SELAMAT HARI RAYA

2010 Raya Again In Memory

Everything feels so right when you are surrounded by loved ones ...Like nothing from outside the circle can disturb you, because you have everything that you want and love right before your eyes, isn't that wonderful? As for me, to be home with my Donut and Jojo tremendously enjoying ...I had a great time this Raya with a new comer in our family, It's Sahmi my nephew ...This sleepyhead guy is a bit moody ....Like father like son :p I wonder if this could be inherited, moody could be contagious too ...your stress might as well contribute to some one else's stress ...agree?? Well, I tell you ...the right way to reduce your stress level is by enjoying your meal ...ya 'There is no love sincerer than the love of food' -George Bernard Shaw ...An effective stress reliever , it worked on me when I was in college years back ...After class I bought loads of food, I enjoyed my studies while I have something in my mouth munching ...Especially chocolate, I just disagree when people claimed that chocolate is fattening ...If you have it in the right amount and at the right time shall not give any problem at all. So people, EAT SMART ... Food ... Just name it ...Everyone's favourite dishes were on the table, mom had prepared Nasi Briyani, Laksa, Nasi Impit, Soto and cakes ...How can I stop myself from eating? It was a non-stop eating marathon with everybody took their turns to eat ...That's what we called our love for food, does it means we live to eat??? Ermmm ... Partly the saying is right, I might say ...'SELAMAT HARI RAYA EVERYBODY from Jitra with love' ...Insyaallah we will meet Ramadhan again next year ....As for today, Alhamdulillah for this wonderful moment with love is all around

CELEBRATE RAYA WITH CHOCOLATE

Moist Chocolate Cake

It's Hari Raya again ...10th Sept 2010, I wonder why am I so excited to meet Hari Raya again after last year. But I guess this year is better than last year and few years back, and this year is so meaningful to me as I am being a free person ...Last 31th August was the 53rd anniversary of Malaysia's independence, it's my independence day as well... i am free again, can feel my feet back on the ground...!!!! YAY... It shows how excited am I this 2010 raya... as excited as I was 8 or 9 years old??!!! I haven't gone back to hometown since last May, really missing everybody ...spending 6 to 7 hours drive wasn't a problem to me, the happiness is in the air... I can't wait to be home again...
Cakes and cookies will always be a popular demand during Raya celebrations, we used to bake using an old fashioned oven which uses gas and I can assure you it was not an easy task ...i had the chance to see how my mom used the 14 inch tv sized oven ....It took hours to baked only few jars of cookies ...Can we imagine how patience our moms were??? Compare to us now???!!! I wonder.... :p Anyway ...It was Shara who baked cakes and mom was in charged in baking cookies with the assistance of Mr Jojo and Ms Donut. I baked back in Kuala Lumpur and I have made some side income with cookies business besides working everyday ...but very unfortunately all cookies were sold out and nothing left for me ...But it's OK, because i missed mom's ...YEAH....
Shara made Moist Chocolate Cake, our all time favourite ...Fluffy moist chocolaty cake with semi sweet chocolate fudge. Back in KL, this type of chocolate cake is sold RM55 per kilo ...It ain't cheap especially home made, even what we can get from the bakery shop priced around RM50-RM60 per kilo ....nowadays people don't mind paying as long as it is worth buying ...Quality over quantity....Some like fudge but some like ganache as the topping, I like both because they are both chocolate and it is just irresistible right? Fudge is more suitable for decoration purpose but ganache look so delicious, chocolate sauce on cake is just so tempting ....YUMMYY
Selamat Hari Raya for all Muslim around the world and a very happy holiday everybody ....May we enjoy the joy of sharing and forgiving .... from Jitra with love and lots of love

Chocolate Ganache :

1000 ml cream
750 grams dark chocolate compound
750 grams milk chocolate compound
200 grams glucose

SPANISH LIKED DISH

Caldareta

I have been keeping this photo for quite sometimes but haven't written anything about it in my blog, hoping that I will have a nice relaxing time for me to unwind with my writing while listening to an 80's number, it's 'I NEVER LET YOU GO'. Nice, just what I need ...At last, after so long... I finally have the time this weekend. Yea... why not? since I don't really have to cook because it's been done by mom... even Donut and Jojo are busy with their studies and computer games... I am really enjoying my weekend back in hometown with everybody around, mom and abah, all brothers and sisters, kidos... FOOD... ALOT... FOOD
The photo was taken about 2 months ago but I still can remember how good and tasty it was... Ya, it's Caldareta... Tender beef with capsicum, carrot and potato. A more tomato version of Daging Masak Kicap (Beef in Dark Soya Sauce). Some may add in shredded cheese and liver spread, but for this attempt it just a simple Caldareta ...
Don't forget Calamansi ya... it's essential ingredient in Philippines dish, or you may substitute it with lemon too. Instead of using tomato sauce it's preferable to use tomato puree for it's richer taste. And vegetable should be fried for a while just to preserve the sweetness in the vegetable, instead of cooking with water and lost the crispiness and taste. Slice some onions into rings and saute, make sure that the beef is tender after bring to boil in the sauce.. Remove beef from sauce and saute on frying pan till slightly dry, add in the remaining sauce and vegetable... Enjoy with rice or plain loaf and it is more to enjoy...
MMMMmmm... I just enjoy eating and I enjoy watching people eating... HAPPY WEEKEND FOOD LOVERS...

p/s Saute chopped garlic and onion before add in beef, soya sauce, tomato puree and calamansi.

SO SIMPLE...

Tinola...

Errmmm... Just feeling like having chicken soup, today i craved for Chicken Tinola... But no young papaya for cooking. It's one of the ingredients, but unfortunately I couldn't get it any where in the market this morning. So, it just only Green Mustard... It's Tinola With Out Young Papaya... Correctly named... Anyway it taste the same...
I have some stock of chicken in the refrigerator, some ginger, onion and garlic. Chili and black pepper, that's all. A simple and delicious meal for the day.... I have plenty of time for housework and some reading as well. For the past few weeks, I left it the car planned to read it when ever there is time but still it is just left there. I guess it just another day of my LAZY DAYS... It's ok, I had a very good lunch today with a complete meal of vege and chicken.
I still have this craves for Philippines food even after so long I didn't get this kind of nice traditional taste since years ago... Well, aha ... Good attempt this time...
By the way it's much better if cooked with young papaya, just splendid... indeed...

Ingredients :
Chicken
Ginger
Garlic
Onion
Red Chili
Black pepper
Green Mustard
Oil
Water
Salt and sugar

• Heat oil and saute onion, garlic and ginger.
• Add in chicken, chili and black pepper and simmer.
• Add in water and seasoning.
• Add in green mustard and ready to serve.
  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAK MOK !

It's Sera's birthday

18 th June... It's sera's birthday, I have not gotten any present for her. Since I started working in Bijoux, my life is only either home or kitchen. I don't even have the time to update my blog..!!! That explained .... No time for leisure nor for Sera, and she is getting mad when every time I had to turn down on our dates... I know... She is just missing me... Ya... That's it... Anyway, our every year tradition... I will bake a birthday cake, and this is it... a butter chocolate cake with chocolate frosting comes together with 4 cupcakes sprinkled with silver balls.

Bitter sweet chocolate frosting good with chocolate cake, I prefer butter chocolate cake compare to sponge cake. It gives richer and more chocolaty taste, and the butter smells so wonderful and you just can't resist it... YUMMMY.... It's so easy just mix butter, icing sugar and coco powder...

Sera loves classic but simple... It just white frosting piped on the coated cake, classic design with leaves... A simple black and white token of our friendship over 20 years... BLACK N WHITE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP... I love you babe... Happy Birthday Sweet Heart...

MY CRAVE FOR NASI BIRYANI

Acar

Beef Curry

Nasi Biryani with Beef Curry and Acar for Friday's lunch

I haven't been cooking for the past 1 week, since we were too busy with catering jobs. I spent most of the time at Sera's, and everyday with out fail... Masak Lemak Cili Padi is compulsory. So my diet at Sera's can say was too much...!! I had gained weight 1 kg in 1 week....!! Coconut milk isn't just to add flavor but also to add fat...!! But I tried to control my eating anyway, not too much like before. I was really in love with my eating habit, I eat 5 times a day with a large portion for every meal. Be living with cooks, you tend to eat more than you should... Believe me.. I have experienced it...! Everyday is a lovely day, when the food is so good and at the end of the day, you will be heavier than normal with out you realizing it.... :)
So, enough of Masak Lemak Cili Padi because now I am craving for something which is rich with herbs and spices. Curry and Nasi Biryani...! That would be perfect for my Friday this week, Since last two days I went to a Pakistani's restaurant and had a mutton curry. The curry taste a bit different than curries that we can get in mamak's restaurant. It was so delicious, for that I have changed a few ingredients in my cooking to suits my eating mood today... And WALLLAAA....!!
The taste isn't bad at all... I like to go for some changes once a while... It challenges your taste buds!
Not forgetting, I made Acar which is based on Pakistani's recipe... Our Malay Acar is sweet and sour with a tropical touch of pineapple but my menu today uses a lot of spices. My acar is a mix of vegetables and black pepper.... Everything is just about spices...!!
YAY...!! Spices make you HOT...!!! Inside and Outside...!!!

Beef And potato Curry

Ingredients :
300 grams of sliced beef
2 medium potato (cubed)
2 onions
3 garlic
Ginger and green chillies
Spices and chili powder
Salt
Water
Cooking oil

• Heat oil and saute onion with salt
• Blend garlic and ginger
• Add in blended ingredients
• Add in spices and chili powder
• Add in beef and water
• Add in potato
  
• Simmer till tender
• Add in green chili and ready to serve