in my studio | category | in my kitchen

Jun
07
2014

satay sauce | peanut sauce

My sister has been asking for satay the past few weeks, and it just never happened. So this week, she firmly said “I’m making satay!” and I told her I’d make the peanut sauce to complement her satay. I’ve never made peanut sauce (kuah kacang) ever, but I was excited to give it a go. Although I’m not a huge satay fan, I do love my satay sauce and we usually eat it with nasi impit (rice cubes). You know how westerners love their dipping sauce? Well, I smother my rice cubes in this peanut dipping sauce. So, I was up at 1am (dont ask why!) cooking this. And I’m glad it turned out delicious!

*excuse the dark poor quality pic, it was taken at night*

I went on google and typed ‘kuah kacang’ and clicked the first link I saw. I’m glad it had really good photos (because we eat with our eyes right?) so I used this recipe.

RECIPE FOR SATAY SAUCE/PEANUT SAUCE/KUAH KACANG

Adapted from this recipe

with slight adjustments
Makes: a big wok!
Prep & cook time: 1.5 hours

To blend:
4 candlenuts
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp coriander powder
20gm dried prawns (about big handful)
5 small red onions
3 cloves garlic
20 dried chilli
2 lemongrass (bruised)
1/2inch dried shrimp paste (belacan)

Ingredients:
600gram peanuts (roast first in a wok)
1.5 cup palm sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste
2-3 cups Water

Method

1. In a large wok, dry fry the peanuts, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn easily. This would take about 10 minutes. Then remove half of the nuts and put it together in the blender with the blended ingredients. Blend all the ingredients.

2. Using a food processor, process the remaining half peanuts. The consistency you’re looking for is not smooth like a paste, but more texturally lumpy. Just make sure all the peanuts have been processed thoroughly & there are not huge bits.

3. Heat up wok again with oil . Add in the blended ingredients and cook until the oil separates. This should take 15-20mins.

4. Add the processed nuts and 2-3 cups water. Add the lemongrass. Simmer on low for an hour, the add in palm sugar and salt. Simmer for another 20minutes. Make sure to keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.

5. Once 1.5 hours is reached, you’ll notice the sauce thickening up and has darkened in colour. The oil should also separate and you’ll know its ready. Serve with satay and/or rice cubes (nasi impit)

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Category: asian, halal, in my kitchen

May
05
2014

shepherd’s pie | cottage pie

When you’re a busy mumma to 3 small kids, sometimes you just need a quick meal, but tasty of course. A lot of shepherds pie that I’ve had in the past, seem to have too much meat and very little mash. In my family, shepherds pie is made with a ratio of 1:1. Equal amount of meat to potato, can never have too much mash?!

RECIPE FOR SHEPHERD’S PIE/COTTAGE PIE
Serves: 4 in a 13x22cm (5×9″) oven dish
Prep time: 30minutes
Cook time: 20minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g beef mince
1 carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup peas
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp stock paste (If using liquid stock,add some flour to thicken it)
A couple of pinches of mixed herb
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
500g potatoes, peeled & quartered
1/4 cup milk
50g butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Then saute onions & garlic.

3. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil over medium heat and cook until tender (10-15 minutes).

4. Add beef mince, a couple of pinches of mixed herbs and cook until mince is brown all over before adding the vegetables.

5. Once vegetables are added, put some stock, worcestershire sauce & tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes making sure to stir every few minutes.

6. Back to potatoes: Drain potatoes and return to pot. Add milk & butter then mash until smooth. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

7. In an oven dish, layer the pie filing and then mashed potatoes, and top it off with some mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot with some garlic bread!

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Category: in my kitchen

May
05
2014

pumpkin soup

Its been very cold lately in Melbourne and its not even winter yet! Particularly in the past week, it has been raining everyday so my husband has been asking for winter comfort food-pumpkin soup! He absolutely loves pumpkin and especially that we’ve grown our own pumpkin this season, he was very excited almost like a little kid receiving a present, lol!

This is a very simple and easy recipe, but according to my husband, superbly tasty!

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp butter
400g pumpkin, peeled roughly cut into cubes
1/2 tsp cummin
1/2 cup thickened cream
2 cups stock (or I use a homemade chicken stock paste and use 2tsp)
2 cups water (add more water if you’re using a stock paste)
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1.Heat butter and saute garlic.
2. Add the pumpkin pieces, cummin, stock and water.
3. Cover with a lid and bring it to a boil. Then let simmer for 20minutes.
4. Using a handheld stick blender, blend all the ingredients thoroughly in the pot. If you’re using a blender, wait a couple of hours until all the ingredients have cooled down before putting it in your blender.
5. Once blended, add salt, pepper and thickened cream and let simmer again for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot with some bread on the side!

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Category: halal, in my kitchen, soups, vegetarian

Apr
30
2014

cekodok pisang | banana balls

IMG_20140430_103241

My morning tea today with my lovely girls, while watching them colour in and do some paper activities. They even helped me with making the banana balls, though flour fight everywhere… but thats alright, as long as they are having fun!

RECIPE FOR CEDOKOK PISANG/BANANA BALLS

Ingredients

400 grams very ripe bananas
400grams plain flour, sifted
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups oil

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok.
2. Mashed the bananas thoroughly and then add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.Combine until evenly mix.
3. Once the oil is heated, drop in about a teaspoon of the mixture to form a ball shape (or somewhat similar)
4. Deep fry both sides until golden brown and remove and let cool.

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Category: breakfast, in my kitchen

Apr
27
2014

raspberry, almond and white chocolate tea cake

In our family, we love berries. My girls can eat a whole punnet of berries in 1 sitting.

A few weeks ago we made a blueberry lemon butter cake, so this weekend, my eldest and I made this lovely rustic raspberry, almond and white chocolate tea cake.

All the ingredients needed to make this cake.

RECIPE FOR RASPBERRY, ALMOND AND WHITE CHOCOLATE TEA CAKE
Adapted from this recipe
Slices: 12 (20cm springfoam pan)
Bake time: 50 mins

Ingredients
150g (5.3oz) softened, unsalted butter
2/3 cup (150g/5.3oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
50ml milk
1 cup (150g/5.3oz) self-raising flour, sifted
150g (5.3oz) almond meal, sifted
3/4cup (135g/4.75oz) white chocolate chips
150g fresh or frozen raspberries
2/3 cup (50g/1.8oz) flaked almonds
icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 F). Grease and line base and sides of a 20cm springfoam pan.
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar until thick and pale.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the milk, then beat to combine.
5. Fold in the flour and almond meal, then fold in the chocolate chips and raspberries.
6. Spoon into the pan, and smooth flat.
7. Bake for 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool cake in pan for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
9. Sprinkle generously with a layer of flaked almonds and dust with icing sugar.