Here's wishing a Happy Chinese New Year 2012,to all my Chinese readers. May the new year brings peace,prosperity and whatever your heart desires. On this auspicious day I'd like to share a Nyonya Peranakan dish called Kari Kapitan. It's very delicious and not so hard to prepare. You can substitute chicken with any meat that you prefer. As usual, you can reduce the amount of chillies to suit your taste.
Enjoy the video:
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 kg. chicken
1 cup water
Boiled the chicken and keep the stock for later usage.
Chilly paste
20 pcs, dried red chillies ( remove seed and boil)
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
Pound or use food processor to make the paste
Spices
5 psc candlenut or buah keras (pound/grind)
1/2 in. fresh tumeric (pound/grind)
3 pcs lemon grass
1 big onion
5 cloves garlic
Pound or use food processor, lemon grass,onion and garlic.
1/2 cup oil for frying
200 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the pounded spices and chilly paste. Fry for few minutes until aromatic and the oil separates.
2) Add the chicken and the stock.If you want the gravy to be thick reduce the stock from 1 cup to half or 1/4 cup.Simmer over slow fire for 10 minutes.
3) After 10 minutes, stir the kari and add in the coconut milk and salt to taste. Let it simmer for another 15 minutes over slow fire.
4) Ready to serve.
Bon appetit.
My apology for the prolonged absence. Unavoidable circumstances. I will try to post regularly though not frequently. Thank you for your support. I appreciate that very much. May the new year be a stable one for us all. Take care of yourself.
I am sharing with you today the basic recipe of Nasi Lemak or Rice in Coconut Milk. The basic Nasi Lemak comes with Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis or anchovies in dry chilli gravy,fried anchovies, fried peanuts, cucumber slices and hard boiled egg. In addition Nasi Lemak can also be eaten with curry or rendang and fried chicken.
(Basic) Rice in Coconut Milk/Nasi Lemak (Asas) is usually eaten for breakfast. However nowadays this dish is eaten at any time of the day and night
Here's the video:
Here's the recipe:
The Rice in Coconut Milk/Nasi Lemak
3 cups of rice (wash and drain)
4.5 cups coconut milk
1 tbs salt (or as preferred)
3 pandan leaf (screwpine leaf) essence can also be used if pandan is not available
1 in ginger
1 lemon grass ( bruised)
Method:
1) Put the rice into the rice cooker
2) Place the pandan and ginger into the rice
3) Add salt to coconut milk and stir, pour into the rice and stir.
4) Cover the pot with aluminium foil and place the lid. Cook the rice.
5) When cool stir the rice and ready to serve
The Anchovies Gravy / sambal tumis ikan bilis
1 cup dried anchovies
1 big onion slice into rings
1 lemon grass bruised
1/2 cup tarmaring juice
salt and sugar to taste
1/2 - 3/4 cup of oil for frying
chilly paste
20 dried red chillies
1 big onion
2 cloves garlic
1 in shrimp paste
1/2 cup water
Blend all with half cup of water
Method:
1) Heat oil and fry chilly paste until oil separates
2) Add tamaring juice,salt, sugar, anchovies and onion
3) Simmer until cooked
Serving suggestion:
Serve nasi lemak with the sambal, slices of cucumber, hard boiled egg, fried anchovies and fried peanut.
Enjoy.
Accompanied by hard boiled eggs, cucumber slices,fried dried anchovies and fried peanuts
Nasi Lemak wrapped in banana leaf
A blogger Cowboy Caleb has recently highlighted in facebook a website called Racebending.com.
"Racebending” on this site refers to situations where:
A) A movie studio/publisher, etc. has changed the ethnicity of a character
B) with a resultant discriminatory impact on an underrepresented cultural community and actors from that community (reinforcement of glass ceilings, loss of opportunity, etc.)
This site also explained what the term "Yellowface" means.The term yellowface appears as early as the 1950s to describe the continuation in film of having white actors playing major Asian and Asian American roles and the grouping together of all makeup technologies used to make one look “Asian.”
Kung Fu (1972-75)
David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine
Perhaps one of the most notorious examples of yellowface was the casting of the late David Carradine in a role originally conceived and envisioned for Bruce Lee.This role and concept originated with Asian-American kung fu legend Bruce Lee, but he was cut from the production, or any credit from the studio, in favor of the then non-martial artist Carradine.
(The late) Mako recalls a studio executive’s reaction when asked about featuring a non-Asian in the lead of Kung Fu:
“I remember one of the vice presidents — in charge of production, I suppose — who said, ‘If we put a yellow man up on the tube, the audience will turn the switch off in less than five minutes.’
I let the pictures illustrate the Racebending.
Miss Saigon (1989-1999)
Jonathan Pryce as “The Engineer” a.k.a. Tran Van Dinh
Keith Burns as Thuy
The 13th Warrior (1997)
Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan
Balls of Fire (2007)
Christopher Walken as Feng
Norbit (2007)
Eddie Murphy as Mr.Wong
Dragonball: Evolution (2009)
Justin Chatwin as Goku
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Jake Gyllenhaal as 6th century Persian prince Dastan
Gemma Arterton as “exotic Indian princess Tamina”
the core cast of The Last Airbender– newcomer Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) and pop star Jesse McCartney. None of the lead actors are ethnically Asian or Native American, resulting in fan outcry.
adaptation of the manga Akira has been sent to a short list of actors.
For the role of Tetsuo: Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy.
For the role of Kaneda: Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix.
Genghis Khan (announced, 2013)
Mickey Rourke as Genghis Khan
Have a good weekend every one.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi
I am going to share with you a simple and light noodle dish called Rice Noodle Soup (Bihun Soup).I have used and assortment of vegetables and seafood for this noodles including chicken. It is up to you to use any kind of vegetables and meat according to your taste. This is a versatile dish because you can always substitute the Rice Noodles with pasta, spaghetti or instant noodles.
Enjoy the video and bon appetit.
Here's the recipe:
125 gm rice noodles ( soak until soft)
1 chicken breast ( slice into small pieces)
10 pcs prawns (remove the shells and veins)
20 pcs fish balls
1 pc fish cake (slice thinly)
4 pcs squid (cut into 3 pcs)
1 tbs sesame seed oil
1 tbs black pepper powder
Vegetables:
1 cup bean sprouts
3 stalks sawi/Mustard Greens (cut into small pieces)
1 small carrot ( slice thinly)
1 tomato (cut into six wedges)
1/2 cup cauliflower
For frying:
3 shallots (slice thinly)
3 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
3 tbs oil
For soup:
1.5 - 2 litre of prawn stock ( boil the prawn shells, remove the shells thru a strainer to obtain the stock)
Method:
1) Heat oil and fry the onions,garlic and ginger until brown.
2) Add the chicken, fish balls, prawns, squid and fish cake. Add also the pepper. Simmer until cooked.
3) Add the stock and salt to taste. Boil.
4) Add the noodles and vegetables. Let it boil one more time.
5) Add the sesame seed oil and stir. Ready to serve.
6) Garnish with cut spring onion, Chinese celery, fried shallots,lime and fresh cut chillies. You can also garnish with chilly pickle.
Enjoy.
Lets watch something sweet while having the Rice Noodle Soup (Bihun Sup)
Funny Cats in Water
Take care of yourself. I see you tomorrow insyaAllah
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi
source of Funny Cats in Water:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderYuri
Today I am sharing with you an all time favourite of mine, Caramel Pudding (Puding Karamel). It is very simple to make and I am sure many people know how to make this pudding. For those who doesn't let's watch the video and have fun making it and having it with your family.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
4 eggs
500 ml milk/evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
Caramel:
4 tbs sugar
1 tbs water
2 tbs warm water
Dissolve the sugar with 1 tbs of water until brown over slow heat. Add in the warm water and stir well.
1 mould
some butter
Method:
1) Rub the mould with butter. Pour the caramel into the mould and set aside.
2) Whisk the egg gently. Don't let bubbles form. Add vanilla and mix gently.
3) Heat milk with sugar until sugar dissolves.
4) Pour into the egg mixture and keep stirring.
5) Filter the mixture into the mould.
6) Cover with alluminium foil and steam for 20 minutes.
7) Let the pudding cool down in the fridge before serving serving.
What I like about weddings is the buffet. Dishes serve in wedding celebrations varies from rural to urban and from state to state here in Malaysia. The dishes also varies according to the roots of the population mostly for those whose descendants were from neighboring countries. Today I am sharing a dish that is quite popular in certain rural areas during weddings. It is called Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah). Most rural folks would make the best of their rural produce and as such their dishes though simple taste quite marvellous.
In this dish the chicken gizzard and chicken liver can be substituted with any meat or seafood that you prefer.
Here's the video:
Here's the recipe:
Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah)
Ingredients:
14 strands long beans (clean and cut diagonally)
1 big onion (slice thinly)
1 in. ginger (slice thinly)
4 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
3 pcs. gizzard
3 pcs, chicken liver
2 tbs kurma powder (mixed with some water to form a paste)
1 cup coconut milk
salt to taste
1/2 in cinnamon.1 cardamom,2 cloves,1/2 of star anise
4 tbs oil
Method:
1) Heat oil and fry onions,ginger,garlic and spices
2) When slightly brown add kurma paste. Fry for few minutes until aromatic
3) Add in the gizzard and liver,.Fry until cooked
4) Add in 1/2 tbs pepper if you like and salt to taste
5) Add coconut milk and long beans, stir until cooked .Don't overcook the long beans.
Ready to serve.
Time flies ya. We have been innovative and creative to save time. In the kitchen there are numerous gadgets and equipment that help us save time and effort. Ingredients come in packets and tins and what have you. Yet time just speed by. As if we are spinning headlong towards point zero. A reminder for us to make the most of now.Not to forget to smell the flowers and to appreciate those that care for us and need care from us.
The Chestnut by the eaves
In magnificent bloom
Passes unnoticed
By men of this world
Petals of the mountain rose
Fall now and then,
To the sound of the waterfall?
- Matsuo Basho's Haiku (1644 - 1694 / Iga Province / Japan)
Till we meet again, take care of yourself. Hope you will try today's dish Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah). Bye all
Still in the Eid mood. I am sharing with you a must have dish for Eid in my part of the world. It is called Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging). The meat is optional. Some people prefer the sauce without the meat. This is good to have with Satay (Grilled skewered meat) and compressed rice or Nasi Impit as we called it.
Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging) is like 2 in 1 kind of dish. Save us time making the Satay. Of course with Satay it would be marvelous beyond words :)
Here's the video
Here's the recipe
Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging)
Ingredients:
The chilli paste:
20 pcs dried red chillies (boiled)
3 big onions
6 lemon grass
2 in ginger
2 in galanghal
6 cloves garlic
1 in shrimp paste (belacan)
1/2 cup water
Blend all with half cup of water
2 pcs kafir lime leaf (slice thinly)
4 pcs turmeric leaf (slice thinly)
400 gm meat (boiled and cubed/bite pieces)
300 gm kerisek (about a cup)
1 litre coconut milk
1 tbs turmeric powder
1/2 cup tamarind juice
2 cups pounded roasted peanuts
1 palm sugar (cut into small pcs) or 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried shrimps (pounded)
3/4 cup oil
2 cups water
salt to taste
Method:
1) Heat oil and fry chilli paste until aromatic and oil separates
2) Add tamarind juice,turmeric powder, dried shrimps,half of coconut milk, kerisek and 1 cup of water.Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) Add the palm sugar,salt,the rest of the coconut milk and simmer again for about 5 minutes.
4) Add in half of the peanut first and stir. Then add in the rest of peanut,kafir lime leaf, turmeric leaf and meat. Add in a cup of water and simmer again for 5 minutes.
5) Ready to serve after tasting and adjusting the salt,sugar and sourness to your liking.
Enjoy
Explosion at Nuclear Site in France
According to France's nuclear safety body, a man was killed, seriously burned another and slightly injured three others, in an explosion at a nuclear waste site in southern France. The explosion happened in an oven used to melt radioactive metallic waste. For more details read Al Jazeera
Lets hope the disaster can be contained, with little or no serious contamination occurring. Reminds me once again of Murphy's Law "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".
Till we meet again take care of yourself and do try Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging).
I leave you with this beautiful number Kiss the Rain.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi
source of pix and news:
http://english.aljazeera.net/
source of Kiss the Rain:
http://www.youtube.com/user/zmriri
Been awhile since I posted here. However the break has been good. I have had a wonderful Eid and holiday mostly at home and at relatives place. This time I am sharing with you a delightfully hot Rendang called Dry Thai Chilli Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam Kering Cili Api). As the name implies this is a dry dish and is usually eaten with compressed rice(Nasi Impit), glutinous rice wrapped in Palas leaf (Ketupat Palas) and grilled glutinous rice in bamboo (Lemang) especially during Eid.
You may substitute chicken with mutton or any other meat that you prefer. Likewise the Thai chilli may be reduced in quantity if you can't take too hot a dish. You may also use boiled dried red chillies or fresh red chillies if Thai chillies are not available.
Enjoy the video.
Here's the recipe: Dry Thai Chilli Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam Kering Cili Api)
Ingredients:
1 chicken (cut into small pieaces, rub with salt and tumeric powder, and fry until just cooked)
1 cup kerisek
3 pcs asam keping (alternatively can use 3 tbs vinegar or half cup of tamarind juice)
1 tbs turmeric powder
5 turmeric leaf (slice thinly)
3 kafir lime leaf (slice thinly)
300 ml coconut milk
1 tbs sugar
salt to taste
1/2 cup oil for frying
1 cup water
1) Heat the oil and fry the chilli paste and turmeric powder until the oil separates.
2) Add in the coconut milk, asam keping, salt, sugar and kerisek. Stir and mix well. Add in the kafir lime leaf, turmeric leaf, water and chicken. Simmer again until dry (5-10 minutes)
3) Ready to serve.
The open house
Open house in Malaysian context means everyone is welcomed to visit at all time of the day and night without prior appointment or notice. Special dishes,sweet meats and cakes are served all day and night for the guests. This is the time to eat Rendang, ketupat,lemang and dodol (sweet glutinous rice cake) to name just a few.
It is still practiced in the rural areas but in the cities usually most people would allocate a certain date and time for open house. This is because most city dwellers have left the cities and are in their hometown to celebrate Eid. Then there are also open house organised by politicians and royalties in various states.
It is a good culture coz every race can join in the celebration. Open house is no longer restricted to Eid but has also been adopted during other celebrations like Chinese New Year, Deepavali and X'mas.
We just have to have some self restrain during these open house, not to eat until we drop and become anaconda at the end of each day for all 30 days of Shawal. Then all the fasting during Ramadhan will come to nought.
As per a Malay sayings:
Hilang kemarau setahun dek hujan sehari
literally,
A year's drought obliterated by rain in a day.
Happy Eid to all. I hope when we are eating all the good food, just spare a thought for the hungry and needy around the world regardless of religion and creed coz hunger and poverty is the same in whatever language and faith.
Till we meet aagain , take good care of yourself.
Salam Dunia by M.Nasir (Salam to the World)
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Umi
source of Upin & Ipin graphic:
http://gengmovie.blogspot.com/
source of Salam Dunia vid:
http://www.youtube.com/user/rajaie81
