SILVERSPOON

A fun chapter in A big book....

Mr. Pizza Maker, his 10 years expertise in the industry makes Silverspoon's pizza one of the famous pizza in town... the crispiness of the crust and the perfect blend of sauce and toppings left a sweet memory for those who has tasted the pizza. They surely come back for more, not forgetting... the wonderful and sweet Banana Pizza, a unique dessert specially signature.


Kak Timah our bartender... She is the person behind the bar.. She has been there since the business had been operated for the past 2 years. What can I say here, it was fun to work with her... she talks as much as she works, Silverspoon shall be very quiet with out her around.


This is Paul, by now he is in US working and studying there... Very lucky for him, after 4 years living here in Malaysia at last he granted the chance to join his family in the state. A good friend of mine we had a great time working together... I'm missing you, Paul...!!!


Kelvin, our restaurant manager and Dayday.. my eldest son long lost and air flown from Myanmar... meet at work daddy and son working hand in hand on the floor, I love these 2 guys. I had a very good time working with them, Dayday such a good and hardworking boy... a person who has so much energy and willingness in heart, he works with honesty and dignity... A talented person I may say. And Kelvin, I really love when he starts talking and all the words come out so strong but strangely sound kind of sweet, so convincing and he is such a sweet guy..!!


It's Andy and the gang, such a good team... floor staff and kitchen crews as well... I believed they have done a tremendous job on that day. It was a wonderful birthday celebration with a lots of food and drinks... Everybody was happy, especially the staff... after a hard job, mission accomplished with a great kind of relief we celebrated our success with a toss... Good job Silverspoon!!!! It has been quite sometimes since everybody and seniors were around,even for me meant to say good bye but all the memories remain. It was such a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to make a footstep in Silverspoon and not forgotten our ex- general manager Mr. KC Lim...
Well, what I had experienced with all ups and downs taught me a lot to be more mature in Food and Beverage industry. Again here, no matter how passionate I am in my job... there are matters that is beyond my control, with food which you can always mix and match and you may garnish it as you like but when it comes to people and behavior, you just have to be wiser than ever. Others can point at you with fault and not every time you can always stand for your right, for what matters to me... I believed, understanding the situation may lead to a better solution.

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....

ANOTHER NITE MARE!

My Nightmare Before Christmas

Last Christmas, I made a cake for 32 Bistro & Bar... This is my 'Nightmare Before Christmas' and actually it is a witch's hat...!!! I wonder why it has to be a nightmare for such celebration??? It supposed to be... HO...HO...HO... MERRY XMAS...!!! with colorful red, green and gold... Ermmm, I guess it's how they want to celebrate the eve, having nightmares after party... hehehehe... drinking too much is bad for health and beware of nightmares too... It's butter cake and I covered the cake with rolled fondant, I made pumpkins and grave stones using pastillage and chocolate frosting for the affects of grass.... It took me 5 hours to complete everything, including the baking of the cakes... But it is just so fun playing with colorful fondants and I just love to work from home... HOME SWEET HOME ....

LAKSA EMAK

Laksa Utara Mom's Style

I have captured this photo almost 3 weeks ago but I was too busy to write this lately. Ya, it was during last Aidil Adha... Mom cooked Laksa for us, and we ate it for 3 days with additional some other food and dishes off course. Because all of us are MONSTERS... we eat everything and a lots plus 'MUST BE TASTY' .... By the way... mom, abah and kiddos left to Jitra again 2 days ago. Kuala Lumpur seems to be a lonely place once again, I don't know... When everybody is around, the house is filled with love. But I am still lucky to have love all around me, love waiting for me and love kept longing in my heart.... In short, love is all around no matter where you are. Like right here in Malaysia... no matter where you go, you can always find Laksa anywhere.
There are many kinds of Laksa, for as I know... Laksa Sarawak, Laksa Johor and Laksa Utara or Laksa Penang. It was named by the state originated, Laksa Utara or Laksa Penang came from northern itself. Rice noodle serve with sour soup made of fish, normally Mackeral or Tuna is used for the soup. The fish was bring to boil earlier and pounded or blended, then the bones are separated from the meat. With sufficient water and other blended ingredients added into the fish, soup shouldn't be too thick or too dilute ... It is well served with hard boiled egg, shredded cucumber, lettuce, onion and pineapple, lime wedge and not to forget chili and shrimp paste or 'Sambal Belacan'... that's KICKING for sure....

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.

NASI BERIYANI EMAK

Nasi Beriyani Aidil Adha

Every holiday is just like Food Fiesta for us at home... Everybody is around everything that we want is on the table... Just name any each of us favorites... Mom shall fulfill everybody's demand and she shall cook all kind of dishes. Nasi Beriyani is one of our favorites, as usual she will cook extra for us to pack and bring back home to Kuala Lumpur. She will pack the rice complete with the side dishes for each of us, she always thought that we might be missing this good Nasi Beriyani but actually it is not about that Nasi Beriyani alone, we are missing her in person. It is great to spend time with mom and dad, and I am glad to have time for another family gathering. Seeing all these beautiful faces making me feel like the time has stopped ever since everybody is right here before my eyes. Ya... that is how I feel when I am with my loved ones, the time just stopped there...
How do we enjoy our holiday??? Ya, eat and eat and eat.... We love to eat...!!! Nasi Beriyani is a rice dish cooked with ghee, herbs and spices. It aromatic, fragrant and very tasty. Normally serve with few main dishes such as beef, chicken and vegetables. Mom, as usual will cook Beef Rendang, Ayam Masak Merah and Vegetable Dhall Curry. This rice dish is just perfect for any kind of celebrations and wedding reception, it's all time favorite I may say....

Nasi Beriyani :

2 cup Basmati
4 cup water
2 tablespoon ghee
1 onion
3 garlic
1 inch ginger
1 small size carrot
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon anise powder
Bay leaf
Cinnamon
Cardamon
Salt

• Blend onion, garlic and ginger.
• Heat ghee add in blended ingredients and other spices.
• Shred carrot add in.
• Wash rice and add in water.
• Add in salt and cook well in rice cooker.
  
• Add in rice and sauted ingredients together and cook well in rice cooker.
  

LONTONG EMAK

Nasi Impit and Kuah Lodeh

Special day with special dish, this is my favorite ...lontong or Nasi Impit with Kual Lodeh. Nasi Impit is rice cooked compressed in heat proof small sized plastic pillows, which can be bought easily in supermarket nowadays. Plastic pillows filled with rice cook in boiling water till the pillows become hard filled with cooked compressed rice. Let it cool and cut into cubes ready to serve with gravy and other dish.

During old days, Nasi Impit was cooked traditionally and it was complicated... believe me... Rice was cooked with excess water to make it softer. The cook rice will be placed in a box specially made by wooden planks, place the wooden cover and weigh with traditional pounder made by stone which is heavy enough to compress the rice. When the rice is cooled and hard enough, cut into cubes to serve. It's not easy right? But now practically convenient and time saving ... This is how it got the name 'Impit' ...means pressed, the cooked rice was 'Impit' .... Thanks to food technology research and development. This is why we have to appreciate those people before us, for their knowledge and their effort.. It's because of them for who we are now... Appreciate the history for the benefit of our technology .... This is how Japanese educate their young generations to produce more history lovers and advanced in technology development.

This is how I see them during my stay in Tokyo few years back. In the city itself buildings standing tall and hi-tech but they themselves standing proud with their pride and culture, there is the beauty of history through the years.

But you don't know how much I missed this Nasi Impit and Kuah Lodeh when I was in Tokyo, It was during Aidil Adha and I was so much craving for it....
Kuah Lodeh is a dish made from coconut milk with vegetables and beancurds. Cabbage, carrot and long beans shredded, beancurd and tempe cut into small pieces and deep fried. Mix those ingredients into the yellow coconut gravy. Served well with peanut sauce, a bit spicy but just nice with milky coconut gravy. Lovely !

Masak Lodeh :

Cabbage

Long beans

Carrots

Beancurds

Tempe (fermented soya beans cake)

250 grams Coconut milk

Turmeric powder

2 Chilies

2 onions

5 garlics

Tamarind peel

Sugar and salt

• Blend chili, onion and garlic.
• Coconut milk, turmeric powder and water bring to boil.
• Add in blended ingredients.
• Add in tamarind peel, salt and sugar to taste.
• Add in shredded vegetables and deep fried beancurds and tempe.
• Ready to serve.

HAPPY HOLIDAY

American Chocolate Cake

Still on holiday, everybody is here except for two of my brothers back in Kuala Lumpur working. Ya, when I woke up it's a beautiful morning and surely it's a beautiful day... I woke up with a sleepy smiley face being surrounded with beautiful smiles. Shara serenade me with a beautiful song 'Run to you' and keep on repeating the same song over and over again. I was caught between the lyrics, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.... a song by Lady Antebellum. It's true when the time passing by, what we see around is the world turned changing, sometimes life gets harder, people going crazy and problems getting ugly... so what you need is a someone to rely on, I can't be alone, you can't be alone too, nobody can be alone...!!!

Ya, everybody needs somebody to run to ... that's how we play by the rules here, it's written there... So, that tells why I run ... we run and you run too... YEAH ...for now I have all these beautiful faces right before my eyes... the loves of my life... even the world out there is going crazy ... I am still glad that I have another day to be embraced by hugs and kisses.

For this wonderful holiday and for the love of chocolates, I made this delicious American Chocolate Cake. Moist chocolate cake layered with smooth chocolate spread, the chocolate spread was prepared earlier. It was cooked with a double boiler and let cooled for half an hour till the sauce become a little thick and poured cover around the whole cake. Sprinkle some thousands on the cake and it is just beautiful for a beautiful day... May everybody around the world have a beautiful day as well, loving is believing ...

Chocolate spread :

100 grams chocolate compound

100 ml milk

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon butter

ORANGE BUTTER CAKE

How to make orange butter cake ....

Ingredients preparation ahead from baking process or 'mise en place'. All ingredients weighted in the right amount and set aside. Sieve flour, baking powder and milk powder. Leavening agent or any kind of ingredients in powder form need to be sieved in order to get a smooth texture of flour and powder.

Place butter and castor sugar in mixing bowl and cream mixture with K beater in a medium speed for about 10 mins. The mixture will turn out white in color due to the mixing of milk and fat comes from butter.

Separate egg yolk from white and set aside separately, use hand gently to hold egg yolk and place in other bowl. Use another mixing bowl for egg white and during separation process avoid water, egg yolk or any alien ingredients from the mixture. Egg white meringue might not be fluffy and airy if mixed with other liquid. Mixing bowl need to be wiped clean before use.


Butter and sugar mixture turn a little pale in color, so add in egg yolk little at a time. This is to avoid cream and yolk to curdle and yolk will be separated from cream if not mixed properly. After a little mix of egg yolk let it beat for awhile till the mixture is well mixed then only continue pouring little more of egg yolk.

In another mixing bowl, place egg white and beat with whisker till fluffy and medium stiff . Beat with medium high speed till meringue become airy.


Add in cream mixture in egg white meringue a little at a time and let it well mixed.

Next, add in sieved flour and mix well too. In baking process, dry ingredients will be mixed with creamed ingredients before adding in liquid, procedure has to be in the proper steps to avoid mixture to curdle.

Add in squeezed orange juice, the taste will differ in the using of additive flavor such as emulco and essence. Natural flavor is more tasty and smells better.

Zest orange peel, avoid the white meat of the orange peel. It's bitter, zest the outer part which is orange in color only. Mix in orange zest into the batter slowly fold with spatula and don't over beat the batter.


Cut parchment paper in appropriate size to the mould of the baking tin. Place parchment paper at the bottom of the tin.

Weight the cake mixture in a good amount for each tin, divide into same quantity for each of the tins. Scoop mixture with spatula into the tins not more than 3 quarter metric of the tin to avoid mixture from over spill.

For loaf size butter cake, bake in 180 C for 30 mins and rotate the tins after 1st half to allow cake to bake evenly. Cake will turn less soggy after 1st half of baking, rotate the tins and bake till cake is well cooked. Use metal tester or wooden stick to check, no more batter or uncooked mixture sticked to the tester indicates that the cake is done.

Orange Butter Cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 orange
• 3 eggs

Enjoying my Aidil Adha celebration with family back in Jitra, well my mom ordered for orange butter cakes. Ya... I I BOSS ...I love butter cake... we love butter cake ...mmmm... mmmm... who doesn't ????

So, I believed sharing is the way of describing the significant of Aidil Adha.. Today, I am happy to share the recipe and method of baking this tasty Orange Butter Cake ... To those pilgrimages in Mekah, May be granted with a 'mabruh hajj' and safe journey ... Happy holiday everybody and Good Luck...!!!

BALIK KAMPUNG TREAT

Sour Curry Fish

I am in Jitra for now, seems like I have left Kuala Lumpur yesterday with a full sack of sweet, sour and bitter taste of life from an extraordinary story ....the beautiful things is I am just an ordinary human being. Can you see how great the life is...??? WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD... OH YEAH... And another great thing is, I left Kuala Lumpur for the crave of mom's cooking... That's what I am looking forward.... 6 1/2 hours journey isn't a problem to me when it comes to mom's food. The first thing I will do after hopping off the car, run into the kitchen and start stuffing my mouth with mom's cooking... BELIEVE IT OR NOT...!
Ya... the 6 and 1/2 hours journey on the bus, really testing my patience and also made me thinking deeply into certain matters. It was making me headache actually plus my hungry tummy crying, I purposely made myself hungry so that I can eat more when I reach home... Greedy CT hahahaha....
And my waiting was so satisfying .... As I opened the lid, It was Ikan Masak Asam Pedas or Sour Curry Fish ...Warm rice with splash of sweet dark soya sauce and fresh cut cucumber. Nothing can compromise that...!!!!

Ikan Masak Asam Pedas

Ingredients :
1/2 kilo cut Mackerel
Onion
Garlic
Ginger
Galangal
Turmeric powder
Lemongrass
Dried Chilies
Shrimp paste
Tamarind juice
Kafir lime leaves
Salt and sugar
Cooking oil

• Blend dried chillies, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, galangal and shrimp paste.
• Heat oil and add in blended ingredients and crushed lemongrass.
  
• Saute till brown and add in tamarind juice.
• Add in fish, salt and sugar to taste.
• Not too long and add in kafir leaves.
• 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
  

FILIPINO BREAKFAST

Filipino Salt Bread

Pan De Sal came from Spanish origin, it's rounded lean bread made of basic ingredients flour, fat, water, eggs, yeast, salt and sugar ...A very popular bakery product in Philippines, so simple but so tasty ...My last visit in Manila, every morning I shall go to market to buy some groceries for our lunch and dinner. It was such a great experience when you need to ride few transportation to get to your destination where actually just about 5 km away ...from home we walked, during that particular month the weather was quite beautiful ...almost the end of December, it was only about 22C and cloudy ....hardly sweat cause it pretty cool to walk in this perfect weather, so walking for 10-15 mins wasn't that bad for a quick work out every morning. Then we ride on motor bike, the funny thing was ...there were 3 of us ... me, Allan and the rider himself ...COOL hah ??? But that is the norm in Manila, after the ride we hop-in jeepney ...Took about 7 mins to reach the market. It was such a great memories riding in the colourful jeepneys full with passengers along the busiest road in Manila, more fun when you have to jump from one ride to another. While in the market, you can see such beautiful fresh colourful vegetables and fruits ...Green spinach, fragrant melon and fresh milk fish ...wasn't that a perfect menu for the lunch?? Indeed ...At the end of other corner, I saw people in a long queue right in front of a small bakery shop ...It was a small shop with 1 double tier gas oven and 2 working tables, the only things for sale were pandesal but believe me they have more customers than Roti Boy in KLCC ...I tried the bread myself, curious with how does it taste ...Is it that tasty as it's look ...And guess what??? It was so good, and sure you want to go for more. Every morning, as I passed by and like the norm ...people queue in front of the small bakery shop just to buy their breakfast, everyday with regular customers... This lean dough rolled into long log called baston and cut into small pieces, rolled into bread crumbs before going into oven. The bread crumbs gives a unique taste especially when serve warm with scramble eggs and cheese, don't forget black coffee with milk ...a perfect day start with a perfect breakfast .... I tried myself here at home, wasn't that bad but still can't get the right texture ...maybe will be almost perfect after several attempts, practice make perfect I believe ...There's always next time and I shall make it better ...BAKE WITH LOVE

MOM'S CHOCO CHIPS

Chocolate Chip Cookies

MOM ...your choco chips will always be the best...!!! Remember Famous Amos??? This is the best chocolate chips cookies came straight off mom's oven right here in Jitra ...Crispy, chocolaty chips with almond nibs ....A double chocolate treat for this Raya celebration ...Mom used to bake two types of Chocolate Chips Cookies, one is chocolate version and another one is plain with vanilla flavoring. But I have made some modification by adding extra ingredients and milk powder as flavoring ....Splendid ....Buttermilk Chocolate Chips Cookies.
RM 35 for 600 grams of cookies ...isn't it value to buy??? Wait till you take the first bite, you will always ask for more ....Sweet tooth people out there, here Sugarspice will come out with Chocochips Cookies soon ...Wait for the appearance ya...