• Jun
  • 23
  • 2015

malaysian beef rendang

I hardly ever cook rendang, especially beef rendang. Why? Because it takes hours and hours to cook this delicate aromatic dish. In Malaysia, we call this ‘Rendang Tok’ which means Granny Rendang, sure enough, this recipe originated from my cousins grandmother, God bless her!

 RECIPE FOR BEEF RENDANG/ RENDANG TOK
Adapted from Tok Ye, with slight modifications
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients

Blended ingredients
10 small shallots
6 cloves garlic
1 knob ginger, 4 cm
1 knob galangal, 4cm
2 lemongrass, end part only and sliced thinly
10-15 dried chilli, soaked in hot water for 30 mins

The rest of the ingredients are:

2 kilo beef chuck steak, with bones
2 tsp ginger paste (to marinate the chicken)
2 tsp garlic paste (to marinate the chicken)
2 tbsp ketumber (coriander powder)
1 tsp jintan manis (cummin spowder)
1 tsp jintan putih (fennel powder)
1.5 tbsp curry powder (brand:baba’s meat curry powder)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp black pepper
3-4 kaffir lime leaves
100g kerisik (dry fry shredded coconut untill golden brown)
1 can coconut cream
1/2 cup oil

Method
1. Marinate beef with a bit of salt and ginger & garlic paste. Stand for an hour.
2. Put oil and add blended ingredients, fry until fragrant and you see the oil separates. Should take about 7-10 mins.
3. Add the spices (coriander,cummin, fennel, turmeric and curry powder then fry again until oil separates. Another 7 mins.
4. Put the beef and then cook covered on low heat. Stir regularly every 20 mins to make sure it doesn’t burn.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, tamarind, coconut cream, kerisik (shredded coconut) and season generously with salt, pepper and sugar.
6. Cook until it dries out and the colour has darkened. Cooking time should be at least 3 hours.
7. Serve with warm steam rice.

Note: Rendang is best made a day in advance! Tastes really good the day after!

 


  • Apr
  • 06
  • 2015

tiramisu

Tiramisu is an all time favourite in our house. I don’t drink coffee (yes I’m weird), but I can certainly wipe off a whole tray of tiramisu! This recipe was passed from an old friend 5 years ago when I told her I don’t consume anything with coffee! So she gave me a tray of tiramisu and since then, I have made this countless of times and it has always been a crowd pleaser. Her original recipe has eggs, so I had to modify it because when you’re pregnant, you can’t eat raw eggs. And it tastes amazing with or without eggs! Give it a go and let me know!

 

RECIPE FOR EGGLESS TIRAMISU
Adapted from an old friend, with modifications
Serves: 12
Prep time: 30 mins
Chill time: min 6 hours (preferably overnight)

Ingredients for Tiramisu

1 large packet of sponge fingers (500 grams)
3 tablespoon of boiled water
5 tablespoon of coffee
1 to 1.5 cup milk
1/4 cup caster sugar
250g tub mascarpone cheese
300ml whipped cream (I use thickened and just whip it)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder for dressing

Method for coffee mixture (to dip sponge fingers in)

In a medium sized bowl, mix 3 tbsp of boiled water with 5 tbsp of coffee until dissolved. This becomes really thick, and then reserve in 2-3 tbsp in a small cup (this is to add to the cream mixture later). With the remainder coffee mixture, add milk, stir and keep aside.

Method for cream mixture

In a mixing bowl, whisk together mascarpone and cream. Slowly add in the coffee mixture that you reserved earlier and incorporate it into the cream mixture. Whisk until becomes a nice smooth, thick cream.

Method for assembling cake

1. You will need a rectangle serving tray 9×13″ (23x33cm),  at least 2″ deep (5cm).
2. Dip the sponge fingers in to the coffee mixture, quickly turning both sides and layer them onto the tray.
3. Add the cream mixture on top of the biscuits and then sift the cocoa powder evenly.
4. Repeat step 2 & 3.
5. Chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. I like to chill mine 24 hours before I serve.


  • Jan
  • 06
  • 2015

chocolate mud cake

Ever since my sister introduced me to this mud cake, o-em-gee!! Like seriously out of this world good. Just look at the ingredients, no wonder it tastes amazing… loaded with real chocolate, sugar and butter! When she first made it for me, I ate without any guilt. Now that I made it and know whats inside, I could only have a bite…hehe But on a serious note, if you want to indulge and make it for an occassion, THIS is the chocolate mud cake to make. TRUST ME on this!

And this cake was what I made for a friends farewell party.

^Please excuse the bad photo quality. I was cutting it during the event and kids were all next to me hassling for a piece lol. This was the best pic I could take. Photo does not reflect how moist the cake actually is.

 

RECIPE FOR CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE
Adapted from thrumykitchenwindow

Ingredients for cake

250gm butter
250gm dark cooking chocolate
2tbsp instant espresso coffee powder
150gm self-raising flour
150gm plain flour
60gm cocoa powder
1/2tsp bicarb soda
550gm caster sugar
4 eggs
2tbsp vegetable oil or light olive oil
125ml milk

Ingredients for chocolate ganache
150gm dark cooking chocolate
60gm melted unsalted butter

 

Method:

1. Grease a deep 23cm round cake tin. Line the base and sides with baking paper, making sure the paper extends well above the top of the tin.

2. Dissolve the coffee in 185mls hot water. Put the melted butter, sugar, melted chocolate and dissolved coffee in a mixing bowl and stir until corporated.

3. Dry ingredients: Sift the flours, cocoa and bicarb of soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.

4. Add the combined eggs, oil and milk; using a large spoon or spatula mix well into the dry ingredients. Add  half the cooled melted chocolate mixture (from step 2); stir well till there are no lumps.  Add the remaining half; make sure the mixture is well combined.  It should be of a pourable consistency.

5. Pour the mixture into the carefully lined cake tin. Place into a preheated oven set at 130 – 150degrees celcius. No higher.  It should be baked long, slow and low heat. Bake for approx 1 3/4 hours. It is not unusual for the top of the cake to develop a crust or for the centre to be slightly sunken. Place the cake on a rack; leave in tin until completely cold. Once cold; cover securely with a tea towel.  Leave overnight.

6. Turn cake out, remove all of the lining. Examine the cake. You want a level cake when it comes to decorating; therefore if it is not even it may be necessary to slice off some of the crusty bits until it is level with the centre of the cake. Sometimes the cake may have a slight rise. In this instance simply cut off the risen bit in the centre. Sometimes you won’t have to do a thing.

7. Once you have achieved a flat, top surface, turn the cake upside down. It is wise to do this on the serving plate with some cutouts of baking paper around the edges and under the cake. This alleviates any messiness and once the icing becomes firm, the baking paper can be removed leaving your cake looking immaculately decorated.

8. In a small glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Do not overheat. In another bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Once again, do not overheat or ‘sizzle’ the butter; just till almost melted. Pour this into the melted chocolate and slowly incorporate the two together. Stir until well combined and you have achieved a nice glossy, pouring chocolate.

9. Pour ganache onto the centre of the cake. Using a spatula or a knife, spread the ganache all over the cake. If the weather is hot or humid you can take a little more time to get it right. If the weather is cold you may have to work more quickly as the chocolate ganache may begin to harden.

10. Allow the topping to set at room temperature. If at any time you place it in the fridge you will lose the glossy shine. It won’t affect the taste, it just won’t look as silky smooth.


  • Dec
  • 25
  • 2014

Guilt free chocolate cake

Are you on a healthier sustainable diet? Or trying to lose weight? And you love chocolate cakes? Well, this guilt-free chocolate cake will definitely win you over. There is not butter, and it is substituted with avacado making it very moist. Surprisingly, you cant even taste it! Healthy eating does not mean you deprive yourself from yummy treats, you just substitute to a healthier alternative. I have been following Lose Baby Weight for a while and they have fabulous recipes, so do check them out!

 

RECIPE FOR GUILT FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Adapted from Lose Baby Weight

Ingredients

180g unsweetened dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (I use 85% Lindt)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1?2 cup coconut sugar (or other natural sweetener, such as Natvia)
1 ripe, medium-sized avocado, pureed
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp wholemeal flour
Cocoa powder, to dust

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a springform tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper. Wrap the outside of the tin in aluminium foil (so water doesn’t get in when cooking).

2. Place chocolate in a small saucepan and melt, stirring, over a low heat.

3. Add vanilla and sugar and stir until well combined. Add avocado puree  and mix thoroughly. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs for 1 minute or  until frothy. Add flour and beat again. Add the chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour into the springform pan.

4. Pour 1 inch (2.5cm) of water into a large roasting dish and place the springform pan in the water. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the cake has just set on the edge but remains soft in the centre.

5. Remove the foil coating and put the pan onto a wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Turn the cake out onto the wire rack and peel the baking paper off the base, which is now the top of the cake.

6. Once completely cooled, decorate with cocoa powder or powdered natural sweetener to serve.


  • Oct
  • 30
  • 2014

Healthy chocolate coated coconut balls

 

RECIPE FOR HEALTHY CHOCOLATE COCONUT BALLS

Makes: 15 balls
Prep time: 20mins

Ingredients

1 cup almond meal
1 cup cocoa/cacao powder
3 tbsp stevia or you can use honey/maple syrup
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (put in small bowl and leave aside)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl except the last one- desiccated coconut.  Combine all the ingredients well and shape into a small ball using the palm of your hands.

2. Roll each ball into desiccated coconut and you’re done! Too easy!

 

 

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