Turkey in a Chinese restaurant!

Who better than a Chinese chef to roast turkey eh? The turkey meat was moist and flavourful.

By Eu Hooi Khaw

DEC 12 — We feasted on roast turkey and everything that goes with it at Chef Choi recently, in a Thanksgiving dinner. Roast turkey at a Chinese restaurant? I would say there’s where you should eat it, given the Chinese chef’s vast experience in roasting duck, goose and chicken, with a keen awareness of texture and flavour.

The “everything” included pork stuffing, pork sausages, salad and fried sweet peas with minced garlic. The turkey, unlike a lot that I have eaten that is dry and tasteless, was moist, tender and flavourful. The roasting sauce and a cranberry sauce were provided, but you could just eat the turkey on its own as well.

The slices of pork stuffing were just so yummy. After tasting this, you would surely reject the sage and onion or sausage and chestnut stuffing that always comes with roast turkey. We all like a salad with meat, and there was the one with different lettuces and red plum tomatoes that injected colour into our meal. But what we liked best were the sweet peas with finely minced garlic clinging to them. I know that’s very Chinese but we so enjoyed these crunchy peas that we scraped the last bits of garlic from the plate.

The only flaw in the meal was the pork sausages which were a little hard and dry. But I guess the restaurant would get better sausages from the supplier after this.

Having a roast turkey in a Chinese restaurant is a totally different experience. There are no boundaries or limits to what you might want to order with your dinner or lunch. In our case, we had Chinese starters — a Special Three Combination of smoked pork knuckle and jellyfish, Sautéed Bird’s Nest with Scrambled Egg and Crabmeat and Deepfried Siu Mai with Mushroom. These were apart from the siu yoke or roast pork we had for nibbles at the start, with super crispy skin and enough layered fat for memorable bites. We also had some great chicken liver pate (made by the restaurant) with crackers.

The chilled thin slices of smoked knuckle and the jellyfish were delightfully crunchy and tasty; the bird’s nest and egg scrambled with sweet crabmeat was subtle and delicate. The siu mai was filled with minced pork and mushroom and sat on a coleslaw.

In between (and since it was the hairy crab season) we even enjoyed a hairy crab, famed for its creamy roe that tastes like the yolk of half-boiled egg. We drank a very good hot ginger tea after this. You only have to ask and you will get some food that may excite you in this restaurant.

The seafood prawn soup was perfect.

The Seafood with Prawn Soup was like a bisque, though a lighter one that was packed with natural, sweet flavours. There were springy prawns and squid in it and bits of coriander, spring onion and fried shallots to give it an aromatic lift.

Dessert was a superbly light and wonderful tiramisu that owes its texture to frothy egg whites folded in. Now which Chinese restaurant can offer you this? You can also get crepes suzette and panna cotta for a perfect end to your Christmas turkey dinner here.

You can pre-order the roast turkey, whether to eat in or take away. ‘Tis the season to go jolly with it.

So what’s not to like in Chef Choi? On previous occasions I’ve eaten some excellent Har Chee Meen (superfine, crunchy Hong Kong wantan noodles with prawn roe), Lobster Noodles, London Style, Foie Gras in a caramelised sauce and Almond Milk in a Papaya, among several others.

Chef Choi is located in an old bungalow with lots of ground for you to park your car, a rare thing in busy KL. It’s located at 159 Jalan Ampang, Tel: 03-2163-5866, email: general@chefchoi.com

... And taste of Mexico comes to London

Mexican cuisine is known for its varied flavours, colourful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients. Picture: WikiCommons

Daniel Fineren
LONDON

Sunday, December 27, 2009

AFTER decades in a culinary desert of Tex-Mex eateries with plastic cacti and dreadful cheese-drenched nachos, Wahaca is leading a wave of modern restaurants bringing the authentic flavours of Mexico to London.

The British capital has been transformed from a land of pie and eels shops into a global food lovers' paradise over the last few decades by dozens of nationalities making it their home.

But few Mexicans have settled in Britain and their culinary riches have remained largely unknown until former Tommi Miers and business partner Mark Selby opened the first branch of Wahaca in 2007 after falling in love with Mexican food while travelling.

"Mexican food is so badly depicted in the UK. There are so many more interesting things to offer," Selby told Reuters in an interview at the company's third restaurant which opened in Canary Wharf recently. "I really wanted to do proper Mexican food ... it can be fresh, it can be wonderful, the flavours can be brilliant."

Miers and Selby travelled around Mexico in the late 1990s, with Miers returning to cook her way around its food hotspots for over a year, collecting recipes as she went.

On her return, she won British TV cookery contest show Masterchef in 2005 with a Mexican dish and the two opened the first Wahaca (phonetic pronunciation of Mexican state Oaxaca) in a basement in trendy Covent Garden two years later.

That branch now serves around 5,500-6,000 people a week, with queues often stretching up the stairs and down the street. The company is now looking to open a fourth branch soon.

"We love the idea of what Oaxaca state stands for. It's a culinary centre, it's a cultural centre, it's got this wonderful feeling about it," Selby said as the waiting staff buzzed around the gleaming Canary Wharf branch preparing for the long queue of bankers that soon gathered at the door.

"Everything about Wahaca is that we are inspired by Mexico but we are not just copying it. We never say we are authentic. But the style, the tacos, the flavour of the markets, the speed of the food, that's what inspired us," he said.

Many Mexican restaurants in Britain claiming to be "authentic" are anything but, serving up a movie-set parody of Mexico, complete with sombreros, ponchos and garish neon beer signs to crowds looking for a place to party.

Wahaca and a few other eateries in the capital, like Mexican-run restaurants Mestizo and Taqueria, are fighting back.

Trying to bring real flavours from south of the Rio Grande out from under the Tex-Mex shadow.

Only dishes actually from Mexico make it onto the menu, and Tex-Mex favourite Burritos only got on there once the two had traced its origins to Baja, California.

Wahaca's Pibil is as good as any Cochinita Pibil you'll find on the Yucatan Peninsula — the home of the slow-roasted meat dish — while the Chicken Tinga tacos match anything you can scoff in a Mexico City taqueria.

All can be drenched in sauce made for Wahaca from chillies grown in southwest England — ranging from the devilishly hot bottle of habanero sauce on your table, a crucial accompaniment to Pibil, to the green and red sauces in small bowls for those looking for a more moderate tingle to their tacos.

Wash it down with a fire-taming glass of Horchata, an almond and rice-based drink with a hint of cinnamon, or a variety of Mexican beverages.

"Although the flavours are distinctly Mexican, most of the ingredients are sourced locally," Selby concluded.

Dragons and tigers in a broth?

The crabs, prawns, squid and mussels in the Long Hu Hui broth... no dragons and tigers but oh so delicious.

By Eu Hooi Khaw

DEC 19 — This part of SS2 in Petaling Jaya, on the same side of Kayu, has 17 restaurants, two-thirds of which have opened up only recently. I’m glad that the usually dark road is brightening up. One of the newest along the SS2/10 road is Restoran Fei Yao Long Hu Hui.

What’s special about this restaurant with the long name is the Long Hu Hui (now you know why), which translates into “dragon and tiger cooked in a broth.”

The pork belly in har cheong sauce is very popular here.

It’s seafood stock that has mui hiong salted fish in it, star anise, dried chillies and a little evaporated milk to finish. Into it goes prawns, squid, crab and mussels.

The claypot of soup is put over the portable stove on the table, and it simmers away as you help yourself to the seafood and the soup with its deep, complex flavours. It’s like a steamboat, and a plate of beehoon and Romaine lettuce are served with it.

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Lovely tender ribs bathed in salted egg sauce.

Ladle the soup over the rice noodles, add the lettuce and together they taste wonderful. The delicious salted fish aroma and flavour come through; the seafood stock is naturally sweet and hot with chilli. It’s heaps better than the usual fishhead noodles.

The crabs, prawns and squid have the same flavours clinging to them, and we took time eating the shellfish.

There’s also the more ”ching” Seafood Qun Ying Hui, which has crabs, prawns, clams, squid and pork boiled in clear seafood broth and served with fresh vegetables and egg fried rice. I may go back just for this.

Fei Yao (which by the way is the name of the chef) is also known for its Braised Prawns in Claypot, Salted Egg Pork Ribs, Red Tilapia, Nyonya style, Claypot Har Cheong Pork Belly as well as the Deepfried Kurau in Lotus Leaf.

Braised prawns in a claypot is a must-order... really exceptional.

The braised tiger prawns in the claypot were smooth, springy and excellent with a dip of soya sauce, finely chopped chilli, garlic, ginger and spring onion. We couldn’t stop eating these sweet, fresh prawns.

There was an appetising aroma as from the deepfried fish on the lotus leaf which tastes better than it looks. A hot and sour sauce of roasted belacan, chilli, onions and asam had been poured over the fish which had lovely crispy bits.

The Salted Egg Pork Ribs were really good: the meat tore off from the bone easily and an almost liquid, creamy salted egg yolk sauce clung to the deepfried pork ribs. There was more oomph from ciii padi and deepfried curry leaves.

Against all that we had, the Nyonya Tilapia tasted almost ordinary. But I can say that if you like red tilapia, this one is highly recommended. The fish is bathed in avery fragrant, mildly hot curry that has the sweet, sour and hot notes perfectly balanced. It’s generous with bunga kantan, ground serai, turmeric and onions.

The kurau in lotus leaf may not look like much but it is delicious.

On an another occasion, we tried the Claypot Har Cheong Pork Belly, and the Claypot Taiwan Cabbage. The first is very Hong Kong style, with shrimp paste. The second is like our chai choy (vegetarian), except that it’s cooked with fu yee, not the red lam yee that is usually used.

Braised Yee Meen and Sing Chow Mai (Singapore fried rice noodles) are noodle dishes you can order here, among the items on a rather extensive menu.

The food is reasonably priced. For instance, the Long Hu Hui that has crabs, prawns and mussels in it, together with noodles and lettuce costs RM58 (2-3 people), and RM88 (4-6 people).

Restoran Fei Yao Long Hu Hui is located at 14, Jalan SS2/10, 47300 Petaling Jaya. Tel: 03-7877 0933. It is closed on Thursday when there’s a night market.

A banquet for a song… well, almost

By Eu Hooi Khaw

The banquet hall during the day.Imagine when it is actually used as a banquet hall, it's huge.

DEC 24 — Very often, we try not to have dinner at the Oriental Pavilion in Jaya 33, Petaling Jaya on weekends because there would always be a wedding or a celebration of some sort.

Now that Oriental Banquet has opened practically down the road, it makes things so much easier. Even better, on Sundays and during public holidays, you can have a buffet lunch there, all for RM39+. But it’s so popular that you have to book your table in advance.

It’s an elegant banquet hall that can seat 800, with state-of-the art audio and lighting and “live” feed capabilities. There is even a mezzanine floor with an open balcony and there are private rooms here as well.

An impressive selection of starters.

The dishes are for the most part Chinese, with some Western-style starters, salmon sashimi, lots of boiled prawns and baked mussels. But we found that these were not the most popular. For instance, if you so much as blink when the siu yoke or roast pork is brought out, it’ll be gone! It was the same story with the suckling pig. By the time we got to it, only the head and tail were left.

We like it that there was Peking Duck, with someone at the carving station catering to a long queue of people. You will get your turn; the Peking Duck is well worth the wait. The skin is crispy, and if you just dab the pancake with a little sauce, it’s delicious.

It’s worth exploring the buffet before you go for the more obvious dishes. I loved the pieces of bittergourd coated generously with a salted egg sauce, and the chiu yim (salt and pepper) deepfried eggplant.

I thought the ”Moneybags”made up of of fu chook skin, filled with a Foochow fishball and chopped mushrooms and carrots were superb. The fishball was bouncy and so tasty with the minced pork filling inside.

The fish fillet with pomelo sauce was delightful.

I went for the fried fish fillet with pomelo sauce which everyone should eat if they’ve been having all that roast pork. I’ve had the white tuna fillet before at Oriental Pavilion topped with this sweet, sour and citrusy sauce with fresh pomelo. Here it’s another fish but tastes just as good.

There were two claypots bubbling with goodies inside. We took a look and discovered bak kut teh, and rice wine chicken with black fungus. The bak kut teh could have been more concentrated, but we liked very much the rice wine chicken with lots of ginger and black fungus.

There’s a live station of porridge, and I highly recommend it if you are still hungry. The porridge was so fine and so flavourful with the fish, ginger and other condiments.

We weren’t so taken with the dimsum station, but I had a vegetarian bun. Now where’s my char siu pow? (For me, dimsum is not complete without it.)

We also had some fried woh tip with XO sauce, and if we had stayed a little longer, there would have been fried radish cake as well.

Dessert was an assortment of Nyonya kuih, four flavours of ice-cream, soyabean milk with suet kap and lui sar tong yuen (pulut dumplings filled with black sesame paste and dusted with ground peanut). I went for the last two, waiting for a fresh batch of warm lui sar tong yuen which were so wonderful.

There is just so much you can eat at a buffet. Malaysians by and large still do not behave at such meals. If they like something and think it’s value for money, they would take a whole platter of siu yoke, for instance, to their table.
The buffet includes a shark’s fin soup served at your table.

On weekdays there is a set lunch at RM18, but there are also individual set menus you can choose. For instance, at RM38++ per person (minimum 2 people) you get Braised Shark’s Fin Soup in Fragrant Coconut, Deepfried Honey Spare Ribs with vegetarian Roll, Braised Tianqi Vegetables with Wolfberries and Braised E-Fu Noodles with Tiger Prawns.

There are also RM68++ amd RM88++ per person menus that have six courses.
The annual dinner celebration menus range from RM988 nett to RM1088 and RM1388.

Oriental Banquet is located at 16 Jalan 19/1, 46300 PJ, Tel 03-7957 8488.

Ayam Percik Recipe (Spicy Chicken)

Ingredients :
1.5 kg 50g 100 ml 300 ml 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 Tamarind paste Water Thick coconut milk Shallots Garlic Ginger piece Lemon grass Chili paste Cinnamon powder Salt or to taste Pepper Ground black pepper
Method : Mix the tamarind paste with the 100ml water and squeeze to obtain tamarind juice. Set aside. Ground and combine 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.

Malay Food In Malaysia

Variety is the spice in Malay food. The traditional culinary style has been greatly influenced by the long-ago traders from neighboring countries, such as Indonesia, India, the Middle East, and China. Malay food is often described as spicy and flavorful as it utilizes a melting pot of spices and herbs.Malay cooking incorporates ingredients such as lemon grass, pandan (screwpine) leaves, and kaffir lime leaves.

Fresh herbs, such as daun kemangi (a type of basil), daun kesum (polygonum or laksa leaf), nutmeg, kunyit (turmeric) and bunga kantan (wild ginger buds) are often used. Traditional spices such as cumin and coriander are used in conjunction with Indian and Chinese spices such as pepper, cardamom, star anise and fenugreek. Seasonings play an important role in Malay cooking as they often enhance the food taste and flavors. Many of the seasonings are not dried spices but are fresh ingredients such as fresh turmeric, galangal, fresh chili paste, onions, and garlic. A combination of fresh seasonings and dried spices are normally pounded together to make a fine paste and cooked in oil. Fresh coconut milk is often added.

Rice is the staple diet in any Malay meal. It is often served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper too. Most meals are eaten by using your fingers, and eating utensils are kept to a minimum. All dishes are served at the same time, accompanied by a refreshing drink. Fish is popular in Malay cooking, as with other seafood such as shrimps and cuttlefish. Beef and mutton are very popular choices but never pork as it is against their religious beliefs to eat pork. The other popular white meat is chicken.

One of the most unique Malay dishes is the "roti jala" (lacy pancakes), which sometimes replaces the staple rice. Roti jala is an ideal accompaniment to any dish with lots of rich gravy and is often served during special occasions. It is made from a mixture of plain flour and eggs, with a pinch of turmeric powder and butter. Desserts are a must for any Malay meal. Easily available at most local restaurants and roadside stalls, Malay desserts are invariably very sweet and include ingredients such as coconut milk, palm sugar, and flour.

Nicoise Potatoes

Western Cuisine

THIS is served with Teeq´s aromatic lamb shank. From: "A Teeq-ing good time"

INGREDIENTS

Whole potatoes (any amount you like) half a sprig of mint leaves 3 tbsp of olive oil Some capers Chopped canned anchovies Olives A tbsp of chopped garlic Chopped parsley Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil 2. Add whole potatoes of your choice and cook till tender (any amount you like). 3. Add half a sprig of mint leaves into the boiling pot 4. When potatoes are tender, drain and remove the mint leaves. 5. Allow the potatoes to cool before peeling the skin off. 6. Place the peeled potatoes back into the pot and roughly crush them. 7. Mix in: 3 tbsp of olive oil, some capers, chopped canned anchovies, olives, a tbsp of chopped garlic. 8. Finally, fold in chopped parsley, pepper and add salt to taste. Serve warm.

penang

THE smell of kway teow (flat rice noodles) fried with eggs, cockles, bean sprouts and chives swirling in the deep Chinese wok is so intoxicating that we almost (really, really almost) sit in the kopitiam and order a plate of the tantalising dish.

But we think of judgment day, so as Muslims, we give it a miss. How we wish we could have a bite of that tasty-looking char kway teow minus the lard!

It is painful and unbearable though, to just walk away. So we stand rooted in the narrow alley of Lebuh Keng Kwee, off busy Penang Road and watch the stall owner at work for a good 10 minutes, scrutinising his every movement and committing to memory every detail of what goes into the wok. This way, we hope to replicate his method and make Penang fried kway teow later at home.

But it isn’t that easy. Soon, I feel my head starting to spin as my stomach uncontrollably “leaks” acid and I salivate like a hungry puppy.

Before anything unseemly happens, we decide to leave and go where we had originally intended to go – the stall at the junction of the next road for the world-famous Penang Road cendol. Oh yes, that refreshing ice-shaved drink of palm sugar-sweetened coconut milk with pandan-flavoured green glutinous flour strips and red kidney beans.

Though there are two stalls selling this mouth-watering dessert, only one makes this claim: “As advertised on the Internet”. And its staff members wear a specially designed uniform bearing the words Teochew Cendol. The stall outshines its neighbour which probably serves cendol just as sweet and rich.

What drew us to this part of Penang island was the cendol and what inspired us to drive for over four hours from Kuala Lumpur was the food, especially char kway teow. In fact, the word char kway teow is synonymous with the word Penang.

A member of Friends Of Travel Times, a Facebook group formed by this publication, suggested visiting a stall at Sunway Prai that serves its char kway teow with satay sauce, while a friend said any stall in Gurney Drive is good enough. We try neither. Instead we indulge in Penang char kway teow at Hotel Royal Penang which claims that it has the best “hotel-served” char kway teow. Our squeaky clean plates can attest to that.

Oodles Of Noodles

Flat rice noodle aside, Penang is also known for other noodle dishes like laksa and prawn mee. But it’s not just any laksa or prawn mee.

More like well-marketed brands are Laksa Air Itam and Mee Udang Sungai Dua. Just a mention of these names is enough to bring to mind the colours, smells and flavours of these noodle dishes.

Tourists head for Air Itam to visit the famous Kek Lok Si Temple or take a ride up to scenic Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) on the funicular railway. But locals and those who have tried Laksa Air Hitam, will make a dash to the small town of for an asam laksa feast. In fact, the stall right outside the wet market has been serving loyal fans from Perlis to as far south as Singapore.

At RM2.70 a bowl, Laksa Air Itam is heaped with thick rice noodles garnished with mint, chopped torch ginger, cut chilli, onion, pineapple, cucumber, prawn paste and drowned in deliciously sour fish gravy.

What we like most is that it’s not too heavy and rich. We spoon the gravy to the last drop. And still, we have room for a glass of cold sugar-cane drink that tastes so soothing after the hot, tangy laksa.

Noodles In The Kampung

Later, we make our way to Kampung Sungai Dua in Seberang Perai to check out the famous prawn mee. Though it’s quite a drive from Air Itam and across the Penang bridge to the mainland, it is rather a straight forward drive to the famous Restoran Selera Sri Tambang, situated on the banks of Sungai Dua. Though there are many prawn mee restaurants along the way, locals say Selera Sri Tambang is the best.

The ambience is nothing to shout about, with basic dining tables and chairs, a cashier’s counter and a display of fresh seafood where patrons can pick their choice of seafood to go with the noodles.

Our choices are udang kertas and udang galah. We find the noodle cooked with udang galah sweeter though the flesh is not as sweet and soft as udang kertas. And the gravy’s not chilli-sauce thick nor sweet. It’s just right – not too starchy and rich but full of flavour.

A bowl of plain noodles costs RM3 while additional prawns are charged according to current market price. Our bill comes to RM17 for the noodle with udang galah and RM18 with udang kertas. But do we regret paying for them? Not at all!

Homeland Of Nasi Kandar

What’s a visit to Penang without a taste of its home-grown rice dish – nasi kandar? It’s an Indian Muslim (mamak) specialty.

While the choice of nasi kandar restaurants is aplenty both on the island and in Seberang Perai, only a handful enjoys a strong word-of-mouth reputation.

Names like Hameediya, Liyaqat Ali a.k.a Nasi Kandar Beratur and Sup Hameed have the power to make nasi kandar lovers grab their car keys and drive all the way to Penang.

Hameediya in Lebuh Campbell has a steady stream of regular customers who not only come for its nasi kandar but also for its nasi biryani – chicken or mutton.

Another “Hameed”, Sup Hameed in upper Penang Road, is famous for its thick mutton, beef, chicken or mixed soup served with roti benggali.

Those who don’t mind taking their carbo late at night, make a beeline for Nasi Kandar Beratur which serves piping hot rice and dishes only from 10pm.

When the time comes, we do what Penangites do — march to Nasi Kandar Beratur in Lebuh Buckingham and join the queue.

More Food To Go

Try the roti canai in Transfer Road, a friend recommends. “Both the roti canai and accompanying gravy are something that you have never tasted before,” she stresses.

So we check it out. It’s not difficult to find Transfer Road but we make the mistake of thinking the roti canai will be sold in a proper restaurant setting. Despite making a few trips along the road, we fail to find such a set up. Finally, we realise that the roti canai stall we’re looking for is a humble-looking stall at the side of a high brick wall of a building.

The stall, which is said to have been in business for 40 years, only has two rows of long tables arranged classroom-style facing the road. At one end of the tables, roti canai is being prepared and at the other end, a different seller offers drinks.

And yes, both the roti canai and the curry gravy are out of this world. Never before have I downed two pieces of roti canai in one sitting!

The roti is crisp, yet fleshy and filling and is served “banjir” (flooded) in gravy with a choice of chicken, mutton or beef. The gravy is thick and spicy and word has it that the beef curry is always the first to finish. After trying all three, we agree that the beef curry is definitely a must-have.

Fruity Delight

Another recommendation takes us to The Esplanade for a plate of rojak buah. Like the roti canai in Transfer Road, Rojak 101 takes us by surprise.

There’s nothing extraordinary looking about the Rojak 101 kiosk or the look of the rojak. However, one taste of the sauce-coated fruits has us smacking our lips. The sauce is thick and flavoursome – hot, sweet and sour while the generous sprinkle of ground peanuts gives an extra kick to the fresh, crunchy fruits.

You can order fruit rojak or pizza/kebab-style rojak with the sauce richly slapped on top.

We wash down our rojak with a cup of thick kopi-O. Heavenly!

Apple Sorbet with Mint Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

4 eating (dessert) apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup white wine
100 ml/4 fl oz/0.5 cup water
75 ml/5 tbsp clear honey
Juice of 1 lemon
6 mint leaves, finely chopped

Method :

Puree the apples, wine and water in a food processor or blender, then stir in the honey and lemon juice. Freeze for 1 hour. Stir well, then freeze again and continue to stir the sorbet occasionally while it is freezing. Just before it sets, stir in the mint. Whisk the sorbet and serve in individual glasses.

Tod-Mun Pla-Krai (Fish Cakes)

Ingredients

Grated fish meat 200 grams

Gaeng kua curry paste 40 grams

Sliced wing beans 30 grams

Shredded kaffir lime leaves 6 grams

Egg 1

Salt 1/4 teaspoon

Sugar 1/2 tablespoon

Ingredients for Dipping Sauce

Sugar 1/2 cup

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

Vinegar 1/2 cup

Crushed red spur chillies 4 grams

Sliced cucumber 60 grams

Ground roasted peanuts 20 grams

Coriander leaves

Directions

1. Knead the grated fish meat until it takes on a dense consistency.
2. Add the egg, salt, sugar, and curry paste. Stir and knead again until everything is well blended and is somewhat sticky. Add the wing beans and kaffir lime leaves and mix once more.
3. Form the mixture into bite-size balls. Flatten them slightly and fry them in very hot oil over high heat until they are brown. Remove from the oil and set aside.

Directions to make the side dish

1. Put the sugar, vinegar and salt in a pot over low heat. Stir continuously until everything is dissolved and cooked through. Add the pounded chillies and remove from the heat. Let it cool.
2. Place the sliced cucumber in a serving bowl and pour the melted ingredients over the top. Then garnish with the peanuts and coriander. Serve the fishcakes with the dipping sauce.

Tips

1. A fresh fillet gives the fishcakes a chewy texture and it won’t give off a fishy smell.
2. Don’t pour the hot dressing on the top of vegetables. The heat makes the vegetables sloppy.
3. Use only fresh vegetables and ingredients for the side dish. Vegetables become less crisy if they sit in the dressing too long.

Canton-i love you!

The roast pork belly has an absolutely crispy skin.

By Eu Hooi Khaw

OCT 24 — Each time my sister comes to KL from Perth, we would eat at least twice at Canton-i before she heads home. We love the Hong Kong wantan noodles there, which are fine and a little crunchy (not too much, else you will have wires in your mouth!). We would have these “kon-loh” or with soup, and we would definitely have the prawn wantan, some roast pork and “char siu”, and egg tarts.

We like it that the egg tarts always come first, the light pastry flaking off as we take bites of the smooth custard filling. What’s wrong with having dessert first when it sweetens your experience of what’s to follow?

The prawn wantan offers fresh, sweet and springy bites, while the roast pork belly (medium fat) has an absolutely crispy skin. The “char siu” or barbecued pork is consistently sticky sweet with a honey glaze, and has just enough fat for an almost creamy mouthfeel.

I was at Canton-i at The Gardens last week and found out that a mixture of high-gluten Canadian flour and Beijing eggs — which have very yellow and viscous egg yolks — make all the difference to the texture of the wantan noodles. The noodles are flown in from Hong Kong weekly. Now we don’t have to push our way into a tiny wantan noodle shop in Hong Kong and eat them from chipped bowls. I don’t mind having them in the comfort of Canton-i.

Congee on a higher plane — with bird's nest and abalone.

This time I tried its Congee with abalone, Japanese oysters and bird’s nest. It is simmered for four to five hours with three different types of rice – Australian long grain, Japanese pearl and Thai fragrant rice. It’s a silky and creamy congee, taking its flavours from slices of abalone and oysters, with ginger strips and spring onion giving a fragrant lift. It’s taste of luxury; the bird’s nest on top of it is the icing on the cake. Was it forbiddingly expensive? No! It’s RM38 for a bowl enough for two or three people.

You could tell a special soya sauce has been used in the Sautéed Chives with dried shrimps and shredded cuttlefish. There is just a touch of sweetness and a nice aroma about the fine chives which are fried with some beansprouts and carrot strips, with crispy cuttlefish and dried shrimps, and finished with cashews. ”We use a combination of three types of sang chow (light soya sauce) to fry,” said Henry Yip, CEO of Dragon-i Restaurant Sdn Bhd.

Canton-i is adding new items to its menu, and one of these is the Fish Maw Stuffed with Minced Pork and Cuttlefish paste. This dim sum is a mouthful of wonderful textures: the spongy fish maw against its filling that has bounce, and topped with flying fish roe. It’s surprisingly light.
We also had a dish of lotus root, black fungus, celery, magnolia petals and macadamia fried together “peasant-style”, though there is nothing peasant-like about its ingredients.

First a bird’s nest congee with abalone, now bird’s nest egg tarts, I swear I can feel the skin on my face smoothening out. There’s a delicate heap on the egg tart, and as we know bird’s nest has an eggy flavour, so it goes very well with the custard tart.

So fine — Egg Tarts with Bird's Nest.

Henry also insisted on me trying the Double-Boiled Ginger Milk, which was as smooth as tow foo fah, but even better with its distinctly hot and fragrant ginger flavour. I didn’t care for the lotus seeds on top. I know we should take the rough with the smooth, but not in this classic, excellent dessert.

You can expect Roast Goose Noodles at Canton-i soon, as well as Carp Fishballs and Lettuce Congee. ”We don’t add MSG to our food and we are trying to reduce the fat and salt too, without compromising on the flavour,” said Henry.

There will be afternoon tea at Canton-i soon, from 3pm to 5pm. There will be good coffee you can have with pastries, or the HK milk tea with a chee chai pow (piggy buns) at RM5 a set.

Canton-i is in 1-Utama, lower ground floor(tel: 7729 7888), The Gardens (LG floor, tel 03-2284 6888), Sunway Pyramid (ground floor, tel: 03-5636 2888) at the Blue Atrium.

Pineapple Ice Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

1 pineapple, halved lengthways 175 g/6 oz/0.75 cup granulated sugar 450 ml/0.75 pt/2 cups water 1 egg white

Method : Remove the core from the pineapple and scoop out the flesh, keeping the shells intact. Chill the shells in the fridge. Puree the pineapple flesh in a food processor or blender. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a saucepan, then bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes to make a syrup. Leave to cool. Mix the pineapple pulp into the syrup, pour into a freezer container and freeze for 3 hours. Whisk the egg white until stiff, then whisk in the ice cream. Return to the freezer container and freeze until firm. Transfer to the fridge 10 minutes before serving to soften the ice cream, then scoop into the pineapple shells to serve.

Lemon Fridge Cake

Ingredients : Serves 4

6 eggs
150 g/5 oz caster (superfine) sugar
15 ml/1 tbsp water
100 g/4 oz self-raising (self-rising) flour
1 egg yolk
175 g/6 oz icing (confectioners') sugar
15 oz/0.5 oz/1 tbsp powdered gelatin

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
150 ml/0.25 pt double (heavy) cream

Method :

Cream three of the eggs with the caster sugar until pale and thick, then add the water and fold in the flour. Spoon into two greased 20 cm/8 in round cake tins (pans) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 12 minutes until springy to the touch. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Whisk the remaining eggs and the egg yolk with the icing sugar until frothy. Soften the gelatin in the lemon juice in a small bowl. Stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and leave until dissolved. Whisk the cream until stiff. Stir the gelatin and lemon rind into the egg mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. Return one of the sponge cakes to its tin, then spoon the cream mixture over the top. Cover with the other cake and chill before serving.

Malay cuisine at its most authentic

Sup Tulang here is hearty and robust.

By Eu Hooi Khaw

AUG 29 – I had a bowl of Sup Tulang and thought it had lots of oomph: the sweetness steeped from the beef bones, with the fragrance of spices like star anise and ginger clinging to it. A slice of tomato, fresh coriander and fried shallots gave it an extra lift. Chunks of potatoes soaked up flavours from the soup.

I was at Baiti’s in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL, for its Ramadhan buffet, and I started right with this soup.

There was the very special nasi lemak and lontong that Baiti’s is famous for, at the beginning of the buffet. I took the lontong, as I did so want to have enough space for the rest of the food staring up at me.

The lontong has a darker orange tinge in its coconut gravy, and is cooked to a family recipe that restaurateur Shahizan Hasnan has attributed to a grand-uncle in Singapore.

The taufu pok soaks up this spiced, not too rich gravy that has hints of fried dried prawns. Long beans, carrots, lots of fried shallots and nasi impit made this complete.

Baiti’s Ramadan buffet costs just RM38 nett, and the variety of food (35 dishes) is mind-boggling. There’s satay, popiah, roti canai, roti jala, Malay kuih and pengat durian that are daily specials, then the main nasi campur that has about 20 dishes.

So much variety in the nasi campur section.

This does not include the ikan bakar – keli, kembong and pari, wrapped in banana leaves that is on the grill. I took a pari with a dip of pickles. The next best thing would be the kembong lathered with sambal.

I made a round of the nasi campur, picking out the chili beef, rendang tok, pucuk paku masak lemak, sambal udang petai, fried chicken, fried fish fillet in tomato sauce, petola or angled loofah cooked with glass noodles in coconut milk, and some fried ladies fingers. I had a very good meal with these.

I loved the rendang tok and fried chicken which we never fail to order in this restaurant when it’s not Ramadan.

Ikan bakar here is as good as it smells.

The rendang tok is especially scrumptious here. The meat is dark, rich and tender. The spices and the seasonings are all perfectly balanced. (This is unlike in some Malay restaurants where sugary sweetness is the dominant flavour, where a peanut sauce for satay can taste like a dessert sauce!)

Baiti’s Ayam Goreng Berempah is well marinated with spices. It is crispy outside, moist inside and delicately flavoured.

I went on to have a pengat durian with pulut for dessert. I was tempted to pack some home to eat the next day. There is pure durian in this thick, creamy sauce, that is lightly sweet and lovely eaten with the pulut.

Baiti’s Ramadan buffet really stands out for its authenticity, variety and value for money. I’d rather eat here than at hotels where the food caters to volume rather than concentrate on home-grown flavours like Baiti’s.

There is something different at the restaurant every day. For instance, you would get nasi minyak on Monday, chicken rice on Wednesday, sup tulang on Thursday and nasi tomato on Friday.

There is a refined touch about the dishes, that don’t have too much oil, salt, sugar or coconut milk, a rare thing indeed in Malaysian cuisine. The recipes that are showcased in the restaurant belong to Shahizan’s mum – she personally supervises in the kitchen too – and it doesn’t get any better than this.

After 9pm in the Ramadan month, you can order a la carte, and you should try the Mee Goreng. The thin yellow noodles are moist, each strand embraced by the spice and chilli paste (a special “warisan” sauce), and egg. Squeeze the small lime over the noodles and they taste so good.

Other dishes you can have here include Masak Lemak Cili Api Udang, Kurma Ayam, Sambal Kerang, Masak Lemak Cili Api Ikan and Mango Kerabu.

On an ordinary day, I would have the nasi lemak, a signature dish at Baiti’s. It is cooked with basmati rice; you get the appetising aroma of santan as the rice is served hot on a banana leaf on the plate, with sambal ikan bilis, fried ikan bilis, serunding, peanuts, hard-boiled egg, pineapple acar and keropok.

For Ramadan, the restaurant is open from 4pm till midnight, which means you can pack food home for sahur. It also does catering.

Baiti’s, which is closed on Sunday, is located at 36 Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-7729 9918, 012-383 0656 (Shahizan), 013-633 5954 (Norizan).

Cheesecake Torte Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

150 ml/0.25 pt double (heavy) cream, whipped 25 g/1 oz cornflour (cornstarch) 450 g/1 lb/2 cups cottage cheese, sieved (strained) 4 egg whites 175 g/6 oz caster (superfine) sugar 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla essence (extract) 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter or margarine 100 g/4 oz digestive biscuits (graham crackers), crushed 2 kiwi fruit, sliced 50 g/2 oz flaked (slivered) almonds, toasted 150 ml/0.25 pt whipping cream, whipped

Method : Mix the double cream with the cornflour and cheese. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar and continue to whisk until it holds soft peaks. Fold into the cheese mixture with the vanilla essence. Rub the butter or margarine over the base and sides of a 23 cm/9 in loose-bottomed flan tin (pie pan) and sprinkle with the biscuit crumbs. Pour in the cheese mixture and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely. Arrange the kiwi fruit over the top, sprinkle with the almonds and serve with the whipped cream.

Much more than just a bread shop

Breads, scones and hot cross buns, all so good.

OCT 10 — Bread always makes me happy; whether I’m eating it, or breathing in its aroma as it’s baking. But when was the last time you sank your teeth into some really good bread? Something always falls short: it’s too soft and cottony, too sweet or too greasy.

Since The Bread Shop opened in Damansara Heights, it’s been creating a buzz, mainly because the owners are dedicated to bread, the wonderful ones that they remember from childhood, or from studying and travelling abroad.

Walk in and breads — huge loafs — baguettes, croissants and Danish pastries come into your line of vision. There are so many varieties for you to salivate over. But that lovely aroma hits you first. The Bread Shop reminds me of a cafe I visited in Adelaide, Australia, with deliberately distressed walls, cement floor, stainless steel lamps, and high wooden tables. There’s beauty in the clean lines; in a vase of flowers reflected in a slanted, overhead mirror at the side table.

A complete meal – melted cheese on croissant topped with pastrami, mango slices.

I had wisely skipped lunch, to be wowed an hour later by the Melted Cheese on Croissant topped with beef pastrami and mango slices drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. I piled everything, including the salad and mango on the croissant, and ate it all together. So you get the crisp greens with roasted onion dressing, the tart vinaigrette on the sweet, fragrant mango, the lovely thick slices of pastrami and you bite into melted cheese on a flaky, buttery, light croissant.

My table started piling up with Danish pastries after this: the Smoked Turkey with cheese, fresh tomatoes and basil, the Sausage Cheese Roll, Apple Danish, Banana Scotch, Cinnamon Swirl and Chocolate Danish. Half of this and that made many wholes. I stayed on the savoury side first: the smoked turkey on melted cheese, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil was really good.

If you are used to those thin, plasticky sausages in a soft roll, you would love this Sausage Cheese. It’s a thick, meaty chicken sausage with bounce and bite and bursting with flavour.

I ventured onto the light Apple Danish, with enough chopped apple and raisins on top of a custard layer of this croissant pastry, the crispy layers of which open up. The best thing about it is that the pastry has buttery substance, not just flaky layers.

The Banana Scotch Danish is a bestseller: the lattice-topped pastry hides within it lots of banana, drizzled with a butterscotch sauce. It has given the Cinnamon Swirl (which was in the lead) a run for its money. Customers actually call up and reserve this one. Banana has more appeal for me and it’s just so delightful with the butterscotch sauce.

I would like the Cinnamon Swirl to be a little less sweet though the sticky cinnamon layers get me too. The Chocolate Danish is truly a kiddie treat — there’s chocolate inside.

Crusty baguettes in a class of their own.

In-between I was asked to try a wonderful chicken curry served with four slices of toasted baguette or two slices of toast. I wondered about the two slices of toast but a look at the size of the loaf told me why. The owners are used to big loaves of Hainanese bread, and they want their breads to be like those. The prices of these wholesome and hearty breads have to be seen to be believed. It’s double or triple the size of any loaf, and yet the price of an organic wholemeal, for instance is just RM11.80, organic dark seed RM9.80, multi-grain RM8.80.

Back to the chicken curry: it’s intense with spice flavours, and Indian curry leaves, made to a family recipe. It’s a runny curry, so delicious you would remember it. The baguette slices were just perfect dipped in the curry. Mention must be made of the baguettes here — they are heavy, as they should be.

And I have found the perfect scone here. It has the right texture, very buttery and does not stick to the roof of your mouth or in your throat when you eat it. You can have this plain or with raisins. The owners have taken a lot of trouble to get it right.

The distressed wall, the mirror and flowers … quite eye-catching.

Again the low prices floor me — why is it just RM3.80 for two large plain scones, and RM4.80 for two raisin scones? A large croissant is just RM2.80, and good butter is used for making all these. The various Danish pastries were RM4.80, the sausage cheese roll RM5.80, Smoked Turkey Danish RM6.80. The beef pastrami sandwich I had was just RM16.80.

Thank goodness unsold breads are donated to orphanages, and not sold with prices further lowered as is the practice.

The shop makes a great cup of coffee too — I did so love my cappuccino.

Breads, Danish pastries and scones make a great gift (instead of chocolates and wine) too and the shop can put these in special boxes. It also makes its own dukkah; a spice and nuts dip for bread with olive oil.

The Bread Shop is located at 11 Jalan Setiakasih 5, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-2093-8734). It’s opened from 8am to 7.30pm daily, and from 8am to 5pm on Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Chocolate Cream Tart Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

50 g/2 oz butter or margarine
50 g/2 oz caster (superfine) sugar

15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup

175 g/6 oz/1.5 cups plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
3 eggs, separated
10 ml/2 tsp brandy
150 ml/0.25 pt double (heavy) cream, whipped
25 g/1 oz walnuts, chopped.

Method :

Melt the butter or margarine, sugar and syrup and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press into a 20 cm/8 in flan tin (pie pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 15 minutes. Chill until firm and crisp. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks and brandy. Leave to cool, then fold in the cream. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the mixture. Pour into the crumb case and chill until firm. Sprinkle with the walnuts before serving.

Honey Meringues Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4
6 egg whites350 g/12 oz caster (superfine) sugar30 ml/2 tbsp clear honey100 g/4 oz/1 cup hazelnuts (filberts), chopped10 ml/2 tsp brandy300 ml/0.5 pt double (heavy) cream, whipped
Method :
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in half the sugar and fold in the remainder. Pipe or drop 5 ml/1 tsp quantities of the mixture on to a lightly greased baking (cookie) sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 140°C/ 275°F/gas mark 1 for 50 minutes, then leave to cool. Fold the honey, hazelnuts and brandy into the cream and sandwich the meringues together with the cream filling.

Apricot Cream Meringue Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4
3 eggs, separated225 g/8 oz/1 cup caster (superfine) sugar400 g/14 oz/1 large can of apricots
150 ml/0.25 pt milk5 ml/1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)2.5 ml/0.5 tsp vanilla essence (extract)
Method :
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in 175 g/6 oz of the sugar. Spoon or pipe into a circle on wetted greaseproof (waxed) paper on a baking (cookie) sheet and build up the edges to form a case. Bake in a preheated oven at 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1 for 1 hour until the meringue is crisp, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven until it cools. Mix the milk with 150 ml/0.25 pt juice from the can of apricots, stir in the cornflour and heat gently. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar and pour on a little of the hot liquid. Return to the pan and stir over a low heat until creamy. Leave to cool, then stir in the vanilla essence. Just before serving, arrange half the drained fruit in the meringue case, cover with the custard and top with the remaining apricots.

Banana and Ginger Cheesecake Flan Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

75 g/3 oz butter or margarine

225 g/8 oz gingernut biscuits (cookies), crushed
225 g/8 oz/1 cup cottage cheese, sieved (strained)
150 ml/0.25 pt plain yoghurt
30 ml/2 tbsp clear honey
3 bananas, mashed Juice off lemon
15 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatin
30 ml/2 tbsp water
6 slices of preserved ginger
150 ml/0.25 pt whipping cream, whipped

Method :

Melt the butter or margarine, remove from the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press into the base and sides of a 20 cm/8 in flan tin (pie pan). Leave to cool. Mix together the cottage cheese, yoghurt, honey, bananas and lemon juice. Dissolve the gelatin in the water, then stir it into the mixture, pour it into the flan case and leave to set. Arrange the slices of ginger on top and decorate with piped stars of whipped cream. Chill before serving.

NASI DAGANG

RAMUAN



1 Gantang beras lembut ( Khas untuk nasi dagang )

Atau

jika susah dapat beras lembut boleh juga guna

beras pulut satu bahagian dengan dua bahagian beras jemah



2 biji kelapa � diparut atau dikukur ambil santannya atau santan



4 ulas bawang merah � dimayam halus.

Halia sebesar ibu jari � dimayam halus

Garam dan gula





CARA-CARANYA



Beras dibersihkan dan rendam bersama halia selama 1jam

Kemudian buang airnya.

Kukus sehingga masak

Bila masak masukkan santan gaul hingga rata dan kukus sekali lagi

Setelah wapnya naik

Angkat sekali lagi dan gaul dengan pati santan serta bawang dan halia yang telah dimayam tadi





LAUK



1 Ekor ayam atau Ikan



Rempahnya :-

2 Camca rempah

1 camca the jintan manis

5 kuntum bunga cengkih

6 biji buah pelaga

7 inci lada kering

� inci kulit kayu manis

Serai, lengkuas dan kelapa kering

Gula ( serba sedikit )

Rempah ini semuanya dikisar atau digiling





TUMIS



Minyak kelapa sedikit, 7 Ulas bawang merah dan

3 ulas bawang puteh





CARANYA



Ayam dibersihkan dipotong

Kemudian digaul bersama rempah yang dikisar



Jerang periok keapi, panaskan minyak

masukkan bawang puteh dan bawang merah

Goreng hingga kuning.



Masukkan ayam yang telah di gaul dengan rempah

sehingga airnya kering,

kemudian masukan garam secukup rasa .



Hampir masak masukkan lada berbiji hidup

Angkat dan hidang panas.

biskut raya

Resepi Raya

Berikut adalah senarai kuih, kek & biskut popular untuk Hari Raya yang ingin anda cuba:

1. Bahulu Raya

Kuih & Kek Raya - Bahulu RayaBahulu, adunan tepung, gula dan telur adalah antara biskut mesti ada untuk setiap hari raya. Cara membuatnya mudah, iaitu dengan menggunakan 10 biji telur, 600gm tepung dan 350g gula.

Cara membuatnya:

Pukul telur dan gula sehingga kembang.Campurkan sedikit tepung dengan semangkuk kecil adunan telur. Pastikan jangan terlalu pekat dan terlalu cair. Panaskan acuan dan jika menggunakan kaedah dapur tradisional, letakkan bara api di atas dan bawah periuk. Tuangkan adunan ke dalam acuan tetapi jangan terlalu penuh. Bakar sehingga bahulu kuning keemasan.

2. Kek Almond London

Kuih & Kek Raya 2007 - Kek Almond London Bahan bahan untuk biskut Almond London adalah mentega (250g), gula icing (125g), tepung jagung (100g), tepung gandum (250g), tepung gandum (250g), telur (dipukul).

Cara membuat:

Putar mentega, gula icing dan telur, masukkan campuran tepung dan uli dengan lembut. Masukkan badam yang siap dibakar di dalamnya. Bakar sehingga masak. Celupkan ke dalam coklat masakan dan tabur dengan badam yang telah dibakar.

3. Tat Nenas Gulung

Bahan bahan:

Resepi Kuih Raya 2007 - Kuih Tat NenasDoh: 1 kg tepung gandum, 1 ketul buttercup, 2 biji telur, 2 biji kuning telur(untuk disapu), 2 sudu teh esen vanila, 2 sudu teh esen nenas, majerin untuk melembutkan doh

Perasa dan hiasan: 1 biji nenas, 1 ½ cawan gula, 4 kuntum bunga cengkih, sehelai daun pandan

Cara membuat Tat Nenas:

Gaulkan semua bahan doh dan uli hingga lembut. Masak semua bahan perasa sehingga pekat dan sejukkan.Masukkan doh ke dalam acuan tart dan tekan, kemudian letakkan jem nenas di atasnya dan gulung.Sapukan kuning telur diatasnya untuk nampak lebih berseri, dan bakar.

4. Kek Lapis

Resepi Kuih Raya 2007 Bahan bahan: 1 cawan tepung gandum, 1 cawan tepung jagung, ½ cawan gula, 4 cawan santan(sederhana pekat), 1 sudu teh garam, sedikit pewarna merah.

Cara membuat Kek Lapis:

Panaskan loyang dalam pengukus terlebih dahulu dgn api sederhana.Campurkan bahan1 dlm pengisar dan kisar hingga halus. Kemudian tapiskan.Asingkan bancuhan kepada 2 bahagian. Letakkan pewarna merah pada satu bahagian. Masukkan sedikit bancuhan berwarna putih, biarkan dlm 3 minit. Masukkan bancuhan berwarna merah pula. Lakukan langkah ini hingga habis. Setelah masak, angkat dan biarkan sejuk baru potong.

5. Dodol

Resepi Kuih Raya 2007 - Dodol Bahan bahan: 1 gantang tepung pulut, 3 liter air suam, 2 liter santan pekat, 3 kg gula melaka, 3 kg gula pasir

Cara membuatnya:

Bancuh tepung pulut dengasn air suam . Masukkan ke dlam kuali dan masak atas api sederhana. Bila mendidih masukkan santan. Kacau lagi hingga mendidih. Masukkan gula melaka dan gula pasir. Kacau selalu supaya adunan tidak melekit. Masak hingga benar benar likat. Sejukkan dan bolehllah dipotong.

Baked Mushroom Stuffed Steak Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 onion, chopped
100 g/4 oz mushrooms, finely chopped

50 g/2 oz lean bacon, rinded and chopped
25 g/1 oz/0.5 cup fresh breadcrumbs

10 ml/2 tsp chopped parsley
5 ml/1 tsp chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

900 g/2 lb piece of lean rump steak, trimmed

Method :

Melt the butter or margarine and fry (saute) the onion until soft but not brown. Stir in the mushrooms and bacon and cook for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, parsley and thyme and season to taste. Leave to cool. Slit the steak in half lengthways and fill with the stuffing, then tie round with string. Roast in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for about 30 minutes until cooked to your liking.

Bhel Puri

This is a miniature version, rolled very thinly and cut into small (5 cm) rounds, Deep fry until puffed, golden and crisp. They are combined with spicy sev, chopped onions, coriander, fresh chilies and tamarind sauce just before serving as a savory snack. Ingredients :
180 g 3/4 teaspoons 1/2 tablespoon 125 ml 2 cups 2 cups 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1 2 or 3 1 cup 1 cup	Atta flour or roti flour Salt Ghee or oil Lukewarm water Fine sev Puffed unsweetened rice (phoa) Garam masala Chili powder Salt Medium onion, finely chopped Green chilies, chopped Coarsely chopped fresh coriander Tamarind chatni Oil for deep frying
Method : On a lightly floured surface roll dough very thinly and cut into 5 cm rounds. Put on a tray, cover with a slightly damp tea towel to prevent drying out and let the pastry rest for 10-15 minutes. Heat oil and test by frying one of the rounds. It should puff and swell. If it doesn't, the oil needs to be hotter. Splash oil over the top with a frying spoon, and fry a few at a time. As they turn golden, lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels laid over a cake cooler. Allow to cool completely. Combine puris and sev in a bowl. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok and toss the puffed rice in it very quickly. Lift out on slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. When cool add to bowl, sprinkle with garam masala, chili powder and salt and toss to distribute. Just before serving, combine chopped onion, chilies and coriander in a small bowl. For each serving put a large spoonful of the crisp nibbles into a bowl, sprinkle with chopped mixture and a spoonful of tamarind chatni. Mix quickly and eat at once so none of the delightful crunchiness is lost. Note : Sev is deep-fried vermicelli made from chick pea flour, sold in packets marked to indicate whether the spicing is hot.

Amaranth with Flowering Chives Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4-6
1 bunch 1 bunch 2 teaspoons 1 tablespoon 1/2 teaspoon	Amaranth Flowering chives Oriental sesame oil Light soy sauce Sugar
Method : Wash the amaranth and discard lower stems which may be tough. Pick leaves and cut tender stems into bite-sized pieces. Wash flowering chives, snap or trim off tough lower ends of stalks. Cut into bite-sized lengths and combine with amaranth leaves in a heatproof dish. Steam over boiling water or put into a saucepan with well-fitting lid and steam on very low heat with just the water that remains on the leaves, about 7 minutes or until wilted but still deep green. Remove to a serving dish. Combine sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar. Drizzle over the leaves and serve. Or use as a bed for steamed fish fillets, shrimp or prawns.