Sunday, August 29, 2010

JAPANESE CURRY RICE

Ingredients:

500gm ground beef
4 medium potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cloves garlic minced
2 chicken or beef cubes
2 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt to taste
4 cups water

Curry Roux:

3 tablespoon butter
¼ cup flour
1 onion, diced
1 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon ginger grated
4 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika or chili powder

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon of cooking oil on medium heat.
2. Sautee onion and garlic until translucent.
3. Add the ground beef and brown it for 15 minutes.
4. Add the carrots and potatoes, stir a few times, and then add water and the chicken or beef cubes.
5. Bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
6. While the meat is cooking, in a pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on low heat.
7. Add flour and stir, cooking until the flour is blended and takes on a pale golden hue.
8. Add curry powder and chili powder, using the back of the spatula to blend it into a paste (roux). The roux will be powdery and dry.
9. In another pan, heat the remaining butter and sauté the onion on low heat until they're slightly browned. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for 2 minutes and add to the roux.
10. Take ½ cup of the gravy from the beef mixture and slowly add it to the roux, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste.
11. By spoonfuls, add the curry paste back to the beef mixture, stirring to dissolve.
12. Add salt.
13. Simmer the curry on low heat for 20-30 minutes, till the sauce thickened and the beef and vegetables are tender.
14. Serve curry with hot steamed rice. There should be approximately twice as much curry as rice in the bowl.

Note:

1) You can use Japanese udon or ramen to substitute the rice.
2) Curry mixes vary in ingredients and intensity, so adjust the spices accordingly to suite your taste.
3) Like a stew, there should be a lot of sauce, if the curry is too dry, add more water.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

TAMARIND FISH

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic - crushed
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon fish curry powder
½ teaspoon paprika / chilli powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 red chilli - finely chopped
6 fish steaks (180gm each)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
½ cup coconut milk

Preparations:

1. Mix the garlic, tamarind juice, curry powder, paprika, turmeric powder, lemon juice and chili in a bowl.
2. Place the fish steak in a ziploc bag and pour over the fish steaks.
3. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
4. In a frying pan, heat cooking oil over medium heat and fry the fish steaks for 3 minutes on each side and set aside.
5. Heat up a pot over medium heat and add the residue oil from the frying pan.
6. Pour in the remaining marinate mixture. Cook till aromatic and add the coconut milk.
7. Simmer for 5 minutes and add fish to the coconut milk.
8. Turn heat down to low. Cover the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes.
9. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Monday, August 16, 2010

BEEF STEW - INDONESIAN STYLE

Ingredients:

½ kg beef – slice in ½ cm strips
4 tablespoon margarine
500 ml water
3 tablespoon sweet soya sauce
Fried shallots

Ingredients to be grounded:

4 large Spanish onion
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Wash meat and set aside to drain.
2. Heat a wok on medium heat and add margerine.
3. Stir fry the grounded ingredients till aromatic.
4. Add meat and fry for 20 mins.
5. Add water and soya sauce and turn heat to low when boil.
6. Simmer for 10 min add fried shallots and remove from heat.

BAKED CURRY FLAVOURED FISH

A quick and simple dish which can be cook in an oven or over a BBQ grill

Ingredients:

1 whole red snapper (about 500 gm) - clean and gutted
5 cloves garlic - crushed with skin on
4 sprig thyme
4 sprig corriander
4 sprig curry leaves
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon paprika or chilli powder
Juice from ½ lemon

Preparations:

1. Rub the paprika / chilli powder and lemon juice all over the fish.
2. Place ½ portion of the garlic, thyme, corriander and curry leaves onto a large aluminium foil.
3. Place the fish on the herbs and cover it with the remaining herbs.
4. Drizzle the oil over and place another large aluminium foil over.
5. Seal the edges of the aluminium foil and prick some holes to let the steam out.
6. Bake in an oven at 200c for 20 min (same cooking time if you are cooking over a BBQ griller)
7. Remove fish from oven (or griller) and place in a serving plate.
8. Remove aluminium foil just before serving. Serve with steamed rice.

CORN BEEF SPAGHETTI

Ingredients:


4 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic - chopped
4 bird's eye chilli - chopped
160 gm corn beef
480 gm spaghetti - cooked till al dente and drained
2 sprig thai sweet basil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat.
2. Stir fry garlic, bird's eye, thai basil leaves and corn beef till fragrant.
3. Add spaghetti, tossed well and remove from heat.
4. Serve hot with garlic bread.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

STIR FRIED BEEF - THAI STYLE

Ingredients:

500gm Beef - thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic - chopped
3 dried chilli - pounded
2 bird eye's chilli - chopped
1½ teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon dark soya sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
150 ml water
1 sprig corriander - chopped
1 sprig scallion - sliced slant about 15 cm
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Preparation:

1. Heat wok over low heat. Add oil
2. When the oil is hot, add garlic, dried chilli & bird eye's chilli. Stir fry till aromatic.
3. Add sliced beef and fry till the meat changes colour.
4. Add fish sauce, soya sauce, lime juice, pepper and sugar. Stir fry for 3 mins.
5. Add water and continue stirring till sauce thickens.
6. Add corriander and scallion. Remove from heat.
7. Serve hot with steamed rice

Sunday, August 8, 2010

BAMIAH (ARABIAN OKRA STEW)

Ingredients:

600 gm okra – cut into halves
250 gm beef - minced
1 onion – diced
2 clove garlic - minced
4 large tomato - diced
6 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
¼ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon fennel
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander seed
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon ghee
Few sprig of cilantro
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, heat the ghee and brown the beef for 10 minutes.
2. Add the onion, then the spices and garlic.
3. Mix well and add the diced tomato. Cover and cook on medium heat.
4. Add water when the tomato soften and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste, okra, salt and simmer for another 30 minutes.
6. Add tamarind juice cooked for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
7. Serve hot, garnish with cilantro with basmati rice or as a dip with french baguette.

JAPANESE COLD TOFU

For my sister who loves Japanese food

Ingredients:

200 gm Japanese egg tofu
1 tablespoon light soya sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
Spring onions, chopped
Shallot

Preparation:

1. Steam tofu for 15 minutes, remove and chill in fridge till cold.
2. Dilute light soya sauce with water & sugar to suit your taste.
3. Pour mixture over the tofu and topped with spring onion & shallot.

Note:

Goes very well with Bonito flakes and horseradish

STEAMED TOFU WITH MINCED MEAT

Ingredients:

1 cube of silken tofu
150 g ground chicken meat
2 tablespoons of dried shrimps
2 stalks of scallions (diagonal cuts)
1 red chili (diagonal cuts)
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
½ cup of water
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
A few drops of sesame oil
White pepper powder to taste

Preparation:

1. Soak the dried shrimps in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and chopped the dried shrimps into small pieces.
2. Steam the tofu for 5 minutes and set aside.
3. Heat up a wok with some oil and stir fry the ground chicken and dried shrimps until fragrant.
4. Add in the water, oyster sauce, soy sauce and bring it to boil.
5. Add in the scallions, red chili, sesame oil, salt and sugar (to taste) and white pepper powder. Quick stir for 30 seconds and pour the toppings onto the steamed tofu.
6. Serve hot with rice.

CHILLI STUFFED POTATOES

Ingredients:

2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion - finely chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
1 cup red & green peppers - diced
350 g ground meat (Beef or Chicken)
1 can (400 g) chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup canned red kidney beans - drained
4 large potatoes - baked and still hot
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped scallions & sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Place oil in a large non-stick pan over MED.-HIGH heat; Add onion; sauté 4-5 minutes or until softened
2. Add peppers, ground meat, tomatoes, chili powder and cumin. Reduce heat; simmer 8-10 minutes
3. Stir in kidney beans, season with salt & pepper and continue to simmer 3 -5 minutes longer
4. Slice open each baked potato. Fill with generous amount of chili mixture; top each with 1 tablespoon cheese.
5. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped scallions and a dollop of sour cream

NONYA SPICY MIXED VEGETABLES PICKLES

Ingredients:

300g cucumber, cut lengthwise with the skin into 1½ inch lengths

150g cabbage, cut into big pieces
50g carrot, skin peeled and cut lengthwise
50g French beans, cut into 1½ inch lengths
50g long beans, cut into 1½ inch lengths
50g roasted peanuts, ground
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
5 tablespoons oil
Tamarind pulp, about golf ball size
1 cup water

Spice Paste:

5 Shallots
12 fresh red chilies
½ inch fresh turmeric (or ½ teaspoon turmeric powder)
2 Candlenuts

Preparation:

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze and extract the juice and set aside.
2. Blend the spice paste in a food processor and set aside.
3. Heat up a wok and add oil. Stir-fry the spice paste until aromatic.
4. Add tamarind juice and bring to boil. Add salt and sugar to taste.
5. Add all vegetables into the wok and turn off the fire immediately.
6. Add ground peanut, stir to mix well.
7. Dish out, let cool and serve. The pickle is best served overnight.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

EGG IN COCONUT MILK

Ingredients:

8 eggs
3 tablespoon or to taste, chili paste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
1½ teaspoon belacan
1 tablespoon peanuts, coarsely ground
2 cups coconut milk
½ cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
2 bay leaves
Salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:

1. Boil eggs till hard, let cool, peel shells, leave whole, air dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels
2. Heat oil in a hot wok. When oil is very hot, carefully lower hardboiled eggs, fry turning eggs often to brown as evenly as possible, until a light crust is formed. Remove eggs and drain on paper towels
3. Remove all but 2 tablespoon of oil, add onions, fry until translucent, then add garlic, belacan, peanuts and chili paste, stir-fry for 30 seconds
4. Add coconut milk, water, lemon juice, palm sugar, bay leaves, and the hardboiled eggs and season with salt
5. Bring slowly to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the sauce reduces and thickens

ROTI PRATA

Ingredients:

300 gm Plain Flour
170 ml Water
1 tablespoon Beaten Egg
¾ teaspoon Sugar
¾ teaspoon Salt
Ghee or Margarine (Ghee is a better choice)

Preparation:

1. Mix the egg, sugar, salt and water for 1 min at low speed.
2. Add in Plain Flour, increase to medium speed and mix for 4 minutes till stiff dough is formed.
3. Divide the dough into portions of 100g each.
4. Round off and coat with a little ghee.
5. Cover the dough and leave for at least 8 hours or overnight for better results. (The dough colour should be off-white)
6. Grease the table with ghee. Flatten the dough and pat. Stretch it in a circular motion with your hands to make a found thin film. (or use a well greased rolling pin)
7. Fold the sides of the dough to the center to form a square.
8. Melt a little ghee on a griddle and fry till golden brown
9. Serve with Dhal or Fish Curry

BUBUR LAMBUK (BUBUR MASJID)

Ramadan is approaching. This recipe is for those who don't have the time to queue for the bubur at the mosque.

Ingredients:
¼ teaspoon coriander seed (ketumbar)
¼ teaspoon cumin (jintan putih)
¼ teaspoon curry powder
1 carrot – diced
1 cup rice (Do not use Basmati rice)
1 potato – diced
1 shallot – sliced
1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
10 cup water
100 gm minced chicken (or beef)
100 gm prawns
2 inch ginger - julienne
2 stalk lemongrass – lightly bashed
3 curry leaves
50 cm cinnamon stick
500 ml coconut cream
Coriander – julienne
Fried Shallot
Salt & pepper to taste
Vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Fry onion, garlic, ginger till fragrant
2. Add coriander seed, cumin, cinnamon stick, curry powder & curry leaves, stir fry for 1 minute and add in the rice.
3. Stir fry for 1 minute, add in the water & lemongrass and transfer into a rice cooker
4. When the rice starts to swell, add the minced meat, carrot, potato, chicken seasoning and salt & pepper. Keep stirring constantly
5. Add prawn & coconut cream and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Garnish with coriander & fried shallot before serving

Note:

The bubur taste even better when serve with salted duck’s egg and crispy fried anchovies

PERI PERI SAUCE

Ingredients:

¼ cup Lime Juice
2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
½ teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Tomato Sauce
250g Cilantro
300g Bird’s Eye Chilli (More if you like it spicier)
2 cloves Garlic
2 tablespoon Honey

Preparation:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor
2. Pour in a bowl and rest for ½ hour before serving with Peri Peri Chicken

Note:

1. You can use this sauce as a dipping sauce or as a marinade
2. You can cream to the sauce to make a creamy marinade or add lemon juice to make the marinade more tangy

GRILLED PERI PERI CHICKEN

For those who like Nando's Chicken. This is the mild version

Ingredients:

16 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups bell peppers cut into squares
½ cup red onion, cut into cubes
½ cup Peri-Peri sauce
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Cut each chicken breast into 1-inch strips; thread strips alternately onto skewers with peppers and onions.
2. Stir together hot sauce, butter, lemon juice and garlic in small saucepan; cook over low heat until butter is melted. Set aside half the mixture in small bowl.
3. Brush skewers with remaining hot sauce mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through and lightly charred.
5. Remove from grill and brush liberally with reserved sauce