Fried Green Tomatoes

I've been in TN for a little bit but I never knew about fried green tomatoes until last week. We went to visit our friends whom we haven't seen each other for a while. They had a big garden and before we were about to leave, they asked if we want some chillies and I was like yea, that would great, thank you. As they were picking some chillis, someone mentioned something about fried green tomatoes... you could make fried green tomatoes and I'm like huh?? really you can actually fry tomatoes? Then hubby goes... well its a southern food.. For the first time, when I heard about fried green tomatoes, I was intrigued. So when we got home, I prepared this little appetizers. #ohmygosh# when I tasted them, I was pleasantly surprised. they were indeed delicious... now this is a keeper.. hehe.. :D

Fried Green Tomatoes 

(Outstanding recipe from Southern Living but I adjusted the recipe a little bit. You can get the recipe from MyRecipes.)

Ingredients:

1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided  

½ cup buttermilk cornmeal mix
1 teaspoon salt  

½ teaspoon pepper
3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into ⅓-inch slices
Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Method 

Combine egg; set aside.  Combine ¼ cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. 

Dredge tomato slices in remaining ¼ cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture. 

Pour oil to a depth of ¼ to ½ inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. 

Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt (i did not do this).

Honey Roasted Malay Style Chicken

Honey roasted chicken is one of our favorite dish. I used the Malay-style recipe this time. When you smell the aroma of chicken being cooked, it was wonderful... Have it with white rice or flavored rice or just dip it in your chilli sauce, delish! =)

Honey Roasted Malay Style Chicken

Adapted from Malaysian Recipes +>Ayam Panggang (Honey Roasted Malay Style Chicken) 

Ingredients:

8 chicken pieces (make some slits on the meat)

1 tbsp coriander powder

½ tsp black pepper

2 tsp ginger powder

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry wit kitchen towel.
2. Mix ginger, soy sauce, honey, oil & salt in a small bowl.
3. Pour this over chicken together with spices and marinate for at least 1 hr ( I marinate overnight, covered with foil). 
4. Grill chicken under preheated grill or roast in oven set @ 375 °F for 30 mins, turning halfway through cooking time.

Nasi Minyak - Flavored rice

For this special occasion, instead of having the usually raya food, I decided to make just a few dishes. I cooked flavored rice called nasi minyak. For side dishes and condiments, there were dalca vegetables and baked honey chicken (asian style) and cucumber pickles ##iwillpostrecipeslater##. This rice dish is usually served for festive occasions and at Malay weddings. Here is the recipe for nasi minyak. 

NASI MINYAK - I found this recipe from Cooking with Marina Mustafa: Nasi Minyak but I made a little change with the steps.

Ingredients:~
3 cups Basmati rice, washed & drained
¼ cup oil
1 tbsp ghee
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
5 cardamom
5 cloves
2 pandan leaves, knotted
2 tsp salt
3½ cups water
2 inches ginger, blended with 1 cup water
½ cup evaporated milk combined with 2 tbsp lime juice

Method:~ 

1. Put the rice in the rice-cooker pot. Do not start yet.
2. In a small pan, heat the oil & ghee.
3. Put in the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom & cloves.
4. Saute the onions & garlic till it becomes transparent. Turn off heat. 
5. Then pour everything from the pan into the rice pot. Stir well, make sure each grain of rice is coated with the mixture.
6. Add pandan leaves, water, ginger juice and salt.
7. Stir everything in and start the rice cooker.
8. As soon as the rice is ready, pour the milk & lime juice mixture over the rice. At this time also, you may like to drop one or more colorings of your choice.
9. Allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Eid Mubarak 2012

My husband and I would like to wish our families, friends and also all the Muslim around the world,  A very Happy Eid.

~~ SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI. MAAF ZAHIR & BATIN. ~~

Chocolate Nutella Ganache

I love Nutella. who doesn't right!? This is one item that is a must have in my pantry. Spread over a slice of bread or mix in your cakes or make a chocolate ganache.

It does not take long to make and it is super easy. I just used two ingredients. Other recipes have salt and brandy. I omitted those ingredients and it still taste good. =)

Spread the ganache over your cake or cupcakes and they are simply delish!!! :)

Chocolate Nutella Ganache
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chocolate nutella
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place nutella in a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat over a medium heat. Bring just to a boil and pour over the nutella. Whisk until smooth.  Let it cool for a little bit before pouring over a cake or cupcakes.

You also may like to refer to this simple but perfect recipe from Maris at In Good Taste: Chocolate Nutella Ganache.

Chicken Curry - Cook and Share a Pot of Curry 2012 event

Today is "Cook and Share a Pot of Curry 2012" event on FB. So I cooked chicken curry and shared with hubby. hehe.. The Curry Team have also created a new Curry page, check it out and LIKE them.  =) I know I posted chicken curry recipes before but this is another version. The following recipe is a mixture from recipes that I collected. I changed and add just a bit here and there to suit my taste. 

Here is our chicken curry with colorful roti jala. =)

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cleaned & chopped into smaller pieces

3 potatoes, peeled & cubed

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

1 cup coconut milk

3-4 cups water or chicken stock

4-5 tbsp curry powder

2 stalks lemongrass, light part & bruised

1-2 bulb shallot, peeled & slice thinly

8-10 curry leaves

2-3 tbsp ghee or cooking oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

a little sugar

salt to taste

Paste: To grind in the blender or use Mortar and pestle :

3 bulbs shallots, peeled

5 cloves garlic, peeled

3-4 candlenuts

3cm ginger, peeled

1-2 fresh red or green chilli (Omitted, cos if not, it will be too spicy for us)

Method:

1. Mix curry powder with 2-3 tbsp of water to form a smooth paste. 
2. Heat ghee or cooking oil in a large pot, saute the paste mixture, curry leaves, lemongrass until fragrant, stirring constantly.
3. Add the curry paste, sliced shallots and chicken pieces.
4. Cook for 10 minutes to sear the mix. 
5. Add in water and potatoes. Covered and bring it to a boil. 
6. Then add the fish sauce, sugar (amount of sugar is how sweet you want but not too sweet) and salt to taste. Add hard boiled egg.
7. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, semi-covered until chicken and potatoes are done. 
8. Serve with roti jala or steamed rice. 

Here is the link for ROTI JALA. 

Kuih Tart Nenas (Pineapple Tarts)

I've been using different version of recipes to make Kuih Tart Nenas (pineapple tarts). I have posted a recipe before but I think this version is very good.

Recently, I found a kuih tart recipe in one of my FB group. She shared her late mom's recipe with us. After I got all the ingredients, I give it a go..  ohmygosh!!!!! Both me and hubs felt that the kuih tart were perfect. They melt in your mouth and the sweetness is just right.  On the day, I made the kuih tart, I'm telling you... I have not even finished baking all the tarts, and  the tarts on the first tray were all gone!! <<now you see it, now you don't>> LoL!!! I gave hubs to try a few and next thing, I know, its almost gone so I just finished the last 4 tarts in that tray.. LoL!!!! 

I’m happy to share my findings and would encourage you to try out this excellent recipe cos I think it’s very good.  Thank you Lily for sharing the recipe. :)

Original Pineapple Tart (by the late Hajjah Rohanna Abu) 

Ingredients:

Pineapple Fillings

2 pieces of pineapple (to be grated and sieve the juices out)

350gm sugar

1 cm cinnamon stick

3 pcs cloves (take out the send on top)

3 pcs cardamom 

Cook all the above (EXCEPT for sugar) for ½ hr. Mix in the sugar and cook on very low fire. The fillings will be ready when it is slightly darker in colour (at this point if you want to add a dash of yellow color to the pineapple mixture) 

 [ I wanted to give a few different colors. I used the yellow, green and blueberry color. ] 

here is a video of how to cut the pineapples:

Pastry

1 medium size egg  ( I used large egg )

250gm soft butter, room temp - (I leave the butter overnight in a mixing bowl and seal it with cling-wrap)

50gm self raising flour

350gm all purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp white caster sugar

A dash of yellow color

Method to make Pastry

In a big mixing bowl, lightly beat egg, butter, yellow color, caster sugar with a spatula.

Add the self raising flour & all purpose flour and stir with the spatula until all mix well.

When all done, use your fingers to mix dough thoroughly but DO NOT over knead the pastry as this will cause the pastry to break when making the tart. Wrap dough in plastic foil and keep in fridge for 20 mins. 
(I forgot to put the yellow color earlier. I added later and the color was uneven.. ;P)

When ready: 

Line pastry board with a plastic sheet and place a small portion of pastry on it. Cover pastry with another sheet of plastic. Roll dough to about 4mm thick. Use tart mould to cut out the tart, place on ungreased baking tray. Continue until all the pastry is used. Then roll a small ball of filling, flatten slightly and place on center of tart. Decorate the top by placing bits of cut-out pastry . Bake in pre-heated oven at 350ºF for 15-20 mins or till tarts are a nice golden brown.

I bought a few different kuih tart moulds in Singapore cos I know I won't be able to get these easily in US.

Refreshing citrus drink in minutes!!!

Make a wonderful and refreshing citrus drink in minutes! I found a citrus drink recipe on FB. This would be a great drink for the hot days.  I made in one mason jar. After waiting for a several hours, the drink is refreshing but I think it is not sweet enough. I would not mind but I know hubby would add a little sugar to it.. hehehe.

Refreshing citrus drink in minutes

~Recipe fropm A Room With A View~

Ingredients:
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
Some Mint leaves
 

Cut each fruit into ¼ slices and remove seeds. Using a Mason jar, add the above and slightly crush them using the end of a utensil but do not pulverize. Add ice and fill container, then fill with fresh water and let stand for a few hours in the fridge.

If you add the juice to ice trays, you can make some wonderful ice cubes to go with your drinks or smoothie.

Enjoy!

Orange Chocolate Crisps

Aidilfitri is around the corner. How time flies and soon Ramadan will be leaving us. This year, it would be just me and hubs. We would love to be in Singapore with the family but not this year. It's just me and hubs here. Anyhoo, I baked just a few kuih raya (raya cookies) for us.  I remember, when I was in Singapore, I would baked so many different types and at the end, there would be like almost 10 different kuih raya.  Also with the ones that my relatives gave us, there would be like 15 or 16 kuih raya, not including the cakes (kek lapis, etc)... haha.. But before raya, some of the kuih raya would be gone.. coz there are plenty of cookie monsters in the house.. LoL!!!!!

On another note, i know... yes.. I've been neglecting my blog... <sigh>... well, here is a recipe for orange chocolate crisps. I can't remember where I got this recipe but it was in my recipe book. Happy Ramadan. :)

Orange Chocolate Crisps

 

Ingredients:

⅔ cup white sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter (1 stick)

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

1½ tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

2 cups crisp rice cereal, crushed to 1 cup

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet beat white sugar, brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add egg, milk, orange peel and vanilla essence. Beat well. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to butter mixture, mix well. Stir in crushed cereal and chocolate chips. Drop by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute before removing to racks to cool.

Makes 3½ dozen.

Happy Baking! :)