Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients

3 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

10 cill padi (bird's eye chili) sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

300g chicken meat, sliced

Handful of Thai basil leaves

Seasoning

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tsp sugar

Method

1 Heat oil in a wok. When hot, stir-fry onion and cili padi for 2 minutes.

Add garlic, chicken and seasoning.

2 Turn up the fire, toss in basil leaves and stir-fry for another 10 sec.

Dish out and serve.

Nasi Minyak (Rice)

Ingredients

5 tbsp ghee

100 gm water

60 gm evaporated milk

500 g long grain rice,

-washed and drained

1 ½ tsp salt

2 screwpine leaf (pandan leaf)

Spices

10g ginger, pounded

5g shallots, sliced

6 cloves garlic, pounded

5 cm cinnamon stick

4 cardomoms

2 star anise                                               

3 cloves

Method

1 Heat ghee in wok fry all the spices together for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.

2 Pour in the water and the evaporated milk.

3 Bring to a boil and add in the rice. Mix well.

4 Transfer the rice to a rice pot and add in the salt and screwpine leaves.

5 Cook the rice, gently stir occasionally.

Add or subtract the water for cooking the rice according to whether you

prefer your rice hard or soft.

Chicken Rendang

Ingredients

15 pcs dried Chillies -

(soak in hot water until soft)

100 g shallots

6 pcs garlic

2 cm thick turmeric

6 cm pc thick galangal

4 cm pc fresh ginger

½ cup water for blending

300 gm water for cooking

1.5kg chicken (chopped into pcs)

2 pc tumeric leaves

300 g thick coconut milk

50 g fried coconut (kerisik)

1 ½ tsp salt

Method

1 Mix the dried chillies, shallots, garlic, tumeric, galangal, ginger and

blend until fine.

2 Pour the blended ingredients into a pot, add in the 300 g of water

and cook for 8-10 minutes

3 Put in the chicken pieces and tumeric leaves into the pot. Mix and

cook till well blended.

4 Pour in the thick coconut milk, cover and simmer till the gravy is thick.

5 Add in the fried coconut(kerisik) , stir and add in salt to taste.

Serve hot with rice.

Beef Rendang

Ingredients

100 g shallots

30 g garlic

30 g ginger

3 stalks lemongrass (serai)

100 ml oil

1kg beef, cubed

500 ml coconut milk

4 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

150 g chilli, ground

50 g coconut - pan-fried until

brown and then blended finely (kerisik)

1 pc turmeric leaf (daun kunyit)

-thinly sliced

Method

1 Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger and lemngrass in a blender until

   fine. Heat the oil in a wok, and place the blended ingredients and

   the ground chilli and sti-fry until fragrant.

2 Then add in the beef cubes and coconut milk to the mixture. Add

   in the sugar and salt and continue stirring.

3 Let it simmer for half an hour on low heat before adding in the

   fried coconut (kerisik) and sliced turmeric leaf.

4 Continue cooking on slow heat for 45 minutes until the gravy

   becomes thick in consistency, stirring from time to time.

5 Once the beef is tender and aromatic, dish out and place into a

   warm serving dish. Serve hot with fluffy white rice. 

Prawn Curry with Pineapple

Ingredients

5 tbsp cooking oil

1 sprig curry leaf

1 ½ cups water

1 slice tamarind peel

500 g tiger prawns

400 g fresh pineapple

-(cleaned and cut into bite sized pcs)

150 ml thick coconut milk

1 ½ tsp salt

Mix with 4 tbsp water

3 tbsp fish curry powder

and 1 ½ tbsp chilli powder

Pound to paste (or blend)

50 g shallot

10 g fresh ginger

Method

1 Heat oil in wok. When hot, put in the curry leaves, pounded shallots

   and ginger. Fry until light brown and then add in fish and chilli powder

   mixture.

2 Pour in the water, add the tamarind skin and then cover and cook for

   five minutes. And pineapple while add in prawns, stir gently. Simmer

   for 10 minutes on low heat.

3 Add in the coconut milk and salt and bring to a boil. Once boiled

   remove from heat. Serve hot.

Tong Kwai Chicken

Ingredients

½ chicken, cut into 5cm pcs (use kampung chicken if available)

50g old ginger, pounded to extract the juice

½ cup wine

Ground coarsely

25 pcs tong kwai (angelica – buy from chinese medical halls)

10g kei zhi (wolfberry – buy from chinese medical halls)

Method

1 Marinate chicken in ginger juice, wine and ground tong kwai and

   kei zhi for about 1 hour in room temperature.

2 Heat water in a steamer over a medium fire. When water comes to

   a boil, add chicken and allow to steam for about 15 minutes or until

   chicken is cooked. Serve hot with rice.

Ginger and Red Dates Tea

The combined ingredients of this tea is meant to revitalise the lungs,

drive out excess “wind”. This tea is usually serve to new mums

during their confinement period.

You don't have to be in confinement to enjoy this !

Ingredients

100 g red dates, seeded

50 g blcak dates, seeded

100 g dried longan

25 g tong sum

-(buy from Chinese medical hall)

100 g old ginger, sliced or smashed

3 litres boiling water

Method

1 Put red dates, black dates, dried longan, tong sum and ginger

   in a sieve and rinse under running water.

2 Place all the rinsed ingredients in a slow cooker, add hot boiling

   water and allow to brew overnight.

3 Transfer the tea into a thermos flask the next morning and discard

   the ingredients.

Spicy Fried Chicken

Ingredients A

1.5kg chicken (cut into large pcs)

2 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

100 g rice flour

90 g plain flour

4-5 sprigs of curry leaves

Cooking oil for deep frying

Ingredients B

(Blended into paste)

200 g small onions/shallot)

5 g turmeric root

20 to 24 dried chillies -

(Soaked in hot water until soft)

2 tbsp water

Method

1 Pour the blended ingredients into a bowl, add salt and sugar and

mix thoroughly. Put chicken pieces into the bowl and completely

smother it with the marinade. Marinate for 4-5 in the refrigerator.

2 Dust the marinated chicken in rice flour and plain flour mix.

3 Heat oil, once hot put in the curry leaves and chicken pieces.

Fry until golden brown. Add more curry leaves if you like.

Tip: Fry chicken in batches.

Papaya Chutney

Ingredients

1 kg papaya (cut into chunks)

2 apples (chopped)

1 clove garlic

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp white pepper

Tie in a muslin bag -

(1 small stick cinnamon, a few cloves,

nutmegs and cardamons)

500 g sultanas

60 g ground ginger

3 small onions (skinned)

500 g brown sugar

salt to taste

½ lit. vinegar

Method

1 In a sauce pan add the apples, papaya and sugar and cook until

mixture becomes soft to the consistency of jam.

2 Roughly mash the mixture then add in all the remaining ingredients

except the vinegar.

3 Cook chutney for a further 10 minutes then remove from heat and

pour into a storage jar. Add vinegar and leave to cool before sealing.

Important Note : Storage Jars have to be sterilise, otherwise the

pickles will not keep.

Tomato Chutney

Pickles and chutney will add more dash and flavour to your meals. 

Here is a simple Chutney recipe.

Ingredients

1 kg tomatoes (chopped)

250 g green apples (chopped)

250 g small onions

¼ lit. vinegar

250 g brown sugar

salt to taste

200 g raisins or sultanas

1 tsp each spices – tied in muslin bag

(cloves, peppercorn, cardamoms)

Grind together

10-12 dried chillies

1 thick slice ginger

4-5 cloves garlic

Method

1 Place all the ingredients in a large sauce, add the muslin bag with

the mixed spices and the ground ingredients.

2 Bring mixture to the boil and cook over low heat till mixture becomes

thick and dry. Reove from heat and discard muslin bag.

3 Cool slightly before storing in jars.

Important Note : Storage Jars have to be sterilise, otherwise the

pickles will not keep.

Simple Light Cheese Cake

Ingredients

250 g full cream milk

800 g cream cheese

200 g salted butter

400 g egg whites

200 g castor sugar

300 g egg yolks

Method

1 Boil the milk in a double boiler on medium heat. As it is simmering,

add in chunks of cheese while stirring until everything is melted.

Set aside.

2 In a separate pan, slowly heat up and melt the butter. Once liquid,

set aside.

3 Beat the egg whites, and castor sugar together until stiff and foaming.

4 Slowly add the yolks, the melted milk and cheese mixture and butter

in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed. Slowly fold the egg white

and castor sugar mixture into the cake mix.

5 Pour the cake mixture into a greased mould. Bake the cake in shallow

pan of water - 210 C for 65 minutes.

Caramelized Banana with Cinnamon

Ingredients

2 no banana, cut to half

3g cinnamon powder for dusting

30g unsalted butter

60g castor sugar

40 gm water (2 ¾ tbsp)

For garnish

2 no strawberry, cut to half

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Method

1 Dust the banana with cinnamon powder.

2 Heat butter in pan and fried banana till golden brown color.

   Remove from heat.

3 Pour the sugar and water into the same pan to make the caramel

   sauce.

4 When it starts to caramelized put in the banana for coating.

5 Arrange neatly on plate and garnish with strawberry and topped

   with ice cream.

   Couldn't be any simpler !! Enjoy !!

Fragrant Steamed Rice

Ingredients

200g glutinous rice

-(cleaned and soaked overnight)

50g shelled chestnuts

2 lotus leaves, soaked

100g chicken wings

-(Chopped into bite-sized pieces)

3 dried Chinese mushrooms

-(soaked until soft and quartered)

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped shallots

20g dried prawns

-(soaked, cleaned and chopped)

1-2 tbsp oil

Seasoning (A)

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

½ tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp Chinese rice wine

½ tsp chicken stock granules

¼ tsp pepper

½ tsp dark soya sauce

½ tsp sesame oil

½ tsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine (optional)

3 tbsp water

Seasoning (B)

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dark soya sauce

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp light soya sauce

¼ tsp pepper

Method

1 Marinate chicken with (A) for 15-20 minutes. Deep fry chestnuts

   in hot oil for 1-2 minutes. Drain.

2 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry garlic and shallots for 1 minutes.

   Add marinated chicken, mushrooms and dried prawns. Fry until

   fragrant. Add chestnuts and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes. Add

   remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok, put in glutinous rice and

   seasoning (B) and toss well to combine for 1-2 minutes. Dish out

   and put aside.

3 Divide rice, chicken and chestnut mixiture into 2 portions.

   Place lotus leaf in a deep stainless steel bowl or heat resistant bowl.

   Lightly grease the leaf. Arrange chicken, chetnuts, mushrooms and

   remaining mixture in the centre of the lotus leaf. Top with the

   glutinous rice.

4 Wrap up the rice in a neat package. Tuck in the leaves neatly.

   Steam for 25-30 minutes or until rice cooked. Serve the rice hot.

   Enjoy !!

Roast Chilli Potatoes

Ingredients

1kg potatoes peeled, 

 (cut into 3-cm pieces)

1 tbsp salt

5 tbsps olive oil

Chilli powder

Fresh coriander leaves

Method

1 Heat oven to 200 C. Rub salt generously all over the potatoes.

2 Add a liberal dribbing of olive oil and roasts in oven till golden.

This should take about 30 minutes,

3 Just before serving, dust hot potatoes with chilli powder and

generous sprinkling of chopped fresh coriander.

Eggplant Bharta

Ingredients

4 Brinjal (eggplant)

2 tomatoes

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 ginger (thumb-sized)

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp tumeric powder

Salt and sugar to taste

Method

1 Pierce whole brinjals with a fork at several places and roast in a

hot oven 200 C for 5 minutes or till soft inside. Remove and when

when cool, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh. Discard the

skin.

2 While the brinjals are roasting, chop tomatoes coarsely

Chop the onion, garlic and ginger finely.

3 Heat oil in a pan over a medium fire. Stir-fry chopped onions,

garlic and ginger over a small fire for 40 to 60 seconds till fragrant

not browned. Add the spice powders, then the tomatoes and the

scooped out brinjal (eggplant).

4 Lower the fire and cook, stirring all the time for 5 minutes till

vegetables are soft and pureed. Add 2 to 4 tbsps water from time

to time to prevent vegetables drying out.

5 Season and serve with coriander leaves and toast on the side.

Wholemeal Bread And Butter Pudding

Ingredients

5-8 slices wholemeal bread

Butter

Sugar

Ground cinnamon

3 tbsp raisins or sultanas

3 eggs

2 drops vanilla essence

2 tbsp sugar

450ml fresh milk

Method

1 Toast the bread and lightly butter each slice while still hot.

Cut into squares, rectangles or triangles (4 pieces per slice).

2 Arrange a layer of buttered toast on the base of shallow

ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with a little sugar (about 2 tsp should do)

and a dusting of ground cinnamon. Scatter 1 tbsp of raisins.

3 Repeat with another layer of bread/sugar/spices/raisins – until

the dish is almost full to the top.

4 Beat the eggs, vanilla and sugar together. Blend in the milk.

Pour this mixture over the bread, letting the bread soak it all in.

Set the pudding aside for 10 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 C . Place the bread pudding

dish in a shallow baking tray filled with about half an inch of hot water.

(this is called a bain marie or 'water bath' which allows the pudding

to cook gently so that the end result is a moist, rather than a dry

and overcooked, custard.)

6 Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown in colour

and the custard has set. Serve warm, if liked, with vanilla ice-cream.

Honey Satay Chicken

Ingredients

1 kg chicken breast

3 stalks lemongrass, (sliced and blended)

½ cup meat curry powder

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp oil

1 lemon (sliced into wedges)

Ingredients A (to be blended until fine)

1 inch ginger

5 pcs shallot

4 cloves garlic

Method

1 Put chicken, lemongrass, meat curry powder, sugar, honey and

ingredients A in a bowl and mix well. Leave to marinate for 1 ½ hours.

2 Heat up oil and fry each piece of chicken until fragrant. Serve hot

with rice and garnish with lemon wedges.

Chicken Stock

Preparing Your Own Chicken Stock

Ingredients

Bones of 2 small chickens or 1 medium-sized chicken

3 cm piece ginger, bruised

1 onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic, bruised

1tsp whole peppercorns

½ tsp salt

Method

Rinse chicken bones, cover with water and bring to a boil.

Throw away the water, cover bones with 2 litres of fresh water.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring stock to a boil, then turn

down fire to low and simmer for 2 hours. There should be 1.2 of

liquid left.

Strain stock into a clean pan. Discard bones and vegetables.

This stock wil keep fo 1 week if chilled in the fridge.

If you freeze it, it will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Pizza Dough

How To Make Basic Pizza Dough (Thin Crust)
Makes 2 Pizza Dough

7g yeast
250 ml warm water
300 g plain flour
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

1 Combine yeast and warm water in a small mixing bowl and let it
   stand for 2-3 minutes.
2 Add flour, sugar, olive oil and salt to the mix. With your hands,
   work the ingredients together.
3 Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until
   smooth and elastic. Divide the dough in two.
4 Roll them into balls and rest the dough for 15 minutes.
5 Roll dough out to form a round pizza base with 14-inch diameter
   and 0.3 inch thickness.
6 Place pizza dough onto a slightly oiled baking sheet. Pizza dough 
   is now ready for toppings and sauces.

Chicken With Garlic

Choosing Poultry
With the different types of bird available and many ways they are sold,
popular choice for every sort of occasion.s
By far the tastiest poultry to buy is that which has been farmyard reared
and is freshly killed. When buying a fresh chicken, look for plump, well-
rounded breast, and skin that is free from blemishes and bruising.


If using frozen poultry, poultry must be thawed completely before 
cooking, Poultry cooked from frozen, or even with a few ice crystals
remaining, is a serious health risk.


Chicken With Garlic

Ingredients

 4 tbsp olive oil

1.8 kg chicken

1 sprig each of rosemary, thyme

1 bay leaf

40 garlic cloves

salt and freshly ground pepper

grated nutmeg

300 ml hot water

Method

                   

1 Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and fry the chicken for about 8 

   minutes until browned on all sides. remove chicken from casserole.

2 Place the herbs in the base of the casserole. Arrange the garlic,

   unpeeled, in one layer over them. Place the chicken on top and

   season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

3 Cover and cook over a very low heat for 1 1/2 hours until tender,

   adding a little hot water if necessary.

4 When cooked, removed the chicken and place on a warmed serving 

   dish. Set aside and keep hot until required.

5 Strain the sauce into a bowl, pushing the garlic cloves through

   the sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon.

6 Add the hot water to the casserole and stir to lift the sediment.

   Return the sauce, taste and adjust seasoning, and simmer for 

   2 minutes or until hot.  Serve with the chicken.