Simple Recipe - Otak-otak Fish

One of my favorite, Otak-otak fish and my whole family love it if I cook with Stingray.

If you want a quick meal, this is very easy as just need steam 15 minutes.

Use this measurememt for 2 plates of steam otak-otak:

Mix all these together:
18 tbls blended chili paste*O 
100ml thick coconut milk (santan)
Shrimp paste (Belacan) approx. 1/2"
8 candlenut (buah keras) (crush into paste or blend with cili paste)
2.5 teaspoon salt
3 tblspoon  rice flour
8 kafir lime leaves finely shredded
2 eggs

Lay the fish on plate, scoop the above mixture to cover the fish. Steam 15 minutes.

* Blended chili
8 small onions
5 garlic
Medium bowl of dried chillies (soaked with hot water)
2 Lemongrass
1/2" of tumeric
Add some water and blend

Note: You may use box coconut milk normally comes in 200ml packing

I normally blend a bottle of chili paste to be used anytime, so whenever needed shrimp paste or candlenut, i just add in separately.

For this you can actually blend the required chili together with shrimp paste and candlenut.

Ola Barbecue Garden Restaurant @ Solaris Mont Kiara

There is quite a numbers of Korean BBQ around Solaris Mont Kiara.  Not being kiasu this time round, we went to try Ola Barbecue Garden Restaurant. This restaurant is frequently patron by Koreans besides locals.

Their setting, as though you are in a garden atmosphere with plants, artificial grass and water features. They have private rooms as well.  Is located above Salt Lick Bar.

We were served at least 9 bachan and I like their Kimchi Soup.  The friendly owner who has been in Malaysia for the past 20 years had ventured into this business for the past 4 years. We were told that the kimchi here is made fresh daily.   Besides Smoke Duck & Pork Belly, we had Barbeque Pork Ribs (RM35) which to me is not tender enough, Pork Belly Slices and Mungbean Pancake.

Signature Smoke Duck & Pork Belly on hot plate (S) RM70 

Pork Belly Slices RM28 dip with sesame oil & salt

Must try their smoke duck and smoke belly. Two sizes, small for RM70 and large for RM120.

Location
Ola Barbecue Restaurant

J-01-12 SohoKL Solaris

Mont Kiara, Jalan Solaris

50480 KL

Tel: 03 6211 4971

Steamboat night @ mom's place

It was not my mom who cooks, instead my brother who did all the marketing, cleaning & boiling the steamboat stock all by himself. As mom will be away from 19-26 September, thus the early celebration for her birthday. She is a lucky woman ya for her elder son preparing all the food for the night whereas the younger son bought her a tasty & pretty birthday cake. As for the other sibblings (all three girls) we just have to be present to fill up our tummy but of course we did help, washing and clean up after meal.  All in 14 of us including of mom's youngest sister. My sister's youngest boyfriend even flew all the way from Bangkok to be with us, so sweet of him.

We hardly have gathering as everyone has their schedules and families to take care of unless there is special occassion. Family bonding is very important and to catch up with each other through gatherings. Mom was happy I could see and that is important.

My brother had only vegetables to prepare the stock as we prefer vegetarian version, healthier, no oil & sweet without any meat.

You just need to put turnip, carrot, big onion, maize and honey dates, salt into boiling water. So easy right?

We ended the night with birthday cake & family photos 😊.

Bro boiled two full pots of stock

Villa Ju Bakery @ Solaris Mont Kiara

Dessert after meal is heaven. This place was recommended by our friend. I find it a place that is quiet if you want to have you "own" time or even place for dating or for a group of girls chatting all night.

As you stepped in, you will be welcomed by pretty sights of lovely cakes, pastries, bread and aroma of coffee too. We came for bingsu (Korean Shaved Ice with toppings).

Place your order, pay the bill at counter than proceed to find a table if there is none downstairs, proceed to upstairs. Comfortable chairs with wooden table and cute throw pillows, I just love the ambiance here.

A part of the dining area upstairs

Milk Mango Bingsu RM27.90

Milk Pat Injeolmi top with red bean RM27.90

Injeolmi (korean rice cake) made by steam glutinous rice flour was chewy with topping of Pat (red bean), the bingsu we ordered can be shared by 3 to 4 persons.

Location:

Villa Ju
13A, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel：+603-6206 5423

Business Hour: Mon to Fri: 7.30am ~ 12.00am, Sat & Sun: 8.00am ~ 12.00am

Simple Recipe - Sweet, Sour & Spicy Fish

A dish that my late mother in law used to cook for the family.  A simple dish that have sweetness, sourness and spiciness that goes well with rice. Even though I did not cook when she was around, I am glad that I did learn from her those days when I did not work on Saturdays. I knew the ingredients that she put as I helped out in preparation of ingredients but she never measure her ingredients, she just thrown in whatever required. So now I have to figure out roughly using tablespoon. I hope my son will be able to cook in future when I am not around anymore. Thus I thought putting down the measurement now will helps.

Do try out this Sweet, Sour & Spicy Fish. Never afraid to try. Practise makes perfect is indeed very true.

Ingredients
1 tbls taucheo paste
3 tbls chili paste ( onion, garlic, dried chilli blend)
4 tbls vinegar
1 tbls sugar
3/4 small bowl water
2 pcs Mackerel

Method
Pre- fried fish, set aside
Heat up wok, add in 2 tbls oil
Then chilli paste, taucheo, sugar till fragrant
Add vinegar, water, boil till thickened and lastly fish

Limapulo @ Heritage Row

If you like authentic nyonya food, look no further. Save your time to drive all the way to Melaka, try Limapulo. Uncle John, the veteran nyonya chef behind these yummylicious food who partnered with his godson, Alan Yun, a Malaysian celebrity.

Their menus are simple. We tried  Cucur udang (Melaka version), sambal shrimp (we request to omit petai (stinky bean) as elder son dislike this bean, ayam berempah, brinjal,  nyonya laksa, cendol and sago gula melaka.

The cucur udang comes with tempe, egg, beancurd besides prawn fritters. Ayam berempah is not the same as ayam goreng berempah. It is similar to Curry kapitan.

There is more which we hope to try in near future, their nasi lemak, pai tee (top hat) roti jala, pongteh chicken, mee siam to name a few.

Nyonya Laksa is only available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday if I am not wrong.

Nyonya Laksa

Location
Limapulo
50 Jalan Doraisamy
53300 Kuala Lumpur
(besides Sheraton Hotel)

Operating Hours
Mon  - Sun 12-3pm, 6-10 pm

Simple Recipe - Kapitan Chicken Curry

A nyonya dish, that I tried cooking for first time after a lunch outing with family at Limapulo, my kids requested me to cook the same at home. Is not easy to be a chef at home, trying out different recipe to satisfy my children and upon any special request, I got to figure out how to churn out the dish. This dish  is named Ayam Berempah at Limapulo, mine with this recipe here tasted alright quite close though not exactly as Ayam Berempah.  As it turned out aromatic and thumbs up from my family members for this Kapitan Chicken Curry.

Ingredients to blend

Ingredients
6 chicken whole leg cut into 4 or 5 pieces
4 tbsp cooking oil
4 kaffir lime leaves torn into quarters
1/2 small bowl water
1 lime (juice)

Spice to blend
15 shallots
4 cloves garlic
3 stalk lemon grass
5 fresh red chillies
1.5" galangal
1/2" turmeric
1/2" ginger
3 candlenut
1" shrimp paste

Seasoning
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tblsp brown sugar
6 tblsp thick coconut milk

Method
Heat up pot or wok
Put Oil, blended spices - cook till fragrant using small fire
Throw in half kaffir lime leaves, then chicken, water
Then remainder kaffir lime leaves
Lower heat to medium
Chicken tender, gravy thicken (add water if gravy too dry), put salt, sugar and swirl in coconut milk
Squeeze in lime juice

Simple Recipe - Braised Pork Belly

Braised Meat, not much ingredients to worry about, only cooking time is longer The important is the good quality of dark soya sauce. .

Pork belly was browned/lightly pre-fried to have additional flavor to the stew. However this is totally optional if you do not have much time, you may skip this step.

Ingredients
1/2 kilo of Pork Belly
8 slices of old ginger (young is fine)
1 bulb garlic (separated & bruised)
1 Cinnamon Stick
5 Cloves
1 Star Anise
Peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon 5 Spices Powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoon sweet dark soya sauce
4 eggs

Method
Boil the eggs - put eggs with enough water to cover, boil for 10 minutes
Peel off the shell, set aside

Heat up a pot, put in 2 tablespoon oil
Add ginger, garlic, spices
Put in the meat, 5 spices powder, pepper and sweet dark soya sauce
Add water to cover the meat, braised till tender.


Add water whenever the sauce is dried up during braising which takes at least 1.5 hours.  Simmer longer will result in tender meat.

You may cut the meat before you braise or have the whole belly cut into half, braised it then only slice the desired size you prefer.

Simple Recipe - Sweet & Sour Fish

I am not trying to impress anyone with my cooking. Just a simple cooking that anyone can prepare a decent meal.  I am really trying hard to improve my cooking.  At times, really clueless of what to cook 😅. But we cannot be eating out all times ya, is still better to have homecook meal no matter how simple the dish, as is definitely healthier.

Thus my photos are not super impressive.  For this Sweet & Sour Fish, I am using pomfret and love lots of big onion.

Oops! Not enough gravy

Ingredients
1 tsp minced garlic
1 big onion sliced
1 inch ginger slice
1 tomato cubed
3 tbls chili sauce
3 tbls tomato sauce
1/2 tbls rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Pinch of salt

Method
Heat up oil in wok
Fry fish (rub salt on fish first)
Set aside

Heat up 2 tbls oil
Add in garlic, ginger, big oniom, tomato
Then chili tomato sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt
1 small bowl of water
Put in the pre-fried fish

Happy Trying!

Restaurant Lok Yuen @ Ampang - Chicken Rice

Chicken rice is one of my favorite whenever I just want a simple meal. However, my favorite Hainanese chicken rice shop in Chow Kit and another stall at Tengkat Tong Shin (behind Jalan Alor have since closed for business.  

This was my second visit to Lok Yuen, not the best as I prefer a more fragrance rice. The owner has been in business since 1971. 

We ordered a number of side dishes besides half poached chicken RM28, Chicken gizzard & intestine (S) RM5.50, Bean Sprouts (L) RM7, Braised Chicken Feet (L) RM7, Fish ball soup (S) RM6.50. Total bill was RM70.25 for 4 pax including 3 herbal tea and 1 soya milk.

They also serve farm chicken here. 

Location:
Restoran Loke Yun
158 Jalan Besar
Ampang
Selangor

Business Hours:
Daily 10:30am–8.30 pm

GPS : 3.148588,101.762371Jalan Besar Ampang

Every Sundae @ Damansara Uptown

A place to indulge in yummy ice cream. Every Sundae is located at Damansara Utama next to Village Park Nasi Lemak is owned by Cielo Dolci Enterprise.  Serving soft gelato (Italian style  ice cream), you can choose your base, soft gelato, topping and sauce. Pastries and cakes were served here too.

For your selection:

Base: Cup/Handmade Cone/Giant Cookie/Belgian Waffle

Soft Gelato: Matcha/Cornflakes Milk/Twist (Matcha+Cornflakes Milk)/Deep Dark Chocolate/Salted Caramel/Twist (Choc+Salted Caramel)

Topping: Caramel Popcorn/Cornflakes Crunch/Honey Comb/NY Cheesecake cubes/Choc Chip Cookies/Cotton Cloud/Matcha White Chocolate/Sesame Brittle

Sauce: Butterscotch/Dark Chocolate Fudge/Berries Compote/Passion Fruits Compote

Our choice were Ice Latte RM11, Cup of soft gelato of twist (choc & caramel) top with popocorn & butterscotch RM16, another top with honey comb 15.50 and a single cup pistachio gelato RM9.50.  

Soft Gelato

Location
Every Sundae Soft Gelato Bar by Cielo Dolci
9 Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 
Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 
Next to Village Park Nasi Lemak.

Business Hours:
Open daily except Tuesday 12 pm - 11 pm

Secret of Louisiana @ Kelana Jaya

Secret of Louisiana serving Cajun style seafood and steak. Located at Kelana Jaya, the seating's are by the lakeside. Cool night ambiance, recommended place to chill for gathering or function as the food served here was good.

The area of dining

Tables by the lake

Appertiser: Seafood Gumbo RM30

Smoke Duck Chili Spaghetti RM35

Louisiana's Style Tenderly Grilled Chicken Chop with sauce of your choice RM28

Char grilled Rosemary Lamb RM43

For the three of us including drinks, with 6% gst & 10% service charge, total bill came up to RM180.40.  You will be given a 10% discount card for your future dining there.

Location:
D-01-01, Jalan SS 7/13a, Plaza Kelana Jaya 
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel: 03-7875 5230

Opening hours:
Mon - Sat: 11 am- 3 pm, 5 pm  -12 am
Sun: 5 pm - 12 am

Simple Recipe - Gulai lemak Salted Fish Head

Do not worry if you could not cook, just follow the recipe and I am sure you be surprise. Do not think is difficult and dare not try. 

Gulai Lemak with salted fish head, cabbage, pineaple and long bean

Coriander seeds less than half small bowl

Ingredients
1.5 coconut - 2 medium bowl coconut milk
Coriander Seed 1/2 small bowl or less
Chili Blend (10 small onion, 5 garlic, 2 lemongrass, 1 cm tumeric)
Shrimp paste
Salty Fish Head & Flesh (Soak for 15 mins)
Long Bean 
Pineapple 
Cabbage (Optional)
Prawn 

Method
Fry in the work coriander seed without oil till brown (small fire), then blend into powder 

Heat up wok with 3 tablespoon cooking oil
Fry Chilli Blend, Shrimp paste till fragrant
Add in Coconut milk
Salty Fish
Boil a while
Then add n long bean and pineapple
Lastly Prawn

Note: No sugar, No Salt

If you do not wish to put in salted fish head, you may add in brinjal, towpok etc but do put salt.

You may eat with rice or yellow noodles, yum!

Simple Recipe - Kobis masak lemak (Cabbage in coconut milk)

I am glad to be able to cook what my late mom in law used to cook. I am blessed to have tasted all her recipes including this appetizing yet a simple home cooked dish, Kobis masak lemak (Cabbage in Coconut Milk). 

You only require cabbage and squid or prawn.

Tantalizing Cabbage & Squid in Coconut Milk

Ingredients
1 whole coconut, squeeze out coconut milk equal to 2 medium bowl
Squid
Cabbage
Chili Paste (Blend a medium bowl Dried Chilies, 8 small onion and 6 garlic)
Shrimp Paste
Salt



Method
Pour all the coconut milk into a pot
Add in 16 tablespoon of Chili paste
Shrimp paste about 1.5 cm
1.5 teaspoon of salt
Boil with medium fire (be careful not to have the oil separates)
Put in cabbage
Lastly Squid (not too long or turns out rubbery)

Done, Bon Appetit! The gravy should be fragrance with aroma of shrimp paste.

Simple Recipe - Taiwanese 3 cups chicken

Why 3 cups? Because is a cup each of Sesame Oil, Fah Tiew Chinese Cooking Wine and Soya Sauce. Sound simple?  It is simple but delicious.

Taiwanese 3 cups chicken especially cook in claypot, everyone will love it. It goes well with rice. But do not worry if you do not have a claypot, cook it in a wok or pot, no problem.

Ingredients
4 whole leg chicken cut into 16 pcs
Sesame Oil - 6 tablespoon (I used lesser instead of 10 tablespoon, not too oily)
Light Soy Sauce - 10 tablespoon
Chinese Cooking Wine - 10 tablespoon
Bunch of basil leaves
Few Slice of Old Ginger (Young ginger is fine too)
6 gloves of Garlic, peeled (bruised or slice if fine)

Methods
Heat up wok 
Put in 3 tablespoon of Sesame Oil
Add in Ginger & Garlic
Throw in the chicken, turn up heat fry till chicken is white
Then add in bowl of mixture (3 tablespoon sesame oil, 10 tablespoon each soy sauce & Chinese wine)
Stir it, leave till cook, sauce soaked up (Should be thick and not much left)
Add in basil leaves for 20 seconds


Done!