Cucumber and Apple Salad

I love eating salads especially cucumber salads. I also prefer cucumber, pineapple and carrot salads as well. Not only they are easy to prepare, the combination gives a very balanced taste to the taste buds especially if you add some vinegar and sugar to it. I normally will add some onions, garlic and ginger to my salads, but for this one I omitted them and just mix the salad with some salt, sugar and vinegar. Very crunchy to eat on its own while watching your favourite tv program, as I always do! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 granny smith apple, sliced thinly
1 cucumber, unseeded and sliced thinly
2 table spoon sugar
1/2 tea spoon salt
2 table spoon vinegar

Methods
1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let it cool in the fridge before serving.

*serves 1-2 people

Pudding Trifle

I was thinking of what to make for dessert during the last Eid'l Adha celebration that was on a few weeks ago. Deciding on not to bake any cookies or buy any at the stores, I was opting to make one simple dessert that can melt in your mouth within seconds. I was looking through some ideas from the net, and my eyes caught something that I like. Pudding Trifle. Hence, the decision was made on spot. Since it is very easy to do and requires little amount of time to prepare it, I quickly got the ingredients and made one for my family. It was a pleasure to see that the kids and adults enjoying the food and I am thinking now to make another one this week end! Do try!

Ingredients

First layer
1 loaf of swiss roll cake, any flavour

* cut into thin slices and arrange at the bottom of the serving dish

Second layer
2-3 cups of custard flour
1 can evaporated milk
2 table spoon sugar

* Combine all ingredients and heat in a pot until the custard turns thick ( if your custard is not thick enough, you may add more custard flour but make sure that you dissolve the flour with water first before putting it in the pot)

Third layer
1 packet of powdered crystal jelly, any colour and flavour

* Mix the ingredients as instructed in the packet with water and boil until dissolved

Forth layer
1 can of mixed fruit cocktails

Fifth layer
1 bottle of whipping cream

Top layer
Canned peaches
Some cherries

Methods
1. By following the layers as I put it above, do the step one by one.

2. Arrange the sliced swiss roll cake at the bottom of your serving dish.

3. Pour in the custard sauce on top of the cakes until all surface is covered.

4. Let the custard cool for a while before pouring in the crystal jelly that has been cooked.

5. Spread a can of mixed fruit cocktail over the jelly and let it cool in the fridge for a few hours.

6. Before serving, add the whipping cream on top and arrange some peaches and cherries as you prefer.

*serves 8-10 people

Tomato Rice

It is common in our family to eat tomato rice. Besides healthy, it is flavorful and light. We had tomato rice a couple of weeks ago taken together with dalca or vegetable and meat salad together with chicken kurma and cucumber salad. It is very easy to prepare and here is the one that I usually make for my family. Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 cups of rice, cleaned and tossed
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
2 star anise
5 cardamon pods
2 screwpine leaves (daun pandan)
6 fresh red tomatoes, finely chopped
1 grated carrot
1 can of evaporated milk
salt, to taste

Blended/Pounded/Chopped Items
4 garlic
2 inch ginger
2 big onions

Garnishing
Raisins
Grated carrots
Fried onions

Methods

1. In a pot, pour some oil until it is heating a bit. Put in cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, cloves, star anise and screwpine leaves. Mix for a few seconds before putting in the blended items. Mix well until all ingredients turn aromatic.

2. After that, put in the chopped tomatoes and carrot and cook until very tender.

3. After the tomatoes and carrots are dissolved, add in the rice. Stir well until all ingredients are coated well.

4. Add in the evaporated milk, salt and water until it is enough to cook the rice (you have to adjust the water according to your type of rice or cups)

5. Cook the rice until it is done.

6. When it is ready, serve in a serving plate with some raisins, fried onions and grated carrots.

*serves 4-6 people

Soda and Rose Syrup Punch

Whenever we have invited guests or having a feast or celebration, we would prepare this delicious soda punch to every one's delight. This punch will be on the table every Eid celebration and if it is not there, we would feel like our meals are not complete. Last Sunday was another feast that we had and as usual every one was waiting for this sweet and tangy drinks to savour. Do try!

Ingredients
3 cups of rose syrup
3 cups of orange juice concentrated
2 bottles of ice cream soda
Lots of ice

Methods

Mix all ingredients in a large punch bowl with lots of ice. You can adjust the taste and sweetness of the drinks according to your likings by adding more or less ingredients as stated above.

How to Make Chapati and Sardine Dip

I have been delaying my plan to make a home made chapati until today. The atta flour has been in the pantry for weeks now to my oblivion, stacking in between packets of pasta and coarse sugar and other bits and pieces of everything. Not until this morning that I feel the enthusiasm to make some hence what you see in the picture. Chapati is very healthy and it contains low calorie. Easy to make and prepare. If you need a filling and healthy breakfast, this would be it. Enjoy!

Chapati Ingredients
3 cups of Atta flour
2 table spoon margarine
a pinch of salt
water

Method

Mix all ingredients with some water until you can form a big dough. Make small rounded shape dough from the big one so you can easily roll the dough individually later. Let the dough rest for at least half an hour before you roll each small dough to a round shape. Cook in a flat non-stick pan until it cooks.

* can make 8 small chapatis

Sardine Dip Ingredients
2 cans of sardine in tomato sauce
2 garlic, crushed
2 big onions, chopped
1 cm galangal, chopped
2 lemon grass
1 potato, cubed
1 carrot, cubed
2 table spoon tamarind juice
1 tea spoon paprika
salt, to taste

Methods

1. In a hot pan, fry the onions until golden brown. Add the galangal and lemon grass. Stir well.

2. After a few seconds, add the potatoes and carrots. Add some water to soften the potatoes and carrots.

3. When the potatoes and carrots have become tender, add the sardine will all the sauce. Add some water, tamarind juice and salt.

4. Cook until the broth has turned quite thick.

5. Serve with the chapati while still hot.

Hari Raya Haji Dishes

Last Sunday was another day of celebration for the Muslims. It was Eid'l Adha celebration that is synonym with the Haj in the month of Zulhijjah in Islamic calender. In fact, Eid'l Adha is celebrated during wukuf in Arafah where millions of Muslims will surrender themselves in following the rituals that they need to perform during Haj. We had a great family gathering during this time. We had cooked varieties of food from the traditional ones like lemang and rendang to the more contemporary like the chocolate cake and pudding trifles. We also had glutinous rice with meat besamah (curry), nasi impit or pressed rice with peanut gravy and nyonya laksa. The food lasted until dinner and we had a fabulous time with laughs and laughter and the kindred spirit among family members.