Roti Jala

My dear husband experienced roti jala for the first time in Malaysia at the home of a longtime friend in January of 2010.  He's been singing the praises of roti jala since then and they've been falling on deaf ears here. When we were there this past December,  he once again came upon the elusive roti jala at a hotel breakfast buffet in Penang where he also got to see how it is made - with something called a roti jala funnel.  He instantly recognized it as something that we have in our kitchen - "Wait... don't we have one of those at home?"  Uh-oh - nowhere to run,  nowhere to hide! The matter was settled as amicably as possible, with me trying to distract him with the buffet's magnificent display of dragon fruit and promising to provide roti jala on a regular basis once we got back to Brooklyn. So,  two nights ago,  we had our first roti jala adventure - made with freshly-squeezed coconut milk,  which is a whole other blog post. Let me just tell you that while it is normal to use only fresh coconut milk back home in Malaysia,  here in Brooklyn it's completely unheard of and we went to great lengths to make some. 
Roti jala is a quintessentially Malaysian dish - a combination of Malay and Indian influences,  it is a wonderful example of the fusion of cultures that is uniquely Malaysian. The batter is poured into a hot pan with the aforementioned funnel, resulting in a lacy,  crepe-like, melt-in-your-mouth bread that is prefect for soaking up a spicy curry gravy. As I write this,  I'm wishing we had leftovers. Perhaps we'll have to make it again this weekend?


Roti Jala (serves 5)
3 cups all-purpose flour  - sifted
3 eggs
3 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Coconut oil - to grease the pan
In a large bowl, beat the 3 eggs.   Add the coconut milk,  water, salt and turmeric powder and whisk well. Slowly add the flour and stir to incorporate the wet and dry ingredients, until the batter comes to a smooth consistency. Strain the batter through a fine sieve to remove any lumps - this step ensures that the batter will pass through the funnel's multiple tiny outlets instead of clogging them up.
Heat up a flat griddle pan or large nonstick frying pan and then turn the heat to medium. Grease the pan lightly - I use coconut oil whenever possible,  but your choice of vegetable oil will do just as well.




Fill the roti jala funnel about halfway and let the batter drip onto the heated pan.  Beginning on the outer edge of the pan,  move the funnel in circles to create a lacy circular pattern.  My first couple of attempts at this were kinda miserable - the strands were thick and did not resemble the delicate roti jala we enjoyed back home.  It's all in the technique - with a little bit of practice, I managed to re-create these to perfection.  The trick is to keep that funnel moving quick - the slower you move,  the thicker the strands are.




Here's a picture of the funnel - see the five pointy things on the bottom?  If you can't get your hands on one,  but are determined to try this recipe,  have someone who is handy with a hammer and a nail punch 5 small holes in the bottom of an empty can.  Make sure to hammer down any sharp edges and be careful.
And finally,  here's a pic of the roti jala served with my mum's incredible chicken curry - recipe to follow shortly.  I hope you'll make this and share it with your friends and family - it's really super easy and you'll look like a genius in the kitchen.

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

Serves : 8 

• 4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
• 4 small potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 large onions,peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1,5cm cinnamon stick
• 1, kg boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks

• For the Rice
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) ghee or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1 pinch powdered saffron
• 5 pods cardamom
• 3 whole cloves
• 1, 2.5cm cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 500g basmati rice
• 4 cups (1L) chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

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Directions

Prep:30min  ›  Cook:1hr35min  ›  Ready in:2hr5min 

1. In a large frying pan, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee) fry potatoes until brown Drain and reserve the potatoes.
2. Add remaining oil to the pan and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
3. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.
4. When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.
5. Wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes.
6. In a large deep frying pan or saucepan, heat vegetable oil (or ghee) and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.
7. In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil.
8. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.

Kuih Seri Kaya

** Kuih Seri Kaya is a very popular steamed kuih. It has no added fat beside what’s in the coconut milk. The bottom layer is made of glutinous rice and the top green layer is a rich coconut egg jam.



Ingredients:
Bottom Layer
3 cups of glutinous rice, washed and soaked overnight with 1/4 tsp of salt added
1 cup of coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1 pandan (screwpine) leaf, tied in a knot
Top Layer
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 pandan (screwpine) leaves, cut into squares and pounded in a mortar and pestle with a teaspoon of water, then squeezed for the green essence of pandan
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups coconut milk
Green food coloring (optional)
1/4 tsp vanilla
Drain the soaked glutinous rice. In a wok with a steaming tray (or a large pot with steamer insert), boil water for steaming the rice. Place an 8″ or 10″ round cake pan in the steamer and let it heat up.  Once hot, add the rice, coconut milk, pinch of salt, and knotted pandan leaf. Cover and steam for 20 minutes. Uncover and stir well. Cover again and steam for another 10 minutes. Uncover, remove the pandan leaf, press down with a wooden spoon to level the almost cooked rice so it’s as flat as you can get it. Cover and steam for five more minutes.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the seri kaya mixture. Combine the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Add the essence of pandan, flour, coconut milk, food coloring, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Pour this mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. You definitely do not want lumpy seri kaya.
After the 35 minutes of steaming time for the glutinous rice, uncover your steamer and using a fork poke holes all over the cooked rice. This helps the seri kaya mixture to settle into the rice and stick to it instead of just sliding off. (Auria’s note: Haha, that’s an amazing newbie mistake that I’ve made myself. So funny now, but I definitely wasn’t laughing the first time I made this delicious dessert.)
Pour the seri kaya mixture onto the rice, cover and steam for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir gently, then cover and steam for another 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the steamer, and let it cool completely. The top layer may still jiggle as you move it, but it will harden and set as it cools.
Now this is the hardest part–wait for it to cool COMPLETELY before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Moroccan Avocado Milkshake

Ingredients

* 2 to 3 cups cold milk
* 1 ripe avocado
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* handful of ice (optional)

Method

Peel the avocado and cut in half. Discard the pit. Put the avocado and sugar in a blender with 1 cup of milk. Blend until very creamy and smooth.

Gradually add another cup or two of milk to make the shake as thin or as thick as you like. How much milk you need will depend on the size of the avocado.

Add a handful of ice to the blender if you like your shake well-chilled, and blend for another minute. Pour into glasses, and serve.

Apple and Banana Milkshake Recipe - Moroccan Apple and Banana Smoothie

Fruit milkshakes or smoothies are very popular in Morocco. Try this easy apple and banana shake recipe for a light and nutritious snack or as part of an iftar during Ramadan.
Serves 2 to 3.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (about 1/2 liter) cold milk
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 medium banana, peeled and broken into several pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
• handful of ice (optional)

Preparation:

Put the apple, banana and sugar in a blender with about 1/2 cup of milk. Blend until creamy and smooth.
Gradually add the remaining milk and blend just until well mixed and foamy. Add a handful of ice to the blender if you like your shake well-chilled, and blend for another minute to crush the ice.
Pour into glasses and serve.

Chicken Nuggets Recipe

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken boneless (chopped) 1/2 kg
Oil (for deep frying) as required
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Onion (small and chopped) 1
Plain flour 1/2 cup
Bread crumbs 1 cup
Egg 1

 How To Cook Chicken Nuggets :

1. Add chicken pieces in a pot.
2. Add garlic paste, black pepper and salt in it.
3. Also add onion in it and mix well.
4. Add this meat mixture in chopper to mince it.
5. Put in fridge for a while.
6. Make small nugget shapes from the meat.
7. Coat them in plain flour.
8. Beat an egg.
9. Dip in egg and then coat in bread crumbs.
10. Heat some oil in a pan.
11. Deep fry the nuggets.

Ramadhan Special: Middle Eastern Coconut Cake (Harissah)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins


Ingredients:

Harissa

2 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 cups corn oil
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 dash vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups flour
4 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut (usually found in middle eastern stores)

Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 dash vanilla

Directions:

1
First make syrup by boiling water and sugar for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how heavy you may want it but it shouldn't be any thicker than pancake syrup in consistency.
2
*You may also add a tsp of rose water or orange blossom to it to give more of a traditional middle eastern dessert taste (I personally can do without it so that's why my recipe doesn't call for it under the ingredients).
3
When done with that process set syrup aside to cool.
4
Start on the Harissa by combining sugar,eggs,oil,milk,vanilla,lemon juice and mix them together until blended.
5
Then add flour and baking powder to mixture and blend well.
6
Lastly you want to STIR coconut into batter.
7
Then its time to add to greased and floured pan (never a bundt pan)-- an oblong pan will do.
8
Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F or more until a light/medium golden brown.
9
When cake is done and still hot pour syrup all over cake in pan.
10
You don't have to use all the syrup but at least 3/4 should be used on the cake.
11
Let cool, then cut in slanted squares.
12
Then remove each piece onto a tray.
13
You can garnish with a little shredded coconut on top for presentation.

Barbecued Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Serves : 4 

• 3 chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks
• 4 long skewers
• For the marinade
• 1 cup (250ml) natural yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

• For the sauce
• 20g butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 cup (250ml) passata or tomato puree
• 1¼ cups (300ml) thickened cream
• 1 large bunch fresh coriander, freshly chopped 

Directions

Prep:30min  ›  Cook:1hr30min  ›  Ready in:2hr 

1. In a large bowl, combine yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, black pepper, fresh ginger and salt. Stir in chicken, cover and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard remaining marinade. Cook the kebabs on the barbecue or under the grill until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. For the sauce: Melt butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Fry garlic and chilli for 1 minute. Add cumin, paprika and salt.
4. Stir in tomato passata or puree and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
5. Add cooked chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh coriander.

Ramadan Iftar Recipe from Morocco - Milkshakes

Milkshakes are a good way to introduce healthy drinks into the Ramadan iftar menu. Milkshakes are easy to prepare, nutritious (especially for children who have been fasting) and tasty.

The following two recipes for milkshakes are from Morocco. They are popular drinks served during iftar in Morocco.



Ingredients

* 1/2 cup almonds, blanched and peeled
* 1 1/2 cups cold milk
* 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
* splash of orange flower water
* 4 or 5 ice cubes, optional

Method

Place the blanched almonds in a blender, and process until the almonds are a fine powder. Add the milk, sugar and orange flower water, and blend on high speed to mix well. If desired, add ice cubes while the blender is running to chill the drink even more. Pour into glasses, and serve immediately.

Ramadhan Special: Chicken and potato curry

 

 

 

Ingredients

Serves : 4 

• 1 chicken, about 1.35 kg, jointed into 8 pieces
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 4-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• juice of ½ lemon
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 dried red chilli, halved
• 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon besan/ chickpea flour
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly crushed
• ½ green capsicum, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 potatoes, peeled
• 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, about 150 g
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained

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Directions

Prep:1hr  ›  Cook:45min  ›  Ready in:1hr45min 

1. Remove the skin from the chicken joints. Cut 3–4 slashes in the flesh of each joint, right to the bone. Mix together the turmeric, ginger, lemon juice and a little salt, then rub all over the chicken joints. Refrigerate and marinate for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the dried chilli and the mustard, fennel and cumin seeds, and let them splutter and pop for a few minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and besan flour. Watch carefully to be sure the spices do not burn, as this can happen very quickly.
3. Add the garlic, capsicum and onion to the spice mixture and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add the chicken and tomatoes and stir to mix. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and cut into bite-sized pieces. Blanch the cabbage in a separate pan of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain.
5. Add the potatoes and cabbage to the curried chicken and stir in. Cover the pan again and continue to simmer over a moderately low heat for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked and tender. Add the peas and warm through for a few minutes before serving.

Special Malaysian Duck Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng Itik Istimewa)

Day 4 of my duck dinner - I was craving for rice after days without it and a Malaysian style fried rice seemed like a very good idea since Malaysian Monday was coming up next. Every family in Malaysia has a version of Nasi goreng (Malay and Indonesian for fried rice) and this is one that I know and love best. Like any style of fried rice, use whatever leftover ingredients you may find for the recipe but follow the seasonings used. It has been a real pain without my laptop but I had prepared a few scheduled posts ready for the next few days. I will spend a little time every night (when the computer is available) to reply and answer any question. Can't wait to be able to visit all my favourite blogs soon! Happy birthday to J if you are reading this, left you a message too.

recipe per serve

you'll need;

1 - 1.5 cups of cooked rice, cooled or leftover rice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 duck breast* cubed

a handful of green beans, diced

1/2 a red capsicum, diced

a handful of bean sprouts, topped and tailed

1 spring onion, chopped

1 tbs of sweet soy (kecap manis)

1 tbs of light soy

1 tbs of oyster sauce

1.5 tbs of sambal tumis**

spring onion and chili julienne for garnish

crispy shallot

fried egg to serve

*Pan fry duck skin side down for 2 minutes then another minute on the other side. Drain off fat and place in the preheated oven at 180C for a further 6 to 7 minutes. Rest before slicing.

**If you do not have sambal tumis - pound 2 garlic cloves, 1 shallot and 3 bird chillies and 1tsp of toasted shrimp paste into a fine paste.

Prepare the ingredients.

Saute garlic for a few seconds follow by green beans and rice. Fry on high heat for 2 minutes.

Add seasonings and continue to cook for a minute.

Add duck, spring onion and capsicum and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Finally add in the bean sprouts and mix through.

Serve immediately with a fried egg and garnish with spring onion and chili julienne and crispy shallots.

My favourite bit is of course to mix the runny egg yoke into the fried rice.

Black Rice Dessert (Bubur Pulut Hitam )

** Yield: 4 servings/ Preparation: 15 minutes/ Cooking: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 240 g Black glutinous rice (washed & drained)
• 60 g White glutinous rice (pulut) (washed & drained)
• 7 c Water
• 2 Pandan leaves, knotted
• 1/2 c Sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 T Tapioca flour or cornflour Combined with 2 Tbs water to Form a paste
• 1/2 c Thick cocnut milk
• Pinch of salt

Directions

Put rice in pot with water and pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, remove pandan leaves and simmer for 45 minutes until liquid is thick. Add sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and thickening. Remove from heat.
Serve in small bowls topped with 1-2 tablespoons thick cocnut milk.

Eggs Baked on Grits with Bacon and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 cup quick cooking grits
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced chives

Procedures

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425[°]. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on paper towels. Return pan to heat and add onion, cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomato and cook until the juices from the tomato have been reduced, remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  
  
• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add red pepper flakes and grits. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally until grits are cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  
• Butter a 9- by 13-inch pyrex dish and add grits. Make a few wells in the surface of the grits and pour tomato mixture into wells. Break each egg over the a section of tomato mixture, season with salt and pepper, and place in the oven. Bake until the whites of the eggs have set but the yolks are still runny, about 14 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.

Nasi Goreng Kampung (Village Style Fried Rice) Recipe

    

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 3 tsp. chopped shallots
• 1 tsp. Bird's Eye chili (a variety of Southeast Asian chili), to taste
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• 4 oz. sliced beef top round, 1 inch square and ⅛ inch thick
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cabbage leaf, cut into 1 inch squares
• 2 stalks yu choy (a green, leafy vegetable available at Asian supermarkets) cut into 2 inch pieces, or substitute baby spinach
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 1 whole egg
• 1 Tbs. and 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• Garnish (optional): lime wedge, chopped green onion, crispy fried shallots

 

Directions

1) Pound garlic, shallots, and salt in a mortar until they form a paste. Heat wok over medium heat. Drizzle in 1 Tbs. oil and swirl to coat to the bottom. Add the garlic mixture and stir fry for 1 minute.
2) Add the sliced beef and cabbage. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until beef is cooked through.
3) Add in the cooked rice and fry, coating well with the pan juices. Add in the yu choy. Move all the ingredients to the side making a well in the middle of the wok.
4) Drizzle in 1 tsp. oil, and break the egg into the wok. Scramble the egg. When the egg is done, add in the bean sprouts and stir everything together.
5) Drizzle in 1 tsp. oil, and break the egg into the wok. Scramble the egg. When the egg is done, add in the bean sprouts and stir everything togethr.
6) Plate the Nasi Goreng and serve with optional garnishes.

Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

 

 Malaysian Style Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
(Makes 16 satay; 3 pieces of cut beef on each skewer)
Ingredients:
16-20 bamboo skewers (soaked in warm water for 1-2 hours)
2 lbs beef, cut into 1/4-inch thick, 3/4-1-inch cubes
(Here, I use top sirloin which requires minimal cooking time)
Satay spice paste (to marinate beef)
Spicy peanut dipping sauce
cucumbers, red onions, and rice cakes (optional), cut into bite size
Satay Spice Paste:
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
10 shallots, peeled, cut and halved
3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 stalks lemongrass, cut into 1-inch length (use white part only)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons oil
1-2 tablespoon water
Method:
Blend all the Spice ingredients into a smooth paste. Heat up some oil in a wok, stir-fry the spice paste until fragrant and oil slightly separates. Dish up and set aside.
Marinating Beef Satay:
Spoon generous amount of the ready spice paste over the cut beef until they are well coated. Keep the extra spice paste for future use, if there is any left. Marinate for at least 10 hours, or overnight.
Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce:
5 tablespoons oil
3/4 tablespoon tamarind pulp, soaked in 3 1/2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup roasted red skin peanuts, skins removed, and coarsely chopped (or regular peanuts)
3/4 cup water
Satay Sauce Spice Paste:
1 tablespoon oil
5-6 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander powder
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
3 stalks lemongrass, cut into 1-inch length (use the bottom white part only)
3/4-inch galangal root, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 shallots, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
salt and sugar to taste
Method:
1. Blend the Spice Paste ingredients into a smooth paste. Add some water if necessary to keep the blades turning.
2. Heat up 5 tablespoons of oil in a pan, stir-fry the spice paste until fragrant, turn the heat to medium-high and continue cooking until the oil slightly separates.
3. Mix in tamarind pulp, peanuts, water, stir well and bring it to a quick boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Add some water, salt and sugar to taste, if necessary. Dish up, cool down for 10 minutes and ready to use.
Making and Cooking Beef Satay:
1. Make satay skewers with 3-4 pieces of marinated beef threaded onto each pre-soaked bamboo skewer.
2. Cook the satay over a hot charcoal grill as I did with my chicken satay here, or broil them in the oven. This time, I use the oven broiler.
To Broil Satay:
Line the smooth surface broiler tray with aluminum foil. Place the broiler pan over it and put the whole rack in the oven, with 4-5 inches away from the heat source. Preheat oven broiler for at least 10 minutes. Remove the broiler rack from the oven and brush some oil over the broiler pan. Arrange the beef skewers in the broiler rack, with meat in the center and skewers away from the heat source. At this point, the meat should be about 3-inches away from the heat source. Broil the satay for 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until the beef is slightly charred with a few brown spots and cooked through. Turn the skewers over, brush some oil over the beef (optional), and continue broiling for another 1 1/2-2 minutes, browned and completely cooked. Use your finger tip and test to see if the meat is firm and not squishy with blood. Do not overcook the meat as the juice from the meat will redistribute itself after 5 minutes of resting time when the satay is done. Alternatively, I also tried broiling the satay for 2 minutes on each side (with 1 minute on High and a little over 1 minute on Low setting), and it came out as great.
3. Remove the broiler rack from the oven, rest for 5 minutes and ready to serve with peanut dipping sauce, fresh cut cucumbers and onions.

Malaysian Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Serves : 4 

• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1,1.5Kg whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 125ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil

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Directions

Prep:10min  ›  Cook:25min  ›  Extra time:30min  ›  Ready in:1hr5min 

1. To marinate: In a non-porous glass dish or bowl, combine the garlic, oyster sauce and curry powder. Mix together. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1/2 an hour.
2. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add marinated chicken (disposing of leftover marinade) and fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is crispy and brown and juices run clear.

Malaysian-style Fried Udon

Malaysian-style Fried Udon

Noodles are popular all over Asia, so it’s no surprise that noodle is a staple of many Malaysians. Walk down any streets where there are street vendors or hawkers, you will see that most of the foods sold are noodle dishes. Everyone loves and could always use a noodle dish, regardless of our ethnicity: Chinese, Malays, Indians, or Eurasians. Even the foreign expatriates who live in Malaysia fall in love with local noodles dishes.
One of the differences of noodle dishes in Malaysia is the condiment that comes with the noodles. The noodles can be soupy and comes in a broth or soup, or dry as in stir-fried noodles, or in between, such as char hor fun (fried flat rice noodles in a thick gravy), but the condiment is usually a small saucer of cut fresh chilies or pickled green chilies in soy sauce. The fresh chilies are always red chilies, and sometimes bird’s eye chilies, or a combination of both. This condiment is really very simple, but to us Malaysian, it’s indispensable and what makes our noodle dishes so incendiary delicious—the spicy kick that accompanies every mouthful of the noodles, with an extra dash of very good tasting soy sauce. By the way, Malaysia produces some of the best soy sauce, but that will be another post.

Anyway, I disgress.
So back to my Malaysian-style fried udon. Udon is Japanese, but the Malaysian-style udon can be found at restaurants in Malaysia. In my recipe, I used fish cakes, which is a popular ingredient in many Malaysian noodle dishes. With some shredded cabbage, shrimp, mushroom, carrot, and the generous use of sweet soy sauce, this humble Malaysian-style fried udon takes me back to Malaysia. And the condiment of cut bird’s eye chilies gave me just the right amount of heat and extra flavors. It was extremely delicious and absolutely satisfactory. I love Japanese-style fried udon, which is cleaner in taste. But give me a choice, I’d always opt for this sinful version.
Udon noodles are widely available in the US and everywhere now. Try my Malaysian-style fried udon recipe and I bet you will instantly fall in love with it.

Malaysian-style Fried Udon Recipe
Serves 1 | Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 pack fresh udon (7 oz)
2 garlic, minced
2 tablespoon oil, lard preferred
4-5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms or king trumpet mushrooms, sliced into pieces
3-5 shrimp, shelled and deveined
6-8 slices fish cakes
2 mini carrots, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
1/3 cups shredded cabbage or Napa cabbage
A few bird’s eye chilies, cut
Soy Sauce
Sauce:
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper
Method:
Rinse the udon with cold running water, drained and set aside. Mix all the ingredients in the Sauce in a small bowl, stir to blend well. Set aside.
Prepare the soy sauce and cut chilies condiments in a small saucer. Just add some soy sauce to the cut chilies.
Heat up a wok and add the oil (or lard). When the hot is fully heated, add the garlic and stir fry until aromatic. Add the shrimp and fish cake and stir-fry until the shrimp is half cooked. Add the carrot and napa cabbage and stir for a few times. Add the udon noodles into the wok, follow by the Sauce. Stir continuously to combine all the ingredients in the wok. Let cook for a little bit, stir a few times and make sure the udon noodles are cooked through. Dish out and serve immediately with the cut chilies and soy sauce condiment.
Cook’s Note:
The dish should be a little wet as the sauce should cling to every strand of the udon noodles. It shouldn’t be dried. Add a little water if it’s become dry.
If you can’t find fresh udon, use dried udon. Cook it according to package instructions, about 80% cooked through before stir-frying.