KEK KUKUS / STEAMED FRUIT CAKE

This is most sought after cake that is only available during Eid in most Malaysia/Singapore households. It is so moist, melts in the mouth, fruit filled and absolutely yummy.

Kek Kukus/Steamed Fruit Cake  is actually steamed for 4 hours. Due to the long process, excellent taste and high demand it has became very costly to buy this steamed cake. Despite this, making your own steamed cake is really challenging and rewarding, you can't stop eating them and get way more quantity produced compared to buying them.

The following tips are useful if you're making this for the first time:

Your need to prepare the caramel by heating the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown using slow heat otherwise it tastes bitter. Remove from heat and add the water, stir well. Quickly and carefully adding this to the batter.

Prior to steaming, the water in the steamer must be boiling and each addition of water on each hour must be also boiling point. It is advisable to boil a kettle of water for this purpose.

Some flour to be added to the mixed fruit to avoid them sinking at the bottom of the cake.

Place the batter half full into greased pan and properly closed and secured with masking tape or string to ensure the cake has room to rise and to avoid water dripping into the  Kek Kukus/Steamed Fruit Cake. 

Once the fruit mix is added, do not over mix.

It is advisable to replace 100 g of fruit mix with 50 g of green cherries and 50 g red cherries to make it more attractive and colourful. If you are cooking for small family, it is recommended you make only half of the following.

MYSORE FRIED CHICKEN

I have came across thousand cooking websites featuring all sort of chicken recipes be it Chinese, Indian or Malaysian. It is really hard to choose which one suits my taste bud. In the end my choice goes to Mysore fried chicken by Zarinah Anwar. I had tried several recipes by her and it never failed to impress the taster.

This recipe does not used ginger, garlic, cinnamon, clove or cardamom at all instead chopped coriander leaves is added for cooking this dish. Surprisingly it turns out fantastic and added more water for extra gravy since it supposes to be fairly dry curry.


INGREDIENTS

1.5 kg chicken pieces, remove skin
2 onions sliced
2 green chillies sliced
1 red chili
2 T coriander powder
1 T chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
10 stalks coriander leaves chopped
2 C water
8 T oil
salt to taste

METHOD

* Combine chicken with all the ingredients except oil and 1 cup water in a big bowl.

* Heat oil, add chicken, fry till fragrant. Add 1 cup water, cover and cook until chicken is dry and tender using low heat, stir in between.

* Garnish with coriander leaves at the time of serving.

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SEMIA PAYASAM

There are several types of payasam, a dessert cooked in milk or coconut milk , sweetened with sugar/jaggery and flavored with raisin, cashew, saffron, almond and cardamom.

It is essential dish in many Muslim and Hindu feasts and celebrations. It is often made with rice but other ingredients such as vermicelli, broken wheat or green gram dal can also be used.

The vermicelli (semia) is lightly roasted with ghee but now I used oil, this is added to boiling milk and cook until soft. Quite fast to cook and very delicious. This is how I made the payasam.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup vermicelli
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 T oil
2 T raisin
2 T cashew
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder


METHOD

* Heat the oil, fry the raisin and cashew, remove. In the same oil fry the vermicelli until light brown, transfer onto a plate.

* Pour the milk in the pot, bring to boil. Add the vermicelli and sugar, cook until vermicelli turns soft. Add the cardamom powder.

* Add the cashew and raisin, stir well.

* Place onto individual bowl to serve. Enjoy them hot or cold!

CHOCOLATE RICE COOKIES

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As you might notice, I frequently bake cookies, muffin and cake for my family especially choosing the ones that is not high in calories.

Chocolate Rice Cookies will produce a treat that is sure to please everyone in your family. It's easy enough for you to whip a batch of these cookies so you and your family can have freshly baked cookies for dessert along with a glass of milk.

Please take note this cookies is easily browned so do not bake longer than the prescribed time. It is so aromatic at the time of baking and has rich buttery taste.

(UPDATED) SOTONG MASAK HITAM / SQUID IN BLACK INK

This seafood dish, Sotong Masak Hitam (Squid in Black Ink) is cooked  using a squid, simmered in a spicy black ink sauce.

For long long time, I have eaten this  classic dish cooked by my mum. It is so special because it is the only gravy that uses black ink obtained from the squid.

Sotong Masak Hitam (Squid in Black Ink) is quite simple to prepare but you need time to clean the squid. To obtain a  clean white body, an  outer film has to be removed  before slicing it into a ring or other shapes you desire.

Pull out the tentacles from the body, gently poke the eyes to remove the liquid  and hard substance found on the head  You could get the ink sac in between the innards, remove and save it. If more ink is used it turns more darker tone.

After cleaning the squid, you can proceed to prepare the spices either by blending or pounding with pestle and mortar.   Do adjust the spice level to suit your preference.

The squid is simmered in a spicy gravy using dry chili, onion, garlic, turmeric and lemon grass. Do not overcook squid, it will become rubbery.  Add more water if you want  extra gravy.