Thursday

Fluffy Pancake

My kids simply love pancakes. Normally, the pancakes would not reach the table by the time I finish with the cooking. I was looking at some old pancake photographs from my computer when my niece saw some of them and she quickly requested me to make some pancakes for her. She is staying with us for two weeks during the school holiday which will end until the first week of January. So, as not to disappoint her, I agreed. So, I prepared this very easy and simple fluffy pancakes that I learned from a friend of mine and they turned out great! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups milk
4 Table spoon white vinegar
2 cup all-purpose flour
6 Table spoon white sugar
1 tea spoon baking powder
1/2 tea spoon baking soda
1/2 tea spoon salt
1 egg
4 Table spoon butter, melted

Methods
1. Mix milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

3. Whisk egg and butter into the milk and vinegar mixture. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.

4. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray or a thin layer of butter. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

*serves 6 small pancakes
If you want to make more pancakes, just double or triple the portion of the ingredients

Monday

A Happy Get Together!

It would be very seldom that me and my siblings and in laws would eat out together because normally we would either eat at home or have takeaways. But this time, I gave the suggestion that we all should spend some time to eat at a good hotel or restaurant as a big family and had a different ambiance to our dining experience. The idea started when I took my two kids to a breakfast buffet at Hotel Sri Malaysia in Taiping a week ago and I thought since my brother and his family were coming, we should try the buffet. But the idea to take them to the same hotel changed as my sister in law was worried if her kids would not be able to get up too early in the morning since it was a school holiday. So, we then decided to take lunch instead at a hotel by the lake called Flemington Hotel.

The food was superb! With the portion that they serve, it was equal with the price that they offer. The three decker sandwiches were served with some fries. The tuna sandwiches were light although I prefer more peppery taste to them, well after taking one small bite from my daughter who ordered them. I had a slightly sour spaghetti bolognaise but the taste was good as what I do at home. Fish and chips was served in a big portion with the crunchy outside layer. My mom and daughter had a tasty and creamy mushroom soup with a hint of minty flavour which was slightly different than what they normally have. The chicken pinatta was delicious with tomato based sauce and some pasta at the bottom. But the highlight was the special fried rice that came together with two satay sticks, chicken wings, crackers and fried egg with a side sambal belacan dip for that extra ommph that could fill your stomach the whole day! Top it up with some iced lychee that they served in a jar, I guess the bills were worth the food after all!

Next week, my sister would drop by and we have planned ahead to stay in a chalet and enjoy the food there. But that will be another story!

Mushroom, Carrot and Onion Tempura

My sister in law just got back from Cameron Highlands with some beautiful and fresh vegetables like mushrooms and carrots. She also got us lots of strawberries, green leafy vegetables like kailan, and some fresh cabbages. This morning, every one was having a light breakfast of bread and scramble eggs, therefore by eleven am everybody was hungry. I decided to fry some of the vegetables ala tempura style as finger food that we could take before having our lunch later on. So here it is... Enjoy!

Ingredients
5 medium size oyster mushroom, shredded in stripes
1 carrot, cut thinly
1 big onion, cut in rings
Oil, for frying

Batter
2-3 cups of wheat flour
1 egg
salt to taste
a pinch of pepper
a pinch of garam masala
a pinch of sodium bicarbonate
water, as desired

Methods
1. In a large bowl, mix the batter ingredients until you find a thick consistency that can coat the vegetables.

2. Dip each cut vegetable individually and deep fry until they turn golden brown.

3. Serve in a serving dish while still hot.

*serves 3-6 people

Saturday

Fish Soup ( Singgang Ikan)

There are times when you do not feel like eating anything hot or spicy much more food with high in fat and make you full to the brim. After having too much or curries and kurma, I decided to make fish soup that is simple for the whole family. My kids love sipping soups and although we do not make fish soup as often as chicken soup, this dish is simple, mild and soft for the stomach. Also suitable when you have a fever and could not take any solid food or anything spicy. So this meal will be perfect for that! Do try!

Ingredients
2-4 fishes, any type
1 inch ginger,
1 inch galangal
1 big onion
1 table spoon coriander herbs
3-6 asam gelugur
1 tea spoon coarse black pepper
1 table spoon budu
2-3 fresh red chillies/ bird's eye chillies
salt, to taste
water, as desired

Methods
1. In a pot, put in all the ingredients except the fish and brew them for about five to ten minutes. This is to let all the ingredients immerse together and to cook thoroughly before putting in the fish. As fishes take a short time to cook, it is better you make your broth first and put the fishes last.

2. When the broth is brewed thoroughly, add in the fishes and cook until another five to eight minutes or until the fishes are tender.

3. Serve in a serving plate with white plain rice.

*serves 2-4 people

Sunday

Chicken Stew

I love eating chicken stew with toasted bread. Even better if you have mashed potatoes cooked with minced chicken and onions and fresh salads as side dishes. Yummy! Chicken stew would be perfect to eat when you want to have something light but healthy and filling at the same time and not too heavy on the stomach. Do try this simple dish but yet very tasty indeed! Enjoy!



Ingredients
12 parts of chicken, cleaned thoroughly
4 garlic, finely chopped
2 big onions, finely chopped
2 table spoon black pepper, finely pounded
6 potatoes, cut quarterly
2 carrots, cut 1 inch thick
1 table spoon thyme or any dried herbs
some coriander leaves, cut into 1 cm long
some spring onions, cut into 1 cm long
2 table spoon flour, or as needed
1 small can green peas
salt, to taste
Oil

Methods
1. In a pot, pour in some oil. When the oil is heating up, throw in chopped onions and garlic. Fry until golden brown.

2. Put in the chicken and fry with the onions for a few seconds before putting in the flour. Mix all well.

3. Pour in some water just enough to cover the chicken. Cook for about fifteen minutes or until the chicken is half tender.

4. When the chicken is half tender, add in the potatoes, carrots and black pepper. Stir well. You may add some more water to cook the chicken, potatoes and carrots.

5. Waif for about 20 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients like dried thyme, coriander leaves, spring onions, salt and lastly green peas.

6. Make sure the gravy is a bit thick before serving in a serving plate or with your chosen side dishes. You may add more flour if required to thicken the stew.

* Serves 4-8 people

Oat Pancake

I was hovering around the pantry looking for something to prepare for tea as my stomach was rumbling. Initially I was thinking to fry some anchovies and onions dumplings but changed my mind when I saw a big packet of leftovers oat sitting in the pantry for quite some time now. I had some self-raising flour from the last cake I baked, therefore I thought making oat pancakes would be suitable for the rainy evening. I managed to make a few pancakes but most of them had been taken up by my kids before they even reach the plates! I drizzled some honey and raisins to enhance the taste of the soft pancakes. Do try!

Ingredients
3 cups of instant oats
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup fresh milk
4 table spoon sugar
juice from 1 orange

Garnishing
Honey
Raisins

Methods
1. Mix all ingredients into a loose batter and fry one by one in a frying pan until golden brown.

2. Arrange the pancakes in a serving plate and drizzle some honey and scatter some raisins before serving with your favourite hot tea.

*serves 2-4 people