Nasi Lobak Merah (Carrot Basmati Rice)

I prepared a totally different rice dish for Eid Mubarak. I had second thoughts about preparing it because our younger son is not a fan of carrots.  But to my surprise, he loves this dish and I haven't had the heart to tell him that he is eating Carrot Rice! For this dish, I added Basmati Rice and cooked it in the rice cooker.  Of course, you may cook it the traditional way over the stove.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g basmati rice, to be washed and strained
2 medium-size carrots, to be peeled and grated into sticks
1 big onion, to be peeled, halved and finely sliced
1.5 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled and finely pounded
4 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely pounded
1/2 tsp jintan manis (cumin), to be coarsely pounded
4 cm cinnamon stick
2 pcs cardamom
2 pcs cloves
150 g tomatoes, to be finely minced
550 ml water
salt to taste
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
Add grated carrots to basmati rice and leave aside.  Prepare the rest of the ingredients and set aside.

In a medium-size pot, heat oil and ghee over medium heat.  Stir-fry onion slices and all pounded ingredients until fragrant and slightly light brown in colour.

Add minced tomatoes, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and water.  Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste.  Add basmati rice and cook over stove as you normally cook your rice.

If using a rice cooker, add basmati rice and pot contents to rice cooker.  Switch on rice cooker.

Once rice is done, fluff up rice by using a fork or wooden spatula.  Serve hot!

Bon Appetit!

Pulut Kunyit

Also known as Pulut Kuning (yellow glutinous rice) or Nasi Kunyit, this traditional dish is specially prepared during kenduris, weddings, etc.  This recipe is one of the few which have been in my recipe collection for years and one of my favourites.  Tastes great when served with beef rendang or any kind of curry, not forgetting the complementary side dishes such as serunding, sambal goreng, sambal tumis, etc. As the weather was a bit cold and rainy yesterday, I kept myself busy in the kitchen and prepared my favourite rice dish along with Fried French Beans, Beef Rendang (with sauce to my hubby's delight but I prefer the dry version) and Malay-style Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken).  At least, my craving for Pulut Kunyit is appeased!  Try the following recipe out!  It is not difficult at all!

Ingredients (serves 4-6 persons):
1 kg glutinous rice, to be washed, soaked in water for 30 minutes & drained
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1.5 tsp ground turmeric
630 ml coconut milk
1 stick cinnamon
1 pc pandan leaf, to be tied into a knot
2-3 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
In a wok, heat oil over medium heat and stir-fry pandan leaf and cinnamon stick until fragrant.

Add coconut milk and bring mixture to a light boil.

Add ground turmeric, lime juice, salt and glutinous rice.  Stir well and cook until mixture is dry.

Prepare the steamer and line the top tray with a muslin cloth.  Transfer rice mixture to the steamer and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes.

Once done, open up steamer and by using a fork, separate the rice grains.

Serve hot or cold with Beef Rendang or any kind of curry.

Bon Appetit!

Nasi Kuning Goreng (Fried Yellow Rice)

I prepared a new fried rice recipe using yellow rice and minced beef for lunch today. Of course if one prefers white rice, it can be used instead.  To enhance the taste, kurma and curry powders were added along with diced carrot and red capsicum. Best eaten with a sunny-side-up egg (telur mata lembu) and a dash of kicap asin or manis (salty or sweet soy sauce).

Ingredients (serves 4):
350 g basmati rice
2 tsp turmeric powder
about 450 to 500 ml water (depending on rice)
1 tsp instant beef stock granules
1 tsp cooking oil

250 g minced beef
1 capsicum (red bell pepper), to be deseeded and finely diced
1 carrot, to be peeled and finely diced
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 cardamom
2 petals of star anise
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
2 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1.5 cm ginger, to be peeled and sliced into sticks
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp kurma powder
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

fried shallots, for garnishing
sunny-side-up eggs, for garnishing

Method:
Wash basmati rice and transfer to a bowl.  Add a little water to just cover the rice. Then, add turmeric powder and leave aside for about half an hour to an hour.

Pass through a sieve and transfer to a pot.  Add water, instant beef stock and cooking oil.  Cook over medium heat until all liquid has been absorbed.  Stir well before putting on the lid.  Reduce heat to low and cook for another 30 minutes.

Prepare all other ingredients.

In a wok, heat oil and ghee over medium heat.  Stir-fry dry cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and star anise until fragrant.  Then, add sliced onion, garlic, ginger, kurma and curry powders.  Stir-fry until the oil/ghee are infused into the spices.

Add diced carrots and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until almost cooked.  Then, add minced beef and cook until it changes colour.  Lastly, add diced capsicum and cook further for about two minutes.

Finally, add cooked yellow rice and salt to taste.  Mix thoroughly.

Serve sprinkled with fried shallots, a sunny-side-up egg on top with a dash of sweet or salty soy sauce and cucumber slices.

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!