Chiabbata

My  job has made me stray far too away from what I love doing.  Haven’t been in the kitchen for almost 6 months now and I’m missing the times that when I woke up in the morning I almost said to myself fuck it! Leave my current job and start cooking again.  But still, I keep on dragging these feet to my workplace for I don’t know how many more months… urghhhh…

This afternoon, when I go through my collections of photograph, I found this.  A Chiabatta bread that I knead, half a year ago.  Not my moment of glory, but it pleases me though.  Reminds me of what I love doing..

I often envy those, who manage a café, even a small one and have some  of their signatures on the menu.  Those whom I often dream would be me, running and happy and loving every moment of it.  I hope someday soon, I will have enough courage and drive to risk it… (sigh)

Mari Meraba untuk Memuaskan nafsu……….. makan! (Kepah Raba)

            Maaf, kalau tajuk entry aku agak provoking,  sekadar bersenda dengan pembaca blog sekelian.  Mungkin ada di kalangan pembaca yang tidak pernah makan kepah ini, hatta melihat atau mendengar namanya sekalipun.  Bagi mereka yang berasal dari persisiran pantai tak kiralah timur atau selatan, barat serta utara (eh macam tengah nyanyi lagu Wali Band pulak), kepah ni adalah antara makanan laut yang di gemari.  

            Sebagai sebahagian dari ‘orang laut’.. eh eh… ada ke perkataan orang laut? Maksud aku, yang di lahirkan berhampiran dengan laut. Aku mengkategorikan kepah ini sebagai makanan mewah.. mewah bukan kerana mahal, tapi kerana ianya bukan mudah untuk di dapati.  Ianya seperti durian; bermusim.  Jadi, walaupun kita meraba sepanjang masa, belum tentu kepah ni ada.  Jadi… kalau nafsu tengah memuncak muncak sekalipun, rabalah sepuas hatipun, kepah ni tetap takkan ada. hehe

            Yang biasa… kepah ni ada dua jenis.  Satu Kepah Sagat, dan satu lagi Kepah Raba.  Kepah Sagat ni biasanya di dapati di kawasan berpasir dan di sagat dengan sejenis alat yang diperbuat dari kayu dan besi.. buat masa ni aku tak der gambar, nanti kalau aku rajin aku lukis gambarajah sagat ni ekk??  Biasanya orang menyagat bila air laut dah surut.  Saiznya dua atau tiga kali ganda lebih besar dari kepah raba. 

          Kepah raba tak payah alatan, korang masuk dalam air, raba jer dalam lumpur, mesti ada… tak pun, korang bawak penutup kipas tu, korang sodok dalam lumpur then ayak2… biasanya kepah2 ni akan tersangkut bila pasir dah bolos… duhhh… kenapa tiba tiba aku mcm stuck nak menerangkan ekkk?  

            Kebiasaannya, kepah ni orang cuma rebus dengan serai dan bawang putih aje(macam dalam gambar kat sebelah).  Aku memang suka, and so far, pernah la jugak bawak kawan kawan yang tak pernah merasa benda alah ni pegi mencari and makan and turn out that dia orang pun suka.  Other than that korang boleh masak sambal, for me, rasa dia lebih masyukkkk dari kerang.

            Kat sini aku ada sertakan beberapa keping gambar semasa ekspedisi kami mencari kepah tu… kat area aku ni, bila season kepah raba ni, mcm pestala jawabnya kat kuala sungai ni… lebih dari seratus orang yang datang mencari.  Hari tu kami siap masak2, berkelah sambil mencari kepah… dapat la dalam dua guni beras… sampai kasi orang sana sini, still banyak yang lebih… last last dua tiga hari makan kepah yang di masak dalam kukus besar, bangun tidur jer, tengok muka akak and akak ipar aku, aku Tanya…. Naper ekkkk muka korang mcm muka KEPAH?!!!   

Mee Sup Pemalas

It was raining the other day and everybody's reluctant to get out of the house. We're contented with just bread and scramble eggs for the day. Couch and tv seemed to be more delicious than anything else.. but since perut dah main lagu lagu Bandi Amuk and Metal Asia, we decided to make a simple dinner. A Kampung Style Mee Sup, well, not so kampung lah, if to compare how my mum use to prepare it kan? But today, I will feature my sister punya not so kampung style...

1. Daging (rebus dan ketepikan air rebusan) - kalau korang malas, rebus sekali dengan kuah nanti.
2. Lada Hitam (tumbuk)
3. Beberapa Ulas Bawang Putih
4. Beberapa Labu Bawang Merah
5. Halia (sikit jer)
6. Rempah Tumis
7. Fishball
8. MeeHoon / Mee Kuning
9. Sawi (Kawan aku kata sawi ni rasa plastik, as if dia penah makan plastik kan?)
10. Cili Padi Potong
11. Tomato
12. Daun Bawang Sup / Aku lebih suka daun ketumbar, malangnya tak de

Tumis Rempah, bawang putih, bawang dan halia sampai layu, masukkan air rebusan ayam atau daging tadi, then tambah black pepper, tambah fishball and sawi. Kemudian pecahkan telur dan taruk tomato sebelum angkat. Taburkan hirisan daun bawang.. kalau korang tengah malas, taruk dengan pokok pokok dia sekali.. hehe

Celur meehoon atau mee kuning, taruk dalam mangkuk, jirus kuah atas mee.. kalau nak lagi sedap buat sambal kicap atau potong cili dan taruk kicap cair n perah limau kasturi sikit. Selamat makan. Isk lapar la pulak pagi ni...

talam suji

Just remembered that I promised Puan Mazni to post the ‘Talam Suji’ recipe here in my blog, that was like four months ago. Alamak, sorry yek Maz, sibukkan hal hal lain sampai terabai permintaan hang. Jangan sampai kempunan dah la yer?

Puan Mazni is my old friend, that I’ve known during college heydays. One of the popular girl in my batch. We’ve been through a lot as student and best friends as we’re taking the same course and in the same class, and I considered it as one of the precious and happy times. I remembered that whenever there is guy interested to get to know her, they will come to me first, either to get permission or some tips on how to start. As if I’m her agent kan? I know at least a bunch of guys in my class who’s interested in her, but couldn’t reveal it here as some people might get offended.

After college, we sort of lost contact but thanks to face book that allow us to get re-connected. Anyway Maz and the blog reader, here’s the recipe, and if you tried it, let me know how it goes ok?

Talam Suji (I normally use 25cm x 25cm tray)

Bottom layer:-

220gm fine semolina flour (tepung suji)

650ml coconut milk

1 screwpine leave (daun pandan)

200gm sugar

7gm salt

A few drops of yellow food colouring

Top layer:-

135gm flour (tepung gandum)

15gm cornflour (tepung jagung)

650ml thick coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

150 gm palm sugar (gula merah)

80gm sugar

3 eggs

7gm salt

Black or dark brown food colouring if desired

Method:- oil/grease your tray with a cooking oil or butter

Bottom layer:-

Place a fine semolina flour and yellow food colouring in a pot. Blend coconut milk, pandanus leave, sugar and salt. Sieve to get only the liquid and mix in with the flour. Stir on a medium heat until it becomes thick or until it covered the back of the metal spoon. Then transfer it into the tray and steam it for about 15 minutes. Prepare the top layer…

Top layer:-

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Sieve/filter to get only the liquid and place in a pot. After 10 – 15 minutes of steaming the bottom layer, place the pot of the top layer on a medium heat and stir till the mixture thickens. Before pour it on top of the bottom layer, scratch the bottom layer with a fork to make sure that the top and bottom layer won’t separate when you cut it. After pouring the top layer, steam for another 15 minutes. Let it cool before cutting.

Happy trying or if you have doubt on some of the process, let me know and I’ll explain it further.

For the love of MG!!

Writing this not to tell the whole world that I’m in love with her, yes, I’m in love with her but not that kind of love ok? Dia tu isteri orang.. karang tak pasal pasal laki dia langgar aku ngan kete wira dia.. haha. She ordered this long ago… right before CNY, but something came up so she didn’t get to collect it, neither do I have the opportunity to deliver it… so terbengkalai kat rumah. I know that its’ shelf-life is very long. 4 bulan pun boleh simpan lagi as long as tak bukak dia punya tape tu. Tapi, for this dear friend, I want her to have the one that is fresh from the oven. So, selepas almost one month.. I had to open the package when my nephew came to visit me from Johor. Actually bukak bukan for him, tapi for his girlfriend that he just introduced to me.. biasala aku kan? Berbudi tak bertempat… haha. The remaining package di beli oleh si Arif on his way home to visit his parents. Tup tup his sister liked it and ordered 3 packages more. That was good…

As for MG, I ought to make another batch for her… I know she’ll be mad because lambat but I’m sure that the sweetness of this cookies will make it up to her..

CupCake Untuk Ebad!

Last week, En. ebad from Telekom Malaysia, order cupcake tuk family makan-makan. Seperti biasa, cupcake nih aku memang urang expert. Dari segi rasa memang ok, tapi dari segi presentation and decoration memang aku kena struggle. Memandangkan aku nih dah tua kerepot, my creativity seems to jump out the window long ago. Tanganpun dah keras kejung, macam kayu cengal, so susahlah nak melentik tuk membuat deco2 yang (masa buat decoration aku selalu terfikir, kalaulah aku dapat formal training, dah pasti all these jadik makanan aku)

Anyway aku jual this type of cupcake at RM 1.80, and guys, kalau korang nak recipe, just let me know ok? Sekarang ni tak sempat nak sertakan kat sini... a little tied-up with some projects at the moment. Insya'Allah, kalau ada kelapangan aku akan sertakan k?

Hayyan is 5 yeay!!!

Honestly, I never liked birthdays. It often reminded me of my lost years. I don't mind aging provided it come with lots of wisdoms. When I was a small kid, my siblings used to host my birthday party that dalam 'keterpaksaan' I had to smile. But when I grow old, I normally elope on my birthday to some place that nobody knew. Tapi today, we're not going to talk about my birthday but Hayyans'

Ms Nadia; Hayyan's mom who worked at IIC order dengan aku Banana Chocolate Cake and knowing that her son is a fan of superheroes, she requested supaya aku boleh accomodate to Hayyan's interest. Tapi, memandangkan aku nih tak berapa bertauliah, not to mention the turntable yang aku masih belum beli (mesti kena seranah dengan Moon nih kalau dia baca), kami pun decidela tuk buat Ben 10. to order that edible image, kenala amik masa sikit, so I ordered the simple one. I thot based on that black and white picture, the image looks fine. Tapi, bila dapa aje, it's much too plain to excite even a small kid like Hayyan.

Being me yang masih belajar tips & tricks of cake baking, akupun tidak lah pulak di turunkan idea oleh yang maha kuasa tentang bagaimana nak membuat image tu nampak more appealing and interesting, melainkan menambah 'decor gel' jer. So, the photo was taken from Ms Nadia's blog.

to Hayyan - have the most wonderful Birthday! tapi kena skiplah uncle punya cake yang tak semenggah tu yer?? and to Ms. Nadia, thank you for supporting MyKuihStory..

Biskut Hazel Nut Rangup

Yet another browsing through my photo collections, I found another pictures of ‘cookies’ that I’d like to share the recipe with my blogreaders. I made this long ago, bulan puasa 2010. I used to sell this cookies but last year, only made it for our families because I couldn’t cope due to lots of orders for that ‘nig nog Swedish cookies’. Agak suka dengan cookies ni, sebab, just like that ‘nig nog swedish cookies’, dia ada rasa yang lengkap, manis and lemak masin (errr masam jer yang tak der yer!.. kalau masam tu dah jadi cookies expired.. hehe). Furthermore, this recipe is really easy for you to try and I could almost guarantee that even though you are a beginner, this one’ll be a successful try. Enjoy peeps!

125g butter

170g self-raising flour

60g ground hazel nut

60g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg yolk

Sesame to deco (optional)

In a mixing bowl, ayak tepung, soda bicarbonate and icing sugar, kemudian masukkan hazelnut yang telah di kisar, gaul lagi, kemudian masukkan butter dan esen vanilla. Uli dengan menggunakan hujung jari. Kemudian, canaikan di atas baking paper atau plastic dan terapkan guna acuan yang korang suka. Pukul kuning telur yang dicampurkan susu cair and pewarna kunig (supaya Nampak berkilat), sapukan atas kuih dan taburlah bijan (kalau korang nak deco style lain pun boleh – taruk gajus panggang mesti masyukkk)Tangan yang besar ni bukan tangan aku yer, tetapi assistant aku yang bernama Ariff... hahaha

Chef Ross’s Domok (Gemuk) Fingers (Berangan jadi chefla pulak kan?)

I’m not a chocolate lover, but the rest of my siblings are. So as my cousin; the one whom I live in with now. Plus, my nieces and nephew – the one that’ll never lose the chance to come over to my place whenever they don’t have anything-else-better to do. Duhhh!! I made the first batch of this, weeks ago on my trial kitchen, only to find out that most of my ‘food tester’ likes it. Last weekend, I promise my mom to go back to my kampung for a ‘get-togther’ since I have not visiting her for quite some times already. Tapi disebabkan ada last minute order, I had to cancel it. Left with nothing much to do on weekends, apart from lazing around watching movies and novels, I decided to bake this, so that I could share the recipe with my blog readers.

I don’t know how to describe it – perhaps a little bit like chipsmore cookies + the chocolate coating. Something like your ‘first crush’…. ‘SWEET!’

1. 125g butter

2. 50g caster sugar

3. 1tbsp condensed milk

4. 1tsp vanilla essence

5. 185g plain flour

6. 1tsp baking powder

7. 60g dark chocolate, finely chopped

For Coating

1. 150g dark chocolate, crushed

2. 30g vegetable shortening

Beat the butter, caster sugar, condensed milk and vanilla essence until creamy. Mix in the combined sifted flour and baking powder until smooth. Fold in the chocolate.

Take approximately one tablespoons of the mixture and form into fat fingers. Place well apart on the tray that you already greased it with butter. Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Leave for 5 minutes then cool on a ‘redai’. Sorry guys, aku tak ingat apa org panggil this ‘redai’ in English. Wire rack perhaps. Haha. (The results for not being in the job market for quite some times kan?)

For Coating, melt the chocolate and vegetable shortening in a small bowl place over a pan of simmering water. Stirring occasionally, until the chocolate dissolve and become smooth. Then sppon the chocolate over so that it covers the biscuits completely