Begedil (Potato cutlets)

These are my all-time favorite comfort food and it is also my hubby's favorite now.
Begedil is a deep fried potato cutlets. Mashed, shaped, coated and fried.
It is a common Malay side dish. Usually you have it with Nasi Padang or Mee Soto. 
They are so easy to make.

You can either boil or deep-fry the potatoes. Works both ways. I used 3 medium size potatoes. Remove the skin and cut into cubes. This time, I boiled  the potatoes but I much preferred them deep-fried.

Mash the potatoes in a dry bowl.

Some like it plain and others like to add cooked ground beef. If you like to add ground beef or chicken, make sure to cook the meat ahead and set aside to cool.

Here, I added cooked ground beef, chopped cilantro and spring onions, fried shallots, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Shape into medium sized balls with the palms of your hands before flattening.

Lastly, coat begedil in beaten eggs and deep-fry till lightly browned.

Nasi Lemak and Sambal Ikan Bilis

Nasi Lemak  is a delicious coconut rice, normally served with sambal, fried anchovies, fried peanuts, sliced cucumber, tomato, and egg (hard-boiled/omellete/fried egg). Nasi Lemak is originally a Malay dish but now it is a common dish in Singapore and other parts of South-east Asia. This dish is cooked in coconut milk and knotted screwpines (pandan leaves) are thrown in for fragrance. Spices such as ginger or lemongrass may be added for additional fragrance.

Ingredients to make nasi lemak (coconut rice)

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 screwpine leaves (tie them into a knot)
• 1-1/2 cup water   1 cup water
  
• 1/2 cup coconut milk   1 cup coconut milk
  
• a pinch of salt

(It is still ok to use just 1-1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup coconut milk but the rice is not too creamy (lemak)..)

Like making steamed rice, rinse the rice and drain.
Add the coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and water.
Add the screwpine leaves into the rice and cook the rice.

Ingredients to make Sambal Ikan Bilis recipe

• 120 g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons tamarind pulp with 100 ml water (to get tamarind paste)
• 110 ml vegetable oil
• 1 sliced large-sized red onion
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
  
• a pinch of salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5-1/2 shallots
• 1-1/2 sliced into rounds medium-sized onion
• 5 tablespoons chili paste
• 1-1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (belacan)

Blend shrimp paste, garlic, chili paste, shallots and sliced round onions in a blender until it becomes ground paste. Set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok and fry the dried anchovies until crispy. Remove and drain the crispy anchovies on absorbent towels. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in the same wok and saute the ground paste. Add sugar, tamarind paste, red onions and salt. Cook until sambal ikan bilis gravy thickens.

Lastly add the crispy anchovies and mix well.

Other ingredients
Hard boiled egg / omellete (slice to triangle shape) / fried egg
slices of cucumbers
slices of tomatoes
fried chicken wing (optional)
sausage (optional)

Kuetiau Soup

It was my first time cooking Kuetiau Soup. Its been months, since I had kuetiau soup.. I think my kuetiau soup is more like kuetiau hong kong. hmm.. nevertheless it is yummy! I don't have much in my fridge, so my ingredients is only chicken meat and cabbage. You can add carrots, shrimps, squid rings, fish cakes...

When cooking kuetiau soup, its best to eat immediately after you cook. If not, the noodles becomes soggy..

Ingredients


150gm kueteau
1 egg
1 clove garlic- pounded
100 gm chicken meat. (I used chicken breast and cut into slices and chunks)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornflour + water
vegetable oil
salt
some vegetables like carrots, cabbage
some seafood like shrimps & squid rings

I used the rice square flakes which I think it is the same as kuetiau. Put the rice square flakes in boiling water for 4 minutes then in cold water for abt 1 minutes and rinse off.
Heat oil in a wok. Fry garlic but do no let it turn brown.
Add chicken meat, oyster sauce, sesame oil, seafood, and chicken stock. Stir to mix well.
Add kueteau, vegetables and the cornflour mixture. lastly break the egg and cook again for 3 mins.

If you cant get kuetieu, you could get the rice square flakes. Below the picture of how the rice square flakes look like...

Chicken Curry

I have been searching for a delicious and simple to make chicken curry. That is not too oily, too spicy, too thin or too thick. I remember eating chicken curry at a friend's house and her chicken curry was delicious and she said she did not even used coconut milk! My mom made delicious chicken curry too but when I cooked, the chicken curry it was never the same.. I do not know where I go wrong. haha.. I also tried those ready made chicken curry in packets, they tasted funny and too spicy (will not named the brand). It  is healthier to use chicken without the skin  for chicken curry. I never like the chicken skin in my curry except for fried chicken, I liked the skin.. haha.. :)

Thanks to Za from Stay At Home Mom for sharing her chicken curry recipe. This recipe is a keeper!!!

Ingredients:
1/2  chicken, cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut quarters
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp meat curry powder (Baba’s Meat Curry)
2 tomatoes, chopped 1 carrot, cut rounds
1 cup water
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste

For frying:
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 cardamom, crushed
3 cloves
1 piece cinnamon stick
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp ghee

Grind into a paste:
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 inch ginger

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pot and fry sliced onion, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick, curry leaves.
2. Mix curry powder and the blended ingredients in a bowl. Add into the pot and stir until color changes and it becomes fragrant.
3. Add 1/2 cup of water and keep stirring.
4. Add chicken and cover the pot. When the chicken is no longer pink, add potatoes. There should be enough water to cover 3/4 of the chicken and potatoes.
5. Add more water from the remaining amount if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
6. Add coconut milk and, tomatoes and sugar. When it starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
7. Serve hot with bread or rice.

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of the most famous fast meat dishes, consisting of tender strips of steak in a tangy sour cream sauce. I've made some changes and added my own substitutions.

Served with homemade french fries and noodles.

Beef Stroganoff

the best ever 20 Minute Cookbook, Jenni Fleetwood

Ingredients:
450g/1 lb fillet steak or rump steak, trimmed and tenderized with a rolling pin or meat mallet
15ml/1 tbsp sunflower or vegetables oil
25g / 2 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
15ml/1 tbsp plain flour
5ml/1 tbsp tomato paste ketchup
5ml/1 tbsp Dijon mustard Wasabi
5ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
150ml/ 1/4 pint/ 2/3 cup sour cream
salt and black pepper
fresh herbs, to garnish

Using a sharp cook's knife, cut the tenderized steak into thin strips, about, 5cm/2in long. Heat the oil and half of the butter in a frying pan and fry the beef over high heat for 2 minutes, or until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving any juice behind.

Melt the remaining butter in the same pan and gently fry the onion for 8 minutes, until soft. Stir in the flour, tomato paste, mustard, lemon juice and sour cream. Return the beef to the pan and stir until the sauce is bubbling. Season well and garnish with fresh herbs.