Fruits And Veggies Dipped In Fiery Rojak Sauce

We ate out last night , not that I like to eat out but once in a while I need to pamper myself , for once I was being served :p but came back looking for some dessert. I remembered Piggy Cuz gave us a bottle of homemade rojak sauce and it has been sitting in the fridge for a month , I think. So, I went to the fridge and rummaged for fruits or veggies that can be dipped with the sauce and hallelujah ! I found these ( mango, celery, yellow zucchini and ambarella aka as kedondong in local language ) in the fridge drawer and I cut them up and had a tongue searing hot session with the sauce. My goodness ! it was pungent hot but delicious at the same time. I dipped the fruits and veggies with the deliciously pungent hot sauce and Daddy was grumbling how hot the sauce was but I noticed that he ate them non-stop despite the fiery hotness :p and the whole lot was finished in less than half an hour…haha which Malaysian could resists such a wonderful and tongue searing hot rojak sauce. Thanks Piggy Cuz for those homemade Rojak Sauce. Of course, half way thru I had to rush for a glass for icy cold drink but it got worse, the tongue was like being set ablaze...that fiery ! Then I remembered some one once told me to gurgle with very warm water. It will reduce the fiery sensation on the tongue....:p ooppps I forgot about it so had to suffer a while :)

To Piggy Cuz,

“ Yup , I know you didn’t make them but your Twins ! You must ask her to share the recipe with you so that you can teach me how to make them ” :p

this homemade rojak sauce was pungent hot

only a true Malaysian can take the fiery hotness!

top: pungent hot homemade rojak sauce

top left: mango , yellow zucchini, raw celery
bottom: ambarella aka kedondong in the malay language

all these fruits and veggies were good for the gastro

after a scrumptious dinner :)

"There is no love sincerer than the love of food "

~ George Bernard Shaw ~

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Turkey Ham Sandwich

Dinners lately have been simple affairs ,since I am hooked on the new drama series ?? Of course not, juz that lately I have been too lazy to cook anything fanciful or dishes that is time consuming. Daddy agrees that since cooking something elaborate takes up too much time and the washing up after dinner…let it be simple. Whew…how I love to hear that . He is a bit lazy of late too :p . I do the cooking and he does the washing up…fair isn’t it ;p

So that explained it…the simple dinner we had last nite was juz Turkey Ham Sandwich and tin mushroom soup…can? I was too lazy to make my own fresh mushroom soup…ohh what has become of me… I guess it’s the idiot box’s fault ! :p :) There is a Chinese saying that “ if a cow does not want to drink water, you can’t push his head now ”. Frankly speaking, I love eating this way…healthy and time saving. So if you are not in the mood to cook and wants something simple yet healthy, this is it. Turkey Ham Sandwich – sit in front of the idiot box with a bowl of hot mushroom soup is so relaxing for the soul. Blissful indeed ! :)) I have lots of excuses when it comes to cooking simple but fact remains…the big boss of the house must agree to simple dinner ! :)

slices of turkey ham sandwiched between lettuce ,tomatoes

and cheddar cheese...simple yet delicious & healthy

complement well with japanese mayo and chilli sauce
ohhh...so tasty okay,
finished off with green apples for dessert :)




Food is the most primitive form of comfort.

~ Sheila Graham ~




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Fettuccine Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a traditional French Provencal vegetable stew, usually made with aubergines, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and onions, seasoned with herbs and garlic . It is usually served as a side dish, but may also be served as a meal on its own or as filling for savoury crepes or as toppings for pizza. But for once I tried it with fettuccine and I tell u , it was fantastically yummy. I can’t stop blabbling about how good it tasted with the fettuccine :) I am glad that I matched it with fettuccine and the result was two thumbs-up! Perfect combination! Feel free to drool at the photos here….a teaser really for my Piggies..haha ,see the Momsie wicked streak is resurfacing again :p Don’t worry, let them salivate over their keyboards once in a while, do the saliva glands good :)

I will be cooking one dish meal very often now ( shhh....don’t let Daddy hears this ^ * ) coz I am so hooked to the HK drama :p but I will still be baking some stuffs later…I have a few more on my To-do list that I want to try out :)

I added some fresh korean mushrooms to the ratatouille which

consists of yellow & green zucchini, aubergines,tomatoes,

green peppers,garlic and onions, italian herbs

the korean mushroom has a slight crunch...I heart it :)

this is so very good, easy to prepare and healthy too!

Fettuccine Ratatouille

Fettuccine enough for 2 persons

Cooked in hot boiling water till al dente. Runs cold water over the cooked fettuccine. Add some olive oil to the fettuccine so that they won't stick together.

Ratatouille :

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes – diced
1/2 yellow zucchini – diced
1 small green zucchini – diced
1 small green pepper – diced
1 long aubergine – diced
1 onion – diced
some fresh Korean mushrooms – washed and drained dry

1/2 tbsp of Italian herbs or more if want it stronger
1 tbsp of tomato paste
2 tbsp of tomato sauce
2 pips garlic – chopped
1 cup of water
olive oil
sea salt to taste

Preparation:

Saute the garlic and onions with some olive oil till fragrant in a wok, add in the tomato paste, italian herbs and tomato sauce and all the diced vegetables except the mushrooms. Stir fry till the veggies are well mixed, add 1 cup water and stew the veggies till soft over small fire. Add in the mushroom last and cook for another 6 minutes. Add salt to taste. Make sure there is enough sauce to coat the fettuccine. Pour over the cooked fettuccine . Garnish with cheddar cheese and served hot.

Enjoy!

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Salmon Baked In Parchment

I choose to cook simple at times when I am in the lazy mood or when I am hooked on something serious but I promise you , this is FABULOUS! Salmon Baked in Parchment , impossible to dry out , moist and juicy and the fish doesn’t get all broken up with handling, and hardly any mess to clean up afterwards–now, that’s my kind of cooking when I am hooked on a new drama series ! :)) :p

Of all the fishes in the world, I heart Salmon the most…haha here is where I can increase my Omega 3 fatty acid intake. I chose to baked it in parchment paper…retained the moistness of the fish and the aroma of lemon & herbs is trapped in thus making the baked salmon delicious ..mmmm I will baked this again , that’s for sure. Easy and time saving and tastes wonderfully good!

step 1 : Sprinkle black pepper , sea salt and lemon juice on the aubergine slices

sprinkle fillet with sea salt, black pepper, chopped lemon rind,

place a hefty sprigs of fresh thyme on top of the fillet

Step 2: Place the aubergine slices on the parchment paper,

lay the salmon fillet on top and top with lemon slices

drizzle some olive oil on the fillet.

Fold the parchment over the salmon fish to seal
and baked for 18 -20 minutes (depends on size of fillet)
at 250 º C

I love the color...it whets my appetite...:p

looks so appetizing even before it is being baked in the oven :)

Cut open the parchment parcel and let the steam escape

and behold ..this is good and I can have the whole piece to myself :p

Salmon Baked In Parchment

Ingredients:

1 piece salmon fillet

sea salt

ground black pepper

1 aubergine ( cut into slices )

3 sprigs of fresh thyme ( tarragon, rosemary, dill or basil can be used )

1 lemon - squeeze juice, rind - chopped

olive oil

Preparation:

On a 12 inch square piece of baking parchment , exact size is unimportant as long as it’s big enough to create the packet.

Grind some toasted black pepper onto your salmon fillet , sprinkle with a little sea salt–on both sides. Place the fillet on top of the aubergine slices ( squeeze some lemon juice on the aubergine , sprinkle salt and some ground black pepper over the aubergine ).

Sprinkle top with chopped lemon rind and fresh thyme (you can also use fresh basil, tarragon, thyme or rosemary). Pour some olive oil over your fish fillet. ( you can dot butter on fish if you like)

Fold two opposite sides of the parchment paper up and over the salmon, roll down and flatten the fold against the fish. Take the open ends and fold over the salmon to seal; flip the packet over with the seam on the bottom.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 250 º C

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Tofu With Sizzled Soy Sauce Garlic Oil

Tofu….mmmmmmm I love tofu , plain or with toppings! I can have the whole piece all to myself especially if it is prepared this way. Chopped some garlic and make garlic oil by frying the chopped garlic till lightly brown. Add in some light soy sauce while the oil is hot …the sizzling sound plus the aroma of fried garlic was enough to set my saliva glands in motion. Pour the hot garlic oil dressing on to the hot tofu…wow, what a simple and easy to make delicious tofu dish.

this is so simple to prepare......a delight to eat too :)))

it tastes wonderful..the aroma of garlic oil and sizzled soy sauce

blends well....yummy

the tofu was silky and every mouthful was like
eating a savoury dessert...haha

Healthy and delicious at the same time!

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Corned Beef On Toast

I came home late from work yesterday and I thought we will eat out but to my surprised Daddy had prepared something delicious and it was Corned Beef stir-fried with mixed vegetables ,red onions and some red chillies. What a wonderful surprise! Isn’t it wonderful that at times the boss of the house takes over the wokking? :P

So, we had corned beef with baguettes. I bought the frozen baguettes last Saturday from Intrico, a shop that sells all baking products . A light and simple dinner for a change , after all I was too tired to go out or cook anything for us. It was a wonderful dinner…a time of exchanging news and a time of debate….haha over News topic! No debate no fun :p :)) This is what makes the marriage last.....lotz of good homecooked food and lotz of debate over small things :p

Since I don’t have to cook I have plenty of time and energy to do some photo shootings of the baguettes with corned beef :)) and posted it up here for my Piggies to see what their dad had cooked for their Momsie ^ * I am sure they will go ooos and aarrrs :) This is so much better than their hostel food :P

cut the baguette into slices, dribble olive oil on the surface

and sprinkle dried rosemary on it and baked for 8 minutes

topped them up with the stir fried corned beef
with mixed vegetables, onions and chillies
the rose was from the garden :p

Daddy's favourite food....Libby's Corned Beef
he cooked the corned beef and I served it with toasted baguette

I topped some with mozzarella cheese and it was yum....

dinner was just these slices of goodness

Thanks Daddy for such a wonderful and delicious dinner!

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Cajun Roast Drumstick

At times , I can be quite lazy and yesterday was one of those days where laziness took over , to avoid the washing and scrubbing of used wok, I just put the drumsticks to roast in the oven :) Marinated them with whatever spices I have and let the oven to do the necessary…while I go prepare a simple salad to go with the drumsticks.

Last nite, we had Cajun Roast Drumsticks and boy..it was really finger-licking good. Crispy skin drained off natural fat during the roasting process ...was scented with the Cajun spice….added with the chopped fresh oregano …a to die for piece of drumstick~deliciousness :) It was a once in a blue moon indulgence for us :p The whole house was filled with the aroma of cajun roastedness...I simply love this spice ..haha something I must have in my pantry at all times :)

half way through the roasting, take out and

sprinkle more cajun and paprika on the drumstick

natural fat drained off during the roasting process
leaving a crispy skin to our delights

remember to line the baking tray with parchment
paper for easy clean up later.....the natural fat will melt
and dripped on the paper.

the yellow bits on the drumsticks are chopped garlic
a tray full of cajun roasted goodness
crispy on the outside and moist juicy tender on the inside

^ *

Cajun Roast Drumstick

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks with the skin on

Marinade
Salt ( to taste)
honey

Cajun seasoning
Paprika

Fresh oregano – chopped

* amount not given coz I just sprinkle on the spices without measuring :p **

Preparation :

Rub some salt and honey onto the drumsticks , sprinkle Cajun and praprika evenly on the drumsticks , leave to marinade for at least 1 hour or best to leave it overnight in the fridge for better taste. 10 minutes before roasting , chopped some fresh oregano and sprinkle all over the drumsticks.

Preheat oven at 250º C and roast the drumsticks for 25 minutes , take out and sprinkle more cajun & paprika on the drumsticks and continue to roast for another 30 minutes till cooked. Remember to keep turning the drumsticks for even browning of the crispy skin.

* * for some sinful indulgence… I brushed some garlic butter on the drumsticks 10 minutes before taking them out of the oven…mmmmm sinful arteries clogging agent !

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Squid Curry

Whenever there’s a curry dish for dinner, everyone in my family would be pleased especially Daddy :) I guess most Malaysian love hot and spiciness in their meals. But this Momsie is not good in cooking curries actually…okay only :P until I stumbled upon Zurin’s blog , Cherry On A Cake , her recipes are foolproof and to my utter delight, all my favourite malay dishes and famous malay cakes are found on her blog! And after reading through her blog, I ended up trying out her Fish Curry but I added squids as an alternatives. Well, it turned out delicious. A big thank you to Zurin for sharing out this wonderful curry recipe…it's my favourite….I love curries with tamarind paste in it…. Appetizing and not overbearing and it goes well with squids too. Needless to say, we had our tummies satisfactory filled :P

mmmmm...mouth-watering squid curry

first time cooking it.... look a bit watery though
but tasted good :)))

we had just this one dish for dinner

and our tummies were satisfactory filled :P

Squid Curry  - adapted from Zurin with a tweak

900 gm of a firm white fleshed fish, sliced into steaks  * I used squid instead of fish

3 medium large onions,
2 garlic
1 inch ginger

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 tbsp curry powder for fish ( I used 'Baba' brand)
2 tsp tamarind paste, mixed with 1/4 cup water and the juice strained
10 - 15 curry leaves

1 1/4 cups thin coconut milk
1 1/4 cups thick coocnut milk

1 medium brinjal halved and cut into 2 across, or diagonally (no rules here)
3 lady's fingers or okra, topped
1 large tomato, halved

1/4 cup cooking oil

salt

Slice one of the onions finely. Keep aside. Blend in a blender or food processor the other 2 onions, garlic and ginger to a paste. Mix the curry powder with the blended onion mixture and add some water to make it a loose wet paste.

Heat the cooking oil in a fairly large pan until hot. Saute the sliced onions, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds until the onions turn soft and the spices fragrant. Add in the curry paste and curry leaves and saute for a further 6 or 8 minutes until the paste cooks through and oil rises to the top. Scrape the pan if necessary to loosen any paste that sticks to the bottom.

Pour in the thin coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Put in the vegetables and let boil for 2 or 3 minutes then put in the pieces of squid and turn the heat down to a simmer. Pour in the tamarind juice and add salt. Add in half the thick coconut milk if there is not enough liquid to cover the fish two thirds of the way.

When the squid seems about to be cooked through add in the remaining coconut milk and stir carefully to avoid breaking up the fish. Adjust for salt. Serve with white rice.

Enjoy!

Ketupat Daun Palas/ Palm Leaves Glutinous Rice Cake

This is something I am shameful to announce :( ….I have never eaten a Ketupat Daun Palas / Palm Leaves Glutinous Rice Cake before in my whole life, being a Malaysian until yesterday and it was the first time I tried it ! Even though I have worked with my Muslim colleagues for almost 3 decades… (ouch..I am ancient ) and yet have never eaten one! My muslim colleagues will bring to the office every year after their celebration of Hari Raya and each time I will give it a miss (",)

My architect boss went to Kelantan ( a coastal State of Malaysia) with a few of his men to survey some old antique buildings and they brought home these Ketupat Daun Palas , famous local delicacy of the Kelantan state and the pride of the Kelantanese…and this time round, I told myself I must try this original ones…after all it’s just glutinous rice inside the triangle shaped parcel. What is the fuss? :P And I am so glad that I did not give it a miss :) It was good and to my surprise it was almost like our chinese rice dumpling! 0 0

These little triangle parcels of glutinous rice were indeed well done, the glutinous rice was compact , neither too soft nor hard, the taste was even more fantastic…has the right amount of salt and the right amount of coconut milk and the mild palm leaves scent in the glutinous rice makes the rice very fragrant , when dipped into the coconut sugar syrup ( locally known as Gula Melaka ) it was yummy…the whole parcel of triangle rice tasted wonderfully good…awww…I am glad I tried them out. I took a bundle of four back for Daddy to try out :)) but he doesn’t quite like it though. So I ended having to finish the whole lot :P What a glutton…this Momsie has become! Gluttony is a sin :)) but for food gluttony...I think it's okay...heehee..

the leaves are folded into triangle casing and it is

not easy to fold, it needs skill to do it or the rice will fall out

undressing the glutinous rice cake :)

....a well done one, compact yet soft
the mild scent of the palm leaves adds flavor to the rice cake

undressed and ready to be dipped in the coconut sugar syrup

I am glad I didn't give it a miss....it was a good tasty piece of

glutinous rice cake in triangle parcel

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Nori Meat Roll

Thinking what to cook for dinner is worse than having to decide which pair of shoes to buy…the thingis ….. I have a long list of new dishes I wanna try out. Haha, and each is unique and looks good :) So ,eventually I settled for this nori meat rolls, I tweak it abit and added some salted duck egg yolk to the mince meat. Oh..it was good, the taste of golden yolk bits in the mince meat was fantastic. Added on with the noticeable scent of nori sheet gave the rolls the perfect taste of the east. A marriage of Chinese and Japanese. Serve it with Japanese mayo and wasabi if you like…tasted deliciously good and I will definitely make this again when my Piggies come home. You can make these rolls for parties as finger food....yummm!

This is the most tricky part…but after a few tries you can make a perfect roll…practice makes perfect :p Make sure the fire is medium low and keep turning them becoz the bread crumbs burnt easily and the meat takes a bit longer to get cook. :)) hard work always pays off...delicious rolls to satiate our hunger pangs!

golden goodness to delight us...the aroma will

make the stomach growls and the saliva glands to act faster

some are a bit burnt but tasted good just the same :)

squirt some japanese mayo and chilli sauce on top :0

do you see the golden bits of duck yolk in the roll?

D~E~L~I~C~I~O~U~S

Add some wasabi to give the extra oomph

I eat everything with wasabi ...and my Piggies,

if they are reading this now

their heads will be in motion :))))))

Nori Meat Rolls

Ingredients:

300 gms of minced pork/chicken

(A)

2 salted duck yolks – chopped into bits size
½ salted duck egg white – keep the rest of the whites for making soup
dash of white pepper
1.5 tbsp of corn flour
1 egg

some bread crumbs for coating
nori sheet cut into long strips- enough to cover the meat
oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix the above ingredient A together with the minced pork/chicken till well combined.

Scoop up a tablespoon of the minced meat mixture and lightly shaped into a roll, wrap around it with a nori sheet . Coat with the bread crumbs and put into the hot oil and deep fry till light golden brown. Take out the rolls and drained off the oil in paper towels.

Serve with Japanese mayo or wasabi.

Enjoy and have a delicious day!

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