A Nyonya In Chef Pants

Passing on the torch

2011-08-23T07:00:00.000+08:00

In a few minutes, I'm going to work and I shall be passing that book on to someone who is passionate about cooking and deserves to have a chance to learn and have a book as good as McGee. Pity I never read it, but, I shall get it one day, for myself.

And you, you who are "going through the same thing as I am", thank you for the book - it shall inspire the ones who are really meant for this industry. Just not me.

IF

2011-08-16T13:24:00.000+08:00

If the book is from who I think it is, and not who I'm hoping it is, well then, mysterious friend whom I think it is from, I'm sorry, but I cannot accept your gift.

I shall donate it to college or some trainee I see at work.

I'm really sorry, if it's whom I think it is, because, I really don't want it. And I've pretty much made my choices clear already.

Hello?

2011-08-15T00:15:00.001+08:00

I came back after work last Friday night, and saw a weird small box sitting in my porch. It turned out to be the book I've always wanted to get, but couldn't find in Kinokuniya (because even though they had it in store, they could never locate it, even after so many times of trying) - Harold McGee.

It was bound up in layers and layers of cling wrap, and there was some thick black writing on a piece of paper, saying, "Please do not give up" and a short note inside, ending with "From, A friend"

I don't recognise the writing, and although it is a very, very sweet gesture, I really don't feel comfortable. It's slightly stalker-ish. I mean, no offence, "Friend", but, I've got really mixed feelings about this... but thank you, whoever you are, for believing in me.

It's nice to know someone cares. We'll see when the 6th month comes around.

Lost Its Spice

2011-08-11T02:30:00.001+08:00

I have no more interest in cooking. I mean, I do, somewhat, because there must be a reason why I doggedly go to work everyday and just do the mundane things I do in the kitchen, and then face the echoes of a slamming locker door before I head out into the dark lonely night to an empty house each day.

Maybe it's just because the hours are so long, and it keeps me from thinking and missing him even more.

I just think, that although I love to cook and to eat, I do not possess the character necessary to last long in this industry. I don't have what it takes to become a chef - a person so strong in will, discipline, organisation, speed, strength, knowledge and with the artistic flair and epicurean tastebuds.

I should just finish up my 6 months and then go look for an office job. Start living life like a normal person, with normal hours. Besides, back at the house, I have no one to cook for.

Losing him has made me lose that joy and spark in wanting to cook. So what if I enjoy good food? Tons of people who don't work in this industry enjoy good food. I think, I am more *pause* *deep breath* a foodie than a chef.

So, this is probably the last entry (or last few) for this blog. Shortlived, but exciting while it lasted.

On Food & Life

2011-08-05T02:29:00.000+08:00

When I feel demotivated, I pick up The Making of a Chef/Soul of a Chef.

When I feel unsure, I pick up Larousse Gastronomique.

When I feel peckish, I go to EatDrinkKl.

When I feel traditional, I pick up Escoffier.

When I feel creative, I pick up The Flavor Bible.

When I feel whimsical, I pick up My Life by Raymond Blanc.

When I feel dreamy and ambitious, I pick up The French Laundry.

Read this today on a friend's posted photo:

"Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about."

Portuguese Lovin'

2011-07-08T01:36:00.000+08:00

I love him so much, which he'll never see it, but I did and still do, that I went all out in my naive novice cook-ness, to learn some Portuguese dishes which his family love and yet do not have the recipes for.

1. Feng : basically a country-style pate cooked with a lot of spices.
Comprises of all the parts of a pig: belly, leg, ear, liver, snout, intestines, even tail I wouldn't be surprised, stewed for hours until tender, then julienned thinly and then fried with sweated onions and ginger, a mixture of cumin, coriander and fennel powder, with some cinnamon sticks, salt, sugar and a dash of vinegar at the end.

Imma gonna work on this and improve it. Get in more aromatics, like use a port (tribute to Portugal) wine and black vinegar reduction, some ginger infused oils and optimum cooking times for the different parts of the piggy, so it'll be tender and creamy. Yum.

2. Pang Soo Sis: a sweet potato dough encasing minced peppery pork.
The dough uses brandy for extra flavour, and the pork is supposed to be super peppery.
The sticky dough is not easy to work with, especially after it's proved, but the end result is flavourful, aromatic and slightly sweet, which is balanced with the peppery pork.

Improvisations: Get a nice dough, which was pretty good the 1st and only time I made them, have a nice combination of minced pork and fatback, maybe use a little streaky bacon together with it, to get a nice juicy filling, and tons of pepper, black, maybe a little green and pink, to make it a little tastier.

Gotta save up, get an oven under the counter, as was always planned by us last time, so I can start making those little goodies again.

3. My favourite, Kari Koku.
Ikan parang, sweet, firm-fleshed fish with tons of bones, cooked in a creamy coconut curry, made with blended onions and dried chilli paste, with green chilli to add in some flavour. This I would drink and watch TV with that lovely Portuguese family I miss so much. Soon... I shall make this soon....

4. Shivering curry aka Sambal Nenas
Shrimps cooked in a pineapple sambal, onions and chilli paste, with pineapples to add that tangy sweet and sour balance. YUM.

5. Kari Debal aka Devil Curry
Spicy curry made with tons of onions and chilli paste, julienned ginger, tumeric-chili-shallot paste, mustard seeds, smoked ham hock and whatever yummy pieces of pork you want to throw in, with a dash of sweet soy sauce at the end. Wipe your plates clean with bread please.

6. Name eludes me now... I hope to be reminded of it soon...
But basically, pork ears and belly stewed in dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and cinnamon until super tender, sliced thinly, served with curly lettuce, cucumbers, taufoo pok (deepfried beancurd balls) together with a chilli sauce made with red chillies, garlic, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt and a dash of vinegar.

Jotting all this down, so I will never forget how to make them....

Goodnight now food lovers... I'm on a journey in the valley of darkness, but these little inspirations, although much fewer now, give me that hope and light at the end of the tunnel.

Hah. Weird thought. Maybe I could cook for him at his wedding, make little adorable pang soo sis and tiny pots of feng with toasted bread as mini starters, while I agonise in the kitchen at how happily married he is going to be, while I'm making his favourite food with all my research and development done to make it absolutely fantastic, but of course, because it's him, with all the love in my heart, wishing him and his new bride well.

Sigh..... my <3 always to the one who's moved on....

Our Idea...

2011-07-05T02:22:00.000+08:00

Just read this...Eatertainment In KL hmmm.... this was IanPenguin's idea, before, a love-collaboration of music, food, drink & art... ours rocks way better, but it's being done.... what a sign....

Cmon. All too many signs, but at which direction are they pointing? Sighhh.......

Recipes Of Pure Love

2011-06-15T23:04:00.000+08:00

Ian's Special Iced Coffee:

His favourite tall glass
Ice cubes halfway
A little hot water
Double shot espresso
Marigold HL Milk
Condensed milk

Tastes like Bailey's, also his fave, minus the alcohol.

Key: measurement of ingredients.

Many have tried, but failed.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Poached Egg & Crispy Luncheon Meat Open-face

Bread
Butter
Egg
Luncheon meat
Black pepper
Cheese & mayo (optional)

------------------------------------------------------------
Impromptu Sandwiches

Usually inclusive of confit grilled zucchinis, aubergines, capsicum, mushrooms with garlic and thyme and black peppercorns

Along with variations of vinaigrettes (apple, sage, balsamic and honey etc), salads, and meats (usually bacon/ sliced eggs/whatever I find lying around)

------------------------------------------------------------
Cherry Tomatoes with Bacon & Onion

Basil
Onion
Bacon
Mayo
Salt
Pepper
Cherry tomatoes

--------------------------------------------------------------
Bacon & Egg Sandwich

Bacon, crisp
Scrambled eggs/sunny side up & runny
Butter
Bread
Black pepper

-------------------------------------------------------
And I've something new. Which I made with you in mind.

Just that, it's way too late. Sigh. You're already gone.

Tong-tong-tong Chiang: Part 4

2011-02-08T03:35:00.001+08:00

Reunion dinner was great, with drinks, food (that everyone allegedly enjoyed) and gambling, of course!! Muahahah. But I have yet to find my Mahjong kakis. :( Anyways, I digress.

Dinner dishes were relatively simple and limited, as the tasks of making kuih, my own yee sang, hand-rolled dumplings and all proved too much for one to handle. Yes, I also had Mommy to help out. :D

Hmmm... so here are some pics that I managed to wrangle in, despite the hectic schedules. Some were contribs from JessicaHippo, who kindly stepped in as photog, when I had my headless-chicken moments.

First dish, was of course, the ubiquitous and compulsory Yee Sang.

Ingredients:

White radish

Carrots

Deepfried taro (green & yellow)

Black sesame crackers

Peanuts, ground

Sesame seeds

Papaya pickle

Ginger pickle

Cucumber pickle

Green radish pickle

Pickled shallots

Red chilli

Green, red & yellow bell peppers

Pomelo sacs

Spring Onion

Coriander

Lime pickle

Salmon, raw

Squeeze of lemon

(This is all I remember, right now...)

Dressing:

Plum sauce

Sesame oil

5 spice powder

Salt

Pepper

Brown sugar

Lemon juice

After which, the Pie Tees followed: Deep fried crispy shells, filled with a "stew" of shredded jicama, carrots, mushrooms and a chilli sauce, similar to that of the chicken rice accompaniment.

The main dishes were, Salted egg yolk prawns (neighbour's curry leaves had a mysterious disease, so that was omitted),

fried sea bass with fried Chai Por (salty preserved radish), where I later added julienned spring onions and chilli with a sweet-sour sauce,

Tumeric fried chicken,

Broccoli with Enoki, Shiitake, Black Sea Moss (Fatt Choy) with Oyster sauce.

Dessert was Almond Tea & Black Sesame Dumplings and Red Dates, Gingko & Lotus Seeds in a citrusy-honey infused light 'soup'.

AuntyNess brought this wine, which she said, was the one that made her drunk. Teehee.

I am now aiming for the next batch of food, for the Chap Goh Meh. Not really sure what to cook then, because, the only thing we eat then is the Kiam Chai Boey, but I shall include more things to perk things up a little. After which, the "Real" Kiam Chai Boey shall emerge. All for ME ME ME. Heheh. Do drop by, if you are interested. :D

Tong-tong-tong Chiang: Part 3

2011-02-08T03:08:00.000+08:00

OMG. I've been practically shriveling up inside because this VAIO has refused point-blank from my last post to even start up. Thank God it has now. So this is my shot in the dark, my furtive posting for don't-know-how-long...

Here are pics from my prep days...

Ingredients for Kuih Bakul (Tnee Kuih/Nien Gao)

Mixing by hand

The mould for the liquidy goodness...

Pouring it in... (shaky hand, because I was so worried & excited at the same time. *shy*)

Mincing up shallots for the Pie Tee filling

Slicing spring onions for the Yee Sang

The preserved lime for the Yee Sang in all it's different stages

Yummy pickled shallots (or also called, cocktail Onions)

After which, I did complete more things, but my Point-and-shoot ran out of battery. *sigh*

Next post for the reunion din-din pics! :D

Tong-tong-tong Chiang: Part 2

2011-01-31T13:21:00.001+08:00

Physically making all these goodies for New Year has made me learn one thing.

Grandmas are AMAZING!!

How they do it year after year, slogging away in the kitchen, for the MASSES of family who come back AND virtually have enough to last for 15 days?! *shivers*

Yesterday was the day (one of many) of reckoning, where I tried out my Kuih Bunga skills.

Steps:
1. Heat mould.
2. Shake off excess oil.
3. Dip in batter.
4. Shake off excess batter.
5. Place in oil.
6. Shake off kuih.
7. Flip to golden goodness.

OMG, you wouldn't believe how easy it sounds and how hard it was for me. Yes, we all stumble in our lives....

First batch came out like this.. WTF?!!

Multi-coloured kuih (which soon joined the trash)

Gritting my teeth, I tried again.

Erm, not too bad la. I then scribbled down alterations to the recipe:

less sugar, less coconut milk, a little more liquid & salt.

Key is not to let the sides flip up. It's as unsightly as a well-dressed lady

with her petticoat showing.

After which, I had an arduous task of peeling gingko nuts.

Another example of long-to-make-fast-to-eat foods.

Slept at 5am, and now I'm up at 10am.

Enough procrastinating!

*clambers out of marshmallow-soft bed to face the long To-Do list*

Tong-tong-tong Chiang: Part 1

2011-01-30T05:00:00.002+08:00

Wookay.. I finally got most of my stuff today. And after a whole day of washing, cleaning and bathing HRH Brownie-boo,

I realised how pooped I was, and just settled for making the pickles for today. No ambitious deep-frying of crackers and cookies, because, *BLUSH*, I didn't buy any containers to keep them. Eh heh.

So thanks to this beeyewtiful gizmet I got meself last year, just for a treat after completing most of the 4-year drudgery, things were done way faster than it would be, using conventional methods. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the Benriner Turning Slicer.

My first encounter with it, was when ChefDanny proudly brought it to The Dutch Mill, showing how he'd use it to make dainty salads and garnishes for the yummy Hainanese Chicken rice he made for all of us.

And then, I had the privilege of using it again, when preparing for FHM & FHA in 2009 and 2010 respectively. I HAD TO GET IT. RARR!

A source of (lame) amusement for us cooks, who face high temperatures, high tempers, higher pressure in the confinement of four walls, with like-minded individuals (hence), us liking to do all sorts of things with the remainder of the vegetable, as shown below.

A milder version would be, propping it up on the shoulder, pretending it's a parasol OR dropping it on the floor, claiming it to be someone's loose screw.

*BWAHAHAH* (I know, I'm prolly the only one laughing at this).

And so, I did the green radish pickle

and cucumber pickle.

That's all for tonight folks. Tomorrow looms with more promise. :)

*drifts off to ZzzzzZzzland*

Oh Yes!

2011-01-29T17:13:00.000+08:00

In relation to that previous previous post about the leftovers becoming lavly Guiness stew and whatnot....

I LOVE CRUMPETS!

Image courtesy of Istockphoto.com

Crumpets are similar to the American pancakes, except that the aerating agent is yeast, rather than baking powder, therefore, yielding different flavour and texture to the "pancake". It can be eaten savoury or sweet, originated from the United Kingdom, frequently mentioned in Enid Blyton's books which usually pair them freshly made, piping hot with new butter and strawberry jam.

I went to sleep, thinking about crumpets and classic English afternoon tea, and then I decided that I would make some. First thing I got up, I whipped everything up, left it to prove, and got me stomach ready for some FOOOD.

*Sizzle sizzle* Butter in pan, ring mould in the centre, the smell was AH-MAY-ZING. I didn't have any decent jam at hand, so I ended up eating it with everything you could put on bread. Including the Guinness Lamb, to IanPenguin's great sadness. *whoops*

Menu..... Decided!

2011-01-29T17:00:00.000+08:00

I have finally decided on what I shall be making for Chinese New Year this year.

1. Kuih bunga/ kuih Ros (both sweet and savoury)

2. Laksa cookies

3. Yee Sang

4. Pie Tee (top hats with stewed root veggies and sweet-sour-spicy chilli garlic sauce)

5. Nasi Ulam (a herb & rice 'salad')

6. Kerabu Beehoon (Rice vermicelli tossed with sambal and herbs)

7. Cabbage rolls

8. Joo Hoo Char

9. Too Thor Th'ng (Pork stomach soup, with homemade pork balls)

10. And when all the eating is over, I shall dump all the above's leftovers together with some salted veggie, throw in roast duck, dried chillies, asam keping, nutmeg, roast pork and bring it all to boil, into a tasty, spicy, absolutely yummifying broth of Kiam Chai Boey!

(Except the cookies. Lol.)

And now.... I am sitting here, planning my worklist and timelines, while sinfully taking spoonfuls of Lyle's Golden Syrup. @.@!!! It is sooooooooo addictive!

Vintage Ad : Me likey!!

Ooh, breakfast today was pancakes, with bacon and scrambled oeufs and peaches, blackberries and cherries, with the aforementioned Golden Goodness to bring everything together in a calorific combo. MMmmmmmm.....

Nomnomnom.

2011-01-22T19:46:00.000+08:00

Christmas 2010 was decidedly quiet, but then, it all started kicking in AFTER that. Our New Year's was relatively ho-hum and pretty much under the radar, because, before and after seemed to be chock-full of blowout drinking and parties!!

Anyways, KennethTheOng got married to WifeWW and so they had a mini gathering at their house. Seeing as many people did not make it that night, there was so much leftover food, that I helped them with the storage and of course, became an a la minute Garde Manger cook.

Item 1:
Garlic Bread --> became Crostini, either with tomato salsa or hummous.

Item 2:
The inexpertly grilled lamb slices --> became a stew, with tons of caramelised onions, some carrots and of course, Guinness with a little help from the supplied brown sauce.

Of course, sheperd's pie remained as sheperd's pie.

And so I made some mixed salad with a mandarin orange vinaigrette, linguini with pesto and roast chicken while Uncle David contributed his famous legend of Mutton Curry and unfortunately, his super-marinaded chicken wings didn't make it to the table from Klang that night.

Well, I gathered some stuff to put into the chicken for roasting, and so, it did look like a pretty picture. Was too busy to take pics of the rest.

Had a great time, with the limited Centenary edition, 12yr old Johnny Walker Black, Chivas, Jim Beam, tons of wine & beers. NOMS!

A Daunting Task

2011-01-18T16:28:00.000+08:00

I am very tempted to cook for this Chinese New Year. Throw in all the works, with inspiration from both sides of the family:

My dad's mom:

Beef rendang (Grandma's famous interpretation of a rendang, which she dissected bit by bit from a shop in Penang, experimented until she got the taste just right.)
Pork stomach soup with homemade porkballs (The porkballs must be springy, and prawn meat is minced together, for extra 'sweetness', whereas the stomach of the pig, is ever so soft and full of flavour.)
Joo Hoo Char (literal translation: Cuttlefish Fried. Basically, jicama, carrots, mushrooms, cuttlefish, onions, lard, minced pork and tons of other ingredients sliced thinly, and cooked over medium-low heat until it has reduced, achieved a complexity of flavours through caramelization of sugars, juice from the meat and mushrooms. A warm, savoury salad, if you may call it. Eaten on its own, or for an even more yummy twist, fresh lettuce with a swipe of sambal belacan and a squeeze of lime juice, wrapped up, popiah style, with tons of texture and flavour.)

My mom's mom:

Roti Jala with Kari Kapitan (This grandma would pile it on one whole plate, with a snipped spring onion in between each layer for easy removal. Pair this with that yummy, creamy coconut Chicken curry, and it is heaven!)
Braised Cabbage rolls, filled with minced pork, prawns, carrots and waterchestnuts (Again, the most important is the filling, which has onions, pork, prawns, carrots and waterchestnuts - an Asian forcemeat really, rolled into blanched cabbage leafs, shaped like popiahs, and braised in chicken stock. This was the envy of my schoolmates when I was in primary school. Yum!!)

And of course, try the ubiquitous Yee Sang, Kuih Bakul (Nien Gao), Kuih Bunga, Kuih Kapit, Peanut cookies, Kuih Bangkit & Almond cookies.

And the best part about Chinese New Year?? Besides the angpows, is the Kiam Chai Boey (literal translation: "Salted Veggie End" where all leftovers are thrown into a single pot, with a leg of roasted pork and salted veggies, to make a yummy, sour, spicy stew. MMM.

I am doing this, so that I can cook for my grandmother and family, of course, waiting the final judging from Grandma herself, as well as to debunk my own fears and supposed-myths about how hard it is to cook a proper Nyonya dish. As of yet, it is quite tough, as the spices have always to be just right. Get this part wrong, and there is no turning back from facing that huge pot of steaming, not so tasty food, with everyone giving their MTHO (More than honest opinions) of how it doesn't compare to Grandma's.

Hmmmmmmm... Second thought... start small, and focus on the angpows.

o.O

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!! Makan time!!!

Christmas Ideas 2010

2010-11-29T08:37:00.000+08:00

Inspirations for this Christmas:

1. Spices (cloves, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg)
2. Rum
3. Dark chocolate
4. Puff pastry
5. Red, green, white
6. Red velvet cupcakes

Hmm.. this is just a run-through in my mind..

- Ginger ale sorbet
- Roast chicken
- Ravioli
- Phyllo margerita pizzas
- Butterscotch (teeny tiny pieces of moist, melt-in-your-mouth, rich and velvety butterscotch)
- Red velvet cupcakes, snow white icing and green glace cherry with candied orange peel
- I'd love to do tenderloin with Guinness. teehee.
- nice, dark Chard, juicy beets, onions, orange segments, cumin vinaigrette
- red wine poached mini pears
- blackberry, blueberry, raspberry compote/jam biscuits/ jellies
- nice crusty dark bread, to go with natural Jus, some butter, thick slices of medium-grilled beef
- tomatoes (baby Romas, yellow cherry, sauces, marinade, base)
- maybe a variation of baklava, but with chestnut paste, a little smoky, savoury with some almonds and phyllo, spiced, with demerara syrup
- OOH. multi coloured Lollies!! yum.. like, spiced, mint, toffee...
- Brownies!!
- Macarons (yeahyeah.. so cliched.)
- buttery Shortbread. mmmmmmm...

*tummy rumble*
I'm hungry AND excited. :D

Wishlist of Books

2010-11-27T06:14:00.000+08:00

Just the other day, JoshuaHappyJumpers was asking me to recommend some cookbooks/recipe books for him... That brings me to the subject of cookbooks, (my personal, unsubstantiated opinion):

Basic steps:
Firstly, identify how much you know about cooking and what you know how to cook.

Then decide between Category Cuisine or Category Technique/Science, (IMHO, are the two major types of cookbooks out there)

A. Cuisine - what are you used to cooking compared to what you want to learn (eg. a French-themed dinner, Thai, Italian, Chinese etc).

Once you've chosen the Cuisine books, it's easier to narrow down your choices, as books go by Cuisine, Main ingredients, Specific diets, Courses (eg. Breads, desserts) and other easy to identify.
When you flip through a book, I find it's most important to not get carried away by the pictures, but instead, read the recipes through carefully! I know, even skimming through might seem enough, after all, it's "just cooking food", but this stands between you and the possibility of having a coffee-table book instead of something useful.
Identify the INGREDIENTS needed. Some of those are seasonal, not available, not available in the required quality/conditions, way too costly for your budget and are maybe so exotic that your intended audience might be a bit wary of trying.
Identify the METHODS used. Some require equipment/utensils/tools that you may not have. It's not really motivational to slave over a lovely milk chocolate and rum mousse, and learning that you do not have dariole moulds to serve them in, and end up serving it with an ice cream scoop, and everyone at the table exclaiming what nice icecream it is. (Trust me. I went through this recently.)
Once you have done the above, do check out the elements in the recipes. I find it helpful to research a little about the cuisines so you don't end up with a Pad Thai that resembles a Char Koay Teow on your Sawadee-themed night. Some are inspired (read: fusion) and some are authentic. How to differentiate them? Research and patience to sift through the books available.

Just keep this in mind - if you're going to spend money on a book which will catapult you to fond memories (and fame) in your guest's minds and stomachs, take a little bit of time to sift through all the grit and ash. It'll pay off!

B. Technique - If you've decided that you do not want to learn a set list full of recipes (which I believe you can get off the Web for free, at reputable sites, of course) and you want to delve deeper into the "How"s and "Why"s.

Again, as above, you need to narrow it down. Maybe start with something easy for your level of knowledge and experience. Perhaps, you'd like to learn more about bread-making techniques, then buy a book on techniques for that. Or, how to grill meats.
Also, reconsider the equipment you have at home, when attempting to learn techniques. Unless you have a kitchen, free for your usage, that's fully equipped with everything any chef could ever ask for, which by all means, be my guest. Or rather *thinking* could I be yours? :)
As the above states, figure out if you have necessary facilities to have a hands-on learning experience. Eg. it requires nitrogen, dehydrators, smokehouse,vacuum-packing machines, reverse griddle so on so forth.

Having mentioned all that, *yawn*, I'd like to put up a list. No.. no.. not hinting. Just keeping track of the books I want to get...

So, that's my list... after long years of waiting, wanting and waning. :) Hope this helps!

Cheers!
*scampers off for a nap*

The Thrill returns

2010-11-25T04:55:00.001+08:00

I did say, that I'm not for competitions, but, I have to admit, there is such a thrill, an adrenaline rush, when you get that coveted medal, in repayment for all the hard work, cringing, cold sweat, blood and tears. Of course, what more, being a female in a very-male-dominated world....

And then, you hear of good news such as this:

See Lay Na of Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur and her assistant, Mandy Goh.

Read all about it here.

*breathes in awe*

What more, to realise that the judges are Paul Bocuse, and *gasp* Thomas Keller!!! Not forgetting the other glitterati of the cooking world, but.... Mr. Keller! *AWE*

Sunday Dinner

2010-11-22T00:03:00.000+08:00

Had lovely Nasi Dagang with Ikan Tongkol curry, yummy Beef Rendang, Mutton curry and Debal Curry. All over the regions and cultures, it culminated in one meal. It was absolutely satisfying!!

The weather has been so hot and dry lately! Each weekend, we go out and drink so much water and yet have no urge to go to the loo. That's how HOT it's been.

So after lunch and TinkyWinky's playdate, we left back for home, and stopped by to get some sugarcane and coconut water. Somehow, Kelapa Pandan is not as nice as it is back home. And they don't have it here that much anyways! Went back, hoping for a nice, cold and tasty drink... and met with a tasteless somewhat clear liquid. *grr* So I made a little sugar syrup, put a drop of rose flavour and red colouring, and ended up with a light pink, more delightful thirst quencher. MMM. :D

Dinner was merely Bak Kut Teh, with fu chuk, enoki, pork ribs, stomach, intestines and liver simmered for about 4 hours in a Chinese herb concoction with some To Miao (green bean sprouts) lightly sauteed with some oyster and soy sauce. Rice was made with a little garlic oil for more flavour and separate grains.

That's all the pics I got today... Must keep remembering to USE PAS (my standard Point-And-Shoot)!!

Have a good week everyone!! :D

My Little Secret

2010-11-21T04:28:00.001+08:00

Sometimes, I'm just happy to have my cellphone devoid of batteries so I can snuggle up with this...

Plaisirs Simples

2010-11-21T01:56:00.003+08:00

The simple pleasures in life for me:

1. Warm, buttery croissant with creme Chantilly and fruits
2. Warm, crusty baguette with generous amounts of creamy, salted butter

"I do like a little bit of butter to my bread."
~A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

3. Crispy streaky bacon with American-styled hash browns (grated potatoes, grilled on a hot plate, full of juices and rendered fat from previously grilled burgers, pork sausages and the aforementioned bacon), somewhat similar to the Jewish potato latkes and German rosti and thick-cut juicy ripe tomatoes, tossed with a little olive oil, salt, sugar, freshly crushed black pepper and then flash-grilled, just to bring out the flavours in a contrast of textures and caramelisation.

Yum...

Definition:

1. Creme Chantilly: sweetened whipped cream.
- some use icing sugar, some use fine granulated sugar with fresh cream, I use vanilla sugar.

2. Baguette: a long, crusty, white loaf originated from France, hence the popular term, "French Loaf".

Note: Good wheat-flour bread (lean bread, meaning, low amounts of sugar and fat) makes a hollow sound when tapped, preferably with a hard crust. Europeans golden brown is the Asian definition of "nearly burnt" and Asians tend to like a softer crusted bread, with less crumb. Although, I may generalise, the trends are changing.

"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts!"
~James Beard

Personally, I love hard, crusty bread, just slightly warmed up, with either butter or some olive oil, or even plain! Tough and chewy. It just gives more character to bread than a nondescript, silent *cut* when we bite.

I LOVE bread.

"All sorrows are less with bread."
~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

"Bread and butter, devoid of charm in the drawing-room, is ambrosia eating under a tree."
~Elizabeth Russell

But, the most challenging bread I've ever had to eat, was pumpernickel.
Try it oneday, if you haven't. Let me know how you feel about it. :)

Pretty Pictures (Courtesy of Eve)

2010-11-20T01:59:00.002+08:00

Well, the mysterious concept dinners I refer to are actually one of my last subjects for my last semester (crosses fingers) in KDU. The general idea is that a group of 10-11 people get together, discuss a concept restaurant that is unique (not yet in Malaysia) and must prepare the decorations and a suitable menu for the Grand Opening night.

It is a one-night only dinner, held in the Windows of Damansara restaurant, 1st floor, KDU University College. Decor, music, service, attire, menu, food and entertainment must all concur with the Theme of the restaurant.

Well, the group leader for mine chose a 'Under Construction' theme...

And so, I cooked accordingly.

My bestie Eve came and she shot many delightful pictures that did more-than-deserved justice to the food and the event itself.

All following pictures are courtesy of Evelyn Tea. Thanks dearie!

This was the table set-up. Despite my hesitations, it looked beautiful.

Amuse Bouche:

A cold, savoury shooter made of red watermelon with Thai aromatics, reminiscent of Tomyam soup, crabmeat marinaded with coriander, lime juice, kaffir lime zest, julienned Thai basil leaves - deepfried.

The Appetizer (From Right to Left: I have a BIG sinking feeling, service placed it wrongly)

In the middle:

Bamboo Charcoal Noodles, chilled, marinaded with soy sauce, sesame oil and white sesame;

Mesclun salad with a basic vinaigrette;

Bottom: Carpaccio of Octopus (not PAUL!), braised in a mixture of Sake, Soy sauce, Rice vinegar and brown sugar, tossed with some orange zest and chilli flakes.

This here seems to be favourite of the table:

Soft japanese egg tofu coated in a minced chicken & roasted green pepper mixture, wrapped in julienned Phyllo pastry, deepfried and served with sweet Thai chilli sauce.

I had a ball of a time making the above, the Maguro tuna (one of the most expensive items on the menu) from a very helpful Sushi Chef Yap in Jaya Grocer, Empire Subang Gallery, who also kindly provided the Octopus.

This was basically a play on words which inspired the name for the appetizer "Building Blocks", which consisted of little 'blocks' of firstly raw maguro;

diced celery which was vacuum-packed in a green apple and white wine vinegar pickling liquid; Roma tomatoes which were pulsed with a little tomato puree, and then suspended in a muslin-lined conical strainer, yielding a clear tomato 'consomme', to which, agar-agar powder was added (coagulent) and then diced.

Prior to service, all items were tossed together with some lemon zest, salt and a little olive oil.

The soup, "Smoking Hot" was a play on the smoked duck, by which I couldn't find any halal smoked duck, and therefore introduced the smoke flavour, by smoking some wood chips and flavouring the consomme with them during the clarification. It's a little greasy, as I forgot to degrease further. :(

It's served with a chicken liver mousseline: Chicken liver, marinaded with 5 spice powder, lightly poached in a little sweated shallots & red wine liquid, pulsed with some cream, with some whipped cream folded in. We later wrapped it in wonton skins and deepfried it. Should have given more to the guests, feedback says it tastes like pork pate. :)

I had a beautiful, flavourful brown stock made of shank bones, which we reduced to 1/3, added in the Guinness, and covered the Frenched lamb racks, 200C, 35 minutes, with mirepoix and clarified butter. We then rested it for more than an hour in its juices, seared it a little before serving it with the cooking liquid, reduced to a thick, shiny Jus.

Baby carrots were kinda out of season at the moment, and so I only had 1 for each guest.

Served it together with some lentils and mixed beans stewed in the lamb stock, baby Roma tomato confit with a red wine vinegar glaze and Enoki mushroom tempura.

This was Barramundi, slashed, seasoned with salt & pepper and Cajun seasoning, flash-grilled on a smoking grill, then slowbaked in the oven. Served with beetroot, peppery arugula, feta cheese, red onion salad with an orange-cumin vinaigrette.

Couscous was cooked with butter, fish stock and then orange zest and dill were stirred in.

Last minute, I realised I had no sauce (AGAIN!)for the fish, and so came up with an adlib variation of Beurre Blanc, where I reduced orange juice, white wine vinegar and shallots, then monteed in cubes of cold butter.

Dessert wasn't as spectacular as I hoped, the portions were cut too big, and the marshmallow filling was a little flat, but it did taste good. A bit decadent, as the previous dishes were lighter and more inclined to being acidic.

The Rocky Road was deconstructed and reconstructed into a dark chocolate fudge pie, coffee biscuit base (bitterness to balance the sweet), Turkish delight and marshmallow layers. I then introduced the nuts by making a peanut nougatine, for crunch value, together with the milk chocolate bombe (frozen mousse), which had rum and white wine (sabayon). Later, we sprinkled Strawberry Pop Rocks on the chocolate mousse for the Fun factor, and a mixed berry compote, where I monteed butter into the red wine reduction for a more velvety, silky finish.

This was decorated with a sparkler on a potato cube, just to pretty things up a bit. (Originally was supposed to be stuck into a Dome-shaped bombe, but hygiene & practicality called for a different measure.)

It went well, Evelyn said the kitchen was so quiet (good thing!) and HerrGerhard did not say anything during service. Things were a little shaky in the beginning, as we all strived to gain the tempo and timing (like an orchestra), fine-tuning all our instruments, but it all ended peacefully. :)

So, that was my dinner. Many others before and after it, which had their highlights as well, but this is all for now.

*Phew*

Relief and happiness. :D

Lazy Day Friday

2010-11-20T00:46:00.001+08:00

Who else out there is thankful it's Friday? :)

Today, was a flurry of activities as I hurried to tie up loose ends here and there. Came back to 2 very hungry brown lumps, so I fed him bacon, scrambled egg & cheese in a baguette while I'll be making her some grilled lamb later on.. Hmmm...

Ooh, and made Cincau with Rose syrup...

Inspired by the lovely drink from K3K Benta Kaya, SS15, Subang Jaya.

Thumbs up for a colourful thirst-quencher!

Roast Chicken

2010-11-19T01:27:00.000+08:00

Lately, staff meals have been donations of chicken parts from all around the college. They either are carcasses that go into a graveyard of chicken bones (chicken stock) or if they are still meaty, they go into the hotbed of the oven.

My marination for meats is pretty simple:
1. Acid
2. Salt
3. Herbs/Spices
4. Oil

So it's simple, really, and people ask me, what I put in it. It's anything I can get my hands on in the kitchen, really.

So, first time around, it was red wine vinegar, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, Lea & Perrins and generous amounts of olive oil.

Next up, it was Chinese black vinegar, cajun seasoning, black pepper, basted with a little light soy sauce and the olive oil again.

180C. 35 minutes.

BOOM! Crispy skin that crackles like paper and juicy tender insides.

That's my nugget for today.