Eggless Steamed Chocolate Cake

I have been looking for a simple eggless cake from the internet and I came across a simple one that caught my eyes. The original recipe is just a plain simple vanilla cake, but I have added some chocolates and made some adjustments to my liking. To  my surprise, the cake turned out very well and the taste was outstanding. Do try!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder 

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt 

1 cup melted sugar

1 can evaporated milk + 2 tablespoons Vinegar (Mix well and leave for about 15 mins)

2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract 

1/2 cup Melted Butter

1 cup cocoa powder

250gm cooking chocolate, double boil

Methods

1. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the the wet ingredients one by one. Stir the mixture together using a whisk. Some lumps is okay.
4. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and tap the pan to even it out and break the air bubbles if any.
5. Steam it for an hour or until cooked in a medium heat.
6. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and remove the cake after 15-20 minutes. Place the cake on the rack for it to cool down completely before slicing it.
7. You can make some chocolate toppings by mixing some cooking chocolate, sugar, butter and some flour until thickens.
8. Decorate the cake as you desired. 

Chicken and Vegetable Stew

I got ourselves some nice corns, therefore the idea to make some vegetable stew came to mind. Whenever I am out of ideas or feel like eating something light, I would make some stew. It does not matter whether it is chicken or meat stew, the taste would remind me of my childhood and hence, this delicious dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 chicken, cut into small parts
3 garlic, chopped
2 big onions, sliced thinly
1 inch ginger, sliced thinly
1 carrot, cubed
1 corn, cut into small portions ( blanch or boil them first)
3 potatoes, cubed
button mushrooms, as desired
3 Table spoon black pepper sauce
2 Table spoon sweet soy sauce
1 Table spoon oyster sauce
lots of black and white pepper
2-3 flour, for thickening
some margarine
salt, to taste
water, as needed

Methods
1. In a heated pot, add in the margarine. When the margarine melts, put in sliced onions, ginger and garlic. Fry until golden brown.

2. Add in the flour and some water. Stir well until the mixture thickens then add more water. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Then, add in the chicken parts and stir well for a few seconds before adding in enough water to cover the whole chicken. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

4. When the chicken is tender, put in the black pepper sauce, sweet soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir well.

5. Add in the vegetables one by one with corn the last.

6. When the vegetables are half tender, add in salt and lots of black and white pepper to taste.

7. Cook until the broth thickens and all the ingredients well cooked.

8. Best served with bread or rice.

*serves 4-6 people

Grilled Fish - Simple Recipe

When you have a very limited time to prepare your food, this would be ideal. You do not need much ingredients and all can be marinaded before time or in fact a day's ahead. Even though it is very simple to do, you would not want to compromise on its taste. Thus, make sure that all all well marinaded and you will not get disappointed. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 fish, any type but I used Selar

6 fresh chillies, pounded

3 garlic, pounded

1 big onion, pounded

3 table spoon thick tamarind juice

salt, to taste

Methods

1. Marinade the fish with all ingredients for a few hours or overnight.

2. Wrap each fish with aluminium foil and grill in medium heat until cooked.

3. Best served with rice and some soy dip.

*serves 3-4 people

Pompret with Soy Sauce

This is one of my favourite dishes that reminds me of my childhood. My mom use to make this dish when I was young that it has become one of the most sought after dishes even when I grow up. Every time I sample this dish, I would be brought back to the 'yesteryears' where life was simple and glee. Do try this simple dish but very delectable especially if you connects it with your childhood years. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 pompret, washed and marinade with salt and turmeric
2 table spoon chilly paste
3 garlic, blend
2 big onions, blend
1 cm ginger, blend
1 table spoon sugar
salty soy sauce, as desired
sweet soy sauce, as desired
salt, if needed

Methods
1. Fry the pompret and put aside.

2. In a pan, fry the blended items until aromatic. Then put in the chilly paste. Stir well.

3. Let them simmer, before adding sugar, salt, soy sauce and some water, if needed.

4. Let it cook for a few minutes before putting in the fried pompret.

5. Serve with hot piping rice.

*serves 2-4 people

Turmeric Chicken

Every time we go to any Thai restaurant, I would order this for my children. Sometimes, it is better if you can make them yourself, which could save you some penny. Besides, you can control the oiliness which is frequent in any Thai restaurant. So here it goes...

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 table spoon turmeric
3 garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
1 big onion, sliced thinly
1 carrot, sliced thinly
6 long beans, sliced 1cm thick
salt
pepper, as desired
oil, for frying

Methods
1. Fry the garlic, ginger and onions until golden brown.

2. Add in the chicken and fry until tender. Do not add water. Stir well.

3. When the chicken is tender, add turmeric, carrots and long beans and stir again.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

5. Serve with plain rice while still hot.

*serves 4-6 people

Savoury Oats with Spices

Too many generalizations have been made about oats. They are simply bland. But, creativity can change all that. I have discovered one interesting way to cook oat that can add flavour to it. And I have made it into a delicious Asian flavour that every one can enjoy. Add some spices, and what you get is a sumptuous meal! Have a try!

Ingredients
5 cups of quick cooking oats
water, as desired
1 table spoon garam masala
1 table spoon paprika
1 table spoon cumin powder
1 table spoon coriander powder
zuchinni, cubed
carrots, cubed
salt, to taste
1 big onion, chopped
3 garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
1/2 chicken breast, minced

Methods
1. Fry garlic, onion and ginger in a pot. Add in minced chicken and stir fry.

2. When the chicken is tender, add in garam masala, paprika, cumin and coriander powder and cook for another minute.

3. Add in the zuchinni and carrots. Stir well for a minute.

4. When the vegetables are tender, pour in the oats and add water to it to make a thick broth.

5. Add salt and cook well until all ingredients are soft.

6. Best taken warm.

*serves 2-3 people

Banana Milk Shake

The tropical climate in this country allows abundant of bananas to grow. Some even plant banana trees at their home compound because they are easy to grow. As for us, we normally get our banana supplies at the local grocery stores. Sometimes you can get them at hypermarket like Tesco. My kids love ripe bananas so much that often they finish in seconds. This time, I have saved a few bananas so that I can make delicious banana milk shake for everyone to drink. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas

500 liter fresh milk

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 Tablesppon sugar

1 cup water

Lots of ice

Methods

Blend the whole ingredients in a blender and shake well before serving. You can do this in a blink of an eye!

*serves 4 people

Fettucine Carbonara

Since my blog is mainly about Malaysian food, I seldom put western cooking and share them with you. Upon request from a friend, I decided to put this recipe here as well. Definitely not Malaysian, but it is a delightful and tasty food to eat. Do try!

Ingredients
1 packet of fettucine, boil until soft (follow the instruction from the packet)
500 gm minced chicken or 2 large chicken breast (diced)
4 garlic, chopped
2 big onions, chopped
500 liter heavy cream or 2 cans of mushroom soup
green and red pepper/capsicum, diced
1 can of button mushroom, cut quarterly
2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
grated parmesan cheese, as desired

Methods
1. In a hot skillet, pour in some oil. When the oil is hot, fry the onion and garlic until they turn aromatic.

2. Add in the minced chicken or the diced chicken breast. Mix well.

3. When the chicken is tender, add in the heavy cream or the mushroom soup. Stir well.

4. After a few seconds, add in the fettucine. Let it cook for about a minute before adding in the pepper/capsicum and button mushroom. Stir for about another minute.

5. After that, sprinkle the dried oregano and basil. Also add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Lastly, put in the grated cheese and mix well before serving.

*You can substitute the chicken with other sea food as well.
*If the cream is not moist enough, you may add in extra milk

*serves 6-8 people

Stir Fry Prawns with Beans

During the old times, like the post-world war eras, the Malays had very little ingredients in their pantry, hence the vegetables would be cooked with only local ingredients that could be found easily like coconut milk or simply water. Thus, most of the Malays' way of cooking vegetables at that time would be with coconut milk or water. Even though this style of cooking is still practiced until now, as time progresses, we have incorporated into our kitchen other methods as well, like the stir fry which is very much influenced by the Chinese. So, today I would like to share with you this simple stir fry technique which is not complicated at all that most of us have in our homes now. Enjoy!

Ingredients

500 gm fresh prawns, cleaned and marinade with turmeric powder and salt

2 handful green beans, sliced thinly

3 garlic, finely chopped

1 big onion, sliced thinly

2 inches ginger, thinly sliced

2 fresh red chillies, cut as you wish

pepper

salt, to taste

oil, for frying 

Methods

1. In a frying pan, pour some oil. When the oil is hot, put in the big onion, ginger and garlic. Stir well.

2. When the mixture has caramelized, add in the fresh prawns. Stir for a minute before adding in the beans, salt and pepper up to taste.

3. Cook for about another minute before serving. 

*Do not overcook the prawns and beans.

*serves 4-6 people

Iced Lemon Tea with Mint and Honey

Heaven! This is the best way to describe this drink. If the weather gets too hot and sticky, taking a few gulps of iced lemon tea is simply refreshing. Top it up with some mint and honey, what you get is an excellent cocktail to quench your thirst. It just so happen that I got all the ingredients in my fridge and with no time I prepared this wonderful cold drinks in the evening. You can do this in no time. Easy and fast. The whole family will enjoy this one. Do try!

Ingredients
2- 3 lemon, cut into half and squeeze the juice
2 tea bags, cover with hot water in a jug or teapot
4 - 6 Table spoon honey
1 handful of fresh mint
lots of ice
sugar, as desired

Methods
1. Pour the tea into your favourite jug. Add in sugar, honey, fresh mint, ice and mix well.

2. Serve cold in a hot weather. Easy!

*serves 3-6 people