Fried Tumeric Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce

It is so difficult to find Singapore Malay cuisine in Boston and Cambridge! I have not chanced upon one yet. There are some restaurants in Chinatown which claimed to sell Malaysian food.  


Singapore Malayan food is like an old friend. You don't want to see her everyday, say 'hi' to her once in a while and sometimes pop over for meet-up for special occasions. And when you meet up with her, she never fails to amaze you on how much she understands you. Okay, in food terms, it is called COMFORT food. However it is not comfort food for all. Because the spiciness can drive the unadventurous crazy!


This dish is takes quite an effort to make but it is all worth it! The tender chicken pieces and the spicy tomato sauce goes very well with steamed rice. I have two servings of rice to go with it last night! My hubby had more!

Recipe (Serves 4) 
Ingredients


A) Chili paste (can be prepared ahead and refrigerate for 1 month):

• 1 cup Dried chilies, soak in hot water for 20 minutes
• 5 Fresh red chilies, cut into thumbsize
• 6 cloves of Garlic
• 5 Shallots
• 5 Candlenuts
• 3 Lemongrass, use the 2"-3" of lower stem only
• 1 tbsp Shrimp paste
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp Cooking oil 

Steps:

1. Blend all the ingredients (except shrimp paste, salt, sugar and oil) in a blender into a paste. 
2. In a heated wok, add oil and blended paste. 
3. Add in shrimp paste. 
4. Fry till fragrant and oil separates from the paste. 
5. Add in salt and sugar. 
6. Remove. 

B) Dish 

Ingredients:

• Half a chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup of Frozen green peas, thaw
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 Cardamon pods
• 2 inch Cinnamon stick
• 1/2 Star anise
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 can of Condensed Tomato Soup
• 200ml Coconut milk
• Salt
• Cooking oil for frying

Steps:

• Marinade the chicken pieces with turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt for at least 30 minutes
• In a wok, add in oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot enough, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. Remove and set aside. 
• In a clean wok, add 2 tbsp of cooking oil. 
• Add cardamon pods, cinnamon, star anise and clove. Fry till fragrant. 
• Add in chili paste. 
• Add in tomato soup and coconut milk. Stir well. 
• Add in fried chicken pieces. 
• Simmer for 15-25 minutes or until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken. 
• Add in green peas and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt. 
• Remove and serve. 

Reference was made to Rasamalaysia.com

Rosemary Dinner Rolls

Picture this! "You coming out from your kitchen with a basket of freshly baked Rosemary Dinner rolls, walking towards your family seated at the dinner table who is in awe with the aroma of fresh bread, scented with Rosemary leaves. You see their faces printed with in their widest smiles!" Beautiful scene isn't it?
Okay, it is time now to get the ingredients and get busy! Make the delicious Rosemary Dinner rolls TODAY!

As I do not have a mixer with me in Cambridge, I have to knead with my hands. The beautiful thing for the recipe is that it works with hands and machine! Do not be put off by kneading if you do not own a mixer. In fact, I find it therapeutic! 

Recipe (14 rolls) 
Ingredients:

• 1 package of yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp vegetable/ olive oil
• 1 Egg
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 3 1/4 cup Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped (1 tsp Dried Rosemary can be used instead)
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds (Optional)
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, add lukewarm water and yeast together. Let it rest for 10 minutes. You can observe foam will form after 5 minutes. 
2. Add in oil, egg, sugar and rosemary leaves. Mix well.
3. Add in flour 1 cup at a time and mix it with a spatula. 
4. When dough starts to form, use hands to knead until dough is clean the sides of the bowl and dough is smooth. Takes about 10 minutes. 
5. Cover the bowl with a clean and damp towel. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
6. Add in salt and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it a damp towel. Let it rest for  about 1 hour or until it doubled in size. 
7. Grease a 9 inch baking pan. 
8. When the dough is ready, divide the dough into 14 pieces on a lightly floured working surface. 
9.  Roll the pieces into rounds and place them in the greased pan. 
10. Cover the pan with a clean and damp towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. It should expand to fill to the pan. 
11. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 degree Celsius). 
12. Brush the rolls with melted butter, sprinkle with some rosemary and sesame seeds. 
13. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, golden brown. 
14. Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter. 
15. Serve warm.

Adapted from jasonandshawnda.com

Cornbread from scratch

There is something about cornbread in America. It has a really long history and traces back in the ancient American Indian days. There is a large variety of cornbreads in US and it is considered a corner stone in the southern US cuisine. From sweet to savoury and some flavored with jalapenos in it.  In Singapore, I think the only time you get to eat cornbread is in Kenny Rogers. And here in US, I really like the southern cornbread from Au Bon Pain. It is sooooo tasty but sadly I couldn't find a single recipe that is near there. I will persevere and continue to research on it! 

Here, I would like to share a simple cornbread recipe with those who are interested in making some cornbread for your family. This is simple and nice to have when you have some friends over at your home for some soup or even great with drizzled honey or maple syrup. 

Recipe (1 loaf) 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Milk
• 1/2 cup and 2 tbsp of Butter, melted
• 1 large Egg
• 1 1/4 cup Yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tbsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
• Optional: corn kernels

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit (200 degree Celsius).
2. Grease the bottom and sides of loaf pan with butter.
3. Beat milk, butter and egg in a mixing bowl. 
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients all at once. Ensure flour is mix well but do not overmix and leave the batter slightly lumpy.   
5. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 20 minutes. 
6. Cool and serve slightly warmed. 

Modified from Betty Crocker: Best of Baking

Pillowlike Cream Puffs

Everyone has a sweet tooth. One day after our dinner at home, my hubby asked "What's for dessert?" You should see the blank look on my face... Well, it didn't occurred to me that I missed out dessert! From that point, I realized that a complete meal is best to end with a sweet note. Yes, a dessert!


This week, I am conducting a baking class for a group of passionate and enthusiastic spouses/ partners of MIT students/ staff. After brainstorming, I think I will share something sweet so that they can end their dinner on a sweet note for their loved ones at home. Cream puff, it shall be!

Recipes (For 40 mini puffs)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
•   ½ cup butter
• 1 cup Flour
• 4 eggs

Steps:

1.      Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.      Heat water and butter to rolling boil in a saucepan.

3.      Stir in flour.

4.      Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.

5.      Remove from heat.

6.      Cool for 10 minutes.

7.      Beat in eggs, all at once.

8.      Continue beating until smooth.

9.      Drop dough by scant 1 tbsp , leaving 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

10.   Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.

11.   Remove and let it cool.

12.   Cut off tops and pull out the filament of soft dough. Fill puffs with custard or ice-cream.

13.   Serve with chocolate fudge or dusted confectioners’ sugar.

 I used the custard which I featured previously in my "Puffs with Fresh Custard and Raspberries". 

Blackberry Almond Crumb Squares

I am on a crazy baking marathon this week, preparing samples for a holiday fair that is coming up in December. I am really excited about it. Perhaps it is the little entrepreneur growing in me which I am look forward to the day that I can turn my culinary dreams into reality. 

I bought some blackberry squares from Russo's couple months back and they are quite good. But there's something which I would have done to improve it. Probably add some almonds into the dough. I think you will agree with me the wonders almonds can do for pastries. 

 This pastry is relatively simple and great for an after dinner dessert with ice cream. It can be made a day ahead. 

Recipes (12 squares) 

Ingredients:

• 140g or 1 1/4 cups Softened butter
• 1 3/4 cup Plain flour
• 1/2 cup Ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp Almond extract
• 2 cups Blackberries, rinsed, pat dry and halved

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit ( 180 degree Celsius).
2. In a bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a electric mixer, blend butter and sugar till pale and light. 
4. Add in almond extract. 
5. Mix in flour mixture until a crumbly dough is formed. 
6. In a pan, use 2/3 of the dough and press it on the bottom of the pan.
7. Arrange the blackberries on the dough. 
8. Sprinkle the rest of the dough on top. 
9. Bake it for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 
10. Cool and cut into squares. 

It serves well with dusted sugar or ice cream. 

You can replace the blackberries with either blueberries, raspberries or cranberries. 

Fragrant Yam rice (Taro rice)

Staying in a family orientated community made me realized the sacrifices of many stay-at-home mums (SAHMs). It is definitely not easy to forgo own interests and career to stay at home to take care of young kids who demand every second of your attention. A new friend of mine (a SAHM) requested to learn to make one-dish meal as she finds it challenging to prepare dinner and take care of kids at the same time. Seriously, who can?


Hence I made this one-dish meal and dedicate to all SAHMs. I hope you can save some cooking time and spend more time caring for your loved ones. 

Recipe 
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of Jasmine rice (rice cooker's cup), washed and drained
• 5 medium Dried Shitake mushrooms, soaked till soft and diced
• 2 tbsp Dried Shrimps, soaked 
• 2 small Yams, approx 1 cup, diced 
• 30g Pork belly, sliced (optional)
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Spring onions, chopped 
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Light Soya sauce
• 1/2 tbsp Dark Soya sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Dash of pepper
• Cooking oil 

Steps: 

• In a heated wok over medium fire, add 3 tbsp of cooking oil. 
• Add in shallots. Fry till golden brown. Remove shallots and leave the oil in wok. 
• Add in soaked dried shrimps into wok. Fry till fragrance, about 2 minutes. 
• Add in mushrooms. Fry till fragrance, about 1 minute. 
• Add in pork slices. Fry till opaque. 
• Add in yam. Stir well. 
• Add in seasoning such as oyster sauce, dark and light soya sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil. 
• Add in rice. Stir well and make sure all rice is coated evenly. 
• Add in half of the fried shallots.
• Pour into a rice cooker and add in water. 
• Cook the rice in the rice cooker. The usual process takes place. 
• But you may choose to cook the rice in the wok. Reduce fire to low and cover. 

When the rice is cooked, use a spatula and stir a couple of times. Serve in individual bowls, top with the rest of the fried shallots and some spring onions. If you are not eating right away, you can keep it in the rice cooker in 'warm' mode. I think the total preparation and cooking time is less than 30 minutes. But most importantly, it is easy and tasty!

Singapore Kaya (Pandan flavored Coconut Egg Custard)

After living in US for about 3 months, I would say that breakfast in US is rather standard compared to Singapore. Breads, eggs, ham, cereal and bacon. But I would say that the variety of breakfast and brunch that evolves around these few ingredients are many and all so delicious. Nevertheless, I want to introduce a new spread to my American friends, it is none other than our Singapore Kaya, flavored with the infamous pandan leaves. Kaya is made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar. It is a popular breakfast toast spread among Singaporeans. It is not often made at home as it is easily found in coffee shops, bakeries and supermarkets. And it takes lots of patience to make it. 


I used to have about three Pandan plants (screw pine) in my Singapore home. Before we moved to US, we left them under the care of my parents who have quite an uncoordinated floral display along the corridor outside their flat. I hope the plants are blooming with care now. There are so many advantages to have these wonderful pandan plants around at home. There are so flavorful and packed with fragrance which is commonly added into Asian desserts, rice, cakes, kuehs and so many more. The medicinal values help to treat stomachaches and aid digestions; and possess anti-cancer properties and antiseptic effects when used externally. But there is one property I LOVE the MOST. IT REPELS COCKROACHES!!! When you have pandan leaves around the house and some taxi uncles put them in their vehicles, the leaves actually get rid of cockroaches! Isn't it wonderful, ladies? You can find frozen pandan leaves in Asian supermarkets or choose an easier option, pandan extract. 


This is my first attempt in making Kaya and I am proud to say, it tastes so yummy!

Recipe:
Ingredients:

• 10 Large eggs
• 300g Caster Sugar
• 400ml Coconut milk
• 20g Juice of Pandan leaves or 1/4 tsp pandan extract

Steps:

1. Beat the sugar and eggs with a whisk till it is well blended. 
2. Double boil the egg mixture over low heat. Water must be simmering. 
3. Add in the coconut milk slowly and keep stirring.
4. Add in the pandan extract. 
5. Keep stirring until the custard starts to form. 
6. Continue for about another 10 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat. 
8. Cool and bottle. 
9. Be eaten cool with hot toast.