Vanilllekipferl

Christmas is approaching and I have started with baking our Christmas cookies!  To start things rolling, I have started to bake Vanillekipferl, small crescent-shaped cookies which mainly consist of ground hazelnuts and almonds.  They are flavoured with vanilla and have a fine sugar dusting finish.   

Ingredients for about 80 Kipferl:

50 g ground almonds

50 g ground hazelnuts

300 g flour

100 g sugar

a pinch of salt

200 cold butter

2 egg yolks

2 small packets vanilla sugar (Vanillin-Zucker)

½ cup fine sugar

Method:

Sift the flour on a kneading board, add in ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks.  Knead dough until pliable.  Wrap the dough with a cling film and leave it in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC (Fan 170º).  Take a bit of dough and roll it with your hands to form the shape of long pencils.  Cut the dough into 5 cm lengths and form each length into a small moon by bending both ends inward.

Bake the Vanillekipferl in the centre of oven for 10-12 Minutes.

Mix the vanilla sugar with the fine sugar thoroughly.  Once the Kipferls are ready and still warm, coat them very carefully in the sugar mixture.  Leave to cool down completely.  Store the Kipferl in between layers of pergament paper in a biscuit container in order that they do not break into two.

Happy Baking!

Rinderrouladen served with Buttered Brussel Sprouts & Whipped Potatoes

Rinderrouladen or Beef Rolls is a traditional dish which is served as lunch on Sundays in both Germany and Austria.   This dish is normally served with either whipped potatoes, boiled potatoes, dumplings or Spätzle.  These thin slices of beef is taken from the upper leg part.  Each slice is seasoned with salt & pepper and mustard, then filled with various kinds of fillings.  It is a very tasty dish and the following recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
4 huge slices of beef (ask your butcher to cut from the upper leg part of animal)
1 large onion, to be cut into wedges
about 1/2 litre of beef stock or just water
350 g créme fraîche
3 tbsp cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Filling Ingredients:
100 g pickled gherkins, to be finely cubed
1 medium-size onion, to be finely cubed
mustard
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Mix both pickled gherkins and onion together in a bowl.  Place a slice of beef on a cutting board. Season with salt & pepper and spread a bit of mustard on top.  Add gherkins/onion mixture on top and spread evenly.  Roll the beef slice from one end slowly.  Secure each Roulade with a clip or toothpicks and set aside.

Heat oil in a bit pot and add the beef rolls.  Brown on all sides.

Then, add onion wedges to pot and cook for about 3 minutes.  Pour beef stock into pot and bring to a light boil.  Simmer covered over medium heat for about one and a half hour.

Once the beef rolls are done, remove them to a plate.  By using a hand-held blender (Stabmixer), blend the gravy until the onions are dissolved.  Return to stove and add créme fraîche.  Bring to a light boil before adding the beef rolls.

Serve with buttered brussel sprouts and whipped potatoes.

Bon Appetit!

Oreo Cheese Cake

Oreo Cheese Cake has been very popular lately and our son has been pestering me to bake one for him.    And here we go .....

Crust Ingredients:

20 Oreo biscuits, to be crushed in a blender

85 g melted butter

Filling Ingredients:

680 g Philadelphia Classic Cheese

3/4 cup sugar

6 eggs

85 g Schmand or sour cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

10 Oreo biscuits, to be coarsely crushed

Note: One will need to buy 3 packets of 176 g Oreo biscuits

Method:

Mix crust ingredients well together. Line the bottom of a 20 cm cake tin with pergament paper. Lightly grease the side of cake tin with butter. Add crust mixture into tin and press lightly with a tablespoon until a base is formed.

Note: One can also use a 24 or 26 cm cake tin but the height of the cake will be reduced.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the Philadelphia Cheese until smooth. Add in sugar and Schmand or sour cream. Mix well. Then, add in eggs one at a time and stir well. Add in vanilla essence and stir well again. Lastly, add in the crushed Oreo biscuits. Pour mixture into cake tin.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (170° C) for about 50 to 60 minutes or until done. The above photo shows the temperature as 160° C because this applies only to my oven. One has to make sure that the centre of the cake is also cooked before taking it out of the oven.

To decorate, pipe out whipped cream or butter cream florettes on top of cake and place a halved Oreo biscuit on it. Note: I didn't bother to do that because the cheese cake is sweet enough!

Bon Appetit!

Roti Prata

"Roti" means "bread", while "prata" means "flat".  Roti Prata originated from southern India, where it is called Paratha, which literally means layers of cooked dough.  It is very popular in Singapore and Malaysia and can be eaten at any time.  Following recipe yields 16 Roti Pratas.

Ingredients:
940 g plain flour
2 heaped tsp sugar
1 heaped tsp salt
450 ml water
30 g clarified butter or melted ghee
30 g condensed milk
1 egg white

Method:
In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, salt, clarified butter, condensed milk and egg white together.  Stir well until sugar is dissolved.

Then, add in flour and knead (using a mixer) until the dough becomes smooth and pliable.  Cover dough with a damp cloth and leave aside for one hour.

Divide the dough into 16 equal balls.  Then, coat them with clarified butter and arrange in a bowl.  Leave to rest at least overnight, if possible.  If not, let it rest for about 2 to 3 hours before flipping the Roti Prata.

Flipping:
Place dough ball on a greased surface.  Flatten the circumference lightly and leave the middle of dough as it is.  Using one hand as a pivot, flip the dough until it becomes thin.  Sprinkle some oil on top.  Fold the sides of the dough into a square.  Then, fold the 4 corners inward slightly.

Frying:
Fry the Prata on a hot girdle for about 2 to 3 minutes or until it is browned on both sides.  Spread a dish cloth on worktop and place cooked prata on it.  Fold cloth to cover prata and then smash by using both palms of your hand on all sides just like the mamak always do!

Serve with any kind of curry or dalca.

Bon Appetit!

Cheese Cake

This German Cheese Cake is served regularly during tea-time in my in-laws' homes.  It was originally called "Tränekuchen" which is literally translated as "Crying Cake" due to the appearance of "teardrops" in between the soft peaks topping of the cake.

Crust Ingredients:

200g flour

100g sugar

100g butter

1 egg

Filling Ingredients:

500g Magerquark (available from german supermarkets outside Europe - ask for Quark 20% fat)

150g sugar

1 egg (whole)

2 egg yolks

½ cup cooking oil

1 packet pudding powder (vanilla flavour)

½ litre milk

Topping:

2 egg whites

3 tbsp sugar

Method:

Knead all the crust ingredients together and form into dough on flat surface.  Line a lightly buttered 26 cm diameter cake tin (with loose bottom) with dough with the edges halfway up the sides.

Mix all filling ingredients together except the milk.  Lastly, add the milk so that the fluid consistency is reached.  Do not cook the filling.  Pour filling into form and bake in a preheated fan oven at 160ºC for 50 minutes.

Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff.  Once cake is done, remove from oven and pour topping onto cake.  Then, form soft peaks on topping with the back of a tablespoon.  Make sure that the spoon is wet.  Ensure that the topping does not touch the sides of the cake form.  If it does, clean it properly with a wet knife.  Also, ensure that the peaks are high enough in order that the sugar crystals (golden brown color) can appear in between the peaks on the surface when the cake is cooled.  Bake the cake for another 10 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Serimuka or Pulut Serikaya

Serimuka or Pulut Serikaya is a two layered nonya/malay kuih consisting of glutinous rice base and a green custard layer topping.  Coconut milk is the main ingredient which is used to impart the creamy taste in the glutinous rice and custard layer.

Base Ingredients:

350g glutinous rice, to be washed and soaked in water overnight

3 pandan leaves, to be tied into a knot

250 g coconut milk

salt to taste

Method:

Boil water in steamer. Place glutinous rice into a sieve to drain the water. Transfer glutinous rice & pandan leaves to a container and steam over high heat for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, add a pinch of salt (to taste) to coconut milk and stir well. Remove glutinous rice to a bowl and add coconut milk mixture. Stir well and return to container. Steam for a further 10 minutes.

Note: I use a 20 cm diameter cake tin with a loose bottom. Dab some cooking oil onto a kitchen paper and grease the cake tin all over. This will help when removing the kuih from the cake tin.

Once glutinous rice is ready, remove from steamer. Don't forget to remove the pandan leaves. Transfer mixture to cake tin. Press down firmly by using a piece of banana leaf. Here, I used my stainless steel meat "whacker" (for Wienerschnitzel). Poke the base a few times with a satay stick in order that the serikaya topping will stick onto base.

Serikaya Topping Ingredients:

6 eggs ("M" size)

255 g sugar

550 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp tapioca flour (cornflour or custard powder can be used)

green colouring

a few drops of yellow colouring

1 tsp pandan essence

4 pandan leaves, to be tied into a knot

Method:

Whisk eggs and sugar together lightly. Add in coconut milk and mix well. Add sieved plain flour and tapioca flour. Mix well again. Then, add green colouring. One has to roughly estimate how much green colouring to add in. I suggest that you add a few drops at a time until a nice green colour is attained. Then add a few drops of yellow colouring and mix well.

Transfer mixture through a sieve to a medium-sized pot and add in pandan leaves. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken slightly. Remove from heat. Don't forget to remove the pandan leaves. Pour mixture over glutinous rice base. Note: Most recipes do not include this heating of topping. My mum does this in order that the topping has a nice texture. Furthermore, my mum does not use the juice from pandan leaves or pandan paste.

Steam for about 40 minutes over high heat. Leave to cool before removing from cake tin. Remember to loosen the cake tin's ring slightly before running your knife along the circumference of the kuih. Cut by using a wet knife or a plastic knife before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken in Leek & Tarragon Sauce

This dish originates from France and is one of our family favourites.  It is simple to prepare and tastes delicious.  Following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breastfilets

1/3 cup plain flour

ground white pepper, to taste

60 g butter

2 leeks (Lauch), sliced not too thinly

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1½ tsp dried tarragon leaves

200 g cream

fresh tarragon sprigs or parsley, to garnish

Method:

Trim fat off chicken fillets, toss in flour seasoned with white pepper.  Heat butter in a large pan until coloured. Add chicken fillets, cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, turning once. Remove to a plate.

Add leeks to pan and cook until slightly coloured, sprinkle through any remaining flour.  Pour wine and stock into pan, stir until mixture begins to simmer, add tarragon, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Return chicken fillets to the pan, simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes or until tender. Add cream and garnish with tarragon sprigs.  

Serve with buttered rice or boiled potatoes.  

Bon Appetit!

Mutton Biryani served with Acar Timun and Paceri Nenas

The last time, I prepared Chicken Biryani using the mixed spices from "Shan".  Today, I prepared Mutton Biryani complete with all the works from scratch.  The preparation of the ingredients is a bit tedious and time consuming but the results will make you forget all that.  Following recipes serve 4 to 6 persons.

Mutton Biryani Gravy

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
1 kg mutton, to be cut into 10 big pieces
6 - 8 medium-size onions, to be peeled and finely sliced
4 stalks of green chillies, to be halved (optional:  deseeded)
5 big red tomatoes, to be cut into cubes
2 tbsp tomato puree
50 g joghurt
50 g cashew nuts, to be grounded (or left whole:  optional)
50 g coriander leaves, to be plucked
50 g mint leaves, to be plucked
salt to taste
cooking oil
3 tbsp ghee

Biryani Spices:
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp aniseed
1/4 nutmeg

Note:  All the above spices to be fried in a pan without oil until fragrant.  Cool completely and grind finely.

Pounded Ingredients:
6 cloves of garlic
3 cm fresh ginger

Method:
Marinate meat with pounded ingredients and biryani spices.  Leave aside for about 10 minutes.

Heat cooking oil and ghee in a pot.  Add in onion slices and stir-fry until the colour changes to light yellow.  Add in marinated meat and cook for about 5 minutes.  Then, add in tomato puree and yoghurt. Stir well and cook further for about 5 minutes.  Add in green chillies, chopped tomatoes, cashew nuts, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Cook over low heat until meat is tender.  Note: Mutton will take at least one hour to cook whereas beef will take a bit longer.  Remove meat once tender from pot and simmer gravy until it thickens.  Once thickened, return meat to pot and cook for about 10 minutes.

Nasi Briyani (Briyani Rice)

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
1/2 kg basmati rice, to be washed and drained
1/2 cup evaporated milk to be mixed with 2 tbsp rose water and a little safran
1/4 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup ghee
2 medium-size onions, to be peeled and finely sliced
30 g coriander leaves, to be plucked
30 g mint leaves, to be plucked
salt to taste
a few drops of liquid yellow colouring
50 g cashew nuts
50 g raisins
fried shallots for garnishing

Pounded Ingredients:
3 cloves of garlic
3 cm fresh ginger

Spices:
3 cm cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 cardamom

Method:
Measure water according to weight of rice and set aside.

Heat ghee and add sliced onions.  Stir-fry until fragrant and then, add in the spices. Stir well and add in pounded ingredients.  Cook until fragrant.  Add in water, evaporated milk, yoghurt and salt to taste. Let it boil gently.  Then, add in rice.  Cook until all liquid have evaporated.  Stir rice well. Then, add some Biryani Gravy on one corner of rice.  Do not stir!  Sprinkle yellow colouring.  Do not stir.  Add coriander leaves, mint leaves, cashew nuts and raisins.  Cover pot and cook over very low heat for about 45 minutes to one hour or until rice is cooked.

Once rice is ready, stir gently and serve sprinkled with fried shallots.


Paceri Nenas

Ingredients:
1 sweet pineapple, to be skinned and cut into "diamond" pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 big onion, to be finely sliced
3 stalks red chillies, to be sliced finely
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp white vinegar
salt to taste
cooking oil

Pounded Ingredients:
1 big onion, to be sliced
2 cloves of garlic, to be sliced
1 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced
2 pcs candlenuts, to be soaked in warm water

Spices:
3 cloves
2 cardamom
3 cm cinnamon stick

Method:
Boil water in a pot and add turmeric powder and a little salt.  Add in pineapple pieces and let it boil gently.  Remove pineapple pieces to a colander.

Heat oil in a pot and add in pounded ingredients and spices.  Stir-fry until the colour changes.  Then, add in tomato ketchup, sugar, vinegar and salt to taste.  Finally, add in pineapple, sliced onions and chillies.  Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.  Once done, remove from heat.

Acar Timun (Cucumber Pickle)

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers, to be deseeded and cut into lengths
1 medium-size carrot, to be peeled and cut into fine sticks
2 stalks green chillies, to be halved and deseeded (optional)
2 stalks red chillies, to be halved and deseeded (optional)
10 red shallots, to be peeled and leave whole
5 cloves of garlic, to be peeled and leave whole
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tsp black mustard seeds

Pounded Ingredients:
6 stalks red chillies, to be sliced
4 red shallots, to be sliced
3 cloves garlic, to be sliced
1 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced
4 pcs candlenuts, to be soaked in warm water
1 cm fresh turmeric
1 tbsp dried prawns, to be soaked in warm water

Method:
In a bowl, add halved green & red chillies, shallots, garlic, cucumber pieces, carrot sticks and 1 tsp salt.  Mix well and leave aside for 30 minutes.  Then, wash and drain.

Heat oil in a pot and add pounded ingredients.  Stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add in sugar & salt to taste and vinegar.  Cook until gravy thickens.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and remove from heat.

Serve Mutton Biryani as shown above!

Bon Appetit!

Gugelhupf

Gugelhupf it's soft yeast dough which contains raisins and almonds.  Other Gugelhupf contain candied fruits and nuts.  This big cake has a distinctive shape and I use a Gugelhupf mold which is made of cast iron.  This mold was kindly given to me by my mother-in-law. Gugelhupf is normally served during tea-time in Europe.  Follow recipe serves 6 to 8 persons.

Ingredients:
1 kg flour
42 g fresh yeast
1/2 litre fresh milk
100 g soft butter
4 eggs
200 g sugar
a pinch of salt
200 g raisins
50 g almond splitters
whole, peeled almonds

Method:
In a bowl, mix together crumbled yeast, 1/4 litre warm milk and 150 g flour.  Cover bowl with a cloth and leave aside for about 15 to 30 minutes to rise.  This mixture is called "Vorteig" or "yeast sponge".

Soak the raisin in warm water for 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, add the balance flour, eggs, the balance milk, sugar and salt.  Knead with the dough hook until the dough leaves the side of the mixing bowl.  This will take about 10 minutes.

Add butter and yeast sponge.  Knead thoroughly and cover with a cloth to let dough rise to double its volume.  This will take about 30 minutes to an hour.

Knead dough lightly and add raisins and almond splitters.  Mix well.

Butter mold and arrange whole almonds in the grooves.  Add dough to mold and level the surface. Leave to rise for another 30 minutes or until the dough is about to reach the top of the mold.  In the meantime, preheat oven to 190° C (convection) using the lower heat only.

Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and let Gugelhupf cool down in its mold.  Turn it over and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Turkey Cutlets served with Escargots Sauce

This dish, which is also known as Putenschniitzel mit Escargot Sos, is an all-time favourite of our family.  It is simple to prepare and tastes delicious!  I would normally serve this dish with flat green noodles.  Following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

3 turkey breast cutlets (à 250 g)

salt and white pepper to taste

3 tbsp oil

Sauce ingredients:

2 cans of escargots (snails -  à 12 escargots in each can)

30 g butter

4 pcs shallots, to be peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

½ bunch parsley, to be washed, dried and finely chopped

1 stalk fresh thyme, to be washed, dried and finely chopped

2 stalks fresh basil leaves, to be washed, dried and finely chopped

4 cl cooking white wine (optional)

1 g safran powder

150 g Crème Fraîche

liquid  from canned escargots

Note:  One can also use dried thyme or basil.

Method:

Pat dry meat with kitchen paper and cut each piece into 3 or 4 parts.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a pan and fry turkey cutlets until golden brown and crispy.  Remove from pan and keep warm in oven.

In the meantime, place the escargots in a sieve whereby the liquid is saved.  Halve the escargots and wash them under the running tap to get rid of any sand and dirt.  Place them in a sieve to dry.

Heat butter in a small pot and stir-fry the chopped shallots until transparent.  Add in the prepared escargots and season with pepper.  Then, add in the chopped parsley, thyme and basil leaves.  Stir well and add in the white wine.

Add safran powder to the escargots’ liquid and mix well.  Add mixture to pot and cook until half of the mixture has evaporated.  Then, add in Crème Fraîche and cook gently over medium heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook noodles in lightly salted boiling water for 11 minutes as shown.

To serve, place 2 or 3 pieces of cutlets and a portion of flat cooked noodles on a plate.  Pour sauce poured over them.

Bon Appetit! 

Wiener Schnitzel served with Warm Potato Salad

Wiener Schnitzel or Veal Cutlets is a typical Austrian dish where about 4 mm thin and lightly hammered veal slices are slightly salted, peppered and rolled in flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in that order.  Some restaurants will either serve it alone with a lemon wedge or accompanied with a warm potato salad.  This dish is one of our family's favourites and the following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 veal slices (about 4 mm thin - tell your butcher that you are making Wiener Schnitzel)
flour
2 eggs, to be lightly beaten
breadcrumbs
salt and ground pepper
enough oil that the Schnitzel can swim in it

Method:
Place veal slices on a wooden board and lightly hammer them.  Lightly season with salt and pepper. Coat the veal slices one at a time in flour, then in beaten egg and lastly, in breadcrumbs.  Fry the veal pieces until golden brown before turning over to brown the other side.

Warm Potato Salad

Ingredients:
500 g potatoes
a little salt
1 small onion, to be peeled and cut in small cubes
50 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp hot mustard
salt, sugar and pepper to taste
chives, to be coarsely chopped

Method:
Wash and clean potatoes thoroughly.  Place potatoes (skin on) in a pot and add enough water to cover potatoes.  Cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Strain water and leave aside to cool.

Peel potatoes and cut into slices into a bowl.  Lightly heat the chicken stock in a small pot.  Add in vinegar, oil, mustard and season to taste.  Pour mixture over potato slices and mix well.  Then, add the onion cubes and chopped chives.  Mix thoroughly and season again to taste.  Note:  I didn't add chopped chives to my potato salad.

Bon Appetit!

Nusszopf

Zopf is a yeast bread which is made of flour, fresh yeast, milk, sugar and butter.  It is popular in Germany and Switzerland.  Nusszopf has hazelnuts/walnuts filling whereas Marzipanzopf has marzipan/almonds filling.  It is normally served during tea-time.

Ingredients:
500 g flour
1 cube (42 g) fresh yeast
2 eggs
30 g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
200 ml warm milk (max temperature 35°C)
60 g butter

Filling Ingredients:
300 g chopped hazelnuts
50 g chopped walnuts
50 g breadcrumbs
100 g sugar
1/8 litre rum

Glazing Ingredients:
150 g icing sugar
2 - 3 tbsp water or lemon juice

Note:  It is important that all ingredients are at room temperature.

Method:
Sift flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.  Crumble yeast into well.  Add sugar, salt, eggs and milk.  Knead mixture until well combined.  Then, add in butter and knead again until the dough leaves the sides of the mixing bowl.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle some flour over dough and cover bowl with a cloth.  Let dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Mix all filling ingredients together and leave aside.

Dust worktop with flour and place risen dough on it.  Roll out dough to a rectangular of about 50 x 40 cm.  Spread filling evenly on dough by using a spatula.  Roll dough like a swiss roll from the length side.  Then, cut into two lengthwise.

Place both dough pieces onto a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.  Plait dough pieces to overlap each other.  Make sure that the beginning and end parts are tucked underneath.  Let rise for a further 30 minutes.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at 190° C for 30 - 40 minutes.  Leave to cool before brushing with icing sugar glaze.

Bon Appetit!

Trout in Salted Soy Beans Sauce

The malay name for this dish is Ikan Masak Taucheo Lemak.  One can use any kind of fish whose texture is not "soft" i.e. breaking up during the cooking process.  This time, I used trouts in this dish.  This recipe is my mum's creation and serves 4.  Other side dishes such as Fried Cabbage with Egg, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg will compliment this dish very well.

Ingredients:
2 trouts, to be cleaned, washed, dried and cut into 3 portions each
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
a little water

1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh tamarind pulp, to be mixed with 4 tbsp water
salt and sugar to taste
oil for frying

Blended Ingredients:
5 dried red chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked in warm water
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
3 tbsp salted soy beans (taucheo)

Method:
Mix turmeric powder, salt and a little water to a paste and marinate the fish pieces.  Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish pieces until golden brown.

Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry onion, garlic and chillie slices until fragrant.  Then, add in the blended ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes.  Add in coconut milk and tamarind water (without pulp). Check seasoning by adding sugar and salt according to taste.  Finally, add in the fried fish pieces and let it simmer gently for a few minutes before turning off the heat.

Fried Cabbage with Egg

Ingredients:
300 - 400 g cabbage, to be cut in bite pieces
1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
1 egg
salt to taste
a little oil

Method:
Heat oil in a medium-size pan and add onion, garlic and chillie slices.  Stir-fry until fragrant and then, add in the cabbage pieces.  Season with salt to taste.  Break an egg (see step-by-step pictures below) and let it set for a while before breaking it up.  Mix egg and cabbage well.

Serve with hot rice, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg!

Bon Appetit!

Rindergulasch

Rindergulasch or literally translated into the english language, Beef Gulasch is a typical hungarian dish.    It is some sort like a spiced meat stew which is slowly cooked over an hour.  This dish is normally served during the winter season.  Following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
500 g lean beef, to be cut into large cubes
3 big tomatoes, to be peeled and left whole
300 g big onions, to be peeled and cut into large cubes
1 clove garlic, to be crushed
2 tbsp sweet paprika powder
a pinch of cumin powder
1/2 to 1 litre water
300 g potatoes, to be peeled and cut into large cubes
2 red (or green or yellow) bell peppers, to be deseeded and cut into strips
salt and pepper to taste
a little oil

Method:
Heat a little oil in pot and brown beef cubes on all sides.  Add in tomatoes, onions and crushed garlic and stir well.  Then, add in sweet paprika powder, cumin powder and water.  Simmer over medium heat for 1 hour or until meat is almost tender.

Once beef is almost tender, add in bell peppers and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  To thicken gravy, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsps water and add to gravy while stirring.  Serve with Spätzle or baguette or rice or potato dumpings.

Bon Appetit!

Ochsenschwanz (Oxtail)

This Ochsenschwanz dish is quite popular in Germany and it tastes heavenly!  It is served in several ways i.e. either with noodles or just whipped potato and steamed vegetables.  This time, I served this dish with steamed broccoli and whipped potato. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
5 or 6 oxtail pieces, already cut by a butcher
some flour
salt & peper

2 carrots, to be peeled and cut into cubes
1 celery root, to be peeled and cut into cubes
1 pce leek, to be washed thoroughly and cut into cubes
1 large onion, to be peeled and cut into wedges

2 tbsp tomato puree
1/4 to 1/2 litre beef stock (one can use red wine if preferred)
1 tbsp cornflour, to be mixed with 2 tbsp water (to thicken gravy when needed)
a little oil

Method:
Season oxtail pieces with salt and pepper.  Then, dredge them in flour.  Heat a little oil in a deep pot and add oxtail pieces.  Fry on all sides and remove to a plate.

In the same pot, add a little more oil and stir-fry the onion wedges and vegetable cubes for 5 minutes.  Then, add in tomato puree and mix well.  Pour beef stock and bring to a slight boil.  Put the lid on and simmer over slow heat for about 3 hours or until the meat have slightly loosened themselves from the bones.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add cornflour mixture to thicken to gravy, if necessary.

I served this dish with steamed broccoli and whipped potato.

Bon Appetit!

Swedish Butterkaka

Swedish Butterkaka with Vanilla Pudding filling is the equivalent to the german "Hefeschnecken" which has either Vanilla Pudding or Hazelnut-Marzipan filling!  It is advisable to use fresh yeast instead of instant yeast in order that the dough attains its soft springy texture.  This recipe was kindly given to me by a fellow Facebook friend, Ellen Yee Tham Peng, who is living in Sweden and I have made some adjustments to suit my taste.  I must say that this Butterkaka is awesome and tastes delicious.  It is worth a try and I think that it will be very popular with the kids!

Dough Ingredients:

75 g butter

250 ml fresh milk

30 g fresh yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast (note:  original recipe has 25 g)

50 g sugar

1/4 tsp salt

400 g all purpose flour, to be sifted

Filling Ingredients:

1 packet instant vanilla custard or pudding (I use Dr. Oetker's Vanilla Pudding)

500 ml fresh milk

Glaze Ingredients:

1 egg yolk, to be slightly beaten with a little fresh milk

Pearl Sugar (Swedish product) or Hagelzucker (coarse sugar)

Method:

Melt butter in hot milk and leave to cool to a temperature of 38° C.  Place flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.  Break up yeast into the well.  Then, pour the butter/milk over yeast and mix thoroughly.

Add the rest of the ingredients and knead with a kitchen machine for about 10 minutes or until the dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl.  Cover bowl with a cloth and let dough rise to double its volume.  This will take about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare vanilla custard or pudding according to packet instructions.  Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool off completely.  Butter a 26 cm diameter round springform or cake tin.

Once the dough is ready, knead it on a floured table top for another 5 minutes.  Divide dough into portions and form each portion into a long log of about 32 cm long.  Then, roll out each log to a rectangular shape of 32 x 25 cm.  Spread half of vanilla filling on top and roll dough like rolling a swiss roll.  Then, cut log into 8 portions.  Repeat procedure with the other log.

Arrange portions onto the base of the springform by leaving a slight gap in between.  Leave to rise for a further 10 to 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 200° C or 180° C (fan oven).  Glaze top of portions with eggyolk/milk mixture and sprinkle with Pearl Sugar or Hagelzucker.  Bake for 35 minutes - after 20 minutes, cover springform with an aluminium foil (to avoid cake getting too browned) and bake for a further 15 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before removing cake from tin.

Bon Appetit!