Nasi Kerabu

Nasi Kerabu is a traditional food from Kelantan, Malaysia. Serve with Ayam Percik.

Types of recipes: Malaysian food
Preparation: About 1 hour
Cook: Less than half hour
Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients

Nasi Kerabu

1 kg fragrant rice
1 litre water
50g bunga telang or blue peas flower (soaked in warm water)
1 torch ginger leaf*
5 pcs daun kesum*
2 pcs cekur leaves*
2 pcs daun kentut*
2 pcs daun kudu*
1/2 stalk lemongrass*
2 pandan leaves
2 tbsp palm sugar

Garnishing ulam mix

2 torch ginger buds, finely sliced
1 stalks daun kesum, finely sliced2 cekur leaves, finely sliced
2 daun kentut, finely sliced
2 daun kudu, finely sliced
2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
1 cucumber, pared and julienned
1 onion, finely sliced
5 long beans, finely sliced
1/2 round cabbage

Fried grated coconut
• 1/2 coconut flesh, finely grated
• 8 shallots, finely sliced
• 2cm ginger, finely chopped
• Palm sugar and salt to taste

Method

Slice ulam leaves* and blend finely with 1 glass of water to extract the juice and sieve.
Blend the blue peas flower with 1 cup of water and strain.
Wash rice. Add ulam juice, blue peas flower juice, pieces of pandan leaves, kaffir lime leaves, and 1/2 a block of palm sugar to the rie. Cook in a rice cooker.
Fry the grated coconut with shallots, ginger, palm sugar and salt over a low fire. When the mixture turns fragrant, lightly flatten the grated coconut with the back of your spatula. Put it aside.
Mix all the ulam with grated coconut. Put on top of rice before serving.

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Nasi Dagang

Another one Malaysian dish.

Types of recipes: Malaysian food
Preparation: Less than half hour
Cook: About 1 hour
Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients

Nasi Dagang

1kg nasi dagang rice
750ml thin coconut milk
1 tablespoon fenugreek (halba)
50g ginger, julienned
10 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
250ml thick coconut milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method

Wash the rice in several changes of water until water runs clear. Place rice in a large bowl and pour in enough water to reach 5cm above the rice. Allow to soak for 2-3 hours. Drain.

Prepare steamer and steam rice for 20-25 minutes, or until half-cooked.

Take rice off the steamer and stir in the thin coconut milk, followed by the halba, ginger, shallots and garlic. Set aside, covered, for 2-3 hours.

Reheat steamer. Mix thick coconut milk with the sugar and salt, and stir this through the rice. Steam until rice is well cooked. Serve warm with Gulai Ikan Tongkol, Fish Sambal and Spicy Eggs.

Tip

For perfectly cooked nasi dagang, use equal amounts of liquid (in this case, coconut milk) and rice.

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American Lasagne

Types of recipes: Western delight
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ready in: 2 hours
Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef                          12 dry lasagna noodles
• 1 onion, chopped                                                     2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced                                          1 pin part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil                      1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano                                     2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar                                  1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt                                                 1 pound mozarella cheese, shredded
• 1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes                       2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

Method

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion and garlic; drain fat. Mix in basil, oregano, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Lay noodles flat on towels, and blot dry.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley and 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover noodles with 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese over the top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Spaghetti Bolognese

Types of recipes: Italian cuisine
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 3-5 servings

Ingredients

250g spaghetti
200g minced beef tenderloin
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 small can tomato paste, approx 125g
1/8 tsp dried oregano

Seasoning

1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cube Maggi beef stock
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
60g fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped
180ml water
Some Parmesan or Cheddar cheese

Method

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a little salt and corn oil. Dip the spaghetti into the water, allowing it to gradually ease in. As the spaghetti becomes submerged in the boiling water, it will soften and bend. Cook until al dente or till the texture's to your liking. Drain and set aside in a serving plate.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté minced beef, onion and garlic until well browned and fragrant.

Stir in tomato paste and add in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add seasoning to taste.

Pour the cooked meat sauce over the spaghetti. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Review: My favourite Italian cuisine.

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Ayam Masak Merah

Types of recipes: Malaysian delight
Preparation: About 45 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 45 minutes
Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 kg whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
Cooking oil

Ground spices (A)

10 nos shallot, peeled
4 nos garlic, peeled
2in old ginger, peeled
4 tbsp chilli giling
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
3 tbsp almond, ground

Others

5 tbsp cooking oil
1in cinnamon stick
4 nos cloves
3 nos star anise
4 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 small bottle chilli sauce
1 small can evaporated milk
5 nos red chilli, cut half
5 nos green chilli, cut half
2 nos tomato, cut wedges into six
5in pandan leaf
1 stalk of lemongrass
1/2 small can green peas
1 tsp salt to taste
1 tbsp sugar to taste

Method

Marinated the chicken with turmeric powder and salt.
Deep fry until 3/4 cooked, put aside.
Blend the ground spices with 1 1/2 cups of water.
Heat oil until hot, sauté ground spices (A) until fragrant.
Add in cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise. Fry for 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste and chilli sauce, stir-fry well until the tomato paste is become oily.
Then add in the chicken, pandan leaf and lemongrass together.
Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender and gravy turns thick.
Lastly add evaporated milk, chillies and tomatoes.
Season with salt and sugar.

Garnish with green peas.

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Tarragon Chicken

Types of recipes: Western delight
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Ready in: 55 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chicken (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg), cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup/125 ml chicken stock
1 shallot, minced
1 cup/250 ml creme fraiche
1/2 cup chopped fresh tarragon
Lemon juice

Method

Melt the butter with the oil in a large skillet over quite high heat. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry in batches until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Put all the chicken back in the pan, add the chicken stock and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. 

Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Reduce any leftover juices until sticky. Add the shallots and reduce to a thickish sauce, about 5 minutes. Add the creme fraiche and half the tarragon. Boil down again to sauce consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Season the sauce with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Put back the chicken pieces, turning to coat, then transfer to a platter. Pour the sauce over, scatter over the remaining tarragon and serve.

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