Asian Flavoured Roast Chicken

This is a delicious roast chicken recipe that has an Asian flavour to it. It is full of flavour and the more herbs and spices you use, the more distinct the taste will be. Suitable for a festive season or when inviting friends for a meal. Try!



Ingredients
1 whole chicken, wash, cut through the breast and open up flat
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Ground Spices Marinades (to be pounded)
2 tbsp chilli paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ground cumin (jintan putih)
1/2 tsp ground fennel (jintan manis)
1 tsp ground coriander
20 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass
1cm galangal
1cm ginger
3-4 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped

Seasoning
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Methods
1. Open up chicken and press down with the meat side facing the wire rack.
2. Rub salt, pepper and black pepper all over the chicken. Turn over and repeat the process to the other side. Leave aside.
3. Heat oil and saute ground spices until aromatic. Add in onions and tomatoes and fry for three to four minutes. Add the seasoning to taste. Dish up and leave to cool.
4. Spoon sauted spices over chicken and rub all over. Leave aside in a plastic bag to marinate, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Once the chicken is ready to cook, roast the chicken at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Turn over at the final 10 minutes.
6. Roast until chicken is cooked. Serve by itself or with rice or other side dishes.

*Serve 4-6 people

A Few Ways to Cook Lemongrass

Lemongrass in one of the basic ingredients in Malay cooking. It has a very own distinctive taste and aroma to it. It gives our food flavouring and adds extra zest to any dish. To prepare lemongrass for flavoring, pound the dried stalks lightly to release their volatile oils, then cut strips to fit the cooking vessel. For eating, use only the palest central core (wrap and save the outer layers for later use). Slice thin, then mince with a heavy knife or in a small blender, making tiny particles, as the grass is very woody.

For Western cooking, think of using lemongrass the way you would fresh ginger—in more or less the same dishes and quantities. Or consider the following suggestions:

FISH: Pound whole stalks, then insert in the cavity of whole fish before grilling, steaming, or baking. Place fish steaks or filets on pounded stalks when steaming.

POULTRY: Place several whole, lightly pounded stalks in the cavity of a chicken or other fowl before roasting or grilling.

SALADS: Toss minced lemongrass core in vegetable, seafood, poultry, rice, or pasta salads. Dress with citrus vinaigrette and ginger.

SAVORY SAUCES: Prepare simple cream, egg, and wine sauces with lemongrass stalks—it won't curdle them as lemon juice might.

SEASONING PASTE: Purée chopped lemongrass core with other aromatics—fresh herbs, spices, onions, garlic, shallots—and a little cream or oil, then spread on poultry, meat, or seafood before cooking.

STIR-FRIES: Toss a generous handful of finely minced lemongrass core into vegetable, meat, poultry, and seafood dishes.

STOCKS AND SOUPS: Add pounded lemongrass to the fixings, allowing about one stalk per quart of liquid. Or simmer in vegetable, fish, meat, or poultry broth for ten minutes, then remove and add thinly sliced vegetables. Aromatize rice, delicate pasta, or shell beans with a few stalks slipped into the cooking water.

TEA: Bruise and slice two stalks; combine with one quart cold water. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat. Cover for 15 minutes; strain. Reheat, or chill for iced tea.

VEGETABLES: Add stalks while the vegetables are simmering.

Banana in Sweet Palm Sugar and Coconut Milk

This is a banana dessert that is sweet, rich and succulent. Locally known as Pengat Pisang. It is ideal to be taken in the evening during tea time or as a dessert after a big meal. In terms of the coconut milk consistency, some like to have a thin consistency, while some like it thick. It all depends on you. It can be served hot or cold. Have a try!

Ingredients
10 pieces of banana, peeled and cut into half
3 cups of coconut milk
2 cups of finely blended palm sugar (or brown sugar as a substitute if you don't have palm sugar) 5 tbsp of sugar
2 porcupine leaves, tied to make into knot
200 gm of sago, cooked and rinsed well (optional)
a pinch of salt

Methods
1. Put the coconut milk, sugar, palm sugar and porcupine leaves into a pot.
2. Heat all the ingredients until the sugar melt and the coconut milk simmer.
3. Add the bananas and sago.
4. Cook until the bananas are tender and the coconut milk becomes thicker.
5. Add a pinch of salt.
6. Stir for another one minute and ready to be served in a bowl.

*Serve2-4 people

Chicken Rendang

Chicken Rendang is one of our traditional dishes that has been a number one favourite among Malaysians, from all races, all walks of life. It is compulsory during Eid Celebration and is taken together with lemang (glutinous rice cooked inside a bamboo) or ketupat (rice cake). The celebration is not complete if there is no rendang, may it be beef or chicken rendang. Besides Eid, Malaysians also eat rendang with nasi lemak, our locally known breakfast (rice cooked with coconut milk).

In the old days, rendang could only be savoured on special occasions, but in the present, rendang can be found in any restaurant or hotel that serve nasi lemak or in any house especially in a Malay community.

Here, I have an authentic chicken rendang recipe that you cannot get elsewhere, passed down from my past ancestors, to my grandmother, my mom and now me. This type of rendang is originated from the State of Perak and to date, this is the only rendang I know that uses these original ingredients below. Have a try!

Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 8 parts
Coconut milk, from 1 whole coconut
2 tbsp kerisik, pounded fried coconut
1/2 cup grated coconut flesh (optional)

1 tbsp tumeric powder
3 tbsp dried chilli paste
1 tea spoon sugar
Salt, to taste

Blended Items
2 big onions
3 lemon grass
4 garlic
2 inch ginger
1 inch galangal

Finely Cut Items
3 lemon grass
3 turmeric leaves
2 inch ginger
10 shallots


Methods

1. Pour in the blended and finely cut ingredients in a wok. Add in the chilli paste and turmeric powder.

2. Heat the ingredients for a few minutes. You may add in some water if needed.

3. When the mixture is heating up, add the chicken. Stir until all chicken are coated well with the rest of the ingredients. Cook until it simmers for a few minutes.

4. When the mixture is simmering, add coconut milk, salt and sugar. Cook until the broth is half thick. Stir regularly over medium heat to avoid the mixture from sticking to the pan.

4. When it's half thick, add grated coconut flesh and kerisik.

5. Cook until it becomes thick and dry or as desired.

*Serve 4-6 people

Steamed Chicken

Steamed food is very healthy. It is one of the alternatives to various cooking methods that can be practiced by us. To steam chicken or fish is very easy. You need a steamer and just add water at the bottom pot and let the steam do the rest of the cooking. This method is very easy and simple, and can be fast and convenient. Please try the recipes for steamed chicken below!


Ingredients
2 chicken thighs or breasts
3 garlic, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp pepper
salt to taste
2 strands spring onion, chopped (optional)

Methods
1. Marinade the chicken with all the ingredients. Put aside for an hour.
2. After an hour, put the steamer on the stove and let the water simmer.
3. Then put the chicken in a dish and put it inside the steamer. Cook for half and hour or until chicken is cooked and tender.
4. Serve in a serving dish with spring onions and fried onions (optional)

*Serve 1-2 people

Mushroom and Prawns Omelette

Omelette is a very simple and fast to cook dish. The simplest is of course by frying the eggs by themselves with a pich of salt. Some would add milk and some sliced onions. Today, I am going to share with you a very delicious omelette dish that is cooked with some prawns, button mushrooms and some vegetables. I love this recipe very much. It's full and rich and fills the empty stomach in a second. Have a go!

Ingredients
10 eggs, beaten
1 big onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato puree
500 gm prawns, cleaned and finely chopped
1/2 can button mushrooms, cut into half
4 shitake mushroom, thinly sliced
1/2 green capsicum, thinly sliced
1/2 carrot, grated
5 strands spring onions, thinly sliced
5 strands coriander leaves, thinly sliced
salt to taste
1 tbsp pepper

Methods
1. In a frying pan, heat the pan with oil. Add onions and garlic. Stir until slightly brown.
2. Add prawns, Stir for 15 seconds. Add button and shitake mushrooms. Stir until slightly soft.
3. Add tomato puree. Stir for 10 seconds. Then add grated carrots. Stir for 20 seconds. Add capsicum, spring onions and coriander leaves. Stir for 15 seconds.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Then, add the beaten eggs and cook until all is cooked and mixed well.
5. Serve in a serving dish.

*Serve 2-4 people

Black Pepper Beef

This dish is best served with white rice. You can also eat it with bread or as sandwich fillings, or eat it on its own. But in Malaysia, rice would definitely be the best option to eat along with this dish. To make this dish, you have to choose the best part from the beef, the tenderloin for example or any other soft part. This is one of the best recipes that you can get. Try!

Ingredients

500 gm beef, thinly sliced

5 garlic, finely chopped

1 inch ginger, thinly sliced

1 big onion, thinly sliced

5 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tea spoon cumin powder

2 tbsp black pepper

1 tea spoon white pepper

1/2 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced

1/2 green capsicum, thinly sliced

5 strands spring onions, thinly sliced

3 strands coriander leaves, thinly sliced

salt, to taste

Methods

1. In a hot pan, fry garlic, ginger and big onions with oil until slightly brown.

2. Add black pepper, white pepper and cumin powder. Stir for 15 seconds.

3. Add beef and stir regularly. If it's too dry, add a little bit of water.

4. Cook the beef until tender. Then add dark soy sauce and oyster sauce.

5. Stir and mix all ingredients well. Add capsicum and salt to taste.

6. When the beef is tender and cooked, add spring onions and coriander leaves and stir for another 15 seconds.

7. Serve in a serving dish with white rice.

*Serve 4-6 people

Fried Bananas

Malaysians like to eat fried bananas during tea time. This is one of the popular tea time meals for us because its delicious, soft, sweet and easy to get. To fry bananas, make sure that the bananas are half ripe to ensure best results. If the bananas are too ripe, they will turn very soggy, hence will be difficult to fry. Moreover, they will not end up in the original shape and melt with the oil.

Besides frying, we also make sweet desserts like banana dumplings or jemput-jemput pisang, banana porridge which is cooked with palm sugar and coconut milk or locally known as pengat pisang and banana cooked with sweet syrup or sira pisang, to name a few.

We also have banana savoury which we eat with rice, like masak lemak pisang or banana with coconut gravy, hot chillies and dried anchovies. But, be aware that not all types of bananas can be fried or cooked. Hence, its better to ask your local supplier for the information. In Malaysia, we use certain types of bananas for cooking and frying, like berangan and tanduk. Anyway, here is a very simple recipe which you can try!

Ingredients
10 bananas, peeled and cut into half (see picture)
half cup wheat flour, mix with water to form a thick batter
a pinch of salt

1 tea spoon tumeric powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp honey

Methods
1. Mix the batter with salt, tumeric powder, sugar and honey.
2. Dip the banana into the batter, one by one and when the banana is evenly coated with the batter, fry it in a hot oil.
3. Fry until golden brown.
4. Serve on their own or you can eat with sugar or sweet chilli sauce.

*Serve 1-2 people

Meat and Vegetable Curry

Who will not love the taste of tender curry meat with some carrots and potatoes, to name a few vegetables, eaten together with briyani or tomato rice. Simply tantalising! Even more, the spicy curry and the rich briyani can be balanced up with a tangy cucumber and carrot salad, that taken all together makes a perfect balanced dish. We don't only have meat curry, but also chicken, fish, eggs, vegetables, eggplants, pineapples, to name a few popular ones. The recipe I am sharing with you is a popular dish, locally known as Dalca. Its tasty and rich taste will make you try again!

Ingredients
500 gm beef (cubed)
4 potatoes - cut into four parts
2 round eggplants - cut into four parts
2 carrots - cut into 1 inch cubes or rounds
8 long beans - cut into 1 inch long
6 fresh green chillis
1 cup Dhal beans - soak overnight with water
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1 star anise
2 strands of curry leaves
2 cups of coconut milk
6 tbsp meat or chicken curry powder - mixed with water to form a thick paste

Blended/Pounded Items
4 garlic
1 big onion
1 inch ginger

Methods
1. In a big pot, pour oil until hot. Add curry leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves. Stir for five seconds.
2. Add the blended items and stir until it turns light brown.
3. Add curry powder paste and cook until the oil emerge on top and around the paste. You may add some water if it's to dry. Stir regularly.
4. After the oil has emerged, add the meat. Stir until all are coated well with the curry paste.
5. After 1 minute, add dhal beans. Stir for a minute then add coconut milk. Stir well.
6. When the coconut milk is boiling, add the potatoes.
7. After the potatoes are half tender, add carrots, eggplants,long beans and green chillies.
8. Cook until all meat and vegetables are tender and the gravy turns half thick.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Serve with a hot briyani rice and cucumber and carrot salad to complete the dish.

*Serve 4-6 people