Tuesday 6 August 2013

Vegan Cherry Ripe Balls

I like simple recipes. This has only 4 ingredients. And it is also vegan. Veggieful.com  has this recipe...

http://www.veggieful.com/2013/07/vegan-cherry-ripe-balls-recipe.html

Sunday 7 July 2013

Juicing for Digestion

DIGESTION HELP
Digestion Tea can be a big help in battling digestive problems. http://www.emasherbs.com/REMEDIES/digestion.htm

Here is also a great well to settle your tummy.

Papaya is a rich source of valuable proteolytic enzymes, such as papain, chymopapain, caricain and glycyl endopeptidase, that can greatly aid in digestion.

Kale is a superstar in the arena of carotenoids and flavonoids, two powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. The key flavonoids kaempferol and quercitin (not to dismiss the 45 other distinctive flavonoids in kale) have also been shown to specifically fight against the formation of cancerous cells. With the addition of high doses of well-known antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese, kale is certainly a smart choice in the battle against cellular oxidation.

Cabbage is rich in dietary fiber, supporting optimal performance of the digestive system. Fiber acts as an excellent detoxifier. It thoroughly cleanses the stomach and intestines. It has a mild laxative effect which helps to stimulate bowel movement and helps to prevent constipation.

Ginger contains two constituents – gingerol and shogaol – which are thought to help stimulate your body’s flow of digestive juices such as saliva, gastric secretions and bile tone around the intestines and aid the stomach in moving food down the digestive tract.

Lemon contains citric acid that causes a production of digestive enzymes, such as pepsin, that continue breaking down the food. Lemons contain about 7 to 8 percent citric acid, which can help lead to a "problem-free" digestion as it helps your stomach's own digestive liquids.

Peppermint can relieve nausea and discomfort. Menthol and methyl salicylate are the main active ingredients of peppermint. Internally, they have anti-spasmodic actions, with calming effects on the muscles of the stomach, intestinal tract, and uterus.

Sunday 24 March 2013

Tasty juicing recipes

Talk about juicing and u get images of green, goooey tasting drinks only the Incredible Hulk would think of drinking. But these recipes from Torrie Pattillo promises not to be. It is meant for the juicing beginner, to slowly ease in the juicing habit. I have yet to try it out but I'm blogging this to not lose the recipe.


Note: Try to use organic produce when possible. If not possible, simply clean produce well. Remove rind, core and peel. Juice produce, pour over ice and enjoy.

1. Happy Green Juice
  • 1 cucumber 
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 pears 
  • 1/3 cantaloupe 
  • 6-8 kale leaves
  • 1/2 lemon 
  • 1 inch of ginger 
2. Drink Your Produce Green Juice
  • 4 carrots 
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1-2 cups of spinach
  • 1 lemon 
  • 1 gala or pink lady apple
  • 1 pear 
3. Green Lemonade
  • 3 cups of spinach
  • 1 lemon 
  • 1 cucumber 
  • 1 pear 
  • 1 gala apple 
Once you get acclimated to the taste, I highly encourage an 80/20 ratio for green juice (80% vegetables, 20% fruit). 

Tip: Never juice bananas or avocado, and follow your juicer's manual, especially as it pertains to leafy greens.


Tuesday 1 January 2013

Party food - easy, healthy, tasty!

Alternative party food!
 Last nite's NY Eve 2012 Party MENU @Kafe Muzium (National Textile Museum, KL)
  • SALAD
    • 3 types of salad leaves from Jusco 1U - crispy lettuce, butterhead, frill iceberg (RM2.99 per bunch, can last for a week if u wash, drain & keep in tight container)
    • red cabbage (shredred/sliced), raisins, can of drained pineapple, blanched broccoli
    • 1 pkt Japanese dressing, first round, then 1 pkt  Balsamic dressing & last round - EVOO & a squeeze of orange : we just keep re-filling it but changed the dressing each time.. It blended well.. all oil based, not creamy. Even had some the next morning for breakfast. Keeps well.
  • FRUIT SALAD (Latifah's recipe) - mango, honey melon, grapes in yoghurt
  • BREAD - French village (RM3.90) / Alpine grain (RM3.80) from La Boheme, Jusco 1U - preferably lightly toasted with 3 toppings (can top with salad too):  
    • Garlic butter - finely chopped garlic, chillie flakes, AgroMas Mushroom powder, real butter
    • Dried prawn sambal (mom's recipe) - onion, garlic, chilli paste, dried prawns, asam jawa
    • Seafood mayo (Ayam brand) ... went on the wild side & used a few processed items to speed things up ;)
  • ROASTED CHICKEN in lemon - from the cafe's chef
  • CHILLI CON CARNE - minced beef with red broad beans (from the cafe)
  • TUNA SPINACH BAKE (from my recipe collection)
  • CAKE - Carrot cake with cream cheese topping, Oats & Prune layer cake (8 eggs!)
  • LIGHT FRUIT PUNCH
  • FRUITS - langsat, pulasan, mangosteen
  • GREEN TEA
For way too long, Malaysians have this standard menu of too oily fried meehoon  & too rich chicken curry for parties. Sorry, but Oh so boring!  (not to mention - Unhealthy). And a separate menu for kids - fried chicken & nuggets, french fries and sausages - food i won't even feed my dog!  No wonder so many obese kids amongst obese parents :(

Here's my tried & tested suggestions (i wont say 'recipe' because its a no brainer, just throw it together) for any party.

It's simple, just understand the concept behind it & remember :
  • ACTUAL food (organic is optional), ie. food from nature's plants NOT the man's processing plants
  • APPEALING to the eyes - it is said, we eat from our eyes, long before we put it into our mouth. Colours (natural sources). I once saw a rainbow layer cake that is soo intense with artificial colouring, layer by layer of red syrup colour, deep blue, bright green...Another version was subtler (tinge of colour only- very pastel) yet it was classier & more appetising to me. Salads must have a combination of colours ,besides the green leaves - add cherrie tomatoes, dark / red grapes, yellow capsicum, cubed canned pineapple, blanched brocoli & nuts for texture, purple shredded cabbage.
  • EASY to prepare, just cut & keep in tight containers. Guests can DIY and entertain themselves and share food stories.
  • VEGGIES. Of course there r those those die-hard 'i dont eat veggie' types but it's just becos their childhood experience with veg was negative. Entice them with attractive dishes, and when he sees others enjoying, he will try. I myself is a non-veggie eater. Why? Dad is a meat man & i hate those old-style taugeh with long roots that tickle my throat. So i actually spend time pulling out taugeh strands from my cha koay teaw! (Now, thank god for short, rootless Ipoh taugeh, i started eating it again, even love it in certain dishes - its ALL about presentation, marketing). At a fashion show, i add somw japanese cucumber & carrot sticks to the menu, and hey..it all disappeared..even the fried popiah was still left over.. Sign of changing attitudes to food which we must continue to ENCOURAGE!
  • RAW, BLANCHED, STEAMED - Raw salad leaves should be as dry as possible , after washing. How? Shake out as much excess water. place in a container and add lid loosely, leaving a small gap. Then overturn & start shaking. You's be surprise how much water is still there. Them close lid tightly & put in the fridge to refresh & stay fresh. Blanching - timing is important & amt of water. Add a little salt to the water to raise the boiling point. Too much water drains away the nutrients. Water should be boiling before u throw in the veg. Once it turn colour, switch off fire & drain. Add a little cold water to stop cooking, if necessary. Slice thinner if u want a quick steam. All must be of equal thickness.
  • CARBOHYDRATES, STARCHES, OILS - in moderation is fine. Be creative, innovative! Boiled potatoes  mixed with yoghurt instead of cream. Serve sweet potatoes instead of ordinary potatoes. Sweet potatoes r sweeter & have lower GI, so will feel fuller for longer, as compared to potatoes. The different colours - purple, orange, light yellow would add appeal. Steam, instead of boil in their skin to retain more of their goodness. Pasta should be served with a touch of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and chlli flakes (chillie padi) & garlic for that more Malaysian flavour, also known as 'olio' in Italian . No creamy alfredo or boring bolognaise. I sometimes add some light soy sauce (see yau) and black pepper & EVOO, and a little lime / orange juice freshly squeezed!
  • FUN should be the order of the day in parties! Less hassle, more time for hosting..

Recipe (adapted from The Malaysian Weekly Oct 2000 issue)
TUNA SPINACH BAKE

1/2 cm slice of a block of real butter, not margarine that are processed & mostly made of hydrogenated oil, a no no!
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
300 gm (2 bunches) baby spinach leaves - pluck leaves & break stems into half length (of course remove roots!)
425 gm (1 can)  flaked tuna in brine ..oops I used only 1 can that's 185g . OK, wah.. Just less fishy! Remember to press out the juice or else it will be too soggy

180ml evaporated milk  -  but i used HL Low fat milk 200ml small carton.. too much? so i added 1 more egg
3 eggs + 1 egg (too offset too much milk),  lightly beaten
90 g grated cheddar cheese   - i used sliced black pepper Bega cheese... not so good an idea as u will see afterwards..
30 gm dry breadcrumbs
Sprinkle of pepper to taste. No need salt due to brine in tuna flakes. Flakes r cheaper but chunks (more expensive sometimes) can do also, just mash them up

  1. On very slower heat, heat butter in a pan (preferably with heat bottom to control heat or else butter will burn) and lightly fry onions & garlic. Or u could add butter, onion & garlic, then turn on the heat slowly to fry. Then add spinach. Looks alot but when it wilts and cooks, it'll be a fraction of the amount.Cook about a min, stirring to ensure all r cooked.
  2. Scoop out into two small pie pans or but all in a large pie dish (glass would be nice for presentation to encourage people to try.
  3. Sprinkle the drained tuna. I mistakenly added just a little tuna (1 can separated into 2 pans). I mixed the milk into the beaten eggs, stir & pouring into the two pans. 
  4. Because i'm baking on at a time, i added the cheese slices (tore and spread it on top) 3 slices per pan. Then sprinkle the breadcrumbs 15gm or more. 
  5. Then bake in a hot oven 180 degrees middle tray (small oven). If bigger oven put on the top tray. The idea was not only to cook the mixture but salso to brown the top crust. Keep checking. I tried different levels in the oven. Dangerous to keep tranferring the disk - hot cheese burns!
  6. Made another mistake! Breadcrumbs didnt brown, instead burned slightly. So what went wrong?  Aiyah.. too smart. Should not have used sliced cheese.  Was supposed to mix the grated cheese with dry breadcrumbs and then sprinkle over the mixture. When it is hot, the oil in the cheese will 'fry' the breadcrumbs, so get a golden brown crust.  So, damage control? Half way through the cooking, i chopped the sliced cheese as best i can & open the oven door to sprinkle on the top!
  7. Bake for 40 mins or until it browns slightly. Remove to cool
  8. For 2nd pan, tried chopping the extra cheese & mix with dry breadcrumbs and again sprinkle on the 2nd dish. Put in the oven & turn the dial for another 40min a& crossed my fingers.
As i was late for my dinner party, i took a quick shower while the 2nd dish was baking. Came out just in time to stop the oven before it burned the crust.

Lessons learned :
  • Dont adapt recipe too much
  • Read the weight measurement closely
  • When baking add preparation time, mixing time & baking time to determine delivery time. And if u need to bake twice, add another baking time.all this  + travel time and traffic jams OR ELSE if u will be fashionable late like me & MAKE EVERYONE WORRIED esp. when your phone doesnt work properly (my fault again).. Murphy's Law!
But i was glad, everyone enjoyed the food judging by the food all disappearing! But luckily enough till countdown!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013, EVERYONE!!! 
MAKE IT AWESOME :)

Saturday 1 December 2012

Fridge leftover Shepherd's Pie

Have u looked INTO YOUR FRIDGE lately?  Look way behind all those cartons and into the vegetable bin too.

Well, it all started after i cleaned my oven. Hmmm.. long time no bake.  Then i opened the fridge and saw three whole large, already skinned & steamed potatoes in a container in the fridge. Gotta to do something with this or else it will be in the trash by weekend.

My recipe stash
Looking at the ingredients available in my fridge, I decided on Shepherd's Pie. But i couldnt find the recipe and so i had to rely on

1. Fuzzy memory - i think the crust is potatoes + butter, filling is tomato paste + assortment of veg & mince meat
2. Gut feeling - i only have 3 potatoes. How big an area can it cover? So i mash my potatoes to get an idea how much filling & how many pans can it make
3. Logic - Filling ingredients should be cubed so there's more bite as i will not be using much meat. That which takes longer to cook should be cut in smaller cubes(eg. fresh carrots). When cooking the filling saute the harder to cook pieces first. Add meat before the veg as u want to seal in the juice of the meat.  Large button mushroom from can somehow tastes better cubed & not sliced.
4. Wisdom culled from my mom ( a dash of salt makes all the different to bring out the flavour of other ingredients & more onions - dish will be sweeter) & celebrity chef - Chef Wan (when u use tomato paste or fresh tomatoes, must balance the tanginess with a little sugar)
5. Visual cues - When cooking the filling, pay attention to the base. If it starts drying up, add a  little boiled water. After adding tomato paste, mix it and switch off once it has a little gravy and look sticky, not watery. If watery still, add a dash of flour or cook a little longer on high heat to evaporate the extra liquid. Try not to over cook as it will again be baked in the oven.
6. Sense of smell - How long to bake? U should stop once the aroma is strong or begins to emerge.



Here's how it went -

I vaguely recalled making shepherd's pie some years ago.  This is today's ingredient list, measurement & cooking steps :

For Crust

  1. Took 3 boiled & pealed potatoes and cut it coarsely in a shallow plate
  2. From a stick of butter, i cut out a 1/2 inch slice and place on a metal saucer over my electric stove. Set to the lowest heat setting and kept an eye on it. Once it started to melt, i switched off the power. Do not wait for all butter to melt or else it will burn!
  3. Poured this onto the potatoes and use two forks to mash it with the butter. Butter makes it easier and smoother. Then i sprinkled some fine salt and ground some black pepper into it. Depending on the type of potato used, this may be a simple job or it may take some brawn and u still have lumps. It's ok. Leave it covered on the table so the flavours can gell. Idea : if u have some fresh herbs like dill, chop finely and mix in.

For Filling

  1. Decided not to cube the eggplant, so i sliced it thinly and poured some olive oil & a dash of salt & black pepper to let it work the flavours. Tip : partially skin the eggplant in stripes so that there will not be too much tough skin. 
  2. Coarsely sliced the large onions into half rings. Cubed the big button mushrooms (used one whole tin), Took out the frozen mixed veg of carrots, corn and green peas. Sliced a few sausages into thin discs.
  3. Heated a little olive oil in a frying pan and put in the onions, sausages, mixed veg and mushrooms. Stir fried it for a few minutes. Sprinkled about 1-2 tablespoons of plain flour (or self-raising flour, which ever is at hand). had to keep stirring or else the flour will brown too quickly. Dont make a mistake of pouring too much flour. It gives a too gooey, flat taste. Flour is used to make the brown sauce. I'd rather not use corn flour as thickener. Flour is better to give a slight gravy, semi-dry. .
  4. Lastly, add 2-3 teaspoons of tomato paste (I always keep a small can of Du Chef Tomato Paste), a little sugar and salt.
For extra ummph, add a dash of chillie flakes (keep those from Dominos pizza - very handy to spice up a dish)
To assemble


  1. I used mom's regtangular pyrex dish so that i can see the layers, yet it is safe as the heat will go up to 200 degrees for almost half hour. Check pls, not all glassware can. Even if it is thick. Alternatively use a metal dish or ceramic dish.
  2. Poured the  filling into the dish to almost full. And added a layer of eggplant and toped with a slice of Bega's Black Pepper cheese (that was in the fridge for sometime). 
  3. Next, spread out a layer of mashed potatoes and its ready to bake!
Baking
I always forget to pre-heat the oven. So i switched on the oven and put dial to 175 degrees. I put in the dish and started first round of  25 mins. (actually wanted to do 20 mins but added 5 mins to get oven heated up - but don't do this way for cakes - they r more sensitive).  I keep a watch out & monitor the smell from the oven :)



After 25 mins, potatoes still looked bland, so i turned the heat up to 200 degrees and put another 20 mins. That started things kicking!  10 mins later u can smell the wonderful aroma of butter and baked potatoes. i checked visually from the oven door. Wanted the potatoes to be brownish and crisp! 10 mins later --- PERFECTION ! (if i do say so myself.. hehehe)
Just out of the oven!

Btw, there was enough for another smaller dish. So made another!





Sunday 25 November 2012

Must try this out - Rose Apple tart

Saw this in http://tikkido.com/node/750

Here are the photos to tempt u to visit their site for the recipe, or until i get to try it out & post my own version of this tart.







What do u think? Yummy & good presentation!





Peking Duck in Macau

I've always heard of Peking duck as a roast duck dish but never paid attention to it until it was the opening dish to our dinner hosted by exhibition organisers at Riviera Hotel, Macau.

A) Succulent duck appears

B) He slices the crispy skin



C) We eat it with this
 
One slice of duck skin, some sweet sauce, some chilli sauce and a curl of spring onion rolled in a mini tortilla-like wrap. Ho Chiak!  (translate - so good to eat)

What about the rest of the duck, we asked?

It came back in the middle of our 13-course meal as this
Diced and stir fried with some other ingredients and eaten with raw lettuce as a wrap. Only problem, the lettuce is so crispy, its hard to wrap and eat as the filling will drop out... Or maybe, i'm just a messy eater!



Friday 10 August 2012

Just got to show this very creative portrait of rené redzepi created from food by golpeavisa for the magazine 'clase premier

Friday 24 February 2012

Healthy dessert..is there such a thing?

Yes, according to this blogger and she's got photos, recipes & calorie counts to proof it!

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/about-2/

Here's a sample of her recipes :

Chocolate Fudge Pie

■1 package silken or firm tofu (such as 12.3 oz Mori-Nu or Mori-Nu lite)
■1 tsp cocoa powder
■1 tsp pure vanilla extract
■2 T nondairy milk
■scant 1/8 tsp salt
■8 to 10 oz chocolate chips (a little over 1 and 1/3c or more)
■2-3 T agave or other sweetener (When I make this just for me, I omit)
■optional: extracts, flavorings, or liqueurs

Melt the chocolate (either on the stove or in the microwave), then throw everything into a food processor and blend until super-smooth. Pour into a pie crust if desired. (I hate pie crust and therefore usually keep it crustless.) Fridge until chilled. This gets firmer and firmer, the longer it sits. (It’s firmer if you use firm tofu and more like mousse pie if you use silken.)

Chocolatecoveredkatie says:
I promise you, everyone will rave about it, and no one will believe it has tofu!!
You truly can make this in just 5 minutes!
Nutritional Info:
■143 calories
■6 grams fat
■2.5 grams protein
■0mg cholesterol

These stats were calculated using 8 slices. Some of my testers say it’s so rich that it should be ten slices… and I say it’s so good that it should be six . (Add about 7 calories per slice for each T of agave used.)

Monday 7 November 2011

Vegetarian Recipes to try out

Every year, around this time.. i am sad that animals are not only bred in close, torturous confines only to be cut up for food but animals r still used for religious sacrifice.

As a former vegan, vegetarian and pescaterian, i am torn between my current meat-craving lifestyle and the need to abstain from meat, in personal protest against animal cruelty.  Hopefully, i can one day soon find the strength to carry on what i started (but side tracked) many years ago. Old habits die hard.  I was a total meat eater & meat lover until age 21 when i began to eat and appreciate veggies.

One reason i failed to stay on my vegetarian track was the diffculty in getting healthy (not oily and free from mock meat) food from the shops. Now with my new place and better equipped kitchen, i am looking forward to slowly converting back to the veggie lifestyle, or at least pescaterian (no land animals but will eat seafood ) for inner peace and in homage of animals slaughtered everyday in painful ways.

These r some yummy veggie dishes that i hope to cook & enjoy. Many thanks to the blog owner & writer where these recipes are found.
image
This is a popular north Indian dish. Potatoes and peas with spicy gravy makes a great main dish.
Recipe will serve 3 to 4.
Ingredients
  • 3 medium boiled potatoes
  • 3/4 cup frozen green peas
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 minced green chili
  • 2 tablespoons coriander (dhania)
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (dagi mirch)
  • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon mango powder amchoor
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 medium tomatoes sliced
  • About 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
See video for how to cook this dish.
http://www.veglov.com/2011/05/aloo-mattar-potatoes-and-green-peas.html

Another great Italian dish

Spicy Tomato Soup with Wilted Greens


image
http://www.veglov.com/2011/05/spicy-tomato-soup-with-wilted-greens.html

Saturday 23 July 2011

EATING

EATING is not only for sustenance. In our 'affluent' modern society, many of us need not worry much about satisfying our physical hunger. I say 'affluent' because there is so much food around. No need to hunt for our food. Even the lesser income, can easily get cheap food (although not nutritious) like instant noodles, plain nasi lemak, roti canai, etc. ironically, these are the same food the higher income people also look forward to eating!!

We eat for other reasons:
  • emotional link to the past, nostalgia.. That is why all the modern day kopitiams (coffeeshops) sprouting up have decor that reminds us of pre-Merdeka (50's) days.
  • emotional need for comfort.. After a long, hard day at work, doesn't that calorie-laden teh tarik or mocha latte taste extremely satisfying? What about going home to enjoy mom's rendang and other home-cooked dishes. You binge on that sumptious Macadamian cheesecake from Delicious :)
  • emotional need for compensation.. We pamper ourselves in many ways because we feel (as the L'oreal ad says) - You're worth it! We grow up feeling that in return for working hard, we should get some monetary & material reward. So, although we crave for the simple makcik's nasi lemak by the roadside, we order nasi lemak at up-market restaurants, for many, many times the price, but we feel it's worth it - because it comes with the ambience, service and feeling of achieving/arriving.
  • emotional need for acceptance.. To many, eating in a group is more enjoyable. So one Sunday morning, you drive your car with your family in a convoy to the 'best' bah kut teh shop in Klang, or seafood in Kuala Selangor. There is camaderie and stories to tell of that adventure! You belong, you have friends, you feel secure, it satisfy our human need for bonding, for being in a society! More so, if you're the one who knows the best places to eat....the' leader'
Some eat to heal (physical and emotional wound) ....

Some eat to forget (drowning your sorrows, yet it creates a vicious cycle when the body naturally reacts to over-eating & creates further depression)...

Some are addicted to the stimulants within (caffeine, drug, additives) ...

Some eat out of habit. Put food infront of them, eventhough we arecurrently discussing the dangereous of over-eating, pop goes the food down the shute. Same goes when watching TV/movies at the cinema..

The result.. VERY UNHEALTHY EATING PATTERNS which unfortunately tends to replicate to your next generation, your children..

EAING HABITS start from very young - whether good or bad, children can 'see' with eyes more intuitive than the average adults. They absorb our habits, our tradition, our way of coping with unplesant situations. That child who sits there quitely (u think he is being passive) is absorbing & processing & developing future coping mechanisms to handle their future life. Even an active child learns - table manners, eating habits.

Eating also creates an environment for psychological warfare! Refusing to eat, throwing tantrums r ways they test their 'power' over the adults.. unchecked, it continues to adolescents, the most tumulous time for a person, where we r beginning to mould/find our identity. Time of confusion. And bombarded with the persuasive media, we get sucked into superficial 'happiness' solutions. Think KFC & McD advertisements promoting happy families, BF/GF relationships, grandparent-parent-child bonding...

Parents HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL of what goes into their kids!

Note : 
Notice that EATING TO STAY HEALTHY is not even in the list (my list) of why people eat.. Actually, it's there.. #20 on the list (* sarcasm attempt *)

Saturday 14 May 2011

Wow, it's been almost 2 years since my last post... OMG..I have been that busy! So what brings me back to this site. It used to be my fave blog when I was not swarmed with my other duties.

Well, i was toying with the idea of making a cake for a friend's birthday.  Since the last post, there's been many challenges & changes to my life. I have stopped baking (temporarily) because I now live with 2 large dogs in the house. One sheds fur very frequently and i am paranoid that it will end up in my cake batter and icing.

MANGO/GLUTINOUS RICE birthday cake
On the topic of birthday cakes - i am remembering all the strange cakes I've make and had in the last two years. First was of course the Mango & glutinous rice pseudo-cake (sitebar on the right).

AGAR-AGAR birthday cake
Another was made by my friend when I was in the 'vegan' stage of my life. How to make a cake with no eggs, no dairy products. So, i hinted making another pseudo-cake. This time using what we call "agar-agar', something similar to jelly but firmer and with more bite.

PRINCE WILLIAM'S groom cake vs BATIK cake
http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2011/04/prince-williams-grooms-cake.html
Now back to the present -  I accidentally googled and found  Prince William's Groom cake, which is again a non-bake, chocolate & McVites biscuit concoction.  It seems that its on of the Queen's favourite tea cakes.

Strange... it looks just like what we here in Malaysia (Sarawak, specifically) call "Batik cake" because the slice looks a piece of traditional batik cloth, where the cloth is immersed in a thin layer of wax, dried and crushed to give that crackled look. Then dyed with dark brown dye that seeps through the cracks. Remove the dye and you have plain white fabric with brown crackled lines.

http://cornercafe.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/kek-batik/
With sincere apologies to both site owners, I've lifted off one photo from each site to illustrate the similarity. Both use biscuits. Malaysians like the Marie biscuit, the Brits, McVities :

Monday 2 November 2009

Delicious Vegetarian at Chayo Cafe & Yoga Studio

Can't wait to try this cafe opened by 2 yoga practitioners, an American guru & her Singaporean hubby!

If you, like me, are craving for tasty vegetarian snacks, food and herbal teas, head on over to Chayo in Kelana Mall (opp. Giant Hypermarket, Kelana Jaya)

Indulge in Western, Indian and Local delights in a relaxed cafe atmosphere.

Clockwise from top left: Throat Comfort Yogi Tea; Marble Cake; Tofu Scramble with Toast; Bombay Toast

Opens daily from 9am -9pm.

50-2 Kelana Mall
Jalan SS6/14 Kelana Jaya
47301 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-78062035

Got this tip from Hui Hsien from
http://www.klyoga.com/2009/11/02/chayo-cafe-studio/

http://www.klyoga.com/2009/11/02/delicious-vegetarian-at-chayo/

Thursday 15 October 2009

Clay cooking pots & its variations - TAGINE

TAGINE - Moroccan

This is not commonly found in Malaysia as Moroccan food is not widely available. Recently a Moroccan restaurant named The Medina was reviewed in the local paper & my friend, a lover of Moroccan food as he lived there before, was excited to try it out & give his reviews. He ordered lamb with honey & peeled whole almonds tagine. The meat was soft & easily fell off the bone, but the almonds were still hard. The vegetable coucous was delicious. We topped it of with the 'must have' Moroccan tea, served in a small silver teapot & two pint sized glass cups. Aromatic & slightly sweet.

A potter friend has made these utilitarian vessels - TAGINE, used to slow-cook meat or vegetables. It takes approximately 1/2 hour to cook chicken & 1-2 hours for other meats. 



What is tagine & what can it be used to cook? http://www.tagines.com/whats_cooking2.cfm



A new tagine should be cured & seasoned before use. This will strengthen the tagine and insure addition of a distinct flavor to the dish :
  • The new tagine needs to be first submerged in water for at least 1 hour.
  • Rub the inside of the base and lid with olive oil.
  • Put into a cold oven and set temperature at 350 F and leave for 1.5 to 2 hours.
For more on the care of tagine & FAQ http://www.tagines.com/tagine_care.cfm

Saturday 30 May 2009

Red Durian

Last year, I wrote about red bananas & red oranges. Now I found out from a fellow blogger that there are red durians...

Sunday 17 May 2009

Vegetarian Fast Food Centre - affordable & near KLCC !


"Please do not drop any grains of rice, while filling up your plate"
"Take only your portion. Do not waste food. Treasure your blessings!"


"Save the environment, cherish your resources - bring your own lunch box for take-away"

The food :
... there's the usual oily Chinese Vegetarian 'chap-fan' (mixed rice) with fake deep fried goose, fake barbeque pork, etc

... various noodle dishes (soup & kon-loh)

... fresh passion fruit drinks, cut fruits, leng-cha

... vegetarian dumplings (pau)

and best of all,

... healthy salads & noodles (raw veg. & less oil)

<--Eat -in (free soup & plain water) Shredded raw red cabbage, green sprouts, yellow pumpkin , white cabbage, beetroot, carrot, seaweed & sesame seeds on top of blanched noodles (carrot noodles, wholemeal, etc). With tomato bolognaise or Chinese mushroom sauce. All this, for RM 3.80 !!

<--Takeaway with own lunch box

"Vegetarian Fast Food Centre is promoting kindness and compassion towards beings by not only refraining from killing and also protecting all beings. ... we shall provide free breakfast.... "






And where can you find this place?


Get down at Ampang Park LRT & walk pass Nikko Hotel, pass the MCA building towards Celcom/The Zon. Enter the cafeteria through the side entrance of the temple.
Or get down at KLCC LRT & walk up Jln Ampang, pass Pelita Nasi Kandar, Chef Choi's going towards the newly renovated Chinese Temple (opposite Corus Hotel)
Open to anyone..

The vegetarian's viewpoint ...