamari & 'Sotong Tumbuk'

YuMsss~~

Episode 604 - Sweet Breadfruit Crisps

Sugary Sukun Crisps

I think these just taste yummy! Babe LY gave me not 1 but 2 breadfruits! They're called 'Sukun' in Malay/Chinese btw. A very thick, starchy and powdery texture but it has a rich taste to it. Something similar to a potato. But the fruit actually looks like some sort of a Jackfruit only with a smoother skin.

Anyway, I cut the Sukun in half and strip down the skin and sliced the sukun thinly, pretty much around 2 inch of length and wide. I only cooked half of it as a whole sukun can practically feed the entire Jon and Kate Plus 8. See below for further instructions. And yes, be sure to cut the core out.

Ingredients: Half of a Sukun; cut thinly (should look like diamond shaped pieces), Lots of Sugar, Salt, 5 cups of Cooking Oil; to be heated in a deep fryer with a large fire

Method: Deep fry the breadfruit cuts for around 10 minutes or until light golden. Remove and place in a large bowl. Scatter sugar all over. The more sugar the better. I reckon I used around 1 1/2 cups of sugar and a tablespoon of salt. Use both hands to mix, make sure the sugar adheres to the fried pieces.

Heat a pan and place 2 tablespoons of oil and stir fry the breadfruit pieces with the sugar and salt together. Add more sugar. Make sure this is done on low heat as the sugar may start to caramelise. Keep on stirring until most parts of the breadfruit are covered with sugar syrup like texture.

Remove and place on a plate to cool. At this point you should also sprinkle some sugar on top and mix with your hands once more before letting it cool. The heat from the crisps would melt the sugar away.

Makes a large jar (Horlick one). Make sure to try this cos I can't stop munching on them! Oh ya, you might get sap from cutting the sukun skin and it may create a sticky like thingy on your knife. Don't panic, just rub some oil on the knife and sponge it off with washing detergent and you should be good! Also, use a thin knife as it cuts through the Sukun much easier.

Episode 603 - Cheesy Chicken Chop & Sweet Potato Soup

Hi all, been so busy that I have no time to update but more like too tired to update. Two recipes that I've been meaning to put up. Pretty simple in preparation just takes a bit of time to cook and all. A great combination for a Western style dinner and a very delicious one too! Haven't been out and about to places, just went to Al Fresco, Miri to have the fish umai last Friday and it was still da Bomb! My egg Omellete came soooo late that by the time it came, I was pretty much full from the tit bits and munchies of Honey wings with sesame and the Umai. Oh well, regardless had great time with the girls and such a good laugh. Just the right thing to do after a real hectic week.

So here goes...

Cheesy Chicken Chop

Ingredients: Whole Chicken breast; cut into 4-6 pieces (thicker pieces to be sliced into the middle & half it) & marinated with salt & pepper (leave aside for 1/2 hour),
A: 150g of Bread Crumbs 50g of grated Parmesan Cheese 50g of Grated Romano Cheese,
1 egg; beaten

Method: Mix all of A up and place onto a dish. Place the beaten egg into a deep dish too and take a piece of the chicken breast and dip it into the egg. Make sure the meat is thoroughly covered with egg, then cover it up with ingredients in A. Should also make sure that it's nicely covered with the crumbs and cheese. Repeat until all chicken pieces are used up. Preheat a non-stick pan and place a few tablespoons of olive oil. Pan fry the chicken breasts until they turn golden brown and turn and do the same. Should take around 3 minutes on each side.

Serves: 5 - 6

Serve with fresh crunchy garden salad and a slice of lemon.

Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients: A: 1 litre of Water 200g of Chicken bones 150g of Sweet Potatoes; cut into cubes 1 medium sized carrot; cut into cubes 1 cube of Knorr Chicken Stock
B: 1/2 cup of cream or milk 3 tablespoons of Cream Cheese
C: 2 large Onions - sliced thinly & 1 Garlic - finely chopped

Method: Boil A up in a pot until potatoes & carrots are cooked through. While waiting for A to cook, soften the onions & garlic in a pan with a few tablespoon of olive oil. Should be done on low heat until onions becomes transparent. This will take a bit of time to be done. When both are done, sieve A up and place only the sweet potatoes and carrots in a blender and dump in the onions & garlic. In other words, remove the chicken bones. Put 2 cups of the chicken stock into the blender and blend everything up until smooth. Pour the blended ingredients back into the pot with the rest of the chicken stock. Pour in the milk or cream, cheese and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir and bring to boil. You can also add a few dashes of dried parsley.

Serves: 4

I hope that you try these out cos I bet they'll blow your mind off.
Cook with your heart. It tastes so much better!
See you in the next post :)

Episode 602 - Bobby Chinn @ HalalExpo & Chicken Wanton with Ginger Dip

Definitely framing this up! I look Super Cina in this pic man. Apparently we are "enthusiastic" fans with Internationally renowned Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn
-Borneo Bulletin, 5th June

I had a Super exciting weekend! I personally met Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn last Friday at the HalalExpo, ICC , Berakas! It was surreal that he just stood right in front of me. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears when I approached him, shook his hand and asked for an autograph. That reminds me, still have my Wild Wild East book with Dina hmmm Hope she did'nt sell it on e-bay. Ok, back to the HalalExpo. This is his second time in Brunei doing a demo show for HalalExpo and it was actually abit disappointing at the beginning because he had to wait for people to crowd up and actually start the show. Finally after an hour or so, the room warmed up and the show started. He was really funny and sarcastic. Kept on teasing about the lousy knife they had for him and that dude from RBC in the crowd who had his own idea of cooking. But all in all it was such a great experience and I was so damn lucky to be part of that event. It even earned my friends and I the front page news on our local paper the following Saturday. Groupies for the Chef. Wait, correction, more like Supermodels for the Chef.

Next, a lil recipe my mum and I whipped up. We make this once a while as it needs quite abit of time to prepare. Just devote some time in the evening and you can enjoy this for breakfast the next day.

Chicken Wantons with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients: 1 packet Wanton Skin (Round or Square shaped) A: 400g of minced Chicken 50g of Carrot; diced 50g of Water Chestnut; diced 50 g of Shitake Mushrooms; diced 2 tbspns Sesame Oil 2 tbspns Light Soya Sauce A pinch of salt & pepper B: (Dipping Sauce) Ginger; thinly shredded 1/2 cup light soya sauce 1/4 cup of Rice Vinegar

Method: Mix all ingredients A well. Spread a Wanton skin on the palm of your hand, take a tablespoon of the meat filling and place it at one side of the Wanton skin. Fold the other side over and seal it by pinching the sides. Repeat until all skins are used up.

Boil a pot of water and place the wantons into the boiled water until they float up. using a strainer, pick up the cooked wantons and place it in a lightly oiled dish.

Mix ingredients B and serve with the Wantons.

Serves: 5

*Tip*: Do not place so much filling as it might not get cooked. You can also panfry the cooked wanton until it is a lil brown on the sides and serve with the same sauce. After boiling, drizzle a little more oil on top to avoid the Wantons from sticking with each other. Serves really well with Noodles and a hot bowl of soup.