Grilled fish with yogurt

I tried this fish recipe from a old recipe book with title "Healthful recipes, The wise choice from Nutrition Society of Malaysia", a very easy recipe and healthy fish dish.

Grilled fish with yogurt
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
1 fish fillet
1 lime (extracted juice)
1/2tsp salt

Herbs paste
2 cloves garlic
½” ginger
1 onion
½” fresh turmeric
½ tsp fish curry powder
1tsp red chilli paste (I use homemade chilli paste)
1/8 tsp black pepper powder
1/4tsp salt or to taste
1 lime (extracted juice)
2tbsp yogurt (natural flavour)
1/2tsp fish sauce
1/4tsp sugar

Method
1. Marinate fish with salt and lime juice for 1 hour.
2. Blend garlic, ginger, onion and turmeric finely, mix with the rest of ingredients to form a paste
3. Place fish on aluminium foil, spread the herbs paste on top of fish.
4. Bake at pre-heated oven at 200c for 20mins ( or adjust accordingly)

Happy Cooking !!

Ginger Milk Curd

In order to support Wendy (Table for 2..more)'s 1st giveaway, I did my 1st ginger milk curd just now.

-This is the brand of full cream milk that i used, and I even bought the most expensive ginger (ginger from Bentong) which cost me RM4.00 for a small piece (normal ginger from China only will cost RM 1.00 )

-1st attempted result = Failed, (125ml milk (medium flame and count 20seconds)+15ml ginger juice+1tsp sugar), the spoon did not float but totally sunk in the milk.

-2nd attempted result = Failed too !! (125ml milk (low flame and count 10seconds)+15ml ginger juice+ 2tsp sugar), the milk just watery but not curd at all.

Wendy, I have tried my best, I think I will just give this up, but at least I tried !! So do I still qualify for the draw or not, hehehe..

Chinese sausage steamed buns

Just learnt a simple way of steamed buns from a TV cooking show, this bun also a famous dim sum item.

Chinese sausage before cut

I did not get the exact measurement from that TV show, so I came out with my own recipe. This bun is very soft and also very yummy when you bite the sausage together with the bun, nice to have it with a cup of coffee.

Chinese sausage steamed buns
*makes 18 buns
(printable recipe)

3 Chinese sausages, cut one into 3pcs, soaked in hot water for 5mins, then halved, total get 18pcs

Dough ingredients
2 cups Hong Kong flour/All purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1tsp yeast, mix with 1tbsp lukewarm water, set aside for 5mins
3tbsp corn oil
1 and 1/2 tbsp sugar
175ml water

Method
1. Mix all dough ingredients, knead the dough until it forms into an elastic and smooth ball, which takes about 10 minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands, and be quite stretchy. Set aside to rest for 60mins.
2. Divide dough into 18 small balls (weight about 35gm per ball)
3. Flatten it and put a piece of sausage and roll it up, set aside to rest for another 15mins.
4. Steam over high heat for 20mins.

Happy Cooking !!

Homemade Chicken Satay and Peanut dipping sauce

Chicken Satay is very famous in Malaysia, and it has been listed in my to-do-list long time ago. Recently I just made this satay for one of the dinner at home.

-Homemade peanut dipping sauce,very thick and full of peanut aroma..

I hope next time I can try out Ketupat(rice dumpling) that wrap with woven palm leaf pouch but not plastic bag (easy to find this ready packet in supermarket).

I adapted the recipe from Peteformation, Thanks to Pete for kind sharing. But I made little adjustment to the original recipe.

Homemade Chicken Satay and Peanut dipping sauce*makes about 40 sticks of Satay
(printable recipe)

Chicken Satay
600g chicken meat, drumstick meat or breast meat with skin on, cut into thin strips

Marinate ingredients1tbsp cumin powder
2tbsp coriander powder
1tbsp turmeric powder
1” Galangal (replaced ginger if you don’t have this)
3 stalks Serai (Lemongrass)
75ml coconut milk
1 and 1/2tsp salt or to taste
3tbsp light brown sugar or to taste

Some satay skewers

1. Blend galangal, lemongrass and coconut milk till fine paste.
2. Marinade the chicken meat with all the ingredients, set aside for 1hour or more or preferably overnight in the fridge.
3. Thread the marinated strips of meat through satay skewers, around 4-5pcs per skewer.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 200c for 25mins or barbecue the satay using charcoal fire (this way taste better!)


Peanut dipping sauce

100g roasted peanuts, coarsely ground

Ground spices (blend into paste)
1tsp Cumin powder
1tsp Fennel powder
1tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tbsp chilli paste (I use homemade chilli paste)
2 stalks lemongrass
4pcs of candlenuts
8pcs shallots
2 cloves garlic
2tbsp water

Tamarind juice (1tbsp tamarind paste mix with 3tbsp water)
1tbsp sugar
300ml think coconut milk
5tbsp of cooking oil
1tsp salt or to taste

1. Heat oil in a wok, fry ground spices for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add in tamarind water and coconut milk, continue to simmer for 5mins.
3. Add the ground peanuts and simmer for 2-3mins.
4. Add sugar and salt to taste.

Satay to serve with:-1 Onions, cut into bite size
1 Cucumber, cut into bite size
1 pkt of Ketupat (rice dumpling), prepared as per packet’s instruction, cut into bite size .

Happy Cooking !!

Strawberry pastry cake

I saw this pastry cake is very popular among local food bloggers recently, so i gave it a try too. If you don't like a too oily butter cake, you should try this pastry cake. If you are planning to give away cakes for your friend or relatives, this is one type of cake that will definitely well received by them as it has nice presentation and taste good.

After i checked few of the links provided by other bloggers, I think this recipe was 1st posted by Little Corner of Mine. I just bake it with fresh strawberry for the 1st time.

Strawberry Pastry Cake*use 8” cake tin
(printable recipe)

100g butter
150g sugar
50g sour cream/yogurt (I use natural flavour of yogurt)
3 eggs
1tsp Lemon zest
210g cake flour
1tsp baking powder

500g fresh strawberry, or other type of fruits of your choice

1. Wash and cut strawberry and toss with sugar (if desired).
2. Grease (with butter) and line the base of cake tin with parchment paper.
3. Beat butter, sugar till pale and fluffy.
4. Add in yogurt and mix well.
5. Add egg one at a time, combine well.
6. Fold in flour, slowly combine and mix well.
7. Pour cake batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top.
8. Arrange strawberry on top of the cake batter, don’t press the fruits down into the batter.
9. Bake at preheated oven at 180c for 60-80mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
10. Dust the cooled cake with some icing sugar if desired.

Happy Baking !!

Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-pulled noodles) 麵粉粿

Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-pulled noodles) is another famous local food in Klang beside Bah Kut Teh. We like to eat out at this restaurant for Mee Hoon Kueh, and I also like to cook this at home too, at least twice in a month. This noodle taste better if you cook it per bowl per serving at a time.

-dough ball before cook


-hand pull the dough


-drop noodle into soup base


-Tong Choy (preserved vegetables)

-Local ikan bilis (anchovy)

Yummy, yummy !!

Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-pulled noodles) 麵粉粿*serve 6 pax
(printable recipe)
Dough500g all purpose flour
200ml water
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1tsp salt

1. Mix flour, egg and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly add in water and knead till soft dough, take about 5mins.
3. Shape the dough into ball, keep aside and cover with cling film & rest for 1 hour or more.

Ikan Bilis (Anchovy) Soup Base

100g ikan bilis (anchovy), washed and cleaned
2 litre water
1 and ½ tsp salt or to taste

1. Boil anchovy in water for 45mins, tasted with salt, set aside.

Ingredients

200g fresh shrimps, stir fried with chopped garlic, set aside

200g meat (pork or chicken), sliced and marinate with sesame oil, pepper and tapioca flour

For garnishing

100g ikan bilis (anchovy), fried till golden brown and crispy

15 shallots, finely sliced and fried till golden brown and crispy

Some leafy vegetables (bok choy, spinach, sayur manis, mustard green)

2 tbsp tong choy (preserved vegetables), optional

To cook a bowl per person:-
1. Pour a small bowl of soup base into a cooking pot.
2. Once soup is boiled, tear the dough ball into small and thin pieces and drop it into the boiling soup.
3. Repeat until the dough is completed.
4. Add in meat, shrimps, tong choy and vegetables.
5. Cook for 1min and serve in serving bowl.
6. Garnish with fried anchovies and fried shallots.
7. Serve hot and dip with chillies soy sauce for extra spicy flavours.

Happy Cooking !!

Soy bean paste deep fried fish

This is another my own way of cooking fish, use one of the part from the big fish that I bought earlier (deep fried sweet and sour fish). I like fish to cook this way with soy bean paste, and usually I will add some curry leaves to enhance the taste.

-local brand of fermented soy bean paste


Soy bean paste deep fried fish

700g Threadfin fish, whole or cut into big pieces (or any other type of fish)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
½” ginger, chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 red chilli, shredded
1 spring onion, cut 1” length
1 and 1/2tbsp soy bean paste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tbsp sugar or to taste
150ml water (or adjust accordingly)

1. Deep fry fish till golden brown, set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a wok, add in chopped garlic and ginger, stir fry till fragrant.
3. Add in soy bean paste, stir fry for few seconds, add in water.
4. Seasoning with light soy sauce and sugar, cook for 1min.
5. Add in deep fried fish, cook for few seconds.
6. Dish out, sprinkle spring onion and red chilli on top, serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!

Cocoa butter cake

In return, I baked a cocoa butter cake for my previous babysister who gave me some alkaline dumplings. When i was a kid, i only know this normal butter cake and even till now I still like to eat this cake eventhough I have baked so many other type of cakes.

Personally I prefer Jane's butter cake recipe, not too oily, not too sweet and moist. I adapted Jane's coffee butter cake recipe but replaced coffee with cocoa, and reduce sugar. Thanks Jane !!

Cocoa Butter Cake
*makes 2 round aluminium cake tins
(printable recipe)

250g butter
160g sugar
4 eggs
250g cake flour
1tsp vanilla essence
2tsp of double action baking powder
4tbsp milk
2tbsp cocoa powder and ½ tsp coffee powder mix with 3tbsp hot water

1. Sift cake flour and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Beat butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add in egg one at a time, add in vanilla, mixing well.
4. Fold in flour and milk, combine well.
5. Mix ½ portion of cake mixture with cocoa mixture.
6. Pour cake mixture into cake tin and follow by cocoa cake mixture.
7. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 30mins or skewer came out clean.

Happy Baking !!

Happy Dumpling Festival 2010 !! 端午节

Today is fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar on which the Chinese calendar is based, also known as DuanWu Festival.

This year I did not make any dumpling, this dumpling actually was given by my previous babysitter (she babysit my three kids while I was working last time). Last year I did Nyonya dumpling, you may refer here.

I like this simple Alkaline dumpling with sweet red bean filling, I must learn this dumpling from her one day.

In return, I baked a cake for her, will post in next post..

Happy Dumpling Day !!

Parmesan Chiffon Cake

I use the balance Parmesan cheese to bake a chiffon recently, saw few bloggers gave good reviews to this chiffon, ya, agreed with them, this chiffon is not too oily, light and moist.

Recipe adapted from chiffon master -Jess a.k.a The Kictchen 70's..
But I made slight changes to suit my own preference.

Parmesan Chiffon Cake
**for 20cm chiffon pan
(printable recipe)

4 egg yolks
20g sugar
50g corn oil
70g milk
70g self raising flour
70g Parmesan cheese powder (I use grated cheese)

4 egg whites
70g sugar
1tbsp corn flour

1. Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar till pale.
2. Add in corn oil and milk, mix well.
3. Add in flour and cheese, combine well, set aside.
4. Beat egg whites over high speed till foamy.
5. Slowly add in sugar, continue beat, add in corn flour, beat till soft peak form.
6. Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till combine.
7. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.
8. Pour cake mixture into baking pan and bake at pre-heated oven at 160c for 40min.

Happy Baking !!

Canopy Walk, Forest Research Institue Malaysia FRIM

Brought my kids to Canopy Walk in one of the weekend where this place is just 30mins drive from my house. A 200m long, the canopy walkway was constructed in 1992 for scientific studies of above ground flora and fauna. It was built 30m above ground level.

kids also enjoyed at nearby waterfall

saw a huge Millipede !

You may check here for operating hours and other details...

Canned sardine fish curry

I learnt this canned sardine fish curry from my Indian friend, simple and delicious curry.

This is my favourite brand of canned sardine, what is your favourite brand?

Canned Sardine fish curry
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
1 large can sardine (425g), tomato sauce flavour
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp of chopped ginger, garlic and onion
3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 onion, sliced
2tbsp cooking oil
100ml water

1/2tsp mixed mustard seeds
1/2tsp coriander seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds

Seasonings
1tsp salt of taste
1tsp sugar
1tsp light soy sauce
1tbsp fish curry powder
1tsp red chilli powder
1tsp turmeric powder

1. Remove sardines from can, retain the tomato sauce
2. Pan fried sardines (without oil) in a non-stick pan, till both sides turned brown, set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add in ginger, garlic and onion paste and curry leaves, stir fry till fragrant.
4. Add in mustard, coriander and cumin seeds, mix well.
5. Add in the canned sardine’s tomato sauce and water, add in the seasonings.
6. Once sauce boiled, add in the pan fried sardines, cook for 1min.
7. Add in chopped tomato and onion slices, cook for another 1min.
8. Dish out, serve hot with steam rice.

* dip bread with this sardine fish curry, also yummy...

Happy Cooking !!