Sambal stuffed Mackerel Fry

This is one of the Peranakan / Nyonya recipe that comes from the Peranakans, who are the descendants of early Chinese migrants settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia. 

This is a very easy recipe and can be eaten with hot steaming rice.

Here I have use the ingredients available in my kitchen as normally fresh Turmeric and shallots are used in the recipe but since I didn’t have them, I used powder turmeric and onion. 

P.S. - Belacan is a hardened block of shrimp paste, made from tiny shrimp mixed with salt and fermented used in Malay cooking.

Sambal Paste

Ingredients

1 medium size Onion chopped

4 Garlic Cloves

3 Fresh Red Chillies or 2 tsp Fresh Red Chilli paste

2 Lemongrass stalk

4 Dry Red Chillies

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Sugar - (I didn't use)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Belacan - Shrimp paste or 1 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Tamarind pulp

3 to 4 tbsp of Water

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Add the above ingredients except oil in a grinder and grind the ingredients into a fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the sambal paste and stir and cook the paste for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep the paste aside to cool.

    

For Fish Fry

Ingredients

4 Mackerel - Slit on both the sides of the back bone

Sambal paste

1/4 cup Oil for shallow frying the fish 

Method

Take the fish. Stuff the fish with one tablespoon of sambal paste on each side of the cut. Take a pan, add oil and heat the oil. Shallow fry the fish on medium low heat till cooked on both the sides. Remove fish from pan. Serve the fish with hot steaming rice.

Lapis Sarawa Coloured Layered Kek

Lapis Sarawa Coloured Layered Kek...

The Sarawak layer cake is traditionally served in Sarawak, Malaysia on special occasions. In the Malay language, the cakes are known as kek lapis Sarawak, Kek lapis moden Sarawak, 'or simply Kek lapis. They are often baked for religious or cultural celebrations such as Eid ul-Fitr, Christmas, Deepavali, birthdays and weddings. 

According to the history, layer cakes have been made in Jakarta, Indonesia since the 1970s and 1980s. During that time, Betawi people came to Sarawak and taught the people, how to make the spiced Betawi cake. The Sarawak people then added new ingredients, flavour and colour that resulted in a new version of the layer cake been introduced and named as Sarawak layer cake. In addition, modern Sarawak layered cakes were inspired by Western cake-making in the early 1980s. In 2011, cake maker Kek lapis Qalas Qalas introduced modern design to the traditional layer cake, along with new flavours. Sarawakian modern layered cakes can be divided into two categories, cakes with ordinary layers and cakes with patterns, motifs, or shapes. All must have at least two colours. The cake can be baked in an oven or microwave. The batter is made from butter or vegetable oil, milk and eggs, it requires a strong arm or electric mixer to beat the ingredients together. The baked cake has a high, firm texture and the layers are fastened together with jam or a similarly sticky sweet substance. More detailed cakes often require special moulds to maintain the perfect layer thickness.

(Net Source )

Here is my version of this recipe with the ingredients available in my kitchen.

Ingredients

160 grams All Purpose Flour 

80 grams Malt / Horlicks or Malt based drinking powder like Bournvita 

1tbsp Coco powder 

1 tsp Baking powder 

200 grams Butter

80 grams Caster Sugar

5 Eggs

200 grams Condensed Milk

1 tsp Vanilla essence 

3 Ameri Colour of your choice

Method 

Grease a rectangular 7" × 5 " × 2 " baking tin and keep it aside. Take a mixing bowl. Add butter and sugar. Beat it well till fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat it well. Add the vanilla essence and condensed milk. In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and malt powder together. Add the flour mix little at a time and beat it well. Divide the batter into 5 parts. Add cocoa powder into 1 part of the batter and mix it well. Let one part remain as it is. Add different colours in each of the 3 remaining batter. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celcius. Pour 2 tbsps of cocoa batter into baking tin and spread mixture evenly. Bake for about 6 -7 minutes or until cooked. Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven & press top of the cake gently using a fondant smoother or bottom flat surface of bowl.Then adjust the oven setting to top heat only and increase the temperature to190 degrees celcius.  Pour 2 tbsp of any colour batter into baking tin and spread evenly. Bake untill cook. Continue baking the same way, by pressing the baked layer and adding another colour batter on top of the baked layer. Repeat till all the batter is over. Take it out from the oven and cool it completely. Cut it into square pieces and enjoy it...

P. S. 2 tbsp batter will remain which can be baked in a small bowl.

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Dalcha is an adaptation of the Indian Dalcha made by the Indian Muslim population living in Malaysia. It is made during gatherings or had in breakfast.... Basically it is made with mutton or chicken or can be made vegetarian too. 

It is made with split pigeon peas (Toor dal) and vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, carrot, turnip, french beans etc. It's a kind of Stew  with coconut milk added to it. 

Here I added Prawns to the vegetables available in my kitchen... 

Ingredients

250 grams medium sized Prawns cleaned 

1/2 cup Split Pigeon Peas washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

1 Onion chopped 

4 Garlic cloves cut into pieces 

2 Green chillies cut into pieces 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste 

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1 Potato peeled and cut into cubes 

1 small Carrot cut into cubes 

2 Drumsticks cut into pieces 

2 Tomatoes chopped 

Few Curry leaves 

2 tbsp Malaysian Curry Powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 Star Anise 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

6 Pepper corns 

1 cup Coconut Milk 

4 tbsp Oil 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method 

Boil the split pigeon peas in 2 cups of water till cooked. Take a wok. Add oil. Fry the prawns in oil with 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper and cardomom. Let it crackle. Add the curry leaves. Sauté it for a minute. Add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the chopped onions,  garlic and chilli. Sauté it till the onions are translucent. Add the drum sticks, carrot and potato. Stir it for a minute. Add the tomatoes.  Stir it. Add the spice powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and tamarind paste. Stir it and cook for 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are almost done. Add the boiled dal. Stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the prawns and coconut milk. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Malaysian Curry Powder 

Ingredients

4 tbsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds 

10 dried Red Chillies 

1/2 tbsp Pepper Corns 

1 medium size Cinnamon

6 Cardomom 

2 Cloves 

1 Star Anise 

1/2 tbsp Rice 

2 tbsp Tumeric powder

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients except turmeric powder till light brown on a low flame. Remove it from the flame and let it cool. Add roasted spices and the turmeric powder into the grinder and grind until it becomes a fine powder. Store it in a dry glass container.

Asam Pedas (Sour and Spicy Fish Curry)

Asam Pedas (Sour and Spicy Fish Curry)
It is an Indonesian, Malay curry dish. Vegetables like okra,  brinjal, potato and tomato are added in the dish along with the fish. Fish like mackerel, sting ray, prawns or sweet water fish can be used.

For the Wet paste
Ingredients
6 Shallots chopped
4 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger
2 stalks Lemongrass
1/2 tsp Shrimp paste
3 Candlenuts ( I did not have it so I used 5 Cashew nut)
6 Dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbsp Oil

 

Method
Grind all the above ingredients into a fine paste. 

For the Curry
Ingredients
6 pieces Rohu Fish marinated with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and salt.
2 Onions sliced
6 Okras cut vertically
1 Potato peeled and cut into wedges
1 small long Brinjal cut into wedges
1 Tomato cut into wedges
2 tbsp Tamarind paste
2 handful Laksa leaves (did not have so used coriander leaves)
Salt to taste
Wet paste
Oil to fry the Fish and make the Curry
2 cups of Water

Method
Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the fish until brown. Remove it and keep it aside. Remove the excess oil from the wok and let 2 tbsp of oil remain. Add the paste, saute it for 2 minutes. Add the potato, onion and brinjal.  Stir it. Add water and cook it till the vegetables are almost done. Add the tamarind paste, okras and green chillies. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, salt and the fish pieces.
Lastly, put in the fried fish and coriander leaves.  Let it simmer for 2 minutes.  Serve it with hot steam rice.  

Roti Jala served with Pickled Chicken

Roti Jala served with Pickled Chicken 

Roti Jala is a traditional flat, net, lacy bread from Malaysia and is served with any curry. I have made Malaysian Pickled Chicken to go with Roti Jala. 

Roti Jala

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups  All Purpose Flour

1 tetra pack Coconut Milk or more 

1 Egg Beaten

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Melted Ghee for Brushing (Optional) 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and turmeric powder, mix it. Add the egg and coconut milk little at a time and whisk in to a thin batter. Heat a frying pan. Keep the flame on low heat and brush the pan lightly with ghee. Drizzle the batter from a squeeze bottle on the pan to create a net pattern. Cook until it is  light golden on the base. Turn and lightly cook the other side, take it out on a plate and repeat with remaining batter. When cool, fold roti in to half from both the sides and then roll from the other end. Serve with pickled chicken. 

Pickled Chicken 

For the Ground Spices 

Ingredients 

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

10 Cloves

2 Cardomom 

1 small stick Cinnamom 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients except Turmeric and Nutmeg. Cool the ingredients, add the turmeric powder and nutmeg and grind it into a fine powder. 

For Marinating the Chicken 

Ingredients 

10 medium size Chicken pieces

Spice powder

Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and marinate it for 1 hour. 

For the Wet Spices 

Ingredients 

2 Onions cut into thick slices

1 tsp Ginger chopped

1 tsp Garlic 

1 Lemon Grass Stalk chopped 

5 Red Dry Chillies soaked in water

Method 

 In a blender blend chillies, onions, ginger, garlic and lemongrass into a paste. Add very little water if required to make the paste. 

For the Pickled Chicken 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken pieces 

Wet Paste 

3 tbsp Vinegar 

1/2 tbsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

½ cup Chicken stock

2 tbsp Ghee 

Few  Mint and Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method 

 Heat ghee in a wok on medium heat, add the wet paste. Stir fry the paste for 3 minutes or till the oil has separated from the paste. Add the marinated chicken and fry for 10 minutes. Add the stock, stir and cover the wok. Simmer until the chicken has cooked. Add vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir and simmer for another 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves. Serve with Roti Jala.