Friday, January 30, 2009

Superbowl Menu

This weekend, the football fan in the US (in Malaysia, it is known as American football) will either be in Tampa, Florida or glued in front of the television at home or at their favourite bars to watch the SuperBowl. If you're watching the game at a bar or at the stadium, food would be the least of your problem. But what if you are watching it at home and friends are coming over? Do not fret my friends. Here are some of the food that you can prepare and maybe even impressed them. Just click on the name at the bottom of each picture to get the recipes. In the meantime, have a fun weekend everybody! Don't drink and drive ok?


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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Nasi Bukhari / Arab

nasi bukhari arabI'm really not sure if this is Nasi Arab or Nasi Bukhari (nasi = rice) or a completely different rice altogether but this is the reason why I wanted to make sweet and sour chicken that ended up being Soy Sauce Chicken in my previous post. The first time I had this kind of rice was maybe 8-9 years ago when my friend made it for me. That time I of course did not even bother asking for the recipe. So when I suddenly felt like having similar rice, google it I did and I found a few recipes. I also found that Nasi Bukhari and Nasi Arab use somewhat the same ingredients. But I am no expert so I could be wrong. I cook what I feel like cooking and using ingredients that I feel like using or what I have at home so this is the result and I hope you will like it too.


Nasi Bukhari / Arab

1 cup basmathi rice, rinsed
1 3/4 cups water
2 tbs ghee oil (you can use veggie or olive oil)
1.5-2 cups thinly sliced beef
1 tbs Shan beef briyani mix
1 tbs coriander powder
1 tbs cumin powder
4-spices; (2in cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 4 cloves and 4 cardamom seed)
6-8 shallots, thinly sliced
2 in ginger, julienne
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 green chili or 3-4 thai chili, sliced
salt and sugar to taste
Fried shallot/onion for garnishing (optional

1. Marinade the beef with briyani mix, coriander and cumin powder for at least 2-3hrs prior to cooking.

2. In a pot, heat the ghee oil and add the 4-spices until fragrant. Add in the shallots and ginger, stir and followed by the beef. Continue stirring until brown.

3. Add rice and water, stir. Add salt and sugar to taste followed by tomato and chili. Stir one last time and let it boil. Once boiled, cover and simmer for 25min.








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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Ayam Masak Kicap / Soy Sauce Chicken

ayam kicap chicken soy sauceWhat was supposed to be Sweet and Sour Chicken somehow ended up being Soy Sauce Chicken or Ayam Masak Kicap. How you asked me? Well, I made some 'special' rice a few nights ago and thought that Sweet and Sour Chicken would paired really well with it so I decided to make some using the ready-made powder paste that was given to me by a friend. I have never used ready-made paste or powder for something as simple as sweet and sour but I decided to give it a try. Well, since I am now posting anything but Sweet and Sour Chicken, you'd know that it did not turn out good. Suffice to say, it went down the sink. Luckily I did not add in the chicken yet or else I would ended up eating the rice on it's own. Not that there's anything wrong with that.



Anyways, time was running out. Michael's popcorn chicken and mac and cheese are ready while I still have the chicken drumstick on the plate with no sauce. Quick thinking, I sliced some ginger and onion and decided to make Soy Sauce Chicken. It is very quick since I have already deep fried the chicken. So here they are my impromptu Soy Sauce Chicken / Ayam Masak Kicap.

Soy Sauce Chicken
serves 3-4

6-8 pieces chicken drumstick (or your choice of chicken part)
1 tsp salt
2 tbs turmeric powder
Oil for deep-frying

1in ginger, sliced
2 shallot, sliced
1 red chili, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 tbs veggie oil
2-3 tbs thick caramel soy sauce (kicap pekat)
2 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs sweet soy sauce ( I used abc brand)
1/4-1/3 cup water

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1. Coat the chicken well with salt and turmeric powder and deep fry until golden brown. Keep aside.

2. In a different pan or wok, heat the oil and saute ginger and shallot until fragrant. Add water and all 3 soy sauce. Stir well and taste. Add salt/sugar if necessary or you can add the soy sauce. Let it boil.

3. Once boiled, add in the chicken, onion and red chili. Flip the chicken so that they are coat with the soy sauce. Once the onion is soft, it is ready to be served.







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Thursday, January 15, 2009

Pengat Pisang

Indonesian call it Kolak Pisang while Malaysian call it Pengat Pisang. It does not matter what name you want to call it, these are just so good to have. Since you can have these Pengat Pisang hot or cold, it makes it suitable for all seasons. All year round my friends and throughout the whole day too. I would enjoy a bowl of these Pengat Pisang for breakfast, tea-time, snacking and dessert. On a different day, of course. I hope you will try this delicacies and enjoy it as much as I do.



Pengat Pisang

2 ripe plantain, sliced
3 1/2oz palm sugar
2 pandan leaves, knotted if long
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp small tapioca pearl, soaked in hot/warm water (optional)

1. Put all ingredients in a pot except the plantain and tapioca pearl. Boil on medium heat while stirring continuously.

2. Once boiled, add the plantain and tapioca pearl. Stir occasionally, taste. Add palm sugar if necessary let it simmer for 30min.

Enjoy hot or refrigerate overnight to enjoy as cold dessert.

Can't get enough of banana/plantain? Check out Pisang Palembang and Banana Fritters.








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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Terung Goreng Sambal - Fried Eggplant with Sambal

fried eggplant sambal terungFried eggplant is such a simple dish but delicious, just the way I like my food to be. Maybe not very healthy but I just can't help it if I like fried stuff. That is why I named my blog, Salt N Turmeric. I usually just fry the eggplant and eat them with warm white rice but this time I 'upped' it a little bit by adding some Sambal.


Fried Eggplant with Sambal

1 eggplant, cut or sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
Oil for deep-frying
Sambal

1. Coat cut/sliced eggplant well with salt and turmeric powder.

2. Heat oil on medium high and fry the eggplant until brown. Turning once.

3. Put them on a plate and pour some sambal on top. Served with a warm plate of white rice.





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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Guest Blogging at Rasa Malaysia - Soto Ayam / Chicken Soto


Rasa Malaysia has been inviting me to guest blog at her blog for a while but I just did not know what to make. So for New Year's eve, we were invited to their place and she requested me to make some Soto Ayam. I figured since I will be making my Soto Ayam again, I might as well use it as my guest blogger entry.

Check out my Soto Ayam at Rasa Malaysia

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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Chicken Porridge

chicken porridge rice bubur ayamHere we are in 2009! I hope it is not too late to wish everybody a very Happy New Year. We had a wonderful new year's eve, hanging out with friends, eating good food and playing poker. The next thing I know it was like past 2am and time to go home. I hate driving at night especially in an unfamiliar road/freeway. To make matter worst, it was really really foggy that night and that made driving even more difficult. Thank god for gps though!

Anyways, back to cooking. Last week I craved for some good chicken porridge. I have some salted egg and pickled leek at home and the thought of chicken porridge with them was just too much to resist. I remember my favourite porridge joint back in Kuala Lumpur. It was at this place called Kampung Baru (literally translated to New Village) right smack in the city centre. They have a huge display of dishes to go with the rice porridge. All you have to do is pick and put them in provided plates, give it to them and find a table to sit. They will cook your chosen dishes and serve with porridge of your choice, be it plain white porridge or chicken porridge. Since there would always be at least 5 different dishes, I always choose plain white instead of chicken porridge which I think is best enjoyed on its own.

Chicken Porridge

1/2 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
5 cups water
1 chicken leg
1in ginger, julienne
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
Salt
White pepper (optional)
1 star anise (optional)
2-3 cardamom seeds (optional)
1 tbs veggie oil

1. In a pot, heat the oil on medium high. Add star anise and cardamom seeds, stir until fragrant.

2. Add ginger and chicken, continue stirring and flip the chicken once.

3. Add rice and water and let it boil. Turn the heat down to medium and continue boiling.

4. Add salt and white pepper, stir and taste. 30 min.

5. Add in the celery and carrot. Stir occasionally. Continue boiling for another 30 min.

6. Serve hot with pickled leek and salted egg.







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