Weekend Menu - Sep 2010

This weekend, I decided to cook Chicken curry with Fried Bee Hoon. In Singapore, it is common to eat Chicken Curry with Fried Bee Hoon or French loaf. I guess Bee Hoon and French loaf absorb the curry gravy well. Curry is originally from India cuisine and it has travel so many miles that the taste has to been adjusted to local taste bud. Just like curry in Singapore, there are lot of versions.... real Indian curry with the curry powdery taste, Malay curry and Chinese curry with the least curry flavour.

My Chicken curry is a Peranakan chinese style, I guess. The gravy is thicker than Chinese curry and it has more texture in it, perhaps I add lot of grinded spices. I also add bean curd skin in the curry as it blends well with chicken, potatoes. Hm.... so savoury !

We spend most of the time at home during weekends. Reason no. 1 : We don't know where to go and we hate crowded places but unfortunately Singapore population has reach 5 millions, so everybody is trying to squeeze themselves in the small holes. Reason no. 2 : My gals need to do their homeworks. Well done Minister of Education... you have successfully encouraging family to be busier even on weekends. Reason no. 3 : We are just to lazy to go under hot weather... Enough complaining, let's get back to Curry :)

So... nothing better than enjoying your favourite food at your own comfort home !

Chilli Paste...

Finally my supply of Chilli paste ran out !

We like our homemade Chilli paste. It goes well with Fried Beehoon, Fried Noodles, Chic Nuggets and even as ingredients for other dishes. It has simple sweet, hot and no-frills taste. I always make it in a big pot and keep it in few small containers in the freezer. It will last for 2 months in normal days (when we don't eat too much fried food :). Although it is quite troublesome to make it, I think it's worth the effort ! The chilli paste available in markets is normally either too salty or it has 'funny' smell...



Last week I have bought all the ingredients to make chilli paste... and it takes me a few days before I started to wash the chillies, grind it with other species and finally cook it for an hour. My hubby offered himself to help me to cook the grinded chillies. He stirred the chilli paste for almost an hour that night... the smoke was so hot that we needed to open the windows wider so that the smell won't disturb my daughters who were in the living room watching TV. Well.. this is the constraint when you stay in apartment... you have to be smart to direct the chilli smell to your windows...hahahah



Voila... this is the chilli paste and it's cooked !

Life would be different without Chilli... don't you think so, my friend ?

Hari Raya Puasa 2010

Today is the first day of Hari Raya Puasa in Singapore and guess what ??? My hubby is backed in town after a long business trip to US. As usual He would miss all the foods at home and today I have prepared MEE REBUS for him.



The moment he reached moment, he bathed and he wanted his first serve of Mee Rebus ! Yum.... it's so savoury and frankly I like the taste of Mee Rebus too. It has been a while since the last time I cooked Mee Rebus. For some reasons, my hubby doesn't like the Mee Rebus sold at coffee shop. He hates the taste of dried prawns in it. While it seems common to add dried prawns in most of dishes in Singapore, I find it weird too ! Why can't they remove dried prawns ? Not all the dishes go well with dried prawns.


So this is my mee rebus ...



You have to try the taste by yourself as I can't find Indonesian food that is similar to mee rebus. It has yellow noodle, tau pok, tauge, hard boiled egg and peanut gravy.

I would normally make a lot and place each portion in a plastic bag. When you want to eat it, simply boil water and put the ingredients in boiling water for few minutes. Pour the peanut gravy on top with Fried Onion (bawang goreng)... Voilllaaa.... bon appetite !

I am so happy to see my Doofy eating mee rebus...

PS. Please don't compare my mee rebus with the one that is available in Singapore... it's not the same !

Queen of Martabak

I have always have curiosity on this special Indonesian snack. It has a distinctive rich aroma, so sinful but you will always exempt yourself to enjoy it with pleasures.

MARTABAK MANIS.... is one of Indonesian favourite snacks. Usually sold by street vendor, it is a thick sweet pancake filled with combination of ground peanuts, cheese, chocolate rice and fruits. It has irresistable mouth watering aroma you would want to have bite immediately. And trust me you will not stop after your first slice of martabak manis.

The ingredients of martabak manis are simple and fresh, but you need a special skill to make it as authentic as the one sold by street vendor.

My passion in this HUMBLE snack continues after I move overseas. There were time when I crave for Martabak Manis so badly. But I don't have to swallow my saliva thinking about Martabak Manis now...

Here are my very own Martabak Manis.....


CLASSIC MARTABAK MANIS

This is the classic martabak manis. Filled with cheese, chocolate rice, ground peanuts and sesame seeds, it brings out the best combination to tantalise your taste bud.






PANDAN CHEESE MARTABAK MANIS

For those who prefer something less sinful and yet still enjoying the real Pandan flavour... This Pandan Cheese Martabak Manis is definetely the best choice.




Both martabak manis have been tested by many of my Indonesian friends and proof to be the only one to satisfy their craving so far... Cheers !