HERBS KERABU RECIPE

Pegaga leaves
kaduk leaves
Cutting the kaduk leaves into small strips
cutting the torch ginger(bunga kantan)
Selom leaves and torch ginger

Here is the recipe on how to prepare the kerabu.
Ingredients:
Kaduk leaves

Mengkudu leaves

Bebuas leaves

Long beans

Pegaga

Torch ginger
Bean sprouts

Selom

tumeric leaves(3)

lemon grass(3 stalks)

garlic (4 pips)

shallots (8 to 10)

Grated coconut (1)

Anchovies/dried shrimps (300 gms) - fried and pounded

salt and sugar to taste

Bird eye chillies (6)-optional

seasoning (optional)

Instructions
1.Cut all the herbs into fine strips(except for bean sprout) and place in large container.
2.Cut the garlic, onions,lemon grass and chillies.Then pound them. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt so that the liquid will not splatter.
3.Pound the fried anchovies finely.

4.Mix all the ingredients in (2) and (3) with the grated coconut and fry them without using oil. You have to fry until they become fragrant and dry. Make sure you do not over fry.
5.Mix all the ingredients together (1 and 4) and then add the lime juice.
Add salt and sugar to taste.
** You can substitute other types of herbs to make the kerabu instead of the ones mentioned above.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

This morning, our school assembly cum pre-merdeka celebration was held in the STESMA hall.
Even though it was quite simple, it touched especially when our students recited the poetry on the independence. Our country now celebrates the 51st Independence Day with the theme "Perpaduan Teras Kejayaan". Happy Merdeka Day! No cooking....

MY FAVOURITE LAMB KORMA

My family likes this dish very much. Since this food contains high cholestrol, I only cook this once a while. Therefore, whenever I cook this korma, my children couldn't wait for long, they will eat together with the siblings. I will wait for my my husband to eat.

For those who never cook this dish, it is actually using the same technique of making lamb curry,

beef curry or chicken curry. After the korma paste is well cooked, then mix the lamb with it until it tenders, then only pour the coconut milk and add potato or carrot (optional).

Lamb Korma DaBest

Ingredients:

900g - 1000g lamb (cleaned)

3 cm ginger (halia)

3cm galangal (lengkuas)

2 stalks lemon grass (serai)- (hit to crush)

2 onions (bawang besar)

4 garlic (bawang putih)

1 cinnamon stick (kayu manis)

2 star anise (bunga lawang)

3 cardamon (buah pelaga)

4 cloves (bunga cengkih)

3 tbs korma powder

1 tsp cumin powder (jintan putih)

1 tsp fennel seed powder (jintan manis)

2 stalks curry leaves

tamarind juice

salt and sugar to taste

3 tbs of vegetable oil

2 cups of coconut milk

4 potatoes/carrot/onions (optional)

Method:

1. Boil the lamb with 2-3 cups of water until tender(keep aside).

2. Blend finely together the ginger, galangal, onion,and garlic.

3. Heat the oil, put the cinnamon stick, cardamon, clove, and curry leaves. Then, pour the blended items (no.2). Wait 3-5 minutes until fragrant.

4. Mix the korma powder with some water (mix with the cumin fennel seed powder too) and pour it together with (no.3). Wait for a few minutes until is is well-cooked. If it becomes dry, pour some water to make sure it is well-cooked.

5. When the oil comes to the surface, and the aroma is ummmph....mix it with ( no.1).

6. Make sure that the lamb really tenders. Mix it with the tamarind juice.Then, pour the coconut milk and potatoes or carrot and season to taste.

7. It is nice eaten with beryani rice or tomato rice or even white rice. Happy cooking....

Kuih Raya Practice

Last Monday, I practised the making of "kuih raya"(cookies). Sounds funny, emh?! No, thats all for my children's snacks. At first, they were very happy as if the raya is too near. But, after they have seen the two bottles of cookies, they bored already. For your information, I made the Almond London cookies into three different colours, dark brown (chocolate), pink (strawberry), and white (white chocolate). On the top, I put the crushed almond and the sweet rice. But....it is actually not good for children or even adults. Why? Because they are sweet.....

Here is the recipe for Almond London Cookies:

450g plain wheat flour

250g butter

150g castor sugar

1 egg

1 tsp emplex

1/2 tsp baking powder

cooking chocolate

Almond(whole)

Almond nibs/sweet rice

Method:

1. Sieve the flour,emplex and baking powder together(keep aside).

2.Beat butter and sugar.

3. Put the egg.

4. Put the flour, baking powder and emplex.

5. Mould and make the dough into small round shape and put the almond inside.

6.Make it until all done and arrange nicely into a pan.

7. Bake at 180 C for 15-20 minutes.

8. Dip into melted chocolate , put into a paper cup and sprinkle with the almond nibs/sweet rice.

*Melt cooking chocolate with two tablespoon of vegetable shortening using double boiling technique(boil water in a pot and the chocolate in a pan on top-so that that it will not easily burnt)*

Kamakitchen's Fish Curry

Yesterday, I was fasting. So, I prepared the fish curry for my "buka puasa" (breakfasting). My family likes to eat curry may it fish curry, beef curry or chicken curry. The longer you keep the curry, the taste will be better. But, some people do not want to keep it long, they like it fresh. Its up to you because we have different taste each other, right? There is important tip when you want to cook curry, you must cook the curry paste or powder (mix with water) well. You can know the curry is well-cooked when you see the oil comes up to the surface, then only you can pour the coconut milk and so on and so forth. Here is the basic recipe for the fish curry.

Ingredients:
600g fish (cleaned)

3 tbs vegetable oil

1 onion (chopped)

3 garlic (chopped)

2cm ginger (chopped)

curry leaves

1 stick of cinnamon

2 star anisse

3 tbs curry powder (paste)

2-3 cups of coconut milk

tamarind juice

6-8 ladies fingers

salt and sugar to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil.

2. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, cinnamon, star anisse until fragrant.

3. Mix the curry powder with a cup of water and pour into it.

4. Pour the tamarind juice together.

5. Wait until 8-10 minutes until it is well cooked (the oil will come out to the surface signifies it is well cooked).

6. Pour the coconut milk and wait until it boils.

7. Put the cleaned fish and boils for another 5-6 minutes.

8. Add sugar and salt to taste.

9. When it is almost done, you can put in the ladies fingers (optional) or any greens.

Acar Buah (Pickled Mix Fruits)

I am already back to Manjung. On my first day, I have to "tune" my mind back to school. After one day , I need to attend another course related to "cooperative by-laws". Since cooperative is now under Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM), there are many things to consider about. Today, I want to share with you the "pickled mix fruits recipe" or acar buah which is very popular during the month of Ramadhan. Some people might find it from their parents back in their village or they can get it from pasar. This acar will be a hot item during this fasting month. For your information, this acar buah is costly because the items are all pickled or dried. Mostly we can get the items from the supermarket either in small pack or loose. As to me, I like to buy the packed ones. Most of the time I put the small pickled fruits which does not need me to cut into small pieces. We can actually put different kinds of fruits, but make sure the fruits are not soft.

Here is the recipe for the Acar Buah:

Ingredients:

5 onions

5 garlic

3 cups of chilli paste

1 cup of oil

2 cinnamon sticks

3 star aniseeds

3 cardamon seeds

3 tbs of "soup powder"

2-3 cups of sugar

1 cup of vinegar

salt to taste

1 pack of dried mix fruits (200 g)

1 pack of raisins or sultanas (200g)

1 pack of dried nutmegs (200g)-optional

1 pack of dried ginger (200 g)-optional

5 to 6 pieces of acar limau (pickled lime)- cut into small pieces

Method:

1. Blend finely the onions and garlic.

2. Heat the oil, put the blended items and the chilli paste together.

3. Mix with the soup powder, aniseed, cardamon and the cinnamon sticks.

4. Fry until it is well cooked. Add some water if it too dry. Fry for some time because this chilli must be well cooked to make the acar nice.

5. Add the vinegar and sugar, add 1 cup of water.

6. Mix the dried fruits, taste the sugar and salt, it is ready to serve.

The acar buah is nice to be eaten with white rice or beryani rice. Yummm.....

Final Day of PTK

Rosli is having his lunch with his roommate, Badrul Hisham
I am posing in the "Coffee Tree" outlet in Penang

The Middle-East Tourists are bargaining the "coffee tree" products
I am posing with my roommate Azilah, happened to be my friend's sister.

I am taking picture with Rossidah, teaching in Bercham
The group presentation evaluators.....

My group was preparing the group presentation to be held on Friday.

Today is the last day of the course. Everybody is looking to go home, but they have another barrier which is sitting for the final examination (UAK). Many were busy looking at their notes as the last preparations whereas some others were just wandering around to calm themselves. What to do? We have to sit for this exam to fulfil the requirement of completing the PTK DG44. Yesterday, my friends and I managed to go out shopping the most popular item in Penang, nutmegs...The taxi driver sent us to one of the most popular place among tourists which is an outlet selling white coffee in Penang. Have you ever heard the brand "Coffee Tree"? According to the taxi driver, it is very popular among the tourists especilally from Middle East. True enough, when we reached there, there were a lot of Middle East tourist flocked in the shop. Some of them bought many packets of different types of coffee. I managed to get one priced RM25.

Now, I am waiting for my husband to fetch me back to Manjung. Well, I am going home...in three months time the result will be released. Hopefully, everybody will be getting the 4-4. Yeah....

Public Speaking

The evaluators are giving marks to the course participants.

Today is the most awaited day for those who are well-versed and familiar of public speaking. But for those who are not having enough self-esteem and proficiency, today is really hoped not be in the calender! Why? Ha...ha...not excluding myself, I'm too...not so confident, what more to present topic in front of evaluators and my course mates. Thanks God, it was all over and congratulations to all my friends. You did it very well. Tomorrow, we are having another slide presentation and the next day will be group presentation. Then...we are preparing for the written final examination which is scheduled on Saturday morning. After that, time to go home....

Discussion Session

After attending two lectures in the morning and one lecture in the afternoon, we managed to do our first discussion session for our group assignment which is planned to be held on Friday morning. Since everyone is required to present at least one issue, therefore we need to delegate our tasks, so that the point will not be overlapping each other in the presentation. The members of my group are very supportive and really helpful. I do not feel stressed. Yeahh...I enjoy attending this course....

Competency Course in Penang

I am posing with my new friend Puan Arbaatun, Puan Hajjah Fatimah
(the presenter).

I am posing with my new friend and the presenter. From left

(sorry,can't remember), Puan Hajjah Raihan and me.

I am back, sifu...I am so sorry for not blogging for almost 3 weeks. This time, I am writing on my course which I am attending for 8 days. For these few weeks, I was quite busy doing my assignments for my competency course requirement which needs me to prepare powerpoint slide presentation and the 20-pages assignment. Due to this reason, I was not able to update my newly-created blog. He..he...when I come back to Manjung, I will learn some more accessories to be uploaded in the blog. Now, I am in Penang, staying at Copthorne Orchids, Tanjung Bungah. I came here with my friend who is having the same competency course as myself. Since I already "saturated" with lectures and assignments, I stop for a while to do blogging. This morning, we had two lectures presented by "iron ladies" which I personally impressed by such excellent presentation. We were presented on "Effective Teaching and Learning" by Puan Hajjah Fatimah Abdullah, a retired senior principal from Trengganu and "Strategic Management and Total Quality Management (TQM)" by Puan Hajjah Raihan, a senior officer from Higher Learning Ministry.

My Laksa

After few days of not blogging, I felt like missing something...Then I know why my sifu blogs everyday. Then the sifu always inform me how many visitors of my blog...I thought, there was nobody wants to see this blog. Luckily and thanks God, there are people out there want to, at least see if not reading this blog.
Yesterday I prepared 'laksa' for my family. They also like to eat this food very much. The laksa gravy is made from fish. This is good for our source of protein. It is eaten together with vegetable like cucumber, salad, onions and chilli. But, it is optional. You can take any vegetables which can be eaten raw, depends on your interest.
Here are the ingredients for the gravy.
2 onions
2 pips of garlic
2 tbs of dried chilli paste
2 cm of galangal
5 pcs of 'asam keping'
1 cube of anchovies flavour(optional 2cm cube of shrimp paste)
500 g of fresh tuna(optional:mackerel/sardine)
1 small can of sardine
salt and sugar to taste
8-10 cups of water (depends on the thickness of the gravy)
1 pack (500g) of dried laksa- soak for 1 hour and boil until it softs

Methods:
1. Clean and boil the fish. Put the asam keping and salt together. Debone the fish and put aside. Keep the water in the pot.
2. Blend finely the onions, garlic, anchovies cube, dried chilli paste and galangal. Then, pour into the pot. Add some more water and boil for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Blend the fish coarsely. Pour into the pot.
4. Blend the sardine coarsely(canned sardine) together with the gravy. Pour into the pot.
5. Add sugar and salt to taste. Boil for another half an hour.
6. Meanwhile, drain the laksa and put aside.
7. Now, you can eat the laksa and gravy- optional : eat with cucumber,boiled egg, mint leaves, chilli and onion.
Ummph..yum,yummy. This is to serve 8 to 10 people. The more you keep the laksa gravy, it turns better taste. But, you must reheat it when you want to yum,yum....

Kamakitchen Spaghetti Bolognaisse

For these few days my children have been asking me to cook spaghetti. I refused because I haven't bought the minced beef to make the gravy. Yesterday, I managed to buy one packet of minced beef and therefore, tonight I prepared them the spaghetti that they were long waiting for. Spaghetti actually contains high carbohydrates which gives you energy as much as rice. Nutritionists recommend a diet high in complex carbohydrates, which include pasta, rice, potatoes, breads and grains. And more importantly, I prepared this because its simple to prepare, fast to cook, fast to eat..hu...huu...Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients:
5-6 tbs olive oil
2 big onions (chopped)
5 garlic (chopped)
2 red chilli (chopped)
2 tbs tomato paste
2 cans tomato soup (325g each)
1 cup of plain water
1 pack dried spaghetti (500g)
350g minced beef (optional- minced chicken)
Dried oregano leaves to flavour
Sugar and salt to taste
Optional: mixed vegetable(corn,green peas,carrot) , broccoli or mushroom.
Method:
Heat the oil and add the onion, garlic and chilli until soft. Do not wait until it turn brown. Add the tomato paste and water, bring to boil. Simmer gently. Add the minced beef (chicken). Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instruction until tender. Do not overcooked. Just nice and firm to bite!
Back to the sauce above, after 10 minutes, the minced beef will become tender. Pour the tomato soup and mix with the oregano leaves. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season to taste.
And do not forget the spaghetti.....drain it well. Now you can stir it in the sauce. Toss well to mix and serve immediately....Yummy!

Sambal Lala with Egg

Seafood rightly deserves its image as a healthy as well as yummy food. It is high in protein and with the added bonus of oily fish, being high in polyunsaturated fat which helps reduce the cholesterol levels. Fish are also good source of minerals. However, shellfish have been linked with high cholesterol, but they are low in saturated fats and therefore fine eaten in moderation. Haa....those who like shellfish so much, you better reduce it this time. Not only beef and chicken add your cholestrol level, the shellfish act the same. So, be moderate.

But, today I share with you the Sambal Lala with Egg recipe. It's easy to prepare. For those who are always have no time to cook, this menu will take only half an hour the most to prepare! Believe me, it also can beat the one that you always buy in town!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1 stalk of lemon grass

3-4 pieces of kaffir leaves

2 cups of plain water

2 tbs oyster sauce

2 tbs chilli sauce

2 tbs dried chilli paste

1000g fresh mussels(lala)

1 egg (to thicken the gravy)

salt and sugar to taste

Methods:

Firstly, heat the vegetable oil and fry the onion and garlic until they begin to smell aromatic. Then add the chilli paste and fry until it well- cooked. Then, add some water and put the oyster sauce, chilli sauce and the lemon grass (hit to crush a bit). Add salt and sugar to taste. Wait until it boils. Add the mussels and the kaffir leaves. Simmer for ten minutes. Last but not least, pour the beaten egg and stir until it thickens slightly. There you are....get ready...go!

Kamakitchen Bandung Noodle

Wah...cannot runaway this time. My sifu kept asking me when to update my new blog. I answered that I gonna blog after all my works done. Maybe after 11:00pm tonight. This afternoon, after going back from a three-hour course on marking skills, I went marketing. I was thinking that I won't cook that "heavy" tonight. So, gravy noodle will do. Furthermore, my children like to eat that too. I went to one of the hypermarkets in town to buy some vegetables, prawns and of course the main ingredient, yellow noodle.Then, after Maghrib prayers, I prepared the Bandung noodle which is a gravy type of noodle that I think does not even exist in Bandung!Some of you may know how to prepare this but as to share for some others who may not know...here are the ingredients (to serve 4-5 people).

Ingredients A:
1 onion
2 garlic

2 cm of ginger

2 tbs of blended dried chilli

6 tbs of cooking oil

4 cups of plain water

2 tbs of oyster sauce

2 tbs of tomato sauce

2 tbs of chilli sauce

2 tbs of corn-flour (to thicken the gravy)

Ingredients B:

500gm prawns (medium-sized)

1 pack of yellow noodle

2 eggs

300 gm mustard leaves (cut into two-inches long)

salt and sugar to taste

For garnishing: Spring onion, coriander leaves, fried shallots, red chilli.

Methods:
Firstly, blend together the onion, garlic and ginger. Heat the cooking oil and pour the blended items. Then, put the blended dried chilli and until it well- fried. Pour some water to make the gravy. When it boils, put the prawns. At this time, you can add the corn-flour which has already been diluted with half cup of water. Put all the sauces (oyster sauce, chilli and tomato sauce). Do not forget to add the salt and sugar to taste.Then, wait until it boils. Next, you can add the noodle and mustard leaves. Last but not least, put the two eggs (do not beat) which will make your Bandung Noodle gravy thicker. For garnishing, use the spring onion, coriander leaves, fried shallots and the red chilli. Here you are.....after everything was done, it was cleanly swept by my hungry kids..yummy! You better try....

First Time Childhood Recipe

Long time ago...I cannot remember exactly. When my mom cooked Malay soup, I was the one to prepare the "sambal kicap". This sambal is quite hot and sour. It is taken together with any soup or steamboat. It will make your steamboat nicer, why I said that? Because...if your steamboat is tasteless, then it will make your cooking...ahh..yummy!

How on earth to do that simple recipe? Firstly, take two limes. Add five to six pieces of chilli padi(small kind of chilli which is really hot). To flavour, add two to three pieces of kaffir leaves. Then, put together the "kicap manis"(sweet soy sauce). Next is to blend finely altogether. Do not add water, because the lime water and the soy sauce is just enough to blend the ingredients. There you are....and this is enough to serve for 10 people. Because you only need one or two spoonful of it when you eat your soup. Want more? You need to prepare a jar of water....very hot,man...

My first time blogging

Ah...quite embarrassing!First time blogging at the age of 4th "division". But as people say "better late than never". So, after several appoinments, we managed to do tutorial class, specifically to make a blog. Last week, I attended a class on how to blog. But, as usual, I do not know what title to put as. However, I managed to find one. I am passionate at cooking. So, I was thinking...why don't I share with some of you out there to taste my cooking? Then.....here we are. My yummy kitchen. Even though not professionally-trained, I think I am not left behind...