Cashew cookie with chocolate Nutella ganache (Kuih Raya)

I am bad... for neglecting my blog again.. :( I've been so busy the past couple of months. A trip back to Sunny City for a month. Then when I came back home, I had to start packing and cleaning the apartment cos we were moving out. At the new place, lots of unpacking, organizing, laundry and etc.. (even now still got a lot of things to do.) We out of the cyber world for a while and when we got the service back, the Internet connection was always giving me problems. :/ I got it fixed now but for the wifi, still going crazy on me. Well, good thing still got another alternative to connect to cyber world. :)

Anyhoo, I made this cookie for Eid this year. I meant to post it after Eid but I just didn't had the time.  I'm not sure what is the actual name of this cookie so I just called it cashew cookie with chocolate nutella ganache. This recipe you need to use the aluminum candy cups instead of the paper cups. I brought back some when I was in Singapore as it was much easier to get it there. The recipe is from my girl friend in Singapore. For the cookie mix, I used my home made cookie recipe. I used recipe from Crisco's website =)

Cashew cookie with Chocolate Nutella Ganache

Ingredients:
500 gm cookie mix
40g gm cashew, blend very fine
250 gm butter, soften
Chocolate ganache 

Method:
In a mixing bowl, stir butter and a little cashew. Add cookie mix, bit by bit.
Add the balance of cashew and mix well. Make little round balls and place in the aluminum candy cups . Press slowly into the cup - 1/2 of the cup only as the other half for chocolate.

Bake at a preheated oven 350°F for 10-15 mins or until brown. (Bake all the cookies first before adding the chocolate.)

Prepare the chocolate ganache. Then using a pastry bag or just scoop with teaspoon and fill to the top of aluminum candy cups. Let the chocolate harden before store them in a air-tight container. 

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. ~~