Tomato Chicken (Ayam Tomato)

There are many ways to cook your chicken. And there are many versions of tomato chicken. Some people call it ayam masak merah and there again, there are many versions to that too. In my previous post, I have given a recipe of ayam masak merah, quite similar to this recipe that I am giving you with the exception of a few ingredients that makes it slightly different in taste and texture. This one is a dry version and is suitable taken with tomato rice or plain rice of your choice. Have a try!

Chicken Ingredient
1 chicken, cut into 12 parts, cleaned and marinade with some turmeric powder and salt

Pounded/Blended Ingredients (A)
3 garlic
1 big onion
2 inch ginger
4 tomatoes
2 table spoon chilli paste

Other ingredients (B)
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
6 cloves
2 table spoon tomato sauce

2 table spoon chilli sauce
1 table spoon honey
salt, to taste
oil

Methods
1. Fry the chicken until golden brown or fully cooked. When the chicken is cooked, put them in a plate for later use.

2. In another pan, put some oil and add in the pounded/blended items (A). Stir well until all ingredients turn aromatic.

2. When the oil begins to emerge from the ingredients, add in ingredients (B) and mix all ingredients together until it forms into a thicker paste.

4. When the mixture has gone 3/4 dry, add in the fried chicken and stir and mix all ingredients well for about a minute before serving.

*serves 4-6 people

Grilled Beef and Tamarind & Chilli Condiments

I have been wanting to grill some meat and dip it with delectable tamarind and chill condiments or air asam as the local call it but as time was passing by I am complacent about it still. Not until yesterday that I finally took out that beef from the fridge and decided that I would make the beef, finally to the delight of everyone. It might not too complicated to cut fine the beef and grill it but if you happen to have the wrong kind of beef parts, you might be in trouble as the beef might become hard. I suggest that you get the tenderloin for better results so that your eating experience will be a delight.

Ingredients
Beef
500m gm beef, finely cut
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 table spoon soy sauce
1 table spoon oil

1. Marinade the beef with the ingredients for about one hour, After an hour, you can grill the beef. If you do no have a grilling pan, then you can fry it in a non-stick pan.

Tamarind & Chilli Condiments (Air Asam)

1 big onion, sliced thinly
6 cili padi (bird's eye chilli), sliced thinly
1 fresh red chilli, sliced thinly
1 cup tamarind juice
2 table spoon kerisek
1 red tomato, chopped
1 lime juice
1 inch belacan (shrimp paste)
2 kaffir lime leaves, sliced finely
1 tea spoon sugar
salt, to taste

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and well in a bowl and serve with the beef. Make sure that the taste is tangy and hot with a little tiny bit of sweetness in it.

*serves 2-4 people

My Chicken Briyani Rice

We had a great barbeque cum birthday celebration recently and one of the main dishes was briyani rice. We thought of having fried rice or buttered rice for the occasion, but eventually I came with the idea to cook my version of fast, simple and quick briyani rice to come together with the chicken barbeque. So, with a big cooking pot, I had cooked about five kg of briyani rice as early as 11 am so as to avoid hassle in the last minute. What I hate is working at the very last minute as that will make you weary. A good, organised and proper planning is vital for an occasion like this and that will also give you ample of time to rest before the guests keep pouring in. I have simplified the recipe that can serve about 4-6 people. Here we go!

Ingredients
4 cups of basmathi rice, cleaned and drained
1 chicken, cut into 12 parts
2 big onions, chopped
4 garlic, chopped
1 1/2 inch ginger, sliced thinly
4 table spoon kurma curry powder
1 can evaporated milk
1 handful spring onions, chopped
1 handful coriander leaver, chopped
1 handful toasted cashew nuts
1 handful black raisins
3 pandan (screwpine) leaves
4 red tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cinnamon stick
5 cardamon pods
5 cloves
2 star anise
salt, to taste

Methods
1. In a pot, pour in some margarine and some oil. Let the oil heat a bit before putting in the cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, cloves and star anise. Stir well.

2. After about five seconds, add in the big onions, garlic and ginger. Stir until lightly brown.

3. Add in the kurma curry powder. Stir well until the oil starts to emerge from the mixture. At this point, you can add in the tomatoes, carrot and pandan (screwpine) leaves. Stir until the vegetable have soften a bit.

4. When all ingredients have mixed well, add in the chicken. Coat the chicken with the curry paste and cook for about two minutes. Add salt to taste.

4. Add in the evaporated milk and cook the chicken until half done. You can add a little bit of water at this stage to tenderise the chicken.

5. When the chicken is half done, add in the rice and add enough water to make it cook. If you put 4 cups of rice, then you have to add about 5 cups of water, and another cup would be from the milk that you had put earlier (and estimation of 1 can of milk) - this also depends on the type of rice you have. Some rice needs more water whereas some need less.

6. After that, let the rice cook in a medium heat until tender. When the rice is ready, you can add in the chopped spring onions and coriander leaves. Also the raisins and toasted cashew nuts. Leave some raisins and nuts for decoration.

7. Mix all the ingredients well before serving while still hot.

*serves 4-6 people

Sugi Sweet Dumplings

This is really a trial recipe that I was making. I saw a packet of sugi flour while getting my groceries the other day, and I have always been curious about this flour. I often wonder what type of dish that is suitable for this flour and how it would taste like. Well, I have tried sugi cookies before and I loved it, so I guess I wanted to experiment with it. It just so happen, a few days before I saw a woman chef made a sweet sugi dessert cooked with some sugar and milk, so I decided to give a try to this one. I did not recall clearly of how she did her sugi dessert, but mine was just the one that I invented myself! And it was not bad at all!

Ingredients
For the dumplings
6-8 table spoon sugi flour
1 can evaporated milk

4 table spoon coarse sugar

For the sauce
2 table spoon coffee @ Nescafe
1 table spoon sugar
hot water
* mix the coffee and sugar in hot water until the sugar is dissolved

Methods
1. In a pot, add in the sugar and milk. Stir until both ingredients are combined.

2. After that, add in the sugi flour and stir and mix well.

3. Turn on your stove and put the mixture over a low to medium heat and stir well. The flour will thicken quite fast and make sure that you adjust the heat accordingly.

4. When the mixture has thicken ( if it does not then you have to add in more sugi flour), turned off the stove and keep aside for cooling.

5. When the mixture has cooled, mold it into ball shapes one by one until finishes.

6. Serve with a coffee sauce that you have mixed with some sugar and water. Best if served chilled.

*serves 6-8 people

Steamed Orange and Chocolate Cake

I love orange and chocolate cake as I feel they go hand in hand together. Normally, people will bake their cake but there are also another way of making a cake, that is by steaming. I was rumbling through my dry pantry looking for tea-time snack, and I saw the leftover ingredients from the last cake I bake, and hence I decided it would be perfect to bake a cake. But, the last cake I baked did not turn out very well because the oven had turned out kaput, so I decided to try and steam the cake. And voila! It turned out perfectly well! Enjoy!

Ingredients
* pls note to use the same exact measurement for the cup to achieve a better result.

1 cup castor sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups of self-raising flour
4 grade A eggs
2 table spoon Van Houten chocolate powder
1 orange zest and juice
2-3 drops chocolate colouring
2-3 drops orange colouring

Methods
1. In a mixing bowl, put in the butter and sugar. Whip until the sugar has dissolved.

2. When the sugar has dissolved, add in the eggs one by one and whip until the mixture turns white and fluffy.

3. When the mixture turns white and fluffy, add in the flour and mix well by flipping the flour in the same direction but in a circular movement.

4. When it's done, separate the mixture into two parts.

5. In one bowl, add in the chocolate powder and the chocolate colouring and mix well.

6. In another bowl, add in the zest of one orange and the juice. Also add some orange colouring to make the colour stands out. Mix well.

7. In a 20 inch baking pan, spread the whole pan with some butter and add in the chocolate and orange mixture side by side until it finishes.

8. Meanwhile, get your steamer ready. When it's ready, put in the baking pan and steam in a medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the cake is done. You can see if it's done by pricking a a fork through the cake and if the fork comes out clean, then the cake is ready to be served.

9. Wait until the cake has cooled down before serving.

*serves 6-8 people

Steamed Chicken with Mushroom

Simple. Easy. Healthy. Three things to describe this dish. You can add in any kinds of vegetables to complement the dish. I have chosen a few selections of mushroom and some green vegetables to complete this main dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients
12 parts of chicken, marinade with salt and pepper
2 big onions, chopped
5 garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, thinly sliced
6 sprigs of chives, thinly sliced
6 sprigs of coriander leaves, thinly sliced
2 table spoon fish sauce
shitake mushrooms
oyster mushrooms
button mushrooms
small corns, as desired
green peas, as desired
3 kaffir leaves
3 lemon grass stalks, pounded lightly at the root side
1 egg plant, cubed
1/2 lime juice
salt
pepper

Methods
1. Put the chicken in the steamer and cook until half done or about half an hour.

2. When the chicken is half done, add in all the other ingredients stages by stages until you fill the whole pan.

3. Cook for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables have softened a bit and the chicken is done.

4. Serve in a serving dish.

*serves 6 people

Tuna Pasta

In our house, pasta is commonly served. My kids love to eat the soft, boiled pasta on their own, munching a bowl of plain ones while I am busy preparing the rest of the ingredients. Basically, pasta is healthy and there are many ways you can cook your pasta. I have made this tuna pasta a few times in the past, especially when we are having guests or celebrating some occasions. It's easy as you only need to mix all the fresh ingredients and the outcome is simply superb! Do try!

Ingredients
1 big onion, chopped
500 gm spiral pasta, boil with salt and oil until soft
4 cans of tuna chunks
1 large bowl or mayonnaise
1 cup of raisins
6 potatoes (cubed and boil until soft)
1 table spoon dried Italian herbs, or any herbs you have
1 lemon juice
salt
pepper

Methods

1. Boil the pasta until soft by following the instructions in the packet.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onions, boil the potatoes and get ready the rest.

3. When the pasta is ready, put them in a bowl. Wait until it cools down.

4. When the pasta has cooled down, add in the chopped onions, tuna chunks, raisins, boiled potatoes, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and mix all ingredients well. Lastly, squeeze in one lemon juice and mix well.

5. Put in the refrigerator to cool before serving.

*serves 6-8 people