Soto Ayam Bayu Puteri

Bahan-bahan Sup

1 ekor ayam
2 batang kulit kayu manis
4 biji buah pelaga
3 biji bunga lawang
5 biji bawang kecil
3 ulas bawang putih
2 inci halia
1 sudu besar jintan manis
1 sudu besar jintan putih
1 sudu besar lada hitam
1 sudu besar biji ketumbar
Minyak masak untuk menumis
Air
Garam

Bahan begedil

10 biji kentang kuning
Isi ayam yang digoreng
Bawang goreng
Garam
Daun ketumbar
Daun bawang
Lada sulah
Lada hitam
Telur

Bahan kicap cili

Cili padi (ikut suka, nak berasap kepala... letakla semangkuk)
Bawang putih
Kicap manis
Cuka
Gula

Bahan lain

Nasi impit
Isi ayam yang digoreng
Su-un
Taugeh
Kacang tanah
Bawang goreng
Daun ketumbar
Daun bawang

Cara memasak

Sup Ayam

Ayam di potong sederhana. Tumbuk hingga lumat bawang, halia dan bawang putih. Asingkan. Tumbuk pula jintan manis, jintan putih, ketumbar dan lada hitam. Dalam stock pot, panaskan minyak untuk menumis. Tumiskan kulit kayu manis, buah pelaga dan bunga lawang. Masukkan bawang yang ditumbuk lumat. Tumis sehingga kekuningan dan wangi. Kemudian masukkan bahan rempah yang ditumbuk. Tumis lagi hingga naik bau rempah.

Tuangkan air, sebanyak mana yang perlu. Untuk soto, kita biasanya perlukan kuah yang banyak. Oleh itu, jumlah air perlulah diletak secukupnya. Masukkan ayam, kacau sup, tutup periuk dan renehkan sup selama 1 jam. Pastikan api gas ditukar kepada tahap rendah (low heat).

Selepas 1 jam, keluarkan ayam dan biarkan sejuk. Pada masa ini, boleh la ditambah garam untuk memberi rasa kepada sup.

Ayam yang dibiarkan sejuk perlu dicarikkan halus-halus. Setelah selesai, masukkan semula tulang-tulang ayam yang berlebihan ke dalam periuk sup. Isi ayam yang telah dicarik ini perlu digoreng sedikit dengan minyak untuk memberikan aroma dan rasa yang lebih enak. Isi ayam perlu dibahagi dua - satu untuk bergedil dan satu untuk bahan soto sendiri.

Begedil Ayam

Kentang di kupas dan di potong menjadi kepingan-kepingan setebal 1/2 inci. Gaulkan dengan garam dan goreng dengan minyak sehingga kentang bertukar kuning keemasan dan separuh garing. Kentang yang selesai digoreng hendaklah ditumbuk hingga hancur dan boleh dikepal. Di dalam mangkuk, campur kan kentang, isi ayam yang telah digoreng, bawang goreng, daun bawang dan daun ketumbar yang dihiris halus. Tambahkan juga garam, lada sulah dan lada hitan untuk perasa. Gaul hingga rata. Pecahkan sebiji telur ke dalam adunan. Kepalkan menjadi begedil yang comel. (Kalau suka besar2.. sukahati ler.. tapi nanti susah goreng).

Panaskan kuali dengan minyak. Pecahkan telur dalam mangkuk dan kacau telur. Salutkan begedil dengan telur sebelum menggoreng. Goreng hingga kekuningan/masak.

Kicap cili

Cili padi dan bawang putih ditumbuk hingga lumat. Campurkan bahan yang ditumbuk dengan kicap manis, tambahkan sedikit cuka serta gula.

Bahan-bahan lain

Nasi impit seeloknya direbus terlebih awal supaya ianya sejuk dan mudah dipotong. Biasanya kita potong bentuk cube macam nasi impit sate tu. Sukahati la nak potong mcm mana pun. Su-un ni perlu digoreng dengan minyak panas. Kejap je dia dah kembang macam keropok. Tapi harus diingat. Su-un ni tak leh dibasuh. Kalau basuh, sure tak jadi. Ataupun, kalau dibasuh, dikeringkan semula then baru goreng. Taugeh dicelur. Kacang tanah perlu digoreng tanpa minyak. Bawang kecil dihiris nipis dan digoreng - jadi la bawang goreng. Daun-daun ketumbar dan bawang dihiris nipis.

Penyediaan

Biasanya kita makan soto ni dalam mangkuk. So, dalam mangkuk tu, letakkan nasi impit, begedil, isi ayam goreng dan taugeh. Tuangkan kuah dan barulah tabur kacang, bawang goreng, daun ketumbar dan daun sup serta letakkan kicap cili. Hidang panas-panas. ;)

Nasi Minyak Panahan Asmara

This recipe was originated by my father. Thank you Abah for teaching me how to cook this recipe until it become the talk of the town (chewah.. perasan!). But the taste memang sedap. Sampaikan, ada yang minta recipe ni masa raya puasa baru ni. So, I'm sharing with all of you this recipe. Kalau first time buat tak jadi, it's normal. Tapi kalau dah buat selalu, mcm petik api lighter jer....

Recipe for Nasi Minyak (eer... by the way, nama kat atas tu nak glamer jer)

10 cups of Basmati Rice (the best type, otherwise, can use Sunwhite)

1 can of evaporated milk (I use Ideal)

10 cups of hot water

3 table spoon of Pure Ghee

3 table spoon of Cooking Oil

1 table spoon of Tomato Puree

Salt

Raisins

Other ingredients

A

1 stick of cinnamon stick - about 3 inches (kulit kayu manis)

3 seeds of cardamom (buah pelaga)

3 seeds of star anise (bunga lawang)

2 cloves (bunga cengkih)

B

5 red onions

3 cloves of garlic

1 inch of ginger

(Pound these ingredients with pestle and mortar)

C

1 table spoon of cumin seed (jintan manis)

1 table spoon of (jintan putih)

1 table spoon of coriander seeds (ketumbar)

1 teaspoon of black pepper (lada hitam)

(Pound these ingredients with pestle and mortar)

Method:

Preheat your cooking part with Pure Ghee and Cooking Oil. Saute ingredient A until it is fragrant. Add in Ingredient B and saute them until it turns golden in color. Add in ingredient C and further saute until it is fragrant (all together it should not take more than 10 minutes).

Add in the rice. Mix the rice with the sauteed ingredients. Do this for about 5 minutes. Make sure the heat is medium-low. Once the rice is all mixed up, pour in the hot water followed by one can of evaporated milk. Add in the salt (not too much as the ghee is already salty) and also the tomato puree.

This is the crucial part. Make sure heat is turned to be at medium-high. You need to stir the rice in the liquid until the amount of liquid is reduced, just like how you want to cook rice in the traditional way on stove. Once you see the liquid has been absorbed mostly by the rice, turned down the heat to low, put on the lid and let it cooked. I would put something heavy on top of the lid and cover the edge of the pot with towels to make sure the steam remains in the pot and that makes the cooking perferct. Most of the times, I would let it cook for about 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes, check it out whether the rice has cooked and for tasting. Once it is ready, pour in the raisins (mixed the yellow and brown). Serve it while it's hot and garnish with fried shallots and sprinkle with some chopped coriander leaves and spring onions.

Baked Chicken

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiafoots/

Recipe

2 pieces of chicken thigh (leave skin on as this will preserve the tenderness of the chicken)
4 table spoon of dark soy sauce
2 table spoon of Mixed Herb (or you can mix on ur own - rosemary, thyme, dill, etc)
1 table spoon of Cajun Seasoning
2 table spoon of Pure Honey
1 table spoon of Sunflower Oil (any oil will do, if you have Olive Oil, much better)

Method:

Mix all ingredients including the chicken into a ziplock bag and marinate for at least 2 hours. Then, preheat your normal skillet (non-stick frying pan or better still the griddle) with very minimal amount of oil. Just to grease your skillet litely. Place the two thighs on the skillet, cover it with a lid. Slow cook the chicken for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You'll have a perfect baked chicken ready for two.

Once the chicken is ready, remove the skin before serving unless you love to torture your heart with cardiovascular disease! Served best while it's hot. The recommended side dishes would be steamed brocoli and baby carrots and mashed potatoes.

Happy cooking :)

Moist Chocolate Cake

I'm sharing my chocolate cake recipe - using steamer.

Ingredients :

250g flour

250g castor sugar

250g salted butter (room temperature)

5 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain water

Method :

In a pan, heat water, cocoa powder and sugar and let it boil for a while until the mixture becomes solvent and thick. Turn off the heat and let it cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add in eggs one at a time. Add in the sifted flour and baking powder. Finally add in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Steam in a round baking pan and you need to cover the pan with aluminium foil. Tie up the baking pan so that the water from steamer would not get into the pan. I would steam this cake for about 4 hours.

Chocolate Topping

50g Salted Butter

100g Cream/Double Cream

250g Cooking Chocolate

Preferably if could use a double boiler. Boil the cream in a pan. Put in the chocolate (broken into small pieces). Turn off heat and stir chocolate until melt. Spread this ganache onto the cooled cake.

Beef Kebab with Pita Bread

Today, out of boredom, I prepared beef kebab, my own version, for a light snack. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients for beef kebab:

300 grams of beef (US fillet is preferred)

1 red onion

1 inch of ginger

2 cloves of garlic

3 table spoon of dark soy sauce

1 table spoon of oyster sauce

1 table spoon of honey

Black pepper

Chilli sauce

Cooking oil

Method:

• Marinate the beef (which has been cut into small strips) with chopped onion, ginger and garlic
• Add in dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey and black pepper
• Marinate for about 1-2 hours in the fridge
• Preheat non-stick pan over medium heat stove and pour in some cooking oil
• Saute beef in pan for about 15 minutes (it won't take too long since US fillet is easily tendered)
• Remove excess oil (if any) and let it fried until it looks a bit crispy
• Add in the chilli sauce
• Seasoned to taste

Ingredients for coleslaw:

1/4 cabbage (shredded/chopped finely)

1/2 stick of carrot (shredded)

2 tablespoons of light mayonaise

A pinch of salt

1 table spoon of sugar

1 table spoon of white vinegar/Lemon juice

Method:

• Mixed everything in a large bowl
• Refrigerate before serving

Garnishing the kebab:

• Shred some lettuce
• Prepare tomatoes in small cubes
• Cut the pita bread (wholemeal is preferred) into half and toast it awhile on a hot pan
• Make incision to the bread to make it as a pocket
• Stuff in the lettuce and tomatoes first
• Scoop in the coleslaw
• Scoop in the beef
• Add in more lettuce and tomatoes
• Squeeze a bit of mayonaise and chilli sauce

A perfect snack for a lazy Sunday evening!!!