Double chocolate cookie !

 

My sister requested for a video to compete my daughter in a kids cooking competition; realizing it's been awhile since her last video, I comply. I was researching for easy recipe for her to make, but at the same time I need to consider in only using what that is already in the kitchen, as I definitely not in the mood to shop for more items. While browsing through the pantry, I notice a small tub of cocoa powder and a pack of chocolate chips. Double chocolate cookie! 

As I was measuring the ingredients, I realize that I have not told my daughter that she is the one that will need to make the cookie, not me. Knowing that she gets excited and hurriedly go and washes her hands (she now accustoms with the rule of clean hands when cooking) and bugs me when I will be done in preparing the ingredients and set up the camera. Eventually I shooed her and her sister to watch some cartoon while I complete the set up. 

The recipe that I choose was one of the top three recipe that pops out when I type double chocolate cookie. But this recipe was chosen as it does not demand for brown sugar, which I don't have at the moment.  

The recipe demands for 1 1/2 cup of sugar, but reading the comments below the recipe stating the amount of sugar resulted to a "too sweet" of a cookie, I decided to cut the sugar to only 1 cup. The recipe also instructed for 10 minutes baking time, but somehow the cookie feels too soft at 10 minutes, that I add another 10 minutes, but maybe I only need to add 5 minutes. Still, the cookies tasted great. I think it will be nice to pair thee cookies with either milk or tea. 

 So here I present you double chocolate cookie...

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of butter

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup of flour

2/3 cup of cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 cup of  semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of  chopped walnuts (optional)

Methods:

- Preheat the oven to 175 C

- Mix the dry ingredients: Flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt

- Beat the butter and sugar

-Add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue beating

- Fold in the dry ingredients a little bit at a time. 

- Mix in the chocolate chips and the nuts

- Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking tray with distance about 2-3 inches in between a dollop of dough

- Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

-Let the cookie cools a bit before enjoying..

Membakar lasagna menggunakan ketuhar elektrik

 Di sini saya akan meletakkan kaedah saya membakar lasagna.

Dengan ketuhar elektrik:

1) Jika lasagna beku, biarkan sebentar hingga lasagna cair, atau rendam lasagna di dalam air panas hingga cair.

2) Panaskan ketuhar ke suhu 180 C 

3) Tuang suku cawan air ke dalam lasagna. Dan masukkan lasagna ke dalam ketuhar. Guna setting api bawah beserta kipas. Bakar dalam 25 minit.

4) Tukar setting ketuhar ke api atas bawah dan bakar hingga keju perang keemasan (~ 6 minit).

5) Keluarkan dari ketuhar. Biarkan sejuk sedikit.

6) Nikmati..

Double tomato focaccia

Being a member to a family that bakes sure do have an implication to my choices of hobby, and it seems my choice of shows to watch also influenced by this. One of the shows that I watch repeatedly is The Great British Bake Off, and watching it somehow seem like splashing the fire to bake with gasoline. It burns brighter and stronger...

Last week, I was watching TGBBO which the bakers were assigned to bake focaccia and I was suddenly hankering to make my own version of focaccia. So yesterday, I opened a few web page for me to refer for my version of focaccia. Even if I want to make my version of a focaccia, I still want it to passed as a focaccia. 

As I don't have any mixer to help in kneading the dough for me and I take such a long time to knead, I decided to start kneading without activating the yeast first. So with my method, even if I knead at my pace, the yeast will not over bloom by the time I'm ready to prove.

So here is my version of focaccia:

Ingredient: 

Dough:

wet ingredients:

1 1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

1 table spoon of vegetable oil (preferably olive oil)

3 tablespoon tomato puree

dry ingredients:

3 3/4 cup of all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pack of yeast.

1 tablespoon of garlic confit (smashed) or garlic powder. 

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon oregano

Topping:

1/3-1/2 cup of vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon oregano

1/8 cup  of cheddar (small cubes) -optional

1/8 cup of mozarella (small cubes) -optional

1/4 cup of pepperoni (cut small) -optional

Method:

Put all the dry ingredient in a big bowl, remember to not put salt and yeast together as salt could inhibit the yeast.

Make a well in the center of the flour mound and pour the wet ingredient in.

Mix with your hand only until the ingredient is incorporated together. cover with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes

Fold the dough by holding one side and fold it to the top, the hold the part next to it and fold it to the top of it self. Repeat this until you have made a full turn to the dough. Let it rest for another 15 minutes. Repeat this for 3-4 times.

Sealed the dough and let it rise for about 1 hour in room temperature or you can put it in the fridge and let it prove overnight.

While you are doing the fold and prove, combine the oil, garlic and herb in a pot. Put it on the lowest heat setting and let it infuse for 5 minutes max. Let it cool down before using it.

Prepare the baking pan; pour 1 tablespoon of the infused oil in the baking pan and smothered the inside of the pan. If you don't smothered the oil properly inside the pan, your focaccia will be difficult to remove from the pan later.

Transfer the dough into the pan and try to pull the dough to reach the edge of the pan. If the dough seems to be resisting the pull, let it rest for 10 minutes before trying again.

Let the dough prove for at least 45 minutes while you prepare the topping. Preheat the oven to 180.

If you are not planning on any physical topping but go to the traditional only infused oil; have a bowl of water beside you while you do this. Wet your fingers and make dimples by poking the dough straight until you can feel the pan. Make multiples dimples with the notions that those dimples will be a well to trap the oil and be a place for the taste to infuse into the bread. 

If you are using cubes topping, you can always put the cube on top of the dough and push the cube down until you meet resistant (the bottom of the pan). Do this until you get dimples throughout the focaccia. 

Pour the infused oil on top the dough, don't forget to sieve the oil from the ingredient that was use to infuse the oil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the dough.

Bake the focaccia for about 20 minutes, but you are wise to peek at 15 minutes mark. 

Remove the focaccia from the pan to a rack to cool it down. You don't want sweats on the underside of  the focaccia. 

You may prepare dip if you wants to, but I do enjoy the focaccia as it is. 

ayam golek lagi

Malam Sabtu lepas, ibu mertua saya memberi tahu bahawa bapa mertua saya teringin akan ayam golek. Bapa mertua saya sudah siap membeli ayam seekor yang tidak dipotong dengan harapan ibu mertua saya akan membuat ayam golek untuknya. 

 

Mendengar perkara tersebut, saya terus mencari resepi dari dalam internet. Ka1au diikutkan, saya pernah sekali membuat ayam golek beberapa tahun lepas, tapi bahannya bukanlah bahan yang selalu ada di da1am rumah. Jadi saya membuka beberapa muka resepi dan memilih resepi yang memerlukan bahan yang sudah ada di dalam dapur. 

Resepi yang saya pilih berasa1 dari resepi dari muka ini.  Tapi semestinya saya mengubah resepi agar lebih sesuai dengan cita rasa saya. Ini resepi saya:

Bahan-bahan:

1 ekor ayam bersaiz sederhana

3 biji bawang besar

1 labu bawang putih

2 inchi halia

1 inchi kunyit hidup

2 batang serai

1 biji gula kabung

2 sudu kecil garam

kaedah:

Kisar semua bahan dan masak hingga pekat/kering.

Bersihkan ayam tanpa memotong badan ayam. 

Lumurkan kuah perap luar dan dalam ayam. Biarkan sekurang-kurang selama 2 dua jam atau semalaman di dalam peti ais. 

Letakkan ayam pada attachment untuk barbeque pada ketuhar atau atas dulang jika ketuhar anda tiada attachment barbeque. Saya ikat kaki dan kepak ayam ke badan ayam agar ayam tidak terpisah dari attchment apabila ayam sedang memasak.

Masak selama 50 minit-2 jam dengan suhu 170 C. 

Jika anda hendak memasak ayam dengan sayur (kentang, lobak, brokoli); pastikan anda memasak dari mula proses dan tuangkan separuh cawan air ke dalam dulang untuk membantu melembutkan sayur dan mengelakkan sayur hangus di luar dan di dalam masih keras.

Selamat mencuba. 

Equine...Pony, unicorn, and pegasus

 

        Once when the first MCO was issued, and I had all the time in the world at my mother's house. I was struck by a sudden mood for arts and craft. By chance; one of my best friend was waiting for the arrival of her second child, I decided to make and give her a toy for the baby. I was browsing the internet when I saw a picture of a pony plushie. It looked so cute, but doable, that I decided to study the pictures and draw a pattern from the pictures of the plushies. From the pattern, I sew for her a pink pony. 

       Upon receiving the plushie, she urge me to post about how to make the pony plushie. At first I decided not to make another of the pony without any valid reason, even when my daughters were begging as to me they have too many toys...

      Cut to a month ago. My younger daughter has a unicorn bolster given by her grandaunt, and the bolster took a beating when both of the girls wants the unicorn. Not long after the tug of war, my eldest comes to me and requested for another unicorn, this time its for her. 

    As the distance between my first attempt to the pony was over a year ago, my mood for creativity has reignited, and I decided to make her a unicorn rather than dismissing her request or buying a unicorn plushie from the internet. And remembering my friend's request to make a tutorial on how to make this, I'm posting how I make the plushie. Mind you I use trial and error methods...

Here are the patterns:

Materials:

1) cloths 

2) materials for the mane and tail. (eg: yarn, fleece)

3) scissors

4) thread

5) stuffing

6) buttons for eyes

Methods:

As always, I will use old shirt or clothes as my materials for my arts and craft. I used my sister's old cardigan. 

Ok, I'm going to be honest, the process of attaching the pieces are a bit daunting. 

1) I start by attaching the head pieces, without the back of the head. 

2) Attach the body piece to the head.

3) Prepare the back head piece. Add the mane and the tail. Attach together the buttock piece.

4) Attach the ears to the head

5) Add the front mane behind the ears

6) Attach the back-of-head + buttock piece to the head by the ears.

7) Attach the tummy piece, but only to the chest and to the buttock. Leave the actual tummy stich free. Turn it inside out. 

8) Sew the inner leg.

9) Start sewing the tummy, Leave one side unattached . 

10)Don't forget to add the eyes.

11) Stuff..sew shut. Attach the sole of feet.

12) This become a horse, add a horn and it becomes a unicorn. add a pair of wings, you get a pegasus..

Mee akochan!

 

Mee Ako-chan. Mee yang sangat epik. Ayah reka mee ini dan saya memberi nama kepada mee ini bedasarkan salah satu watak dalam cerita aksi bersiri ketika saya masih kecil (Siapa masih ingat Jetman?). 

Pada satu hari ayah membungkuskan untuk kami bawa sebekas besar ke sekolah, dan kerana mee yang dibungkuskan banyak, kami kongsikan dengan rakan sebilik kami. Wah! Sangat digemari ramai. Dengan tahun-tahun yang mendatang, peminat mee akochan ini pun bertambah; bila kami bertukar rakan sebilik, orang baru dapat merasa mee ini. 

Apabila kami adik beradik semuanya sudah memasuki alam universiti, hilanglah peluang rakan-rakan kami untuk menikmati mee akochan ayah yang sedap ini. Itulah yang membuatkan saya rasa saya patut menuntut ilmu dari ayah bagaimana untuk membuat mee ini dan dimasukkan ke dalam blog agar rakan-rakan saya boleh mencuba sendiri resepi ini. 

Bahan-bahan:

Yee mee (pack of 375g)

Bawang merah (+- 1/2 cwn)

Bawang putih (+- 1/4 cwn)

Halia (+- 1x3cm)

Cili giling (1/4 cwn-1/2cwn) bergantung dengan tahap pedas yang digemari

Sos tiram (+- 1/3 cwn)

Kicap (+- 1/4cwn)

Kiub ayam / daging (2 biji)

Lauk (ayam/daging/kambing)

Air / air rebusan

Tomato (1 biji dipotong dadu)

Sayur mengikut cita rasa (lobak merah, seleri, kobis, sawi)

Daun ketumbar (+- 1 genggam)

Garam dan gula secukup rasa.

Telur 4 biji.

Kaedah:

Kalau menggunakan daging atau kambing, saya cadangkan rebus dulu untuk lembutkan daging. Air rebusan daging atau kambing digunakan dalam masakan.

Panaskan minyak dalam periuk , tumis bawang dan halia hingga hampir garing. 

Masukkan cili giling, masak untuk sekurang-kurangnya 10 minit dengan api kecil atau sederhana agar cili masak.

Masukkan sos tiram, masak hingga nampak kuah makin masak.

Masukkan pula kicap. Masak lagi.

Masukkan lauk, Jika ada air rebusan, boleh dimasukkan dalam beberapa minit selepas lauk dimasukkan. 

Masukkan kiub ayam/daging dan tomato. 

Rasa kuah dan tambah garam atau gula mengikut cita rasa. Kuah tidak perlu dimasinkan sedikit atau dimaniskan sedikit untuk sesuaikan dengan mee.

Apabila kuah sudah mula mendidih, boleh mula memasukkan sayur yang sudah dipotong. 

Masukkan telur, terus kacau jika anda suka telurnya kecil, atau biar sebentar jika anda suka serpihan telur yang besar. 

Masukkan mee apabila kuah sudah mendidih. Masak hingga mee lembut.

Tabur daun ketumbar sebelum makan. Mee sedap dimakan panas. Tapi saya suka walaupun mee sudah sejuk dan kembang. 

Dampfnudeln (German dumpling)

    

    Locked at home (a metaphor), I opt to re-watch The Great British Bake Off series. During season 4 the bread episode, I was re-exposed to dampfnudeln. What a dampfnudeln you ask? According to wikipedia; dampfnudel is a sort of white bread roll or sweet roll eaten as a meal or as a dessert in Germany, Austria and in France. It looked to me as some sort of a bao, but without the need for me to bring out the steamer out. THAT intrigue me. The recipe that was shown in TGBBO was sweet, but as far as I know, bao is usually eaten savory, so I figure I can do that to dampfnudel too, and when I googled, it was written you can do that. So I searched about dampfnudel, don't be side-tracked, I only looked to 3-4 recipe pages.  I opt to use this recipe as reference. 

Knowing myself (I am not a good kneader); I didn't give the yeast time to bloom first before starting to knead nor do I start with a warm milk, rather I used milk in room temperature. 

    But lo and behold! I have underestimated the recipe. The pan that I used was a bit too small, thus even though the dumpling seems cooked, the dumpling was smooshed. So after the 20 that-I-was-not-supposed to open the pan, I transfer the dumpling to another bigger pan and proceed to steam it again, but maybe because the pan is a too-good-of-a heat conductor, even with the smallest heat setting on the stove, burning smell can be detected.. I turn off the stove and enjoy a somewhat smoky dumpling with chicken curry. Hehehe. 

    Im planning to try the recipe again, but to be steamed in two batches...or maybe half the dough..?

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cup AP flour

1/4 cup of sugar

1 1/2 packet of yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

Poaching liquid:

1 cup milk

3 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup sugar (less or none if you are planning to enjoy the dumpling savory)

1 teaspoon salt (if you enjoying savory)

Method:

Knead the dough until the dough stick to itself better then it sticks to your hands.

Put in a big bowl, cover and left to rise for about 1 hour. 

When it has double in size, knead a bit more, the divide the dough to fist sized balls. 

Put the balls in a large frying pan and cover. Let rise for about 15-20 minutes.

Warm the poaching liquid before adding to the proved dough. 

Cover and steamed on a small heat for about 15-20 minutes. Don't open the cover or you risk the dumpling to shrink. 

Enjoy with jam and custard if you like it sweet, or you can also enjoy it with curry like I did. 

cream maceroni inspired by 5ecret recipe

 

The other day,  my sisters came back home bringing a pack labeled 5ecret recipe, being the nosy person I am, I peeked into the pack, my middle sister directly says "Share with mother". Inside was macaroni with a thin white sauce, and shrimp and melted cheese on top. There are small mushrooms pieces here and there. To be honest, it was quit bland for my taste, but the mushroom sure do help in encouraging me to take another bite. The melted cheese helped too.. I was a bit curious on how to make it, especially when I once watch a korean realty tv show where the participants made spaghetti (I think) cream pasta. Knowing that 5ecret recipe has a menu of it, I use it as reference to search in the internet. By chance my neighbor gave us a pack of grilled shrimp, searching for ways to use the shrimp, I got the idea to made this recipe. 

Ingredients:

2/3 pack of elbow pasta (boiled- a minute to reach al dente)

3 clove of garlic (mince)

shrimp stock

1 tbsp dried shrimp (soaked and blended or crushed)

1 cup of mushroom (shred)

1 tbsp chili flakes

1/2 tbsp thyme

1 1/2 cup milk

salt to taste

3 slice of cheddar sandwich slice

1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese

Method: 

1) Saute garlic and dried shrimp until fragrant.

2) Add the stock. Let it boil until nearing dry. 

3) Add the mushroom, chili flake and thyme. Cook until tender. 

4) Add the pasta and milk, mix and let cook for 2-3 minutes.

5) Add the cheddar slice and salt to taste.

6) Lower the heat, sprinkle mozzarella on top the pasta, close the pan and let it steam for 5 minute before turning off the heat. 

7) To be enjoy warm. 😊

Tomato bread

It's been awhile since I last made my sundried tomato bread. Honestly I so love that bread.. but the act of drying drying the tomato (I can't seem to find any sundried tomato sold anywhere) was so time and electric consuming.  So, I searched for another tomato bread but using tomato puree. I think it comes out quiet nicely. My daughter certainly think so..

ingredients:

3 1/2  cups apf

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

1 package active yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup shredded cheddar

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/3 cup tomato puree

1 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

Methods:

1) In a saucepan; heat tomato puree, water and oil. Set aside.

2) In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, cheddar and herbs. Ensure when putting in the ingredient; do not put yeast and salt next to each other as salt could kill the yeast. Using a fork or whisk, mix the dry ingredient. 

3) Make a well and pour the wet ingredient in the well. Mix if you are using a mixer, or knead until smooth and elastic. 

4) Leave in a oiled bowl and cover. Let to prove until double the size ( for about 50 min)

5) Knead for about 5 min, shape the dough, put in the bread pan and let it prove for another 40-50 min 

6) Bake for about 30 minutes.

karipap sardin

Masa kecil-kecil dulu mak ada menyediakan kuih untuk dijual oleh saudara emak. Jadi saya memang ada teringin nak cuba buat karipap. Selepas selalu didesak, mak beralah dan membenarkan saya membantu mak membuat karipap sardin untuk dinikmati oleh ahli rumah. Apabila ditanya kenapa inti sardin yang dipilih mak, mak jawab sebab ayah suka karipap berinti sardin. Sudah bertahun berlalu, sebenarnya sudah lupa resepi karipap mak, tapi saya tak dapat lupakan reaksi ayah: Sedap!. Kebetulan ayah bukan seorang yang banyak mulut, kalau makanan yang ayah makan biasa-biasa saja pada pendapat ayah, biasanya hanya akan mendapat: ok..

Entah kenapa tiba-tiba mendapat mood nak buat karipap, mungkin sebab nak habiskan mentega yang takut hampir dengan tarikh tamat tempoh, Jadi saya pun mencari resepi karipap sardin di internet, tapi tiada inti yang menepati syarat mak. Mak pernah cakap walau inti sardin, perlu tumis dengan kari ikan, baru boleh dipanggil karipap. Akhirnya saya hanya cari resepi untuk kulit karipap, tapi tampa disedari saya telah alter resepi tersebut sebab sepeket tepung yang saya beli bukanlah 1kg, tapi hanya 850g.

Ini resepi karipap sardin saya

Bahan-bahan inti:

Sebiji bawang besar, dihiris halus

Sebiji kentang, didadu kecil atau disagat

Sebatang lobak merah sederhana besar. didadu kecil atau disagat

1 sudu besar serbuk kari ikan

1 sudu besar sos tiram

1 cawan besar air.

1 sudu besar cili boh (pilihan)

Ikan sardin dari setin besar sardin, dibuang sosnya dan dihancurkan

Garam dan gula secukup rasa. 

Kaedah siapkan inti:

Tumis bawang, lobak dan kentang hingga bawang lembut.

Tambahkan air, biarkan atas api kecil hingga air kering.

Tambahkan kari yang telah dijadikan pes dan cili boh .Tumis.

Tambahkan sos tiram.

Masukkan sardin dan tambah garam dan gula secukup rasa. 

Bahan-bahan kulit karipap:

850g tepung gandum

1 sudu besar garam

1 sudu kecil gula

1/2 cawan mentega

1 cawan minyak sayuran

+- 1 cawan air

Kaedah menyediakan kulit:

Campur bersama tepung, garam dan gula.

Di atas api kecil, cairkan mentega bersama-sama minyak

Tuang minyak ke campuran tepung tadi dan gaul rata. 

Tambahkan air sedikit-sedikit sambil menggaul doh hingga mendapat kelembutan yang dikehendaki. 

Perlukah saya menceritakan kaedah membuat karipap? Tak pandailah saya nak cerita dalam bentuk tulisan ini, saya minta anda cari kat youtube ye? Hehe. selamat mencuba. 

chicken and mushroom pie

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

My mother requested for me to find a decent chicken and mushroom pie as she wants me to provide stocks for her bakery. I searched and try to make my own recipe based on the 5-6 recipe that I found. This is my recipe; of course you can adjust and make your own. 

Ingredient

pie crust

3 piece of boneless chicken breast (small cube)

500g button mushroom (sliced)

1 onion (sliced)

2-3 cups of chicken stock or 1 cube of chicken stock

3 tbs oil

2 tbs flour

1/2 cup cream

1 tbs thyme

a pinch of salt; or to taste

1/2 tbs black pepper or garlic pepper

water ( as needed)

gravy:

100 g butter

1/2 cup flour

1-2 cup of chicken stock or 1/2 cube of chicken stock

1/2 tbs thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Methods:

Heat the oil on a frying pan. Sear the cubed chicken. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Saute the onion until soft and slightly caramelized.

Add in the mushroom, saute until soft. Stir.

Add the thyme and black pepper. Stir.

Add the flour and let it cook for awhile. Stir.

Add water and chicken stock. Stir. 

Add salt.

Add cream and stir until smooth.

Prepare the pie crust, it is better to do a blind bake before putting in the filling. 

Cover, put on an egg wash and bake until golden. 

For the gravy; melt the butter in a pan, add flour, whisk until fully incorporated. Add thyme and black pepper. Add chicken stock. Add cream while whisking. Add salt to taste. 

 

Peanut butter cake

 

Upon a request, I googled for recipes of nuts cake. I read about walnut cake and multinut cake and fruit cakes too. Suddenly I was inspired to search about peanut cake, and lo behold google gave me recipes for peanut butter cake. I picked one that seems easy enough and picked an occasion to test the recipe out. The recipe request upon peanut butter frosting, but as  I buy just enough peanut butter for the cake, I need to improvise for the frosting. Using the peanut butter - grape jelly combo and chocolate for frosting, I serve the cake square to my family first. My children loves the cake with the chocolate frosting better, but I've found the peanut butter - jelly frosting suits my taste better. 

Here are the recipe:

Ingredients:

CAKE
2 cup Flour
2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Peanut Butter

FROSTING
1/2 cup softened Butter
1 cup Peanut Butter (or chocolate spread or peanut butter-jelly combo)
3 tbsp Milk
2 cup Powdered Sugar

Methods:

Cake

Preheat oven to 175 C.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter. Dust with flour to prevent sticking.
Whisk together flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Add milk, eggs, and vanilla to bowl.
Beat mixture at low speed until blended.
Add water, butter, and peanut butter to a saucepan.
Heat over medium heat stirring frequently until blended (about 5 minutes).
Add peanut butter mixture into flour mixture.
Stir until batter is well mixed and pour into prepared dish.
Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool.

Frosting 

Cream together the butter and peanut butter (or chocolate spread for my case).
Slowly add in the sugar, if it gets too thick then add a little milk to thin.
Continue until all of the sugar is in and the frosting is blended to the right consistency.
Spread frosting over cooled cake.

 

Serunding ayam

 

KONON...konon nak diet, so nak makan oat dengan serunding laa... tengok2 stok serunding dah nak habis. Cepat2 google resepi kat internet macam mana nak buat serunding ayam. Resepi yang nampak paling do-able jumpa kat page ni.. tapi of course saya ada edit sikit, nak makin mudahkan kerja sendiri dan ikut cita rasa saya... 😅

Bahan2:

-1 kilo (lebih kurang) ayam -rebus dan siat2 isinya

- santan -1 1/2 kotak

- 3 sudu besar jintan (kisar, saya x suka kasar, jadi saya kisar sehalus mungkin)

-3 sudu besar ketumbar (kisar, saya x suka kasar, jadi saya kisar sehalus mungkin)

- 5 biji bawang besar

- 1 labu bawang putih

- 5 sudu cili kisar

- 1 ruas halia lebih kurang besar ibu jari

- 3 sudu besar kerisik

- 1 keping asam keping (+- 2cmx2cm)

- garam gula secukup rasa

Kaedah:

- kisar bawang besar, bawang putih, halia, cili giling.

- tumis rencah bawang dan ketumbar jintan dalam kuali besar dengan minyak yang mencukupi. 

- masukkan asam keping dan santan. tumis hingga pecah minyak.

- keluarkan asam keping dan masukkan garam gula dan kerisik. 

- masukkan ayam dan kacau dengan api perlahan hingga kering (boleh lebih 3 jam..)

- nikmati

Double chocolate buns

Double chocolate buns

Being a daughter of a baker, I always have a somewhat hankering for baking. It could be for baking cakes, pasta or even bread. My hankering with Asian cuisine was not so strong as cooking Asian cuisine was done daily, though sometimes I do up my game with some Chinese, Japanese, Thailand and Korean cooking and if I could be so un-modest, I would say that they comes out bearable most of the times, if not good.
Back to the recipe 😅 , (about) a week ago, my daughter requested for a cupcakes full with its embellishments and sprinkles, and to be true to time, the oven's plug has busted the weekend before that. Then was when I realize we do have a bread-maker in the house. It seems my daughter's cupcake doesn't have anything to do with the story too. Hahaha. Okay, by realizing there's a bread-maker in the house, I started to look for recipe to bake bread, I can't use my mother's bread recipe as her's uses bread flour which I don't have. I found a recipe that claim they have a recipe for a soft bread. I have tried to trace the recipe again, but all that I have is a screenshot of the ingredients and the webpage: techocolateandmore.com which I also fail to open when typed. It is actually an either soft bread loaf recipe or soft buns recipe, which of course I edited. Well I need to edit the recipe to feed my picky firstborn...

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup of milk powder
1 1/2 cup hot/warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1 pack active dry yeast
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 - 1/2 cup chocolate chip

Methods:

1) Stir the sugar in the water and pour in the yeast. Leave for about 5 minutes until foamy while you prepare the other ingredient.
2) Put the flour, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl, whisk until mixed and make a well in the middle.
3) Pour in the egg that have been beaten and the yeast mixture. Mix in the shortening too.
4) Knead, if possible without adding any flour. Knead until at least until the dough prefer to stick to each other rather than the wall of the bowl, better yet, you could do the window pane test (which I have yet to master). I wouldn't lie, a proper baker would properly told you to knead on a flat surface, but as I am lacking a proper flat surface and I want to reduce surfaces I need to clean afterwards, I rather knead in the bowl it self, or better, a flat-bottomed pot. If the pot have a lid of it's own is even better. I just put the lid onto the pot to leave it to rise.
5) Leave to rise until double in size; for about 1 hour.
6) Knead for a minute while incorporating the chocolate chip into the dough.
7) Divide to small equal balls (18 balls?) and arrange in a baking pan. Let rise for about 1 hour.
8) Heat the oven halfway to the bread rise to about 180C
9) Bake the bread for about 25-30 minutes. Lower the heat to 175C when you put the bread into the oven.

Meringue cookies

Once upon a time my sister used a lot of egg yolk that resulted to egg whites to spare, I don't really understand it but I noticed that my sister have always requested for me to make something if she have egg whites to spare. So the other day she requested for me to make something again; my mother requested meringue cookie, which I found a bit weird, but I agree nonetheless. My mother even pick the recipe she wants me to use.  So, here it is:

Ingredients:
a) 1 cup of egg whites
b) 2 1/4 cup of icing sugar or granulated sugar (grind)
c) 1 teaspoon of vanilla essense (optional)

Methods:
1) Pre heat the oven to 80C
2) Prepare the mixing bowl, ensure there's no water, oil nor egg yolk.
3) Using the waterbath method on a medium heat fire, whisk slowly the egg whites and sugar until the sugar dissolve. Rub some of the meringue in between your finger to ensure there's none of the sugar that hasn't dissolve.
4) Take if off the fire, whisk on low speed for about 30 second before increasing the speed to medium and beat until still and thick. You may add you coloring now if you want to.
5) Pipe the meringue onto a lined baking tray.
6) Bake for at least 2 hours until the cookie is crisp outside and the bottom isn't sticking onto the tray  anymore.

This video inspired this look; even if someone increases the temperature of the oven and cracked my meringue.

I use chocolate sprinkles for the eyes..

Journal for MOBILISASI ANGGOTA SUKARELAWAN BAGI MENANGANI PENULARAN KLUSTER COVID-19

This journal is written as a retrospective writing, thus they may be something that got left behind unintentionally.
    During the starting of the now pandemic Covid-19, I was thinking of how courageous the medical team are, especially those who need to leave their loved ones. somehow it struck a chord. Then I heard about the government creating opportunities for unemployed nurses to come back to work as the front-liners need more staff. And, as I was waiting for an interview from KKM, I was somewhat expecting to be call. I supposed all the former health care worker do.
      During all of these happening, I receive a call from the Dentistry at Shah Alam on an appointment for root canal. So, as the school holiday started, we went to my mother's house which is a walking distance to the dental clinic (I you are intending to do some exercise before arriving to the clinic)
Then the Movement Control Order (MCO) was introduced, and my dental appointment was withhold to an unknown date. Not long after that, I noticed my nursing classmates was talking about enlisting as nurses for Covid-19. One of them even put a link into the WhatsApp group for that, and another link to be a volunteer. That got me thinking if I should go and enlist myself as a nurse for Covid-19, but in order to do that, I need to be separated from my family, especially from my two daughters, and one of the was still breastfeeding at that time. That feeling sure does dampen my spirit, and I was contemplating so much that my husband urge me to do Istikharah. All my adult and central family have given their blessing. During my toss and turning, the link for the form for applying to be a nurse was closed. All that left was the form to register to be a volunteer. As I don't want to let that chance to go to pass as it did the nursing form, I hurriedly fill the form to be a volunteer.
       I receive the call on the day I was supposed to have an interview for KKM nurse (31st March 2020). I was to report for duty on 5th of April 2020, the day after Husna's birthday. The volunteers will be provided with food and accommodation. As the time for leaving nears, the feeling of dread looms.
5th of April comes, I put Husna to sleep as she was sleepy just before Zuhur. I do my Zuhur alone as I know the others going to take more time and I might be late if I wait for them. I give my goodbye with my family with somewhat wet eyes and a true waterfall during my time alone with my husband outside the house. But I know it need to be done.
     Arriving at NIH which made me realize Setia Alam is neighboring Klang, or maybe it is inside Klang- it is not too far away from Shah Alam. But thinking that we were all unsure where we will be posted, I stay with the decision of staying at NIH during the volunteering phase. After the briefing which was held at the auditorium of NIH, we are to check in into our room. I found out that my roommate (Kavitha) will not be staying for the night as her house is near to NIH and the reason she decided to stay was to reduce the risk of her family contacting to the disease and as we will be in contact with the patients on the next day, there is no point in staying for the night. That statement intrigued me, right after Asar (I was still in my telekung) I called my husband and ask for his opinion. Hearing my phone call my family shouted telling me to come home for the night. I was only stalling as I was feeling lazy to come to NIH dead in the morning as my group decide to leave to JKNS at 630am. My husband said that he will leave me to my conscience but I need to decide fast as MCO will not allow movement after 6. At 550pm I was knocking at the door. Of course everyone was laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
      The next morning I left the house as early as 530am and had my Subuh at NIH. Around that time received a WA message that my group will be leaving at 730am as the briefing at JKNS was delayed to 9am. So I decide to give the bed a nap. After breakfast we left at 745am (one of our member of the group was late). As we are nearing JKNS, I realize that JKNS was so near to my mother's house (sek 9, next to the Concord Hotel) but as we were supposedly to be posted somewhere else, I put the feeling if-I-only-know away. Then during the briefing one of the doctors stated that the volunteers can't have any co-morbid (such as HPT, DM, Heart problem or Respiratory problem). It was then I raised my hand I ask whether I need to be kicked out of the team as I have DM. They have a small meeting then and decided for me to work at JKNS helping with their PPE production. Hearing that I decide to move back to Shah Alam as JKNS is in Shah Alam which means nearer to JKNS. I also decide that as I will be the only one working at JKNS, it will be illogical for someone who have a nearer house and don't need to have direct contact with patient to be sent to and fro from JKNS and NIH alone everyday.  That evening after some face shield making and face mask packing, I asked my youngest sister to pick me up and bring me to NIH to pick my things up and check out from NIH.
     On Tuesday I came to work and we continue with our face shield factory. Then around lunch, the staff cleans the room as she stated that she can't stand all those untidiness. After lunch I was the only one in the room, I heard the supervisor said something about stopping producing as proper stock has arrived, and a lot of it. Then my supervisor (SN Suhaili) tells me that as they need to stop producing the face shield, I don't need to come for tomorrow. After some negotiation, I asked her to take my number and call me in case they need help. As it was the SN who told me that, I'm afraid that my suppose supervisor didn't know the SN decision and I would be scolded for skipping work. So I reported to Dr Rosnawati and Dr Suhaida (supervisor for Dr Izzah). So after all those drama, I only work for two days? Telling the story to some of my friends, they emphasize on Allah's plans for us
    Starting the second week I that was supposedly volunteering I was becoming sure I will not be called again. Still, on Tuesday I receive a phone call from Dr Izzah if I'll be willing to come to PKD Klang and lend a hand. I said sure I'll leave the next morning. So I went on Wednesday with the help of Waze. The job scope was also around PPE, but in a bigger scale. The SN incharge (SN Faridah) was supposed to do everything from receiving, indenting, managing stock and everything. So when the epidemic explode which lead to a pandemic, she was becoming more and more unable to manage on her own. Volunteers does eases some of her burden, but to a limited degree. The job for us was not at all mentally or emotional taxing, but definitely a bit physically demanding. Folding and counting and removing and adding. I was relief but a bit sorry to leave on Friday as I'm feeling somewhat sorry for the SN. I'm hoping she have more assistants and assistance..

A Brownies recipe- finally

A brownies recipe finally? Well the first time I've tasted brownies was when I was 10 years old. I was like- why haven't I tasted this before? To say that this is chocolate cake would be... out of it's league? but it's chocolate. Until someone there pointed out to me, no- it's not a cake, it's brownies. Yeah, that it it's name- brownies.
When I've gotten older, and I've gotten myself into baking, I tried a lot of recipe of brownies, maybe not a lot, but quite a number of it. I even tried to trace down my friend that brought that my-first-brownies-that-I-tried, who changed school once we finished primary school, who parents got separated and the only lead I had was then an acquaintance with the new mother. I am still trying to get the recipe from her- don't be fooled by my writing that I've obtained the recipe, but, this recipe at least was well received by me and my family. I got the recipe from here; I haven't tweaked it, yet- ok maybe I sprinkled some flaked almonds on top before baking, and I could try to make it less sweet- but that is for another time.

A picture? Sorry, maybe next time. The brownies was abolished....

 Ingredient:

1 1/4 cups (249 grams) granulated sugar
5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, cold
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Methods:

1- Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 8 by 8-inch pan with either butter and cocoa powder or butter and baking paper.
2-In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. (I've yet to try melting the butter in a saucepan, on the stove). Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in the oil and cocoa powder.
3- With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4- Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Here is where I sprinkle some almond flakes on top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a cake tested inserted into the center has moist crumbs attached. Do not overcook. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

It was said that the brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but we have yet to go pass 2 days before it was cleaned out.