Eating Out: Nasi Kandar Line Clear

Wow! How long has it been since I updated this blog? I'd like to apologize to my blogging friends for my negligence to update. I've been a bit busy with things... Anyway, I went over to Penang with my family recently as part of my pigging out adventure! Penang is one of the states in Malaysia which is a popular spot for food lovers like me (you need to visit Penang and experience their hawker food). I studied in Penang 5 years ago and I really missed the food! 

I can't believe I have never been to Nasi Kandar Line Clear during my studies for three years! This place is one of the popular spot for Nasi Kandar lovers. I noticed how most blogs and magazine (and even street food guide) would feature this restaurant. Anyway, Nasi Kandar is a popular northern Malaysian dish. Basically, it consists of steamed rice (plain or flavored) served with varieties of curries. 

I was really lucky that the crowd isn't there when I arrived! This is the settings in the restaurant. You have to queue and wait for your turn to be served. The waiter or Mamak will ask for your preference rice and what kind off side dishes you wanted. 

Here are some of the side dishes that can be found in the restaurant. The flavored rice...

A really big fish head as side dishes...

All-time favorite deep fried chicken!

This is my mom's choice of side dishes: steamed white rice with various curries, prawn (that cost RM20 each) ladies fingers and vegetable (cabbage).

And I choose to have: steamed white rice with cuttlefish, curries, vegetable and sliced cucumber. I have to say that I am not disappointed with my meal. The curry was delicious! But it wasn't the best. I've had better Nasi Kandar from a restaurant somewhere in Kuala Lumpur.

Address: Nasi Kandar Line Clear

177 Jalan Penang, Georgetown, 

10000 Georgetown, Penang

Ayam Masak Merah

Ayam Masak Merah or directly translated as Red Cooked Chicken is one of my favorite side dishes of all time. But I think, I'll translated them as Chicken cooked in spicy tomato sauce. It has the sweet and sour taste from tomatoes (and apparently sugar) and slightly spicy. If you been reading this blog for a while, you will know that I'm a fan of spicy food. 

I've never learned the proper way to make this dish. But I watched my best friend cooked this dish once, and I remembered the steps and ingredients. Anyway, this dish would usually be eaten as side dish. We usually have them with our biryani or tomato rice.

Ayam Masak Merah

1/2 medium size chicken - cut into desired size

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 cinnamon stick

4 clove

2 star anise

4 cardamom

1 medium sized onion

4 shallot

3 garlic

1 inch ginger

2 tbsp chili paste

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 medium sized tomato - cut into wedges

1 medium sized onion - cut into rings

salt as needed

oil for frying

1. Heat oil under medium fire.

2. Combine chicken with turmeric powder and salt. Deep fry chicken and set aside.

3. Blend onion, shallot, garlic and ginger into a paste. Set aside.

4. In a different sauce pot, heat oil under medium fire. Add in cinnamon stick, clove, star anise and cardamom and stir until fragrant.

5. Add in the onion paste and stir for 30 second. Then, add in chili paste and stir for 1 minute. Add in one tablespoon of sugar to caramelized the chili paste. Stir until the chilies are cooked. 

6. Add in tomato paste and ketchup. You may add in some water if you want the sauce to be thin.

7. Add in the fried chicken, and combine well. Pour in the coconut milk.

8. Add in tomato and onion. You may also add in some green peas to make the dish even more attractive. Mix well. Then, it's ready to serve. Best eaten as side dishes with rice.

My mom actually told me a few other tips to make the chicken taste even more delicious! I'll share the recipe and tips once I experimented with it :)

Gordon Ramsay Great Escape to Malaysia

Gordon Ramsay in Malaysia from Joseph Teo on Vimeo.

Have you watch this? Gordon Ramsay Great Escape to Malaysia. I had great laugh at some of those things he did in here. He definitely need more than one week to experience Malaysian cooking :)

Eating Out: Garden Recipe

My friends and I found into this restaurant during our visit to Malacca. The restaurant looks cute (like a perfect spot to take more pictures!). We were hungry. Thus, we decided to try this restaurant.  We thought that this restaurant would served the usual kopitiam dishes. But we were wrong. Garden Recipe served healthy and delicious food.

I got myself a French Style Fried Rice. This fried rice were made of brown rice. It's served with soup, shredded vegetables and watermelon. I don't usually like brown rice. I thought that it didn't taste good (most healthy food doesn't taste good anyway) and it seems that I'm always hungry when I had brown rice. But, Garden Recipe's fried brown rice's really good. I never thought that brown rice could taste this good.

My friend opt for brown rice noodles with salmon. It looks pretty plain, but it taste good. The broth contains a mild taste of ginger.

Jah opt for Portuguese Fried Rice. It's plating was pretty much like French Fried Rice. I thought that Portuguese Fried Rice had a savory taste.

We had chicken pops for snack/side dishes. It's served with tartar sauce, I think.

G55-AEON Bandaraya Melaka Shopping Centre No.2,
Jalan Lagenda, Taman I-Lagenda 75400 Melaka.
Tel: 062839168

www.gardenrecipe.com.my 

Festive Cookies - Almond London

Cute cookies

Yes, it's that time of the year! In Malaysia, most Malay would be busy baking some cookies for Eid al-Fitr. During this time, most mothers, daughters and sisters would spend their time together in the kitchen, baking many types of cookies for the festival.

Baked Almond London in tray. They're made of flour, egg yolk, sugar and butter.

Every year, I would be preparing this cookies called; Almond London (I had no idea why they were called Almond London). These cookies had a whole almond in the center, covered in chocolate and sprinkled with some almond nibs. And preparing them requires lots of patience - there's the 'wrapping the almond in dough' process, and 'dipping in chocolate' process. So, usually, I would bake those cookies a day earlier, and the dipping process will be done in the next day.

Recipes

500g Flour

250g Butter

2# Egg Yolk

50g Confectioners Sugar

Whole Almond - toasted

Chocolate (for coating) - I'd use compound chocolate for shiny appearance!

Almond Nibs - toasted

Small Paper Cases

1. Beat Butter and sugar until light. Then, beat in egg yolk. Stir in the flour and blend well to form a dough.

2. Take a small piece of dough, wrap it around the whole almond and shape into an oval ball.

3.  Place dough on lightly greased trays. Bake in preheated oven at 175°C for 10-15 minutes or until  golden. Remove and cool on wire racks.

4. Coat the cookies with melted chocolate, put it in the cases, and sprinkle with some almond nibs.

Finished product, lined in tray.

A few years ago, I would be melting chocolate for these cookies using double boiler. And it was really tiring, as you had to stand before the stove to coat all the cookies! These days, I used microwave! It's time saving, and I didn't get tired from standing too long.

If you're interested in these cookies, and would like to place an order, please do not hesitate to contact me. :)

Happy Independence Day, Malaysia

 My Nourishment issue 007 cover

It's 31st August 2010! Malaysia's 53rd Independence Day. My Nourishment celebrates them in their own special way - by featuring a replica of Malaysian flag on their cover. I thought it looks really good and very creative! It is made of a red velvet cake. You may find the recipe if this cake in the My Nourishment issue 007. Now, go and bought yourself a copy, and try the recipe!

Happy Independence Day, Malaysian!