Kuih Bakar Berlauk

A popular malay savoury snack in both Singapore and Malaysia.  This kuih has minced beef and red chilli slices topping and is normally baked in an aluminium mould over charcoal fire.  My mum used to prepare them this way during our kampong days but nowadays, they can be baked in the oven (even in the aluminium mould) and taste as good.

Ingredients:
250 g plain flour
1 egg
1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk
about 200 ml water, it all depends on the required thickness of the batter

150 g minced beef
1 small onion, to be peeled and finely chopped
a little cumin powder & salt to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil

1 spring onion, to be finely sliced
1 twig parsley, to be finely sliced
2 - 3 stalks red chillies, to be finely sliced
yellow food colouring
salt to taste

Method:
In a small pan, heat oil and stir-fry chopped onion until translucent.  Add minced meat and stir-fry until it changes colour.  Season with salt and cumin powder to taste. Remove to a bowl and leave aside. Variation:  One may use curry powder instead of cumin powder.  A little minced fresh ginger may be added for the extra umph!

In a bowl, whisk egg lightly.  Add in a little flour and coconut alternately until the required consistency is reached.  Then, add enough water to reach a not too thin or too thick consistency.  Bear in mind that if the batter is too thin, the kuih will be too soft or if the batter is too thick, it will be hard after baking. Then, add a little yellow colouring and mix well.  Season with salt to taste and add sliced spring onion and parsley.

Since my aluminium mould is still not "seasoned", I used my silicone mould from Tupperware below. This silicone mould does not need to be greased.

Add about a tablespoon of batter into the mould, sprinkle minced beef on top and place a slice or two red chillies.

Bake in a conventional oven at 180° C for about 20 to 25 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and let if cool slightly before removing the kuih.

Serve warm or cold.

Bon Appetit!

Coffee Lamb Ribs

Last week, I saw a video by Makansutra on YouTube which really made me drool. Since pork is prohibited in our home, I prepared this dish using lamb ribs.  Instead of frying the ribs in vegetable oil as shown in the video, I baked them until golden brown. Recipe can be found at the end of the video. I must say that the Coffee Lamb Ribs are excellent!

I coated the lamb ribs with cornstarch and place them on a baking tray which is lined with aluminium foil.  Bake in a fan oven at 180° C for less than an hour or until golden brown.  There is no need to turn the ribs over because they get evenly browned on the underside.

Prepare the sauce according to the recipe.

Add the baked lamb ribs to sauce and mix well.

Serve warm or cold.

Bon Appetit!

Prawn Vadai

One of my favourite indian snack which is best eaten with fresh green chillies.  Today, I used urid dhal flour instead of soaked urid dhal and the texture turned out to be soft due to the addition of bicarbonate of soda.

Ingredients (yields about 25 pieces):
130 g urid dhal flour
260 g plain flour
1 tsp (heaped) bicarbonate of soda
1 big onion, to be peeled and finely diced
a handful curry leaves, to be finely sliced
1 or 2 fresh green chillies, to be finely diced (optional)
about 500 ml water
salt to taste

25 medium-sized fresh prawns (with shells), to be cleaned and pat dry
cooking oil for deep-frying

Method:
In a bowl, add all dry ingredients.  Add water a little at a time and mix thoroughly. Season with salt to taste.  The consistency should not be too thin or too thick. Leave aside for about 5 to 6 hours.

Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a wok.  Take a tablespoon of dough and place a piece of prawn on top.  By using another tablespoon, shift the dough into the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden brown on all sides.

Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

Serve hot or cold with fresh green chillies.

Bon Appetit!

Nasi Minyak

This rice dish is very popular at malay weddings and homes.  The following recipe is my version of nasi minyak because my two boys prefer to have a chicken broth taste.  Best eaten with Ayam Masak Merah and Acar Timun.

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6):
5 cups basmati rice, to be rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken stock (boil a chicken leg or breast in a pot of water with a little salt) - add more if you prefer a softer rice
1 cup evaporated milk
salt to taste

Stir-fry Ingredients.
1 pce cardamom
3 cm piece cinnamon stick
1 pce clove
3 shallots, to be peeled and finely sliced
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely slice
2 cm fresh ginger, to be finely chopped

2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cooking oil
two pandan leaves, to be tied into a knot

Garnishing:
roasted cashes nuts
raisins
fried shallots
chopped parsley
chopped spring onions

Method:
In a pot, heat ghee, butter and oil over medium heat.  Add all stir-fry ingredients and stir-fry until sliced shallots turn golden.  Add pandan leaves.

Then, add evaporated milk and chicken stock.  Bring to boil and season to taste.

Add rice and cook until all liquid has evaporated.  Reduce heat to low and cover pot. Cook until rice is done.  If using rice cooker, add rice to rice cooker and add pot contents.  Switch on rice cooker.

Serve hot garnished with fried shallots, cashes nuts, raisins, chopped parsley leaves and spring onions.

Bon Appetit!

Ayam Masak Merah

A traditional malay spicy chicken dish which is served at home and weddings.  It is best eaten with any kind of rice and today, I served this dish with Nasi Minyak and Acar Timun for dinner.

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6 persons):
1 whole chicken (about 1.2 kg)
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt

2 big onions, to be peeled and finely sliced
3 pcs cloves
3 cm cinamon stick
3 pcs cardamom
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp fried shallots
a handful coriander leaves
a handful mint leaves
3 large tomatoes, to be sliced
a little freshly made chicken stock (optional)
4 tbsp cooking oil

Blended Ingredients:
5 stalks fresh red chillies, to be sliced
1 big onion, to be peeled and sliced
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and sliced
2 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled and sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds, to be soaked in warm water
10 - 15 stalks dried chillies (can be reduced if you prefer less spicy), to be soaked in warm water

Method:
Wash and clean chicken.  Pat dry and cut into serving portions.  Season with turmeric powder and salt. Mix thoroughly.  Heat enough oil in a wok and deep-fry chicken pieces until golden.  Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper and leave aside.

In a pot, heat oil and stir-fry sliced onions, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom until onion turns light golden.  Then, add blended ingredients and tomato puree.  Stir-fry for about 15 minutes or until the spices and oil are separated.

Add in mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried shallots.  Stir well.

Then, add tomato slices and some chicken stock (optional).  Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the right consistency of gravy is reached.  Lastly, add the fried chicken and cook over medium heat until the chicken pieces are heat through.

Serve hot with any kinds of rice i.e. nasi minyak, nasi bryani or plain rice.

Bon Appetit!

Vanilla Tarts (Vanilletörtchen)

They are easy to prepare and taste excellent.  The shells are made of puff pastry with vanilla pudding filling inside.  This time, I used my silicone muffin cups instead of the normal muffins baking tray. This resulted in easy removal of the tarts with a perfect shape.

Ingredients (yields about 16 pieces):
400 g frozen puff pastry (to be thawed) or 1 1/2 roll of fresh puff pastry

250 ml fresh cream
250 ml fresh milk
1 vanilla pod, the seeds to be scrapped

50 ml fresh milk
1 packet vanilla pudding
75 g sugar
2 egg yolks

icing sugar

Method:
In a bowl, mix together 50 ml fresh milk, vanilla pudding, sugar and egg yolks together.  Mix thoroughly until there are no lumps.  In a saucepan, add fresh cream, fresh milk and the scrapped vanilla seeds.  Bring to boil.  Once mixture starts to boil lightly, add the bowl mixture and mix well with a whisk.  Let it boil for a few minutes before removing to a plastic bowl.  Set aside to cool down.

By using a 9 cm round cutter, cut circles of puff pastry.  Line each silicone muffin cup.  If using muffin baking tray, grease the moulds with butter before lining with puff pastry.  Repeat until all 16 silicone muffin cups are lined with pastry.

Preheat conventional ofen to 220° C - please do not use your fan oven.  Then, add about 2 tbsp of vanilla pudding into each muffin cup.  Arrange muffin cups on a baking tray.

Place baking tray on the lowest rack of oven and bake for about 20 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and let it cool for a while before removing tarts from the silicone moulds.

Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Happy Baking!