Dear all,

I apologise for not been posting anything in this lonely blog. Been really bz with lots of work and of course my little precious at home has been keeping me occupied with her tantrums and the list goes on.
Anyways it's the fasting month and Hari Raya is just around the corner. How time flies so darn fast. For those who don't know what Hari Raya is..well to simplify it, it is where the muslims celebrate after a month of fun fasting moments.

Lots of food will be served and of course that is the most non crucial time to....watch your weight. Well, I do watch my food, just by looking at it and by the time you know it, it is in my tummy.

This year, I will be preparing some desserts as well as some other "heavy duty" food to digest but delicious local festive foods. My list:

1) Chicken Satey


NGREDIENTS
1 1/2 kg chicken - deboned and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
10 shallots - diced
1 stalk serai (lemon grass)
2 tsp cooking oil
bamboo skewers (thick, soak skewers in water overnight - prevents sticks from burning)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 inch piece turmeric
2 tsp roasted peanuts
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
300 gm roasted peanuts - pounded
1 inch piece lengkuas (galangal)
2 stalks serai
1 inch piece ginger
1 large onion - sliced
3 tsp ground chillies
1/2 cup tamarind juice
Salt and sugar to taste

To prepare Satay:
Marinate chicken pieces with seasoning ingredients, shallots, cinnamon powder and cooking oil
thread 5 pieces of chicken on each skewer and place on grill
Brush chicken occassionally with oil until cooked and tender
Serve hot with peanut sauce, cucumber and onion slices

To prepare peanut sauce:
Fry onion silces till fragrant
Add ground ingredients, ground chillies and tarmarind juice
Stir well
Add salt and sugar
Add peanuts and stir constantly until sauce is thick





2) Beef Rendang


INGREDIENTS
1 1b/ 500g beef (cleaned & cut into cubes)
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2pt/ 900ml thick santan (coconut milk)
1 stalk lemon grass (crushed)
1 turmeric leaf (shredded)

GROUND INGREDIENTS
12 red chillies
1 in/ 2.5cm piece galangal (lengkuas)
5 cloves garlic
15 - 20 shallots
1 in/ 2.5cm piece ginger
1/2 in/ 1.3cm piece tumeric
2 tsp salt


To prepare:
Season meat with salt and pepper. Leave aside for 20 to 30 minutes.
In a pan, mix together the santan (coconut milk) and ground ingredients.
Place over medium heat and stirl slowly to the boil.
Add meat and continue boiling for 10 minutes.
Put in the lemon grass, turmeric leaf and seasoning to taste.
Reduce heat to low.
Simmer till meat is done and dark brown in colour.
When the gravy becomes oily in texture, remove from flame.
Discard lemon grass and turmeric leaf.





3) AYAM PERCIK - BBQ Chicken the Malaysian Style
Ingredients :
1.5 kg
100 ml
300 ml
50g

Spices
6
3 cloves
2cm
1 stalk
3 teaspoons
1 teaspoon

Seasoning
2 teaspoons
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
chicken, cut into 6 pieces
Water
Thick coconut milk
Tamarind paste


Shallots
Garlic
Ginger piece
Lemon grass
Chili paste
Cinnamon powder


Salt or to taste
Pepper
Ground black pepper

To prepare:
Mix the tamarind paste with the 100 ml water and squeeze to obtain tamarind juice. Set aside.
Combine and ground the spice ingredients. Then add the tamarind juice and thick coconut milk.
Put the chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the combined spices with coconut milk and tamarind juice before adding in the seasoning.
Mix well until the chicken is coated with the marinade.
Keep in the refrigerator for several hours or preferable overnight.
Remove and grill the marinated chicken pieces over a charcoal pit or bake in the oven until meat is cooked and slightly charred.

4) ROTI JALA - Malaysian Crepes

INGREDIENTS :
2 cups all-purpose flour [preferably unbleached]
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
½ tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric powder
cooking oil to grease pan

A Roti Jala cup-like mould [made out of metal or plastic], can be found sold in some Southeast Asian marts. You can easily make one out a tin can!

To make your own Roti Jala mould/cup :
1 empty tin can, [E.g. a 12oz can of corn]
Using a hammer and a 0.2 inch nail, make 5 or 6 holes [evenly spaced on the bottom of the can]
Hammer out any sharp edges

To Prepare :
In a bowl, lightly whisk coconut milk, eggs, water, salt and turmeric powder
Sift all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl
Stir in the coconut-egg mixture gradually and mix, until a thin 'crepe-like batter' is achieved
Strain the batter through a fine sieve
On med-low heat, grease and heat a griddle or a medium sized non-stick pan
Put a ladleful of batter into a Roti Jala mould/cup and in a circular motion, form a thin lacy pattern in the pan [about 8 inch in diameter]
Cook until set, turn over onto a plate [There is no need to cook the other side, much like a regular crepe]
Fold each crepe into quarters, staking them up as you go
As you make the crepes, grease the pan ever so often [Add a little water to the batter if it becomes too thick to maintain a crepe-like batter]

FYI : Roti Jala, an alternative to rice, is an excellent accompaniment to rich gravy dishes:-
Chicken Curry, Beef Korma

For me, I love to eat it with Beef Rendang..yummylicious

Desserts:

My favourite

5) Pineapple Jam Tarts

INGREDIENTS for Pineapple Jam :
2 cups fresh pineapple, peeled, cored & shredded [or canned pineapples]
1½ cups fine sugar
2 inch cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 cloves
1 tbsp lime juice
1 egg, beaten

INGREDIENTS for Pastry :
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup self-rising flour
2 tbsp cold water
10 tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
½ salt

To Prepare Pineapple Jam :
In a saucepan, add shredded pineapple, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and lime juice
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring frequently for about 30 mins, or until it thickens to a jam consistency
Remove from heat and allow to cool
To Prepare Pastry :
In a large bowl sieve together all-purpose flour, self-rising flour and salt
Using your fingers, rub butter into the sifted flour until it resembles coarse crumbs
Make a well in the center of the dough mixture and add the beaten egg and water
Gently bind the ingredients together -do not knead too much
Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnight
On a lightly floured working surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness

Using a 2 inch fluted cutter, cut 24 rounds and place on a lightly greased baking sheet
Put a spoonful of pineapple jam in the center of each round. Pinch a neat frill around the edges. Cut 2 thin strips of pastry and cross over the jam
Brush the tops of the pastry with the beaten egg
In a preheated 400 F oven bake to a light golden brown, about 20 to 25 mins
Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 mins before removing to a wire rack to cool completely
To retain freshness, store in an airtight container

What do you like to eat or cook during your festive season?
Thats about it. I'll be back with a few extra kg's or pounds..hehe..;)