1 Day Trip at Sekinchan Fishing Village ( Plus Minestrone Soup & Iranian Salty)

So a day before 3rd June 2016, I saw a post, posted in Facebook regarding Sekinchan Fish Village. A small town and also the main rice -bowl area of Selangor in the Sabak Bernam district. It is one of the major rice producing areas of Malaysia.

Sekinchan in Chinese mean ' village suitable for plantation'. It also popular as a fishing village.
But I wasn't attracted because of the  rice of course! I was attracted of the picture and the scenery from the images.
So the next day it was my day off from my work so I took one day trip to Sekinchan, and I did had my fun.

Minestrone Soup
We all know how to make a minestrone. Once you write this recipe on google, there'll be thousand of this recipe pop out from the screen. But this recipe, I'm going to show you are slightly different because where I used to work they actually added 'spinach' into it. Yes!! Spinach and in fact there was no pasta is to be added but I was super hungry while I'm taking a video of this recipe..
So why not right??

I learned this recipe when I was working in Fasta Pasta Restaurant at Ikano Power Centre.

Ingredients
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup choppedcarrots
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup cubed potato
19 ounces kidney beans
1 quart chicken/beef broth
2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste or
1 can tomato campbell soup
1/2 cup short pasta (elbow,macaroni etc)


Directions
1. Put 1 quart of chicken/ beef broth in a heavy pot over a medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, kidney bean, and a blended tomato and the rest of the vegetable to be simmer for approximately an hour until all the vegetable are barely tender.
3. Add a 2 spoons of tomato paste or a can of tomato campbell soup into the broth you have simmer earlier.
4. If you prefer to add the tomato paste only. Add salt and pepper the amount to taste.
5. Add cooked pasta in a bowl with some leaves of raw spinach.
6. Then add the hot soup onto it. And sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley.

Torshi Shoor
( Iranian Salty)

At first I was thinking of only making only cauliflower's salty as making it, is so easy because i always only pick the cauliflower whenever i bought my 'shoor' at the Persian store, however i thought to myself ' it might look bland when i post my blog here'. So I decided to make the original 'shoor'


Ingredients
5 Small Eggplants 1/4 Cabbage 1 to 2 Cups White Vinegar 5 Celery Sticks 2 Carrots 1/4 Cauliflower 1/4 Bunch: Mint, Parsley, Dill, Tarragon and Celery leaves 2 Garlic Cloves (for each 1 liter jar) 8 to 10 total 12 Small Onions (Charlotte) Chili Peppers (As preferred) 1 Tbsp Salt PREPARATIONS: 1- Slice the eggplants, celery sticks, carrots. 2- Cut the cauliflower and cabbage in smaller pieces. DIRECTIONS: 1- Place the sliced eggplants in a pot. 2- Add half a cup of white vinegar and cover with water. 3- Cover the pot with a lid and heat for 7 to 10 minutes. 4- Drain the cooked eggplants using a strainer. Note: for the best result, use multiple (4) small jar/container as appose to one large one. 5- Take a small container, place handful of the herbs (Mint, Parsley, Dill, Tarragon and Celery leaves) in the container. 6- Place cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, small onions, celery, 2 to 3 garlic cloves and eggplants on top in layers. 7- Take few chili pepper (depending on the size of the contains), poke few holes/crack the chili pepper's skin, and place them in the container. 8- Top off the ingredients with more herbs (Mint, Parsley, Dill, Tarragon and Celery leaves). 9- Combine 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1 and 1/2 cup water, stir until well mixed. Note: Depending on your containers size, the salt, vinegar and water measurement needs to change but the ratio should stay the same. 10- Fill up the container with the vinegar mixture until it spills off. 11- Seal the jar/container tight with a lid so no air can enter. 12- Keep the jar at room temperature for 15 to 20 days. (don't open the jar within that period). 13- Keep in refrigerator afterwords.

Pickle Pasta Salad with Meat

So the other day, a friend of mine made me this Pasta Salad. It was slightly different than the one I had in the restaurant, we had in Malaysia. The first one I had was in Kenny Roger ROASTERS.

Seriously to me.. I don't quite fancy with cold meal especially when it come to pasta?? So I don't quite like it.. But on the other day, when a friend of mine made this?! It was served hot!

Wow, a salad served hot? Interesting right? Well, to be honest with you. This dish can be serve in hot or cold. Just like Katy Perry's song 'Hot & Cold'

I hope all the tastemaker like you will like this. And have a try..

This is was an original recipe made by my friend
Pickle Macaroni Salad

PICKLE PASTA SALAD WITH MEAT

INGREDIENTS

200G SPIRALI PASTA

100G MINCED BEEF/CHICKEN

1 BOWL MIX PEAS/CARROTS/CORN

1 BOWL CHOPPED BABY CORN

1 BOWL CHOPPED PICKLES CUCUMBER

FEW STALK OF CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES

1 INDIAN CHOPPED INDIAN ONION ( SEPERATED IT IN TWO SECTION FOR DRESSING AND LATER TO SAUTE THE MEAT)

BUTTER

SALAD DRESSING

1. PREPARE AN EMPTY BIG BOWL. ADD 4 TBSP OF MAYONAISE, 4 TBSP OF VINEGAR, 1 TSP OF BLACK PEPPER, A PINCH OR 2 OF CAYENNE PEPPER, SALT TO TASTE AND MIX IT WELL.

2. ADD ALL THE VEGETABLE INCLUDING THE ONION & THE CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES INTO THE DRESSING. MIX IT COMPLETE AND PUT THEM INTO THE FRIDGE TO CHILL.

PASTA & MEAT

1. PUT THE PASTA TO BE COOK AND MAKE SURE THE PASTA IS COOK COMPLETELY SOFT AND TENDER. ONCE THE PASTA IS COOK AS HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE, LET IT TO BE DRAIN. AND PLEASE TAKE NOTE IN THIS. DO NOT RE-RUN THE PASTA IN A COLD OR TAB WATER AS THE PASTA SHOULD BE REMAIN HOT OR WARM FOR THE DRESSING LATER.

2.MEANWHILE PUT THE MEAT IN A PAN TO BE SAUTED. AND ADD AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF BUTTER. AS THE MEAT WILL HAVE IT'S JUICE AND NATURAL OIL COME OUT FROM THE MEAT. SO IN THIS CASE IF YOURSELF NOT FANCY OF  AN OILY MEAL, YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE NOT TO ADD THE BUTTER BUT INSTEAD SAUTED IN SLOWLY UNTIL THE ORIGINAL OIL CAME OUT FROM THE MEAT, THEN LATER ADD IN THE CHOPPED ONION TO BE SAUTE UNTIL IT BECAME TRANSLUCENT, GIVE A PINCH OF BLACK PEPPER & TUMERIC POWDER TO TASTE.

3. ONCE THE MEAT AND ONION IS SAUTED SET IT ASIDE TO BE SLIGHTLY COOL.

4. LAST BUT NOT LEAST BRING THE PASTA INTO A PASTA BOWL. TO HAVE A GOOD PASTA SALAD IS WHEN THE PASTA IS STILL WARM, PUT YOUR DRY CLEAN PALM ONTO IT. YOUR PASTA SHOULD BE ABLE TO STICK ONTO IT.

5. ADD YOUR MEAT INTO THE PASTA, ADD THE DRESSING AND MIX IT WELL.

6. YOUR PASTA IS READY TO BE SERVE. WELL IF YOURSELF LOVE CHILL PASTA..WELL..CHILL IT..

YOU ARE ALSO ALLOW TO USED ANY KIND OF OTHER PASTA FOR EXAMPLE LIKE MACARONI OR PENNE OR SEASHELL SHAPE.. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT USING LONG PASTA SUCH AS SPAGHETTI OR FETTUCINI..YOU CAN TRY AND YOU LET ME KNOW THE RESULT OF THE OUT COME..

TILL THEN...CHEERS!

HERE ARE MY YOUTUBE VIDEO 

Daging Kambing Rebus Bersama Daun Saderi

Daging rebus bersama daun saderi ataupun lebih dikenali sebagai Khoresht Karafs ni adalah makanan kegemaran orang- orang Parsi ataupun pada hari ini dipanggil negara Iran. Masakan ini adalah masakan kegemaran mereka dibahagian utara. Keistimewaan masakan jni bukanlah daging ataupun daun saderi, Walaupun kedua-dua bahan ini menjadi tajuk masakan tetapi adalah daun daun herba yg ada didalam lebih lagi limau kering yg hanya dpt dibeli di pasaraya parsi sahaja.

Pada hari raya mereka saya dijemput oleh salah satu kawan Iran saya dan pada hari tersebut ibu kawan saya ini pula menyediakan masakan istimewa ini. Tetapi lpada hari tersebut juga saya sudah gemar dan kedang kala saya juga,mengidam untuk merasa semula. Masakan ini memang sukar di cari walauoun dimana-mana restoran Iran di Malaysia.

Cara- cara untuk menyediakan makanan ini mudah sahaja. Mungkin bahan-bahan untuk memasak agak sukar dicari dimana- mana supermarket ataupun hypermarket tempatan. Tetapi janganlah risau, Kedai Runcit Persian atau Arab begitu banyak di Kuala Lumpur atau Selangor sekarang. Lagi-lagi disekitar Ampang Point ataupun area Serdang.

Bahan Bahan untuk memasak

200g daging kambing

1 batang daun leek

1/2 ikat daun bawang/ kuchai

1 ikat daun saderi

1 ikat daun parsley

1 ikat daun ketumbar

1 ikat daun hilba segar/ cawan daun hilba kering

1 ikat daun pudina segar/ 3 camca teh daun pudina kering

1 camca teh serbuk kunyit

1 camca teh basil kering

1 cawan jus lemon

2 biji limau telah dikering

3 ulas bawang putih

Cara- cara penyediaan

1. Potong daun saderi dalam 1 inci kecil. Cincang daun parsley, ketumbar, daun hilba/ daun hilba kering dan rebusnya terlebih dahulu. Apabila bahan- bahan telah pun dimasak, alihkan kesemua bahan ke dalan mangkuk yang bersih. jangan campurkan air rebusnya dan biarkan.

2. Hiris daun leek, daun bawang/kuchai dan cincang daun pudina dan juga bawang putih dengan halus. 

Cara - Cara memasak.

1 Sediakan periuk masak dan masukkan. Panaskan 3 camca makan minyak masak. Tumis bawang putih yang telah dicincang . Kemudian masukkan daun leek & daun bawang/kuchai dan juga basil kering dan ditumis untuk seketika.

2.Apabila bahan- bahan tadi telahpun naik wangi. Masukkan daging kambing dan daun saderi berserta herba yang direbus terdahulu didalam. Masukkan juga daun pudina segar dicincang ataupun yang kering. Ditumis untuk seketika sehingga daging kambing dimasak.

3. Letak 500 ml air kedalam periuk tersebut. Masukkan 2 biji limau kering yang sudah dihancur terlebih dahulu dan biarkan dididih dengan api yang perlahan sekurang-kurangnya 1 jam.

4. Masukkan jus lemon dan gaulkannya untuk seketika. Masukkan garam dan lada secukup rasa.  letak 2 cubit gula kedalam jikalau bagi sesetengah orang tidak menyukai makanan berpahit. Biarkan dididih selama 15 minit. 

 Masakan yang berselera ini boleh timbang nasi 2 kali!!!

Cantonese Dumpling ( Sui Gao) soup & deep fry recipe

This picture of me and her was taken a year ago. And she is 59 years old 

At my young age, every times my mother announced to us, that the next day either our lunch or dinner's menu will be dumpling!?! 

The expression that came out from my mouth will be ' Ho......Yeh!!!! ' here it's means good thing.

'Ho' meaning good & 'Yeh' meaning thing. It's actually a slang. And most of the time when I said it. I'll drag the tone and expressed it with full excitement and eerie giggles. 

Most probably because I am a freak.

My weird expression towards this dish not because how delicious my mother did her gourmet. Back then at that age I have not attend my trainning to be a food critic yet.  But it was all about having the fun. 

First, to watched my beautiful mother showed her arts in the kitchen.

Second, my brother & I will have the permission to enter the forbidden place to helped (play) her.

And that was the most beautiful memories I captured about eating dumplings.

Today I want exposed my mother's recipe and hope one day your children will remember yours.

INGREDIENTS

500g minced beef

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup slice radish or 1/2 cup slice black fungus

1/2 cup chop spring onions

1/2 cup chop coriander leaves & stalk

1/2  cup diced Chinese turnip

2-3 drops sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic oil

1 packet dumpling skin

Salt and pepper to taste

Filling Preparation

1. Best to mixed the ingredients together thoroughly with your palm. Using the method of 'lift & throw' continuously to the meat until you start to feel the texture becoming a bit sticky / springy.

Culinary & Dumpling Wrapping

You are allow to use other utensils including chopstick ( perhaps this will feel more oriental) however using a teaspoon to scoop the amount of the filling will solves this recipe cooking task.

1. Give an exact 1 teaspoon and slightly spread the filling for each wrap.

2. Fold in half until it's in a crescent shape.

3. Damp the edge of the dumpling skin with your fingertips.

4. Press the pleat for seal & shape hold.

Or

watch the video tutorial below.

Assembling the dumpling on a day ahead or 2 hours earlier it's not quite a smart move. The fussy taster might realize you cheat on your work.

1.uncooked skin will wet. It will harden once it's cooked.

  2. Preheat or reheat, often gets gooey or soggy skin.

Cooking the dumpling.

1. Once the water is rolling boil, slowly put in dumpling.

2.Dumpling will start to float but it is not cooked yet. 

3.Cook for about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Soup Recipe

1. Prepare your broth earlier. The broth base can be any type broth. 

2. Pour the soup once the dumpling is cook in bowls to serve.

3. Add few chop onion springs & pepper into the soup to taste.

Deep Fry Recipe

1. Deep fry your dumpling in a pan over a hot oil.

2. Make sure the oil is hot otherwise the dumpling skin will not become crispy but soggy instead.

Sambal Daun Pudina

Ini bukanlah Sambal Belacan, ataupun Sambal Nasi Lemak Ikan Bilis.. Nie lah sos pudina Tandoori yang kita biasa makan..lahh masih tak da gambaran lagi?? Tuuu yang sos hijau tu.. Biasa lah kat gerai mamak/ gerai Aane memang ler cair semacam.. Save cost lah katanya. Dgn tambah cukai GST,memang lagik cair.... Dah mcm jus limau air lebih dgn sleeping daun pudina lah nampak nyer. Tapi tak pe.
Kali ini kita akan tunjukkan resepi ini. OK let's go!!

Bahan- bahan:-
1    cawan daun pudina segar
1    cawan daun ketumbar Segar
1/4 inci  halia
2    ulas bawang putih
1    ulas bawang merah
1    sudu teh serbuk jintan putih
1    biji jus lemon
1/4 sudu teh gula
1    sudu teh garam
3    sudu makan yogurt asli
Lada hitam secukup rasa.

Cara penyediaan:-

Kisar daun pudina, daun ketumbar, halia, bawang putih & merah, halia, serbuk jintan dan juga jus lemon kedalam mesin pengisar.

Setelah bahan- bahan tadi, sudah menjadi pes.

Masukkan pes itu kedalam mangkuk.

Masukkan yogurt, garam dan juga serbuk lada.

Gaul sehingga sebati.

Simpan didalam peti sejuk selama setenggah jam/ semasa sambal ingin dihidang.

Selamat Mencuba.

Exotic Eggs Congee

CENTURY EGGS (Pi Dan)

Doesn't matter, how you call them, these outlandish ova is a Chinese delicacy made by either duck, chicken, or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime and rice hulls for several week to several months.

The yolk becomes dark green/ grey in color with a creamy consistency & strong flavor due to the present of hydrogen sulfite and ammonia.

The white color change to become a dark brown, translucent jelly with mild salty flavor because of the PH which gradually raises around 9-12 during the curing process.

Yes, I thought so too when I was small, but just like any other exotic cuisines we will learn to appreciate as time goes by and as we gets older.

this is how an ordinary century look like when you purchase it in  store

This is my mom's recipe. It's a combination of century eggs & salted eggs congee (rice porridege). Most people will name it as Century egg Congee or Century egg with blah blah blah congee. But it is because a combination of different exotic food so I myself prefer to call it EXOTIC EGGS CONGEE.

And today I am going to share this secret recipe to you.

EXOTIC EGGS CONGEE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 CUP UNCOOKED RICE

1-2 LITRES WATER

1 CHICKEN BREAST

1 PC SALTED EGG

1 PC CENTURY EGG

1 TABLESPOON CHOP SPRING ONION (GARNISH)

1 TABLESPOON SLICE GINGER (GARNISH)

METHODS

1.Bring the rice and pour about 1-2 litres of water to boil in a medium large pot, over a high heat.

2.The water should come to a full rolling boil. Add the chicken breast. Reduce the heat to medium fire.

3.Simmer steadily for an hour, covered stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from catching. Until the rice is thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

4. Meanwhile, run the salted charcoal paste from the salted egg with the tab water. Put the egg in a pan and rolling boil to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot & leave them to be cold. Then cut the egg into half and transfer the egg with a spoon into a bowl. Gently mashed it into a chunky bite size.

5. For the century egg is super easy. Unwrap the paper, crack and peel the shell. Cut into cube pieces.

6.Once the congee no longer look grainly and smooth. Remove the breast and set it to be cold. Continue simmer the congee in a low heat. Shred the breast.

7.Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add back the salted egg,century egg and also shredded chicken into the congee. continue simmer for 2 more minutes. While simmering make sure you stir for not allowing the congee to stick at the bottom of the pot.

8. Serve the congee in bowls, sprinkle the onion springs, slice ginger. Drizzle some sesame oil and top with fried golden garlic and a few coriander leaves without the stalk.

Here you are. Enjoy. Watch our video tutorial too. Thank You for subcribe.

Cucumber and Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients:
4 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 cup zucchini/ japanese cucumber or local cucumber
1 tablespoon dried mint (rough or fine)
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Slice the cucumber finely. Or some people will cut it into cube size (either way will be fine, just as long as you like)

Later, add the yogurt and mix it well.

Last but not least, add the dried mint, salt & pepper. Mix them again. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or half an hour.

Serve it in chill temperature.

Serving suggestions : Chopped walnuts and raisins can also be added to the yogurt. Great as an appetizer. Also can be served with bread or even with rice.