Saturday 24 February 2007

Daging Masak Kurma

This is an excellent dish to accompany my previous recipe, Nasi Tomato. Daging Masak Kurma is beef kurma. Kurma is another Indian cuisine, besides curry. The recipe is almost the same. The only significant is the cooking powder used. Instead of curry powder, kurma powder is used.

The truth is I do not really fancy this dish. Even my mother hardly cooked it when I was smaller. The reason could be due to the absence of chilly flavour in this dish. But I learn to appreciate it after married to my husband. This is one of his favourite dishes & the girls eventually, inherited his taste.

Like most Asian's cuisines, shallots & garlics are always essential. For this recipe, sliced shallots, garlics & ginger, together with lightly pounded lemon grass & a half stick of cinnamon are all stir-fried together.


While waiting, prepare the kurma paste by adding water to the kurma powder. Once the ingredients in the pan turn golden colour, join the paste together. Cook for about 5 minutes.


Before starting cooking this dish, I have already pressure cooked the beef. The girls love the smooth texture & it makes my cooking time shorter.


Once the paste is ready, put the beef together with the water into the pan. If the water is not enough, add up more until it covers the beef.


Next is the potatoes. I usually cut the potatoes to smaller pieces. First, is easier for the girls to eat. Second, is to make the process of cooking shorter as to balance it with the already tendered beef. In midway of cooking, I lightly poke the potatoes with a fork to make them tender faster.


Once the gravy boils, add in 2 - 3 tablespoon of coconut milk.


Lastly is the tomatoes. Cut into 4 or 6 pieces, whichever desired. Add salt according to taste & wait until the tomatoes tender.



Try it. Daging Masak Kurma. Also can be eaten with bread & white rice.

Friday 23 February 2007

Nasi Tomato

Everyone knows what tomato is but nasi is rather foreign to some of you. Nasi is in my language, Malay Language. In English it is known as rice. This menu is another favourite of my family especially the girls. I always have to cook extra because they will definitely eat more than usual. Here is the process of making Nasi Tomato, a recipe from my mother.

Heat about 2-3 tablespoon of margarine. I normally use margarine but I think butter is okay too.


Then add in sliced shallots & garlics, also half stickof cinnamon stick. Stir-fry until turn golden.


Next, slice 3 fresh tomatoes & join to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes soften.


Transfer the cooked tomato paste to a rice cooker. Pour in adequate water, 2 tablespoon of coconut milk or fresh milk, a little bit of salt & of course the uncooked rice.


Don't forget to throw in pandan leaves tied in double knots. This is to bring the sweet fragrant to the rice.


Now you have it, Nasi Tomato. Great to be eaten with my next meal, Daging Masak Kurma.

Friday 16 February 2007

Roller Sk8 Rink Cake

Yasmin is going to be 8 this year. She had an early birthday party with Wardah last week. Well... I'm yet to upload the photos to Yahoo photos but let me just share with you on how I went on decorating the cake.


First, I baked her 2 round cakes.Trace the first cake with a small bowl at the bottom of the cake. Cut it out. Join the 2 cakes together & you will get the number 8.


Next layer the cake with the white base. Cool it inside the refrigerator for 10 minutes or more(depending on the size).Then ice the next layer with your desired colour.


Using a small bowl, trace 2 round shapes to complete the number 8. Sprinkle biscuit crumbs & pipe icing to the outline
s.


Now get any toy that is suitable. Wash thoroughly & paste in onto the cake. Tadaaa... Kim Possible roller skating on a number 8 shaped rink!




Thursday 15 February 2007

Sweet & Sour Fish

To be frank, I don't really enjoy this dish. Anyhow, this is Wardah's favourite. My two other girls, Yasmin & Balqis like this too. I think hubby enjoys it too. He never complains when I serve this dish. The regular fish I use is always pomfret (ikan bawal). The fish is cut to two or even three if it is too big. Deep fry the fish after marinated with turmeric & salt. The reason why I do not mind at all cooking this is merely because of the vegetable. My girls fortunately are not that picky when it comes to vege. But that depends only on the vege that they are familiar with. Most of the vege that accompanies this dish is their regular. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower & baby corns. They only refuse to eat the capsicum. Well... that is meant for hubby. And they love the pineapple. Ok, here's how I go about cooking it. First, stir-fry the chopped onions. Then add in carrots, cauliflower & baby corns. Cook until tender.


Next pour in a can of processed peas, together with
the water.


After that, combine broccoli & capsicum inside the pan. Next add tomato sauce & stir.


Lastly put in chopped pineapples with a little bit of the syrup. Don't forget to add sugar & salt according to taste.


This dish is normally served with the gravy poured onto the fried fish. But it has to be eaten once cooked. As I always prepare food earlier due to time constraint, I normally put aside the gravy & the fish. Combine both only when it is time to e
at.


Tips - It tastes better with chilly. Either serve with cut fresh chillies or stir-fry chilly paste together with onions. Try it!

Wednesday 14 February 2007

Spicy Stir-fried Brinjal


This is one of my favourites. A dish cooked by my Indonesian helper. I just love the taste of the tender brinjal mixed together with the chilly paste. This menu is for me when hubby is away. Whenever he does not dine in, I will just eat whatever the girls are having. As they still can't appreciate spicy foods, this dish helps to appetize. The recipe? I'm yet to ask my maid...

Tuesday 13 February 2007

Daging Masak Kicap

This dish is the girls' favourite. They will shout out of excitement whenever I prepare this for meal. For those who are not familiar with daging masak kicap, it is beef cooked with soy sauce.

I really have to thank my precious pressure cooker for making my life in the kitchen easier. Beef especially will tender within minutes in my special cooking app
liance.

I love to use lots of onions in this recipe. Chopped onions & pounded ginger are stir-fried until almost golden.

Then join the beef which earlier pressure cooked with the onions. Add a little water inside the the cooker & bring all in the pan. Next mix a table spoon of corn flour with water & pour into the pan.
Once boiled, add about 4-5 tablespoon of soy sauc
e.


Next put in some fried potatoes & add in salt accordin
g to taste.


Here you go... my daging masak kicap.