HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2011

Tiramisu

Yeah, I'm back in hometown for this Chinese new year holiday... Thankful to my management for allowing us to off 3 days on the row, this is the chance for me to spend my quality time with my loved ones although the time is limited. 3 days seem to be so precious, too dear more than anything could buy with money or gold... Exactly, no place like home and nothing can compare to be surrounded by laughter and faces of loved ones. I had to buy few ingredients back in Kuala Lumpur, since in Jitra is limited in stock and shops surely closed due to Chinese new year gathering held on the eve. I travelled on bus for 7 hours with 'Mascarpone Cheese' in my bag and a very 'Big Heart' to prepare a sweet delight from Italy... Yeah, 'Tiramisu' an Italian trifle with coffee flavoured lady's fingers and Mascarpone mousse. Something new for them to try, anyway they prefer to have Tiramisu Cake because this traditional dessert taste more alike mousse or light pudding. No espresso here, so I used our local instant coffee 'Nescafe' not bad it still taste like coffee after all... Lady's fingers soaked with coffee and layered with Mascarpone mousse and shaved chocolate, when it comes to second layer I sieved chocolate powder to top the mousse.... and Waaalaaa.... Only that, the original Tiramisu is normally prepared by soaking lady's finger in espresso and coffee liquor or Kahlua and brandy. Anyway people, it still taste nice even though you are not feeling tipsy while eating non-alchohol Tiramisu :p

This is how I spend my limited quality time with my family, I don't want to waste any chance I have here. Food is the way of me showing my appreciation to the loved ones, I cook and bake with love and a lots of love. It was amazing, I heard my heart was singing a song 'I'm Coming Home' all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Jitra and it was a 7 hours journey on the bus...!!! A lovely song with good lyrics and I felt so into the song, and the song is meant something to me.... This song attribute to what we called 'Real Love' the love that always forgiving and I believed it will always be by your side no matter where it takes you and how it goes... This is the love I found at home, and every place we called 'Home'........ "Tell the world that I'm Coming Home Cause That Is Where My Heart Belong" ..... Happy Chinese New Year and may this year of Rabbit brings happiness and prosperity to everybody through out the world....

BUBUR KACANG HIJAU

Green Beans Sweet Porridge

Sweet... Delicious ... Healthy... that's how I described this wonderful dessert. Green Beans Sweet Porridge, this all time favorite dessert ... back in Manila, I learned how to cook Champorado ...Chocolate Rice Porridge, glutinous rice cooked in milk and chocolate powder... a good choice for breakfast. There is similarity in Asian's dishes, for example this Green Beans Porridge ...In Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam... Where in Bangkok, there are many varieties of sweet soup or sweet porridge which you can easily buy from the street. Ya, it is colorful, nice and cheap... my love for street food. All kind of sweet soups, Mung beans, Jackfruits, rice dumplings, yam and sweet corn. The sweet porridge and coconut milk are cooked separately, when ready to serve then only mix it together with thick coconut milk.
Our sweet porridge here usually cooked with coconut milk and add in sagu mata ikan (tapioca pearl drops), but mom prefer to cook with evaporated milk instead of coconut milk... less cholesterol and healthier. For me, I love the milky taste and it is non oily. Since everybody is still in holiday mood, which means food fiesta... Mom cooked one big pot of green beans sweet porridge, it's nice to have this dessert eaten with buns or add in durian for those who fancy richer and aromatic taste. Some love to have it cold or with ice cubes, and can even freeze it ... u can make traditional Malaysian ice cream, like those days... I used to make few flavors, green beans, sweet and sour asam boi, sarsi, soursoup, chocolate and lime. It was during my time in primary school, I brought those ice cream to school and sold for 50 cents each. Ermmm.... It was fun to work in the kitchen when you can make pocket money out of it especially for a 10 year old girl... But now, this traditional ice cream is less popular since there are more popular brand in the market. Anyway, it will be nice to have 'Aiskrim Malaysia' once awhile right...??

Sweet green beans porridge :

200 grams green beans

1 liter water

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 sugar

50 grams tapioca pearl drops

Screwpine leaf or pandanus leaf

• Boil green beans with water till soft.
• Add in sufficient water, pearl drops, pandanus leaf, sugar and milk.
• Bring to boil and ready to serve.

THIRST QUENCHER PART II

Healthy Juice

It's examination week for Donut, need plenty of rest to avoid stress and not to forget a balance diet to remain being healthy. She is quite busy with some revision on her studies and last minute briefing by the teachers. Compare to my time before, the test wasn't that difficult ...Now, the questions are much advanced and the level of understanding among students is at the point that can be proud of... Wow, the questions are incredibly difficult ...I wonder how hard she has been focusing on the studies, anyway I know that she is giving her best shot and I always be by her side to give full support no matter what.
The weather is quite hot, rained late in the evening but the temperature ain't cool. I can't avoid headache because of the heat, I need to get some cold drink to quench the thirst. "Let's make healthy fruit juice, we have a lots of fruits in the refrigerator right? Jojo can you please get mami some lime from the back yard darling?" ..............

Oriental sunrise :

Star fruit
Cucumber
Dragon fruit
Limes
Pineapple cordial
Sugar syrup

• Blend all ingredients together and add ice cubes
• Ready to serve
  

SWEET VERMICELLI

Ferni

Another new recipe which is very popular in the north of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ferni is very easy to prepare and the method is similar to preparation of Kheer from my earlier post. I have noticed that most desserts from this region are milk base ..... raisins and almond best to be served with this milk based desserts.
A Bee Hoon look like, thin and made of semolina flour is cook together with milk and sugar, cardamon powder for some spicy dash. Later on, add in butter or ghee and serve with roasted almond and raisins. It's looks like Bee Hoon Soup, but sweet and milky tasty...
This vermicelli can be bought in a shop selling imported goods from Pakistan, located in Jalan Masjid India in City One Plaza. This shop merchandising National brand, spices powder, Biryani mixes and a lot more....
I have noticed one thing.... Most recipes that originates from north India and Pakistan, uses cardamon powder even in the dessert. When I was younger, I used to go to a grocery shop owned by an Indian Muslim gentleman, known him as 'Uncle'. I used to smell a kind of aroma every time I entered the shop, but I didn't know what was that. Only now I can recognized the smell after cooking few of this regional dishes...It's cardamon....! Sweet, spicy and tangy....Ms Cardamon

SWEET RICE PORRIDGE

Kheer

I have learned some thing new today, a dessert. Kheer, a sweet rice porridge with a mix of milk, almond, pistachios and cardamons. For today instead of coking it traditionally, I am using an instant mix. It's a product of Pakistan, where you can buy it from special grocery shop selling imported goods. It is so easy to prepare, bring milk to boil and add in the mix. Simmer for 15 minutes and stir gradually to avoid burning at the bottom. Serve cold and good with roasted almond and dried fruits such as raisin and apricot. This dessert is very similar to Bubur Merah Putih in Malaysia, rice porridge cooked with coconut milk and red palm sugar. Same as Champorado, Philippines origin... glutinous rice porridge in chocolate flavor. For a modern twist, I think Kheer would be very nice to be served with fresh fruits... strawberry, kiwi and peach..... This attribute to monkey man...

Abbas....

MUM'S CHICKEN PIE

Chicken Pie

I love shepherd's pie, mutton and some yellow green vegetables .... Yay.... tempting aromatic Mediterranean cuisine.. I love the taste of mutton and lamb, the blend of smell from mutton and herbs is really mouth watering.. the meat even tastes sweet mixes with vegetables and onions...
It so much reminds me of some one from my past... still can remember the good moments, helping them out with the Christmas party... Carols and presents.... Those were the days... :p
I prefer to bake my pie with salty crust but ready made puff pastry is making my baking much easier. Today, instead of mutton I cook my pie's filling with chicken... Jojo is not a fan of mutton so this little man is making so much fusses with the smell of mutton. For my filling, I added in mushrooms, mixed vegetables and parsley for its beautiful fresh smell. And Bechamel's sauce makes my pie's filling perfect with buttery and milky taste.... Yay..!
Puff pastry ain't easy to prepare but you can always buy from local hypermarket and it costs about RM5 for 10 pieces and just nice to make 10 small pies. Its really helpful for working moms to bake very own pies at home... Mashed potatoes for topping, sure makes your tummy much filing... Or if you are cutting down the carbs... just cover the pie with another piece of puff pastry and don't forget to brush egg wash and sprinkle with oregano... Myself had 3 pieces and we saved 5 pieces for tomorrow's journey going back to Kuala Lumpur.... KL I'm coming back....!

FINGER FOOD

Shanghai Lumpia

Lumpia or Popiah as what we call it in Malaysia, it's a finger food and a type of savory delicacies. Also know as Spring Roll, thin rice paper rolled with feelings inside and fried till crisp. Not only savory filings but there are some spring roll version with sweet feelings, it's nice too but I like to have my Lumpia with Thai chili sauce, exquisitely delicious...! I got this recipe from one Filipino family, I learned few Philippines dishes from them too... well, their food is not much different from us here in Malaysia but there are few ingredients which are mainly used with a generous amount in their dishes... For example, a lot of vinegar and tomatoes, tamarind for they sour soup and cheese in some of the dishes... So normal Popiah here in Malaysia with vegetables filings, some added with little shrimps and deep fried. But I don't much crave for it unless if it is fresh popiah, MMMM...I love it... the method of preparing it is almost the same, but with out deep frying it and the ingredients are more to prepare. This Shanghai Lumpia is meaty inside, beef or chicken.. Some vege and WOW...! Don't forget Thai chili sauce...!

MOCHA ICE BLENDED

.

Mocharano

Today I am just too happy to make my self a glass of coffee ice blended... The day is fine, the weather is good and my mood is excellent. The day was hot and sunny but then the rain drizzled and the breeze is soft and cooling. Kidos are being very good babies and less fighting actions in the house, no yelling can be heard today ... It's a relaxing moments for me off course...!
And I am missing mom's nescafe that she used to make every morning and every day... That's her favorite drink and the rest of us can't escape for not drinking everyday with out fail... Mom said every body has to drink milk everyday but she mixes it with instant coffee, we don't really like it actually but it seems to be compulsory because she prepares nescafe for everyday breakfast.... I like tea and sometimes hot chocolate, Kidos love tea too and most of us drink hot chocolate but normally we have no choice but to take the same nescafe everyday. Well, it's nothing bad about nescafe but as you know, we always ask for some thing other than what we have right? For the more it's not an easy job to make some one's tummy happy... and today I really miss mom's breakfast drink... I can even smell the aroma of fresh made coffee, i wonder where that smell came from...? I am really missing her, Donut and Jojo has been calling her over the phone more frequent lately... We miss you, mom...!...I can even smell your coffee today...!
So I told my self..." I better get a good glass of coffee ice blended...!"...."With chocolate syrup...!".... I made coffee drinks with extra sugar and milk because later on I will add in ice and blend together. Before that I prepared chocolate syrup, melt some chocolate bar and whisk nicely with milk. Chocolate syrup will be at the bottom of the glass then poured in coffee ice blended and I topped it with fresh whipping cream sprinkled with chocolate chips...

THIRST QUNCHER

Pink Panther

Ingredients :
Plain yogurt
Strawberry concentrated powder
Ice cubes
Cut grapefruits or oranges

• Blend ice and strawberry powder
• Scoop yogurt into a serving glass
• Pour ice blended into the glass
• Top with cut citrus
  

Cooling and very refreshing for this summer, Donut and Jojo were really happy when I came out from the kitchen with my version of strawberry ice blended.... It's PINK PANTHER.... What a great relieving sensation... Pink Panther come to quench your thirst.....! I bought this ice blended powder back in Kuala Lumpur from a bakery ingredients supplier some where near by home. It is quite expensive for that small packet and actually we can substitute it with concentrated juice powder that can easily get from hypermarket which is much cheaper in comparison. Or instead of powder form, we can also use liquid concentrated drink base and add in sugar if it is required depends on the sweetness... Try yourself ....

BARLEY-O-CHERRY-O-JELLY-O

Sweet Cherry In Barley Cream

Temperature is getting hot here, no rain so far since the past one week. Even after cold shower it's easily to get sweaty again sitting inside the house. Well, this is normal circulation of the climate here, last month was really heavy in rain. Floods reported every where and even crops was having this some kind of mold infections, mom's lemon trees and eggplants were infected too... one of her favorite eggplants is R.I.P, could not be saved. I am sure she will be shocked with this tragic news of her 'deceased' eggplant! All right, enough of eggplant's story, makes me worry of mom's reaction when she is back here... I want to share about my Sweet Cherry Barley Cream now... I made this cherry and strawberry jelly with a mix of milk, it taste fruity and milky. It is served with Barley Cream, barley and coconut milk cook together so it has a mix of Malaysian delicacy. It's really good to be served cold especially during this summer.... I have this madness of fusion cooking, I just love mix and match dishes , some goes very well and some doesn't taste as good as it looks but it's normal, cooking is just like experimenting new things and testing your tastebuds sensitivity!

SUGARSPICE BREAD BUTTER PUDDING

Bread Butter Pudding

...What do we have here? Bread Butter Pudding, It's an old fashioned dessert and an ever green delicacy-must-have. You can have have it mix with any flavors..banana, raisin, blueberry, pineapple or apple... But me.. I just like it simple as an old fashioned Bread Butter Pudding. With special vanilla sauce... Wow... You just can't say NO for this perfect delicacy... With some garnishing of colorful fruits, a touch of nature always create an amazing appetite. So much of sweetness in the simplicity of a wonderful pudding! ...( Memang enaknya dimakan begitu saja ).... :-)

PEACHES N STRAWBERRIES

Fruits Tarlets

Sweet and sour tartlets for a hot sunny evening serve with a glass of lemonade or a cappucinno ice blended topped with cream...MMMM...what an irresistible fruity desserts with such colors and combinations...I love peaches and strawberries, HOW ABOUT YOU? Can always mix and match with any beautiful and colorful fruits... kiwi, orange, berries...etc...create a wonderful fruity delights.(....Tarlets sesuai untuk dihidangkan dalam apa saja majlis keraian...cukup menarik dan merupakan sumber vitamin C semulajadi yang terdapat di atas meja buffet tu... :p...)