Hello..

Hi there, I just like to thank you for liking my page. I have been away for almost two years to pursue a formal culinary training to deepen my knowledge and understanding on asian and western cuisine and working in several F&B establishments in between.

Got myself the priceless learning experience working in a professional kitchen in some hotels and I’m still learning. But I’m back now 🙂 and I owe this site an update. Hence, I will gradually revamp my pages and links to provide better information, share recipes and update about myself. Stay tuned and thank you 🙂

And I owe some readers an apology for not replying your messages. I will get down to it soon. Sorry 😦

Sambal Kelapa ~ Fish with grated coconut

Fish with grated coconut is not a direct translation of Sambal Kelapa. Sambal in Malay is usually a spice based condiment and Kelapa means coconut. This dish is mainly made of fish flakes, grated coconut and chillies. Fish and coconuts were abundant in these regions which were dotted with fishing villages back then.

Sambal Kelapa gives a special flavor to your rice just like salt and spices do to your dish. It can be made wet or dry. If made wet, it will only last for about two days but when made dry it can last for almost a week in an air-tight container. The wet version of this dish simply means the grated coconut is usually steamed instead of toasted.

The following is a dry version of Sambal Kelapa. You can add more chillies if you like, I always do. Adjust the seasoning to your preference.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish, gutted, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 shallots, minced finely
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 cups or 200 grams of grated coconut, toasted or fried dry until brown
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly
• 1 fresh bird’s eye chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly (optional, only if you like it spicy)

Instructions:

1. Grill or bake the fish in the oven for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
2. Flake the flesh of the fish with a fork and set aside. Remove and discard all bones.
3. Using the mortar and pestle, pound the shallots and chillies together first, add the fish flesh last and pound. You can also use the food processor but use the pulse mode.
4. Add  pepper, salt and sugar and mix or pound until well combined.
5. Transfer the pounded ingredients to a mixing bowl and add the toasted grated coconut. Mix well until all combined.
6. You can store in an airtight container.

Simply sprinkle this condiment over your warm rice or porridge.

Talam Kacang Merah (Steamed Cake with Red Beans)

Talam Kacang Merah

Talam refers to a tray or in Malay, a dulang whereas Kacang Merah means Red Beans or in this case Red Mung Beans. So I guess the name refers to Red Mung Bean cake in a tray. But  you may say isn’t a cake a kueh in Malay? Honestly, though I am a Malay, I am just as confused between a kueh and a talam. As far as I know, a kueh in Malay typically refers to a snack or dessert. So my guess is, back then it was given this name due to the fact that this kueh is cooked in a metal tray or some may say a wide cake pan which was also used as a tray for serving. Well at least that’s my take on this issue.

I hope I didn’t confuse you with my explanation. Now, the word kueh is more well-known than a talam so you will be understood if using just the word kueh.

I have explained to you the characteristics of traditional Malay kuehs in my previous post and Talam Kacang Merah is no different. It is a steamed cake, made primarily  of rice flour, coconut milk and sugar. It has two layers, one of which contains red beans and is sweet and is usually the bottom layer. The top layer is usually unsweetened, in fact, has a tinge of saltiness, to balance the sweet bottom layer. This top layer is usually thinner than the bottom layer. As for the color, you can color both which ever way you want but rule of thumb is to color each layer differently.

Serimuka (Steamed Rice Cake with Coconut Custard)

Serimuka aka Putri Salat

This is a Malay traditional cake. It is one of the most common cakes you can find in Singapore. There are several common characteristics you will notice in most traditional Malay cakes. They are mostly steamed cakes and almost all makes use of coconut milk because coconuts are aplenty in this region and use rice flour instead of wheat flour because rice is easily and more commonly available in this region.

Traditionally, I was told, rice flour were home-made. The women would soak the rice overnight then drained and grounded to a paste the next day. It will then be wrapped tightly in a piece of cloth. A heavy object is then placed on top of it to exert pressure and squeeze out the water making it to become dry.

But we have come a long way since and now we can buy rice flour in packets from the supermarket. Thank God for that 🙂

Today I will be sharing the recipe for Serimuka or Putri Salat. It is an easy cake to make but there are no shortcuts. This cakes like most Malay cakes, have two layers. The rice layer at the bottom and the custard topping on top. Please see the recipe below.

Kari Ikan Merah (Red Snapper Coconut Curry)

Red Snapper Coconut Curry

The fish curry sold in most Indian stalls here in Singapore have thin gravy. It is not as thick as the meat curries. Come to think of it, this could be how it is cooked in South India because most Indian food in Singapore has a South Indian influence. I am not a fan of thin gravy curries thus I seldom buy fish curries sold at the food stalls.

I came across a picture of a fish curry with thick gravy and I was hooked. Moreover, it used my favorite fish, red snapper. I know a picture can be misleading but the recipe is by a Masterchef winner, Shelina Permalloo, a Mauritian at heart, born in the UK. So I gave it a shot since I need something to go with my Lemon & Raisin Rice I just made.

It turned out better than I expected, I made it so hot and spicy but the hubby loved it. He had a second helping of rice and the curry. You can reduce the spiciness by reducing the chillies or leave it out totally but why would you do that!

I have made some adjustments to the recipe due to the amount of fish I used. Please remember, the recipe is just a guideline. You have to keep tasting your food while cooking and adjust the seasoning to get the best taste and consistency. I cooked it a bit longer because I wanted to have a thicker gravy but you need not do so if you find it’s thick enough. Below is the recipe.

Nasi Lemon dan Kismis (Lemon and Raisin Rice)

The Red Snapper Curry with Lemon & Raisin Rice

This recipe is a hand-me-down recipe. The rice is fragrant and there is a slight sweetness due to the raisins. Eaten with curry and some fresh greens it is refreshing.

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Basmati rice, washed and drained
• 4 cups of water*

(*the proportion to cooking Basmati rice is 2 cups of water for 1 cup of Basmati rice). You can also see my previous post on cooking Basmati rice here.

• 40 grams of butter
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon of ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons of ground shallots
• 1 leaf of daun pandan or pandanus screwpine leaf, washed and knotted
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 clove of star anise
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 cube of Knorr’s chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Salt and Seasoning powder to taste

Ulam Pegaga

Ulam Pegaga

Daun Pegaga are known by many other names. Also known as Indonesian Pegagan, Indian Gotu Kola and its scientific name, Centella Asiatica, it is a herb I used to make Ulam or just eat with sambal belachan. It is normally eaten as a salad with a main dish and warm rice.

Daun Pegaga is known for its health benefits, eaten during confinement, it is said to help tighten and promote smooth skin. I have seen Centella Asiatica as one of the highlighted ingredients in many skincare products. However, the highly visible benefit is the fibre it provide which promotes bowel movement.

Besides just for its health benefit, it taste better than some vegetables eaten raw. You can grow this herb on your own but you won’t be able to yield much. I recalled my dad picking the herbs at his backyard whenever we visit him. When I first tasted it, I requested to bring the live plant home to re-pot and hope to grow it.

Kueh Lompang

Colorful Kueh Lompang

My daughter had an Eid celebration in her school. Days before the event she kept reminding me to bake something for her to bring to class. The refreshment for the event is supposed to be potluck. So I had to come up with something fast.

I decided to make Kueh Lompang because it is sweet and colorful and the children will love it. It is also a simple dessert to make. On the day of the event, I made the Kueh Lompang and she brought it to school. It was a hit. The kids loved it and there were no leftovers.

Kueh Lompang is a traditional Malay cake. It is usually the size of a small cup with a little dent or a small well  in the middle. It is a sweet cake topped with steamed grated coconut that had been seasoned with little salt. This is to balance the sweetness of the cake and give it a creamy taste. It is a colorful cake.

The cooking method is by steaming the batter in little cups until cooked or firm. To store any leftovers, the cakes should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. You need to microwave it if you intend to eat it after it has been chilled. Store the grated coconut separately from the cakes.

It is great for children’s parties and you can add flavor to the batter.

Mi Rebus

Mi Rebus

The thick gravy and yellow egg noodles will fill you up. The portion served at hawker centers are usually too much for my small appetite. Mi Rebus is very popular among many, how else could the dish survived till today and offered by many food stalls in Singapore? It is usually available as breakfast. But it can also be eaten at lunch or dinner.

Literally, Mi Rebus means blanched or boiled noodles. The yellow egg noodles are blanched in hot water before pouring the thick gravy over it and garnished with blanched bean sprouts, fried pieces of firm tofu or beancurd, sliced green chillies, sliced spring onion, halved calamansi lime, fried shallots, halved boiled egg (eggshell removed of course) and sometimes a dash of dark soy sauce or pieces of beef. The thick gravy is sweet and spicy. It is a meat, fermented soybean, mashed sweet potato and grounded peanut combination.

Mi Rebus is said to have originated from Indonesian but there are little similarities to have been so. Probably over time, the dish has evolved to suit the local tastebuds and become what it is today. Please see my recipe below.

Easy Chicken Curry

I have not been updating my blog for a week now. I’ve been busy with Hari Raya celebrations, followed by my younger sister’s engagement ceremony. We hold the ceremony in my home thus we have a lot to prepare before the actual day. The two parties requested for a small affair. It was a simple Hantar Tanda ceremony or Pertunangan.

In a traditional setting, the groom sends his representatives to the bride’s home to negotiate and discuss with the bride’s father until they come to an agreement between the two parties. His representatives are normally elderly relatives. The spokesperson of the representatives is usually a respected elderly male relative. However, in our ceremony, the groom also turned up with the representative he sent! Hmmm…

The bride’s family is the host receiving the groom’s representatives as guests, and are usually the bride’s parents, senior family members and relatives.

Parties from the bride and groom discussing the details.

In the ceremony, a ring is presented to the bride to seal the engagement between the bride and the groom. She is now spoken for. During the ceremony the two parties also discussed the dowry, financial commitment for the wedding and approximate date to hold the wedding and state the conditions if a marriage do not materialize after the engagement. There are other matters that may be discussed such as the wedding venue or whether to hold the wedding together as one event, which is quite common nowadays.